Fresh off the stagecoach from Harvard, Sheriff John Henry Hoyle faces an uphill battle in his quest to introduce the emerging science of forensics to an unruly Kansas town. Though the citizens of Great Bend, Kansas are generally unimpressed with Sheriff Hoyle's educational pedigree, they come to appreciate his sharp mind and sharper shooting as he and his reluctant Deputy Eli hunt down robbers, murderers, and the dangerous riffraff that have plagued the town for years.