Ep 5. A Matter of Ethics

Paladin is a gunfighter and a gentleman, traveling the West dispensing justice wherever it's needed. In A Matter of Ethics, Paladin is hired by the lovely and wealthy Danielle Corland to unravel a family mystery. Her father, a wealthy San Francisco businessman, has just passed away, leaving behind a will that appears to cut her out of his fortune entirely. She wants Paladin to investigate and figure out why.

Paladin arrives at the Corland home and is met by Danielle and her stepmother, who are both eager to see him get to work. As he begins his investigation, he quickly realizes that the situation is more complicated than it appears. The family lawyer, who was present when the will was read, is evasive and uncooperative. The butler seems to know more than he's letting on. And a mysterious man keeps poking around the estate, asking questions and generally making trouble.

Gradually, Paladin pieces together the clues and begins to unravel the mystery. It turns out that Danielle's father had been involved in some shady dealings, and his business partner was trying to force him out and take over the company. He had written a new will, leaving everything to Danielle, but the partner had stolen it and replaced it with a fake that cut Danielle out entirely.

Paladin confronts the partner and his goons, who have been lurking around the estate, and a tense showdown ensues. There are gunshots and fisticuffs, but Paladin manages to emerge victorious and retrieve the real will. The Corlands are overjoyed, and Danielle tearfully thanks Paladin for his help.

But there's one last twist. Danielle's stepmother reveals that she had known about the fake will all along and had kept quiet to protect Danielle's father's reputation. She offers to give Danielle a share of her own inheritance to make up for it. Danielle is torn between anger and gratitude, but ultimately decides to accept the offer and make peace with her stepmother.

In the end, Paladin rides off into the sunset, having once again used his quick wit, sharpshooting skills, and impeccable sense of ethics to restore justice and protect the innocent.