Original subtitles

Say, am I gonna get my shoes shined?

Not today, mister.

Where's the shine boy?

Where they all at?

Seems to me, I ain't seen one darky

'on the road since yesterday.'

- Ain't you heard? - No. Heard what?

- One of the Gowrie boys. - Been shot dead.

Oh, Gowrie.

Shoot a Gowrie?

Now who would do a fool thing like that?

Shot in the back by a n*****.

It's him! It's the sheriff!

- Bringin' him in? - Can't tell.

I never thought he'd do it.

He's here. The sheriff's got him, come on.

Come on.

- Knock it off again, sheriff. - Take off his head next time.

Don't bother the sheriff. The Gowrie's will do it for him.

You boys get on out of here, get on back to barber shop.

'You got a flat tire, sheriff, somebody try to slow you up?'

Maybe. Somebody that don't know me, anyhow.

Alright, Lucas. Come on.

You.

Young man.

'Tell your uncle, I wants to see him.'

- Wanna see who? - Lawyer Stevens.

- John Stevens. - He wants to see a lawyer?

'Lawyer? He ain't even gonna need an undertaker.'

I told you boys once to get on out of here.

'I ain't gonna tell you again.'

Why, Chick, you're perspiring. You're wet through.

Where you been? You missed Sunday school.

The picture show doesn't start till 6 o'clock.

Perhaps, there're other attractions.

- Gosh, I'm hungry. - Is it a proper way to behave?

- Sir? - Coming in here..

...without a word of greeting?

No, sir.

- This is your home. - Yes, sir.

'Well?'

Hello, mom.

'Hello, father.'

'Hello, Uncle John.'

Paralee?

- Yes, sir? - Bring the chicken in again.

I don't know if there's any left.

- Paralee is upset today. - I don't see why.

She's not related to that murderer.

- Or is she? - No, but neither is Chick.

Now, Chick, I suppose you explain where you been?

Nowhere in particular.

Nowhere in particular is a mighty large place.

I reckon you can do better than that.

- May I please have the salt? - More coffee, Paralee.

You waited outside the jail with that riff-raft

from the pool hall and the barber shop, didn't you?

Well, did you see what you expected to see?

They didn't do anything.

They just stood there, that's all.

I want you to stay home until this thing is cleaned up.

Over. Finished, and done with.

It's happened before and it's bound to happen again.

Nothing for us to get excited about.

I have to run up to Memphis for a couple of days,

and business being the way it is

I don't want to have to worry about you too, you understand?

- That applies to Aleck, too. - Yes, sir.

I told him, but he don't listen to me, he listen to Chick.

I ain't no friend of his, I'm just his maw.

Everybody's going to stay right here at home.

All this fuss and nonsense simply because..

Your friend Lucas Beauchamp really seems

to have done it this time.

Yes.

They're gonna make a n***** outta him

once in his life anyway.

'Why, Chick!'

Let me talk to him.

What in heaven's name?

Why, he hasn't even finished--

It's terrifying, I know, but we've gotta face it.

He just doesn't like his napkin up here

makes him feel as though he's not quite grown up.

- But he isn't. - He better not be.

Let me go up and talk to him.

Tell him I said to come down and finish his dinner

whether he's hungry or not.

'Paralee, more gravy!'

'Tell Aleck to put my suitcase in the car.'

Tell me what happened.

Why'd he have to go and do a thing like that?

Who knows?

We'll never really know.

- Your friend Lucas Beauchamp-- - He's not my friend.

'Chick..'

'...you mustn't take this so seriously.'

I'm not.

I can't help it.

But why? Tell me why.

'I don't know.'

You must tell me, Chick.

I don't know if I can.

Try.

You're old enough to try.

Maybe I'm old enough to understand.

It's quite a while ago..

...I went hunting with Alexander.

'On the old Edmond's place?'

'Yeah?'

'It was November, pretty cold.'

'We were hunting rabbit.'

'We hadn’t jumped one all morning.'

Alexander!

My gun.

'Get the pole out of his way, so he can get out.'

That was just about the first time I saw Lucas Beauchamp.

Come on to my house.

Tote his gun.

Then I realized we were hunting on his land.

I remembered you telling me the story.

His grandfather was a slave. He got this land as a gift.

And you told me why.

'Cause his grandfather was first cousin

to the man that owned him.

So, grandfather to father to son came to Lucas Beauchamp.

It was ten acres, all his own.

Smack in the middle of the whole plantation.

It was Lucas Beauchamp's land

and Lucas Beauchamp proved it every step he took.

His land and his house.

Strip off.

Strip off.

There was something else just what I'd expected.

Side-meat and greens.

He made me eat the dinner that was cooked for him.

'What's that for?'

Pick it up.

Pick up his money.

Give it to him.

I was so angry, I was so awful ashamed.

