"I want to see phyllis thackeray." "And I want to see her now." "If she's been harmed in any way," "You two men can toss coins to see who I gun down first." "I'll give you $1,000 now," "And you'll promise to accept this job." "$1,000 later when you complete it." "I spend $2,000 a year on cigars, mr." "Laird." "$3,000." "That's the best I can do." "You propose to ship half a million" "In gold bullion from your bank in phoenix." "Why don't you get in touch with an express company?" "Four." "You said yourself it was a simple job." "And I'll discuss doing it for $10,000." "That's out of the question." "Good night, mr." "Laird." "I'll have to consult with my partners." "I'll stop by to see you tomorrow." "That's fine if I'm still in town." "You're not negotiating with other parties, are you?" "Who knows?" "I could be by tomorrow." "It's nate, pa." "I know who it is." "Let's get him in the house," "Then send charlie for that woman doctor." "Too bad doc taney ain't back from laramie yet." "Near as I can tell, he's had this fever for a week." "I guess when he got so sick he couldn't pour the soup," "Fred sent him home." "Nate was out in the round-up, cooking for the hands." "A cook." "He could have infected all your men." "Infected?" "What do you mean?" "This man has smallpox." "Smallpox!" "Get him off the ranch." "Get a buckboard and get him to town." "You can't take him anywhere else." "He'll infect others." "That's no concern of mine." "Get him off this ranch!" "Mr. Barton, that man has to stay right here." "Lady, don't you give me orders." "Carry him out!" "He must stay here." "Look, there's a supply of vaccine at fort landis." "If we send a telegraph right away," "That vaccine could be here within five days." "Don't just stand there!" "Do as I say." "This is something the doctor knows more about than us." "Tom, I said carry him out." "Leave him alone!" "I mean it." "You're the wrong sex to be handling a gun." "You touch him and you'll get smallpox for sure." "You won't need that with me." "I couldn't have pulled the trigger anyway." "Yeah, pa had you sized up that way." "Look, somebody has to send the telegram for the vaccine." "All right, I'll do that." "Only that's just part of the trouble." "The round-up's about over." "The men'll be back soon." "That's good." "We can keep them here until the vaccine arrives." "You don't understand." "They been working six months without a break." "They'll want to get to stockton so bad," "Nothing's going to hold them." "They get six month's pay." "They'll stay when they understand about the smallpox." "They'll run like rabbits." "But they have to stay until they're vaccinated." "At the point of a gun, if necessary." "I'm not very good with a gun." "I know someone who is." "There's his card." "Mr. Paladin, carlton hotel, san francisco." "Need you urgently." "Barton ranch, three rivers, california." "Phyllis thackeray." "Good morning, mr." "Paladin." "Hello, mr." "Laird." "I'm prepared to meet your terms in full now." "$10,000, you said." "I'm sorry, I've had a better offer." "Better offer?" "How much?" "Mr. Laird, this offer has nothing to do with money." "Goodbye, sir." "My name is paladin." "Where's doctor thackeray?" "My son told me he sent you a telegram." "That was a mistake." "Go back to san francisco." "Now who are you?" "This is mr." "Barton, my father." "He owns this ranch." "I'm tom barton." "I'm looking for dr." "Thackeray." "Where is she?" "I want you off my place." "Where?" "Talk to me, mister." "I'm the man around here." "I want to see dr." "Thackeray and I want to see her right now." "If there's anything wrong," "If she's been harmed or impeded in any way," "You two men can toss coins to see who I take apart first." "Now you wait a minute..." "That's how long I'll wait, one minute for you to show me that girl." "You walk into my house and threaten me?" "There's no need to make a fuss." "He just wants to see the doctor." "That's your way, isn't it?" "Back away from anything tougher than a steak." "Fall down and play dead when the man tells you to." "That's not true, pa." "I just don't believe" "In fighting when there's no fight called for." "] or any other time!" "This man's trespassing." "If you'd like to do something useful for a change," "Throw him off this ranch." "That's your minute, mister." "I can't wait for you" "To prove things to your father's satisfaction." "Where's the doctor?" "Where?" "!" "Ahhh, come in." "You better bolt the door." "He's very sick." "And it's contagious." "You all right?" "Yes, I was vaccinated two years ago back east." "What's he got?" "Smallpox." "I know, I should have said something in my telegram." "Afraid I wouldn't come running?" "Would you have?" "If I didn't have anything important to do." "Besides, I've been vaccinated." "I should have known." "Just how long have you been here alone?" "Since last night." "My patient has a lot of friends." "I've had a hard time keeping them