Original subtitles

[ theme music playing ]

I drove my beef through that pass for 15 years,

and I'm driving again this year.

Tom, sit down! We're not going to solve this problem by blowing steam.

We came here to talk this out, not fight it out.

RON: There's no point in talking.

None of us is pulling stakes and you won't drive us off,

not without starting a range war.

All right. It won't be the first time

we had to fight to get what we wanted.

Not everybody here bought a spread all fixed up for him.

This is our range!

We fought the Indians for it,

and we'll fight the nesters for it,

and anybody else who gets in our way.

That'll be me, Tom.

Then that'll be you.

And me, and every man I can spare from the drive.

You traitor, you!

Take it easy, Tom.

I don't like taking the longer route any more than you do.

But those homesteaders have the same rights we have,

including the protection of the law against armed assault, violence.

I hate to have to say this to men

that have been my friends,

my brother's friends and neighbors for all these years,

but what you're talking about is wrong.

It's wrong! And no amount of jawing is gonna make it right.

Now, I don't want to fight,

but if I have to put guards on every farm

until this drive is over, I'll do it.

Most of us are just starting roundup.

There's time between now and the drive to study this,

come up with a solution.

I'm for taking the south pass.

There are valid objections to it.

Maybe we can solve them.

Any of you who think as I do, I ask your help.

The meeting's adjourned.

Well, that's the end of Medicine Bow.

[ plucking piano keys ]

Whisky.

I, uh, been look--

[ piano keys being plucked ]

Never mind.

Jed Matthews?

I been looking for you, but not for that.

We got no quarrel with each other.

Mind if I sit down?

Peace, Jed.

I'm adjusting to the thought.

[ chuckles ]

It's a long time.

I heard you were sick.

I got better.

You being sick didn't slow down your gun hand any, did it?

There's one sure way of finding out.

Feel like earning some money with it?

I'm working for a spread up near Medicine Bow.

Double T's. Fella named Tallman runs it.

Pays good wages and, uh,

there's a bonus in it for the right kind of man.

You come all the way down here just to do me a favor.

Something for something.

Doggone.

When I first looked up and saw you, I said to myself,

"Jed, there's Abe Yeager,

and he's come all the way down here just to do you a favor."

That's an old score and a long time ago.

Got to admire you, Abe.

You're about the forgivingest man I know.

The bonus is $300.

I, uh...

figure you'll be needing this.

That's a lot of money for pushing cows.

There's trouble up near Medicine Bow.

Mr. Tallman wants to put an end to that trouble.

What kind of trouble?

Nesters, mainly.

Man named Grainger, runs Shiloh Ranch.

It's $300, Jed.

That's more money than you've seen in a long time.

Hello, Abby.

Hello, Trampas.

Here, let me help you down.

There you go.

Uh, I'll tie up your horse for you.

Thank you.

Hey, Trampas?

How's your sod-busted friend?

[ laughing ]

TEXAS: What you got there, Trampas? Chicken feed?

Yeah, I-I hear they raise some mighty fine chickens out there.

Big ones. Even got names.

Yeah, I heard that the biggest chicken in the flock

is a bird named Grainger.

[ laughter ]

JED: Hey, cowboy.

Matthews.

Jed, you old hunk of crow bait.

[ laughing ]

Put me down, you old hunk of--

Well, I never thought I'd see you again,

and here you are in Medicine Bow. What are you doing here?

Well, now, I run into a fella, told me I could get a job up here.

You looking for a job? Well, you got one. I'll get you on at Shiloh.

Shiloh?Yeah.

That's the outfit I work for. It's the biggest spread around here.

A man named Grainger your boss?That's right, Mr. Grainger.

What's the matter, Jed?Oh, nothing.

Just running into you. Who are they?

Uh...

We've been having a little trouble around here lately.

Yeah, do tell.

Well, come on, I'll ride out there with you.

Or do you want a drink first?

You want to?You think we should?

You got time?Yeah.

Let me untie your horse for you, Abby.

Here.[ whinnies ]

Oh!Whoa!

Jed, get the horse.

