"I can't smile." "Soon." "They didn't break anything." "They?" "l couldn't see them in the dark." "ls there a reason for this?" "Robbery." "I'm a gambler." "Gallagher." "Caine." "What do you do?" "What is offered me." "Well, that's one way." "Let me help you." "No, no. I'll do it." "I got a good idea." "Why don't you help me." "My hat." "It's my lucky piece." "It never fails me." "Well, almost never." "I'd like you to have it." "No, no, no." "You're my luck." "And a gambler worships that." "Now, come on, take it." "I have no need for money." "Well, now you're either insane or very religious." "If it hadn't been for you, how could I go back and get into trouble all over again?" "Please." "Thank you." "My instinct tells me that we're going to be friends, you and I." "I live about five or six miles that way." "It's lucky you came along." "The heavens are smiling on Jim Gallagher." "You are not angry for what has been done to you?" "It's a waste of time. lt's unlucky." "I win big every once in a while, and a man with money is always a tempting target." "It's the life I wanted, and it's the life I got." "It can be mighty sweet sometimes." "Wait till you meet my wife." "Might as well go ahead and say it." "Say what?" "You won, you were robbed and now we have nothing." "I won, I was robbed and we have each other." "Were you hurt?" "Well, my self-esteem was damaged a bit." "I would've been dead if it weren't for Mr. Caine here." "He carried me on his back for miles." "Thank you, Mr. Caine." "First thing tomorrow, I'm going into town and report what happened to the sheriff." "And find Mr. Caine here a job." "That is not necessary." "Well, that's the least I can do." "And you will stay here with us." "Are you going in to gamble again?" "That's what I do for a living." "lt's more like a dying." "I'll be back by nightfall." "She doesn't trust me." "But isn't she beautiful?" "We had $50 when you left this morning." "No matter how much you really won, we've got just 20 now and you still need to get the supplies you were supposed to get." "Give me the $20." "I promise you I will not gamble with it." "No." "Now, come on, honey." "Should I believe him?" "Does he lie to you?" "It's all the money we have." "Will you see he spends it only for supplies, please?" "I will try." "They jumped me, they knocked me down and they took $500." "You didn't get a glimpse of them?" "No." "Then how'd you know there was two of them?" "Well, one of them said, "lt's in his belt." And the other one said, "Yeah."" "Well, Jim, you know this town's full of drifters." "They're probably long gone by now." "Who are you?" "Well, now, he's my friend." "He found me, and he carried me on his back." "He saved my life." "What's your name?" "Caine." "What do you do, Caine?" "l work eat learn." "He's a drifter." "Oh, now, come on, Walt." "What, just walking along through the country?" "Yes." "Yeah." "Well, Jim, I'm gonna try to do something for you, but I can't make you no promises." "Well, I understand, Walt." "But give it a try." "Caine, I'd like you to me a favor and pick up the supplies for me." "Here's the money and here's the list." "When you finish picking them up and loading them in the wagon I'll be over at Fay's place, right over there." "Come over there." "Caine, you know that lucky piece?" "Well, could I borrow it for a little?" "No, no, no." "Borrow." "Borrow, I promise." "I need the magic." "I'd feel naked without it." "No, I won't lose it. I promise." "It's my luck." "Caine, I knew you were my friend." "Hey!" "Jim, boy." "Fay." "You gonna give me some of my money back?" "Not very neighborly, what you did to us yesterday." "Hey, what happened to your chin?" "Well, I got sandbagged after I left here last night." "Who?" "I don't know." "All I remember is their smell." "If I ever find them, I'll string them up." "Forget it." "Fay, I'm broke." "I need a table and a drink." "And I don't have much time, because Noreen is madder than a hornet." "Angelo, go get our boy a drink here." "With pleasure." "Now let me see, old Jimbo, what we can do for you." "Why don't you try that table over there." "I'll see you later." "I'm wiped out." "Gallagher, I hope you brought your luck." "That's a mighty sour seat." "Put it aside. I'll redeem it later." "Underneath there." "Blackjack!" "Thank you, Angelo." "Cheers." "Unbelievable." "My gold coin, please." "Five hands in a row!" "The whole thing." "That's 220." "Caine." "You know the game?" "Right now I think he's got me beat." "Well, a streak's a streak." "Hit it