Original subtitles

Heeyah! Heeyah!

MAN: Tales of Wells Fargo.

JIM: The Good Book says something about bread

cast upon the waters being returned to a man.

And it usually happens when a man needs it most

and in a way he never expected.

I know it was that way with me.

My name is Jim Hardie

and when trouble hits Wells Fargo

it's time from me to go to work.

Look like you might know me.

You look as if maybe I should know you.

JIM: The Wells Fargo agent

in Placer City had been held up,

but the robbers hadn't been satisfied

with taking the gold.

They'd taken his life too.

Wells Fargo had a fine reputation for integrity

built upon two things...

No Wells Fargo shipper ever lost a dime

and no killer ever shot a Wells Fargo man

and got away with it.

Which is why I was on my way to Placer City.

Hold up there!

Whoa.

Are you guys crazy or something?

I ain't carrying any gold going into camp.

This ain't no hold-up.

You're carrying something worth more

than any Wells Fargo box.

Climb out there all of you with your hands up.

This is no hold-up.

We want just one man.

The rest of you won't get hurt.

A man's luck has to run out sometime.

Do you know them?

They know me, that's enough.

They're bounty hunters.

You other two, get out here.

I got him, Joe.

Come on, you, move over there.

You know, just looking at you,

I can see nothing but greenbacks.

If you're lucky, you might even

live to spend some of them.

But you won't be around to worry about it.

It's a long ride to KC but it won't bother you...

Not the way you're going back.

You're gonna take him back alive, aren't you?

Sure we will, won't we, Joe?

Now, the rest of you, get back on the stage.

JIM: The bounty for a dead man

is the same as for a live one

and I couldn't stand by

and let it happen without giving Woodson a chance.

All right, get aboard.

JIM: Every man's entitled to a fair trial,

even a man who called himself Frank Woodson.

Catch!

Don't move any of you.

I'll return your gun when we meet again.

Giddyup!

Heeyah! Heeyah!

Well, that's about the size of it.

Woodson called them bounty hunters.

I call them cold-blooded killers.

I don't know who Woodson is,

or what he'll ever amount to,

but I know he deserves a chance, every man does.

Well, don't fret about it.

They got what most of their breed deserve.

I've sent out for the bodies.

That's the end of it.

You know, your aim ain't as good as Bob Ford's.

What do you know about Bob Ford?

Bob shot Jesse in the back three days ago.

You know, taking that poster down

is gonna leave a blank space on the wall.

And the natives are gonna have to dig up

another outlaw to tell lies about.

You know Jesse?

I met him once, several months ago.

I'll never forget him.

Well, he's gone now.

What about this hold-up here in Placer?

Oh, the whole thing is too neat.

You know, this gang operates

like they was on a regular schedule.

They met every gold shipment out of here

for the past two months

without once making a mistake.

They made one mistake.

They shot our agent here.

Yeah, I know.

And they made me look like an old fool.

I talked to the mine owners in San Francisco,

they seemed to trust this manager

of theirs completely.

Jake Norton? So do I.

As a matter of fact, Jake was driving

one of the wagons they held up.

The gang gave him a beating.

What about the prisoner you got?

The kid?

You know, the Wells Fargo man

crawled to the door of the office.

He was dying,

but his only shot knocked that kid from his horse.

And the rest of the gang

didn't even bother to look back.

What's he like?

Hard as brass.

Oh, he's got a face he don't need to use a razor on

but a tongue sharp enough to do the trick if he did.

How old would you say he was?

Oh, around 20, as a guess.

The name is Bud Sawyer and that's all

I was able to get out of him.

Where is he now?

Over at Doc Taylor's.

I'm keeping him there till he gets on his feet.

What's on your mind?

I may have an idea.

How many people have you told

about Jesse getting shot?

I've been too busy with my own troubles.

I ain't told nobody yet. Why?

You ever read his description?

I know it by heart.

Six feet, 170 pounds, black hair.

You're about to come in to a little fame, Sheriff,

local, of course,

as the man who brought in Jesse James.

You mean you're going to try to pass

yourself off as Jesse?

Well, even if it works, what good will it do?

Somebody's got to try to get under that boy's skin

and I can't think of a better place to do it.

Throw him in the jail cell.

Oh, I don't think

you'll be able to get him to talk.

Maybe I won't.

Maybe it won't be necessary.

Well, then what good will all this do?

Evidently, he doesn't mean too much

to that bunch of men he was working with

or they'd have come back,

tried to get him after he was shot.

