Original subtitles

You had that gun apart twice now.

Keep at it, you're gonna file that trigger clean off.

Yep.

You mean to?

Of course I do.

Brand new Colt you just paid out $40 for?

Didn't pay .40 cents.

You stole it.

From that hardware store this afternoon. Didn't you?

Paid cash for the file.

Why'd you wanna go and do that for?

Oh, the price was right.

Could have got us sent back for a dumb stunt like that.

You worried about prison, are you, boy?

You bet I ain't ever going back.

What'd you do,

two years for that railroad money up at Hays?

Less four months, good behaving.

Heh.

Well, I went in for seven years hard.

And I done seven years hard.

So you want to get us sent back up to Lansing?

No, I uh, have a better idea.

I'm gonna help you get that $5,000.

Don't need no help.

Well, now, you just might.

You go nosing around looking for it,

you might just find that place is crawling with railway detectives.

But if I do the recovery,

well, uh, they don't know me.

Me and Tara don't need no help.

Tara?

My wife.

Your wife?

Well, Roy boy, you are a sack of surprises, ain't ya?

You didn't say nothing about no wife.

Well, I got me one.

Oh, and she's beautiful.

And we're gonna buy us a farm...

And go into the dirt business.

You really expect any woman of yours

been sitting, waiting for you all this time?

All by herself?

She loves me.

Sure she does.

I love me, but look at the dirty way I do me.

Tara would never run off.

We've got a good life ahead of us now.

Mm-hmm.

Hmm. Well, look at that.

This shows you can wear most anything down.

Just keep at it.

Ruin a good gun is what you done.

Sometimes I wonder about how you get from here to there,

as dumb as you truly can be.

Hoo-wee! Now that's some shooting!

That's gaming, what that is.

I never seen better.

Well, then you never saw much.

You know, my dad used to say the only wives is safe

is them is as homely as a sod barn.

Now, of course, if your wife's like that, why, uh...

Tara, homely?

Well, lookie here.

All look the same to me, women's faces in pictures.

All schoolmarms...

Shut my mouth.

You're not a little schoolmarm at all, no siree, Bob.

You're real saucy, honey.

- Give me that! - Hey!

What kind of a way is that to talk about a man's wife?

She ain't saucy!

She's decent and honest and as... As true as she can be.

Oh, is she, now?

Well, I'll give you 8-to-5 she knows where that railroad money is.

What are you talking about?

Oh, a boy like you... a girl like her...

stands to reason you wouldn't have no secrets from each other.

Which do tend strong to make you a certain kind of man.

What... And what kind's that?

Dead.

No, Gecko! No! Ge... Gecko!

You know, Roy boy,

a gal like this don't know she can

learn with the right schooling.

All right, both of you just go ahead on snigger if you want to,

it's the pure O.D. truth.

We're not sniggering, Festus,

it's just, uh, somewhat hard to believe.

Ten feet tall, he was? Ten feet?

If I'm lying, I'm dying, Doc!

Why, he's the biggest elk that I have ever saw,

or ever will see.

Or ever hope to.

And you were just right on his tail tracking him? Right behind him?

He had horns on him

wider than every a barn door

you have ever saw.

And I was tracking him through piney woods

that was thicker than day-old clabber.

What?

Day-old... clabber.

Hmm.

Them there trees was so snugglety up together

that the onliest time a sun ever hit that ground

was straight-up noon on the Fourth of July.

That's how thick it was.

If those trees were so close,

so snugglety up together,

how did the sun get through there at all?

Up against one another

tighter than a poor preacher's young'uns

on a freezing January night.

Ah-ha.

Ah-ha? What's "ah-hah"?

I'll tell you what "ah-hah."

If those trees were so snugglety up close together,

and those horns were wider than every barn door,

how in the thunder did the elk get through there?

Well...

He just had to pull in his horns, Doc,

like you got to do most the time.

- Kitty. - Matt.

- Doc. - Matthew.

- How about a beer, Matt? - Oh, no thanks, Kitty.

We haven't got time. Festus and I got to be heading out.

What's came up, Matthew?

Well, some prisoners up in Mankato.

Supposed to be in the capital for trial in a week,

and they got no escort. Looks like that's us.

