"They're coming." "They're coming Hank." "It's coming now." "Damned carbunkle!" "You ought to take care of that Edgar." "Don't move, any of you." "Move?" "I'm hit." "Darn idiot fool." "You all right Adam?" "Outside." "Go ahead." "All right." "Get on out of here." "What's the matter with that old crock Burn?" "There's something about that grove he don't like." "Indians?" "Might be." "I don't know." "Best take it cautious." "We could go around." "Why, everytime that old hag of yours gets skiddish?" "Why don't you put a martingale on him?" "We'll just go easy." "Chances are, if they was, they would have rode out on us." "Two-three days." "Yeah, something like that." "This ain't no country to be set afoot." "Man gets hung." "Are we far enough away from that human fruit to suit you?" "Dick!" "Come on out." "Three men coming this way." "Three?" "Well, what are they Hank?" "Is that all you seen?" "Ain't but three." "No, there ain't no one here going to do a little hard riding tonight." "I figure we'll wait on this, old boys." "Right Indian?" "I ain't running from no free-range bums." "No, ain't no hands going to give us trouble." "I figure we'll let them bed down here, as long as they are wanting." "Joe, you and Hag might want to get up above there." "Cover it just in case." "But if it looks clear, come on down." " We ain't taking no chances, right Dick?" " Edgar, you sit right over there like you've been." "I might need some range." "Whenever you think it's clear." "Ed?" "This is Dick." "Howdy." "Where you boys heading?" " Waco." " Waco, Texas boys." "Cowhands, are you?" "That's right." "Coming from up north?" "Yeah, been two weeks since Pea River." "Long right yet to Waco." "Well now." "You boys might like to cut a little trail dust out of your necks, huh?" "Why don't you step down and have a snort with me and old Edgar." "Well, that puts no pale on you little boy." "Much obliged." " I'm Dick and this here is Edgar." " Vern." " Wes." " Otis." "They call me blind Dick, on account of one eye." "There's a whole coral down there on the side." "You go on with them." " What outfit's the trail with?" " Crossfield, Seabard." "Heading back there huh?" " No." "Where?" "Waco." "Just the three of you?" "Yeah, three's all." "Five of you?" " Run into any coyotes up around the Pea?" " Two or three." "Signs mostly." "Was just telling Otice and Vern here how Adam fell on his knife and that's what wrong with him." " Have a snort" " Obliged." " You boys are welcome to some of these vittles." " Obliged." "These men are going to bed down for the night, Edgar." "Come on in boys." "I want you to meet, Otis, Vern and ahhhh..." "Wes." "Joe and Boise." "Did you get any boys?" "Huh?" "Critters." "No, no, we didn't get any." "A few droppings, that's all we seen." " Well beans and biscuits is it." " That'll be fine, thank you." "They is a bunch on a scout, if I've ever seen any." " Ain't no five ever rode out alive out of that shack." " We could run for it." "What for?" "They don't want no trouble and we don't want no trouble." "How about "fell on his knife"." "Yeah, that's a lou-lou." "No, they figure we are just cowhands passing through, that's all." "We are." "They won't start nothing." " They seen us coming sure." "They could have picked us off easy, if they wanted to." "Hunting rabbits, ain't that one?" " Maybe you want to try and bring them in?" " Maybe you do Vern?" " It'll be light enough tomorrow." " I'm ready right now." "North up around Wardello would be good for us." " They know we ain't no cowhands." " You're too worried boys." "I'd have picked them off original." "They don't want no trouble." "Going to Waco, that's all they are." " Make up a pretty good mess of beans." " I didn't mind it." "Maybe you two ought to throw in with this bunch." "Sure is a softer line than what I've got." "Except I ain't anxious to wind up trimming a tree, like the one we seen." "I'll be pleased to part company myself." "Think we ought to put a watch on them?" "No, we'll leave early." "You'd think they'd do something for that Adam." " What they gonna do?" " Wonder if this spread's got any riders up this way?" "They'll be lightening out just like us tomorrow." " You gonna hook up in Seabar again?" " I don't know." " I was wondering...." " It's a good outfit." " How about you Wes?" " No." " Down to Cain?" " Maybe." " Didn't seem much to me." " That's