Hell Bent for Leather (1960) Movie Script
1
Water. Please.
Water.
Now, take it easy there.
You'll kill yourself.
That's enough.
What are you doin', stumbling around
out here in these hills on foot?
What happened to your horse?
Dead.
How long?
Two days.
All right.
That's enough.
Come on. You'd better
have something to eat.
That's a real fancy
shotgun you've got there.
I like it.
All I've got is beans...
Anybody here?
Somethin' you want?
Beginnin' to think
this town was deserted.
Why didn't you answer?
I wasn't sure I heard.
Where is everybody? Funeral.
What's that? I say most everybody's
up at the funeral.
Sheriff too? We ain't got no sheriff.
Nate Perrick is the nearest to it.
He's up there.
You own these horses? I own 'em.
How much for this black, and
a work saddle and bridle?
Well, I couldn't say for clear.
Uh, I always did prize
that horse kinda high.
Forty dollars. Forty?
That for the horse. Ten more
for the saddle and bridle.
You throw in a blanket.
Fifty dollars?
If I wasn't in such a hurry, I'd
have talked you down to 40.
I hate to pour salt
in your wounds,
but, business like it is, you could've
got off with 30.
How 'bout food?
Is there someplace open?
I said, is there someplace open?
No, no. No place open.
J-Just Gamble's.
A saloon?
They got food there?
That's what the sign says.
I want this horse saddled and
ready to go in about 10 minutes.
I want a bill of sale. Can
you handle it yourself?
Well, I got me a boy here
somewhere about. Booth.
Booth! Booth!
Yeah?
Sign outside says you got food.
Old Ben's the fellow you want.
Runs the livery.
Sweep out his place, he's likely
to give you a tin of sop.
Well, a tin of sop wasn't
exactly what I had in mind.
Well, say, you gotta understand
the trash I get through here.
About that food.Yeah.
Lamb fries and swamp seed,
fresh on the stove.
Best you'll get
this side of the mountain. That'll be fine.
A little something to go with it?
Whiskey, maybe?
Beer'll do.Sure.
Where you down from?
The hills?
I mean, from the look of ya.
Misery in them hills
this time of year.
Heat one minute, flood the next.
Kinda makes a body wonder
what ya been doin' up there.
Look, I'm in kind of a hurry.
Never hold up a man in a hurry.
I sure would like that beer.
What? Oh.
You said the food was ready.
Food? Yeah, yeah, sure.
Right away.
Hey, how you comin' with that...
Hey!
Hey, you there!
Say, what's going on around here? Where
does that bartender think he's goin'?
I don't know. Maybe he figures
he's late for the funeral.
You know, I've been havin' me a time
tryin' to pick out a saddle for you.
And besides that,
Blackie's kinda hard to catch.
So I notice.
See if you can get a bridle on him.
I'll find a saddle.
Sure, sure.
You know how it is.
Some folks like one kind of a saddle, and
some folks like another kind of a saddle.
That's just the way it is.
Now, come here, Blackie.
What's wrong with this one?
Well, that's all right.
I asked you for a bill of sale.
I'm not about to get shot for
stealing a horse I paid 40 bucks for.
Why, sure, sure. I'll fix it up for you.
I got part of it down here.
But I'll have to have your
name on this here paper.
Santell.
Clay Santell.
S-A-N...
T-E-L-L.
There. I guess
that does 'er.
Well, let's have it.
No good, Travers.
What?
See it, Nate, how quick
he answers to that name?
I'm not answering to anything. Look. What
are you trying to work yourselves up to?
Santell. That what
you call yourself? Clay Santell.
Got any proof of that?
What's it say?
Telegram. "Clay Santell,
Cedar City, Utah.
Acknowledge pick up
consignment of 42 horses...
at Iron Wells, New Mexico, no
later August 19th. Frank Hunter."
What do you want with horses?
That's my business.
Your business? That's right.
Pick up horses from a breeder, trail 'em
to a buyer and sell 'em for a profit.
That still don't tell where you've been.
Sure, it does.
Right here in the telegram.
Cedar City, Utah.
What you do, walk all the way?
Well, I... I got
bushwhacked yesterday.
That a fact?
Who?
I don't know who.
He don't know.
This fella came to my camp yesterday
on foot, asking for water.
Looked like
he was about half dead.
Well, he... He jumped me
and took my horse.
That's what happened.
Look, I don't know
what's going on here, but I...
Not hardly, you don't!
We're a quiet little community.
We've never had grief or a need for law,
except what I apply when called on.
Two days ago, all that changes.
A runaway killer named Travers
comes down out of the hills,
followed south by that
marshal from Colorado.
Holes up in the old Shattuck
place in the woods.
Old Abe and his wife, as fine
a pair as you'd ever know.
Marshal, he does the only thing he can do.
He comes down here for help.
By the time we got there,
Travers was gone.
Not the Shattucks though. They were
still there, what was left of 'em.
All that Travers
left behind was his horse.
Now, look.
You don't think I had...
A man comes out of
the hills, no horse.
Comes into town just when the funeral's goin'
on, pickin' a time when nobody's here.
Yeah, makin' sure
there's no lawmen about.
And in such an all-fired hurry to get
goin'.Packin' a heap of money too.
Now, like I told you, I've got to
be in Iron Wells tomorrow morning.
You're lyin', boy.
I'm not lying.
That fancy-lookin' shotgun...
It tells it.
Soon as I seen that,
I knew he was Travers.
That shotgun...
Where'd you get it?
Well, this fella that came
into camp... he had it.
I fired off at him,
and he dropped it.
Now, ain't that a coincidence?
Yeah, the shotgun with silver work on it.
That's all Travers ever uses.
Not a bullet, clean and
simple, but a shot.
Jagged little pellets, rippin'
on a man's insides or face.
And the look of him,
just like the marshal said.
A medium-sized man
this side of 30.
That description
fits a lot of men.
Perrick, you speak
for us in this town.
You gonna do your job, or do I?
I don't know.
Well, I do.
I know this is the man.
You've never seen Travers.
None of us has seen him, except
the marshal that's after him.
The marshal ain't here.
He'll be here.
The boy went for him.
I don't wait.
Hold it right there.
Get away from him, both of ya.
What are you tryin' to do, save the
government the price of hangin' this man?
What do you mean,
hangin'? On your feet, Travers.
Listen.
My name's Santell.
I never even heard
of Travers until today.
Then I've been four months
chasin' a man with your face.
Nobody's been chasin' me
anywhere.
I've been trailin' horses.
Go ahead, read that.
You'll get your chance
for readin',
in front of a jury in Denver.
Unless you'd prefer a rope here.
Denver?
What's this about Denver?
Where he's goin' for trial.
Get him up on that horse.
Why not here? Circuit judge'll
be through in a couple of weeks.
He'll pay for it in Denver with a
legal hangin', not a lynchin'.
Fourteen people that varmint killed.
Two of 'em I knew.
Maybe I don't make myself clear.
The United States government
wants this man.
It sent me out here to find him
and bring him back to Denver.
That's just what
I'm going to do.
But you got no jurisdiction, not down here.
Tell him, Perrick!
All the jurisdiction I need.
Move out, Travers.
I don't mind telling ya, you
really had me goin' for a while...
till I figured out
what you were up to.
Thanks for pullin' me
out of that mess back there.
I pulled you
out of somethin'? Sure, back there in town.
That's one way of lookin' at it.
You don't think I'm Travers, do ya?
Not a hair.
