I hear him.
Mornin', Brigade.
I've been looking to find you, Billy.
I know. I've been seein' your dust for three days.
I figured it better to let you catch up and have it out'n over.
The others? Where are they?
They went on ahead.
I told 'em I'd be along
after I buried you.
Mount up. We're going back.
You know I can't do that.
It's the only thing you can do.
If I was to ride south with you, there's them that'd see me hang.
You left a dead man in the street in Santa Cruz.
- Fair fight. - He was killed from behind.
Like the others.
I don't know how much they're paying you to bring me in,
but it ain't near enough.
I'd hunt you free. Let's go.
I guess that makes me out a liar, don't it?
Them boys didn't go ahead.
They're scattered all in rocks.
There's no way for you to get outta here.
Now, look, Brigade,
I got no quarrel with you.
If you ride outta here, I'd forget about this whole thing.
What's one more bounty to a man like you?
Money's got blood on it.
We're goin' on back.
You don't understand.
I give the word, you're dead.
Maybe. But before I hit the ground I'll blow you half in two.
- You're bluffin'. - Am I?
Call 'em off, Billy.
Hold your fire boys. It ain't gonna work.
I knew I should'a done it my way.
In the back?
Charlie!
You all find my brother Frank.
You tell him what's happened.
Tell 'em Ben Brigade's takin' me to Santa Cruz.
You hear me, Charlie?
Well, you tell him that.
He'll know what to do.
Now, get goin'.
You better put them on tight.
Hop on.
You know my brother, Frank?
Heard of 'im.
Then I guess you know you ain't gonna get me to Santa Cruz.
Wells Junction.
There's nobody out'n about.
You don't suppose Frank'n the boys circled high around and are waitin' do you?
Let's see.
- Anybody home? - Stay right there.
- Drop the gun. - Better had.
Well, I'll be. Ben Brigade.
Hello, Boone.
Fancy runnin' into you in all this empty,
I saw you come up over that rise. Couldn't quite make you out.
A man can't be too careful in this part of the country.
You're a long way from home.
- No more than you. - I can go back.
- You must be Billy John. - So?
I heard a lot about you!
You ain't as small as I thought you'd be.
You staying for the night, or going to Santa Cruz?
Did I say I was goin' to Santa Cruz?
Not in words. I came through there a while back.
I heard that Billy John had killed a man.
The man knottin' tie rope said it was murder.
- Where is the station man? - He ain't here.
Had some of his animals loose-herded up on that flat.
Went out this mornin' to gather 'em before the Eastbound come through,
- but they beat 'em to it. - Who's they?
Freeds, Mescaleros, Sunday-school teachers, for all I know.
He went to find 'em.
- Left you here to tend the station? - Not exactly.
Whit!
The woman, bring 'er out here.
Never mind.
Now you all get your horses and ride on outta here.
Now, look, lady.
Just do like I say.
That's no way to act.
Me and Whit's been doin' you a service, with your man away.
- Tell her we ain't here to harm her. - Why are you here, Boone?
A man needs a reason to ride this country. You got a reason?
Don't matter. I want you gone. All of you.
But ma'am, we can't do that. Just up and ride off.
No tellin' when your man'll find them horses'n get back.
Besides, woman ain't safe out here alone.
- She won't be alone. - No?
No, the Westbound's comin'.
They're in a hurry.
Whit, fetch up them animals in the corral.
We can make up the team change for the lady before we go.
I don't need your help.
No, but the folks on the coach do.
They ain't had a meal hot or square since they left Santa Cruz.
If I were you I'd look to feed 'em.
I know what you're thinkin'.
You're thinkin' that me and Whit's been sittin' here waitin' for the coach to pull in.
Waitin' to take off with the Fargo box or somethin' pure awful like that.
- Well, you're wrong. - Am I?
Plum.
Mescalero.
Don't come out here!
Nothin for a woman to see.
What call they got to do a thing like that?
Murder raid. That or they wanted the horses.
- Butchers. - Boone, that dust boil.
You figure they drew off when they sighted the station?
Looks that way. Enough of 'em, they'll try to scald us out before dark.
Whatta we gonna do?
- Only thing we can, bury the dead and wait. - Wait?
If they catch us in the open, come night, we wouldn't have a chance.
We'll fort up in the station till morning.
