Having fun, Regina?
I would if Dalton would take time out to dance with me,
but he's too busy talkin' about crops and livestock.
Why don't you tell Dalton you've got a headache?
I'll drive you home.
Boyd, please.
Dalton just doesn't appreciate you, Regina.
Oh, and you do, I suppose.
If you weren't my husband's brother,
I wouldn't give you the time of day. Regina...
Boyd Lacey, you're only a splinter
of the man you think you are.
Good evening, Mrs. Lacey.
And you'd be?
Jessup, ma'am. Slim Jessup.
Oh, the new hand my husband hired.
Yes, ma'am.
Saw you when you rode in for the job.
You know, there was something about the way
you carried yourself, something proud and forceful.
Are you proud and forceful, Mr. Jessup?
Why, I don't know if I ever really thought about it, Mrs. Lacey.
I'm just a drifter, no different from most.
I am. Proud, at least.
People around here don't understand me.
Dalton says they talk about me.
I don't mind.
I guess I've given them enough cause to!
Everything's spinning round and round
like a big, dark carousel,
like a black velvet carousel.
And round and round...
You're, uh,
you're not yourself tonight, Mrs. Lacey.
Why don't you let me take you back inside?
Oh, you don't have to be polite to me.
I like you. I won't scream if you put your arms around me.
You don't know what you're saying.
Oh!
Listen, Boyd, you get out of here!
This is none of your business!
Watch me, Regina.
I'll show you how much of a man I really am.
Boyd, what are you
Boyd, stop!
Boyd!
No, Boyd!
Uhh!
Aah! Aah!
Hey, it's Boyd!
He's been stabbed.
Why did you kill my brother, Jessup?
Well-- Answer me!
I had-- He can't, Dalton.
He's out on his feet. Ask your wife.
Regina?
Wh
He was molesting me. Boyd tried to stop him.
No, ma'am. That's not the truth.
Scum that'd kill a boy like that
don't know the meaning of truth.
There's a rope in my rig. Let's use it!
Yeah, let's! He's right!
Stop them, Dalton! You can stop 'em.
All of you, get back!
Get back! Now, I'll handle this
proper and legal. We'll take him into town.
You wanna give him a trial?
Why not? Trial shouldn't last ten minutes.
Now get him in the wagon.
No! No, you've gotta let me explain!
It wasn't like that at all!
Back! All of you, back!
Out! Off!
Hyah!
Get the horses! Get after him!
**
I think you oughta send a telegram back to Judge Garth
and ask him for details.
He instructions are clear enough.
He just asks us to stand by
and wait for a further message.
If the Judge is having trouble, we oughta know it.
He never had any trouble getting a loan before.
The country never had a panic like this before, either.
I heard the Eastern banks are going bust by the score.
What's more, I predicted it.
I told the Judge if Grover Cleveland
got back in the White House, we'd be in trouble.
Must give you a good feeling to be so right, Mr. Carney.
If the Judge goes under, this town is finished.
I wouldn't spread that kind of talk if I were you.
The Judge ain't going under.
He'll get what he went after,
and you don't have to worry about it.
I sure hope you're right,
because he's gonna have a delegation of his creditors
waiting there to see him when he gets back,
and you can wire him that, too.
The rats are panicking.
Now, we have creditors pounding us too, Miss Evey.
Oh, come on. Let's get out of here.
"Stand by."
Oh!
"Bank loan unavailable."
"Have made sale: 2,000 head of prime cattle
"that must be delivered, Moose Jaw Railhead,
"no later than August 30th
"for shipment to England
"via Montreal.
"Cattle must reach Montreal
"before sailing of S.S. Polar Star
"or deal will be canceled.
Counting on you. Judge Henry Garth."
Moose Jaw, Canada?
That's 400 miles north!
Wire him back, Miss Evey, that we'll try.
There's no railroad in that direction.
That's right. We'll drive 'em.
Drive 'em!
We can't drive 2,000 head all that way
in less than, well, 50 days.
