 If this man you're shielding is a murderer and every man he kills from here on in will sit on your shoulder and scream in your ear. He'll travel, playing Mr. John Daner as Paladin. San Francisco, 1875, The Carlton Hotel, headquarters of a man called Paladin. Hey boy. Oh, Mr. Paladin, better you go straight up to your room, not go farther into lobby. Oh, why not? Oh, you see, standing over there, lady with red hair. Ah, she looks quite angry. Oh, yes sir, that not all. Over there, other side, lady with black hair. I see. Hey boy, don't know which lady is most dangerous. I took the brunette out to dinner two nights ago and the red head tonight before that. Have they talked to each other? Oh, yes sir, that just a trouble, Mr. Paladin. They're talking much. They get mad. Oh, plenty mad. Maybe you best disappear for a few days. Yeah, well, perhaps you're right. This telegram may be reasoned. Oh, it's too bad. They're both so attractive. Now, let's see. Regarding your offer to find killer of local sheriff, you're welcome to try at your own risk. S.J. Lovett, Mayor, Silver, Flatten, Nevada. You go again? Well, yes, I might as well. What about a beautiful young lady? Did you talk to them? No, no, no. Not right now, hey boy. I'm going to take your advice and go up to my room. And you can bring me some whiskey. I can enjoy it while I do my packing. A lovely town set in an ugly notch between a pair of ugly mountains. I'd been there once before and hadn't changed much. A few buildings thrown up on either side of a rutted street, half of them saloons, the other's land offices. I picked the one that was labeled S.J. Lovett, real estate. There were a couple of men lounging near the doorway. What do you want here? Well, I'm not sure. It's your business. Never mind, bald. Yeah, sure. Now, who are you? My name is Paladin. Oh, I'm Lovett. You got here fast. Speed is part of my service, Mr. Lovett. It's Mayor Lovett, Mr. I'll try to remember that. Can we talk without him? Of course. Come in. Now, sit down. Thanks. Ben Tyler kills Sheriff Pratt. You've offered to bring Tyler back for trial. I've got men who could do that if they could find him. And I won't pay you unless you find him. That's the way I work. Killing Tyler won't be enough. I'll have to see his body for proof. His body? You'll never bring Ben Tyler back to Silver Flat alive. You'll either kill him or he'll kill you. That's the kind he is. Now, uh, what do you expect for this job? $2,000. That's a lot of money. But you've got a deal. I'll pay you when you deliver. Oh, uh, and from here on, you're a deputy sheriff. You can consider yourself sworn in. You use this badge. Well, how will I know this, Tyler? For one thing, he carries a small gun at 36 caliber star. And you might get a line on where he is through his lawyer. Who's that? Tom Nelson. Now, we had Tyler cold for killing Charlie Bristol and Nelson got him off. Then Tyler went out and killed Sheriff Pratt. He's a fancy talker, this Nelson. You be careful of him. I will. Who are the witnesses who saw Tyler shoot Sheriff Pratt? No witnesses. Well, you seem pretty sure he did it. Why? That 36 star he carries, we dug three 36 caliber slugs out of Pratt before we buried him. That's better than witnesses. I just thought you might be able to help me find Ben Tyler, Mr. Nelson. Love, it's already asked me to do that. I won't help anyone take that man's life. I just want to find him, not kill him. I have nothing more to say to you. And you can report that to his honor, the mayor. Well, why is this squeamish? You defended Tyler for shooting a man named Bristol and apparently he went right out and killed the sheriff. The last part is here, say, pal. Then we'll set it straight. Nelson, if you know, tell me where he is. I'll bring him back for trial. I can't do anything for you. Tyler's my client. He was your client. You don't know him anything now, Mr. Nelson, but he's charged with murder. And you're obstructing justice if you know where he is and refuse to say. Now, look, don't preach to me about... I'm not preaching at you. I'm telling you. Tyler has to be brought back. If he's innocent, he should be cleared. If he's a murderer, he's got to be stopped. Nelson, if you're shielding a murderer, then every man he kills from here on in will sit on your shoulders and scream in your ears. Now, where is he? Will you give me a word you'll take him