Station West (1948) Movie Script
1
It's hard to grow old
in the dust of the prairie
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
The story is told
in the dust of the prairie
That a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
There's a stranger in town
where a stranger ain't welcome.
He should take some advice
and turn right around.
The stranger should flee.
Go back where he came from.
And live a long life
away from this town.
And live a long life
away from this town.
Evening, stranger.
You must know everybody in town.
Everybody but one. Don't know you.
You do now.
Got a vacant room?
- By day, week or month?
- I do not know.
Because the way you look at it,
a man can't be too sure in this town.
I've been here six years
and I ain't dead yet.
I'll settle for a week.
Eight dollars cash in advance.
- From Kansas, eh?
- No.
Always put on where I'm going
next so I won't forget.
Room 10 at the end of the hall.
Make your own bed.
Furnish your own towel.
Your grip's where you dropped it.
Thanks for the key.
Seven loses.
All right. Get your bets down, boys.
Get your bets down!
Number seven, the winner.
Get your money down, boys.
The man's getting lucky.
Eleven. The man wins.
Get your bets down.
All right, boys. Cover your bets now.
Eight's your point.
Number eight's your point.
He's my man.
We can take a come bet on that.
Eight the hard way.
No thanks. Here you go, dealer.
Next shoot.
Sometime remind me to tell you
how much you mean to me.
Sometime remind me to tell you
how happy we could be.
Sometime remind me to whisper
each dream, each plan, each promise.
But why wait around for sometime?
Why don't you tell me now?
A whiskey,
like you pour it for yourself.
Don't you know it's no fun
to drink alone?
Not till after the first one.
You a stranger here?
What kind of whiskey was that?
On the bottle, it says rye.
The way you take it, I don't
see what difference it makes.
I'll have another rye.
You haven't answered my question.
I am a stranger everywhere.
Got a job?
Listen, fella. I know that one too.
"Got a job, stranger?"
Not? Why don't you join the army.
Three meals a day and a place to sleep.
"A nice warm uniform..."
It's a little more than that.
Yeah, there's one thing more
that I could never take.
It's got second lieutenants.
You want to make this a
personal matter, all right?
I don't make it anything, soldier.
You tried to sell me something.
I didn't buy it.
Why don't you beat it?
If I weren't wearing uniform,
I might teach you a few manners.
If you could teach me anything,
you wouldn't be in a uniform.
You couldn't be looking
for trouble, could you?
- I could, but I'm not.
- That's fine.
Because this is one of the best places
west of the Atlantic Ocean to find them.
That was my first impression.
That lieutenant is a nice young boy.
I don't doubt it.
But his mouth is too big.
Like your ears.
The view is much
better at this table.
And you must like to pick fights.
Only with second lieutenants.
We like second lieutenants here.
You see here everybody
fights except the army.
I wouldn't know.
So anyone who doesn't like the army...
I know what you mean.
But I'm afraid I'll have to come back.
You see I...
I like the way you sing.
Captain Iles, commander of the post.
Mr. Haven, sir.
Lieutenant, I see you finally got here.
I seem to finally get everywhere.
Mrs. Caslon, Mr. Haven.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
You met Mr. Stellman.
It came off beautifully, sir.
He picks a good fight.
Matter of fact.
I think I am still a little sore at him.
- Sit down, Mr. Haven.
- Thank you, Captain.
So you're operating under sealed orders.
All this mumbo-jumbo is characteristic
of the Military Information Department.
We try to use it as sparingly
as possible.
I've been in this territory
for a number of years.
I think you'll find it a little rougher
here than the suburbs of Washington DC.
Very sensibly.
Then why is M.I.D. sending you here?
Because two soldiers have been murdered.
Those two soldiers were killed
while escorting one of the gold stakes.
Is escorting gold
one of the functions of your command?
Young man, the functions
of my command look very pretty on paper.
But they are not very practical
in a territory like this.
What's happening to the gold?
I permitted it to be stored
on a warehouse on the post.
Captain, you're in a bad way.
Wells Fargo won't convoy gold.
You tried and failed. Two men are dead.
Gold's piling up at your post.
You can't move it.
The post is undermanned.
You want the quartermaster's
plague to replace 7 uniforms.
Sent to the freight
office in West Rim City.
The freight building burned
down with the uniforms.
I'm not operating a fire department.
And if I were,
West Rim City is 60 miles away.
- That doesn't concern me either.
- Well what does?
The killing of two soldiers.
They were my men, Haven.
I'm trying every way I know
to find out who murdered them.
- So will I.
- It may be harder than you think.
I don't know how you operate.
But this is a dangerous job
that can get you killed.
You make it sound very
difficult, Captain.
Why don't you just wrap up your flag
and take it back east with you?
- Look here, Lieutenant.
- Yes?
How will I know what you're doing?
I'll let you know from time to time.
That's very obliging of you.
One thing. I don't want
to visit the army post.
Then report to me through
Mrs. Caslon here.
You can be a friend of her husband.
He owned the Argus mine
and died last year.
If that meets with your approval.
Only if it meets with hers.
I'd be delighted to help.
- Is that all?
- Yes, I think so.
He really isn't that abrupt.
- Good night, Mary.
- Good night, George.
- Do you see?
- I see.
I think he secretly likes you.
The commander can
certainly keep a secret.
- Would you like a little sherry?
- Only if you'll have some too.
Excuse me.
What mine were the two soldiers
trying to convoy gold from?
The Argus. It belongs to me.
That brings me to a question
I'd decided not to ask.
Then I'll answer it first.
Captain Isles has asked me to marry him.
I can understand that.
But you can't understand why Capt. Isles
should be involved in the gold business.
I do now.
You must realize there's
a lot of gold from
all over the territory
stored at the post warehouse.
- How much would you say?
- Perhaps as much as half a million.
In fact, I have about
$50,000 in my safe now.
Really? Tell me, who is
taking all this the gold?
I don't know. That's
the worst part of it, not knowing.
That I might find out.
- Don't get into trouble.
- That's why I'm here.
- I know, but does not get...
- Do not worry it.
Trouble and I are old enemies.
We understand each other.
- Good night, Mrs. Caslon.
- Good luck.
How happy we could be...
Every time I come in here you
stop singing. Why is it?
You don't have to come in.
Look, I didn't come back
to start a fight. Or break the bank.
Why did you come back?
If you invited me to sit down,
I might find out.
It might be better if you
found another table.
And another girl.
Oh no, it wouldn't. I looked.
- Could that be Charlie?
- No.
His eyes follow you around
like a couple of flies.
They follow me around to see
that strangers don't annoy me.
- Only strangers?
- No one else would be so foolish.
Waiter, bring me
a bottle of wine, will you?
First you are beautiful.
Then I like the way you sing.
And now you're a woman of mystery.
I don't want to be a stranger.
So I'll have to be foolish.
- You like to take chances, don't you?
- If I feel lucky.
I advise you to try the dice table.
I'd rather get lucky here.
Every man has a right
to his own funeral.
I could be your cousin
from Waxaharchie.
His cousin John.
A missionary on his way to China.
So Charlie probably runs the town?
What do you care?
I'm going to spend some time here.
I just like to know who winds the clock.
It's been a nice conversation.
I hate to have it end.
Who is this?
- Mick, this is my cousin John.
- From Waxahatchie.
Cousin John is a missionary
on his way to China.
What's keeping him?
I think he's wondering if he
couldn't do more good here.
You ain't too friendly, are you?
I like to pick my friends.
You ought to learn not to pick them
so easy like you do your cousins.
Ask her.
I never saw him before in my life.
You're too little to
make that big a mistake.
You gonna correct me or
just bleed at the mouth?
Bring him outside.
- What happened?
- I wanted to be my cousin.
And she hasn't any aunts or uncles.
Good boy, Mick.
Look out!
Kill him, Mick.
- Mick will kill him.
- That's ten to one.
Always bet on the champion.
Then you can only lose once.
Ten to one? I'll take it.
You're down. A thousand to a hundred.
Come on, Mick!
Way to go!
Come on, Mick!
