"Ahh." "There is a work of sheer beauty." "Never knew fancy scratchings to make a gun shoot any better." "Fancy scratches?" "That's etchings, my boy." "No other gun done quite like her." " Now a gun's a gun." "It's all in the man behind it." " Is that a fact?" "I'll have you know that I won every target shoot at the Sacramento Fair... for the past six years." " Well, now, that makes it all kind of too bad." " What does?" "'Cause I'm afraid your winning streak's gonna have a break in it this year." " Oh, now is that a fact?" " Well, there's one consolation." " Uh-huh." "What's that?" " Oh, it will all stay in the family." " Good morning, Silas." " Good morning." "All the bags are in the carriage except Miss Audra's." "Good." "I think you got enough food in here to feed an army." " Mrs. Barkley's orders before she went to Sacramento." "Don't make a statement like that to me, boy, and walk away." " Twenty dollars against that scratched-up rifle of yours." " Twenty dollars?" "Well, now, you can't back up your challenges with much of a bet now, can you?" "Nick, will you see what's keeping Audra?" "We're gonna miss the train." "You tell your brother about my target shooting, will you?" " I don't know what he said, but take the bet." " Forty dollars!" "Boy, howdy, I think he's rattled." "That's half the winning." "Oh, Silas, did you put Miss Audra's pickled cucumbers in there?" "Right in here." "I sure hope she wins a ribbon this year." "Silas, why do you think Mrs. Barkley went up to the fair in advance... to be on the planning commission?" " She went up there to buy off those cucumber judges." " Oh, Mr. Barkley." "Last train to the fair leaving in a halfhour." " Come in." " Come on, come on, come on." "You're holding everybody up." " Would you get my bags for me, please?" " All right." "Oh, it happens every time I rush." " What happens every time you rush?" " I don't turn out right." "You turn out right enough to get your proper share of looks from the boys." " I wouldn't worry about it." " I'm not in the least bit concerned about the boys." " Oh, Nick, I forgot my bag." "I'll be right down." " All right." "Hurry up." "Come on, Audra." "Be right there." "Come on, come on, come on." "Time and trains wait for no man." " Where are my cucumbers?" " I got 'em right here." " Don't drop that." " I'd rather cut off my arm." "Oh, excuse us." "Audra, you're holding up the parade." " He's not in the depot." " I know." "He's in the hotel." " Yes?" " It's the bellboy, Dr. Travers." " What is it?" " A message for you, sir." " Well?" " Uh, I'm sorry, sir." "There just wasn't a seat left on the morning stage." "Well, I explained at the desk how important it was for me to get passage" "I-I checked myself, sir." "There just wasn't a seat left... not even up with the driver." " What about a train?" " Oh, uh, there's a train, uh... goin' to Sacramento in a little while, but- but nothin' else till tomorrow." "How little is a little while?" " You said you were goin' to Modesto?" " I've changed my mind." "Well, train leaves at 3:00." "That's in about 15 minutes." " Look, okay, son, thanks." " Oh, sure thing." "Hey, uh, you want me to carry your case for you?" " No, thanks." "I can handle it." " Oh, okay." "Oh, uh, if you're going to Sacramento, uh, you might look in at the fair." "Well, uh, thanks, son." " I just might, uh, do that." " Good-bye." "Wee-haw!" "Hey, toro.!" "Olé.!" "By George, there should be a state fair every day in the year." "Your liver wouldn't stand it." "If my liver can survive all that red-eye..." "I guess I can stand this imported juice to drink today, huh, Jarrod?" "Charlie, nothing will ever slow you down." "Ten dollars says my Brahma takes yours in the judging, Jarrod." " Now, Ab, I thought you learned your lesson last year." " Is it a bet?" " All right, it's a bet." " Good." " Let's make it 20." "I feel lucky." " Done." " Oh, excuse me." "I'm looking for the smoking lounge." "Oh, well, this is the last car." "It's up the other way." " I'm sorry." "This a private party." " Excuse me, Jarrod." "Oh, hello." " How have you been?" " Hello." "Charlie." "Charlie Wellman." "Uh, Dr. Travers, Mr. Wellman." "Uh, have we met