Rawhide (1959) s01e02 Episode Script
Incident at Alabaster Plain
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 a thousand miles from San Antone to the railhead at Sedalia, Missouri.
We got 3,000 head of Texas cattle that don't want to go.
When everything's right, we cover eight miles a day.
But how often are things right? The weather's what hits you the hardest between the eyes.
Boiling sun that dries up the water and brings the dust and sand.
Storms that mill the cattle touch off stampedes.
The way the land lies can hurt you, too, wearing off pounds with every step the beeves take.
But the way to even things up is to hire the best men in the business, and I got 'em- Pete Nolan, scout; Rowdy Yates, new as they come, but he's got the makings; Joe Scarlet, swing; Jim Quince, flank; and the man who can make-or-break the drive, the cook, Wishbone; and the cook's louse- his name is Mushy.
Now, somebody's got to kick this whole kit and caboodle along and that's me, Gil Favor, trail boss.
I ride point.
Mr.
Favor.
Up ahead.
Pete wants you up there quick.
What a place for God to sake out a claim.
Right here in the middle of nowhere.
How'd they get it in here? There's nothing for miles.
You know what I figure? I figure maybe the good Lord just had a long rope with a hook on it and he just lowered it down.
Feeling real funny today, aren't you, Pete? We'll hold here.
Get Wishbone and the wagon.
Pete, you and Rowdy ride him up there.
See if the padres will let us fill our water barrels.
Right.
Come on, Wishbone, water.
Well, it's about time.
Hah! Hey! Ho! Hah! Hey! Yah! Yah! Rowdy.
You speak real gentle to those padres, you hear? Yes, sir.
You go inside, you take your hat off, understand? Put it back.
We're looking for water.
We'd like to fill our barrels, if it's all right.
It's all right with me if it's all right with Father Fabian.
But you can't go in now, there's a wedding going on.
Well, we got cattle out there, mister.
We can't wait for any wedding.
Yeah, I saw your dust three hours.
Which way your drive heading? North.
Good morning, gentlemen.
They're looking to fill their water barrels, Father.
You're very welcome, but you must be quiet- the wedding.
We'll be quiet, Father.
And you'll have to hang your guns here.
Father Fabian doesn't allow firearms on God's property.
And please be sure you're quiet, eh? Come on, Wishbone.
How about your gun.
Well, go on, you can drive in now.
Ho! We are gathered here in the eyes of God to join in holy matrimony Mister, you stand still.
Nobody breaks the rules around here.
That's a private gun, mister.
Comes off only when I bathe and I don't bathe much.
You must understand, if we allow one man to break the rule, then all the men Excuse me, padre, but I got my own rules.
Oh, come on now, Wishbone.
Now, don't you start on me, you whelp! Charles Travis and Varbena Cardin Shut up, Wishbone! Keep your voices down.
What's the trouble here? He's got a derringer in his coat.
Take it off and hang it up outside with the rest, mister.
Just a dad-gum minute.
Everybody stop telling me what I'm going to do! Please, please To love and honor through sickness and health, for so long as you shall live? I will.
May we have the rings, please? What's keeping them, Mr.
Favor? That's what I'm wondering.
Yo, Scarlet! Yah! Let's go! Yah! Place the ring on the left finger.
I now pronounce you man and wife.
You may rise.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Father.
What have the three of you done now? Well, I'll be a blue-nosed mule.
In a place like this.
All I was trying to do was get some water, and took my gun away from me You gotta excuse me a minute, honey.
Buzz, are you running out on my daughter so soon? RowdyYahoo! It is you! What are you doing here, you crazy bean bandit? I got clean away.
You think I was going to get killed? When we heard the shots, we thought they had you.
I went through those Union lines like a stung deer.
How's Ben and Richard? Oh, they got a place up in Kansas somewhere.
I'll be doggoned! Hey, I want you to meet my bride.
Honey, I want you to meet the best friend I ever had.
Why, you wouldn't believe what we've been through together.
My wife, Rowdy Yates.
How do you do? Pleased to meet you, ma'am.
We were corporals together in the Confederate Army.
Father Fabian, Rowdy Yates.
How do you do? And this is my father-in-law, Mr.
Cardin.
How do you do? My pleasure, sir.
He helped me escape from the Union prison.
I see.
What are you trying to do, break up my wedding? Oh, well, uh, there was a little misunderstanding about a gun.
They were making a fuss, Mr.
Cardin.
We didn't want them to mess up the ceremony.
I see.
Well, what are you doing around here? Oh, we're driving cattle.
Oh, I want you to meet my trail boss, Mr.
Favor.
Mr.
Favor, I want you to meet a friend of mine.
That's fine.
This is Buzz Travis and Mrs.
Travis and Father Fabian over here and Mr.
Cardin.
This is the bride's father.
Pleasure.
How do you do? I'm sorry if my men gave you trouble.
Well, we'll get our water if it's all right with you, Father, and push on.
Are you heading north, Mr.
Favor? What do you reckon for the rest of the day with your cattle- about six miles? That's what we figure on.
The reason why I ask, I was wondering about the wedding party this afternoon.
Your friend and any of his men are welcome.
My ranch is six miles north of here, Mr.
Favor.
It's got a good creek and a good range.
You can bed your cattle down for the night.
You'll all be welcome to the celebration.
We're going to have music and dancing, and a real barbecue, Rowdy.
What do you say, Mr.
Favor? Very kind invitation, sir.
My men and I would like that very much.
Thank you.
Let's get those barrels filled! We got six miles to push! Come on, honey, let's go.
Rowdy boy? Good-bye! Good-bye, now.
So long.
Now, I'm not going to take no for an answer, Father.
Justin, you can't seem to get it through your head that I have two baptisms this afternoon.
Let Father Mulcurie take care of those.
