Original subtitles

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Up!

Wanna tell me what's this is all about?

That'd be a waste of time now, wouldn't it?

Come on, get moving.

At least tell me where we're going.

I can do that.

We're taking you to see Judge Hobbs.

- Hobbs? - You mean to tell me

you haven't heard of the hanging judge?

Why, bushwhacker, you've got a real treat in store for you.

Now grab your gear and get moving.

You men get the horses.

Order. Order.

Order in the court! Now hush up!

Or I'll use the other end of this gavel.

That's the last drink of whiskey'll be served

while this court's in session.

Sooner we get this trial over, sooner we can all have a drink.

Now bring that prisoner up here where I can see him.

Well.

You don't look like much to me.

I expected you to be older.

You were expecting somebody else.

- I'm not the man who... - Keep it shut.

I don't allow no back talk in my court,

especially from a lowdown, dry-gulchin' bushwhacker.

I'm just trying to tell you who I am.

I know who you are, mister, and I know what you are,

and I don't like it one little bit.

I'm the foreman of Shiloh Ranch.

And I am the King of Russia.

Howdy do?

It's near Medicine Bow.

Colonel Alan Mackenzie is the owner.

Never heard of him.

Well, send him a telegram.

Well, why would I do a fool thing like that?

For proof that I'm telling you the truth.

I got all the proof I need, mister,

and it tells me that you are a tin-plated liar.

Rem Garvey? Come up here, boy.

Now, Rem...

have you seen that man before?

Take a good look. I don't want no mistake.

Yeah. Yeah, I seen him.

Would you please identify the prisoner

for this here court?

He's Boss Cooper.

That's crazy.

You calling my brother a liar?

- Your brother? - That's right.

Listen to me, I'm the foreman of Shiloh Ranch.

I can prove it if you'll give me a chance.

I don't see how when we just proved contrary-wise.

Now let the record show that the prisoner

is the notorious hired gunfighter, Boss Cooper.

I told you to shut up.

Dee, you've been out in the world.

You tell us what you know about Boss Cooper.

Well, I know he hires out to cattlemen.

They pay him to get rid of rustlers.

Get rid of them? How?

By laying wait, shooting them down.

In the back?

Any way at all.

He ain't particular.

You heard that, Rem.

Did you ever know him to gun down anybody

who was not a rustler?

Once.

And I reckon he made a mistake.

I reckon he did.

Him shooting people without asking any questions

or giving any warning, he likely made lots of mistakes.

And they're all six feet under the ground.

Right, Cooper?

I'm not Cooper!

Rem...

when did you see him make this particular mistake?

When did you see Boss Cooper before?

The night he murdered our pa.

He's wrong!

Did you see him clear?

Real clear.

He rode right past our house.

Where was that and when?

You know where it is.

Eight miles north of town, and you know when.

Last Tuesday night.

Well, that couldn't have been me.

I was 100 miles away in the other direction.

I'll shove this down your throat.

Now, Rem, anybody else see him pass the house?

Yeah, ma.

I said, "Ma, come here and look.

Yonder's Boss Cooper."

How did you happen to know who he was?

Well, I seen him once before in Fargo.

That's how I knew him.

And I knew he was fixing to kill.

So I followed outside.

And then I seen him kill my pa.

He shot him down in cold blood.

He never had a chance to open his mouth.

He shot him just like an animal.

Hobbs, check with Colonel Mackenzie.

He'll tell you I wasn't here. I couldn't have done it.

Quiet!

This court ain't in a habit of listening to killers.

This isn't a court. It's a lynching bee.

And you're not a judge. You're a hangman!

As a matter of fact, I am both.

Now...

after hearing all the evidence

against the accused...

I find him guilty as sin.

And I sentence him to hang by the neck until dead.

Dee, take him out.

You're gonna hang me now?!

No time like the present, as the fella said.

Come on, killer.

Rem?

Tell your ma she can sleep nights again.

Your pa's killer will be swinging high

with both boots off the ground.

You ever see a man hang before?

No.

I understand.

Help yourself.

It's on the house.

Need a little elbow room here, fellas.

All right, Dee, do the honors.

I do a real professional job, Cooper.

That way, I can...

see the sentence carried out right to the end.

Just enough slack.

Just enough slack.

