Joe Ellison, the young foreman of Lazy Ranch, finds the routine of ranch life rather irksome and seeing a matrimonial advertisement in an Eastern newspaper, he answers it. When the answer to him arrives, accompanied by a photograph of the lady, he is subjected to a great deal of chaffing by the boys, but accepts it all in a very good-natured way. The ranch cook essays some good advice, but the foreman is determined and sends for the lady. On the day of her expected arrival the foreman departs to meet the train and, during his absence, the boys prepare to give the bride and groom a rousing reception. With studious care a sign is made, "Welcome to Lazy Ranch," and enough rice is procured to feed a Chinese regiment. In the meantime Joe has met his correspondent. They are mutually pleased and, entering the buckboard, they drive to the office of the Justice of the Peace and are married. Driving home they are greeted by a shower of rice and the bride is established as the mistress of the ranch. The cook's wife had previously held this position and, feeling that the bride has usurped her rights, she starts to make things unpleasant for the Eastern girl. On the morning that Joe starts for the round-up things have become unbearable for the foreman's wife and she determines to return to her home. The cook finds her crying and learns of her homesickness and offers to drive her to the gulch where she can catch the Overland train. He is trying to comfort her, when his wife accidentally witnesses the little scene and misconstrues their actions for love. Her suspicions become a certainty, when the cook drives up with the buckboard and the foreman's wife, coming out of the ranch house, hands her a note addressed to Joe and then drives away with the cook. The cook's wife runs to the corral and, mounting her horse, rides rapidly to the round-up and, finding Joe, announces, "your wife ran away with my husband." Without waiting to hear more Joe starts in pursuit of the pair and, coming upon them by the roadside, he ropes the cook and his wife and ties them to a tree. Leaving them to whatever fate may have in store for them, he sets out for the round-up. He meets the cook's wife, who now delivers the note to him. Tearing it open he eagerly scans the page and learns the truth. He hastily returns to the tree, liberates his prisoners and tries to explain to his injured wife the cause of his jealousy. The cook is treated to a lecture from his wife's tongue, as she attacks him with both fists. The foreman's wife promises to forgive her husband if he will take her East, which he agrees to do and they renew their vows with a perfect understanding of each other. --Moving Picture World, July 15, 1911, p. 62.