You're sitting in the place of honor, and that's that.
All right, very well.
Ah, have you been on the trail long? Some time.
What outfit is this? No one company, Father.
Almost 100 small owners.
I see.
Uh, Mr.
Cardin's expecting me at the party this afternoon.
Do you mind if I ride out with you? Be honored.
Thank you.
Wishbone, Scarlet, get those barrels filled.
Let's get this wagon on the move! Whoa.
You recognize any of them, Father? I recognize the one on the left.
It's been a long time, but I'd know him anywhere.
Hello, Padre.
You remember me? Yes.
I remember you.
You cut yourself a rough road, mister, coming through that Vidalia Trail.
I'll tell the folks around here that you were just passing through, Mastic.
"Passing through.
" I heard there was a wedding this morning.
My stepsister- that right? You stay away from the Cardin ranch.
How's my stepfather doing, Padre? His ranch doing all right? That is no concern of yours.
Oh, I got my rights, Padre.
Rights? Yeah.
Some of that big old spread he's got is due me.
I've known that ever since I was a little boy.
None of that spread is due you.
Do you think your folks have forgotten what you've done? He was a peon, Padre.
He was my servant.
He didn't obey fast enough.
He was a 14-year-old boy who was shot down by you, and it wasn't because he didn't saddle your horse fast enough.
It was because you wanted to kill a human being.
God help you.
That was a long time ago, Padre.
Your stepfather ordered you to stay away from that ranch for good.
I'm going to visit, Padre, and you're not going to be able to tell anybody when or from where I'm coming, 'cause you won't know.
Mastic, you can't do this.
You don't think I'm going to stand by while my stepfather passes off my share to some money-grabbing leech Varbena marries.
Hey, now, wait a minute, mister.
You're talking about a friend of mine.
It's all right, son; stay out of this.
Mastic, my advice to you is to keep riding straight through and stay away from that ranch.
A man's got a right to talk, Padre.
Let him have his say.
Now, Mastic, I know what you're up to.
You were always a bully.
Now you've grown up to be a coward.
A little man who lives by his gun.
You are wearing your crucifix, aren't you, Padre? Now, a man with a crucifix, he can say that.
But just so neither of you men get the wrong idea about me, I think that one of you should say the same thing to me.
Get back on your horse, Mastic.
You.
You, step down and call me a coward.
I forbid this, Mastic.
Stay on your horse, son.
He's only trying to head you into a fight.
Look out for the snake, boy! The snake's not on the ground, boy.
He's oiled and packed in leather, and faster than anything you'll ever see.
I beg of you.
In God's name, stop this now.
Mr.
Favor! Mr.
Favor Get back on your horse, Rowdy.
He said some things about my friend Buzz, Mr.
Favor.
I'm not going to let him get away with it.
Get back on your horse.
We're cattlemen, mister, not gunfighters.
We're just passing through with our herd, and trouble enough keeping them alive, so you'd oblige me by not killing any of my hands.
They're hard to come by.
Now, there's something I respect- a businessman.
You see there's just no money in these things anymore.
That's why I come back, fella- to talk a little business with my stepfather.
You and me, we're businessmen.
I respect that.
Would you be so kind as to explain about business and money to Father Fabian? I'd appreciate that.
Boy, I'll tell you I don't want to hear one word from you.
You know, I saw him in Tucson one time.
Had a fella draw on him, and before the man could get a shot off, he had three slugs in his throat.
He's a bad man.
Used to be in my parish.
His mother was a nice, gentle woman.
I'll tell you something, Padre.
He better not fool with Buzz while I'm around.
Come on, we're all invited to a party.
All right, Pete, let's tighten up those flanks.
They're falling off again.
Here they come! Nice, isn't it? Mmm.
What's nice? Oh, took a friend of mine getting married to get us cleaned up like this.
About your friend, Rowdy.
You mean Buzz? Oh, he's a friend of mine from the war days.
No, I mean Mastic.
By going to this party, are we horning in on a family fight? Mr.
Favor, I'll bet my life Buzz has never even heard of that jasper.
I hope you're right.
You already told me to shut up about Mastic, but if he comes around disturbing Buzz' wedding party You'll do nothing.
Mr.
Favor I'm telling you, I watched him and I listened to him.
He's a fast gun, and he's not for you.
And all he said was he was going to visit.
You mean you're just going to stand back if he comes in? That's right.
Then Mr.
Favor, I don't think you're as smart as I think you are.
What was that? Oh, uh, what I mean is, well, it's a 100-to-one shot we'd come across this friend of mine getting married.
It's 1,000 to one that some gunman would come in and want to spoil things.
And you're telling me we're just going to stand back if he comes in like he said? I'm telling you we're invited to your friend's party.
That's all I'm telling you.
Anybody interferes, that's your friend's business.
You understand? It's his business.
I don't understand.
Shirt.
I sure don't understand.
Buzz ain't the kind to know when he's being picked on.
I sure as cotton don't understand.
I don't understand Rowdy, Mr.
Favor.
What do you mean? Well, it's easy.
I saw what I saw.
What do you mean you saw what you saw? And I heard what I heard.
What do you mean you heard what you heard? Well, you and your friend Buzz- the way I took it, you were prisoners of war, right? That's right.
Did you get took after a battle or before? You going to walk away from here? Nope.
My friend Buzz and I spent a good deal of time underground, you understand? Mm-hmm.
Yankee territorial prison at Yuma, Arizona.
No one comes out of there seeing too good.
We were all with one torch for every ten cells.
Candlelight, huh? Smart way to fight a war.
I didn't ask for it.
Now, what do you want to muss me up for? I ain't been this dainty in months.
Dainty? Don't I look kind of choice, Boss? Get off him, Pete.