before?" "Well, I-I thought we had." "I-I guess I made a mistake." " Excuse me, Doctor." " And excuse me." "I'm Jarrod Barkley, Doctor." "If you think you can stand the bedlam in here... you're more than welcome to stay and have your smoke." "I wouldn't think of intruding." "The vestibule will do just as well." " Pardon me, all." " Quite all right." "And I always put a little cinnamon in my pickled cucumbers." "So that's how you win the blue ribbon every year?" "Well, I didn't put any up this year." "What with the needlepoint I'm entering, I just didn't have the time." "For me?" "Oh, the last two drumsticks, but for a lovely lady." "Jarrod, guess what?" "Grace isn't entering her pickled cucumbers this year." " Oh, now, that's too bad." " No, it isn't." "That's good." "Now maybe I'll have a chance with mine." " Hey, what is it?" " Oh, just a stitch." "Now what do you mean, just a stitch?" "Well, it's nothing." "It's gone." "Give me that food." "I'm starving." "Come on, you two." "For heaven's sake, stop frowning." " Hey, hey, honey." "What is it?" " Audra?" "It's my stomach." "There was a doctor just in here." "I'll get him." " What'd you do now, eat some of your pickles?" " She's got more sense than that." "My pickles are fine." "And, as I recall, you both had some yourselves." " Oh, I feel sick." " Hang on, Sis." "The doctor will be here in a minute." " Excuse me, Charlie." " Excuse me, please." " Would you mind?" "Thank you." " Oh, oh, yes, Doctor." " Honey, this is Dr. Travers." " How do you do, ma'am?" "Well, what seems to be the trouble?" "It's my stomach, here." " Has it been bothering you long?" " Well, it started this morning just before we left the house." "Did you eat something you shouldn't have?" "Nothing the rest of the family haven't had." "Mm-hmm." "Okay." "I'll get my bag." "You might put her on the sofa over there, hmm?" "All right, Doctor." "Come on, honey, let's move over there." "Uh, Doctor, I'm, uh, Nick Barkley." "Could you tell me how she is?" " I won't know until I examine her, Mr. Barkley." " Oh." "I wonder if you could get everybody except the family to please clear the car?" "Oh, yes." "Fine." "Thank you, Doctor." "We got a nice reception party waiting' for you up the line." " Doctor?" " Now you just relax, Miss Barkley." "Hey." " Now you just rest easy, huh?" " Everything's gonna be all right, honey." "Jarrod, it's really beginning to hurt." "We're doing everything that we can." "And that's more than enough." "Now, open your mouth." " What's that?" " Laudanum." "It'll help deaden the pain." "Painless?" "She has a badly inflamed appendix." " Are you sure?" " I'm sure." " Well, what are you gonna do?" " There's no cause for immediate concern." "Do you suppose there's any ice on this train?" "There was some produce loaded in Stockton." "It'd be packed in ice, wouldn't it?" "I could use some, five or 10 pounds." "I'll get it." "Is there anything else we can do?" "Just help me get her as comfortable as possible." "Well, Heath?" "The doctor says it's her appendix." "I've got to get some ice." "Appendix?" "The ice will keep the swelling down." "You're gonna be fine, just fine." " Doctor" " Any pain?" "Not now." " You see?" "Now try to get some rest." " Doctor?" "Thank you for being here." " Is that all there is to it?" " For now." "The ice will control the swelling until we get to the next stop." "We've got to take her off, get her to a hospital." "The next stop is River Station." "There isn't any hospital there." "It's just a small mail pick up." "There's not another hospital between here and Sacramento." "Hmm." "Four and a half hours." "We could cut that down if we passed up some of the stops." "Any time you save would be a help." "Suppose I talk to the conductor." "So?" " So." " Well, how are you feeling?" "I don't feel a thing." "Unless it's my wings." " Wings?" " I think if I tried, and not too hard..." "I could fly right now." "Oh." "Well, that's the medicine the doctor gave you." "No, it isn't." "You always said I was as flighty as a bird." "They're my bird wings." "You know, you're probably right." "Anything I can get for you?" " Mm-hmm." " You just name it." "Would you make sure my