Rawhide (1959) s01e10 Episode Script
Incident of the Golden Calf
Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep movin', movin', movin'? Though they're disapprovin'? Keep them dogies movin'? Rawhide? Don't try to understand 'em? Just rope 'em, throw, and brand 'em? Soon we'll be livin' high and wide? My heart's calculatin'? My true love will be waitin'? Be waitin' at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! Rawhide!? Hyah! The breeding ground of the cattle is the southern tip of Texas, and the markets are over a thousand miles away.
A day's drive on the Sedalia Trail is eight, ten miles at the most.
Fine and easy when the prairie grass is fresh and the river's wet.
But you have to keep going when the grasses are parched and the water has disappeared under the drought.
That's when the cows become skittish, hard to manage.
And nobody takes his boots off as long as it lasts.
The last one to take his boots off is me- Gil Favor, trail boss.
There's a man sitting up there all alone.
In this heat? Yeah, and no horse anywhere.
Oh? He's all decked out in one of them black frock coats.
You talk to him? No, I didn't.
Could be a decoy.
Indians pull stunts like that.
This I got to see.
Well, he was here.
He was sitting right on that log.
Wings on him? Fly away? He's got to be here somewhere.
Pete, it's awful hot.
Just in case that was a decoy, we better be ready.
Yeah, Pete.
What's the matter, mister? The Lord bless you, son.
What are you doing out here in the wilderness? What arewedoing? You a preacher? You can call me Brother Bent.
You lost? Lost is the word, son.
What's he, a preacher? I'm a servant of God, yes.
Preacher or an undertaker- which? He's a preacher, Wish.
Where are you heading? Nowhere.
Couple of more hours in this sun, you'll get there.
You all alone? I am indeed alone, for I failed God.
You men smell cattle? You are cattle.
God has answered my prayer.
He hasn't left me alone on the plains of Gomorrah.
They tore me from my pulpit.
They rode me out of town.
They whooped and they hollered till they drove poor Abner mad.
I couldn't control him.
Poor, miserable beast must still be running.
Something we can do for you, Brother Bent? Well, my soul's in perdition, but you can save the wretched body housing it.
A meal? A job.
Do you know cattle? I grew up with them.
Rode many a trail up and down these parts.
But why should you trust your herd to a man who failed his flock? We can always use another hand.
A good hand.
Rowdy, lend Brother Bent your horse.
You see that cow with the brown splotches on his rump? Frisking his head? Cut him out for me.
You know, it's peculiar him being right on our trail like that.
As if he was waiting for us.
We don't know much about him.
We'll find out all we need to know.
Hey! Awful jittery.
They're all jittery.
We had a little thunder last night.
That one seems like a real troublemaker.
That why you wanted him cut out, Mr.
Favor? Mushy, you and Brother Bent slaughter him up.
We'll eat steak again for awhile.
All right, let's get it done, Brother Bent.
I'm on? Consider your bedroll thrown in the wagon.
Pete, have the wrangler give him a horse.
Wishbone will give you a gun.
No, I never carry one.
Suit yourself.
You'll draw for who rides drag in the morning.
Case you've all forgotten, we're pushing a big herd.
Let's get at it.
We're ready here.
All right, Brother Bent.
Let's see what you can do, dude.
Attaboy! Go get 'em, Scarlet.
Attaboy, Joe! All right, it's time for old Pete to judge this here contest now.
That Jim Quince has got nerves like steel.
Ah Uh, the loser's Joe Scarlet.
Ah, Joe, you're getting a little old, huh? And trailing by a few drops, Brother Bent.
Days of drag! Well, it looks like you were just born to eat dust.
Drag or point- it's all the same on the long journey.
They both end up at the same place.
Amen.
Amen, brother.
A lot like old times, isn't it? Start out with men half of them green, half of them rusty, and you turn them into an outfit.
I don't know how you do it.
They're all good men to start with.
You reading the good book for breakfast, Brother Bent? The soul needs feeding too, son.
You haven't told us much about this town that rode you out, Brother Bent.
Well, not much to tell.
It was an ordinary little town.
Most of the inhabitants came to the meeting house on Sunday to hear me say a few words from the pulpit.
Quiet, God-fearing, hardworking little town.
Then what got into them? The devil.
Do you know the devil? You talk like you've seen him, Brother Bent.
He had no shape or form, but he had a name- greed.
The plague that corrupts the human heart.
It spreads like the flood- nay, like a pestilence.
You breathe it in.
You catch it from one another.
Greed.
That's what drove me from that town.
All right, let's butt those saddles! Bet three dollars.
I'll call ya.
High cards.
Two cards.
They broke camp, Mr.
Crowley.
Herd's on the move again.
How far ahead? I'd say about 12 miles.
Aces and kings.
Time to move.
All right, mount up! You're right- we're being followed.
You know, something got me curious.
Whatever gave you the feeling to send me back like that? Tail end of the herd, no stragglers.
Cattle bunch up that way, they have the feeling they're being followed.
One thing- it didn't figure to be another herd this late in the season.
You're right about that, too.
Cowboys, but no herd.
They start when we start and stop when we stop.
Must be two of them to our one.
Well, they got one less advantage now- we know they're there.
I'm figuring the same way we got one more advantage- they don't know we know.
