Original subtitles

Greevy.You found me, Sherman, only don't turn around.

You shoot me, you'll be wanted for more than robbery.

Oh, I don't think they'll be wanting me for anything, not with you out of the way.

Smelt that coffee half a mile up, Doan.

Put my mouth to watering so much I nearly drowned.

How did you two make out?

Oh, we've done just like you said, Joel.

We made enough false trails to keep that posse busy for a week.

Then when it got dark, we circled around behind and hid out here.

Ain't that so, Doan?

We done our part.

Now I say while they're looking for us in the wrong places,

you ride into Laramie and pick up that money.

The sooner the better.

You know something about our friend here?

He worries too much.Hub and me ain't waiting here

while you play anymore cat and mouse games with that posse.

You know what I think?

I think you're right.

Sun's going fast, I better get riding.

My sis never did tolerate me being late for meals.

Oh, Hub, would you take a look at his left front?

He's been favoring it.

I'll take Sherman's pony.

How long you gonna be this time?

You can't feed and run.

It'd look suspicious.

Besides, I ain't seen Myra in more than a year.

You know something, Greevy?

One of these days you're gonna stretch your luck too far.

Yeah, you and me both, at the end of a rope.

No good, Mort.

We ran down half a dozen fresh trails.

They all run into the river or one of its feed creeks.

You ask me, we've been chasing trails

they left before the robbery to throw us off.

They're probably in Fort Platte or Cheyenne by now.

If they are, they're behind bars.

Took care of that at the telegraph office.

What's the matter, sheriff?

Oh, that pesky molar,

cold weather always starts it acting up.

Got an hour of daylight left.

Let's spread out, keep trying.

Mr. Munson, have you seen Slim?

I thought he was with you.

No, not since this morning.What about you, Mort?

I haven't seen him all day long, Jess.

Any of you men seen Sherman?

Well, I wouldn't worry over much,

horse probably threw a shoe or something.

He'll show up all right.

Yeah, well, I don't like it.

It's getting colder every minute.

What if he fell or something?

He'll start a fire and start signaling us with his rifle.

Slim's no tanglefoot.

Yeah, well, just the same.

I think I'll backtrack to where we split up this morning.

All right, we'll keep a sharp eye out for him too.

[ horse neighing ]

"The outlaws you described not seen in this area.

Impossible to keep all roads and trails

covered by volunteer deputies indefinitely.

Signed, McVicar Sheriff Scottsboro."

And that same report from Cheyenne and Fort Platte.

Butte City.

That means they're still close by.

Not a chance.

We've run down every coon track

and cow-path in the area.

Well, we must have slipped up some place.Speak for yourself.

You saying I don't know how to follow a track?

You just said you slipped up!

That's not what I meant and you know it!

All right now, ease up, you two.

We're all a little gritty and about half frozen.

Tomorrow we'll have another crack

at running them down.

Not me, Mort.

I got a feed crop to get in.

The way the weather's turned today,

I haven't got much time

before this hard freeze sets in.

Tom?

Oh, I'm in the same fix, sheriff.

If I lose my feed,

my cattle will starve this winter.

Look, in another week

every trail out of this territory

is gonna be left unguarded again.

Now they've got to be found

while they're still in this area and I can't do it alone.

There's just so much deputying we can afford to do.

Sheriff Corey, you better hurry before he kills him,

you better hurry up.Before who kills who?

Jess Harper, he just rode into town with Joel Greevy.

Greevy?

What's bringing him back to Laramie?

Same thing he got sent up for,

I'll wager.

Come on, snap out of it.

You ain't hurt that bad.

You're gonna be crow bait if you don't tell me

where Slim is, and fast!

Now start talking!

Jess, what are you trying to do? Kill him?

I'm trying to make him talk.

I caught him on Slim's horse. It's tied up outside.

All right, I know. Now calm down.

I'm gonna beat his hide off

if he doesn't tell me what happened!

Get him outside and keep him out till he cools off.

Mort, I'm trying to tell you I caught him on Slim's horse.

Now take it easy, Jess. The sheriff will question him.

There's no time for talk. What if Slim's down someplace

where he'll freeze to death in this weather?

You're letting your imagination running wild, Jess.

Now cut it out.

See that he stays out here until he cools off.

And you called it, Mort,

you said it was some cocky tinhorn

who robbed that stage.

Where is Sherman, Joel?

You want me to cooperate?

Get them out of here.

Step outside, boys.

When I wore that badge, his kind never gave me orders.

Maybe Jess had the right idea after all.

You swore a lawman's oath.

You're responsible for me, sheriff, life and limb.

