Original subtitles

Sheriff.That's what they still call me.

I don't know for how long.

My name's Sherman.

I've been trailing some rustlers three, four days now.

One of them took a shot at me about an hour ago.

At least, I think it was one of them.

Well, he missed you.

One of my deputies didn't fare so well.

If you can give me some men,

I can take 'em to the spot I was bushwhacked.

I'm sorry, Sherman. I don't have a man to spare.

Now, do yourself a favor.

Don't ride alone.

Look what almost happened to you.

Tell you what,

I might be able to spare some men in two or three days.

That might be too long.

Oh, you mind mailing that for me?

I will.

Thanks, Sheriff.

Hmm.

I ever get caught messing a card like that,

somebody's liable to be shot.

You know she don't like gambling.

Why don't you hide those cards?

Since when are you giving orders around here?

Bring in just the small box of groceries, Gimp.

Leave the heavy work for the somebody

with a strong back but no brains.

When I agreed to let you join us

as cattle broker, it was only to sell

what Gimp and me stole from the association's big outfits.

Howdy.

Big old frown on that pretty face of yours.

Someday that frown's going to stick.

Never mind my face.

Something gone wrong, Jean?

He did. He's been rustling on his own

from the little outfits-- people who can't afford it.

You wouldn't do that, Ralph.

Jean and me, we got a right to get back at the association, but--

Gimp, put the vittles in the kitchen.

I bought us a five pound roasted beef.

Why did you?

Well, maybe I've been losing at cards,

or maybe I figure a head of beef

is just as stole from one place as another.

How'd you find out, anyway?

It's all over town.

And another thing--I heard that a special range detective's

been sent by the association to snoop around on us.

He won't give us any trouble.

I left him in the bottom of a gully

with a bullet in his belly.

Then how come he was in town

talking to the sheriff at ten this morning?

Missed him, I guess.

He must have been playing dead.

Who is this detective?

Name's Slim Sherman. His outfit's the one

Ralph hit over toward Laramie.

Sherman Ranch.

S.R.

Yeah, I remember now.

Well, he doesn't mean anything more

than a sheriff running around these hills.

[ mooing ]

Who was the cattle broker that sold you these steers?

I don't rightly know him.

Young fellow, respectable-like.

Name of his company's right there on top of that bill of sale.

Yeah, I see it.

I know you paid good money for these cattle,

but there's no such cattle brokerage company.

Mister, these steers come from the Squaline Ranch, he said.

These steers were stolen from the Sherman Ranch, mine.

Stolen?

There's no Squaline outfit.

Wait a minute, mister. You ain't gonna arrest me.

I got the bill of sale to prove.

I'm for the men back of this, not you.

[ mooing ]

You know a man hereabouts called Gimp?

Only know of him.

He lives with his daughter...

Jean's her name, and a son.

Where?

About 60 miles north of here, near Cape Creek.

You better hang on to this.

It's not legal, but it might save your neck.

What you writing?

Something to tack on the door while we are gone.

Why?

Because, Gimp, if we were gone

when he came to snoop, he'd wonder why.

This way he'll pay us no mind.

What are you saying on it?

Gone to visit. Help yourself.

Cut new wood

and kindling for whatever you use in cook stove.

Oblige.

That sound like anybody running away?

No, I guess it don't at that.

But I sure wish we could be done.

If this old knee keeps getting any worse,

pretty soon I won't be able to no help to you at all.

If I said tonight's job would be the last, Gimp,

would you like that?

I would, except I'm mostly scared of any last job.

Why?

It's the one that usually goes sour, honey.

Tap this on the door, would you?

I'll get ready.

How many do we cut out?

Half.

No more than Ralph can sell off in a hurry.

You ready?

Yeah, he said he'd have the buyer waiting...

soon as we bring the shipment along.

[ gunshot ]

Gimp, run.

You think we lost him?

Listen.

Think any sensible man who'd see a note on the door,

he'd go in and spend a restful night.

Now, what went wrong?

I don't know.

[ gunshot ]

That stubborn ...

Gimp, go fetch Ralph.

Leave you here?

Our only chance is for me to hide back in Rock Canyon.

At daybreak, you and Ralph can come up behind him.

We'll catch him in a crossfire.

Now, do as I say.

Okay... Come on.

Well...

if you think you're getting away with this

just because you're woman, you're in for a big surprise.

Get on your feet!

We're going for a ride.

You want me to carry you?

You'll never take me in.

It's been tried by better men than you.

