While locals in the town of Navajo are entertained by a variety show in the saloon, a stranger, dressed in black, gambles at the card table. When the stranger accuses another player of cheating, a fistfight ensues. After the player is found to be at fault, saloon owner Mike Leonard hires the stranger to be the new card dealer. The stranger then seats himself at the gaming table and is joined by another newcomer, gold prospector Fuzzy and the barmaid, Joan Collins, who surreptitiously hands the stranger a note, warning him about an upcoming robbery. In reality, the stranger is U. S. Marshall Lash LaRue, who is working with Fuzzy and Joan to apprehend the notorious Dalton gang. When gunslingers begin to shoot up the town, the stranger exits the saloon out the back door and secretly watches, as Leonard leaves the bank with a satchel, which he carries up to his office above the saloon. Inside his office, Leonard locks the satchel in his safe, then leaves town on horseback. Once the commotion outside settles down, town banker Jim Thorne announces to the bar patrons that $40,000 has been stolen from the bank. George, the bartender, then informs Thorne that the sheriff is out of town on business and notes that the stranger was not in the saloon at the time of the shooting. Later, the stranger, wearing a mask, finds Thorne, the Mayor and Stage Coach Representative Alvin in Thorne’s office and informs them that both Leonard and the sheriff were actually in town during the robbery and that they will find the money in Leonard’s office. Soon after, Leonard returns to his office and, removing the satchel from the floor safe, places it in the wall safe behind a picture. Downstairs, Thorne, the sherrif, mayor and Alvin enter the saloon and proceed to Leonard’s office, but they force Leonard to open the floor safe, they find it empty. The sheriff then accuses the stranger of being Jess Dalton, the notorious bandit wanted for murder and robbery, and states that he was suspiciously absent from the saloon at the time of the robbery. Thorne and his men return downstairs, where the sheriff pulls a gun on the stranger, ready to take him in to custody. However, Fuzzy distracts the sheriff by throwing cards in his face, thus allowing the stranger to take his gun. After the stranger and Fuzzy flee out the back of the saloon, the townspeople conclude the stranger is the bank robber and reward signs are posted for his capture. Meanwhile Fuzzy, Joan and the stranger meet at a cabin outside of town and discuss the case. There, Joan discloses that she overheard Billy Saunders and Leonard calling themselves by their real names, Jess and Clint Dalton. They then conclude that the Dalton gang attempted to trick the townspeople into believing that Fuzzy and the stranger were the notorious outlaws. After one of Dalton’s men spies on the cabin and reports back to Clint that the three are working together, Clint concludes that they are detectives. At the saloon, Joan, who has returned from the cabin, slips into Clint’s office to investigate and finds the wall safe. Joan hurries back to the cabin, and is followed by Saunders. There, she tells Fuzzy and the stranger about the wall safe. The stranger asks Fuzzy to pick up the gold they confiscated from one of Dalton’s previous robberies and then leaves the cabin on horseback. Saunders, who is waiting outside, chases him, but the stranger ambushes Saunders, forcing him to dismount and flee into the rocks for a gunfight. When the stranger uses his whip to trip Saunders and a fistfight ensues, the stranger prevails. The stranger returns to town and meets with the mayor and local businessmen, explaining the Daltons’ ruse, giving them the gold and revealing his true identity, Lash LaRue, U. S. Marshal. Later at Leonard’s office, the Mayor tells Clint, the sheriff and a cohort about Lash’s identity. Leonard and his men then attempt to rob the bank again, however, when they hold the teller at gunpoint and order him to open the safe, Fuzzy steps out from behind the safe door, shooting. Two of the robbers are apprehended but Leonard escapes to the stable, where Lash whips the gun from his hand. A brawl ensues, and despite Leonard’s attempts to stab Lash with pitchforks and hay hooks, Lash prevails. At the banker’s office, Lash, Fuzzy and Joan accept the townspeople’s gratitude and then Joan gives Fuzzy a farewell kiss. Fuzzy is so overwhelmed by the gesture that he faints and Lash carries him out of the office over his shoulder to more adventures.

