Original subtitles

Howdy, Sheriff Abbott, Mr. Welles.

Good to see you.

Mr. McKinley.

Well, uh... Well, you've been working hard.

Oh. Yeah, not much to show for it yet.

I hope she'll start to look like a house pretty soon.

I didn't think you were this far along.

We didn't come to pass the time of day. Show him the papers.

Legal papers? It's a court order.

I'm sorry to have to do this, Mr. McKinley.

I don't rightly understand.

What is it I've done wrong?

You started building that shack on my land.

Law says you're to tear it down and get out. That'll do, Mr. Welles.

Well, there must be some mistake.

Don't you recall, Mr. Welles? I paid you for this piece of land.

That was the first payment. Second's long overdue.

I don't know anything about any payments. What's he talking about?

I'm afraid there's a forfeiture clause in there.

Land still belongs to Mr. Welles.

No, sir.

This is my land. He set a flat price, and I paid him for it.

I gave him every penny I had.

He knows it too. The law's on my side.

And I'm telling you this is my land.

Don't you do that, Mr. McKinley.

You're forcing me to arrest you for contempt of court.

Nobody's taking my land.

I came too far and worked too hard.

I won't give it up.

You got a gun, Sheriff. Use it.

What you waiting for?

You stay out of this. You're just making things worse.

Get away from here... Both of you.

Get off my land.

You put that thing down.

You're under arrest. Stand aside, Sheriff.

Mark.

A cowpoke approached a circus owner with an old swayback horse.

Said he'd like to travel with the show.

He claimed his old mare was the smartest horse in the world.

Now the circus owner reckoned he'd seen horses...

that could jump through hoops...

and horses that could stand on their head and juggle at the same time.

He asked the cowpoke what was so special about this pitiful specimen.

Cowpoke said, "Well, sir,

this here mare of mine can calculate numbers at lightning speed."

Circus owner said, "All right. How much is one plus two?"

Horse kind of thought it over, then he pawed the ground...

One, two, three.

Cowpoke threw down his hat and said, "Come on, you stupid critter!

One more time!"

Uncle Clay, please. It's important.

Huh? Trampas want to see you.

Something's up.

Take him in the study. I'll fix up the front bedroom.

Gene, ride into town. Get the doctor. Yes, sir.

Easy.

The sheriff. Is he hurt bad?

Bad enough.

- How did it happen? - Trampas found him.

I was riding past that piece of bottomland near Wolf Creek when I heard the shots.

A farmer named McKinley bought that place from Caleb Welles.

Yeah? Well, it must have been McKinley I saw...

ride off toward Shiloh's south range.

He left Welles dead and the sheriff here to die.

- Caleb Welles is dead? - Yes, he is.

Well, what are we waiting for? Why don't we go after this McKinley?

- We got a posse right here. - Now wait a minute, boys.

Let's talk about it out here.

I know how you feel.

Maybe some of you knew Caleb Welles better than I did,

but Mark Abbott's a good friend of mine.

Then let's get the man who shot him. That's what I say.

All right. Fine. But let's use some common sense too. We can't track him at night.

- You should know that, Frank. - We can't let him get away either.

And we can't ride off in all directions.

By morning there wouldn't be a clear track left to follow.

What do you suggest, Clay?

McKinley rode off toward Shiloh's south range.

My men know that country better than they know their faces in the mirror.

So I'll get a bunch and start out at sunup.

And if McKinley's there, we'll find him.

That sounds like the best idea.

I don't care who gets that killer,

as long as they bring him back to hang.

Hold up.

What's the trouble? Double set of tracks.

Hmm.

Yeah.

Somebody came over that ridge and rode along in the same direction.

Maybe McKinley had a friend waiting for him. What do you think?

Tracks don't show that either one of them was waiting for the other one.

Near as I can make out, they were just going along the same way.

How can you tell 'em apart?

That's the problem... I can't.

Trampas? Nah. They're all mixed up.

Then let's follow both sets,

see what happens.

Well, here's where they split up.

A set of tracks turned off. The other one went on south.

Which is which? Which one's McKinley?

That's what I don't know.

There's one way to find out.

You take Trampas and Sutton here, ride on ahead,

and I'll see where this other track leads.

- How do we get back together? - We don't.

