"There you go, stark." "One for you, one for me." "Makes it nice an' even." "Spicer." "Spicer, listen to me." "I didn't mean it, you know that." "Was only kiddin'." "Yeah, yeah," "W- was a joke, that's all." "Sure, sure it was." "You say a lot o' funny things." "Yeah, yeah, that's right." "Only sayin' you was better" "Than me, sayin' you could take me." "That wasn't very funny." "The boys here didn't think it was so funny either." "You ready?" "No, spicer, please..." "Spicer, lemme see." "That bullet come any closer, you wouldn't have had a mouth." "He done this to me." "He marked me." "Spicer!" "Spicer, wait!" "Cut it out!" "Cut it out!" "He's dead," "Can't you see he's dead?" "He can't do nothin'!" "North fork's up ahead." "You need a drink, come on." "Micah?" "Ben, where's micah?" "Well, he ain't here, lucas, he left me to look after things." "Who's that?" "I don't know, we picked 'im up on the range about sundown." "Here, help me get 'im over to the doc, huh?" "Doc ain't here neither, him an' micah went together." "Practically the whole town is out there." "Out where?" "In jonah's place, they're havin' a barn raising' and buck supper." "Ben, go after 'im, will you?" "Tell 'im it's an emergency." "All right." "Lucas, it's better than an hours ride out there." "Just do the best you can." "Sodbuster just hauled stark's body up to the marshal's office." "Somebody would have found 'im sooner or later." "Yeah, but that deputy across the street rode out burnin'" "Leather." "Could be he's goin'" "For the marshal after that barn raising' they're havin'." "So?" "He might wanna ask some questions." "Let 'im." "You know anythin'?" "Good." "I ain't through drinking' yet." "Bartender, gimme another bottle." "Son, go out an' get that blanket in the wagon, will you?" "All right." "Hey!" "Me?" "Uh, you." "Is someone hurt?" "Uh, yeah." "How bad?" "Uh, I think he might be done." "Well, what's the doctor say?" "W- he's not here." "Daddy?" "Um-hm?" "Put the paper down." "What is it, vicky?" "There's a man who's been hurt pretty bad." "They just took 'im into the doctor's office." "Oh, is that so?" "But daddy, you don't understand, the doctor's not there." "Well, in that case, maybe we'd better have a look, huh?" "Let's hurry." "Bullet's in there pretty deep." "Best thing we can do is make 'im comfortable 'til doc burrage gets here." "Mark?" "Oh, yeah?" "What're you lookin' at?" "Nothin'." "Hello, young man, my daughter tells me somebody's been hurt." "I'm a doctor." "Oh, come on in." "He's a doctor, pa." "I understand your doctor is" "Simon battle!" "Vicky, my bag's in the hotel room." "Go get it, will you, please?" "Yes, daddy." "Mark, you better go help her." "Yes, pa." "What're you doin' here?" "I might ask you the same thing." "I live here." "I didn't know." "We were just stoppin' for the night." "I thought you were dead." "A lot of people have thought that..." "You in particular." "What do you think you're doin'?" "Get outta here, battle." "Mccain, this man is bleeding to death." "You're no more of a doctor than I am!" "Be careful, mccain..." "Or it'll be just like it was 10 years ago." "A fast gun against the fast rifle." "Only I guarantee the outcome will be different this time." "You haven't changed, have you, battle?" "Only I'm I doctor now." "And since you're in no position to argue about it," "I suggest you take me at my word." "And do what you can to help." "Get a towel an' some water." "You want this man to die?" "Or don't you care?" "You put a bullet in me once, mccain and I've had 10 years" "To think about it. 10 years when you thought I was dead." "I could have come after you, but I didn't." "I was too busy to waste my time." "But I'll tell you this," "I wasn't afraid of you then, an' I'm not afraid of you now." "I heard that you settled down." "I didn't believe it..." "I still don't." "There should be some bandages and alcohol in those cabinets." "Thank you, vicky." "You can go back to the hotel now." "But can't I help?" "Not this time." "Mark, take the young lady to supper." "Oh, sure." "They've got real good apple pie." "All right." "The alcohol, please." "Here it