High Lonesome (1950) - full transcript

We call this the High Lonesome
Country, because, neighbor,

it is high and it is lonesome.

See that speck out
there in the middle?

That's the Horace Davis ranch
headquarters where we live.

It took us years of
work and war and trouble

to get this cow range whipped.

And we thought we had it done.

Then one night a
strange thing happened

that we didn't know
how to explain.

We saw no harm in it then.

But a long time afterward,
we knew the greatest danger



of our lives came on us
as the sun went down.

Nothing come this
way or them quail

would have flown before now.

Must be lower down.

Give me my rifle.

What's the matter?

Something's
spooking the horses.

Oh, that ain't nothing
but that cooncat

fixing to raid my
cook shack again.

All right, we'll
get us a cooncat.

Awful lot of prowling around
out there, seems to me.

Yeah, that Boatwhistle's
trying to get that cooncat.

You'll hear the old fool's
shotgun in a minute.

A cooncat wouldn't set
foot in that kitchen.



Coon cats are too clean.

[SHOT GUN BLAST]

There he goes.

[SHOT GUN BLAST.] He's got a 45.

Oh, now honestly.

What a bunch of knotheads.

We get worse around
here everyday.

Better let the boys
handle it, Abby.

Who, them?

What was your theory,
shooting out that window?

What was your theory
shooting that shadow.

Thought I seen something.

Me too.

Hey, that durn cooncat's
learned how to light a lamp.

You better get your hands up.

Oh, I'm gonna.

What you got, Dixie?

Come on in.

Watch out whose head
you're shooting off, too.

A fine cooncat.

Who are you, Billy the Kidd?

Nobody you ever heard of.

On your way to California, huh?

I been working at Marfa.

Who for, sonny?

Sawmill.

No sawmill in Marfa.

[POTS CLANGING]

- Dandy, huh?
- I ought to.

Hold it, Frank.

What do we seem to have caught?

We call it a cooncat.

Leave off will you fellas?

Better come with me, coon cat.

See how things look
from the house.

Bring the lamp closer, Meagan.

This is healing all right.

Is it bad?

It's been bad.

No wonder.

Popping out of the
ground that way.

Must have come under a rock.

He can look where he's popping.

Smart, ain't you?

What's the matter with him?

You know what I think?

This boy's killed somebody.

We'll find out
who in the morning.

I won't be around.

Meagan, Cut one more hunk of
that poor excuse for bread.

Put them in the
table drawer, Abby.

Might need something from it.

I think you're right.

Give him the bread, Meagan.

Now go over by the door.

Give a good paw
on that bell roll.

Sit down.

[BELL CLANGING]

You can't hold me here.

We can sure try.

Draw back a bit, son.

Abby don't want to hurt you.

Not on her clean floor.

What's the matter?

Where's those little handcuffs
from the time I was deputy?

Well, I saw them the other
day around here somewhere.

Well, dig them up.

Lock this critter to a bunk.

Tomorrow's Sunday but I'll back
trail them right after Bibles.

We'll hang on to him.

Come on, you.

Come on the man said.

I heard him.

Abby?

Is that coffee still hot?

Should be, Pa.

Well, I've got them
so they'll go on.

I don't know if they'll
ever come off or not.

That's all right.

They'll look good on him.

Hey, watch out for that lamp.

Put them on him.

Put them on him.

Settle down boy.

And why take ye
thought of raiment.

Consider the lilies
of the fields.

(YELLING) Hey, Abby.

Where are you?

Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow.

(YELLING) Hey.

Consider how that
fathead bellers.

Well, it's only Pat Farrell.

That's what I say.

(YELLING) Abigail.

Hey, Abby.

I brought you...

Where's the body?

You know, Pa always
reads the Bible on Sunday.

Sunday?

It is?

OK.

I can't stop now.

See you, Abby.

I'll be back for dinner.

Come back here.

Say, I had a horse
thief the other night.

Run him off before
I got anything.

Is that your horse thief?

Him?

Nah.

A great big Indian, I think.

Then shut up and sit down.

So dark I couldn't
even see my gun sights.

Shut up.

Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow.

They toil not,
neither do they spin,

Yet I say unto you that
Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed
like one of these.

Wherefore, if God
so clothed the grass

of the field which today is...

Don't you try it.

Oh, no you don't.

[CRASHING SOUNDS]

Sure you don't know him, Pat?

Why do you think
your horse thief

was an Indian if it was so dark?

Hey.

If he stood there, he might
look like a tall Indian.

I was never near your ponies.

Oh, you weren't?

That's my lariat he's got there.

What'd you take that for?

I had to get me a horse the same
way everything's taken from me.

That's what I took it for.

If he's so desperate
to steal a horse

it's because he done
something worse.

Boatwhistle, fetch my team.

Back trailing's
going to be rough

if he's been through them rocks.

I got a better idea.

Hold this.

I ain't going to wait
on you hand and foot.

Did you ever see anything
so dead set to go free?

Just one steady basic
series of wild jumps.

He'll try just once more.

Hey, there goes your once.

Sure, why did you think
I gave him the rope for?

Hey Dixie.

Yeah.

Things will probably get
kind of rough with that kid.

Well, we'll see about it.

You better not lose any time.

You ready to talk?

I ain't ready for nothing.

Kid, you need to give up.

How's that?

Think it'll do you?

No.

I'll kill you if I have to.

Well, come on, wake up.