Whoever catches up with McKinley takes him straight back.

With the sheriff laid up, there's no law in Medicine Bow.

I don't want to be away any longer than necessary.

All right? All right.

All right. Let's go.

Pa!

What happened?

Ma?

Ma! Come quick!

What... Pa's home.

Hosea!

Ellen.

I need you.

Yeah, it's McKinley's horse, all right.

Broke his leg. He had to shoot him.

He can't get far on foot.

We didn't hear the shot. Still got a good lead on us. We can cut it down fast.

Why did he come south, I wonder? Why didn't he head east, for the badlands?

- That's what I'd have done. - Maybe he's not as smart as you are.

You know, he's right.

McKinley never even tried to double back.

He made a beeline this way for some reason.

What reason?

My guess is he's got somebody waiting for him...

Somebody who can give him a hand.

Came a long way on foot.

This is rough country for walking.

We'll have to get another horse...

Somehow.

Yes.

How long has it been?

How many long days and nights...

since I went away from this cabin?

Now I come dragging back with my calamities,

like an old hound dog with prickle burrs. Shh!

Don't talk.

I'll fix you something to eat.

No. That can wait. I gotta tell you.

Something's happened.

William...

Uh, the fire's dying. You best go fetch some firewood.

No, he can hear it too. I want him to know how it was...

How his pa came to kill two men.

Oh, no.

Pa? Was it in a fight?

I was working on the house, you see,

shaping one of the beams.

It was coming along fine.

Then Caleb Welles and the sheriff came riding up.

Mr. Welles told me to get off the land, that it wasn't mine.

He cheated me, Ellen.

He as much as said so to my face.

I saw red, and I went for my rifle.

I don't want to hear any more.

The sheriff... I don't want William to hear any more.

The sheriff was an accident.

He got in my way.

I had nothing against him. He was a good man.

William, go outside. Fetch the firewood.

Pa said... Now, you do as I say.

It's cold in here.

You know I... can't bear the cold. Yes, ma'am.

All the way back I kept thinking...

what this would do to you.

As if I haven't put you through enough already.

Hosea, are they after you?

I don't know.

I didn't see anybody.

Most likely they will be.

Maybe I... shouldn't have run for it.

But I was afraid if they got me,

I'd never see you again.

I had to come back.

Tracks lead into the water. Looks like he crossed over.

Yeah, or went for a swim.

Somehow I think he's trying to shake us.

He can't stay in the stream forever. Have to come out somewhere.

What's his trouble?

Smoke.

- Campfire, maybe. - Let's find it.

- There's your smoke. - Do you think he's in there?

Question is, who's in there with him?

Trampas, you go on around in back.

Dave, you cover me from in front.

McKinley! You're surrounded!

Throw out your guns!

What are you gonna do?

What can I do?

They'll hang you.

I can't fight 'em. Not with you here, anyway.

Please. Get the pistol, Ellen.

McKinley!

I hear you.

If there was some other way...

The time for choosing is past.

Stand away from the door.

Is that all? Yes.

- Hosea McKinley? - Yes.

- You know why we're here? - I know.

Please. It wasn't his fault.

I told my wife what happened. I believe him.

Hosea McKinley's a good man. He wouldn't hurt anybody.

You all right?

Well, you could have hollered or something. We didn't know.

There's nobody else here? Just the two of them?

We're the only ones.

- You stayed out here by yourself? - I was alone.

You could see for yourself there's nobody else here.

Hello? Yeah, is Mr. Clay Grainger at home?

No, my uncle's away.

Mrs. Grainger? No, she's away too, visiting her sister.

I'm Elizabeth Grainger.

They told me in town that the sheriff was here.

Uh, may I see him, please?

Well, he's not receiving visitors. He's very sick.

- He'll talk to me. - He can't talk to anyone.

I'm Jack Welles. Caleb was my brother.

I'm sorry. Sheriff Abbott is still unconscious.

Will you take me to him?

All right.

How long has he been this way?

Since they brought him here.

Least he's alive.

I wanted him to tell me just how it was...

when McKinley murdered my brother.

Was it murder?

I thought no one knew what had happened.

Caleb is dead,

and here lies the man that was supposed to protect him.

Sheriff Abbott is a good friend of ours.

Caleb was my only brother.

