Howard Kemp is a bitter, cynical man who has spent years tracking down killer Ben Vandergroat in the rugged Colorado Rockies. When Kemp finally captures Vandergroat, he enlists the help of a prospector named Jesse Tate and a former Union soldier called Roy Anderson to help take Vandergroat to justice and collect the bounty on his head.
Despite the fact that Kemp is not actually a sheriff, Tate and Anderson agree to help him for a small fee. As they make their way through the dangerous wilderness, tensions rise between the four men, with Vandergroat doing everything he can to turn them against one another.
Kemp, haunted by the ghosts of his past, becomes increasingly abrasive and violent, while Vandergroat cunningly manipulates the situation to his advantage. Anderson, still struggling with the aftermath of the Civil War, finds himself caught in the middle, torn between loyalty to Kemp and his own sense of justice.
As they journey toward Kansas, the group must navigate treacherous terrain, fend off vicious outlaws, and confront their own inner demons. In the end, they are forced to confront the harsh reality of what it means to pursue justice in a world where law and order are often at odds with human nature.