Maverick (1957–1962): Season 1, Episode 13 - The Naked Gallows - full transcript

You could yell, but it won't
do you no good, mister.

You're a long way from town.

I wasn't planning to yell.

I just wanna ask a question.

What goes on?

Maybe you didn't
listen too good, friend.

I said, those questions you're
asking could get me lynched.

Now...

you've had a nice
friendly warning.

Think it over...

while you walk the four
miles back into town.



Hello. Glad to see you again.

This week, that other unpredictable
Maverick, my brother, Bart...

gets involved in one of the
most intriguing mystery stories...

ever to come out of the West.
It's called The Naked Gallows.

This is the town of Bent Spur, a
three-day ride south of the Black Hills.

And Brother Bart had just
made that three-day ride.

"Looks a bit seedy,"
you might say...

but nothing a bath, a razor and
a change of clothes won't cure.

Hmm. Now, how many
you figure you got there?

One hundred and forty-seven,
and they're all beaver.

Yeah.

You do buy beaver, Mr. Fall?

Oh, yes, buy almost anything...

provided the price is right
and got value to begin with.



- Well, I'm open to any reasonable offer.
- Well...

- Afternoon, Alec.
- Sheriff.

You know, June is a great
late date for winter furs, mister.

I ain't trying to tell you about business,
but you'd have done better months back.

I know, but I got
banged up in a rockslide

and it took me little
while to get over it.

Hmm.

I'm Barney Fillmore.

Don't recall seeing
you in Bent Spur.

My name's Bart Maverick,
sheriff. It's my first visit.

Trying to unload my catch...

but Mr. Fall here doesn't
seem too eager to buy it.

Alec Fall wouldn't be eager
to buy a hot stove in a blizzard.

That's a pretty sizable bunch of
furs, considering the winter you had.

Yeah.

- How many traps do you have out?
- Oh, 50, 60.

Well, I'll say this: Alec
will pay a fair price.

That's more than you can say
about most fur buyers north of here.

But then I guess you
heard of that before...

seeing as how you come all
the way down here to cash in.

That's only part of the reason,
sheriff. Friend of mine lives in Bent Spur.

As I was heading south,
thought I'd look him up.

Well, that's fine.

- What's his name?
- Milo Ballard.

Heard he was doing right
well around Bent Spur.

Afraid you heard
wrong, Mr. Maverick.

Milo didn't do so well here.

He was murdered...

about 11 months ago.

I'm sorry to hear that, sheriff.

How'd it happen?

He was shot on
his own doorstep...

at night and in the back.

He wasn't even wearing a gun.

Well, it's a pleasure
meeting you, Mr. Maverick.

- Have a safe trip.
- Thank you, sheriff.

Any reason why I
shouldn't hear the rest?

Well, pretty sore
point for the sheriff.

Town don't blame him, but he
can't keep from blaming himself.

- For what?
- A young rancher named Clete Overton...

was supposed to
hang for killing Ballard.

Only somebody helped him
break out of jail the night before.

Nobody seen hide
nor hair of him since.

Ever learn who
helped him break out?

No. No. Uh...

Don't know what you and your
partner would consider a fair price.

I haven't got a partner.

You trapped 140
beaver all by yourself?

One hundred and
forty-seven, Mr. Fall.

You wanna count them again?

No. I'm willing to pay $4
apiece for the whole lot...

in gold.

- What do you want?
- Well, I want a room.

I was told this is the
best hotel in town.

- It's the only hotel.
- That's what I meant.

That wasn't very nice of you,
sneaking up on me like that.

I guess you're right.
I beg your pardon.

Bart Maverick.

I don't have to scrub
floors, Mr. Maverick.

The man who does it is sick
and I'm just helping my father.

Oh, I see.

I'm Annie Haines.

My father owns this hotel.

Well, it's a pleasure to
meet you, Miss Haines.

What room do I get?

The first one on
the left upstairs.

It's the nicest.

Well, I hope it has a big
bathtub and a lot of hot water.

