Original subtitles

If you can't find Buckner, what then?

You gonna stop him when they ride in?

Well, don't feel too bad about it.

Maybe your town isn't that important.

Towns like this all die out sooner or later.

They don't leave too many mourners.

Few leaning headboards to prove that men were here long enough to die.

Few rotting walls left standing.

I guess it really isn't worth dying for.

These are some of the hundreds of thousands of cattle that were driven up

dusty trail from Texas to the Kansas railheads in the 1870s.

The trip was hard on men and beef alike, so the drive sometimes stopped a while

in southern Kansas, where the water was free and the grass green.

They had some pretty good poker games in those towns along the way, and Kiowa

City was one of them.

A town made prosperous by the trail drives, a prosperity they weren't always

happy with.

The trailhands felt they were cheated in the stores and saloons.

Townspeople felt that the cowhands were a bunch of savages.

I don't know about that, but they weren't very good poker players.

Well, boys...

See

ya.

How many of them kings you sneak off the bottom of that deck?

You know, friend, a man can lose more than his money with talk like that.

I'll say it again.

You're Dale Crooked.

It just saved a life.

I'm not sure just who.

I'm a great believer in peace and quiet.

I think I'll go to bed before some of his Texas friends decide to pick up the

argument.

Come on, boys. Give me a hand here.

The only difference between day and night on Trail Street is that the nights

just a little noisier.

Not much noisier.

But this morning it was quiet.

Too quiet.

Maverick.

Better keep in off the streets.

A shootout?

Who?

Marshal Hardy.

Jack Wade.

Why?

Walt buffalered one of Wade's hands last night.

Killed him.

The man in the saloon?

That's the one.

Died early this morning.

Where's Walt?

Holed up in the jail.

Won't do him much good. Wade'll pry him out somehow.

And Wade?

Ain't sure.

Think he's having breakfast down at Lil's place.

Ain't nothing like having a good breakfast before you kill a man.

Walt's a good man.

He'll take Wade in a fair draw.

Don't think there's gonna be anything fair about this, do you?

Thank you, Mr. Summers.

Going someplace?

Visiting a sick friend.

Don't stay long. It might be catching.

Walt, open up. It's me, Maverick.

You taking a hand in this?

I would if I thought it'd help. It wouldn't.

What'd you come here for?

See if I could talk some sense into you.

You know, that rifle's no good. What you need is a Gatling gun.

Maybe.

Seeing as how you don't have a Gatling, why don't you just clear out and stay

out until this thing blows over?

I'm not afraid of Jack Wade.

Nobody said you were.

But you can't lick the whole outfit.

And I counted over a dozen trail hands out there.

If I run, Wade's boys will hoo -rah the town.

Sure as you're born, they'll hoo -rah it.

Suppose they do?

Town's paying me to see they don't.

Anyway, if I run, I can't come back.

Marcel's wages are pretty poor pay for getting killed.

I knew what I was getting into when I took the job.

You better get out before the music starts.

If I hadn't drawn those three kings, none of this would be happening.

Do you think I can help, Walt?

I said you couldn't.

If I can keep this just one man against one man, I'll have a chance.

The two of us will be asking for a shootout.

You better go out there with this.

Wade sees a shotgun, he might decide to parley instead of shoot.

Keep one eye on Red Scanlon.

I still say they're not paying you enough.

You'd better get off the street, Mr. Buckner.

Sir?

There's going to be some shooting.

Who?

Hardy and Jack Waite.

Well, isn't anyone going to do anything to stop it?

How are you with the .45?

What? I said, can you use a gun?

Oh, no.

No, of course not.

Well, that's the only way anybody's going to stop this. With guns.

Plenty of them.

You'd better get out of your shop, Mr. Buckner.

See you coming out of Hardy's office.

You couldn't miss seeing me.

You buying cars in this game?

No, poker's my game.

Glad to hear that.

You can pass the word around.

There'll be no more trouble in town after this is over.

So long as nobody kicks up the fuss.

I was wondering, will it be a fair fight?

Your marshal hit our boy from behind.

