After the Civil War, Clay Allison and his brother, John, leave their ravaged Tennessee home to start a new life in Cimarron, a little town in wild untamed New Mexico Territory. Not only must they deal with iron-fisted wealthy landowner Lucien Maxwell and the notorious Santa Fe Ring, but Clay Allison"s life is threatened by revenge-seeking Chunk and Steve Colbert, two psychopathic outlaws. With Clay Allison"s unorthodox methods of defending himself while trying to bring fairness to others, he acquires the reputation of a cold-hearted gunfighter who will kill anyone who rubs him the wrong way. This intriguing story is based on fact and includes all the people who lived at the time-including beautiful Dora McCullough who, with her love, tries to save Clay Allison from going to hell.