"Who goes there?" "Tampa." "Houston." "Jason." "Waco." "Almore." "Prince F.P." "All right, get out of there." "I heard the Confederate Army was hard up for men." "l didn't realize how bad." "Quiet down." "Hush up, man, I'm going to be a comrade in arms." "Sergeant, get these men ready." "All right." ""William Parcell Candy." "Convicted of... waylaying, robbing and murdering..." ""a party of four persons on the trail of San Antonio." ""Sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead." ""By the authority vested in me, I declare you pardoned." ""John Morgan Candy." "Suspected of complicity... in the murders committed..." ""on the trail to San Antonio by his brother, William Candy." ""Acquitted June 12, 1867." ""On June 14, attempting to free his brother from prison..." ""shot and killed two law enforcement officers." ""Convicted of murder." "Sentenced to hang by the neck until dead." ""Pardoned." ""J.C. Haggard." "While driving a herd of cattle... to New Orleans, in defiance of the law..." ""was challenged by a troop of Confederate Cavalry."" "No right to try stop me." ""He ordered his herders to drive the cattle on by force." ""Two soldiers of the troop and five cowboys were killed."" "Good boys, too. I hated to lose them." ""Convicted of resisting arrest and causing the deaths of seven men." ""Sentenced to 20 years of hard labor."" "Never would've made it." "Too old to be penned up." ""Pardoned." ""Hale Clinton." "Shot and killed an unarmed... man in an argument over cards." ""Convicted and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead." ""Pardoned." ""Govern Sturgis." "Professional highwayman and gunman." ""Held up the stage en route to Houston, and murdered the driver..." ""shotgun and three passengers." "Convicted of murder." ""Sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead." ""Pardoned."" "Take one step forward, raise your right hands and repeat after me." ""l do solemnly swear..."" "I do solemnly swear..." ""...that I will abide by the laws, rules and regulations..."" "...that I will abide by the laws, rules and regulations..." ""...set down by the commands and articles of war."" "...set down by the commands.." "Do you know a place called Dawn Springs?" "A mining town." "About four days' ride north of here." "It's abandoned now, except as a midpoint in the stage line." "An agent cares for the relief horses." "A stage'll arrive there about the 18th of... the month, with a man, Steven Jethro." "1 8th?" "That's cutting it pretty close." "That's a hard ride by direct route." "That territory is full of Indians out to make war." "That's why we pardoned men with your special talents." "Jethro was head of Southern lntelligence Bureau... operating beyond the lines." "He's gone over to the enemy." "That stage has to be stopped on its way... from California to Fort Mahan... where Jethro's to turn the information he... has over to the Union commandant." "How do you want him?" "Alive, if possible." "Dead, if need be." "What else do you know?" "We know the stage is on schedule and... will be escorted by Union cavalry." "Let's see now." "All we have to do is make a hard four-day... ride in about three days... get through the state plains full of Indians... looking for White scalps... cross over the Union lines,hold up a stage escorted by Yankee troops... and then bring some traitor all the... way back here for Southern justice." "That is quite an order, Captain." "You've traded your chances with a hangman... for the chances of the trail." "Jethro, and what he knows of Southern agents... and the $30,000 he's carrying, must not be... allowed to reach the Union authorities." "This $30,000, Captain... ls that in gold bullion or Confederate script?" "It's hard money." "Badly needed for the cause." "Jethro was also assigned to provide operating... funds for the individual agents." "Captain, we're certainly going to try to get to Dawn Springs... and keep that traitor from reaching Fort Mahan." "Think those killers can do the job?" "They're Southern soldiers, now." "Think those patriots can do the job?" "If they don't do it for reasons of patriotism,... they've got 30,000 other reasons to do it." "Jethro must be stopped." "You're the trailblazer, which way now?" "That way is longer. lt's shorter down by the riverbed." "But a better chance of bumping into Indians." "Not much of a chance this far south." "Might... as well pick up miles while we can." "You making up our minds for us?" "I'm just making up my own mind." "That's the way I'm going." "Anybody doesn't want