He did spend most of the war in solitary confinement, and like he says, it was kind of dark.
Rowdy's still getting used to human beings.
I see.
You ain't calling Pete a human being? If you want to get to that party, move out, both of you.
What a spread! Make yourselves at home, boys.
There's food, liquor and dancing.
There's even a handful of single girls.
Rowdy boy, come on, let's go! We're going to have a party, man! Whoo-hoo! Look at all those pies! How do you tell which one's the single ladies? Well, you just pick one out and ask her to dance, if you don't get kicked where the saddle fits, she's single.
If he were out there, he'd have been in by now.
Strange, no sign of him.
You tell Mr.
Cardin about our meeting with Mastic on the way here? Well, people sometimes reconsider.
Maybe he was just passing through.
I'd warn Mr.
Cardin, Father.
So sense keeping him in the dark about it.
I think you're right.
Excuse me, may I speak with you, Justin? I was just asking Rowdy how come he never got married.
Yeah? That's easy.
He just never found a girl as pretty as Varbena.
Right, Rowdy? Well, I guess that's right, Mr.
Favor.
You have any more friends as nice as this, you just invite them on over.
You folks please excuse me? I have a goodly amount of savings, Father.
Suppose I did give him something to stay away? What do you think, Mr.
Favor? I think once you start paying him off, you'll never get rid of him.
All right, we'll stop him from the start, then.
Well, he may not come.
If he does, we want to be ready.
Tom! Well, I've got to be leaving, I have early mass in the morning.
Mastic is around somewhere.
Pass the word.
Right, sir.
Good-bye, Father, and thank you.
Take care of each other.
God bless you both.
We will, Father.
You go in there, and enjoy yourselves.
God bless you, son.
Father, thank you.
Well, maybe Mastic will head to Mexico.
I hope so.
Thank you, Father.
Good day to you.
Good day.
Hyah! Tom.
Post a watch at the four corners.
Wait a minute.
What's Tom wearing a gun for? Well, it's his gun, nobody to stop him wearing it if he wants.
No secrets, Mr.
Cardin.
What's happening? There's a chance that Mastic's showing up.
Ward Mastic here? Now, now, don't get Varbena worried.
Now you just go back there and act as if nothing had happened.
I'll get my gun.
Now, you'll do no such thing! Now, son, you don't realize what you mean to Varbena and me.
You're not going to be wearing a gun if Mastic shows up.
I'm not taking any chance of you being killed.
Come on, Buzz.
Dance with the bride.
Anything wrong? No, everything's fine.
Well, come on, dance with me, husband.
I, uh I kept putting this off.
But with Mastic around I thought I'd put my house in order.
It's just a rough draft, but it's proper legal as a will.
If you'll just sign it as a witness.
I'll be glad to.
"To whom it may concern: "I, Justin Cardin, being of sound mind and body, "do declare the bulk of my Cardin Ranch holdings "shall pass on to my daughter Varbena, "and her husband Charles Travis "in the event of my death.
Justin Cardin.
" He's here now, Mr.
Cardin.
Hello, Varbena.
My, you sure have filled out, haven't you? I hear you got yourself married.
Now which one of this herd is he? I am.
Don't bother to come in.
Well, well, well, well.
You got yourself a pretty good-looking boy there, Varbena.
Hello, papa.
How's everything with you? This is a private party.
What do you want? Just came to talk a little business with you, that's all.
I told you, we're having a party.
I came a long way to see you, papa.
Now what kind of hospitality is that? Come into the house.
See that the boys stay here.
Look, I'm coming with you.
Stay where you are.
We're just going to talk.
Well Place hasn't changed much.
Still the same old table.
Yeah, look there.
There's where I carved my initials with that pen knife you got me.
Say what you want to say.
I wonder what my mother ever did see in you.
I never did like you.
What do you want? Don't you listen? I told you.
I want to have a little talk with you.
I've traveled a long way since I saw you last.
Yes, I know.
News leaked back.
You killed 16 men.
Yup.
That's true.
What happened to you, son? After the upbringing and the church and your mother how can you kill people? You got to work at it, papa- practice.
All the time, practice.
You see that? You see that snake carved in silver on my gun butt? Just like that.
Like a snake.
It jumps out and it bites a man before he knows what hit him.
How much do you want to clear away from here, Ward? Half of everything.
Talk sense.
How much cash do you want? How much cash can you lay your hands on? $5,000.
Go get it.
There it is, take it or leave it.
Now hold on, hold on.
How much more you got in there? I want to see what you got in there, papa.
Well, well, looky here.
Looky here.
Must be nearly $75,000 here.
And you want to give me a measly $5,000? My friends, my people are out there, if I call out I wouldn't call out if I were you.
What are you going to do? Shoot me? Ha! I'm surprised at you, papa.
I wouldn't shoot you.
I wouldn't shoot my own step-papa.
You must think I got no family feelings at all.
Now, what are you all staring at me like that for? You all remember me, don't you? What a way to greet your kinfolk.
You know, your daddy's got better manners than his guests? At least he invited me inside my own house.
You know why they're staring at you.
Why don't you get out? Now, honey- Excuse me.
I think I'll drink a little toast to the bride.
Huh! My papa still buys cheap liquor.
You all enjoy yourselves, you hear? And have yourselves a gay old time.
Somebody go get Doc Severin! It's a bad thing.
A man can't be hit in the head with a gun like that and expect to get up in a couple of hours.
You've said that before.
Maybe he'll pull through.
I don't see how.
Well, we don't give a cotton whether you see how or not.
Now maybe Mr.
Cardin will just make it.
Mr.
Favor? What'd the doctor say? How's Mr.
Cardin getting along? Well, Doc says he has a slight chance if he doesn't blood clot.
Is he conscious? No.
I guess he'll be all right if he makes it through the night.
