Rawhide (1959) s01e01 Episode Script
Incident of the Tumbleweed
Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep movin', movin', movin'? Though they're disapprovin'? Keep them dogies movin'? Rawhide? Don't try to understand 'em? Just rope 'em, throw, and brand 'em? Soon we'll be livin' high and wide? My heart's calculatin'? My true love will be waitin'? Be waitin' at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! Rawhide!? Hyah! It's not the roundin' up, and the ropin', and the brandin' of the cattle that's the big problem for the ranchers.
It's gettin' them to market.
from the southern tip of Texas to the railhead at Sedalia.
That's where I come in.
Gil Favor's my name trail boss.
You are the only one I know can make a chow bell whisper.
Now, don't play it so dainty! Put some muscle into it! Chow! Now, don't crowd up here.
There's plenty for everybody.
How do you always manage to be the first one in the chow line? Well, that's easy, Wishbone.
All right, next man.
Aw, come on, now.
Hurry up.
When have I ever let you go hungry? There's plenty for everybody.
Now move along.
You can come back for seconds.
If that herd stays fit as it is now, we'd be in clover the rest of the way.
Look.
What in the world? What is it? A tumbleweed wagon.
It's a prison.
On wheels.
Anybody with half a head could see that.
You ain't gonna let 'em stop here, Mr.
Favor? It's open country.
Yeah, we better double guard the outfit.
Never heard of a man in handcuffs lookin' to run off with cattle.
Take more than chains to make me feel safe in my sleep.
Whoa.
You mind if we share the water? Nobody owns it.
My name's Favor- Trail Boss.
Will Jackson, U.
S.
Marshal.
My deputy, Art Gray.
Art.
They sure ain't hangin' the latch string up.
Some of the boys are a little skittish.
Can't understand what makes people nervous around murderers, deserters, and rustlers.
Me- I just keep this arsenal as a hobby.
Tell your boys to eat easy.
We'll camp yonder.
This is the last night they're going to pen us up like hogs.
I counted ten trail herders out there that I could see.
I dare say all of them can use a gun pretty well.
So? So, you're not running this thing.
I suggest that we wait for a more secluded opportunity.
Secluded opportunity? You'll be gettin' on my nerves with that foreign accent of yours.
I just want to make sure you don't get us all Aw, shut up.
Tie the horses.
Outside, guys.
Let's go.
Come on, son- over there.
Get outside.
Come on.
Over here, man.
Let's go.
Move along.
Right over here.
Come on.
Come on out, Dallas.
Oh, mama, tell me- how do I get throwed in jail? Well, she ain't been in that wagon very long.
Takin' up for collections- bail the little lady out.
Who's with me? That's enough.
You whistle at the herd a bit.
You bring in the remuda.
The rest of you are hungry.
Yeah.
All right, in line.
Hey, wait a minute! Is that how you treat a woman? Woman? She's more wildcat than woman.
I don't need your help.
Go ahead.
Be a big man.
She needs chains more than any of 'em.
I just ain't got the heart to handcuff a woman, but it's more than necessary.
I had my way, they'd never get out of that wagon.
They'd stay there and choke on their own foul air.
Who is she? Married to Luke Storm.
You must've heard of him.
That's just poor judgment, not a crime.
Except that she's part and parcel of his gang of cutthroats- she and those other two.
My chow line's all set up.
My pleasure to send some over.
No, it's best they have their chores to do.
Thanks anyway.
Go ahead, Art.
You and Virgo unhitch the wagon.
Now, look here, I I don't want none of your lip.
Bunker Hill's still eatin' your dirty red neck.
We won that battle, remember? And we won the war, remember? Go on, both of you.
We've been on the road with that human dynamite four days.
We cover a 300-square-mile area.
We pick up freight from ten jails.
Seems it's be simpler for the judge to travel rather than the other way around.
Not enough judges.
Too many jails.
Not enough unbiased juries.
Now, don't be too hard on Art.
It's edgy work.
It does seem to be that.
We make our move tonight.
How? We got an ace.
Wouldn't it be better to wait until Luke catches up and sets us loose? Luke ain't gonna catch up with us this trip.
Number one, suppose he don't come back from Mexico when he was supposed to? Number two, this lawman ain't takin' us to the judge at Mammoth.
He switched his route.
Now, there is a judge at Fort Gregg.
I figure he's headed there.
You have to palaver to unload blankets? Dallas you got any objections to seein' that deputy go under? No objections.
Yeah, this sure reminds me of home, Norm.
The short-grass country of the Mississippi Valley.
Yep.
There, the water makes you thirsty, the squirrels live underground, and the spiders got fur.
Yeah, I sure miss it.
There's something downright attractive about the plain cussedness of nature.
The plain cussedness of nature.
Is that why you sold whiskey to Indians on government land, Matt? To improve on the cussedness of nature? To improve on the state of my pocketbook, Marshall.
You know, I ain't given to worry much, but this boy, here Well, he'll be safe in government prison for a spell.
Out of pure patriotism, this lad left his home in Philadelphia to join the army.
He's scared to death of horses, so naturally, they put him in the cavalry.
Now, he begged- he begged- to be moved to the foot soldiers.
But oh, no.
That'd make too much sense.
So, he deserted.
