"Groundhog" Spence slays Jed McCoy's father and marries Mrs. McCoy to obtain her lands rich in coal. Jed loves Spence's niece, Emmy Lou, an attractive orphan who teaches him to read and write. Spence forces Emmy Lou to marry his son Aaron. Someone in an angry mob of hillsmen shoots Aaron while attempting to drive out swindlers who want the coal lands. Jed is charged with the killing but is acquitted. Anticipating an acquittal, Groundhog attempts to escape before Jed is freed, but Jed chases him to a raft on a river, and there Spence is drowned. The raft collapses, and Jed is rescued by Emmy Lou. The last reel contains a thrilling fight scene on board the makeshift raft as it dashes unguided downstream toward the rapids.
—AFI