A drifter attempts to lure Doc Adams, Festus an Matt to a ghost town by holding Kitty hostage.
Fred Garth rides into town, where he befriends Kitty Russell, then takes her hostage to seek revenge on the citizens of Dodge City for the supposedly unjust hanging of his father. He forces her to accompany him to old Dodge Town and throws her in jail. Festus follows Garth's buggy tracks and is disarmed and thrown into the cell with Kitty. Doc Adams is then inveigled to join Kitty and Festus in Dodge Town, where he is then "sentenced" to be hanged.
THIS SYNOPSIS CONTAINS SPOILERS. Just as the horse runs out from under Doc, Matt arrives to see his old friend dancing on air. Surprisingly, Garth immediately cuts the hanging rope, setting Doc free. The whole event has been a charade to give everyone a new perspective. Garth surrenders to Matt, satisfied that he has achieved his purpose.