A mysterious stranger rides into a homesteading family's life when they are attacked by a ruthless gang.
Duncan and Susanna McKaskel are a young married couple travelling to the West with their son, hoping to start a new life. Along the way, they stop in a small town where they meet a gang of bandits led by Doc Shabitt. After Duncan unintentionally angers the gang, he and Susanna flee the town, but Shabitt leads his men in pursuit of revenge. A mysterious stranger by the name of Con Vallian soon begins helping the family as they try to find a new home and protects them from Shabitt's gang.—John Hitchcock
The film opens with Con Vallian arriving in a small town and speaking to a local merchant. Meanwhile, a Native American by the name of Running Wolf (Larry Sellers) is seen entering a bar. The bartender is initially reluctant to serve him due to his being an Indian, but he gets the attention of a group of bandits led by Doc Shabbitt (Matt Clark).
Duncan McKaskel (Tom Conti) and his wife, Susanna (Kate Capshaw), a young married couple who, along with their son, Tom (Kenny Morrison), are travelling West hoping to start a new life, arrive in this town. They meet Doc and ask for directions. He politely suggests a place for them to stay, but when they leave, he decides to steal two of their horses.
Con Vallian suddenly arrives in the camp set up by Duncan and Susanna, telling them that their horses have been stolen. Against Susanna's advice, Duncan rides into town and tries to reclaim the horses. An intense gunfight ensues when Vallian secretly shoots some of the bandits. When Doc Shabbitt finds that his son was killed, he decides to pursue the family and seek revenge.
Susanna, Duncan, and Tom flee in their stagecoach, trying to keep ahead of the bandits. Vallian keeps arriving to help protect them from Shabbitt and his gang.
Eventually, they find a small cabin which Susanna decides should be their new home. The family begins settling in the house before Shabbitt arrives once again. A showdown ensues in which Vallian manages to kill the gang. He then bids farewell to the family and leaves.
