In this part one of a two part story, we get the 'set-up' that hopefully will make the second part much more interesting offering. There is much in this part that seems almost bizarre but with the writers stretching for more stories we are bound to have to accept things that are often difficult to understand for viewing sake.
To quickly sum this first part involves Marshal Dillon, by himself, tracking a bandit, Ben Rodman, across the lonely desert where Rodman and his gang have a hideout. But along the way Matt runs into a boy, Willie Hubbard (Johnny Whitaker), his grandfather has been killed and Matt will take him to find his mother that lives in a nearby town.
When Matt gets to the mining town it has been hit by hard times and people are leaving. The last women, or saloon girls, have just pulled out and that is the only hope for finding the boys mother.
Matt just so happens comes up on the wagon that is lead by a tough woman named Maggie. She and her girls are on their way east and away from the closing ghost town. Matt finds out that Maggie is carrying some gold which is overheard by one of the ladies, Lucy, that just so happens to be a good friend of the bandit Rodman. So one night she pours out all their wagons's water out and heads out to find Rodman. Matt will have his hands full with a boy, some loose woman, gold and a gang of bandit set on getting to the gold.