All language subtitles for Gun for a Coward (1956)eng

Come on! Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hade!

Just drift 'em along easy.
Quit playing around.

Man's gotta keep moving. Get the
blood goin', stir things up.

Go on down there and
stir that old mossy horn up.

Keep it from going to sleep.
I'll move him.

Crazy kid.

Hade, will you
stop that fooling?

Looks like that old steer
taught you a lesson.

Come on. Get back on your horse,
and let's get to work.

Look out, hade. Rattler!

Shut up, bless.
Don't spook the kid.

Don't move, hade.

Don't worry, will.
I won't stir a finger.

- You see him?
- Can you see him, bless?

Yes.

I can't.

If you got a clear shot,
bless, take it.

Oh, I can't, will. I'm shaking.

I'm sorry, will. It's all right.

It's just that I remembered
about before, and I...

Hey, loving,
we got us a viper in the tall grass!

Like to have struck at me,
it did.

Lucky thing for the snake.
He might've died of poisonin'.

Hey, will,
that Morgan stud's just been delivered.

And he's big and black. Got a
look in his eye like he wants to kill.

Well, let's go take a look at him.
Yeah, let's go!

I want to see that stallion!

Hey, bless! Come on! I'll
race you back to the corral!

I'll bet I can beat you!

That hade.
He's afraid of nothin'.

That snake shook bless up.

Yeah. It's the shame of
bein' scared that hurts him.

I don't know. It's hard bein'
a father sometimes, will.

And that's what you are to
them two brothers of yours.

Well, I try to do
what pa told me,

but I can't see much
what to do about bless.

Whatever he is
keeps slippin' from me.

I don't understand him
like I should.

Well,
your papa never understood him either.

Do you think ma does?
She thinks she does.

That's supposed
to be a hot blood?

He's standin' like a baby!

Just thinkin' of ways
to kill somebody is all.

Well, he looks a good one,
loving. Yeah.

Hey, you slowpoke, will!

Let me ride the black! I
can sit him! I know I can!

Horse ain't like a calf, Sonny. He knows
where he's kickin' and just how hard.

I can stay with him!

You wait till you're ready.

- I think I'm ready, will,
- Ha, ha.

Bring him over here, durkee!

Bless'll mount him
from the top rail.

Will, that horse
ain't even half broke.

Let the kid have his chance.

Can't you see
that boy is scared?

He's just trying to
show you he ain't.

It's all right, loving.
I'm watching out for him.

Hold him close to the fence,
durkee.

Whoa, boy.

- Hold him, durkee!
- Take him, bless!

Ride him into the dirt!
Give him a keough ride!

Stay with him, bless!

That's ridin' him, bless!

Go on, bless. Stay with him!
Stay on him, boy!

Bless.

Tuck your knees in
close! Give him his head!

Look at him go!

Ride him hard, boy!

What are you gonna do, ma?

Why don't you quit worryin'
about him? He won't get hurt.

If that was me up there,
you wouldn't even care.

Will! Will, stop him!

Bless!

Are you all right?
Is it all right, bless?

Whoa. Whoa, boy. Whoa.

Do you want him dead?

Take him, loving.

Do you want your brother
dead and maimed?

He rode good, ma.
Don't spoil it for him.

Spoil it? You let your brother ride
a killer, and you're proud of it.

I'm proud for him. Oh,
ma, don't hang on to me.

Come into the house.

Loving, bring the black up!

Hold him for me, loving.

All right. Turn him loose.

That old will could ride
a dust devil...

If he could get a saddle on it!

What's the matter, ma?

Why don't you talk to me?

You told me twice
to leave you alone.

I didn't mean it that way.
It's just that...

Well, in front of all the hands.
Why'd you have to baby me so?

I'll keep you from hurt with
my own body if I have to.

Now, ma,
don't say things like that.

I'm grown.
I can take care of myself.

Not in this terrible land.
It's vicious and cruel.

A letter from your aunt Helen.

She's moved to a big house in St. Louis,
and there'll be room enough for us.

St. Louis?
It's a big city, bless.

Paved streets, shops,
big houses painted white.

Well, will's gonna need an awful lot
of help fencin' in that new corral, ma.

There's a cow hunt comin' up,
all that brandin' to do.

That's a lot of work. There's
hired hands to do that.

I want more for you than workin'
a ranch and being a saddle hand...

Or gettin' killed.

No, there's not
near enough help.

As it is,
some of the men are workin' for shares,

and with me around, why,
we could save a foreman's wage.

There's loving to be top hand. And
will has Harry to help him manage.

Oh, Harry's wild. Will can't
depend on him. You know that.

Besides, he's just a kid.

You're not much older, bless.

I've got my growth, ma,
and that's a man. A young one.

Young enough to make
a life for yourself.

One that'll have some meaning.

A doctor maybe or...
Or you could take up the law.

But leavin' will
and hade now, ma...

Don't call Harry that!
It's a terrible word.

Oh, that doesn't mean anything.
That's just what the cowhands call him.

But he is a devil sometimes.

But you're not a cowhand,
bless! You're my son.

Have you turned from your name
and the refined ways I taught you?

Is that why you risk yourself on wild
horses and wear guns against my wish?

No.