to come along, don't have to." "Couple more days, we'd have been swinging from a tree like that one." "They've got other trees, elsewhere." "Keep on pulling fool killings, and they'll fit one to your size." "You got no call to holler at me." "I did what you said." "Three miles from where l told you I'd be waiting." "So what?" "We ain't swinging, are we?" "Shut up." "You're always telling me "shut up." l... got things to say sometimes and..." "Hale, I figure you can take whichever route you like." "I'm going the short way. I don't want to be late for that gold." "You hear what the captain said about "dead or alive"?" "Seems your little brother is going to have some fun." "He ain't never killed legal before." "You seemed to have made yourself leader... of this little group, Govern." "It's all right with me." "Just don't get any ideas once the gold's in our hands." "It'll be up to you what happens to it." "We'll all get what's coming to us." "You seem to be a lot of talk about somewhere we ain't got yet." "Still plenty of trails up ahead." "Plenty of Indians." "Deserters from both sides, and Union Cavalry." "Not to mention the killing things that nature provides." "Four or five days." "Comanche." "Pretty far south." "The war gives the Indians plenty of time... to move, and lots of places to go." "Build a new one." "We'll make camp here." "Think it's wise to build a fire with the Indians so close?" "Figure they're far enough away not to see it." "If they're still around here, they know we're here, anyhow." "I need some wood." "Shorty, get some wood for the fire." "Don't call me "Shorty." l don't like anyone..." "Get some wood." "Look at it burn." "It reminds me... ." "Some of the flames, red like that girl's hair was." "Girl?" "The girl on the road to San Antonio." "Look, John... see how it changes color?" "Looks like blood now." "Like red hair and blood." "Just think it, don't say it." "He's loco." "I'll kill you." "You ought to thank him instead." "Look." "Thanks." "Morning." "Morning." "Good coffee." "A lot better than that gun oil they make in prison." "You from the Houston calaboose or did... they pick you up from somewhere else?" "All jails have got four walls and bars." "They gonna carry your sentence out soon?" "Pretty soon." "Not very talkative, are you?" "I don't figure talk about getting my neck... stretched is breakfast conversation." "Young Candy is loco." "I wouldn't say that too loud." "Billy might decide one of us looks like a rattler." "His brother'll keep him hobbled." "Seems like old times." "Coffee in the morning, on the trail." "Miss the cattle bawling, though." "Like the ones you were running to the Yankees?" "Son, you got a way of looking for trouble, ain't you?" "Not me, old-timer. I'm a peace-loving man." "We can shoot them all right now." "Grab their guns and horses and meet the stage ourselves." "There's three of them." "All fast with... a gun." "We can't take them all." "We can get them off alone, one by one." "I want that gold that's laying up north." "There's a lot of country to travel." "And there'll be Union Cavalry to fight." "We'll have time enough to cut down on them, after we get the stage." "I fought the heat and I fought the cold." "That's when the kids died of plague and... my woman died from an Indian's arrow." "I dug my rangeland out of the rock." "I fought an Indian and a rustler for every acre of it." "Now the states are fighting over something they dreamed up." "I don't much care." "When the war's over and forgot, I'm still... going to be pushing my cows along." "You sure was scared last night when I killed that snake." "How'd you and your snake rattle sleep, Shorty?" "I told you once, I don't like to be called that." "Look at that little fella go." "Candys are a strange lot." "You slug your brother to keep me from hurting him." "I wasn't worried about you hurting him." "The kid's a walking arsenal." "Where'd he get that?" "I got one just like it." "Made them back in prison." "It's a long walk to the gallows tree." "You slugged me, Johnny." "What'd you want to slug me for?" "l told you." "Now I'll tell you." "The next man that... ulls a gun ain't gonna keep it." "Nobody's taking my gun from me." "l will." "It'll take all of us to do this job." "I don't want anybody killed and I don't want... gunfire bringing Indians down on us." "Haggard." "Want to fill the canteens?" "All right, Govern." "I'll help you, J.C." "I wouldn't call that boy "Shorty" anymore." "What does J.C. stand for?" "Nothing." "You mean that's your name?" "J.C.?" "Yep." "There