I just now came from his funeral.

A man buries his brother before his time,

has a right to ask why.

Thank you. Thank you.

Elizabeth? Oh, excuse me.

Oh, Uncle Clay! So good to see you. You don't know.

Well, it's good to be home.

Uh, how's Mark? Any change? No change.

Well, that's something. Virginian showed up yet? No. I thought he was with you.

We had to split up. Double set of tracks, and I picked the wrong one.

Wasted a lot of time chasing down some poor old saddle tramp.

Uh, we got company?

Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Welles, this is my uncle, Clay Grainger.

Jack Welles? That's right.

Oh. Well, Amos Wardlow told me he was going

to get in touch with you about your brother.

Glad to meet you. Would you like some coffee?

There's a fresh pot. That'd be fine.

Excuse me. I might just have something else first though.

Cut the dust out of my throat.

How's bourbon, Mr. Welles?

A small one, thank you.

You missed the funeral today.

Not too many folks showed up.

Oh. Well, that's too bad.

I guess not many folks knew your brother.

He hadn't been in town too long. Thank you.

I hear you went after the man who killed him.

Man by the name of McKinley is suspected of killing him.

We picked up a double set of tracks, so we split up.

My group got sidetracked by what turned out to be a wild goose chase.

The others are still looking for him.

Mmm. Let's hope that they don't give up too.

There was no point in my going on. I'd just be covering the same ground.

- Yes, of course. - Anyway, my foreman's very capable.

Good. Then I can expect to see Mr. McKinley hang soon.

Well, it's customary to have a trial first.

When the law is in charge.

Medicine Bow's law is lying unconscious in your front bedroom.

About ready to go? Just about.

Mmm.

Help me?

Are you all right?

I thought I was. No, he's not all right. Look at him.

Can't make him go all that way without any rest.

Well, how long since you've had any sleep?

I, uh, don't remember.

He walked through the night to get here.

May I have a look at you, please, Mr. McKinley?

I've studied a little medicine. Mmm.

Looks ready to cave in.

When did you eat last?

Couldn't we wait till morning? He's in no condition to travel.

You sure about that? Yes, sir.

If he doesn't get some rest, we're gonna have a sick man on our hands.

Well, you're the doctor.

Trampas, you get on back. Tell Grainger about the delay.

He'll be needing somebody at the ranch.

Tell him we'll be in as soon as we can.

We'll have Mr. McKinley with us.

The first thing we have to do is get some food into him.

There's not much to eat.

There's grub in the saddlebags... Beans and bacon.

I'll get it.

Go on. Shoo! Go on!

Go on! Hey! Stop that! What are you doin'?

Doggone it.

Now what'd you go and do a darn fool thing like that for?

So you can't take my pa away.

Your pa?

Let go, durn you. Let go!

Whoa, son. Now, you just listen.

You hurt my pa, and I'll kill you. No, wait. Now, you listen.

You got us all wrong. We're not gonna hurt him.

You're gonna take him back to Medicine Bow.

Yes, but I give you my word, he won't be hurt.

That's a promise, and I never go back on a promise.

You're gonna hang him. Won't that hurt?

Why didn't you tell us the boy was here?

I didn't want him hurt.

Did you have any idea he'd pull some stunt like running our horses off?

He was only trying to help me.

If we don't find those horses,

you're gonna have to walk back to Medicine Bow in your weakened condition.

You call that being helpful? I didn't think about that.

No, you didn't. Now, go look for 'em.

Take him with you. He knows the area. Let's go.

And keep an eye on him.

He might have a few more ideas about helping his pa.

Right.

Nope!

Our supper was in those saddlebags.

Of course, you had no way of knowing that.

Well, let's see. Those horses must be hungry too.

Now, where would I go if I was a hungry horse?

Well, I guess I'd look for good pasture.

Where's the best grazing land around here, William?

Lead on.

Now how a horse could get down here,

unless he's part mountain goat...

Well, sure is great country though.

Now, I knew a fella once, said he couldn't live any place...

unless there was room to swing a cat.

Not that I ever saw him swing one.

Come to think of it,

I don't even know what he was talkin' about.

Where'd you live before you come out here, William?

Louisville. Not Louisville, Kentucky?

I'll be darned if... It's a small world.

