Original subtitles

Compared to the vast floods of Texas longhorns which were to pour into the

northern plains in the late 70s and early 80s, only a trickle had been

north by 1869, and the great cattle empires were still more than a decade

But horse ranching was already firmly established, because the stallions and

mares with which many ranchers began their herds were running wild in the

plains.

available to any settler who had the courage and stamina to capture them.

And among the most beautiful of these magnificent wild horses were the

Appaloosa.

I'll be smarting in a few places for a while, Uncle Zeb.

But ain't he a beauty?

Hoo -wee.

Sure is. You know, it's a good thing he don't own a ranch. He roped you fair and

square.

Next time, why don't you wrap it around your neck?

Can't say I didn't get first rope on him, though.

Uncle Zab, look.

His mares.

Never seen such a pretty sight in all my life.

Easy. Well, it may not be very original, but there's really only one name that

suits him.

His Majesty.

Well, I can say one thing for you, Aunt Molly.

He's a king if I ever saw one. Well, maybe we can just name him King.

Oh, Uncle Seb, His Majesty.

It has such a proud ring to it.

Well, he's a proud one, all right.

Took us five days to catch up with him. The only reason we did catch up with him

is because he was worried about his mares.

Well, I think it's just... It was terrible that you took him away from his

Give us another few weeks, and we'll have most of those wives of his right in

there with him.

A couple of weeks?

Shouldn't take us that long.

Well, now that the christening's over, we'd better not dawdle about here too

much longer.

Jesse and I have to get to town, and the rest of you do have chores to do.

You know something, Aunt Molly? First chance I get, I'm going to buy you a

To tell you the truth, now, I could use it.

roof of the barn still isn't fixed after that last storm.

That'll teach you, Luke.

Yeah.

We'll drop you at the house now, Laura. Yeah, one of these days, boy, you'll

learn to keep your mouth shut.

Mr. Craig?

Mr. Craig?

Mr.

Craig, are you in there?

He'd be having himself a bit of dinner upstreet.

You been needing a man's hand with them?

No. Just the buckboard. I thought it would be hit.

Well, now, I just figured on giving you a hand.

What have you got yourself all trembly like for?

Well, I don't need any help. I'll just wait for Mr. Craig.

Well, maybe I'll help you hitch up a buckboard and swap for a little kiss.

No. No, please.

Oh, come on. Just one.

Do it right now, mister.

Get your hands off her.

Now, I know you're drunk, mister, so I don't want to hurt you.

I'm showing you what your liver looks like, boy.

Before I stomp on your face.

What's going on here?

He was scaring me, Mr. Craig.

Mr., get yourself off and sober someplace before our town cemetery gets

to.

Now get moving.

And now.

another time, boy.

I

know you

was in a hurry to get that horse of yours shot, son, but I had a little

to take care of. Just give me a little more time.

That's all right.

He didn't hurt you none, did he?

No, he just scared me.

I came here to the livery figuring my Aunt Molly would be here waiting for me.

No, Jesse, your Aunt Molly left me word that the ladies' meeting would be a

little while longer.

That's the reason I didn't hitch up the buckboard.

I'll get right to shooing your animal, son.

Thank you.

Well, I sure would like to thank you, Mr... Uh, Cooper. Bob Cooper.

Mr. Cooper, I'm Jesse McCann.

I don't think I'm old enough to be called Mr.

Tell you what, I'll use Jesse if you use Bob.

Bob?

Now, I'd say you had pretty good taste.

Buying the one that I sort of approved of.

You really like it?

Yeah, yeah, it suits you.

Looks real pretty on you.

Uh, listen, if you're waiting to be picked up, I saw where the sweet shop

the street was having a special on ice cream today. You want some?

That's very kind of you to invite me.

Picture that stallion they just brought in. It's worth more than all them horses

put together.

Yeah, except in an Appaloosa it can be spotted a mile off.

Why don't we go look somewhere else?

Don't you ever stop worrying?

You're getting as bad as Cooper.

Maybe we ought to take him tonight and get it over with.

Use your head, Everett.

Now, the trader can't handle him until Friday.

Now, we can't stay camped out, stolen horses for two days.

It catches for sure. Talking about Cooper, he sure is taking his time

his horse chewed.

Yeah.

Maybe we better ride into town and see what's holding them up.

I don't like the idea of us showing our faces in town.

You really are something. You know that?

They're not going to know it's Adam around here.

Come on.

So I've been on my own ever since.

You mean since you were six years old, you had no one taking care of you at

That's about it.

Once a farmer got some orphanage people after me.

And I was on a work farm for about a month.

But I ran away the first chance I got.

That must have been a terrible life.

No, no. It's not all bad.

You learn how to get along real quick when you're on your own, Jesse.

