Coroner Creek (1948) Movie Script

Howdy, Danning.
- Find any of them?
You're lucky, the buck wants to
buy him a new wife.
He's a Chiricahua Apache
so he'll take your money.
You better give me that gun,
it's hard to keep your temper
if you ain't used to them.
They'd aggravate the flies off of a buffalo.
- I'll keep my temper.
You been an Indian scout as long as
I have, you learn to be patient.
I've been patient. For 18 months.
Let's go.
He wants to see
the colour of your money.
How can I be sure he was in on
the hold-up?
That's where he got this withered
arm, he caught a chunk of lead.
Smoke him out.
He was with a bunch of young bucks
led by a renegade Indian named Tona,
a white man hired them.
What about the white man?
This white man who used to work for
a stage and freighter line
knew about
a mine payroll going through.
Filled Tona and his bucks full of
fire juice so they'd raid the coach.
Promised to make them all
rich Injuns,
only he made most of them
dead Injuns.
He got away with all the money
for himself.
What about the passengers?
The white man shot them right there.
All except the girl.
What happened to her?
He kept her prisoner for three days,
then she killed herself with this.
It's the white man's knife.
The white man, what did he look like?
Everything he can remember.
Big.
Strong.
Yellow hair.
Blue eyes.
A scar on his right cheek and spoke
Apache like it was his own language.
That's all he knows.
Big, strong, yellow hair,
blue eyes
and a scar on his right cheek?
Let's hightail.
How much I owe you, Mac?
- Not a thing.
If I'm not being too nosey, you working for
the mining company that lost the payroll?
No
Then what's your personal interest?
Like you said, personal.
- I doubt if you'll ever catch him.
I got the rest of my life to try.
And if you do?
I'm going to kill him.
That girl on the stage coach maybe?
Maybe.
'Big, tall, blond,
a scar on his right cheek.'
'A stage and freighter man.
A stage and freighter man.'
'Tombstone, we'll keep going.'
'A stage and freighter man.'
'A scar on his face.'
'Now for Tucson.'
'Big valley.'
'He speaks Apache.'
'We'll keep going.'
Howdy.
- Howdy.
Rub him down and feed him.
- Yes, sir.
Hand me that gun. Thank you. Good night.
- Good night.
What do you want?
According to the book, room
number nine is supposed to be empty.
If you look at your key
you'll find it's room number six.
Oh. I had it upside down,
excuse me.
You're new in Coroner Creek,
aren't you?
Yes, just got in.
- Perhaps you can help me. Will you come in?
What's the matter with her?
- She, er...
She doesn't feel well.
Why, she's drunk.
I know. I've got to get her
back to her ranch.
Her buggy's in the alley at the
back, if you could take her home -
If she drove in, she can drive back
when she sobers up.
- I didn't want her to go home alone.
I suppose it is a favour to ask.
- I need sleep, I've ridden a long ways today.
Then I'm sorry I mentioned it,
your sleep is far more important.
Your room's across the hall.
It's alright, I'm Kate Hardison,
I run this hotel.
You run this place?
- What's so strange about that?
Oh, nothing, lady, nothing.
My name's Chris Danning.
Abbie? Abbie, wake up!
Abbie!
That's Apache talk.
She learned it from her husband.
Who is her husband?
- Younger Miles.
Miles, Younger Miles.
Is he the man that runs the freight
line across the street?
- Yes it is.
Now if you'll excuse me...
You misunderstood me a moment ago,
I'll see that she gets home safely.
I was just thinking it funny you
trusting a stranger to take her.
I didn't want to shame her by asking
someone she knows. Besides, if her
husband comes looking for her I want
to be here to tell him a lie or two.
Just where is this Rainbow Ranch?
- At the south edge of town,
the alley leads to the road that
passes it, the horses will take you.
- I'll find it.
You alright, Mrs Miles?
- Yeah, she's alright.
Who are you?
- I might ask you the same question.
Get out before I kick you out.
- I'll do my talking from here.
You will, huh?!
Now maybe you'll talk, huh?
What where you doing with her?
- Kate Hardison asked me to take her home.
She's been that way
since I first saw her.
Then why didn't you say so sooner?
Saved us both a lot of trouble.
You should have asked me.
You men take Mrs Miles home.
I'll see you back to town.
Much obliged,
I get awfully scared in the dark.
Yeah, I'll bet.
Hey, Mac!
Take care of them.
- Right, Ernie.
Have a drink?
- No, thanks.
What do you figure, riding on
through or stop over for a while?
- That depends.
If you want to stick around,
Miles can always use
another man-sized hand out at the
Rainbow. He's a good boss too.
