"Somebody's coming, Pa." "Well, let him come." "Hope you don't mind my cutting through your place." "No, I guess not." "I'm heading north." "Didn't expect to find any fences around here." "Hello, boy." "You were watching me quite a spell, weren't you?" "Yes, I was." "You know, I..." "I like a man who watches things go on around." "It means he'll make his mark someday." "Been a long time since I've seen a Jersey cow." "Well, you'll see a lot more, Jerseys and Holsteins and the like." "Can I offer you some water?" "Thanks." "You're a little touchy, aren't you?" "Joey." "You know better than to point guns at people." "I wasn't pointing at anybody, Mother." "Sure had me snortin', son." "I just wanted you to see my rifle." "Bet you can shoot." "Can't ya?" "Little bit." "Looks like your friends are a little late." "What are the Ryker boys up to this time?" "Rykers?" "That's what I said." "I wouldn't know a Ryker from your Jersey cow." "Don't forget to close the gate on your way out." "Would you mind putting down that gun?" "Then I'll leave." "What difference does it make?" "You're leaving anyway." "I'd like it to be my idea." "Howdy, Starett." "Expecting trouble?" "I don't want no trouble, Starett." "I came to inform you." "I got that beef contract for the reservation." "It took this many to say that?" "I mean business." "Then tend to your own." "That's just what I'm doing!" "I'm going to need all of my range." "Now that you've warned me, would you get off my place?" "Your place?" "You're going to have to get out before the snow flies." "And supposing I don't?" "You and the other squatters..." "Homesteaders you mean, don't you?" "I could blast you out of here right now." "You and the others." "Now, you listen to me." "The time for gun-blasting a man off his own place is past." "They're building a penitentiary..." "Joe, that's enough." "...to take care of..." "Who are you, stranger?" "I'm a friend of Starett's." "Well, Starett, you can't say I didn't warn you." "All right, you've told me." "Now, you get off of my claim." "Supper will be ready in a little while, Joe." "Won't be very long." "Wait, mister, I..." "I swear, I..." "Wait a minute, please." "I take that back what I..." "Well, look, this..." "This thing ain't even loaded." "Not loaded?" "No, no." "Joey is too young to go loaded." "That's his gun." "If this don't beat all." "My name is Starett, Joe Starett, and this here is Joey." "You heard what my little woman said." "Come on in, please." "I feel like eating." "You can call me Shane." "I guess I spook kind of easy these days." "Hello, Joe." "My place ain't very much yet, but I'll tell you one thing, my wife sure can cook." "But it won't be long till supper." "Here, you can..." "You can wash up right here." "In case you want to know, that's..." "That's Ryker's spread, all that over there." "He thinks the whole world belongs to him." "These old-timers, they just can't see it yet, but running cattle on open ranges can't go on forever." "It takes too much space for too little results." "Those herds aren't any good." "They're all horns and bone." "Now, cattle that is bred for meat and fenced in and fed right, that's the thing." "You got to pick your spot, get your land, your own land." "A homesteader, he can't run but a few beef, but he can sure grow grain and cut hay and what with his garden and the hogs and milk, he'll make out all right." "We make out, don't we, Marian?" "Of course." "It's that calf again." "Joey, you run and chase her out of there." "Joey." "Run on, son." "Don't forget to shut that gate." "Joey!" "Come on, shoo!" "I wouldn't ask you where you're bound." "One place or another." "Someplace I've never been." "The only way they're getting me out is in a pine box." "What do you mean, Pa?" "I mean they'll have to shoot me and carry me out." "Joe, I wish you wouldn't talk like that." "Well, that's the truth." "We've got our roots down." "I know, but I wish you wouldn't talk that way." "First real home we've ever had." "What did you mean..." "Joey." "Be quiet." "The men want to talk." "The only thing is there's just more work here than I can do." "If I could hire me a man that..." "Had one once, but the Ryker brothers roughed him up, so he lit out, cussing me." "They knocked his teeth out." "Ready for pie?" "Well, if nobody else is going to eat this last biscuit," "I guess I'm going to have to." "Say, we're kind of fancy, aren't we?" "What is, Pa?" "Our good plates and extra fork and..." "What about me, Ma?" "What's the matter, Marian?" "Nothing." "That..." "That was an elegant dinner, Mrs Starett." "Excuse me." "Where's Mr Shane going?" "He didn't even say goodbye." "He's not going, Joey." "He wouldn't go without taking that." "I'm going outside with him." "Did you ask him to stay the night, Joe?" "Well, I'll do that right now." "Well, I'll be doggone." "Come here a minute." "Joe, why don't you hitch up a team?" "Marian, I've been fighting this stump off and on for two years." "Use a team now and this stump could say it beat us." "Sometimes there ain't nothing that'll do but your own sweat and muscle." "All right." "I wish they'd give me some bullets for this gun." "Good morning, Joey." "How did you know it was me?" "Well, I figured the cow couldn't work that latch." "What are you doing up so early?" "You're to stay for breakfast, you know." "Well, thank you." "Then where will you go?" "Where would you say, Joey?" "I..." "I wish you'd stay here." "Would you teach me to shoot?" "You'd like to learn to shoot, huh?" "Pa wishes you'd stay, too." "I heard him tell mother." "He said he didn't want you to fight his fights for him, but just help with the work." "I bet you wouldn't leave just because it's too dangerous around here." "Joey?" "Joey?" "Joey, come