Easy. Easy now, easy.

Easy. Nobody's gonna hurt you.

Everything will be all right.Easy. There, that's the way.

Kinda spooky, ain't she?

She likes to make trouble, but I can handle her.

Like just now.

TRAMPAS: Jed.

Abby, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine I haven't seen in ten years.

Jed Matthews, this is Abigail Kiefer.

Well, thank you, Jed Matthews.

My pleasure, miss.

I'll give you a hand.

Here you go.

You think you'll be all right now?Of course.

She's had her fun. She'll be quiet.

She's a pretty little thing, ain't she?Oh.

And part of the trouble I was telling you about.Her?

Homesteaders.

A lot of people have been moving in here these days, Jed.

She and her brother, along with some others,

settled down by the railroad pass.

Valley ranchers have been using that pass for years.

Now the homesteaders say no more.

A situation like that, anything could happen.

Yeah, it could.

Well, still want that drink?

Ahem. I said, "You still want that drink?"

You want to?Think we should?

You got time?Yeah.

I'm asking you to be reasonable.

Let me show you my books.

They'll back up what I've been saying.

This has been a tight year for me.

It's been bad all around, Seth. I know that.

Barely making it.

Now you're asking me to-- to cut my own throat.

We don't have to drive our cattle over those farms.

North pass isn't the only way out of the valley, Seth.

But it's 50 miles shorter that way.

I can't afford to run any beef off my herd.

I admit, it'll be hard this year.

But we establish that route-- next year the railroad will build a spur to it.

Next year?

I'm thinking about now.

You can wait. You can afford principles.

You'd solve this Tallman's way--

drive the nesters out?

Well, I-I'm hoping that they'll listen to reason

before it's too late.Hmm.

Would you leave your land because someone wanted to drive their herds through?

Well, they had no right to settle there.

You know better than that, Seth.

I'm--I'm sorry, Clay. I can't see it any other way.

Now, what Tallman says makes sense to me.

If we show them that we mean business, they'll back down.

And if they don't?

I'm throwing in with Tallman anyway.

I'm sorry.

Well, I'm afraid this whole valley will be sorry.

You'll be all alone out on that south pass, Clay.

I ain't the only one that thinks like Tallman.

I know. If I call a meeting

to talk this out further, would you come, Seth,

no matter what you think?

Yeah.Thank you.

Whoa.

Come on, Jed.

Well, here's your mail, Mr. Grainger.

Thank you.And say hello to Jed Matthews here.

This is Mr. Grainger. This is our foreman.

Hi, Jed.Howdy. Howdy.

Jed and I used to ride down Texas way.

You might say he taught me up from down.

I told him there's work here if he wants it.

We can always use a good hand.

Well, uh, Jed's a little fussy.

He, uh, he already hired on with Tallman.

JED: It ain't that way, Trampas.

Fella I run into told me Tallman was hiring

and, uh, loaned me the money to get here.

The way I look at it, I got an obligation.

What'd you hire on as?

Ain't been there yet. Regular hand, I guess.

Well, if you change your mind,

we pay the same wages as Tallman.

Appreciate that.

Well, I guess I'd better be moving on.

I'll see you around.So long, pard.

Thank you.

Looks like Tallman's recruiting.

Jed's no gunman, if that's what you're thinking.

He had his own spread once,

and then he lost it. By Aftosa.

Been riding herd ever since.

Jed's the best man with animals I've ever seen.

Just a thought.

Ain't that the fellow with Trampas?

Yeah.

[ horse whinnies ]

Where do I find Abe Yeager?

[ horse whinnying ]

Maybe you didn't hear me. I asked where I could find Abe Yeager.

Yeah, I heard you.

YEAGER: Right here, Jed.

Mr. Tallman's the man you're looking for.

He's in the main house. I'll be along in a minute.

[ horse whinnies ]

Don't y'all be tangling with him. He's gonna work here.

Then how come he's got friends at Shiloh?

Well, then I was stock detective for a couple of years.

I rode guard for the Lazy Diamond,

then Hat, and then Bar Nothing.

Who was the boss at Hat?

