Tom Bailey is forced to hide in the hills when he is unjustly accused of robbery and murder. He is, however, granted amnesty for a day in order to participate in a rodeo and judge a baby contest. Tom awards the prize to the baby brother of Esther Lacy, whose drunken stepfather, Matt Hartigan, is the real murderer. Later in the day, Tom wins a horse race and eludes the trap set for him by the sheriff. Esther visits her brother in Carson City, Nevada, leaving Tom to care for the baby. Matt determines when Esther and her brother are expected to return, and attempts to wreck the train by running an unscheduled freight on the main line. An alert station agent switches the freight onto a siding, preventing a crash; the freight then derails and kills Matt. Esther's brother proves that his late stepfather actually committed the crimes for which Tom has been accused, clearing the way for Tom to find happiness with Esther.