"I never thought I'd see you boys working naked." "Guess things went to hell after I left." "This river's deep." "We ain't exactly overloaded with dry clothes, neither." "Did you find Lorie, Gus?" "I imagine she's sitting in front of her tent, looking at you." "We near gave you up." "Glad you're all still alive." "You catch that bandit?" "He slipped by me." "Got his friends, though." "Is she all right, Gus?" "She needs her privacy a while yet." "She went through quite an ordeal." "Get with these cattle before they scatter." "Over here." "I'm glad you're back." "I missed listening to you." "Thank you, fellas." "At least my pigs made it all right." "Where you planning to leave her?" "Leave her?" "I have no intention of leaving her." "What's the word on Jake?" "They got mad and rode off after you left." "Said he's going to Fort Worth." "And now you have become this gal's caretaker." "Yeah, I guess I have." "Hell, she's not even the one you're after." "No, she ain't." "That's true, too." "What are you going to do if Clara's still a married woman and don't even remember you?" "I had, I believe, uh..." "That would break my heart, Woodrow." ""Dear Peach," ""Roscoe Brown was killed by a bad outlaw." ""And so was Joe." ""A girl named Janey was also killed." ""I don't know much about her." ""Roscoe said he met her in the woods." ""I am going on to Ogallala" ""to look for Ellie." ""I do not know when I will be back. "" "If I'd have known them pigs were so fickle as to take up with that old Mexican," "I'd have made bacon out of them." "Lorie, darling." "Come here." "'I God, Lorie, you smell as fresh as the morning." "It's a miracle how you keep fresh out in these parts." "I'm a shameful sight, ain't I?" "It's Woodrow's fault." "He wouldn't let me bring my tailor on this trip." "Now here it is, a beautiful morning." "And you're about to cry." "Why?" "Now, Lorie, we're an honest pair, ain't we?" "Tell me what's wrong." "What's wrong?" "I feel like you don't want me no more." "You ain't asked me for a poke since..." "Since then." "Lorie, come on, I..." "You can have one if you want." "I won't charge you nothing." "In that case, I'll take it." "What, five or six or" "10 or 12." "No, the truth is," "I thought you'd want to stay clear of such doings." "See, that's natural." "You best take your time." "You best take your time." "It doesn't matter how much time." "Hello there, Newt." "Good morning." "Good morning to you, Gus." "Good morning, Miss Lorena." "Po made you breakfast." "He asked me to bring it." "What is it, bugs?" "Bugs?" "Po cooks anything." "Ain't that right?" "Yeah, Gus." "That's right." "Bugs?" "Oh, yes, ma'am." "Sometimes he'll cook things like grasshoppers." "Yes, ma'am." "Ain't that funny?" "Why don't you sit and have coffee with us?" "Oh, no, Gus." "I best get back to the herd." "Tell Po thank you." "Ok, I will." "Thank you for bringing it over." "Well, yes, ma'am, and thank you for..." "Thank you for..." "Go on, Newt, before you step on your tongue." "Thank you." "Wouldn't be too hard to take that bunch." "I thought we was going to rob banks." "I don't remember nothing about stealing horses." "You got something against stealing horses?" "It don't happen to be my line of work, that's all." "You ain't too old to learn something new." "If you are, we can leave you right here, dead in the ground." "I won't tolerate no shirkers." "Dan's feeling a bit bloody today, ain't he?" "Ain't he." "You coming?" "I guess if you watch, you'll find out, won't you?" "They're headed this way." "Eddie, hold the horses." "Why can't I go?" "I shoot good as Roy." "Hell, that ain't much." "Roy couldn't hit his foot tied to a tree." "You know we're going to let Jake shoot them anyhow." "Ain't that right, Jake?" "Ambush!" "Pull hard!" "What are you doing?" "The fighting's up here." "They got Frog Lip." "Frog, you hit?" "I am." "Where you going?" "To round up them horses we stole." "We want them, don't we?" "Best stay here, unless you think you're bulletproof." "Roy, you and Eddie go gather up them horses." "I never thought they'd get you, Frog." "Shoot him and go on." "He's the one shot." "Shoot him and be done with it." "Well, I'd hate to shoot Frog." "You shoot him, Roy." "Dan told you to do it, Eddie." "Would you like to shoot him, Jake?" "I've knowed him all my life." "No, I wouldn't care to." "No one's much help." "Damn it, what a bunch of old ladies." "Go on, gather up them horses!" "Guess