Original subtitles

[ theme song ]

Whoa.

This ain't the railroad station.

I know it.

This is the saloon.

I know that, too.

Well, if I remember our instructions correctly,

we were supposed to deliver this stuff to the station.

Train ain't due for another hour.

I reckon we got time for a drink.

Yeah, I reckon we got time for two or three.

Beer. Whiskey.

Perdition.

Fire and brimstone.

You movin'?

Not for one solid hour.

Sendin' the judge some more of his stuff.

Oh, yeah. Any news from him?

Whiskey.

Uh, seems kinda sudden--

the judge bein' appointed governor, that is.

Well, they were after him for about a year.

He wasn't sure.

He thought he could talk them out of it. I guess he couldn't.

Well, all right. Why the gloom?

I mean, it's gotta rate an honor bein' governor of Wyoming.

I reckon there's nothin' goin' on at Shiloh the Virginian can't handle.

Beer.

I take it there is something goin' on at Shiloh I haven't heard about.

Yeah.

Well, are you celebrating or havin' a funeral?

A little bit of both, Sheriff.

A little bit of both.

Well, how would you feel

if you were second man on a job for so long

you felt like you were born with it?

And then when the top job opened up,

they brang in somebody else for the job.

That depends on the job.

The job's Shiloh.

Uh, you mean the judge

is bringin' in somebody else to run Shiloh?

Now you got it.

Whiskey.

Who?

What do you do if you're the Virginian?

You feel like you owe a certain amount of loyalty to the ranch.

You feel like you owe a certain amount to the judge.

Then he passes you by and gives somebody else the job.

Who?

Do you go or do you stay?

It'd be a hard decision to make.

Well, I'm askin' you-- who's comin' in to run Shiloh?

Oh, why didn't you say so?

I guess I should have.

Uh, fella named... Morgan Starr.

Who the blazes is Morgan Starr?

That's a fair question. Who's Morgan Starr?

[ cowhands helping ]

[ mooing ]

You can pay or you can turn around

and go back where you came from.

It's all the same to me.

Suppose you tell that to the boss.

You get any orders from me to stop the herd, men?

Those guns are blocking the trail, Mr. Starr.

You're on private property, friend.

Permission to cross revocable at any time,

and I'm revokin' it now.

Last I heard, this was still public land.

You heard wrong, friend.

You wanna move your beef through,

the price is a dollar a head.

I don't suppose you can show any proof of ownership.

You're lookin' at it, friend.

Men... get the herd movin'. Yeah?

Maybe you better get some of that Texas dirt out of your ears, mister.

Any of these people try to interfere, shoot them.

You ever see a herd of tired, jittery cattle stampede?

Wouldn't take much to get them running.

A gunshot ought to do it.

Take a good look at them. They'll be heading your way.

Men, move them up.

One more thing, friend.

[ grunting ]

You have got any legitimate claim, friend,

take it up with the association in Dodge.

MAN: Move them out then! Head them out!

[ mooing ]

[ cowhands yelping ]

I wish you joy of it.

The men paid off?

Every last one of them.

Generous.

You earned it.

Yeah, I guess I did.

You know I'm going to Wyoming?

I heard.

Come along, if you like.

[ chuckles ] No, thanks.

Suit yourself.

That's exactly what I intend to do.

Ahh.

Well, I, uh, wish I could say I'm sorry it's over with, but--

I never promised you'd enjoy it.

No, I guess you didn't.

What's that for?

My drink.

Hello, Morgan.

I had forgotten how pretty you are.

A declaration of love from Morgan Starr.

You wouldn't have come up to say good-bye?

It's over.

Oh, it's more than that.

It's burned out, forgotten.

You don't just finish things,

you wipe them out of your memory.

What is it you want, Melissa?

I guess I want to touch you.

I want you to remember me, as I'll remember you.

I'll remember you.

I don't think you will.

Is there anything at all from the past that you keep with you, Morgan?

Anything at all?

[ sighs ]

A woman, a child.

That was a long time ago. It isn't important.

It's more important than you know.

A man is what he's done, what he's felt,

and what he suffered.

The things a man holds on to

are the bonds that tie his life together.

give it meaning.