Now, is it fair to put him in prison? Well, that that ain't for me to say, Matt.
Oh, I wasn't scared of horses.
It was the first sergeant.
He thought I was scared of horses because I didn't know how to shoe them.
So, he got on me, and he kept on me till I took him apart.
Bad apart, with my bare hands.
After that, it was either him or me, and I knew he could have me hanged.
So, here I am.
You put him in with hardened criminals, and that's the way he'll end up.
Like that fish-blooded Englishman over there that killed his own wife.
Well, you act the boy's lawyer, Matt, and maybe the judge'll see it your way.
And so, Virgo, due to an accident of birth, you see me in chains in this American wilderness instead of in my ancestral castle in England.
Simply because my twin brother was born and gives me an allowance to stay out of England.
I don't know why you waste your breath, Sinclair.
He don't understand a word you're saying.
I've got to talk to someone.
And, uh, he doesn't talk back.
You see, Virgo, I understand why tribal custom demanded that you kill that brave who disgraced your sister.
It's theAmericans who are the real barbarians.
I give you my word as an Englishman that somehow I'll I'll strike off your bonds.
Come and get it! Come and get it! They're all bedded down and contented, boss.
Good.
You restless? Huh? Oh, uh I just thought I'd take a little walk before I turned in.
Better walk in the other direction.
You never saw a woman in troubleyet you haven't fallen for.
Look, Mr.
Favor after dark, when I'm not on night herd, my time's my own, huh? Mixing with the tumbleweed wagon is mighty touchy, but I'm not telling you, just asking.
Do you think the drovers will try to stop us? We don't bother them.
Why should they bother us? Out of the way, Dallas.
Art! Still hands off? The horses! I'll get her.
Let go of me! I'd be obliged if you'd secure that chain for me.
There's a padlock at the end there.
I didn't want to get involved.
They always say the same words.
The men who killed my father, they said the same thing.
They didn't want to get involved.
Sorry.
Oh, they were, too.
Vigilantes.
Especially when they found out they'd hanged an innocent man.
They were sorry.
But my father was dead.
They had to pin it on somebody.
They didn't know he was going blind.
He couldn't even see anybody, let alone shoot them.
And the people in town- the decent folk- all they wanted to do was just-just forget that it ever happened.
Well, I didn'tletthem forget.
There were a lot of empty places at supper tables in that town before I was through.
Mr.
Favor? Deputy's dead.
Marshall ain't got far to go.
His bleeding stopped? Yeah.
You've got to you've got to get my prisoners to Fort Gregg.
I'm sorry, Marshall.
I got a herd to deliver.
There's nobody else, Mr.
Favor.
I got to get to a doctor.
You know it.
There's a doctor at Gregg.
You got no choice.
Oh You've got a choice.
To stay alive.
The man who rode out of here is on his way to Luke Storm, my husband.
He's likely on our trail already.
All right, Marshall.
I'll get your wagon to Fort Gregg.
Be smart, trail boss.
Walk away with your cattle.
Oh, I almost forgot to thank you, Dallas, for your prayer over the grave.
I didn't realize you had so much religious training.
Enough to know that them who pray the loudest are the biggest hypocrites.
That's true, too.
You'll never get us to Fort Gregg.
Who knows? Herd's inclined to move, Mr.
Favor.
All right.
Take care of his horse, Quince.
I'll be taking the prison wagon into Fort Gregg.
Well, you can't do it alone.
Yeah, I'll need a hand.
I wouldn't mind seeing Fort Gregg.
Sorry.
You've got the herd.
Rowdy, you want to see a fort? I sure do.
You'll need eyes in the back of your head.
Boy, I got 'em.
Undo the chain, get the prisoners in the wagon.
Right.
Figure two, maybe three days to Gregg.
We'll catch up with you at Prescott Crossing.
Get the Marshall set.
Please get in the wagon, ma'am.
Take your dirty, cow-herdin' hands off of me.
Look, I said to get in the wagon.
I'll get in when I want to.
I saidnow.
Let go of me! Put me down! I'll kill you.
Let me go! Oh, let me go! Watch out, just watch out.
Next time, your eyes come out.
All right, pick up your blankets and move in.
You're not going to put him inthere.
Well, he can't ride sitting up front.
We haven't got an extra wagon.
There's no place else to put him.
All he needs is bandage changing, so the wound doesn't fester.
If he lives, figures the judge will take that into consideration.
Rowdy? All right, then.
We'll see you at Prescott Crossing.
All right, Pete.
See you later, Pete.
Good luck.
See you later, Mr.
Favor.
Yah! Yah! Lennie, look.
Dallas.
How did you do that? That cowhand forgot to snap the lock.
Now, look, we've got to delay this wagon.
Wait a minute- you don't want him to hear, do you? He can't hear a thing.
Lennie, the man with the brain- he'll find a way to delay this wagon.
Aw, shut up.
Give Luke time to catch up.
He'll set us free.
Luke won't find it so easy.
The man on this wagon is no fool.
If they get us to Fort Gregg, we're finished.
We got one chance.
We have to delay this wagon until Luke catches up.
Now, you do what I tell you, maybe Look what you've accomplished so far.
Bandage shook loose.
The wound's open.
