All language subtitles for The Virginian - 8x08 - The Substitute

♪ Oh, give me a home
where the buffalo roam ♪

♪ And the deer
and the antelope play ♪♪

[ Gasps ] Ooh. [ Jim ] Trampas wouldn't be
going someplace, would he?

No, he's just taking
his laundry into town.

Now that I think about it, I do
believe he does have a couple
of days off coming to him.

Is that two
or three days, Trampas?It's worse than that.

It's more like
a couple of weeks.

I'm sure gonna envy
you fellas here at Shiloh,

eating Harper's vittles
and sleeping on these
fine feather beds.

[ Chuckles ]Yeah, you got it soft.

And all those cows
to keep you company.

Me, I'm gonna be out there
all alone, all by myself
thinkin' about you.

That's sad.

Oh, that just about
breaks my heart.

I'll tell you what I'll do,
though. I'll do you a big favor.
I'll trade places with you.

Oh. Oh, I wish I could, Jim,

but, uh, no, I don't
want to take advantage
of our friendship.

I'll just have to face things
out there alone
in the wilderness.

I probably won't get to eat
anything except fish, antelope
steak, pheasant, venison.

Why, I may have to fish
all day for my supper.

It's enough to wear a man out
just thinking about it.
Excuse me.

What's that?What?

Let me see that.No. It's just
a little ol' shirt.

- Old shirt?
- That looks more like
a railroad flag.

Fish see this,
they won't even
come out of the water.

I think
he's goin' huntin'.

I don't have to hunt.
I know where to find her.

- Find who?
- The little gal who's gonna
see me in this red shirt.

Prettiest saloon gal
in Big Moose Creek.
[ Whistles ] Boy, is she pretty.

So that's where you're goin'!

Well, that's one of the places.
Then, uh--

Mmm. I'm in no hurry
to get back here.

After eatin' dust and brandin'
calves and breakin' my horses
and ropin' steers...

and stringin' fence wire
long enough to make a banjo out
of the territory of Wyoming--

No, sir. I'm in no hurry
to get back here.

Hey, you be careful now.
Don't let Mary Lou Watkins talk
you into anything permanent.

That's what I like
about Mary Lou.
She don't talk much.

I'll keep a plate of beans
on for you.

- Your beans?
- Yeah.

[ Clears Throat ]Remember, now.
You only got two weeks.

Well, a man can do a lot
in two weeks.Don't get lost.

Yep. And I'm gonna
do it all.
So long, Harp, Jim.

Take care.♪ Where the buffalo roam

Don't he like my beans?Uh--

[ Whinnies ]

Howdy.Howdy.
What'll it be?

Uh, beers.Beer?

[ Chuckles ]Well, place hasn't changed much.

Oh, I see you fixed the bar.Yup.

Yeah. Got some new
pictures up too, haven't you?

Well, that was quite a night.

I still haven't found
what I'm lookin' for.What are you lookin' for?

Oh--

Never mind. I found it.

- Hello, Mary Lou.
- Trampas!

[ Chuckles ]

I told you I'd be back.
Come here. Let me
take a look at you.

Nope.
You haven't changed any.

Maybe filled out
a little more here and there.
But, the same. [ Chuckles ]

What's the matter?
Aren't you glad to see me?

[ Mary Lou ]
Oh, sure. But, um--

You know, there hasn't been
a night gone by that I haven't
been thinkin' about you.

Really! And all
the good times
we had together.

Yes, sir. Oh!
You still got
that room upstairs...

where a man can
have a shave and a bath
for two bits?

[ Mary Lou ] Um, yes. Good. 'Cause that's
the first thing I want.

Then I'm gonna put on a new
shirt, the same color as the one
that got tore off that night.

That was some night,
wasn't it? [ Mary Lou ] Your beer's ready.

Oh, a man can
have a beer any time.

You're sure a sight
for weary eyes.
[ Chuckles ]

Hey. Wh--

Where's that dress you used to
wear with the sparklets and the
feathers? Your working clothes?

I've been
trying to tell you.
I don't work here no more.

You don't work in the saloon?
Well, since when?

Since I married the boss.Oh, since you--

The boss.

Well, uh--
I, uh--

Well, uh, I'm sorry.
I don't think I'll be able to
stay around much longer.

Um, I got a sudden urge
to move on.

Congratulations.

Sure a fine lady you got here.
Been like a sister to me.

- So long, sis.
- What about these beers?

Oh, yeah.

Uh, they're on me.

Wedding present.

So long.

Luke, honey,
he don't mean nothing to me.

Why, I ain't even seen him
since last spring.

Oh? We got engaged
last winter.

Oh, I hardly even
remembered him.
Don't, Luke.

I got eyes.
He'll be back. Them
saddle tramps are all alike.

Think they can drift
from town to town, pick up
with any woman that suits 'em.

I'll show him different.Luke!

[ Slaps ][ Gasps ]

[ Sighs ]

Well, Buck, you win a few,
and you lose a few.

[ Thud ]

Now that is one drifter
that won't be coming back here.

Oh, Luke,
what did you do?Never mind what I done.

Get upstairs
and stay there.[ Sighs ]

[ Slams ]

[ Coin Clinks On Table ]

Hey, what's goin' on?

Untie me.
Where are you
takin' me?

You just take it
real easy, cowboy.
You'll know soon enough.

[ Blusters ]

Here he is, Deputy.You mind tellin' me
what this is all about?

Look,
you're making a mistake!

The only mistake I think
I'm making, cowboy, is not
shooting you dead right now.

Sheriff, I don't know
what this is all about,
but you got the wrong man.

My name is Trampas.
I work at Shiloh Ranch
in Medicine Bow.

Take him inside.Now, Sher--

Go get the Clayton girl.

[ Keys Jangling ] [ Cell Closing ]

Are you gonna tell me
why I'm here?

