Original subtitles

Too bad the rest of this place isn't kept up as well as these records.

Everything check out, Mr. Frazer?

With Daisy doing the bookwork, I don't even have to look at these entries.

You know, it's a shame and a waste, her stuck way out here.

Are you sure she wouldn't come to work at division headquarters?

No, I'm not sure. But I'll tell you one thing,

me and Slim will give you a battle if you try to get her.

Now is that any way for you to talk to an officer

of the stage line?

Saddle me a fresh horse while I finish up here.

For the amount of this money, it better be a fast one.

You let me worry about that.

You just run this broken-down way station.

And another thing. When I come through here again,

see that Daisy's here and not in town.

This is the only place between Cheyenne and Medicine Bow

where a man can get food fit to eat.

And I like to eat.

I'd be glad to fix you something to eat right now, Mr. Frazer.

Uh. I-I'm not that hungry.

They're right here, Page.

Keep an eye on him.

We'd have been better off to try on the road.

That's just where he'd be expecting trouble.

What if there's more in there than we can handle?

If that bothers you, Tindall, you ride on.

What's he trying to prove?

I don't know and I don't care.

Come this far and I'm not leaving empty-handed.

Let's do it the easy way, mister.

Keep your hands right where they are.

You picked the wrong man, sonny boy.

Not with what's on that table, we haven't.

Let's take it and get out of here.

Touch that bag and I'll break your arm.

You ain't all that brave.

Boy, this place sure has gone to seed while I've been in town.

You know, I have a strong suspicion

that you and Jess work for Sheriff Cory

just to get out of chores at home.

What, me get out of work?

Now whatever gave you that idea, Daisy?

Now don't worry about it.

I've got a long list of things for you to do

and you can start by bringing in the supplies.

Give me a hand, Mike.

Slim, when I grow up, I want to be a lawman.

Oh, you do, huh?

Chase outlaws.

Well, what if they chase you?

That isn't the way it works, is it?

Slim! Come quick.

He's bleeding awful bad, Daisy.

You better keep pressure on it.

You're hurt yourself.

- I'll be all right. - What happened, pard?

About 20 minutes ago, three men robbed Mr. Frazer.

He needs a doctor, badly.

Doc Phillips is over at the Bates ranch.

Mike can fetch him.

We better get on the trail.

You're not able to ride.

I can try.

All right, you tried.

Did you see them leave?

Yeah, they went up the slope.

I didn't get a good look at them.

One of them was riding a big spotted gray.

Well, this is going to be their sorriest day.

MIKE: Slim.

You may not believe it, Tindall,

but there are things in this world

a man needs besides money.

Since we met in Cheyenne,

you've taken enough chances to get it.

Forget all about that.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, I never had it so good before.

Maybe you haven't ever rode with a trigger-happy kid before.

It don't matter.

We're splitting up.

Well, now wait a minute.

Now we were good as a team.

I'll take my share of the money and run.

Fine, I'll get the saddle bags, and we'll divide up now.

Now what did you have to go and say that for?

We'd have done real good with him.

He's heading for trouble, the way he's going.

I don't want to be around when it comes.

Rider coming, and he's tracking.

Take those rocks for cover, I'll mind the horses.

Why, that dirty little...

We'll take care of the kid later.

Right now, we got something else to do.

For a kid who ain't interested in money,

he sure got away with a lot of it.

Let's get our horses and follow him.

There was a badge on that rider. What do you want to do?

Help him form a posse? Come on.

All right, hold it.

Get up.

Slow and easy.

A lawman?

I thought you were trying to hold me up.

Oh, you did, did you?

What's the trouble, deputy?

I've ridden a long way, been shot at by your partners.

And two friends of mine are hurt pretty bad because of you.

That's what the trouble is.

I guess I'm supposed to know what you're talking about,

but I don't.

Are you trying to say

you didn't rob the relay station?

Well, there's a man there that can identify you cold.

And that's where we're heading.

Now hold on, hold on. Do you know who I am?

