The Tall Stranger (1957) - full transcript

Easy, boy. We got
a long way to go.

If you're looking for
your gun you won't find it.

It was Pagones' idea.
He told me you'd
wake up shooting.

My shirt's been washed
and mended. Was that
Pagones' idea too?

No, mine.

And the wagon,
the little boy?

Mine.

Then Pagones' your husband.

My husband is dead.

That leaves me
wondering why I'm not.

You almost were
when we found you.



Your horse was dead
and his body was stiff.

You must have been there
an awfully long time.

You gonna talk to him,
Cap, or do I?

Mister, will you
come over here?

We'd like to
have your name.

Bannon, Ned Bannon.

I guess the woman, Ellen,
I guess she told you
how we found you.

Yes, she told me.

Do you mind saying
just how you
drew that bullet?

I mean, your horse dead,
you shot up and all...

You got to understand
how it is, mister.

We got women and children
to think about.

Maybe whoever shot you,
maybe they might get a notion
to come lookin' for you,

finish the job.



We're waitin', Yankee.

I was travelin' west.

Where to?
Where you going?

Bishop's Valley.

Never heard of it.

Well, that's funny,
you're headin' for it.

I said I never
heard of it.

Let him go on, Pagones.

When I hit that rise
in the trail where you
found me, I guess,

I ran onto a small bunch
of cattle, about a dozen
hands ridin' herd.

Just about as
I started wonderin'

what a small outfit like
that was doin' around here,

someone in the rocks put
a bullet in my horse,

and then in me.

But why? I mean,
why would he do that if
you wasn't doin' nothing?

I don't know. Unless I was
seein' somethin' I wasn't
supposed to be seein'.

Well, did you see him?
Did you see who shot you?

Not clear enough.

Mister, you must
have seen somethin'.

Fancy spurs and a rifle
is all I seem to remember.

How come
we didn't see no cattle,
no tracks, nothin'?

You know, I was just
figurin' to ask you
that same question.

What's that
supposed to mean?

All right, all right,
that's enough palaverin'
for one night.

Not by
a long shot, it ain't.

Come on, mister,
want you to sit down,
look at that side.

Somebody get this
fella some food.

I said I ain't
done talkin'!

Pagones, he's wounded.
He hasn't eaten in days.

I know he ain't eaten.
I ain't got nothin'
against his eatin'.

I want to hear
what he has to say.

Pagones...

Yankees ought to be good
at talkin', they're good
at everything else...

Rapin', burnin', thievin'...

You still
fightin' the war?

...but mostly burnin'.
Don't make much difference
what they burn.

Cattle, chicken,
women, kids...

Just like the smell
of roastin' flesh,
ain't that so, Yankee?

I said ain't that so!

You go to hell.

Don't do it, Pagones!
You'll kill him.

I warned ya. I warned you
it was a mistake to bring
him but you wouldn't listen.

Do you see that?
He backed down.

Backed down nothin',
he knew he'd
have killed him.

I'll get you some coffee.

You done all right, mister.
For a moment there,
you had me worried,

but you done all right.

Mary, bring Mr. Bannon
here some food.

Sit down.
Here you are, sir.

I reckon seein' them
Union colors on you was
what got him all riled up.

The Yankees burned his
home down durin' the war.

That happened to a lot
of people, both sides.

Yeah, it did at that.
Me among 'em.

Only I got the wife and kid
out before mine went down.

Pagones, he didn't.

Mmm...
That tender?

Ah, it's not bad.

That was a mean-lookin'
wound. I never seen
a gun wound like it.

There was a hole the
size of a silver dollar
where it came out.

Lucky thing it
missed the bone.

Here, Papa.
Thanks. Now, Mary, you
and your ma go on to bed.

I'll be along.
Mary, do you hear me?

Yes, Papa.

Mary, I'll walk you
to your wagon.

My daughter and that
young fella are
fixin' to get married

as soon as we get settled.

Where would that be?

California.

What?

Uh-huh, that's
where we're headin'.

'Course some of us
may trail north
up into Oregon.

What are you doin'
way down here?

I mean, if it's the coast
you're after, you should
be up on the Humboldt.

We're just takin'
this trail, that's all.

What trail? There's no trail.
Not past Bishop's Valley.

Just a series of ridges
no wagon's ever been
across, and desert.

But there is a trail,
a good trail, right, Cap?

Why, sure there is.
All the way through.

No high passes, just good
green land once we get beyond
this here one dry stretch.

Who told you this?

Why, I did.

How's the patient,
Mr. Judson?

Well, he's ornery,
Mr. Harper. Full of
talk about no trail.

No trail?

Well, Mr. Bannon's
obviously not been in
this region too long.

Wouldn't you say so,
Mr. Purcell?

I'd say so.

Long enough to know
this trail leads to
Bishop's Valley, not beyond.

There's nothin' beyond.

Bishop's Valley. Not too
many people have heard
of that place, Mr. Bannon.

I've heard of it.

Is this somethin' we ought
to know about, Mr. Harper?

It's a big
pasture land, Cap.
About thirty miles of it.

Man there by the name
of Bishop. Hardy Bishop.

He lets his cattle
run loose like he
owns every inch of it.

You'll see for yourself,
we cut through it in
a couple of days.

Cut through it?
Cut through Bishop's Valley?

As far as Onion Creek.
Then we switch back
over Shepherd's Pass.

You work there, mister?
Is that it,
did you work there?

Before the war.

