En route to the Evans ranch, where he hopes to help Hugh Evans (Malcolm Atterbury) and his daughter Elaine (Nancy Hadley) resolve a bitter land dispute, Paladin (Richard Boone) comes across wealthy young Harleigh Preston (Rayford Barnes), a dissolute alcoholic who has been robbed and abandoned by his previous guide. Intending to help Harleigh pull himself together and find some purpose in life, Paladin suggests that the young man offer a helping hand to the Evans family as well. Not surprisingly, Harleigh and Elaine fall in love--but is he worthy of that love? Much of this episode was filmed only location in the San Bernardino National Forest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi