An old prospector stumbles into a saloon saying he has been robbed and murdered. He is suffering from a shot that creased his head and mumbling that he had $50,000 in gold stolen from him. Earp is not sure if he was robbed or who did it.
Wyatt arrests and jails the McLowery brothers for mail robbery. Soon afterwards, however, he is enraged to learn that, because the McLowerys work for Old Man Clanton, they've been released by Sheriff Behan, who's on Clanton's payroll.
Earp meets the wife of a man who was convicted of theft and sentenced to Yuma prison where escaped prisoners are tracked and killed by Apaches for the reward. The woman claims that her husband is innocent and was framed by Sheriff Behan.
Earp saves Old Man Clanton during a robbery attempt. In Tucson the Ten Percent Ring forces Dameron to print false stories about Earp in the Nugget. Earp refuses to fight Dameron but when he does, it looks like an even bigger mistake.
Doc Holliday hits a long winning streak at the card tables and winds up with stock in a mine and railroad, both of which soon have a tremendous jump in value. Wyatt pushes Doc to invest the winnings wisely but did he pick the help wisely?
Wyatt finds himself in the awkward position of having to come to the aid of crooked Sheriff Behan when, after spending an evening imbibing with a visiting actress, Behan reveals a bit too much about the Clanton operation to her.
Earp prepares for trouble when a group known as the Harlequins are expected to return to town. Although they disguise themselves as clowns, they have a deadly serious purpose--they robbed the Bank of Tombstone and want their comrade back.
Doc Holliday takes a turn for the worse causing Dr. Goodfellow to recommend that Doc cut back on drinking. Knowing Doc won't to it, Earp distributes Doc's favorite whiskey that has been cut 50% but it has unintended consequences.
The Clanton gang is selling liquor to the Apaches with Ike and Phin hoping their contact will tell the location of hidden gold rumored to be in a cave but it is causing unrest in the tribe. When Phin is captured, Earp must help free him.
A lie told by a young boy about Shotgun's mule Roscoe kicking him causes a newspaper war between the Nugget and the Epitaph which escalates. Shotgun takes things too far when the Nugget pushes to have Roscoe destroyed for being dangerous.
When she returns home from New Orleans to visit, Old Man Clanton for political reasons tries to persuade his daughter Emma to pursue Wyatt Earp, even though she's actually in love with Tom Ware, a young attorney from New Orleans.
Chief Natchez fears being blamed for an attack on a wagon train, which was actually carried out by outlaws. In order to explain to Earp that his tribe is innocent, Natchez decides to kidnap Shotgun Gibbs to get Earp's attention.
A young man just released from prison is determined to go straight. However, his efforts are being sabotaged by his girlfriend's brother, a no-account gambler who has massive gambling debts to a man who wants to collect.
Johnny Ringo and Curly Bill Brocius, outraged over crooked Sheriff Behan taxing the money they make on some of their illegal activities, enlist Doc Holliday to frame the Sheriff --- but Earp is suspicious the case seems a little too pat.
A tavern keeper finds himself losing business to another bar owner whose niece recites poetry to customers. He has the backing of the Ten Percent Ring and other saloon owners. He wants the not only the saloon but the niece for a year.
On the road to Tucson Earp finds a baby near a family killed by the Apaches. The Sheriff of Pima County refuses to take the baby so Earp is left to find someone to adopt it. He finds an unlikely couple but they are not married.
Tom McLowery's wife doesn't like ranch life so the couple decides to move to Tombstone against the wishes of Frank. Old Man Clanton decides to let them take over the OK Corral causing rancor with Curly Brocius and putting Earp on alert.
Wyatt's deputy, Shotgun Gibbs, runs off a saddle bum who was hassling a pretty young widow who had hired him to help her go to Colorado. Her two kids immediately take a liking to Gibbs while Wyatt and Doc wonder if Gibbs needs a change.
Earp needs new deputies so Doc Holliday recommends his former brother-in-law for the job even though his sister-in-law hates Doc. She doesn't think her hot-tempered husband is a good fit but when he mentions framing Doc she agrees.
Wyatt tries to put a stop to ongoing border skirmishes between the Clanton gang and Mexican bandits. He's worried that if Old Man Clanton is killed, a bloody fight for power will erupt among his sons and subordinates.
After the death of Old Man Clanton, Doc Holliday hatches a not-quite-legal scheme involving Wyatt's brothers to help him in his desire to create an internal fight among the Clantons gang members over who takes control of the gang.
A stagecoach holdup orchestrated by Johnny Ringo and Curly Bill Brocius gives Wyatt Earp the opportunity he's been waiting for--a chance to get the rival factions in the Clanton gang to turn on each other instead of the law.
Earp recalls in court the details of the day when the Clanton gang rides into Tombstone to shoot it out with the Earps and his plans initially to head off a street battle by arresting each one of the gang separately and then the gunfight.
After the shootout editor Dameron and Sheriff Behan want the Earps and Doc hung or shot. Behan plans to charge them with murder while Curly Brocius and Johnny Ringo plan a quicker revenge by killing them during the outlaws's funeral.