Having pursuaded his brothers to borrow heavily to buy grain at a low price and store it in Freleng's Warehouse, Crane feels resposible for the family's financial distress after the grain is seized when Freleng files bankruptcy. Crane is arrested and jailed for instigating ranchers to raid the warehouse tp take their grain back when it is seized by the authorities. At his court hearing, ordered by the judge to identify his co-conspirators in the raid, Crane refuses, taking full responsibility and maintaining that, in this case, the law perversly harmed innocent citizens.

Adam, a star of the 1972 Murphys High School basketball team, expects to have a good time reliving that championship season at his classes tenth reunion. But six head of cattle stolen from the McFadden ranch, follwed by a murder, draw Adam away from the reunion. As he, Brian and Crane arm themselves to lead the search for the rustlers, Adam can't help but wonder at the coincidence that his old friend, Mike, after years away, returns to start up a cattle ranch.

Daniel's idea is to carry on the family tradition and find enough small gold nuggets to fahion a ring for Hannah. In spite of the warnings from the owner of The Howling Man Gold Mine, Daniel and his younger brothers go into the mine to find the nuggets. When the mine collapses, Daniel is able to free himself and bears all the blame from the mine owner whose daughter is trapped with Evan, Ford, and Guthrie, and rescuers fear a total collapse at any time.