Well, what kind of work are you doing now?

Last job I had was wrangling.

I, uh... Well, me and some friends are up this way job hunting.

In fact, I'm supposed to meet up with them as soon as my horse gets shot.

So maybe we should be getting back now.

All right.

Oh, and thank you for the ice cream.

You're welcome.

You know, it sure was strange, us running into each other the way we did.

It's kind of like fate or something, I mean.

Uh... I don't quite know how to say this.

You've probably got lots of bows.

No. No?

Oh, well, uh, the way I want to put this is, uh, I wouldn't mind, I mean, uh,

maybe, maybe you wouldn't mind seeing me again?

I wouldn't mind.

Great. Well, uh, I'll probably be back in town by Sunday.

Oh, Sunday we're having a church picnic. Why don't you come?

Church picnic?

Oh, church picnic sounds great.

Will you be wearing that pretty blue bonnet to the picnic?

Do you want me to wear?

I have to have some way to pick you out from all the rest of the pretty girls.

Oh, my.

What's the matter?

It's my Aunt Molly. She must have been waiting forever.

Look, would you wait here a minute?

Yeah, sure, but... I'll be right back.

Oh, Aunt Molly, I'm so sorry.

I was here earlier, but Mr. Craig said that the ladies' meeting was running

late. It's all right, Jessie.

I think I understand.

He seems like a very nice young man.

Oh, he is, Aunt Molly. He's just the nicest boy I ever met in my whole life.

He's new here, and he's looking for a job. And he helped me pick out this

bonnet, and he bought me an ice cream. And you were just wondering if we could

possibly invite him home for supper tonight.

Oh, could we, Aunt Molly?

Please? I think so, dear.

Oh, thank you, Aunt Molly.

Jessie?

Yes, ma 'am?

It might be nice if I knew the young man's name.

It's Cooper.

Bob Cooper.

We're going to have supper with us tonight.

Supper? But I... It's all arranged.

My Aunt Molly already said yes.

And you can come with us now. And you can meet my Uncle Zeb. He's the mountain

man I was telling you about. And we'll have roast chicken and... Jessie,

nothing I like more in the whole world, but these two friends of mine, they're

kind of expecting me tonight.

Oh, we'll be eating early tonight. You'll be back in no time.

Please?

Well, I guess if you have a roast chicken, I can have them wait a bit.

Good.

Aunt Molly, this is Bob Cooper. Bob, this is my Aunt Molly.

He's coming.

Well, that's lovely. It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Cooper. I sure want to

thank you for inviting me, ma 'am. I hope I'm not too much trouble.

Oh, none at all. Why don't you get in and we'll go?

Oh, I'd like to very much, ma 'am, but I have my horse here in liver state.

He should be shod by now.

Well, in that case, you can catch up with us. Come along, Jesse.

Sure.

And thank you again, ma 'am.

Both of you.

Isn't he nice?

He's just the nicest person I ever met in my whole life.

Dear, you did say as much. But if we don't get going soon, there isn't going

be any supper, Jesse.

Oh, Aunt Molly, did you ever meet somebody and...

And you knew he was special?

How come you're still in town?

I said I'd see you at camp.

When, next Thursday?

You've been in town all day.

Yeah, I know. The livery man got behind.

Look, I'll meet you back at camp. Hey, where are you going, Bob?

I met somebody.

Got invited to supper.

Are you crazy?

What's eating you, Orly? I'm having supper, that's all.

Can't do no harm.

The hell it can't.

We found exactly what we were looking for.

It was a perfect setup.

Real nice herd of horses. Near the canyons, there's going to be easy

tomorrow. But we've got to make plans.

Great. We'll make plans later. Look, I've got to go.

I'll meet you back at camp later, around dark.

Boy, he's acting real strange.

Strange ain't the word for it.

I'll tell you something, Everett.

If he fouls us up on this job...

Josh and I got some chores to do before turning in.

So it was a pleasure meeting up with you, Bob.

Ah, you too, Luke.

Yeah, hope to see you again real soon. We have more time to talk. Ah, me too.

I've heard it was good food before.

You're a wonderful cook.

Oh, well, thank you.

And the biscuits were the best I ever tasted. Oh, they were not. They didn't

rise at all.

Maybe that's the secret.

Oh, say, how do you like pickles?

What? The pickles.

Oh, the pickles.

Oh, they were great, too.

Yeah, they're pretty good. Molly here, she's a fair country pickle maker.

Of course, I guess the best pickles in the West was made by me and Jim Bridger.

You and Jim Bridger made pickles?

Why, sure.

We're down by the Great Basin over Salt Lake.

It was late one fall, and me and Bridger was camped on a herd of buffalo there.

