Death Rides the Plains

In Mesaberg, crooks Rogan and Ben Gowdey intercept a letter from Fuzzy Jones to his cousin Luke, announcing that he will soon arrive to help run Luke's new ranch, the Circle C. Unknown to Fuzzy, Gowdey and his henchman Rogan have repeatedly sold the Circle C to unsuspecting ranchers, then killed and robbed them of the $25,000 payment before they signed the papers. When Fuzzy arrives at the Circle C, he is run off the ranch by one of Gowdey's men and cannot find Luke. Not long after, prospective Circle C buyer James Marshal is shot and robbed, but is rescued by Rocky Cameron, a masked vigilante also known as The Lone Rider. Rocky joins forces with Fuzzy to identify and capture the murderers, and after tending to James's wounds, he informs him of the racket. James tells Rocky that his daughter Virginia will soon arrive in Mesaberg with the $25,000 payment. In town, Fuzzy picks a fight with Gowdey's gang after they refuse to let him see Gowdey. Rocky comes to Fuzzy's aid, and the two men warn Gowdey that they will not leave Mesaberg until Luke is found. While wearing his The Lone Rider mask, Rocky later rescues Virginia when she is attacked by Gowdey's gang and, after earning her confidence, takes the $25,000 for safekeeping. Still disguised as The Lone Rider, Rocky then confronts Gowdey and informs him that he is cutting in on his "racket," hoping to force Gowdey into action. After Gowdey's men locate James's cabin, Gowdey convinces Virginia that Rocky has taken her father hostage. The sheriff and Gowdey's gang arrive at the cabin just as Rocky and Fuzzy find James's dead body. Rather than face arrest, Rocky and Fuzzy escape. Rocky returns Virginia's money and tells her that the person who told her where her father was is his real killer. Rocky and Fuzzy then find papers in Gowdey's office that prove that he is a swindler. One letter identifies a new buyer for the Circle C as a rancher named Simms. Before Simms gets to Mesaberg, he is waylaid by Rocky and Fuzzy, and offers his cooperation in capturing Gowdey. As planned, Gowdey's men find Simms apparently murdered but not robbed, and take him to their shack for burial. There, Rocky and Fuzzy capture the gang, and discover the graves of all Simms's unfortunate predecessors, including Luke, under the shack. They then take the gang to Gowdey's saloon where, in the presence of the sheriff, they reveal Gowdey's crooked operation. When the sheriff inspects the money Gowdey stole from Simms, Rocky points out it has all been marked by him. Gowdey shoots Rogan when he confesses and escapes with Rocky in pursuit. After Rocky captures Gowdey, Fuzzy signs a warrant for his arrest. As Luke was the last registered owner of the ranch, Fuzzy stands to inherit the Circle C, but he leaves with Rocky, and Virginia thanks The Lone Rider for his help.