Effie ain't reading them chicken pecks right.
No mistake about it.
Garth wants 2,000 head in Moose Jaw,
we get 'em there, that's all.
Where are we gonna hire enough experienced
trail herders to drive 2,000 head?
He's right, you know.
There's plenty of out-of-work ranch hands around,
but trail herders, they're almost a thing of the past.
Even we haven't been on a trail drive.
We'll get the job done, all right.
Starting right now, every man in the outfit works a double shift.
If the going gets too tough, you can always cut out.
We were only discussing.
From now on, you two fasten your backsides to your leather
and leave the discussing to me.
Thank you, Miss Effie.
Good luck.
What's he so ringy about?
Because I'm right. It's an impossible job.
Pshew...
Well, what are you waiting for?
You heard me.
We gotta start rounding up those cattle tonight.
All right.
BOTH: Tonight?
**
I'll get these.
Hyah! Hyah!
Hyah! Get up!
Come on, Hard Pan. We're gonna make a final count of the herd.
The rest of you men get ready to move out.
He's sure all fired up, ain't he?
Yeah. He talks like we've got a chance of making that railhead on time.
For somebody who's got a girl
waiting for him in Moose Jaw,
you're sure dragging your whiffle-tree.
Who said I had a girl in Moose Jaw?
You did. Said her name was Lulubelle.
I said I heard about a girl named Lulubelle
from a fellow over in Twin Falls,
a queen with a figure like, uh,
two haystacks, you know,
one piled on top of the other?
Oh, never mind.
She said she was saving herself
for some tall, good-looking cowboy
with hair the color of autumn wheat.
That bring to mind anybody you know?
You hear that, Squat?
Trampas knows a girl that's looking for you!
VIRGINIAN: I make it about 100 over 2,000 head.
Oh, well... we're bound to lose some along the trail.
By tomorrow, we could haze up 100 or so more strays.
We'll go now with what we've got.
Head 'em out! Move 'em north!
Hyah! Whoo!
Get back to Medicine Bow as fast as you can.
Telegraph the Judge that we're leaving with 2100 head.
I'll tell him. We'd better get moving,
or that crew of saddle tramps'll be in Moose Jaw before we leave.
So long, Steve.
**
Okay, keep 'em moving!
Whoa.
There he is again, huh? Yup.
He's been following us the whole way.
Let's find out what this is all about.
Reach, mister.
Hold it, hold it!
Slim!
You two know each other?
You bet we do!
Come on out of there. You bet we do!
Are you trying to get yourself killed?
I could ask you the same question,
jumping me like that.
You're looking just great.
You look like you've been traveling hard.
Well, you know me, restless feet.
Meet my top hand, Trampas.
Yeah, we've, uh, already met.
Yeah, well, uh...
This is Slim Jessup. He once did me a big favor.
I rawhided him when he was just a raw kid.
He's never forgiven me for it.
Why were you following us, Jessup?
Well, the truth of the matter is
I was just about to drop in on you and ask for a job.
Mister, you got one!
That is, if you don't mind traveling north. Moose Jaw.
I'm short-handed, and I haven't got
a real trail herder in the bunch.
Slim's an old hand at pushing cattle.
Uh, Moose Jaw. Saskatchewan.
That's right.
It's not exactly a Sunday afternoon stroll.
Sign on, you can take the point.
That's my job.
I want you to see
how a real drover picks the trail, Trampus.
Slim, is it a deal?
Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure.
You got yourself a hand.
**
We'll have to bed 'em down here.
We got another couple hours of daylight.
We can get another mile out of them.
Not if you want to feed 'em tonight.
There's nothing but dust and rocks up ahead.
We've moved less than five miles today.
We'll make it up.
We better.
Head 'em in!
Circle 'em! We'll bed down here!
James!
James, the plow!
Blade's busted, Pa.
You know we got less than a week
to get the winter wheat planted.
We'll be lucky if we have enough to eat this winter.
Yes, sir. Now everything stops till the plow gets fixed.
