Four Faces West

Ross McEwen quietly robs a bank in Santa Maria and forces the banker Frenger to accompany him. He eventually releases Frenger miles away, minus Frenger's boots and with only an IOU for the $2,000 he took.

Back in town, Frenger offers a reward of $3,000, dead or alive. The bounty raises the stakes for everyone pursuing McEwen and intensifies the chase.

Pat Garrett, the new marshal, cautions bounty hunters against unnecessary shooting, especially in the back. He sets a tone of caution and codes of conduct that will echo through the pursuit.

Before he can board a train, McEwen is bitten by a rattlesnake and slows his escape. A sympathetic passenger and Fay Hollister, a nurse, help him through the crisis, sparking an uneasy attraction.

The posse stops the train and searches it, but McEwen escapes capture by masquerading as the sleeping Hollister's husband, complete with a fake baby. A vague description of the robber allows the deception to slip past the authorities.

Monte Marquez, a gambler among the passengers, observes enough to piece together what McEwen has done. He keeps the clue to himself as the train moves on.

The train tracks are washed out near Albuquerque, forcing the group to divert along a mail-delivery route through the desert. McEwen uses the moment to stay ahead of the law while the others adjust to the new route.

Fay discovers a Santa Maria posse is after a wanted man and recalls where McEwen first came aboard. The knowledge intensifies their bond as they travel, even as the danger grows.

The duo reach an Alamogordo saloon run by Marquez's cousins, where cattleman Burnett offers to hire McEwen as a hand. The prospect of work provides a temporary shield against pursuit but also creates new tensions.

Garrett and Deputy Clint Waters arrive in town, forcing McEwen to plan an exit once more. Before leaving, he gives Fay an engagement ring, signaling a personal commitment amid the fugitive status.

Fay rides along but is eventually separated and captured by Garrett's men. Her capture heightens the stakes for McEwen and the lawmen as the chase continues.

After a difficult desert crossing, McEwen encounters Florencio, a Mexican rancher whose family is ill. He stays to help and lights a signal fire to call for help from the law, showing his willingness to do the right thing.

Marquez arrives with Garrett and Fay, but Florencio explains McEwen is a stranger, since Florencio is a relative of Marquez. Marquez pretends the fugitive is unknown to avoid tipping off the authorities.

Garrett is not fooled by the pretense, and McEwen is convinced to turn himself in. The marshal pledges to vouch for McEwen's good deed, paving the way to a possible resolution.