How long will you be gone?

About a week, I guess.

Now, you better find Newly and tell him he's going to be in charge.

Yes, sir.

I'll be back before you can say...

See you later.

Well, are you, um, gonna drink that beer,

or are you gonna pull your horns in on that, too?

Oh, hush up.

Promenade!

Gal, go low!

Ma, those boys sure are getting rough out there.

Oh, Tara,

when I was your age, there wasn't a man in Ford County

that I couldn't traipse into the floorboards.

Man: Miss Tara?

I've been hankering to ask you

if you'd be partial in going on a picnic with me tomorrow.

I've already got a picnic planned for Miss Tara.

Excuse me, Don.

Excuse me. Pardon me.

Newly O'Brien, you've got a nerve.

Why, whatever do you mean, ma'am?

What makes you think I'm available for that picnic

that I never even heard anything about till just now.

Well, tomorrow's Saturday.

The dress shop's closed all afternoon,

the weather's gonna be beautiful,

and right now there's a moon outside you got to see to believe.

- Really? - Uh-huh.

It's a shame no one's out there looking at it.

Uh, Newly, I'm not much of a moon-watcher.

Let's just dance, all right?

What is it, Tara?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean.

As long as we're together in public, you're more fun than any gal I ever knew.

But every time I try to get you alone, it all changes.

I'm sorry.

Come on out here. I want to talk to you.

You see, I just don't understand.

If you didn't like me,

you wouldn't go out with me at all.

Oh, but I do like you, Newly.

Maybe too much.

Well, that doesn't make it any clearer.

Well, I just... I can't explain it.

But I can't afford to see too much of you. It wouldn't be fair.

Fair? Fair to who?

Well, to you, for one.

Newly, I like you very, very much.

But I don't want to get into something that's gonna hurt both of us.

Why not?

Newly, if you want to find another girl,

I'll understand.

But if you want to go on seeing me,

well, it's only fair to tell you

that things are gonna have to stay the way they are.

At least for a while.

Anyway.

I don't trust myself beyond this point.

All right.

You said "for a while." Now, what does that mean?

Well...

I guess I'll just have to explain something to you.

Festus: Newly?

There you be. I've been looking everyplace for you.

- Evening, Miss Tara. - Evening, Festus.

I'm awful sorry to intertrude on you like this here,

but Matthew, he's got more prisoners

than he can handee-trundle all by his own self.

So I'm fixing to ride up to Mankato with him.

Meaning that you're in charge...

Begging your pardon, Miss Tara.

Starting right now. All right?

- You bet. - Wait just a minute.

I'll get... There you are.

Festus, you, uh, you take her slow and easy now.

You just brung up the onliest two gaits that old Ruth's got...

Slow and easy.

Here.

You know, you were getting ready to tell me something.

And I got a reprieve, thank heaven.

A reprieve?

Well, I never confide in law officers.

Particularly when they're on duty.

Good night, Newly.

Uh, please, Miss Hudson, don't be afraid.

My name's Gecko Ridley, and I was a very close friend

of your poor, deceased husband.

My husband?

Roy Hudson.

I was with him upstate in prison.

Him and me happened to get out the same day,

and we was headed for Dodge when this bunch of renegade Indians

bushwhacked us.

Roy's dead?

I wouldn't lie to you none, ma'am.

It's against my nature.

When did this happen?

Uh, well, it was four days back,

last Tuesday, anyways,

second night on the trail.

We'd just finished eating supper

when them Indians come a-frolicking in

and shot poor old Roy.

I don't believe it.

He wasn't even supposed to be out of prison for several months.

Well, I, uh,

I don't blame you none for being upset, ma'am.

It is a hard thing to take in.

But, uh... Well, I, uh...

bung you some of his belongings.

So that you could kind of have...

Uh... shaving brush.

Uh... nine dollars and some cents, and...

A bunch of letters from a Miss Tara Hudson to a Mr. Roy Hudson.

State penitentiary, Lansing, Kansas.

Oh, and, uh...

this here picture, ma'am.

His, uh...

last thing before he died... he said,

"Gecko, uh, my best friend,

I want you to take this here picture of my darling wife, Tara Hudson,

to her in Dodge City.