Nice, harmless kid.

Call that a fair fight?

Where's Wade?

Leave Wade alone.

I didn't expect to run into so many friends.

Came out without my gun.

I'll put it on as soon as I have breakfast.

Wade inside?

No gun.

Hello, Brett.

All right, Lil.

What do you want?

I want to make a deal.

About Artie?

Yep.

Artie's dead.

Not yet.

By the time he has left, it won't make much difference.

He's dead.

Why don't you let him ride out, Wade?

He won't come back.

It'll do you just as much good to say you ran him out of town as it would to

kill him.

Why not, Jack?

Artie killed one of my hens.

It was an accident.

Hardy's a good man.

He always liked him.

He should have got out as soon as that boy died.

He should have known I'd be after him.

Why didn't the fool get out when he had the chance?

He won't ride because he's afraid you'll tree the town.

If I say I won't. You ride out. I'll make him.

If Hardy rides out, you're out of the cow business, Wade.

How do you think the boys are going to feel about this?

You got 5 ,000 head bedded down at the flats.

If he's alive tonight, you'll be riding herd on those cows all alone. You won't

have a crew.

What's the matter with you, Red? You trying to stir up a killing?

Those trailhands expect the boss to act like one. If he don't, they'll quit him.

I don't aim to lose my 10 % cut.

If we have to kill a louse to keep our crew loyal, I say kill him. He's got it

coming anyhow.

Don't listen to him, Jack.

Stay out of this.

If your old man was alive, he'd have this town cleaned out by now.

You don't have to tell me what my old man would do.

Looks to me like I do.

All right, you told me.

Get out of here, Maverick.

No deal?

No deal.

Must gravel a man.

Owning a spread like yours and still taking orders from a third -rate

like Red.

You want some, Maverick?

You want it now?

Still no gun.

No breakfast.

I tell you, they're not going to stop with killing Hardy.

I saw it in their faces this morning.

The devil's loose in that outfit, and Hardy's just the beginning.

Take it easy, Gus.

Take it easy. Take it easy.

It's not likely they'll bust up your place like they'll bust up mine.

My place is all I got, and they're gonna bust it up.

I see it in their eyes this morning.

You got any coffee on the stove?

Yeah, but it's not ready yet.

You got a stomachache. Like knots inside.

Did you see Hardy?

Yeah, that's what's making me sick.

Do you think Wade's bunch is gonna pull out after it's over?

Wade'll want to pull out.

The way I see it, he'd like to pull out right now.

Scanlon won't let him. There's a man that needs killing. That Red.

You don't think he'll bust up the town, do you?

Anyone thinking about stopping him?

This is no better than murder. We've got to do something.

I said we've got to do something, George.

This ain't Ohio.

What's Ohio got to do with it? Folks think and act different back where you

from. But surely the townspeople... The townspeople ain't gonna do a thing.

Think they'd stand up against them trailhands while those boys would chaw

down fine and spit them out.

I'm not saying it's right.

It just happens to be the way things be.

Isn't that Walt Hardy's woman?

Yeah.

Mr. Wade?

Yes?

I'm Walt Hardy's wife.

Go home, Mrs. Hardy.

If you'll just listen to me a minute.

My husband didn't mean to hurt that boy.

He just hit him a little too hard. He didn't mean it.

Walt's not a mean man.

He's kind.

Mr. Wade, don't hurt my husband.

Get her away from here.

If you and Walt would just sit down together, maybe have a drink or

Just talk it over like folks.

That's all, Mr. Wade.

If you'll just talk together.

Try to understand.

Take care of her.

What's on your mind, Jack?

I killed one of my boys.

Hit him, Red.

That

does

it.

Let's go get a drink.

You in hostile?

You always have somebody do you killing for you, Wade?

This Maverick's a real gambler. Likes to push his luck.

Shut up, Red.

I wasn't afraid of him, if that's what you're getting at.

Then why didn't you give him a chance?

Because he didn't have one coming.

He didn't give my trailhead a chance.

Your boys feel pretty good again now, huh?

That's right.

Now stay out of my way.