Without them, there isn't anything at all.

I don't know what that means.

I'm sorry for you, Morgan.

Oh, is the telegraph office still open?

Yeah, I guess so.

[ whistle blowing ]

[ whistle blows ]

[ brakes squealing ]

Mr. Starr?

You the Virginian?

I thought I'd come down and meet you personally.

I'd appreciate it if you'd see my bags are taken care of.

First three on the rack.

Can't understand the Virginian--

rushin' off to town to cut his own throat.

Wonder how he's feelin' inside.

I reckon it was quite a jolt--

judge passin' him by like that.

You think he'll stay on?

If he don't, who's to blame him?

Not me, and I'll tell ya something else.

If he leaves, a lot of us will follow.

I'll get them.

Uh, you know, watchin' you two,

a fella could get the impression that you'd met before.

Well, how 'bout it, Mack? Have ya?

We've met.

A lot of the judge is in this room.

You're Jennifer.

And you're Mr. Starr.

Welcome to Shiloh.

Thanks.

Judge did a lot of reading, huh?

Yes.

I think I'll have the books taken down and packed away.

If you want any, you better pick them out now.

All right.

I'm surprised he didn't take you with him to Cheyenne.

Oh, we talked about it.

I may join him later, but in the mean time,

he has plenty to do and I'm very happy here.

And you've decided you're going to put up with me, haven't you?

[ chuckles ] Yes.

Why?

Because Uncle Harry wants me to.

Besides, I was a stranger here myself once.

Did you know the judge before you came here?

No.

There is a difference between us. I did.

Did you?

The war.

We served together.

"Together" may be the wrong word.

We fought with each other every day,

until we found a third party we could fight--

the whole Confederate Army,

and when it was over, we went into the cattle business,

found we had plenty of enemies without fighting each other--

wind, frost, drought, famine.

And when they beat us, we split up.

Why did you come here?

The judge asked me to.

It was your choice, too, you know.

A chance to try out my ideas,

the judge's land, my own money.

If they work, we go on together-- partners.

And if they don't?

They will.

[ cowhands yelping ]

Make sure you brand only Shiloh stock.

We ain't likely to make any mistakes at this late date.

[ chuckles ]

I saw a pocket of them up in that draw.

Not sure they're ours, but you might check them out.

All right.

Yo! Wait a minute.

Been lookin' for ya.

Well, I'd say you found me.

Morgan Starr wants to see ya.

Now?

More like a couple hours ago.

Well, tell him I'll see him tonight.

Tell him I'm getting his herd ready for a trail drive.

Not anymore you ain't.

What do you mean?

There ain't gonna be no trail drive,

so says Morgan Starr.

Now the fur's gonna fly.

Come in.

Mr. Starr.

Yes?

You, uh, sent Randy out with an order for me.

That's right.

I wanted to hear it from you-- make sure I got it straight.

I said we're not going ahead with the round-up.

You know, we've been working the hands double time

seven days a week to get the herd ready.

Right now, we've got the jump on every ranch in Wyoming.

If you postpone the drive,

we'll be lucky to catch the tail end of the Cheyenne market.

I'm not postponing the round-up...

I'm calling it off.

Well, that's crazy.

Are you questioning my right to give the order?

I'm questioning the order.

I wonder if you know all the circumstances.

There's $60,000 worth of beef cattle out there.

More than that,

but we're gonna keep them on the range

until we're ready to sell.

When will that be?

I'll tell ya when the time comes.

Well, uh, what about the men, Mr. Starr?

They've been working their heads off

to cut our cattle out for the drive.

You gonna tell them now it's all for nothing?

They'll draw their wages no matter what the work is.

That's not enough, Mr. Starr.

These are the best men there are.

They're the best because they're proud of what they do.

What they give, you can't buy with wages.

Suppose you leave that to me.

I'll raise.

[ coin clinks on table ]

[ sighs ]

How much was that raise?

Keep your eyes on the pot.

Well, I can't keep my eyes on the pot and on my hand at the same time.

The raise was two bits.

I'll call.

Tens and threes.

Huh, no good. Kings over.

Let's see them.

Well, they're right there. Just turn them over.

Show them yourself.

