Original subtitles

Whoa.

It looks like somebody lost their horse, or it lost them.

Wait here a minute.

Who does he belong to?

I don't know.

Do you see anybody?

Not yet.

Anybody here?

Mister, what happened?

Can you hear me?

I better get you to the doctor.

North Fork.

I'm going to North Fork.

Help me, before they come.

You'll be all right, mister.

Don't worry.

Mark.

Fred, give me a hand here.

Doc.

Doc. Morning.

Is there someone ill?

It's him, Doc.

Easy with him, boys.

Careful.

Go get Micah, son.

Who is he, Lucas?

I don't know.

I found him in a grove outside town.

I was noticing, he's got a real mean-looking wound.

Thanks, boys.

There's some brandy in the desk drawer.

My Cousin Jeb got shot that way once.

Uh-huh.

Didn't live to say "amen."

Now why don't you run along, Mr. Hannabury?

We'll manage.

Glad to stay, Doc.

That won't be necessary.

Oh.

Oh, sure, Doc, sure.

Glad to be of help anytime, Doc.

Well, so long, Doc.

So long, Lucas.

Look for some papers in his jacket.

See if you can find any next of kin.

Is it that bad, Doc?

It's probably worse.

He's had that bullet in him for a day or maybe two.

Micah will be here in a minute.

No identification here, Doc.

Is he gonna be all right?

The doc's not sure, son.

He might... do you want to wait for me over at Hattie's?

Can I stay? All right, come on.

A little bit more.

All right.

Being born and dying are really simple experiences, Mark.

I guess not knowing about them can be

more frightening than knowing.

Marked deck, Doc.

Well.

Maybe that's our story, huh, Luke?

Maybe.

Doc.

Who is he?

Don't know.

Stoddard.

You know him?

We'll have to try a transfusion.

Micah, I asked you a question.

I know him.

Do the world a favor, Doc... let him die.

What'd you say?

I said let him die.

Micah.

I'll be right back, Doc.

Lucas.

Come here.

Now, Mr. Stoddard is gonna die unless we

do something right away.

A transfusion might save him, and then it might kill him too,

but we've gotta try.

Are you willing?

Whatever you say, Doc.

Then we better get to work.

Now I want you to take your shirt off.

Marshal, do they know anything yet?

Marshal?

You think you'll be a doctor someday, Mark?

I don't know.

Not if I have to stick people with needles.

Well, sometimes, it's the only way you can cure them.

Now you take this invention here.

It's called an abling tube.

It allows me to draw blood from your pa's arm

and pump it over here into Mr. Stoddard's arm.

Now if your pa's blood and Mr. Stoddard's blood

mix together all right, Mr. Stoddard's

got a chance to recover.

But suppose they don't mix.

Then Mr. Stoddard will have to cash in his chips, I reckon.

Thought he probably would anyway, Mark.

It's what I call a stacked deck.

You all right, Lucas?

Fine.

I was just thinking I'd like to know who dealt the hand.

Whoa.

Ho.

Cam.

You see any trace of him?

Nope.

Then we proceed along this road?

Road to the right, Mr. Jethroe.

Not more than an hour.

North Fork?

If he got that far.

All right.

North Fork.

Hyah!

You wait here for me.

Micah?

It's Luke.

Micah?

Do you want me to help you break it down, Mr. McCain?

Is Micah in there?

Well, I reckon he is.

I seen him go in.

I seen him draw the curtains.

I didn't see him come out.

Micah?

Come in.

I'll see you later.

Oh, sure, sure, sure.

I'll just... sure.

How's the patient?

Don't know yet.

Doc says it might be several hours.

He's taking out the bullet now.

Bullet.

That's something, isn't it?

I'm gonna tell you a fact you won't believe, Lucas boy.

I've worked 26 years out of my life as a peace officer,

and I've never had as much faith in justice as I do right now.

Not one day in 26 years has the whole pattern,

the rhyme, and the reason made as much sense as it has today.

Who's Stoddard? Who?

What's he to you, Micah?

You wasted your blood, Lucas, and that's too bad.

That was my decision.

I'm just telling you he isn't worth it.

Well then, he's not worth getting drunk over either.

I think that's my decision.

I'll see you later.

We're going home, Mark.

Can't we wait?

No, we can't.

It's out of our hands now.

We best get about our own business.

I don't want him to die, Pa.

You barely knew him.

That don't matter.

No, it doesn't.

Come on.

Morning.

Morning.

You a resident of North Fork, mister?

