Original subtitles

Jack.

Please.

- Give him a chance to explain. - I'll give him a chance.

Mark.

Who told you you could leave that herd?

Nobody.

I just left.

Mark.

You're supposed to be ridin' flank on a trail herd,

not propped up in a bar in some small-town saloon.

Why, Mark?

Because I'm irresponsible.

I thought you knew that.

And because I am sick of being ordered around by some trail boss...

who is supposed to be workin' for me.

All right.

You don't have to take orders from me anymore. You're through.

Oh, wait. What do you mean?

I mean, this is as far as you go. You're dead weight, Mark.

The outfit can't carry you one step further.

When you get back to camp, pack your gear and get out.

Jack, I don't think that's necessary.Well, I do.

Peggy, I'm trying to do a job for you and your brother, but he keeps gettin' in the way.

You can't throw me off my own drive.

I just did.

And you're gonna have to make a choice.

If he doesn't go, I do.

Well, you know I need you to get that herd--

That settles it.

Mark, you can stand there till kingdom come.

But I'm gonna find a man to replace you. Does anybody here want--

- Mark! - Go ahead.

That gun makes you just as big and strong as anybody, includin' me.

That's enough, mister. He's had enough.

You want what's left?That's up to you.

[ Breathes Heavily ]

Come on.

Mark, you get yourself back at the ranch, or you can meet us at Fort Collins.

I don't care which.

But you keep clear of the outfit as long as I'm in charge of that herd.

I'm sorry.

I really am.

But you know how much that herd means to us.

I mean, we need him.

You need him.

Take care of yourself.

We'll see you at the fort.

Thanks.

Thanks kindly.

He'd have stomped me. [ Chuckles ]

Can I buy you a drink?

No, thanks. I've got one.

Well, thanks.

[ Grunts ] Ay, ay. That hurts.

That's gonna ruin my whole day.Well, you bounce back fast anyway.

Yeah, well, I've had lots of practice.

[ Glass Hits Bar ]

[ Breathes Heavily ] I suppose, uh,

you're wonderin' somethin' about that, uh--

well, disagreement I was in, huh?

Well, I heard most of it.[ Laughs ] Yeah.

Yeah, I guess you did.

I guess it sounded pretty foolish, huh?

Looked that way too.

My own sister.

I wouldn't be too hard on her.

Good trail bosses are hard to come by.

Yeah. That's what I heard.

Say, uh, you wouldn't happen to know...

where I can get a job in this town, would ya?

Oh, to hear Slauson talk, I, uh--

It don't sound very good, but I'm really a pretty good hand.

I just don't like being pushed around by somebody who really works for me.

Well, it's not in this town, but I know where there's a job.

Are you serious?

Shiloh Ranch, near Medicine Bow. I'm the foreman.

You've got a job if you want one.Yeah. Yeah, I want one.

Get your hat. Let's go.Yeah.

The stream comes down from the foothills right over there.

It'd make a good campsite if we can get there before dark.

Nice country.

Not many places anymore where you can, uh, look for miles and miles...

and not see no fences.

Not even in Montana.

That where you're from?Mm-hmm.

And where you drivin' your cattle?

Well, uh, I'm not drivin' 'em nowhere.

I work for you, remember?

But my, uh, sister's, uh, trail boss is takin' em on to Fort Collins.

Fort Collins? They're way off course, aren't they?

That's right. Eastern route's all dried up.

Slauson, uh, said it'd be better to take the long way...

than to try it without water.

Sounds sensible.

See if we can make that campsite.

[ Cattle Lowing ]

Herd's a little quiet.

Get an early start in the morning.

Any luck at all, we should make 10, maybe 12 miles.

Peggy, about Mark--

it, uh-- it had to happen.

Beating him half to death?

All right, I lost my temper. For that, I'm sorry.

But he's been pushing me a long time.

I'm doing a job that isn't easy at best.

And Mark fighting me every turn, it's near impossible.

Well, you know what his trouble is as well as I do.

Sure. He's spoiled.

No, it's not that. It's not that at all.

I mean, half of this outfit is his. You treat him like a hired hand.

You give him every dirty job there is. What--That's what he needs.

Your father should have rode him hard and heavy years ago.

There's no easy way to become a cattleman, Peg. You know that.

You never start at the top, and Mark's got a long way to go.

Well, you're right.

[ Laughs ] I know you're right.

But he's my brother, Jack.

I love him.

- I know how he hurts. - Yeah.

Well, he's not hurtin' near as much as you'll both be hurtin'...

if we don't get that herd delivered on time.

Peg.

I kind of feel like I have a stake in this family. I wanna do right by it.

[ Laughs ] I guess most of all, I--

I really wanna do right by you.

Now, we've never really talked about us-- you and me--

and this might not be the time.

