After losing his horse, Patrick Brennan is forced to set off on a long journey on foot. Along the way, he is picked up by a stagecoach carrying newlyweds Willard and Doretta Mims. At the next station, the stagecoach and its passengers fall into the hands of criminals. The gang is led by a man named Frank Escher. When Asher learns that Doretta is the daughter of a wealthy copper mine owner, he decides to demand a ransom for her. Tension mounts over the next 24 hours as Asher waits for a response to his demands, and a romantic attachment grows between Brennan and Doretta.