"Killing that boy is a thing I regret" "Having had to do, but if you push me" "Any further ever, you or your brothers," "I won't shoot one of you in the arm" "And hold my fire on the other." "I won't chance it a second time." "Mr. Paladin." "Thank you very much, hey boy." "Nothing interesting?" "Gee, that's too bad." "Hey boy, only an idle man" "Does not know what it is to enjoy rest." "As for myself, I can enjoy it" "Very much indeed." "Hey boy, what are you doing with the newspaper?" "Almost forget, come from kansas." "Kansas?" "Um hmmm." "Dawes eludes kansas justice." "The search for jimmy dawes, wanted in kansas for murder" "Ended today when sheriff lyons" "Disclosed that he had called off his posse" "At the state line where dawes had crossed into colorado." "Interstate law at this time" "Does not provide for fugitive return," "Therefore dawes cannot be brought back to justice" "By state authorities as long as he remains" "Outside the kansas boundaries." "You find something, mr." "Paladin?" "Well..." "Hey boy, in my business it's always a question" "Whether I find something..." "Or if something finds me." "Oh, yeah." "You followed me a long way, mister." "His family must've paid you a lot." "A thousand dollars, boy." "And I've earned it." "You haven't earned your bounty yet." "I'm not a bounty hunter, son." "I get paid whether you go back, or not." "You killed a man in kansas." "Some say it was murder." "You have to go back and stand trial." "It will be a fair trial, I promise you that." "I'll get a quick hangin' and nothing more." "This is my country, and I'm almost home." "Once there, there ain't nobody gonna get me." "Not from my kin." "Don't!" "You stay where you are." "Drop that rifle, boy." "You brought him to the wrong place." "You brought him home." "I thought his family might want to bury him." "Who hired you?" "Had you heard that he murdered a man?" "We heard he killed a man." "He probably had to." "We know it was a long ways from here." "Who hired you to kill him, gunfighter?" "You're sam truitt?" "That's right." "Mr. Truitt, I hear you're an honest peace officer." "This is a kansas warrant for the arrest of james dawes." "The murdered man's family hired me to bring him back." "He made a fight of it, got off several shots." "I had to kill him." "Murdered, gunfighter." "That's the word for it, I think." "Get off your horse." "Give me your gun." "You want me to take it from you?" "That might take some little doing, mr." "Truitt." "And I don't think it'd be worth your while." "You've earned your blood money." "Just be here tomorrow for the inquest." "Until then, you keep away from me." "The sight of you makes me sick to my stomach." "The horse is his." "The saddle's mine," "And I want it." "I'd like a room and a bath." "You the one that killed the dawes boy?" "I'd like the water hot, please." "If I give you a room, mr." "Paladin..." "People are gonna ask me why." "I was just wondering if you're worth" "That kind of trouble to me?" "Landlord, I'm tired..." "And I'm almost out of patience." "You tell people I gave you no choice" "And I'd like my key, please." "On the first landing." "Thank you." "Mr. Paladin..." "These are good people." "But I'd sleep lightly..." "Were I you." "Who are you?" "I should've used both barrels." "Who are you?" "!" "It's the boy's brother." "Ben." "Ben dawes." "The kansas warrant is in order." "The dawes boy was a fugitive." "Any citizen, or whatever, has the right" "To make such an arrest." "I see no reason to hold you, mr." "Paladin." "Boys..." "Had there been a witness to this killing," "We might had heard another account of what happened." "But under the present circumstances," "I have no choice but to find that james dawes" "Died a fugitive while resisting citizen arrest." "And that mr." "Paladin is legally absolved" "Of criminal responsibility." "The inquest is closed, gentlemen." "I'll take my gun now, mr." "Truitt." "I'll tell you something, gunfighter." "I don't suppose you realize it yet," "But you're a dead man." "I met ben dawes." "He's not quite my size." "You're smug and that's good." "When the time comes and they find you, it'll make it easy." "Who's they?" "I want you out of this town in 15 minutes." "Who are the others?" "The boy you murdered has three brothers." "Their blood runs thick." "You met one last night," "But charlie and clay are not so young." "They won't stop, and they won't miss." "Now I'm warning you..." "Where are they?" "Are you