Just like that I can be plain Mort Corey,

a citizen with a howling toothache

and a cold coming on.

I can walk through that door and go home to a nice, warm bed.

I can leave you to Jess Harper.

You...

really mean it?

I'll ask you just once more, Greevy.

You're putting me in a tight corner.

Oh, I'll admit I don't exactly cotton to meeting Harper again.

After the way he come at me,

like he was wearing a granite face...

Friend like that, no wonder Sherman figures

he's big in life size.

Quit stalling, Greevy, and talk.

Or I'm leaving you to Harper right now.

All right.

I'll admit it, I shot Sherman.

Is he still alive?

Only I didn't know it was him.

He bushwhacked me, killed my horse.

He'd have murdered me too

if I'd have been a split second slower.

You're a liar.

Still can't seem to figure why he jumped me.

I was riding right out in the open.

On my way from Fort Platte to visit my sister.

You were running from that stage robbery.

Slim Sherman picked up your trail.

Is that a fact?

You...

figure to tie me to some robbery, huh?

If you're innocent, a fair trial will set you free.

A fair trial in this town?

[ scoffs ]

More unlikely Munson would be the foreman of the jury.

Oh, I can imagine.

He'd purely like to send me up again.

That's all past and forgotten now.

You heard what he called me.

A cocky tinhorn.

Then show him you're straight now

and take me to Sherman before it's too late!

I don't know, sheriff, I already tried to be a straight citizen.

I was riding in to get help for Sherman. Then Harper took me.

Now look at the fix I'm in.

If you're telling me the truth,

you've got nothing to fear.

Maybe, maybe not.

Only this time I'm not gonna grovel

like a whipped coward dog, not to you, Munson or anybody.

You want to know where Sherman is...

you're gonna have to turn me loose.

Jess, will you step inside?

I've asked you all in here to hear Greevy's story.

I want everything out in the open.

where there'll be no misunderstandings

about the way I intend to handle things.

Did he tell you where Slim is?

Go ahead.

Not much to tell.

I was riding in from Fort Platte to visit Myra.

Sherman jumped me...

from behind.

I shot him in self defense.

MORT: Easy, Jess.

Where is he?

Well, I was coming in to get help for him when you took me.

Now all of a sudden, I'm up on a robbery charge.

It's a frame-up. I got no intention of holding still for it.

I said, where is he?!

So I've offered to swap

where Sherman is for my being let loose.

Hold it.

Jess! Jess!

Take it easy.

You lay hands on him again and so help me,

I'll cool you off in a cell.

Whose side are you on?

This side!

He's my prisoner, Jess.

He's entitled to my protection.

Sheriff, a couple of minutes ago,

you were ready to sic him on to me.

Why, you were just playing bluff.

I took you at your word.

MORT: Shut up!

Nobody can trust a lawman.

The world's in a sorry mess.

One more word out of you and so help me.

All right. All right.

I'm through talking...

until I'm free and clear of this town.

Let him go, Mort.

I can't do that.

He don't really mean that, Harper.

He's as worried about your friend as you are.

I've got no choice, Jess, you know that.

Don't talk to me about choices, Mort. Just let him go!

I'm holding him on suspicion of robbery.

I'm sorry.You're sorry?

What about Slim out in the middle of God knows where

knowing he's gonna die if help don't come?

I don't like to say it,

but he may already be dead, Jess.

We don't know that.

Munson, you wore that badge once.

Tell Mort what he's doing is wrong.

Mort's got no right under any law

in order to free a robbery suspect, that's up to the court.

Even if it means saving a man's life?

He took his chances like we all did.

He knew a posse was no Sunday social.

I know it's hard but that's the way it is.

You better go on home now, Jess.

I'll notify you if anything new develops.

I'll tell you one thing, Mort.

If Myra Greevy can't make him tell where Slim is,

something will develop.

You can bet on that.

[ lightning cracking ]

Miss Greevy!

Myra!

[ knocking on door ]

It's Jess Harper, I want to talk to you!

Go away.

I've got a shotgun aimed right at that glass.

Myra.

Yes. What do you want?

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you.

Then go away.

Not until you agree to help me with Joel.

There's nothing I can do.

Won't you even try?

Myra, I got to talk to you.

If you don't open this door, I'm gonna break it in.

Go ahead, shoot me.

Just like your brother did Slim.

I'm sorry.

Don't say that.

Ever since Joel got sent away,

people have been telling me how they feel.

Either they think I'm a tramp

or else they feel sorry for me.

"Poor Myra Greevy, isn't it a tragedy

what's become of her?"Stop it.

