Though the town needs a doctor, Claire finds the sign he's posted outside his surgery most disturbing. The doctor plans on treating anyone, including outlaws, and the border's not far away. She fears more riffraff will darken her family's general store and cause grief for the townsfolk. Preoccupied by her thoughts, she misses the rattlesnake that causes her horse to rear. Responding to gunshots, Doctor Healdeman attends to his reluctant patient. After, Healer extracts her commitment to secrecy when his special gift is revealed during treatment. Thus begins their relationship, full of tension and strange twists, unlocking an unbelievable future.