Rawhide (1959–1965): Season 7, Episode 24 - The Empty Sleeve - full transcript

Well, there it is, the Waco
River, running high and wide.

Is that worth coming
out of the way for?

Except turning off the
trail cost us three days.

I know, I know. It
saved the herd, though.

Water up ahead, 2,
two and half miles.

- Yeah, how much water?
- River.

Boy, that's a relief.

There hasn't been more than
enough to moisten their tongues.

The herd ain't smelled it yet.

I want them slowed down,
broken up into small bunches

- before they do.
- Right.



Señor Wishbone,

I have never seen the
cattle behave like this.

Hey Soos, I got problems
enough without Mushy.

I don't wanna worry
about the beeves.

Señor Wishbone, please, look.

If I didn't see it, I
wouldn't believe it.

- It must be the water.
- No, señor.

I know this river. The
water is fresh and sweet.

- Coffee's hot.
- Hmm.

Well, it's the same as before.
They won't go near the water

unless you drive them, and
they won't drink when you do.

Maybe they're sick or something.

Maybe they're
just plum worn out.

Oh, we drove them
that hard before.



They ain't had no decent grass
to graze on in the past three days.

I tell you, they
gotta be thirsty.

If they don't drink, they die.

Well,

I'm afraid I've got to admit

that I just don't...

I just don't know why
they won't go to the water.

I gotta find out in a few days.

Could mean losing
the whole herd.

That could mean you men ending
up without a full season's wages.

Oh, there's still time to

maybe sign up with another
herd or at least look for another job.

All of you, any of you,

I'm willing to pay off any man
that wants to quit right now.

Nobody?

Well,

what are we sitting around
the chuck wagon for?

We got a herd of beeves
out there just dying of thirst

within sight and smell of water.

A good sneeze could set
them off in a stampede.

I want every man in the saddle
and I want him out there right now.

You. You said
something about them

- maybe being sick, huh?
- Yeah, that's right.

Well, why aren't you on your way
to the nearest town to find a vet?

Oh, well...

That's a good idea.

Señor Wishbone, you think the
men are gonna be hungry tonight?

I don't know, but if any of them
are, they're mighty well gonna get fed.

We shouldn't have
any trouble getting back

once we get the
beeves across the river.

Across it? We can't
even get them to it.

Maybe we can when
Rowdy gets back with the vet.

I got no belief in a sickness

what hits 3,000 head
all at the same time.

They are just itching to run

in every direction
except the water.

But they gotta
have to stay alive.

I don't know. I just don't know.

Maybe I ought to go ahead and
let them run themselves to death.

The name's Tom Cowan.
I'm looking for a job.

Well, I'm not sure this
drive is gonna last out

another couple of days.

But if it does, I could
sure use another hand.

Well, uh, I'm afraid you'd
have to be a drover, though.

- You the trail boss?
- That's right, the name's Favor.

- Got a smoke?
- Oh, yeah.

Do I look like a cook to you?

Well, I don't care
what a man looks like.

It's what he can
do that matters.

So far you can roll a cigarette.

Why, you stupid...

Get off that horse.

You leave your
guts on the ground?

Now, what are you
trying to prove, Cowan?

I'm sorry, Mr. Favor.

All right. You ride,
you rope, you're hired.

What did you come
in for anyway, Jim?

Oh. Uh, the beeves
are starting to scatter.

It's getting tricky
in those arroyos.

I need another man.

Take him, his name is Cowan.

Well, I'm, uh, willing
to forget it if you are.

Let's get after those strays.

He's sure touchy.

Oh, anybody might
be missing a wing.

He'll be needing a fresh
horse before the night's out.

I'll tell Hey Soos to
get one out to him.

Well, world's sure
full of all kind of fools.

Like me, cooking a hot supper.

I'll be bringing in half
the men when it gets dark.

That only makes
me half a fool, then.

Wouldn't you know it?

Anytime the cook's louse goes
off, it's just the time to run out of salt.