Isaiah Murdock.

Oh, that guy.

You know what I'm paying you for?

For my gun.Unh-unh.

I'm paying you because this is cattle country,

and it's going to stay cattle country.

And we're heading into a roundup and drive,

and we're gonna drive over the same trail we always used

and nobody's gonna stop us.

Abe said something about a fella named Grainger.

Mm-hmm.

He's trying to stop us.

So far he's just talking.

Why didn't you tell me you had a friend at Shiloh?

Yeah, I know one fellow there.

I didn't know he was there till today.Are you close to him?

Ain't close to no man.

Trampas and I rode together ten years back.

You and your brother Milo,

now we rode together four years ago.

Did that make us friends?

The boys tell me you went off with Trampas out of Medicine Bow.

Yep. We stopped at Shiloh.

He offered me a job. I turned him down.

Why?

They don't pay no bonuses.

Maybe you'd rather work there anyway.

Would they take you on if you went back and said you'd changed your mind?

Why would I want to change my mind?

Because we sweetened your bonus.

What for?

So Jed here can work for Shiloh

at the same time he's working for us.

Would you, Jed?

I mean, seeing as how you're not close to Trampas,

sure would be helpful to have a man we trust there.

That ain't the kind of deal we talked about.

Man that owes as much money as you do

kind of gives up his choice. You still owe us.

Not that much.

Mr. Tallman will make that decision.

Unless you can pay back the money.

All right.

Thank you, Jed.

Don't mention it, Abe.

Is he worth that extra bonus, Abe?

Mr. Tallman, when I know a man

is a faster gun than my brother Milo was,

I want him on my side.Hmm?

Yeah.

Jed's the man killed my brother.

[ men shouting ]

You're a long ways from Double T's, ain't you?

Just keeping an eye out for strays.

Anything brewing at Shiloh?

Mr. Grainger's trying to get the farmers to meet

with the Cattleman's Association.

What else?Nothing.

They're waiting for you to move.

We'll oblige soon.

You see to it you ride out this way every couple of days--alone.

[ cattle mooing ]

Here you go. Come on.

That's all right, little fella. You run and tell your mammy about it.

Just like old times, isn't it, Jed?

Yep.

Only now I can't teach you nothing.

[ chuckles ]

Remember Bad News, that roan bronc I busted?

Yep, I remember. But who busted who?

[ chuckles ]

Something on your mind, Jed?

No, nothing.

Three Rivers, Montana?

You got a long memory, Trampas.

You sure used to bend my ear about it.

"Trampas," you used to say,

"Three Rivers, Montana, has rolling hills

"and grass as far as you can see--

good, rich grass, river-fed."

Yeah.

You sure wanted it bad, didn't you?

You still do.

Fat chance I got of getting it on a cowhand's wages.

Let's get back to work.

All right.

Well, bring us in another one!

[ mooing ]

[ gunshot ]

All right, fella, drop the gun.

I said drop it!

Step back.

Back, I said!

Who are you?Suppose you tell me first

how come you're cutting down Shiloh beef.

I'm not cutting--She busted your fence,

so you shot her, is that it?That's not what happened.

Don't you lie to me.

TRAMPAS: [ whistles ] Jed!

Jed.

He's butchering your beef for you. You tell him about it.

What happened, Ron?

You call your gunman off.

Jed, put your gun away.

This heifer of yours got caught in my fence and panicked.

Before I cut her loose she broke her leg, so I shot her.

Her left foreleg. You can see for yourself.

He's right, Jed.

Jed.

Yah!

I'm sorry this happened, Ron.

You might as well butcher her.

I don't want your beef, Trampas.

It's hot.

Keeping the stars company.

Trampas...

A man makes a mistake, he ought to own up to it.

Well, I guess he does.

All right, I made a mistake.

Well, everybody's been acting kind of spooky these days.

But you, you acted like a steer in a thunderstorm.

Yeah, I reckon I did.

Jed, I-I don't mean to butt in, but...

Well, I get the feeling something's getting to you.

Ah, it's just, I get the willies sometimes.