But after all this ruckus with Mark, I got to know.

Do I have a stake in your family, or am I just whistlin' in the wind?

Is Mark's attitude gonna spoil things for us?

He's my brother, Jack.

Yeah.

[ Drink Splashes ]That he is.

Well, I guess I'll take another look around.

Good night.Good night.

Those cattle out there--

they, uh, from Shiloh?

Some of 'em maybe.

From any of a dozen or so ranches around Medicine Bow.

Yeah, that's the way it ought to be. Open range for everyone. No fences.

- Doesn't always work. - Pa used to say,

"Beef's the most important thing there is."

A lot of ranchers feel that way.

He used to say that the only thing a man needed out of life...

was a good ranch, a good trail boss...

and a good man to leave it to after he was gone.

Hmm. Well, at least he got two out of three.

You know, I really wanted to draw on Slauson.

[ Laughs ] I really did.

Trail boss? Uh-huh.

It's one of the things that impressed me about you-- the fact that you didn't.

Well, it wouldn't have impressed my father.

You know why he left, uh, control of the ranch to Peggy?

He didn't think I could handle it.

He didn't figure I could handle the ranch or Slauson or anyone.

[ Chuckles ]

And you know the hard-- the hard part about it is that he was right.

You wanna know somethin' else?

You know why I didn't go for my gun?

Because I cannot hit the broadside of a barn.

That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Well, now, you can say that.

You just don't, uh, carry that gun. You know how to use it.

- What makes you so sure of that? - Ah, come on.

Just the way you are. You're not afraid of anyone or anything.

That's not so, Mark.

Yes, it is.

And Slauson, he could see it.

He could just tell it by lookin' at you. That's why he backed down.

Well, now, there might be another reason for that.

Maybe he just didn't figure he had anything against me.

Now, the way it looked to me--

he was just mad at a cowboy who disobeyed his orders.

Now, you don't mean that.

Sure I do. And you did hit him first or try to.

- Well, now, I had to do something. - Could've walked away.

Slauson did.

You know, the important thing about a gun is...

not knowing how to use it, but knowing when not to.

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshot ]

[ Gunshot ]

[ Gunshot ]

[ Gunshot ]

[ Clicks ]

It's like you're pretty mad at that piece of wood.

[ Sighs ]

[ Sighs ] No. I'm just mad at myself.

Hmm. Pretty fast, Mark.

[ Sighs ]

Yeah.

Pretty fast.

Takes more than that though, doesn't it?Yeah, it sure does.

You know, every now and then...

I can feel it.

I can draw and I can shoot.

And I know that I can't miss.

And I don't.

'Cause you're shootin' straight. Not just fast, but straight.

Yeah, that-- [ Laughs ]

that doesn't do much good if somebody else is always shootin' it straight and fast.

Pretty anxious to shoot at somebody, aren't you?

No, I'm not.

Just like you said last night,

I'd like to be able to know when not to use it,

but know that I can if I have to.

Simple enough. It's good to know.

As long as you don't let the gun handle you.

Yeah, what do you mean?

First, you have to learn to see all over again.

I mean, a different kind of sight.

When you really see what you're looking at,

you forget about everything else...

until there is nothing else.

Just the target.

Then it's a combination of seeing and feeling.

The target's what you see.

The gun's what you feel.

When you can see and feel together...

without having to think about either one,

then you can stop worrying about it.

Well, now, there's more to it than that, isn't there?

That's right.

But the rest only has to do with you--

your insides.

You have to be very still,

calm.

Everything else may be moving, changing,

but not you.

You're all alone, and you're calm.

Now, it isn't easy being calm when you're mad.

You don't get mad, Mark.

Whether it's a piece of wood in the water or a rattlesnake on a hillside,

you just don't get mad.

Oh, wait a minute. Not yet.

Try and really see that piece of wood, Mark--

I mean, really see it--

until there's nothing else there.

- Not on the sides, the front-- - [ Gunshot ]

I saw it.

That's all there is to it.

Except pieces of wood don't shoot back.

[ Gunshot ]

[ Gunshots ]

[ Cattle Lowing ]

I wouldn't want you to hurry.

I think we got it here. One more ought to do it.

Yeah, that'll hold.

Howdy.Howdy.

- I was wonderin' when you'd show up. - Trampas, Belden.

This is Mark Shannon. Mark's gonna work with us.Glad to meet ya.

Same here.

The judge get off to the cattlemen's convention all right?

Two days ago. Took Betsy with him.

There's a trail herd headed our way.

Owner's name is Shannon.

That's right.How'd you know?

Well, we got a telegram from Bill Sanderson in Casper. It's addressed to the judge--

You, uh, ride through Casper by any chance?

That's where I met Mark. What about this telegram?

- Spanish fever. - Where?

