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Bret Harte's story gets an unusual adaptation in the hands of director John Ford (in the days when he was known as Jack Ford) and western star Harry Carey. Carey takes a break from his usual "Harry Carey" role to play a man in love with a much younger woman (Gloria Hope). He is convinced however, that the much younger Billy Gentry (Cullen Landis) has a better chance at winning her. The older man picks up a copy of Harte's The Outcasts of Poker Flat and the story unfurls: Lonely gentleman gambler John Oakhurst (Carey) adopts a young boy, not knowing that when Tommy grows up (to be played by Landis) that they will be vying for the same girl (Hope again). After many adventures, John decides to sacrifice himself in order for the young people to be happy together. After Oakhurst's death, the film cuts back to the man finishing the last of the book. He puts it down with the comment (in titles), "The feller in the book was a durn fool," and goes to the girl he loves who, it turns out, was his all along.