Where'd you find him?Over at Big Moose Creek.

He was actin' kinda smart
with the saloon owner's wife.

[ Chuckles ]
The saloon owner
taught him a lesson.

How'd you know
he was the one
you were looking for?

Sheriff, when you've been
a bounty hunter for 20 years,
you can almost smell 'em out.

Like one of them
bloodhound dogs.

Besides, I, uh,
found this on him.

This ought to be enough proof
to get me that reward
from Ezra Gates, huh?

You never
found that watch on me!
I never saw it before!

[ Door Opens ]

She's comin', Sheriff.

[ Footsteps ]

Abby, I want you to take a look
at that man over there, and
tell me if he's the one you saw.

Just be sure
and don't make a mistake.

Ma'am.

Uh, sheriff here
wants to know the truth,
so why don't you tell him?

Well, we don't know each other.

I've never been near here.
Well, go on. Tell him.

He's the one, Sheriff.

I'm sure of it.

What's he like?

[ Chuckles ]
A drifter.

Won't nobody miss him
if he don't show up for supper.

You're sure about that?

He's a loner
if I ever seen one.

Mr. Gates,
it was a bit more work
than I figured it'd be.

Had to ride clear over
to Big Moose Creek.

How much more work?

Well, $50 more
than the reward.

Worth every penny of it.

[ Chuckles ]
The sheriff didn't
believe at first.

But that gold watch and that
Clayton girl sure convinced him
I had the right man.

Well, it better be
the right man.

Oh, he is.
I knowed it as soon as
I laid eyes on him.

And he had Doc's watch,
didn't he?

All right.

Now I want you to forget
that there's such a place
as Calumet.

Just a divide in the road.

You can go your whole life
without ever stopping
here again.

[ Chuckles ]
I don't see anything here
worth coming back for anyway.

Good doin'
business with you.

[ Door Closes ]

Using a bounty hunter
to find him-- That was
a real good notion, Pa.

Just about takes care
of everything,
doesn't it?

Nothing's gonna be taken care of
till that drifter's
convicted in court.

The town won't settle down
till this is all over.I'll be glad when it is.

You? Why?
So you can start in again?

Wasting your time and my money
on that saloon girl? You can
just forget about that.

Sure, Pa. Sure.
Whatever you say.

I-I reckon I have been
too free of my time.

If you've got some to spare,
the ranch can use it. I see
you're gettin' soft-bellied.

A little hard work
will fix that up.

Pa, whatever you want me to do,
you just tell me,
and I'll do it. I swear.

You know what I want from you.

This is gonna be
your ranch some day.

Start shouldering
the responsibility.
You're no boy anymore.

Stop all this playing around
and start givin' some thought
to running this place.

Settle down, Josh.
Here, right here.

And give up all thought
of ever leaving my side.

Oh, I will, Pa.
I will for sure.

You'd better be
telling the truth, boy,

'cause I'm gonna
hold you to it.

[ Drawer Clattering ]

Sheriff, that girl's lying.

She never saw me before
in her life.

Hey. Would you tell me
what this is all about?

I think you know.I don't know anything!

I don't even know
why I'm here.

And I don't know how that watch
got on me, if it did.

All I do know
is that girl is lyin'.

- They're all lying,
huh, cowboy?
- Yes!

All except you.

[ Scoffs ]
Look, uh--

I'll tell you what. You send
a wire to Clay Grainger,
Shiloh Ranch, Medicine Bow.

Now he'll tell you
that I work for him.

Calumet's a long ways
from Medicine Bow.

I had a couple weeks coming,
so I decided to drift.

I suppose you just
drifted through Calumet
one night last week.

I've never been anywhere
near here before!

Just like that girl
never laid eyes
on you before.

Just like you
never laid eyes
on this watch before.

That's right.And I suppose you never saw
what was written inside of it.

How could I? By reading it.

"To Doc Evans,
from the people of Calumet."

Let me tell you
something, cowboy.

When poor folks pitch in
with what little they have--

women, their table money--
kids, their pennies--

cowhands, the nickels
they buy beer with--

when they put that all together
and buy someone
a solid gold watch,

and have it inscribed,

you better believe
that someone holds a real
good place in their hearts.

What's that got to do with me?

Doc could've
practiced medicine
anywhere in this country.

Cities like Laramie,
Cheyenne,

where they'd pay him
real money for his work,

instead of chickens
and vegetables,
if he got paid at all.

But he chose
to settle here.

And he stuck it out.
And the people
loved him for that.

That's the kind of man
Doc was.

Was?

Before you killed him,
cowboy.

And that's why
you're gonna hang.

Get yourself a glass, Gus.
Buy you a drink.

Thank you.
What are we celebrating?

They caught Doc's killer,
didn't they?

That's something to drink to. [ Glass Clinks ]

Yes, sir.
He was the salt of the earth,
Gus. Doc was.

Time that bronc throwed me,
busted my leg,
I didn't have nickel one.

Didn't he fix my leg
for nothing?
Didn't he do that for me, Gus?

He sure did. Now every time I see some poor
cowpoke that don't track right,

with a leg
that didn't set straight,

I know how lucky I was
that Doc was around.

Yes, sir.
He was the salt of the earth,
Doc was. Here's to him.

Rest his soul.

Hi, Josh.
Buy you a drink.

No. No, thanks, Jake.Good news about catching
Doc's killer.

Yeah. Sure is.

Bless Doc.

[ Sighs ]

I haven't seen you
for a couple of days.

You haven't been around.

Well, I've been kind of
busy out at the ranch.

[ Chuckles ]
That never
stopped you before.

Guess I forgot
how pretty you looked
in the daylight.

Oh, Josh.

I promise
I'll come around to
see you more often.

When?

Soon as things.
are settled.

I hear you identified
Doc's killer.

Yes. That must've been hard for you,
Abby,

having to look that killer
in the face again.

