A partisan Kiril Velev commits suicide. He leaves a note, which says that he is not a traitor. In 1951, an inquiry had opened into the case and it upheld his guilt. When the atmosphere of trust is restored, another inquiry is carried on. Bogdanov, who chairs the commission of inquiry, places the truth before everything else. The candor of Kiril's last letter makes him look into the case once again. Bogdanov identifies the real traitor: Kiril's wife. When it happened, she was far gone in pregnancy. Ilarionov, an experience plainclothesman, promised her that her husband would be spared if she would cooperate. For the first time, Bogdanov is not satisfied with getting the truth. Kiril's son has lived with the depressing though of his father's guilt. Will he have to learn now the truth about his mother? Bogdanov resorts to Ilarionov. The latter invents another version: he tells the commission that the traitor was Maxim, long since exposed as an agent provocateur. Kiril's wife runs over by a car. Her tragic life may be ending, but her son will be spread the disgrace and the torments of remorse.