Tempest goes out on a search for a young man who wronged a girl friend. She captures the wrong fellow, but the real one shows up and marries the girl. Ninth in the Spurs and Saddles series of two-reel Westerns.
Pinto Peters and his pal Chuckwalla Bill ride into town just as the editor of the local newspaper is being urged to leave by a gang of thugs led by Joe Reedly. The pair give the editor $100 and get a bill of sale for the newspaper, only to find out later that Reedly holds a mortgage of $200 against it. This they pay off and start a campaign to clean up the town. They meet with considerable opposition until they enlist the services of Judge Fay.
Hired ranch hand Tex Smith is smitten with Lucy Blake, who lives in the cattle settlement of Marco. Meanwhile, Indian chief Brave Bear despises the encroachment of white people and conspires with Sam Hardman to steal the town's cattle during a rodeo.
Not realizing he is a bandit The Girl, owner of the Polka Saloon, falls in love with Ramerrez. Trapped by a snowstorm Ramerrez is forced to stay the night with The Girl. Upon discovering the situation jealousy drives dancer Nina Micheltorena to reveal his identity and whereabouts to Sheriff Jack Rance, who also loves The Girl. Ramerrez is shot trying to escape, and though she denies his presence she shelters him. Drops of blood prove lead to his discovery. Taking a chance The Girl wins both their freedom in a poker game with the sheriff. However incited by Nina, vigilantes are about to lynch Ramerrez when the sheriff interferes, explains his bargain, and restores him to The Girl.
Rival telephone crews are in a race to be the first to connect telephone service between Rawlings and Cheynne, Wyoming. Lineman Tom Remington's girlfriend is the daughter of one crew foreman, who wants to win the race in order to re-establish himself in the business. However, the foreman of the other crew has his own scheme to win the race, and will stop at nothing--including kidnapping--to accomplish it.
A Playboy inherits a Western ranch on the condition that he shall run it properly for 6 months. A villain makes an attempt to distract him from reaching the goal, but he, no longer the wastrel of yore, persists and becomes full owner of the property.
The Desire of the Moth is a 1917 American silent western film directed by Rupert Julian
Following his mother's death, John Gregory becomes the "Eagle," a thief determined to get even with the mining company that stole his family's fortune. Breaking into the company’s head office he discovers that another robber has preceded him and killed the night guard. When he is falsely accused, Lucy the girl he loves, discovers a written confession from the real killer just before John is to be hanged and rides wildly to the jail to save his life.
Young cowboy Cyclone Jones falls for pretty Sylvia Billings, who with her sheep-rancher father has just come to town. However, his pursuit of Sylvia runs into some roadblocks, mainly the hostility of the local cattle ranchers to "sheepmen" like her father, whose sheep they believe ravage the range and leave it unusable for their cattle to graze on and who are determined to drive the new arrivals out of town.
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.
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.
While in Europe, Chaddie Green, a society girl, discovers that she has been left penniless. She returns to the United States and meets Duncan MacKail, who is equally broke though he owns grainland in the West. Duncan and Chaddie are married and go west to homestead. Duncan hires Ollie, a Swedish caretaker, who frightens Chaddie. When business takes Duncan away, Chaddie goes to take care of Percy Woodhouse, an Englishman who has become ill at his place fifteen miles away. Her horse runs away, and she is forced to spend the night there. She sleeps under a wagon, but Duncan is nevertheless angry and jealous.
On the rim of the desert The Brute runs a saloon with an iron hand which he also uses on The Woman. When The Man wanders in and wins at poker The Brute tries to fleece him of his winnings but loses everything when suddenly The Man catches sight of The Woman. He offers to stake his all on her and they play. The Man has four of a kind. The Brute has a gun. But The Man is a quicker draw and the pair escape across the desert. The Brute follows but when he is defeated in a showdown he wanders off into the desert to perish. The Man and The Woman embark on a new life.
Our hero is mistaken for a bandit. Al's girl Nancy at first believes him to be guilty, but he manage to convince her that the real bandit is McDonald.
Dan Melton is in love with Daisy Dale, who, being of a coquettish disposition, permits herself to become infatuated with Soapy Smith, gentleman gambler. Sheriff Melton is greatly worried by the continual holdups committed by Black Jack, a desperado, who has become the terror of the mountains. His excursions in quest of the bandit compel him to neglect Daisy somewhat. One day Daisy meets with an accident while riding and applies for assistance at a lonely shack in the hills. To her astonishment Soapy Smith opens the door. She accepts his invitation to enter. Once she is inside, however, Soapy betrays his real character and attacks her. Daisy's screams are heard by Morristette, a Mexican, who rushes in and intervenes. Smarting under the blow Soapy deals him, he gallops to town and informs the sheriff. On arriving at the shack to rescue his sweetheart Melton finds that Soapy Smith and the long-sought desperado. Black Jack, are one and the same.
Francelia Billington and Dorothy Gish battle outlaw Ralph Lewis out on the range with assistance from ranch foreman Donald Crisp.
Miner Holton lives and works with his daughter Leota near Stormy Creek. Leota loves Dick Raleigh, though her father objects. When prospector Tom Andrews is injured near their home Leota and Dad nurse him back to health and give him work in their little mine. In repayment he intends to steal from them taking advantage when Holton is hurt while Leota is away but Dick thwarts him and he and Leota are united with her father’s blessing.
Miner John Walsh leaves his wife and baby behind on his barren claim taking their small store of gold to the settlement and gambling it away. He becomes embroiled in a fight with cowpuncher Burns and is killed. Shortly afterwards Mrs. Walsh, weakened by her attempt to work, her husband's claim collapses. The doctor declares only a transfusion can save Mrs. Walsh's life. Burns, now a fugitive, appears and volunteers. Mrs. Walsh's life is saved, but Burns, weakened by hunger and exposure, succumbs, happy in having made amends for his crime.
Madge Black witnesses her best friend Nan Westland, kissing her husband, successful lawyer Jeffrey Arnold Black, a successful lawyer, and orders Nan from the house. Angered by her refusal to let him explain, Jeffrey leaves his wife and son David, Jeffrey meets Nan on a westbound train. Though he does not love her he offers his protection and the next year they welcome a son, William. Nan pleads with him to divorce Madge and marry her for the sake of their son, but he will refuse. Distraught, she marries Ben Richardson, a client of Jeffrey's client, leaving their son behind. Twenty years pass with David becoming a responsible adult while half-brother William now known as “Rodeo” becomes the leader of a lawless band of robbers. Meanwhile Ben Richardson and Nan have become owners of Chanceland, a gambling-house in Colorado and it is there that things reach a climax between the near identical brothers.
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.