Original subtitles

Whoa. Whoa!

Mrs. Price. Good morning. Oh. Della.

Uh, there was a Cattlemen's Association meeting last night.

I was there representing Shiloh.

Since you haven't accepted any individual offers,

some of the ranchers are thinking of getting together...

and offering to buy your place at a premium price.

Are you planning to go into the oil business?

Mrs. Price, Badger Creek runs right through your place.

It's the main source of water for this whole part of the valley.

Now, if oil pollutes the water up there,

it'll kill our stock and make this whole range useless.

There's just one test well on my place.

Yes, but if you sell out to this fella Carstairs, there'll be more.

Well, I guess some people would say that comes under the heading of progress.

Well, no one's against progress,

and I guess there's room for cattle and oil if it's developed right.

But I talked to this fella Carstairs a few times and... He seems like a reputable man.

My foreman Spector trusts him.

Well, I hope you're getting good advice there, Mrs. Price.

Isn't that Spector? And one of your hands.

Little early in the day to be gettin' yourself killed, isn't it?

You've got a problem, you can talk it out.

I said all I got to say.

He catches fire faster than a haystack in August. What happened?

I told him we'd drove some of his strays home. He'd like to chewed my head off.

He said to keep off the Price land.

Anybody else would have bought you a drink for your trouble.

I guess they're worried about somebody

tampering with that oil well they got out there.

It's not too popular, that's for sure.

Mrs. Price still thinkin' about sellin' out?

Spector's doing her thinking these days.

Look, do me a favor, will you? Sure.

You finish your errands, ride on back out to the ranch the long way.

And try to stay out of trouble, will you? But I...

I've got a train to meet.

Morning, Lester. Mornin'.

Where are we? Wyoming.

Hmm.

What's the smell? Sauce.

For what? Trout.

Sauce, huh? I was afraid some of Dad's chemicals had tipped over again.

Mmm. Get out of there!

Ew!

Too salty. Not as salty as you are, boy.

Now you get out of here! And tell your father...

if he ain't out of that darkroom in two minutes, I'm throwin' it to the coyotes!

- All right. - Don't come in!

Lester says...

If you're not out of that darkroom in two minutes,

he's throwing it to the coyotes.

I'll be right out.

Like the man said, a thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Maybe the London Gallery would be interested in it. Let me see that.

Now, what would the railroad want with something like this?

Well, they might put it on the outside of the cars to scare off the Indians.

Hmm. You better get on the outside of this.

We'll be gettin' to Medicine Bow pretty quick now.

I'm looking forward to that.

Grainger's letters make the town and Shiloh sound mighty appealing.

Anything would beat our last stop. Lodgepole.

Why'd anybody name a town Lodgepole?

Too much salt. All right.

I'll eat it myself and fix you some cornmeal mush.

"Too much salt." "Not enough salt." "Too much salt."

Doggone it! I wish I could cook a meal and it'd be appreciated around here.

I can't understand her entertaining an offer from Carstairs.

He's an outsider. She and Sam, they were part of this town.

Sam was, Mark. But I wonder about her.

I've talked to her a few times. She's always seemed kind of distant.

Above us, you mean? No, apart from us.

That's why an offer from Carstairs is the same to her...

as an offer from any one of us.

Well, the fact is, there's nothing illegal about her selling to Carstairs,

so there's nothin' anybody can do about it.

Well, you heard the stories about places like Beaumont, Texas,

where they've struck oil?

Yeah. Only one has to say is "oil."

And before you know it, the scum and the riffraff from everywhere come pourin' in.

A tent city pops up on the outside of town.

Anybody who thinks he isn't getting his fair share of the quick money...

turns to stealing, or worse.

Yeah, it can be pretty bad. How do you stop it if it's legitimate?

I guess you learn to live with it. But how do we know this is legitimate, Mark?

I think I'd better check up on Carstairs.

You know, I don't like the way things are shaping up.

I had to break up another brawl in the saloon last night.

Young Kinsman and two of the Price hands.

