Paul Mason is trying to take over Lincoln county and buys off everyone except Pat Garrett. Billy is determined to help Pat out even though Pat tells him to stay out of it. This episode lays a good foundation for the theme of the series i.e. the friend/adversary relatonship between Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett.

A shipping tycoon, Edward Van Doren, arrives in town with his mother looking for Billy the Kid. Van Doren is an avid hunter and he convinces Billy to become his guide on a hunt for mountain lion. Once Billy and Van Doren are alone on the hunt, Van Doren reveals that his real prey is not mountain lions.