Disaster stalked the rails from the day the division superintendent of a pioneer Western railroad fired the wrecking boss, Murray Sinclair, for looting smashed freight cars. Sinclair and his bandits began a reign of terror, burning bridges, and holding up trains. In desperation, the railroad called in Whispering Smith, its ace troubleshooter. Smith, however, was conflicted about this job. Sinclair had once been his best friend and was the husband of the woman Smith loved.