I'm proud of you.

Folks in town are glad to see
Doc's killer behind bars.

Some of them hang around
the jailhouse, hoping
to get a look at him.

I had a real good look.

I'll tell you what.
I'll fix it up
with Gus tonight.

We'll take a ride
over to King City,
to that new hotel.

They say the dining room
does itself proud.

Well, you always
liked the food here.

I thought maybe you'd
like to get out of town
for a while.

You're afraid your pa
will see you
with a saloon girl.

You think
I care what he sees?

I got my own life to live,
and I mean to live it my way.

Soon as I can, I'm gonna take
you out of this town for good.

You mean that, Josh.
You're not just
saying it now?

I swear it.
My pa won't stop me
this time.

He won't stop me ever again.We'll be together, Josh?
You and me?

You and me.

That's what the sheriff
told me.

He said, "Lucius, I don't care
what you think about the
prisoner, he's gotta be fed.

Now that's the law."So he sent you over here?

You been feeding our prisoners
long as I can remember.I know.

Well, then, fetch him
a plate of something
he can eat with a spoon.

No knives or forks allowed
in the jail.I know that too.

Gus!
You're not really fixin'
to feed that killer, are you?

Well, the sheriff--I don't care
what the sheriff said!

Doc's in his grave.
The man who killed him
is working up an appetite.

I say let him starve.

You go back and tell the sheriff
that I'm not sending out
any meals for that killer.

He's gonna be awful mad.I can't help that.

You go tell him, Lucius.
If he don't like it,
you tell him to come see me.

Well, I'll tell him.
See what he says.

That sheriff--
He's a hard man
for me to take to.

Can't figure him out.Oh, he's all right.

Better than some.Maybe.

[ Keys Jingling ]Come on.
Let's go.

- Where?
- Sheriff, you sure
this is a good idea?

Prisoner's got to be fed.
Out.

Where are you taking me?
On a picnic?

I'm taking you is right,
but it won't be any picnic.
Hands on your head.

You as much
as take 'em down
to scratch your nose,

Lucius will put a hole
right through you.

On your head!

Now what?Now we go out.

Me in front,
you in the middle.

Straight across the street
to the saloon. There's people in the street.

Friends of Doc's. We won't stop to talk.

I'm not so sure
I'm all that hungry.

I'm not doing it
for you, cowboy.
This is for the town.

Once folks
start telling the law
what's to be and what's not,

that's the end of the law
and the beginning
of trouble.

Law says prisoners
gotta be fed. Come on.

- Hello, Sheriff.
- Josh, Abby.

That table here--
That should be
out of everybody's way.

Sit down.Move.

You-- You bringin'
himin here?

That's right, Gus.
Bring him a plate of
whatever's on the stove.

- Stew.
- Stew'll be fine.

What kind of a man
are you, Sheriff?

- Lawman, Jake.
- For how long?

For as long as I can do what
I think is right, and outdraw
the man who says I'm wrong.

Sheriff's right,
Jake.

No call to deprive
this man of his food,
no matter what he's done.

I'll tell you what.
I'll buy you a drink.

No, thanks.
Doc Evans was
a friend of mine.

I won't drink
in the same room
with his killer.

You shouldn't have
done this, Sheriff.
It was a mistake.

People won't forget.

I'll see they don't.

Hey, Jake.
You're drivin'
my customers away!

Looks to me like
I brought a few in.

I might turn out to be quite
an attraction, almost as good
as a two-headed calf.

All right, you folks.
Nothing to see here
but a man eating his supper.

Likely you've got
your own suppers
to go home to.

What about that order, Gus?

Bring him
a plate of stew.

And a piece of bread, Abby,
to sop it up with.

Well, I'm gonna
have a drink.
How about you, Sheriff?

I'll have a beer
for the prisoner.Gus?

A beer and a whiskey.

Gonna be pretty hard to eat
this way, unless you're
plannin' on spoon-feedin' me.

Take your hands down now.
Put them flat on the table.

Thanks.

I've seen Doc
sittin' right here
at this table.

What's your point, Gus?

Why can't you look at me,
Abby?

Who said I can't?
I just don't want to.

[ Trampas ]
Because you lied.

You know I was nowhere near here
when Doc Evans was killed. You were. And I saw you!

You might have seen somebody
looked like me.
That's possible.

No.How are you so sure?
It was night.

- Because I remember!
- What is it you remember?
Tell me what you saw.

Might as well
tell him, Abby.

Keep it fresh in your mind
for when the judge gets here.

[ Sighs ]

Well, I-I just got home
from work and was
getting ready for bed,

when I-- when I heard this noise
coming from the street
below my window.

Like someone trying to
break into something.

When I went to look,
I-I saw this man
at the side of the bank.

He was tryin' to pry
the bars off the windows.

I-I couldn't see what
he looked like then, because
most of him was in the shadows.

But Doc Evans
must've heard him too.
His room's right next to mine.

And the next thing I know,
he was-- he was crossing
the street to investigate.

Doc never had a gun.
He wouldn't have had a chance
to use it if he did.

Because the man fired
right out of the shadows
and-and killed him.

You were that man.

How could you be sure?
You said he fired
out of the shadows.

Because after you killed him,
you came out and went through
his pockets.

I could see you almost
as good as I can see you now.

You took his gold watch
and ran for your horse.That's a lie!

All right, Abby.
You just remember
that for the judge.

She's lyin', Sheriff.
She's lyin'.

I don't know why,
but she's lyin'!

I was just
thinking about Abby,
what she said.

It was dark.
The man fired from the shadows.

She was a good floor
above the street.

Scared.

You say she's lying.

Still, there's
Doc's watch.

Now suppose--

Just suppose
you were riding along,
going nowhere in particular.

You met a man
the opposite direction.

He had a watch he wanted to sell
real cheap, considering.

Maybe with a made-up story
about how he got it.

