"This gun is the only thing you two understand." "Vicious scum like you who sent a mutilated cat" "To a young girl as a wedding present." "I'm very sorry, sir." "I don't know how the mix-up occurred," "But the suite simply won't be vacant until tomorrow." "All right." "Give us any old room for tonight." "I can't do that." "The hotel's entirely filled up." "There isn't one vacancy." "May I be of some assistance?" "I guess not." "Not unless you talk him into giving us a room." "I'm sorry, but as I've told you," "The bridal suite won't be vacant until tomorrow." "Just married?" "Yeah." "Fine way to start out a honeymoon." "I guess we'll just have to find someplace else." "I think you'll have a lot of difficulty." "There's a cattlemen's convention in san francisco" "And most places are filled." "We've only got three days here." "Why don't you take my suite tonight." "but where would you sleep?" "If all goes well, I won't." "Some gentlemen I know are planning an all-night card game." "We'd be much obliged, but how come you'd do this for us?" "Because it gives me pleasure." "Give them the extra key to my suite." "Yes, sir." "Right away." "I'd like to pay you for this." "No, thanks." "I'll tell you what:" "You can have breakfast ready for me in the morning." "I'll see you then." "Nine o'clock fine." "Right up the stairs to your right." "We'll send your luggage up." "Good morning." "Good morning." "This came in the mail for bosworth." "I suspect it's a wedding present." "Thank you." "The clerk said your name is paladin." "I'm henry bosworth and this is janie martin." "I mean, janie bosworth." "You'll get used to that new name." "Your breakfast is ready." "Thank you." "My kitten." "My poor kitten." "Don't cry, honey." ""don't come back or this might happen to you."" "Who would do this?" "My brothers." "Half-brothers." "They're vicious." "Why would they do a thing like this?" "About a month ago, I helped dad throw them off the ranch." "They said they'd get even with both of us." "Would they harm your father?" "I never thought so." "This makes me think differently." "I'm starting back now." "Wait a minute..." "This gift has upset your wife." "I'll go to your father." "You stay here" "And follow when janie feels better." "Why do you want to get mixed up in this?" "It's my profession." "Anybody here?" "Got it." "Would you mind tossing that thing up here, stranger?" "A little off-center." "Set another one up on the railing over there, will you?" "They're in that gunnysack." "You want something?" "Just to meet you." "Social call, eh?" "There's a jug in back of the chair here." "Help yourself." "Dud." "That's the trouble with homemade shells." "You gonna hold that jug or make use of it?" "Whoooo-wee." "It's nice of you to drop in." "Who are you?" "My name is paladin." "Your son suggested I come and see you." "Which son?" "Hank." "I met him in san francisco." "He seemed to think you might" "Be having trouble with the older boys." "Yeah, that's possible." "They ain't much good." "Their mother was a violent woman." "She liked to wring chicken's necks." "Do you think there's any possibility" "Those boys might try to harm you?" "They said they would." "Blow my rotten carcass full of holes." "Or perhaps I should go and see them." "Have a talk with them and convince them they shouldn't try." "Yes, I'd be obliged." "I don't believe I could shoot one of 'em" "Even if they did come around here." "Sentimental, I guess." "Where can I find them?" "They're holed up in a cabin up on the north fork road." "Hey, before you go..." "You any good with that gun you carry?" "Yeah." "You go have a talk with him." "You might go out by way of the west quarter." "Take a look at the crop." "And see if it's ready for harvest?" "Ain't gonna be no harvest." "You ever see 200 acres of sweet peas in bloom?" "No." "They're worth looking at." "Smell good, too." "There, that's your share." "This is mine." "How come you get twice as many as me?" "That's because I'm generous." "If I was selfish, I'd take the whole bunch." "I'm the one did the stealing'." "All you did was sit around and keep the old fool busy." "But it was my plan." "Seems like every time you divvy something up," "I always get the short end." "That's the way the brains is divided up." "You stop that kinda talk!" "I ain't gonna listen." "Come in." "Slow." "Is your name bosworth?" "Maybe." "What do you want?" "I just want to see what kind of scum would send" "A mutilated cat to a young girl as a wedding present." "Who you callin' names?" "Shut up, ed." "It ain't easy sending a gift to a girl who's got everything." "What business is it of yours?" "I hear that you had trouble with your father." "You threatened to harm him." "You heard that, did you?" "Just how well do you know my old man?" "Well enough to like him." "We know him a little better than that, don't we?" "We know him well enough to know he's crazy." "That's beside the point." "My question to you was," "Did you threaten to harm him?" "Ain't it just like that wild old coot to say something like that?" "As a matter of fact, we don't mean no harm to him at all." "We want him to be in the best kind of place," "With the best kind of people" "So everybody's gonna understand him." "You're trying to have him committed?" "That's what you're trying to do?" "We already saw the sheriff and we got the papers swore out." "I'd appreciate it if you told the old fool" "That's just what we gonna do." "Crazy, huh?" "They say I'm crazy." "That's what your older