Rawhide (1959–1965): Season 7, Episode 14 - The Book - full transcript

What do you think of that?

- Huh?
- I say, what do you think of that?

Billy got beat. Ike
Brannon just shot him.

Oh, Pop. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

That was great loss, Carl.
Billy was like family to me.

My own people are a long time
gone so we were more than friends.

Did you know that
I had a son once?

Quite remindful of you,
Carl, now that I think on it.

Very understanding,
even as a boy.

That's a valuable
trait, understanding.

Um... Sure, people have
remarked on it in you, haven't they?



I bet your father was
just as proud of you as...

Uh... Uh...

I don't have it, Carl. I bet
everything I had on Billy.

I just saved out
enough for train fare.

The train doesn't
leave until morning.

And my brothers will be
here in a couple of hours.

- In Chicago, Carl...
- Springfield'll have to do, old man.

- Nobody here will loan me any money.
- We did.

Now we want it back.

There it went, Carl. The last
chance I had to get it back.

- Then you better find another.
- Find another?

I worked with that
boy for almost a year.

You ain't got
that long this time.

You know how my brothers
came by that money?



They're gonna be in this town just
as long as it takes for them to settle,

one way or the other.

- You understand that, old man?
- Sure, Carl.

You better.

- Buy me a candy apple.
- Sure, honey.

Austin.

Come on, Austin.

Come on, get up!

Let's go.

- It's Friday?
- Saturday. Nine p.m.

Springfield. This
is Springfield?

That's right.

And after Springfield
comes Topeka

and after Topeka
comes Wichita, Amarillo.

- Dodge.
- Dodge.

It's always Dodge
before Amarillo.

Why?

We've just always gone
that way before, that's all.

I'm tired of Dodge.

And I'm tired of Amarillo.
And I'm awful tired.

I'll go out there.

Ike Brannon took Billy Partland.

He wasn't 19 years old, Leroy.

That's the Pop Starke
system for you. It's all talk.

- Maybe.
- Sure it is.

Can't tell me a man can predict a
gunfight with a book or a trick watch.

- They're not natural.
- He's been doing it for a long time.

That don't make it right.

Makes no difference to him
what happens to other men.

Cost me ten dollars.

You almost had me fooled, Leroy.

I actually thought it was Billy
Partland you were feeling sorry about.

Well, it's not the ten dollars.

Of course, I feel
sorry for the kid.

He got mixed up
with that old sharper.

He was just too green,
that's all. Come on.

Since when isn't that
the name of the game?

Rush them, hustle them,
keep them off balance,

then shove them out in the
street against Ike Brannon.

Or Austin Ware.

This line of work is enough to
make a man give up shaving.

Maybe drinking?

Being as how the town's full of herds,
it wouldn't do to get all liquored up.

Besides, we'll probably
have us some work to do.

I'll just have one for Billy.

That's five out of
six. Evens it up.

- Good shooting, Rowdy.
- Hey, thanks.

We got us three
men with high scores.

So to settle it we'll go to
the quick draw. Set them up.

Now we'll shoot in the
same order as before.

Shaw first, then
Torres, then Yates.

Good luck to all of you.
And remember now,

you can be quicker
than a flash flood

but if you don't hit
them feathers up there

all you'll take away from this match is
a pocketful of empty cartridge casings.

Well, go to it.

I never thought I
would make it this far.

You doing great.
Don't get shaky now.

I am not shaky.

My hands are shaky
but I am perfectly calm.

One for six. Ernie
Torres, up next.

You can't beat that, you're gonna
be riding drag for the next ten drives.

Let your gun come to a
complete stop before you fire.

That's a boy! That's
good shooting.

All right. Come on, Rowdy!
You can do better than that.

- Hey, Fred.
- Hi.

Hey, come watch our
boys do some shooting.

Hey, Mushy, this is Fred
Holt, runs the feed store.

Watch this. This is Rowdy Yates.
He's a good one too. Watch him.

