Original subtitles

♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin' ♪

- Hyah! -♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin' ♪

♪ Keep movin', movin', movin' ♪

♪ Though they're disapprovin' ♪

♪ Keep them dogies movin' ♪

♪ Rawhide ♪

♪ Don't try to understand them ♪

♪ Just rope and throw and brand 'em ♪

♪ Soon we'll be livin' high and wide ♪

♪ My heart's calculatin' ♪

♪ My true love will be waitin' ♪

♪ Be waiting at the end of my ride ♪

♪ Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on ♪

♪ Move 'em on, head 'em up, Rawhide ♪

-(whip cracks) -♪ Cut 'em out, ride 'em in ♪

♪ Ride 'em in, let 'em out, cut 'em out, ride 'em in ♪

-♪ Rawhide...! ♪ -♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin' ♪

♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin' ♪

- Hyah! -♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin'. ♪

(whip cracks twice)

What do you think of that?

- Huh? - I say, what do you think of that?

Billy got beat. Ike Brannon just shot him.

Oh, Pop. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

That was great loss, Carl. Billy was like family to me.

My own people are a long time gone so we were more than friends.

Did you know that I had a son once?

Quite remindful of you, Carl, now that I think on it.

Very understanding, even as a boy.

That's a valuable trait, understanding.

Um... Sure, people have remarked on it in you, haven't they?

[SIGHS]

I bet your father was just as proud of you as...

[SIGHS] Uh... Uh...

I don't have it, Carl. I bet everything I had on Billy.

I just saved out enough for train fare.

The train doesn't leave until morning.

And my brothers will be here in a couple of hours.

- In Chicago, Carl-- - Springfield'll have to do, old man.

- Nobody here will loan me any money. - We did.

Now we want it back.

There it went, Carl. The last chance I had to get it back.

- Then you better find another. - Find another?

I worked with that boy for almost a year.

You ain't got that long this time.

You know how my brothers came by that money?

They're gonna be in this town just as long as it takes for them to settle,

one way or the other.

- You understand that, old man? - Sure, Carl.

You better.

WOMAN: Buy me a candy apple. - Sure, honey.

[LAUGHS]

[GUNS FIRING]

[ALL CHEERING]

[GUNSHOTS AND CHEERING CONTINUE]

[LAUGHS]

[CHEERING]

[FIREWORKS POPPING]

[LAUGHS]

[CROWD CHEERING]

LEROY: Austin.

Come on, Austin.

Come on, get up!

Let's go.

- It's Friday? - Saturday. Nine p.m.

Springfield. This is Springfield?

That's right.

[AUSTIN CLEARS THROAT]

And after Springfield comes Topeka

and after Topeka comes Wichita, Amarillo.

- Dodge. - Dodge.

It's always Dodge before Amarillo.

Why?

We've just always gone that way before, that's all.

I'm tired of Dodge.

And I'm tired of Amarillo. And I'm awful tired.

I'll go out there.

Ike Brannon took Billy Partland.

He wasn't 19 years old, Leroy.

That's the Pop Starke system for you. It's all talk.

- Maybe. - Sure it is.

Can't tell me a man can predict a gunfight with a book or a trick watch.

- They're not natural. - He's been doing it for a long time.

That don't make it right.

Makes no difference to him what happens to other men.

Cost me ten dollars.

You almost had me fooled, Leroy.

I actually thought it was Billy Partland you were feeling sorry about.

Well, it's not the ten dollars.

Of course, I fee! sorry for the kid.

He got mixed up with that old sharper.

He was just too green, that's all. Come on.

Since when isn't that the name of the game?

Rush them, hustle them, keep them off balance,

then shove them out in the street against Ike Brannon.

[GUNSHOTS IN DISTANCE]

Or Austin Ware.

This line of work is enough to make a man give up shaving.

Maybe drinking?

Being as how the town's full of herds, it wouldn't do to get all liquored up.

Besides, we'll probably have us some work to do.

I'll just have one for Billy.

[CROWD CHEERING]

That's five out of six. Evens it up.

- Good shooting, Rowdy. - Hey, thanks.