While locals in the town of Navajo are entertained by a variety show in the saloon, a stranger, dressed in black, gambles at the card table. When the stranger accuses another gambler of cheating, a fistfight ensues. When the gambler is found to be at fault, saloon owner Mike Leonard hires the stranger to be the new card dealer. The stranger seats himself at the gambling table and is joined by another newcomer, gold prospector Fuzzy and the barmaid, Joan Collins, who surreptitiously hands the stranger a note, warning him about an upcoming robbery. He shares the news with Ole Timer. On the saloon stage jugglers perform but are interrupted when gunslingers are heard outside, shooting up the town. The stranger exits the saloon out the back door and secretly watches as Leonard leaves the bank with a satchel, which he carries up to his office above the saloon. Inside his office, Leonard locks the satchel in his safe then leaves town on horseback. Once the commotion outside settles down town banker Thorne announces to the bar patrons that $40,000 has been stolen from the bank. George, the bartender, informs Thorne that the sheriff is out of town on business and notes that the stranger was out of the building during the shooting. Later, the stranger, wearing a mask, finds Thorne, the Mayor and townsmen Marvin and Alvin in Thorne’s office and informs them that both Leonard and the sheriff were actually in town during the robbery and that they will find the money in Leonard’s office. Soon after Leonard returns to his office and, removing the satchel from the floor safe, he places it in the wall safe behind a picture. Downstairs Thorne enters the saloon and proceeds, with sheriff and some townsmen, to Leonard’s office. When they force Leonard to open the safe, they find it empty. The sheriff then claims that the stranger is actually Jesse Dalton, the notorious bandit wanted for murder and robbery, and that he was not in the saloon at the time of the robbery. Thorne and his men return downstairs, where sheriff pulls a gun on Dalton, ready to take him in to custody. However, Fuzzy momentarily bewilders the sheriff by throwing cards in his face, while the stranger takes his gun. After the stranger and Fuzzy flee out the back of the saloon, the townspeople conclude the stranger is the bank robber and reward signs are posted for his capture. Meanwhile Fuzzy, Joan and the stranger meet at a cabin outside of town and discuss the case. There had been rumor that the Dalton gang was in the territory and Joan overheard the men at the bar discussing the robbery with Leonard, using their real names. Jeff Dalton is using the name Billy Saunders and Leonard is actually Clint Dalton. They conclude that the Dalton gang attempted to trick the townspeople into believing that Fuzzy and the stranger were the Daltons. One of the Dalton men spies on the cabin and reports back to Clint that the three are working together, and Clint concludes that they are detectives. Down in the saloon, while the entertainment continues with dancing girls, Joan, who has returned from the cabin, slips up to Clint’s office to investigate and finds the wall safe. Downstairs Jacqueline Fontaine sings a sultry song and entices patron Hank with her lyrics and caresses. Hank’s girl May insists that she stop and a fight between the women begins. George and Hank try to intercede, but the women’s fight is too rough for them. Having ripped off each other’s dresses, they finally end the fight when May knocks Fontaine down to the floor and asks Hank to choose between the two. Hank just takes another whiskey. Joan returns to the cabin, having been followed by one of the Dalton men, and tells Fuzzy and the stranger about the wall safe. The stranger asks Fuzzy to pick up the gold they hi-jacked from the Dalton’s earlier robbery and then he leaves the cabin on horseback. Saunders, who is waiting outside, chases him, but the chase gets turned around and Saunders is forced to dismount and flee into the rocks for a gunfight. When the stranger uses his whip to trip Saunders and a fistfight ensues, the stranger prevails. The stranger returns to town and meets with the mayor and local businessmen, explaining the Daltons’ ruse, giving them the gold and revealing his true identity, Lash LaRue, US marshal. Later at Clint’s office the Mayor arrives and tells Clint, the sheriff and a cohort about Lash’s identity. Clint and his men then attempt to rob the bank again, however, when they hold the teller at gunpoint and order him to open the safe, Fuzzy steps out from behind the safe door shooting. Two of the robbers are apprehended but Clint escapes to the stable, where Lash whips the gun from out of Clint’s hand. A brawl ensues and despite Clint’s attempts to hurt Lash with pitchforks and hay hooks, Lash prevails. At the banker’s office, Lash, Fuzzy and Joan accept the townspeople’s gratitude and then Joan gives Fuzzy farewell kiss. Fuzzy is so overwhelmed by the gesture that he faints and Lash carries him out of the office over his shoulder to more adventures.