"Just getting the feel of these guns." "Where's the sheriff?" "Sheriff." " What's wrong, Mr King?" " Who's that man?" " I don't know." " Hickman." "Morgan Hickman." "Better take his gun." "He's killed someone." "You won't need to take my gun." "Won't need this any more either." "Luke Jameson, murder and robbery." "$500 reward." " Oh." "Bounty hunter." " Yep." "Tracked down Jameson, he tried to shoot it out." "Fair fight." "You won't find any bullet holes in his back." "You don't like outlaws brought in dead?" "Our officers of the law bring in their prisoners alive." "Your officer of the law didn't bring in Jameson at all." "I'm not the law." "I work inside it for money." "Same as you do if you're in a legal business." "I believe the banking business is legal." "I'm also mayor." "My friends here are businessmen" "Except for Judge Thatcher and Dr McCord." "You got a bone to pick with the freight company, not with me." "They put a hunk of money on Jameson's head." "He robbed a freight office, killed the agent." "Wanted him dead or alive, which is kind of a hint, sounds like to me." "We're not here to argue, Hickman." "This is a law and order town." " Collect your money and get out." " Suits me fine." "How soon can I collect?" "Soon as I can manage it." "I've gotta mail in your claim," "And I can't take your word it's Jameson, either." "I wouldn't know him from Adam." "Well, there's one man in town" "Who ought to recognise the corpse:" "Bad Bogardus." "Jameson's his cousin, or was." "Get an affidavit from Bogardus." "I'll have to sign the claim, so will you." "When will it be ready?" "First thing tomorrow morning." "You can unload my pack horse, Sheriff, I gotta find me a place to stay." " I'd like a room." " Haven't got a room." "Maybe you can find me one." "I said I haven't got a room." "Any other hotel in town?" "Nope." "Where can I put up my horses?" "Livery barn's that way." "Can't miss it on your way out of town." "Now, don't be scared." "I'm not going to hull you." "I'm gonna take you home." "Got a real nice coop." " Howdy." " Howdy." " What are you up to, son?" " Catching pigeons." "Get out of that hayloft!" "Ain't I warned you to keep out of here?" "Now, get out of here, and stay out." "I don't want your kind around here." " What do you want?" " Put up my horses." " You know who I am?" " I didn't ask." "Bogardus is the name." "Bad Bogardus." "Jameson was kin of mine." "Well, every family's got one black sheep, some of them got two." "Take your horses and get out." "It's your barn." " Hey, mister, can I ride your horse?" " Big enough to get on, are you?" "Better get off, son." "It's gonna be a long walk back." " I live here." " Where?" " Kip, where have you been?" " The livery barn." " You promised to keep out of there." " I ain't afraid." "Well, I am." "Thanks for fetching him home." "Wouldn't know any place a man could put up, would you?" "You'd have to share a bedroom with my son." " I don't mind if he don't." " I don't mind." "Come on." " More coffee?" " If you don't mind." "Get up, Kip." "You've finished." " You live here all alone?" " I have my son." "Why don't you live here with us?" "Then I can ride your horse." "Kip." "The fact is," "I would like to stay a few days, if your mother'd put up with me." "She'd be glad." "Wouldn't you, Mom?" "If Mr Hickman wishes to stay, he can stay." "Do you want to see my pigeons?" "Not tonight, Kip." "Now, don't bother Mr Hickman." "I just asked." "Catched them in the livery barn." " You have enough pigeons." " No, I haven't." "But I'm raising them." "Two's laid eggs already." "Wanna see my pigeons?" "Kip, be quiet." "I better take a look at my horses before I turn in." "I'll go with you!" "I hope you don't mind." "Bet he shows me his pigeons." "Wanna see my pigeons?" "Lead the way, captain." " Can you see them?" " What are you gonna do with them?" "When I raise enough," "I'm gonna sell them and buy me a horse, maybe a dog, too." " Take a long while, won't it?" " Yeah, but I'll do it." " Mom." " You go to sleep now." "Nice boy you got." "Well, I hope he doesn't pester you with all his talking." " I like kids." " They like you." "I had a boy once." "You lost him?" "Him and my wife both." "Same time." "I guess what got me remembering was watching you make your own dress." "I used to sit and watch her the same way." "It was nice." "This isn't mine." "It's for a lady in town." " The way you make your living?" " When I can find the work." "Well, I'm afraid that's all for tonight." "It's getting late." " Say, am I keeping you up?" " Oh, no, no." "I'm going to sleep out here on the bunk." "You can go to bed anytime." "I don't like to take your bedroom." "Why