Original subtitles

[ theme music playing ]

Come on, horsy. Come on, horsy.

That's it. Come on, horsy. Back up.

That's the way. Back up, horsy.

Come on, horsy. Come on.

Turn around, turn around.

Come on, horsy. Come on.

whoa.

Mama?

Mama.

Come on in, Timothy.

What do you want?

Uh, good afternoon to you, ma'am.

How much will you take

for one of those fine eatin' chickens?

They're not for eatin'. They're for eggs.

Well, now, do you think we might eat some of those eggs?

Well, no.

But, um...

well, there's bread and molasses.

Oh, that'll be fine, thank you.

I'm much obliged, ma'am.

We'll split some of the kindling for you.

Ha ha!

You gonna feed them, Mama?

Sure. They're strangers, and they're hungry.

A stranger comes to your door and he's hungry, you feed him.

I think they're gonna eat one of the chickens.

Oh, that's nonsense, Timothy.

They'll eat their bread and molasses

and then they'll go.

Isn't it amazing...

how tame those chickens are?

Here you are.

Mmm. That's sweet molasses, ma'am.

Mmm! That's real sweet of you...

for givin' us the sweet molasses, ma'am.

Why don't you fellas just finish up and go?

Oh, yes, indeed.

We'll finish it up as soon as we finish the food.

No, never mind the kindling. Just go.

We're sorry we're so slow, ma'am,

but you done provided us with the best molasses we ever had.

[ chickens clucking ]

What's the matter with you fellas?!

We don't even eat chicken ourselves.

We'd like to use your stove, ma'am.

Don't you dare come in here.

A nice, fat chicken like that ought to get cooked good, ma'am.

That's right.

Timothy, go out that window

and get your papa.

[ glass shatters ]

We don't intend you no harm, ma'am.

We'd just like you to cook up this sweet bird for us.

I won't.

Do you see this knife that Crouch is holdin'?

It's very sharp.

Now, he's gonna take it and kill the bird...

and pluck it...

and cut it up with that very sharp knife.

Now, I'm sure you'll be glad to cook the bird, won't you?

You get out of here--

I'm gonna cut that bird up, ma'am,

and you're gonna cook it!

You filthy hobos-- get out of here!

Please, lad. Please.

You see, ma'am, he's had the taste for chicken

for this past week.

I don't know what he might do

if he's thwarted.

But I think that you'd best make a fine meal.

[ pop ]

[ all laugh ]

Here's to the winner!

Ladies and gentlemen, you attention, please.

Any more money on this game?

Anyone else betting that I can't beat the blacksmith here--

Blackie Blacksmith--

backwards, left-handed,

and with the wrong end of the cue?

If I had any money,

I'd bet on you, Hezekiah.

Thank you, Ev.

All right, excuse me, ladies and gentlemen.

[ applause ]

You're just too smart for your britches.

How come you've had a bet on every shot I've missed,

and you haven't had a bet on the shots I've made?

Well, Hezekiah, old boy, this is my birthday.

And on my birthday, I can't do wrong!

[ all cheer ]

Oh.

Here. Hmm? Hmm.

[ all cheer ]

Can I?Can you what?

Can I ever do wrong on my birthday?

Now, Emmett, you just be careful.

You're gonna lose all your money.

Hmm. Ohh.

Hoo-hoo!

All right, you want to make a bet on this shot?

Hmm.

Yeah. Yes, I would.

$20--you can't make it.

[ people groan ]

You want to bet on my next shot?

That depends. What are you gonna do?

Eight-ball right here in the corner pocket.

And that's, uh... three rails.

[ laughs ] Yeah, I want that one.

50 bucks.

Why not 75?

Or 100?

Want to make it 100?

Mm-hmm.

I'll have to sell my shop to cover it.

But if you're good enough to beat me

with the wrong end of that stick,

I'll sell my shop gladly. If I lose.

No, Hezekiah. I don't want you to sell your shop. Right?

No, no, let's just make it $50,

and you shoe my horses for free...

in perpetuity.

You don't think I know what "in perpetuity" means, do you?

Well, I do. So, it's for "in perpetuity".

Emmett, come on, stop it. You don't even have $50.

Velvet-Rose, you pretty girl-- mind stepping back?

You're keeping me from $50

and horseshoes in perpetuity.