Maybe it's 'cause of back when I was sick.

Smallpox.

Was riding for the Lazy Y at the time.

They put me in this shanty,

away from everybody, everything.

Used to send someone down every morning

to holler at me to see if I was still alive.

And, uh, if I hollered back,

well, he'd leave some grub outside.

I'd, uh, crawl out and get it myself.

And I'd lie there, wondering if I'd ever make it.

Well, then it broke.

You come out of something like that,

and you just got no patience for nothing.

You want to do something, you do it now.

You want something, you take it now.

Because you just might not get another chance.

You know, Jed, a fella told me

there's still parcels open around Three Rivers.

Well, I saved a little money,

and if you didn't mind a partner, I just might throw in with you.

Well, I figure between the two of us, we just might make it work.

When?Well, soon.

How much money you saved?

$70.

After ten years working.

Well, I never had anything to save for.

We could do it, Jed. We could do it.

Yeah.

After another ten years, maybe.

Well, thank you for your offer, Trampas,

but I'll say no to it.

Jed!

Jed, hold up!

Whoa.

You're being real sociable. Come on, I'll ride with you.

The Virginian wants me to check on some strays up at the high shelf.

Well, I'll go with you.

Trampas, I ain't fit company for nobody.

I'll handle it alone.What's the matter, Jed?

Maybe tomorrow.

[ horse whinnies ]

[ whinnies ]

Whoa.Whoa.

Easy, girl. Easy.

What happened? Runaway?

Rabbit spooked her.

You ain't hurt none?No.

I seen you from up the hill.

Well, that's what stopped you.Yeah, well...

Can that wheel be fixed?

Well, we can try.

Oh, I didn't mean for you to do it.

Why don't you just find a nice shady spot?

It'll take some time.

Well, I will not. My wheel.

Then we found a place in Connecticut--

hillside, all stone.

You could hardly call it a farm.

Nearly killed my father.

So when someone told us about Wyoming, we came here.

Sick as he was, he was bound he was gonna make it this time.

He didn't.

He was dead before we got the cabin finished.

My brother and I are making it.

It's a home.

Let me, here.I got it.

Will you let me?

What about you, Jed?

No, I never had no place I called home.

Never stayed long enough.

Not even when I owned my own spread.

When you were a little boy?

My folks died before I knew 'em.

Who brought you up?

An aunt took me in for a spell.

And after that?

Rattled around, pushing cows and such.

Like now-- saddle bum.

You're no saddle bum.

What am I?

Something you don't want to talk about.

I reckon you don't, uh, fit what you're doing neither.

Brother and sister-- I don't call that making a home.

It isn't.

Well...

This is the second time you've come to my rescue.

Yep. Getting to be a habit.

You know how to gentle a horse. You know how to fix a wheel.

What else do you know, Jed?

I know if this wheel gets you home, it'll be a miracle.

[ laughs ]

Well, let's not put it off.

Let's see if it works.

Oh!

[ laughs ]

I know something else, too, Miss Abigail.

You don't belong here. Neither you nor your brother.

Especially you.

You're farmers in cattle country,

and you've got to get away from here.

Yeah, you've got to. There's gonna be a war,

and you'll be the first ones hurt.No.

That land ain't worth getting killed for.

Now there's a million acres better than this you can take from,

and nobody to say no to you.

Would you go, Jed?You bet I would.

Ain't no sense in fighting when you know you're gonna lose.

Oh, you don't believe that any more than I do.

Now you listen to me, Miss Abigail.

No, we're staying, Jed.

Thank you for your concern, Jed,

and for your help.

Goodbye.

That wheel could bust.

I-I'd best ride with you.

Whoa.

Oh.

I-I guess Ron's probably in the field.

Oh, Jed, look at this land.

You know--you know, maybe this isn't the home I want,

but I've worked hard on it.

My brother and I pulled the stumps and rock out of this land.

We built that cabin, and the barn.

We had a good crop, Jed--

enough wheat to get us through the winter.

Don't you see why we have to hold on to tomorrow?

Didn't you ever feel that way about anything?

I just want to get today over with.