That is, Mick!
It's the first time Mick ever got it.
You done a fine job, stranger.
I can't believe this.
Mick Marian losing a fight
and me winning a thousand.
Give it to him, Prince.
In chips.
Care for some coffee?
Yeah. Thanks.
They told me who was fighting.
I was getting ready to rent you a room.
- Sugar or cream?
- Cream.
Myself I'd rather buy a forest fire.
So would I.
When a fights a man
because of a woman
it means that the woman
has made the man bold.
But fighting is no good.
Because it just lead to trouble.
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
No, a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
Come in.
How do you feel?
Like a million dollars.
You just cost me a thousand.
I brought your hat and coat.
Are you always this sweet
to the men who fight over you?
Only the winners.
- Tell me something.
- What?
That fella could have killed me.
Where do you bury the losers?
You talk too much.
What do you want? The next dance?
I think you better sit this one out.
- Have some coffee?
- Yeah, thanks.
The way you run this place, I knew
you must be good at something else.
Some folks call me the town poet.
Others, village idiot.
Who am I to question either?
How do you feel today?
Like I crawled from Kansas City.
Figures to make you pretty famous.
A lot of folks have been
asking for you already.
- Who?
- That gold mine lady, Mrs. Caslon.
- That's nice.
- Couldn't do better.
And Charlie.
- Charlie?
- No less.
You seem impressed.
Why not?
Charlie owns a piece of everything.
Including the undertaker
and the sheriff.
Stage line too?
Everything but the windy Bible class.
Even owns a piece of me.
Gets your money while you're here
and makes you pay for leave.
Well, when you get next verse
of that song, I'd like to hear it.
I can't find a word to rhyme
with "Mick Marion."
- Try "carrion".
- Sure, yeah. Carrion.
Doesn't he ever stopping playing?
Sam? It don't bother him. He's deaf.
Where do I find the boss?
First door. Top of the stairs.
Mick been around?
He's indisposed.
Come in.
- You wanted to see me?
- I did.
- They said Charlie?
- Yes.
You're Charlie?
Right.
This is Prince.
Don't ever gamble with him.
You mean with his equipment?
She means either.
See you later, Charlie.
You surround yourself
with very affable character.
It makes me feel at home.
No. You're not that sinister.
Last night you were
Florence Nightingale in silk stockings.
Ouch!
Tell me something.
Why did you start that fight?
- I thought you did.
- Oh, really?
You could have insisted
I was your cousin.
Maybe that's not the
way I felt about you.
Why did you get the name of Charlie?
It was my father's.
My name is Charlene.
Charlene? I like that better.
This will be the first time
I ever worked for a woman.
What makes you think
you're going to work for me?
You sent for me.
All right. I sent for you.
I was doing
a nice quiet little business.
Because everybody was afraid of Mick.
Now every time a man has enough
drinks in him to feel rugged,
he'll try to do what you did.
- Oh, I wouldn't.
- They will.
It's not the kind of job I want anyway.
I don't intend to start at the bottom.
Been there. It's too crowded.
Where do you want to start?
Where the money is.
What would you do for it?
Anything. Except hang.
- How's this?
- Beautiful.
Where'd you get all this?
From my father.
He taught me one thing.
A lot of men think they
can beat the tables.
All you have to do is get a table.
Sometimes they run out of cash and I
find myself with new responsibilities.
- Such as?
- A couple of stores.
Naw.
I can't see myself behind a counter.
A sawmill and the logging camp.
The logging camp is a
long way from town.
Oh. No.
I own the stage line from here
to West Rim City but that's a dud.
- Why?
- Outlaws.
Money went in gold shipments.
Now the mines won't ship it.
I'll take that job.
You mean ride shotgun?
Let me run the line.
What do you expect
to get out of that?
A commission on
all the gold I get through.
We should buy you a small beer.
Glad to get it.
It's pretty dangerous.
Even Wells Fargo locked up
that station and quit trying.
Give me a letter of authorization.
I can't bet against you twice, can I?
- Who steals the gold?
- Who doesn't?
All they have to do is put on a mask
and they all look like Black Bart.
I forgot to ask you one thing.
I'm working for you now.
You can ask me anything.
How do I know I can trust you?
You don't.
I can?
Only with money.
Okay, boss?
What's your business with me?
I'm the new manager.
Hey, wait a minute. You're not fired.
I gotta be. There ain't work enough
here for one man, let alone two..
Two can loaf as easy as one.
Whitey!
This is the new boss, just took over.
Whitey here runs the freight
up to the sawmill.
This is Jim Goddard,
the regular stage driver.
- Hello, fellas. I don't need the keys.
- Oh.
I saw that fight last night.
It was sure a beauty.
Let's not talk about that.
Right now, it hurts my hand to listen.
I'm supposed to leave here
for the sawmill before daybreak.
Is that all right, Mr. Haven?
- Yeah, I guess that's all right.
- Thank you, sir.
What happened to you?
On my last run, I stopped a bullet.
- Get a good look at them?
- I wish I had.
The only thing here that work.
Son, I wasted my time here.
I might as well waste some advice.
You're full of blood and vinegar.
But this whole thing has got
something wrong with it.
Goddard only got a nick in the knee.
You may not be so lucky.
I might depend on something
besides luck.
Like what?
On the fact, they don't
pay to shoot so straight.
They don't need to when
they shoot so often.
Worry it over.
I think I'm gonna need you.
But not on one leg.
Take it easy.
Yes, sir.
- What's all this?
- Something, ain't it?
Yeah. Who's is it?
Miss Charlie's, Mr. Haven.
Where do you drive her?
Same places.
Around the hills, down the river.
- Every afternoon.
- Yes?
I think I'll give you the afternoon off.
I shouldn't let you do this, sir.
But I am.
Miss Charlie may not like this.
I will.
Does this Haven move me out?
Is that the play?
Prince, you know I
wouldn't part with you.
I always come up empty.
Not quite.
No.
What's the matter, Prince?
I do not like Haven
or anything about him.
You said that before.
What do you know about him?
What do you want me to do?
Have him looked up in
the Social Registry?
The man walked in out of nowhere.
And went against your table.
- Did he play like a gambler?
- He knew something.
Yes and he took Mick down.
So he knows how to fight.
You like that part, don't you?
I'll tell you one thing, Prince.
I don't like this part.
You know, Prince,
I always find you in good company.
Stand there a second.
Every time I see you,
you look different.
But you always look beautiful.
Why is that?
I always have someone to lie to me.
You can take my hand
if you won't squeeze it.
Now tell me what are you
doing with my buggy?
It's my work.
I'm the new transportation boss.
You hired me.
Where to?
I'm going to call on a gentleman.
At this hour?
His name is Mark Bristow.
At any hour, it'll be strictly business.
The way you say it,
you may need a lawyer.
He's a lawyer himself
but it won't help him.
No?
What good is a lawyer
if he never gets into court?
Oh? Like a doctor in a graveyard.
Where is this unlucky man?
Across the street.
Whoa, boys!
Think I should take the horses
back and give them a rubdown?
Think they've gone far enough?
I haven't.
Maybe you better wait
and come in with me.
- Hello, Mrs. Caslon.
- How do you do?
I wonder if you could do me a favor?
Why surely.
It's a big favor.
I wouldn't blame you if you refused.
What is it?
I want to run some gold from your mine.
That is a big favor.
I know it seems impossible to you.
But that's one reason I'm here.
To find out what makes that impossible.
Isn't that very risky?
That's why I couldn't
go to anyone but you.
I'm just wondering if we shouldn't
speak to Captain Iles first?
You know what he would say.
I'd advise against it.
I suppose so.
But if it works my way, it
might clear everything up.
For everybody. And for Iles too.
The War Dept does not like
all that gold around an army post.
- Well, I...
- We're working too much in the dark.
This may be the only way
to see something.
Who else will know this?
Just us. That's all.
And that's the idea.
I'll arrange it.
Good.
Don't look so grim.
It's only your gold and my skin.
And smile when you walk away.
As though we'd been talking
about what a dry summer it's been.
- Thank you.