And yet you say
there's no trail?

Not out of
that valley, there isn't.

Tell me, Mr. Bannon,
you've been away
a long time?

Since the war.

Hmmm. Then someone ought to
tell you. They broke that
trail about a year ago.

Tell him about it,
Mr. Purcell.

Just a year ago.

Well, gentlemen,
it's been a long day.

Yeah, guess I'll turn in.

Let's all turn in, we'll
get a fresh start
in the mornin'.

'Night, Mr. Bannon.

If there's anything I can
do for you, Mr. Bannon...

I'll talk to Cap and
the others about
your staying with us

at least as far
as the Valley.

They're a little upset
tonight but I don't think
it'll be much of a problem.

Besides, we can use
a good trail man.
Good night.

I'm going to stretch out
by the fire. I just
came for my pillow.

You've made a good start,
first Pagones,
and then Harper.

This Harper...

What about him?

How'd he come to be
with this wagon train?

We'd gathered in
Cannon City, to
organize our equipment

before traveling west
over the Humboldt.

We met Harper,
and his friend Purcell.

They said they were
traveling west themselves
and asked us to join them.

They said that this new trail
they knew about through
the valley was shorter

and easier by
hundreds of miles.

Well, one thing
they didn't tell you.

Nobody's ever cut through
Hardy Bishop's land and
lived to see the other side.

Why should this man
Bishop try to stop us?

What harm could
we possibly cause just
by passing through?

It isn't a matter of harm.
You'd be breaking the law.
Bishop's law.

Nobody does that.
And I think
Harper knows it.

If he knew it, why would he
bring us this way?

I don't know.
Beats me.

You know a lot about this man
Bishop, don't you?

He's my half-brother.

Oh, I see. Well, then you can
talk to him for us.

You owe us
that much, I think.

Maybe I do.

But you see, if anything,
I'm going to be
even less welcome

in that valley than you are.

Eighty four head, hear?
Was that it, Stark?

Eighty four.

It'd take a fool or
a maniac to rustle cattle

off of my land without
some inside help.

And I know
a sight of both.

Now who was it? How
much did he give you?

I tell you, Mr. Bishop,
I never seen him.

I had nothin' to
do with it. I've got
better sense than that.

Sounds to me like
he's tellin' the truth, Hardy.

Well, I don't think so.

Get your gear and be
out of here in 10 minutes.

And don't come back.

Chavez is comin'.

Well?

Ah, we lost 'em.

Eighty four head of cattle
and you lost 'em?

We trailed 'em as far
as Jawbone Canyon but
there was a lot of wind,

the dust covered
their tracks.

Well, they weren't
prime stock, Mr. Bishop.

I don't care if a cow's
fifteen years old
and three-legged,

if it's a Bishop cow.

Nobody steals my beef
and gets away with it.

At least they wouldn't
if I had a crew that
knew its business.

From now on, there'll be
two men at every line
cabin 24 hours a day.

And one man better
be awake all the time.

Go on, get
something to eat.

Something
else wrong?

Why, uh...
I don't know, sir.

We, we saw a wagon train.

What?

That's right, sir.
Headin' this way.

Those thievin'
cattle rustlers?

No, sir couldn't be.
These people hardly got enough
stock to haul their gear.

They're southerners
for the most part.

We spotted them coming
out of the north canyon.

How many were there?

Don't know. They got
women and kids
with 'em though.

Did they see you?

Ah, I do not think so.

One of them
was a Yankee.
A Union soldier.

Officer, it looked like.

Blue coat.
Gold stripe on his pants.

And he was ridin' point,
well, like he knew the trail.

Bannon?

I... I'm not sure.

Bannon.
We didn't see
him very close...

Who else would...

No. He wouldn't have
the guts to come back here.

If it was one thing
Bannon had, Hardy,
it was guts.

But no sense.

If he had any, he'd
know what to expect
if he came back here.

Say those wagons,
Mr. Bishop, we could,

well, we could turn 'em
at the ridge before they
set their stock to grazin'.

The wagons will wait.

Hardy, you ought to
give it a lot of thought

before you do something
you'll be sorry for.

I've given it thought.
For four years
I've givin' it thought.

And in case I forgot to,
there's a grave out there
in the meadow to remind me.

Billy was executed by
the Federal Government.

For fighting for
what he believed in!

Quantrell's raiders.
Bully boys. Lootin',
burnin', killin'.

North and South alike,
made no difference to him.
He was having a picnic!

What's the difference.
My boy is lying out
there in a stinkin' hole

and Bannon
put him there.

That's all over and
done with, Hardy.

It will be, soon.

Like you said, Stark,
one thing Bannon
had was guts.

And I'm gonna spill
'em all over the ground.

Did this Bannon gent
really kill Bishop's son?

In a way,
I suppose he did.

Young Bishop, he was
a bad kid almost from
the time he could walk.

And Hardy, heh, he
spoiled him rotten. He was
no good. No good at all.

Bad enough to kill?

Bad enough to kill.

Somebody had to
do it someday.
We all knew that.

All except Bishop, huh?

Bannon was a Union troop
commander, cavalry.

Some of Quantrell's boys,
Billy included,

made the mistake
of underestimating him.

They got caught.
Tried and executed
the same day.

I brought his body
back from Leavenworth
a week later.

Well, then,
Bannon didn't kill him.

He didn't help him
to get way either.

Yee-haw!

Yee-haw!

Whoo-hoo!

