In the hills of Dixie live Jed and Sue, a country lad and lass, who are very much in love with each other. The keeper of the wayside tavern is an unscrupulous fellow who has coveted Sue for some time. He makes advances to Sue, but Jed, who suspects the man, warns him to keep away and not molest her. Jed longs to enlist in the cause of the Confederacy, but Sue protests at his leaving her. Jed is torn between two desires, the one to become a soldier, and the other to please his little sweetheart. But on the day when Captain Bruce Douglas and his detachment pass by, on their way to join their regiment, Jed's ambition to be a soldier proves the stronger and he begs the captain for permission to join his troop. The captain gives his consent and Jed rushes back to bid Sue a hasty farewell. Jed does not omit, however, to again warn the tavern keeper to stay away from Sue and says: "If she ain't smilin' when I come back I'll kill you." Jed leaves with Captain Bruce and his detachment. Bruce's sweetheart lives at Sage Ridge in the vicinity of Sue's home, and both men while in camp, sympathize with each other in their longing for the girls they left behind. Jed being unable to write, Bruce helps him to scrawl a line to Sue, and encloses the message in a letter to his sweetheart, asking her to deliver it to Sue. While Pauline receives the letter, she determines to deliver the message personally. A hand of guerrillas have come to town, and the tavern keeper bids them welcome. They camp near the tavern, awaiting their opportunity for a marauding expedition, while the leader becomes very friendly with the tavern keeper. Pauline, on her way to Sue's home, stops at the tavern to inquire for Sue. The keeper gives her directions and follows stealthily with evil intentions. Pauline delivers Jed's message to Sue and helps the latter to pen a line in reply. Sue watches Pauline depart, too bewildered to thank her and sees the tavern keeper stop Pauline's horse and try to drag her from the saddle. Sue rushes to her rescue and with smiles and coquetry calms the keeper, who is angry at the loss of his prey, and coaxes him to follow her to the hut, where she slams the door in his face. The keeper grins maliciously and slinks away, swearing to win. Bruce receives a dispatch from Gen. Beauregard, informing him that a band of guerrillas are near Sage Ridge and instructing him to go there with a detachment and take necessary action. Bruce immediately leaves with his men, taking Jed along. Arriving in the vicinity, his first thought is to see Pauline and ordering his men to prepare camp, he takes Jed and sets out for Pauline's home. Jed awaits nearby while Bruce goes to the house, and sees the tavern keeper and the guerrillas sneaking up to attack. He rides off to camp to give the alarm. In the meantime the guerrillas, led by the tavern keeper, have overpowered Bruce and the keeper drags Pauline away. Jed, returning with the troopers, sees the keeper and while the troopers ride on to Bruce's assistance, Jed goes to rescue Pauline. The troopers quickly scatter the guerrillas and release Bruce. Jed discovers the loss of his gun and a hand to hand struggle ensues between him and the tavern keeper. Bruce arrives in time to shoot the keeper in the arm as he is about to stab Jed. The keeper makes his escape, and angered at his defeat, seeks revenge on Sue. Together with the remaining guerrillas, he goes to Sue's hut. They drag her out, but she breaks away from him. Jed, on his way to see if Sue is smilin', comes upon them. Sue runs to him and in the unequal fight that ensues, he is hard pressed. Sue goes for assistance; Bruce's men drive the guerrillas back while he goes in search of Jed. He comes upon Jed, who, in a struggle with the tavern keeper, has gained a hold on the latter's throat and choked him to death. Bruce leads Jed back to the house, where the girls attend to Jed's wound. That night the moon beams on two happy couples. -- Moving Picture World synopsis