Harper and Spector had a few words just a little while ago.

Next, it's gonna be guns.

Let me know as soon as you can, Mark. Yeah, I sure will.

You got all the stuff together, Jerry? Yes, sir.

Mr. Sheppard? That's right.

I'm the foreman of Shiloh Ranch. Oh, nice to meet you.

This is my son Jeremy. How do you do?

Hi. Buggy's right over here.

Good.

Hey, mister.

What's this here "stud-io"?

Well, it's a place to have your photograph made.

Two poses for three dollars.

An ideal gift for your wife or your loved ones.

Well, it so happens I ain't got a wife.

Well, I'm not surprised at that.

And I'll bet you haven't got three dollars either.

So what are we standing here palaverin' about?

Beautiful. I'm sorry I couldn't get away to meet your train.

The last thing we want to do is interfere with your work here.

Your father's quite a man.

Yeah, he's always like that.

He'll get caught up in some work he's doing and be lost for days.

I think he's forgotten I'm alive. And then he'll look up...

and notice me all of a sudden and say, uh,

"You're not gettin' a proper upbringin' with all this traveling.

You belong in a good school, and the next stop, I'm gonna inquire about it."

Two minutes later, he's forgotten all about that.

I envy you, traveling through all those places,

never knowing what you're going to see when

you look out the train window in the morning.

It's fun. But it can be lonely too.

It's hard to make friends when you're moving around so much.

Well, you've already made some right here.

Thanks.

You know, I like your father.

I feel like I've known him for years.

Yeah, he's easy to like.

Most people back east don't know a thing about the West,

except what they read in the pulp magazines and exaggerated newspaper stories.

And that hardly encourages travel.

So the railroad took to my idea. I keep them supplied...

with photographs of the scenery out here,

and they furnish me with transportation anywhere there's track.

First-class transportation too. That car is really something to behold.

Apart from the work I do for the railroad and the studio pictures I take,

I make time to photograph things that interest me.

When I heard about Shiloh, I got the idea

of recording life on a large cattle ranch...

the way it really is.

So I wrote to Mr. Grainger, and he invited me to stop over.

I want to show the men working.

When people look at my photographs, I want them to be able...

to smell the smoke of a branding fire...

and taste the grit of the dust in their teeth.

I want to photograph the feel of things,

like those 40-below mornings you get out here.

All right. Sit still now. That's good.

Great. You know, in Abilene,

I saw three young girls...

wearing torn net stockings and beer-stained spangles.

They were lined up against the side of the saloon where they worked,

their heads back, their eyes closed,

trying to wash themselves in that morning sun before the day started.

That's the kind of thing I want to capture on some light-sensitive silver salts.

I'm talking too much. Must be the air out here.

I'm suddenly a little dry. Well, we'll fix that up inside.

Come on. I'll show you the house.

Your offer is more than fair, Mr. Carstairs.

I'm not questioning that. It's just that...

I feel a certain responsibility to this community because of my husband.

Your first responsibility, Mrs. Price, is to yourself.

Look, these ranchers aren't worried about your welfare.

They want your land for their own interests.

And that's why my offer is ideal for a lady in your position, Mrs. Price.

You'll receive one eighth of all the oil royalties taken from this land.

You'll be free to travel. You can go to New York, Europe, anyplace you like.

And you'll have the comfort of knowing that money...

is deposited to your bank account as regular as clockwork.

You'll be part of a new industry.

Yes. Yes, I know. It is very attractive.

I, uh, had these papers drawn up for your approval.

Why don't you just leave them here, Mr. Carstairs.

I will read them in the morning.

All right, Mrs. Price.

I thought as long as I was here, I'd explain any details.

Good night, Mrs. Price. I'll keep in touch. Good night.

Talk about stubborn women.

Depends on what you mean by stubborn.

And what's that supposed to mean?

She's been kind of friendly since the old man died.

Nothin' improper, mind you, but the signs are favorable.

Like what? Like she's lonesome.

Even when she's handin' out orders, she's got kind of a...

