Gunfight in Abilene (1967) - full transcript
Fighting in the Civil War a man accidently kills his friend. Returning to Abilene after the war he finds his former sweetheart about to marry the brother of the man he killed. To pay his debt he not only refuses to win her back but takes the job of Sheriff, a job he doesn't want, when the brother asks him. Still haunted by the killing he refuses to carry a gun. But there is trouble between the ranchers and the farmers and when he finds the brother murdered he straps on a gun and heads after the killer.
♪ Amy
♪ Soft as the April snow
♪ Amy
♪ Lovely as indigo
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Here's what I mean to say
♪ Love me
♪ If only for today
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
smile for me too ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Soft as the April snow
♪ Amy
♪ Lovely as indigo
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Here's what I mean to say ♪
♪ Love me
♪ If only for today
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
smile for me too ♪
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
♪ Smile for me too
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
Soldier.
Keep that arm covered.
Did you get the water?Yes,
it cost us Jeremy.
Make sure the wounded get
a ration of water.Yes, sir.
Elmer, go bring in the outpost guard.
Ain't gonna be no Yankee
foot soldiers here tonight.
Not as long as they're using
their big guns. Go ahead, get.
Sergeant, what's the count?
Eleven men.
That's counting any
wounded that can walk.
Them Yankees will be all over
as soon as the cannons quit.
Sure ain't got much
to hold them off with.
You know something? We
ain't even gonna try.
No, sir. Look.
We move straight east,
We can get out of this pocket.
So you can use the dark and that
cannon fire to keep us covered.
At least there's a chance.
Damn slim chance.
Better than staying here, sergeant.
Yeah, I guess.
I know. Now get 'em ready.
Yes, sir. All right,
men, we're gonna move--
Major.
What is it?I can't find my rifle.
Private, you go right
on over there. Hear?
I'll find your rifle for you.
I had it only just a minute ago.
Tully, Tully.
Take what's left of the men
and move east and move fast.
I'll lay back here and
cover for you. Now get out.
Go ahead.
There's a thousand of them coming.
Cal, I tried to get to you.
I
tried--
Dave.
Dave!
I'm dying, Cal.Dave.
David.
Boy, I thought you was
one of them stray Yankees.
Halt!
Halt! We'll open fire!
Dave.
Get him a doctor.
Get him a doctor.
Get him a doctor!
Man: Here, let me see
that newspaper, boy.
Come on, look. Look at that.
He's telling the truth.
Listen, we're gonna
get out of here, boy.
It's over, major. We're
gonna be let loose.
Guard says we'll be issued
mounts and sent on our way.
That's the fourth time this
month that the war's been over.
But it's so this time.
He had a newspaper. I saw it.
We're gonna go home.
You ain't bringing
them cows through here.
You better haul yourself
out of the way, old man.
You pull that fence down, you'll
have to answer to me and Mr. Sprague.
All right, move 'em out.
Easy.
Watch it.Thanks.
Don't I know you, boy?
Cord Decker.
Doggone if it ain't.
The war must be really over to
send all you young lads home.
You hurt, Smoky?
I've been cut with barbed wire before.
It could have been worse.
My missus will raise Cain
when she sees this torn shirt.
You ain't asking what happened.
It's plain to see.
You're a real Kansas boy.
I better get back, tell Mr. Sprague
what they did to his field here.
Lord's own shame, ain't it?
Yeah, well, maybe we
can still catch 'em.
Dozen of them. Just two of us, Cord.
Leave it be.
The lord's own shame.
I got some hot coffee.
You're welcome to a cup.
Come on.
All right!
Come out into the light
where I can see your face.
Cal.
Cal Wayne!
How are you, Cord?
Doggone surprised
is how. I thought--
Cal Wayne.
You're gonna stop folks
dead in their tracks
when you get into Abilene.
I can't look that bad.
You're supposed to be dead and buried.
I got a letter. It must be a year now.
Somebody spread the word
they'd seen you shot dead.
Even went to your burying
and laid lilies on your grave.
That come pretty close to the truth.
Hard to believe. I don't
mean your still being alive,
but I mean us.
Not more than a month ago,
mean and you could never have talked.
And we weren't any different
except my uniform was blue
And yours was gray.Hmm.
And our thinking was
different, too, I guess.
I hope all that's behind us.
Yeah, I hope.
You look like you could use some of that
coffee. Come on over, sit by the fire.
Oh, yeah.
Thought you'd never ask.
Hey, Cal, I got a son.
He's two. I ain't even seen him yet.
Is that right?I got a picture, though.
Ain't he a big one?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, well, you're a
mighty lucky young man.
And on my way home!
You won't even know
Abilene when you get back.
They had five sets of railway tracks
You ain't saying very much, Cal.
You ain't giving much chance, boy.
You know, I
feel like--
Like I got wings.
Like I could flap my arms and fly!
Going home. Whoo-hoo!
Hey, where's Dave Evers?
Did you two get split up by Jeff Davis?
Would have taken a
president to split you up.
Dave's dead.
Well, listen, now.
You were reported dead.
Could be Dave Evers--
I said Dave's dead!
I'm sorry, Cal.
So am I, boy.
So am I.
Watch this.
What's new, Ed?
Nothing much. Things
are about the same as--
Cal? Cal Wayne?
What's the matter? You look
like you just seen a ghost.
Folks
thought you--
You ain't dead.
I don't think so.
You're getting a little thick
around the middle, ain't you?
Well, yeah. Frank!
Frank Norton, come over here!
I'll be damned!
Ain't he the healthiest
looking ghost you ever saw?
I'd have bet my shirt you wasn't killed.
Sure you would. Me too.
The drinks are on me. Come on!
Hey, hold on, Ed. I'd like to join you,
But, well, I come here
to see Grant Evers.
And I think I oughta to do that first.
Where can I find him?
Odds are the king's
in his counting house.
Cal: Dave?Ed: Yeah.
Grant put Dave's name on that
sign when he first started.
He never took it off.
Grant's a farmer. What would
he know about trading cattle?
All he has to.
Wayne.
Wasn't he sheriff here before the war?
That's right.
Supposed to be fast with a gun.
Supposed to be.
Not wearing one now.
Maybe he got religion.
Cal Wayne.
He's alive. I just saw him.
Cal Wayne?
He's coming here. Alive.
Cal, I could hardly believe it.
It's too good to be true.
Well, it's true. I don't
know how good it is.
How about Dave?
He's dead.
You were with him.
Yeah, up at Thompson's woods.
We got word soon after,
and seeing you again,
I thought
maybe--
My right arm.
What I used to say he was.
And he was. He was.
Come on inside. I want
you to see something.
Pleased to see you back, Mr. Wayne.
Thank you.
Well, you sure done real good
for yourself, haven't you?
It's better than that.
You know, Cal, when I first heard
the railroad was coming through here,
I tied up all the big
eastern cattle buyers.
Cattle, huh?Cattle. That's right.
I knew the ranchers would have to
trail their herds up here for shipment.
You need land to graze the cattle on.
Fatten 'em up before shipping 'em out.
Remember that land
Dave bought for farming?
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
I've been adding to it ever since.
This is it. Evers property.
Miles of it. Second largest
in the state and still growing.
Dave and Grant Evers. Sure
wish Dave was here to see this.
His name will be up
there as long as mine is.
Cal, did Dave say anything to you?
Or give you a message
for me before he died?
Grant, there wasn't much
chance for him to say anything.
We got enough Yankee
sodbusters here in Abilene.
Give me my gun.
Why, sure, here it comes.
Cord:
All right, come on. We'll
be glad to take you all on.
Come on, hold it. Go
on, get out of here.
Hey, my gun.
I'm taking the gun.
It's mine.
I said I'm taking the gun.
Well, wait a minute.
Cord here, he was just
minding his own business.
I'm sheriff of this
town, Wayne, not you.
Back off. I want the gun.Take it.
What are you backing that up with?
That gun in the dirt?
Well, you're just back, Wayne,
so, uh,
so I'm taking it easy on you.
This time. Don't push.
You told him, Cal.
Just like the old days.
Did you see that Slade back down?
Frank: Yeah, he quit cold.
Ed: Come on, Cal.
Take your old job back.
What about it, Cal?
You know dang well we need you.
No, I've had about all the
fighting I want for a while.
Thanks just the same.
Cal, no use making that trip.
She's not there.
Amy. She's not at home.
She's at the dressmakers.
I sent word to her,
but there's something I want to
tell you before she gets here.
I mean, she's all right. Ain't
nothing wrong with her, is there?
No, no, she's fine.
Cal, I want to level with you.