You know, it started to snow.

Now, it snowed for 70 days and 70 nights straight.

And them buffalo, they was froze solid right where they was a -standing.

What does this have to do with pickles?

Well, now... Just take it easier. This takes a little telling.

It sure does.

Well, what happened?

Well, the springtime come along and it started to thaw out.

And there was them buffalo all standing there. It had been there all winter.

Well, me and old Jim Bridger took our knives and over there and we just

them clean.

And we just, we rolled them down into the... Great Salt Lake.

And you know something?

The whole Shoshone nation, they lived on pickled buffalo meat for ten

years. I'll clear the table. I'll help.

Zebulon, you're impossible.

Uncle Zeb starts a new story.

Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure. Go.

More coffee?

Oh, no, thanks.

Aunt Molly, is it all right if I take Bob out and show him our new calf?

Oh, I think that would be very nice, dear. Well, that is if Bob is

Oh, yes, ma 'am. I love animals.

Well, come on.

Thanks again for the supper. It was real fun.

It was a pleasure.

Are you coming?

Oh, yes, I'm coming.

Quite a day.

Yes, and for some of us, it isn't over yet.

Zora.

Isn't she pretty?

She's only six days old.

Oh, she sure is.

He's just like you.

Laura's the pretty one.

I think there's all kinds of pretty, Jesse.

Hey, I sure would like to thank you again for inviting me here.

You know, this may sound kind of funny to you, but I never met a family like

yours before.

You all seem to, uh... I don't know, you all seem to like each other so much.

You know, I hope we'll be friends for a long time, Jesse.

I hope we'll be friends forever.

Our baby sister is growing up.

Back

by

dark, you said?

Well, it's past ten o 'clock and there ain't no sign of him.

He's run out on us. I know it.

Oh, I don't figure him doing that without telling us, Orly.

Them horses are probably only half broke.

Now, there ain't no chance the two of us can do it on our own.

Boy, you know, I'm getting a real bad feeling about this whole thing.

Maybe we ought to just think about doing... Easy, boys. Don't get itchy.

coming in.

Whoa.

Sorry I'm late.

Where the hell have you been?

Having supper, like I told you.

Well, there ain't no supper I ever ate that took that long.

Now, you said you'd be back before dark.

What's the matter with you, Orly? I'm here, aren't I?

I said I was sorry.

You're so sorry.

Why don't you just explain to us what took you so long?

Well...

Met a girl.

Real nice girl.

Guess we just started talking and having a good time.

Oh, for the love of Pete.

He's in love.

Cut it out, Oli.

Cut it out.

I learned a lot tonight.

Like what?

Well... Well, like this here ain't no way to live.

You should have seen those people around the dinner table.

Well...

There was something special.

No.

I don't believe you.

You know, one evening with some dumb farm girl, and all of a sudden all our

plans go right out the window.

Get it out of me. Who's gonna stop me, you? Come on, you guys. This don't help

nobody, you two arguing like that.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Got some things to work out.

Ever told you we found a herd?

Well, they're up in the middle, a couple of miles away from the ranch house.

And they're just waiting to be took.

Now what's eating you?

Look.

I've been thinking about that on the way up here.

I want out.

What, what? Look, I wasn't happy about it last time. You know that.

But at least we had a reason.

This time we're nothing but plain thieves.

Listen, I'm telling you something, Cooper. Right now, you ain't leaving us.

Yeah? And I'm telling you I am.

Look, you gave us your word.

And we gave our word to that traitor.

Now he knows who we are, Cooper.

He knows our faces, and he knows our names.

And he's clearing out his horses to make room for the others that we promised

him on Friday.

Well, that's right, Bob.

I never thought about that.

If we don't have those horses for him, that traitor could make trouble for us.

Real bad trouble.

Well, maybe I'm willing to take that chance.

Well, maybe you are.

But we ain't.

Now, we're in this together.

And we can't do it on our own.

So you owe us, Cooper.

That's right, Bob. You do owe us. You just got to stick with us on this one.

All right.

All right, I'll do it. But this is the last time. You got that? The last time.

Fine.

The last time.

Then we go our own ways.

Hey, Uncle Feb.

This fella in town.

He was telling me that Appaloosas are real dumb.

Yeah, I've heard that afore too, but I don't figure there's much to it.

I'll tell you something.

Cheyenne and the Apache, they both ride Appaloosas.

I figure them to be some of the best horsemen on earth.

You know, especially the Cheyenne when they're hunting buffalo.

You know, they'll ride right straight into the middle of a herd.

They got no saddle, no stirrups.

When they're actually doing the shooting, they're holding on to the bow

arrow. They can't even touch the reins.

I wouldn't want to do that on no dumb horse.

Wouldn't catch me doing that on any horse.