What about Billy?
What about him?
Well, him sitting out there between you and Santa Cruz,
kinda makes the hill higher to climb, doesn't it?
You could swing north, take Billy to Bisbee.
- A rope's a rope. - He's going to Santa Cruz.
- No matter what. - No matter what.
If you ask me, it ain't Christian.
Covering these folks without reading over them.
I don't know if it's gonna help them now.
Yeah.
- Whit. - Yeah?
- I shouldn't think it like this. - What?
Look out there.
War signs.
Well, we got a treaty with the Mescaleros, ain't we?
Just words on paper.
Yes, we been gettin' along.
I knew a man once. Got along with his wife.
One day she up'n shot him.
Dead?
- But why? - Got mad.
Mescalero, they're mad.
But we ain't done nothin' to 'em.
We're white. That's good enough. Come on.
Sam.
You figure Brigade knows why we're here?
Not yet.
Guess there ain't no way him findin out, is there?
Only one.
I'm gonna tell him.
- Tell him? - Tonight.
If I were you,
I'd hold onto that shovel...
...'cause likely as not we're gonna be needin' it again. Soon.
- I make it three. - Four.
- Coffee? - Thank you.
My husband should have been back by now.
He said he'd keep after as far as Dry Fork.
If he hadn't picked up the animals by then, he'd double on back.
That would have put him here before dark.
He likely got cut off.
- He wouldn't leave me here alone. - Not if he had a choice.
You think something's happened to him?
I didn't say that.
There's any number of reasons for his not getting back.
Even if he found the horses he'd have to loose-herd them clear here by himself.
Could take him half the night, maybe longer.
He never shoulda gone.
You'd have him lose his animals and not go after them.
Not talkin' about animals, talkin about you.
- Me? - He left you alone.
I can take care of myself.
If you were mine, you wouldn't have to.
Meaning?
Meaning I'd never of brought ya here in the first place. Nowhere for a woman.
Running a swing station is my husband's job, Mr. Brigade.
He should find a better one.
Like bounty hunting, for instance.
You cook good coffee.
Mr. Brigade...
You'd better get some sleep. We'll be leaving first thing come morning.
- Leaving? - Three days'll put us in Santa Cruz.
But I...
If your husband's not back, we'll swing toward Dry Fork, pick him up on the way.
- Well, I... - Good night, Mrs. Lane.
Best cookin' I had in a long time.
Mighty handsome woman, Mrs. Lane.
Don't look like they're gonna try us, does it?
- Brigade? - Yeah.
You were sayin, a man needs a reason to ride this country.
You were right.
I don't suppose you heard about the poster they got out on Billy John.
Poster?
Gotten tacked to near every tree 'n stump 'tween here'n Rio Bravo.
Claims the territory'll grant amnesty
to anybody that brings Billy in.
You know you won't believe this.
But me'n Whit went near a week
before we found out what that word amnesty meant.
A fella sellin' Bibles over in Santa Cruz told us.
It means the law's willin' to drop any and all charges it's got against a man.
All he's gotta do is turn the key on Billy.
I know that ain't the reason you rode 'im down.
But that's why me and Whit's gonna tag along with you.
We figured that when Billy's brother Frank,
hears that you're ridin' him in to hang, he's gonna come killin'.
But, if anybody can get Billy safe to Santa Cruz, it's you.
If I do.
Then there's only one man standin' between me'n startin' life clean over.
Make doubly sure Whit keeps that Winchester on Billy John.
We wouldn't wanna lose 'im, would we?
We sure wouldn't.
Brigade! Brigade!
We can't take those animals along. It'd slow us down.
- But we're responsible... - They'll eat their way to the next swing stop.
Time comes, you can pick them up there.
Got out that black for you to ride.
The sooner you get on it, the sooner we'll get clear from here.
Don't look like you and Mrs. Lane get along too well.
We'll stay on the stage road to Dry Fork.
- Dry Fork? - Swing south from there.
That's the long way, ain't it?
- Gotta pick up the station man. - Or what's left of 'im.
Whit's right. If he had been alive, that fella'd be back by now.
We're goin' to Dry Fork.
Not right away we ain't. Look.
- What do they want? - They'll get around to it.
- What's he doing? - He wants to talk.
Stay here.
He's got a horse. Wants to make a trade.