Your horse is that way.

Don't make me tell you twice.

Hot enough for you, mister?

What's the matter, you've forgotten how to talk?

We'll camp here for the night.

I'll water the horses.

Camp?

You're first, gonna need your blanket.

First for what?

Your clothes are dirty than you are, wash them, too.

When you get back, I'll have a fire built.

Dry your clothes and cook some supper.

Put this on the bank for me,

and you let that slip in, and you're gonna take a swim.

And just so you won't be tempted to stray,

take off your boots.

What?Leave 'em here.

This is awful hard ground to be following a trail,

even if you could find one.

Maybe I ought to ride back and get us a couple dogs.

No, lose half a day that way.

You don't figure maybe old man Peterson

dreamt all that gunfire last night, do you?

Not likely, he said he heard at least ten, fifteen shots.

Yeah, kind of looks like boot heel marks

leading up the hillside there.

Look at those shells.

You know something?

Wouldn't surprise me none if our amateur lawman,

that Sherman from Laramie, got mixed up in this gunfight.

How do you figure that?

Well, anybody who knows this crazy country

wouldn't be fool enough to ride through it at night.

He don't know the area.

Besides, the last time I saw him, he was so mad,

he might have bulled his way into almost any place.

He might just have picked up few loads of lead here.

Uh, maybe not.

I don't see no vultures around yet.

No, but if he'd have gotten close enough to those rustlers

to get off a few shots, he might still be trailing.

And that means he ain't got long to live

if we don't get there to help him.

Well, if he'd have come north, we'd have run into him by now.

So we ride south.

You all right?

All right.

Mister.

You don't have to be scared.

From what I've seen so far, you're not my type.

That never stopped any man I've known yet.

All right, stay out there and freeze to death.

That way I won't have to prove you wrong.

You can hang your clothes over there to dry.

Coffee's almost ready,

and I got black-eyed beans in the pan.

Potatoes are on the coals.

Later on, I'll skittle us some bacon.

Could help with the skittling, if you want.

Thanks.

Oh, I scooped you a sleeping trench.

Brought your saddle bags over, in case

you got a brush in there for your hair.

You sure ought to do something about that.

Looks like a worn-out floor mop.

SLIM: I'll sleep over there.

Oh, if I leave you with your boots on

while I freshen up, you won't get any notions

to go those horses, would you?

Neither one of them can outrun a bullet.

What's your name?

Jean.

Let me give you another little piece of advice, Jean.

Don't try putting green leaves in that fire.

I wouldn't appreciate another trick right now.

The trail we've been riding

isn't the way to the sheriff at Edgerton.

Where do you think you're taking me?

United States Marshal.

It's a territorial capital.

That's 100 miles.

Seventy-five, now, the way I make it.

Another three days...

with you?

You've been in worse company.

Edgerton's a lot closer than where you're trying to take me.

Guess my friends are worrying you a bit.

Nope.

Well, what then?

You're sticking your neck out a country mile,

so you must have had a reason.

You got those cattlemen back in Edgerton

in a real good hanging mood.

No matter what you've done,

I'm not turning you over to that kind of justice.

They're about dry.

How did you catch on to us?

Oh, a little luck. Hard work, mostly.

Anger.

You know, if you'd have left my place alone,

I wouldn't be here right now.

It wasn't me. I mean, not me, personally.

Oh, I didn't figure it was you.

A woman doing what you've been doing.

No, I figured you'd have more sense

than pull a two-bit raid at my ranch.

Still want to know how you ran us down like you did.

You, your father, and brother

are the only folks around that weren't raising cattle,

and you're right in the middle

of some of the biggest ranches in the territory.

And that started me wondering.

We live off of Gimp's pension.

Gimp's my pa.

You're living pretty good.

Your brother was seen gambling.

Oh, not in Edgerton. He's too smart for that.

And your father, if he is your father,

made quite a few trips to the territorial bank.

Did you come around to our cabin?

Yeah, I read that note.

That was a mistake.

How?

No woman's gonna buy fresh beef

and then go off visiting for a few days

and let it spoil.

Somebody messed up on that one, didn't I?

You're kind of pretty when you smile, Jean.

Can't figure why someone like you would turn to rustling.

Someone like me?

You don't know anything about me.

Well, I'm willing to listen, if you'll talk.

Why should I?

Might help, you might say something

I could pass on to the judge.

Could make it easier for you.

I talked to a judge before.

I didn't get listened to.

When was before?

I was near 16.

My father was a nester.

