In early-1850s California, far from civilization, former doctor Joe Oakhurst (Preston Foster) has fallen to running the gambling hall-bordello "The Gold Nugget" with his partner, "The Duchess" (Margaret Irving), also of fine stock but now fallen to become a madam. When one of their girls gives birth, the Duchess must persuade an ice-cold Oakhurst to help. The mother dies while the baby girl lives. She immediately proves to be lucky, is called Luck, and kept by Oakhurst. Eight years later Luck is an expert at cards and still as lucky as ever. On its way from a wild mining camp to a respectable town by then, Poker Flats has a minister (Van Heflin) and a schoolmarm brought in. The richest people around by then are Oakhurst and The Duchess. Falling head over heels in love with the new schoolmarm, Miss Helen Colby (Jean Muir), Oakhurst enrolls an unwilling Luck in her school, after which the profits at his gambling halls start falling. Failing to keep himself away from teacher Helen, Oakhurst also gradually loses his foothold in the community of wild folks he used to be king of. The rivalry of the two women does its part, as well as the selfish bouts of the minister, who also covets the schoolmarm. Thus, finally, the decent citizens win over, but it feels like a total loss to the world.
