Near the end of the Civil War, Julia Hayne (Miriam Hopkins) travels to Libby Prison to convince Cmdr. Vance Irby (Randolph Scott) to help transport gold from Virginia City to the South. Union intelligence agent Kerry Bedford (Errol Flynn) breaks out of the prison and, learning of the plot for the gold, travels to Nevada, meeting Julia on the way. Sensing Julia is attracted to Kerry, Vance asks her to help set a trap while desperados led by Murrell (Humphrey Bogart) also close in on the gold.