The Root of Evil

When prospectors Jeff Bray, Tom Purvis and Budd Harrigan decide that their Western mountain gold mine has petered out, Tom searches the face of a cliff. After Tom falls and Jeff rescues him, Tom vows never to forget. Later, they sell their claim to Lowery, a disreputable mine speculator. Tom and Budd discover that there is gold which came from the cliff in Tom's boots, and they plan to get the deed back without Jeff's knowledge. Ruth Caton, who has refused Tom's proposal, accepts Jeff's. As Jeff rows across a lake to get ice cream for Ruth's party, Lowery, who refused to sell to Tom and Budd, attempts to force his attentions on Ruth, but she escapes. Jeff returns and pursues Lowery, but Tom shoots Lowery during a fight. After Tom slips his gun into Jeff's pocket, Jeff is arrested and imprisoned. Three years later, Ruth is unhappily married to Tom. After Tom pulls a gun on Budd, who wants his share of the gold, Budd disarms him and convinces the sheriff of Jeff's innocence. When they go to arrest Tom, Jeff, now released from prison, sees Tom's child and tries to help Tom escape, but Budd shoots Tom. Years later, time has healed all wounds.