"Little Frank, you take care of your mom." "I will." " You're not travelling very heavy, Tom." " I got all I need." "You should be taking the train, Frank." "Fort Smith is too long a ride." "On Judy, 70 miles will be just a pleasant outing." "Yarnell, I know you'll take good care of the place for me." "You and my Mattie." " Where is Mattie?" " I'm in here, Papa." "Well, little bookkeeper, you got my wherewithal ready?" " Of course." " How much are you allowing?" "There's right around $150 cash money." "You better hand me my good luck gold pieces, too." "Buying Texas mustang ponies, you're gonna need more luck than they put in at the mint." "You'll come around to my plan." "I intend to buy as many ponies as I can swing." "We'll breed them for deer hunting." "I don't think much of Texas ponies." "They're small and chicken-brained." "I'd say small and tough." "Just right for keeping up with dogs through the brush." " You want my advice, papa?" " I always do." " Buy the ponies cheap." " I expect to." "This Colonel Stonehill, he's got to get rid of them before winter sets in." "Papa, that gun's old-fashioned." "Why don't you buy a new one in Fort Smith?" "It served me well at Chickamauga." "It's got a long way to go yet." "Goodbye, Papa." "Tom Chaney, now there's trash for you." "He should have stayed here and looked after the place, it's his job." "After all, papa took him in when he was starving and gave him a house to live in." "Come, Mattie, it's only an old tool shed." "You can still throw a cat through the south wall." "It's got a good roof." " This game's crooked." " What do you mean?" "You've been dealing me seconds!" "Goddamn crooks!" "You've been stacking the decks!" "Aw, come on, Tom." "We got our business done, we want to make an early start for home." "I don't think it's happening here." "Them card sharks is cheatin' me." "I wanna get my money back." "Not full of whisky and with a gun, that's no way." "A gun'll say a whole lot quick." "You work for me, I won't allow you to get in trouble." " Give me your gun." " I'll give you one end of it." "Give me that gun." "Give me your gun." "All aboard!" "Can you tell me where the undertaker is?" "Around the corner from the courthouse, ma'am." "Thank you." "Can't understand all these people being here." "Man on the train told me everybody comin' here from every place." "I'd like to know why." "They're hanging three men today at the courthouse." "We better go and see about papa." "I'll get you!" "Man out rustling up business for himself, looks like." "Seems like we have us a lot of time to waste before we see anybody much." "I can tell what you want, Yarnell." "You want to go to that hanging." "'Fraid I can't." "Your mama said to keep an eye on you." "Well, I'll go along." "Don't worry, I won't tell mama." "Who wants peanuts?" "!" "Fresh!" "Hot tamales!" "That man up there on the porch..." "That's Judge Parker." "He watches all the hangings." " He says it's his sense of duty." " Who knows what's in a man's heart?" "Hangman's a Yankee." "They say he won't spring the trap on a boy that wore the blue." "No, I'm here." "I'll see it all." "My goodness." "That's not a faint-hearted judge." "Chaney would get his due before such a judge." "Is that the man?" "That is my father." "If you would like to kiss him, it will be all right." "No." "Put the lid on it." "I'm Mattie Ross of near Dardanelle in Yell County, and this is my friend, Yarnell Poindexter, he works on our place." "Yes, ma'am." "State your business." "My father was killed in Fort Smith by a coward named Tom Chaney." "I'm here to find out what you're doing about the murder." "Well, we do know this much: his name's Chambers, he's now in Indian territory, we think he was with Lucky Ned Pepper robbing a mail hack" "Tuesday down on the Poteau River, he's a medium-height man with a black mark on his cheek." "That's a description of Tom Chaney, there's no Chambers to it." "He got that black mark when a man fired a pistol in his face and the powder got under the skin." "Why aren't you out looking for him?" "I have no authority in the Indian Nation." "He's now the business of the US marshal." "Who's the best marshal they have?" "Bill Waters is the best tracker." "The meanest one is Rooster Cogburn, a pitiless man, double tough, fear don't enter into his thinking." "I'd have to say L.T. Quinn is the straightest, he brings his prisoners in alive." "Where would I find this Rooster?" "He'll be at the federal court this afternoon." "His bringing in a load of prisoners from the territory." " Is Chaney one of them?" " I don't know, that's federal business." "Your father's gun, you'll want to take it home, I expect." "His saddle is at Colonel Stonehill's stock barn and the rest of his things are at the Monarch Boarding House." "I won't rest until Tom Chaney's barking in hell." "Yarnell you stay with Papa." "When you get him home, you put him in a better coffin, and you bury him in Mason's apron." "Your mama ain't gonna like you not coming home with me." "Mama knows I can take care of myself." "And tell her not to sign anything until I get back." "People will take it wrong that I leave this to you, Yarnell, but I got Papa's business to attend to." "Now, you tell Mama that I'm staying at the Monarch Boarding House and I'm gonna stop over and see if Tom Chaney's one of the prisoners." "And then I'll see this Rooster Cogburn." "All right, get outta the way!" "Back up!" "Back up!" "Stand up!" "Come on out!" "Move along!" "Are those the prisoners from the Indian territory?" "Yes, ma'am." "Do you know if any one of them is Tom Chaney?" "Cogburn ain't turned in his list yet." " Which marshal is Rooster Cogburn?" " The big fella with the eye patch." "Come on!" "All right, take it away!" " Mr. Cogburn!" " Wait!" "You come back here!" "Mr. Cogburn!" "Mr. Cogburn!" "I said you come back here!" "All right, come on up." "If Mr. Cogburn thinks I'm gonna be put off by a locked door, he does not know me!" "I will be here when it opens." "When it opens, you're gonna be mighty hungry." "Best time for you to nail Rooster would be tomorrow." "He's due to testify before Judge Parker in the Wharton case." "Thank you very much." "I appreciate your kindness." "Have some more dumplings, dear?" "At the rate of 25 cents per meal, I might just as well." "I was hoping you were enjoying the dumplings." "They're all right." "I can't see 25 cents in a little flour and grease." " You're late, Mr. La Boof." " The French is "La Boeuf,"" "I call it "La Beef"." "Mr. La Boeuf came in this evening." "Your spurs, please." "My poor chairs are scratched enough already." "A right fancy rig, sir." "Watch out for the chicken and dumplings." " They'll hurt your eyes." " How's that?" "They'll hurt your eyes looking for the chicken!" "You squirrel-headed bastard!" "Howdy." "What's your name?" "I'd like to go to bed now." "But first I'd like to see my father's traps." "I'll take a guess and say your name is Mattie Ross." " This Mr. La Boeuf is a handsome man." " He needs a bath and a shave." "He hails from Texas." "Judge he's right proud of his cowlick." "How do you suppose he guessed my name?" "He's a good guesser, I guess!" "We're short of rooms on account of the hanging." "But you'll sleep in here with Grandma Turner." "Now, don't you worry about Grandma Turner, she's used to doubling up." "I take it my rent will be half, then?" "This is your father's traps." "The watch and the knife are inside." "The man Chaney stole his money and his horse." "What is your opinion of a federal marshal called Rooster Cogburn?" "Rooster Cogburn!" "Lord, I've heard some terrible things about him!" "He loves to pull a cork, I know that!" "His Honour, Judge Parker!" "All rise!" "I'll have a peppermint to settle my stomach." "Yes, sir." "Right, sir." "The United States Court of the western district, having criminal jurisdiction in the Indian territory, is now in session." "Is that Judge Parker, the hanging judge?" "Yeah." "He's a tough customer." "There's no appeal from his