"Men calling on her in the middle of the night."

"Of course she makes a big display

about sending him packing,

but you know where there's a woman,

a single woman, living alone apart from town,

there's got to be something,

something unwholesome going on."

That's enough, Myra.

Please forgive me. I don't usually lose control of myself.

I think I know how you feel.

Do you?

Do you really?

Look over there.

Table is all set for Joel's homecoming

to celebrate his favorite meal

cooked just the way he likes it.

Even his Sunday boots are polished and waiting.

It's the kind of devotion a sister can have

for a brother,

even after he's shamed her

and humiliated her, smashed her life.

But there is a limit, Mr. Harper.

There's a limit to what I can let Joel do to me.

That's why I'm not going to go with you to that jail tonight or ever.

Not even to save Slim's life?

It's his life or mine, matter of survival,

you might say.

You're not making sense.

I love my brother.

And I hate him.

And if I do get him out of my life this day,

this minute, I'm gonna wither away

into some kind of bitter,

ugly thing that-- that people will

walk across the street to avoid.

Do you understand?

I understand that I'm gonna kill him if he doesn't talk.

I was hoping you could save us all a lot of trouble.

I'm sorry.

You raised your brother, didn't you?

Yes.

Mother died when he was 12.

I reckon it might be fair to say that your influence

shaped the boy into the man.

I always tried to give Joel the proper guidance.

Guidance?

From a wild kid into a thief?

And now into a cold-blooded killer?

If I made mistakes, they weren't intentional.

I don't doubt that.

I can't be held responsible for him forever.

Well, you can be and you are.

Part of him is you.

Part of his guilt, part of everything he is.

And you can never shut him out of your conscience.

It's a waste of time to try.

Wait.

Go out to the shed and hitch up the rig,

I'll get my coat on.

I'm going to the livery stable to get some blankets and another horse.

When I get back here, if your brother

hasn't told you where Slim is, I'll kill him.

You tell him I said that.

Miss Poppers at the restaurant says

she's all out of soup.

She says you and your prisoner

have to have the special of the day.

What is it?

Barbecued ribs.

Oh, how am I gonna chew ribs?

Didn't you tell her I had a sore molar

and I wanted something soft?

Yes, sir, I told her.Well?

Well, she said if you gave up that whisky

and that chewing tobacco, your teeth wouldn't go bad.

Oh, that witter woman.

She's worse than a wife.

[ door opens ]

Adam, come back for that tray later.

Yes, sir.

Jess Harper said that Joel was here.

I could see this place in my nightmares

and Joel in a cell.

And now it's starting again.

I'm truly sorry, ma'am.

I'd like to speak to him please.

Yes, I was just fixing to take him in his supper.

Let me.

Hi, sis.

Like old times.

You bringing me my supper tray.

Remember when I was a sulky kid

and I wouldn't come out of my room.

Ma would let me go hungry

but I could always count on you.

You better eat before it gets cold.

Roast ribs.

Only two plates full?

That won't barely scratch my appetite.

Not bad for bought food.

I bet you had something real special cooked up

for my homecoming tonight...

like chicken and dumplings maybe

or my favorite, roasted venison.

Joel.

Did you gun down Slim Sherman?

Where is he?

You've got to tell.

Well, don't you have any conscience left?

Don't you feel anything?

Did Munson, Stollery or that judge have any conscience

when they sent me off to prison?

You were guilty.

You lied and you stole, and you were guilty.

Well...

I was gonna put the money back.

Joel, when are you gonna stop lying?

You better leave.

When you tell me where Slim Sherman is.

I'll tell...

when I'm free.

If you have any decency, any compassion--

Don't you understand?

They're trying to frame me on a robbery charge.

They want to put me in a cage for the rest of my life.

I'm innocent, Myra.

Are you?

Well, if I robbed that stage,

would I be fool enough to stop back

and leave you a note about me coming to dinner tonight?

Would I come back and get a help

for one of the posse after he bushwhacked me?

Why didn't you stay yesterday instead of leaving me a note?

Oh...

I suddenly had an idea

about going in to Butte City and lookin' up a job.

I thought I'd bring you some good news for a change.

Is that the truth?

You got to believe me, Myra.

I don't have anybody else.

Oh, Joel.

What's happened to us?

Adam, have you seen Greevy's sister?

Well, she left a few minutes ago.

She get her brother to tell?Uh-uh.

Sheriff Corey is talking hard to him right now

but he just won't open up.

Well, he will be before long.

Boy, it's fixing to freeze for sure tonight.

Adam, how'd you like to help Slim?

Well, I sure would, but how?

