Set in the arid mountain desert and a one-street railroad town, the narrative follows an aging stranger whose arrival triggers a chain of events tied to an unsettled past. Tensions in a lively gambling hotel escalate into theft, violence, and old scores being settled as local figures, including a woman named Molly Kent and men called Madeiras and Johnny Dice, become embroiled in accusation, pursuit, and gunplay. Clues accumulate, loyalties shift, and revelations about past debts and betrayals lead to confrontations that resolve with justice exacted and debts repaid. The plot blends mystery, action, and the moral consequences of former deeds.