Is there one among you knows what day this is? Is it Independence Day? It's the Lord's day.
Yea.
The Sabbath.
And though we drive the herd today, as on other days, it's fittin' that we give pause, if only for a lovin' moment to say a few solemn words to set this day apart.
I take from my text I take from my text the parable of the golden calf.
Exodus, chapter 32.
"For in the Sinai wilderness "Aaron cast the earrings and the jewelry "of the children of Israel into the fire "and fashioned them a golden calf and the people fell down and worshipped the idol as God.
" So it happened in the town I've already told you about.
A man brought a rock to the assayer and the assayer gold.
And the people fell down and worshipped the gold as an idol.
They rushed into the hills after more gold.
Good went from their hearts and greed came in its place.
They forgot about God and drove their man of God into the wilderness.
But God has given it to these eyes to behold this evil and go forth and cry out unto you and to you, and to you and to you! Oh, this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold.
Oh, you who are the lifeline of this great and growing nation close your eyes to the sins of the golden calf.
Let your rewards be your own accomplishments.
Amen.
Now, in case any of you men think that these were just preacher's words, let me show you what the greed for gold can do, not only to the soul, but to the body of a man as well.
Must've left it in my saddlebag.
It sure does glitter.
Just what I was thinking.
And it sure does look like it.
I never saw a nugget this size.
It's gold.
High-grade, too.
It's almost pure gold.
Then he was telling the truth about that town he spoke about.
It truly exists somewhere.
Here.
See for yourselves.
He looked something like you.
What happened to Joe Scarlet? Traded places with him.
Hey, the town they, uh, rode you out of- they chase you all the way? Well, they stampeded my horse, wrecked my buggy.
Well, couldn't have been too far from where we picked you up.
I didn't say how long they chased me.
What did you say the name of this town was, Brother Bent? I like that- no beating around the bush.
You come right out with it.
I like you, Flagg, that's why I'll never tell you.
I refuse to be the instrument to the poisoning of your soul.
I used to be a prospector.
Glad to hear the words, "used to be.
" Well, I might like to try my luck again.
The herd seems to be leaning to my side, I better trim it.
It's for your own good I'm not telling you, Flagg.
I'm real sorry you're eating dust for nothing.
They're keeping out of sight but they're down there somewhere.
Gives you the creeps.
Beats me why Mr.
Favor didn't pick a better place to make noon camp instead of setting us out here in the slope like sitting ducks.
Where he calls noon camp's his business.
Anybody spot anything? No.
They know how to keep out of sight.
Wish Mr.
Favor would see fit to give 'em battle.
Me, too! Put that thing away before you hurt yourself! Rowdy? Yeah.
Got a job for you.
Want you to trail boss for a spell.
Trail boss? You'll be shorthanded.
Most of the men will stay here with me.
I want the herd moved out over the pass.
Sure, Mr.
Favor.
We really going to fight? I don't know.
When they see us on the move, they'll be on the move.
We'll be waiting for them, and we pick the spot.
They can either fight us or pass us.
The choice is up to them.
Well, let 'em come.
You won't be there.
A trail herd without a chuck wagon doesn't look alive.
Take over, Rowdy.
All right, let's butt those saddles.
We've got a herd to move! So, you think? They're herd hungry- they'll show.
Here they come.
That's far enough! Step off your horses and stand away from them.
Rocket.
That the lot of you? Who are you? You're Gil Favor.
I know who I am.
I'm Clint Crowley.
You been trailing us for the last five days.
We haven't been trailing you- we've just been stalling.
Lost our herd to Texas fever.
Not exactly looking forward to going home with the news.
Sorry about your herd.
It's not only the herd.
I've got a contract to deliver so many head to Dobson each year.
I fail this year, the contract is forfeited.
Not only me, but the whole town of Crowley is ruined.
So, you figured to help yourself to my herd? I was tempted to try.
I'm not a crooked man, Mr.
Favor.
I'm willing to buy your cows.
Make an offer.
Four dollars a head.
They're worth 40.
At the end of the trail.
That's a long way off- a lot can happen.
Trail driver takes his chances.
Best I can do.
We'll relieve you of your ammunition and you can go on.
Brother Bent? He's setting us loose on the plains unarmed? Be grateful to him for removing temptation.
Always carry a man of God with you? Your gun belt.
Yours, sir.
They can't go on like this much longer.
Cheer up, son.
There's good grazing land six miles ahead.
Six miles? Beyond that ridge.
And water a day's drive past that.
I guess you know Chisholm and Goodnight better.
My first drive on the Sedalia.
Appreciate any information.
We had a wet winter and a wetter spring.
Lazy River's got plenty of water.
It's a ways off the trail.
Some, but if they had water, your cows would make up for the day or two they'd lose.
I was counting on getting supplies in the town of Mudluck.
Well, there's Juniper on the Lazy River.
Not much of a town as towns go, but you can get most anything you want there.
Hey, Wishbone, come on in! I bathe once in a while, too, you know.
I never have seen you do it.
Come on, Mushy.
Brother Bent? You're mighty handy to have around.
If you should ever decide to trade in the pulpit for the trail, I'll have a place for you.
Well, I'll remember that, son.
We got to find a way to make him talk.
That's no problem.
That's what he does easiest and best.
The trick is to make him say anything.
