Original subtitles

That wouldn't be smart.

What you're doin' ain't very smart either.

Go get his horse.

Now take your gun belt off and throw it over there.

Do you hear that better?

Turn around and get your belly in the dirt.

Tie his hands over his head.

Both of them are full. They better be when I look.

I've got friends that'll ride you down.

Your friends are gonna be busy chasin' Indians.

Go get some brush.

Mister,

you're borrowin' more trouble than you can handle.

Indians got other ways for you to die if you want.

Go get some more brush.

Hold it!

Now don't try that again. Real slow now... the gun belts.

Now the hats.

Boots.

The boots!

Get up.

Now straight out, and if I can see you by the time I cut him down, you're dead.

Your gun.

I'm obliged.

You were standing there for a long time.

Saw you come streakin' out of the arroyo.

What took you so long to make your move?

Wasn't sure whose side I was on.

That the only reason?

When I face down three men, I like the sun behind me.

I'm goin' after 'em.

- I'd appreciate it if you didn't. - Why?

I got my reasons.

If I'd wanted 'em dead, I'd have shot 'em.

All right. You got a name?

Adam.

Interested in knowing what they were after?

Nope.

$40,000 of Shiloh cattle money in those saddlebags.

You're a mighty trustin' fella.

That's what you were after, I'd still be hanging from the tree.

See ya. Adam.

I like to pay my debts.

I don't think I'd have to call on you for that.

Clay Grainger, the man who owns Shiloh Ranch... he likes to pay his debts too.

You saved his money. He'll be beholden to you.

Which way is this, uh, Shiloh? About 15 miles south.

I ramrod the outfit. There's a job for you if you want it.

Of course, uh, we don't have too much call for a paid gun.

I got other ways to get me by.

I'll sign on till I got a stake.

Well, good. Let's go.

You, uh, mind answerin' a question first? What's that?

If you'd have caught up with those three, would you have gunned 'em?

No.

If they'd have hung me up like a side of beef, I'd have taken 'em quick.

You don't understand. The man I'm after...

is the one who told 'em where to find me and that money.

Let's gather up the guns.

You're late. Clay's worried. He's asked for you three times.

- Yes, ma'am. Is he inside? - Yes.

This man's name is Adam. He'll be signing on for a while.

- Ma'am. - Welcome to Shiloh.

The barn's down there. One of the hands will water your horse.

I take care of my own horse.

The bunkhouse is right across the road.

Pick yourself out a bunk. I'll see you as soon as I deliver the money.

Ma'am.

That's a strange young man.

Yes, ma'am.

He looks at you as if he's takin' you apart a little piece at a time.

He did me a big favor.

Well, that's interesting.

'Cause you're still not a man that takes favors easily.

I wasn't in much of a position to turn him down.

♪♪

♪ Pity the man who rides alone ♪

♪ Nothin' on earth to call his own ♪

♪ Horse and a saddle one pair of jeans ♪

♪ Livin' on jerky coffee and beans ♪

♪ He's alone He's alone ♪

♪ And always a hundred miles from home ♪

♪ Who'll save him from his certain fate ♪

♪ Before it is a day too late ♪

♪ Just showed a man the speed of his gun ♪

♪ Look, over the hill comes another one ♪

♪ Pity the man who rides alone ♪

♪ Thinkin' what will be on his stone ♪

♪ Here lies that cowboy What was his name ♪

♪ He learned how to draw but not how to aim ♪

♪ He's alone He's alone ♪

♪ And buried a hundred miles from home ♪♪

Howdy. Hi there.

Hey, uh, that's my bunk.

I'd be obliged if you said it was empty.

Yeah, well, uh, it's not.

Still be obliged.

Well, there's, uh, plenty of empties... a couple over there, one there.

That oughta buy it.

It ain't for sale.

You must be richer than you look, cowboy.

Look, uh, I said that's my bunk. Was.

I'm tellin' you for the last time...

When you're wearin' iron, don't come walkin' up behind me.

You Adam?

I don't know what this is all about, but I do know...

there's no need for that. I'll tell you what it's all about.

