Original subtitles

[ theme music playing ]

[ gunshot ]

[ chuckles ]

And that's that.

Well, what about if he ain't dead?

He soon will be.

You want me to make sure?No.

Give him a chance to think while he's bleeding to death.

Let him watch the buzzards come down looking at him and waiting.

Too bad he won't bring any wolves around.

Come on, boys.

Now we can take our own sweet time.

[ groans ]

[ panting ]

You...

ain't...

[ British accent ] You ain't him.

Get you a doctor, and you might make it.

What do you mean, "might"?

Direct-hit cannonball might kill Johnny Moon.

Not far, but you got a rough ride ahead.

Rough, my foot.

Hey, my horses. I can't leave my horses.

Mine knows every chuckhole and rock. I'll ride yours in.

Mitts off my pack.

Nobody touches my pack. Nobody, do you hear?

Never--never stop!

You can't--can't kill me!

[ moans ]

Found it.

Get that cloth between his teeth.

Hold him down.

Here we go.

All right, you're at Shiloh Ranch.

We found a bullet and we're getting it out.

[ Johnny groaning ]

Bite hard and hold on. Hold on!

[ moaning ]

There.

Can't kill me! Can't!

I'm beginning to believe that.

Another heathen converted.

[ moans ]

Jimmy, can I see you for a minute?

Elizabeth, keep compresses on against the bleeding.

[ moans ]

Hello, love.

No talking now.

Right. Right.

Save my strength, huh?

I don't have to tell either one of you

what a wound like that can do to a man's whole system.

Then it doesn't look good.

Still, he's young.

Getting to that slug was like going through steel.

You know who he is, where he's from?

Not yet. Sounds English, though.

You heard him-- "Can't kill me."

If he has an ace in his hand, that's it--

the will to live.

Unless he was out of his head, all that talk about murderers--

ELIZABETH: Johnny, stop it! Stop it!

JOHNNY: Spotted Pony!

[ grunting ]

[ yelling ]

Slaughter--slaughter--

Slaughterhouse!

[ yelling ]

Stacey, get something to tie him down with.

[ yells ]

Underestimated my strength, didn't you, mate?

For a man who might not make it through the night--

You yap about dying.

When you was a tyke...

you never thought maybe there was something special,

something in your blood,

so that you wouldn't never die?

I suppose you've got it, huh?

Well, maybe not, mate.

But if I ain't, I'll have a go at it.

Ha.

Ropes, eh?

And enough blokes to fill Piccadilly Circus.

How's a bloke to get some rest around here?

This'll help--That ain't Scotch whisky there, mate, forget it.

I think we might have some of that.

Yeah? Please.

Patients ain't the only boozers, eh?

Mm.

Oh.

[ sighs ]

I don't feel so good all of a sudden.

Sleep.

Let Mrs. Moon's little boy get some sleep.

I tried to be as easy with him as I could.

His heart's beating like a sledgehammer.

All right, Mrs. Moon's little boy, have your sleep.

Tomorrow we'll try to find out who you are.

Oh, no. Have I got to?

Six more. You want to be strong, don't you?

Old mum all over again.

Old mum sat up with you all night.

Did she now?

You know, Liz girl,

if you weren't feeding me this glue, I could love you.

Where you from, Johnny?

Old mum--high priestess of witchcraft, she was.

Towel around your neck for warts,

tossing salt over her shoulder like a blizzard.

And tea--she didn't drink tea for the tea.

It was so she could read the leaves after she got done with it.

I say London. Am I right?

Right as the mail, mate.

♪ In London town where I was born ♪

♪ There was a fair maid

No? Well, so much for my musical career.

Yes, sir, Cockney born and bred.

You know what a real Cockney is, don't you?

You gotta be born within hearing of the Bow Bells in the East End.

And could you hear them?Hear 'em?

Sometimes they'd bong,

cups would jump off their saucers and my dad's teeth fell out.

What brings you out this way?

Well, first of all, I gotta tell you

how it was for me and my mates over there.

Schooling's hard to come by.

Well, when you're reading books, you're not bringing in no wages, see.

So it's the factory or the mill, 6:00 to 6:00.

Don't get me wrong, mate.

I love London, I do,

but, you know, out here I got a chance to change my life.

Someone almost ended it for you.

Oh. Oh, that, yeah.

You got any idea who it was that shot you?

If you don't mind, guv, it's a private matter.

Hey, look at that!

What?

[ bird cawing ]

You don't see the bird?

It's just a crow.

Huh.

Well, just a crow.

Fly away, my black beauty, before they get you, love! Go on!

You know what some people do, don't you?Shoot 'em?