Uh, hey, hand me one of those rags there.
Nobody hates a lawman like you, Dallas.
The Mexicans sure make a sharp blade.
All right, now the deputy, we know, is buried here.
There was some shooting, so we know maybe somebody was shot.
Lennie or the marshal.
Yeah, or maybe Dallas.
If it was Dallas It'll cut a man in half just as easy.
That herd you talked about picked up the Sedalia Trail.
Their wagon's headed for Fort Gregg again.
Somebody's driving, somebody's riding guard.
Wait a minute.
Marshal's got some help.
Yeah.
All right, Jed, let's mount up and keep going.
Our trail's cleaner than a hound's tooth.
There's another way to Fort Gregg.
It's rougher but shorter.
About a mile east of here.
I don't figure anybody can beat us in.
Maybe not.
We'll just go along this stream a ways.
Just might fool somebody in a hurry to get to Gregg.
Right.
Yah! We ain't noonin' yet.
We're crossing a stream.
We'll have to stop in a bit.
We'll do it right this time.
None of you make a move until I say.
I thought we'd agreed that you had failed as a leader.
And you figure you're right for the job? Well, let's take a vote.
Norm, what do you say? Lennie or me? Well, I-I don't know.
You've got to vote.
There's a saying that anybody who interferes in another man's business ends up on a spit.
You sure don't live by the sayings of where you come from.
YeahWell, that's why I left.
Now, this boy's got trouble enough.
Why don't you let him be.
Well, how about you? I'll follow anybody who can show me an exit.
Uh-huh.
Virgo's with me.
How do you know? I hold his proxy.
I vote for myself- that makes two votes.
Who'd follow you? A man who murdered his own wife? That was an act of mercy.
She was ill; she lingered on.
I was the perfect husband all that time, when until I found out that behind my back she'd given all her money to her mother and her sister.
So I had to kill them, too.
It's easy, the way I do it.
Quiet and leaves no mess.
You ain't fit for decent company.
You know, Lennie, you remind me of my wife.
Lingering on.
You're ill, an incompetent, a fool.
All right, you two, cut it out! Come on! Lennie! Let's see what's going on back there! I'll cover you.
Dallas, you can ride topside.
They fighting over you? What difference does it make? Thanks for changing the marshal's bandage.
That lawman can't stand much more of this jogging.
Guess you're not as hard as you think you are, Dallas.
Understand me, trail boss, I'm glad that man is dying, because you're gonna have to stop this wagon if you want him to live.
We'll stop as soon as we find a place protected to noon.
Only protection is to free me.
Why do you want to die because of a lot of folks you don't even know? Nobody wants to die.
A man just does what he feels is right.
When you're looking down the barrel of Luke's gun, you'll change your mind.
Maybe.
I hope not, but maybe.
Hey, Luke! Yeah.
Whoever it is, they're smart enough to know the shortcut.
It cost us over an hour.
They're still on the way to Fort Gregg.
Whoa! Better check our back trail, Rowdy.
All right.
You're only beginning to get nervous.
You want to wrestle? We've still got two falls to go.
You can build a fire over there.
If you make any smoke, nobody eats.
Marshal, you all right? Yeah.
The girl helped me.
I've been thinking of staying here overnight, give that wound a chance to heal.
No.
No, we-we've got to get to Fort Gregg.
All right, we'll go on.
You want anything to eat? Just a little water.
Don't worry about me.
Keep your eyes on the prisoners.
Especially that Englishman.
I don't trust him.
Nothing behind us but space.
All right, let's move on.
And douse that fire real good.
Rowdy! Get that fire! Throw some dirt on it! Stay where you are! Get back in the wagon, all of you.
You heard him.
Move.
What are you doing this for? You want to be alive when your husband catches up, don't you? Come on up here.
Come on up and rescue us.
While you're doing that, that redneck up there's gonna strangle Luke's wife.
Even if you shoot us, he'll still kill her.
What's one woman more or less to him? Go on with your prison wagon.
We're waiting for Luke.
Aren't we? One shot from you, and she goes.
And you shoot, one of us goes.
What's that get you? Two of us gone.
The rest of us bang your heads to pieces with these! Hold them, Rowdy.
All right, get in.
Hey, where's the boy? Go on, get in.
Get in the back.
Come on.
He ain't gonna kill her, Mr.
Favor! He ain't gonna kill nobody! Are you hurt, Dallas? What do you want me to say? Don't want you to say nothing.
You all right, Norm? Yes, sir.
All right, get back down to the wagon.
Let's go, Sinclair.
Come on.
Yah! Giddap! Both of them out.
Not me.
Well, you might as well be.
Do you think I failed? Do you think Dallas failed? You failed the biggest of us all.
No, no, because I found out something very important.
Eh, what are you saying? I nearly pulled it off, didn't I? If you'd kept this boy from interfering, I'd have succeeded.
All right, you tell me, what did you find out by failing? Oh, I don't expect you to understand this.
Never mind what you don't expect me to understand! And we've got a traitor in our midst, a dirty, lousy traitor who shouldn't be allowed to hear me.
I'm not a traitor, Mr.
Sinclair.
I want to get out of this as much as anybody, but you did wrong trying to kill that girl.
You did wrong, and I stopped you.