- Goodbye.
Charlie, you know how I've always
cooperated as much as possible.
But I haven't the money.
These are all your notes for gambling.
You're out $6,000.
You want to count them?
No.
Your credit is over, Mark.
My luck can change, can't it?
Not in my tables.
I have seen others fall into the trap.
But I didn't think it would get me.
Nobody does.
I'll have Prince come in
and look over your books.
Maybe we can work something out.
- But...
- That's the way it is, Mark.
I pay off on the line.
And I expect to get paid.
Oh. What brings you here?
Oh I had a dream you'd
be back here tonight.
Why?
Maybe because took the keys.
Don't they go with the job?
You know how it is with a dream.
I got the crazy idea you
were gonna try something.
- Like what?
- Well like maybe running a shipment.
And then what happened?
I wanted to be some help with it.
All right. You've been some help.
Now go on back to sleep.
And I'll finish the dream for you.
I'm riding with you, Haven.
I'm riding shotgun.
You got more more than
your leg hurt, didn't you?
Maybe I just like to ride in the
moonlight if nothing happens.
And if it does?
Then I figure I've got a better right
to be there than you have.
All right. Get up there.
We'll go out the back way.
Hold it there.
Hold those horses!
Ho.
Keep your hands away from your guns.
Get down from there and stand aside.
All right, you. Get down.
Bring up the pace horse. Hurry it up.
Get over there.
Bring it up here.
Keep em up.
Take it easy.
They hang you just the same.
All right, Goddard. Get moving.
Go on!
Keep em up.
That's far enough.
Turn around.
This certifies that the
bearer, James Goddard,
is operating as a legally deputized...
detective...
for Wells Fargo stage
and express company.
Get out!
Where's Joe?
Something's gone wrong, Pete.
Yeah.
I know one thing.
He was born on a horse.
And he didn't just fall off this one.
Go look for him.
- Hello, Whitey.
- Hello, Mr. Haven.
What are you hauling?
This is a load of grub for the sawmill.
How'd you like to ride
my horse back to town?
What about the wagon here?
I'll finish the haul.
You're the boss.
Anything exciting happen in town?
I don't know, Mr. Haven.
I left town before daybreak.
Take it easy with Amber. He's tired.
I'll give him good rub then.
Hey you!
Did you see if a rider coming up?
No.
You sure?
I haven't even seen a lizard.
Where can I put this stuff?
Where did you put it before?
I didn't. I'm a new driver.
I think it's grub.
Take them over to the cook shack.
Ho! Hey, you the cook?
No, I just wear this hat
to keep the flies off my hair.
It don't matter to me, brother.
I only haul this grub.
I'd just as soon haul it back to town.
Well, take it around the corner.
Well. Any luck?
No sign of Joe. But there's tracks
of another horse circling the mill.
That's bad.
Let's go take a look
at that new driver again.
Hey, driver!
You, come here.
You sure you didn't see no rider?
Look. You want me to say
I saw a rider, I'll say it.
I'll say I saw a ghost.
It doesn't make any difference to me.
When did you get this job?
Yesterday.
What for?
It's the system.
If I don't work, I don't eat.
I never found any way to beat it.
Who hired you?
Look. I'm working. I high
haul this stuff out here.
Nobody tells me where to dump it.
Everybody wants to know where I've been
and what I haven't seen. I don't know!
I get 30 cents an hour. How smart
does that have to make me?
Forget it.
I got a load for you to take
in when you're finished here.
- Sure.
- How soon?
I haven't eaten anything but dust
since daylight.
All right. Grab it quick.
What do you think?
We risk him. That's all.
Here. Work on this stuff.
How about a handout?
Help yourself.
Looks pretty good.
It oughta be.
Used to cook for 600 men a day.
Where was that?
Leavenworth.
Who's the boss around here?
I am.
I mean the whole works.
You talked to the
man when you came in.
That real tough-looking fella?
They're all tough when
they get to Mick Marion.
Mick come around here very often?
Last night.
It looked like somebody got to him.
How's that?
His face all beat up.
Like your knuckles.
No. I had bad luck
with a crate of cauliflower.
That's what he brought up here.
A cauliflower face.
Do you fight him?
Mick?
Do I look like I would?
Just the knuckles.
Say you, driver, hurry up.
I'll be right out.
Not many hands here, are they?
All up at the logging camp.
Well, hi-dee-ho.
Much obliged.
This was real fine Mulligan.
I make it better with cauliflower.
It is good, isn't it?
Maybe this ain't such a good idea.
You, come over here.
- Do you see this box?
- Yeah.
It goes to Prince.
You know who Prince is?
- No.
- He runs things for Charlie.
- Do you know who Charlie is?
- Sure.
All right. Get up there.
Oh, one thing.
The gearbox you're hauling
in has got to be repaired.
You tell Charlie if it ain't repaired,
we might have to shut down quick.
- You got that?
- I got it.
All right. Then get out of here.
Draw the blinds, Bristow.
Light it up.
Can't you put that gun away?
I can but it helps to quiet my nerves.
- A drink?
- No.
We had given you up for dead.
- Who?
- Who?
Why... everybody.
They found Goddard's body.
Didn't you know?
What happened?
Sit down.
If you're trying to imply that
you frightened me coming here,
you're quite right.
I am neither a hero nor a fool.
They killed Goddard.
Why didn't they kill you?
Someone wanted me alive.
What for?
I don't know.
What do you want from me?
I'm gonna make a statement that
you will write and notarize.
Is that all?
Yeah.
You'll put it away where it can't
be stolen or tampered with.
- I have a safe.
- I can see that.
Meaning you don't trust me?
I do.
I just don't think you trust yourself.
Where do you want it put?
Mrs. Caslon has a safe. A nice fat one.
I think I can arrange it.
All right.
Here's the statement.
I solemnly swear,
that on Thursday last, about 11 pm,
the stagecoach I was driving
was held up by five armed bandits.
The gold I was hauling was stolen,
and Jim Goddard, the guard,
was murdered in cold blood.
Are you sure it was Haven you met?
I know my own boss.
Go in and get a beer.
Haven's wagon's across the street.
He must be back in town.
Now I'm wondering what
I get out of this?
Charlie is holding $6,000 of your IOU's.
You're busted.
This will get you even.
And now you wonder why we
just don't take all that gold
and go around the world.
Monte Carlo, the Taj Mahal...
I've a better idea for you.
Find the gold yourself.
Plant the deposition.
And let me hang for it.
Then you'd be rich. And you
won't even need to travel.
That might take some doing.
And some nerve.
- Where do I sign?
- Here.
Don't get so excited.
I'm perfectly calm.
And I'm asking you calmly
How could you allow that scoundrel to
transport gold from your mine when you
The man you call a scoundrel
may be dead at this moment.
He may be in town at this moment,
where in fact he is.
How could you do such a
thing without telling me?
I only did it for your sake.
- My sake?
- He represents the US government.
- And who do I represent?
- I was only...
And while we're on the subject,
what was Mark Bristow doing here?
Mark Bristow is my lawyer
and you know it.
I'm sorry.
I wish you could see that some times
you're a little too sure
about too many things.
One nice thing about us is
we are always wrong together.
Mark gave me this.
That's why I was here.
You're not going to open it?
"To whom it may concern."
It may concern me.
It does.
Your friend, Mr. Haven,
still has your gold.
Those nitwits in Washington.
Sending a demoted lieutenant out here
to poke around in my business.
You're getting to be a
hard man to deal with.
I'm getting to deal with some hard men.
I'll take care of that.
It looks like a board meeting.
What's he doing with you?
I might I might need a lawyer.
I doubt it.
I realize how seldom
legal technicalities annoy you.
- But I think I have one that might.
- What's that?
Just a story.
About a man who are murdered.
A thief who got shot.
And a gearbox I failed to deliver.
Probably no one would believe it
unless I had killed for it.
- Who else have you told?
- Only Mark.
He is a lawyer and a notary.
He makes it stick.
He finally gets to court.
I don't know anything. I
merely wrote the deposition.
You shut up.
