" I thought I told you to stay put." " I got tired waiting." " Something came up." " What?" " I'll tell you later." " I'll wait here." " I want you to go back to the hotel." " Why?" "Because a man's going to get himself killed here." "You want to watch that?" "Take the lady back to the hotel." " Mr Malson." "Mr Beaudry." " Bob." " This is Mr Tanner from Mimbreno." " I'm Bob Valdez." "Bob's town constable in Lanoria." "Works two or three nights a week, Mexican part of town." "The nights I'm in town, I ride shotgun." "I work with your company..." "Let's get some shade." " Bob." " Yes, sir?" "There's an army deserter down there." "Killed James C Erin at Fort Huachuca." "Mr Tanner spotted him driving through Lanoria." "Where is the, er... the sheriff?" "Up in St David." "He won't be back till tonight." "Mr Tanner is sure that is the man?" "JC Erin was a good friend of Mr Tanner's." "He feels very strongly about this." "We have to be sure, Mr Malson." "It's a serious thing." "This is Mr Tanner's show, Bob." "Better let him run it." "Apache." "The man's wife." "Or his woman, maybe." "Señor Tanner yell for her to come out, but she never come, till now." "I think she's saying she don't give a damn about you or your rifle." "Shoot her?" "Could make her jump some." "I could use a little something to drink." "Diego!" "Where's he going?" "Hey, he's dumber than he looks." "If he flushes that nigger, you could really show us some fancy shooting." "That's close enough." " I'll kill you if you raise it." " I believe it." " Can we talk?" " You're talking." "A man up there, Mr Tanner, he says you killed somebody." " I never heard of him." " He says your name is Johnson." "It ain't." "He says you killed a man at Fort Huachuca." "I was in the 10th a long time ago." " Deserter?" " I served it out." "Maybe you've got something to prove it?" "In the wagon, there's a leather bag with my papers." "Would you come with me and talk to Mr Tanner?" " I don't know him." " Then he won't know you." "He didn't know me this morning when he chased me here." "All right." "We'll get the paper that says you were discharged." "Then we will show it to Mr Tanner, huh?" " He comes down here." " Sure." "Please, will you... point the gun some other way?" " You son of a bitch." " No!" "It looked like him." "It sure looked like him." "He ain't the one you said?" "No." "I've seen this one before, though." "I know I've seen him before." "Constable, you went and killed the wrong coon." "Listen..." "I'll take you back to town." "I know a place you can stay tonight, all right?" "We?" " Now, who is we?" " Well, everybody was there." "You mean take up a collection, pass the hat." "Yes, Mr Malson." "Mighty fine thought, Bob, mighty fine." " Don't you agree, Earl?" " Sure." "Give her a few dollars, enough to get home." " Any idea where she wants to go?" " I don't know." "Back to her people, I think." "Good idea." "You've got about three or four dollars there." "It's not much." "She'll be the richest damn squaw on the reservation." "How much did you have in mind, Bob?" "I was thinking, maybe... $200?" "I would like to know why we're listening to this greaser." " RL, keep your mouth closed." " He killed him." "Why's he coming to us?" "Shut up or get out of here." "That's a lot of money, Bob, $200." "Almost as much as I make in a year." "Giving her that is like admitting we owe it to her, like we're to blame." "Well, who else?" "Wait a minute, Bob." "When it comes to fixing the blame, I agree with RL." "You took it on yourself to go down there and talk to that man." "You killed him." "I know that, Mr Malson." "I know that." "Don't take it so hard." "If Tanner hadn't made that mistake, it wouldn't have happened." " Sure, it's all Tanner's fault." " Go tell him that." "Maybe we should tell him." "I tell you what, Bob." "Why don't you tell him?" "If he puts up 100, we'll put up 100." "He's driving that stock he bought from Mr Malson back to Mimbreno." "You can catch him at the swing station." "You mean it, Mr Malson?" "You have my word, Bob." "I know everybody who does business with Señor Tanner." "I don't know a Bob Valdez." "It is a private matter." "Señor Tanner don't know you either." "I meet him today." "I kill a man for him." " What do you want?" " To talk with you... about the man today." "What man?" "The one who was..." "He had a woman with him." "Say what you want." "We were talking" " Mr Malson, Mr Beaudry." "You know who I mean." "And we were saying that... that maybe we should give something to the woman." " Now she don't have a man." " They send you out here?" "No, I thought of it." "But they will give $100... if you will give the same." "Get rid of him." "I'm not finished yet." " What did you say?" " I want to explain..." "He don't hear you so good." "It's too loud out here." "Who