Original subtitles

Well, that'll do just fine.

Oh, don't take it so hard, Medvik.

And thanks.

Let's get out of here.

You're a worrier, Sloane, it makes you sweat.

Either stop or stay downwind, huh?

Look, I'll stop when we get that money in Laramie.

Put 100 miles between here and us.

How much?

Twenty-five.

That's thousands, mister.

Twenty-five of 'em.

He's worth more, a lot more.

You should have made him pay.

I did.

Yay!

Just like a real Arapaho, Jess.

All right, it's your turn now.

Is this what you two call weeding the vegetable garden?

Oh, that's no fun, Aunt Daisy.

No, but it's a lot safer.

Indian boys do it all the time.

It's easy the way Jess does it.

Mm-hmm. And Indian boys know how to hoe corn, too.

I'm sure Jess will be very glad to show you how easy that is.

Something chasing you, Charlie?

Mr. Frost, are you all right?

It's not me, Miss Cooper, it's Mr. Medvik.

He's dead.

Oh, no.

Why, I saw him in town just last week.

He looked in the best of health.

I know, ma'am, but it wasn't that kind of dying.

It was-- It was a knife, Jess.

Nobody seen it, nobody heard it.

And dead when I come in and me,

nothing I could do about it.

We better ride into town and tell the sheriff, Charlie.

Well, this is a small bank, Mr. Denning.

We usually require a few days' notice

for a withdrawal anywhere in the neighborhood of $25,000.

Well, Mr. Medvik considered that possibility.

He thought this letter of consent might help.

I'm closing a large land transaction

in the New Mexico territory,

and the man I'm dealing with isn't too fond of banks.

Thinks they're always being robbed.

Well, that's New Mexico, Mr. Denning.

This is Laramie.

Well, I-- I understand that, but he won't.

And our friend Mr. Medvik won't either.

Well, I'm afraid we're short on paper.

However, we've just received a shipment

of gold 20s, double eagles, if that will do for you.

That will do just fine.

I think you'll find that all correct, Mr. Denning.

Good. Thank you.

Well, I won't be long.

It'll be all right.

Got to be a limit, Sam.

It's been a bad year, Frank.

But I'll get a crop with some rain and some luck.

There's no profit in that, not with the luck you've been having.

Well, take the wagon or take the horses.

I don't have nothing else, Frank.

It's not wagons I need, Sam. I'm sorry.

How's your wife, Sam?

Any day now, I'll reckon.

Cash on the barrelhead, Sam, next time.

And I mean it.

Come on in, boy.

Big hurry, Jess. Somebody could get hurt.

Somebody already has, Mr. Medvik's dead.

Mr. Medvik?

Don't get mixed in anything, Sam.

All right.

Hear the news? Medvik's dead.

What? What did you say?

Medvik's dead.

Let it be, Sam.

Well, it can't hurt to take a look.

Sam?

Oh, Ed, honey, stop it. You got me laughed out.

Millie!

Joe, honey. Well, I thought--

What are you doing in town?

Well, you said you're gonna be with that cattle buyer all day,

and I didn't want to bother you.

When my wife comes to town, I bring her, not my foreman.

I thought you had work to do.

It's done.

Millie--

Mrs. Farley said there were some things she wanted to get.

I was just being obliging.

You're always obliging where she's concerned.

It's too bad you don't follow my orders that way.

Joe, look, honey, there's something happening

down there at the sheriff's office.

Let it happen. I want to take care of this.

Right here in front of the whole town?

What would people think?

Come on, honey, I want to see what's going on. Come on.

I didn't have enough paper money,

- just gold 20s, double eagles. - When?

Oh, I'd say about an hour and a half ago.

That much gold coin, it must weigh out pretty heavy.

Near 100 pounds maybe.

You see anything else, Charlie?

Just him and the knife.

You're going with me?

If you want.

What about Slim?

I know when I left, he was gathering up some horses.