We were practically neighbors. I'm from Pennsylvania.

That's not near Kentucky.

Sure it is. It's up there somewhere.

Up north, someplace. Ohio and West Virginia come between.

Ohio and West Virginia?

Well, how'd they get in there?

I never was too good at geography.

I got a failing mark one time...

because I couldn't remember the direction of the South Pole.

I still don't know how I found my way out here.

I'm sure glad I did.

What made your pa decide to pack up and come west?

The reason I ask, now, uh, my pa came west too...

From Wales in Great Britain all the way to a coal town in Pennsylvania.

I couldn't make the trip 'cause I wasn't born yet, but my mother came along.

Did she like leaving her home?

Well, uh, no, I don't suppose she did.

But she fell in love with the new home quick enough.

My ma won't ever like this place.

She's hated everything since we left Louisville.

Bringing her west was the meanest thing my pa ever did.

Hey, wait for me.

I don't reckon they found the horses,

or they'd be back by now.

That boy of yours wouldn't try to pull another stunt,

like, uh, walking my friend into a ravine in the dark...

and breaking his neck, now, would he?

William?

No.

He's a good boy. He wouldn't hurt anybody.

Listen to the wind rattling through the chink holes.

When I first threw this pile of sticks up,

we needed a roof over our heads.

Figured on building us a real house when the land was cleared,

crops were growing,

only they never did grow.

Turned out the land was bad.

You sure it was the land's fault?

I know what you mean.

I wasn't a farmer back east.

I was a foreman in a carriage factory.

But my pa did some farming in his day, and I helped him out with it.

No, it was the land.

Topsoil's thin and ashy. Solid rock underneath.

What about the piece of land you bought from Caleb Welles?

Oh.

That was real farmland...

Soil was dark and rich, like sweet chocolate.

Worth every penny I paid for it...

Every penny I had.

Was it worth everything else?

It was the land that brought me out here.

That piece of land...

Before I even laid eyes on it, I saw it as clear as I see you...

Clover pasture for milk cows,

crops growing in the field, the house.

When a man steals that away from you...

You can't stand by and do nothing.

What did Sheriff Abbott steal from you?

That was bad.

I had no wish to kill him.

He stopped a bullet meant for Welles.

The sheriff isn't dead.

At least, he wasn't when I left.

Are you speaking the truth?

Ellen, do you hear? I didn't kill him. He's still alive.

And Caleb Welles? Is he alive too?

No.

Then it doesn't change anything, does it?

No. It doesn't change anything.

Mr. Welles. Oh, Mr. Wardlow. Come in. Come in.

I was just going through some of Caleb's papers.

He had a good head for business, but a poor feeling for organization.

Well, what can I do for you? Sit down, please.

Oh, thanks. I just have a few minutes.

I saw the light in the office, thought I'd stop by.

I'm glad you did. I...

I've been looking forward to having a little talk with some of Caleb's friends.

Uh, what are your plans, Mr. Welles?

- My plans? - Well, I mean here in Medicine Bow.

Well, now, that all depends.

Just what aspect of my plans interests you, Mr. Wardlow?

Well, you sent a telegram today...

that sort of got Avery Grant at the telegraph office to worrying.

I thought disclosing messages was against the law.

Maybe he should worry about his job.

I told him there was nothing to it.

But it did look, uh, well, out of the ordinary.

You sent for some men. That's right.

I believe you called them "enforcers"?

- Yes, I did. - We'd better straighten this out.

I've been looking after the sheriff's office.

Yes, I know.

And my brother's killer still hasn't been brought to justice.

That's why I took it upon myself...

to bring in some good men who could enforce the law.

- The law? - I want McKinley to hang.

You can't buy vengeance at the cost of law and order.

Not in Medicine Bow. We'll put a stop to it.

- You and Clay Grainger? - All the decent men who live around here.

We have no taste for what you're proposing.

You keep your gunmen out of Medicine Bow.

Is that all you've got to say?

The loss of a brother doesn't entitle you...

to come in here and run things to suit yourself.

I'm sure you're reasonable enough to see that.

Oh, I'm very reasonable, Mr. Wardlow, and practical.

That's why I'm taking up where Caleb left off.

You're taking over Caleb's business?

My business. I set Caleb up with my money.