He knew what I didn't know.

What I didn't have sense enough to understand.

He knew all the time, and I didn't.

That I was his guest in his home.

Now, go on and shoot your rabbit.

...and stay out of that creek.

Then I could hardly wait till Christmas.

I went down town and bought Lucas Beauchamp

four of the best cigars.

A package of snuff for his wife, Molly.

That was to pay him his 70 cents with interest.

But the next day, he made me take it back again.

Batch of homemade molasses..

...a gift from him to me.

It was worse this time.

Because he had a white boy bring it to me.

This time it had to be finished once and for all.

Out of what you paid me, I saved a quarter a week.

Finally, that was enough.

Enough so he couldn't pay me back.

Enough so he wouldn't, even if he could.

Mother helped me.

We bought a dress, good enough to wear on Sundays.

I had it sent to his wife, Molly.

And I thought Lucas would have to come now

take off his hat and say, "Thank you, Mr. Mallison."

But he didn't.

I saw him in town just once after that.

He didn't even see me.

I wasn't there.

He didn't even see I wasn't there.

I thought, now it's finished. It's all over.

Then I heard you say his wife was dead.

She'd been dead when I sent her the dress

and he was grieving.

I reckon you can be sad or proud or, or even lonely..

...inside a black skin too.

I went to see him, not to his house

I wasn't gonna be caught that way again.

I picked neutral ground this time.

Fraser's store.

He came by there any Saturday afternoon.

Uh-oh, that wasn't so good.

I'd do better than that, see it.

Move over.

Uh-oh, that wasn't too good either.

They were watching him, two of the Gowrie boys.

One of them was Crawford Gowrie.

The other was Vinson, the younger brother.

'Uh-oh, you ain't holding your mouth right.'

'It's too hot to play anything.'

You crummy, big headed, bird headed, n*****.

Get out of here, Lucas.

Get the blazes out of here, you fool.

Take it easy there, Vinson.

'Oh, don't be a fool.'

'Wait a minute now. Come on, take that thing away from him.'

'Take that away.'

I didn't go after him, I couldn't.

I don't know why.

Maybe because Vinson Gowrie was white and I was white.

Lucas Beauchamp was not.

Right in these woods on a Saturday afternoon

a few weeks later

he killed Vinson Gowrie, shot him in the back.

And yet he thinks I am his friend.

Well, go on.

He wants a lawyer.

Is that all?

He asked for you.

Uncle John, can't you go right now?

What's the hurry?

Chick?

Nothing's going to happen.

They never start anything in the daytime.

They'd be ashamed to see each other's faces.

Suppose they're not?

They'll wait for the Gowrie's.

They won't do a thing without the Gowrie's

and the Gowries have got to bury Vinson before they do anything

about anybody that isn't a Gowrie.

Then they'll come and drag him out of jail and hang him up?

No. The Gowries are not much good except to fish and fight

and raise enough corn to boil up some whiskey.

But it's Sunday, even for a Gowrie.

And they'll wait till Sunday's passed. Until midnight at least.

Suppose they don't?

Then there's a steel door and there's Sheriff Hampton.

It's his job.

Not yours and not mine.

But you are gonna see him, aren't you?

There isn't much I can do for him now.

- Uncle John. - Alright, I'll go.

- I want to go with you. - Alright, after supper.

- But suppose they come-- - Suppose it, then.

Lucas should have thought of that before

he shot a white man in the back.

Come on, finish your dinner.

Good evening, Mr. Lilley.

Little early, ain't you, lawyer?

Them Gowrie folks got chores to do

before they can get into town.

Maybe they'll decide to stay at home on a Sunday night.

Sure now, it ain't their fault it's Sunday.

He oughta have thought of that before taking to killing

white men on a Saturday afternoon.

I agree.

My wife ain't feeling well tonight

but tell them to holler if they need any help.

I expect they know they can depend on you, Mr. Lilley.

See, he has nothing against Lucas.

He'll probably tell you he likes them

better than those white folks, and you'll believe it.

All he requires is that Lucas act like a n****.

Which, he believes, is what must have happened.

Lucas blew his top and murdered a white man.

Now, the white folks are gonna and burn him.

No hard feelings on the either side.

In fact, Mr. Lilley would probably be one of the first

to contribute cash money to Lucas' funeral

and the support of his widow and children, if he had any.

- What's that? - Some of Mr. Lilley's friends.

- Evening, Mr. Legate. - Evening.

Mr. Stevens. 80, you had to get mixed up in it too.

Seems like you can't let well enough alone.

I'm his lawyer, Mr. Tubbs.

Will here won't even shut and lock the front door.

Well, I'm doing just what the sheriff said.

He's paying me $5 a night to resist

and that's just what I'm gonna do.

Does the sheriff think that darn funny paper's

gonna stop the Gowries?