[ chuckles ] Sure.

Kings and nines.

Beats tens, huh?

You sure do a lot of talkin' for a man that ain't playin'.

Well, you do a lot of growlin' for a bear with bad eyes.

Wait a minute!

Hold it!

What's the trouble?

No, no trouble, just a little bear baitin', that's all.

Walker?

No trouble, except I'm givin' notice.

I'm pullin' out of here.

You're quitting?

That's right.

Now look, Walker, I didn't mean--

Ah, it's got nothin' to do with you, Randy.

[ sighs ]

Things just haven't been the same around here since he came.

He?

You know who I mean-- Morgan Starr.

Well, I guess I can't stop ya if that's what you wanna do.

You could... if you had a mind to.

You mind tellin' me how?

There's only one man who should be runnin' Shiloh with the judge away,

and that's you.

[ chuckles ]

Look, I draw my wages just like the rest of ya,

and I do what I'm told.

Who runs this place is up to the judge.

He says it's Morgan Starr.

Runs it into the ground, you mean.

Have you given him a chance?

How long have you worked for the judge, Walker?

Three, four years?

What about you, Belden? Is it eight?

You both ought to know by now the judge never does anything without a good reason.

Whatever you may think of Morgan Starr,

he's the judge's choice.

That's good enough for me.

Whatever I may think of him personally,

I'm gonna ride along with him

till he gives me a reason not to.

I can give you a reason.

I've worked for Morgan Starr,

been on round-ups, drives with him.

Oh, he's hard. He's tough. He's all knuckle!

He's just the way you see him,

and he isn't gonna mellow with time,

if that's why you're thinkin'.

Two years past,

we crossed the Washington River.

Now we could have taken the herd

and moved them down 10 miles and gotten over the crossing,

but that would have taken two extra days,

and that didn't sit well with Morgan Starr.

So we crossed where we were.

We lost two boys-- drowned in the river,

savin' Mr. Starr two days.

You sure about this, Mack?

I'm sure about it.

One of the boys was my son.

Hey!

Good mornin'.

Mornin' to you.

Where ya headed?

Railroad station.

Expectin' someone?

If there's anything I can't stand,

it's a nosey sheriff.

[ chuckles ] Well, you can't blame me.

I mean, the whole valley's wonderin' about you and Starr.

Tell ya the truth, I'm kinda wonderin' myself.

Oh, yeah?

Got a mechanical seeder comin' in on the next freight.

A seeder?

Nosey and deaf, huh?

[ chuckles ] Why? You figurin' on doin' some plantin' down at Shiloh, huh?

Looks that way.

What for?

Cattle feed.

What's the matter with range grass?

Ask Morgan Starr.

All right, I will... when I meet him.

Sheriff, for you.

Thank you.

Well, see ya later, Emmett.

Right.

Here, here. You shouldn't be doin' that.

You should be standing there looking helpless

so some man passing by will stop and give you a hand.

Oh. Well, are you just going to stand there and make jokes,

or are you going to help me?

[ chuckles ]

[ grunts ]

Stockin' up for a siege?

No, it's for the party tonight.

You're still planning on going through with that, huh?

Of course. It's the best way I know to bring Mr. Starr and the ranchers together.

Does he know that's what you had in mind?

Not yet.

Planning on telling him?

Tonight. You'll be there, won't you?

Am I invited?

Of course. You head the list.

Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Well, then you might as well earn your feed.

Come on, help me with the rest of the things.

♪♪

Have you seen him yet?

Yep, saw him the other day over at the north boundary line--

where his place meets mine.

Have anything to say?

Nope.

Man ought to be at his own party.

Yep.

Did you hear about him not movin' his herd out?

Yeah, gonna keep fattenin' on the range.

Buyin' up hay and grains

so he can bring them down when the bad weather sets in.

Keep fattenin'.

Well, he can't keep feedin' them forever.

Nope.

[ chuckles ] When he gets good and ready,

he's gonna rent him some of those fancy Pullman cars

and send those cattle all the way east

on a nice, comfortable train ride.

If he don't go broke buyin' up fodder and seed.

[ laughs ]

Takin' quite a gamble.

Yep.