We got us three men with high scores.

So to settle it we'll go to the quick draw. Set them up.

Now we'll shoot in the same order as before.

Shaw first, then Torres, then Yates.

Good luck to all of you. And remember now,

you can be quicker than a flash flood

but if you don't hit them feathers up there

all you'll take away from this match is a pocketful of empty cartridge casings.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Well, go to it.

I never thought I would make it this far.

You doing great. Don't get shaky now.

I am not shaky.

My hands are shaky but I am perfectly calm.

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[CROWD CHATTERING]

One for six. Ernie Torres, up next.

You can't beat that, you're gonna be riding drag for the next ten drives.

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

Let your gun come to a complete stop before you fire.

[GUNSHOT]

That's a boy! That's good shooting.

All right. Come on, Rowdy! You can do better than that.

- Hey, Fred. - Hi.

Hey, come watch our boys do some shooting.

Hey, Mushy, this is Fred Holt, runs the feed store.

Watch this. This is Rowdy Yates. He's a good one too. Watch him.

Two hits for Torres, and Yates up.

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[ALL CHEERING]

So that's three for six.

Rowdy Yates is your winner.

[LAUGHS]

This here watch goes to the winner of the shooting match, Rowdy Yates.

It's real gold and it's got the name and the date of our fair city on it already.

And Rowdy, if you care to, you can have your name put on it too.

Unless you're gonna sell it.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

Al right, folks, I want you to remember the name of the man

that put up this prize: Harry Simpson, down at the Nugget.

He's down there waiting for you.

And I thank you, and here you go.

[ALL CHEERING]

Look at that. Isn't that a beauty?

Okay, I tell you what I do for you, Rowdy.

I put your name on this watch.

It says "Rowdy Yates from Ernie Torres."

And I pay for it too. Your name too.

I'd like to get in on that myself.

Maybe Mr. Favor will when he gets back tomorrow.

Me too, Mr. Rowdy. If they don't use my real first name.

Rowdy Yates, you need more friends like Custer needed Indians,

but this pretty little girl here wanted me to introduce her.

Well, hey, would you excuse us first? We're gonna be late to the pig contest.

I'm gonna enter old Mushy.

When you're through there, drop by Drum's.

Be my pleasure to buy you all a drink.

- Thank you. - Yes, sir.

My name is Pony. I saw you, it was very good.

Thank you.

I saw you too and I gotta say the same.

- Oh, oh. This here is Ernie Torres. - My name is Pop Starke.

I heard the talk about engraving names on your watch.

I think I might have a little idea for you.

This was given to me by one of my best friends,

it's got his name on the fob here.

Thought maybe your friends might like to get one like it for your watch.

- Buffalo Bill. - Is that what it says?

It says "To my good friend and adviser, Thadde...?"

- Thaddeus. - "Thaddeus Starke, from William Cody."

I heard of him Rowdy, he is very famous.

- Oh, well, so is Mr. Starke. - I suppose so.

What kind of watch is this?

Well, Rowdy, I don't think our lady friend here

would be very interested in this men's talk.

She would probably rather meet us down at Mr. Drum's Saloon later.

- Bring your friends. - See you soon, dear.

Fine girl, I'll have to see that you get better acquainted.

Ooh. Definitely.

- You like my old watch? - Yeah, tell me something.

- Does it keep the time of day? - No, Rowdy.

This is what they call a stopwatch.

This little knob here lets me start it and stop it whenever I want to.

It measures time in fractions of a second.

- Why do you do that? - I use it in my work.

Here let me show you.

Uh-- Let's see here. We've got Bill Hickok.

Billy Bonney. Austin Ware. Wyatt Earp.

And, yes, sir, here we are, Rowdy Yates.

I just made these notations.

You see these figures here. Tells exactly how fast you are.

I timed you with the stopwatch.

Right here, tells me which hand you use, the weight, the make,

the barrel length of your gun,

your mannerisms, your temperament,

what kind of mistakes you're likely to make.

Just about everything I'd need to know about you, for now.

Why write about me?

That's a good question, son, it indicates modesty.