That's right.

We people are from Talbert City.

Howdy.

We folks represent a people's committee in Talbert City.

Been traveling.

Looking for a man name of Stoddard headed this way.

Gunshot.

You seen him?

Well, as a matter of fact, I found him in that

grove over there myself.

He's at the doc's office in town,

but he won't be going anywhere.

Dead?

Almost.

Cam, mount up.

We're much obliged, Mr...

McCain.

McCain.

Today is our lucky day.

Why'd you tell them?

They're a people's committee.

I had to.

What's a people's committee?

Vigilantes.

Some parts of the country don't have much law.

Some people have to take things into their own hands.

Maybe we better ride back to town for a while, son.

Ho.

There it is.

Yip.

Ho.

Yes?

Dr. Burrage?

Yes?

Doctor, you've got a wounded man inside named Stoddard.

Is that correct?

Yes.

We've come to claim Mr. Stoddard, Doctor.

Please bring him out.

Well, who are you?

We represent the decent, honest folks in Talbert City.

We're here in the name of the law.

Well, I'm sorry, gentlemen, but my patient's in a coma.

Why, he'd die if he were moved.

Doctor.

You don't understand.

We've traveled over a hundred miles to find Mr. Stoddard.

He shot a man in a card game.

He's going back to be hanged.

Now you tell me what difference it

makes whether he dies en route or at the end

of a rope in Talbert City.

It makes a difference to me.

Good day, gentlemen.

Let go of that door.

Better listen to Mr. Jethroe, Doctor.

It's easier that way.

I don't do things the easy way.

Now let go of that door.

You gonna bring Mr. Stoddard out, Doctor?

Or do we go in after him?

Mr. Jethroe.

Well, good morning, Mr. McCain.

We meet again.

Let the doc go back to his patient.

Let him go, I said.

Mr. McCain's right, boys.

Cam, let him by.

We want no trouble.

We're a legal committee.

Now, Mr. McCain, you're a conscientious citizen.

You've already proved that.

Suppose you go inside and explain to the good doctor

that he's got no choice.

Suppose you tell him that harboring a fugitive's a crime.

We wouldn't want anyone to be guilty of that.

Will you tell him, Mr. McCain?

We'll talk about it, Mr. Jethroe.

Well, that's fine.

Now we're gonna rest and feed up.

It's been a long trip.

But we'll be back, in, say, an hour.

You think about what I said, Mr. McCain.

You'll see I'm right.

We don't intend to leave North Fork without him.

Come on, boys.

Mr. McCain. Mr. McCain.

How is he?

Same.

Whether we like it or not, they

are a legal committee, Doc. Where?

In Talbert City?

What are his chances if he's not moved?

I don't think that's the point.

Do you?

No.

Well, it is a legal committee.

While we may not agree with their laws in Talbert City,

we've got to respect them.

Well, the doc says he'll die if he's moved.

He may die anyway. The quicker the better.

Since when did we become judges?

I've never judged anyone in my life, Lucas.

I've walked out in that street and a hundred like it

for the scum of the earth, and I've never complained.

Well, I'm complaining now!

I'm telling you Stoddard isn't worth it.

I know!

Suppose he isn't.

You let those vigilantes take him,

and it's another name for murder.

What's got into you?

I'm just a plain, ordinary human being, full of love,

or greed, or hate.

And by hate, I mean hate!

Oh, I'm... I'm not like you.

Lucas McCain, the honest protector of our morality.

You know, we ought to bottle it, son.

Yes, sir, we ought to bottle it and sell it in a general store.

You got troubles?

Well, take a good deep drink of Lucas McCain.

You're bound to be cured.

All right, that's enough, Micah.

Sure, sure, Lucas.

Here.

Here, this is what you want, isn't it?

Well, go ahead and take it.

Go ahead.

Act the part.

Be the honest protector of our morality.

Make us toe the line.

Set the fine example.

After all, Stoddard's got your blood in his veins.

He's worth something now, isn't he?

Well, go ahead and take it.

You heard what I said.

Take it!

I don't want it!

Mr. McCain. Mr. McCain.

Are you gonna talk to them vigilante fellas all alone?

Oh, I think I can handle them alone, Mr. Hannabury.

No!

That's what my Cousin Jeb said before they shot him.

No, no, Mr. McCain.

When the chips are down, you can bank on Old Man Hannabury,

and that's a fact.

Moral support, Mr. McCain, right to the grave.

Will you join me, Mr. McCain?

We won't be staying.