Bathroom's at the end of the hall.
I'll heat the water for you myself.

Thank you.

I bet you look a lot
nicer without all that:

Maybe you're right. I've been
wearing it so long I've forgotten.

Thanks.

Annie?

Who's that man, Annie?

Some stranger, Pa.
He rented a room.

I saw how you looked at him.

Your eyes were the eyes of Jezebel
when she enticed the men of Jezreel.

How many times must I tell you to
call me when anybody wants a room?

How would I know
where to find you?

You'll guard your tongue unless
you want another touch of the strap.

Now, where are you going?

He wants some
hot water for a bath.

I'll attend to that.

You get back to your
cleaning up in here.

Yes, Pa.

If a man, any man,
comes around...

you're just like your ma was.

You trying to make me believe
Ballard wasn't even wearing a gun...

after Overton
threatened to kill him?

Nobody knew then just what kind of
a back-shooting snake Overton was.

Little careless of the sheriff
letting Overton break jail.

Wouldn't do for Barney to hear you say
that, even if Milo was a friend of yours.

You boys look little thirsty.

Water's on the house.

Well, much obliged, Virginia.

I was beginning to think
I wore out my welcome.

Ha, ha, come on, Ben. It's your
type of man that keeps me in business.

- Mr. Maverick?
- Uh, no, thanks.

I've got so many vices, I've
decided to pass that one up.

Ha, ha, you must tell
me about them sometime.

I'm Virginia Cory. As a matter of
fact, I've been hoping to meet you.

Any friend of Milo Ballard's
would have to be a friend of mine.

We were partners here.

I didn't know that, Miss Cory.

As I was saying, we
should get better acquainted.

When you finish your game,
why don't you stop by my office?

If you won't take a drink,
I can offer you a cigar.

I'll take you up
on that right now.

I was just gonna
drop out, anyway.

Maverick?

Didn't expect to see you
way out here. How are you?

Mike Cardoza, you remember me.

That game up in Omaha
about three months ago.

Hardly forget a man
that took $300 off of me.

Afraid it's your
mistake, Mr. Cardoza.

Three months ago, I was
trapping beaver in the Black Hills.

Your name's not Bart Maverick?

I expect you met
my brother, Bret.

He spends a lot of time
between St. Louis and Omaha.

Your twin brother?

No, but there's a
strong resemblance.

Well, pleasure to
meet you, Mr. Cardoza.

Cardoza?

You, uh, make a mistake?

Well, the name
was Bart Maverick.

At leastwise, I think it was.

The best, Mr. Maverick:
Prussian Cuba.

Milo loved a good cigar,
and like you, he didn't drink.

But you're his friend.
You probably knew that.

Well, some things you
forget if you notice them at all.

How long it had been
since you saw him?

A month or two before
he moved to Bent Spur.

Oh, then you lived in Wichita.

Oh, a year or so, on and off.

It's hard to believe he's dead.

Even harder to believe he
could have been so careless.

Careless?

Turning his back on the only man in
town who hated him, and not wearing a gun.

You make it sound like you don't
believe Clete Overton killed him.

Is that your opinion?

I haven't got an opinion.
I'm looking for one.

Well, I'll do anything
that I can to help.

You see, I was in love with
Milo Ballard, Mr. Maverick.

The one thing in this world I want to
see is the person who killed him punished.

To be very honest with you...

I was never satisfied they
sentenced the right person.

Milo didn't have any
family as I remember.

That's right.

Who took over his
partnership here?

That came to me, Mr. Maverick.

Milo wanted it that way.

Can't be easy for a woman
to run a place like this alone.

Well, it's no trouble as long
as I keep the whiskey cheap...

and the games honest.

The men think of me
as one of the boys.

If you're just one of the boys,
I don't want to meet any girls.

I hunted for that compliment.
I got it. Thank you.

Do drop in again, Mr. Maverick, if you're
going to be in town for any length of time.

Thank you.

Oh, perhaps there's
one thing I should tell you.

