Plot

A ranch worker becomes entangled in a conflict between an honorable rancher and violent land thieves.

In 1875, the collapse of the world beef market creates hardships for Texas cattle growers. In Garnet Basin, many cattlemen are forced to sell their cattle for low prices. Processed in rendering plants, they're only used for their hides, fats and oils, tallow for soap and fertilizers. Without sufficient funds, many ranchers face foreclosures on their lands. Greedy local banker Marvin Parker refuses to extend the mortgage payments or make any new loans to ranchers. He hopes to force the ranchers to sell their lands for cheap to him. In cahoots with Parker are Caddo Sledge, the owner of a cattle rendering plant and womanizing rancher Harry Odell. Odell is engaged to Linda Garnet, daughter of rancher Walt Garnet, but is secretly romancing Melba Sykes, daughter of Tim Sykes. Against the scheming trio of Parker, Sledge and Odell is Ben Anthony, former cattleman, who is the owner of the local freight and stagecoach line. A war of sorts ensues between Ben Anthony and the crooked trio. When the army announces an upcoming purchase of beef from the area, the cattlemen sense that a solution to their problem is near and that ranches, cattle businesses and lands soon could be saved. These news prompt the criminal trio of Parker, Sledge and Odell to intensify their campaign of intimidation and destruction, culminating in raids against Ben Anthony's freight line and murder of all those witnesses who could identify them as the culprits. The climax sees Ben Anthony in a gunfight against Sledge and Parker while a fugitive Odell is tracked by local rancher Fritz Warner.—nufs68