Story adaptation by: Blondie

Visual elements by: Blondie

Edited by: Mizmoo 

1.01 CLIENT: TRAVERS(Pilot) Four Star Production No. 6708 First Aired: NBC Saturday 8:00 PM CST Directed By John English Written By John McGreevey Starring: Peter Breck (as Clay Culhane) Guest Cast: Onslow Stevens ............ Pardee K.L.Smith .................... Moss Marguerita Cordova .... Teresa Quintin Sondergaard ... Chuck John Mylong ............... Karl Borgen Recurring Cast: Russell Johnson ...as Marshal ‘Gib’ Scott Anna Lisa ........... as Nora Travers

                                                                                                                                                           

Ex-gunfighter Clay Culhane travels down a dusty road toward the city of Latigo, New Mexico. Clay was recently contacted to help out hotel owner Nora Travers on an undisclosed legal matter. As a newly appointed lawyer on his first case, Clay is apprehensive about this assignment. Latigo has a reputation as a dangerous town and other more experienced lawyers have turned down the case.  Clay rounds a bend and pulls up the reins on Curly. Two ominous riders with guns drawn are blocking his path. Clay explains in a friendly tone that he merely wants to travel to Latigo and wonders if he is on the right road.  The lead gunman Moss ( K. L. Smith) explains that he might as well turn around, since Latigo is off limits to strangers. Just then an overloaded wagon passes by the men, a family appears to be vacating the city. With this distraction, Clay’s gunfighter instincts kick in and he draws his pistol lighting fast.  The two are caught off guard, having underestimated this “city slicker.”   

Leaving the gunmen behind without their guns and horses. Clay kicks Curly into a gallop and approaches Latigo. A fallen bullet- riddled sign foreshadows events to come. Latigo is a rundown border town in the New Mexico territory, fast becoming a ghost town.  As Clay approaches the hotel he notices an upper floor curtain mysteriously move.  

Clay enters Travers House, the hotel run by Nora Travers.  Nora greets Clay suspiciously until he explains that he is the lawyer she sent for.  Nora has had many run-ins with unsavory characters lately and she’s wary of strangers.Watching her float down the stairs, the counselor is captivated by the pretty young blond woman. She goes on to explain that with the road blocked by hired guns, the hotel business is at a loss.The man responsible for this harassment wants her to sell him the hotel. Clay emphatically exclaims that she won’t regret hiring him. Nora smiles shyly locked in his stare,when a bell rings from the upper floor and she dashes off, leaving many unanswered questions.

In the stable Clay is bedding down his beloved horse and putting up his prized saddle. Suddenly the stable door flies open. Clay spins around, hand on his holster.A cranky Marshal Gib Scott (Russell Johnson) interrogates the gunfighter turned lawyer. Clay's gunfighting reputation as proceeded him and Gib wants him to leave town right away! 

As Clay approaches the hotel rifle in hand, four gunmen await; two of them are familiar from the road.  The steely eyed and distrustful Gib has followed Clay out of the stable. Trouble is already brewing and this stranger has only been in town half an hour! A local rancher Pardee (Oslow Stevens) and his gunmen hassle Clay.   Clay confronts Pardee as the man responsible for the illegal road block. Pardee denies the accusation and begins to poke fun at the ex-gunfighter's new profession.  Pardee also reminds the Marshal about the firearm ordinance.  Gib joins in, mocking the young lawyer and agrees that Clay should turn over his guns. Angrily Clay throws the rifle at Gib and reluctantly hands over his gunbelt.  Pardee responds jokingly, “ Now he looks more like a lawyer, give my regards to your client.” After Pardee leaves Clay explains to Gib that Pardee was lying about the road block.  Gib with a grin responds dryly “No town law against that!”   

Later that evening, Teresa the housekeeper tells Clay that the Marshal is expecting him in his office. While walking down the street, Clay sees a hurt man moaning in an alley.Clay bends over to help the man.  Suddenly, the man pops up while two others jump Clay from behind.  Clay fights back savagely and tries to hold off his aggressors. Eventually he is subdued by two men as the third beats him mercilessly. Battered and bloodied Clay stumbles back into the Travers House.   

Falling into a lobby chair, Nora is horrified by his tattered state and begins tending his head wounds. Clay angrily demands to know why he was beaten up. He confronts Teresa, who explains that she was threatened by Pardee unless she participated in the ploy.  Shocked by the incident, Nora decides to call off the case.  Clay needs to know the whole story. Nora explains that Pardee’s no-good son was killed in a fair gunfight during a wedding party. The town helped the couple escape.  In response, Pardee’s is making the town a dangerous lawless place.  Whom he could not buy, he has harassed into leaving. Nora’s hotel was the last business to hold out.  Upon hearing Nora’s story, Clay admires the aspiring entrepreneur and begs her to reconsider.  Nora decides that the time is right for Clay to meet her disabled father so he could fully understand her decision to quit.    

Meanwhile Pardee arranges a release for his men and leaves the jail, where Moss is holding Gib and Nora captive. Clay ambles back over to the jail to pick up his guns.  Unknown to the others Clay has a gun under his coat.  When Pardee signals the sniper, the ex-gunfighter cryptically states that he’s already met the rifleman.  The low-life rancher attempts to draw a hidden derringer but Clay shoots him down point blank.Moss then attempts to shoot Clay through the jailhouse window.Gib pulls his trusty frontier 45 from the top desk drawer and guns him down.Hearing a shot ring out inside the jail, Clay bursts through the door to find Nora safe.  He decides to stay in Latigo for awhile.