I'll think it over.
- Good.
About tonight, like I said,
I made a mistake.
Ah, forget it. Match?
- Thanks.
About Mrs Miles, what happened
tonight is Younger Miles'
private business. If you're smart
you'll keep it that way.
If he was smart hed keep her home.
Mr Danning? You couldn't have made
it to Rainbow and back, who'd you meet?
The Rainbow crew, they took over.
Oh, Abbie will be alright then.
Which one of them hit you?
- Ernie somebody.
You came back in pretty good shape.
You must have hit him too.
- I got in a couple.
Good for you, everybody wants to
hit Ernie but nobody ever does.
Is that why you asked a stranger
to take her home?
I didn't know you'd run into them.
I'm glad you're not hurt.
Yeah, I'll second that.
You must be hungry. I got a large
platter of steaks and apple pie.
Well, well, what are we waiting for?
Kate! Oh, would you do me another
favour first?
Well, I...
- Come with me.
There's someone outside
I want you to help me with.
Another drunk?
- Oh, no, I've handled
my last one of those for tonight.
This is my father, Walt Hardison.
Dad, this is Chris Danning.
How do you do?
- How do you do, sir?
So you the hand Ernie Combs wants
for Rainbow?
You've got good ears, Mr Hardison.
- A cripple's pastime.
Thank you.
The Good Book is also a cripple's
pastime, a very pleasant one,
although some people try to run away
from it. That's very hard to do.
It's your bedtime, Dad.
I think you'd better come in now.
Abbie. Abbie!
When are you going to stop
this sort of thing?
- Nobody saw me.
You let a strange man bring you
home, didn't you?
- I don't remember.
That's the trouble,
you don't remember.
I've told you a dozen times,
drink yourself into a stupor,
but do it in your own room.
I don't want anyone seeing you.
Of course you don't.
Because a respectable wife
keeps nice folks from talking.
That couldn't have been the reason
why you didn't marry that girl
you moved to Brush Flats, could it?
Because it hasn't stopped you from
making regular visits over there.
You and your pretence
of respectability.
And respectable is what
we're going to be. To the people
outside this house anyway.
I've worked too long and too hard
to build up my position around here.
I didn't get married to have
a drunken wife pull me down.
Of course you didn't, you married me
because you thought I was pretty
enough to dress up this house
and wear fashionable clothes
and impress people you could use.
That's why you married me.
Can you blame me
for trying to forget that?
Can you?
Is Miles around?
No, he hasnt come in yet. He spends
most his time at the ranch.
You McKeogh, his partner?
- No, I'm Charlie, Charlie Weatherby,
and there ain't no partner.
Miles left McKeogh's name on the
sign when he bought him out.
I seem to remember the deal now,
quite some time ago.
Oh, not so long ago,
a year and a half.
18 months, eh?
- About that.
Hey, look out there, mister!
Whoa!
Thank you.
I'm going to see Kate for a minute,
you wait here.
Well if I ain't exactly in eyeshot
when you want me, Miss Harms,
just give one whistle like this.
Easier than that, I'll poke my head
in that door of that saloon.
You're sure set on running me down
one way or another.
I extend my apologies, mister.
And to show you I'm sincere,
I'll buy you a drink.
You made a deal, mister.
Here's to an easy saddle
and good riding, friend.
May your boots never get dusty
and your guns never get rusty.
Longfellow, huh?
- I reckon.
How are you, boys?
Hello, Jack.
Step up, men, first round's on me.
Take care of the boys at the card table.
- Sure, Ernie.
Hello, Danning.
Oh, now, Jack, you know better.
Get that stuff with the beat on it.
The best is none too good for
my friends. That's a little better.
Must be lush country when ranch hands
can toss money around like that.
Ranch hands, ha! They're Younger
Miles personal gun hands.
Them's the fellas
what's keepin him in business.
This Miles must be pretty big around
here. What kind of a man is he?
Judge for yourself,
he's coming in the door now.
Set them up again, Jack,
a special for the boss.
That fellow Danning around?
- Over in the corner with Andy.
'Big, strong, yellow hair, blue eyes,
and a scar on his right cheek.'
I'm Younger Miles.
Ernie says you can't make up
your mind about working for me.
That's what I told him.
Ernie wants to buy you a drink.
- Huh?
Oh, I see.
When I pay a man I expect him to be
loyal enough to keep his mouth shut.
And if you don't pay him?
He still gets paid, some other way.
Hey, you there, you know Mrs Miles?
- Sure.
I took her home last night,
she was drunk.
Dead drunk.
