"Morning." "Is there something I can do for you?" "Well, as a matter of fact..." "At your service." "I'm in suite 24." "You know, I love san francisco." "Miss shannon is the new hotel stenographer." "Well, of course even this city has its disappointments." "However..." "Morning." "Please address this to mr." "John staffer," "Village of santa maria, territory of new mexico." "Dear sir," "This will acknowledge receipt" "Of your advance payment..." "In the sum of $500." "However, please be advised..." "That I will not provoke a gunfight." "You have that?" "If no more satisfactory a solution can be found," "Our agreement will be terminated" "And your advance payment refunded," "Minus expenses." "Please enclose this in the letter," "And it's signed paladin." "I'll have the porter return your machine." "What made you change your mind, mr." "Paladin?" "About what, miss shannon?" "Me." "Well, miss shannon, some friendships are like good wine." "A wise man lets them age before sampling." "I've seen a few of your "friendships"" "Passing through the lobby." "You'll find any relationship of ours slightly cooler." "Perhaps." "But then, some good wines are much better slightly chilled." "We'll discuss it further in about three weeks?" "¿como esta?" "Bien, muchas gracias." "¿que vaya?" "A la pueblo de santa maria." "Oh, santa maria." "I am going there myself." "Perhaps you would share my food, senor." "Paladin." "Con mucho gusto." "Paladin." "Gracias." "But first you will..." "You will drop your gun." "It would pain me to kill a guest." "The name is charley red dog," "United states marshal." "Marshal, may I see that badge again?" "Oh, as they said in the first lesson," "It is not the badge, but the man, huh?" "Well, you will note that I am exceptional with a gun." "Of course, there are some things I must practice." "If you'll forgive me, that's a little snug in the holster." "A drop of fat inside the leather would help it to slide out." "Oh, a drop of fat?" "Oh, please." "What do you call this?" "Uh, this is called viejas." "My people, the navajos, call this viejas." "Viejas." "Uh-huh." "Beans, rabbit, cooked in small red chilies, yeah?" "You perhaps have indian blood." "No, but I've learned to enjoy some of the benefits." "Mmm." "This is excellent." "Please, sit here." "Finish the pan." "Thank you." "I have already eaten my fill." "Aren't you rather young to be a marshal?" "Well, I have almost 20 years." "There are no complaints from the institute." "Institute?" "Yes." "Here..." "Please don't put that gun in the dirt." "Oh, I am sorry." "See?" "Read for yourself." "Fees paid, examination passed," "And not one question I missed," "Badge and diploma issued." "This correspondence school," "You took a clipping from a magazine or a newspaper?" "Well, this is United States marshals correspondence institute," "And this is United States government." "So, is there some problem?" "Will you listen to me?" "Perhaps you object to education." "No, not at all." "Oh, it is because I am indian, then?" "No." "Well, times change, senor." "In the reservation school, I was top student." "And as for the institute," "They even invented special courses for me." "I'm sure they got every cent from you they could." "My family is very proud of this." "It is proof we have fair government in washington." "I know." "Marshal charley red dog" "May sound like a foolish name to some whites." "But, senor," "I have promised that it will stand for justice" "And honesty and fairness" "As it is written in the law books." "Or I will die in this attempt." "You wear that badge into santa maria, you probably will." "My blood has known death there before, senor." "My own father, when I was a child," "He died in the street there." "No, not from anger, senor, but..." "Merely target practice." "A worthless old indian passing a saloon." "I'm sorry." "I'm going into santa maria to see a mr." "Staffer" "About just such a thing." "Oh, yes." "I know mr." "Staffer's plan." "With too many gunmen already in santa maria," "He brings in still another." "We will do as in abilene, senor:" "Prohibit the carrying of weapons." "My office will be in the old jail." "When you are ready to leave town, I will return your gun." "Well..." "What if I decide to take my gun into santa maria?" "Then one of us will die here." "If you wish, I give you a fair fight." "Marshal..." "I'll see you in santa maria, marshal." "you came all the way from san francisco" "With a fat-headed scheme like this?" "I won't stand for it!" "Now, I've heard some harebrained schemes in my time..." "I'm merely suggesting that since charley red dog" "Is already wearing a marshal's badge," "That we appoint him town marshal." "We hired you to handle this." "Start with joe denver." "He's behind most of this trouble." "He'll be back in town tomorrow." "Staffer, for the last time, I am not a hired assassin." "What this town needs is law." "Law, seven days a week, twelve months a year." "All right, so we hire a lawman." "A real one." "Who wants the job?" "You want it, sir?" "You?" "Ain't no one foolish enough to take it." "Nobody except an