I'll ask you again.

You buying in?

You'll know if I do. Oh?

How?

I'll never turn my back to you.

You saw it.

This was murder.

Cold, deliberate murder.

Well, what are you going to do about it?

There's not much this town can do, Mr. Buckman.

Most of the people in this town don't even own a gun.

Those that do don't know how to use one.

If anyone tries to do anything, it'll just mean more people killed, like Walt

was.

Is that all this means to any of you?

Can you see a man murdered in cold blood and forget it?

Simmer down, George.

There ain't nothing we can do.

Well, I'll do something.

I'll make Jack Wade's name a byword for cowardice.

I'll label him a back -shooting assassin.

and make Kansas so hot for him he'll never again drive a herd up here from

Texas.

You do that, George, and you're as good as dead.

The marshal fell mortally wounded without a chance to return a shot.

The assassins then adjourned to the idle hour saloon where they drank several

glasses of whiskey.

before riding out to their camp on Kiowa Flats.

Set that up on a broadside and get it circulated. You buy yourself a lot of

grief, George.

I'll handle the grief as it comes.

Persegondo, you do a sight of loafing, Red.

I'm thinking.

Good water, good grass hereabouts.

Wouldn't hurt none to lay the herd over another day.

There ain't what's on your mind.

Ain't it?

You're looking for more killing, more trouble.

No, sir.

I just don't like to leave grass fires smoldering behind me.

There's to be no more trouble in Kiowa City.

You're the boss.

Put somebody to load that chuck wagon and let's roll.

Can't till Harry gets back from town. Send him in for some flour.

Son, where'd you get this? Mr. Buckner gave me two bits to deliver them. Said

give one to every man I saw.

Did you read this?

I told you to look out for Buckner.

He's a rabbit, but he brays like a Rocky Mountain canary, loud enough to bring

down the roof.

Well, it probably can't be stopped now, but at least it can be avoided.

Where are you going?

Well, I'm going to pack my things and ride out before Wade and his outfit ride

in.

You're not as scared of him.

Me? Scared of Wade and 50 well -armed trail hands?

Perish the thought.

Shortly before 9 o 'clock, Jack Wade emerged from Lil's hotel.

A heart -rending scene ensued as Mrs. Hardy pleaded with him for the life of

husband. That's pretty strong stuff.

Brutally ignoring the cries of the distressed woman, Wade and his hired

Red Scanlon, proceeded to the town jail, where Wade called a Marshal Hardy to

come out.

As Hardy appeared, Wade engaged him in conversation.

Then Scanlon opened fire.

The Marshal fell mortally wounded without a chance to return a shot.

The assassins?

Who put the thought?

I don't know. A kid gave it to me.

That's pretty rough medicine.

You know what Whiskey Jack would do if he was still alive?

Leave my pa out of this. That whole town will be up a tree before he was through

with it.

Towns like this have been cheating and belittling our kind ever since the first

trail drive.

They take our money and hate us for every dime.

Your pa never forgive him for that.

I said leave my old man out of this.

Tell the boys to saddle up. We're riding into town.

You run off 50 or 60 more of those broadsides?

I'm going to take them up to the Capitol with me and spread them around the

state offices.

We want to talk to you, Mr. Buckner. Not now, gentlemen.

I'm packing to leave on the coach for Topeka. Raise the devil and now you're

flying to hide in church.

What do you mean? Did you ever see a town getting treed, Buckner?

Treed? Ripped to bits. Looting, burning, tearing everything to flinters.

That's what's going to happen here in Kiowa if Wade rides in.

Then I hope he does ride in. Blast your eyes.

Perhaps then you'll take up arms to defend your property when you wouldn't

to save a man's life.

If Wade and his trail tramps do wreck Kiowa, it'll be because you gentlemen

too cowardly to defend it.

Good day.

Regular game cock, ain't he?

What's he going to Topeka for?

Rouse up the governor against Wade.

Hasn't he done enough rousing for one day?

Gone someplace, Maverick?

Considering to.

You've been considering wrong.

No one rides out.

Well, what if one does?