Now, I-i-i don't want
to force you to go to St. Louis.

If you want to stay,
we'll stay. Oh, it's not that, ma.

It's just that leavin'
right now just isn't right.

There's time to think of it.

I won't write aunt Helen
for another week or so.

Hey, bless,
look. Will's got the black quiet.

Walk him around.
He's gonna make a good one.

You all right? Yeah, it's ma.

She, uh... she wants me to
go back to Missouri with her.

St. Louis. Oh?

Big town, I hear. Must be 10,000,
15,000 people there.

You want me to go, will?

Do you want to go?

Well, no, but how am I gonna tell
ma? She keeps pushin' at me so.

You wait here with hade.

You busy, ma?
I'd like to talk to you.

You shouldn't have
let him ride that horse.

I won't stop a man from
doin' what his spirit tells him.

A man? He's only a boy.

You're makin' him so, ma.

Wrappin' him in your skirts, smotherin'
him with... shouldn't I love him?

My own blood.

I'm your blood too, ma.

And that kid out there, hade.

He's your lastborn, and you treat him
like he was whelped by a coyote.

Did you see the
look in his eyes? No.

The look in the eyes
of your father.

And your father
stole you from me.

Made you over to be him.

Bless is mine.

The only thing to love
in all these years.

Ma, why do you try to make out
there's any fight between you and me?

We both want
what's best for the boy.

I know what's best for him. A
man's got to learn to live in this land.

You're nursin" bless so he's
between the mountain and the river.

He'll get lost for sure. Then I'll take
the boy's hand, and he won't get lost.

Then you'll lose the man.

Ma, let him grow up to take his
rightful place in the keough family.

He's all I have.
His place is with me.

I love you too, ma.

You don't have to believe me.

Then you know the only voice
she'll listen to is yours.

Oh, I'm sorry, will. I shouldn't
have let you speak for me.

Things are bad enough
between you and ma as it is.

Yeah. We been in battle over stayin'
here on the ranch ever since pa died.

Things can't get any worse.

Hello. Hah.

Step down, Andy. Tell your young
cowhand here to do the same.

Thanks, will. Howdy, bless.

Hello, Mr. niven. Hello,
aud. What happened, bless?

Oh, we got a new stallion,
and he dumped me.

He gave him a good ride
though. How's the mare?

Just about time.

Well, you plannin' on visitin' the
expectin' mother on horseback?

You plannin' on marryin' up with
a girl without any courtin' at all?

I thought that was all settled. Maybe
for you, Mr. keough, but not for me.

Second Saturday in a row
you missed.

Your place is a half day's ride from here,
and we had fence that needed fixin'.

Now, come on. Well,
you just go sit on that fence.

Andy, when are you goin' to get
this daughter of yours into a dress?

Seems she's about made up her
mind that except for church meetin',

the first dress she wears,
it'll be a weddin' dress.

So?

So, let's go in the house and
have some coffee and a talk, huh?

That's what I come for.
I came to see the mare.

Come on, bless.

Seems like all the
keough men are girl-shy.

Go on, bless. See the mare.

Trouble, Andy? No.

You don't take work days away
from your ranch just to visit. No.

It's just that troubles
may be comin'. Oh?

In the old days, we ranchers used
to come to your pa to get the word.

Now, I guess we sort of
look to you, will.

Be glad to help any way
I can. What's happened?

The boys and me been workin'
the valley grazin',

settin' the cattle on it
before the rains come.

Will, there's nesters movin' in.

Many? Six or eight
near as we can figure.

And they're squattin'
on stringer's land.

What's he doin' about it? Don't
seem to be there to do nothin'.

And his workin' hands? Gone too.

How many days? Not days, hours.

You love horses,
don't you? I guess.

Horses are helpless, sort of.

They don't have much pick
of what they do.

Some get ridden hard and bad,
and some get worked cruel.

Remember that catamount cub you had? Yeah,
I do.

I remember the night you cried
when it went back into the hills.

Oh, kids fuss over things
like mountain cats,

but it had to go back.

It just didn't fit in.

What does it take to fit in,
bless?

I mean, life is hard here.

Makes you go its way.

Like flood that bogs the land
and heat that burns it brown.

Women scarce
and men always workin'.

Well, some things fit into what they are,
and some do what they been taught.

Which am I? Do I fit in?

Do you?

I felt to love
that pet cat of mine.

But when he turned wild and came
down from the hills to slaughter a steer,

I helped hunt him and kill him.

Aud, honey.

Don't you worry, aud.
You fit in.

How's the mare coming along? Doin' fine,
will.

Well, your dad's about ready to
start back home. Wish you weren't.

My home doesn't have to be
a half day's ride from here, will.

It'll be soon, aud.

Soon means tomorrow to me.

I'm past child age.

Time goes slow without you,
will. And for me.

Slow and hard with the waitin'
and the things to be done,

but I'll stand to 'em and finish 'em,
and then we can...

I have to finish
becomin' a woman.

I can't do it alone.

I need you. And I need you.

Now and for a long time past.

I'll get things over
and done fast as I can.

We won't have long to wait.

No need to wait at all.

Hey, will!

Sorry to break up the sparkin',
will. Bless said you'd be here.

We got four steers stuck in
a bog out about four miles.