Too much and you hit the ground,

bust both your legs.

Too little, you spring up like a Jack-in-the-Box

and crack your skull on the beam.

Now, anything worth doing at all

is worth doing right, as the fella says.

Charlie?

Let go of the reins. Stand clear.

This here fine-spirited animal

is just about to lose his rider.

W-wait just a minute!

In a real professional hanging,

a man gets a chance to say his last words.

Well, now. That is a fact.

Would be, uh, cruel and heartless

to deprive a man of his right to make peace with the world.

All right, say what you gotta say,

but make it short.

It ain't good for me staying out here

in this hot sun too long.

Well, I can't talk to a man I can't see.

Or are you afraid to look a man in the face whose about to hang?

Take more than that to put fear in me. Well?

Now we're face to face, say what you gotta say.

Just that there's no hard feelings.

No reason why there should be.

He had a fair trial.

Anybody tries anything, and we'll hang together.

Hold the horse. Hold the horse, Charlie.

- I'll take my gun, judge. - Yeah.

Stay right there!

All right, tell them to cut me loose.

Cut him loose. Cut him loose, Dee.

You want a hole in your head, judge?!

You think I'm gonna let you get away alive?

Stop asking foolish questions. Cut him loose.

Do what he says. Cut him loose, Dee.

There. Now what?

- Start walking. - Where?

Up the street!

Get him! Get him!

Get him! Bring him back here!

Is that you, Rem?

Mrs. Garvey?

Yes?

I want you to take a good look at me, please.

Do you know me?

Do you know who I am?

Yes.

Yes.

You're Boss Cooper.

You're the man who killed my husband.

You see me.

You look straight at me,

and you still say I'm the man who killed your husband?

I say it because it's so.

They told you, didn't they?

Your sons told you what happened in town.

Yeah.

Then it's not because you recognize me.

You don't know my face.

I know what you are, and that's enough.

You're wrong. You're all wrong.

They nearly hung me on Rem's word.

I got away and doubled back. I hid out till dark.

You should've kept on going.

My sons'd kill you quick enough.

They're not home.

Dee's heading the posse,

and I just saw Rem ride out of here.

- What you want in this house? - To talk to you.

Nothing I can tell you that you don't already know.

I want to hear you say it.

Rem saw a man on a horse.

He called you and pointed him out.

What did he say?

He said...

"Yonder goes Boss Cooper."

All right, you looked. What did you see?

A man.

Well, what did he look like?

Was he dark, or was he fair?

Did he have a mustache or chin whiskers?

What sort of a man?

My eyes aren't what they used to be.

Then you didn't see him good.

It was a ways off. But Rem saw him.

Rem knew him.

Him, not me.

Are you saying that you're not Boss Cooper?

You look at me again, and you tell me.

Swear to it as Rem swore in Hobbs' saloon.

Would you like some coffee?

Yes, I would.

Sit.

How do you like it?

Black.

You sound tired.

I am.

Better put your hands on the table, Mr. Cooper.

Both of them.

Flat.

You hold that as if you know how to use it.

I killed many a snake and coyotes and wolves.

There's no reason in God's green Earth

why I shouldn't kill you.

You ever killed a man?

There's always a first time.

I never lost a husband before either.

I'm sorry he's dead.

You're sorry.

But I didn't do it.

Would I be sitting here at your kitchen table?

Would I be here now if I'd killed your husband?

Where's the sense in that?

Where's the sense in his being dead?

Mrs. Garvey, I came back because I wanted to get at the truth.

Stay!

Or you'll die here, and I mean it!

I believe you.

But I've got to make you believe me.

They call me Boss Cooper, and I'm not.

They say I killed your husband, and I didn't,

but maybe Cooper did.

I've got to find him, and you've got to help me.

Help you?

And yourself, because you're not sure anymore, are you?

If you were, you would have killed me

long before this.

When Rem pointed Cooper out to you,

which way was he riding from, what direction?

All right, I'll try them all.

What for?

Maybe somebody saw him and recognized him.

Maybe they can tell me where he came from.

You're a wanted man. You've had your trial.

Is that what it was?

Judge Hobbs...

he isn't a good man.

He isn't a good judge either.

Wait.

I don't know if you're him or not.