Alright, everybody. I'm serving a
notice on all you evildoers to make
yourselves scarce 'cause
the majesty of the Law just arrived.
Well, just in time!
- Yes, Sheriff, just in time.
How's that lovely daughter of mine, Miles?
- Abbie's fine, Sheriff.
We were just talking about her.
- Good. You couldn't talk about a nicer girl.
I've never seen you before,
you're a stranger, aren't you?
Welcome to Coroner Creek.
I'm Sheriff O'Hea. Any friend
of Miles is a friend of mine.
Come over and have a drink with us.
- Some other time, Sheriff.
Why'd you let him get away with it?
He wanted me to draw.
I wonder why?
'Yes?'
- May I see you a moment?
Who is it?
- I'm Della Harms.
I said, what do you want?
- I wonder if you could help me?
- I doubt it.
I need a man to run my ranch.
- Not interested.
The work wouldn't be too hard.
- Sorry.
So am I. After all, I suppose it was
foolish of me to think
you'd be interested in my fight
with Younger Miles.
Wait, who did you say you were?
Della Harms.
- Why do you particularly
want me to work for you?
I heard you talking to Miles,
he's never taken that from any man.
That's why I thought you'd be
the one to stop the Rainbow crowd.
Stop it?
- Yes, stop Younger Miles. He came here with
money and it's given him means to make more.
The stage line, Rainbow Ranch, now
he's after my place - the Box H.
If you have title he can't steal it.
- He has ways that he can, legally.
There isn't enough open range
for both our outfits.
And he's trying to squeeze me out.
But with you on my side we
might do the squeezing.
- Yes, we might.
Thank you so much.
Chris, isn't it?
We'll show Miles
that he can't bluff us.
Kate, congratulate me.
I've hired him.
- He's a stranger here, Della, a drifter,
you don't know anything about him.
I know enough about him to want him
to work for me and that settles it.
Well, Kate,
how do you like the new material?
It's beautiful, would make a lovely dress.
Must have been expensive.
- It wasn't cheap, the best in Kansas City.
When Roy was alive he used to say
"Every time you get a new dress,
I have to cut out a dozen
head of cattle to pay for it."
Speaking of cattle, I gotta get back.
Tell Chris to hurry. Goodbye, dear.
Andy?
Are you ready, Miss Harms?
- Yes.
Andy, you ride Mr Danning's horse.
Huh? Yes, ma'am.
Hey, tell me something will ya, how
comes Miss Harms hired that drifter?
Don't tell me, I know,
most women ain't got no more sense
that a sheep herder.
What did you expect to gain by
insulting Abbie Miles in public?
What has she ever done to you?
- Nothing.
Was it to get at Younger Miles?
Cos if it was you've hurt her much
more than you could ever hurt him.
For the room.
And now you're gonna work for Della Harms?
- That's right.
Have you stopped to think what you'll start?
- From what Miss Harms told me that's already started.
What are you after anyway?
- Now that's my business.
From what I've seen of your business
it means nothing but trouble here.
Why don't you ride on through?
- When I'm ready.
You're sick with hating, aren't you?
Why don't you finish it now and go?
I'll finish it. A little every day.
Mr Danning, you ride with me.
Andy will bring your horse.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, there goes another foreman of
Della Harms we'll have to run out of
this part of the country.
What's wrong with him?
- I don't know.
His spirit is dead,
you can see it in his eyes.
They're ugly, but his face isn't.
He just doesn't care.
Then why should you?
- I don't.
All of that as far as you can see
is the Rainbow Ranch.
With Younger Miles sitting at
the end of the Rainbow, eh?
That's right, Mr Danning.
I don't imagine he's a man who'd take
kindly to losing that position.
Losing is the one word that drives
Younger Miles crazy.
Crazy?
You know, Miss Harms, that's an idea.
That green patch there
starts at the Box H.
Take care of Mr Danning's horse.
Since when -
- Andy, do as I say.
- Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
Well, how do you like it?
Pretty fancy.
- I just can't stand disorder.
Nice layout, did you and your husband
build it together?
No, he had it running when I met him.
- Where was that?
That was eight years ago.
He's been dead for over two.
Must have been pretty tough
for you alone?
It has been lately.
I'll take these in the house.
You wait here, I want to introduce
you to the rest of the hands.
- Yes, boss lady.
Chris, I want you to be happy
and comfortable here.
Leach? Frank?
I want you to meet my new foreman,
Chris Danning.
Chris, this is Frank Yordy
and Leach Conover.
How do you do?
How do you do?
I'll leave you all to get acquainted.
After supper we'll discuss our plans.
