A peaceful Appalachian village is terrorized by a trio of demented hillbilly brothers with an appetite for destruction and violence. David Kinemon (Richard Barthelmess) is the youngest son of his father (Edmund Gurney) and mother (Marion Abbott). Luke Hatburn (Ernest Torrence) is let out of prison and with the help of his two brothers, kills David's beloved dog before murdering his father. His mother pleads with David not to seek revenge because he is needed more than ever on the family farm. When the degenerates cripple his older brother Allen (Warner Richmond), David and Luke have a final showdown that rates as one of the great fight scenes of the silent era. As a frantic female runs for help while the two rivals battle each other for control of a loaded pistol, a nearly dead David emerges and drives his brother's mail wagon safely to the village. This is the film debut for Ernest Torrence who, in this vengeful drama, portrayed the most despicable of cinematic villains ever seen. Negative crowd reaction to his character's malevolence was universal.