Isn't there anything else you want?

I've wanted...

I've wanted things so bad, I had an ache just thinking about 'em.

You had your own place once.

Aren't you gonna try that again?

Yeah, I'm trying again.

I'm getting me a nest egg going the only way I know how.

I just wished I was shut of it.

How long have you been here?Not long.

Ginger here got a bit frisky. She broke a wheel.

Jed patched it up for me.

I'm obliged to you.

It's nothing.

Well...

Did he have to ride home with you?

Well, he helped me, Ron.

He's trouble, Abby.

Oh, I don't think so.

Well, I'll get supper started.

Seeing how the other half live?

Checking up on me?

No, I just saw you back on the road.

I wanted to talk to you.What about?

Anything stirring at Shiloh?

Not yet.

Grainger keeping the hands busy?

All of 'em?Why?

He said anything about guard duty?

For anybody? Anywhere?

No.

Thank you, Jed.

[ fire crackling ]

[ gunshot ]Oh!

Back inside, Abby.

[ laughing ]

What's the matter, Kiefer? You scared?

Send your sister out!

[ laughing ]

[ wood beam falls ]

Ron?

Ron, you've been out there all morning.

Come in and eat something now.

[ horses approach ]

[ fires gun ]

Ron. Ron, it's Mr. Grainger.

We've come to help.

It's Shiloh men.

I'm ashamed of what our neighbors have done here.

We want to try to make up for it if we can.

There's a wagon load of lumber coming from Medicine Bow.

We'll help you clear this and raise a new barn.

I don't want your help.

It's not done in charity.

Shame.I don't want it.

Ron. This farm is mine as much as it is yours, Ron.

I say yes to you, Mr. Grainger.

And I thank you.Abby!

My brother will thank you, too, when he gets around to it.

I apologize for him.

Jess, put a rope on that wall over there.

And I'll rope this one right here.

And we'll just pull her down.

Come on, Buck.

Get up here, bud. Come on.

Need some help on this one.

They're wasting their time.

It's an empty, stupid gesture.

Tallman will tear that barn down as soon as the drive starts

if he doesn't burn it before.

It's an act of faith, Ron.

Mr. Grainger is saying that we'll come through it.

Ron, you can accept help and still be a man.

I, um, thought I'd lend a hand if you'd let me.

Seth.

I, um, rode up to Shiloh

and they told me you were out here.

Can you use another hand?We certainly can.

There's some things even I can't stomach.

Where do I start?

Anywhere.

There will be others.

I, um, I'm obliged to you, Mr. Grainger.

Well, all right, up we go!

Who you trying to kill, Jed? It's only wood and nails.

It's a fool thing to do. It'll be undone as soon as we finish it.

Why you doing it, then?

I got volunteered.

You didn't have to come.

I been taking orders for six years.

I'm still taking orders. Don't pay to think about 'em.

You should've gone, Abigail.

I told you there'd be trouble.

I'm glad we stayed.

Otherwise I wouldn't have known how good people can be.

You believe what you see?

Why shouldn't I?

Look for yourself.

You don't look under nothing, Abigail.

There's six, eight men here today

out of maybe a hundred living in this valley.

Well, what about them others? You think they'll come help out?

Come Friday when they start their drive,

they'll be prodding 10,000 head of beef over this land--

over your crops, and over you and your brother

if you try to stop 'em.

Well, if you believe that, Jed, why did you bother to help rebuild the barn?

I don't know.

I guess it's a habit.

Abigail...

You put that kind of trust in people

and you're gonna get hurt.

TRAMPAS: Jed.

Jed.

Jed.

What is it you're not telling me?

Plans for tonight, boys.

Ryker's just come from Tallman's.

Couldn't prove anything about the fire.

Tallman claimed he didn't know anything.

What are we supposed to do, Emmett?

Well, they may hit again, they may not.

But this time we'll be ready.

We'll have to stand guard duty nights.

We can spare some men from Shiloh.

It'll mean doubling up, but we'll get by with it.

The rest of you, if you can't get free from the roundup,

we'll manage.My herd's in.