Now you come along. Let's go on down to saloon, I'll tell you about it.

[PLAYING LIVELY MUSIC]

And I began noticing that every one of these small towns

had its own gunslick.

You know, not men with reputations

but local boys who were just a whisker faster than the others.

And I'd see shooting matches like the one you fellas were in

and be amazed at the amount of money

that people willing to gamble on it.

Well, I guess our boys had a few dollars riding on us.

They were more fortunate than most.

Unless you're Pop Starke, it's never a sure thing.

But I've got the knowledge, the experience and the book.

Let's have some peanuts.

- All right, I'll buy. I was the winner. - Oh, no way, it's on me.

- Come on, I got this. - Come on.

All right, all right, I won't argue with you.

Here you go, boys.

You know, Rowdy, I can watch a man for five minutes,

time him once or twice and tell you exactly what he's gonna do in a match.

I've been doing it all my life,

and that, my boy, takes us back some time.

Roughly to Genesis, Book One. Heh-heh.

Well, you'd be a tough man to bet against, Mr. Starke.

Well, there's no need to,

when we can both be on the same side.

Can you imagine the kind of money that we could pick up

moving from place to place, taking on these small town gunnies?

No, I can't say I could.

With your speed, my boy, and my book we could make $10,000 a year.

What? Starting to sound a little interesting now, doesn't it?

Or are you boys already making more than that?

- That's a lot of money. - Ten thousand dollars.

I suppose when you're used to trail pay that does sound like a lot of money.

But then this calls for brains and ability.

Almost any man can push cows, Rowdy.

Well, I wouldn't say that.

Not that there's anything wrong with driving cattle, somebody's got to do it.

Somebody.

Now, let me put it to you this way,

if you fellas had your choice,

which would you rather do, ride point or ride drag?

- Point. - Point.

Sure you would. Sure you would.

Its gutty and dirty and dusty up there.

I know about these things, believe me.

No man with the sense that the good Lord gave him would ride drag

if he had a choice. But you take point.

There you are, up in front of everything,

the air is clean and you're in charge.

You're a leader up there.

It may be more dangerous up in front of a spooky herd

- but it's well worth it, isn't it? - Can't argue with that.

Let's get some cider and wash these peanuts down.

- I'll get it. POP: Friend, a little cider, please.

Oh, it's like anything you do in this life, Rowdy.

On the one hand, you have the men

that are perfectly content getting up off the hard ground every morning

before the sun comes up,

eating white dust all day and maybe sleeping in rain all night.

There's some fellows that are actually happy doing that.

Maybe that's all they're suited for.

Well, I honestly believe

that once in a while you run in to a man

whose life is wasted as a drover.

This lad has what it takes to be a leader.

He ought to be up there in front of the herd.

I honestly think that he ought to have the opportunity to be governor

or even president of this great land, if he can make it.

Rowdy is already ramrod. Soon he'll have his own outfit.

But I know what you say is true, Mr. Starke.

Rowdy is better than to be a drover always.

We are all of us put here on this earth for a reason and a purpose.

Would you agree to that?

If a man has a good mind

and he's compassionate and understanding,

it may be that he is meant to be a doctor.

It would be selfish, actually a crime against nature

if such a man was wasted on a menial task, am I right?

Yeah, I guess so.

All right, you might laugh.

You might laugh at what I'm gonna tell you.

But it's my opinion

that this country needs heroes

just as much as it needs governors or doctors or judges.

If you look back through history

you'll find that it is full of strong, heroic men.

They give the people somebody to look up to, something to hope for.

Yes, sir, I believe you may be such a man, Rowdy.

- A hero? - Maybe he is right.

All the men in the outfit, they look up to you, Rowdy.

Mr. Starke, just what are you selling anyway?

Well, son, I suppose that I'm trying to sell you to yourself.

You're trying to tell me that if I travel around from town to town,

entering these shooting contests, I'd be some sort of hero?

I can tell that by nature, you are a modest man, Rowdy Yates,

so I know it's hard for you to accept. Let me ask you this.

Would you consider Buffalo Bill Cody a hero?

