Ha ha ha!
Maybe that's funny to you,
but not to me.
I say you're a liar and a cheat,
just like your old man.
You knew my old man?
Well enough to say that.
He was a drunk, too.
You're lying!
He's a kid, Curley.
Stay out.
Guess he thinks he can ride along
on his brother's reputation.
Frankly, I don't think so much of his brother, either.
Curley, he ain't armed.
But I am.
Stay out, Bud.
No!
I don't think he's got the nerve.
Give him a gun.
He didn't mean nothing.
He called me a liar.
All I did was tell the truth.
Take mine, kid.
Go on...
pick it up.
Heh heh heh...
He comes from a no-good family
that don't have the nerve-
John...
this guy just called Pa a liar and a drunk.
That invitation to pick up a gun
still hold for Johnny Elder?
You got a chance
to prove you don't think so much of him.
Tom, get him out of here.
Not till he eats his words.
Tom-
Didn't you hear me?
He called Pa a liar and a drunk.
Well, I reckon that's what he was, kid.
Now, keep him out.
Heh heh, heh heh heh...
Heh heh heh...
John...
get out.
Night, boys.
Where you going, mister?
Finish your game.
Hey, Bud, ain't you going to eat?
No!
How can I eat
when I think of what that skunk said about us?
And him,
the big gun everybody's always bragging about.
Well, he slunk with his belly dragging
lower than anyone in the place.
Shut up.
I won't shut up!
If you wouldn't, why not let me do something?
He'd have chewed you up and spit you out.
You'd have been dead
before your hand got halfway to that gun.
Another thing-
Katie'll have something to show for her life.
You're going back to school.
No, I ain't.
Oh, yes, you are
if I have to hog-tie you.
I won't learn anything.
I can't make you do that.
Anyway, you don't want to tag along with me
after I've muddied the Elders' name.
No, and that's for sure.
This was Ma's, and now it's mine.
I'm getting that guy. Who's coming?
You're not going anyplace.
You going to stop me?
You bet I am,
and that's for sure!
Aah!
What the hell did you hit me for?
You stood there and let him hit me.
Oh, kid...
Whoa-a-a...
I got him! I got him!
You got him?
Yeah!
Stay out of here!
Uhh!
Howdy.
I'm right sorry I missed the start of that.
Doing your spring housecleaning, eh?
No. We're just getting acquainted.
Haven't seen each other for some years.
I'm looking for Kate Elder. Is she about?
Well, this is where she lived.
We're her sons.
She died a few days ago.
I am sorry.
I extend my sympathy to y'all.
Thank you.
I never met Mrs. Elder,
but I got a letter from her about a month ago.
Since I had business here,
I decided to pay her a visit.
I'm sorry I got here so late.
This is some letter.
Care to read it?
"Mr. Charlie Bob Striker, Pecos, Texas. "
That you?
It is.
Well, this is Matt, Bud, and Tom,
and I'm John Elder.
Howdy.
"Dear Mr. Striker.
It has been told to me that you have too many horses.
If this is true, you have my sympathy
as I have been horse-poor myself in the past.
If you are still in this predicament in June,
I may be able to help you out
and take 100 or even 200 head off your hands,
provided you're prepared to deal on credit
until I can resell them.
I am interested in good, sound stock
but nothing fancy,
and I would like to hear your rock-bottom price.
Yours truly,
Kate Elder. "
Horse-poor?
Sounds like she had more brass
than a Kansas City fire engine.
It struck me funny.
The more I read it, the funnier it got.
Finally I figured I'd done a lot of fool things in my day,
but I hadn't done any lately, and I'm overdue.
I'm sorry I got here late.
You and Ma would've made a lively team.
Well, thanks.
Why not come on in?
Thanks for your hospitality,
but my bad knee wants me to stay right here.
I'll be running along.
Nice meeting you.
I've got a proposition for you, Mr. Striker.
I wouldn't blame you if you turned me down.
Wouldn't hurt to hear it.
I'd like to take those 200 head,
run 'em up to Colorado,
sell them to the miners.
But I've got the same trouble Mom had-no cash.
I'll give you half the profits for trusting me.
Well, what about the rest of you? You in this, too?
We ain't been asked.
Well?
Are you telling or asking?
Asking.
Well, sounds crazy enough to work.
Matt?
Just one thing-
We using the money to keep him in school?
Seems to be the idea.
In that case, I'll chip in a couple weeks.
Well?
You know, you almost broke my jaw?