It's liable to meet with an accident.

Well, like the bear said to the trap, I'll stay because of my foot.

How far do you have to be pushed before you get mad?

Pretty far.

Just why are you pushing so hard?

I don't like the way you wear your head.

It's too high and your neck's too stiff.

I just don't like you, Maverick.

See you wearing your gun.

Just in case I run across a snake.

Yes, sir.

There's nothing like a good wet down before you drag your herd, Mr. Wade.

Got a long, dry spell ahead.

Man has to get a little liquor in just to face the idea of chousing them cows

the trail.

Best liquor in the house, Mr. Wade.

Save it for my best customers.

All right.

Everything's fine.

Who wrote this, Gus?

It's none of my doing, Mr. Wade.

Well, drink up, boys.

Everything's done the house.

I ask you, who wrote this?

Mr. Wade, I tell you, I didn't.

Who wrote it?

I swear I don't know, Mr. Wade.

Gus, are you trying to poison me?

Why, Mr. Wade, I... See if that tastes like drinking liquor to you.

Tastes like sheep dip, if you ask me.

You fixing to bust up my place?

Hold it.

Gus just remembered something, didn't you, Gus?

His name's Buckner.

Runs the print shop.

Where will we find him?

He's going out on the night coach.

Going to the governor about how he's being killed.

All right, boys.

Bust it up.

Please, boys.

Don't bust it. Don't bust it.

Where's Buckner?

Mr. Buckner ain't here.

Don't fool me. Where is he?

He left town.

He ain't had time to leave town.

Make him talk.

What good is it going to do for you to keep quiet? Where did Buckner go?

He's passed out.

He's dead.

Shouldn't have hit him so hard.

Let's go.

They were after me, and he wouldn't tell them where I was.

You heard him?

Well, why didn't you come in? I couldn't. I was afraid.

I wanted to. Believe me, I wanted to. I started to a couple of times.

I couldn't.

I tried to make my hand take hold of the door latch.

All I could do was just stand there and listen to the sounds.

When the sound stopped, I came in.

They were gone.

I found Charlie.

I know they'd have stopped if I'd come in. I know that.

But I couldn't help a maverick.

I wanted to, but I just couldn't force myself to walk through that door.

Why couldn't you have stopped to think for a second before you found it off

this?

A man who shouts brave and loud and then runs when he gets answered.

That man makes me sick.

What are you going to do?

I don't know.

I ought to turn you over the way before your fool antics get some more people

killed.

You haven't any right to do that.

Let go.

Anyone but you, Maverick. You haven't any right to turn me over. What do you

mean?

We're two of a kind.

You and I, we both let our friends be killed.

We were both afraid, Maverick, and you know it.

Get away from me.

You can't condemn me, Maverick. Not without condemning yourself.

Maverick!

That's far enough.

Don't get proddy. You been drinking tiger milk?

Shut up, Red.

Where's Buckner?

How would I know?

Don't lie to me.

I don't think I heard you right.

Maybe you can hear me better.

Red, you're not fast enough or good enough to hit me from where you're

Try to get any closer and I'll kill you.

That's a gambler's bluff?

It might be.

Hold it.

Let me try him, Wade.

I said hold it.

You're siding with the wrong people.

I'm a fence straddler, Wade. I don't side with anybody.

I just like to be left alone.

See that you don't slip off of that fence onto the wrong side.

Spread the word around.

If Buckner gets out of Kiowa, I'm going to take this town apart.

You tell folks that.

I'm going to tree this town like no town ever got treed before.

You tell them if I don't have Buckner in my hands by 9 o 'clock tonight, I'm

taking the town.

he was going to wreck me.

That's why I told him about Buckner.

Tried to save my property, that's all.

Just tried to keep from getting busted.

But he went ahead anyhow and busted it.

Busted it good.

Well, you did your best to save it.

Wasn't worth it.

Nothing's worth feeling the way I do now.

Feeling brave?

Some. Don't get too brave.

I'm telling you, I'm through being scared by men like Wade and Scanlon.

It's not a good way to feel.

Are you afraid of them?

