A gunslinger (Johnny Cash) arrives looking for a quiet town in which to hang 'em up, but Colorado Springs is itching to lynch an immigrant (Christopher Keene Kelly) for cattle rustling to feed his starving family.

Sully ends up badly beaten and partially paralyzed following a run in with buffalo hunters who were hired by the railroad to clear the buffalo and Indians out of the planned train path. As Dr. Mike, Cloud Dancing and the kids fight to help Sully regain the use of his legs, a con man who's passed himself off as an advance man for the railroad is in the process of swindling the townsfolk out of the deed to their property. Sully recovers and Dr. Mike unmasks the con man's plan thereby saving the townsfolk's property.

While Brian and Sully are out hiking, Brian climbs a tree and jumps out before Sully can stop him. Brian lands hard, hitting his head. Mike, angry with Sully for not watching Brian more carefully, is relieved to find no signs of injury.

Later, the townsfolk argue over who will build the new schoolhouse, Matthew wants Robert E included, but, in the end Jake and Loren are tapped for the job. Brian begins to exhibit symptoms of compression, which escalate to blindness and later, coma. A specialist can't be found and Mike must perform a dangerous brain operation while Jake and Grace assist.

Meanwhile, the town, including Robert E, pulls together to build the schoolhouse. Brian awakens and wanders out to the new school where Mike and the family find him, overjoyed that he can see again.

Love finds visiting faith healer Sister Ruth, in the form of Kid Cole, who's revisiting the town in order to jail a desperado he's apprehended. The desperado's two brothers have followed him to town and stalk him. Kid Cole, strangely fatalistic, seems to have lost the will to live. Things come to a head when Mike and Sister Ruth must unite their mutual strengths; medicine and faith, to save Kid Cole's life. Mike performs an emergency procedure to evacuate the tubercular Kid Cole's lungs; Sister Ruth helps him find the will to live. Sully forces Kid Cole to reveal that Kid Cole feels terribly guilty for having gunned down the desperado's brother, who was unarmed. Sully helps the Kid resolve this crisis of conscience and in a climactic showdown, the town helps the Kid avert a gun battle with the desperados. Meanwhile, the Reverend refuses to allow Robert E and Grace to marry in the town church, but eventually capitulates to their demands, with some help from Mike and Sister Ruth.

Colleen and Becky become best friends when, at Bray's store, Alice, another friend, insists on taking Colleen's favorite fabric to make a dress for the Sweethearts' dance. Dorothy fears she may be pregnant when she faints in the general store. Mike assures her she is not, but she is beginning the ""change of life"". Later, Mike is frustrated when she tries to teach Sully to dance the Sweethearts' reel. Mike confides to Dorothy her fears about a physical relationship and Dorothy guesses Mike is a virgin. Meanwhile, Becky asks her new best friend, Colleen to ask Richard, a boy she likes, if he likes Becky. He asks Colleen if ""the girl,"" (he thinks it's Colleen) will meet him at the kissing tree. Colleen misunderstands, thinks he knows it's Becky. She tells Becky where to meet him, but Becky chickens out and Colleen goes in her place, to explain. Richard, assuming Colleen is there to meet him, kisses her. Becky finds out and is heartbroken. Becky and Alice team up against Colleen and spread

Mike's Christmas Eve gets off to a bad start, triggering a personal crisis for Mike. Through no fault of her own, a patient dies of a heart-attack on the operating table as Mike performs a routine operation on Christmas Eve. The deceased man's family blames Mike. Later, at home, the Cooper kids bicker. Next, as Mike, Sully and the kids are on their way to the town's Christmas Eve party, Robert E comes to ask Mike to deliver a baby for a couple who's just come into town. The couple, married against their parents' wishes, are on the run. Robert E offers them the use of his stable for the birthing, as the couple's fathers, who're in close pursuit, will certainly find them at the clinic. Mike goes to attend the delivery, which causes her to miss the event.

Mike and Sully work to treat a typhus epidemic at Black Kettle's camp, which begins after Mike and Sully unwittingly convince Black Kettle to accept government blankets infected with the virus. Mike is heartbroken and guilt-ridden as she battles the tribe's typhus epidemic. When Matthew comes down with typhus, the town panics and locks the children in the clinic alone with Horace. Colleen treats Matthew and Horace contrives to send the kids out to the reservation to be with Mike. Meanwhile, the town prepares for the Fourth of July, ironically missing the point entirely that the first Americans, the Indians, are being systematically wiped out and further, that the newest Americans, the Immigrants, have just had their camp destroyed by the typhus-fearing townsfolk

Eight orphans arrive on the train. The Reverend takes them in at the church and Mike nurses their ailments. When no one in the town wants to adopt the orphans, the Reverend extends a proposal of marriage to Mike so that they can raise the orphans together. Mike briefly considers the offer, and Sully confronts her about it, asking her if she loves him. She accuses him of not making any kind of committment to her, whereas the Reverend has, to which he replies, ""If marriage is all you want...."" leaving his meaning clear without being spoken that he's possibly willing to offer more. Considering this, Mike turns the Reverend down, much to the relief of Sully and the Cooper kids.

Eventually, the orphans board the train and leave town, but each orphan boards the train a more complete person as a result of their interaction with the townsfolk. Dr. Mike confronts the fact that she can't save the world and she and the Cooper kids emerge as a more united family.