I wish I'd seen with Rem's eyes.

Cooper...

Cooper come from the west through the mountains.

The only pass would have brought him through Hellerton.

I'll have to tell 'em where you're going.

I'll just have to.

If you can, give me some time.

Must be somewhere's up in the hills.

We couldn't pick up his trail in the dark.

Why didn't the posse wait'll sunup and try again?

The way we were crisscrossing going after him,

we rode over his tracks.

We couldn't find it now.

You ain't giving up. He killed our pa.

There's a lot of country out there, boy.

Where would you start to look?

Found him once before.

Yeah, well, that was dumb luck,

and luck is something I don't count on.

I'm just about starved to death.

Ma, it's gonna be great eating your cooking again.

Ah.

- Will you be staying, Dee? - Well, I'd like to, ma,

but you know I got a job and all.

We need you here, Dee. I can't run things by myself.

With pa dead, it's going to be awful hard.

He wasn't much help around here when he was alive, was he?

I won't listen to that kind of talk.

I'm sorry, ma, but you know him and me never saw eye to eye.

Couldn't even live under the same roof.

You don't have to remind me of that.

Where were you all night?

In town.

Where in town?

I was waiting for the posse to get back.

In Hobbs' saloon?

Now, ma, little brother's old enough to drink.

I don't like it.

That's right, you'd better look out, Rem.

One drinking man in the family is enough.

It's all right, ma, it's all right.

What I meant was...

I don't like to be left alone.

I had a visitor last night.

A visitor?

He was here? In this house, he was here?

What'd he want, ma?

- Did he hurt you, ma? - No.

- If you put a hand on you... - I said no.

Did he come gunning for me, ma, is that it?

I don't know what he wanted.

What are you holding back, ma? What did he say to you?

Did he tell you where he was going?

Where was he going, ma?

What'll you have?

Some information.

What'll you have with it?

Whiskey.

Works here. Her name's Myra.

Is Myra working now?

Depends.

I'd like to buy her a drink.

If she's working.

From the gentleman at the bar.

Ain't you gonna thank him?

- Thanks. - You're welcome.

She always that friendly?

Myra?

You should see her on Saturday nights.

You wouldn't believe it's the same gal.

Well, I won't be here that long. How about that information?

I'll do what I can.

I'm looking for a friend of mine.

He passed through here recently. He might've stopped for a drink.

I might know him. What's your friend's name?

Cooper. Boss Cooper.

Was that yes or no?

Look, mister, I don't want no trouble.

With Cooper?

With... with nobody.

Look, I don't know who you are, and I don't want to know.

- But you do know Boss Cooper. - Sure, who don't?

I-I mean, I heard of him.

He's got more notches on his gun than a saw has teeth.

You know Cooper when you see him?

No, I don't. I-I don't know him from Adam.

I just heard about him, that's all.

He was in here the other day.

Boss Cooper?

Why would he come into an old

fly-speck saloon like this?

It's the only saloon in town.

Yeah, well, he wasn't in here, that's for sure.

If you don't know Cooper when you see him,

how do you know he wasn't in here?

Look, uh, mister,

the man you want to talk to is the Sheriff.

Now, he'd know if Cooper come through town.

There's nothing happens in this town he don't know about.

Where is he?

Well, it's... it's dinnertime.

He's in his office.

Name's, uh, Wendell.

That's the man you want to talk to.

Sheriff?

Noon time. Office is closed.

I don't see any sign.

Don't need any.

Everybody in town knows I close up at noon.

Seems like it would be a good time to rob the bank.

- You ain't a bank robber? - No.

- Gambler? - No.

- A drummer? - Wrong again.

That's all this town needs. Another saddle tramp.

I'm just a man looking for some answers.

Well, you'll have to wait.

I'm having my dinner.

Don't let me interrupt you.

I ain't about to.

I don't like folks watching me while I'm eating.

Takes all the joy out of it.

It's not much fun for me either.

Now if you'll just tell me what I want to know,

I'll be on my way.

I can see you're bound and determined to ruin my meal.

Now what is it? What do you want to know?

Has Boss Cooper been through this town lately?

Well...

if that don't beat all.

Boss Cooper, huh?

Man comes to the sheriff looking for Boss Cooper.

Was he here?

Well...

I can't rightly say.