- Yes. - Yeah, sure I do.

Fine. Now tell you something else.

You are a faster with a handgun than Cody ever was.

Come on.

It's all right here in the book. Times, dates, places, even the weather.

When we get started,

people are gonna pay money to see you handle that gun.

And it'll will be worth every penny of it. We'll give them a show, won't we, son?

You're talking like it's already decided.

I'm not too sure if I want to be a hero just yet.

You will. I'd bet everything I have on it.

Didn't I promise to buy us a drink? What are we standing out here for?

Oh! Ha-ha-ha!

Hello, Austin. Had a little trouble holding your table for you.

It's gonna be a busy two days.

Must be 20,000 head of cattle in town.

- We're not drinking. - Oh?

- This gonna be a working day, Austin? - Take the bottle.

I'll think I leave it.

While you were at breakfast I went over to Dawson's.

There was a this big, loud-mouthed fellow there.

He was wearing a gun tied down low.

I asked Dawson about him, and as near as we can figure

he's just in with one of the herds, trying to look like a gunny.

I think I'd probably be able to push him into--

- Just take care of it. - All right.

Say, Austin, I was doing some figuring.

After we pay the room rent and the saloon,

- we've got almost 90 dollars. - Fine.

I'm 42 years old and I've got 90 dollars.

Excuse me, Leroy. I've got half of 90 dollars.

Hello, Leroy. Hey, boy, how mighty finding you.

- How you doing? - I'm fine.

I'd like you to meet a couple of friends of mine.

Rowdy Yates and Ernie Torres, they just came in town.

This is Leroy Means.

Leroy, why don't you and me have a little game?

- All right. - All right.

Rowdy, you boys join that pretty girl we promised to meet.

- I'll be right with you. - All right.

- Hey, I thought you forgot about me. - Never.

Show me your gold watch, you big, famous man.

Hmm. Pretty.

Why don't you put your name on it and give it to me to remember you by?

Oh, sure, sure.

Sorry, Pop.

Too bad about Billy.

What you gonna do with yourself now?

This might surprise you, Leroy,

I think I'll stay away from gunfighting altogether.

Well, that does come as a surprise.

I'm just getting too old to watch these youngsters come and go like that.

I'm not getting any younger myself.

[PONY LAUGHS]

Now, you take that youngster who came in here with me.

I was about to ask you about him, Pop.

Thought, at first, you'd already found yourself a new gun.

No, nothing like that. Not so soon after Billy.

Anyway, I don't think he'd have what it takes.

Shame.

Oh, he's willing enough, he says, but I don't know.

No experience.

I don't know.

You ought to be able to help him get that.

I mean, if you weren't gonna giving it up.

In time maybe. In time.

He looks young enough, Pop.

Maybe you ought to take the time.

If I could keep him away from hustlers like you long enough to grow up.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- Nice looking boy, Pop. - Yeah.

Never been in a shooting, you say?

No, he's just like all those trail youngsters,

grew up shooting at bean cans and gophers.

Oh, he thinks he's pretty good.

Came right up to me and asked me what I could do for him.

Came right up and asked you?

- Probably heard of you somewhere. - Probably.

Suppose he knows about Billy Partland?

I hope not, Leroy.

I hate to admit this, especially to you, but I was wrong about Billy.

Didn't have it, huh?

The first couple of times he came up against boys in his own class

but I overmatched him with Ike Brannon.

It would be just like putting Rowdy, there, up against Austin.

I know what you mean.

Spot this for me, Leroy.

At one time, that you said about Rowdy and Austin...

One time that would've been true.

Pop, don't talk it around, but Austin hasn't been feeling too good lately.

He's on a bottle.

Still probably better than most.

Couldn't honestly say so. Uhn-uhn. Not these days.

Huh. Hard to believe.

You know, I'll tell you what.

I'd hesitate to put money on him,

even, uh...

Even opposite that young fellow of yours over there.

Heh-heh. Not much chance of that.

- Nice shot, Leroy. - Thanks.

Would be kind of interesting though, wouldn't it?

[BOTH LAUGH]

What do you think, Pop, huh?