Suppose I can get by
without using any in the stew?

Don't answer, I'll go get it.

Here's a fresh horse for
the new man, Señor Favor.

- How are they holding up?
- Oh, fine, señor.

Except I'm running
short of grain for them.

We had to use so much when we
were crossing the burnt-over land.

No trouble watering them?

No trouble, señor.

What are you doing
ferrying the cook around?

A bunch of steers got after me.

Cowan picked me up.

What are you doing
out with the herd?

You were supposed to
be rounding up strays.

You find a friend to
take care of them?

I don't need no friend to do my
job for me, or for anything else.

- Hey Soos.
- Sí, señor?

Get that horse out to him.

Well, I guess I'll make
the stew without my salt.

- By golly, they're drinking all right.
- A handful out of 3,000.

I cut out a dozen head
upstream like you told me to,

but I tried to drive them into the
river but trying was all I got done.

They ain't acting
like these beeves.

Maybe it'll be different
by morning, huh?

Could be.

I want you to go across
and pick up the cattle.

I want every last beeve
in that water this morning,

if you gotta boot
them in one by one.

Now, there's a sight for you
the first thing in the morning.

Well, come on, the men
are gonna be wanting coffee.

Boss, your troubles are over.

Where is the vet?

Oh, he's back in Danville.

Oh, you see the moment I told
him about the whole situation,

he knew what the answer was.

Well, did he impart
any of the secret to you?

Yeah, that's right.

You think maybe you might be
able to share this with me, maybe?

Oh, yeah. Well, when I told
him about the burned-out grass

that the beeves have been
traveling over the last few days,

he had it all wrapped up.

- Oh, Rowdy.
- Oh, no, no, no.

So you see the regular
graze has minerals in it

this burned-out
graze didn't have.

And the one mineral
they were lacking was salt.

Now, the vet says that men
or beeves can't develop...

a thirst without salt.

Of course. Those
beeves weren't after me,

they were after the salt
leaking out of my sack.

That explains why we only saw
a few head drinking at the river.

But the horses drank.

Now, they were on
their regular feed.

I guess you could
trail boss all your life

and still come up with
something new to learn.

That's right. Our troubles
are all over, aren't they?

So it's just a matter

- of, um, feeding the beeves salt, huh?
- Right.

You bring any salt with you?

Well, no. I... Danville is
just a wide spot in the road.

They wouldn't have too
much salt in the grocery store.

No store would have enough salt.

Do you know how
much salt it's gonna take

for 3,000 head of cattle?

Pete, do you know of any salt
licks, salt deposits hereabout?

Well, we're not on the regular trail.
I don't know this country very well.

But if we were
on the regular rail,

I don't know where
there is any salt licks.

- Mr. Favor... FAVOR:
Yeah, Cowan?

Nothing. Nothing, Mr. Favor.

You was gonna say
something about salt.

Now, look, Cowan, spit it out!

I got 3,000 head of
dying cattle out there.

I'll tell you what
you want to hear.

The kind of salt you
need is rock salt, ain't it?

There's a rock salt
mine near Murtree.

At least there was
about ten years ago.

- What's Murtree?
- A town, 30 miles west of here.

Quince, unload the supply wagon.

Soon as you get it done, hitch up
fresh horses to it, you'll be driving it.

Wishbone, get your cooking
gear out of the chuck wagon.

Hey Soos, fresh horses
for both the wagons, fast.

Pete, you'll be
in charge of this.

Take Scarlet along with
you to help load the salt.

And, Cowan?

I can do most things
anybody else can do

but when it comes to loading...

Look, you've made it pretty clear
you've got a chip on your shoulder

about your missing arm.

Let me make it clear to you.

I don't give two cents
about your missing arm.

Wouldn't have
hired you otherwise,

but I did so you're
taking orders from me.

Now, you're gonna lead
those two wagons to Murtree.

I can tell them
how to get there.

I do the telling around here.

You know how long those
cattle have been without water?

Couple of hours could make the
difference between living or dying.