This belong to you? No man ever wholly owned gold.
All of it rightfully belongs to the devil.
Believe me, friend, it hurt me more than it hurt you.
That's the evil power of gold.
Trouble when you have it, trouble when you want to get rid of it.
That gold sure did teach you a powerful lesson.
You know the difference between God's gold and the Devil's gold? Well, I'll tell you.
God's gold must be earned with sweat and toil.
But the Devil's gold can be taken as easily as Adam plucked the apple from the tree of knowledge.
There was this gold lying about in chunks and nuggets about the size of a man's fist right up in the hills behind my town.
Is it still lying around up there? The outcroppings are scraped up, but there are undoubtedly rich loads beneath.
But don't waste your breath asking me about it.
I'm your friend! I'm not going to lead you to the grazing fields of the golden calf.
Mushy! Yes, sir? I'm ready, sir.
Well, come up here close and ease it down gentle like.
Oh, let her go, Mr.
Wishbone, I can handle it.
That'll teach you to keep away from whisky.
Packs quite a wallop, don't it? Where's our poker barrel, Wishbone? You know, I'm losing money every minute I'm not playing.
You and your bragging.
I'm not bragging.
I'm the best poker hand on the trail.
My winnings prove it.
That's because you been taking on plumb amateurs.
Well, they don't know their ace from the deuce.
Meaning you're an expert? There's three things I'm proud of.
My sourdough keg, my beard, and my poker playing.
You're protecting your reputation by never playing.
I'm waiting for higher stakes.
I mean to pluck you drovers when you collect your pay in Sedalia.
I call that bluff.
Now.
Well, if you want to lose all your winnings, I'm willing.
In real money.
Cash money.
Nothing else but.
And get the spigot and the cups, Mushy.
After we get it up there, you jasper! Sorry, Mr.
Rowdy.
Mr.
Wishbone tell me when Mr.
Favor gives and order, you drop everything.
We will continue withRawhide after station identification.
Check.
Pass.
Open for three.
I'll call.
Call.
Keep this one.
Discard the face cards, Wishbone.
How would you like somebody peeping over your shoulder in the pulpit, whispering in your ear? "Quote this chapter, not that one.
" I'd pay heed if the man knew his scriptures.
Well, this is poker playing, Brother Bent, not preaching.
Three cards.
Two.
Take three to see 'em.
Call.
Three treys.
Well, just add five to each one of those, and that's what I got.
Well, I beat him without help.
Want to sit in, Brother Bent? Deal me in.
A preacher? Gambling? I figure the good Lord will overlook this one transgression, since it's in such a good cause.
We're playing for keeps.
Money? Well, that I haven't got, but, uh will this do for security? Meanwhile, we can just use these pebbles for chips.
A dollar.
Pebbles don't care.
Open for a dollar.
Cards.
Three cards.
I'll take one.
Two.
Check to the one.
Three.
Three? And 20.
No use picking up more pebbles.
Here's my nugget against everything you got in front of you.
Full house.
Beats me.
The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.
Brother Bent.
I'll give you a chance to get it back.
Well, this is all I have to put up.
We'll cut for high card.
The nugget, all the money I got, against the name of the place where this nugget came from.
It'll be fate.
Not me.
All right.
The ace of hearts, you lucky prospector.
The only thing that will beat it is the ace of spades.
One chance in 51.
You men put up all your holdings, and if I lose, you'll all be in on it.
I said, put up everything.
What you got in your pockets? Wishbone you do me the honor.
Well, I'll be toasted on a spit.
The ace of spades.
Well, so it is.
I guess the fates just didn't want you to know the name of that place.
The Lord, taketh away, and the Lord giveth back.
Brother Bent, when Quince asked you how come you were gambling, you said it was for a good cause.
What cause? The cause of proving to you the evils and dangers of gambling.
What I really did was deliver a little sermon with the aid of 52 assistants.
I trust you boys all learned a lesson.
And it might please you to know that your contribution will help establish a new house of worship.
Come and get it! Mr.
Favor's breaking out the whisky keg.
Come and get it.
Most of you men have ridden with me before and know my trail rules.
I don't set my men loose on trail towns.
We do our drinking outside the town, save the big blow off for the end of the drive.
We'll hold here for a few days, rest the cattle.
So you can do your drinking now, on the house.
Line up, here! Come on, line up.
Riding into Juniper.
You want to come with me? Oh, no, I don't think it would be fair, being as the other men are staying here.
Right.
See you later.
Never, thank you.
Liquor is another of man's plagues.
We were just drinking a toast to the To the downfall of the Devil, and his ways.
Well, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for that cause.
While we're at it, let's, uh, let's drink to something more positive.
To the return of virtue and righteousness to the town of drunk or sober, the name of that town will never pass these lips.
Thank you, brother.
Still following me? Juniper's off the Sedalia trail, Favor.
Besides, we had to buy ourselves some ammunition.
You sell them the ammunition? Add the cost to my bill.
That settle our account? Maybe his but not mine.
What's on your mind? Two years ago's on my mind.
You broke the rules, you deserved to be fired.
The high and mighty Mr.
Favor and his fancy rules.
Insults you.
Won't give you the satisfaction of a fair fight.
Not the high and mighty Mr.
Favor.
Against his principles to fight with hired hands.
You're not my hired hand anymore.