Where am I gonna get the cash to pay the blacksmith, James?
I don't know.
Daydreamin' again.
Help the boy bring up the plow.
I'll hitch up the rig.
Leave him be. I can manage without him.
I swear, I'll never understand that boy.
That boy still lollygagging?
Blacksmith can't fix the plow.
Tomorrow I have to look-see if I can get to loan one.
Maybe from the Pearsons.
One day, maybe more, wasted.
James!
Oh, do no good to take it out on the boy.
I know, I know.
Just seems lately he's just pure bent
on devilin' me till I can't take it.
Oh, he's not deliberate ornery, Sam.
I never said he was.
I could break an ornery whelp.
But a dreamer, a boy who's always
off in the distance somewhere...
Yeah. He'll grow out of it soon enough.
Maybe.
Sometimes I think I should've sent him
back East when his mother died.
Her folks would've taken him in and schooled him.
But I just had to hold on to some part of her.
Even if I wasn't the boy's blood kin,
I wanted to raise him like my own.
Now he's beginning to hate me for it.
If you could tell him, talk to him!
Always ends up the same...
him looking at me and saying nothing,
just like his mother did when I first brought her out
to this God-forsaken squat land.
Yeah, he sure keeps to himself these days.
He ain't touched that fiddle in months.
On account of me, it looks like.
I might get some pleasure out of his playing.
Didn't you hear supper called?
I heard.
Hey, cow. Hey, cow.
Come on, get out of there.
What are you doing in that mess?
Come on. Come on, Bossy, move it out.
Come on, you can get out of there.
Come on, cow. You don't wanna stand there.
It's awfully cold and wet.
Freeze.
You'll spook more of them into the bog.
Could be quicksand in there.
Rope him, go ahead.
Kid, back that whey-belly
you're riding out of here
and do it easy, understand?
I can get him out of the bog, mister.
Do what he says, boy.
I can get him out for you, mister.
Never mind.
Now...
get outta here.
You realize I almost lost
half a dozen head of prime stock?
But I was only trying to help.
So you said. Now get!
Mister?
Now what?
You're the trail boss?
That's right.
Could you maybe...
use another hand?
I mean a cowhand.
I don't want to be a swamper or drive a wagon or anything.
Am I hearing right, Slim?
Sounds like button-nose is looking for a job.
My name ain't button-nose.
Well, what is it, son?
It's J... Mike.
Mike Flynn.
Where you from, Michael?
Nowhere special.
I think he's a farmboy run away from his folks.
My only kinfolk are dead.
I've been following you a long time.
Been trying to get up the nerve to ask for work.
Then I saw those strays...
Forget it, son.
No, no, hold on.
We need all the help we can get.
Experienced help, yeah, but...
I remember a young fellow
come riding to me once for a job.
Fresh out of the State of Virginia.
Had the same kind of look about him, too,
you know-- scared, but full of grit.
No kid I remember ever looked that green.
You had turnips growing out of your shoetops.
How old are you, son?
Sixteen.
We could let him ride drag.
He gets a couple layers of dust on him,
you wouldn't be able to tell him from a regular hand.
All right, but he's your responsibility.
Ah, now--
You learn him the work, make sure he does it.
Come here.
Gee, thanks.
Thanks, mister. Thanks a whole lot.
Thank you very much.
The name is Slim,
and save that caterwauling for the cattle.
**
Thanks, Slim.
**
How you doing?
F Fine.
Better put this back up there.
Come on, let's go.
**
SLIM: I didn't figure the river'd be so high.
This the only crossing?
Yeah. It's kind of risky,
but once we get them on the other side,
we'll cut 40 miles from the trail.
Let's get them across.
How's the stew hit you this evening, sonny?
It's about the best stew I've ever had.
That kid must've had a mean childhood.
You know what he make that stew out of?
What? Skunk feet and dishwater.
Uh-uh!
When you look at it, you think it's skunks' feet.
But after you've eat it, you wish it was!
