Jonathan Banner and Pierre Falcon travel to Fort Caribou, home to Banner's friend and the current factor, Dr. Kimbrough. The camp is deserted, but they track Kimbrough and find him in negotiations with Pat Gallagher, and independent trader. The doctor announces that he wants to leave the Hudson Bay Company, and marry Gallagher's young sister, Mary. Under the pretext of joining their company, Banner investigates the situation further to find that the Gallaghers are actually lovers, and they are plotting to take Kimbrough's furs. The Gallaghers capture both men, but...