In an Old West town, young girls are dying of a mysterious wasting disease. Dr. John Carter (John Hoyt) and his daughter Dolores (Kathleen Crowley) have been tending to patients for hours, but just lost another. After Preacher Dan Young's (Eric Fleming) nightlong vigil, Cora (Nancy Kilgas) looks like she will survive. During breakfast with Cora's parents (Alan Reynolds, Amzie Strickland), they hear Cora scream. Cora is found dead on her bed, her window open. As he kneels to pray, Dan notices two small, bloody holes in Cora's throat.