don't you let me bunk out here?" "'Cause I'll be up before you." "You'll need a light to find your way in the bedroom." " I'm sorry." "I forgot your name." " Nona Mayfield." "Mayfield?" "You heard my name mentioned in town?" "No, but Mayfield." "I mean, your boy looks pad Mexican." "Don't get me wrong." "I got nothing against Mexicans." "Well, how about Indians?" "Kip's father was an Indian." "Very well, you can move out in the morning." "There's no use arguing, Ben." "You told me when you took that badge it was gonna be only temporary." "Look, Millie, I guess I might as well tell you." "What I'm hoping for..." "Well, if I can show them, if I can make good..." "You'll make good..." "In the graveyard." "Which you want, Ben?" "Me or that badge?" " I can't quit until they want me to." " I won't be around." "Oh!" "Well." "Morning, Millie." "What's the trouble?" "She wants me to give up my badge, Doc." "How do you like that?" "Millie, that's your papa's badge." "I'd sure hate to see it on any man" "That didn't keep it clean and bright like he did." "As for Ben here, young as he is, he's the only one we could find." "Would you rather see it pinned on a man like Bogardus?" "I don't care." "I only know there's not gonna be any tin star in my life, never." "Where'd you be if your mama'd said that?" "I saw what Mother went through never knowing what was gonna happen." "Well, finally it did happen." "I'm going to be a wife, not a widow." "I read something once, sticks in my mind." ""From this nettle danger, we plucked this flower, safety."" "Your father plucked that flower for us, Millie." "Folks felt safe to raise their babies and not be afraid." "But somebody had to walk through the nettle patch." " Let someone else do it." " So nobody does it." "That's how the wrong men get hold of things." "Here's a man walks through the nettle patch." " Picks all the flowers for himself." " I have no use for bounty hunters." "Well, that makes it unanimous." "Miss Parker's father was sheriff here for 20 years." "If you find it a little too chilly in here, you can wait outside." "I don't mind the chill." "I'm after money." "Oh, that reminds me." "Coroner's certificate." "My formal affidavit that Jameson died suddenly" "But thoroughly of one gunshot." "I'm riding out to look at a bird's nest." "Abe Picketfs already got 11 kids, all girls." "Now his Annie's as big as a barrel again." "There's the kind of woman, Millie, to build up this country." "Stay here, Millie, and witness our signatures." " My claim ready?" " Yeah." "You can sign it." "It's no good unless you sign it, too." "You don't have to tell me my job." "I gotta check it over first." "I'll just wait, make sure it's signed right." "Come on, you sign my claim yet?" "You sign it?" " It's Bogardus." "He'll kill you." " Let go." " What are you up to, Ben?" " Gonna arrest you, Bogardus." " You're not gonna arrest nobody." " I gotta do what the law says." "The law says a man's got to defend hisself." "You hear me?" "That half-breed had it coming." "Now, that's far enough!" "Hold it!" "Now, let's talk this thing over." " I gotta take your guns first." " First you listen to me." "I drawed in self-defence." "I got witnesses." "But even if I didn't, no sheriff's gonna disarm no white man" "For shooting a mangy lnjun." "You an lnjun-lover?" " I know what I got to do..." " Hold it!" "Now, don't try that again." "Go inside, and I'll buy you a drink," "And we'll talk this over like two growed-up men." "Hey, witnesses." "Sheriff's trying to shoot me." "No I wasn't, I just want your guns, that's all." "Nobody pulls a gun without he means to kill." "Everyone in the street can see what you're up to." "Now, just take it easy, and I'll go with you." "You made a mistake pulling that gun on a man like me." "There was no reason in the world to do it." "I don't like having no one lay a gun on me." "No, sir." "Hadn't ought to done it, Ben." "Why, there ain't a man in town would lay a finger on me if I was to..." "Excuse me for butting in, Sheriff, but you forgot to sign my claim." " Lock him up." " Give me that hat." "Get going" " Well, I ain't had a chance to thank you." " Sign my claim." "If it hadn't been for you, I..." "Just looking out for my reward money is all." "Yeah." "You know, I think if I'd seen him pulling that gun from back of his hat," "I'd have triggered him." "I think I would." " Ben, you almost got killed." " Would've been a big mistake." " What'd I do that was wrong?" " Everylhing." "You let him stop you." "You let him talk, you listened to what he was saying," "Instead of watching what he was doing," "You pulled your gun when you didn't have to." "Oh, no." "He'd have pulled