And tell her that I love her.

And, uh...

one last thing.

Yes?

With his dying breath, he said that, uh...

I should take that money back.

What?

That $5,000 that he stole from the railroad.

Heh.

Well, this ain't working at all now.

Come on, Missy.

You ain't all that spring green. You knowed he went to prison.

What do you supposing it's for, disorderly conduct?

Roy was in on a train robbery.

He hid $5,000, and, uh, you know where it's at.

That's right, I do.

The railroad detectives recovered every penny of it.

That ain't what he told me.

Well, you can check with the railroad.

I aim to.

If your story's true,

you ain't got a cause in the world to be worried about me.

Night, Miss Tara.

You sleep sweet and sound.

Hey.

You got you a sending machine?

This is to... the AT&SF.

I know who it's to.

When you reckon there will be an answer?

Tomorrow noon, if you're lucky.

Be .85 cents.

Well, when you get her,

send your boy over to the Long Branch.

I'll be there. Name's Ridley.

You and your good town, brother.

Thank you.

You just, uh, passing through?

Well, I don't know.

Can't make up my mind's the truth of it.

Well, it's a good town. You said that right.

Nice looking women, I reckon.

I seen one at that dance you had last night.

A real beaut she was.

Seen her again this morning.

Seems she's got herself a dressmaking shop.

Well, she just works at the dressmaking shop.

She's something, Miss Tara.

It's "miss," you say?

Yes, it's "miss."

Not liable to be for long, though,

be my guess.

No, sir. Them good ones, they get away fast, don't they?

Mr. Ridley?

Sam, I got a telegram here for a Mr. Ridley.

- Do you know him? - Right over here.

- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.

Well, I hope it's good news.

No news is good news, ain't it, brother?

Yes, sir.

Well, good day to you.

Good day.

What are you doing here?

Oh, I'm just doing a little shopping.

I kind of need me a new party dress.

Uh, we're gonna have to be closing now, ma'am.

- No, Miss... - But I was going to make a purchase.

And it isn't even noon yet.

Well, we're closing early today, ma'am.

Now, if you'll come back and see us some other day,

we'll be very glad to serve you however we can.

Thank you, ma'am. Good day.

Mr. Ridley, what do you think you're doing?

What I'm doing ain't so important to you no more, little lady.

It's what I know you best be worried about.

What are you... doing?!

What are you doing? What do you want?

Well, now, it uh... ain't so much what I want.

It's what old Roy would want.

I wired the railway, Missy.

And I just got the answer.

They never laid eyes on that money.

That's impossible.

Roy told me.

He said they recovered every bit of it.

Reckon he lied, then.

Like folks will do sometimes.

Of course, I ain't gonna take offense at a little old lying-to.

As long as I get the truth when it's important.

Mr. Ridley, what do you hope to gain by threatening me?

I don't know anything about that money.

I never did!

Now, you can take this to the marshal if you want to.

I hope you won't.

It's hard enough for a woman alone to make a living.

If it were known about my husband,

that he stole all that money and he went to prison,

it would be impossible.

I know, Miss Tara.

For a...

smart lady...

you ain't read me right at all.

And maybe that's on account of me and old Roy,

we's a different breed of cat.

You're playing a game with me, and I don't play nobody's but my own.

Now I'm gonna find out where that $5,000 is at,

or I'm gonna start taking you apart, from ankle to eyebrow,

so no man's gonna ever look at you again as long as you live.

No!

That's enough, mister.

Are you hurt, Tara?

No, I'm not hurt.

I'm scared, I guess.

Who are you?

Um, my name's Ridley.

Who are you?

I'm the deputy marshal. What are you doing in here?

Well, now, it seems that that's a private matter

between me and the lady.

Is that right, Tara?

Just get him out of here, Newly, please.

All right, let's go. You're under arrest.

Bye, Miss Tara.

You be giving some thought to what I said.

Get moving.

You're the big badge in this town, are you, boy?

I represent it.

Well, you listen up, 'cause I'm gonna give you some good advice.

You want me to stay here in your nice jail,

you better rustle you up a charge or two against me.

