Tully Saxon and Deal Jackford ride up to the Buckhorn and go inside. As he gets a drink, Tully sees Tenner's office, smiles, and glances over at Deal. Tully then knocks on Tenner's door. When Tenner comes out, he recognizes Tully. Tully tells him that it's been a long time, and he's going to make sure that Tenner dies for what happened between them and he's riding out of town scot-free. When Tully goes back to the bar, he tells Deal that Tenner is the one and they leave.
Tenner goes outside after them and tells Tully to keep moving and let bygones be bygones. Tully just says that he has until sundown. As Tenner goes back inside, Deal tosses a cigarette at him. Tenner grabs him but Deal draws a gun on and invites him to take a swing. The owner lets Deal go and goes inside. Hoby comes up and asks if they're having trouble with Tenner. Tully insists that they're fine, and Hoby says that they don’t want trouble. The older man says that he doesn't carry guns, and Deal is a quiet lad. He says that they're there to get their horses shod and they'll leave at sundown. Hoby advises them to leave before then and Tully seemingly agrees.
Once the two men ride off, Hoby goes into the Buckhorn. He asks Tenner what's going on, and Tenner says that he hasn't met Deal until that day. He refuses to go into detail, and Hoby tells him not to get anyone else in town mixed up in his problems. Hoby goes over to the Enterprise and asks Henrietta if she's ever heard of Tully. She remembers that eight years ago he was sent to Yuma prison for eight years for killing a man in a poker game.
Tully and Deal walk down the street and Hoby spots them as they enter the Buckhorn. He asks Henrietta if Tenner had any connection with them, and she finally says that the shootout helped at Tenner's place. He proved that Tully marked the cards, and it was his testimony that got Tully convicted and sent to Yuma Prison. Hoby goes to see Tenner in his office and says that he knows about Tenner's trouble with Tully. He tells Tenner to stay in his office until Tully and Deal leave town, and Tenner insists that he can take care of himself. Tenner figures that if there's going to be a showdown, it'll be at the Buckhorn, and Hoby can't protect him forever.
Tenner goes out to the bar and Tully invites him to play at their table. Tully has sent Joe to get a watermelon for him, and he tells Deal to have Tenner got him some slices. Tenner tells Joe to do it, and Tenner serves it to Tully. Tully invites Tenner to join him, and Tenner refuses and walks away. The older man tells Tenner that he wouldn't like it at Yuma Prison, Tully describes what he went through at Yuma, and promises that Tenner won't see sundown.
Hoby figures that if he gets the two men's horses shod and delivered, he can get them out of town. He talks to the blacksmith, Will, who says that he'll deliver them as soon as he's done. Hoby has Ralph sweep the boardwalk by the Buckhorn, and Henrietta calls Hoby over. As Will delivers the horses, Henrietta warns the Ranger that everyone in town knows about Tully and Deal. Deal comes out and Henrietta warns that there'll be trouble. Meanwhile, Deal says that the shodding wasn't done right. Hoby goes over and tells Will to do it right and make Deal happy, As Will takes the horse back to the blacksmith, Hoby tells Deal that Tully will get him in jail. Deal snaps at him that they'll go when the horse is fixed and goes back into the Buckhorn.
Inside, Deal tells Tully that the horses aren't ready. Deal says that he wants his money, and Tully tells him that he'll get it once he earns it. Tully then sits back down and drops the watermelon slices at Tenner's feet. As he and Deal laugh, Hoby hears the noise and comes in. Tully claims that it was an accident, and Tenner orders all of the poker players out. Hoby tells Tully and Deal to wait outside, but Tenner tells the Ranger to let him handle it. Tully agrees to leave for Hoby and leads Deal out. As he goes, Tully says that Tenner has gotten soft. When he says that Tenner lets Joe do his gambling for him, Tenner tells Tully to sit down and play.
The game begins and the townspeople watch from the door while Hoby stands at the bar. An hour passes and Tully calls and raises. Tenner finally matches him and raises $500, and Tully calls. They take more cards and Tully as the dealer takes one. Tenner sees him double-dealing, and tells Tully not to pull a cheap trick. He and Deal both get to their feet. When Tully points out that he doesn't have a gun, Tenner punches Deal. Tenner goes for his gun and Tenner manages to mortally wound him, but not before he wings Tenner. Hoby kicks the gun out of Tenner's hand as he tries to get off a shot, and Hoby arrests Tenner and Tully. As Tully protests his innocence, a dying Deal tells Tully that he lied to him, claiming Tenner was slow. He says that if he had known he wouldn't have taken the job and dies him.
As Ralph takes Tully to jail, Hoby tells Tenner that at least one of them kept their word and he was out of town by sunset. With that, he takes Tenner to the doctor's office to get patched up.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 30, 2017