I, uh, don't know him personal.

Sheriff, you're wasting my time, and I ain't got time to waste.

This what you're looking at?

Well, there was a time when I...

When I would have made a try for it.

But that's gravy over the yams.

Was Cooper here?

Well, I, uh...

I heard tell he was twice,

going to and coming from.

To and from what?

A job, I reckon.

That why you want to find him? Hire that gun of his?

No.

Appears to me I'm looking at a man

that's in some kind of trouble.

I've got to find Boss Cooper.

I don't know what that trouble is,

but I'm likely to hear of it.

I'm not so fast anymore.

Too many meals under my belt.

Might be better for the both of us

if you were long gone when the news gets out.

I'm not staying.

That's good.

But I've got to know which way to go.

Well...

that would be a help, wouldn't it?

I didn't see myself.

I, uh...

I try not to see his kind.

Easier that way.

But if he was in town just for a little while,

likely he stopped by to see a lady he used to know.

What lady?

Cute little thing, Myra, Myra Greencastle.

Works at the saloon. Maybe you saw her.

Yeah, I saw her.

Thanks.

Oh...

just one more thing.

Make it short.

I'd hate to find out something bad about you

and have to come and get you, know what I mean?

Yeah.

Any luck?

That depends.

On what?

On whether you're gonna get out of my way.

Look, mister, like I said, I don't want any trouble.

You could've saved me some by telling me about Myra.

Oh, the Sheriff told you about that, huh?

Well, then, I guess it's all right.

I just had to make sure, you know,

it's better to be safe than sorry.

I've known men who were both.

Didn't your mother ever teach you how to knock?

If you don't mind, I'm in a draft.

Close the door.

I meant from the other side, mister.

You're little early for the show.

It doesn't start until 9:00 tonight.

Get out.

Here, put this on, and we'll talk.

I got nothing to say to you. Go away.

Hurry up.

Honey, I'm a little bit tired.

Why don't you just go away and come back later?

I'll give you 10 seconds to get out of there,

or I'll pull the plug myself.

What if I scream my head off?

Try it. Now get out of the water.

You sure did go to a lot of trouble

for a little conversation.

Could've talked to me downstairs for the price of a drink.

I paid the price.

You ready to talk?

About what?

Boss Cooper.

I want to know where to find him.

Why?

I want to talk to him about a man he killed

named Niles Garvey.

You see, they say I'm Boss Cooper,

and they say I killed Garvey.

You ready to tell me?

Are you ready to die?

Boss Cooper is holed up on the edge of town.

It's an old shack with yellow oil paper in the windows

and barrels in the yard.

He was up all night, so he'll be sleeping today.

He's a light sleeper, so you better walk soft.

Don't shoot. Please don't shoot.

You tried to kill me.

Well, on account of my saloon.

You're looking for Boss Cooper.

What if you find him?

He's gonna kill you,

and then he's gonna go looking for Myra.

He'll either shoot up my place or burn it out.

Look, mister, my saloon ain't much,

but it's all I got.

Well... well, a man's got a right to protect his own property.

You sent me to be killed.

It was Dunn's idea.

But you sent me, and I'm back.

I couldn't help it.

Why?

Because you love your job so much?

Boss Cooper.

Dunn said you were gunning for him.

He said you were going to shoot him.

Well, he lied to you, and you lied to me.

I love Boss!

I couldn't let you kill him!

I'm sorry!

So am I.

Now...

tell me all about it.

He used to come see me five, six times a week

when he wasn't away on a job.

Gave the old biddies in town something to talk about.

They used to hide behind their hands and whisper,

"There goes Boss Cooper's woman."

I wanna tell you, mister, that didn't bother me one bit.

I never did amount to much.

Guess you can see that yourself.

Room over a saloon...

all that goes with it.

There was a time when I was Boss Cooper's woman.

Lordy, what a time that was.

And suddenly...

he just stopped coming around.

I figured it was somebody else,

another woman with a room over a saloon.

But I was wrong.

How can you love someone so much and be so wrong about him?

You hear me, Sheriff?

He killed our pa, and he was found guilty,

guilty in a court of law.

Well...

somehow Judge Hobbs' saloon ain't my idea of a court of law.

Well, I saw him shoot my pa. I saw him.