We'll get right to it, loving.

Will.

I'm sorry, aud. We...

We can't afford
to lose four steers.

Come on. You better say
good-bye to ma and bless.

Well, Hannah, I thank you
for the coffee.

I hope our talk of squatters
didn't scare you.

Oh,
I've heard it before. And seen range war.

Bless and me won't be
around to see any more.

We're goin' back to St. Louis. Bless,
you're not.

Away from nesters and
cattle and heat and flood.

Ma, we haven't decided definite.

Away from things that kill,
like guns... and snakes.

Will, thanks for the talk.

Then, Andy,
we'll let stringer clear his own land.

And if he don't?
Well, then we'll see.

For now, each man takes care of his own.
All right, will.

Rain's comin' up.

Yeah. It's gettin' a little black
over there. We best be goin'.

If we don't get back,
we could be rained in for a week.

Aud maybe could stay.

And save you a sparkin' trip
come Saturday? Uh-uh.

Nice to see you again,
Mrs. keough.

Bye, bless.
Hope your Colt's a good one.

Pleased to see you, aud.

Nice girl, Audrey.

She'll make a fine wife
for will.

We can come back to
visit time to time and...

What's the matter, bless?

Ma...

Saturday, will.

Oh, bless.

Come in, bless, old boy.

This old horse is about to birth
a Colt of the steel dust strain.

Come out to see your foal,
huh? Uh-huh.

Won't be long. It was a quarter
horse shipped in here many years ago...

That was the greatest stud horse
that ever lived.

Will?

Ma's all set for us to leave
in about a week.

Oughta be all right back east.

Nice, easy livin'.

I guess so.

She's startin'.

With all your talkin', I guess she
figures she ought to get it over with.

Ah! Horses is like women.

They like the sound of
a gentle voice like mine.

My old grandma said...

I was about the best
there was with sick folks.

Said my voice had
the slick of molasses.

How's she doin'? Fine.

Will, my heart just ain't in it.
I don't want to go.

You do what you think
is right, bless.

You're a man.

I remember when old man
Campbell got shot in the spleen.

He was the meanest man
in three counties.

Granny sent me over to talk
the hours away for him.

He said "howdy," and he like to
scared me out the front door.

But I started in to talkin',

and that old man slipped away
as peaceful as you please,

with a great big smile wreathin' his face,
just like he was happy to go.

Hey, bless, will.

Gentle down, old girl.

It's gonna be all right.

Easy.

Ain't this a cute little feller?

Whoa, baby. Whoa, now, now.

Gentle down.
Now, I wanna tell you somethin'.

Look a-herel you little scamp!

Bless, you got yourself a horse.
Ain't it a cute little devil?

Yeah, looks like we got ourselves
a great little quarter horse.

If it's anything like its ma,
there'd better not no cow get outta line.

Ah, talk to me!

Ain't it a pretty thing!
Lookie there! Huh?

He's promised to you, bless.
Do you want him?

You're soaked.

The mare's foaled, ma.
He's mine.

Will you be needin' a horse
in St. Louis?

Well, ma, couldn't
we wait a little while?

We have to go
when we're welcome and asked.

But I just don't
want to go right now.

Is that how it is, bless?

Yes.

All right, if you want to make your life
here, I guess I should end mine here.

Oh, now, ma.
Don't talk like that.

You can go to St. Louis if
you want to. I'll come later.

I bore three sons...
Two on this ranch.

I'll not leave alone.

Why is it so hard living a life?

Why does somebody
always have to get hurt?

Well, bless, I...

I guess we all just have
to pay for living and bein'...

One way or another.

Thanks, will.

Aud?

Where's will? Inside the house?

No, he's in here.

Will

We caught nesters
slaughterin' a steer.

Pa run 'em off, but his horse got hit,
and he's pinned under.

Where'd it happen?
Near stringer's place.

Loving, hitch up the buckboard.

Bless, you saddle a couple of horses.
You come on in the house, honey.

Ma'll get you dried off and into
a warm bed. I'm going with you.

You've gotta get out
of them wet clothes!

I've no duty to you yet,
will. Like you say.

Mornin'.

Nice cozy little bed you got
yourself there, cousin.

Couple of nesters
made it for me, lovin...

Loving, we'll ease
the horse off of him.

Bless, when I tell you to pull,
slide Andy out easy.

All right.
All right, now, loving.

Wait. Now!

Looks like it's broke. You're gonna
have to set and splint it, loving.

It just so happens I got
somethin' to ease the job.

My old dad got me in the habit when I was holster
high. Honey, give your papa a snort of that.

After you get it splinted,
bundle him up and take him home easy.

Yes, sir. Will, where you goin'?

My word was to let the
nesters be. Andy got hurt for it.

Stringer don't keep his acres free of weasels,
somebody's gonna have to do it for him.

Bless?

Will, wait. I'll go with you.

This is no fight, bless.
I'll talk to 'em alone.

- I'll keep you company.
- Bless.

We need you here.
Yeah, come on, boy.

Grab a hold.

Here, bless, boy. Grab a hold.

Andy, this is gonna hurt
slow and easy.

You all right, aud?
Don't worry about me.

I do.

All right, Andy.