pickled cucumbers get into the judging at the fair?" "You can count on it." "Even if my pickled cucumbers haven't got any cinnamon in them... they're pretty good, aren't they?" "Well, I- You bet they are." "Nick?" "I wonder what Mother will say... when she meets the train in Sacramento." " Well?" " They're gonna pick up as much time as they can." "What about the stop at River Station?" "Well, there's two passengers getting off and a mail pickup, but they're gonna cut it short." "The conductor figures we'll make it to Sacramento in three hours." "What about it, Doc?" "Can she hang on that long?" "I don't know." "I certainly wouldn't like to operate on this train." " Operate?" " Do you think it will come to that?" "Mr. Barkley, it could very easily come to that." "Doctor?" "Hmm?" "What is it?" "Well, I" " I suppose it isn't any of my business... but what happened on that platform just a while ago?" "You're right." "What happened on that platform is none of your business." "You see, everybody transgresses in life, Mr. Barkley." "Some are less fortunate than others." "It has a way of catching up with them." "I suppose it isn't necessary to tell you how grateful we are for your help." " No, it isn't." " But then, words are only words, aren't they?" " If there's anything that my brothers and I can do" " There's nothing you can do." "These transgressions you spoke of, I'm a lawyer." "If this was a legal matter, that man you saw on the platform would be a law officer." "And if he were a law officer... he wouldn't hesitate to come in here and get me." " Then who is he, Doctor?" " Who is he?" "I don't know his name." "But like some others... he's a man who wants to see me dead." "Where's Heath going?" "Oh, uh, he's gonna send a telegram to Sacramento... so that they'll be waiting for us." "It's all right." " Where are you going, Doctor?" " I'm running." "I'm running as far and as fast as I can." "I'm sorry about your sister, but don't try to stop me." "Doctor, listen to me." "I don't know what this is all about, but you can't leave now." "Mr. Barkley, stay out of this, huh?" "Doctor, whatever it is, my brothers and I will help you..." " but, please, don't leave now." " Just the three of you?" "I don't think there's much that you can do." "Audra, take it easy." "Please, take it easy." "Where's the doctor?" "Where's the doctor?" " What happened?" " I don't know." "She just sat up and started screaming." "She's in pain." " Please take it easy, Audra." " Where the devil is that laudanum?" "The doctor will be here in a minute." "Take it easy now." " That's just what she doesn't need." " Well, she's in pain, Doctor." " Now, Miss Barkley, listen to me" " Oh, Doctor- please, help me." "Listen to me." "No more laudanum." "The only way that we can keep a check on the progress of the inflammation... is by the severity and the repetition of pain." "Now if I sedate you and your appendix would burst, I wouldn't know it." " Appendix?" " Well, you must have known that." "You must have sensed it." "Of course you did." "Now you're gonna be all right." "I got the wire off to the hospital." "Doctor, I want to thank you for staying." "I don't think that running would have helped in the long run." "I'll stay with the train until it gets to Sacramento." "Or until they come and pull me off." "Mel and Ford will bring him here." "Right here." "Ah, it's been a long wait." "Aaron, the boy shouldn't be at the hanging'." " Don't start that." " Do it, for her." " Cut it out." " Send him back." " No." " Send him back to the ranch, Aaron." "You think he should go back to the ranch?" "Come on." "Andy." "Go on, tell him." "No need for you to be here, Andy." " What?" " Go on back to the ranch, son." "Not likely." "You never saw him before in your life." "Just the same, I know him better than you do." "Aaron, you did real fine." "If you haven't got any stomach for it, Deakes, why don't, uh, you go back to the ranch?" "You know, I ramrodded for your pa long before you was born... and I cuffed you once or twice while you growed." "Yeah." "Well, after today... there's nobody gonna cuff me." "This telegram just came from Ford." "They failed." "Kellaher is still