Well, I'll tell you what you do.

Jess, there's nothing you can do here.

Now go on back to the ranch.

I told you I'd notify you.

JESS: You won't change your mind now?

MORT: I can't. You know that.

If Slim dies, Mort, you'll share the blame

for the rest of your life.

Jess, I'm tired and sick

and I'm just about the end of my patience with you.

Now get out of here and don't come back

till you've got a better grip on yourself than you have now.

All right.

All right, Mort.

But just give me one last chance to talk to him.

You don't even have to let me go in his cell.

I'll leave my gun belt with you.

Please, Mort, please.

Figure it'll snow tonight, Harp?

Listen to me, Greevy.

If I say I believe your story, if I give you my word

that Slim won't press charges for shootin' him--

I'd say you were a liar.

If you're innocent like you say you are,

you got no reason to hold out.

I got 12 lying reasons.

Count 'em.

Look.

I never humbled myself to any man,

but I'm doing it now.

I promise you, I'll get you the best lawyer

in this territory to squelch that robbery charge.

And if I have to whip Slim 12 ways to Sunday

I'll make him forget who shot him.

You're a mighty persuasive talker.

Where is he, Greevy?

Not until I'm on your side of these.

Now talk or so help me or I'll finish you right now!

Jess! Let go off him.

Jess! Jess!

You've gone loco!

It's now or never, Harper.

Sherman's hurt bad.

That much I can tell you.

He'll never make it through the night.

I knew you were my best bet.

Come on. Come on.

First you talk.

First you open the cell.

Step back.

Now where's Slim?

Wind, Wind River Canyon.

...Bird trail...

in the North Wind.

If you're lying you won't find a hole

big enough to hide in, Greevy.

I'll hunt you down and I'll kill you the slowest way I know.

Slim!

Slim!

Slim!

It's me, Jess.

Slim!

Slim! It's me, Jess.

Slim.

[ footsteps approaching ]

You.

Where you been?

Getting a lawyer for your defense.

I actually believed you, Joel.

You always did.

I could always count on you, sis.

Now I can begin to repay you.

We'll go away someplace, tonight.

Sacramento maybe.

And you can open up that lady store

that you always used to dream about.

We're going back to town.

And you're gonna turn yourself in.

After Jess Harper went to all the trouble of springing me?

No more lying, Joel.

No more hurting people.

This is the end for you.

Well.

If that's the way it has to be.

Don't play with me.

Because I'll shoot if I have to.

Well, you'll have to, sis.

Because I'm not going back to prison.

Go on, pull the trigger.

I'm as good as dead any way you look at it.

Don't make me do it.

Quick or slow, coffin or a cage, what's the difference?

Shoot! What are you waiting for?

Sister or no sister,

you ever threaten me again, I'll kill you.

Now just you remember.

You mean nothin' to me.

Less than nothin'.

Ma at least was smart enough to see what I was but you...

you make me sick.

You always have.

Ha!

Put him here on the couch for now.

Is he hurt bad?

Yes, Mike, and you can help.

Clear off the kitchen table and get out my nurse's satchel.Yes, ma'am.

I would have taken him to the doc, Daisy, but the ranch was closer.

No, no, you did the right thing.

Oh, he's lost a lot of blood.

We'll have to get the bullet out ourselves.

You've got to hold him still.I'm trying to, Daisy.

Can't you hurry?

He's getting whiter every minute.

I've got to go deeper.

You've got to hold him still.

Mike, please, you can't help here, please.

With a lot of rest and the Lord willing,

he'll pull through.

Daisy, you're a better doctor

than a lot of men that answer to the name.Oh, no.

But there were times during the war

when a nurse had to do anything, everything.

You don't forget training like that.

[ horses galloping ]

Sheriff Corey and some men are riding in.

They'll be coming after me.

I broke Joel Greevy out of jail, Daisy.

You did what?

It was the only way I could find Slim.

I know you wouldn't have done it unless you felt you had to.

I know I was wrong.

But if it meant saving his life,

I'd be willing to be wrong all the time.

Keep a compress on there, and keep quiet, both of you.

Put that in the kitchen.

Well, good afternoon, sheriff.

Any news?

Have you found Slim yet?

I haven't, no, ma'am, but I have a hunch Jess did.

He broke Greevy out of jail,

nearly fractured my jaw in the process.

Been trying to pick up his trail.

He don't leave too much.

Oh, dear, is there anything I can do to help?

Oh, Mrs. Cooper, if Jess is in there,

you better tell him to come on out.

In here--

Well, if you think I'm hiding him,

you're perfectly welcome to search the house.