The horses, look!

They're gone.

The stallion may be kicked down the fence.

No, sir.

Gate's open.

They've been took.

Hey! Yeah!

I can't believe it.

Well, Josh, you can believe it all right.

It was here less than an hour ago. It was three of them.

You're going after them.

You bet I am.

I'm going to nail their thieving hides to the nearest tree.

You're not going to kill them, are you?

Josh, it took more than two months to round up them critters. Another month to

break them.

I'll tell you something.

If you think I ain't gonna take care of them thieving coyotes, you watch me.

Hey,

there's riders coming!

one, Josh!

Oh, my God.

The McKayhands.

Who told McKayhand horses?

What are you talking about?

The girl.

The people I had dinner with last night.

Hey, you McKayhands.

Let's talk.

Have your breath for your prayers.

Uncle Zed, you gotta hold up. Josh, get back out of here. You don't understand.

They're just kids.

Kids? That one back there isn't any older than me.

He's dead.

He broke his neck taking the fall.

Broke his neck?

What's the matter with these kids stealing horses, shooting at people?

The hell's the world coming to?

All right, you two, get up out of here.

Get your friend on his feet, Mr. Now.

Get up!

It's Cooper.

The guy Jesse brought to dinner last night.

Oh, my God.

Young fella, I seen some low people in my time.

Murderers, back shooters, cowards, thieves.

I never seen nobody as low as you.

Well, I guess you two ain't friends no more, huh?

You were three days older, mister, you'd be dead.

Get him out of here.

That's it.

and he's also taking me to the church picnic Sunday, and he made me promise to

wear that bonnet that I bought. And, Jessie, I know that he's the most

boy in the world, but there are other topics of conversation.

Oh, I do hope that's Zeb and the boys.

Well, thank heavens we were getting worried. It's so late, Luke. We thought

something must have happened.

Uh, something did, Aunt Molly.

Caught up some horse bees.

Horse bees?

All right, you. Get down off of there.

One got killed when his horse threw him.

I didn't realize you'd be stealing your horses.

They stole our horses.

Yeah, they not only stole our horses, took a shot at us, too.

I'm telling you, it's lucky they're kids.

Uncle Zeb would have killed them.

Oh, Luke.

I know.

I know that yesterday was the grandest day of her life, and tonight is the most

miserable.

Well, it don't matter. That boy's still a horse thief.

I'll tell you something else, too. I know what you all are thinking, but as

as I'm concerned, there ain't no McKay Hand women that's going to have nothing

to do...

But no horse thieves, and that's my kind of word.

Aunt Molly?

Jessie. I forgot to talk to Bob.

Jessie, I'm not sure. Aunt Molly, you've got to.

My child, don't be too loud, please.

And Maui?

You think it was wise to... Could you have refused her?

Hey, Cooper, looks like you got company.

Be outside, Jeffy.

You didn't touch your food.

I can't eat.

I wish I was dead.

You mustn't say that.

I mean it.

There ain't no way back from what we've done.

It doesn't matter that we didn't know those horses belonged to the McKay

Because they belonged to somebody.

Somebody who worked hard to get them. Why steal horses at all?

Maybe the first time was too easy.

You stole horses before?

I didn't see it as stealing.

You see, the three of us, we had this wrangling job on a spread down in

Colorado.

Took half wages with the understanding that we'd be kept on during the slack.

Well, they cheated us.

Who cheated you?

The rancher.

He fired all of us as soon as the roundup was over.

So we, uh...

He rustled some of his horses to make up for some of the money that he owed us.

You never once thought about it being wrong?

Yeah, I thought about it.

I thought about it a lot.

You know something?

When I saw you yesterday, I swear, I swear I didn't want to go

through with it.

Why?

Why did you?

Because I was a plain fool, that's why.

I'll tell you one thing.

It's going to be hard living it down.

Going to jail for horse thieving.

Well, don't you worry about living down anything, Cooper.

Because you and me ain't going to have any worries real soon.

What's that supposed to mean?

Meaning we're going to be hanging by our necks before the week's out.

Hanging? Yeah.

This is horse country, where you dangle by a rope for stealing anything that

looks like a horse.

A cup of coffee? Sounds good.

I couldn't feel closer to her if she was my own.

It must be worse for you.

Why don't you sit down and we'll talk about it?

I don't think there's much to talk about.

That little girl, she just... She's stuck on that fellow.

Zeb, don't you remember your first love?

Would you have turned your back on her if they'd caught her stealing from the

collection plate?

There's a big difference between stealing a few coins out of a collection

and horse -thieving.

Aye, that's true.

But they're little more than children.

Children?

Now, Luke's got a bullet hole in his sleeve, and if it was six inches further

the right, we'd be burying him tomorrow.

