Original subtitles

Just one. He's got a spyglass too.

Just one who shows, you mean.

See who he is? No.

We could angle off and make him show his hand.

This is open range.

We go straight ahead. If he gives us the fish-eye, he's dead.

Hey, hey, hey!

I see it, but I don't believe it.

Put 'em away, boys. I know this man.

Ho, ho! Well, man alive.

Ho, ho! If you ain't the rankest thing I ever seen.

Hello there, Bill. How are you? I'm just fine. Fine.

What are you doing? Just passing through, or what?

No, I live about 15 miles from here at Shiloh Ranch.

You mean you're still pushing beef?

Still pushin' beef, but now I'm the foreman.

Hey. Foreman. Hey, that's great.

Hey, come on. I want you to meet the boys.

Boys, this here's the foreman of the Shiloh ranch.

He's an old friend of mine. Dave Owens and Sam Blount.

Howdy.

- Howdy. - Shiloh?

- Isn't that near Medicine Bow? - That's the one.

We used to ride together years ago. Those were the days.

It was a long time ago, Bill.

- You expecting trouble? - Oh, old Dave's been puttin' a bead...

on every rabbit between here and Socorro Creek.

$20,000, and he thinks the world's tryin' to rob him.

Burden, why don't you just take out an advertisement in the newspapers?

Aw, come on, Sam.

This is the last fella in the world that's likely to try and rob us.

And, if he did, you and Dave wouldn't be the men to stop him.

You talk too much for anybody, Burden.

We sold a combined herd at the railhead,

and a lot of the Socorro Creek ranchers are depending on this money.

Some of this money yours, Bill? Sure is.

That and the money I get for selling my spread, I'm gonna be a new man.

- Selling out, huh? - Well, horses are the future.

Find good mustang country, and I'm on my way. Well, you're standing on it.

That's what I'm doin' out here... Scouting herds for Shiloh.

Say, can I ride along with you and have a look?

- Right now? - Hey, we gotta be getting back.

You want to take him along, you're welcome.

I won't be needing him between here and Socorro Creek.

You mean you hope you won't be needing me.

Burden, you have a way of trying a man's patience.

- Aw, you'll find you get used to it. - I doubt it.

Truth of the matter is,

Sam and I can get there quicker without you.

Well, old, uh... Old Dave's all right.

He's just a trifle overbearing. You could've fooled me.

You remember that foreman at the Bar "C"? Oh, yeah.

Had all the rank, and always wanted to show it?

Well, that's Dave Owens. He the big man in Socorro Creek?

Well, he's one of them. The other's the name of Luther.

The two of 'em are runnin' a contest...

to see who can be the richest man in the territory.

Both of 'em are bidding on my spread. Mm-hmm.

Well, listen, how far are you gonna make me ride to see those mustangs?

Oh, it's about an hour. Wouldn't take too long to look 'em over.

You can probably catch up with those fellas by midnight.

Catch up with 'em, pass 'em and forget 'em.

You know, when I get my hands on that money,

things are gonna be a lot better.

What do you think?

Are those just for the taking,

or, uh, you got them earmarked for the Shiloh ranch?

There's plenty for anyone who'll work hard enough to catch 'em.

Isn't any man that'll stand in your way,

but the mustangs may give you a bit of an argument.

Well, let 'em try.

I'll run after 'em so hard that by the time I catch up with 'em,

why, they'll be so tired they'll just follow me home.

I'll tell you what. Let me know when you're comin' back.

Maybe you can go on a drive with some of the Shiloh hands.

You'll probably get more horses that way.

I don't mean to put you out any.

You know, Danny's gonna be so glad to be free of Socorro Creek...

that he'll give me two days' work every 24 hours.

How is the boy? Boy nothing.

Wait till you see him. Why, he's near as big as you are.

And Kate?

Pretty as ever.

Wait till I tell her about you. You know, all those years...

We never knew what happened to you.

Well, I always meant to look you up.

Just with one thing and another, I never got around to it.

Funny, our livin' so close and not even knowin' it.

We've been in Socorro Creek for four years now.

You stayed that long in Dodge City? No, no.

We, uh... We moved on a little while after you left.

We, uh... Abilene, Tucson.

Even as far north as Laramie.

Kate got a little annoyed with all that movin' around, but you know how it is.

A man's gotta... Well, he's gotta look for his fortune.

It ain't gonna just come up and bite him on the rump.

Yeah. I guess I sound like a man feelin' sorry for himself.

No, I've been there too. But this country...

It's good for a man. Leastways, it has been for me.

Yeah, it's gonna be good for me too.