Oh, I don't expect to stop 'em by myself.

I've got you, and you've got a pistol.

Me? Me get in their way for a $75 a month?

Better for everybody if them folks had took him

as soon as they laid hands on him yesterday.

But they didn't and I don't think they will.

Oh, don't mind me. I'm gonna do the best I can.

I've taken an oath of office too.

And how am I gonna live with myself if I let a passel

of no good Gowries take a prisoner away from me?

And don't think nobody's gonna make me admit I like it.

I've got a wife and two children.

What good am I to them if I get myself killed

protecting a goddamn stinkin' n*****?

Look.

Look at them.

They ain't asleep. Not a one.

'And I don't blame 'em when a mob of white men'

'are gonna bust in here with pistols and cans of gasoline.'

Well, it won't be the first time that all black cats look alike.

- Put him in a cell, did you? - Sheriff's orders.

I don't know what the next white man that figures he can't rest

good till he kill's somebody, is gonna think about it.

I've taken the blankets off the cot though.

Maybe because he won't be here

long enough to have to go to sleep.

Well, old man, you played the devil this time.

- Then you can take my case? - Take your case?

What do you mean? Defend you before the judge?

I'm gonna pay you. You don't have to worry.

I don't defend murderers who shoot people in the back.

Let's forget the trial. We ain't come to it yet.

Now, I wants to hire somebody, don't have to be no lawyer.

To do what?

Is you or ain't you gonna take the job?

I'd already taken your case before I came in here.

I'm going to tell you what to do

as soon as you've told me what happened.

- Never mind that, what I want-- - Never mind?

You tell the Gowries to "never mind"

when they bust in here tonight.

- So, you don't want the job? - No.

But I'll do it just the same.

Now, tell me exactly why you killed Vinson Gowrie?

Was it on account of the trouble

in Fraser's store two months ago?

I was there, Uncle John. I'll be your witness.

That's Lucas' trouble now. He's got too many witnesses already.

Well?

There was two white folks..

...partners in the sawmill.

Leastways, they was buying the lumber as the sawmill cut it.

'Who were they?

Vinson Gowrie was one of them.

Lucas, has it ever occurred to you that if you just said

"mister" to white people and said it like you meant it.

- You might not be sitting here? - So I'm to commence now?

I can start off by saying, "mister" to folks that drags me

out of here and builds a fire under me?

Nothing is gonna happen to you.

Nobody takes liberties with Sheriff Hampton.

Sheriff Hampton's home in bed.

He's appointed Mr. Will Legate to sit downstairs.

- With a 12-gauge shotgun. - Will Legate?

I ain't acquainted with no Will Legate.

The deer hunter?

The man who can hit a running rabbit with a 30-30 rifle?

Hmm... them Gowries ain't no deer.

They might be catamounts and panthers, they ain't no deer.

Alright. I'll stay here with you.

Until morning if it'll make you feel better. Now, go on.

Vinson Gowrie was partner in the lumber deal.

Who was the other man?

Vinson Gowrie is the only one what's public, yet.

And he got public by being shot in the back in broad daylight?

Well, that's one way to do it.

Alright, who was the other partner? What was his name?

Some other man.

He was stealing a load of lumber every night or so.

- How do you know? - I've seen him. Watched him.

Alright, then what?

Now, you answer me some questions.

Is you or ain't you gonna take the case?

You haven't got a case.

You, Lucas Beauchamp, took a pistol and went to

straighten out a wrong between two white men.

What did you expect? What else did you expect?

You don't want justice.

You want mercy.

- Well? - Well, what?

The rest of it, what happened?

That's all.

'Then I'll tell you.'

'You went to Fraser's store again and met Vinson Gowrie.'

'You told him somebody was robbing him.'

'He cursed you and called you a liar.'

'Whether it's true or not, it's natural'

'he would have to do that.'

'Maybe he even knocked you down and walked on'

'and you shot him in the back.'

Never nobody knocked me down.

So much the worse.

It's not even self-defense.

Now, you listen to me.

I'm gonna get you tried in another county.

Persuade the District Attorney out there

since they don't know you

that you're old man, never been in trouble before.

'You'll plead guilty and ask the mercy of the court'

'and hope they'll send you to penitentiary'

'where you'll be safe from the Gowries.'

I made this offer once and I'll make it again.

You want me to stay in here with you tonight?

I reckon not.

They kept me up all last night.

I'm gonna try to get some sleep.

If you stay here, you'll talk till morning.

Right.

How do you expect to get any help from anybody?

I don't want help. I pays my way.

You won't pay your way out of this.

You broke it.

You might bring me a can of tobacco.

If them Gowries leaves me time to smoke it.

Tomorrow. We don't wanna keep you awake tonight.

You are gonna help him, aren't you?

Of course I am, whether he wants me or not.