For what?
You.
He said they'd been seein' you here.
He wants to take you for his squaw.
So what we do now?
- Play along with 'em. - Play along with...
If we don't we're apt to stir up every buck in the country.
Come on.
- Just do like I tell you. - Brigade.
Can't abide to see a woman's hair hangin' from a Mescalero war-lance.
I hope you know what you're doin'.
- He'll offer his trade. I'll turn him down. - Then?
With any luck they'll ride off.
Out in the hills, try to figure how else to get you away from us.
I see.
No matter what happens don't break down in front of 'em.
If you do, they'll take it wrong. Shame 'em.
I don't scare easy, Mr. Brigade.
I hope not.
That tears it.
Looks like you won.
They'll be back if they want her bad enough.
I thought you didn't scare, Mrs. Lane.
That was my husband's horse.
Too bad about the woman. She sure is takin' it hard.
I tried to tell her it wasn't for certain her man was dead. She wouldn't listen.
The way they treated 'em on the coach, I don't hardly blame her.
I can't get over the way them Indians wanted to trade her for a horse.
If it'd be me, I'd give a whole herd.
She's about the best all over good-lookin' woman I ever seen.
- She ain't ugly. - She sure ain't.
You got a reason for stayin' in this open country?
Seems to me you'd keep a hill close to your back, considering.
The way I see it, brother Frank can't be too far back.
Talk had 'im up Val Verde way.
Heard about Billy, he wouldn't waste any time.
Likely ride out the night.
To do that, it'd put 'im behind us even sooner.
Dobe Corral's just over that rise. We're headin' there.
I don't think Frank's gonna come along before...
I'm not talkin' about Frank. I'm talking about Mescaleros.
Medicine country.
They figure to jump us up it'll be somewhere soon.
Maybe them four at Wells Junction went for more?
- I know they did. - How can you be sure?
'Cause there they are.
Keep movin'.
You sure Dobe's just over that rise?
Positive.
Ain't we gonna hurry?
Yeah, now!
Move!
Take her out.
Get him!
Sure beats all, don't it?
What a man'll put himself through to get his hands on a woman.
I can't blame 'im though.
Haul their dead to the crest of the hill.
- Does that hurt you? - It'll be just fine.
Yes, ma'am. Better get it cleaned up.
There's five horses. Musta' pulled out early this morning.
What we do now, Frank?
- We keep after them. - But our animals are nearly dead.
Said we keep after 'em.
This'll keep the chill off.
Well, you can say thanks.
It just don't seem right.
What don't?
Brigade wantin' to stay the night here.
It seems he'd be more in a hurry to get to Santa Cruz.
- Maybe he figures a Mescalero... - No, it ain't that. It's somethin' else.
What?
I know it sounds crazy, but I think he wants Frank to catch up.
- Catch up? - The way he's been stickin' to open country.
Staying to the flat instead of the ridges.
Seemin' not to care whether or not he's bein' followed.
But why would he want to fool a thing like that?
I don't know.
Could be he figures it'd make it just that much harder on us.
- On us? - We're ridin' with 'im.
Frank might not hold kindly to that. He could get us killed.
I never thought about that.
One way or the other, Brigade's gotta face it out and he knows it.
Maybe we should forget about the whole thing.
Ride away alive.
We can't do that.
- Lf Frank's goin' to come down here... - You've been up north of Socorro?
- Some. - I got a place up there.
- You got a place? - It ain't much. Not yet, it ain't.
Got my herd to build, wire to stretch'n such.
Only trouble is,
if I ride back there, there's them that'll see me hang.
Unless, of course, the territory was to drop the charge.
Oh, that word.
- Yeah, amnesty. - Amnesty.
So, we get ole' Billy Boy back to Santa Cruz
and be just that close and never...
Never havin' to look over your shoulder again and sleep with a gun in your hand.
Going off dead inside when you see a man wearin' tin on him.
We just come too far, Whit.
Can't turn back now.
We just can't.
Will he be all right?
If I could get 'im on his feet he would. The leg isn't broken.
- He can't get up? - Won't.
Got it in his head he's down for good. Hurts him to stand. Won't even try.
There's nothing you can do?
Stay with 'im. Let him know he's not alone.
I'm sorry about everything. I know I'm a lot of trouble.