[ kissing and grunting]

[ all cheering ]

Ha ha ha!

I'll pay you the rest next week.

All right! Drinks for everybody!

[ cheering ]

Howdy, ladies.

Papa!

What's bothering you?

Two men came to our house. They killed our chicken.

They came right in the house.

Now they're makin' Mama cook our chicken.

Mama try to stop 'em?

She locked the door. They broke it in.

Emmett!

Emmett!

Trouble at my place.What kind of trouble?

Couple of strangers busted in. Marian's all alone.

All right, I'll get the sheriff.

You stay here with Hezekiah.

Don't you worry about it, Timothy.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Holy God.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

Hold the umbrella over me, will you?

Okay.

Hey, boss.

Hi.

Where do you think you're goin'?

Well, uh...we're lookin' for the surveying party.

For the railroad.

They're surveying for the railroad.

There's no railroad running through here. This is private land.

Oh, well, yes, I know that they're not surveying out here.

They're surveying in-- It's in San Francisco.

Naturally, it isn't really for a railroad.

It's for a trolley car. You know, a cable car.

We're going to work there.

You men have any idea how far it is to San Francisco?

It's west.

Yes, it's a great deal west. We know that.

Of course, you see--

my name is Lightfoot. I'm from New York.

And this is Crouch. He's from Philadelphia.

They call him Crouch 'cause he likes to crouch in a fight.

[ laughs ]

Well...quickest way to San Francisco

is right straight down that road.

Are there any snakes?

Do you think we'll get lost?

There's some snakes,

but you won't get lost if you stay on the road.

Well, thank you, sir, thank you.

I've heard a great deal about your western hospitality,

and I appreciate it greatly.

You'll appreciate it a lot more

if I catch you hangin' around here.

Well, thank you, sir. I'm sorry,

but we can't hang around. We'll have to move along.

Giddyap. Give him a kick.

Who are they? What do they want?

I don't know.

Stay with 'em till the river

and make sure they head straight up it.

Have you seen two men on one horse?

Who are they? What did they do?

Tried to rob Ev's wife. They killed her.

They're just over the ridge.

[ all shouting ]

EV: Those two men-- they killed my wife!

They killed my wife!

What's the matter, Ev? What happened?

They killed my wife.

Those two dirty bums killed my wife!

[ shouting continues ]

All right.

I order you to disperse.

I want this street cleared!

I want this street absolutely clear

for one hour.

And when you cool off and get some sense into your heads,

you can go back to your business.

Just be sure it's your business.

Clear the street.

Let's go home, let's clear out.

Let's go home.

Sheriff, this is--there's been a terrible mistake.

Yeah, sure. In the back.

You see--In the back.

Go on.

All right, you first.

Let's go.

Just settle down. I'm gonna ask you some questions.

Yes, sir.

Name, age,

address of domicile,

and occupation or profession.

We didn't do it. Look, Sheriff,

all we did was steal a horse.

We didn't even go near that house.

I just want your names. I don't want your lies.

But, Sheriff, I swear to you--

the two of us never even saw that woman!

Well, now, Crouch, you know that's not true.

We did see her. The poor lad is frightened.

As a matter of fact, so am I.

But we saw the woman as we was going by the house--

in the window-- but we didn't stop.

And that's right. As a matter of fact,

we went by all the faster.

What's your name?

Who, me?

Yeah, you, with the slippery mouth.

Harry Lightfoot, sir.

Domicile, New York.

Age 39--35.

I'm a member of the Temperance Union,

and on the verge of makin' my third fortune.

And I'm Arnold, sir. Arnold Hudkins--Philadelphia.

Search them, Emmett.

Raise your hands. Face the wall.

Come on, face the wall. Raise your hands.

You'll not find anything on us.

We're from the east.

We don't use guns, even.

We don't even carry a knife.

You see, we didn't kill that woman.

Whoever did that had to have come by after we did.

And that's a fact.

We saw her smiling as we passed.

And you didn't go in the house?

Absolutely not.

Didn't even go up to the door--

may heaven strike me dead on the spot if we did.

I think we got a couple of liars here, Emmett.

Yu can't prove that we went up to that door.

Not even a court could prove that, because we didn't.

Well, you might as well get comfortable.

It'll be about a week before the circuit judge

gets around here for a trial.

And you two are being held for murder.