easy." "Three." "Three hundred's the bet." "I'm hot, Caine. I can't quit now." "I knew it, Caine. I knew it!" "I knew it!" "One more win, one more win." "Go, go." "Give it to her." "Five." "That's $500." "Again." "Same bet. 500." "Caine there's $2500 in here." "Hold it for me and don't give it back, no matter what I say." "Come on, Caine, you're my luck." "Yeah, good." "I'll even give you 1 0 percent." "Hat hand." "House wins." "Two." "Two hundred's the bet." "Two." "Two hundred's the bet." "Whiskey?" "Let it ride." "Hear tell that fella who's winning all that money over there got bushwhacked and robbed yesterday." "You talking to me?" "Yep, both of you." "Why?" "Guess I'm the only one saw you two trailing Mr. Gallagher out of town yesterday." "You through?" "Almost." "I need a stake." "A hundred dollars' worth of silence is what I'm prepared to offer as collateral." "That's a good bargain at that price." "I'm sorry." "Yeah, I knew it'd change. I knew it!" "Let it ride." "l will wait for you in the wagon." "Caine, you can't go now." "You and I, we're gonna go home rich." "And Noreen..." "...she's gonna be wearing silks." " lt is nightfall." "You promised her." "But then let me have the money I told you not to give me." "No?" "Well, all right, I'll be out as soon as I lose my first hand." "No, I will." "Deal, deal." "All right, Chinaman." "You get in there before you get a hole in your head." "Hands up." "Search him." "Training in the martial arts is for spiritual reinforcement." "But it is based on self-defense." "Disciple Caine." "When you are attacked by more than one person the enemy should be allowed to make the first move and thus create the beginning of his downfall." "Caine!" "Caine!" "Come on!" "Quick!" "Watch it." "Gallagher?" "My mother, my father they were dead." "I could not save them." "You were only a small boy." "But after that I could no longer be a small boy." "The mountain is beautiful with snow." "But after it loses its snow green grows from underneath." "In every loss, there is gain." "As in every gain, there is loss." "Grasshopper do you understand that?" "I will try." "You boys make sure you stay in town tonight." "Well, those two drifters you described have been identified by reliable witnesses." "Left Fay's place right after you did." "Seems like they've been staying there most of the week." "And what of the third man the man who killed my friend?" "Well, nobody seen no third man around the barn." "One of them must have doubled back to get old Jim." "I do not think so." "Can't understand why anybody would want to kill Jim Gallagher." "I cannot understand why anyone would want to kill anyone." "Yeah." "I had to lock you up last night, kind of give me some time to check out your story." "Then I promised Jim Gallagher l'd try and find you some work." "You still looking?" "l have no wish to stay here." "Yeah, well, that's probably best." "Anyway, you let me know if you change your mind." "There was a third man in the gambling place." "What'd he look like?" "He was small and old with long, white hair." "Right off the top, that sounds like Eldon Riddle." "It's funny." "You can always tell when somebody dies in this town." "Eldon shows up at the blackjack table with a new stake." "He's the town undertaker." "Nobody cares that much about him." "He doesn't have enough gumption to kill a fly, though." "I brought your wagon and your supplies." "Your husband...." "l know." "They sent word from town last night." "Come in." "Would you have some lunch?" "Some tea, perhaps." "Try to see inside me and you're shocked." "I can't cry, and I don't show grief." "Does not each person show grief in his own way?" "I lost him. I feel that." "I feel sorrow." "But I don't feel grief." "Why is that?" "Perhaps you did not love him." "It wasn't easy living with Jim." "It was romantic at first, but little by little, it turned into ashes." "Was he not happy?" "Yes." "Yes, he was happy, at my expense." "I was his victim." "I was his roof and his floor." "But nothing else mattered to Jim but winning." "Yesterday he was winning." "He gave me money to hold." "That is why I was attacked." "The money is gone." "How much money?" "$2500." "Can you identify anyone?" "It was very dark." "l am not sure." "Well, you have to be." "Someone has murdered my husband and that someone is gonna have to pay for it." "Don't you understand?" "He's a murderer!" "I want him hung!" "I want him punished!" "Self-pity does not become you." "How do you know what I feel?" "Your response is anger, not