- A retired judge comes West to restore a ghost town.
- A judge who had taken part in the gold rush of 1849 hires an acting troupe to recreate the experience in this rather fanciful silent Western. The make-believe turns serious when a real gold-mine is discovered nearby and a local girl is kidnapped by a nasty gambler.—Anonymous
- Old Judge Brand decides to reconstruct Nugget Notch, located in the wilds of the West, and abandoned years ago when the gold petered out. He sends his secretary, Tom Robbins, out there to start things going. Tom leaves, and after a search of two months he discovers "Castle's '49 Camp," which is at present penniless. Tom arranges with Castle and the "Camp" starts for Nugget Notch. Tom Robbins is attracted by Lady Ann Bobbett, and they become the best of friends, but "Gentleman Jim" Rayner warns Pa Bobbett to keep Lady Ann away from the tenderfoot. Quarters are apportioned ; the Bobbetts are to run the general store and "Gentleman Jim" has charge of the gambling hall. In spite of their efforts to rehabilitate the gambling den, saloon and general store, the Judge is disappointed when he alights from the stage, because they do not shoot his silk hat off his head. The Judge begins to shoot things up and Rayner, in the confusion, accidentally drops a nugget chain, which Robbins picks up and returns. Rayner is angry over the incident. Later the Judge notices the nugget chain around Lady Ann's neck. Bobbett tells the Judge that the chain has always belonged to Lady Ann, whose real name is Lorena Adams. The Judge says that the necklace belonged to his old partner and that he has spent years looking for Hugh Adams' daughter to give her her share of his fortune. That night Lady Ann asks the Judge to advance her fifty thousand dollars. She says Jim Rayner is threatening Pa Bobbett and that the latter was about to kill himself when Ma Bobbett stopped him. The Judge promises to pay the money to Jim if it is necessary. The next morning a cowboy shouts that the safe has been "busted open" and that all the money is gone, as well as the entire stock of guns and ammunition. Rayner appears with two guns, and orders everyone to dump their cash. Warning the people to remain the house for twenty minutes, Rayner rides to the hotel, where he forces Lady Ann to mount a horse and ride away with him. Upon the Judge's instructions, Tom and the boys leave, carrying a lasso. On a rock trail above that on which Rayner and Lady Ann are riding, Tom and the Judge wait. The Judge swings the lasso over Rayner, scooping him off his horse. Tom rushes down to Lady Ann, while the Judge slides down the rope on top of Rayner and ties him up. Rayner makes a full statement. Then the Judge tells the story. Twenty years ago Rayner, Bobbett and a stranger played cards together, when Rayner cheated and the stranger drew his gun; Bobbett pulled his gun and fired; the stranger dropped, and the others grabbed up their baggage and fled. "Gentleman Jim" has held the stranger's death over Bobbett's head ever since. But the stranger was the Judge himself. Bobbett now says that Jim Rayner made him say that Lady Ann was Lorena Adams. The Judge tells that Lorena Adams was found five years ago. "But Lady Ann will look just as pretty in a bride's veil, eh, Tom?" he adds, slyly.
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