Known for his tenacity in pursuing lawbreakers, u.s. marshal frank marlin follows a dangerous mission to quell a brewing range war on the western frontier. he's told that cottonwood valley, a rich fertile land in the state of texas, is the target of the trouble. the valley's large-ranch owners blame each other for the cattle rustling, ambush killings, and other acts of lawlessness. they threaten to wipe each other out; fury on the range seems unavoidable. during his mission, marlin learns that a wily outlaw boss, who strikes ranches and towns from his hideouts in the badlands, perpetrates the trouble in cottonwood valley. when the outlaw boss hears marlin is on his way, he offers his henchmen a large cash bounty to anyone who kills the feared marshal. marlin must always be on the lookout for those who want him dead. encountering life-threatening situations and suffering serious wounds, marlin never loses sight of his intense desire to stop the killing and cattle rustling.