Original subtitles

Looks like ole Ruth's limpin' a little, Festus.

Appears like it, Matthew.

Looks like his tendon's swold up.

I'll have to rest him a day or two.

All right, Dixon, get down.

- Marshal. - Hello, Sheriff.

I see you ran him down.

Yep, yeah, I sure did.

This is my deputy, Festus Haggen, here.

- How are ya? - Howdy, Sheriff.

He'll be handlin' the transfer papers.

I gotta head back to Dodge.

That's a good ride.

Looks like you could use a little rest.

Yeah, well, I'd like to,

but I gotta testify at a trial tomorrow.

Festus, I'll see you later.

Take care of yourself, Matthew.

So long, Marshal.

It's been an interstin' ride.

Come on, get in!

Rope's all ready, Dixon.

Tomorrow we start workin' on the gallows.

Well, I sure am tickled to get shed of him.

I come within a whisker of shootin' him twice.

Well, I'm glad you didn't, Deputy.

Hangin's gonna cost the tax payers,

but it's gonna be welcome as rain.

He killed Hector Simms, a bank clerk.

Folks here liked Hector.

Well, since you're gonna be in town for a while, Deputy,

I'd, I'd like to buy you a beer.

I could sure use me a cold beer, I'll tell you that.

Deputy.

If it had been you and me, on that trail out there alone,

you'd be crow bait by now.

This here's one hangin' I'd sure like to see.

Don't count on it.

After you've stabled your mule, Deputy,

I'll meet you in the Union Bell,

it's the only saloon in town.

I'll find her.

Us Haggens has got a eye for saloons.

All right, Dixon, get back there.

Come on, come on!

Ah!

Come on, come on, ole Ruth.

Come on, come on, Ruth.

I told ya no hangin'.

He's escapin'!

You son of a...

Where's the sheriff?

Easy does it.

He, he just shot me.

All right, boy, let's go.

Come on, come on!

Move!

Let's go.

Marshal. I been lookin' all over for ya.

Barney said that was urgent.

Burke, get ahold of Newly.

Tell 'em to pack for the trail,

meet me at the stable right away, will ya?

- What's it all about? - I haven't got time to tell ya right now.

See that they saddle my horse too, will ya?

Oh, and put on badge,

and take care of things here in town 'til I get back.

Yes, sir!

Marshal, Burke said it was important.

Gard Dixon killed the sheriff over in Cottonwood and escaped.

Festus has gone after him.

Well, Festus has always been able to handle himself.

Well, as good a man as Festus is,

I'm worried about him this time.

This Gard Dixon, he's about the closest thing

to a vicious animal, I ever saw.

Come on!

Come on!

Your turn to sweat, Deputy!

That horse is gonna run till he drops.

You're a dead man, Deputy!

You're dead!

I told ya you'd end up crow bait!

Marshal Dillon?

That's right.

Sheriff Lipon.

Glad you got my wire.

This is my deputy, Newly O'Brien.

- Hi, how are ya? - Newly.

I come over from Yates,

kinda hold things down until I appoint a new sheriff.

Can you tell us what happened?

Well, from the pieces I can put together,

somehow, Gard Dixon got the jump on Sheriff Grimes,

killed him and rode out of town,

with your deputy ridin' after him.

No sign of either one of 'em since?

No, but I'm sure glad you got here.

Something happened this morning you should know about.

Seems your deputy's mule wasn't fit.

So, when he took off after Dixon, he was ridin' a stable horse.

Little after sunup today, an Indian came into town,

trying to sell a saddle and a rifle that he found in the desert.

What's that got to do with Festus?

Well, it seems that saddle was on the horse

that your deputy got from the stable.

What about the rifle?

Come on inside, I'll let ya take a look at it.

Here it is.

You know it?

It's his all right.

I fixed the hammer a month ago.

This Indian, where'd he find it?

He claims he found it on a dead horse,

in the desert, near Rim Rock.

How far is that?

That's a good 60 miles or so.

But there's no water out there, Marshal.

There's not a tree or a blade a grass.

Why, hell's got nothing to what it's like out there.

We rode our horse pretty hard gettin' here.

You supposed they'd have a couple of fresh horses down at the stable?

You goin' after him?

Got no choice.

Them Badlands just ain't no place for a man, Marshal.

Not even the likes of a man like Gard Dixon.

Who are you?

Who am I?

Who am I?

It's been a while since I heard a voice

'sides my own.

Go on, go on, say somethin' again.

Go on.

We talk later.

Come on, boy.

Let's get you on your feet...

out of the bakin' sun.

