An aging, former lawman named Steve Judd is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. Seeking help, he recruits his old friend Gil Westrum, who brings along his much younger protégé, Heck Longtree. Unbeknownst to Steve, Gil and Heck plan to steal the gold for themselves. As they journey through treacherous landscapes and encounter various obstacles, tensions between the characters begin to rise, revealing deep-seated conflicts and complex motivations.

During their travels, the trio encounters a farm girl, Elsa Knudsen, fleeing her domineering father to marry a suitor in the mining camp. She joins them, further complicating their mission with her own set of challenges and feelings. With each passing day, Steve’s sense of duty and honor clashes with Gil’s growing resentment and greed. As they near their destination, uncertainties about loyalty and justice build to a boiling point.