"You know, who he is, where he's from, something." "Milton, I couldn't help you even if I wanted to." "We simply don't know anything about him." "Now, I've got to make supper now, Milton." "If I were you I'd go home before you get overheated and catch cold." "And say hello to your folks for me, will you?" "B-b-but, Mrs. Springer- Goodbye, Milton." "Couldn't I just-?" "Could I just see-?" "Uh, what say, Larry boy?" "I already said hi." "Yeah, say, uh" "Say, how'd you like to earn some cash?" "A dollar." "How?" "That fellow in the house." "Get me a couple of pictures of him." "Mr. Plummer, my dad said not to bother him." "He's asleep, kid." "Look, one picture, it won't take a second." "He won't even know it." "Look, he saved your life, didn't he?" "Well, now you have a chance to do something for him." "You can make him famous." "I could?" "Sure, here." "Look, make it two dollars." "There you go." "Now, look, I'll have the camera all set for you." "All you have to do is stand back about, oh, about 6 feet, see?" "And look through this sports finder, not through the glass one." "Look through the sports finder, there." "Make sure his face is right in there, okay?" "Now, you take the camera and you hold it real steady, real steady, and then you take a deep breath to hold it that way, see?" "And then you push that button right there." "Got it?" "Push the button, hold it steady, now." "I'll take the ball." "Now hurry up, huh?" "Somebody got here ahead of us." "Hm." "That ham looks like Hester Branch's." "Hester does do a good ham." "Well, good morning." "You're up with the chickens." "We were hoping we'd get here first." "Oh, I wonder who left these." "Here, let me help." "How is he this morning?" "Oh, he's still asleep." "Oh, well, w-we don't want to bother you, Wilma." "Yes, we just thought we'd come, you know, see how he is." "When he does wake up," "I thought, maybe he'd like some preserves." "I hope he likes this calves'-foot jelly." "Well, thank you very much girls." "I'll be sure and tell him who they're from." "Hey, that guy's finally awake." "Dad says to come on in." "Oh, oh, good, here." "Now, put these jars in the kitchen." "And the other things too." "This minute." "Uh, Larry, that man is not a guy." "Mrs. Springer, I, uh, thought I'd try sitting up awhile." "Well, are you sure you're up to it?" "I still can't see too clearly, but I feel a lot better." "When Doc saw you yesterday, he said your vision would clear up in a couple of days." "Yesterday?" "Uh, I must have been delirious." "Did I...?" "No, no, not a word." "My" "My name is George Porter." "I've been working at a lumber camp just north of here." "I don't have any family." "Oh." "I'm proud to know you, Mr. Porter." "And grateful." "Mr. Porter, is there anything we can do for you?" "No thanks, you've done enough already." "Look at me standing here talking." "You must be starving to death." "Well, uh, now that you mention it, Mrs. Springer, I" "Oh, the patient is taking nourishment." "I'll be right back." "I want you to know, Mr. Porter, that our house is yours as long as you like." "Truth is, everybody else in Northoak is jealous that we've got you." "You a police officer, Mr. Springer?" "Um, sheriff." "That's how I happen to be" "Oh, uh, excuse me, Dad, but, uh, Ernie called." "Said to tell you the state police were waiting for you." "Okay, son." "Oh, and, Larry, this is Mr. George Porter." "This is our boy, Larry." "How do you do, sir?" "How do you do?" "I'll bet that paper is just full of that accident." "Uh, I-I-I'd better go finish breakfast now." "Say, look at this." "Your picture plastered all over the front page." "It's too bad that compress covers most of your face." "Yeah, that's too bad." "Say, I wonder how they got that picture." "Al, now, you know Mr. Porter mustn't strain his eyes." "There." "Is that comfortable for you?" "Oh, that's fine, thank you." "I've got to go over and talk with the state police." "The investigation is going be handled by the state?" "Well, they'll be working with me." "Working with you." "Except that it's common knowledge how the state and county people try to protect each other." "Al, don't let them do it this time." "If the county's to blame for the condition of the roads, it ought to be made public." "If the state laws allow laxity in the inspection of school buses, why" "Now, honey, you don't worry." "There isn't going to be a whitewash of anyone." "You know, sometimes I call the little woman here the real sheriff of Oak County, just as a joke." "I'll see you in a bit." "You have a good