Amy's gonna marry me. Claims she
hadn't heard from you for a year,
and then she got word from
you that you were dead.
I hadn't heard from Dave
and got word that he was gone
and she had nobody. I had nobody.
There was nothing
underhanded about it, Cal.
I understand that, Grant.
But you were still alive.
I can tell you this--
Cal.
Amy.
Congratulations to you.
Grant here was telling me about you two.
You didn't write.
Well,
I--
That's all in the past, ain't it?
Well, look at the three
of us standing here like
kids caught with our
hands in the cookie jar.
Shouldn't be that way at all, should it?
I'm happy for both of you.
Forgive me. I gotta be going.
Somebody's gotta really
welcome you back, Cal.
You mark my words.
This time we'll get a legislature
that'll look after the
interests of the cattleman.
Teach some of these
farmers the facts of life.
Up to now we've had to fight
for everything the hard way.
Too many fences left in this state.
You're right. Kansas is changing
from farm to cattle country.
And the sooner them
sodbusters find out about it,
the better it's gonna be.
The farmers were here
before that cussed railroad.
Mister, I wasn't talking to you.
Then you keep your
speechmaking to yourself.
Oh.Nelson, I think you best go home.
I said get!
Nelson, I think you best stay home.
That was close.
Close only counts when you're
pitching horseshoes, Frank.
Did you ever see 500 head
of cattle on the move?
They take up plenty of
space and they'll stomp you
right into the ground.
They don't stop for nothing.
Fences, sheds, crops, nothing.
That's why I sold out to Grant.
Considering there was
nothing left of the farm,
Grant give me a pretty good deal.
There's nothing for you in Abilene, Cal.
Do yourself a favor and
get out while you can.
No, no, you won't.
Who's Joe Slade?
He was Grant's range boss.
Boyce Madden was sheriff
and done a good job
And Slade came on as his deputy.
Six weeks later, Madden was bushwhacked.
Slade got his badge and they
never did find the killer.
Thanks, Frank.
Cal.Hmm?
I don't know what you figure on doing,
But if you stay, you can't
just sit on the front porch
and fan yourself.
You're gonna have to pick a side.
Wayne.
You got a big reputation with a gun.
How come you're not wearing one?
Well, everybody around here tells me
that we got a real good sheriff.
So I figure I don't need me no gun.
Well, we got some pretty rough boys here
bringing in those Texas cows.
I'd hate to see them
take advantage of you.
Thank you, Sheriff, I appreciate that.
I tell you what I'm gonna do.
If I run into any kind
of trouble whatsoever,
why, I'm gonna holler for you.
I'm not proud, Cal.
Leann,
I--
I was waiting for you.
You didn't come to me. I came to you.
I'm sorry--
I love you.
I always have.
Man: Grant, come out here, Grant!
We wanna talk to you.
We got business with you, Grant.
This is your last chance.
We're gonna take what's ours, Grant.
We're through talking.
Grant, you got 60
seconds to get out here.
They'll murder you. They will.
You just listen to
them. They'll murder you.
Come on out here! Come on out!
Get out here,
Grant, or we'll--
You can hear me in there, Grant.
We ain't gonna hold
off no longer, Grant.
We'll come in and get you.
Thirty seconds.
Watch is running a little
fast, ain't it, Rod?
Stand clear of this, Cal.
Don't try and stop us.
That's not a job for me.
That's a job for the sheriff.
What's your problem?
Grant drove in a herd yesterday.
Right through my property.
Tore out five miles of fence
and my whole fall planting.
I want what's coming to me.
Well, there's a law here in Abilene,
and there's a courthouse, too.
You've been away a long time, Cal.
Cattle money pays the judges.
We got cattlemen's law here. We know.
We're no being pushed another inch, Cal.
We're gonna protect what belongs to us!
All: Yeah!
I'm coming in to get you, Grant.
I don't know. It seems to me that
the way you wanna do it,
you're gonna get in a
whole lot of trouble.
Now if Grant owes you,
well, you'll get paid.
Man: Let's go!
Come on, let's go get him!
Cal, thank you. You said it all for me.
If you men had come
here like businessmen
instead of a hanging posse,
I'd have come out and told you myself.
Now my men made a mistake.
It's their fault and
it's my responsibility.
So, Sprague,
you take your bill to the bank.
I'll see that it's honored.
That's the first mistake Grant's made.
Huh. I wouldn't be too sure.
I wonder what got into him.
I don't know.
Just as long as I get my money.
First time we ever came out on top.
Cord: How about taking
your old job back, Cal?
We'll throw Slade out!
Yeah, Cal, how about it?
That's that Decker kid again.
Man: Yeah, Cal, how about it?
Yeah, we need you, Cal!
We all need you!
We're the shipping center of the west.
Price of beef is sky high. The
demand is more than the supply,
and it all has to come through Abilene.
Well, I've heard the
same argument about wheat.
Cuban, the best.
Now I'm beginning to understand
why the price of beef is so high.
Seems to me that everything
around here is the best.
Everything is the best, huh?
Almost.
Like to trade places?
What are you plans, Cal?
Oh, I figured I'd head out
to Oregon or California, maybe.
A town like this could sure use you.
We're sitting on top
of a powder keg here.
It's ready to go off any minute.
We need a strong
man.You got a strong man.
Slade, he's heavy-handed,
and he's got poor judgment.
He made an enemy of every farmer
within a hundred miles of here,
And some say even further.Funny,
I wasn't talking about Slade.
Well, Cal, I won't deny
that the cattlemen have pushed
the farmers pretty far till now.
But we'd be out of
business if we hadn't.
Well, how about now?
Now the trails are
pretty well established.
We have all the grazing land we need.
It's a kind of a balance, but
there's gonna be trouble now and then.
You can help maintain that balance.
The way you talked with
Sprague this morning.
You got a hothead like that to
listen, there'd be no trouble.
Seems to me he had his reasons.
It hasn't all been one-sided, Cal.
We paid double for that land, triple.
The cattlemen and the farmers
listen to you. They trust you.
Now Sprague said it this morning.
Abilene needs you.
Take the job as sheriff, will you?
I don't want it.
All right, let me put it this way.
I need you.
That's a little hard for me to believe.
Seems to me you don't need nothing.
That's how it looks from
where you're standing.
Everything I own, every penny is tied up
in those herds out in my range,
and if there's a range
war, I'm wiped out.
Farmers are ready for it.
Make no mistake about that.
Anything can set it off. It
almost started this morning.
You know, Cal, since
you and Dave went away,
I've been at the mercy of every two
bit gunslinger that comes into town.
That's why I had to
hire a man like Slade.
To be my right hand, the right
hand that Dave was gonna be.
But he's hired help. I
can be out-bid at any time.
I can't shoot, Cal.
I can't trust anyone. It's like
living with an axe over your head.
Watching every stranger
that comes into town.
If Dave was here, it'd be no problem.
But Dave's dead.
There's only you, Cal.
I need you. Take the job.
Okay, seeing as how you put it that way.
That's the least I owe you, huh?
Now just a minute.
I don't blame you for my hand.
We were kids. That was an accident.
No matter how you look at it,
if it weren't for me,
you'd still have both hands.
No, no.
I don't want you to take
the job for that reason.Look.
I'm here and I'm available.
I'm willing to do it now.
Why don't we just let
the reasons go by, huh?
But what about Joe Slade?
He used to work for me. I'll
just hire him back is all.
Good.
One more thing.
Has to be a law here saying,
"No guns in Abilene."
Even you are gonna find
that hard to enforce.
To your health, Sheriff.
Easy, Tar.
I'll see who it is, Dad.Fine, sure.
Play nice.
When Tar started barking,
I knew it had to be you.
Old Tar didn't forget me.
Well, I didn't mean
that the way it sounded.
I waited a long time, Cal.
Grant told me. I...
I just left him.
Amy, looks like I'm gonna
take my old job back.
Grant said he was going to ask you.
I never thought you would.
Man's gotta earn a living somehow.
But you always talked
about farming. We even--
If you'd only let me
know you were still alive.
Too late to do anything about that now.
Besides, Grant's gonna make
a good husband. Real good.
Do you love him?
He's shown me nothing but
kindness and consideration.
In a way, I do.
Sheriff Slade on his way to see Grant.
Yeah, well, I guess I better be going.
Cal, why did you stop by?
I don't know.
Thought I wanted to talk.
I don't know.
All right, Cal.
Grant: The fat is in the fire,
and a man's a fool if he can't see it.
You're asking me to step down.
I'm telling you to step down.
For myself. I don't
question your loyalty, Slade,
but a man has to pull his horns
in sometime and this is it.