You know, Milo had his reasons for
saying he came here from Wichita.

Truth is, he had never
been there in his life.

He came here from
San Francisco with me.

You never knew Milo Ballard.

What are you really
after here, Mr. Maverick?

Uh...

When I think of an answer to
that one, Virginia, I'll let you know.

You could yell, but it won't
do you no good, mister.

You're a long way from town.

I wasn't planning to yell.

I just wanna ask a question.

What goes on?

The word's around you're looking
for the man who killed Milo Ballard.

Looks like he found me instead.

You're off your horse, friend.

I didn't shoot Ballard.

Clete Overton's
the man you want.

You knock me on the head and
drag me out here to tell me that?

You come around asking
questions, maybe getting answers.

Some of them leading to me.

That scares me.

So I aim to
discourage you, friend.

You're doing a pretty
good job of that, friend.

I want you out of town.
A way out and stay out.

You don't, you get a bullet...

from a window, a dark alley...

but you'll get it.

Can I ask why?

Sure. I'm glad to answer.

I'm the one that jerked
Overton out of jail.

Bent Spur's about
forgot Ballard's killing.

You go around
stirring them up again...

and they find out I'm the
one got Overton loose...

I could end up swinging from
the gallows they built for him.

I'm trying to find the
man that shot Ballard.

If you didn't do it, you got
nothing to fear from me.

You expect me to believe that?

Maybe you didn't
listen too good, friend.

I said, those questions you're
asking could get me lynched.

Now...

you've had a nice
friendly warning.

Think it over...

while you walk the four
miles back into town.

Mr. Maverick, I'm so glad to see
you. When you didn't come back I...

- Your face, what happened?
- Not now, Annie.

Wait, Mr. Maverick.

Mr. Maverick, I'm Ruth Overton.

I'd like to talk to you...

alone, if you don't mind. It's
quite important to both of us.

All right, if you don't mind
coming up to my room.

No. Thank you.

- Would you care to sit down?
- No, thank you.

I'll try not to keep you.

Is it true what I hear, that
you're a friend of Milo Ballard's...

and you're trying to
find out who killed him?

They told me who
killed him, Mrs. Overton.

They told you a lie.

Clete was at home
in bed the whole time.

I swore to that at the trial,
but they wouldn't believe me.

- Why did you come to me about it?
- Why not?

I thought you want to
find out who killed him.

That's right.

All right, then.
I'll tell you this.

It was somebody in Bent Spur and
I'm positive that they're still around.

A man like you might be able to find
out the truth, if you really wanted to.

If you do, Mr. Maverick,
I'd like to help you.

That's why I came here.

I can take all the help
that's offered, Mrs. Overton.

Do you know what happened?
I mean, the real story?

Just a side of it.

Didn't matter to Milo
Ballard that I was married...

in love with my husband.

One day in town...

he made a remark to me...

deliberately loud
enough for Clete to hear it.

Wasn't the first time...

but it was a first time
that Clete was there.

Clete told him that if he ever
spoke to me again that he'd kill him.

And lot of people
heard him say it.

Guess that's just
what Ballard wanted...

because he told Clete never to
come into town again without his gun...

that with or without it,
he'd shoot him on sight.

You don't have to tell me anymore.
I can figure out the rest to myself.

No, I want to tell you
everything, every word of the truth.

I knew that Clete planned to go
back to town the next day with his gun...

just like I knew that if he did
he wouldn't come home alive.

Guess he was the only one
with courage in the family...

because he slept
soundly all night...

and I just watched him.
I never closed my eyes.

Because I was just so afraid that it
was the last night that we'd have together.

And that was the night that Milo
Ballard was killed, but not by my husband.

If it's any help, I believe you.

You are the first
person who has.

Thank you.

I think you're right about the
killer still being in Bent Spur.

In fact, I'm sure of it.

I've already been told to stop asking
questions and move out of town.

Who told you that?

Oh, a man with a gun
and a careless boot.

He didn't give me his name, although
I can think of a few that would fit.

May I ask you a question?