alive? I can only promise to try. He was in Prado the last time I heard from him. You taught territory? I tried. I'll bring Tyler back in one piece if he lets me. Tyler was the first man I ever defended in a criminal action. He's also the last. I'm finished with this whole rotten business. What rotten business? I'm trying to bring law to this miserable town. Tyler's trail from Prado wasn't hard to follow. He liked gambling, and he liked whiskey. And he didn't seem to care who knew his name. As a matter of fact, he didn't seem like a man on the run at all. I caught up with him in a town called Hayes. He was in the middle of a card game, and things were going his way. Just what I need, boys. A whole blue. Nobody holds cards like that. Nothing can stop me tonight. Ben Tyler? Yeah? Do I know you? You will. You left something unfinished back in the silver flat. Oh? Like what? Like a murder charge. You come on kind of strong, don't you, mister? You can try your gun, but I'd advise against it. Love it must want me real bad if he'd pay the price for somebody like you to get me. You want to go back sitting in your saddle or lying across it? I could say the same to you. That's right. You want to see which way it works out? All right, mister. I'll go back with you. Make any difference if I told you I didn't kill Sheriff Pratt? He was shot at Clifton Wells, and I wasn't within 50 miles of the place, and I can prove it. You'll have your chance. I was with a girl. She went to Carson City, but I can get her down to Silver Flat to say what's right. I think- Save it for the jury, Tyler. Oh, no. I'll leave the horses here. Like coming home. Has no lawman been appointed yet? Just me for the moment. Paladin, you've got any idea why Lovett wants to get his hands on me? Because there's evidence you murdered Sheriff Pratt. I told you I can prove I didn't. But I got an idea. I was squeezed between Lovett and the sheriff. You see, they hated each other politically in every other way. His honor wants to move up and run this state. Pratt had something on him, something about fraud and his election. Well, I see you brought him in. Any trouble? No, no trouble. No, I'll take my money, Lovett. All right. I'll take my money, $2,000. I don't carry that kind of money around with me. I didn't expect you would. But your office is right next door. Well, yes. Then we'll walk to it now. What about me, Paladin? You gonna leave me here or what? I don't know yet, Tyler. Come on, Lovett. Money. Just get it. I'll be back if it isn't right. All over this state? Yes, why? This map on the wall. Very interesting. We got anything else to talk about? I want to know if Ben Tyler will get a trial. Of course he'll get a trial. First thing tomorrow. I haven't seen the circuit judge around. He's busy. I'm empowered to sit on the bench in an emergency in the absence of the sheriff and with the temper of this town. I'd call this an emergency. I'll take that badge back if you don't mind. No. No, I think I'll keep it. What? I didn't bring Tyler back here to get murdered. You watch yourself around here, Paladin. You watch yourself real close. This is my town. Lock, stock and barrel. The coming trial of Ben Tyler was talked about in the hotel, in the saloons, in the general store, in the livery stables. It was talked about, and it was conceded that Ben Tyler would be convicted and hung for murdering Sheriff Pratt. Hardly anyone seemed to care whether or not the prisoner was defended. Nelson? What do you want, Paladin? I want you to defend Ben Tyler. I'm not going to get involved in a criminal case again. I got him off once and that's enough. Besides, I told him through this whole rotten business. You're the only lawyer in town. What if I am? That trial is set for tomorrow morning. I love it's going to act as judge. Now, Tyler claims there's a girl in Carson City who can clear them, but that won't give us time to bring her here. It's no concern of mine. It is your concern, but there's more. Love it, and Sheriff Pratt were enemies. And with the Sheriff gone, Love it's the big man around here. Are you suggesting Love it had the Sheriff murdered? Love it's an ambitious man. There's a map in his office showing the number of voters in every county. Now, I'm suggesting that Sheriff Pratt might have been in his way. And I'm also suggesting that people might overlook all the facts that Ben Tyler is