Wes Tancred, hiding out under the name of John Bailey after his killing of Sam Older, whose legend is sweeter in song than in truth, takes care of three hard-cases at a Kansas stage station. He proceeds to Sage City where his hand is forced in the stacked battle between the venal cattle interests of Fugger and Hong Kong Smith and the little settlers and, in spite of imported killers and mass attack, he rubs out the Bad Men -- and his own past shame. Old days but no old men.