- Tate helps ramrod a small ranch when the owner leaves to buy new breeding stock. However, the owner's plan to fence his pasture is met with strong resistance by a neighbor stopping Tate plus a surprise arrivals adds to the problems.
- Joe Benson owns a small ranch he works with his teenage son Will and daughter Amada. They are all at a square dance in Medicine Bow along with The Virginian and Tate. While there, Benson's neighbor Sam Donner and his son Mal come to town. They find a wagon load of barbed wire with Benson's name on it. Donner confronts Benson at the dance as he is for free range only. The Virginian breaks up the quarrel but later Mal draws Will outside and severely beats him. Benson is leaving on a trip to buy new breeding stock but now Will is unable to handle the ranch due to the injuries. The Virginian worried about Donner suggests Tate handle the ramrod duties as he has a few days coming. The mildly irritated Tate is hired by his friend Joe Benson to work on his ranch and watch over his teenage son and daughter while he's away on business. This puts Tate squarely in the middle of the dispute with Donner over a fence Benson wants him to build, as well as with a woman who arrives claiming to be Benson's fiancée, the children's rebelliousness, and a hired gun who comes to town with a wanted poster on Tate.—rbecker28
- Sibling rivalry is brought to the fore when Amanda and Will Benson exchange words whilst dancing. The dancing and partying at the local hall is interrupted by Sam Donner who insists that the use of barbed wire is against local unwritten policy of letting steers free range.
When Will Benson goes outside he is set upon by Sam Donner's son and Will is injured however he refuses to give up the attacker to the law.
The Virginian offers the services of Tate to help out with fencing on the Benson ranch, while the owner goes off for a few days, and whilst her father is away 16 year old Amanda gets interested in Tate.
The argument over the fence continues with a visitor witness to the event and who stops the fight with a gunshot from a dropped revolver
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