""What happened at 'Bitter Creek'?"" That's what Ned Travis - a newspaper reporter from the New York Herald wants to know. His editor sent him west to do a story on Jason McCord. He searches out the widow of Lt. John Pritchett who was third in command and served under McCord. While questioning John's widow the reporter finds out that she has some letters which her husband had sent her and how he talks of General Reed and that he feels there was something wrong with him and how McCord always covers up for the General. Jas tells the reporter ""What happened at 'Bitter Creek' is between him and his conscience."" Jas talks to Mrs. Pritchett and tells her that the letters could destroy the peace with the Indian Nations and convinces her to destroy the letters. So Jason roams the west still ""branded"" a coward.