Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 11, Episode 2 - The Storm - full transcript

A man is convicted of robbing and murdering his partner, but the sons of Matt's old friend are responsible. Matt must arrest the remaining son after the other's dying declaration and make it to Hays City in time to stop the hanging.

(dramatic theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

(man whistles airily,
second man mutters)

Bring us another
bottle, bartender.

It's past closing, Woodley.

Didn't ask you what time it was.

Bring us another bottle!

(whistling)

Ah... (muttering)

(whistles) Whoa...



Hold on there; that was a 20.

What are you talking about?

You give yourself
a 20 and me a five.

No, I didn't.

There's a 20.

You let go of that wrist.

Any shearing that's
done, we do it together,

to the card-playing
sheep, not to each other.

You dirty old side wash.

(chuckles)

$200 for them buff hides.

More than $75 for
shearing the sheep.

Now that ain't bad.

$200?



There was more
hides there than that.

It's more like $300!

Was $200, I tell you.

Look, you lying
old squaw, you...!

Don't you call me an old squaw.

Now you listen to me.

I want my share of that money,

or I'm gonna cut you
from gullet to gizzard.

You so much as flick that knife,

I'm gonna lop your head
off and feed it to the hogs!

Listen to me, squaw...
I want that money.

I want that money.

I done my share of
sweating for them hides!

No, you got your share.

Well, I want my
share of the money!

Hold it.

Put up the knives.

- He's cheating me, Marshal.
- That ain't so, Marshal!

I said, put up the knives!

(Woodley pants loudly)

I'm gonna tell you something.

Next time I see you two
anywheres near each other,

you're going to jail, and I'm
gonna throw away the key.

Have you got that?

Can I pick it up?

Pick your money up.

I'm gonna get that money.

I'm gonna get it
one way or another.

This old man don't even
know who his friends really are.

Accused me of cheating him.

(Dillon sighs)

Oh, maybe I shouldn't
have had you come, Marshal.

Oh, the town have
been a site better off.

Couple more minutes, and they
might have done each other in.

Hmm. Yeah.

(dog barking in distance)

(laughing)

(fists thudding)

(fists thudding)

(groans)

(grunts)

(theme music playing)

Well, what do you think?

Well, uh...

Well...?!

Well, it's one of
a kind, all right.

Yeah.

Come all the way from St. Louis.

Yeah, well, I can
believe that, all right.

You, uh...

do you reckon she'll like it?

Well... doggone it, Adam,

you've been married
to her for 35 years.

You... You're gonna have
to be the judge of that.

Matt, you and I have
been friends for a long time.

Now, just-just go on and say
anything you want to about it,

and there'll be
no hurt feelings.

Well, Adam, I know
it's your anniversary

and all, and I'd
like to help you,

but I'm-I'm no judge
of these kind of things.

Well, just be honest with me.

I wouldn't show this to
another living soul except you.

You know that.

Well, I'll tell
you what I think.

Now, usually,

if a man is speechless
over something like this,

it means a woman's
gonna like it.

Well, if that's true, I think
she's gonna be wild about that.

Hmm.

(laughing)

That's all I wanted to hear.

Uh, you go pour me a cup
of that bad coffee you make.

Oh, I tell you, Matt,

you don't know what a
responsibility it's been

buying this thing.

DILLON: Oh, yes,
I do. I can see that.

Now, you be at
the house at 7:30.

We'll have an ounce or two

of that scamper
juice before supper.

Well, sounds good, Adam.

I sure appreciate
the invitation.

ADAM: Well, Clara just
wanted the family and you.

Can't for the life
of me figure out

why she takes a shine
to somebody like you.

No figuring women, that's all.

(Adam laughs)

Whew!

How long you reckon
that jury's gonna be out?

I didn't figure it'd
be out this long.

Kind of a sad thing.

Man dies, and the only reaction

from people is
a feeling of relief.

Well, he didn't have many
friends, that's for sure.

Yeah, and the one
friend he did have

is the one that did him in.

Looks that way.

Well... neither one of
'em's much of a loss.

Hmm.

- Morning, Mr. Benteen.
- Festus.

Matthew, the judge
wanted me to fetch you.

The jury's fixing to come in.

Tell him I'll be right
over with the prisoner.