Come on. As old friends, what do you think?

Oh, I don't know. I'd have to have pretty good odds.

Austin's had 30 fights.

Ugh. Pop, you know better that. Nine, maybe ten.

Couldn't call them all real fights anyhow.

I'd make it about ten to one.

Ten to one?

[CHUCKLES]

Pop, I always thought you were a pretty good handicapper,

but you're way out of line here.

Looks more like even money to me.

Maybe six to five.

Shoot. Leroy, it wouldn't pay me to find a new boy at those prices.

[BALLS CLACKING]

That's it.

Fine boy.

Five to one.

Pop, that's just not good business.

I'd have to be out of my head to give you odds like that--

All right, Leroy, three to one. And that's it.

I owe it to the boy to get him the best deal.

I'll have to have a talk to your boy.

No need in that.

He talks just like the rest of them.

Then you oughtn't mind.

Rowdy, come here a minute, young fellow.

You look after my watch.

Okay, Rowdy.

Rowdy. Pop here tells me you've had yourself a few gunfights, son.

Now, Leroy.

- No, I've handled guns all my life-- - You see, Leroy.

Mr. Means thought he recognized you from Texas.

Do you ever hear of Austin Ware?

Oh, sure. Yeah, I've heard the name.

- Got quite a reputation, hasn't he? - Yeah, as a gunfighter.

Rowdy, boy, we're sorry to take you away from your friends.

You run on back over there. I'll join you in a moment.

Right.

Oh, that's beautiful, let me see it.

I can't. No. No one can... It's...

Well, you're kind of giving yourself a little edge there, aren't you, Leroy?

Yeah, I had to find out.

So?

Three to one.

What about money?

That misfortune with Billy took most of everything I had.

But I'll see what I can do.

You'd be able to get enough side bets to make it worth your time, though.

When are you gonna tell your boy?

Leroy, there is no sense in making him nervous just yet.

I got a lot of things I gotta do, I'll see you back here in ten minutes.

Ten minutes.

[MAN & WOMAN LAUGHING]

I found us some work.

I saw you talking to Starke.

Is it the tall one, with the girl and the Mexican?

That's the one. We shouldn't have too much trouble.

I'm gonna go get our money working. Be back in ten minutes.

- Carl. - Mm. Hi, Pop.

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

[LAUGHS]

Don't waste any.

[LAUGHS]

Will you be coming in to see me later?

Well, I don't know. We haven't been any other places yet.

- The girls are not so pretty as me. - Yeah, I'm sure of that.

Besides, they're too old and they don't use perfume.

And also they probably will try to spend all of your money.

Uh-oh. How about that, Ernie?

[LAUGHS]

So why don't you just stay here?

Who's that fellow sitting over there behind you against the wall?

Keeps staring over this way.

PONY: That's Austin Ware. He's a gunfighter.

ROWDY: Yeah. - Mm.

He's in Mr. Starke's book.

I know. I just wondered why he was staring over here.

Is he a friend of yours?

Eh. So-so. I don't think he's looking at me, though.

- He isn't? - Uhn-uhn.

[ALL LAUGHING]

At least I don't owe him any money, fortunately.

What do you think, Ernie?

You think we ought to stay around here?

I think so, yes.

Looks like it's the only way I'm gonna get this watch back.

[ROWDY LAUGHS]

Oh, how does Rowdy get mixed up in these things?

I wish Mr. Favor was here.

He ain't, so I hope Rowdy will listen to you.

Me? You don't know Rowdy. He don't hold with being told what to do.

It's gotta come from somebody he has to listen to.

Like the sheriff.

Whole town is full of herds and cowboys and the sheriff's out of town.

- We'll have to do the best we can. - The hotel.

The sheriff holes up at the hotel when he don't wanna be found.

Good, you go get him and I'll go and...

No, Rowdy would know right off what I was up to.

I'll go get the sheriff, you go on over to Drum's.

Try room number five, second floor.

[KNOCKING DOOR AND CROWD CLAMORING]

SHERIFF: Come in.

There's gonna be trouble at Drum's.

Hey, come here.