here this minute." "I hope you'll stay, Mr Shane." "Coming, Mother!" "Close the gate, Joey." "What are you doing out here in your nightshirt?" "Come in and put your clothes on." "Shane, you like to hitch up the team and haul that load of wire from Grafton's?" "Anything you say." "Get off the bed, Joey." "Go on." "He's holding it for me at the store." "While you're there, you might as well get yourself some sure-enough work clothes." "What can I bring you, Joey?" "Soda pop!" "You don't need anything, Joey." "You know better." "You just be careful." "I don't want my troubles to be yours." "Aren't you going to wear your six-shooter?" "I didn't know there was any wild game in town, Joey." "Come on, son." "Joey!" "Come back here." " What are you shooting at?" " Rykers." "You getting any?" "Missed one." "Well, can't stand for that." "Pa, you guess Shane will teach me to shoot?" "I'll teach you myself once I get the time, Joey." "Can you shoot as good as Shane, Pa?" "How do I know?" "I've never seen him shoot." "But I doubt it." "He didn't wear his gun today." "Why is that, Pa?" "Well, he's trading at the store, not holding it up." "But why, Pa?" "Honest." "Why didn't he?" "I don't wear one myself." "It goes with him, though." "Somebody's coming, Joe!" "I know." "It's Ernie Wright." "Could you whip him, Pa?" "Could you whip Shane?" "Can't you ask nothing but questions?" "But could you?" "Maybe." "No call for that, though, Joey." "Shane's on our side." "Howdy, Joe." "How are you, Ernie?" "No good." "What's the matter?" "I'm pulling stakes." "No use of your talking, Joe Starett." "Now, what's the matter?" "My wheat." "Them Ryker brothers raided it." "Fence cut, steers drove in." "It's just stubs now." " When?" " Last night." "I'm leaving." "I'm getting out, I tell you." "I got enough." "Don't try to talk me out of it." "You can't..." "Don't try." "I listened to you too much already." "Go ahead." "Nobody's holding you." "You wouldn't leave your home and land and..." "Ernie, you..." "I'm wore down and out, tired of being insulted by them fellas, called a pig farmer." "And who knows what comes next?" "Well, don't throw your tail up." "I tell you what." "We'll all get together right here tonight, and we'll figure out something." "I don't know about me." "I'll get the word around." "It'd help if you could see Shipstead and Torrey, huh?" "All right, I'll tell them." "But if we're going to have a meeting, it had better come to more than just poking holes in the air with your finger." "Anything I can do you for?" "Came in to pick up some wire for Joe Starett." "Oh, yes." "I've been holding wire for Starett for quite a spell." "You new?" "Yes, I'm working for Starett." "Got any ready-made pants that might fit me?" "Farm rig?" "I outfit all these farmers." "Step right in back and try them on." "Will." "Hey, Will." "You're dreadful thirsty, ain't you, Chris?" "Hey, Will, who's tending bar around here?" "Coming right in." " How is it?" " Good enough." " How much do I owe you?" " Well, let's see." "Pants, $1." "Two shirts, 60 cents." "Belt." "Young man, you owe me $2 and 2 bits." "What's the matter, son?" "You look kind of pale." "It's been a long time since I got store-bought clothes." "Money don't go very far these days." "New sodbuster, huh?" "I thought I smelt pigs." "Anything else I can do you for?" "Got any soda pop?" "I sure do." "I wish more men around here would drink it." "In my bar, in there." "Thanks." "Will!" "Let's keep the smell of pigs out from where we're drinking." "Bartender." "Yes?" "What can I do for you?" "You have any soda pop?" "Are you going to get him out, or will I have to?" "Let me take him, Chris." "Well, what'll it be?" "Lemon, strawberry, or lilac, sodbuster?" "You speaking to me?" "I don't see nobody else standing there." "Here, have some of this." "Smell like a man." "Don't it smell better in here, Grafton?" "Chris just fumigated a sodbuster." "Just take it easy." "I was just asking about sody pop, pigs and taters, and one thing or another." "Say, which one of them tater pickers are you working for?" "Or are you just squatting on the range?" "Joe Starett, if it's any of your business." "Supposing I make it my business?" "Here's your soda pop, mister." "Now, you and your soda pop get out of here and stay out of here." "And don't come back." "Did you see that, Rufe?" "What, bubba?" "Chris just put the run on a sodbuster." "That's it, Chris." "Keep them squatters on the move." " Warm it up for you a bit?" " Thank you." "It's getting so I don't like to ride at night." "Yeah, well, let's hope this meeting will get started." "Is Shane going to be at the meeting tonight?" "Mr Shane, Joey." "Yes, I suppose he will be." "I guess we all know why we're here." "I guess Ryker's war party has been around to see all of us." "I'm here to tell you, for one, that I ain't leaving now or any other time." "We'll start with you, Axel." "What do you say?" "Vell, Yoe, you see..." "I know what I want to say." "Start with me." "Ernie, we're going to hear everybody in their turn." "Go ahead." "I guess most of you don't know Shane here." "Shane, this is Yank Potts." "Howdy, Shane." "Fred Lewis here." "I seen you in town." "Ernie Wright here." "And Ed Howells." "Howdy." "And Johnson." " Did you see anybody else coming?" " No." "We're waiting for Torrey." "Just how far is this Ryker going to push us?" "Let's not talk scare." "That's exactly what Ryker wants." "He thinks he can shoo us off of here like chickens." "Well, here's Torrey now." "Here he is." " Hello, Reb." " Hello, Yank." "That's enough out of you, Yank." "You, too." "Let's cool off now, Stonewall." "Just cool off." "Shake hands with Shane there." "Shane's working for me." "Shane." "Oh, yeah." "I heard about