Since you brought your lawyer,
ask him if this doesn't
sound like blackmail.
He can't think very clearly
in the presence of a gun.
But it doesn't bother you?
No. It doesn't.
Pete, go downstairs
and watch the stairway.
What you want is a cut.
That's right.
It boils down to this.
We can make a deal
and all be very happy together.
How could that be?
When I deliver the gold to you.
You mean the gearbox?
I can even forget I looked inside.
So I stole a gearbox.
I'm still a thief.
- What if he gets them?
- He gets even.
Have you lost your mind?
It was all right when he lost his money.
All right.
Prince will give him the IOU's
when the gearbox is delivered.
I think that's all.
Haven, you can stay.
You excuse me, Prince?
You know you roll nice dice.
You bet em jam up too.
But one day you're gonna slip.
When you do, I'll be
around to catch you.
You know I think he will.
You should be more careful.
I suppose so.
I won't have to have you killed.
I'd have had you hated it.
So would I.
I'd have missed you too much.
And too long.
Did you ever tell a
woman you loved her?
All of them.
How'd you get away?
I was always in the doorway
when I said it.
You never said it to me.
Let's get over to the doorway.
Don't move. Turn around.
Put the gold in the wagon.
Is this a holdup?
You want to put it in the wagon?
Now was there something
you wanted to say?
Yeah.
I followed one of the bandits
here when he cached it.
I couldn't haul it on a horse
so I came back with a wagon.
I know that's a lie.
Some of it's true.
But not nearly enough.
All right. I'll try it again.
I cached it there myself.
I was going to give it to them.
I wanted to buy
membership in their club.
That was the initiation fee.
$50,000?
You see I thought it was worth it.
Well, you see I don't.
What you're doing may
get me in trouble.
If you're still in town in 24 hours,
I promise you will be in trouble.
Now start walking.
Go on.
I thought you were in jail?
I talked my way out.
You are a very glib man.
Can you talk your way
out of everything?
- Up to a certain point.
- What's that?
The gun. Some champagne, waiter.
Are we celebrating something?
The first time I talked
to you, we had champagne.
Didn't you bring me something?
- No.
- But you will?
- No.
- "No." Just like that?
I went to get it. It was there but...
so was somebody else.
Who?
Mrs. Caslon.
Alone?
No, she had a gun with her.
Didn't you have one too?
The one she had was in her hand.
You know this could be
that slip you mentioned.
So this nice lady held you up
and took the gold. Is that it?
It's like saying I was
robbed at Sunday School.
No good, is it?
No.
Mick might've killed you.
But you fought him anyway.
Pete last night had a gun
but that didn't scare you.
And now this gentile petticoat waves
a gun and you run for your life.
You make it sound very silly.
Or make it sound like what it is.
A lie.
My word doesn't seem to be
very good around here.
You've only got one thing that's
very good around here.
Some gold.
- Is that all I've got?
- Not quite.
You got some time.
You got two hours to get it here.
And you want me to fatten you up
before you have me killed.
- Is that what you mean?
- I said what I meant. Two hours.
You're sweet.
- Well?
- Everything's all set.
- Got enough men at the sawmill?
- Yeah, plenty.
Get back out there.
Get them into uniforms.
We hit the post just before dawn.
I don't know what we've waiting for?
I gave him some time.
He's in the hotel.
He's not doing anything.
I got him some time!
I don't care what he does with it.
- You want your IOU's?
- You mean...
- Why? Did Haven...?
- No, he didn't.
I don't understand.
We don't think they're
going to be any good.
I haven't anything to do with it.
- I can still make the good or...
- What?
I can still do business.
Here. Take a look at this.
The deposition. The only copy.
- What do you want?
- Nothing.
All I want to do is get out of it.
I never had any part of it.
- This oughta prove it.
- This?
It's a trick.
I'll see about this.
Haven can't do this to me.
- I'll go and see this.
- Sure. You see about it.
Here, take this along.
Something left to wait for?
No.
- Who is it?
- It's me. Bristow. Let me in.
- Are you going to kill me, Mark?
- You double-crossed me, Haven.
- I did?
- I got the deposition back.
I took it to him.
It wasn't there.
It was just a piece of blank paper.
Don't you laugh at me or I'll kill you.
Well, they want you to, Mark.
And it may be your only out if you do.
But I doubt it.
You know why?
Because even if you took them my scalp,
it wouldn't buy your life.
You're in debt. You're broke.
And you're scared.
And you know far too much.
There isn't any way
they can use you alive.
Can you think of one?
They're going to do it. I know it.
They're gonna kill me.
Why do they have to kill me?
Us, Mark.
- This must be hers.
- Yes.
She's sweet.
One thing, Mark.
You might get out of town.
Not a chance in a thousand.
You'll do one in a million if
it's the only one you have.
Yeah, I might get away with it.
I could try it.
If you do, go straight for your horse.
Don't stop for anything.
I have some important
papers in the office.
You haven't anything important
left except your life.
And very little time to keep it.
Get on the horse and ride him
until he dies.
Then run until you have to crawl
and you might be lucky.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey, I'm naturally sentimental,
being sort of a poet.
Naturally.
I keep a bunch of Jim Cracks.
An old-time sheriff's gun.
A bullet from a dead bandit.
And a rosary from
some fellow they hung.
That's nice. A hobby?
Yeah, in a kind of way.
I just wondered if there was something
that you wanted to leave me.
The only thing I have.
An army button. Where's the
uniform that goes with it?
I might even know.
I think I'll go find out.
Where's your gun?
I dropped it back there.
All right, you, march.
Is that thing loaded?
You try your tricks and you'll find out.
No tricks, sheriff. No tricks.
Hey, go on back. Mick wants you.
What happened to you?
Haven slugged me.
Haven?
Keep him in here.
- Captain Iles.
- Don't apologize. Just barge right in.
- I'll tell you something.
- No, you're not. You're gonna listen.
You lost some uniforms.
You thought they were burned.
- They were burned.
- No, they weren't. But now I do.
But they are now because
I set fire to them.
What?
They are smoldering right now at
the warehouse down at the sawmill
There are 70 men down
there ready to wear them.
Wear them. What for?
What other reason except to get in this
army post and take the gold from you?
Now you're about to send a detachment
of men up north on an Indian scare?
- Yeah.
- That Indian scare is a fake.
It's a ruse.
You know where to send them now.
Guess I owe you an apology.
You better go down to the sawmill.
They might try it anyway.
I...
I guess also owe something too.
Only $50,000.
I wish there were something
I could say or do.
There is. You can give me back my gun.
I could give this one to the sheriff.
Tell him to be careful with it.
It's got bullets in it now.
I'll always remember
what a fool I made of myself.
I'll always try to forget.
Are you going too?
Not with them.
You caused me
an awful amount of trouble.
Yeah, but I finally
brought you something.
You didn't think Mark
would use that, did you?
Maybe I just wanted to send you a gun.
Maybe.
I have to arrest you.
- Why?
- Murder.
I could have shot just now and I didn't.
I didn't kill the two men or Goddard.
Who did?
Maybe Mick.
- Maybe Prince. Who knows?
- You know.
If you still have the gold, and I
think you do, we might make a gift.
I believe every man has a price.
Some men don't believe that.
But woman knows it.
There wouldn't be any women
on my jury.
And why you're not as bad
off as you might think.
I could find a dozen men who might
find you capable of almost anything,
but I wouldn't bet they'd vote that way
after staring at you through a trial.
Mick is dead for the murders.
Prince can hang for the rest of it.
Isn't it a little late
to make any difference?
Maybe not.
Where is Prince?
It's no good.
I'll get someone.
Stay here.
Tell me
on the square.
Did you ever love me?
From the first night,
from the first time of song.
I tried to get away from it.
But every time, it came back.
Every time I tried it out of my brain,
I just pushed it deeper into my heart.
Say it.
I love you.
I love you.
See you... in China.
The sun shines warm
on the dust of the prairie
The sun shining warm
but it's heartless and cold
it's heartless and cold
in the dust of the prairie
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
A man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
It's hard to grow old
in the dust of the prairie
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
The story is told
in the dust of the prairie
That a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
There's a stranger in town
where a stranger ain't welcome.
