"'Five years after the end of the Civil War, 'a thousand-mile cattle trail stretched from the plains of Texas 'to the railroad depots in Kansas." "'For 90 gruelling days 'through dust, heat, flies, loneliness, 'cowboys pushed Texas cattle northward along the Abilene Trail 'at an average speed of three-quarters of a mile an hour 'toward Abilene, Kansas, 'where raw-bred southern beef could be turned into hard eastern cash." "'Abilene was the end of the trail, 'the end of the trail hand's thousand-mile, 90-day-long boredom.'" "What kind of a town is this?" "Not a saloon on that side of the street." "Just wasted." "Nothing but stores." "Come on!" "... Thy love possessing" "Triumph in redeeming grace" "O refresh us" "Travelling through this wilderness" "Thanks we give and adoration" "For Thy Gospel's joyful sound..." "May the fruits of Thy salvation..." "In our hearts and lives..." "Excuse me." "Ever faithful" "To the truth may we be found..." "Oh, I hate the wind that howls across the prairie..." "I hate to hear the coyote's nightly song..." "I hate the sound of six-guns that they carry" "It's much too hot in summertime, it's much too cold in winter" "But listen, mister, please don't get me wrong" "I love it out here in the West" "Because the West is best for lovin'..." "When the stars are shinin' and the moon is gold" "You'll find me out with my Romeo..." "Back East I was always repressed" "That's why I love it out in the West" "I love it out here in the West" "Because the life is free and easy" "You can do most anything you doggone please" "There's room to stretch..." "Sorry, Rita." "Why aren't you in church with the storekeepers?" "I was." "Do you see that sign there, mister?" "We've only got two little laws here." "Don't break 'em, friend." "Her singing sounds better if you don't shoot at it." "Oh!" "I hate the ever-lasting smell of cattle" "I hate the flies that buzz around my head" "I hate the sound of rattlers when they rattle" "But listen, mister, please don't be misled" "I love it out here in the West" "Because the life is free and easy" "You can do most anything you doggone please" "There's room to stretch and there's room to breathe" "I'm just brimming' over with zest" "Because I love it out in the West..." "It's a wonder Rita didn't slug you." "She works too hard at being mean, Charlie." "Real meanness comes natural." "Hmm." "I guess he got past my boys without being seen." "It's gettin' to be a habit." "Watch it." " You aren't thinking of closing me up?" " I wouldn't want to." "The merchants across the street wouldn't let you." "No saloons, no trail herds." "No trail herds and the merchants starve to death." "Right as rain, Charlie." "Then what do you want?" "Because if it's Rita, maybe I can fix it up for you." "Keep out." "This is private." "I'll just put that on the bill." "Anything else?" "There's nothing I want from you, Charlie, except what's on those signs." "Only ornery women can get away with that, mister." "Shooting off guns during church services." "The other side of the street is getting out of hand again." "What was that shooting' we heard?" "Customer at The Pride got a little too enthusiastic." "That's all." "... of the coming of the Lord" "He is trampling out the vintage" "Where the grapes of wrath are stored" "He hath loosed the fateful lightning" "Of His terrible swift sword" "His truth is marching..." "They carry their church with them." " Been lookin' for you, Balder." " Hello, Mr Ryker." "Welcome back to Abilene." "Nice trip north?" "Not bad." "Here's a list of the stuff we'll need in the morning." "I feel bad to make you work on Sunday, but as you're doing it for me and you've said your prayers, you may be forgiven." "The Lord is very understanding." "My boys are in for a fling at the honeypots." "It may be a little rough, but it's all in fun." "The town's open, Cap." "The Marshal's got nothing to do." "Maybe he'll give you a hand with my stuff." "See ya." "They have builded Him an altar in the..." "You homesteaders got no place in town here." "And stay off that trail, a long way off of it!" "This is cattle country and it's gonna stay cattle country!" " Come on, Sherry." "I need help on this." " All right, Father." "Go after it, Jip!" "This is one of my men." " He went for his gun first." " The deal was crooked." "I wouldn't wrestle with these dogs." "I got one more bullet left." "We'll take care of you right now." "Boys!" "Ryker!" "You wouldn't be happy buried 1, 000 miles from home." "Walk out ahead of me." " That man's a murderer!" " Why has your boy got a gun in his hand?" "Get going, George." "Where's the music?" "Hit the bar, boys." "Everything's on the house!" "You bought chips, Marshal." "In a couple of weeks, we'll be back." "You be here because there'll be no guns checkin'." "We'll tear this crooked, cheating' town apart and spread the pieces from here to the Texas border!" "I'll be here, Ryker." "Break it up, boys." "The show's over." "Go on over to the jail and lock yourself up." "I'll be over to let you out when Ryker leaves town." "What are you after, Dan?" "Why don't you let this town shoot it out and die?" "There are people in it." "What kind?" "You think anybody in this town has any solution for it?" "Maybe not." "That's the weakness of an honest marshal." "You got too doggone much pride." "Maybe." "The