Casper. Old man Sanderson's outfit is nearly wiped out.

You got any idea what brought it in?

Sanderson said it was the Shannon herd.

That couldn't be. They don't have the fever. I know it.

All right, you boys ride to the neighbors, as many as you can find.

Tell 'em we'll meet as soon as possible at the saloon in town.

[ Mark ] Yo.

You, uh, suppose, uh, there could be trouble over this?

Not if we can help it.

[ Galloping Hooves ]You wanna go back and tell your sister, Mark?

Let Slauson do that.

He's the big man of the outfit now.

Suit yourself.

[ Cattle Mooing ]

[ Shouting, Whistling ]

[ Chattering ]

[ Chattering ]

Gentlemen. Thank you all for coming.

I guess you all realize we may be faced with a serious problem here.

That's what we gathered from the telegram. What do you think we ought to do about it?

Well, whatever we do, we better do it together.

Mr. Wingate.

I haven't had any experience with Spanish fever. Have you?

Yeah. Once. Down in Texas.

All right. Now, gentlemen,

since Shiloh represents the largest investment here,

I move that we have the Virginian handle it.

- [ All Affirming ] - All right. I'll do the best I can.

First of all, we've got to make up a list...

of all the ranches that, uh, could be affected...

if that Montana herd is carrying Spanish fever.

Looks like about half of us are represented here.

The rest of you are gonna have to be responsible...

for notifying your nearest neighbors of the problem.

Oh, maybe this fever-- maybe it ain't as serious as we make it sound.

I'd like to agree with you. But it's serious, all right.

Spanish fever could go through this valley in one day.

Our losses could be as much as 90%.

But that-- that Montana herd can't be sick, or they wouldn't keep 'em movin'.

Some cattle are immune to the fever.

They're healthy enough themselves, but they're carriers.

That may be the case with this Montana outfit.

Well, I can't take a chance like that.

I didn't winter good. If I was to lose 20 or 30%--

All of us feel the same way, Mr. Dade, regardless of the size of our outfits.

Well, you know I'm not a man to go lookin' for trouble,

but I think maybe we ought to ride out there and meet this herd...

and tell 'em they gotta turn back.

[ Chattering ]

Do you have any idea what might happen...

if 20 or 30 of us went ridin' out into that cow camp?

Those boys might just start shootin'.

And they'd be well within their rights.

Start a stampede in 70 different directions.

And that'd be a fine way to end an epidemic, now, wouldn't it?

Well, I was just thinkin' out loud. Well, we gotta do something.

Sure we do.

First off, I'm gonna ride out there and talk to those folks.

Talk to 'em? With 20,000 to 25,000 head of prime beef at stake, you're gonna talk?

Seems like a good place to start to me.

Find out what they know about this outbreak in Casper.

Now, you're running this. Just tell us what you want the rest of us to do.

I don't want you to do anything yet...

except make sure your strays don't get mixed up with that Montana herd.

And if they do, let 'em be.

I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.

Right now you all better get busy and let your neighbors know what's going on.

- Let's go. - Yeah. That's a good idea.

Well, you, uh-- [ Clears Throat ]

enjoy being a leader of men?

Must be wonderful to have such a keen sense of humor.

[ Chuckling ] I just thought maybe you might need a little cheering up.

You know, I like the way you handled it.

They're good people. Nobody likes the idea of being wiped out.

Yeah, not even those Montana ranchers.

That's gonna be part of the problem.

The other part's gonna be finding out...

whether that Montana herd is really carrying Spanish fever or not.

You got any ideas about that?Yeah. One.

Well, that's not bad.

Not bad at all.

Thanks.

You, uh, got someone special in mind?

What?

A man spends as much money as you do on ammunition,

I figure he's, uh, plannin' on the real thing.

You're wrong.

I, uh, just wanna be able to defend myself.

Against who?

Anyone.

You know how to handle a gun,

nobody's gonna be pushin' you around.

Yeah.

I never gave it much thought when my pa was alive.

Being pushed around, I mean.

Running a ranch is a man's job.

But your old man didn't see it that way, huh?

No.

How big a ranch is it?

Oh, it's a good size.

Well, leastways always seemed that way to me.

- How many head of cattle do you have on it? - None.

Huh? That's all of 'em-- right out there in that trail herd.

We've, uh--

She's got to sell 'em all.

See, my pa left somethin' else.

He, uh, left a mortgage.

Gonna take every cent of that sale to, uh, pay it off.

This Spanish fever business is gonna hurt that sale.

Well, frankly,

I really don't care.

She's your sister.

Well, that didn't stop her from, uh, throwing me out, now, did it?

You, uh, headin' on back?Yeah.

Big meetin'?Big meetin'.

What'd you decide?Nothin' really.