You bein' here and all... I feel it in my bones.

Then you'll be coming back this way for sure?

Nothin' known to man could stop me.

Well, uh, give my regards to Danny and Kate.

Sure, I will, but you could do it yourself...

when we come back this way in a couple of weeks. In a couple of weeks then.

Good to see you, Bill. Good to see you.

Come in.

Evenin'.

Thought I might try and get some of your money at the poker table tonight.

You interested? No, not tonight.

You sure? I'm sure.

You should have come into town with me tonight.

There was a lot of action at the saloon.

Hey, you know that pretty little redhead...

that started workin' there about two weeks ago? Oh, she's pretty.

Well, Zeb Carlson... He's been chasin' her around...

since the first night he laid eyes on her. Mmm!

And she hasn't been discouragin' him any either.

But, uh, she forgot to tell him one little thing.

She's married. Yeah.

Guess she thought she might get herself fired.

Well, anyway, tonight her husband came in from St. Louis.

I tell you...

I have never heard such hollerin' and shoutin'...

since the last time I asked you for a day off.

Is that a fact?

Am I interfering with anything? Not at all.

Evenin'. Evening, Trampas.

Care for a drink? Thank you.

Well, I was just leaving. No, stay for a minute.

I need to talk to both of you.

You get a final tally on the herd? Yes, sir.

Tally a little over 1,200 head.

How do they look?

Not bad. We've seen better.

I know we'd hoped to sell over a month ago.

Grazing's gotten kinda thin. So's the beef.

Well, hopefully, we sell tomorrow.

Got a couple of buyers coming down.

We hold on to that herd much longer, we're gonna have to start feedin' them.

I know. I'm not too anxious to deal with these fellas,

but I don't think we have much choice.

They drive a tough bargain?

Well, tougher than most. Mattuck and Richards.

- From Chicago? - Yeah. You've dealt with 'em before?

A few years back. Two or three times.

I got to know them pretty well.

It's like playing poker with a man.

Enough times, and you know when he's

bluffing or whether he's holding a pat hand.

- That so? - Sure.

Like Richards, for instance.

When he needs to buy as much as you need to sell,

he has a habit of clearing his throat.

Not much. Just a little.

If he does that, you can pretty well bet...

he'll come up if you play it smart.

Well, that's the only way we can play it.

Margin of profit's mighty thin.

- I want you to be there. - I'll be there.

Good. Well, then I'll see you in the morning.

Good night. Night.

Night.

All right. I know what's troubling him.

You, uh... You want to tell me what's on your mind?

I... ran into an old friend of mine today.

Over on the open range.

Fella named Bill Burden.

Lives over near Socorro Creek.

Got a small cattle spread.

Talkin' about movin' over here to Medicine Bow.

We rode together nine, 10 years back.

One big drive after another.

Bill finally got tired and pulled out.

He missed his son. Boy was livin' with kinfolks.

His first wife died giving birth.

He left, and what'd you do?

Well, I was...

I was kind of restless then. I...

I didn't really know what I wanted to do.

All I knew was what I didn't want...

To be workin' for somebody crazy about givin' orders just to be givin' 'em.

Maybe I was just tired.

Anyway, we wrote back and forth.

He'd moved back home and married again.

Moved out to Dodge City, Kansas.

Asked me to visit them.

Well...

I got there in the middle of a snowstorm with a nickel in my jeans.

They put me up and put up with me.

His second wife, Kate, was...

very kind.

Nice boy they had too... Danny.

I caught him a baby rabbit for that Christmas.

At first...

Seein' him again today, I... I was glad, but...

then I got to thinkin',

rememberin'.

Why'd you leave Dodge?

Couldn't go on just living off them.

Did he know how you felt about her?

Sometimes you see an awful lot, Trampas.

No. Not really.

You just don't hide it too well. Well, there's nothin' to hide.

It's not that anything happened.

But you're afraid it might if you see her again.

Yeah.

Maybe if I didn't know you so well, I could give you all kinds of advice, but...

Well, for your own peace of mind,

it, uh, might be best if you stay clear of them.

Oh, well, he... He may not even come up this way.

What if he does?

Then like you say,

I'll try to steer clear.

Owens?

Owens?

You...

Just supposed to hit him over the head.

Not my fault he woke up.

Where's Burden?

We left him back a ways. He said he'd catch up.

What do we do now?

Well, we got the money.

Only thing left is to make it look good.

It'll hurt like fire for a bit.

Just a crease, but it had to be done.

Withers, tie him up so he don't bleed to death...

and can make it back to town to tell the whole story.