We're there! We're there,
I tell you! Man,
wait'll you see it!

Bishop's Valley?
Yeah, couple o' miles up!

Yoo-hoo!
Man, there's grass
two feet deep!

Where's Bannon?
Up ahead.

That's green, man,
you never saw
nothin' like it!

Spread the word, Dud.
Tell 'em to pick 'em up...

Well, there she is.

Holy Saint George!

Thirty miles of the
richest pasture land
this side of Salt Lake.

Enough water, timber
and game to last
a man a lifetime.

All for the taking.

What did you say?

Let's take 'em down
to that meadow, Cap.

Camp there for a day
or two and rest up
before going on.

What do you say?
What're we waitin' for.
Let's take 'em!

Yee-haw!

"All for the takin'",
is that what you said?

Did I, Mr. Bannon?

You give me that bucket.
Go on and play.

Hello. We haven't
seen much of you lately.

Sorry.
Oh, nothing to
be sorry about.

Hey, how's your side?

I'm as good
as new, thanks.

Light the fire!

How long do you think
it will be before
he pays us a visit?

Ordinarily, the wagon
train would never have
gotten this far.

He must be waitin' for me.

Do you think Bishop
knows you're with us?

He knows, all right.
We've been watched
for the past three days.

Well, when are you
going to see him?

Soon. Couple of things
I'd like to find out first.

One of 'em is what this
Harper is really up to.

Why
does he have to be
up to something?

You're so suspicious,
Mr. Bannon.

Could be.

Another thing I'd like to
find out is, about you.

What are you doin'
out here alone?

Going west, like everybody
else in the wagon train.

You're not the type,
any more than Harper is.

Oh? What type am I?

Suppose you tell me.

My husband was killed
in the war. I was left
all alone with my son.

So I decided to sell
all my furniture, everything
I had left, and head west.

Then I met these
people in St. Jo.

I'm sorry about
your husband.

Thank you.

There's just one
thing doesn't figure.

You bein' alone all
this time. Like I said,
you're not the type.

You're a man's woman.
I just haven't figured
out which man yet.

Well, when you do figure
it out, let me know.

Wait a minute. I'm sorry.

I just wanted to get you
mad enough so you'd tell
me something about Harper.

Oh, I see! You've decided
that I'm Harper's woman.
Is that it?

Well, I could do worse.
Like you, for instance.

Man, what a notion!
Now, why didn't I think
of somethin' like that!

Somethin' like what?

Stayin' on.

What did you say?

Why, it's Harper's idea.
Why go to California, he says.

Got everything we
need right here.

Strip this land,
get the seed in...
Where is he?

Harper? Oh, he's
up by the wagons.
Pagones' wagon, I think.

Talkin' it over
with Cap and...
What got into him?

So, all I'm sayin' is,
why go on?

Now, you all want homes,
with free land and plenty
of water and game and sun.

A place to raise
your kids, maybe.

Or forget some sore
memories. Well, what
better place than this?

Now look, I figure it'll
take you about a month
to build your homes.

You all have plenty of
tools and there's enough
timber here to build a town.

In the meantime, you can
start in with your plantin'.

Yeah, but what
about California?

You can all still
go on if you want.

'Course it'll mean
losing a year's harvest.

And there's always the
Indians to worry about.

I like it.
I like what he says.

Just a minute!
You can't live here,
you don't own this land.

Well, there's plenty
here for us all.

Not here there isn't.
This land belongs
to Hardy Bishop.

He settled it.
He owns it.

You're mistaken, Bannon.
This is government territory.

Every citizen has
the right to homestead.

You try that, all you'll
have is a pack of widows.

This valley is
30 miles long. I say there's
room here for all of us.

Now, if Bishop
doesn't think so...

Well, I think we can handle
trouble if it comes to that.

That
makes sense to me.
I'm for stayin'.

Now I get it.

Get what, Mr. Bannon?

You never intended to
cross that pass, Harper.

Never intended to from
the day you left St. Jo.

Mr. Bannon, we promised
to bring you as far
as Bishop's Valley.

Well, this is
Bishop's Valley.

Dud, bring him his horse.

Oh,
and one thing more.

When you see Bishop,
tell him this is a big land.
Too big for one man, really.

I seen him. He's comin'.

Bannon?
Yeah.

All right, I'll tell him.

I want the boys
kept out of this.

They know.

Bannon only did what
he thought was right, Hardy.

He rates better than that.

Not from me, he don't.

Hello, Hardy.

Get off of
my range, Bannon!

I want to talk to you.

Just two
rounds left, Ned.

Just one more to waste.
Now turn around
and get outta here.

And take that mangy bunch
of squatters with you.

He don't want to
kill you, Ned. Get out
of here before he has to.

Not until we talk.

We got
nothing to talk about.

You just got one
shell left, Hardy.

Are you going to use it?

You're going to
listen to me, Hardy.

You're going to listen
if I have to beat it into you.

Stay down, Hardy.
Don't make me do any more.

All right, somebody
help him up.

Charley, Red.

Take him to his room.

He really belted you.
Hurt much?

What do you think?

There's some stuff over in
the bunkhouse. Ask the boys.
They'll fix you up.

Glad to have you back, Ned.

Thanks.

Here you are.

All right, Charley.

Lie back.

Come on, lie back.

Sittin' there like
a wounded buck,
bleedin' half to death.

He still here?

Yep.

I didn't want to kill him.

I know.

I still don't.
But I'm going to.