I think he's crazy, but I'll say this--

if he pulls it off,

bein' crazy's gonna be right fashionable next year.

Yeah.

Fair turkey.

Yeah.

What's this I hear about Shiloh not takin' their herd to market?

That's the way it is, Mr. Wingate.

That's gonna make it kinda hard on the rest of us--

havin' to cut out our own stock

without the Shiloh hands doin' their share.

Now wait a minute.

No one said anything about the Shiloh hands not doin' their share.

Well, as far as I see, nobody said anything either way.

Who's talkin' for Shiloh?

Mr. Starr.

Well, where is he, anyway?

Isn't it about time we've met the guest of honor?

He'll be along any minute, I'm sure.

Mr. Wingate.

Mr. Starr?

Here.

Aren't you well?

I'm fine.

But you're not even dressed for the party.

Well, I forgot.

With all that music?

Is that what that is?

[ chuckles ] Please hurry. They're waiting for you.

Who?

Well, all the ranchers in the valley.

They came especially to meet you.

I wish you hadn't done this, Jenny.

Why? You're going to be working with these people.

Sooner or later, you've got to meet them.

I remember the story about the man

who was offered the job

of the President of the United States,

and he turned it down--

the reason being that it meant doing something one hour a day

and then using up the other 23

explaining to one outraged man or another just why he did it.

That's what's facing me out there.

I don't think it's all that bad.

Oh, now you know they didn't come out here to meet me.

They came to see who it is they're mad at.

It doesn't have to be that way.

How old are you, Jenny?

Nineteen. Why?

My daughter would be your age now.

Where is she?

She died.

And your wife?

Dead, too.

I'm sorry.

Please come out.

Sure.

I'll change.

There's no time for that now.

What you're wearing will be fine.

I'm not used to this.

What?

Having somebody to talk to.

There are lots of people at Shiloh you can talk to.

Who?

The Virginian.

Tell me, Jenny, why is he staying on?

Because he belongs here.

Feeling the way he does?

Do you know how he feels?

Well, I know how any man would feel

if he saw another man brought in

to take over a job that should have been his.

You know how one man would feel--yourself.

[ chuckles ]

I'm not that much different than anybody else.

[ crowd grows louder ]

Mr. Starr.

[ clears throat ]

My name is Riker, Mr. Starr.

Emmett Riker-- the sheriff of Medicine Bow.

Sir. This is Mack Lewis.

He's a federal agriculture agent of the territory of Wyoming.

I'm sorry to interrupt your party, Mr. Starr,

but when the sheriff told me

that all the major ranchers in the valley were here tonight,

I asked him to bring me right out.

What is it?

Locusts.

[ all gasp ]

Millions of them,

moving on a shifting front and heading this way.

Last week, the entire area around Tessler's Junction

was wiped out by locusts.

Right now, as near as we can estimate,

they're about here.

The wind is going to push them right through Timbrook Pass

and then to the South Valley.

They'll be hungry.

They'll be moving fast in the only direction they can...

to right here.

I hear tell they've come this way once before--long time ago.

All right, what do we do?

We're suggesting that you move your stock--

every cow, every horse,

every last living thing that feeds on grass or grain.

Do you know what you're asking?

As far as we can tell, it's the only possible move.

Now if you'll drive your cattle

southeast across Greenstraw Desert,

you'll hit federal grazing land here.

Now the government will allow you to graze your cattle

all this next year,

until your grass comes back.

Mr. Lewis, we're only halfway through our round-up.

It's been a little slower than usual.

Now you're talking about finishing

and driving 20,000 head of cattle

a hundred miles in something like a week's time.

Well, we'd be lucky if half of them reach grazing lands.

If you leave them here, you'll lose them all.

The first sight of locusts,

your herds will panic and stampede.

What's left of them after that will starve to death.

Suppose the wind shifts.

Well, that's a chance that's so slim,

it's not worth considering.

Well, still, it's a chance.

If you wait to see what the wind does--

just one day--

it'll be too late to move your herds.

You can't afford it.

Now you're talking about taking the herds

across the Greenstraw Desert.

That's 50... 60 miles.

What about water?

There are natural wells within the area.

You guarantee enough water for 20,000 head?

