"Ben cowan, when are you gonna learn?" "That badge is only a target for trouble." "Yeah, and it found me." "Jedidiah?" "Yeah?" "You're under arrest." "He's lost a sight of blood." "Yeah, but he's still alive." "I sure hate to waste good liquor on a dead man." " Hi." "Hold your gabbing and take a look at his leg." "How you feeling, Ben?" "The same way as he looks." "Lousy." "Maybe this whiskey will be wasted after all." "Oh, still, always was a gambling man." "Here." "Oh, looks like that leg might have to come off." "Oh, then again, it might not." "How is it when you're in trouble, I get shot at?" "I guess trouble likes company." " Heh, heh, heh." " Hand me your bottle." "You're gonna take it off at the hip?" "Gonna take yours off at the neck." "Get me that hot iron." "Yeah." "Never figured them Tonkawas to have so much hide left in them." " we're trespassing, remember?" " Tell the boys I'm making camp." "They ain't gonna like it." "Tell them." "we lost 20 miles, certain, today." "And for what?" "A lawman." "Don't let catlow hear you talk that way." "Ben cowan's a friend of his." " They was in the war together." " I don't give a damn." "we shouldn't have stopped here." "This place is crawling with stinking Indians." "He don't have the right." "why don't you just turn in?" " Riders posted?" " Yep." "Fever's broke." "Be good as a $5 gold piece." "You lost a day's drive on account of me." "Gonna lose another." "Today you rest up." "Jed, you know I've got a warrant on you." " Parkman?" " Yeah." "Rustling?" "Yeah." "Have you ever known me to steal from any man?" "His wife maybe." "But you usually gave her back." "And I'll give back any steer that has Parkman's brand on it." "Then why?" "Ben, they're mavericks." "Nobody owns them." "I reckon I have the same right to brand them as anybody else." "And I say you're a damned no-good cow rustler." "Slow." "Slowly." "Drop them." "orville Miller." "Parkman's bought himself the best." "Only the best for catlow." "You've been stirring up a lot trouble, mister." "Giving the other boys big ideas." " How?" "Independent." "Mr. Parkman and his rancher friends been talking about the independent ways you got with their cattle." "Maverick cattle." "Well, you did a good job rounding them up for us." "Now, how good are you on a horse?" "Good as the next man." "You ain't heard the conditions." "You ride this bronc with your hands tied behind your back and your neck in that noose." "I thought Parkman liked things legal." "There's a warrant out but Mr. Parkman figures your buddy, the marshal might not be able to find you." "Now, if you're worried about getting a fair trial here's your jury." "And I'm the judge." "All those who reckon catlow here is guilty of rustling raise your hands." "There's the verdict." "Now here's your sentence." "Hang him." "You said I was the best, catlow." "The sentence was hanging." "Don't make me change it." "Now, get up there." "we got a herd to drive." "Hell, I always figured I'd die with my boots on." "Let's go." "Let's go." "There's no way out of this." "You, come on." "Come on." "First time I ever saw a man shot with a boot." "You better get out of here fast." "You know Miller." "He'll be back." "You can't ride." "In a wagon, I can." "They'll try to make that look like murder." " You've gotta disappear until I can square it." " First, we'll sell the herd." "The boys and me got lots of calluses rounding them up." "All right, then, but you better head off for Abilene now." "Yeah." "one thousand two hundred steers on their way East at $23 a head." "That's a lot of dollars." "what do you figure on doing with it?" "Stake money." "we've got another job to do." "Bartender." "whiskey for my fancy friend." "Jed, you know it's my duty to take you in." "Duty?" "You mean, I gotta prove to 12 idiots that I didn't do what I didn't do?" "The law don't work against a man." "It works for him." "Are you sure, Ben?" "oh, the hell with it." "If you were guilty I'd do it, but they'll send you to Fort Smith." "Parkman's got the judge in his pocket." "I'm buying you the best supper this place can offer with the best