odds are wrong, Dan, unless you've got a whole card up your sleeve." "Yeah." "The only friends you've got are on the wrong side of the street." "Slim..." "You stay here in town." ""We'll tear this town apart," he says." "Our only chance is to keep Ryker satisfied." "Ryker's no cowhand to be slugged with a gun." "We want a marshal to keep us in good with Ryker, not a killer." "Mitchell's got to get off his high horse." "Need any help, Ed?" "Remember, Ryker suggested I give you a hand." " I guess I'd better be gettin' along." " Me, too." "You had to knock out the brains of the most influential cattleman on the trail!" "He's the only one that bothered me." "Should Dan have let him kill a man in cold blood?" "Cap Ryker was just shootin' off his mouth." "You've overlooked that pretty little star." " Who put it there?" " You did." "With instructions to keep this town peaceful and not let trail hands get out of hand." "I didn't tell him to drive business away." "What chance would we have if Fair and Ryker got along without any merchants?" "All this trouble over one no-count gambler." "If there's any killing, Dan just sees to it it's done pleasantly?" "Is that it?" "Now, Sherry, four months ago, he didn't have a dime." "The drought killed off half his cattle and he needed a job." " Right." " As town supervisor, I made him Marshal." " Still right." " Can I ask him to watch his step or not?" "Father, what do you want Dan to do?" "Maybe if he went to Cap Ryker and said it was all a mistake, maybe apologise?" "Apologise to Ryker?" "In 24 hours, trail hands will shoot into your parlour windows just to hear the women scream." "If you're just a wood tick hangin' on to a trail town, you're a lost cause." "I suppose you'd like to see me close up?" "No, I'd like to see you buck up and not let 'em know how weak you feel." "There may be another kind of business here for you soon." "You mean homesteaders again?" "They haven't a chance of surviving." "Maybe I'd rather do business with homesteaders than cattlemen." "But I'm not gonna be wiped out for my likes and dislikes." "I'm not proud." "I've got to compromise." "And what I've got to do, you've got to do, too." "Then get yourself another marshal." "I'm not wearin' a star that don't mean anything." "Wait a minute, Dan." "Now you're getting mad." "You're Marshal." "I'm Marshal." "Not even an hour late today." "Dan, I think you're right." "You should resign." "How did you know I was here?" "I always know where you are." "No, I'm not resigning." "I was only trying to put some steel in Ed." "You didn't succeed." "You never will." " Never's a long time." " Howdy, folks." "I hear you had a little trouble today, Dan." "Nothing important." "You've filed for re-election, Bravo?" "They talked me into it." "I figured on opening up a saloon or going back to dentistry, but somebody has to keep law and order in the county." "Law and order!" "Why don't you try helping Dan around here?" "That wouldn't be fair, ma'am." "I run the county, Dan runs the town." "Besides, me and Dan don't always see eye to eye." " Bravo, I thought we were old friends." " We are, Dan." "We are." "But you've got to kick up a fuss about things that are bound to happen anyway." "I don't figure that way." "A man's got to live." "Cows get lost." "Sometimes accidents happen and fellas get killed." "Why get hot under the collar about it?" "And why go huntin' for fellas that don't want to be found?" "Here she comes." "Where's the Sheriff?" "Where's the Sheriff?" "Isn't the train making enough noise without you adding to it?" "Sheriff, the train was held up." "The train held up?" "Are you sure?" "Of course I'm sure." "I was on it." "Just three miles out of town." " What town?" " This one." "He was a passenger." "Suddenly, he pulled a gun and held up the coach." " Get much?" " I don't know." "He fired a shot over my head, then he jumped off around the turn." "That's a dangerous thing to do." "He got 50 dollars from me." "That's a lot of money to be travelling with." "If you get a posse started, you might catch him." "Might catch the wrong man, too." "What did he look like?" "Tall, brown eyes and a black beard." " He had a brown beard." " You see?" "No identification." "Poor old Bravo." "I wonder how he'll get out of this one." "You'll probably help him." "Not me." "County matter." "It'll probably make him late for our game of fan-tan at Big Annie's." "Why do you go there, Dan?" "Annie makes good drinks and playing fan-tan with Bravo in a boarding house full of girls is quite interesting." "Well, now when the gossips ask me why you go there, I can tell them." "What's that?" "That you haven't made up your mind which side of Texas Street has the most interesting women." "Mister, can you tell me where the homesteaders' camp is?" "I'm looking for a man named Hannaberry." "Two blocks down the street, turn left and keep walking." "Thank you, mister." "Oh, just a minute." "You folks are coming in pretty fast." "I think I'll have a look at that camp myself." "Want a ride, son?" " Yes, mister." " Follow me." "I'll show you the way." " Hello, Rita." " You ought to grow a beard, too." "When I wear a sun bonnet and an apron, I'LL grow a beard." "Do you like her, mister?" "When I find out, I'll let you know." "You know, you're pretty fresh." "Hello, Bill." "Nice to