Very fine, very noble.
Now, you didn't answer me, redneck.
Now, what did you find out by failing to spring us? A matter of strategy.
I found out it's not what you do but where you do it.
What do you mean? There's a water crossing between here and Fort Gregg.
The trail boss will have his hands full crossing the water.
That's where.
You understand me? That's where.
Yah! I'd never sit next to you if you did what I did.
You do things for what you think is right.
Got to admire you for that.
It's just too bad that Look, I don't need your pity.
Too bad that what you think is right isn't.
'Cause I hate the law? The law made one mistake.
Why throw your life away? All that talk.
Just watch out, that's all I got to say.
Just watch out.
This is the place.
There's riders behind us.
How many? Four, and they're coming fast.
How far? About a mile.
Well, if we can get across that river we got a chance.
And up that hill.
It can't be too far to Gregg.
You know, I could hold them off pretty good from that ridge right over there.
There's plenty of places to hold them off once we're across.
I don't think that wagon's going to make it across that stream.
We'll have to try.
Haven't got time to look for a ford.
Look, we'll unhitch the team, take them across.
There's a block and fall up front there.
You anchor it to that big tree, and we'll use the team to haul the wagon across.
Think we got enough rope? There's plenty up there.
They probably got it for times like these.
All right.
Move over, Dallas.
Why don't you leave me here on this side of the river? Luke won't follow you.
Can't do that.
You're a fool.
You may be right about that.
You better take this gun, Mr.
Favor.
Right.
You going to cross that water? That's right.
You can't mean to cross it with us inside this wagon.
Supposing it sinks? I plan to let you out.
Some of us can't swim.
You can raft across on top of the wagon.
Come on, let's go.
Look here With these on, we'd be just as trapped up there as we would be in the wagon.
If anything should happen, drowning isn't the most pleasant death.
Sure wouldn't want to see anybody die unpleasantly.
Now you three get the marshal and get ready to put him up on top.
You two climb up front, get up there and give him a hand.
Come on, let's go.
With these on? Let's go.
Climb.
Here's your water crossing, redneck.
What do we do now? Wait till he starts across.
When we get to the middle of the stream we'll jump him.
Get ready up there.
All together now.
Let's go.
The rest of you get up on top.
Holy smokes.
I don't like this.
Neither do I.
Hang on, Dallas.
Hang on tight, all of you.
Ready.
Come on, come on.
Tell us when, Luke.
When they get to the middle.
When they're up to their necks.
Rowdy, pull up that slack! I am.
Get up.
Come on, come on.
Help! Help! Help! Help! All right, bring her in here.
You better get us in.
Lennie's hurt.
Shut up, redneck.
I'm all right, Luke.
Tell them to shut up, Jed.
She's coming around.
Honey? Luke.
Yeah, honey, it's me.
Oh, Luke.
Come on.
She all right? Yeah, she's all right.
Shut up.
Well, cow head looks like I win the last fall.
Yeah.
Let's get out of here, Luke.
Sure, honey.
We got to take care of a few lawmen.
Not that it makes any difference, but we're not lawmen.
You sure acted like it.
You deserve whatever you get.
See, mister, me and my wife, we're not over-fond of the law.
We respect it.
Respect it so much, we try very hard not to get caught.
That's being more sensible than you were when you took over that prison wagon, ain't it? Well, maybe you've learned your lesson now.
Maybe next time you won't interfere in something that's none of your business.
Hey, Jed.
You got charges in that rifle for each of them? Yeah, you bet.
Then what are you waiting for? Shoot 'em down.
No.
If you're going to shoot somebody, see? Who did that? The Englishman.
One of those? Yeah.
You all right, Lennie? I'm all right, Luke.
Which one's the Englishman? I am.
See how it's done? How easy it is? See how easy it is for you? Leave 'em be, Luke.
Like he told you, they're not lawmen.
Now, honey, I can't leave 'em be.
Now, let me see Dallas honey, you're up on that Bible stuff.
I want to do for him what he has done An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.
That's it.
And eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
No, on second thought, I think I'll take care of this myself.
Now you stand aside, woman.
I want to remove temptation from your eyes like the preacher says.
I told you, Luke, they're not lawmen.
All the more reason to blame them for taking on this chore.
They didn't mean nothing.
Let 'em go.
What are you talking about? You want them to wander into town and set the wolves on us? They won't, Luke, I swear they won't.
You You swear for them? Have they taken you over? Listen, Luke You-you saw him save my life.
Stand aside, Dallas.
Luke, there's no need to kill him.
Are you for him or are you for me? Will you stand aside?! You try it and I'll shoot, so help me.
Now, tell you what, honey you put up that gun and we'll go on from here, and pretend like you never made this play.
Just as soon as I see them safely on their way.
I was the one taught you how to use that gun.
You taught me a lot of things.
Maybe some of them wrong.
Watch out, Dallas.
You don't think I'd shoot my own wife, do you, mister? What happens now, Mr.
Favor? I mean what happens to me? I don't know, Dallas.
Sure you do.
You're going to take me to Fort Gregg.
I'd be I'd be disappointed if you went against yourself now.
Only take it real slow on the trail.
I don't want to die in prison.