is that man?" "What happened today?" "Was it to do with Jim's murder?" "For Christ's sake!" "I wish you'd stop looking for whoever did it." "I don't care." "I do." "Because there are people who think you did it." "Yes." "You killed men without caring what people think." "I don't like them thinking I had to kill one to get his wife." "They're going to know that you came to me because you wanted to." "That's true, isn't it?" "Easy..." "Easy." "Hello, Valdez." "Bórrego!" "Is honour to my house to have as guest the brave shotgun rider of the stage," " His Excellency the constable of Lanoria." " In the Mexican part of town." " I need some water for the horses." " Anita!" "How is she?" "I'll take her back to the reservation." "A little gift for your house from my house." "Oh, that house." "Come out of the sun, and we will have a glass together." "He's pretty good." "Certainly be as good as his father." "Better." "Last week, Señor Malson see him." "Promise him a job." "Señor Malson." ""Mighty fine boy you got there, Diego." "Chip off the old block." ""I reckon he'll be breaking horses for me soon, same as his pa."" "Oh, Señor Malson, you are too kind to this poor peon." "What an honour this worthless son of mine should work his ass off to make you rich." ""Well, you're a good greaser, Diego." ""As long as you are a good greaser, I treat you fair and square." ""Yes, sirree, Diego." ""You people sure know how to live - singing, dancing, screwing." ""You don't worry about nothing."" "I come back for her later." "Bueno, Señor Tanner." "It's a deal." "You will have the guns in Nogales by Friday?" "We'll be there." "I'll be a son of a bitch." "Mr Tanner." "Señor Tanner." "The circuit judge comes down to Lanoria tomorrow from St David." "I have to report what has happened." "The Indian woman can make trouble for us... with the law." " Now, $100 is... is not much to give." " Look, you." "I don't know how you horseshit them people into giving a greaser a tin star, but you don't horseshit Frank Tanner." "Señor Tanner!" "Why you don't help this woman?" "He don't learn, does he?" "Remember Tucson?" "That preacher?" "Fix him the same." "Now let's see him walk." "Hey, where you go?" "It's that way..." "The way you came." "I came on a horse." "Don't worry about the horse." "We take care of it." "Hey, don't fall on your back." "You'll be like a turtle." " I don't remember asking you here." " I got tired riding fence for Mr Malson." "I figured you could use another gun." "You couldn't even hit a sitting-duck nigger." "She never smiles." "If she was my woman..." "I would make her smile." "Vamos!" " Going riding?" " You bastard." "Why don't you cut him loose?" "He's only trying to help a poor woman who's lost her husband." "So am I. I'm helping one already." "One poor widow woman's enough." " Jim would have used this on you." " Are you thinking of it?" "You're a damn fool to worry about anything except the way I treat you." "I treat you all right, don't I?" "Sometimes you're human." "Sometimes." "We'll deliver the guns to Nogales soon." "Would you like to come along?" "Aren't there any whores in Nogales?" "Sure, lots of them." "Lots of priests, too." " What's that supposed to mean?" " Priests marry people, don't they?" " I'll hold you to that, Frank." " I reckon you will." "I swear, you sure are one dumb son of a bitch." "When that pole busted, where did you think it was going to go?" "It's your old amigo you tried to bash with your shotgun butt." "You remember that, don't you?" "You killed the wrong coon and was going to take it out on me." "Cut me loose... please." "You must ache some from that stooping over." "You know, I didn't like you trying to hit me with that scatter-gun." "It made me sore, I'll tell you." "Cut me loose... please." " How did I get here?" " You crawled." "I heard the dogs." "Oh..." " They nailed me to a cross." " What cross?" "Somebody cut me loose." "Somebody stabbed you in the back." "No." " No, a tree did that." " What kind of a tree does that?" " Where's the Indian woman?" " She take her wagon and go." "All right." "You take me home." "Gracias, Diego." "That's far enough!" "It's not true." "The constable from Lanoria?" "Last time I saw you, you had a cross on your back." " I get tired of it." " Somebody found you, huh?" " Somebody." " You had luck with you that time." " Friends?" " Sure." "Like you and me." "We talk a while, we have a drink of whiskey." "What you think about that?" "I think I see many guns." "You come up here to talk and you bring all those guns." "This little thing?" "It's for rabbits." "That's what you come here for, to hunt rabbits?" "No, I come to ask you to do something for me." " Because we're friends?" " That's right." "I want you to go see Señor Tanner and tell him Valdez is coming." "I think somebody