Original subtitles

- Coach is here. Coach is here!

- Ephraim, double or nothing.

- Heads.

- Better luck next time.

- Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa!

This is Kelly, the end of the line.

- Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello.

- Hello there, cousin perse. - Welcome to dodge.

How are you? - Just fine.

And Kate, you don't look a day older

and just as pretty as ever.

- Thank you, cousin perse. - You too.

Why the last I seen,

you was barely grasshopper knees.

- Virgil, come here.

- Where are you boys going? - To see those cowboys.

- Virgil, you watch out for Andrew now.

- I will, mom. I will.

- How was the trip? Fine? Fine.

You did right by listening to me coming out here, James.

No more smoky Pittsburgh for you.

No, sir, the good life is yours from here on out.

- Well, cousin perse, it took some convincing,

I can tell you.

- Wisest thing you ever did.

- Well, I certainly hope so. Farming isn't--

- wait a minute, now, Kate!

You don't know why you talk like that there.

All you got to do is Chuck out a little seed in spring

and harvest it in the fall

and you ain't gonna make like but pure money.

- So I've heard. - Map to the place.

A few miles down that way.

Lord have mercy. Yes, sir.

With the majesty of these beautiful mountains

at your feet,

sorry to be leaving this country, I am.

Wouldn't go except it for a big business deal in California.

Got all the stuff you asked me to, James.

Wagon, cow, tools, the Jimmy-Jack.

- What? - Mule. Mule.

Very, very expensive.

Awful good around the farm for plowing and hauling.

They're sent to town to get the farmers.

Now the chickens is a little something from me to you.

- Thank you, cousin perse.

- That's kind of you, cousin perse.

- Bought it with part of my commission.

Help you get started.

Now you best be on your way.

You got a few miles to go before it's dark.

- All aboard for Victor, Idaho! This coach is late.

Let's roll! - Ephraim, my satchel!

- Cousin perse, thank you for everything.

- Thanks, it does me a good one tending to it

for you two and them kids of yours.

Yes, sir. Y'all take care now.

Good luck and the good lord's got his hands around ya.

- Good-bye, perse. - Bye. Jensen!

- Yeah.

- Them is my cousins four times removed.

Take good care of them, you hear?

Them is babes in the wilderness.

Driver, take US out.

Giddy up! Yah! - Y'all be good now!

The good lord watches over ya!

- Yah!

- Make yourself fine and blessed,

prayin' in the good book!

Bye!

- Welcome to Kelly. My name is Jensen.

I own the store.

- Well, it's good to know you, Mr. Jensen.

My name's Tanner. This is my wife, Katherine.

- How do you do, Mr. Jensen. - Hello.

Uh, can I help you load the wagon?

- Well, that's very kind of you. Thank you.

- Ephraim! - Let's go, boys.

- Hey, fella. Fella. Fella. Come here, fella.

Come here, fella. Come here.

- Yo! - Yo!

- Yo! - Hoo-ooh!

- Hi. - Howdy.

- My name's Virgil Tanner. That's my little brother Andy.

Come here, Andy.

- You're a cowboy, aren't you?

- You bet ya. My name's hiram.

These other cowboys here is my brothers.

Little Willy over yonder is my nephew.

- Hi, Virgil.

- This girl here is my ugly sister, Agatha.

- Howdy. - Ma'am.

- We had a dog like that. - Is that a fact?

- His name was Ralph. Only he chased cats.

- He did, huh?

- We had to leave on account of he couldn't ride the train

or the stagecoach.

- Yeah. - 'Sides, he's a city dog.

- Andy, they don't want to hear about Ralph.

- Virg, do you think he'd sell US that dog?

- Course not. Come on, we got to go.

- Hiram, would you sell US that dog?

- Well, Andy, he ain't much good,

but I reckon we better be keeping on to him.

- Oh.

- Be seeing you boys.

- Bye.

- Lets get them in here, aggie.

Get that bull there with the horns on him.

- Yo, bull. - Virgil, Andrew!

- Come on, Andy. Bye.

- Hyah, hyah, hyah, hyah, hyah, get in there!

- Scoot back a little bit. Make more room for your father.

- Giddy up, mule.

- Bye. Good luck. - Good-bye.

- Anything you need, come to Jensen. Good-bye.

- Virg, you suppose hiram would change his mind

if we offered him a whole dollar?

- I'm afraid not, Andy. - Who's hiram?

- He's one of them cowboys.

His dog wasn't as good as Ralph.

He was pretty good.

Dad, could we buy that dog?

- There's a few other places to spend our money, son,

before it goes for dogs.

- Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! - Bye.

Bye, Virgil. - Bye.

- Well, now, Kate, it's not so much what things are,

it's what they could be, right?

You take what we got here

and we pull some weeds, and straighten the fencing,

and add a new roof,

maybe a board or two here and there,

and first thing you know,

we'll be planting crops, and raising cows,

and everything will be just what we expect.

Don't you think? - Sure it will.

You know, mom, we could get some paint and stuff--

- yes, son, I know.

Add a board or two here and there.

Cousin perse didn't have much money to work with.

- Come on, Andy.

- Oh, mind there aren't any snakes in there.

- Mom, there isn't--

- no snake would be caught dead in there.

- Andy.

- There's a wolf in there! - What?

- A wolf. Get the gun. - Stay back. Stay back.

- Virgil! - But mom, I got to help--

- get back here! Virgil!

