Original subtitles

You took your time in getting here.

-They in there? -Yes.

-You got everything straight? -Sure.

-Which one is it? -Nick.

Good, good, good.

Hold it.

[scoffs] I'm a farmer, Frank.

You're a candidate, Josh. Don't ever forget that.

Let me see. Make it, uh, definite on the sugar beets.

That's the entire crop.

All of it.

And let me have 3,000 bushels of your olives.

You want an option on the rest?

Let me check back east and I'll let you know in a couple of days, all right?

All right.

And I'll take 6,000 bushels of your peaches.

And if it's all right with you, I'd like a three-day option on the rest.

-You got it. -Thank you.

Seems to me you're buyin' a powerful lot of Barkley produce there.

Sorry to butt in this way. I couldn't help overhearing.

I guess maybe I was eavesdropping. It's a bad habit.

But when a man's running for public office,

I guess he got a duty to keep up with all that's goin' on.

In case my campaign literature hadn't caught up with me yet, name's Hawks-- Joshua Hawks.

Yeah, I 've heard of you, Hawks.

Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to go back to our business here.

Oh, I don't mind, but maybe this fella here and the people he buys for should.

Hawks, you been running off at the mouth up and down this state.

I can't even keep up with the charges you've made.

That's probably because you wasn't interested, young fella,

but I got something in the works now

that I think is gonna interest you Barkleys somethin' fierce. Yeah.

As a matter of fact, it oughta interest you, too, sir.

The sooner you know about it, the better.

[sighs] I think that our business is finished, Mr. Barkley.

Now, you don't know it, yet, mister, but you ain't got no business with them!

That is unless, of course, the people you represent

don't mind buyin' produce that was growed on stolen land.

That's right. That's right!

Gentlemen, I accuse this man's daddy, Thomas Barkley,

of havin' stole every foot of land his family lays claim to.

Pirated and stole in as black a series of crimes

as the west has ever witnessed!

Take it outside, friend.

It's all right, Rudy. Let him finish.

I accuse your daddy

of bein' a tyrant-- a common thief!

And before I leave this valley,

everybody's gonna know that I speak the truth.

Everybody's gonna know before you leave this club, Hawks.

You're gonna prove every word you said is true, or take it all back.

It's all right, folks. It's all right. I expected violence.

Oh, you can beat me up, boy, but you can't shut me up.

Proof-- proof, Hawks, that every word you said about my father is true.

It will out, boy, but in my time, not yours.

Oh, yes, do with me what you will.

You can torture me, beat me, even kill me,

but the truth will ring free over the sound of your hired guns--

Wait a minute, sonny, I ain't through--

Above the clank and the clamor of the chains

with which you've enslaved your neighbors!

[spectators chatter]

HAWKS: You can beat me, you can kill me,

but the truth-- the truth shall set us all free!

"And with that, Nick Barkley delivered--

"continued on page three--

Delivered a smashing left-hand blow to the jaw."

It was a right hook.

"Which felled the surprised Hawks like a roped steer."

Oh-- then you've seen the paper.

And I'll tell you something else-- there were a half a dozen people there

that congratulated me for shutting Hawks up.

And another dozen that told me to tell 'em

the next time I decided to hit him, and they'd buy tickets.

Wonderful, Nick. Wonderful.

You committed a public service.

Maybe you should run for governor.

I'd stand a better chance of bein' elected than Hawks would

and I'd make twice the governor he would!

And if you think for one minute

that I'm goin' down there and apologize for hitting him--

Nick, I'm not saying the man doesn't deserve something.

He deserves our silence-- our contempt!

By hitting him, you gave that idiotic charge half the front page.

Then I say we use it to our advantage.

It's one thing for him to go around

telling a few people that we stole our land,

and it's another thing entirely for him to plaster it

all over the largest newspaper in this valley.

-I say we sue him for libel. -And I say he's hoping

and praying that that's exactly what we do.

You couldn't have done more for his campaign

if you went out and personally got him 50,000 votes.

Nick, the man can't buy that kind of publicity.

So, we just let him go on lying about us.

-He's not gonna go on lying about us. -Ha!

Unless we sue him for libel.

Believe me, I know the breed.