Foreman, huh?
Andy's been telling us about you.
- Yeah?
Yordy, I looked at them
west boundary fence posts,
they don't need fixing for another
couple of weeks yet. Besides, I got
to paint some cupboards for the
kitchen tomorrow.
Say, who's going to transplant them
flowers? Yordy?
I said who's gonna transplant
them flowers she wanted done?
Maybe Mr Danning will do it.
He likes to throw dirt around.
Let's put things straight before we
go any further.
I'll tell you this, starting now
you're tying in to hard work.
You'll polish saddle leather from
dawn to dusk, longer if I'm going to
ramrod this outfit.
Maybe that's one thing you ain't
gonna do.
I ain't taking orders from no loud
mouth, neither are Andy or Leach.
Go on, Yordy,
flap your tongue some more.
Sure I will, if you had any sense
you'd be over the black boughs.
We don't take your kind of talk
in this part of the country.
What you think you're gonna do when
Younger Miles opens up on you?
This, Yordy.
Saddle up and get out.
Now I said.
What about you, Andy?
- Who, me?
Walk out if you want or stay and fight Rainbow.
I ain't never shot a man, I don't even pack a gun.
Then start now. You, Leach?
- Think I better fix them boundary fences.
Guess I better get started cleaning
out the hen house, I reckon.
There you are, up beyond Feserley
Canyon is where the Box H has
stopped for years.
Open range and 400 miles.
That's finished now.
- Dried out?
Froze out more like it, by Rainbow.
If he's taken it over
we can take it back.
Not Feserley Canyon you won't.
Six months ago one of Rainbow's
hands, Tip Henry,
filed a homestead claim on it, if he
stays out the year on it it's his.
Then sells it to Miles.
I want to look at Tip Henry's shack
on the quiet. How far is it?
About a mile. But I can think of a
lot of scenery I would rather see.
Don't move.
Andy, throw that drifter's gun away.
What's the matter, Stew, this ain't
no way to act.
- Shut upl
You're both coming with me.
Come on, move!
Ernie?
Ernie!
Where'd you find them?
- On Rainbow property.
Just coming up to meet my neighbours.
Well you met them, take a good look.
I don't see anything worth looking at.
- You don't, huh?
Take it easy, itchy fingers.
You tough drifters will never learn.
Been everywhere, seen everything.
Pretty handy with a six-gun, huh?
- Maybe.
Get down.
Let's find out how tough
you really are.
Hey, wait a minute, Ernie, Chris
ain't done nothing.
- Shut up, Andy.
Go home and take care of your flower garden.
- Flower garden?
You heard him, go on back to
your knitting.
No witnesses, eh?
That's right.
Get going, Andy.
Tip, come here.
That's how to treat those tough drifters.
Bust up their trigger fingers.
Now watch him dog it out of here.
Remember, Tip, when he comes to,
put him on his horse and head him
for the black boughs. Tell him to keep riding.
- Sure, Ernie.
Hold it!
Drop them gun belts, all of you.
All of you!
You too, Ernie.
- You'd better me careful,
Andy, those things go off.
Where is he?
What did you do with him?
Last we seen of him was heading for
the black boughs.
Somebody better start talking or
I'm going to blow somebody apart!
Did you do that, Ernie?
- Why, Andy, you know better.
His horse bit him.
Ernie, I think I'm going to shoot you.
Hold it, Andy,
you just take care of the others.
I'll take care of them.
Get over here!
Don't any one of you make a move.
How did he do it?
Somebody better start talking.
He stomped on it.
Which one of you is Tip Henry?
I am.
Listen, Henry, you homesteaded
this place for Miles.
You've got six months left
to live on it,
to make it what Miles calls legal.
Half those nights I'll come back
and shoot it up
until you move or I kill you.
And you can tell Miles I won't need
any Indians to help me.
I'm sorry, dear, I didn't mean that.
I know you didn't, it's the only
thing that seems to help.
I understand but drinking doesn't
answer anything.
I thought I told you to keep away
from here, Abbie.
I was just visiting with Kate.
- Visiting, huh?
The whole town's talking about your
last visit with her.
Get this straight, Younger.
Abbie's never done any drinking here.
Kate was only trying to help me
the other night. Which is more than
you've ever done, Younger.
Well, howdy, folks. I'll be darned if
I don't believe you and that man of
yours are the best looking couple in
Coroner Creek. Katie, there's nothing
like a marriage to keep a woman
looking beautiful.
Is there anything wrong, daughter?
No, Dad, I was just...
That new piano I bought Abbie
was sent out to the ranch today.
She ought to be there.