Two hits for Torres,
and Yates up.

So that's three for six.

Rowdy Yates is your winner.

This here watch goes to the winner
of the shooting match, Rowdy Yates.

It's real gold and it's got the name and
the date of our fair city on it already.

And Rowdy, if you care to, you
can have your name put on it too.

Unless you're gonna sell it.

All right, folks, I want you to
remember the name of the man

that put up this prize: Harry
Simpson, down at the Nugget.

He's down there waiting for you.

And I thank you,
and here you go.

Look at that. Isn't
that a beauty?

Okay, I tell you what
I do for you, Rowdy.

I put your name on this watch.

It says "Rowdy Yates
from Ernie Torres."

And I pay for it
too. Your name too.

I'd like to get in
on that myself.

Maybe Mr. Favor will when
he gets back tomorrow.

Me too, Mr. Rowdy. If they
don't use my real first name.

Rowdy Yates, you need more
friends like Custer needed Indians,

but this pretty little girl here
wanted me to introduce her.

Well, hey, would you excuse us first?
We're gonna be late to the pig contest.

I'm gonna enter old Mushy.

When you're through
there, drop by Drum's.

Be my pleasure to
buy you all a drink.

- Thank you.
- Yes, sir.

My name is Pony. I saw
you, it was very good.

Thank you.

I saw you too and I
gotta say the same.

- Oh, oh. This here is Ernie Torres.
- My name is Pop Starke.

I heard the talk about
engraving names on your watch.

I think I might have
a little idea for you.

This was given to me
by one of my best friends,

it's got his name
on the fob here.

Thought maybe your friends might
like to get one like it for your watch.

- Buffalo Bill.
- Is that what it says?

It says "To my good friend
and advisor, Thadde...?"

- Thaddeus.
- "Thaddeus Starke, from William Cody."

I heard of him Rowdy,
he is very famous.

- Oh, well, so is Mr. Starke.
- I suppose so.

What kind of watch is this?

Well, Rowdy, I don't
think our lady friend here

would be very interested
in this men's talk.

She would probably rather meet
us down at Mr. Drum's Saloon later.

- Bring your friends.
- See you soon, dear.

Fine girl, I'll have to see
that you get better acquainted.

Ooh. Definitely.

- You like my old watch?
- Yeah, tell me something.

- Does it keep the time of day?
- No, Rowdy.

This is what they
call a stopwatch.

This little knob here lets me start
it and stop it whenever I want to.

It measures time in
fractions of a second.

- Why do you do that?
- I use it in my work.

Here let me show you.

Uh... Let's see here.
We've got Bill Hickok.

Billy Bonney. Austin
Ware. Wyatt Earp.

And, yes, sir, here
we are, Rowdy Yates.

I just made these notations.

You see these figures here.
Tells exactly how fast you are.

I timed you with the stopwatch.

Right here, tells me which hand
you use, the weight, the make,

the barrel length of your gun,

your mannerisms,
your temperament,

what kind of mistakes
you're likely to make.

Just about everything I'd need
to know about you, for now.

Why write about me?

That's a good question,
son, it indicates modesty.

Now you come along. Let's go on
down to saloon, I'll tell you about it.

And I began noticing that
every one of these small towns

had its own gunslick.

You know, not
men with reputations

but local boys who were just a
whisker faster than the others.

And I'd see shooting matches
like the one you fellas were in

and be amazed at
the amount of money

that people willing
to gamble on it.

Well, I guess our boys had
a few dollars riding on us.

They were more
fortunate than most.

Unless you're Pop Starke,
it's never a sure thing.

But I've got the knowledge,
the experience and the book.

Let's have some peanuts.

- All right, I'll buy. I was the winner.
- Oh, no way, it's on me.

- Come on, I got this.
- Come on.

All right, all right, I
won't argue with you.

Here you go, boys.

You know, Rowdy, I can
watch a man for five minutes,

time him once or twice and tell you
exactly what he's gonna do in a match.