Of course.

Why is all this so
important to you?

I hope I can answer your
question real soon, Mrs. Overton.

Is it just because Milo
Ballard was a friend of yours?

I never saw Milo
Ballard in my life.

But... But everyone says...

I intended they'd say it.

It's the only chance I'd have to
get some questions answered.

But why would you...?

That's as far as I can
go right now, I'm sorry.

Thank you, Mr. Maverick. I
won't bother you anymore.

You changed your shirt.

Then a clean gambling
man like you would.

What's the idea?
What are you trying...?

That's smoke from the lantern
you were holding on me last night.

That was a little careless.

Why, Brink? Why'd you kill him?

"Kill him"? Kill who?

There haven't been that
many murders in this town.

Ballard? Oh,
you're wrong, friend.

Sure, I got Overton out of jail,
but he's the one who killed Ballard.

You didn't kill him, why
did you break Overton out?

I was paid to. I
was paid plenty.

- Who paid you?
- Uh...

I'll make you a deal, friend.

I'd tell you who hired me...

you don't let anyone else know.

Like I said, I don't want
them stringing me up.

Maybe the one hired me
was the one who killed Ballard.

Maybe they hated seeing an innocent
man hanged so they paid me to get him out.

- Did you ever think of that?
- Yeah, I thought of it.

All right, Brink.

You got yourself a deal.

Who paid you?

His wife, Ruth Overton.

- I can check on that real quick.
- It wouldn't be smart of you not to.

- Can I ask you something?
- Yeah.

Anybody can ask me anything.

There's 200 men in this
town, they all own shirts.

How did you know that lantern
smoke would be on mine?

Don't lose any sleep over it.

When a man's dealing cards to
me, I watch his hands pretty close...

the way I watched your
hands at the blackjack table.

Last night, those hands
stood out on that lantern...

like shoes on a snake.

Looking for somebody, neighbor?

You're back quick
enough. Good news?

I'm afraid not, Clete.

Let's talk about it over
some food. I'm starved.

You should've let me know, I
would have put champagne on ice.

I figured Brink was telling
me the truth, all right.

But I checked with
your wife, anyway.

She hired him.

Even if she didn't know you were innocent,
she couldn't just watch them hang you.

Hired him how? Ruth didn't
have that kind of money.

When I asked her, she said
she'd borrowed the money...

on your holding.

You didn't tell her about me?

The way things turned out I couldn't,
even if you hadn't asked me not to.

All right, Bart.

You did what you
could and I'm grateful.

I'm not aiming to
hold you any longer.

- You're all through trying?
- You got a better idea?

Only chance I have was to find
out why Brink saved my neck.

You came up with the answer
to that, So, what's left to go on?

I'm not looking forward to running
the rest of my life, but I got no choice.

Whoever shot Ballard, smart
enough not to leave a trail.

- Found that out yourself.
- That's about all I found out.

Well, I hope I
didn't miss anything.

Forget it. I wasn't expecting
any miracles, anyway.

Clete, 600 in gold
for those beaver pelts.

What about you?

I picked up a fair-sized stake at one
of a Virginia Cory's blackjack tables.

You mind stopping off at Bent
Spur again on your way out of here?

Whatever you say, Clete.

Let Ruth know I'm alive...

and that she's to sell the
spread for whatever she can get.

And tell her to meet me in six
weeks at the Hudson Hotel in St. Louis.

You'll never make
it, Clete. Hold it.

Up with the hands.

I'm sorry, Clete.

I looked over my shoulder.
I'd swear I wasn't followed.

Forget it.

Barney could trail an
Apache through a dust storm.

Folks back home been
wondering what happened to you...

seeing as how you left
without saying goodbye.

Now drop the belt.

Turn around, both of you.

You better check your friend.

- You only creased him.
- Get him fixed up.

I can't get too sore at a
man who tries to help a friend.

You try it again,
and you'll get shot.

Is that clear?

As a mountain lake, sheriff.

Am I next, sheriff?

After leading me straight
to an escape killer?