- Yes, of course she should.
We'll finish our talk at home.
- A new piano. You're a mighty lucky girl.
All of the things Miles
has done for you.
Yes, all he's done for me.
He's done a lot for you too,
hasn't he, Dad?
He sure has, why, I wouldn't even be
sheriff if it wasn't for him.
What's the matter with her?
Seems like everyone's jumpy today.
Bring me this pot roast,
a lot of gravy.
Bring a little catsup too.
Here you are, Mr Miles.
You can't tell me about Danning,
I know all about him, Tip.
Come on, have another drink.
What are you doing away from
Feserley Canyon, Tip?
I guess you ain't heard what
happened to Ernie?
I heard about it.
What's it got to do with you?
What's it got to do with me?
Danning's kicked me off my own
claim, I'm scared, Miles.
He's the kickinist-off dodo I ever
seen, he run me of the Box H.
I can understand you being scared,
Yordy, but Tip here -
- I wasn't scared,
I told that big...
- I'm scared.
I'm scared good. And I'm quitting.
You're what?
- I'm quitting.
I paid your fee to farm on that
land. I'm paying you good wages.
I'm feeding you. I'm giving you
$1,000 for that quarter section.
Isn't that enough?
You don't get it, there ain't enough
money in the world to keep me there.
I'm quitting.
I ain't never going back there,
he'll kill me.
I'll send some men out there with
you every night.
- He'd kill them too.
He's crazy!
- Say, I'd like a crack at that...
- Shut up!
You haven't got a title to that land
until you've proved up on it. Where
does that leave me?
I don't know, but it leaves me alive though.
- If anybody takes a shot at you he'll be hunted
down by the US Marshal. We can't
afford to hunt him down ourselves,
it ain't legal.
Say, that wouldn't stop you, Mr Miles.
- Yordy, someday somebody's
gonna poke your tongue down
your throat.
What happens to Danning isn't going
to interest me, with me in my grave.
He said he'll come back every night
and shoot up the place until I move
or got killed.
And he said to tell you that he
wouldn't need any Indians to help
him do the job.
What did you say about Indians?
I don't savvy the Indian part.
Did you know Danning from some
place else?
That will teach you not to walk out
on me, you yellow back.
Mr Miles!
Just the man I'm looking for, Sheriff.
If it's about filing charges against
Ernie, you won't get anywhere,
you hit him first.
I hit him last, Sheriff.
- My friend, you're headed for trouble.
You giving the folks around here
no reason to love you.
I'll do my best to protect you
because it's my job.
I appreciate that.
- It's also my job to warn you that Frank Yordy
is spreading stories that
he's gunning for you.
Did Miles tell you that?
- Yes, I did.
But I didn't think O'Hea would
pass it on.
I want him to know what's going on
so he can keep an eye on you two.
That's real nice of you.
- We don't go in for backstabbing here,
Danning, no matter whose.
This is a law-abiding community.
- Yes, and I aim to keep it that way.
You'd better tell that to Miles, not me.
Now look here, Miles...
He already knows that!
Personally I don't think there's
going to be any trouble.
Personally I think Yordy's just bluffing.
Personally I think...
Personally I think we might as
well forget...
Don't move, Yordy, until I tell you to.
Don't even put down that skillet.
Well, it's hot.
You going to be hot all over
before I finish with you.
What do you want with me?
- A little straight talk.
I can't hold it any longer.
Keep them high, Yordy.
I heard you were out to get me?
Get you? Where'd you hear that?
Miles told the sheriff.
- Miles? That's a lie.
I figured it was, that's why I'm
here. What was your deal with Miles?
Sheriff O'Hea thinks you're after me.
So if I shot you I could claim self-defence.
- I never made no deal with Miles.
If I shot you just right, say under
that left shoulder blade, you know
what would happen to you, Yordy?
You'd fall face down
on that nice hot stove.
Ever see a man with the skin burned
all off his face, Yordy?
You've branded enough cattle,
you know what happens to hide
when it meets hot iron.
You wouldn't get an idea
my left hand's slower than
your right, would you?
But if you'd like to prove it...
Well?
- Alright, I'll tell you everything.
What about a cup of that hot java?
Yeah, sure.
Better have a cup yourself,
settle your nerves.
Now you ought to tell me a story.
Well, you know that box canyon back
of the shack here?
Yes. Well, we fenced it off
all summer to save the feed.
And then about a week ago we turned
all of Della's herd into that canyon.
What about it?
I told Miles that if the fence
across the
mouth of the canyon
accidentally caught...
Accidentally caught fire
the grass would go.
That grass would burn like pitch.