Mmhmm, come on, come on.

Come on up there.

Soft, soft pallet.

Little more water.

Open that up.

Well, go on, say somethin' again.

How'd you get me here?

I dragged ya.

I coulda toted ya, if I had to.

Saw buzzards circlin', that's how I found ya.

My name is Snow, Ben Snow.

Who am I addressin'?

Festus, Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen!

How'd ya get in this fix, huh?

Ain't no wonder you don't feel like talkin'.

Appears like you been grazed by a bullet real good.

You just get sleep.

I'll fetch you some food and we can talk later.

I been storin' up lots of talk.

I wanna hear what it's like... out there.

Festus Haggen.

I cleaned up that wound of yours,

but it's gonna have to heal on its own.

Ah, don't, don't, don't pick at it.

Obliged to ya.

Are you hungry?

Tolerable hungry.

Won't be long.

You're a lawman.

Out of Dodge City.

Dodge City.

I was chasin' this here feller.

He bushwhacked me.

Left me out yonder to die, I reckon.

Did you come through Ten Strike?

Ten Strike?

I don't know where that is.

I was comin' from Cottonwood.

Cottonwood?

Cottonwood.

Where abouts is that from here?

Well, from wherever it was that you found me,

it's three hard day's ride, southeast.

Now walkin', it's six.

Six days or more.

Ten Strike is 80 miles due north of Cottonwood!

You're a godsend, Festus Haggen.

Godsend.

You know, the Lord figured

that he'd fried ole Ben Snow's brains out by now.

But I still got enough sense to spit downwind.

You know, been out here so long, just talkin' to myself.

You know, talkin', talks,

just to hear the sound of my own voice!

It's a habit you don't break right off.

Ah, come on.

Come on down here, supper's on.

Figured this here desert had no water, at no place.

Only critters and a few Injuns knew it was here,

until I come along.

Festus, you are the only human animal I've seen

in this desert, 'cept for a few Indians.

Apache, I think.

Whenever one of them comes around, I hide.

Figured less said to a Injun, the better.

But the worst, is bein'... alone.

Well, how long ya been here, anyhow?

Well, so long...

I've lost track.

You ain't never went back to Ten Strike at all?

I couldn't.

I didn't know where I was.

I'm stuck here, Festus.

Like a man closed in by the sea.

You sittin' there tellin' me that you're lost?

Like a holler for help in a big wind.

You know, I had friend once.

He died.

Snakehead Whiskey.

But he told me about a glory hole that he'd found.

Well, I needed a grubstake,

so I got myself a partner.

And we come in to this desert, lookin' for gold.

We found it.

We was headed back

and run into the worst sandstorm I ever seen.

It blew like fury, for six days, with no letup!

When it was over, I lost my partner, I lost my horse,

I lost my pack mules... I was out of food, I was out of water...

I was out of luck.

That's no way to be in this desert.

Well, how did you come on to this here place?

A miracle.

When I was crazy with thirst, I saw a wild burro.

And I knew if he was livin' in this desert,

there had to be water, and he knew where it was.

So, I followed him.

Walkin', crawlin' and clawin', beggin'.

And that little ole burro...

lead me right through that passage.

And here this was.

Well, what do ya do for eatin' vittles?

Lizard. Goat.

Once in a while, a deer.

Critters.

You're lookin' at the only water for 100 miles.

Everything that moves,

well, it comes here at one time or another.

Cactus apples keep me from gettin' scurvy.

They ain't bad lizards too, either.

Well, what?

Prairie dog.

It ain't the Ten Strike Hotel, but it fills the ribs.

Well, I reckon I have tasted worse prairie dog.

Look at you.

Hungrier than a starved dog.

You know, Ten Strike would a been a good place

for the likes of you.

Run all over with rats.

A good rattin' dog was worth his weight in gold there.

Yeah, Ten Strike was some town.

Especially, fandango houses.

Women.

Some of 'em was dancin' partners,

and some of 'em was a good deal more.

One night, Ben Snow got hisself good and corn'd.

Hit every gamblin' palace on Cedar Street,

from one end to the other.

Woke up the next mornin', holdin' on to a lady's corset.

It's no good.

Nothin's inside there.

Still hungry, are ya?

Right.

Here you go, boy.

Oh!

Sorry, did we wake you, Festus?

Homer!

Homer!

Festus here is a guest.

You just pull them fangs in and get!

Look it, he's apologizing' for his behavior.

He don't come out, unlessin' he's hungry.

I been fetchin him mice for quite a spell now.

I know what you're thinkin'.

