Original subtitles

Golly day, a hawk.

Now, how did a smart bird like you

get caught in my rabbit snare?

Now, hold still. I'm not going to hurt you.

It's all right.

Now, you be quiet.

Soon as I finish checking the rest of my snares,

I'll take you back home and show you to my pa.

Doggone.

Whatever it was got away.

I don't see a...

Don't move, boy.

I said don't move!

Sorry if I scared you, boy, but that rattler almost

got you.

Thanks, mister.

Feel better, boy? I guess so.

I reckon on how you saved my life.

I'm pleased, mister...

Hake, boy.

Walt Hake. Pleased to meet you.

I'm Mark McCain.

How do, Mark?

You traveling on foot, mister?

My horse shot off about three days ago.

Threw me so hard, it near broke my neck.

How far do you live from here, boy?

About a mile.

My pa would be pleased to know about what you did.

I... I mean about the snake, and all.

Well, I only did the natural thing, boy.

Makes us even.

Even on what?

For taking that game out of that snare you was looking at.

Ain't much, but I did take it without asking you.

First meat I've tasted since I lost my gear, and my horse.

Say, if you want, you can come along with me while I

check the rest of my snares.

Maybe we'll find a rabbit?

I told my pa if I did that...

Well, we'd have rabbit stew tonight.

And even if we don't, my pa's got a side of beef hangin'.

You're welcome to share it with us.

Boy, you just made yourself a deal.

Oh, hold on a minute.

I forgot my rattler.

What are you going to do with that?

Rattlesnakes are good for lots of things.

I'll show you some time.

I can stick it in that sack there.

Uh-uh.

I've got something here already.

A hawk... and it's alive, too.

What are you going to do with a hawk?

Well, I caught him in one of my snares.

You going to keep it?

Sure.

What for?

Well, I don't know.

But... well, I caught him, so I figure on keeping him.

Well, I never knew of anyone keeping a live hawk before.

Well, I never heard of anyone keeping

a dead snake before bull.

I'll get that rattler, and be right back.

Won't that hurt him, Pa?

Naw, it won't hurt him, son.

But he's gotta be staked if you want to keep him.

You do, don't you?

Yes, sir.

All right, Mark.

Stand back.

He don't like that.

No, sir.

Not one bit.

I wouldn't like it, either.

How come you're staking him, then?

A bird like that oughta be free.

What do you think, Mark?

Well, he'll keep the crows away from the place.

Maybe so, but a scarecrow would do the same thing.

No, sir.

If he was mine, I'd let him go.

I think I'll keep him.

For a little while, anyhow.

All right.

Did all that scrubbing you were doing wash away your appetite?

Heap of food's the only thing that'll do that.

Well, all we've got is beef, steak, and potatoes.

I sure had my heart set on a rabbit stew.

I'll get a rabbit tomorrow.

You'll see.

Well, you know, you did pretty good today, considering.

You know, out of seven rabbit snares,

he came back with you, a live hawk, and a dead snake.

Aw, Pa.

Go on and wash up, son.

He's a good boy, Mr. McCain.

Yes sir, a good boy.

Thanks.

That was a fine thing you did today, killing that rattler.

Mark tells me you lost your mount and your gear.

I'd like to repay you by replacing whatever I can.

I don't want repaying.

I tell you what...

A place like this needs a lot of fixix'.

Mending fences, and cattle branding, whatnot.

Supposing you were to let me stay on here for, say...

A week or so?

I could earn whatever you plan to give me.

Fair enough.

Hake?

You never did say where you were coming from,

or where you're going.

That's right, I didn't.

I reckon I don't really know.

I've been to a lot of places, and there's

a lot of places to go, too.

Some would call that being a saddle bum, I guess,

but not me.

I call it being a free man.

There's too many places in this world to see, and too

little time to see them in.

I am to take in what I can while I can.

That's my way of life.

Are you happy living like that?

Always on the move?

I sure am.

Wouldn't have it no other way.

Well, that's what counts.

Come on, boy.

Come on.

What are you doing to the rattlesnake skin?

Curing it.

I rub it out with salt last night,

and now I'm letting it dry in the sun.

Oh.

What are you gonna do then?

Well, now, ain't you the nosey one?

Well, I just asked.

Mark?

Over here, Pa. Come along, son.

Here.

I'll have that cord of wood behind the barn

split by the time you get back.

That'll be fine, Walt.

You should see what he's doing to that rattlesnake skin, Pa.

Got it all cured, and everything.