I'm gonna ride out and talk to 'em, see if I can get 'em to hold up for a day...

till we can figure something out.

- Want me to come along? - All right.

See if you can find Belden for me, will you?

Mark.

Your sister could be in real trouble with that herd.

- Maybe she could use an extra hand. - You tryin' to get rid of me?

No. Just want you to know you have a choice.

No, I don't.

She made the choice for me.

You wanted to see me?Yeah.

You think you could find that Shannon herd if you had to?

- Well, I don't see why not. - All right. I want you to ride out there right now.

Take about five head of cattle with you.

Turn 'em loose somewhere near that herd and then stay put.

Whatever you say.

Hey, wait a minute. I don't get it.

Now, look, if their cattle is sick and we mix ours in with 'em,

then our cattle are gonna die.

You'll get it.

This shavin' twice in the same week,

a man could wear his face out.

What's this, uh, Shannon woman like?I don't know.

Well, you saw her, didn't you?

Well, if you wanna know what she looks like, I can tell you that.

- That's all I asked. - Pretty woman, but she's got a problem.

You mean her brother or her cattle?

Both.

That's what I thought you meant.

You all right?Listen.

[ Galloping Hooves ]

You lost or something?

Uh--

No. You, uh-- You invited me, remember?

You said I had a choice.Did you make it?

No. Not yet. But, uh--

I figure I got a right to find out what's-- what's goin' on.

Now, if you don't want me to ride with you, I'll, uh-- I'll just go on ahead.

Yeah, you can ride with us. Just remember one thing.

Whatever side of the fence you're on, we're not lookin' for trouble.

- You find 'em? - About a mile ahead. Bedded down pretty good.

- Take care of that little errand? - Yes, sir.

All right. Let's go pay our respects.

[ Cattle Lowing ]

You can tie him up, Sam. I'm through with him for the night.

Good drive today.Yeah, it sure was.

It's good bed ground too.

The cattle are already settled in.

Well, then maybe you can get some rest for a change.

Yeah, maybe.

You want some coffee?

I'd like some coffee.

Thank you, ma'am.

You know, I've been thinking.

About Mark?

About you and Mark.

Peg, when I said that about having a stake in your family,

I-- I was including Mark.

Just like you, I--

I want him to turn out to be a-- a fine man like your father.

That's for my sake as well as his own.

The only trouble is every time I try to teach him somethin',

I seem to go about it the wrong way.

Yeah, what I mean is, maybe this trail drive wasn't the time or the place.

When we get back to the ranch, the pressure will be off.

Yeah.

Yeah, maybe so.

Meanwhile, I sure wish I could get him to stop thinking of me as a rival.

Well,

that might not be easy. [ Sighs ]

You see, in a way you are.

I mean, I'm all he's got left.

- Peg. - I don't wanna talk about that now.

I don't wanna be forced into answering questions that I don't know the answers to.

I don't want the answers to be wrong.

All right.

But we're gonna talk about it...

after this drive is over,

after we're back at the ranch.

[ Galloping Hooves ]

Wouldn't be our men coming in.

Not all at once.

- Mind if we come in? - Come ahead. Step down if you want.

Thank you.

- Mark. - What are you doing here, Mark?

I thought you went back to the ranch.

No, that's what Slauson said. I didn't say I was gonna do it.

All right. What kind of trouble is he in?

Oh, I ain't in no trouble, leastways no trouble you didn't put me in, trail boss.

Miss Shannon.Yes?

I, uh-- I represent the local cattlemen's association.

We understand you're headed for Fort Collins. The boy's ridin' with you.

You know good and well where we're headed. What about it?

- Is he speaking for you? - He is.

Well, now--

You're a couple of hundred miles off your course.

Eastern route's dried up.

Without enough water, we'd lose 20, maybe 30%.

No outfit can stand that. Why do you bring it up?

The other ranchers in this area would like you to turn around and take the other route.

Well, we can't do that.You haven't heard our reasons yet.

Your reasons don't matter, mister. The answer's still the same-- no.

Well, there's a good chance your herd is carrying Spanish fever.

[ Chuckles ]

That's a pretty big statement. You got anything to back it up?

Telegram from a rancher in Casper.

The fever hit his herd right after you moved off of his rangeland.

Well, what else?

Is that all? A telegram from Casper? What kind of proof you call that?

I never said we could prove it.

There is a big possibility.

Now, there's 25,000 head of cattle in this valley.

I can't believe any cattleman would take a chance of infecting 'em.

Well, we have a contract with the army.

And there's a penalty clause,

a performance date and a head count guarantee.

Considerin' all that,

it's hard for me to believe any, uh, cattleman would expect me...

to take those cows over a route where there isn't enough water.

You just have to look at our cattle to see that they're perfectly healthy.

Miss Shannon,

some cattle are immune to the disease.

