Harbouring an ambition to rob the bank in the Nevada town of Sweetwater in 1876, footloose social dropout Beaumont Kimberley has no idea how to accomplish the task, or what difficulties he faced, until he is unexpectedly asked to replace Sheriff Cotton. His first civic duties is to hang a convicted murdered. Unconvinced of the man’s guilt he tries to delay the execution, but the prisoner is hung in his absence. Struggling to fill a dead man’s boots things worsen when he arrests a drunken cowboy for murder and finds the town is against him. Mineral speculator Berkley Hurst arriving in town carrying a load of money, adds problems when Kimberley discovers bars hidden at the banker’s house and decides to steal them. The attempt almost fails. The bank robbery is more successful, but the gang fall out. Returning to Sweetwater after selling the stolen gold Kimberley finds the bank manager has been shot dead by two hired assassins. Judge Devlin praises Kimberley for killing them both and makes him a trustee of the bank he has just robbed. As a further distinction the local newspaper campaigns to elect him mayor, an honour he could well do without as he prepares to marry Hennie and wait until the missing gold and money is forgotten.