A year before, Lucas McCain was part of a posse that chased and captured Ephrem Burton, a young troublemaker who killed two churchmen on a Sunday while drunk. Ephrem was convicted and hanged for his crimes. Now his father Zephaniah Burton, himself a former judge, is seeking vengeance against those he feels killed his son. His first victim is the hangman while the second is the judge who presided at Ephrem's trial. Lucas is next on his list but having taken him prisoner, Burton tells Lucas he's not going to die but will watch his own son Mark hang.
—garykmcd