You do know what to say, don't you, Sam?

Yeah. I know what to say.

I'm only suggesting to you gentlemen that we should do what's right.

All right. All right. Hold it.

There's no need for you people to stay around here.

Judge'll be here on Tuesday. We'll settle it then.

I don't see why we have to wait.

Blount told us what happened... How Burden killed Dave Owens.

Telling us about it isn't enough, Withers.

Before anybody passes sentence, it'll be heard in a court of law.

A lot of people in Socorro Creek were fond of Dave Owens.

That's all the more reason for us to settle it the right way.

Lynching Burden won't help any of us.

So drop it... now.

Let's go.

All right, listen. Move. Move out. Go on.

Mr. Luther, where's my pa?

He's inside, safe and sound. Yeah, well, now, you can't lock him up.

He couldn't have shot Mr. Owens. I don't care what Sam Blount says.

We'll see at the trial. Till then, your father'll be all right.

Who's gonna protect him?

I'll send a couple of my men out here to stand guard.

Now you go home and stay with your ma. It's better that way.

Pa? Danny... It's good you got here.

- Pa, what are we gonna do? - You've got to go fetch the Virginian.

- At Shiloh Ranch, near Medicine Bow. - Virginian?

We were together. Now, Blount says the shooting was about 8:00.

He can tell them I couldn't have possibly caught up with Owens and Blount that soon.

You've got some hard riding ahead,

but, once he gets here, everything'll be all right.

- Pa, you sure he'll come? - Sure as I'm standin' here.

Now don't fret yourself. He'll get me out of this.

Danny, I won't be able to leave till tomorrow morning.

You gotta come right away. You said the trial wasn't till Tuesday.

Well, why not come now?

The men are gettin' the rest of the fall herd together.

Buyer's comin' out this afternoon to settle the deal.

I've got to be here to talk about the price.

There's gotta be somebody else who can do that.

Not this time. What about the owner?

He asked me to be here, and I will be.

You mean to tell me that his profit is worth more than my father's life, huh?

I'll still be in Socorro Creek in plenty of time.

Now you get on back and tell your ma and pa I'm on my way in the morning.

It must feel so good to be so sure about everything.

I'll see you day after tomorrow.

Yeah.

Four Eyes.

Think that's the fella Burden was tellin' us about?

Got to be.

Can we help you, mister?

This here is Withers. You can call me Four Eyes.

Most people do. Guess it's because of my eyeglasses.

Where's your jail?

He's looking for the jail.

Jail is the most useless place we got in Socorro Creek.

Nothin' but bedbugs, spiders...

Don't even have a marshal. We get along just fine without one.

Where's your courthouse then? There's a trial due to start today.

- You have trial business here? - I've got a friend named Bill Burden.

I'm here as a witness for him. Then you'll want to see him.

- That's right. - I'll take you to him. Be my pleasure.

When? Late last night.

Nobody took note of the time.

Cut him down.

Withers? No knife.

Anybody want to cut him down?

Nobody wants to put their hands on a murdering thief.

He didn't murder anybody.

We buried Dave Owens yesterday.

And the man his boy told me about?

The man who was wounded... Sam Blount.

There's no need for you to talk to him.

I'll decide that.

Come on, partner. We can be in the shade with a cool drink.

Bill Burden is going to get a right burial,

and then I'm going to find the man who did this.

- And then you'll kill him? - If it comes to that.

- Might be tougher doin' than sayin'. - I'll take my chances.

What if he wants a trial?

How could he? He doesn't believe in them.

- What you think about that? - I don't think about it at all.

I don't do trick shooting.

Neither do I.

I'm so glad you're here.

Danny. He's here.

He was worried. You know how boys are.

He was afraid you weren't gonna come. Does Bill know you're here?

- Kate, can I come in? - Oh! Of course.

I'll see if there's some coffee.

I'm so glad you're here.

We don't have many friends around here, and...

You know, Bill...

Anyway, having you to testify...

At first, it sounded bad, but I think now that trial...

Kate, Bill's dead.

He was lynched last night.

I don't know why... I thought someone from town would have come out and let you know.

No.

Nobody.

- How did it happen? - I don't know.

I'm sorry, Danny.

Yeah, well that doesn't help very much right now.

- Danny, that's no way to talk. - Kate, let him have his say.

I asked you...

No, I begged you to come here, and you had something more important to do, huh?

He said Tuesday. It's Tuesday.

Most men would have come right away.

Danny. Danny! Kate.

He doesn't want you to see him cry.

You're right.

He's got that coming to him, at least.

You too.

You cry, it means you care about something.

