Johann Bauer is not only the Dry Gables blacksmith — he is also the town's protector. He looks out for everyone who lives there and is quick to anger when his town is threatened. So when Lloyd A. Boone, a very wealthy attorney and investor, comes to town, Johann is beyond suspicious. He watches, listens, and then advises his friends not to believe anything the man says. But then, in a moment of danger, Johann is able to see Mr. Boone in a different light — and the two men are changed for the better.