court except to the President of the United States!" "Call Deputy Marshal Cogburn." "Mr. Reuben J. Cogburn will take the stand." "Sworn this morning, you're still sworn." "Take the stand." "Defence will cross-examine." "Mr. Cogburn, you testified for the prosecution this morning." "Now, in order to refresh our memories, allow me to summarise what you said." "According to your story C. C. Wharton grabbed a shotgun and killed Marshal Potter." "Then he turned the gun on you, you say, and you shot him." "Then you say the father swung his axe, and you shot him, too." "The defendant here tried to run, you say, and you also shot him." "Just winged him, or he wouldn't be here to pay up." "The old man and C.C. hit the ground dead." "How long have you been a deputy marshal, Mr. Cogburn?" "Four years, come March." "How many men have you shot in that time?" " The prosecution objects!" " Overruled!" "How many men have you shot since you became a marshal, Mr. Cogburn?" " I never shot nobody I didn't have to!" " That was not the question." "How many?" "Shot or killed?" "Let's restrict it to killed, so we may have a manageable figure!" "Well, 12 to 15, stopping men in flight and defending myself." "Twelve to fifteen?" "So many that you cannot keep a specific count." "I have examined the records, Mr. Cogburn." "A much more accurate figure is available." "Come now, how many?" "Counting them two Whartons, 23." "I felt you would come to it with a little effort." "Twenty-three dead men in four years." "That makes about six men a year!" "It's a dangerous business." "How much more dangerous for those arrested by you?" "Now, is it not true that you sprang upon old man Wharton and his two sons with a deadly six-shot revolver in your hand?" " I always try to be ready." " Was this revolver loaded and cocked?" "A gun that's unloaded and cocked ain't good for nothing!" "Just answer my questions, if you please." " Well, the question don't make sense!" " Don't bandy words with counsel." "Yes, sir." "I believe you testified that you backed away from old man Wharton." " Yes, sir." " Which direction were you going?" "Backward!" "I always go backward when I'm backing away!" "I appreciate the humour of that remark." "Aaron Wharton was standing by a pot when you arrived?" "More like squatting." "He was stirring the fire under the scalding pot." " How far did you back away?" " Six, eight steps." "Meaning Wharton advanced on you the same distance?" "Six or eight steps?" " Say about 16 feet?" " Something like that." "Then will you explain why the body was found immediately by the wash pot, one arm in the flames, the sleeve and hand smouldering?" "Them hogs." "They was rooting around, they may have moved the body." "Hogs, indeed." "Mr. Goudy, do you have anymore questions for Mr. Cogburn?" "None that I'll get a straight answer to." "I'm finished with him." "You're dismissed, Mr. Cogburn." "Call the next witness!" "Cecil Falling Leaf, take the stand!" "Raise your right hand." " Mr. Rooster Cogburn?" " What is it?" "I'd like to talk with you a minute." "They tell me you're a man with true grit." "Well, what do you want?" "Speak up!" "You've already wrinkled the paper." "It's pretty loose because your makings are too dry." " I'm looking for Tom Chaney." " Well, who's he?" "He shot and killed my father, Frank Ross." "They tell me he's in the Indian territory and I need somebody to go after him." " Well, who are you?" " Mattie Ross." "My family has 480 acres of good bottomland near Dardanelle in Yell County." "My mother's home looking after my baby sister and my brother, Little Frank." "Well then, why don't you go home and leave me alone?" "They'll need help with the churning." "Mr. Cogburn!" "You can get a fugitive warrant for Tom Chaney and the government will give you two dollars for bringing him in, plus ten cents a mile for each of you, and I'll give you $50 reward." "Well, you've looked into this right smart." " Yes, I have." "I mean business." " What have you got there in your poke?" "By God, girl, that's a Colt's Dragoon!" "You're no bigger than a corn nubbin." "What are you doing with all this pistol?" "It belonged to my father." "He carried it bravely in the war and I intend to kill Tom Chaney with it, if the law fails to do so." "Well this'll sure get the job done, if you can find a fence post to rest it on while you take aim!" "I'm afraid nothing's gonna be done about Chaney unless I do it myself." "I don't think you've got $50." "I've got some horse-trading to do, I'll have it by tomorrow." "Do you know a robber by the name of Lucky Ned Pepper?" "I know him... well!" "I shot him in the lip last August over at Winding Stair Mountains." "He was lucky that day all right, my shooting was off." "Well, I think Tom Chaney's tied up with him." " Yeah?" " Yeah." " Ned Pepper, huh?" " Yeah." "Well, baby sister, I don't think you can get $50." "But if you're hungry, I'll take you home and give you supper." "We'll talk it over." "Make medicine." "How does that suit you?" "Right down to the ground." "I'd like to meet your family." "This is my father, Chen Lee, and my nephew, General Sterling Price." "You want more, missy?" "I've had enough, and enough is good as a feast." "I've never seen chopsticks work before." "Chopsticks save your fingers." " Give me your cup." " I don't drink coffee, thank you." "Well, now, what do you drink?" "I'm partial to cold buttermilk." "Well, we ain't got none of that." "We ain't got no lemonade, neither." "Let's get to the game." " My deal?" " Yes, sir." " What about my proposition?" " I'm thinking on it." "Sounds like a mighty easy way to make $50 to me." "Don't crowd me." "I'm figuring expenses." "Don't see how you can play cards and drink whiskey and think of this detective business all at the same time." "Well, I'll tell you one thing, if I have to go up against Ned Pepper, it'll cost $100." "I figured that much out." " And $50 in advance." " You're trying to take advantage of me." "I'm giving you my children's rates." "It isn't going to be easy smoking old Ned out." "He'll be holed up down in that Indian Nation." "Well, I hope you don't think I'm going to keep you in whiskey." "I don't buy that, I confiscate it." "A touch of it wouldn't do you any harm against the night air." "No, thank you." "Well, it's the real article." "Genuine, double-rectified busthead." "Aged in the keg." "I would not put a thief in my mouth to steal my brains." "Well, sis, my price is $100." "There it is." "Want to make medicine?" "I will think about your proposition and talk to you again." "Now, I wanna go to the Monarch Boarding House." "You better walk me over there." "You are a lot of trouble." "Wait till I finish this hand." "You can never tell what's in a Chinaman's mind." "That's the way he bests you at cards." "I go." "Scat!" "Mr. Rat I have a writ here says you're to stop eating Chen Lee's cornmeal forthwith." "Now, it's a rat writ, writ for a rat, and this is lawful service of same." "See?" "Doesn't pay any attention to me." " Outside is place for shooting!" " I'm serving some papers." "That was your job in the first place." "You can't serve papers on a rat, baby sister." "You got to kill him or let him be." " What's your thoughts on it?" " You going to drink all of that?" "Judge Parker, old carpetbagger, but he knows his rats." "We had a good court going around here 'til them pettifogging lawyers moved in." "A rat catcher's too tough on the rats." ""Give them rats a fair show," they say." "Well, what kind of a fair show did they give old man Potter?" "Tell me that." "Finer man never lived." "You're useless in this condition." "I'll walk over there by myself." " You scared of the dark?" " I've never been scared of the dark." "Well, if I had a big horse pistol like that," " I wouldn't be scared of no boogerman." " I'm not scared of no boogerman." " Sugar?" " No, thanks." " Cream?" " Please." "Just a dab." "Oh, Miss Ross." "I've been waiting to have some private words with you." "And you, dear lady," "I find a sweet