Sam Willock (Harry Guardino), a legendary breaker of horses, goes to Shiloh with a promise to two companions, Mace (Kelly Thordsen) and Albie (Don Dubbins), that they will meet in three days time. It is clear they are planning some crime together and Sam promised his companions he will not back out. At Shiloh, Judge Garth is leaving for Denver and he tells Jennifer to take good care of a young hand who has been injured trying to break horses and specifically tells her to warn anyone against trying to tame a wild black stallion. The Virginian hires on Sam to break horses based on his reputation and appoints novice Randy Benton as his helper as Sam does not want anyone with preconceived notions about ""horse fighting"" interfering with his methods. Sam's abrupt manner puts him at odds with most of the hands, especially Trampas, but he begins to like the guileless Randy who, like Sam himself, has long dreamed of having his own horse ranch. Sam meets Mac and Albie in town and it is revealed