They're healthy themselves, but they infect other animals--

mostly cattle that have been raised in a different part of the country.

It spreads like wildfire.

- [ Exhales ] - Well, just what do you want us to do?

Like I said before, go back where you came from.

[ Laughing ]

I guess I'm kind of slow.

All right. How much do you want?

It seems pretty obvious what this is all about.

How much money do you want to let us take our cows through your valley?

Nothing.

But I'll make a deal with you.

You agree to hold your herd here for one more day,

I'll see what I can work out with the cattlemen's association...

to make it worth your while to turn around and go back the other way.

What if I still say no?

Then you're riskin' a range war.

How many men you got?

Six? Eight? 10?

You wouldn't have a chance.

All right. It looks like we'll have to go along with you.

- But... one day. - [ Chuckling ]

Good enough.

Miss Shannon.

Oh, by the way,

you may not believe this,

but there isn't a one of us here in this valley...

that doesn't hope we're wrong about your herd.

[ Cattle Lowing ]

I think you're right.

Uh, I'm needed here.

Good luck.

Our hero, huh?

I got nothing much to say to you, Mark.

Why don't you just ride out of here?

Big, tough, strong trail boss.

Mark, don't start that again. Why not?

What are you, some kind of big hero?

Now, what did he do that any 10-year-old girl couldn't do any better?

You simmer down, boy. Go join your friends.

Why is he capable of running my ranch...

and I'm not?

Now, the only thing that he can do any better than me...

is, uh, backin' down and crawlin'.

I mean it, Mark.

I think you ought to ride out of here.

No. Well, I'm-I'm not going anywhere.

I own half this herd. You remember?

So, we're gonna get back to that again?

[ Chuckles ] No, no, no. Not again.

For the first time.

I'm stayin'.

All right.

Bert must be tired. Why don't you go relieve him? He's ridin' perimeter.

[ Chuckling ] Now, you still don't seem to understand. I said I own!

Mark, I don't think you understand.

I got enough trouble-- especially now-- without you giving me more.

You know somethin'?

You're nothin'.

I never knew that before.

Now, maybe that's 'cause I was less.

But that was then,

and this is now.

And you're nothin'.

All right, you wanna fight. I'll give you credit. But this is not the time.

This is now! And you're nothin'!

You talk to him, Peg. I'm not gonna listen to this.

[ Mark ] Maybe you're the one that ought to ride out of here.

Now, you hold on, boy. [ Mark ] Go on!

Go and say it, Jack. Tell me. Tell me to draw.

You tell me that this gun just makes me just as big and strong as any man.

Huh? Including you.

- Come on, Jack. You just tell me that. - [ Screams ]

[ Galloping Hooves ]

Oh!

Is there a doctor in town?Yeah.

But he's hit bad. I wouldn't try to ride him in.

Then would you put him in the bread wagon, please?

Ooh.

I'll send one of my men for him.

It'd be faster if I go myself. I know where to look.

Thank you.

What happened?Just the way you said.

I-I-I was calm inside, and I could see him.

You know, I'm-I'm-- I could really see him. It was just him.

I meant why.Oh, well, uh, he didn't believe I was back to stay.

Is somethin' wrong?You never heard a word I said, did you?

About when to use a gun and when not to.

You only heard the part you wanted to hear-- about how to kill.

That's not true. He-He'd have killed me.

I don't believe that.

You haven't had anything else on your mind since I first met you.

I just wasn't smart enough to see that.

No, that isn't the way it happened. He drew on me first.

You can tell it to the sheriff.

He'll probably be out here with Doc Spaulding.

You, uh, want me to go along and make a statement?

I don't care what you do.

There's a wounded man in there.

A man you shot.

I had to.

I thought you might be interested in whether he was going to live or die.

Well, I think he'll live.

He's pretty lucky.He's lucky.

You almost murdered him.

You saw what happened. He tried to draw on me.

Oh, Mark. Do you believe that?

I mean, do you really believe that Jack--Yes, I believe it!

All right.

All right.

Well, have you thought about what we're gonna do now?

Yeah. We're gonna get the cattle on to Fort Collins.

Well, how are we gonna do that, hmm?

- On which trail? - I haven't decided yet.

Oh, you haven't decided yet.

That's right.

Or maybe you don't understand what happened tonight.Yes, I understand.

I have taken what's justifiably mine!

I see.

Oh.

Peg, I--

It's gonna be all right.

I promise.

Gettin' those cattle through is just as important to me as it is to you.

Maybe even more.

You know? Come on.

You see, it's gonna be all right. It's gonna be all right.

You off to the meeting with the ranchers?Mm-hmm.

Maybe I can convince 'em to do something to help out the Shannon outfit.

You think Slauson's being wounded is gonna change anything?

The problem hasn't changed.

