Jan Horak is a middle-aged railroad dispatcher stationed at a forsaken spot in the desert, within driving distance of the nearest town. A widower, he has saved his money and goes to town to buy a dog, meets Betty, a flashy blonde who gains his confidence and marries him to acquire his $7,000 "fortune."
A WW I veteran still haunted by his time in the trenches settles in a small town to work for the railroad company. His pretty wife attracts the attention of the lonely young gravedigger.
The short story explores the often tragic impact of prejudice or suspicion that relies on the appearance of the human face. Guests in a remote pub recount their own experiences of such cases, furthermore influenced by their experiences in the First World War...