Give me the rifle, bless,
and we'll make a splint.

Get off my land.

Come out here.
I want a look at you.

I want a look at all of you.

This is deeded land.
You're trespassin'.

That was branded beef
you killed yesterday.

That cow was a stray.
There's no one here.

We been settled here
five, six days.

That doesn't give you
squatter's rights.

Get out and go back
where you belong.

Government land is scrubby
and bad. You got the choice acres.

We made 'em choice. Now get out.

Right now.

Right now.

On your way out,
stop by the keough place.

We'll fix the boy.

I made some fresh coffee,
bless. Come on. Have a cup.

I couldn't set still. I just...

Is the doctor still with her?

It's been nice,
you stayin' here...

And takin' care of ma's duty
while she's been ailin'.

I'm happy to.

Well, when she's well again,
I'll go to St. Louis with her.

She wants bad to go home.

I know.

I'll miss you, bless, so much.

He's grown strong and beautiful.

Remember the night he
was born? I remember.

The night your pa got hurt.

The night you said
you worried after me.

Bless.

Bless. Come quick. It's ma.

Will, you'd best speak
with your ma.

Ma?

Where's bless?

Harry's run to get him.

I'll go hurry him up. No,
will. Stay with me.

My firstborn.

Workin' the land
with your father...

Never gave you
much chance to be a boy.

It's been a hard life
for you too.

Ma, the herd will soon
be big enough to trail.

Then things will be easy.

Life will be good.
I promise you.

I know you'll make it so...

For some other woman,
for some other keough.

Why, you'll still be
around to see the...

Ma...

Ma, let me tell you. I love you.

Tell bless...

I... couldn't wait for him.

She didn't get to go home.

Bless.

Bless.

People are startin' to gather.

The party's about ready
to start. I missed you.

I was... aren't you comin'
down to celebrate the trail drive?

I'll be along.

That's not all to celebrate.

Will told pa he's gonna
ask me formal to marry him.

Well, that's fine, aud.

Is that all? Well,
what else is there?

It's what we've
all known would come.

Bless, I can't say it all
while you stand quiet.

Will's a good man. He'll
make you a good husband.

Not that, bless. Not that.

Please go away, aud.

- Go join your man.
- Not mine.

It's not my lovin' will keeps us apart,
bless. It's your lovin' him.

Aud, what are you
tryin' to make me do?

Tell me what your heart says.

Aud, you're
my brother's promised!

I know that. But I can't
promise what I can't feel.

It's not my mind
says to love you.

Oh, aud!

Aud, I always imagined it.

I watched you move,
and I watched you smile.

Holding you, loving you.
Gentle. So gentle.

So much, so much.
My whole life for you.

As long as I can remember.

But it's will's life,
will's dream.

I'll tell him. No.

No, that's for me to do.

First and third,
balance and swing.

Meet right up
and fly to the ring.

Round the couple
and swing at the wall.

Through the couple
and swing in the hall.

Circle four, halfway round.

Make that big foot
jar the ground.

Pass right through
and balance form,

and everybody swing.

You didn't have to ride all the way
in here, you know. How's the herd?

All ready to start the drive come dawn,
will.

How's the beef?

Oh, there you are.
Been lookin' for you.

Well, I better go over and get some
of that meat before hade eats it all up.

My own brother, but most times I
don't understand him too well.

Bless likes the space
and the night and quiet.

I'd like a little quiet
right now.

Aud, I got somethin'
I want to say to you.

The ranch is goin' well, aud.

You push too hard, will.

You've built the biggest
and best spread around.

Oh, it hasn't all just
been to grow big, aud.

I wanted it so there
was enough for all of us.

For hade, now that he's plannin'
on takin' a wife,

for bless when he gets a notion
into his head and for us.

Soon as the drive's over,
all payin' for, it'll be done with.

It'll be owned free and
clear by the keough brothers.

And by you. Not for me, will.

It's been four years since I been thinkin'
to set the date for us to get married.

Will, please don't talk about
the waiting and what was.

Things change. I know.

And now we're gonna drive your
pa's herd to abilene with ours...

And I'll meet you there,
and we'll get married.

Maybe we can have a double
wedding with hade and Claire. Will...

I promise you, there'll be an end to
the waitin' when we meet in abilene.

Let's get back to the party.

Round the couple
and swing at the wall.

Through the couple
and swing in the hall.

Circle four, halfway round.

Make that big foot
jar the ground.

Pass right through
and balance form,

and everybody swing.

Allemande left
with the old left hand.

It's back to your honey,
go right and left grand.

Hand over hand till you
come round. Hand over hand...

Bless, this comanche arrow
went clean through my windpipe,

but I pulled her out and went
right on with winning that battle.

How'd you fill up on whiskey
after that, loving?

Well, I had to drink
three times as much...

And wear two tin cups underneath
here to catch the overflow.

See this scar right here?

Bless.

I got words with you, bless.

Hey, stringer, glad you came! Have a
pull from the keg here and a slice of beef.

I didn't come social,
just yet. Later maybe.

What did you come for?

You been to town lately? Some.

You been talkin' to the banker.

Some.

Checkin' on the mortgage on
my place? It was mentioned.

You mentioned you'd like
to buy the bank out,

foreclose and take my land
to add to yours.

