Rancher Steve Condon, in a fight with rustlers is led to believe he has killed one of his own cowhands, Bud Mathews. Actually it was a bullet from the rustler leader, Cass Clantine, that brought Mathews down. Repentant, Steve, with his pal, Pop Norton, leaves for Encintas, where Bud's family lives. Arriving there, he learns that cowhands don't stay long at the Mathews Ranch, the Cicrle M. Steve and Pop meet John Mathews and his daughter Molly and are hired as punchers. Steve decides to postpone his disclosure that he killed Bud. Cass and Scar Atwood arrive in town and join forces with rancher Sam Gorman who is secretly trying to gain control of the Circle M. Gorman sends them out to get jobs on the ranch, and they recognize Steve although he hadn't seen them in the earlier gunfight. Steve finds that a rustled herd of cattle has been driven across the Mathews property, which is right on the border, into Mexico.