Yeah.

But Luke did tell me that the one who's dead is the one who did the shooting.

Seems a high price to pay for being young and afraid, doesn't it?

Well, I don't know what we can do, Molly. We can't let him go, can we?

No, they have to face the consequences of what they did.

But the boy that Jesse's taken with is the only one of the three who wasn't

carrying a gun.

And he is deep ashamed, Zebulon.

Damn it, Molly, I just don't know what I can do.

Well, you might try having a word with Jesse.

I don't even know what I'd say to her.

I don't know, Iris Zebulon, but I know that you frightened her. Now, she heard

what you said.

She worships the ground you walk on.

And right now, she believes that you're her enemy.

Aunt Molly, she figured maybe we ought to talk.

You said you wouldn't have me taken up with him no matter what.

Well, now, honey, that's true in a way, you see.

We don't want to have you just taken up with some old horse that comes along.

Did you ever... Deal anything?

Never stole no horses.

Did you ever deal anything?

Yes, when I was a boy, I stole me a handful of jawbreakers one time. And let

tell you, your grandpa, he whooped me so bad I couldn't hardly sit down for a

week.

Bob never had anybody who cared enough about him to whip him for doing wrong.

Honey, maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way, but all I could think of

this morning when we pulled that young fella out from behind them rocks was

seeing your face and what it was going to look like when you seen who it was.

Now, I know it may seem hard to believe right now, but you're going to meet a

lot of other young fellas in your life.

And they're not going to be in the same trouble as this one either.

They'll hang him.

That's what the other one said.

Stealing horses in this country is a hanging offense.

Is that true?

Do you really think he'd do it again?

All I know is we got a body down in the barn. We got to take it into town

tomorrow with the sheriff.

And when we do, then this is out of our hands.

Bob's sorry for what he did.

He'll never do it again.

And he didn't shoot at anybody either.

He didn't know those horses were ours.

He feels so bad that he wants to die.

If they hang him, Uncle Nick, I'll never speak to you again as long as I live.

Here he comes now.

Morning, Sheriff. Morning, ladies.

You weren't waiting for me, are you?

Matter of fact, we were, Sheriff.

I'm sorry. I was having a bite of breakfast. What can I do for you?

Sheriff, is Bob allowed to have visitors?

Bob? Mr. Cooper, your prisoner.

Um, he's a friend of mine.

Well, the young man did Jesse a good turn yesterday.

She'd like to have a word with him.

Oh, yes, of course, Jesse.

I'll wait for you here, dear.

Sure a young man to be involved in a whore -thiefing, Jessica.

Not a whore -thief.

I mean, it all came about accidentally.

You mean he was accidentally stealing McCann whore?

Well, it's kind of a complicated story.

Pleasure to see you.

Jesse?

I was hoping you'd come.

I came in with my family.

My Uncle Zeb and my brothers were going to have to testify.

I was wondering if maybe I could do something to help.

I could talk to the town lawyer.

He's a real nice man.

Oh, Jessie, that's awful kind, but I don't think I need a lawyer.

I mean, we were guilty.

The best thing to do was admit to it, like we did.

I even told him we took horses up north.

Oh, that's the best way, being honest about it.

You admit to doing wrong and people will just see it as a bad mistake.

Hey, you didn't wear your blue bonnet.

Saving it for the picnic Sunday, remember?

You need something to pick me up. From all the rest of the pretty girls.

I remember.

Except I ain't all that pretty.

Ah, that just beats me.

Why, all pretty girls always say they ain't pretty.

Guess it's a way to fish around for compliments, I reckon.

Do you really think I'm pretty?

Oh.

Remember the first time I saw you trying on bonnets, remember?

I remember.

I want to tell you, I never saw a girl who looked so, so sweet, so...

Just play nice.

I don't want anything bad to happen to you.

Not ever.

Well, there ain't no need of wasting the taxpayer's money on a long crowd. We'll

try them today, hang them tomorrow, and bury them Saturday.

Damn it, Hank, you don't make things no easier.

Making what no easier for you?

Well, there's complications.

Apart from the fact that these young fellas haven't had any experience at

stealing horses, that Jessie's gone and got herself sweet on one of them.

This fellow Bob Cooper.

What? I know, sounds crazy.

But he saved her from getting mauled by some hide cutter down at the stables the

other day, and she's just taken up with him. And she's real upset about all this

that's happened.

Now, Hank, you've got to listen to him. I know it may be hard to understand,

but, see, Jesse, I got a real special

feeling for her, Hank. a deep feeling.

I think it comes from the fact of her mother's dying like she done and Jesse

being the youngest and being hurt most by it.

Anyway, I know that little gal.