You... You took an awful chance out there.
Seemed like a good idea.
Hi, boy.
I guess I always knew.
- Knew? - That it would end like this.
My husband didn't want me to come out here.
Put in for a transfer the day we took over the swing stop at the junction,
for a town job.
Every month it was supposed to come through.
It never did.
I tried to tell myself it didn't matter, that my place was with him.
Then I found myself watching for coaches and hoping.
He must've noticed.
He asked me to go on to Bisbee and wait for him.
Said I'd be safe there.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave him alone.
- He was a good man. - Yes, ma'am, he'd have to be.
They told me why you're taking the boy to Santa Cruz.
Did they?
- They'll hang him, won't they? - Yes, ma'am.
- He's so young. - He killed a man.
- It doesn't bother you? Bringing him in. - No, ma'am.
You just don't seem like the kind that would hunt a man for money.
I am.
Good night, Mr. Brigade.
Mrs. Lane,
I made a place for you inside the wall.
- You'll be safe there. - Thank you.
Good night.
She's sure something, ain't she?
Said she was married to that station fella near a year.
Can you imagine having her around all that time?
All them days. Nights.
Just thinking on it gives me a way down shiver.
I wonder what she'll do now, she's without a man?
Find another.
But if she loved that fella hard enough, she'd stay a widow, wouldn't she?
Ain't the kind. Not her. Some are. Some can get along without.
Not her. She's the kind that's got a need.
Deep lonely need only a man can get at.
How do you know?
I've seen it in her eyes.
In her eyes.
Is Brigade still trying to get that animal up?
Yeah. He was at it all night.
Why doesn't he shoot him and get it over with?
He said he wanted to wait.
He claims animals are like people.
Feel the morning sun on them makes forget all the hurt they got.
Makes them want to start over.
There are sure times he doesn't act like a man that makes his way killing.
Miss Lane.
Could I have a word?
Something you ought to know.
My brother, Frank, he'll be along most any time now.
Won't anywhere be safe once he gets here.
And you being a woman, I'd hate to see anything happen to you.
- Is that all? - No.
No ma'am, what I was thinking was,
I'd see to it that Frank made it right by you if you was to help me.
- Help you? - Yes, ma'am. Yeah.
I've been watching Brigade ever since the junction.
The way he looks at you, kind of hungry.
You shouldn't have any trouble getting yourself close against him.
- Close enough to help me get safe away. - I don't understand.
- Come on, sure you do. - She said she didn't.
You can't blame a man for trying.
- Is this what you wanted her to get for you? - I sure could use it.
We're moving out.
I'll be riding your horse.
- What am I suppose to do? - Walk.
I don't think so.
You let me go.
If you don't, I'll swear I'll cut you in two.
No, you won't, Billy Boy.
Not unless you jacked that saddle gun.
That's my Winchester you got. You pump a round into it, did you?
'Cause if you didn't,
you got a hammer hanging over an empty chamber.
I shot myself in the leg once riding.
I never carried it around under the pin since.
You're lying.
There's one way to find out.
Pull the trigger.
That is if you think you have time to jack that gun
before I blow your brains out. Go ahead, pull.
Or ain't you used to killing a man from the front?
- You just put it down, Billy Boy. - No.
I said, drop it.
I could've swore.
Looks like we don't have to shoot him, either.
The woman, she's falling behind.
- Now, Boone, back there... - Yeah?
Thanks for getting that gun out of my middle.
I couldn't let him shoot you without a chance.
Why? You'd have had Billy.
Never would've enjoyed being a free man done you that way.
Thought maybe you was afraid you might need me with Frank to catch up.
- It crossed my mind. - I figured it did.
- Top of that hump, we'll be in Santa Cruz. - We?
Look, Brigade.
You and me going against each other, it just ain't right.
I said to Whit more than once, I'd give most anything
if we could work out something short of killing.
Such as?
Them dollars they're giving you to bring Billy in.
I'll match them, double if you say.
It'll take me awhile, but I'll get it.
How? Stopping coaches? Killing?
- That's all over with. - Is it?
Gotta be.
A man gets half way,
he ought to have something of his own to belong to and be proud of.
- They say that. - I've got me a place.
Gonna run beef. Work the ground.
Be able to walk down the street like anybody.
All I need is Billy.