Oh?

You makin' something out of it?

Never can tell.

Well, we'll be back this afternoon.

Appears there ain't much interested in my poster.

You're no different from people in any other town

you've been in.

Hi, Micah.

Hi, Micah.

You've taken to advertising?

Not me.

Him.

Lucas McCain, meet Eli Flack.

Take care of the team, son.

I'll meet you at the general store.

All right, Pa.

Well, the last time I heard of you

was when you brought in the Kelly brothers,

back in Oklahoma.

Two of them were dead, and the other was near out of his mind,

he was beaten on so bad.

And they weren't even wearing their guns.

My job is bringing in escaped convicts, McCain.

Ain't none of your business how I do it.

Besides, I got everyone I ever went after.

One way or the other.

I'm surprised you even let him come around here, Micah.

You see the badge he's wearing.

They hired him on down at El Tambo Prison.

That means I have to cooperate.

As long as he remembers he's in my jurisdiction, and the man

he's looking for is around here, it'll be handled my way.

Sure, Marshal.

Sure.

Don't you worry, that... that man's around here.

I trailed him nigh on 100 miles, then three days ago he just...

Up and disappeared.

I figure he's hiding out somewheres,

or somebody's hiding him, but I'll...

I'll find him.

And when I do...

You're going to kill him, Flak?

Just like all the others?

I never kill anybody, McCain.

Lest they give me cause.

Something bothering you, Lucas?

Yeah.

According to that description, the man Flak's

looking for has been at my ranch for the past three days.

You're putting me in a bad position, Lucas.

Have I ever given you any reason

to doubt my judgment, Micah?

No.

No, that you haven't.

All I'm asking for is 24 hours.

Well, what makes you so sure that Walt Hake, or Reed Young

isn't a real killer, like Flak says.

After all, that's what he was jailed for.

I'm not sure, Micah.

I'm just betting that way.

All right.

All right, I can see there's no sense arguing with you,

so go ahead and do it your way.

But if you're not back by tomorrow at sundown,

I'm coming out there.

And I hope not to pick up the pieces.

Thanks, Micah.

Now, Lucas... why do you want to do it this way?

He saved Mark's life.

I don't believe it, Pa.

He's too nice a man.

Well, if he was all that bad, he wouldn't

have done what he did for me.

And you've seen how he's been.

It just must be the wrong man.

I hope you're right, son.

I can't believe it, either.

But we can't take any chances.

You understand that, don't you?

Yeah, I reckon I do.

Good.

Now, I want you to act natural.

Don't let on either one of us suspects anything.

What are you going to say to him, Pa?

What are you going to do?

Well, I haven't quite figured that out yet,

but you let me handle it, all right?

All right.

Gosh, Walt, where did you learn how to do that?

Oh, just picked it up, I reckon.

Remember?

I told you rattlesnakes were good for lots of things.

You like it?

Do I like it?

Golly.

Look, Pa.

I got me a rattlesnake band for my hat.

That's fine, son.

Real fine.

Hey, that's what Walt was doing with the skin all along.

Just teasing me, trying to make me wonder.

Boy, wait until the kids see this at school.

Wahoo!

You'd better thank Walt for it now, son, and get on to bed.

It's getting late.

Thanks, Walt. Thanks a lot.

Glad you like it.

I do.

I really do.

Well, goodnight.

Goodnight, boy.

Goodnight, Pa.

Goodnight, son.

Thanks again, Walt.

Go on.

I never know a boy yet what didn't like surprises.

Yeah.

If they're the right kind.

I got this from a friend of yours.

Friend of mine?

Who?

Eli Flak.

According to what it says here, Walt, your real name

is Reed Young.

Is that right?

I reckon there's no sense in denying it.

You wanna tell me about it?

It's a lie!

I never killed no one!

Why were you in jail, then?

All right.

At one time, Lucas, I carried a gun.

Like everybody else, I carried a gun.

But I never used it for nothin', exceptin' to kill

for food and protection.

About two years ago, I was down in Hobbs.

I was just having a drink to wash the dust down.

There was a gunfight.

There was five of them.

And one of 'em got himself killed.

They said I did it.

The only reason they said that was because I

was a stranger in town, and all the rest of them

had friends there.

They found an empty cartridge in my gun.

They didn't believe me when I told them

that it was empty because I had killed a rabbit for some food.

They didn't hang me, Lucas, because I reckon

their consciences bothered 'em.

So they just gave me five years.

Five years out of my life for killing a rabbit because I

wanted something to eat!