He should take some advice
and turn right around.
The stranger should flee.
Go back where he came from.
And live a long life
away from this town.
And live a long life
away from this town.
Evening, stranger.
You must know everybody in town.
Everybody but one. Don't know you.
You do now.
Got a vacant room?
- By day, week or month?
- I do not know.
Because the way you look at it,
a man can't be too sure in this town.
I've been here six years
and I ain't dead yet.
I'll settle for a week.
Eight dollars cash in advance.
- From Kansas, eh?
- No.
Always put on where I'm going
next so I won't forget.
Room 10 at the end of the hall.
Make your own bed.
Furnish your own towel.
Your grip's where you dropped it.
Thanks for the key.
Seven loses.
All right. Get your bets down, boys.
Get your bets down!
Number seven, the winner.
Get your money down, boys.
The man's getting lucky.
Eleven. The man wins.
Get your bets down.
All right, boys. Cover your bets now.
Eight's your point.
Number eight's your point.
He's my man.
We can take a come bet on that.
Eight the hard way.
No thanks. Here you go, dealer.
Next shoot.
Sometime remind me to tell you
how much you mean to me.
Sometime remind me to tell you
how happy we could be.
Sometime remind me to whisper
each dream, each plan, each promise.
But why wait around for sometime?
Why don't you tell me now?
A whiskey,
like you pour it for yourself.
Don't you know it's no fun
to drink alone?
Not till after the first one.
You a stranger here?
What kind of whiskey was that?
On the bottle, it says rye.
The way you take it, I don't
see what difference it makes.
I'll have another rye.
You haven't answered my question.
I am a stranger everywhere.
Got a job?
Listen, fella. I know that one too.
"Got a job, stranger?"
Not? Why don't you join the army.
Three meals a day and a place to sleep.
"A nice warm uniform..."
It's a little more than that.
Yeah, there's one thing more
that I could never take.
It's got second lieutenants.
You want to make this a
personal matter, all right?
I don't make it anything, soldier.
You tried to sell me something.
I didn't buy it.
Why don't you beat it?
If I weren't wearing uniform,
I might teach you a few manners.
If you could teach me anything,
you wouldn't be in a uniform.
You couldn't be looking
for trouble, could you?
- I could, but I'm not.
- That's fine.
Because this is one of the best places
west of the Atlantic Ocean to find them.
That was my first impression.
That lieutenant is a nice young boy.
I don't doubt it.
But his mouth is too big.
Like your ears.
The view is much
better at this table.
And you must like to pick fights.
Only with second lieutenants.
We like second lieutenants here.
You see here everybody
fights except the army.
I wouldn't know.
So anyone who doesn't like the army...
I know what you mean.
But I'm afraid I'll have to come back.
You see I...
I like the way you sing.
Captain Iles, commander of the post.
Mr. Haven, sir.
Lieutenant, I see you finally got here.
I seem to finally get everywhere.
Mrs. Caslon, Mr. Haven.
- How do you do?
- How do you do?
You met Mr. Stellman.
It came off beautifully, sir.
He picks a good fight.
Matter of fact.
I think I am still a little sore at him.
- Sit down, Mr. Haven.
- Thank you, Captain.
So you're operating under sealed orders.
All this mumbo-jumbo is characteristic
of the Military Information Department.
We try to use it as sparingly
as possible.
I've been in this territory
for a number of years.
I think you'll find it a little rougher
here than the suburbs of Washington DC.
Very sensibly.
Then why is M.I.D. sending you here?
Because two soldiers have been murdered.
Those two soldiers were killed
while escorting one of the gold stakes.
Is escorting gold
one of the functions of your command?
Young man, the functions
of my command look very pretty on paper.
But they are not very practical
in a territory like this.
What's happening to the gold?
I permitted it to be stored
on a warehouse on the post.
Captain, you're in a bad way.
Wells Fargo won't convoy gold.
You tried and failed. Two men are dead.
Gold's piling up at your post.
You can't move it.
The post is undermanned.
You want the quartermaster's
plague to replace 7 uniforms.
Sent to the freight
office in West Rim City.
The freight building burned
down with the uniforms.
I'm not operating a fire department.
And if I were,
West Rim City is 60 miles away.
- That doesn't concern me either.
- Well what does?
The killing of two soldiers.
They were my men, Haven.
I'm trying every way I know
to find out who murdered them.
- So will I.
- It may be harder than you think.
I don't know how you operate.
But this is a dangerous job
that can get you killed.
You make it sound very
difficult, Captain.
Why don't you just wrap up your flag
and take it back east with you?
- Look here, Lieutenant.
- Yes?
How will I know what you're doing?
I'll let you know from time to time.
That's very obliging of you.
One thing. I don't want
to visit the army post.
Then report to me through
Mrs. Caslon here.
You can be a friend of her husband.
He owned the Argus mine
and died last year.
If that meets with your approval.
Only if it meets with hers.
I'd be delighted to help.
- Is that all?
- Yes, I think so.
He really isn't that abrupt.
- Good night, Mary.
- Good night, George.
- Do you see?
- I see.
I think he secretly likes you.
The commander can
certainly keep a secret.
- Would you like a little sherry?
- Only if you'll have some too.
Excuse me.
What mine were the two soldiers
trying to convoy gold from?
The Argus. It belongs to me.
That brings me to a question
I'd decided not to ask.
Then I'll answer it first.
Captain Isles has asked me to marry him.
I can understand that.
But you can't understand why Capt. Isles
should be involved in the gold business.
I do now.
You must realize there's
a lot of gold from
all over the territory
stored at the post warehouse.
- How much would you say?
- Perhaps as much as half a million.
In fact, I have about
$50,000 in my safe now.
Really? Tell me, who is
taking all this the gold?
I don't know. That's
the worst part of it, not knowing.
That I might find out.
- Don't get into trouble.
- That's why I'm here.
- I know, but does not get...
- Do not worry it.
Trouble and I are old enemies.
We understand each other.
- Good night, Mrs. Caslon.
- Good luck.
How happy we could be...
Every time I come in here you
stop singing. Why is it?
You don't have to come in.
Look, I didn't come back
to start a fight. Or break the bank.
Why did you come back?
If you invited me to sit down,
I might find out.
It might be better if you
found another table.
And another girl.
Oh no, it wouldn't. I looked.
- Could that be Charlie?
- No.
His eyes follow you around
like a couple of flies.
They follow me around to see
that strangers don't annoy me.
- Only strangers?
- No one else would be so foolish.
Waiter, bring me
a bottle of wine, will you?
First you are beautiful.
Then I like the way you sing.
And now you're a woman of mystery.
I don't want to be a stranger.
So I'll have to be foolish.
- You like to take chances, don't you?
- If I feel lucky.
I advise you to try the dice table.
I'd rather get lucky here.
Every man has a right
to his own funeral.
I could be your cousin
from Waxaharchie.
His cousin John.
A missionary on his way to China.
So Charlie probably runs the town?
What do you care?
I'm going to spend some time here.
I just like to know who winds the clock.
It's been a nice conversation.
I hate to have it end.
Who is this?
- Mick, this is my cousin John.
- From Waxahatchie.
Cousin John is a missionary
on his way to China.
What's keeping him?
I think he's wondering if he
couldn't do more good here.
You ain't too friendly, are you?
I like to pick my friends.
You ought to learn not to pick them
so easy like you do your cousins.
Ask her.
I never saw him before in my life.
You're too little to
make that big a mistake.
You gonna correct me or
just bleed at the mouth?
Bring him outside.
- What happened?
- I wanted to be my cousin.
And she hasn't any aunts or uncles.
Good boy, Mick.
Look out!
Kill him, Mick.
- Mick will kill him.
- That's ten to one.
Always bet on the champion.
Then you can only lose once.
Ten to one? I'll take it.
You're down. A thousand to a hundred.
Come on, Mick!
Way to go!
Come on, Mick!
That is, Mick!