I'm guaranteeing nothing.

I can only repeat the facts.

You drive your cattle across Greenstraw,

you've got a chance of saving them.

You keep them here and the wind doesn't change,

you could lose every single head.

Doesn't look like we have much choice.

No, or much time.

I say we go back right now and get the men out,

then we complete our general round-up,

and then we move the herds out, just like Mr. Lewis says.

Not a general round-up.

Shiloh cattle are staying where they are.

What are you saying?

I'm saying Shiloh cattle are staying on the land.

Land? What land? Didn't you hear the man? There won't be any.

That's his opinion, it isn't mine.

Well, don't you believe what happened up at Tessler's Junction?

I believe it. I've seen locusts before.

I know what they can do--

fire, pestilence, drought-- all rolled into one.

Not a leaf, not a blade left standing. I know.

It sounds like you're making a pretty good case for getting out.

I say we stay here and fight them.

Look here. Excuse me. Pardon me.

Timbrook Pass.

Now we dig a fire break between here and there,

and we fill that fire break with timber,

with brush, with leaves--anything.

It'll burn,

and at the right moment, we set a match to it.

What about it, Mr. Lewis?

It's been tried before-- places like India, Persia.

It will work.

It's too much of a gamble.

No, I've got to stick with my original recommendation.

Move your cattle to safety.

Safety?

Dragging them across the desert?

Driving them 100 miles in one week?

Why, these herds are the finest feed cattle in the world.

What do you think they'd be worth

at the end of that safe drive you're talking about?

A slight bit more maybe than if those locusts get through.

How 'bout it, Procter?

You yourself said we'd be lucky if we come through that drive with half a herd.

If we lose half, we still have half.

McDuff?

Well, I've got 35 hands workin' my spread.

Some have wives, some have kids.

If I move my herd out, I can lose half my stock.

I can still lose three-quarters of my herd on a drive,

but I still have something-- a way to keep goin'.

Keep those men earnin' their bread.

But if I lose everything here, what am I gonna tell those men?

All right. Do what you like.

Shiloh cattle stay here.

You mean, don't you, we all stay here?

You know we can't cut out all the Shiloh cattle

in time to make that kind of a drive.

Mr. Starr, you're willin' to gamble Shiloh.

Now that's your business. Maybe it's the judge's business.

But you're forcin' all of us to gamble with you.

Now you've already heard it said clear as day that none of us wants to.

We're askin' ya to change your mind.

We're keepin' the ladies waiting.

Randy!Huh?

Randy, look!

That's no locust, Jennifer. That's just a preying mantis.

Not even a distant cousin to a locust.

Hmm.

Everything set?

Everything's set.

Well, let's get them moving.

All right, men, get movin'! Roll them out!

You talk to them.

Gentlemen.

We'd like to talk to ya.

Go ahead.

Well, we're talkin' for all the ranchers in the valley--

a delegation.

We're askin' you to send a telegram to Judge Garth.

Saying what?

Telling him what happened at the meeting...

and askin' him to give you authority to speak for Shiloh.

You're askin' me to go over Mr. Starr's head?

I watched you at that meeting last night.

You feel just like the rest of us.

Why don't you send the telegram yourselves?

Well now, you know the judge.

He backs his men all the way, but he'll listen to you.

You've known us a long time. You know we wouldn't do this lightly,

and we're none of us fools or crackpots.

Starr will destroy Shiloh and us along with it.

You owe it to the judge to let him know what's goin' on.

I can't do it.

Why? Are you afraid of him? Why do you put up with him?

I think you know why, Procter.

McDuff, you said the judge backs his men all the way.

Works the other way around, too.

The judge sent him here.

I'm backin' him all the way.

Well, do you know what they wanted?

I can guess.

Mr. Starr, you can't push men like those around.

Is that what I'm doing?

I thought I was digging a fire break to fight a horde of locusts.

You're forcing them to take the same gamble.

They can't finish the round-up in time without our men.

You tell me how I can do both--

get miles of firebreak dug in a few days

and cut out 3,000 head of Shiloh cattle.

You so sure your firebreak is gonna work?

Maybe not, but it's my job

to make the decisions and live with the consequences,

and that's just what I'm going to do.