It's the bank's land.
You're just sort of usin' it.

Not much longer, I don't think.

So long as I can pull a trigger.

Pullin' triggers isn't gonna
raise cattle or feed.

Or dig a new well for that
one that's glutted and let lie...

Or fix the houses
or repair the fences.

You're just gonna
sink deeper into debt.

You tryin' to buy him out
from the bank, bless?

I figured on talkin' to will.

We could take his debts off the
acres and give him something extra.

That's a fair enough offer,
stringer.

You've got nothin' now, and
you'll have less before long.

I don't hold with land stealers.

Meet right out
to the right of the ring.

Round the couple
and swing at the wall.

We'll pay you for it. And when that's gone,
I've got nothin'.

Well, you can have
a job with us.

You want to steal my land and
offer me a job to work for you?

Oh, not for me.
For the keough brothers.

I'd as soon ride with a
jackal than with you, bless.

Well, you pressin" me's not
gonna get your land back for you.

You're gonna lose it. You
might as well sell it out to us.

I'd rather it dried up
and blew to dust.

We'll get it anyway.
It'd be cheaper then.

You've got high and mighty ways.

Show me what you can do
to back 'em up.

I ain't a snake to run from.

What? Don't run.

I'm askin' you to raise up and show me you're
man enough to take what's mine away from me.

You won't start, I will.

I'm... I'm not for
beatin' up a kid, hade.

Just let's see who's a kid.

Will I do, stringer?

I-I got no fight with you, will.

You got none with bless
either. He made you a fair offer.

Yes or no?

This isn't early range anymore to be
cut and claimed and held with a gun.

Is a man to lose it
for a bad turn of luck?

You borrowed to the limit
the same as the rest of us.

But you didn't work it off.
You didn't pay it off.

Take the price and the job
and have a drink.

Or say your no and go your way.

- How much?
- A fair price.

Get free of your debts
and doubts, man.

Trail with us,
and I'll show you a place in abilene...

Where your money'll buy you
somethin' the land don't give.

You never was much of a man
for thinkin', stringer.

Those acres are a saddle on your back,
and you know it.

Hear the music
and stomp your feet.

Meet the new hired hand!

Come on in the house, stringer. We'll
draw the deal and make the deed.

Everybody was sort of expecting
me to fight, weren't they?

I suppose so,
but you won without fighting.

It was hade that hit him,
and will that shut him up.

You won your way. What
difference does it make?

It makes a difference to all those folks
who would have done it another way.

That's about everybody who was watching,
including will and even your own father.

Is it important what they think?

I say to myself it's not.

You've got a right not
to be like the rest of them.

I love you, bless.

Will you tell him tonight?

This isn't the time, aud.

Will there ever be
a time to tell him?

It's a hard thing, aud.

Do you love me, bless?

That's the only sure thing
in all I do.

Audrey?

Time to say good night.

See you in abilene, bless.

Take good care of those cows of mine. Yes,
sir. Special care.

Good-bye, bless.

I'll see you at trail's end.

I'm sorry
you have to leave, aud.

The trail won't be so lonely
knowing you'll be waitin' in abilene.

Bye, will.

Get yourself a nice
wedding dress now.

I don't aim to waste
any more time.

See you in abilene,
will. I'll be there. Good-bye.

Yeah.

Stringer, drag men in the rear.

We eatin' dust for another day?

How come the positions ain't bein' rotated?
Yeah, what about that?

We need our best men riding
front and side in canyon country.

I ride as good as any man!

Just stay seated, stringer.
The herd will be long gone.

I'm ridin' up front.
The air's clear there.

Hey, bless.

You and stringer
had an argument?

He don't like bein' a hired hand and
workin' cows on somebody else's order.

He just don't like to work.

We better get a move on.
We got a lot of miles to make.

Besides, I got me
a date in abilene.

I ever tell you about
that gal in this town?

Mmm! Shoots a gun like a man,

wears leather britches
and a stetson hat.

Always carries a chaw of tobacco
in her pistol pocket.

But she's as warm as a dove
when the nighttime comes.

More woman than you
ever did see.

Keep 'em movin'
down there, bless.

- Get off of there.
- I just wanna get the kinks out.

I'm tired of sittin' this saddle
on the level. I won't get hurt.

Your horse trip
or kick some rocks loose,

and we'll have this herd spooked
and out runnin' off pounds.

Now get down from there!

All the little cows are
bedded down for the night.

What about niven's bunch?

Those whitefaces
won't go anywhere.

Durkee, would you
check niven's boys?

Right.

Old granny bless.

"Never take a chance" keough.

Hey. I had a cousin with
a hame like that one time.

"Never take a chance” lovin'
they called him.

He got shot though.
How was that, lovin'?

Takin" a chance.
First one he ever took.

He got his eye on a woman
of the town...

A girlfriend of a killer that
rid off to escape the law.

Well, one day,
this killer come back.

It wasn't exactly day.
More like nighttime, it was.

Here was this gal
and old lovin'... lovin...

Killer shot him
clean through the spine.

Well, he just wasn't used
to takin' chances.

I reckon.

That's something
you gotta learn.

Right, will?

Sometimes it's good to learn
when not to take a chance...

