The Set-Up

In a landscape defined by dust and distrust, cattleman Cliff Barton finds himself at odds with a financial institution he no longer recognizes. Fearing the fragility of the local bank, Barton makes the fateful decision to liquidate his assets, physically hauling his fortune away in a simple money-bag. This act of caution becomes his death warrant. Within the hour, Barton is ambushed and murdered, but not before he manages to hurl his wealth into the dense brush bordering the trail—a final, desperate act of defiance. The crime is quickly twisted by the perpetrators to ensnare Deputy Sheriff Art Stratton, Barton’s prospective son-in-law. The killers’ plan is as ingenious as it is cruel: they intend to manipulate Stratton’s own horse, Buddie—a creature with an uncanny, near-supernatural ability to scent currency—into uncovering the hidden cache. By leading the lawman to the loot, the villains aim to paint the discovery as a recovery of stolen goods, effectively framing the Deputy for both the robbery and the cold-blooded execution of his sweetheart’s father.