Indy and Ike Whittaker have a ranch that borders the Ironwood Trail. Their neighbor, Mr. Gebhart believes them to be stealing his cattle and starts to hang Ike for it. However, the hanging is interrupted by Sam Dollar who then sticks around to help the Whittakers gather their own cattle and ship them to market. Along the way, they come across Judah Hanna dying in the desert, the Antonelli Theater Company who are Gebhart's guests, and Miss Kathleen Rexrode who attends the party intended to honor them. There's an attempt on Gebhart's life and the clues point to not one but two suspects, Ike and Sam Dollar. Indy wants to believe they are innocent, but tracks don't lie. Or do they?