No, you're not.

I gave him more of
a chance than I ever
gave a man before.

He's still got a chance.
He can get out of here
before I'm on my feet again.

He won't go, Hardy.

Then, I'll kill him.

No, you won't. I know
you better than that.

Why? Because he's my
own flesh and blood?

You don't know me
as well as you think.

Hardy, you know
Billy was no good.

He was bound to
get himself killed
sooner or later.

Get outta here.

Ned didn't kill him.
You know that, too.

Out, Stark!
Not yet.

Why don't you admit it?

Ned's always been more
of a son to you than
Billy ever could be.

You know what
kind of a man he is,
what principles he lives by.

He'd have done
the same if Billy had
been his own son.

Tell the boys to be
ready to ride tomorrow.
All of 'em.

We'll be doin' a little
squatter-chasin'.

What about Ned?

You refusin' to take
orders, after 20 years?

Go on, tell 'em
what I said.

All right.

Talk to him, Hardy,
that's all he wants.

Then send him away
if you still want to.

He'll go.

But if he does, you'll
be losin' one of the
few people in this world

who ever cared
a tinker's damn about you.

Charley.

Where is that Comanche!

Charley!

Morning.

I want a steak. Rare.
I mean rare.
Put a candle under it.

Oh, wait a minute.
Maybe you'd better
make that...

I got some mush.
Fresh cooked.

All right.
Make it two.

Morning.
I heard you
the first time.

Can we talk now, Hardy?

No.

It's been four years.
I've got a lot of
things to say to you.

I don't want to hear
anything more about Billy.
I want to close the book.

Me too, Hardy. Me too.

Red.

Where's Stark?

He's over at the barn,
Mr. Bishop.

Tell him we'll be
ridin' in 20 minutes.

They won't run, Hardy.

They'll run.
Not this bunch.

I know
I came in with 'em.

Don't think I ain't been
wonderin' about that.

If you'd listen
instead of flyin' off...

I'll listen for 20 minutes.

I'll take that, Hardy.

Hungry, homeless,
stragglers. Call 'em
what you want,

nothin' you said's gonna
keep me from runnin'
'em off my land.

And I told you they
won't run. Will you try
and understand that?

You think you're going
to go bustin' in
and scare 'em out.

Well, they've been
scared by experts.

The only way you're gonna
run 'em off is to put
'em underground.

I can do that, too.

Even if it means killin'
women and kids?

I didn't bring those
women and kids in here.
That was their own doing.

No, it wasn't, it was Harper,
I keep tellin' ya.

He brought 'em here.
He stopped 'em here.

You just sit there
and won't listen.

All you can think of
is how you're gonna
chop 'em up and run 'em off.

Well, what am I supposed
to think of, then?

Where is it different
than it ever was?

People comin' in here,
diggin' up my range.

First an acre, then 10,
then half the valley.

All right, so Harper brought
'em in here. What are
you askin' of me, Ned?

I'm askin' you to
let me find out why.

Oh, it's clear enough.
He's after farming.

Harper's no more a farmer
than Charley there.

Look, I don't know
what he's up to any
more than you do.

But it's something. It's like
he was inviting trouble,
like he wanted it. Why?

What can he expect
to do with a handful
of people like that?

They're a hard headed
bunch and right now
they think he's God.

But he's got to
have an angle and
I'm going to find it.

How're you gonna do it?
In time.

I ain't got time.

Hardy, you got
nothin' else but.

Those cattle you ran into,

you think they were
that bunch of mine
that were rustled?

From what you tell me,
about eighty head,
dozen men ridin' herd.

You think Harper's
mixed up in that?

I don't see how.

The man who shot you,
the one with the gold-plated
rifle and the fancy spurs...

They were the first things
I looked for. No one
in the wagon train had 'em.

All right, I'll make
a deal with you.
We'll do it your way.

Three days your way.
Then we do it mine.

You got a deal.

I'll tell Stark and Chavez,
they'll work with you.

Uh, anything
else you want?

Nothin' you got.

Meaning what?

You got a bushwhacker
with a gold-plated rifle?

Oh, his kind don't
stay in one place.
Not for long they don't.

He's half way to Texas.
Wait here, I'll get Stark.

Well, it appears to me
this'd be about the best
way for everybody.

Each family section touches
the stream so there'll never
be any water problems.

There's both graze and
timber on each section,
dividin' it up this way.

No one part of the valley
seems to be any better
or worse than any other part,

so all we got to do is
to decide who lives where.

Why don't you just number
the sections on your map,

and then draw those
numbers out of a hat?

Hey, that's a good idea,
boy. I got some paper
over there in my wagon,

I'll get it and make
up the numbers.

Hey, Mort, what about
you? You'll be settlin'
here too, won't you.

I sure will.
Good, you know, I'm gonna
build my house facin' east,

with the main room
here, like this.

To catch the morning sun.

And me and ma's
bedroom over here,

and Ellen and
Will over here.

Oh, you moving in with
the Judsons, Ellen,
you and your boy?

Well, I tried to talk
him out of it but
you know Mr. Judson.

No, I won't hear
another word.

Besides, the way things
are shapin' up, looks like

that young fella
Dud's gonna make off
with the only one I got.

Pa.
Oh, now Ma.

Mort's no fool,
he's got eyes.

Mary and Dud - yowlin'
around here like a pair
of sacked-up cats.

We'll throw 'em both
in the same sack,
that'll cure 'em.