You're wrong, Mr. Starr.

You're like a man sittin' at a poker table,

and everything-- the land, the herds, the people--

they're your chips.

You're puttin' them all up against

that big pot you see in your mind's eye.

But a lot of folks besides yourself

are gonna have to live with the consequences--

the other ranchers and the hands on Shiloh.

They're your people--

your responsibility, whether you like it or not.

You're puttin' them all on the line to back your gamble.

If you go down, you don't go down alone.

You live with that for a while.

They should have done what I said.

What was that?

Fill a couple of these with cold beer.

Man, we would've made a fortune. [ laughs ]

Mr. Starr, we're not gonna have enough kerosene to stretch.

Get some.

Hey, I just told Mr. Starr

we're gonna run short on kerosene.

What did he say?

Well, he said get some.

Well?

Well, I'm goin' to get some.

Bill?

Huh, looks like we're a mite late.

Wonder where Jenkins lives.

We're gonna have to wake him up.

What was it Starr said when you told him we were short on kerosene?

Well, he said get some.

And the Virginian?

Well, him, too.

It's probably in the store room. Let's see.

Let's go.

All right, that's enough.

Move it out and make it fast!

[ horse whinnies and man groans ]

Put your brake on!

Bad?

My ankle-- I can't move it.

All right, men, let's move him over to the buckboard.

Careful with that leg.

All right, the rest of you men get back to work.

If you don't stop pushin' them, there's gonna be more of this.

Some of these men have been on the line for 30 hours.

What's it gonna take to earn them a rest?

There's no time to rest.

We've still got almost half the distance to go.

Starr, you're running the risk of killing some of these men.

Nothing's worth that-- not even Shiloh.

Send the men back to work.

MacMillan!

Mr. Starr.

If you don't call a break, I will.

We'll work till supper time...

then take four hours off,

if that's all right with you.

All right, men, let's get back to work.

Bring that about ten feet.

Get them up. They've gotta go back on the line.

You're crazy, they can't go back now.

They're going to have to.

We got a telegram from Timbrook.

The locusts have just been sighted.

It means they're travelin' faster than anybody thought.

These men are finished.

No man is finished when he thinks he is.

There's always a little more left.

They've already given you that.

Then they'll have to find more!

We put too much into this to quit now.

Every foot of it's cost sweat and blood,

and I'm not gonna let it get lost

because you say a man isn't up to his best.

MR. STARR: Men!

Take an hour.

Eat what's in front of you, sleep if you can,

but in one hour, we go back to work.

We'll make it.

You'll make it, Mr. Starr.

It's all yours, nobody else's.

I wish you joy of it.

If this is too rough for you...

you can always get out.

All right, Mr. Starr.

When this is over-- win, lose, or draw--

I'm out.

Well, we're here.

To help?

Well, it's our only chance to save our herds.

We'd be fools not to.

You want us?

All right, men, let's get at it!

I'll take it.

I'll take it.

[ exhales deeply ]

I'm going back to the ranch. Come with me.

I can't.

Well, you can. You have time before the locusts come.

You need rest and food.

If you're finished, Mr. Starr...

I'm finished.

Jenny.

Yes?

You feel like the rest of them, don't you?

How's that?

That I was wrong-- driving the men like that.

I suppose it depends on what you consider most important--

the land or the people on it.

The people will survive if the land survives.

That sounds very wise.

I hope it's true.

A man won't really put out all he's capable of

unless he's driven to.

There's no limit to what a man can do.

[ chuckles ]

The penalty is that they do not love the man who drives them.

They would have worked as hard for the judge.

They wouldn't have hated him.

Would they?

I don't think the judge would have asked them to do it.

We're different men-- Judge Garth and I.

I can live with a man hating me.

There's one other thing to consider, Mr. Starr--

the Virginian, or the judge,

would have had the other ranchers working with them from the beginning.

Jenny, I think they would have been halfway across

the Greenstraw Desert by this time instead.

Perhaps.

Are you so sure your firebreak's going to work?

We'll know tomorrow.

What's wrong with him, Jenny?

Who?

The Virginian.

Why did the judge pass him by for the top job here?