wine." "After that arrest me." "Take me to Fort Smith." " The hell I will." " It's your duty to bring me in." "You wouldn't know duty if it reared up and bit you in the ass." "You leave out of here now, I couldn't follow you." "It's my leg." "My leg is just paining me something terrible." "oh, Ben." "Are you trying to wreck your reputation?" "It's funny though." "I gotta travel for days in a stinking hot stage with a gamy-legged lawman, and for what?" "Hey." "Hey." "Hey." "How far is it from Tucson to the Mexican border?" "oh, it's about 60 miles down to Nogales." "You figure on going down there?" "could be." "I think I'll play these." "Heh, heh. come on, you're bluffing." "No, you're not." "Young man, that is a sign of a misspent youth." "Yes, ma'am." "I drink hard liquor too." "I'm not surprised." "Did I tell you I'm on my way to my granddaughter's wedding?" "Yes, ma'am." "Just 41 years ago I was married carrying this same prayer book." "Hey, what in hell is-?" "Don't move, I'll blow your brains out." " was that right?" " Heh, heh." "Yes, couldn't be better, ma'am." "The brakes." "The man's a killer and you let him escape." "His men jumped us." "The way your man, Miller, jumped catlow." " Now, just a" " I was there." "And if I was marshal of this town, I'd run you in for attempted murder." "Rustling's a hanging matter, Ben." "These gentlemen have lost a lot of cattle." "They weren't theirs to lose." "They were unbranded mavericks rounded up on land we ain't yet took." "This man's a troublemaker." "My men won't round up mavericks now unless than I pay them bonus." " Yeah, I told them to go to hell." " That's why you wanna get catlow?" "Because you're gonna have to start paying wages?" "The warrant still stands." "well, well, well." "Seems like dollars and cents will buy most anything around here." "marshal." "The way I heard it a man breaks custody, it's the duty of any honest citizen to bring him in." "Right." "Alive or dead." "I'll bring him in." "Alive." "oh, shut up." "All right, I'll talk to him." " They say that if" " Tell them not a chance." "You understand?" "Enough." "Tell them no one leaves until they get word from Sanchez." "But in" " But in Hermosillo, my father has a secret place." "And upstairs there is a great big bed." "ow." "No, no, no." "we stick to our timetable." "Now, go on, tell them." "Jedidiah, they're gonna make us a lot of trouble." "well, they're the best you could find." "They say they will only stay one more night." "Three cards." "what makes you think he's in Mexico?" "You got the badge." "I'II let you do the thinking." "How much is Parkman paying you?" "Enough." "oh?" "He must want catlow real bad." "I want catlow real bad." "Miller, let me give you a little warning." "It's my job to bring him in for trial." "Don't get in my way." "Be careful." "what the hell?" "what?" "This is the best bathtub in the whole of Nogales." "After so long a journey, you need a bath, huh?" "Just get the rest of the water and get out." "Si, senor, it is in the hall." "Leave it." "A man always feels good after a bath." "Then I will give to you a nice massage." "Get out." "But you will like it, senor." "And after, you will sleep like a baby." "I never sleep." "Tell Mama to bring us something to eat, huh?" "Thank you, Louis." "Here you go." "You still got that warrant?" "Two." "one for jumping arrest." "You stirred up some kind of a hornet's nest back there." "And that Miller, he's packing a lot of heat." "Think I can't handle him?" "well, if somebody shoots you, let's keep it in the family." "I'm gonna bring you in before he carries you in." "There's a derringer looking at you says you don't." "oh?" "I'd hate to shoot that badge off you just to prove it." "Yeah, well, that's not where I wear it." "You know it would bust my heart to have to kill you." "Yeah, well..." "Hey, why don't you ride with us." "I need someone I can count on." "oh, Jed." "The gold is just lying there." " Gold?" " Yeah." " Gold is why you came-?" " Yeah." "Jed, are you gonna tangle with the law the rest of your life?" "You have brawled and drunk and catted your way through every