?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'? Though the streams are swollen? Keep them dogies rollin'? Rawhide? Through rain and wind and weather? Hell-bent for leather? Wishin' my gal was by my side? All the things I'm missin'? Good vittles, love and kissin'? Are waiting at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'?
It's gettin' them to market.
from the southern tip of Texas to the railhead at Sedalia.
That's where I come in.
Gil Favor's my name trail boss.
You are the only one I know can make a chow bell whisper.
Now, don't play it so dainty! Put some muscle into it! Chow! Now, don't crowd up here.
There's plenty for everybody.
How do you always manage to be the first one in the chow line? Well, that's easy, Wishbone.
All right, next man.
Aw, come on, now.
Hurry up.
When have I ever let you go hungry? There's plenty for everybody.
Now move along.
You can come back for seconds.
If that herd stays fit as it is now, we'd be in clover the rest of the way.
Look.
What in the world? What is it? A tumbleweed wagon.
It's a prison.
On wheels.
Anybody with half a head could see that.
You ain't gonna let 'em stop here, Mr.
Favor? It's open country.
Yeah, we better double guard the outfit.
Never heard of a man in handcuffs lookin' to run off with cattle.
Take more than chains to make me feel safe in my sleep.
Whoa.
You mind if we share the water? Nobody owns it.
My name's Favor- Trail Boss.
Will Jackson, U.
S.
Marshal.
My deputy, Art Gray.
Art.
They sure ain't hangin' the latch string up.
Some of the boys are a little skittish.
Can't understand what makes people nervous around murderers, deserters, and rustlers.
Me- I just keep this arsenal as a hobby.
Tell your boys to eat easy.
We'll camp yonder.
This is the last night they're going to pen us up like hogs.
I counted ten trail herders out there that I could see.
I dare say all of them can use a gun pretty well.
So? So, you're not running this thing.
I suggest that we wait for a more secluded opportunity.
Secluded opportunity? You'll be gettin' on my nerves with that foreign accent of yours.
I just want to make sure you don't get us all Aw, shut up.
Tie the horses.
Outside, guys.
Let's go.
Come on, son- over there.
Get outside.
Come on.
Over here, man.
Let's go.
Move along.
Right over here.
Come on.
Come on out, Dallas.
Oh, mama, tell me- how do I get throwed in jail? Well, she ain't been in that wagon very long.
Takin' up for collections- bail the little lady out.
Who's with me? That's enough.
You whistle at the herd a bit.
You bring in the remuda.
The rest of you are hungry.
Yeah.
All right, in line.
Hey, wait a minute! Is that how you treat a woman? Woman? She's more wildcat than woman.
I don't need your help.
Go ahead.
Be a big man.
She needs chains more than any of 'em.
I just ain't got the heart to handcuff a woman, but it's more than necessary.
I had my way, they'd never get out of that wagon.
They'd stay there and choke on their own foul air.
Who is she? Married to Luke Storm.
You must've heard of him.
That's just poor judgment, not a crime.
Except that she's part and parcel of his gang of cutthroats- she and those other two.
My chow line's all set up.
My pleasure to send some over.
No, it's best they have their chores to do.
Thanks anyway.
Go ahead, Art.
You and Virgo unhitch the wagon.
Now, look here, I I don't want none of your lip.
Bunker Hill's still eatin' your dirty red neck.
We won that battle, remember? And we won the war, remember? Go on, both of you.
We've been on the road with that human dynamite four days.
We cover a 300-square-mile area.
We pick up freight from ten jails.
Seems it's be simpler for the judge to travel rather than the other way around.
Not enough judges.
Too many jails.
Not enough unbiased juries.
Now, don't be too hard on Art.
It's edgy work.
It does seem to be that.
We make our move tonight.
How? We got an ace.
Wouldn't it be better to wait until Luke catches up and sets us loose? Luke ain't gonna catch up with us this trip.
Number one, suppose he don't come back from Mexico when he was supposed to? Number two, this lawman ain't takin' us to the judge at Mammoth.
He switched his route.
Now, there is a judge at Fort Gregg.
I figure he's headed there.
You have to palaver to unload blankets? Dallas you got any objections to seein' that deputy go under? No objections.
Yeah, this sure reminds me of home, Norm.
The short-grass country of the Mississippi Valley.
Yep.
There, the water makes you thirsty, the squirrels live underground, and the spiders got fur.
Yeah, I sure miss it.
There's something downright attractive about the plain cussedness of nature.
The plain cussedness of nature.
Is that why you sold whiskey to Indians on government land, Matt? To improve on the cussedness of nature? To improve on the state of my pocketbook, Marshall.
You know, I ain't given to worry much, but this boy, here Well, he'll be safe in government prison for a spell.
Out of pure patriotism, this lad left his home in Philadelphia to join the army.
He's scared to death of horses, so naturally, they put him in the cavalry.
Now, he begged- he begged- to be moved to the foot soldiers.
But oh, no.
That'd make too much sense.
So, he deserted.
Now, is it fair to put him in prison? Well, that that ain't for me to say, Matt.
Oh, I wasn't scared of horses.
It was the first sergeant.
He thought I was scared of horses because I didn't know how to shoe them.
So, he got on me, and he kept on me till I took him apart.
Bad apart, with my bare hands.
