"Well, we definitely got him." "It's a gut shot, but we got him pretty good." "He didn't even take his rifle." "His horse run off, though." "Cleared up some." "We ought to get a move on." "Let him bleed." "If he keeps going down, he's going to get some distance on us." "He ain't going nowhere." "We let him bleed." "Well, let's just get paid up and be done with it." " He went in." " Yep." "There's no tracks on the other side." "He done gone over them falls." "Ain't no body." "Well, he went in that there water..." "There ain't no body." "There ain't gonna be no body." " There's always a body." " You expect us just to conjure him?" "I expect you to find him." "That's what I'm paying you for." "Stay, stay." "Stay." "Oh, God." "Oh, God." "Oh, God." "Y'all smell that?" "Oh, fuck." "Don't touch it." "He's doubled back on his tracks." "Hayes, you and the kid follow those two." "Pope, you take that one." "Mr. Parsons, you wait here." "I'll take this one." "He's not far." "So watch yourselves." "I got his gun." "He ain't bleeding no more." "Yes, he is." "Where's Pope?" "The intervals are 10 feet." "Be ready." "He's here." "Remember, if you kill this son of a bitch, you will not be paid." "Extremities only." "God damn it." "Oh, hell." "Lord almighty." "What did he do to Pope?" "Mister, who the hell is this man?" "Get the horses." "We have him now." "He must be part Indian or wolf." " Eat a man like that." " He didn't eat him." "Go." "Go." "Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?" "I guess it makes sense." " Finished off by a young'un." " I ain't no young'un." "And I don't care to hear you say another goddamn thing." "Now, come on out of there and put your hands out in front of you." "Come on." "You been shot." "Trying to steal somebody else's horse, I reckon." "I'd say you need a new line of work, mister." "Nathaniel!" "Nathaniel!" "Come on." "Come on, now." "Thank you, thank you." "Thank you." " Who is he?" " Horse thief." "But he's hurt." "I'll pay for the horse." "You best rest yourself." "Pa'll be home after a while, and he'll decide what to do with you." "No more tracks, Carver." "The trail's gone cold up there." "Your sister..." "She don't take kindly to thieving." "There's plenty of time for that when you grow up." "See that." "Yeah, he's still bleeding." "There's something else down here." " Take a look." " Yeah." "What'd you see?" "Charlotte." "We caught him trying to steal Red." "He's hurt." "Shot." "Who are you, mister?" "I do some trapping a bit north of here." "Must be quite a bit north of here." "Quite a bit." "I don't expect you shot yourself." "No." "No." "Somebody after your hides?" "Fringing on your territory?" "I couldn't say." "You come down out of that pass without a horse?" "Up here, a man without a horse is generally a dead man." "That I can solve." "So I don't take kindly to a man trying to steal mine." "Like I told your girl, I'll pay for the horse." "It's only about six days' walk from here to town, as I recall." "I'll pay you twice what you paid for her." "If you can pay, why don't you just walk yourself down there?" "I'd rather not." " Nothing there." " Not a goddamn thing." " I'll go down there and take a look." " No." "We're done here." "We'll follow the ridge." "That's 16 days." "Seventeen out Mount Olive," " at $1 a day." " You'll get your money when we find him." "Not before." "What do you mean?" "You saw." "That trail ends down at the end of that ravine." "'Cause he never went down the ravine." "We follow the ridge." "Come here." "I'm Gideon." "You don't talk much, do you, boy?" "You know, it's not considered polite to shoot a man who's sleeping in your house." "Well, get on back to bed." "Where is he?" " Who the hell..." " I'm doing the asking here." " Coffee and biscuits, woman." " Now, lie to me and I will fire this place with you and yourn in it." " Now where is he?" " Must have left at first light." "We done got here at first light." "Damn fool." " Were he able-bodied when he come here?" " No." " Did you give him supplies or a rifle?" " No." " He had a pistol." " Took that off of Pope after he killed him." " You give him a horse?" " No." "Ain't no horse for that one." "Mister, I don't know where you come from, but we helped a shot mongrel of a man, and he's gone away in the night, and that's all we know." "You lying son of a bitch." "What did you sell him?" "What did the devil get for his money?" "Hayes." "I ain't paying you to play with womenfolk." "Tell me about the man who came here." "If I think you're lying," "I'll kill your brother and hand you over to Mr. Hayes." "He was here, and he left in the night." " Stole a mare, looks like." " What about that gold?