That fella stole my horse... he must
be the man you're lookin' for.
Say, uh, if you don't mind, I've got
to be in Iron Wells tomorrow morning.
I'm gonna have to push it
to get there as it is.
But I was just thinkin', those
people back there in town,
worked up like they are and
thinkin' about you the way they do,
if they was to see me
let you go...
There's none of them out here.
They're not gonna see a thing.
You're wrong, friend.
Look over there.
All but the few you saw in town,
down in that house
a-readin' and a-singin'.
Funeral, huh?
Nothing like these people
for prayin' for their dead.
Unless it's
their taste for revenge.
Yes, sir,
I bet if they ever got their hands on
Travers, they'd tear him to pieces.
I'd say them woods would be a lot
safer than out here on this road.
We'll take that trail. Well, how far?
That's one thing I've never
been able to measure...
How far a man's
gotta run to be safe.
Hey, let's hold up here, mister.
Marshal.
Marshal Harry Deckett.
Well, look, Marshal,
I think we've gone
about far enough.
I'm not Travers,
and you said you knew it.
Yes, I did.
Yeah, I said that.
Trouble is, they don't know it.
What I mean is they took ya
for him back there in town.
Kinda makes a man think,
don't it?
Well, it's beginning to.
Now, you take me, a lawman.
Four months swallowin' dust,
dust kicked up by a killer wanted
in three states and a territory.
This close I come to him.
You any idea what it'd have
meant to me to bring him in?
This close, half a dozen times.
But this killer,
this Travers, he don't capture.
He makes it away.
Maybe you can still get him.
Capture him? Sure. Why not?
Not a prayer.
He's over the border by now,
gone... on your horse.
Still, there's that thought.
What thought?
You, wanderin' out of the hills,
bein' mistaken for Travers,
the whole town willin'
to swear to the fact.
What I mean is, uh,
to some men that'd present a
possibility, wouldn't you say?
We're just talkin',
of course, but, uh,
just say, suppose I was to put me
a bullet in your head, bury ya...
Hold still now.
Almost done.
How much longer
we gotta stay here?
How much longer?
I'm hungry. Till the funeral's
over.
What's
a funeral? What are ya, dumb?
It's buryin' people,
ain't it, Jan? That's right.
I'm tired, Jan.
It won't be long now.
How come we can't go up to the house?
Because they want you here.
'Cause we're children?
Yes, that's it.
You ain't children.
How come you ain't up there?
She's taking care of us.
She's told to.
They don't want us to see the dead people.
I bet that's why we can't go up.
I seen dead people before.
Not like these, you ain't. You know what
Pa says that killer Travers done to 'em?
Children.
Escaped? When?
Just now. The marshal had him.
Says he came through here.
My rifle. Hey, lookee there.
He took my rifle.
Is everything
all right in here, Janet?
I... Yes.
We want all the children in the house
quickly. Travers is hereabouts somewhere.
Travers?
Broke away from
the marshal up trail.
Ladies, will you stay in the house, please?
Come on, girls. Let's hurry.
Travers...
H-he's loose.
If you'd have let us handle him,
this'd never have happened.
All right, children.
Come quickly.
Come on.
Beat the bushes.
Don't pass a tree.
He can't be far. He's on foot.
Just remember, he's armed.
What are you doing here, honey?
In the house with you right away.
Somebody says there's an Indian
around here knows how to trail.
Yeah, there is.
You want me to get him?
No. I need you here.
I'll need your guns.
Johnson knows where the Indian lives.
All right, you men. Spread out.
Anybody check
that bunkhouse there?
No one left there, Marshal. The
kids are all in the house.
Get over to that window.
Now, look, I know what you're
thinkin', but... Come on, move.
Any of them left out there?
Just Mr. Jared,
I think.
What about the horses?
They're all gone, except
the ones on the buckboard.
Can you drive that thing?
No.
My guess is you can.
Come on.
Get me a few miles away from here,
and I'll let you go. Now come on.
Hold up.
Go ahead. Get in.
What happened?
It's him! Travers! He took Janet!
This way! Hurry! Watch out!
He's armed!
Give me those! Hah!
Hah! Hah!
Come on! Move!
Hah! Hah!
Hah!
Hah! Hah!
Empty.
One lousy shot.
I don't wanna hurt you, but one way
or another you're comin' with me.
You said you'd let me go. I will when
the time comes.
Please.
Let me get my breath.
Just my breath. Please.
Where are we?
About... six miles
north of town.
Look, Mr. Travers, I...
The next one that calls me that, I'll...
That's not gonna do you any good.
It's empty, and you know it.
Yeah, I know it, but they don't.
They'll find out. Not unless
somebody tells them.
Look, how far
do you think you can run?
To Iron Wells, if I'm lucky.
People that know you there too.
They're the ones
I'm lookin' for.
I don't understand.
Look, the people who know
me know my name's Santell.
But the marshal said that...
Sure. I know
what he said.
He said my name's Travers,
but it's not.
If you're not,
why did he say... How do I know?
'Cause he's insane.
That's why.
He wanted Travers
and couldn't get him.
He wanted him bad enough to grab
the first guy that came along...
and brand Travers's name on him.
You don't believe that, do ya?
Well, yes...
I mean, I do.
What's up ahead
of us? That ridge.
How far to the base of it?
About a quarter of a mile? Less maybe.
What's over it?
You can't get over it.
Well, we can try.
What about it, red boy?
His name's William.
What did you find? You look for heel marks
with three bars.
Ya got that?
A boot mark.
Three bars.
They go towards the ridge.
What's beyond that? Nothin'. Just up.
Sheer rock.
All right.
You and your group work the
road north of the ridge.
Suppose we find him. What do we do?
I mean, him having a girl and all?
You just point him out to me,
and I'll show ya. Cut that out, Moon.
We've gotta consider the girl. She's got him
in some cave her old man told her about.
She wouldn't do that. Why not? She's
Pat Gifford's daughter, ain't she?
She's not like him. Not much, she ain't.
All right.
Quit arguin'.
Nothing's gonna happen to the
girl, if it can be helped.
Now, is everything clear?
He's boxed in tight.
Let's keep him there.
The whole group spread out.
The Indian and Me'll follow
his tracks as far as they go.
The only thing he can do is back up
against that ridge. Or go over it.
He ain't had time. Besides,
nobody goes over that ridge.
We're still not taking
any chances.
If anybody locates him,
even a sign,
pass the signal
like I told ya... two shots.
And just make sure
where you put the first one.
Well, I don't know
where we go from here.
One thing's for sure... I
can't drag you much further.
You just as well wait here
till they catch up with you.
What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna keep climbin'.
What would you do?
Give myself up.
Now, there's a notion. At least I'd have
a chance that way.
For what?
To convince 'em who you really
are, whatever your name is.
You believe that
I told ya? Yeah.
You sure? I believe it.
There's a marshal out there who'll
kill me to prove I'm a liar.
Don't give up
to him then. Who else?
Mr. Perrick.
He's a fair man.
If I could just talk to him, without
a gun or a rope shoved in my face...
He'll listen.
I know him.
Well, that's fine.
But how do I find him without
Deckett and his bunch finding me?
You don't have to find him.
I'll find him.
All right.
You do that.
Tell him I'll be waitin'
right here.
Perrick.
No one else.
What is it?
What do you want? Marshal!
Well. Where did you
find this?
She come from that ridge.
He's up there.
Where?
Where's Mr. Perrick
and the others? How far up?
