Wrongly imprisoned on a murder charge, John Brant (John Wayne) escapes from his cell and joins a bunch of desperadoes in an attempt to find the true murderer.
A stagecoach trip is complicated by Geronimo being on the warpath in the area. The passengers include a drunk doctor, two women, a thieving bank manager, and the famous Ringo Kid.
During the American Civil War, Col. Cord McNally has left Lt. Ned Forsythe, in charge of a Union army payroll train. However, Confederates led by Capt. Cordona, hijack the train.
In this early screen appearance, John Wayne stars as a tough cowboy who infiltrates a gang of outlaws in order to track down the man responsible for the murder of his family.