Plot

As Bruce Lanning posts a "no trespassing" sign at a watering hole on his Circle A ranch, his sister Jane rides up with news that Wes Caven, the hired gun of the Elwood brothers, is looking for him. Soon after, Wes appears and kicks over the sign. Later, Sunset Carson, Wes's boyhood friend, rides into town to invite Wes to become a partner in his new ranch. Just as Wes declines the offer and offers Sunset a job working for the Elwoods instead, Bruce bursts into the saloon, demanding to see Frank Elwood. When Bruce insists that the watering hole was included in the Elwoods' sale of the ranch, Frank pulls his gun and Bruce fires in self-defense, killing him. Wes accuses Bruce of cold-blooded murder, but Sunset, having witnessed the shooting, helps Bruce to escape. Pursued by the corrupt sheriff and his posse, Sunset and Bruce hide in a gulch, and there Bruce informs Sunset that Wes is now a hired gun. Bruce and Sunset head for the Circle A, and when the sheriff comes to look for Bruce and begins to physically intimidate Jane, Sunset intervenes. After the sheriff leaves, Jane begs Bruce to surrender and he agrees when Sunset promises to testify on his behalf. Sunset rides into town and turns Bruce over to the sheriff. Witnessing the exchange, Frank's brother, Sam, fearful that Bruce may be acquitted of his brother's murder, agrees to Wes's demands to be made his partner in exchange for stopping Sunset from testifying at the trial. Wes then tries to bribe Sunset, but when Sunset announces that he is working for the Lannings, Wes warns him that they are now adversaries and orders him to leave town. In the ensuing fight, Wes pummels Sunset unconscious and throws him into the street, where he is cared for by Jane. On the day before the trial, Elwood orders his henchmen to bushwhack Sunset as he rides into town. Sunset routs his assailants, however, so Wes conspires with the sheriff to eliminate Bruce. Feigning sympathy for the boy's innocence, the sheriff releases Bruce, and as soon as Bruce's back is turned, shoots him. Sunset finds Bruce lying wounded in the street, carries him to the now empty jailhouse and goes to summon the doctor. As Elwood and Wes hunt for Sunset, Sunset discovers the doctor drunk, and carts him over to the jail. With the drunken doctor's help, Sunset removes the bullet from Bruce's back. Soon after, the sheriff discovers that Sunset has sought refuge in the jail. When Wes and his henchmen fire gunshots into the jail, Sunset pretends that he has been hit. Just as Wes and the others approach the prone Sunset, Sunset raises his pistol and orders them to disarm. After taking the injured Bruce back to the ranch, Sunset returns to town to face Wes. Elwood, meanwhile, incensed by Wes's demands to be made a partner, orders his henchman, Curley Rucker, to kill the gunfighter. Upon reaching town, Sunset nicks Wes in the ear with a bullet, sparking a gun battle in the streets. After Curley shoots Wes in the back, Sunset guns down Curley and then the sheriff. Cornering Elwood in the saloon, Sunset shoots him, too, and then rides back to the ranch. Some time later, after Bruce has fully recovered, Sunset bids the Lannings goodbye and hits the trail.