While Adam and Joe are in Sacramento, Ben and Hoss are caught in a bank robbery. Defending the clerk and Hoss, Ben shoots one of the robbers, a brother in the Morgan gang. Ben is shot in return and the gang gets away.
Ben is badly wounded and the doctor doesn't think he should return to the Ponderosa, so Anne offers to let him stay at her place. She owes Ben and remembers what he did for her.
Many townsmen come to Ben's room congratulating him and promising not to forget what they owe him. They assure him that the posse will get the rest of the Morgan gang. Ben isn't as confident, the Morgans are tough. After everyone leaves, Ben apologizes to Anne for the inconvenience. She tells Ben not to depend on his "friends" as her husband was hanged for a crime he didn't commit and none of townfolk helped him.
The posse falls into a trap at the Morgan camp and all are killed. A Paiute brings the bodies back to Virginia City. There's a note attached saying the Morgans are coming at sundown for Ben. The lawyer, Tom Pryor, is now the town drunk (he's blames himself for wrongly hanging Anne's husband) and he laughs when he sees how the town is now ready to hand Ben over rather than protect him.
Hoss doesn't know what to do. Ben says they should allow the Morgans to come to town, but to be ready with a trap for them. Hoss goes around town trying to recruit help, but everyone refuses. Some even blame Ben for bringing this on the town.
The only one who agrees to help is Tom. Hoss is desperate and will take even the drunk lawyer. He starts building the barricades and he and Tom hide the rope that will hold the Morgans in. Tom's job will be to pull the rope when the gang has crossed it.
Vendetta is a variation of the classic High Noon western where Gary Cooper has to face an outlaw gang all alone after the town refuse o help him - the same happens in this tense and nifty episode where things unravel into an action-packed finale. The depiction of the scared townfolk was effective, adding to the suspense. Liked how Hoss listen to his injured pa till the end. He's my favourite Cartwright son. There's some naturally genuine about him. Whitney Blake as Anne is beautiful as well as brave.