were 15 kids in my family." "All boys, except one. I was the youngest." "Time I come along, they sort of run out of names." "What do you know?" "You're a pretty unusual guy, J.C." "Ain't it a little early to be sounding me out?" "I don't get your meaning." "You ain't the kind of man to be passing the... time of day unless you expect something." "I'm just telling you, it's a little early to be choosing sides." "I just like to know who I'm playing with... or against, before I sit down to deal." "You've been stacking the deck ever since we started." "You tested Govern." "Pushed the kid." "Now you're sounding me out." "You got everybody figured out yet?" "l like you, J.C." "You and me got a lot in common." "Both look out for ourselves." "Sure, I've been looking to pick my partner ever since we got started." "Now, I say it's you." "We can get that gold easy, old man." "Just for you and me." "And what are the others going to be doing while... we're passing the ace back and forth?" "Nothing." "Just nothing, J.C." "What do you say?" "I say let's fill these canteens." "Now I know what J.C. stands for." ""Just Cautious."" "Those two are listening to more than the sound of the water." "They're making a deal." "You want to make one with me?" "I don't want all the gold, just a share." "One for my brother, one for me..." "And one for me." "That's right." "Our friends are back." "is it a deal?" "Candy, maybe we can do business." "You're talking to the wrong man." "We should have all the guns pointing the same way at the showdown." "At the Candys." "Why do you think there'll be a showdown?" "The Candys will be walking away from three dead men, unless we..." "Unless we join together?" "That's right." "What do you say?" "You, Haggard and me." "Maybe you've got yourself a deal." "Don't string out. Indians like to pick off the last man." "l wonder what passed through here." "Comanche's got a liking for fire." "I wonder what they've been burning." "Or who." "You'll have every Indian from 20 miles around down on us." "Leave him be." "Get your foot off his hand." "You're asking for it." "Move." "You're going to die looking like a brave man." "Come on." "Come ahead." "This guy's crazy." "Come on." "Move." "Can I please have my gun back now?" "You're savvy." "I think maybe you've got a loyal dog to... follow you." "Rabid, but loyal." "Haggard." "Comanche." "Looks like a Union soldier." "What's left of him." "Hale, take the Candys and scout the draw." "Haggard and I will circle over the rise." "Should we bury him?" "What for?" "I didn't make any noise. I didn't shoot, just like you said." "You did good." "He was scouting alone?" "A mess of them are over there." "I figure this one was out on the furthest flank." "The tribes are probably gathering over across the river." "We'll have to swing out wide on this side of the river then." "We'll make up for lost time later." "Pull out one at a time to avoid big dust." "You know a place to meet?" "There's a clump of oak down by the river." "We should be able to make it by night." "All right." "You first." "Hale next." "Then John and then Billy. I'll go last." "Suppose they catch one of us?" "We'll hear the yelling and we'll feel sorry." "Stay spread out, Billy." "Anything you say." "Hi. I see everybody made it, so far." "What if your riding in like that wasn't safe?" "I'd have heard the yelling you talked about." "See if you can get quiet, quickly." "Why are you starting at me again?" "I didn't do nothing." "Shut up." "Shut up... both of you." "Did you see anything?" "Not a feather." "We'll camp here till midnight." "Candy brothers take the first watch. I'll take the next." "We'll be riding the rest of the night to make up for lost time." "Cards, Govern?" "Better get some sleep." "I don't expect any of us will get much sleep tonight." "I will." "Come on." "A little poker, J.C.?" "We'll deal later." "Quiet out there." "Can't get over how close we come to getting our necks stretched." "Can you?" "Can I what?" "Get over how close we..." "l can't." "It's funny." "When we reach the way station, you stay close to me, hear?" "Sure, John, don't I always?" "Stay real close." "Anything you say." "What'd you say to Govern when Hale and the old man went for water?" "Made us a deal." "l'm glad." "He didn't bat an eye when I had that knife pointed at his belly." "Why didn't you use it?" "I don't know." "He didn't seem to care if I knifed him or not." "He's all right. I'm glad we're partners with him." "Your turn." "Cut out that dust storm, girl." "You want... to give me