Strictly hit and run tactics.

Tomorrow he'll forget all about the Barkleys--

scatter his buckshot on some other target.

And the day after that, another and another.

That's been his pattern up to now--

Bigger and better lies, bigger and better targets.

It all makes Hawks more important.

But, Jarrod, somebody has to challenge him-- stop him--

make him stay put long enough to face up to his charges.

Mother, unless we dignify him by paying attention to him,

he's not gonna get many votes in this valley.

Maybe not, but I stopped by Dan Sheridan's on the way

-to see if we could count on him for the pickin'. -And?

He said sure he'd be by, if we can prove Hawks is lying.

-Dan said that? -Right.

Well, I'll talk to him.

I wouldn't count on it, 'cause he put his foot down.

I'll kick it out from under him! Oh, Nick.

All right, all right.

I don't want him working for us, anyway.

There's a lot more people in this valley that are much more willing to work!

Well, I'm going into town to see if I can find some of those.

-You wanna come along? -Yeah.

-[sighs] -Jarrod...

How many Dan Sheridans do you think there are in the valley?

Up until a minute ago, I wouldn't have said there was one.

[men laugh, chatter]

Oh, that was about it, Frank, I tell you. [laughs]

Thank you, darling. Just put it down here.

I saw him windin' up to throw that haymaker

10 minutes before he threw it.

-[both laugh] -I tell you.

I thought I was gonna have to run into his fist.

Say, Edna, darling--

would you put some cream and sugar in that for me

like a darling girl, and just let yourself go. I sure do like sweets.

Yeah, that's it, darlin' girl, and when you're done--

thank you-- sit down and chat with us a spell.

Thanks, Josh, but I 've just taken out some sewing.

[laughs] You shouldn't do that.

A pretty woman like you should sit around and be admired.

And let your campaign manager run around with holes in his socks?

[chuckles]

Frank, what's the matter with you?

If I had a woman like that, I sure wouldn't have her darnin' my socks.

Josh?

Hey, Josh, look.

-Oh, good, Dan'l, good. -Printed up a thousand.

Hired three guys to help me.

Gonna pay 'em a silver dollar apiece.

-Good, Dan'l, good. -Well, they're waitin' for me.

-I better get 'em started. -May I see that?

"I accuse Tom Barkley."

very colorful language. Obviously not yours.

No, it ain't his, it's mine.

Sure-- you knock a man's wind out, you don't wait for him to catch his breath.

-You move in for the kill. -And maybe get killed.

I warned you, never put charges in writing.

They can be used against you!

I told you a dozen times.

Never repeat the same charge in the same place.

-All right. -When you're bluffing, Josh,

-never put yourself in the position to be caught. -All right!

I reckon maybe I was a little too, uh-- impetuous.

That's a five-dollar-word he learned me.

Go on out and call it all off.

Uh, Josh, we ain't gonna let these go to waste--?

Now, you want me to be governor, don't you, Dan'l?

Do as I say. Go.

How could you? And without asking my advice.

All right!

Now, look, Frank, when I get to be governor,

I'm gonna clear every decision with you first.

[chuckles] Now, come on.

Let's see one of them nice old smiles. Come on.

Come on!

That's it.

[laughs]

HAWKS: Well, there it is, friends.

You know now where I stand.

And I wanna tell you something, neighbors.

No. No, I want to--

I want to promise you...

that wherever...

there is corruption...

wherever...

there's a fat old cat with his hand in the public treasury,

stealin' from the workin' man-- the farmer--

the man who's trying to dig a living

out of the hard soil with his bare hands

Wherever

Wherever there is corruption, I'm gonna turn a light on it.

I'm gonna look out for your interests.

And I'll tell you something else.

You send Joshua Hawks to Sacramento,

and you can call the governor of this great state your friend.

And that'll be the truth.

Well, now Questions from anybody?

Dan'l, fill up them coffee cups again

and pass out some more of them good homemade donuts.

Now, there's gotta be some questions.

[chuckles] Now, come on, there's gotta be some questions.

Anybody you'd like punched in the nose? Name 'im.

I'm your man.

Yes, friend?

I understand you been yappin' about Tom Barkley...

bein' a thief.

Stealin' every foot of his land.

