Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Where Western history comes alive.

The stories of the old West,

stories of hardships and adventure,

of dreams and of courage.

Stories of the American pioneer,

are all a part of our past, of our heritage.

In the old West,

men believed in giving each other a second chance

to win success after suffering failure.

Such a man was Ben Frazier, the man he helped

was Will Tracy.

In 1889, Tracy walked out of prison

after serving seven years for bank robbery.

He returned to Willow Creek, Montana,

to the town'’s hostility and hatred.

Ben Frazier didn'’t start out a friend,

but in the end, he helped achieve...

Prison food must have agreed with you, Will.

I'’ve eaten worse.

Do you know what you'’re doing, coming back here?

The minds in this town are still pretty fresh.

I don'’t plan on staying any longer

than it takes me to get out.

Did you come for Lisa?

You know, you might be doing her a favor

if you just leave her be.

Have you ever thought of that?

She'’s my wife.

Yep...

that she is,

unfortunately.

See you around.

Hi, Lew.Ben.

Tracy?

When did you get out?

Almost a week ago,

and I'’ve got a certificate of release

signed by the warden.

Don'’t look for no welcome mat.

Willow Creek is still out a lot of cash

because of that bank holdup,

especially me.

I never touched a penny of that money.

You were in on it.

And I did seven years for it.

So what?

Is that supposed to make up for my losses?

Seven years...

[ scoffs ]

See what I mean, Will?

[ gasps ]

Oh, Will!

Will!

[ sighs ]

I tried to imagine how this moment would be.

I couldn'’t.

Let me look at you.

Then two years ago, I got word of cousin Jeff'’s passing.

I wrote you about it, remember?

When he left this ranchto us,

you could have knocked me down with a feather.

A whole ranch to do with as we please.

There'’s not much on it,

but whatever there is is free and clear.

It should be worth something, I suppose.

I suppose so.

Anyway, that'’s when I decided to come back to Willow Creek

and wait for you here.

For me, I just as soon not have to come back.

Stopped by the bank as I rode through town.

Couldn'’t help rememberin' that'’s where it all started...

before I started goin'’ wrong.

But I'’m gonna make it up to you, Lisa.

All the embarrassment I'’ve caused you

and I suppose pain that went along with it.

I know you will.

We can sell this place,

go somewhere else,

somewhere new where we'’re not known,

start all over again.

You know, there was a fellow in the penitentiary

who was telling me about the land in California,

how beautiful it is out there.

and it'’s going for a song.

We can take the money that this place brings and--

What'’s the matter?

That'’s not the way, Will,

not by runnin'’ and hidin'.

What are you getting at?

This ranch...

it'’s like it was sent from heaven,

like a message telling us what we should do.

That'’s why I hung on, so it would still be here

when you came back.

Are you suggestin'’ we stay in Willow Creek?

Yes, Will.

Stay and work, and fight if we have to.

I don'’t think you know what you'’re askin', Lisa.

Yes I do.

I know it'’s gonna be hard on you.

People don'’t forget too quick.

They'’ve had to do without a lot since that holdup,

their whole life savings gone.

They'’re bitter.

I'’ve seen them cross the other side of the street

when they saw me comin'’,

but I didn'’t let it bother me enough to drive me away

because I knew we had something to work for when you got out.

Why would people want to take it out on you?

You didn'’t have anything to do with the holdup.

It was me and Cal Hinshaw.

We were the ones who pulled off the robbery.

Funny, isn'’t it?

I go away and spend seven years in prison

for a holdup that I was a part of,

for money which I never laid eyes on.

The man who was the master behind it,

the one who got the big idea to begin with,

never spent a day in prison

and got off with all the money.

No one'’s seen hide nor hair of him since.

I'’ll find him someday.

You can bet on that.

In the mean time...

this is where you wanna stay?

Then this is where we'’re gonna stay.

[ sighs ]

Oh.

We can fix this place up, Will, so pretty,

make a beautiful ranch out of it.

It'’s going to take money.

We'’ll get it.

And I'’ve got to geta job.

Know of anybody lookin'’ for a hired hand

the likes of me?

No,

but you were always a good worker, Will,

and people remember that, too.

I'’ll be an even harder worker this time...

and no shortcuts.

[ laughs ]

[ no audible dialogue ]

I was wondering when you'’d get to me.

Then you know why I'’m here.

Yep.

She talked you into stayin'’.

What do you know about it?

I knew she'’d try.

I didn'’t think she'd get far, not in a million years.

As a matter of fact, I told her

you didn'’t have guts enough to stay.

Thanks for the time of day.

