- 6 days ago
Paladin is hired to protect a stagecoach line owner from an ex-convict who is seeking revenge. The twist is that the stagecoach owner had hired Paladin two years prior to arrest this same man, who was wrongfully convicted at the time. Now released, the ex-con is bent on making reparations, and Paladin finds himself in a morally complex situation, unsure of where his allegiances should lie as he learns more about the conflict.
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TVTranscript
00:00.
00:25Hey boy. Hi, Mr. Carolyn. Do you have the tickets? Oh, yes.
00:48Thank you. And the flowers, please.
00:55Oh, that's fine. Thank you. And telegram. Telegram.
01:08Need you. Life in danger. Come at once. Stanhope.
01:14Well, hey boy. Send roses and regrets to Miss McCormick.
01:20And, uh, hey boy. Do you like opera?
01:25No. Uh, I have friends like opera.
01:29Oh, well, by all means, give these tickets to your friend and tell him to have a good time.
01:33Thank you. And, hey boy, your girl, does she like flowers?
01:35No, no. They make her sneeze.
01:38Oh. Oh.
01:52Good evening.
01:53I beg your pardon?
01:54I know. We haven't been introduced. I hope you won't think I'm rude or presumptuous.
01:58But these are lovely flowers, and they were meant to be worn on a festive, joyous occasion,
02:04which, unfortunately, will never come to pass.
02:07Will you wear them for me? Please?
02:12Thank you. Good night.
02:14Good night.
02:15Good night.
02:16Good night.
02:17Good night.
02:18Good night.
02:19Good night.
02:20Good night.
02:21Good night.
02:22Good night.
02:23Good night.
02:24Good night.
02:25Good night.
02:26Good night.
02:27Good night.
02:28Good night.
02:29Good night.
02:30Good night.
02:31Good night.
02:32Good night.
02:33Good night.
02:34Good night.
02:35Good night.
02:36Good night.
02:37Good night.
02:38Good night.
02:39Good night.
02:40Good night.
02:41Good night.
02:42Good night.
02:43THE END
03:13Oh, something wet.
03:28Pretty dusty, right?
03:30Even dustier walking.
03:35Oh, my horse foundered about three miles back.
03:39You don't happen to have a spare mount, do you?
03:41No, only relay teams for the stage.
03:44But the eastbound stage is due any minute.
03:46It'll take you to Hammond. You can get a horse there.
03:48Well, thanks, but Hammond's where I'm going.
03:50You finish with the paper?
03:51Sure, go ahead.
03:52But it's last weeks and just small town stuff.
03:54Deathbed confession clears Ed Stacey.
04:04Dying of gunshot wounds suffered in a futile attempt to rob the Overland stage.
04:09Joe Barnes, a former driver, confessed to another holdup two years ago...
04:12...and exonerated Ed Stacey, who had been convicted of the crime and sentenced to a long-term imprisonment.
04:16Will Stano, president of the Overland line, announced he would personally arrange for Stacey's release...
04:21...and expressed profound regret at the miscarriage of justice.
04:29Ed Stacey been released?
04:30Who?
04:31Ed Stacey. Is he out of prison?
04:37Yeah, yeah, I think so.
04:40Is he coming back to Hammond?
04:42Well, I, uh, I wouldn't know.
04:50Now, what do you care about, Ed?
04:53Well, I was just reading about him in the paper.
04:56Well, what's Ed to you?
04:56Why do you care if he comes back?
04:59I have my reasons.
05:01Well, if they have anything to do with Ed.
05:03They're my business.
05:04Now, talk.
05:06If I do, I'm going to make a real loud noise.
05:09And a big hole, more than one, if necessary, gentlemen.
05:13Would you like to continue this conversation?
05:17It's the eastbound stage.
05:19Let it drop, then.
05:20There's no time now.
05:23We'll talk, all right, mister.
05:25Soon.
05:26I wouldn't doubt in Hammond if I were you.
05:29I'd just ride on through.