He comes waltzin' in here without so much as a small "Hello," he takes my bunk,

and when I object, he draws on me. So I see.

I asked him. Even offered to buy it.

And I told him it wasn't for sale.

A new man usually takes what's left.

- I need that bunk. - Not around here you don't.

Right, Trampas? It's his bunk.

Well, when I move on, he can have it back.

Well, you're not lookin' for a showdown over a bunk, are you?

No.

Well...

We got this bunk thing settled?

For now. Now, wait...

I said for now.

Now, the Virginian and Mr. Grainger would like to talk to you.

That is, if you have no objections.

No objections.

Uh, you got coffee on, Harp? Come on. Get you a cup of coffee.

Come in.

You wanted to see me? Yes. I wanted to give you my thanks. I'm Clay Grainger.

You've already met my wife.

That was a wonderful thing you did.

They tell me your name's Adam. That's right, Mr. Grainger.

You look familiar. We ever meet?

No, sir.

We all appreciate what you did.

That what you wanted to see me about, sir?

No.

You... also saved the Shiloh cattle money.

I want you to have this. It's $100 in gold.

They tell me you could use a stake.

I'd like to work for it, sir.

Well, a man's to be admired who wants to earn his keep.

Well, if I'm hired, I've got to start.

Ma'am. Mr. Grainger.

Clay,

you thought you knew him.

He says I don't.

The first time I saw him, I had a feeling.

Holly, dear, you get a feeling about everybody you meet.

Well, no matter what you say,

I've got a feeling that he is no ordinary drifter.

Well, that's one thing I am sure of.

What?

That he's no ordinary anything.

Are you the ramrod, or is he?

Personally, I wouldn't consider that an answer.

Look, are you gonna do somethin' about it, or ain't you?

I am. Well, what?

Yeah, what?

Hmm. You're a big help. You mind movin'?

For a man who hasn't had his first meal, you're causin' quite a stir.

Guess I did raise a little dust.

I could understand it if you'd been pushed.

You can understand it if you think it out.

This bunk's no better than any other.

Only one that suited me.

That doesn't make sense.

It should. You know what I do for a living.

Well?

What-What happened?

I'm sorry, Jim.

Wh... You... You mean you're gonna let him have it?

- That's right. - Why?

- That's the way it's got to be. - That's no kind of answer.

Well, you asked me a question a while ago, and now I'll answer it.

I'm the ramrod.

Hmm.

I never seen you do that before.

Do what? Take the wrong side.

Well, let's just say the right thing was on the wrong side.

I know Jim's a hand, but he's also a friend.

I had to make a choice.

All right. What if he takes me on?

Trampas, three men had me strung up by the heels,

and they were about to light a fire under me.

He cut me down. You never told me that.

I've been a little busy.

Now, so far, all he's asked for in return is that bunk.

You think I ought to go out there and toss him out of it... Wait. Hold on a minute.

You mean you got jumped carryin' the cattle money?

Yep.

But you never take the same trail home twice.

Well, then how did they know where to corner you?

That's what I'm gonna find out tomorrow... or I hope.

No. No.

I hate to put you to this bother, Mark,

but he makes no secret of the fact that he earns his living with a gun.

Well, these wants cover the whole territory.

I get the feeling you think he's hiding a record.

All I know is, when you ask him a question, he's not too ready with an answer.

Well, something's sure gnawin' at your middle.

I can't deny that. I wish I knew what it was.

You don't see him anywhere here? Nothin' that even looks like him?

Nope. Not there.

Clay, you mind if I send out some telegrams with his description?

No, I guess not.

Why do I get the feeling that you want to find who he is,

yet, at the same time, you don't?

It's probably because that's the way I feel.

I'll let you know if I hear anything. Appreciate it.

He ought to rent a room. He was in town only yesterday.

Yesterday is what brought him in today.

Sam, talk to you a minute? Sure.

Alone.

Be right back.

You, uh... You brought the Shiloh money in from Cheyenne, didn't you?

Like I always do.

Who all knew you were packin' it? Nobody.

Except, uh, my boss, Mr. Turner, over at the bank.