the way you seen it Vern." "Ever think about trying for a spread of your own?" "Once or twice." "You never get nothing growing." "I've been doing it awile now." " Sounds like you want to squat." "You ought to throw in with this bunch Wes." "You do all the riding you want." " Better than being afoot." " He's got one there." "Don't seem crazy to me." "You start now Wes and you'd have something." " I know it ain't crazy." "I'm going to think about it, as soon as we get out of here tomorrow." "Do you know some town south of here?" "Sierra Junction is a day or two south." "Sierra Junction?" "Is that the one I mean." "Got a place called "Golden Nugget" in there?" "What don't?" "It's either the "Golden Nugget" or the "Silver Dollar"... every place between here and Rosie's Canteena." "You fixing to stop off?" "I was wondering if it was the one." "You got something in there?" "Mention a saloon and you start to dancing around." "I ain't even going to get started with you this morning, Vern." "Bout ready to head out, are they?" "Yeah." "Anytime now." "I don't know." "Are they still there?" "Yeah." "You think them fools would be bound..." "All right!" "You're surrounded." "Don't make trouble for yourselves." "You got no chance." "What'll we do Dick?" "We'll have to make our play right here." "What do you want with us?" "I guess they'll hang us." "Throw out your weapons, and come on out now or we'll open fire." "You got no chance." "We won't wait forever." "We'll open fire on three." "One..." "Two..." "Don't go slow." "Keep the other three pinned down and concentrate on the shack." "We got to get out." "How?" "Hills are our only chance." "Where do they go either, on foot?" "It's all we got." "Going to be a long day." "You want to try and ride through them?" "We'll use the horses to get us into the hills." "We're just sitting here waiting to get shot, or hung." "What are they doing?" "Running back and forth looks like." "Ain't going nowhere with that." "Hold fire." "They ain't going anywhere up there." "We gotta get the rest of them smoked out before dark." "Sam, try and get up above the shack." "Ward take some of your bunch and track the two that went up the canyon." "Now don't take chances." "Just track them." "They're killers." "Save it." "I hope they follow us." "Not me." "We wasn't doing nothing." "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing's the matter." "Come on." "Where to?" "I don't give a damn Wes." "They'll hang you just the same with Otis dead." "Hold your fire." "Throw down your guns and come out." "You have no chance." "There's men above you." "We're going to burn you out." "What do you say?" "All right." "Your last chance." "Don't shoot." "I'm coming out." "Got anything to say?" "No?" "We can't just keep going up." "We got to get down of here." "I know the vigilantes know that." "They ain't playing Wes." "They burned them all out." "Probably strung up by now." "They know we can't get over this." "I'm not going to hang, Vern." "What do they think?" "Burn them out!" "No chances." "They figured we couldn't get over this, so we'd come to them." "Just like the others done." "Probably marking a trail behind us." "Most of them are probably down at that necktie party for awhile." "We gotta try to go around them, or through them." "You all right." "Did you see them?" "Must be only three or four up here." "Come on then." "Get on down and tell Quint that they're moving west across the face and that you think you winged one of them." "And we'll just stay low until they box themselves in." "It's going to begin to get chilly up here in a couple of hours." "Supper Pa." "Thank you." "Tell your mother I'll be along." "Good evening Catherine." "Evan." "We thank you Lord for this food." "Your humble servants and we are grateful for this food." "Amen." "It's very good." "Tasty." "My feet." "I'm afraid to look at them." "We got to keep going Wes." "They track us easy in daylight, out in the open." "I can't walk much further." "They was up all night, I figure." "The way they bush-whacked us this morning." "We get some horses and I think we're out of it Vern." "If there was a town around here..." "We can't go into no town." "I know." "But if there's a town nearby, there's got to be nesters or a small ranch or something." "You figure we lost them?" "I figure we got to find a place to hide before the sun comes up