There's gonna be trouble down at Drum's.

What kind?

- Come on, I'll tell you on the way. - Tell me here.

There's always trouble.

Sometimes it's worth getting up for and sometimes it ain't.

There's gonna be a shooting.

Yeah, a gunfight. So?

You already know about it?

Well, I am the sheriff.

When are you gonna do something about it?

You want to do something, go ahead. You got maybe ten minutes.

Take Old Pop at least that long to dig up betting money.

Not gonna be easy with his reputation.

Already owes Carl Hatcher more than he can scrape up.

You mean you're not gonna do anything about it?

Sure I am.

I'm gonna sit right here and see it's run fair and square.

Fair and...

What kind of a sheriff are you?

How well you know this new fellow?

Well enough, why?

Relative? That why you're making so much of it?

Well, he works with our outfit.

Starke saw him at the shooting match. Rowdy won it.

- He won it? - Yeah.

Oh, he didn't tell me that.

Changes things some.

Let me ask you something,

don't it seem to you three to one is long odds

against a kid can shoot that good?

What?

Clyde.

Hey, Clyde. Look, I changed my mind.

Get over to Drum's and lay off ten on that kid.

Hurry up now. We ain't got much time.

[GROANS]

ERNIE: And then... Then maybe I will be a hero too, with $10,000.

And many watches.

Mr. Starke, he can do these things, he has the book.

What? You don't want to talk while we wait for Rowdy?

Oh, sure, we can talk. We'll talk about payday.

You a spender or saver?

Well...

How much trail wages do you have left?

Good for you. You can afford to buy a lady a drink.

Maybe two.

Is Rowdy in here with you?

He invited Rowdy for a drink.

That's Austin Ware.

Pony?

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

- Hey, what's going on? - Wish, don't go over there.

I got to. Sheriff isn't gonna do anything and Rowdy doesn't stand a chance.

They're already figuring odds on him.

Well, I know that, but leave them be for now.

I've been watching, everything's all right

as long as they're just sitting and talking.

You go busting in, you might spook them.

I don't know. I think I ought to break it up before it's too late.

Believe me, Austin Ware's no saloon gunny.

He won't start anything in here.

Now, you come on with me to the bar,

you can keep an eye on them from there. Come on, now.

Since then, whenever I come to town he has a bottle set aside for me.

Hope you like it.

Yeah, tastes fine.

Well, it ain't cut too much

and it wasn't still on the corncob this morning.

So you're talking to Pop Starke and Leroy.

They putting something together, you think?

Is he a friend of yours? Leroy?

- Yeah, in a way. - Mm.

Well, anyway, we've known each other a long time.

How'd he happen to be talking to you?

Oh, he's got the idea I'm a gunfighter.

AUSTIN: How about that?

- And what did you tell him? - That I wasn't.

It's good an answer as any.

Is it true?

Yeah. Why shouldn't it be?

You don't come right out and say much, do you?

Well, what did you call me over to hear me say?

Nothing. Just curious, I guess.

Doesn't have anything to do with that shooting match here in town, does it?

- Was it a good one? - Yeah, it was all right.

I don't get out much to keep track of things like I used to.

I spend most of my time in the hotel, or here.

You been up against anybody I know?

How many of my old friends you out-draw so far?

I like to keep track.

You think... You think I'm a gunfighter too.

- And you're not? - No, I'm not.

And I'm the Reverend Abernathy.

Tell me,

how many people ask you about all the shootings you been in, reverend?

Pretty near everybody.

I used to keep track once.

Used to make a difference I guess, 24 years ago.

But not now, huh?

I got no reason to want to remember.

You know, a while back in...

...some other town, a lady come up to me and said I shot her boy.

In El Paso, two years ago, she said, and she'd seen it.

Well, I stopped to think, tried to remember Paso

and this kid came to mind.

I could remember how he was dressed, the way he looked, everything.

So I told her.

And she just looked at me and said, "No, it wasn't the way he looked at all.”

Funny.

Anyhow, sometime later I was sitting in a hotel with Leroy,

telling him about it and describing this kid that kept coming to my mind.