"head on, you wouldn't dare" way of lookin' at me.

Yeah, well, I don't like the way she's balkin'.

I thought you said you could handle her, get her to do anything you wanted.

I got her to let you sink that test well, didn't I? That's right.

And it's about time I received some return on that investment.

Another day. You're tired, aren't you?

It's this indecision. I'm not sure what to do.

Mrs. Price...

Della...

I might be in the wrong pasture talkin' like this,

but, well, I've had my eyes open.

And as good a man as he was, Mr. Price plowed

back every cent this ranch ever earned.

This ranch was his life. That's fine.

Fine, if that's what he wanted. But you've got a life too,

and it's just as important as his.

You owe it to yourself to do some livin'.

Good night, Jim.

Good night, Della.

Hold it now.

Thanks, boys.

Hey. A fellow that interested in cuttin' logs...

might be persuaded to get even closer to the subject.

That's the best thought you've had this week. Hey, Mr. Sheppard!

Let me know when you get tired, Mr. Sheppard. Then we'll take a breather.

I'm fine. Might as well finish it.

You gettin' any clear water down there yet? Some.

Might be a good idea for you to clean out

those willows down below while you're at it.

I could argue all day about that.

It'd still be a good idea. Where's Mr. Sheppard?

He was around here takin' pictures.

He said he was gonna lend us a hand, but first

he wanted to get a better perspective of the job,

so he backed off somewhere over there.

And when we looked up, he was long gone.

- What is it? - A coffin, maybe.

On end? Hey!

Somebody in there? No.

Come on out. Can't right now.

Maybe he's got company.

What are you doin' in there? I'm washing a plate.

Well, let the dishes go and come on out of there.

I'll be out in exactly three and a half minutes.

It's a photographer!

Hold it!

- Now, what are you doing out here? - I thought we'd covered that.

Listen. I can shoot you for trespassing and never spend a night in jail.

Now you keep that on your mind when you're answerin' me.

Trespassing? Isn't this part of the Shiloh ranch?

Not by a country mile. You working for Grainger?

I'm his guest.

Well, now, why didn't you say so?

Well, Cliff, I think the least we can do under the circumstances...

is escort this gentleman back to the property line.

Right.

You're forgettin'!

Look, I've warned your people about comin' over here.

Spector, you're beginning to irritate me.

Cliff, get goin'.

With luck, you might get 10 feet. Now, undo that rope.

Next time one of your strays gets loose, I'll, um...

I'll shoo him on home for you, huh?

Nice neighbors. Well, they used to be, till Sam Price died...

and the widow Price got some notion about goin' in the oil business.

Since then, they've kind of dislocated themselves from the community.

Well, it looks like a long way to go for a cup of sugar anyway.

I'll give you a hand.

Sheppard's Palace Studio. Don't miss this golden opportunity...

to get your photograph made while we're in your town.

No waiting, no discomfort. Two poses for only three dollars.

Oh! We're only gonna be in town a few days, ma'am.

So, uh, don't delay. We can take you right now if you want.

That's a perfect costume you're wearing, and you have unusually fine bone structure.

Well, it's about time. What's for lunch?

Roast buffalo hump.

You know what an old miner told me that was good for.

What?

What's the matter?

Good afternoon. Good afternoon.

Are you the photographer?

Uh, yes.

My dressmaker told me to come here. I should like a portrait made.

Well, uh, step that way, please.

Which backdrop would you like?

Hmm. Which would you suggest?

Um, I think...

this one. All right.

Would you like to sit down?

I understand that my head is held in a vise.

No, that went out with the old collodion process.

These new gelatin dry plates are much more sensitive.

- Here. - Oh. Thank you.

Would you tilt your head?

Fine.

Just a minute.

All right.

Hold it.

Well?

These are good, Jer. Real good.

What did you say her name was? Mrs. Price. Real nice lady.

First time I can remember when he forgot lunch.

You're learning by doing. That's the best way.

Yeah, just like he learned...

that you don't raise when there's a "four cards to a royal" showing.