Like me takin' the chance
you'd do somethin' I told you.

What didn't I do?

We're about out of sugar.

Oh! Those extra sacks.

I forgot to put 'em
in the wagon.

A man can do without
a lot of things.

But a cowboy
on a cattle drive... mmm!

Without no sweetenin'
for his coffee,

he can get mighty
cantankerous at times.

You go get some, hade. It's about an
hour's ride off to that arroyo seco town.

Oh, it won't take me that long.

Town's not big enough
to afford sugar.

Well, maybe they got
some molasses.

You go along with him, bless. See that he
doesn't try to turn the molasses into rum.

Seems like all I'm doing is
ridin' a Maverick day and night.

Hey, hey! There a store fit
to buy in around here?

What do you want?

Sugar.

Ain't got none.

You got any molasses? Yep.

And set up a bottle
for my brother and me.

Never mind.

Hey, don't be bashful,
girl. Come on.

Give us four glasses, bartender.

Just to wet down the
dust a little. The dust.

Hey, solitaire's no game
for a pretty girl.

Come on up to the bar
and join the party.

Oh, have a little music.

Doesn't it work?

Kick it, cowboy.
You gotta kick it some.

Kick it?

Careful. Watch out.

I hope this ain't too strong
for your delicate taste, ma'am.

Where's your manners, bless?

Give the little lady
a drink there.

Now, what's a pretty thing
like you doin' in a town like this?

Well, a girl doesn't like to leave home.
Don't waste it.

Do you think I'm pretty?

You're lookin'
better and better.

Let's go, hade.

Stop actin' like a mama cow.

If you're lonely for a woman,
there's one waitin' for you in abilene.

Leave Claire out of this.

Just give her another kick, bless,
and soon as the tune's over, we'll go.

Come on.

Hade.

I was just gonna
tell the lady...

About the opportunities
waitin' for a pretty girl in abilene.

Now, what would I do in abilene?

Same thing you're doin' here.

Here now!

Give me a bottle of the same.

Strangers?

Don't you see these girls
are with us, mister?

Why, me, Marie and Rose
are old friends.

You're pushin',
and we don't like it. Take it easy, hade.

You don't like what I'm doin'?

Your friend doesn't
seem to mind.

How about that, bless?

She's his friend.
We'd better get goin'.

Why'd you leave the herd?

Come for somethin' damp.

You know will don't like
whiskey on the trail.

Two bottles here.
And one for me.

What is it, hade?

This hawker's mighty pushy.

Come on,
hade. Let's bring lovin' his sweetenin'.

Bless don't mind
gettin' stepped on,

but I want to hear somethin'
soothin' before I leave.

We got no quarrel, friend.

Hold it!

That's all.

Come on, hade.

You.

Your molasses.

Worth the whiskey, stringer?

Wouldn't have happened if
your brother hadn't backed down.

It was his fight. Hade took it up,
and so did we.

You can believe that
if you want to.

I liked that kid.

Next time you ride off without orders,
don't ride back.

Get your spot, stringer.

You too, hade.

And keep that gun outta
your hand unless there's need.

There was.

Drive cows,
bless. I got things to do in abilene.

Well, here they come.

You wanna get set to do
a little bargaining.

Part of the expenses, loving.

I remember the time when a
huntin' knife or a string of beads...

Would sweeten a whole tribe to
be your protectors and your guides,

and they might even throw in a
squaw to do the cookin' for you.

Yeah, I remember
you told me once.

Uh-huh, and then there was the
other side of it... them comanches.

Give 'em all you had,
and they'd always come back for more.

They always looked
at my hair lovingly.

Never seen much red hair,
I reckon.

Now that it's turnin' gray, I sure feel
safer around 'em. I'll tell you that.

Those Indians lookin'
for a free handout again?

They're gonna be
wantin' something.

We'll give 'em nothin'.

We'll give 'em what's fair,
just like always.

How would half the herd
be, bless? Fair enough?

Then maybe they'll run off
and leave us alone.

Quiet, hade.

Welcome.

400 braves in hills.

Figure 50 or a hundred.

Many guns.

Three or four
broken-down rifles.

Are they threatenin' us? Hade.

Many squaws and children.

Uh-huh. I reckon.

Long winter.

Well, he's told you
all of it now.

Twenty head.

Twenty steers? Hade.

Wheel around.

Bigger demands than
last time. Cost of livin'.

I don't figure he wants
to fight though.

There's too many herds on
the trail to get tribute from.

- Bless?
- Five, six maybe.

Six steer? Give 'em nothin...

We got 16 hands and more
than that many guns.

The Indians haven't had much to eat
since most of the buffalo have been killed.

Besides, we're takin' passage through his
territory. He's got a right to make demands.

He's got a right to a bullet
if he comes sniffin' around.

We ain't in the business
of feeding injuns.

If he can't hunt enough food,
let him get out.

Loving?

I'm goin' along with bless.
Five or six head.

I think that's about right.

Six.

Twenty.

Six is all we're gonna give you.

Six.

And when you take
your six beefs,

go on up in the hills
and stay there.

If you come nosin' around again,
bring your medicine man.

You'll be needin' him to speak
the chant of the dead over you.

He speaks with
the words of the young.

