Raiders of the Border

When a gang of rustlers trade their illicit herds for stolen jewels, U.S. Marshals Nevada McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins are sent to Mesa City to investigate. Sandy, pretending to be deaf, becomes intrigued when Whiskey Watkins, the wagon driver for the local trading post, brags that he is really working for Blackie, the owner of the saloon, and soon will have enough money to buy the post. Alarmed at Whiskey's indiscretion, Blackie, the covert head of the rustlers, orders his demise. Soon after, Nevada rides into town and notices a valuable brooch worn by Blackie's sweetheart Rose. When Nevada questions Blackie about the brooch, Blackie becomes sullen and suspicious. Later, on the trail outside of town, Sandy and Nevada meet and Sandy tells him about Whiskey's boast. Soon after, Whiskey returns to the trading post and is shot by Blackie's henchman, Knox. Witnessing the attack, Nevada shoots Knox, but discovers that Whiskey is dead. Nevada then instructs Sandy to deliver the wagon to the trading post and seek the job of driver. Meanwhile, at the trading post, Bonita Bayne, the proprietress, promises her fiancé Joe that she will sell the post and come to live with him on his ranch. Bonita chides Joe, who has been plagued by rustlers, for disregarding her suggestion to send for the U.S. Marshal. Soon after Joe returns to his ranch, Nevada arrives at the post and, feigning an interest in buying the place, asks to spend the night. Later, Steve Rowan, Joe's foreman, stops at the post and accuses Nevada of being one of the rustlers. In the ensuing fight, Nevada overpowers Steve and orders him to leave. From the post, Steve, who is secretly in league with the outlaws, stops to see his boss, Harsh, who lives in a hogan, and Harsh instructs Steve to round up the herd to trade with McGee, the jewel thief. The next morning, while inspecting the trading post, Nevada inquires about some unusual pottery that Bonita is selling. Bonita replies that it is made by Harsh, a hermit who lives in a hogan. Soon after, Sandy arrives at the post, driving the wagon with Whiskey's body in the back. To cause trouble, Steve tells Joe about the stranger who spent the night at Bonita's, and jealous, Joe confronts Nevada and orders him to leave. A fight ensues, and after overpowering Joe, Nevada rides to the hogan to meet Harsh. Posing as a potential buyer for the trading post, Nevada feigns an interest in Harsh's work, prompting Harsh to announce that he is discontinuing his pottery. Nevada then departs, but from a distance watches as Steve rides to the hogan to confer with Harsh. When Nevada returns to the post, Bonita, complying with Joe's wishes, persuades him to leave. Later, Sandy, now employed as Bonita's new driver, goes to Harsh's hogan to arrange for a pottery pickup the next day. That night, as Nevada and Sandy watch the herd, Steve leads a raid on the cattle. When Joe sees Steve stealing his cattle, Steve wounds him. Nevada then knocks Steve off his horse and shoots him when he pulls his gun. While Nevada stays with the herd, Sandy takes the injured Joe to the trading post and there reveals that he and Nevada are U.S. Marshals. After capturing two of the rustlers, Nevada turns them over to the sheriff and then rides to the saloon. There he pulls out his gun and orders Davis, one of the outlaws, to introduce him to McGee as one of the gang. McGee becomes suspicious, however, and dims the lights in his office and flees. The next day, as Harsh awaits Davis and the others, Sandy arrives with the wagon. Soon after, McGee comes to the hogan to warn Harsh that Nevada has uncovered their plot. Just then, Sandy breaks a pot and discovers the jewels hidden inside. When Nevada, who has been watching from the edge of the hogan, shoots McGee, Harsh grabs Sandy as a hostage. Pulling a small pistol from his pocket, Sandy turns the tables and captures Harsh. After apprehending the rest of the gang, Sandy and Nevada ride to town to arrest Blackie. Their mission accomplished, Sandy and Nevada say goodbye to Joe and Bonita and ride on to their next assignment.