After that, it was either him or me, and I knew he could have me hanged.
So, here I am.
You put him in with hardened criminals, and that's the way he'll end up.
Like that fish-blooded Englishman over there that killed his own wife.
Well, you act the boy's lawyer, Matt, and maybe the judge'll see it your way.
And so, Virgo, due to an accident of birth, you see me in chains in this American wilderness instead of in my ancestral castle in England.
Simply because my twin brother was born and gives me an allowance to stay out of England.
I don't know why you waste your breath, Sinclair.
He don't understand a word you're saying.
I've got to talk to someone.
And, uh, he doesn't talk back.
You see, Virgo, I understand why tribal custom demanded that you kill that brave who disgraced your sister.
It's theAmericans who are the real barbarians.
I give you my word as an Englishman that somehow I'll I'll strike off your bonds.
Come and get it! Come and get it! They're all bedded down and contented, boss.
Good.
You restless? Huh? Oh, uh I just thought I'd take a little walk before I turned in.
Better walk in the other direction.
You never saw a woman in troubleyet you haven't fallen for.
Look, Mr.
Favor after dark, when I'm not on night herd, my time's my own, huh? Mixing with the tumbleweed wagon is mighty touchy, but I'm not telling you, just asking.
Do you think the drovers will try to stop us? We don't bother them.
Why should they bother us? Out of the way, Dallas.
Art! Still hands off? The horses! I'll get her.
Let go of me! I'd be obliged if you'd secure that chain for me.
There's a padlock at the end there.
I didn't want to get involved.
They always say the same words.
The men who killed my father, they said the same thing.
They didn't want to get involved.
Sorry.
Oh, they were, too.
Vigilantes.
Especially when they found out they'd hanged an innocent man.
They were sorry.
But my father was dead.
They had to pin it on somebody.
They didn't know he was going blind.
He couldn't even see anybody, let alone shoot them.
And the people in town- the decent folk- all they wanted to do was just-just forget that it ever happened.
Well, I didn'tletthem forget.
There were a lot of empty places at supper tables in that town before I was through.
Mr.
Favor? Deputy's dead.
Marshall ain't got far to go.
His bleeding stopped? Yeah.
You've got to you've got to get my prisoners to Fort Gregg.
I'm sorry, Marshall.
I got a herd to deliver.
There's nobody else, Mr.
Favor.
I got to get to a doctor.
You know it.
There's a doctor at Gregg.
You got no choice.
Oh You've got a choice.
To stay alive.
The man who rode out of here is on his way to Luke Storm, my husband.
He's likely on our trail already.
All right, Marshall.
I'll get your wagon to Fort Gregg.
Be smart, trail boss.
Walk away with your cattle.
Oh, I almost forgot to thank you, Dallas, for your prayer over the grave.
I didn't realize you had so much religious training.
Enough to know that them who pray the loudest are the biggest hypocrites.
That's true, too.
You'll never get us to Fort Gregg.
Who knows? Herd's inclined to move, Mr.
Favor.
All right.
Take care of his horse, Quince.
I'll be taking the prison wagon into Fort Gregg.
Well, you can't do it alone.
Yeah, I'll need a hand.
I wouldn't mind seeing Fort Gregg.
Sorry.
You've got the herd.
Rowdy, you want to see a fort? I sure do.
You'll need eyes in the back of your head.
Boy, I got 'em.
Undo the chain, get the prisoners in the wagon.
Right.
Figure two, maybe three days to Gregg.
We'll catch up with you at Prescott Crossing.
Get the Marshall set.
Please get in the wagon, ma'am.
Take your dirty, cow-herdin' hands off of me.
Look, I said to get in the wagon.
I'll get in when I want to.
I saidnow.
Let go of me! Put me down! I'll kill you.
Let me go! Oh, let me go! Watch out, just watch out.
Next time, your eyes come out.
All right, pick up your blankets and move in.
You're not going to put him inthere.
Well, he can't ride sitting up front.
We haven't got an extra wagon.
There's no place else to put him.
All he needs is bandage changing, so the wound doesn't fester.
If he lives, figures the judge will take that into consideration.
Rowdy? All right, then.
We'll see you at Prescott Crossing.
All right, Pete.
See you later, Pete.
Good luck.
See you later, Mr.
Favor.
Yah! Yah! Lennie, look.
Dallas.
How did you do that? That cowhand forgot to snap the lock.
Now, look, we've got to delay this wagon.
Wait a minute- you don't want him to hear, do you? He can't hear a thing.
Lennie, the man with the brain- he'll find a way to delay this wagon.
Aw, shut up.
Give Luke time to catch up.
He'll set us free.
Luke won't find it so easy.
The man on this wagon is no fool.
If they get us to Fort Gregg, we're finished.
We got one chance.
We have to delay this wagon until Luke catches up.
Now, you do what I tell you, maybe Look what you've accomplished so far.
Bandage shook loose.
The wound's open.
Uh, hey, hand me one of those rags there.
Nobody hates a lawman like you, Dallas.
The Mexicans sure make a sharp blade.
All right, now the deputy, we know, is buried here.
There was some shooting, so we know maybe somebody was shot.
Lennie or the marshal.
Yeah, or maybe Dallas.
If it was Dallas It'll cut a man in half just as easy.