I don't much care who you are.

Not with what you got in those saddle bags.

- Now open them up. - You've got no right to--

This badge gives me all the right I need. Now get moving.

[ gunshot ]

What are you doing on McGovern land?

Deputy sheriff, from Laramie.

This man robbed a stage line agent.

It's Hank. He's dead.

I told you it was his horse.

Hank wouldn't rob nobody.

I say he did.

What makes you all so sure he didn't?

We know him, that's why.

You're going to swing from a tall tree for this.

Hold on.

What for? Enders, get a rope.

I said, hold on.

You admit you killed Hank?

I didn't ask what his name was.

Mister, that badge saves you from dying here and now.

Who are you?

I'm foreman of the McGovern's ranch.

You just shot the boss's son.

Your boss did a rotten poor job of raising him.

I ought to let the boys string you up.

You do that and you'll all hang.

Now you said he robbed someone.

Where's your proof? Where's the money?

He must have hidden it.

He wasn't carrying it when I caught him.

He shot the wrong man, he's just trying to cover up, that's all.

There's no mistaking this horse.

I tracked him all the way from Laramie.

Why all this talk? Let him stretch rope.

JIM: Take Hank's body back to the ranch.

Now or later, it'll all be the same, Jim.

We'll take this badge-wearing killer in to the sheriff.

Go on, Sprock.

Mount up.

And you better have proof for what you say.

By your own words, you said you were trying to look in his saddle bags

and you didn't find any stolen money.

Maybe he was afraid I would.

Maybe?

So Hank's dead on a maybe?

I've known him since he was weaned.

He couldn't have robbed anybody.

I don't care how long you knew him,

or how well you knew his family.

As a lawman, I shot him in the line of duty.

But how do we know you've got a right to wear that badge?

The only thing we know is that my son is dead.

What I want to know is

when you're going to hang the killer.

There's no call for you to ride in from the ranch, Ellen.

Did you think I wouldn't?

You had done what the others wanted,

this would all be over and done with.

Mrs. McGovern, he's wearing a badge.

He isn't wearing it now.

Hold on, Ellen. There's no reason to--

My husband helped put you where you are, Lief Tulman.

Don't think I can't change things now that he's gone.

Mrs. McGovern, if you just hear me out, I'll tell--

Hank was shot down in cold blood,

don't stand there and defend his murderer to me.

I'm defending nobody, but I ain't going to let you take things

into your own hands either.

I have four of my riders here, or is it three, Jim?

Mrs. McGovern, I--

Never mind.

I have ten more at the ranch.

If I need them, I'll get them.

And the army post is just outside of town.

You'd throw away 20 years of friendship to defend a killer?

Hank's killer?

I got to do what I think is right.

It's right that he hangs.

Now that's up to the judge.

It's a good thing Adam didn't live to see this.

Mrs. McGovern.

My husband took a saddle tramp, and made him into a foreman

of the biggest spread in this territory.

This is how you repay his memory.

Adam wouldn't want you to--

You don't know what he wanted. I do.

He fought to bring law to this town.

He wanted his son to carry on for him.

And I promised him I'd raise him so as he could,

raise him exactly like he would have himself.

- Collins. - Yes, ma'am?

You see to it that every McGovern rider

hears what I have to say.

To anyone that kills that man,

I will pay $1,000.

Mrs. McGovern said she'd pay anybody.

You reckon that includes me, Mr. Lassel?

I wouldn't worry about it, Opie.

You haven't got what it takes to face a man like that deputy.

Who says anything about facing him?

Why don't you go crawl back under your rock?

If you're all that concerned,

why don't you send a telegram to Mort Cory.

He'll verify I'm his deputy.

Never you fret about my doing that.

But can he also verify that Hank McGovern

was one of the three that robbed that relay station?

The only man that can do that was shot.

For all I know, he might be dead.

TULMAN: You better hope he isn't.

Well, if he isn't, you're going to have to do some hard changing

of your opinions of the McGoverns, aren't you?