I've been doing it all my life,

and that, my boy,
takes us back some time.

Roughly to Genesis,
Book One. Heh-heh.

Well, you'd be a tough man
to bet against, Mr. Starke.

Well, there's no need to,

when we can both
be on the same side.

Can you imagine the kind of
money that we could pick up

moving from place to place,
taking on these small town gunnies?

No, I can't say I could.

With your speed, my boy, and my
book we could make $10,000 a year.

What? Starting to sound a
little interesting now, doesn't it?

Or are you boys already
making more than that?

- That's a lot of money.
- Ten thousand dollars.

I suppose when you're used to trail
pay that does sound like a lot of money.

But then this calls
for brains and ability.

Almost any man can
push cows, Rowdy.

Well, I wouldn't say that.

Not that there's anything wrong with
driving cattle, somebody's got to do it.

Somebody.

Now, let me put
it to you this way,

if you fellas had your choice,

which would you rather
do, ride point or ride drag?

- Point.
- Point.

Sure you would. Sure you would.

Its gutty and dirty
and dusty up there.

I know about these
things, believe me.

No man with the sense that the
good Lord gave him would ride drag

if he had a choice.
But you take point.

There you are, up
in front of everything,

the air is clean and
you're in charge.

You're a leader up there.

It may be more dangerous
up in front of a spooky herd

- but it's well worth it, isn't it?
- Can't argue with that.

Let's get some cider and
wash these peanuts down.

- I'll get it. POP: Friend,
a little cider, please.

Oh, it's like anything
you do in this life, Rowdy.

On the one hand,
you have the men

that are perfectly content getting
up off the hard ground every morning

before the sun comes up,

eating white dust all day and
maybe sleeping in rain all night.

There's some fellows that
are actually happy doing that.

Maybe that's all
they're suited for.

Well, I honestly believe

that once in a while
you run in to a man

whose life is
wasted as a drover.

This lad has what it
takes to be a leader.

He ought to be up
there in front of the herd.

I honestly think that he ought to
have the opportunity to be governor

or even president of this
great land, if he can make it.

Rowdy is already ramrod.
Soon he'll have his own outfit.

But I know what you
say is true, Mr. Starke.

Rowdy is better than
to be a drover always.

We are all of us put here on this
earth for a reason and a purpose.

Would you agree to that?

If a man has a good mind

and he's compassionate
and understanding,

it may be that he is
meant to be a doctor.

It would be selfish, actually
a crime against nature

if such a man was wasted
on a menial task, am I right?

Yeah, I guess so.

All right, you might laugh.

You might laugh at
what I'm gonna tell you.

But it's my opinion

that this country needs heroes

just as much as it needs
governors or doctors or judges.

If you look back through history

you'll find that it is full
of strong, heroic men.

They give the people somebody
to look up to, something to hope for.

Yes, sir, I believe you
may be such a man, Rowdy.

- A hero?
- Maybe he is right.

All the men in the outfit,
they look up to you, Rowdy.

Mr. Starke, just what
are you selling anyway?

Well, son, I suppose that I'm
trying to sell you to yourself.

You're trying to tell me that if I
travel around from town to town,

entering these shooting
contests, I'd be some sort of hero?

I can tell that by nature, you
are a modest man, Rowdy Yates,

so I know it's hard for you to
accept. Let me ask you this.

Would you consider
Buffalo Bill Cody a hero?

- Yes.
- Yeah, sure I do.

Fine. Now tell you
something else.

You are a faster with a
handgun than Cody ever was.

Come on.

It's all right here in the book. Times,
dates, places, even the weather.

When we get started,

people are gonna pay money
to see you handle that gun.

And it'll will be worth every penny of it.
We'll give them a show, won't we, son?

You're talking like
it's already decided.

I'm not too sure if I
want to be a hero just yet.

You will. I'd bet
everything I have on it.

Didn't I promise to buy us a drink?
What are we standing out here for?

Oh! Ha-ha-ha!