I set out to take him to Santa Cruz. I full intend to do it.
Well, I just wanted you to know how it was.
Way I look at it,
it ain't near as hard for a man if he knows why he's gonna die.
They stayed here the night. Can't be more than a half a day ahead.
- That'd put them in Santa Cruz by morning. - Could, but it won't.
Should have known all along.
Brigade knows we're after him.
But he's still taking his time
moving in the clear, not covering his tracks.
It's been plain from the first. So plain I couldn't see it.
But I don't follow.
It ain't Billy he wants. It's me.
But Billy's the one with the bounty on him.
It ain't the money Brigade wants. Not the money at all.
I did him a hurt once. Long ago. So long I almost forgot.
And all the time I was thinking that was why he was taking Billy in to hang.
To get even. That isn't it.
He knew I'd come after him. He wants me to catch up.
And I think I know where.
Let's let the boys rest their horses. There's no hurry. He'll be waiting.
Hang tree.
You can be glad it ain't long ago, Billy Boy.
It was, like as not Brigade here to hang you over that jury limb
and have it over.
Gone dead now, but in its time, more than one danced their last on that.
Ain't that right, Brigade?
- Brigade... - I heard you.
Come to think of it, you strung a few there yourself.
You talk too much. We'll night at the river bed.
Touchy, touchy.
- Quit it. - It's something to do.
I said, quit it.
Don't you ever get tired of holding that gun on me?
It won't be long now. I'll have you in Santa Cruz by morning.
Brigade figures to split the bounty with you, does he?
- Nope. - Then why are you helping him?
- I ain't. - You're holding a gun.
- I got a reason. - Such as what?
- Amnesty. - Amnesty?
- Some word, ain't it? - What's it mean?
Free.
Free?
That's what we'll go as soon as we get you to Cruz.
Me and Boone.
We ain't always seen eye to eye to the law.
If we get you next to a rope, it'll make us even. We can start over.
- Boone's got a place... - Hey did you...
You mean they'd do that just for bringing me in to hang?
We got a poster on it.
I guess that kind gives me a worth, don't it?
To us it does.
What about Brigade?
What about him?
He's the one that caught me.
I don't figure he's going to hold kind to you taking me away from him.
I thought about that.
I thought about that a lot.
It really don't matter.
You ain't going to get me to Santa Cruz anyway.
If Frank was coming, he'd have been here by now.
Maybe.
It's a shame about that woman.
There's going to be a lot of killing if Frank gets here.
Not knowing she's along, you can't tell what's going to happen.
Frank wouldn't shoot a woman, would he?
Not only Frank. There's the boys.
I never thought about that.
Whit?
Whit.
Why don't you let the hammer down nice and easy on that gun
and the two of us ride right on out of here.
Yeah.
You wouldn't want to see a woman all shot up and dead, would you?
- Well, no. - Well, then?
- Then what, Billy? - You're every place, ain't you?
He was trying to talk me out of my gun.
Where's Mrs. Lane?
Down there by the river bank.
If he tries to talk that gun away from you again,
let him have it.
Yeah.
- I didn't mean to startle you. - I couldn't sleep.
I'm glad.
We'll be in Santa Cruz tomorrow, won't we?
If we get an early start, we should be there by noon.
And what then, Mrs. Lane? For you, I mean?
I don't know. I'm not sure.
This country's nowhere for a woman without a man.
I'd be obliged to look after you.
- I can manage. - I'm sure of that.
The first I saw you at the junction, I said to Whit,
"There's a woman who can take care of herself. "
I saw it in your face.
The way you hold your head. The way you walk.
All over proud of being a woman.
Not afraid to let a man look at you. Think what he wants.
Burn inside to put his arms around you.
Not like some I know. Always acting like it was Sunday.
Thinking every man who looks at them wants them.
No, sir.
A man had you, Mrs. Lane,
he'd never know a black lonesome night.
- Good night, Mr. Boone. - Mrs. Lane.
If you're counting on Brigade being any help to you,
better forget it.
He won't be going all the way to Santa Cruz.
I got to kill him.
Hang tree. So that's what they call it.
Mr. Brigade,
I try very hard, but there's some things I just don't understand.
Back at Dobe, when Billy had that gun on you,
- Boone saved your life, didn't he? - Yes, ma'am.