Sherman, I got to go along with what you claim, for now.

But don't you leave these parts until I tell you.

You're telling me or not, I don't intend to leave

until I find that money.

McGovern hid it, most likely where I caught up with him.

When I find it, that's when we'll talk about my leaving.

Howdy.

Howdy.

He's been ridden long and hard.

Take care of him for me?

You're the one that killed young Hank McGovern.

This is a small town, and word spreads fast.

Give him a bucket of oats too.

You are dead wrong about that boy robbing anybody.

Everybody's pretty sure about that.

Everybody but me.

Well, a boy with a family as rich as his, he's got no need to rob--

How soon can you get to my horse?

No son of Mrs. McGovern's ever done what you said.

Not the way she reared him.

Mind if I sit?

I do.

I've heard it all, Lassel, you've got nothing to add.

Now don't be too sure.

Look, I've had my fill of what the folks think of the McGoverns.

Ellen McGovern has offered $1,000

to any of her riders who kills you.

Are you suddenly changing sides?

Or do you think that--

I think the same of you as everybody else.

I might be telling the truth.

It's as much a lie to me as to anybody.

I just don't want her mixed up in murder.

The law will take care of you sooner or later.

And I'll take care of anybody

who tries to shoot me in the back.

Now you stay out of sight till this is over.

It's going to be over when I prove what I've said.

Now Callaghan makes 40 a month in keep.

So $1,000 looks mighty big to him.

Lassel, for what it's worth, I'm no greenhorn.

I carry this iron, and I'll use it if I have to.

You just make sure your men know that.

Sherman?

Are you the deputy from Laramie?

Yes, ma'am.

You murdered my brother.

I'm Laurie McGovern.

I shot him, yes, ma'am.

You murdered him.

He drew on me. I had no choice.

Why did he draw on you?

Somebody's probably told you why by now.

Because you tried to search his saddle bags, isn't that right?

That's part of it.

You forced him to draw.

I didn't force him to do anything.

What he did was what he wanted to do.

If a stranger had done the same to you,

what would you have done?

If I was innocent, and that stranger was wearing a badge,

I would do nothing.

Hank wasn't innocent?

No, he wasn't innocent.

He was part of a robbery.

And for all I know, he was the one

who shot that stage line agent.

That's a lie.

It's a lie because you want to believe it is.

It's a lie because Hank would never do anything

to bring shame to his family.

You wouldn't have known any shame,

if I hadn't had caught him.

TULMAN: All right, that's enough.

All right, everybody, move along.

It's all over.

You should have waited longer, sheriff.

Maybe I should lock you up for your own good.

Maybe you oughta do the same for your friends.

I'm telling you, the way he rode off after Hank,

he never got a look at us.

You suppose he caught him?

Maybe.

Maybe he's got the money now.

Seems like folks around here don't cotton much to him.

Even the law don't.

Wonder why.

It ain't healthy for us to be all that curious

in this strange town.

Let's have that beer.

Maybe we can pick up something.

Yeah, then what?

Two drinks, we'll be flat broke.

Something always turns up.

Or we turn it up.

[ laughs ]

Do you realize what you're doing?

You're offering to pay one of your own hands

to commit murder.

My reward offer still stands.

You have no right, no right whatsoever, to question my orders.

You're working for me.

Yes, ma'am, that's right.

And I've always worked for your best interests. Yours and Adam's.

You think Adam wouldn't have done the same?

He'd have left this whole thing up to Sheriff Tulman.

He would have gunned down that murdering deputy himself.

In the old days, maybe,

but not after he brought law and order here.

Jim, you better decide right now.

Either you do things my way or you're through.

Now you can fire me after this is over if you want.

But I'm not leaving now.

I have run this ranch,

and I have raised my children

since Adam died, in my own way.

And I shall continue to do that, just as long as I am able.

Do you understand?

Did you ever stop to think that your way

excluded help from anybody, including your own son?

That's enough.

Think about it, Mrs. McGovern.