state in the west." "I have gotten you out of jail so many times." "when are you gonna learn?" "Ben, it's maverick gold." "It belongs to anyone who can round it up." "It don't belong to you." "You can't steal from a man just because you don't know his name." "oh, well, I never thought you would." "Yeah, I was." "Um..." "You wouldn't be just shooting off your mouth about that gun under there?" "Make one wrong move, and that's not all I'll be shooting off." "oh, that looks just wonderful." "It's okay, Sanchez, don't let the badge scare you." "Pick up your food." "Up on your feet, nice and easy." "Have a drink, I'll be right back." "Now you believe about the gun?" "okay, Sanchez is here." "we're pulling out." "what about him?" "You'll stay with him." "I'm your woman." "You don't give me away to no man." "Do as I say." "No, I do as I say." "oh, all right." "I guess Sara will have to work overtime." "Tell her to get back here." "You know, Ben, I'd still like you in with me." "You'd be worth that whole crowd." "It's gonna be easy." "They're moving the stuff by mule train." "Forgotten Miller?" "No." "Stay the hell out." "I understand you're looking for more hot water." "Get up." "Never figured you to be bashful." "Hey." "come on, baby, we travel." "The sun will be coming out." "Let's camp here." "we camp here." "I'll scout for water." "Come on." "Stay exactly like you are, Jed." "Ben." "You sneaky old" "I mean it, Jed." "Ben, you know I've got a bad back." "Oh, well, then don't straighten up because I'd sure hate to have to put a hole in your, uh, self-esteem." "Now, let's make this fast." "Take your right hand and put it on that rock in front of you." "All right, now unbuckle your gun belt with your left hand." "You're a hard man, Ben." "Now kick it away." "Ah-ah-ah." "No, no, no." "Kick it my way." "Now can I bend up?" "Just as soon as you raise your right foot and pull that boot off with your left hand." "That's damn foolish." "Just do it." "Now turn it upside down." "well, look there." "How did you know?" "I once saw a man shot with a boot." "Now I want you to walk straight ahead." "Just about 10 feet." "oh, ah" "Down on all fours." " what?" " Move." "Ben, nobody will believe this." "No way." "Then don't tell them." "Move." "All right, that's far enough." "Just stay right there like that." "Ben, I thought we were friends." "oh, well, we are." "Sure, we're still friends." "But friends ain't supposed to make no trouble for other friends, right?" "That's right, marshal." " Yes, senor." " Yeah." "Yes, yes." "Uh, heh, heh." "Miller, get me out of this." "Damned rattler shot back." "Ride." "Hyah!" "what happened?" "My soldiers, I was ahead of them." "Apaches." "we better move out of here quick." "come on." "Easy." "Easy." "I've killed you." "I ask your forgiveness in the name of God." "I'd probably run into them anyway." "come on." "They're stuck with survivors." "They're stuck with survivors." "My men." "They're stuck with survivors." "Survivors!" "Shut up." "open up." "where's catlow?" "where do you think?" " Sure beats riding a horse all night." " Yeah." "That's a good way to get yourself killed." "The mule train's due in tomorrow morning." "Twenty cavalry, two officers." "No problem." "Get some sleep." "Up in that stinking hole?" " we've been up there for a week." " well, there ain't any room in here." "Good morning, general." "Ah, good morning." "come down." "You're awake early this morning." "Don't you mean at last?" "I've been sleeping the clock around." "You've been in my house only a week, and already, you've found me out." "My roses are my passion." " And I wanted to keep it a secret." " Hmm." "Like the gold?" "The gold?" "Yeah, the gold that's being shipped by mule train." "My nephew and all of us are profoundly grateful to you for saving his life." " But that is no reason why" " No, that" " general, he didn't" "He didn't tell me." "I heard it before." "Senor, you must tell me how you have this information." "I will, general." "Yeah, I'II..." "I'll tell you if you tell me it's true." "It is true." "It was found recently in a high cave near the casas