Besides, somebody's got to look after the ranch, Mort.

I want a posse of men who are willing to ride hard

and stay with me till the job's done.

How about it, Mr. Farley?

All right, I'll go, so will Casson here.

My foreman's always ready to see justice done.

Aren't you, Ed?

- Well, that's two more. - Any money in it, sheriff?

Regular county allowance. $2 a day and grub.

Horse and rifle?

If you can use them, we'll give them to you.

Well, that makes five of us, ought to be enough.

I'll take speed over numbers.

Sheriff, you're not leaving me.

Won't be easy, Charlie, you got to keep up.

I know what you're thinking. Well, I've changed.

I haven't had a drink in weeks now.

I'll stay with you.

You're on, Charlie.

All right, men, back here in 10 minutes, ready to leave.

Jess, you get us some horses.

Charlie, help me break out some rifles.

I'll-- I'll get somebody to take you home.

You're a farmer, Sam,

what do you know about hunting outlaws?

Well, now we need the money, Alma,

and I got no way else to get it.

This looks like a likely spot to sit out the night.

He's worn down.

Load's burned him out fast.

I'll take care of him. You tend to your own.

Why do you have to carry it all?

I stick my neck out just like you.

I want what's mine.

You'll get it when we don't need each other anymore.

Well, look at him, lathering his life out.

What's it gonna be tomorrow, the next day?

Split it up and give us a chance.

That's just what I'm doing, giving us all a chance.

That way, nobody gets itchy finger.

Three of 'em, all right.

Two are light, one's packing the load.

Head man's still carrying the load.

It's beginning to tell on his horse.

If they haven't split it up by now, I don't figure they will.

They'll have to camp for the night then.

We better do the same, Jess.

I ain't much for tracking in the dark.

We camp here for the night.

And we know that they're up ahead somewhere.

They may not know that we've come this far yet.

No fires, you've all got jerky.

The watch will be in 2-hour hitches.

Charlie, you see to the horses, take the first guard.

We mount up, sunup.

Hey, hey, farmer, don't point that gun at me,

it ain't healthy.

Oh, I'm sorry.

If a man volunteers to go on a posse,

he ought to know how to use one of them.

Guess you sodbusters are different.

You should have brought your shovel.

Look, you better stay away from me on this trip.

I don't like fences or them that builds them.

The land's big enough for all of us, Mr. Farley.

Not my land. Not any range land.

I've run ground leeches like you off before,

and I can do it again.

Look!

I told you once and I'm not gonna tell you again!

All right. How did all this happen?

It's just a mistake.

It sure was.

If they're anywheres near here,

you've told them they're not alone anymore.

Casson, take over the guard.

Rest of you get some rest, you're gonna need it.

One shot, just one.

Ah, those trappers, they could be anything.

A posse?

Maybe.

Three, maybe four miles off.

- Sound like a rifle. - Let's get out of here.

You mean, run? Daylight's almost gone.

They can't find us now. They need the sun.

And we need miles.

We can get them now, sun or no sun.

If it isn't a posse, we get a breather.

It could be hunters like you say.

You ought to know.

All right, we look, and no quick triggers.

We don't want any fighting unless we have to.

[ cocks gun ]

Nothing I like like the feel of a .30-30.

Don't forget I can use it.

I'll bet you can.

Next time you want to play with a gun, use your own.

Kind of edgy tonight, aren't you?

Yeah. I always get like that

when my boss volunteers me

for a posse I got no interest in.

I'm funny that way.

You could have turned it town.

Sure, I could have, in front of half the town.

Makes a lot of friends that way.

Maybe I should have, though.

That way you would have had to pull out, too.

How do you figure that?

Well, you'd never ride off

- and leave me alone with your wife. - Why, you two--

I can use this pretty good myself.

Now before you make more trouble for everybody,

there's a couple of things you better know about me and Millie.