Ask for a change of venue, plead him guilty.

Then maybe he'll tell you what really happened.

I know what happened. He killed Vinson Gowrie.

No matter what the provocation and he probably had plenty.

Nevertheless, he's killed a man.

But there was something he wanted, started to tell you.

I know the answer to that too.

He was going to tell me a lie he knew I couldn't believe

and being his lawyer, I'd have to pretend I did.

No. I know what happened and I know the only cure for it.

Come on, let's go home.

- I might take him the tobacco. - He can wait till morning.

Chick, your father told me before he left

to see you didn't go anywhere.

I know.

Then you get home just as fast as you can.

Yes, sir.

What? Again?

I forgot something.

Let him rest till morning.

Oh, let him get it tonight.

I'm afraid if he leaves it till morning

it might get trampled on.

Late night, does the door.

I can tend to it through the bars.

Alright. What do you want me to do?

- Go out there. - Go out where?

The Gowrie's buries at the chapel.

What?

That's nine miles after the bridge.

Then first right and turn up into the hills.

All you gotta do is go and look at him.

Me? Why should I do such a thing?

Come here.

Because my pistol is a .41 Colt.

Alright, suppose it is, then what?

He wasn't shot with no .41 Colt.

What was he shot with?

What gun was he shot with, Lucas?

I'm gonna pay you.

Name your price and anything within reason and I'll pay you.

But why me? Why do you pick on me?

What can I do about it?

'Cause you ain't cluttered. You can listen.

But a man like your uncle, he ain't got time.

He's too full of notions.

Tell me what you want me to do.

They buries at Caledonia Chapel.

Up at that part of the county? Up in Beat Nine?

Even the Sheriff won't go up there unless he's sent for.

And you want me to..

Anyway, I have to be back by midnight.

- Or the Gowrie's-- - I knows about the Gowrie's.

Even midnight will be too late.

I... don't see how I can make it.

I'll try to wait.

Wait!

What'd he tell you?

Nothing, Mr. Gowrie.

You've been up to see him twice.

Why not? Why shouldn't I?

He killed my kid brother.

And I'm here to see they don't sneak him over the county line

where we can't get at him.

Now, you tell me what you went up there for.

He asked me to bring him some tobacco.

Tobacco?

We buried Vinson this morning.

You know how he was killed?

Tell me what he told you.

He said it wasn't his gun.

He's a smart n*****. I'd say the same thing.

So he told you it wasn't his gun.

If I were Lucas or any other ignorant murderer

I'd claim exactly the same thing myself.

That's just what Crawford Gowrie said.

- When? - Outside the jail.

Oh, the Gowrie's are there already.

And you come to me and I say no more than what a Gowrie says.

Well, it's true. In matters of life and death

a man's vocabulary is all mighty small.

Well, excuse me. Evening, Miss Habersham

Good evening, Chick.

'Whereas, in the matter of Miss Habersham's truck'

in dreadful collision two hours ago with a worn out rooster

which your neighbor, Mr. Winston, swears and contends

is a sign of high pedigreed stock

worth at least seven dollars.

There are all the words in the world.

Why, if he had to shoot a white man

did he do it up there in Beat Nine?

He couldn't have picked a worse place himself

in this whole county

maybe not in the whole world.

But if he had to do it there, why did he pick a Gowrie?

And if he picked a Gowrie

why did he have to shoot him in the back?

Maybe he didn't.

Maybe we might find out if we went up to where he was buried.

'Chick, now tell me. What did Lucas ask you to do?'

Maybe the sheriff could do it.

'Do exactly what?'

- D-d-dig him up. - What?

To get the bullet out and look at it.

'Why in heaven's name?'

To see if it'd come from a .41 Colt.

Dig up Vinson Gowrie out of ground

he's been prayed and consecrated into?

Violate a Gowrie's grave to save a black from punishment?

I'd he rather tell old man Gowrie

I want to exhume his boy's body

to get the gold out of his teeth.

Even if Lucas' story were true.

Even if every word of it were true

even then we couldn't do it.

Not you, not you, not me, and not Sheriff Hampton

and not the governor, not the President of the United States.

It's Chick.

Aleck, you're not goin' no where's tonight.

I didn't say I was.

- It's Chick, white boy. - Leave him be.

Go ahead, go ahead if you want to.

That Lucas thinks he's so smart.

Why did he have to do a thing like that?

Go ahead, and do just what you want to do.

I ain't goin' nowhere, at least not very far.

- Where you goin'? - Far enough.

Where's that?

Where you don't have to see or hear anything

that happens tonight.

High-Boy ain't had enough feed to go that far.

Chick?

What did Lucas tell you?

- He said it wasn't his pistol. - I know, but then what?

- Wants me to dig up the body. - When?

I can't. Even if I could, you know what Uncle John said.

