The action of this picture revolves around the absorbing devotion of an old man, whose heart is wrapped up in a young comrade and partner. The young man becomes enamored of a quarter-breed woman, who not only breaks his heart through her unfaithfulness, but also runs away with his money, which has been wrung from mother earth through unceasing toil. Her lover is murdered and the young man is accused and, through the woman's treachery, is condemned to die. The old man, in the meantime, having broken with his chum because of his infatuation for the woman, gives himself up to gambling and mining camp dissipations. He loses his money and has to strike out into the wilderness again in search of more gold. Coming back at the end of two years, he is elected sheriff of the county and discovers that he is to hang his former chum. Together they start for Carson City, where the old man goes before the governor and tells the story of "Billy Boy's" life. The ring of genuine truth in the narrative convinces the governor of the young man's innocence and he is pardoned.
—Moving Picture World synopsis