Lucas and Mark, returning from selling their herd, share the stagecoach trip with a Marshal and his prisoner, Johnny Cotton. Johnny's gang arrives to free their partner and steal the contents of the stage's strongbox, as well as Lucas' money and rifle. Along with the wounded Marshal, Lucas puts Mark back on the stage. Asking the driver to leave Mark with Mrs. Peterson, Lucas, unarmed and on foot, proceeds to track down Cotton and his boys. Lucas eventually fashions a makeshift rifle from a pistol and an old board, to increase the pistol's range of accuracy.