Avenging Angel (2007) - full transcript

- All right, boys,
here comes the colonel.

I'm gonna speak to him.

You stay put for a minute.

Mornin', colonel.

We're ready.

- Good morning, Mr. Quinn.

Well, they had their
fair warning, didn't they?

Pretty soon everybody's
gonna know who's in charge
around here.

'Cause I tell you,
I will not tolerate

these people squattin' on land
that is rightfully mine.

Kill 'em, Mr. Quinn.



Kill 'em all.

- Yes, sir.

Follow me, boys.

- Ah.

- Here, sweetheart,
you finish that.

Let me do it, honey.

- You'd think I could do it
by myself by now.

- So independent.

I have a feeling that today

is a very special day.

The congregation's meeting
their new preacher

for the first time.

- Hyah! Hyah!

- Come on!
Let's get to the church!



- Hyah! Hyah!

- Some goin' that way!
Let's go, boys!

- Welcome, my friends,

to the house
of the lord's worship.

It is a glorious day
that the lord has given us.

What matters now
is what we do with it.

I'd like to take
this opportunity

to introduce myself
and my wife Sarah

and daughter Rachel.

- Good morning.

- Welcome.

- Hurry! Come on! Come on!

- Giddyup! Giddyup!

Hyah!

- Hyah! Hyah! Giddyup!

Come on! Come on!

- That way! That way!

- Let's go! Get on! Get on!

- The lord does not leave us.

We leave him.

I'm sure we all have times
when we wonder where he is.

Many of you
have toiled in the fields,

only to have your crops fail.

You may curse the lord and
wonder why he has forsaken you

in your time of need.

Well, brethren,
know this in your hearts--

the lord willbe there...

When you least expect him.

- Giddyup! Keep goin'!

- They're right behind us!

- Come on! After 'em!

- ♪ Yes, we will gather
at the river ♪

♪ the beautiful,
the beautiful river ♪

♪ gather with the saints
at the river ♪

♪ that flows
by the throne of god ♪

♪ yes, we will gather
at the river ♪

- Don't let 'em get away!

- ♪ The beautiful,
the beautiful river... ♪

- Please come in.

- Reverend, we need help.

- You're welcome
in god's house.

Won't you join us?

Please. Take a seat.

Now, if we'll raise
our voices one more time

and sing hymn number 2.

- Here you go, dear.
- Thank you.

- Hello, inside the church!

You best send them
thievin' squatters out.

Mornin', preacher.

- Good morning.

- Sorry to disrupt
your services,

but we got orders
to bring back
them people inside.

- By whose orders?

- By colonel cusack's
orders, sir.

- Have these good people
broken some law?

- They're just a bunch
of thievin' squatters.

They settled on land
that they don't own,

and they were given
a chance to leave,
and they didn't take it.

- Well...these people
have sought sanctuary
in a house of worship.

- Heh heh.

With all due respect,
preacher man,

we have our orders,
and I suggest

you let my men
bring them folks out.

- I don't think so.

- They'll come out or else.

We'll kill everyone
in the church!

You hear me in there?

- We have no weapons
here, sir.

Violence serves
the wrong master.

- Last chance.

- I ain't stayin' in here.
Any of you goin' with me?

- I am.
- I'm with you.

- Me, too.
- Let's go.

- Wait!

Wait!

Man: Come on.

Woman: Uh-uh.

- I ask you once again
to leave this hallowed ground.

- Seems you're outvoted.

- Leave here now.

- Light 'em up.

- No! No! There are
women and children there!

- Aah!

- Whoa! Whoa!

- I don't believe it.

- Follow me.

Let's go.

- Hyah! Hyah!

- Sarah?

Rachel? Sarah!

Sarah!

Sarah!

Aah!

Mayor.

We need to talk.

- I'll get back to you
on that, George.

Yes, reverend.

You wanted to talk to me?

- I just came back
from the cemetery.

- Yes. Your, uh,
dear Sarah and Rachel.

- Why aren't the homesteaders
buried there?

- The entire town
mourns your loss.

- Those people deserve
a proper resting place.

- Bessie and Henry dobbs
found a spot,

on their property
east of town.

- You still haven't
answered the question.

Why weren't they buried
in the cemetery?

- The town council
felt the colonel

might not take that
too kindly.

- By all means,

do nothing that would
upset the colonel.

- We don't need
any more trouble.

- We as men
should seek justice.

Sarah's voice: I've seen
so many men turn to violence

when they lose the things
they hold dear.

You never let the war
consume you.

I love that in you.

You've lived
what's in romans.

Never pay back evil
for evil to anyone.

Respect what is right.