- Don't shoot him. Wolf, you hush.

What's going on here? Who are you?

You lost or something?

- You stand right where you are.

- Virg, look at that! - Shh. Keep still.

- What are you doing here? - I was sleepin'.

- James-- - ma'am.

Ma'am! Ain't never been so ashamed.

- He's mean. - He ain't neither mean!

Come busting in on a man while he's halfway altogether.

- Neat, huh?

- I ain't never been seen in my longies

by a woman in my whole life.

Come barging in on a body,

you got to expect to get growled at.

Now sit down, wolf, and hush!

Dumb...

Plain to see, old wolf's as harmless as I am.

Two dog, he sure got a way with animals.

He's the one that tamed him.

Two dog and me uses this place for a stopover

to the high country.

- Who is two dog?

- Man standing over there, chewing on the jerky.

- You must be them newcomers I heard about down in Kelly.

Why don't you put that thing down

'fore goes off and does somebody some hurt.

Old two dog there,

he's as harmless as me and wolf put together.

Name's Thompson.

You got a name?

- Tanner.

That's my wife. - Ma'am.

- That's Virgil. - Howdy, Virgil?

- And Andrew. - Howdy there, Andrew.

We'll be on our way directly.

Two dog will store our gear.

Now US going sudden like this,

well, it leaves a half a deer carcass

yonder there in the root cellar.

Come along, I'll show you.

- Well, that's not necessary. I can find it.

- That sure is a fancy bed.

Ma'am, that place there is ripe enough

to curl your toes.

You just open up them shutters and air it out,

it'll freshen up.

They stick some, old two dog will help you.

- I'm not going in there with that savage.

- Savage? Two dog ain't no savage, he's injun!

Come on, Tanner, you bring that big tad of yours

and I'll show you how to carve that carcass.

You ain't gonna have no supper.

And if you don't carve it, it'll spoil.

You better get this cow off this wagon.

Can't you see she's drying up?

- James.

- Andrew, will you water the cow?

- Yes, sir. - Your mother will help you.

- Well come on, mom.

- You take the head and I'll take the tail.

- Thompson, what's going on?

Got a word for you Tanner men.

Ain't for your woman or that young UN.

- A word about what?

Looky here. Ain't he a beauty?

I must've tracked that old boy for 20 miles.

You know, you only get one shot at a smart old boy like this.

- All right, Thompson, what's this all about?

- Mm. Well, I didn't want to fret your missus none.

- Fret her about what?

- Well, it don't draw no sauce from my jug

one way or the other,

but I thought you ought to know

this here piece of land is trouble.

- What are you talking about?

- Talking about you and yours

skedaddling back to where you come from.

- Mister, we're here to start a farm.

- It's been tried before.

Ever come a thought to you how you got this land so cheap?

- How do you know we got it cheap?

- 'Cause a rock bottom price paid by a greener's

is the only way to sell.

Nobody here in Wyoming would touch it.

- How come is that?

- How come is lack of water.

- Water? There's water running all over this place.

- That's ditch water, boy, 'cause your place is on a ditch.

It's a difference between a crick and a ditch.

Come on. I'll show ya.

Now you see that notch up there between them two hills?

- Yeah.

- Well, that's home to me and two dog.

Now that Ridge over there on the left,

that's where your water comes from.

- According to my deed, through the property

of a man named ab cross.

- Uh-huh, and he's the flat-out meanest yay-hoo

this side of perdition.

Why him controlling the water is the reason this here land

has stood empty since the war.

- Well, it's not empty now.

- It will be come summer

when there ain't no more runoff from the snow.

- Well, I've got a legal right

to all the water above the four-foot Mark on his dam.

It says so in my deed.

- Always been in the deed.

Only water comes down is what little spills over

during the spring thaw.

- Well, Mr. Thompson, I thank you for your concern,

but we're not leaving.

And when the time comes,

Mr. Cross and I will have a little talk.

I'd give a season of pelts

and every last drop of whisky in Jackson hole

to see you tango with ab cross and win,

but there ain't no way you could.

- I thank you for your support.

I'll take all I can get.

- Your pa's got grit, I'll say that.

- Yes, sir, he has.

- Do him as much good as a sulfur match in a wind storm.

Well, shadows are getting long.

- Virgil, we'll get these chickens down first.

- Yes, sir.

- Lord keep you, Tanner.

Two dog, wolf!

Come on, let's get outta here!

We can't stand around all day and watch these dumb greenies.

- Dad. - Yeah?

- Does that fella Thompson know what he's talking about?

- I don't know, son.

- If he does, I guess we got our work cut out for US, huh?

- Could be.

Oh, Virgil,

let's not say anything about this to your mother, huh?

- Well, like Thompson said, it was for the Tanner men.

- That's right.

- Virg, you know what I wish?

- What?

- I wish Ralph was here.

Do you think we could train a wolf like two dog done?

- Did.

- You figure?

- No, I don't.

- Maybe we could catch US a deer.

They're easy to train.

- Go to sleep, will you, Andy?

- Night, virg.

- Night, mom!

Night, dad!

- Night.

- Good night, boys.

- We got a lot of work come morning.

Get to sleep now.

- We will.

You believe in this, don't you, Kate?

- I believe in you.

- Are you sorry we came?

- Yes.

- We can be happy here, Kate.

You won't regret it this time.

I promise.

- I love you, James.

- Yah! Yah!

Yah! Come on, old mule. Come on!