It's true.

And if Sherman's telling the truth...

If what?

You held a hard rein on Hank.

Me and the whole crew watched him like hawks, on your orders.

He was young.

But a man, with no way to show it.

And all at once, you let him take this trip to Cheyenne.

Or maybe something happened.

Maybe Hank had to try his hand at proving himself.

You don't believe that.

Maybe he just tried the wrong way.

And I don't believe it.

You mean we don't want to!

If you're not off of this ranch in one hour,

I'll have you run off.

Mother, what was that between--

Laurie, I-- I want to talk to you.

What was that between you and Jim?

That doesn't concern you.

You fired him.

Collins told me what happened in town today.

Jim's been with us since I was a little girl.

And now you're almost a grown woman,

- and all but brawling on a public street. - I didn't--

You should know better than to make a public spectacle of yourself.

What was I supposed to do?

For one thing, you could avoid someone like Sherman.

I will not talk about it any further.

I just do not want you to repeat yourself as you did today.

Is that understood?

Yes, Mother.

Now go see if Collins

has brought your brother's horse around.

He's waiting outside.

Laurie...

have I been a good mother to you?

Of course you have.

Sometimes a little too strict, a little too demanding?

I don't-- I don't think so.

Just remember I love you.

You're all I have left.

Well.

He looks good, Collins. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Hank loved him very much.

I know, ma'am.

From the time he was a colt, no one else ever rode him,

- except Hank. - I know, ma'am.

Well, take him up the high pasture

and turn him out.

And remember, no one's ever to ride him again.

Yes, ma'am.

Come on, boy.

I told you not to leave town.

The sooner I find that money,

the sooner I can shake the dust off this place.

I'll be back.

You're riding out to the falls?

It's got to be where the money's hidden.

That's also McGovern land.

I'd be careful if I was you.

If you were me, you'd have probably

covered up this whole thing.

[ knocking on door ]

Yes?

There's a couple of men here to see you, ma'am.

I wouldn't bother you but they claim it's about Hank.

Yes?

Uh, we're... we're sorry about what happened, ma'am.

We got to know your boy in Cheyenne,

thought you might like to hear about it.

You know, his last days, so to speak.

It's all right, Collins, I'll see them.

Yes, ma'am.

Come in here.

What did you want to tell me about my son?

Well, like he said, ma'am, we knew him in Cheyenne.

I sent him there on business, for supplies.

About the only thing he bought was poker chips and whiskey.

He drank one and lost the other.

I beg your pardon.

But it's true, Mrs. McGovern.

That's why he joined up with us.

He never would tell us who he was.

But now we know about you, it's plain to see

he didn't want to come back here flat busted.

Why are you telling me these lies?

For one good reason... money.

You can leave now.

Not so fast, Mrs. McGovern.

You see, Hank did rob that relay station with us.

It was him who shot that man too.

Considering what we heard in town

about that clean-living boy of yours,

you wouldn't want that known.

Now would you, ma'am?

You never knew my son.

We knew him all right.

He's the one that stole that money we got from the holdup.

I don't believe it.

Hank once told me about a woman who was always interfering,

never would let him lead his own life.

I kind of figure that would be you.

I told you, you can leave.

Hank sure admired that gray horse

we just saw outside.

He wouldn't let nobody ride him.

Told me himself nobody ever sat that horse

but him from the day he broke him.

I'll give you $200.

Five hundred.

Five hundred.

Apiece.

I have to get it for you.

And you'd better ride a long way from this territory.

We'll do that, ma'am.

Folks said that lawman from Laramie claims

Hank hid the holdup money

out near a spot called Rainbow Falls.

Yeah, so?

We'll take the lady's money,

but there's a lot more than that stacked away in them hills.

I think we better have a look around.

Maybe we ought to let him find the money for us.

And take the chance of him getting away with it?

We'll close in on both sides.

Get going.

When you pick up the mail, come straight home, Laurie.

Yes, Mother.