He had light color eyes too.

And Leroy said I was thinking of Deanie Foster.

Deanie Foster. He's the first man I ever killed.

Now they all look like him.

What were you doing at the shooting match, just keeping your hand in?

No, no. Several of us thought we'd give it a try.

- Win yourself a watch? - Mm-hm.

Let's have a look.

Slow.

[CHUCKLES]

It's been a long time since I had one of these.

I could never hold onto mine long enough to wear one out.

I'd need money or meet a pretty girl.

Must have had 15, 20.

You any better at hanging on to them?

Well, I've had that one little over an hour and I still own it.

I'd give that little girl you were talking to over there about ten minutes more.

What's the name of that fellow at the bar watching us?

Wearing whiskers.

Oh. Oh, that's Wishbone, he's our cook.

You know, I don't get a chance to talk to most of the fellows that ll...

Well, I don't talk to many people.

Yeah, well, I guess you can't really afford to let your guard down.

You don't do it twice.

Let me see your hand.

- Why? - Just put it out.

Either one of them, don't matter.

- You're right-handed. - Yeah, that's right.

I noticed the way you wear your gun.

That's your right hand, there's is your gun.

Yeah.

Most men sitting across the table from me

wouldn't give me that much of an edge

unless they were awful fast and awful sure.

[SIGHS]

Well, I guess I got my answer.

Oh, Leroy, what're you doing to me in my old age?

Oh, you-- Here, have it. You'd better have a drink.

No, I'm regretting a few already.

That's just part of the whole parcel,

hotel rooms, corner chairs in saloons,

new faces with an old idea.

Another pouch for my hand.

What happened? Gunfight?

What else?

You don't sound like you like it too much. Why don't you quit?

There's a lot that's different about you, boy, but not your questions.

The thing is, you didn't call me over here to hear me ask a lot of questions,

why don't you just go ahead and tell me?

First I'll tell you what you just asked me.

You don't quit, ever,

because they won't let you just walk away, the bone-pickers won't.

Bone-pickers?

Them.

Pop Starke and Leroy, and you.

Me?

And there's only one way to best it, and it won't be easy,

but both of us know how to handle a gun.

And the worst that can happen is one of us gets his leg set.

Them, they're satisfied, they've had their shooting.

What are you talking about?

I'm saying that when you and me go out into that street,

we've got to agree that there'll be no shooting above the knees, like so.

Look, Mr. Ware, you got the wrong man.

Listen, boy, I know. Believe me, I know.

Gents. Quiet down, everybody, I got something to say.

As most of you already know,

Austin Ware, Rowdy Yates are calling each other out.

Let me have your watch for luck.

My man Rowdy is ready right now, if everybody else is.

MAN: The drover hadn't got a chance.

Alan bet for me.

We all know Austin Ware's reputation,

so we all know what kind of pure nerve it takes to call him out.

If there's one thing in the world this poor man's got, it is pure nerve.

That's about all there is to it, gents,

wish them both luck, find yourself places outside.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

All right, big mouths, get out there and break this up right now.

- Somebody get rid of him. - Stay out of this, Wish.

Look, Mr. Starke, is this your idea? This shooting match?

What are you saying? You don't wanna go through with it now?

This isn't what we talked about.

This is exactly what we were talking about, son.

Are you telling me that you're afraid after all the talking you did?

- No, I'm not saying that, but-- - Good.

Because I never, for a minute, picked you as yellow.

Come on, son. You're gonna be fine.

ROWDY: Now, wait just a minute.

PONY: Oh! Oh, my God.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

[POP BREATHES DEEPLY]

- You raise that money? - Yeah, some. I bet it like you said.

Take this watch to Sonny Willis. He'll give you $50 for it.

You put it with what you already have.

[WOMAN LAUGHING]

If Rowdy's all right, I think I'll just skedaddle, Wish.

Some of them might not take kindly to my helping.

All right, Fred. You go on.

I'm sorry, Rowdy.

I didn't know what you was gonna do and I couldn't take any chances.

They weren't about to let me get out of it, were they, Wish?

Bone-pickers.

