The nephew of President Hayes has been murdered in Crows Creek, so he orders the governor to hire a marshal--someone with a proven track record for solving crimes. Unfortunately, what he gets is Daniel Wheetman, an Englishman with no experience of the West: he cannot ride or shoot, and his abrupt manner and lack of social skills would only mean a quick and violent death. So Murphy, a tough cowboy, is hired in turn to keep the marshal alive.