Why, I am downright
grateful to you, Maverick.

You really seem
to be enjoying this.

You bet I'm enjoying it.

I don't like killers
busting out of my jail.

You might say it
sort of hurts my pride.

You're in here because I
got a little careless, Clete.

I see that you to get out
again, one way or another.

- Till then, I'll stay in town.
- That's a good idea.

When a man's kicking at the end of a
rope, he's entitled to have friends around.

It's a cinch Clete here don't
have many in Bent Spur.

Clete? Clete!

Clete!

I figure you can be out of
town by tomorrow afternoon.

See that you are.

A minute ago, you
invited me to the hanging.

I just changed my mind.

You afraid I'll come up
with the right answer?

The jury will beat you to it.

They found Overton
guilty and he'll hang.

What makes you so
cocksure he's innocent?

I owe him a debt.

He asked me to pay it off by coming here
and trying to find out who kill Ballard.

Now, you think a guilty
man would want that?

You mind telling me
how this debt came about?

Six weeks ago, I was in the
Black Hills headed for Fort Benton.

Two prospectors held me up.

They took every cent I had
and put a bullet through my belly.

When Clete found me,
I was as good as dead.

It was a solid week
before the fever broke.

I don't think he got two
hours sleep the whole time.

Does that answer your question?

Might be a better
answer than you think.

Might be.

Maverick?

By tomorrow afternoon.

Don't forget.

Thanks, Annie.

I didn't hear you knock.

I guess I forgot to.

You have real nice shoulders.

I use them to hold up my shirts.

I felt real bad when
Pa said you left town.

I'm sure glad you come back.

Thanks, Annie.

Hardly any nice men
ever come to Bent Spur.

And even if they do,
they don't stay long.

Town this size must
have a lot of young men.

A lot of good that does. Pa
has a fit if I even look at one.

Of course, he can't
watch me every minute.

I like a man that dresses up
once in a while and talks nice.

Knows how to treat a girl.

Like going for a
buggy ride and things.

Sounds like a lot of fun, Annie.

Really, honest? Billy and me used
to ride out to the old Carter place.

Oh, you'd like it.
Nobody lives there.

I'm pretty busy, Annie.
You better run along now.

Maybe we'll talk
about it another time.

I suppose you think I am not old enough...
- Are you up there, Annie?

Please don't say
anything. Please.

Why? Nothing's wrong.
There's no reason to hide.

You don't know him. Please.

Is my daughter with you, sir?

Annie? What would
she be doing in here?

You are a man, tall and well
favored with an easy grace.

Such are the tools of Satan to entice
a wayward child into the path of sin.

The path of sin doesn't come
through here. Try next door.

I must make sure.
Stand aside, sir.

I can't do it, Mr. Haines.

As long as I'm paying for this room,
nobody gets in without an invitation.

That includes you.

Come out of there, Annie.

You hear me?

Pardon me for saying so,
but I'm getting a little fed up.

If you'll excuse me...?

He's your father, Annie.
Why you are so afraid of him?

Why did he do that?

Because I'm evil.

He told you that?

I am evil, just like my ma was.

She went away with a man
when I was just a little girl.

It's Ma's bad blood in
me that makes me evil.

You better go before
he comes back.

You will take me for
that ride? Please, Bart?

Goodbye.

Need any help?

Well, won't you come
in, Mr. Maverick?

Why, thank you, Virginia.

Thought I'd like another one
of these fine Cuban cigars.

Help yourself.

Well, your secret is
safe with me, Virginia.

At least, that one is.

I'm beginning to see a new side of you. I'm
not quite sure whether I like it or not.

Don't tell me you've
been drinking.

A man can get just as drunk on
the truth as he can on whiskey.

Now, maybe that's the answer.

I know the truth about
who killed Milo Ballard.

- Clete Overton finally admitted it?
- You know he didn't.

I know it?

Place I know in Kansas City runs
a big game about this time a year.

Trouble is no-limit poker
takes a good-sized stake.