I trust you will
always live that way,

no matter what
the future brings.

- Lord have mercy on me.

Forgive me for the road
that I'm about to take.

My dearest Sarah,

you are my guide
in all matters,

whether they be of a temporal
or moral nature,

and your absence
has not lessened your place

as my touchstone
into reason.

Now it is that
I take up pen and paper

to set down for you
what I carry with me

since...last I held you.

Hours of reflection
and prayer

have provided me
with the answer that I sought.

And now I cannot help
but unburden my heart to you,

as I always do.

You lived a life
free of malice

and inspired in me
a desire to do the same.

Your deep belief
that we turn the other cheek

to our enemies

was my compass in life.

- Unh!

- But now I find
that my thirst for vengeance

is unending...

And I will be slaked
by one thing only...

The blood of those
who have robbed me

of the bedrock
of my existence.

I know that to seek out
your killers

and take from them
some small measure
of what they stole from you

would blight your legacy
and cover me with shame.

My thoughts are such
that I can no longer
in good conscience

minister to my brothers
and sisters.

I have elected
to pursue justice

as the vessel
of the lord's vengeance,

lest I remain here and take
what I believe is my due.

So it is that I leave
the home we made together,

where I am surrounded
by your memory

and that of Rachel,

and ride out
into the wilderness.

You are ever in my heart.

I remain...

...your loving husband.

- You can do the righteous
thing and give up...

- I ain't armed.

I lost my weapon
back there a piece.

- You ready?

- Can't you give me a rest?

- One thing I always noticed
about vermin...

Is they want a break
whenever they get cornered.

You give those folks
you robbed and murdered a break

before you shot them down
in cold blood?

♪ Bringing in the sheaves

♪ bringing in the sheaves

♪ we shall come rejoicin'

♪ bringin' in the sheaves

♪ bringin' in the sheaves

♪ bringin' in the sheaves

oh.

Evenin', gents.

Ah...oh...

That was very clumsy of me.

I would--i would appreciate
your forgiveness.

- Forgiveness?

For what?

- For what I'm about to do.

You're both wanted,
dead or alive.

You choose.

- Who you packin'
on that horse?

- Your brother.

He made the wrong choice.

- Aah!
- Ohh!

- Wrong choices
must run in the family.

I killed so many men
in the war.

How can I ever be forgiven?

- You fought for a cause
you believed in.

Freedom for all men,

not exacting vengeance.

A lot of good men died,
on both sides.

Now you fight
to save men's souls.

You've touched so many lives
since the war.

You're forgiven...

...simply because
you asked for it.

Besides, you never killed
anyone out of vengeance.

- Dearest Sarah,

the bookadmonishes us
to never take your own revenge,

but leave room
for the wrath of god.

But now my lust
for vengeance

draws me back to the place
where I would do that which

I have struggled against
all these long months.

I've sought to honor
your memory

by not wiping
from the earth

those who extinguished
your life,

but I have come to doubt
the trail I follow

to avoid taking
those stern measures

I yearn for
each day and night.

I thought that my pursuit
of those who flee justice

was righteous and good,

but now I fear that I have
substituted those men

for the ones whom I truly wish
to send to stand in judgment

before the throne of god.

I'm torn by my predicament

and unsure how I am
to reconcile my actions

with your legacy.

I pray that your wisdom
will visit me.

I am...
Your devoted husband.

- What can I do for you?

What's this?

- Just what it says.

- Bounty hunter, huh?

You got the dodge brothers?

- Out there.

- They give you any trouble?

- Not for long.

- The colonel will be happy
to pay for them traitors.

- I'd like to collect
cash on those 3.

- Well, we deal in vouchers.

I'll sign it and you can
take it to the bank.

- Just as long as I get
my money.

- Don't believe
I know you, friend.

- Don't stay in one place
long enough to make friends.

- Yeah.

Didn't catch your name.

- I didn't offer it.

- All right.

- You just give me
that voucher

for those 3 I brought in.

I'll be on my way.

- Suit yourself.

- Sheriff's comin'!

- Elijah!

Elijah.

- Afternoon.

- Sheriff.

- I see you're still here.

- Yes, we are.

- I thought I made it clear.

You ought to be movin' on.

That will put an end to
your folks being set upon.

- This is our land,
sheriff...

Bought and paid for
with the last of our money.

- Now, we both know
that ain't exactly the way

the colonel tells it.

- The colonel took our money

with the promise
of a bill of sale
which we never got.

- You're talking
to the county sheriff.
Don't you forget it.

And don't go accusing
colonel cusack
of any wrongdoin'.

Elijah, I come
all the way out here

to give you final warning.

Word has it
big trouble's coming

if your folks don't
clear off this land...