I'm sorry.

I ain't no more guilty than that...

That poor hawk is that your boy's got feathered out there.

Maybe not.

But you're in trouble.

You broke jail, Walt.

I couldn't stand it in there, Lucas!

A man's gotta be free.

Every morning when I woke up in that place, I...

I almost died.

So I made up my mind I was going to get out.

And I did get out, and I'm out, and I'm free!

And I'm gonna stay that way!

You're not free, Walt. As long as you live, everywhere you go.

Every corner you turn, you'll be expecting somebody.

Somebody like Flack.

If you that free, you're dead wrong.

Well, I'm not going back.

I'm going on.

The reason I stopped here in the first place

was because I figured I could hide out, and maybe lose Flak.

You don't have to go back with Flak.

What do you mean?

Well Micah Torrance is the marshal here.

He's a good friend of mine, and you're in his jurisdiction.

Now, he gave me his word that if you come in quiet,

he'd make sure you got back safely.

Might even be able to get your case reviewed,

if what you just told me is true.

What about Flak?

He doesn't know you're here.

But he's still in town.

Yes, he's in town.

Then I'm not going in.

You tell that marshal to come out here and get me.

That's the only way I'll do it.

I don't want to go nowhere near that Eli Flak.

Tell the marshal I'll be waiting for him here.

You'll give me your word on that?

You'll wait here while I go get him?

I give you my word.

Good.

Now that we've got that settled, I guess we'd better turn in.

You're... you're not going in after the marshal?

No, not tonight.

Plenty of time for that tomorrow.

You mean you're going to let me go out

and sleep in that barn?

After what I just told you?

Why not?

You and that boy of yours sure do have a way.

Goodnight, Walt.

Goodnight.

Come on, Boo.

You gonna let him go?

I'm thinking on it.

Better mount up, son.

You don't want to be late for school.

Will you come back, Walt?

Will you?

Well, now, I'd say that would be up to your pa.

I'll be looking for you.

Be back in a couple of hours, Walt.

You know something, bird?

I haven't felt this good since I can remember.

All you and me gotta do is not give up hope.

That's all.

Before you know it, everything's going to turn out all right.

Kind of early, ain't ya, Lucas boy?

He's waiting for you, Micah.

I was just having a little breakfast.

Like some?

All right.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Nothing.

See ya after school, Pa.

Hold on, boy.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Where'd you get that hat?

Hey, give me that!

That's mine!

Now, this... this band...

This skin, here... you make it?

None of your business.

Now, you tell me.

Did you make it?

No.

Somebody gave it to me.

You know, there's only one man I know

who can make these like this.

That man learned how to do it in prison.

Now, you... you're McCain's boy, ain't ya?

That's what I thought.

Come on, blue boy.

Let's take that cut off!

Walt! Walt!

Walt, it's Flak!

Flak's coming!

Walt, did you hear me?

It's Flak!

He's coming up the main road!

I took the cut off!

Your pa double-crossed me!

Now I gotta face that killer out there all by myself!

I gotta find something to defend myself with!

It wasn't Pa, Walt!

It was me!

The hat!

The snakeskin!

Your Pa's got another gun, Mark.

Where is it?

At the blacksmith's getting fixed.

Where are you, killer?

Come on.

Get to your room, boy.

Do as I say!

But Walt...

Don't let him in!

Well, now, ain't this nice?

Well, killer, it looks like I've got to teach you a lesson.

Now, I don't like nobody to go busting out of my jail.

You did.

So I guess I got to teach you a lesson.

Don't, Flak. Don't!

Don't touch him!

Why, you...

No!

No!

You broke my arm, you...

You've killed your last man, Flak.

You've got no right being alive!

That's enough, Walt!

That's enough!

You're killing him!

Let him go, Walt!

Let him go!

Please!

Stop!

Please let him go!

Walt, please!

You told me you could never kill anyone!

You told me you couldn't!

Listen to me!

Listen to me!

Let him go!

Say, this man's in bad shape.

Well, it was self-defense, Pa.

He was going to kill Walt.

Looks like he finally got what he deserved.

I guess I'd have killed him, if it wasn't for Mark.

I'm ready to go back with you now, Marshal.

Let him go, Pa.

You know, Pa, Walt was right all along.

That bird never did nothing to get all chained up for.

Think Micah will be able to help Walt?

Maybe get him off?

Well, I'd say his chances are as good as that hawk's were

when you brought him in, son.

Come on.

We've got some housecleaning to do.