you over at Grafton's." "Sit down." "Go on with the meeting, Joe." "Well, Stonewall, it's like this..." "With leaving Ernie out there, maybe," "I think we've all agreed we're going to stick." "Now you're whistling." "There ain't nobody pushing me off my claim, and that's for certain." "I'm staying." "I, too, will stay." "I'll string along with that, leastways till the shooting starts." "There ain't but seven of us figure, if it comes to a fight." "Him." "That makes eight." "You can't count on him." "He's proved that much." "You watch what you're saying." "Maybe Shane can tell you what happened between him and Calloway." "They're talking about Shane." "What is this, Shane?" "Let him say." "Lewis seen it and heard it." "He let this Chris buffalo him in Grafton's saloon." "Fred, I told Shane to stay away from trouble." "If he did, he did right." "Let's finish the story, Joey." "He didn't." "Shane didn't let him do that." "Chris went around afterwards bragging how he put the run on a sodbuster." "Shane?" "You don't have to leave." "I figured you could talk freer if I weren't around." "It's too late to finish this now." "He didn't, did he?" "Joey, I want you to go to sleep." "It's all right." "Everything's all right." "Shane isn't going to go away, is he?" "No, he isn't, dear." "Now, get back into bed." "Stay there." " Shane." " Shane." "I know you ain't afraid." "It's a long story, Joey." "I think we know," "Shane." "Shane, don't just stand there in the rain." "You'll catch your death of cold." "So on Saturday, we'll all get together in one bunch, and we'll go into town for our supplies." "I reckon that's a good idea." "There's some strength in a whole bunch." "I'll put on my .38 and go into town anytime I please." " Joey?" " Yes?" "Don't get to liking Shane too much." "Why not?" "I don't want you to." "Is there anything wrong with him?" "No." "Then what, Mother?" "He'll be moving on one day, Joey." "You'll be upset if you get to liking him too much." "All right, Marian, you're pretty enough!" "Come on, now, you're holding everybody up!" "I vish she vould hurry so we could get going." "I don't like this business." "Joey, get in the wagon, son!" "One thing a married man has got to get used to is waiting for women." "Hurry up, Ma!" "Here she comes." " Good afternoon, Mrs Starett." " Hello." "Sometimes the waiting is worth it." "Take care, Shane, you get a woman that's worth waiting for." "Water is sure good." "Think I can get ready in the time it takes to hitch up a team?" "Hold on." "We wanted to see how pretty you were." "Couldn't wait." "Come on in." "All set?" "Come on!" "Come on, girl!" "Hello, Ernie!" "Good morning, Joe." "You all set, Fred?" "Yeah, reckon we are." "Where's Stonewall?" "Thought he was coming with us." "He got thirsty and went on." "Said he had business that couldn't wait." "I'd like to go, too, but I got to mind the girls." "Bye." "Goodbye." "Come on." "Come on, Red." "Come on." "Goodbye, Marian." "Bye-bye." "We'll come out later." "Goodbye." "Bye-bye." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Stonewall, what are you doing in town ahead of us?" "I had some business to attend to." "I came to buy a drink." "Get off that horse." "You're acting like a fool." "A whole bunch came in." "They brought their women with them to protect them." "My jars come yet?" "Heard you were coming in." "What can I do you for?" "My, my, my." "What will they think of next?" "Susan." "You bring that list of things your mother wanted?" "Yes, I have, Pa." "The coal-oil can's in the wagon." "Run and get it." "My voman wanted we should get together on the 4th of July." "Ja, we make big celebration." "I already tell your wife." "That's just what we need, a real get-together." "It's Joe Starett's anniversary." "Got to celebrate that." "We'll have a big party." "And, Mr Grafton..." "Have you got gunpowder?" "We need it for fireworks." "I'll barter the two chickens I brought for it." "We'll talk about that later." "What do I get for the empty?" "The usual." "Thank you." "Give the bottle to Will." "I need white flour and four pounds of coffee." "Joey." "Let me take it in." "You come, too, Shane." "Thank you." "We'll talk about that later." "Well, now, look what we got." "That's one of the new ones." "They call him Sody Pop." "Deal me out." "Why, what's the matter, Pete?" "Just say I'm superstitious, that's all." "I guess you don't hear very well, sodbuster." "I thought I told you if you wanted to keep healthy, to stay out of here." "Now, get going." "Look, pig farmer." "You better get back inside with the women and kids where it's safe." "Don't push it, Calloway." "Did you hear me?" "I said, get going." "Did you think you was going to come in here and drink with the men?" "Set 'em up, bartender." "Two whiskeys." "You bought me a drink last time I was in." "Now I want to buy you one." "You ain't gonna drink that in here." "You guessed it." "Let me have him." "Let him go." "Go get him, Chris." "Tear him apart." "Tear that sodbuster in half." "Hang one on him, Chris." "Bust that mug of his." "Let him have it." "This is bad." "This is bad." "I'm going in there." "You're gonna stay right here." "This ain't our fight." "We'll get run out of this country." "Go get him, Chris." "That's the trouble around here, ain't a marshal within 100 miles." "Get after him, Chris." "Plough him under, Chris." "Beat his brains out." "Get him." "Now land that right, Chris." "Knock him into that pigpen." "Dirty pig farmer." "Stop this, men." "Here, men!" "Here, stop this!" "Settle it outside." "Well, it looks like it's all over." "I think ve should get out of here." " Let's all go now." " Ja." "Maybe you'd like to draw..." "Hold on, young fella." "Cool off a bit." "You may have a friend