Hello, Austin. Had a little
trouble holding your table for you.

It's gonna be a busy two days.

Must be 20,000
head of cattle in town.

- We're not drinking.
- Oh?

- This gonna be a working day, Austin?
- Take the bottle.

I'll think I leave it.

While you were at breakfast
I went over to Dawson's.

There was a this big,
loud-mouthed fellow there.

He was wearing a
gun tied down low.

I asked Dawson about him,
and as near as we can figure

he's just in with one of the
herds, trying to look like a gunny.

I think I'd probably be
able to push him into...

- Just take care of it.
- All right.

Say, Austin, I was
doing some figuring.

After we pay the room
rent and the saloon,

- we've got almost 90 dollars.
- Fine.

I'm 42 years old and
I've got 90 dollars.

Excuse me, Leroy. I've
got half of 90 dollars.

Hello, Leroy. Hey, boy,
how mighty finding you.

- How you doing?
- I'm fine.

I'd like you to meet a
couple of friends of mine.

Rowdy Yates and Ernie
Torres, they just came in town.

This is Leroy Means.

Leroy, why don't you
and me have a little game?

- All right.
- All right.

Rowdy, you boys join that
pretty girl we promised to meet.

- I'll be right with you.
- All right.

- Hey, I thought you forgot about me.
- Never.

Show me your gold
watch, you big, famous man.

Hmm. Pretty.

Why don't you put your name on it
and give it to me to remember you by?

Oh, sure, sure.

Sorry, Pop.

Too bad about Billy.

What you gonna do
with yourself now?

This might surprise you, Leroy,

I think I'll stay away from
gunfighting altogether.

Well, that does
come as a surprise.

I'm just getting too old to watch
these youngsters come and go like that.

I'm not getting any
younger myself.

Now, you take that youngster
who came in here with me.

I was about to ask
you about him, Pop.

Thought, at first, you'd already
found yourself a new gun.

No, nothing like that.
Not so soon after Billy.

Anyway, I don't think
he'd have what it takes.

Shame.

Oh, he's willing enough,
he says, but I don't know.

No experience.

I don't know.

You ought to be able
to help him get that.

I mean, if you weren't
gonna giving it up.

In time maybe. In time.

He looks young enough, Pop.

Maybe you ought
to take the time.

If I could keep him away from
hustlers like you long enough to grow up.

- Nice looking boy, Pop.
- Yeah.

Never been in a
shooting, you say?

No, he's just like all
those trail youngsters,

grew up shooting at
bean cans and gophers.

Oh, he thinks he's pretty good.

Came right up to me and
asked me what I could do for him.

Came right up and asked you?

- Probably heard of you somewhere.
- Probably.

Suppose he knows
about Billy Partland?

I hope not, Leroy.

I hate to admit this, especially to
you, but I was wrong about Billy.

Didn't have it, huh?

The first couple of times he came
up against boys in his own class

but I overmatched
him with Ike Brannon.

It would be just like putting
Rowdy, there, up against Austin.

I know what you mean.

Spot this for me, Leroy.

At one time, that you said
about Rowdy and Austin...

One time that
would've been true.

Pop, don't talk it around, but Austin
hasn't been feeling too good lately.

He's on a bottle.

Still probably better than most.

Couldn't honestly say so.
Uhn-uhn. Not these days.

Huh. Hard to believe.

You know, I'll tell you what.

I'd hesitate to
put money on him,

even, uh...

Even opposite that young
fellow of yours over there.

Heh-heh. Not
much chance of that.

- Nice shot, Leroy.
- Thanks.

Would be kind of interesting
though, wouldn't it?

What do you think, Pop, huh?

Come on. As old
friends, what do you think?

Oh, I don't know. I'd have
to have pretty good odds.

Austin's had 30 fights.

Ugh. Pop, you know
better that. Nine, maybe ten.

Couldn't call them
all real fights anyhow.

I'd make it about ten to one.

Ten to one?