We'd like to hear tell about that.

Would you, friend?

You'd like to hear about Tom Barkley,

would you?

All right, neighbor.

You'll hear.

Dan'l, I reckon these neighbors of ours

would like to see these circulars.

Pass 'em out.

Now, I haven't spoken about this since Nick Barkley viciously attacked me.

I haven't spoken about it since them circulars was printed.

You say Mr. Hawks has been circulating these.

Come now, Mr. Wesley--

every time he can gather an audience of two, and you know it.

Though the fact is I didn't know.

You know, types like you and your candidate usually use the hit and run tactic.

Kind of a shame you didn't this time, because now it's gonna cost you.

There's no need to act like this.

You're a lawyer, I'm a newspaperman.

Neither of us was born yesterday.

How many times have you skirted the truth in court

to help a client-- to make a legal point?

Let's don't embarrass us both, Mr. Wesley.

I want a complete and full retraction to every allegation.

HAWKS [outside]: Frank!

Say, Frank--

Well, well, I'd better put up my guard, Mr. Jarrod Barkley.

Little late for that, Mr. Hawks.

Remember-- a complete and full retraction in writing, or else.

Or else?

[laughs] What're you gonna do, sue for libel?

Josh, let me handle this.

Well, they can go whistle for it. You're bluffin'.

You don't want no long, drawn-out court case, and you know it.

That's a point, Mr. Barkley.

A drawn-out court case, even if you win it,

will do you more harm than good.

It'd keep the charge alive.

Now, why don't we sit down here and try and discuss this reasonably?

There ain't gonna be no discussion

'cause there ain't gonna be no retraction.

I got under your skin and you know it.

The fat cat's beginnin' to itch,

and you're gonna itch a lot more before I'm through with ya.

I'm gonna make the Barkleys scratch till they bleed.

-Well, I'd like to thank you, Mr. Hawks. -Thank me?

For making what I'm going to have to do to you such a pleasure.

Good day, gentlemen.

Well... now you've done it.

-Huh? -I warned you not to put this in writing.

Our campaign contributions--

I warned you not to carry this to the point

where we'd have to put up or shut up.

Now, look, I ain't runnin'!

Now, that charge I made sticks!

The charge you made?! The charge I invented!

Invented, Josh!

Well, they're thieves-- all of 'em!

All them rich land owners stole some of that land.

And the richer they are, the more land they stole,

and if we keep digging up dirt, we'll bury 'em.

[scoffs] You're outta your mind.

I spent weeks digging into the Barkleys' personal history--

business dealings-- nothing!

They're pure as driven snow.

Why, you know that as well as I do.

Yeah.

Yeah, and I know somethin' else-- somethin' else you taught me.

You said if you can't prove nothin',

then accuse 'em of the wildest charge you can.

And you said "Let's accuse Tom Barkley of stealin' every foot of his land."

I say maybe he did. I say let the charge stick.

And I say we've got a tiger by the tail.

And I say we can ride it right into the governor's mansion if you got the guts.

It's not a question of guts!

[chuckles] You know, when we started on this trek,

about a thousand miles behind all the other candidates,

I remember you were scared for me.

I remember you were sayin',

"I wonder if I should waste my time and energy

on a fella who might crack under the pressure."

It never entered my head that you might crack under the pressure, Frank.

Oh, you've been a good teacher-- yes, you have.

[laughs] Yeah...

I couldn't have got nowhere without you.

But now I'm wondering maybe-- just maybe you've taught me all you can.

Maybe, if things are gettin' too hot for you,

it might be better for both of us if you got off right now.

I don't know, Josh.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe we can fight them.

Maybe I can dream up some documents.

Say a friend of yours worked in the land office.

-He's dead now, so of course-- -And as we say--

dead men tell no lies.

Maybe we can drown them in official-looking documents,

and by the time they check them out

Well, we'll be governor.

I'll be governor.

-Of course. -Mm-hmm.

Of course.

Well?

Well, the horse got some exercise, and I wasted half a day.

Then Hawks intends to continue making those charges.

And possibly invent a few more.

You know, we may have underestimated our Mr. Hawks.

He's a little smarter than I thought.

At any rate, he called my bluff.

