Walker tells some children who are touring the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame the story of Hayes Cooper. The story begins in the Old West when Cooper, who was then a bounty hunter, went to a town to get his quarry, which he does. A farmer named Wilson has a mortgage due, and a man named Bedoe doesn't want him to meet it because he knows that the railroad's coming, and the Wilson's land is where they will be going through. Now the banker, who is in his pocket, wants to wait until he forecloses so that there'll be no hint of impropriety. But Bedoe is impatient, so has some of his men rough up Wilson. Cooper then helps him. One of Bedoe's men stabs him. The Wilsons offer Cooper a place to stay while he heals. Cooper then helps the Wilsons bring in their cattle but someone lets them out before they could deliver. The bank's about to foreclose when Cooper uses the money from apprehending the criminal to pay their mortgage. Bedoe decides to take drastic measures; he hires Rudd Kilgore, a deadly g

Cooper sets out to get justice for the Wilsons. He begins by confronting two of Kilgore's men; they draw on him and he outshoots them. Cooper is about to leave when he is stopped by Texas Ranger Cabe Wallace, who wants to sort out what happened between Cooper and the men he killed. After being satisfied that Cooper acted in self-defense, he lets him go but first talks to him about the line between justice and vengeance. He then offers Cooper a Texas Ranger badge, which Cooper accepts. He then goes off to find Kilgore and after finding him, he tried to bring Kilgore in, but Kilgore has too many men and he is shot. He rides out into the desert and is found by some Indians who nurse him back to health. Back in town Bedoe is going to buy the Wilson land but Sarah speaks out, and Sheriff backs her, but Kilgore kills the Sheriff. When Wallace returns he confronts Kilgore who kills him. When Cooper recovers he returns and faces Kilgore and wins. He also takes out Bedoe. Cooper then decides to