Pop, I always thought you
were a pretty good handicapper,

but you're way out of line here.

Looks more like
even money to me.

Maybe six to five.

Shoot. Leroy, it wouldn't pay me
to find a new boy at those prices.

That's it.

Fine boy.

Five to one.

Pop, that's just
not good business.

I'd have to be out of my head
to give you odds like that...

All right, Leroy, three
to one. And that's it.

I owe it to the boy to
get him the best deal.

I'll have to have
a talk to your boy.

No need in that.

He talks just like
the rest of them.

Then you oughtn't mind.

Rowdy, come here a
minute, young fellow.

You look after my watch.

Okay, Rowdy.

Rowdy. Pop here tells me you've
had yourself a few gunfights, son.

Now, Leroy.

- No, I've handled guns all my life...
- You see, Leroy.

Mr. Means thought he
recognized you from Texas.

Do you ever hear of Austin Ware?

Oh, sure. Yeah,
I've heard the name.

- Got quite a reputation, hasn't he?
- Yeah, as a gunfighter.

Rowdy, boy, we're sorry to
take you away from your friends.

You run on back over there.
I'll join you in a moment.

Right.

Oh, that's beautiful,
let me see it.

I can't. No. No
one can... It's...

Well, you're kind of giving yourself
a little edge there, aren't you, Leroy?

Yeah, I had to find out.

So?

Three to one.

What about money?

That misfortune with Billy
took most of everything I had.

But I'll see what I can do.

You'd be able to get enough side
bets to make it worth your time, though.

When are you
gonna tell your boy?

Leroy, there is no sense in
making him nervous just yet.

I got a lot of things I gotta do, I'll
see you back here in ten minutes.

Ten minutes.

I found us some work.

I saw you talking to Starke.

Is it the tall one, with
the girl and the Mexican?

That's the one. We shouldn't
have too much trouble.

I'm gonna go get our money
working. Be back in ten minutes.

- Carl.
- Mm. Hi, Pop.

Don't waste any.

Will you be coming
in to see me later?

Well, I don't know. We haven't
been any other places yet.

- The girls are not so pretty as me.
- Yeah, I'm sure of that.

Besides, they're too old
and they don't use perfume.

And also they probably will
try to spend all of your money.

Uh-oh. How about that, Ernie?

So why don't you just stay here?

Who's that fellow sitting over
there behind you against the wall?

Keeps staring over this way.

That's Austin Ware.
He's a gunfighter.

- Yeah.
- Mm.

He's in Mr. Starke's book.

I know. I just wondered
why he was staring over here.

Is he a friend of yours?

Eh. So-so. I don't think
he's looking at me, though.

- He isn't?
- Uhn-uhn.

At least I don't owe him
any money, fortunately.

What do you think, Ernie?

You think we ought
to stay around here?

I think so, yes.

Looks like it's the only way
I'm gonna get this watch back.

Oh, how does Rowdy get
mixed up in these things?

I wish Mr. Favor was here.

He ain't, so I hope
Rowdy will listen to you.

Me? You don't know Rowdy. He
don't hold with being told what to do.

It's gotta come from
somebody he has to listen to.

Like the sheriff.

Whole town is full of herds and
cowboys and the sheriff's out of town.

- We'll have to do the best we can.
- The hotel.

The sheriff holes up at the hotel
when he don't wanna be found.

Good, you go get
him and I'll go and...

No, Rowdy would know
right off what I was up to.

I'll go get the sheriff,
you go on over to Drum's.

Try room number
five, second floor.

Come in.

There's gonna be
trouble at Drum's.

Hey, come here.

There's gonna be
trouble down at Drum's.

What kind?

- Come on, I'll tell you on the way.
- Tell me here.

There's always trouble.

Sometimes it's worth getting
up for and sometimes it ain't.

There's gonna be a shooting.

Yeah, a gunfight. So?

You already know about it?

Well, I am the sheriff.

When are you gonna
do something about it?

You want to do something, go
ahead. You got maybe ten minutes.