I picked this town myself.

It's got a little bit of everything...

Wealthy ranchers, hopeful farmers...

and businessmen like you who overextend themselves...

to keep up with the times.

Just what do you mean?

This.

A second mortgage on the Wardlow Freight Transfer Company...

Buildings, furnishings, horses, wagons...

and property thereof.

I ran short of cash. I had to buy new equipment.

Look at the date, Mr. Wardlow.

It's well past due.

Caleb gave me an extension.

Well, you, uh... You show me where it says that in writing.

He gave me his word.

I can only go by the figures.

I have legal claim to everything that you own in the world.

And you're not the only one in town who's in this book.

Now can you see how practical and reasonable I am, Mr. Wardlow?

You tell me again...

how you and some of the decent people of this town are going to stop me.

Are you sure you don't want me to sit up for a while?

No, you and the boy get some sleep.

I wish we could have found those horses.

We ran out of places to look. Try again at sunup.

Good. Ma says we're to sleep in the barn.

I've slept in worse places.

Good night. See you in the morning.

You can't be too comfortable there. You're welcome to the cot.

I don't want to be too comfortable.

Afraid Mr. McKinley will jump out of bed and run away?

I don't want to embarrass either one of us by putting him to the test.

I was just thinking about our horses...

and where I might look for 'em tomorrow.

My horse, Joe, likes water. He's always been a good swimming horse.

You ever been to Louisville?

Yes.

It's a heavenly place.

I was born and raised there.

Never wanted to go anywhere else.

But Mr. McKinley,

he loved to look at his maps,

plan about going west.

I thought it was only talk.

Even when he was saving his money,

pinching pennies for his someday farm,

I never in the world thought we'd really come out here.

It was the last thing in my mind.

When they made him foreman of the carriage company,

I was so thrilled.

I thought for sure we'd move to a bigger house in a better part of town.

I could just see William going to the university,

and someday, when he was good and ready,

marrying a nice girl from a good family.

I'd have my grandchildren.

In other words, I thought we'd be like everybody else.

I didn't count on Mr. McKinley quitting his job.

He sold everything we owned...

The wedding china, my French tablecloth...

And he brought us to this place.

I can't take it anymore.

I wanna go home...

Back to Louisville, where I belong...

With my husband and my son.

They'll give him his old job back.

I know they will.

We can stay with my folks till we get on our feet again,

pick up our lives where we left off.

Be just like nothing ever happened.

Something did happen. A man is dead.

Oh. A man? He was a worthless thief.

Oh. Don't you see?

This is my only chance.

Help me. Please.

Let him go.

I can't do that, Mrs. McKinley.

Why? 'Cause it wouldn't be fair to the good people of Medicine Bow?

No.

Because it wouldn't be fair to your husband.

Well, I guess I'll hit the hay.

Do you always sleep out here, Bill?

I have a pallet behind the kitchen. Oh.

Ma's using it.

Well...

Good night.

Dave?

What's it like to hang?

I really don't know.

Did you ever see a hanging?

Hey.

Now, you don't have to think about that.

Your pa's gonna have a fair trial.

Is he? Why, sure.

Haven't I been telling you that all along?

Dave? Yo.

You know the house Pa was building for us?

I wanted to go with him and help him.

He needed me.

But Ma said no, she needed me here.

What could I do?

Well, I think your pa understands that.

Dave?

Where's your pa? Back in Pennsylvania?

No. He got sick.

He died about a year ago.

Just about a year.

Do you miss him much?

Yes.

Yes, Bill, I miss him a lot.

Oh, Trampas. Is he awake?

No. I thought he was.

There was just a flicker. He opened his eyes for a second.

I don't even know if he saw me. Mmm.

Where's David? Did he come back with you?

No. He and the foreman will be back later.

Well, did you catch up with McKinley? Yeah.

Was there trouble? No.

Tell me! I want to know exactly what happened.

Well, there we were, see?

Three brave men from Shiloh, tracking the desperado to his hideout.

We bust in on him, guns drawn, ready for anything.

And David... boldest of all...

Looks McKinley straight in the eye and says, "You're pooped. Go to bed."

Yeah.

I'm gonna go into town with your uncle.

Uh, Amos is filling in for the sheriff.