is." "This oughta be enough to ride on." "What's the matter?" "That buckboard over there," "It's the one the sodbuster hauled stark's body in." "Well, so what?" "What's it doin' in front of the doc's office?" "A town like this, the doc's most likely the undertaker, too." "Maybe they are fixin' 'im up real pretty to bury 'im." "I'm gonna take a look." "What's the matter, stacey?" "Stark ain't dead." "Doc's over there tryin' to patch 'im up right now." "Ah, you're drunk." "I'm tellin' you, he ain't, I saw 'im myself." "He better be dead." "He ain't, I'll fix 'im good an' proper this time." "Him an' anybody that tries to save him." "It's always surprised me that somethin' so small" "Could do so much." "I've seen men trampled by cattle, thrown," "Every bone in their body broken, yet live." "But one lead slug, barely an ounce." "You put enough slugs into people not to be surprised." "You're still harping' back to the past, mccain." "You're kiddin' no one but yourself if you think it's been forgotten." "Another compress." "Has your past been forgotten?" "I've lived it down." "That's what I'm tryin' to do." "Only it's not easy." "You expect it to be, reputation you had?" "I see you're still wearin' that gun." "An' you still carry that rifle." "I use that rifle only when I have to." "So when you're finished" "Here, battle, you get on your horse and ride," "And don't ever come back!" "This man's life is still in danger, mccain." "I've got an obligation." "When I'm through, you say that again." "Is he alive?" "Yeah, he is alive." "What do you want?" "I'm not talkin' to you, sodbuster." "Doc, you're makin' a mistake!" "That man don't wanna live." "You didn't hear me, doc, I said you let him die." "No man got a right to live, after doin' this to me." "You shoot him?" "Maybe, maybe not." "What's the answer, doc?" "If I can possibly save this man's life, I'm gonna do it." "Then if you'd like, I'll look at your face." "You save him, you won't be lookin' at nothin'," "Cuz you'll be dead!" "All right, you've said all you're gonna say, mister." "Now back on out that door, both o' you!" "I'm goin', but I ain't goin' far." "I'll be right out in the street waiting' for ya." "Leave it!" "Remember what I said, you save 'im, I'll kill you, doc!" "Him and you, and you" "Who are they?" "They're riding a lobo brand." "Still killing' their own?" "Why not?" "You take half the two-bit gun men in the" "Territory, drunks, outlaws, throw 'em together on one ranch." "What do you expect?" "Did you ever work for lobo?" "I thought about it once." "So did I." "We're wastin' time, an' this man's life" "How about it, is he gonna live?" "I don't know yet." "I think there's four of 'em out there." "See if there's any cat gut." "So anyhow after mom died, we moved to chicago." "That's where daddy studied medicine." "You ever been to chicago?" "Mark?" "Huh?" "Oh." "No." "I don't guess we've been much of anyplace." "We used to live in a little town in oklahoma, though, 'til my mother died." "Then pa came out here." "Oh." "You know, there are half a million people in chicago?" "Half a million?" "What do they all do?" "Same as here." "Book-keepers, doctors, bankers." "Well, I'd think that your pa would wanna stay back there," "With all those people." "I mean, bein' a doctor an' all." "Well, no, I..." "I think they made him uncomfortable." "Daddy says a man has to have room to stretch." "Well, I sure hated to leave, but- well, daddy was right." "He said that he felt his services were needed more out" "Here." "And you know, we went through some towns that didn't" "Even have a doctor!" "Like lone pine." "Lone pine?" "That's where we're going." "It's over in the arizona territory," "In the gila mountains." "Hee-la." "Huh?" "It's spanish." "You say hee-la, not gee-la." "Oh." "Well, that's where we're going anyhow." "You know, daddy is gonna be the only doctor in 200 miles around?" "You think you'll like it?" "I hope so." "I don't remember much about any of this country." "We left 10 years ago, when I was only 6." "Only 6!" "Then..." "Then that" "Means that you're at least 16 now." "Next birthday." "How old