New ranger Cotton Buckmeister is assigned by Judge Larkin to return a strongbox of official documents to Uvalde. Chad and Joe are to accompany him. Judge Ike Macallum ruthlessly rules Uvalde and has illegally brought charges against many people in order to blackmail them. So both Macallum victims and his henchmen are after the strongbox. During the journey Chad and Joe discover that Cotton also has an interest in the strongbox as he is "wanted" for breech of promise when he refused to marry Judge Macallum's sister Ada. A shootout occurs before Parmalee can arrive with Judge Larkin. Joe ends the gunfight by blowing the strongbox up with dynamite. All of the documents are destroyed except one - Cotton's. Court is held and Cotton is found guilty and Chad and Joe are appointed as supervisors.