I was trying awful hard to.
That's what it seems to take with some people.
Well, I guess you made up my mind.
How about it?
If I was doing it for your mother,
I might as well do it for you.
Come to Pecos and the horses are yours.
Thank you.
Starting when?
Take us a little while- couple hours.
Good. I'll be waiting.
Giddyup.
Well, come on.
It's your move, Billy.
Harry, one of these days,
I'm going to beat you.
Well, I wish you would.
After losing eight games in a row,
you ain't much of a challenge anymore.
Where have you been all day?
I been to the U.S. Marshal's office.
Take a look at this.
Maybe that'll prove I wasn't just jumping to conclusions.
Tom Elder's wanted for murder.
What gave you the idea?
I did.
He knew enough about Tom Elder to send me looking.
I figured Tom for a lot of things,
but never murder.
He's an Elder, isn't he?
Takes more than a man's name to make him guilty.
Well, there's your proof.
That proves he's wanted.
It doesn't prove he's guilty.
You're working out of pure hate, Ben.
That's why they took your gun.
Seems like I can't do anything right for you, Billy.
Ben...
the trouble with you is
you're like an owl.
The more light you shine on him,
the less he sees.
Where you going?
I'm going to get Tom Elder.
Not armed like that, you're not.
Go reluctant.
Not like you enjoy the idea of using that.
I'll go myself.
There are four of them.
I can count, too, Ben.
Ben's right, Billy.
You'll need help.
You, uh, figuring on coming with me,
or are you suggesting I take along that new man you hired?
He's a good hand.
What are you trying to keep the Elders
from finding out, Mr. Hastings?
Well, I'm-I'm just trying to help.
Sure.
Just trying to put us on the map,
make us all rich.
A man can grow with a town, Billy.
Or die...
like Bass Elder.
Ben, you better come here.
What's up?
Billy's horse just came in without him.
Let's get a posse together, Harry.
Here.
He's still breathing.
You and Roy, take him to Doc Isdell.
Meet us at the river.
Yah!
Hah! Hah!
Yah!
Hyah! Hyah!
Bud!
Go get him!
Hyah!
Yah-hah!
Hyah!
Hah!
You were pretty good today, kid,
pretty handy.
Where did you learn that stuff?
Not in college.
All we're trying to do is make you rich and respectable.
You fight us every step.
I don't want to be rich and respectable.
I want to be like you.
He sassing you again?
I don't know what to do.
Ain't you got no respect for your elders?
That ain't funny. I heard it before.
Katie would bloody our backsides with a birch
for talking back.
Yeah?
Well, which one of you
is man enough to fill in for Ma?
Oh, no.
You wouldn't.
No! Hey! No!
Aw, come on!
Let me-Hey!
Put me down!
Well, fellas,
I thought I taught you better
than to take a bath with your clothes on.
Hey!
There's a posse up there.
What do you suppose they're after?
It can't be us
unless they think we stole these horses.
That's Ben Latta there. They must be after us.
What will we do?
We've done nothing wrong.
We won't act like it.
We'll pick up these horses
and start out like we're just passing through.
There's four of them.
It's the Elders, all right.
Hold fire! I want them alive.
Bud.
I'm all right.
What's this for?
Stealing horses is against the law,
ain't it?
So is shooting them.
We got these legal, and we can prove it.
I don't expect you all to believe us,
but Billy will.
Then why did you shoot him?
Billy's shot?
Shot, but not dead.
He'll tell us who did it
when he tried to bring Tom in.
This doesn't make sense.
If we were running away and had shot Billy,
why would we stop to pick up this herd?
And bring them back through Clearwater.
Throw your guns on the ground.
Well, do as he says.
More killings won't prove anything.
Couple of you tie them up.
We got all them horses.
Their legal owner will find them.
We got a letter from the owner.
That don't help Billy.
We didn't do it.
Billy just happened to be at the Lupin place when he was shot.
The Lupin place?
Yeah.
If they try to get away,
shoot them.
I'm making you a present.
You can have the good deeds.
I don't want them.
What good deeds?
A good deed for Ma.
Ain't that why we're here?
We're here because you got in a jam
and got yourself on a "wanted" poster.
You make it personal
for a man that's been in a few scrapes himself.
Tell us what happened.
Some bartender got sore because I was raffling off my eye.
He started banging away at me with a.45.
Well, that makes it self-defense.
Why didn't you stand trial and clear yourself?
Because it's his town and I'm an outsider.