I don't discuss my wife with any out-of-work saddle-bum

and that's what you are.

Right now you're fired.

Fine. But you and I both know

I'm the best foreman you ever had.

I'm a top hand.

Left a good job just to happen onto your place last month

when you needed a foreman.

You think that was an accident?

Millie sent for me.

I knew her long before you did.

And I'm a lot closer to her age than you are,

or maybe you hadn't noticed.

You lie, she never sent for you.

She didn't, huh?

You're smart, Casson,

real smart carrying that letter around with you.

You think this is the only letter I got from her?

Why, you...

JESS: Casson! Farley!

Break it up.

Now what in blazes is going on?

Well, Casson and I had a little argument.

He claims that I shorted him on some wages.

Well, a posse is no place

to settle anything personal, understand?

Now forget it till you get back to town, both of you.

You better get some sleep.

I-- I'm sorry, Jess, but it won't happen again.

I just fired him.

Well, it's not the two of you I'm thinking about.

Anything more goes wrong can mean the same for the others.

[ horse whinnies ]

Company, Mort.

Hold it! Don't split up.

They'll pick you off one at a time.

Well, we know.

It sure is a comfort, ain't it?

- Yeah, there's six of 'em. - Three of us.

That's not a very good hand when you're playing for high stakes.

Unless--

Unless maybe we just stand pat.

Check to 'em, give 'em a piece of the pot.

Give 'em? Are you loco?

Yeah.

Yeah, we got something that might interest 'em.

A few hundred, a thousand, we'd never miss it.

Not for what it could buy us.

I don't know.

I don't think we could ever get close enough to them.

We wouldn't have to.

Just sharpen the talons a little bit and let 'em fly.

You know, that posse isn't made up of men

much different than us.

They might get fighting hungry

if we give them a little taste of the eagle.

Mort! Come back!

Where, Charlie?

Right where you're standing.

It's been a long time since I've had one of those in my hand.

Forgot almost how it feels.

Better be careful, sheriff.

You got your back turned on some mighty greedy-looking men.

We could have done 'em more harm than we thought last night.

Well, there's no signs that we scored a hit.

Yeah, how come all this?

Could be something ripped, like a saddle bag.

Maybe they still don't know.

They know.

Then how come?

A bargain maybe,

to buy the only thing we got to sell, time.

Uh, say, sheriff,

what's gonna happen to all this gold?

It belongs to the county for now.

Medvik may have left a will, debts.

If not, we'll figure it out when we get back.

Time enough for that later.

Too bad, farmer.

Sorta takes the incentive out of it, doesn't it?

- You shut up. - Farley, you've been making a lot of noise

about what this gold means to the others.

What's the matter? Doesn't it interest you?

Gold, sure.

I like gold just as well as anybody else.

I like to see justice done, too.

I like to see a man get what's coming to him.

That's why I'm here.

I'd say that's why we're all here.

Let's not forget it.

Well, they just couldn't disappear.

There's tracks all over the place on this side.

There's nothing back there.

Well, they had to cross.

If not here, then someplace else.

Jess, you've been up here since the floods.

How far would you say it's shallow like this?

About 5 miles down, couple of miles up, I reckon.

Well, it's shallow enough for a man to cross for 10 miles.

Doesn't Jake Duval have a shack out here somewhere?

Yeah, a few miles downstream.

I don't know if he's there, though.

Croppin's been pretty poor this season.

Well, it's at least worth a try.

Maybe he's seen something that could help us.

Duval hasn't been too taken to the law

since he had to spend 30 days for busting up half of Laramie.

We'd better check his cabin though.

It might be a good idea to come up on him easy-like.

No need to, not when you're dealing with a snake like Duval.

We're the law.

Well, I'll tell you what, Farley.

You hold his head where the fangs are,

and I'll cut his rattlers off.

[ horses approaching ]

Papa, some men are coming.

The horses, take them out of the barn.