Maybe I can get him to lead me

to the man who killed the Wells Fargo agent here.

Anyway, you get your keys and lock me up,

pass the word around town as to who you think I am

before you bring that boy over here.

Well, I hope you know what you're doing.

I hope so too.

Well, go on. Get over there.

All right, all right!

Old coot.

Who's this?

Keep a civil tongue in your head.

Now you got company.

I can do without it.

Who asked you?

Ease off, kid,

you don't know who you're talking to.

Now, leave him alone, Jesse.

You two are gonna be in here a long time.

If he starts crying tonight I'm not gonna get up

and fix him a bottle.

All right, settle down.

I'll bring your chow at six o'clock.

He called you Jesse.

Jesse who?

Go on over there and mind your business, boy.

Well, I'm making it my business.

You talk to me that way again,

I'll get up from here and take you apart.

Oh, you talk big.

Real big.

Mind what I say, Sawyer.

How come you know my name?

I heard of you.

Young punk that's not dry behind the ears

yet taking a fall for a bunch of amateur outlaws.

Punk, am I?

Well, if it wasn't for me they couldn't have cracked

that Wells Fargo office.

Congratulations.

You're a sucker too.

The rest of them off down in Mexico,

eating high on the hog, and you're sitting up here

in a territorial prison.

Oh, you're crazy.

Cal Turner will get me out of here.

You bet.

You just keep believing that, boy.

What makes you think he'll run out on me?

Experience.

He saw you lying dead in the street.

Got out of here like a scalded dog.

Actually, it's the only smart move he's made yet.

You got to look after yourself

in this business, boy.

I've been doing that for a long time.

I wouldn't brag about it.

It's a hard business.

For some, it's a long hard road, that is.

For others it's comparatively short.

In your case, I think it's gonna be

exceptionally short.

What's that supposed to mean?

There's nobody in his right mind

gonna come back here to get you out,

you're not worth it.

So you'll be tried and found guilty.

And then they'll throw the book at you.

You're no better off.

That I would say is a matter of opinion.

Well, here's your chow.

When you get through with those dishes

shove them back out underneath there.

Well, guess I'll go get my dinner.

I been thinking about what you said.

Good for you.

You figuring on making a break, huh?

Am I?

I'm sure of it.

So what?

Well, you gotta take me with you.

Why should I?

Your friends didn't bother to come back after you.

I'd make it worth your while.

Yeah, I bet you can.

I can, I tell you.

You don't know how big a deal I been in on.

Keep talking.

More than 20,000 in gold in the last three months,

that's how big.

Of course, I can't promise

Turner will take you in on it, but...

$20,000.

How does he work a setup like that?

Well, I don't know the details

but he's told of every shipment from the mines.

How much, where it's going, and when.

Where's Turner now?

At the hideout.

It's safe.

Roughest country you ever saw.

An army couldn't get in there

if Turner didn't want 'em to.

I don't know how Turner will take

by bringing you in.

I'll take my chances on that.

All right.

What do we do?

All right, now you eat your dinner.

I'll tell you what we'll do later on.

JIM: Sheriff, hurry up and get over here.

JIM: You trying to poison us with that food?

This boy is dying.

Hurry up and unlock that door.

Get some guns and horses.

Have them out in the front. Hurry up.

You won't get away with this, Jesse.

Get in here.

Good work, Hardie.

Did the kid talk?

Enough.

I hate to do this, Sheriff,

but we gotta make it look good.

We'll wait here. Why?

That's why.

Turner takes no chances.

Keeps a guard on day and night.

Who's that with you, kid?

It's all right, Cass!

All right. Ride in slow.

Keep your hands away from your guns, both of you.

You know better than to bring anybody up here, kid.

He was in with me, Cass.

Tell it to Turner.

And I hope he beats your ears in.

Now ride on in.

Well! Glad to see you, kid.

Saves us the trouble of coming after you.

I was beginning to think you forgot about me.

You know better than that.

I'm not sure I do.

Who's your friend, Bud?

He broke me out of jail, Cal.

He's Jesse... The name's Howard.

Get him out of here, Cal.

Two strangers coming in in two days? I don't like it.

Nobody is asking what you like.

Jesse Howard, huh?

Why'd you spring the boy out of jail?

He mentioned something

that I'm particularly fond of.

What? Money.

And like you, I don't care where it comes from

as long as there's a lot of it.

I figured a man such as you

running an organization like you've got

could use an experienced hand and pay for it.