at me but at your parents for dying and leaving you alone." "Do not make me responsible for that or I shall become angry in return." "I don't care about you." "Do you not grasshopper?" "Master?" "Is not your anger at your husband for dying and leaving you alone?" "I didn't love Jim." "You knew him well and did not love him." "And I knew him little and I loved him." "Then all the more reason why you should wanna see justice done." "l do not know that hanging is justice." "Well, can you understand need?" "I need that money back." "It was I who lost the money." "I will help you." "Thank you." "Jim promised you a place to stay." "It wouldn't look right for you to stay in the house." "If the tack room isn't too unpleasant, you'll be most welcome there." "I am grateful." "Walt, I thought it...." "Noreen." "Noreen, you know how long l've waited to hold you in my arms." "I know. I know how you feel." "I won't say I don't feel the same way." "Now is not the time." "Honey, you need someone to help you through this." "You need me, and I need you." "I just won't feel free and clean of it until it's all over and whoever killed him hangs." "I know that. I'm working on it." "It's just gonna take some time, that's all." "Maybe that's a blessing." "Noreen, I know you didn't love Jim." "But that doesn't make it easier to forget him." "You're gonna have to." "Well, you expecting somebody for dinner?" "Just Caine." "He's staying in the tack room." "Caine?" "Why?" "Because he's a friend of Jim's." "And besides..." "...he promised to help me find the money." "What money?" "Jim won money yesterday before he was killed." "He gave it to Caine." "Caine hid it before they were attacked." "When he went back to get it, it was gone." "Why didn't Caine tell me about that when I questioned him?" "Do you not trust Caine?" "Well, he lied to me." "He's a drifter!" "Well, he could've just kept the money and not come back." "Besides, he's a gentle sort. I like him." "Come in." "I will come back later." "No, that's all right." "Come in." "I was just leaving." "Anyway, I got some more questions to ask you." "Next time you come into town drop by and see me, all right?" "Good night." "I'll be back again soon." "Don't forget to lock your doors and your windows too." "I don't know how long l'll be." "Why don't you go over to the sheriff's office, and I'll meet you there." "Come." "This man says he has to talk to you." "Oh, thank you, Martha." "What do you want to talk to me about, mister?" "My name is Caine." "All right." "What do you want?" "You know." "What in Hades are you talking about?" "The money of my friend, Jim Gallagher." "Are you making accusations?" "l made a promise to my friend to give his money to his wife." "The promise has not been kept." "Too bad about Gallagher's wife." "He died broke, I hear." "Look, I don't have time for regrets." "And I didn't take the money." "Why do you perspire?" "How do you know somebody didn't just stumble on the money and take it?" "I know." "There would be a reward." "One-tenth." "About $250." "Honestly earned." "You promise to keep your mouth shut?" "You promise you won't say anything about this?" "Trust me." "That was driving me loony." "I may not be able to stay away from the blackjack table but I've never been a thief before." "You believe that, don't you?" "Yes." "I had to help you keep your promise." "Master, this man has stolen this plate from the altar." "Noreen, believe me, I've done everything I could." "Now, there was two men there that night." "Then they just disappeared." "As far as everything I know, those two men killed your husband and stole the money." "Well, then why haven't you organized a posse?" "Where would I look?" "It's a big country, and nobody's seen either one of them." "I don't know. I'm so confused, Walt." "I feel so helpless." "I've about made up my mind to sell the place and move back East." "Now, come on, don't talk like that." "l feel I can't survive here alone." "Well, you're never gonna be alone, Noreen." "Where did you get this?" "Would not your husband care only that it is rightly yours and it has been returned?" "Thank you." "Would you like me to take you home?" "I...." "l have a few debts to pay." "Will you pick me up at the grocer's?" "Noreen." "May I come see you tomorrow?" "If you like." "Who'd you get that money from?" "l cannot say." "How do I know you didn't have it the whole time?" "l have told you." "You told me?" "A man's been killed." "How much do you know about that that you haven't told me?" "You will