What about the stagecoach driver? We hardly ever get...

the same driver more than maybe twice a month,

and they never know whether the box is full or empty anyway.

You happen to, uh, mention to anyone that I was, uh,

takin' the money on out to Shiloh?

Of course not.

Hmm.

You got jumped. Yeah.

How many times have I told you not to run that money alone?

How many times? Enough.

The insurance only covers the money to the bank. You know that.

Yeah. Sam, listen to me. There were three of 'em.

The leader was a man about 50 with a... a white beard and white hair.

Second man was maybe 30 with a thin face.

Third fella had a... A brown stubble beard.

He was in his late 20s, and he was rough-lookin'.

Have you seen anybody like that lately? No.

Why didn't you come high-tailin' it back here yesterday?

I'm here now. Well, it's been over 24 hours.

How are we gonna pick up a trail? We might just as well forget it.

Sam, I'm a little touchy about gettin' robbed.

I told the sheriff and I've told you...

there must be a half a dozen places along that trail where a man can get jumped.

Yeah, well, you can tell him this... and anybody else...

I'm never gonna stop lookin' for the man that set me up.

Why do you have to keep working into the middle of the night?

Can't you sit down and rest or read or something?

I'm not working. I'm making jelly. Oh.

You can help with the paraffin if you like.

Mm-hmm.

And there's something else I'm going to ask you to do.

If you can get me to do this, you can get me to do anything.

Good. I want you to tell me about that new boy... Adam.

What about him?

You tell me.

Hmm. Good worker. Doesn't complain.

Carries his weight.

That's not what I mean.

Exactly what do you mean?

Honey, ever since you laid eyes on him, you've been a different person.

What is it about him?

It's not him. It's... I just got things on my mind.

This time of year is full of troubles around any ranch.

You oughta know that.

Clay, we've been married for over 30 years.

Mm-hmm. I haven't found the count burdensome.

Nor have I. I was kinda lookin' forward to the next 30.

Oh, don't you try to sidestep me.

Is that what I was doing?

In all of those years, we've always been able to share...

whatever problems were bothering us.

Nothing bothering me.

There is something bothering you, and it's bothering me,

and it's that boy, and I want you to tell me about him.

Holly, he's just a drifter. He's not somebody to worry about.

No ranch can hold him. He's a gun hand.

Probably pack up and ride off any day now.

I've seen the way he looks at you.

What's that supposed to mean?

He hates you.

Holly, you're letting your imagination run away with you.

We've seen hundreds like him in our time.

Not like him. He's different.

What's different about him?

He has me frightened to death, and I want you to get rid of him.

Well, I can't do that.

Because he saved the Virginian's life?

No.

Then why can't you fire him?

I don't know.

You'll just have to live with it a while longer, Holly.

How much longer?

Until I find out why I can't fire him.

Well, it's like he dropped out of nowhere, Clay.

Ain't a sheriff or a marshal within 500 miles has a want on him.

I probably saw him on some cattle drive.

Those Texas outfits hire on some pretty rough hands.

Yeah. You want me to keep tryin'? No.

You know, the talk is he's shakin' up the boys at your spread.

Where'd you hear that talk? In the saloon.

Well, you know better than to listen to saloon talk, Mark.

It came from one of your own men.

That him? That's him.

He don't look so hard. Well, he is.

Hey, Mark. Any word on those three men who jumped me?

Well, I did hear that three men answering that

description ride with the Younger brothers.

Adam, this is Sheriff Abbott.

Sheriff.

You're new in this territory.

That's right.

Where you from?

Who's asking, Sheriff... You or the badge?

Well, I like to start out friendly.

Well, friendly-like, then I work most everything...

from the Texas side of the river clear up to Kansas.

Spent some time in Lincoln County,

close to a year in Indian territory.

- You ever been there? - Nope.

Mr. Grainger?

I've driven cattle through it.

Used to be an interesting place.

It's, uh, kind of quiet now.

You got a nice town here, Sheriff.

Yeah, it's kinda quiet now too. We like it that way.

When you get ready to pick up the supplies,

I'll be in the saloon. All right.

Sheriff.

