Lone Dog, an old Indian, is found by a number of tourists, guarding three graves. Being asked to relate the story connected with them, he tells of the death of his beloved squaw on the desert and of the infant papoose left in his care. He tells of the long journey with the child in his arms to the nearest cabin, where he finds a settler and his wife, who have just buried their newborn babe, and when Lone Dog asks them to care for his papoose until he can return, the woman’s heart goes out to the child and she consents to nurse and care for it. Years pass and Lone Dog returns with gifts to his friends. In the meantime, the Indians of his tribe ask for more rations from the government. A famine is imminent. They are refused and revolt. Lone Dog hears of the uprising and rides to warn the settlers and his friends. The Indians are repulsed by the settlers, and riding over the hills, wreak vengeance on Lone Dog’s benefactors. He, in the meantime, has ridden back to the little town to ask for help for his friends. The townspeople, mistaking him for an enemy, fire and wound him. Hurt as he is, he manages to make himself understood and the townspeople bind his wounds and rush to the rescue. He follows on horseback. The setters reach the cabin, followed by Lone Dog. They find the dead bodies of the man, woman and child, who have been slaughtered while waving the flag of truce. The Indians take flight and two of the settlers help Lone Dog bury his dead. Faithful in death, as he was in life, he watches and waits for the time when he too will find peace and forgetfulness.