In 1868, in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Howard Kemp offers a grizzled old prospector, Jesse Tate $20 for help tracking Ben Vandergroat, wanted for killing a marshal in Abilene, Kansas.
Kemp shows him a torn WANTED poster.
Tate assumes that Kemp is a sheriff.

An avalanche of rocks blocks their path.
Kemp fires, provoking another rock slide.
Roy Anderson, recently discharged from the 6th Cavalry, is attracted by the shots.
Kemp asks to see his discharge: Anderson is "morally unstable".

Anderson scales a cliff face and catches Vandergroat.
The outlaw's companion, Lina Patch, jumps in.
Kemp and Tate stop the fight.
Lina's father, killed robbing a bank in Abilene, was Vandergroat's friend.

Vandergroat reveals that Kemp is no lawman and that the bottom of the WANTED poster offers $5,000 to whoever brings him in.
Tate and Anderson want their shares.
Lina believes that Vandergroat is innocent.
On the trail, Vandergroat wages a constant psychological campaign to turn his captors against each other by various means, starting with the observation that the reward will be larger divided by two.

Scouting a mountain pass, Kemp and Tate spot a dozen Blackfoot far from their normal territory.
Anderson confesses that they are after him for raping the chief's daughter.
Kemp tells Anderson to ride away, fast, so the rest of them will be safe.
The Blackfoot catch up to Kemp's group, and when they all stop, Anderson shoots the chief from hiding.

During the ensuing battle, Kemp saves Vandergroat and is shot in the leg.
Lina helps him to cover.
They all ride on.
When Kemp passes out, they make camp.
Delirious, he thinks that he is leaving to fight in the Civil War and Lina is Mary, his fiancée.
Strains of Beautiful Dreamer play.

Vandergroat explains that Mary sold Kemp's ranch and ran away.
He adds that Kemp's one-third share of the reward is not enough to buy his ranch: They should worry.
Lina tells Kemp that she is not “with” Vandergroat romantically.
She has only seen him fighting fair and believes his promise of a ranch in California.
Later, Vandergroat loosens Kemp's saddle cinch and pushes him over the edge of a steep mountain trail.
A tree breaks his fall, and he crawls back up.
That night, Vandergroat grins to see Kemp gently pull Lina's blanket over her.

They take refuge from a storm in a cave.
Vandergroat tells Lina to distract Kemp so that he can escape through the back of the cave.
The alternative: He will kill Kemp.
The Beautiful Dreamer theme plays as Lina describes her dream of California and Kemp reminisces about his ranch.
They kiss.
Vandergroat takes his chance.
Kemp hauls him back.
Anderson wants to kill Vandergroat: The reward is "dead or alive".
Tate stops Anderson but, infuriated, Kemp challenges Vandergroat to a quick draw, which he refuses.

At the river, now running so high they must detour downstream, Anderson lassoes Vandergroat's neck, intending to drag the “sack of money” across.
Kemp and Anderson fight.
While Kemp and Anderson recover and Lina searches for firewood, Vandergroat offers Tate an irresistible temptation: a gold mine.

Vandergroat and Lina ride double; Tate follows, holding a rifle.
Vandergroat yells "Snake!"
and in the confusion, grabs the rifle.
Vandergroat kills Tate where the body will be seen by the others, Lina finally accepts the truth about him.

Vandergroat fires on Kemp and Anderson from the cliff above, but Lina grabs the rifle barrel.
While Anderson exchanges gunfire with Vandergroat, Kemp uses one of his spurs as a piton to climb the cliff and outflank Vandergroat.

Suspicious, Vandergroat rises to fire at Kemp.
 Kemp throws the spur into his cheek, and Anderson shoots Vandergroat.
The body falls into the river and is entangled in the roots of dead trees lodged on the opposite bank.
Anderson lassos a snag and crosses.
He wraps the rope around Vandergroat's body but is carried off by a huge floating tree trunk.