Trouble that I can't stop.

Pack up and leave now.

Man: ...Will be there
probably tomorrow morning.

Second man: I know.

- Come here, woman.

- Ohh!

- Ha ha ha ha!

- Wait a minute, cowboy.

You only get one for free.

You want any more,
it'll cost ya.

- I'm damn good and ready.

- Ohh! Easy, now!

- Shut up!
I don't take no guff

from somebody like you.
You hear me?

- You shouldn't treat
a woman that way.

- Ohh! Oh!

- You're gonna have to be
takin' that back.

- I'm not in the habit
of taking things back
once they're out.

- You don't like the way
I treat that trashy gal?

What are you
gonna do about it?

- Obliged.

- Where you goin'?

- Find me a place to sleep.

- Man says he's tired, boys.

Hell, maybe we
ought to tuck him in.

- You've had your fun.

- No. We just begun.

- Get him up.

Get him up!

- Unh!

Ohh!

Ooh! Unh!

- Throw him out.

- Fling him!

- Come on, boys.
Drinks on me.

Pftt! Pftt!

- All right. All right.

Let me help you.

- Uh-uh.

- Uh...i know.

All right.

On your feet, cowboy.

- Ohh...

Man: Howdy, colonel.

- Go on.

Go on.

Don't let me see you
back here.

Mornin', colonel.

What can I do for you?

- Well...

I'm on my way to mesa,

we passed by the holler,

I look,

and I see squatters.

Squatters, Quinn.
They're still there.

- Yes, sir. But I'm workin'
on that, and, uh,

they should be movin' on
anytime now.

- Well, while you're
workin' on it,

why don't you try
and recruit some new men,

with backbone.

- We got a couple
of good ones.

They're a little green,
but, uh, I could fix that.

- At least one with a...
A killer's heart?

- Bounty hunter.
Brought in the dodge brothers,

all 3 toes up.

- Toes up?

I been lookin'
to get them traitors.

You know, I could use
someone like that.

- He's still around town.

- I mean workin' for me,
when he goes after somebody,

they ain't gonna be firing
back at him, are they?

I'm workin' on him.

Ohh...

- It's all there,
every last penny.

- Yeah. Well, i'm, uh...

I'm sure it is.

- But you were wonderin'.

- Thank you
for your hospitality.

- Leavin' town?

- I'm not sure.

- You're gonna be
around a while,

I could rent you that room.

Dollar a week.
One meal a day.

And you keep it yourself.
I ain't no maid.

- Sounds fair to me.

- No drinkin' around here.

Won't have Amelia
exposed to bad behavior.

No more than she has to be.

- Only use liquor
in moderation.

- And one more thing.

I don't like guns
in my house.

Put it away
for safekeeping.

- Mornin', bounty hunter.

- Morning.

- See that fella climbing up
on the wagon there?

He's the one that heads up
a group of squatters.

Name's Elijah.

His people listen to him

like he's a prophet
of something.

So...what's it gonna be?

Sticking around?

- For the time being.

- Heard you had a little trouble
at the saloon last night.

- Nothing for either side
to brag about.

- Them boys is lucky
you didn't drop 'em.

- No posters on 'em.

- You're gonna like it here.

Little Springs
is a growin' Metropolis.

The colonel likes opera,

so we're gonna build
an opera house.

That comes under the heading
of long-range plannin'.

The saloon--

we're bringing in
the finest girls

from Dallas and fort worth.

The grand hotel,
right there.

- No house of worship?

- Well, we had one,
but, uh, it blew up.

By accident.

Colonel didn't see no reason
to rebuild it.

- You're late.

- Didn't know
I was on a schedule.

Dinner's at 6:00 sharp.

You're not here,
you're missin' out.

Ahem.

- Pardon me.

- You say grace?

Dear lord,

bless us this bounty and...

Those who share
in our good fortune.

Amen.

- Amen.

- Amelia, you go get your books
after dinner, all right?

- Ok.
- You're behind
in your learnin'.

- She doesn't go to school?

- The school there is
in little Springs--not welcome.

- I don't feel like
eating, mama.

- All right.
Put your bowl away.

Grab your books.
- Ok.

- I school her myself.

- She's a child.
Why wouldn't they?

- 'Cause of me.

Been here
a little over a year.

Wanted a...Fresh start.

Past caught up with me.

Let's talk about
something else...

...like...

...where you come from.

- From around.

- That's a whole lot
of territory.

- Yeah. I'm traveling
a few years
one place to the other.

- And before that?

You're a persistent woman.

- Well, I like to know who's
sleepin' underneath my roof...

...where they come from,

what kind of person
they might be.