Hey, Adam! John Wesley! Ha!

It's been almost a year. Almost, John Wesley.

John Wesley Hardin?

Oh, come on down here and give us another drink.

God, you're lookin' awful good. You too.

No, I ain't.

Take it easy.

It's on the house, Mr. Hardin.

Thank you.

You just ridin' through?

Eh, I'm goin' back to Dodge.

Yeah, I hear it's kind of peaceful there now.

It sure ain't like it used to be, I'll tell you that.

Well, nothing's like it used to be, John Wesley.

We sure had some times down there, didn't we? Whew.

Raisin' all kinds of particular hell, all of us.

You ever run into anybody we know?

No. Seemed like you could ride for a week...

and never even find anybody to have a drink with.

Yeah. Hey, is it true what I heard about, uh, Doc Holliday?

Yeah, he's coughin' himself to death in some hotel in Tucson.

What ever happened to, uh, Wyatt's kid brother?

He's dead. Oh, yeah?

What ever happened to you, John Wesley? You used to be a lot more fun.

Well, I'll tell you something if you won't laugh at me.

Only saw one man smile at you, and he died sudden.

I got me a girl.

I do. You've had lots of girls.

Yeah, but this one... She wants to settle down.

She don't hold with the way I make a livin', you know, and...

So I think I'm gonna get me a little spread, maybe up in Oregon.

Well, I hear it's a nice place.

A man can shuck everything he's been and start over.

Trouble is, I need $500 to get a start up there.

Well, I'd like to help you out, but, uh, you know me and money.

Oh, you can help me out.

I got a $20 gold piece in my saddlebag. No, I...

You could ride with me.

Well, you give me a little time, John Wesley,

and, uh, maybe I'll do just that.

No, I mean... ride back to Dodge with me.

You know I can't go back to Dodge. There's a want out on me.

Yeah, I know... $500.

We've been friends a long time, John Wesley.

Well, it isn't like it is for hangin' or anything.

I mean, you'd... Most you'd ever get is one or two years.

Well, I got something more important to do here.

Well, uh, you see, that $500...

is pretty much my whole life.

And the want, uh, says "dead or alive," you know?

Don't ask again, hmm?

Well, I could... I mean, I could probably collect the 500...

and break you out the same day.

I told you, John Wesley, I got something more important to do right here.

Well, we've got to leave right away.

Maybe later, but, uh, I pick the time.

I already picked the time.

Uh, beggin' your pardon, gentlemen.

The, uh, bar's closed for a short while.

- Supplies are ready, Adam. - In a minute.

Friends of yours, are they?

One's the ramrod. The other's the boss.

They gonna back you up?

You know the way I live, John Wesley.

I'd appreciate it if you'd all move on.

That the way you want it, Adam?

Are you gonna make me fight this out with you?

I'm faster than you are, John Wesley.

Lay it on the bar.

Palms flat. Make your move.

The spread will be there. Just find another way.

Maybe the girl won't.

Find another girl.

You just don't understand, Adam.

If you'd have understood, John Wesley, we'd still be friends.

Clay, come back to bed.

Ah, I can't sleep.

It's Adam, isn't it?

Why do I feel I know that boy?

I wish I could figure it out.

Last year,

when you took the cattle to Abilene.

No, no, it wasn't there.

Oh, I just wish I could help.

This thing is tearin' us to pieces.

Ah, it's not that bad. It's just...

like trying to remember somebody's name,

a part of a song... it's on the tip of your mind,

and you just can't bring it out.

Honey, that's all past. What we have to worry about is now,

not what happened yesterday or 20 years ago.

Hmm?

I said, we have to settle this thing right now.

No, it wasn't 20 years ago.

It was more like 25 years ago.

What was 25 years ago?

Holly, the boy's name is Adam Randall.

What do you mean?

I mean that, 25 years ago, I killed his father.

Twenty-five years ago.

You were in Ohio, remember, visiting your sister?

It was right after we lost the twins.

Mm-hmm.

And I went back to Texas to buy cattle.

And I ran into this fella named Josh Randall.

We pooled our money together on a herd, hired men and headed north.