Well, that's too bad.

You have a way of acquiring responsibility, Mr. McCain.

You're leaving North Fork, Mr. Jethroe, right now.

We'll deliver Mr. Stoddard when he can travel.

That's a promise.

I'm sorry, but we gotta take Mr. Stoddard with us.

That's an obligation.

You understand.

I'm afraid not.

Your law and our law are two different things.

What's your stake in this, Mr. McCain?

What's yours?

Simple justice.

I hate to see a guilty man go unpunished.

I'm not talking about innocence or guilt.

What are you speaking about?

Your method of simple justice.

Yes.

I'm an idealist too.

Hands up, you varmints!

Up!

Now get out.

That was very foolish, Mr. McCain.

We have a very vindictive citizenry in our town.

Make a threat, Mr. Jethroe.

I'm listening.

Then I'd be the one that was foolish.

You hold all the cards.

Right now.

I never play against a stacked deck.

We'll be back in a week, Mr. McCain.

Don't come back in a week, Mr. Jethroe.

Don't you ever come back.

Now when Stoddard can travel, we'll

bring him to you, or his body.

Well, I consider that a statement of honor.

We'll be expecting you.

Well, that's that.

Mr. McCain.

Well, thanks a lot, Mr. Hannabury.

Oh, think nothing of it, Mr. McCain.

You know, it's a good thing my rifle wasn't loaded.

Wasn't loaded?

I got so mad at them buzzards in there, I could've killed one

of them cold turkey for sure.

If it was loaded.

Yeah.

Of course.

Moral support, Mr. McCain.

Lucas.

Yeah?

I'm putting your badge on the table, Micah.

Do you think your hand will be steady enough

to pin it back on?

Or maybe I ought to buy you another bottle first?

Lucas.

30 years ago, John Stoddard was my closest friend.

Stood up for me at my wedding.

I married Elizabeth Cook, the prettiest girl

in Montana territory.

And I guess I was just about the happiest man anywhere.

Elizabeth was 18, I was 22, and nothing was impossible for us.

You know the feeling, Lucas.

Yeah, Micah.

I know the feeling.

John was a wild kid.

Irresponsible.

Gambled.

Drank a lot.

But Elizabeth being like she was, a natural-born mother,

she decided to take John under her wing and reform him.

We bought a little farm, and she decided

to have him come work for us.

Well, things went very hard.

But Elizabeth, she just cooked, and sewed, and made

do with what she had.

Why, whenever there was a dance or a party in town,

she'd put on the very same dress she was married in

and laugh about it, never say a word.

That's how she was.

And all the time, Stoddard kept looking off at the hills,

talking about gold and how he wish he'd had a stake.

Elizabeth and I used to laugh about it.

We were rich without any gold, and we knew it.

I know what you mean.

Well, that spring, there was a draught.

And every dollar we had was in the ground.

We were scared.

Plants had come up and parched brown in a week,

and there was nothing we could do but haul water and pray.

Did you ever see a field dry up and blow away, Lucas?

It's quite a frightening thing, especially when it's your life.

Well, in August, I went in a panic and borrowed $200.

Mortgaged everything I owned... the farm,

equipment, everything.

When I got back that night, the three of us

sat around the kitchen table, trying to figure out

how we were gonna make it through the winter

without losing the farm.

We made a budget, Lucas, accounted

for every penny and then some.

The next morning, Johnny was gone, and so was the $200.

Oh, he was kind enough to leave a note saying he'd be back soon

and with the money doubled...

$400.

But I never saw him again.

Until today.

What did you do?

Do?

Elizabeth died in September.

She got the fever.

I was forced to sell our horse the month before

and had to run all the way to town to get a doctor.

When I got back, she was dead.

And thanks to Stoddard, she died all alone on a dirt farm

that wasn't even mine anymore.

Micah, Doc wants you to come on over.

All right, son.

We'll be there in a minute.

But Doc says Micah's gotta come over right away.

It's Mr. Stoddard.

You gotta hurry, Micah.

Micah.

He wants to talk to you, Micah.

Here, Micah.

Take it.

I've been looking for you.

To tell you how sorry I am.

Please forgive me.

What is it, Micah?

$400.

Why'd he have to die?

The earth turns, Mark.

His time was up.

I don't know what kind of a man Stoddard was,

and I'm not sure we'll ever know,

but he kept a promise he made 30 years ago.

I think that's what we should remember him by.

And so does Micah.

Let's go home.

So long, Doc.

So long.