I know that song and dance.

What is this, Cal?

You butt into my business again, Pete,

and I'll stomp you.

A man likes references

before he hires a helper, Howard.

What's yours?

They're hanging in every post office in the country

if that's good enough.

Maybe.

All right. We'll see.

First, hand that gun over.

I told you it'd be all right.

Bud, put the horse in the corral.

Pete, go spell Cass.

Human nature is a funny thing, Howard.

I hit Pete, he'll take it out on you

if he gets the chance.

Is that a warning?

Warning'd be a waste of time to a man like...

Jesse Howard.

Sam?

Rustle up some chow.

Sam Brown's our cook.

When we haven't better work for him to do.

Maybe you two have met before.

No. No, I don't think so.

Your name sounds a little familiar.

Unfortunately, it's a very common name.

There's one thing I wanna make clear

to both of you.

This is my outfit, we do things my way.

I don't expect you two to agree with it.

Just do what I tell you and we'll get along.

Sam?

You take Pete's place while he eats.

When are we gonna ride again, Cal?

I'll tell you when I want you to know.

Get out of my place, kid.

Leave the kid alone.

I'd just as soon have you anyway.

Shut up both of you!

Sit down here, Pete.

I told you it was gonna get tough, boy.

It's gonna get a lot worse before you're through.

Leave me alone. I don't need no sermon.

Have it your own way.

Oh, I didn't mean that, Jesse.

Thanks for trying to help.

I don't want your thanks, boy.

Just think over what I said.

I wish I could.

Get out, I mean.

It's too late to turn back... It'd mean prison.

And peace of mind.

You're young, Bud.

Two years is not nearly as important

as you think.

Unless of course you killed

that fellow from Wells Fargo.

No, that was Turner.

Is that you, Norton?

Keep quiet, you fool.

What's the matter?

You getting jumpy, Norton?

No, just being careful.

It took me three years to get this thing set up.

It's not gonna last forever and I know it.

But by the time the mine owners get wise

it'll be too late.

Okay. We both know that.

Well, sometimes you don't act like it.

What about those two new men you let ride in?

If they're okay, we can use them.

If they're not, we'll bury 'em.

It's been almost a month now, Norton.

When are you making your next shipment?

I don't know yet.

I've warned you, Turner, about killings

and I don't like it.

Riding me isn't doing any good, Norton.

I'm doing everything I can.

By warming the seat of that chair?

You haven't even formed a posse

since you let that kid escape.

Well, what good would another

wild goose chase do?

We're trying something else.

Who's we?

I think I have a right to know what you're doing.

Yes, I suppose you have.

We staged that break,

figuring the kid would take us

to the headquarters of this gang.

The man with him is Jim Hardie,

Wells Fargo detective.

Jim Hardie, huh?

I underestimated you, Sheriff.

You're a lot smarter than I thought you were.

Four ladies to beat.

PETE: Cal.

Cal, the signal's up.

Maybe this is what we're waiting for.

Pete, take my hand.

Read 'em and weep, gents.

Time you boys met the real boss of this outfit.

Jake Norton, manager of the Crestline mine.

Satisfied, Mr. Wells Fargo man?

Don't move, Hardie.

I knew there was something about him that smelled.

A man plays the game long enough

he's bound to lose sometime.

It's your turn, Hardie.

This deal's off.

We got the biggest payday of all waiting for us.

We're collecting tonight.

Are you sure, Cal?

Live and learn, kid.

I sure gotta hand him credit though.

He put on a good act.

Is this true, Jesse?

CAL: His name's Jim Hardie, works for Wells Fargo.

But not for long.

He isn't wearing a gun, Turner.

Which makes it that much easier.

Does that bother you, Woodson?

Why should it?

No, Cal, no!

Hardie.

Get up.

Step over there.

That leaves just us, Hardie.

And $20,000 in gold in that shack.

That's all Wells Fargo's.

I'm riding east, and I'm riding light.

Unless you have an objection.

No.

I know of no one by the name of Woodson in any

of Wells Fargo's wanted files.

Hold it.

This is as far as I go.

Goodbye, Hardie.

I hope you never have to look me up.

I hope so too.

You were lucky to get away with it.

You don't look the least bit like my...

Like Jesse.

All right, let's go.

Like I said, things come back to a man

both the good and the bad.

Bud Sawyer was a young man

and he would have plenty of time ahead of him

to get the right slant on things.

I hoped he would make the most of it...

And I had a hunch he would.