You didn't telegraph any particulars.

There wasn't any time! We come after him ourselves.

- Hobbs don't know? - We've been telling you that!

Now stop feeding your face and listen to me!

Whoa, there, now hold on!

Three strangers in town,

and two of them claim the other one's wanted for murder.

How am I to know for sure?

Because we're telling you!

Well, then I'd just better telegraph Hobbs

and check up on it!

And he'll be long gone before you get an answer.

Look, he's already cheated the hangman once.

We can't let him get away again.

And how do you propose I stop him?

With this.

He tries to leave town, you shoot him.

And he's a gunman, Sheriff, so you better shoot to kill.

He came to see you the other night.

What'd he say to you?

If I tell you, I'll be telling you everything.

That's what I want.

I still love him.

And I'm still going after him.

Now listen.

I've been Sheriff of this town since before you were born.

Yeah, what's that got to do with it?

Well, being in one job that long,

I've learned to be careful.

You afraid of him?

No, I'm afraid of making a mistake.

Now, let's don't rush things, boys.

You'll be making a mistake if you don't

get out of the way of that door.

Now listen, son, I just...

I ain't your son, mister!

And we're after the man that murdered our pa.

Now you're going to tell us where he went,

and you're going to get out of the way,

or we're going to walk over you on the way out.

Now what's it going to be?

Above the saloon.

Myra's room.

Let's get him.

Let's go.

He came by to say goodbye.

He said he was married.

Can you imagine that?

Boss Cooper married to some nice,

wholesome little country gal?

Never had to work in a saloon,

never had to wake up to the smell

of bad whiskey in her room.

Nice little old country gal and Boss Cooper.

Even bought her a ranch.

Where is it, Myra?

Near El Sada on the Little Missouri.

Thanks.

You better kill him, or he'll kill you.

I'll try not to let that happen.

It will.

I know I'm sending you to your death again.

I'll stop through on my way back and show you I'm still alive.

Cooper, this is Dee Garvey!

Come out with your hands up!

The window.

We gotta go after him.

The horses would never make it.

Yeah, but we can't let him get away.

Look at her. She knows where he's going.

You're going to tell us.

Ain't that right, honey?

Hey, how can we be sure we're going in the right direction?

And how do we know that that girl

was even telling the truth?

By the way the tears ran down her cheeks.

Takes a lot to make a saloon gal cry.

They save their tears for weddings and funerals.

Nobody's getting married I know of.

You sure place a lot of faith in a two-bit saloon girl.

Little brother, you got a lot to learn about a woman.

Well, a few minutes more ought to do it.

I don't know why we stopped. I'm ready to ride all night.

Maybe you are, but the horses ain't.

Supper smells good, don't it?

A can of beans would've been enough for me.

Did you see the way I shot this bunny, John?

One shot dead center right between the ears.

On the run, too.

You certainly had enough practice at home.

Shooting all those whiskey bottles off the corral fence.

Yeah, pa kept me supplied in bottles.

Whoa.

Who is it?

Oh, for goodness sakes, you gave me a start.

I thought there was a bear coming after me.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

Well, you needn't be.

You can't help what I thought.

Well, we have an old she bear that keeps coming around

checking to see what's cooking on my stove.

Of course, there ain't nothing boiling there now

but my wash water.

Are you looking for someone, or did you lose your way?

We don't get much company.

Is your man around?

You're looking for Daniel?

Daniel?

Daniel Cooper, my husband.

Yeah, he's the man I came to see.

Well, he's out looking for that old she bear

that I was telling you about,

but I don't think he'll find her.

Oh, she's real careful.

I just bet she's got a pair of cubs up in the hills somewhere.

I don't know why I'm making you stand out here

looking at my wash.

Come on inside and wait for him.

Thanks, I will.

Well, this was no cook fire.

Likely he didn't stop for game.

He's traveling light. Not even a can of beans.

Meaning what?

Meaning he's hungry.

But he don't want to stop and take the time to eat.

How far ahead of us you figure he is?

Well, I'd say Boss Cooper's about where he's going.

Maybe even sitting back with a sigh of relief

thinking he's home safe and sound.

What's the matter?

I was just thinking.

If he was that close to home,

why did he stop here and camp for the night?

I'll have to warm it up some.