on the train." "Men, you ride on to the watering stop and wait." "My boy and I won't fail." "We'll board the train, and we'll take him off there." "All right, mount up." " Doctor?" " I'm right here." " I'm scared, Doctor." " You're gonna be all right, Miss Barkley." "I promise you." "You're gonna be all right." "Somebody's after him." "He doesn't know who and he won't say why." "Miss Barkley... there's nothing I can do to ease your pain." "Dr. Travers." "What is it, Mr. Barkley?" "Did you expect some saccharine story to cheer her up?" "Well, the occasion doesn't call for it." "It calls for honesty." "Fine." "That's just fine." "Then perhaps you can tell us what sort of trouble you're in." "Don't you think you have enough trouble of your own?" "Yeah." "But it seems to be all wrapped up with yours." "Well?" "Well, let's just say for some... blood for blood is the only just punishment." "It will be along any time now." "You sure stood up to Deakes like the son I raised." "Yeah." "Well, sometimes, I can't figure Deakes." "I mean, it was my mother that was killed." "I told him you'd feel like that." "You wouldn't want somebody else to do your job for you." "I told him." "Drink, Son?" "Go ahead." "You're alongside of me today." "You're man enough." "Pity you didn't get to really know your mother." "Well, you've made it so I know her." "Just like I know the man that killed her." "It was the- the touch of her, the way she walked." "The finest woman that ever set foot on the Earth." "She'll rest easy soon." "Yes, she will, Pa." "You know what they say about frowning, don't you?" "No." "What do they say?" "It gives you wrinkles." "Don't you worry." "It looks nice on you." "Oh, you think so, do you?" "Sort of distinguished looking." "You know, I- I think it's a good idea... for lawyers to be distinguished looking, don't you?" "Well, I" " I think it's an even better idea... for them to win a case once in a while." "Hang on, honey." "Hang on tight." "I'm" " I'm really a case, aren't I?" "You're a mighty pretty one." "Hey, re-remember three years ago... when you took me to San Francisco to see that play?" "I sure do." "After it was over..." "I said I wanted to be an actress." "You know, I think you would have made a pretty good one." " Jarrod?" " What?" "Really, I- I'm gonna be all right." " Of course you are." " Don't worry." "I don't mean no harm to you people." " Easy, Mr. Barkley." " Barkley?" "You Tom Barkley's son?" " That's right." " Well, if you don't mind, Mr. Barkley... this is the man I'm looking for." " Oh, now wait a minute" " Stand back!" "None of your concern." "Believe me it's our concern." "Take a look at him, Son." "Take a long, hard look." "That's the one." "That's the one that we've been waitin' all these years to hang." "You don't even remember me, do you?" " No." " You hear that, Andy?" "The name is Moyers." "Aaron Moyers." "That was a long time ago." "It was yesterday." "It's been yesterday for 15 years!" "Why are you after Dr. Travers?" " Doctor?" " Travers?" "Why didn't you try Kellaher?" "That's Lucian Kellaher." " Is that true?" " Yes, it's true." "Lucian Kellaher." "The outlaw who sacked Colbyville, burned it to the ground." "The man who destroyed the work of a dozen lifetimes." "The man who killed my wife and five others." " He's also the man that was sent to prison for 13 years." " He should have been hanged." "The law said he should go to prison for 13 years, and he did." " He bought the law!" " Look, whatever happened, happened." "The man served his sentence." "Right now, he's very useful." "He's a doctor." " He can't be a doctor." " You're not fool enough to believe that, are you?" "Doctor?" " Doctor.!" " Stay away from her, Kellaher.!" " She needs help." " I said stay away from her.!" " All right, that's it." " Is it?" "I got men waitin' at the watering' stop to take him off the train." "Well, they won't if we don't stop." "Take it easy, Miss Barkley." "Everything's going to be all right." "You can't get away with this, Kellaher." " I mean to see you hanged." " Stand back." "Shh, shh, shh." "Easy now." "Easy." " Well?" " We lost them." "I tell you that is Lucian Kellaher." "You can't let him