He'll want to know what's gonna happen to McKinley.

Do you want me to tell Doc Spalding anything?

No. I wish there were.

I'm supposed to let him know the minute Mark opens his eyes...

If he does. Hey.

Don't you even think about that.

All right.

Amos!

Clay and Trampas.

I didn't see you. We were just coming to see you.

Yeah. We caught McKinley. The Virginian and Sutton are bringing him in.

Fine. That's fine.

What's the matter with you?

You're as jumpy as a hop-toad. Did you hear what he said?

Yes, I heard it. It's good news.

Well, you'll have to get a cell ready...

and arrange for the prisoner's meals.

Clay, uh, I'd be obliged if you could have somebody relieve me of the responsibility.

Trying to keep an eye on things here...

and run my own business...

Well, it just hasn't worked out.

Think you could take over, Trampas? Sure.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Hey. What's the hurry?

What in the blue blazes was that all about?

This is the last of the coffee.

It's more than half chicory.

Mr. Sutton was saying things might just work out.

Well, you never can tell.

Now, there are some good men in Medicine Bow. He'll have a top-notch jury.

Farmers... Now farmers might understand how it was.

Farmers. Right. A jury of your peers.

They'll give you every consideration.

Things could just work out all right.

There's no reason why not.

No. There's no reason.

There's no reason at all.

Ellen, honey,

we've got to think ahead.

To what? To whatever happens.

We gotta make plans, just in case.

No.

We've got to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it...

Not now, not ever.

You'll have to go on.

You'll have to make a home for you and William.

No.

What will we do without you?

What will we do?

We need you.

Bill.

Honey... What will we do without you?

We can't live without you.

Without you, there'd just be nothing.

Mrs. McKinley, listen.

I was just thinking.

The Virginian will be coming back soon,

whether he finds those horses or not.

I'm gonna step outside and have a look around.

I guess I shouldn't do that. Nobody'd be watching the door.

Just no telling who might slip out.

So I'll just, uh, take a little walk.

See whether the Virginian's coming.

There's not much time left...

for taking a walk.

Dave?

Thanks.

It's not much to keep you going.

William told me about a cave back in the hills.

We found it together.

You can stay there till they're gone.

What about you? Oh, we'll be all right, just knowing you're safe.

Hurry, my darling.

I can't do it, Ellen. I just can't do it.

But you've got to. It's not right.

It'd be hanging over my head the rest of my life.

Did he come out yet? No.

Well, what's keeping him?

Oh, hide. Please, Hosea.

After they're gone, you can take us back to Louisville.

You can get us there somehow. I know you can.

We don't wanna be stuck in this wilderness forever.

Take us home.

McKinley, come out of there!

Run, doggone it. Run and hide.

- I'm letting you go. - Dave!

Dave!

Dave?

You heard me. You heard what I said.

Well, I'll forget it. I can't take that man away from his family.

I just can't do that. Well, I can.

Now take this old horse and hitch him up to the buckboard.

That boy needs his father.

I said take that horse and hitch him up to the buckboard.

I'm asking you to give him a break.

We are giving him a break. We're taking him back to stand trial.

Now do like I told you.

McKinley? Come on out here.

We gotta get moving.

Gentlemen.

Welcome to Medicine Bow.

I think you're gonna like it here. Mr. Welles.

- Burke. - This is George.

Mr. Welles.

And Dave. My pleasure.

And Cook. Howdy. Glad to meet you.

It's on me.

They got McKinley. Some of the Shiloh outfit just brought him in.

Well, now. This really calls for a drink.

If any man deserves to hang, it's McKinley.

Can I buy you a drink, Mr. Wardlow?

I have a drink.

You better take it easy.

You made one mistake, turning the jail over to one of Grainger's men.

Don't make another.

I never been in one of these places before.

Not as bad as I thought it would be.

Now, Ellen, you and William go along.

Mr. Sutton's waiting for you.

He's gonna find you a place to stay until the trial's over.

William, you be a comfort to your mother. Yes, Pa.

Don't worry about me.

I got nothing to do for the next few days but take life easy.

Might even catch up on some of that sleep.

Hosea, I'm so afraid.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

There's nothing that I can't face.

Mr. McKinley.

I don't want to leave you in here.

Ellen, the man has to lock up.

