The Law Comes to Gunsight

Angry that Gunsight saloon owner Brad Foster, who is also the leader of a gang of horse thieves, has repeatedly reduced his share of the gang's ill-gotten gains, Jim Blane, the town's crooked mayor, writes a letter to a gunslinger named Pecos, inviting him to come to Gunsight to restore law and order. Later, after his horse goes lame on the trail into Gunsight, Pecos tries to steal the horse of a stranger, Johnny Macke, who stops to help him. Johnny fights Pecos, and during the struggle, Pecos' gun goes off, killing the gunfighter. That evening, Johnny sees young, hungry Bud Hartley walking near his campsite and invites him to dinner. As they eat, Bud states that he is headed for San Antonio to ask the Texas Rangers to clean up Gunsight. The kindly Johnny convinces Bud to return home and offers him a ride back to town. In Gunsight, meanwhile, Bud's older sister Judy reveals to prospector Reno her suspicions that Foster's gang has stolen some of her horses. Foster and his men overhear Judy accuse Foster and threaten both her and Reno. At that moment, Johnny and Bud ride into town and, seeing Foster's men attacking Reno, rush to help. Johnny quickly bests the horse thieves and is thanked by Judy. Blane then finds his letter to Pecos on Pecos' lame horse, which Johnny has led into Gunsight, and assumes that Johnny is the hired gun. Blane asks Johnny to take over as marshal, and without exposing his real identity, Johnny agrees to consider the offer. Later, after Johnny leaves town to visit Judy and Bud at their ranch, Blackie, one of the Foster's men who has overheard Blane's conversation with Johnny, reports to Foster. Foster orders Blackie and fellow henchman Drago to kill Johnny before he returns to Gunsight, but Johnny spots the outlaws waiting to ambush him and eludes them. When Reno then runs across the outlaws, they try to kill him, but Johnny returns to chase them off. Later, Reno tells Johnny that he, too, overheard Blane's conversation and knows he is not Pecos, whom he once met. Although Johnny never explains why he is impersonating Pecos, Reno eagerly agrees to become his deputy. As marshal, Johnny passes several law-and-order ordinances, but because he was hired by Blane, whom Judy and other townspeople suspect is in cahoots with Foster, he is not respected. Foster, meanwhile, plots to kill Johnny during a phony stagecoach robbery, but Johnny anticipates the ambush and arrests three of the outlaws. That night, Johnny tricks Drago into believing that he has shot him in the jailhouse, then surprises Drago in Foster's office. Johnny shoots Drago in self-defense and arrests Foster. With his competition now eliminated, Blane tries to relieve Johnny of his duties, but Johnny refuses to step down. After he orders Johnny to leave town, Blane learns about Johnny's real identity from Reno. Declaring they are partners again, Blane slips a gun to Foster, who then forces Reno into his cell and escapes with his cohorts. While Foster gathers his men to attack Johnny, Judy, who now knows the truth about the marshal, asks Johnny to track down Bud, who is searching the range for stolen horses. Unable to find the horses, Bud goes to the jailhouse and is thrown in Reno's cell by one of Foster's henchmen. Bud and Reno soon trick their way out of their cell, and while Johnny is on the range, he foils the gang's attack. In town, an armed Johnny then surprises Blane and Foster, who have been implicated by their captured men, and marches them all toward the jailhouse. On the way, a free gang member prepares to shoot Johnny from a hiding place, but Bud spots him and gives warning. After gunning down the sniper, Johnny jails the entire gang of thieves. Soon after, Johnny announces to a grateful Judy and Bud that Reno has been appointed the new marshal and bids them all goodbye.