see you." " Thank you, mister." " All right, sonny." " Coffee's on the fire." " Thanks." " Name's Hannaberry." " Where are you all from, Mr Hannaberry?" "Ohio mostly." "Sit down, Sheriff." " Here you are." " Thanks." "My name's Henry." "Henry Dreiser." "First off, I'm not the Sheriff." "I'm just Town Marshal of Abilene." "I'd have guessed you was closer to the land." "Cattle maybe." "There's friendlier land than this around here." "Got told we can raise 20 bushels of wheat to the acre." "Didn't tell you this was cattle country." "It's government land." "As much ours as anybody's." "The opinion in town is you won't last long." "The opinion here is we will." "We've brought our families and we're gonna make this a fit country for 'em." "We're not asking anything of anybody." "There's land to work and we'll put more in it than we take out." "That's fair enough." "We'd like to be friends with folks in your town." "If they don't want it that way, it won't make much difference in the long run." "His day is marching on" "Glory, glory..." "I like that song you folks sing." "My father died in the war." "So did my son." "Those are his children who are lookin' your horse over." "Glory, glory, hallelujah..." " Thanks." " You bet." "I don't believe you." "I don't think you did at all." " I did so ride him." "Didn't I, mister?" " Sure did." "I can drive a horse behind a plough." " Doing what?" " Putting in wheat." "He was born across the sea" "With a glory in His bosom" "That transfigures you and me" "As He died to make men holy" "Let us die to make men free" "His day is marching on..." "Find that hold-up artist, Sheriff?" "I figure he's in the next county by now." "Two dust-cutters, two whisky chasers." "I hear you've been out lookin' for the man that stuck up the train." "I figure I got more trail dust than he did dollars." "Any description?" "Six foot two, little brown eyes, little brown beard." "Nobody ever saw him." " Is your name Jet Younger?" " That's right." "The boss wants to see you in his office." "Six foot two, little brown eyes, little brown beard?" "Nobody I ever saw before either." "Two more dust-cutters, double whisky chasers." "Something on your mind, Charlie?" "I think I've been making a mistake." "Maybe these wheat growers aren't as big a joke as I thought they were, pouring' over the trail on three sides like a flood." "Maybe the merchants aren't the only ones to keep scared." "They've got a sharp nose for a dollar, these merchandise pedlars." "If they ever decide they can make more money off homesteaders than off cattle, they'll join up with the farmers and drive this side of the street out of here and out of every town within a thousand miles." "That's loyalty for you." "Loyalty?" "What's that?" "Well, it's..." "Loyalty is..." "Go on upstairs, Jet." "See you later." "Sure, Charlie." "Go after it, Jip." "People seem to think I'm playin' hard to get" "I must confess that what they say is true" "And I'm gonna keep on playin' hard to get" "With everyone" "That is, except with you" "All you gotta do is snap your fingers" "And I'll be there" "All you gotta do is clap your hands" "And I'll come runnin' anywhere" "All you gotta do is give a whistle" "I'll be at your feet" "And if you should wonder do I love you?" "There's a very simple little test" "All you gotta do is snap your fingers" "And I'll do the rest..." "I told Charlie there were rats in the basement." "Who's breaking up my act this time?" " I don't know." " Watch it, boys." " You again!" " What happened?" "He took a pot shot at me in the alley." "Ever seen him before, Charlie?" " One of Ryker's men." " Oh." "Maybe some day I can finish a song without you breaking it up." "Sounded awfully good down there, maybe because I couldn't hear the words." "Oh!" "What's that for?" "For playing target for four dollars a day!" "Sure been a long, dull evening, ain't it?" "I love it out here in the West" "Because the West is best for lovin'..." "Seven of clubs." "Play." "Eight of clubs, nine of clubs, ten of clubs." " Mended your petticoat, Rita." " Thanks." " What are you all dressed up for?" " I didn't feel like changing." "Good evening, Dan." "Sit down." "We'll all play as soon as I've beaten this expert." "Less talk and more play." "Jack of clubs, queen of clubs, king of clubs and out." "Makes 4.40 you owe me." "Sometimes, Bravo, I marvel at your intelligence." " Me, too." " Sit in on a couple of hands, Rita?" "No, thanks." "I sat in on a shooting tonight and it tired me out." "Anybody get hurt?" "The Marshal's got a sore neck from sticking it out again." " Sore shins, but I'm not sure from what." " I kicked you." "Again." " I thought we'd play fan-tan." " Why?" "You're getting loco from mixing in everybody's business!" "The trail hands pay for their drinks and canned goods." "Let them alone!" "Any idea what this town'd be like if the trail hands weren't kept in line?" "Is this fan-tan or a town meeting?" "So he's gonna teach them to be polite and get shot because that's his job?" "Why doesn't he go to work for Charlie Fair?" "He'll still be here after we've had four new marshals!" "That's an interesting point." "Will he?" " What's interesting about it?" " This is not a one-day fight." "It's the rider against the settler, the quick drunk against the family." "Abilene may close out the cattle