For murder?We didn't--

I told you it was the Indians!

We didn't kill her!

I'll get the finest lawyer in San Francisco!

[ both continue shouting ]

What do you think?

No doubt they did it.

You got some concrete evidence?

Well, no.

I mean, it sure looks like they did it.

Yeah, it sure does.

Never saw this town so riled up.

Well, everybody likes Ev.

Emmett, maybe you'd better get over to the saloon.

And everybody liked her--

the way she used to sing in a choir.

Fellas would come just to hear her sing in a choir...

and look at her.

A lovely woman. When Ev saw her,

I thought he'd go out of his mind.

Yeah. Go on, get over to the saloon.

You know, in the Bible,

it says something about the unpardonable sin.

I never could figure out what that was.

I'll bet it was something like this.

Emmett, will you get over to the saloon

before the town blows up?

Yeah.

Emmett...you see those bums yet?

Yeah.

They confess?

They deny it?They sure did.

They, uh--

They said some Indians did it.

Liars.

They said there were gonna get a lawyer from San Francisco,

and he'd prove they didn't do it.

They won't live long enough.

I'll hang 'em myself.

And you'll help me.

Emmett, you'll help me.

You'll all-- You'll swear, won't you?

I ask you-- you'll help me, won't you?

We'll help you, Ev. We'll cut 'em in strips for a barbeque.

You'd better calm down. We've got 'em in jail.

The circuit judge is coming down next week.

They'll get what's coming.

Look...

you're all my friends. I need you.

Tonight. They shouldn't live.

They shouldn't live a minute longer!

Take it easy, Ev.

Take it easy?

Take it easy?

You didn't open the door. You didn't see her.

You didn't see her.

I loved her.

You know...

if a woman's pretty, sometimes it makes her mean.

She was so good.

She was so good...

so pretty.

She was such a wonderful mother.

She used to weed the garden and cook.

Man, could she cook and laugh.

She was just always happy.

Never whined.

[ crying ] Even when-- Even when I was sick for a whole year.

Suppose some San Francisco lawyer

comes down here and gets 'em off.

Uh...how could he do that?

Shenanigans. Fancy legal shenanigans can get anybody off.

I'm tellin' you, there are more murderers walkin' the street

than ever got hanged.

What should a decent, law-abiding community do about it?

I'll tell you what they ought to do about it.

They ought to do what San Francisco did in the old days,

what Denver did.

No, no, Hezekiah.

Let's just--Let's cut out all this talk.

Why do you think they had their vigilantes?

Because they needed 'em.

They had so many crooks

and so many crooked judges.

Hezekiah, this isn't the old days.

We've got a good judge coming down here,

and things are gonna work out.

I'm not talkin' about the judge.

I'm talkin' about the law,

and what a tricky lawyer can do with it.

I'm not saying they're gonna get off scot-free,

but do you know what's gonna happen?

Five years. In five years,

they'll be out doing exactly the same thing all over again!

We ought to string those bums up now.

Not tonight. Not tonight--now!

Come on, take it easy.Not tonight!

You can't do that. Everyone has a right to a trial.

They don't have a right to breathe!

That's right. They don't have a right to breathe!

What are we gonna do about it?

Hezekiah, shut up and sit down, will you?

You're just throwing a lighted match on a powder keg.

Just keep quiet.

I've known Ev Clinchy for 11 years.

I knew him in Texas when he was a cowboy,

before he got his guts kicked in.

I helped him get this job in the saloon.

All right, so you knew him.

That doesn't give you the right

to rile all these men up for a necktie party, does it?

I mean, what kind of a town we got here?

Just let me finish.

When you've ridden with a friend like this

through blizzards, through lightning storms,

when he's saved your life, you've saved his life,

and I say this-- when that friend gets hit by a calamity,

then it's up to all of his friends from miles around

to gather and help him.

Yeah, all right, help him.

Go to his house, wash his dishes, take care of his kid,

but help doesn't mean breaking the law, does it?

Man, this town is gonna end up with nothin'

but a bunch of sweet, little old ladies.

Look, I'm not sayin' we're not gonna help Ev.

I'm just sayin' we gotta do it legal.

Look, when I say help, I mean help.

Not just talking from a bunch of tricky lawyers!

Or some deputy that sits by

while the worst criminals the country's even known

just get away free!