I want to hear.
There's a clearin'... There's 40 clearings.
You tell me.
I'll take him there.
No, you go back for the others.
Bring them back here.
She'll show me the way.
Well, get goin'!
Head out.
Head out.
But he said he'd
give himself up only... Yeah.
I'm sure he said that.
Why can't we wait
for the others?
I lost him once by waiting.
Never again.
Move it.
Come on.
Head out.
How far?
Over there,
just beyond those rocks.
He isn't armed.
He's got a rifle.
It's empty. He fired his
last shot at the farm.
Let's wait for the others.
Wait nothin'.
Come on.
Beyond those rocks, huh?
I... I think so.
I-I'm not... not sure.
You're lying. No, I...
I don't remember.
You're lying! No, I don't remember!
I'll kill ya.
I'll kill ya!
I'll kill you and that Santell.
He's out of his mind, crazy.
Crazy, sure, but dangerous.
Not only to me, but now you.
You heard him call me Santell, so
whatever his game is, you can queer it.
The only way he can work
it now is kill both of us.
We heard firing. It was Travers.
He fired at me from out of nowhere.
But William said
the girl was with you.
That girl... She's
in on it with Travers.
That's ridiculous.
Is it? Look.
It's them, Nate... both of 'em.
Yeah, she's a Gifford,
all right.
Put that rifle down. They're makin' it,
and they're gettin' away.
I thought you said nobody ever made it over
that rise. I thought you told me that!
Nobody ever did.
Except one. Her father.
Moon!
Put that gun down!
Come on.
No. Through there.
They made it.
Any way around that ridge? There's
a horse trail around Pilot Nob.
How much of a start does this give us?
They have to come up
around Pilot's Nob.
Take 'em...
about five hours.
Deckett'll do it in four.
Coming? Not that way.
You'll run right into them.
You know where we are?
Yeah. That road used to run from
Sutterville to Iron Wells...
Before it was washed out.
We can get dry in there. Well, let's go.
They'll never be able to
follow us in this rain.
It's not much of a fire, but maybe
this will take the chill off.
You know, I've been thinkin' about
this mess I've dragged you into.
I'm sorry.
We'd better go
as soon as you're rested.
Go? Where?
Iron Wells, I suppose.
Can't stay here. I can.
Now listen, Janet.
How did you know?
Well, that's what the man at the
bunkhouse called you. Remember?
Seems like a long time ago.
Yeah, it does.
You know, you'd be smart to
leave before the rain stops.
The moon will be twice as bright, and
they can see your tracks for a mile.
I don't think you realize what'll happen to
you if Deckett ever gets his hands on you.
I don't care anymore.
If it's going to be Deckett,
I'd rather it were here.
Look, I know you're tired,
but you can't just give up like
a played-out puppy and quit.
And why here? What's so
great about this place?
It's my home.
I was born here. It was a way station then.
Daddy ran it.
People stopped in from all over.
He loved them all.
What happened to it?
Flood. Oh.
One solid week of rain.
We worked through it all to save what we
could, but in the end everything was gone.
Then Mother took a fever
and... died.
What happened to your father?
He took me to the nearest
town... Sutterville.
Tried to make
a way for us there.
But with Mother gone, there...
There was just
nothing left for him.
About three years ago, he...
He started... stealing.
Little things... a spoon,
a piece of ribbon.
Nothing important.
He brought them here.
Finally, they caught him at it
and followed him into the hills.
He...
He climbed over the
ridge, just like we did.
Is that how you knew the way?
I was with him.
They picked up our trail
and found us here.
I tried to get him to go
out, but he wouldn't.
He shot at them.
They shot back and killed him.
The Perricks took me in
and promised to look after me.
Now even that's gone.
You know what Deckett's told Mr.
Perrick... what he had to tell him...
That I helped you... and he'll
believe it, because it's the truth.
Look, Janet, those people down
there... They're not the whole world.
Who else is there? You?
Well, now, will you lookee here.
Shad, Grover.
I told you there was
someone here.
Someone, yeah, but
nothing like this.
Who are you?
I'll be hanged if you ain't got
yourself a nice, cozy little situation.
We're dry, if that's what you mean.
What do you want?
I'll tell you what we don't want, and
that's standin' here in this wet.
If it's shelter you're looking
for, there's a barn out there.
Yeah, well, I... I'd say
this place suits me fine.
What about you boys? Yeah!
Aaah! Keep your corn-pickin'
hands off of me.
Pokin' around a man's insides.
Ain't nothin' sacred?
Ambrose, that wound...
There've been wounds before. Yeah, but that
one needs tendin', Ambrose. You know that.
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe you might
be right at that.
Missy, you tend it.
My wife stays here.
Your wife?
If it needs tendin',
one of those two can do it.
If she's your wife, Hoss, how come
she got no band on her finger?
I, uh, lost it.
Oh, did you now?
We in company, Shad.
Yeah, we in fine company.
Yeah.
Four low-down,
miserable hound dogs...
and one plump little
partridge, ripe for plucking.
Figure there's enough to that
partridge, Shad, to go round?
Yeah, I figure there is,
Ambrose.
Over here, Missy.
What for?
Well, the wound. I've got nothin' for it.
Well, you got soft hands.
Woman's soft hands on a man, no tellin'
the powerful good they can do for a hurt.
Tend to him. She stays here.
As I breathe, Hoss, you
got yourself a woman.
Get me another.
Ambrose, I wouldn't... Never mind!
The saddlebag.
Get it.
If you won't let me tend this,
you won't be good for a thing.
You got talent, Missy.
Yes, sirree, real talent.
Anybody ever tell you that?
No?
I'd say that was
a grievous shame.
Wouldn't you say that, Shad?
I'd say that, Ambrose.
A pretty little partridge like
this just burstin' with talent,
and nobody to appreciate it
except that one.
Buckshot, Missy.
Fired point-blank.
You say that's buckshot?
Ambrose.
Cover that thing. You oughta
lay off that stuff.
Shut your mouth. Just
for once, keep it shut.
How did you get that?
I got bit by a jackrabbit.
You oughtn't talk that way, Ambrose. Not
after the way you took after that fella.
What fella? Where?
Paradise.
Paradise.
Yeah, a wide place in the trail,
maybe 10 to 15 miles
on up toward the pass.
Hell of a place for raisin'
chickens, ain't it, Shad?
Yeah, hell of a place, Ambrose.
Me and my brothers...
That's fine, Missy.
That's feelin' just fine.
You and your brothers, what?
Hmm?
Oh, well, we was
comin' over from Canones.
You know Canones?
No.
A lousy, stinkin'
crud of a place.
Six months in the jug they give us
for knockin' over a two-bit saloon.
I got more money out of
the church poor box.
Six lousy months!
Anyway, we hit
Paradise last night.
We're sittin' down
to a nice, easy meal,
when this Hoss walks in and starts
crowdin' us all over with questions.
What kind of questions?
If we seen any lawmen workin' the trails.
Mostly that.
We ain't for talkin',
so we tell him to push.
He don't push, then gets mean.
I never seen a man get so edgy.
Tells us, drop our guns.
Next thing I see is a shotgun in his
hand belchin' pellets into my leg.
I don't know who he is or what,
or maybe he's got somebody
else there to back him up,
but we ain't about to
wait and see.
We took off.
What'd he look like?
Oh, a middle-size man.
Maybe your height.
Thirty maybe.
Oh, what do I know?
Why don't you shut up? You
even talk more than Shad.
