Men of the Plains

After three trains are robbed of gold shipments from the mines near the town of Goldflat, postal inspector J. J. Gray assigns investigators Jim Dean and Dad Baxter to the case. Meanwhile, Goldflat bank president James Travis, who is the boss of the train-robbing gang, and his reluctant henchman, Billy Sawyer, visit the hideout of Johnson and Cole, the leaders of Travis' gang. Johnson and Cole wish to disband the gang, but Travis persuades them to wait until after the next big shipment. Using the aliases Tom Porter and Dad Thompson, Jim and Dad travel to Goldflat, where they meet their contact, Lucky Gordon, and Marshal Ed Green. Jim sends a phony wire describing an upcoming gold shipment in order to test the gang. He realizes that telegraph operator Billy is in the gang when Jim's wire is preceded by one from Billy that warns his fiancée, Laura Long, not to take the train on which the supposed gold shipment will be. Later, Johnson and Cole prepare to rob the train, but Dad stops it and unloads the passengers and mail before it reaches them. The gang is wise to the trap, however, and attempt to rob the wagon carrying the passengers. Jim drives them away and, after greeting his former schoolmate Laura, who did not receive Billy's message, follows a horse abandoned by one of the gang during the skirmish. The horse goes to Laura's ranch, and when Laura tells Jim that it belongs to Billy, he warns her that Billy may be involved in the gang. Billy shoots at Jim as he leaves, but Jim wants to give Billy a chance to clear himself for Laura's sake, and so he prevents Dad from arresting the lad. The next day, Billy tells Johnson and Cole that they must move their provisions from Laura's barn, and as Dad follows them, he is captured. Travis, who is attempting to double-cross Johnson and Cole, asks the express company to accept and insure a $30,000 gold shipment, for which the company will be liable. Travis tells Johnson and Cole about the shipment, instructing them to raid the office, then tips off Jim that something might be up, and that he should shoot any robbers. Before the raid, however, Johnson and Cole send Jim a note, supposedly from Dad, luring him into a trap. Jim and his reinforcements ride off to rescue Dad, who is being held at the gang's hideout. Johnson and Cole plant dynamite in the pass through which Jim must go, but Dad sets off the charge early, thereby warning Jim. Johnson shoots Dad, then leaves with Cole before Jim reaches the hideout. Jim finds Dad's body, then chases after the killers. In town, Travis and Billy are arguing over the box of gold in the express office when Johnson and Cole arrive. They shoot Travis and Billy but are arrested by Jim, who shows them that the box contains lead. As Billy dies, he asks Jim not to tell Laura the whole story of his involvement, and sometime later, Jim and Laura ride together and look forward to a happy future.