During an attempted robbery in a Nebraska frontier town, young storekeeper Matt McKay kills the brother of a murderous gang leader. Fearing Jack Moss's revenge, Matt's father takes him to Colorado and hires once-feared gunfighter, Tom Patterson, to teach Matt the gun skills needed for self-defense. With the threat of the Moss gang's retribution ever present, Matt and Patterson form a bond of mutual respect and resolve as they await a fatal showdown.