Fort Verde was a relatively peaceful place not unlike most western towns in Arizona in the late 1800s. When a settler's wife is raped, scalped and left for dead, ol' Moses, a scout at Fort Verde, endeavors to find out who did it. A series of events involving a string of dead bodies follow that confirms in Moses' mind the affinity of certain men towards evil. While ol' Moses is investigating, an army patrol is attacked. The Indian attackers led by an Apache chief, Mingus, took mostly guns and arms. In exchange, the Indians were promised more guns and ammo by a gang of outlaws hired by an Eastern company to stir up the Indians so they could make more profits supplying the army. The outlaws cheat Mingus and his followers who find out and take their deadly revenge. Bobcat Williams, a former bounty hunter and old friend of Moses who once saved his life, is brought in to help after he is attacked by four outlaws who escape from the army jail. As the two friends investigate, their interaction provides outrageous and hilarious entertainment. Ol' Moses loves to tell a yarn and he spins quite a few revealing their extensive dealings throughout the old West and their involvement with some pretty famous old characters. The two discover that the leader of the outlaws is a U.S. Marshall ol' Moses once dubbed "Butcher Styles" due to his ruthless dealings during the war. Styles finds out that ol' Moses is hot on his trail and vows to kill him on sight adding suspense and intrigue to the plot. Moses and Bobcat hatch a most ingenious plan and as it unfolds, Styles is eventually caught and killed by a member of his own gang.