Speaker 1: You men are mistaken. I'm not an executioner, but you're
still going to pay me that money because I came
a long way to face this ridiculous situation.
Speaker 2: Have Done Will Travel, starring mister John Dayner as Paladin,
San Francisco, eighteen seventy five, The Carlton Hotel, headquarters of
a man called Paladin.
Speaker 1: Miss Wong, what are you giggling about? You look so
funny playing that game that jore him in here? Let
him for pick him up?
Speaker 3: Him in here?
Speaker 1: Let you for what is he scar? This is not
a game, miss Wong. It's serious business. You see. I've
had an urgent wire from a man named Jules Cleaver.
He wants me to come to a place named Stone's Crossing.
Never heard of it immediately. Why are you fear to
away your time playing games when you have met business,
Miss Wong? It wasn't a game. The opera ball is
there after tomorrow, and I'd planned on that. So I
said to myself, I'll toss a coin. Heads, I'll take
the job, tails, I'll go to the ball. It came
up heads, I take the job. But then I said no,
three out of five heads, four out of seven heads,
five out of nine heads. So it looks like I
better take the job. Miss Wall play that game so long.
It's life's fun too. What. I rode into a section
of Nevada Territory i'd never traveled before. Its dark, desolate plain,
but it's lined to the horizon, broken only by sparse,
dry sagebrush. The ground was lava form hot in park,
and the ash like dust that rose off it burned
My eyes closed my throat. I gone about five miles
when my horse stumbled and fell and broke his leg.
I was reminded them that when things seemed bad and
its get worse, there was nothing to do but shoulder
my gear. Walked back to the last waterhole I had
seen and hoped that help would show up. Three days
passed that before I heard the sound I was waiting for.
H muh, you better go to leasy on that water.
I'll hold it, friend. There's no need to reach for
that gun. It doesn't look to me as if you
could lift, let alone aim it straight. You shouldn't sneak
up on a man like that. And you better let
me take a look at that moon.
Speaker 4: It's no use, mister, alright, let me just take a
look at him.
Speaker 1: Huh, rifle him, lucky shot. They should have had attention.
Speaker 5: I was it might.
Speaker 1: Short a time.
Speaker 4: Bussy been trailing me for for five days. God a, Marvin,
you didn't take kindly to my shooting. Winno theirs.
Speaker 1: What was the trouble, No trouble.
Speaker 4: Somebody paid me five hundred dollars for killing him, hired gun.
You have a here, Myron Curtis, Yes, that's me. Hey,
what are you doing sitting out here by this water
hole that's poking into people's business.
Speaker 1: My horse broke us light out there in the desert.
I had to shoot him. That's right.
Speaker 4: Well, now this workout just dandy.
Speaker 1: I'm gonna make you present.
Speaker 4: I'm a little mare there.
Speaker 1: I won't be needing her. Well.
Speaker 4: Now, look you watch your left front hoof. She's missing
the shoe.
Speaker 1: Where you headed. Stone's crossing.
Speaker 4: Stone's crossing, and it was going to be my next step.
Speaker 3: Fell a sent for me.
Speaker 1: Let's see.
Speaker 4: Uh Hansen, Yeah, that's it. Mike Hanson, who wondered would
he's get up his sleeve? I guess, I guess I'll
never know, now, Curtis, I buried Myron.
Speaker 1: Curtis then mounted his mare and started once more for stones,
crossing my appointment with Jules Cleaver. The going was slow.
It was almost nightfall when I decided to make camp
and go on to the town. The next morning. I
was gathering firewood when I heard the two horses that
came from the direction of the setting sun. And I
wasn't able to see until they were right on me.
That both riders held rifles pointed in my direction?
Speaker 3: Was the idea, Crowley, Yeah, keep your rifle on him.
Speaker 1: Now I get his gun and I'll wait a minute.
Speaker 3: You want to talk from you, Curtis. Curtis, just give
me that you know I'm like this. I just don't
give up. Others they turned back.
Speaker 1: But not me.
Speaker 3: I knew i'd find you.
Speaker 1: Would it do any good for me to tell you
that I am not Curtis? Not a lick? Did you
ever see, Curtis?
Speaker 3: No, we joined up when the posse organized back there
in Marvin.
Speaker 5: All I had to know is that we was.
Speaker 1: After a killer. Well, what makes you think that I'm
not killer?
Speaker 4: Let me tell you something, Ed Wills don't bow to nobody,
Indian or white when it comes to tracking a man.
Speaker 3: Tell him, Crowley, that's right, ain't nobody better thann it.
Speaker 5: I followed your.
Speaker 4: Trailer for too many miles out of marb and not
to recognize them, tracks them across him again.
Speaker 3: Back there, your barefoot of horse with a noose.
Speaker 1: Around your neck.