I know what she's feeling and she ain't taking none of this light.

Zeb, you got yourself a real problem.

I'm a jurist. I know sometimes it...

It don't look that way.

I take this job mighty serious.

And when that boy comes before my court, there ain't nothing in the world that I

can do based on the evidence but hang him.

All right, Hank.

You don't leave me no choice.

McKay hands are dropping all charges.

That don't matter, Zep.

What do you mean, don't matter?

Because there's an additional charge against them boys, connected with them

stealing the horses from that rancher that they work for.

I know about that. I'll pay that rancher double what them horses are worth.

That ain't gonna work.

I got a telegram off that rancher to get the details of the theft.

Got this answer back from him this morning.

He's on his way to Teton now.

He wants us to hold a trial up till he gets here.

He's got an additional charge to file against them boys.

Seems that they killed a ranch hand that came up on them while they were

stealing them horses.

Horse stealing ain't the only charge, Zeb.

It's murder.

I don't care.

I don't want Jesse looking on at any hanging.

Neither do I, dear, but you know, Luke, Jesse must be considered as a young

woman now and no longer just a little kitten of our family.

He's as deeply smitten with that young man as anyone I've ever seen.

Look, I've got a problem here and I'm going to have to have some help with it.

See, I got a ride out of here tonight. I got to head for Fort Benson.

Now...

I can't leave with that little gal sitting up there thinking some of the

that she's been saying.

Like that she ain't ever gonna speak to me again.

Why?

You gotta help me with that. She's got to understand that I was doing all of

that just to protect her.

You don't think she knows that already, Uncle Zeb?

I don't know, honey.

Your family's growing up so fast around me, I don't know if I can keep up with

you. Deb, why don't you just tell Jesse exactly how you feel?

I'm not coming home, Uncle Deb.

I don't care what you say.

Well, honey, I didn't mean that you had to come home. I just thought maybe it

might be easier for you.

All they can talk about along that street is a young boy having to be hung.

Nobody asking if a mistake was made.

Only that there has to be a hanging.

There won't be anybody down along the street deciding if there's going to be a

hanging. That'll be up to Judge Hank Carter.

He'll be looking at both sides of the question.

There'll be only one side.

That is that Bob Cooper got taken advantage of.

And he made a mistake by trying to get even with that rancher.

Now people say that he has to hang for a mistake.

up to Fort Benson, but before I go, I want you to know something.

You know, last night you said how that if they hung that boy, that she wasn't

ever going to speak to me again.

And I, well, I just wanted you to know that as far as I'm

concerned, honey, there couldn't be nothing worse than that ever happen to

that my Jessie wouldn't talk to me.

Uncle Zeb.

We

found Jake

Hanlon in this rocky ravine where they drove the horses.

Jake's head had been bashed in.

Doc managed to keep him alive for most of two weeks, but he died at 10 o 'clock

on a Sunday morning.

They found Jake in the rocks. We could have been long gone, and maybe his horse

threw him. What are you even listening to him for? He cheated us. That's why we

took his horse. He's just trying to make us look bad. Why, you miserable

saddles. That's enough. Enough of the both of you.

You'll have sufficient time to rejuke the charge.

Jake never woke up but once.

That was a couple of days before he died.

But a witness I called in heard Jake say these words with his dying breath.

I wrote them down.

And the doctor and the witness both signed it, signifying it as being the

I made the mistake of following them into the rocks by myself that night.

Don't know which one it was Orly Hooper or ever it dropped back to come up

behind me Yeah, well it must have been ever because I was with Bob the whole

time riding through those rocks No, I was with Everett he was riding drag

You

excuse me mr. Barry they're all thieves

I don't see as it matters.

Mr. Orley, would you take the witness chair, please?

Grid, I've got it. It wasn't you that got your head back. Stand!

Look, you can't hang us twice, so why don't you just get on with it? Why,

Why'd you have to do it?

Because he was coming up on our backside.

Now, you would have had it done the same.

A lot of time being wasted with murdering horse thieves.

The only way to stop murdering horse thieves and rustlers in this territory

to give them a fast rope.

That's right.

You'll reserve those opinions for yourself, sir.

Now, since both the accused have pleaded guilty and waived the

jury trial, it just remains for this court to sentence them.

Before I do that, do either one of you gentlemen have anything further to say?

I already did it.

Mr. Cooper.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know I was wrong for stealing them horses.

But I swear.

I didn't mean to harm nobody.

That's it, I guess.

Responsibility of this court is quite clear.

There can be no varying degrees of guilt in taking a person's life during the

commission of a crime.

If more than one person conspired to commit a crime...

And all individuals are collectively responsible for any harm or injury.

No! It's not fair!

Ms. McCahan, please!