distraction, as I suppose most men do." " Will you excuse us?" " Why, of course, Mr. La Boeuf." "What do you want of me?" "Who are you?" " Nobody yet, but I expect to go high." " How?" "Well, to begin with, I expect to marry well." "Well, you have the hair combed for it." "How'd you know my name was Mattie Ross?" "I saw your mother yesterday." "What business did you have with her?" "This." "Can you identify the man in this picture?" "It's a likeness of Tom Chaney." "There's no black mark on his face, but that's him." "I'm looking for him and I hear you're looking for him, too." "I know all about your father." "How come you didn't show me this last night when we met?" "I only take one step at a time." "That's why I was given two feet." "His real name is Theron Chelmsford." "He shot and killed a state senator named Bibbs down in Waco, Texas." "I've been on his trail the best part of four months now." " You some kind of law?" " Yeah." "I'm a sergeant in the Texas Rangers." "I'm working for the family of the late Senator Bibbs." "Chelmsford or Chaney as you call him, he shot and killed the Senator's bird dog." "Bibbs threatened to whip him, and Chaney shot the old gentleman while he was sitting in a porch swing." "Well, you need not worry about Chaney anymore." "I aim to have him hanged." "The sheriff informed me that you were looking for a man to go after Chaney in the Indian territory." "I've already found one for the job." "His name is Rooster Cogburn." "He's a deputy marshal for the federal court, toughest one they have." "Maybe I'll throw in with you and your federal marshal." "You'll have to talk that over with Rooster Cogburn." "It's to our mutual advantage." "He knows the land, and I know Chaney." "It's at least a two-man job to take him alive." "And I must have him alive down to McLennan County, Texas." "When we get Chaney, we're not taking him back to Texas." "We're taking him to Fort Smith and hang." "Is it important where he hangs?" " It is to me." " Well, more so to me." "There's a well-placed young lady in Waco who'd look with favour on me if I brought in Chaney." "Now, wouldn't a hanging in Texas serve you just as well" " as the hanging in Fort Smith?" " No." "I want Tom Chaney to pay for killing my father, not for some Texas bird dog." "It won't be for the dog." "It'll be for the senator and your father too." "Chaney will be just as dead." "Well, if in four months I could not find Tom Chaney with a mark on his face like banished Cain," "I would not advise others how to do it." "A little earlier, I gave some thought to stealing a kiss from you, although you are very young and you're unattractive to boot." "But now I'm of a mind to give you five or six good licks with my belt." "One would be as unpleasant as the other." "Lay a hand on me and you'll answer for it." "You Texans are ignorant of our ways." "Good people of this state don't go easy on men who abuse women and children." "The children of Texans are brought up to show a little more respect for their elders." "I also noticed that people of your state gouge their horses with great brutal spurs and cultivate their hair like lettuce." "You'll push that saucy line too far." "Mr. La Boeuf, I have no regard for you, but I'm sure you have enough for yourself to go around." "They are all for sale except those four scrubby ones." " And, who do they belong to?" " The heirs of the late Frank Ross." "I'm Mattie Ross." "I'd like to sell you back those ponies that my father bought." "I fear that is out of the question." "My father bought those ponies for breeding." "Now, I've looked at them, and they're all geldings." "You cannot breed geldings." "That hardly concerns me." "Your father bought four ponies and paid $100 for them, and there's an end of it." "I want $300 for Papa's saddle horse that was stolen from your barn." "You'll have to take that up with the man who stole it." "Tom Chaney stole it while it was in your care." "You are responsible." "I admire your sand, but I am not liable." " I will take it to the law." " You must do as you think best." "We will see if a widow and three small children can get fair treatment in the courts of this city." " You have no case." " Lawyer J. Noble Daggett of Dardanelle" " in Yell County may think otherwise." " You are impudent." "I do not wish to be, sir, but I will not be pushed about when I'm in the right." "I'll take it up with my attorney." "And I will take it up with mine." "Lawyer Daggett." "And he will make money, and I will make money, and your lawyer will make money." "And you, Mr. Licensed Auctioneer, you will foot the bill." "You are a damn nuisance." "Lawyer Daggett?" "Lawyer Daggett?" "Who is this famous pleader whose name I was happily ignorant of 10 minutes ago?" "Have you ever heard of the Great Arkansas River Vicksburg and Gulf and Steamship Company?" "I have done business with the G.A.V.  G., yes." "Well, he was the one that forced them into receivership." "They tried to mess with him." "All right." "Come inside." "Sit down." "I will pay a total of $200 to your father's estate when I have in my hand a letter absolving me of all liability from the beginning of the world to date." "I want $200 for Papa's horse, Judy, plus another $100 for the ponies." "That's $300 total." "The ponies have no part in this." "I will not buy them back." "Then I'll keep the ponies and the price for Judy alone will be $300." "Three hun..." "I wouldn't pay that for a winged Pegasus." "Now, listen very carefully, as I will not bargain further." "I will take the ponies back, and keep your father's saddle, and settle for $200." "My lawyer would not wish me to consider anything under $300." "For that, you get everything except the saddle." "I would like to have that in writing, for what it is worth." "When I have it in my hand, I'll remit the extortion money." "Now, this is your release." "You'll find it in order." "You had that already written out." " I'll give you a check." " I prefer cash." "One hundred." "Two hundred." "Three hundred." "Now, I'm sure you'll find a buyer for those ponies very soon." "I have a tentative offer of $10 a head from the soap works at Little Rock." "It seems such a shame to render such spirited horseflesh into soap." "I'm confident the deal will fall through." " You can expect me back for my saddle." " I'm sure I can." "Do you know a Marshal Rooster Cogburn?" "Most people around here have heard of Rooster Cogburn, and some people live to regret it." "I would not be surprised to learn that he's a relative of yours." " Good morning." " Good morning." " Where's Rooster Cogburn?" " Sleep late." "Very drunk last night." "I've never seen anybody in bed at 10:00 in the morning who wasn't sick." "Coffee." "You ain't such an early bird yourself, baby sister." "I just about give up on you." "I figured you'd gone home." "You need some more slats in that bed." "Yeah." "Well, trouble is, there's no slats in it at all." "Some kind of a damn Chinese rope bed torture contraption." "I'd like to burn it..." "God, don't you got it." "How much is there?" "You still game?" "Baby sister, I was born game and I intend to go out that way." "All right." "One understanding, that we leave for the territory this afternoon to get Tom Chaney." " Well, you're not going." " You've misjudged me." "I can't go up against Ned Pepper's gang and try and take care of a baby" " all at the same time." " I'm not a baby." "You'll slow me down." "There's no hot grub or warm beds out there." "I've slept out at night before." "Papa took me coon hunting last summer." "Well, this ain't no coon hunt and It's no place for a shirttailed kid." "That's what they said about coon hunting." "First night out, you'd be calling, "Mama!" "Mama!"" "I've left off crying." "Now make up your mind." "I'm aimed to get Tom Chaney and if you're not game," "I'll find somebody who is." "Now, I know you can drink whiskey and I saw you kill a rat." "But all the rest has been talk." "I'm not paying for talk." "I can get all the talk I need at the Monarch