Paladin is in the Carlton lobby reading a newspaper article about
Three Winds in Wyoming Territory. The new sheriff, Owen Deaver, has
arrested six ranch hands for discharging guns in the air to celebrate
the election. According to the article, Owen is using the laws of
Philadelphia in Three Winds, and is the son of Barry Deaver, the former
sheriff who died a month ago of consumption. Paladin summons Hey Boy and
has him cancel his date with an opera singer.
Later, Paladin
rides into Three Winds and buys a drink at the local saloon. The
bartender, Calvin, advises him to check in his gun at the sheriff's
office. Two local businessmen are discussing Owen's new emphasis on law
and order, while Paladin notices two men standing at the bar. The
younger of the two, The French Kid, has his revolver and Paladin asks if
he's going to turn it in. French refuses and his companion, Mason
Enfield, agrees with him. Calvin begs them to follow the law because
Owen will hold him responsible if they don't.
The two
businessmen overhear French talking and consider whether he should
challenge Owen. One of them, Harry Nolan, explains to Paladin that he's
losing business because Owen has passed an ordinance forbidding the sale
of guns. The other man, a rancher, complains that his ranch hands now
have to ride 80 miles to find somewhere to let off steam, and they'll
quit to find a more hospitable town. Paladin wonders why they elected
Owen if they knew what he had in mind, and the men admit that they did
it out of respect for Owen's father.
The rancher goes over to
buy Mason and French a drink, but Calvin cites the new ordinance that he
can't sell them more than four drinks. Owen overhears them talking and
comes in, sees their guns, and orders them to hand them over. Paladin
gives Owen his revolver, but Mason refuses and the sheriff pistol-whips
him with Paladin's gun and then aims it at French. French puts his gun
on the counter and Owen tells Mason that he only gets one warning. The
sheriff then turns to Harry and tells him that his shop is open and
unlocked during business hours... another violation of a new town
ordinance.
Mason attacks Owen from behind and French draws a
knife, but Paladin shoots him in the arm with his holdout derringer. The
older man attacks Paladin, who knocks him out. French runs out and
Paladin gives Owen his derringer. However, he points out that Owen has
disarmed the decent citizens and left them with no way to defend
themselves. Unimpressed, Owen threatens to throw Paladin in jail and
Paladin goes along with him, saying that he considers it an invitation
to help... even though Owen doesn't realize he needs help. The
gunfighter warns that by using Philadelphia law in a Wild West town,
he's sent an invitation to every hotshot to come and challenge him.
At the sheriff's office, Paladin calls to Owen's mother in the adjacent
apartment. She recognizes Paladin's voice and comes running into greet
him, and tells Owen that Paladin came to Three Winds when Owen was out
East getting an education. Paladin helped Barry Deaver capture a gang of
outlaws, and Owen looks at Paladin with new respect. When Ma discovers
that Owen is arresting Paladin, she lays into her son despite his
protestations that he's enforcing the law. Disgusted, Ma tells Owen that
they sent him East to study the law, but all he did was bring back five
books containing Philadelphia's municipal code. She throws the five
books on the floor and Paladin calms her down, saying that he'll take
care of it.
Ma goes back to her apartment and Paladin goes into
the single cell with Mason and closes the door. Owen locks it up and
Paladin tells him to check his posters to find out who Mason and French
are. The sheriff checks and discovers that they're members of the
Enfield Gang, wanted dead or alive. Paladin warns Owen that French will
come back with the other three men to rescue their leader and get
revenge, and warns that Owen will need his help. Owen insists that the
townspeople will rally to his side and goes out to recruit them.
Later, Ma comes in and releases Paladin, and gives him some potato
stew. She explains that Barry taught Owen how to fight with a gun, a
knife, and his fists, but he didn't teach him any good sense. Paladin
tells Ma that they'll have to keep Owen alive until he gains some
wisdom. Owen comes in, disgusted, and Paladin figures that he didn't
have any luck recruiting deputies. The sheriff orders him back into the
cell and tries to ignore Ma, who insists that Barry had the good sense
to listen to advice when people gave it. Owen figures that Barry was
respected because he didn't enforce the law, and Ma slaps him, saying
that her husband never need books to tell him what was right or wrong.
After Ma storms off, Paladin figures that Owen is jealous of his
father's reputation. Owen doesn't understand why Paladin and the
citizens don't realize what he's trying to do. Paladin admits that Owen
is right in principle, but that Philadelphia is a civilized town and
Three Winds is anything but. The gunfighter points out that there's a
Philadelphia law against spitting on the sidewalk, but Three Winds
doesn't have a sidewalk.
As night falls, Owen looks nervously
out the window and Paladin offers his services. Owen refuses to deputize
a prisoner, and Paladin dismisses him as a fool and points out that
none of the townspeople will support him because he's enforcing laws
that don't apply. Owen realizes that Paladin is trying to provoke him
and refuses to let him out, but drives French's knife into the wanted
poster in a fit of anger. Mason, who has been listening to the
conversation, tells him that French will soon be back to get it.
The next day, Ma prepares to go out to get eggs and tells Owen to let
Paladin help him. Owen refuses and Ma goes out... and finds French and
the gang waiting. She goes inside and warns Owen, and Paladin tells the
sheriff to let him help. Owen refuses to back down and Paladin tells Ma
that since he can't help Owen, she'll have to do it. Ma grabs a gun and
Owen realizes that she won't back down, either. Paladin tells Owen to
choose, knowing that Ma will relent if her son accepts Paladin instead.
Owen realizes that he has no choice and lets Paladin out of his cell.
Before he goes, Paladin punches Mason in the mouth and then tells Owen
that he'll draw their fire at the front door, while Owen opens fire from
the kitchen.
Paladin opens the door and the outlaws open fire
on him. As he ducks back inside, Owen takes out one man but is wounded
in the leg before he can take out the second man. Paladin wounds the
third man, who manages to shoot Paladin in the arm as he comes running
out and then crawls to the saloon. French comes at Owen with a knife but
Paladin manages to shoot him. He then goes to the saloon door and uses a
shotgun to tap the doors. The last man opens fire, giving away his
position, and Paladin kills him.
Later, Paladin brings Harry to
the sheriff's office as Ma binds Owen's wound. Harry is glad to see
that Owen almost got killed, eager to be rid of the new laws. Paladin
points out to Owen that he backed down and it didn't hurt, and points
out that tyrants are the ones who enforce unpopular laws on the
majority. Owen reconsiders and asks Harry to sell off the five books.
Harry eagerly agrees, but Paladin suggests that they store the books
away until the day that Three Winds is civilized enough to need them.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 11, 2018