You hombres wouldn't know good chow
if it up and bit ya!
Bad luck, losing those cattle crossing the river today.
Yeah, and the Virginian's madder than a stepped-on rattler.
Man ain't got it in him to do what he's trying to do.
Well, he's got to push us if we're gonna make it on time.
We gotta make it on time. Lulubelle's waiting for me.
Hey, uh, you know this fella who told me about her?
Not now, Angus. I'm riding right out again. Coffee?
Trampas, cow up the line just dropped a calf.
Congratulations.
Mother's bawling her head off and getting the herd nervy.
You better get back and take care of that calf,
or we're gonna have a rampage.
I'm so tuckered out my bones are talking to each other.
Well, who isn't?
We lost ten head at that river crossing,
and we ain't on any picnic, you know.
You don't handle that calf, we're gonna be pushing cows
back into the herd all night.
I'll do it.
I'm all finished with my supper.
What would you like me to do?
You wouldn't be able to handle it by yourself, Mike.
I'll give him a hand.
Good.
Where, uh, the cow at?
Back up the line, about half, three quarters of a mile.
There's couple of dead trees and a little gulch.
But what are we supposed to do?
I'll show you when we get there.
Come on, Mike.
Mike and Ike. They look alike.
Rest of you men were half as eager as they are,
we wouldn't be two days behind.
I'm telling you right now, we're gonna make it up.
How we gonna do that?
By starting an hour earlier every morning,
beginning tomorrow.
Hoo!
* Roll me over easy *
* Roll me over slow *
* Roll me on my right side
* 'Cause that man, he hurt me so *
Chow now, boss?
Keep it hot.
**
Look, over there.
Yeah, yeah, that's it.
Cute little thing, isn't it?
Can't keep up with the herd.
Causes a lot of trouble.
Well, what do we do?
Well, we take the calf away from its mother,
put the mother back in the herd.
Let's do it.
Ho!
Get 'em back there! Get 'em back in the herd!
Put a rope on her and get her out of here.
Now, get that cow outta here before we have trouble!
What are you doing?
What am I doing? Gonna kill it.
Can't we just take him with us?
Mike, you just want to play at being a cowboy,
or do you want to be a cowhand?
Some things you gotta learn right off.
May come hard to you, but you gotta learn.
You gotta make up your mind.
First rule is you gotta keep the herd moving, no matter what.
Every drover knows that when a cow drops a calf,
you gotta stop and get rid of it fast,
or else you're gonna be in for trouble.
The steers start getting nervous,
and first thing you know, why,
you're fighting the whole herd
just because of one little bitty calf.
So what we do is we butcher it and we eat it,
and that's the long and short of the whole thing.
Yes, I see, but--
Look, go on.
You get this cow back in the herd.
I'll meet you back at camp.
I'll take care of the calf.
Go on, now. Go on before it gets dark.
Slim?
Yeah?
Nothing.
Come on, you dumb slab, aside a bag of fleas.
Come on!
Hey, Hard Pan, go get the checkerboard.
Where'd you put it?
In my bedroll on the supply wagon.
I got the first game.
For how much?
Two bits says I'll whip you.
Man, you got yourself a bet.
Come on, let's roll this thing out.
Hey, that ain't mine. It's the kid's.
HARD PAN: Well, look at that. A fiddle!
Well, I'll be.
Kid's holding out on us! Heh.
Oh, God.
Give me that fiddle. Give it to me! It's mine!
Hey, now, don't-- You've got no right searching my things!
Give me that fiddle, or I'll kill you!
You gonna talk like that, you're gonna have to take it away from me.
Hey, Hard Pan, want a fiddle?
Come on, come on! You'll break it!
You're gonna break it! Please!
There she is, kid!
Come on, give the kid his fiddle!
Please, you're gonna break it!
Come on, come on, please.
Give it to me. Come on, please!
Give it back to me!
Here, fiddle!
Oh, fiddle!
Come on!