it was just Frog's unlucky day, huh?" "I guess it can happen to anybody, can't it, Spoon?" "Captain!" "Captain!" "Hold them up." "Hold them." "'I God, who have we lost now?" "I thought it was one of our boys, but it ain't." "Deets found him." "Been shot twice." "Still alive?" "Just barely." "What did he say?" "He said horse thieves." "Murdering horse thieves." "Let's keep the cattle headed north." "Keep somebody looking for water and get this boy buried in them cottonwood trees." "Was it Indians?" "Horse thieves." "Pea, you come with us." "You, too, Newt." "Come on." "We're going to track them." "I'm going with you." "No." "You'll be perfectly safe with the wagon." "Gus." "Can't let a horse thief off, particularly one that's killed a boy." "You're coming back for me?" "Absolutely." "Dish, stay with her night and day." "Pea, you and Newt go look in them bushes yonder." "Yeah." "There's another one over here!" "They went yonder way." "How many we up against?" "Four." "There's five of us." "The odds are in our favor." "What are you looking down about?" "Mr. Jake, he one of them." "I seen his horse's track." "These are horse thieves and murderers." "They might have stole Jake's horse." "No." "I know the track his horse make when he riding it." "Dang." "I hope you're wrong, Deets." "Yes, sir, but I ain't." "What is it?" "Sodbusters." "Hold it." "Hyah!" "Giddup there." "Hyah!" "Giddup." "Sodbusters." "Didn't I tell you?" "You boys wait here." "You, too, Spoon." "Dan hates sodbusters." "Hates their guts and livers." "Howdy." "Howdy." "Damn." "Feeling bloody again, ain't he?" "Ain't he." "He wants us to come on." "What did you find?" "Just this old watch." "Damn sodbusters." "You shot those two men for a watch?" "Shot them." "Now I'm going to hang them." "Hang them?" "Dan, you beat all." "I never heard of hanging dead men." "Shot them, hang them, then I'm going to burn them." "Damn sodbusters can't ever be too dead to suit me." "Jake," "Eddie." "Drag them fellas over under this tree." "I ain't no part of this." "The hell you ain't." "Pretty sight, ain't it?" "Damn sodbusters." "Let's go gather our horses afore they scatter." "Hello." "Who is it?" "It's me." "Dish." "I brought some food for you." "Well, I'm not hungry." "I'll wait till Gus gets back." "He might be two, three days." "He asked me to look after you." "I don't want nobody looking after me but Gus." "Well, it was Gus that told me." "I'm setting the plate here by the flap." "What are you doing?" "Well, I guess I'm looking after you like Gus said." "I don't need no looking after." "You don't have to stay." "I don't mind." "'I God, a gravedigger could make a fortune in these parts." "You ought to buy a spade and go into business." "I believe I'll pass on that." "That's a bad bunch we're after." "Bad as I ever seen." "Newt, you all right?" "Jake couldn't have had nothing to do with this." "Jake's always just kind of drifted." "Any wind can blow him." "Come on." "Let's get these poor fellas planted." "They're close." "Camped down by a creek." "You seen them?" "I seen them." "Four of them." "Well?" "Yes, sir." "Mr. Jake one of them." "I wish he'd stayed with Lorie." "She might have aggravated him, but she wouldn't have led him to this." "Give me that." "Save some for me, Dan." "Why would I?" "You're lazy as Jake." "Neither of you pulls your weight in this outfit." "Sit still." "Hold your damn fire!" "We're horse traders." "Hello, Gus." "Captain." "Get his gun, Deets." "You don't think I'd try to shoot you, do you?" "Get your boots off, boys." "Damn if we will." "I said we was horse traders." "We're more persuaded by the bodies we buried." "I don't know what you're talking about." "You're lying." "We bought those horses." "You buy them cowboys you shot?" "You buy them two farmers?" "Boys, get your ropes." "Tie them up." "I didn't kill anybody." "I fell in with them to get through the territory." "I was going to leave first chance I got." "You should've left earlier." "A man that'll go along with five killings is leaving slow." "Go ahead, Newt." "Well, Pea, you know me." "I'm no killer." "Deets, you know it, too." "Gus, I ain't no criminal." "Now, you know that." "Dan killed them sodbusters, I didn't." "Shut your damn mouth." "Put them on their horses." "Where is he going?" "Pick out a tree to hang you from." "Gus..." "You ride with outlaws, you die with outlaws." "I'm sorry you crossed the line." "I didn't see no