The man known only as "Paladin" lives in San Francisco at the Carlton Hotel, accustomed to the fanciest food and furnishings. He afford it all by riding out as a gunslinger and charging top dollar for his services. His calling card? "Have Gun Will Travel." Paladin will take on any case if a client meets his fee, but whether he helps them or not depends on whether he thinks that they deserve it. A West Point graduate with an unknown past, Paladin is as likely to help a client with his lightning wits and sense of strategy, as he is to use his gun and his hold-out derringer.