day, Mr. Porter." "Oh, that, that's just a start." "I have hotcakes, eggs and sausages on the way." "Thank you." "I hope I-I-I didn't sound like a nag about the investigation." "It's not that dishonesty's involved, but... you know, sometimes it can be just as bad if people don't stick to the letter of the law." "Uh, my father was a judge, you see." "He always said that the law was the main reason mankind was able to keep standing on its hind legs." "He was camping near the road when the accident occurred." "He is described as being about 35 years of age, 6 feet tall, weighing 175 pounds, with black hair and blue eyes." "Well, that could be almost anybody." "Including Richard Kimble." "Phil, the odds against" "Odds?" "Phil, you have to admit you don't have much to go on." "Yes, I know." "New England when we expect him to be in the South." "Camping alone, thousands do." "No identification, well, he could have lost that in the accident." "Then you still think this might be Kimble." "This is." "Yeah, well, of course I'll give you full cooperation, lieutenant." "But if you don't mind my saying so, this George Porter can't be your man." "Well, if you insist, I'll get a set of prints and send them out today." "What?" "No, you can take my word for it." "He's in no condition to go any place for at least a couple of days." "How many times have I told you?" "When we're having a top-secret club meeting, you're not supposed to" "Hey, guys." "It's Mr. Porter." "Must've wandered off from the Springers." "Mr. Porter, you okay?" "We better get help fast." "My dad, I'll go get him." "Mr. Porter, sir?" "You don't have to worry, we'll take you back." "You know what?" "What makes me feel so good?" "We're saving him." "Wilma!" "Mm, Wilma." "Wilma, wait." "Wait, Wilma." "Wilma." "Uh, Wilma, wait a minute, will you?" "Is it true?" "Is Mr. Porter really out of his mind?" "Oh, Matty, really." "Well, Art's wife called and said Art found him a half a mile away in the meadow, and then took him home to your house." "He is not out of his mind, and I will not participate in any such foolish gossip." "Well, isn't that a prescription you had made up for him at the drugstore?" "It's a sedative, to calm him." "But half a mile out in the meadow." "Now, why would he want to do a thing like that?" "Oh, Dr. Babcock, who I dare say knows more about such things than any of us, says he's probably still suffering from the concussion." "Or have we forgotten that he was injured." "Oh, I see you got dressed." "I hope I'm not disturbing." "Oh, not at all." "Come on in." "I feel like a" "Well, I mean, I have to do this." "I had an inquiry from a detective out of town, a man named Gerard." "He has a wild idea you might be somebody he's looking for, an escaped murderer named Kimble." "A murderer?" "Well, I" " Not bad." "One day a hero, the next day a dangerous criminal, huh?" "I know, it's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of." "But you understand, I have to cooperate." "Ordinarily I'd get somebody who could vouch for you, but in this case..." "Well, Gerard wants your fingerprints." "Well, whoever this Gerard is," "I guess we ought to keep him happy, huh?" "Won't be for long." "When he gets these in a couple of hours he'll see what a mistake he made." "What do you want me to do?" "Just relax." "I got everything here." "Let me have your right hand." "I'm gonna write that Gerard a piece of my mind when this is cleared up, making me do this to you after all you've done for us." "Al, what in heaven's name are-?" "It's nothing to worry about, honey." "Just clearing up a case of mistaken identity." "But must you treat Mr. Porter as though you're arresting him?" "Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Springer." "We want to get this cleared away today." "Is it that serious?" "No, it isn't, but it could be." "An out-of-state detective saw Mr. Porter's picture in the paper, had a brainstorm." "This man who's been in our house, after saving our boy's life, among others, is really an escaped murderer named Richard Kimble." "There, that'll do it." "Not as bad as a visit to the dentist." "Was it, Mr. Porter?" "No, there are worse things." "Considering I haven't taken a set of prints in several years, that's a pretty professional job if I say so myself." "I'll rush these over to the state police, and they'll send them out by wire photo." "Al." "Just a minute, honey." "Let me make this call." "When you wandered away... it was because you'd seen the paper." "You were afraid." "You were trying to run away." "Don't call him just