Paladin is forced to kill a wanted murderer in self-defense. When he takes the man's body to his home, the man's brothers come looking for revenge.

A tongue-tied rancher hires Paladin to help him talk to a new neighbor, Maria de Castro, who he has fallen in love with and wants to marry. However, the new neighbor's ramrod wants to stage a war between the two ranches so Maria will sell her property to him.