So where were you before
these last few years?

- I was in the war.

- Well, that war's been over
for some time now.

And after that?

- If you'll, uh,
pardon me, ma'am,

I've got a bellyful.

- What do you want
from us?

- Just a little fun.

- Run.

- Aah! Uhh.
Aah!

- Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

- Get on! Hyah!

- Come on! Come on!
- He's knocked out.

- Here.

- Get over here.

- She's pregnant.
- Is she pregnant?

- They're alive--
just tore up a bit.

- We'll get them cleaned up,
see to their injuries.

- What are we gonna do
about this?

- We can't go to the law.
We know that.

We'll pray--seek an answer.

- "She took...Down a jar

"from one of the...Shelves

"as she passed.

"It was la--labeled

"orange mar--mar...

Mar--"

- it's "marmalade."

- Marma what?

It's marmalade.

- What's that?

- Well, it's like
a kind of jam. Heh.

- Heh.

- May I?

- Mm-hmm.

- All right, so,
what are you readin' there?

Oh, that's
a wonderful story, Amelia.

I especially like
the mad hatter.

- Would you read with me?

- Well, maybe, uh,
maybe another night.

- Please, sir?

I would really
like you to read to me.

- Ohh.

All right, Amelia.
I'll read to you a little while.

- I'll have
a cup of coffee.

- Yeah.
I'd like one too, please.

Thank you.

- Mommy, I'm cold.

- I could build a fire.

- No, we ran out.

- So, who's your
favorite character in the book?

- Alice. I want to be
just like her.

She talks to rabbits.

- All right. Where do you
want to start?

- "Marmalade."
- "marmalade." Ok.

"It was labeled
'orange marmalade.'

"but to
her great disappointment,

"it was empty.

"She did not like to
drop the jar

"for fear of
killing somebody underneath,

"so managed to put it

into one of the cupboards
as she fell past it."

"Well,thought Alice
to herself..."

- You sure can chop wood.

- Doesn't take
any brainpower.

Just-- just muscle.

You, young lady--

keep up your schoolwork.

- I bet I can chop wood
good as anybody.

- I bet you could.

Whoa.

Goin' out
for part of the day.

- Business?

- Just, uh...

Just ridin'.

- If you can't get it right,

I'll get somebody else
to do it. Understand me?

Go on. Get out of here.

- Where you headed?

- Nowhere in particular.

- You know,
I noticed that, uh...

You're not wearing a gun.

- Not today.

- Don't you feel naked
without it?

- Well, at the moment,
I'm on a sabbatical.

- Taking time off
from killin'. Heh.

I guess a man needs to
from time to time.

- These squatters...

- Liars and thieves--

come in here thinking
they can stake a claim

to a man's land.

You being a bounty hunter,
you might be interested.

My guess is the colonel will pay
a whole lot of money

to get rid of them folks.

- Well, like I said,
I'm on a sabbatical.

- Those people are just gonna
keep pushing us around.

- Well, Elijah intends us
to keep the peace.

- It's up to us.

- He's our leader.

- We have to do something,
Billy.

Man: Right.
Appreciate it.

- Isn't that that fellow
we saw at the sheriff?

- It sure is.
He's one of 'em.

- You hold right there!

- You ain't
welcome here, mister.

- We don't want your kind
comin' here.

- I'm just payin'
a friendly visit, boys.

- There ain't nothing friendly
about your kind.

- Billy? Jacob?

Ease off.

We're a little nervous
around here.

A number of us have been
set upon by the sheriff's people

trying to drive us out.

- He's another one of 'em,
Elijah.

- Well, we'll find out.

Jacob.

Get on down, mister.

- You got
what's shadowing you?

- Billy? He looks after me.

Good boy--
a little hotheaded.

Now, you didn't just
wander in here by accident.

What is it, mister?

- Curious as to
what you folks were up to.

- As you can see,
we're settling in
for the long haul.

- Building a church.

- Well, one is needed
around here.

- Need a preacher?

- No, just a man
who follows the word,

or at least tries to.

- I'm told
this isn't your land.

- And who says it ain't?

- Sheriff of
little Springs.

- That figures,
considering.

- There could be trouble
for you.

- We bought this land
fair and square

and paid cusack
in gold coin.

- So, where's
your bill of sale?

- Never got it.

- So, he took your money,
never gave you a bill of sale,

and now he's trying to
run you off.

- That about sums it up.

- That's not
how the sheriff sees it.

- Heh. He's bought and paid for
by cusack.

- He's elected
by the people.

- People around here
vote the way they're told.

- And knowing that,
you still aim to stay.

- Truth is on our side.

We'll stand on that belief.

