 Young William Bonney inspires the faith and friendship of Pat Garrett, despite Bonney s violent past. Garrett believes that Billy can make a better life for himself, a sentiment shared by rancher John Tunstall, who befriends Billy and gives him a job. Billy falls in love with Tunstall s niece Nita, but this outrages Tunstall s foreman Bob Ollinger, who exposes Billy s past as outlaw Billy the Kid. When one of Billy s new friends is killed, he goes on a rampage of revenge, and Pat Garrett, now a lawman, is forced to go after his young friend.