Tiger - Recap

At the Carleton, Paladin arrives in the lobby when a man approaches him and reaches into his jacket. Paladin draws a derringer on him and advises him to proceed carefully. The man removes a business card introducing himself as J. Hawkins with the Empire Detective Agency out of London. Hawkins asks Paladin for identification, which the gunfighter provides. Hawkins says that he’s been tracking him from Calcutta, hands him an envelope, and quickly leaves. Paladin confirms that the envelope holds a bank draft for $1,000 and a message inviting him to Argus, Texas to kill a tiger before it kills the letter-sender, John Ellsworth. Hey Boy warns that tigers carry devils, but Paladin tells him to get him a ticket to Argus.



In Argus, Paladin arrives at Ellsworth’s estate and finds a monkey seated on the fountain. Ellsworth’s servant, Pahndu, holds Paladin at gunpoint until Paladin introduces himself in Hindi. Pahndu explains that he was born in the village where Paladin killed a tiger many years ago, and recommended Paladin to Ellsworth as a great tiger hunter. The servant informs Paladin that a tiger has been summoned and Paladin is there to kill it. He can’t stop talking about the local Texan customs until Paladin demands that he take him to his master.

Ellsworth explains to Paladin how his investigators traced him from China to Europe to America. He knows about what Paladin did in India, including his career as a tiger hunter, and says that when he sees something he wants, he buys it. Ellsworth summons his servants, Pahndu and a servant girl, Lahri, and explains that Pahndu is in love with the former temple girl. Pahndu assures his master that he would never touch Lahri, and Ellsworth mockingly talks of how it can grow unbearable. A cat comes in through the patio and Ellsworth orders Pahndu to shoot it, but Paladin stops him and sends the servants away.



When the gout-ridden Ellsworth takes offense, Paladin tells him to sit down. He informs the man that he can’t stand him but that he’s intrigued by the Bengali Tiger Curse that Ellsworth believes has afflicted him. Paladin describes the curse, when a man becomes obsessed with tigers and imagines them everywhere until one appears and kills the victim. Ellsworth admits that either he’s insane or cursed and that he has fled halfway around the world. When Paladin wonders why the Bengali would curse him, Ellsworth explains that while hunting a big cat, he wounded it and claims it faded away. Paladin doesn’t believe him and Ellsworth admits that he was afraid. The wounded tiger became a man-eater and killed a hundred or so natives. Another cat comes in and Paladin points out that he seems to attract them, just as the curse is said to work. Ellsworth insists that he needs help and confronts the cat, which leaps on him. Pahndu and Lahri run in and Lahri has Pahndu provide brandy to wash out the scratch marks. The millionaire says that he’s miserable for a few natives dying, but it shouldn’t matter for Paladin. Paladin says he’s not sure if he’ll help and Ellsworth tells Lahri to provide a Hindu prophecy deck. There’s one card in the deck out forty-one with a picture of a tiger. Ellsworth draws the tiger card at random.



That night, Paladin and Ellsworth play chess and Paladin readily wins. Disgusted, Ellsworth pours himself a drink while Paladin demands another thousand dollars for the pleasure of his company. Ellsworth writes the new check and Paladin asks if Lahri always shuffles the cards. His employer says he’s considered that and Paladin offers him the deck. Ellsworth draws an elephant card but discovers the tiger is stuck to the back. A cat screeches outside and Paladin runs to investigate. He sees nothing and tells Ellsworth that it’s a mountain lion. Ellsworth doesn’t believe it and hands him the check.

The next day, Paladin check the grounds and Pahndu accompanies him. Paladin realizes that Pahndu hates his master, and the servant admits that Ellsworth keeps them together to encourage their love yet relish their torment because of their honor. When Paladin suggests he might take revenge out of desperation, Pahndu is insulted but quickly accepts the gunslinger’s apology. They go into town and the townspeople insult Pahndu. Before Paladin can confront them, a man puts up a circus poster announcing that they have a tiger. Pahndu runs off in terror and Paladin kicks a loafer who persists in insulting the servant.



When Paladin returns to the manor, Pahndu informs him that Ellsworth has ridden to another town to avoid the tiger. Paladin confirms that Ellsworth is in Humboldt, where the circus is staying over. He gets a hunting rifle from Lahri and rides to Humboldt. En route, two men stop him to warn that a circus wagon turned over, releasing several wild animals. They admit that Ellsworth ignored their warning and kept riding, and Paladin goes after his employer.

Ellsworth is riding through the forest when he sees something moving in the brush. Panicked, he rides away but the horse throws him and continues. The tiger in the woods draws closer and Ellsworth tries to climb up a hill to safety. Paladin rides up and hears the tiger roaring. Dismounting, he takes the rifle and moves into the brush, finding tiger tracks. He follows the tracks and sees the circus’ tiger trainer call the tiger in and lock it in its cage. Paladin approaches the wagon and confirms that the tiger, Johnny, is old and toothless. He chuckles and then calls to Ellsworth, and hears a scream. They go to investigate and discovered that the panicked Ellsworth ran straight off a cliff and fell to his death. The circus workers offer to take him to Argus, and Paladin says that he’ll be buying boat tickets for a newly wedded couple that he knows. When the trainer comments on how one man dies and another marries, Paladin says that some men know their next appointment too well.



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