AllMovie

Sergeant Barnes (Harold Lockwood) is a special messenger based out of an Army post at the edge of a desert. Although he's won the affection of the camp's cook, Alice Corbett (May Allison), he has also earned the enmity of Dr. Deschamps (William Stowell), who is having an affair with the Colonel's wife and Unitah, a half-breed (Harry Von Meter), who Barnes caught mistreating a horse. When Colonel Sears (Dick LaReno) sends Barnes across the desert to another post, the two men see their chance -- Deschamps sneaks some poisoned lumps of sugar into Barnes' bag, and Unitah fills his canteen with sand. So Barnes' horse dies when fed the poisoned sugar and he is left in the desert without any water. Somehow, he struggles along, finally collapsing near some railroad tracks. He is rescued, but those at his home post assume he is dead. Before Deschamps and Unitah can celebrate their victory, however, Barnes returns and battles it out with the two men. Soldiers come to his aid, and Unitah is shot dead, while Deschamps is thrown into the guard house as a traitor. Barnes is rewarded for his bravery and he and Alice are united.