Well, Mike, you made a threat,
and you gotta learn in cow camp you don't do that.
Hey!
Give the boy his fiddle, or I'll bust you on up.
All right. Here.
Wasn't aiming to hurt it.
Now let go of my arm. We're just having fun.
I'm just having fun too. Why aren't you laughing?
You let go of my arm.
Let go of my arm.
Belt him, Slim!
Get him. Come on!
Come on, Trampas.
Come on. That's it, Slim!
Go on, get him!
Again! That's the way.
Come on, Trampas.
Yee-haw!
All right, Trampas! Get off him!
If you wanna fight, fight with me!
I'll take you on. Both of ya!
This jasper just about broke my arm.
Haven't I got enough trouble without you two
batting each other's brains out?
This clown took the kid's fiddle and--
You shut up. I don't care if you murder each other,
but wait till we get the herd to Moose Jaw.
Boss, they was only...
And the rest of you, letting them go on?
What's the matter with you?
Boss? What do you want?
I'm sorry, but I think the whole thing was my fault.
Oh, really? How's that?
Well, I guess it struck them kinda funny,
me having a fiddle and all,
and not telling anybody about it.
You know, they all just wanted a little fun.
Would've been okay, except...
they had no way of knowing
how much this fiddle means to me.
Well, maybe you're right.
But the next smart aleck who starts a brawl
can draw his pay and light out!
I mean it.
Yes, sir.
Thanks.
Did your father give you the fiddle?
No, my ma did.
It's about the only thing I have left to remember her by.
Can you play it?
Yep, a little bit.
She used to give me lessons,
up until I was nine.
That's when she died.
Oh.
Must be a...
wonderful thing to be able to make music.
I don't even know how to hold it.
Like this.
Would you play something for me?
Oh, that?
Oh, that's all over and forgotten.
Go ahead.
**
Morning, miss.
Can I help you gentlemen?
We're looking for a cowhand named Slim Jessop.
Do you know him?
Slim.
Oh, I remember him!
He used to work for my father when I was a girl.
That's a long time ago.
Well, we thought maybe he was back here working with you.
Fact is, a farmer down the road apiece
said he saw him not far from here
a few weeks ago.
I couldn't say. He hasn't been around.
Shiloh's a big ranch.
Most of the hands are away.
They're taking a herd up to Moose Jaw.
That's in Canada.
I see.
They should be getting there in a couple of weeks.
At least, I hope so. It means a lot to my father.
Thank you anyway, miss.
You're welcome.
Uh, what's he done? Slim Jessop, I mean?
He killed a man, miss.
My brother.
Oh.
Well, it's a long way to Moose Jaw.
I'm not giving up now.
If there's one chance in a hundred
that Jessop's with that crew, I'm going after him.
TRAMPAS: You might as well give up, Squat. I got you boxed in.
Well, I'll just make you a present of that man.
Then I'll take one, two, three!
JAMES'S FATHER: Can I come in?
Didn't want to startle you,
coming in out of the dark, could be unhealthful.
It sure could, mister.
Come on in where we can see you.
Which one's the trail boss?
He's out checking the night guards. What's on your mind?
I'm looking for a boy, my step-son, about 16.
He did some talking about joining up as a cowhand.
You figure he's with us?
Well, your outfit was pretty near my place about the time he left.
What's this boy look like?
Stringy, about 5' 10".
This boy done something bad?
Can't say he did, 'cept run off.
You see, legally he's supposed to stay with me till he's of age,
so if he's here, mister,
I got the right to take him back.
Well, has he been missing quite a while?
Couple of weeks.
How come you just started looking for him?
If you was a farmer, you'd know.
It's seeding time. I couldn't leave off seeding,
or we wouldn't have enough to eat.
Boy I'm talking about had a horse.
Big horse. Red.
Big red horse?
Hmm. I don't know.
Slim?
What's the boy's name, case we happen to run into him?
James Cafferty.
Well, mister, you got the wrong outfit.
I can tell you positively there's nobody
riding with us by the name of James or Cafferty.