Well, I'll be in town if you need anything.

You staying?

Until this is settled.

Until what's settled? Bill's dead. That ends it.

Last night, some folks tried, convicted and executed him.

I'm questioning that verdict.

Well, I think it would be better if you just leave it alone.

Be pretty rough on the boy, growing up with people...

thinking his father was a thief and a killer.

Yeah, thinking, but nobody knows. Not for sure.

Now, just leave us that. That's all we have left.

No, Kate. I can't.

I can't.

I'll see you tomorrow.

It's a bad time, Danny... For all of us.

You, your mother.

And me too.

Well, it isn't exactly the same for you, now is it?

See, I'm grieving for my pa,

and that's gonna end.

But you got a sorrow for bein' responsible.

I think that would take a long time to ease up,

if you feel anything at all.

I think maybe you forgot about my pa.

Or maybe you, uh... you thought you'd let him stew for a while, huh?

And then come down here and play big man.

Oh, you would have liked that, huh?

Ma and Pa bein' grateful.

Pa talkin' about old times... about how good you are at ropin' and shootin'.

He used to like to tell stories about you.

Ten years... you ever tell any stories about him?

Huh? You ever even think about him in 10 years?

A whole lot.

The time I had with all of you...

It never got any better for me than that.

I've always hoped that...

sometime, something or somebody...

would make a place for me like you had.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's over now... For everyone.

Danny, a man does some things...

He thinks they're right when he does 'em.

He may not even have a choice.

He just sees things a certain way.

I don't know what you're talking about.

What I mean is...

Maybe if I'd come sooner,

maybe your father would be alive.

I don't know.

Well, I sure do.

Either way, I've got to live with that.

Maybe I'll find the answer when I find the man who lynched him.

No chance.

That was my father, and I'm gonna take care of that.

Danny, don't be a fool. All you'll get is dead.

There's a lot worse things that can happen to somebody.

I guess maybe you're finding that out, huh?

Listen to me. Now you listen to me.

Your mother's going to need you very, very much.

Look, you're so concerned about my mother,

why don't you just take care of her yourself?

Don't push it, son.

I may be the only friend you've got left...

in the whole town of Socorro Creek.

Mister, I don't need you.

I don't care what you do. You just stay out of my way.

Why'd you have to drag me all the way out here for?

You wanted to talk, we could have talked in town.

Oh, town's gettin' a little crowded. What do you mean?

The foreman from Shiloh arrived today.

So what? Ain't nothing he can do.

No, not if you stick to your story.

Which is just what I'm plannin' on doin'.

What if he leans on you?

He's actin' as if he's gonna play rough.

Well, maybe it would be better if I was long gone.

Yeah.

I'll take my share. I'm gonna need something to live on.

- You won't need anything. - I can't starve.

A man can't starve if he don't need to eat.

Hotel's all full up.

I just took the last room.

If you were friendly, you'd help me find another one.

Friendly is one thing I ain't.

- How about smart? - Enough.

Enough to know that, uh... that I don't stay around where I'm not wanted.

I might get hurt, you know?

You might. I won't.

I think you're wrong.

I'd like to be the one to prove it.

You turn out to be the man who led that lynchin', you'll get a chance soon enough.

- And if I'm not? - I might oblige you anyhow.

Staying a while? Soon as I get a room.

If you're not careful, you'll be moving in alongside Burden.

Nothing wrong with a man wanting a room, Withers.

I just told him I took the last one.

Then let him find out for himself.

Don't push him. If there's going to be a play, let him start it.

Otherwise, we're gonna have more law in this

town than you or me want. You understand?

Room.

- With a bath? - Mm-hmm.

- Don't have any. - Any one of those'll do.

Reserved. Have a big convention next week.

Cattlemen from miles around.

With bath.

Get it for him, Withers.

Clumsy, ain't I?

I'll kill you.

All right, Withers. That's enough of that kind of talk. Get up.

Carl Luther.

My ranch is right next to Bill Burden's place.

Socorro Creek is not proud of its hotel accommodations.

I don't plan to be here beyond tomorrow.

I tend to agree. You'll find out soon enough Burden was guilty.

We got an eyewitness.

Oh, not anymore we don't. Sam's dead.

Sam Blount?

Found him in the canyon. Must've got feverish and wandered.

The only witness dead. The whole town acting like I've got smallpox.

I can understand people not even wanting to

think about lynching an innocent man, but...

You're forgetting something. The money hasn't been found.

Now, when a half a dozen ranchers are staring at bankruptcy,

how do you think they feel when you come here and take Burden's side?

I don't care how they feel. Bill Burden was...