Oh, no. That's natural.

"Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie."

No, I mean about crows being so smart.

Come along-- come along with a razor,

and...slit their tongues.

Do you know why?

So as to make 'em able to talk better,

like human beings.

You know, like we're the grandest things ever walked on God's green earth.

You don't think much of people.

Some.

Some I love with all my heart.

Others...

Well, now...

Wouldn't I like to take a nice sharp razor,

slit some tongues...

see what sounds would come out.

Is he mine, Joe?

Take him.

That's a bull's-eye, Sammyjay. Never knew what hit him.

Hey, I learned all I know from you, Joe.

Hey, too bad we ain't got no strychnine.

That bullet hole.So what?

Put a patch on it, brush it over-- who'll know the difference?

I'm asking you, who's gonna be able to spot

one little old measly bullet hole

in over 500 hides?

[ laughing ]

So my mate Nipper Ross says, "I'll stand you a drink."

And I says, "Listen, Nipper, love, you will stand me two drinks.

And I know you've been robbing the church boxes."

[ laughter ]

This Nipper Ross never had much money, did he?

JOHNNY: 16 in the family.16?!

Not including the dog. Weighed nine stone, that dog did.

He used to walk two feet in the curb and two in the gutter.

Just too stupid to get all four on the same level.

Would you believe that?

[ laughter ]

Oh, not much money, you ask.

Well, I'm here to tell you

that they were so hungry in that house,

his mum used to have to have to count the kids after every meal.

[ laughter ]

So, you're all dying to know about Nipper Ross, are you?

Yes, tell us what happened.

Oh, well, better not, eh? Mixed company.

THE VIRGINIAN: Oh, you can always put your fingers in your ears.

Or you can, uh, wait outside.

Oh, no, it ain't that bad.

And I do respect your feelings, Elizabeth.

Well, about Nipper.

He had these terrible nightmares, see?

Used to wake up dreaming he'd got a job.

So with one thing and another,

he took in his mind to become a pugilist.

He was pretty small for a prizefighter, wasn't he?

No bigger than a mosquito.

But he figured the other bloke would take pity on him.

Was he any good?

My sister Rose used to

knock him for skittles with one swipe.

Anyway, he talked himself into this fight, see.

And we're all around the ringside,

and he comes down the aisle there, prancing down the aisle,

little Nipper, wearing this robe, you know,

that he'd pinched on Portobello Road.

And we set up a racket that would raise the dead.

Then the other fellow comes in, you know, big fellow like this,

looking like something had broke its bars at the Whipsnade Zoo.

And Nipper sort of faints away a bit, you know.

And I stand up and I shout, "Chin up, Nip!

We'll see that you get a Christian burial."

But what that did to him, you see, it roused him up.

He was a gamecock, you see.

And he starts dancing around, you know,

fancy like that, you know, sticking his tongue out at me.

And then the announcer bawls out,

"In this corner, weighing 8 stone 6--"

his dog weighed more.

[ laughter ]

"Making his debut as a pugilist,

I give you the Cockney Killer, Nipper Ross."

And he takes off his robe,

and he'd forgot his ruddy bloomers!

[ laughter ]

He--He--He was...

Yeah, just 8 stone 6 of pure Nipper.

And it got worse, too.Worse?

Oh, it was bad enough just standing there listening to the roaring of the crowd.

Well, he comes to his senses, rushes back to his corner,

picks up the water bucket, and puts it over his head!

[ laughing ]

Ah, little Nipper.

Tried to get him to come with me, but...

His one moment of glory.

I hear it's the factory for him now.

6:00 to 6:00,

pub weekends,

game of darts.

Maybe now and again thinking about his mate Johnny Moon.

I'll see to the dishes.

Well, Johnny, you've been with us almost a couple of weeks now.

We're gonna hate to see you go.

No more than it is for me to leave.

There's no need to, you know.What do you mean?

I've seen you-- the minute you were on your feet,

the way you went to your horses.

You seemed more concerned with them than yourself.

They're good creatures, both of them.

We can use a man that knows horses.

Would you really wanna take me on?

If he hadn't asked you, I would have.

What do you say, Johnny?

No special privileges, a hard winter,

but, uh, not the factory with Nipper Ross.

Wow, I...

I don't know what to say.

Except no.

I mean, my mum thanks you,

my dad thanks you, and I thank you, but...

I gotta be on my way.

And just what way is that?

Good supper.

I thank you for that, too.

That was a pretty quick refusal.

What happened?

Nothing, Elizabeth.

Johnny just turned down an offer of a job.

Well, that's his right, isn't it?Yeah.

No questions asked.

