Soldiers Barton and Mills are searching for hydrophobic animals. Mills reminds Barton he owes him money and Barton murders him, hiding his body on the desert. Sam witnesses it and knows the burial spot so when a white wolf bites Johnny Dow Barton helps to pin the blame on Sam, hoping he will be destroyed as rabid. Hondo saw the white wolf but no one else did. Barton and other town folks lead by Liebel don't believe Hondo, who strikes a bargain with Dr. Paul and Captain Richards giving him 20 hours to find the white wolf before Sam's brain is examined to see if he is rabid. Sam escapes the building he is being kept in and Barton sets out to make sure he is killed. This leads to a confrontation with Hondo, Sam and the white wolf.
