Jim Bailey is a watchman at a privately owned lake. Joshua Hicks has moved into the valley, bringing with him his daughter, Laura, and a son, Dan, a young boy of about fifteen. While Hicks is away hunting, Dan fishes in the lake and is caught by Jim. Jim throws Dan over a cliff, but does not seriously injure him. Determined to stop fishing in the lake, Jim takes the fish and goes to the Hicks' cabin where he meets Laura for the first time. Dan seizes a gun and starts to shoot Jim, but Laura prevents him. Jim admires Laura, and giving her the fish, tells her that they can continue to fish in the lake. Hicks returns from his hunting trip and meets Bob Ross, the sheriff, who accompanies him to the house and is introduced to Laura. He falls in love with her. Finally he proposes, but she refuses him, having come to love Jim. Jim makes love to her and they decide to be married shortly. While Hicks is passing Jim's cabin he hears calls for help and, entering the place, finds that Jim is attempting to overpower Dolly Brady, daughter of a mountaineer, whom Jim has helped to the cabin after she has met with a slight accident. In a terrific fight between Jim and Hicks the latter is shot and dangerously wounded. Jim escapes, and starts on his way to the lake to take a boat across and leave the country. He passes Hicks' cabin and sees Ross, the sheriff, coming. Jim tells Laura that he has shot a man and asks her to detain Ross until he, Jim, has had time to get across the lake. Laura agrees, and when Ross passes she stops him and persuades him to remain at the cabin and talk to her. Jim reaches the lake, but Dan has taken the boat and there is no way for him to get across. Brady and Dolly bring Hicks home and Hicks tells Laura of the affair at Jim's cabin. He tells her that she must avenge herself. Laura takes a gun from the wall and goes out to hunt Jim. She comes upon him and tells him she is going to shoot him. Jim laughs at her, telling her she that loves him and that she dare not fire. He pulls the hammer back on his revolver and hands it to her and dares her to shoot. Her love for him is aroused and she drops the gun unable to fire. She starts to turn back to the cabin when Ross appears in the distance. Jim reaches down to pick up his gun. The trigger catches on a dead twig and the gun is discharged, killing Jim. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis

• Plot Summary

• Short
• Drama