A lost film. As described in a film magazine Exhibitors Herald on March 16, 1918: "a forest ranger known only as Headin' South (Fairbanks) goes forth in search of Spanish Joe (Campeau), a Mexican responsible for most of the treachery and outlawry along the U.S.-Mexican boarder. Headin' South gains quite a reputation as he goes along and finally believes himself worthy of joining Joe's band. in a whirlwind finish in which Joe is captured, Headin' South meets one of Joe's near victims (MacDonald) and falls in love with her."
Infamous Mexican bandit Pancho López recognizes Gilbert Jones as the man who once saved his life; therefore, when Jones is in danger of losing his ranch for default of mortgage payment, López determines to help him. At the same time, Morgan Pell, intending to cheat Jones out of his potentially oil-rich property, offers him a sum of money, which Jones conditionally accepts.
Luke Drummond, popularly known as "Unlucky Luke," and Seth Powers, his friend and chum, have a mock quarrel over a new school teacher as to who saw her first. They roll in the dirt to the disgust of the lady herself, who witnesses the bout, though she does not know the cause. Luke and Seth, in common with many other citizens, are unsettled by the charm and grace of the new teacher. The two young men vie with each other as to which shall escort her home from school, leading to humorous situations.
Jim Blake, the playboy son of a New York millionaire, heads west to prove himself a man. He goes to work on his father's ranch in Wyoming, and eventually wins over the locals by turning the tables on a town bully and trying to collect damages from a railroad magnate, whose trains have killed many of the Blake ranch's cattle. When the railroad refuses to pay, Jim comes up with a plan that will make them pay far more than they originally had to. Problems arise when he falls in love with Alice, the railroad magnate's daughter.
Moran, blind to ambition, has been a long-time friend of the widow Casey. In his own way Moran likes the widow, but his strongest affection is for her young son. The boy, in turn, loves the man's friendship and the knife the man has given him. The time comes when the widow and Moran fight.
The Northwest Mounties are after Cheyenne Harry for the murder of an Indian boy, and the only witness to the crime is a priest - who can't tell what he saw because the real killer, Black Michael, has confessed to him.
Secret Serviceman Allen takes a job at Bart Stevens' mine in order to find evidence proving that Stevens is a mail robber named Smoke Gublen. He does - but by then, he is in love with the man's sister - and to make things harder, Stevens saves his life...
Johnson, a pharmacist, makes an illicit traffic in cocaine and morphine, which he cleverly sells through his drug counter to a select clientele. In his richly furnished office, the head of the Kurson Chemical Company counts the receipts of Kurson Consumption Cure, a patented drug that contains a large amount of morphine.
After years of scientific research Thomas Kellner, an eccentric chemist, succeeds in manufacturing an imitation diamond, with the help of his son Jack.
Morton, encouraged by Watson, who wants to expel him from the bank, is the president who uses the bank's money for his private speculations. He gets very involved and when the matter is brought to the attention of the directors, he is asked to oblige to the default or go to prison. Morton would commit suicide except for his stenographer, Mary Lane, a beautiful and intelligent girl. She takes him in and discusses the matter with Morton's son, whom she loves.
Returning to his father's cattle ranch after the excitement of serving in combat overseas, Bud McGraw becomes restless, and his father decides to send him to an old friend who commands the Border Police in Texas. On the way he meets Peggy Hughes, accompanying her Uncle Graham, a customs inspector, and he retrieves her hat from the rails of a train. At the headquarters, numerous scrapes and fights win him the admiration of, and friendship with, the men. Lazaro, a Secret Service agent, invites Mrs. Graham and Peggy, who are staying at the border station, for an automobile ride, and they are captured by bandits and held for ransom. Bud and his pals deliver the ransom and discover that Lazaro is the bandit chief. Lazaro refuses to release Peggy, but a jealous rival, Nita de Garma, causes his downfall and shoots him as the Border Police arrive to rescue the party.
Homesteaders battle a cattle baron, who is trying to drive them off the lands they have settled on so his cattle will be able to graze on it.
In an early California settlement, Juanita, a dance hall queen of Castilian ancestry, knifes her lover, Jim Brandt, the dance hall owner, when she catches him embracing a new dancer.
15 chapter serial. Gideon Trask and his henchmen at the saloon in Arkansas City covet the mineral survey of the Louisiana Territory made for Napoleon before the sale of the Territory to the United States. This is in possession of the Heath Brothers, who seek to use it in staking their land when the Oklahoma territory, last of the Louisiana tract to be released by the Government, is opened to Homesteaders.
Jeanne La Roche lives alone with her brother in the great northwestern country. Jacques is a ne'er-do-well and has fallen under the suspicion of the mounted police, two of whom are dispatched to arrest him for robbery. The stolen goods are found in his home. Jeanne is too young to be left in their lonely cabin, so she is taken to the post, where the wife of the proprietor welcomes her and gives her a home. Several years later, Donald McLean wins her for his wife. Meantime Jacques escapes from prison, eludes his pursuers and takes refuge in McLean's home.
Mollie Owens, engaged to sheriff’s deputy Dick Calvert, is taken captive by outlaw Monk Turgis and imprisoned in the "death cabin” so called because everyone shunned it after of two mysterious murders were committed there. Turgis and his friend try to scare money out of Mollie's mother, but Dick sets out on their trail. He sees one of them enter the cabin and immediately investigates.
Discouraged by the loss of his job and unable to find another young shipping clerk Clark heads west, promising his mother that he will send for her when he finds a decent job. Instead, he falls into bad company. Finding it hard to make money he first works in prospecting without success until finally securing a job in a mine.
Mining foreman Jimson is fired by Pedro and Madro when they falsely accuse him of trying to steal ore. When they attack him, he is forced to strike back, and they swear revenge. Their enmity intensifies when Jimson rescues Nina, a Mexican girl, from Pedro's unwanted attentions.
Deputy Sheriff Martin of Arizona is in love with Lola a waitress at the Gold Dollar restaurant. However, complications arise when Martin encounters James Kinney, a wanted murderer working under an assumed name in the local mine. Deputy Martin discovers that Kinney is also interested in Lola, fueling a rivalry between the two men. During a mine accident, Kinney is placed in a dangerous situation and Martin must decide whether to act on his personal feelings or uphold his duty as a lawman.
Jeremy Dexter, Sheriff of Sherman County, warns Lanky Mason to leave town after being involved in a shootout the night before killing a Mexican. The sheriff tells Lanky that although he remembers that Lanky had saved his little daughter's life by swimming across a stream during a flood and that Lanky's heroic work during a time when the smelter caught fire had saved the town from destruction, it was imperative for the good of the town that Lanky leave.