That's quite a bunch of whey-bellied
nags you got out there.
Well, they got four legs.
That beats walkin'.
Would you consider
selling one of them?
For what?
Two $20 gold pieces?
That's a fair trade.
And me left with no nurse?
You'll do fine.
Grover, let him take his pick.
Sure, Ambrose.
Anything you say.
You comin'?
Which one you want?
Get up. Wait till I check
the cinch.
Come on. Let's go.
No good, boy.
Not near enough good.
I'll take the
rest of them gold pieces.
That's quite a pouch you've got there.
Let's have it.
Get going, Janet!
They were here with you.
Say it.
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
Give me that belt.
You never seen this?
Why should I?
Right outside in the mud we
find it, and you never seen it.
No.
Filthy, stinkin', lousy lawman!
Now look, Marshal!
Keep your mouth out of this, Perrick!
Him and the girl...
They were here.
They were here with ya!
Say it!
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
They was here.
Shut up!
The two of 'em.
How long ago?
Two, maybe three hours.
Where did they go?
Did they say?
They don't say nothin'.
Paradise, I think.
Keep your mouth shut!
Paradise?
What's that?
Flea-bit hollow,
straight down the trail. How far?
About three hours' ride
if the rain holds off.
This girl with him... He have any
trouble gettin' her to go along?
Trouble?
Nah, she was
all but helpin' him.
Oh, now, Ambrose,
you shouldn't have done...
If there's one thing I hate worse
than a lawman, it's a fink!
He's gone about
as far as he can go.
What are you thinking?
About what?
I'd like to know.
It's a hell of a way
to run a railroad.
You're still angry
with me, aren't you?
About what I said
back in the way station.
I didn't mean to say it... not to you.
It's just that...
I don't blame you.
We're going to Paradise,
aren't we?
What choice do you think
we've got?
Deckett's behind us, and
Travers is somewhere up ahead.
Right now I want Travers.
I used to love this country.
Now it seems so ugly.
It's not the country. Just some
of the people who live in it.
You see those two mountains
to the left?
You can see them for miles.
When I was a little girl,
the Indians used to say...
that if you were ever lost,
they'd guide you safely home.
Safely home.
How much further
is it to Paradise?
About two miles.
How do you feel?
About what?
Good morning. Say, we're looking for a man.
I wonder if you could...
How old do you think
I am, sonny?
What's that got to do with it?
Fifty-six. Twenty years over the average
for man and woman in these parts.
Know how I beat the average?
Stickin' my nose to what I know...
fire and iron. That and nothin' more.
Thanks a lot.
What is it? He's here somewhere.
There's my horse.
Wait here.
Good morning.
Perhaps.
We could use a room.
Why not?
Well, have you...
Have you got a room?
That's two dollars.
I'm meeting a man here.
Everybody's meeting a man.
You'll get paid when he comes.
You'll get your room
when he comes.
We'll wait.
Something wrong?
Not for me.
Go ahead and wait.
No charge for waitin'.
How about some water?
No charge for that either.
What do we do now?
Wait.
I signed Travers's name
to that ledger.
What makes you think
anyone'll notice?
Someone already has.
What are you gonna do
if... Travers gets here?
If I could figure some way
to get my hands on a gun...
and get you out of here,
it'd be easier.
I'm staying.
Scamper juice.
You can get out
the back.No.
Perrick, you and Jared
take the front.
Me and the Indian'll
scour those shacks.
You two take the rear.
If you see him, kill him.
He's gone.
Deckett!
You hear me, Deckett?
We hear you, Travers.
I want to talk a deal!
Go ahead and talk.
With Deckett! I want to
talk a deal with Deckett!
Let's get above him. Two of us
move left, the others right.
We'll come in behind him. He wants to
talk a deal.
Move in on him high. Keep the sun at your
backs. That'll make you a rough target.
He said he wants
to talk a deal.Yeah. Sure.
Now look, Marshal... You look, Mr. Perrick.
The only talk that man's
got with us is with this.
Now, if you're so all-fired keen to taste
his words... He's got the girl with him.
That's her choosin'.I still can't
believe that.
We can talk a deal
and try and get her out.
If you won't go, I will.
Comin', Travers.
First wrong move
Travers makes, fire.
We owe Deckett
that much, I guess.
Santell?
Step out in the open
where I can see ya.
First you, then the girl.
Wait here.
All I agreed was to come
up and hear the deal.
Start talkin'.
Turn around, Deckett. I don't
want to shoot you in the back.
Santell, listen...
That gun...
Get rid of it. What about the deal?
Never mind the deal.
Throw that gun back here.
Listen. We can talk this out.
You said you wanted to talk.
You talk, Deckett.
You're good at it.
Yeah, sure. What I mean is,
it was them down there.
I tried to tell them the truth,
but they was hot to go for ya.
Sure they were. You came along just
to see that no hurt came to me.
You're crazy.
Deckett!
Touch that thing, I split
that jelly spine of yours.
Travers.
Sight for sore eyes,
ain't I, Marshal?
But I...
I could've sworn it.
You was in Mexico.
Which is just where I'd be...
Into Mexico...
Weren't for that cutback jingler behind you
throwin' a lucky piece of lead in my shoulder.
He did?
You don't think you get credit
for me holin' up in these hills.
Low-down, miserable scratch
of a deputy sheriff like you.
Didn't know that's all
he was, did ya, Santell?
Kiowa, Colorado.
Only way he got that job was for
agreeing to shovel off the streets.
That's a lie. You know how he got
that marshal's job?
Me. I'm why.
Day I broke away, there wasn't a man over
four couldn't have got his self deputized...
just for the promise of keepin'
a weather eye peeled for me.
Well, you done eyeballin'
for me, Marshal.
Listen, Travers. You... You ain't thinkin'.
Oh, I'm thinkin'.
You don't see what I've done for you.
You don't even try. Done for me? You?
Down there... All of them down there.
They think he's you.
So I hear.
Well, don't you see
what I had in mind? What you had in mind?
With this fella.
I was gonna take him, swear he
was you, put lead in his head.
All them people down there... They
were willing to swear to his name.
I take that back to Denver
on a sworn piece of paper.
You'd have gone free, Travers.
All you had in mind
was glorifying yourself.
"Deputy Deckett, the pride of
Kiowa... the man who got Travers."
That's all you was after.
All right. We can both
still get what we want.
All we gotta do
is kill 'em, these two.
Word goes out you're dead, you have
it clear all the way to Mexico.
You... You'll go for it?
All right.
I'll buy it.
Take 'em.
Me?
Your notion.
You take 'em. Yeah, but...
Why... My way or yours.
Pick up your gun.
He doesn't even have a gun.
You're next, Santell.
I don't make a deal
with anybody.
Why don't you give yourself up, Travers?
That posse is closing in on you.
You'll never get out of here. Why
do you think I rode in here?
I know the way out.
Where are ya, Deckett?
Drop that gun, Travers!
You people crazy?
There's your Travers.
But Deckett said you...
I know what he said.
He fed you a pack of lies,
and you swallowed 'em.
You gonna believe that? It's true.
By whose word? I'd like to hear.
Pat Gifford's tramp kid?
What's the matter
with you people?
Whole mountain have to cave in on
you before you believe anything?
So blinded with feeling against her father,
you don't believe anything she says or does?
Now, that's
enough of that. You heard what he said.
Yeah, I heard. Hanged if I ain't
ashamed for all of us, Janet.