We'll stand guard in shifts--

two men at each farm, relief on at midnight.

Seth, will you take over at Mueller's?

Sam, you and Hank go over to Carse's.

You two take Benson's.

Jed, you and Trampas stay here.

These four farms along the river

are the most likely to be attacked.

The rest of us will split up through the outlying areas.

If you have any trouble, fire three shots in the air.

Any questions?

Are we delaying the drive?

No, we start Friday just as scheduled.

That's when there'll be trouble.

Still three nights to worry about and a roundup to finish.

Come on, boys.

[ men shouting ]

[ men shouting ]

Biggest herd of cattle this valley's ever seen.

And another bunch just as big at the north end with Tallman.

[ mooing ]

Can you tell me something?

What's that?

How are we gonna keep Tallman

from pushing his herd through that pass?

I don't know.

[ mooing ]

Abby.

Casualty, Abby. Jed cut himself.

Oh, it ain't worth the fussing.

Let me see.

Oh, Jed, wash that off. I'll get some bandages.

How is it?It'll be all right.

Abby will fix you up.

Abby, don't wait supper for me tonight.

I'm gonna ride over and see Carse, and Mueller after him.

Maybe Benson, too, if I have time.

All right.

See you later.

Sit down, Jed.

All of a sudden it's quiet.

Yes.

This time of day never seems real--

like it was cut off from the rest,

a piece all by itself.

Whole week's been like that,

ever since you and the others came to help us.

That too tight?No, it's fine.

You know, sometimes it seems as though

you want things to stay the same way.

All that counts is the way things are, not the way I want 'em.

How do you want them?

Like I said, it don't matter.

Well, it--it does to some of us.

You think it makes any difference

to those men who burned the barn?

You really think that, uh,

if you go out there the next time they come back

and say, "Don't do this now, it's not the way Jed Matthews wanted,"

that they'll nod their heads and ride off?

You seen 'em burn.

They'll try other things, and if they don't work,

then they'll start the killing.

Then all that'll matter is the burying.

Jed, I...

I don't understand why you're so bitter about things.

Is it because of something that happened before?

Oh, before doesn't matter.

It's today and tomorrow that count.

Tomorrow will be the same as yesterday.

It doesn't have to be.

Doesn't have to be, Jed.

Good night, Abby.

Hey, all quiet?

Yep.

I'm betting it'll be quiet tomorrow night

and the next night, too, and then it won't.

Well, pard, like they say, the good die young.

You talk too much, you know that?

I reckon that ain't my only failing.

You just made a profound remark.

Trampas, you always do the right thing?Well, you know I do.

Suppose you knew the right thing would get you in a heap of trouble.

Might even cost you something you wanted real bad.

I'll tell you what I'd do.

I wouldn't get myself in that kind of fix.

Yeah.

Where's Tallman?

In town.

What's a Shiloh hand doing at Double T?

Come to tell you I ain't working for you.

You mind telling me why?

I don't reckon I have to.

No, you don't.

I just wonder if Grainger offered a bigger bonus.

We're getting $30 a month and food.

Gonna buy a seed bull with it?

Start up a herd?

Why'd you feel like you had to tell me?

I just want to clear things up.

That money I owe you, I'll pay you back as soon as I can.

Naturally, you told Grainger all about yourself and why we hired you?

And what our plans are?

Oh, no?

Oh, your honesty goes so far and no further.

Well, you clearing your conscience or turning your coat?

I don't have to answer that, either.No.

And that's an end of it?

No, I reckon not.

The way I see it, I'll have to ride real careful from now on.

But I know one thing, Abe.

It won't be you squinting down a barrel at me.

It'll be somebody you sent.

Am I gonna die?

Boy, you oughtn't have took up fighting

because it don't profit much if you come out second.

Let's go.

You don't have to believe me, but I would let him lie there

if it isn't the way I was telling you.

Why would he dry-gulch you?

Oh, him and me had words a while back.

You can ask him if he comes out of it.

You want me to stay here?

I got guard duty at the Kiefers'.

No, if I need you, I know where to find you.