tomorrow, and this ain't it." "Be a shame to do all this walking for nothing." "Your one day ahead of the game already." "Better blisters than neck burns." "Come on." "Hello inside." "Can we have a word with you?" "Stay here." "Be careful." "What can I do for you?" "We are part of the Citizens Vigilant Committe neighbor." "You seen anything peculiar out here?" "No, you two are the only things I seen today, besides my family and a skunk." "There are two killers lose out here." "They're part of a gang." "Got all of them, but these two, and strung them up today." "Headed this way?" "No telling." "They're on foot." "One might be wounded." " All right if we take a look at your stable there?" " Step down." "Can I offer you men coffee?" "I got a jug of corn-whiskey inside." " That'd be fine, thank you, after we look around." "Abigail!" "Bring out the corn-whiskey." "Thank you, Abby." "This is my daughter Abigail." "Good evening, Miss." "I guess they ain't here." "Would you care to come inside?" "Well no thank you." "We'll go along now." "We got to track these birds down." "Obliged for the drink." "A pleasure meeting you Miss." " Cute little piece, wasn't she Roy?" " Ain't nothing wrong with her." "I'll be getting back this way, I believe." "Don't make a sound, hear me?" "Sit down." "You just sit there, real quiet and you'll be fine." "We don't aim to hurt nobody." "Pardon me." "We are chowing down." "Well, you see, we ain't eat since yesterday morning." "This is good." " May I prepare the food?" " Sure." "Good for our sakes, we came by last night." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "I was just trying to figure out what way to run?" " Would you like some coffee?" " Much obliged." "That's a pretty big stump out there." "What's funny?" "Nothing." " When's he come in?" " Abigail fetches him for dinner." " When's that usual?" " When the grubs ready, that's all." " They track us here, we ain't got a chance." " This is going to be a long enough day, without you going on." " I think we should take the horses now." " Those vigilantes are spread out all over this country." "It's ready, the food's ready." " She goes on out huh?" " That's what she usually does." " Well sure, you do what you done before, that'd be fine." " Abby, do like they say." "Your mother will be in here with us." "She's there." " Dinner Pa." "Thank-you Abby." "Tell your mother, I'll be along." " She's coming back." " You sit right there ma'm." " You did fine." " I forgot the wash-up." " He always washes up." " Abby!" " Yes Pa." " Where's my wash-up?" "Tell him you'll get it." "I'm sorry Pa." "I'll get it." "What's going on inside there with you women?" "Quick!" " What's the matter with you?" " I'm sorry Pa, I forgot." "Don't move." " Got something?" " I'm done with the, all night." " It might be all day." " Yeah, most of us are." " They might not have come out of those mountains." " Well, what do you want to do?" "`" "What are you going to do?" "Well they didn't come out between here and the narrows, then they're not coming out or..." "They got over." "Slipped past us." "Think I'll ride on ahead to them squaters and get a meal." "Roy told me about that "meal"." "I join you when I catch up." "Is that all right with you?" "Sure, the shape you're in, you ain't seeing nothing." "We'll all pack in after the day." "Adios." " Aren't you going to eat Evan?" " What do you want with us?" "Nothing." "Just don't want to make trouble." " Listen Mister." "We didn't do nothing." " You're horse thieves." "You know that." "You can't just come in here and take my stock." "What'll I have." "How will I work?" " I'm going out to look at the horses." " What for?" " I want to see them." " What if someone comes riding by?" "They ain't going to see me." "You keep him in here and I'll take her out with me." "What for?" "What do you want with her?" "Don't think I'm him." " This ain't no social Wes." " You said it was." "All right, I won't take her." "No, go ahead." "Take her." "All I'm doing is looking at your horses." "That's all Mister." "I understand how you feel." "We ain't outlaws." "We ain't!" "You just sit tight a couple of hours, and then we'll be gone." "Don't make no trouble, is what's best for all of us." "Not bad animals." "You don't say much." "I was getting a little cabin fever." " You like it here?" " Can we go in?" "My father don't like it if I talk to