There was a chair open, and, uh,

I figure if you take five dollars a week out

of my pay, we'll be squared up by November.

I'll remind you. You won't have to. What else?

He found out that he couldn't drink a water glass...

full of whiskey without takin' a deep breath.

I never heard so much moanin' and groanin'...

since our six old milk cows got into some fermented apple peelings.

Now, if you want me to, I'll hog-tie him every night at sundown.

You'd better come back to Shiloh with me.

It was a bet, Dad. There was a bunch of people watchin',

and I wasn't gonna let 'em laugh me out of that place.

Well, better than bein' carried out.

Well, if no one's gonna eat, I'm throwin' it to the coyotes.

Oh, now, they're not that good.

I used to know this lady...

many years ago.

Her name was Evans then.

Della Evans.

You know, I just can't imagine Della living out here running a ranch.

When I knew her, she was hardly the type. Did you know her well?

If I hadn't taken a job as a deckhand on a riverboat one year,

we might have been married. Hmm.

Well, I was young and restless. I wanted to see everything, do everything.

I know the feeling. I guess Della just got tired of waiting.

Well, I talked to Mrs. Price a few times. She seems like a fine woman.

Of course, being a woman is one thing,

and doing business like a man is another.

Seems to me she's free to sell her land to whoever she wants.

If the oilman is offering a fair price...

Well, maybe he is. But it's not that simple.

He's just one man. You get a hundred men camping out there...

all looking for oil and all competing with each other and...

Pretty soon, everyone's walking around ankle-deep in the stuff, huh?

If there is a field. If not, the damage has been done anyhow.

Well, I guess you do have reason to worry.

Well, I'll tell you this.

I know these ranchers around here.

They're not gonna let some stranger come along...

and destroy something they've spent a lifetime building up.

You know, I'd kind of like to see Della again.

I wouldn't try that. With Spector around,

I doubt if you'd get within shouting distance of the house.

You sure don't lack for gall.

I'm here to see Mrs. Price.

What about? I think that's my business.

Well, it's my business to see you don't bother her.

Cliff, you and Billy show him the way out.

Stop it!

Stop it! I caught him trespassing the other day.

That's hardly reason to kill him!

He's got something to do with Shiloh, and I warned him to stay out of here.

I don't want to start a range war.

Bring him inside.

Dan.

Dan Sheppard.

I was, uh, just passing by.

Mr. Sheppard is an old friend.

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Sheppard.

We've been having trouble around here.

I'll be down at the forge if you need me, ma'am.

Even when your father had the gout, he was more cordial than that.

Are you all right?

Hello.

Hello.

Oh, Dan. What are you doing way out here?

Returning your call.

Sheppard's Palace Studio. That's your car?

Mine, and the railroad's.

Well, then... then who was...

My son Jeremy.

Your son?

That will take some getting used to.

And is your wife traveling with you?

My wife's dead.

Oh, Dan, I'm sorry.

Come on inside. We'll clean you up.

Some friends of my father's introduced us.

Sam was quite a few years older than I.

He was the sort of man who...

The sort of man who always looks like he's suffering when he wears a suit.

That's why I didn't bury him in one.

Well, the time had come when he decided that it was time...

to take onto himself a wife, and he wanted me for the job.

I told him it was impossible.

Well, for a dozen reasons.

But there was no stopping Sam.

Every Saturday night, he would come calling.

He would sit on the couch,

not saying much,

staring at his feet and... and fidgeting.

And-And after a while,

he would clear his throat once or twice.

And then, he would get up and leave.

Well, at least I never had to loan him money to take us out.

You had a champagne appetite, and I had a beer pocketbook, when I was lucky.

When my father died, Sam was there taking care of everything.

And I let him.

I guess that's when my resistance got low.

I don't know. I don't know if I was lonely or...

Or if I felt obligated or... or what.

Maybe it was to show you.

Anyway, when he said that he would like to bring me out here...

and make a life for me, I said yes.