his first." "Now, if you walk right up to a man, chances are, he won't gunfight." "'Cause at 3 feet, he knows he'll get hull, maybe killed, even if he draws first." "Pulling your gun, you just goaded him into trying to get you." "Better take off that tin star and stay alive." " You hear that, Ben?" " Look, Millie." "I ain't gonna quit." "Woman's strongest argument, bang the door." "She's right, though." "She knows what's wrong with that badge." "A man pins it on, he can't take it off." "They'll give you a nice funeral." "See my claim gets off, will you?" "I wouldn't expect no bounty hunter to appreciate this badge." "I wore one a lot longer than you ever will." " Afternoon, ma'am." " Come in." " I'd like to see Mr Hickman." " Come in, Owens." " I'd..." "I'd like to talk to you outside." " What's on your mind?" "Well, I'd like to talk to you alone." "Nothing you can say to me she can't hear." "What is it?" "I..." "I got a room for you." "I got a room." "Well, I mean I got you a room at the hotel." "I went to Buck Henderson." "I laid down the law," "And he's giving you the best place he's got." "I like it here." "Anything else on your mind?" "Well, yes." "Is it true what you told me, that you used to be a sheriff like me?" "Not like you." " Well, how come you quit?" " That's my business." "Look, will you come outside?" "It's got nothing to do with her." "What's wrong with Morg?" "Nothing." " Well?" " Well, I'm in trouble." " Bogardus out of jail?" " Cleared in court." "Had witnesses." "Give him his guns back?" "Best Judge Thatcher could do was fine him $50 for resisting arrest." " How long you had that badge?" " Since Sheriff Parker got killed." " Nobody else wanted it, huh?" " Yeah." "Bogardus." "He wanted it for a shooting license?" "That's how come he didn't get it." "Town don't want prisoners brought in dead." "Yeah, I know." "They only want sheriffs brought in dead." " How come they pick you?" " I'm only temporary." "You're more temporary than you think." "Yeah." " Well, I guess I got a lot to learn." " You won't have time to learn." "I would if you'd show me." " Take off that badge and quit." " I can't do that." "I'll be gone in a few days." "Well, a few days might mean the difference." "It might." "No, don't cock your gun with the ball of your thumb." "It can slip in a gunfight." "Hit the handle with the whole joint of your thumb, like this," "And your gun comes out cocked as you jerk it for action." "Remember, there's a lot more to gun fighting" "Than just shooting at a mark." "You gotta keep cool," "Have absolute confidence." "You lack confidence." " That's how you let Bogardus stop you." " Yeah." "And to have confidence, you gotta keep a cool head." "Don't take any chances you don't have to, but wait," "And end the fight with one shot." "Wail?" "It's that time you wait, that split second" "That means the difference between missing a man and killing him." " I don't want to kill nobody." " Take your guns off." "The law says a man ain't to be shot without his chance to surrender." "Or make his fight." "As long as you're wearing that badge, you gotta walk up," "Tell them to throw them up and then watch which way his hands move." "If they go up, you got yourself a prisoner." "If they go down, he's dead, or you are." "A decent man doesn't wanna kill, but if you're gonna shoot," "You shoot to kill." "How about hitting him in the arm?" "That hokey-pokey'll get you killed fast." "I hear a lot of guys bragging about shooting a gun out of somebody's hand." "They're lying." "They shot to kill." "A wounded man can still kill you." " You did it." " Huh?" "With Bogardus, you hit his gun." "That wasn't my fight." "That was yours." "I could take a chance." "What if you missed?" "He would have killed you, or I'd have had to kill him." "Now, try it again." "The chunk's floated out." " See that snag sticking up there?" " Yeah." "Draw fast, but don't snapshoot." "Take that extra split second." " If that was a man, you'd be dead." " I got more shots." "You're dead." "You're not taking your time." "Well, I'd be dead if I slowed down." "I didn't say to slow down." "I didn't say to slow down." "Be fast when you go into action, be fast with your muscles." "But deliberate here." "Take that split second and pull the trigger once." "That's what counts, that first shot." "Point it dead centre, and the fight's over." "What, you didn't expect me to hit it, did you?" "Did you?" "Let's see you try." "Well, it's kind of far." "Just a matter of luck." "Who's that?" " Howdy, Sheriff." " Howdy." "What are you shooting at?" "Nothing." "Just a mark." "Where you going?" "Town." "Zeke and me's run out of groceries." "The McGaffey