It's the first time Mick ever got it.
You done a fine job, stranger.
I can't believe this.
Mick Marian losing a fight
and me winning a thousand.
Give it to him, Prince.
In chips.
Care for some coffee?
Yeah. Thanks.
They told me who was fighting.
I was getting ready to rent you a room.
- Sugar or cream?
- Cream.
Myself I'd rather buy a forest fire.
So would I.
When a fights a man
because of a woman
it means that the woman
has made the man bold.
But fighting is no good.
Because it just lead to trouble.
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
No, a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
Come in.
How do you feel?
Like a million dollars.
You just cost me a thousand.
I brought your hat and coat.
Are you always this sweet
to the men who fight over you?
Only the winners.
- Tell me something.
- What?
That fella could have killed me.
Where do you bury the losers?
You talk too much.
What do you want? The next dance?
I think you better sit this one out.
- Have some coffee?
- Yeah, thanks.
The way you run this place, I knew
you must be good at something else.
Some folks call me the town poet.
Others, village idiot.
Who am I to question either?
How do you feel today?
Like I crawled from Kansas City.
Figures to make you pretty famous.
A lot of folks have been
asking for you already.
- Who?
- That gold mine lady, Mrs. Caslon.
- That's nice.
- Couldn't do better.
And Charlie.
- Charlie?
- No less.
You seem impressed.
Why not?
Charlie owns a piece of everything.
Including the undertaker
and the sheriff.
Stage line too?
Everything but the windy Bible class.
Even owns a piece of me.
Gets your money while you're here
and makes you pay for leave.
Well, when you get next verse
of that song, I'd like to hear it.
I can't find a word to rhyme
with "Mick Marion."
- Try "carrion".
- Sure, yeah. Carrion.
Doesn't he ever stopping playing?
Sam? It don't bother him. He's deaf.
Where do I find the boss?
First door. Top of the stairs.
Mick been around?
He's indisposed.
Come in.
- You wanted to see me?
- I did.
- They said Charlie?
- Yes.
You're Charlie?
Right.
This is Prince.
Don't ever gamble with him.
You mean with his equipment?
She means either.
See you later, Charlie.
You surround yourself
with very affable character.
It makes me feel at home.
No. You're not that sinister.
Last night you were
Florence Nightingale in silk stockings.
Ouch!
Tell me something.
Why did you start that fight?
- I thought you did.
- Oh, really?
You could have insisted
I was your cousin.
Maybe that's not the
way I felt about you.
Why did you get the name of Charlie?
It was my father's.
My name is Charlene.
Charlene? I like that better.
This will be the first time
I ever worked for a woman.
What makes you think
you're going to work for me?
You sent for me.
All right. I sent for you.
I was doing
a nice quiet little business.
Because everybody was afraid of Mick.
Now every time a man has enough
drinks in him to feel rugged,
he'll try to do what you did.
- Oh, I wouldn't.
- They will.
It's not the kind of job I want anyway.
I don't intend to start at the bottom.
Been there. It's too crowded.
Where do you want to start?
Where the money is.
What would you do for it?
Anything. Except hang.
- How's this?
- Beautiful.
Where'd you get all this?
From my father.
He taught me one thing.
A lot of men think they
can beat the tables.
All you have to do is get a table.
Sometimes they run out of cash and I
find myself with new responsibilities.
- Such as?
- A couple of stores.
Naw.
I can't see myself behind a counter.
A sawmill and the logging camp.
The logging camp is a
long way from town.
Oh. No.
I own the stage line from here
to West Rim City but that's a dud.
- Why?
- Outlaws.
Money went in gold shipments.
Now the mines won't ship it.
I'll take that job.
You mean ride shotgun?
Let me run the line.
What do you expect
to get out of that?
A commission on
all the gold I get through.
We should buy you a small beer.
Glad to get it.
It's pretty dangerous.
Even Wells Fargo locked up
that station and quit trying.
Give me a letter of authorization.
I can't bet against you twice, can I?
- Who steals the gold?
- Who doesn't?
All they have to do is put on a mask
and they all look like Black Bart.
I forgot to ask you one thing.
I'm working for you now.
You can ask me anything.
How do I know I can trust you?
You don't.
I can?
Only with money.
Okay, boss?
What's your business with me?
I'm the new manager.
Hey, wait a minute. You're not fired.
I gotta be. There ain't work enough
here for one man, let alone two..
Two can loaf as easy as one.
Whitey!
This is the new boss, just took over.
Whitey here runs the freight
up to the sawmill.
This is Jim Goddard,
the regular stage driver.
- Hello, fellas. I don't need the keys.
- Oh.
I saw that fight last night.
It was sure a beauty.
Let's not talk about that.
Right now, it hurts my hand to listen.
I'm supposed to leave here
for the sawmill before daybreak.
Is that all right, Mr. Haven?
- Yeah, I guess that's all right.
- Thank you, sir.
What happened to you?
On my last run, I stopped a bullet.
- Get a good look at them?
- I wish I had.
The only thing here that work.
Son, I wasted my time here.
I might as well waste some advice.
You're full of blood and vinegar.
But this whole thing has got
something wrong with it.
Goddard only got a nick in the knee.
You may not be so lucky.
I might depend on something
besides luck.
Like what?
On the fact, they don't
pay to shoot so straight.
They don't need to when
they shoot so often.
Worry it over.
I think I'm gonna need you.
But not on one leg.
Take it easy.
Yes, sir.
- What's all this?
- Something, ain't it?
Yeah. Who's is it?
Miss Charlie's, Mr. Haven.
Where do you drive her?
Same places.
Around the hills, down the river.
- Every afternoon.
- Yes?
I think I'll give you the afternoon off.
I shouldn't let you do this, sir.
But I am.
Miss Charlie may not like this.
I will.
Does this Haven move me out?
Is that the play?
Prince, you know I
wouldn't part with you.
I always come up empty.
Not quite.
No.
What's the matter, Prince?
I do not like Haven
or anything about him.
You said that before.
What do you know about him?
What do you want me to do?
Have him looked up in
the Social Registry?
The man walked in out of nowhere.
And went against your table.
- Did he play like a gambler?
- He knew something.
Yes and he took Mick down.
So he knows how to fight.
You like that part, don't you?
I'll tell you one thing, Prince.
I don't like this part.
You know, Prince,
I always find you in good company.
Stand there a second.
Every time I see you,
you look different.
But you always look beautiful.
Why is that?
I always have someone to lie to me.
You can take my hand
if you won't squeeze it.
Now tell me what are you
doing with my buggy?
It's my work.
I'm the new transportation boss.
You hired me.
Where to?
I'm going to call on a gentleman.
At this hour?
His name is Mark Bristow.
At any hour, it'll be strictly business.
The way you say it,
you may need a lawyer.
He's a lawyer himself
but it won't help him.
No?
What good is a lawyer
if he never gets into court?
Oh? Like a doctor in a graveyard.
Where is this unlucky man?
Across the street.
Whoa, boys!
Think I should take the horses
back and give them a rubdown?
Think they've gone far enough?
I haven't.
Maybe you better wait
and come in with me.
- Hello, Mrs. Caslon.
- How do you do?
I wonder if you could do me a favor?
Why surely.
It's a big favor.
I wouldn't blame you if you refused.
What is it?
I want to run some gold from your mine.
That is a big favor.
I know it seems impossible to you.
But that's one reason I'm here.
To find out what makes that impossible.
Isn't that very risky?
That's why I couldn't
go to anyone but you.
I'm just wondering if we shouldn't
speak to Captain Iles first?
You know what he would say.
I'd advise against it.
I suppose so.
But if it works my way, it
might clear everything up.
For everybody. And for Iles too.
The War Dept does not like
all that gold around an army post.
- Well, I...
- We're working too much in the dark.
This may be the only way
to see something.
Who else will know this?
Just us. That's all.
And that's the idea.
I'll arrange it.
Good.
Don't look so grim.
It's only your gold and my skin.
And smile when you walk away.
As though we'd been talking
about what a dry summer it's been.
- Thank you.
- Goodbye.