Pa!
I hear you.

Now look, when you get ready
to build your own place,
you let me know, you hear?

I'm a pretty fair
country carpenter.

You'll hear.

You know, Ellen, I sort
of thought you'd have

a hankering for
the same thing.

Oh? Like what?

Oh, like Mary, home
of your own, a man.

Some day, maybe.

You're not happy,
Ellen, I know that.

And I know
the reason why, too.

Oh, you do?

Yes. You're not
a child, like Mary.

A woman like you who's been
married, there's things she
needs to make her happy,

things which she...

Look, Mort, if that's
a proposal, thanks.
I'll think about it.

But in the meantime,
I'm pretty busy.

Hey, Mort!

What do you
suppose they want?

Anything I can
do for you?

We are riding by,
we see you from the trees.

Are you Bishop's men?
No, we're miners.

Si, we have a little
mine back in the hills.

We run low on tobacco,
figured to buy
some off you.

I think I can fix
'em up. This way.

Hey, quite a man, that Mort.
No price too high
on a fella like that.

You're wrong, Adam.
Sometimes the price
can be too high.

Purcell.

Here's your tobacco.

You, uh, you know
what you're to do?

We wait for Bishop to come
out to attack this train.

Then my men and me,
we take his ranch.

When he returns,
we chew up what
he's got left.

You shouldn't
have any trouble.

Figure this bunch'll
knock off 10 or 12
before they're wiped out,

probably wound
as many more.

Bishop'll be
a sittin' duck for you.

And for this you
agree to pay me...

Half
the cattle we get.

Well?

More.

Look, Zarata,
we made a deal.

In fact...

In fact,

I am wondering what
is to keep me from
taking all of it.

After all,

you're only two.

We are twelve.

All right, take it.
Take it all.

Something over 5,000
head of cattle.

Only that's a lot
to unload, Zarata.

Where you gonna do it?

Remember you're wanted
in every state and territory
south of the Missouri.

They know you,
they'll be lookin' for ya.

I have friends.
Sure. Sure,
you have friends.

What'd they pay you
for the 80 odd head

you rustled out of
Bishop's herd last week.

How you know about this?

What was it, Zarata?
Three, four dollars a head?

Six.
I'll get you twenty.

Where?

That's my business.

Twenty, uh? Really twenty.
You get that?

Cash.

So you see,
cut me out and
you're the loser.

Anythin' else?

This woman...
What?

It is curiosity,
but I think I see
this woman.

I doubt that.

St. Louis.

I think maybe St. Louis,
during the war.

She was in Virginia
during the war.

She's never been
in St. Louis.
Perhaps...

Now listen to me,
both of you.

I figure Bishop to send
his roughnecks down here

to try and bluff
these people off.

Which means you
figured just about right.

Friend of yours?

Uh-uh, you's two
stay here.

Last thing we need
is for him to
recognize you.

Come on, Purcell.

Howdy, Bannon.

Judson.

Get 'em around.
I want 'em
all to hear.

Come on everybody,
over here.

You'll come over,
Mr. Bannon wants
to talk to ya.

Will! Will!

If you're here to run
us of, Bannon...

No such thing.
I owe these people
too much for that.

All right. Here it is.

This is private land.
You've all been told that,

but you don't believe it.

Said he wasn't tryin'
to run us off.

I'm not.

I'm here to get you
to leave peacefully.

And what if we don't?

Hardy Bishop, he has 20 men
to see that you do.

One way or another.

Why don't you
clear off, Bannon!

Yeah, bring your 20,
we'll show you
a match for 'em.

Wait a minute, we don't want
to fight with these boys.

Look. Look, I know
how you feel, havin' to leave

when you thought
you had homes.

If it were my land...
But it's not.

And I am grateful
to you for saving my life.

We ain't likely
to make the same
mistake twice.

Aah, what're
we even listenin' to him for?

Oh, who's listenin'.

Maybe I can make
your goin' easier.

You can take
all the game you want,

at least enough to last
you till California.

Could probably use
a few good milk cows,
a couple of bulls, maybe.

Start your own herd
in the spring.

You're low on ammunition,
so we can help
you out there.

And I'll see what we can
do about flour and lard.

Now you'll have to cut North
to make the Humboldt.

It's a pretty tricky stretch,
but don't worry about it,

I'll trail you there myself.

From there on,
you're on your own.

Well, that's it.

Milk cows, you hear that?

We could start
our own herd!

Aw, you can swallow
that swill if you wanna,

but I ain't gonna!
I say he's lyin'!

Nobody's lying.

Of course, he's lying!

Wait a minute, Harper.
I'm talkin' to these people.

Let 'em make up
their own minds for once.

Why should Bishop give
you anything, Bannon?

Why you? He's never
given anything to anybody
in his whole life.

Mort, who said that
we was takin' anything?

You don't have to decide
now. Think about it.

Bulls and cows, Mort!
The kids ain't seen much milk.

All right, go ahead,
take it! Take his deal!

That's what he wants
to scare you off your land.

Giving you a lot
of empty promises
he never intends keeping!

That makes no sense!

It does to me!
I say Harper's right.

Well, maybe he is
and maybe he ain't.

All right, now listen to me,
all of you.

Have I failed you yet?
No.

Now answer
me truthfully... Did I trail
you across,

get you out here
to this land,

good land for
your homes,

a greater land than
you ever dreamed of.

Yeah, but I think that
you're forgettin'
Mr. Bannon...