Did he say when he was leaving?

He'll, uh, probably tell us when he rides by on his way out.

If he lets us know at all.

What you thinking about, Joe?

St. Louis.

Yes, sir, a haircut, shave,

and the best hotel.

Yeah, and maybe a little Evie, too.

[ laughs ]

It had crossed my mind.

Well, I'm thinking about our friend back there.

What about him?

If he didn't die.

What are you talking about? You saw.

Knocked him off that horse like lightning hit him.

Bet there's a lot of buzzards back there

too fat to fly.

Hope so.

Hope so.

Stop worrying, will you?

One more dead foreigner, that's it.

He didn't have no business here

in these United States of America in the first place.

Come on now, let's turn in.

We gotta get rolling come sunup if we wanna be rich.

And I mean to be.

Joseph James Hogan.

"Bull's-eyes and targets,"

says the bells of St. Margaret's.

"When will you pay me?"

say the bells of Old Bailey.

"When I grow rich,"

say the bells of Shoreditch.

"Pray, when will that be?"

says the bells at Stepney.

"I'm sure I don't know,"

say the great bells of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed...

And here comes a chopper

to chop off your head.

Morning, Mr. Moon.

We missed you at breakfast.

Morning, love.

Sorry for missing the table,

but I slept so hard, my glimmers got stuck together.

By the time I got them open, it was too late.

Did I miss another pot of your delicious glue?

I'm afraid so.

There was no offense calling it glue, love.

It's been called worse.

But nobody's died yet, right?Not yet.

About last night...

Huh? What about it, love?

When Stacey offered you the job.

I'm sorry about that.

Bit rude I was, but my long suit

ain't being a charming Fancy Dan.

Here, I ain't never had a grand tour of the digs.

Of course you haven't. Let's go.

Thank you.

And whoever it was made doves stand for peace just didn't know the ruddy birds.

Those doves is about the most murderous creatures you ever seen.

Doves?Oh, yeah.

Them snowy white creatures does a lot of cooing.

Except when one of them gets hurt, Liz girl, the cooing stops.

You know what they do?

They gang up on the one that's hurt

and they skin it alive.

Now, on the other hand, you take what people call cruel--

wolves.

Well, I think people just stay at home

and, you know, think up these things.

'Cause you want something noble, it's a wolf.

Wolves are noble? I don't believe it.

You don't have to, except it's true.

I'd rather have a wolf for a friend

than a lot of so-called human beings.

You'd rather have a savage animal for a friend?

Savage animal, is he?

Well, you just listen to this, Liz girl.

In the first place he's a family man--

mates for life, no running around

like your so-called sophisticated people do.

And what happens when the whole pack's

got its belly sticking to its backbone with hunger

and they spot a herd of deer or buffalo?

Every man for himself?

Not on your life.

Teamwork, that's what.

They cut out one of the herd

and set up relay stations.

And the first one runs the buffalo hard

till the second team takes over, fresh as a daisy.

And then the second runs it to the third.

Now the buffalo's getting a bit tired by now,

but there's still the fourth and fifth group.

Well, finally the buffalo can't run no further

and he takes his stand, and they hamstring him down.

But it ain't all over yet,

because they wait for the first team to catch up.

That's ruddy good manners, I say.

Ruddy bloodthirsty, I'd say.

Would you now?

Well, let me give you a last example

of your bloodthirsty wolves.

None better than two male brutes fighting, eh?

Oh, they go at it like the end of the earth all right,

but by and by, one realizes he doesn't stand a chance.

So what does he do?

He lies down

and he offers up his throat to be cut.

And the winner stands over him there

with those big white choppers half an inch away from his throat.

And the one that's down there freezes.

And the winner stands over him, panting,

holding him there, making him eat crow

while all the rest of the pack look on.

And then, ever so slowly,

he backs away, see,

a step at a time, not blinking,

keeping his eyes on that poor throat.

And he gets maybe ten steps back,

and the one that's down twitches,

and it's right back over the throat with the teeth.

And the one that's down freezes.

And then backing off again,

step by step.

And then the winner turns, trots off.

And the loser gets up and goes back to the pack.

He fought a good fight, he did.

That's an end of it-- got beat fair and square.

There's no more shaming him.

Neither him nor the bloke he fought ever grudge each other.

How do you know all these things?

Been here for two years.

You don't shut your eyes, you see a lot.

That first morning, remember?

You looked out the window and told us to look.

And I did.

And I didn't see anything.

And right there,

right before my eyes,

in that tree.

Ain't nothing unusual about that, love.

You take things for granted, that's all.

You know when you was a child

how slow time went?