You're the boss, Mr. Favor.

Place looks like it hadn't
been worked in a long time.

It never amounted to much,

I figured there'd be enough
salt here for the herd.

Can't see a thing inside.

We could put a bullet through
that lock and get in and get the salt.

The sheriff around here is
quicker with a gun than a question.

Yeah. Well, if
there's no other way.

The town's only
a mile from here.

What good is that?

This is public land, but the
bank used to run the mine,

just like it did practically
everything in Murtree.

Well, this ain't getting us
any salt. Let's get to that bank.

Let's get your saddle horses
and leave the wagons here.

Cowan.

Down that road about
a mile, you're in Murtree.

- Bank's on the main street.
- Well, you're coming with us.

Look, I'm giving the
orders, you're coming.

I can't go into town.

You got us this far, you're
gonna finish your job.

Ten years ago, I
married a girl in Murtree.

I got my arm shot off in the war

so I had a friend write
her a letter that I was dead.

I gotta stay dead for her.

All right, go on
back to the herd.

I thought it was you, Cowan.

Sheriff, I'm in a hurry.

I've been away from
Murtree three days.

You'd better come along with me.

I ain't even been in that town.

Now, how can I be sure
of that? I'll take your gun.

Cowan!

Mr. Butler, we can't sit
around here waiting forever.

We got a herd that's dying.

I told you, my father
will be back any time.

You told me that an hour ago.

I don't understand why
you can't do something.

If he don't like the terms we make
about the salt, I won't hold you to it.

Look, I don't own this bank.

I don't run it. My father does.

I just work here.

- You were in the Army, huh?
- That's right.

You didn't have to check
with your officer every time

before you fired
a shot, did you?

I just as soon not
talk about the Army.

Why you got that
picture up there?

Because my
father wants it there.

Mr. Butler.

Hello, Frank. Need
some banking advice?

I just brought a man in
for the doc to work on.

Well, the doc sure
don't need my advice.

He's wounded. Not
bad, a flesh wound.

Sam, the man in
there is Tom Cowan.

I ran into him just
outside of town.

- He wouldn't come peaceful.
- Is he conscious?

Ralston, Wade,

go get yourselves a drink.

Meet me at the bank later.

He wouldn't talk to me.

He will to me.

He's lost some blood,
go easy with him.

As soon as the doc comes,
fixes him up, I'll put him in jail.

We'll see about that.

Right now, I wanna talk to him.

You wait here for me.

So you come back after all, huh?

Well, I...

You...

Your arm.

A minié ball took
it off at Vicksburg.

Well, I'm sorry
to hear about that.

That must be
almost ten years ago.

I got the impression you were
never coming back to Murtree.

I wasn't.

The sheriff changed
my mind about that.

I took a job with a herd going
the opposite direction, but they...

They ran into trouble.
They need salt.

What are you after? More money?

I mean, there could be more
money for your arm, say?

You just don't
understand, Mr. Butler.

I don't want money.
I don't want land.

We made a deal
and I'm sticking to it.

Or trying to.

I mean, I wouldn't blame
you passing through.

Wanting to see Jenny again.

Mr. Butler.

When you have somebody in
the hospital with you write your girl

that you're dead,

you don't plan on
ever seeing her again.

Well...

In that case, I better make sure

word of your being
here don't get around.

You better do something else.

Get me out of here.

I will, Tom.

I will.

Frank, I want you to
walk away from here

and forget you ever seen Cowan.

Nobody will know
he ever come back.

What happens when
the doc gets here?

Cowan will be gone by then.

I'll handle that.

There's still that bank
robbing charge against him.

I let him go once
before because...

Because I told you to.

And I'm telling you
what to do now too.

You don't own me, Sam.

I own Murtree and
everything that's in it.

Forget that, Frank.

Look, it was my bank he robbed.

Less than a
hundred dollars in all.

Letting him go ten
years ago wasn't right.

Letting him go now ain't right.

