(WIND WHISTLING)
They're comin'.
Comin', Hag.
- Any time now. - Oh! Oof!
This damn carbuncle.
Ah, you oughta take care of that, Edgar.
(WIND WHISTLING)
(GUNSHOT)
- Come on. Hyah! - Hyah!
(GUNSHOT)
(GROANS)
Hyah!
MAN: Don't move, any of you.
Damn fool, I'm hit. Jugheaded fool.
Give me that box.
You all right, Adam?
Outside.
ADAM: Go, go, go.
MAN: Ho.
Go ahead.
Come on.
All right, get on out of here.
Whoa!
(BLUSTERING)
- (WHINNYING) - Come on.
Whoa.
What's the matter with that old crock-head, Vern?
There's somethin' about that grove yonder he don't like.
- Indians? - VERN: Might be.
I don't know. Best take it cautious.
Well, we could go around.
What, every time that old wild head of yours gets skittish?
Why don't you put a martingale on him?
We'll just go easy.
Chances are, if it was, they would have rode out on us.
(WHINNYING)
(HORSE WHINNYING)
(HORSE BLUSTERS)
(HORSES BLUSTERING)
Two, three days.
- OT? - Yeah, something like that.
This ain't no country to be set afoot.
Man gets hunged.
We far enough away from that human fruit to suit you, Mercer?
(HORSE WHINNYING)
Dick, come on out.
(HOOFBEATS APPROACHING)
- Ho! Ho! - (BLUSTERS, GRUNTS)
- Boss is ready. - Three men coming this way.
Three?
What are they, Hag? Is that all you seen?
Three is all I seen. It don't figure they're no posse.
Ain't but three.
(SCOFFS, CHUCKLES)
No, old Edgar here don't wanna do no hard ridin' tonight.
(CHUCKLES) No, I figure we'll wait on these old boys. Right, Injun?
No need runnin' from no three range bums.
DICK: No, ain't no hands gonna give us trouble.
I figure we let 'em bed down here, is all they be wantin'.
And, Joe, you and Hag might get up above there.
Cover it just in case.
When it looks clear, come on down.
- No need taking no chances, right, Dick? - Uh-huh.
Edgar, you sit right over there like you been.
I might need some range.
Whenever you think it's clear.
Adam?
It's old Blind Dick.
(WIND WHISTLING)
Dick?
Howdy.
Where you boys headin'?
- Waco. - Waco. Texas boys.
- Cowhands, are ya? - That's right.
- Comin' from up north? - Yeah.
Been two weeks since Pea River.
Oh?
DICK: Long right yet to Waco.
Well, now. You boys might like to cut a little trail dust out of your necks, huh?
Why don't you step down and have a snort with me and old Edgar. (CHUCKLES)
Well, that put no pale on you, will it, boy?
- Hell, no. Not that I know of. - Much obliged.
- I'm Dick and this here's Edgar. - Vern.
- Wes. - Otis.
Call me Blind Dick on account of one eye.
(CLEARS THROAT) There's a rope corral round the side there.
- Obliged. - I'll take 'em.
You go on with him.
Come on.
What outfit you trail with?
Crawfield. C Bar.
Headin' back there, huh?
No.
Where?
Waco.
Just the three of you?
Yeah, three's all.
- Five of you? - Yeah.
You run into any, uh, Kiowa up around the Pea?
Two or three.
Signs mostly.
Come on in.
I was just tellin' Otis and Vern here...
how Adam fell on his knife is what's wrong with him.
Have a snort.
Obliged.
Ahhh.
(SNIFFING)
(EXHALES)
DICK: You boys are welcome to some of these vittles now.
OTIS: Obliged.
Uh, these men are gonna bed down for the night, Edgar.
Come on in, boys.
Boys, I want you to meet, uh...
Otis and Vern and, uh...
- Wes. - Wes.
DICK: Joe and, uh, Boyce.
- Mmm. - Howdy.
Did you get any boys?
Huh?
Critters.
No, no, we didn't get any.
Few droppings, that's all we seen.
DICK: Well.
Well, beans and biscuits is it.
OTIS: That'll be fine, thank you.
Obliged.
They's a bunch on a scout if ever I seen any.
Ain't no five ever rode the line out of that shack.
- VERN: We could run for it. - What for?