Ah, Laramie sheriff is far from home.

Duval has done nothing.

Maybe you can help us.

We're looking for three men who killed a rancher.

Oh, you no come here for Duval?

Oh, no, not this time.

Uh, well, then, Duval does not need this.

Make my home your home.

Come in.Come in.

Come in, please, come in.

You want to climb down out of there slow,

or do you want me to blow them boards off from under you?

Easy now.

What do you do now, thief? Kill me?

Oh, now you make your mind up pretty fast, don't you?

You were trying to steal our horses.

Your horses?

Let's just go inside the house

and talk to the sheriff about those horses, huh?

Where are you going, wild cat?

Now come on.

Very well done, my friend.

Don't worry about him, he's just practicing.

[ laughing ]

Ah, what a shame.

You have come all this way, and Duval cannot help you.

Marie! You take your hands off my daughter!

My pleasure.

Three horses in the barn, Mort.

They've all been ridden hard. One was packing a load.

Yes, yes, they are mine.

You're a liar, Duval!

Now look, you come here, sit at my table, eat and drink,

then he calls me names.

Where are the men you traded those horses with?

Duval has traded nothing.

Duval has done nothing.

Ah, you're trying to buy us with a little grub and a jug.

Well, it won't work.

They did not come here.

You traded something for those horses,

something like $20 gold pieces.

And I bet they're still here.

Papa, don't let them do it.

Duval has nothing to hide.

If we look, we'll find, and I'll stake my life on that.

Sheriff, you must stop them.

Go ahead. You will not find.

No! Stop!

Take them and leave us alone.

He would only drink it up anyway.

Which way? And how long ago?

Not long.

An hour. Less maybe.

They crossed at the big tree half a mile downstream.

They're going north, the mountains.

Duval has spawned a vixen.

It takes a woman of his own blood to betray him.

You come here, you little...

That's enough, Duval.

Let's mount up.

"To the north," you said.

They went to the north.

[ laughing ]

Here, here you are.

Yeah.

Hey.

I'll take these. They took my others.

Yes, yes, yes.

I don't like it, Jess.

I should have figured it. She tricked us.

They'd lose too much time coming this way.

Or they might have risked it just to throw us off.

Would you?

No.

There's a pass down there.

It might be our only chance to get low again.

What do you think?

Well, I've come this far with you, Jess.

Not about to change now.

Lead on.

Yeah, they're coming down.

Didn't work.

Duval and that kid of his sold us out.

No, not her. Not that one.

No, not after your way with women.

What difference does it make who did?

It's done, that's all that matters.

Well, she tried, but they're smart.

They're figuring with us now.

Well, we'll let 'em do just that.

Matter of fact, we'll help 'em.

Then we're gonna kill whatever's left of 'em.

Looks harmless enough.

No use taking any chances.

Farley, you circle the place and make sure no one's waiting.

Rest of us will ride in easy.

I'll take that.

Not this time, sheriff.

I found it, I got some rights.

Finder gets a share.

We'll talk about that later, Ed.

We'll talk about it now.

Wait, Jess.

What kind of talk, Ed?

It's dead man's gold.

It belongs to us now.

No, it doesn't.

We're doing just what they want us to do.

We're taking the bait.

Then let's take it good.

All of us. Not just me.

We chased them away, let's-- let's settle for that.

Won't work, Ed.

Sam, you've been clawing at land

that's gonna take away more than it gives.

Think of your wife, of your kid that's coming.

What do you say?

Mort, I've seen men with gold fever before.

This can go too far.

Now let him spill it out, Jess.

This way each of us will be counted.

You got a thirst, Charlie.

I've seen you hitting that bottle you carry.

Why, you can buy 1,000 bottles with this.

Medvik's gone. Who's gonna buy?

No, Ed.

Jess, listen to me.

Think what you could do with this.

Why, you can go anywhere you wanted,

or have your own place or take a wife, take a dozen.