when the country's settled up." "What'll you do then?" "This town is never going to close and I'm never going to move." " This is my kind of life." " Why?" "Because I like it and it likes me and I don't look well in an apron and don't ask so many questions!" "Would anybody be interested in playing a little fan-tan?" "Come to think of it, I would." " Seven of spades." " Eight of spades." " I pass." " Nine of spades, ten of spades." "Jack, queen, king of spades." "Play!" "The barn first, then the house." "Light up a couple of them torches." "Come on!" "Come on, Mom." "Get out quick!" "That's mighty hard luck, Mrs Canby." "You sure got all our sympathy." "But why should anybody want to harm us?" "We're a peaceable people." "I'll tell you why." "Because cattlemen hate farmers." "There's only one thing to do if we want to stay here and that's to fight." "Easy, son." "We have as much right here as anybody." "The cattlemen don't own the land." " Who else would wanna drive us out?" " Yes!" "Quiet, quiet." "This here investigation is gettin' out of control." "Be quiet until I finish asking' questions of the witnesses." "Did anybody here recognise the perpetrators of this dastardly deed?" "I recognised one of 'em." "How could you recognise him in the dark?" "It was dark, wasn't it?" "Farmers can see better in the dark than most folks." "I know a farmer who can't see his hand before his eyes." "Fella named Donaldson." "What's his name, Frank?" "Go ahead, tell 'em his name like you told me." "Jet Younger." "We want to swear on a warrant for the arrest of Jet Younger." "Thank you, Emily." "Come again." "Two boxes of.45, Sherry." " They found out who it was?" " Jet Younger." "But it didn't happen in town." "It's a county matter." "Why do you have to get mixed up in it?" "Somebody in town sent Jet Younger to burn out those homesteaders." "Somebody in town ought to do something about it." "I don't suppose it would make any difference if I asked you not to go." "No." "I thought you'd be in." " How did you figure that one?" " Younger and Fair add up." " To what?" " Two to one against you." "Oh!" "Sit down." "I sent word to Bravo that as far as I'm concerned, I want Jet Younger brought in." "I sent for you, Dan, because I heard you might give up marshallin'." " I did say something about it." " I could use a man." "I always figured I could land a job with you, Charlie." " How soon do you plan to quit?" " Well, now, that depends." "Have you got the final figures yet, Charlie?" "Just about." "Oh, meet my new partner, Dan." "But you'd be working for me, Dan." "I'll remember." "Oh, uh..." "Good luck." "Anything wrong?" "I'm not sure." "Hello, Dan." "Don't tell me you want an afternoon game." "No, I was just looking for Bravo." "Hearing over?" "What hearing?" "Oh, yeah, that's all over." "I got a warrant for Jet right there in my coat pocket." " Leaving soon?" " Soon as I get 4.40 back from..." " Why?" " Thought you might need a little help." "How do you like that?" "I'll have him back in jail before he knows what time it is." " Play, Annie." "You're holdin' up justice." " Seven of diamonds." " Something funny about this." " What?" " Your enthusiasm." "Jet's a killer." " You think I'm a bumblebee?" "You've got everything but the sting." " You wouldn't mind my going along?" " I would mind!" "Why meddle into something that don't concern you?" "That's what I want to know." "Did Charlie send you to ask me that or are you interested in my well-being?" "I'm interested in my business." "I want this game finished, so I can get started." " Play, Annie." " Eight of diamonds." "Why are you going on this manhunt with Bravo?" "Always help a fellow officer of the law." "That's not your reason." "Maybe I just like to ride up in the hills away from people." "I'll be waiting at your office, Bravo." " Eight of spades." " Nine of spades." "Ten of spades." "Oh, shucks!" " Where are you going, Rita?" " If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." "To preserve law and order to the best of your ability as Deputy Sheriff." "Dan!" " You're wanted inside." " Me?" "Mm-hm." " Rita..." " Dan." "I want to say goodbye." " Well..." " Don't say anything." "Sure." "You big idiot!" "Oh!" " Open this door!" " Take care of yourself, Rita." "I'll pick up that holding business when I get back." "Dan, you will let me out of here!" "Oh!" "Ouch." "Good idea, but it didn't work." "Let her out in ten minutes." " Ready, Dan?" " Coming, Bravo." " Sun's up." " Oh." "Ugh!" "Could use a little help around here." "You got three deputies." "What more do you want?" "Had three deputies." "Pulled out on us last night." "You mean them polecats hightailed it?" "About 3am." "They didn't make too much noise." "I went right back to sleep." "If you seen 'em go, why didn't you stop 'em?" "Wouldn't have been much use to us." "Their hearts weren't in it." "Maybe you and me better get out of here, too." "Ain't much two of us can do." "Only takes one man to catch Jet." "Last night, before I went to sleep, I did a lot of thinking." "About what?" "Jet Younger, this fire, how far it could be seen from up there in the hills." "What are you trying to say, Dan?" "If the idea of this expedition was to warn Jet we were comin', so he could stay out of our way, this is the place to build a fire." "Shucks!" "You're just jumpin' to