Can't run a jail with the door wide open.

You're gonna see me tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere.

Good-bye, William. Good-bye.

Sorry.

It's the only hotel in town.

Bill's room's right next door.

Oh.

We can't pay for all this. It's all paid for...

Or at least, it will be.

Who's paying for it?

You're not to worry about that.

Costs a lot of money to stay in a hotel. No, not much.

The room clerk owes me a favor and gave me a s...

Gave me a special rate.

- I can't let you. - Please, Mrs. McKinley.

I tried to help one way, and that just didn't work out.

This won't begin to make up for it.

You're a very kind man.

We're beholden to you. Well, you'll be needing a few things.

I'll talk to Elizabeth Grainger at the ranch.

I'll drop in on you whenever I can.

Good night. Thank you.

Dave? Yo.

Do you think I could get a job?

What kind of job?

On a ranch, maybe Shiloh, work with you.

Well, I don't know about that. Virginian does most of the hiring.

There's lots I can do. I'm good at chores. I know that.

But you see, being a ranch hand, there are certain requirements, Bill.

Most of the fellas are kinda my size.

You mean I'm not old enough. I'm just a kid.

That certainly would be a consideration.

'Course, it, uh, wouldn't do any harm to ask.

Don't bother. It's okay.

Bye. Bye.

How's it look? Well, they all took off.

They left one man to guard the prisoner,

and he's got the keys to the cell.

Best way in is through the sheriff's office.

Good enough. What if we have to shoot our way in?

Then do it. When do we move?

9:00 tomorrow morning, when everybody's in church.

That might draw a crowd. That's the way I want it.

They might not like it.

It's an object lesson, Mr. Burke.

I'm in the business of lending money,

and people are often surprised at how much they have to pay for it.

I can't afford to have them turn against me...

the way McKinley turned on Caleb.

- Set a bad example. - Well, you sure got things figured out.

Ain't nothin' getting in your way... Not even the law.

Right now, I'm the law.

I find the prisoner guilty.

I sentence him to hang by the neck until dead.

How do you feel?

Strong as a bull.

I'll just bet you do.

Welcome back, Mark. Thank you, Clay.

And thank you, Elizabeth.

I'll send one of the boys for Doc Spalding.

Now, see that you don't move or anything.

He's not going anyplace. I'll look after him.

There are a couple of things I have to find out.

Well, you do most of the talking. He has to save his strength.

Mark, I'm so glad you're gonna be all right.

I'm just glad I'm alive.

I'll be right back.

Mark, Hosea McKinley is in your jail.

Trampas is looking after him.

There's a certain uneasiness in town.

Uh, I don't know how serious it is,

but I want you to tell me, if you can...

Did McKinley shoot you deliberately?

No.

Is Caleb Welles dead? Yes.

Who was shot first, you or Caleb?

I was. But I saw it.

I saw what happened.

Hey! Hey, listen. Listen. Listen.

Look, I wanna tell you something.

Huh?

Hey, is it 9:00 yet?

Well, you tell me when it's 9:00, 'cause when that old boy's boots is high,

I'm gonna come back here and bust this little town right open.

McKinley?

Yes? What is it?

Well, uh, nothing's wrong.

I just wanna ask you a question.

You don't have to answer it if you don't want to.

Uh, by any chance, do you play checkers?

After a fashion.

I've been known, from time to time,

to beat the pants off the second-best checker player in Jeff County, Kentucky.

Oh, yeah?

Well, you got yourself a game.

This is the first night I've spent in town...

in I don't know how long.

Maybe when this is all over,

we could stay in town.

If your father can't be with us for a while,

I can sew and bake.

Guess I could earn some sort of living.

We could take a little house in town.

Would you like that, William?

Would you like to live in town...

and be with people again?

Yes, Ma. I'd like that... If it's what you want.

It is, William. It is.

You've known about this all along, and yet you kept quiet about it.

I'd like to know why. Why didn't you tell me before, Amos?

I tried, but he can break me. He can ruin me.

Well, at least you finally got some sense.

When's this lynching supposed to take place?

I'm not sure.

From the way they were talking in the saloon, I think maybe 9:00.

Can we make it in time? Well, by heaven, we'd better.

Trampas is alone there with McKinley. Come on.