escape.!" "Easy now." "Easy." " Take it easy, honey." " Here's some more." "Your father himself would have been the first to help string him up." " Our sister needs him." " He's an animal." " He's got to be killed.!" " Why don't you just ask?" "Why don't you ask if he's got some kind of papers to prove he's a doctor?" "He's a fake." "He is gonna kill that girl same as he did the others." "Stand back." "And don't you move." "Don't you dare move." "Shh." "Easy." "Easy." "Quiet." "Shh, shh." " Mr. Barkley?" " What is it?" "I can't wait any longer." "I'm gonna have to operate." "You're not gonna let him put a knife to your sister?" "I spent 13 years in prison for what I did." "Ten of them working in the prison hospital." "During that time, Lucian Kellaher ceased to be." "When I was released..." "I continued my practice in small cow towns and gold camps." "I was the only doctor the people in those places knew." "I mended their broken bones... sewed their torn flesh, delivered their babies... helped bury the dead." "Now maybe- maybe I didn't pay for Colbyville yet, but one thing" "I'm gonna save this girl's life." "What can we do to help?" "The first thing you can do is stop this train." "I can't operate while it's moving." "Now you know if we stop, those men may catch up." "And if we don't, her appendix may burst." " All right, Doctor." " I'll uncouple this car." "We'll send the train ahead for help." "Now, help me move her in the rear compartment." " I'll operate in there." " Right, Doctor." "You two boys get over there." "The minute this car stops, my men will swarm all over you." "And you won't be alive to see the first one board." "That's a promise." "Now move out." "There's some riders coming." "They're my men!" "One word from me and they open fire." "Well, as soon as they get within calling distance, you better tell them to stop." "I don't have to see Kellaher dead." "Just knowin' that he's going to be is enough." "There will be a bloodbath that none of you will ever forget." "Moyers, you give me 30 minutes, and I'll go with you." " Now wait a minute, Doc" " I haven't got time to argue." "What about it?" " Thirty minutes." " Tell your men." "You stay with me." "Hold up there!" "You men wait till I call you.!" "Well now, mister, you better just pray they do what you say." "Because if they come any closer, you're a dead man." "Don't you worry." "When Kellaher finishes butchering your sister, you'll help us hang him." "After we finish, we got to get her to a hospital as quickly as possible... before infection sets in." "These aren't the most sanitary of conditions." " That train should be back before too long." " Good." "Okay, wash your hands in this whiskey." " Now, hold on to this laudanum." "She may need some more." " All right." "Thread." "A simple little tie at the base." "Scalpel." "Needle." "There we are." "All right." "Now just make sure that she gets plenty of rest, huh?" " She all right?" " Yeah." "In a few weeks, she'll forget it ever happened." "All right, Kellaher, let's go." "He's not goin' with you." " He gave me his word." " We didn't." " My men" " Moyers.!" "I'll have every lawman in this state after them, I promise you." " Well, I want Kellaher." " Well, mister, you're not gonna to get him." "Yes, I will!" " Hold it!" " Andy!" "Get Kellaher.!" "Now this is for my mother." "I-I've waited all my life for this." "You stay back.!" "He's not what you said." "He didn't kill my mother." " He's Kellaher!" " You" "You heard him." "You saw him the same as me." "Lucian Kellaher is dead." "All my life I've waited." "And he's dead." "All my life." "Andy!" "We're finished here." "The train's coming back for us, honey." "Won't be very long till you're nice and comfortable in a hospital." "Was I terrible, screaming and carrying on?" "Screaming and carrying on?" "Doctor, in all your travels, you ever treated a patient better than our sister here?" "Your sister gets first prize." "Oh, speaking of prizes, would you remember to enter those pickled cucumbers into the fair?" "You may not win our shooting match, but you just might place with those cucumbers." "Wait a minute now." "Those cucumbers aren't mine." "They're"