I thought I could judge a man pretty good, but Josh Randall fooled me.

It was like he didn't know the difference between men and cattle.

Drove 'em both the same way.

Then one day... It was in Indian territory...

When he left the herd and went into this little town for supplies.

Only five or six buildings.

We agreed to meet in the saloon.

When I got there,

Josh was standing over a man on the floor, holding his gun on him.

The man on the floor didn't have a gun.

Josh stood over him, smiling, and saying over and over,

Oh...

"I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you."

The man was so scared, he couldn't even plead for his own life,

so I pled for him.

Josh wouldn't listen.

So I told him, "You shoot that man, I'll shoot you."

Josh just smiled, and he said to the fella, "Don't go away.

I've got to kill my partner."

And he fired. Oh, Clay.

Turned out the difference between Josh and me was...

he was fast and I was straight.

But you never... I didn't tell you this before...

because I thought you'd been through enough.

So, when I got to Dodge, I hired a lawyer,

and I instructed him to send every cent I got for the herd to Randall's widow.

But how did you know where she was?

There was a letter in his saddlebags.

Well, you certainly did the right thing with the money.

Well, maybe I did, Holly. And maybe not.

You see, I told the lawyer to send the money,

but I told him never to say who it was from.

And now Josh's son is here at Shiloh.

Maybe he's just riding through.

And if he isn't?

If he isn't,

he came for you.

Ride 'im! Ride 'im!

Hang in there, Billy!

- Come on! - Come on!

Ride 'im!

You're pretty sure about that, huh? Oh, yeah.

A bear, he must be goin' up in the high country.

Well, I'll send Trampas and a couple of the boys out.

Better tell 'em to be careful. He's hungry.

Can't be too hungry. He's been feeding pretty good on our beef.

Just the same, it won't hurt to remind 'em a grizzly's afraid of nothing.

Yes, sir.

There's something else I...

I got to tend to something in the barn.

Come in.

Can I talk to you? What's on your mind?

Well, it's Adam. Oh?

He's causin' trouble. None of the men will ride with him.

They all tighten up the minute he comes around. You signed him on.

Yeah. I signed him on. Now I say we should pay him off.

I want him here at Shiloh.

You've never interfered before when I wanted to send a man packing.

Ah, I figure we owe him a chance.

Look, he's got a hair trigger, and so does that gun of his.

- He's going to point it at one of my men. - I said I wanted him to stay.

You're the boss.

I'm sorry. I got things on my mind.

He tied into it?

It's personal. Deal me in.

I can't. Look, I know what I owe Adam.

That doesn't cancel out the debt I owe you.

Just try to keep things simmered down.

Smooth things over. I'd appreciate it.

I'll try.

Since when have I taken on boarders?

Well, uh, we'd just like to know what's going on.

Don't I give you guys enough to do? Don't you ever need any sleep?

Now, hold on a minute. We just happen to be on your side.

All right.

I talked to Mr. Grainger. Laid the whole thing out for him.

What'd he say? Adam stays.

Why? It's personal.

That's all he said?

That was enough for me.

Mmm. Guess it'd be enough for me too.

All right. Now can I talk? And this time, will you listen?

Oh, he always listens. It's just sometimes he can't hear.

Somebody's gonna get killed. It's that simple.

- I told you how it has to be. - He's gonna use that gun. I know he will.

I've given this a lot of thought,

and I aim to see him off this spread before somebody I like gets killed.

Since when did you get to be the ramrod?

He didn't save my life. I don't owe him anything.

And just how do you intend to go about doin' this?

Well, I'll ask him polite... Which, of course, he won't hear.

And then back it up with the only language he knows.

Trampas, he faced down three men.

- Sun was at his back. - There wasn't any sun in that saloon.

You tryin' to tell me I don't stand a chance?

You may be right.

But you may be wrong.

Trampas!

Clay Grainger owns Shiloh Ranch.

He wants to handle it his way. And that's the way it's gonna be handled.

Diamondback was on the step.

Well, as long as it was one of your relatives and not one of mine.

Come in.

Ramrod said you wanted to see me, Mr. Grainger.

That's right.