You gave him a few dollars.

Then you found out the truth,
you got scared,
and you lied about it.

- Could've been that way,
couldn't it, cowboy?
- No.

- You sure?
- I hate to disappoint you,
Sheriff.

- Well, all right.
- If I said yes and
grabbed at that straw,

you'd know I was lying
about what I said before.

Could be.

Trouble is,
you don't know what
to think, do you?

Well, I never saw
that watch before,
and that's the truth.

What was that man's name
at Shiloh?

Grainger, Clay Grainger.

Lucius,

want you to send a telegram
to Clay Grainger,

care of Shiloh Ranch,
Medicine Bow.

Tell him we're holding
his top hand for murder.

He says he didn't do it,
I think he did.

Still, I'm willing to be
proven wrong, up till
the time of the hanging.

You remember
something like that?Near enough.

Go on, send it.

[ Door Closes ]

Sheriff, I thank you.

You might not, cowboy,
after the answer comes.

Quarter. [ Man ] Call.

[ Sighs ]
Sure is quiet
around here tonight.

Think folks feel kinda funny,
having Doc's killer
right here in town.

You know,
like you feel jumpy
when a storm's blowin' up.

You just...
don't want to
make any noise.

Maybe you're right, Gus.

[ Sighs ]
What the devil's
taking Abby so long?

I'm starving to death.You're taking her to
a new place tonight, Josh.

May she wants to look
especially pretty.

Come on, Lucius.
I'll buy you a drink.

Wouldn't mind that at all.Gus.

[ Sighs ]We were just talkin' about
how quiet it is in town.

You noticed it too?Mm-hmm.

I guess it'll liven up
after the trial.

There might not be one.
Thanks, Josh.

What do you mean?The prisoner says
he didn't do it.

[ Scoffs ]
What do you expect him to say?

[ Chuckles ]
He claims he's the top hand
at Shiloh Ranch,

and that he was workin'
when Doc was killed.

Course I don't
believe him.

What about the sheriff?

He wants me to send
a telegram to Shiloh,
check it out.

Figured I'd stop here
for a drink first.

Way this town's actin'
makes me kind of nervy.

We both know we got
the right man in there.
The whole town knows it.

What we don't know
is what that man's
got up his sleeve.

He might have a friend at Shiloh
who's willing to lie for him,
a brother, or--

Maybe he's even related to
the owner of the ranch.

Don't you think my pa
would lie for me,
if it meant my life?

Sure, he would, Josh.

Don't send that telegram,
Lucius.

I'll find out
who's top hand at Shiloh.

What about the sheriff?

When he doesn't get any reply,
he'll know that cowboy's lying.

Oh, he made a mistake
to ask you to
send that telegram, Lucius.

Now, you know that.

Sheriff's been making
a lot of mistakes lately.

I'm takin'
a big chance, Josh.
I could lose my job.

You could be in line
for a better one.

My pa built this town,
Lucius.
And he's proud of it.

He wouldn't want to see it
get a reputation
for being easy on murderers.

A reputation like that is
hard to lose. It brings
a lot of bad people into town.

Don't send
that telegram, Lucius.
You won't be sorry.

I'll see to it.

I don't know
nothing about
no telegram, Josh.

Wh-- What telegram?

[ Chuckles ]

Hey, Gus, two more!

Morning, Gus.How are you fixed
for bacon and eggs, Gus?

Sheriff,
you have to bring him
in here for every meal?

I'd just as leave
take his grub
over to the jail.

Should've
thought of that before, Gus.
Too late now.

- What do you mean
it's too late?
- He means he can't back down.

It'd look like
he'd given in.

If it's all the same to you,
I'll do my own explaining.

You have to
bring him in here? You heard what he said.

Tell Abby
I'd like some coffee
with his bacon and eggs.

Our usual table?Mmm.

What makes you think
I won't try to make a run
for the door?

What makes you think
I wouldn't be glad
if you did try?

You wouldn't get
as far as the door.

You look tired
this morning, Abby.

Josh-- Josh took me
to that new hotel
in King City.

I guess
we danced too much.

I hear that's
a pretty fancy place.
I guess Josh can afford it.

This Josh--
Is, uh, he her fella?

I wouldn't know about that.

You said
he's got a lot of money.
What's he do to earn it?

Oh, he's got just about
the hardest job in town.
He's Ezra Gates's boy.

That's full-time, no days off.

Ezra Gates?
Is he mean?

He's hard and tough.

Got plenty of money.
Made it all himself
in cattle.

Ezra Gates.
I've heard that name before.

Sure! That bounty hunter.
He said he was getting
his reward from Ezra Gates.

That's right.
Ezra put up the money.

He and Doc
were old friends.

Nobody wanted
to find Doc's killer
more than Ezra Gates.

Are you tellin' me
he's not a drifter?

All I know is what he says.

And he says he's the top hand
at Shiloh Ranch
outside Medicine Bow.

Sheriff sent Lucius to telegraph
Medicine Bow to confirm it.

Don't worry.
I told Lucius
not to bother.

What if
he's telling the truth?

Pa, it's too late.
He had Doc's watch on him.
Abby identified him.

He's got to be the one.

As long as the sheriff
doesn't get any answer,
it doesn't change anything.

[ Shouts ]
Doesn't
change anything?

I told that bounty hunter
to bring me a saddle tramp
with no roots!

[ Sighs ]

I had it all planned out.

Judge Castle
owes me a favor.
I'd talk to him.

He'd find some legal
technicality to save
the drifter's neck.

[ Sighs ]
A year or two in prison,
maybe.

But what's that to a drifter
compared to the life
of my one and only son?

Now, look, Pa.
Don't you-- Shut up!

I'm not asking your advice.

I done
everything I could for you.

And this is
what it's come to.

The Gates name in the mud.

Everything that
I've tried to build up
is bein' destroyed by you,

by your lust
for this saloon girl.

