Francois Villon, vagabond, poet and philosopher, and his friend Colin, leave the vagabond camp and start for Paris. En route to that city, Villon's heart is touched at sight of the eviction of an elderly couple from their poor home. Whereupon he empties his own and Colin's purse, pays the Beadle, and then resume their journey. Overcome with the pangs of hunger, they "lift " the purses of a couple of corpulent monks. For this breach of law both Villon and Colin are arrested and thrown into prison. This film and By the Sun's Rays are two of Chaney's earliest surviving films.

John Allen is in love with pretty Mabel Trude and the honor conferred upon Allen by the community, electing him sheriff, aids Allen in pressing his suit. The engagement is announced. Tom Trude, the brother of Mabel, is a sort of shiftless fellow and is exceedingly unlucky at cards. It required but little argument on the part of the acknowledged best man of the community to win Tom over to his gang, as he hopes to make good his losses at cards in some manner other than actual labor. The post office is held up and the sheriff called upon to bring the perpetrators to justice. A lively encounter is followed by the escape and pursuit of one of the men. The sheriff himself takes up the chase and successfully runs down the man. To his consternation, it proves to be Mabel's brother. He passes their home with the prisoner in tow. Mabel argues and pleads, but to no avail, and she finally plays her largest card--her love, against her brother's liberty

The cheery smile of big-hearted Ed Daton, a simple Westerner, causes a little girl to sense the thrill of happiness. Her desire for a greater measure of this, to her unknown joy, prompts her to steal away from her abusive parents and wander back to the little station known as "Lonesome." She is taken in by big Ed and the other noble herdsman and develops under the new environment to a bright and cheerful maiden. Out of gratitude, she guards the welfare of her benefactors and prompts them to nobler deeds of manhood.

The army engineer and his daughter are deeply interested in each other, but, of course, the will of the father predominates. As a result the girl experiences many heart aches, because it does seem as though she is about to lose her sweetheart because he is not an army man. The issue is brought to a climax by the presence of a spy in the father's home. Plans for the border fortifications are stolen and the impending disgrace and ruin drive the officer to the verge of despair, from which he is rescued by the daughter and her sweetheart, who rescue the plans, and apprehend the spy.

Pedro wanted Paquita and her father seconded his suit. But Paquita was in love with Paul Hapgood, an American, and would not hear of it. She wrote to Paul and told him to take her away.

Old Man Hathaway was a trapper and lived with his only daughter in the mountains. Pretty Claudine often went forth to visit the traps with him and one day, when no bound, they saw a youth kiss a maiden affectionately. Seeing a chance for an object lesson, the old trapper sagely shook his head, saying, "My child, such kisses are poison. Guard against them."

The pretty dancer and the casual cowboy visitor at the cabaret fell in love. A Mexican waiter loved Chiquita. A Gringo get this dainty bundle of Spanish nerves and beauty? Never! He planned to destroy the cowboy lover by a drop of poison in his cup.

Young Cal Jim had often called upon Betty but never found the courage to propose. His pal, Mark Halworthy did, however, and Betty accepted. Disappointed, Cal asked and received a grubstake from Mark and went away into the hills to seek gold and heart balm. Two years later Mark took to gambling. He neglected Betty and, one day, intoxicated, struck her.

Harry Reeder was a steady visitor at the cabaret and he visited with a single thought in mind - pretty Vail, the singer.

Bessie received a note from Uncle Dan along with a pony and was more than delighted with the handsome gift. Her sweetheart, Bill Walters, grew quite peeved at the way in which Bessie forgot him for her horse. Some days later Bessie's father, the sheriff, received a note that horse thieves were operating in his vicinity. He notified Bessie to watch carefully over her new pony and Bessie alert to the possibility, promptly rode to town to obtain a strong lock for the barn.