Let's get on with it.

[MOANING]

Sure, I know you're
ready for more.

There's no end to it.

No.

I give in.

Well, it's about time.

So, this is your
better idea, huh?

Yes, and it worked.

So, shut up and listen.

You'll find it out,
no matter what I do.

Find what?

There's a corpse at wagon road

I killed Jim Shell.

Where's the body?

(TEARILY) On the floor
of the trading post.

There you are.

[GUN SHOTS]

This the place?

Yes, sir.

It's funny how haunted
and deathly that thing

can look you know what's inside.

Where'd you bed down?

Over there.

Beside them old busted walls.

Planned the robbery there, huh?

It was my own money.

Yeah, what was Jim
Shell doing with it?

Well this road.

Has a bad name.

Said he better keep it
for me until morning.

Good idea.

No, sir.

After a while them two
strangers moved in on me

and ate up my grub.

So I thought I better
make a night march

and get rid of them.

But this trader, this
Jim Shell, he, he

wouldn't give me my money back.

He said, well, he never
heard of no money.

Two strangers come stood in
the door and heard it all.

So you shot the trader.

Not right then.

I come back out to my
fire there on the ruin.

Those strangers followed me.

That foreign talking one, he
kept pawing through my stuff.

And the other one, the
one that kept smiling.

He come and stood over me.

Why don't you stuck
a gun in his belly?

You got a right to your own.

I got no gun.

We'll loan you a gun.

I wouldn't want to shoot him.

Who said shoot him?

You just going in,
you hold a gun on him.

Say, I want my money.

We'll back you up.

Sure we'll be there.

Get that gun out
of the pack, Roper.

You know the one I mean.

Hey, wait a minute.

You want your money, don't you?

It sounded like an order.

So I took the gun
they gave me and went

back inside the trading post.

Jim Shell was over by the
fireplace, fixing a pack sack.

You, again, huh?

You got it, you
know you got it.

Them two foragers
give you that?

I've got to have my money.

Not men enough to
try it themselves.

Just sent a boy ahead, huh?

I gotta have it.

Are you sure that gun's loaded?

Stay back or you'll find out.

[GUN SHOT]

I didn't know where I was
at first when I come to.

I thought I was blind.

But pretty soon I could see.

Then I remembered.

And I knew I'd killed a man.

I didn't know where
them two strangers

wanted to do about it.

Couldn't think.

All I knew was I better run.

It's a good thing I did run.

I thought you said
the kid was dead.

Get the horses.

I left but they
tracked me a long way.

That's where I got so hungry.

I wonder why'd they do that?

They'd be blamed,
wouldn't they?

Unless they could
show I done it.

Those two strangers are
as guilty as the boy.

They planned the robbery.

Used the boy because
he was handy.

They got to be tracked down.

I'll string a net
across this range

a flea couldn't get through.

I'll rouse up every rancher
for ninety miles around.

They're probably a long ways
further off than 90 miles.

That's what we got
to make sure of.

Take a look at the ruin, Frank.

Hey, wait a minute.

Hey, come here, boy.

You see him?

Dead?

Look for yourself.

Dust.

Inches deep.

Everywhere.

But there has... Maybe
there was a dust storm.

Hasn't been any.

Why the place has been
deserted for months.

I'll tell you something else.

Hasn't been any fire
inside of that ruin.

No ashes.

No tracks.

Nobody's been near it.

I can even show you the
place where the fireplace was,

where I leaned and had to move.

You know something, I
think the boy believes it.

Don't you know why?

Why, this kid's crazy.

He's no more in his right
mind than a hydrophic skunk.

Yeah.

Makes it tough to know
what to do with him.

Do you believe
I'm out of my mind?

I don't know.

I could throw him off
on the sheriff at Marfa.

No.

Not until I know what he's done.

All right.

Look I'll give him a horse,
some kind of a horse.

We'll, we'll give
him a head start

and run the heck out of him.

I not going to do that either.

Why?

Because we need
him to finally get

to the bottom of this thing.

You can't just keep him around.

Who can't?

You can't.

With the girls there.

I've got something
to say about that.

I don't think you have.

Why you.

You cantankerous old mosshorn.

You can't tell what a kid
like this is liable to do.

Hey, did you find it?

Find what?

That there dead feller
that was killed.

Ain't any.

Trading posts been
locked up for months.

Why would the boy say he
killed somebody if he...

Well, how should I know?

You'll have a chance
to find out though.

Your old man's taking
him in to live with you.

Oh, he must be fooling.

Well, he ain't.

I hollered against it, but
he sunk his teeth into me.

We went round and round.

Oh, Pat, have you been
fighting with Pa again,

I... Well, did you
find out anything?

Did you talk to anyone?

We didn't find out
nothing about nothing.

I'm the only one
to take care you.

Look at your menfolks.

Two old cripples and
a couple of tramps.

We still got guns.

[CHUCKLING]

Who to shoot them?

See that nail
holding that dishpan?

[GUN SHOT]

Maybe that answers
your question.

Why you...

Well.

Oh, I can't hit you, honey.

Oh, I can hit you.

That's the trouble.

No time to leave go.

All right.

I'll leave go if you will.

Pa said all along
you were nothing

but a loud yell with hands.

Hey, you want me to
call off the barn, woman?

You want your barn
warm, don't you?

I didn't put on a new roof just
to set and admire it by myself.