yet." "Will you let me explain?" "I am Richard Kimble." "An escaped murderer- Escaped, yes, and convicted, but" "I swear to you as I swore to the court, I'm innocent." "I understand that to hear criminals tell it, they're all innocent." "Was it a fair trial?" "Well, legally, yes" "But you see, my defense was" "I saw a one-armed man." "I know he's the one who killed my wife." "Your wife?" "Well, I didn't do it, he did." "But you see, they couldn't find him." "So everywhere I go, I look for him." "It seems to me that's a job for the proper authorities." "The proper authorities have looked for him." "They couldn't find him, so now they're only looking for me." "Mrs. Springer, if I'm caught" "If you're caught?" "As soon as this detective gets those fingerprints, he'll know." "Well, that's why I'm telling you all this." "I thought... you might help me escape." "All you have to do is go out the door and shut it." "So that you can run off again." "You asked for a chance to explain, and I gave it to you." "And now you want me to be an accomplice." "Do you know of any other human being I can ask?" "Is that too much to ask?" "A life for a life?" "Well, it's no trouble for me to run 'em over myself." "Goodbye." "They can't pick these up until later, and I want to get 'em out right away and clear up this nonsense once and for all." "Al?" "Yes?" "Nothing." "Honey, I know how you feel." "We say, "Anything, Mr. Porter." "We'll do anything for you"." "And then we do this." "But listen, he's my kind of man." "He understands I'm only doing my job." "We'll make it up to him." "What's right is right." "He is Richard Kimble." "Oh, my Lord." "Sorry, Mr. Kimble." "You'll come with me now." "That won't be necessary." "Yeah, well, if Al needs any more information just tell him I'll be glad to give it to him, huh?" "Will do, Barney." "Thanks for coming in." "Okay." "Hey, Barney, uh, I'd like to do a follow-up, a human-interest story on ya." "Oh, sure." "Why not?" "Yeah." "Would you come over here?" "Hey, Mr. Porter!" "Boy, I'm sure happy to see you." "Could I get a picture of you here?" "No, no pictures." "Put it away." "Phone that detective." "Tell him we've got his man." "What's got into Al Springer?" "Gone feeble-minded or somethin'?" "I'll say." "He's treating Mr. Porter like a criminal." "He just doesn't make sense." "Finally, Kimble, finally." "Kimble?" "Sheriff will be with you in a minute, Pete." "Thank you, sir." "Uh, yes, the sheriff has a man he can send right away." "Goodbye." "Well, no trouble about extradition." "So if you'll just certify that he is in your custody and that you authorize his release to me." "Sheriff?" "Here you go." "Attorney General's office at the capital." "Make it fast." "They're waiting for it." "How long will it take him?" "About three hours." "I said about three hours." "That clock may be a few seconds off." "Well, in that case, let's say about 10:30, huh?" "Did he eat much, Ernie?" "A little." "Well, don't worry, lieutenant," "I made sure he didn't keep the spoon." "Hardly the suicide type." "Oh?" "What type would you say he is?" "Just a figure of speech, gentlemen." "Well, whatever he is, Ernie can keep an eye on him while I go get some supper." "I haven't eaten since breakfast." "Didn't bother on the plane." "Welcome to come home with me." "Well, that's kind of you, sheriff, but I think I'd rather stay here." "Maybe I can get a sandwich where you got this." "Well, they'll be closing about now." "I only live a few blocks away." "Well, thank you, but, uh," "Kimble got away from me once, and I simply don't want" "Ernie knows his business." "Well, suppose we check him before we go." "Yes, sir..." "lieutenant." "Thank you." "Gerard?" "He still there?" "I'll be at home if you need me, Ernie." "Right." "No one's to be admitted." "And, uh, take a look at him now and again, will you?" "Yes, sir, lieutenant." "...and then another time I got a lead, he was working in an amusement park in New Jersey." "I learned quite a lot about that amusement park before the lead proved to be false." "But that's all over now." "Of course, his capture was inevitable." "I've known it all along." "What's the matter, son?" "Your father asked you a question, dear." "It's my fault." "I took the picture of him." "I thought I was doing him a favor!" "Larry, no." "Son... you have nothing whatever to feel guilty about." "I'm sorry for Larry that he had to be the one." "Mrs. Springer, you must help him to get over it." "Convince him that he did the right thing, just as you know that you did." "What will happen to