Guess I do have the wrong outfit.
Thanks anyway.
Yo.
You can come out now, Mike.
Thank you.
What?
I'm ever so much obliged.
If you hadn't lied for me, I'd've had to go back.
Lie?
I don't know what he's talking about.
James.
**
Slim. Hmm?
It's about Mike.
You really think you should've
sent his step-father away like that?
Boy didn't want to go back with him.
Well, that's not the point.
The step-father probably has a legal right to him.
Every man has a right to make his own decisions.
Mike's not a man; he's a kid.
Slim, come here.
What's eating you, anyway?
I just think that if the boy feels
he wants to go out on his own,
he's got a right to try it.
You're probably right about that,
but it's not that-- it's your whole attitude.
You're barking at everybody, biting everybody's head off.
Every little town we've hit, the other men
have gone off to have some fun. You never go.
It's as if you were hiding from something. I don't know.
We've been friends a long time, haven't we?
I do my job as good as anybody in the outfit?
If I wanna be by myself, that's my own business.
All right?
All right, Slim.
What a poor excuse for a town.
Not even a saloon.
You get any mail? Huh?
Oh, mail. Yo.
Got two letters.
One here for Squat,
and one for James Michael Flynn Cafferty.
That's my full name.
Hey, Squat, I got a letter here for you.
Maybe I better read it to you.
"Dear James, I'm sending this letter in care
"of the Shiloh herd because I know you're with them.
"I saw your horse the night I come looking for you.
"I've been thinking, James,
"and I don't blame you for leaving me.
"The work is hard and dull for a boy,
"but I wish you'd've talked it over with me
"before you left.
"I never was much to talk myself,
"but I want you to know I miss you
"and I hope someday you'll wanna come home.
"I've got some of your things here.
"Write me where you want them sent.
Your step-pa, Sam Cafferty."
What's the trouble, son?
Bad news?
I thought I was right in running away from home,
but now I don't know.
You know, Mike, I ran away from home once.
Long time ago.
Just felt my folks' ranch wasn't big enough to hold me.
Since then, things happened to keep me running.
So I don't reckon I'm a fit person to judge.
I used to stand in the fields
and watch the wild geese flying north.
So free.
Nothing to hold them back.
I felt if I could only be like them,
just go.
Keep on going.
Get to see new places and things.
You understand, don't you, Slim?
Tell you what.
Comes the end of this trail,
why don't you and me head south to California for the winter?
I know a place we can get jobs riding.
Come spring, we can head north again,
if we got nothing better to do.
Just like the wild geese, huh?
Yeah.
**
Well, there she is.
VIRGINIAN: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
TRAMPAS: Prettiest words I ever heard.
Tonight's my night to howl. Lulubelle's waiting.
Hey, pull them cows! Let's go! I got me a date!
There's Moose Jaw up there!
Come on, boys!
Oh, Sheriff, Mr. Lacey. You just missed him.
Who's that?
Boss of that Shiloh outfit you've been waiting for.
They just arrived, camped somewhere's out of town.
Where?
South, I guess.
They'll be in town tonight, though, he said.
Thank you.
Want to go out there after him?
Might be rough. Those cowhands stick together.
We can wait till tonight.
**
What'd you find out? We make it on time?
The cattle train'll be in Moose Jaw to meet us tomorrow noon!
You know, this must've been a record drive we made.
You all did a real fine job, and the Judge'll thank you personally when we get home.
Aw, now, don't thank us, boss.
Give us some time off in town, huh?
I was just coming to that, and what I saw of that town,
it's got a happy saloon and lots of entertainment,
so you all get the evening off.
I'm a curly, ring-tailed lobo. It's my night to howl.
Except that two of us are gonna have to stay here to guard the herd.
We'll put our names in a hat,
and the first two that get drawn out
have to stay. Fair enough?
Yeah, that's fair enough. I'll go along with that.
All right.
Let's get it done!
First one that doesn't get to go is Come Along Jackson.
