A tough preacher comes to the rip-roaring gold town of Panamint in hopes of reforming it. But disaster awaits.

Panamint's mayor decides that a church, and a parson to run it, might calm things down, and so he brings in Phillip Pharo from San Francisco. As soon as Philip arrives, the men who control the local gambling interests make plans to drive him out of town. "Chappie" Ellerton, who runs the roulette game, challenges Philip to play and after he accepts, on the condition that Chappie agree to attend services, the new parson has a long run of luck and wins the whole casino, which he converts into a church. Philip's enemies in Panamint report his gambling to the city church officials, who quickly defrock the parson. Feeling no bitterness, Philip quietly retires, and then, during a fire, loses his own life while rescuing one of the men who helped ruin him.—Pamela Short

Two wayfarers drifting across the sandy wastes happen upon the almost obliterated marks of the former mining town of Panamint. Reminiscing, "Chuckwalla Bill" tells the fascinating story of the town that was and of the remarkable life of the Parson of Panamint. A wave of reform has swept over the lawless town. "Chuckwalla" is elected mayor and announces the town's need of the signs of respectability, a church, a schoolhouse and a jail. "Chuckwalla" finds his parson in Frisco in this unusual way. One day a panic-stricken workman is pursued by, and is about to be set upon by a mob when "Chuckwalla" sees an act that thrills his blood. As the terrified runner nears the spot he is brought down by a shower of rocks thrown by his pursuers, but before the pack can reach him a stalwart young six-footer flashes on the scene and stands at bay over the prostrate form. The ensuing brief but terrific combat was a spectacle "Chuckwalla" never forgot and his charging rescue lands him in the police station with the young fighter. On learning his comrade is a preacher "Chuckwalla" explodes, "A minister. The hell you are. You don't fight like one. You're a fightin' bob-cat, young feller." Panamint likes its young parson, for, "Somehow he manages to pull all the burrs offen religion an' makes it as smooth as long sweetnin.'" But the straight-laced ones are scandalized when the parson wipes out "Bud" Deming's saloon-dance hall-gambling joint by winning the entire establishment at roulette. Then when Deming is stabbed and dies they refuse to let the funeral cortege enter the church, but "Chuckwalla" clears the way. The parson is dismissed and all summer has the congregation that needs him in the place of their downfall, Deming's former saloon.—Moving Picture World synopsis