Come on, Janet.
Water. Please.
Water.
Now, take it easy there.
You'll kill yourself.
That's enough.
What are you doin', stumbling around
out here in these hills on foot?
What happened to your horse?
Dead.
How long?
Two days.
All right.
That's enough.
Come on. You'd better
have something to eat.
That's a real fancy
shotgun you've got there.
I like it.
All I've got is beans...
Anybody here?
Somethin' you want?
Beginnin' to think
this town was deserted.
Why didn't you answer?
I wasn't sure I heard.
Where is everybody? Funeral.
What's that? I say most everybody's
up at the funeral.
Sheriff too? We ain't got no sheriff.
Nate Perrick is the nearest to it.
He's up there.
You own these horses? I own 'em.
How much for this black, and
a work saddle and bridle?
Well, I couldn't say for clear.
Uh, I always did prize
that horse kinda high.
Forty dollars. Forty?
That for the horse. Ten more
for the saddle and bridle.
You throw in a blanket.
Fifty dollars?
If I wasn't in such a hurry, I'd
have talked you down to 40.
I hate to pour salt
in your wounds,
but, business like it is, you could've
got off with 30.
How 'bout food?
Is there someplace open?
I said, is there someplace open?
No, no. No place open.
J-Just Gamble's.
A saloon?
They got food there?
That's what the sign says.
I want this horse saddled and
ready to go in about 10 minutes.
I want a bill of sale. Can
you handle it yourself?
Well, I got me a boy here
somewhere about. Booth.
Booth! Booth!
Yeah?
Sign outside says you got food.
Old Ben's the fellow you want.
Runs the livery.
Sweep out his place, he's likely
to give you a tin of sop.
Well, a tin of sop wasn't
exactly what I had in mind.
Well, say, you gotta understand
the trash I get through here.
About that food.Yeah.
Lamb fries and swamp seed,
fresh on the stove.
Best you'll get
this side of the mountain. That'll be fine.
A little something to go with it?
Whiskey, maybe?
Beer'll do.Sure.
Where you down from?
The hills?
I mean, from the look of ya.
Misery in them hills
this time of year.
Heat one minute, flood the next.
Kinda makes a body wonder
what ya been doin' up there.
Look, I'm in kind of a hurry.
Never hold up a man in a hurry.
I sure would like that beer.
What? Oh.
You said the food was ready.
Food? Yeah, yeah, sure.
Right away.
Hey, how you comin' with that...
Hey!
Hey, you there!
Say, what's going on around here? Where
does that bartender think he's goin'?
I don't know. Maybe he figures
he's late for the funeral.
You know, I've been havin' me a time
tryin' to pick out a saddle for you.
And besides that,
Blackie's kinda hard to catch.
So I notice.
See if you can get a bridle on him.
I'll find a saddle.
Sure, sure.
You know how it is.
Some folks like one kind of a saddle, and
some folks like another kind of a saddle.
That's just the way it is.
Now, come here, Blackie.
What's wrong with this one?
Well, that's all right.
I asked you for a bill of sale.
I'm not about to get shot for
stealing a horse I paid 40 bucks for.
Why, sure, sure. I'll fix it up for you.
I got part of it down here.
But I'll have to have your
name on this here paper.
Santell.
Clay Santell.
S-A-N...
T-E-L-L.
There. I guess
that does 'er.
Well, let's have it.
No good, Travers.
What?
See it, Nate, how quick
he answers to that name?
I'm not answering to anything. Look. What
are you trying to work yourselves up to?
Santell. That what
you call yourself? Clay Santell.
Got any proof of that?
What's it say?
Telegram. "Clay Santell,
Cedar City, Utah.
Acknowledge pick up
consignment of 42 horses...
at Iron Wells, New Mexico, no
later August 19th. Frank Hunter."
What do you want with horses?
That's my business.
Your business? That's right.
Pick up horses from a breeder, trail 'em
to a buyer and sell 'em for a profit.
That still don't tell where you've been.
Sure, it does.
Right here in the telegram.
Cedar City, Utah.
What you do, walk all the way?
Well, I... I got
bushwhacked yesterday.
That a fact?
Who?
I don't know who.
He don't know.
This fella came to my camp yesterday
on foot, asking for water.
Looked like
he was about half dead.
Well, he... He jumped me
and took my horse.
That's what happened.
Look, I don't know
what's going on here, but I...
Not hardly, you don't!
We're a quiet little community.
We've never had grief or a need for law,
except what I apply when called on.
Two days ago, all that changes.
A runaway killer named Travers
comes down out of the hills,
followed south by that
marshal from Colorado.
Holes up in the old Shattuck
place in the woods.
Old Abe and his wife, as fine
a pair as you'd ever know.
Marshal, he does the only thing he can do.
He comes down here for help.
By the time we got there,
Travers was gone.
Not the Shattucks though. They were
still there, what was left of 'em.
All that Travers
left behind was his horse.
Now, look.
You don't think I had...
A man comes out of
the hills, no horse.
Comes into town just when the funeral's goin'
on, pickin' a time when nobody's here.
Yeah, makin' sure
there's no lawmen about.
And in such an all-fired hurry to get
goin'.Packin' a heap of money too.
Now, like I told you, I've got to
be in Iron Wells tomorrow morning.
You're lyin', boy.
I'm not lying.
That fancy-lookin' shotgun...
It tells it.
Soon as I seen that,
I knew he was Travers.
That shotgun...
Where'd you get it?
Well, this fella that came
into camp... he had it.
I fired off at him,
and he dropped it.
Now, ain't that a coincidence?
Yeah, the shotgun with silver work on it.
That's all Travers ever uses.
Not a bullet, clean and
simple, but a shot.
Jagged little pellets, rippin'
on a man's insides or face.
And the look of him,
just like the marshal said.
A medium-sized man
this side of 30.
That description
fits a lot of men.
Perrick, you speak
for us in this town.
You gonna do your job, or do I?
I don't know.
Well, I do.
I know this is the man.
You've never seen Travers.
None of us has seen him, except
the marshal that's after him.
The marshal ain't here.
He'll be here.
The boy went for him.
I don't wait.
Hold it right there.
Get away from him, both of ya.
What are you tryin' to do, save the
government the price of hangin' this man?
What do you mean,
hangin'? On your feet, Travers.
Listen.
My name's Santell.
I never even heard
of Travers until today.
Then I've been four months
chasin' a man with your face.
Nobody's been chasin' me
anywhere.
I've been trailin' horses.
Go ahead, read that.
You'll get your chance
for readin',
in front of a jury in Denver.
Unless you'd prefer a rope here.
Denver?
What's this about Denver?
Where he's goin' for trial.
Get him up on that horse.
Why not here? Circuit judge'll
be through in a couple of weeks.
He'll pay for it in Denver with a
legal hangin', not a lynchin'.
Fourteen people that varmint killed.
Two of 'em I knew.
Maybe I don't make myself clear.
The United States government
wants this man.
It sent me out here to find him
and bring him back to Denver.
That's just what
I'm going to do.
But you got no jurisdiction, not down here.
Tell him, Perrick!
All the jurisdiction I need.
Move out, Travers.
I don't mind telling ya, you
really had me goin' for a while...
till I figured out
what you were up to.
Thanks for pullin' me
out of that mess back there.
I pulled you
out of somethin'? Sure, back there in town.
That's one way of lookin' at it.
You don't think I'm Travers, do ya?
Not a hair.
That fella stole my horse... he must
be the man you're lookin' for.