him now?" "When the papers are returned from the capitol, he'll be remanded to my custody." "I shall deliver him to prison." "And there'll be a new date set for his execution." "What he did for us, for so many people here in Northoak, i-is it possible that the law-?" "Might alter his sentence?" "My guess would be no." "Best leave him be for the night." "Well, sheriff," "I suppose we should be getting back." "Mrs. Springer, I'll always remember this fine meal." "Lieutenant... did he kill his wife?" "The law says he did." "That's not what I mean." "Did he really kill her?" "The law says he's guilty." "I enforce the law." "What's right is right." "I suppose you could put it as simply as that." "I have." "All my life." "Well, goodbye, Mrs. Springer." "And thank you again." "Everything all right?" "Yeah." "When did you check last?" "Six minutes and nine seconds ago." "Want me to check again?" "I wouldn't want you to tire yourself." "I'll do it." "Lieutenant, I'll be at home." "Ernie will call me when the papers get back." "Now?" "Soon." "Cigarette?" "I've got some." "How you must hate me." "It's all very easy for you, Gerard." "Black and white." "Yes, it has to be." "Which gives you the advantage." "Any disguise you choose." "Hero to a whole town." "Saving kids from a burning bus, that's a disguise?" "You know, for all the thinking I've done about you," "I don't know how your mind works at all." "But maybe I do." "I'm a fugitive, so nothing I do is decent." "Well?" "All this time, all those places, haven't you been living a lie?" "I had a choice, didn't I?" "Gerard, when they take me down to that holding cell and give me my last meal, walk me to the door and strap me in that chair, my words are gonna be exactly the same." ""I didn't kill her."" "I didn't, Gerard." "No, of course you didn't." "Tucson, Dallas, Los Angeles," "Seattle, Atlanta, Miami and Northoak." "All those rooms, all those days and nights alone, remembering and imagining until the difference between reality and fantasy is not quite so clear any more." "Can you make yourself believe that being a fugitive has done something to my mind?" "You're forgetting that my story's exactly the same now as it was the night of the murder." "And it was and is a lie." "What, are you so godlike that because you couldn't find a one-armed man, you don't believe he exists?" "I've done everything humanly possible to find him." "I think you have." "I wonder why." "It's my job." "It's also a curse, isn't it, Gerard?" "You know, I think you have nightmares too." "Your nightmare is that when I'm dead, you'll find him." "What are you running from, Gerard?" "Papers back already?" "It's just some people out front who want to say goodbye to him." "I said it was all right." "Goodbye?" "What are you planning, a farewell party?" "I said they could file by and shake hands with him." "I can't allow anything like that." "He's still my prisoner." "All right, folks." "Now, remember:" "no conversation, no waiting around." "Goodbye, my boy." "Courage." "Thank you." "I'm going home to see how my boy is." "I'll be back in time." "I imagine you'd like to go home too." "I sure would, lieutenant." "That car should've been here by now." "Well, I'll check him again." "Don't bother." "Much obliged, lieutenant." "Lieutenant?" "No need to worry about him." "Ernie." "This is everyone who was here last night." "One of them passed him the key when they were saying goodbye." "I appreciate your taking all this trouble, sheriff." "But I already know who did it." "I know how you feel about him, and about me." "You let him out." "That's a lie." "I don't think so." "And I don't think a jury's going to believe that you were just being kind in letting everyone in to say goodbye to Kimble, giving you the chance to slip him the key." "I'm going to see to it that you're charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive." "You're wrong, lieutenant." "My husband didn't do it." "I knew about the key being in the drawer." "I gave it to Mr. Kimble." "You did?" "Well, I'm sure you understand what this means, Mrs. Springer." "You'll be arrested." "Don't listen to her." "I've been in here often enough." "I slipped it to him." "Didn't neither." "He saved my life, and I paid him back." "I'm the one." "He was not," "I did it!" "It's me." "I'm the guilty one." "Another city, another identity." ""Help wanted."" "Help, but there is none." "Richard Kimble must live with his past and his future." "His only consolation, that somewhere, perhaps here, there is a one-armed man who has nightmares of him."