brothers, Zeke and Ed." "They got a run-down place the other side of Red Canyon." " Got some Indian blood, haven't they?" " You notice everything, don't you?" "I notice you're wearing your guns too low." " That's the way Sheriff Parker wore his." " Parker's dead." " How'd he get it?" " The stagecoach got held up." "He suspected somebody, but he wasn't a man to talk." "Well, one day his horse came in without him," "And they found his body right here with a rifle bullet through his head." " Feel better?" " Yeah." "Wanna see?" "Tomorrow." "More to your job than handling guns." "Things in town you gotta learn." " This your second shot of whisky?" " I can hold my liquor." "Sure." "It gives you more confidence." "Wrong kind of confidence." "Look, I'd get laughed at if I took beer." "See anyone laughing at me?" "Do as you please." "What else have I gotta learn?" "Stop acting so mean and surly all the time." "I know why you do it, you figure it makes you seem older and tougher." "Decent people gotta like a sheriff." "Otherwise they'll be looking the other way when he needs them." "You think I'm cheating?" "How's this?" " Sit down." " Well, look, I gotta..." "Sit down!" "First thing you should have noticed is they weren't wearing guns." "Learn what to stay out of." "If you gotta step into a fight, make sure you're the better man." "Man, the old lady pulled out a better fight than that one." "You ever been up against a better man?" "If you live long enough, which isn't likely," "You might be the better man." "I only wanna be good enough to keep this badge." "Then study men." "Paste this in your hat, a gun's only a tool." "You can master a gun if you got the knack." "Harder to learn men." "There's one you're gonna have to lick before you're through." "Well, let's call it a night." " See you in the morning." " Afraid so." " Thanks, Morg." " I'm not sure I'm doing you a favour." "What's keeping Morg?" "You've been stalling me for an hour." "Go to bed now." "Can't go to bed till Morg comes." "It ain't polite." "I don't think he'll mind." "Morg!" "Look, Morg." "I'm a sheriff." " Your shirttail's kind of hanging out." " Don't I look like a sheriff?" "You look more like the sheriff than the sheriff does." " Sheriff, bed." "Come on." " Can I ride your horse tomorrow?" "Sure." " I hope I haven't kept you up." " No, no." "I wanted to talk to you." "I was wrong about you last night." "You sure?" "Well, maybe I was right last night, but not today, not now either." "I shouldn't have gotten mad." "I'm just so used to everybody hating Indians." " We're raised that way." " Well, I wasn't." "See, my father was an Indian agent and he respected Indians." "He liked them." "So did I." "I grew up with some who were really fine men." "When you grow up hating them, you don't get rid of it easy." "I know." "They say the only good Indian is a dead Indian." "When they find one with a man's pride and courage to stand up as an equal," "They kill him." "And it isn't called murder." "They've just made him a good Indian." "And it doesn't even end there." "Not when there's a boy to hate and a woman to take it out on." " It's Kip I'm thinking of." " He's worth fighting for." "How come you've stayed on in a town like this?" "Because of a friend." "One friend." "Kip was sick when we got here, and I didn't have a penny." "The doctor saved him." "Not only that, he found this place for us" "And well, he even got some of the ladies in town" "Who wouldn't speak to me to let me do their sewing." " That old fellow McCord?" " Dr Joe." "I don't care what any of them say." "The more they're against me, the more I'll stand up for Kip." "Can you understand that?" "It's the same with me, only it's not a boy." "It's something inside me, pride, maybe." "When they try to run me out, I gotta stay." " How long will you stay?" " Till I'm paid what's owed me." "Maybe it'll make things worse for you, my staying here." "You're welcome as long as you like." "Kip's a lucky boy." "Any of you seen Ben Owens?" "There he is, coming to town with Morg Hickman." "Thought Ben Owens had more sense." "He's been out with him four days running." "Keep an eye on them." "I'll fetch the mayor." " Sheriff." " Ben." "I want to see you a minute." "Wait for me in my office." " What's the matter, Doc?" " Come on inside." "I wanna talk to you." " What happened?" " Keep that in your mouth, Millie." " I told you, Dr Joe, I don't want..." " You keep that in your mouth." " She's running a fever." " I was merely walking by..." "Who is the doctor here, you or me?" "Now, you keep that in your mouth so I can get a reading." " Know what day tomorrow is?" " Sure." "It's your birthday." "Gonna be the