You saw what happened today
in the streets, gunplay.
Trouble every day and it's building up.
You can't push a man and
expect him to thank you for it.
Slade, you heard them yelling
at you today, didn't you?
Sometimes I think they hate you
worse than they hate the cattlemen.
It was that decker kid.
He needs a good lesson--
It could have been anyone.
It's been building up for some time now.
Got to have something to
keep them from breaking out.
That's why I'm giving them Cal Wayne.
The farmers want him and they trust him.
I can get him to do
what I want him to do.
Don't be too sure.
I have my way of handling him.
What about your Amy?
From what I hear, you're taking
a chance having him around.
That's my business.
Okay, what's next?
You hand in your resignation
in writing in the morning.
I want Judge Fennis to swear
in Cal Wayne as soon as he can.
Then you come back to work
for me at your old job.
There's a real future here,
Slade, for the right man.
What about Cal Wayne? He's a
friend of yours, too, isn't he?
Joe, when I grow, you grow with me.
Okay.
I'm ready.
Good night.
Good night.
Hello, Sheriff.
Sorry I wasn't here to see you sworn in,
but I figured somebody
oughta mind the store.
Got a present for you.
You planning on retiring?
I guess that's up to you.
You like your work?
Yeah, I do.
Well, why don't you pin that back on?
I could be a spy left here by
Slade to keep an eye on you.
Yeah, you could.
You still want me to pin this on?
If I want it back, I sure
know how to ask for it.
If I was you, I wouldn't
take the chance keeping me on.
You'll be good at your
work. I've seen you at work.
Yeah, I know that,
but you can't be sure.
Hey, are you always so gabby?
Okay, Sheriff.
Now what are these?
Joe Slade sure loved those shoes.
Took 'em off a gambler
he shot last year.
Used to kill Joe's feet.
Two sizes too small.
You know, I still can't figure
what you're gonna do with this.
I had 'em up all over
town for two days now
and had about 12 guns turned in,
all from harmless folks.
Why didn't you enforce it?
I was waiting for you
to be sworn in, Sheriff.
Let me tell you something.
A man wears a gun,
It means he's ready to use it.
Now I'm gonna take my first tour.
Would you like to join me?
Sure, half the town's
out. I wouldn't miss it.
You're forgetting your own gun.
I give it up.
Do you know what kind of man they
got driving those cows in from Texas?
Tell you what, you
stick real close to me
and make sure nobody
shoots me in the back.
Anything special you
want done with your body?
Nope.
Just see that Slade don't get my boots.
Here they come.
I give 'em about a minute and a half
for that "turn in your gun" law.
You don't know the man.
I got $50 here says he
never lives to see nightfall.
You're on.
Hey, Loop, here comes the new sheriff.
Loop: Hey, Wayne, you the new sheriff?
Looks like you're gonna
have a reception committee.
Come take a look at this.
I wanna see Wayne talk
himself out of this one.
You want me to give up my gun, Sheriff?
I ain't giving my gun
up to nobody, Sheriff.
Tell him, Loop, tell him!
You best come take it from
me, Sheriff, if you want it.
That's right, Loop.
You know the law. I'll take the gun.
You can pick it up when you leave town.
I'll make him eat it.
Come ahead, Sheriff.
That loudmouth is mean and fast
and itching for trouble.
You better take this.
She looks kind of worried, doesn't she?
Loop: Come on, Sheriff, I'm
waiting for you to take my gun.
All right, hold that a bit.
There are 10 guns in back
of me to take care of you.
Now y'all know the law in Abilene.
Check your guns.
Well, you heard what
the sheriff said. Get!
He's got 'em.And they know it.
We were losing stock
up in the north range.
Take some men up there.
See what's going on.
Here, that'll see you through.
Thanks.
Anything else you want taken care of?
I'll let you know.
Anytime.
I don't like him, either.
She's wonderful hostess, Grant.
Everything was just perfect.
I think she's too good for him.
Thank you. I'm glad
you enjoyed yourselves.
Good night.
Pure magic, Amy.Thank you.
You know, I've always wanted
to make this house a place that
people would wanna be invited to,
and you've done just that for me.
You have a wonderful
way with people, dear.
You're the best thing
that's happened to me, Amy.
She sure is.
You still wanna marry me?
What do you mean?
I'm a proud man, Amy. And I love you.
I don't want anything that belongs
to me belonging to somebody else.
Cal Wayne?
That's over and done with.
You sure?
I'm sure.
Only two people in the whole world
that ever meant anything to me.
Dave and you.
Dave is lost now,
But I don't know what
I'd do if I lost you.
I'll never let you down, Amy.
I tell you what,
why do we have to wait until
next month to get married?
Why not next week?
Next week?
Sure, we can send out the invitations
in the next couple of days.
That is unless something's
holding you back.
Nothing.Good.
Cal: Dave.
Huh, Dave?
You're alive.
Glad to see you're alive.
Dave. No, Dave, I didn't do it.
The gun did it, Dave.
The gun did it, Dave.
I
- I didn't do it. Dave!
Whoa.
I'll be back in a minute.
Thank you.
Sure she won't mind?
She?Leann.
Beautiful team you got there.
An engagement present from Grant.
Fine animals, real fine.
Is Leann the reason you
didn't ask me to-- Nope.
I'm jealous, Cal.
I've got no right, but I am.
Your wedding's in a week.
Why don't you tell me not to marry him?
Cal, if I was you, I'd take
a run out to the north trail
and have a talk with a few people.
Some of Grant's men beat up
the Collins boys last night.
They claimed the farmers have been
helping themselves to Grant's cattle.
Well, have they?Some people
think Grant owes 'em something.
Subtle, ain't he?
Hold it. Hold it!
Separated from the herd. Come on.
Hyah!
Slade, Slade, it's that loudmouth boy.
Yeah.
Let's go.
Whoo-whoo. Lookee here.
The calf strayed onto my farm.
I was just bringing it back.
Sure you were.
Now, Loop, you know farmers don't lie.
This man says he was bringing him back,
he was bringing him back.
That's just what I was doing, Slade.
Well, I'm not arguing with you, boy.
I'm grateful to you. I've been
meaning to thank you anyway,
for looking after my boy.
You know him. He must
be two years old by now.
Awful good-looking boy.
He lives with his mother at your house.
Awful good-looking woman, your wife.
You
filthy--
Hey, Slade, about that boy.
He ain't yours. He's mine.
Go get him, Loop!
Hey, it could be just as easy be
anybody's kid now I come to think on it.
She wasn't too choosy.
Shut
your--
I want your ears.Slade: He's mine!
He's mine. Get off him!
Get off!
All right, now strip off his shirt.
Tie him up to that wagon.
Move!
Give me the rope.
Now, sodbuster,
You stay off Mr. Evers' land.
And you keep your hands
off Mr. Evers' cattle.
Now get him out of here.Hyah! Hyah!
Come on, we can't hang
around here all day.
Ain't you ever seen a
horse run up a hill before?
Whew!
The problem with this business is
it makes a man old before his time.
I never did hear of no sheriff
living to be an old man. Did you?
Sure.
They didn't shoot old Walter
Smith till he was almost 31.
Probably lied about his age.
Probably.
Ward.
What's that?Let's have a look. Come on.
Ho! Ho, ho.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Take him down easy now. Easy. Easy.Okay.
Watch his back. Watch
his back. Watch his back.
Man, I never saw nobody
cut up like that before.
He's just about alive.
We're gonna need a wagon
to get him to doc Caswell's.
I'll get one. Nelson's place
is about a mile from here.
Yeah.
He ain't come out of it yet.
Ain't no sense in you hanging around.
I'll stay with him.
If you need me, just holler.
Sheriff, what are you gonna do about it?
I don't know yet.
You don't know?
Cord's a friend of yours.
What's the matter?
Cord came-to for a couple of seconds.
Between what he said and
what his wife told us,
we found out how it happened.
Cord was taking a stray Calf
off his land back onto Evers'.
He ran into Slade and
a couple of his buddies.
Cord was on Evers' land.
We can't hang a thing on Slade.
Yeah, I know that.
You see, in this state
it's perfectly all right to
just go ahead and shoot a man
if he trespasses on your property.
Legally, our hands are tied.
Well, your hands may be tied,
but ours ain't.
I'll tell you something else, Sheriff,
you better strap on a gun.
If Cord dies, you're gonna
have to use it on me to stop me.
He was trespassing.
The law
says--
I know what the law says.
For the past three years,
we've gotten what we wanted
from the farmers by splitting them up,
by out-guessing them every
time they tried to get together
And you give them the one thing
that could pull 'em together.