A dreamer, mister. A loser. A drinker.

And we still think he switched brands on some cattle three years ago.

I didn't know that.

Well, you sure enough do now.

A man can change...

Better himself or go downhill.

Either way, I owed Burden.

Men who lynched him are gonna help me pay that debt.

I could have helped you with that.

You didn't hear me ask you, did you?

The undertaker said everything would be taken care of.

Well, I'm gonna bury him myself.

And I'm gonna pay for it.

Here's the money you gave that undertaker.

Have it your way. My way is for you to stay out of this.

Danny...

Look, I'm gonna find the man who lynched my father.

And then what are you gonna do?

Then, if I get a chance, I'm gonna shoot him in the back.

And you'll be no better than he is.

Hyah!

Private party? Help yourself.

Whiskey.

Start every day like that, and you'll be stone-blind in a year.

Probably right.

Halfway there already.

Now, that all you're having?

I work best on an empty stomach. Not me.

I take a full breakfast.

Oh, listening to that kid out there made me lose my appetite.

You don't like the idea the boy wants to find out who framed his father?

Oh, mister, Burden wasn't framed.

Now, think about this. Who else knew that sale had gone through?

Not counting yourself, naturally.

You know so much, you tell me.

All right.

Owens, Sam Blount and Burden.

Now, old Bill bets that the deal goes through,

and fixes it with someone in town here to ambush Owens and Blount.

Then why did he go ridin' off with me?

You were gonna look at mustangs.

He was interested.

He still had time to get to the camp and kill Owens.

That's just like old Bill.

Plannin' on killin' two men, and still takin' time to look at horses.

All right, while we're making up stories,

who was in with him? Withers, Luther.

Take your pick.

Sam Blount. Maybe even me.

And Blount was the one who said he, uh, saw Bill kill Owens, wasn't he?

Sure. Because Burden double-crossed him.

Tried to get it all for himself.

Shot Blount and left him for dead.

Sounds logical enough,

but I don't buy any of it.

I'm just tryin' to tell you what you're likely to prove.

Truth is, I feel kinda sorry for you.

Tryin' to clear a man's name, and you're just gonna make it blacker.

I'm so worried about you.

Well, don't be.

I'll find the man, and I'll take care of 'im.

I just don't want you to...

What, get killed?

What difference would that make?

You got a foreman to take care of you.

You know, I'd say things worked out pretty good for you.

Pa gets lynched.

Somebody else comes in to take care of you.

- Doesn't have a kid to force on you. - No, that's just not true.

You know, it really doesn't matter, because when this whole thing is over,

you'll be rid of both of us, 'cause I'll be leaving.

That's your decision. That's right.

Just like it's your decision to go get yourself killed.

I can't stop you. Danny...

Leave if you want to, but don't get killed.

I'd rather never be able to see you again than...

to have to bury you.

Whoa.

Danny, uh, thinks I ought to cry for his father.

He's angry at me because I can't.

I don't know. You'd think after 10 years...

I would look at his grave and I would feel something.

It's like I'd grown an inch or gained a pound.

It's a change, but it's hardly worth thinking about.

There must have been more between you than that.

No.

Not anymore.

We just went from day to day.

Yesterday, I noticed two things.

He was dead,

and 10 years' worth of days had gone by.

When we met, he spoke of you.

He... He was proud.

Proud of his dreams maybe.

I didn't share them with him.

They were just for him.

And now? What will you do now?

Sell the spread.

Leave Socorro Creek, I guess.

And take Danny with you?

I hope so.

He's not gonna leave the lynching unsettled.

He will if you leave.

Let it end, huh? Danny will get over it.

He's not gonna get over anything.

I'm not just doing this for Danny.

I'm doing it for Bill and for you too.

Gimme a glass of whiskey.

I can't do it, Danny.

My money's as good as anybody else's.

Your money's fine. You're just lacking a few years.

Besides,

the last thing we want is for you to get drunk and make a mistake.

I'm not makin' any mistakes.

Uh, a lot of us...

didn't like what happened the other night.

No, but you didn't try and stop it either.

No.

No, we didn't.

That's why we'd like to try to make it up to you and your ma.

Mister, I don't want your charity.

And I sure don't want your advice.

I just want a drink. I told you, no.

And that'll go for any other place in town.

Where were you when my father was lynched, huh?

Were you under your beds?

Maybe you put the rope around his neck, huh?

All of you!

All of you. You know you put that rope around his neck.

Why didn't you have the guts to try and stop it, huh?

Why didn't anybody try and stop it?

Afternoon.

Hmm. Didn't hear you.

