Blood Money

George and Grace Baker were expecting their first baby and were in town for a checkup, but before they could get in the door Chet Mailet (played by Patty Duke's William Schallert) gunned him down. But he had no charges against him, at least as far as the marshal was concerned, because he shot a wanted man. But this story is far from over. Contrary to George Baker's, a.k.a. Ansel King, request that she not take revenge, his widow called Ansel's brother. Now there really was trouble.

My favorite part is the end. Chet's killing caused a lot of grief and a lot of problems. People do a lot in the name of money that usually lead to more trouble down the road. In the end, Chet expected everyone to understand. In truth, his killing caused innocent people to die and ended tragically for himself. Yep. Like many of us, he had to learn about greed the hard way...

There are a couple moral issues in this episode. Tragically, when all was aid and done, five people were killed and two were arrested.

George Baker is a well respected rancher in Latigo. Both he and his wife are popular with the locals.

However his dark side emerges when Chet Mallet (William Schallert) a bounty hunter shoots him dead in cold blood.

Baker was a wanted outlaw and there was a reward for him, dead or alive. His widow knew about Baker's past. The rest of Latigo are shocked.

Chet is unprepared with the hostility he faces from the locals. Marshall Gib Scott has to protect him from an avenging gang that has arrived to kill Chet. Clay Culhane is not so keen on Chet as well.

An interesting story about a man who redeemed himself. Then another who just wanted a reward for killing bad guys.

There is an element of poetic justice at the end as Chet gets ever so paranoid.