That's 'cause every day you're up to the gills with something new.

You get older, things ain't new any longer.

Time goes faster.

[ gunshot ]

One shot, and you come running like it's a bank robbery.

Why?

Why a crow?

What are you doing?

The brush--coyote.

Rattlesnake, maybe.

They gotta live, too, you know.

Did you have to, mate?

What is this? A crow!

You're looking at me like I murdered somebody.

You did.Yeah, a crow!

A grain-stealing, egg-sucking, no-good--

A wonderful, beautiful black bird,

fly like an angel.

[ laughs ]

An angel?

Wait'll I tell the boys at the bunkhouse--

Not for me, mate. For the living creature you killed.

Reckon getting shot and that fever touched your head some.

No change that I noted.

All I gotta say is you get red-necked over a crow,

you ain't been around people much.

Maybe I been around 'em too much.

It's not your fault, Wes.

He didn't understand.

I don't even now.

Good morning, guv.

Johnny, I'd like to talk to you for a minute.

You're, uh, getting around pretty spry

for somebody dragged in half dead.

That's my breeding, mate.

Spry enough to make one of our hands

chew on one side of his jaw.

Killed a bird doing no harm.

Did it ever occur to you he might have orders

to do just that to prevent stealing grain?

That's the way they are. What right have we got to come along and shoot them?

I don't wanna argue with you about the rights and wrongs

of people trying to make a life in the wilderness.

The man you hit is one of our best hands.

I'll ask you to remember you're a guest in the Grainger house.

Well, my mum always said I could do with minding my manners.

Well, that's the end of it then.

Righto.

I'll be leaving in the morning.

Are you sure you're strong enough?

You ain't seen the half of it, mate.

[ horse whinnies ]

He'll be leaving in the morning.

He say where?

Well, with all that gab, there's not much information.

As usual.

You find out anything about who shot him and why?

No.

But I may know more about that before tomorrow.

Your horses ready?

Oh, yeah, yeah, itching to go.

I think they needed the rest more than I did.

You, uh, heading any place in particular?

Might just see the sights, see how the colonies are doing.

[ laughs ]

Mate.

What?

Don't move.

Not a hair.

Your left boot.

Scorpion.

I can't see it.

He's just gone under your trousers.

Now then, very slow.

Toss me your hat.

He's up there.

Can't feel it.

He's probably still on your boot at the top.

Come on, little fella, come on.

There's no food in there.

No light.

Now come out into the light.

It's on my leg.

Nice warm sunshine.

It's crawling up my leg.

Now, nobody's gonna hurt you, love,

so no hurting needed.

Stopped.

Come on, boy.

It's...started again.

Nice warm sunshine.

Can you hear me talking, love?

Hey?

You keep your poison till it's needed.

I can't feel it now.

You can't feel it 'cause he had the sense to listen, that's why.

Now then, very still.

Not a breath.

Like a statue.

Done.

There's the little rascal.

Put it down and step on it.

Not on your life, mate.What?

Look, every living thing's got a reason.

Well, not everything.

It stumps me what good flies do, but I'm working on it.

Shake him up a bit, make him dizzy, like he's had a pint too many, eh?

I think maybe you have.

I think he'll be back here in five minutes.

It's a chance we take, mate.Chance?

There's enough chances out here without playing games with scorpions.

The next time he can crawl up yourboot.

Could. Get bit by a rattlesnake, too.

Lots of things could harm me.

The point is, I don't hate 'em.

If living out here was easy, everybody'd be doing it.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross

to buy little Johnny a galloping horse.

He trots behind and he ambles before,

and little Johnny shall ride till he can ride no more.

Yah!

Your hat, I believe.

Don't worry, mate, he's gone.

You can't blame me for making sure.

Well, back to my horses after being so rudely interrupted.

Afternoon.Afternoon.

Something I can do for you?

I saw you in Medicine Bow the other day.

Oh, wow. All the way from Chicago, huh?

I guess you detectives are pretty busy fellas.

Some, off and on.

What's the trouble?

It's a strange kind of job.

I'd like you to keep it under your hat.

Our neighbors to the north, Canada,

got in touch with us instead of bothering Washington, D.C.

It caused some embarrassment by a fellow named Moon.

Corporal Moon.

Corporal Moon. Unusual name.

Yeah.

Imagine, the noble North-West Mounted Police--

fellow Moon up and left 'em.

Nothing like that ever happened to them before.

What do you mean, "left"?

He's a deserter.

Something bothering you?

Well, now that you ask,

just wondering why a fella would go and do something like that.

No telling.

But that's the way it is.

This time I'm gonna get my man.