two boys say," "And they're gonna try and prove it." "Do you think they can do it?" "I don't know." "What do the other people in this community think about you?" "They might say I'm a bit off." "Take the little matter of jasper here." "Most people think an owl is a funny pet." "But I like him." "He's my friend." "He teaches me a lot of things." "Such as?" "He knows enough to keep his mouth shut." "Not chattering all the time like a parrot." "He sleeps when he wants, wakes up when he wants," "Makes his own schedule." "So do I." "Have you ever caged him?" "I let him out at night to hunt." "He comes back every morning." "He's better than a watchdog, too." "If I was to yell, he'd be on you in a minute." "You see them talons?" "I see." "Will anyone else?" "Why do you keep the rest of this house locked up?" "Why should I open it up?" "There's nothing but dust and sadness in them rooms." "I'm an old man, paladin." "I've outlived two wives." "A bad one and a good one." "And I've raised three boys." "Two of them want to kill me for what I own." "At least you have a fine son in hank." "I hope he gets here soon, we're going to need his testimony." "Testimony?" "Is this business going to court?" "I'll ride into town today and see what kind of a hearing you can expect." "I'll try to stop it, but you'd better be prepared." "Prepared for what?" "If the sheriff comes out here to serve you with a paper" "To appear, don't cause any trouble." "You're gonna need all the friends you can get." "All right." "I'll be tame as a housecat." "Do you always do that?" "Sure." "I hate to do dishes," "So I buy a new set in town every week for a dollar." "I throw them away when they're dirty." "Anything wrong with that?" "No." "Nothing at all, no!" "He's nice fella, jasper." "My name is paladin." "Are you mr." "Daggett?" "Yes." "I understand you're the only lawyer in town." "I am the only person who's duly authorized" "And licensed to interpret the law." "Did you wish an appointment?" "It's about rupe bosworth's Saturday hearing." "I believe you know about it." "I've been engaged to see whether mr." "Bosworth" "Is confined to an institution which can give him proper care." "What kind of a hearing will there be?" "There'll be a three man commission composed of" "A circuit judge, an elected public official" "And a doctor specializing in mental defects." "They should arrive by tomorrow." "Mr. Daggett, I'm asking you to drop these charges." "On what grounds?" "What business is that of yours?" "On the grounds that the charges are false and malicious." "I appeal to your professional ethics." "What's he doing here?" "Frankly, I don't know." "I was merely trying to find out" "If this shyster had been misinformed." "Get out of this office right now." "Right now!" "Do you hear?" "Seems to be a little "deef", daggett." "Throw him out of here!" "That's a pleasure." "Don't you dare hit me!" "Rupe!" "Oh, rupe!" "Hank, when did you get back?" "About noon today." "Where's your dad?" "The sheriff took him to jail, mr." "Paladin." "For what?" "He came to serve papers on dad to appear at a Saturday hearing." "I warned your dad not to cause any trouble." "He didn't mean to." "He was being polite as pie." "Without thinking, he started to reach for his rifle." "The sheriff got scared and started yellin' all kinds of orders" "And that woke up jasper." "The owl?" "Jasper swooped down and put those talons into the sheriff" "And the sheriff shot him." "Feathers all over the kitchen." "And your dad went for the sheriff." "We're gonna have quite a time proving he's sane now." "Yeah." "How do you feel?" "As well as I can since I messed everything up." "Don't worry about it." "The judge and commissioners arrive today," "Your hearing will be this afternoon." "What are my chances?" "It's hard to say." "Everything depends on whether or not we can prove" "That the boys are trying to put you away so they can seize your property." "It's gonna be hard to prove anything on them." "John, he's awful sly." "Why did you put them off the place?" "'cause of another smart idea of john's." "He took out fire insurance on the house..." "Let hank tell you." "He knows." "Hank and I will do the best we can for you." "Gonna be any outsiders at this business?" "It's a public hearing." "Anyone who's interested can attend." "I imagine some of your neighbors will." "Then I best keep still." "I ain't so good at talking in front of people." "Especially when they already think I ain't..." "Quite right." "I'll say whatever has to be said." "Thanks." "I hate to ask you, but could you do me one more favor?" "Name it." "See that jasper has a decent burial." "They took me away before I could do it." "Deputy." "We have here before you a man" "Who is a danger to the entire community." "He lives like a savage in a single room" "While his large, comfortable house remains locked and barred." "He has rich farmlands which he lays waste by planting worthless crops." "This is a man whose mind is dangerously unbalanced." "He must be committed to an institution" "For his own welfare." "And for the safety of those around him." "] does the defendant have anything to say?" "If the defendant has no explanation to offer," "Then this commission has no choice in its verdict." "Your honor, my name is paladin." "And we have an explanation." "Are you the defendant's legal counsel?" "I'm his friend." "He has no counsel." "Very well." "Proceed." "Your honor, rupe bosworth is as sane as any man in this room." "His two sons are