Robin Hood of Monterey

While riding the range in Monterey, California, notorious fugitives The Cisco Kid and his faithful companion Pancho, come to the rescue of Eduardo Belmonte, the son of Cisco's friend, Don Carlos, who is being chased and shot at by three men. To save the wounded Eduardo from being killed, Cisco knocks the young man unconscious, then tells his pursuers that he is dead. After the men leave, Eduardo explains that the men were pursuing him because Don Carlos has been murdered and he has been falsely accused of committing the crime. Eduardo then describes how he came to be a fugitive: During a party at the Belmonte hacienda, Eduardo overhears his attractive stepmother Maria pledging her love to Don Ricardo Gonzales, a man whom she has claimed is her cousin. Eduardo confronts Maria and, hoping to spare his father from heartbreak, offers her money to leave the ranch. Seeing Don Carlos enter the room, Maria suddenly accuses Eduardo of making unwanted advances, and enraged with jealousy, Don Carlos threatens his son with a pistol. The two men struggle, and a few moments later, the party guests hear a gunshot. After Don Carlos is found and declared dead, Maria denounces Eduardo as his killer, and Eduardo flees the hacienda. At Cisco's hideout, Eduardo concludes his story and agrees to "stay dead" while a trusting Cisco and Pancho go to investigate. Cisco and Pancho trick their way into the Belmonte hacienda, and Cisco finds Maria, whom he recognizes as former cantina singer Maria Sanchez. Reminding her that she is still wanted for killing the cantina owner, Cisco coaxes Maria into a pact of silence, while sneaking a bullet from her derringer. As soon as Cisco leaves, however, Maria orders Don Ricardo to report Cisco's presence to the alcalde in nearby San Blas. Cisco and Pancho also go to San Blas, where the doctor who examined Don Carlos' body confirms that the fatal bullet looked exactly like the one from Maria's gun. Later, at the local saloon, Cisco is spotted by Don Ricardo, who has just met with the alcalde. The blustering alcalde arrests Cisco, but with Pancho's help, Cisco escapes and rides out of town. While fleeing the alcalde's soldiers, Cisco and Pancho come across Lolita, Eduardo's fiancée, who has been forced to work as a servant at the Belmonte hacienda. Lolita begs Cisco to take her away from Belmonte, and while he and Pancho are listening to her pleas, the soldiers catch up and arrest them. Cisco is put before a firing squad and, as Maria, Don Ricardo, and a teary, imprisoned Pancho watch, is shot. After the crowd disperses, however, an unharmed Cisco frees Pancho, explaining that he bribed one of the guards to load the rifles with blanks and allow him to escape. At their hideout, Cisco and Pancho learn that Eduardo, fearing for Lolita's safety, has gone to the hacienda. There, Eduardo and Lolita overhear the alcalde informing Maria and Don Ricardo about Cisco's "resurrection," then Eduardo is caught by Maria's guards. Unknown to them, Cisco is on the grounds and sees Eduardo being carried off. On the road to town, Cisco lays in wait for the alcalde and, after jumping into his open carriage from a tree, orders him at gunpoint to feign illness and send his men ahead with Eduardo. Once alone, Cisco shows the alcalde the bullet taken from Don Carlos' body and points out that Eduardo only carries pistols. Cisco makes an agreement with the alcalde to give himself up in exchange for the alcalde's help in proving Eduardo's innocence. Cisco and Pancho then sneak back into the hacienda and confront Maria with the bullet. She admits that she killed Don Carlos and offers Cisco money for his silence. When Cisco refuses her bribe, Maria pulls a gun on him, but before she can fire it, the alcalde, having overheard her confession, appears and arrests her. Later, after the now-vindicated Eduardo reunites with Lolita, Cisco turns himself in to the alcalde, who out of respect for his honesty, lets him and Pancho go.