Pa, it hasn't come to that.
Lucius will keep still about it.

No, what's he gonna
think about it?

Lucius doesn't think.
He just takes orders.

Maybe I'd be better off
with Lucius for a son
instead of what I got.

How much did you tell him?Nothing.

I just made him see
that we had the right man
in that jail,

and to look anywhere else
would be a waste of time.

The sheriff's sure
to think that cowboy's
guilty as sin.

The judge!
What if he sends a wire
to Medicine Bow?

You can handle Judge Castle.

He still owes you that favor.

Just how do I
put that to him?

"Close your eyes to this
man's innocence. It suits me
to have him guilty."

What if he can prove
he was nowhere near Calumet
the night Doc Evans was killed?

What about the watch?

Whose last hours
will that measure,
tick for tick?

Well, there's Abby.

Yes, there's Abby.

Now, is that enough?

What have you brought me to,
Josh? What have I got
facing me here?

It's him or me, Pa.

- It's always been.
- Yes.

Well?Judge Castle's
arriving tomorrow.

He sent word.

What about the telegram
from Clay Grainger?Any reply?

No, sir.
Not a thing.

That telegram could've
come clear across
country by now...

if you were
telling the truth.

Maybe the real top hand
picked it up and thought
someone was playing a joke.

I'm the top hand
at that ranch.

Could be
they didn't like your work.

We might be
doing them a favor, Sheriff.

Are you sure you sent it
to the right place?

Clay Grainger, Shiloh Ranch,
Medicine Bow.

Why don't you
tell us the truth, cowboy?

I am telling the truth!Then why is it you're
the only one who believes it?

Look, Sheriff,
let me talk to Abby. Let me
find out what she's hiding.

What makes you think
she's hiding something?

The way she told us
about the killing--

It was more like
something she memorized
instead of saw.

Like someone
told her what to say.
Didn't you see that?

No, I didn't!

Sheriff, doesn't it seem strange
that Josh's father
hired the bounty hunter?

No! Ezra Gates and Doc Evans
were real good friends.
I told you that.

- And Josh
takes out Abby?
- She's a pretty girl!

And the only witness
to the murder. Look,
it's like a circle!

Or a noose, cowboy!

Judge Castle's a fair man.
He'll have a fair trial.

I didn't say nothing to him,
Josh. I just served him
his breakfast.

- You sure?
- Not a word.

What about the sheriff?
Did you talk to him?
Well, did you?

- I told him
we went out last night.
- Why'd you do that?

Well, he could've
found out anyway.

A lot of people saw us.
What difference does it make?

Maybe none.

Maybe we shouldn't
see each other anymore
until this is over.

Why?

Sheriff Stoddard's
not a stupid man. He might
start putting things together.

We went out before. You were
even telling people we were
gonna be married, Josh!

And I meant it.
I still do.

It's just no use
taking chances,

not unless
you want to visit your
husband-to-be on Boot Hill.

Oh, don't ever
say that, Josh.

Well, then,
let's be smart.

It'll only be
for a little while.

It's just I--
I get scared sometimes,

and you're all I have
to make me feel better.

- I won't be very far away.
- [ Sighs ]

Oh, I can't--
I can't sleep nights,

thinking
about having to tell the judge
in court what I saw.

Just keep telling yourself
it's true, Abby.

Unless you want to
tell the real truth.

No. You got me into this.

I wouldn't have killed him
if it wasn't for you...

and all the bad things
he was saying about you.

It wasn't like the doc.

Well, you being so close,
living next door
at the boardinghouse,

bringing him meals
sometimes late at night.

He was an old man. He was a man, Abby.

Didn't you say yourself
he slipped his arm around
your waist one night?

It was a joke!
I told you it was a joke,
and you laughed about it.

Then.
But not when he told me.

And the rest-- how he
spied on you sometimes,

how you didn't always
dress proper when
you came into his room,

and the thoughts that
went through his mind.

No wonder I saw red.

I-I couldn't let him go on
saying things like that
about you, could I, Abby?

No.

Well, that's why, Abby.

That's why you have to
swear in court what happened,

just like you saw it
with your own eyes.

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh.

Go bring him his food, Abby.
You got nothing to be afraid of.

Afternoon, Sheriff.

Josh.

Thank you, Abby.

[ Screams ]

You know I didn't
kill Doc Evans.
Who did?

- Let her go.
- Who killed him, Abby?

Please.

[ Grunts ]

You must be
out of your mind, cowboy.

I could have
killed you then.Why didn't you?

Judge'll be here tomorrow.
Be a shame for him to come
all this way for nothing.

[ Spoon Clatters ]

How was the dinner, Sheriff?
Did he eat all his potatoes?

You're in the way, folks.

What kind of pie
did we have today?
Apple? Cherry?

Did the sheriff
wipe off your chin
when you got through?

You're gonna lose your job,
Jake, hanging around town.

- Then I'll lose it.
- Don't you have anything better
to do with your time?

Not till I see you
hang high, cowboy.

That's what
we're all waiting for.

[ Chattering ]

Tomorrow. That's what
the sheriff said.

The judge
is coming tomorrow.

Way the town's worked up,
I don't know if they can
wait for a trial.

Folks are getting
ugly and mean.

Just be glad it's not me
in that jail, Pa--
Ezra Gates's boy.

You're a power in this town, Pa.
Lots of folks are afraid of you.

They hate you for that.

They'd like nothing better
than to get back at you
through me.

I wouldn't have a chance
of telling my story in court.

Ezra Gates's boy
killed Doc Evans
over a woman? Who'd listen?

They'd drag me out of my cell
and put a rope around my neck
so fast,

and it would be all over.

It'd be all over, Pa,
before the judge
even got here.

If it was me, I mean.

But like I say, Pa,
you're a power in this town.

