New York newspaperman Bat Masterson thinks back on his time as a lawman in Dodge City, Kansas, when he cleaned up the lawless town and loved a saloon girl named Dora Hand. Masterson's rival for Dora's love was a scofflaw named King Kennedy, who laughs at Masterson's attempts to establish law but grudgingly admires the way he goes about it. Kennedy's jealousy of Dora leads him into deeper conflict with Masterson, even as Dora tries to maneuver Masterson into leaving town and leaving the dangerous job of marshal behind.