Based on a short story by Zane Grey. 1860s. The Western Union Company runs a telegraph line through the entire Wild West from Omaha to Salt Lake City. Adventurer Vance Shaw, who recently took part in a bank robbery, rescues an employee of the company, Edward Creighton, who was wounded in the middle of the desert. A little later in Omaha, Creighton hires Vance as a scout for Western Union. Crichton has a sister, Sue; she is simultaneously looked after by Vance and the dandy Richard Blake, who works as an engineer on the line. After the workers leave the camp, livestock disappears. Indians are blamed for the theft. Vance is of a different opinion. He finds the thieves: these are white people dressed as Indians - former accomplices of Vance, bandits of the famous Jack Slade. They pretend to fight for the Confederates, but this is just an excuse to line their pockets. Vance can't betray former friends. He returns to camp and wants to resign, but Creighton won't accept it...