Cattlemen Reynolds (Barton MacLane) and Payne (Charles Fredericks) use their influence to edge less powerful ranchers out of the bountiful Ruby Hills Valley, then set their sights on eliminating each another. While they're busy fighting over the land, the peace-minded Ross Haney (Zachary Scott) buys up all the water rights to the valley. But Haney's bid for order is disrupted by Doran (Dick Foran), a scheming third rancher, who supplies the warring parties with deadly gunfighters.