Under no circumstances do I want a repeat of yesterday.

There won't be.

And...

don't try to see Jim Lassel.

Who's mending that northland fence?

I'll get Sprock on it right away, ma'am.

I told you about that yesterday.

If you're gonna take Jim Lassel's place,

you have to--

You draw that and you're in trouble.

- What are you doing here? - Where are they?

Where are who?

The two riders that tried to ambush me.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Your foreman told me about that $1,000 offer.

And two of your hands just made their play to collect it.

Well, I have to pay them a bonus for trying.

The next ones that try are gonna get six feet of dirt.

And that's a promise.

And here's another promise.

You'll pay for killing my son

and for blackening the name of McGovern with your lies.

You're doing a good job of that yourself,

trying to buy a murder.

Don't preach to me.

You knew you couldn't make your accusations stick,

so that's why you killed Hank, but you killed the wrong person.

If I was lying, do you really believe

I'd hang around here and give you another chance?

Get off my land!

You just remember what I said.

Go ahead.

You just give me the excuse I'm looking for.

Now I'm gonna find that money and the name of McGovern

can face up to its own.

Of course, I'm just a stranger in town,

but it seems to me your sheriff

ought to arrest that Sherman fella.

Well, it's that badge he's wearing

that keeps him free.

Maybe he is a lawman.

Oh, we'll know as soon as Lief gets an answer

to that telegram he sent.

You know, it's a shame no one's tried to collect that $1,000.

Well, somebody would be doing this place

a good turn, getting him.

Uh, what-- What was this about $1,000?

MAN 1: Well, word is Mrs. McGovern's offered it

for killing Sherman.

MAN 2: Well, nobody heard her, but that's the talk.

MAN 1: I hear that's why Jim Lassel quit her.

MAN 2: He didn't quit, he was fired.

MAN 1: Well, either way it's too bad.

All the years he spent out there as foreman.

Believe me or not, sheriff, I told you.

If I have to kill any of her men,

you'll know it was in self-defense.

Ellen never offered any money to kill you, I bet on it.

Are you trying to say you haven't heard talk?

There's always talk. There's not a man in this town

who wouldn't want to settle with you for what you've done.

You know, if nothing else,

this badge ought to put you on my side.

If that badge is really yours,

it still don't stack up to my years in this town.

All right, she's been warned and so have you.

If anyone makes a wrong move with me,

they're gonna have to answer for it.

It's Opie Holler.

- Looks like Sherman shot him. - Let's take him.

Stay back, all of you.

Now that leaves me four shots.

Who wants the first one?

Put that gun down, Sherman.

You get rid of these people and listen to me,

then I'll put it down.

Meantime Opie Holler can die.

Arrest him, Lief, or we'll handle him ourselves.

You step up and try it, big man.

You can't stop us all.

I can stop four of you.

Stop your yapping, help get Opie to the doctor's.

Rest of you, stand off till we hear what happened.

Sherman gunned Opie, that's what happened.

This time I will lock you up.

He tried to shoot me in the back.

Give me your gun.

Why would I lie to you?

I'm telling you the truth.

Sherman shot in self-defense.

Miss Laurie, you sure about this?

I saw the whole thing from Doyle's store.

You heard her, Lief.

Sherman had every right to fire on Opie.

There isn't a man among you

who wouldn't have done the same thing.

That kind of settles it then.

You're a mighty lucky man.

It's all over and done with, now break it up.

- I want to thank you-- - Don't thank me, Mr. Sherman.

I don't think I could stand it.

Let her go.

You're still her brother's killer.

Why did she do it?

Something of what her mother used to be came through, that's all.

When I go to the bank, then we'll be through.

Laurie, Ed has some new material,

would you like some?

- No, I don't think so. - Laurie--

Do you want me to drive you to the bank?

No, thank you. I'll walk.

Hello, Mrs. McGovern.

I thought you left town.

We were leaving, but we decided to change our plans.

Step in here, I want to talk to you.

There ain't nothing you can do about our still being here.

