Refusing to marry her stepmother's choice, Gail Prim leaves her life of luxury after cutting her hair, dressing in her butler's clothes, and stealing money and jewels from her father's safe. Spending the night in a barn, she introduces herself to the thieves already there as the Oskaloosa Kid, a wanted criminal, and barely escapes their struggle to get her loot. Meanwhile, the real Oskaloosa Kid kills Reginald Paynter and throws Nettie Penning, whom Reginald was trying to seduce, onto the highway. Gail and Arthur Stockbridge, a friendly tramp who helped her, find Nettie and take her to a deserted house, where they meet Gioja, a gypsy, and her performing bear. After Nettie is seized by crooks and returned to her father for a reward, Gail and Arthur are arrested as suspected killers of the missing Gail. Gail's father stops a mob about to lynch them by confirming her identity, after which Arthur, really an author looking for atmosphere, wins Gail's affection.
—AFI