
Private detective James Barlow (Randolph Scott) is sent to Indiana to infiltrate the ranks of the four Reno Brothers (Denver Pyle, Forrest Tucker, J. Carrol Naish, Myron Healy), a gang running roughshod over luckless locals. After attracting the Renos' attention with a staged train robbery, Barlow gets in deeper when he strikes up a romance with their sister, Laura (Mala Powers). Gradually, Barlow devises a strategy to set the brothers up for ambush in another train robbery.
Private detective James Barlow (Randolph Scott) is sent to Indiana to infiltrate the ranks of the four Reno Brothers (Denver Pyle, Forrest Tucker, J. Carrol Naish, Myron Healy), a gang running roughshod over luckless locals. After attracting the Renos' attention with a staged train robbery, Barlow gets in deeper when he strikes up a romance with their sister, Laura (Mala Powers). Gradually, Barlow devises a strategy to set the brothers up for ambush in another train robbery.
Though most men are concerned with prospecting gold, American ranchers Jim Redfern and Mike Evans are trying to make a fortune by leading a long line of cattle from Montana to Canada. While they are resting one night, their herd is robbed by a gang of thugs, leaving the cowboys stranded in the wilderness without their livelihood. Jim and Mike then decide to try their hands at mining gold, but before long they run into the enemy bandits again.
Major Matt Stewart (Randolph Scott) leads a troop of Confederate soldiers on a raid, targeting a wagon that is transporting Union gold. All the Union soldiers are killed except for one, who informs Stewart that the war had already ended a month ago. Stewart leads the troop into hiding, knowing they could face murder charges. After capturing a coach driven by nurse Molly Hull (Donna Reed), the soldiers try to evade a group of bandits chasing them to steal the gold.
A U.S. marshal (Wild Bill Elliott) roams gold camps as a gunman to find a gambler (Henry Morgan) who knows more about a federal case.
When a group of Mormons are run out of town for their religious beliefs, Elder Wiggs searches for a wagon master to guide the outcasts to the San Juan Valley. Happening upon horse traders Travis Blue and Sandy, Wiggs convinces the men to take the position due to their intimate knowledge of the area. Despite Blue and Sandy's guidance, the travelers experience numerous setbacks, especially when the Clegg family outlaws take refuge in their wagon train.
Near the end of the Civil War, Julia Hayne (Miriam Hopkins) travels to Libby Prison to convince Cmdr. Vance Irby (Randolph Scott) to help transport gold from Virginia City to the South. Union intelligence agent Kerry Bradford (Errol Flynn) breaks out of the prison and, learning of the plot for the gold, travels to Nevada, meeting Julia on the way. Sensing Julia is attracted to Kerry, Vance asks her to help set a trap while desperados led by Murrell (Humphrey Bogart) also close in on the gold.
A rancher (Tim McCoy) and his buddy (Joseph Sauers) scare rustlers out of business.
After riding into New Mexico, William Bonney and Pat Garrett are hired by rancher John Tunstall. Bonney's hard work wins Tunstall over, but his romance with the old man's niece makes foreman Bob Ollinger jealous. Learning of Bonney's criminal past, Ollinger leads a posse against him that kills Tunstall instead. Bonney vows to avenge his boss' death, and his ensuing killing spree earns him the nickname "Billy the Kid."
A small-scale gold rush erupts in a Colorado town after treasure is found in a grave. The area quickly becomes a magnet for criminals and other ne'er-do-wells, but everyone is too intent on searching for gold to consider law and order. When Jason McCullough (James Garner), a clever and supremely laid-back gunslinger, wanders into town, he becomes the de facto lawman, aided by local eccentric Jake (Jack Elam). McCullough's ingenuity is tested, however, when he runs afoul of the tough Danby gang.