He's right! We ought to raise a scaffold

right out there in the street.

Is anybody with me?

No, nobody's with you!

All right!

Time's up.

You can all go about your business now.

But, again, just make sure

you might your own business.

[ indistinct chatter ]

Hey, Emmett.

Let me ask you something.

Suppose you were in the jail one night.

Suppose you see 10 or 20 men riding up,

and you hear me say-- you hear your best friend say...

"Riker, step aside. There's gonna be shooting."

All right, Ev, what are you gettin' at?

Would you step aside or would there be shooting?

You mean, would I hand over the two bums to you?

No, I wouldn't.

Well, then...

you'd shoot it out with your best friends

to protect those two murderous, rotten bums...

that aren't even human?

Would you?

Come on, Emmett. We just want a straight answer. Would you?

Well, Ev, that's a hard question.

You think the sheriff would shoot it out with us?

You think he'd shoot it out?

He sure would. He'd have to.

He couldn't let you take the law into your own hands.

Well, now...

suppose we trick the sheriff and we tied him up tonight.

Now what are you gonna do?

Tonight?

Nobody's gonna do anything tonight.

All right, he's saying just suppose.

Isn't it all right to say "suppose"?

Emmett...suppose we tie the sheriff up tonight.

What would you do?

Come in shootin' at your best friends?

Oh, Ev, Hezekiah, it's all a lot of talk, isn't it?

You can talk about trouble so much,

you can sometimes make it happen. You know what I mean?

So, why don't we just stop talking?

Ev?

Tomorrow Dutchy and I will come out early

so we can clean the house and get things ready for the service.

Thanks.

There isn't anything really to do.

She always kept a very clean house.

She, uh--

She even grew pretty flowers. We could use them.

Yes.

Would you like for us to pick out the hymns?

Yeah.

Yeah, you two girls pick out the hymns.

Looks to me like Emmett's goin' courtin' the lady.

Maybe he won't even be around tonight.

Know what I mean?

Sure.

Sure, I know what you mean.

Boy, this has--

This has been some day.

Well, another day, another dollar.

I wonder how late it is.

You hear a train whistle?

No.

Emmett--Shh. Listen.

No, I don't hear it.

I don't hear it now, either.

Emmett, I don't want you to hear the train whistle.

I don't know what train would be whistling this hour.

I hate train whistles.

Train whistles are like clocks.

Clocks mean people die.

Well, you've gotta have clocks.

You can't have life without clocks.

I think maybe we ought to go back.

I gotta relieve the sheriff tonight.

Emmett?What?

If we kiss and keep kissing and never stop,

there would never be any clocks, would there?

Would there, Emmett?

I don't know.

We can try.

Emmett, can I ask you a question?

I don't mean it has anything to do with you and me.

It's just an impersonal question.

What?

Why don't you get married?

Honest, I'm not talkin' about me.

I'm talkin' about you personally.

Emmett, why don't you?

I--

I just don't feel settled inside.

You think a man has to feel settled inside

before he gets married?

Sometimes I even think I'll...

give up my job.

I think a man gets married--

that helps him get settled inside.

Velvet-Rose, let me tell you something

I never told anyone.

Anyway, what's so good about a man being settled inside?

Maybe a man being unsettled-- that's better.

Never told anyone what?

The sheriff, he's like a father to me, you know.

He got me out of trouble...

and believed in me when no one else did.

I believed in you, Emmett.

Even back home when you were slinging a gun a little.

I knew you'd end up straight.

Yeah, but it isn't the same thing.

It's not just being straight.

You see, it's being straight...

and strong.

There's all kinds of talk around town, Velvet-Rose,

about stringing those two up.

And Ev Clinchy asked me outright--

if they came to the jail to get him,

would I shoot it out to save 'em?

Well, would you?

That's what I don't know. I just don't know

I--I--

That's why I think maybe I ought to quit being deputy.

Because if my best friends come up,

I don't know that I would kill 'em-- or be killed--

just to save two bums that they're gonna hang anyway.

Yet if I don't--

I don't know.

Let's skip it.

Come on, let's go.

Aren't you gonna kiss me again?

If I kiss you again, we won't go.

You sure changed fast.

I'm worried. I don't know what's happening back in town.

You sure spoiled a good cup of coffee, too.

Velvet-Rose, I can't sit out here talkin' all night.