Took it off the fire so it wouldn't boil away.

Daniel always likes a cup of coffee when he comes home.

Oh, I... I know it isn't much,

especially after the barn burned down,

but Daniel's planning to build a new place.

Oh, he's going to put up the grandest little house

you ever did see.

I want my kitchen to be as big as this whole cabin.

Oh, sit down, I'll fetch you something to eat.

I got a ham in the stove.

Daniel brought it back the last time

he had to take one of his trips.

Does he travel a lot?

Oh, not as often as he used to.

But he's got the ranch now, and me.

Oh, sit, please.

Thank you. Coffee will do just fine.

Are you sure?

Well, we got plenty of food.

Daniel's always bringing back a load every trip.

Stocking up, he calls it.

Does he always leave you alone when he goes off that way?

Oh, I don't mind it too much.

I got my vegetable patch to look after

and my chickens.

In a few months, I'm gonna have something else to look after.

Oh, I won't be lonesome anymore.

Anyway, it's only gonna be for a little while.

Daniel's giving up selling harnesses.

- Harnesses? - Well, that's his business.

He goes around selling harnesses to various ranches.

Oh, he's always telling me about the places he's been

and the people he's met.

It almost makes me feel like I've been with him.

I believe that's the first time I ever heard

of a rancher who sold harnesses on the side.

Oh, well, you see, that's what he was doing

when I met him, but he decided to give it up

after we got married.

It was too much for him

now that the baby's coming and all.

Well, I guess the truth is he likes ranching better.

Sometimes he comes home after one of his trips,

and he's so wore out that he can't sleep nights.

He has terrible nightmares.

Oh, it's just awful to see him crying in his sleep,

not being able to help him.

Oh, here I am going on and on,

and you just this minute walked through the door.

You can tell I'm not used to having company.

You're the first one we ever had.

Oh, now don't let me drive you away with my chitter-chatter.

You won't run off?

I'm not going anywhere until I talk to your husband.

Oh, well, I just know he's gonna be real glad to see you.

Oh, it'll be a real nice surprise

for him to just walk in here and find you.

There, I know that's good and hot.

Are you sure you don't want a slice of ham

and three, four fried eggs?

Be no trouble at all.

No, no, thanks.

This'll be fine.

Is it, uh, profitable, the harness business?

Oh, well, that's a funny thing.

He puts it all in a bank somewheres,

and I don't know how much it all amounts to.

I don't suppose it could be too much.

How much does a harness cost?

Depends.

Well, anyhow, I'm going to have him home

with me a lot more from now on.

That'll be real nice.

You might even get to know him.

Daniel?

Oh, I know him now.

He is the sweetest, kindest man that ever drew breath.

I just love him to pieces.

He used to laugh at my way of doing things

and the way I talked.

You see, he wasn't used to having no woman around.

He said it pleasured him just to watch me.

Daniel.

I see we got company.

Howdy.

Howdy.

Bet you're real surprised to see a visitor.

I figured somebody would turn up sooner or later.

Oh, here, let me take this.

Now you two just sit down and forget I'm here.

Better let him do the talking, Daniel.

It's been such a pleasure having company,

I just about wore out both his ears.

Didn't he say anything?

Not much.

Oh, I didn't give him a chance.

- I'll get your coffee. - Later.

Nellie, I'm afraid that old clothesline

wasn't as strong as it looked.

It broke in two and dropped all your clean clothes in the dirt.

My wash?! Oh, no.

Excuse me, I'll be right back.

Daniel Cooper?

That's my name.

Boss Cooper?

That's what they call me.

I always heard that Boss Cooper was a back shooter.

You heard wrong.

Your gun, butt first with your left hand.

Who sent you after me?

Nobody.

I find that very hard to believe.

Would a hired gunman wait for you in your own house

for you to get the drop on him?

Maybe you're dull-witted

or just a mite slower than you thought.

Maybe I just wanted to talk to you.

About what?

Niles Garvey.

What about him?

I want to know why you killed him.

You related to him?

No.

Friend?

I never met the man.

What makes you think I killed him?

Did you?

Yes.

And that's just about all I'll say about that.

She doesn't know about you?

Not unless you told her.

No.

Then I'll thank you for that.

And I'll kill you for coming here.