Aw...
Poor sucker. Come Along don't get to come along.
Well, I don't mind too much.
I might get drunk and wake up married again!
And the second poor sucker that don't get to go...
is Trampas!
Aw, you're joshing me. Let me see that paper.
I've been counting on this the whole trail.
Lulubelle ain't gonna like me not showing up.
Well, she didn't even know you was coming.
Uh, Come Along, I'm sure gonna miss your stew.
You are?
Boy, am I glad I'm gonna miss it!
Oh...
Hey, uh, Mike boy? Yeah?
Um, you don't really want to go into town, do you?
Well, yeah, I thought it might be kind of fun.
Well, you know, there's not much
you can do there except waste a little time, uh...
Trampas, you know that's a bald-faced lie.
Trampas, you go ahead into town.
I'll stay here with Come Along, guard the herd.
You mean that, Slim? Why, 'course I mean it.
I've seen plenty of Moose Jaws in my time.
You, uh, you sure you don't want to go in, Slim?
I thought we might have an old-fashioned shindig.
No, no thanks. I'll stay here.
Slim, you're a real pal.
I'll drink every second drink to you.
I'll even tell Lulubelle what you did for her.
All right.
Aren't you gonna get yourself cleaned up?
You, uh, you want to borrow my razor?
No.
I was just thinking maybe I wouldn't go in tonight.
Maybe I'll just stay here
and we could sit and talk about next spring
and you and me teaming up and everything?
No, you go along.
Get yourself a good look at those bright lights.
I remember the first time,
the most exciting of all.
Go on.
Ah!
Hey, boss!
With a new shirt and a shave you look almost human.
Well, thank you!
Hey, give me some of that chicken.
How do you like that Trampas,
missing out on all this scrumptious eatin'!
Couldn't wait to see that Lulubelle.
Oh, do you see what I see?
Hey, Trampas, back here!
What happened, Trampas? Where's Lulubelle?
Can't trust a woman. You just can't trust 'em.
What happened?
They'll double-cross you every time,
the minute your back is turned.
Well, come on, man. Tell us!
I went down to her place and I knocked on the door.
And this vision of loveliness
comes out and throws her arms around you?
This big galoot came out, about seven feet tall.
Who was he?
Oh, her husband.
She got hitched?
Hitched.
There oughta be a law against that.
You know what I'm gonna do?
I'm gonna get good and pickled!
Now, that's a real smart huckleberry!
I'm gonna help you.
I'd better join them, or they won't be working tomorrow.
Come on, Angus. I might need ya.
Is the boss of the Shiloh outfit around?
Wonder what they want with the Virginian?
Hmm?
See those two strangers talking to the Virginia?
Don't let them catch you looking.
Sheriffs from someplace down in Idaho.
They're after Slim.
Slim?
Take it easy. Don't draw their attention.
They followed him as far as Medicine Bow,
then they lost his trail, so they figured he's with us.
What do they want with Slim?
This is Canada. They can't come across for him.
They got a paper says they can.
Soon as they find him, they'll take him back.
Mike, listen to me. Me and Hard Pan are gonna
start a ruckus to sidetrack them, understand?
As soon as the commotion starts,
you slip out the back and ride like Billy Blue Blazes.
Tell Slim to hide out.
What has Slim done?
He killed a man down in Idaho.
Now, you get ready to scoot as soon as the fight starts.
Let's pick a lively one.
Need more than one to start a ruckus.
I got one for sale. How much you askin'?
Are you talking as a friend or as a horse trader?
Horse trader.
I don't know. Trade you a mare.
What was that for?
Just an irresistable urge.
A what?
An urge.
Well, all right.
Ain't you mad at me?
No, but, uh, don't do it again.
Come on, come on!
We'd better stop that!
( tables scraping, glass shattering )
Come over here fast! They're busting up the saloon!
**
Slim!
Where are you, Slim?
Easy, there. Settle down.
* Settle down, you dogies *
Slim!
