Plot Summary:The Judge, believing violence in the West is disappearing, creates a rift with the Virginian when he stops a violent fight involving the Virginian. When the Judge is kidnapped, the Virginian goes to his rescue from violent captors anyway.
Martin Kalek and his gang kidnap Judge Garth for ransom. The Virginian pays the ransom but the kidnappers refuse to release the Judge until they are able to escape into Idaho. The Kidnappers head off pursued not only by the Shiloh hands but also separately by a former crony of Kalek's called Sharkey who is out for revenge on the criminal.