Come on, old mule.

Giddy up there! Yah! Yah!

- A little more.

All right.

- Come on, mule. Come on.

- Come on, mule, go! Go!

- Yah, yah.

- Go, mule, go.

- Ralph!

- Ya!

- Close it off, Virgil!

Cooling off?

- Yeah. Whew.

It's hard to believe.

- What's that?

- That this water's ever gonna quit.

- It's not gonna quit.

- Well, suppose I better go muck out that barn.

- Well, never mind that now.

Your mother tells me we're running low on meat,

and I think it's about time you and me went hunting.

- Could we? - Sure.

I think we've earned it, don't you?

- Yeah.

Suppose it's safe to leave mom and Andy alone here though?

- I don't see why not. Get that gun.

- All right.

Dad, look.

- Come on.

Tie him off right there.

See him?

Here, you take it.

- No, no, you shoot him. - It's meat for the table.

- I'll miss him. - It'll be your first deer.

- Well, sure, but-- - it's cocked and loaded.

I want you to get him.

Go ahead.

Now, he'll come out from behind those rocks.

And when he does, you squeeze the trigger.

All right? - All right.

- There he is!

- What'd you do that for?

- It's a horse.

It must be a wild horse.

- Is he dead?

- Head is still moving.

Hold on now.

- 'Cause of me, he fell down there, dad.

Now we gotta do something.

- We're gonna do something about it, Virgil.

Now get ahold of yourself.

Go get the rope off the mule.

- Careful now.

- It's a mare.

- And she's going to foal.

- Why'd I have to shoot her?

- Why, you didn't shoot her, son.

She just got scared by the noise.

- It's still my fault.

- You know, something, Virgil.

This may be a blessing in disguise.

- I don't see how.

- Well, if this mare isn't hurt too bad,

if we can get her home, we can use her--

- whoa, girl, steady.

- Look out. Watch your feet. - Whoa.

Getting closer to the edge. - Look out for those front feet.

- Look out, dad.

- There she goes.

Give her some slack in the line.

Keep her going. - Come on, girl.

- Get up there, horse. - Up the hill.

Come on.

- Whoa. Whoa there.

- Whoa there, girl. - Steady, girl.

- Stay now. - Whoa, take it easy.

Whoa, girl. - That's it.

- Whoa, girl. - Girl, whoa.

- Whoa. Whoa. - Boy, look at her.

Hold tight, virg.

- What do you think I'm doing?

Whoa, whoa there. Whoa.

- Why is she so wild?

- It's 'cause she's hurting so bad.

- This bacon grease ought to at least

make those cuts feel better.

- What about the foal?

- When's she gonna have her baby, mom?

- I don't know, dear.

- Not for a while, son, I'm sure.

- Whoa there. - Be careful, James.

- Here, take this, Kate.

- Ooh, ooh there, girl.

Oh, oh.

- Whoa now, whoa.

- Easy, girl. - Easy now.

- Easy.

What's wrong with her?

- Is she dying?

- Wait a minute, Andy. Don't get too close.

- No.

I don't think she--

seems like all the fight's gone out of her.

- Is she gonna be all right?

- I don't know, son.

Doesn't seem to be much more we can do for her.

I think she just needs some rest.

- Well, I'm gonna sit up with her tonight.

- That might be a good idea, Virgil.

- Me too. - Oh, Andrew, I don't see--

- oh, please, mom. Virgil gets to.

- Andrew. - Please, mom.

- Well, all right.

But you boys be careful in here.

- Thanks, mom. We'll be careful.

How 'bout this?

We got US a horse.

Two maybe.

Huh, virg?

- Dad, come here quick! Mom, come out here.

- What is it, son?

- The mare's in trouble. Hurry, come on.

- What's the matter with her, dad?

- I don't know, son, but it doesn't look good.

She's clearly hurting.

- Dad, we got to do something.

- She needs two dog.

- What, Andrew?

- Two dog can help her.

- Yeah.

Mr. Thompson! Where are you?

Get up there, come on.

Mr. Thompson!

I gotta find you!

Where are ya?

Hold it, mule. Oh!

Mule!

Come back here, mule!

Get outta here!

Go on, get outta here!

Get outta there! Yah!

Thompson! Help!

Thompson!

Thompson! Help!

- Get outta there, you old sow!

Get outta there.

Ahh!

Go on, you old sow. Get outta there.

Get outta there! Ah!

Go on, you old sow. Get outta there.

Ha!

Ah! Go on!

Shoot your blooming head off if you wasn't nursing a cub.

- Mr. Thompson. - Yeah?

You're gonna get cold up there come winter, boy.

Better get on down.

I never thought of hunting bear that way.

- Mr. Thompson-- - don't reckon I could get

old two dog to bait 'em out like that for me.

- Two dog!

- Ah, you're through with me

now that I run that bear off, huh?

- Can't you see I need him?

- Hey, come back here, boy.

Tell me why you're looking for two dog.

- My dad and I found US a wild mustang,

and she's ready to foal.

But she's in trouble. She's about to die.

- Easy, boy.

- We need two dog to help her.

I almost shot her.

She fell down a steep hill and got all banged up.

It's my fault, can't you understand that?

- Young UN's a mite sideways too.

- You mean she's gonna be a breach?

- No. - Two dog says no.

- Mom-- - she'll be all right, boy.

Easy.

- She keeps thrashing around like that.

- Whoa, whoa.