Man makin' a pet out of a rattler like he's the dog.

I recall a sayin'.

Man gets lonely enough, he'll make up to a snake.

Festus, you're lookin' at a man that's been alone too long.

Homer, you're comin' to depend too much on me.

I ain't gonna be here forever!

With Ben Snow gone,

you're gonna have to start paddlin' for yourself!

Either that Indian was lyin'

about where he found Festus's horse

or we're headed the wrong way.

Maybe.

If we find the horse,

we backtrack to where he dumped Festus.

Otherwise, we can ride around this desert forever,

tryin' to pick up the trail.

How much water have we got left?

Enough for two to three days, maybe.

But if we haven't found Festus by then,

won't be much point in lookin'.

Mornin'!

You're up early.

Tell ya the truth.

I slept with one eye peeled last night,

after seein' that friend a yours.

Homer.

Cold night, he come lookin' to curl up with ya.

Sleeps with me all the time.

How are ya feelin'?

Feels like it's still festerin' some,

but it ain't gonna be long

'till I'll be able to get after that feller.

Festus, you're lucky that feller

didn't put a wind in your head.

You need time.

Time to get your strength!

Besides, don't worry about that outlaw.

Desert'll take care of 'em.

I'm aimin' to go back to Cottonwood,

and pick me up a horse and some supplies.

No...

From what you say, it's six days, on foot, to Cottonwood.

Totin' one canteen, that's a good way to end up a cinder.

Could be right, but I've gotta try.

You are a fool, to be goin' out there, the way you feel.

I know this desert, and I know...

Did you hear that?

It's Injuns...

up in those rocks.

Well, maybe they don't mean no harm.

Yeah, maybe they're in a scalpin' mood.

Well, come on, do you wanna lose your hair?

Look at 'em.

Worse than a bunch of pack rats.

Got no respect for a man's goods.

Put that down!

Put down my personals!

Here, here, yeah.

Run, run, you scalp-liftin', red-rump trash!

If you hadn't a stopped me, I might have dropped them!

You standin' up, a squawlin' like that,

it's a wonder they didn't cut your blamed head off.

Nah.

They wouldn't a killed me.

They had plenty of chances before now.

It might a been different, if they'd seen you, though.

What do you mean by that?

Well, they think I'm tetched.

You know, loco.

Bad luck for Apache to kill a crazy man.

Yeah, and them Injuns could just be dead right.

Festus.

Obliged.

It's an uncommonly poor meal.

Real mean pickin's.

Chuckwalla lizards, eh?

When they get old, they get...

Stringy.

I don't know how many times

I think of a big, juicy beefsteak.

Well, ain't you never tried

leavin' this here place at all?

I've tried walkin' out of here

as many a directions as you can point!

I made earthin's out of mud, so I could carry more water!

Go a few miles, bury one of these under a marker.

Each time, goin' a little bit far, little bit farther.

Never saw nothin' but sand and more sand ahead of me.

I didn't know where I was!

Or which direction to Ten Strike.

Pretty soon, it got too risky to meander too far.

Besides, my legs start actin' up on me.

What is it ailin' your leg?

Well, I owe that to a fella by name of Sam Bristol.

He's in Ten Strike, livin' respectable,

off my sweat and my blood.

Remember the glory hole I told you about?

Needin' a grubstake?

Sam Bristol put up the money.

And the sandstorm I told ya about...

When it was over, we was down to,

oh, half a canteen of water.

That's when Sam Bristol shot me!

Took the gold, took the water.

Left me on the desert, to die.

I'm lucky I still got a leg.

Dug the bullet out myself.

Reckon that must of smarted some, huh?

Well Ben, I reckon it's time for me to be a movin' on.

Ever so much obliged to ya, for everything you did for me,

but first light, I'm settin' out for Cottonwood.

I'm fixin' to glom on, to that mangy yahoo.

Festus.

What is so important about a bushwhacker,

makes you risk your life goin' after?

Ben, I done told ya that!

He killed that sheriff in Cottonwood,

just as coldblooded as you please,

and that there ain't the onliest one he's killed, neither.

Now, I'm fixin' to catch him and see that he gets hung!

Festus, you and me together,

could get to Ten Strike,

a lot easier than you goin' it alone.

Cottonwood's closer, Ben.

Now, when I get there,

I'll send somebody back here to fetch ya.

You've... seen my gold, ain't ya?

Yeah, I seen it.

I know you did...

but you ain't seen all of it.

I got a lot more hidden around here.

Enough to bend a pack mule.

Now, I told you how I got here, didn't I?