I should be, so I guess I am.

You let Wade push you around.

Did I?

He pushed you around like he pushed the rest of us.

He stood out there and dared you to do something about Walt Hardy.

That's pushing.

A man's a fool to call a hand when he knows his beat.

That's one of the rules of my business.

Just what is your business?

Staying alive, enjoying good food, an untroubled mind, and a good digestion.

Is that all?

When my brother and I left home, my pappy said, if either one of you comes

with a medal, I'll beat you to death.

Cousin.

You sure turned the devil loose when you told about Buckner.

Now we can't find him nowhere.

What do you plan to do if you find him?

Turn him over to Wade.

Only thing we can do now, it's either that or the whole town goes.

You shouldn't have ripped that about Wade. He had no right to do that.

Not if he runs after.

If you can't find Buckner, what then?

You gonna stop him when they ride in?

Well, don't feel too bad about it.

Maybe your town isn't that important.

Towns like this all die out sooner or later.

They don't leave too many mourners.

Few leaning headboards to prove that men were here long enough to die.

Few rotting walls left standing.

I guess it really isn't worth dying for.

Any sign?

Nope. Threw a brace of men on each of the rows and put the rest of the

outfitwork in the washers where a man might try to sneak through.

That Buckner, he's either got jackrabbit blood and he's halfway to Topeka or

else he ain't left town.

And I don't think he has.

To declare, I can almost smell him.

If he's in there, we'll root him out.

If we don't, I'll turn the hands loose.

You reckon those people will fight?

Maybe. That ought to make for a real hoedown.

Might be somebody who'll get killed.

I'm shorthanded as it is.

Trailhands come cheap.

When do we start the ball?

I gave him until 9 o 'clock to turn out Buckner. We'll wait till then.

How'd you get in here?

In the back way.

Well, you just skin out the same way.

Did anyone see you come up here?

No, I don't think so.

You don't think so?

You got your own neck in a noose. Now you're trying to fit mine in it, and you

don't think so?

There wasn't any place to go.

Come back here.

It'll be dark soon. You're gonna leave then.

Go on, sit down.

You can't blame me for attacking Jack Wade the way I did. He murdered a man. I

can blame you for doing it when you knew you didn't have the backbone to take

the consequences.

Mr. Maverick, I believe in the law. The law says... There isn't any law out here

except what a man can make and enforce for himself.

It can't last long, but that's the way it is for now.

Jack Wade's been living by his own rules all his life.

He's got enough horses in his remuted amount of regiment.

Forty or fifty men who treat him like king of the mountain.

If you're going to talk to a man like that about laws, you better be ready to

back it up.

What will he do to me?

Kill you.

Well, what did you expect?

I thought the men in this town would stand behind what I did.

It just doesn't seem right to let an innocent like you get killed.

Where are you going?

To see if I can make a deal. A deal? What kind of a deal? I don't know. I'll

think of something. I hope.

What have you told Wade that I promised to get out another broadside, taking

back what I said in the first one?

If you told him I promised I wouldn't go to see the governor.

Is that what you want me to do?

Do you think he'd just forget the whole thing, then, if I did that?

I don't know.

I doubt it, but I'll try.

You can't stay here. So if it gets dark, you better leave.

Where will I go?

I don't know, but this is going to be one of the first places they look.

And if you get killed anyway, try not to mention my name.

Just

about

7 .30.

Hour and a half to go.

Wade, we'd like a word with you.

That's far enough.

Just keep your hands in sight.

Say your piece.

I'd like to make a deal.

I'm listening.

We want to know your intentions for Mr. Buckner.

Well, some of the boys in favor of shooting.

The Red Ears in favor of roping and dragging him.

Me?

I ain't made up my mind.

Mr. Wade.

I'd like to see this thing settled without no bloodshed.

Why, Mr. Summers, so would I.

But that printer wrote some hard things about me in my hands.

Mighty hard.

And what's more, he printed them.

Now, what do you think that my boys are going to think of me if I just turn the

other cheek?

Mr. Wade.

My boys have got to work off steam one way or another, Mr. Summers.

