- Long Branch hostess Belle Archer sees Jerry Shand shoot a former Quantrill Raider dead in self defense, but refuses to say so, and now he faces a murder trial.
- Jerry Shand finds himself facing a hangman's noose after killing jovial hardware drummer Andy Culley, but Matt learns that Culley was a former Quantrill raider and senses that reticent Long Branch hostess Belle Archer is the key to proving Jerry's claim of self-defense.—Sam Spear
- "Reunion '78" starts with Jerry, a cowboy, waiting to buy a drink while a well to do man, Andy, talks to the bar tender about being a successful merchant. The men begin to bicker as they drink, which catches the attention of Matt while he sits with Doc and Kitty.
The fight turns physical with Jerry besting Andy easily. The Marshal comes and breaks up the fight and takes Jerry to jail. He asks Jerry why he was picking a fight with a store owner like Andy. Jerry only offers up that it's personal. Matt sets Jerry's bail at $25. Andy enters the jail stating that the fight was his fault and that he doesn't want to press charges for assault. He ends up paying Jerry's bail and he is released.
Next, we see Jerry on his horse and appears to be heading out of town. He is stopped by Andy on foot and Jerry dismounts and the men begin to argue again. Andy offers to pay $600 if Jerry will just let their past issue go. Jerry refuses the money for his silence. Andy draws on Jerry, but Jerry is faster and kills Andy. The town's s people prevent Jerry from leaving the scene and Matt comes to investigate. The towns folks want to string up Andy, but Matt says he gets a trial.
Back at the jail, Jerry tells Matt that Andy had a gun and that somebody must have picked it up. Jerry comes clean about the history between him and Andy. He explains how Andy is a Quantrill Raider, mentioning his tattoo. He continues that The Quantrill killed his father in front of him and took his girl.
Matt looks in the street for the gun. He notices Belle a hostess at the bar who went home early in a window above the street. He goes up and tries to get her to tell him what she saw, but she won't talk.
The next scene is at the coroner's inquiry with Doc, Matt, Jerry and the township. Jerry explains how The shooting was self defense and as part of the Quantrill raiders Andy killed his father and took his woman a decade ago. Belle comes into the inquiry and testifies that she saw the shooting and that the shooting went down as Andy said.
Jerry is set free and in the closing scene we see Jerry leaving town and Belle is looking out the window at him. Jerry calls up to her using her name back when she was his girl a decade ago before the raid. She tell's him that girl is dead. Jerry continues to ride out of town.
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