Why bluff?

Well, it just plain takes too long

to win a libel suit, and he knows it.

But I may have figured out another way.

I stopped by to see Senator Palmer, asked him to form a committee.

A committee?

-A committee. -Mmm.

Four unbiased men,

whose word is beyond reproach-- no axe to grind--

who will demand that Hawks put his evidence into the record.

You better tell our friend Senator Palmer to round up his committee in a hurry,

'cause we're bleedin'.

Now, that'll only take a couple of days.

Surely we can wait that long.

Oh, we can wait that long.

I'm not too sure about our crops.

Dave's holdin' up his order.

He got word from the people he buys from back east

to hold up until this whole business with Hawks is settled.

-Well, that's ridiculous. -Dave's people say

we've been charged with stealing our land,

the titles are all clouded, and if what Hawks says is true,

and the land's not ours, neither is the produce we grow on it.

"Governor Joshua Hawks."

Heaven help us.

HAWKS [slurring]: ♪ Joshua fought the battle of Jericho ♪

♪ Jericho, Jericho ♪

♪ Joshua fought the battle of Jericho ♪

♪ And the walls come a-tumblin' down ♪

[chuckles] Ladies and gentlemen...

the next governor of the great state of California,

Joshua Adam Hawks!

Hey!

Hooray for...

Josh.

Joshua.

Yeah, how 'bout a little speech, gov?

Well, sure, folks, but first,

I'm gonna have a little drink.

[clinks]

Yeah, you bet your...

Yeah.

HAWKS [shouts]: Wesley!

Wesley, we're havin'--

Havin' a little celebration, Wesley boy!

Come on, you and the old lady!

[bangs on door]

Come on, join the governor for--

For a little drink.

If you're in bed, get out! Come on, let's go!

I'm gonna count to three, and then I'm comin' in!

One... two...

♪ Joshua fought the battle of Jericho ♪

♪ Jericho Jericho ♪

♪ Joshua fought the battle of Jericho ♪

You coming to bed?

-♪ And the walls ♪ -Soon.

Go to sleep, Edna.

Frank, you've got to leave him.

I can't.

It's come to that, hasn't it?

You lie, cheat-- you don't care who you hurt.

As long as it would take him one step closer to the governor's chair.

For as long as it takes us.

We both knew it would be a long, hard fight when we got into it.

Where does it end?

I can't take it anymore.

The way he looks at me. And treats you with such-- such contempt.

He's under pressure. We're all under pressure.

The worst of him is coming out.

But once he's governor--

Oh, Frank, that's the most hideous, warped dream of all.

Oh, darling, no. You're wrong.

Do you remember the first time we saw him?

[chuckles] When he was running for sheriff

in a whistle-stop town?

What a sight he was.

Belly hanging over his belt,

and his stub of a beard.

I wondered why everyone wasn't laughing.

Because they saw it, too. And heard it--

The way I heard it. Some kind of magic or power--

something very special. If only I could harness it.

You found the power and the glory in him, Frank.

But you haven't harnessed it.

He's a child. He's learned to walk and talk again.

He's feeling his oats.

All right. I'll give him a little rope.

Let him get snarled in it.

Just a little while longer, darling.

Just a little more time.

EDNA: Frank.

Frank!

Josh! Josh!

-FRANK: Josh! -[pounds on door]

Edna, open the door.

You're drunk.

-Get up, you drunken-- -What?

-Get up. Get up, up, up. -Wait. Wait a minute.

What happened?

What does it look like?

Our governor got himself stinking drunk

and nearly set fire to himself and the hotel.

What's burnin' in here?

But for your next-door neighbors,

it might've been you.

Next time you start drinking, you better be sure your lamp is out.

Josh, Josh, Josh. You all right?

Yeah, I'm all right.

What are all those people doin' there?

What is this, a circus? Get 'em outta here.

Josh.

All right, folks, clear out. Everything's under control.

Wait.

Go on. Everything's under control.

Wait, wait. Hold it.

Folks, folks, I'm dearly sorry

to interrupt your slumbers this way,

but if there's anybody here from the hotel management,

I want it to be known that I ain't payin' one cent of these fire damages.