That herd you talked about picked up the Sedalia Trail.
Their wagon's headed for Fort Gregg again.
Somebody's driving, somebody's riding guard.
Wait a minute.
Marshal's got some help.
Yeah.
All right, Jed, let's mount up and keep going.
Our trail's cleaner than a hound's tooth.
There's another way to Fort Gregg.
It's rougher but shorter.
About a mile east of here.
I don't figure anybody can beat us in.
Maybe not.
We'll just go along this stream a ways.
Just might fool somebody in a hurry to get to Gregg.
Right.
Yah! We ain't noonin' yet.
We're crossing a stream.
We'll have to stop in a bit.
We'll do it right this time.
None of you make a move until I say.
I thought we'd agreed that you had failed as a leader.
And you figure you're right for the job? Well, let's take a vote.
Norm, what do you say? Lennie or me? Well, I-I don't know.
You've got to vote.
There's a saying that anybody who interferes in another man's business ends up on a spit.
You sure don't live by the sayings of where you come from.
YeahWell, that's why I left.
Now, this boy's got trouble enough.
Why don't you let him be.
Well, how about you? I'll follow anybody who can show me an exit.
Uh-huh.
Virgo's with me.
How do you know? I hold his proxy.
I vote for myself- that makes two votes.
Who'd follow you? A man who murdered his own wife? That was an act of mercy.
She was ill; she lingered on.
I was the perfect husband all that time, when until I found out that behind my back she'd given all her money to her mother and her sister.
So I had to kill them, too.
It's easy, the way I do it.
Quiet and leaves no mess.
You ain't fit for decent company.
You know, Lennie, you remind me of my wife.
Lingering on.
You're ill, an incompetent, a fool.
All right, you two, cut it out! Come on! Lennie! Let's see what's going on back there! I'll cover you.
Dallas, you can ride topside.
They fighting over you? What difference does it make? Thanks for changing the marshal's bandage.
That lawman can't stand much more of this jogging.
Guess you're not as hard as you think you are, Dallas.
Understand me, trail boss, I'm glad that man is dying, because you're gonna have to stop this wagon if you want him to live.
We'll stop as soon as we find a place protected to noon.
Only protection is to free me.
Why do you want to die because of a lot of folks you don't even know? Nobody wants to die.
A man just does what he feels is right.
When you're looking down the barrel of Luke's gun, you'll change your mind.
Maybe.
I hope not, but maybe.
Hey, Luke! Yeah.
Whoever it is, they're smart enough to know the shortcut.
It cost us over an hour.
They're still on the way to Fort Gregg.
Whoa! Better check our back trail, Rowdy.
All right.
You're only beginning to get nervous.
You want to wrestle? We've still got two falls to go.
You can build a fire over there.
If you make any smoke, nobody eats.
Marshal, you all right? Yeah.
The girl helped me.
I've been thinking of staying here overnight, give that wound a chance to heal.
No.
No, we-we've got to get to Fort Gregg.
All right, we'll go on.
You want anything to eat? Just a little water.
Don't worry about me.
Keep your eyes on the prisoners.
Especially that Englishman.
I don't trust him.
Nothing behind us but space.
All right, let's move on.
And douse that fire real good.
Rowdy! Get that fire! Throw some dirt on it! Stay where you are! Get back in the wagon, all of you.
You heard him.
Move.
What are you doing this for? You want to be alive when your husband catches up, don't you? Come on up here.
Come on up and rescue us.
While you're doing that, that redneck up there's gonna strangle Luke's wife.
Even if you shoot us, he'll still kill her.
What's one woman more or less to him? Go on with your prison wagon.
We're waiting for Luke.
Aren't we? One shot from you, and she goes.
And you shoot, one of us goes.
What's that get you? Two of us gone.
The rest of us bang your heads to pieces with these! Hold them, Rowdy.
All right, get in.
Hey, where's the boy? Go on, get in.
Get in the back.
Come on.
He ain't gonna kill her, Mr.
Favor! He ain't gonna kill nobody! Are you hurt, Dallas? What do you want me to say? Don't want you to say nothing.
You all right, Norm? Yes, sir.
All right, get back down to the wagon.
Let's go, Sinclair.
Come on.
Yah! Giddap! Both of them out.
Not me.
Well, you might as well be.
Do you think I failed? Do you think Dallas failed? You failed the biggest of us all.
No, no, because I found out something very important.
Eh, what are you saying? I nearly pulled it off, didn't I? If you'd kept this boy from interfering, I'd have succeeded.
All right, you tell me, what did you find out by failing? Oh, I don't expect you to understand this.
Never mind what you don't expect me to understand! And we've got a traitor in our midst, a dirty, lousy traitor who shouldn't be allowed to hear me.
I'm not a traitor, Mr.
Sinclair.
I want to get out of this as much as anybody, but you did wrong trying to kill that girl.
You did wrong, and I stopped you.
Very fine, very noble.
Now, you didn't answer me, redneck.
Now, what did you find out by failing to spring us? A matter of strategy.
I found out it's not what you do but where you do it.
What do you mean? There's a water crossing between here and Fort Gregg.
The trail boss will have his hands full crossing the water.
That's where.
You understand me? That's where.