Charlie, you know how I've always
cooperated as much as possible.
But I haven't the money.
These are all your notes for gambling.
You're out $6,000.
You want to count them?
No.
Your credit is over, Mark.
My luck can change, can't it?
Not in my tables.
I have seen others fall into the trap.
But I didn't think it would get me.
Nobody does.
I'll have Prince come in
and look over your books.
Maybe we can work something out.
- But...
- That's the way it is, Mark.
I pay off on the line.
And I expect to get paid.
Oh. What brings you here?
Oh I had a dream you'd
be back here tonight.
Why?
Maybe because took the keys.
Don't they go with the job?
You know how it is with a dream.
I got the crazy idea you
were gonna try something.
- Like what?
- Well like maybe running a shipment.
And then what happened?
I wanted to be some help with it.
All right. You've been some help.
Now go on back to sleep.
And I'll finish the dream for you.
I'm riding with you, Haven.
I'm riding shotgun.
You got more more than
your leg hurt, didn't you?
Maybe I just like to ride in the
moonlight if nothing happens.
And if it does?
Then I figure I've got a better right
to be there than you have.
All right. Get up there.
We'll go out the back way.
Hold it there.
Hold those horses!
Ho.
Keep your hands away from your guns.
Get down from there and stand aside.
All right, you. Get down.
Bring up the pace horse. Hurry it up.
Get over there.
Bring it up here.
Keep em up.
Take it easy.
They hang you just the same.
All right, Goddard. Get moving.
Go on!
Keep em up.
That's far enough.
Turn around.
This certifies that the
bearer, James Goddard,
is operating as a legally deputized...
detective...
for Wells Fargo stage
and express company.
Get out!
Where's Joe?
Something's gone wrong, Pete.
Yeah.
I know one thing.
He was born on a horse.
And he didn't just fall off this one.
Go look for him.
- Hello, Whitey.
- Hello, Mr. Haven.
What are you hauling?
This is a load of grub for the sawmill.
How'd you like to ride
my horse back to town?
What about the wagon here?
I'll finish the haul.
You're the boss.
Anything exciting happen in town?
I don't know, Mr. Haven.
I left town before daybreak.
Take it easy with Amber. He's tired.
I'll give him good rub then.
Hey you!
Did you see if a rider coming up?
No.
You sure?
I haven't even seen a lizard.
Where can I put this stuff?
Where did you put it before?
I didn't. I'm a new driver.
I think it's grub.
Take them over to the cook shack.
Ho! Hey, you the cook?
No, I just wear this hat
to keep the flies off my hair.
It don't matter to me, brother.
I only haul this grub.
I'd just as soon haul it back to town.
Well, take it around the corner.
Well. Any luck?
No sign of Joe. But there's tracks
of another horse circling the mill.
That's bad.
Let's go take a look
at that new driver again.
Hey, driver!
You, come here.
You sure you didn't see no rider?
Look. You want me to say
I saw a rider, I'll say it.
I'll say I saw a ghost.
It doesn't make any difference to me.
When did you get this job?
Yesterday.
What for?
It's the system.
If I don't work, I don't eat.
I never found any way to beat it.
Who hired you?
Look. I'm working. I high
haul this stuff out here.
Nobody tells me where to dump it.
Everybody wants to know where I've been
and what I haven't seen. I don't know!
I get 30 cents an hour. How smart
does that have to make me?
Forget it.
I got a load for you to take
in when you're finished here.
- Sure.
- How soon?
I haven't eaten anything but dust
since daylight.
All right. Grab it quick.
What do you think?
We risk him. That's all.
Here. Work on this stuff.
How about a handout?
Help yourself.
Looks pretty good.
It oughta be.
Used to cook for 600 men a day.
Where was that?
Leavenworth.
Who's the boss around here?
I am.
I mean the whole works.
You talked to the
man when you came in.
That real tough-looking fella?
They're all tough when
they get to Mick Marion.
Mick come around here very often?
Last night.
It looked like somebody got to him.
How's that?
His face all beat up.
Like your knuckles.
No. I had bad luck
with a crate of cauliflower.
That's what he brought up here.
A cauliflower face.
Do you fight him?
Mick?
Do I look like I would?
Just the knuckles.
Say you, driver, hurry up.
I'll be right out.
Not many hands here, are they?
All up at the logging camp.
Well, hi-dee-ho.
Much obliged.
This was real fine Mulligan.
I make it better with cauliflower.
It is good, isn't it?
Maybe this ain't such a good idea.
You, come over here.
- Do you see this box?
- Yeah.
It goes to Prince.
You know who Prince is?
- No.
- He runs things for Charlie.
- Do you know who Charlie is?
- Sure.
All right. Get up there.
Oh, one thing.
The gearbox you're hauling
in has got to be repaired.
You tell Charlie if it ain't repaired,
we might have to shut down quick.
- You got that?
- I got it.
All right. Then get out of here.
Draw the blinds, Bristow.
Light it up.
Can't you put that gun away?
I can but it helps to quiet my nerves.
- A drink?
- No.
We had given you up for dead.
- Who?
- Who?
Why... everybody.
They found Goddard's body.
Didn't you know?
What happened?
Sit down.
If you're trying to imply that
you frightened me coming here,
you're quite right.
I am neither a hero nor a fool.
They killed Goddard.
Why didn't they kill you?
Someone wanted me alive.
What for?
I don't know.
What do you want from me?
I'm gonna make a statement that
you will write and notarize.
Is that all?
Yeah.
You'll put it away where it can't
be stolen or tampered with.
- I have a safe.
- I can see that.
Meaning you don't trust me?
I do.
I just don't think you trust yourself.
Where do you want it put?
Mrs. Caslon has a safe. A nice fat one.
I think I can arrange it.
All right.
Here's the statement.
I solemnly swear,
that on Thursday last, about 11 pm,
the stagecoach I was driving
was held up by five armed bandits.
The gold I was hauling was stolen,
and Jim Goddard, the guard,
was murdered in cold blood.
Are you sure it was Haven you met?
I know my own boss.
Go in and get a beer.
Haven's wagon's across the street.
He must be back in town.
Now I'm wondering what
I get out of this?
Charlie is holding $6,000 of your IOU's.
You're busted.
This will get you even.
And now you wonder why we
just don't take all that gold
and go around the world.
Monte Carlo, the Taj Mahal...
I've a better idea for you.
Find the gold yourself.
Plant the deposition.
And let me hang for it.
Then you'd be rich. And you
won't even need to travel.
That might take some doing.
And some nerve.
- Where do I sign?
- Here.
Don't get so excited.
I'm perfectly calm.
And I'm asking you calmly
How could you allow that scoundrel to
transport gold from your mine when you
The man you call a scoundrel
may be dead at this moment.
He may be in town at this moment,
where in fact he is.
How could you do such a
thing without telling me?
I only did it for your sake.
- My sake?
- He represents the US government.
- And who do I represent?
- I was only...
And while we're on the subject,
what was Mark Bristow doing here?
Mark Bristow is my lawyer
and you know it.
I'm sorry.
I wish you could see that some times
you're a little too sure
about too many things.
One nice thing about us is
we are always wrong together.
Mark gave me this.
That's why I was here.
You're not going to open it?
"To whom it may concern."
It may concern me.
It does.
Your friend, Mr. Haven,
still has your gold.
Those nitwits in Washington.
Sending a demoted lieutenant out here
to poke around in my business.
You're getting to be a
hard man to deal with.
I'm getting to deal with some hard men.
I'll take care of that.
It looks like a board meeting.
What's he doing with you?
I might I might need a lawyer.
I doubt it.
I realize how seldom
legal technicalities annoy you.
- But I think I have one that might.
- What's that?
Just a story.
About a man who are murdered.
A thief who got shot.
And a gearbox I failed to deliver.
Probably no one would believe it
unless I had killed for it.
- Who else have you told?
- Only Mark.
He is a lawyer and a notary.
He makes it stick.
He finally gets to court.
I don't know anything. I
merely wrote the deposition.
You shut up.
