In Harvey, NV, former Boston resident Henry Prince is in town getting
groceries when the local cowhands, led by Bill Whitney, rip up the
flour bags on Henry's wagon. When he sees what they're doing, he runs
out but they easily knock him down and take his apples. Paladin, passing
through town, steps up and shoots an apple out of Whitney's hand, and
the foreman asks why Paladin is butting in. Paladin informs him that
Henry is an old friend and they share the same tailor.
As the
disgruntled cowhands wander off, Paladin introduces himself and explains
that he used to work in Boston as a bouncer on the waterfront. They
indeed had the same tailor, but never met since Henry's upper-family
wouldn't have been seen dead near the waterfront dives where Paladin
worked. Nonetheless, Paladin helps Henry load his wagon back up. Henry
explains that he tries to stay out of town but has to come in to get
groceries for himself and his wife, Gloria, out at their newly-purchased
Long Valley ranch. His family exiled him from Boston because of some
crime but he declines to explain further. Henry invites Paladin to visit
them and the gunfighter hands him his card. When Henry wonders if
Paladin was offering a sample of his work, the gunslinger assures him
that he was just coming to the aid of his fellow man. As Henry rides
off, Paladin asks what crime he committed and Henry tells him that he
married an actress.
As Paladin goes to his horse, local rancher
Clint Bryant asks for a light. Paladin obliges and Bryant explains that
he could see why the gunfighter got involved in the uneven fight.
However, he says that there are two sides to the stories, and that the
rancher Whitney works for was going to buy the property that Henry ended
up purchasing, easily outbidding all comers. Henry knows nothing about
ranching, further earning him the hatred of the community. Bryant warns
Paladin that Whitney is standing in a nearby saloon and is ready to blow
Paladin's head off. When Bryant threatens to signal Whitney to do just
that, Paladin realizes that Bryant is the rancher that Henry outbid. The
rancher tells Paladin to take the next stage out of town and stay clear
of the entire affair. Paladin draws his belt-buckle derringer and
points out that if Whitney kills him, he might pull the trigger and kill
Bryant. Bryant concedes the point and tells Whitney to go back to the
ranch. As he goes, Bryant promises Paladin that he's going to run Henry
off of the ranch one way or another. When he asks if Paladin plans to
stay in town, a clearly disgusted Paladin says that he supposes so.
Out at the ranch, Gloria sees Paladin's card and is upset that her
husband is thinking about hiring a gunfighter. As she complains that
Henry is the one getting beat up, Paladin arrives at their doorstep. As a
former Boston resident himself, Paladin recognizes Gloria from her
stage performances and offers his congratulations. Gloria is impressed
until she realizes that Paladin is the man who gave Henry his card. She
invites him in nonetheless for dinner. The couple talks about how
Henry's family exiled him when he married Gloria. They had no idea that
Bryant wanted the grazing lands, but now none of the locals will work
for them except for one Mexican, Guillermo. Henry has five hundred head
of cattle arriving in the next few days and no one to handle them. He
asks Paladin to hire on as his foreman, but Paladin points out that he's
a businessman, not a cowhand. Unhappy with Paladin's occupation, Gloria
expresses her reservations about killing and Paladin says that he
shares them. However, he warns the couple that there is risk if they do
anything but back down, whether they hire him or not. Gloria primly
responds by saying that Bryant would have to push them a lot harder for
them to take that risk.
As they talk, something slams into the
front door and they hear men laughing as they ride off. Paladin tells
the Princes to take cover and then goes to investigate. He finds
Guillermo on the porch, tarred and feathered. When Henry sees what
they've done to his ranch hand, he immediately tells Paladin that he's
hired.
The next day, Paladin takes Henry out to show him how to
shoot so he can defend himself in the inevitable confrontation. Henry
admits that it's Gloria's idea, and Paladin warns him that shooting a
man is a lot tougher than shooting a target. When Henry misses, he
complains about the sights but Paladin takes the gun and easily hits the
targets. To his credited, Henry admits that it's his fault and prepares
to continue shooting. Realizing that Henry needs a new lesson, Paladin
shoots into the dirt at Henry's feet and then over his head, daring the
Bostonian to return fire. Henry can't do it, worried that he'll kill
Paladin. The gunfighter takes Henry's gun and shows him that the
chambers were empty, and advises him to keep track of his shots. Gloria
comes out and tells them that as he was tortured, Guillermo heard
Whitney and his men boasting that they were going to burn the pastures
that night.