05:38I'm sorry, mister.
05:39I didn't get a chance to warn you.
05:41I was Ben Stacey, Ed's brother.
05:43Oh, ho.
05:43And there's Ed Stacey.
05:57I figured as much the way Ben has been hanging around.
06:01Who are the other two?
06:02Well, they came with Ben when he took over Ed's ranch last year.
06:05Hello, Ed.
06:15Hello, Ed.
06:17What are you doing here?
06:19Just passing through business.
06:22It's not with me.
06:23I'm clear.
06:24So I heard.
06:25Congratulations.
06:26Did that thing make you feel fully dressed again?
06:36Pretty rusty, huh?
06:38I'll improve.
06:40Well, he's not a furnace for your foes so hot that it do singe yourself.
06:44One of those fancy writers of yours again?
06:46Shakespeare.
06:47That's good advice, Ed.
06:48Yeah.
06:48Well, after two years in prison for nothing, that furnace is boiling up a full head of steam.
07:13Well, that stretch sure didn't tone him down any.
07:16He's just as feisty as ever.
07:18Say, how come you know him?
07:23I brought him back to the trial.
07:48Do you have any idea why Stacy left the stage at the relay station, Paladin?
07:57Or where he was going?
07:58Not the slightest.
07:59He probably went straight home.
08:01His ranch is almost as close to Three Porks as it is here.
08:04Paladin saw him put on a gun.
08:06He armed himself to go home.
08:08Face fact, Sheriff.
08:09Oh, come on, Mr. Stanhope.
08:11You're making a big fuss about nothing.
08:13Nothing?
08:14Ed's got a right to be sore considering everything that's happened.
08:17But if we try to make it up to him, show him we're glad he's back,
08:21I think he'll cool off.
08:22Let's wait and see, huh?
08:24Wait for him to kill me, I suppose.
08:25All I know is I can't arrest a man for what he's thinking.
08:39Idiot.
08:40Now do you understand why I sent that wire, Paladin?
08:43I need someone to protect me.
08:44Why are you so sure that Ed Stacy wants to gun you?
08:48You sent me that wire before you even knew he was coming back here.
08:51I wrote to him, offered to do everything I could to help him get started again.
08:55He sent the letter back.
08:57He hates me, I tell you.
08:59He's going to kill me.
09:01Well, I can see him as wild, impetuous, immature.
09:06But a killer?
09:08Don't you believe me either?
09:11Mr. Stanhope, just what is it you want me to do?
09:14I told you, protect me.
09:16I'm not a bodyguard.
09:18You can hire a couple of men for half my fee, if that's all.
09:21Well, not exactly.
09:22I was thinking all this could be settled quite simply if Ed Stacy could be persuaded to leave Hammond.
09:28For good.
09:29Well, how would you accomplish that?
09:30How would you?
09:36Oh.
09:38Mm-mm.
09:39I'm sorry.
09:40Now, wait a minute.
09:41There's $3,000 in this envelope.
09:46Stacy should be interested.
09:49Well, that's a lot of persuasion.
09:51Use whatever you want to and keep the rest.
09:54I wouldn't even care if you kept it all, so long as I never had to worry about Stacy again.
09:58Well, that kind of a deal is out.
10:03Oh, I just mean, you can do whatever you want to.
10:07Please.
10:08I need you, Paladin.
10:10There's no one else.
10:14All right, Mr. Stanhope.
10:16I'll talk to Ed Stacy.
10:18Maybe if you saw him tonight.
10:20No, I'll guarantee you I'll be a lot more persuasive after a night's sleep.
10:24I'll see you later.
10:54I'll see you later.
10:59Yeah, come in.
11:05I want to have that talk now.
11:15You and Stanhope railroaded my brother.
11:17I'm just paying you back for your time and trouble.
11:33Ben!
11:34Ben, let him up, will you?
11:37Will you let him up?
11:38Come on, will you?
11:40Well, what are you trying to do, kill him?
