Paladin's job takes him to Deerfield, where the townspeople have an "arrangement" with the local rancher. His cowhands do what they want, and the townspeople stay out of their way. When the cowhands go after Paladin, he has his own way of handling the agreement.

After running afoul of scavengers in the mountains, Paladin is forced to walk to his death without food in the freezing cold... unless he can convince a group of prospectors that he's sincere.