Jim Dunn, county sheriff, is asked to withdraw his name as a candidate for re-election because the boys think he has proved himself incapable in office. Dunn is a tighter, rushes to town, declares he will be in the campaign in spite of all opposition, and has the town placarded with notices urging the boys to vote for him. .Meanwhile, the judges have a hard time to find a man with the nerve to run against Dunn. Broncho Billy, a ranchman, is urged to become a candidate and agrees. Cleaning his gun thoroughly, Broncho sits down to eat dinner. Word of Broncho's becoming his rival reaches Dunn's ears and he immediately rides to the ranch house. Bursting into the room he furiously orders Broncho to withdraw his name, but the stalwart ranchman laughs him to scorn and calmly resumes his meal. Wild with rage Dunn now declares he will kill Broncho if he ventures into town on election day, and leaves. The morning of election day Broncho arms himself, mounts and starts for town. Meanwhile Dunn bids his wife goodbye, takes his little girl up in the saddle before him, rides her down the trail a short distance, then puts her down, tells her to run back and rides on. Becoming lost the little one is stumbling about crying pitifully for her papa to come back when Broncho finds her. Dismounting he takes her in his arms and, not knowing whose baby she is, he determines to take her into town, his spirited broncho now gallops off in spite of frantic efforts to catch him, and Broncho is left on foot with the baby in his arms. One look at the child shows she is unconscious from the terrible heat and Broncho strikes out for the town, miles away, to get her to a doctor. After a terrible struggle, he staggers up the main street of the town, leaves the child with the doctor and starts for the polling place, when he is seen by Dunn, who instantly whips out his gun and wounds Broncho in the head. Not until it is discovered that Broncho has saved the life of Dunn's baby does the ex-sheriff realize his awful error, but atones for his act by publicly declaring Broncho the next sheriff and pins the badge on the wounded ranchman's breast, while he wrings his hand in gratitude.