Rowdy I know.
It's not our herd.
We have to keep them moving.
I think Mr.
Cardin would understand.
Well, sure, Mr.
Favor.
I haven't got a choice.
Yeah, well, boss, there's nothing we can do here.
You think they'll understand? Oh, sure they will.
They ought to, the ought to be told that we wanted to stay until he was better.
Yeah, boss, but we got a herd to move.
Not we.
When he gets better, catch up.
All right, Mr.
Favor.
Well, what are you waiting around for? We got to get those cows on the move.
All right, let's move 'em out! He died.
Sorry to hear that.
Man as gentle as he was, a daughter just married.
Mr.
Favor I know.
He was kind of a good friend of mine.
I'll catch up with the drive as soon as I can.
Take care of yourself.
Right.
Hyah! One thing's sure, they didn't head north or the men at the camp would've spotted them.
Well, there's no water in the mountains, so that leave Tulley Bend or the South Trail.
We'll have to split up.
Tom, you take your men up Tulley Bend way, Rowdy and I, well, we'll go down South Trail.
Young fool's going to get his head shot off.
What's that? If I told him once, I told him a thousand times, stick to cattle.
Don't go around dipping your bread in another man's bacon grease.
If you're so worried about Rowdy, why don't you go back and help him out? You get one thing straight, Pete, I'm a cattleman, not a fightin' man.
You understand that? Sure, Mr.
Favor.
Puts me short one more hand, he gets his brains blown out.
That's right, boss.
All right.
You got the herd, Pete.
I'll catch up.
Yes, sir.
Yeah, there's nobody in sight yet.
They'll be coming, you can be sure of that.
Where do you want to stand to meet them? We're, uh, going to pay a little visit to an old friend of mine.
Morning, Padre.
This is God's house.
If you've come here to worship, you leave your guns out there on the gun board.
You explain to your boss this is not exactly a social call.
What do you want here? I thought we'd, uh, talk about old times, Padre.
I was remembering, while riding up here, about a little rifle I had years ago and I seem to remember that you took it away from me, Padre.
And I just can't help remembering that you took this little rifle of mine and smashed it, clean in half.
Right here in this well.
Yes, I did.
You were killing baby calves with it.
Smashed the property of a little boy who couldn't fight back.
Now, uh you wouldn't want me to smash any of your property, would you, Padre? No, I wouldn't.
That, uh, wine over there.
That's yours, isn't it, Padre? Kellum, bust 'em, all of 'em, wide open.
Stop it! Stop it, I say! Mastic, here they come.
Well, only two of them.
That changes things.
Get rid of the horses.
Bring back the rifles.
All right, now, Padre, when they get here, you go out and tell them we're waiting for them, in here.
Mastic, you can't fight in there.
Now, listen, you.
You just go out there and tell them to come in.
If they don't, I'm going to shoot this fat friend of yours right in the stomach.
All right, now, let's find a place to kind of square off.
Kellum, you take that side.
Reese, get the other.
Hello, Father.
Hello, Buzz.
Rowdy.
I thought I'd stop and tell you that Justin died this morning.
DiedWhat happened? Mastic beat him to death.
Oh, my God.
Are they in there, Father? Now, listen to me.
I know it's difficult to be passive, we all loved Justin, but this is a house of God and I will not have it desecrated with gunfighting.
We have to get him out of there, Father.
We'll try to keep him out of your church.
I forbid it.
Father, the man's kill-crazy.
Violence is not God's way.
Now, if you respect my house of worship You know I do, Father.
then if you walk into that courtyard, you'll leave your guns right here.
I don't see Mastic's gun there, Father.
He forced his entry.
I don't think you'll do that, Buzz.
But Father, I If you come, you come in without your guns.
Excuse me, Father.
I want to talk to Rowdy.
Hey, no, well, wait a minute.
Wait, you're not going to go in there.
I've got to meet that man face-to-face.
But walk in there without a gun? I'll talk to him.
I'll get him to come outside.
A man like that will gun you right in half.
Not if I don't wear a gun.
You're going to trust a man like that? You're going to walk into a trap? Yes.
All right, Father.
All right, wait, son.
I'll tell him that you're unarmed.
I ask you, once again, in God's name, please leave this place.
Are they coming in or not? Buzz Travis is coming in without his gun.
Kellum.
Reese.
Did you hear what the padre said? He's coming unarmed.
Yeah, I'm sure he is.
Get yourself out of the way.
Why don't you go out there and see for yourself? Well, I'll tell you, Padre, first rule I've learned in gunfighting is don't believe anybody.
Second, get something solid in front of you, if you can.
That way you just have to sweep 180 degrees.
See? Just like a snake.
Now, get out of the way.
Come on, move when I tell you! Mastic! Listen to me! Justin Cardin died this morning! Now, I don't care about that money of his you took I want you! Do you hear me, Mastic? Now, I promised Father Fabian something and I can't fight you in here! But I'm calling you, mister! Come outside the gates and we'll do this with empty guns! Now, any man who can't meet a fair challenge like this, I say is yellow! Now, I'm going to be waiting for you outside.
And if you got any guts at all you'll come out there and you'll fight me toe-to-toe like a man! Where'd he put it? Hip.
Stay here.
Get back there.
Get back! I don't want nobody behind me.
Move! Mr.
Favor.
See if you can get one of the guns.
Out front.
Come on.
Where you got the horses? On the other side.
All right, you wait here.
Come on, cattle boy, show me your head.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! Did I show you this, Pete? No.
Solid silver, inlaid in ebony.
Must've cost a lot of money.
It's a rattlesnake.
How do you like that? I've seen men engrave their initials in gun stocks, but never anything like that.
Rowdy.
Yes, sir? Tell him about it tonight on your own time.
You're back in the cattle business, mister.