line, Gus." "I was trying to get through the territory without getting scalped, that's all." "I'm sure that's true, Jake." "You're all yellow." "All of ya." "Else you'd have fought me fair." "Say goodbye to your brothers." "They ain't worth a red piss." "Neither are you." "Suggs, you're the kind that's a pleasure to hang." "All you talk is guff." "Talk to the devil." "I should've been second." "Little Eddie was the youngest." "Never meant to scare the boy's horse just then." "You ready?" "Yes." "I guess so." "You might like to know I got Lorie back." "Who?" "I'm sorry it's us that's got to do this, Jake." "I wish it had fallen to somebody else." "Hell, boys." "I'd rather be hung by friends than a bunch of damn strangers." "Newt." "Adios, boys." "Don't hold it against me." "I never meant no harm." "I swear." "Yes, sir." "He died fine, didn't he?" "Well, let's go dig him a grave." "We got a herd of cattle to look after." "Jake wasn't no killer." "Jake wasn't." "Jake liked to joke." "He didn't like to work." "I've got exactly those same failings myself." "Mama?" "Mama!" "Mama!" "Somebody's coming!" "I see it." "Senora, someone is coming." "We already told her." "Want me to kill a hen for supper?" "No." "Not yet." "They might not want to stop." "Girls, go on about your chores." "That wagon won't be here soon." "Has daddy talked any today?" "No, not today." "Are his eyes open?" "Yes, they're open." "Well, why can't he talk then?" "His head's hurt on the inside, honey." "You couldn't talk if a horse kicked you." "You girls go do your chores." "I'll race you!" "I wish our boys had lived, Bob." "Wouldn't that be something, to still have all of them?" "Hello." "I'm Clara Allen, my daughters Sally and Betsy, and this is Cholo." "Are we in Nebraska?" "Yes." "Won't you get down and rest a while?" "Do you know a fellow named Dee Boot?" "I'm going to Ogallala to find him." "Dee Boot?" "Sí." "Pistolero." "Well, you missed Ogallala by about 20 miles." "You're welcome to stay the night here if you'd like." "I've come all the way from Arkansas to find Dee." "Why, you're pregnant." "Take her in the house." "Draw some water." "Hurry up, girls." "She's going to have a baby." "A baby?" "Come on." "It's a boy." "It's a miracle you got here on time." "If she'd had this baby on the plains," "I doubt either one would have lived." "Which one of you's the father?" "Well, neither one, ma'am." "Her husband's a sheriff down in Fort Smith, Arkansas." "It's this fellow Dee Boot she's looking for." "Can she go now?" "Go?" "She won't be going anywheres for at least a week." "She's lost lots of blood." "That baby wants his supper." "Sure does." "Excuse us, please." "Goodness!" "You shouldn't be up." "There." "How's that?" "Well, you got a fine baby boy here, and a hungry one, too." "Ma'am?" "Don't she want her baby, Mama?" "Sally, you go on and boil some milk." "Betsy, you help her." "You just rest now." "We'll take care of this baby for you tonight." "You'll feel better tomorrow, all right?" "What is it?" "They leave." "Feel bad about not bringing the baby." "What do you care?" "It ain't yours." "Ellie, we're in Ogallala." "I'm cold." "She got her the fevers." "Well, I ain't no doctor." "Hold up, Zwey." "Hey, you!" "We got a sick woman here." "Where's your doctor live?" "Don't know there is one." "What's wrong?" "She's got the fevers." "Where's Dee?" "Who, ma'am?" "Dee Boot." "She's looking for him." "You know Dee Boot?" "I don't know him." "I know where he is." "In that jailhouse." "Wake up, Dee." "You got visitors." "Who is it?" "It's me, Dee." "Ellie." "Ellie?" "I left July." "All I could think about was you." "Big Zwey and Luke brought me in the wagon." "They're going to hang me next Friday, if they don't lynch me before." "Hang you?" "Why, Dee?" "What for?" "I killed a boy." "What did he do, aggravate you?" "No, just a settler's boy." "I was trying to scare him off for some cowmen that hired me." "This boy jumped the wrong way, and I killed him." "What's wrong that you got to be carried in?" "I had a baby." "I left it so I could get here." "All I could think about is getting here..." "To..." "She's bleeding." "Leon!" "Hello, señor." "You girls, stop that yelling." "Mama!" "Mama!" "She put a grasshopper down my dress." "I don't care." "Don't scream around the house." "You got the whole prairie for screaming." "See!" "A grasshopper!" "Girls!" "I'm going to get you!" "We have another visitor, señora." "Pardon