Bates, you and Charlie look inside.

Just a moment.

Please, take off those muddy boots.

I don't want my nice clean floor all tracked out.

Never mind, if he is here, his horse will be in the barn.

Take a look.

Don't worry, Jess,

I hid your horse up behind the feed shed

when I saw 'em coming.

How did you know?

Adam Tolliver came by last night.

He was bragging how he helped you.

There was nothing there.

Bates, you wait right here, if he shows up, arrest him.

Right.

Sorry, Mrs. Cooper.

All right. Let's go.

His pulse is good.

Jess, it's beginning to look

as if what you did was more serious than I thought.

Sheriff Corey has no choice.

He'd have to press charges.

Unless I can find Greevy and bring him back.

I might be able to slip out after dark, Daisy.

But even if you did,

how would you track a man at night?

And Joel Greevy will be miles from here.

Heaven knows in what direction.

I know.

Oh, you know, do you?

Mike, ever since that Tolliver boy came by last night,

you've been acting like the cat that swallowed the canary.

What's between you two?

Mike, how did you know not to put Jess's horse in the barn?

Well, Daisy, there are certain things

us menfolk keep from you women,

just as we can keep up the pretense

that we're not petticoat bossed.

Well, next time you want my help, I'll remember that.

Now out you go, both of you.

Mike. Put up your school books.

Time to get washed for supper.

Mike, did you hear me?

Jess, is Mike in he--

Mr. Bates. Yes'm?

I don't hold with guards outside my door,

but neither do I think a man should go without a hot supper

on a cold night like this.

You're welcome to come inside and sit with Mike and me.

Well, I don't know, Miss Cooper.

Oh?

Well, suit yourself.

There's hot apple pie and cheese for dessert.

I hope you like ham hocks.

They're Mike's favorite food,

except of course for rabbit stew and potato salad,

and watermelon and sweet pickles.

Don't stand up formality, please, sit down.

Thank you, ma'am.

Which way did Adam say Greevy was heading?

Up the north fork of the river into Wind Canyon.

He drove Miss Myra's rig and she was with him.

Myra was with him?

That's what Adam said.

Thanks, tiger. Now get this straight.

I want you to stay out of sight till I'm in the clear.

Bates might start shooting. Now you understand?

[ horse galloping ]

I wouldn't go out there, Mr. Bates.

Stand aside, ma'am--If that is Jess riding off,

you'll only have to explain to Sheriff Corey--

I'm warning you!That will be very embarrassing for you.

If on the other hand you didn't see who it was,

then you can truthfully say you didn't see a soul.

Now that would be better.

Why don't you just sit down again and enjoy your supper?

It's a fact, Doan.

Myra and me are gonna turn over a whole new leaf.

Maybe settle down in San Francisco

with our share of the money.

I'm gonna be so respectable folks won't even know me.

Ain't that right, Myra?

You trust her?

She's my sister, my only kin.

If I can't trust her...

[ laughs ] now who could I trust?

Come on, come on.

Let's have the rest of our share.

One rider.

Jess Harper.

How do you know that?

He put a kid on our trail last night,

I made sure he didn't lose us.

You mean you wanted Harper to find us?

I owe him somethin'.

You get over there.

We'll let him come all the way in.

What about her?

You ever see prettier bait?

Now leave it.

It'll still be here when we're finished.

One sound, one move out of you,

it'll be your last, Myra.

Jess!

They'll stare at you, Myra.

And they'll whisper when you walk by.

But tomorrow they won't take so much notice.

One day soon they'll forget.

I can wait.

I'm free for the first time in my life.

About Joel...

I'm sorry.

Don't say that, Jess.

I think I always knew that Joel would die violently some day.

I'm sorry about what we did to you.

Goodbye, Jess.

Well, I'll see you later, Mort.

Just a minute.

We've got some unfinished business.

Oh?

Well, now I can't imagine what.

You know blamed well what.

Well, you're sure all fired grouty,

I can't figure you.

Oh, you can't, huh?

What's the matter, that molar of yours acting up again?

Well, I'll be juttered.

I must have swallowed it when you landed that haymaker on me.

Well, it's better than waiting for the dentist

to come to town.

Dead gum sight cheaper too.

Well, I guess sometimes the ends of justice

can be served in strange ways.

It would appear so, sheriff.

Jess Harper, you'd better get out of here

while I'm still laughing 'cause if I stop

and you're still here,

I'm just liable to jail you and throw away the keys.

Never let it be said that Jess Harper couldn't take a hint.

See you, Mort.

ANNOUNCER: Produced in color

in association with the NBC Television Network.