We got a herd to push.
Right, Mr.
Favor.
?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'?
We got 3,000 head of Texas cattle that don't want to go.
When everything's right, we cover eight miles a day.
But how often are things right? The weather's what hits you the hardest between the eyes.
Boiling sun that dries up the water and brings the dust and sand.
Storms that mill the cattle touch off stampedes.
The way the land lies can hurt you, too, wearing off pounds with every step the beeves take.
But the way to even things up is to hire the best men in the business, and I got 'em- Pete Nolan, scout; Rowdy Yates, new as they come, but he's got the makings; Joe Scarlet, swing; Jim Quince, flank; and the man who can make-or-break the drive, the cook, Wishbone; and the cook's louse- his name is Mushy.
Now, somebody's got to kick this whole kit and caboodle along and that's me, Gil Favor, trail boss.
I ride point.
Mr.
Favor.
Up ahead.
Pete wants you up there quick.
What a place for God to sake out a claim.
Right here in the middle of nowhere.
How'd they get it in here? There's nothing for miles.
You know what I figure? I figure maybe the good Lord just had a long rope with a hook on it and he just lowered it down.
Feeling real funny today, aren't you, Pete? We'll hold here.
Get Wishbone and the wagon.
Pete, you and Rowdy ride him up there.
See if the padres will let us fill our water barrels.
Right.
Come on, Wishbone, water.
Well, it's about time.
Hah! Hey! Ho! Hah! Hey! Yah! Yah! Rowdy.
You speak real gentle to those padres, you hear? Yes, sir.
You go inside, you take your hat off, understand? Put it back.
We're looking for water.
We'd like to fill our barrels, if it's all right.
It's all right with me if it's all right with Father Fabian.
But you can't go in now, there's a wedding going on.
Well, we got cattle out there, mister.
We can't wait for any wedding.
Yeah, I saw your dust three hours.
Which way your drive heading? North.
Good morning, gentlemen.
They're looking to fill their water barrels, Father.
You're very welcome, but you must be quiet- the wedding.
We'll be quiet, Father.
And you'll have to hang your guns here.
Father Fabian doesn't allow firearms on God's property.
And please be sure you're quiet, eh? Come on, Wishbone.
How about your gun.
Well, go on, you can drive in now.
Ho! We are gathered here in the eyes of God to join in holy matrimony Mister, you stand still.
Nobody breaks the rules around here.
That's a private gun, mister.
Comes off only when I bathe and I don't bathe much.
You must understand, if we allow one man to break the rule, then all the men Excuse me, padre, but I got my own rules.
Oh, come on now, Wishbone.
Now, don't you start on me, you whelp! Charles Travis and Varbena Cardin Shut up, Wishbone! Keep your voices down.
What's the trouble here? He's got a derringer in his coat.
Take it off and hang it up outside with the rest, mister.
Just a dad-gum minute.
Everybody stop telling me what I'm going to do! Please, please To love and honor through sickness and health, for so long as you shall live? I will.
May we have the rings, please? What's keeping them, Mr.
Favor? That's what I'm wondering.
Yo, Scarlet! Yah! Let's go! Yah! Place the ring on the left finger.
I now pronounce you man and wife.
You may rise.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Father.
What have the three of you done now? Well, I'll be a blue-nosed mule.
In a place like this.
All I was trying to do was get some water, and took my gun away from me You gotta excuse me a minute, honey.
Buzz, are you running out on my daughter so soon? RowdyYahoo! It is you! What are you doing here, you crazy bean bandit? I got clean away.
You think I was going to get killed? When we heard the shots, we thought they had you.
I went through those Union lines like a stung deer.
How's Ben and Richard? Oh, they got a place up in Kansas somewhere.
I'll be doggoned! Hey, I want you to meet my bride.
Honey, I want you to meet the best friend I ever had.
Why, you wouldn't believe what we've been through together.
My wife, Rowdy Yates.
How do you do? Pleased to meet you, ma'am.
We were corporals together in the Confederate Army.
Father Fabian, Rowdy Yates.
How do you do? And this is my father-in-law, Mr.
Cardin.
How do you do? My pleasure, sir.
He helped me escape from the Union prison.
I see.
What are you trying to do, break up my wedding? Oh, well, uh, there was a little misunderstanding about a gun.
They were making a fuss, Mr.
Cardin.
We didn't want them to mess up the ceremony.
I see.
Well, what are you doing around here? Oh, we're driving cattle.
Oh, I want you to meet my trail boss, Mr.
Favor.
Mr.
Favor, I want you to meet a friend of mine.
That's fine.
This is Buzz Travis and Mrs.
Travis and Father Fabian over here and Mr.
Cardin.
This is the bride's father.
Pleasure.
How do you do? I'm sorry if my men gave you trouble.
Well, we'll get our water if it's all right with you, Father, and push on.
Are you heading north, Mr.
Favor? What do you reckon for the rest of the day with your cattle- about six miles? That's what we figure on.
The reason why I ask, I was wondering about the wedding party this afternoon.
Your friend and any of his men are welcome.
My ranch is six miles north of here, Mr.
Favor.
It's got a good creek and a good range.
You can bed your cattle down for the night.
You'll all be welcome to the celebration.
We're going to have music and dancing, and a real barbecue, Rowdy.
What do you say, Mr.
Favor? Very kind invitation, sir.
My men and I would like that very much.
Thank you.
Let's get those barrels filled! We got six miles to push! Come on, honey, let's go.
Rowdy boy? Good-bye! Good-bye, now.
So long.
Now, I'm not going to take no for an answer, Father.
Justin, you can't seem to get it through your head that I have two baptisms this afternoon.
Let Father Mulcurie take care of those.
You're sitting in the place of honor, and that's that.
All right, very well.