Mrs. Tanner,

I was wondering if

while me and two dog's handling matters here,

if you could stir US up something to eat.

- All right. - Ma'am.

- Boys, we'll go to the house now.

- I'm staying here.

- Me too. - No, you're not.

You're coming up to the house with me.

- Kate. - I'm not gonna listen to any--

- come here. - James.

These boys can't stay here.

- Now you calm down and listen to me.

- I will not.

These children aren't going to see this.

- We're not back in Pittsburgh, Kate.

This is a new life out here. These boys have got to grow up.

- But they're just children.

- Who've got to become men as quickly as they can.

- I don't see how watching this

is gonna help 'em.

- It's part of life, Kate. We can't hide it from them.

- James, i--

- I'm gonna let them stay.

- Tanner, give me a hand here.

Ma'am, you bring US out some sacking

so I can wrap this mare's tail.

You boys skedaddle out of the way there.

- But, Mr. Thompson, I might be able to help you.

- Get. - Come on, Andy.

Get a tight hold on her.

Two dog's gonna turn the young UN around.

- Whoa, girl. Whoa.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa there, mama.

Whoa, mama. - Whoa, girl.

- Easy now, mama. Easy, mama.

Whoa.

We got to take her down again.

All right, here, mama.

Let's go.

All right, bring her down. Steady, steady, girl.

Steady, steady.

- Like this?

- Ah, ah.

- Whoa, mama.

Whoa, mama.

Easy, girl. Easy.

Take it easy, girl.

Ooh.

- Shh. Shh, girl.

- Easy, mama.

Ooh there, mama.

Ooh there, mama.

Oh, mama.

Easy.

Easy.

- Look at it, dad.

Is it a boy or a girl?

- It's a girl, filly.

- Well, I'm still gonna call it "Ralph."

- You can't call a filly Ralph.

- Well, I am.

- Is it all right if I touch her?

- Sure.

- Stand back, Andy.

- Good girl. Good old mama.

- Boy, Ralph sure is hungry.

- Hey!

Get! Shoo!

Shoo! Shoo!

Get out of my garden, you!

Get out!

Get outta here!

Get out! All of you, get outta here!

Shoo!

Shoo! Shoo!

Go on, you too, you big dumb bull!

Get out, all of you!

Get outta here! Get out! Shoo!

Shoo!

Get out of my garden, you! Get!

Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!

Shoo!

Mr. Thompson!

- Get outta here!

- Mr. Thompson, get them out of my garden!

Get out of my garden! Shoo!

- Yah! Ah!

- Get outta here! Get outta here!

Shoo! Shoo!

Ahh!

- Get out of my garden. Shoo!

Shoo! Oh!

Mr. Thompson, who do those cows belong to?

- Ab cross. Who else would they belong to?

They done a fair enough job on your garden there.

- They sure did. Just look at it.

- Where's your men folk?

- Oh, they're up there on the hill cutting timber.

Fine time to be up there.

- Oughta make 'em 'bout as hungry as two dog and me.

Why don't you take these geese inside there

and cook 'em up for US.

I'll have two dog fix up your fence.

Reckon you can make 'em tasty?

- I reckon I can manage, Mr. Thompson.

- Yes, ma'am.

I don't know how many of these old birds I've had,

but it's the undying truth these are the best ever.

- Well...

- I swear I ain't gonna hunt no place else

but in that river bottom from now on.

Must be the feed they get.

- More carrots, Mr. Thompson?

- Obliged, ma'am, but I pass.

I would like some more of that coffee.

Gentle tip, miss Tanner,

pinch more grounds, mite longer boiling,

would just do wonders for that there brew.

- Mr. Thompson, if you don't like my cooking,

you don't have to come to supper.

- You were telling me the easiest way

to ab cross' place, Mr. Thompson.

- You folks keep calling me "mister,"

you're gonna have me shaving.

Ever wonder what's under this brush, boy?

- No, sir.

- Truth is...

If I was you, I'd stay wide of ab cross.

- After what his cattle did?

- Well, now, ma'am,

he's been grazing these here parts for quite a spell.

Sort of got to thinking it was his land.

- Then he's got some more thinking to do.

- And he's certainly going to pay for the damages.

- Well, I can't see him doing that.

- It's time he and I had a little talk anyway

since we're neighbors.

- How high you figure it to be?

- It's above the four-foot Mark, that's for certain.

- Making quite a bit of that water it holds back ours.

- There's enough to last through the summer

and then some.

- With all the water ab cross has got,

why should he want more?

- Let's find out.

- Yah! Yah!

- Yee-haw!

- Yah!

- Ha! Ha!

Hiya! Ha! Ha!

Look at that, Virgil.

Any of you people tell me where I'll find ab cross?

- Who wants him?

- Name's Jim Tanner!

- What do you want?

- I want to see ab cross.

- Anybody ever tell you it is bad manners

to step down before you's asked?

- So you're ab cross.

- What do you want?

- Well, I own that farm down there in the flat.

- I know all about you.

- Do you know that your cattle got into my place

and knocked down the fence and trampled my garden?

- Until just a short while ago,

my cattle have been grazing that land

for the past 25 years, I know that.

- Well, Mr. Cross, they're through grazing it now.

- Who the devil do you think you are?

- Well, I've already told you who I am.

But I'll tell you something else.

All the water on that log dam

above the four-foot Mark belongs to me.

Come the time I need it, why,

I'll let you know and you can release it to me

or I'll go to court.