Take Old Pop at least that
long to dig up betting money.

Not gonna be easy
with his reputation.

Already owes Carl Hatcher
more than he can scrape up.

You mean you're not
gonna do anything about it?

Sure I am.

I'm gonna sit right here and
see it's run fair and square.

Fair and...

What kind of a sheriff are you?

How well you know
this new fellow?

Well enough, why?

Relative? That why you're
making so much of it?

Well, he works with our outfit.

Starke saw him at the
shooting match. Rowdy won it.

- He won it?
- Yeah.

Oh, he didn't tell me that.

Changes things some.

Let me ask you something,

don't it seem to you
three to one is long odds

against a kid can
shoot that good?

What?

Clyde.

Hey, Clyde. Look,
I changed my mind.

Get over to Drum's and
lay off ten on that kid.

Hurry up now. We
ain't got much time.

And then... Then maybe I
will be a hero too, with $10,000.

And many watches.

Mr. Starke, he can do
these things, he has the book.

What? You don't want to
talk while we wait for Rowdy?

Oh, sure, we can talk.
We'll talk about payday.

You a spender or saver?

Well...

How much trail wages
do you have left?

Good for you. You can
afford to buy a lady a drink.

Maybe two.

Is Rowdy in here with you?

He invited Rowdy for a drink.

That's Austin Ware.

Pony?

- Hey, what's going on?
- Wish, don't go over there.

I got to. Sheriff isn't gonna do anything
and Rowdy doesn't stand a chance.

They're already
figuring odds on him.

Well, I know that, but
leave them be for now.

I've been watching,
everything's all right

as long as they're
just sitting and talking.

You go busting in,
you might spook them.

I don't know. I think I ought to
break it up before it's too late.

Believe me, Austin
Ware's no saloon gunny.

He won't start anything in here.

Now, you come on
with me to the bar,

you can keep an eye on
them from there. Come on, now.

Since then, whenever I come to
town he has a bottle set aside for me.

Hope you like it.

Yeah, tastes fine.

Well, it ain't cut too much

and it wasn't still on
the corncob this morning.

So you're talking to
Pop Starke and Leroy.

They putting something
together, you think?

Is he a friend of yours? Leroy?

- Yeah, in a way.
- Mm.

Well, anyway, we've known
each other a long time.

How'd he happen
to be talking to you?

Oh, he's got the
idea I'm a gunfighter.

How about that?

- And what did you tell him?
- That I wasn't.

It's good an answer as any.

Is it true?

Yeah. Why shouldn't it be?

You don't come right out
and say much, do you?

Well, what did you call
me over to hear me say?

Nothing. Just curious, I guess.

Doesn't have anything to do with that
shooting match here in town, does it?

- Was it a good one?
- Yeah, it was all right.

I don't get out much to keep
track of things like I used to.

I spend most of my
time in the hotel, or here.

You been up against
anybody I know?

How many of my old
friends you out-draw so far?

I like to keep track.

You think... You think
I'm a gunfighter too.

- And you're not?
- No, I'm not.

And I'm the Reverend Abernathy.

Tell me,

how many people ask you about all
the shootings you been in, reverend?

Pretty near everybody.

I used to keep track once.

Used to make a difference
I guess, 24 years ago.

But not now, huh?

I got no reason to
want to remember.

You know, a while back in...

some other town, a lady come
up to me and said I shot her boy.

In El Paso, two years ago,
she said, and she'd seen it.

Well, I stopped to think,
tried to remember Paso

and this kid came to mind.

I could remember how he was
dressed, the way he looked, everything.

So I told her.

And she just looked at me and said,
"No, it wasn't the way he looked at all."

Funny.

Anyhow, sometime later I
was sitting in a hotel with Leroy,

telling him about it and describing
this kid that kept coming to my mind.

He had light color eyes too.

And Leroy said I was
thinking of Deanie Foster.

Deanie Foster. He's
the first man I ever killed.

Now they all look like him.