I've gotta go relieve the sheriff.

Is that all life is-- just worrying about your job?

I'm sorry.

I'm going.

Well, I'm not.

And the next time I go walking with a man,

I'll go with a man who'll be so crazy about me,

he won't even know he ever had a job.

Look, Velvet-Rose...

if I knew there was peace back in town,

if I wasn't worried about the sheriff, I--

You could take me in your arms

and I'd forget from here to kingdom come.

After what's happened today,

that's got me bothered.

The sheriff didn't look bothered.

That's right, he didn't.

Because he's really the sheriff.

If he had to-- If he ever had to shoot his friends down...

he'd do it.

But I'm just not that sure, you see.

Now, come on. Come on, Velvet-Rose.

You know how I feel about you.

I just have to get back to the jail.

People are different, you know?

Judge Garth-- he's strong...

like the sheriff. Only, of course, he's educated.

But they both are strong inside.

They got order inside. They got convictions.

You have convictions.

Yeah, but how can I--

how can I shoot my friends for a principle?

Listen, Emmett. When--

I mean, if the time comes,

you'll do the right thing.

I know you will.

We'll never get a fair trial here.

This is the West.

They don't have trials. They got lynchings.

And that mob out there on the street--

they're gonna break in here--

Son of a gun. When I think of...

what I started out west hoping for,

I had the crazy idea that life would be better out here.

I thought maybe I'd be better.

Now I'm worse, and we're gonna swing.

All right, come on.

Don't panic, baby boy.

We'll just use that knife of yours.

Get back.

Sheriff?

Sheriff?

Sheriff!

Sheriff!

Go to sleep! It's late!

We want to confess.

We were there when that lady was killed.

We did it!

Just a minute. I'll be there.

Don't stand close.

We want him to come up to the bar.

All right.

What's this about a confession?

We can't stand it anymore, Sheriff.

Let's hear your confession, then.

We've gotta get out of here tonight.

They're gonna burn this place down.

You gonna make a confession, or aren't you?

Yes, yes, yes.

But I want to start from the beginning.

You see, I've got other crimes to confess.

There was this... policeman in New York.

We had a gang on the docks

who were stealing from the ships.

Well, one night, this policeman come across us.

Let's just hear about this crime first.

Then we'll get to the others.

But I want you to know

that policeman wasn't my fault.

But that's the time I started running.

I ran out to the Indian territory in Oklahoma.

I had to desert... my poor wife.

And my two young ones.

And then I went to...

Chicago.

And I met my fine friend Crouch.

Come on, now, Crouch. Don't you fret.

It's better we'll tell it all. You'll have your turn.

Our hearts will feel better for it if you tell it all.

And the sheriff is a fine, kind man.

He'll see that we're protected from the violence.

All right, come on.

What happened with Mrs. Clinchy?

Oh.

[ crying ] That poor, sweet, unfortunate lady.

Sheriff... do you have a smoke?

Never mind the smoke. What happened with Mrs. Clinchy?

Well...

we were walkin' by her house,

and I saw her sweet face in the window.

And we were fair out of our minds with hunger.

And she said-- darlin' lady that she is--

she said, "Come in, gentlemen, have some chicken."

So, we both came in there.

I just don't know what happened, Sheriff.

I know I must've started it myself...

knowing the kind of man that I am.

All my life, I've been a liar

and a rotter.

I even lied to you about my name.

It ain't Lightwood at all.

It's Lachynllat.

How do you spell it?

L-a-c-h-y-n-l-l-a-t.

What?!

I can't see if I'm doin' it right

until I see it on the paper, Sheriff.

Let me put it down for you.

You'd better.

Crouch, get the knife!

Aah!

There we go. It's up here.

Is it there?No.

Look in the back pocket.

The side pocket!

Why, you dirty, lousy,

treacherous bum! You bum!

He doesn't have the key on him at all!

Get rid of the knife.

Not there! Out there!

Throw it!

What'd you have to go and kill him for?

Let me check with the sheriff,

and then I'll walk you home.

Sheriff?

Help! Help! Back here! Help!

Hurry! Quick! Deputy!

Deputy--

Brannon?

Brannon?

There were some drunks that come in here.

They were after us. One of them must have seen you comin',

because that's what saved our lives.

He went out the back not a minute ago, Deputy.

Him seeing you--that's what saved our lives.

