A fanatical Southern loyalist lures drovers from Favor and Rowdy with tales of founding a new Confederate empire; guest Lon Chaney Jr.

Gil Favor gets permission from rancher Jed Reston to drive his herd over Reston's land. He discovers, however, that Reston has a bigoted attitude toward Indians, particularly a local Comanche named Taslatch who wants to be a farmer and who's paid for a mail-order plow. (Reston's recently had his son, Matt, give Taslatch 15 lashes on a trumped-up rustling charge.) Favor earns Reston's enmity by siding with Taslatch. Tensions soon escalate until violence is set to erupt between the Comanches and local townspeople and Favor must take decisive steps to intervene.

Pete is injured, so Favor and Rowdy into a nearby town for a doctor. Because the town lynched a man the day before, the residents along with Favor and Rowdy are held hostage until the Sheriff and the man who led the lynching are also hung.

Jess Hode, a bitter ex-trailboss who the owners thought was too old, demands half of Favor's herd for the only water around. Jess' son stands by him but soon comes to see through his old man. Favor tries a couple other water holes but they are dry.

When a delusional old man attacks the passing drovers, his daughter-in-law enlists Gil & Rowdy's help with the powerful ex-boxing champ. The Marshal who made the town safe, is now drunk on his own power, enforcing petty rules to keep the tiniest semblance of trouble out of his jurisdiction. Factoring heavily into the situation is that the daughter-in-law is exquisite and widowed.

The indians want to trade six soldiers they hold for thier Chief. Favor is commissioned as a captain to make the exchange.