Well, I'm glad you're here, I have a job for you.

Sherman has to be stopped.

I thought your ranch hands were gonna do that for you.

My ranch hands are just that, they are not gunmen.

Well, ma'am, we're more than willing to take care of Sherman,

but you can keep your money.

What Hank hid is enough for us.

You don't know where it is,

and you might get caught trying to find it.

I'll pay you whatever you took from that relay station

to make sure that it's never found,

especially by Sherman.

That's close to $5,000.

When Sherman is dead...

that's what I'll pay you.

You just hired yourself two men who ain't ranch hands.

Who was he, Mother?

I want to know.

That is not any of your business.

I know he was a friend of Hank's.

Collins told me that much and he heard him say it to you.

- Be quiet. - I won't be quiet!

Do you want to have your father's name dragged through the mud?

You've done that more than Hank ever could.

Hank? Hank was innocent.

You don't seem so sure of that anymore.

And you've done nothing about withdrawing

the reward for killing Sherman.

I'm trying to see to it that everything

your father worked for isn't ruined.

You're seeing to it that no one will know

how you dominated Hank so much,

he robbed and maybe killed to prove something to himself!

The fact that Sheriff Cory's telegram vouches for you

doesn't prove Hank's guilty.

You help me find that money, it'll prove him guilty.

You find it yourself.

And when and if you do, clear out of this town.

Yeah, you're less sure now, aren't you, sheriff?

I'm sure of one thing.

I don't want anymore grief to come to Ellen McGovern.

Any grief she's suffering, she brought on herself.

That's enough, Sherman.

All right.

You might feel a duty to old friends,

I won't deny that, but you've got a duty

to that badge you wear, too.

It's the money.

How'd you know where it was hidden?

Hank and I...

we used to play in the cave when we were kids.

Please, just take them and go.

Please, don't go back to town.

Laurie!

Laurie!

Oh, Laurie!

You! You did it.

Oh, honey, I wasn't aiming at you.

I'd do anything to--

You'd do anything to kill him!

She needs a doctor quick, so you better save the talk.

Well, I'll drive her.

No, I don't want you to.

I don't want you near me.

Oh, honey.

I think you got her here in time, Sherman.

Yeah, she kind of had me worried.

Passed out soon after we left her mother.

It's an awful thing to believe.

That's proof of it though.

Yep.

Well, I better show this to the sheriff, be on my way.

Thanks, doc.

He found it all right, I'll bet on that.

You were right about waiting for him.

Take the other side of the street.

Look out!

Thanks for the warning.

You know, it could have been that

nobody would've known about this.

I would have.

And Laurie too.

How is she?

She's gonna make it, with your help.

She won't want any help from me.

I can't really blame her.

Neither do I.

But maybe if we both talk to her,

she might change her mind.

This is the one I'm gonna give Mr. Frazer.

Think he'll like him?

I'm sure he will.

Sure, now that Mr. Frazer's feeling better,

he'll need some good company.

You think his mom will miss him?

Oh, I don't think so, tiger.

At times, animals are a lot smarter than people.

Well, how do you mean?

Well, people sometimes try to hang on to things too hard,

love somebody else so much that

it actually smothers a person they really care about.

I don't see how love could smother anybody.

No, it doesn't usually.

But while I was away, I saw it happen to a family.

A mother did it to her son.

You think that could happen to me?

I mean, getting smothered.

Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, tiger.

When you're ready you're going to be

pushed out of the nest so fast, you won't know what happened.

Yeah, and the way you're growing,

that's gonna be sooner than you realize.

Now you hush, both of you.

He's just a little boy.

Oh, that's okay, Aunt Daisy.

I'm not worried.

I figure by the time I'm grown up,

I'll have to stay around here

to take care of Slim and Jess in their old age.

[ chortles ]

Are we gonna take that, pard?

I don't know. You reckon we can both handle him?

Get him, Slim.

Ha!

Now, boys.

[ dog barking ]

[ indistinct shouting ]