Dan Barton, a recruit of the '49 gold miners, returns to his cabin to find that his partner, Tennessee Malden, has departed to meet his sister, Alice, and rushes to town to stop him. He finds him playing cards with Fox Tyson, a gambler, Queenie, a tavern girl, and the tavern owner, Ace Brady, who are out to swindle his partner. At their cabin, Tennessee is killed by Fox, who makes it appear that Dan is the guilty party, and he is accused by Alice and Ace. Dan escapes and learns that Ace and Queenie plan to obtain a power of attorney so as to divert Tennessee's interests from Alice; he convinces Alice that he is innocent, saves her from a stagecoach disaster, and subdues Ace in a saloon melee. The sheriff arrives to vindicate Dan, having heard Fox's dying confession at the wrecked stagecoach. Ace shoots Dan, but he recovers and marries Alice.