Near Gordontown, Joe Gordon and his sister Judy, whose father Paul Gordon is a wealthy banker and rancher who owns most of the town, are shot at by two outlaws, but are rescued by U.S. Marshal Johnny Mack Brown, riding to Gordontown to visit his old friend, retired Marshal Dusty Dekker. Jim Laren arrives in town with plans of taking over the Gordon holdings and the town. Laren kills the elder Gordon, and has Annie Driscoll, through a ruse innocently involving Dusty,show up posing as Gordon's wife who deserted him eighteen years ago. Johnny, with the aid of Sheriff Alibi, proves that Annie isn't the real Mrs. Gordon and clears his friend Dusty of the charge of killing Gordon.