the commotion." "We're a loud bunch." "Won't you get down?" "Thanks, but I wouldn't want to trouble you." "We grow our own troubles here." "Their names are Sally and Betsy." "I'm Clara Allen." "I'm July Johnson from Arkansas." "Come in." "Have something to eat." "Sorry." "I guess I forgot my manners." "It's all right." "I like to see a hungry man eat." "You say you're from Arkansas?" "Mm-hmm." "Yeah, Fort Smith." "I was the sheriff there." "Not now." "Mr. Johnson..." "Are you looking for your wife by any chance?" "Yes, I am." "Is her name Elmira?" "How do you know?" "Your wife stopped here a couple weeks ago in the company of two buffalo hunters." "Ellie was here?" "She had this baby and left the same night." "What's the matter with him?" "Mr. Johnson, if you'll excuse us, we'll leave you alone a few minutes." "Come on, girls." "Why is that man crying?" "I guess he's been looking for his wife a long time." "But he's a man." "Men have tears in them same as you." "Your pa showed up, didn't he?" "Mr. Johnson," "I know you're tired, and I expect you're heartsick over your wife," "but I'm going to say a terrible thing to you." "I used to be ladylike, but this country's made me blunt." "I don't believe that woman wants you or this child, either one." "She left here to find a fella named Dee Boot in Ogallala." "She never even looked at her baby." "Well, she had a hard trip." "Maybe she was just..." "Addled." "I like young things, Mr. Johnson." "I get attached real quick." "I'm getting real attached to young Martin here." "I know he ain't mine, but he ain't your wife's anymore, either." "Do you want him?" "I don't know what to do." "I've been so long since I done anything right." "Can't even remember it." "I lost my three boys." "Pneumonia took them." "I'll take young Martin if you don't want him." "But if you do, I wish you'd take him before I get too attached." "I can't go through the heartsick of losing another one." "I would like to ride into Ogallala first and see if I can't find Ellie." "If you would allow me that." "All right." "Them boys getting all worked up thinking about whoring in Ogallala." "You, too, I imagine." "You mean Clara?" "When you go see her, will you leave me in the tent?" "I'm going to take you and introduce you properly." "Clara don't see another woman once a month." "She'll be happy for feminine conversation." "She'll know what I am." "She'll recognize right off you're a fine human being." "Now, you don't duck your head to nobody." "Not to Clara, not to me, not to nobody." "I bet she's always been a lady, huh?" "A lady can slice your jugular as quick as a Comanche." "Clara's got a sharp tongue." "She's tomahawked me many a time in the past." "You'll like her." "Gus," "I'm afraid I'm going to lose you." "I'm afraid you're going to marry her." "You're working yourself into a sweat for nothing." "Clara had two or three chances to marry me, and she didn't take them." "But you'd like to marry her, wouldn't you?" "Yes, I would." "I would." "Hello, girls." "I hear you're planning an orgy when we get to Ogallala." "It's fine for you to laugh." "You got Lorena." "What's good for me ain't necessarily good for the weak-minded." "Po, I understand you tell fortunes." "Yes, but I don't know if I can tell yours." "Don't tell mine." "I might drown in the Republican River." "We'd sure miss you, too, wouldn't we, boys?" "Which river I drown in don't matter." "I'd like to know my matrimonial prospects." "How many more times am I likely to marry?" "All right." "You spit in the wagon." "No more wife for you." "That's disappointing." "I've only had two so far." "Neither one lived that long." "I figured I was due one more." "No." "There." "Feeling better?" "He's as faithful as any dog, isn't he?" "He's been there ever since they brought you in." "He's asked me a thousand times if you were going to live." "It's a wonder you did, with all the blood you've lost." "I've got to make rounds." "I'll look in on you when I get back." "I found you, Ellie." "That doctor said you're strong enough to talk." "You don't have to talk, though, if you don't want to." "I got a piece of bad news..." "It's real bad." "Joe got killed." "Him and Roscoe..." "And a girl..." "Outlaw killed 'em." "And I ought to have stayed with 'em, but, uh..." "That baby is fine, Ellie." "I didn't even know it was ours." "She named him Martin, if that's all right with you." "They hanged Dee." "I only got to