Ex-sheriff Jed Grayson is on his way to Wyoming when he stops at the township of Paradise to rest few days. At the Golden Nugget Saloon he has an altercation with Zach Bassett, the son of the wealthiest rancher in the territory. Beating Zach to the draw, he humiliates the youngster in front of the saloon's patrons. Zach gets even. Enlisting the help of friends, he beats Jed to within an inch of his life. Recovering from his injuries, Jed vows to repay Zach for his crime, earning the enmity of the boy's father, who is waging a private war against the Thornton family who own the second biggest ranch in Paradise. Events escalate as, forced by circumstances to throw his lot in with the Thornton family, Jed finds himself the target of a hired killer and has to fight to save his life.