Grandes." "oh, that's not far from the Texas border." " Do you know who it belongs to?" " I'm sorry." "I cannot say more." "well, it don't seem likely that somebody would just go off and leave a pile of gold laying around a cave." "There would be no reason to hide it there, unless maybe that gold was stolen." "Your logic is impeccable." " Has the Mexican government lost any gold?" " To the contrary." "oh, back in '62, our confederate Army did." "our supply base at Santa Fe was attacked by the Yankees..." "They made off with a fresh shipment from the gold fields about $2 million worth." "Heh, heh." "Now, it just might be that that gold headed South instead of North." "All this I find fascinating." "And if it could be proved that this gold belongs to the American government I am sure it would be returned." "Yeah, unless something happen to it first." "Nothing will." "well, general, I hate to disagree with you." "But you see, there's a man called catlow." "open up." "what is it?" "open up." "I know you have come for the saddle." "It's ready." "It's beautiful." "I am anxious to see it." "I'm very proud of it." "I'm sure you will like it." "It's the work of an artist." "Thank you, thank you." "It's very kind of you to say." "Armando will bring you the money tomorrow." "Thank you, thank you." "Some lady." "The work of an artist." " Lady?" "Ha." "All you see are two expensive asses." "what did I do?" "I only looked at her." "RafaeI Vargas could cut your throat." "He's more jealous than I am." "who's RafaeI Vargas, huh?" "who's RafaeI Vargas, huh?" "If he knew she will be at the general's ball tonight dancing with officers..." "Tonight?" "what officers?" "All of them from the barracks." "But not Vargas?" "No, stupido, he's the officer in charge of the mule train." "Good morning, Ben." "what the hell are you doing out of bed?" "I have been in bed long enough." "I have no intention of missing my uncle's ball tonight." "And most of all, I wanted to see your face." "My face?" "come." "This is my friend, Ben cowan." "My cousin, christina calderon." " Pleased to meet you, ma'am." "An impossible woman." "Too clever, too rich, too beautiful, and with a mind of her own." "God gave minds to women too, Diego." "That's true." "I hope that you won't mind escorting christina to the ball tonight." "My leg." " Be my pleasure." "As long as you don't tell Vargas when he arrives tomorrow." " RafaeI is only interested in his mules." " who are much easier to handle." "oh, Diego." "Armando?" " She is the best?" " on the whole Rancho calderon." "She's yours." "with my thanks." "This saddle is a gift from the family." "we are grateful for what you've done." "what are you waiting for?" "Try her." "I'll race you." "In the name of God, don't let her win." "A message for you, captain." "Anything else?" "Senorita christina says that she hopes you will arrive in time for the ball tonight." "She will save all her dances until the last moment." "Tell her I shall do my best." "Diego." "Your uncle gives some party." "You'll enjoy it." "My uncle has the first dance." "But for the rest, I'm sure they can all be yours." " You take over." "There is no danger now." " Yes, sir." "Hyah!" "well, your beautiful cousin has become a real woman." "I have never seen her look at a man that way before." "But I don't think I understand." "well, you see, all I own is a couple of guns and a tin star." "of course, a beautiful new horse and a saddle." "Is that how you judge the worth of a man?" "By how much he owns?" "oh, no, ma'am." "I don't mean that." "No, I just..." "Get him back." "christina." "oh, RafaeI." "Thank you a hundred times." "I came as quickly as I could." " But your mules." "I couldn't wait." "I came ahead." "oh, excuse me." "May I introduce captain RafaeI" "Vargas." "This is marshal Ben co" "Here comes the last one." "The mule train." "Tie him up." "oh, no." "where's catlow?" "They were shooting back there." "we best keep on going. whoa." "we should have time to get to my shop." "No way I'm heading back to your place." "Hey, what you mean?" "catlow, always we planned." "You planned." "I've got