Boarding House." "I ought to paddle your rump." "I don't know how you propose to do that from the hog wallow you're sunk into." "If I smelled as bad as you, I wouldn't live near people." "I've made up a short agreement here between us." "Sign it." "And here's $25." "I'll give you another $25 when we leave and $50 when the job is done." "Well, I guess we can get started at first light." "We'll cross the ferry." "I want to talk to an informer in the Indian Nation." "Might know something." "I'll be more than ready." "Well, General look what we got." "There's an old saw that says, "One white foot, buy them two white feet, try them." "Three white feet, be on the sly four white feet, pass them by"." "But I do not hold with that." "I just received word that a young girl fell head first into a 50-foot well on the Towsend road." "I thought perhaps it was you." "No, it was not I." "What do you hear from the Little Rock soap man?" "Nothing." "Well, I'll take one of those ponies off your hands, the black one with the white stockings." "I will call him Little Blackie." "What is your offer?" "I will pay the market price." "I believe the soap man offered you $10 a head." "That is a lot price." "You will recall, I paid you $25 a head only this morning." "That was the market price at that time." "Tell me this do you entertain plans of ever leaving this city?" "Yes." "I'm off early tomorrow morning for the Indian Nation." "Marshal Rooster Cogburn and I are going after the murderer Tom Chaney." "Cogburn." "How did you light on that greasy vagabond?" "They say he has grit." " I wanted a man with grit." " Well, I suppose he has that." "He's a notorious thumper." "He's not a man I would care to share a bed with." " Nor would I." " I wouldn't trust him too much." "I have only paid him a token payment." "The balance will be paid when the job is done." "It may prove to be a long, hard journey." "A good Christian does not flinch from these difficulties." "Neither does he rashly court them." "The good Christian is not wilful or presumptuous." " You think I'm wrong?" " I think you are wrong-headed." "I will pay you $12 for that pony, if you shoe him for me." "I will not ride a barefoot pony." " Good morning." " Good morning." " Howdy." " What are you doing here?" "I'm having a little conversation with the marshal." "Sit down, sis." "Have some taffy." "This jaybird says he's on the track of the same man we're after, like to throw in with us." "I've already told him we're not interested in his help." "He's gone behind my back." "Well, a fellow that carries a big-bore Sharps Carbine might come in handy, if we get jumped by elephants or buffalo or something." "We don't need him." " Got everything ready?" " All but the grub." "I reckon I must have the wrong man." "Do you let little girls hurrah you, Cogburn?" "Would you mind repeating that, jaybird?" "There's no hurrahing in it." "The marshal's working for me." " How much she paying you?" " Enough." "Is she paying you $500?" "No." "That's what the Governor of Texas has put up for this man she calls Chaney." "Payment on conviction." " Five hundred dollars?" " Yep." "Very little for a man who's killed a senator." "Bibbs was a little senator." "Well, I guess I'll just stick with sis." "The Bibbs family's put up another $1,500 for Chaney." "Have they now." "What are the terms?" "Just deliver Chaney." "They don't care if he's alive or dead." "That's more to my liking." "How you figuring on splitting up the money?" "Well, if we take him alive, I'll split the $1,500 with you and keep the state reward of $500 for myself." "If we have to kill him, I'll give you $500 of the Bibbs' money." "This man wants to take Chaney back to Texas." "That's not what I want." "He wants him caught and punished, so do you." "I want Tom Chaney to hang for killing my father." "It's little to me how many dogs and senators he killed in Texas." "Well, you can tell him to his face, you can spit in his eye, you can make him eat sand out of the road, you can shoot him in the foot, and I'll hold him for you." "But first, we got to catch him." "You got to learn you can't have everything your own way." "When I bought and paid for something, I'll have it my way." "I don't understand this conversation at all." "She ain't going, anyhow." "You run along home, little britches, your mama wants you." " I told her she could go." " No." "She'll make nothing but trouble." "Maybe I'll catch this Chaney by myself and take all the money." "You might deliver him, but I'd see to it that you didn't collect a thing for it." "How'd you go about that?" "I'd dispute your claim, I'd muddy up the water." "You do that and I'll kill you." "I wouldn't count too much on being able to shade somebody I didn't know, fellow." "I ain't never seen nobody from Texas I couldn't shade." "La Boeuf, you get crossways of me, and you'll think a thousand of brick have fell on you." "You'll wished you was back at the Alamo with Travis." " Knock him down, Rooster." " Stay out of this." "That reward money's just a pig in the poke." "All La Boeuf is, is talk." "I've given you good cash money." "Look at him grin, he'll cheat you." "Fellow's got to think about himself once in a while, baby sister." "We'll get your man, that's the main thing." "Give me my $25 back." "Hand it over." "I spent it." " You sorry piece of trash." " I'll get it for you." " I'll send it to you." " That's a big story." "If you think you can cheat me you're mistaken." "You've not heard the last of Mattie Ross." "You may well hear from my lawyer, Daggett." "Lawyer Daggett?" "Who's Lawyer Daggett?" "I wouldn't worry about him." "I'd worry about our business at hand." " Red." " Good morning." " The river looks kind of high." " Yeah." "It's been raining upcountry." "Who you looking for this time, Marshal?" "Well now, Red, if I was to tell you that, you might tell him." "Well, you're well-enough armed." "I would say, "Tom Chaney, look out"." "Can't you get anything through your head?" "You're not going." "Forget about the freight, Paddy, and take us on across." "You're not getting on this ferry." "This is open to the public." "I have paid my 10 cents for horse and rider." "Red, take this girl into town to the sheriff." "She's a runaway." "There's also a $50 reward." " That's a big story." " Ask the marshal." "Oh, she's a runaway, all right." "Bound to be paper on her." "They're in this story together." "I've got business across the river and if you interfere with me you may land up in court, which you don't want to be." "I've got a good lawyer in J. Noble Daggett." " Lawyer Daggett again." " She draws him like a gun." "I will not walk up that hill." "Well, I'm not about to let $50 slide." "Get on that horse, then." "Wait a minute." "I got to fix my hat." "Hey!" "Come back here!" "By God!" "She reminds me of me." "Then we might just not get along." "Well, you were a little slow getting across." "I said you wasn't going." "Go back." "I will do no such thing." "La Boeuf..." "Right." "Those horses can't get away from Little Blackie." "They're loaded down with fat men and iron." "Now we'll see what tune you sing." "I'm going to raise welts on you like worms." "See what good it does you!" "You're not hurting me!" "I'm just mad!" " Are you going to let him do this?" " I don't believe I will." "Drop that switch, La Boeuf." "Put it down, I said." "You're enjoying it too much." "You'll find that I go ahead with what I start." "You do, and it'll be the biggest mistake you ever made, you Texas brushpopper." "You've taken her part all along." "But you ain't doing her no kindness here." "Just leave her alone." "Listen, this has given me a plan." "When we locate Chaney, we can jump him in the same way, hit him on the head with sticks and knock him insensible." "Then we can tie his feet and hands together and take him back alive." "What do you think?" "I don't think you'd like to know what I think." "Get on your horse." "It's not dinnertime by now?" "Dinnertime will come and go without notice on this