you don't know you've got." "I need a man like you." "I'm working for Starett." "You don't belong on the end of a shovel." "Anything to keep you from drawing your time?" "I like working for Starett." "Whatever he's paying, I'll double." "It's no use." "What are you looking for?" "Nothing." "Pretty wife Starett's got." "You dirty, slinking old man!" "Nobody talks to me that way." "I'm talking that way." "You had your chance." "Nobody messes up one of my boys." "We're gonna ride you out of this valley." "We're gonna rough you up, and you're gonna stay out." "Shane, come on." "Joey, get out of here." "But, Shane, there's too many." "You wouldn't want me to run away, would you?" "But there's too many, Shane." "Go on, son." "Please." "Here, men, stop this." "I'll pay the damages." "No more fighting here." "You keep out of this." "This man's unarmed." "It ain't a shooting." "Quit butting in." "I'll take him." "Stop it, men!" "Stop fighting!" "Stop it, men!" "Stop this!" "Break his neck." "Where's Joey?" "They're going to kill Shane!" "They're all trying to kill him in there." "Stay with your mother." "Joe, don't go in." "What Ryker's got coming to him" " ain't fit for women to see." " Bust him." "You'll get us in trouble." "Kick his brains in." "Stop it!" "Stop it, men!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "You fools, you've had enough of it." "You'll all get killed." "Starett, Shane, back on out of here." "That's making some sense, Starett." "You've won." "Get out of here." "Ryker ain't paying for this damage." "I'll pay you for what's broke." "No." "We're paying for what's broke." "Me and Shane." "Morgan, put one of the boys on a good horse." "He's got a long trip, all the way to Cheyenne." "I'm through fooling, Grafton." "From now on, when we fight with them, the air is gonna be filled with gun smoke." "I saw it all, Mother, every bit of it." "It was no place for you, Joey." "No place for you, either, Marian." "I was scared." "Then Pa came in, picked up that man, and slung him on the floor." "I didn't do much." "It was all Shane." "How you feeling, Shane?" "Much better." "You did, Joe." "It was ugly, and you were both wonderful." "When that chair hit you, Shane, I thought you were a goner." "It was an easy chair, Joey." "I bet you two could lick anyone." "Well, one thing for sure, Ryker's going to think twice." "Don't talk about Ryker, not any more tonight." "I wish we could forget him." "This turpentine's going to hurt." "He wouldn't say nothing, no matter how much it hurt." "Well, I'm afraid I would, Joey, if it hurt bad enough." "Stings like anything." "Joey, go on to bed." "It does smart." "I know." "Gosh." "Joey, for the last time, go to bed." "Yeah, me, too." "Come on, son." "Will you come in and kiss me good night, Mother?" "All right." "Your head..." "Your head needs a bandage." "It's good enough, Marian." "It's fine." "Thanks very much." "You want to know something, Mother?" "What is it?" "What is it, Joey?" "Mother, I just love Shane." "Do you?" "I love him almost as much as I love Pa." "That's all right, isn't it?" "He's a fine man." "He's so good." "Don't you like him, Mother?" "Yes, I like him, too, Joey." "Good night, Joey." "What's the matter, honey?" "Joe." "Hold me." "Don't say anything." "Just hold me tight." "Good night, Ma." "Good night, Joey." "Good night, Pa." "Good night, son." "Night, Shane!" "Where's Ryker?" "He's getting a little sleep." "He sent for me." "Won't you sit down for a minute?" "We're having a celebration today." "Where's the coffee?" "I'll put it right on." "What's going on here?" "Plenty." "Going somewhere?" "Well, it looks that way, don't it?" "Don't let them bluff you, Ernie." "Bluff, huh?" "See that?" "They killed my sow last night." "Kept shooting and yelling what they'd do next." "Woke up the kids and scared the missus half to death." "We're gonna put a stop to that." "I said I'd stay for one more hand." "Well, this is it." "I had enough of Ryker." "Here they come again!" "Right through my ploughed ground." "Well, what do you think of that, Stonewall Torrey?" "Well, Starett and the rest of us are gonna take the juice out of them, one of these days." "I'm going into Grafton's and get a bottle for the picnic." "I'm going to show them it's Independence Day." "Ma, you getting ready?" "Good luck, anyway." "Hope good luck for you, too." "I don't see a pig in sight." "I don't see none, but I sure can smell 'em." "They cut Mr Wright's fence and Mr Shipstead's, too." "They did?" "Shane, what would you do if you caught them cutting our fence?" "Well, I'd ask them to please go around by the gate." "Shane." "I'll race you to the barn." "It's a go." "Why don't you ever wear your six-shooter, Shane?" "Well, I guess I don't see as many bad men as you do." "Shane." "You want me to tell you something?" "If you want to." "I saw your gun in there one day." "I took a look at it." "Are you mad?" "No, I guess not, but if I were you, Joey," "I'd leave a thing like this alone." "I wrapped it up careful in the blanket again." "Well, that's a good boy." "Could I see it again?" "You promised you'd show me how to shoot." "Please." "All right, Joey." "Come on." "Get 'em up." "Well, we got some learning to do, huh?" "Come on." "Now, you stand right here." "Put your arms on your side." "Your holster's too low." "Never have your holster at arm's length." "Here, let's fix this." "You always have it here." "Where the grip's between the elbow and the wrist." "When your hand comes up, the gun will clear the holster without coming up too high." "Try it." "Real fast." "That's it." "Is that the way real gunfighters do?" "No, Joey." "Most of them have tricks of their own." "One, for instance, likes to have a shoulder holster." "Another one