Oh, I'm going through
with it, and so are you.

Now ask me who we've got
to handle a shot gun.

Come on, honey.

I want to show you something.

Bread and butter.

Bread and butter.

Well, I see we're still
going to the party.

See Big Jim here.

There's been a Big Jim in
our family for a long time.

My grandpappy rode from
Kentucky on the first Big Jim.

Yes you told me 20 times.

This horse here's
the only living

stud of the Big Jim line.

If he should
stumble I'd go lame.

Hasn't been hit on the
head lately, has he?

Pat, you're leaving your horse.

That ain't my horse.

What?

I know it sounds ridiculous.

After we're married it
won't matter who's he be.

I just wanted you to have the
one finest thing in the world.

That there's the finest,
I guess every man

thinks his horse is the best.

It's probably right.

But that's the best
horse right there.

Did you write your mother?

Sure did.

Well, I'm going to keep
him here for awhile.

Boy.

You're going to do odd jobs
around the place on foot.

Keep off the ponies.

I'll let you have the
run of the place for now.

He's been dragged.

Yes, and he'll be dragged
again every time he breaks.

You go help your sister.

I never heard such a lie.

This creepy kid...

You don't know half
how creepy he is.

Boatwhistle, I want
you to hear something.

Boy, tell him what
those two men looked

like you saw at the wagon road.

Give him the smiling man.

Well, he was sort
of black looking.

And guarded.

And he had a cast in
his eyes so you couldn't

tell which eye was
pointing where.

And a smile on his face
like he was seeing you dead.

Sort of a slight smile.

Great land of fury.

Now give him the other, the one
the smiling man called Roper.

Roper?

Well, he was sort
of short and thick

set, foreign way of talking.

Well, sir, in all
my life I ain't

never heard nothing like that.

You recognize them?

Why, how could he be mistook?

Sniding smile.

He's got them both perfect.

Now we're getting somewhere.

Nah, he never saw them at the
wagon loan or any other place

on this earth.

Well, why didn't he see them?

Tell them, Boatwhistle.

Because both them men are dead.

They died fighting Horse
and me at the fence

more than 15 years ago.

I keep thinking
I see something.

Abby, Why don't you and Pat
live here after you're married.

Don't you feel
kind of funny going

over to the old Jessup place?

It isn't the Jessup
place any more.

It's Pat's and my place.

Why should I feel funny?

Oh, that's what makes
you so jumpy maybe.

Everything over there belongs
to the Jessups who are dead.

Graveyard's right in
back of the house.

Everybody in it died at
the Fence War fighting us.

And hating us.

[HORSES WHINNYING]

Well, I admit I... Listen
there is something wrong.

Hey, get a gun, will you?

Come on.

What's the matter?

There are two strangers up
there watching the house.

Where?

See them from over
by the storage tank.

Come on, I'll show you.

[MOANING]

They're right over there.

Well, they was there.

Big Jim saw them.

He whinnied.

Yeah, we saw them.

Two riders without no heads.

They was awful,
wasn't they, Frank?

I was sure scared.

Won't you never
believe nothing I say?

No, sir.

And I'm getting sick and
tired of this spook business.

So you get that bucket of water
and bring it on in the house.

Well, forget about it.

Let's think about
the barn warming.

And there'll be my wedding.

It's the strangest thing.

It's gone now.

For a minute there I never
felt more danger in my life.

I'll blow out the
lamp and come to bed.

(SINGING) Get low,
get low, low lordy.

Take the train, the
wagon road train

gotta a pretty
little gal in Carson

and I'm twenty miles
from Carson in the rain.

Stand still, will you.

You want to look pretty for
the barn warming, don't you?

Oh, I ain't needed there.

Well, no one's aiming to stay
here with you that for sure.

Turn around.

Hey, son.

Where'd you get these boots?

Rancher give them to me.

Ah, hah.

Boatwhistle.

Huh?

Where'd Pa go?

Just wasting horseflesh.

Tracking down them spooks.

Old fool ain't going
to catch nothing.

He's blinder than
a bat in a barrel.

What spooks?

Cooncat seen them.

Sitting out there in the dead
of night without any heads.

Was you said no heads.

Abby.

There's something hanging
on this kid's shirttail

like grim death to a tax lien.

And do you think he'll
switch from his one same lie.

They ain't after me.

They would have
rode out long ago.

Those fellows want to
hurt you people here.

What fellows?

I don't know who your
enemies be, Mister.

But boy, you got them.

Why don't they drop a bullet
through one of these windows

and be done with it.

Oh, they'd never get out of
this basin if so much as Meagan

got away.

Every rancher within 90
miles would be on them.

Horse Davis said so himself.

All right.

Take that off.

Come on, Boatwhistle.

Show me the tracks.

All right.

If you got to.

But any answer to
this is standing

right here on this breezeway.

Now, honey, if you haven't
seen a back before...

Who did that to you?

You wouldn't believe
nothing I said anyway.

Your old man, huh?

Well, he kept piling it
on me until I run off.

What was he beating you about?

Well, he was full
of liquor, mostly.

I suppose you robbed him,
seeing as you was leaving.

Sure.

Took seven dollars for the
seven years I worked there.

What in heaven's name
did he hit you with?

Trace chain.

Nobody uses a trace chain here.

Only a drag rope, huh?

Not anymore.

I can promise you that.

Meagan, give him a hat.

Hold these.

Wait a minute.