And that's how I came to be Mrs. Sam Price.

You can't take a man like that lightly.

He knew what he wanted and went after it.

And you? Did you find what you wanted?

I think so, Della. I'm very interested in my work, my son.

- Did you love your wife? - Very much.

You were fortunate. Both of you.

Excuse me.

- Good morning, Mrs. Price. - Hello.

I was out this way, so I thought I'd drop by your photographs.

Oh, how very thoughtful. Come in.

I can only stay a minute.

I think they turned out very well.

- Hello, Jer. - What are you doing here?

I was in the neighborhood and just thought I'd drop in and renew an old acquaintance.

You know Mrs. Price?

Since before you were born.

Well, why didn't you say anything when I showed you the photographs?

I don't know.

She's fast. Has a wonderful trot.

Smooth as silk. Sounds good.

Would you like to ride her tomorrow?

I don't know. If I have time.

She's a good-lookin' mare. Thanks for lettin' me see her.

I hope you're having a good time here.

Oh, it's all right. It's fine.

There's nothing wrong, is there?

No.

Jeremy?

I thought we were friends. We are.

If there's something on your mind, I'm a good listener.

Nice to have somebody to talk to besides Lester.

You have your father.

Well, sometimes it's harder to talk to someone like that than it is to a stranger.

I mean, a new friend. You know what I mean?

I think so.

You see, no matter how old you are,

to your father, you're always a kid, not a person.

I guess that's true, in a way.

I don't mean I can't talk to Pa.

It's just that there are some things that don't come easy.

You know, like, uh... Like Mrs. Price.

I never saw Pa with a woman before.

Not like that. Just my ma before she died.

It's hard to imagine a father having any interests...

that don't include his children.

But I guess they do.

I mean, well, they're people too.

- You want to walk for a while? - Sure.

Whoa. Whoa! That must be Lester.

Don't mind him. He's all bark.

The view is always changing out our parlor window.

And the studio's close enough so no one has an excuse to be late for work.

Well, I guess that about completes the guided tour.

Except for the dark room. You want to see it?

Yes.

You seem about 30 miles away.

Come on. Sit down. Lester's fixed us some lemonade.

Maybe you'd like to have something a little stronger. Oh, this is fine, thanks.

Oh.

Thanks, Lester.

It's good.

I'll talk to Della if you think it will do any good.

I don't want you taking on our problems.

No trouble. I'll ride out there tomorrow or the next day.

I thought we were leaving for Colorado in two days.

There'll be other trains heading that way.

Well, I don't think you should get mixed up in this.

You already got beat up once heading out there to see her.

I was doing all right. They just got in a couple of lucky punches.

Maybe it's not such a good idea, Dan.

Jeremy, the folks at Shiloh...

have gone out of their way to help me in my work.

They've given us the run of the ranch.

I consider them our good friends.

If there's anything I can do to help, I want to do it.

I'm sorry you don't feel the same way.

Youth must be served, but there's a limit.

Dan.

Don't you want to know how it turned out? Mm-hmm.

He loves me.

But then I made it turn out like that.

Not so easy in real life.

Mmm. Mmm!

Is that all you can say? Mmm!

Mmm.

All right. What would you like me to say?

I'd feel like an awful fool if you didn't kiss me.

Hold me.

Just hold me for a minute.

Oh, Dan, I've been so lonely.

Well, you're not expected to wear widow's weeds more than a year, Della.

Sam's been dead longer than that.

I wasn't talking about one year of loneliness.

I was talking about...

19 years of loneliness.

Do you know that Sam and I never spent one day like this...

in the time we were married?

I'd almost forgotten what it was like to tease and laugh out loud...

and kiss like that.

I feel as if I've been cheated.

There are plenty of days ahead, Della.

For both of us.

Oh, I have to be getting back.

Is this why you have to go?

This is why I have to go.

I have work to do. You took that photograph, didn't you?

Mm-hmm.

I can tell.

Will you photograph me sometime?

I'd like to very much.

Della, you haven't mentioned what you're going to do about the ranch.

