Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy
Ben Hardy, owner of the "Three 4 Ranch," receives a letter from his sister in the east, saying she is sending her little girl to visit him. Hardy is delighted and sends "Alkali" Ike to the depot to meet "the little girl" with a small burro and a doll to quiet her if she cries. "Alkali" finds her a full grown young lady, however, and is astonished when she grabs his broncho, vaults into the saddle and gallops off, leaving him to straggle back on the stubborn burro. All the boys, including Broncho Billy, now fall in love with the charming miss. Broncho and "Alkali" are the bitterest rivals. A barn dance is to be held and all the boys want to take the girl. She masters the situation by having a horse-race, agreeing to go with the fellow that catches and takes her out of the saddle. After a thrilling race, Broncho wins, and is proud over his conquest, when "Alkali" wanders up and explodes a bomb by announcing if he doesn't get the girl he will not furnish the music for the dance. Broncho is forced to give in and watches in supreme disgust as the laughing boys all hike off with their respective girls, leaving him sadly alone and forlorn.