another asthma attack?" "Your drinking will give you an attack soon enough." "Honey, you know I gotta keep my throat all wet." "Otherwise, this desert dust about choke... your old uncle to death." "You go wash up." "I was just about to, Shallee." "Go on." "Why are you so short with me?" "I know that..." "Might be some more of them saddle tramps looking to steal horses." "Almost wish it was, just to see a new face." "Honey, you see the folks in the stage. I don't see why you..." "Here." "Let's get those horses to the lower stable." "No sign of the stage." "No sign of any soldiers, either." "No sign of nothing." "Let me do any talking that's necessary." "Anybody here?" "Saddle up and get out of here." "We didn't come here to do any harm." "l'm making sure you don't." "All we want is some information, some water and a place to rest." "If you don't mount up, you'll be resting here a long time." "Has there been a stage through here from California?" "That stage isn't due for two weeks." "If that's what you want, get out of here and come back then." "Rent us a room and we'll wait for it." "We don't run a hotel." "We'll just set you up in business then." "I'll kill you with the next one." "Get a rifle, Uncle Mime." "Take to the back." "Over here, there's a mess of them." "They're coming from the back." "Stand." "Drop the rifle." "Get that other rifle and the pistol." "Like I told you... all we want is water and a place to rest." "The water's in the well outside." "You can rest there, too." "Thank you, ma'am." "We accept your gracious hospitality." "It's like a breath of home." "You can all go outside." "Tend to your needs and get out of here." "Just as you say." "If there's anything we can do, don't hesitate to call on us." "All right, let's go." "Candy." "We'll stay outside." "You stay in here." "Us there, you here." "I should've shot to kill at his first step." "Now don't get fuss." "You do like he said." "We don't want no more trouble." "You can expect some from those five." "They had us right under their guns, and didn't do a thing." "Real gentlemen." "Did you see the look in that last one's... eyes?" "Like a snake I killed once." "That sure was a pretty girl." "They all look good after a couple months in prison." "No reason why we can't mix a little pleasure with business." "We haven't finished the business yet." "Your share of the gold can get you a hundred girls." "But as long as this one's on our hands... no reason why we can't enjoy her companionship." "We got plenty to keep us busy." "That road'll... have to be watched every minute." "Billy, you'll take the first watch up along the ridge." "We'll want some time to set ourselves, when the stage comes." "Sure got one idea in your mind." "Can't get your mind off that gold, can you?" "Get your mind on too many things, you'll wind up with nothing." "If you fellows will excuse me... I think I'll call on the young lady." "Maybe ask her to the barn dance." "Dance?" "I didn't hear about..." "Quiet, Billy." "When's this dance gonna be?" "Help me with the horses." "is he going to ask that girl to the dance?" "Get out of there." "I'd like a word with you, miss." "Say it." "A pretty girl like you shouldn't frown." "Makes lines in the face." "That's better." "Won't you invite me in for a moment?" "No." "l don't mean any harm." "You can trust..." "How long since you saw a girl?" "Long time." "Then I don't trust you." "No girls in the town you come from?" "I came here to be neighborly, not to answer questions." "I just wondered." "Where do you come from?" "Lots of places." "South?" "Sure." "North, East and West, too." "Start riding in one of those directions." "Honey... I'll be visiting again." "Find out anything?" "Just that this one's too smart to say anything." "And he thinks he's charming." "Have much luck, son?" "Just give me a little time." "Girls are like royal flushes." "Takes a little luck, a lot of savvy... and an ace up the sleeve." "Govern inside?" "Col. Governs posting the guard." "I'm beginning to feel like an army man, guard duty and all." "You got the next watch, private." "I sure don't have much taste for this military life." "I wish that stage would hurry and get here." "You just been here a little while, son." "You... got a lot to learn about patience." "I'm patient enough when the chips are on the table." "Just want the game to get started." "You won't be much good if there's any more trouble." "Won't be none." "They're just riders heading somewhere." "Besides, you don't have to worry none." "Any trouble and I'll take care