Our story begins thousands of miles away from the western range country. A tall three masted schooner is beating her way around the Horn, San Francisco bound. Spray lashes her decks and wind whistles through the rigging. Two men have been washed overboard - lost forever. A third, Luke Ross, has been dashed from the cross stay, lifted from the deck by young Johnny Thompson, and carried to his bunk. He's done for, but he's got something he needs to tell Johnny before he dies...