Ah, have you been on the trail long? Some time.
What outfit is this? No one company, Father.
Almost 100 small owners.
I see.
Uh, Mr.
Cardin's expecting me at the party this afternoon.
Do you mind if I ride out with you? Be honored.
Thank you.
Wishbone, Scarlet, get those barrels filled.
Let's get this wagon on the move! Whoa.
You recognize any of them, Father? I recognize the one on the left.
It's been a long time, but I'd know him anywhere.
Hello, Padre.
You remember me? Yes.
I remember you.
You cut yourself a rough road, mister, coming through that Vidalia Trail.
I'll tell the folks around here that you were just passing through, Mastic.
"Passing through.
" I heard there was a wedding this morning.
My stepsister- that right? You stay away from the Cardin ranch.
How's my stepfather doing, Padre? His ranch doing all right? That is no concern of yours.
Oh, I got my rights, Padre.
Rights? Yeah.
Some of that big old spread he's got is due me.
I've known that ever since I was a little boy.
None of that spread is due you.
Do you think your folks have forgotten what you've done? He was a peon, Padre.
He was my servant.
He didn't obey fast enough.
He was a 14-year-old boy who was shot down by you, and it wasn't because he didn't saddle your horse fast enough.
It was because you wanted to kill a human being.
God help you.
That was a long time ago, Padre.
Your stepfather ordered you to stay away from that ranch for good.
I'm going to visit, Padre, and you're not going to be able to tell anybody when or from where I'm coming, 'cause you won't know.
Mastic, you can't do this.
You don't think I'm going to stand by while my stepfather passes off my share to some money-grabbing leech Varbena marries.
Hey, now, wait a minute, mister.
You're talking about a friend of mine.
It's all right, son; stay out of this.
Mastic, my advice to you is to keep riding straight through and stay away from that ranch.
A man's got a right to talk, Padre.
Let him have his say.
Now, Mastic, I know what you're up to.
You were always a bully.
Now you've grown up to be a coward.
A little man who lives by his gun.
You are wearing your crucifix, aren't you, Padre? Now, a man with a crucifix, he can say that.
But just so neither of you men get the wrong idea about me, I think that one of you should say the same thing to me.
Get back on your horse, Mastic.
You.
You, step down and call me a coward.
I forbid this, Mastic.
Stay on your horse, son.
He's only trying to head you into a fight.
Look out for the snake, boy! The snake's not on the ground, boy.
He's oiled and packed in leather, and faster than anything you'll ever see.
I beg of you.
In God's name, stop this now.
Mr.
Favor! Mr.
Favor Get back on your horse, Rowdy.
He said some things about my friend Buzz, Mr.
Favor.
I'm not going to let him get away with it.
Get back on your horse.
We're cattlemen, mister, not gunfighters.
We're just passing through with our herd, and trouble enough keeping them alive, so you'd oblige me by not killing any of my hands.
They're hard to come by.
Now, there's something I respect- a businessman.
You see there's just no money in these things anymore.
That's why I come back, fella- to talk a little business with my stepfather.
You and me, we're businessmen.
I respect that.
Would you be so kind as to explain about business and money to Father Fabian? I'd appreciate that.
Boy, I'll tell you I don't want to hear one word from you.
You know, I saw him in Tucson one time.
Had a fella draw on him, and before the man could get a shot off, he had three slugs in his throat.
He's a bad man.
Used to be in my parish.
His mother was a nice, gentle woman.
I'll tell you something, Padre.
He better not fool with Buzz while I'm around.
Come on, we're all invited to a party.
All right, Pete, let's tighten up those flanks.
They're falling off again.
Here they come! Nice, isn't it? Mmm.
What's nice? Oh, took a friend of mine getting married to get us cleaned up like this.
About your friend, Rowdy.
You mean Buzz? Oh, he's a friend of mine from the war days.
No, I mean Mastic.
By going to this party, are we horning in on a family fight? Mr.
Favor, I'll bet my life Buzz has never even heard of that jasper.
I hope you're right.
You already told me to shut up about Mastic, but if he comes around disturbing Buzz' wedding party You'll do nothing.
Mr.
Favor I'm telling you, I watched him and I listened to him.
He's a fast gun, and he's not for you.
And all he said was he was going to visit.
You mean you're just going to stand back if he comes in? That's right.
Then Mr.
Favor, I don't think you're as smart as I think you are.
What was that? Oh, uh, what I mean is, well, it's a 100-to-one shot we'd come across this friend of mine getting married.
It's 1,000 to one that some gunman would come in and want to spoil things.
And you're telling me we're just going to stand back if he comes in like he said? I'm telling you we're invited to your friend's party.
That's all I'm telling you.
Anybody interferes, that's your friend's business.
You understand? It's his business.
I don't understand.
Shirt.
I sure don't understand.
Buzz ain't the kind to know when he's being picked on.
I sure as cotton don't understand.
I don't understand Rowdy, Mr.
Favor.
What do you mean? Well, it's easy.
I saw what I saw.
What do you mean you saw what you saw? And I heard what I heard.
What do you mean you heard what you heard? Well, you and your friend Buzz- the way I took it, you were prisoners of war, right? That's right.
Did you get took after a battle or before? You going to walk away from here? Nope.
My friend Buzz and I spent a good deal of time underground, you understand? Mm-hmm.
Yankee territorial prison at Yuma, Arizona.
No one comes out of there seeing too good.
We were all with one torch for every ten cells.
Candlelight, huh? Smart way to fight a war.
I didn't ask for it.
Now, what do you want to muss me up for? I ain't been this dainty in months.
Dainty? Don't I look kind of choice, Boss? Get off him, Pete.
He did spend most of the war in solitary confinement, and like he says, it was kind of dark.
Rowdy's still getting used to human beings.