That night, Paladin, Henry, and Guillermo hide in
the woods and wait for Bryant and his men. When they ride out and start
spreading kerosene, Paladin sends Henry and Guillermo to flank them and
then steps out and tells Bryant to give it up. The rancher does so but
then orders his men to flee. One cowhand hangs back and shoots, killing
Guillermo. Frozen in fear until that moment, Henry finally returns fire
and kills the cowhand.
Back at the ranch, Henry blames himself
for freezing so that the cowhand had the chance to kill Guillermo.
Paladin admits that no one is entirely innocent in the affair, even
himself. When Gloria wonders if they should stay, Paladin tells her that
they'll have to decide that, not him. However, he warns the Princes
that they'll have to make some painful adjustments if they do stay.
Henry is ready to sell out to Bryant and leave, but Gloria refuses to
run. She tells her husband that if he gives in to Bryant then she'll
leave him. Henry appears ready to leave anyway, but the cattle arrive
outside, strengthening his resolve. He decides and tells Gloria and
Paladin that they're staying.
The next day, Paladin and Henry
ride out and Paladin instructs Henry in the basics of ranching. Whitney
and his men ride up and stampede the herd, but Paladin knows enough to
let them tire and then turn them around once they've exhausted
themselves. When they return to the ranch for dinner, Gloria is now
eager to have Paladin take retaliatory steps and defend the couple.
Paladin, unimpressed with her new attitude, points out that she's now
more than willing to let people die to protect what's hers. When Gloria
objects, Paladin reminds her that the Princes share some of the blame by
ignoring the wishes of the people that bled and sweated for the land
that they swooped in and purchased.
Furious, Gloria asks Henry
if he has anything to say. He suggests that they should consider that
Paladin is right, and Gloria storms off. Henry wonders if she's leaving
and Paladin says that it's possible. He advises Henry to let her take a
hotel room in town because the next stage out of town won't leave until
the next day. Henry wonders what to do next and Paladin tells him to
start advertising for workers, outbidding Bryant. When Henry points out
that his nemesis won't like it, Paladin agrees but says that his
employer doesn't have a choice. The Bostonian wonders if he should sell
out because he's not entirely in the right, and Paladin points out that
no matter what Henry thinks, Bryant isn't sitting up having second
thoughts.
The next day, Gloria dresses up, packs her bags, and
walks into town. A cowboy tries to drag her away and Gloria slaps him,
while the rest of the townspeople look on and laugh. Henry is putting up
posters at the post office and Gloria sees him. So do Bryant and his
men, and the rancher orders Whitney to tear down the poster. Henry
refuses to give up or back down, and Gloria watches with the townspeople
as her husband refuses to stop even after Whitney beats him down
repeatedly. When it's clear that Henry won't surrender, Bryant tells
Whitney to beat him until he can't rise. Disgusted with his employer and
impressed by Henry's determination, Whitney refuses and Bryant fires
him. Henry staggers to his feet and puts the poster up again, and this
time Bryant knocks him down and tears the poster down. Satisfied that
everyone has seen enough, Paladin steps out of the crowd and orders
Bryant to put the poster back up. When he refuses, Paladin slaps him
until he gives in. Once Bryant has put the poster up, Paladin helps
Henry up and suggests that he hire Whitney, who is now looking for work.
Whitney shakes Henry's hand in admiration while Gloria takes in what
she's just seen.
Later at the ranch, Henry hangs up his guns
and thanks Paladin for all of his help. As they share a toast, Henry
jokingly tells Paladin that he'll make sure the gunslinger isn't barred
from the Boston Stock Exchange Club. Paladin half-jokingly assures his
employer that it's not necessary because he's the President of the San
Francisco chapter.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 7, 2018