Ellen Bristol, the owner of the Southwest Stage Line, is determined to make a success of the enterprise despite the frequent raids on her coaches in the lawless Panhandle district. Hoping to get Texas to annex the Panhandle, Ellen meets with the governor, but during the return journey to her hometown of Dorado, her coach is attacked by a gang of thieves. Ellen's driver, Lou Hawkins, who is secretly in league with the gang, deliberately stops the coach, but Ellen is saved through the ingenuity of passenger Dave Gregory. Dave, a cowboy, accompanies Ellen to Dorado, where he is to meet his partner, miner Dusty Jenkins. After Lou quits the stage line, saying that the work is too dangerous, Ellen is further upset when Dave then turns down Lou's job in favor of working with Dusty on his new claim. When Dave finds Dusty in Sam Elkins' saloon, however, he learns that Dusty has lost the mine to gambler Griff Williams during a poker game. Lou also goes to the saloon to confer with Elkins, who, unknown to Dave and Dusty, runs the gang along with its covert leader, Ellen's manager, Charles Haney. Haney wants to force Ellen out of business and take over her franchise himself, and to that end has had Elkins' men rob the coaches. Haney's plans are put in jeopardy, however, after Dave and Dusty become Ellen's drivers and are able to complete several runs. Dave's position is furthered strengthened when Griff, finally wise to Elkin's double-dealing nature, also goes to work for Ellen. With Dusty now working the mine, Dave and Griff learn that Elkins has been shortchanging the local miners every time they turn in their gold for cash. Dave offers to take the miners' gold to nearby Rock Springs and get an honest weigh-in. After Dave and Griff again outwit Elkins' men as they attempt to steal the gold, Dave goes to Amarillo to confer with the head of the stage franchise office. There, Dave learns that Haney has been buying stagecoaches of his own, and deduces that Haney must be the orchestrator of Ellen's problems. Back in Dorado, the townspeople learn that Ellen's plea to the governor of Texas was successful, and that the Panhandle is to be admitted to the state after a commissioner is elected to represent it. Hoping to take the power for himself, Haney gets himself elected commissioner before Dave returns. When Dave does arrive in town, he becomes suspicious of Haney's swift election and tells Ellen that Haney has been stockpiling coaches in Rock Springs. Not entirely convinced, Ellen decides to investigate, accompanied by Griff, Dave and Dusty. Haney volunteers to go with them, but intends to ride ahead and have them massacred by Elkins' men. Dave insists that Haney ride in the coach, however, and Haney grows increasingly nervous as the vehicle nears the site of the attack. Haney blurts out the truth at the last moment and is killed in the ensuing gun battle. The rest of the gang is apprehended, and soon after, Dave is elected commissioner, while Ellen's franchise is renewed, and law and order come to the Panhandle.