Ah.
Shooting him wouldn't give me near enough satisfaction.
That's what you want.
List of supplies I want.
Mr.
Favor, we're in bad trouble.
The whole outfit's quit.
They go into town? Well, they quit for good.
They packed up their bedrolls and took off.
Without wages? Yeah, they, they sort of went crazy.
They got Brother Bent drunk, and he told them about some town that was loaded with gold, and off they rode.
All of them? All expect Pete and Wishbone.
They're doing their best to guard the herd.
Why didn't you ride in and tell me? I thought I'd better stay with the herd.
Where are we going to get a new crew, boss? No chance of getting one in Juniper.
What do you think? I'm going back to town.
You never know what card fate'll turn up next.
Here I am with plenty of men and no cows, and there you are with plenty of cows and I'll hire your men.
Double their regular wages.
We don't work for Mr.
Favor.
Won't solve my problem.
I got to have beef on the hoof, or I lose my contract.
Your offer still stand? My offer still stands.
$4.
00 a head.
Juniper's been taking some of my money.
$2.
00 a head.
That's less than they were worth when they were calved.
With only four men to tend them, your cows will scatter all over Texas.
My men can pick them up for nothing.
That's the way vultures do business.
You're between the devil and the deep blue.
Be glad I'm a businessman with no time to waste.
I'd like to start driving those cows tonight.
Draw up the papers.
First time I lost a herd.
Feel kind of naked without my chuck wagon.
$2.
00 a head.
I'll pay back the lost if it takes the rest of my life.
We going straight back, Mr.
Favor? Plenty of time in the morning.
Now I know what Crowley meant not being in a hurry to go home with bad news.
Find something? No, just some wild cat sign.
All I know is, whoever the thieves were, they sure knew how to hide their tracks.
I still say they must have moved in shallow water.
What's the difference? You lose your hands, you lose your herd, and you lose your money.
How do you explain it to the people who trusted you? It wasn't your fault, Mr.
Favor.
They could have jumped me just as easy, Wishbone.
I keep thinking of this Crescent City.
What Crescent City? That's the place Brother Bent told the boys about when they got him drunk.
Rich load, outcroppings, gold to be picked off the trees.
It isn't much out of the way.
What-What have we got to lose? Well, if it's not much out of the way.
We might as well go now.
Nobody feels like sleeping.
Strange.
Not a man or a horse in sight anywhere.
And doesn't look like there's been any for sometime.
I know he said Crescent City.
Well, it's still kind of early in the morning yet.
It's not that early.
Mr.
Favor.
The gold? Greed is man's ruination.
The truest words Brother Bent ever spoke.
No gold in those hills, huh? No gold, no hills.
Nothing but abandoned diggings in an abandoned town.
That devil preacher played a dirty trick on us.
Will you take us back, Mr.
Favor? We'll take a cut in pay for the time we lost you.
Mr.
Favor had to sell the herd, dude.
All that gold talk, we just didn't think.
What you doing with my cook's louse? MushyIsn't he with you? What do you mean? Well, he was riding with us, but all of a sudden, he changed his mind and rode back to rejoin you.
When? Well, the afternoon we quit on you.
You thinking what I'm thinking? Mushy's in trouble? I have the feeling Brother Bent could tell us what happened to Mushy.
I have the feeling Brother Bent could tell us a lot of things.
Yeah, but where are you going to find Brother Bent? I'm going back to the herd.
Ourherd.
Our herd, all right.
Yeah, makes me feel good just looking at them.
Bet $3.
00.
Well, son, I'll just have to call you.
I'll stay.
I'm out.
A little nine- high straight.
I guess I better turn in before I lose all my wages for the whole drive.
Ah, deal me out.
I got to check the night riders.
This is my lucky night.
What do you want here, Favor? Looking for a stray.
Mr.
Favor.
It seems I found him.
I changed my mind, Mr.
Favor.
I came back.
They was robbing you when I rode up.
I tried to yell.
Shut up.
You took your money back, Crowley.
That cancels our deal.
Just like that? I'm taking my herd back.
You better take your men and go, Favor, while the going Hold it, Favor.
You ain't going anywhere.
I been waiting a long time for this.
Just a minute, Rocket.
I went along with the tricking the herd from Mr.
Favor.
I helped you do it.
I went along with taking the money back from him.
But I draw the line at murder.
What's the matter with you, Dave Bent? You been taken in with your own preaching? Maybe I have.
Get out of the way, Davey boy.
I'm going to shoot, Dave, whether you get out of the way or not.
I'll shoot right through you.
Try it! Owe you my life, Brother Bent.
In a way, Mr.
Favor, I owe you mine.
Mr.
Crowley here owes you something else, too.
Keep it.
I'm buying back the herd.
You better keep it, Crowley, and thank providence you got nothing more on your conscience than a robbery that didn't come off.
Like I said, Brother Bent Dave Bent.
You can throw your bedroll in with us.
We'd be glad to have you with the drive.
Well, thanks, Mr.
Favor, but seems like with all my preaching, I finally got me a convert.
Myself.
I just don't feel natural anymore without my bible and my preaching hat.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess what I've done sort of makes me feels as though I'd rather bewith the good Lord than again' him.
Good luck, Brother Bent.
Thanks, Mr.