11:45I saw him with Stanhope.
11:46They're trying to railroad you again.
11:47I told you before.
11:48Let me worry about Stanhope.
11:50Well, sure, Ed.
11:51I was just trying to help you.
11:52I know, Ben.
11:53You can help me by staying out of trouble.
11:55Now, go on.
11:56Round up Dan and Floyd.
11:57We're going home.
11:58But go on.
11:59Go on.
12:00Go on.
12:05How about some of those fancy words now, Paladin?
12:08Believe me, I'm speechless.
12:10Yeah, well, once Ben gets it in his head that somebody's out to harm me, it's kind of hard to shake the idea out of him.
12:15Ed, why didn't you just let him finish the job? It saved you some trouble.
12:19I don't see there's any trouble between us, Paladin.
12:23Well, there will be, if you don't let up on Stanhope.
12:26Me let up on Stanhope?
12:28Well, he's on my back and hard.
12:30Ed?
12:46Ed.
12:48Wait a minute.
12:49You say Stanhope's on your back, what does that mean?
12:54All right, you really care?
12:56Yeah.
12:57I could use a couple of new bridles.
12:59Watch this.
13:01It's been that way all over town.
13:16If they can't get the door closed fast enough, they just say they're sorry, but they can't give me any credit.
13:22You know, the merchants depend on Stanhope to ship in their supplies.
13:26Overland, in turn, buys from their stores.
13:28So you can see Stanhope swings a lot of influence in this town.
13:31It just doesn't make any sense.
13:34Now, here's $3,000 from Stanhope to you.
13:40Why?
13:41I don't know.
13:42I guess you're his conscience.
13:43Or maybe he's afraid of you.
13:44This gadget's got pretty high.
13:45Well, there's a condition, Ed.
13:46You'd have to leave Hammond.
13:47See, Stanhope is certain you're gonna kill him.
13:48I wanted to, pal.
13:49That first year in prison, it was all I could think of.
13:50Then when they let me out, it all came back.
13:51I was gonna make him pay for every rotten second.
13:52And now?
13:53Well, now you can relax.
13:55I wouldn't even touch him.
13:56He is a good friend.
13:57I don't know.
13:58It's a good friend.
13:59You don't know that.
14:00I'm sorry.
14:01I'm sorry.
14:02You're not going to kill your parents.
14:03You're not going to kill them, sir.
14:04I'm sorry.
14:05I'm sorry.
14:06I'm sorry.
14:07I'm sorry.
14:08You're not going to kill you.
14:09I'm sorry.
14:10I'm sorry.
14:11You're not going to kill him, sir.
14:12I'm sorry.
14:13I'm sorry.
14:14I'm sorry.
14:15I wouldn't even touch him. He isn't worth another stretch in prison.
14:20Besides, you gave me a better idea.
14:22His conscience is going to stick around and bother him for a long time.
14:26Ed! You've got to stop Ben.
14:28He's tearing that Overland stage office to bits.
14:45I'm going to have to lock him up.
14:47A couple of you men, give me a hand.
14:51Take him to jail.
14:55So what happened? What could have cost a thing like this?
14:58Well, this might have had something to do with it.
15:00Delinquent tax notice.
15:03Tax notice?
15:05Sorry, Ed. I gave it to Ben.
15:08Nothing personal. It's just part of my job.
15:10It's been more than two years and nothing's been paid.
15:13Two years and you couldn't wait a couple of days more.
15:16This is regular town business, Paladin. I'll handle it my way.
15:18You're handling it his way.
15:20Everybody in town is handling things his way.
15:21And I'm up to here with it.
15:23Sheriff! Easy, boy.
15:26When I came back, I made up my mind to forget what happened.
15:29To forget that you and this town cost me two years out of my life.
15:32I don't expect any favors. I just wanted to start from scratch.
15:35But you won't let me, will you?
15:36You're pushing me around again.
15:38Treating me like I really was a criminal.
15:43Okay, we'll play it your way from now on.
