- Duval arrives in a small mining town in Western Australia to arrest a man for murder in Belgium. He faces opposition from the local police who also want the man for a local crime. Duval is concerned over the way the judicial process is playing out—glenchapman@ruraltel.net
- Duval travels to the Australian outback settlement of Cranby's Creek to take Emile Brock back to Belgium to stand trial, only to find him facing a kangaroo court for robbery and the attempted murder of the local policeman. Facing resentment from the locals, and unsure who he can trust, Duval is anxious to see justice done. He soon starts to make dangerous enemies when it begins to look like Brock may not be so guilty after all.
- After driving across country through Western Australia, Inspector Duval (Charles Korvin) arrives in the settlement of Cranby's Creek. He enters the police station and walks in on some sort of unofficial hearing."Yes, and then what happened?" Cranby (Tommy Duggan), one of several men seated behind a table, is asking of Emile Brock (Roland Bartrop). Duval asks where Sergeant Grierson is; told by Cranby he is in hospital, with a bullet in his back, Duval explains he has come to take Brock back to Belgium, to stand trial for murder. "What he's done here comes first" replies Cranby, explaining Brock is on trial for shooting the sergeant, "We're handling this our way." Duval argues, but with Cranby refusing to listen he leaves.
Later, with Brock held in the police station by one of the locals. Duval is able to speak to him briefly before Cranby and several others return to continue the trial. Again Duval protests, but again Cranby - president of the local mining company, and leader of the community - refuses to listen. Getting nothing from the government, and a policeman just two days a month, they are used to dealing with things themselves, a sentiment echoed by others in the room.
After leaving, Duval is approached by Graham (Charles Houston), a visiting geologist, who explains what had happened. The sergeant arrived the previous evening and had been given opals from the mine workings by Cranby; later, Brock was seen entering the police station just before the Grierson was found shot, the opals missing and Brock's arrest warrant on his desk.
Duval visits the tiny local hospital - little more than Doctor Carson's (Leslie Watson) surgery - to see Grierson's condition: unconscious and gravely wounded. Carson suggests Duval should simply leave - Brock is clearly guilty. Cranby's daughter, Ruth (Felicity Young), a nurse, enters and insists Brock is innocent. Offering Duval a drink, Carson explains that Ruth was in love with Brock; she admits she knew of Brock's past, but that he had only killed in self-defence in a fight and had planned to give himself up. Seeing Grierson's weak state, Ruth pleads with Duval to try and intervene.
Leaving the hospital, Duval meets Graham and learns from him that Cranby has already reported Grierson's shooting - but not the trial he is holding - and a replacement trooper will be on the way, but overland. Told there is a telephone in the general store, Duval asks him to telephone the police and get a replacement flown out, while he tries to hold up Cranby's kangaroo court. Entering the police station, he asks to be allowed to represent Brock; when Cranby accepts, he immediately asks for an adjournment: "I've got to consult my client," Duval points out.
Outside the general store, Graham is approached by Russ (Michael Balfour), one of Cranby's employees and a loyal supporter. He warns Graham not to get too friendly with Duval; when Graham points out the authorities will be unhappy with the sham trial, Russ replies they may never know about it: the locals wont talk, and Duval and Graham could well have an 'accident'.
Later that evening, Duval is interviewing Brock in his cell getting his version of events: he came to surrender to Grierson, but found him slumped at his desk, shot in the back. Thinking the sergeant dead, he panicked on hearing other people outside and fled through a back door. Ruth brings Brock some food, then she and Duval return to the hospital - to find Grierson dead.
Gathered around his bed, the Doctor, Cranby and Russ all assume Grierson has died from his wound, meaning Brock now faces a murder charge. Duval is not so sure, seeing a pillow that has been disturbed he suggests Grierson, already weak, was suffocated where he lay. The Doctor cannot be sure either way, but Cranby is dismissive at what he describes as Duval's guesswork. With Brock's trial set to continue the next day, and told by Graham a trooper is flying in in the morning, Duval crosses to the store hoping to report Grierson's death - only to find the telephone out of order, sabotaged.
The following morning, Duval hears the Doctor's evidence: he had found Grierson shot in the back at close range, probably with a rifle, the bullet then passing through him. Questioning Carson, Duval learns the bullet has not been found; with the weapon unable to be identified, and Brock seen entering the police station, but unarmed, Duval takes up Grierson's rifle - the supposed murder weapon - and sees it has not been fired for several days. Asking Carson to sit at Grierson's desk, his back to a window, he demonstrates there would be no room for someone inside to have shot Grierson. Examining the window sill, a scorch mark makes it clear Grierson was shot from outside the building - clearly by someone other than Brock, Duval suggests.
Carson is scornful of Duval's argument. "He did it alright," he insists, "I know his kind and I know the Belgians." Having served there in the war, he explains, and receiving scant help from the locals when trying to treat the wounded, he had no love for the country or its people. Duval angers Cranby by replying every country has villages to be ashamed of - like this one. Adjourning for lunch, most of those present leave. Duval and Graham remain, expecting the relief trooper to arrive.
Having seen Cranby's reaction, Brock is not confident - Cranby will soon get the verdict he wants. He seizes a shotgun from his guard, and after sending him out locks himself in the police station with Duval and Graham: he hopes to hold off Cranby until help arrives. Duval is trying to reason with Brock when Graham picks up the sergeant's rifle and covers them both. Duval realises at once: with the phone line out, there will be no outside help arriving. Graham, with the opals already in his car, orders Brock to shoot Duval, "Then you shoot me, and walk out of here a hero" Brock replies. He appears to level his gun at Duval, but then moves to aim at Graham - who is able to fire first, hitting Brock in the arm. Duval is able to jump Graham and overpower him; taking him outside, he tells Brock to get his arm seen to - they leave in the morning.
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