U.S. Marshal Nelson Lane is trying to aid his deputy in evicting Lucky Graber, a failed Wyoming rancher, when a dead man is found on Lucky's land, apparently killed in a hunting accident. The victim, Gino Bonelli, took an interest in Lucky's ranch shortly before he died, though the land is worthless as far as Nelson and everyone else in the town of Gillette is concerned.

Then Lucky Graber disappears, and the victim's gangster brother Bruno arrives in town with his thugs, intent on finding out the truth about how Gino died. Before long, it becomes apparent that the "hunting accident" was staged, and that other people around Gillette-including the bank owner who foreclosed on Lucky's ranch-are far more interested in this "worthless" piece of real estate than they should be. Maybe enough to kill.

While Nelson and his deputies work to solve the crime, Bruno and his goons fan out, threatening anyone connected with the missing rancher and gathering what information they can to identify Gino's murderer so Bruno can give the killer his own brand of justice. Will Lucky surface-assuming he's still alive? Will Nelson discover why Gino Bonelli was in the area, snooping around Lucky's ranch land? And will Gino's death be avenged?