Did you get to go to the
trial, did you, Mr. Benteen?

No, Festus, I... I
missed the whole thing.

Didn't amount to a row of pins.

It was over before it started.

(Adam chuckles)

All right, Woodley, get up.

I didn't do it! I didn't do it!

- (gallery murmuring)
- The jury has found you guilty.

But I tell you, I didn't do it.

(Woodley panting anxiously)

I never killed anybody.

I didn't kill him!

12 men, tried and
true, say different.

And I say you hang.

But they're liars...
You're a bunch of liars.

You're lying! You're lying!

Judge, this is all wrong.

That's your opinion.

And quite understandable.

Nonetheless, you hang over at
Hays City one month from today.

- (gavel bangs twice)
- Court's adjourned.

(gallery murmuring)

No, wait a minute;
there's something wrong.

No, no, wait a minute.

Now, wait a minute!
Somebody here...

Somebody... somebody
here's gotta believe me.

Somebody... somebody
knows I'm telling the truth.

Hey, somebody's gotta
believe me... Festus!

Festus, you know I've
done a lot of things in my life,

but I... but I couldn't
do a thing like this.

Come on, Woodley.

Hope, Hope, tell
'em it wasn't me.

Tell 'em it wasn't me, Hope!

You always said you had
no reason to come home.

Here's one time
you wish you had.

Oh... you're all against me!

Every one of you guys
against me! Every one of you!

I didn't kill him! I
didn't kill anybody!

You bunch of jackals!

You bunch of jackals!
That's what you are!

Well, you all take
a good look at me!

Take a good look!

You're gonna find out you
hanged an innocent man!

You bunch of liars! Liars!

You're all a bunch of
thieves and liars and jackals.

Doggone!

Now, boys, I'll tell you, now
I've seen a few men hang,

and that's the first one

that I don't feel the
least bit sorry for.

(crowd murmuring)

What's the matter with you?

I'm shaking inside like
a bird dog come to point.

Well, ease up.
It's all over now.

Well, maybe that's why.

Is there another reason?

Look, I knew we
shouldn't have started this.

- I knew it!
- Now, you shut that up.

We didn't mean to
kill him. You know that.

Just... just give him a
little of his own medicine.

Oh, wh-what we
meant to do don't matter.

We killed him just the same.

Well, all right, but
if there's ever a man

deserved to die, it was him.

I guess it's just the idea,

Woodley waiting around to
hang for something we did.

He ain't hanging for this.

Hanging for what we
and then half the town

took off of him and his
diamondback partner.

You know it.

But it's still gonna take
some getting used to.

Well, you work on it.

Well, Claude, there's-there's
all kinds of ways of dying,

but... stretching a rope...

Now you shut that up.

- (all laughing)
- Why, odd as a...

But in a horse
liniment box, Adam!

- Yeah.
- You should've seen him, Clara.

He was smuggling
it down the street

like he just robbed the bank.

- Oh, stop joshing me now, Matt.
- (Clara laughs)

Hey, I can remember the time

when your father would
have carried a thing like this

right down the
center of Front Street

just hoping somebody'd
say something

Yeah, well, we've got a
kind of a sticky marshal now

that frowns on street brawling.

Well, it's a good thing, Dad.

You getting a little
old for that, aren't you?

Yeah, well, I can
still handle you

three out of four
falls, young fella.

See that, Matt?

Gray hair doesn't make
any difference or anything.

Hey, uh, you gray-haired
folk, uh, tell us,

if you had to do it all over,
what would you do different?

Well... I guess maybe we'd
have had you boys a little earlier,

so we could have
enjoyed you longer.

And spoiled you more.

- Spoiled us?
- Now, wait a minute.

I defy any man to
say I spoil my sons.

CLARA: Oh...

They've done their
share of hell-raising.

We had a good
teacher for that, Dad.

(laughter)

Should have seen
him a few years back.

(laughter)

Well, folks, I hate to say
this, but I got to be going.

- Oh, now, Matt, you...
- Oh, come on, it's early, Matt.

- We're just starting.
- No, I...

I've got a long
ride in the morning.

I'm going up to Hays City.

I got to take Mel Woodley up.

- Oh.
- Mel Woodley?

Yeah, he's a killer, Ma.