If you don't...

it ain't legal to hold a law-abiding citizen.

I won't have any trouble keeping you here

if Miss Tara wants to bring charges against you.

You reckon she'll do that?

It wouldn't surprise me.

Then why don't you just take a run over there

and talk to the little lady.

Might save us both a good deal of time.

I scared her a mite.

Meant to.

But I never hurt her.

She's the biggest liar west of the Mississippi if she's saying I did.

Man: Newly?

Oh, Newly, there you are.

Say, Newly, the Kansas City office has been on me all morning

about that gold shipment coming here tomorrow.

They want to keep it in the jail until a foreman can pick it up.

Newly: How long will that be, Burt?

Burt: I don't know. They said overnight should just about do it.

They want to keep it in an empty cell

and lay on a couple of guards to watch it.

The thing is, it's over $10,000.

Now, you can't keep money like that just stacked in any old corner.

No indeed, brother.

No, indeed.

Tara, I've got to know what happened.

Yes, I suppose you have a right.

Newly, I...

This isn't gonna be easy.

It's...

It's complicated.

You can tell me.

Newly, I'm married.

Married?

I mean, I was married.

My husband did a very foolish thing,

and was convicted and sent to prison for it.

And he's serving time somewhere now?

Not anymore.

That man, Gecko, was in prison with him.

He came here to tell me that...

Roy was dead.

I'm sorry to hear that.

It was all over between us, really.

Even before Roy went to prison.

What has Gecko got to do with all this?

Well... after he told me about Roy's death,

he wanted to know where the $5,000 was from the train robbery.

I told him that the railroad detectives had recovered it.

But he didn't believe that.

He thought you had it?

And he threatened to force me to tell him where I'd hidden it.

He was ugly and frightening.

He can't hurt you where he is now.

If I can get you to file charges against him,

I think I can keep him behind bars for quite a spell.

Charges?

For assault.

Well, he didn't actually strike me.

He threatened me, though. Can't you hold him on that?

No, you can't charge a man with intent.

You can only hold him for an illegal act.

So far he really hasn't done anything

to you or anyone else, as far as we know.

Well, what if he does it again?

I guess I could get him on charges of harassment.

But that's a misdemeanor.

He'd be out in a few days.

You understand what I'm saying, don't you, Tara?

I guess so.

If you say so, Newly.

Take, uh, good care of my sidearm,

did you, boy?

It's as good as when I took it away from you.

Then it ain't bad.

Of course it's the man behind is always counts.

That what you reckon?

The only thing I reckon is, you wanna keep out of jail,

stay away from Tara Hudson.

Dear, oh dear, oh dear.

She, uh, something sweet to you, is she, boy?

Yeah, let me tell you a little something.

I kind of fancy that little old lady myself.

If I want to pay her a social call or two,

ain't much you or anybody else can do about it.

You give out one scream,

it's the last noise you'll ever get to make.

Hmm.

You got brass, Miss Tara.

Real brass.

Trying to screech me into jail.

Lying about that money.

And you just kept at it, didn't you, Miss Tara?

Just kept at it.

Almost got that deputy boyfriend of yours' head blowed clean off.

If you'd have pushed me one more half turn...

that's just what I'd have done.

Cut him down to peach fuzz and toenails.

Now it's time to take care of you, little lady.

You're going to have to make up your mind right now...

if you want to stay pretty.

No! No, please don't.

Or have me carve you up like a dressed dove.

No.

And if you don't tell me where that money's at...

that's just what I'm gonna do.

No, don't, please!

Then you tell me.

I spent the money. All of it.

In two years' time?

$5,000, Miss Tara?

I knew it was wrong to even keep it,

but Roy made me do it.

It was for him.

Did it all get away from ya?

I didn't want to. It just went somehow. I don't know how.

What you saying is you throwed it away.

No, I didn't. I tried to save it.

I tried to make it grow for Roy and me.

You let it out?

No.

I invested it. There was this older man.

He said he had a wonderful investment. The chance for a real killing.

What he killed was your money.

All of it?

Most of it.

I had to live. I didn't have a job.

I had to keep up some kind of appearances

with no husband and no family.

You know, Miss Tara...