- This may come as a surprise to you pilgrim,

but there ain't no courts in this country.

And there ain't no laws.

- Well, I've said everything I came here to say.

The rest is up to you.

- Now you hear me.

You can waste your time fencing that land off

against my cattle if you want to,

but come summer, if you're still here,

you're gonna be sitting on the driest piece of land

this side of togady pass.

Now clear off my property

or get shot for trespassing.

- Mister, that advice works both ways.

- Well, I ain't paying you just to stand around.

Start cutting beef.

Yah! Yah!

- Aye-yie-yie-yie.

That piece of land of yours will never be worth

what that water could cost you.

Oh, good boy, Ephraim.

Don't forget the fire wood. - Yes, pa.

- Mr. Jensen, you still haven't told me

where the United States marshal's located.

His office is in Cheyenne.

Mr. Tanner, please, give it up.

Go back east.

Otherwise you may find yourself

putting more than just your sweat into that ground.

- We do appreciate your concern, Mr. Jensen.

Can you tell me how long it'll take

the marshal to get this note?

- [Mutters indistinctly]

You got to figure at least a week

to ten days.

- Ten days?

- Yeah, that's right. Ten days.

Then with that trouble in Johnson county starting up,

well, your guess is as good as mine

as to when or if he'll come here

to settle a land dispute between you and ab cross,

whose family happens to have opened up

this section of territory.

- Thank you, sir.

- Understand?

- How much is the postage to Cheyenne?

All right.

All right, I will look it up for you.

- So by the time summer comes and we really need that water,

the marshal will have settled this thing

once and for all.

- James.

What kind of a man is he?

- What?

- What kind of a man is ab cross?

Is he a violent man?

- All I know is he believes he's right.

- What if he should do something

before the marshal gets here?

- Like what?

- I don't know.

Like try to harm US.

- He's not gonna harm US.

- I got him!

I got him, dad! I got him!

I've got myself another Ralph.

I've got him.

- Let him go, Andy.

Come here, let him go. Let go of that rope.

- What are you--

- Andrew. - Andy, let him go.

Let that go, Andy.

- James, let him go.

- Letting him go.

- Oh, Andrew, honestly.

- Ralph!

- Andrew, you're a fine trapper.

But a porcupine doesn't make a very good Ralph.

You understand?

- Whoa, whoa.

Just a sack. It's not gonna hurt you.

- Doing okay, stubby.

- Hey, Mr. Thompson.

Look, Ralph's leading real good now, isn't she?

- Yeah, she sure is, boy.

You reckon you can handle that little filly alone?

- Sure.

- You just take her over there out of the way.

I need two dog to help Virgil and me here.

Now go on.

Why don't you get up here and let's see how much vinegar

this old girl's got.

- Whoa.

- Okay, boy.

- Come on, virg. Hang on now.

That a way, virg! Stay with her!

- Ride her, cowboy!

Ha! Ha ha ha!

Hang on there, boy.

- Ride her, Virgil.

- Hey!

- Virgil!

Crazy man is gonna kill him.

- Oh, he's all right. Look at him.

- Easy. Easy.

- Did you see that, Mr. Thompson?

Did you see that?

Boy, I can ride this mare.

- Whoa there, boy.

That's enough for one day.

You'll be pony expressing in no time.

- Come on, boys, we got to get to town and back before dark.

Come on. Kate.

- Did you see that, dad? I can ride this mare.

- Yeah? - Did you see, I rode her?

I rode that mare, dad.

I got bucked off, but I rode her for a while.

And did you hear what Mr. Thompson said?

- No, what did he say?

- He said before long I'd be pony expressing.

That mean that I'll be riding with the mail

like those fellas do? - Pony express, huh?

- I got bucked off, but I rode him.

I rode her for a long time.

I rode her two or three... - Virgil!

- Virgil, would you help your mother down?

- Yes, sir.

- Dad, can I have some licorice?

- What? - Licorice.

- Here.

- Don't you go eating a whole penny's worth though

and spoil your supper, Andrew.

- I won't. - Thank you, Virgil.

- Dad, can I buy a hat?

- A what? - A hat.

- Virgil, I can't afford to buy you a hat.

- Dad, I'm getting way too tall

to wear this little old thing.

- Well, you'll just have to make do with that one.

- Yes, sir.

- Mr. Tanner. How are you?

- Hello, Mr. Jensen.

- My wife wanted to pick up a few things there,

if you could help her.

- Yeah, if you'll excuse me just a minute.

I'll be right there. - Yes, thank you.

- Oh, Mr. Jensen.

Did the marshal answer my letter yet?

- Well, I told you it'd take at least a week

to ten days.

- Tanner.

So you wrote the marshal, did you?

- I told you we'd have to handle it ourselves

or let the law do it.

- Well, there ain't gonna be no need

for the law to settle anything,

'cause you and me are gonna settle it right now.

- Kate, will you pick up all the things you need

as quickly as you can and then we'll--

- James!

- Ab, no! Don't ab!

- Let loose of me, old man.

You stay outta this.

- Oh!

- Whoa, boy.

- James!

- I'm sorry.

Let's go home.

- Get on up here, Andy.

Come on.

- Get up, mule. Get up there.

Hiya. Hiya.

Get up, mule. Get up.

Get up there. Get up.

- Fellas. - Sir?

- I want you and cleve

to close that dam down tight.

- What?

- I don't want one more drop of water

going down onto that bottom land,

you hear?