What an idea that was, Yordy. The
cattle would move ahead of the fire
right into that canyon.
You murderous snake! What are you
supposed to get out of it?!
$500. I was to meet Miles at BJ
Folkenson's and get half of
it tonight and then after I set the
fire I was to get
the rest of it and head
over the pass and get outta here.
You think Miles would let you live?
He'd kill you after you went back
for the other half of the money and
I'd be blamed for it.
- That's right.
Pack your stuff. You're getting out
of here right now.
And if you ever head back to Coroner
Creek I'll be waiting for you.
Leach, I got a job for you. Take
blankets and ride up to Falls Canyon,
I want you to camp there tonight
right at the fence. Don't make a fire
and sleep light. If anyone drifts up, run him off.
This the first time I ever heard the
Rainbow outfit called cattle thieves
if that's what you mean.
I don't, just do as I say.
Della?
- Hello, Chris.
Where's Andy?
- Around some place.
I just sent Leach up to the canyon to
have a look at the cattle.
- What for?
There might be a few strays.
Oh. Aren't you going to notice my
new dress?
Already have.
It's the latest fashion.
- It's pretty.
Della, about the cattle up in the
canyon, let's ship them now, take a
profit while we're sure.
Let's talk about the cattle another time.
- Haven't time, I'm heading for BJ Folkenson's.
What you having?
- Whisky.
It's kind of slow tonight, eh?
Anybody else been here?
- No, nobody ever comes here.
I don't know why you did.
The drinks are two bits, keep your
own count. I'm going to bed.
If you're hiding from someone,
you better cover up that bandage.
What're you doing here?
- I followed you.
- Go on back home.
Why?
- You might not like what you see.
Who are you expecting?
Younger Miles, he's coming here to
meet Yordy.
But he's going to find me instead.
Get inside quick.
Yordy?
Yordy couldn't make it.
- Who's that?
Danning, Yordy's run out on you.
I see you're keeping your promise.
Yes, a little every day.
- Hey! Do your shooting somewhere
else, I'm trying to get some sleep!
So instead of paying him to set
the fire he would have killed him.
Chris, why don't you let him go?
Let him go?
- Yes, you got rid of Yordy.
You ran out Tip Henry so Della can
have back her open range.
You wrecked Miles' scheme there.
You forced him to expose himself.
Isn't that enough?
- Not for me, Kate.
Chris, there's something or someone
bigger than all of us that takes
care of our injuries and squares
things for us.
I'll do my own squaring, Kate.
"Vengeance is mine, I will repay."
Remember?
I also remember "an eye for an eye."
No, Kate, I'm not going to turn
back now.
Miles must have done something
pretty terrible to you.
And after you kill him,
what's ahead for you then?
I hadn't thought that far.
You mean you hadn't cared to think
beyond that point?
It doesn't matter what happens to me.
- But you have to live with yourself.
Your hatred may destroy Miles but it
can also destroy you.
Hate is something that can feed on
itself for only so long.
Don't worry about me. This fight with
Miles is in the open now, and it's my
fight alone. If anybody gets hurt
its going to be me and nobody else.
If you got hurt that might hurt
someone else.
That I can't help.
You can but you won't.
This thing that happened tonight -
I don't want you to say one word
about what happened to anyone,
not even your father.
I hoped I can change you,
I see now I can't, nothing can.
You're caught in a web of your own
making and instead of trying to
search for a way out of it,
you'd rather strangle it.
Yordy?
Yordy?!
I warned you, Abbie.
I'm in my own home.
Did that ever happen before, Abbie?
When you were a little girl I
couldn't bring myself to lay a hand
on you. Even to spank you, no matter
how wild you got.
I never thought I'd live to see the
day my girl got slapped and I did
nothing about it.
A lot of things are beginning to make
sense to me now.
You've only stayed here on account of
me, haven't you?
Oh, Dad. You figured an old man was
entitled to lie comfortably
in the sun when he was through,
didn't you?
Well, so did I maybe.
Chris! Chris?!
Chris! Chris!
Chris!
- What's troubling you, Andy?
Get on your horse, I'll tell you on
the way back.
I got a funny feeling it ain't good.
- I'll tell you on the way back.
I can't understand why Chris didn't tell.
All he said to me was that -
Where were you, Leach? I told you to
watch the cattle in the canyon.
I didn't figure on no fire. I knew
Miles' outfit wouldn't rustle
our cattle so didn't see the sense in staying.
- Nobody asked you to make sense of it.
Leach isn't to blame, you didn't tell him
it was fire you were afraid of.
You were afraid of fire, weren't you?