I've got a flashlight in my car.

Can you get some tools? A pick and shovel?

Gonna do no good. He'll be burnin' just the same.

Just exactly the same before you get to dig anything

up out of any place.

- How far is it? - Caledonia Chapel.

It's on the hill beyond the Nine-Mile Bridge.

Then we do need the horse.

We? You expect to come, Miss Habersham?

We'll park the truck at the bottom of the hill

and then use High-Boy, he'll make less noise.

- Can you drive? - I ain't supposed to go.

I know. Neither is Mr. Stevens and neither is the Sheriff

or the governor or the President of the United States.

For that matter, neither am I, but somebody's got to do it.

Come on.

Don't go across the bridge. Make too much noise.

Go down and avoid the creek.

- What's the matter with him? - He smells quicksand.

Shh.

Mule coming down the hill.

Who's that on the mule?

I couldn't even see it was a mule.

- I couldn't see anything. - Suppose he saw us?

Suppose he comes back and catches us?

Maybe he had a collision and died.

Here it is.

This don't need any pick.

So much the better. Get a plank or something. Help him.

Alright, Aleck. Give me room.

We need a crowbar.

And rope. We forgot the rope.

It's empty.

Well, you wouldn't have come here at 4 o'clock in the morning

with a tale like that, if it wasn't so.

Looks like he might be innocent.

He could've killed Vinson Gowrie

but he never dug him up.

Because Vinson wasn't buried till Sunday afternoon.

By that time, Lucas had been locked up

in that cell for almost, uh, six hours.

Sheriff Hampton, if we don't--

So Vinson isn't in that grave.

But officially he is.

By the county records he is.

So you want me to dig him up again officially.

Gowrie grave and Gowrie ground. Hmm.

Who's gonna get ol' Nub's permission?

Aren't you the sheriff?

But you're the lawyer.

- You're the talker. - And tell him what?

That we're tryin' to save the black skin of a man

who was found with a fired pistol in his pocket?

Standing over a dead Gowrie?

It'll take more than a lawyer to do that.

Well, if we're goin' out to that graveyard without permission

we'll wait till it's broad daylight.

We didn't.

And what's gonna happen to Lucas Beauchamp in the mean time?

That's an iron door, Miss Eunice.

There's a key to it.

Meaning Mr. Tubbs is only a man.

Will Legate, and that 12 gauge shotgun, he's the only man.

If enough Gowrie's and their kin.

Enough worth it in their kin.

She means if enough of them get together to

make up their collective minds, they'll pass even Will Legate

and his 12 gauge shotgun.

- Oh, we'll be back before then. - And if you're not?

He's doin' the best his judgment tells him to, Miss Eunice.

You can't ask more than that.

If you mean these two children and me

we're not askin' anything.

It's Lucas you've got to account for.

- Now-- - Or account to.

Now, Miss Eunice, ain't none of us up to doin' anything

before we've had some breakfast.

Drink your coffee. That's the quickest way

to get Mr. Hampton started.

What I'd like to know is how the same Lucas Beauchamp

could convince me he was guilty

and convince you he was innocent.

And you too.

What I would like to know is what Chick and his buddy

would've done if there had been that body in that coffin?

I don't know. I hadn't thought about it.

Uh, I did.

Oh, put some sugar in it, John.

And you. You were out there too,

helpin' to dig up a white man's grave.

Why? Was it because Miss Habersham made you?

Never nobody made me. I didn't even know I was going

until all of a sudden, there I was.

Why didn't I believe Lucas?

Why didn't he trust me, his lawyer, with the truth?

You're a white man.

Worse than that, you're a grown white man.

Oh, yes. I've heard that before too.

I heard Aleck's grandfather tell Chick and Aleck that once.

If you wanna get anything done

don't bother the men folks with it.

They're too cluttered up with facts.

Get the woman and children to workin' on it.

Is that what you meant?

Why don't you drink your coffee yourself, so we can get started.

It's more than that.

There's a wall drawn up between us.

Lucas can't see through it and I won't.

Well, maybe that's wrong.

We're the ones who can't see through it

because we're the ones who are blind.

Will Legate. What are you doin' here?

Oh, morning, Miss Habersham.

It's about daylight.

I've got two miles to walk before I can feed him milk.

- You see? - Who's on guard?

I wait Tubbs and give him the shotgun.

Oh, it's all quiet over there.

- Wouldn't left if it hadn't-- - But you should--

Now, Miss Eunice, let's finish breakfast and get started.

Mr. Hampton is right, Miss Eunice. And so are you.

They'd pass even Will Legate sooner or later

when there was enough of 'em.

But there's one thing that would stop them.

Long enough anyhow.

And that's somebody without a gun.

'A lady.'

'A white lady.'

Alright.