If you want to make sure
that Jake and the others
wait for that judge to get here,

all you have to do
is, uh, tell them to wait.

They'll listen to you.
Whatever you say, Pa,
they'll listen to you.

Haven't they been listening
to you all these years?

[ Sighs ] Thing about
that trial tomorrow, Pa--
Abby's awful nervous.

And there's that business about
that telegram that never
got sent to Shiloh.

Maybe he is the top hand.

Judge might even
hold up the trial...

until somebody from Shiloh
gets here to identify him,

maybe even swear
that he couldn't have
killed Doc Evans.

It's hard to say
what's gonna happen
tomorrow, Pa.

I guess it depends a whole lot
on what happens today.

Saddle up
my horse, Josh.

I'm goin' into town.

Josh, you ever
see a man hang?

No, Pa.

I'm telling the truth, Sheriff,
and you know it.

All I know is
we never got an answer
from Medicine Bow.

- Maybe that telegram
wasn't sent.
- For what reason?

Because maybe this town needs
somebody to hang,

a substitute,
and I'm it.

Now you listen here.
I've been a sheriff
for 20 years!

I've killed more men
than this cell has bars,

but I've never taken
a single life that
didn't need taking.

I've never shot anybody
in the back, and I've never
hung an innocent man!

Yeah? Well, you're gonna
start with me!

Sheriff,
where was Josh
that night?

Out at his pa's place.

Are you sure? Or did you
even bother to find out?

I didn't have to!
I had a description
of the killer.

From who? Abby?
Josh's girlfriend?

What did she say?
That he didn't look like Josh?

She said
he needed a shave.

His clothes were dirty.
He looked like a drifter.

That could fit anybody
from here to the border--

anyone the bounty hunter
decided to bring in.

Sheriff, did Josh have
any reason to kill Doc?

Like what?
He wanted
his gold watch?

Well, he wanted somethin'!

Somethin'
bad enough to kill for.

I just--
I just wonder what.

[ Footsteps ] [ Door Opens ]

Gus thought it would be better
if he didn't come
to the saloon anymore.

I told Gus--
Well, never mind.
Just leave it.

Abby, where was Josh
when Doc was killed?

Well, Josh?
Why, I guess at home.
Why?

He didn't come into town
at all that night?

Oh, I--
I think he told me he had
dinner earlier at the hotel.

But you didn't see him?No.

Thank you, Abby.
Thanks for
bringing the food.

[ Trampas ]
Abby, did you see
Doc Evans that night?

No harm in answering.

Only when he left the
boardinghouse to see what that
noise was, and you killed him.

-Didn't he have dinner
at the saloon?
-He ate at the hotel that night.

Who told you that, Abby?

Well, I-I don't remember.
Somebody at the saloon,
I guess.

Doc was called out
about 5:00 to deliver
the Melhorn baby.

It was a hard birth.

Bill Melhorn said Doc
didn't leave their ranch
until after midnight.

That means he must've
got back to town a short time
before he was killed.

Whoever told you Doc had dinner
at the hotel was lying.

Now, who lied, Abby?

I guess I heard wrong. No, you were told wrong.

You were told to
believe a lie
so you could use one against me.

It didn't happen that way, Abby.
It couldn't have happened
that way.

Make him stop! Then how did it happen?

Tell us the truth, Abby.
Or don't you know anymore?
Or did you ever know?

Don't you see?
He's using me
to die in his place!

But he's using you, too,
with his lies.

He's using you
to help hang me!

No! You did it!
You killed Doc! I saw you!

[ Running Footsteps ]

[ Sighs ]
Soon as Lucius comes back,
I'll check that telegram myself.

[ Panting, Groans ]

What's wrong, Abby?Oh!

Is something bothering you?

Why did you
lie to me, Josh?

Lie? Well, what are you
talking about?

You told me that
you saw Doc Evans
at the hotel that night,

that he said terrible things
about him and me,

and that that's
why you killed him.

That's what happened.
I ran into him later that night
in front of the boardinghouse.

I told him to
shut his mouth about you.

He just laughed,
and said a whole lot more.

This town thinking
he was a saint,
and all the time--

Oh, no, I'm not
sorry he's dead, Abby.

[ Liquid Pouring ]

Doc Evans never went
to the hotel that night.

Course he did.
Where'd you hear that?

From the sheriff.

Mrs. Melhorn
had her baby that night.

Doc couldn't have
got back to town
until after midnight.

M-Maybe the sheriff
was testing you.

Maybe you were lying to me.Why would I do that?

I don't know why!

Oh, now, come on, Abby.That's your answer for
everything, isn't it?

Be sweet to Abby,
and she'll do whatever you want.

Why did you lie to me,
Josh?

Because it didn't happen
the way you said?

Because you didn't
kill Doc over me?

Now don't go getting
any ideas.

Oh, not me! Not a dumb
little saloon girl like me!

What kind of ideas
could I have?

Except that you--
you killed Doc when
he caught you at something. I--

The bank.

That story you made me tell
about the cowboy--

It was you trying to
break into the bank.

Doc came along
and saw you.

If he hadn't, we'd have
been out of this town
by now.

We'd have been far away,
Abby-- you and me.

You didn't have to kill him.

He saw me!
What else could I do?

It was the only way out.
He'd have told the sheriff
and Pa.

I would have gone to jail.
That's why I had to
kill him, Abby.

Abby, I was only
thinkin' about you.No.

Yes. Yes!Oh, no.

That night,
Pa was tellin' me
to keep away from you.

Tellin' me to knuckle down
to ranchin' till I couldn't
stand it anymore.

All these years, Abby,
he's kept me
on a short string.

Given me pocket money
to spend around town.

Always promisin' me I'd have
more money than I'd know what to
do with when he was dead...

if I took over
the ranch.[ Panting ]

But I hate that ranch,
Abby.

I hate the sight of it.