You know what'll happen
if Cord Decker dies?
I got a pretty good idea, yeah.
I thought this was just another
stupid mistake of yours, Slade,
but it wasn't, was it? You're
trying to force a showdown.
I can handle anything that happens.
Well, you're a fool.
That's the one thing we've got to avoid.
I work for you.
But I wanna tell you one thing.
Any stupid mistake was made was yours.
When you paid off Sprague in
front of those farmers last week,
you showed them you could give in.
That's something you never did before,
and you never should have done it.
You got to where you are by clubbing
them till they was too scared to move.
And you gotta keep on doing
it if you wanna stay on top.
All right, all right,
you said your piece.
I'm not gonna argue with you.
Go on up to the range
cabin in the buttes.
I just hope that Cord Decker doesn't
die and this whole mess blows over.
What if he does die?
Then we'll both know which one
of us made the mistake, Slade.
You were hoping that was Cal.
I'm stone sober, Amy.
Is there anything I can do?
I know I haven't given you much to be
proud about since your mother died, Amy.
But even if I failed,
your happiness is all I ever
wanted in the whole world.
I know, Dad. I know.
As long as you know Cal's alive,
you'll never be happy with Grant.
Don't marry him, Amy.
You'll regret it for the
rest of your life if you do.
Don't do it. Don't.
Hey, hey, take it easy now.
Take it easy, boy.
It's me Cal.
Slade.
Filthy lies
about my Annie,
my son.
Don't you worry. I'll
take care of Slade.
Thanks, Cal.
Two years of war,
I didn't get a scratch.
Come home and...
You'll be all right, boy.
It's funny.
Man's gotta fight to live in peace.
How is he?
He's conscious, but that's about all.
Now look, you're not doing
Cord or yourselves any good.
We're not breaking the law, are we?
No.
Then why don't you just
let us worry about that?
Look, Cord is my friend.
And if my friend dies,
then I'm gonna make
Slade a personal affair.
Slade takes his orders from Grant Evers.
You gonna make that a
personal affair, too?
Pretty edgy.
Notice that wagon they
got with them?Yeah.
I'm glad you got the good
sense to leave it alone.
You seen Grant?
He's got a herd of cattle coming in.
He's probably at his ranch.
I think I better take a ride out there.
What'll I do if Cord dies?
Don't do nothing. I
won't be gone that long.
I came by to see Grant. Is he around?
I'm waiting for him myself.
Well, I...
I think I better wait
outside till he gets back.
I came to tell Grant
I'm not marrying him.
You can come in.
I'm returning the team and buggy.
The saddle horse is mine.
I just can't marry Grant.
You're gonna hurt
him, Amy. He loves you.
Is that all you can say, Cal?
That's all.
You loved me. We planned
our life together.
Is that all gone?
Amy, I can't hurt Grant.
I've been trying to understand, Cal,
ever since you got back.
It just can't be a guilty conscience
over that accident to Grant's hand.
You weren't like this before the war.
What is it, Cal? What happened?
Amy, the war does
funny things. It--
You're somebody else.
You're the man that left Abilene
and you're somebody else, too.
You never knew how to
run and hide before.
And you don't love Leann.
She loves you, but you don't love her.
You let her hide you.
And she doesn't care.
The fight you had in
front of the Star saloon,
you were afraid.
I saw it.
I did.
You were afraid and
you didn't use your gun.
Why? What were you afraid of?
It wasn't the man.
It was something else.
What are you running away from, Cal?
Please, please, let
me fight this with you.
Let us both fight it with you, Cal.
I've seen things, too, Amy.
I saw Cal give you up.
I saw him take the job of Sheriff
when he wanted no part of it.
It was because I asked him to do it.
I think you're right, Amy.
A man doesn't do all those
things just out of friendship.
What am I holding over your
head that I don't know about?
I killed your brother, Grant.
You killed Dave.
We were on a patrol.
Ran into a Yankee advance.
Boxed us in for about three days.
And snipers were picking
off my men one by one.
And they started
throwing those heavy guns.
They followed that up
with an infantry rush.
We'd push 'em back,
they'd start the whole
thing all over again.
Well, they kept that up.
No sleep.
Pretty soon the supplies
were down to zero.
Down to five guys.
Five guys out of a whole patrol,
I sent four of them to
try to slip out, get away.
I laid back and I covered 'em.
Yankees started throwing
some big guns again.
And all of a sudden,
everything was real still.
Real still.
I heard a noise in the brush,
and I wheeled and I fired.
I didn't even realize
I'd pulled the trigger.
It was Dave.
By the time I got to him...
he was dead.
I was taking his body back in
when the snipers got me.
Took me to a prison hospital
till a couple months
before the war was over.
Then to a prison camp.
That's what I owe you, Grant.
Part of it's paid.
I can't fire a gun.
I should have told you when
I first got back to town,
but don't ask me why I didn't.
I'm sorry, Cal.
He kills my brother and takes you
away from me and you're sorry for him?
I never belonged to you, Grant.
What happened to Dave was an accident.
An accident, huh?
I see.
I'm sorry,
but I can't--
Go on, get out,
Both of you.
Where's Slade?
I rode out here to tell you that Sprague
is lining up a bunch of farmers in town.
If Cord Decker dies, there's
gonna be a whole lot of trouble.
Sprague, huh?
You tell those farmers that
Decker trespassed on my property.
If anyone else tries it,
they'll get the same treatment.
I would think about that.
I got 40 men. 20 more than
I need. You think that over.
I'll go the rest of the way myself.
All right.
Seems to be nobody home.
Dad's spending the night in town.
Good night.Good night.
You know, there's nothing
the matter with his farm
that a man who wanted to couldn't cure.
Leann?
That's more than that.
It's Leann, and Grant,
and Slade, and all of it.
Cord's dead. Everything's
busted wide open.
Sprague's bunch has already
had a run-in with Grant's men
and Frank Norton's dead.
So are some of his hands.
Everybody's got a taste of blood
and now the farmers wanna hang
all the cattlemen they can find.
I thought Sprague had
more sense than that.
Yeah, well, the last I heard he
was yelling to hang Grant and Slade.
That means they'll be
coming back this way.
You better not stay here alone.
We're gonna go back to Grant's
so you take the back road.
It's longer, but it's safer.
Get yourself to the hotel.
See you there later. Come on.
It's open!
What do you want?
Bill Reardon just rode into
town through the buttes.
The Decker kid's dead.
Sprague's fixing up a posse to hang
all the cattlemen starting with us.
Get out of here.
I risked my neck to ride
in here and tell you that.
You smell like a wet sheepdog. Get out.
You're drunk.
Not drunk enough to know
that no good will come of
your hanging around here.
Slade, I tell you what
I'm gonna do for you here.
There you are.
Now ride off my land
and don't come back.
Your land? 200 acres you
got from your dead brother?
I'd kill men so you could build
this place up into something,
'cause you didn't have
the guts to do it yourself.
That's not enough.
I want more than that.
All right, do you want more?
I'll get you more.
You're not scared, Slade?
Not at all.
You should be 'cause I'm gonna kill you.
I'll settle my differences
with the farmers
and be a hero besides.
I'm gonna kill the man
that whipped Cord Decker to death.
Looks like it's my deal.
I'll raise the ante, Slade.
But I won't crawl.
It's too late for that.
Hyah!
That was Slade.
Cal: Grant!
Open up! It's me Wayne.
Grant! Grant!
What is it?
Grant used to keep the keys
to his storeroom at the office
on this chain. They're gone.
He had them on him last time I saw him.
If Slade took it, he must be
heading for town right now.
You'll be able to use it.
You talk in your sleep.
You take care of him.
I'm going after Slade.
Good luck.
Don't worry, Mrs. Decker.
We're not letting Cord down.
We're hanging Grant and Slade.
And you're not gonna stop us, Cal.
Grant's dead.
Slade got to him first.
Ward's bringing the body into town now.
That just saves us that much trouble.
We'll still get Slade.
There will be no lynching.
I'll take care of Slade.
Why don't you all go home
and put away your guns
before you get yourselves
in a whole lot of trouble?
All right, we'll let
you take care of him.
Hyah! Hyah!
He's packing a gun.
Yeah.
Cal.
Cal.What are you doing here?
Go back upstairs.Who is it, Grant?
Grant's dead.
Slade's throwing all that lead
out there. He killed Grant.
Wayne, if you step out into the street,
I'll argue the point with you.
My horse is in the stable.
You can get out through the back door.
Slade: I always thought
you had a yellow streak.
You can prove me wrong.
I'm going out there.
You got no chance out there.
It's my only chance.
