Black La Rue was born on the Mexican border in times of raids and fights. His father was killed in one of the fights. The circumstances of his birth have in some strange way affected his character so that he can never see a fight without having an irresistible desire to join the fray.

Tom is working on a ranch where things have been pretty quiet lately. But today the foreman has received a letter from an old friend, who is sending his daughter to the ranch to get some 'local color' for a story that she is writing. The foreman and the ranch hands decide to stage some events that will give her more excitement than she bargained for.

Mildred Manning wants to experience the Wild West firsthand with her beau, Sir Charles Beverly. While Charles is gambling, Mildred is saved from two drunken cowboys by Del Burton. Del falls in love with Mildred and follows her back east.

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.

The story of the famous Tennessee frontiersman, soldier, scout, and Congressman who fought and died at the Alamo.

A pretty lawyer comes to town and the cowboys make fools of themselves trying to impress her. Tom decides to get himself arrested so he can be released into her custody, but during the trial her husband arrives.

Nugget Jim's pardner (Borzage), is an easy-come-easy-go character, an heirling who has worn through the last of pater's patience, eaten through his allowance of allowances. Off he pops, after one last drunken hurrah, to makes his living way out west. He teams up with a prospector and his daughter and they develop a happy family situation.

When his friends decide that "Happy Jack" Lewis needs a wife, they place an ad in the paper for one. Glad Mason replies and sends her picture. Jack's pals decide she is the one, and after he sees her picture, Jack thinks so too -- until the saloon proprietor points out that maybe she doesn't look anything like her photo. In fact, she could be an old hag!

Out west, Luke changes clothes with an outlaw and proceeds into town. Of course, he is mistaken for the wanted man and a chase ensues.

Parker, an Army lieutenant at a Western outpost, falls in love with Barbara Taylor, daughter of his commanding officer. But when Barbara rejects him, Parker fights with another soldier and deserts. An Indian attack gives him a chance to redeem himself.

Gambler Ballrat Bob tries to halt Clem, a squatter, from gambling away all his money.

The Girl of Gold Gulch is a silent Western

Grace, daughter of Jim Jordan, a ranch owner, has just returned from school, and Tom, leader of the Lazy S cowboy outfit, and Centiped Pete, leader of a rival cowboy outfit, fall in love with the girl. They both attire themselves in their best bib and tucker, and head for Grace's home. En route, they stop to settle a strenuous argument, and before the argument is ended, the cowboys of the rival ranches become involved in a free-for-all.

Taking a Chance is a 1916 Western.

Percival Cadwallader Perkins was so bashful that whenever a woman would look at him he would blush like a beet, and this brought the "Happy Family," the cowboys of the Flying U, to calling him "Pink."

Three outlaws fleeing a posse through the desert come upon a dying woman and her baby in a wagon. Before she passes away, she makes the men promise to take care of her baby and get it safely through the desert.

Tom Meyers and his partner have a little claim near a little western town. When Tom goes to town for supplies, he falls in with Slim Padgett, a bad man, who wagers that he can outride Tom. Tom races Slim and the contest is viewed by Betty Thompson, a ranch girl. Slim angered at being defeated, follows Tom to his mine, and discovers that Tom has found pay dirt.

Tom Gilmore, a wealthy young easterner, loves Vicky, but she refuses to marry him because of her thoughts of the great free west. Vicky visits her uncle a western ranch owner. Tom decides to follow Vicky westward, and try the life of a cowboy. However, he reaches before Vicky, and soon learns the ways of the cowpunchers.

A drifter enters town to establish himself. Working as a cowhand, he meets the boss's daughter, who's eager to absorb some local color.

Whispering Smith is a virile, fearless type of the true American whoso theory of life is to give every man a chance to show what is in him. There is nothing of the bully or braggart about him. He is only a man who knows instinctively what is right and never falters in his steps to see that justice is given where it is deserved and crime punished on the same basis. Originally shot as a serial to be called "Whispering Smith", distributor Mutual Films decided to release it as two separate films - this film, which was released first, and Medicine Bend (1916).