No, sir, that bill goes where it belongs-- to the Barkleys!

Now, I ain't sayin' they started this fire.

There ain't no evidence of that yet.

But it does seem funny to me that on the one night

when I was workin' on papers

that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt

that Tom Barkley stole every foot of his land

that this had to happen.

Now, it's gonna be all right. You can rest easy.

I don't believe they'll try her again,

and if they do, I'll be ready for 'em.

Nobody's gonna shut me up when I'm speakin' for you folks.

Now, a good night to you all, and God bless ya.

Good night, neighbors. Good night.

[chuckles] Good night.

Good night.

Hey, hey...

makes sense, don't it?

The Barkleys burnin' up old Josh and his evidence.

[laughs]

Come on, Frank. [laughs]

[plays]

[knocks on door]

I'll get it, Silas.

Oh, Peter. How nice to see you.

-Victoria. -Come in.

-I'll have Silas get us some coffee. -No, thank you.

-I-- I will only be staying but a minute. -Oh.

And, uh, considering the nature of my visit,

-I'm not sure you'll want me to stay any longer. -Oh?

I gather you haven't read this morning's paper yet.

Someone tried to set fire to Josh Hawks's hotel room last night.

He says he thinks you Barkleys were behind it.

And what do you think?

Well, naturally, I think it's ridiculous.

But I am a newspaper editor, Victoria.

And news, no matter how ridiculous or how false--

News is news, so you printed the story, hmm?

Well, I'll print your side, too--

Oh, now, you know perfectly well I won't dignify this with a denial.

[footsteps approach]

Well.

Congratulations, Peter. That's quite an article.

All Hawks, or did you embellish it with some of your purple prose?

All right, Jarrod. Think what you like.

But you can't laugh him off any longer.

He's a candidate for governor and he's gaining support.

No small thanks to you.

I don't suppose you bothered to check this out

before you plastered it all over the front page.

I didn't vouch for the authenticity of that story.

No, you just printed it right out of Hawks's mouth,

knowing full well that anything printed

in a so-called reputable newspaper would have a certain ring of truth.

I can't help what people think.

But believe him or not, there's no denying

that whatever Joshua Hawks says or does is news, and I have to--

I'm sorry.

What the devil did he come here for?

To apologize-- I think.

Jarrod, do you think people will believe this?

Well, I've already heard remarks like,

"where there's smoke, there's fire."

Or, uh, quote--

"Would a man running for governor make such charges without evidence?"

Unquote.

Then there's the little matter of Senator Palmer

having to talk to a couple of dozen men

just to get the four to sit on the committee.

Maybe we're lucky to get the four.

They meet Saturday morning.

I'll finish writing this in my room, Josh.

-This-- -No, you'll write it here.

Let me read it.

Well, I'll be reading the statement.

You'll be reading it, but it's supposed to be coming from me.

-I don't like it. -All I'm saying is--

I can read, Frank!

You're saying that I don't wanna appear

in front of a hand-picked Barkley committee.

Well, because they're biased against you,

and therefore unable to render an impartial judgment.

A committee composed of a judge, a doctor,

a minister, and a senator.

No-- people will say I'm weaseling out, trying to run away.

I never backed off in a fair fight yet.

A fair fight?

Why, we've lied and cheated

all the way down the line. They'll slaughter us.

I warned you not to yell too loud, not to press your luck.

But you wouldn't listen, would you? You had to pile it on.

Twist the knife deeper and deeper and deeper!

Well, now you've done it.

And if somehow we do manage to stay out of jail,

maybe you can go back to digging a few dollars out of the dirt.

Maybe that's all you're good for-- a stupid dirt farmer!

-[slaps] -Ow!

Go on, get outta here. Get outta here.

What do you want, Josh? Shall I clear out?

Oh, you want to stay, stay.

There's a job for you here.

All right, Josh. All right.

Josh?

Josh, uh, I gave Mrs. Barkley your message.

-Uh-- personally. -Mrs. Barkley?

Josh, surely not now--

Good night, Frank.

Well, what did she say?

It's all set.

Well. Well, well, well, now.

She's gonna see me? The great lady herself, face-to-face.

Well, I 've waited a long time for this, Dan'l,

and now she's comin'.