I'm ready to fight it even.
Amy, if I run now,
I'm finished.
Me and you is finished.
It's right here in this gun.
I got to pull the trigger.
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ Soft as the April snow
♪ Amy
♪ Lovely as indigo
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Here's what I mean to say
♪ Love me
♪ If only for today
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
smile for me too ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Soft as the April snow
♪ Amy
♪ Lovely as indigo
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Here's what I mean to say ♪
♪ Love me
♪ If only for today
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
smile for me too ♪
♪ Let me know April
♪ And indigo blue
♪ And let paradise
♪ Smile for me too
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
Soldier.
Keep that arm covered.
Did you get the water?Yes,
it cost us Jeremy.
Make sure the wounded get
a ration of water.Yes, sir.
Elmer, go bring in the outpost guard.
Ain't gonna be no Yankee
foot soldiers here tonight.
Not as long as they're using
their big guns. Go ahead, get.
Sergeant, what's the count?
Eleven men.
That's counting any
wounded that can walk.
Them Yankees will be all over
as soon as the cannons quit.
Sure ain't got much
to hold them off with.
You know something? We
ain't even gonna try.
No, sir. Look.
We move straight east,
We can get out of this pocket.
So you can use the dark and that
cannon fire to keep us covered.
At least there's a chance.
Damn slim chance.
Better than staying here, sergeant.
Yeah, I guess.
I know. Now get 'em ready.
Yes, sir. All right,
men, we're gonna move--
Major.
What is it?I can't find my rifle.
Private, you go right
on over there. Hear?
I'll find your rifle for you.
I had it only just a minute ago.
Tully, Tully.
Take what's left of the men
and move east and move fast.
I'll lay back here and
cover for you. Now get out.
Go ahead.
There's a thousand of them coming.
Cal, I tried to get to you.
I
tried--
Dave.
Dave!
I'm dying, Cal.Dave.
David.
Boy, I thought you was
one of them stray Yankees.
Halt!
Halt! We'll open fire!
Dave.
Get him a doctor.
Get him a doctor.
Get him a doctor!
Man: Here, let me see
that newspaper, boy.
Come on, look. Look at that.
He's telling the truth.
Listen, we're gonna
get out of here, boy.
It's over, major. We're
gonna be let loose.
Guard says we'll be issued
mounts and sent on our way.
That's the fourth time this
month that the war's been over.
But it's so this time.
He had a newspaper. I saw it.
We're gonna go home.
You ain't bringing
them cows through here.
You better haul yourself
out of the way, old man.
You pull that fence down, you'll
have to answer to me and Mr. Sprague.
All right, move 'em out.
Easy.
Watch it.Thanks.
Don't I know you, boy?
Cord Decker.
Doggone if it ain't.
The war must be really over to
send all you young lads home.
You hurt, Smoky?
I've been cut with barbed wire before.
It could have been worse.
My missus will raise Cain
when she sees this torn shirt.
You ain't asking what happened.
It's plain to see.
You're a real Kansas boy.
I better get back, tell Mr. Sprague
what they did to his field here.
Lord's own shame, ain't it?
Yeah, well, maybe we
can still catch 'em.
Dozen of them. Just two of us, Cord.
Leave it be.
The lord's own shame.
I got some hot coffee.
You're welcome to a cup.
Come on.
All right!
Come out into the light
where I can see your face.
Cal.
Cal Wayne!
How are you, Cord?
Doggone surprised
is how. I thought--
Cal Wayne.
You're gonna stop folks
dead in their tracks
when you get into Abilene.
I can't look that bad.
You're supposed to be dead and buried.
I got a letter. It must be a year now.
Somebody spread the word
they'd seen you shot dead.
Even went to your burying
and laid lilies on your grave.
That come pretty close to the truth.
Hard to believe. I don't
mean your still being alive,
but I mean us.
Not more than a month ago,
mean and you could never have talked.
And we weren't any different
except my uniform was blue
And yours was gray.Hmm.
And our thinking was
different, too, I guess.
I hope all that's behind us.
Yeah, I hope.
You look like you could use some of that
coffee. Come on over, sit by the fire.
Oh, yeah.
Thought you'd never ask.
Hey, Cal, I got a son.
He's two. I ain't even seen him yet.
Is that right?I got a picture, though.
Ain't he a big one?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, well, you're a
mighty lucky young man.
And on my way home!
You won't even know
Abilene when you get back.
They had five sets of railway tracks
You ain't saying very much, Cal.
You ain't giving much chance, boy.
You know, I
feel like--
Like I got wings.
Like I could flap my arms and fly!
Going home. Whoo-hoo!
Hey, where's Dave Evers?
Did you two get split up by Jeff Davis?
Would have taken a
president to split you up.
Dave's dead.
Well, listen, now.
You were reported dead.
Could be Dave Evers--
I said Dave's dead!
I'm sorry, Cal.
So am I, boy.
So am I.
Watch this.
What's new, Ed?
Nothing much. Things
are about the same as--
Cal? Cal Wayne?
What's the matter? You look
like you just seen a ghost.
Folks
thought you--
You ain't dead.
I don't think so.
You're getting a little thick
around the middle, ain't you?
Well, yeah. Frank!
Frank Norton, come over here!
I'll be damned!
Ain't he the healthiest
looking ghost you ever saw?
I'd have bet my shirt you wasn't killed.
Sure you would. Me too.
The drinks are on me. Come on!
Hey, hold on, Ed. I'd like to join you,
But, well, I come here
to see Grant Evers.
And I think I oughta to do that first.
Where can I find him?
Odds are the king's
in his counting house.
Cal: Dave?Ed: Yeah.
Grant put Dave's name on that
sign when he first started.
He never took it off.
Grant's a farmer. What would
he know about trading cattle?
All he has to.
Wayne.
Wasn't he sheriff here before the war?
That's right.
Supposed to be fast with a gun.
Supposed to be.
Not wearing one now.
Maybe he got religion.
Cal Wayne.
He's alive. I just saw him.
Cal Wayne?
He's coming here. Alive.
Cal, I could hardly believe it.
It's too good to be true.
Well, it's true. I don't
know how good it is.
How about Dave?
He's dead.
You were with him.
Yeah, up at Thompson's woods.
We got word soon after,
and seeing you again,
I thought
maybe--
My right arm.
What I used to say he was.
And he was. He was.
Come on inside. I want
you to see something.
Pleased to see you back, Mr. Wayne.
Thank you.
Well, you sure done real good
for yourself, haven't you?
It's better than that.
You know, Cal, when I first heard
the railroad was coming through here,
I tied up all the big
eastern cattle buyers.
Cattle, huh?Cattle. That's right.
I knew the ranchers would have to
trail their herds up here for shipment.
You need land to graze the cattle on.
Fatten 'em up before shipping 'em out.
Remember that land
Dave bought for farming?
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
I've been adding to it ever since.
This is it. Evers property.
Miles of it. Second largest
in the state and still growing.
Dave and Grant Evers. Sure
wish Dave was here to see this.
His name will be up
there as long as mine is.
Cal, did Dave say anything to you?
Or give you a message
for me before he died?
Grant, there wasn't much
chance for him to say anything.
We got enough Yankee
sodbusters here in Abilene.
Give me my gun.
Why, sure, here it comes.
Cord:
All right, come on. We'll
be glad to take you all on.
Come on, hold it. Go
on, get out of here.
Hey, my gun.
I'm taking the gun.
It's mine.
I said I'm taking the gun.
Well, wait a minute.
Cord here, he was just
minding his own business.
I'm sheriff of this
town, Wayne, not you.
Back off. I want the gun.Take it.
What are you backing that up with?
That gun in the dirt?
Well, you're just back, Wayne,
so, uh,
so I'm taking it easy on you.
This time. Don't push.
You told him, Cal.
Just like the old days.
Did you see that Slade back down?
Frank: Yeah, he quit cold.
Ed: Come on, Cal.
Take your old job back.
What about it, Cal?
You know dang well we need you.
No, I've had about all the
fighting I want for a while.
Thanks just the same.
Cal, no use making that trip.
She's not there.
Amy. She's not at home.
She's at the dressmakers.
I sent word to her,
but there's something I want to
tell you before she gets here.
I mean, she's all right. Ain't
nothing wrong with her, is there?
No, no, she's fine.
Cal, I want to level with you.
Amy's gonna marry me. Claims she
hadn't heard from you for a year,
and then she got word from
you that you were dead.
I hadn't heard from Dave
and got word that he was gone
and she had nobody. I had nobody.
There was nothing
underhanded about it, Cal.
I understand that, Grant.
But you were still alive.