Say, uh, if you don't mind, I've got
to be in Iron Wells tomorrow morning.
I'm gonna have to push it
to get there as it is.
But I was just thinkin', those
people back there in town,
worked up like they are and
thinkin' about you the way they do,
if they was to see me
let you go...
There's none of them out here.
They're not gonna see a thing.
You're wrong, friend.
Look over there.
All but the few you saw in town,
down in that house
a-readin' and a-singin'.
Funeral, huh?
Nothing like these people
for prayin' for their dead.
Unless it's
their taste for revenge.
Yes, sir,
I bet if they ever got their hands on
Travers, they'd tear him to pieces.
I'd say them woods would be a lot
safer than out here on this road.
We'll take that trail. Well, how far?
That's one thing I've never
been able to measure...
How far a man's
gotta run to be safe.
Hey, let's hold up here, mister.
Marshal.
Marshal Harry Deckett.
Well, look, Marshal,
I think we've gone
about far enough.
I'm not Travers,
and you said you knew it.
Yes, I did.
Yeah, I said that.
Trouble is, they don't know it.
What I mean is they took ya
for him back there in town.
Kinda makes a man think,
don't it?
Well, it's beginning to.
Now, you take me, a lawman.
Four months swallowin' dust,
dust kicked up by a killer wanted
in three states and a territory.
This close I come to him.
You any idea what it'd have
meant to me to bring him in?
This close, half a dozen times.
But this killer,
this Travers, he don't capture.
He makes it away.
Maybe you can still get him.
Capture him? Sure. Why not?
Not a prayer.
He's over the border by now,
gone... on your horse.
Still, there's that thought.
What thought?
You, wanderin' out of the hills,
bein' mistaken for Travers,
the whole town willin'
to swear to the fact.
What I mean is, uh,
to some men that'd present a
possibility, wouldn't you say?
We're just talkin',
of course, but, uh,
just say, suppose I was to put me
a bullet in your head, bury ya...
Hold still now.
Almost done.
How much longer
we gotta stay here?
How much longer?
I'm hungry. Till the funeral's
over.
What's
a funeral? What are ya, dumb?
It's buryin' people,
ain't it, Jan? That's right.
I'm tired, Jan.
It won't be long now.
How come we can't go up to the house?
Because they want you here.
'Cause we're children?
Yes, that's it.
You ain't children.
How come you ain't up there?
She's taking care of us.
She's told to.
They don't want us to see the dead people.
I bet that's why we can't go up.
I seen dead people before.
Not like these, you ain't. You know what
Pa says that killer Travers done to 'em?
Children.
Escaped? When?
Just now. The marshal had him.
Says he came through here.
My rifle. Hey, lookee there.
He took my rifle.
Is everything
all right in here, Janet?
I... Yes.
We want all the children in the house
quickly. Travers is hereabouts somewhere.
Travers?
Broke away from
the marshal up trail.
Ladies, will you stay in the house, please?
Come on, girls. Let's hurry.
Travers...
H-he's loose.
If you'd have let us handle him,
this'd never have happened.
All right, children.
Come quickly.
Come on.
Beat the bushes.
Don't pass a tree.
He can't be far. He's on foot.
Just remember, he's armed.
What are you doing here, honey?
In the house with you right away.
Somebody says there's an Indian
around here knows how to trail.
Yeah, there is.
You want me to get him?
No. I need you here.
I'll need your guns.
Johnson knows where the Indian lives.
All right, you men. Spread out.
Anybody check
that bunkhouse there?
No one left there, Marshal. The
kids are all in the house.
Get over to that window.
Now, look, I know what you're
thinkin', but... Come on, move.
Any of them left out there?
Just Mr. Jared,
I think.
What about the horses?
They're all gone, except
the ones on the buckboard.
Can you drive that thing?
No.
My guess is you can.
Come on.
Get me a few miles away from here,
and I'll let you go. Now come on.
Hold up.
Go ahead. Get in.
What happened?
It's him! Travers! He took Janet!
This way! Hurry! Watch out!
He's armed!
Give me those! Hah!
Hah! Hah!
Come on! Move!
Hah! Hah!
Hah!
Hah! Hah!
Empty.
One lousy shot.
I don't wanna hurt you, but one way
or another you're comin' with me.
You said you'd let me go. I will when
the time comes.
Please.
Let me get my breath.
Just my breath. Please.
Where are we?
About... six miles
north of town.
Look, Mr. Travers, I...
The next one that calls me that, I'll...
That's not gonna do you any good.
It's empty, and you know it.
Yeah, I know it, but they don't.
They'll find out. Not unless
somebody tells them.
Look, how far
do you think you can run?
To Iron Wells, if I'm lucky.
People that know you there too.
They're the ones
I'm lookin' for.
I don't understand.
Look, the people who know
me know my name's Santell.
But the marshal said that...
Sure. I know
what he said.
He said my name's Travers,
but it's not.
If you're not,
why did he say... How do I know?
'Cause he's insane.
That's why.
He wanted Travers
and couldn't get him.
He wanted him bad enough to grab
the first guy that came along...
and brand Travers's name on him.
You don't believe that, do ya?
Well, yes...
I mean, I do.
What's up ahead
of us? That ridge.
How far to the base of it?
About a quarter of a mile? Less maybe.
What's over it?
You can't get over it.
Well, we can try.
What about it, red boy?
His name's William.
What did you find? You look for heel marks
with three bars.
Ya got that?
A boot mark.
Three bars.
They go towards the ridge.
What's beyond that? Nothin'. Just up.
Sheer rock.
All right.
You and your group work the
road north of the ridge.
Suppose we find him. What do we do?
I mean, him having a girl and all?
You just point him out to me,
and I'll show ya. Cut that out, Moon.
We've gotta consider the girl. She's got him
in some cave her old man told her about.
She wouldn't do that. Why not? She's
Pat Gifford's daughter, ain't she?
She's not like him. Not much, she ain't.
All right.
Quit arguin'.
Nothing's gonna happen to the
girl, if it can be helped.
Now, is everything clear?
He's boxed in tight.
Let's keep him there.
The whole group spread out.
The Indian and Me'll follow
his tracks as far as they go.
The only thing he can do is back up
against that ridge. Or go over it.
He ain't had time. Besides,
nobody goes over that ridge.
We're still not taking
any chances.
If anybody locates him,
even a sign,
pass the signal
like I told ya... two shots.
And just make sure
where you put the first one.
Well, I don't know
where we go from here.
One thing's for sure... I
can't drag you much further.
You just as well wait here
till they catch up with you.
What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna keep climbin'.
What would you do?
Give myself up.
Now, there's a notion. At least I'd have
a chance that way.
For what?
To convince 'em who you really
are, whatever your name is.
You believe that
I told ya? Yeah.
You sure? I believe it.
There's a marshal out there who'll
kill me to prove I'm a liar.
Don't give up
to him then. Who else?
Mr. Perrick.
He's a fair man.
If I could just talk to him, without
a gun or a rope shoved in my face...
He'll listen.
I know him.
Well, that's fine.
But how do I find him without
Deckett and his bunch finding me?
You don't have to find him.
I'll find him.
All right.
You do that.
Tell him I'll be waitin'
right here.
Perrick.
No one else.
What is it?
What do you want? Marshal!
Well. Where did you
find this?
She come from that ridge.
He's up there.
Where?
Where's Mr. Perrick
and the others? How far up?
I want to hear.
