Andy Burton, a railway lineman, patrols an isolated section on his railway motor-car, watching the telegraph service of the company. He lives with his wife and their baby at Daly’s Creek, a flag stop on his section, where there is no telegraph service. Susan’s ambition is to become a telegraph operator and add to the family purse, and has petitioned the company to install an office at their station. Daly’s Creek, and has been studying and practicing telegraphy at home with Andy. Her request to the company for position as operator, unknown to Andy, has been refused and Daly’s Creek has been denied its telegraph service. Coming home later one stormy night, Andy overhears tramps in the ravine plotting the blowing up of the trestle three miles below. One of the party has spotted Andy’s car when he is arriving home late; the others are in the ravine lying in wait for Andy to pass, knowing then the road will be clear for them to get his car without his knowledge and to wreck the fast mail train. Andy overhears them planning, but is discovered by the tramp who has trailed him from the motor-car shanty, and who gives the alarm to the rest of the gang. They set upon Andy and leave him for dead. They take his motor-car and start for the trestle. Andy revives in spite of his broken leg, drags himself through the storm which is raging, to his motor shanty, only to discover that they have taken his car. Andy instinctively searches the shack and finds a pair of pole climbers, a pair of pliers and drags himself out into the storm, climbs a telegraph pole, searches amongst the wires, finds the proper one, cuts same, then with an end of the wire in each hand, he telegraphs a message of alarm to the train dispatcher’s office. By mere chance Andy’s message is received in the dispatcher’s office. The fast mail has been headed off and advised of its impending danger. A special train with officers, and a doctor to attend Andy’s injuries, is sent from division headquarters via Daly’s Creek and then on to the bridge. In the meantime the tramps have had motor trouble with the car, which delays them. The fast train has come within safe approach of the trestle, the train-men with their lamps hidden under their coats, go ahead on foot, to the trestle. The plotters are caught and their arrest is accomplished. The special drops off the doctor at Daly’s Creek to attend to Andy, who having recovered, dragged himself to the platform. The men volunteer to stay with the doctor and help him with Andy, and the special moves on towards the bridge. As a reward for Andy’s bravery, a committee of officials have come to his cottage and find him convalescing. His devoted wife is attending his wants. The superintendent orders the installation of telegraph service for Daly’s Creek and makes Susan its first telegraph operator and station agent for the company, and Andy is made the road’s chief of the telegraph department for life.