Hope I didn't do anything wrong.

In some ways,

you're as good a hand as we ever signed on here.

In some ways I'm not?

That's right. Now, I have no complaint about the way you do your work.

It's your attitude, Adam.

You walk around as if you're daring a man to step in your way.

Spoiling for trouble. And you don't care much who it's with.

You got everybody nervous, snapping at each other,

because they... well, because they're afraid to snap at you.

Why don't you fire me?

You saved the life of the Virginian.

Paying that off I consider a must.

It's his life. Anybody owes, should be him.

Well, he'll find his own way to pay off.

I thought I made it clear. I... didn't ask or expect anything.

No, that's the kind of a man you are, Adam.

And it's the kind of a man I am.

About 40 miles from Shiloh, I have a strip of land... about 300 acres.

Now, you won't take anything. I know that much.

But I still got to do something.

I'm willing to sell you that land for exactly what I paid for it.

I couldn't afford more than a $20 gold piece, Mr. Grainger.

You don't have to pay for it now.

Pay for it later... When you're on your feet.

All for saving the life of the Virginian?

I think that's reason enough.

You're a might generous man, Mr. Grainger.

I don't consider what I'm doing charity. It's a loan.

Problem is,

I'm not ready to settle down.

What is it you want, Adam?

Debt to be paid.

I thought that's what I was doing.

When I'm ready, Mr. Grainger,

I'll tell you what the price is.

Harper!

Where's the foreman? He's in the barn.

Hey.

Oh. You rode that horse in pretty fast.

Yeah, I was in Medicine Bow waitin' to pick up that seed the boss ordered.

I'm the one who sent you. I can tell this a lot better if you don't interrupt.

I'm sorry. Actually, I was waitin' in the saloon.

It was pretty quiet except for Luke Foster.

I guess he downed a half bottle of whiskey and was beggin' for a fight.

There was a time when Luke Foster could handle more than his share.

Yeah, well, that's the times he was talkin' about...

The good old days when he used to ride with the Younger brothers.

Go on. Well, I figure that's far enough,

seeing as how the men who bushwhacked you...

rode out of Abilene with the Younger brothers.

I'm obliged, Trampas.

You're going after the wrong man.

What makes you think I've got the wrong man?

I've known all along who it was.

Why didn't you tell me?

Two reasons. One, you never asked me. Second, wasn't my business.

But you didn't know the men who hung me up by my heels.

I knew 'em.

You mind telling me who I should be riding after?

- Sam Burns. - The bank messenger?

Respectable job doesn't seem to have changed him much, does it?

Now, why would he ride with the Younger brothers?

Why not? He was their cousin. First cousin.

Look, I was in that saloon... Tell Mr. Grainger I'll be in Medicine Bow.

Sam. Afternoon.

Sheriff sent out a couple of telegrams.

He may have some news on those men tried to bushwhack you.

That so?

Yeah. He ought to have something soon. We just have to wait around a bit.

No, we don't have to wait any longer.

- I told him, Sam. - Told him?

Why, Adam? I never did you wrong.

He was figurin' to gun down Luke Foster. It didn't seem quite fair.

So it's you two against me? You figure that for fair?

Be a fair fight, Sam. You got my word.

Look, do any good if I tell you why?

Talk!

They... They came by my place one night.

See, I was makin' a life. And nobody knew me.

They said they'd let everybody know unless I did what they wanted.

How much of the money were you supposed to get?

None.

The truth.

None.

I was... I was buildin' a decent life,

buryin' what I'd done.

And then they come along and... Look, don't you see?

If they talk, then I'm done... On both sides of the law.

Look, I'm doin' a good job. Just ask in the bank. They'll tell you.

Pressure comes, you bend, Sam. You bend too easy.

Man says you got to face him, Sam. I'll do my own talkin', Adam.

That your horse?

Yeah.

Get on him and ride out of here.

Any direction you want.

You come within a day's ride of Shiloh, I'll kill you.

Now move.

Whew.

You are the most forgivin' man I ever met in my life.

That's the way I want it.

If he'd have put me in that barrel, I wouldn't have let him ride out.

