Wealthy rancher Sampson Drune (Charles Bickford) is resented by members of the Romer family, who feel he swindled them out of their cattle. They retaliate by robbing Drune and fleeing with the money. Drune organizes a posse of townspeople and asks alcoholic Sheriff John Frazier (Broderick Crawford) to deputize the group. They head out in search of the bandits with Frazier in tow. Two days later, the Romers and Drune are dead, Frazier is wounded and the money has disappeared.