After the Texas Rangers are disbanded, the the reconstruction years following the Civil War, a private state-police force extorts money from the citizens in a "protection" scheme. Ex-Rangers Jimmy Wakely and "Cannonball" Taylor foil an arrest by state-police officers Hamon and Kelly. Commissioner Jed Brant tells his nephew that his old friend Jimmy is plotting against the law-and-order forces. Vic's fiancée and ranch-owner, Sheila Carol, refuses to sign up with the crooked police outfit, and believes Jimmy is an outlaw. On Chief Barton's order, Hamon shoots ex-Rangers Murphy and Payson, so they can be blamed for a raid on Sheila's ranch.

Dans les années 1870, lors de la "Reconstruction, et après que le corps des rangers du Texas ai été dissous, une force de police a établie une "protection" qui n'est qu'un prétexte pour racketter la population du Texas. Les ex rangers Jimmy Wakely et Taylor refusent le racket et s'opposent à leur arrestation, ce qui fait d'eux des hors-la-loi.