Original subtitles

WOMAN: ♪ I am a poor wayfaring stranger ♪

♪ Traveling through this world of woe ♪

♪ And there's no sickness, toil or danger ♪

♪ To that bright land to which we go ♪

♪ I'm goin' home to see my Father ♪

♪ I'm goin' there no more to roam ♪

♪ I'm only goin' over Jordan ♪

♪ I'm just a-goin' over home ♪

I'm so hot, Mommy.

It'll be cooler now, baby,

now that the sun has gone down.

Will you tell me another story?

Which one now?

About how it's gonna be in Oregon.

Oh, that one.

Well, let me see.

Everything will be cool and green.

And the trees will point straight up to the sky.

And there'll be water.

Rivers and streams and lakes.

Maybe you'll have your own little pony.

And later on, you'll go to balls and dances.

And I'm going to buy you a lovely blue velvet dress

and white gloves,

and you'll twirl around the floor,

and everyone will say,

"That's Mrs. Owens' little girl...

A perfect little lady."

They will say it, baby.

They will say it.

♪ I know dark clouds may gather 'round me ♪

♪ I know my way is rough and steep ♪

♪ But beauteous fields lie just beyond me ♪

♪ Where men redeemed their vigils keep ♪

♪ I'm goin' home to see my mother ♪

♪ I'm goin' there no more to roam... ♪

Howdy! Howdy.

Is that the Adams outfit down there?

Yeah.

Do you know my sister Ruth Drew?

Do you know what wagon she'd be in?

Ruth Drew? Uh-huh.

I don't recall the name.

You can see it's a big train.

You come from far?

Far enough.

I guess it ain't been raining there, either.

No.

Sorry I can't help you.

It's all right. Thanks.

Excuse me, mister.

Mister?

Do you know Ruth Drew?

MAN: Ain't no use askin' him.

He's blind as a hoot owl.

I'm sorry.

Who are you lookin' for, kid?

I'm lookin' for my sister, Ruth Drew.

Do you know her?

Back in Saint Joe, they told me for sure

she came with this train.

A man's gotta be real daft

to come this far on somebody's say-so.

And in this drought, too.

No, it wasn't somebody. The man that told me

knew her real well.

Said she'd been livin' in St. Louis for a while,

but he'd seen her go with this train

when she come back through Saint Joe.

She used to work in that big place there, you know?

What place?

I don't remember the name.

I'd never seen anything like it before in my life.

Got chandeliers all over the place,

and red velvet, you know?

And a great big staircase all in marble,

every last step of it.

Well, if you ain't a real corn-fed boob, now.

That's the Satin Slipper.

And you, uh, say your sister used to work there?

Doin' what?

She was a waitress.

Don't make me laugh.

There's only one kind of woman in a place like that.

We ain't got that kind.

Ain't no fancy women on this train.

Are you callin' my sister that?

You're the one that said it, not me.

Well, it ain't true. You better take it back.

I ain't takin' nothin'... You're a liar!

Nobody calls me a liar.

What's goin' on here?

You see this knife, boy?

I'm gonna cut you up real good,

you hear me?

Why did you have to kill me

over a cheap...

BLIND MAN: Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

Halfway across Kansas, the drought hit us...

22 days without a drop of rain.

I've rationed water, but soon there won't be enough

to even boil food.

My name's Major Seth Adams, U.S. Army, retired.

As wagon master, it's my job

to keep the train rolling.

My sidekick Flint McCullough

is a fine Indian scout,

but even he can't find water where there ain't any.

Not even the smell of a cloud.

I've never seen anything like it before, Major...

A drought as long as this around this part of the country.

It's not natural.

Figure there's any water at Porter's Creek?

I never heard of it goin' dry before.

We gotta cut north of here, thought, to hit it.

Hmm. Well, what do you think?

Well... it's gonna delay you.

Cost you two, three days at least.

Well, we're just gonna have to take that chance.

You go on ahead. We'll meet you there at sundown tomorrow.

Right.

And keep your eyes open!

Is he dead?

He looks it sure enough.

It's Lank.

It's Lank!

Who done it?

I heard him.

I heard the voice, but I can't place it none.