puts it through the belt of his pants." "And there are some who like two guns." "But one's all you need if you can use it." "It's not certain over 10 or 15 paces." "It's no good at all..." "Which way is best?" "What I'm telling you is as good a way as any and better than most." "Let me see you shoot." "What should I shoot at?" "The little white rock over there." "See?" "Gosh almighty!" "That is good!" "Now, you see, Joey..." "Now, look." "Remember, now, when your hand comes up, you still have room to clear your holster." "Shane." "Hello, Mrs Starett." "I was teaching Joey how to do a little shooting." "I don't want..." "You ought to see Shane shoot." "I did, Joey." "He's teaching me to shoot." "You run along and get ready for the party." "Go on, Joey." "Guns aren't going to be my boy's life." "Why do you always have to spoil everything?" "A gun is a tool, Marian." "No better, no worse than any other tool, an axe, a shovel, or anything." "A gun's as good or as bad as the man using it." "We'd all be better off if there wasn't a single gun left in this valley, including yours." "What's all the shooting about?" "You're starting the celebrating a little early, aren't you, Shane?" "Well, look at that woman." "In her wedding dress." "Shane, you'd better hitch up that team 'cause today we're gonna celebrate the 4th of July." "They squat on my range." "I'm supposed to say, "I'm busted, but you're welcome."" "It ain't that bad." "That's easy for you to say." "I'm your friend." "You know I want to be reasonable, but something's got to give." "Nowadays a man can go just so far." "I've gone along with the new law." "I've stayed away from gun play." "Sure, I tried to buffalo the sodbusters." "You've got to admit my men have kept their six-guns cased." "And now?" "I don't have to guess what's on your mind." "Keep your guesses to yourself." "I want you to know I like Joe Starett." " The fool ought to listen to reason." " Your reason?" "Nothing I say strikes you right." "No offence, Rufe." "No offence." "It's your own conscience eating on you." "Conscience." "What, Torrey?" "Something I can do you for?" "A jug." "It's the 4th." "Come in." "Come in." "Come on." "Jug and a whisky." "Here's to you, Ryker, for running Ernie Wright off his claim." "Another." "Is that one of them?" "Yeah." "It's a downright dirty shame." "'Cause it's all he had, and he worked hard for it." "And I want to tell you something, Ryker." "He's running because he's a coward." "And here's to me, 'cause I ain't a coward." "And you ain't getting my claim." "A hothead." "I could get him to draw without any trouble." "It would be easy." "You can't scare me any more than you can Joe Starett." "No." "It's Starett we want." "Any of the rest of you care to join me in drinking a toast to the independence of the greatest state in the union?" "I'm from Wyoming!" "Here's to the independence of the sovereign state of Alabama." "There you are." "Now, you see how good..." "I want to talk to you, Yank." "Listen, you Yank." " Hello, Yank." " You're late, Reb." "We took Richmond two hours ago." "Everybody, come here, I..." " Marian..." " Ja, Marian!" "You come, too." "I have something very important to tell you." "Axel..." "Ja, Mama." "Now..." "You all know vat day today is." "It's Independence Day, except for one man here." "Yes, sir." "This was the day Yoe Starett got himself hooked, by golly!" "Well, no..." "What I'd like to say is that..." "Well, say it, Joe!" "No." "I'd like to say that Axel's right." "What do you say, Joe?" "I gave up my independence 10 years ago today." "But no man ever gave it up as easy as I did." "And..." "And what's more," "I wouldn't trade places with any man in this world." "Go on, Joe, give her a kiss." " Go ahead!" " Give her a kiss." "Come on." "Come on." "Pass the word to the boys I got some cheer." "Here, many more, Joe." "We were about ready to give you up, you and Ernie." "Ernie's quit." "He's getting out today." "He's packed up, kit and caboodle." "I'd kind of been expecting that." "Ryker's boys have bluffed him out." "He had more sense than we thought." "What was you doing in town, anyway?" "Come on, now, you can't get away." "Well, Marian, they fenced me out here." "Joe don't want you going into town by yourself." "Ain't nothing to be afraid of in town." "Just Ryker and Grafton gabbing." "Yeah, Grafton's fair enough." "Another man was there, but just likely he's hired by Ryker." "Who?" "Who was that?" "A stranger, decked out like a gunfighter." "I didn't let that scare me." "Did you say guns?" "Yeah, two guns." "What did he look like?" "You'll know him." "Packs two guns, kind of lean." "He wears a black hat." "Is he a friend of yours?" "No." "There's a man named Wilson who looks like that." "He's a gunfighter." "Jack Wilson?" "A gunfighter out of Cheyenne named Wilson." "I didn't ask him his name." "Vat about him?" "What's a gunman like Wilson doing around here, powwowing with Ryker?" "Don't start." "Torrey didn't say it was Wilson." "This Wilson, would you know him, Shane, if you saw him?" "Maybe." "If it is Wilson, he's fast, fast on the draw." "So be careful." "You seem to know an awful lot about this business." "Ja, that is enough of that, now." "Come eat before things get cold." "I don't want no gun-slinging." "Murder's a better name for it." "Ve eat now, everyone!" "You fellows vith the shoe game..." "Torrey, I've been vanting to go to de blacksmith, but Yoe said we shouldn't go alone." "Anytime you want to go to town, Shipstead," "I'll ride with you." "I'm a soldier who's fought in real battles." "I can shoot just as straight as that..." "Shane?" "Yes, Joey?" "Think that was him?" "Who?" "That man Torrey seen in town." "You think that was Wilson?" "You shouldn't worry about