- Uh, you know...

People have died
for the same reason.

- Death holds no fear
for me.

I made it through the war.

Seen plenty of dyin'.

I'm livin' as
a man of peace now.

- You've got women and children
to be concerned with.

- Is that a threat?

- It's a fact.

- Good day to you, sir.
How can I help you?

- I was looking for
Henry or bessie dobbs.

This is their store,
isn't it?

- They sold out
and moved on.

- Ohh.

Seems the whole town
has sold out and moved on.

- You looking
to buy something?

- I saw the land office sign.
Do you record here?

- That's correct.
I handle the whole county.

- There's a piece of land
a couple miles south of town.

It's just off the road?

- That would belong
to colonel cusack.

- Now, how do you
know that

without looking it up
in the records?

- Colonel cusack owns
allthe land south of here

and most of it
in the other directions, too.

- You're positive that he didn't
sell any land recently.

- Colonel's not
in the habit of selling.

If he sold some property,
I surely would remember.

- But if he had,

you would have recorded
the change of ownership.

- That's correct.

I see a bill of sale,
I make out a new deed,

I keep 'em all filed
right back there in a safe.

Anything else
I can help you with?

- Some hard candy.

- That enough?
- Yeah, that will do it.

- 2 cents.

Thank you.

- Talked to your squatters.

- Did Elijah try to convince you
that he owns the land?

- He says he paid for the land
in gold coin.

- What else is the old fool
gonna say?

- He says the colonel
never gave him a bill of sale.

- The colonel is a man
of integrity and honor.

He has a vision for this town,
and he aims to see it through.

- Well, maybe I should
meet this man of...

Honor and vision.

- I already told him
about you.

We can ride out there now.

I was giving it
some thought.

Have we ever met before?

- Not that I recall.

And I would.

- Yeah. I guess you would.

- Hmmh.

- Colonel's cattle?

- Only a small part.
Runs over 1,000 head.

- On this soil,
a man will need a lot of land

to graze that many.

- Take a look around.

As far as the eye can see,
it's the colonel's.

- You've known the colonel
a while, have you?

- Long enough to appreciate
working for him.

- The colonel
expectin' trouble?

- Colonel cusack likes
his security.

- Hmm.

Mr. Quinn, I expect
you bear tidings of good news

about the squatters?

- Afraid not.

- Excuse me?
- They refuse to leave.

- And who is this,
pray tell?

- Well, he's the bounty hunter
I told you about.

- Ah, yes, bounty.

- He went out
to talk to 'em.

They fed him some lies.

- Is that right?

Well, what's not
to believe?

An upstanding pillar
of the community

or a bunch of
ragtag ne'er-do-Wells?

- The man
who has the least to gain.

- And what does that mean?

- They don't covet
any more land than they have.

Seem to be reasonable people,
passionate in their beliefs.

- Ha ha ha.

I sense a learned man.

However, the world
is built on passion.

Are you a man of passion?

- About some things.

- Ahem. You know,

I had this cognac here
sent to me

all the way from
Paris, France.

Ahh.

Unavailable here,
of course.

But...

One of the advantages
of wealth.

Now, tell me.

What would you consider
your greatest asset, sir?

- Patience.

- Patience.
I like that.

I like that very much.

Mine, however, is...

Greed.

Ah, yes.

There are those who think
greed's a bad thing.

Well, I think
greed's a good thing,

especially
if you spread the wealth.

- And do you?

- Of course,

to those who are
loyal to me,

share my vision, yes.

- Think I'll head back
into town.

- You know, i'm--I'm sorry.
Such a short visit.

And you haven't even touched
your cognac.

- Don't care too much
for cognac.

- Come to the table, honey.
Time for supper.

- Not bean soup again.

I'm tired of
bean soup, mama.

- Aw, you like it.

- No, I don't.
And I won't eat it.

- Ma'am.

Hey, Amelia.

Brought you a treat
for after supper,

if it's all right
with your mama.

- Well,
it's all right by me,

but it seems as though
miss Amelia is not eatin',

so, no treat.

- What is it?

- It's hard candy.

But I guess you have to wait
for another day.

- I love hard candy!

And I reallylove
bean soup.

- Thank you.

- Yeah.

- All right. Grace.

Dear lord,
thank you for this food

and for your peace.

Amen.

- Amen.

- Spencer. Hold up.

- Time for a drink.
Buy you one?

- Later. Right now,
I need you with me.

Get your horse
and round up another man.

- All right.

- I thought you might like
some hot coffee.

- Obliged.

- Amelia went to bed
a happy little girl,

thanks to your kindness.

- It was nothing.

- It meant a whole lot
to her.