A troop of black cavalry soldiers ride into town intending to cover themselves in glory by eradicating hostile Dog Soldiers who've been attacking the railroad. Mike commits an act of civil disobedience by tipping off the Indians, which results in carnage on both sides and the defeat of the Buffalo soldiers. She's accused of treason, and jailed, but the arrogant black cavalry leader,

Sergeant Zachary Carver, manages to exonerate her when he's made to realize, through the combined efforts of Sully and Mike, that his beloved troops are nothing more than pawns in the U.S. Army's policy of genocide against the Indians. Returning the favor, Mike manages to medically fake the Sargeant's death, and he escapes court martial.

Meanwhile, Colleen cheats on a test and by doing so manages to win a school trip to Washington. Mike must then explain the concept of ""good lying;"" that is, civil disobedience for a principle, and ""bad lying,"" that is, Colleen's self-serving actions regarding the test. In t

Mike learns some patients are beyond help when she climbs Pike's Peak to follow a woman who's chosen to die in its rarified air rather than continue to battle leukemia; Grace deals with her jealousy of Myra's pregnancy. Colleen delivers Myra's baby in Mike's absence, ushering in a new life for the one lost. Sam Lindsay: Eve Brenner

Mike and Sully arrive too late to avert Custer's slaughter of the Indians at the Washita River; Brian befriends an Indian boy destined to die at Washita; Robert E & Grace attempt to adopt an Indian baby whose mother was killed at Washita. No Harm Comes To Him: Sean Price-McConnell.

Sully and the kids must help Mike deal with the emotional aftermath of the Washita massacre; Robert E and Grace must return to Cloud Dancing the Indian baby Mike and Sully brought back from Washita

Robert E and Grace want to adopt a young boy who is suffering from a disease Mike can't diagnose (sickle cell anemia). Meanwhile the town believes Matthew should start dating again and sets him up on a series of blind dates.

Matthew falls for an independent young woman, but the fact that she's a prostitute complicates their blooming romance. Meanwhile, Preston offers Myra a job at the bank, but Horace opposes her taking it. Emma: Charlotte Chatton.

The rescuers get ugly after Leonard offers a bounty for the mountain man, so Sully sets off alone.

Dr. Mike prepares for the birth of her baby. Mike's family arrives for the impending birth of Mike and Sully's baby, bringing along a new young doctor (Brandon Douglas) to help deliver the baby. Meanwhile, Sully is hurt while trying to rescue Cloud Dancing and others from Sgt. O'Connor (Patrick Kilpatrick) and his patrol.

Wounded Sully must deliver Mike's baby. Dr. Cook is forced to perform a major operation. Katie Sully: Alexandria, McKenzie and Megan Calabrese.

Kid Cole and Sister Ruth (Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash) visit Dr. Mike at a difficult time in their marriage.

An old friend of Sully's visits, wanting to financially help the family. Although he falls in love with Michaela.

While Sully is away for a few days to procure some money, Preston arrives threatening to repossess the homestead for nonpayment of the load. Daniel rejects Dr. Mike's objections and pays off the entire loan. Upon hearing how Daniel interfered in his business, the proud Sully becomes furious.

Cloud Dancing is badly beaten by soldiers for returning late to the reservation. Michaela treats him. When Sully learns of the attack, he is outraged. Tired of being treated cruelly, the tribes plan a rebellion. They enlist Sully's help.

After Marjorie joins the Women's movement she blows into town stirring everyone up and has a fling with Loren.

Sully arranges an escape for Cloud Dancing, leading him and the Indian to become wanted men.

Everyone is doting on Katie and Brian feels slighted. Brian receives a letter and picture from his real father, which leaves him feeling like he doesn't belong anywhere. Brian starts behaving badly. He gets Anthony to skip school with him and they hop a train. Sully punishes Brian. When Brian questions Sully's actions, Sully says that he is doing it because he is his Pa.

Sully lies to everyone about what he is doing, but the truth comes out. Cloud Dancing flees to the Tongue River Valley. Sgt McKay (David Beecroft)sees Sully at the scene. After Sgt O'Connor (Patrick Kilpatrick) finds out what happens, he goes after Sully. They get into a fight and they both go over a cliff

Sully and Michaela are on their way home for Christmas, when they stop to help a couple inexperienced in the wilderness.

Michaela is shot at the clinic by a man that has a grievance with doctors. The physical wounds heal, but the emotional ones linger.

Hank captures Cloud Dancing and gets the army to send him to a reservation far away. Jake and Teresa marry, despite her aunt's (Carmen Zapata) disapproval.

Dr. Mike's elation at Colleen's acceptance to medical school quickly turns to disappointment when Colleen chooses to marry Andrew instead. A bitter family argument erupts when Dr. Mike tells Colleen that she is less than overjoyed at her announcement and feels that the couple is rushing into marriage and should wait until Colleen completes medical school. Meanwhile, Robert E and Grace have wonderful news to share; the stock market crash hits Preston and the townsfolk hard; and Dorothy and Cloud Dancing reach a new level in their relationship. As part of the Network's 50th Anniversary celebration, classic footage of James Arness as legendary Marshal Matt Dillon of ""Gunsmoke"" is digitally integrated into this episode. When Jake breaks the news to Hank that he's accepted Preston's offer to buy his share of the Golden Nugget that would make him partners with the despised Preston,