He's gonna hang
over in Hays City.

Oh?

Yeah, I think he'll
probably appeal, but, uh...

An appeal?

To a life sentence.

Well, here, let's don't
finish this evening up

on such a sober note.

I want to teach those youngsters
there some of the delights

of a rare old bottle of brandy.

(chuckles)

This brandy's older than
either of you boys are.

You don't suppose that I'm gonna
waste it on 'em, do you, Matt?

Oh, I don't know; I don't think
it made much difference to you.

As far as his boys are
concerned, nothing'd stop him.

- (brandy pouring)
- ADAM: Well...

- To Clara.
- Why, thank you.

- DILLON: Here's to both of you.
- CLARA: Ah.

♪♪

What the thunder is
the matter with 'em?

Hello, Doc.

Oh, it's you, huh?

What's the matter with
you, the heat got you?

What do you mean, the heat?

Well, you sound like
you're about ready

to tear somebody's head off.

No, it's not the heat.

And if you must know, it's
this danged outfit in Kansas City

that calls themselves a
pharmaceutical supply house.

Now what'd they do?

It's what they didn't do. I
overpaid 'em last month

and they were supposed to
refund me and it's not here.

They were so anxious to
get that circular out to me.

(chuckles)

Well, now, if you're
short on money,

maybe I can loan
you a few dollars.

The only thing I'm
short of is patience.

Well, there must
be other houses.

Why don't you try one?

Certainly not.

It's the only firm
that gives me credit.

Don't dun me every time
my bill is due... (mutters)

Mrs. Woodley.

Dr. Adams.

Marshal.

Hi, Mrs. Woodley.

How are things?

Same as always.

Only waiting's draining me dry.

Waitin'?

On my husband's appeal.

Mrs. Woodley, your
husband's sentence

is due to be carried
out day after tomorrow.

I hope the Lord forgives me.

(crying): It's a...

terrible thing to pray

that a person hang,

but I prayed Mel would hang.

And I prayed every day

since I knew of his appeal.

A terrible thing,
coming to that.

An awful thing.

(hammer tapping)

Hey, what's the
matter with you, Ab?

If you hate that horse so much,
why don't you give him to me,

'fore you run him to death.

Claude...

I come all the way
over here from Fire City

just to tell you...

Tell me what?

Mel Woodley's appeal
has been denied.

Who told you that?

A couple boys from Circle B.

Word come in this morning.

What are you all
flustered up about?

Nothing's changed, has it?

Well, I-I kind of
hoped that they might...

Yeah, that they might
change it to a life sentence?

I hoped they would.
I prayed they would.

You know, you're the
only living man who did.

Claude, I'm coming apart.

You come back up
here and listen to me.

- I know what you're gonna say.
- Oh, you do, huh?

- You remember Will Bates?
- Sure.

You remember what he looked
like after Woodley and Cantwell

- got through stompin' on him?
- Look, they paid for that.

Oh, they did, huh? Well, what
about Woodley's own wife?

You think he ever paid
for what he done to her?

You think he ever paid for
what he did to every man

in Dodge City who was
littler or weaker than he was?

Claude, let's not go
over all this again.

You remember Charlie Crooter?

Well, nobody could prove it,

but everybody knew how he died.

I still wish we hadn't
got mixed up in it.

Well, I'm sorry we
killed him, too, but...

he's dead now and I don't
feel the least bit sorry for him.

I don't believe that.

Listen, you believe
what you want to.

Let me tell you something.

You just think about what
it would do to the folks

if you told 'em what
really happened.

Another thing you
might keep in mind

is that we both hang.

Don't you worry.

I'm not gonna tell.

Well, that's better.

Not on account of you and
not on account of the folks.

Not on account of
I'm scared to the core

of the thought of that
rope around my neck.

Well, whatever reason,
just keep your mouth shut.

Hey, you got nothing
to do, why don't you, uh,

fix that plow in the shed.

'Cause I got something to
do. I'm going back to town.

- What, again?
- Again!

What for?

I'm gonna get drunk again.

Just as drunk as I can get!

- Howdy, son.
- Hello!

- Get her fixed?
- Yeah, I think so.

I'm gonna have to
tie her down a little bit

if the wind comes up.