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "I took it." "He was sleeping." "I took it from his bag." "I only wanted a gun to protect us." "Son, nobody can protect nobody in this world." "The sooner you realize that, the better." "Pope's horse stays." "You son of a bitch." "No wonder you don't talk much." "Too busy thieving." "How do you write "wife"?" "Kid, that's W..." "H-O-R-E." "Don't much matter how you spell it, a woman ain't gonna be yours unless you're paying her for the night." "You pay her to be sweet to you, kid, that's all." "Don't never mix up money and love." "Toss the pistol." "What do you want?" "I'd have thought that it was obvious, seeing as how I've been shooting at you." "Keep them hands out." "Turn around." "Why are you doing this?" "Seraphim Falls." "Colonel Carver." "Turn around." "I wanna see your face." " What?" " Double watches the rest of the night." "You'll be on him before long." "He was here today." "Watch the sides." "Make sure he didn't break off and cover." "Jesus Christ." "He's still breathing." "We got to get this thing off him." "Parsons, see about that horse." "Well, now we got some discussing to do." "Right here and now." "We ain't negotiating based on tracking no killer like this." "You're being well-paid." "We're 18 days on a 30-day commission," " and two of us is already dead." " Can't say I'm surprised." "The man we're after preys on the weak and unprepared." "I'd advise you to take this as a warning." "Well, what if we just decided to take that as our walking papers?" "You are, of course, free to do that, Mr. Hayes." "You will, however, do it without the assistance of my horse on which you sit." "Am I clear, gentlemen?" "We'll keep on." "But we want to split the pay that's due them, instead." "Done." "Now we've got distance to cover." "If our man makes it to the low country, we'll likely never see him again." "Wouldn't catch me complaining about that." "Morning, stranger." "I didn't figure any transients this far up." "I'm just passing through, is all." "You need some whiskey?" "We got some whiskey." "Shut up, Horace." "No, I can't say as I'm looking for whiskey, but I sure could use some food." "Looks like you boys have got other things on your mind." "Would have been helpful if you hadn't seen those." "Well, if you ain't planning on eating, I'll just be getting on." "I'm afraid I can't let you do that." "You see, we is fugitives from the law." "They catch us, they're gonna string us up." "Horace, if you don't get quiet, I'm gonna hang you myself." "It don't much matter to me." "I'm just looking to be left alone." "Same as you." "So, I'll be on my way." "You look powerful familiar, mister." "I know you?" "I doubt it." "I'll be damned." "That's one of McClellan's boys up at Antietam." "Ain't you gonna kill him, huh?" "Waste of a bullet." "He's so banged up and hungry, he won't make it to town anyway." "Lost both his sons in one day at that goddamn bridge." " I seen it myself." " Yeah?" "But nothing touched him." "Not a scratch." "Not a splinter." "They say he killed over 100 men that day alone." "Him?" "Nah." "Hey, you use some of that money to get yourself some spectacles." "Still, Virgil, the way you shot that teller, I thought you'd be itching to do it again." "I'm itching to get out of here." "Get going." "Goddamn right." "Let's go." "Don't ever go chasing after that man." "If you don't shoot him, I swear to Christ I will." "We can't be letting no stranger, whoever the hell you think he is, just walk into town and tell them authorities where we gone." " Let's go." "Come on." " Take care of it myself." "Horace!" "Horace, come on!" "Afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to stop walking." "Let me be, boy." "Best just go on back up to your kin." "Mister, I never shot nobody in the back before." "So it's best you just turn around," " and you get what's coming to you." " Boy, now you put that gun up and go on." "Turn around." "You're a fool, boy." "I told you to let me pass on." "Hey!" "There was three of 'em." "Two of 'em went on up, one went down that way." " Look familiar, gentlemen?" " Figure it's him that done it?" "'Course it's him." "Who else would be dropping folks like owl pellets out on these hills?" "If he's got himself another horse, we won't catch him before sundown." "I reckon we ought to move down valley, then." "He won't be heading toward Carson City." "Come on." "Let's get off these cursed