Noose for a Gunman

On his way into Rock Valley, "fast gun" Case Britton passes a tattered noose near a sign with his name on it. Having been banished five years ago, Case is wanted for the murder of the two sons of Carl Avery, a wealthy businessman. At the time, Case's brother, the town marshal, was investigating Avery in relation to a silver robbery when the Avery brothers allegedly killed him. Unmoved by townspeople gawking, the hard-bitten Case seeks out marshal Tom Evans, explaining that he has returned because notorious bandit Jack Cantrell plans to ambush a stagecoach carrying $75,000 of Cattlemen's Association profits that afternoon after it leaves Rock Valley. Case learned of the heist when Cantrell, believing Case still sought revenge on Rock Valley, asked him to join the gang. Case has become involved to save his fiancée Della Haines, who is traveling on the same stage. To protect Case from the suspicious townspeople, Tom escorts him to his old friend, express office owner Jim Ferguson, who welcomes Case's return. When Case offers to help stop the bandit, Tom warns him that the town councilmen must approve his stay in town. Soon after, Avery, having learned of Case's return, orders his henchman Link Roy to face Case in a draw, but Case ignores the challenge. When Case suggests that Avery was privy to the top-secret shipment, Jim reminds him that only members of the Cattlemen's Association had the information and Avery is not a member. Meanwhile, the three councilmen decide to throw Case out of town, but Avery interrupts the meeting to demand that Case remain, claiming that he wants to mete out his revenge. When the stage arrives, Tom orders the stage drivers to deposit the money in the bank vault. Roy loudly tells Della that Case is a murderer, igniting a fistfight between him and Case. When Avery's henchman shoots at Case, he is forced to kill the man in self-defense. Tom immediately arrests Case, but at the jail house, the marshal hands Case his cell keys and tells him that he is jailing Case for his protection until after Cantrell's ambush. A shaken Della reprimands Case for breaking his promise to refrain from using his guns, but then bursts into tears in his arms. Soon after, Tom discovers a letter in the stage cash box indicating Avery's four-month old membership in the Cattlemen's Association, proving he was privy to the shipment. Convinced that Avery is in cahoots with Cantrell, Tom promises Case that he will cut down the noose if they can survive Cantrell's attack. Meanwhile, Cantrell sends two bandits to the town to find out about the stage, which failed to leave town. Tom is organizing volunteers to combat Cantrell's gang at the saloon when the strangers enter. His suspicions that the men are part of Cantrell's gang are confirmed when they mention an outpost that has long since closed. Knowing they have only a few volunteers, Tom then loudly announces that he has men "at every window" to combat the gang, hoping to scare off Cantrell. When the strangers leave town, Roy also departs, claiming that he going to fetch guns for the townsmen. Tom sends his deputy to follow him, but Roy kills the deputy and informs Cantrell's men that the town is unprepared for a raid and divulges where the money is being held. That night, as the women and children gather in the church for protection, Della expresses her doubts about Case, but the preacher, confident in Case's character, offers to marry them in his church after the showdown. Meanwhile, Case arranges with Tom to move the money into his jail cell without alerting Avery. The next morning, Della, after overhearing the councilmen arguing, goes to the jail to warn Case that they have refused to release him. As Cantrell and his men approach the edge of town, Tom, who knows Cantrell seeks revenge against him for a past deed, challenges him to a draw, but Cantrell refuses and kills him. As the town erupts in gunfire, most of the townsmen are killed except Jim, who frees Case. While Cantrell and his men are celebrating in the saloon, Jim and Case go to the church, where the councilmen deputize Case and beg him to protect the town. Della then apologizes for not believing him. Hiding his badge, Case strides into the saloon and tells Cantrell and his men that he tipped off the town about Cantrell's plan hoping to win a pardon for past crimes. Claiming this was a mistake, Case convinces Cantrell that Avery is double-crossing him, suggesting that the money is not in the bank vault but with Avery, who is planning to leave town without splitting it with Cantrell. After Cantrell confirms that Avery's sons killed Case's brother, Case offers to lead him to the money for a fifty percent share. Cantrell sends two of his men with Case to the Express Office, where Case and Jim tie and gag them. Now drunk and with only three men remaining, Cantrell kills Avery and, after spotting his men tied up in the express office, wounds Jim. Case escapes onto the roof, shoots one of Cantrell's men and challenges Cantrell to a duel. As the men approach each other on the main street, Cantrell warns Case that Roy is standing behind him preparing to shoot. As Case turns to shoot Roy, Della, who has armed herself with a shotgun, kills Cantrell. Soon after, as the Rock Valley citizens take down the noose for the newly married couple, Della promises to put it in her hope chest, "hoping I'll never see it again."