trip." "Get on your horse." "Presbyterian, huh?" " Southern or Cumberland?" " Southern." "My folks are Cumberland." "Proud of it, too." "I was raised in an Episcopal church myself." "Figured you for some kind of kneeler." "Well, what did you learn?" "Well, Ned was sighted at McAlester's store about three days ago." "He goes there from time to time to pay attention to a lewd woman." "There's an old thief named Hayes with him and a Mexican on a round-bellied pony." "Our man Chaney wasn't seen, but it's certain he was in on that mail hijacking job." "Stew?" "This is worse than a pig trail." " Shortest way to McAlester's." " How far is it?" "Around 60 miles." "We'll make 15 today, get an early start tomorrow." "How do you like this coon hunt, sister?" "Don't be looking around for me, I'll be right here." "You look like a hog on ice." "Bucket is heavy." "I'm stronger than I look." "What did you bring for us to eat?" "Salt red pepper taffy." "Carry those in your pockets?" "Yeah." "Along with cartridges and skinning knife." " What are those things?" " Corn dodgers." "Goodness." "How many you got in there?" "Must be 175." "Can't scarcely credit that." "Yeah." "Chen Lee must've thought it was for a wagonload of marshals." "That tastes like iron." "You're lucky to be where water's so handy." "I've seen the time I've drank out of a filthy hoof print, and I was glad to get it." "If ever I meet one of you Texas waddies who ain't drunk water from a hoof print," "I think I'll shake their hand or buy them a Daniel Webster cigar." "How long you boys down there been mounted on sheep?" "Go ahead and have your little joke, but I'll tell you one thing, that little fellow there will still be running when that big American stud of yours is winded and collapsed." "Sheep." "Don't you think that fire's a little big if we're going to pass unnoticed?" "A small fire's ranger's policy." "Yeah." " Of all the dumb things to do..." " Hey, listen." "I have an idea." "How would you two like to hear the story of the midnight caller?" "Now, one of you'll have to play the caller," "I'll tell you what to say and I'll play all the other parts." "Fine." "Go ahead and tell it." "I'll tell the story if you stop drinking." "Let it go." "That, baby sister, is no trade." "Least Little Blackie likes the corn dodgers." "It's the salt in them." "We won't get to McAlester's by dark, so we better head for a dugout I know." "It's empty, and we can shelter in it." "We can eat your turkey there." " I don't see how." "It's all ripped up." " Yeah." "Pretty chewed." "Too much gun." "I thought you said it'd be empty." "Who are you?" "What do you want?" " We're looking for a place to sleep." " Well, there's no room for you here." "Try that on the chimney." "I am a federal officer." "Speak up." "Who's in there?" "None of your damn business." "Keep riding." " Is that Emmett Quincy?" " We don't know any Emmett Quincy!" "Emmett, this is Rooster." "I got five more marshals out here," " and we got a bucket of coal oil." " Drink it!" "One more minute, and you're going to drink it." "Chuck your guns out, follow them with your hands high, and nobody'll get hurt!" "If that coal oil goes down the chimney, we're killing everybody that comes out that door." "There's no five marshals out there." "Well, now, don't you bet your life on it." " Moon can't walk." "He's hit." " Well, drag him out." "What kind of papers you got on me?" "Got no papers on you." "You better move." "Tell those others to be careful with their guns." "We're coming out." "Hit the dirt." "Belly down." "Spread-eagle." "I forgot they was there." "Get inside." "Both of you." "Wrap that around your leg." "Put the horses in the lean-to." "Cuff them." "Get up." "Sit down." "Get down there!" "You fellows are way too jumpy." "What have you been up to, besides stealing stock?" "You said you ain't got no papers on us." "Well, not by name, but I got a few John Does." "Resisting a federal officer." "That's a year right there." " But my leg hurts." " I'll bet it do, sonny boy." "Now you just sit right still so it won't bleed so bad." "When's the last time you saw Ned Pepper?" "I don't remember any Ned Pepper." "Short, feisty fellow." "Nervous and quick." "Got a messed-up lower lip." "That don't bring nobody to mind." " A funny lip?" " Wasn't always like that." " I shot him in it." " In the lower lip?" " What was you aiming at?" " His upper lip." "Ned's got a new boy running with him with a black powder mark on his face." "That don't bring nobody to mind either." "You don't know anything I want to know, do you?" " If I did know, I wouldn't blow." " How about you?" "I always like to help the law as long as it don't harm my friends." "Pretty good idea, 'cause otherwise I'll turn you in back at Fort Smith." "By that time, that leg of yours will be swelled up tighter than Dick's hatband." "Mortify, and they'll have to cut it off." "And then if you live, I'll get you three or four years" " in a federal penitentiary." " You're trying to get at me." "Of course, if you talk, I'll take you to McAlester's." "They'll get that ball out of your leg, and I'll give you two, three days to get out of the territory." "Don't go flapping your mouth, Moon." "I'll do the talking." "Yeah." "You listen to Quincy, Moon, and you'll lose your leg or your life." "Quincy ain't hurting." "Don't let him spook you!" "Ain't got nothing on us." "Been looking around outside." "Six horses in the stock shelter." "What kind of horses?" "Right good mounts to me." "They're all shod." " These men are waiting for somebody." " You don't say." "If you won't talk, you can keep busy." "Cut that up for frying." "What are you looking at?" "Who are you?" "I'm Mattie Ross of near Dardanelle in Yell County." "What the hell's she doing here?" "I don't understand it!" "She's after the man that killed her father." "His name is Tom Chaney." "He's a whiskey drinker like you." "Led to killing in the end." "Now, if you'll just answer the marshal's questions, he'll help you." "I have a good lawyer at home." "He'll help you, too." "Don't get to jawing with these people, Moon." " We'll get clear of this." " I don't like the way you look." " You talking to me, runt?" " Yes." "I don't like the way you look." "And I don't like the way you're cutting up that turkey!" "Rooster, this Quincy's making a mess of that turkey." "Do the job right, Quincy, or I'll have you eating them feathers." "I hope you go to jail." "My lawyer will not help you." "It's a shame, a kid like Moon losing his leg." "Too young to be hopping around on a log peg." "Loves to dance too much, and sports." " You're trying to get at me again." " I'm getting at you with the truth." "We seen Ned and Ace two days ago at McAlester's." "You blow, and I'll kill you!" "I'm played out, Quincy." "I got to have a doctor!" "I'll tell what I know." "Oh, Lord!" "Oh, God!" "I'm dying." "Help me, I'm dying." "I can't do a thing for you, son." "Your partner's killed you, and I've done for him." "Don't leave me laying here." "Don't let those wolves get me." "I'll see you get buried." "Where's Ned Pepper?" "They're going to rob the Katy Flyer." "They're coming here tonight for remounts." "They wanted four horses." "Did you see a fellow with them with a powder burn on his face?" "No." "My brother..." "George Garrett," "Methodist circuit rider out of Austin, Texas." "When's Pepper due here?" "Sell my traps, Rooster." "Send that money to my brother." "Do you want us to tell your brother what happened to you?" "It doesn't matter." "He knows." "I'll meet him later, walking the streets of glory." " Don't expect to see Quincy there." " Quincy?" "He never played me false until he killed me." "Let me have a cool drink of water." "Look." "I still have fingers there." "Let me have that." " It's one of Papa's gold pieces." " Are you sure?" "Yes." "It was minted in California." "It says so." "Worth a little over $36." "Grandpa Sperling gave Papa two of these when he married Mama." "Looks like we're on Chaney's trail." "At least we're on