hills." "You two can go on without me." "What?" "Those boys have been wanted for six months." "He's worth 250 in Carson." "That's a damned sight better than what he's offering." "And this boy don't require no chasing." " You can't just leave." " The hell I can't." "You would, too, if you knew what was good for you." "The posse's take is all yours when the ride's done." "No less than 120 and you don't have to ride with a stinking corpse, neither." "All right." "You sure?" "You go on and get yourself killed." "I'm done." "Okay." "Let him earn that 250 the hard way." "He ain't never going to make it to town without a horse." "I told you boys." "Them horses are mine." "We can water your mare." "She looks hard-ridden." "Mercy to the beast is blessed in the eyes of the Lord." "He sees your sin." "Do I know you?" "Well, well, well." "Looky here." "Boys, we've caught ourselves a real, live, notorious criminal." "$250 for that horse-thieving varmint." "You ought to have known better than to steal from the Bar H." "Old man McCleeny don't take kindly to losing horse flesh like this." "Want another one?" "Yeah, fuck you." " You the foreman?" " Who's looking?" "Might have been a man rode through here." " Tall." "Don't talk much." " Is that so?" " I'd like to find him." " There's nothing for you here." " What do you want with this fella?" " I just want him." " Is the horse yours?" " Ain't about horses." "'Cause there's been some horse thieves around these parts." "A lot of men like to see them caught, you know." "Well, they won't trouble us." "I reckon so." "I'd be obliged if we could take water here, and then we'll leave you to your work." "Yeah." "Lewis here will show you where." "Help yourself, Paddy boy." "Shut up." "Gotta piss." "I'll find you." "You gonna hold it for me?" "Paddy boy." "I said, shut your goddamn mouth." "He's gone." "Gone?" "How in the hell..." " All right, you two!" " Yes, sir." "Down by the bridge." "Jesus, Mary, Joseph." "All right." "Down that way, idiots." "Open the gate." "Go check on them other two." "I want them out of here." "I thought you weren't interested in horses, mister." "I'm not." "I think it's time you told me what it is you are interested in here." "Nothing." "Nothing." "I like that." "Like I said, I'd be obliged for some water, and we'll be on our way." "Suppose you just be on your way then, huh?" "Get up, you big baby." "Get your gun!" "Fuck you." "Let's move." "Pilgrims, you arrived just in time." "May we offer you shelter and fellowship?" "We can pay if you have some food to spare." "The Lord is bountiful." "Our venison stew is a week in the pot and fire every day." "Come." "Reckon we ought to camp somewheres else?" "Afraid the word of God will spoil your digestion?" "I never was much for scripture." "Nothing to fear, Mr. Hayes." "Them's just words." "Ain't no God out here." "Say, how'd you come by that scar on your neck?" "Indians?" "Them savages?" "No, it was worse." "Mormons." "Praise be to God and a good rifle, he answered my prayers and not his." "You ought to have a talk with your God about that." "Figure he ought to be more careful." "You being the chosen folk and all." "Could be he was careful, or I'd be dead." "So, you figure God were on your side then?" "He's always on the side of the righteous, son." "If you don't mind, I'll take his share." "It'll help me digest that fine stew of yourn." "Play something for our guests, children." "No hymns." " You ready?" " No damn hymns." "Goddamn preacher." " Did that to yourself." " Why don't you mind how you talk to me?" "It's just you and me out here now." "You go for me, you don't get paid." "Anyway, the noise would make that head of yours split clean through." "Much obliged." "Don't you ever threaten me again, boy." "Understand?" "Check your weapon." " Oh, shit." " Goddamn missionaries." "Thieving bastards emptied our guns." "I told you we ought to camp someplace else." "As long as I've still got the one for him," "I guess it don't much matter." "What the hell were they doing out here?" "Certain kind of decision." "Once a man makes it, he can't end up nowhere but here." "You go." "You go, now." "Go now." "What the hell kind of animal has done that?" "Shit." "Hell, there ain't no animal..." "Get off the horse." " Easy now." "Easy now." " Yeah." "Get off the horse." "Toss the gun over here." "Just do what he says, Carver." "You do it." "Easy." "On your knees." "Now." "Ain't you gonna ask me to spare you, Captain?" "Ain't that what cowards are supposed to say?" "Just as well." "'Cause I ain't planning on it." "Toss that