A little girl suddenly orphaned by her parents' deaths was sent to her grandfather, an old miner in the West. He wasn't popular with the other miners; he was a bad-tempered gossip. The little girl's arrival changed all this; she was such a favorite that the rough miners could stand even her crusty old grandfather for her sake, and he soon ceased to be grumpy and became agreeable. He had very bad luck with his claim, but was too proud to ask for the aid which the rough men would gladly have given now. Only his little granddaughter knew, and she promised her grandfather never to tell. The young sheriff of the country was in pursuit of two dangerous outlaws for whose arrest $500 was to be awarded. He showed the notice to the old man, who reflected bitterly that if he could win the reward his financial troubles would be over. The little girl stood gravely by listening to the conversation. Several days later the sheriff and his posse were on the trail of the outlaws, but lost them in the mountains. Long search failed to reveal any trace of them, and the posse returned to town. In the meantime the two fugitives, lost in the storm, found their way to the old miner's cabin. The old man and the child recognized the two outlaws from the circular the sheriff had given them, but were powerless to do anything. While the old miner, at the outlaw's command, provided them with food and drink, the child's alert brain was searching for some means to outwit the desperadoes and secure the reward. Finally inspiration came. A note in childish handwriting fastened under the dog's long hair and the child, watching her opportunity, opened the door and permitted the dog to escape. The bandits pulled the child back from the door, but did not worry about the loss of the dog, little dreaming of the note concealed on his body. The dog reached the sheriff's office in safety and the posse arrived in time to effect the capture of the outlaws. The reward was paid to the old miner and from that time on fortune smiled upon him and he was able to provide liberally for his granddaughter.