I've been asking around the ranches.

If you hear anything, let me know.

Say, uh...

This Corporal Moon.

What'll they do to him if they catch him?

They'll probably hang him.

[ knock on door ]

Who's that knocking on my door?

Come in, come in, whoever you are.

Hello, mate.

Ain't seen you in ages.

Got something you want to say to me?

Question.

Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies.

All right, Corporal, why?

So you know.

Anybody else?

A detective from Chicago.

Detective?

Don't figure that one out.

Seems your government doesn't want to make a big thing out of this.

That's very decent of them, isn't it?

Johnny, this is serious.

You're telling me it's serious?

The most serious thing in my life, mate.

You're out to get the man who shot you, aren't you?

That's it, yeah.

You can't, 'cause this isn't Canada

and you're not the law here.

You know what you can do with your law.Obey it.

Same as I would yours.

That's very civilized of you, mate, but that ain't the point.

The point's desertion, Johnny.

Desertion?!Keep your voice down.

Got their ruddy cheek, calling me a deserter.Well, then, you're not?

Well, let's say I'm carrying my orders a bit further south than authorized.

Well, whatever your orders are, they're no good here.

His name's Hogan.

Joseph James Hogan.

You know what a wolver is?

Yes, but wolving's not illegal, here or in Canada.

That's true enough, yeah.

What kind of orders?

Now let me tell you about Joe Hogan and his faithful.

Now there's ways of wolving,

and there's ways.

Mr. Hogan uses strychnine.

Guns down a buffalo,

fills the carcass with poison,

and sits back and waits.

Waits for the wolves.

Males, bitches,

little cubs, buzzards, everything.

Convulsions.

Screaming and snapping at the pain in their stomachs,

'cause it's eating them alive.

And Mr. Joseph James Hogan...

sits there, watching.

Till the only sound left is the--

is the wind moving in the poor dead fur.

Then Mr. Hogan and his mates,

they come down with their sharp, sharp knives.

And pretty soon,

fancy ladies in New York

got something to protect them from the drafts.

Now there's no need to come to this.

I wrote letters.

Queen herself.

And for that I got the stockade--

violating chain of command.

So you're gonna do it your way even though

there's no law on the books against wolving.That's right, mate.

Johnny, why did you join?

Oh, I...

London town, mate.

I love it so much, I do.

And one morning, working in the factory,

I look up to where the sun was supposed to be and...

[ scoffs ]

An eclipse.

Progress.

Smoke and ashes like that Italian city

that got buried by a volcano.

And then...

Then there was this morning in Canada.

And I'd grown up hearing

about God's beautiful creation, but never seen none.

So it was a-- it was a fairy story.

And then there it was

before my very eyes.

The sun.

Trees.

Wild creatures.

So perfect.

But no more, mate.

Man found out about it.

And here he comes

with his nice shiny ax in his hand.

Sometimes when I'm sleeping,

I can hear that blade against the trees.

Thunk...thunk...thunk...

So there it is, mate.

Johnny Moon's still loyal to the Crown,

but he's loyal to himself, too.

And that means getting a poisoning wolver name of Hogan.

I can't take it anymore, mate--

what him and others like him are doing to the beautiful land.

The trees and the wolves and buffalo.

Damming up streams.

And--and you try and say stop,

and they say, "Remember your uniform, it ain't your job."

Well, I'm making it my job.

And if it wasn't for you, I'd...

I'd be in the stomach of a hundred buzzards.

But don't try stopping me.

'Cause I don't wanna hurt a true friend.

I wouldn't want to see one killed, either.

[ sighs ]

So you had a talk with him, huh?

He did most of it.

As usual.

Did he say anything?

Yes, but I can't tell you what.

Why not?

Because...

I don't know if he's right or if he's wrong.

He's in trouble, isn't he?

Yep.

And there's nothing I can do to help?

I don't think so, Stacey.

You think you're the only friend he's got?

No, but he's out to kill a man.

The one who shot him?Yeah.

And that's all I can tell you.

A simple grudge wouldn't be doing this to you.

This fellow that he's after--an outlaw?

Not exactly.

Not exactly?

Well, either he is or he isn't.

Well, what he's doing is legal, but it's wrong.

I've never heard you talk this way before.

Not exactly an outlaw doing something legal but wrong.

If this fella has the law on his side, then Johnny's the outlaw.

Not the way I see it.There isn't any other way.

What is this, every man for himself?

All this talk about animals, letting them settle things their own way--

is that how he expects people to be?

I told you. It's not easy to say

whether he's right or whether he's wrong.

[ harmonica playing ]

Joe.

Yeah?