Oh, I didn't think you'd be interested.

I told the Virginian I'd speak to you.

Oh?

Is that why you came out to see me?

No.

Well, what would you advise me to do?

Well, I'm in no position to advise you, Della.

But I think the ranchers deserve a straight answer.

I've only known the Virginian a few days, but he seems like a very nice fella.

If he represents the others, I'm sure no one will take advantage of you.

Well?

There's nothing new.

This job's gonna take a little longer than I'd expected,

so I'm gonna need my money in advance.

Not a chance.

I've spent a pretty penny sinkin' this well to prove that there was oil here.

And for what? Now, I'm sure not gonna throw good money after bad.

All right, I'll come right out with it.

She gave me a $5,000 bank draft to pick up some breeding stock in Wheatland.

So Cliff and I rode over there.

And the first night, we had ourselves a few drinks...

and figured we'd double the stake playin' faro.

Then we'd buy the stock and have a little wad of our own.

And you got trimmed. Yeah, the whole thing.

Now, she's expecting that stock. And when it doesn't show up,

she's gonna start askin' questions, and I'm gonna wind up in jail.

Mm-hmm. Well, you should've thought about that...

before you started gambling with other people's money.

Carstairs, I don't need advice. I need money.

And I'll take it back to her with some fancy tale, and she'll be none the wiser.

That's a sad story, cowboy.

The minute she signs that bill of sale, you'll get yours,

and not before.

Hey, fellas, come on over here.

I just want you to see what the rest of us have to live with around here.

Well, when did that happen?

All the time.

Wait. There's more.

- I don't remember that. - I do.

I tried to get a picture of you two working,

but I couldn't focus my camera fast enough.

Say, here's what I want you to see. Take a look at that.

Oh. Isn't that a nice picture?

Here's another one.

- Isn't that somethin'? - That's pretty.

They're great, Dan. All of 'em.

Yeah, I guess even a mud fence is pretty if you look at it the right way.

Never underestimate the power of a woman.

Maybe now Jeremy won't be so anxious to get on to Colorado.

We gotta be moving soon.

I want to get there before the leaves fall.

Dad, Liz is gonna show me a hot springs up in the hills.

You wanna ride along? Oh, thanks, Jer.

But I'm taking pictures of Mrs. Price this afternoon.

Well, uh, when are you gonna be back?

I have no idea. I'm staying for supper.

Well, we'd better get started. It's a good five miles up there.

Looks like I've raised an overprotective son.

I don't know what he thinks is gonna happen to me.

Well, never underestimate the power of a woman.

Heathcliff! Heathcliff!

Would you settle for Daniel, lady?

I love it here. I used to come up alone...

and pretend that I was Catherine on the moors searching for her lost love.

Imagine a grown woman playing games like that.

It's easy to imagine.

Catch! How was I?

Beautiful. I feel beautiful.

Don't look like she's in any hurry...

to sell to Carstairs or anybody else.

Well, it better be Carstairs, or there'll be nothing in it for us.

Cliff. Cliff, I want you to get a couple of sticks of dynamite...

out of that powder shed and blow the top off that well.

And do it tonight. Well, what good'll that do?

It'll give her a shove in the right direction.

If I know Della Price, she's not gonna sell out to a bunch of night-riding ranchers.

That's who'll get the blame.

We haven't been keeping the pot boilin' for nothing, Cliff.

Carstairs is not about to pay $5,000 to get his well blown.

We could wind up in jail.

Well, that's just where we're gonna wind up if she finds out we lost her money.

Well, that was your idea. You went right along with it.

You'll go the rest of the way too.

You sure learned to cook in these 19 years.

I had my best foot forward tonight.

What is that?

Lilac. And roses.

Sam brought some shoots back from St. Louis one year.

That's a long way to nurse something like that.

Not many ranchers would waste time with flowers, huh?

Well, what is your pleasure? We have brandy and cigars.

No slippers? Anything you want.

Don't need a thing.

Did you enjoy today?