are" "You, mark?" "How old did you say?" "Uh, you want some pie?" "I'll order it." "Mm, yes." "Are you sure you have enough money, though?" "Oh sure." "Sure, I'm sure." "You have any trouble raising your boy" "In this kind of country?" "Ah, not more than usual." "Boys are boys, you know." "Are they?" "What about his friends?" "He's got enough." "No." "I" " I mean what are they like?" "Ah, some are a little rougher 'an others, I guess." "You worried about the girl?" "Hand me those scissors..." "The scissors." "If stark dies, are we gonna leave?" "Not 'til I settle things with that sodbuster." "Yeah, but you said" "I know what I said." "That's it." "That holster, did you see it?" "What're you talkin' about?" "That big silver bee on that holster that doc was wearin'," "I've seen it before, a long time ago." "An' he's..." "Battle." "Simon battle." "Who's this battle?" "Gunfighter, oklahoma territory, disappeared about 10 years ago." "Simon battle." "Yeah, I heard he was more than good." "Yeah?" "Maybe that will make up for this." "I'd like to get me a gunfighter like that," "Sort of to give me somethin' to go on." "Spicer, listen to me." "Battle was good." "10 years you say, huh?" "No man puts his gun down for 10 years an' comes back good." "I'm gettin' tired o' waitin'." "Hey, doc?" "Are you comin'?" "Keepin' 'im alive, doc?" "You know somethin', I changed my mind, you hear me?" "You too, sodbuster." "I changed my mind, I want you to keep him alive." "The boys here say that doc's name is simon battle." "He's a real good boy with a gun." "Well, you keep old stark alive so as I can find out." "Yeah, I'm gonna stay here 'til you come out," "An' then I'm gonna kill you, simon battle." "Come on." "Well, what's it look like?" "Bleedin' stopped, his pulse is good." "Pa?" "We heard 'im." "He didn't mean what he said?" "I'm afraid he did, vicky." "No." "Can't you do something?" "Vicky, listen to me." "You remember when your mother passed away?" "Do you remember?" "Yes, I remember very well" "What you said, that you were gonna change." "I have, vicky." "But for this?" "I'm not gonna let you." "You've got to stop them." "Vicky, listen!" "No, you listen!" "My father was in a gunfight once, he was shot," "An' he almost died." "A lot o' people thought he had." "But my mother nursed 'im day an' night for weeks." "She wore herself out tryin' to keep 'im alive," "Because there was no doctor anywhere." "He lived." "But she was so tired and so weak, that she got the fever." "We did what we could, but there was nothin' we could do," "Because there was no doctor." "So we promised her then," "He promised her." "The very last thing she ever heard was" "I promised her I'd become a doctor, start helping' people," "Instead of bein' what I was." "But you are a doctor now, an' you're gonna stay one." "Don't go out there." "Spicer:" "Come on, doc." "What are you waitin' for?" "Old stark still alive?" "You afraid to come out?" "I'm talkin' to you, too, sodbuster." "Marshal should be back soon." "Spicer:" "We're still waitin'." "Come on, doc, you'll make us come in after ya." "You've got a patient to take care of." "Wait!" "Vicky, those men wanna kill me because I saved this man's life." "If I don't stand up and defend what I am," "Then it's all been in vain." "Watch his pulse an' respiration, try an' keep 'im quiet." "Can I buy you a steak later on?" "I think I'd like that." "He's alive." "Wait, he's mine." "Put it away." "I'm gonna give you a chance to live, sonny boy." "Put it away!" "You satisfied?" "Yeah." "Well, I'm not." "His pulse is gettin' stronger, his breathing's good." "He's asleep now, I think." "Oh, daddy!" "It's all right, honey." "It's all over." "You'll write, vicky?" "I'd like to know how you an' your father are gettin' along" "Over there in lone pine." "I will, mr." "Mccain, an' I'll write to you, too, mark." "Battle?" "I was wrong." "That makes two of us." "Good luck, doc." "Thank you, lucas." "Kind o' makes life seem worthwhile, doesn't it?" "Yeah, it sure does, son." "What's the matter?" "That vicky, why does she have to be almost 16?" "Well, son, now, look" "Don't say it, pa, I know."