Uh, don't you think you were just, uh, a little hard on the kid?

He wanted to kill a man, and he used me to teach him how.

And you think I was hard on him, huh?

Oh, it might not have been that way, you know.

I had a talk with him the other day. He said he didn't wanna get into a gunfight.

I believed him.Why?

Well, I don't know. Maybe it was the-- the way he said it.

He's no killer. He's just, uh--

just a kid in a man-sized body, that's all.

Yesterday afternoon he wasn't a killer.

Last night he almost made it.

Let's hope that's as far as he goes.

Well, that, uh, seems like a complete enough statement.

- And you're sure no one else saw it but you? - Yes.

- Your trail boss drew first? - Well, that's what he told you, wasn't it?

[ Door Opens ]

[ Door Closes ]

Yeah, that's what hetold me. But you didn't.

Well, he drew first.

And you agree with that?

Well, uh, he tried to draw first.

But, uh, he wasn't fast enough.

- Good for you. - May we go now?

Yes, ma'am.

I, uh, hear you're gonna have another big meetin'.

That's right.

Miss Shannon, there's not a rancher in this valley...

who doesn't appreciate what it means to have to get a trail herd through...

in time to meet a contract date.

All we ask is that you realize what Spanish fever could do to our cattle.

While Slauson was in charge, he said he'd hold up for one day.

I'll honor that one day.

But that's all.

Will you let us know what happens at the meeting?

I sure will.

And when I do, uh, who should I talk to?

Well, it has to be Mark. I don't have anyone else.

He's gonna be your new trail boss?

That's the way it has to be.

I got a message you wanted to talk to me.

You add anything to that?

No. I wasn't there when the shooting took place.

How's Slauson?Oh, Doc Spaulding says he'll live.

He's a strange fella, that Slauson.

- What do you mean by that? - Well, I rode out there last night.

Slauson swears up and down he lost his head,

and he drew on the kid, and the kid fired in self-defense.

You, uh-- You think it could have happened that way?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Yeah. Well, it isn't important now.

You go have your meeting.

The sooner you get this thing settled, the better I'll like it.

You think I won't?

Ah, it's not the same thing.

Your problem is trying to stop a trail herd,

and my problem is trying to keep the peace.

We may not even be on the same side.

Now, wait just one minute.

You're talking about this whole county--

25,000 head of cattle.

Your bread and butter and mine. Everybody who lives here.

I'm talking about how I'd hate to ride out there with a badge on...

and face all my neighbors and some of my friends.

You know we're not lookin' for trouble, Emmett.

I know there's been one shooting already.

Sometimes that's all it takes. Now, you know that.

Now, you go have your meeting.

I don't wanna get mixed up in this.

I'd like to see it worked out where I don't have to.

Believe me, so would I.

[ Chattering ]

[ Door Opens ]

Gentlemen.Glad you're back.

Sit down.Thank you.

Where do we stand?Just about the same place we stood yesterday.

Except for one thing: they've agreed not to move their cattle for 24 hours.

[ Blowing ] Did they admit to you...

that their herd was carrying Spanish fever?

No, they didn't admit it because they don't know whether it is or not...

any more than we do.

Their main concern is gettin' their cattle to market.

Yes, and our problem is to see that they don't cross our range.

And we're right back where we started.Well, not quite.

We could offer them some kind of a settlement.

Settlement? Why should we make a settlement? This ain't our problem.

Well, it's gonna be if that herd moves across our range.

- What have you got in mind? - I'd like to be authorized to tell 'em...

that we'll pay market price for some of the cattle they lose by going around the other way.

Uh, how much of a guarantee are you suggesting?

Up to what point?

Well, that's something we'd have to work out among ourselves.

Uh, we could chip in according to the size of our outfits.

Say, uh, 10% of their losses-- $20 a head.

Well, I'm against it-- for two reasons.

It ain't our fault that their cattle are sick.

We don't know they aresick, Mr. Dade. Not yet.

Second, I can't afford it.

Well, that's my problem too,

and I don't think you'll find it any different with any of the others.

[ Chattering ]

But, gentlemen, Shiloh can't handle this all alone.

No, but that don't alter the facts none.

Now, either we stop 'em or we let 'em through.

And I say that until they prove that their cows won't infect our herds, we stop 'em.

[ Chattering ] [ Man ] Yeah, yeah!

[ Chattering Continues ]Stop 'em.

Anybody disagree?

All right, we stop 'em.

We'll have to set up a quarantine line.

We'll have to organize.

Now, do you wanna take care of this?

No. But I will.

Take care of him.

Wanna tell me about it?We're gonna stop 'em.

How? Quarantine line.

- That the only way? - Looks like it.

Haven't got time to hire a lawyer and go to court.

The sheriff doesn't have any authority to stop 'em.