conclusions." "Maybe so." "The first one is that Jet is probably where he can see this fire." "Makes me remember there's an old line shack up there." "Be a comfortable hideout." " Look here, Dan..." " Better mix up some biscuits." "Are you..." " Well, I figure we better be on our way." " Which way?" "We'll turn back towards town, look up them deputies first thing." "What about the line shack?" "Now, Dan, I'm in charge of this party and I say we go the other way." "I think I'll take a ride towards the line shack." "You sure are a stubborn critter." "I didn't hurt you, did I, Dan?" "I did it for your own good, son." "I couldn't stand to see you get yourself shot up." "Oh, what do we care about them homesteaders or Jet Younger or anybody?" "Are you all right, Dan?" "I'd rather have taken the conk on my own head, son." "There's no sense in a man being so stubborn." "I'll be back tonight to let you loose." "The rest'll do you good." "Don't you go and make me look for you." "You stay right here." "Bravo!" "Poor fella." "I hope the ants don't crawl all over him." "Why, that sneaking', no good..." "I better get outta here!" "Oh... oh..." "Catched him, didn't you?" "Hot today, ain't it?" "Might rain before the end of the week, though." " Go away!" " Got any drinking water?" "Yeah." "Plenty of it in the well." "You and your friend come on up." " He ain't no friend of mine." " Sure we're friends." "Do this every day." "Come on, friend." "Supposing I play a jack?" "What happens?" "That all depends." "One of the first rules of the game..." "Might be more profitable for you to wait for me here, Bravo." "Oh, I'll just play a little bit." "Maybe show him something about the game." " Give me your word you'll stay here." " Did a horse ever run away from oats?" "Well, uh..." "Let's see." "Um..." "Let's deal again." "Need a little grease in that skillet." "I wouldn't do that, Jet." "What do you want?" " A little of your time." "About 20 years." " Charlie Fair said that..." "Bravo would camp where you could see his fire, then go in the opposite direction." "That right?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Where is Bravo?" "Busy." "Come on, Jet." "Let's start for town." "I don't get this." "You're not Sheriff." "You're Town Marshal." " What do you want out of this deal?" " Security for my children." " You ain't got any children." " Some day I might." "Ready, Jet?" "Better take my coat." "It's cold out." "All right, Jet." " You'd better shoot." "I'm not going." " You're going." "Tied across the saddle, kicking and scratching." "Have to bring you back alive, Jet." "Got to prove you're not tough to get." "That's important to me." "Queen of diamonds, king of diamonds." "And out." "Hey!" "Finished that game yet?" "That makes $ 14 and 70 cents you owe me." "Don't bother me with petty details." " Brought you a present." " Another friend of you fellas?" " What have I got to do with him?" " He's your prisoner." " Can he play fan-tan?" " Shut up!" "Now, Dan, foolin' is fooling', but this has took on a serious turn." "Ever figure how many votes it'd get you if people in town saw you ride in with a murderer across your saddle?" "Hey, Ed." "Come here." "Look." "Whoa!" "Bravo Trimble, did you catch him?" " You see him, don't you?" " Three cheers for Sheriff Trimble!" "Hooray!" "Hooray!" "Hooray!" "Thanks, folks." "I was just doin' my duty." " Get me inside, you big four-flusher!" " He put up quite a fight, Jet did." " Dan, I'm so terribly glad you're back." " So am I." "Hooray!" "Hooray!" "When I was a child I burned my finger" "And it taught me not to play with fire" "Don't know why this lesson didn't linger" "Here this foolish heart of mine" "Has burned its finger many times" "But still it doesn't lessen my desire" "Every time I give my heart" "I know that it's the last" "But when that love has passed" "I sigh" "Well, maybe next time" "Every time I give my heart" "I'm back where I began" "Just another also-ran" "But maybe next time" "Next time" "I've waited long for this romance" "And when we met my heart was lost" "With you I think I stand a chance" "But just the same" "I've got my fingers crossed" "Every time I give my heart" "For instance, like with you" "I swear" "That for we two" "There'll be no next time." " Odds any better now?" " No change." "I promised to pick up where we left off." "I think what I like least about you is that you're so sure of yourself." "When a man rides down the middle of Texas Street, confidence is all he's got." "Confidence You're an easy target for any drunk who wants to take a pot shot." "All that'll change." "Rita, I think you've made a bad investment." "Let's wait and see." "And now if you've found out everything you want to know," " will you get out while I change?" " I haven't found out anything." "You've got a screen." "Change." "I feel like talking." "Come to think of it, it's the screen around you I don't like." "Hand me the dress on that chair." "And the porcupine quills you shoot out to keep people away from you." "Why, no man who's walked or ridden into this town has ever gotten near you." " What you need is a ride in the hills." " I don't mix my drinks." "You're scared." "Get out!" "Trying to be tough because you're scared and scared because you're warm and soft." "I'll lock my door after this." "Better use up