If you told me anything else,

I'd knows you was lying in your teeth.

You're lucky.

You know, you're really lucky Roy died.

If he didn't,

you would have had one red-hot time

trying to tell him all about what you done.

Poor Roy.

Now he's dead.

Nothing's gone right.

At least now it's all over.

Not, uh, quite yet, it ain't.

Think just 'cause he's dead and your money's gone

that you're out of the woods?

Well, you ain't.

I want my dues and you're gonna help.

Or get yourself reported to the railroad.

And that nice deputy who's been sparking you.

What do you want me to do?

Nothing audacious.

For a young widow.

You're gonna...

share your company with the deputy this evening.

Keep him right here.

I think he'll find a private dinner with you

of abiding interest.

I can't do that.

Have Newly O'Brien up here to my room?

Miss Tara, honey...

you got your choices.

Well, what if he won't come?

Think he's got scruples?

You'll get him here.

And keep him.

Otherwise you're gonna find yourself in jail

for living high on stolen money,

and that deputy will be kicking in the gutter.

Right here.

Phew!

Right in here, fellas.

Sheesh!

Well, I... I guess that about does it.

Oh, these two fellas will be here until the agent comes.

Uh, Dirk, Pudge? Deputy O'Brien.

Howdy.

How you doing?

They're the company guards.

Best there is, brother.

Yeah! Yeah.

- Thanks, Newly. We'll see you later. - You bet.

- Deputy. - Fletcher.

- Howie. - Burke.

Good evening, Howie.

Howdy, Newly.

Say... Miss Tara's been asking for ya.

She wants to see you over at the hotel right away.

Something important.

Sounds like he got better duty than you and I got, hey, Dirk?

Did she say what it was all about, Howie?

No, and I never asked neither, Newly.

I'm gonna have to leave you fellas.

Don't worry about it. We done this over half a hundred times,

never lost one thin dime, have we, Pudge?

Yeah, don't let it bother you none, son.

You just leave us the key to the coffee pot and we'll get along just fine.

All right, help yourself. It shouldn't be too long.

Take your time.

We ain't going nowhere and neither is that payroll.

Well...

care to look at a few?

Yeah, why not?

I wished I was young

and catting around again.

Ain't you got enough trouble?

Sure do.

Just ain't the right kind.

Shut up and deal.

Well, come on in.

To you, Tara.

To us, Newly.

You're the prettiest gal I've ever seen.

No, wait, Newly.

I don't want you to get the wrong impression.

Well, you must have had some reason for all of this.

Well... it's my birthday,

and I wanted you to share it with me.

You birthday? You should have told me. I would have brought you a present.

I didn't want you to do that.

I owe you too much already.

Now, let's just...

enjoy this evening together

and don't think about anything at all.

All right?

Hey, you didn't happen to bring something wet along with ya?

Boy, that coffee is stronger than a billy goat's breath.

It'll keep your eyes wide open and primed for road agents.

Your play.

Hold on there, now, fellas.

I just come in looking for the deputy.

You got no cause to... To draw down on me.

Good thing you come in slow and easy, brother.

He ain't here.

Uh, would you mind if I just kind of

hung around and waited for him to come back?

I reckon he can.

He may be gone for quite a spell. You're liable to have a long wait.

Y'all just go ahead and play there. I'll just watch for a while.

Sure must have something mighty important on your mind

to wanna hang around here all night.

Some would say so.

About $10,000 important.

I'm gonna need some aid and assistance.

If you don't give it to me, I'll kill ya.

Something the matter?

No.

Well, I was... I was just wondering, I guess.

It's not Gecko, is it?

Oh, Newly, I'm so confused.

I don't know what to do.

I wish he'd never come here and never found me.

Has he bothered you?

Has he been here?

Newly, he told me he'd tear me to pieces if I didn't help him.

And I still wouldn't.

But I was so afraid of him.

He simply wouldn't believe that I didn't have that money Roy stole.

So, I lied to him.

I told him I did have the money.

And that I spent all of it.

And he believed me, Newly.

Then he threatened you if I wouldn't help him.

Help him?

He told me to invite you here tonight.

He told me to make you stay here or else he'd kill you.

And he's a gunman, Newly, he could do it.