a better plan." "Now, you keep those mules moving, or we'll have those asses full of lead." "You said we would go to my father's shop." "You will." " Jed" " Stay home and keep cowan off our necks." " Get down." " Listen, Jed, that's American gold." "I don't give a damn whose gold it was." "Now it's ours." " I said get down." " oh." "You used me, my father's house, my bed, my men." "You want your share?" " Make sure that he stays put." " That gold's going back." "You gotta find me first." "I'll be seeing you, senorita." "when you do, I'll kill you." "You are no good." "And I'll do better than Miller." "Ride through." "come on, come on, come on." "Keep moving." "okay, the irrigation canal." " open the sluice gate." " what for?" " You'll flood the whole damn orchard." " That's right, stupid. come on." "come on." " Head for the mountains." "I'll follow." " Ah- oh." "Hey." "Hold it." "He's coming with us." " A stinking Indian?" " Shut up, he's a friend." "If you want to get across that desert alive... what desert?" "All right, bunch them up." "Keep moving." "Hey, that Indian did all right." "Fresh mules, food, water." "Just don't turn your back on him." "why don't you shut up, Rio." "well, there they go." "Like Rio said, what desert?" "Didn't you tell me you went down to Rio Asuncion at one time?" "You ain't figuring on going on that route?" "we got water for 40 miles, no more." "By then, we'll hit Rio Baccachi." "And if it's dry?" "chaco says it won't be." "But if it is, you got big trouble." "Those Mexis ain't gonna stand for this." "You trust that Indian?" "As well as I trust you." "In that desert, I wouldn't trust no one." "Especially me." "Now, wait, I don't wanna have to hit a lady." "what the-?" "oh, I'll get you." "where have you been?" " we've been searching for you." " I'll explain later." "I gotta stop catlow." "Ben, wait." "I'm coming with you." " christina, please stay here." " I'm coming with you." "christina, listen to me." "I don't take orders from anyone." "I'll get my horse." "christina." "He said they went southwest." "well, the lad says the mules went that way." "That leads straight into the desert." "only a fool would take that route." "Nobody ever said anything about catlow being in his right mind." "we call that desert El Infierno sin Llamas." "Hell with the fire out." "He may not come out alive." "Please don't go." "Somebody has gotta ride herd on mavericks like catlow." "come back." "That's your Baccachi, dry." "Get the men digging." "You're plumb crazy." "He smells water." "Feels it." "Grab your shovels and start digging." "For what?" " For what?" " chaco says there's water out there." "And you believe him?" "It's because of your Indian friend, we're stuck in this desert with no water." "we should have gone straight to Texas." "with half the Mexican cavalry chasing after us?" "You know, for a smart boy like you, Rio, you're just plain dumb." "Now get a shovel and start digging." "water!" "water!" "water!" "water!" "There's gonna be trouble." "Rio?" "He's been with me near as long as you have." "I'm segundo, second, and that's the way I like it." "But he's hankering to be first." "what's he carrying on about?" "Indians up ahead." "The Seris, and he's scared." "well, we can't go back." "Unless you wanna take on the Mexican army." "I'd feel a whole lot safer." "All right." "Mount up." "If there's anything or anyone out there, our Indian will find them." "How much further we gotta go?" "Till we get there." "well, some of us reckon we ought to make for the pedradas." "well, that's what the Mexican army expects us to do. we'll be walking into a trap." "But we talked it over, and we've had enough of being short of water." "And we decided we stand a better chance if we make for the pedradas." "I guess if you have decided, then we ought to make the share out and you go on your own way." "Except for one thing." "The Seris out there." "Split up now, and we're dead, all of us." "Stick together, we stand a chance." "Since I don't reckon ending up in some Indian's cooking pot I'll kill any man who tries to leave." "well, no sense in shooting each