Ford Beebe's "original screenplay" (he had used it before) finds the cattlemen, headed by "Calamity" Parker, opposing the use of their rangelands by sheepherders, with cattlemen Lee Jamison and Ed Randall in the dissenting minority and they offer sheepman Angus McLeod free grazing privileges. Saloon owner Barney Ross offers to keep the sheepmen off of the range and out of town if each cattleman will pay $500.