Ned's." "Give me the key to these cuffs." "Now, go saddle the horses." "Well, Moon said they were coming here." "You aim to run?" "I aim to do what I come here to do." "Saddle the horses." "Straighten up the place." "You take your horse and find a position over there." "I'll be up on this side and don't shoot unless I do." "Now, what we want to do is get them in that dugout." "I'll shoot the last man through the door and we'll have them over a barrel." "You'd shoot them without a call?" "That'll get him to know our intentions is serious." "Well, I'll holler down after I shoot." "See if any of them want to be taken alive." "When they won't, we'll shoot them as they come out the door." " I want Chaney alive." " And so does the Governor of Texas." "All I know is there's a lot of them and only two of us." "Why don't I try to nick Chaney before he gets inside?" "Any shooting before they get in that dugout, and they'll break." "We're apt to come up with an empty sack." "All right." "But if they break, I'll nick Chaney." "You hit Chaney with that Sharps rifle of yours, you're apt to kill him." " Yes." "Remember the turkey?" " Yeah." "You go after Ned." "I'll take care of Chaney." "What does Ned look like?" "He's a short, feisty fellow." "Do most of the talking." " Where does she go?" " I go where Rooster goes." " You stay here." "Keep the horses quiet." " Can't see anything from over there." "Haven't you seen enough killings for one day?" "I'm not staying here by myself." "Wait a minute." "I'll get my revolver." "What for?" "So you can shoot your own foot off?" "Why do you keep that one chamber empty?" "So I won't shoot my foot off." "Corn dodger?" "Light a match and let me see it first." " What for?" " Some of them got blood on them." "Well, we ain't lighting no matches." "Well, I don't want any." "What did you do before you became a peace officer?" "Just about everything except keep school." "How'd you lose your eye?" "It was in the war." "The Lone Jack." "Little scrap outside of Kansas City." "What did you do after the war?" "I robbed me a federal paymaster and went to Cairo, Illinois, and bought a eating place there called the Green Frog and married a grass widow." " Place had a billiard table." " You never told me you had a wife." "Oh, well, I didn't have her long." "My friends was a pack of river rats." "She didn't crave their society, so she upped and left me and went back to her first husband who was clerking in a hardware store in Paducah." ""Goodbye, Reuben," she says," ""the love of decency does not abide in you"." "That's a divorced woman talking for you, about decency." "Well, I told her, I said, "Goodbye, Nola, and I hope that nail-selling bastard makes you happy this time"." "Did you have any children?" "There was a boy." "Nola taken him with her." "He never liked me anyway." "A clumsier child you'll never see than Horace." "I bet he broke 40 cup." "Never did get you for stealing that money." "Why, I didn't consider it stealing." " It didn't belong to you." " I needed a road stake." "It was like that little high-interest bank in New Mexico." "Needed a road stake, and there it was." "I never robbed no citizen or taken a man's watch." "It's all stealing." "That's the position them New Mexicans took." "I had to flee for my life." "Bo was a young colt then." "No horse could run him into the ground." "When that posse thinned out, I turned old Bo around, and taking them reins in my teeth, I charged them boys firing two navy sixes." "They must've all been married men that loved their families 'cause they scattered and run for home." "You don't have any family, do you?" "Except Chen Lee and that lazy cat." "General Price don't belong to me." "Cats don't belong to nobody." "He just rooms with me." "'Course, I depend on him." "Well, baby sister, you better try and get some sleep." "I'll wake you up when they get here." "Looks like Moon was telling the truth." " What are they doing?" " They're smelling around." "You see Chaney?" "Can't make out their faces." "Well, that's Ned Pepper, all right." "Quincy!" "Moon!" " That's him hollering." " Moon!" "That's the original Mexican Bob with him." "You mean there's more than one?" "Yeah." "There's a younger one, but he ain't a patch to this one." "Moon!" "Quincy!" "Now he done it!" "Over here, Ned!" "I'm hit!" "They don't call him "Lucky" Ned Pepper for nothing." "That man gave his life for him." "He didn't even look back." "Yeah." "Looking back is a bad habit." "Well..." "Well, what's your story?" "I was on the move to a better place." "I heard the first shot, and I thought you'd opened up." "More likely asleep." "You know who they are?" "The one on the sand spit is old Hayes." "The boy I don't know." "He's not much older than I am." "That's nothing but a little scratch." "Well, that's nothing to do with you." "Why don't you go make us some coffee?" "It won't take long." " Let it go and go on inside." " Why are you being so foolish?" "Well, La Boeuf, you're quite a horse shooter." "I was trying for Ned Pepper." "Well, next time, try for the horse and maybe you'll hit Pepper." "What are we waiting for?" " I say we ride after them." " And I say no." "I know where they're going to earth." "You can't take men by watching them run away." "Back up." "I know this country, and I know these men." "We'll take the horses and the dead in to McAlester." "And I'll put in a claim for any reward the railroad may have offered." " You backed up?" " Some, for now." "Damn a man that whistles." "Maybe he's trying to keep his mind off of his hand." "You don't think very much of me, do you, Cogs?" "Don't think about you at all." "You keep your mouth closed." "I was told in Fort Smith that you rode with Quantrill and that border trash." "And I heard Quantrill and his men weren't soldiers at all" " but a bunch of murdering thieves." " I heard the same thing." "I heard they murdered women and children in the Lawrence raid." "I heard that, too, and it's a damn lie." "What outfit were you with during the war?" " Freeport, with Kirby Smith." " I mean, what side were you on?" "I served with General Kirby Smith." "I don't have to hang my head when I say it, either." "Go ahead and make another joke about it." "You want to make me look foolish in the girl's eyes, anyway." "You don't need me for that." "I don't like the way you make conversation." "And I don't like your conversation about Captain Quantrill." "Captain?" "Captain of what?" "A bunch of thieves?" "Young fellow, if you're looking for trouble, I'll accommodate you." "Otherwise, leave it alone." "You know, I've been thinking about Lucky Ned Pepper." "Maybe he planned on murdering those two stock thieves so they wouldn't inform against him." " No." "Ned wouldn't do that." " Why not?" "Ned doesn't go around killing people for no reason." "Had he a reason, he'd kill them." "It looks like we might joggle some of our passengers off." "Well, they're past hurting." "We'll tie up here, if you don't mind." "Sure, Marshal." "You got quite a load there." "Yeah, about half the load I was looking for." "Why don't you go in and meet Mrs. McAlester?" "She'll fix you some dinner." "I want to have a word with the peace officer." "I want to go, too." "I'll tell the wife to fix something for all of you." "Well, why don't you go inside?" "Maybe Mrs. McAlester can fix that poor little hand of yours." "My poor little hand can keep." " Rooster, what are you doing here?" " Boots, Gaspargo." "How come you're letting that Indian get behind you with a cutting tool?" "'Cause I'm an Indian." "I've seen plenty of Indian scalps on Indian belts." "If you're after little Ned Pepper, you're on a cold trail here." "We're looking for another man, too." "He's got a black mark on his face, carries a Henry rifle." "We think maybe he's running with Ned." "Go ahead." "That's what Texas calls a peace officer." "Well, Ned passed through here a couple of days ago." "Him and Hayes, Mexican Bob." "Only them three was seen." "I have a pretty good idea where Ned's holed