 Adam follows a lost herd of Ponderosa cattle to a town where McDermott is the boss. McDermott hates and oppresses the Piute Indians in the area. Adam meets James Callahan, a talented but alcoholic who is artist married to a beautiful Piute Indian woman. McDermott has been buying Callahan s paintings in exchange for meager provisions for the impoverished Piute. Adam encourages Callahan, his wife, and a sympathetic saloonkeeper, to develop a plan to let President Lincoln know of the plight of the Piute. McDermott learns of the plan and a confrontation is inevitable.