Young Wayne Robinson and his friends "celebrate" his birthday by going to the saloon for his first glass of whiskey., and winds up in a fight at the saloon because a loudmouth ridicules his religious beliefs. When Wayne's uncle--a fanatically religious man who has forbidden Wayne from drinking or going near the saloon--finds out what happened, he gives Wayne a public whipping in the middle of town. Later the loudmouth who started the brawl is found murdered, and Gib arrests Wayne for it. Clay doesn't believe Wayne did it and sets out to clear him before he's hanged for the murder.