Joe, what do you figure on doing after this trip?

What else?

Making a good living, ain't we?

Yeah.

Yeah, but I been thinking about Canada.

After killing that Mountie, I...

Listen, did we kill him there or here?

Well, here.And did he have permission

from our U.S government to come here?

Guess not.

Well, then he was here unlawfully,

wasn't wearing a uniform,

and when he fired that shot at us,

we fired back in self-defense.

Yeah, but when we go back to Canada, those Indians.

[ chuckles ]

Hey, Will.

Yeah.

Are you worried about any Indians?

What Indians?

[ laughs ]

When are you gonna understand, Sammyjay,

that Indians don't count?

[ harmonica playing ]

Now you think about that.

Sorry, it's not for sale, ma'am.

What can I do for you, sir?

Fix me up some supplies

for what might be a long trip, will you?

No offense meant. The way you talk is--

That's the way we talk in Shanghai.

Shanghai? I thought that was Chinese.

You ever been there?No, can't say I want to, either.

Well, if you ever do, you'll find a lot more

of us there than them, I'll tell you.

Hmm.

Where'd you get that?

Oh, some fellas passing through couple of days back.

Headed which way?East.

I watched 'em leave in their wagon. I waved to 'em.

Say, what do you think of this beauty?

It's the first time I ever been looking forward to winter.

I can sit by the fire and pull it up around me.

Yeah.

Yeah, you do that.

Nice and warm, eh?

Maybe fall asleep.

Fall asleep by the fire.

Dark, quiet.

And maybe in the flickering dark,

real slow,

it will grow jaws and teeth

and rip your flaming throat out.

Keep your stinking provisions!

Shanghai, he said.

I should've known something was wrong.

What'd he do?Well, then it happened.

He saw my wolf robe,

he wrapped it around my neck.

His voice was so quiet, I felt sort of cold.

Then he started talking about falling asleep with it on.

Then when I was sleeping, the thing would grow jaws and teeth

and rip my throat out.

I've heard 'em all now.

That accent that you were talking about.

Well, I never heard one like it before.

I'm just wondering if he could be the same fella

I took a bullet out of a couple of weeks ago.

He called himself Mrs. Moon's little boy.

Been around town that long, I would've seen him.

Well, this was out at Shiloh.

They found him shot and brought him back there.

Well, that's strange.

The foreman was in this week and he didn't mention it.

Well, I'll see you soon, Tom.

Oh, by the way, doc.

Would you be interested in a nice wolf robe real cheap?

No, no. You talked me out of it with that story.

You find everything you need, sir?

I think so.

You can stand there till hell freezes over.

I'm not gonna answer any more of your questions.

Miss Grainger.

I see you all got fond of Corporal Moon.

But I've got orders, too.

Now just one question.

Can you tell me what he said his orders were?

Yes. He's going to arrest a wolver named Hogan.

Well, that's interesting, isn't it?

I wonder on what charge,

since wolving isn't against the law.

But those men--He hasn't got any orders.

He's out, God only knows why, to kill a man, pure and simple.

That, young lady, is going to be murder.

Desertion's serious enough, but he'll have a trial.

I'm sure they'll let you speak up for him.

His character--

as you knew it.

But if we don't stop him short of murder...

They tried to kill him!

It's possible your testimony could get him off with a light sentence.

Dismissal from the force.

He'll be free,

maybe even accepted for citizenship here.

You say you care?

You like him? You wanna help him?

Prove it now.

A pistol.

He's got a rifle and a pistol

and a pack horse.

He's headed for the mountains.

Well, he can't be traveling fast with a pack horse.

Still light enough to pick up his trail.

I appreciate this, miss.

Don't mention it.

Mr. Grainger, I'd like a word with your foreman.

I imagine by this time he's having a word with Johnny Moon.

Whoa. Afternoon.

Mr. Hogan's calling card?

Yeah, he just can't stop killing.

Gets to be a habit.

Takes the hide and leaves the carcass to poison everything,

even the buzzards.

Johnny, go back.

I told you last night, no chance.

You go back.

I promised I'd try.

Promised who?Elizabeth and Stacey.

Elizabeth?

I told them you weren't a deserter.

That is the truth, isn't it? You will go back?

When it's over?

I'll give it some thought.

Here.

You're not thinking of trying to make me go back, are you?

Johnny, I'm here to try to keep you from getting yourself arrested

for the murder of a United States citizen.

You call Hogan a citizen of anywhere?

Hell, maybe.

Well, let's ride.

Whoa.

Must have that wagon crammed full of pelts.

Look how deep the ruts are.

Johnny, there's still time, you know.

