Tom Travis, a bad man, comes to New Mexico. He sees Vicky, the sheriff's daughter, playing a part for a motion picture company. The action calls for Vicky to be overcome by the villain and thrown on a horse. Tom, not understanding the action, blazes away at the villain, and the bullet passes through the actor's hat, chasing the horse upon which Vicky is riding. Tom, coming up with Vicky, believes he has saved her. The director and Vicky's father think Tom a great actor. The sheriff, however, discovers that Tom has the reputation of a "bad" man, and orders him to stay away. Tom, of course, ignores this admonition, and spends his time making love to Vicky. The sheriff again orders Tom away, and in a rage, Tom proceeds to shoot up part of the town known as Hell's Half Acre. A posse and the sheriff pursue Tom, but on second thought the sheriff decides to make Tom a deputy, because of his good work in clearing up the neighborhood. Tom and Vicky again meet and refuse to renounce their love for one another. Then it is that father decides that he must make the best of the love match, and permits the couple to plight their troth.