There's a clearin'... There's 40 clearings.
You tell me.
I'll take him there.
No, you go back for the others.
Bring them back here.
She'll show me the way.
Well, get goin'!
Head out.
Head out.
But he said he'd
give himself up only... Yeah.
I'm sure he said that.
Why can't we wait
for the others?
I lost him once by waiting.
Never again.
Move it.
Come on.
Head out.
How far?
Over there,
just beyond those rocks.
He isn't armed.
He's got a rifle.
It's empty. He fired his
last shot at the farm.
Let's wait for the others.
Wait nothin'.
Come on.
Beyond those rocks, huh?
I... I think so.
I-I'm not... not sure.
You're lying. No, I...
I don't remember.
You're lying! No, I don't remember!
I'll kill ya.
I'll kill ya!
I'll kill you and that Santell.
He's out of his mind, crazy.
Crazy, sure, but dangerous.
Not only to me, but now you.
You heard him call me Santell, so
whatever his game is, you can queer it.
The only way he can work
it now is kill both of us.
We heard firing. It was Travers.
He fired at me from out of nowhere.
But William said
the girl was with you.
That girl... She's
in on it with Travers.
That's ridiculous.
Is it? Look.
It's them, Nate... both of 'em.
Yeah, she's a Gifford,
all right.
Put that rifle down. They're makin' it,
and they're gettin' away.
I thought you said nobody ever made it over
that rise. I thought you told me that!
Nobody ever did.
Except one. Her father.
Moon!
Put that gun down!
Come on.
No. Through there.
They made it.
Any way around that ridge? There's
a horse trail around Pilot Nob.
How much of a start does this give us?
They have to come up
around Pilot's Nob.
Take 'em...
about five hours.
Deckett'll do it in four.
Coming? Not that way.
You'll run right into them.
You know where we are?
Yeah. That road used to run from
Sutterville to Iron Wells...
Before it was washed out.
We can get dry in there. Well, let's go.
They'll never be able to
follow us in this rain.
It's not much of a fire, but maybe
this will take the chill off.
You know, I've been thinkin' about
this mess I've dragged you into.
I'm sorry.
We'd better go
as soon as you're rested.
Go? Where?
Iron Wells, I suppose.
Can't stay here. I can.
Now listen, Janet.
How did you know?
Well, that's what the man at the
bunkhouse called you. Remember?
Seems like a long time ago.
Yeah, it does.
You know, you'd be smart to
leave before the rain stops.
The moon will be twice as bright, and
they can see your tracks for a mile.
I don't think you realize what'll happen to
you if Deckett ever gets his hands on you.
I don't care anymore.
If it's going to be Deckett,
I'd rather it were here.
Look, I know you're tired,
but you can't just give up like
a played-out puppy and quit.
And why here? What's so
great about this place?
It's my home.
I was born here. It was a way station then.
Daddy ran it.
People stopped in from all over.
He loved them all.
What happened to it?
Flood. Oh.
One solid week of rain.
We worked through it all to save what we
could, but in the end everything was gone.
Then Mother took a fever
and... died.
What happened to your father?
He took me to the nearest
town... Sutterville.
Tried to make
a way for us there.
But with Mother gone, there...
There was just
nothing left for him.
About three years ago, he...
He started... stealing.
Little things... a spoon,
a piece of ribbon.
Nothing important.
He brought them here.
Finally, they caught him at it
and followed him into the hills.
He...
He climbed over the
ridge, just like we did.
Is that how you knew the way?
I was with him.
They picked up our trail
and found us here.
I tried to get him to go
out, but he wouldn't.
He shot at them.
They shot back and killed him.
The Perricks took me in
and promised to look after me.
Now even that's gone.
You know what Deckett's told Mr.
Perrick... what he had to tell him...
That I helped you... and he'll
believe it, because it's the truth.
Look, Janet, those people down
there... They're not the whole world.
Who else is there? You?
Well, now, will you lookee here.
Shad, Grover.
I told you there was
someone here.
Someone, yeah, but
nothing like this.
Who are you?
I'll be hanged if you ain't got
yourself a nice, cozy little situation.
We're dry, if that's what you mean.
What do you want?
I'll tell you what we don't want, and
that's standin' here in this wet.
If it's shelter you're looking
for, there's a barn out there.
Yeah, well, I... I'd say
this place suits me fine.
What about you boys? Yeah!
Aaah! Keep your corn-pickin'
hands off of me.
Pokin' around a man's insides.
Ain't nothin' sacred?
Ambrose, that wound...
There've been wounds before. Yeah, but that
one needs tendin', Ambrose. You know that.
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe you might
be right at that.
Missy, you tend it.
My wife stays here.
Your wife?
If it needs tendin',
one of those two can do it.
If she's your wife, Hoss, how come
she got no band on her finger?
I, uh, lost it.
Oh, did you now?
We in company, Shad.
Yeah, we in fine company.
Yeah.
Four low-down,
miserable hound dogs...
and one plump little
partridge, ripe for plucking.
Figure there's enough to that
partridge, Shad, to go round?
Yeah, I figure there is,
Ambrose.
Over here, Missy.
What for?
Well, the wound. I've got nothin' for it.
Well, you got soft hands.
Woman's soft hands on a man, no tellin'
the powerful good they can do for a hurt.
Tend to him. She stays here.
As I breathe, Hoss, you
got yourself a woman.
Get me another.
Ambrose, I wouldn't... Never mind!
The saddlebag.
Get it.
If you won't let me tend this,
you won't be good for a thing.
You got talent, Missy.
Yes, sirree, real talent.
Anybody ever tell you that?
No?
I'd say that was
a grievous shame.
Wouldn't you say that, Shad?
I'd say that, Ambrose.
A pretty little partridge like
this just burstin' with talent,
and nobody to appreciate it
except that one.
Buckshot, Missy.
Fired point-blank.
You say that's buckshot?
Ambrose.
Cover that thing. You oughta
lay off that stuff.
Shut your mouth. Just
for once, keep it shut.
How did you get that?
I got bit by a jackrabbit.
You oughtn't talk that way, Ambrose. Not
after the way you took after that fella.
What fella? Where?
Paradise.
Paradise.
Yeah, a wide place in the trail,
maybe 10 to 15 miles
on up toward the pass.
Hell of a place for raisin'
chickens, ain't it, Shad?
Yeah, hell of a place, Ambrose.
Me and my brothers...
That's fine, Missy.
That's feelin' just fine.
You and your brothers, what?
Hmm?
Oh, well, we was
comin' over from Canones.
You know Canones?
No.
A lousy, stinkin'
crud of a place.
Six months in the jug they give us
for knockin' over a two-bit saloon.
I got more money out of
the church poor box.
Six lousy months!
Anyway, we hit
Paradise last night.
We're sittin' down
to a nice, easy meal,
when this Hoss walks in and starts
crowdin' us all over with questions.
What kind of questions?
If we seen any lawmen workin' the trails.
Mostly that.
We ain't for talkin',
so we tell him to push.
He don't push, then gets mean.
I never seen a man get so edgy.
Tells us, drop our guns.
Next thing I see is a shotgun in his
hand belchin' pellets into my leg.
I don't know who he is or what,
or maybe he's got somebody
else there to back him up,
but we ain't about to
wait and see.
We took off.
What'd he look like?
Oh, a middle-size man.
Maybe your height.
Thirty maybe.
Oh, what do I know?
Why don't you shut up? You
even talk more than Shad.