up." "If he is where I think he is, it will take 100 marshals to smoke him out." "My name's Mattie Ross from near Dardanelle in Yell County." "That man with the black mark on his face, he killed my father." "His name's Tom Chaney." "Boots, I got Hayes and some youngster outside with Moon and Quincy." "I want you to bury them for me." " I'm in a hurry." " They're dead?" "Well, I wouldn't want you to bury them if they wasn't." "What about La Boeuf's hand?" "Gaspargo's a pretty good doctor when he ain't currying hair." " Take care of it." " It can wait." "You're of no good use when you're handicapped." "And small use if he ain't." " Wash first." " Why?" " Don't you wash before you eat?" " I'm not going to eat his hand." " Don't you know about germs?" " No." "Go wash, Gaspargo." "You lost." "That's Moon." "Quincy." "Hayes." "First time he ever stayed shot." "I know this boy, Billy Walsh." "He comes from a good family down by the south Canadian." "Well, then hold good boy Billy for his folks and bury the rest of them." "I'll post their names." "If anybody wants them, they can come dig them up." "Sell the horses and get what you can for their coats, guns, and saddles." "I'll split it with you." "You told Moon whatever his traps would fetch, you'd send it to his brother." "I forget where he said to send it." "His brother's a preacher named George Garrett." "He can be reached at the Methodist Church in Austin, Texas." "Are you sure it was Austin?" "Or was it Dallas?" "You know it was Austin." "Write it out and give it to Captain." "Boots, send this man $10, and tell him his brother got caught and is buried here." "I'll do that." "So this is the man who shot Ned Pepper's horse from under him." "Yeah, this is the famous horse killer from El Paso." "He believes in putting everybody afoot." "Says there'll be less mischief that way." "Fewer horses, fewer horse thieves." "How's your hand feel?" "Both rifle and hand are ready to shoot again." "Straighter than before, I hope." "Well, sister, the time has come for me to ride hard and fast." "You stay here with the McAlesters." "I'll be back in two or three days with Tom Chaney." "You can't get shed of me." " Well, she's come this far." " That's far enough." "You think I'm gonna quit when we're so close?" "There's something in what she's saying, Cogburn." "She's won her spurs." "I think she's done just fine." "Let it go." "I've said my piece." "There'll be no more talk about" " who won whose spurs." " I'm going." "Not because you say I can't, and not because you say I can." "I paid good cash money to be here and I'm on my own business." "Now, we'll have no more talk about it." "Let's eat." "What are you doing?" "Looking for a sign." "You couldn't see it if you saw it." "We'll walk a ways." "You looking for sign again?" "It was Bo." "He put his foot wrong." "He's tired." "This is no grade." "I've freighted iron stoves up harder grades than this." "We'll camp here." "Here." "I was a pretty fair hand with a jerkline when I was freighting in Colorado." "Worked for a fellow that was always down with something." "He was carrying around a 21-foot tapeworm, along with his business responsibilities." "That aged him." "Then his wife commenced running things." "I wasn't about to work for her." "So I told her so." "Women have no generosity." "Lord God, how they hate to pay up." "A man will never work for a woman, unless he's got clabber for brains." "What about the $25 I paid you?" "What $25?" "I will not bandy words with a drunkard." "And that's real smart." "You've done nothing when you've bested a fool." "We have come near about 50 miles from McAlester." "We're close to Ned Pepper's camp." "Tomorrow we'll take him." "If we're as close to Ned Pepper as you say," "I don't think too much of making that fire." "Nobody asked you." "Where are you going with that canteen?" "To wash the sleep off of me, of course." "We got no water to spare for foolishness." "Take a drink and let it go at that." "I'd say there's a stream down below there." "You'll wash and you'll get no breakfast!" "We'll waste no more time!" "Shouldn't one of us go down with her?" "Might not be safe." "Well, safer for her than whatever she meets, man or beast." "Well..." "I know you, little Mattie, the bookkeeper." " And I know you, Tom Chaney." " What are you doing?" "There's no money for you to squeeze around here." " I came to fetch water." " That was not my meaning." "I'm here to take you back to Fort Smith and hang you." "And I think I will not go." "Now, how do you like that?" "There's a posse of officers up the hill that'll force you to go." "How many officers?" "I'd say right around 50, and they mean business." "So you just walk right in front of me, up that hill." "I think I'll oblige those officers to come after me." "If you refuse to go with me, I'll have to shoot you." "Is that so?" "You better cock your piece." "All the way back until it locks." "I know how to do it." "Now, you mean to say that you won't go with me on your own free will?" "You just got it the other way around." "Now you will follow me." "I didn't think you'd do it." "Sis!" "Where are you?" "I'm down here!" "I got Chaney!" "I just didn't think you'd do it." "One of my short ribs is broke." "You killed my father when he was trying to help you." "You're just a piece of trash!" "You also killed a senator in Texas when he was sitting on a porch swing." "Everything happens to me." "Now I'm shot by a child!" "I'll shoot you again if you don't get up!" "My father took you in when you were hungry." "You little busybody!" "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" "Sis!" "Sis!" "Hurry up!" "Down here!" "Take her and go!" "Up the hill with the horses, and don't stop." "Who all's out there?" "Marshal Rooster Cogburn and 50 other officers." "They're all armed and they mean business." "Tell me another lie, I'll stove in your head." "The truth!" "Who's out there?" "Marshal Rooster Cogburn and a Texas Ranger." "Rooster!" "Rooster, can you hear me?" "You better answer, Rooster, or I'll kill this girl!" "You know I'll do it!" "You want me to kill her?" "You do what you think is best, Ned." "What are you..." "She's nothing to me." "Nothing but a runaway." "You and that ranger get moving double fast!" "If I see you riding over that bald ridge to the north, I'll spare the girl!" "You got five minutes!" "We'll need more than five minutes, Ned." "I won't give you any more." "There'll be a party of marshals coming through here pretty soon." "You give me Tom Chaney and I'll mislead them for six hours." "You can throw in that spitfire of a girl, too." "Too thin, Rooster, too thin." "I won't trust you." "Your five minutes is running!" "You better move!" "All right, we're moving, but we'll need more than five minutes." "I never busted a cap on a woman or nobody much under 16, but it's enough that you know I'll do what I have to do." "I'm Mattie Ross of Dardanelle in Yell County." "My family has property, and I don't know why I'm being treated like this." "Well, it's enough that you know I'll do what I have to do." "I saw you shot at the dugout." "Where are your wounds?" "My wounds heal by themselves from inside." "Bob, you and Harold stay here, keep a watch out below." "Keep this turkey cock quiet, or we'll have him for supper." "Why don't you shut up?" "Is that man simpleminded?" "All the Parmalees is touched, but Harold's the worst." "No, their Ma's the worst, then comes Harold's brother Farrell." "But they're all good shots." "Get there!" "I'll wring your scrawny neck!" "No, you won't." "Now, let that doctor and go get those horses saddled." "Farrell, lend him a hand." "You set there and be still." "Your five minutes is up." "They better show." "Now what are you doing here?" "Tom Chaney shot my father to death in Fort Smith." "I was told that Rooster Cogburn has grit." "I hired him to go after the murderer." "I found him myself and I shot him." "If I'd killed him, I would not be in this fix." " My revolver misfired." " They will do it." "Most