Saddle Legion

In the Old West, Dave Saunders and his sidekick Chito Rafferty ride into Warren's territory hoping for cowhand jobs. They meet rancher Fred Warren and begin the process of hiring on at his spread. This establishes the working relationship that will soon be strained by trouble with the herd.

Gabe, Warren's reckless cowhand, causes a stampede that injures Warren with a gunshot. Dave moves quickly to pursue and capture Gabe, seizing him while chaos erupts around the cattle. The incident ignites the central conflict over Warren's herd and Gabe's fate.

Chito escorts Dr. Ann Rollins to Warren's ranch to treat Warren's wounds. During the ordeal, Chito is visibly taken with her, adding a gentlemanly and romantic thread to the rugged cattle-drama. The medical visit also seeds a potential ally in the battle against the cattle sickness.

While Gabe is held at the Warren ranch, he manages to slip away and crosses into Mexico. His escape places him in the hands of Kelso, a bar owner who will push Gabe into a rustling scheme. The cross-border move expands the conflict beyond Warren's property.

In Mexican territory, Gabe meets Ace Kelso, who hires him to rustle Warren's cattle. This alliance marks the start of a planned theft that threatens Warren's entire herd. Gabe's loyalty shifts from Warren to Kelso, escalating the conflict.

Kelso's henchman Regan steals the cattle inspector Graham's credentials and poses as Graham. Regan, masquerading as the inspector, reviews the Warren herd and identifies a calf showing blackleg signs. The fake inspection leads to plans to condemn and destroy the entire herd.

Dave becomes suspicious of the fake Graham and orders the real inspectors held until Chito can fetch Warren. Warren returns with Chito and two other local ranchers, and they confirm that the calf indeed has blackleg. The discovery triggers the looming destruction of Warren's cattle.

Dr. Rollins researches blackleg and informs Dave and Chito that the disease could also pose a danger to humans. Her scientific input shifts the stakes from mere financial loss to potential health risks. The team gains a cautious basis for arguing against indiscriminate culling.

Dave and Chito follow Gabe to Kelso's bar and soon sense Kelso and Regan's involvement in the rustling plot. Kelso deliberately escalates tensions by provoking a fight in order to get the law involved. The pursuit drives the duo toward an impending border confrontation.

Dr. Rollins approaches chief cattle inspector John Layton, sharing concerns about the improvised Graham. Dave and Chito arrive to brief Layton and reveal Kelso's scheme, prompting Layton to suspect that Graham may be an impostor. The investigation tightens the noose around the rustlers.

Regan, still posing as Graham, carries Layton's written order not to move the herd as he rides across the border to warn Kelso. Dave and Chito shadow Regan and intercept him near Kelso's bar, where they overhear Kelso's plan to push Warren's cattle across the border. The border crossing escalates the conflict to a full-scale cross-border heist.

Chito scrambles for help while Dave tails Kelso's gang. Dave confronts Gabe and Hooker, killing Hooker in a tense exchange. Gabe is killed by Kelso's men, and Dave is left holding Gabe hostage as a gunfight erupts with the rest of Kelso's gang.

With Dave low on ammo, Chito returns with Warren and the other ranchers just as the fight peaks. The newcomers help subdue the gang, ending the rustling scheme and protecting Warren's cattle. The immediate crisis is resolved, and the herd is saved for the time being.

Dave and Chito decide to transport the cattle to market, restoring some semblance of order after months of danger. Chito, who typically shies away from romance, asks Dr. Rollins to wait for him until he returns. The partnership and the future of the herd hang on their safe passage home.