But I'm not gonna sit there all morning doin' nothin'

so the jailer's wife'll think she has to talk to me.

I'll go home and get some mendin' to do

and feed the chickens.

Maybe Aleck'll drive me.

- I don't know if-- - You've gone this far.

You can go a little further. You and me, both.

I reckon so. Yes'm.

Who can eat more than two eggs?

Well, that's one half of the county that's sensing up

to stay at home anyway. The darker half.

We're too late, they're gonna get him.

No, not these people.

I haven't seen anything in the Gowrie's. Not yet anyway.

- But suppose-- - I reckon not.

They're just goin' to town to see somethin'

happen and wait for the Gowrie's.

- Just a wait, that's all. - But suppose--

The best way to stop supposing or denying either

is to get out there and do what we have to do.

Alright, boys. Jump to it.

Let's get the work done and get outta here.

What's goin' on around here, sheriff?

I'm goin' to open this grave, Mr. Gowrie.

No, sheriff. Not that grave.

Yes, Mr. Gowrie. I'm going to open it.

Get back to the car, boys.

Never mind, boys.

I ain't gonna hurt you.

I'm talkin' to the sheriff here.

Your boy ain't in that grave.

Don't tell me the name of the fellow

that proved my boy ain't there, sheriff.

It's empty.

I saw it last night.

Grab those shovels, sons. They belong to the county.

If we bust one, ain't nobody's business but the grand jury's.

What have they done with my boy?

Mr. Gowrie.

I think you knew last night that something was wrong.

You knew Lucas would have been dead sometime

after midnight or soon as you could have gotten to town.

But you stayed home. Why?

Why, Mr. Gowrie?

Uncle John! I found some tracks. Come on.

Here. I found 'em again.

Here. Here's where the animal was at.

There's where he stopped.

- Aleck said it was a mule. - Aleck who?

Oh, sure. The other detective.

Yeah. But did he say who it was?

Somebody who couldn't or wouldn't let Vinson rest.

Had to take him out and hide him somewhere.

Anywhere so, we couldn't look at the bullet and name the gun.

Somebody who knew that Vinson was never shot

with Lucas Beauchamp's .41 Colt.

Well, it's Vinson's partner in the lumber deal.

Whoever that is.

Because Lucas won't tell. At least not to his lawyer.

So you think his partner?

Who was Vinson's partner?

- We ain't found Vinson yet. - Set your dogs to find him.

Never mind the dogs. They'll trail.

And they'll catch anything that ever run or walked either.

But my boy never walked away from here.

- And never left no trail. - Hush now, Mr. Gowrie.

The man that carried him walked all by himself from here on.

In a dreadful terrifying hurry before two boys and an old woman

came down that could discover him at work. So he had to do it.

Hide what he had to carry, and do it fast, sure and quiet.

Where there would be no trace. Not for long time.

- A well or a river. - Or sand.

- Here? What sand? - Right above the bridge.

A horse went across last night.

- Quicksand. - No, lawyer.

Put a man in quicksand? My boy in quicksand?

A man who'd do a thing like that would..

Nub, give me your hand. Nub.

Get the rope off the hound dogs.

You. Cut some branches. Poles. Grape wines. Anything.

- 'And get him outta there.' - Alright.

- Lookout, boys. - Watch it, boys.

- Get some branches. - Come on, boys.

Hurry up with that bush. Come on, let's go.

Bring those down here.

Give me your hand, Nub.

Here. I've found him. I'm standin' on him.

Hurry along, boys. Gimme the pole.

Here you are, Nub.

Alright. Pull. Pull.

Take it easy, boys. There, now.

Pull.

Easy, boy.

That's it. Yeah.

That's it, boys. Easy.

Ah. There we are.

My boy. Get my boy out of there.

Alright, boys. Pull. Pull now. Pull.

'Easy, boys.'

Right over here, boy. Here. There we are.

Put him right here. There we are.

That's Vinson, alright.

Gee, Uncle John. Let's get him away from the road.

Or at least get him back in the woods where they won't see him.

Steady. They've all passed by now, anyway.

They're all in town by now.

Well, you're headin' too hard. Just a three and a five.

That's 80 cents you owe me.

Well, Mr. Gowrie, when you do you reckon

we're gonna get started?

He's got the weight on his bum brothers, hasn't he?

Where they at, Crawford? Plantin' corn this morning?

Oh, don't say that.

They're waitin' to be called up for jury duty.

Get out of the way, Miss Habersham.

I'm very comfortable where I am.

Ain't one way'd take to move her in the chair out in the yard.

Or else I could do this.

Please step out of the light so I could thread my needle.

Miss Habersham, I ain't gonna touch you now.

You're an old lady, but you're in the wrong.

'You're fightin' a whole county.'

But you're gonna get tired, and when you do get tired

we gonna go in.

I'm going for 80 and I'm not tired yet.