Let me have that rope.
Look.
Drag them out.
We ought to hang them.
Yeah, get a rope and hang them up.
Let's drag them out.
Yeah, drag them out and hang them.
Let's drag them out.
Let's hang them.
How's Billy?
I don't know.
You think we did it, too.
I don't know what to think.
If only you'd gone away right after the funeral.
Let's go get them! What do you say?
Whiskey.
Hey.
Seems like everybody in this town's
made up their mind.
Go on home, Mary, and stay home.
I don't want you around here.
Billy's dead.
Go on.
Did he-
Did he say who shot him?
He never opened his mouth to say you didn't.
Get a rope!
Let's hang them!
Somebody get a rope.
Get a rope!
I told you to go home.
What about that mob?
They had feelings for Billy.
It wasn't Billy's way to lynch a man.
Four men.
Three men and a boy.
How can you be sure?
Maybe they're not guilty.
They're convinced.
They'd be the ones on a jury.
You arrest them.
You don't judge them.
Get the marshal or get them to Laredo.
Quit telling me how to do my job.
Come on! Let's get them!
Did you see the way them people are looking at us?
Yeah, I saw...
and we're getting out of here.
You figure on doing it different?
They come to feed us in the morning,
we'll get the key.
How's it look?
Not good,Judge.
Better set their trial for morning.
Pick a jury out of that mob?
That's not justice. That's murder.
We got enough of those, Charlie?
No, we ain't got enough.
Them guns ain't going to stop no mob.
You want to let them in?
Don't you talk to me like that.
Me and Billy never lost a prisoner,
mobs or no mobs.
He broke them up
and without no guns, neither.
I seen him do it,
but, then, you ain't no Billy Wilson.
He didn't mean anything by it.
Why don't he use his head?
If he was a patch on Billy's shirt,
he'd get those boys out of town
before it's too late.
Take a look out there.
Them's friends of yours up until now,
but pretty soon
you'll be shooting bullets at them.
We'll move them.
We'll move them to Laredo
early in the morning.
Tom, somebody's coming.
I guess they changed their mind.
Yell out to one of them deputies.
Tell them you're sick.
What's the matter with you? Want your neck stretched?
We're going to face it.
I ain't facing no lynch mob.
You ran in New Orleans. That's why we're here.
We're not running again.
Katie's not losing this one.
We're the ones in trouble.
I suppose she wasn't?
She tried to raise her kids the right way.
They didn't turn out the right way.
Nobody's making any decisions for me.
I'll make my own.
Sure. You can buy her an angel or a lamb,
pay her off with a slab of marble.
You can make that decision,
but I'll decide this one.
If we all get killed,
nobody's going to run.
Katie wins this one.
Come on.
You're going to Laredo.
If you make one wrong move,
you'll get the same thing you gave Billy.
You got the shackles ready?
All ready.
All right, you two over here.
I don't want to be shackled to him.
Kind of late to be choosy about your friends.
Get a leg up.
Make sure they're tight.
Raise your right hands.
You swear to act as deputy sheriffs
and uphold the laws of the state of Texas?
Say, "I do. "
- I do. - I do.
Get in that wagon.
Hyah.
Let them get on the bridge, and they're all yours.
I don't trust them guards.
The drivers are on our side.
They've got their stories straight-
"We were ambushed by the Elder gang. "
Whoa.
What's the matter?
Why are you stopping here?
To rest the horses.
Hey, Ned, what's the matter?
Resting the horses.
To rest the horses!
Jump!
Put your hands up, Ben.
You're wearing a badge.
So was Billy.
Drop that rifle.
One gun won't hold them off very long.
Ben's got extra guns in that rig.
Think you can cover us?
Three shots' worth.
Think you can keep underwater with me far as that rig?
If I can't, just hold me under.
Then let's go.
I knew you were going to mob those boys.
Inside I knew it.
Sure you did, Ben,
but they had it coming.
Hold it!
Tom!
Use the horses to get back.
Now keep in step,
or we'll get tangled and go down.
Hyah!
All right, Curley,
this is what you were hired for.
I don't want them Elders getting out alive.
Move.
All set?
Yeah.
They got ahold of Ben's guns.
We'll never get them out of there.
I'd like to blast them out of there.
There's dynamite here in the gun box.
I don't like it.
It's too quiet.
Let's get back.
Cover me.
Go.
Look out!
Matt!
John...
Let me help you.
No, please, I-
I...
John...
I wish...
maybe...
