An army gold shipment and its escort vanish in the Ozarks, prompting accusations of theft and desertion but frontiersman Old Shatterhand and Apache chief Winnetou help solve the mystery of the missing army gold.

Mabel Kingsley arrives at a western town to clear her missing father of the charge that he stole a shipment of government gold. A frontiersman known as "Shatterhand" agrees to guide her in a search for the gold and for major Kingsley. They are joined by an army lieutenant, an amateur botanist, and an Apache chief named Winnetou. Despite troubles caused by pursuing bandits and by Winnetou's enemy, a Sioux chief, Mabel's party eventually reaches the "Valley of Death" which holds the answers to the mystery of the missing gold.—dinky-4

US cavalry major Kingsley dies while pursued by Murdock's ruthless gang, but was able to bury the gold of a run-over fort first. A military court is to rule if the missing major stole it, but hi daughter Mabel turns with a letter, which she refuses to read out, yet is awarded 60 days to follow the instructions and bring in the gold after famous trapper Old Shatterhand agrees to guide her trough Osage Indian territory. The cavalry sends a small escort, which is joined by Shatterhand's former mentor Sam Hawkins and botanist Lord Castlepool. Apache chief Winnetou meets and helps them, but when Sahtterhand rides for Sioux help against Murdock's gang who captured their companions, he finds the tribe's friendly chief succeeded by his hostile son Red Buffalo, who proves an even more dangerous enemy.—KGF Vissers