Dick Bailey's best friend, a young rancher, is killed by a mysterious assailant, whom Dick suspects to be Stack, who is in league with a crooked sheriff. On a spree Dick swears that he will marry the first woman he sees, who happens to be Ruth Hammond, his dead friend's sister, who arrives to take charge of the ranch. Revolted by his rough proposal, she proceeds to the ranch, accompanied by Pie Pan, a local peddler, who offers to hire cowhands for her. When Stack comes to inform Ruth that he has purchased the property for the past-due taxes, Dick intervenes, and she relents and agrees to hire him and his friends. Dick "steals" the gold taken from his friend by the sheriff so as to pay the taxes; he is disheartened, however, by the arrival of Bob Drexell, Ruth's prospective suitor, but their conflict is averted by the posse arriving to arrest Dick. The posse is dispersed by a stampede, and Dick forces a confession from Stack. He wins Drexell's respect and the love of the girl.