Everybody else in town thinks that Sheriff Calder is a puppet of rich oil man Val Rogers. If it is learned that prison has been escaped by local baddie Bubber Reeves, Rogers' son is concerned because he could be having an affair with Reeves' wife. It seems many others in town believe that they may have reasons to fear Reeves. Calder's aim is to bring Reeves in living, unharmed. Calder might have to oppose the powerful Rogers on mob violence along with a single hand in their own quest for justice, on the other.