Speaker 3: Curtis Crowley, get down in, get his hands tight, high
his back. I'm going to take him back to Marvin d.
Speaker 4: Yeah, but he'll be slung over that mare on his
belly when he goes. We're going to hang him first.
Speaker 1: I sat through the night, my hands and feet bound,
and the two rifles trained on me, and just before
sun up we rode out in search of a tree
to serve as gallows. Unfortunately, after a time we were successful.
I sat on the little man under a spreading limb,
with the noose tight around my neck while the men
made their preparations, and I hadn't the slightest idea how
to save myself. I only knew I must stall as
long as possible. Hey, ed, this is awful close to
stones crossing. There's some people don't take to this, you know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's the first standard of trees we come to.
Speaker 1: I know, but there's some people's awful finicky about hangings.
Speaker 3: Yeah, won't take long now as soon.
Speaker 1: As they Yeah, Anna, i'd uh. I'd like to ask
you something.
Speaker 3: Are we at times getting short?
Speaker 1: Would it bother you to learn later that you would
hang the wrong man?
Speaker 3: Yes, it would, that's the truth. As far as I
can see, you ain't the wrong man. Tie off the
end of the rope.
Speaker 1: There, Crowley. I suppose I told you that Curtis is dead,
that he gave me this horse. Heh nah, Just supposing
you did year that, Crowley. Look at Curtis the way
I heard it, you're pretty slick with you.
Speaker 3: Ought to be able to do better.
Speaker 1: Now, Yes, I guess i'll have to he.
Speaker 3: Can I can hear a horsehead of this way? Yeah?
Oh yeah, it looks like we're ready. Stand back, Crowley.
Will I give this may a whack?
Speaker 1: Get her going? Wait? Yeah, I trust you are a
god fearing man.
Speaker 4: I am that.
Speaker 1: Then surely you will allow me a moment to silently
make my face with my maker. Yeah, can't you see
he's stolen that?
Speaker 3: That horse is moving in here fast? Sure is Sorry, Curtis,
guess you'll have to die unrepented. Give a horse a whack?
Speaker 4: Crowding?
Speaker 1: H Wait a.
Speaker 3: Minute, now, what is this?
Speaker 1: What's going on here.
Speaker 3: You see, he was with a posse.
Speaker 1: He trailed this man from Marmon. Now this he is
Myron Curtis.
Speaker 3: He's wanted for killing who Myron Curtis hired.
Speaker 1: Gun. These men are mistaken. Mister. My name is Paladin.
Speaker 3: Wait a minute, let's have a look at you.
Speaker 1: Well, of course I.
Speaker 4: Didn't recognize you right off with that growth of beard.
It's been a long time, you know this man? Yes,
and his name is Paladin.
Speaker 3: What can't be We followed his trail from Marvin.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you.
Speaker 4: Look, all I've got to say to you two is
get out of here fast before I take you into
the sheriff.
Speaker 1: Well, I'm a little confused because of course you've never
seen me before in your life. What time? He's thankful.
Speaker 4: I'm just glad I happened along when I did. Curtis Palatin, Oh.
Speaker 3: You can drop that now, it's all right.
Speaker 1: I know you're Curtis. Oh you do.
Speaker 5: Sure, you have to be.
Speaker 4: I was wondering when you were going to show up. Yes,
I'm Mike Hanson and begun to.
Speaker 3: Think maybe you hadn't received my message.
Speaker 4: But I can see that you ran into a little
trouble getting you, and I certainly didn't.
Speaker 3: I have to turn off at.
Speaker 1: The fork up here. I guess you.
Speaker 4: Want to get on into town. But maybe this is
as good a time as any to bring up my proposition.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I suppose it is.
Speaker 3: When I heard about you, Curtis.
Speaker 4: I knew you were the man to do this job
for me.
Speaker 1: That's why I sent for you and the job man.
Speaker 4: The man like you don't need to beat about the bush.
Speaker 1: Curtis's.
Speaker 4: Stone's Crossing is a pretty big town, and it's going
to get bigger, but it's never gonna.
Speaker 3: Be big enough to hold me and a man named
Jules Cleaver.
Speaker 4: Jules Cleaver, I intend that Stone's Crossing is going to
be my town.
Speaker 3: Cleaver's in my way.
Speaker 4: I'm gonna live right on the line.
Speaker 1: I want you to get freckling for me.
Speaker 4: I see, will three thousand dollars handle it? Three thousand Hanson?
Speaker 1: Could we could we do it this way? Could we
let the matter rest right here? From now? You'll hear
from me, sure.
Speaker 3: Cerdis I'll figure to hear from you, lady.