things like that." "You rest, Joey." "It's way past your bedtime." "Yes, Mother." "No, Joey." "I'll open it, son." "All right." "All right." "I'll open the gate for you." "Who goes there?" "Brother Rufe's come to pay you a little visit." "Howdy, Starett." "Good evening, ma'am." "I had something I wanted to talk over with you, Starett." "Whatever business you and I have got, we can talk over right here." "I'll just lay it on the barrel head." "How would you like to work for me?" "I'm working for myself." "Done enough working for others." "Wait till I tell you." "I'll pay you top wages." "More than you can make on this patch of ground." "No, I'm not interested." "I haven't said it all." "You can run your cattle with mine." "What's more," "I'll buy your homestead." "Set a price you think is reasonable, and you'll find me reasonable." "Is that fair?" "You've made things pretty hard for us, Ryker, and us in the right." "Right?" "You in the right?" "Look, Starett, when I come to this country, you weren't older than your boy." "We had rough times." "Me and other men that are mostly dead now." "I got a bad shoulder yet from a Cheyenne arrowhead." "We made this country." "We found it, and we made it." "Work, blood, and empty bellies..." "Cattle we brought in were hazed off by Indians and rustlers." "They don't bother you much any more because we handled them." "We made a safe range out of this." "Some of us died doing it, but we made it." "And then people move in who never had to rawhide it through the old days." "They fence off my range and fence me off from water." "Some of them like you plough ditches and take out irrigation water, and so the creek runs dry sometimes, and I've got to move my stock because of it." "And you say we have no right to the range." "The men that did the work and ran the risks have no rights?" "I take you for a fair man, Starett." "I'm not belittling what you and the others did." "But you didn't find this country." "There was trappers here and Indian traders long before you." "They tamed this country more than you." "They weren't ranchers!" "You talk about rights." "You think you've got the right to say nobody else has any." "That ain't the way the government looks at it." "I didn't come to argue." "I made you a fair proposition." "What about the others?" "Shane already knows he can work for me." "The other homesteaders." "Look, be reasonable." "After all, there's just so many hands in a deck of cards." "Then I've got to say no." "You don't give a man much choice, do you, Starett?" "How do you feel about it, son?" "Wouldn't you like to go partners with me?" "I don't want trouble with your father." "We don't want anyone to get hurt." "Joey ain't quite of age." "How about it, son?" "Come here, Joey." "I don't want you to be sorry, Starett." "I'll see ya." "What do you make of him?" "He's no cowpuncher." "No, he doesn't look the part, sure enough." "I like Starett, too, but I'll kill him if I have to." "I tell you, I'll kill him if I have to." "You mean I'll kill him if you have to." "I can't have any run-in with the law." "You heard Grafton." "You just get Starett in here." "It wouldn't take much to bait him." "Well, lookee here." "Lookee here." "Why don't we just gun him and get on with it?" "One's run already." "It won't take much to stampede the rest." "Remember, Wilson, we've got to make this look right to Grafton." "Hey!" "Come here." "Torrey..." "I vouldn't go over there, Torrey." "Nobody's going to buffalo me." "What can I do for you?" "Where do you think you're going?" "Well, to get a whisky." "Torrey." "Torrey." "Torrey?" "They tell me they call you Stonewall." "Anything wrong with that?" "That's just funny." "I guess they named a lot of that southern trash after old Stonewall." "Who'd they name you after, or would you know?" "I'm saying that Stonewall Jackson was trash himself." "Him and Lee and all the rest of them Rebs." "You, too." "You're a low-down lying Yankee." "Prove it." "No, Torrey!" "One less sodbuster." " What?" " He tried to pull on Wilson." "Ain't that right, Swede?" "Vell, he..." "He tried to reach for a..." "All right." "Get him out of here." "Then you can go back and tell your friends we'll be waiting right here for any more of them that comes in looking for trouble." "You understand that, Swede?" "Now, get him out of here." "What happened?" "A sodbuster tried to kill Wilson." "What's the shooting?" "A sodbuster tried to pull on Wilson." "Lewis!" "Lewis!" "Pa, what's happened?" "Lewis!" "Fred!" "Fred!" "Lewis, he is dead." "Ryker did it." "I go for Starett." "Shane, we've sure enough earned our keep today." "If they just leave us alone, we're going to make a farm out of this place yet." "Somebody's coming, Pa." " It looks like Shipstead." " It's Mr Shipstead." "Starett!" "Torrey, he is dead!" "Torrey." "Torrey, he is dead!" "Torrey's dead." "The new man shot him." "The new man that works for Ryker did it." "I vas across the street and hear anger in the voices." "And they reach for their pistols, but the new man is quick, terribly quick." "One shot, Torrey's dead." "One shot." "What happened?" "Vell, ve go to town together." "He say it be safe." "Vas all quiet." "Ve separate." "Then the anger in the voices I hear, only the anger, not the words." "Ryker's men vas all around." "What started it?" "I pass Lewis, him and his missus, and Yohnson." "They scared." "Who saw it?" "Just the Ryker men and me." "Morgan say they vait in town for any more that vant to come around looking for trouble." "Marian." "Honey, you get ready." "Mrs Torrey will need you." "Shane, hitch up the team." "What are you going to do?" "Go to town." "I'm going to see about this." "You can't go alone." "Marian, I'm going." "She's right, Joe." "But