Let's see which... Here,
try that blue one on him.

No, no.

That ain't much good.

Here, Let me see now.

Wait, now.

There's one.

That ought to look
pretty good on him.

No.

That makes him look too dudish.

You're going to have
to cut that ribbon off.

That's no good.
Here.

We'll get rid of that.

Here.

Try it.

Now, that ought to be all right.

Try this one.

But that's...

Hush.

Listen, this isn't a girl's hat.

It's my hat.

I have another.

Let's go, Boatwhistle.

Hey, sonny.

Hat's for town.

[MOOING]

Bringing in some wood.

Bringing it in
from our room, huh?

No, ma'am.

It's outside.

I was just beginning to hope.

Rush of tallow to
the head, I guess.

I was only trying...

You were in our room.

Don't lie to me.

Have it your own way.

You ever set foot in this
house again without being told,

I'll have you horsewhipped.

Now get out.

Meagan.

Yeah.

For heaven's sakes.

Come in here.

What's the matter?

Cooncat?

Oh, honestly.

What a dead fall.

Why?

Well, I just gave him both
barrels for being in here.

Everybody's always giving
both barrels around here.

Well... Trouble is our home.

We've been beat over the head
with gun wars and dry outs

and burn outs and blizzards
and every other ding dang

thing that wasn't useful.

Are we going to let
a dopey kid throw us?

Well, it's not that I'm thrown.

It's...

Saturday night at
the barn warming.

After that party and two more,
I will have been to three.

I don't want to hear
another ding dang thing

about cooncat trouble
or any other kind.

I'm going to a party.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, I'll be right
along behind you.

You all getting in shape?

You two sprouts
get in this wagon.

We're going to take off to
that party on the high low.

Hurry up.

Now, come on.

Get in here.

Help me up, cooncat.

Come on.

Get in there.

You ready?

Yes.

Boatwhistle, you didn't shave.

I did so shave.

Feel your face.

I won't do it.

I shaved.

[LAUGHTER]

Oh, great land of fury.

Get up out of here.

You see them old
stone logs over there?

Listen, sonny.

I been on this ranch
for twenty years.

And if there's
something afouling that,

I'd have knowed it.

Then you know it.

Those are the walls
of our first house.

The one that was burned
during the fence war.

There should be a row
of hollyhocks along here.

Why, I see them
little specks of dust.

That ain't nothing
but range horses.

Sure.

Range horses.

Running loose with
people on them.

I got something I want to
show you up the road apiece.

You'll be interested.

Get on now.

Get.

This here's the line of
the famous death fence.

Like you know all about.

I know what I heard from you.

And a whole lot more.

In a minute I'm going
to prove that you do.

But maybe there's one
thing that you don't know.

You see all them bones here?

Yes, sir.

That's what's left
of a great herd.

Horse Davis's herd.

You know how them cattle died?

No.

Well, every few years,
we get a blizzard

from the north that drives
our cattle before it.

They always took shelter
up in them canyons up ahead

until our feud with the
Jessup family begun.

Nobody knows how it started.

Oh, some little thing.

But one thing led to another.

And Miles Jessup
built this fence here.

That year, the blizzard come.

And our cattle piled up
on this fence a hundred,

deep as far as
the eye could see.

Them that didn't die,
well you see them now,

had their hoofs froze off.

Walked around on the
stumps until they fell down.

I've heard this story
a hundred times.

So, now you know
what your Miles Jessup

done that we have to fight him.

And the fight was never finished
while there was a Jessup left.

Then Miles Jessup hung
dying on his own fence.

Right over there by that post.

Hey, look up there.

Well, look, will you?

No, I won't look.

I'm getting sick and tired
of you hollering, look.

Boatwhistle, you've got to.

They're there.

Huh.

You, too, now, huh?

[CHUCKLING]

Yeah.

It's funny.

But it's a mean kind of
funny if you're in my place.

Anyway cooncat.

I saw them.

Now do you see
what I'm up against?

Yes.

I do see.

Hm, hm.

You're trying to change
the subject, ain't you?

Caught you knowing a little
bit too much, didn't I?

You kind of give the
whole thing away.

Give what away?

Miles Jessup that
died right here.

You described him to
me to the last hair

when you spoke of
the smiling man.

The smiling man and Miles
Jessup are one and the same.

I only told you who I saw.

And the Roper.

That was a nickname
of a Cajun fellow.

Thick set foreign talking
man, just like you said.

Boatwhistle shot
him in the throat.

Pa said he bled
like a flash flood.

His brother came over
and grabbed him up arms,

trying to close his throat
with his hands until he died.

Right over there
by that mesquite.

And them's the men
you say you remember?

Sonny, they was dead when
you were two years old.

I said I saw them
because I did.

Am I supposed to think
that dead men walk?

No, dead men don't walk.

You were speaking of men you
heard tell of so much that you

even knew their faces
and the way they talked.

Now, what I want to know is,
who filled that in to you?

Nobody did.

Great land of fury.

I give up.

Come on.

Get in the buckboard.

We're going to the party.

[CROWD PARY NOISE]

You know something, Horse?

What's that, Boatwhistle?

There's people here
tonight from all

over the world and
part of Arkansas.

[CROWD NOISE]

[KNOCK, KNOCK]

Hey, Abby.

Yes?

You all right?

[KNOCK]

Abby, come on.

I'm coming.

Where's Abby?