some of that before it spoils." "I knew you'd do that." "I let you stay to find out if you were like every other man." "Then you found out something, too." "People seem to think I'm playing hard to get" "I must confess that what they say is true" "And I'm going to keep on playing hard to get" "With everyone, that is, except with you-u-u-u" "All you've gotta do is snap your fingers" "And I'll be there" "All you've gotta do is clap your hands" "And I'll come running anywhere" "All you've gotta do is give a whistle" "I'll be at your feet" "And if you should wonder do I love you?" "There's a very simple little test" "All you've gotta do is snap your fingers" "And I'll do the rest." "As President of the Ladies Aid, it gives me great pleasure to introduce our guest of honour " "Sheriff Bravo Trimble." "When I accepted this invitation to speak, it wasn't with no idea of politics or nothing." "I just wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk about what might happen if we didn't have the proper administration of law and order here." "Tell us how you captured Jet Younger." "Oh, t'weren't much to capturing Jet." "You stick a gun in a fella's ribs and he knows you don't stand for no foolin'," " he just naturally comes along." " You mustn't be so modest, Sheriff." "Tell us how you really tracked him down." "Did Dan Mitchell help?" " Well, some." " Did you get hurt in the fight?" "No, can't say that I did." "Oh, skinned a place or two." "Nothing compared to the way Jet got worked over." "Be a long time before he does any more outlawing." "Figure he'll stay for weeks in jail licking his wounds." "Sheriff Trimble!" "Sheriff Trimble!" "Jet Younger's escaped!" " Did you say Jet escaped?" " Shot his way out." "Killed two men." " Took to the hills again, has he?" " No, he's still in town!" " Has anyone notified Dan Mitchell?" " Dan?" "!" "You're the County Sheriff!" "That's just it - out of my jurisdiction." "He was headed for the stables when Dan cut him off." "Off the streets." "Come on, folks, hurry." "There he is!" "She kept talking about you a lot at first." " About me?" " Just rambling." "Got the idea she's afraid of you." "Emotional upset, Doc said." "Sort of upset myself, come to think of it, all this killing." "It ain't a part of the natural lives of people like us." "Maybe you were right, Dan, about resigning." "Had word from Charlie Fair today." "Ryker's on the trail again, be here soon." "I'll finish out my term, Ed." "Better think it over while there's still a chance to pull out." "I saw a motto on a sundial once." "It said, "It's always later than you think."" "Good night, Ed." " Sherry...!" " I want to talk to Dan." "Alone." " But Sherry..." " Please!" "Good night, Dan." "Dan..." "There's something I want you to know." "Ten years ago when Father first brought me here, the very first day," "I stood on Texas Street and I saw two drunken trail hands fight it out with guns until one was dead." "I was ten years old and I saw a man's blood running in a little stream into the gutter at my feet." " That's been Abilene to me ever since." " It won't be that way much longer." "It'll always be that way." "No one can ever change it." "Don't you try." " Do you know what you're saying?" " Yes, I know." "I'm saying I'm afraid." "Afraid for myself and for you." "Do you know how you terrify me?" "Every day I wonder if this is the day I'll see you lying in the street..." "Sherry." "Oh, Dan..." "If you care anything about me at all, take me away!" "Sherry, I..." "I wouldn't be any good to you running away." "Being afraid would take half the fun out of life for me." "Fun?" "Now I know what I saw in your eyes when you killed Jet Younger." "You didn't kill him because you're Marshal." "You wanted to see him lying on the ground dead." "You keep this job because it's fun!" "There's the killer in you, too!" " Sherry, stop!" " Jet wasn't the first or the last." "You want to run this town with a gun." "That's your life." "And because it's fun!" "I'm running this town with my gun, Sherry, until I can turn it over to gentler people." "I don't believe you!" "There's no gentleness in you." "Not even a hope for it." "Do just one thing for us and for yourself - resign." "Please!" "Please, resign!" "And go away!" "That's right, Jim." "We've all got to stick together." "That's the purpose of this organisation." "To stick together." "And to fight." "We want peace, Henry." "So did those people who were killed by Jet Younger." "We've got over 400 family in this county and there's more coming." "We're getting dangerous to the trail herds." "Henry's right." "The townspeople figure if they're decent to us the trail hands will take it out on them." "It'll be a fine country round here..." "if we're strong." "Well, I guess we've had enough talk." "Our first job is cutting those fenceposts." "We'll start stringing wire across the trail when they're in." " Across the cattle trail?" " It crosses our land." "We've got a right." "Come on!" "Let's get at it!" "Thank you, Mrs Lind." " I want some barbed wire, Mr Balder." " Barbed wire?" "How much?" " 400 spools." " What are you going to do?" "You're in business, aren't you?" "There's the money." "It's all you get to ask for." "I'm not asking for anything." "I can't sell dynamite to a fool - or a half-grown boy." "There are old men