And I hate
the sight of him--
that tight-fisted--

I was meant for a big city.
You know that, Abby.

Didn't we talk about it
all the time, you and me?

About goin' away
and havin' a time
for ourselves?

Not by robbing a bank.

There was nobody around.

All my pa's money
sitting in there.

After a couple of drinks
I started to think
about that money.

And then Doc came along.
He was on his way home.

He saw what I was up to.

I looked at him,
and he was Pa.

Same age,
same size.

And he was callin' my name
and... shaming me.

Afterwards,
you took his watch.

Sure, to make it
look like a robbery.
You knew that.

You were already planning
what to do with that watch.

And you-you lied to your pa
to get him to help you,
because he loves you.

And you lied to me!And you helped me
because you love me, Abby.

And that's why
you're going to keep on
helpin' me, Abby.

They'll hang the cowboy.Yeah.

Yeah.
Or they'll hang me.[ Whimpering ] No.

How much
do you love me, Abby?
How much?

[ Sighs ]

There's not a man here
that didn't owe Doc somethin'.

Me, I owed him my leg--Some of us owed him
our lives.

He pulled my oldest son
through a bad fever.

I never paid him
a blessed penny.

No, and now you can't.
It's too late. He's dead.
Shot down like a-- like a dog.

We got his killer.
That's something.He'll hang for what he did.

That's for sure.You bet he'll hang.

He'll hang real high
where everybody can see him.

Aren't you rushin' things, Jake?
Man hasn't been tried yet.

Tried? What kind of a trial
did he give Doc Evans?

None.
But, then, he's a murderer,
Jake, and we're not.

The judge will be here tomorrow.
He'll have his trial.
He'll have his say in court,

his word against
the saloon girl.

I, uh, have heard talk that
he's got a rich friend--
a rancher over in Medicine Bow.

That could hold
things up a little--

they get a lawyer here
to defend him.

Defend him? How do you
defend an old killer?

Man has a right
to a fair trial.

No tellin' how this'll
turn out. The judge might
rule out the evidence.

Why? I'm not saying
that he will, Gus.

I'm just saying
what might happen.

This trial might not
end in a hangin'.

He killed Doc,
didn't he?And I'm sayin' he's gotta hang!

Whoa! Whoa!
Now wait. [ Angry Chattering ]

Wait just a minute, please. [ Chattering Fades ]

Now, I have no way of knowin'
how this trial
is gonna come out.

But what I say is,
whatever the verdict, we've
gotta be ready to live with it.

I knew Doc better
than any man here.

And I know that
he believed in justice.Justice!

You call letting
his killer go justice?

You're puttin' words
in my mouth.

I don't know
that his killer's
gonna go free.

But let's face the possibility
that he's not gonna hang.
Just for the sake of argument.

[ Gus ]
Doc used to say that.
Said it all the time.

"Just for the sake of argument." [ Ezra ]
Yeah.

Doc was a good man,
a gentle man.

Just the kind of man
that this thing
always happens to.

Evil men can take care
of themselves. They can always
get other people to help 'em.

Yes, like that sheriff
bringing that mangy cur
in here for his meals.

No! Now that sheriff
is doin' his job.

Just like Doc
always did his.

Comin' into town today,
lookin' up at Doc's window,

I half expected
to see him there wavin',
smilin' as he always did.

No matter how dog-tired he was
from tendin' to his patients.

He's a good man.
Hard to believe that he's gone.

Hangin' his killer
isn't gonna bring him back.

Letting his murderer go free
ain't either.

You know somethin'?
Every minute that that killer
sits in that jail cell,

breathing air and
tasting life -- I say that's
an insult to Doc's memory!

[ Murmuring Agreements ]Now hold your horses!
Hold your horses!

Now Doc wouldn't like
that kind of talk,
and you know it.

Why, I recall the time
that the town bought him
that gold watch.

Tears came to his eyes,
and he didn't want us to know
how he was feelin'.

That's the kind of man
that he was.

And he gave us the very dickens
for wastin' money
on that timepiece.

But all the same,
you could see how proud
he was of that watch.

The same watch that that killer
stole off of him
after he murdered him.

Well, now, he claims
that he never saw
that gold watch.

And the bounty hunter
that took it off him,
long since gone.

Judge'll have to
take that into account.

Yeah, well, I say we don't
wait for the judge.

I say we take care of him
ourselves.

- Hang the dirty killer!
- [ Crowd Shouting ]
Hang him!

What we need is a rope!
Gus, you oughta have a rope.

[ Shouting Continues ] [ Man ]
Let's get this thing over with!

[ Continuing, Indistinct ] [ Jake ] Gus, there ought to be
a rope around here someplace.

[ Man ]
We're gonna have a hangin'.

What's all this talk
about lynching my prisoner?

Prisoner? I thought
he was your guest.

If the law can't help us,
we'll do without.

Doc's murder's
got to be paid for.

- Who said it wouldn't be?
- He's got to hang, Sheriff.

- That's the law.
- The law's full of tricks.
We're gonna do this our way.

We owe it to Doc.

We owe Doc exactly
what he gave us. Trust.

An open mind.
What's more,
respect for life.

Or have you all
forgotten that already?

He was a doctor!
He brought
life into the world.

Put a high value on it.

You think Doc would give
his blessing to a lynch mob?

Why, he'd sooner
turn his back on a case
of smallpox.

You know that's true.

Gus, you oughta know it.
He stood right there
one night...

and said
he was against hanging--
even legal hanging--

against all capital punishment--
You heard him!

Ah, maybe so.
Reckon I did.

But he didn't know
he was gonna get murdered
at the time.

You know, Sheriff, every time
I see you, you're doin'
somethin' else for that killer.

- Now you're tryin'
to save his neck.
- Why, Sheriff?

Why is that?

I was just asking myself
why some folks are so anxious
to see him quietly dead...

before the trial?