- What you got there, Andy?

- I got a hurt bird!

Ma, got an emergency. [Bird chirps]

- All right. Oh, what's that?

- It's a hawk.

It was just lying there sort of crumpled.

- Well, I think he's got a broken wing.

- Can you save his life?

- Oh, I don't think he's in any danger of dying.

- Well, maybe I better go look for Mr. Two dog.

- Oh, no, that's not necessary.

- But he's awful good at working on animals.

- Yes, I know, but I think if you help me,

I think we can handle this without him.

- You mean you and me?

- Right.

- We'd better feed him some soup.

- Meat. - Meat?

- Meat.

- I'll get some out of the root cellar.

Dad!

Can I use your knife? - Why?

- I need some meat for Ralph!

- Horses don't eat meat. - Not her, my hawk!

It's only a baby now, but it'll grow big.

And I'm gonna train it to hunt like in that book

you read me, virg.

- Yeah.

- It'll get rabbits for US and sage hens.

We won't have to do nothing but sit back in the shade

and let it.

- How soon you figure we can start training him to do that?

- Well, as soon as mom fixes up his wing

and he gets a little bigger.

He just a little thing right now,

but he's gonna grow to be a giant hawk,

'cause I'm gonna feed him nothing but lots of good meat.

Not soup. Hawks don't eat soup.

And you and me will train him, all right, virg?

- All right, but-- - but I'm the boss.

- There you are. - Thanks, dad!

- Andy.

You know, dad, we just gotta make it go over here now.

I mean, how can we ever take a hawk and a horse

all the way back to Pittsburgh?

- Dad! Dad, Virgil!

Come quick! We got no more water!

Dad, Virgil, come quick!

Mom!

Look. - James, what's happened?

- Well, Kate, it's pretty clear what's happened.

- Ab cross.

- Just like it's clear what we got to do.

- Now I thought we had that out.

- But, dad, we can't let him get away with this.

- We're not going to, but we'll do it the legal way.

- It's too late for that. The Marshall's not coming.

- If the law won't come to US, we'll go to the law.

- Go where?

- By the time you go to Cheyenne and back, the crops will die.

- Kate, you pack me a bag.

Virgil, you hitch the mule to the wagon.

- Dad, we have got to have water.

- Now no more talk. - But dad!

- Virgil, hitch the mule to the wagon!

- Virg?

- Virgil can take care of things until I get back.

- James, you're forgetting the lunch I packed for you.

Now just a minute. I just want to--

- why hasn't that boy hitched up that wagon?

- Now hold on. - Virgil!

- Hold still just a minute. I just want to fix your collar.

- Kate. Virgil!

- Jim, will you hold still for one more minute

while I finish?

- Where's Virgil? - He's gone.

- He's what?

- Virg made me promise not to tell ya,

but I'm scared for him.

- Scared about what?

Andrew, where's your brother?

- Whoa. Whoa, mule.

What the devil do you think you're doing?

- I'm getting US our water.

- I told you we'd handle this the legal way.

- I can just get enough down to soak the fields.

- You put those logs back right this minute! Virgil!

- Whoa! Whoa!

- They can't climb out,

ain't worth the salt in his sweat.

He's all through.

- Dad.

- Virgil, Virgil, get over to the embankment!

Get the rifle!

- Hold your fire! My son is with me!

Give me that rifle.

- What are we gonna do?

- Hold on, ab! He's throwin' in.

He's dropped to ruin.

He's stowed up for good.

Now don't kill him.

Ab...

- You can thank your friend here I don't kill you.

Now you take your boy and get off my property

and don't you never come back.

Feathers, you and cleve get the logs back in that damn!

- Hear you talking. - Sir.

- What would my daddy had done to him?

- Just what you done, ab. Just run him off.

- You're a liar.

He wouldn't have shot him in the leg

and stood here talking.

He'd have killed him.

- Mr. Thompson!

Mr. Thompson, come here! They shot him!

Ab cross shot dad!

- What you doing up there anyway?

- I was getting US our water back.

- Here. Stand still.

Let me tie up that bleeding for you, run clear dry.

- Mom, come quick! Dad and virg is coming!

Something wrong's, mom.

Mr. Thompson and two dog are bringing him.

- James! - I'm sorry, mom.

- What are you sorry about? What happened?

- Virgil, get me down from here. - Dad, you better stay up there.

- He was shot in the leg, ma'am.

You just stay up there till we get down to the soddy.

- Who shot you, dad? - It's all right, Kate.

- Ain't all that bad, ma'am. Bullet went clean through.

- Clean through?

- It looks a lot worse than it is.

- He ain't even felt pain yet. [Laughs]

Two dog will have him fixed up in no time.

Lordy, the bullets he's dug out of me,

the lead alone would've sunk the monitor.

- Mr. Thompson, please.

Let's get him down off here. I'll get the bed ready.

- Table's a better place to work on him, ma'am.

- Virgil, you go get some water.

Andrew, you help him. Here, I'll take this.

- Right here. All right, come on down here now.

Just put your weight on me.

All right, there. There you go.

- Is he hurt bad? - Afraid he is.

- If you would've hitched up the mule like dad said,

this wouldn't have happened.

- I know that. Don't you think I know that?

- Virg.

I had to tell him.

I'm sorry, but I had to tell him.

- You did right, Andy.

Now put the mule away.

- Come on, mule.

- Ease up there, mule. Ease up there.

