"You have to trust me." "If I'd been your enemy rather than your friend," "You'd be dead by now." "Uncle martin?" "Mr. Paladin's here." "Show him in please, gordon." "How do you do, mr." "Paladin?" "Mr. Westrope, it's a privilege to meet you." "Drink?" "Thank you." "This bourbon came around cape horn" "In a four-masted schooner." "Water?" "No, thank you." "If this bourbon needed more water," "They'd have done it at the distillery." "I find that a four-master has the right rolling motion" "To properly age a bourbon in the cask." "You think that's wise, uncle martin?" "Thank you for showing mr." "Paladin in, gordon." "Pleasure meeting you." "Gordon." "My nephew means well," "But he listens to my doctor, who's a fool." "If a drink will kill me, I'm better off to go quickly." "I'll drink to your health." "You have a very unusual business card, mr." "Paladin." "I'm in a very unusual business." "Yes, I confess I sent for you" "Mainly out of curiosity." "I never saw a professional gunman." "Tell me, please." "How can you be of use to me?" "You're looking for the girl who married your son," "Just before he died." "I believe I can find her for you." "With a gun?" "Sometimes a gun helps." "Your son was a cavalry officer, wasn't he?" "Yes." "He was stationed at an outpost near the mexican border." "He was killed in action." "I have no details of his death." "You wrote to his commanding officer." "As soon as the war department notified me." "His commanding officer sent me a very terse reply." "It's one of the things that puzzled me." "In the last letter that I ever received from my son," "He told me he'd found the girl he'd looked for all his life," "And that he'd married her." "Did he give you her name?" "No, he said he was due to come home on leave." "He wanted to introduce her to me in person." "Mr. Westrope..." "Did he say anything that would help you identify her?" "Only the fact that she was english, from london." "Then I received a telegram." "I thought it would say what day he was coming." "Instead, it said..." "That he would never come." "You were very close to your son, weren't you?" "He was all that a father could want." "A braver, kinder, better man than I am." "I wouldn't want the girl he married" "To be in need of anything." "I want her to come here and be my daughter." "I'd like to try and find her for you, sir." "Well, mr." "Paladin, I mean no offense." "But I suspect it'll take more than a fast gun" "To find the girl." "Well, I have more than a fast gun." "Allow me to demonstrate." "Your import firm has a triple a credit rating." "Your bank balance averages $40,000." "And you have security holdings" "In six prominent san francisco companies." "Unbeknownst in most cases, even to the board of directors." "Very interesting." "Anything more?" "Yes." "You're a man of regular habits." "You retire every night at ten o'clock." "Your doctor is josiah mckinley" "Who you respect more than you pretend to." "You suffer from a cardiac weakness," "Which concerns you more than you let anyone know." "Mr. Paladin, you've told me quite enough" "To demonstrate your ability." "Oh yes, one more thing." "You like your private little joke." "This whiskey did not come around cape horn" "In a four-master." "If this was rocked in a cask at all," "It was on a bumpy stagecoach ride" "From a distillery in sacramento." "If you hadn't known that, you'd never have gotten the job." "But you've convinced me." "Why don't you keep out of the way?" "Take another look, major." "I'm not wearing a uniform that takes orders from you." "Then get off the post." "I'll get off the post" "When I have answers to some questions." "Not before." "Sagebrush lawyer, huh?" "We'll see how smart you are." "After you spend ten days in the guard house," "For trespassing on government property." "The adjutant general may be very interested in that" "When I get out." "Step in my office." "That was pretty fancy talk." "What charge were you thinking of making?" "Charges, major." "Charges." "I made some inquiries." "Lieutenant westrope" "And two of his men were killed needlessly." "They were killed in the line of duty." "We often have these border clashes." "This is a cavalry outpost, not a tea party!" "They were killed because someone is running" "Contraband weapons across the border to escobar." "That old border pirate happens to be a friend of mine." "Did he tell you who was running them?" "No, but I imagine he will if I decide" "To meet his price." "What do you want?" "Where's westrope's wife?" "He wasn't married." "Junior officers aren't allowed to marry." "Did his father send you?" "Yes." "I have some of his personal effects." "That's all?" "That's all." "Thank you." "I'd like to see the marriage license registry" "For the past two months." "You can't." "Records are closed to the public." "All right, I'd like a marriage license then." "You'll have to fill this out." "When I get this filled out," "I'll have to sign the marriage license registry, won't I?" "Get it out." "Two dollars first." "There's a page missing." "You can see where it's torn out." "Um hmm." "So?" "So what licenses were issued during this period?" "Was there one for a michael westrope?" "You don't expect me to remember the