biggest bang-up birthday you ever had, too." "The whole town's turning out." "You'll see all the kids you ever delivered," "Including me and Millie." "Won't mean a thing if I don't get my birthday present." "What's that?" " I want you two to get together." " So, that's what you're up to." "Now listen, Millie, you were a sweet little thing when you were born." "Now, behave yourself." "This big lummox of a sheriff here was mean as all get out." "Bit my finger when I spanked him." "But he's grown up to be all right." "And I wanna see you two McCord babies get married" "And raise more babies like God intended." "Why don't you marry him?" "You know why, and so does he." "Why, he can't run away from responsibility any more than you can." " Women." " Well, she hates this badge, Doc." "She wants me to take it off, and I won't!" "Well, you will, if they take it away from you." "Whole town's stirred up about your hanging around with that Hickman." " Every day you're together." "Nights, too." " I know what I'm doing." " He's a bounty hunter." "You're a sheriff." " He used to be a sheriff." " Who said so?" " He did." "He told me." "You believe him?" "Well, he wouldn't lie to me, Doc." "Fifty years of my records." "History of the town's written down here." "Here we are." "I won't read the year and the date." "You know it." ""Heavy snowfall." "Had to go horseback to get to the Owens' place."" ""Delivered Elizabeth Owens of a healthy eight-and-a-half pound boy."" "Now, I'm going to add a postscript as follows." "Baby grew up to be a good sheriff with one bad fault:" "He believes everything he's told." "You think he lied to me?" "Well, let's just say I'm sceptical." "And Mayor King's no fool." "I want to see you keep that badge." "Thanks, Doc." " Morg, did you lie to me?" " What's that?" "You told me you wore a badge like this one once." " That's right." " How come you took it off?" "None of your business." "I gotta know, Morg." "How come you quit?" " I found out I was a fool." " You think I'm a fool?" "Any man who wears that badge is." "I know why you like it." "Everybody slaps you on the back, tells you how important you are." "Decent people look up to you." "They're all your friends." "I've seen it before." "A sheriff I knew in Kansas years ago had it bad like you." "Always took his prisoners alive, proud of it." "Finally, his wife had a baby, got sick." "Doctor said they'd die if they didn't move to a drier climate." "They had to have $1,000." "So he went to his friend at the bank," "But seems like money and friendship didn't mix." "He said he was sorry, but this was business." "He had to have collateral." "Well, he didn't have collateral." "Already he owed money, doctors' bills," "But he had a lot of friends, businessmen around town." "He figured they'd put up the collateral." "Same story." "And how'd he pay it back if he quit and moved west?" "What did he do?" "Well, there was a man wanted, big reward, dead or alive." "So he went after him." "Took a long time." "Took him a long ways from home, but he tracked him down." "Fellow tried to shoot it out, so he killed him," "Brought him in, collected the $1,000." "By that time, his wife and baby had died." "Never had much use for that tin star after that." "Well, here they come." "Hickman, you're waiting to collect your reward?" "That's right." "We telegraphed the freight company." "They telegraphed back, authorised the bank to pay it." "Thanks." "You'll have to sign for it." "Better look it over." "Well, I guess I had collateral this time." "I'd suggest you leave town." "You couldn't pay me enough money to stay." "Sheriff, I wanna see you." "We'll call a council meeting tomorrow." " Tomorrow's McCord Day." " Oh, yes." "Day after tomorrow." "I guess Doc was right." "They're gonna take my badge." "You're lucky." "Well, I don't care what they say, I'm gonna give them a fight." "Thanks for everything, Morg." "You know, you kind of look like a sheriff." "Sorry I'm gonna miss that council meeting." "Me, too." " Sheriff!" "Sheriff!" "Sheriff!" " What happened, Jim?" "Hold up!" "They shot Johnny Biggers." "Get the doctor." "Johnny was riding shotgun." "We got him inside." " They held up the stage." " How is he?" "Hurt bad." "I'll go with him." "Come on, folks, stand back." "Give him some air." "Here's Doc Joe." " Want us to get him out, Doc?" " No, not yet." "Well..." "Well, where'd it happen?" "Other side of Abe Picketfs ranch." "Two men, had their faces covered." "Johnny shot one of them." "The other one shot Johnny as we were getting away." "How is he, Doc?" "He's dead." "Mighty brave man, Johnny Biggers." "If I was sheriff, I'd get two for one." "McCall." "Sloan." "Hardman." " Three