away." "You take half a spoon of sugar, don't you?" "You remembered." "Many things." "Your patient's friends don't know he has smallpox." "Thank you." "No." "We've got to keep it a secret 'til the vaccine gets here." "When will that be?" "About three more days." "They're sending some over from fort landis." "And that's not why you sent for me." "No." "I sent for you because fred cooley, the range boss" "Is something of a gunman." "He'll be back tomorrow with the men." "They've got to be kept here." "They won't want to stay." "And you want me to keep them here?" "You have to." "What'd you put in this?" "Sugar or sleeping powder?" "You stay there." "No, I can't." "He's nearing the crisis." "You're not going to be much help to him" "If you're asleep on your feet." "All right." "I'll lie down for 20 minutes then." "Thank you." "Give him water if he asks for it." "You better wake me if he gets more feverish." "I'll wake you." "And by the way, hello." "It's all right." "I told you I've been vaccinated." "Have you?" "What?" "Been vaccinated." "Um hmmm." "When?" "When?" "What?" "Were you vaccinated." "Right after the war." "Oh." "That's all right then." "Wait a minute, maybe it isn't." "That was years ago." "You're back early, fred." "Boys are in a hurry to get to stockton." "We figure to start the herd that way come morning." "Yeah, come early morning." "Yee-hoo!" "Get down to the bunkhouse with the other boys." "You're making so much noise a man can't hear himself talk." "You better come in the house, fred." "We gotta have a little talk before you go anywhere." "Sure thing, soon as I get things put right." "Why don't you get our pay ready, meanwhile?" "How is he?" "He's more feverish." "Yes, I think you're right." "Is this the crisis?" "The next few hours." "Look, you better warn the bartons." "If he dies, there'll be no way of concealing the cause." "Everybody on this ranch'll stampede in all directions." "You think you can stop them?" "Nate's at the crisis." "Could go either way." "Cooley and the men are back." "I heard them." "You're not going to be able to handle those men." "I don't want to handle them." "They work for you." "Which of you is going to order them to stay here?" "I didn't ask for this fuss." "They're free to go as far as I'm concerned." "Tom?" "Waste of breath talking to fred cooley." "He'll do what he wants." "No, he won't." "He'll do what he's made to do." "Well, can't you..." "Handle it for you?" "Sure, I could." "Be noisy." "Guns are noisy." "Don't you think you might try to talk first?" "Fred won't listen to me." "I don't want this crew shot up." "Tom, you brought him in against my orders." "You tried to handle this your way." "All right." "I want to see you finish it." "Someday this'll be your son's ranch, won't it?" "He oughta be running it now." "Tom, sooner or later, whoever is foreman of this ranch" "Is gonna be taking orders from you." "Nobody's gonna stand next to you all your life," "With a gun to make your orders stick." "Yeah." "I guess you're right." "Tom..." "You're gonna have to keep these men here" "Without telling them it's because nate has smallpox." "Tom's been gone long enough." "Could be he swung fred cooley into line," "And he and fred are bringing the rest of the men around." "Yeah." "That could be what's taking the time." "If he wasn't such a weakling." "Is he such a weakling?" "You've seen him." "He'll take it from anybody." "He's always been that way and always will be." "He gets it from his mother, rest her soul." "No, I'd say he gets it from you." "You're a loudmouth bully." "Yes, you are." "It's all talk." "Vicious, cutting kind of talk" "That probably held that boy down." "Gave him the idea he never could win, so he never tried." "All I ever tried to do was make a man out of him." "No, you're scared to death he might really become a man." "Then you'd become the little man around here." "That's enough!" "I don't have to explain to you how I feel about my son." "Oh, am I mistaken?" "Would you really like that boy to kick your teeth in?" "I'd crack his skull if he did." "But I'd love him if he tried." "For all our sakes, I hope you get your wish." "Still think we ought to make him apologize." "I know what the fellas are after and I'm gonna" "Get it for them like I always do." "Wait a minute!" "You're gonna apologize first." "Steve, you just simmer down." "Mr. Barton..." "Steve polley here thinks tom was serious about us" "Not taking the cattle out to stockton this morning." "I said old tom was just funnin' with us." "Which one of us is right, mr." "Barton?" "Me or steve?" "I'd rather you didn't leave this morning." "When, then?" "I'll let you know." "I believe you just got it turned around the other way." "We're letting you know." "We're moving out this morning," "With or without your beef." "That the way you men want it?" "That's right." "That's the way it's gonna be then." "I don't know what's going on around here," "But it's