Sweetwater was a wild town before Thomas Carey, a retired Army scout and old friend of Paladin, became marshal. But Carey has taken over complete control and turned into a killer. Paladin has to stop him and Carey has always seemed the faster of the two.

A doctor who once saved Paladin's life calls upon him to find and safely bring back the son of a one-time sweetheart. The young man has "taken to the hills" to track down his father's killer.

Bob Wire hires Paladin, C.O.D., to escort him and his wagon load of barb wire to Anderson.

Paladin is joined by his friend Ernie Backwater, an aging sheriff who is out to capture Will Tybee, a wanted fugitive who has spent his life searching for the man who murdered his son.