In the small town of Shelby, a brutal murder shakes the community. Etheridge, a local man, is found beaten to death. The innkeeper, seemingly the only suspect, is convicted and executed for the crime. Years later, a mysterious woman in purple arrives at the home of Judge Ostrander, the man who sentenced the innkeeper to death. This woman, Deborah, is the wife of the convicted man, and she does not believe he was guilty. She confronts the judge, challenging his verdict. The judge, unwavering in his belief, dismisses her pleas. Desperate, Deborah accepts a position as a maid in the judge's household, secretly determined to find proof of her husband's innocence and unmask the true killer.