When a posse nearly captures the James Gang, Jeston Nash and his partner Quiet Jack Smith head Northwest with the gang's stolen bank money to hide out in a remote mountain lodge. Also on the train is Detective Brerton Beam, posed as a whiskey salesman to gain their trust. The mountain and lodge is owned by Ben Larr, a retired army colonel who is obsessed with destroying a bear who killed his men and ate his leg years ago. Larr wants Jeston and Jack to help him go after the bear so he can put his obsession to rest.
As has become Ralph Cotton's trademark, nothing is as it seems, and before long Jeston and Quiet Jack are caught up in confrontation with Beam and his detectives, the rogue bear, two bear killing dogs, Ben and Laura Larr, all of whom have become as ruthless as the bear in pursuit of their own cravings.
