Luke Hawkins, the jack-of-all-trades of the western town of Lariat, falls in love with Mary Darling, the leading lady in a traveling theatrical troupe (of the old-fashioned "mortgage melodrama" variety). He follows her to New York, takes another series of jobs, and finally works as an extra in Mary's new production. Just as the play is about to flop, Luke recognizes Mary, and his rush to take her in his arms turns the show into a hit.

A cowboy commits a series of hold-ups near a big hotel for advertising purposes, being a sort of bandit press agent.

Jode MacWilliams, a cowboy working on the Circle O ranch, has a crush on the boss's daughter, Peg. After his friend writes a love letter for him, an Indian steals and delivers it to Peg. Meanwhile, word of Jode's affection reaches Peg's father, who has a decidedly less romantic view of this young couple.

The wall to Surprise Valley has broken, and Jane Withersteen is forced to choose between Lassiter's life and Fay Larkin's marriage to a Mormon.

A noted gunman takes a job on a cattle ranch to stop a band of rustlers.

Convinced by a vacationing professor that he should get an education, Charles Taylor abandons his cowboy life for college. He finds that higher education involves more than books, however, when the sophomores select him as an ideal subject for hazing.

'Tuck' Martin, a crooked rancher, plots to acquire possession of the neighboring ranch belonging to 'Pop' Melody, whose daughter, Molly, is in love with 'Big Boy.' Bill Lang, the Melody ranchman, is in league with Martin and succeeds in rendering Melody helpless, although he had originally intended to have him killed. An attack on the cottage discloses the double dealing of the foreman, who is finally brought to justice, with nothing but happiness left for 'Big Boy' and Molly.

John Mason returns to the Sally Ann mine to claim his half share. Janet Cater also returns although her father lost his half share to Joe Ryan. Ryan and his gang are also there to get the gold. A mysterious Phantom is also present. Mason's plan to expose Ryan as an outlaw and to force him to turn his share to Janet works. But when distracted by the Phantom, John is made a prisoner by the gang.

John Drury saves Duke, a wild horse accused of murder, and trains him. When he discovers that the real murderer, a bad guy known as The Hawk, is the town's leading citizen, Drury arrested on a fraudulent charge.

A young mining engineer sets out to catch the killers of both his brother and a beautiful young girl's father.