Two men meet in the desert. One is in search of gold and the other seeks solace and heartsease for an unrequited love. Although they are unknown to each other, each loves the same girl, Ray, the prospector, is the chosen suitor and around his neck he carries the girl's picture. They live together in the wilds and become friends, until one night Tom sees the picture in the locket around Ray's neck. Tom's jealousy prompts him to kill Ray, but gentle thoughts of Ethel restrain his hand. On their way through the desert they suffer from thirst. Ray staggers and falls. Tom takes the locket and chain from him and leaves him. He staggers along. He takes a drink of water, which he has saved for himself, but his conscience smites him and he goes back, gives Ray the life-giving from his canteen, and himself dies. Ray fashions a grave in the burning sands and buries his friend. He is discovered and rescued by outrider. He is reunited to the woman he loved, but even more sublime than their love, is the shadow of the dead man hovering over them, the man who hated deeply, loved intensely and was a gentleman.