Speaker 1: I don't need a gun for you, mister. You're all
eating up with fear and hate. The most you can
hope for now is a fast death. Have gun, Will Travel,
starring mister John Dayner as Paladin, San Francisco, eighteen seventy five,
The Carlton Hotel, headquarters of a man called Paladin. M Oh, yes,
miss Wong l Oh, I didn't realize that I hadn't
led of it.
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 3: I noticed you see your long time study.
Speaker 2: Item and new thing, so turned back the clock.
Speaker 1: The Hamond Sentinel last week's edition, reading the item deathbed
confession clears Ed Stacy dying of gunshot wounds suffered in
a feudal attempt to rob.
Speaker 2: The Overland Stage.
Speaker 1: Joe Bines, a former driver, confessed to another hold up
two years ago and exaonerated Ed Stacy, who had been
convicted of the crime and sentenced to a.
Speaker 2: Long term in prison. Ms Wang. Two years ago, I
brought Ed Stacey back for trialmph.
Speaker 1: Oh, you have pain from conscience, but you only do
job me to Paladin.
Speaker 2: That's what I've been telling myself. You tell yourself, but
at the.
Speaker 1: Same time, I don't like to feel it. I've been
responsible for taking two years up innocent man's life, right,
don I'm not so sure. Here's the rest of the
newspaper report. Will Stanhope, president of the Overland Line, announced
he would personally arrange for Stacy's release and express profound
regretted the miscarriage of justice.
Speaker 2: Oh sounds fine, doesn't it?
Speaker 1: Ohsa, he's fine?
Speaker 2: Well?
Speaker 1: That telegram you delivered to me half an hour ago
was from the same Will Stanhope.
Speaker 2: No, What'm I do with him?
Speaker 1: I don't know now here listen, need you life in danger?
Speaker 2: Come at once?
Speaker 1: Nice? How unfortunate?
Speaker 2: Oh what's your plan, mister pot Well, he says it once?
I guess I better get started.
Speaker 3: Hello, this is Marvin Miller with another page from your
American Heritage scrapbook. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, newly
discovered America offered breathing space for the cramped peoples of Europe,
but no one could guess how rapidly the vast, unsettled
wilderness could be tamed. Englishmen arriving in Jamestown and Plymouth
were beset by famine, disease, and hostile Indians. They were
lucky to survive at all, Populating the colonies was a
slow and arduous process, but due largely to the Great
Puritan migration from Europe. By sixteen forty one, some fifty
thousand English settlers had reached North America. Seventy five years later,
this continuous migration from Europe and the British Isles had
brought the colonial population to four hundred thirty five thousand.
Speaker 2: On the eve of the revolution.
Speaker 3: In seventeen seventy five, two and a half million people
inhabited the thirteen colonies, approximately one third of the population
of all Great Britain.
Speaker 2: The first federal.
Speaker 3: Census in seventeen ninety disclosed that less than three percent
of the population were in towns of more than ten thousand.
Most immigrants lived on the land, but cities were beginning
to flourish. Revolutionary Philadelphia, with its forty thousand inhabitants, was
the first colonial city in size. New York was second
with twenty five thousand, Boston with sixteen thousand. Third, Charleston,
the largest city of the South, numbered twelve thousand.
Speaker 2: America was growing.
Speaker 3: And in spite of all adversity, America was destined to
continue its growth. Why possibly because America was a dream
for freedom loving people then as it is today.
Speaker 1: The trip to Hammond wasn't exactly a present one. Before
I reached town, my horse founded and I walked the
last three miles carrying my saddlin's bag, exhausted, but the
matter seemed urgent and not already wasted time, so I
went directly to the Overland stage office. Except that he
appeared to have shrunk a bit, and the skin seemed
to be drawn even tighter over his thin, sharp face.
Will Stand Hope hadn't changed much in the two years
since I'd last seen him.
Speaker 2: I recognized the man with him, the Sheriff Clyde.
Speaker 1: Hello, Paladin, No, Paladin, glad you've got here?
Speaker 2: Sit down. Uh, I'm tired.
Speaker 1: So whatever it is you've gone in your mind, stand Hope,
let's get started and show me Aladin. He's come back
for revenge. He just came home back to his branch.
What else would he do?
Speaker 2: You talking about that Stacy?
Speaker 1: You know about Stacy? Read it in the paper, Dan Halpair, Thanks,
that's gone.
Speaker 2: He cut it for him.
Speaker 1: Boy, he's got a write at the door. Considering did
I say if we try to make it up to him,
show him we're glad he's back, he'll cool off.
Speaker 2: I agree, Let's.
Speaker 1: Wait and see, wait for him to kill me, I suppose. Well,
all I know is I can't arrest the man for
what he's thinking. Try to get back to the office, fool.
Now do you know why I sent you that wire?
Speaker 2: Valadin? I need someone to protect me. Just what do
you want me to do, mister Stanhope.
Speaker 1: There's three thousand dollars in this envelope. If Stacy could
be persuaded to leave Hammond for good.