They don't want no trouble, we don't want no trouble.
How about "fell on his knife"?
Yeah.
That's a lulu.
No, they figure we's just cowhands passin' through, is all.
We are.
They won't start nothin'.
OTIS: They seen us coming sure.
They could have picked us off easy if they wanted to.
(SIGHS) Huntin' rabbit. Ain't that one?
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe you wanna try and bring 'em in? Huh, Wes?
Maybe you do, Vern.
(LAUGHS)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
We'll be lightin' out tomorrow.
I'm ready right now.
JOE: Well, go ahead.
We'll be leavin' Adam.
(EXHALES)
North up around Wardell oughta be good for us.
BOYCE: They know we ain't no cowhands.
You're too worried, Boyce.
I'd have picked them off, original.
They don't want no trouble. Goin' to Waco is all they are.
Make up a pretty good mess of beans.
WES: I didn't mind it.
Maybe you two oughta throw in with this bunch.
(CHUCKLES)
Sure is a softer line than what I got.
WES: 'Cept I ain't anxious to wind up trimmin' a tree...
like the one we seen.
I'll be pleased to part company myself.
Think we oughta put a watch on 'em?
No, we'll leave early.
You'd think they'd do something for that Adam.
(SIGHS) What they gonna do?
Wonder if this spread's got any riders up this way.
They'll be lightin' out just like us tomorrow.
- WES: Thank you. - (EXHALES)
OT?
You gonna hook up C Bar again?
Don't know.
I was wonderin'.
It's a good outfit.
- How 'bout you, Wes? - No.
- 'Count of Cain? - Might be.
Didn't seem much to me.
That's the way you seen it, Vern.
(SIGHS)
VERN: Ever think 'bout tryin' for a spread of your own?
Once or twice.
You never get nothin' drovin'.
I been doin' it a while now.
Sound like you wanna squat.
You oughta throw in with this bunch, Wes.
You'd do all the ridin' you want.
Better'n being afoot.
He's got one there.
VERN: Don't seem crazy to me.
You start now, Wes, you'd have somethin'.
I know it ain't crazy.
I'm gonna think about it...
soon as we get out of here tomorrow.
Vern, ain't it some town south of here?
Sierra Junction, day or two south.
Sierra Junction.
Is that the one I mean?
Got a place called Golden Nugget in there?
What don't?
It's either the Golden Nugget or Silver Dollar...
at every place 'tween here and Rose's Cantina.
- (WOOD SNAPS) - Why?
Nothin'.
You fixin' to stop off?
I was wondering if it was the one.
You got somethin' in there?
- Look at this now. - What?
Mention a saloon and you start to dancin' around.
I ain't even gonna get started with you this morning, Vern.
'Bout ready to hit it, are they?
Yeah.
Any time now. (SIGHS)
- (EXHALES) - I don't know.
They still there?
Uh-huh.
- You'd think them fools would've been... - (GUNSHOT)
MAN: All right! You're surrounded!
That damned Edgar.
Don't make trouble for yourself. You got no chance.
What'll we do, Dick?
We'll have to make our play right here.
What do you want with us?
'Cause right here's where they'll hang us.
MAN: Throw out your weapons and come on out now...
or we'll open fire.
You got no chance.
We won't wait forever.
We'll open fire on three.
MAN: One.
Two.
(RIFLE COCKS)
(RIFLES FIRING)
Easy, Hag! This ain't the Fourth!
Tell 'em to go slow.
Keep the three outside pinned down and concentrate fire on the shack.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
- OT? - We gotta get out.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
How?
Hills is our only chance.
(SCOFFS) Where do they go either?
- On foot. - It's all we got.
- (GUNSHOT) - (BULLET RICOCHETS)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
Be a long day.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
You wanna try and ride through 'em?
Uh-uh.
We'll use horses to get us into the hills.
Then where are we?
Somewheres else.
Better'n settin' here waitin' to get shot.
Or hung.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
DICK: What are they doin'?
Runnin' back and forth looks like.
- (BULLET RICOCHETS) - (HORSES WHINNYING)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
Ain't goin' nowhere with that.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(RIFLE SHOT)
(GRUNTS)
(GROANS)
Hold fire!
Hold it!
They ain't goin' anywheres up there.
Fisher. Ward?
