Gaffer
A tale of love, death, and makeup.
Broncho Billy, half crazed with liquor, enters a saloon and demands a bottle of whiskey. This he absorbs about half, which places his physical and mental condition in a state of sub-consciousness. Completely intoxicated, Broncho Billy is placed on his horse and led away. Having ridden a few miles in this condition, he falls off his mount unconscious. Mabel Clark, a squatter's daughter, discovers him by the roadside, washes off his aching brow, and brings him to.
Broncho Billy runs into trouble in a bar when he gets into a confrontation with a bully. Since the bully has a gun and Billy doesn't, he's forced to endure the bully's humiliating tactics until he manages to get away. He determines to find himself a gun, learn how to use it and then go back and find the bully for a little payback.
A pretty western girl rejected a cowpuncher admirer for Bronche Billy. Snake, the rejected suitor, swears revenge and immediately proceeds to the village barroom to load up with ammunition, both for the gun and the stomach.
Broncho marries a Mexican girl at the earnest entreaty of her dying father. Later a Mexican singer wins her love and, to get Broncho out of the way, she has him arrested and jailed on the charge of having assaulted her. In a frenzy of rage, Broncho secures the sheriff's revolver, escapes from jail and tracks the pair at his shack.
Coyote Simpson and "Alkali" Ike both love the buxom Sophie, pride of Buckskin, Ariz. Coyote has a long curling mustache that is his one pride and joy, but Sophie objects to it when he kisses her and orders him to trim it down.
While looking for work, Broncho Billy meets a girl and falls in love with her. Broncho is then accused of horse theft by a jealous lover of the girl. At the moment that he is to be hanged, Broncho’s beloved girl comes to his rescue.
Dan Clayton, a young easterner, is engaged to pretty Vedah Powers. Desirous of making his fortune Clayton goes west and becomes a prospector. After six months he has almost forgotten Vedah, and his letters are far and few between. Patiently Vedah waits each day for the postman, and her heart is almost breaking when no word comes from Dan. Meanwhile, Dan gets into bad company, takes to drinking, meets a Mexican girl, and marries her. His money gives out and he writes Vedah that he has met with an accident while prospecting and asks her to send him some money. Unable to stand the torturing suspense longer, Vedah boards the next train, and starts west to find Dan.
When rancher Arthur Mackley welcomes his daughter (Florence Perkes) to his ranch for a visit, all of the cowboys compete for her affections.
Bob Graham gains the consent of Grace Allen to marry before he leaves for the fall round-up. Bob takes with him a locket given him by Grace as a token of remembrance. Jed Brown, who has also loved Grace, goes with the punchers across the range and when opportunity offers steals the locket and forges a note which he returns and gives to Grace, making her believe that Bob has jilted her. Womanlike, she turns her affections to Jed and they are married. Bob learns of the trick and makes a solemn vow someday to get even.
Jim Riley is to be arrested for horse stealing and when the sheriff knocks at the door of Jim's shack, he asks his little girl Nellie to go and tell the man he is not at home. Nellie tries to persuade the big sheriff that her father is out, but to no avail, for Jim is arrested and taken away, while he promises his little girl he will soon return.
Fairfax, California, is the location used for this film, one of the earliest Broncho Billy films. Anderson includes his usual mix of comedy and drama as Broncho Billy gets caught in the middle of a family dispute between a jealous hotel owner and his daughter when she flirts with her boyfriend, a cowboy her father dislikes.
Deputy
It's Christmas, and a young woman is on her way to celebrate the holidays with her parents. A group of drunk cowboys startle her horses making her wagon, with the woman on it, speed off. By chance Broncho Billy saves her life and the grateful girl invites him over for Christmas dinner. Little does he know that the young lady is the Sheriff's daughter…