I can tell you this--
Cal.
Amy.
Congratulations to you.
Grant here was telling me about you two.
You didn't write.
Well,
I--
That's all in the past, ain't it?
Well, look at the three
of us standing here like
kids caught with our
hands in the cookie jar.
Shouldn't be that way at all, should it?
I'm happy for both of you.
Forgive me. I gotta be going.
Somebody's gotta really
welcome you back, Cal.
You mark my words.
This time we'll get a legislature
that'll look after the
interests of the cattleman.
Teach some of these
farmers the facts of life.
Up to now we've had to fight
for everything the hard way.
Too many fences left in this state.
You're right. Kansas is changing
from farm to cattle country.
And the sooner them
sodbusters find out about it,
the better it's gonna be.
The farmers were here
before that cussed railroad.
Mister, I wasn't talking to you.
Then you keep your
speechmaking to yourself.
Oh.Nelson, I think you best go home.
I said get!
Nelson, I think you best stay home.
That was close.
Close only counts when you're
pitching horseshoes, Frank.
Did you ever see 500 head
of cattle on the move?
They take up plenty of
space and they'll stomp you
right into the ground.
They don't stop for nothing.
Fences, sheds, crops, nothing.
That's why I sold out to Grant.
Considering there was
nothing left of the farm,
Grant give me a pretty good deal.
There's nothing for you in Abilene, Cal.
Do yourself a favor and
get out while you can.
No, no, you won't.
Who's Joe Slade?
He was Grant's range boss.
Boyce Madden was sheriff
and done a good job
And Slade came on as his deputy.
Six weeks later, Madden was bushwhacked.
Slade got his badge and they
never did find the killer.
Thanks, Frank.
Cal.Hmm?
I don't know what you figure on doing,
But if you stay, you can't
just sit on the front porch
and fan yourself.
You're gonna have to pick a side.
Wayne.
You got a big reputation with a gun.
How come you're not wearing one?
Well, everybody around here tells me
that we got a real good sheriff.
So I figure I don't need me no gun.
Well, we got some pretty rough boys here
bringing in those Texas cows.
I'd hate to see them
take advantage of you.
Thank you, Sheriff, I appreciate that.
I tell you what I'm gonna do.
If I run into any kind
of trouble whatsoever,
why, I'm gonna holler for you.
I'm not proud, Cal.
Leann,
I--
I was waiting for you.
You didn't come to me. I came to you.
I'm sorry--
I love you.
I always have.
Man: Grant, come out here, Grant!
We wanna talk to you.
We got business with you, Grant.
This is your last chance.
We're gonna take what's ours, Grant.
We're through talking.
Grant, you got 60
seconds to get out here.
They'll murder you. They will.
You just listen to
them. They'll murder you.
Come on out here! Come on out!
Get out here,
Grant, or we'll--
You can hear me in there, Grant.
We ain't gonna hold
off no longer, Grant.
We'll come in and get you.
Thirty seconds.
Watch is running a little
fast, ain't it, Rod?
Stand clear of this, Cal.
Don't try and stop us.
That's not a job for me.
That's a job for the sheriff.
What's your problem?
Grant drove in a herd yesterday.
Right through my property.
Tore out five miles of fence
and my whole fall planting.
I want what's coming to me.
Well, there's a law here in Abilene,
and there's a courthouse, too.
You've been away a long time, Cal.
Cattle money pays the judges.
We got cattlemen's law here. We know.
We're no being pushed another inch, Cal.
We're gonna protect what belongs to us!
All: Yeah!
I'm coming in to get you, Grant.
I don't know. It seems to me that
the way you wanna do it,
you're gonna get in a
whole lot of trouble.
Now if Grant owes you,
well, you'll get paid.
Man: Let's go!
Come on, let's go get him!
Cal, thank you. You said it all for me.
If you men had come
here like businessmen
instead of a hanging posse,
I'd have come out and told you myself.
Now my men made a mistake.
It's their fault and
it's my responsibility.
So, Sprague,
you take your bill to the bank.
I'll see that it's honored.
That's the first mistake Grant's made.
Huh. I wouldn't be too sure.
I wonder what got into him.
I don't know.
Just as long as I get my money.
First time we ever came out on top.
Cord: How about taking
your old job back, Cal?
We'll throw Slade out!
Yeah, Cal, how about it?
That's that Decker kid again.
Man: Yeah, Cal, how about it?
Yeah, we need you, Cal!
We all need you!
We're the shipping center of the west.
Price of beef is sky high. The
demand is more than the supply,
and it all has to come through Abilene.
Well, I've heard the
same argument about wheat.
Cuban, the best.
Now I'm beginning to understand
why the price of beef is so high.
Seems to me that everything
around here is the best.
Everything is the best, huh?
Almost.
Like to trade places?
What are you plans, Cal?
Oh, I figured I'd head out
to Oregon or California, maybe.
A town like this could sure use you.
We're sitting on top
of a powder keg here.
It's ready to go off any minute.
We need a strong
man.You got a strong man.
Slade, he's heavy-handed,
and he's got poor judgment.
He made an enemy of every farmer
within a hundred miles of here,
And some say even further.Funny,
I wasn't talking about Slade.
Well, Cal, I won't deny
that the cattlemen have pushed
the farmers pretty far till now.
But we'd be out of
business if we hadn't.
Well, how about now?
Now the trails are
pretty well established.
We have all the grazing land we need.
It's a kind of a balance, but
there's gonna be trouble now and then.
You can help maintain that balance.
The way you talked with
Sprague this morning.
You got a hothead like that to
listen, there'd be no trouble.
Seems to me he had his reasons.
It hasn't all been one-sided, Cal.
We paid double for that land, triple.
The cattlemen and the farmers
listen to you. They trust you.
Now Sprague said it this morning.
Abilene needs you.
Take the job as sheriff, will you?
I don't want it.
All right, let me put it this way.
I need you.
That's a little hard for me to believe.
Seems to me you don't need nothing.
That's how it looks from
where you're standing.
Everything I own, every penny is tied up
in those herds out in my range,
and if there's a range
war, I'm wiped out.
Farmers are ready for it.
Make no mistake about that.
Anything can set it off. It
almost started this morning.
You know, Cal, since
you and Dave went away,
I've been at the mercy of every two
bit gunslinger that comes into town.
That's why I had to
hire a man like Slade.
To be my right hand, the right
hand that Dave was gonna be.
But he's hired help. I
can be out-bid at any time.
I can't shoot, Cal.
I can't trust anyone. It's like
living with an axe over your head.
Watching every stranger
that comes into town.
If Dave was here, it'd be no problem.
But Dave's dead.
There's only you, Cal.
I need you. Take the job.
Okay, seeing as how you put it that way.
That's the least I owe you, huh?
Now just a minute.
I don't blame you for my hand.
We were kids. That was an accident.
No matter how you look at it,
if it weren't for me,
you'd still have both hands.
No, no.
I don't want you to take
the job for that reason.Look.
I'm here and I'm available.
I'm willing to do it now.
Why don't we just let
the reasons go by, huh?
But what about Joe Slade?
He used to work for me. I'll
just hire him back is all.
Good.
One more thing.
Has to be a law here saying,
"No guns in Abilene."
Even you are gonna find
that hard to enforce.
To your health, Sheriff.
Easy, Tar.
I'll see who it is, Dad.Fine, sure.
Play nice.
When Tar started barking,
I knew it had to be you.
Old Tar didn't forget me.
Well, I didn't mean
that the way it sounded.
I waited a long time, Cal.
Grant told me. I...
I just left him.
Amy, looks like I'm gonna
take my old job back.
Grant said he was going to ask you.
I never thought you would.
Man's gotta earn a living somehow.
But you always talked
about farming. We even--
If you'd only let me
know you were still alive.
Too late to do anything about that now.
Besides, Grant's gonna make
a good husband. Real good.
Do you love him?
He's shown me nothing but
kindness and consideration.
In a way, I do.
Sheriff Slade on his way to see Grant.
Yeah, well, I guess I better be going.
Cal, why did you stop by?
I don't know.
Thought I wanted to talk.
I don't know.
All right, Cal.
Grant: The fat is in the fire,
and a man's a fool if he can't see it.
You're asking me to step down.
I'm telling you to step down.
For myself. I don't
question your loyalty, Slade,
but a man has to pull his horns
in sometime and this is it.
You saw what happened today
in the streets, gunplay.
Trouble every day and it's building up.
You can't push a man and
expect him to thank you for it.
Slade, you heard them yelling
at you today, didn't you?
Sometimes I think they hate you
worse than they hate the cattlemen.
It was that decker kid.
