During the Great Depression, Harry Lintel works as a pipe repairman. He travels across the South, repairing the water systems at different ranches. He visits a farm in Louisiana and speaks to the farmer's wife, Ada. Lintel asks where Ada's husband is; she suspects he's in the back. When Lintel goes over to the back, he finds that Ada's husband has been electrocuted.

After quietly finishing his work on the widow's ranch, he helps the people of the rest of the town, who eye him with suspicion. Ada pursues him, and he gets along with her. Lintel reminds her of his late wife; she is interested in his travel tales. However, when he revisits her ranch, he sees that it would've made no sense for her husband to electrocute himself. Suspecting foul play, he keeps his distance from her and prepares to go. On his last day, Ada finds Lintel. When Lintel tells her she cannot travel with him, Ada knocks him out with a wrench and steals his truck. When he comes to, he wonders where she would go.