Days of Old Cheyenne

Texas cowboys Clint Ross and Tombstone Boggs are wandering through the Wyoming territory when they come to the lawless city of Cheyenne. Down to their last dollar, they go to the saloon, where Tombstone tries to raise some money with magic tricks. Tough guy Steve Brackett mistakenly thinks that Tombstone has broken his watch during a trick, and Clint has to settle the argument with his fists when Brackett attacks Tombstone. Clint's prowess impresses political boss Big Bill Harmon, who calls off Brackett and his other henchman, Pete Bledsoe, then offers Clint the job of town marshal. After leaving the saloon, Clint meets newspaper publisher John Carlyle, his daughter Nancy and young ward Bobby, who already worships Clint for standing up to the cruel Brackett. Carlyle warns Clint that Harmon is a ruthless crook, but Clint promises that he will be an honest marshal. Clint then goes to Harmon's ranch to accept the job. In order to get approval for Clint's appointment, Harmon has his men terrorize the town until the citizens clamor for a new marshal. With Carlyle also backing him, Clint is appointed and begins work. One day, Harmon calls in outlaw Slim Boyd to rob the Stockman's Association Bank, and although Clint foils the robbery and rounds up Boyd's notorious gang, little Bobby is killed during the shootout. Clint throws himself into his work to assuage his grief, and Harmon has him appointed commissioner of the rangers. Clint and Tombstone tour the territory, during which they discover that the rangers are a corrupt lot answering only to Harmon. Clint reports his findings to Carlyle and vows to install his own trustworthy men. Meanwhile, Governor Frank Shelby, who is one of Harmon's stooges, tires of doing Harmon's dirty work and declares that he is going to Washington, D.C. to request federal help in cleaning up the territory. Harmon pretends to acquiesce to Shelby's desires, but instead arranges for him to be killed. After Shelby's stagecoach "accidentally" goes off a cliff, Harmon, still believing that he can control Clint, has him appointed as the temporary governor. Clint is determined to govern honestly, however, and promotes a tax bill that supports the local ranchers instead of Harmon. Hoping to gain evidence of Harmon's wrongdoing, Clint and Tombstone pretend to have a falling out, and Tombstone is admitted into Harmon's gang. Tombstone then discovers that Harmon has manufactured several affidavits stating that Clint shook down ranchers for protection during his tour of the territory. He also discovers that Harmon is responsible for ordering the robbery that caused Bobby's death, and the infuriated Clint swears out a warrant for Harmon's arrest and goes to serve it personally. The two men meet in a gun battle on the street, and Clint shoots Harmon down in self-defense. Soon after, Clint continues his duties as governor and convinces Tombstone to stay and help him instead of returning to Texas.