A frontier Reconnaissance, Jess Remsberg (James Garner), is searching for the murderer of his Comanche wife. All he knows is that it was done by a white man. While crossing the desert he rescues Ellen Grange (Bibi Andersson) from a pursuing band of Apaches, and returns her to her businessman husband, Willard Grange (Dennis Weaver). The couple has lived apart for most of the previous two years, since Ellen Grange was kidnapping by Apaches. She had been rescued, but then voluntarily returned to the Apaches to live with the son of the chief.