Joseph Carver is a drifter from the mining fields.  Even though he may not have struck it rich, he's comfortable enough to allow himself the time to wander the open roads .... and gather quite the collection of acquaintances that are no good.

In this story, they are minor players as far as screen time is concerned, but it's these four men that change the course of life for so many people, all from their actions of October 1878.