see him for a minute, and then I fainted, and when I woke up, they'd already hanged him." "You just rest now." "I'll look in on you again in the morning." "Good morning." "Uh, I come to see Ellie." "She's gone." "Gone?" "They left last night, her and that big feller." "I tried to dissuade them." "Where to?" "St. Louis." "I told them they might as well leave their scalps here if they're going that way." "It's the Sioux..." "Army's got 'em stirred up." "They're damned fools to go East, and I told them so, too." "She was set on leaving, and he didn't argue." "Well..." "Mr. Johnson." "Did you find your wife?" "Yes, I did." "I guess you were right." "She's gone on to St. Louis now." "And you, Mr. Johnson..." "You made your plans?" "Well, I always, uh, lived in Arkansas." "How are you with horses?" "Horses..." "Well..." "Cholo's been doing all his own work and Bob's, too." "I guess that can't go on forever." "I'll offer you a job right here, if you want it." "I'm not sure I know much about horses." "No, and you ain't lived anyplace but Arkansas, have you?" "But you ain't nailed down or stupid, are you?" "You can learn, can't you?" "Yeah..." "Yeah, I guess I could." "He sick?" "No." "He's fine." "I guess he's just punishing you for ignoring him all this time." "Here, Mr. Johnson." "Meet your son." "Well, that's a good sign." "I guess you'd at least catch him if somebody threw him off a roof." "Who knows?" "Might even come to like you." "There you are." "You look just like a preacher in that frock coat." "You get those water barrels?" "Yeah." "Let's go." "Go?" "I thought since we're in town, we'd have a meal and..." "Talk some philosophy." "I don't know a philosophy." "I don't like being away from the herd with all these boys in town." "I'll take it." "Your philosophy is you worry too much." "Jake would've gone with us if we hadn't hung him." "He brought that on hisself." "I know that, Woodrow." "I just remember how he was around supper." "What's all that there?" "Things for Lorie." "I'd like to see what you got in the way of combs, brushes, and hand mirrors." "Women like to see what they look like." "Ain't that right, Woodrow?" "You're the one who'd know that." "Throw in a parasol, too." "Look." "There's Dish yonder." "We'll ask him." "Yeah." "Betcha he'd know." "Dish." "Howdy, boys." "Having a good time?" "We're lookin' for some whores, but where do you look?" "See that saloon yonder?" "Plenty of whores in there." "Thanks, Dish." "Well, what's keeping you boys?" "I thought you wanted whores." "How much they cost?" "How long you want them?" "Long enough, I reckon." "How much for that?" "Varies from girl to girl." "I met a nice one a minute ago named Mary." "She's got a friend they call the buffalo heifer." "They'd do for you boys." "Can't expect top quality first time." "Good afternoon, gentlemen." "I'm Captain Weaver." "This is Dixon, our scout." "We're looking for fresh horses." "Ours are near wore out chasing Red Cloud." "That's a nice-lookin' animal right there." "Thank you." "I like him myself." "I'll take him and any others." "He's not for sale." "I ain't asking'." "I'm tellin' ya." "I'm requisitioning that horse..." "Uh, for the government." "I'm telling you, he's not for sale." "You'd defy the U.S. Army?" "That's treason." "You cowboys can be hung for treason." "Now, how much for that gelding?" "He's not for sale." "Ha!" "You damned cowboys are too fond of your horses." "Are you going to dismount, or should I drag you off that pile of soap bones?" "Ha!" "Now ain't you a tomcat." "That'll teach you to sass." "Go on." "Get his horse." "No, sir." "This horse ain't for sale." "Dish told you that." "You cowboys are pests." "Now give me that horse!" "No, sir." "I said give me that horse, damn you!" "No, sir!" "Give him to me!" "Let him go!" "Give me that horse!" "Give him to me!" "I said, give him to me!" "Give me that horse!" "He's killing him, Gus." "Woodrow!" "It's me!" "Woodrow, it's me, Augustus!" "Damn it, Woodrow!" "Look at me, now." "Woodrow..." "All right, now." "Come here." "You hurt?" "No, sir." "Just quirted me some." "Newt wouldn't let him take Dish's horse." "Much obliged for that, Newt." "That's all right, Dish." "Get your man and go, right now." "Ain't much left to go with." "Just get what there is, Sergeant." "You bring the wagon?" "I'll bring it." "I hate rude behavior in a man." "I won't tolerate it." "It don't do to anger Woodrow F. Call, does it?" "I