Sheriff?

LIGHTFOOT: It was a couple of big fellas.

One of them had bushy hair.

The other one was very dark-complected.

I think they was a couple of Indians.

That poor man--he died tryin' to protect us.

We tried to help him, but what could we do?

We're locked in.

We just had to stand by helpless

while they took that knife and--

and they killed that poor man with it.

Then they ran out. They went out the back--

Shut up.

Shut up!

What? We didn't hurt him nothin'.

Shut up!

Will you-- You coward, you!

I'm gonna do you a favor, Lightfoot.

I'm gonna make it real simple for you.

One shot apiece.

Because when the town hears about this--

on top of killing the woman--

now the sheriff--

they'll pull you apart with horses.

They'll cook you over a fire, Lightfoot.

Who wants it first?

Now, you can't!

Will you stand up like a man?!

You can't do that! You're the sheriff!

And the whole town will know.

No, I'm not doin' it. And the town won't know.

Because it's those two Indians

that killed the sheriff, Lightfoot.

Indians.

Emmett! What are you doing?!

Emmett, have you gone crazy?! Stop it!

Come on, get out of here!

He was the finest man I ever knew.

He was like a father to me.

And they killed him.

They killed him!

All right, maybe they did.

They did.

Listen to me, Emmett. Listen to me!

Get some sense into your head!

Listen!

You're the sheriff now. You're the real sheriff.

So act like one.

Better get the undertaker.

There'll be two funerals tomorrow.

♪♪

Judge Garth?

Excuse me. Can I say something? Of course.

I wouldn't bother you now,

but I'm just afraid something's gonna happen

after the funeral.

Emmett's the sheriff now, you see.

And I'm just afraid there's gonna be a mess.

Maybe it won't happen till tonight,

but it's sure to happen before tomorrow.

Judge Garth, do you know what I mean?

I think I do.

After the funeral,

would you talk with Emmett?

Excuse me.

You hear anything about some trouble after the funeral?

Well, sir, there's been some talk.

How much talk?

Some of the men are saying, uh..

the only way to get justice is to lynch those two men.

Saying, suppose the men get off.

Why do they think justice won't be done?

I don't think they're thinking, Judge.

I'll talk to Emmett after the funeral.

Oh, thank you, Judge.

He respects you so much.

Those drummers drum real good.

That's hard to do, you know.

Oh, Ev, you're not gonna work today.

It's better if I work.

At a time like this, you gotta keep your mind busy.

What can I do?

Whiskey?

Go home and sit on... an empty bed?

Yeah, I know.

I'm a widower, too, Ev.

I lost my wife about 19 years ago,

comin' out here.

You ever hear of the Tompkins Massacre?

That's when I lost her.

She was such a fine woman.

You know what kept me from goin 'out of my mind

mourning over her?

I didn't give myself time.

You hear me, Ev?

Did you hear me, Ev? I didn't give myself time.

You see...

I saw her killed.

I saw the Indian that did it.

And even with that wagon train half wiped out,

I set out and I tracked him.

Are you listening, Ev?

I'm tellin' you how you can break out of this.

I tracked him.

It took me three months.

I waited, and I waited, and I watched.

See, he had a scar right here on his left cheek.

One day--

You see, I didn't go on with the wagon train.

I settled down in a nearby town,

and I just went hunting.

Well, you know Indians.

They got a set pattern. It's like a deer run.

What I'm sayin' is,

the only way I kept my sanity

was to keep seeing that Indian in my mind's eye,

and his face when I killed him.

Ev, you can't take something like this just lyin' down.

I couldn't have gone on livin'

if I didn't kill him with my own hands.

Kill him. And I did.

And I'm tellin' you I found peace.

I'm at peace now. I'm at ease with the world.

Ev, a man can't keep something like this inside of him

without just goin' out of his mind.

Ev, I'm tellin' you, you've gotta find peace.

Hez, I--

I think I've seen enough bloodshed.

All I'm tellin' you is that you've got friends.

We're not gonna stand by and watch some lawyer's tricks

cheat you out of your peace.

They're waitin' there-- right now--all of 'em.

Just waitin' for you to say the word.

And we'll go down to that jail, and you'll have peace.

You know what I mean?

Yeah. Sure.

I know what you mean, Hez.

