Sandy Doyle gambler and political chief of a small border town seeks to gain control of the BarX Ranch owned by Rufe Rickson to further some undercover activities of his own He counts on Ricksons inability to stay away from gambling as the means to his ultimate success Government investigator Oliver Shea and his assistant Dan Haggerty start a fight in Doyles place when they see Rickson being cheated and are invited to the BarX where Oliver and Helen Rickson Rufes daughter discover interest in each other and Dan finds himself pursued by Bell the ranch cook Sheriff Larson brings the prize money for the 5000 race of the Rodeo Association and that night it is stolen