She needs
that kind of attention

from somebody other than
her mama.

- You're a nice man.

- You don't know anything
about me.

- Well, I found out
the hard way

that I am a good
judge of people.

You asked me the other day
about my past.

- Maggie--
- I made mistakes, too...

That I'm not so proud of.

I worked a saloon
in fort stockton.

When Amelia came around,
I didn't know who the daddy was.

I had some money saved up,
so we moved on and landed here.

I work at a saloon here,

but all I do is clean glasses
and mop the floors.

- Taking laundry. All in all,
is an honest dollar.

- Most of what I earn
goes for rent for this place,

to the colonel.

- Here.

- What's that for?

You already paid
for your room.

- Chicken and dumplings,
a little...Variety.

I agree with Amelia.
Bean soup can get tiring.

- No.

- Maggie, come on. Please.

I'll pay you back.

- Didn't call it a loan.

- Don't you go judgin' me.

- It's not up to me
to judge anyone.

- I'm gonna go
check on Amelia.

- Stop!

Stop!

Uhh! Uhh! Unh!

- Break it up!

- Elijah! Elijah!

- Elijah. Elijah.

- I say we leave here
before any more of us die.

That colonel
will stop at nothing
to get this land.

Let him have it.

There's plenty more for us
just west of here

we can settle on.

- We've made somethin'
of this land.

The crops will be in
this spring. I say we stay,

show him we're not afraid.

- I'm not willing to die
for this place.

- Elijah died
for this place.

This was his dream.

It's up to us
to keep his dream alive.

- That's foolish talk,
Billy.

- If we're not willing
to die for something,

then we're just plain...
Just plain cowardly.

We're livin' for nothin'.

I, for one,
want the children of this camp

to know that their leaders
stood up to evil!

We paid for this land!

We ain't gonna be cheated
out of what's rightfully ours.

Man: That's right.
He's right.

- Elijah intended that
a church get built.

Let it be a symbol of
the good that exists here.

I'm stayin'.

Some new lumber, a keg of nails,
and a few supplies.

- Colonel isn't much on
extending credit.

- Look. All I'm asking
is that you help us out
till our crops come in.

The colonel doesn't have to know
about it being credit.

There's $25 in this bag.

We'll pay you back the rest
with interest.

We're not gonna
let you down.

- All right.

- Nah, there's no need
to worry.

Next shipment's Thursday.

Well.

Looks like your visit
to the encampment

didn't make much of
an impression.

You want to
explain yourself?

- Word has it
their leader's been killed.

They'll be movin' on.
- Not soon enough.

You know, Quinn, never, ever
leave anything to chance.

I want them--

I want them driven out
or buried.

- Some men attacked them
last night--

killed their leader,
a man named Elijah.

- Are the rest staying?
- Seems so.

- They're asking
to be slaughtered.

- Maybe. Maybe not.

- They won't arm themselves.

Cusack will kill them all
and send out guns against them.

- Includin' yours?

You working for him?

- No.

- Where are you goin'?

- Men, at 1...

2...

3!

- Quick, quick,
quick, quick.

Hold it right there.

Good.

- It's gonna happen again,
Sarah.

I know there's
a difference between
justice and vengeance.

I just don't know
what it is anymore.

Wish I could
talk to you.

I can't go on like this.

I have to do something.

- I'll be back
in the morning

with a solution to
the squatter problem.

Seems like
a perfect opportunity

to keep carryin'.

[Indistinct chatter,

- Spencer!

- I'll see you later, darlin'.
- Hmm.

- What the hell
are you doin'?

- Showin' the boys
some fancy shootin'.

- Well, put your pistol up.
Save it for the squatters.

Listen.
Word in town has it

that the bounty hunter's
staying out at Maggie's place.

- She used to be
a workin' gal
in fort stockton.

- Yeah, we'll use her
to get to him,

throw him off guard.

- We can handle
the bounty hunter.

Did it before.

- The colonel wants
to get rid of him for good.

Her, too, if you have to.

Now I seen 'em both
in town just now. Go on.

- I'm on it, Quinn.

- Adams, pope.
Come with me.

Evenin', Maggie girl.

- You get out of my way.

- Now that ain't very cordial.

- Well, I ain't feelin'
very cordial.

- You remember me,
don't you, Maggie?

- No.
- I sure remember you.

Silver palace,
fort stockton?

We had us a gay old time.

- Evenin', Maggie.

- Oh, let's play!

Don't go runnin' away.

Ain't nowhere to hide.

- Oh, what do you boys
want with me?

- You know what we want,
Maggie, girl.

- Uhh! Let go of me!

- Settle down if you know
what's good for you.

- You let go of me!