Go home.

'Everyone of you.'

Go on home!

You oughta be ashamed.

I never see no man shoot Vinson Gowrie.

But you must know who shot him.

Don't you realize you'll never be safe?

Not till we know who he is. Not till we find him.

Not till we put him right here in your place.

On this bunk in this cell.

You're a lawyer?

You know the law.

Can they put a man in jail if they never see him fire no shot?

Your case is slightly different.

Can you take him out of the jail and maybe burn him

if the only suspicion--

Listen. You were standing over a dead man.

You have a recently fired pistol in your pocket.

You call that just suspicion?

- It was Saturday. - I know that.

But why did you carry a pistol?

- Well, Mr. Cr-- - Gave it to you?

- Sold it to me. - Alright.

He always carried it Saturdays.

But he was a white man.

Oh. So that's why.

I see.

When you dressed up on Saturday, you'd wear that pistol

exactly like ol' Craw did. Just as simple as that.

Downstairs in the office, they got my pistol.

And my hat and my toothpick.

- Does I get 'em now or-- - Lucas, last night I was wrong.

You were right and Chick was right. And I was wrong.

Today I'm trying to save your life. Not for your sake

since you've been on throwing it away, but for my own sake.

So I won't carry it on my conscience.

Alright.

What will you be satisfied with?

The truth. Nothing more.

There was two white folks. Partners in the sawmill.

'And one was Vinson Gowrie. Yes. And the other?'

I don't sleep much nights. 80 I'd taken to walkin'.

'Not because you suspected anything, of course.'

I'd taken to walkin'.

And in the dark, I come near the sawmill.

And then I'd seen a light comin' straight at me.

Just like I told you, there was two folks

partners in the sawmill.

And one of them was stealin' his share

of the lumber every night maybe. Or every night he could.

And he seen me.

So I know that wasn't the end of him.

Then I hear the mule.

This your lumber?

Who drove that truck?

You seen who drove that truck?

I know that wasn't the end neither.

Next Saturday afternoon, on my way over to Fraser store

I seen my Saturday supper.

But I missed him.

Two miles later, when I comes inside a Fraser store

there was Vinson Gowrie.

He wanted to know before he beat me

just who been stealin' the lumber.

And I told him, I ain't decided yet.

He told me he reckoned he'd have to beat it out of me then.

He never did.

I don't know if it was a rifle.

It could have been a rifle.

But I never seen who fired it.

He could've picked me off, and shut me up.

But he picked Vinson.

Do you know why?

Because the murderer watched you every step of the way.

He saw you fire at the rabbit and miss.

So, here was his chance.

To murder the man from whom he stole the money

and see you lynch for that very same murder.

'So he'd be safe and you and Vinson would be dead.'

The scheme should have worked.

By every reason of geography and psychology

and the past 200 years of this county's history.

And in fact, it did work.

Except that once, a long time ago and partly by chance

a white boy, fell into the creek on your property.

Well, sheriff.

I don't know how you done with Lucas

but we got somethin' out of Vinson Gowrie.

Lodged right up against the back of his breast bone.

It fired out of some kind of rifle.

Who fired that rifle?

You forget. I ain't seen no rifle.

But certainly you must know or suspect or even guess.

Not personally.

I don't wanna send no man to jail I ain't seen personally.

Lucas, why don't you trust me?

Ain't no need to.

Listen to me. It wasn't your pistol. True.

You didn't move the body down to the creek. True.

But try explaining the truth to a mob

Who's been waiting down there all night for something to kill.

'Don't you see you'll never be safe'

'till we catch the murderer?'

Alright. I'll show you how to catch him.

Put the right bait in the right trap.

How do you propose to do that?

Gimme my hat and let me go home.

We can't do that.

Sure, we can. On the strength of this, he's a free man now.

But you walk out this jail and you won't be alive ten minutes.

And you'd be lucky if it were less.

Shall I ask the sheriff to get your hat?

And my pistol and my toothpick.

No. Come on.

I think I got a better idea than that.

Well, you won't have to stay much longer.

We'll get this whole thing settled before dark.

Oh, I don't mind. I've had lots of company.

So I see.

Lawyer. Lawyer.

Lawyer. Lawyer, that's the

second time you've been at the scene.

Yes.

What you reckon you can you do for him, lawyer?

- That we can't do better. - Save his life.

You ain't been paid enough money to do that, lawyer.

I've been paid nothing.

There are some things you don't do for money.

I'm going up to my office and phone

the district attorney and get him to release this man.

Today. 80 he can go home and finish his planting.

Wait.

So you're taking the case? You're gonna defend him?

Talk for him, hope to get him out?

- Yes. - You call yourself white folk?

Mister, my brother was killed by that n*****.

Lucas Beauchamp is innocent

Not in this court.

