Johnny Murdock, who hasn't seen his father for some time, learns at Gold Flats that he has been killed by road agents, according to mining engineer Carter Morgan of Brandon Enterprises. He doesn't inform Johnny that Mark Brandon has secretly inherited the rich claim. Johnny's old friend, Dusty Hanover, gives Johnny an old poster which shows Brandon to be an escaped convict. They advise prospector Cramer to keep quiet about his own gold strike, but he partly reveals the location to Morgan before he is killed by Brandon's henchmen, while en route to the recorder's office. Mary Cramer is informed by Johnny of her husband's murder. Their young son, Bud, has a letter from his father which indicates the strike to be under a peculiarly-shaped rock. Brand kills himself when Johnny confronts him with the old wanted poster. Brandon's daughter, Marcia, blames Johnny and in revenge reveals to the public that Cramer's strike is on Dead Man's Basin. Morgan order the wagon train destined for the ...