That's quite a bunch of whey-bellied
nags you got out there.
Well, they got four legs.
That beats walkin'.
Would you consider
selling one of them?
For what?
Two $20 gold pieces?
That's a fair trade.
And me left with no nurse?
You'll do fine.
Grover, let him take his pick.
Sure, Ambrose.
Anything you say.
You comin'?
Which one you want?
Get up. Wait till I check
the cinch.
Come on. Let's go.
No good, boy.
Not near enough good.
I'll take the
rest of them gold pieces.
That's quite a pouch you've got there.
Let's have it.
Get going, Janet!
They were here with you.
Say it.
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
Give me that belt.
You never seen this?
Why should I?
Right outside in the mud we
find it, and you never seen it.
No.
Filthy, stinkin', lousy lawman!
Now look, Marshal!
Keep your mouth out of this, Perrick!
Him and the girl...
They were here.
They were here with ya!
Say it!
I ain't sayin' nothin'.
They was here.
Shut up!
The two of 'em.
How long ago?
Two, maybe three hours.
Where did they go?
Did they say?
They don't say nothin'.
Paradise, I think.
Keep your mouth shut!
Paradise?
What's that?
Flea-bit hollow,
straight down the trail. How far?
About three hours' ride
if the rain holds off.
This girl with him... He have any
trouble gettin' her to go along?
Trouble?
Nah, she was
all but helpin' him.
Oh, now, Ambrose,
you shouldn't have done...
If there's one thing I hate worse
than a lawman, it's a fink!
He's gone about
as far as he can go.
What are you thinking?
About what?
I'd like to know.
It's a hell of a way
to run a railroad.
You're still angry
with me, aren't you?
About what I said
back in the way station.
I didn't mean to say it... not to you.
It's just that...
I don't blame you.
We're going to Paradise,
aren't we?
What choice do you think
we've got?
Deckett's behind us, and
Travers is somewhere up ahead.
Right now I want Travers.
I used to love this country.
Now it seems so ugly.
It's not the country. Just some
of the people who live in it.
You see those two mountains
to the left?
You can see them for miles.
When I was a little girl,
the Indians used to say...
that if you were ever lost,
they'd guide you safely home.
Safely home.
How much further
is it to Paradise?
About two miles.
How do you feel?
About what?
Good morning. Say, we're looking for a man.
I wonder if you could...
How old do you think
I am, sonny?
What's that got to do with it?
Fifty-six. Twenty years over the average
for man and woman in these parts.
Know how I beat the average?
Stickin' my nose to what I know...
fire and iron. That and nothin' more.
Thanks a lot.
What is it? He's here somewhere.
There's my horse.
Wait here.
Good morning.
Perhaps.
We could use a room.
Why not?
Well, have you...
Have you got a room?
That's two dollars.
I'm meeting a man here.
Everybody's meeting a man.
You'll get paid when he comes.
You'll get your room
when he comes.
We'll wait.
Something wrong?
Not for me.
Go ahead and wait.
No charge for waitin'.
How about some water?
No charge for that either.
What do we do now?
Wait.
I signed Travers's name
to that ledger.
What makes you think
anyone'll notice?
Someone already has.
What are you gonna do
if... Travers gets here?
If I could figure some way
to get my hands on a gun...
and get you out of here,
it'd be easier.
I'm staying.
Scamper juice.
You can get out
the back.No.
Perrick, you and Jared
take the front.
Me and the Indian'll
scour those shacks.
You two take the rear.
If you see him, kill him.
He's gone.
Deckett!
You hear me, Deckett?
We hear you, Travers.
I want to talk a deal!
Go ahead and talk.
With Deckett! I want to
talk a deal with Deckett!
Let's get above him. Two of us
move left, the others right.
We'll come in behind him. He wants to
talk a deal.
Move in on him high. Keep the sun at your
backs. That'll make you a rough target.
He said he wants
to talk a deal.Yeah. Sure.
Now look, Marshal... You look, Mr. Perrick.
The only talk that man's
got with us is with this.
Now, if you're so all-fired keen to taste
his words... He's got the girl with him.
That's her choosin'.I still can't
believe that.
We can talk a deal
and try and get her out.
If you won't go, I will.
Comin', Travers.
First wrong move
Travers makes, fire.
We owe Deckett
that much, I guess.
Santell?
Step out in the open
where I can see ya.
First you, then the girl.
Wait here.
All I agreed was to come
up and hear the deal.
Start talkin'.
Turn around, Deckett. I don't
want to shoot you in the back.
Santell, listen...
That gun...
Get rid of it. What about the deal?
Never mind the deal.
Throw that gun back here.
Listen. We can talk this out.
You said you wanted to talk.
You talk, Deckett.
You're good at it.
Yeah, sure. What I mean is,
it was them down there.
I tried to tell them the truth,
but they was hot to go for ya.
Sure they were. You came along just
to see that no hurt came to me.
You're crazy.
Deckett!
Touch that thing, I split
that jelly spine of yours.
Travers.
Sight for sore eyes,
ain't I, Marshal?
But I...
I could've sworn it.
You was in Mexico.
Which is just where I'd be...
Into Mexico...
Weren't for that cutback jingler behind you
throwin' a lucky piece of lead in my shoulder.
He did?
You don't think you get credit
for me holin' up in these hills.
Low-down, miserable scratch
of a deputy sheriff like you.
Didn't know that's all
he was, did ya, Santell?
Kiowa, Colorado.
Only way he got that job was for
agreeing to shovel off the streets.
That's a lie. You know how he got
that marshal's job?
Me. I'm why.
Day I broke away, there wasn't a man over
four couldn't have got his self deputized...
just for the promise of keepin'
a weather eye peeled for me.
Well, you done eyeballin'
for me, Marshal.
Listen, Travers. You... You ain't thinkin'.
Oh, I'm thinkin'.
You don't see what I've done for you.
You don't even try. Done for me? You?
Down there... All of them down there.
They think he's you.
So I hear.
Well, don't you see
what I had in mind? What you had in mind?
With this fella.
I was gonna take him, swear he
was you, put lead in his head.
All them people down there... They
were willing to swear to his name.
I take that back to Denver
on a sworn piece of paper.
You'd have gone free, Travers.
All you had in mind
was glorifying yourself.
"Deputy Deckett, the pride of
Kiowa... the man who got Travers."
That's all you was after.
All right. We can both
still get what we want.
All we gotta do
is kill 'em, these two.
Word goes out you're dead, you have
it clear all the way to Mexico.
You... You'll go for it?
All right.
I'll buy it.
Take 'em.
Me?
Your notion.
You take 'em. Yeah, but...
Why... My way or yours.
Pick up your gun.
He doesn't even have a gun.
You're next, Santell.
I don't make a deal
with anybody.
Why don't you give yourself up, Travers?
That posse is closing in on you.
You'll never get out of here. Why
do you think I rode in here?
I know the way out.
Where are ya, Deckett?
Drop that gun, Travers!
You people crazy?
There's your Travers.
But Deckett said you...
I know what he said.
He fed you a pack of lies,
and you swallowed 'em.
You gonna believe that? It's true.
By whose word? I'd like to hear.
Pat Gifford's tramp kid?
What's the matter
with you people?
Whole mountain have to cave in on
you before you believe anything?
So blinded with feeling against her father,
you don't believe anything she says or does?
Now, that's
enough of that. You heard what he said.
Yeah, I heard. Hanged if I ain't
ashamed for all of us, Janet.
Come on, Janet.