We gotta get the rest of them smoked out before dark.
Sam, try and get up above the shack.
Ward, take some of your bunch and track the two that went up the canyon.
Now, don't take chances. Just track 'em. They're killers.
Save it.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES IN DISTANCE)
I hope they follow us.
(PANTING) Not me.
We wasn't doin' nothin', damn it.
Come on, Wes.
What the hell's the matter with you?
Nothing's the matter. Come on, Wes.
- Where to? (PANTING) - (PANTING)
I don't give a damn, Wes.
They'll hang you just the same with Otis dead.
Ain't nothin' else to it. Come on.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES IN DISTANCE)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
Hold your fire!
Hold it!
MAN: Throw down your guns and come out!
You have no chance! There's men above ya!
We're gonna burn you out!
What do you say?
All right!
Your last chance!
(RIFLE SHOT)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
Don't shoot! I'm comin' out!
(COUGHING)
(JOE GASPS, COUGHS)
(GRUNTS)
(SPITS)
Got anything to say?
No?
- (LOUD SLAP) - (HORSES WHINNY)
(GROANING)
(WIND WHISTLING)
We can't just keep goin' up.
No.
Gotta get down off of here.
Them vigilantes know that.
They ain't a-playin', Wes.
They burned them owlhoots out.
Probably strung up by now.
They knowed we couldn't get over this.
I'm not gonna hang, Vern.
The way they think...
burn 'em out.
No chances.
They figure we couldn't get over this...
so's we'd come to them, just like the others done.
Probably markin' a trail behind us.
Waitin'.
Most of 'em is probably down at that necktie party for a while.
We gotta try to go around or through 'em.
(GUNSHOT)
- You all right? - Yeah.
- Did you see 'em? - No.
Must be only three or four up here.
Come on then.
Lost my spurs.
You get on down and tell Quint they're movin' west across the face...
and you think you winged one of 'em.
We'll just stay low till they box theirselves in.
Beginnin' to get chilly up here in a couple hours.
I'd say this pair of birds was twixt a rock and a hard place, all right.
(CHICKENS CLUCKING)
Supper, Pa.
Thank you, Abby. Tell your mother I'll be along.
Evenin', Catherine.
CATHERINE: Evan.
We thank you, Lord, for this food.
We're your humble servants and we are grateful for your bounty. Amen.
Abby.
Very good. Tasty.
My feet.
Afraid to look at 'em.
We gotta keep goin', Wes.
They'd track us easy in daylight, out in the open.
I can't walk much further.
They was up all night, I figure...
the way they bushwhacked us this morning.
We get some horses...
I think we're out of it, Vern.
If there was a town around here...
We can't go into no town.
I know.
But if there's a town nearby, there's gotta be nesters...
or a small ranch or somethin'.
You figure we lost 'em?
I figure we gotta find a place to hide 'fore the sun comes up tomorrow...
and this ain't it.
Be a shame to do all this walkin' for nothin'.
You're one day ahead of the game already.
Better blisters than neck burns. Come on.
(HORSE NEIGHS)
Hello inside!
Can we have a word with ya?
- Stay here. - Evan, be careful.
What can I do for ya?
We're part of the Citizen's Vigilance Committee, neighbor.
You seen anything, uh, peculiar out here?
You're the only thing I seen today, outside of my family and a skunk.
There's two killers loose out here. They're part of a gang.
We got all but these two. Strung 'em up today.
- They headed this way? - There's no tellin'.
They're on foot. One might be wounded.
All right we take a look at your stable there?
Step down.
Can I offer you men coffee?
- I got a jug of corn whiskey inside. - That'd be fine. Thank you.
- After we look around. - Abigail!
Bring out the corn whiskey.
Thank you, Abby.
Uh, this is my daughter, Abigail.
Evenin', miss.
Well, uh, I guess they ain't here.
Would you care to come inside?
Oh, no, thank you. We'll go along now.
Gotta track these birds down.
Obliged for the drink.
And, uh, it was a pleasure meeting you, miss.
Obliged.
Whoa.
Cute little piece, ain't she, Roy?
No, there ain't nothin' wrong with that.
I'll be getting back this way, I believe.
Don't make a sound. Hear me?
Sit down.
Here. Go ahead.
Now you just sit there...
real quiet and...
you'll be fine.