Anybody I know?

Dead man.

I hope so.

Sam Blount... heard he died of, uh, complications.

I'm no doctor.

You saw where he was shot.

Mister, he didn't have no family, so I just put him in,

and now I'm nailing him up.

I'll finish the job, after I open it up.

Or you tell me where he was wounded.

In the arm.

Why didn't a doctor treat him? It's none of my business.

He just went off and died. That's all. Look.

Since your little town is so law-abiding it doesn't even have a sheriff,

you wouldn't have anybody to run to if I made you open it up.

Now, where else was he shot?

In the heart.

One more thing.

What was there about Dave Owens...

that made people want to go out and lynch the man they thought had killed him?

Dave Owens was a good man.

Tough on the outside,

but just let anybody have a bad year, some kind of trouble...

Dave was always there to help him.

He was a lot better than the man who shot him.

If he shot him.

You're tryin' to tie me in with that lynch mob.

Not yet.

Anybody'll tell you how it was.

Blount told us the whole story. Then why was Blount killed?

I don't know. It's not my concern.

It is if you were part of that lynch mob.

Maybe even if you weren't.

Yeah, he's headed for Luther's place.

I don't much like that.

Well, come on. I want to keep an eye on him...

in case he gets too close to the truth.

You sure do a lot of riding back and forth.

Say what you have to say.

Well, I was just wondering if you had a nice conversation with that undertaker.

Found out a few things.

I don't suppose he'd tell us what.

Do you, Withers?

Why don't you come along and find out? I'm headed for Luther's.

Well, uh, what'd you talk about?

I told you. I want to talk it over with Luther.

Why him? Well, Owens is dead.

I guess that makes Luther the leading citizen of Socorro Creek,

for whatever that's worth.

I was talkin' about Blount.

Were we?

I suppose now you're gonna accuse me...

of havin' somethin' to do with killin' him.

Shut your mouth, Withers.

Never entered my mind. He wasn't shot in the back.

Mister?

Mister!

I've had just about all I'm gonna take of you.

You've had all you're gonna take...

when I told you you've had all you're gonna take.

Now shut you mouth, Withers.

You'd better listen to the head man, Withers.

I would have expected you to get a little better help than that.

Too bad.

The undertaker had your size all picked out.

I told him not to make a move.

He should have listened to you.

Withers?

You've lost your usefulness to me.

Get on your horse and clear out.

I ever see you around again,

same thing might happen to you happened to Sam Blount.

Ah. I've been waiting for you to drop by.

Come on inside. Have a drink. No, thanks.

I just need some answers.

Happy to oblige.

Uh, you're planning on buying Burden's place, are you?

Well, he didn't leave his family anything. The bank would have foreclosed.

I know.

If I took a loss on the robbery, where did I get the money?

- Not a bad question. - I saved it.

I figured you for the nest-egg kind.

And it always helps to have the other buyer out of the way, doesn't it?

What other buyer?

Burden told me you and Owens were both bidding on his place.

Nothing unusual about that. He was in between us.

A man generally tries to buy the land adjacent to his, if he wants to get ahead.

Now, the last man I'd want to beat out of anything would have been Dave.

I owed him... Like a lot of people did.

Seems to me Owens would be the last man a fella would pick to kill.

- You're not wrong. - So Burden had to be pretty stupid.

First, to kill Owens,

then to come riding back into town like nothing had ever happened.

Mister, I knew Bill Burden. He wasn't stupid.

Now, mister, I don't think we'll ever get the whole truth or the money.

Now, we went over where it happened...

Every bush, every rock.

We even took a fine-tooth comb to Burden's ranch.

Yeah, we were counting on that money.

Oh, we'll make it, all right.

Cinch our belts, ride it out like a blizzard, a drought.

Anyway, another year... The whole thing will be history.

This whole thing won't be history till I find the guilty man.

Burden was guilty, and there's no arguing it.

Then why was Blount killed,

and why were you afraid to give Burden a trial?

I resent being associated with that mob.

I was home when they broke into the jail.

I'd just sent some of my men to guard the jail. I got there too late.

And nobody was afraid of a trial. Some men just got drunk.

Like Withers? Four Eyes? All right, blame them.

But you'll have to blame about 20 others.

Blame me for not being there to stop it.

Blame the town itself for not having a marshal.

But while you're blaming everybody else,

you ought to know what people are saying about you...

Because of his widow and boy you're so interested in helping.

It's what people say to me, not about me, that matters.

Then I'll say it to you.

Even the people who had nothing to do with the lynching feel guilty about it...

That none of them tried to stop it.