What were you doing at the shooting
match, just keeping your hand in?

No, no. Several of us
thought we'd give it a try.

- Win yourself a watch?
- Mm-hm.

Let's have a look.

Slow.

It's been a long time
since I had one of these.

I could never hold onto mine
long enough to wear one out.

I'd need money or
meet a pretty girl.

Must have had 15, 20.

You any better at
hanging on to them?

Well, I've had that one little
over an hour and I still own it.

I'd give that little girl you were talking
to over there about ten minutes more.

What's the name of that
fellow at the bar watching us?

Wearing whiskers.

Oh. Oh, that's
Wishbone, he's our cook.

You know, I don't get a chance
to talk to most of the fellows that I...

Well, I don't talk
to many people.

Yeah, well, I guess you can't
really afford to let your guard down.

You don't do it twice.

Let me see your hand.

- Why?
- Just put it out.

Either one of
them, don't matter.

- You're right-handed.
- Yeah, that's right.

I noticed the way
you wear your gun.

That's your right hand,
there's is your gun.

Yeah.

Most men sitting
across the table from me

wouldn't give me
that much of an edge

unless they were awful
fast and awful sure.

Well, I guess I got my answer.

Oh, Leroy, what're you
doing to me in my old age?

Oh, you... Here, have it.
You'd better have a drink.

No, I'm regretting
a few already.

That's just part of
the whole parcel,

hotel rooms, corner
chairs in saloons,

new faces with an old idea.

Another pouch for my hand.

What happened? Gunfight?

What else?

You don't sound like you like it
too much. Why don't you quit?

There's a lot that's different about
you, boy, but not your questions.

The thing is, you didn't call me over
here to hear me ask a lot of questions,

why don't you just
go ahead and tell me?

First I'll tell you what
you just asked me.

You don't quit, ever,

because they won't let you just
walk away, the bone-pickers won't.

Bone-pickers?

Them.

Pop Starke and Leroy, and you.

Me?

And there's only one way to
best it, and it won't be easy,

but both of us know
how to handle a gun.

And the worst that can happen
is one of us gets his leg set.

Them, they're satisfied,
they've had their shooting.

What are you talking about?

I'm saying that when you
and me go out into that street,

we've got to agree that there'll be
no shooting above the knees, like so.

Look, Mr. Ware, you
got the wrong man.

Listen, boy, I know.
Believe me, I know.

Gents. Quiet down, everybody,
I got something to say.

As most of you already know,

Austin Ware, Rowdy Yates
are calling each other out.

Let me have your watch for luck.

My man Rowdy is ready
right now, if everybody else is.

The drover hadn't got a chance.

Alan bet for me.

We all know Austin
Ware's reputation,

so we all know what kind of
pure nerve it takes to call him out.

If there's one thing in the world
this poor man's got, it is pure nerve.

That's about all
there is to it, gents,

wish them both luck, find
yourself places outside.

All right, big mouths, get out
there and break this up right now.

- Somebody get rid of him.
- Stay out of this, Wish.

Look, Mr. Starke, is this your
idea? This shooting match?

What are you saying? You don't
wanna go through with it now?

This isn't what we talked about.

This is exactly what we
were talking about, son.

Are you telling me that you're
afraid after all the talking you did?

- No, I'm not saying that, but...
- Good.

Because I never, for a
minute, picked you as yellow.

Come on, son.
You're gonna be fine.

Now, wait just a minute.

Oh! Oh, my God.

- You raise that money?
- Yeah, some. I bet it like you said.

Take this watch to Sonny
Willis. He'll give you $50 for it.

You put it with what
you already have.

If Rowdy's all right, I think
I'll just skedaddle, Wish.

Some of them might not
take kindly to my helping.

All right, Fred. You go on.

I'm sorry, Rowdy.

I didn't know what you was gonna
do and I couldn't take any chances.

They weren't about to let me
get out of it, were they, Wish?

Bone-pickers.

- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm all right.