Well, 5000 would
be enough, Virginia.

You'd hardly miss that much.

I hate being wrong about people
and I was certainly wrong about you.

Now, you cheap
tinhorn, get out of here.

Funny how you can go around asking
a lot of questions and get nowhere...

then, bingo, when you least
expect it you hit the jackpot.

Although that's hardly a
kind word to call a lady.

Let's make sure
that I understand this.

You found out that I
killed Milo Ballard, right?

You're willing to
keep quiet about it...

for $5000?

- That's about the size of it.
- Hmm.

Well, this proof you've got, do
I get to know anything about it?

Why not?

I get the money,
you get the proof.

I apologize, Mr. Maverick.

You're not a cheap
tinhorn after all.

You're a good poker
player pulling a big-time bluff.

Now, if I had killed him, it
might have worked, but...

Well, you did it that well.

Since I didn't kill Milo, uh...

you don't get the $5000.

You play a pretty good brand
of poker yourself, Virginia.

You called my bluff and I
still haven't seen your hand.

That's never
happened to me before.

I'll try not to let
it happen again.

Mr. Maverick.

Oh, good night, Annie.

Don't go.

Sit out here with
me for a while.

Pa went to a revival meeting.

He won't be back for hours.

Annie, I'm too old for you.

I've been too old
since I was 13.

Now you leave me
alone, you hear?

I know why you're mad.

It's because they're
gonna hang your friend.

When your father wears out that
strap, you tell him I'll buy him a new one.

I bet you I know something
you'd like to know.

It's about your friend.

What about him?

- I'll ask you again, what about him?
- I won't tell you.

You're not nice to me.

All right, Annie. You win.

I'll be nice.

And we'll go for that ride out
in the country? You promise?

I can't promise, Annie. You
haven't told me anything.

She was there. I saw her.

Who was where?

Mrs. Overton. She was
at Mr. Ballard's that night.

Billy saw her too.

We were looking by Mr. Ballard's
fence when she rode up to the house.

What time was it?

Well, it was real late because
Billy didn't show up till after 12 and...

Why don't you tell
the sheriff about this?

And let my Pa find out that I wasn't
in my room, that I sneaked out?

Besides, it wouldn't
have made any difference.

I didn't see her shoot him.

Maybe Mr. Overton did do it.

Who's this Billy you were
with? How can I find him?

Billy Marco. He rode
for a ranch west of town.

Only he quit right
afterward and went away.

Are you sure this
was Ruth Overton?

I saw her as plain as day. She
had on a riding skirt and a man's hat.

And her horse had a
blaze under one eye.

Annie, if you're lying
to me, I'm gonna...

I wouldn't tell you a lie.

I like you.

I like you a lot.

All right, Annie,
you did just fine.

You better get to bed
before your father shows up.

He won't be back for hours yet.

We could go for that ride now.

Not now, Annie.

Good night.

Oh, Mr. Maverick. Come in.

Is anything wrong?

- What's the matter?
- That mare out in the corral.

The one with the
blaze under its eye.

Do you ride it?

Yes, she's mine.

Did you kill Milo Ballard?

Why would you ask
me something like that?

Because someone
told me you were there...

wearing a riding skirt, a
man's hat, and riding that horse.

Who saw me?

You're something new
to me, Mrs. Overton...

a woman who can kill a man
and let her husband pay the bill.

It's an experience
I wish I missed.

I went there...

but I didn't kill him.

I intended to.

It was either kill him
or let him kill Clete.

And I just couldn't
let that happen.

But when I got there,
he was already dead.

He was lying beside the barn the same
way they found him the next morning.

I'm not the law, but I
gotta know the truth.

Did you kill him?

No, I didn't. He was
dead when I got there.

Why didn't you tell
them at the trial?

I didn't dare. Just say I
was trying to protect Clete.

They could have said that he rode through
the fields and got there ahead of me.

You sure he didn't?

No, I'm not sure.

I believe in my husband.

I don't have any proof...

just faith.

Faith that Clete
would never lie to me.