But Danny Burden, he believes his father'd still be alive...

if you'd have come when he asked,

and he blames you, in part.

Oh, not that he'd try and kill you.

But he's not about to let you take away what he feels is his responsibility...

Especially you.

And the longer you stay, the more you're prodding him to get himself killed.

Nice little town, Socorro Creek.

Quiet.

Doesn't even need a marshal or a sheriff.

But there's been a big robbery.

Three men have died.

There's some gun slicks pushing me real hard...

So hard one of 'em made a mistake.

And now everybody's telling me to leave town, before there's any more killing.

Well, I'll tell you something, Mr. Luther.

The last thing in the world I want is more killing.

I want the man who killed Owens to stand trial.

He's probably the same man that killed Blount and had Bill Burden lynched.

And when I find him,

he can stand trial, or he make a play.

And if he does,

there'll be one more killing.

I never thought the day would come...

when I wouldn't be glad to see you.

Well, that'll pass, I hope.

Kate, I want Danny out of this.

Well, so do I. But it was his father that was lynched.

I don't need to be reminded of that.

Well, then, come with me, and you talk to him...

and see if you can get him to understand.

I tried that. I didn't have much luck.

I don't see why I'd do any better now.

Would you try?

Thank you.

I'll take you to him.

I saw you here over an hour ago.

- What'd you bring him for? - 'Cause I was hoping you'd listen to him.

To what he has to say.

He's got nothing to say that I want to hear.

An hour, huh? You hit the bottle yet?

I wouldn't count on getting three shots.

No, I'll only need one.

This morning, you said something about...

shooting him in the back.

That the way you plan to do it? No, this way.

Man's gonna be a lot bigger than a bottle.

All right.

You want everybody to see what a big man you are,

so, uh, you'll do it in the center of town.

Call him out around sundown.

The sun to your back and the light in his eye.

Of course, he'll see the rifle, so it won't be a surprise,

and neither will shooting from a crouch instead of the hip.

A rifle's got a lot more range,

but since all your admirers'll be watching, you can't shoot first.

So you'll just keep coming and he'll keep coming,

getting nervous because of the rifle.

And finally he'll make the mistake of shooting from his range.

Naturally he'll miss... Being so scared...

And with the sun in his eyes and all.

And then you'll just take the next man, and the next.

Before you know it, they'll ask you to run for marshal of San Francisco.

- Danny, he's trying to help you. - That's a laugh.

Go on. Laugh.

I was hoping he'd listen to me.

I guess I'll just have to beat him to it.

And I suppose you think that'll mean something...

That'll prove something.

It'll mean something if our friendship does.

What's between us is more than just friendship.

You're wrong, Kate.

It never was more. It never will be.

Well, you're part right.

All those years, it never was more than friendship.

You wouldn't let it be. And I wouldn't either.

But I wanted to.

Maybe not now, next week...

Maybe not even next month.

But never?

The only way you can stop it now is by getting yourself killed.

And I don't want that.

Kate, this... This isn't right.

Maybe it... it could be.

This other thing has got to be settled first.

With more killing?

I don't like it, but some men force things that way.

And after it's all settled,

will there be anything left for us?

I don't know.

I just don't know.

We could leave just as soon as I get my debts paid off.

Luther didn't pay as much as Bill said he was going to, but I had no choice.

It's enough to pay off the debts. Then we could go.

Bill told you he was selling to Luther? Yes.

Just before he left on the drive.

That's strange. He told me Luther and Owens were still bidding.

Well, why would he say that? That wasn't the truth.

And why to Luther?

Bill admitted he liked Owens.

Everything else being equal, why would he sell to Luther?

I say get out of town.

Not a little bitty chance.

In a week, this whole thing will blow over.

I give the orders. You're getting a little confused, aren't you?

All right.

But so far as the town is concerned,

I'm the one buying the property.

That's the way you wanted it.

The way I wanted it?

There you were, biddin' against Owens,

probably gonna lose,

and I come to you with my idea...

To kill Owens, pin it on Burden...

and we wind up with everything.

I'd have done it alone, except I needed some respectability.

Nobody would have sold to me.

And I was that respectability.

Fair trade.

Your fine standing for my stomach.

And you probably got the best of the deal.

Still, it all worked out the way you planned.

Burden, then Owens.

And a parcel of money to boot.

The money's not important.

What counts is the land.

And everything was workin' just fine...

till now.

I just never figured on you getting so nervous.

Well, that-that... That cow-puncher means business.

He means trouble.

And I'll take him, and that'll be an end to it.

You said you were looking to be done with killing.

I was,

and I am.