of you." "They're not heading anywhere." "They've arrived where they want to go." "Don't you go trying to find out." "Come back here." "Don't you go out there with them men." "You come right..." "Here, miss, let me help you with that." "It's sort of heavy for such a pretty little girl." "Let's have something more sprightly. I promised the lady a dance tonight." "So we might as well make it a bit more lively." "I told you to stay in the house." "I'd love to dance. I haven't danced in just ages." "A little guitar sounds good with a mouth harp, don't you think?" "Gosh, that sounds good." "Get your own dance partner, sonny." "Only one girl." "What are you stopping for?" "We just got going good." "Let's..." "Let's have the music." "Let's have that music." "John Candy didn't get his dance yet." "All right, everybody's had his dance. I... think we'd all better get some sleep." "l ain't danced with my niece yet." "Take her inside and dance all you like." "You haven't had your dance yet, Govern." "So I get to escort the lady home." "That ain't hospitable." "I hope you enjoyed your dancing." "You almost started some trouble you couldn't have stopped." "I didn't ask for any attention. I came out for a bucket of water." "Your uncle could have got it." "I'm used to doing it. I got in the habit." "I guess there's not much to do around here, except work." "Not so long ago, this place was full... of people." "Then the mine ran out." "Everybody left, except Uncle Mime and me stayed to tend the stage." "I get so as I feel like running out." "Just running till I meet somebody." "Don't even matter who." "A dead town is a pretty lonesome place." "We get along all right." "Till some saddle tramps ride in and... turn the place into a shooting match." "You'll be first prize if you don't stay inside." "I'm not afraid of you." "I guess you're not." "But I'm afraid of you." "I could hear that tune all the way up on the ridge." "We gonna have that dance we talked about?" "Come on, let me spin you around." "The dance is over." "You should have been up there to relieve him, Hale. lt's your turn." "I don't want that ridge unwatched." "How come you don't take a turn up there?" "Because I say it's your turn." "And I say it's so you can hear the girl." "In case any of the boys decide to go visiting." "You got ideas about nearly everything." "I might as well tell you... I'm getting a few ideas about you, too." "Maybe we all better get some sleep." "John, take the next watch from your brother." "I want you two to come with me." "What for?" "Our best chance is to keep them bottled up inside the town here." "I want to look over the other approaches." "We can't leave them holes to get through, out to open country." "They're leaving." "See, just like I said." "They left their gear around." "They'll be back." "I'm gonna look around while I can." "Maybe something'll tell us why they came." "You'll get in a heap of trouble." "You stay." "I won't go far." "This might be our only chance." "Looking?" "I was just looking for some tobacco." "Uncle Mime ran out of it." "He gets into an awful state when he's out of tobacco." "Sure, I know." "You was trying to steal tobacco." "Not steal." "Just borrow some." "I would have asked, but I didn't see anybody around." "Here." "Go on, take it." "You sure are pretty." "Thank you." "I don't hear nice things like that much around here." "What's a girl like you doing out here?" "My uncle takes care of his job out here." "I take care of my uncle." "You like it here?" "No, but Uncle Mime's all the kin I've got." "I have no place else to go." "I know lots of places. I could show you." "Like what?" "Like Waco, Dallas, plenty of places." "is that where you're from?" "Sure." "Me and my brother." "That's where we come from." "What are you doing way up here?" "We got a job to do." "l'll bet it's important." "Sure it is." "The Rebels couldn't find nobody else to stop that stage." "If you're soldiers, why aren't you in uniform?" "You must be pretty dumb." "We'd get shot down in a minute... if we went traipsing around in them gray uniforms." "Don't you know..." "Where you going?" "l think I'd better get back to the house." "Don't you want the tobacco?" "Yes." "Thank you." "Trade you the sack for a kiss." "You're pretty." "Don't pull away." "Stop, please." "Don't." "All I want is a little kiss." "Don't!" "You stop pulling away, you hear?" "Stop!" "I'll kiss you!" "I told her not to go out there." "Why doesn't she listen to me?" "Don't!" "You stop pulling away." "You won't be giving any presents