Drifters Tom Williams and Joe Morgan have a chance meeting with the sheriff's daughter and learn that her brother Jim is being held prisoner in Line Hollow by Wolf, who aspires to be the next sheriff. They aid the sheriff in finding the outlaw gang and rescuing Jim. Tom decides to stop drifting and stay near the sheriff's daughter.
As a baby, John Ermine is stolen from a wagon train by the Crow Indians and is adopted by Chief Fire Bear. John grows to manhood, ignorant that he is a white man until his parentage is disclosed to him by Crooked Bear, a white hermit who is on friendly terms with the Crows. Crooked Bear teaches John the language and customs of the white man's civilization, impressing upon him that it is his sacred responsibility to keep peace between the white men and the Indians.
Miner Dan Stuyvesant finally strikes it rich, but on his way to report his claim, he is shot. When Jack Dedlow, the head of a gang of outlaws, hears this news, he rides to Stuyvesant's cabin intending to secure the claim for himself. There the outlaws find Stuyvesant's daughter Hilda, the sweetheart of Tom Flynn, and are about to draw cards for her when Dago Sam pulls out his guns and spirits her out the door. Because Tom is his only friend, Sam determines to protect Hilda from the gang, but when Tom suspiciously questions his intentions toward Hilda, Sam decides to live up to the town's poor opinion of him.
Jack Darling of the North West Mounted Police is ordered to track down and arrest murderer Alec Young, whose girl, Dancing Pete, performs in the Nugget dance hall. En route to Nugget, Jack meets Hope Ross, who is caring for her sister's baby. Although the two fall in love, the outlook for a happy romance appears hopeless, because he believes that she is a married mother, and she thinks that he is an outlaw.
Returning to House of a Thousand Candles a mystery unfolds involving two lookalike girls...or is there only one very crafty one?
A dying prospector tells "Peters the Pacific" about a mine he has discovered for "the mate's girl" and the ambush he has been set upon by mine jumpers, and gives Peters the location of the mine. In town, Peters uncovers the corrupt dealings of a dance hall owner, Jim Blalock, and Peter Hunter.
Esteban, a white boy, is raised by an Indian squaw, who believes she is his mother and from whom Beaugard steals the papers documenting Esteban's birth and his right to inherit a ranch. When he grows up, Esteban falls in love with Patricia Benton, Beaugard "exposes" Esteban to Patricia, and the villain taunts the boy, telling him that he has no right to a white woman.
Jack Hardy, Sr. sends his son, Jack Hardy Jr., to the American West to "make a man of him" and instill a sense of responsibility. While West, Jack falls in love with Miss Benson, a ranch secretary. To prove his bravery to her after being taunted, Jack successfully breaks a notoriously unmanageable horse. The local villain, Tex Fuller, and his gang target Jack. In a tragic turn, Jack’s half-breed brother, Deerfoot, is killed by a missile intended for Jack. Jack eventually confronts the gang, bringing them to justice and vindicating himself in the eyes of his father and Miss Benson.
Evelyn Nelson portrays the character Frances Powell in this story that centers on themes of justice and personal vendettas in the old West.
A minister and his young daughter Bess, journey west where he hopes to regain his health. They become involved with notorious outlaw 'Eagle' Ryan. The outlaw becomes influenced by the power of religion along with Bess's gentle persuasion, he is reformed from his life of crime and forgiven by all the townspeople.
Ranchmen try to play a joke on one of their associates by signing his name to a letter addressed to Sarah Smith, who has advertised in a matrimonial journal. A mix-up occurs on the day of the arrival of the lady when a younger woman, sent to buy stock, also appears on the scene and is mistaken for the prospective bride.
A native Californian guide is discharged by the leader of a wagon train because he dares to make love to the latter's daughter. Sometime later he comes upon them again and is in time to save the girl he loves from an attack by the Indians.
In Hell's Valley, Texas Ranger Captain Wally kills Jose Valdez, leading Jose's brothers, Carlos and Manuel, to seek revenge at the Flores ranch. Wally is wounded pursuing them but is saved by Rosita Flores, his original sweetheart's daughter, who nurses him but secretly seeks his torture for her father, and also for herself. Carlos and Manuel fall for Rosita, but she, in turn, falls for Wally, leading to Carlos accidentally killing Manuel and Don Flores killing Carlos, with Wally and Rosita's relationship solidified.
For Nita Valyez, who is half-Spanish and half-Irish, Carlos represents potential violence and danger, two things to which she is both attracted and repelled. In contrast, she has only a passing interest in Big Jim, the town's honest, good-hearted sheriff. Then, after Carlos kills a faro dealer, he forces Nita to make an escape with him.
Harley Hennage, a gambler, loves Marie but remains silent when he realizes that she is in love with Oliver Corblay, a prospector. After Corblay and Marie marry, Harley moves to the distant town of San Pasqual and does not see his old sweetheart until her husband is killed while staking a claim in the desert.
The life of Sam Houston, soldier, statesman, patriot and one of the founders of the Republic of Texas, is depicted.
When the Great Chief's body is placed before the funeral pile by his mourning braves, his sacred blanket is covered over it and a sentinel left to watch that this, his last resting place, is not desecrated. The tribe has just departed for their village when a mountain outlaw appears and succeeds in stealing the blanket, having given the sentinel doctored whiskey. When the Indians discover this they exile the unfaithful sentinel until he can recover the blanket.
John Ashby and Allene Houston, two neighboring ranchers, are in love, but their parents' violent dispute over the route of the new X. Y. Z. Railroad eventually drives them apart. Colonel Houston and the elder Ashby are killed in a fight, leaving John and Allene to continue the feud, John accepting a job with the railroad company and Allene swearing never to cross their property.
Ranger Job "Blue Streak" McCoy helps a miner and his pretty young daughter who are trying to protect their valuable mine from a gang leader who wants to take it.
An outlaw decides to hang up his guns and lead the "straight" life. His foster son falls for the daughter of a wealthy estate owner. The crooked manager of the estate wants the girl for himself--so he can control the estate when the father dies--and tells the father that the boy is an outlaw's son.