the others are all in this." "It's not just you, Joe." "Wait." "Wait for them." "Sooner or later, someone's got to go." "But not now." "Don't you go alone." "The other homesteaders, I think they run." "I think they get out of here." "Here comes Joe Starett." "Wish he'd tend to his own business." "What goes on, Fred?" "Just us." "We're going on." "I've had enough." "I sure figured you for a better man." "You've already saw what happened, haven't you?" "Torrey's dead, ain't he?" "Just going to pile up your plunder and skip." "Too scared to even see Torrey get a decent funeral." "I don't want him killed." "We're going." "Martha, it ain't a question of who stays or who runs." "The thing is, we've got to see Stonewall get a Christian burial." "And his wife hear some words of comfort said over her man." "Some of us will make sure that gets done." "Torrey's dead." "I don't want it to happen to my man." "Fred, if you ain't at that funeral," "I'll sure take it bad of you." "Well, the cemetery hill's on the way out, Martha." "Shipstead, would you please lead us in the Lord's Prayer?" "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name." "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever." "Amen." "That's going to bite you." "Goodbye, Mrs Starett." "We're going." "Goodbye, Joe." "Goodbye, Axel." "Goodbye, John." "Sue, put the kids in the wagon." "Wait for me, Lewis." "I'm coming with you." "Now, wait a minute." "Let's not be in a hurry." "One more thing." "Torrey was a pretty brave man." "And I figure we'd be doing wrong if we wasn't the same." "Joe, last time you argued us into staying," "Torrey was alive." "Do you want more of this?" "We can have a regular settlement here." "We can have a town and churches and a school." "Graveyards?" "I don't know, but you just got to, that's all." "You know why he wants you to stay." "Something that means more to you than anything else, your families." "Your wives and kids." "Like you, Lewis." "Your girls." "Shipstead with his boys." "They've got a right to stay here and grow up and be happy." "That's up to you people to have nerve enough to not give it up." "That's right." "That's..." "We can't give up this valley, and we ain't going to do it." "This is farming country, a place where people can come and bring up their families." "Who is Rufe Ryker or anyone else to run us away from our own homes?" "He only wants to grow beef." "What we want to grow up is families, to grow 'em strong, the way they was meant to be grown." "God didn't make all this country just for one man like Ryker." "He's got it, though." "That's what counts." "Look." "Look there." "Hey, a fire." "It's Lewis' place." "That's our place." "Ryker lit it." "He had no right." "If you hadn't packed up and left it..." "That was ours." "I built it myself." "The girls' room wasn't started." "I was getting to it." "We stick together, we can put that place right back up." "Right, Johnson?" "That's right." "We'll help you build the extra room." "Johnson, Joe," "Shane will help, right, Shane?" "That's right." "We'll get the timber, and we'll put her right back up." " Right?" " Yes, sir." " We'll get it done." " I vill help." "You'll do that for us?" "All that, just for us?" "Not just for you, Martha." "For all of us here in this valley." "Some of you come help." "Maybe we can save part of that." "That's the spirit, Fred." "Come on, men." "Let's get to Lewis' place." "Let's get going." "Come on, men." "Boss, looks like Lewis is going back." "Starett's holding 'em together." "What if Ryker sets fire to my place?" "Just stay on your ground." "He'll do to us what he done to Torrey." "There's a law in this country against killing." "The law's three days from here." "You know that, Yoe." "What's that leave us with, Starett?" "Just give me some time." "Who's going to fight with Ryker?" "He's got us on the run." "You men hang on, that's all." "That's it." "Just hang on." "I promise something will be done." "But just vat, Yoe?" "You leave that to me." "I'll have this out with Ryker." "You're taking on too much all by yourself." "If I have to kill him..." "That's wrong." "Don't even think that." "Starett's got to go." "I've warned him twice, but he's pigheaded, and he's going to have to pay for it." "Joe, you can't do it." "Marian, if the Lewises had courage enough to start over again," "I ain't letting them down." "But you can't, Joe." " Can't what?" " Go in town to kill Ryker." "He'll kill you." "Tell him I'm a reasonable man." "Tell him things have gone far enough." "Tell him I'm beat." "Tell him anything, but, by Jupiter, get him here." "He'll come." "He thinks he's a reasonable man." "Hello, Calloway." "Joe, he'll kill you." "It's a chance I got to take." "This is a false square knot, Joey." "It won't hold." "Shane, tell him." "Tell him he can't go." "It won't work." "Tell him." "Shane!" "Wait, Joe." "Wait till things cool off." "Wait that long anyway." "That's right, isn't it, Shane?" "I can't tell Joe what's right, Marian." "Please wait, Joe." "Won't you do even this for me?" "Starett!" "Mr Starett!" "Who is it?" "Peace party from Ryker." "One of you can come across and talk." "Stay out of that garden." "We ain't armed." "Brother Rufe wants to see you." "He says to tell you he's a reasonable man." "Your brother's responsible for killing my friend Torrey." "My brother wouldn't kill anybody." "He don't want to go to jail." "Torrey was a hothead." "He picked on a stranger." "Torrey didn't want to be reasonable." "You want to be reasonable, don't you, Starett?" "I always figured on being reasonable." "My brother's waiting." "He'll see you at Grafton's." "Who else?" "Not us." "We're heading home." "I'll see your brother." "Shane." "Shane." "Who is it?" "Calloway." "Chris