Frank, nobody but
saints are right all the time.

You and me, we're
not saints, are we?

I won't forget this, Frank.

Will, you close up and
then come into my office.

Pa, these men have been
waiting on you quite a while now.

Well, the bank is closed. Tell
them to come back in the morning.

Wait a minute. We've been waiting
here for three hours to see you.

I can't help that.
The bank is closed.

Mister, there's 3,000 head of cattle
down on the Waco that are gonna die

if we don't get
some salt to them.

- You drovers?
- That's right.

Well, uh, if you take your hands
off me, maybe we can talk business.

Now, uh, how much
salt do you need?

Oh, a couple of wagon loads.
We got the wagons with us.

Mm-hm. Well, the mine ain't
been worked in quite a long time.

But I guess there's enough salt
laying around to fill your needs.

I'll put some men on it
first thing in the morning.

No, wait. It's gotta be tonight.

Well, it'll cost you extra if I
have to put men to work tonight.

How much?

Oh...

About a hundred
and fifty dollars.

All right, it's a deal.

Will, uh, you go into my office
and make out the contract.

- But, Pa, we don't need any...
- You do like I tell you.

And, Will, you stay in
there till I'm ready for you.

Oh, we'll be working right
alongside your men, Mr. Butler.

Well, that's a good idea.

Make things go that much faster.

Uh...

Do you have a fella by
the name of Tom Cowan

working with your outfit?

Yeah.

Mm-hm.

- Do you know where he is now?
- He's back with the herd.

You're wrong. He's in
town with a bullet in him.

Just how bad hurt is he?

Well, I never heard that a bullet
helped a man's health much,

but I don't think
it's too serious.

How did it happen, anyway?

- It was a mistake.
- I don't like the kind of mistakes

winds up with our drovers
getting a bullet in him.

Now, don't you go flying
off the handle at me.

This was a legal mistake.

- The sheriff shot him.
- Is a doctor looking after him?

He ain't gonna be in
town long enough for that

because you're getting
him out of here tonight.

- If he's hurt, he shouldn't be moved.
- Ain't you got somebody with the herd

who takes care
of things like that?

Sure, we got someone out
there that does the best he can,

but he ain't no doctor.

Well, that's too bad because
that's the way it's gonna be.

Mr. Butler, I don't understand
what's going on here.

I know if Cowan's been
hurt, he ought to not be moved

till a doctor checks him over.

I thought you wanted
that salt real bad.

What's that go to do with this?

Unless you get Cowan
out of here tonight,

that mine stays closed.

Now, it seems to me

that you gentlemen are
wasting your time and mine.

And I think I can afford it
a little better than you can.

- All right, we'll get him out of town.
- Now, hold on, Pete. If it's...

If it's gonna hurt Cowan to
move him, we'd better talk it over.

We've come to get
that salt, remember?

You're aiming to
become a trail boss too?

Joe, you've been a drover long
enough to know that the herd comes first.

You and Hey Soos go out
to the mine, get our bedrolls

make a place in one of the wagons
for Cowan and bring it back here.

- Where is Cowan?
- I'll, uh...

I'll tell you that when
your wagon gets here.

Get going.

Well, it's a real pleasure doing
business with reasonable men.

While you're waiting, why don't
you two go get something to eat?

There's a saloon
right down the street

and the food is a little
better than the drinks.

Will.

I, uh, changed my mind.

We won't need that contract.

I'm going home.

Good idea.

Give my love to Jenny.

Tom.

Will told me you were
here. I couldn't believe it.

Tom, please look at me.

Hello, Jenny.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Why did they write
me you were dead?

Your arm.

Everybody,

the first thing they notice
about me is I got an arm missing.

Is that why you
didn't come back?

Well, that and other things.

- I was in love with you.
- You were in love with a man.

Did you need an
excuse not to come back?

I would have.

I wanted to more than
anything else in the world,

but you deserved...

Tom.

Tom.

Tom!

Tom!

Cowan's not here.

