Ryker has to leave Medicine Bow for a few days so he deputizes Regan to handle things. As the train pulls out a group of men consisting of French Canadians and Cree Indians known at Metis arrive at Medicine Bow well armed. Although they intend no harm to Medicine Bow, the people react negatively to them. Complicating matters is an engaged Louise Devers who desires attention from random men who wrongly accuses their leader of assaulting her resulting in additional confrontations including a small boy being wounded. Morgan Starr tries to counsel their acceptance especially after he learns one of them Jeremiah Chilton is an old friend. The people create vigilantes to keep peace as Regan quit as deputy when the Metis arrived. The one accepting person in town is the saloon woman Connie Burns who becomes friends with Chilton. When the town goes berserk, Starr hopes to settle things while The Virginian confronts the person who caused the uproar.