never seen the Captain so riled before." "He almost killed that man." "Well, why wouldn't he?" "Him beating you like that." "His own son." "His own son?" "You boys deserve a frolic before we start out to the far north." "Here." "Here." "Here." "Hey, "Gents welcome. "" "That's us." "Here we are." "Who's gonna knock?" "Not me." "I ain't gonna knock." "Well, maybe we ought to have us another beer or two." "Durn it, Allen." "Howdy, ma'am." "Who is it, Buf?" "Troop of young fellers, best I can see." "Well, they just let you out of school?" "Well, what can we do for you boys?" "Want to ride the bucking pony, is that it?" "Yes, ma'am, I reckon we do." "Can you pay?" "This pony don't buck for free." "Well, is this enough?" "Mary, looks like we got us a bunch of rich cattlemen." "You boys come in, and I'm going to take you, honey." "I seen him first." "I ought to have dibs." "Well, have at him, then." "These two here will suit me just fine." "Hey, Jimmy, where you going?" "Not me." "I ain't going in there." "Come on, cowboy, skin them pants off." "We ain't got all day for you little tadpoles." "Mr. Johnson sure is a hard worker." "Yes, he is, and he sure has learned a lot about horses since he's been here, too." "His wife ought to have loved him, instead of running off and getting killed." ""Ought" ain't worth as much as a gnat when you're talking about love." "She loved somebody else." "Do you still love Daddy, even like that?" "He can't help how he is." "He got his head kicked." "I wish he'd get well." "Is he gonna die, Mama?" "We're doing everything we can for him." "Somebody's coming." "I'm going, too." "Be careful of Martin." "He ain't a stick of wood." "Come on, Mama, let's see who it is." "Your mama works you hard?" "Uh-huh." "Where's your mama now?" "She's inside." "Well, pretty as ever." "Why, Mama!" "Gus, ain't you gonna introduce your friends?" "Well..." "Well, you know Woodrow." "How do you do?" "And this is Miss Lorena Wood." "She's come all the way from Lonesome Dove." "I don't know whether to envy or pity you, Miss Wood, riding all this way with Mr. McCrae here." "I know he's entertaining, but that much entertainment could break a person." "Oh, and, uh, that there's Newt." "Howdy, ma'am." "Newt who?" "I'm Newt Dobbs, ma'am." "Captain McCrae..." "Sheriff Johnson." "Never thought I'd see you again." "Well, I guess, as they say, it's a small world." "I guess it is, Gus." "You must know everybody in it by now." "Girls, you go fetch three pullets." "I thought we'd have a picnic." "Oh, Ma, let's do." "I understand your husband has horses for sale." "Bob's upstairs sick." "July, you and Cholo show the captain what we got." "I'll come price them after you've made your picks." "All right." "Come on in." "You're that sheriff from Arkansas, the one that come looking for Jake Spoon." "That seems like a long time ago now." "I'm not looking for him anymore." "Good, 'cause he fell in with a bad bunch, and we hung him." "What happened to Sheriff Johnson's wife?" "Indians got her." "So you adopted both father and the baby?" "You was always one to grab, Clara." "Listen to him." "Hasn't seen me in 16 years and still feels free to criticize." "No." "It was really young Martin there I wanted." "As time goes on, I got less and less use for grown men." "The years haven't taken your bloom." "I'll say that." "You'll have to forgive us, Miss Wood." "Gus and I were sweethearts once." "I know." "Gus told me." "Almost as pretty here as that little spot down in Texas where we used to picnic." "You remember that?" "Of course." "I stopped there for a few minutes on my way up." "Clara's orchard." "That was a happy place, wasn't it?" "Yes, it was." "So, Gus, what did you achieve all those years in Lonesome Dove?" "Not much." "Shot a few Mexican bandits, drank a lot of whiskey." "That's all you did?" "You could have done it right here in Ogallala and been a friend to me." "I lost my three boys, Gus." "I needed a friend." "Well, you was married, Clara." "I didn't think it proper." "I was never so married I couldn't have managed a friend." "Hell, I wish you'd wrote and told me that." "I did write you." "You did?" "I wrote you lots of times." "Tore up the letters, though." "I figured if you didn't come of your own accord," "I didn't have any use for you anyway." "I like your young girl." "What was she doing in Lonesome Dove?" "What she could." "Don't hold it against her." "I might have done the same