He needs a good lesson--
It could have been anyone.
It's been building up for some time now.
Got to have something to
keep them from breaking out.
That's why I'm giving them Cal Wayne.
The farmers want him and they trust him.
I can get him to do
what I want him to do.
Don't be too sure.
I have my way of handling him.
What about your Amy?
From what I hear, you're taking
a chance having him around.
That's my business.
Okay, what's next?
You hand in your resignation
in writing in the morning.
I want Judge Fennis to swear
in Cal Wayne as soon as he can.
Then you come back to work
for me at your old job.
There's a real future here,
Slade, for the right man.
What about Cal Wayne? He's a
friend of yours, too, isn't he?
Joe, when I grow, you grow with me.
Okay.
I'm ready.
Good night.
Good night.
Hello, Sheriff.
Sorry I wasn't here to see you sworn in,
but I figured somebody
oughta mind the store.
Got a present for you.
You planning on retiring?
I guess that's up to you.
You like your work?
Yeah, I do.
Well, why don't you pin that back on?
I could be a spy left here by
Slade to keep an eye on you.
Yeah, you could.
You still want me to pin this on?
If I want it back, I sure
know how to ask for it.
If I was you, I wouldn't
take the chance keeping me on.
You'll be good at your
work. I've seen you at work.
Yeah, I know that,
but you can't be sure.
Hey, are you always so gabby?
Okay, Sheriff.
Now what are these?
Joe Slade sure loved those shoes.
Took 'em off a gambler
he shot last year.
Used to kill Joe's feet.
Two sizes too small.
You know, I still can't figure
what you're gonna do with this.
I had 'em up all over
town for two days now
and had about 12 guns turned in,
all from harmless folks.
Why didn't you enforce it?
I was waiting for you
to be sworn in, Sheriff.
Let me tell you something.
A man wears a gun,
It means he's ready to use it.
Now I'm gonna take my first tour.
Would you like to join me?
Sure, half the town's
out. I wouldn't miss it.
You're forgetting your own gun.
I give it up.
Do you know what kind of man they
got driving those cows in from Texas?
Tell you what, you
stick real close to me
and make sure nobody
shoots me in the back.
Anything special you
want done with your body?
Nope.
Just see that Slade don't get my boots.
Here they come.
I give 'em about a minute and a half
for that "turn in your gun" law.
You don't know the man.
I got $50 here says he
never lives to see nightfall.
You're on.
Hey, Loop, here comes the new sheriff.
Loop: Hey, Wayne, you the new sheriff?
Looks like you're gonna
have a reception committee.
Come take a look at this.
I wanna see Wayne talk
himself out of this one.
You want me to give up my gun, Sheriff?
I ain't giving my gun
up to nobody, Sheriff.
Tell him, Loop, tell him!
You best come take it from
me, Sheriff, if you want it.
That's right, Loop.
You know the law. I'll take the gun.
You can pick it up when you leave town.
I'll make him eat it.
Come ahead, Sheriff.
That loudmouth is mean and fast
and itching for trouble.
You better take this.
She looks kind of worried, doesn't she?
Loop: Come on, Sheriff, I'm
waiting for you to take my gun.
All right, hold that a bit.
There are 10 guns in back
of me to take care of you.
Now y'all know the law in Abilene.
Check your guns.
Well, you heard what
the sheriff said. Get!
He's got 'em.And they know it.
We were losing stock
up in the north range.
Take some men up there.
See what's going on.
Here, that'll see you through.
Thanks.
Anything else you want taken care of?
I'll let you know.
Anytime.
I don't like him, either.
She's wonderful hostess, Grant.
Everything was just perfect.
I think she's too good for him.
Thank you. I'm glad
you enjoyed yourselves.
Good night.
Pure magic, Amy.Thank you.
You know, I've always wanted
to make this house a place that
people would wanna be invited to,
and you've done just that for me.
You have a wonderful
way with people, dear.
You're the best thing
that's happened to me, Amy.
She sure is.
You still wanna marry me?
What do you mean?
I'm a proud man, Amy. And I love you.
I don't want anything that belongs
to me belonging to somebody else.
Cal Wayne?
That's over and done with.
You sure?
I'm sure.
Only two people in the whole world
that ever meant anything to me.
Dave and you.
Dave is lost now,
But I don't know what
I'd do if I lost you.
I'll never let you down, Amy.
I tell you what,
why do we have to wait until
next month to get married?
Why not next week?
Next week?
Sure, we can send out the invitations
in the next couple of days.
That is unless something's
holding you back.
Nothing.Good.
Cal: Dave.
Huh, Dave?
You're alive.
Glad to see you're alive.
Dave. No, Dave, I didn't do it.
The gun did it, Dave.
The gun did it, Dave.
I
- I didn't do it. Dave!
Whoa.
I'll be back in a minute.
Thank you.
Sure she won't mind?
She?Leann.
Beautiful team you got there.
An engagement present from Grant.
Fine animals, real fine.
Is Leann the reason you
didn't ask me to-- Nope.
I'm jealous, Cal.
I've got no right, but I am.
Your wedding's in a week.
Why don't you tell me not to marry him?
Cal, if I was you, I'd take
a run out to the north trail
and have a talk with a few people.
Some of Grant's men beat up
the Collins boys last night.
They claimed the farmers have been
helping themselves to Grant's cattle.
Well, have they?Some people
think Grant owes 'em something.
Subtle, ain't he?
Hold it. Hold it!
Separated from the herd. Come on.
Hyah!
Slade, Slade, it's that loudmouth boy.
Yeah.
Let's go.
Whoo-whoo. Lookee here.
The calf strayed onto my farm.
I was just bringing it back.
Sure you were.
Now, Loop, you know farmers don't lie.
This man says he was bringing him back,
he was bringing him back.
That's just what I was doing, Slade.
Well, I'm not arguing with you, boy.
I'm grateful to you. I've been
meaning to thank you anyway,
for looking after my boy.
You know him. He must
be two years old by now.
Awful good-looking boy.
He lives with his mother at your house.
Awful good-looking woman, your wife.
You
filthy--
Hey, Slade, about that boy.
He ain't yours. He's mine.
Go get him, Loop!
Hey, it could be just as easy be
anybody's kid now I come to think on it.
She wasn't too choosy.
Shut
your--
I want your ears.Slade: He's mine!
He's mine. Get off him!
Get off!
All right, now strip off his shirt.
Tie him up to that wagon.
Move!
Give me the rope.
Now, sodbuster,
You stay off Mr. Evers' land.
And you keep your hands
off Mr. Evers' cattle.
Now get him out of here.Hyah! Hyah!
Come on, we can't hang
around here all day.
Ain't you ever seen a
horse run up a hill before?
Whew!
The problem with this business is
it makes a man old before his time.
I never did hear of no sheriff
living to be an old man. Did you?
Sure.
They didn't shoot old Walter
Smith till he was almost 31.
Probably lied about his age.
Probably.
Ward.
What's that?Let's have a look. Come on.
Ho! Ho, ho.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Take him down easy now. Easy. Easy.Okay.
Watch his back. Watch
his back. Watch his back.
Man, I never saw nobody
cut up like that before.
He's just about alive.
We're gonna need a wagon
to get him to doc Caswell's.
I'll get one. Nelson's place
is about a mile from here.
Yeah.
He ain't come out of it yet.
Ain't no sense in you hanging around.
I'll stay with him.
If you need me, just holler.
Sheriff, what are you gonna do about it?
I don't know yet.
You don't know?
Cord's a friend of yours.
What's the matter?
Cord came-to for a couple of seconds.
Between what he said and
what his wife told us,
we found out how it happened.
Cord was taking a stray Calf
off his land back onto Evers'.
He ran into Slade and
a couple of his buddies.
Cord was on Evers' land.
We can't hang a thing on Slade.
Yeah, I know that.
You see, in this state
it's perfectly all right to
just go ahead and shoot a man
if he trespasses on your property.
Legally, our hands are tied.
Well, your hands may be tied,
but ours ain't.
I'll tell you something else, Sheriff,
you better strap on a gun.
If Cord dies, you're gonna
have to use it on me to stop me.
He was trespassing.
The law
says--
I know what the law says.
For the past three years,
we've gotten what we wanted
from the farmers by splitting them up,
by out-guessing them every
time they tried to get together
And you give them the one thing
that could pull 'em together.
You know what'll happen
if Cord Decker dies?
I got a pretty good idea, yeah.
I thought this was just another
stupid mistake of yours, Slade,
but it wasn't, was it? You're
trying to force a showdown.
I can handle anything that happens.
Well, you're a fool.
That's the one thing we've got to avoid.