Yah! I'd never sit next to you if you did what I did.
You do things for what you think is right.
Got to admire you for that.
It's just too bad that Look, I don't need your pity.
Too bad that what you think is right isn't.
'Cause I hate the law? The law made one mistake.
Why throw your life away? All that talk.
Just watch out, that's all I got to say.
Just watch out.
This is the place.
There's riders behind us.
How many? Four, and they're coming fast.
How far? About a mile.
Well, if we can get across that river we got a chance.
And up that hill.
It can't be too far to Gregg.
You know, I could hold them off pretty good from that ridge right over there.
There's plenty of places to hold them off once we're across.
I don't think that wagon's going to make it across that stream.
We'll have to try.
Haven't got time to look for a ford.
Look, we'll unhitch the team, take them across.
There's a block and fall up front there.
You anchor it to that big tree, and we'll use the team to haul the wagon across.
Think we got enough rope? There's plenty up there.
They probably got it for times like these.
All right.
Move over, Dallas.
Why don't you leave me here on this side of the river? Luke won't follow you.
Can't do that.
You're a fool.
You may be right about that.
You better take this gun, Mr.
Favor.
Right.
You going to cross that water? That's right.
You can't mean to cross it with us inside this wagon.
Supposing it sinks? I plan to let you out.
Some of us can't swim.
You can raft across on top of the wagon.
Come on, let's go.
Look here With these on, we'd be just as trapped up there as we would be in the wagon.
If anything should happen, drowning isn't the most pleasant death.
Sure wouldn't want to see anybody die unpleasantly.
Now you three get the marshal and get ready to put him up on top.
You two climb up front, get up there and give him a hand.
Come on, let's go.
With these on? Let's go.
Climb.
Here's your water crossing, redneck.
What do we do now? Wait till he starts across.
When we get to the middle of the stream we'll jump him.
Get ready up there.
All together now.
Let's go.
The rest of you get up on top.
Holy smokes.
I don't like this.
Neither do I.
Hang on, Dallas.
Hang on tight, all of you.
Ready.
Come on, come on.
Tell us when, Luke.
When they get to the middle.
When they're up to their necks.
Rowdy, pull up that slack! I am.
Get up.
Come on, come on.
Help! Help! Help! Help! All right, bring her in here.
You better get us in.
Lennie's hurt.
Shut up, redneck.
I'm all right, Luke.
Tell them to shut up, Jed.
She's coming around.
Honey? Luke.
Yeah, honey, it's me.
Oh, Luke.
Come on.
She all right? Yeah, she's all right.
Shut up.
Well, cow head looks like I win the last fall.
Yeah.
Let's get out of here, Luke.
Sure, honey.
We got to take care of a few lawmen.
Not that it makes any difference, but we're not lawmen.
You sure acted like it.
You deserve whatever you get.
See, mister, me and my wife, we're not over-fond of the law.
We respect it.
Respect it so much, we try very hard not to get caught.
That's being more sensible than you were when you took over that prison wagon, ain't it? Well, maybe you've learned your lesson now.
Maybe next time you won't interfere in something that's none of your business.
Hey, Jed.
You got charges in that rifle for each of them? Yeah, you bet.
Then what are you waiting for? Shoot 'em down.
No.
If you're going to shoot somebody, see? Who did that? The Englishman.
One of those? Yeah.
You all right, Lennie? I'm all right, Luke.
Which one's the Englishman? I am.
See how it's done? How easy it is? See how easy it is for you? Leave 'em be, Luke.
Like he told you, they're not lawmen.
Now, honey, I can't leave 'em be.
Now, let me see Dallas honey, you're up on that Bible stuff.
I want to do for him what he has done An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.
That's it.
And eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
No, on second thought, I think I'll take care of this myself.
Now you stand aside, woman.
I want to remove temptation from your eyes like the preacher says.
I told you, Luke, they're not lawmen.
All the more reason to blame them for taking on this chore.
They didn't mean nothing.
Let 'em go.
What are you talking about? You want them to wander into town and set the wolves on us? They won't, Luke, I swear they won't.
You You swear for them? Have they taken you over? Listen, Luke You-you saw him save my life.
Stand aside, Dallas.
Luke, there's no need to kill him.
Are you for him or are you for me? Will you stand aside?! You try it and I'll shoot, so help me.
Now, tell you what, honey you put up that gun and we'll go on from here, and pretend like you never made this play.
Just as soon as I see them safely on their way.
I was the one taught you how to use that gun.
You taught me a lot of things.
Maybe some of them wrong.
Watch out, Dallas.
You don't think I'd shoot my own wife, do you, mister? What happens now, Mr.
Favor? I mean what happens to me? I don't know, Dallas.
Sure you do.
You're going to take me to Fort Gregg.
I'd be I'd be disappointed if you went against yourself now.
Only take it real slow on the trail.
I don't want to die in prison.
?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'? Though the streams are swollen? Keep them dogies rollin'? Rawhide? Through rain and wind and weather? Hell-bent for leather? Wishin' my gal was by my side? All the things I'm missin'? Good vittles, love and kissin'? Are waiting at the end of my ride? Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on? Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out? Cut 'em out, ride 'em in? Rawhide? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'? Hyah! ?Rollin', rollin', rollin'?