- I guess it's up to us. - But you don't like it.

No, I don't like it. Why should I?

With the judge gone, I guess it's the only way.

Well, then,

ain't much point in, uh, losing any sleep over it, is there?

I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it. That's what I've got you around for.

[ Sighs ] Whatever you got in mind, I don't think I'm gonna like it.

I'm afraid you won't. But look at it this way.

It's absolutely necessary.

Right now they're camped just over our north line.

I'm gonna ride out and give 'em the bad news.

If they're smart, they'll turn around and go back.

But there's a chance they might try to double back...

and come through anywhere along a 20-mile front.

And you want me to patrol those 20 miles.

Well, I'm sure you could do it all by yourself.

But just to be on the safe side, why don't you take five men with you?

Spread 'em out as thin as you can.

Go for the high ground-- the best visibility.

And let Dade and Wingate and the others know too.

If each ranch patrols as large a section as they can,

there won't be a chance that they can slip through.

Well, when do you want us to start?

Same time I do-- right after supper.

He was asking about you.

Why?

You never really knew Jack Slauson, did you?

In spite of the fact that you've known him most of your life, you never really knew him.

Well, I, uh, knew him as well as I really wanted to.

Well, in that case, there's very little reason to tell you what else he said.

That's right. But I suppose you're going to anyway.

He wants to see you, when you have the chance.

[ Grunts ]

You wanna talk to me?

[ Laughs ]

Ah.

By rights, I shouldn't care if I ever talked to you again,

but somebody has to.

Has to what? Make you understand...

the difference between being in charge of an outfit and just saying you're in charge.

Now, hold on, ramrod.

That's what you are, isn't it? Um, a ramrod?

Yeah, that's right.

You've got a responsibility now-- a big one.

For once in your life, try to live up to it.

I intend to.

I mean, like a man, not like a boy trying to prove something to himself.

Do you have any idea what could have happened last night when you pulled that gun?

Well, I know what did happen.

No.

I'm talking about your cattle.

A shot in the middle of the night.

If those cows had been the least bit spooky about anything...

or if our camp had been a quarter mile closer to that main body,

right now your herd would be scattered from here to Canada.

Now, you don't like that, hmm?

Something you never thought about.

Well, from now on, boy, you think about everything all the time.

And you remember, no matter what you feel about me or me about you,

we're not alone on this.

The only person really counts is your sister.

Now, you got a job to do. You do it right.

It's important to her.

Now, I'm gonna tell you the same thing that I told Peggy.

I intend to get those cattle through to Fort Collins.

And if I don't, well, you can stop worrying.

I'll be out of your way for good.

[ Galloping Hooves ]

Hello, Mark.

- I'm alone. - All right.

You got somethin' you wanna say to me?

- You're running this outfit. - Yep, I'm runnin' it.

You forgot to ask me to come in.

No, I didn't forget.

All right. Step down.

I was, uh-- I was rough on you last night.

Maybe I was wrong. If I was, I'm sorry.

[ Laughs ] Well, you know, I'm not surprised that you aresorry.

What do you mean? We're on opposite sides now.

Uh, you've got to deal with me.

You don't understand, Mark. I'm not here to deal.

Oh, well, then, uh, make an offer. No offer.

They want you to turn around and go back.

- No. - You'll have to take the eastern route.

- I said no! - It's the only way, Mark.

No, it's not the only way.

And you said the same thing to Slauson.

He turned you down. What makes you think I'd accept?

Because I don't think you're foolish enough not to.

I'm sorry, Miss Shannon.

I thought when you asked for 24 hours,

you said maybe something could be worked out.

I tried. I really did. We just can't afford it.

All they can do is maybe lend you a few men.

Now you're beginning to give in. What else?

- That's it. - Well, that's not enough.

That's just not enough!

- Mark, maybe we-- - You stay out of this!

Maybe you ought to listen to her.

And maybe you just better ride on out of here.

Unless, uh, you'd like to stay here permanently.

You'd try it, wouldn't you?

Yeah. Why not?

You figure, uh, I owe you somethin'?

No. I owe you-- an apology,

for giving you something you don't know how to handle.

And now I'm gonna give you something else-- a little advice.

I don't need to take anything from you.

Trampas asked me if I thought you'd grown up any. You know what he meant?

- I said that I-- - He meant a boy with a gun...

doesn't last very long in this country.

That's lesson number two.

I think you'd better learn it.

We expect you to move out first thing in the morning.

He can't do this to me.

I'm not gonna let him do it to me!

There wasn't anything personal in what he said.

Not anymore.

I'm not sneaking away like no whipped dog no more.

For you or Slauson or anyone!

There isn't one thing in the world that we can do about it.

We're moving out in the morning.

Oh, yeah.

We're moving out, all right.