myself under some circumstances." "I doubt that, Clara." "You think you know so much about women, Gus, but you don't." "You're way overrated in that regard." "'I God, but you're sassy." "No, I'm honest." "You always did take that for being sassy." "That Newt's about the same age my Jim would have been if he'd lived." "Newt's a fine boy." "He really is." "Does he know Captain Call's his father?" "Yeah." "I told him just the other day." "Woodrow wouldn't?" "Yep." "You know Woodrow." "Yeah, I know Woodrow, and I detest him." "I always have." "Rankles me he got so much of you, and I got so little over the years." "I think I had the better claim." "I'll say." "Well..." "I wish I had come, Clara." "I wish I'd have come a long time ago." "I really do." "You should leave that girl here." "Got no business taking her up to Montana." "Well, I doubt she'd stay." "She might if you'd stay out of it." "She'll die or get killed or age before her time, like I have." "I can't see you've aged." "You have, too, although I doubt you'll admit it." "The older the violin, the sweeter the music." "You ever hear that?" "Yeah, I heard it, Gus, many times before." "Watch Woodrow when she names her price." "Oh, hell." "Now wait a minute." "Woodrow finally met his match." "She didn't budge a penny." "Nope." "She sure didn't." "Newt?" "See that little sorrel there with the star on his forehead?" "I want you to have him." "Captain, see that little sorrel with the star on his forehead?" "I'm giving him to Newt." "Giving him to Newt?" "I'm making him a gift of that horse." "Deduct him from the price later." "I want you well mounted up in Montana." "Thank you very much, ma'am." "Thank you for that picnic, too." "It was special." "I never been on one." "We enjoyed having you." "If Montana don't suit you, you can come back anytime." "I'll give you plenty of work." "I'd like that." "Newt!" "I'll help the captain." "Thank you." "You'd adopt the whole bunch if you could." "I like that boy." "Sally likes him, too." "He should be ready to marry when Sally comes of age." "'I God, Clara." "Come on, Gus." "I want you to see Bob before you go." "Why'd she give you that horse?" "I don't know." "She just did." "She wouldn't give a nickel on these, then gives you one free." "Makes no sense." "Women." "Why'd you come here with Call?" "I was hoping I'd find you a widow." "Didn't miss by much, either." "You missed by years, Gus." "You had a long ride for nothing." "Why, it's happiness itself to see you, Clara." "I'm surprised you'd dare bring that woman into my house." "I thought you liked Lorie." "I do like her." "I mind, though." "She's so young and pretty." "I told you what happened." "It's an accident she's here." "I never notice you having accidents with ugly girls." "Well..." "Just been lucky, I guess." "I don't know." "You were my dream, Gus." "All these years you've been my dream." "I used to think about you two or three hours a day." "I wish I'd known that." "I didn't want you here." "Not really." "I knew you for a rake and a rambler." "But it sure was nice pretending you loved only me." "Well, I do only love you, Clara." "I've grown fond of Lorie, but it ain't like this feeling I got for you." "She loves you." "Don't you know it would destroy her if you stayed?" "I do know that." "Would you destroy her if I said stay?" "I expect so." "That ain't an answer, Gus." "You know I would, Clara." "I'd smother Bob and send Lorie to perdition!" "Such talk." "I would." "No." "Bob will die when he has a mind to." "I'll probably have to sit and watch you father four or five children in your old age." "I'm sorry." "It's just her beauty that set me off." "Well, pretty ain't everything." "You're still pretty, Clara." "You're still the deceiving man you've always been, Gus." "With your permission, Bob." "I'd like a kiss." "Come on." "Now stop it." "You beat any woman I ever saw for..." "Taking the starch out of a man." "You still in the mind to marry me, Gus?" "I don't know, Clara." "I really don't." "No." "I won't marry again." "I haven't got enough respect for men, and I've met very few who are honest, Gus." "You ain't one of them." "I'm about half honest." "That's the truth." "Come on." "You put it through the hole." "Ok." "Look, Sally." "Lorie, it's time to be saddling up." "So soon, Gus?" "Miss Wood," "I wish you'd stay here." "Montana's no place for a lady." "Well..." "A lady." "Do, Miss Wood." "Please do." "Please