 Judge Ezra Barnes (William Farnum), crooked-lawyer Clint Ranier (Michael Vallon) and saloon-owner Flash Hollister (Robert Barron) control the town of Hangtown Mesa. The completion of the Rocky Mountain Telegraph Company will loosen and break their hold and they send for the Utah Kid (Hugh Prosser)to work for them against the telegraph company. On the way, the wanted Utah Kid encounters Steve Collins (Johnny Mack Brown), an engineer heading for the company camp, and forces him to change clothes with him. Steve arrives in Hangtown and is mistaken for the Kid and jailed. The Judge also believes he is the man he sent for and has him released, and sent to the camp to work under Bert Lawler (Rex Lease), company foreman who is actually working for the Judge and his gang.Playing along with them, Steve finds that the Kid has already been there, robbed the company safe and killed John Wilkins (Henry Hall), uncle of Betty (Helen Deverell.) Steve takes over the work and much to the surprise of Lawler, who still thinks he is the Utah Kid, manages to keep the work on the line progressing, aided by the traveling combination doctor/clothes salesman J. Wallington Dingle (Fuzzy Knight.) In desperation, the gang tries a sneak attack on the camp.