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Trampas is in an El Paso saloon, contemplating with his poor Uncle Josh (Harry Shannon) what to do with the surprising $1500.00 he has got for selling his late father's ranch. Josh tells him he ought to spend it on building a home back in Wyoming rather than wasting it frivolously and Trampas abruptly gives Josh most of the money to hold and invites him to come back to Wyoming with him to live in such a home. Josh is very happy to do so and tells Trampas he will take the money to the express office to be put in the safe overnight for safekeeping. Unfortunately, as he enters the express office he encounters two robbers, Wismer (Leonard Nimoy) and Paul Judson (William Bryant). They club Josh, find the money and head off but Josh tries to get the money back and is shot and killed by Judson. The two robbers ride off but are recognized by the locals. Trampas spends weeks unsuccessfully trying to find them, eventually locking himself up in a hotel room to drink. However, he learns that Wismer is being held at the local army post.

Arriving at the post he finds that Wismer is wounded and delusional because of an encounter with Apaches and is under the care of an alcoholic doctor, Lt. Belden (DeForrest Kelley). The army Major in charge (Robert Brubaker) has placed Wismer under arrest and refuses to let Trampas see him. Trampas overhears the Major getting a friend of Wismer's, Mike McGoff (Michael Pate), to question him. Wismer has been in Apache territory which is forbidden under a treaty. McGoff knows the territory well and the Major wants to know how many other men had illegally entered the territory. McGoff visits Wismer and learns that he and Judson had struck gold in the Apache territory and that he has a map of where the discovery, and Judson, are to be located. That evening, McGoff sneaks into the infirmary to try and find the map which he eventually does in Wismer's sock but when Wismer awakes he covers his face to prevent him warning the hung-over doctor sleeping nearby, and accidentally smothers Wismer. McGoff returns to his hotel room to find Trampas waiting. Trampas finds the map and learns of the gold and Judson's whereabouts and resolves to go into the Apache territory to find the murderer. He is forced to take McGoff, who wants the gold, along as a guide. As they are leaving they are accosted by a woman, Helen Hammond (Peggy McCay) who wants to be taken along but Trampas refuses. However, when they reach the edge of the Apache territory she shows up and threatens to warn the patrolling soldiers so they are forced to take her along.

In Indian territory the searchers come across the trail of another rider who turns out to be a very drunken Lt. Belden. Belden reveals that he thinks he killed Wismer by negligence and fled to avoid court martial, seemingly entering the territory bent on killing himself. Trampas also learns that Helen Hammond is Judson's wife and that Judson had been falsely accused of a murder before and fled. Helen also says she believes her husband did not kill Josh and begs Trampas not to kill her husband but bring him to trial. The group is set upon by Indians but manage to escape to a sacred site called Manitou where the Apache will not go and also happens to be the site of the gold strike. They find Judson's camp. Trampas goes in alone and although he has a chance to kill Judson, he tries to talk him into giving himself up instead. Helen arrives and Judson agrees to give himself up but says he has to keep his holstered gun to protect them from the Apache on the return trip. However, he draws his gun and Trampas shoots and wounds him. Judson claims he did not try and draw and his wife believes him. They pack up to head back and McGoff loads the gold on his horse. Trampas tells him he better not slow them down with the added weight.

On the return trip Judson escapes in the night and again Trampas refuses to shoot him even though he has a chance to do so. Judson is found the the next morning staked out by the Apache. When they go to investigate a small group of Apache set upon them and they flee. McGoff falls behind due to the weight of the gold, is wounded and eventually dies. Before he dies he reveals to Belden and Trampas that he had killed Wismer, not Belden's negligence. The surviviors, lacking horses, hole up in a rocky area to protect themselves. Helen confesses she does not think Trampas deliberately shot her husband. The Apache attack and manage to kill Helen and wound Trampas but are all killed off. Belden and Trampas head out on foot and Trampas would have died if Belden had not carried/supported him until they reach once again the outskirts of El Paso where soldiers take their demeanour for drunkenness.