- You remember me now,
don't you, Maggie?

- No!
- I sure remember you.

- What makes you think
you're so special

that I would remember you?

- Still sassy mouth.
- Aah!

- Hold her.
- No!

Uhh!

- You boys still haven't
stopped treating women poorly.

Get your filthy hands off her.

Now, git.

- Afraid we can't do that.

- It's me you want.

- Don't be so quick to die.

Easy.

- You see, we mean business.

You got somethin' to say
before you die?

- May god have mercy
on your pathetic souls.

- You should have been
a preacher.

Pope, you best
get around here,

in case we miss and hit you.

- Uhh!
- Uhh!

- Aah!
- Uhh!

- Uhh!

- It's all right now.
It's over.

Let's get outta here.

- Heard a couple of gunshots.

[Indistinct chatter,

You two all right?

- We're fine.

Two of your boys
shot each other.

- Just about the time
I think everything's all right,

up jumps the devil.

- They used you to bait me.

What were you doin' there?

- Deliverin' laundry.

- Everything's all right now.

- You carry a photograph
in your Bible.

Don't need to talk about it
if it's too painful.

- They're gone.

Murdered.

After they died, I...

I turned to bounty hunting,

thinkin' that
I was serving justice.

Church ruins outside of town?

That was my church.

Quinn blew it up.

My wife and daughter...
Rachel.

They're buried
in the cemetery.

- So you came back
for revenge.

- No. My wife made me promise
never to act in vengeance.

- Why are you still here?

You could've ridden
out of town,

not looked back.

- The life I've been leading
is weak of spirit.

Void of feelings.

It's no way
for a man to live.

Maggie...

I just--

- Mama?

- What are you doin' up,
honey?

- I'm scared.

- What?
What are you scared about?

- I don't know.

- Come on. It's almost dawn.

I'll tuck you back in.

- I want him to tuck me in.

- It would be my honor.

This, uh, used to belong
to a very special little lady.

I think she'd want you
to have it.

- Thank you.

- Good night.

- Mr. Quinn!

Mr. Quinn!

- Mornin', colonel.

- I have a plan
for the squatters.

I trust the bounty hunter
situation

was taken care of last night?

- They were 3 of my best men.

- By "were,"

I assume that you and your men
have failed me.

- Should have done it myself.
I'll get him.

- No. I can't wait any longer.

Now, I need those squatters,

and I need that bounty hunter
taken care of.

I make myself clear?

- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.

And Mr. Quinn...
- Yes, sir?

I want all the townsmen
right here.

- Yes, sir.

- Boys,

I've asked you
to come together today

out of your civic duty.
I ask you to realize

the growth that we've made
in this town,

and I ask you
to realize your future.

'Cause we got big plans
for the future.

But there are those
who don't share the same pride

for little Springs' growth,

our vision.

There are those
who would rather

separate themselves
from us.

Shun us.

But if in doing so,
they inhibit our growth--

if in doing so,
they inhibit our aspirations,

then they pose a threat
to our very existence.

I speak of those
who have settled on land

that is not rightfully theirs!

- We're talking about
them pesky squatters.

- And they who pose
a threat to us

and our very existence

bring cause for concern.

Now you might say
and you might ask,

what kind of harm
can these people bring?

One word--respect.

They don't respect you.

They don't respect
our way of life.

They would have us
live wild in tents,

exposed to the elements,
and worship who knows what.

- Well, what are we
gonna do, colonel?

- Well, there's
only one thing to do.

We ride out there,
and we get their attention...

Display a force.

It's the only thing
they understand.

- That's a good idea.
- And if they won't leave,

you kill the ones
who get in your way.

Hell, you kill 'em all,
'cause you people,

we have to learn
that freedom is not cheap.

Progress doesn't come
without pain.

Progress doesn't come
without sacrifice.

It's pain and sacrifice!

Freedom is not cheap!

Who among you
is gonna ride out there

and do their civic duty?

- I will.
- I will.

- Just make your Mark.

Thank you, boys.

- What is it you want here?

- Came to talk.

- I suppose your gang's
up there,

just waitin' for your signal.

- Just me. No gang.

- Say your peace.

- Sorry to hear about Elijah.

- You ride out here
to tell us that?

- His death was
just the beginning.

- As you can see for yourself,
we're stayin'.

- Next time, they'll kill
every single one of you.

Women and children, too.

- Let 'em try.
We're not afraid.

- They'll have guns.

You think Elijah
would want you to die?

- We'll stand our ground.

- Then may god have mercy
on your souls,

because they won't.

- "He is faithful
who promised."

- They'll come at first light.

You can count on that.

- What have we done
to deserve this?