Since you brought your lawyer,
ask him if this doesn't
sound like blackmail.
He can't think very clearly
in the presence of a gun.
But it doesn't bother you?
No. It doesn't.
Pete, go downstairs
and watch the stairway.
What you want is a cut.
That's right.
It boils down to this.
We can make a deal
and all be very happy together.
How could that be?
When I deliver the gold to you.
You mean the gearbox?
I can even forget I looked inside.
So I stole a gearbox.
I'm still a thief.
- What if he gets them?
- He gets even.
Have you lost your mind?
It was all right when he lost his money.
All right.
Prince will give him the IOU's
when the gearbox is delivered.
I think that's all.
Haven, you can stay.
You excuse me, Prince?
You know you roll nice dice.
You bet em jam up too.
But one day you're gonna slip.
When you do, I'll be
around to catch you.
You know I think he will.
You should be more careful.
I suppose so.
I won't have to have you killed.
I'd have had you hated it.
So would I.
I'd have missed you too much.
And too long.
Did you ever tell a
woman you loved her?
All of them.
How'd you get away?
I was always in the doorway
when I said it.
You never said it to me.
Let's get over to the doorway.
Don't move. Turn around.
Put the gold in the wagon.
Is this a holdup?
You want to put it in the wagon?
Now was there something
you wanted to say?
Yeah.
I followed one of the bandits
here when he cached it.
I couldn't haul it on a horse
so I came back with a wagon.
I know that's a lie.
Some of it's true.
But not nearly enough.
All right. I'll try it again.
I cached it there myself.
I was going to give it to them.
I wanted to buy
membership in their club.
That was the initiation fee.
$50,000?
You see I thought it was worth it.
Well, you see I don't.
What you're doing may
get me in trouble.
If you're still in town in 24 hours,
I promise you will be in trouble.
Now start walking.
Go on.
I thought you were in jail?
I talked my way out.
You are a very glib man.
Can you talk your way
out of everything?
- Up to a certain point.
- What's that?
The gun. Some champagne, waiter.
Are we celebrating something?
The first time I talked
to you, we had champagne.
Didn't you bring me something?
- No.
- But you will?
- No.
- "No." Just like that?
I went to get it. It was there but...
so was somebody else.
Who?
Mrs. Caslon.
Alone?
No, she had a gun with her.
Didn't you have one too?
The one she had was in her hand.
You know this could be
that slip you mentioned.
So this nice lady held you up
and took the gold. Is that it?
It's like saying I was
robbed at Sunday School.
No good, is it?
No.
Mick might've killed you.
But you fought him anyway.
Pete last night had a gun
but that didn't scare you.
And now this gentile petticoat waves
a gun and you run for your life.
You make it sound very silly.
Or make it sound like what it is.
A lie.
My word doesn't seem to be
very good around here.
You've only got one thing that's
very good around here.
Some gold.
- Is that all I've got?
- Not quite.
You got some time.
You got two hours to get it here.
And you want me to fatten you up
before you have me killed.
- Is that what you mean?
- I said what I meant. Two hours.
You're sweet.
- Well?
- Everything's all set.
- Got enough men at the sawmill?
- Yeah, plenty.
Get back out there.
Get them into uniforms.
We hit the post just before dawn.
I don't know what we've waiting for?
I gave him some time.
He's in the hotel.
He's not doing anything.
I got him some time!
I don't care what he does with it.
- You want your IOU's?
- You mean...
- Why? Did Haven...?
- No, he didn't.
I don't understand.
We don't think they're
going to be any good.
I haven't anything to do with it.
- I can still make the good or...
- What?
I can still do business.
Here. Take a look at this.
The deposition. The only copy.
- What do you want?
- Nothing.
All I want to do is get out of it.
I never had any part of it.
- This oughta prove it.
- This?
It's a trick.
I'll see about this.
Haven can't do this to me.
- I'll go and see this.
- Sure. You see about it.
Here, take this along.
Something left to wait for?
No.
- Who is it?
- It's me. Bristow. Let me in.
- Are you going to kill me, Mark?
- You double-crossed me, Haven.
- I did?
- I got the deposition back.
I took it to him.
It wasn't there.
It was just a piece of blank paper.
Don't you laugh at me or I'll kill you.
Well, they want you to, Mark.
And it may be your only out if you do.
But I doubt it.
You know why?
Because even if you took them my scalp,
it wouldn't buy your life.
You're in debt. You're broke.
And you're scared.
And you know far too much.
There isn't any way
they can use you alive.
Can you think of one?
They're going to do it. I know it.
They're gonna kill me.
Why do they have to kill me?
Us, Mark.
- This must be hers.
- Yes.
She's sweet.
One thing, Mark.
You might get out of town.
Not a chance in a thousand.
You'll do one in a million if
it's the only one you have.
Yeah, I might get away with it.
I could try it.
If you do, go straight for your horse.
Don't stop for anything.
I have some important
papers in the office.
You haven't anything important
left except your life.
And very little time to keep it.
Get on the horse and ride him
until he dies.
Then run until you have to crawl
and you might be lucky.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey, I'm naturally sentimental,
being sort of a poet.
Naturally.
I keep a bunch of Jim Cracks.
An old-time sheriff's gun.
A bullet from a dead bandit.
And a rosary from
some fellow they hung.
That's nice. A hobby?
Yeah, in a kind of way.
I just wondered if there was something
that you wanted to leave me.
The only thing I have.
An army button. Where's the
uniform that goes with it?
I might even know.
I think I'll go find out.
Where's your gun?
I dropped it back there.
All right, you, march.
Is that thing loaded?
You try your tricks and you'll find out.
No tricks, sheriff. No tricks.
Hey, go on back. Mick wants you.
What happened to you?
Haven slugged me.
Haven?
Keep him in here.
- Captain Iles.
- Don't apologize. Just barge right in.
- I'll tell you something.
- No, you're not. You're gonna listen.
You lost some uniforms.
You thought they were burned.
- They were burned.
- No, they weren't. But now I do.
But they are now because
I set fire to them.
What?
They are smoldering right now at
the warehouse down at the sawmill
There are 70 men down
there ready to wear them.
Wear them. What for?
What other reason except to get in this
army post and take the gold from you?
Now you're about to send a detachment
of men up north on an Indian scare?
- Yeah.
- That Indian scare is a fake.
It's a ruse.
You know where to send them now.
Guess I owe you an apology.
You better go down to the sawmill.
They might try it anyway.
I...
I guess also owe something too.
Only $50,000.
I wish there were something
I could say or do.
There is. You can give me back my gun.
I could give this one to the sheriff.
Tell him to be careful with it.
It's got bullets in it now.
I'll always remember
what a fool I made of myself.
I'll always try to forget.
Are you going too?
Not with them.
You caused me
an awful amount of trouble.
Yeah, but I finally
brought you something.
You didn't think Mark
would use that, did you?
Maybe I just wanted to send you a gun.
Maybe.
I have to arrest you.
- Why?
- Murder.
I could have shot just now and I didn't.
I didn't kill the two men or Goddard.
Who did?
Maybe Mick.
- Maybe Prince. Who knows?
- You know.
If you still have the gold, and I
think you do, we might make a gift.
I believe every man has a price.
Some men don't believe that.
But woman knows it.
There wouldn't be any women
on my jury.
And why you're not as bad
off as you might think.
I could find a dozen men who might
find you capable of almost anything,
but I wouldn't bet they'd vote that way
after staring at you through a trial.
Mick is dead for the murders.
Prince can hang for the rest of it.
Isn't it a little late
to make any difference?
Maybe not.
Where is Prince?
It's no good.
I'll get someone.
Stay here.
Tell me
on the square.
Did you ever love me?
From the first night,
from the first time of song.
I tried to get away from it.
But every time, it came back.
Every time I tried it out of my brain,
I just pushed it deeper into my heart.
Say it.
I love you.
I love you.
See you... in China.
The sun shines warm
on the dust of the prairie
The sun shining warm
but it's heartless and cold
it's heartless and cold
in the dust of the prairie
And a man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.
A man can't grow old
where there's women and gold.