Trail of Terror

Robber and murderer Spike Manning escapes from jail after planning with his partner Muggs to meet at their hideout following Muggs's release from prison. However, when another criminal known as Hashknife attempts to rob a stagecoach, Spike surreptitiously prevents the theft, and Hash is sent to jail. Using the name Wilson, Spike goes to work for Baxter, the local sheriff, as a ranch foreman and begins a romance with Baxter's daughter Judy. Spike goes into town one day and meets dancer June O'Day in the saloon, and at her urging, he accepts Dizzy Dugan's challenge to a wrestling match, which he wins easily. When June overhears a saloon patron named Blake attempt to bribe Sheriff Baxter's son Kent in order to get Hash out of jail, she informs Spike, and he subsequently joins up with Blake, telling him that he is one of Muggs's men and is offering to help. Spike then releases Hash from his cell and has himself tied up in order to conceal his participation in the jailbreak. June later arrives at the Baxter ranch and tells Spike that Muggs has been released and that Blake will be meeting him at the Owl Cave, Muggs's hideout. Spike quickly rides to the cave, but Judy, who is jealous and suspicious of June, follows him. After eavesdropping, she realizes that Spike is an escaped felon. Judy sneaks away to alert her father, and after Spike grabs a bag of money stolen by Muggs and prepares to leave the cave, he is arrested by Baxter. In the meantime, Blake has become suspicious of Spike and he goes to the jail in order to murder him. However, Spike manages to escape his cell just before Blake shoots at a pile of clothing that he believes to be Spike asleep on a cot. Spike descends a narrow and steep shaft in order to reach the cave before Blake, and he learns that the outlaws have kidnapped Kent Baxter and are plotting to rob the town bank. After rescuing Kent, Spike sends him to alert his father, while he enlists the aid of Barney, a government agent. Kent eventually convinces his father of Spike's honesty, and together with the sheriff and his posse, Spike and Barney capture the gang, although Spike is wounded in the process. Spike then explains to Sheriff Baxter that both he and June are government agents who have been sent into the area to break up Muggs's gang. Spike, whose wounds are not serious, is reconciled with Judy, and in gratitude, the sheriff toasts his future son-in-law.