The Man from Colorado

Colonel Owen Devereaux commands his regiment to open fire on a Confederate detachment that signals surrender with a white flag. He is the only one who believes he saw the flag, and his command ignores the surrender gesture. The battle ends with the soldiers learning the war is over, and the troops begin to celebrate.

As the victory celebration unfolds, Sergeant Jericho Howard drinks on duty and is arrested by Devereaux. The act reveals Devereaux's rigid discipline and willingness to clamp down on perceived disrespect. The incident sets the stage for later tensions between the two men.

The mayor announces Devereaux's appointment as federal judge for the region, signaling a shift in power. He then proposes to Caroline Emmett, who accepts the marriage, binding two lives to the evolving moral climate of the town. The news foreshadows how Devereaux's authority will shape the community.

A veteran from the defeated Confederate detachment confronts Devereaux, challenging the white flag accusation. Devereaux disarms him and shoots him several times, despite his subdued state. Del Stewart witnesses the act and begins to fear that the judge is losing touch with reality.

Del Stewart concludes that Devereaux must have seen the white flag and that the war has unhinged him. Despite this, Del agrees to serve as Devereaux's marshal, setting up the uneasy partnership at the heart of the story. The dynamic foreshadows the looming moral crisis.

Devereaux hears a case where soldiers claim ownership of mines they left behind when they went to war. Ed Carter argues that law is on his side, and Devereaux upholds Carter's claim. The ruling appears to favor business interests over those who fought, marking the beginning of the miners' grievances.

Under Jericho Howard’s leadership, ex-soldiers and miners carry out a series of robberies to cripple Carter's mining venture. Devereaux warns that he may hang Jericho's younger brother Johnny based on circumstantial evidence. The threat escalates tensions between the faction and the judge.

Del persuades Jericho to turn himself in, hoping to prevent further bloodshed. Jericho agrees to come in, but tensions remain high as the situation grows more unstable. This moment shifts the balance of power as negotiations falter.

Despite Del's attempts to avert it, Devereaux hangs Johnny, Jericho's younger brother, on circumstantial evidence. The act drives Del to resign as marshal in disgust and he chooses to join Jericho's gang. The town's faith in Devereaux's judgment further erodes.

Devereaux's unstable judgment finally prompts the people to alert Colorado's territorial governor. The governor's involvement signals a turning point as concerns about the judge's fitness intensify. The community begins to see a looming confrontation as inevitable.

In a climactic confrontation, Devereaux and Jericho face off one last time. A wall collapses from a burning building, killing both men in the ensuing chaos. Del is left to pick up the pieces and continue the fight for justice.

In the final scene, Del boards a stage bound for Washington, D.C., determined to plead on behalf of the dispossessed miners. He carries their cause into the political arena, seeking federal relief and accountability. The tale closes with his resolve to pursue justice beyond the frontier town.