- You did nothing, son.
Absolutely nothing.

Some men are just pure evil.

- Elijah always said
that the lord will come

when you least expect him.

- What a bunch of amateurs
out there.

- I see them as...

Concerned citizens.

They do the deed for us,
keep our hands clean.

- Yeah, but I'll be
leading 'em.

- No. No, no.

You see, as sheriff,

you went out there
to stop 'em,

but you got there too late.

- We'll ride out at dawn.

And I will be waiting

for a favorable report.

- You all right?

- Yes, I'm fine.

- Thought you'd be goin'.

You might be needin' this.

I know you have to go, but--

- there's no one here
to help these folks.

- I think I understand.

- Where's he goin', mama?

- To help some nice folks.

- Is he gonna come back?

- I don't know, honey.

- I hope he does.

- So do I.

Now, where'd you get
that doll?

- He gave it to me.

- He--

- Billy.

- You're leavin'.

- There's too many of 'em,
Billy.

They got guns
and they'll use 'em.

- I thought
we had this settled.

- They aim to wipe us out
for sure this time.

I say we pack up and get out
while we still got our skins.

- They'll just follow us

until they run us
to the ground.

I'm not leavin'.

We have got a perfect
right to this land,
and we was cheated.

They're gonna have to Bury me
first if they want it!

If you don't
make a stand now,

what happens the next place
you go, and the next?

- We're unarmed!

- That's the way
we've always lived.

- Early on, we said

that guns would only lead
to more killin'.

We'd just end up
shootin' and murderin'
our own eventually.

I'm stayin'.

- That's what Elijah
would want, Samuel.

- What about the children?

- The women will load them
into a wagon

and hide down by
the old buffalo hollow.

That way they'll be safe.

- If we stand together,

we can win!

- All right. Let's ride!

- Mornin'.

- Come to join us?

- If you will allow me.

- Think your gun's
gonna make things well?

Do you have a better plan?

- Our plan is
to stay right here.

- That's not a plan.
That's suicide.

- I'm sorry
if we disappoint you.

- Just don't get between me

and those who are coming.

- We won't allow any gunplay
on these grounds.

- Did you tell them
that rule?

Because they are armed.

Willin' to kill anyone
who gets in their way.

- So be it.

- We prayed for protection.

- Praying won't protect you

from what's about
to take place here,

and that Bible won't stop
a piece of hot lead.

- We are not leaving.

- You people ready to vacate
colonel cusack's land?

- It's not his land!

- He holds the deed,
legal and proper.

- You know we paid him for it.

- Either you pack up
and leave,

or my men will shoot you down

until each and every one
of you trespassers is dead.

Do I make myself clear?

- Aah!

You all right?

- You, sir,

are the trespassers!

Get off our land!

- Get ready to fire, men.

This is your last warnin'.

- Gonna blow them up,
too, Quinn?

You're very good at blowin' up
women and children,

shootin' unarmed men.

These people don't care for
guns being used on their land.

I'd hate to upset them.

- Makes me no never mind
what they care for.

- I'm not gonna let you
kill these people.

Not this time.

- You're him.

Preacher.

Preacher from the church.
I knew I'd seen you before.

- Go on, child killer.

- Uhh!

- Who's next?

One of you shoots,
and I promise...

All of you will die.

- I suspect
you're all decent men

who were led astray.

- This ain't our fight, boys.
Let's go.

- You knew him from somewhere.

- I apologize for killing him
on your land.

- That'll be the end of it.
We thank you.

- There's one more matter
before it's over.

- Can we be of help, brother?

- Just finish buildin'
that church.

- Hold it right there.

- Quinn told me the colonel
wanted to see me.

- Wait here.

- Uhh!
- Uhh!

- Ah. The bounty hunter.

I was expecting somebody else.

May I assume that sheriff Quinn
is no longer with us?

- You may.

- May I also assume...

That my men outside
are indisposed?

I see.

Well...

Cognac?

Oh, that's right. You, uh,

you don't care for cognac.

Well...

Well.

To your health.

Ahh.

Are you gonna kill me?

I mean, I don't think
I have a bounty on my head.

- There should be.

- What is this, some form of--
of revenge? A vendetta?

- It's about justice.

- I am
an unusually persuasive man.

Now, perhaps I could
change your mind.

- Write out a bill of sale

for that land
you sold to settlers.

Right...Now.

- Do you really think
what's taken place here

is gonna stop
when you kill me?

The stakes are too great.

And if not me,

there are other greedy men,
just as hungry.

- Never said I came here
to kill you.

- What? You're just
gonna walk away?

Uhh!

- Welcome to hell, colonel.

- You're late.