As described in a review in a film magazine,[3] one of the passengers on a ship sailing from Boston around Cape Horn to California is an adventurous young woman, Sandra (Nilsson). A widow dies, and her little girl appeals to Sandra. Rather than split the little family, Sandra adopts all three children, and decides to remain in Sacramento and make a home for them. Chance brings Stanton Halliday (Frazer), an agent for John Grey (Davis), a capitalist, to her rescue and they become attracted to each other. Doctor Bidwell (Earle) loves the capitalist's daughter Lillian (Day) but, believing she loves Halliday, he persuades Sandra that she must give him up or ruin his career. Halliday is ordered to evict Sandra who is a squatter, but he refuses and goes to her rescue. Halliday is shot by Dan Chehollis (Barrymore), a gambler who seeks to force his attentions on Sandra. While convalescing, he learns of Bidwell's action and goes back to Sandra, arriving in time to take her and her family away to safety after a wild wagon ride, as floods have caused the levee to burst and the town is flooded.
