Plot

Jack Walton, a renegade, while gambling, is detected cheating by a Mexican, and in a quarrel, kills his opponent and escapes. He later appears at a ranch owned by Mrs. Sawyer, a widow, who has a daughter, Grace. At the time of Walton's arrival, Tom Lewis is foreman. A mutual dislike exists from the beginning between Jack and Tom. Grace also instinctively distrusts Jack, but his personality fascinates Mrs. Sawyer, and he gains an influence over her to the extent that Tom is deposed and Jack succeeds him. Mrs. Sawyer also opposes Tom's attention to Grace. One day Jack learns through a letter that a reward is offered for his capture and a get-away is imperative, but he must secure some of Mrs. Sawyer's money, which is deposited in a town a few miles away. He pretends that he has an opportunity to buy a valuable ranch for $5,000. He proposes marriage to Mrs. Sawyer and prevails upon her to go to the bank and draw the money. Before leaving she writes a check and, making an error in it, tears it in half, throwing it away, and writes another. She then drives to town to get the money. After her departure, Grace finds the torn check; she goes to Tom and asks his advice. His suspicions are aroused and he realizes that something must be done at once. After a consultation, he mounts his horse and rides away. That afternoon, when Mrs. Sawyer drives back from town with the money, she is held up by a masked man on the road and robbed. In the meantime, Grace has learned the meaning of Walton's plan to steal the money, through a letter sent by Walton to his partner, and she at once sends for the sheriff. On the arrival of Mrs. Sawyer, Jack meets her, and upon discovering that she has lost the money, is furious and abusive. Grace enters and orders Jack from the house. At this moment the sheriff and men approach. Jack is about to run when Tom confronts him. The two men clinch and a fight follows. Tom is the stronger and has Jack subdued when the sheriff, followed by the posse, enters. He places Jack under arrest and tells Mrs. Sawyer his past record. Tom takes from his pocket the package of money, also the handkerchief he had used for the mask in the holdup. Mrs. Sawyer, realizing his worth, reinstates him, and Grace asks her mother to give consent to her marriage.—Moving Picture World synopsis