I've seen a piece of evidence on earth

that might convince even you.

They don't believe you.

One of 'em does. The question is, which one?

- He'll clear outta the county-- - He might.

But there's one thing he's bound to do first.

He was frantic last night when he had to dig out of his grave

the body of the man he shot, and carry him downhill

and find a place to bury him again.

All by himself. Furiously in the dark.

One man against the whole weight of the earth.

What a horror that must have been.

And now today, every hour that's happened since Saturday noon

must be forming together in his brain.

They don't know it out there, but he does.

'He's lost. He's finished.'

He's running through his last few pennies of freedom.

And I reckon he's gonna spend 'em the only way he knows.

On revenge.

You don't carry a .30-30 rifle, do you, Mr. Gowrie?

- No. - 'You know anybody that does?'

- Yeah. - Hmm.

'Sit down, Mr. Gowrie.'

Don't sit down if you don't care to

but at least get away from that window.

You sent for me.

You phoned me. Said if I wanted to see who killed my boy.

He'll be here.

Sooner or later, before the day is over

you'll come to kill Lucas Beauchamp.

I don't see Lucas Beauchamp neither.

Now you do.

That his wife?

Was his wife. She's dead.

Two years now. Maybe three.

Mine's been gone 25 years.

The day the twins was born.

Raisin' all them boys by yourself is hard.

Hard.

Hard.

Hard it was.

That wasn't shot with no .41 Colt.

'Come on out here, you runnin' black n*****.'

Wait a minute.

- Get out of the way. - You'll need help.

I don't want no help.

I'll do it myself.

Pa, you ain't got no business here.

- Pa, get out of the way. - Put down that gun.

Is this the gun that killed your brother, Vinson?

Is he the one, sheriff?

That's right. He's the one.

The man who killed his brother.

'Ask him.'

Is that right, Nub?

That's right. He killed him.

- They're runnin' away. - It's more than that.

No, that's all.

There's nothing left for 'em to do but admit they're wrong.

- So they're runnin' away. - It's worse than that.

Then, they're running from Lucas Beauchamp.

- No. - Yes.

They won't even wait to buy him a can of tobacco.

To show they forgive him for all the trouble he caused.

Then, what's their hurry?

They know they got the rest of their lives to do that.

From Crawford then, so they won't have to burn him.

They're runnin' away from Crawford.

Not from Lucas and not from Crawford.

Well, they're runnin'. You can't change that.

No, I can't change that.

They're runnin' away from themselves.

Hi, Miss Eunice, what's the hurry?

I gotta get going to the city.

But if you ever get in trouble again, let me know.

You see? We were in trouble. Not Lucas Beauchamp.

- It's alright, Chick. - Is it?

It will be alright.

So long as some of us, you, Miss Eunice Habersham

and Aleck, and maybe me..

...or even so long as one of us, some one of us doesn't run away.

Uncle John.

Chick, it's a fine Saturday afternoon.

Why not go to the ballgame?

Lucas is comin' here.

Well, he's a gentleman.

He won't remind me to my face I was wrong.

'Come in, Lucas.'

Well, young man, you ain't fell

in no more creeks lately, has you?

I'm waitin' till you get some ice on yours.

You're welcome, whether it's frozen or not.

Have a seat, Lucas.

I believe you've got a little bill against me.

Not me. I didn't do anything.

That boy there is the reason why you're walkin' around today.

- Alright, I'll pay him. - You can't.

He'll be practicing law without a license.

Well, I'll-I'll pay your expenses then.

The only expense I had was having this fixed.

- How much? - Two dollars.

Two dollars? That don't seem like much to me.

But, I'm a farmin' man, you is a law man.

I don't reckon it's my business to try to learn yours.

That isn't but one dollars and four bits.

Oh, never mind that.

That makes it out.

Four bits and pennies. I was aiming to take 'em to the bank

but you could save me the trouble.

You wanna count 'em?

Yes, but you're payin'. You count 'em.

- There's fifty of them. - 'This is business.'

As long as you're paying you're debts, go and see Ms. Habersham.

Fifteen, twenty. I ain't much of a visitin' man.

'You could bring her some rowers.'

Ain't had no flowers to speak of since Molly died.

Chick's mother will cut you some out of the garden.

You owe her that much, Lucas. She's the only lady anywhere

that ever held a jail with a .20 gauge bullet threat.

Fifty.

Alright. Is there nothing else to satisfy you?

Just one thing more. Why didn't you tell me the truth?

'That night in the jail?'

Would you have believed me?

Now what? What are you waiting for now?

My receipt.

They don't see him. As though it never happened.

- They see him. - No.

They don't even know he's there.

But they do. Same as I do.

They always will as long as he lives.

Proud, stubborn, insufferable.

But there he goes.

The keeper of my conscience.

Our conscience, Uncle John.