No, we ain't licked yet. Not by a long shot.

Well, Jarrod, Nick, and Audra took turns

last night trying to talk you out of this.

-Would I be wastin' my breath, too? -Yes, Heath.

I thought so.

-You know you're a stubborn woman? -Yes, Heath.

All right, why do you think Hawks wants to see you?

I don't know, which is why I want to see him.

You know, you don't mind if I stay around and wait for you, do you?

You know, as a matter of fact, I was going to suggest it.

And Heath, thanks for not telling me that curiosity killed the cat.

[knocks on door]

Come in, come in.

I was, uh, going to mix myself a drink.

You, uh, care to join me?

No, thank you.

Oh, sit down, please. Please.

I, uh, hope you don't mind.

Mind?

Well, I mean, a handsome widow woman like you,

alone in a hotel room with a man.

Oh, my reputation has survived worse assaults,

but thank you for caring, Mr. Hawks.

Oh, make it Josh.

Now, what's bothering you, Mr. Hawks?

Botherin' me? There's nothin' botherin' me.

I figured there'd be somethin' botherin' you.

Oh, a minor annoyance, which we're about to take care of for good.

-Now, if that is all-- -Sit down.

Please. P--please.

Um...

Well, it's just that I heard that, uh--

one of your produce buyers-- a big one--

canceled out on the deal.

Another minor annoyance. And he didn't cancel. Far from it.

You know, you get enough of these "minor annoyances",

it might add up to a big headache.

But, uh, there ain't no use for that.

I got a lot of stumpin' to do before I wind up my campaign.

And I guess maybe I have overstayed my welcome.

[chuckles]

If you, uh, get what I'm

drivin' at, Mrs. Barkley.

Well, I'm sorry. Perhaps I'm a little naive about these matters.

If, uh, you would explain it a little bit more.

You understand very well what I'm drivin' at.

You're hurtin' some. Nobody can tell me different.

You're hurtin' and you're gonna hurt a lot worse before I'm through with you.

Now, you try and nail me to the cross, and I'll fight you every way I know.

And I know more ways than your kind ever dreamed of, so don't you think that--

but there ain't no need to do that.

No need at all.

Never did like to kick a man when he's down.

We fried our fish here.

Bigger catch elsewhere. Los Angeles.

Governor built bridges down there.

Taxpayers' money. Fraud.

"Inferior materials." See what I mean?

Other fish to fry.

Tell you what.

I'm gonna let you Barkleys...

off the hook. See what I mean?

Off the hook.

Well, that's very noble of you.

[laughs] And if you got caught up a little

tryin' to wriggle free, well, take it from old Doc Hawks--

You'll get well in a hurry. People forget in a hurry.

We leave town, business as usual, no hard feelings.

Well, what do you say, Mrs. Barkley?

Do we let up on one another?

No, we do not, Mr. Hawks.

Mrs. Barkley.

All the time I've been talkin', you've been lookin'.

Lookin'! Lookin'...

like you remembered me from somewhere.

Well, don't you remember me, Mrs. Barkley?

Go on. Get out.

Get out!

Why should I remember you?

You shouldn't.

It was a long time ago. I-- I worked for you.

I worked for your husband. Yeah.

Broke my back.

Plantin' and harvestin'-- puttin' money in Tom Barkley 's pocket

so he could put beautiful clothes on his beautiful wife

and she could ride through her fields like a queen.

And maybe-- maybe just once in a while

she could look down and say "hello"

with her lordly, queenly way, to one of the peasants.

You did that to me one time-- one morning.

You don't remember that, do you? No.

Yes, you said, "Why, I don't believe we've met before.

How do you do? I'm Victoria Barkley."

Yeah, and anything her highness can do for you,

my good man, don't hesitate to speak up.

[laughs] I'm gonna tell you something.

I was grateful for them few words.

Oh, yes, those few precious words.

Me-- she spoke to me. She spoke to me, yeah.

Stinkin' with sweat and covered with dirt.

She actually stopped to pass the time of day with me.

[laughs] Well, why aren't you laughing?

It's funny, you know. It's funny!

Sure, a stupid ape thinking that you'd recognize him after all them years.