name" "Of everybody who applied for a marriage license, do you?" "Yes, I do." "But I don't know westrope." "Never heard of him!" "I swear it!" "I am isabel westrope." "Thank you for coming, mr." "Paladin." "I wasn't sure you'd act on my note." "How did you know who I was?" "The clerk in major blaisdell's office." "He's kept track of you while you looked for me." "He was in my husband's platoon." "I took a chance, hoping you were a friend." "What do you mean?" "You're not the only one looking for me, mr." "Paladin." "An attempt was made on my life last week." "I've kept hidden every moment since then." "What's the book?" "Oh, dryden's." ""all for love."" "It's a beautiful edition." "Now..." "How can I be certain you're mrs." "Michael westrope?" "Why should I pretend?" "Good deal of money involved." "Family has a sizeable fortune." "Didn't your husband tell you?" "No." "We had such a short time together." "We talked about everything." "Mostly what we wanted from life." "Do you have your marriage license?" "No, it burned in the fire." "Someone set fire to the cottage michael rented." "Almost everything we had went up in smoke." "I thought it was an accident, until someone shot at me." "Can you tell me the first name" "Of your husband's father?" "I really don't know." "Where do you come from?" "London." "What part?" "We lived on a little street called shepherd's lane," "Not far from piccadilly." "Look here, mr." "Paladin." "You came searching for me." "Now that you've found me, you seem to be doing your best" "To prove I'm not me." "I don't understand." "I'm not sure that I do either." "But I'd like to take you back" "To mr." "Westrope in san francisco." "Will you come?" "Of course I will." "I thought you might." "Why did you come west?" "I had an aunt who was supposed to live in wichita." "After I got there, I was told she moved to tucson." "I suppose it was absurd to try and find her." "But I felt so lost and alone." "I don't know what I would have done" "If I hadn't met michael." "He was such a wonderful person." "Martin westrope." "Michael's father." "A very fine man." "Sure you'll like him if you ever meet him." "Isabel westrope?" "Yes?" "Don't move." "You ever see that man before?" "No, I've never seen him." "I wonder how he knew your name." "Mr. Paladin, sorry to have kept you waiting." "I'm delighted to see you, mr." "Westrope." "You look well." "I feel wonderful." "I want to reimburse you for your time and trouble." "Sorry you made that tedious journey for nothing." "Nothing?" "She arrived a few days after you left." "Who arrived?" "My daughter-in-law." "How much do I owe you?" "There's no hurry about that." "I'll bring you the accounting." "I'd like very much to meet your daughter-in-law." "Unfortunately, she isn't here just now." "Gordon has her out, showing her the city." "Shops and so forth, you know." "I'm more sorry than I can say." "You'll like her, paladin." "She's everything I'd hoped for." "A wonderful girl." "What is it, mr." "Paladin?" "What is it?" "I've always been suspicious of the sweet ones." "They're the ones you have to watch." "What's the matter, mr." "Paladin?" "I don't understand what you're saying." "You're good." "You're really one of the best I've ever seen." "If you have something to tell me, say it!" "The real mrs." "Michael westrope showed up." "That makes you an impostor and me a fool." "How dare you, sir!" "I will not be called an impostor!" "I am michael westrope's wife." "There is no other." "Why would I do such an unspeakable thing?" "For half a million dollars." "Well, you have conviction." "I don't know whether you're lying or not," "But you have conviction." "Mr. Westrope, I hope I'm not intruding." "You're welcome anytime." "Did you bring an accounting of your expenses?" "No, I decided in good faith I couldn't charge you." "All I ask is the privilege of meeting" "The young lady I was searching for." "Of course, won't you sit down?" "Gordon, ask katharine to come down for a moment." "Very well." "You look very happy." "How wonderful that you found her." "And how especially wonderful for the girl." "And what a sweet, attractive girl she is." "You know, I admire you." "Under the circumstances, there aren't many men" "Who would have followed their heart instead of their head." "I'm afraid I don't quite understand." "Most men would have kept that girl" "Under six months intensive cross examination." "They would have demanded conclusive proof." "After all, she's your possible heiress." "But she gave me proof." "I didn't have to ask for it." "She was sensitive enough to volunteer it." "And the proof was conclusive?" "Come now, mr." "Paladin!" "Would she be here otherwise?" "She not only has every detail of michael's life," "She has their marriage license." "Oh, you look lovely, my dear." "There's someone here I want you to meet." "Katharine, this is mr." "Paladin." "Mr. Paladin, my son's wife." "How do you do?" "Delighted to meet you." "Dad told me you were off in the wilds," "Tracking me down." "I was indeed." "If I'd only written." "But the news of mike's death shocked me so." "I wasn't myself for a long time." "And of course, I wasn't sure of my reception." "I'm very happy for both of you." "In