The Calvary and Redell of the telegraph company are trying to convince Vittoro and the Apaches that the telegraph is beneficial to everyone. Half breed renegade Delgado and his small band disrupt the demonstration by cutting the wire further down the line and killing two telegraph company employees. Hondo comes across the two dead employees and is jumped by Delgado's band. He is chased and wounded but Delgado spares his life when he finds out Hondo was married to Vittoro's daughter. Hondo manages to get to an isolated cabin where he is healed by Doc Stanton, a wanted but innocent man. Hondo promises not to reveal Doc's presence. Upon returning to the fort he recommends they take a small force of select men and go up into the hills after Delgado's band, putting them on the defensive. Hondo, Buffalo Baker, the Captain, Redell and three cavalrymen encounter Delgado's band. The Captain is seriously wounded and Hondo has to break his word to Doc Stanton in order to save the Captain'

When Sand and Dink try to take a wild horse away from Apache leader Ponce Hondo steps in to help Ponce. When he arrives back at the fort he discovers visiting General Rutledge is there to make suggestions for better operations, although he has no knowledge of the Indian wars. Rutledge is a by-the-book officer and has Ponce unjustly whipped for supposedly attacking him during a fight with Sand and Dink, who are drunk and still angry about the wild horse. The General then leads a patrol deep into Apache territory with Hondo who advises against it. Ponce and a superior force attack and have them pinned down. Ponce talks with Hondo and says he does not desire to kill the soldiers but only wants to exact apache revenge on Rutledge. Hondo forces the general to send the soldiers back to the fort and Rutledge goes off with the Apaches for 4 days, Ponce promises Hondo the General will not be killed. The General is humiliated by Apache women and children but receives a drink of water from