else go." "Listen." "I've been here all day." "There's no somebody else." "There is just you in front of me." "That's all." "You sure of that?" "You bet your life on it?" " Or yours." " No." "What kind of talk is that with two friends?" "You want me to tell something to Mr Tanner?" "All right, I'll go." "Put the rabbit gun down." "You wait here." "I'll go tell Mr Tanner what you say, then I tell you what he say." "I be here." "Don't move." "What... what do you put in that thing?" "I told you." "Something for rabbits." "Listen, I'm going to get your horse and put you on it." "I can't..." "I can't ride." "Sure you can." "Ride to Señor Tanner and tell him Valdez is coming." "You hear what I say?" "Valdez is coming." "But listen, my friend, I think you better go quick." " What else did he say?" " That's all." "Just, "Valdez is coming."" "Go out and get him." "Where?" "He could be anywhere." "Well, God damn it, you got people who read sign." "Si." "Well, send them!" "We go to Nogales tomorrow." "We go to Nogales when I say we go." " Nothing." " How many men you got out?" "A snake couldn't crawl through." "I suppose Nogales is off." "Delayed." "Señor Valdez seems to be making a fool of you without my help." "You sound like a wife." "That's right." "So let's wait till it's official." "Good night, Frank." "You are a bitch." "What is bothering you?" "Valdez is coming." "That's what bothers me." "Que?" "Valdez is a foolish man, but why he warn us he's coming?" "Come to bed, cariño." "Maybe not so foolish." "Valdez says he's coming." "We go out to meet him." "Maybe that's what Valdez wants." "Que?" "You son of a bitch!" "$100." "$100." "It's in the safe." "Get it." "The candle." "Put the gun on the floor." "Slowly, please." "Goddamn it, don't shoot!" "You look for somebody?" "First you drop the guns." "Then you turn around." "We found him, Mr Tanner." " Was she with him?" " No, sir." "He said to give you a message, tell you he's got something to trade now." "For you to come with $100." "Come where?" " They were three of your best, you said?" " My very best." " You still want to go to Nogales?" " You want Valdez?" "I get him now." "You should have stay where I leave you." "Where are you taking me?" "Up." "You will be home soon enough." "Frank Tanner knows where to find me now." " He'll come." " Sí." " He won't come alone." " I think so, too." "You're a fool." " I already said no to you once, boy." " But I got more to offer this time." " Like what?" " I heard you were looking for Bob Valdez?" " I'm listening." " There's a man who'd know where he is." "Who?" "The greaser who brought him into town after you run him out." "Diego Luz." "What is your name?" "Gay Erin." "Mrs James C Erin." "Fort Huachuca?" "Yes." "The black man I kill, he don't kill your husband." "I know." "You're going to marry Frank Tanner?" "What does it matter to you?" "I want to know if he will pay for you." "Let me go and I'll get the money." "No." "What difference does it make where it comes from?" "It makes a difference." " Where's Valdez?" " I don't know." " Where does he hide in the mountains?" " I don't know." "Nobody here knows." " You touch her, you better kill me." " We can do that." "I don't know where is Valdez." "Man, who you think I put first?" "Him?" "That's a nice-looking girl." "I like a little more up there." "Or maybe first one of the day it would be all right." "Shoot her first." "You hold on to yourself if you can and you say... what Valdez is doing in the mountains." "I don't know." "You're his friend." "You helped him!" "You took him to Lanoria to get his guns." "I hope he puts one round into you, you rotten son of a pig." " He don't know." " We wasted enough time here." "Fix his hands so he won't be so helpful next time." "Burn the place down." "Valdez could see the smoke a long way." "Burn the place down!" "They're friends, ain't they?" "He'll come." "Leave me and two men." "You'd come to your friend's burning house?" " Sure." " You wouldn't." "But Valdez... might." "For the cold." "Mr Frank Tanner." "He know your husband?" "You think Frank Tanner killed my husband?" " He could." " He could but he didn't." " Where are you going?" " To feed the horses." "Señor Malson's horses." "I saw you come across the pasture low." "Not low enough, if you saw me." "Low enough." "The one by the house did not see you." " What they do to you?" " What you see." " I'm sorry." " Is not your fault." "Mr RL Davis bring them." "Listen, if you see that one, give him something for me, huh?" " You're a good friend." "The best." " I tell you something, friend." "When they start in on my girl, if I know where you are, I tell them." "Where's Valdez?" "Maybe I'd take him alive, huh?" "Mr Tanner would like that, especially if he'd done anything to you." "He done anything to you?" "All