Jess, it's everything you want or I want, right here.

You can't do it that way, Ed.

Now put up that iron.

Give it to me, Ed.

Well, you saw him.

He had his gun right on the sheriff.

He might have killed Mort if I hadn't shot him.

He had a chance to do that, but he didn't.

His gun was on me, Farley.

Well, he had gold fever. I-- I've seen it before,

and no telling what he might have done.

We've got to keep moving for now,

but don't think I'm forgetting any part of this.

We'll have to bury him.

I'll-- I'll take those, sheriff.

He had relatives back in Ohio

he was always writing letters to.

I'll take care of them for now.

It's no trouble. I-- I feel responsible.

You should've thought of that a few minutes ago.

I'll take that letter now, sheriff.

Then you did have a reason for killing Casson.

It's a personal matter. I'm only trying to protect my wife.

If you did have a good reason for shooting Casson

besides just trying to stop him, I've got to know.

That had nothing to do with it.

You won't mind if I read it.

Farley!

It's working. All we need is patience.

You'd be surprised how much of that I got

when another man's totin' my money,

especially if he's wearing a badge.

Well, I think we'll get it back soon enough now, all of it.

You're all right.

How do you feel?

Well, I'll live.

Can you ride?

I won't win any prizes.

I'd like to stay with him.

I figure we've got a chance.

What do you say?

You've got to do what you think is right, Jess.

Personally, I-- I hope you go on.

There is doctors in Laramie.

If you're not there when I get back,

I'll find you wherever you are and I'll drag you back.

Now get going.

What about my gun?

You don't need it.

I'll be all right, Jess.

No surprises, I hope.

I'll take care of that, Sam. You wait outside.

We'll pick you up on the way back, Mort.

It'll be a day, two at the most.

You just take it easy.

Don't worry about me. I've got good company.

What about this?

Can't let you worry about that.

It's the bait, Mort.

It's what they kill for.

They'll be back for it.

We've wasted enough time on this hunt.

Let's not waste any more. Mount up.

Let's hold up here.

Looks like a good place to camp.

If you say so.

I say so.

I've been around a lot, Jess.

Joined a few posses in my day.

Even run from one or two of them.

But after 20 years,

I've learnt things that most greeners don't learn.

What's the matter, Charlie?

You're getting scared after just 20 years?

Posse is a critter all by itself.

If it's a bad one,

it doesn't matter how many is in it.

But if it's a good one,

could be two dozen men and still ride like one.

Well, now, if you're thinking I can't handle the job,

I hope you're wrong.

I got something in mind, Charlie.

Kind of figured that.

Tell you what I'll do.

While you drink out of that bottle you've been carrying--

No, no, no, Jess.

It's too late.

Threw that away this afternoon.

Thought maybe I'd try doing something

without it for a change.

Ambush! It's a trap!

[ footsteps approaching ]

Drop it.

Turn around.

[ groans ]

Hold it.

Looks like you got the edge, Sam.

But I ain't gonna make it easy for you.

I held out as long as I could.

Now you got to get out of my way, Jess.

You did a good job helping us bait this trap.

All you got coming is your pay.

Anything else you want,

you got to come through me or over me.

Now make up your mind.

You could have spotted him that gun and still dropped him.

Maybe.

Where is the money, Jess? With Mort?

Kind of figured you'd guess that.

You know, another man could've been killed just now.

For what?

All his life, he'll wonder if he could have taken this gold.

Now he knows.

He'll get over it in time.

Well, I guess I'd better be riding back to the farm.

You're welcome to stay and clean up some, Sam.

I know, Jess, but I think...

Hi.

Hi.

It'll be almost sundown when I get to--

Just in time.

What's Mike doing? Putting out a fire?

Oh, we're just keeping him busy.

Sam, you better go inside.

Little fella in there has been yelling for you.

Huh?

You're not the only one that's been busy.