Sketcher, as ramrod over the Valeron cattle, takes Reese Valeron's place on a trip to the yearly auction in Chicago with Shane and Jared Valeron. A simple sketch becomes the impetus that quickly involves Sketcher with several street urchins, a person called Mother and an unsolved murder. Meanwhile, Wyatt goes to visit a friend in the small town of Solitary. What starts out as a genial trip ends up as a battle with a rancher and his sons that leaves him fighting for his life. The call goes out to come to Wyatt's aid. Jared and Shane leave Sketcher to deal with buying and delivering the prize bulls to the Valeron ranch. Others from the Valeron ranch join the conflict, arriving in Solitary to wait for Jared. The battle with the Strang ranch could pit thirty men against Jared and his handful of men, while Sketcher is risking his life dealing with crooked cops and the leader of a Chicago gang. Covering bets on two fronts, the chances are slim everyone will get out alive!