Did she go to sleep in
the... Well, who's this?

Why, you've seen me
in a skirt before.

Well, I guess I
can get used to it.

Oh, Pat.

I get so tired of
trying to be a man.

That's all over with.

From now on, you're going
to wear dresses every day.

And I'll love it.

Pat, where are your
father and mother?

I haven't seen them.

Well, they ain't here yet.

Then you didn't send them word.

Oh, sure I did.

You gave them the wrong day.

I even sent a boy this
morning to fetch them.

Don't forget it's a half
day's ride by the wagon road.

Seems awfully funny.

Oh, come on.

They'll be here.

Let's have some fun.

[CROWD NOICE]

Hey, come on everybody.

You've eaten the barbecue.

Let's dance.

[SQUARE DANCE MUSIC]
All join in.

Circle of eight.

Break a trail along that
line and get behind.

Your left hand in
like the dinner gong.

And the spinning wheel
rolls right along.

Now back with your right.

You done gone wrong.

Now open your shoulder
with your left arm.

And wrap them up
like a ball of yarn.

And dosey doe
walking arm in arm.

Now meet your honey
and pat her on the head

and promenade,
that's what I said.

All join in and circle up eight.

Break a trail along
that line with the lady

in the lead and the gent behind.

Your left hand in
like the dinner gong.

[BABY CRYING] You
done gone wrong.

Now open your shoulder
with your left arm

and wrap them up
like a ball of yarn.

And dosey doe arm in arm.

Now meet your honey...

Come on, Cooncat.

Join in this.

It's lots of fun.

Oh, I can't see no sense in it.

The only sense is I want you to.

I don't know how.

Adam over there can
only count up to three.

And if he can do
it, I guess you can.

Come on.

Well.

Well.

Bow to your partner.

Your corner call.

Wave to the pretty
girl across the hall.

Now two.

Couples Wasn't there
one Jessup left alive?

A young one?

Bob Jessup?

He was thirteen.

I knew it.

He's the cooncat.

That's Bob Jessup
dancing with Meagan.

Except Bob Jessup
would be Bob Purdy.

And he's spending a life
sentence up in Leavenworth.

[SQUARE DANCE MUSIC]

The old cow kicked
and the fellow called.

Swing the opposite
across the hall.

Same two gents forward and back.

Cooncat.

I want to tell you something.

I love your flowers.

That's the nicest
thing anyone ever did.

I don't know what you mean.

All right.

But I'll tell you
something else.

Those were the first flowers
we ever got in all our lives.

[SQUARE DANCE MUSIC]

Turn your back and
spit on the wall

and swing the opposite
across the hall.

Forward and back.

Forward and back.

Forward again and circle toward.

Two little ladies dosey doe.

Little bit of heel and
a little bit of toe.

Now take your honey
and home you go.

That's going to
be the last, boys.

Ain't going to be no
more because that is all.

[APPLAUSE]

Come Boatwhistle.

Play 20 Miles of Darkness.

[APPLAUSE]

It just so happens that I
got my guitar right back here.

[CLAPPING]

I wrote this myself.

What key we going
to do it, Larry?

(SINGING)So, get along,
get along Old Baldy.

Take the trail the
wagon road train.

Gotta a pretty
little gal in Carson

and I'm 20 miles from
Carson in the rain.

Now Jack don't go
back to Carson.

I'm afraid you've
lost your play.

20 cowboys.

Isn't it nice just
to meet people?

I never knew no people
like you before.

Well, you You know us now.

(SINGING) So get along
get along Old Baldy.

Turn around there.

Take me over the funeral range.

Because a poor cowpoke's
heart is breaking

20 miles from
Carson in the rain.

Now Jack don't go
back to Carson.

That gal'll never
keep that date.

There's a million
men in all passed

through Carson since the fall.

I'd say you got back too late.

So get along, get
along old Baldy.

Turn around.

Where's your Pa?

In the house, I guess.

Wait here.

Cooncat, where you going?

Stay in the light
no matter what.

[CRASH, GLASS BREAKING]

Cooncat.

Meagan, go back.

(WHISPERING) The girl
will scream her head off.

Not for long.

Wait a minute.

Right over there.

Look past my shoulder
by that farm wagon.

You see them now?

No.

Those spooks really
get around don't they?

I was looking for your Pa
to tell him they was here.

Oh, Cooncat.

What are we going
to do with you?

With me?

Why you people can't even
take care of yourselves.

Those fellows aren't after
me, I'm only in their way.

Then why are you running?

I can help you people
because you won't believe me.

And I ain't staying
around to get blamed.

You leave that be.

You're not fit to go
running around loose.

You'll get yourself
hurt feeling this way.

That's my business.

And I'm making it mine.

Now get yourself
inside unless you

want 20 Ropers on your heels.

Come on, I said.

[PARTY CROWD NOISE]

What happened to Art?

I don't know, Rudolph.

He come riding in here a while
ago, just as fast as he could.

[INTERPOSING CONCERNED VOICES]

Uh, huh.

Somebody found out something.

What's that to us?

I'll find out.

Wait at the horses.

[INTERPOSING CONCERNED VOICES]

Where was my mom?

Found her in the kitchen.

Like she had just used
that stove when it come.

Your father was
out in the corral.

Looked like he got
it as he rode in.

How long the been dead?

Maybe a week.

[KNOCK, KNOCK]

Pat, dear, I'm so sorry.

