Westward Ho 1935

Wyatt cattle raid and family murder

Whit Ballard and his gang raid the Wyatts' cattle, murder the parents, and kidnapping young Jim Wyatt, leaving John Wyatt alive but separated from his family. The brutal assault devastates the farm and seeds a burning desire for vengeance. Ballard's crime establishes the personal feud that drives the rest of the story.

John forms a vigilante group to pursue Ballard

As an adult, John Wyatt organizes a vigilante group of cowboys to track down Ballard and the men responsible. The group earns a fearsome reputation for effective, ruthless action in the name of justice. Their notoriety deepens Ballard's trouble and draws him into direct conflict with the townspeople.

John and Jim infiltrate the family; Mary attracts John

John takes a job with a cattle-herding family and is drawn to Mary's sassy charm. Jim, using the alias Allen, infiltrates the same household to gather information for Ballard and aid his cattle theft. The brothers pursue divergent aims while living under the same roof.

Suspicion leads to foiled robbery

John becomes suspicious of Jim's motives and leaves at night, returning with his vigilantes to foil Ballard's plan to rob the family. The confrontation exposes Jim's cover, forcing him to maintain the deception under increasing pressure.

Jim fences to maintain his cover

In the chaos of the confrontation, Jim pretends to have saved the father and maintains his deception as Ballard's confidant. Ballard's gang remains unaware of Jim's true identity, allowing him to stay close and report back.

John learns Ballard killed his family

John interrogates one of Ballard's outlaws and learns that Ballard himself killed John's family. The revelation confirms the true identity of the killer and solidifies John's vendetta. His resolve hardens as the lines between lawman and vigilante blur.

John frees outlaw and warns to avoid Ballard's town

John frees the outlaw but warns him to stay away from Ballard's base. This act demonstrates John's harsh code and his willingness to spare life when it serves a larger goal. The outlaw's fate remains uncertain as Ballard's grip tightens.

Town confrontation and rooftop escape

John travels to the town to confront the outlaw again and is outnumbered. He fights and then escapes over rooftops, summoning the vigilantes to reinforce the effort. The confrontation proves John cannot fight Ballard alone.

Mary captured by Ballard; locked in room

Jim tricks Mary into visiting Ballard's hideout, where she is locked in a room. The kidnapping heightens the stakes and puts additional pressure on John and Jim. Ballard's men tighten the noose around the family and the pursuers.

Ransom note and canyon trap

Ballard sends a ransom note to John instructing him to come alone to a canyon to save Mary. The setup isolates John from his allies and sets the stage for a dangerous, one-man confrontation. The canyon becomes the stage for the final duel.

Gold theft pushes the plan toward canyon

Ballard's gang steals gold from the town bank and heads toward the canyon as their escape route. The theft raises the stakes and ensures the final confrontation will be dramatic. The outlaws' path converges with John's pursuit.

Jim and Mary mobilize reinforcements

Knowing a trap awaits at the canyon, Jim rides there to warn John while Mary rides to fetch the vigilantes. They coordinate a rescue and prepare for the inevitable showdown. The plan aligns the brothers and the townsfolk against Ballard.

Canyon standoff and warning

Jim arrives at the canyon and warns John of the trap, starting a tense standoff that stalls the waiting outlaws in a shootout. The brothers' alliance strengthens as they prepare to escape together. The outlaws realize they face a coordinated resistance.

Final duel and Ballard's death

The confrontation erupts into a mobile horseback shootout as Ballard's wagon with the gold comes into view. John fights Ballard aboard the wagon and Ballard dies when the wagon careens down an embankment. The threat to the town is finally ended.