is enough, Ben." " I want one more." "You got one, Sheriff." "Morg." "You lost your sidekick." "Next sheriff's posse, I'll be the boss." "Ben, three of us is enough." "Four, counting you." "All right, Jim." "Show us that junction." "We'll get started." "Here's the place to pick up their trail." "One of them was hit in the right shoulder." "Dropped his gun when Johnny fired." "Let's go." "Hey, Morg." "Where have you been?" "I've been waiting for you." "Oh, I..." "I had a little business in town." "What's that?" "That little paint horse?" "Name's Dinky." "Is he yours?" " Yours." " Mine?" "Dinky!" "Mom, look." "I got me a horse." "Look, Ma, I got a real horse!" "Kip, you didn't say thanks." "His name's Dinky." "My own horse!" "Ain't he a beauty, Mom?" "Wait, Kip!" "Wait!" "Kip, you haven't said thanks." " He didn't even thank you." " He sure did." "Didn't you see his face?" " You're too generous." " Don't fool yourself." "A man lives alone like me, he gets kind of selfish." "If he gives you anything, you can be sure he's getting his money's worth." "You wanna give me something, how about a cup of that coffee?" "All right." " Howdy, Doc." " Howdy, Ben." "No luck?" "No, not yet." "One of them is hit, though." "We saw some blood a while back." "Was he wounded bad?" "I don't know, Clark said he got a load of buckshot in the right shoulder." " Where you going?" " Didn't you pass Abe Pickett?" "No, he passed us going hell for leather." "He rode into town the same way, said his Annie's begun to holler." "I know Annie." "Fine dependable woman." "Helped her bring 11 girls." "Always starts to holler three, four hours before her time." "That's the kind of wife to have for a man who lives way out past nowhere." "You be sure you get back by tomorrow morning." "No fear." "I'm not gonna miss my birthday party." " See you tomorrow." " See you tomorrow." "Abe." "Abe." " I been asleep?" " About two hours." "Baby." "She's here?" "Well, I'll read you the record." ""2:25 a.m. July 16th, my 75th birthday."" ""Delivered Annie Pickett of a nine pound boy."" "Boy!" ""Annie says she will name him Joseph Jefferson McCord"" ""After yours truly, J.J. McCord, M.D."" "You sure it ain't just another girl?" "Well, I hope I'm not too old to know the difference." "You better get in there and see for yourself." "Annie!" "Annie!" "Annie." "Annie, honey." "Annie." "Well, Bessie, you're kind of like Annie Pickett." "World of patience with us doggone men." "Well, now I'm gonna get some sleep." "You know the way home better than I do." "Doc!" " Ed McGaffey." " Oh, yeah." " Can you come out to our place?" " Who's sick?" "My brother, Zeke." " I'm not sure I know the way." " Just follow me." "Get away, Spud!" "Go on!" "Come on, get out!" "Well." "You're hull bad." "Tell him how it happened, Ed." "We was hunting deer back in the canyon." "The buck jumped up, and Zeke stepped in between" "Just as I was pulling the trigger." "Sorry, kid." "It was my own fault, Ed." "Hold that lamp closer." "Now, this is gonna hurt, son." "Well, old girl." "You've had your sleep." "My turn now." "Gonna be a fine day." "McCord Day." "How do you like that?" "McCord Day." "Zeke gonna be all right?" "He should have been treated sooner." "Think he knowed?" "He knowed the minute he laid eyes on you." "No, Ed!" "Ed, you can't!" "No, Ed!" "Ed!" "Don't!" "Quiet, quiet, everybody!" "Dr Joe's on his way in." "Now, remember, folks, Sergeant Plummer will blow his bugle" "When it's time to start." "The fiddler will lead the music." "Now, try and keep time." "Sing loud so's Dr Joe will hear you!" "All right, get ready!" "Here he comes!" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "Which nobody can deny" "Which nobody can deny" "Which nobody can deny" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "Which nobody can deny" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "For he's a jolly good fellow" "Which nobody can deny" "Which nobody can deny..." " Dr Joe." " Doc." " Where was he?" " Abe Picketfs." "I guess you'll find it here." "He always wrote down all his calls." "You see it?" "Something else here, too." "Here's what he wrote last." ""Ed McGaffey stopped me in the dark." "Said his brother was sick."" ""Zeke sure was sick." "Gunshot wound, right shoulder."" ""Took out load of buckshot."" " Ed McGaffey." " They killed Jim Biggers, too." " I wanna be on this posse." " You'll get every man in town." "Count me in." "All right, Sheriff, better organise your posse." "You better get home." "We have unquestioned proof of who killed Dr Joe." "To make sure of the immediate capture of Ed and Zeke McGaffey," "The town council is putting up rewards." "$1,000 on