15:45Since I've already put in two years for nothing, I've got something real big coming.
15:49Right out of your hide.
15:53Hey, you hurt him yourself, Sheriff. He threatened me.
15:56I demand protection.
15:58And you'll get it, too, when I see you need it.
16:01After he takes the first shot.
16:02All right, Paladin, it's up to you.
16:07I think I'll wait for the second shot.
16:09What?
16:11I don't like being used.
16:13I don't understand.
16:15You didn't tell me you were trying to run Ed Stacey out of this town.
16:18Cutting his credit off.
16:20Forcing the sheriff to serve him that delinquent tax notice when he knew he wouldn't have enough money to pay for it after two years in prison.
16:24I gave you this $3,000 for him.
16:27Sure. After you'd rigged it, so he had to take it or lose everything.
16:30Either way, you win.
16:32I had to do it, Paladin. He would have killed me.
16:35He didn't want any part of you.
16:37Whatever happens from now on, you can.
16:39Thank yourself.
16:43What are you men standing there for? Grab your horses and come on, let's get them.
16:47Dan and Floyd busted men out of jail.
16:49I believe this simplifies matters. They're Stacey's men. The sheriff won't have any choice now, will he?
17:14Not that I object to your company, but since when is the shotgun ride inside the coach?
17:18Mr. Stanhope's orders.
17:21Oh?
17:23That's a trap.
17:25He figures Ed and Ben Stacey will hit one of the stages sooner or later, who wants it to look easy for them.
17:29Well, Mr. Stanhope has a talent for conniving.
17:33He wants to get them real bad, even offered a reward.
17:37Before they've done anything?
17:39Well, it says for capturing or killing anybody who attempts to hold up an Overland stage.
17:44We know what Mr. Stanhope really means.
17:49Sure hoped they'd try it on one of my runs.
17:52I could use that $3,000.
17:55$3,000.
17:58That seems to be his favorite number.
18:14Well, we've changed teams here in about 10 minutes.
18:17Right.
18:27That's a short one.
18:33Do you hear me?
18:35Well, now.
18:38You're really using up your two years in a hurry, aren't you Ed?
18:41Didn't figure them as any more than a deposit.
18:44You gonna waste them on me?
18:46Not you, Paladin. The stage.
18:48Dan and Floyd are out there now taking care of it.
18:51I'm just making sure that nobody's gonna bother them.
18:54Pretty smart, huh?
18:56They didn't expect us to hit him here.
18:58Stanhope expected it.
19:00I guess he had you pegged.
19:02Yeah, he pegged me.
19:03Two years ago.
19:05I don't know if any of your fancy writers ever said it, but...
19:07if you've got the name, you might as well play the game.
19:09Well, you don't have the name yet.
19:11Yeah, well, it won't be long now.
19:13So you're gonna let Stanhope push you around?
19:16Does this look like he's pushing me around?
19:18I think so.
19:20By the time you've robbed me, I'll get to the game.
19:22I'll get to the game.
19:23I'll get to the game.
19:24Well, you don't have the name yet.
19:26Yeah, well, it won't be long now.
19:36So you're gonna let Stanhope push you around?
19:39Does this look like he's pushing me around?
19:40I think so.
19:42By the time you've robbed that stage, you'll be a wanted man.
19:44There won't be any question about it this time.
19:46No screaming about being railroaded.
19:49I want to confess and get you off.
19:50He'll serve your full sentence.
19:52Yeah, if they get me.
19:54Every sheriff and marshal in the state looking for you,
19:56they'll get you sooner or later.
19:58Not before I make Stanhope sweat.
20:00Mr. Stanhope will be sitting in his office, safe and comfortable.
20:03I doubt he'll sweat very much.
20:07He's got a big mouth.
20:10I'm sorry.
20:12Ed, you don't know how lucky you are having someone like this.
20:16Someone who loves you without question,
20:18who will fight for you without reason,
20:20do whatever you want.