Favor.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'? Though the streams are swollen? Keep them dogies rollin'? Rawhide? Through rain and wind and weather? Hell-bent for leather? Wishin' my gal was by my side? All the things I'm missin'? Good vittles, love and kissin'? Are waiting at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'?
A day's drive on the Sedalia Trail is eight, ten miles at the most.
Fine and easy when the prairie grass is fresh and the river's wet.
But you have to keep going when the grasses are parched and the water has disappeared under the drought.
That's when the cows become skittish, hard to manage.
And nobody takes his boots off as long as it lasts.
The last one to take his boots off is me- Gil Favor, trail boss.
There's a man sitting up there all alone.
In this heat? Yeah, and no horse anywhere.
Oh? He's all decked out in one of them black frock coats.
You talk to him? No, I didn't.
Could be a decoy.
Indians pull stunts like that.
This I got to see.
Well, he was here.
He was sitting right on that log.
Wings on him? Fly away? He's got to be here somewhere.
Pete, it's awful hot.
Just in case that was a decoy, we better be ready.
Yeah, Pete.
What's the matter, mister? The Lord bless you, son.
What are you doing out here in the wilderness? What arewedoing? You a preacher? You can call me Brother Bent.
You lost? Lost is the word, son.
What's he, a preacher? I'm a servant of God, yes.
Preacher or an undertaker- which? He's a preacher, Wish.
Where are you heading? Nowhere.
Couple of more hours in this sun, you'll get there.
You all alone? I am indeed alone, for I failed God.
You men smell cattle? You are cattle.
God has answered my prayer.
He hasn't left me alone on the plains of Gomorrah.
They tore me from my pulpit.
They rode me out of town.
They whooped and they hollered till they drove poor Abner mad.
I couldn't control him.
Poor, miserable beast must still be running.
Something we can do for you, Brother Bent? Well, my soul's in perdition, but you can save the wretched body housing it.
A meal? A job.
Do you know cattle? I grew up with them.
Rode many a trail up and down these parts.
But why should you trust your herd to a man who failed his flock? We can always use another hand.
A good hand.
Rowdy, lend Brother Bent your horse.
You see that cow with the brown splotches on his rump? Frisking his head? Cut him out for me.
You know, it's peculiar him being right on our trail like that.
As if he was waiting for us.
We don't know much about him.
We'll find out all we need to know.
Hey! Awful jittery.
They're all jittery.
We had a little thunder last night.
That one seems like a real troublemaker.
That why you wanted him cut out, Mr.
Favor? Mushy, you and Brother Bent slaughter him up.
We'll eat steak again for awhile.
All right, let's get it done, Brother Bent.
I'm on? Consider your bedroll thrown in the wagon.
Pete, have the wrangler give him a horse.
Wishbone will give you a gun.
No, I never carry one.
Suit yourself.
You'll draw for who rides drag in the morning.
Case you've all forgotten, we're pushing a big herd.
Let's get at it.
We're ready here.
All right, Brother Bent.
Let's see what you can do, dude.
Attaboy! Go get 'em, Scarlet.
Attaboy, Joe! All right, it's time for old Pete to judge this here contest now.
That Jim Quince has got nerves like steel.
Ah Uh, the loser's Joe Scarlet.
Ah, Joe, you're getting a little old, huh? And trailing by a few drops, Brother Bent.
Days of drag! Well, it looks like you were just born to eat dust.
Drag or point- it's all the same on the long journey.
They both end up at the same place.
Amen.
Amen, brother.
A lot like old times, isn't it? Start out with men half of them green, half of them rusty, and you turn them into an outfit.
I don't know how you do it.
They're all good men to start with.
You reading the good book for breakfast, Brother Bent? The soul needs feeding too, son.
You haven't told us much about this town that rode you out, Brother Bent.
Well, not much to tell.
It was an ordinary little town.
Most of the inhabitants came to the meeting house on Sunday to hear me say a few words from the pulpit.
Quiet, God-fearing, hardworking little town.
Then what got into them? The devil.
Do you know the devil? You talk like you've seen him, Brother Bent.
He had no shape or form, but he had a name- greed.
The plague that corrupts the human heart.
It spreads like the flood- nay, like a pestilence.
You breathe it in.
You catch it from one another.
Greed.
That's what drove me from that town.
All right, let's butt those saddles! Bet three dollars.
I'll call ya.
High cards.
Two cards.
They broke camp, Mr.
Crowley.
Herd's on the move again.
How far ahead? I'd say about 12 miles.
Aces and kings.
Time to move.
All right, mount up! You're right- we're being followed.
You know, something got me curious.
Whatever gave you the feeling to send me back like that? Tail end of the herd, no stragglers.
Cattle bunch up that way, they have the feeling they're being followed.
One thing- it didn't figure to be another herd this late in the season.
You're right about that, too.
Cowboys, but no herd.
They start when we start and stop when we stop.
Must be two of them to our one.
Well, they got one less advantage now- we know they're there.
I'm figuring the same way we got one more advantage- they don't know we know.
Is there one among you knows what day this is? Is it Independence Day? It's the Lord's day.
Yea.
The Sabbath.
And though we drive the herd today, as on other days, it's fittin' that we give pause, if only for a lovin' moment to say a few solemn words to set this day apart.