Report here at sunup tomorrow.

Regular pay

for a regular day'’s work.

How'’s that again?

Well, do you want the job, or don'’t you?

I thought you were turnin'’ me down.

I'’d like to,

but I can'’t.

Understand I'’m doing this for Lisa.

She'’s a fine woman.

[ galloping approaching ]

[ whistles ]

A week'’s work gets a week'’s pay.

Here'’s your money.

Thank you.

What about next week, Ben?

Do I have a job, or didn'’t I measure up?

You heard no complaints.

No.

No, but you'’ve been keeping an eye on me like a hawk.

Why?

Well, I'’ve been trying to make up my mind about something.

I closed a deal a few days ago.

It calls for the delivery of a thousand head of cattle

to the railhead in Great Falls,

a drive of about 40 miles.

There are a few other brands mixed in,

but mostly mine, so I do the hiring.

You think you can handle the job?

Me?

You mean as trail boss?

What'’s the matter, Will, the job too big for you?

No. No, but I thought--

You'’re hired.

Now, the buyer will pay cash upon delivery.

I have an account at the Great Falls bank.

You can deposit the money there.

Here'’s the contract,

and don'’t forget to get that delivery slip signed.

I will. Thank you, Ben.

We move '’em out in the morning.

All right, get your chuckwagon rolling.

Move '’em out.

[ chatter ]

Give me a double.

Starting a little early, aren'’t you, Kellems?

I got my reasons.

Yeah, like what?

Like worrying about my cattle,

like you ought to be worrying about yours.

Hm. Give me a good reason, and I will.

Well, there'’s one good reason you ought to know.

Will Tracy.

Yeah?

Ben Frazier'’s made him trail boss.

Well, he'’s a pretty good man of the herd,

at least he always was.

He'’s a pretty good man at robbing banks, too.

Hello, Steve.

How about a tall cool one to settle the dust of the day?

Lew.Give me another double.

Ben, I want to talk to you.

What'’s on your mind?

Will Tracy.

What about him?

I understand you hired him as trail boss.

That'’s right.

Another one.

How come?

Well, he needed a job. It'’s as simple as that.

It'’s not as simple as that and you know it.

If you want to play seven-card stud with your money,

that'’s your affair,

but there are other brands in that drive,

including mine.

Look, I'’ll stand by any and all losses.

It says so right in the contract.

It just don'’t add up,

you hiring a no-good ex-con like Tracy.

Look, it'’s like I said, the man can use the pay.

You mean his wife could.

I'’m sorry.

I didn'’t mean the way it sounded.

No offense.

How did you mean it, Lew?

Well, Ben, it'’s just that

if you'’d turned him down, like all the others,

maybe he wouldn'’t still be hanging around here.

Go on.

Well, Ben, seeing as how you feel about Lisa Tracy

the way that you do,

Now-- now, wait a minute.

You asked for it, didn'’t you?

I don'’t mean nothin'’ bad, honest.

Spill it out, Lew.

All right.

With Will Tracy out of the way,

you'’d have a clear trail to Lisa.

Not that I'’d blame you. [ whistles ]

Not a bit.

Well, and don'’t you see? It'’d be a perfect--

I did have a feeling for Lisa,

but ended the day she married Will Tracy.

Now, you get your mind out of the gutter, Lew,

or I'’ll toss your carcass in with it.

Ben,

this town'’s going to have the last laugh on you, yet.

That Tracy ain'’t never comin'’ back here.

He'’s gonna steal you blind.

[ knocks ]

Who is it?

It'’s me, Lisa,

Ben Frazier.

Oh, Ben, I'’m so glad to see you.

It'’s not too late for visiting, is it?

Of course not. Come on in.

As a matter of fact, I'’ve been meaning to drop by

your place.

I wanted to thank you for all you'’ve done for Will.

I haven'’t done anything for him he didn'’t earn.

You gave him a chance.

That'’s more than anybody else would do,

and I'’m grateful to you, Ben.

We both are.

Would you like some coffee?

Oh, no thanks.

What is it, Ben?

Something'’s troubling you. I can see it.

Oh, people I guess.

You know, sometimes, I get my fill of '’em.

You ever feel that way?

You'’re worried about me, aren'’t you?

I wonder if anybody else knows

what a worrier you really are.

Well, it'’s just that... sometimes people get so cruel.

They started talking. Is that it?

Wondering if Will'’s going to make off with all their money?

Yeah, I suppose, something like that.

Well, let '’em.

We'’ll have the last laugh, Ben.

You and me and Will.

Funny you put it that way.

What?

You, me, and Will.

