In 1895, a crime wave prevents Blue Springs from becoming county seat but Red Ryder suspects the shady citizens of rival Rockland of being behind it all.

One of two towns will be selected to be the County Seat and Editor Palmer has a gang working to make sure his town is chosen. Investigating the lawlessness, Red Ryder poses as an outlaw to get into the gang hoping to find out who the boss is. But Palmer knows Red and exposes his true identity when he arrives and Red and Gabby then find themselves prisoners of the gang.—Maurice VanAuken <[email protected]>