It's your move. Yeah.

The way I see it, whichever way I move, you're gonna jump me.

I hate to say it, but I'm in a tough spot.

Ha, ha... No. Mm-mmm.

♪♪

♪♪

Ha.

Well, there's the game.

Wanna try it again? Sure.

I don't like to quit while I'm losing. Set 'em up.

Okay.

Freeze!

Now, pull it easy with your left hand.

Hand it over here.

Try anything, and Mr. McKinley will get it first.

Very wise decision.

- Shall we go, Mr. McKinley? - Who are you?

You knew my brother quite well.

In fact, you were with him when he died.

- Welles? - That's right.

What can I do, Trampas?

Better do as they say.

Come along.

You didn't have to do that.

Get it out.

Everything's under control, boys.

Let's step out into the street.

Stop right there, Welles!

Turn him over.

You can have him when I'm done with him.

We're not gonna let you go through with this.

You can't stop me, Grainger. Nobody can.

I'll show you.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna have a hanging today,

and you're all invited.

Anybody want to help with a lynching, step right up,

but I'm warning you, you may be hanging an innocent man.

He killed Caleb. Murdered him. And nearly killed the sheriff.

I've just talked with the sheriff.

It's true. McKinley shot and killed Caleb Welles.

There. What'd I tell you?

Caleb Welles cheated McKinley,

the way he deceived a lot of you other people.

And when he came to lay legal claim to the land McKinley thought was his,

he did what a lot of you might do.

He got mad. He defied the sheriff. He broke the law.

He was wrong.

But in the heat of the moment, he didn't stop to consider that.

He took up his rifle,

and he tried to defend that piece of land that meant so much to him.

Are you trying to make these people believe this man has a right to kill my brother?

I'm telling 'em what the sheriff saw, what he told me.

McKinley stood there with his rifle,

while the sheriff tried to reason with him.

But Caleb Welles didn't want any part of reason. He pulled a gun.

The sheriff went to stop it and got caught in the cross fire.

But it was Caleb fired that first shot.

It was Caleb that started the gunfight.

McKinley didn't murder him. He doesn't deserve to hang.

I say he does!

And these people are gonna help me do it.

Harley. You borrowed $5,000 from my brother against your herd.

Now you take this rope or I'll collect tomorrow morning.

I can't. I won't do it.

Middleton, you put up your feed store for a loan.

I'm here to collect now.

Welles, there's not a man here willing to sell his soul.

I can clear the stock off your shelves.

I can close your shop for what you owe me.

Amos Wardlow...

Amos Wardlow.

You got more to lose than all of 'em.

Now, you tell 'em I mean what I say.

I can ruin every last one of 'em.

Now, you tell 'em that, and then you take this.

You go to the devil.

I don't need your help!

You shoot him, and we'll have your trial instead of his.

You'll have to explain why you killed an innocent man...

in front of all these witnesses.

Jack. What do we do now?

You do what I hired you to do.

You let him pull that trigger and he'll hang, and you with him.

You wanna hang, you're gonna have to hang by yourself.

Now, you wait! Welles, listen.

I'm sorry I killed your brother. I mean that.

I didn't want it.

But he wanted to kill me.

He tried, and he's dead.

Now I'm asking you... Do you want it that much?

Do you want it enough to die for it like Caleb?

Caleb was a fool.

I'm not.

You'll have to stand trial,

but the sheriff will tell the court the whole story.

Your lawyer feels the charges will be dismissed.

You see, Ellen? I'll be free before you know it.

We'll be here, right here in town at the hotel.

I'll try to get some kind of work.

Haven't you told her yet?

- Tell me what? - Ma?

Mr. Granger's invited us out to Shiloh Ranch to stay during the trial.

I want to stay there, near Pa's piece of land.

Trampas and Dave and all the Shiloh people...

They're going to help us build Pa's house.

Bill... Bill, the land isn't mine.

It will be when that second payment's made, legal and clear.

I haven't got any money.

Mr. Grainger's offered to advance the money.

Can we stay, Pa?

It means we won't be going to Louisville.

I know what it means.

- Pa? - You ask your mother.

This is one time we'll have to leave it up to her.

Can we stay at Shiloh and look after Pa's land?

You're just like your pa. Just like him.