One night in a small town, three postal clerks (Berger, Anderson, and Kester) are counting receipts when they are held up by two armed men. Kester is killed during the robbery, Anderson receives a serious head injury, and Berger turns over the cash to the robbers. Afterwards, Berger is treated with contempt for being a coward, and Anderson is considered a hero. Anderson receives a promotion previously promised to Berger, while the police, the postmaster, the newspapermen, and even his wife, Helen, suspect Berger of complicity in the crime. He learns from a man who is later revealed to be one of the robbers that Anderson was actually an accomplice in the robbery. A few nights later, Berger confronts Anderson with a gun, forces him to admit his guilt, and regains the respect of the townspeople.