We don't aim to hurt nobody.
Pretty good alarm.
Pardon the way we're chowing down...
but you see, we ain't ET since yesterday morning.
(AX HITTING STUMP)
It's good.
May I prepare the food?
Sure.
You just go on like we wasn't here.
WES: Good for us they come by last night.
Yeah.
- (SIGHS) - What's the matter?
- (AX HITTING STUMP) - Nothin'.
I was just tryin' to...
tryin' to figure out...
what way to run.
Would you like some coffee?
Much obliged.
(AX HITTING STUMP)
That's a pretty big stump out there.
(SNICKERS)
What's funny?
Nothin'.
(AX HITTING STUMP)
When does he come in?
Abigail fetches him for dinner.
When's that usual?
When the grub's ready is all.
They track us here, we ain't got a chance.
It's gonna be a long enough day as it is without you goin' on.
Maybe we oughta take the horses now.
Them vigilantes is spread all over this country. Gotta move at night.
It's ready. The food's ready.
All right.
Now she goes on out, hmm?
That's what she usually does.
Well, sure.
If you do what you done before, that'd be fine.
Abby, do like they say.
Your mother will be in here with us.
She's there.
Dinner, Pa.
Thank you, Abby. Tell your mother I'll be along.
She's comin' back.
You sit right there, ma'am.
You done fine.
I forgot the wash-up. He always washes up.
EVAN: Abby!
- Answer. - Yes, Pa?
Where's my wash-up?
Tell him you'll get it.
I'm sorry, Pa. I-I'll get it.
What's goin' on inside there with you women?
Quick.
- What's the matter with you? - I'm sorry, Pa. I forgot.
Don't move.
Got somethin'?
I'm done, Quint.
All night. This here might be all day.
Yeah, most of us are.
They might not have come out of those mountains.
Well, what do you wanna do?
Well, what are you gonna do?
If they didn't come out between here and the narrows...
then they're either not coming out or...
got over, or slipped through.
I think I'll ride on ahead to that squatter's and get a meal.
Roy told me about that meal.
What does he know? I'll join you when you catch up.
- That all right with you, Quint? - Sure.
Shape you're in, you ain't seein' nothin'. Go on.
We'll all pack in after today.
Adios.
Aren't you gonna eat, Evan?
- EVAN: What do you want with us? - Nothin'.
Just don't want no trouble.
Listen, mister. We didn't do nothin'.
You're horse thieves!
You know that!
You can't just come here, takin' my stock.
What'll I have? How will I work?
I'm goin' out and look at the horses.
VERN: What for?
I wanna see 'em.
What if someone comes ridin' by?
They ain't gonna see me.
You keep him in here. I'll take her out with me.
- VERN: What do you want with her? - They'll think I'm him.
VERN: This ain't no social, Wes.
WES: Who said it was?
- All right, I won't take her. - Nah, go ahead. Take her.
Come on.
All I'm doin' is lookin' at your horses.
That's all, mister.
I understand how you feel.
And I don't blame you.
But we ain't outlaws.
We ain't.
You just sit tight a couple hours...
and then we'll be gone.
Don't make no trouble...
is what's best for all of us.
Not bad animals.
You don't say much.
I was gettin' a little cabin fever.
You like it here?
Can we go in?
Why?
My father don't like it if I talk to strangers.
He don't mean nothin' to me.
They're gonna hang us. You think that's right?
I don't know.
Ain't up to me.
You just do what? What's right with your pa is all you care about?
I can't say.
How old are you?
Eighteen, I reckon.
You oughtn't to steal our stock.
That ain't my problem.
Tell them vigilantes. They're the ones.
It's the wrong thing to do.
What's right? Hang?
Don't tell me.
Killed the best friend I ever had.
Well...
we oughta go in.
When I say. That's when we'll go in.
You gonna eat that?
Pretty good horses.
Long as they get us out of this part of the country.
You can go out and beat that old stump to death. I won't have to hear it then.
I wanna stay in here.
Go out. Don't be no trouble.
Look better if you out there workin'.
Don't worry about them.
WES: He sure is on the peck.
Sure, he's on the peck.
Stealing the horses is all we mean to him.
Can't blame him.
You mind I get some sleep, Vern?
Go on.
- This is my bed. - No, it's all right.