Whoa.

- Hi, virg! - Did you get the wood cut?

- No. - Why not?

I told you mom needs it for the stove.

- Look, ever since dad got hurt,

you've been bossing me around like you was the boss.

- Well, I can't do everything.

Now I've been doing all the hard work around here.

- You're not my boss! - Wait a minute now.

What's wrong?

- When I left here, I told him to cut some wood

and he hadn't-- - well, I told him not too.

- Why?

- Because he's too little to handle that axe

and I don't want him to hurt himself.

- Well, if he can't do a simple little thing

like cut some wood, I don't know what I'm gonna do.

- Virgil! - I'm sorry.

- I see you got the water, son. That's good work.

- Yes, sir! Lot of good it's gonna do the crops.

- You didn't bring much.

- Well, it's the ruts in the road!

I spilled near as much as I got!

- Andrew! - Mom, I was just trying--

- oh, I know. I know. Just fill it again.

Here. And be careful.

Here.

Virgil. - I know, mom.

I'll get the wood cut.

- Well, there's time enough for that.

- That's just it, there isn't enough time to get it all done.

- Virgil, I want to talk to you.

- Mom, listen, I'm sorry I yelled at everybody.

- I know. I know. I know. - Well, then what is it?

- No one blames you for what happened

to your dad, you know.

- I almost got him killed.

- Yes, and you almost got yourself killed too.

You realize what you did was wrong, don't you?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Well, your reason for doing it was right.

Do you understand that?

- I think so.

- Virgil, what I'm trying to say is it makes me real proud

to know that there are two men now

to take care of Andrew and me.

- We're gonna make it here, aren't we, mom?

- Plucking chickens is no fun, is it, Virgil?

- You can say that again. How many eggs you get?

- Eight.

- Too bad we had to kill this good laying hen.

- Sure is.

- Soon as I'm able, we'll go out deer hunting

and this time we'll get him.

But your mother will have some dumplings

to go with that tough old bird.

That'll be mighty tasty.

- Yes, sir. It sure will be.

- Where's Andrew? I haven't seen him since sunup.

- Oh, he's off playing with that hawk of his.

- You mean Ralph. - Yeah, Ralph.

- Ralph.

- Kate, have you got enough flower

for a few extra dumplings?

- Don't tell me that Thompson is out there.

- Oh, no, but I've got a whale of an appetite.

- If I hear one more suggestion from him about my cooking,

he's gonna have to find another table to eat at.

- Dad. Mom, dad, come here quick.

Look!

- It's coming straight at US.

- Oh, my god.

- Virgil, let the animals out of the barn.

- All right, I'll get them.

- Ralph!

- Virgil, take care of the mule! I'll get the cow!

- Where's Andrew? - Virgil, where's your brother?

- I don't know. - We have to go find Andrew.

- What do I do? - Kate. Kate.

Get in the root cellar. Get down here.

Virgil, you check the house and see if Andrew's there.

Go on!

- Andy! Andy!

Andy!

Andy!

- Andrew! Andrew!

Andrew!

- Andrew!

Andrew!

- Andy!

- Andrew!

Virgil! Andrew!

Boys!

Boys! Boys, let's get out of here!

- Ah!

- Hold on. Stay close.

- Virgil, I can't see.

Virgil, are you all right? - I'm here, ma.

- Andrew, where were you? - Virgil...

- James, where did you find Andrew?

- Get the matches. - Where are they?

- On the top shelf. - Are you all right, mom?

Are you all right?

- I can't find them, dad. - They're near the canned goods.

- Virgil, are you all right, Virgil?

- We're all right, mom. We're both all right.

- Oh, thank god we're all safe.

- Ralph's not safe. He's gonna get hurt.

- Who? - Ralph. He's out there.

- Ralph.

- He's all right, son. - No. He's gonna get hurt.

- He'll be fine. He'll be fine.

He can fly away. - Are you sure? [Crying]

- He's better off than we are, son.

He can fly.

- Well, what about my horse Ralph?

Where's she?

- Listen.

- Maybe it's over.

Kate. - No.

- Come on.

- Look at that.

Looks worse than when we first came here.

- We're going back to Pennsylvania.

- Dad?

- Kate.

Kate, for heaven sakes. - I mean it. We're going home.

- Mom. - This is our home.

- Yeah. - Look at it.

- Kate.

- This isn't what I came here for

and I don't want to discuss it.

- Fine. Then you just listen.

- Listen to what? More of your fancy dream talk?

How much more has to happen

before you realize we can't make it here?

- We can make it. - I can't.

- Mom, please. - Mom.

- Virgil. There's nothing here.

Not even the basic essentials for hu--

We have no water

and we have no prospects for any.

A whole spring's work is gone.

Your father has been shot by that maniac.

You children have almost been killed.

Virgil, there's nothing here.

We can't make it. We're going back.

- Are you finished?

- Yes.

We're going back.

- There's nothing to go back to, is there?

- Yes, there is.

There's lawns, and streets, and churches,

and peace, and order, and civilization.

- Kate, now you know as well as I do

we can't get ahead by going back.

- I don't know that.

We can go back and start over again.

That's what I'm going to do.

- I'm not.

I'm not going back there.

If we leave now and find it hard going again,

we'll move again-- and again if we have to.

Mom, when do we stop starting over?

When do we say "this is where we stay"?

When, mom? - Virgil, that's enough.

- I'm not leaving.

