The Virginian and the Shiloh hands finish delivering a herd of horses after which Trampas convinces him to allow the hands to stay to rest up. Therefore, The Virginian is traveling alone back to Shiloh when Tom Conlan and his ranch hands meet him and steal The Virginian's horse and gun after he refuses to drink with them at a waterhole. The Virginian makes it to a nearby town where he is treated by Doc Kane. He wires for money as he plans to retrieve his horse and gun. He encounters a married woman Ellen Cooper he knew when she was single but is now married to the telegrapher. When he tires to retrieve his possessions, he has no support as there is no law in the town. Before he can go to Conlan's ranch one of the hands rides his horse into town. The Virginian confronts them in the saloon in which he kills one of them in self-defense. Events lead to a potentially fatal accident involving Ellen's daughter Kathy. The citizens ask The Virginian to help return law and order but his support comes from a surprising source.
—Anonymous