asking for it." "Fine old men, and women and children." "Haven't got any, Mr Dreiser." "Leastways, none for sale." "But Mr Balder..." " Er, you got a minute, Miss Balder?" " What do you want, Mr Dreiser?" "Your father refused to sell me barbed wire." "I need it to protect our land." "More fighting and killing?" "Do I look like a man who likes killing?" "Wire." "Just to mark off the place I want to work hard the rest of my life." "Is that a crime?" "No." "Why is it so important to you?" "Because I want what my father didn't have." "Land." "Growing wheat, enough of it to raise a fine family in peace." "Is that a poor thing to want?" "No." "No, it's not a poor thing." "What are you hanging on to so hard?" "What's a girl like you got here that you can be proud of?" "We're the only ones that can give you a life worth living." "You know that." " If they let you." " They will." "We're strong enough now." " For more bloodshed?" " Or be wiped out." "What'll you do then?" " I know you." "I've been watching you..." " Watching me?" "Well, yes, I..." "I have a little, now and then." "You're like us, Sherry." "A lot like us." "You want the same things that we do." "You know, we got a lot in common." "We're what this country can be, Sherry." "And we can have it." "All you have to do is tell me where that wire's kept." "I'll be back with wagons to haul it." "Here's the money." "Give us a chance." "You and me." "Barbed wire ahead across the trail as far as you can see." "No farmer can block my trail." "Drive right through it!" " What's that?" " Cattle!" " Ryker?" " Hit the fences." "Stampeded the cattle." "Take them inside, get Doc Sanders." "Lend a hand, boys." "Come inside, Henry." "Hannaberry is dead." "Bob Rankin." "The Freeman family." "Wait a minute." "Where were those fences?" " Across the trail." " The cattle trail?" "You put fences...?" "!" " Yes!" " You can't do that." "Where'd you get wire?" " Ryker will come for who sold the wire." " That's not all he'll come for." " Where are the rest of the homesteaders?" " I said to meet at the bend of the river." "Get them in town before dark, while there still is a town." " Which way are you shooting, Charlie?" " Me?" "I'm in the saloon business." " I'm giving you an hour to close up." " Now wait a minute..." "There'll be no drunken trail hands stampeding this town tonight." "Maybe you haven't heard." "The trail's closed for good." " From what I hear, it's wide open again." " Charlie, get out while you can." "Seems to me you need that chance more than I do, Marshal." "Seven people killed and $6,000 in property damaged." " This is another Gettysburg." " Who sold them that wire?" " Not me." "I turned them down." " Well, your wire shed is empty." "I sold that wire." "Henry Dreiser said he wanted it to prevent any trouble." "Didn't you know better than to trust a homesteader?" "And why shouldn't I trust a homesteader?" "They're people like us." "Better." "Do they come here with guns bristling?" "They'll make life here worth living." "They didn't know crazy trail hands would stampede cattle." "Well, they got what's coming to them." "But what about us?" " Why did those homesteaders move here?" " Mind if I say something?" "Boys, I'd think it over carefully." "Whatever happens here will spread." "This is a fight for the state of Kansas, which way the country's going." " Better be sure you pick your friends." " What's a few homesteaders worth?" " Not much, but 1, 000 are worth a lot." " There's not that many." "Henry Dreiser has 100 men in his association and he's only 25% organised." "How many people is that, Ed, figuring three to a family?" " It's... over a thousand!" " But suppose Ryker drives them away?" " I think you can discount that rumour." " You're not tangling with him again?" "!" "There were people killed this afternoon." "Makes my position pretty clear." "Dan..." "When I sold Henry that wire, I didn't realise it'd come tumbling down on you." "Funny, you never know who's going to fire the first shot." "400 families." "If each family spent, say, $500 a year here in town, how much business is that?" " Almost... a quarter of a million dollars." " How much do the trail hands spend?" "Now if 400 only spend $300 a year... lf, if, if!" "I know what I'm gonna do." "I'm gonna get word to Ryker that Dan don't represent me." "I am neutral." " I don't want any part of this fight." " Quiet!" "Suppose in a year from now there are 800 families here." "That's half a million dollars!" "Half a million dollars." "And no shooting'." "But suppose the homesteaders are wiped out?" "Turn out the lights, Ned." "Street's closed." "Will you turn them out, Pete, or you want me to?" " Dan..." "I got word to the men." " When will they be here?" " As fast as they can get together." " Wait here." "Stay here, Jip." "My people are mad, Dan." "Everybody loved old man Hannaberry." " Evening, Marshal." " Evening, Jake." "They want to settle this once and for all, make this the last fight." "I think it will be, Henry." "I'm just brimming over with zest" "Because I love it out in the West" "I love it out here in the West" "Because the West is best for lovin'" "When the stars are shining and the moon is gold" "You'll find me out with my Romeo Back East I was always repressed" "That's why I love it out in..." "You sure would have looked nice in a