Kemp drags Vandergroat's body across the river and hoists it onto his horse, in a rage, vowing that he will take him back.
Lina says she will go with him, no matter his choice, ma
In 1868, in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Howard Kemp offers a grizzled old prospector, Jesse Tate $20 for help tracking Ben Vandergroat, wanted for killing a marshal in Abilene, Kansas. Kemp shows him a torn WANTED poster. Tate assumes that Kemp is a sheriff.
An avalanche of rocks blocks their path. Kemp fires, provoking another rock slide. Roy Anderson, recently discharged from the 6th Cavalry, is attracted by the shots. Kemp asks to see his discharge: Anderson is "morally unstable".
Anderson scales a cliff face and catches Vandergroat. The outlaw's companion, Lina Patch, jumps in. Kemp and Tate stop the fight. Lina's father, killed robbing a bank in Abilene, was Vandergroat's friend.
Vandergroat reveals that Kemp is no lawman and that the bottom of the WANTED poster offers $5,000 to whoever brings him in. Tate and Anderson want their shares. Lina believes that Vandergroat is innocent. On the trail, Vandergroat wages a constant psychological campaign to turn his captors against each other by various means, starting with the observation that the reward will be larger divided by two. 
Scouting a mountain pass, Kemp and Tate spot a dozen Blackfoot far from their normal territory. Anderson confesses that they are after him for raping the chief's daughter. Kemp tells Anderson to ride away, fast, so the rest of them will be safe. The Blackfoot catch up to Kemp's group, and when they all stop, Anderson shoots the chief from hiding.
During the ensuing battle, Kemp saves Vandergroat and is shot in the leg. Lina helps him to cover. They all ride on. When Kemp passes out, they make camp. Delirious, he thinks that he is leaving to fight in the Civil War and Lina is Mary, his fiancée. Strains of Beautiful Dreamer play. 
Vandergroat explains that Mary sold Kemp's ranch and ran away. He adds that Kemp's one-third share of the reward is not enough to buy his ranch: They should worry. Lina tells Kemp that she is not “with” Vandergroat romantically. She has only seen him fighting fair and believes his promise of a ranch in California. Later, Vandergroat loosens Kemp's saddle cinch and pushes him over the edge of a steep mountain trail. A tree breaks his fall, and he crawls back up. That night, Vandergroat grins to see Kemp gently pull Lina's blanket over her.
They take refuge from a storm in a cave. Vandergroat tells Lina to distract Kemp so that he can escape through the back of the cave. The alternative: He will kill Kemp. The Beautiful Dreamer theme plays as Lina describes her dream of California and Kemp reminisces about his ranch. They kiss. Vandergroat takes his chance. Kemp hauls him back. Anderson wants to kill Vandergroat: The reward is "dead or alive". Tate stops Anderson but, infuriated, Kemp challenges Vandergroat to a quick draw, which he refuses.
At the river, now running so high they must detour downstream, Anderson lassoes Vandergroat's neck, intending to drag the “sack of money” across. Kemp and Anderson fight. While Kemp and Anderson recover and Lina searches for firewood, Vandergroat offers Tate an irresistible temptation: a gold mine. 
Vandergroat and Lina ride double; Tate follows, holding a rifle. Vandergroat yells "Snake!" and in the confusion, grabs the rifle. Vandergroat kills Tate where the body will be seen by the others, Lina finally accepts the truth about him.
Vandergroat fires on Kemp and Anderson from the cliff above, but Lina grabs the rifle barrel. While Anderson exchanges gunfire with Vandergroat, Kemp uses one of his spurs as a piton to climb the cliff and outflank Vandergroat.
Suspicious, Vandergroat rises to fire at Kemp.  Kemp throws the spur into his cheek, and Anderson shoots Vandergroat. The body falls into the river and is entangled in the roots of dead trees lodged on the opposite bank. Anderson lassos a snag and crosses. He wraps the rope around Vandergroat's body but is carried off by a huge floating tree trunk.
Kemp drags Vandergroat's body across the river and hoists it onto his horse, in a rage, vowing that he will take him back. Lina says she will go with him, no matter his choice, ma
The Naked Spur