Tom Morris, a writer of western novels, receives an invitation to visit "Mystery Ranch", where he will see western men that make his characters look like sissies.Tom and his secretary Percy Jenkins arrive and are soon involved in a lot of staged happenings --- a lynching, a runaway, a fake feud, a chase after horse thieves --- strictly for his benefit. Tom is not fooled at all and ranch owner Mrs. Henderson and her daughter Mary and the ranch hands are ready to give up. Then, two real crooks, Blake and Kern, show up and Tom discovers they are carrying a bag of gold bullion. Tom thinks they are just part of another trick and decides to start playing some of his own.