Terror Trail

As tensions escalate between the cattlemen and the sheepherders of Red Butte, Duke Catlett, the corrupt proprietor of the local saloon, decides to inflame matters by driving sheep onto the cattlemen's land. Unaware of the situation, easterner Karen Kemp has agreed to invest her life savings in a sheep deal with Catlett. As the stage carrying Karen and her insolent younger brother Rocky nears town, Catlett dispatches his henchman, Waco, to rob Karen. Just as Waco and his gang snatches Karen's purse from her hands, the masked figure of The Durango Kid, a mysterious fighter for justice, gallops out of the hills, drives off the robbers and retrieves the stolen purse. The stage then continues onto the relay station, where it is met by Smiley Burnette's traveling trading post wagon. Soon after, Steve Haverley stops at the relay station on his way to sell his family's ranch at Red Butte, and Smiley, an old friend, warmly greets him. Upon reaching town, Karen goes to the saloon and tells Catlett that she has been robbed. At that moment, however, The Durango Kid gallops into town and hurls her purse through the saloon window. Scheming to use Karen as a cover to deflect the cattlemen's suspicions, Catlett then accepts her investment in the sheep deal. Steve, whose alter ego is The Durango Kid, continues to his ranch and is met by Matson, a fellow cattle rancher, who vehemently opposes the sheepherders. When Matson advocates violence, Steve counsels a peaceful solution. Realizing that someone is planting sheep on cattle lands in order to instigate a range war, Steve decides to investigate. Rocky, meanwhile, has become friendly with Waco and his gang. When Steve, as The Durango Kid, warns Kate of the impending war, Catlett sends Waco to stampede Steve's cattle, hoping to flush out The Durango Kid. The Durango Kid outwits them, however, and after taking Waco hostage, orders the gang to round up the scattered cattle and then leave the territory. After releasing Waco, The Durango Kid trails him to his hideout, overpowers the guard and dons his clothes. Pulling his hat over his face, The Durango Kid poses as the guard and Waco tells him that he plans to steal Karen's sheep and drive them across the border. In town, Steve informs Karen that Waco robbed her and plans to steal her sheep, and asks her to cooperate with the cattlemen. When Catlett tries to enlist Karen in his scheme to rustle Steve's cows grazing on the south range, she denounces him and he locks her in a closet. Smiley frees Karen and rides out with her to warn Steve. Realizing that Karen has escaped, Catlett decides to change his plans and raid the north range instead. After Smiley and Karen alert Steve, Steve suspects a trick and dispatches Smiley and the boys to guard the north range. As Smiley and the hands clash with Catlett and his gang, Rocky is thrown from his horse into the path of some stampeding cattle. The Durango Kid swoops down from the hills and whisks the boy from harm's way. After Smiley and the others capture Catlett and his gang, Rocky, his lesson learned, renounces life outside the law. Her partnership with Catlett now dissolved, Karen buys Steve's ranch, after which Steve bids them farewell and hits the trail.