trying to have him committed" "Solely to gain possession of his property." "Objection!" "This is an open hearing, not a criminal court." "Proceed, mr." "Paladin." "The final argument between the father and the two sons" "Occurred when they tried to burn down the house" "In order to collect on a fire insurance policy" "They'd taken on the place." "Can you prove this assertion?" "I'd like you to hear henry bosworth." "Very well." "Step over here, young man." "I was mending harnesses in the barn" "When I saw ed pour kerosene on the back porch." "I yelled but he kept right at it." "I had to do something, so I fired a shot" "To the back of the house where dad was sleeping." "He came out in time to catch john with a torch ready to fire the place." "Dad and I threw him off." "I guess they meant to burn dad up with the house." "Had there ever been trouble before?" "Sure, there was the blowing up of cy henson's place." "The time they stole whit grantley's cattle." "Did these matters ever come to the attention of the sheriff?" "No, 'cause dad always found out first" "And settled it up in cash so nobody complained." "Thank you, henry." "That's all for now." "Now, your honor," "There is the matter of bosworth's eccentric behavior." "Let's take these things in order." "First the "predatory animal."" "Rupe kept an owl because it was a clean, quiet pet." "Destroyed rodents and ranch pests." "The owl attacked the sheriff only when he threatened rupe." "Any watchdog would have done the same." "It's been alleged that rupe lived like a savage in a single room." "That is a lie." "His kitchen was neat, clean..." "A good deal more so than daggett's office." "I object!" "If there's any question in the commission's mind," "I'd suggest you gentlemen examine both rooms" "And make your own decision." "The rest of the house is kept locked because" "It would only be of nuisance to clean and maintain." "And as for the rest," "Which of you gentlemen likes to do dishes?" "And which one of you has ever lived in a house" "With a cuckoo clock without ever at some time feeling an impulse to smash it?" "So that we have finally 200 acres of sweet peas" "To prove or disprove mr." "Bosworth's sanity." "Thirty years of hard work have made rupe financially independent." "He doesn't need a money crop on that land." "And I don't know how anyone could look at that 200 acres of color and beauty" "And say it was a foolish thing to do." "I believe this commission has enough facts at its disposal to reach a decision." "This is outrageous!" "Henry bosworth would say anything" "To do john and edward out of their rightful inheritance." "your honor..." "I have a document here I'd like to read." "I'll be reading it without mr." "Bosworth's knowledge or consent," "But I believe it's pertinent evidence." "Very well." "Proceed." ""I, rupe bosworth, being of sound mind and aging body" ""do hereby make this last will and testament." ""to my son, henry, I leave the 500 acres" ""adjoining the thousand he received as a wedding gift." ""the remaining 3,000 acres I leave to my sons, john and edward," ""to share as they see fit." ""I sincerely hope that hard work and responsibility" ""of ownership will teach them what I have not been able to." ""that honesty and self-discipline are a man's best assets." ""signed, rupe bosworth."" "This will was made right after henry's wedding a week ago." "It leaves equal shares to all three brothers." "Henry knew the contents." "He had no reason to lie." "It is the verdict of this commission" "That rupert bosworth is sane." "We can't begin to pay you for what you did." "We'll talk about that later." "Paladin!" "You did a real fine job in there, paladin." "I just wanna see you get paid off." "You can't commit a murder here." "Fire a shot in this alley, there'll be dozens of people out here in seconds." "This ain't gonna be no murder." "This gonna be real legal." "You gonna draw on ol' ed!" "And I'm gonna shoot you to save old ed's life." "You gonna have that gun in your hand," "And dagget there's gonna be my witness!" "You turn around there and face ed." "Move!" "Real slow." "You gonna let him do this to you, ed?" "Do what to me?" "He's gonna let me draw and kill you before he shoots me," "And I can do it, you know." "Get on with it!" "Wait a minute!" "Why would he do that?" "You heard the will." "With you dead, he gets three thousand acres of prime land." "Maybe I ought to hold the gun and let you draw on him." "You do like you're told." "He's right." "That's what you were gonna do, wasn't it?" "Isn't it?" "!" "Sheriff, you'd better get this one to a doctor's office." "His lawyer will tell you what happened." "I'll come around later and tell you the truth." "Daggett, you're gonna lose another case when you try" "And defend this one on a murder charge." "Why did it have to turn out this way?" "What did I do wrong?" "Wasn't your fault, dad." "You did all you could for him." "I tried." "I remember them as kids." "Playing marbles in the dirt." "They can't do anything to efface that memory now." "Think about the fine son you have in hank." "The fine grandchildren you'll have in the future." "Let's ride on out past those flowers." "We'll think about what's good in the world" "What's clean." "¶ have gun will travel reads the card of a man ¶" "¶ a knight without armor in a savage land ¶" "¶ his fast gun for hire ¶" "¶ heeds the calling wind ¶" "¶ a soldier of fortune is the man called... ¶" "¶ paladin ¶" "¶ paladin, paladin, where do you roam ¶"