Apache War Smoke

Tom Herrera, head of the stagecoach station in New Mexico, prepares to defend against an Apache raid seeking revenge for earlier killings. He removes Peso Herrera's guns to prevent him from joining the fight. The tension tightens as danger closes in on the station.

A stagecoach arrives at the station carrying Nancy Dekker, Cyril R. Snowden, Lorraine Sayburn, and Fanny Webson. They become stranded with Tom and his outlaw father, Peso Herrera, as the Apache threat looms. The assembly of passengers heightens the tension inside the station.

With the attack imminent, suspicion is cast on Peso as the possible instigator of the Apache assault. Tom and Fanny defend Peso against the quick judgment of the others. The group debates whether to turn Peso over to the Indians to end the conflict.

Tom argues to protect his father, and Peso is allowed to stay at the station despite the mounting pressure. The siege looms as the danger grows outside, and loyalties within the group are tested. The station braces for a brutal confrontation.

Fanny Webson, trusting Tom's judgment, gives her guns to Peso to even the odds against the attackers. Peso uses the weapons to threaten the others and demand the gold from the stagecoach. The station spirals into chaos as loyalties are strained.

As Peso initiates the robbery, Tom fires and shoots the gun out of his father's hand, halting the immediate theft. The act complicates the situation, and Tom remains convinced Peso did not instigate the Apache attack. The siege continues with the fight for survival.

An emissary from the Apache party arrives to demand the surrender of the alleged killer, but Tom refuses to turn Peso over. Negotiations fail and fighting resumes, trapping everyone inside the station. The siege takes on a more personal dimension as loyalties are tested.

During the battle, Peso knocks out Pike Curtis, who Peso knows is the killer, and hands him over to the Indians. The act shifts suspicion away from Peso and toward Pike, clarifying Tom’s faith in his father. The internal conflict begins to ease as the siege continues outside.

With Pike Curtis exposed, Tom's doubts about Peso are resolved. He chooses to remain with Nancy, while the stagecoach departs toward San Francisco. The passengers and survivors prepare to leave the station as the immediate danger subsides.

Madre informs Tom that the gold’s security is compromised because the boy guarding it is actually another one of Peso's sons. The revelation hints at deeper dangers and the possibility Peso's influence extends beyond the fight. Tom considers the future of the gold and his own role in safeguarding it.

The final twist suggests Peso has multiple sons involved with guarding the gold, implying ongoing risk to the treasure. Tom’s loyalties are tested as potential future conflicts loom beyond this siege. The story ends on a note of unsettled safety rather than a full resolution.