Sheriff Bob Winton sets out to capture a mysterious bandit named "The Hawk," a phantom rider who is admired by the townspeople because he steals from the Williams Lumber Co., a ruthless outfit determined to own all the land in the vicinity. Bob discovers that his sweetheart Dorothy's brother, Fred, is "The Hawk." Noting that the Williams Lumber Co. has a mortgage on Dorothy's ranch, Bob decides to shield Fred. Bob is accused of killing a guard at the lumber company, but Fred confesses and commits suicide, naming himself as "The Hawk." The ranch is saved from the lumber company.