other full of holes just when we have a chance to be rich." "I thought Pesquiera was in the back of me." "He was." "what happened?" "He ran." "You get scratched, just scratched, by a Seri arrow." "All right, bunch up." "Keep moving." "Keep moving." "Keep moving." "Let's get out of here." "Keep going." "Thank God." "we made it." "we made it." "I'll give the signal." "wait for me." "officer." " come on." "Rosita." "How did she get here?" "Through the trail." "Horses are faster than mules." "Go get them." "come on, get them, get them." "I'll kill you." "Hold it, just put it down." "come on." "watch her jab." "She's got a punch like a mule." "You, I should have killed in Hermosillo." "Oh, you've just seen the wrong side of her." "ooh!" "ooh." "Get a move on." "we ain't fresh out of Indians yet." "oh, Ben, if you hadn't shot to warn us... what the hell are you doing here anyway?" "well, I forget, something about a" " A warrant." "come on, come on." " Here." " Thanks." "coffee?" "You better enjoy it." "That's the last of the water." "How about that hole you've been digging?" "well, nothing so far." "All those Seri Indians out there can wait for weeks." "we can't." "Yeah." " Ben?" " Hm?" "How come you trailed us?" "Nothing would make me cross that desert." "Less than two million in gold, that is." "Hmm." "Me neither." "Two million in stolen confederate gold." "It belongs to the United States government, that I'm taking back with me." "oh, don't tell me." "Tell the Seris." "Ben, your gun." "Huh?" "The guns, they've taken all the guns." "where the hell are the guns?" "Rio." "Rio." "Too smart to live." "They don't stand a chance out there." "Better than we do." "She took your gun too?" "Sure, I got slugged." "And Sanchez and Alberto went off with them." "You said you'd kill any man who tried to leave." "well, I'm taking Rio's horse and one of them mules." "You're gonna try and stop me?" " You'll never make it." " I'll take my chances." "Good luck." "They're coming." "They're coming." "Yeah, well, they guessed we've got no guns." "Here." "You ain't gonna kill many Seris with that." "You said, if I ever get killed, let's keep it in the family." "It's for us." "what's he-?" "well, he's... oh, uh, Jed, I got a little something for you." "I arrest you in the name of the United Stated government." " why, you dirty, double-crossing- - oh, shut up." "would you rather rot in a Mexican jail?" "You understand I need not let you have these prisoners?" "oh, yes, sir." "Yeah, I understand." "But I arrested them before your men arrived." "I was already bringing them in." " Yes, but" " The gold they stole was American gold." "So you insist on reminding me." "But, still, it is recovered." "what happens to it afterwards is for our governments to decide." "Remember, you are always welcome in my house." " Thank you, general." " Adios." "Adios." "Adios, Ben." "Diego, would you tell christina-?" "Tell her goodbye." "I will." "Howdy, marshal." " Howdy, Ben." "Adios, catlow." "Keep the fire burning, pussycat." "I'II light it only for you." "well, she damn near killed us." "when I get back, she'll wish she had." "Adios, Rosita." "come on, get in, get in, get in." "oh." "Howdy." "well, where are you going?" "I decided to take a holiday in Tucson." "Do you mind if I travel with you-?" "Drop your guns." "Drop them." "what's the matter, Miller?" "can't you decide who to kill first?" "Look, you got no quarrel with the lady." "why don't we just move away." "Before I kill you both know why." "Ben, are you all right?" "Ben." "They sure messed up a good shirt." "You're all right." "oh." "I wouldn't use that, ma'am." "I'll make a deal with you." "You keep Ben here and fix him up, I'll appoint myself deputy and take these dangerous criminals right across the border." "This will make it official." "Get back in that stage." "You heard me." "Get inside." "Stay put." "oh, I see." "I'm gonna have terrible trouble keeping those bandidos from escaping, ma'am." "Jed?" " Yes, Ben." " Jed." " Yes?" "You really are so full of" "Shh." "Not in front of the lady." "Besides, where is your respect for the law?"