Let him go on.

Now when your very lives
depend on it you begin
to doubt me.

Well, I mean what
am I gonna say?

Doubt me against Cap here,

or maybe Judson, yes.

But certainly not against
this saddle-trash.

Yeah, that's right,
you heard me.
Saddle-trash.

Now there's one for you.

Look at him, look at his
hand just itchin'
to go for that gun.

Don't worry, he won't go
for it not right now he won't.

He'll wait till some
dark night, then he'll come

sneakin' in on his belly
like a snake.

Mama!

Mama!

Oh, how did he get
to do that?

Mama!

Take care of her,
please, ma'am.

Take it easy.

Get him out of here, quick!

He's gettin' away!

Somebody gimme a gun!

Hold it!

That's what you can
expect from Bishop,

killing and brutality.

He's wrong.

Can't hold 'em back much
longer, it'll take just
one to start it.

All right, back off.

Hold your fire, men!
Hold it! Hold your fire!

You can't stop 'em!

Don't anyone follow 'em.
They'll double back and
pick you off one at time,

you'll never know
what hit ya.

Now the first thing we have
to do is to get these
wagons in a circle.

Mr. Harper, I'd say the first
thing was to give Mrs. Judson,
there, a proper burial.

You're right, Cap.
Get your bible.

Bannon!

How is he?
Bad.

Can you get him back?
Not on horseback,
he is bleeding too much.

Better go back to the ranch
and get a buckboard.

You stay here with Red.

Where are you going?

When Bishop sees that kid,
I figure I got till just then

to get those people
out of here.

Are you crazy, Ned?

How close you think
you will get after Red
killed that woman.

Red didn't kill her.
But I seen him!

What you saw
was Red firing and
the woman falling down.

But there was something else.
What?

A bullet hole in her back.
Did you see it?

It was about the size
of your finger.

But when they turned
her over, there was a hole

big enough
to put your fist in.

It takes a special kind
of bullet to make
a hole like that

and Red wasn't carrying it.

It's a ripping thing, Stark.

Hollow-nosed and
split in the end.

And when they hit,
they expand, just flatten out.

You put one in the right
place, they'll blow half
your guts out.

But why would anyone want
to shoot that woman?

To make 'em think
it was us.

To fill 'em so full of hate
and bitterness,

that nothin' short of war
would run 'em outta here.

Them bullets.
Who'd use a thing like that?

I can think of a couple
who might, and one who has,

that bushwhacker
who put one in me.

"Thou preparest
a table before me

"in the presence of
mine enemies.

"Thou annointest my head
with oil.

"My cup runneth over.

"Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me

"all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever."

Amen.

A nice funeral?
Where's Barrett?

Plenty tears?
Much prayin'?

I said, where's Barrett?

With his horse.
A loose shoe.

And where's yours?

All right, you ride.

Without food? I would not
do that to an animal.

Get him some food.

You can eat it
on the way.

Barrett will follow
as soon as he's done
with his horse.

Now how long will it take
you to get to your men?

An hour.

And from there
to Bishop's ranch?

An hour.

Now I don't know when
Bishop is coming out.

He may wait till dawn.

But I have an idea
when he sees the job

I did on the puncher of his,
it'll be tonight.

Then we go in, huh?
When he rides out
we go in.

No. You post a lookout
first. Use Barrett.

And you?

What you do when
this pot is on the fire?

Don't worry about me.
I'll keep the pot boiling
from this end.

From the looks of things
it shouldn't be too hard.

They look mean enough
to start their own war.

Jerky!
Best I could do.

Dried beef is small payment,
what I am to do.

You bring this off right,
mi amigo,

and tomorrow night
you'll have fresh beef.

Buena suerte.

Hey? St. Louis!

What? Who's that?

Yeah, sure. St. Louis.

First I think maybe
it is curiosity,
but then I remember.

I don't know you.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

You know.

Maybe you fool these
farmers, this Harper, si.

But you cannot fool Zarata!

I never saw you
before in my life.

No. But I see you.

During the war in that
stinking dump you
gin around in.

Si, but you are right
about one thing,

you do not see Zarata.

No. All you see
are those officers,

those fancy ranchers who
come peacocking about,

their pockets full of silver!

You and your fancy feathers!

You're wrong.

You're wrong,

it isn't that way at all.

How cruel of me
to think so.

You don't understand.

It was in another world.

You are wrong
to run from me.

After all, consider really,

am I so different
from those officers?

Please.

Drop that knife!

I said drop it!

Turn around!

Hold on to this.

You don't much care how
you do it, do you?

Kill 'em with thirst,
knife 'em, or blast 'em
with one of these bullets.

It makes a difference?

Only when you miss.

A luxury I cannot
afford too often.

What was it?
Shootin'. From the stream,
sounds like.

Who's down there?
The stream?

Mama! Mama!
Get that boy back here!

Cap, who's down there
with Ellen? Anyone?

Let me go!

You wanted water, amigo.
Drink! Drink!

Don't let him go!

Come back here!
Stop that kid!

Come back
here you fools!

His ma, she's down
there by the stream.

And so is Bishop,
for all you know.

That's what he wants
to do. Draw you out,
get you down there.

Now get back in here.

Keep him covered, Ellen.

If he moves, shoot him!

Mama! Mama!

Don't move!
Let him go.

Coax me.

Give me that rifle.

I warn you.

I said give it to me.

One more inch
and I kill the boy.