I take from my text I take from my text the parable of the golden calf.
Exodus, chapter 32.
"For in the Sinai wilderness "Aaron cast the earrings and the jewelry "of the children of Israel into the fire "and fashioned them a golden calf and the people fell down and worshipped the idol as God.
" So it happened in the town I've already told you about.
A man brought a rock to the assayer and the assayer gold.
And the people fell down and worshipped the gold as an idol.
They rushed into the hills after more gold.
Good went from their hearts and greed came in its place.
They forgot about God and drove their man of God into the wilderness.
But God has given it to these eyes to behold this evil and go forth and cry out unto you and to you, and to you and to you! Oh, this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold.
Oh, you who are the lifeline of this great and growing nation close your eyes to the sins of the golden calf.
Let your rewards be your own accomplishments.
Amen.
Now, in case any of you men think that these were just preacher's words, let me show you what the greed for gold can do, not only to the soul, but to the body of a man as well.
Must've left it in my saddlebag.
It sure does glitter.
Just what I was thinking.
And it sure does look like it.
I never saw a nugget this size.
It's gold.
High-grade, too.
It's almost pure gold.
Then he was telling the truth about that town he spoke about.
It truly exists somewhere.
Here.
See for yourselves.
He looked something like you.
What happened to Joe Scarlet? Traded places with him.
Hey, the town they, uh, rode you out of- they chase you all the way? Well, they stampeded my horse, wrecked my buggy.
Well, couldn't have been too far from where we picked you up.
I didn't say how long they chased me.
What did you say the name of this town was, Brother Bent? I like that- no beating around the bush.
You come right out with it.
I like you, Flagg, that's why I'll never tell you.
I refuse to be the instrument to the poisoning of your soul.
I used to be a prospector.
Glad to hear the words, "used to be.
" Well, I might like to try my luck again.
The herd seems to be leaning to my side, I better trim it.
It's for your own good I'm not telling you, Flagg.
I'm real sorry you're eating dust for nothing.
They're keeping out of sight but they're down there somewhere.
Gives you the creeps.
Beats me why Mr.
Favor didn't pick a better place to make noon camp instead of setting us out here in the slope like sitting ducks.
Where he calls noon camp's his business.
Anybody spot anything? No.
They know how to keep out of sight.
Wish Mr.
Favor would see fit to give 'em battle.
Me, too! Put that thing away before you hurt yourself! Rowdy? Yeah.
Got a job for you.
Want you to trail boss for a spell.
Trail boss? You'll be shorthanded.
Most of the men will stay here with me.
I want the herd moved out over the pass.
Sure, Mr.
Favor.
We really going to fight? I don't know.
When they see us on the move, they'll be on the move.
We'll be waiting for them, and we pick the spot.
They can either fight us or pass us.
The choice is up to them.
Well, let 'em come.
You won't be there.
A trail herd without a chuck wagon doesn't look alive.
Take over, Rowdy.
All right, let's butt those saddles.
We've got a herd to move! So, you think? They're herd hungry- they'll show.
Here they come.
That's far enough! Step off your horses and stand away from them.
Rocket.
That the lot of you? Who are you? You're Gil Favor.
I know who I am.
I'm Clint Crowley.
You been trailing us for the last five days.
We haven't been trailing you- we've just been stalling.
Lost our herd to Texas fever.
Not exactly looking forward to going home with the news.
Sorry about your herd.
It's not only the herd.
I've got a contract to deliver so many head to Dobson each year.
I fail this year, the contract is forfeited.
Not only me, but the whole town of Crowley is ruined.
So, you figured to help yourself to my herd? I was tempted to try.
I'm not a crooked man, Mr.
Favor.
I'm willing to buy your cows.
Make an offer.
Four dollars a head.
They're worth 40.
At the end of the trail.
That's a long way off- a lot can happen.
Trail driver takes his chances.
Best I can do.
We'll relieve you of your ammunition and you can go on.
Brother Bent? He's setting us loose on the plains unarmed? Be grateful to him for removing temptation.
Always carry a man of God with you? Your gun belt.
Yours, sir.
They can't go on like this much longer.
Cheer up, son.
There's good grazing land six miles ahead.
Six miles? Beyond that ridge.
And water a day's drive past that.
I guess you know Chisholm and Goodnight better.
My first drive on the Sedalia.
Appreciate any information.
We had a wet winter and a wetter spring.
Lazy River's got plenty of water.
It's a ways off the trail.
Some, but if they had water, your cows would make up for the day or two they'd lose.
I was counting on getting supplies in the town of Mudluck.
Well, there's Juniper on the Lazy River.
Not much of a town as towns go, but you can get most anything you want there.
Hey, Wishbone, come on in! I bathe once in a while, too, you know.
I never have seen you do it.
Come on, Mushy.
Brother Bent? You're mighty handy to have around.
If you should ever decide to trade in the pulpit for the trail, I'll have a place for you.
Well, I'll remember that, son.
We got to find a way to make him talk.
That's no problem.
That's what he does easiest and best.
The trick is to make him say anything.
This belong to you? No man ever wholly owned gold.
All of it rightfully belongs to the devil.
Believe me, friend, it hurt me more than it hurt you.
That's the evil power of gold.
Trouble when you have it, trouble when you want to get rid of it.
That gold sure did teach you a powerful lesson.