knife over here." "I ain't gonna let you try anything before I send you down." "Finish it then, huh?" "Not so fast." "I've been hunting you for..." "I don't know how long." "No sense in rushing it now." "The war is over, sir." "It has been three years." "Won't never be over." "It was war." "War." "War is men fighting, you son of a bitch." "That weren't war what you did." "It was orders." "Orders you gave, Captain." "Yeah." "There we go." "All right, Danny, your turn." "Hit it round the edges, nice and hard." "Watch your fingers." "Get your balance." "Get your balance." "Put that leg over." "Nice and hard now." "Now you're getting it." "Now you got it." "Now you got it." "It's not gonna bite you." "Danny, come here." "Get off this land." "Ma'am, we have it on good information that this is the home of Colonel Morsman Carver." " He's my husband." " Is he here, ma'am?" "No." "He's not here." " Search the house, Lieutenant." " Yes, sir." "House, march." "Show them the hard hand, boys." " Check upstairs." " The cellar's clear." "Where's the Colonel, ma'am?" "Mind yourself, Lieutenant." "Where is he, ma'am?" "Fire the barns." "Leave the house." "No!" "Stop!" " Rose!" " No." " No!" " Colonel!" " Where are your men, Colonel?" " The war is over." "You know the war is over." " Where are your men?" " I released them." " Months ago, I released them." " And the cannon?" "Shattered all to hell." "Abandoned outside Atlanta." "Get your hands off me, you Yankee scum." "No!" "My baby, please!" "Let go!" "Let go!" "No!" "Rose!" "Let go of me!" "Danny, no!" "Danny!" "Danny, come back..." "Danny!" "Danny, come back!" "Oh, God." "Somebody, help me." "You said the house was empty." "You..." "You son of a bitch." "God damn you to hell." "God damn you to hell." "You said the house was empty!" "They're Rebs, Captain." "You burned that house." "And them in it." "Your turn now." ""For they that take the sword" ""shall perish with the sword."" "Enough!" "Enough!" "It's done." "It's done." "Forty miles to Red Rock City." "You head over that ridge, you'll be all right." "You keep coming after me, you ain't going to find nothing but torment." "You will pay for that life, or you will pay with yours." "I'm going to fill my skin and water the horses, and then I'll be leaving." "That there's life." "Nothing 'round here is free." "Ain't got no gold." "You can look for yourself." "How to value a man's life?" "How 'bout one for another?" "The black one is good." "Leave him." "You may go." ""Blessed be the Lord, my strength." ""He teaches my fingers to fight and my hands to war."" "Amen." "Come on." "Leave me be, old man." "That your horse?" "No." "It's yours." "Go as you wish." "That which is yours will always return to you." "That which you take will always be taken from you." "That's for the water, not the horse." "A man could die out here if he's not careful." "I didn't see you come up." "That's 'cause you keep looking behind you." "Perhaps you'd be interested in a little ration of Madame Louise's Cure All." "'Course, some say it's the demon rum in a fancy bottle, but it'll cure what ails you." "Thank you kindly." "But I'm afraid ain't no bottle going to sort out my troubles." "You men, you always choosing a gun over a remedy." "It don't really much matter what I choose." "Got no money either way." "Oh, hell." "I never let that stand in the way of making a deal." "What's wrong with that.44?" "Nothing." "How old's the animal?" "I don't really know." "Steal her, did you?" "Not exactly." "Spoken like a true sinner." "Well, hell, don't matter much out here." "Man's got to do what a man's got to do, right?" "Yeah." "I suppose we best fix you up." "Cost you the horse." "I reckon I ain't getting out of here, anyway." "Hell, I'll even throw in a bottle of the curative." "Hey, don't forget your curative." "Look at that sun long enough, you go blind, or worse, mad." "What the hell do you want?" "I'm just a humble peddler offering a cure to an ailing world." "I ain't looking for no cure." "Why, that's just what your friend said." "That what he's calling himself?" "What would you call him?" "Somebody who could use a taste of that Colt of yourn." "Tell you what, stranger." "I got three thirsty animals over there." "I'll trade you this here steel for that water you got." "What do you say?" "Got us a deal?" "Yeah." "Just the one shell?" "You looking for more?" "I reckon not." "Time was, you said your war was over." "Only the dead can only end a war, Captain." "Go on, finish it." "I believe it's up to you, sir." "Rose." "Rose." "Forgive me."