sweating, gunfighter?" "It's a hot day." "I sweat like anyone else." "Like jimmy dawes did?" "My gun, mr." "Truitt." "See you soon." "Charlie and clay have been away buying horses." "They're due back before sundown." "They've heard by now and will be pushing." "I want you gone when they get here." "Charlie dawes will find you and kill you." "But I don't want it to be here." "You understand me?" "I don't want to hang a good man for killing a thing like you." "Now you buy yourself a horse, and get out of this town." "You'll get your gun as you leave." "Give me an excuse." "I remember that boy, I had a warm feeling for him." "There's your saddle." "In case no one'll sell you a horse, mister..." "There's a stage at three." "But I'd try not to wait, if I were you." "I will take my gun now." "Put it in your blanket, and the derringer too." "I think not." "Now, we have an ordinance here." "No guns worn in the town limits." "Now we don't usually enforce it," "But if you strap that on," "You'll spend the next seven days in a cell, I give you my word." "What now, gunfighter?" "Another killing?" "You abuse your badge, old man." "And you don't really have the strength to back it up." "But I have a deep respect for the law," "And I'm not gonna push it." "Why's that gun belt on there?" "I'm not wearing a gun, mr." "Dawes." "Ride out, tom." "The gunfighter's not going with you." "I said ride out, tom." "Charlie!" "I told you to buy yourself a horse, mister." "Now you do it, and get out of my town." "Put that gun away, charlie." "I said, put that gun away." "Not on your life." "Now sam, back away." "He said he was your friend." "What kind of animal are you?" "Clay..." "Take him over to the pump." "You have until sundown to leave." "You wear your gun or not," "It's not gonna make any difference." "Now you get out of my sight." "You don't have to wait until sundown." "I can put my gun on right now." "You sweat it out first, mister." "You think about dyin' for awhile..." "Like my brother must've done." "Then we'll come for you." "And when we come for you," "You're gonna die." "Dawes, in that holster is a hand-crafted weapon." "I'm an expert in its use." "But I have killed, only I hope," "When there was no other choice left me." "No man has a right to do more than that." "I am not legally at fault for your brother's death." "Nor morally at fault either." "Now you think on that until sundown." "Also, that I may not be the only one" "To die on this street before nightfall." "You'll be needing a doctor, sam." "Come on, let me help you." "Sam..." "Two or three hours, it'll be over." "Now don't do anything foolish." "Don't make me kill you." "Sam..." "Come in." "In our trades it always comes to that," "Doesn't it, gunfighter?" "Truitt, I don't want your help." "You'd just hinder me." "I don't plan to see them murder you." "Not in my town." "You're a fool, and I meant what I said." "You'd get yourself killed, and me with you." "Now listen to me..." "I don't want you, old man!" "Not at all!" "But I can use your gun." "It's getting to be about that time, charlie." "I guess so." "Paladin!" "Paladin!" "Paladin..." "I could help you." "Mr. Paladin..." "Ben the boy, he's out back." "He's got the shotgun." "You!" "You let it drop!" "Let it drop!" "Now the rifle." "I won't say it again." "If not now..." "Then someday, gunfighter." "I won't forget, and I won't stop." "I had no choice about your brother." "Someday, that's one thing you got to look forward to." "Dawes..." "I won't keep you waiting." "There'd be no point." "And besides, I think I owe you something" "For sam truitt." "Go ahead." "I'm not gonna make it easy for you." "You better tend to him." "He's losing blood." "Paladin...!" "It's not finished." "Now, I'm gonna say this to you once more." "I killed your brother, yes." "I had to." "He was a boy." "He was 18 years old." "You think I'm gonna let that lie?" "Killing that boy is a thing I regret," "But if you push me any further," "You or your brothers ever," "I won't shoot one of you in the leg," "And hold my fire on the other one." "I won't chance it a second time." "Clay!" "Leave it be." "It's finished." "My apologies, mr." "Truitt." "But it's a thing I felt I could do best alone." "There was a time when no man could have done to me" "What charlie dawes did today." "Or what you did either." "There was a time, gunfighter..." "I know that, sir." "I'm sure of it." "¶ 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 ¶"