Speaker 1: I was grateful to Mike Hanson for saving my life,
but I figured the explanations I owed him would have
to wait. After all, Jules Cleaver was my client. I'd
traveled a long way to keep this assignment. I checked
into the hotel at Stone's Crossing and call it Cleaver's
home that afternoon. Yes, your servant told me i'd want
to hear in your study.
Speaker 5: I'm Paladins Paladin, Oh, where you've been.
Speaker 1: I've been expecting you for days while I ran into
a few delays. I got into town this morning. But
there are few things I'd take care of, like a
bath or shave, decent meal. So what's on your mind,
mister clever?
Speaker 5: Ah, that's what I like. You're a businessman. I'm a businessman.
Let's not waste time. Let's get right to the point.
Sit down, Paladin. All right, Paladin, a businessman, or anyone
for that matter, striving for success or certain attainments, fines,
as a matter of course, obstacles.
Speaker 1: Along the way.
Speaker 5: If he intends to ford your head, the obstacles must
be removed.
Speaker 1: Right, Yes, Yes, I suppose so.
Speaker 5: Ah, I'm a determined Oh at the moment, there's an
obstacle in my path, a man named Mike Hanson. Yes,
and I'm going to lay it right on the line.
I want you to get rid of him for me?
How about three thousand dollars for the job?
Speaker 1: Three thousand. Well, I've come a long way for this meeting,
mister Cleaver. Yeah, it's been uncomfortable and miserable. I was
nearly hanged in the bargain. But I'm afraid I've arrived
here to find that there's there's been a misunderstanding. What
do you mean I am not an executioner, mister Cleaver.
Speaker 5: H your gun is for hire, isn't it.
Speaker 1: Well, my well, suppose to let the deal remain right
here for the moment. I'll get in touch with you,
all right. I've been surprised to find stones crossing the
pross first tom And it was then as I rode
back to my hotel, I took note of the fact
that all the places of business seemed to be owned
and controlled by either m Hanson or Ak Clever. It
appeared that I was involved with the two leading citizens.
That afternoon, I gave the matter careful consideration. Then I
sent messages to the two gentlemen. Hello, Hanson, come in,
I got your message. You're right on time. You want
to drink? Oh?
Speaker 4: No, thanks, I don't have much time well, did you
decide to accept my offer?
Speaker 1: Curtis Uh Hanson, I am not Myron Curtis. He is
dead dead, yes, and my name is Paladin. Well, excuse me.
Speaker 5: Clever Hanson, Paladin?
Speaker 1: What's you mean here? Now? You don't find out? Both
of you and Saddan I still and be quiet, gentlemen.
I asked here to meet with me here in my
hotel because I feel that we're involved in a situation
that requires further discussion. This morning, mister Hanson, you made
me an offer of three thousand dollars to kill mister Cleaver.
What and you, mister Cleaver, early this afternoon made me
an offer of three thousand dollars to kill mister Hanson.
Now you both can see what this means, can't you.
This means that I would have six thousand dollars and
you would both be dead. Now you sit down. I'm
going to give you a chance to reconsider. This is
my offer. I'm gonna lay it on the line, a
phrase you gentlemen are so fond of. You will each
pay me three thousand dollars and I will see that
you both stay alive. But a cheap gun slinger, and
you're going to pay me that money too, because I
came a long ways to face this ridiculous situation, and
I brought you together here today so you could learn
just how stupid you are. Now. I am not a killer,
but you, cleaver, didn't know that. When you hired me
for this job. You thought you'd bought yourself an executioner,
and you hired Hanson never managed to make it this far.
He died before he could make a deal with him.
So through circumstance, you gentlemen, have another chance. There's room
in stones Crossing for both of you. May I suggest
that you try to share the town in peace. Each
of you, in attempting to destroy the other, just might
find yourself destroyed. Then shall we have a drink? He's
so I again? Thank you, Hey boy, this you won't
have surprise for you much been up to now you eight.
You'll see you go in missal now, w what's all this?
Very fancy?
Speaker 4: Huh?
Speaker 1: Oh? Miss won so sorry you can't go to opera ball.
When she cleaned rooms in the hotels, she said, all
party favors decorate for you. Well, I'm overwhelmed. Look at
that paper, ads, balloons, streamers. Oh this is festive. I'll
tell you what, Hey boy, tonight we'll order up some champagne.
You and Miss Wong and I will have our own ball.
Speaker 4: Oh he's a very nice hey, you have a very
angry red scar and neck.
Speaker 1: What is that.
Speaker 5: Rope?
Speaker 1: Burn a boy? Urn? Yes, it's to remind me the
next time I travel in the Valle territory, to be
sure to bypass a place called Stone's Crossing.
Speaker 2: I have done Will Trouble, Created by Herb Metal and
Sam Roff, is produced and directed in Hollywood by Frank
Parris and stars John Dayner as Paladin, with Ben Wright
as hey Boy and Virginia greg as Miss Wan.