You can do what you want, but I'm not leaving.

I'm sorry, dad.

- Andrew, stay with your brother.

- Katherine, we have always decided things together,

haven't we?

The important things.

Well, for the first time, that's not going to be.

We're staying here together.

Because the one thing that's made it all bearable,

that's gotten US through all these years

and will get US through this,

is having one another.

- Mom won't leave US, will she?

- I don't know. Sure hope not.

- Hey, virg, she can't. The wagon's busted.

- Andy, if she really wants to leave,

that's not gonna stop her.

- Virg, mom's never gonna leave US.

Now I got to go find Ralph.

- Don't go too far. - I won't.

- I don't want you getting lost again.

- I won't. Ralph!

Ralph!

- Whoa. Easy, boy.

Howdy, boy. - Hello.

Your horse's leg sure is bad off.

- Yeah, my horse near went down on top of me.

Wind took him right out from under me.

It's a good horse.

- You're a law man, aren't you, mister?

- That's right.

I'm looking for a man named James Tanner.

- That's my dad. - Well, I got something for him.

My name's George jobal, United States marshal.

- This is the court order we've been waiting for.

- Open it.

- Thank you.

Marshal,

we'll drive you to Kelly.

Trade that horse of yours at Jensen's store.

- Let's go. - Giddy up.

- You men got something to do?

- Kate, you're the greatest cook in the world.

- Well, I don't know.

- You know what we got to do, we ought to make up a song.

- About what? - A song?

- Yeah. - About what?

- About the man who brought the law to Jackson's hole.

- Yeah. - Oh, who's that?

- You. - Aw.

- Lead on, Virgil. - Yeah.

- * old Jim Tanner brought the law to Jackson's hole *

- * old Jim Tanner brought the law to Jackson's hole *

- yeah, that's it.

- Well, Virgil, I'm not sure I can claim credit for all that.

- Mm. He's absolutely right, James.

- Ab cross himself said there was no law here.

There is now, dad.

- Well, I'll show you about that old Jim Tanner.

- All right, I'll take you on.

- Oh, Andy, your face!

- * old Jim Tanner brought the law to Jackson's hole *

- go wash it off. Good.

- Dad, can I have some more?

- I'm going to take you, dad, this time.

- Sure, but you do what your mother told you.

- Andrew.

- It sure is a special occasion.

Mom, I think I'll have another piece.

- Fire! Mom, dad, the barn's on fire!

- The mule!

- Get a bucket. - Hurry up.

- Get out of here! Get out!

- Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! - Get out of here!

Yah yah! Get out of here!

- Put the harness by the wagon.

I'll put this ladder.

Go on up, Virgil. We'll hand them to you.

Here.

Get behind the wagon!

- Andrew, come over here.

- It's cross.

You stay here. I'll get the rifle.

- Stay down.

- Ah.

- James! - Dad!

Dad.

- Andrew, get in the house. - No, dad, I can't.

- Kate, get me that rifle.

Kate.

Kate! Kate!

- Dad.

- Dad. - I'll be all right, Virgil.

- I--i--

- it'll be all right.

- I just guess he never took full measure of you folks.

Mr. Tanner, it's gonna take US a few days to cut the logs,

but we're coming back here

and we're gonna put that barn back

just like it were.

Mr. Tanner, long as you are stole up like you are,

we're gonna do everything we can to help you and missus

and the young uns.

Ma'am. - Thank you.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Let's take him home, boys.

- You ready to quit?

- There's reason enough, isn't there?

You know, I still love this country, Kate.

But if a man isn't careful, he can get shot.

- I suppose by the time snow falls,

I could have the house in order.

Virgil can kill enough meat to last.

Mr. Jensen will give US credit at the store.

I'm not worried.

I know we can make it through the winter.

And in the spring, we'll plant a new crop.

- Kate, are you sure?

- I'm sure.

I'm sure for the boys...

And I'm sure for me...

Of what we can have here because of you.

I'm sure because of you.

- Mom! Dad!

My Ralph's come back!

Things are kind of busted up, Ralph.

We'll get them fixed up

and you'll have a brand-new barn to sleep in.

- Where'd you find him, Andy?

- Over there in the Meadow drinking some water

out of the ditch.

You were right, mom.

Ralph's mother brought her back just like you said.

- Did you tell him that? - Yes, I did.

- How'd you know so much about horses?

- Well, I guess I just know about mothers.

- Mrs. Tanner, seeing as how this man of yours is gonna live,

why don't you folks come in and get it while it's hot.

- Get what?

- Now--now just hold on there, ma'am.

If you folks are gonna settle down here like you say you are,

there's a few things I ought to be passing on to you.

- Like what? - Some of my cooking tips.

For example, I'll bet you fry your eggs

in plain old grease.

- Well, bacon grease.

- Eh. Did you ever think of adding just a smidgeon

of bear fat?

- Bear fat?

- See, I can tell by the way you're all goggley-eyed there

you never use bear fat.

Put a little bear fat in there, it don't taste so greasy.

- Virgil. - Virgil, come on in here.

- Now listen up.

I'll thank you for leaving my kitchen this minute.

- I wanted to talk to you about this coffee

you've been making.

- My coffee? What about my coffee?

Mr. Thompson, if you don't like my coffee...

- Come on, Ralph. Don't be sore at me.

That whole storm wasn't my fault.

Come on, now. Quit fighting.

You better make up

'cause we're gonna be here for a long time.