Your rifle, your bullets,
you know what they can do.

Now let him go.
The boy dies!

So do you.

Will! Will!

Bishop or no,
that woman and
kid's out there!

Stay with the wagons!
Make 'em come to you!

Let me go!

Hey, hey, it's one
of them miners.

Bannon. Down by the stream.

Tried to jump the woman.
I tried to stop him.

And Barrett?
Dead.

Bannon killed him.

D'ya hear that?

Yankee scum!

Anyone else with him?
No one. He's alone.

Go get him.

Will! He's hurt!

Oww!
His arm's probably broken.

Will, Will.

Be a lot worse if
we don't get out of here.

What are you doing?

We've got to get
to those horses.

Yonder's the boy!

There he is!
He's got the kid!

He's gettin' away!

Shoot him!

No, no! You'll hit the kid!

Where's Bishop?

Bunk house.

With Red?

How is he?

I take the boy.

Careful of that arm,
it may be busted.

It's a pretty good splint.

Better fix a new one.

You go with Charley.
He'll take care of Will

and give you
something to eat.

Thanks.

We tried it your way,
didn't we?

Now we'll try it mine.

Stark. Chavez.

How many men we
got, Stark?

Fifteen, sixteen.

Where're the others?
Out on the range.

Saddle them up then.
Murray, Hall...

No, I want Murray
with me.

Sam and Hall stay here
with Charley, the rest go.

You said three days.

Hear me?
Yes, sir.

Chavez, break out them rifles.
The new ones.

Pass 'em out as far
as they go.
All right.

Look, Hardy, you said three
days. You gave your word,

that must mean
something.

Not when it cost me
one of my men.

Well, you go up there
bent on killing
and probably lose...

No handful of settlers
I can take care of.
...lose five or six...

But it's not a handful,
not anymore it isn't.

What are you talking about?
You can guess.

Them rustlers?
You're in a war, Hardy.

A bigger war than you've
ever been in before,

but it's not
with them settlers.

Yellow-livered,
cattle steal...

So they're in this too, huh?

But who you want
is Harper.

Why hanged if it ain't
shaping up into
a pretty fair fight.

Hurry 'em up, Stark.

Look, let me go up
there and tell them they
have to give up Harper.

No, by thunder,
they're part of it!

Made themselves part
when they shot that boy.

But that was Harper!
It's the same thing.

They ain't no different.
You think so?

Come in here, I want
to show you something.

If you gotta yelp,
boy, yelp.

Bust a gut holdin' it in.

Men don't cry.

Oh? I always figured
men do cry.

Real men.

Only the greenhorns
who aren't sure they're men,

they're the ones that
worry about it.

It hurts.

What is this?

The boy's name is Will.
That's his mother, Ellen.

Take a look at
'em Hardy, a good look,
real close.

No different from Harper
and those cattle thieves,
is that what you said?

They're on my land.

Is that all you've
got to say?

They're on my land!
You're land!

You talk about it like
it was something holy?

It is for me.

When are you going
to learn, Hardy.

Without people it's nothing!
People are what make
it worth something.

Aah, don't talk to me
about people.

Ain't one I'd pay
a sack o' sheep dung for.

You don't believe that.

I built my life believin' it.

Now get these people outta
my sight, and you with 'em.

So you really mean it.

You're really gonna go
up there and chop 'em up.

That's exactly what
I'm going to do.

Well, then you're going to
have to chop me up, too,

be right up there
with 'em.

That suits me fine.

Get the boy's clothes.

Why do you hate us?

What did we do wrong?

Will.

Wait!

You say Harper's the one,
not these people.

You say he shot Red?

You can get them
to turn him over to me?

Knowing what I do.

You can make them leave,
clear off my land,
without no more killing?

I think so.

What if there is killing?

Then it's your way.

My way.

I used to know
what that was.

I used to have
a right, clear notion.

Ma'am, the boy could
use some sleep.

Oh, yes, yes, thanks.

He's so tired.
It's the first real bed
he's slept in in a month.

You go out for a while.
I'll stay with him until
you turn in.

You don't have to do that.

Well, he may want something.

I just don't understand...

Ma'am?

Bishop. Giving up
his room like this!

He seemed so
cruel, so rough.

He's rough.

So determined
to hate people.

Then to do
a thing like this.

He don't hate people,
ma'am, not really.

He's just afraid of
loving 'em, that's all.

You're a wise man, Charley.

No ma'am. Just Indian.

Boy all right?

Yes.

Do you think there's
anything you can do?
About Harper, I mean.

Maybe. Not much without
some sleep though.

Good night.

It was those things you
heard about me back at
the stream, wasn't it?

Forget it. I didn't
believe a word.

You believed it.
Why shouldn't you?

Most of it was true.

You don't have to admit
that, not to me.

I admit it.

There was a war, people
did a lot of things.

Oh, not the war.

War made it easy.

But you lost your husband.

You said so yourself.
Your home.

There was no home.

And I never had a husband.

It's not a very pretty
picture, is it?

Neither was the world
I grew up in.

Some people survived it.

The strong ones, maybe.
But I wasn't strong.
I was weak.

It's a funny thing
about strength.

I don't think it's something
you're born with.

I'm not even sure
that it's something
you can be taught.

I think it's something you
have to learn for yourself

through a terrible hurt.

The boy?

Only not the way you think.

I wanted that baby.

More than anything
else in the world,
I wanted it.

It was like...