the head of each man." "Dead or alive?" " We want these men brought in." " They ain't men." "They're breeds." " That's got nothing to do with it." " I say they ain't men." "They'll fight and fight dilly like all breeds." "If rewards ain't for dead or alive, Mr Mayor," "They'll be bringing some of us in dead." "All right, dead or alive." "Get your posse together." "Sheriff!" "Hey, Sheriff!" "Let's get going!" "I'll give you a word of advice." "That's a tough posse out there, and they're mad, and there are too many." "You show them who's boss, or you're in for trouble." " Come on, then." " I never hunt with a pack." "All right, Morg." "If you won't join me, don't fight me." "You keep out of it." "Your mayor sees it my way now." "There's a chunk of money on each man's head." "Dead or alive, which means dead." "Well, I'm gonna bring them in alive." "You'll never get near them with that army outside." "They'll hear you coming for miles." "Sheriff, let's get going!" "Takes one man alone to do this job." "What are we waiting for?" "Come on, men!" "Let's go!" "What are you gonna do?" "I'm gonna give you your last lesson." "You think you ought to hunt them alone?" "Lot safer than hunting with a pack." "Fellow could get trampled." " Where's Kip?" " Outside." "He wasn't there when I came in." "He must be." "He wouldn't leave his pony." "The pony wasn't there, either." "Kip!" "Kip!" "Kip!" "Kip!" " Was he here when the posse come by?" " I'm sure he was." "He's playing sheriff again." " He's followed them." " Morg, there'll be shooting." "He'll get hurt." "I'll find him." "His horse is too small to follow that posse." "I'll catch him." "Get in there!" " They're not here!" " Not in the barn, either!" "Let's burn the place down!" "Come on!" "Let's get the McGaffeys!" "Come on!" "Hey, wait for me!" "Where's your posse?" "I left them, and don't call them mine." "They're all following Bogardus." "I told you." "If the sheriff don't crack down on the first man disobeys him," "His posse turns into a mob." "Well, that's what it is, a mob." "Thought you was a man who took his time." "I'm looking for a boy." "Yeah, a couple of them, name of McGaffey." "Name's Kip." "You seen him?" "No, I ain't seen him." "I'm warning you, Morg." "I don't want them shot." "They're gonna get what the law says." " The fair trial." " You lunkhead," "I'll collect those rewards when I get ready." "Right now, I don't give three hoots for the McGaffeys or you either." "I'm looking for a boy." " Thought you was looking for a boy." " I am." "I'm tracking two horses, McGaffeys'." "They're up this canyon." "So is the boy." "I can handle this, and you can't." " You're gonna stay here." " Am I?" " Somebody's following the dog." " I'll get him with the rifle." "You all right?" "I was trying to catch me a dog and was shot at." " Who shot?" " I don't know." "Hiding up in the cave." "You take my horse." "You come on the sheriff, you stay there." " Where's the boy?" " Holding the horses." " You stay here and cover me." " No, you don't." "You can't take 'em alive." " I can if you keep out of it." " You'll get yourself killed." "Well, then it will be your chance." "I guess there's only one way to teach you." "Go ahead." "Ed!" "Ed!" "This is Ben Owens." "Can you hear me?" "Now, Ed, don't shoot." "I swear both of you are gonna get a fair trial." "Now, just put down your guns 'cause I'm coming up there." "He shot me." "You just got a new part in your hair, that's all." "Bullet bounced off that thick skull." "Well, he shot me." "You stay here and cover me." "Wait." "Here." "Take it, Morg." "You're the most pigheaded law mule I ever run up against." "My name's Hickman, boys." "Lot of money on your heads." "I'll collect it either way you like." "You ain't collecting nothing." "I got the sheriff." "I'll get you, too." "You didn't get the sheriff." "He's covering me with his guns below." "He's covering you in hell." "We seen him drop." "Sheriff, throw a couple of shots!" "Not this way, you might hit a cave rat or a bounty hunter." "You're a bad shot, McGaffey," "Except when you sneak up on an unarmed old man." "Better throw out your guns." "Let them go through, Sheriff." "Kip will pick them up." "If you had as much sense as your horses," "You'd throw out your guns and come out." "I gotta get out of here!" "I gotta..." "Zeke, stay here!" "Stay." "Stay now!" "Throw out your gun, Zeke." "Well, you took 'em alive." "Yeah." "Go on." "Kip!" "Oh, Kip!" "Kip, are you all right?" "You're not hurt, are you?" "Take them on into town." "Will they let me keep him?" "Sure." "He's your dog now." "Gee, what a day!" "We catched two outlaws, me and Morg did." "Did they confess they