A treaty prevents settlers setting up Campsite on Comanche territory, but silver has been found and the government has sent Jim Bowie (Macdonald Carey) and Dan'l Seeger (Will Geer) to hold up the treaty and to negotiate a new treaty to allow the precious metal to be mined. Bowie soon finds that settlers are planning a raid on the Comanche, all instigated by saloon owner Katie Howard (Maureen O'Hara) and her crooked brother Stacey (Charles Drake (actor)). Katie falls in love with Bowie and turns honest, but it may be too late to prevent a war.