Do me a favor, will you, mate?

Don't say it again. Giddyup.

Joe!

Joe!

Whoa.

Hold it.

Up there.

Can't be him.

Knew we should've finished him.

Shut up!

All right, maybe it is him.

He's found a partner.

There's two of them and four of us.

What are we gonna do?

I know what we ain't gonna do.

We ain't risking this wagon.

Getting too dark for 'em to find this trail.

That means they won't come after us till daybreak.

And we'll be waiting for 'em.

Come on.

A lot easier for us to get across that valley in the daylight.

Yeah. Be easier for them to get us in their sights, too.

We'll have a long way to go before we're in range, if they don't run.

Hogan's got the advantage.

Be no chance of his running.

Johnny.

Present.

What's on your orders?

Writing.

Oh, very funny.

What's the writing about? Since wolving isn't illegal.

Murder is.Murder?

Yeah, two of my best friends.

You mean Hogan killed two Mounties?

Indians.

When you were delirious, you kept mentioning a name--

Spotted Pony.

Did I?Mm-hmm.

Yeah, Spotted Pony was the second.

Tell me about it?

I think we've come too far for secrets.

Yeah.

Yeah, White Deer was the first.

Cheyenne, he was. Had a vision.

He became a contrary, you know?

Oh. Ride backwards, wash with dirt, do everything backwards?

Yeah, everything turned around.

It was this vision he had, see?

So one morning

White Deer and his mate are fishing as usual.

Hogan and his crew come along.

And Hogan starts talking to him.

White Deer and his mate just go on fishing, saying nothing.

And Hogan starts with his filthy mouth.

And White Deer, he just--

just turned around and looked at him and...

got up backwards on his pony.

And Hogan fired once.

And he blew the right side of his head off.

His mate got back and told us about it.

An eyewitness.

So the inspector puts out the warrant,

and I get the job.

Hogan crosses the border, so, um...

extradition proceedings.

[ scoffs ] Blizzard of paper.

Nothing came of it?

That's when I started writing to the queen.

I never thought the old girl would answer, but I give it a go.

For that I got the stockade.

So the extradition papers being in Washington...

in a hope chest,

Hogan gets sort of cocky

and bold as brass comes back eight months later

with his poison for the wolves and the buffalo.

Oh...

I wish you'd have known Spotted Pony.

He was a good lad.

Only 20, he was.

And if he'd ever gone to the East End,

he'd have wiped up the street with all the boys there, I tell you.

I said to him one day, I said, "Pony,

"what do you want to go hunting deer and buffalo for,

"starving and freezing in the winter?

"What's wrong with the Blackfoot up here in Canada?

"You know, no war, freezing, starving.

"White men looking after your land, not killing your buffalo

or even your squaws and kids. What's wrong with you?"

And you know, he looked me straight in the eye and he said...

"There's no glory in it."

So Hogan comes back one night

and he goes into this settlement store.

Pony's there buying tobacco or something.

And the sight of him sets his mouth off again.

People there, witnesses.

But Pony wasn't like White Deer-- gentle, you know.

And Hogan doesn't get out a dozen words before Pony lets him have it.

I mean with his words.

You know, about wolvers being scum and defiling the land

and using gunpowder for fishing.

Threw the book at him, he did.

And Hogan says, "You wanna fight?"

And Pony says, "Yes, now."

Hogan went white, he did.

And he starts backing off slow,

not turning his back.

And five minutes later...

when Pony leaves the store...

he goes out in the dark and gets shot in the liver.

And it took him a long time to die, I tell you.

Anyone see Hogan do it?

Come off it, mate.

Enough evidence for another warrant, new extradition proceedings.

No, never come to that.

I chased him to the border, but he beat me to it.

I remember standing there, you know,

listening to White Deer and Pony's words ringing in my head.

So I...

got this old clobber from some old settler, and here I am.

I hate to tell you this, Johnny, but your warrants aren't any good here.

We'll see.

[ birds chirping ]

Here they come.

THE VIRGINIAN: Up there. They'll get us in a crossfire.

That the way you'd do it?

Another hundred yards and we'll be in range.

Then let's go 99 and find out.

[ cocking guns ]

Let 'em come.

We don't have to show ourselves till we can't miss.

Can you smell 'em now?

Yeah, I can smell 'em all right.

Get our horses behind cover.

Trouble is, they don't have to show until they're dead sure.

I'll get 'em to show.What do you mean?

Back in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

Get behind that rock.

Joe? Joe, they're splitting up.

Let 'em. They can't get around us.

Hey, Moon, where are you?

Right here, mate!

Joseph James Hogan!