Speaker 2: Three thousand dollars a lot of persuasion.
Speaker 1: Use whatever you have to and keep the rest. I
wouldn't even care if you kept it all, as long
as I never had to worry about Stacy again. That
kind of deal is out. I'll find Stacy and talk
to him in the morning. Maybe if you saw him tonight,
I assure you I'll be much more persuasive. A night's sleep.
I was just settling down to get that night's sleep
when I heard someone in the hall outside my hotel
room and a splintering sound. There was a flimsy door
the way of preshures. I made a try for my gun,
but it hung just out of reach.
Speaker 2: Before you my name is, Ben Stacey, you and me
are going to have a little talk. Ben Stacy, You're
going to have a little talk about the way you
and stan Hope Railroad and my brother. I wasn't a
judging jury. I did the job. I was paid. You're wrong, mister,
you ain't been paid yet. I'm taking care of that
right now.
Speaker 1: Then then stop it.
Speaker 2: You want to killing me. We're only trying to help you,
I know, But you go on there. I was only
trying to help yeah.
Speaker 1: I know, telling me, telling you all right, Yeah, I
guess so, Okay, I was close.
Speaker 2: I was too close. I heard you were in town.
I was afraid. You see, Ben, he gets.
Speaker 1: An idea of somebody's trying to do me harm. It's
hard to shake the idea out of it. Well, why
didn't you let him and finished the job? I might
have saved you some trouble. I don't see if there's
any trouble clean, Yes, there's going to be if you
don't leave Stanhope alone.
Speaker 2: Me leave him alone.
Speaker 1: That's right, you got things backwards? Why don't he leave
me alone?
Speaker 2: You say, Stanhope is after you tell me about it.
Speaker 1: When I came back, I made up my mind to
forget what had happened. I didn't expect any favors. I
just wanted to start from scratch. But with a fair shape.
You aren't getting a fair shake. I made this trip
into town to get supplies my ranch needs. I'm going
back tomorrow, my wagon as empty as it was when
I came. Now a merchant and hammerd will extend me credit.
The pressure has been put to him. Stanhope carries a
lot of weight around here.
Speaker 2: Here.
Speaker 1: What's it from Stanhope? Three thousand dollars? I don't get it,
I think I do. You're his conscience. You bother him
his conscience? Why the price tag on it? There's a
condition what you're to leave Hammond? How come Stanhope believes
you're going to kill him?
Speaker 2: Or I thought about it. I was gonna make him
pay for every.
Speaker 1: Rot and second huh?
Speaker 2: And now now he's just a sniffling, scared little man.
He's not going to prison for now.
Speaker 1: I take his three thousand back to him. His conscience
is going to stick around and bother him for a
long time. The next morning I went to make my
report to will stun Move. There was a crowd gathered
in front of the Overland office. Debris littered the street.
The windows were broken, and the door was ripped off
its hinges. As I walked in, it sounded as though
somebody were tearing the face of Frot.
Speaker 2: Somebody was then Stacy.
Speaker 1: Was on a ramp. Garriff stopping.
Speaker 2: He's going crazy, Sheriff. I already hear to stop. Then
don't cry. I don't you better get the cups on.
Speaker 1: The shirt before it comes to Yeah, sure that boy
really went to local. He'd killed me.
Speaker 2: What happened? Somebody told me? Then he'll be all right?
Speaker 1: Sorry, Ed gonna have to lock him up then do this? Yeah.
Ben's a simple guy, easy going as a rule. Only
one thing sets him off. It's always been that way
ever since we were kids.
Speaker 2: Easy then.
Speaker 1: Don't like seeing anybody shove me, all right?
Speaker 2: What started him off?
Speaker 1: Well? I gave him a letter, A letter was for you.
He read it and busted loose.
Speaker 2: What was in the letter?
Speaker 1: It was a delinquent tax notice on Ed's ranch. He's
threatening foreclosure for three thousand dollars. Taxes haven't been paid
for two years. You know why they weren't. Couldn't you
have waited? Routine business? Paladin I'll handle it my way.
You're handling. It's Stanhope's way. Everybody in town's handling thing, says.
Speaker 2: Way, and I'm up to hear what. Therefore, I was.
Speaker 1: Willing to forget that, Stand Hope, and this town cost
me two years out of my life. I just wanted
a chance to start over.
Speaker 2: But you won't let me. You're pushing me around.
Speaker 1: Treat me like I was really at criminal. A man
can take you so much pushing around, Paladin, you're gonna
take my brother to jail. I have to do it
all right, stand Hope. We'll play this your way from
now on. Since I've already put in two years for nothing,
I got something real big coming right out of your high. Yeah,
you heard him share if he fretted me, HI demand protection.
You'll get it when I say that you need it hand.