discover the truth." "But not from you?" "No." "No." "From who then?" "Yourself." "What?" "The truth comes from evidence!" "I mean, a man gets killed, his money gets taken from him." "That's the truth." "It is a fact. lt is not the truth." "What are you saying?" "Truth is often hidden like a shadow in darkness." "Look, I don't like drifters. I never have." "They just make my work harder." "I can't prove that you committed a crime, so I'm gonna let you walk out of here." "You take my warning." "You keep walking to the next town." "You understand me?" "Yes." "Quiet, you." "A little while ago, we saw that Chinaman come out of here." "And my friend and I'd like to know why that is." "Don't do anything silly." "Well?" "Well, what?" "The Chinaman!" "He came to see about Jim Gallagher's funeral." "You're lying." "No!" "Don't start to snivel." "You see, we spent the last two days hiding out in a cave." "Bloody near froze." "But we had lots of time to think things out." "And that Chinaman had a billfold full of money when he left Fay's place." "Right." "And he didn't have it when we searched him no more than a minute later." "The truth is, friend, we want the money, and we've decided you know where it is." "No!" "Spit it out." "Or you're just as good as dead." "No." "No." "Mr. Lownes, the grocer, wouldn't let me pay our bill." "He said Jim was such a lovely person, so full of life that he was his friend and that he trusted him to settle up their debt in the next life." "Mr. Lownes, the grocer, is a very wise man." "These past few days, I've had a look at my husband through other people's eyes." "They liked him." "They loved him." "So did you." "Not enough." "Love cannot measure itself until the hour of parting." "I'm alone, and I'm frightened." "I need to trust someone." "Trust comes from within you." "Why didn't you tell me where you got the money?" "I was not able." "Do you know who killed Jim?" "You do, don't you?" "Why won't you tell me?" "How can I trust you until I know everything?" "is not to trust to rely on someone of whom you know nothing?" "I can't do that." "Eldon." "Eldon?" "He's still alive." "Go on, get Doc Hayes." "Eldon, who was it?" "Try and tell me." "They're after Gallagher's money." "They made me tell...." "Tell what?" "I gave it to the Chinaman." "Gallagher's wife." "Martha, make him feel comfortable until Doc Hayes gets here." "The money, Chinaman." "I've got the money, and I'm not gonna give it to you." "You'll give it to us." "If you don't, I'll take great pleasure in putting a hole through this Chinaman's head." "Are these the two men that attacked you?" "Yes." "Sheriff, this man's got a broken leg." "Put them in the buckboard." "We'll take them into town." "I'll bring it back tomorrow." "Well, I guess it's over." "It's all over." "Did either of those men kill Jim?" "No." "Did you?" "Your husband loved life." "I could not take it from him." "Then who did?" "Who are you protecting?" "He was protecting me." "Although, I can't understand why." "Noreen, listen to me." "It was an accident. I heard the gunfire." "I went inside the barn." "In the darkness, there was a man on the floor." "He had a gun." "When he came up, I was ready and fired." "Without seeing who it was?" "I'm not gonna lie to you about this anymore, Noreen." "When I fired, at the same fraction of a second I saw it was Jim, but it happened that fast." "I've been over it 1 000 times in my own mind. I'm positive I...." "l would've stopped if I could." "You ran away, Walt." "Yes, I ran." "You knew how I'd felt toward you for a long time. lf l'd come to you and told you that I killed your husband, would you have believed it was an accident?" "I don't know." "Can you...?" "Can you forgive me?" "I'm not proud of what I did." "I intend to resign and get everything out in the open." "Try to understand." "Help me." "You saw who did it." "Tell me the truth." "I saw a man shoot a gun." "In the darkness, I could see who the man was." "I could not see into his heart." "You're leaving?" "It is time." "I slept deeply last night." "It was the first time in a long while." "And for you what has happened has become the past." "I wish it hadn't ended as it did." "With each ending comes a new beginning." "You said once you needed someone to trust." "Walt?" "You've learned to trust people, but doesn't it hurt you?" "And you?" "Not trusting are you not hurt more?" "How do you go through all that and not get twisted out of shape by it?" "I seek not to know all the answers but to understand the questions."