You just won't see it, will you?

Well, tell me.

Don't you know why he stayed on this far?

Why?

The judge asked him to.

The Virginian would fight the devil himself

if the judge asked him to.

Meaning me.

Meaning no more than what I've said.

It's not too far off at that.

How he must hate me.

Why?

Well, how would any man feel

toward a man who's taken over his job?

You think that's the way it was?

I'm sitting here in this study instead of him.

I think it's time for me to betray a confidence, Mr. Starr.

The Virginian wouldn't want me to tell you this,

but I'm going to anyway.

You were second man, Mr. Starr.

The Virginian was offered the job of head man here, and he turned it down.

Is that true, Jenny?

Gospel.

Well, why would a man turn down top job and stay on as second?

Why don't you ask him?

Ah, much too tired to even think about it.

Nothin' to do now but wait.

Guess that does it.

Yeah, but will it hold them?

We'll know soon enough.

Can't be more than a couple of hours now.

Where's your Morgan Starr?

Don't worry. He wouldn't miss this for the world.

All right, men, take it easy where you are!

Is that you, Jenny?

No, Mr. Starr, it's your avengin' angel.

Today is the day of reckonin'.

If you're wishin' for a gun, Mr. Starr,

I have one,

and one is all we're gonna need between us.

Do you know any reason

I would not be doin' this world a great favor

by pullin' this trigger

[ cocks gun ] here and now?

You're drunk, Noah.

Yes, I've had a bit to drink,

but not enough to spoil my aim.

Can I get up?

Why do you wanna kill me, Noah?

Because you have a clear disregard

for men's lives and for men's feelings,

Because to get what you want,

you'll drive men to their deaths.

Because one of the men you drove to his death

was a boy with high promise-- my son.

You think I was responsible for Tim's death.

I know you were!

No, Noah, youwere.

How much did it take to work yourself up to this, Noah?

A pint? A quart?

I can always tell when you've been drinking.

You get lyrical and very clear in your speech.

I've always admired that trick.

But the trouble is, Tim was the same way.

You gave him love, you gave him a little bit of your... poetry,

but you gave him no strength.

When the going got rough, he had to do what you do--

drink.

Now that river crossing was tough,

but he should have been able to make it,

and the reason he didn't was because he was drunk.

Plain drunk.

Yougave him that.

You make a good case, Mr. Starr,

but there were two men drowned.

The other man was Vince Reed.

He was a good boy.

He went in to save Tim.

Tim pulled him down with him.

You're not tellin' me the truth!

[ door opens ]

See that he's taken care of.

He would have killed you.

[ sighs ]

I know how it feels to lose a child.

Everything in order?

We've done all we can do.

Any late word on the locusts?

They haven't changed their mind, if that's what you mean.

If you're lookin' for conversation, Mr. Starr,

you'll find little of it here.

Give them time.

If your firebreak works, they'll come around.

And you?

I thought it was pretty clear where we stood.

[ locusts buzzing ]

Here they come!

[ all clamoring ]

Pour the kerosene!

Set the fire!

Fire it!

Close it up down there!

Keep that brush coming!

Bring it on!

Bring it on! All you can get!

Close it up down there!

Hey, they're gone!

We did it!

[ cheering ]

We got them!

[ all cheering ]

We did it!

[ cheering continues ]

[ cheering continues ]

[ cheering continues ]

[ cheering continues ]

[ knock at door ]

Come in.

[ door opens ]

I'd, uh... like to do something for the men.

They deserve it.

Oh, they saved Shiloh $60,000 worth of beef.

I figure they're entitled to 25%.

That's a nice bonus.

If the judge objects, it'll come out of my share.

I don't think the judge will object.

I'll give you this--

no one could have done it but you.

Tell me something.

Shoot.

Why does a man-- a good man--

turn down Shiloh?

I guess it's a matter of roots.

Roots?

I need to be free.

If a thing chafes, I have to know I can put it down.

Well, see that the men are told about the bonus.

Aren't you forgetting something?

What?

Win, lose, or draw-- I leave.

[ closes door ]

What would it take to get you to change your mind?

Two words.

Stick around?

That's them.

[ theme song ]