Yeah, looks like this
could be a bad one, all right.

Here, get the gate
for me, will you?

Yeah.

(thunder rumbling)

Hyah.

Where's Ab?

Oh, he went back on into town.

- What, again?
- Yeah.

What's he up to anyway?

Oh, I don't know.

Always covering
for him, aren't you?

- (chuckles)
- It's all right.

I was young once myself.

Tell me something,
is she pretty?

Oh, I don't know. He didn't say.

Yeah. Well, he always was
one to keep his own counsel.

I tell you, I never
have any idea

what's going on
in that boy's mind.

There we go.

You I can read like a book.

(chuckles) Yeah, I guess

I'll be losing you boys
one of these days.

You run off, get married,

maybe, uh... maybe get
me a few grandchildren

to lighten my old age, huh?

Yeah, so you can be
what you look like, huh?

Oh? What's that?

Oh, a white-haired
old grandpappy.

- Oh, you.
- (chuckles)

Here, come on in the house.
See what Ma has got for dinner.

Yeah, I'll take the
saddle in, be right in.

(thunder rumbling)

(wind blowing outside)

You, uh, figuring to
drown in that, sonny?

It ain't none of
my business, boy,

but there's times when
a man can't get drunk,

no matter how hard he tries.

Well, it's true.

If a man's carrying
too big a load

or if he's got too many
things on his mind, well,

whiskey won't do no good.

I've seen it happen
time and time again.

Oh, no offense, Sonny.

I was just trying
to be sociable.

A boy your age don't
figure to be putting on

unless he's got something...
something eating at him.

You, uh... you have a
blowup with your girl maybe?

(scoffs) Maybe.

Yeah, it figures.

A woman'll do it
to you every time.

You take Mel Woodley's wife.

I... I hear tell, she's
glad he's gonna hang.

You heard her say that?

Well, that's the talk.

Mind you, now, I didn't
hold nothing with Woodley.

Well, he's about the most
miserable human being

you're ever likely
to come across.

And I know personal
that he killed his partner,

but that still ain't no reason
for his wife to talk that way.

What makes you so sure
that Woodley done that killing?

What?!

I said, what makes you so
sure Woodley done that killing?!

What-what makes me so sure?

Weren't you at the trial?

No. I, uh... I wasn't.

I couldn't make it.

Oh, well, they... they had
me on the witness stand

for more than 20 minutes.

Well, I-I told them,
the night of the killing

that Cantwell and Woodley
were right here in this saloon

till just before the murder.

And they were at each
others' throats, too.

You see that there chair,
right behind you there?

Right there?

That's where
Cantwell was sitting

just ten minutes before
Woodley put a knife in him.

No, I-I told the jury,

if I hadn't run for the marshal,

why, the killing would have took
place right here in this saloon.

- Yeah...
- Well, they...

they was in a knife fight

by the time I got
back from the...

(thunder rumbling)

marshal.

FESTUS: ♪ Ta-too, tee-ta ♪

♪ Da-leet, fah, daddle, dee ♪

♪ Doo, doo-da,
dee, dee, da-dee ♪

♪ Daddy-ooh, dee,
dah, dee-dee, day ♪

♪ Doodoo-doo,
doodle-doo, deedle-ee ♪

♪ Deedee-ooh,
dee-dee, fiddly, doo ♪

♪ Many a year has
came and went ♪

♪ Since the Mud Creek incident ♪

♪ Hog Haggen drawed
a might too late ♪

♪ And Soak Weed shot him twice ♪

♪ But before my grandpa died ♪

♪ He fetched me
down to his side ♪

♪ And he imparted a
heap of good advice ♪

♪ He said, Festus, don't
never let a man draw first ♪

♪ He'll shoot your head
all full of holes and stuff ♪

♪ He said, swaller good
whiskey when you've got a thirst ♪

♪ And bullies is pikers
if you call their bluff ♪

♪ Doo-doo-doo-deedle
deedle-doo-doo ♪

♪ Doodle-doo-dee-da-buh
doo-doo ♪

♪ Doo-doo-doo-deedle
deedle-doo-doo ♪

♪ Doodle-doo-dee-da-buh
doo-doo ♪

♪ Ba-doomp-dee-da, doo-dee-da ♪

♪ Twadeet-don-doddle-tee... ♪

Oh, evening, Ab.