Maybe if I covered myself with dirt, it might help, huh? [chuckles]

You've twisted your own memory into hate for us. We employed many men.

My husband treated each and every one of them fairly,

and if you didn't think so, you were free to leave.

[laughs]

I know. I'm wasting my breath.

Good day, Mr. Hawks.

Mrs. Barkley! I'm gonna beat you!

I'm gonna beat you Barkleys! Face it!

Anything else, Mr. Small?

Oh, uh, no, uh--

I'll just take a few sticks along with me.

You can send the rest up at the camp.

Oh, I'll take a fuse, too.

-Wanna sign for this? -Oh, sure.

Been working for the Barkleys long, Mr. Small?

'Bout three or four months up at the lumber camp.

I don't get into town much.

Well, they're nice people, the Barkleys. Nice to work for.

Yeah.

I put all the boxes away. Anything else?

You can run along home, Steve. I'll see you tomorrow.

Thanks.

If you'd wait-- until after the meeting tomorrow morning.

One day more or less, Edna.

-[knocks on door] -HAWKS: Anybody at home?

-Yes! -HAWKS: Hey, Edna.

Hey, Frank, I wanted you to come in and join me for a--

what appears to be a farewell drink.

Well, you desertin' the sinkin' ship, Edna?

Edna hasn't been feeling too well, so--

Campaignin' gettin' too much for ya, huh?

It's not a matter of quantity, but quality.

Excuse me.

Ain't you gonna stick around and see what happens at that meetin' tomorrow?

Josh, about that meeting.

I think I 've figured a way to play out our hand.

It's an old lawyer's trick.

I thought that instead of showing up

with a lot of official-looking documents-- No.

-What? -I said no.

I promised the people of this valley

that I had enough evidence in that briefcase

to blast the Barkleys off their land.

[laughs] And I ain't gonna weasel out.

I don't understand you.

You mean, you're going to walk into that room--

Why, they'll rip you apart. You'll be lucky to walk out of there alive.

Oh, I'll walk out alive. Ain't no luck to it.

It's plannin', and you oughta know that, Frank.

Careful plannin'.

Josh? You 'bout ready?

Yeah, I'm about ready.

Edna...

I reckon it's goodbye.

Goodbye, Josh.

Good luck.

He's not bluffing.

He's up to something. I wish I knew what it was.

Do you, Frank?

Where's he going this time of night?

Edna...

You're not leaving until tomorrow morning,

so I thought that maybe when I get back--

We can talk, Frank, but you won't talk me out of it.

[sighs]

[horse trots]

Frank, be...

...careful.

Yeah. There's that cracked board right there.

That's where I'll be sittin'.

From the time I light the fuse to the first explosion,

be about two minutes.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Make it finer than that.

Well, all you gotta do is drop that book so I hear--

-I know, Dan'l, I know. -Amble out of the room.

Meet me out the back. I gotta boost outta the window.

All right, all right, all right.

All right. Two minutes.

We're gonna fix the Barkleys.

Might even put 'em in jail.

-Maybe for murder, huh? -[chuckles]

Well, come on, what do you want me to do?

Well, just start stringin' it out.

[footsteps approach]

[dog whines]

[barks]

[quietly] Don't!

[barks]

Hold fast, mister.

Frank.

Tell him he can put that gun away now.

Put it up, Dan'l.

-He's spyin' on us-- -Put it in your holster.

Well...

You know, Frank, if I had a pretty wife like you got,

I'd spend all the time I could with her before she left.

No need for that. I've decided to leave with her in the morning.

Oh? When did you come to that decision, Frank?

You said I was free to go the other day--

that you had learned all you could from me.

Yeah, but you should've left the other day.

You sure shouldn't have come out here tonight.

I didn't see anything.

You were coming up out of the cellar when I arrived, that's all.

He's lyin'.

I'll leave town, Josh. Get on the first train out of here in the morning.

I won't tell a soul.

Tell 'em what? Thought you didn't see anything.

I say we kill 'im right now.

All right, Josh.

I'll leave tonight. Now.

I'll ride out right now.

I don't believe you, Frank. You was a good teacher.

You taught me an awful lot and you brung me a long way,

but you taught me that I should never carry any liabilities.