Well, it was like the
only pure thing
I'd ever owned.

The one thing in my
life that was going
to be clean and...

Well, that story about my
husband didn't always work.

Sometimes there were people
I'd known before.

And the boy was getting old
enough to be hurt

by what was being
said about him.

That's when I got strength.

Enough strength to look
for a new life.

A good life.

Why are you telling me this?

You don't know,
do you?

Get down!

Gunfire.
It was a gunshot. I heard it.

Keep away from
those windows,

Porter, get away
from that door!

He's shot!

Keep clear of those windows,
all of you!

Put out that lamp!

Get the boy.

Anything?
No.

Where do you
think they are?

Firing came from above the
corral. Where's Bishop?

The barn.
The others,
the bunkhouse?

Yeah.

That'll be what they're tryin
to cover, then. Here.
Stay where you are.

Barricade what you can.

Now son, you stay right
here and don't you move.

Get it against the door.
Yeah.

And get the rifles.

Man, I can't see nothin'
out there!

If it was only out there,
out in the open.

Well, I ain't about to
wait till it's light,
I can tell ya.

Not when they can pick me off
like they did Porter.

I'm with ya,
let's get em.

Stay where you are.

Who else is with me?

You can count on me.

I'm warnin' ya, you won't
get two steps out that door.

Warnin'? What are you gonna
do, Stark? Shoot us?

Look, we'll head high, see.
Across the corral.

We'll try to make
it to the barn,

and when we draw their
fire you come out.

Come on.

Sort of been
waiting for you.

How did you make it?

Cut across back
of the bunkhouse.

No problems?
One. I think he was
the only one there.

Sounds like they
got a bunch of 'em.

They been workin' over
the bunkhouse,
makin' a coffin out of it.

How many you figure?

Maybe a dozen.
That all?

That's all they had unless
they got some of the settlers.

Yeah, sitting pretty,
ain't they?

Waiting for us to show
ourselves and pickin' us
off when we do.

If only we could think
of a way to get those boys
out of the bunkhouse.

Well, you better think fast,
it's gonna be light
in a couple o'...

Hey, wait a minute.

You got any water in here?

There's a barrel
of it over there. Why?

Get some straw.

What? Straw?

What for?

Wet it, and put it
in the wagon.

What're you gonna do?
Build a fire.

Fire? With wet straw?

Best kind. Ever see one?

Sure.

Smokes like the...

Smokes like the devil.
Come on.

Still can't see nothin'.
Don't let it gall you, Sam.

They can see you.
There is four dead
men to prove it.

Well, it's a Mexican standoff
so far, we can't get out,
they can't get it.

Man, if this works...

Yeah, you'll never
touch the stuff again.

Hey, look!

Somethin' in the barn.
Hanged if it ain't a light.

All right, come on!

Now!

The house! Get the house!

Now!

Drop 'em!

Will!

Will!

Drop it, Bannon!

Keep those
hands high!

Let them go, Harper.

It's between you
and me now.

Not a chance, Bannon.
They're my ticket
out of here.

Now you get out there
and get a couple of horses and
bring 'em around back, quick.

Go on, Bannon,
before I...

Before you what?
Start throwin' more
lead around?

I've got plenty left.

I wonder. Fact is, I wonder
if you've got any left.

Don't, don't press
me, Bannon.

I'm not pressin' anything.

I'm just trying
to figure it.

I'd be a fool to take orders
from a man with an empty gun,
now wouldn't I?

Are you going to get
those horses?

There's been a lot
of shooting, Harper,
you've done your share.

Let's see...

You shot three times at me,
that leaves three.

Can you remember 'em?

You ought to be able
to remember three shots.

Charley!

Ned! Ned, they found Hardy!

What do you mean "found"?
In the barn.
You better come quick.

I'll take care of Charley.

Take your tamale-pickin'
paws off me.

Pokin' around in
a man's insides,

ain't nothing sacred?

Ah. I got him for ya.

Pretty ain't he?

Fancy spurs and all.

Stop pokin', I told ya.

If you really
want to do somethin'
to earn your keep,

go get me my whiskey.

But it is all gone.

I know that's empty.

Look in the feed bin.

Bring me what
you find there.

Charley didn't know
about that one.

You talk too much.

Ah, I learned it from you.

Nothin' but...

Nothin' but talk.

That's all you were
ever good for.

You ought to rest,
Mr. Bishop.

Man, what a barn-burner.

Yeah, but we put on
a show for 'em, didn't we?

Hanged if we didn't.

Nothing like it since '52.
Right, Stark?

Yes, sir.

Here! Gimme that.

He's gonna die.

Die? Me?

Ha, wouldn't that
be somethin' to see.

Judson.

Bannon.

We heard about Bishop
gettin' killed.

We're sorry.
Thanks.

Where you folks going?
North, to the Humboldt,
then West.

Like we should've
done in the first place.

If we'd listened to you
instead of Harper we'd have
prevented a lot of trouble.

And killin'.

Maybe Harper was right
about one thing though.

Maybe you folks
should stay in this valley,
all of you.

I want you to stay.

After what we've done?

All you've done,
any of you, is try and
find a place to belong.

I'd like to belong here,
it's a great land.

It's just land now.

What it needs is people
to make it great.

I hope you'll stay.

Folks, did you hear what
Mr. Bannon said?

He said he wants
us to stay here.

She's gone.

She and the boy.

Where?
Up North. Toward
the Humboldt, I guess.

Thanks.