He had you invite me here?

The gold. He found out about the gold.

Gold? Oh, no. He was so vicious.

I'm sorry.

I can understand that, Tara, but it was wrong.

If he's got that gold, I'll never live it down.

I didn't know about the gold. Oh, Newly, be careful.

All right, let's move it. Move it!

Now let's go. Let's go.

All right.

Gecko!

That's as far as she gets.

That you again, sonny?

Back for what you missed the first time, are you?

Set the box down and keep your hands away from your gun.

All right, sonny. You're holding the hand.

I'm gonna give it up.

Never was one to pull on a fella when...

Yeah, you had my luck that time, sonny.

Crazy... fool.

Had more guts than I thought.

Got old Gecko down.

Heading away east, Miss?

What?

Oh, yes. I'm going home.

Well, another five more minutes and we'll be a-rolling along.

Tara?

Hello.

You're leaving? Now, after everything that's happened?

Why?

Oh, Newly, try to understand me.

I'm so confused after everything that's happened.

Roy's death, and Gecko.

And then what I almost did to you.

I don't care what you almost did.

And you can't get back what's gone, Tara.

You and me.

I don't get some things straight,

but I figured once you didn't need to keep me at arm's length...

I just need time to think, that's all.

You can think here as well as anywhere.

No, I can't.

It's too hard when you're involved in something every day

to be objective about it.

I like you, and you like me.

Why don't we find out how much?

Newly, if we really care for one another,

a little time and distance won't make any difference.

Help me be strong, please.

Coach driver: Boarding! Boarding for heading east!

It won't be for long.

I promise.

Hey! Hyah!

What's the matter, Newly?

You look like you lost your last friend.

Well, I feel that way, too, Miss Kitty.

Sam, could I have a beer down here, please?

You bet.

Did you let that woman go off all by herself

just as if she had good sense?

She's a strong-minded gal

that knows what she wants to do and does it.

Don't you know that a woman never knows what she wants when she's in love?

Now, if she likes you at all,

and you like her,

well, then, you owe it to the both of you

to go after her and make her stand up to it.

You mean, track her down?

Run her down, make her make a decision?

I couldn't do that.

You couldn't?

Could I?

You bet I could.

Forty-six, 47, 48, 49...

five thousand, and at 6% interest,

six hundred... and sixty dollars...

and .53 cents.

You see how your money has grown with us in only 23 months?

Tara: Yes. I wish I could leave it for another two years.

So do we.

But I'm sure that you and Mr. Doheny

will be very happy in California.

Thank you very much.

I don't think there's hardly a doubt about that.

Mrs. Doheny?

Well, Newly...

I know what you must be thinking.

But what else could I have done?

I had to come down here to get the money so I could return it.

I could never be with you with that on my conscience.

You told me you didn't have the money.

I know.

And that was bad.

I never would have left you except for that.

I knew it was wrong all along to keep that money,

but Roy insisted.

He said he'd only taken it for me.

And he made me promise that I'd keep it for him.

What could I do?

Then that Gecko came along.

I had to lie to him or he'd have taken it.

I was hoping to come down here and get it,

put it all back, and not mix you up in it at all.

But I am mixed up in it.

I know.

And I'm in your hands, Newly.

Anything you want.

We can go anywhere, do anything,

be together.

Just as soon as I take this money back.

You mean, as soon as I take the money back.

You're not going to arrest me, are you?

I'm afraid I am.

You mean, you didn't believe I was gonna take it back?

That's pretty close.

Well, my, my, my.

Isn't that tiresome?

None of that money's been spent, you know.

Newly?

What would a jury do to a poor, defenseless widow,

who was threatened by a vicious killer?

And who saved a $10,000 gold shipment by alerting the deputy?

And whose only crime

was not returning the money that her husband stole,

because she was afraid he'd kill her when he got out of jail?

Tara, when you're finished with the jury...

they may well take up a collection

to compensate for all the agony you've suffered.

I just hope you'll understand if I don't contribute.

I know you're not gonna believe this, Newly,

but I do care for you.

And there isn't any reason to keep you at arm's length anymore.

Let's go, Tara.

Anything you say, Newly.

Newly...