Cheyenne rides into Stagge City (pop. 407) and is promptly arrested on a trumped-up charge of vagrancy. He's given a 90-day sentence which must be served by performing hard labor at the Stagge Silver Mine. From the other convict-workers at this mine, Cheyenne learns that even when his sentence has been served, excuses will be made to extend it indefinitely. Cheyenne also learns that Mr. Stagge, rendered mute by a stroke, has had his mine effectively stolen from him by a conniving woman named Iris Danner who was originally hired to teach Stagge's daughter, Virginia. Iris runs the mine with the support of gunslinger, Les Shore. By playing off Iris and Shore against each other, Cheyenne eventually frees himself and his fellow prisoners while returning control of the mine to Stagge and his daughter.

Disgusted by corruption, Cheyenne resigns as marshal and is promptly jailed---but his successor can't keep the peace alone.