So now we know what
it was the boy done.

Those sweet old people.

[KNOCK, KNOCK]

You want Meagan?

Let her come in.

When was you over on
the War Paint River?

I was never on the
War Paint River.

The dry creek near
the wagon road.

Don't you remember a
shack and a few sheds?

Just a half a day's
travel to the east?

I must have passed a
dozen places like that.

That's enough.

The boy has the right to speak.

All right.

Why don't you tell
the people to go home.

All right.

Pass the word as
quietly as you can.

I want you girls
to go home, too.

I think you better take them.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to hang him.

I can't let you do it, Pat.

What?

First, I need to
know how this boy

can describe two
men he never saw.

But they was here.

Tonight.

We was face to face.

You can tell them.

You saw them.

You had to see them.

He told me he saw them.

My Pa took a bullet through
his lung standing by you.

Have you forgotten that?

He was the only man
outside of your hired hands

who stood with you
at the death fence.

Yeah, that's true.

But the fact still
stands that we

know nothing whatever
about this boy.

He was so afraid to show
his face, he risked your guns

rather than ask for grub.

Frantic for a horse.

Frantic to get out
of the country.

I know that.

Remember what you said.

There's been a crime.

A bad one.

We got to find out what was.

I said that.

You caught him a
week ago tonight.

It was a week ago
my folks was killed.

About a half days ride away.

We found out everything you've
been asking and you know it.

I don't even know
the boy was there.

You never will if you hold
out for an eyewitness.

Two people saw him.

And they're dead.

Horse.

Cooncat was there.

I never thought for a
minute that that boy

done one thing that was wrong.

But it was me that
fixed his boots.

Where'd you get those boots?

A rancher give them to me.

Pull them off.

Brad F. My Pa's brand.

Then it was him
give them to me.

Sonny.

What'd you pull the
stitches out for?

Oh, I knew people'd
say I stole them.

I been wearing castoffs...

[GRUNT]

Are you satisfied?

I am not.

And I won't be until I know
a lot more than I know now.

All I've got to know is
who killed my ma and pa.

And I know.

Well, I don't.

Mr. Davis, I swear to you,
he'll never leave this place.

He will if I do.

Pat, he's right.

Are you standing
with him or with me?

I'm standing with myself.

If you leave with that
insane killer not one of you

or any critter of
your brand will

ever set foot on
this place again.

Oh, Pat, I don't believe you.

And you can have the fence
back Right where it was.

And quick.

Walk out that door.

Abby.

Get in the buggy.

We'll lead your horse.

I have no horse.

[DOOR SLAMS] -Get
that wagon up here.

Get that in here.

Keep an eye out.

Pat, Pat.

I never believed he'd do it.

I believed it.

It's going to be the same
terrible thing all over again.

No.

You know why?

That gully over there
is where Tommy died.

11 years old.

Told him to stay
home, of course,

but he fell there
with his kilt pony.

I know.

We won our fight.

It didn't matter anymore.

I'll never go to the guns again.

Well, I can be in
Marfa by midnight.

I'll telegraph from there and
get the fire from Wichita.

And they'll work
from Kansas City.

They've got to meet
my drive in Dodge.

Meet what in Dodge?

Every cow we got
that can walk them.

Fill out the cattle.

Oh, you old fool.

You ain't going to get through
in the teeth of winter.

I'll loose every critter
I got if I hold them here.

And you'll get to Dodge all
right with about one cow left

and she'll be a
skull on a stick.

If the rest of the herd's
as good as this one,

we'll get through.

Oh, Pa, you're
away everything we

got in the world for a wretched
boy who doesn't even want it.

I'm not doing it for the boy.

Either a thing is
right or it's wrong.

There's no half way.

Pa, why don't take Meagan
into Marfa with you?

Be ready in seven seconds?

I sure can.

All right.

I'll send down 12, 14 trail
hands fast as I can find them

and you can start
them rounding up.

Oh, this is going to be
the end of this brand.

You know that, don't you?

I want every critter I own
bunched and ready to start

when I get back.

If only Tommy was alive.

That's when they broke
this outfit's back.

When they killed
that little kid.

Pa didn't say we were beat.

No, he did't say it.

But I know as well I know
anything in the world

that fence would have
come out whistling

if your brother was alive today.

Well, he ain't.

Now get going.

Get up out of here.

Hyah.

[MOOING]

I don't know.

Mr. Davis sent them to Marfa.

Put your stuff in the
bunkhouse and grab a sack.

You know what your
pappy would say to this?

He'd say, it's too bad
she's here instead of Tommy.

Now, lead out the wagons.

You know something?

I ain't about to.

I'll go if you'll let me.

I can cook all right.

Then stay here with
this loony kid.

Take that carbon off my saddle.

You think I'm Calamity Jane?

Well, now it seems like
that you think that you are.

Abby, Pat Farrell has brought
on just as many cowboys

as we got here.

Only his is Russ and Romo and
they ain't like these cowpokes.

You're on the chuckwagon, Dixie.

Don't you do it Dixie.

You ought to know whose
ramrodding this outfit by now.

He knows.

Eh.

Pull out the team, Dixie.

Abby.

Abby, honey, why don't
you just listen to me?

Come on boys, let's go.

Abby, you don't know
what you're doing.

We're going to tear
down that fence.

Hup.

Get up.

Great land of fury.

Hah.

Get on up.

Burn them all boys.