That's not what's really botherin' you, is it, Adam?

You know me pretty good, don't you?

For some reason, you wanted to see me draw.

That's right.

Got work to do back at Shiloh.

Adam!

Ma'am.

Just him. I... I just want to talk to him.

Yes, ma'am.

Anything I can do for you, Mrs. Grainger?

Come in a minute, will you,

Adam... Randall.

Won't you sit down?

The, uh, stove need fixin' or something?

Please don't try to be comical with me.

I was just tryin' to be polite, ma'am.

I want you to be honest.

About what?

About why you came to Shiloh.

Well, now, there was this fella hangin' from this tree,

and I come along and I... cut him down.

I don't want to hear about that. I want the truth.

Seems to me you got that part figured out.

Then I'm right.

You came here to kill my husband.

And you don't even know my husband.

You don't know what kind of man he is.

I know him. I know him right well.

But that was such a long time ago.

You were a baby. He didn't mean to hurt you.

He has no fight with you. He has no fight with you or with anyone.

You're wrong, ma'am.

Will you please try to understand?

He is my husband,

and I love him.

There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for him.

There's nothin' you can do.

Oh, Adam.

I'm begging... for his life.

I'm pleading with you... for his life.

Clay Grainger has never done anything but good.

I'm pleading with you!

I'm begging you!

Please! Holly.

I want to talk to him.

Clay...

You wait in the study. I won't be long.

Let's start with what we both know.

Fair enough.

You're Josh Randall's son.

I never knew him.

Do I look like him?

You look like him.

That's what my ma said.

You came this way looking for me, didn't you?

Took me years.

I found the lawyer that sent the money, but he was dead.

I had to sort of persuade a man to let me look through his papers.

And you found my name?

All I found was initials. That's what took me so long to get here.

All right. You're here, Adam.

Now, what is it you want?

What I come for.

I'm listening.

How come you never offered me Shiloh?

The money from the herd your father and I partnered on...

Every last cent of it went to you and your mother.

All I got on that is your word.

Ain't enough.

Ain't half enough for back-shootin' my father.

For what?

My ma told me. My pa had a quick temper, but he had a quick hand too.

No man could outdraw him. Only way was to

back-shoot him for the money that herd brought.

- Back-shoot? That's not true. - She said it was.

It's all she could say.

She probably wanted you to think your father died a brave man.

My father died from a bullet you put in his back.

Are you willing to sit down and talk,

to listen?

I've told you enough different times in enough different ways what I want.

You've talked around a lot of things.

There's only one thing important now.

I'm all done offering, all done giving. And I mean that.

Well, then it's my turn to give.

I'm gonna give you something you never gave my father.

I'm gonna give you the chance to look me straight in the eye when I kill you.

Whoa now.

I was working with this colt. Get around.

Sure gonna make a fine cow pony one day.

Yeah. Virginian's out on the south rim brandin' that new stock.

Yeah. I want you to ride out...

and have him check Box Canyon for strays.

He always does that.

We've been losin' too many head. No more than usual.

I want you to ride out and tell him we don't want to lose any.

Well, he wanted me to work with this colt.

Well, that colt will still be here tomorrow.

Yes, sir, but...

I promise to put in a good word for you if he gets rough.

As soon as he stops hollerin', I'll do that.

Come on.

Trampas?

Jim Horn?

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth?

I sent her into town on an errand.

Clay, there's no one out there.

Men are all branding.

All of them?

All but Adam.

Clay,

you've made a decision.

The only one I could make.

Oh, please, Clay.

Don't do it.

Please. Holly, dear,

try to understand.

No!

He's out there waiting for you.

Please try to understand.

All right.

I'll try.

Go on. Go on out there and get it over with.

Holly?

I'm not going to let him kill you!

Holly,

all these years you've trusted me.

You've got to trust me now.

You've got to let me handle this.

What do you want me to do?

You go in the kitchen, fix us a little something for supper.

Pie maybe.

A pie.

You know, that's a calf, not a mountain lion. Brand him!

We're workin' as fast as we can. Just grab him and brand him!

Harper!