strangers." "He don't mean nothing to me." "They're going to hang us." "You think that's right?" "I don't know." "It ain't up to me." "You just do what?" "What's right with your Pa?" "Is that all you care about?" "I can't say." " How old are you?" " 18, I reckon." " You wanting to steal our stock." " That's ain't my problem." " Tell them vigilantes, they're the ones." " It's the wrong thing to do." "What's right?" "Hang?" "You tell me." "They killed the best friend I ever had." "We ought to go in." "When I say is when I want to go in." "You going to eat that?" " Pretty good horses." " As long as they get us out of this part of the country." " You go out and beat that old stump to death, then I won't have to hear it." " I want to stay in here." "Go out." "Don't mean no trouble." "Look better if you out there working." "Don't worry about them." " He sure is on the tick." " Sure he's on the peck." "Stealing horses is all we mean to him." "Can't blame him." " You mind if I get some sleep Vern?" " Go on." " This is my bed." "No, go on." " How long has he been going at that stump?" " Yesterday morning." " You like it here?" "It's all right." " Kind of lonesome for a woman." " Same as for a man." "I reckon." "Seems to me what you do is lonesome." "I guess you'd be right." "I don't know." "That man last night, said they hanged some of your bunch." " It ain't my bunch ma'm." " What are you going to do Vern, talk?" "Ah, you can go to sleep." "Beats me anyways." "Well I guess I can't." "If you ladies got anything to do, you go on." "Hey Wes, what was that with you and Cain?" " Damn, what do you want to do, talk is all?" " Better than sitting here all day listening to myself." "I don't know." "You want to play checkers?" " You got any checkers." " Yes we do." "Can we use them?" " Playing checkers..." "Stealing horses..." " What's the matter with you?" " Just don't seem to be no end to it." " No use to that." " Strikes me as peculiar just the same." " Why's that?" "Sitting here, playing checkers." "While there is a bunch of men out there, looking to string us up." " Why don't you put a tune to it?" " We're in the scout boy." "You can't cash in, can you?" "Getting strung up is better?" "Nobody is just going to put a name to me, and that's it." "I'd like to take a whack at that stump myself." "Come on." "Play!" "I don't know." "I'm going to think about it." "You'll never get nothing growing." "This is the less work I done on a weekday, since I was four." "Unless I was sick." " What's so funny?" " They ain't playing Wes." "They burned down my house." " It's your move Vern." " I know it." " You're horse thieves." " Indians?" " Well come on, play." " Where you been at Vern?" "I moved already." "He stopped." "See what he's doing." "No, we ain't found them ain't." "Probably won't if we don't get them today." " Where's your women folk?" " Inside." "Baking today." "Baking?" "That right?" "Well I out scouting." "The main body is moving out this way." "What the hell they talking about Vern." "Well the side buster is spilling his beans." " Something the matter with you?" " No." "You're acting mighty peculiar for nothing the matter." " They're here!" " Yeah, that's what I thought." " Where're they at?" "In the house?" " They got the women." "What are we going to do?" "Now, you don't look at the house." "You start pointing off behind me." "I'm just going to ease out of here and get some help." "Act like you're giving me directions to some place, like I'm just passing through." "You just go on back to work, like it was nothing." "Make them come out to you to find out what happened." "Stall them." " We going to leave him go?" " Well, ain't no other way." "Doing us a favor." "Getting dumb- enough to go for whatever it is." "As soon as he's out of sight." "Stay inside." "Come on, let's go." "Hey, stay out of there." "They're taking our stock." "Hold it right there!" " What do you think?" "Take two men and find out." "It could be anything." " We're sorry about this ma'm." " I hope you hang them." "Don't worry." "They've seen their last sunrise." " One of them is shot." " They won't get far now." " Let me down." " No we can't Vern." "I ain't going." "Two won't make it on that horse." "I bought it, Wes." "Go on." " I can't just leave you." " You have to do that boy." "Can't you see that?" "Go on!" "We got them now." "What about the other one?"