Thanks. Thanks, Wish.

Mr. Favor would skin me
alive if I'll let you get shot up.

You mind telling me
what you hit me with?

Yes, sir, it takes a brave man.

Everybody wishes you
luck, Ernie. You too, Austin.

- Gentlemen, bets are still on.
- Good, good.

Who is the kid?

I don't know, came in
second on the fast draw.

Any bets?

Ernie, don't get
stampeded into this thing.

You're in way over your head.

I am not scared.
Just leave me alone.

Listen to him, Ernie.
Austin Ware's a professional.

This isn't a fair fight. You
won't have one chance in ten.

Fair? You think
everything has to be fair?

If it was, you think
they'd let me try?

One chance in ten? I take it.

It is the only chance I
have, it is important for me.

You can't buy what
you want with a gun.

How do you know what I want?

You would be very
surprised if I tell you,

because what I want is
what you always have.

I want men to trust me and to
ask me questions how to do things.

And to laugh when I say a joke.

And to call me by my name.

And I want women
to sit and look at me.

And I want some men
to ask me to be a hero

and to make $10,000.

And I want to feel big enough
inside, not to need to be a hero.

That is what I want.

But I will settle for as much
of that as I can get with this.

Now, please, don't
talk to me anymore.

I am not scared.

I know you fellas mean well

but you're just getting him nervous,
and you don't want that, do you?

That boy has got no
business out on that street.

There is nothing I can do to stop it
now. Everybody's out there waiting.

Well, if a killing's what they
want, I'll oblige them right here.

You don't mean that, son.

I just give the people
what they want.

Yeah, what you're dealing
in isn't yours to give, old man.

Trust me. I guarantee you it will
turn out just the way it's supposed to.

Don't be concerned
about your friend.

It's not just Ernie. Neither one
of those men wanna go out there.

One's already seen too much killing,
the other doesn't know what it's about.

- I'm calling a halt to this thing now.
- Yates. Yates.

Keep that gun on him, Jay.

Leroy, you and
Austin go on outside.

We'll be right with you.

I tried to tell him, there's
only one way to beat them.

Sorry, drover.

Why weren't you
around 24 years ago?

Well, I'd say we're
ready now, aren't we?

Here you go.

Look, Ernie...

Remember, now, I got nothing against
you fellas, so don't start any trouble.

You say when.

Any way to grease the wheel?

How much do you
make in this place?

I don't know exactly.

Come on, come on. How much?

Besides... I'd have to
go work somewhere else.

Come on, hurry up.

Uh... No, I don't think
so. The boss, you know...

Ernie?

They look surprised, Ernie.

How about it, Rowdy,
was it safe enough in here?

Let's have a drink.

He's as fast as I've ever seen,
his hand moved like lightning.

I wonder who is gonna get next.

Hey, that's a boy, Ernie.

- Hey, Rowdy, did you see that?
- No.

Was that really Austin
Ware like they said?

Yes, it was.

I ain't never seen
anything like it.

It was almost like he let
Ernie take the first shot.

He was standing there just
like it wasn't a gunfight at all.

He never even went for his gun.

That's right. He never did draw.

The darndest thing I ever saw.

Pop. Pop, I bet
it like you said.

How could he lose?
What went wrong?

I don't know. Austin
never made a move.

What'll you do now, Starke?

They're already talking
about the next one.

They always will.

I'm getting out of here.

See, son.

Aren't you sorry, you
didn't trust the old man?

Would you like to hear
something interesting, Rowdy?

Do you know that if you
invited Torres out right now,

do you know that most of these
people would bet on him instead of you?

Incredible, isn't it?

I mean, we know, in fact, that
Torres couldn't possibly beat you.

Now, fortunes have been
made in situations like these.

I know. I've done it. It's
all right here in the book.

Be careful with that, son. That's
very valuable information in that.

Wait a minute. Rowdy?

Let me have that, son.
Let me have that back.

Son, let me have that back.

Get them up!

Move them out!