Young Buell Mace, on the run again, leaves Fort Laramie and the only person he ever trusted. He crosses paths with grizzled prospector Arley Hill, who's on his way to the gold fields of Idaho Territory, and joins him. Arriving in Idaho City, they hire out their skills: Buell, and his Remington .44, protecting and defending former whore Emma Traen and her interests, and Arley working Emma's gold claim. But where gold is involved, greed and violence will often follow, and in order to survive, Buell must face his own demons and learn who he really is.