indian boy named charley red dog." "Foolish?" "Or perhaps there's another word for it." "Paladin, we'll just end up with one dead indian kid." "He's gonna try." "Are you saying you couldn't stop him?" "Staffer, if I were charley red dog..." "If I were an indian boy" "And this was my one chance to stand as tall as any man," "I'd rather die than be stopped." "No." "I won't stop him." "Marshal charley red dog." "Who the devil's gonna respect a lawman with that name?" "Respect can be as contagious as measles" "If it's properly spread around." "And I'll be standing very close to him." "I'm willing to give it a try." "It's the kid's neck, not mine." "I'll go along." "All right, but we don't want anyone laughing at us." "If he gets killed," "We don't know either one of you." "Agreed." "Gonna get a gun from someone?" "I was just on my way to borrow one." "Excuse me, gentlemen." "Walks are for white men, indian." "I beg your pardon." "I do believe you bumped into me." "Well, then get out of my..." "Brandy." "Guess that ought to bring the new marshal a-runnin', huh?" "Marshal red dog." "Ain't that something, ed?" "Downright hilarious." "Well, now, you look like the sort what likes excitement." "I don't remember speaking to you." "I was inviting you to join us." "We're planning on riding that..." "I say you talk too loud and too much." "Well, now," "For a man without a gun, you..." "I almost forgot about borrowing a gun." "Thank you very much, my friend." "Gentlemen," "Don't let me interrupt your card game." "We'll get on with it in a minute." "Well, then, let me cut the cards for you, hmm?" "Your gun's as fast as your temper, mister." "Uh, meaning no offense." "You might even give joe denver a race." "Joe denver." "I've heard that name." "He's the man what runs the town." "He'll be back tomorrow." "I'd be very interested to meet him." "I'll take that gun, too, mr." "Paladin." "In fact, I think it is time to collect all guns." "The same rule as in abilene, senors." "Well, now, if it ain't the injun boy." "Marshal." "Don't draw down on me." "We're just funnin' here." "How many times must I take your gun?" "All right." "You mean, he took your gun?" "I've seen this man work." "Maybe you wanna draw down on him," "But not me." "Why, no, I..." "I was just, uh..." "Senor bartender, bring out your tub." "We make a small collection here." "Come." "There's gus johnson going in." "Gus is a real injun-hater, paladin." "He'll chew your boy to bits." "Paladin." "Better get a gun." "They're jumping the boy tonight." "When?" "Don't know." "They're gonna catch him in his office." "I just heard 'em talking." "About six of 'em." "Six against one." "You can't expect him to fight odds like that." "If he wants this job, he'll have to expect to face some odds." "But I'll see what I can do to reduce them." "Excuse me." "Evenin', marshal." "We thought we'd drop by for our guns." "Ought to lock that rear door, marshal." "Never know who might come in." "Injuns ain't used to doors." "I know enough to put out people the way they came in." "If someone will get me a new lantern," "I will make some arrests." "I do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of this territory" "And the constitution of these United States." "And the constitution of these United States," "So help me god." "Now, if you'll sign right here..." "Paladin." "He's here." "Yes?" "Joe denver." "He's waiting out in the street." "Wait a minute, marshal." "There are half a dozen murders against denver." "Paladin can bring him in for trial." "John here will put him away for good." "it won't hurt your reputation." "You can just say one gunman sold out another gunman." "I will need my gun, however." "I am sorry, senor." "To uphold the law, so help me god." "I did not mean that lightly." "Paladin!" "Get that jug of water." "Get me a gun." "This thing's no good in a shootout!" "We turned ours in." "Get to cornish's store and take one off the shelf." "Go on!" "I can't wait." "The marshal locked up cornish's guns this morning." "Ahh!" "As you once suggested," "A drop of fat in the holster makes the difference." "Firearms are not permitted in santa maria." "That's a very good law," "Especially when the marshal is so proficient with his." "I am glad you carried it last night, however," "When you shot out the lantern in my office." "I ought to be in jail." "A man learns to overlook things." "A gun in the hands of a friend" "Or worthless diplomas" "From dishonest correspondence schools." "How long have you known about that?" "Oh, perhaps always." "But it gave me a direction." "A simple indian boy needs direction, mr." "Paladin," "Almost as much as he needs respect." "Respect is important to all men." "Some will even risk death for it." "And some just give it to others." "I thank you for that." "Mr. Paladin." "Marshal." "Thank you." "You ought to split that 1,000 with the marshal." "That ought to be fair." "Yeah." "He did all the work." "I think we came out just about even." "The marshal has your gratitude and I have your money." "Marshal." "¶ "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 ¶"