At the Carlton, Paladin is receiving a visit from a Shakespearean
actor who offers the gunfighter some tickets. After giving a brief
sample of his performance, the actor leaves and Paladin hastily tears up
the tickets. A woman passes by and Paladin starts to go after her, but
Hey Boy arrives with a telegram from Paladin's friend, William Gravely.
Rather than an invitation to a safari like the last several telegrams
from Gravely, this one is a request for help. It refers to a newspaper
article which Hey Boy also has at hand. In it is an article about
Hiwannee Indians killing a member of Gravely's hunting party. Paladin
tells Hey Boy to pack his bags.
As Paladin rides to the hunting
party, he spots three Hiwannees in the distance and hails them. They
ride off, much to his surprise, and Paladin continues on to the hunting
camp. The tents are expensive and there are several French chefs working
on the evening meal. As Paladin dismounts, a Frenchman named Antoine
rides up and orders Paladin at gunpoint to surrender. Paladin pulls him
off the horse just as Charles Trevington, a British lord, comes over.
Charles dismisses Antoine as hired help and notes that they have him as a
guard because the "wogs" killed his distant cousin, Roddy Crane. Charles points
out where an Indian shot Roddy from a hundred yards and admits that it
was an impressive shot.
Charles invites Paladin to join them
and leads the gunfighter to his tent, and has his servant Omadah pour
sherry. When Paladin wonders where Gravely is, Charles explains that the
scout is looking for buffalo for the next day's hunt. Charles' sister
Charity arrives and the gunfighter presents his card, and they realize
that he is the friend that gravely has been speaking of. Paladin admits
that he was supposed to attend the hunting party but was detained on
business and couldn't make it until now, and remains silent about his
real reason for being there. Charity is impressed by his courage in
riding thorough Indian territory, and Paladin notes that the only
Hiwannees he saw rode away from him. She has Omadah take Paladin to her
bath tent to clean off the travel dust so he can join them at dinner.
Once Paladin leaves, Charity asks where Antoine is and Charles says that
he's out guarding the camp.
As Paladin takes his bath, he
notices several books nearby about poisons, the Borgias, guns, and women as
the powers behind the throne. Gravely comes in and explains that the
Hiwannees work for him, staging fake raids to add a little excitement to
the hunting parties. Paladin has ridden with the Hiwannees and insists
that they're peaceful, but Gravely says that the arrow that killed Roddy
was an authentic Hiwannee arrow. The scout hasn't been able to contact
the Hiwannee chief that he typically does business with, and figures
that the cavalry are chasing after the Indian leader. Paladin agrees to
take the job and asks Gravely not to reveal why he's really there.
That night, Paladin enjoys a champagne dinner with Charles, Charity,
and Gravely. Charity complains that Gravely is jacking up the prices on
them and is robbing them blind. Offended, Gravely accuses her of killing
Roddy so that the Trevington title stays in the family. He storms out
and Charles admits to Paladin that he's a simple man who enjoys his
pleasures. He yells for Antoine, who staggers in drunk and tells his
employer that they should find buffalo the next day. Charles goes off to
drink with Antoine, and Charity admits that Gravely believes that one
of them killed Roddy. She also admits that she has a motive, figuring
that should prove that she has nothing to hide and therefore isn't the
murderer.
Paladin and Charity go for a walk and he assures her
that he's impressed with her mind. He also points out that he's seen her
collection of books in the bath tent, and figures that she wants the
Trevington title. As long as Charles is alive, she can't have it, and if
he marries then it will go to his wife rather than Charity. Charity
invites Paladin back to her tent for a drink, but Paladin resists the
temptation and leaves. He goes to Gravely's tend and the scout confirms
that Charity stands to inherit. However, he doesn't believe that Charity
could shoot a bow and pick Roddy off. As they talk, Charles yells for
help and they run to investigate. The Englishman emerge from his tent
and shows them the Hiwannee arrow that just missed him.
The
next morning, Paladin rides out to find the Hiwannees. The chief freely
approaches Paladin and complains that Gravely isn't keeping his white
men under control, and they're drinking and yelling. Paladin shows him
the arrow and the chief admits that it's a Hiwannee arrow, but a
souvenir that they sell to the white men. He confirms that they sold
three such arrows to Antoine, and Paladin thanks him for his help. When
he returns to the camp, Charity tells him that Charles, Gravely, and
Antoine rode off to hunt. Paladin immediately rides off after them and
Charity has Omenda bring her a horse.
As Charles and Gravely
set up a hunting post, Antoine hides the third arrow in a hollow tree
that has a bow in its branches. Meanwhile, Gravely goes to herd some
buffalo back toward Charles, who continues setting up for the shooting.
Paladin spots Charity following him and waits for her. He tells her
that she may soon inherit the Trevington title and rides off to find her
brother, and Charity follows him.
Charles prepares to shoot
and Antoine takes out the bow and arrow, and tells Charles to turn
around. The Frenchman admits that he killed Roddy, and Charles jokes in
the face of danger about how Antoine is no gentleman. Paladin rides up,
gun out, and orders Antoine to surrender. The Frenchman glances at
Charity and Charles tells him that his sister isn't worth it and feels nothing for him. Antoine recognizes the truth of what he's saying
and starts to lower his bow... and Charity shoots him dead. She insists
that she had no choice and that Antoine had already killed Roddy. Both
Charles and Paladin realize that she couldn't have known that, and
Charles tells Paladin that Antoine was in love with Charity. Paladin
tells the Englishman that his sister will go to prison because they
don't hang women in the States, and Charles asks the gunfighter to take
Charity in while he buries Antoine's body. Paladin takes Charity away to
face her just reward.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 1, 2018