kitchen apron." "What do you mean, stopping the show?" "!" "I own this place and give the orders." " Tell them to turn out the lights." " Grab him, boys." "Look out, Dan!" "Lights out, Charlie." "Do you want me to do it for you?" " You'll set the place on fire!" " I wouldn't want to do that." "Wait!" "Lights out." "I came to tell you to pack up." "Maybe breaking it up is a better idea." " You're not closing me up!" " Listen, Rita, it's going to be rough, not safe." "Don't you tell me what's safe, you big blond baboon!" "Wait 'til Ryker gets here!" " The jig's up." " It sure is, but not for me." "Who's going to stand with you?" "The merchants?" "The homesteaders?" "You'll look like a duck in a shooting gallery." "The tame always win, Rita." "This will fall around your lovely ears, dollar by dollar, dime by dime." "Get out of here before I kill you!" "And I don't mean half kill you!" "This is my property paid for with my money." "If you ever set foot in here again" "I'll beat your brains out, you brainless idiot!" " Suppose 1, 000 families spend $300..." " Here they come!" "Hey, Cap, look." " What's the idea, saloons being closed?" " New law." "Went into effect tonight." "You think you can stop us?" "You got a pretty strong outfit." "Boys, anybody want to get the trail dust out of their throats?" "Won't take them long to get liquored up and start on this side of the street." "Hey, Captain!" "Captain Ryker!" "I'm sure glad to see you." " Let him close you up, did you?" " Oh, now, Captain, look..." "All right, boys." "Take it." "Let's go!" "Sherry!" " Are they coming?" " I hope so." "They could be too late." "I understand you told them about selling us the wire and that you believed in us." "I believe in you." " Let a cattleman show you how, son." " What do you mean...?" "!" "Nice work." " I didn't mean to hit him so hard." " How do you feel?" "Fine." " Oh, Dan!" " Sherry, I'm proud of you." "I'm proud of you, Dan." "And Henry." "And me, too." "It's getting pretty rough down there, Dan." "She's a wonderful girl, Henry." "Get her out of here before I take her away from you." " Take her away?" "You mean..." " Exactly." "Come on, Henry." "I'll explain it to you." "What are you doing out there?" "Somebody has to protect the Sheriff's office!" "Where are you fixin' to go?" "A fella's been losing some sheep." "He wants me to investigate it." "Hm!" "Sheep" "Maybe we're making a mistake, Henry." "Why help a town that don't want us?" "Afraid?" "No, ma'am." "We're not afraid." "We just don't quite know what this is all about." "It's about drunken trail hands that don't want you to settle your land, it's about farms and homes and a fool marshal who's got himself in a corner because he knows better times are comin'." " In this town?" " Not this town." "It's the right to live." " What's going on here?" " Here's Sheriff Trimble come to lead you!" " What's that?" " Must be at least 300 votes here." " I gotta see a man about a sheep." " You captured Jet Younger!" " Yeah, well, I had a hand in it." " Well, we'll follow you, Sheriff!" "Come on, boys!" "Oh, mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord" "He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored..." " You know, Doug, the world's changin'." " Yeah, I know." "Glory, glory, hallelujah." "Glory, glory, hallelujah" "Glory, glory, hallelujah His truth..." " Glad you're here, boys." " What'll we do?" "Fan out, take up positions around the stores and buildings on that side." " Hear that, fellas?" "Spread out!" " Over there, boys." "On that side." " What's Ryker's men up to now?" " Hitting the saloons and gambling houses." " And you ain't doing nothin' about it?" " Not me." "They're doing too good a job." "It's scary." "Sure is." "This is my place!" "You don't want to rip up my place!" "Aww, get off of me!" "Look!" "Look, Marshal!" "Why don't you do something?" "Why don't you stop it?" "There's a $ 10, 000 riot going on in there!" "What are you for?" "You're the man that wanted an open town." "Well, here it is, Charlie." "Wide open." "Circle Bar!" "Johnny Jones!" "Circle Bar!" "Come on, boys!" " Had enough fun, Ryker?" " When I have, I'll find more." "If your boys try to cross the street, they'll find our men waiting." "I'll take my boys anywhere I want to go." "You're not taking them anywhere, Ryker." "You're coming with me." " I am?" " Yes." "You're under arrest." "The charge is murder." " My dresses...!" " Leave 'em." "All you'll need from now on are kitchen aprons." "Come on, men, let's burn the town!" "Get the merchants' stores!" "What am I doing here?" "!" "Hold it!" "We've had enough trouble." "It's over now." "Where's Cap?" "Where's Ryker?" "Ryker's dead." "So is your part of Abilene." "All that's left of it is the trail back." "Boys, this is the way a tough street dies." "Not with a roar, but with a whine." "You don't want to die here with it." "The tame are taking over Abilene and they're tougher than you think." "Better ride, boys." "Let them ride out of town." "I don't know whether you joined us or we joined you, but it's good to be together." "Well, we sure done it." "All right, but remember one thing - no beard." " You know what I was thinking, Annie?" " There's time for one game of fan-tan." "Hey, you play fan-tan?" "Dan, how about a little fan-tan?" "Just one little game, Annie."