- Maybe.
If you told me it was fire you were
afraid of I would have stayed.
When I give an order I don't want to
to explain it, you follow that order.
All that cattle lost,
maybe you'll tell us who did it.
Might have been one of Miles men or
even Miles himself, can't prove
anything unless Leach saw anything.
I didn't see nothing.
- You would have if you'd stayed like Chris told you.
- It wasn't Leach's fault.
It was too, Miss Harms.
- Sorry for your bargain, Della?
All you brought us is trouble.
He brought you Feserley Canyon.
Tip Henry quit the country
and lost the homestead
and you got back your old range.
If I remember rightly,
I told you I'd go lightly.
Hey, what are you all dressed up for?
I'm checking out too.
- No, you're staying, Andy, she needs you.
Not me and Leach both she don't.
- You belong here, you're as much a
part of the Box H as that post there.
Oh, I suppose so. But I'm not
letting you ride out of here alone.
Rode in alone.
Drifting?
- That's just about it.
Soon as I've finished a little bit of
business in Coroner Creek.
One thing I never will forget, the
way you walloped the dickens out of
that Ernie Combs that morning.
We done alright, didn't we?
- You did, Andy.
Well, so long. Take care of things.
- Sure, Chris.
Better get out of these town duds
and into my working clothes.
Chris, I'm sorry for what I said
a while ago.
I was so upset.
Will you forgive me and stay on?
I'm not letting you down, I'll find
the man that set that fire and you'll be paid
back for the cattle you lost. There's
nothing more I can do here.
Yes, I know.
You think more of your personal
battle with Miles than you do with
my loss, don't you?
If you put it that way I do.
But remember this, you've got to face
losing as well
as winning and if you can do that
you'll be alright.
I'll be alright. I know what it
means to win.
I know what it means to lose too.
Good luck, Della.
Come in.
That's alright, Miss Harms, I
shouldn't have let myself be caught
mid-stream like this.
Andy, I have a job for you.
I want you to go up and take over
Tip Henry's shack and homestead
Feserley Canyon for us.
Is that an order, Miss Della?
- Yes it is.
Oh, Andy, I'll send Leach up later
with provisions.
Yes, ma'am.
Homestead, Feserley Canyon?
Where are you going, to a powwow?
That'll learn you.
When you're told to sleep by
the fence sleep by it, I reckon.
Hi, Danning.
I had an idea you'd show up here.
- Why?
Younger Miles rode into town, was
asking for you. That's why I'm waiting.
Well?
- Just to warn you to keep awake
and stay out of the open.
Is that one of Miles' orders?
- Wait a minute
I don't want your advice,
save it for your boss. And if you
see him before I do you can say
I'm looking for him.
Alright but Younger Miles ain't in
town on Sunday for no church going.
There's something peaceful about
a church bell, isn't there, Dad?
I don't know. Something ominous about
the way it sounds today. There's an
unhealthy air about the whole town.
Jack, has Younger Miles been in here?
- No, I ain't seen him all morning.
Come on, boys, drinks are on the house.
- How come?
Because Miles ain't here.
Morning, Chris.
Oh, good morning.
Abbie, this is Chris Danning.
How do you do? I've been hoping I
would have a chance to talk to you.
If you'll excuse me.
- Certainly.
I owe you an apology for a couple of
raw remarks I made.
I accept your apology. Although it
was your right to say what you did.
I don't think any man has that right.
Although at the time I thought it
would serve my purpose.
You know, in a way I'm grateful to
you, Mr Danning.
- Grateful, how?
Miles is a cruel man but he always
checked himself before he went too far.
It wasn't until you came to town
that he began to lose control.
Well, I hope things will be better
for you now.
They will be, now that I've left him.
Kate, I'll meet you at the church.
I'm very pleased to have met you, Mr Danning.
- Thank you.
Kate, I'd like to have my room back.
What happened at the Box H?
- I quit the Box H.
You quit? But why?
Falls Canyon was fired last night and
Della's prime bunch of two year olds was wiped out.
How could you leave at such a time?
Well, I can help her more by finding
the man that did it and making him pay.
Miles?
- That's why I'm in town.
That's a job for the law, isn't it?
The law? In this town, where the
sheriff's working for Miles?
- Not any more.
O'Hea's against him and wants to
fight him. Why don't you join the
sheriff and fight with him?
No, Kate, Im sticking to my own way.
Kate!
I'm sorry.
I wish I'd known you before.
- Why?
Because there's a better side to
you. You're letting your hatred for
one man destroy it.
You seem to know a lot about it.
I know all I need to know.
Except the beginning.
