Have Gun Will Travel stories revolved around gun-for-hire with principles, Paladin (his real name was never revealed). Though Paladin, played on the radio by John Dehner preferred to try to work out problems without violence if possible, he worked for people who he felt were wronged and could pay. Occasionally, if he felt people who couldn't pay were in a really hard situation with bad guys, he worked for free. If, during the course of his work, he discovered his employer turned out to be shady, Paladin would turn on his employer.