Will Lockhart (James Stewart) arrives in the isolated town of Coronado with a delivery of supplies from Laramie. He has actually come to the town to look for information on who sold repeating rifles to a tribe of Apaches, who used them to kill many cavalry soldiers, including Lockhart's brother. The attack took place on the far edges of the sprawling Barb Ranch, owned by Alec Waggoman (Donald Crisp). Waggoman is losing his eyesight and is plagued by dreams of his son, Dave (Alex Nicol) being killed by a stranger. Waggoman knows Dave is reckless and immature and relies on foreman Vic Hansbro (Arthur Kennedy) to keep Dave in line. Dave causes trouble when, after a misunderstanding, he kills Lockhart's mules and burns his wagons. Waggoman agrees to compensate Lockhart, but Lockhart stays in town to further investigate the rifle sale. After another altercation between Lockhart and Dave where both men shoot the other in the hand, Lockhart discovers that Dave and Vic are behind the rifle sale. Later on, Vic is forced to kill Dave in self-defense and allows Waggoman to believe that Lockhart killed Dave. But Lockhart is determined to see the truth about everything be revealed.
—Patrick Depew