Whiskey.

Sure thing.

You're getting to be one
of our regular customers.

That ain't the
compliment you think it is.

(coins jingle)

You're filling your britches
pretty fast, aren't you, Ab?

Why don't you just
pour the drink, Sam?

♪ He said, Festus, don't take ♪

♪ No purty woman's word ♪

♪ Don't let her make
no silly fool of you ♪

♪ He said squeeze
'em and tease 'em ♪

♪ And build yourself a herd ♪

♪ Then you can call
one out if you want to ♪

- ♪ Doot-da-doot... ♪
- (thunder crashes)

Did you hear that?

Sure as the Lord
made little green apples

we're fixing to have
ourselves a twisty.

A what?

Twisty... you can tell the
way the heat's a-building up,

and the way the wind's
a-whistling around out yonder.

Did you ever see the wind
blow a rooster in a jug?

Huh?

Well, I did.

See you later, Marshal.

Wait just a minute, Rudy.

Sit down. I got
something to tell you.

Ain't nothing

that'll make your
innards more squeamy

than a first-class

pure oldie twisty will.

First-class what?

Evening, Miss Kitty.

- Kitty.
- How are you, Matt?

Well, fine.

He's a little bit
out of hand tonight.

See what you can do with him.

I'll, uh, I'll see you later.

Oh, wait a minute, Matthew.

I-I got to...

What's a "twisty"?

Well, it's a, it's a
big old stout wind,

something like a cyclone.

That so?

I recollect one hit the hill
country here a few years back.

Picked up a old dry well...

Hole, shaft and everything.

It did?

Well, I hope to jump in
your vest pocket, it did.

I tell you what else it done.

It took that old dry
well... Hole, shaft and all...

Up pert-near three miles.

And when she turned her loose
and she come a-whistling down,

she hit the ground
with such a force

that she drove that shaft

183 feet deeper than
it was to start with.

It did?!

(gulps) Hit a gusher.

Made the Sweet Water
Lake three mile acrost.

(thunder crashes)

Well, I heard that
when it hit the badlands,

it raised such dust,

there were gophers
40 feet up in the air

just digging like crazy
trying to get their way

back down to the ground.

(laughter)

Yes, sir, that
was a real twisty.

How about a beer?

Make it a whiskey,
and I'll stay.

Rudy, bring him a drink.

I'll have a beer.

Sam!

Sam...

What are you serving me, tea?

Now, just a minute, Ab...

Don't "just a minute" me, I...

Pour.

Pour whiskey.

Watch your step.

Sam, give me bar towel.

Get me another Scotch.

SAM: Mm-hmm.

You know something, Miss Kitty?

Right there's as sudden a change

as I have ever saw
in a body, I believe.

He's spent more money in here
in the last three or four weeks

than he has in
the last six months.

I'll just bet he has.

Every time I turn
around, I see him in here.

This'll settle some
of your twisty dust.

FESTUS: Smart aleck.

(Kitty laughs)

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

Mister.

Hey, you.

Now that's the third
time you've bothered me.

Oh, well...

You know, if I was you,

I-I'd just stay out of the way.

Sonny boy,

if you can't hold your liquor,
you better stay out of saloons.

Why don't you go to blazes?

Rudy, go for the
marshal and Doc.

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

Oh, here he is.

I'll get Doc.

What's happened?

He started to draw
on me, I shot him.

Marshal, the man's right.

Ab was looking for trouble
before he took his first drink.

I saw it all.

Ab drew first.

It's the God's truth, the
man gave me no choice.

He's never been
in a gunfight before.

Don't try to move, Ab.

Just... Just take it easy.

Doc's on his way.

(coughing weakly)

(slurring): I'm
gonna tell him...

I'm gonna tell him.
I'm gonna tell him.

(quietly): Tell him...

Tell him right now.

I'm gonna tell him.

Oh. Doc.

Doc?

Doc...

Take it easy, Ab.

Easy.

I want you to tell him, please.

Tell Woodley for me.

Woodley?

Tell Woodley I'm sorry.

Sorry for what?

(coughs)

Tell Woodley...

it was Claude and me that...

It was Claude and
me that killed Cantwell.

It wasn't him.