Settle down, dogies. There's nothing to be scared of.
Slim, where are you? Over here, Mike.
Keep your voice down, Mike.
The lightning's got them a little spooked.
They're liable to stampede.
The law's after you, Slim.
Two sheriffs in Moose Jaw. You gotta run.
I'm sorry you found that out, Mike.
You gotta get away.
They might be here any minute.
Nope, I'm not gonna run anymore, Mike.
But you got to. If they find you,
they might take you back to Idaho and ha--
Hang me?
Well, isn't that the price the law asks for killing a man?
If you killed a man, he must've needed killing.
Anyway, you gotta get away.
That's what counts most.
Nope. No, I'm gonna go back with them, Mike.
But what about us?
What about next spring?
Oh, hey, I...
Sorry about that, Mike. I forgot.
We'll just have to...
wait and see what happens, huh?
Here they come. Slim!
They told you?
I knew there was something bothering you.
You should've trusted me. We could've worked it out.
Well, he was...
He would've killed me. He was choking me.
I had to kill him.
That's all the more reason!
He won't run! He's gonna go back with them.
I'm trying to get Mike to understand.
I didn't mean to kill that man,
but I panicked and I ran.
Maybe if I stayed I would've gotten justice,
I don't know, but I ran and I've been running since.
No peace, hiding out like a...
afraid to mingle with people
for fear somebody'd recognize me.
That's no good, Mike. Won't work.
Even if I were to get away now,
be something hanging over me for the rest of my life.
You know, I...
I think maybe I decided
to give myself up a long time ago.
He's right, Mike.
Man can't run away from what's inside of him.
Yes, but if they...
I'll see he gets a fair trial. I promise you that.
I'll get the Judge and the boys to pitch in.
We'll get the best lawyer there is.
I think I'll go to town right now and get it over with.
They're stampeding!
Slim, get around the left flank.
I'll try and turn 'em.
Mike, get back and get Come Along.
It's gonna take us all night to push 'em into a herd.
Listen, Mike, remember one thing.
If they start running, heading towards you,
get yourself in the clear, no matter what!
**
I guess that about rounds 'em up.
Did we lose any?
I don't think so.
You better get some breakfast.
Crew got back about an hour ago.
I've never been so tuckered out in my whole life.
You did a big job.
Come on.
Hi, Mike. Hi.
Must've been a rough night.
I wish we'd been here to help.
Have some coffee, Mike?
Thanks.
Where's Slim?
He tried to turn the herd.
His horse fell.
Slim?
Why?
I wish I knew.
Well, we'd better start.
Train's gonna pull out in a couple hours.
You... want to stay with him?
We'll give him
a proper burial when we get back.
What are you sitting around for?
You want to miss the train? Let's move those cattle.
Keep it moving!
Hurry up, boys! Move 'em on!
Mike?
Lord...
I don't know no educated prayers
to say for Slim.
Wasn't a very religious man, I guess.
Maybe he'd done some things that was wrong...
but he was awful good to me.
Lord, if You'll just treat him like...
like Slim treated me.
Amen.
MEN: Amen.
Up there is my step-pa's farm.
Mike, I've been meaning to talk to you about that.
Yes, sir?
Well, you know you've got a steady job with us now,
or I'll be glad to recommend you
to anyone else you want to work for.
That's what I thought I wanted.
Up until now.
But he wouldn't have written that letter unless he needed me.
No, I guess not.
Like you said,
I can't keep running.
That's for sure.
I'm going back up there.
They need me.
I kind of figured you'd see it that way,
sooner or later.
I'm sorry I can't take that job you offered me.
Maybe someday, when you're your own man,
look me up.
The job'll be waiting.
Thanks for everything.
Listen, I don't want to have
to tell the others good-bye.
Could you...?
I'll tell 'em.
Thanks.
Come on, Red.
**
Where's the kid going?
What kid?
He's going home.
Well, you saddle bows wanna sit here all day?
Don't you want to go home, too?
Let's move!
**