Please accept our gift
with honor and welcome.

No need to talk like that.

No need to make me small
in front of Indians.

If you had your way,
we'd run out and leave 'em take all.

Sometimes it sticks in my
throat to call you brother.

Why do you keep spurrin' me,
hade? Me?

Now, why would I do that,
bless? That's what I want to know.

A saddle tramp backed you off
from that gal in arroyo seco.

You're a kid,
and kids will fight anything.

You could've gotten us killed.
I've had it all from you, bless.

Being his brother don't
change my opinion of him.

I think he's a coward. You
feel like a big man now?

I ain't ashamed.

The men in the bunkhouse
laugh behind his back.

He won't race his horse.
He won't mix it up.

He won't do anything
where he might get hurt.

It's none of their business.

You're standin' in front
of him again, will.

I stand in front
of you too, hade.

But you don't cover me
with your shadow!

I ain't afraid of no man.

Bless!

What's goin' on?

Snake.

Bullwhip.

Why, you...

Did you see him jump, will?

Loving! Ming!

The herd all right?

They're still bedded down.

We could've had a stampede
on our hands.

Hade shouldn't have done that,
bless. Aw, it's...

No matter.

He shouldn't have done it,
knowin' that...

Knowin' that I killed pa?

Knowin' your fear of snakes.

And a rattler killed pa.
You didn't.

Because I ran.

Because I ran.

Pa reached to stop me.

It's hard for a kid not to run
with a rattler buzzin' next to him.

But I was taught not to move.

Bless, I've told you, this happened
when you were seven years old.

So you were scared. That's
nothin' to be ashamed of.

It's been tearin' at you
for years.

Why don't you give it up?

I can't help facing it, will.

Well, then face it and fight
it through. Kill it and forget it.

Bless, I'll stand with you
against anything,

but I can't fight you
for yourself.

I'm not even sure
what kind of a man I am.

I don't fit, will.

I never have,
and it seems that I fit less and less.

There's a lot of ma
in your ways, bless.

That's part of your fight.

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so.

Ma always wanted
to leave the ranch.

I've made up my mind
to leave too.

Leave the keough range?

Why?

I'll tell you true, will.

It's a girl. A girl?

You mean you've been courtin' a girl,
and I didn't even know it?

Well, I figured on takin'
my share of the herd and,

well, buyin' a homestead or
maybe some sort of business in town.

But why? The ranch
is big enough for all of us.

We'll build you a house.
No, it won't work, will.

Well, sure it'll work.

The women will be great company
for each other.

Why won't it work?

Bless, who is the girl?

Aud.

You want everything,
don't you? Oh, no.

Why wasn't I told?
Or didn't anybody much care?

Oh! It was that we cared
too much maybe!

We didn't want to tell you.
We thought it'd grow itself out.

And then I could
have her back, huh?

No, it wasn't that way.

We just didn't want to hurt you.

And I knocked hade down.

Hade! Hold up.

I'm gonna ride into town ahead.

I'll arrange for the pens.
I'll go with you.

I got big things waitin'
for me in abilene. Maybe.

Been about a year since we
drove MacDonald's herd up here.

Claire's had time to look
around for something better.

Oh, she'll be waitin'
like she promised.

She's probably so lonely,
her heart's near broke.

Well, you can wait another night.
I'll see you tomorrow.

Anything I can do
for you, bless?

Nothin', will. Thanks.

No messages?

Herd seems spooky tonight.

Maybe they know this is
the end of the trail.

Cows don't think.

More likely a cat
somewhere up in the hills.

Come on, hade!

Stampede! Rustlers!

Well, we can't hold 'em here.

All right, everybody mount up. We'll
stop 'em at the mouth of the canyon.

Hade, mount up! No!

Come back here!

Stay here and fight!
Now take cover.

Bless said to follow him down
to the mouth of that canyon.

We'll shoot 'em as they ride by.

Pick your shots and knock
'em out of their saddles.

Get down in back
of that rock, boy!

Where's bless? He run out on us.

You boys round up the horses.

Durkee,
follow the track of them cattle.

Watch yourself!

Hade. Kid.

Bless.

You ran away again, bless.

No I didn't, hade.

We didn't stand a chance
to fight it out here.

We might've stopped 'em
at the entrance.

Don't try to say anything.

Remember him?

He's one of them you wouldn't
fight back in arroyo seco.

If you had, your brother
wouldn't be dead now.

You won't be able
to run out on him again.

Rustlers.

He tried to fight it out
at the camp.

I told him to follow me
on up to the hill, but...

I guess he didn't hear me.

I thought he did though.
Bless run out on us.

Stringer's lyin'.

Bless did the right thing.

Hade just wouldn't
listen to him.

You should've stayed with hade.

I didn't run out on him, will.

You should've been
with your brother.

No matter what.

Bless.

Hade did a fool thing
standing there that way!

Come with me.
You're worn and tired.

If stringer keeps
talking that way,

gossip will spread itself like a wind-whipped
fire that bless run out on hade.

Well, didn't he?

You know better than that.

Bless maybe will try to avoid trouble,
but he'd never run out on his job.

Yeah, he handles everything
real smart... for bless.

The good book speaks a
lot of words at a time like this.

