The Sheriff of Medicine Bow

Upon his release from prison, Banty Prentice, a reformed bank robber, returns home to the town of Medicine Bow and is warmly greeted by Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown, the lawman who sent him to jail, but later recommended his parole. When Banty learns that his daughter Nan has purchased a ranch with the inheritance left to her by his late brother, he insists that Johnny accompany him to the ranch, although Johnny warns that Nan has not forgiven him for arresting her father. As they ride out of town, Banty is spotted by Buckeye, an inmate who escaped from the prison in which Banty served his sentence. Fearful that Banty will recognize him, Buckeye and his accomplices, Pardo and Grogan, decide to ambush him, but Johnny and Banty elude their pursuers and proceed to the ranch. There, after embracing her father, Nan orders Johnny off her property, but later changes her mind when Banty informs her that Johnny was responsible for his parole. Nan then introduces her father to Alibi, a prospector who helps her with the ranch chores. After Alibi announces that he thinks a rich vein of gold lies beneath the south ridge, Nan plaintively responds that she stands to lose the ranch the next day unless she comes up with enough money to pay her back taxes. When Banty presents her with his life savings, Nan races to town to save her ranch. Along the way, she is attacked by Buckeye and his gang, but outruns them and arrives safely in Medicine Bow. After losing Nan, Buckeye and his thugs ride to town to inform Jim Carson, the assayer who is in league with banker Barry Stuart to cheat Nan out of her gold-rich land, that their plan to seize the ranch through back taxes has failed. As Nan makes up with Johnny, Alibi and Banty arrive with news of a gold strike on the south ridge. When Carson declares the sample to be worthless, Johnny becomes suspicious and gives it to his deputy to deliver it to an assayer in a neighboring town. To gain ownership of the ranch, Stuart concocts a new scheme to frame Banty for bank robbery, thus forcing Nan to sell her property to raise money for her father's defense. Summoned by Stuart to the bank, Banty arrives just as a masked bandit bursts in, addresses Banty as his accomplice and then absconds with the money. When Stuart accuses Banty of robbing the bank, Johnny is obliged to arrest him. Later, after Nan helps her father escape, Stuart threatens Johnny with impeachment and orders his men to lock him up. Drawing his gun, Johnny turns the tables on Stuart and his thugs, mounts his horse and gallops out of town. Upon reaching the ranch, Nan instructs Alibi to take Banty to their secret hideout. Stuart, meanwhile, sends Buckeye, Grogan and Pardo after them. At the ranch, as Buckeye and Pardo exchange gunfire with Nan, Grogan sneaks up from behind and overpowers her. Just then, Johnny comes to her rescue, shoots Grogan and subdues Buckeye. Drawn by the sound of gunfire, Alibi and Banty return to the ranch and Banty identifies Buckeye as a fugitive. When Banty mentions that he noticed Buckeye loitering around Carson's office, Johnny, who has just received the other assayer's report on the gold sample, announces that Nan's ranch is rich with gold and deduces that Carson is conspiring to steal her property. Just as Buckeye is about to divulge his boss's identity, Pardo shoots and kills him. Pardo then hurries back to Carson's office, where he is greeted by Johnny, who promptly ties up both Carson and Pardo. Soon after Nan and Banty arrive at the office, Duke, another henchman enters, with his gun drawn, and escorts Banty, Johnny and Nan to jail. When Stuart learns that Johnny knows about the gold, he beckons Nan to his office and demands that she sign over the deed to the ranch in exchange for her father's life. After Nan reluctantly agrees to Stuart's terms, she and Stuart ride to the ranch to get the deed. At the jailhouse, meanwhile, Johnny tricks Duke into approaching the cell, grabs his gun and orders him to open the door. As Nan signs over the deed, Banty and Johnny arrive at the ranch. Running out the back door, Stuart jumps on Johnny's horse, but the horse bucks him off onto the ground. After Johnny arrests Stuart and his gang, he accompanies Nan to meet with the mining company that will make her a rich woman.