Sheriff, Sheriff, you ain't gonna let him get away with that, are you?

What?Don't you know who he is?

Ask Abe Yeager. He'll tell you.

He's a gunman, a killer.

I ain't the first one he's gunned down. He done time at Texas.

They hired him to kill Grainger.Who?

He was working for Tallman, same as me.

All right.

Mr. Pettit.

He's joining our drive, south pass.

Glad to hear that.

Anyone else?PETTIT: Marsh and Woolsey.

Sam Packard's still up with Tallman.

I couldn't persuade him.

Hanrahan may join us later.

They're all bunched up at the north pass. I don't know.

Tomorrow's awfully close.

There's still today. How many did you bring in?

13. I spotted another bunch in the gully back there.

All right.

[ horse neighs ]

Mr. Grainger, I think this explains itself.

How'd you do it?

Men, listen to this.

Read it, Ron.

I don't have to read it. It's just our way of saying thanks.

It's very simple. The four of us who have farms by the river

will give up enough land so that you can get your cattle through the pass.

[ excited talking ]

RON: We'll make boundary adjustments later.

Now in return, we would like a statement

signed by all of you granting us water rights.

Well, I'll sign it, and I'm sure the rest will, too.

MAN: Bet we will.

And we'll need some help stringing the fence to keep the drive channeled.

We'll take care of that.

We gotta tell the others. Seth, you tell Packard.

Trampas, ride out to the Hanrahan wagon.

You go to Logan, you to Warren.

Tell 'em.

Well, what do you think of that?

Yep, gonna be a lot quieter around these parts.

Well, they'll have more time now that they don't have to

keep looking over their shoulder. Uh, you, too.

What makes you think I don't anyhow?

Besides, what would I do with more time, Trampas?

Well, now that the men are more relaxed, you, uh...

maybe you and Abby will have more to talk about than just a range war.

You know me, Jed-- I don't wanna push anything.

You're savvy enough to know what you want.

Problem is, sometimes you're too foolish not to admit it.

Uh, say, if you, uh, wanted to take the night off,

I just might take your watch over for you when I get back.

Be pretty foolish to turn down an offer like that, wouldn't it?

Yeah, it would.

Trampas.

Thank you.

Eh.

I don't believe it.

Signed by every one of 'em. I don't know

how Kiefer managed it after what's happened, but he persuaded 'em.

We give them water rights in return.

Some bargain. They let us use our land,

we let them use our water.

You get what you want, Tom. You can take your cattle through the north pass.

A strip of it.

It's wide enough.

It'll slow the drive.

I'm not gonna let them tell me where I can go

and what I can do.

Come on, Tom, go along. Everybody else has.

Take orders from a bunch of nesters?

Will you?

What else can I do?

Thank you, Tom.

That paper didn't say anything about next year.

I think those sod-busters are just buying time.

They'll let us through now and put the squeeze on us later.

They'll be telling us soon how many cattle we can graze.

We should have run them off when they first came.

We can still work it that way,

easier than before.

How? Everybody signed that paper.

The way it was before, everybody was gonna stand against us.

They don't expect trouble now.

I signed that paper, too, Abe.

You didn't like it one bit.

Do what you want.

Ron, you better come on that drive with us.

We'll make a cowhand out of you yet.

Of course, you better get a new hat.

Hello, Emmett.

Mr. Grainger, Jed Matthews here?

No.

He's probably over at the Kiefer farm by now.

What is it? The Timmins business?

Yeah, in a way.

I don't like accusing a man behind his back, Mr. Grainger,

but, well, Timmins said something about Jed before he died.

And I've got verification of part of it.

That's his prison record.

I've checked out the rest,

and it seems to bear out what Timmins said.

He spent three years in prison for armed assault.

He has a record as a hired gun dating back six or seven years.

He was mixed up in the El Paso range wars.

But that's not the worst.

Timmins said Jed's on Tallman's payroll.

In case of any trouble, he'd turn his gun on you.

I'm sorry.

[ knock on door ]

Jed.

Is something wrong?

Well, your brother's gone and done it.

What?

