Enredo

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 Kalig shoots Sharkey thinking he has killed him in order to take over Sharkey's gang. Kalig has detailed plans for kidnapping Judge Garth for ransom and revenge for submitting him to a tongue lashing at his sentencing in the early days of the west. At the same time Molly is presenting Judge Garth with an engraved watch and a request for an interview from the renown publisher Joseph Pulitizer who idolizes Garth for his control of the west via a strong and often violent hand. Garth, however, feels violence is no longer a major factor in the west. He makes his point when he punches The Virginian to stop him from beating a drunk ex-ranch hand who threatens to kill someone at the Judge's party for Molly. This creates a divide between Judge Garth and The Virginian which lasts until Judge Garth is kidnapped and The Virginian takes control to rescue the Judge. When the kidnappers refuse to release the Judge after the ransom is paid, The Virginian has the Sheriff hold back the posse while Steve, Trampas, and The Virginian track the kidnappers who are also being tracked by Sharkey with his new gang who wants revenge against Kalig. At the end the Judge is forced to decide whether he is willing to forgo violence after being tortured on the trail by Kalig.—Anonymous