He had a right to fence our place,

but the cattlemen didn't allow fences,

said it was their grazing range.

My pa refused to knuckle under.

So, one night...

they burned us all down.

They burned Gimp, too.

They killed my pa.

They put a bullet in Gimp's kneecap.

That same night, two of them came after me.

They said about how pretty I was,

me being only a nester's daughter.

Don't touch me.

All right, Jean,

but you go around judging the whole world

by the worst that's in it,

and you're gonna wind up with a hatful of wrong answers.

Think you got that all figured out, don't you?

Oh, no.

Look at that one.

That was pretty good shooting in the dark.

It was a chance hit,

and, besides, you were shooting at me.

Yeah, I was.

I'm glad I missed.

It's not so festered yet,

but will be if the bullet doesn't come out soon.

Have you got a knife?

Guess you can tell I'm not much of a lawman.

Don't have much sense giving a knife to a rustler.

How come you trust me?

I don't,

but if you put that knife some place it doesn't belong,

this is just liable to go off.

Sit down.

He's got her. I know he has.

Eh...

Maybe he's just chasing her.

She'd run toward us, not away from us, Ralph.

Yeah, probably you're right.

If he'd killed her,

he'd take the body to the nearest lawman,

the sheriff at Edgerton.

Yeah, she's alive.

He's taking her to the marshal at the capital.

We can catch him.

I know we shouldn't have left her alone.

Maybe just as well.

He could have shot you and still have her.

That way, I never would have found out

until after he delivered her...

which, now, I don't think he will.

I'm sorry I couldn't get the bullet out.

It's gonna take a doctor to do it.

It's all right. You tried. I appreciate it.

It feels better for some reason.

And you didn't try to cut my throat once.

I thought about it.

Oh, I doubt that. You're not the killer type.

I'd venture to say that I'm the first man you ever shot.

I'm not proud of it, though-- shooting you, I mean.

And I've got no wish to have

your death on my conscience, either.

Well, don't worry about that.

I'm not planning on dying yet.

What you plan and what'll probably happen

are two different things.

You'll never make it to the capital with that wound.

I'll make it-- and with you.

It's your life.

Kind of wish I'd have caught one of the others.

I'm sorry I have to take you in.

If you can.

I can.

Oh, it might work out better for you this way.

What are you, about 23?

I kind of lost track of time past few years.

But you're old enough to inherit the title to that land

your father homesteaded.

When you talk to the judges,

tell them everything that happened.

That homestead belongs to you.

There's got to be a record of it someplace.

There's nothing left.

They even tore down the chimney.

The land's still there.

I tried to tell a judge about what happened once.

He didn't believe me.

You got any guarantee

that the one in the capital will be any different?

Well, if he isn't, you can appeal it.

Take it to the Supreme Court in Washington.

Every citizen has that right.

Not a nester's daughter.

A homesteader's daughter has the same right as anybody!

I don't believe you.

[ animals howling ]

Them coyotes are sure getting brave.

A coyote never sounded like that.

Timber wolf, downwind of us, most likely.

Telling the rest what we had for supper.

Just so they don't get any ideas about us.

I don't mind them tonight,

means your friends aren't near us yet.

If they were, that lobo pack wouldn't be within miles.

I better get some rest.

You too.

Oh, with them so near, I want to keep the fire going.

I don't want your friends spotting this fire

or smelling it during the night.

Don't worry about those wolves.

They're not likely to come down here unless you...

unless you're dying or dead.

What are you doing over here?

Just making sure you don't wander off.

Good-night.

Cold.

This fire was smothered sometime during the night.

Well, he dug two sleeping trenches,

one for her there and one for him yonder.

How do you know which was which?

Well, if it was me, I'd keep both horses on my side

and that's what he did.

Eh?

What about those stakes?

They go for a little swim,

and then they hang up their clothes, friendly-like?

That's one you'll have to ask her...

if we catch them.

We'll catch them, and I sure will ask her--personal.

Get the blankets!

We got to quit for now, Ralph.

Yeah, it's a cinch they won't be going anywhere, either.

Didn't take you long to find this cave.

You knew right where it was, didn't you?

What am I gonna have to do to prove to you

I don't mean you any harm?

I got some beef jerky in here.

I'll split it with you.

Want me to take a look at your arm?

No. It's too cold.

You couldn't do much in here anyway.

Thanks for the offer.

You'll never be able to make it. You've got to go back.

Well, fine.

Are you gonna carry me or am I gonna have to walk?

