- Arriving at an army fort shortly after an Indian massacre, Bret and two soldiers must find a way to survive the gathering Indian war party until reinforcements arrive. Bret's plan involves turning the Indians' superstitions against them.
- The Sioux resent a recent gold rush and killed miners, and the Army sent soldiers into the area to build forts. Bret stops at Fort Burnside under escort from Sergeant Baines and Corporal Daggott. Baines figures that they'll hang Bret at Fort McKittridge. The gambler assures Daggott that it's just a case of mistaken identity, and insists that it was someone looking just like him who was involved with the captain's wife. As they ride out, Blaine says that most of the soldiers are out at a war parley with the Indians.
As the soldiers open the gate so Bret, Blaine, and Daggott can ride out, Running Horse signals to his men. They attack and soon scale the fort's walls, killing the soldiers in the undermanned fort. Once the Indians triumphs, Running Horse calls on the various tribes to combine in one mass effort to push the Army out of the area. Running Horse calls on the other chiefs to join him, and takes them to the fort to see that he fights. Once they arrive, Running Horse takes them inside and they see the soldiers that Running Horse's men killed. He says that if the other chiefs join with him, they can number over a thousand and drive the soldiers away. Running Horse has one of his men tear down the American flag on its pole so they can drag it away, and a dead soldier's rifle goes off, killing the man. A bugle sounds and the fort doors slow close on their own. The fearful Indians quickly ride out.
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Earlier, Bret, Daggott, and Baines stop at Fort Burnside to get fresh horses and then ride on. After they ride off, the Indians attack Burnside, and Blaine goes back with Bret and Daggott. Once the soldiers are dead and the Indians ride off, Blaine tells Bret that it could be the beginning for Running Horse. Daggott spots a war party riding past. Blaine wants to sneak into the fort to look for survivors, but Bret says that there aren't any. The sergeant sends Daggott off and then tells Bret that he needs Bret on his side. Bret tells Blaine that he's just a civilian, and Blaine takes Bret's word that he'll go to McKittridge on his own. However, he says that in the fort, they'll be able to see the Indians coming. Blaine tells Bret to tell the general at McKittridge what he saw happen, wishes Bret luck, and rides to Burnside with Daggott.
Bret rides after the two soldiers and soon catches up to them. The gambler says that he put off facing the board of inquiry, and the three men sneak into Burnside. They enter an office and a jumpy Daggott shoots at a camp. Bret goes out to see if the Indians heard the gunshot, and Baines assures Daggott that he won't put the incident on Daggott's report.
When he goes up to the top of the wall, Bret looks out but there are no signs of Indians. As he stands guard, Daggott brings mattresses to the office so they can sleep the night. Bret returns, and he and Blaine figure that Running Horse will come back with chiefs. When Bret tries to leave, Blaine takes his rifle and says that he's declaring martial law. Daggott stations himself in the blockhouse, and Bret asks if Blaine means to sell their lives to kill Running Horse. Blaine insists that it's his job to prevent Running Horse from starting a war, and Bret notes that all they have to do is keep the Indians away until the regiment returns.
Running Horse rides back with the chiefs and Daggott spots them. He warns Bret and Blaine, and Bret tells him to remain calm and do exactly what he says. Once Daggott agrees, the three men go out and Bret tells Daggott to close the gate via a wheel when he hears a shot. Bret then poses as a corpse, arrows "stuck" in him.
The chiefs ride in and Bret shoots the Indian taking down the flag. Blaine sounds the bugle, and Daggott starts closing the gate. The chiefs ride out, and Bret tells Daggott that the bugle was sounded by a ghost. The men go up on the wall and see the Indians riding off. Running Horse stops for a moment, and Bret tells the soldiers that he's already thought of something if the Indians come back.
At the camp, Running Horse says that they ran like children. He insists that living men set the whole thing up, and says that he's going back to Burnside in the morning. The other chiefs want to leave, but Running Horse tells them that he called the council for three days and two days remain
The chiefs agree to stay the full three days, and the next morning they ride back and see two skeletal-faced soldiers with whitewash patrolling the wall next to the gate. It's Bret and Daggott, and Blaine sounds the bugle and raises the flag. The Indians go back to their camp, and one chief tells Running Horse that the council is over beca7use there is no one there to listen. Running Horse insists that he has one day left, saying that he felt the soldiers die and he doesn't fear them. The chief agrees to stay the last day, but warns that they will leave the land to the soldiers who will not die
Running Horse goes to Burnside on foot and sneaks in. Daggott comes out and Running Horse clubs him unconscious. He takes him to the camp and shows him to the chiefs, noting that a true spirit wouldn't bleed. Running Horse then cuts Daggott's chest.
Blaine tells Bret that Daggott is gone and left his rifle, and figures that an Indian caught him and will soon come back.
The next morning, the chiefs agree to ride with Running Horse, convinced that Daggott is no ghost. Running Horse says that they'll take Daggott with him so he dies in the fort with the others.
As they wait, Blaine talks about how he came from the Jersey waterfront. Bret suggests that they head out before the Indians get there, but Blaine points out approaching horses. It's the cavalry regiment, but Bret notes that not all of them are there. Blaine opens the gate and the cavalry rides in. Lt. Jennings is in charge and asks who is in charge. The sergeant tells him what happened, and Jennings says that the rest of the regiment won't be there for at least two days. He assembles his men and tells them that they must hold Burnside at all costs and set an example of the Sioux.
Jennings sets up temporary quarters, and Bret tells Blaine that they should try to convince Jennings one more time. They go into Jennings' quarters and Bret tells him that the odds are a thousand to one of them staying alive. Bret suggests that they make a strategic withdrawal, but Jennings figures that they stand a better chance in the fort than in the open. When Bret asks for horses for him and Blaine so Blaine can accompany him to McKittridge, Blaine says that he's staying.
An officer comes in and says that there are hundreds of Indians outside the walls, sitting and waiting. Running Horse takes Daggott down, and Bret suggests that they scare the Indians again. Jennings warns that whitewash won't work again, and Running Horse jams a spear into Daggott's back and says that the same will happen to all enemies of the Sioux. The bugle sounds Taps, and the gate opens so that Daggott's horse can trot in. A minute later, "Daggott" and his horse come back out. It's Bret posing as Daggott, and Bret walks the horse back and forth in front of the gate.
Running Horse yells at the Indians to attack, but the frightened chiefs refuse. Bret pulls the spear out of his "back" and throws it at the Indians, and Running Horse rides down on him. When Bret drops to the ground to avoid Running Horse's strike, Running Horse realizes that it's another trick. He tries to ride down Bret, who grabs the thrown spear and kills Running Horse with it. Running Horse's horse takes him back to the chiefs and the chief's corpse falls on the ground. The chiefs ride off and Bret goes into the fort.
Bret faints and the soldiers pour water in his face. Blaine tells Bret what happened, and Jennings thanks Bret for saving the area from a war. He gives Bret and Blaine horses at Blaine's request, and Blaine jokingly says that Bret might just get away from him while they go to McKittridge.
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