A senator''''s daughter follows her boyfriend in the days of the California gold rush.

In Washington, D.C., during the Gold Rush era, Senator Martin Frost arranges to have Lieutenant Robert Latham sent to California in order to keep the young man away from his daughter Caroline. Frost believes that Robert is an opportunist who is only interested in Caroline because she is the daughter of a powerful senator, but Caroline disagrees with him, and insists on marrying Robert. Without the approval of her father, Caroline boards the first train for Sonora, California, hoping to catch up with her sweetheart. Soon after leaving Washington, Caroline is reported missing in the local newspapers, and a nationwide manhunt ensues. After offering a $5,000 reward for the return of his daughter, Martin goes to Pittsburgh, where Caroline was last seen. When Caroline arrives in Independence, Missouri, she discovers that Robert's unit has already left for Fort Richards, and that there is no room available for her on the westward-bound wagon train. Determined to get to the fort, Caroline buys a horse and wagon from Sad Sam, a fast-talking confidence artist, only to discover that the horse and wagon were not his to sell. Later, at a gambling house, Caroline finds Sam gambling with her money, and when Sam loses the money to a prospector named Lawlor, she tries to take her money back. Lawlor recognizes Caroline as the missing senator's daughter and threatens to turn her in for the reward, until she offers him $10,000 to take her to California. Caroline promises Lawlor that he will be paid in California by the wealthy Jake Carstairs, whom she calls her "fiancée." Accompanied by two bumbling Russian thieves, Caroline and Lawlor join the wagon train heading west. Along the way, Caroline and Lawlor fall in love, and vow never to separate. In California, Lawlor sends Caroline to tell Carstairs that they are in love, and Caroline, who has never met Carstairs, persuades the millionaire to play along with the hoax. Complications arise, however, when Carstairs' wife arrives and accuses her husband of having an affair. In the confusion, Robert arrives, calling out to his fiancée. A fistfight between Robert and Lawlor ensues as Lawlor believes that Caroline has a third suitor. The truth comes out, though, and Lawlor and Caroline resume their romance and celebrate with a song.