The Colter family is in trouble. The father is dead, one brother has been hanged, two brothers are on the run, Travis gets fired because of his name and the mother, Beatrice, has to go to work as a saloon singer. Matt and Newly leave town, and Festus is in charge. The two brothers return to Dodge City to get Travis to join in a robbery, but he refuses. Dr. John Chapman, filling in for Doc Adams, steps in to help Bea and Travis.

A badly injured Matt asks a good friend to take over temporarily as the Marshal of Dodge.