No, no. Go on.
Obliged.
(EXHALES)
(AX HITTING STUMP)
How long has he been goin' at that stump?
Yesterday morning.
You like it here?
CATHERINE: It's all right.
(SIGHS) Kinda lonesome for a woman, hmm?
- (AX HITTING STUMP) - Same as for a man.
I reckon.
Seem to me what you do is lonesome.
I guess you'd be right.
I don't know.
That man last night said they hanged some of your bunch.
It ain't my bunch, ma'am.
- What are you gonna do, Vern? Talk? - Thought I might.
How you can go to sleep beats me anyways.
Well, I guess I can't.
You ladies got anything to do, why, you go on.
- Wes. - (AX HITTING STUMP)
Wes, what was that with you and Cain?
Cain?
Damn, what do you want to do, talk, is all?
It's better than sittin' here all day listenin' to myself.
Well, I don't know.
- You wanna play checkers? - Yeah.
You got any checkers?
- Yes, we do. - Can we use 'em?
Borrow their checkers.
Steal their horses.
What's the matter with you?
Just don't seem to be no end to it.
No use to that.
Yeah, it strikes me peculiar just the same.
What's that?
(SIGHS) Sittin' here...
playin' checkers...
while there's a bunch of men out there...
lookin' to string us up.
Why don't you put a tune to it?
We're in the scout, boy.
You can't cash in, but I can.
Gettin' strung up is better?
Nobody's gonna just put a name to me, and that's it.
(AX HITTING STUMP)
I'd like to take a whack at that stump myself.
Come on. Play.
OTIS: I don't know.
I'm gonna think about it.
VERN: You never get nothin' drovin'.
This is the less work I done on a weekday since I was four.
Less'n I was sick.
- QUINT: One! - WES: What's funny?
VERN: They ain't playin', Wes.
They burned them owlhoots out.
- QUINT: Two! - WES: It's your move, Vern.
I know it.
- EVAN: You're horse thieves. - (AX HITTING STUMP)
OTIS: Indians?
Well, come on. Play.
Where you been at, Vern?
I moved already.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
He stopped.
See what he's doin'.
No, we ain't found 'em yet.
Probably won't, we don't get 'em today.
- Where's your womenfolk? - Inside.
Bakin' today.
Bakin'? That right?
Well, I'm, uh, advance scoutin'.
Main body's movin' along this way.
What the hell are they talkin' about, Vern?
Well, the sodbuster's spillin' the beans.
Somethin' the matter with you?
No.
You're acting mighty peculiar for nothing's the matter.
- They're here. - Yeah, that's what I thought.
Where they at? In the house?
- They got the women. What are we gonna do? - Don't look at the house.
You start pointin' off behind me.
I'm just gonna ease out of here and get some help.
You act like you're givin' me directions someplace, like I'm just passin' through.
- Now? - No. Wait till I finish.
Then you just go on back to work like it was nothin'.
Make 'em come out to you to find out what happened. Stall 'em.
- WES: We gonna leave and go? - VERN: Ain't no other way.
Gunfire'd bring 'em down on us.
Doin' us a favor, thinkin' we're dumb enough to go for whatever it is.
Soon as he's out of sight...
Stay inside.
(AX HITTING STUMP)
Come on. Let's go.
- Hey! - Stay out of this!
(MOOING)
They're takin' our stock.
Hold it right there!
(GUNSHOT)
What do you think?
Take two men and see if you can find out. Could be anything.
While he's reloadin'.
Come on!
Hyah. (KISSES) Hyah.
(HORSE BLUSTERING)
Whoa.
We're sorry about this, ma'am.
I hope you hang them.
Don't worry. They've seen their last sunrise.
One of 'em is shot.
They won't get far now.
Come on.
Let me down!
- No! We can't, Vern! - (GROANING)
I ain't goin'.
(COUGHING)
Two won't make it on that horse.
(COUGHING)
I bought it, Wes.
Go on.
Go on. You're wastin' time.
I can't just leave ya.
You have to do that, boy.
Can't you see that?
Go on. (COUGHING)
(COUGHS)
(HORSE WHINNIES)
We've got 'em now.
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
- (GUNSHOT) - (BULLET RICOCHETS)
(GUNSHOT)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
What about the other one?
(HOOFBEATS FADING)