As Dr. Quinn is trying to persuade the townspeople that smallpox vaccinations are necessary, the father of Brain, Colleen, and Matthew arrives.

When Mike and Sully stop to check on old Mrs. Johnson, they discover her dead and a young boy, Zack, hidden in the closet. Mike takes the child in and confronts the townsfolk, who reluctantly admit to knowing the boy's mother was one of Hank's whores. When she died they sent Zack to Mrs. Johnson because he was ""simple."" Mike is frustrated in her attempts to find a medical diagnosis and cure for Zack's condition. Mike's further detective work reveals that Hank is Zack's father, and she helps Hank own up to his responsibility.

Meanwhile, Brian seems to be the only one to get the boy to exhibit his artistic abilities, and he is mistakenly given credit for a drawing that Zack has done. Later, when Zack's artistic talent is discovered, Hank agrees to send him to an art school in Denver. The show has a cute opening scene of Mike and Sully with him criticizing her driving.

Eight orphans arrive on the train. The Reverend takes them in at the church and Mike nurses their ailments. When no one in the town wants to adopt the orphans, the Reverend extends a proposal of marriage to Mike so that they can raise the orphans together. Mike briefly considers the offer, and Sully confronts her about it, asking her if she loves him. She accuses him of not making any kind of committment to her, whereas the Reverend has, to which he replies, ""If marriage is all you want...."" leaving his meaning clear without being spoken that he's possibly willing to offer more. Considering this, Mike turns the Reverend down, much to the relief of Sully and the Cooper kids.

Eventually, the orphans board the train and leave town, but each orphan boards the train a more complete person as a result of their interaction with the townsfolk. Dr. Mike confronts the fact that she can't save the world and she and the Cooper kids emerge as a more united family.

When Julius Hoffman rides into town and engages Matthew in a poker game, Matthew thinks he's found a great way to earn money to finish he and Ingrid's homestead, although Mike and Sully disapprove. At first, Matthew wins steadily, though he and Ingrid get into a terrible fight when, after missing an elaborate dinner she cooked for him (he was in a game), he confesses he used her hard-earned laundry money, which she gave him for building supplies, as a stake.

Though Ingrid and Mike disapprove heartily, Matthew continues playing the game, even after he gets beaten up and robbed of his earnings. Eventually, townsfolk become so confident in Matthew's abilities that everyone but Mike, Sully and the Reverend back Matthew in the big poker game. The Reverend pulls Mike aside and confesses that he was once a gambler, knew Julius, and suspects that the town's been set up.

As Matthew makes his way to the big game, Ingrid breaks up with him over his poker playing. In the process, she returns the e

Mike and Sully get caught in the crossfire when, while visiting the Indian reservation, they see renegade Dog Soldiers shoot some Cavalry men. Mike is kidnapped in retaliation when the Indians discover she told Custer what happened; Sully vows to find her. Meanwhile, Brian falls in love with a horse Hank wins in a poker game.

Sully sets out to rescue Mike. Meanwhile, Custer takes the Indian reservation hostage, threatening to hang everyone unless Mike is returned. Brian works off the cost of the little horse; but Hank reneges on the deal, inciting Loren's wrath. Mike and Sully return to town just in time to keep the Indians from getting hanged. Hank, not anxious to pay double for all his goods at the General Store, delivers Taffy to Brian on his birthday, declaring that, ""Sometimes it's just good business for a man to keep his word.""

Sully argues with Mike that they should move if the railroad comes. Meanwhile, Matthew feels left-out of Sully's new homestead plans.

Mike helps John, a man Brian finds in the woods, deal with outer and inner scars when she operates on his maimed face and helps him deal with his guilt about the train wreck that caused his disfigurement - as conductor of the train, he feels somehow responsible for the accidental crash. Meanwhile, the townsfolk are up in arms when they get wind that Mike's doing ""secret"" operations - and possibly creating Frankenstein's monster. John: Richard Moll

Mike, Sully, and Cloud Dancing head to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of the Indians.

Sully is imprisoned when he accompanies Dr. Mike and Cloud Dancing to Washington to lobby on behalf of the Cheyenne.

Mike discovers a lump in Dorothy's breast and performs a mastectomy on her. Meanwhile, Colleen must deal with the unwanted attention of a new boy at school who fixates on her impressive bust. Finally, Jake, dressed in drag for Ladies Night at Hank's saloon, gets kidnapped and held hostage by an amorous outlaw, but escapes.

Dorothy insists the decision to have surgery is hers, not Mike's; Colleen finds the harassment unbearable.

When teen-outlaw Belle Starr robs the saloon, Mike takes her in, intending to reform her; Colleen overcomes her fear of riding. Belle Starr: Melissa Clayton.

Mike and Sully go to the Reverend for a dose of preventative pre-marital counseling, and recall the path of their romance.

The honeymoon is over for Mike and Sully as the newlyweds must adjust to life in a changing Colorado Springs where a bullish Boston Brahman named Preston A. Lodge III establishes the towns first bank. Preston Lodge III: Jason Leland Adams.

Matthew's fiance Ingrid hovers near death after being bitten by Brian's rabid pet wolf; Brian is overwhelmed with guilt. Ingrid: Jennifer Youngs.

An elderly man comes to town with hopes that the natural spring will help his rheumatism. Dr. Mike can't convince Sully to plan for the Halloween festivities.

A Latin American woman rebuffs Dr. Mike's attempts at friendship; the Rev. Johnson searches for a teacher to take his place. Teresa: Michelle Bonilla.

Sully, depite being wounded by two bank robbers, works to free his wife, Brian and Katie when they are taken hostage by the desperate men.

Dorothy discovers the deed to the property that Grace's cafe is on. Hank accidently breaks Horace's nose and won't pay for the damage. There is a sudden rash of lawsuits and Michaela acts as Judge.

U.S. Marshall Elias Burch (guest star Willie Nelson) asks Matthew, still a student of law, to defend him when he's accused of murder.