away." "I asked you nice, and you got all high about it. I'm not asking you now." "Billy, please don't." "You're pretty." "Listen to me, Billy, listen. I've been lonely, too, understand?" "Let me think about it a little while." "Let her go." "Never seen a girl like you in a long time." "Let go!" "You made me hit him." "You shouldn't walk around alone." "My brother's funny." "He gets to wanting things." "Wanting can be a bad thing, sometimes." "It can ball up in a man's guts, like cactus spines." "Man's got to rid himself of it." "What are you doing off the ridge, John?" "You're supposed to be on the lookout." "Bring him to." "Haggard, take the skyline, will you?" "Did they hurt you?" "No, I'm all right." "Seems you can't resist parading around like a pony in an auction... and stirring the boys up." "Don't seem to stir you up any." "It might, but now I'm only interested... in seeing that you don't cause any trouble between my men." "Get out and you won't have to worry about it." "I'm not worried." "I'm just tired of walking you home." "I saw what was happening." "I saw the crazy one put his hands on you." "I saw it and I couldn't do anything." "Don't torture yourself." "I was going to go out and I saw this bottle." "I thought it would give me my nerve back." "But it took more of it away." "I'm all right." "They didn't hurt me." "The leader came back and stopped him." "Once the stage gets inside town, there's... two ways they can break into the clear." "I want to avoid any running fight out in the flats." "That means we got to keep them bottled up." "Hale, you'll be here." "The stage will pass close to you on... the way in, so keep out of sight." "Billy, you'll be here, on the smithy roof." "And John, you and..." "You better hear this." "Sure." "Just where are you going to be?" "In the house." "You'll be able to keep close to the girl." "I don't want the girl." "You don't want anyone else to have her, either." "I'm thinking about the gold." "No reason a man can't have both." "All this talk. I'm beginning to think... there ain't going to be a stage." "Another day's waiting won't hurt." "It hurts me. I don't like all this waiting and watching." "I don't like you knocking me off that girl." "I don't like you acting like you own her." "Sit down." "Your brother's got a lot of dislikes." "What do you say?" "I say you talk too much." "All right." "John, you and Haggard will be here." "Once the team is unhitched, ride in." "That young kid, the crazy one, he let some things slip." "They're Confederate soldiers." "Leave it alone." "He talked about a stage from California." "lt ain't due for two weeks." "Not the scheduled one." "But they're here for something to do with... a stage." "One we don't know about." "Why wouldn't we know about it?" "Any stage that was..." "Unless it's carrying something so important... that we shouldn't know about it." "Lf it is, I'm going to warn that stage." "l won't let you." "You'll have to. I'm going to slip away tonight." "Stay out of it, girl." "They'll do what they have to and ride away from here." "And we'll be dead." "They can't leave us here to set the army on them." "Then I should be the one to go." "I have a better chance." "You turn down the lamp before I open the door." "Look what I got me." "A nightrider." "Just what kind of a mission were you out on?" "To stop what you're waiting for." "The stage." "That's very bright of you." "How did you expect to get out of here?" "Out on the flatlands, John Candy could see you clear as day." "He could've put a bullet between your shoulders at 200 yards." "After you do what you come for, you have a bullet marked for me anyway." "I've been trying to keep you from harm all along." "I can imagine how much my life means to you." "You can't imagine it at all." "Maybe I can." "You're a man, like the rest." "You may not act like them, but you think like them." "There are many reasons for not acting as you think." "I'm sure you and your reasons are very happy together." "Not very." "Couldn't sleep?" "Just out enjoying the moon, like you." "Only... I didn't have a pretty girl along." "She had some idea... I know, I heard. I get the feeling that girl's... beginning to glitter like gold to you." "Not pound for pound." "It came to a choice, I think she'd win." "So I've been figuring." "After the stage, you and me shoot the others." "Then you take the girl, I'll take the gold." "l don't have to make that choice." "You might." "A bullet can't hurt gold, but..." "Looks like this has been a profitable night for you." "Money isn't