Don Siegelin toinen pitkä elokuva hyödyntää Jacques Tourneurin film noir-klassikkoa Varjot menneisyydestä aina pääparia Robert Mitchum-Jane Greer myöten, vaikka on takaa-ajo- ja seikkailutarina Meksikosta.

Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns, he meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they embark on a crime spree for cash.

Indian Agent Kip Lewis arrives in Gun Town where Buckskin Sawyer is having her payroll shipments robbed by Indians. Kip and his men are ready the next time and learn the robbers are white men dressed as Indians. Kip finds Davy Sawyer's case at the scene and confronts him. When Davy accuses Talbot whom he lent it to, Talbot shoots him. But Davy names Talbot before he dies and Kip goes after him.

A con artist moves into a small town to spearhead a payroll robbery.

A young woman takes over her sick father's role as telegraph operator at a railway station, and has to deal with a team intent on train robbery.

Rauta ja betoni -yhtiön prokuristi Henrik Leino katkeroituu nuorempien työntekijöiden edetessä uralla hänen ohitseen. Kostaakseen firmalle hän vie vastuulleen uskotut palkkarahat, lavastaa kuolemansa ja aloittaa elämänsä uudelleen toisella paikkakunnalla. Varastetun henkilöllisyyden turvin Kaarlo Mäenpääksi itseään kutsuva Leino saa osakseen menestystä ja vaikutusvaltaa, mutta joutuu peittelemään totuutta uusilla rikoksilla.

Buck Allen, The Cheyenne Kid, has been accused of holding up the payroll car of the Cody Dam Construction Company, and is being pursued by U.S. Marshal Utah Kane and Sheriff Hank Bates but they lose him.

Homeless wanderer Snooky the Human-Zee offers to work for food, but steals a freshly-made pie. Later, he comes to the aid of a railroad station agent, when thieves try to steal the payroll.