I just couldn't
take that... with me.

Got to get a wire off
to Hays City right away,

stop that hanging.

What are you gonna
tell Adam and Clara?

I don't know.

Get Ab's horse and bring
it around to the office,

will you, Festus?

(wind whistling,
thunder crashing)

(wind whistling)

Evening, Marshal.

You seen Barney Danches tonight?

Like always, after he
closes the telegraph office.

You notice how the storm's
driving the flies inside?

How long ago?

Huh?

I said how long ago was he here?

Oh, about an hour or so.

He still have the
room at Ma Smalley's?

As far as I know.

Uh, he won't be there, though.

Why not?

Well, him and Hank Cooters
was starting to put one on.

Uh, took a bottle with
'em over to Hank's.

Thanks.

- (slurring): People...!
- Yeah, people.

They're the ruination
of the whole world.

- Right.
- And don't you forget it.

(pounding at door)

Not one worth a plug

of good chewing tobacco.

(pounding continues)

Except for you and me, Barney.

I know, boy.
Let's drink to that.

Mm-hmm.

- (pounding on door)
- DILLON: Hank, you in there?

(men continue
chattering drunkenly)

What's the matter, can't
you hear anybody knocking?

We hear you, but
we ain't listening.

(guffawing)

Barney, I need you
to send a telegram.

You can send it in the morning.

Well, I have to send it tonight.

Office is closed. Sorry.

Yeah, well, we're gonna open it.

- Come on, Barney.
- Oh, hold on there!

Ain't nothing or
nobody worth going out

- on a night like this.
- That's my hat!

You'll be back later.

And you just proved it, Marshal!

Not worth a plug of
good chewing tobacco,

except Barney and me.

- (wind howling)
- BARNEY: All right...

Always had fun with my buddy...

Will you mind telling me
what's so all-fired important...

- All right, come on.
- It can't wait till morning?

Now sit down, there.

I want you to get Hays
City on the wire... hurry up.

Oh... Hays City...

Send a telegram to the sheriff.

Tell him to stop Mel
Woodley's hanging.

Tell him I got one
of Cantwell's killers

and I'll have the other
soon... Now, go on.

What are you talking about?

Everybody knows
Woodley killed him.

Barney, would you quit
talking and get sending?

(telegraph key clacking)

There's no answer.

Well, keep trying.

(key clacking)

Can't understand it, Marshal.

They got a night man, I know.

He's probably sleeping.

Still no answer.

(thunder crashing)

Do you suppose the storm

could've knocked out the lines?

Yeah, it could have.

Barney, I want you
to keep sending.

I don't care if it
takes you all night.

All night?!

Keep sending.

(wind howls, thunder rumbles)

All night for a
man like Woodley.

I say, let him hang.

(wind howling)

(thunder crashes)

(horse whinnying)

(Clara sighs)

- (knocking at door)
- ADAM: Huh?

(Adam grunts)

What's that?

Somebody at the door.

Oh. What time is it?

What difference does that make?

Go see who it is.

Oh, yeah.

(grunts)

(thunder crashes, wind howls)

Oh! Matt!

Come on in, get out of the wind.

Evening, Matt.

Sit down.

I, uh...

I'm afraid I got some bad news.

Bad news?

It's Ab.

Ab?

He's been shot.

Shot...

He's dead.

He's dead.

He's dead!

Who's dead?

Ab!

(sobbing): Ab is
dead, he's dead!

- Mother, come on.
- Oh, no, no, no, no...

- Come sit down, Mama.
- Ab is dead...

- Come-come on.
- He's dead!

No, no, no, no...

no, no...

Who did it, Matt?

(sobbing)

CLARA: Oh, no, no...

Who did it?

Some cowboy in the Long Branch.

Why?

Well, there was a fight.

Ab was drunk.

Ab... drunk?

I'll tell you why he
was drunk, Adam.

'Cause it wasn't Mel
Woodley that killed Cantwell.

It was your boys.

(stammers)

(sobbing)

- (thunder rumbles)
- My sons...

killed Cantwell?

DILLON: Ab confessed it
to me just before he died.

Now, Adam, I'm gonna have to
take Claude with me right now.

You're not gonna take
Claude anyplace, Matt.