everything." "l'm getting sick of hanging around." "Be quiet." "There ain't any stage." "The Rebs got fooled, some way." "Sit down and hush up." "You want something to do, you might build up this fire." "The wind's cold on that ridge." "Don't tell my brother what to do, old man." "Lf you're cold, build your own fire." "Just asking a favor, son." "Billy don't do nothing unless I tell him." "To me, some of the things you tell him get him into trouble." "l'm getting mighty tired of you." "Keep your hand away from the gun." "You're walking tall around here." "Giving orders, posting guards." "I think you think you're really the boss." "Don't start anything, John." "Anything my brother starts, I'll help him finish." "The stage is coming." "Some troopers escorting it." "Take your spots." "Hold your fire till they go for their guns." "Take cover." "You'd get yourself killed, wouldn't you?" "Edmonds, unhook the horses." "Millers, bring in the relief mounts." "You the agent for the stage?" "Stand where you are." "Throw down your guns." "Ambush!" "Get that stage out of here!" "Stop that trooper." "He'll give a warning." "Steven Jethro?" "Steven Jethro, I arrest you in the name... of the army of the Confederacy." "I am not Steven Jethro." "You certainly must be..." "We'll find out." "All right, what have you done with that $30,000 in gold?" "This could hang 200 men." "The gold, where is it?" "I wouldn't carry it with me." "I wouldn't be that..." "All right, tell, where is it?" "lt's in California and only I can get it out." "You're lying." "What did you do with it?" "Ain't he got the gold?" "Maybe you sent it on by another stage." "Or did you dump it somewhere between here and California?" "Talk, or I'll stake you in the sun till your eyes turn black." "I'm telling you the truth." "I got it on deposit with Wells Fargo in San Francisco." "And I was going back for it after a while." "You done a lot of riding just to look at the scenery." "I'd hate to think I took that trip for nothing." "Wait." "I'd like to see that California territory." "We can't go back South, or the Rebs will slap... us in jail for taking money they need." "We sure can't stay up here in Yankee land." "We're going to see you get back to San Francisco real safe." "You're not taking him to California." "The South doesn't want him wandering around loose." "I want that gold." "And I want him where he can stand trial... and tell what he knows." "You've been telling us what you want." "You say the girl can be part of the rest of the spoils... but you watch over her like a mama chick." "You say you want the job done any way, but done and over." "Yet you want to take Jethro back with you." "You don't even care that the gold isn't on the stage." "I don't think you ever were inside a jail." "You're not like us, mister, not the least little bit." "You're a Rebel officer." "The Confederacy planted you on us to see that we did the job." "You kept us together long enough to get it done." "Now we're taking over." "I'm taking Jethro back." "Let him go and we'll let you get out alive." "What's wrong with you, Govern?" "What do you want with him?" "He wants him because Governs not a killer like us." "He's a Confederate officer." "A nice, honorable man, who's going to try... and finish the job if it kills him." "It will." "l can pick Govern off." "No." "We want Jethro alive and talking." "l won't even scratch him." "Don't try." "They're not going anywhere." "Keep low." "They'll try to get us all." "Here." "Corral." "It'll take me a while to get my shooting eye back." "You'll have a lot of practice." "What do they want?" "This man and the gold he stole." "You want the gold for yourself?" "I'm a Confederate officer." "I'm sworn... to bring him back with me." "He's a traitor." "We won't have him long." "I'm listening." "Will you come under a truce?" "Why don't you come in here?" "Never mind." "We can talk just as easy this way." "Jethro's got the gold deposited in California." "We can't get at it without him." "Send him out and you'll live." "If you don't, we'll kill you, the old man and the girl." "What do you say?" "You know he's lying." "You give in, they'll kill you." "If I don't, they'll kill us all." "I need that target practice, son." "I'm a Confederate, remember?" "This isn't North or South." "This is just a little war of our own." "Could be bad." "Could be worse." "No deal!" "Let's get him." "He'd have you in the dust before you got four feet across the road." "We can go around back, again." "With Govern, it won't be so easy this