Nobody asked if a mistake was made!

Nobody! They don't ask you what all comes about! Everybody he cares about

seen somebody hang!

Jesse! It's not fair!

It's not fair to blame two people for what one did!

Jesse!

Why you bothered giving him a trial?

He's dead, Your Honor.

Make her a nice tall one, old man, so the kid swings high, eh?

Tell her twice as high if the likes of you was on it. Bet you would.

Looks like that wrestling friend of yours is going to be the main attraction

the hanging event.

I wish I could be there for the occasion.

Jesse. Can I have a word with you before you see the boy?

About what?

There are two things, Jessie.

One, I want you to know you can come here any time you like to visit.

Thank you.

But two... Jessie, don't you think you're... commenting yourself

about that boy?

It's open.

Come to Fletcher's to try a dish, sir.

Any kind of jet.

Or man yourself.

And guess what?

I had a dream about you last night.

You did?

Yeah. We were at that church picnic that you invited me to, and then there was a

funny ending.

You just walked away from me into the woods and disappeared.

So then I ran after you.

I couldn't find you.

I woke up.

I had a real lonely feeling inside.

Because I couldn't find you.

Oh, come on, Jessie, don't cry.

You must never cry.

You have two nights of a smile to ever cry.

I'm getting you out of here.

What?

Connect with your key.

The sheriff will never miss it.

Jessie.

You're crazy.

I can't let you do that.

Do you figure you did anything to get hung for?

No, but... What I'm going to do is right.

And what they want to do has to be wrong.

And when it gets dark and the sheriff goes to get a pepper, you be ready.

Laura and your brothers have gone back to the ranch.

They did want to stay in town, but I thought it would be better if we were

alone.

It's time we had a talk, Jessie.

I'm afraid that very little can be done.

It's just so wrong what they want to do.

Are you going out for a walk, dear?

I could join you.

I'd rather be alone, Aunt Molly.

Yes, I know, Jessie, but on the street at night.

It's not late.

There are other ladies on the street.

Yes, I know, child, but... Aunt Molly, I'm not a child.

I will not be treated as though I was a child.

Evening, Sheriff.

I'm looking for Jessie.

She's visiting with Bob Cooper, isn't she?

No, Mrs. Culhane. I don't permit night visitors.

But Jessie was here earlier.

Somebody broke that boy out.

Get me a pot there together.

Well, there it is. It's called the Cree Trace.

Goes all the way up into Montana Territory, and from there on into

You sure do know your way around these parts.

Oh, I've been up this way before with my Uncle Zeb.

He took me on one of his trips up to Yellowstone.

You know something, Josh?

I am beginning to think that our little sister spent a good part of last night

laying track south of town. If you and me broke somebody out of jail, first

thing we'd be thinking about is throwing that posse off our trail.

So I'm willing to bet you Jesse headed north before first light.

The sheriff and his posse are back there tracking the wash.

Think we ought to tell them we all could be tail -chafing?

The way I see it.

I'm not all that interested in Bob Cooper being caught as I am in seeing

is all right.

So the first thing we should do is swing by Fort Benson and pick up Uncle Zeb

before heading up into that high country.

You know, with all the trouble I've been causing you, I thought maybe you'd

start to feel differently.

I don't feel differently.

It's just that... Well, you never said that...

That I love you?

Do you?

I've never been with a boy. What? Oh, no, no, listen. I was just trying to

it warm.

Jesse, there ain't anything to worry about.

Nothing's going to happen tonight that neither you or I should be ashamed of.

You know, there's been one thing on my mind, Jessie.

Kind of looking back, I don't think I'm much of a fella a gal can lean on.

I mean, I don't ever recollect nothing but being on the losing side most of my

life.

That all will change when we get to Canada.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't want to keep on losing and

you down along with me. I don't want you talking like that.

In Canada, You'll be free.

Free, and you can make a brand new start.

Maybe even a homestead?

Could you see yourself starting a homestead with me?

I can if you can.

See yourself... marrying me, I mean?

I'm embarrassed to say it, but my heart's been pounding away.

Mine too.

Oh, such a shameful way for a girl to act.

It sure is.

I knew the minute I saw you that all you was was a shameless hussy.

Oh, I do love you.

Howdy. Could you kind of stable a horse for a couple hours?

It's my business, boy.

Is there any place in town where we can get something to eat?

Borden House.

Off by the church.

Got meals any time of the day for people passing through.

Thank you. Thank you.

I sure wish we had time for a proper rest before moving into those mountains.

Yeah, except for I'm not going to feel too safe until we get up into that high

country. Yeah, but with all the backtracking we've been doing, I figure

will be less than a day behind us. Yeah.

Are you sure?

I'm sure.

So you'd rather not say where you're from?