Adam, there's a bad storm out;

the telegraph wires are down.

I've got to get Claude
to Hays City right now,

before they hang Mel Woodley.

Claude for Mel Woodley?

Matt...

Adam, it wasn't Mel
Woodley that killed Cantwell.

It was your sons.

Claude...

(Clara sobbing)

CLARA: Oh, no...

(thunder crashes)

Matt tells me that you
boys killed Cantwell.

Is that true?

Yeah, it's true, Pa.

- But now, look...
- Get your coat.

- Get my coat? Pa...!
- Get your coat!

I'm gonna...

I'm gonna let you
take him out of here,

because right now,

if Clara found out about this,

it would kill her.

But Hays City is
a long way, Matt.

And you'll never get him there.

Now, Adam, don't
do anything foolish.

You stay here with Clara.

She's gonna need you.

(wind howling)

(Clara crying)

(crying): Oh, Adam! Oh, Adam!

(wind howling)

(thunder crashes)

(thunder rumbling)

Get your hands up!

Why didn't you shoot?

Would it mean that much to
you for me to hang for Woodley?

Let's go!

(thunder crashes)

(thunder crashes)

You ain't gonna get to Hays
City if this rain don't let up.

Not that I mind.

We'll get there in time

to stop the hanging, all right.

Yeah, I... guess
you win, Marshal.

Claude, nobody wins
in a thing like this.

Woodley maybe.

At least he ain't gonna hang

for something he didn't do.

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

All right, those
horses are rested.

Let's get started.

(gunshot)

Over here!

Well, I guess you didn't
lose him yet, Marshal.

Quiet! Don't say a word.

(cocks gun)

Adam!

Matt!

Let the boy go.

You'll have to kill
me to get him, Adam.

And I don't think
you're gonna do that.

Now, why don't you
put the rifle down?

(thunder crashes)

Matt, please!

Let the boy go!

You know I can't do that, Adam.

Listen, nobody'd ever know.

You could say he
got away in the storm.

Matt...

I'm begging you. Please!

Adam, it's all over.

Now, go back home.

(thunder crashing, rumbling)

Come on.

Matt!

Matt!

How's it look, Pa?

Well, at least he ain't dead.

What are you doing?

Providence, son.

You're free!

What about him?

I'll take care of him
after you're gone.

- Now, get going.
- Well, that log's too heavy.

I have to help you lift it.

- (grunts)
- Come here.

I-I can manage this. Now...

Now, look. I can...

Go on, do what
your pa tells you.

You're worth a dozen
Woodleys and a dozen Cantwells.

Now, get out of here!

(Adam grunting with effort)

Matt?

Matt!

(man whoops)

Hey, that's pretty smooth.

No, we better do
that again, Sheriff.

We ought to try it a few
more times, just for luck.

You close that door
down there again?

Put it back up.

MAN: It didn't work.

That's working pretty good.

Yeah.

(birds chirping)

Sheriff?

Sheriff, it's not time yet.

You... you're gonna be
the one who pulls the trap?

You...

You... you're from Dodge.

Did you come all this
way just to watch me hang?

Yeah, all the way, Woodley.

Well, listen, you
go back to Dodge.

And you tell them people
you did see me hang.

You saw a man die, screaming
and yelling he didn't do nothing!

He never killed nobody!

They still wouldn't believe you.

But there's one that would.

Yeah, there's one that would.

And I hope he
burns in damnation.

(quiet, wry laugh)

Well, I guess seeing you
don't make it any easier.

Wha-what do you mean?
Wait-wait a minute...

Wait a minute! What
do you mean?! What...?

MAN: Get away from that cell.

What the devil you
doing here, boy?

I asked you a question.

Come on, Matt.

Here you go.

How is it?

Ah, it's... it's
getting pretty numb.

Well, you passed out again.

Matt, I ju... I just
can't move this log.

You're gonna
have to go for help.

I can't leave you here.

You got to.

(hoofbeats approaching)

Listen.

Claude!

We'll get it off you in
a little while, Marshal.

Let's go.

Sorry, Pa, I...

couldn't let him hang.

You all right, Matt?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm feeling some better.

All right, let's see if we
can lift it up off him now.

(men grunting with effort)

MAN: It's coming...
keep going...

Here's some help...