Bring 'em in a little closer so the boys can get at 'em.

Just bring 'em in, guys.

Try and get one that isn't so slippery.

Brandin' a little bit early this year, aren't we?

Eh, Mr. Grainger thinks it's gonna be an early winter.

Well, there's not another outfit in the whole

territory startin' for at least a month.

Biggest has to start first.

Well, it's a lot easier than settin' snow fences.

We do that next week.

Well, now look at this... Trampas comin' out to help us.

Well... Howdy.

What's this, some sort of a pleasure trip?

How's work goin'? Just fine. How's it goin' back at the ranch with that colt?

Oh, he's, uh, comin' along pretty good.

Doin' a lot better if you were there, though, wouldn't it?

I knew it. I told Mr. Grainger you'd get mad. And you're mad.

What I am is... is waitin' for an excuse from you. Well, Mis...

And it better be a good one. Mr. Grainger sent me out here.

What for?

Well, he wanted me to tell you to look for, uh, strays in Box Canyon.

I already sent a bunch of hands to do that hours ago.

I told Mr. Grainger that, but he insisted I come out here and remind you.

For one thing, I don't need to be reminded.

For the second thing, he could have sent somebody else.

I was the only one around, I guess, except for Adam. Adam?

Yeah, he was in the bunkhouse alone. I saw him go in there.

Why didn't he send him?

I don't like what I'm thinkin'. Let's go find out.

Thought for a while I was gonna have to come up...

and drag you out from under a bed.

You've been around here long enough to know me better than that.

Place is kinda quiet.

Men are out on the range.

Might be some think I gunned you down.

Ain't a man on this spread wouldn't enjoy a lynchin' party.

I wrote it all out. It's on my desk. Fair fight.

Mighty considerate of you.

Any way we can talk, Adam? No way.

You were back of my pa when you gunned him.

Since you're not interested in particulars, let's not waste time.

You're in a mighty big hurry to die.

That's not true.

I figured you to at least try and stay alive.

I'm wearin' a gun.

So you are.

What is it you want, Adam?

Should I beg, crawl, pray a little maybe?

Wouldn't help.

How far apart?

Ten, 15, 20 paces?

You couldn't hit me from 20 paces.

I might get lucky.

Make it 10.

You just gonna stand there?

When you're ready, draw.

When that water stops, you'd better start.

Clay!

Clay!

No damage, Holly. No damage at all.

You got it all out of you, son?

Don't interfere! It's all over. All of it.

You got lucky.

I'd have been a fool if all I had was luck to depend on.

He couldn't miss at this distance.

I was depending on that.

You mean you stood up to him figurin' he wouldn't gun you down?

Boy has a strange code of ethics.

Mr. Grainger, he's a gunfighter.

Couldn't he have picked off the men bushwhacked you?

Easy.

We went back in the saloon, John Wesley Hardin say it was fair?

Fair and fast.

Always fair. It's the only way he'll draw.

He knew I was no match for him.

He got off his shot. He was just too fast. That's why he missed.

You saw him shoot twice. Does he hit what he goes after?

You bet he does.

Well, why... why did he miss you?

He had his reason.

He had a reason to kill you and a reason not to?

Puzzling, isn't it?

You have any answers?

No.

That was a big gamble.

He read the hand real well.

Well, how come I read him just a no-account gunfighter?

Because neither one of us are as smart as the old man is.

My whole life, all I thought of...

All I pointed to... Was killin' you.

I thought different.

Otherwise, I couldn't have stood there.

Well, if my whole life has been a lie, maybe my father was too.

What do you mean?

What kind of man did you kill, Mr. Grainger?

What kind of man was my father?

Like all men... some good in him, some bad.

He wasn't meant to live by the gun or to die by it.

Let's say a lot of things just piled up into an accident.

There's no reason for me to stay now.

No reason for you to leave either.

I'm gonna... stop lookin' back.

I better figure out which way to head.

You could get a runnin' start at Shiloh.

For the first time in my life, Mr. Grainger,

I gotta ride into the sun.

Is that apple pie ready?

Apple? I made peach.

Ah, I guess some days a man just can't guess right.