The Wager

You forced me to wage you my life against a thousand dollars. Now you can wage your yours against 30 miles of desert with a companion who hates you and half a canteen of water. Have gone! Will travel!

Starring Mr. John Dana as Paladin. San Francisco, 1875. The Carlsen Hotel. headquarters of a man called Paladin. Oh, Mr. Paladin, Mr. Johnabond, Mr. Morgan, look for you. Mr. Morgan, how are you?

Hello there. I was looking for you in the lobby and I asked the boy here where I might find you. Oh, I tell you, Mr. Paladin, often take a place of concealment behind party palm with a chessboard. Yes, I hope I'm not interrupting. No, not at all. You bring two brandies, please. Hey, boy. Oh, yes, sir. Sit down, Mr. Morgan.

Thank you. So, what can I do for you? Well, I'm leaving for Silver City early tomorrow morning with my fiance. You could see to it that I get there alive. Well, there's no need to go into all the details of the background, but the situation basically is that my railroad holdings are considerable, a man named Dan Burry and his syndicate are

determined to buy me out and I don't want to sell. It seems to me that's your privilege. As the Danbury's the kind of man who gets what he wants, one way or another. There have been attempts in my life recently.

Mr. Danbury has peculiar business methods. I have narrowly escaped a bullet on three different occasions, Paladin. The latest this morning. Three misses isn't a very good average. Perhaps they're just trying to frighten you into selling.

That's what I thought the first two times, but not now. Will you accompany us to Silver City, Mr. Paladin? I'll pay whatever you ask. I'll be ready to leave at some up. Everywhere you go, across the country trip, or across the street party, you carry the fun with you when you own a Columbia Stereophonic High Fidelity phonograph.