Looks like I'll have to take your
word the same way, on faith.

Thank you.

Would you like some
coffee, Mr. Maverick?

No.

No, thanks. I've gotta get back.

Oh, uh, how long have
you known the sheriff?

Well, about six years...

ever since I came to Bent Spur.

Um...

Heh, how well do you know him?

Not well at all, really.

We used to go to
dances together.

Then Clete came
along and we fell in love.

What's Barney
got to do with this?

Oh, just a thought.

Well, I'm sorry I
broke into your sleep.

I wasn't really
sleeping, Mr. Maverick.

Come to say goodbye, Maverick?

Not just yet, sheriff.

- I thought I'd ask you...
- Sorry.

You can't see him.

I thought I'd ask
you a question.

What do you know about a
cowhand named Billy Marco?

Never heard of him.

He worked on one of
the ranches near here...

and he left the day
after Ballard was killed.

If any cowhand had left here
on that day, I'd know about it.

- Where did you hear the name?
- Around.

Well, you tell him
he's off his feed.

There's never have been any
cowhand around here named Billy Marco.

- Thanks, sheriff.
- Say goodbye, Maverick.

I won't be seeing you again.

Bye, sheriff.

I've been looking
everywhere for you.

Old Mr. Ramsey's having
another one of his spells.

Pa went to drive out
the spirit of the devil.

- Did he?
- He won't be back for hours.

We could take that
ride you promised.

Sure, Annie. But first I want
you to tell me something.

- Why did you lie to me about Billy Marco?
- I didn't lie about him.

Sit down a minute, Annie.

There never was a Billy Marco.

Well, I, uh, just
changed his name a little.

From Milo Ballard.

You were with
Ballard that night.

- Who killed him, Annie? Did you?
- No, I didn't.

- You're a bad liar.
- I'm not lying, not now.

I was with Mr. Ballard. He
asked me to come there.

He said he had a present for me.
He was waiting out behind his house.

He said nice things to me...

how pretty I was.

He said I was real grown-up.

And he kissed me.

You take his gun? Is
that why he wasn't armed?

He didn't have a gun.
He was talking to me...

and then all of a
sudden there was a shot.

I ran into the barn and hid.

- For how long?
- I don't know how long.

I hid in one of the stalls.

When I saw Mrs. Overton ride
up then go away, I ran home.

You do believe me.

Yeah, sure, Annie.

And you won't say anything
about me being with him?

No. No, I won't say anything.

Then we can take the ride?

You did promise.

Sure, Annie. We'll
make it a picnic.

- Can you fix something?
- I'll be ready in 10 minutes.

I'll get the buggy.

It's nice here, isn't it?

So quiet.

Makes it feel like...

Like there's nobody
else in the world but us.

I don't feel lonesome
like I usually do.

You like me, don't you?

- Don't you?
- Oh, yes, Annie.

I don't think you've heard anything
I've said for the past 10 minutes.

- Sure I did, but you see I...
- What's the matter...

Hold it.

Come on down and
join us, Mr. Haines.

No need to be frightened, Annie.

There will be no
beating this time.

Did you beat her the night
you killed Ballard, Mr. Haines?

See, I was waiting for you.

I paid the boy a silver dollar
to tell you just where we were.

And my vengeance shall be
the vengeance of the righteous.

Three days later, the
town of Bent Spur...

finally wrote an end to the
story of Milo Ballard's murder.

This time, an ending they
didn't have to be ashamed of.

Maverick.

Long as you're heading south,
figure you might like some company.

That is if you don't mind
associating with an ex-sheriff.

An ex-sheriff?

When a town does
something it's ashamed of...

it usually ends up
blaming the authorities.

I figured I'd leave before
that had happened.

That's not the only
reason, is it, Fillmore?

I saw the way you looked at
Clete when Ruth ran into his arms.

Any chance you had with her
ended when Haines confessed.

I gave you a reason, Maverick.

It's the only reason you'll get.

Fair enough, sheriff.

Let's ride.