I work for you.
But I wanna tell you one thing.
Any stupid mistake was made was yours.
When you paid off Sprague in
front of those farmers last week,
you showed them you could give in.
That's something you never did before,
and you never should have done it.
You got to where you are by clubbing
them till they was too scared to move.
And you gotta keep on doing
it if you wanna stay on top.
All right, all right,
you said your piece.
I'm not gonna argue with you.
Go on up to the range
cabin in the buttes.
I just hope that Cord Decker doesn't
die and this whole mess blows over.
What if he does die?
Then we'll both know which one
of us made the mistake, Slade.
You were hoping that was Cal.
I'm stone sober, Amy.
Is there anything I can do?
I know I haven't given you much to be
proud about since your mother died, Amy.
But even if I failed,
your happiness is all I ever
wanted in the whole world.
I know, Dad. I know.
As long as you know Cal's alive,
you'll never be happy with Grant.
Don't marry him, Amy.
You'll regret it for the
rest of your life if you do.
Don't do it. Don't.
Hey, hey, take it easy now.
Take it easy, boy.
It's me Cal.
Slade.
Filthy lies
about my Annie,
my son.
Don't you worry. I'll
take care of Slade.
Thanks, Cal.
Two years of war,
I didn't get a scratch.
Come home and...
You'll be all right, boy.
It's funny.
Man's gotta fight to live in peace.
How is he?
He's conscious, but that's about all.
Now look, you're not doing
Cord or yourselves any good.
We're not breaking the law, are we?
No.
Then why don't you just
let us worry about that?
Look, Cord is my friend.
And if my friend dies,
then I'm gonna make
Slade a personal affair.
Slade takes his orders from Grant Evers.
You gonna make that a
personal affair, too?
Pretty edgy.
Notice that wagon they
got with them?Yeah.
I'm glad you got the good
sense to leave it alone.
You seen Grant?
He's got a herd of cattle coming in.
He's probably at his ranch.
I think I better take a ride out there.
What'll I do if Cord dies?
Don't do nothing. I
won't be gone that long.
I came by to see Grant. Is he around?
I'm waiting for him myself.
Well, I...
I think I better wait
outside till he gets back.
I came to tell Grant
I'm not marrying him.
You can come in.
I'm returning the team and buggy.
The saddle horse is mine.
I just can't marry Grant.
You're gonna hurt
him, Amy. He loves you.
Is that all you can say, Cal?
That's all.
You loved me. We planned
our life together.
Is that all gone?
Amy, I can't hurt Grant.
I've been trying to understand, Cal,
ever since you got back.
It just can't be a guilty conscience
over that accident to Grant's hand.
You weren't like this before the war.
What is it, Cal? What happened?
Amy, the war does
funny things. It--
You're somebody else.
You're the man that left Abilene
and you're somebody else, too.
You never knew how to
run and hide before.
And you don't love Leann.
She loves you, but you don't love her.
You let her hide you.
And she doesn't care.
The fight you had in
front of the Star saloon,
you were afraid.
I saw it.
I did.
You were afraid and
you didn't use your gun.
Why? What were you afraid of?
It wasn't the man.
It was something else.
What are you running away from, Cal?
Please, please, let
me fight this with you.
Let us both fight it with you, Cal.
I've seen things, too, Amy.
I saw Cal give you up.
I saw him take the job of Sheriff
when he wanted no part of it.
It was because I asked him to do it.
I think you're right, Amy.
A man doesn't do all those
things just out of friendship.
What am I holding over your
head that I don't know about?
I killed your brother, Grant.
You killed Dave.
We were on a patrol.
Ran into a Yankee advance.
Boxed us in for about three days.
And snipers were picking
off my men one by one.
And they started
throwing those heavy guns.
They followed that up
with an infantry rush.
We'd push 'em back,
they'd start the whole
thing all over again.
Well, they kept that up.
No sleep.
Pretty soon the supplies
were down to zero.
Down to five guys.
Five guys out of a whole patrol,
I sent four of them to
try to slip out, get away.
I laid back and I covered 'em.
Yankees started throwing
some big guns again.
And all of a sudden,
everything was real still.
Real still.
I heard a noise in the brush,
and I wheeled and I fired.
I didn't even realize
I'd pulled the trigger.
It was Dave.
By the time I got to him...
he was dead.
I was taking his body back in
when the snipers got me.
Took me to a prison hospital
till a couple months
before the war was over.
Then to a prison camp.
That's what I owe you, Grant.
Part of it's paid.
I can't fire a gun.
I should have told you when
I first got back to town,
but don't ask me why I didn't.
I'm sorry, Cal.
He kills my brother and takes you
away from me and you're sorry for him?
I never belonged to you, Grant.
What happened to Dave was an accident.
An accident, huh?
I see.
I'm sorry,
but I can't--
Go on, get out,
Both of you.
Where's Slade?
I rode out here to tell you that Sprague
is lining up a bunch of farmers in town.
If Cord Decker dies, there's
gonna be a whole lot of trouble.
Sprague, huh?
You tell those farmers that
Decker trespassed on my property.
If anyone else tries it,
they'll get the same treatment.
I would think about that.
I got 40 men. 20 more than
I need. You think that over.
I'll go the rest of the way myself.
All right.
Seems to be nobody home.
Dad's spending the night in town.
Good night.Good night.
You know, there's nothing
the matter with his farm
that a man who wanted to couldn't cure.
Leann?
That's more than that.
It's Leann, and Grant,
and Slade, and all of it.
Cord's dead. Everything's
busted wide open.
Sprague's bunch has already
had a run-in with Grant's men
and Frank Norton's dead.
So are some of his hands.
Everybody's got a taste of blood
and now the farmers wanna hang
all the cattlemen they can find.
I thought Sprague had
more sense than that.
Yeah, well, the last I heard he
was yelling to hang Grant and Slade.
That means they'll be
coming back this way.
You better not stay here alone.
We're gonna go back to Grant's
so you take the back road.
It's longer, but it's safer.
Get yourself to the hotel.
See you there later. Come on.
It's open!
What do you want?
Bill Reardon just rode into
town through the buttes.
The Decker kid's dead.
Sprague's fixing up a posse to hang
all the cattlemen starting with us.
Get out of here.
I risked my neck to ride
in here and tell you that.
You smell like a wet sheepdog. Get out.
You're drunk.
Not drunk enough to know
that no good will come of
your hanging around here.
Slade, I tell you what
I'm gonna do for you here.
There you are.
Now ride off my land
and don't come back.
Your land? 200 acres you
got from your dead brother?
I'd kill men so you could build
this place up into something,
'cause you didn't have
the guts to do it yourself.
That's not enough.
I want more than that.
All right, do you want more?
I'll get you more.
You're not scared, Slade?
Not at all.
You should be 'cause I'm gonna kill you.
I'll settle my differences
with the farmers
and be a hero besides.
I'm gonna kill the man
that whipped Cord Decker to death.
Looks like it's my deal.
I'll raise the ante, Slade.
But I won't crawl.
It's too late for that.
Hyah!
That was Slade.
Cal: Grant!
Open up! It's me Wayne.
Grant! Grant!
What is it?
Grant used to keep the keys
to his storeroom at the office
on this chain. They're gone.
He had them on him last time I saw him.
If Slade took it, he must be
heading for town right now.
You'll be able to use it.
You talk in your sleep.
You take care of him.
I'm going after Slade.
Good luck.
Don't worry, Mrs. Decker.
We're not letting Cord down.
We're hanging Grant and Slade.
And you're not gonna stop us, Cal.
Grant's dead.
Slade got to him first.
Ward's bringing the body into town now.
That just saves us that much trouble.
We'll still get Slade.
There will be no lynching.
I'll take care of Slade.
Why don't you all go home
and put away your guns
before you get yourselves
in a whole lot of trouble?
All right, we'll let
you take care of him.
Hyah! Hyah!
He's packing a gun.
Yeah.
Cal.
Cal.What are you doing here?
Go back upstairs.Who is it, Grant?
Grant's dead.
Slade's throwing all that lead
out there. He killed Grant.
Wayne, if you step out into the street,
I'll argue the point with you.
My horse is in the stable.
You can get out through the back door.
Slade: I always thought
you had a yellow streak.
You can prove me wrong.
I'm going out there.
You got no chance out there.
It's my only chance.
I'm ready to fight it even.
Amy, if I run now,
I'm finished.
Me and you is finished.
It's right here in this gun.
I got to pull the trigger.
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ You only kissed me
♪ And paradise smiled
♪ And the man was a child
♪ And the wind was so wild ♪
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ Amy
♪ Amy