I see.
You ain't calling Pete a human being? If you want to get to that party, move out, both of you.
What a spread! Make yourselves at home, boys.
There's food, liquor and dancing.
There's even a handful of single girls.
Rowdy boy, come on, let's go! We're going to have a party, man! Whoo-hoo! Look at all those pies! How do you tell which one's the single ladies? Well, you just pick one out and ask her to dance, if you don't get kicked where the saddle fits, she's single.
If he were out there, he'd have been in by now.
Strange, no sign of him.
You tell Mr.
Cardin about our meeting with Mastic on the way here? Well, people sometimes reconsider.
Maybe he was just passing through.
I'd warn Mr.
Cardin, Father.
So sense keeping him in the dark about it.
I think you're right.
Excuse me, may I speak with you, Justin? I was just asking Rowdy how come he never got married.
Yeah? That's easy.
He just never found a girl as pretty as Varbena.
Right, Rowdy? Well, I guess that's right, Mr.
Favor.
You have any more friends as nice as this, you just invite them on over.
You folks please excuse me? I have a goodly amount of savings, Father.
Suppose I did give him something to stay away? What do you think, Mr.
Favor? I think once you start paying him off, you'll never get rid of him.
All right, we'll stop him from the start, then.
Well, he may not come.
If he does, we want to be ready.
Tom! Well, I've got to be leaving, I have early mass in the morning.
Mastic is around somewhere.
Pass the word.
Right, sir.
Good-bye, Father, and thank you.
Take care of each other.
God bless you both.
We will, Father.
You go in there, and enjoy yourselves.
God bless you, son.
Father, thank you.
Well, maybe Mastic will head to Mexico.
I hope so.
Thank you, Father.
Good day to you.
Good day.
Hyah! Tom.
Post a watch at the four corners.
Wait a minute.
What's Tom wearing a gun for? Well, it's his gun, nobody to stop him wearing it if he wants.
No secrets, Mr.
Cardin.
What's happening? There's a chance that Mastic's showing up.
Ward Mastic here? Now, now, don't get Varbena worried.
Now you just go back there and act as if nothing had happened.
I'll get my gun.
Now, you'll do no such thing! Now, son, you don't realize what you mean to Varbena and me.
You're not going to be wearing a gun if Mastic shows up.
I'm not taking any chance of you being killed.
Come on, Buzz.
Dance with the bride.
Anything wrong? No, everything's fine.
Well, come on, dance with me, husband.
I, uh I kept putting this off.
But with Mastic around I thought I'd put my house in order.
It's just a rough draft, but it's proper legal as a will.
If you'll just sign it as a witness.
I'll be glad to.
"To whom it may concern: "I, Justin Cardin, being of sound mind and body, "do declare the bulk of my Cardin Ranch holdings "shall pass on to my daughter Varbena, "and her husband Charles Travis "in the event of my death.
Justin Cardin.
" He's here now, Mr.
Cardin.
Hello, Varbena.
My, you sure have filled out, haven't you? I hear you got yourself married.
Now which one of this herd is he? I am.
Don't bother to come in.
Well, well, well, well.
You got yourself a pretty good-looking boy there, Varbena.
Hello, papa.
How's everything with you? This is a private party.
What do you want? Just came to talk a little business with you, that's all.
I told you, we're having a party.
I came a long way to see you, papa.
Now what kind of hospitality is that? Come into the house.
See that the boys stay here.
Look, I'm coming with you.
Stay where you are.
We're just going to talk.
Well Place hasn't changed much.
Still the same old table.
Yeah, look there.
There's where I carved my initials with that pen knife you got me.
Say what you want to say.
I wonder what my mother ever did see in you.
I never did like you.
What do you want? Don't you listen? I told you.
I want to have a little talk with you.
I've traveled a long way since I saw you last.
Yes, I know.
News leaked back.
You killed 16 men.
Yup.
That's true.
What happened to you, son? After the upbringing and the church and your mother how can you kill people? You got to work at it, papa- practice.
All the time, practice.
You see that? You see that snake carved in silver on my gun butt? Just like that.
Like a snake.
It jumps out and it bites a man before he knows what hit him.
How much do you want to clear away from here, Ward? Half of everything.
Talk sense.
How much cash do you want? How much cash can you lay your hands on? $5,000.
Go get it.
There it is, take it or leave it.
Now hold on, hold on.
How much more you got in there? I want to see what you got in there, papa.
Well, well, looky here.
Looky here.
Must be nearly $75,000 here.
And you want to give me a measly $5,000? My friends, my people are out there, if I call out I wouldn't call out if I were you.
What are you going to do? Shoot me? Ha! I'm surprised at you, papa.
I wouldn't shoot you.
I wouldn't shoot my own step-papa.
You must think I got no family feelings at all.
Now, what are you all staring at me like that for? You all remember me, don't you? What a way to greet your kinfolk.
You know, your daddy's got better manners than his guests? At least he invited me inside my own house.
You know why they're staring at you.
Why don't you get out? Now, honey- Excuse me.
I think I'll drink a little toast to the bride.
Huh! My papa still buys cheap liquor.
You all enjoy yourselves, you hear? And have yourselves a gay old time.
Somebody go get Doc Severin! It's a bad thing.
A man can't be hit in the head with a gun like that and expect to get up in a couple of hours.
You've said that before.
Maybe he'll pull through.
I don't see how.
Well, we don't give a cotton whether you see how or not.
Now maybe Mr.
Cardin will just make it.
Mr.
Favor? What'd the doctor say? How's Mr.
Cardin getting along? Well, Doc says he has a slight chance if he doesn't blood clot.
Is he conscious? No.
I guess he'll be all right if he makes it through the night.
Rowdy I know.
It's not our herd.
We have to keep them moving.