How will you explain that to her?

I won't do it in the house, but don't try me.

Here.

Put it back. And don't try to load it.

Thought maybe you missed one.

Now what?

Now we have a nice visit till I say it's time to go.

Daniel? Open the door.

I'll have to do the whole wash over.

- It's purely aggravating. - Let me help you with that.

Oh, why, thank you.

Daniel, I think your friend is very nice.

I sure wish more folks would drop by and visit us, don't you?

Yes, Nellie, that would be a blessing.

Don't worry.

There will be others along after I'm gone.

Would you care for another slice of ham?

Oh, no, thanks, this was a fine supper, Mrs. Cooper.

It was just my regular wash-day meal,

but I'm glad you liked it.

You're a fine cook. You're lucky man, Daniel.

You're right about that.

Oh, now, for goodness sakes.

I hope you saved room for some cherry cobbler.

I don't think we'll have time for that, Nel.

- It'll be dark soon. - You going someplace?

I'll be right back.

I promised my friend here I'd show him

where I'm gonna build the new house

before he rides on back to town.

Well, do you have to leave so soon?

I have no choice.

He's got some business in town that just won't wait.

Oh, I declare, I don't think much of a business

that keeps a man from having a real visit with his friends.

You ought to be thinking about getting out of it,

the way my Daniel is.

I'd like to get out of it, but I don't see how I can.

Ready?

It's been a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Cooper.

Well, you be sure to come back and visit us again.

I'll try.

Daniel, you're sure you're not gonna be too long.

No, it won't be long at all.

Your wife's a fine woman. You don't deserve her.

Maybe not.

I'll take that now.

What was that she said about your going out of business?

True.

I've done enough.

Killing I did was necessary, rustlers, outlaws,

the ones the laws can't touch.

Somebody had to take care of them.

But not me, not anymore.

Why?

Getting married changed my thinking

about a lot of things.

I'm sick to death of killing. You're the last.

Somehow, that's not much comfort.

How far we going?

Far enough so she can't hear the shot.

It's like I said, it's where I'm gonna build the new house.

Well, there it is, just like the girl said.

Yeah, but she didn't say anything about a woman.

Bother you to know that Boss Cooper's married?

No.

Ain't gonna make it any easier going in after him.

She might get hurt.

She might. Come on.

No.

Wait, w-we oughta lay low, see who comes out.

You feeling shaky, little brother?

No.

But if we ride straight in there,

Cooper could kill both of us.

He could. If he was there.

What makes you think he isn't?

Well, I ain't seen a woman yet that'd put up a clothesline

by herself if her husband was home.

I don't know.

You don't know what? Why we came this far?

Because Boss Cooper made our ma a widow,

and we're gonna return the favor,

aren't we, little brother?

- Sure. - Well then?

When did you decide to give it up?

After you killed Niles Garvey?

He was drunk.

I never shot a drunk before.

And he wasn't wearing a gun.

I didn't know that till after he was dead.

You could've talked to him.

I never had much to say to rustlers.

He wasn't a rustler.

Don't tell me that. I know different.

I was paid to do a job on a rustler, and I did it.

Nobody's paying you to kill me.

That's right, you bought this for yourself

coming here, bringing that other life with you.

I worked too hard keeping Nellie away from all of it.

That's reason enough to kill you, friend.

Come on out! You haven't got a gun!

You can't fight me.

Niles Garvey couldn't fight you either.

You missed, Cooper.

You're here, and I'll find you.

It's just a matter of time.

I've got time.

No pretty little wife waiting for me.

Just keep talking, friend. You'll make it easier.

Who paid you to kill Niles Garvey?

Hear me, Cooper?

What difference does it make?

I came a long way to find out.

I'd like to know before I die.

A man named Jenkins.

I never heard of him.

Missed again, Cooper!

Come on out! Let's get it over with!

It's no use trying to reason with you.

You're as mule-headed as Judge Hobbs.

He had a rope around my neck

'cause he wouldn't listen to reason.

Hobbs tried to hang you?

Yeah, for killing Niles Garvey.

He thought I was you.

Now you listen to me.

Get up!

Drop it, Cooper!

I said drop it!

You'd better do what he says, Cooper.

I told you I wouldn't let you get away alive.

