Last of the Pony Riders

Gene Autry, a division agent of the Pony Express, carefully patrols his territory, assuring the smooth running of the service. The approach of the telegraph across the West threatens the continued existence of the Express, however, and Gene plans to form a stage line to carry the mail after the Express' demise. Gene asks Tom McEwen, head of the territory Express line, to go in with him on the stage line, but Tom refuses, indignantly firing Gene when he chastises him for not accepting the inevitable realities of modernization. Meanwhile, wealthy Clyde Vesey, intent on obtaining Tom's government contract to start his own stage company, calls in a loan he made to Tom, who is unable to pay it. Vesey then takes six of the Express' horses as payment and orders his two henchmen, Dusty Creek relay chief Jess Hogan and farrier Dutch Murdoch, to sabotage Tom's line to force him out of business sooner. Dutch and Jess lay wire along the Express route and bring down rider Johnny Blair, who, after shooting his injured horse, runs the rest of the way to the next relay station. Gene continues patrolling the territory and discovers the wire that tripped Johnny, then comes upon several new telegraph wires that have been cut. Meanwhile, Tom is forced to double up his riders after several quit to find more secure jobs. Tom's daughter Katie pleads with her father to rehire Gene, but he stubbornly refuses. Vesey, Dutch and Jess smuggle a stagecoach into one of Vesey's barns in anticipation of ruining Tom. On Johnny's next ride, Dutch tries to send a rockslide into his path, but Gene intercedes in time. When Gene follows Dutch back to the Vesey barn, however, Tom cuts him off and demands that he stop meddling with Express business. At the station, Vesey witnesses Gene comforting Katie, who laments that her father's obstinacy is bringing them to ruin. A few days later, Dutch and Jess, dressed as Indians, lead an attack on a distant relay station on Tom's line, stealing their horses. Gene, who has continued patrolling the line, attempts to stop the attack but is overwhelmed. Later at the Dusty Creek station, Jess feigns an injury, claiming that the Indians attacked his station and took his horses, and Gene rides off in search of the horses. When Johnny rides in with the mail, the only horse available is a wild stallion, which Gene breaks for Johnny so that he can continue his delivery. After Johnny returns, Vesey insinuates that Gene is flirting with Katie, who is Johnny's girl friend. Meanwhile, Gene discovers Vesey's barn with the hidden stagecoach and the missing Express horses, but is captured by Dutch. The next morning Express rider Yank arrives fatally wounded and reports before dying that he was attacked by Indians. Johnny, exhausted from doing double duty and bitter over Vesey's revelation, refuses to ride. Smiley Burnette, the station cook, finds Gene in the Vesey barn and frees him. When Gene returns to the station, Tom pleads with him to ride Johnny's route, but Gene reminds Johnny of his oath and inspires him to resume his duty. After Gene relates Vesey's plans to Tom, both men follow Johnny to Dusty Creek, where Vesey, Dutch and Jess celebrate, believing they have broken Tom's route. They hear Johnny approaching and force him off the road by shooting at him. Gene and Tom then ride up, and in the ensuing shootout, Jess is killed and Gene apprehends Dutch and Vesey before taking the mail and finishing the run on his horse Champion. Once the Express line is officially terminated, Gene and Tom are awarded the government contract and open their stage line, with Johnny as their lead driver.