Scorching Fury

Three masked men ambush a stagecoach on its way to Boone City, California. On the orders of their boss, they steal the passengers' money and then free the horses and dump out the water. After the outlaws ride away, one passenger, Kirk Flamer, suggests that the group, which includes Mrs. Harrison, singer Tara Emmons, her accompanist, Lockwin, and young couple Drew and Louise Macurda, camp for the night in the hills. An Indian scout who has been observing the group then rushes to inform his tribe about the travelers' predicament, while Kirk tells Tara, who knew him when they both lived in Tucson, about her ex-boyfriend, Clint Rust: Kirk and Clint are best friends when they visit Clint's uncle, J. D., a sheriff in Adobe Wells. J. D., who believes strongly in the lawman's oath to bring suspected criminals to justice rather than to indict and kill them without a fair trial, deputizes both men. He hopes that, together with his other deputy, Ward Canepa, they will stop the wave of robberies sweeping the area. Each deputy accompanies a stage as it carries gold across the state. When Canepa's stage disappears, however, the other three lawmen ride in search of it. Finding the driver dead, the gold missing and deputy star abandoned, they realize that Canepa is the culprit. After Kirk and Clint split up to search for Canepa, Clint discovers him robbing a bank, but before he can arrest him, J. D. enters the bank and is shot six times in the back by Canepa. In the present, Kirk explains to Tara that he then received a note from Clint stating that he was on his way to kill Canepa. Kirk, who knows that J. D. would not want Clint to resort to vigilante justice and that Clint is not as talented a gunslinger as Canepa, is now tracking Clint to stop him. Meanwhile, in the hills nearby, Canepa watches Clint wander the trail, and shoots his horse out from beneath him. Clint is forced to carry his pack on foot, and soon runs into the group of travelers. After a warm reunion with both Kirk and Tara, who still loves him, Clint describes how Canepa has been tricking him for weeks. Hearing Clint's description of the outlaw's horse, Kirk realizes that Canepa is the boss of the gang that ambushed the stage. He tries to convince Clint that, although he wants just as strongly to see Canepa killed, they must follow J. D.'s code of ethics, but Clint refuses to back down. Kirk then takes Lockwin to gather firewood, borrowing Clint's gun for the nervous guitar player. Clint and Tara discuss their past plans to build a home together, but when she presses him to give up his dangerous scheme to challenge Canepa, he spurns her advice. She promises to support him, and as they fall into an embrace, Canepa creeps across the prairie toward their encampment. Meanwhile, the local Indian tribe, warned by their scout, gathers forces and races toward the camp, but are thwarted and run off by a band of Rangers on horseback. At the camp, meanwhile, Canepa sneaks up behind Kirk and knocks him out. He calls to Mrs. Harrison to join him, and although she refuses, the group realizes that she is Canepa's wife. Clint offers his life for the rest of the group's, but Canepa hands him a gun, insisting on a duel. As Canepa argues with Mrs. Harrison, Lockwin pulls out his gun. Mrs. Harrison shouts a warning, however, and Canepa kills Lockwin. Kirk revives and joins the group in time for the duel. He counts to ten, but at nine, Clint shoots Canepa. He is about to shoot again to kill the outlaw when Kirk stops him and takes the gun so they can arrest Canepa. Canepa, however, reaches out to attack Clint, and Kirk turns and fires the other five bullets into him. As Kirk hangs his head in defeat, Tara and Clint embrace.