A Corner in Water is a silent Western.
A 15-chapter Western serial. The serial involves the mystery of the murder of William Stillman (Wells) and the finding of the heir to his fortune. Silent Joe (Farnum) arrives in an effort to discover the murderer and prove that he is the true heir. He and the heroine Lou (Anderson) have their adventures in the mountainous terrain with its "vanishing trails." They are aided by The Shadow (Orlamond), a demented scientist with his trained dog, and several remarkable, death-dealing inventions.
With the help of Red Barton (Wade Boteler), Phil (Jack Holt) makes a spectacular escape from jail. He obtains a parson's outfit from a pawnshop and shortly thereafter winds up in a barroom brawl. One of the other brawlers is Chuckwalla Bill (J.P. Lockney), the newly elected mayor of the town of Panamint.
Carrie Simpkins, a lady lawyer, arrives in a small western town and begins the practice of law. Pete, Jake and Jerry, three cowboys, fall in love with her, but do not progress. Smithers, the pioneer town lawyer happens by and sees the sign, "Carrie Simpkins, Lawyer," and decides to pay her a visit, which he does, and he also falls in love with her. Pete, Jake and Jerry all hit upon the same plan unknown to each other, which will help their chances with Carrie.
A disgraced son of a mine owner discovers a plot among the workers to defraud his father.
Tom Bruce finds a thespian's life is not a happy one, and when the theatrical company goes on the rocks, he lands in a western town where a school master is desired. In order to eat three times a day, Tom teaches school and not the least interesting of his pupils is pretty Vicky Withers. An uncouth rancher known as Bill Stone loves Vicky, and when he sees that Tom Bruce and the girl are mutually attracted, he goes to Vicky's father.
Tom Travis, a bad man, comes to New Mexico. He sees Vicky, the sheriff's daughter, playing a part for a motion picture company. The action calls for Vicky to be overcome by the villain and thrown on a horse. Tom, not understanding the action, blazes away at the villain, and the bullet passes through the actor's hat, chasing the horse upon which Vicky is riding. Tom, coming up with Vicky, believes he has saved her. The director and Vicky's father think Tom a great actor. The sheriff, however, discovers that Tom has the reputation of a "bad" man, and orders him to stay away.
Grace, daughter of Jim Jordan, a ranch owner, has just returned from school, and Tom, leader of the Lazy S cowboy outfit, and Centiped Pete, leader of a rival cowboy outfit, fall in love with the girl. They both attire themselves in their best bib and tucker, and head for Grace's home. En route, they stop to settle a strenuous argument, and before the argument is ended, the cowboys of the rival ranches become involved in a free-for-all.
Tom Meyers and his partner have a little claim near a little western town. When Tom goes to town for supplies, he falls in with Slim Padgett, a bad man, who wagers that he can outride Tom. Tom races Slim and the contest is viewed by Betty Thompson, a ranch girl. Slim angered at being defeated, follows Tom to his mine, and discovers that Tom has found pay dirt.
Tom Gilmore, a wealthy young easterner, loves Vicky, but she refuses to marry him because of her thoughts of the great free west. Vicky visits her uncle a western ranch owner. Tom decides to follow Vicky westward, and try the life of a cowboy. However, he reaches before Vicky, and soon learns the ways of the cowpunchers.
Fleeced by a pair of good-time gals, the boys are unable to pay their bar tab and end up cooling their heels in jail. Once released, the two pals decide to join the army, if only to know where their next meal is coming from. They are shipped to a remote frontier outpost, which is already a hotbed of intrigue due to the commanding officer's lust for the wife of one of his officers.