The Parson of Panamint

Outside the ghost town of Panamint, California, oldtimer Chuckawalla Bill Redfield reminisces with a young prospector about the downfall of the town he founded: In the late 1800's, life changes in Panamint when Bill builds a church and goes to San Francisco to get a parson. When Bill gets involved in a barroom brawl, a young newly ordained parson, Reverend Philip Pharo, intercedes and prevents Bill from using his gun. Both Bill and Philip are arrested, and Bill realizes that this rough-and-tumble parson is just the person to guide the religious life of Panamint's citizens. The whole town turns out to welcome Philip into the parsonage, but banker Jonathon Randall and judge Arnold Mason immediately disapprove when Philip welcomes Crabapple Jones, a shiftless alcoholic, and Bob Deming and Mary Mallory, the saloon owner and his singer girl friend. Philip helps Crabapple reform by hiring him as his cook, and later, when Bill takes Philip into the gold mine, which is placed hazardously under a river, Philip urges Bill to insist that mine owner Randall get the water pump fixed for the safety of his workers. Although he is not religious, Bob is sympathetic to Philip's cause and allows him to make a speech in which he invites the drinkers and gamblers in Bob's saloon to church. The crowd is amiable until drunken Jake Waldren accuses dealer Chappie Ellerton of cheating him. Jake pulls his gun but accidentally shoots Mary, instead of Bob, who had tried to intervene. Jake escapes and goes into hiding, and Philip takes Mary into the parsonage to convalesce under the tender ministrations of his helper, Mrs. Tweedy. In spite of his help, Mary promises to come to church only when Bob does. On the night that Bob throws a banquet celebrating Mary's return, Philip brings Jake to the saloon. Bob is prepared to make good on his promise of vengeance but is forestalled by Mary who, under the guidance of Philip, forgives Jake. Later that night, Philip asks Chappie to change his sacreligious gaming banter, "Round she goes and round she goes and where she stops nobody knows but the Lord, and he won't tell," while Chappie tricks Philip into placing a bet on the roulette. Chappie refuses to change the verse and Philip wins so much money that Bob is forced to sign over the saloon to the reluctant parson. Shortly afterward Bob is shot in his office, and Mary knows that Chappie is the attacker, however, town elders later call his death a suicide. Philip leads a small group of mourners to the chapel. Randall and Mason, who have gotten a damning injunction against Philip, await them on the church steps and have locked the doors against them. Bill shoots the lock off the doors and the mourners proceed with their funeral. Although he is thrown out of church for practicing the brotherly love that he preaches, Philip holds prayer meetings in the saloon with the support of his remaining allies, Joaquin, a reformed thief and gunman, Crabapple, Mary and Bill. When he overhears Mary arguing with Chappie, who is becoming aggressive with her, Philip intervenes. Chappie pulls his gun and the parson, always ready to defend himself, struggles with him. Chappie falls and dies when he hits his head on a metal rod. Although Crabapple and Mary testify that it was an accidental death, Randall and Mason use this opportunity to get rid of Philip and discredit the witnesses by proving that Crabapple was drunk, and by forcing Mary to admit that she is in love with the parson. Philip is found guilty of murder, but his friends help him escape and hide him in Jake's cabin. Unknown to them, Jake sells the information of Philip's location to Randall and Mason, and also warns them of Bill's plan to hire a mine inspector because the water pump was never fixed. Randall and Mason incite the town into a lynch mob. While they are dragging Philip to the hanging tree, the river breaks through the mine. Bill prevents the hanging by making an impassioned speech in which he states that the greed of the people has destroyed the town, and that the mine is permanently closed and all the gold is lost. The mob disperses and Bill feels the weight of knowing he killed his own town. Back by the campfire, Bill recalls that Philip and Mary, who married, stayed in Panamint until the last person left, and he surmises that wherever they went, people were better just for having known the parson of Panamint.