And that's what you are to me right now, Frank. You stand in my way.

Let me get Edna.

No, no, Frank. You'd run right to the Sheriff

and I can't let you do that.

[cocks gun]

No, Dan'l, that'd bring the whole town down on our heads.

Josh, you're mad!

[gags]

You lost your nerve, Frank.

You want this delivered, Mr. Barkley,

or you taking it along?

I'll have, uh, Steve bring it out to the ranch later on.

All right, you want me to

ship along that case of dynamite at the same time?

Dynamite?

A fella from your lumber camp ordered a case of dynamite.

Took a few sticks with him.

What was his name?

Well, I, uh

got the bill right here somewhere-- yeah.

-Jack Small. -Jack Small.

We don't have any Jack Small in our lumber camp.

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Barkley.

Now, if he'd took any more than three sticks of dynamite,

I'd have made real sure he was workin' for you,

but when he said to ship the rest of it out to the lumber camp, I--

Now, why would anyone want to go to all that trouble

just to steal three sticks of dynamite?

That's what I'd like to know.

What else can you tell me about this?

-Well, he-- he was-- -Mr. Barkley?

Yeah, Steve?

Well, I know the man who bought the dynamite yesterday.

-What was his name? -Well, I don't know that,

but a few days ago, he gave my brother

a dollar to hand out some papers for him.

They-- they said some bad things about your father.

Thank you, Steve.

Uh, Mr. Hawks

it is getting a bit late.

Yes, yes, I-- I know, Judge,

but Mr. Wesley, my campaign manager, has got to be here.

Very well, but we can't wait much longer.

I don't know where he could be. He--

He's got to be here. He helped me assemble

the evidence in this briefcase.

I'd better check outside.

[door opens]

What are you doin' here?

You ain't supposed to be here.

So you've said, Mr. Hawks.

You're afraid I might influence the jury.

Well, I don't think anything could influence these men except the facts.

I'm a little tired of hearing second-hand about the crimes we've committed.

This time, I'd like to face my accuser.

Come, Victoria.

Sit down.

Thank you.

HAWKS: All right with me. Let her stay.

I'm gonna go check outside.

Hawks.

Oh, uh, they're in there. Why don't you join 'em?

We'll join 'em.

Look, you-- you join 'em.

Your mother's already ruined the meeting,

so why don't the two of you run it?

Now, I'm gettin' outta here.

Hawks.

[cocks gun]

Well, I'm a pretty good target, Mr. Barkley,

but I don't reckon I can argue with that.

[fires]

Ah!

We gotta get outta here!

There's two sticks of dynamite and a burnin' fuse

down in the cellar!

Everybody out! Come on, move!

Everybody out! Come on!

Come on!

Barkley! Barkley!

Help me! Hawks is still in there!

Josh.

Josh! Josh!

Josh! Josh!

I gave you enough time to get out!

What happened, Josh? What went wrong?

Oh. Oh...

Oh... What happened, Josh?

[sobs] Josh, what happened?

Josh...

Oh, boy.

-You set that one up. -[chuckles]

-Jarrod, you-- -I know, I know, I missed dinner.

-What'd you have? -Pot roast.

-But I kept it warm for you. -Good.

Well, you may be interested to know

that the council decided to put up a new building.

They didn't have much choice, did they?

Not after I offered to match the building cost dollar for dollar.

Huh. Should've rebuilt the old one.

They're still digging out the wreckage.

And you may be interested to know

that they found our friend Mr. Hawks's briefcase,

containing all that damaging evidence against the Barkleys.

Wouldn't it have been something if he'd pulled it off?

Killed those four men, then blamed us, then have this turn up?

Oh, he would've had an answer-- an explanation.

But the sad part of it is there would've been people who would've believed him.

One thing that isn't so sad--

while they all been sittin' around

wondering whether or not they're gonna buy our crops,

price of peaches went up five cents a bushel.

And that is mighty sweet indeed.

-Did you say five cents a bushel? -Mm-hmm.

Well, I suppose now they'll be calling us pirates.

Well, if anybody does, who'd believe 'em?

Oh, Mr. Counselor-- Your briefs.

[chuckles]

Let's get some dinner.

Your move.