The narrative follows a mystery in a Maine town after the death of a judge; a local lawyer intervenes to settle the deceased's debts by buying the homestead and inviting the widow to live with him, which breeds rumor and suspicion. The plot unfolds through courtroom testimony, searches, missing persons, physical evidence such as weapons and bones, clashes between characters, and the discovery of crucial papers. Investigations reveal hidden relationships and shifting loyalties, and the truth is gradually pieced together through witness statements, surprise revelations, and the recovery of a key man and documents.