I don't want a
post left standing.

We'll do it, Abby.

Sure don't like this
smoke we're making.

It's bound to be seen.

Afraid it has been seen.

Right above that knot.

Yes, I see them.

Holy cow.

We're going down there.

Don't shoot until they do.

We'll have to pull out.

We can't do any more here.

[WHISTLE]

They can't hear that.

Well, fire a shot, quick.

Ain't you afraid
they'll think that...

Give me that.

[GUN SHOTS]

Oh, those fools.

Take this.

Abby.

Hold your fire.

It's Abby.

Abby, Abby.

Abby.

[HORSE SCREAMING]

I hate empty saddles.

It's the old fence
war all over again.

Hey, look.

That's Abby's pony.

Ain't no blood no place.

Yeah, here's some.

I can't stay here no more.

Get the buckboard out and fetch
me out that box of cartridges.

We're going out there.

Let him go.

What did you let him go for?

I learned one great
thing at that barn party.

That kid's my lucky charm.

I'm not so sure.

They blame him for everything.

They don't even
believe their own eyes

when he tells them
what they see.

I'll be sorry when
they hang him.

I don't like it.

He'll bring Boatwhistle now.

Go to the horses.

Have them ready when
you hear my gun.

Where's them cartridges?

Go get them cartridges.

Go on.

Just tell me one thing.

Couldn't Miles Jessup be alive?

How could he be alive?

Maybe you only wounded him.

He was buried by our own boys.

Maybe you buried the wrong one.

Or maybe he come to and busted
himself out of the ground.

Oh great land of fury.

I'll go get them
cartridges myself.

(SCREAMING) I am begging you.

Please don't go in there.

Please, Boatwhistle.

Please don't go in there.

Oh, sonny, no one is
going to say you're crazy.

Hello, Boatwhistle.

Miles.

Haven't forgotten, I see.

Miles Jessup.

What's the matter Boatwhistle?

Didn't you never expect
to see a Jessup again?

Not this side of the grave.

I remember what fun you
had putting us there.

No, Miles, it was always...

[GUN SHOT]

[GUN SHOTS]

More?

Not now.

Pat tried to stop the
fire when he saw you.

He was coming to you when
his horse was killed.

The stud horse?

Yeah.

You could hear the
horse scream for a mile.

Pat had to put a
bullet in his head.

Oh, Jim.

I want all hands saddled
at half past four.

Can you throw them
breakfast at quarter of?

I don't know nothing
about bread, Mr. Davis.

Give them hard tack.

By daylight, I want the
wagon road closed both ways.

And the way into Marfa.

And all trails stopped off.

That way I'll have a chance
to head off that boy.

Yes, sir.

Swelling?

Beats quite a bit.

This is all my fault.

Boatwhistle lies dead
out there because I

couldn't see what
was plain and clear.

What's plain and clear?

That boy's a Jessup.

There's no doubt in the world.

I don't believe it.

Who was killed first?

The Farrells.

Then Boatwhistle.

Both with me all
through the trouble.

But that doesn't explain...

That boy has even
memorized the faces

of the men that were killed.

Tries to make us
think we were haunted.

There's your giveaway.

Cooncat wasn't even armed.

Where's the house gun?

Now go to your room.

I have all the
contention I can stomach

without a lot of
sass spread on it.

Someone had to go
to Pat Farrell.

He's got to be told I was wrong.

Afraid to tell him yourself?

This break between you
and Pat was all my fault.

The fence fight and all.

I'll stand by what I did.

Abby.

There's no more reason
for fighting now.

Men don't fight about a reason.

They fight about
they got in a fight.

Pat won't.

Thanks, Pa.

Please be quiet.

Come here.

It was the smiling man
killed Boatwhistle.

Right before my eyes.

Cooncat, I believe you
but nobody else will.

If only you hadn't
come back here.

Oh, it's never any different.

But I had to tell you.

If only you hadn't told that
whopper about the wagon road.

Oh, I wished a million
times I'd never spoke.

Even took Pa out there
and swore he'd find a body.

Yeah, I don't know now
why it wasn't there.

You still claim there was one?

Course there was.

I know what happened to it.

What could have happened...

That's what I came
back to tell you.

There's no other hope
of waking you people up.

Talking to somebody
in there, Meagan?

I'm making a star count.

792, 793,

Well, count by
fifties, like cattle.

Get to bed.

All right.

Quick.

Tell me.

Them strangers.

The smiling man and the Roper.

They hid the body.

They shoveled dust in there
and brushed out their tracks.

Why would they do
that if you killed him?

Oh, I've never done it, Meagan.

I know that now.

They fired across me
after I was knocked out.

That's why they covered it up.

They wouldn't bother.

They'd just ride on in a hurry.

They bothered because they
weren't ready to ride on.

They came here to do something.

They covered it up so they
could stay and get it done.

Oh, if we could only prove it.

A corpse will prove it.

Even if everything's like you
say, we couldn't find the body.

They could've buried
him anyplace in about

hundred miles.

Or they could've
buried him right there.

Maybe he's been
there all this time.

I gotta go there and bust in.

I figure only got until morning.

A much better bet
for you is just

to ride until your horse drops.

Well, if I don't find
anything, then I will go on.

I've got to stop and
try this one more thing.

I'm coming with you.

Oh, no you're not.

I only told you so you'd
know what to expect.

Cooncat.

You've got to go back.

