A gang of robbers, led by Heller, elude a posse and set off on a long trek to Mexico, planning to stop to rest in the town of Quantez. Heller sends Gato, a white man who has been raised by Cochise's tribe and considers himself Apache, to cover up their trail, and although young, Eastern gunslinger Teach and Heller's girl friend Chaney want to wait for Gato to return, Heller insists that they travel on. After a rough day's ride in the blazing sun, Gato catches up with them, but when his exhausted horse collapses, he is forced to walk. When they finally reach Quantez, they are shocked to discover it is a ghost town. While the most experienced member of the gang, Gentry, carefully searches the town for clues to why it has been abandoned, Heller happily settles into the saloon. Gentry then instructs Teach how to revive their exhausted horses, a process that requires hours of labor. When Teach complains about the work and Heller's domineering attitude, Gentry advises the younger man not to fight Heller. After nightfall, Gato, angry with Heller for calling him "Breed," wanders outside and finds an Apache spear with the message that anyone who remains in the town will be killed. Inside, Gentry urges Teach, who clearly is not the sharpshooter he claims to be, to give up a life of crime. First a shadow and then a rat cause Chaney to scream, infuriating Heller, who raises a hand to strike her but is stopped by Gentry. When the memory of the man Heller killed during the robbery keeps Chaney awake, Gentry assures her that unless you are the killer, the memory of death fades. Meanwhile, Gato locates the Indians, led by Delgadito, and urges them to kill the whites and split the robbery money with him. Without responding to the offer, Delgadito informs Gato that his men will attack at dawn. In the saloon, Heller quietly proposes to Gentry that they kill the others and split the money, but Gentry refuses. In secret, Chaney warns Teach to return to the East before the West ruins him as it has done to her, and just as he kisses her, Heller spots them. He beats up Teach, but Gentry stops the fight just before it turns deadly, after which Teach announces that he plans to leave with Chaney and his share of the money. Gentry calms them, and hours later, Chaney begins singing, but breaks down in tears after Heller scoffs at her. Teach tries to comfort her, but backs down when Heller threatens him, and Chaney runs outside. There, she begs Gato to take her away with him. Gentry overhears, however, and chastises her for degrading herself, but later urges her to try to start a new, virtuous life. They hear a scream and rush inside to find Heller about to torture Gato into revealing where he has been all night, but Gentry pulls his gun to stop him. Heller then declares that he and the men should flee, leaving Chaney behind because she is no longer good enough for him. Finally finding the self-respect to stand up to him, Chaney informs Heller that he is still a lowly saddle tramp and that she no longer wants help from any man. Gentry insists that the group all leave together, but Teach asserts that he and Chaney will leave together on one horse. Just then, they hear a man singing outside, and discover that a minstrel named Puritan has wandered into town. The amiable stranger soon realizes that he has stumbled on a group of outlaws, and although he tries to leave quickly, Heller insists that he stay. When Heller demands a tune, Puritan sings about famed outlaw John Coventry, until Gentry orders him to stop. Puritan then offers to paint Chaney's portrait, but when he goes outside, Gentry follows him and grabs the pistol that Puritan was about to pull from his saddlebag. Puritan admits that he has recognized Gentry as John Coventry, and is shocked when Gentry then tells him that he is through with killing, and offers to let him escape. They are too late, however, and Heller calls Puritan in to start the portrait. Hours later, Teach confesses his love to Chaney and proposes, but she is not sure she could love him back. When Puritan finishes the painting, Gentry helps him escape before Heller can shoot him, defusing Heller's anger by pointing out that Heller cannot find Mexico without him. After Heller stalks off, Gentry asks Chaney if she could start a new life with him, and they kiss. As the sun rises, Heller secretly proposes to Teach that they kill the others and split the money, but Teach tells this to Gentry, who is forced to kill Heller to protect himself. Suddenly, arrows rain down around them, and they run to their horses, only to find Gato stealing their supplies. Unwilling to kill another man, Gentry lets him go, but Delgadito sees Gato run from the barn and orders his men to kill him. The remaining three gang members leap on their horses and flee, followed by the Indians. In the hills, Chaney's horse is shot, after which they all race together on foot to a cliff, where they take cover. Gentry orders Chaney and Teach to climb down a rope ladder, while he fights off the tribe. Chaney and Teach make their way to the bottom of the cliff, but Gentry is shot in the leg. To save the couple from the approaching Apaches, Gentry cuts the ladder free, and Chaney and Teach watch from safety as Gentry is killed.
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