 From 1970 to 1873, Texas suffered under the carpetbag administration of reconstructionist Governor E. J. Davis (the name and the stated conditions was about the last of anything authentic in this film) and his despotic state police commanded in John s City by Captain Jake Thornton (Nestor Pavia.) Two young men, Tall Cameron (James Lydon) and Ray Novack (Rayford Barnes) flee to the Big Bend area to escape persecution. Ray pretends to be Tall s friend but actually hates him because he is madly jealous that Laura Bannerman (Beverly Garland) is to become Tall s wife. They join forces with Sam Garrett (Wayne Morris), a killer with a price on his head. Ray tries to kill Garret to collect the reward, but Tall saves Garrett s life and Ray flees back to John s City, where he is taken prisoner. Ray kills Thornton and another trooper but Tall is blamed for the crimes. Garrett can clear him, but will he?