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Season 1, Episode 4 -
Sergeant Abe Jordan heads into the Detention Area at Army Headquarters in time to witness a private beating up on private Gil Brady. From the look on the Sergeant’s face, he really doesn’t care if Gil has been assaulted. Soon after he leaves, Gil takes matters into his own hands and deserts the army.
Back at the Sherman Ranch, Jess Harper is beginning to feel at home after being there only two months. He has a good relationship with Andy and their joy of teasing Jonesy. Slim and Jess work together well. Stakes are beginning to be set.
Into this mix comes Gil, tired , worn down and beaten. He is met with mixed reactions to his story of being beaten because he fought for the South during the war five years earlier. Jonesy and Andy feel sorry for him, Slim doesn’t approve of deserting for any reason, and Jess is worried. Seems Gil is his brother-
Gil wants Jess to lead him by way of the Lolo Trail, to Canada and freedom. Although Jess has been there before, he really needs Slim’s map. Slim will have nothing to do with it and refuses. So Jess and Gil take off …alone.
Friendship is important to Slim and he is concerned for Jess’ safety. He knows what Jess has chosen to do is wrong but so is leaving a friend in trouble. Slim sets out on the trail to follow and find them after listening to Jonesy and Andy’s arguments in favor of him helping Jess.
Andy’s joy is soon dissolved when he gets back to the ranch to find Sergeant Jordan and his indian companion Areka there looking for Gil. They will not let Gil escape his punishment for desertion, so they set off on the trail after him and Jess.
It is a rough trail. Gil is no help. Both Jess and Gil lose their horses and have to proceed on foot. They have to climb a dangerous mountain and finally both fall into the swollen rushing river below. Then appears Slim. He has found their horses, and has heard the screams. Seeing Jess struggling in the water, he jumps in and pulls him to shore. Seems Jess never did learn how to swim. Jess is so glad to see him and the horses but Slim remains cold toward Gil. He just doesn’t trust him.
That night at camp, Jess is full of questions about Francie, and once again Gil has answers he knows Jess wants to hear. Camp is uneasy. Jess and Slim know the danger. What they don’t know is that Areka has traked them while Jordan was sleeping, and knows where they are. He goes back to get Jordan but Jordan wants wait till morning. Areka is not willing to wait and goes out alone to get Brady.
When everyone is asleep, Areka sneaks into the camp, past Slim and up to Brady. Slim wakes up and sees Areka about to stab Brady. He jumps on Areka and overpowers him but is stabbed in the arm. Gil wants to shoot Areka even though Areka’s arm is broken and he is of no danger to anyone.
Areka then tells the story of Palo Duro Canyon and the twenty soldiers and Indian guides who were killed because Gil deserted them. Gil grabs a rifle. kills Areka and grabs a horse to escape.
Sergeant Jordan arrives and tells Jess about Palo Duro Canyo. He also adds that Jess; sidter Francie is dead -
Jess chases Gil into Canada and tells him he knows Francie is dead. Gil shoots at Jess trying to kill him also. Jess returns fire and kills Gil knowing it is right.
Back home, Jess understands and wants to settle back in. Slim tells him the stakes were never pulled. Friendship is important.
This episode features Jonesy (Hoagy Carmichael) singing The Ballad Of Wes Tancred which was originally used in the 1956 movie Tension At Table Rock starring Richard Egan.
Clu Gulager as Gil Brady
Bert Freed as Sgt Abe Jordan