In the name of Her Majesty Queen Victoria,

and by the authority vested in me

as a servant in Her Majesty's Royal North-West Mounted Police,

I hereby call you to arrest

for the murder of White Deer,

a Cheyenne person...

And for the murder of Spotted Pony,

a Blackfoot person.

Will you come peacefully?

Nobody can shoot better than that?

They're in for it, mate.

You trying to get killed?

You forgetting what I told you? Direct-hit cannonball might kill me.

Now then, you go to the left.

I'll take up a position over there, all right?

Hold it, hold it.

Hogan!

This man is here illegally, but I'm not!

Give yourself up and stand trial!Who are you?

That doesn't matter. I'm giving you a chance to surrender.

You an Indian lover?

I said give yourself up!

What say now, mate?

I say we take 'em.

Who ever got the idea of making those things bright red?

Oh, that's so's the blood don't show.

What are they doing now?

There.

He got some kind of magic?

[ gunfire ]

One down, Johnny!

You hear that, Hogan?

How many more you got left up there, mate?

Enough for you, Mountie.

There's something funny here, mate.

You know what?What's that?

Hogan's a good shot.

Just once in White Deer in the head

and once in Spotted Pony in the back.

Hogan, ain't you a good shot?

Yes, it's funny, mate--

Hogan being such a good shot,

but he hasn't hit one of us yet.

Maybe he's scared.

Oh, yeah, that I know.

But what I mean is why he can't hit us.

Do you wanna know why, Hogan?

Ghosts with us, Hogan!

Ghosts standing by us, Hogan!

White Deer, Hogan!

Spotted Pony, Hogan!

All them wolves!

And their jaws coming for you, Hogan!

Shut up!

White Deer, Hogan!

Spotted Pony, Hogan!

All those wolves coming to get you, Hogan!

Coming to get you, Hogan!

Joe.

Joe, there's another one coming fast.

Joe, I'm getting out of here.

Wagon. Fur!

Hyah! Hyah!

You ain't my man!

Toodle!

Joseph James--

[ sighs ] Never killed a man.

Never want to again, either.

That detective's coming. You could see him from the crest.

Johnny, there's still time for you to go back.

When your government gets all the facts, they probably won't be too hard on you.

Look, mate.

It ain't that I don't love my country

or adopted one of yours.

It's that I love the world more.

And when I'm in this uniform, proud as I am of it,

you know, I got a lot of reports to write,

all this brass to polish.

Well, that ain't what matters to me now.

Well, what does matter?

I suppose trying to leave the world like I found it.

Thinking about the kids that come after.

I mean, how are they gonna know about eagles and things if there ain't none left?

Johnny, it's desertion.

You keep saying that, you know.

Oh, well, maybe you could tell 'em I went daft or something, eh?

Maybe they'll take pity on a poor bloke, figure what's the use?

Maybe they won't.

Look, I grew up taking my chances, mate.

A leopard don't change its spots, you know.

Look, Johnny.

I don't have to.Look!

Ohh.

Oh, the brave beasts, yeah.

You wanna help animals?

And the land and people?

How much good are you gonna be able to do

looking over your shoulder day and night,

wondering if some sheriff's got a warrant out for you,

or maybe your government notified the United States Calvary?

They'll get you, Johnny. They'll get you.

And when they do,

what good are you gonna do from a cell?

Look, there's people out there

that need to hear what you have to say, and they'll listen to you.

Not the Hogans-- they'll never change. But...

Maybe if--if you get enough people on your side,

you can change the law.

Think about it, Johnny.

You desert, and for every month you're gone,

your government could add a year to your sentence.

Think about...

looking up at a little patch of blue sky

through a cell window and...

[ birds chirping ]

just listening to the birds and...

never seeing 'em fly,

thinking about what you could have done.

Well...

Inspector will probably have a fit

and shoot me down before I get a word out.

Well, my mum thanks you,

my dad thanks you, my sister Rose thanks you.

And I thank you.

What's the name of your post?Fort Walsh.

I've got a letter to write and people to sign it.

Well, ta-da, mate.

Farewell, my friends.

Farewell, my foes.

It's to face the music Johnny Moon goes.

Well?

There's a wagon full of wolf pelts in there.

Corporal Moon?

A man named Hogan down in the draw.

He alive?

Hogan? No.

I mean Moon.

Oh, yes, he's alive all right.

[ horse snorts ]

Which way did he go?

The only way.

I could have got him back at Shiloh.

Maybe.

My horse won't last another mile.

The way you pushed him, I'm surprised he lasted this far.

I'd better check that fellow Hogan.

I gotta send in some kind of report.

[ theme music playing ]