But in my own time, not yours.

Mr. Luther,

for the first time,

I think we understand each other.

Stop right there.

- Mrs. Owens? - I told the bank...

they wasn't to put up the notice till tomorrow.

- What notice? - Don't play dumb, mister.

I ain't making any deals beforehand. Everybody bids the same day.

You're auctioning the house too?

Who are you?

Somebody trying to find out who killed your husband.

Burden did it.

Mrs. Owens, how much of that $20,000 belonged to your husband?

Too much. He organized the sale, but most of the money was his.

A lot more than I got for sell...

- Than you got? - I ain't got no more to say.

But you have already sold?

Yes, I've already sold.

And it ain't none of your business to who.

What is this?

I know about the land grab, Luther.

What land grab? You said it yourself.

A man buys the land adjacent to his if he wants to get ahead.

First Burden, then Owens.

If you know so much, why bother to ask?

I don't have all the answers yet.

Give me the information... You may live to stand trial.

I know you're behind the land buying.

- What I need to know is who's with you? - You can't prove a thing.

I get the idea a man doesn't need a whole lot of proof around here.

All right, mister, why don't you just go ahead and get it over with?

The next one will take out an eye.

All right. It was Four Eyes.

It was all his idea. He knew about Owens and me bidding on Burden's place.

Four Eyes had it worked out so him and me got the whole thing...

Burden's place, Owens spread and the money...

Once we talked Burden into it.

- Talked Burden into what? - Going along with the robbery.

That's what you offered him for his place? Sure.

Neither of us... Owens or me... could afford to pay that much.

The place wasn't worth it.

By the time Burden paid whatever he owed,

there wouldn't be enough for any kind of a start.

But with a share of the money...

Then why? Why lynch him?

He didn't know anything about killing Owens.

He thought it would just be a... a robbery.

But he got there too late.

Four Eyes and Withers showed up ahead of schedule.

When Burden found Owens's body, he came to Four Eyes.

Said he didn't want any part of it. Told us to keep the money.

Four Eyes was afraid, sooner or later, he'd talk.

And Blount was killed for the same reason?

Yes. All right, get up.

Where are we going?

Into town.

A lot of people are gonna want to hear about this.

And we'll see if you make it to trial.

Luther been in here? What do you want with him?

Now, that's my business.

The way you shoot your mouth off, son,

they ain't much of your business everybody in town don't know about.

Take it easy on the boy.

Luther left here over an hour ago.

He moves around pretty good, doesn't he?

Like getting my mother to sell the ranch while I wasn't there.

Now, hold on. Your pa was gonna sell to him anyhow.

Or would you rather the bank foreclose?

- Where'd he get the money? - I loaned it to him.

Then you'll be next... After I call him out.

For what? You gonna throw rocks at him?

My gun's outside.

I'll be waiting.

Danny.

Luther couldn't have had anything to do with it.

Oh, now, I'm sick and tired of hearing...

about how nobody had anything to do with it.

Now, I'm going to go through this rotten town from one end to the other.

I can save you a whole lot of time.

I'm the one put the rope around his neck.

Then you.

I'll buy you a drink first.

I'll buy my own... afterwards.

That'll be a pretty good trick.

All right, you go out there and get all set.

I'll be out there in just a minute.

You don't have to go do that now.

I don't need to back-shoot you.

You can't kill that boy.

Watch me.

Well, there he is. Middle of the street.

Sun to his back.

Sure looks like he knows what he's doin'. Better watch myself.

Rifle or pistol,

you're only gonna get one shot.

You want to come a little closer, boy.

- This is between the kid and me. - Not anymore.

Your partner here cleared things up...

Just like he's gonna do in front of all these people.

You heard him, mister. It's between him and me.

No, it's not.

You here to talk or fight, boy?

We're gonna talk.

Go on, mister. Tell the people.

All right.

I was in on it along with Withers and Burden.

But not the killing. That was him.

Now you stay there. I'll be back for you.

Danny, get outta here!

It's all right.

You know what Luther said about my pa...

Danny,

your pa wasn't as strong as some wanted.

But he wasn't as weak as some said.

Not the best man in the world,

but a long ways from the worst.

Just like the rest of us.

Doctor says that leg will heal just fine.

It's more than his leg needs healing,

and it'll take time.

I'm going back to Shiloh, Kate.

Why?

I think...

Uh, I think it's just too soon.

And Danny needs you now.

Well, maybe another time.

Maybe... another time.

He's going, huh? Oh, he's gone.

Didn't mean a lot of the things I said to him.

We all say things that we don't mean.

Even him.