Could not the doctor
tell you where he is?

He claims he ain't
even seen him.

The doc's been out
of town most of the day

taking care of somebody
on a ranch 30 miles out.

He just got back
about an hour ago.

Maybe Cowan got
tired of waiting, took off.

Yeah, or somebody took him.

Like Butler.

There's one way to find out.
I'm going over to the bank.

Come in.

Well, it's about
time you got here.

Now, look.

Ralston here's gonna ride
out with you to your camp

to make sure that
Cowan gets there.

Wade here is gonna
have another wagon ready

to replace the one
that you brought in.

We ain't got Cowan.

- Why not?
- Because he ain't over at the doc's.

We don't know where he is.

Well, you'd better find him.

Look, I came here to get salt.

It means more to me
than you or Cowan

or the whole town of
Murtree for that matter.

I tried to go along with you on this.
I've done nothing but waste time.

I'm going after the salt.

There's been a lot of people killed
for less than 3,000 head of cattle.

What good would it do you?

I could have a dozen
armed men around that mine

before you were halfway there.

If you got so many men why don't
you send them to look for Cowan?

The way I'm doing this
is the way I want it done.

It's the middle of the night. How
are we gonna go out looking?

He might be anywhere.

It'll be light in a few hours.

Before the town
is up, you try then.

You're in my home.

Mine and Will's.

We were married three years ago.

A widow's got every
right to marry again.

Why did you bring me here for? So
I could congratulate your husband?

Will thought you'd
be safer here.

Anyway, there's practically
no bleeding from your wound.

You should be all right if you
don't move around too much.

I gotta get back to the herd.

Maybe tomorrow.

In all these years,

were you ever sorry that
you had that letter sent?

Did you wish even once

that I knew you were alive?

That I was waiting?

I was too busy learning
how to live with one hand.

The day you married
me and ran off,

couldn't you at least have
told me you were going?

He didn't have time to spare.

He was too busy robbing Pa's
bank and getting caught at it.

Your horse was
mighty hungry, Cowan.

I got him bedded down, though.

Tom.

Is what Will said true?

- It's true.
- Why did you do it?

I promised you a
wedding trip, remember?

The last dollar I had, I
paid the preacher at Antioch.

Does he know?

That a preacher said a few
words over us ten years ago?

That you rode off, saying
you'd be back in an hour?

That I waited for you that day,

and the next,

and for weeks,

and months?

Until the letter came
telling me you were dead?

That you never held me in
your arms, not even once?

I never told anyone,

but Will knows.

Will.

Why didn't you tell me
about the bank robbing?

You knew how I felt about Tom.

- Pa told me he thought...
- Pa told you.

Pa has been telling you
what to do all of your life,

and you've been doing it.

Now, he's been mighty
good to you, Jenny.

Good to me?

I don't think he even
knows who I really am,

except that I was
something you wanted.

He's been good to Will's wife.

And now it turns out
that I'm not even that.

You did this to me, Tom.

Why?

I didn't think you'd
want me like this.

Wouldn't it have
been kinder to ask me?

Nothing's been changed, Jenny.

You got a letter saying your
husband... Your first husband was dead.

Now, he's still dead as
far as you're concerned.

No one knew about our marriage.

No one has to.

Tomorrow morning, I'm
gonna ride out of here.

I never really was here.

I've been dead for
ten years, remember?

What he... What
he's saying is true.

There ain't nobody has to know.

Except us.

I can't go on with you, Will.

You're still in love with him.

What good would that do me?

There's something
ought to be done.

Might be there's some legal way.

- I'll ask Pa, I'll...
- Can't you for once in your life

do something without asking Pa?

I married you because
I was hurt and lonely.

That isn't a good
reason for marrying.

But I thought we had a chance.

That is until I found
out I'd married a boy,

and not a man.

Our marriage hasn't
been any more real

than the one between Tom and me.

I'm tired.

I made the bed up
in the spare room.

You're right, Jenny. You're
even righter than you know.