I don't know when I've enjoyed a day more.

I wish they could all be like that.

Dan, when I sell this ranch, I'm going to be rich.

I don't mean just well off. I mean rich.

Yeah, I'll bet. Yes.

And I want to do something with that money, something worthwhile.

Now, I know how important photography is to you.

Well, after all, a man's work is a vital part of his life.

Della... No, don't interrupt me.

I have this pretty well rehearsed.

I don't want to leave anything out.

You said that one day, you hoped you would be able to settle down...

and have some time for experimenting with lenses.

You wanted to develop some kind of a smaller camera that anyone could use.

Right? Something like that.

I could help you to do that now.

Della, don't do this to yourself.

Do what to myself?

We're good for each other, Dan. We laugh at the same things.

We're each interested in what the other has to say.

And even when there isn't anything to say,

then the silence is, uh, warm.

And... as I remembered...

I remember it that way too.

I can't argue with you on a single count, Della.

But, um, it wouldn't work.

Why wouldn't it work? Jeremy? I know I can get him to like me.

It's got nothing to do with Jer.

Well, then what has it to do with?

A ghost that you carry around in your pocket?

I, uh...

I don't love you, Della.

Not that way, anyway. And that's the way it would have to be.

You did love me once, didn't you?

Yes.

But we couldn't have loved each other enough,

or things wouldn't have turned out the way they did.

Now... We're different people now.

Good-bye, Dan.

Yeah.

What's wrong?

Get ahold of Carstairs. Tell him I want to see him.

I've decided to sell.

Sure. Sure. When do you want to see him?

Anytime. The sooner, the better.

Della?

When this thing's over,

you're gonna wanna get as far away from here as you possibly can.

You're gonna wanna keep on goin' and not look back.

Get everything out of life that you got comin' to ya.

You can't do that alone.

Don't tell me the thought never occurred to you.

Let's drink to that.

I just remembered something I have to do. You make yourself at home.

I won't be long.

Who's there?

There's a fire!

Cliff. Cliff, over here.

What happened?

Just as I was getting away, somebody shot me.

Did anybody see you close up?

Jim, it hurts. What are we gonna do?

Jim, what are we gonna do?

Hey, roll out of there!

Fire! A big one!

Hold it!

Men, come up here and hold these horses! We may need 'em in a hurry!

Get some shovels, boys! Let's get at it!

Howdy. Everybody in one piece? More or less.

Looks like it'll be a while before some of that acreage will support a steer.

I checked the other ranchers. Metzler was hit worst.

Kinsman lost about 40 head, and a lot of that Price graze is gone.

Does anyone know how it started? Not for sure.

But one thing is sure. There's oil on the creek all the way to Flat Rock.

Thanks for your help, Dan.

Restraining order? You're liable to find yourself in court...

the way Carstairs is talking.

That well was dynamited, and he claims you did it.

Me? Well, cattlemen.

Right after the explosion, he shot at a rider and he thinks he hit him.

Now, I've got to find that man before this thing spreads into a full-blown range war.

Have you checked the ranches? All but Shiloh.

No one from our crew did it, Mark.

If Carstairs thinks we blew his well, all I can say is...

it's cost the ranchers a lot more than it has him.

Oh, I, uh, heard from the sheriff at Elkhorn.

This Carstairs is a promoter... what they call a wildcatter.

He scratches around for land with oil potential, and makes a deal.

Then he punches out a test well.

If he hits oil, he buys the land.

But he doesn't stay around to see if the field proves out.

He sells it off in two or three acre parcels...

to whoever's got the cash, and he moves on.

Well, does Mrs. Price know this about him?

She says she can't be responsible for what happens after she leaves.

Apparently, she wants out. She feels that her neighbors dynamited that well.

Carstairs's offer still stands.

I don't know whether this means anything or not,

but, here, take a look.

I didn't even notice it when I was up there,

but when I developed the picture, I saw this horse back here.

It's hard to make anything out of it from that distance.