You know the difference between God's gold and the Devil's gold? Well, I'll tell you.
God's gold must be earned with sweat and toil.
But the Devil's gold can be taken as easily as Adam plucked the apple from the tree of knowledge.
There was this gold lying about in chunks and nuggets about the size of a man's fist right up in the hills behind my town.
Is it still lying around up there? The outcroppings are scraped up, but there are undoubtedly rich loads beneath.
But don't waste your breath asking me about it.
I'm your friend! I'm not going to lead you to the grazing fields of the golden calf.
Mushy! Yes, sir? I'm ready, sir.
Well, come up here close and ease it down gentle like.
Oh, let her go, Mr.
Wishbone, I can handle it.
That'll teach you to keep away from whisky.
Packs quite a wallop, don't it? Where's our poker barrel, Wishbone? You know, I'm losing money every minute I'm not playing.
You and your bragging.
I'm not bragging.
I'm the best poker hand on the trail.
My winnings prove it.
That's because you been taking on plumb amateurs.
Well, they don't know their ace from the deuce.
Meaning you're an expert? There's three things I'm proud of.
My sourdough keg, my beard, and my poker playing.
You're protecting your reputation by never playing.
I'm waiting for higher stakes.
I mean to pluck you drovers when you collect your pay in Sedalia.
I call that bluff.
Now.
Well, if you want to lose all your winnings, I'm willing.
In real money.
Cash money.
Nothing else but.
And get the spigot and the cups, Mushy.
After we get it up there, you jasper! Sorry, Mr.
Rowdy.
Mr.
Wishbone tell me when Mr.
Favor gives and order, you drop everything.
We will continue withRawhide after station identification.
Check.
Pass.
Open for three.
I'll call.
Call.
Keep this one.
Discard the face cards, Wishbone.
How would you like somebody peeping over your shoulder in the pulpit, whispering in your ear? "Quote this chapter, not that one.
" I'd pay heed if the man knew his scriptures.
Well, this is poker playing, Brother Bent, not preaching.
Three cards.
Two.
Take three to see 'em.
Call.
Three treys.
Well, just add five to each one of those, and that's what I got.
Well, I beat him without help.
Want to sit in, Brother Bent? Deal me in.
A preacher? Gambling? I figure the good Lord will overlook this one transgression, since it's in such a good cause.
We're playing for keeps.
Money? Well, that I haven't got, but, uh will this do for security? Meanwhile, we can just use these pebbles for chips.
A dollar.
Pebbles don't care.
Open for a dollar.
Cards.
Three cards.
I'll take one.
Two.
Check to the one.
Three.
Three? And 20.
No use picking up more pebbles.
Here's my nugget against everything you got in front of you.
Full house.
Beats me.
The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.
Brother Bent.
I'll give you a chance to get it back.
Well, this is all I have to put up.
We'll cut for high card.
The nugget, all the money I got, against the name of the place where this nugget came from.
It'll be fate.
Not me.
All right.
The ace of hearts, you lucky prospector.
The only thing that will beat it is the ace of spades.
One chance in 51.
You men put up all your holdings, and if I lose, you'll all be in on it.
I said, put up everything.
What you got in your pockets? Wishbone you do me the honor.
Well, I'll be toasted on a spit.
The ace of spades.
Well, so it is.
I guess the fates just didn't want you to know the name of that place.
The Lord, taketh away, and the Lord giveth back.
Brother Bent, when Quince asked you how come you were gambling, you said it was for a good cause.
What cause? The cause of proving to you the evils and dangers of gambling.
What I really did was deliver a little sermon with the aid of 52 assistants.
I trust you boys all learned a lesson.
And it might please you to know that your contribution will help establish a new house of worship.
Come and get it! Mr.
Favor's breaking out the whisky keg.
Come and get it.
Most of you men have ridden with me before and know my trail rules.
I don't set my men loose on trail towns.
We do our drinking outside the town, save the big blow off for the end of the drive.
We'll hold here for a few days, rest the cattle.
So you can do your drinking now, on the house.
Line up, here! Come on, line up.
Riding into Juniper.
You want to come with me? Oh, no, I don't think it would be fair, being as the other men are staying here.
Right.
See you later.
Never, thank you.
Liquor is another of man's plagues.
We were just drinking a toast to the To the downfall of the Devil, and his ways.
Well, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for that cause.
While we're at it, let's, uh, let's drink to something more positive.
To the return of virtue and righteousness to the town of drunk or sober, the name of that town will never pass these lips.
Thank you, brother.
Still following me? Juniper's off the Sedalia trail, Favor.
Besides, we had to buy ourselves some ammunition.
You sell them the ammunition? Add the cost to my bill.
That settle our account? Maybe his but not mine.
What's on your mind? Two years ago's on my mind.
You broke the rules, you deserved to be fired.
The high and mighty Mr.
Favor and his fancy rules.
Insults you.
Won't give you the satisfaction of a fair fight.
Not the high and mighty Mr.
Favor.
Against his principles to fight with hired hands.
You're not my hired hand anymore.
Ah.
Shooting him wouldn't give me near enough satisfaction.
That's what you want.
List of supplies I want.
Mr.
Favor, we're in bad trouble.
The whole outfit's quit.
They go into town? Well, they quit for good.
