News of the brutal slaying of a well-respected Montana citizen has come to the ears of the territorial governor. Moved by a pleading letter from his grieving widow, he appoints a lawman to investigate the crime and bring the guilty to justice.

US Marshal Cadan Penhaven from Fort Benton is dispatched to pursue the killers, thought to be operating somewhere in Montana’s Judith Mountains. As the investigation moves forward, the marshal’s stern, professional relationship with the young widow unexpectedly ripens into secret love. When his mission is over, will he reveal his heart or keep his silence and return home to Fort Benton for good?