Sam Bass and Jim Murphy in town and Sam has a blacksmith look at his horse. The owner out that Sam has been riding the horse and Sam says that a few days rest should heal up the horse. He asks if he can trade it for anything he can ride, and the owner offers him a bay. Sam accepts but Luigi insists on a bill of sale. When Sam says that he doesn't have them, The owner says that he can make up new ones at the house. As they go to the house, Sam pistol-whips the owner unconscious and goes to get the bay. Jim ;puts a note to Capt. John Reynolds of the Texas Rangers in the owner's pocket and goes with Sam.
At the Texas Rangers' training area, Company A--the elite corps--is training with John when Hoby and Ranger Dick Wade arrive in response to his summon. They confirm that they're clear, and John asks them to go to Round Rock. There's a $5,000 reward on Sam's head, and he's a former lawman who now heads up his own gang. Sam hit a train and took $80,000, and they brought Jim in for questioning three months ago. John made a deal with Jim to rejoin the Bass gang and they'd let him go. He was supposed to let them know where Sam was going to hit next, and the sheriff sent Jim's note. Jim said that they're going to rob the bank in Round Rock on the 18th, in two days. It's a two day ride to Round Rock, and John admits that Hoby and Dick are all he can send. The local sheriff should help, and the Rangers head out.
Two days later, Hoby and Dick arrive in Round Rock on the 187th. Just after sunrise. They go to the sheriff's office and find Deputy Perry Grimes there. Perry says that the sheriff left town for a couple of days. Hoby explains why they're there and the deputy says that they'll take care of it., Hoby points out that the State of Texas sent them, but Perry explains that they don't like Rangers poking into their business. He tells them to wait in the jail until he sends word that he's captured Sam. The Rangers go to check out the bank and once they leave, Perry takes out a wanted poster for Sam offering a $400 reward..
The bank is locked up, and Hoby figures that they can cover it between them. They go to the barber shop across the street and the owner, Luigi Campelloni, greets them. Hoby explains that they want to use his shop as cover, and Luigi wants to get his money out of the bank. They say that they'll take care of it, and advises Luigi to stay out of the way. Hoby goes to check the bank and Dick asks for a haircut while he's waiting. He takes out his pistol and tells Luigi to keep the chair facing the street.
Back at the bank, the cashier lets Hoby in after he identifies himself as a Ranger. The cashier agrees to let Dick stay in the bank. Meanwhile, an attractive woman arrives at the bank and Luigi tells Dick that she works there. Hoby comes back and Dick is glad to take the bank and see more of the woman. When Luigi hears them talking about Perry, he says that the deputy thinks that he's a big man with the ladies.
As Dick goes to the bank, Hoby sees Sam and his gang of three other men ride into town., Perry comes out of the sheriff's office and sees them as well, and ducks back inside. Meanwhile, Sam tells his gang that they'll go in through the front door as soon as the bank open, and has Jim watch the horses. He sends Jim to check out the back entrance, and Perry leaves his office and goes over as Hoby watches.
Sam checks out the bank and tells his two remaining men that it's a cinch. Meanwhile, Perry sits on a chair outside the bank while inside, the cashier opens the bank at 9 am. Jim comes back and reports that there's only one back door, and the gang spots Perry. While Ji m stays with the horses, the other three gang members walk off to see if Perry follows them. He does, as Hoby and Luigi watch. They go into the grocery store to talk to the clerk, and Perry goes in after them. The deputy draws his gun and demands to know what Sam's name is, and then identifies him by name and tells him to hand his gun over. Perry boasts about getting the $400 reward and how he isn't even the sheriff, and Sam takes out his gun, then spins it and shoots Perry dead.
The three gang members walk out and go toward the bank. Hoby orders them to surrender, and they return fire and take cover. Dick opens fire from the bank, and Sam yells at Jim to bring the horses. Jim runs off, and Hoby kills one robber. Meanwhile, Sam goes for the horses himself while the last man, Jackson, covers him. He wounds Dick in the leg when Dick tries to shoot him, and Hoby comes out and wounds Sam. Jackson wounds Hoby and runs, to the horses, and helps Sam onto his horse. The two robbers ride off and Dick confirms that Hoby is alive.
The Rangers ride off after Sam and Jackson, and spot Sam's horses off to the side of the road. The two men move in and find a dying Sam lying nearby. Sam says that he won't give them any trouble, and tells them not to both taking him to town for help. While Dick gets a canteen, Sam says that Jackson wanted to stay but he made him leave. He talks about all of his men being gone, and the $80,000 all gone except for a $20 coin. Sam says that after seven robberies, all he ended up with was $20 and a .44 in the stomach. Dick brings over the canteen and Hoby gives Sam some water just as the outlaw dies.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 13, 2017