Bud...
I- I wish...
Here they come!
Aah!
I'm hit.
I'm hit!
John!
John Elder! Throw me a gun!
I'll help you!
Ben's going to help them.
Stupid fool.
Hey, no, Dad. That's Ben!
Come on.
Hastings is leaving. Let's go.
What will we tell them in town?
We were ambushed by the Elder gang.
Now let's go. Let's get out of here.
Hyah!
Let's get out of here before they come back.
We're going back... to town.
Are you crazy?
They'll kill us the minute we get there.
We ain't gonna run.
I am.
How are you going to do it?
There's one wagon, and Bud needs a doctor.
I'm taking him back.
I'll get the buckboard.
Hyah!
Whoa.
Get Bud in the barn.
Hold it, Bert.
Go on home. Get out of here.
Wait a minute, kid.
We're going to need a doctor.
Go get Doc Isdell.
Go on,Jeb.
Be quick about it.
Take off these leg irons.
Theirs first.
Yes, sir.
Where are you going, son?
Doc Isdell's. One of them's hurt.
What's your hurry?
My pa's in there.
Let the boy go.
That's it, Harry.
That's far enough.
What do you want?
First off, I want you to surrender.
Then I'll let the doctor through.
We get the doctor,
or you're going to come up short a blacksmith.
Do what he says, Harry!
Not till we see you out here first!
Harry!
We can't trust him, Will.
We can trust your deputies to shoot us up.
Your gang killed a lot of good men doing their job.
My gang?
Then who killed Matt, shot Bud,
and blew up the bridge?
Well, what about Billy?
How long does it take a man
to ride to Pecos, Harry?
8, 9 hours.
When did you last see Billy?
We were playing chess at 9:00.
We can prove we were in Pecos at 9:00.
Send for the marshal, Harry.
We'll give ourselves up,
but not to you or anyone in this town.
But you get that U.S. marshal from Laredo,
and we'll come out.
How am I going to get a U.S. marshal here?
I don't know.
Telegraph him or go get him yourself,
but get him.
Go on in, Doc.
Over here.
All right, out.
What happened? What happened?
One of them's wounded, the kid.
I want you men to break it up.
Those men are my prisoners
the same as if they were in that jail.
The U.S. marshal from Laredo will be here,
and any man starting trouble will answer to him.
Break it up and go home!
Come on, son.
Go on!
I've done about all I can for him now.
You'd best get him over to the boardinghouse
as soon as you can.
John...
Yeah?
Don't worry about him.
He'll pull through.
We'll see he gets raised right...
you and me.
What if the marshal gets here first?
It's their word against ours.
Who'll take a gunfighter's word
against a respected businessman's?
What if one of those guards breaks, Pa?
Huh?
Only a weakling breaks.
They won't talk.
Not in here, you idiot.
You want to blow us all up?
Curley smoked in here.
You ain't Curley.
John.
Dave... he never did answer any questions for us.
We got all the answers we'll ever get.
Yeah, but it's worth a try.
You're not going.
You step one foot outside that door,
and you're dead.
You're not going.
Did, uh, Doc Isdell say anything
about changing the-
You make one move, and you're dead.
Do as I say.
Back.
Move.
All right. There's one left for you.
Now move.
Move.
Here's a present for you.
Now get your answers.
I'm going to give you some real good advice, mister.
This is no time for lying.
Who ambushed us?
I don't know.
Aah!
Answer me! Who killed my brother?
I don't know!
Talk! You were there when Ben got it.
Who ambushed us? Who murdered Matt?
I don't know! I didn't do anything!
I didn't-
Aah!
When I let you breathe again,
you better come up with the right answers.
Pa!
I didn't tell them.
I wasn't going to talk.
Drop that gun, Hastings.
B- But they shot at me.
They got Dave in there.
Get him out.
I didn't tell them.
Didn't tell them what, Dave?
My father...
he killed Ben.
He killed him.
And my dad?
Your father...
found out he was being cheated.
And Billy...
kept getting closer to the truth.
Billy, too?
John.
Give me that gun.
I represent the law around here now.
We'll take care of Hastings.
I don't want any trouble with you, Harry.
I wouldn't argue with him.
John.
This is something I have to do myself, Harry.
Get Doc Isdell for Tom.
John.
Bud's in here.
Is he all right?
Doc says he'll need lots of care.
He'll get it.
And Tom?
Doc's with him now.
Tom said it'd take
more than one bullet to kill him.
He's in here.