right, now, you just stay put, ma'am." "Don't let on nothing." "Jesus Christ, I'm hit!" "Hey, don't shoot!" "Hey, don't shoot!" "I'm coming out!" "I'm coming out." "Don't..." "No, please." "They're going to shoot." "No." " This one for Diego." " No, I saved you!" "I cut you loose." "Yes, I did." "I cut you loose from them poles." "How in the hell do you think you got loose?" "Look at your wrist." "That one." "The scar, where my knife slipped cutting the ropes." "Look at it!" "Get on your horse!" " Did you fire at them?" " Yes, sir." " Hit anybody?" " I don't think so." " But you might have." " Yes, sir." "You could have killed my woman." "We lost five." "You shoot him, that's six, the same as Valdez kill." "How many you want to kill for that man?" "As many as it takes." "Instead of shoot him, I make him ride point." "That way he's the first one Valdez will see." "I got to get loose somehow." "Crazy bastard's gonna kill me." "Why?" "You cut him loose." "He's a killer, lady." "You know how many men he killed the last two days?" "You don't know him, lady." " Mr RL Davis." " Huh?" "Come here." "I want you to go down there, by the big rock." "What do you want me down there for?" "I want to see you in front of me." " What if they come?" " They're already coming." " I don't see nothing." " Take my word." " You think you can make a stand here..." " By the rock." "Please." "They will see this." "Go behind the rock." "Are you going to make a stand here?" "I'm just going to slow them down." "Sharps." "Or some kind of buffalo gun." "Or a cannon." "He can shoot, and he know when to move... and we have lost five more." " You ain't gonna find your way in this." " It will be the same for Frank Tanner." "You know how many men he got to work through here?" " Not so many now." " He don't care how many men you kill." "He don't care you kill her." " Tell him." " Tell who what?" "Frank Tanner - he comes alone with $100, or I kill her!" "You ain't going to shoot me in the back?" "We camp here." "Hey!" "Mr Tanner!" "Mr Tanner!" "Mr Tanner!" "You're not going to kill me." "That was a bluff, wasn't it?" "But they'll kill you." "Send me back." "You didn't kill that black man." "I did." "I let Frank send me back to the hotel that day." "I could have stayed and stopped it." "You tell me Frank Tanner don't kill your husband." "And when I say the black man don't, you say, "I know."" "You know who kill him?" "You know who kill him." "Who kill your husband?" "Tell me." "Who kill him?" "Who kill him?" "I did." "No!" " What?" " Nothing." "I just got done telling you everything he told me." " How's Mrs Erin?" " She looked just fine." " I mean, he ain't hurt her any." " He keep her tied?" " Yes, sir." " Or she'd run off?" "Yeah, you bet she would." " You think he'd kill her?" " With this one, you can never tell." "Goddamn it!" "You got any ideas?" "I could ride all night, around the fog, maybe I get up above him by morning." " You coming up behind." " If he holds put till then." "He's got to wait for this fog to lift, same as any man." "He don't do like any man." "Some things." "He took a woman along, huh?" "Miguel!" "Vamos!" "Is he coming?" " He's coming." " But not alone." "No, not alone." " What's out there?" " The pass." "If I could reach there, an army don't find me." " You've been there before?" " Many years ago, chasing Apache." "But now I think there is somebody else out there." "El Segundo." "I can smell him." "I should have keep moving last night, fog or no fog." "You can go." "You know something?" "I would liked to have gotten the $100 for the Indian woman." "I'd like to see Frank pay it." "You all right?" "Can you stand?" " You like tobacco?" " No." "Tell me something." "Who are you?" "I told you once before." "Bob Valdez." "You know something, Bob Valdez, you hit one, I think, 700, 800 yards." "Closer to 1,000." " What was it?" "Sharps?" " My own load." " You ever hunt buffalo?" " Apache." "I knew it." "When?" "Before I know better." " You know how many dead we got?" " 11." " You count, huh?" " You bet." " You hurt bad?" " No." "You better come over here." "We can talk about it when we get home." "I'm not going home." "Is she better than your Indian squaw?" "Tell your whore to move over." "Move over, please." "Little bit more." "Any last words?" " $100." " Crazy bastard." "Kill him!" "Segundo." "She's not my woman." "I ain't got no gun." "¡Tomás!" "Vete a casa, no es para ti." " No es para ti." " ¡Tomás!" "Están libres." " What are you saying?" " I tell them to go home." "I hire them, I fire them." "Goddamn it!" "I'm talking to all of you!" "I'm ordering you to kill him!" "Señor Tanner..." "I have an idea." "You have a gun in your holster." "You shoot me." " Next time." " No." "I should have killed you three days ago." "Or gone to Nogales." "Or paid the $100."