And we're not moving back.

We're gonna move straight ahead.

What do you think they're gonna do when they see us coming, huh?

Nothin'. They won't have a chance.

We're gonna be traveling too fast.

Oh, Mark, I don't know what you're talking about.

- We're gonna stampede 'em. - What?

You know your formal trail boss?

Well, he gave me the idea.

We're gonna be 20 miles into their range before they ever know what happened.

They won't have a chance to turn us back.

And this way we'll meet our delivery date.

I don't think you care about that.

What?

I don't think you care about the cattle or the contract to the ranch.

You think you're involved in a fight, don't you? And all you care about is winning it.

Well, now, aren't we in a fight?

They come out here, and they tell us they're closing the range to us.

Now, aren't we supposed to fight back?

It depends on what you're fighting about.

If you're fighting just to prove that you can drive a trail herd, then I say no.

You're defeating your own purpose.

I promised you that I'd get this trail herd through.

Mark, Mark, look, maybe-- maybe the best thing to do is we'll go back to the ranch.

We'll take our losses.No!

Mark, look, there-there is a middle ground, you know--

somewhere halfway between with what you call sneaking away and--

I said no!

[ Galloping Hooves ]

[ Peggy ] Bert.Ma'am.

What are you doing here? What's wrong?We got trouble.

- Well? - We got some cattle down.

How many? Five.

- They're dead? - Or dying.

But that isn't all. They're not ours.

They're wearin' a Shiloh brand.

All right. You've told me. Now get back out...

and tell the men to be ready to ride at first light.

- But that means that-- - You heard me!

Yes, sir.

You can't mean it. [ Galloping Hooves ]

Nothing's changed.Everything's changed.

You know why those Shiloh steers were in our herd, and you know what their dying proves.

It doesn't prove nothin'.

How do we know it isn't a trick?

How do we know they weren't sick before they put 'em in with ours, huh?

Mark, we're wrong. Now, it was different when we didn't know and when we weren't sure.

But now contract or no contract--

even if we lose everything we have-- we're wrong.

Hmm.

And Pa thought that I was the weak one.

No. Not weak, just irresponsible.

Don't you ever say that to me again.

Not ever.

Peg.

Peg!

[ Door Opens ]

[ Sighs ]

What was that all about?

Bert found five Shiloh steers-- all sick.

Yeah, that settles it.

We turn back.

Or do we?

Peg.

Mark is gonna stampede the herd through in the morning.

- Well, you gotta stop him. - I can't. I tried.

Well, then ride into town, the nearest ranch. Give 'em some warning.

- No. - Peg, 25,000 head. You've got to warn 'em.

Well, he's wrong. I know it. I'm sorry.

But if I warn them, they'll have guns waiting for him.

Now, he's my brother, Jack. I can't line guns up against him. Can't you understand that?

[ Grunts ]

Well?The boys are all out.

The quarantine line is set. We passed the word along. How'd you make out?

About the way I expected.

They should be moving out first thing in the morning.

If they decide to double back, we ought to know in plenty of time.

Maybe now we can round up some of our own cattle.

[ Yawns ] It, uh, wouldn't be too much to ask...

if I got a little sleep before we got started, would it?

Not at all. Go right ahead.

Sleep as long as you want-- till sunup if you feel like it.

Thanks.

[ Clopping Hooves ]

Whoa, boy. Easy.

You were right. It's fever.

Mark's gonna take those cows right through your valley.

He'll stampede 'em if he has to.

Trampas, get the men mounted right away.

You boys take this man to the bunkhouse. Try and make him comfortable.

Now, wait. Wait. He's not doing this to hurt anybody.

He's just caught in his own trap, and he-- he's too proud to back down.

Your men follow his orders?

They're workin' for him now. He's the boss.

They'll wanna get paid.

Mark--Now, look.

- Mark, please listen to me. - That's been my trouble!

I've been listening to people too long.

I run this outfit now.

That's what you've always wanted, isn't it?

I want you to take these wagons up on the high ground.

And I want you to stay there till I send for you.

Come on!

[ Gunshot ][ Shouting ]

[ Cattle Mooing ]

[ Men Shouting ]

[ Shouting Continues ]

Let's go turn 'em.

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshots Continue ]

[ Shouting Continues ]

- Get down. - I told you once.

A man doesn't settle his problems with a gun.

- I said to get down. - No.

Now, I'm saying it once more!

The answer is still no.

You didn't learn anything, did you?

They say there's a good chance of rain along your route.

If it comes early enough, it ought to hold your losses to a minimum.

We'll make it all right.

The men you've lent us will help too.

Miss Shannon,

I hope you believe how sorry I am about your brother.

You tried to do your best for him.

I know that.

We all tried.

Well,

good-bye.

Hey!

Let's go.