something I don't like." "You're breaking a promise to your men now." "There's a strongbox in your study, mr." "Barton." "Open it up and get our money out." "We're gonna ride at sun-up." "You're talking to me now." "Not my son." "I know who I'm talking to, all right." "I'm telling you, there's something funny going on." "And with all respect, either you open that safe..." "Or we're gonna break it open." "No, you don't go in the house." "Are you..." "You work here, mister..." "Paladin." "I'm just helping a friend." "Got a specialty?" "I use a little of everything." "But in the end it comes down to that." "If there are no alternatives." "All right." "Sun-up's in an hour." "It's gonna take me about an hour to get my gear" "Gathered together and get back here to get my pay." "I'm riding out." "Don't try to stop me." "Your choice." "I'd prefer to avoid violence." "hear that, fred?" "He prefers to avoid violence." "A professional gunfighter from the look of him," "And he prefers to avoid violence." "Well, I'm not gonna let you." "Steve, cut it out." "I won't cut it out." "You know something, paladin?" "I don't figure to wait until sun-up." "Now!" "I'll be back." "Anything else I can do for him?" "Still too fast." "It's a little steadier though." "The fever's no better though." "More quinine?" "No, not for a little while." "Is there anything more I can do for you?" "Yes." "Talk to me." "Keep me awake." "Talk to you?" "Just like that?" "It's not that easy." "You've never had any trouble finding the right words." "It's easy enough to talk." "To find the right words, the common words," "That men exchange with women." "But you and I have grown too close for that." "That's a frightening thought." "It is." "Because we're the kind of people we are." "We're neither one of us ready for marriage, are we?" "Well, you're certainly keeping me awake." "You have to go on with your work." "It's important to you and it's important to those who need you." "And you have to go on with your work because..." "You're the kind of a man you are." "I did hear a rumor once that people can change." "Do you believe that?" "Yes, if they're ready to change." "And we're not ready to change." "I'm confused." "Have you been proposing to me?" "No." "No, I've been explaining why I haven't proposed." "That's very flattering." "I'm sure there aren't many women to whom you'd feel" "It was necessary to explain why you weren't proposing." "This is the first time." "Oh, be quiet or I'll wring your neck." "That won't stop the sun from rising." "I have an appointment at sunrise." "doctor?" "I think he's better." "I think he's going to live." "Perhaps that's a good omen." "Phyllis..." "We understand each other." "We both want it this way." "Have any cold water around here?" "Room down the hall." "There's a basin." "Thank you." "Maybe fred won't show up." "You know him better than that." "He's got six month's wages owed him." "He's not going to ride off without it." "We're a fine pair." "Letting an outsider do our job." "It's time." "Where's your gunman?" "He'll be here." "As long as we gotta wait," "You might as well open that safe." "We're gonna want our pay." "I told you not to talk to me like that." "All right, come on." "Take your hands off him." "Come on, let's go." "You can't come in here." "The door should be bolted." "You're the one they kept locked up." "I heard there was a woman doctor around here." "You started it all?" "Please get out of here!" "Ever since you come, nobody leaves the spread." "Now why?" "Because it's necessary." "Something to do with nate." "What's the matter with him?" "He's been very ill." "How you feelin', nate?" "Boys out here..." "Nate!" "Yes, it's smallpox." "Smallpox?" "Listen, there's a vaccine on the way." "It's a kind of medicine." "I'm going to vaccinate all of you." "Are you loco?" "It's the only way to protect you." "Don't you understand?" "Please listen to me." "Who did this to her?" "Who?" "!" "Fred didn't know what he was doing." "He was out of his mind with fear." "paladin!" "Paladin, that's enough!" "Don't kill him!" "It's all right." "No more, paladin." "Not this way." "Please!" "I'll put a bullet in you if I have to." "I won't stand by." "This is my ranch." "I'm responsible for fred, for you and for everyone here." "can't you hear me?" "Paladin, I'm all right." "He didn't hurt me." "Look, I'm perfectly all right!" "you'll leave fred to me now?" "Hmmm?" "I said, you won't touch fred again?" "I'll handle him." "That's right." "You run this place, don't you?" "Come on, fred." "I got the hands lined up outside." "They don't know quite what to expect," "But tom's holding them." "Good." "Better bring them in one by one." "All right, tom." "Start 'em in." "You first, fred." "I'm leaving." "Oh no, you're not." "What are you whelps afraid of?" "Would you step over here, mr." "Barton?" "What's the matter, mr." "Barton?" "¶ 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?" "¶"