They packed up their bedrolls and took off.
Without wages? Yeah, they, they sort of went crazy.
They got Brother Bent drunk, and he told them about some town that was loaded with gold, and off they rode.
All of them? All expect Pete and Wishbone.
They're doing their best to guard the herd.
Why didn't you ride in and tell me? I thought I'd better stay with the herd.
Where are we going to get a new crew, boss? No chance of getting one in Juniper.
What do you think? I'm going back to town.
You never know what card fate'll turn up next.
Here I am with plenty of men and no cows, and there you are with plenty of cows and I'll hire your men.
Double their regular wages.
We don't work for Mr.
Favor.
Won't solve my problem.
I got to have beef on the hoof, or I lose my contract.
Your offer still stand? My offer still stands.
$4.
00 a head.
Juniper's been taking some of my money.
$2.
00 a head.
That's less than they were worth when they were calved.
With only four men to tend them, your cows will scatter all over Texas.
My men can pick them up for nothing.
That's the way vultures do business.
You're between the devil and the deep blue.
Be glad I'm a businessman with no time to waste.
I'd like to start driving those cows tonight.
Draw up the papers.
First time I lost a herd.
Feel kind of naked without my chuck wagon.
$2.
00 a head.
I'll pay back the lost if it takes the rest of my life.
We going straight back, Mr.
Favor? Plenty of time in the morning.
Now I know what Crowley meant not being in a hurry to go home with bad news.
Find something? No, just some wild cat sign.
All I know is, whoever the thieves were, they sure knew how to hide their tracks.
I still say they must have moved in shallow water.
What's the difference? You lose your hands, you lose your herd, and you lose your money.
How do you explain it to the people who trusted you? It wasn't your fault, Mr.
Favor.
They could have jumped me just as easy, Wishbone.
I keep thinking of this Crescent City.
What Crescent City? That's the place Brother Bent told the boys about when they got him drunk.
Rich load, outcroppings, gold to be picked off the trees.
It isn't much out of the way.
What-What have we got to lose? Well, if it's not much out of the way.
We might as well go now.
Nobody feels like sleeping.
Strange.
Not a man or a horse in sight anywhere.
And doesn't look like there's been any for sometime.
I know he said Crescent City.
Well, it's still kind of early in the morning yet.
It's not that early.
Mr.
Favor.
The gold? Greed is man's ruination.
The truest words Brother Bent ever spoke.
No gold in those hills, huh? No gold, no hills.
Nothing but abandoned diggings in an abandoned town.
That devil preacher played a dirty trick on us.
Will you take us back, Mr.
Favor? We'll take a cut in pay for the time we lost you.
Mr.
Favor had to sell the herd, dude.
All that gold talk, we just didn't think.
What you doing with my cook's louse? MushyIsn't he with you? What do you mean? Well, he was riding with us, but all of a sudden, he changed his mind and rode back to rejoin you.
When? Well, the afternoon we quit on you.
You thinking what I'm thinking? Mushy's in trouble? I have the feeling Brother Bent could tell us what happened to Mushy.
I have the feeling Brother Bent could tell us a lot of things.
Yeah, but where are you going to find Brother Bent? I'm going back to the herd.
Ourherd.
Our herd, all right.
Yeah, makes me feel good just looking at them.
Bet $3.
00.
Well, son, I'll just have to call you.
I'll stay.
I'm out.
A little nine- high straight.
I guess I better turn in before I lose all my wages for the whole drive.
Ah, deal me out.
I got to check the night riders.
This is my lucky night.
What do you want here, Favor? Looking for a stray.
Mr.
Favor.
It seems I found him.
I changed my mind, Mr.
Favor.
I came back.
They was robbing you when I rode up.
I tried to yell.
Shut up.
You took your money back, Crowley.
That cancels our deal.
Just like that? I'm taking my herd back.
You better take your men and go, Favor, while the going Hold it, Favor.
You ain't going anywhere.
I been waiting a long time for this.
Just a minute, Rocket.
I went along with the tricking the herd from Mr.
Favor.
I helped you do it.
I went along with taking the money back from him.
But I draw the line at murder.
What's the matter with you, Dave Bent? You been taken in with your own preaching? Maybe I have.
Get out of the way, Davey boy.
I'm going to shoot, Dave, whether you get out of the way or not.
I'll shoot right through you.
Try it! Owe you my life, Brother Bent.
In a way, Mr.
Favor, I owe you mine.
Mr.
Crowley here owes you something else, too.
Keep it.
I'm buying back the herd.
You better keep it, Crowley, and thank providence you got nothing more on your conscience than a robbery that didn't come off.
Like I said, Brother Bent Dave Bent.
You can throw your bedroll in with us.
We'd be glad to have you with the drive.
Well, thanks, Mr.
Favor, but seems like with all my preaching, I finally got me a convert.
Myself.
I just don't feel natural anymore without my bible and my preaching hat.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess what I've done sort of makes me feels as though I'd rather bewith the good Lord than again' him.
Good luck, Brother Bent.
Thanks, Mr.
Favor.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'? Though the streams are swollen? Keep them dogies rollin'? Rawhide? Through rain and wind and weather? Hell-bent for leather? Wishin' my gal was by my side? All the things I'm missin'? Good vittles, love and kissin'? Are waiting at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'?