The weather in Dodge City is miserably hot. Matt Dillon prevents an area rancher named Rance Bradley and his men from hanging a gunfighter named Cope Borden they think is a horse thief. The horse Borden was riding had a brand that matches the brand Bradley uses.
The Marshal verifies Borden's horse was rightfully purchased and belongs to Borden. Borden is a bit of a trouble magnet, and Matt wants him to leave Dodge. Much to Dillon's disappointment, Borden chooses to hang around for a while.
Later, Borden is involved in a card game in the Long Branch Saloon. The dealer is cheating, and Borden catches him in the act. The dealer draws his gun, but Borden is much quicker on the draw and kills the man. Although the fight was fair, the dealer was Jason Bradley, Rance's nephew who had just arrived from St. Louis. Now Rance is determined to avenge his nephew's death.
Rance resents Marshall Dillon offering protection to Borden. He organizes a group of vigilantes to forcibly remove Borden from Matt's custody.
One of the greatest character actors of all time, John Dehner, makes the first of twelve series appearances in this episode. He plays the Cope Borden character. The character is aloof and carefree on the surface with a sinister undertone.
Actor James Westerfield is another familiar actor that appeared in many television dramas and comedies, as well as films. He plays the Rance Bradley character here.
Marvin Bryan makes his only Gunsmoke appearance in this episode as the card dealer Jason Bradley. Bryan's acting career was short-lived. He quit acting to concentrate on writing, production, and directing. Later in his career he authored several books.
This story is certainly not the last time Matt Dillon and the Marshal's office would have to face vigilantes wanting to kill a prisoner, but this is one of the oddest. The viewer is asked to believe Bradley and those sympathetic to his cause are consumed with bloodlust for Borden's life, but it is all because they have somehow been driven to violence by the heat.
There is not much substance to this story. James Arness's performance is overwrought and awkward, as was sometimes the case with the early episodes. Neither writer E. Jack Neuman's story nor Charles Marquis Warren's direction manage to build much tension. In the end, the story just kind of fizzles into nothing.