John Gregg and his daughter Mary, on their way to Burro Springs, a boom mining town, lose their way and stumble into "Jawbone," a dilapidated town. Here they meet Mike Hernandez, a good-looking bad man. Mary, thinking Mike a gentleman, takes a liking to him. "Cheyenne" Harry, a homely looking good man, comes to Jawbone and Mary believes him to be a weak character. He becomes fascinated with her. Gregg hires Mike Hernandez to guide him to Burro Springs, displaying his small store of gold when paying Hernandez. Later, Gregg and his party become lost in the desert, and run out of water. Mike finds a spring of poisoned water. He removes the sign guarding persons away, allowing Gregg to drink. He dies, and Mike robs him of his gold. Harry, knowing Mike's evil nature, goes in search of Mary and her father and finds them near the spring. Mary believes that Harry has robbed her father, but realizing that rescue from the desert depends upon him, she remains silent. Harry guides Mike and Mary to Burro Springs, where he leaves them. Penniless, Mary is induced by Mike to enter Murphy's place as a dance-girl. On her first night in the place, she is insulted by a drunken cowboy. Harry, returning to Burro Springs, arrives at the dance hall in time to stop the insult. Mike, knowing that he can do little with Mary as long as Harry is around, starts a fight. Harry whips a number of the men, and holds the crowd at bay with his guns. Mike, half drunk, goes upstairs, where he attacks Mary. Harry, holding the crowd at bay, backs up the stairs and unintentionally backs into Mary's room where she is struggling with Mike. He kills Mike. The crowd threaten Harry, but he manages to quiet all by taking the gold from Mike's pocket and explaining the situation. Mary realizes that appearances are deceptive.