Broncho Billy is seen leaving his humble home in the east to make his fortune in the far west. He kisses his mother fondly goodbye. Broncho Billy, a tenderfoot at this time, arrives in the west, goes to the hotel and engages a room. After placing his belongings in his room he saunters about the hotel lobby. Al Wilkes, a rough western cowpuncher, imagining he can make this unknown man of the east dance, plays a lively tune around his feet with a forty -four caliber revolver. Broncho Billy gives Wilkes a look, and calmly leaves the room. Broncho then strolls into the gambling house and refuses to take a hand in the game. He then walks into the barroom and orders a glass of soda. Wilkes enters the saloon, and seeing Broncho Billy drinking the nearest thing to water, makes fun of him. This grates on the young easterner's nerves. Wilkes calls him a "Mollycoddle," or something to that effect. Broncho suggests a fight to take place right then and there. Broncho is informed by the cowpunchers who have congregated, that they are not accustomed to using fists out west, that if he wants to fight he will have to practice shooting with a gun. Broncho immediately purchases a beautiful horse pistol. Filling his pockets with ammunition, and taking his new treasure, Broncho puts up a bottle on a rock in the road and fires several shots at it. None of them hit the mark. A larger bottle is then shot at without effect. Several months later, Broncho Billy is seen in a clearing in the woods with six beer bottles lined up before him. He shoots at them and hits his mark every time. A more difficult stunt is performed by his placing six playing cards on a table, some distance from him. Broncho Billy shoots at these cards and punctures each one of them. Now, Broncho Billy says, "Where is this fellow Wilkes?" Wilkes has had a grudge against Broncho Billy since the first meeting, and has waited for an opportunity to shoot him. Broncho Billy sees the cowpuncher approach. Wilkes pulls his gun, but is not quick enough, and Broncho Billy shoots him in the arm. Fearing that the boys will lynch him, he rides on horseback to the sheriff's office, where he explains what has occurred. The sheriff gives Broncho Billy a revolver and locks him in a cell. The boys, hearing what has happened to Wilkes, go to the sheriff's office, break the door in, and are about to capture Broncho, when Wilkes arrives and explain to his fellow cowpunchers that he was wrong. Broncho Billy and Wilkes shake hands and everything ends in a peaceful manner.
—Moving Picture World synopsis