I got a pretty close look at a horse very much like that one...

the day I strayed onto the Price ranch.

Cliff Barber. It could be that light sorrel horse of his.

But what would it be doin' up there without a rider?

The fire could have driven it up there... if it lost its rider.

Isn't that Cliff Barber's horse? Yep.

Where'd he come from? Oh, I found him up in the hills.

Hey, Jim, we seem to have a little confusion here.

Maybe you can help us straighten it out. Maybe.

When we talked before, you told me you fired Cliff Barber...

because he wasn't pullin' his weight.

That's right.

These men tell me he was a good worker.

I'm runnin' this ranch. I do the hirin' and the firin'.

They'd do well to remember that too.

Mark.

Barber's war bag is still under his bunk.

What's he nosin' around for?

Doesn't it strike you as strange that a fired hand would ride off without his gear?

Look, maybe he's gonna send for it. I don't know.

I told him I wanted him off the place, and that's what I meant.

- Was that before the fire? - Yeah. Yeah, why?

Well, for a man in such a big hurry, he didn't get very far.

There's burns on his horse's shanks.

Which means he was still around during the fire. So?

I took him by the well site.

The drillers tell me he could easily be the horse they saw that night.

Sheriff, you and your friend here got something to say, get it off your chest.

I'm sayin' that your recently discharged friend might have blown that well.

Possible. But it wouldn't be the first time...

a fired hand ever tried to burn down a barn or something, would it?

I'd sure ask him about it when I caught up with him. We already have.

Yeah? Where?

In a fresh-dug grave where you left him.

What are you talkin' about?

Lucky thing the fire burned that thicket out, or we never would have found him.

You got somethin' to back up all this talk?

Well, if Carstairs shot Cliff, maybe he had reason.

But why would anyone wanna bury him like that?

Now, you rode with Cliff.

Anyone finding him dead would wanna ask you a couple of questions.

Like where were you when that fire broke out?

Right here with Mrs. Price the whole time. No, he wasn't.

We were together for a few minutes.

Suddenly, he remembered he had something to do.

It was terribly important.

- Cliff? - Look, I wanted to stop him.

He wasn't too bright. It must've been your idea.

You told him to blow the well, and then you tried to stop him?

Look, I was trying to get money out of Carstairs.

This debt I owed...

You don't mind, Mrs. Price, I think we'd

better go in the house, get the whole story.

I'll send you a print from Denver. Now can we get aboard?

This train leaves in two minutes.

I promise I'll answer if you'll write.

- I will. - Thanks for everything.

Give my regards to the Graingers. I'll do that.

It's been a pleasure having you with us, and I sure appreciate...

you and Jeremy helping us out with that fire.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help with Della.

Have you heard any more from her? Not a word.

I guess it doesn't look good.

Whoa!

Jeremy.

Thanks for coming down.

I wanted to thank you for sending me the photographs. You're welcome.

They made it so clear to me.

The house...

and the arbor and the flowers,

the swing...

They were all expressions of Sam's love.

And I'm sorry I realized it so late.

I was loved.

Sam just never knew how to say it.

But it was you, Dan,

those wonderful photographs that made me understand.

I will cherish what he gave me...

just as you cherish what you had.

Get aboard, or get left. Makes no never mind to me.

Good-bye, Mrs. Price.

Good-bye, Jeremy.

Good-bye, Della.

Thanks, Dan.

Dan.

I got up at 5:00 this morning.

It took me two hours to get dressed and two hours more to come here,

and I'm going to feel like an awful fool if you don't...

Mrs. Price, there's something that I'd like... Oh.

Would you tell the others that I'm afraid I'm

not going to be able to accept your offer?

Then you're, uh... you're selling to Carstairs?

No.

What about the oil?

They say it's been there for a million years or more.

I guess it can wait a little while longer until we can develop it properly.

Are you staying?

I will for a while.

Who knows? I may even learn to run the ranch the way Sam did.

Must be nearly lunchtime. Yes, it is. I don't suppose you'd...

Hmm? Oh. I would love to.