tried, convicted, and hung tomorrow morning. Now, you've got to act in his behalf. You have to do anything. If you don't act soon, all you'll be able to do is cut Tyler down from the gallows. Look, will you take the case for $500? No, not at any price. Why should I in this desert where justice is a mockery and let you carry a gun? Let's just say it's not a matter of money. It's a matter of principle. Principle? Why did you study law at all if you don't have the stomach for it? You'd like it, wouldn't you, if only nice people were arrested, if trials were dainty and sweet-smelling and polite. Is that it? Well, it's too bad. But justice can be dirty sometimes, Mr. Nelson. Thieves and cutthroats have to be defended because somewhere among a thousand thieves and cutthroats, there just might be one who isn't guilty. But maybe you don't care about that, a man's freedom or his life. Heard you was throwing up some trouble, Mr. Pellett. Where did you hear that? Mayor Leavitt, as a matter of fact, he asked me to get back that badge you're wearing and send you on your way, so I'll just... I wouldn't try it. Before you pull the hammer back on that gun, I'll have three bullets in you you want to try. All right, then, you go back to Mayor Leavitt. You tell him I'm keeping this star. And you tell him... You tell him that I'm defending Ben Tyler. That's all. I'll get out. Thanks for making up my mind, Pellett. What's the first step? Change a venue to get Tyler out of Leavitt's hands and take a writ. All right. What else? But even if I do get the writ, they still took bullets from Tyler's gun out of Pratt's body. Nelson, how hard would it be for anyone to get hold of a 36-caliber star? None too hard? We'd better move fast. I was beginning to give up on you, Pallett. It was my fault, Ben. Mr. Pallett had to convince me of what I should have seen myself. What's this? You're being released for trial in another court, Ben. Before an impartial judging, Jerry. Will I be able to get that gal in Carson City? You'll be able to defend yourself with every bit of evidence you can gather. And I'll see to it. I swear to you, Tom, I didn't kill him. Just stand where you are. Shotgun, Mr. Mayor. That's right. Don't nobody move around. With a shotgun, you're holding the best card, is Leavitt. And you're helping a man break jail, Pellett. I brought an order for his release, Leavitt. There's to be a change of venue in this case. Pellett's only doing his job. I haven't seen any release order. I've got it. And I take the responsibility for releasing the prisoner. Let's see it. Of course. You take this outside and burn it. Glad to, Mayor. That won't do any good. Pallett and I will tell Judge Lehman that we delivered it. I don't think Mayor Lovitt intends for us to tell anything to anybody. That's the way it'll be, won't it, Lovitt? You'll be shot. Helping a prisoner escape along with his lawyer. Bolt, get his gun. Sure. Get in around. Okay. And one more shot for you, Lovitt. If I have to use it... No, no, no. Take a shot, Gun Tyler. Take a shot. I sure will. And here's your star, Mayor. Ah, Mr. Nelson. The case is all yours. Good to see you back, Mr. Pallett. Good trip to Silver Flat? Good as can be expected. Oh, hey, boy, did the ladies finally leave? Oh, ladies. Oh, they have big fight over you. Policemen come and take them away. You're smart, Mr. Pallett. Go away, I'm in trouble. When it comes to being caught between two women, I'll run every time, hey, boy. Well, now for a quiet evening of poker with... What is it, Mr. Pallett? Good, good, good. Uh, on second thought, hey, boy, since I'm dressed for the evening, I might as well go out for the evening. Mr. Pallett, you're not tired for a long trip? If I were, I'm not anymore, hey, boy. Oh, yes, oh, yes. Good night, hey, boy. Good night, Mr. Pallett. By Herb Meadow and Sam Rolf is produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonnell as well as John Daner as Paladin with Ben Wright as Hey Boy. Tonight's story was written by Buckley Angel and adapted for radio by John Dawson. Featured in the cast were Dick Crenna, Harry Bartell, Bart Robinson, and James Westerfield. Hugh Douglas speaking. Join us again next week when CBS Radio presents Have Gun Will Travel. U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon is a vicious killer into a desperate move as gun smoke follows next on the CBS Radio Network.