I even know the ending.
There only be one ending.
But it's beyond that that's
troubling me the most,
not just the killing of Miles,
you're wondering whether it will
bring you freedom and the peace of
mind you always thought it would.
You don't think it would, do you?
- I can't give an answer to that.
You'll have to get it over with and
find out for yourself.
Who you got there?
- Andy West, he's been killed.
When did it happen? How?
I came up on him at Tip Henry's
homestead, he said he was planning
to take over.
He pulled a gun on me, it was me or him.
He got it.
He's telling the truth.
I saw it all.
Tell the sheriff what you told me.
- Well, I...
- Tell him!
I saw him kill Andy.
- He's a liar, O'Hea.
- Shut up.
Now, Leach, just what did you see?
- Well I was riding up to Tip Henry's
shack to take Andy some grub.
Just as I was coming into the
clearing I saw Stew and Ernie,
I heard him tell Andy to get.
Andy started to go and Stew shot him
in the back.
- You dirty little...
- Shut up, Stew!
O'Hea, if you let them ride out of here...
- They're not riding anywhere.
Get off them horses, both of you.
- What for?
- I'm arresting you.
We wrote all the way in to give Andy
a chance to be buried decent!
You ain't arresting us for protecting ourselves.
And neither is anybody else.
You heard what the sheriff said.
Get in there!
Alright, Ernie, inside.
You must have forgot what side your
bread's buttered on, O'Hea.
You know, Danning, it feels good to
get up off my knees.
I know what Andy meant to you,
Chris. I'm beginning to understand.
Then you see, Kate, why I have to do
it my way now.
Yes I do.
Good luck, Chris.
Well, boys, all I can say is this
has been the most exciting Sunday
that ever happened at Coroner Creek.
Sure was surprising to see the
sheriff put Younger Miles' boys in jail.
Surprising to see him jail anybody.
Have you seen Miles today?
- Nope, but if I was him and Chris
Danning was looking for me, I'd want
to be sleeping in jail with my boys.
Howdy.
- Howdy.
Looks like you been riding hard, Danning.
Not hard enough. Looking for Younger
Miles.. Seen him?
- No I ain't.
Alright, O'Hea, that was
a pretty good show you put on but
you can open up this chicken coop
now and open up the back door.
Ernie, I'm telling you for the last
time, you're staying in there until
you get a fair trial.
Fair trial.
- You heard what I said.
Why, you mangy old crow. Younger
Miles will have something to say about that!
Maybe.
- O'Hea?
What's the idea of locking up
my boys?
You always said you wanted things
done legal. That's just what I'm
doing. Just like I told them
they're staying in there until
they get a trial.
What's come over you, O'Hea?
I made you sheriff,
and I can break you just as easily.
Maybe, but until you do I'm still sheriff.
I'm going to run things around here
according to law.
My idea of the law, not yours.
If you expect me to sit around and
watch you tear down everything
I built up you're crazier that I think.
I worked hard to get where I am,
did everything a man could do.
I lied, cheated, stolen, I've even
killed to build up the set up I've
got now. And I'm not going to let
any man destroy it.
Least of all you.
Dad!
Dad!
Chris, watch out!
Two of Miles men are in here.
Keep down.
Chris, be careful.
I will, you stay down.
Where's Miles?
- I don't know.
Where is he?
I don't know, I tell you!
- Where is he?
In the town hall.
We're going over there.
Look, Danning, I didn't do nothing
to you. Andy was my friend.
Ernie killed him.
Honest, I swear it.
Did you ever get hit with a bullet?
It's like a hunk of iron ripping
and tearing into you.
Sets you all on fire inside.
Sometimes you don't die right away,
you just bleed, and hurt for a
long time.
Go on, open that door.
No, I can't.
I'd be walking right into
Miles' bullets.
Andy got his in the back. Go on!
Don't shoot, Miles, it's me, Stew!
Don't come any closer, Danning.
Now you wouldn't shoot itchy fingers,
would you? He's always done your killing.
I told you not to come any closer.
Miles! Miles!
Miles! Miles!
I've waited 18 months for this.
Why, Danning? Why?
Remember that raid you pulled in
Cons Canyon?
The girl on that stagecoach was on
her way to marry me.
Maybe this will help you to remember.
Pick it up, Miles. Pick it up.
'Vengeance is mine, I will repay.'
Chris!
You were right, Kate, there is
someone bigger than all of us.
Then you found your answer?
- Yes, it's all over.
And the memories?
- They're in the past.
I'm free, Kate. I know now what I
thought was going to be the ending
is only the beginning.
I'm glad.