But I don't think Harry
keough knew too many of them.

He wasn't old enough
or calmed enough.

It was awful hard to get him
into your house, lord,

but he was a good man
except for that.

Well, now he's gone
to you, lord.

Amen.

You let him die. You killed him!

You wouldn't stand up with him and fight,
so he died!

You let him die!

You're a coward,
and you killed him!

Pay her no mind, bless.

She loved hade. So did you.

That's where I am.

It's a bad time to take
will's woman from him, bless.

He doesn't need anybody.

He's a brave man.

Not like me.

Bless, you don't mean that.

He's right,
aud. Listen to the town folks.

Listen to the trail hands.

Bless is afraid of snakes.
He's afraid of hurt.

Backed down from a fight
with stringer,

the drifter in arroyo seco...

And a hundred others
since he was a kid.

Finally, he run off and his
young brother got killed for it.

Pa, those are just words,
not facts!

You're coming back
to town with me, aud.

You go ahead, aud.

I'll be along in a little bit.

If durkee don't show up
by tonight,

we can go out and try to pick up
the trail of them cows ourselves.

There's no tellin' how long or how
far durkee will have to run that track.

But, will, you can
round up your outfit...

And see how many stray guns there
are around town that want to hire out.

Come on, fella. How about it?

I'll talk to you
about it later, loving.

Hello, honey. Hi.

Will, I want to talk to you.

I've been told.

Your voice isn't
gonna make it right.

I know I've been promised
to you, will, but...

The years slipped by. Weren't
the years promise enough?

I loved you for all of them.

Sometimes I'd see you with
the sun driftin' all around you.

Or I'd hear you laugh, and I filled
up and hurt to grab you close...

And forget the ranch
and pa's dreams.

Forget the things
I had to do for ma...

And the things I had
to do for my brothers.

You never talked to me
like this, will.

Does a man have to spill himself
open to prove he loves a woman?

I didn't want you burdened and
worried with all I had to get done.

I held it to myself to save you.

You shouldn't have,
will. But I did.

I spent the days building fence
and raising feed...

And the nights praying
for rain and no cattle tick!

For times to get good,
to get enough for all of us,

to lay it all down
and take it easy for a while.

I wanted to give you a husband
free of any duties but the ones to you.

And I wanted a man with time to hold me,
even for just a moment.

And words to tell me
what he was about...

And not leave me
shut off and alone...

A man to need me.

I'm telling you now.
I'm wearied and done.

I'm through building
for anybody but me.

I do need you, aud.

What words did he have
that I didn't?

None, will.

Just between bless and me,

there's more than a ranch
and land and cattle.

It just has to do
with two people.

What kind of life will you
find with a coward?

He's not a coward.

You've given him the name because
he's not like you, not like your pa was.

Is that a bad thing to be?
Bad for him.

You fought your ma over him, and you've
tried to make him over to suit you.

You're like she was.

You've got to stand out of his way,
let him be his own way.

It's a hard thing to be different,
will. You'll never know how hard.

Different. Yeah.

What kind of thing is it that crawls up
behind his blood kin and takes from him?

I hoped you could forgive us.

Well, he can't run forever.

He's got to make a place
for himself somewhere.

His place is with me.

I love him.

Here comes the rabbit going hoppity,
hoppity, hop.

Give him a drink.

If he gets drunk enough, it'll help
him forget he run out on his brother.

Leave him alone, stringer.

Don't you see the boy's
got grief enough?

Grievin's for women.
Fightin's for men.

How many of you ever
see bless fight?

- Fight? He can't fight.
- He won't fight.

How many ever see him
back down from a fight?

Pa, bless maybe needs help.

It's time he helped himself.

You don't understand him because
he won't fight for small purpose.

A man fights for his name.

Get outta my way.

Hit him, stringer.
Make him fight, stringer.

Turn around.

I'm askin' for guns!

Turn around.

Why did you do it? Why
didn't you let me face it?

We buried one keough
brother today. That's enough.

But it was my fight, will!

Somebody always has to do
your fightin' for you.

Damn you, will!

Aud.

You stay out of it, honey.

Bless is fightin for the
right to be his own man.

He doesn't have to prove
anything. Bless thinks he does.

I finally found 'em, will...
Out there in rock shelves.

But they found me too. By the time
I came around, they was gone!

But I can tell you,
they're headed for Texas.

I tried everything I knew, will.

Casey, bronc!

Take care of him.

Durkee figures they're drivin'
our cattle to the Texas border.

We're going after 'em.

Any man who...

Bless, you can do
as good as I can.

You tell 'em.

Every man rides
with the keough brothers...

Gets himself
a double eagle in gold.

Get outta the way!

We can't stay here all day!

Lead 'em out, bless.

Let's go!

I'm not going with him, aud.

I'm standin' out of his way
like you said.

I should've done that
a long time ago.

Good-bye, aud.

Good-bye?

Where are you going?

Oh, Wichita, dodge city,

waco.

I plan on doin'
quite a bit of travelin'.

Quite a bit.

Oh, will.

I'm sorry.

No need to be sorry, aud.

It's right to live life
as it comes.

That's what you and bless
are doin'.

You're lost to wait till
everything's perfect.

I'm not waitin' anymore.