20:26Why not?
20:28He's my brother.
20:30Oh, I understand.
20:31I also understand he gave up his own life, his own place,
20:34and came here to run your place while you were gone.
20:37Kept it running for you because he always believed you'd come back.
20:40And you?
20:41You're repaying him with love and kindness by pulling him down to your level,
20:49by making him a fugitive like you.
20:52A sheriff's posse comes after you. What do you expect him to do?
20:56Stop a slug of lead for you?
20:59He's right. You have got a big mouth.
21:04And you've got a small brain.
21:06You're gonna risk him and the rest of your life for some idea of revenge.
21:11Revenge on a man who wasn't worth it in the first place.
21:14All right, Ed.
21:18We tied up the deputy and the stage driver,
21:21and we got what was in the strong box.
21:23It's only $1,000, but it's better than nothing.
21:25Let's ride out of here now.
21:27$1,000.
21:29Now, that's what I call really making Stan Hope pay.
21:35Ten years of your life in exchange for $1,000.
21:44$1,000.
21:49We put it back.
21:51What?
21:52You heard me. I said we put it back.
21:54You going loco too?
21:56You think we went through this whole thing for nothing?
21:59For the last time I said put it back.
22:00We're riding out of here. Right now you're leaving.
22:07We'll ride out.
22:09Only we're taking the money with us.
22:12Listen, you want to stop us.
22:14We'll ride.
22:30Ben.
22:34He's got a big mouth, but he...
22:37kind of makes sense.
22:44According to this deposition witnessed by Mr. Paladin here,
22:49those men tried to rob the stage and Ben and Ed Stacy stopped them.
22:53Is that the truth?
22:55Yes, sir.
22:57Yes, that's right.
23:02That's good enough for me.
23:04Nice work, Ed.
23:06Just a minute, Sheriff.
23:08These men are still liable to arrest.
23:10Ben and Ed Stacy are still liable to arrest.
23:13Ben wrecked my office.
23:15Their men broke him out of jail.
23:17Hmm, that's right.
23:24Fine to both of you $25 for disturbing the peace.
23:28Fine!
23:30I'm the sheriff here, Mr. Stanhope.
23:32I hand out the sentences.
23:35Well, what about the damage to my office?
23:38It'll cost at least $200 to repair it.
23:40I suggest you deduct that from the reward.
23:42To a war?
23:43That's right.
23:44The death or arrest of anyone attempting to rob one of the Overland stages.
23:48That's the way it read, wasn't it?
23:50That's right.
23:51Your very words, Mr. Stanhope.
23:52Yes, but...
23:56You can pick up the money in the morning.
23:59Now conscience wakes despair the slumbered, wakes the bitter memory of what he was, what is, and what must be.
24:17And that's another one of my fancy writers.
24:21John Milton.
24:23John Milton.
24:24John Milton.
24:25John Milton.
24:26John Milton.
24:27John Milton.
24:28John Milton.
24:29John Milton.
24:30John Milton.
24:31John Milton.
24:32John Milton.
24:33John Milton.
24:34John Milton.
24:35John Milton.
24:36John Milton.
24:37John Milton.
24:38John Milton.
24:39John Milton.
24:40John Milton.
24:41John Milton.
24:42John Milton.
24:43John Milton.
24:44John Milton.
24:45John Milton.
24:46John Milton.
24:47John Milton.
24:48John Milton.
24:49John Milton.
24:50John Milton.
24:51John Milton.
24:52John Milton.
24:53John Milton.
24:54John Milton.
24:55John Milton.
24:56John Milton.
24:57John Milton.
24:58John Milton.
24:59John Milton.
25:00John Milton.
25:01John Milton.
25:02John Milton.
25:03John Milton.
25:04John Milton.
25:05John Milton.
25:06John Milton.
25:07John Milton.
25:08John Milton.
25:09John Milton.
25:10John Milton.
25:11John Milton.
25:12John Milton.
25:13John Milton.
25:14You
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