Just before Bess (Lucile Browne) returns home to the ranch owned by her father, Dan Matthews, robbers attack him and his friend, Sheriff John Higgins (John Wayne) -- and Dan is killed in the gunfight. Convinced that one of his shots resulted in Dan's death, John resigns as sheriff. Former sheriff Ed Williams (George Hayes) convinces John to work for Bess to make up for his error, and he becomes her foreman. John doesn't confide his involvement in her father's death, but Bess soon hears rumors.