Santa Fe Rides

When a radio station comes to a western town, Santa Fe Evans and his cowboys from the Lazy D ranch are among those who audition. A drought has killed off most of Santa Fe's cattle, and he plans to use the fee from the program to re-stock his ranch. Carver, a fellow rancher who wants to buy Santa Fe's ranch, is determined to keep him from performing. Just after Santa Fe's audition, Bill Wilson, the deputy sheriff, drives by with a prisoner, Buddy Sheldon, the young brother of Santa Fe's fiancée, Carol. Bill was wounded by Buddy's father when he arrested the boy for stealing cattle, and before he collapses, Bill deputizes Santa Fe. Santa Fe is surprised to discover that Carol blames him for giving Buddy cattle that belonged to Al Jensen, another rancher. Now, she tells him, Buddy has been accused of stealing them. Santa Fe swears that the cattle belonged to him, not to Jensen, but Carol does not believe him and breaks their engagement. She then pulls a gun on Santa Fe and helps Buddy escape. A short time later, Santa Fe gets out of the closet where Carol locked him up and rides after them. Meanwhile, one of the radio program's sponsors asks to hear Santa Fe audition. Desperate to get Santa Fe back, they follow him with the broadcasting truck and Santa Fe performs a second audition. He then spots Jensen riding by and forces him to sign a confession stating that Carver was behind his accusation of Buddy. Back at the Sheldon ranch, Carver offers to hide Buddy in some cabins on his range. Carver then accuses Santa Fe of shooting Bill, even though he knows this is a lie, because he hopes that Santa Fe will be thrown in jail and miss the broadcast. Santa Fe escapes, however, before the sheriff's men arrive. He gives Buddy Jensen's confession. When Buddy tells his father and Carol what happened, they inform the sheriff, and everything is settled just in time for Santa Fe to make his broadcast.