Garvey, you listen to me,

you've been tracking me, and I've been tracking him.

I finally caught up with him. That's Boss Cooper.

He ain't Cooper, you are.

You're a liar.

You sure don't give up easy, do you?

You, what's your name?

Franklin, George Franklin.

Why did you and him tangle?

I'm a bounty hunter. I got onto Cooper's trail.

Leave it!

I heard he was wanted for murder.

I was taking him in. He got the jump on me.

He would have killed me if you boys hadn't come along.

That's the way it looked.

I don't care how it looked. He's Cooper.

You're sure, little brother?

You're sure that this is the man that killed pa?

I'm sure.

Killed who?

That's right, Cooper, these are Niles Garvey's sons.

You ever meet them before?

No.

Never had the pleasure.

Get the rope. Tie him up.

What for?

So we can take him back to hang.

Let's kill him now, get it over with.

That works out real nice, doesn't it, Cooper?

You hang up your guns with nobody coming around

to bother you?

Boss Cooper's dead and buried.

You shut up.

You boys have no further need of me,

- I'd like to be on my way. - Just a minute.

This isn't over yet. Garvey?

I say he's Cooper. He says he's not.

There's one sure way to find out.

How's that?

Cooper lives with his wife in a cabin a few miles back.

Yeah, we met her. She told she where to find you.

Take us back to the cabin.

Let her tell us which one of us is her husband,

which one of us is the famous gunman Boss Cooper.

We already know you're Cooper. He's stalling for time, Dee.

Cooper's wife doesn't know what he does for a living.

Well, I'd sure like to know what this is all about.

All right, let's go back to the cabin.

Is that how you want it, Cooper?

Is that how you'd like her to find out?

Your brother's lying.

- I'm Boss Cooper. - It's a trick.

They're in it together.

He told me his name was Jenkins.

He said he owned a big cattle ranch

and some fella was stealing his stock.

He told me to ride past the house.

He'd catch up and point him out.

It ain't so, Dee.

Go on.

He paid me for it. Cash money.

$100 to kill a rustler.

That's what I thought I was doing,

what he told me I was doing when he took me to your pa.

You done that?

You know how pa was.

Mean, drunk all the time.

It was even worse after you left.

He was always picking on me.

He never gave me any money of my own.

I found out he had $500 stashed away

from that herd we sold last spring.

Even ma didn't know anything about it.

So you took it and... And kept it.

You'd have done the same thing.

But I wouldn't have had him killed.

But he found out. He was making my life a misery.

He told me he was gonna turn me into Judge Hobbs

for stealing his money.

You used me to kill him and then sent them after me.

And you lied.

You lied to me and said he was Cooper!

Well, that way, they wouldn't be looking for him.

See, I done you a favor, Boss.

Boy, I don't need your favors.

And that's the end of it.

No, it ain't,

- not while I got this gun in my hand. - Put that down.

You ain't telling me what to do no more, big brother.

And you ain't telling ma what I done either!

You'll have to kill us all.

All right, I will.

By yourself?

Pulling your own trigger

with no one else to do your murders?

I will.

You've got a gun. Stop him.

He's my brother.

Well, he's not mine.

Garvey, stop!

You see how it was, Dee?

Pa was a devil.

Now, you ain't gonna let 'em do nothing to me, huh?

You ain't gonna tell on me?

I'll take you back.

Home.

Back to hang for killing pa.

But it was Cooper who done it.

Little brother..

How did you get so dumb?

He finished me.

That fool boy.

What can I do for you?

My wife.

See that she gets back to her folks.

I will, I'll do that.

Thanks.

Now get me home.

I want to see her again.

Dan, you can't ride like this.

Just get me on a horse.

I'll ride.

All right. All right.

What's wrong? What's wrong?

What happened? Oh, Daniel.

Is it bad?

I'm afraid it is.

Nellie...

Nellie...

- I had to tell you... - Hush.

You don't have to tell me anything.

I lied to you.

I don't want to hear it.

Nel, I'm not the man you think I am.

You're a good man, I know that,

and a good husband.

Nel, it could have been...

so different.

It's no use trying to talk.

I know you, Daniel.

I know you more than anybody in the world.

And nothing you can say can change it.

Oh, Daniel.

Oh, Daniel.

♪