Well, we'd rather not say.

Out of a tall order, you're asking me to marry two young people who maybe should

spend a little time in thinking it over.

Well, we're traveling all the way up to Canada together.

And if you can't marry us in church, we're just going to have to say to each

other that we're man and wife and be living together.

Son, I'd rather see you wet in the eyes of God.

So would we.

Evening services are at five o 'clock, and if you don't mind the town folks as

witnesses, I guess maybe we can do it then.

Thank you.

Go on. Right here.

Here's where they left me.

They're headed for Montana territory. Looks like they're trying to make their

way to Canada.

You know, we're losing time here trying to follow pure sign.

Now, they're going to be needing supplies.

So they're going to head for those hill settlements because there ain't no

telegraph up there.

I'll just bet you there are little jessies.

Smart enough to remember that Cree trace.

Let's cut right across to the timber.

Now, Jessie, don't hurry so.

We've got plenty of time.

Services don't begin for a while yet.

Well, I just don't want to be late.

Oh, Mrs. Kearney, I'd like to thank you so much for my veil and flowers.

Now I feel like a real bride.

And you look like a bride, child. And right after the wedding, I want you and

Robert back here for the wedding supper. Thank you.

How the woods treating you, sir?

Well, it's getting scarce.

Supply money all at work.

That little gal over there walking with the old lady.

Now, she is the spitting image of a little gal I seen down Teton a couple

back.

She come in here an hour or two ago with a young feller.

Came from around here, so maybe she be the gal.

Kind of like it to look like a wedding ring.

Well, this one's got a good look to it. For only a dollar.

Yeah, it is kind of pretty, ain't it?

Yeah, that'll be the one.

You're marrying yourself a gal today, B.

Yeah.

Go to church, Doc.

I'll be your pair.

Not bad, thugger. Not bad.

Thugger, won't you?

Take this.

Go to the saloon, get yourself a beer.

Leave me and my friend here kind of private -like.

Ah.

How'd you manage it?

Judge, let me go free.

You ain't even a passable liar.

Yeah, well... Have my buoy going out of your back before you get to that door.

So,

you and your little lady pulled off a jailbreak, did you?

That is something.

That is really something.

Look, mister.

Mister, I got a little money in my pocket.

Now, why don't you just take it and go trapping?

A couple things I have to figure first.

Bounty money on your head being one of them.

Any poster that has to say dead or alive, that would figure you being under

hanging sentence.

Real interesting situation when you say, boy,

that little lady

waiting for you at the church, she's outside the law, too.

Real interesting situation.

I'm pleased to announce that two young people will be taking their marriage

in the conclusion of today's services.

May the Lord be praised.

Praise be the Lord.

Now let's open our hymn books and turn to page 14 and lift our voices.

Rejoice in a tribute to he who provides all in his grace.

Look, mister, I have the money here. Please.

Look, I know we had differences, but all I want to do is get married and head up

to Canada.

The only place you're heading, boy, is south.

And that's with your carcass slung across my saddle.

So you figured to take yourself a little wipe, did you?

Huh?

Well, I'll be taking care of the wedding night obligations for you.

In fact, if she's real obliging, I just might not turn her over to the law.

I want you to think, boy.

It's about hitting me with that piece of wood.

Spilling me off into the...

Join me here and kneel at the rail.

We are filled

with

grace in the presence of our Lord.

Indeed.

And his... presence is here in this blessed sanctuary.

Bob? Yes, his presence is here.

Joining a woman named Jesse and a man named Bob in a holy union, making two

of the Lord's creatures into one.

May he be praised.

Shall we bow our heads in prayer?

Place looks deserted.

Looks to me like they're all down in church.

My God.

What's the matter, mister?

There's been a killing. A killing in my store.

It was a young kid that done it.

What kid?

That kid, he come in here today, he bought himself a ring to get himself

married.

He ain't never gonna make it through the ceremony.

Ferris fixed him good.

Lord, you know these two young people better than they know themselves.

And I would that you might sit to it and set your holy eye upon them.

What's happened?

What's the matter?

I'm cold, Joseph.

So cold.

Touch them, O Lord, with the knees.

See, your Uncle Zeb and the boys just brought in some new horses.

Shall we go and have a look?

Aunt Molly?

I think I owe you an apology for the way I've been acting.

Oh, nonsense, Jessie.

Don't you think that I know that when you're in love, nothing else in the

world exists?

I'll never forget him.

No, probably not.

There are some things in life, Jesse, which we don't forget.

The joy of falling in love for the first time.

And the pain when we lose someone who's close to us.

Memories should be held dear, but only if we're prepared to go on, Jesse, and

live for the present and for the future.

Oh, look at the fold, Jessie.

The brand new one.