I'd say the best thing you could do would be to turn up Buckner.

Save a heap of trouble.

What if Buckner promised to print another broadside?

Take back all his nasty lies and tell the town what really nice gentlemen you

and your boys are.

I said we wanted Buckner.

When we get him, we'll ride out.

He'll promise not to go to see the governor, too.

Let Buckner tell us that.

And you got one hour and a half to get him here.

I want to hear it from you, Wade.

Will you take our deal?

Just don't reckon I can.

Sorry.

I hope they don't.

Don't what?

Turn Buckner over.

I think I'd like taking this town apart.

Who is it?

George Buckner.

What are you doing here? Please.

I need help.

Please.

Come in.

You know, for a man who writes brave, you're pretty meechin'. You should never

have written those things you did about Jack, Mr. Buckner.

I know.

It's not just yourself.

It's the rest of the town's going to suffer.

Why can't you be a man? Go out there. Take what's coming to you.

I guess you ain't much of a man.

I won't be staying long.

Maverick's gone out to make an arrangement with Mr. Wade.

Arrangement?

I agreed to print a retraction.

Kind of an apology.

I said I wouldn't go to see the governor.

Then you'll go right on living here?

Why not?

I guess if you have to ask, I can't tell you.

I didn't have to ask.

Oh, it don't matter.

Look, I know Jack Wade. He won't settle for an apology.

He'll get you or he'll tree the town.

Did you ever see a town get treed, Mr. Buckner?

You know, folks back east think cowboys are real romantic -like. They write

books about them that way.

But they ain't like that. They're dirty, sweaty, smelly. Please, you don't have

to... No, no, you listen to me so you know what they're going to do to this

town.

They come off the trail hungry for everything.

That's why trail towns like this have deadlines and town marshals to keep the

savages down here where they belong.

But our marshal here is dead.

And no deadline's going to stop Wade and his crew.

Why do you tell me these things?

Just so you'll know what you're cost in this town.

You had to be so brave in that paper of yours. Why ain't you brave now?

I never thought of myself as a coward.

Not until they killed Charlie.

I could have saved him.

All I had to do was open that door and walk in.

Why didn't you?

I heard them beating him.

The sounds.

I wanted to.

Even then I wanted to.

I... I just couldn't force myself to open the door.

And I see this little gal just yesterday. Say howdy to her, she flips

at me, walks off like I was dirt.

How much longer? About 45 minutes.

I hope you didn't

make that deal with Jack Wade.

Why not, Lil?

Do you think it'll help Buckner?

It'll keep him alive.

And that's all.

Did you make the deal?

No, Wade refused.

Well, what are you brave men waiting for now?

Where's Buckner?

Why do you want to know? So you can turn him over to Jack?

You hiding him, Lil?

He came to me.

I didn't throw him out.

Isn't there a man in this town willing to fight for what's his?

Ain't much we can do, Lil.

You can fight.

Did you ever think of that?

And what about you?

You wear a gun. Don't you know how to use it?

If I have to.

And you don't figure you have to now, huh?

Lil, you're making that fence I've been straddling pretty uncomfortable.

Well, then why don't you get off it before Jack and his men knock it right

from under you?

I think you've already pushed me off of it just by walking in here now.

Or by hiding Buckner. I don't know which.

Anyone else here feeling light in the head?

I guess we ain't got much choice. They're gonna come anyway, no matter

do.

Jed Williams and his brother can help, I suppose, if I put it up to them.

We'd better get word uptown. Tell the folks not to show no lights, to keep

inside. How about roping off the streets?

I don't think we have time for that.

We can throw up a barricade. That might slow them up a bit.

I can tell you one thing. We maybe will damage them some, but we ain't gonna

stop them. And I had to raise a family.

It's about that time.

All right, boys, come on.

Stand away from that man, Maverick.

You'll have to take both of us, Wade.

And a lot of men behind us.

That's far enough.

Get him, Red.

Boys, your boss is dead and so is Scanlon.

Leave now and there won't be any more shooting.

room, gents.

What'll it be?

Stud or draw?