The shape you're in, won't make much difference either way.

At least you're worried about me.

That's a good sign.

Now try to get some sleep.

[ horse neighing ]

What?

How come you gave me your blanket?

Your teeth were chattering-- chattering so much...

I thought you're gonna lose them.

Weren't you cold?

No.

I had a fever to keep me warm.

You don't look too good this morning.

I've felt worse.

Can't remember when, though.

Let's get moving, Jean.

I'll roll up the blankets.

Thanks.

Now, don't move.

[ horse neighing ]

You're not gonna make it, mister.

Got 'emselves a rattler, looks like.

Yeah...

I don't figure those tracks.

Why separate?

Do you think they did?

There's one set of tracks off that way, fast,

and another set this way.

Maybe the rattler bolted his horse,

gave her chance to make off.

He wouldn't run off and leave her, would he?

I just told you, she made off!

And he don't go after her?

Well, maybe the rattler hit him.

Rattler like that hit you, you don't go far.

You don't even try.

Why, I'd say, now, uh, them tracks there,

they look like a horse boltin'-- nobody riding him.

And this horse, here, he's walking slow

like he's being rode double.

I'm sorry if I had to hurt you.

They'll be back, and they'll find you.

Jean, don't-- don't start it again.

Don't do that to yourself.

SLIM: You're kind of pretty when you smile, Jean.

Can't figure out why someone like you

would turn to rustling.

JEAN: Someone like me?

You don't know anything about me.

SLIM: What am I gonna have to do to you

to prove that I don't mean you any harm?

[ wolf howling ]

Don't worry about those wolves.

They're not likely to come down here

unless you're dying or dead.

Slim.

[ horse grunting ]

Jean, honey, you all right?

Turn the horse loose, Ralph. I'm going.

Going? Where?

Don't stop me, please.

I'm going back. I got to go back!

Easy now, Jean.

What's the trouble?

Slim, the wolf-pack will get him.

Well, that's his problem.

Ours is to get out of this territory as fast as we can go.

Ralph, let go!

But there's a sheriff and a deputy out there somewhere.

That's why we had to backtrack.

How bad is he hurt?

Who cares?

Gimp, help me.

Turn her loose, Ralph.

Are you still trying to give orders?

I am this one.

Now, drop that gun.

Turn her loose.

You shouldn't have done that, Gimp.

She's liable to ride smack into that sheriff.

Maybe she should. Maybe it's right.

Maybe this is when she's growing up.

If she helps save that fellow, he might go easy on her.

Yeah.

He couldn't stand being cooped up for even a day.

No more than I could!

We're just alike, her and me, and I don't want to lose her.

She was never yours to lose, Ralph.

No man can make a woman like him if she don't want to.

Yeah.

Well, I guess you got a point there.

[ wolves howling ]

Slim.

Please...

Wake up!

[ horse neighing ]

[ cocking gun ]

Drop it, Ralph.

Worrying about him

is only gonna get you into a worse mess.

I said, drop it.

Yeah, I guess old Gimp was right.

You got a right to grow up, same as anybody else.

Sheriff.

Help him, please.

What's it all about, Jean?

Pretty long story, Sheriff.

Main thing is Slim's taking me to the marshal in Cheyenne.

He's taking you?

Is he gonna be all right?

Well, Doc's got a rule, anybody's brought to him alive,

he just ain't allowed to let him die.

Guess you better arrest me, Sheriff.

I'm the one who's been rustling from the big outfits.

What?

Me and Gimp, and Ralph.

You ask Slim, he caught us at it.

I may be getting just a little bit old.

I don't hear so well some days.

I figure maybe my hearing ought to be all right

about the time the doc gets Sherman fixed up.

I think I'll wait and listen to what he has to say then.

Well, that should be all I need.

You're sure going to a lot of trouble making a cabin

for an old rustler, aren't you, Slim?

Well, Mike, this rustler isn't old.

Besides, she's not a rustler anymore.

How do you know?

Oh, well, she got her land back.

That makes her a homesteader.

Besides that, she's been in jail for six months thinking it over.

So, the sheriff in Edgerton and I decided

to have a real nice place waiting

for her when she got out.

Sheriff's gonna help too?

Sure.So am I.

Those curtains I'm making, they'll be done in a week.

Now I've packed your lunch.

Don't forget to stop and eat it.

Thanks, Daisy.

Listen, I'll be back in a week.

Mike, you take good care of Daisy and Jess, hear?

All right.So long.

Come on!