Why hasn't he told you?

He got that agreement! The trouble's all over!

Are you sure?

[ laughs ]

Oh, what about you, Jed?

Well, I thought maybe I'd stay on here for a while.

Oh. Just for a while?

Abby, sit down.

You want to hear what I want?Yes.

I know a spot. Now it's quite a ways north of here.

I wanna go there!

Start my own place.

Now it's not what I expected, and it'll be small,

but maybe a few cattle

and maybe later on some horses.

It sounds nice, Jed.

You see, I was there when I was just a kid.

And, oh, it's fine.

You know, uh, not a whole lot of people, just good land.

And, well, there's--there's enough grazing land there

to raise the fattest herd of steers you'd ever wanna see.

And they got plenty of water.

And it's just about everything that I could ever want.

Well, about everything.

Of course, it'd be a lot of hard work--

carving rocks out of the dirt and cutting down timbers

and putting up a house and such.

But it's really a fine place to get a real good start in.

Oh, Jed, I don't care about the work.

That doesn't matter.

Oh, it sounds fine.

Oh, Jed, I love you.

Abby, there's things about me.

Things I got to tell you.

No. No.

[ door opens ]

Ron, what's the matter?

Your friend here.

He's a hired gun, Abby.

He's been on Tallman's payroll ever since he got here.

I wanna hear yousay it.

Tell her.

It's not true, is it, Jed?

Tell her.

It's true.

All of it.

Ohh.

RON'S VOICE: Tell her.

Tell her.

ABBY'S VOICE: Jed, it isn't true, is it?

WOMAN'S VOICE: [ laughing ] Now you stop that!

TEXAS'S VOICE: I'm not funning you, sugar.

Now you can kiss your sod-busting friends goodbye.

WOMAN'S VOICE: I don't believe a word of it.

TEXAS'S VOICE: But I swear it.

ABBY'S VOICE: Jed, it's not true, is it?

Oh, Jed, I love you.

WOMAN'S VOICE: [ laughing ]

TEXAS'S VOICE: Sugar, you better be nice to me.

You know, I'm gonna get a big bonus from this.

If you're a good girl, I just might let you have some of it.

Sheriff!

Ryker!

What are you doing here, Jed?

I got some information for you, Trampas.

You want your pay? Here it is.

Now get your gear and clear out.I overhead something--

I don't wanna talk to you, Jed. I know you're working for Tallman.

Get your gear and clear out of here.

Get your hands off me!

Is that all you've got to say to me?

You don't even hear what I've got to say.No.

I guess there's nothing you wouldn't do for money.

[ horse approaching ]

Morning, Ron.

Trampas.

You're just in time for breakfast. Come on in.

Oh, coffee would be just fine.

I thought I'd mosey ahead of the drive

and see how everything was here.

Quiet?

Yeah, yeah. Why?

There was some word last night that there might be some trouble.

No signs of any here.

Nothing to it, then. Just as well.

Was Jed here?

Morning, Abby.

Good morning, Trampas.

I got a hankering for some of your coffee,

and Ron said I could have some.Of course.

You sure spoiled us when we were on guard duty.

We never had it so good.

I sure got a big mouth.

Oh, no, that's all right, Trampas.

How is the drive going?

It's, uh, it's quiet.

We'll be ready to move out soon.

Excuse me.

Abby.

Abby, I'm...

I know how you feel.

All right, let's move 'em.

Move 'em out!

[ men shouting ]

I'm gonna go check with Tallman now.

Y'all get what you can done before I get back.

If there's any trouble, you know what to do.

All right, drop it.

[ gunfire ]

[ gun clicks ]

[ gunshot ]

Jed!

Nice shooting, cowboy.

A little late, though.

Jed, now you-- I'll get some help.

No.

I'm glad it's you, Trampas.

Don't talk, Jed.I've gotta talk to you.

I quit Tallman.

I tried to undo it, what I done.

Jed!

Oh, Jed.

Trampas!

Now, you--you mustn't.

You forget about today.

You just hold on to tomorrow.

It'll be better.

You hear me, Abigail?

It'll be better.