[ Men Murmuring ]

[ Scoffs ]

[ Lucius ]
I don't know, Josh.
You think he'll fall for it?

You just tell him
that if he wants to live,
this is his only chance.

And then
when he takes it--

You can't let
a killer escape, Lucius.

You'll just have to stop him.

All right.
But I want to get somethin'
out of this.

This town's ready
for a new sheriff.

I'll see to it
that my pa
backs you all the way.

The sheriff told you
to turn me loose?

I'm not sayin' I like it.
I'm against it,
but he's the sheriff.

There's a horse
waitin' out there.
You better get on it and ride.

Why is he doin' this?

Because he doesn't want
a lynchin' in his town.

And that's just what
they're gettin' ready to do.

Come on out.

I'd just as soon
let 'em hang you.

Wait.

You better go out
that door.

[ Lock Clicks ]

Go on.
What are you waitin' for?
Make a run for it.

Where's my horse?It's tied up
around the corner.

Where?Up the hill
in back of that house.

He's got a gun!

Next time you want to
shoot me in the back,
think of a better story!

[ Ricochets ]

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshots Continue ]

[ Shouts, Indistinct ]
Sheriff! Your prisoner's
tryin' to escape!

He-- He grabbed
the deputy's gun
and tried to kill him.

Where is he now?Holed up in the jailhouse.

That's what comes from
listening to you, Sheriff.

We should've strung him up
when we had the chance.

Let me handle this.You've handled it
long enough!

- Now the killer's got a gun.
- Then stay out of his way!

All of you get back inside.
Let me do my job! Go on!

[ Murmuring ]

Things haven't been going
very well for you today,
have they, Lucius?

He tricked me,
grabbed my gun.

Uh-huh. I stopped
by the telegraph office.

You never sent
that message to Medicine Bow.

I was going to.
I swear it.

What else were you
gonna do, Lucius? Why did you
take him out of his cell?

Sheriff, listen now.

Go away, Lucius.
Keep going.

And don't ever come back.

Cowboy, this is the sheriff!

That gun won't do you
any good. Might as well
hand it out.

Your deputy was gonna shoot me
in the back. Make it look like
I was tryin' to escape.

I know.

- And I didn't kill Doc Evans.
- I know that too.

- What did you say?
- I know you didn't kill
Doc Evans.

We both know who did.

Well, that sure took you
long enough.Not as fast as I used to be.

[ Sighs ]

Got a real problem
on our hands.

I take it
you don't wanna hang.

Well, that's never been
one of my lifelong ambitions.

He's still inside.
Maybe the killer's
got his gun by now.

It's awfully quiet
in there.Quiet as a graveyard at night.

I was just thinkin'.
This might be a good time
to rush the jail.

Josh! You wait
for the judge.

No, Pa!
We've waited long enough.

He almost got away. Let's not
give him another chance!He's right!

That's far enough.

We want the prisoner,
Sheriff.

You had your chance,
Josh. [ Jake ] Send him out, Sheriff.

No, Jake.
You'll have to come
and get him.

[ Gunshot ]

I'll get him outside![ Grunts ]

[ Josh ]
Get him up on the buckboard!

[ Jake ]
Hold his hands.

Get the other one.Abby!

- Abby!
- [ Jake ]
Get the seat, Matt.

[ Josh ]
Get this over with!

Look. Don't. You'll be sorry.

You've got the wrong man. [ Abby ]
Stop!

I made a mistake.
He's not the one I saw!

[ Murmuring ]

She's just afraid.
Go on back inside, Abby.
You don't have to watch.

Don't go. I want you to see
how easy it is for him to kill
me like he killed Doc Evans.

- Tell 'em, Abby.
- We're just wasting time!
Lower that rope!

Don't let him do it!
Stop him, please.

The whole story was a lie--
everything I said.

I was nowhere near
when Doc was killed.
I didn't see a thing!

What's she saying, Josh?

Don't you see?

The sheriff
put her up to this.
It's a trick!

She's lying now!
She's lying her fool head off
to save this killer!

Tell 'em, Abby!
Tell 'em who he picked
to hang instead of him.

Tell them who lied,
even to you! Tell 'em!

[ Panting ]

Come on, Matt!
Whip those horses!

Hold it, Matt.

You promised to
go away with me, Josh.

How do I know you weren't
lying about that too?

You lied to your pa.
You lied to everybody.

Say it, Abby.

Say who killed Doc Evans.

[ Whimpering ]

[ Whimpering ]

[ Crying ]
Josh did it.

Doc caught him trying to
break into the bank.

Josh killed him.
Josh did it.

You gonna listen to her?

Who'd believe
an alley cat
of a saloon girl?

Oh, no.

I would, Josh.

I believe her.

I'm sorry, Son.

I share the blame.

Pray God that I can
share the punishment.

Well, I don't suppose
you'll be coming up
this way again.

[ Chuckles ]
Not unless somebody ties me
or drags me back.

Don't keep my room ready,
'cause that's not
about to happen.

Town won't forget this.They'll try.

I won't let 'em forget.

Every chance I get,
I'll rub their noses in it.

Sheriff, you're not
gonna be too popular.

I'm not worried.

Then I'm not gonna
worry about it either.

Abby.

Well, I got my rounds
to make.

Uh, Sheriff?
So long.

So long, cowboy.

It's, uh--
It's not enough
to say I'm sorry.

Could've been worse.
You could've waited
a few minutes longer.

[ Water Pouring ]That doesn't
make it right.

No, but I'm much obliged
to you just the same.
[ Chuckles ]

There's nothing I hate worse
than a tight collar.

Going someplace?On the stage.

Far?As far as I can.

They say Colorado's nice.
Denver, maybe.

Nice town.

I'd take Medicine Bow.

Uh, Trampas--I know.

I've been in love myself.

[ Object Drops ]It makes you do funny things
sometimes, doesn't it?

Thank you.