Calloway." "Stay there." "I can drill you." "Hold it, Shane." "Something to tell you." "What do you want?" "Starett's up against a stacked deck." " Why you telling me?" " I don't know." "I reckon something's come over me." "I don't figure you." "I'm quitting Ryker." " So long." " Chris..." "Thanks." "Be seeing you." "No use to argue, Marian." "I'm going into this with my eyes open." "No!" "Isn't there anything I can say that will change things?" "Can't you see maybe this is a chance?" "Morgan and them boys went home." "You don't really believe that." "That's not the reason." "It's just too much to give up." "This place and our valley, all the things that will be." "Will be..." "Don't point that thing." "Go play outside!" "Play outside, Joey!" "Please, dear, go outside and play." "It's just pride, that's all." "A silly kind of a pride." "Don't I mean anything to you, Joe?" "Doesn't Joey?" "Marian..." "Honey." "It's because you mean so much to me that I've got to go." "Do you think I could go on living with you, and you thinking that I'd showed yellow?" "Then what about Joey?" "How would I ever explain that to him?" "Joe..." "Joe." "I've been thinking a lot, and..." "I know I'm kind of slow sometimes, Marian, but I see things." "And I know if anything happened to me, you'd be took care of." "You'd be took care of better than I could do it myself." "I never thought I'd live to hear myself say that, but I guess now's a pretty good time to lay things bare." "You talk as though I'd be glad for you to go." "Honey, you're the most honest and the finest girl that ever lived, and I couldn't do what I got to do if I hadn't always knowed that I could trust you." "Now, don't you go counting me out." "I wouldn't have lived as long as I have already if I wasn't pretty tough." "Pa!" "Shane's got his gun on." "He's coming!" "Gun?" "What's the idea?" "Don't let him go, Shane." "Don't anybody go." " This is my kind of game, Joe." " Except it ain't yours." "Maybe you're a match for Ryker." "Maybe not." "But you're no match for Wilson." "Well, then I'll outlast him." "But I do appreciate it, Shane." "You're both out of your senses." "This isn't worth anybody's life." "What are you fighting for, this little piece of ground and nothing but work, work, work?" "I'm sick of it." "I'm sick of trouble." "Joe, let's move." "Let's go on." "Please?" "Marian, don't say that." "That ain't the truth." " You love this place." " Not any more." "Even if that was true, it wouldn't change things." "There must be some way, Shane." "Some way?" "It's no use, Joe." "No use?" "Well, what's stopping me?" "I am." "You get out of my way." "Am I going to have to fight you, too?" "That depends on you." "No!" "Stop!" "Shane!" "You hit him with your gun." "I hate you!" "Have him walk around when he comes to." "Joey, bring some water and a towel." "Here, Marian." "Hide this." "He'll be all right." "No one can blame him for not keeping that date." "Shane." "Wait." "You were through with gun fighting." "I changed my mind." "Are you doing this just for me?" "For you, Marian." "For Joe and little Joe." "Then we'll never see you again?" "Never's a long time, Marian." "Tell him..." "Tell him I was sorry." "No need to tell him that." "Please, Shane..." "Mother." "Please..." "Take care of yourself." "Mother, Pa's coming along all right." "Yes, Joey." " Why did Shane..." " Shane did what he had to do, Joey." "You don't hate Shane." "I know, Mother." "Shane..." "I'm sorry." "He didn't hear you." "Shane!" "Shane, I'm sorry!" "I came to get your offer, Ryker." "I'm not dealing with you." "Where's Starett?" "You're dealing with me, Ryker." "I got no quarrel with you, Shane." "You can walk out now, and no hard feelings." "What's your offer, Ryker?" "To you, not a thing." "That's too bad." "Too bad?" "Yeah." "You've lived too long." "Your kind of days are over." "My days?" "What about yours, gunfighter?" "The difference is, I know it." "All right." "So we'll all turn in our guns, and we'll all start hoeing spuds." "Is that it?" "Not quite yet." "We haven't heard from your friend here." "I wouldn't push too far if I were you." "Our fight ain't with you." "It ain't with me, Wilson?" "No, it ain't, Shane." "I wouldn't pull on Wilson, Shane." "Will, you're witness to this." "So you're Jack Wilson." "What's that mean to you, Shane?" "I've heard about you." "What have you heard, Shane?" "I've heard that you're a low-down Yankee liar." "Prove it." "Shane, look out!" "Shane." "I knew you could, Shane." "I knew it." "I knew it just as well as anything." "Was that him?" "Was that Wilson?" "That was him." "That was Wilson, all right." "He was fast, fast on the draw." "Joey, what are you doing here?" "I'm sorry, Shane." "You don't have to be." "You better run back." "Can't I ride home behind you?" "Afraid not, Joey." "Please?" "Why not?" "I got to be going on." "Why, Shane?" "A man has to be what he is, Joey." "Can't break the mould." "I tried it, and it didn't work for me." "We want you, Shane." "Joey, there's no living with..." "With a killing." "There's no going back from one." "Right or wrong, it's a brand, and a brand sticks." "There's no going back." "Now, you run on home to your mother, and tell her everything's all right, and there aren't any more guns in the valley." "Shane..." "It's bloody." "You're hurt." "I'm all right, Joey." "You go home to your mother and your father and grow up to be strong and straight." "And, Joey, take care of them." "Both of them." "Yes, Shane." "He'd never been able to shoot you if you'd seen him." "Bye, little Joe." "He'd never even have cleared the holster, would he, Shane?" "Pa's got things for you to do!" "And Mother wants you!" "I know she does!" "Shane!" "Shane!" "Come back!" "Bye, Shane!"