do." "We could sew some more dresses." "Gus..." "Will you come back?" "You bet." "A ladies' man like me can't be expected to resist such a passel of beauties." "I'll warn you, these girls will wear you out." "You're going to wish you were back in cow camp." "Well." "All right." "Good." "That's settled then." "Come on, girls." "Let's go fix Miss Wood's room." "I'll come with you, Gus, if you want." "It's just real nice here, and she's so friendly." "I'm happy for you to stay." "You spent enough time in that..." "Dirty old tent." "I never even thought about staying until she asked." "You still want to marry her?" "No." "Well, I don't see why not." "Well..." "Times have changed us, Lorie, me and Clara both." "I can't imagine anything changing you, Gus." "You will come back, won't you?" "Sure, I'll come back." "You probably won't want me then." "Why wouldn't I?" "You'll have discovered by then that there's..." "Something in this old world besides me." "You'll find that there's others..." "That treat you decent." "Why, there's none like you, Gus." "Well, ladies..." "I reckon, uh, it's time to be going." "There's cheap land not three days' ride from here." "I don't see why you have to go to Montana where the Indians can outfight you." "It's where we started for." "We like to get to where we started for, even if it don't make sense." "It don't." "Hell, I know it don't." "I'd like to see one more place that ain't settled before I take up the rocking chair." "This part of the country's settled?" "You're here." "Pretty soon it won't be nothing but schoolhouses." "Lorie, darling." "Ladies." "This damn wind's bad luck." "What if Jake lied to us?" "What if Montana ain't the paradise he described?" "What's if it's like this, no water, no nothing?" "That Deets?" "Find any water?" "Yes, sir." "Well?" "80 miles, Captain." "'I God, 80 miles?" "Well, we ain't turning back." "I'll go tell the boys to keep pushing." "Captain's determined." "Be interesting to see if that determination can get us 80 miles with no water." "What are we doing?" "This ain't our country." "Woodrow's set on being the first to raise cattle in Montana." "No changing his mind." "A man ought not to leave his country, go wandering around like this." "Captain, wake up." "We're here." "Morning, girls." "12 horses are missing." "Indians got them." "They come sneaking here on foot last night." "I guess it was their charity they didn't steal the whole bunch." "I doubt you sleeping beauties would have noticed." "Them durn Indians might decide to get us." "You're going to get the drizzles if you don't relax." "They got Custer." "He fought Indians his whole life." "Let's go, Gus." "We got some horse thieves to find." "Just when I was getting comfortable." "Dish, you keep these cattle." "Graze them up this little creek." "I don't want them wore out before we strike for the Powder River." "You ready, Gus?" "Why, hell, yes, I'm ready, Woodrow." "Don't I look ready?" "Sure this is worth it for 12 horses?" "We can't start putting up with horse theft." "You know that." "Camp's ahead in a draw with some water." "How many?" "Couldn't be many." "A chigger couldn't live here." "Mostly women and children." "I didn't see more than two boys fighting age." "Too durn hot to fight." "Let's wait until night, then steal the nags back." "They're starving, Captain." "They done cut up one horse already." "'I God, you mean they stole our horses for meat?" "They're real poor." "They're just having a picnic." "We had one without nobody shooting at us." "I'm just going to scare them off so we can get our horses." "We'll leave them two." "Nina!" "Nina!" "Poor little boy's blind." "He can't see nothing." "Deets, don't." "Don't, Deets." "Hush up, little fella." "You'll be all right." "Deets is going to take care of you." "What you crying about?" "Here." "Here." "You want to play with something?" "Here." "Ok?" "Play with that?" "Hey, he's all right now." "He's afraid everybody left him." "Set that baby down!" "They think you're stealing him!" "Here." "Take him." "I'm just helping him..." "Deets!" "Take him, Captain." "I'm about to fall." "Easy." "Easy." "You just rest a minute, Deets." "Just rest." "Easy." "Easy." "You just rest a minute, Deets." "Easy." "Where's Newt?" "Newt ain't here now." "He's..." "I guess it's our fault." "We should have shot sooner." "I don't want to start thinking about all the things we should have done for this good man." "Nina?"