celebration..." "I'd like to plan a dinner for you at my hotel." "I think the carlton has the finest chef in the city." "That is most kind of you, mr." "Paladin." "It's settled then." "Tomorrow night at eight?" "Yes." "Oh, one more thing." "Did your husband have a favorite wine?" "Chablis in white wines." "Chateau lafitte in bordeauxes." "And of course, he always loved champagne." "Dry." "Dry." "Wonderful dinner, mr." "Paladin." "The chef is a most talented man." "Thank you, I'm certainly happy you enjoyed it." "No, really." "I don't believe I should." "I'm half-giddy now." "Well, you won't have to drink." "I'd like to propose a toast." "Gentlemen..." "Here's to a young lady who left her native land" "A very short time ago." "Two years ago." "And in leaving her native land," "She left her mother and father." "My parents died when I was a child." "This young lady, who lived in an east end orphanage..." "Mr. Paladin, I lived with my aunt on mount street." "That's in the west end, near piccadilly." "You probably never heard of it." "On the contrary, I know it quite well." "I never thought of you as a tourist." "I'm not a tourist." "But I do travel." "If I may be permitted to go ahead with my toast," "This young lady followed the man of her choice." "And in a dusty border town, in an old adobe church," "They were married." "None of the niceties" "Of the newly married state were hers." "Instead, she..." "We were going to europe." "On a delayed honeymoon." "He so much wanted to see paris." "After paris, we were going to nice." "By carriage." "Mike hated trains." "And so he did." "A cavalryman never trusted anything but a horse." "I drink to the cavalry." "To the cavalry." "Speaking of the cavalry, did your husband tell you" "About his commanding officer?" "Yes, major blaisdell, I believe his name was." "Why didn't you two go to him for permission to be married?" "Major blaisdell was a rather difficult person." "Mike felt he might refuse the request," "So we kept it secret." "Oh, I see." "And because major blaisdell didn't know, you couldn't" "Go to him after mike's death for his personal belongings," "Including the watch you gave him." "That's right." "That's very interesting, you come from mount street?" "That's very near hyde park and the great exposition." "Yes." "You certainly must have enjoyed that." "Although you were quite young at the time." "How old were you?" "I was sixteen, I think." "My dear, you are charming." "But you're a liar." "You abuse your privilege, mr." "Paladin!" "The great exposition was held in 1851." "This young lady wasn't even born then." "The church in the border town" "Is wood, not adobe." "And you never gave michael westrope a watch." "The only watch he had, his father gave him." "Mr. Westrope..." "Your daughter-in-law is a fraud." "She never knew your son." "That's ridiculous." "I have their marriage license." "I know printers who could produce a license showing" "I was wed to queen victoria." "But katharine has other proof." "She knows things that no one could have told her," "Except michael." "Except michael." "Except michael or the man who was raised with him..." "As a brother." "He's insane." "Of course." "Why should gordon tell katharine anything?" "He's losing a fortune if she's my heiress." "He's trying to palm her off as your daughter-in-law." "Are you going to listen to more of these ravings?" "Perhaps you can tell us who wrote this letter." "It offers $1,000 for the death" "Of mrs." "Michael westrope." "Katharine, murder is a very serious crime." "Carries a long jail sentence." "This letter is in a woman's handwriting." "Would you care to show us your handwriting?" "Gordon made me write this letter." "He planned the whole thing just like you said." "It's up to you whether you press charges." "Just get them out of my sight." "Please, get them out of my sight." "Miss." "I'm very sorry to have done this to you." "I'm sorry you were right." "Now I have nothing." "Excuse me." "Isabel." "Mr. Westrope, I'd like you to meet michael's wife." "Her name is isabel." "Isabel." "Now you're a lonely man," "And you're too anxious to believe." "This time we don't want you to believe anything," "Until it's been proven." "Mr. Westrope, we don't have to talk about it tonight." "But tomorrow we'll have a long chat about michael." "Well, this is an unexpected pleasure." "Mr. Paladin, I only have a minute." "But I couldn't leave without saying goodbye and thank you." "Goodbye?" "Is anything wrong?" "Oh no, everything is fine." "Mr. Westrope's a wonderful man." "So much like michael." "We're going on a trip together." "Where?" "Our first stop is going to be England." "I'm going to show him london" "And all the places where I grew up." "I know you'll have a wonderful trip." "I'm sure we will." "I want to give you this book." "Somehow, I want you not to forget me." "Isabel..." "This is a first edition of dryden's "all for love."" "You shouldn't give me this, it's very valuable." "I know, but I want you to have it." "It's been in my family for years." ""hairs like straw, from the surface bow."" ""he who would search for pearls, must dive below."" "The prologue." "Dryden was a very wise man." "So are you, mr." "Paladin." "Goodbye." "Goodbye."