You didn't play straight with me. You didn't tell me
you were trying to crowd Stacy out. I gave you
that three thousand dollars for him after setting him up,
so he'd have to take it and leave town or
lose everything. You could do it, Paladin, he would have
killed me. He didn't want any part of you. But
whatever happens from now, wan, you can blame yourself. Stand
Oh here your money, hire an army with it. I'd
had enough of hand without a voice. I was at
the Mercy of Willistan Hope stage and I had to
wait over. It was just before dawn when I was
awakened by the commotion outside on the street. I got
out of bed and opened the window.
Speaker 2: Right ahead of off.
Speaker 1: Sure sure up up here? Yeah, what happens? Just plused
Ben Stacey out of jail?
Speaker 2: Did that do? It was made with Dan and Floyd.
They worked for it. Oh, it's like that fixed them
for real trouble.
Speaker 1: He said that, sheruff. That's what the man can take.
Just so much pushing around. Morning, Sheriff, Morning, your men,
bring in Stacey.
Speaker 2: Now clean, getaway.
Speaker 1: You're leaving on the stage, Yeah you know you'll be
sharing your seat with a shotgun rider.
Speaker 2: Shotgun guard riding inside with something new.
Speaker 1: Stan Hope's orders.
Speaker 2: Oh the trap.
Speaker 1: He figures now that Ed and Ben Stacy will hit
one of the stages sooner or later. Wants it to
look easy for him. Mister stan Hope is a talent
for conniving. He wants to get him real bad. Even
offered a reward before they've done anything. Well, it says
for catching or killing anybody. I had to hold up
an overland stage. I guess we know what he means.
Three thousand dollars. At the three forth station, we had
a ten minute stop over to change teams. I went
inside to have a glass of rye. The place was
empty except for the bartender with his hands high and ed,
and Ben Stacy with their revolvers leveled. Don't try anythank Paladin,
using up your two years in a hurry.
Speaker 2: You didn't figure them is anymore in a deposit? Why
waste them on me?
Speaker 1: Not you, Paladin. The stage, Dan Floyd are taking care
of it right now. I'm just making sure nobody bothers it. Hey,
Ben watching the door back there? Sure you bartender, keep
your hands up and your mouth shut, driving shut gunner out.
Speaker 2: Of the way.
Speaker 1: Stun hope you pegged he pegged me two years ago.
Do you ever hear the one about if you had
the name, you might as well play the game.
Speaker 2: You don't have the name yet. It won't be long now.
Speaker 1: This time, there'll be no mistake about it. This time
you'll serve out your sentence. If they get me they'll
get you sooner or later. That's where I make stand
hope sweat.
Speaker 2: You're going to make a fugitive out of Ben too.
Why don't you shut up?
Speaker 1: Big simple Ben, who's only concerning life, is protecting you.
When a posse comes after you, do you figure him
to stop?
Speaker 2: The slug meant for you?
Speaker 1: Allen, you got a big mouth and you've got a
small brain, taking this risk for some stupid idea of revenge.
Revenge against the man who isn't worth it to begin
with it.
Speaker 2: Floyd and Dan they're coming. They got it. Let's go ahead.
We got a strong box. Put it back then? Why
put it back?
Speaker 1: I said, you got it crazy? You think we went
through this whole thing for nothing for the last time,
put it back and cut out. We'll cut up, but
we're taking the money with us.
Speaker 2: If Floyd.
Speaker 1: Lessen you want to stop us, if I have to,
don't try it. Thank you for showing up, man. This
won't take long now. This is the deposition of the
bartender at three Fork Station, witnessed by mister Paladin. Here,
according to this these men Floyd Smith and Dan Angus
tried to rob the stage and Ben and Ned Stacey
stopped him shot him down. That right, mister Paladin. Nice workhead,
then thanks, Now you hold on here. These men are
liable to arrest reckon my office jail brick. That's right,
I find you, oh twenty five dollars for disturbing the peace. Fine,
I'm the sheriff here, mister Fanhope, I hand out the sentences.
What about the damages to my office?
Speaker 2: Well, I suggest that you deductor repairs in the reward.
You posted a reward for.
Speaker 1: The capture or death of anyone who attempts to rob
an overland stage.
Speaker 2: That's the way of read, didn't sheriff?
Speaker 1: Sure did three thousand dollars.
Speaker 2: You costing me to polidy. Well, thank you, miss Wong,
thank you.
Speaker 1: Nice to have you a you see a card of justice,
was sir, Well, I think so is wrong? Of course,
there are those who might question you. See, there was
a little matter of convincing a certain bartender that he
didn't see what he thought he saw for a certain
sum of money.
Speaker 3: You understand, I understand.
Speaker 1: By rem is wrong at anyway. I believe I can
truthfully say that I I have no pain from conscience,
have gone, will travel created by her Meadow and Sam Rolt.
Is produced and directed by Norman McDonald and stars John
Dayner as Paladin, with Ben Wright as hey Boy. Tonight's
story was written by Albert Ally and adapted for radio
by and Dowd. Featured in the cast were Ry Bartel,
Jack Moyles, Ken Lynx, Barney Phillips, Louke Krugman, and Virginia Gray.
Hugh Douglas speaking join us again next week for Have Gone,
Will Travel