There's more to it
than I ever did tell you.

My, uh, Army record,

the medal I got,

the land I got for bravery.

I was never in the Army.

I thought that would stay buried

just like I thought Tom Cowan
was dead and would stay buried.

Well, I was wrong.

There ain't nothing
that stays buried forever.

Is there more?

Well, the sheriff caught
Tom robbing the bank,

and he told Pa about it and...

And Pa made a deal with Tom.

A deal?

Well, there were drafting
soldiers for the Army right then.

And Pa got the sheriff to let Tom
off from the bank robbing charge

and he gave Tom $500

and he got Tom to
enlist in my name.

Will?

What are you going to do?

I'm gonna go into town,

and I'm gonna tell
Pa for a change.

I'm gonna take Cowan with me.

We got a lot to settle
between the three of us.

Him and Pa and me.

Cowan?

He's gone.

It's time you stopped
playing god, Mr. Butler.

What, did you see a
great light or something?

It might be fever.

I ain't feeling sorry
for myself anymore.

It's like taking the
blinders off a horse.

A whole new world
opens up around him.

And what's gonna happen
in that new world of yours?

I'm taking what's coming to me.

My land, my war record.

And maybe five years
in jail for robbing a bank?

If I have to.

But we can settle all
that in the morning.

Tonight, I'm making sure
the drovers get their salt.

Wait a minute.

Did you think what
this will do to my son,

to Jenny,

to their marriage?

I've seen their marriage.

They say marriages
are made in heaven.

Well, maybe some are,

but this one was made in a bank.

The truth's gonna
hurt, Mr. Butler,

but it'll be clean
and sharp and short.

Not like the lying rotten mess your
son's life has been, and Jenny's,

and mine.

Ain't nothing gonna
change your mind?

Nothing.

And no one.

And never.

Ralston. Wade.

- Where are the others?
- Inside.

We have been looking for you,
señor. It was said you were wounded.

Never mind that.

Dig up some lanterns, shovels,
picks. Meet me at the mine.

I'll have it open by
the time you get there.

Father, there's
something I got to tell you.

Ain't you done enough
telling for one night?

Cowan was here.

Next time you want
to confide in someone,

why don't you try me first?

All right, that's fine.

There are some things I
wanna clear up right now.

Not tonight.

Pa, I'm warning you,

by tomorrow, the whole
town is gonna know about us.

I took care of
you all your life.

I'm not planning to stop now.

You and Jenny thought
Cowan was dead.

Well, you can go
right on thinking that.

Where's Ralston?

Where's Wade?

I've sent them up to the
mine to do a little chore for me.

Will?

Will! Will!

- Come on.
- Will!

Will!

Sheriff!

Sheriff!

We can rush him.

What for? He's gonna run out of
bullets a long time before we do.

Just keep him firing.

Wade.

What are you doing here?

I thought you might need help.

Why, you ain't even
got a gun on you.

No, but you have,
you still ain't taken him.

Well, we're waiting him out.

That could take
all night, Ralston.

I'll tell you what.

I'll flush him out for you.

Cowan?

It's me, Will.

I'm coming in.

Whatever you've got
to say, say it quick.

They ain't gonna
try to take you.

Not till all your
bullets run out.

How many you got left?

Those in my gun,

not enough.

You figuring going
out and telling them?

No.

The only reason I
come up here was to...

Was to find out what
kind of chance you had.

Now you know.

Yeah.

You got no idea
how what I owe you

has been dragging me down.

Wade.

Now we got him, Mr. Butler.

- You seen Will?
- Yeah, he flushed Cowan out for us.

I...

I only wanted the best for him.

You gonna take me in, Frank?

No.

Cowan, you gonna tell the truth?

All right.

Then I'll have
to tell it myself.

Well, you...

You got the salt you came after.

What about me?

When they cut off my arm, it
took a while for the hurt to heal.

I didn't realize how long.

Ten years.

It'll, uh, take a
while for this to heal.

Head them up!

Move them out!