I suppose you think this is a hellish poor time

for me to take a drink in this office--

when the wife of a good friend was murdered,

the man I respected most in all this world was murdered.

Is there anything I can do?

About what?

Well, there's been some talk in town--

lynch talk.

Could be it's all talk, Judge.

People are full of grief now.

They're hot, they're angry.

Hot and angry,

and anxious to take the law into their own hands.

Well, I don't agree with that.

But I do agree about those two in there.

They're the most rotten, vicious animals that ever lived.

Emmett, we don't even know if these men are criminals.

There's been no trial, no jury, no judgment.

In the meantime, it's your duty to guard them with your life.

I know that.

I've seen towns without law and order.

Don't worry about it, Judge. I'm the sheriff,

and I'll be the sheriff.

My prisoners will be protected.

Would you want the Virginian or me

to stand by with you here tonight?

No.

Thanks.

I'll stick it out.

Who is it?

Velvet-Rose.

You didn't have to bring my supper.

You shouldn't even be here.

I got some ham, some tongue,

some sliced brisket of beef.

And Dutchy even went home for some watermelon pickles.

I've even got linen napkins.

Go on, sit down.

Tuck it in.

Isn't this something?

We had a picnic yesterday.

We're having another picnic today.

Honey?

I hate to keep talking about marriage, but...

But what?

But if we were married,

and if we were sitting down to a meal together,

we'd say grace, wouldn't we?

Yeah.

I guess we would.

Well...

even if people aren't married...

it's all right for them to say grace, isn't it?

Yeah, I guess it is.

[ clatter ]

Dear Father,

we thank you for this food.

Bless this food to our use.

Bless Emmett in his new job.

Amen.

HEZEKIAH: Ryker!

Ryker!

Ryker!

Ryker, we're gonna blow the wall in.

We're doin' it so you can save face.

You can say you were just overwhelmed.

I warn you, Hezekiah-- and all of you--

you try that...

I'm gonna start shootin'.

Are you really gonna shoot your friends?

I got three shotguns loaded inside.

I'm gonna shoot any man--

any man that tries to take my prisoners.

Emmett, one shot out of you,

and a dozen men will cut you down.

Don't you start tryin' to play the sheriff.

You're not a sheriff, just a dumb cowpoke like the rest of us.

Don't spit on that tin badge and try to rub it shiny.

Five minutes!

You got five minutes to get out an on your way

like a nice little jackrabbit that wants to stay alive.

All right.

Let's start with some of those watermelon pickles.

You're not gonna stay here--

Of course I'm gonna stay. It's my job.

What do you want me to do-- got out the front door and run like a rabbit?

Why can't you move the prisoners? What?

Move them to Laramie, where there's a bigger jail,

where there's soldiers.

Yeah, that's running, too.

Listen... go out the back.

Take Peterson's delivery wagon-- that's covered.

You can put them in there and nobody will know.

That's still runnin'.

By the time they find out,

you'll be on your way to Laramie.

They'd catch us.

You could get help someplace.

Judge Garth's place is on the way to Laramie.

You could go there. His men would help you.

He doesn't have any men. They're all up north on the drive.

Emmett, please.

It's still safer than here.

Emmett, I don't want you hurt. It's only sensible.

Oh, Emmett, I love you so much.

All right. You hitch up the wagon,

I'll get the prisoners out.

Listen!

I'm still thinking it over!

Can you give me 15 minutes to think it over?

That's not much, is it?

Good idea for you, too.

'Cause I'll get five of you before you ever get me.

All right, you got 15 minutes!

Hyah! Hyah!

Hey, Ryker!

Hey, that's my van! What are you doin'?!

Ryker! You got till 4:30!

Then we're lightin' those fuses!

All right, let's get ready.

Hey, men! Men!

Ryker just took my van!

He drove out the bank, and I seen him turn into the Laramie Road!

Let's get after him!

All right, move it!

[ gunshots ]

Whoa!

Whoa!

They were gonna dynamite the jail,

so I decided to move the prisoners.

I was taking them to Laramie.

These prisoners are being transferred to Laramie.

They're not going to Laramie, Judge.

We're gonna string 'em up right here and now.

Come on, Judge. Get out of the way.

We want to take those prisoners.

You'll have to shoot me first.

Is that what you want, Clinchy?

Hezekiah, I saw you in church last Sunday.

Why don't you all go on home?

