Bento de Souza, a devotee of São João, is not reciprocated by his wife, Inocência, who cheats on him with Trindade, a rogue who lives off Bento himself. That year, disgusted by the rumors about him, Bento decided to expel Trindade from the house.
The town of Vila Velha is put under a reign of terror by a powerful colonel nicknamed "The Devil", who influences local politicians and hires gunslingers to shoot down those who stand up to him.