Plot: Legendary railroad detective Whispering Smith becomes convinced that old friend and company colleague Murray Sinclair has thrown in with disreputable rancher Barney Rebstock and his cold-eyed psychopathic killer Whitey Du Stang to loot the railroad. Smith suspects that Murray's successful ranch spread owes as much to pilfering railroad property in conjunction with Rebstock as it does to his modest salary as wrecking crew boss. Complicating matters is Sinclair's growing contempt and disregard for his wife and Smith's unrequited affection for her.
Alternative Plot: Luke "Whispering" Smith (Alan Ladd) is a mild-mannered policeman tasked with stopping a gang of train robbers, led by Barney Rebstock (Donald Crisp). Luke is faced with a conflict of interest when his good friend, Murray Sinclair (Robert Preston), loses his railroad job and, in an act of defiance, joins Rebstock's gang of outlaws. To make things even more complicated, Luke's friendship with Murray's ex-wife, Marian (Brenda Marshall), is becoming romantic.
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