Is this the kind of life we came out here to build?

JUDGE: Go on home.

All right, Judge.

But we're gonna hang those bums before morning.

If they're not off your ranch in an hour,

you're just gonna have to shoot it out.

I thought you were gonna stay at the jail and stick it out.

Yeah, I was.

They were fixin' to lay siege.

They had dynamite all along the front of the jail, so I--

I guess I ran.

Ran?

Or did you move the prisoners for their own safety?

I don't know. I guess it was both.

What are you gonna do now?

Could I have the Virginian and a couple of hands?

We'll try to make it to Laramie.

You'll never make it. They'll be on the road waiting for you.

What about this?

One of the hands drives the fan empty

and sets off down the road to Laramie.

Emmett and I take the prisoners and go in another direction.

Where?

We could go to Silver Junction.

We could catch a stagecoach there,

end up in Laramie in just the same.

Is that what you want to do?

The only thing I can do, I guess.

Ben, saddle us four horses.

Jerry, you drive the van. Come out of there!

Come on, come on.

[ indistinct chatter ]

You're troubled. What's the matter?

I ran!

Then you stood here, and you faced them, and they left.

And I ran, Judge.

I ran, and they chased me.

You moved the prisoners for their own protection.

Sheriff, Brannon wouldn't have moved them.

No, maybe he wouldn't have.

Maybe he would've thought it was...

knuckling under to the mob.

Yeah, well--

Do you think it is?

I mean, I-- I could stand up to--

I could shoot it out with 20 hard cases.

But these men are my friends. I know them.

And I like 'em, and I talk with 'me,

and I drink beer with 'em.

You understand that?

You'd better get going. They'll be coming back.

What do you think I should do?

Sheriff...

you do what you think is right.

Well, I'm gonna take 'em to Laramie.

I'm gonna put 'em on the stage...

and we're going to Laramie.

Giddyap! Hyah!

[ gunshots ]

[ shouting ]

It's empty.Where are they?

You mean they ain't there?

All right, smart boy.

We'll find 'em. Let's go!

Well, they ought to be safe in Laramie by morning.

Yeah.

Only I'm not going.

I've been goin' down the road to Laramie...

long enough.

What's that mean?

I'm gonna take the prisoners back to town

and do what I should've done in the first place.

We go to all this trouble to get you safe on the road to Laramie,

and now you want to go stickin' your neck out.

I don't want to, mister.

Either I'm gonna be sheriff of that town or I'm not.

Come on, don't be crazy.

Don't stop the coach. I'm not gettin' on it.

You have to get on it.

The devil I do. If that town

can push the law around the first day I'm in office,

they can push it around from here to doomsday.

You can still stop it.

I'm goin' back.

You don't have to do that. No one expects you to.

I expect myself to.

All right.

We're goin' back to Medicine Bow.

But we'll be killed.

They'll kill us.

That may be.

A lot of people could be killed.

I hope not.

I'm gonna do everything I can

to prevent it.

We're goin' back.

Thanks for helping me.

This is as far as I want help.

The rest of the way, I want to do it by myself.

Let me ask you fellas a question.

Who's the sheriff around here?

You are, Emmett.

And a smart one.

Smart enough not to throw your weight around.

Which is why I came back, Hezekiah.

Because I'm gonna throw my weight.

You see who came back with me?

Two prisoners are comin' back to town

that never should've left,

and I'm gonna put 'em back in jail.

And they're gonna stand trial.

You want to reach for your gun, Ev,

and, Ernie, if you want to reach for your gun,

Hezekiah, if you want to reach--

you go right ahead.

But just let me say this.

The first one I see startin' trouble will be a dead man.

Because I decided what's the difference...

if you let a bad man push you into doin' wrong.

Or if you let your best friend push you--

you're still wrong.

If there's no law and order in this town tonight,

then there never will be.

There never will be.

You see what I mean, Ev?

Ev, two wrongs don't make a right, do they?

Do they, Ev?

I guess not.

But that's not really the point with me. It's you.

I never shot a friend before.

And I don't aim to start now.

Anyone care to join me for a drink?

On me.

Whiskey, Dutchy.

What happened?

Emmett just decided he wasn't goin' down the Laramie Road.

I'm buyin', Dutchy.

Here's to our new sheriff, boys.

I think he's gonna be all right.