Then why would he want to kill you now?
- He told you that? - Yes.
- Why? - He wants Billy.
Billy?
You mean you'd kill each other for bounty?
- Like two dogs fighting over a bone. - You could say that.
- I see. - No, ma'am, you don't.
It's not Billy I want or any of the others I've had to ride down
to make my way on the one man I'm after.
And will he bring enough bounty to see you through to your next dead man?
Mrs. Lane.
Long ago I was the Sheriff of Santa Cruz.
I rode Billy's brother Frank in for murder.
The jury found him part guilty, sent him to Yuma.
He swore that when he got out he'd get even. He was young, wild.
I had a wife. Looked a lot like you.
She wanted me to turn and run. Keep running.
Pleaded with me. I couldn't do it.
Word came that Frank was out. I waited for him in the street.
He didn't come.
When I got home, my wife had gone.
Frank had taken her. Brought her here.
- Here? - Yes, ma'am.
He hung her.
Whit.
Get on that rise,
when you see dust, high end it back here.
- Sam. - Yeah.
When are we going to kill Brigade?
- Soon. - You know, I've been thinking,
he ain't a man you can go straight at.
We have to figure some way to get him between us.
- Can't kill a man like Brigade from behind. - We could stand off.
I don't hold to ending a man with a long gun.
Don't worry, when the time comes, I'll take care of him.
I hope so.
I hate to see you lose your place up Socorro way.
- I'll be mighty proud to work for you. - Work for me?
I plowed when I was young.
I ain't much with chickens, but I can slop pigs with the best of them.
How long you and me been riding together?
- About two years. - More like five.
So?
So you ain't going to be working for me.
You're going to be a partner.
- Partner? - Right down the middle.
How come?
'Cause I like you.
I never knew that.
- Now get on that rise. - Yes, sir.
I'd like to say it again, Mrs. Lane.
I'd be obliged to look after you.
I could help you bury Brigade and live happy ever after, is that it?
There's some things a man just can't ride around.
Hey!
Frank's coming!
- How far back? - A mile, maybe less.
I saw him from the top of the rim.
- Do we cut and run, or don't we? - This is as far as I go for now.
Figured it was.
Whit, look after Mrs. Lane.
Should have known it when you wouldn't swing north to Bisbee.
It's been Frank all along.
- You... You wait... - Shut up. I said shut up!
Last night I heard you tell Mrs. Lane why you've been hunting for Frank.
So?
Billy can wait.
Me and Whit will be covering you in the brush.
Look, Boone.
- This won't change anything. - I never figured it would.
Get up on your animal, Billy.
- But I... - Do like I tell you.
Look, Brigade.
You know you ain't got a chance.
One.
You.
What are you going to do?
That's up to Frank.
That's close enough.
You're fixing to have a little hanging I see.
I thought that tree would be dead and down by now.
Cut him loose.
- You're standing alone. - I wouldn't count on it.
- He's got two Winchesters behind him. - Is that so?
- So what do we do now? - Sit there and watch your brother hang.
- You don't mean that. - Don't I?
- He's only a boy. - He's as old as his gun.
It's me you're after. You got no quarrel with Billy.
What quarrel did you have with her?
That was a long time ago. I'd almost forgot.
- A man can do that. - Don't let him do it, Frank.
I done you enough. Don't make me kill you.
- I can't let you do that. - Stop me.
Any shooting and that horse will go right out from under Billy.
If his neck don't snap, you can cut him down in time.
That is, if you're alive.
You don't leave a man much choice, do you?
I thought for a minute you were gonna let him swing.
So did I.
Brigade.
I don't suppose there's any way of getting Billy from you?
Aside from going over you?
Come and get him.
Better get Whit to catch up Billy's horse, unless you want him to walk to Santa Cruz.
You mean I can have him?
Take him. I got no more use for him.
You heard what he said, Whit! Get them horses!
Yes, sir.
Funny how a thing can seem one way, and then turn out altogether something else.
You said you wanted to start over. I hope so.
'Cause if you don't, I'll be the one who comes looking to find you.
- I'll remember that. - Good luck.
Mr. Brigade.
- Will you be going on to Santa Cruz? - No, ma'am.
- I think I understand. - I figured you would.
Good bye, Mr. Brigade.
Well, that figures.