A ranch foreman captures a notorious gang of gold thieves. He ties them up and leaves them for a pursuing posse while he goes out to find the gold they stole. When the posse arrives, the gang's leader convinces them that the foreman is actually the gold thief, and the posse sets out in pursuit of him.

Tom Drury, a cowboy whose quick thinking stops a notorious outlaw, "The Hawk," from further misdeeds. The villain, as it turns out, is none other than Henry Suggs (James Mason), heretofore considered a pillar of the community.....

At a trading post in the Northern Dakotas, Hawk Lespard, an unscrupulous trader, is opposed by Jack Jessup, posing as a gambler but actually a scout for the Overland Stage Co., and Kunga-Sunga, a wizard with the lariat.

Colonel Beldan runs a Wild West show. When Beldan's star attraction switches to his unscrupulous competitor Vicarino, the young Bob Mason takes the opportunity to take over the job with his horse 'Tarzan'.

Steven Bancroft, a young officer in the U. S. Calvary, is given the assignment of ensuring that dirty-work by agents of Spain, Mexico or Russian aren't going to keep statehood-for-California from becoming a reality. Bancroft uses his guns to settle any debates regarding international laws.