girls like little play-prettys, but you like guns, don't you?" "If I did, I'd have one that worked." "I'll give him a little more time." "Was that Rooster and the Ranger waylaid us last night?" "Yes." "Did they take Quincy and Moon?" "They're both dead." "It was a terrible thing to see." " Do you need a good lawyer?" " I need a good judge." "That man called Hayes, he's dead, too, and the boy that saved your life." "I'm happy he done what he done, but he should've kept his head and looked out for himself." "Goes for your good friend Rooster." "Hey, Ned!" "Rooster Cogburn is no good friend of mine." "He's a drunken, gabbing fool." "He led us right into your hands." "Now he's left me with a gang of cutthroats." "Is that what they call grit in Fort Smith?" "We call it something else in Yell County." "I was shot from ambush." "And it was one of them officers got me." "How can you tell a big story like that?" "We're five men and four horses, one of us stays behind." "That's you, Chaney." "You lost the horse." "When we get out, I'll send somebody back to fetch you with a fresh mount." "What about me?" "I'm not staying with Tom Chaney." "He won't harm you." "You understand that?" "Rooster give us six hours if we keep this girl safe." "If she don't stay safe, you don't neither." "You don't get paid." " Let me ride up with you, Farrell." " No!" " How about you, Bob?" " No." "Harold?" "Do it again, Harold!" "We'll see you tonight at Ma's." "What are you doing?" "I'm getting some water so I can wash my hands." "A little smut won't hurt you." "That's true, or else you and your chums would surely be dead." "Don't provoke me!" "There's rattlesnakes down there in that pit, and I'm going to throw you in it!" "Lucky Ned Pepper said if you molest me, he will not pay you." "He is your boss, you must do as he tells you." "He has no idea of paying me." "He left me here, knowing I'll be caught." "If you let me go now, I will keep silent as to your whereabouts for two days." "I tell you I can do better than that." "I can shut you up forever!" "All right, Chaney, that's enough!" "Put your hands up." "You get over there." " Everything's against me!" " You hurt, Mattie?" "I'm the one who's hurt." "It was this girl who done it!" "Where's Rooster?" "He's down below, watching the front door." "He's found a place where we can watch." " Where's Little Blackie?" " Rooster's got him." "You get over there, and you stay over there." "Watch out where you step." "He says there's deadly snakes in that hole." "Where is the girl, Ned?" "She was in wonderful health when last I saw her." "I can't answer for her now." "You'll answer for her now." "Where is she?" "Rooster!" "Make a run for it!" "I got Mattie!" "Chaney, too!" "Well, Rooster, will you give us the road?" "I have business elsewhere." "Farrell, you and your brother stand clear." "I got no interest in you today." "Stand clear and you won't get hurt." "What's your intention?" "You think one on four's a dogfall?" "I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned, or see you hanged in Fort Smith at the Judge Parker's convenience." "Which will it be?" "I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man." "Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" "Shoot them!" "They're too far and they're moving too fast." "No grit?" "Rooster Cogburn, not much." "Well, Rooster I'm shot to pieces." "Hooray for the man from Texas!" "Some bully shot." "Damn you, Bo." "First time you ever give me a reason to cuss you." "Help me!" "Please!" "Help me!" "I'm in the pit!" "There's a snake down here and skeletons!" "I warrant there'll be another one before long, a little spindly one." " How do you like it?" " Help me." " Please help me!" " You say you don't like it?" "Baby sister!" "Are you down there, sis?" " Yes!" "Hurry!" "I'm in a bad way." " All right." "Hold on." "Hold on." "I'm going to pitch you a rope." "Now slip it under both arms and tie a good knot." "I can't." "I'm caught, and my arm is broken." "There are snakes down here." "It's in here now!" "Hang on right here." "Damn that Texan!" "When you need him, he's dead!" "I ain't dead yet, you bushwhacker." "Hang on." "I want Papa's gun." " I want the other gold piece, too." " Are you sure you don't want the snake?" "No, but I do want that other gold piece." " Forget the gold piece." " But it's mine, and I want it." "That Texican saved my neck twice." "Once after he was dead." "We're going to have to do something about this snakebite in a hurry." "Let's get up." "Hold this arm up, little sister." " We can't leave him like this." " I'm the one that's leaving him." "If I don't get you a doctor, you're going to be deader than he is." " Little Blackie cannot carry us both." " He'll have to." "He's all I could catch." "Stop it!" "We must stop!" "He's played out." "Stop it!" "You're killing him." "Hold it!" "Wing them guns into that creek." "I'm borrowing this wagon off of you." "Boots!" "Finch!" "Boots!" "Am I addressing Marshal Reuben J. Cogburn?" "You're addressing him, Chen Lee, and General Sterling Price." "Well, I'll not ask which is which but I'll identify myself." "I am Lawyer J. Noble Daggett." " I'll be damned." " What?" "Well, you're not exactly what we expected." "You're a little..." " You're shrunk." " I'll tell you frankly, sir," "I fully intended to have you jailed, and I'm just the man who could do it, but when Mattie told me the straight of the matter," "I had second thoughts." "I still think you showed very poor judgment in this affair, but you're not the scoundrel I took you for." "You have my thanks and, with certain reservations, my respect." "How nice." "Well, how is sis?" "Gravely ill, I'm afraid but still able to direct her affairs." "She commissioned me to pay you the balance of the $75 due in the matter of Tom Chaney." " She didn't ask for a receipt, did she?" " Well, as a matter of fact, she did." "You'll find that it also covers an additional $200 for saving her life." "Well, I will be damned." "She says that when she goes home, she wants you to take her there." "Poor child, I fear, does not know how ill she really is." "Lawyer J. Noble Daggett, are you a betting man?" "On occasion." "All of this and General Price that baby sister makes it back to Yell County." "Oh, no." "No, sir." "No, sir." "I still don't see why you didn't look up La Boeuf's girl when you were in Waco." "Well, I did the best I could." "I took the boy home to be buried in his Ranger suit." "No girl showed up." "I don't believe there was one." "I think you were too busy collecting a reward for Chaney." "Well, I was just a little busy." "Them Texicans forgot how much money they offered for a reward." " I had to help them remember." " I can imagine how you did that." "This is what I wanted you to see." "Papa's marker was not what was ordered." "I will make that wool-headed fool of a stoneman change it." "Someday, Mama will be here." "And my brother, Little Frank, and his family over there." "And that is for my sister Veronica and her family." "And I will be here, on the other side of Papa." "I think it's comforting to know where one will meet eternity, don't you?" "I would like you to rest beside me, Rooster." "Now, sis, that place should be for your your family, your husband, kids." "You have no kin." "I do not count Chen Lee and the cat." "Now where else would you end up, in some neglected patch of weeds?" "Now I might just take you up on that offer, sis, if you'll excuse me if I don't move in too soon." "I think it's only right that you have Papa's gun." " It might keep you alive." " Well, I'm not so sure about that." "Almost got you killed when it misfired once." "That'd be 'cause you loaded it wrong when you were in a state of drunkenness." "Well, then I suppose I ought to get you to show me how." "I will." " Trust you to ride another tall horse." " Yeah." "He's not as game as Bo, but Stonehill says he can jump a four-rail fence." "You're too old and too fat to be jumping horses." "Well, come to see a fat old man sometime."