West of El Dorado

Alibi, who is temporarily running the trading post at the Green Valley Stage Depot near Pony Mesa, welcomes Johnny Mack back to the area after a six-year absence and gives him a letter from Mary, the granddaughter of his former boss, rancher Brimstone. Mary wants Johnny to return as foreman to help her grandfather, although he and Johnny had quarreled. On his way to Brimstone's ranch, Johnny comes upon a stagecoach whose driver was shot by passenger Steve Dallas during a holdup. Dallas, who is traveling with his thirteen-year old brother Larry, has ridden off with the stage. Before he dies, the driver tells Johnny that Easterner Dallas has a mail pouch containing five thousand dollars. Johnny rides after the stage and shoots Dallas. Inside the stage Johnny finds Larry, who did not witness Dallas shooting the driver and now accuses Johnny of killing his brother. Johnny takes Larry and the two bodies to the sheriff, who tells him that Dallas was wanted for a ten thousand dollar Kansas City bank holdup. Meanwhile, Dallas' outlaw partners, Barstow and Joe, eavesdrop as Johnny tells the sheriff that they should not hold orphan Larry and suggests that he can probably arrange for the boy to stay at Brimstone's ranch. Barstow suspects that Larry knows what Dallas did with the money from the bank robbery. At the ranch, Mary welcomes Johnny and Alibi, and although her cranky grandfather is not happy to see them, Johnny takes over. After Johnny gives Mary a present from his travels in Mexico, he tells Brimstone about Larry, and the old man agrees that the boy can come to the ranch. There Johnny tries to make friends with Larry, but the boy rebuffs him. Later, Ed Stone, another of Dallas' partners, arrives in town and, after meeting with Barstow, decides to quiz Larry to see if he knows where the money is hidden. However, when Barstow gets rough with Larry, Johnny happens along and beats up Barstow. Larry is still resentful of Johnny for killing his brother, but likes Mary and goes riding with her. When Larry's horse bolts and runs wild, Johnny is able to rescue the boy and, later, tries to win him over by showing him gun tricks. Soon after, Larry accidentally discovers the bank loot in the lining of his coat where his brother had hidden it, but says nothing. However, while all of the men are out of the bunkhouse, Mary takes Larry's coat to replace a button on it and, when Larry finds his coat missing, he accuses Johnny of taking it. As soon as Mary returns the coat, the boy apologizes to Johnny, explaining that his brother bought it for him and that it is all he has to remember him by. Later, Brimstone admits to Larry that Johnny has put the ranch back on its feet and tells the boy that there is no doubt that his brother killed the stage driver in cold blood. Larry then decides to take the money to the sheriff, and Johnny quietly follows him. On his way into town, Larry encounters Stone and his confederates and, when they threaten to destroy the ranch, gives them the coat. Gun drawn, Johnny approaches and surprises the thieves just as they discover that there is no money in the coat. Johnny shoots two of the gang and attempts to take Stone and Barstow into town but is attacked by them. Johnny slugs Stone as Barstow rides off with Larry in a buckboard. During the ensuing chase, Larry manages to jump off while Johnny continues and captures Barstow. Alibi brings Stone to the sheriff just as Johnny arrives with Barstow. The money is handed over to the sheriff, and Johnny and Larry finally become friends.