A barefoot dirty deaf mute, Jud, walks into Medicine Bow looking for payment for work done for freighters. When they refuse to pay, he starts a fight which the sheriff stops but he cannot help Jud. Steve sees the situation and uses his control of Shiloh freight business to force the freighter to pay Jud. He takes Jud under his wing and persuades The Virginian to hire Jud even though they learn by word and his actions that Jud has a violent temper leading to severe fights. Over time Jud's personality calms. He spends an evening in Medicine Bow playing poker with a professional gambler. After the game two men rob the gambler to recoup their losses and more. Jud runs into them at the scene and when seen by others is thought to have committed the crime. He tells Steve that others did it and escapes jail taking refuge with a lonely woman on her ranch who comes to trust Jud. Steve goes on the trail of the men he suspects that were working as hands on a trail drive. He runs into Jud and gives Jud some advice. Jud does not heed it but Steve comes to be glad Jud didn't.
—Anonymous