Hondo, Buffalo and Sam are attacked by four renegade Pemas, fierce enemies of the Apache. Buffalo is wounded and cannot help Hondo guide a surveyor and his wife, Frank and Mary Davis. Davis is checking the Apache's land for gold, hoping to find none and dispel any gold rush notions. When Davis arrives on the stage Hondo recognizes him as the man who lead the massacre that killed his wife, attacks him and beats him severely. Hondo is ordered to guide the surveyor and eventually learns Davis' side of the story and how he is tortured by the ghosts of those they killed. Hondo and the Davises are captured by the Pemas and Hondo stalls for time in the hopes Sam can bring back help.