Jim Mann, a miner, is indifferent to the new baby and looks upon it merely as an added burden. Lucy, his wife, is taking care of the child, is unable to help much with the work and oftentimes Jim's dinner is late on account of her tending to the baby. He grows to dislike the child and refuses to hold it or caress it. Dawson, another miner, and his wife and small baby occupy the cabin on the adjoining claim. Dawson is very fond of his baby and when he becomes acquainted with Jim he learns of his aversion for babies and tries secretly to assist Lucy in making Jim care. The Dawsons call at their neighbors' cabin and Jim becomes jealous at seeing Dawson holding and admiring the baby. Finally Jim gets to feeling a secret regard for the child but is ashamed to let Lucy know. Dawson's baby falls sick and dies and his wife, grieving for the child becomes very ill. A couple of tramps stop at Jim's cabin demanding food, but on account of the supplies being low their request is refused and they are offered a meal instead. They refuse this and threaten trouble but are driven off by Jim. Lucy, starting for the stage line to send an order for provisions to the settlement, leaves the baby under a tree near where Jim is at work for him to care for while she is gone. In passing the Dawson cabin she learns from the doctor that the crisis of Mrs. Dawson's illness is at hand. She enters the cabin and finds the woman delirious, calling for her baby. Running back to the tree, Lucy takes the baby without telling Jim and hurries back to the cabin, where she places it in the bed beside the sick woman, who thinking the child is her own becomes better. The tramps loot the house of supplies and in passing the trees find the baby's blanket and take it. Jim coming to see about the baby, finds it gone and sees the tramps running away. He gives chase and they hide the supplies in a shed and give battle to him. Jim wounded, and believing the baby in the shed, makes his way back to the house to secure his gun and rescue the child, for whom his love has now awakened. Lucy returns to the claim with the baby but unable to find Jim goes on to the house. As Jim is preparing to leave she enters. For the first time Jim takes the baby in his arms.