I think Mr.
Cardin would understand.
Well, sure, Mr.
Favor.
I haven't got a choice.
Yeah, well, boss, there's nothing we can do here.
You think they'll understand? Oh, sure they will.
They ought to, the ought to be told that we wanted to stay until he was better.
Yeah, boss, but we got a herd to move.
Not we.
When he gets better, catch up.
All right, Mr.
Favor.
Well, what are you waiting around for? We got to get those cows on the move.
All right, let's move 'em out! He died.
Sorry to hear that.
Man as gentle as he was, a daughter just married.
Mr.
Favor I know.
He was kind of a good friend of mine.
I'll catch up with the drive as soon as I can.
Take care of yourself.
Right.
Hyah! One thing's sure, they didn't head north or the men at the camp would've spotted them.
Well, there's no water in the mountains, so that leave Tulley Bend or the South Trail.
We'll have to split up.
Tom, you take your men up Tulley Bend way, Rowdy and I, well, we'll go down South Trail.
Young fool's going to get his head shot off.
What's that? If I told him once, I told him a thousand times, stick to cattle.
Don't go around dipping your bread in another man's bacon grease.
If you're so worried about Rowdy, why don't you go back and help him out? You get one thing straight, Pete, I'm a cattleman, not a fightin' man.
You understand that? Sure, Mr.
Favor.
Puts me short one more hand, he gets his brains blown out.
That's right, boss.
All right.
You got the herd, Pete.
I'll catch up.
Yes, sir.
Yeah, there's nobody in sight yet.
They'll be coming, you can be sure of that.
Where do you want to stand to meet them? We're, uh, going to pay a little visit to an old friend of mine.
Morning, Padre.
This is God's house.
If you've come here to worship, you leave your guns out there on the gun board.
You explain to your boss this is not exactly a social call.
What do you want here? I thought we'd, uh, talk about old times, Padre.
I was remembering, while riding up here, about a little rifle I had years ago and I seem to remember that you took it away from me, Padre.
And I just can't help remembering that you took this little rifle of mine and smashed it, clean in half.
Right here in this well.
Yes, I did.
You were killing baby calves with it.
Smashed the property of a little boy who couldn't fight back.
Now, uh you wouldn't want me to smash any of your property, would you, Padre? No, I wouldn't.
That, uh, wine over there.
That's yours, isn't it, Padre? Kellum, bust 'em, all of 'em, wide open.
Stop it! Stop it, I say! Mastic, here they come.
Well, only two of them.
That changes things.
Get rid of the horses.
Bring back the rifles.
All right, now, Padre, when they get here, you go out and tell them we're waiting for them, in here.
Mastic, you can't fight in there.
Now, listen, you.
You just go out there and tell them to come in.
If they don't, I'm going to shoot this fat friend of yours right in the stomach.
All right, now, let's find a place to kind of square off.
Kellum, you take that side.
Reese, get the other.
Hello, Father.
Hello, Buzz.
Rowdy.
I thought I'd stop and tell you that Justin died this morning.
DiedWhat happened? Mastic beat him to death.
Oh, my God.
Are they in there, Father? Now, listen to me.
I know it's difficult to be passive, we all loved Justin, but this is a house of God and I will not have it desecrated with gunfighting.
We have to get him out of there, Father.
We'll try to keep him out of your church.
I forbid it.
Father, the man's kill-crazy.
Violence is not God's way.
Now, if you respect my house of worship You know I do, Father.
then if you walk into that courtyard, you'll leave your guns right here.
I don't see Mastic's gun there, Father.
He forced his entry.
I don't think you'll do that, Buzz.
But Father, I If you come, you come in without your guns.
Excuse me, Father.
I want to talk to Rowdy.
Hey, no, well, wait a minute.
Wait, you're not going to go in there.
I've got to meet that man face-to-face.
But walk in there without a gun? I'll talk to him.
I'll get him to come outside.
A man like that will gun you right in half.
Not if I don't wear a gun.
You're going to trust a man like that? You're going to walk into a trap? Yes.
All right, Father.
All right, wait, son.
I'll tell him that you're unarmed.
I ask you, once again, in God's name, please leave this place.
Are they coming in or not? Buzz Travis is coming in without his gun.
Kellum.
Reese.
Did you hear what the padre said? He's coming unarmed.
Yeah, I'm sure he is.
Get yourself out of the way.
Why don't you go out there and see for yourself? Well, I'll tell you, Padre, first rule I've learned in gunfighting is don't believe anybody.
Second, get something solid in front of you, if you can.
That way you just have to sweep 180 degrees.
See? Just like a snake.
Now, get out of the way.
Come on, move when I tell you! Mastic! Listen to me! Justin Cardin died this morning! Now, I don't care about that money of his you took I want you! Do you hear me, Mastic? Now, I promised Father Fabian something and I can't fight you in here! But I'm calling you, mister! Come outside the gates and we'll do this with empty guns! Now, any man who can't meet a fair challenge like this, I say is yellow! Now, I'm going to be waiting for you outside.
And if you got any guts at all you'll come out there and you'll fight me toe-to-toe like a man! Where'd he put it? Hip.
Stay here.
Get back there.
Get back! I don't want nobody behind me.
Move! Mr.
Favor.
See if you can get one of the guns.
Out front.
Come on.
Where you got the horses? On the other side.
All right, you wait here.
Come on, cattle boy, show me your head.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! Did I show you this, Pete? No.
Solid silver, inlaid in ebony.
Must've cost a lot of money.
It's a rattlesnake.
How do you like that? I've seen men engrave their initials in gun stocks, but never anything like that.
Rowdy.
Yes, sir? Tell him about it tonight on your own time.
You're back in the cattle business, mister.
We got a herd to push.
Right, Mr.
Favor.
?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'?