Bat is asked by a woman to prevent a false story from being printed in a Cheyenne newspaper supposedly written by John Surratt, one of John Wilkes Booth's confederates for the Lincoln assassination. She says her uncle is dead.

Bat is hired to join a man in jail to gain his confidence and help him escape. The hope is the man will lead Bat to a string of black pearls he stole a train's express box. Bat's job is complicated when the man's sister shows up.