Yeah, follerin' that ole burro.

Mmhmm.

Well, wouldn't you know, when I took my first drink,

right over there, I seen somethin' shining in the water.

It's gold, Festus.

More gold than any glory hole I ever seen.

More gold than Bristol stole for!

Festus, the whole bottom, at that there pond,

was inches deep, the little bitty nuggets, gold dust.

All comin' down from those hills up there.

I got a fortune, Festus.

You help me get to Ten Strike, I'll buy ya a horse,

I'll buy ya supplies,

- I'll buy you anything you want! - Ben, Ben!

It's just to blame far!

No, seven to eight days, at the most.

Oh, totin' all that gold and water, it's closer to 10.

No, sir.

Cottonwood's the closest, and that's where I'm goin'.

Don't wanna go to.

I've got to Ten Strike.

Three or $400 worth.

Ten more just like it, if you help me get to Ten Strike.

Well, go on, put it in your poke.

I'll send somebody to fetch ya, Ben.

No, no need for that.

I'll think of a way.

I'll think of a way.

I'll cut ya, Festus.

I'll cut you good.

I'll take the gun.

Pitch me the manacles.

Right there.

Key.

Figure you owe me, Festus.

Wasn't for me, you'd be dead by now,

buzzards peckin' at your eyes.

We get to Ten Strike, that'll figure us even.

We get to Ten Strike,

just don't you forget I'm a deputy marshal.

I'm gonna throw you in jail.

You ain't the law out here.

'Til we get to Ten Strike, you're a mule.

And you'll pack like a mule.

You don't, I'll shoot you, like a mule gone lame!

Go on, snap it on.

Let me hear it click.

You'll have a lot better chance packin' my gold,

than laying here with a shattered knee.

Wolves get the scent, won't be nothin' left to bury.

You're crazier than a broomtail on locoweed.

Crazy or not, don't change the fact

that I got this here gun, and I'll use it!

I thought you was just takin' enough gold to buy supplies?

It's gonna take a lot of gold to break Sam Bristol!

And that can't wait.

All right, load up.

I just want to tell you one thing.

You better not get to close to me,

or I'm just liable to wrap this chain

around that scrawny neck a yours.

I'll keep a tolerable distance.

You know, it coulda been done so easy, Festus.

You and me, workin' together,

and you endin' up with a share of the gold.

Jump it, boy.

Just keep goin' along there.

It'll...

It'll get a little easier, when we get down to the flats.

Careful, Mule.

We're gonna need every drop a that water,

if we're gonna get to Ten Strike.

Just keep goin' along there.

Quit your jabbin' me with that stick!

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah... Keep movin'!

Quit your jabbin' me with that blame stick!

And I mean it!

Don't you never do that again!

Here it is, hot enough to fry a horseshoe...

Me, totin' a load like this...

I gotta have me a drink.

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

What do you think you're doin'?

I ain't goin' one more step without some water.

I'll say when.

Get movin'.

You!

He must a been followin' Dixon for two days,

to have come this far.

Looks like somebody went down, there.

Whoa.

It's blood stains.

Think they belong to Festus?

Or Dixon.

Nobody else would have any business out here.

Look at them marks and tracks.

Maybe they belong to that Indian

the sheriff was talkin' about?

I don't think so.

That horse dropped a long ways from here.

Then where'd they come from?

Well, they came from over this way and went back that way, too.

Except going back, he wasn't alone.

Those boot tracks belong to Festus, that means he's still alive.

Let's go.

Oh, my, my...

What's the matter?

Your ole leg a ouchin' you some, is it?

No, it ain't hurtin' me at all!

Keep movin'!

Get up, get up on your feet!

Get move!

I ain't takin' me another step,

'til I get me a drink of water.

I reckon when you had yourself a mule,

you'd give him a drink, or did ya?

All right.

But just two swallows!

That's enough!

Enough!

I'll get me a drink... myself.

All right, let's move out.

You sure are in a powerful hurry

to get to Ten Strike, ain't ya?

What do ya figure to do to Sam Bristol once ya get there?

Well, I've had a long time to think about that.

I ain't gonna kill him.

That would only get me hung.

So, I ain't gonna do anything so harsh and direct as that.

Gold can build, or buy, the devil!

That's what I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna buy, and sell, and finagle Sam Bristol

'til he's ruined, 'til he's nothing!

And then, once he's down to the lent,

I'm gonna see that he's tarred and feathered,

and run out a town, on a rail.

Gonna be somethin',

when Ben Snow comes back to Ten Strike.

Move out.

Go on, move out!