- You all right? - Yeah, I'm all right.

Thanks. Thanks, Wish.

Mr. Favor would skin me alive if I'll let you get shot up.

You mind telling me what you hit me with?

POP: Yes, sir, it takes a brave man.

Everybody wishes you luck, Ernie. You too, Austin.

- Gentlemen, bets are still on. - Good, good.

Who is the kid?

I don't know, came in second on the fast draw.

ERNIE: Any bets?

ROWDY: Ernie, don't get stampeded into this thing.

You're in way over your head.

I am not scared. Just leave me alone.

Listen to him, Ernie. Austin Ware's a professional.

This isn't a fair fight. You won't have one chance in ten.

Fair? You think everything has to be fair?

If it was, you think they'd let me try?

One chance in ten? I take it.

It is the only chance I have, it is important for me.

You can't buy what you want with a gun.

How do you know what I want?

You would be very surprised if I tell you,

because what I want is what you always have.

I want men to trust me and to ask me questions how to do things.

And to laugh when I say a joke.

And to call me by my name.

And I want women to sit and look at me.

And I want some men to ask me to be a hero

and to make $10,000.

And I want to feel big enough inside, not to need to be a hero.

That is what I want.

But I will settle for as much of that as I can get with this.

Now, please, don't talk to me anymore.

I am not scared.

I know you fellas mean well

but you're just getting him nervous, and you don't want that, do you?

That boy has got no business out on that street.

There is nothing I can do to stop it now. Everybody's out there waiting.

Well, if a killing's what they want, I'll oblige them right here.

You don't mean that, son.

I just give the people what they want.

Yeah, what you're dealing in isn't yours to give, old man.

Trust me. I guarantee you it will turn out just the way it's supposed to.

Don't be concerned about your friend.

It's not just Ernie. Neither one of those men wanna go out there.

One's already seen too much killing, the other doesn't know what it's about.

- I'm calling a halt to this thing now. - Yates. Yates.

Keep that gun on him, Jay.

Leroy, you and Austin go on outside.

We'll be right with you.

I tried to tell him, there's only one way to beat them.

Sorry, drover.

Why weren't you around 24 years ago?

Well, I'd say we're ready now, aren't we?

Here you go.

Look, Ernie...

Remember, now, I got nothing against you fellas, so don't start any trouble.

You say when.

ROWDY: Any way to grease the wheel?

How much do you make in this place?

I don't know exactly.

Come on, come on. How much?

Besides... I'd have to go work somewhere else.

ROWDY: Come on, hurry up.

Uh... No, I don't think so. The boss, you know--

[GUNSHOT]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[ALL LAUGHING AND CHATTERING]

Ernie?

They look surprised, Ernie.

How about it, Rowdy, was it safe enough in here?

Let's have a drink.

He's as fast as I've ever seen, his hand moved like lightning.

I wonder who is gonna get next.

MAN: Hey, that's a boy, Ernie.

- Hey, Rowdy, did you see that? - No.

MUSHY: Was that really Austin Ware like they said?

Yes, it was.

I ain't never seen anything like it.

It was almost like he let Ernie take the first shot.

MUSHY: He was standing there just like it wasn't a gunfight at all.

He never even went for his gun.

QUINCE: That's right. He never did draw.

The darndest thing I ever saw.

RILEY: Pop. Pop, I bet it like you said.

How could he lose? What went wrong?

I don't know. Austin never made a move.

RILEY: What'll you do now, Starke?

They're already talking about the next one.

They always will.

I'm getting out of here.

See, son.

Aren't you sorry, you didn't trust the old man?

Would you like to hear something interesting, Rowdy?

Do you know that if you invited Torres out right now,

do you know that most of these people would bet on him instead of you?

Incredible, isn't it?

I mean, we know, in fact, that Torres couldn't possibly beat you.

Now, fortunes have been made in situations like these.

I know. I've done it. It's all right here in the book.

Be careful with that, son. That's very valuable information in that.

Wait a minute. Rowdy?

Let me have that, son. Let me have that back.

Son, let me have that back.

Get them up!

Move them out!

[MEN YELLING]