Your father will follow.

He'll follow me anyway.

I left a message
telling where we went.

Great guns, Meagan.

What did you do that for?

I'll never have time
to find anything now.

Course you will
if we get started.

Ain't there no way
to get rid of you?

No.

Can't you see you'll need
me when he gets here.

I'll help you all I can.

Come on.

No, sir.

You ain't going.

Oh, yes, I am.

Oh, no you ain't.

You want to bet?

Yeah, anything.

You're not going
and that's final.

Show me the end of your rope.

Here.

Keep your eyes peeled now.

Think he'll pull?

Course he will.

All right take it away.

Cooncat?

Are you all right?

What are you doing?

On the way up.

All this dust.

How would they get
it spread all over?

How do I know?

Maybe they threw it
in with a shovel.

Does look kinda funny.

There's rocks in it.

See that dark stain?

That's his blood.

Then it is all true.

Course it's true.

Got to find him.

I've got to.

If I could tear down
this whole place.

Cooncat.

Hush a minute.

I thought I heard horses.

But I guess I didn't though.

It's awful quiet.

[HOWLING]

It's almost morning.

I can see a little streak
of mustard in the east.

That's what those brush
wolves are singing at.

Oh, there's no use going
on, there's nothing here.

But won't the
bloodstain prove...

Oh, they'd say he
spilled something.

Well, what are we going to do?

I guess I gotta run.

I was hoping too hard, I guess.

I was sure it was
here but it ain't.

No, it ain't here.

It's in the canyon under
a ton of cave downed dirt.

Someday a flash
flood will wash up

a skull about 20
miles downstream.

But not soon.

Go, Meagan.

[GUN SHOT]

Stick close to me.

They'll be right on us.

They got into the brush.

Get after them.

You hurt?

Ah.

Smiling man's got our horses.

Where are they now?

Looking inside the ruins.

We'll go in there as
soon as he's gone.

Why?

It's the only safe place.

He's looked in there already.

Start now.

I wish Pa would come.

They're sure to find us.

No, they won't.

(TEARFULLY) We're going
to be here forever?

Maybe quite a while.

We'll just figure we
live here I guess.

That wouldn't be so bad.

What wouldn't?

Living here.

I could fix it up real pretty.

If it had walls.

Floor.

I could fix that.

I could do it with my own hands.

Could I have new windows?

Sure, I know how to
do things like that.

I know how to cook and
hook rugs and everything.

Well, I don't want
to think about it now.

Why?

Nothing good can happen.

I'm a murderer everybody thinks.

I don't.

I know.

I, I just keep thinking if
only things were different.

But they are different.

They stood right there
and said he did it.

He killed Jim Shell and
you're in the clear.

Oh, if Pa had only come.

He's got to come.

He's never let anybody
down in his whole life.

[BANGING]

They're back.

Smiling man anyway.

I thought I heard wheels.

Don't hear them now.

There's Roper.

Where you going?

Look inside.

Keep back.

I was in there.

Come on.

Horse Davis come all right.

He's only a little way out.

Alone?

Two men with him.

Pat Farrell's coming up.

Take the horses around behind.

Everything's going
to be all right.

Yeah, everything's
going to be all right.

There they are.

Come here.

Hold your fire.

Let them come, you fool.

Easy shot.

I've waited for
this many years.

If you shoot before
I tell you, I'll

kill you in the
same half second.

Hey.

Hey.

I got your word.

I sent no word for
you to come here.

Abby thought you might need me.

Well, I don't.

And they'll hold their
fire until nobody can miss.

Gotta let him know.

That's no good.

Pa'd think you were signalling.

Not if I put it close
enough to his ear.

[GUN SHOT]

That's that kid from the ruins.

Nah, the echo fooled you.

It's from the ridge.

When he's tired of that,
he'll come on again.

Dixie, Frank, do
a couple of shots

down there to hold his interest.

I'm going around the
long way by the canyon.

[GUN SHOTS]

Ah, they just lie up there
and plug bullets into them

old adobe walls.

Do you think they sent...

Meagan, look.

[GUN SHOT]

He thinks I'm in there.

Only this one gun.

Maybe even thinks
I won't kill him.

No.

I've got to warn him.

He'll answer and
they'll kill him.

It'll happen any second.

[GUN SHOT] I've
gotta go out there.

At least make him know.

Cooncat.

Stay back.

That's Cooncat.

He ain't inside.

There's another
gunman in there.

Keep shooting.

That's all we can do.

It ain't all I can do.

You can't get to him.

I can't lay here and see
the old man get dry gulched.

[GUN SHOTS]

Kill the man that turns.

Drop your guns.

Now get up.

Slow.

Face the wall.

Now go easy to the door.

Don't go out.

He's setting us up for
the guns on the ridge.

Yeah.

I thought you'd remember me.

[GUN SHOT]

They told me Bob
Jessup was in the pen.

That's right.

Or I'd have been here long ago.

Him I recognize.

I saw his brother
die in his arms.

Defense.

But you.

You must have been
about 13 then.

You remember me.

I knew your father.

This is like as if Miles
Jessup walked from the grave.

Yeah, exactly.

[GUN SHOT]

Help the boy.

I'm helping him.

Handle him easy.

Yeah.

He can have anything
I got in the world.

You better pray he can use it.

You came here to kill him.

And he gave you your
life on a plate.

From now on, he'll
never be without friends.

Or without a home.