killed Dr Joe?" "The older one did." "I hope they get hung." "I kinda feel sorry for the younger one, Zeke." "I got a hunch he'll get off." "Do some time, is all." "You're not staying for the trial?" "I'll be moving on come morning." "But you can't." "What about the rewards?" "'They 90 to Kip." " To Kip?" "Sure." "He found them." "That's the hard pad." "The rest is easy." "You had the right idea, Kip." "One-man posse." "But you can't do that." "The money's yours." "You just can't." "What are you gonna do with all that money?" " Give it to Mom." " That's what I thought." "Won't we never see you again?" "Can't I go with you?" "You gotta stay with your mother." "She don't want to stay here no more." "Bogardus." "Looks like there might be a little trouble in town tonight." "Ben's got the McGaffeys locked up." "Yeah." "That's just the trouble." "Ban!" "Hey, Ban!" "Hey, Bad, the sheriff's got the McGaffeys." "Got 'em in jail." "Want something, Mr Bogardus?" "Gonna have a sociable tonight." "The whole town's invited." "I promised the McGaffeys a fair trial, and they're gonna get it." "They sure are." "Got a big white man's jury here." "The verdict's already in." "I figure Ed McGaffey's gonna get hung," "But he's gonna get hung the way the law says." "If you men don't stand up for law and order now," "It don't mean nothing." "Now, who's coming with me?" "Step up to the bar, boys." "The drinks are on me." "He didn't get no place with them." "He didn't try." "Sheriff!" "What did they say?" "Sheriff!" "How many volunteered?" "Not one." "As an officer of the court, I have to keep out of it," "But I suggest you all be sworn in as deputies." "We can't do that." "You're respected, level-headed men." "Just your presence here backing up the sheriff will avert violence." "What's going on?" "They wanna get the McGaffeys out of jail and string 'em up." "You can hold them off?" "That's what I'm saying, Hickman." "The sheriff can use you, too, as a deputy." " Not me." " We can't mix up in a thing like this." "We can't stand up against the whole town." "That's the sheriff's job." "Why not get the prisoners out of town?" "Yeah." "Let's take 'em out the back way." "They got a good jail in Dry Fork." "Hold them there for trial." "You'll never get them a mile out of town." "It's murder." "Yes, it is." " Well, then we've done all we can." " Yeah." "Be sensible, Ben." "Get your prisoners out of town." "Well, Ben, I guess I'll have to turn tail and run, too." "I hope you understand why." "Yes, sir, I do." "You're a good sheriff." "I didn't think you'd make it when you put on that badge." "Know when to give up, Ben." "Don't get hurt." "We need you." "Were you ever through a thing like this?" "Yeah?" "Try and hold them." "Get a shotgun." "It talks louder to a crowd." "What do I do now?" "Wait." "They gotta get wound up first." "Takes time and plenty of liquor." "A mob's only as tough as its leader." "You've only got one man to lick, Bogardus." "How come they're so quiet?" "'Cause they're ready." "Bring out your prisoners, Sheriff." "Jury's awaiting." "My prisoners are gonna be tried fair, Bogardus." "Fair and fast, Sheriff." "The rope's all ready." "You gonna fetch 'em out, or do we go get 'em?" "You're a brave man when you've got a hundred better men to back you up." "Why don't you come on and get 'em by yourself?" "Come on, Bogardus!" "Well, come on, Bogardus, you was a whole posse today!" "Didn't get no prisoners, though." "Aren't you man enough to come on and get them now?" "Come on." "What's keeping you?" "Put down that gun, or I'll tear you apart!" "You fight with your mouth and with your hat." "Don't reach no further." "This thing might go off, both barrels." "Would you hold this, Sheriff?" "I'd like to talk to Bogardus." "All right, I put down the shotgun, Bogardus." "Now tear me apaﬂ." "What's the matter?" "You paralysed?" "Tear me apaﬂ!" "What do you need?" "A little persuasion?" "Come on." "Dinky." "Dinky, we're going." "We're going, Dinky." "Morg!" "You're not leaving now." "Yep." "Well, what about the trial?" "It'll be a fair trial." "That's what you promised them, Sheriff." "Well, how about Kip's reward money?" "I'll write you where to send it." "Morg, don't go." "Stay here and be sheriff." "Let me be your deputy till I learn." "You got nothing more to learn." "Maybe I learnt from you." "A man can't run away from his job." "Neither can a woman." "Dr Joe told me." "Doc's right." "I'll find me a town that needs a sheriff." "You got one here." "You say yes, Millie, and stop worrying." "I'll worry the rest of my life." "So long." " Goodbye." " So long." " So long, folks." " Goodbye, Hickman." "So long, Hickman." "Good luck."