Jack Massey, who bears a strong resemblance to Matt, is shot in the back while standing in the Marshal's office. Matt subsequently learns that gambler Ed Eby has recently come to Dodge and that Eby claims to have overheard an unnamed man threaten to shoot the Marshal "any way he could". Matt is dubious of Eby's veracity inasmuch as the gambler bears a long-standing grudge against him. However, Matt is tense over the possibility that he could be murdered from ambush, especially after inebriated Nat Swan tries to do so in order to make a name for himself. When the tension causes Matt to become involved in an armed conflict that results in the death of an innocent man, he decides to confront Eby about his intentions as well as the accuracy of his story.
—Sam Spear