I-- I don'’t understand.

I know, Lisa,

but for so very long I'’ve lived with a dream.

It wasn'’t right, but I couldn'’t help it. I--

I couldn'’t get it out of my mind.

I still don'’t know what you'’re saying, Ben.

I know. I'’m sorry,

but I'’d hoped that one day when Will got out,

that-- well, he'’d just go away,

leave you here,

and it would be just you and me.

Ben, I--

[ chuckles ]

But it didn'’t work out that way.

I should have known that with a woman like you

waiting for him,

the man would be a fool

if he didn'’t come back.

I hope Will Tracy'’s no fool.

Good-night, Lisa.

[ whistles ]

That'’s Great Falls up ahead.

Keep movin'’.

MAN: And after I complete certain business arrangements,

I suggest that we ride out and inspect the property.

It would be a pleasant jaunt, I assure you.

And, as I said, the place can be had for very little.

A mere pittance.

You wait for me here, my dear. I shant be but a moment.

It'’s you.

It'’s really you.

What'’s the meaning of this?

You'’re Cal Hinshaw.

I beg your pardon, sir. That'’s not my name.

I don'’t know what you're calling yourself now,

but you'’re Cal Hinshaw to me.

My dear, there'’s obviously a misunderstanding here.

Perhaps you'’d better return home.

I'’ll come by later.

All right, now what'’s this all about?

Take a good look at me.

I'’ve never seen you before in my life.

Look long enough. You know who I am.

Now do you remember, Cal?

Seven years ago?

The bank of Willow Springs, it was just me and you.

That was a long time ago.

Who cares now?

I care.

I spent seven years in prison caring,

just waitin'’ for this day.

What are you gonna do?

Get up.

Look, Will...

I have money, lots of it.

I'’ve done real well the last seven years.

I'’ll give you half.

Just forget you ever saw me.

What do you say?

Will you please let me pass?

[ both laugh ]

You all right, Lisa?

I'’ve been watching you.

You and everybody else.

Will'’s been gone for more than a week.

Well, say it, Ben.

Say it!

Lisa, wait. Please.

I know what you'’re thinking, but you'’re wrong!

Will isn'’t a thief! He'’ll be back!

Sure he will, Mrs. Tracy.

Everybody'’s got him figured all wrong,

ain'’t that right, Mrs. Tracy?

It'’s a darn shame what some people are sayin'’.

A good, fine, upstanding, law-abiding, gentleman

like Will Tracy--That'’ll be enough, Lew.

Enough, nothin'’!

He was due back here two days ago.

Where is he?

I told you that was my look-out, not yours.

That'’s right.

You asked for it.

It'’s your concern,

but I didn'’t ask for Tracy to heist

my money out of the bank.

Well, that'’s all water under the dam.

I know there'’s a reason why my husband hasn'’t returned yet,

an honest reason,

but he will be back. I swear it.

You swear it?

Swearing is all very well, ma'’am,

but it doesn'’t pay my bills.

Now, I'’m tellin' you,

if that jailbird'’s not back here

by sun-down tomorrow, I'’ll be knocking at your door

for my share from that herd.

Mr. Kellems,

when my husband comes back,

I'’ll expect you to apologize to him,

right here before all these people...

and I'’ll expect you to do it as loudly

and as clearly-- [ cries ]

Ma'’am?

You'’ve got spunk.

I'’ll say that for you.

[ horse neighs ]

The list of charges on this man, Sheriff.

Who is he?

The other man who was in the bank holdup,

the one that got off with all the money.

Were you gettin'’ worried, Ben?

No, not particularly.

[ chuckles ]

Well, here'’s your deposit slip.

The money'’s in your account at the bank.

Sorry it took me so long,

but I had a little business of my own

to take care of.

So I see.

Lew?

Yeah?

Haven'’t you forgotten something?

Huh?

Uh--

say, Will, uh--

Um-- I-- I'’m sorry

I rode herd on ya.

Well, I--

sometimes I talk too much!

If you know what I mean.

Can we shake hands?

[ chuckles ]

[ chattering ]

All right, I wanna see you later.

Harry.

Ben?

How can we ever thank you?

For what?

I didn'’t do anything.

You gave me a chance

when no one else would give me the time of day.

Don'’t thank me.

Thank her.

I just found out what she'’s known all along.

See you around.

That day Will Tracy knew

that as far as the people of Willow Creek were concerned,

bygones were bygones,

but there'’s more to this story.

Some years later, Willard Spencer Tracy

became Vice President of the Willow Creek Bank,

the very institution he once had a hand in robbing.