time." "Just what are you going to do?" "I'm going to sit right here." "You might sit too long." "Somebody come along any time." "We'll worry about that when it happens." "Shouldn't be too long." "Govern'll save that girl if he can." "I don't like sitting around." "Let's get this over with." "We'll watch the house from here." "Let him think about things." "What do you think they'll do when night falls?" "Try to burn us out, maybe." "It's hard, this waiting." "Hard on them, too." "They can't be sure when somebody might wander up." "Maybe more than they can fight." "Not much chance of that out here." "They'll get nervous." "Hale has kept them stirred up since we started." "He leads them now, but it might not last." "Haggard looks out for himself, in the main chance." "Candy boys are very restless." "Things might happen." "I don't like this sitting and sitting." "Shut up." "I don't like sitting!" "ls that the only word you know?" "What?" ""Sitting." You've said it 20 times in the last hour." "Can't say nothing, anymore." "You say enough." "Lie down for a while." "I'm all right, don't you worry." "Might be a good idea if we took turns sleeping." "Be a long night." "Think maybe I could have a small sip?" "All this excitement." "My throat's dry." "I think it'll be all right." "Govern." "Yes?" "I don't know quite how to say it." "is it about why you're helping me?" "When you first came here, I thought you... were the leader of a bunch of killers." "If I could lead my life the way I wanted to... I guess I've dreamed more than most girls... about where my life was going." "Then you came, and I seemed to know." "If things were different." "The bad years pass." "Things change, though." "Memory holds on to some things." "How forgetful are you?" "I'll remember every shot you fired at me." "The war will end." "I guess, but right now we've still got to fight what's left of it." "If it's over, why go on fighting?" "Kind of like a stampede." "Not much sense to it, but it has to run itself out." "Men get trampled in stampedes." "Yes." "But somebody's got to ride it out." "I'll get him!" "I'll fight Govern!" "What made him do that?" "Billy never could stand waiting." "What are you waiting for?" "I can't shoot an unarmed man." "He just come out to get his brother." "What did he do that for?" "What did he dive under the floor for?" "Everybody on their feet." "Jethro." "Stand still." "The Candy brothers made up our minds... for us." "We'll have to move in, now." "John made it to cover. lt's a long way for us to run." "You start toward the front. I'll cut around the back." "Where is he?" "Quiet." "He might try and burn the place." "Now you know what he's doing." "He'll shoot at the sound of your step." "So don't take that step." "Those random shots might kill one of us." "Just throw away that caution, J.C., and move in." "I ain't got much taste for running across that space." "Ain't as young as I was." "Can't run as fast." "We've got to take advantage of what's going on." "John's ready to drive them into the open." "They won't have much time for shooting at us." "There's the one chance they might." "Cut out the talk and let's go." "The odds are too even, son." "Don't turn." "I've got my trigger finger all nervous, it'll jerk easy." "You can make it to the house easy." "l don't see it that way." "I figure that gold's far enough out of reach... to make it dangerous to stretch for it." "What are you planning?" "All I've got left is my life." "I aim to keep it." "I'm leaving the gold to you, son." "All of it." "Don't even twitch." "Drop the gun." "I'm still here." "Kick the gun a bit." "We can run faster than he can crawl." "We'll get outside." "Candy!" "Don't even breathe heavy." "We don't want whoever wanted to know I'm here, do we?" "There are two dead men under that porch, but one doesn't know it." "Some dead men hear real well." "Shoot and you'll have a dead girl, instead." "Throw it down or I'll kill you." "I've got nothing to lose." "But you have." "I'm thinking about heaving on this trigger." "Shoot me and my dead finger'll pull it." "Drop your gun." "You get the girl... and I get the gold." "Don't, Govern, he'll kill you." "The Yankees came a long way to be buried." "They did the best they could to serve their cause." "They died like brave soldiers." "Amen." "For Hale and the Candys... I hope it's not too hot in hell." "All ready, Govern." "There's extra food and ammunition in the saddlebags." "You, mount up." "Let's get started, Jethro." "After we get South, I've got a long way to come back home."