Yeah, it sure tore him right up.

Must've been a horse pistol.

Who do you suppose would want to shoot old Lank?

Doesn't anybody know. Tell you what, though...

I sure wouldn't want to be the one to tell Mr. Carr

that somebody gunned down his boy.

Let me through! Let me through!

Lank!

Lank! Lank!

Anybody see who done this?

Anybody see who killed my brother?

I ain't seen him, but I heard it.

Pa?

Lank's been shot, Pa!

Set him down, Ralph.

Set him down to the earth.

Get up now, Lank.

Lank!

It's no use, Pa. He's dead.

Don't you tell me he's dead.

Don't you tell me my son's dead.

They took away my land,

and they took my sons.

What can the world give a man but his sons

and the land?

You were the least of them,

but you were my son.

And I promise you that whosoever did this

will pay for it.

Pa?

I found Lank's knife on him.

What are you saying?

I'll tell you later, Pa.

Lank would've sunk his hands into the earth

in Oregon.

He would've built a new land.

And now...

he's gone.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

You hear what I say, son?

Yes, Pa.

I'll find him.

I'll get the one that did it, Pa.

Would someone be so kind

as to carry him into the wagon?

He should have a sheet.

He should have a clean sheet.

So, who's comin' with me?

Somebody better hunt up Major Adams.

We can handle this without him.

There was a kid come around tonight...

A stranger. Maybe he's the one who done it.

We'll find out.

Hawks, you take a couple of men

and look around outside the camp.

Make sure no one gets out. Yeah.

We're gonna color the camp wagon by wagon.

Come on, Uncle.

I certainly hope we'll get someplace soon

where there's enough water to wash in.

Poor baby's gonna have to wear this again tomorrow.

She'll survive it.

It's not her.

She loves nothing better than to put on old clothes

and roll around in the dirt.

It's all part of being young.

And it only lasts a short while.

Surely when you were a child...

I never was a child.

Anyway, not that I ever remember.

Ruth...

I never asked you about those years

because I always had a feeling you didn't want to talk about them.

No, it's not that.

It's just that I don't think I could make you understand.

Well, do you want to...

Do you want to give it a try?

I'll listen.

Well, I...

You always had a big house

with clean walls and clean curtains

and a hired girl to keep it that way.

In my house, I was the cook and the hired girl

and the slavey.

At night, I'd go to sleep

with the pounding of the mine in my ears,

the screeching of the whistles.

I'd make believe that I was out on a boat

in a lovely, clean fog.

Then I'd wake up.

There'd be coal dust all over everything.

I had a little place in the cellar

where I would hide magazines

with pictures of ladies in velvet dresses

being helped out of carriages.

I dreamed that I was like them.

I don't want Sarah to just dream about it.

She won't have to.

I promise you that.

She's my child now, too.

I know.

Oh, Paul, you're so good to me.

George Hanks?

Come on, get up on your feet.

Huh?

You got no cause to bother anybody.

Maybe you ain't heard... There's been a murder.

You got two sons...

Abraham and James. Get 'em out of that wagon.

Ah, we ain't lookin' for any trouble.

There's like to be a passel of it

if folks around here don't cooperate.

You know my boys wouldn't kill anybody.

That ain't the point of it, Mr. Hanks.

Somebody done it, and we don't know who.

Now, I figure this is the only fair way to find out.

You gonna get those boys out of there,

or do I have to go in after 'em?

All right, boys. Come on out.

You... say your name.

Come on, say it!

Abraham.

RALPH: Say something more so he can hear your voice.

What do you want me to say?

You recognize it?

No. Ain't him.

You say something.

I didn't shoot nobody.

I swear.

RALPH: Is he the one?

No. Ain't nothin' like it.

RALPH: Thank you, Mr. Hanks.

I'm gettin' bone tired.

Can't you let me set a little?

You'll set after we find the one that done it.

You can go to bed now.

Oh, she's finally asleep.

Poor baby.

Paul, you have to get some rest.

Are you writing to Parker again?

Just finishing.

I was hoping that once we were on our way,

you'd forget all about that.

I know, but I feel I ought to let him know the truth,

whether he wants to believe it or not.

St. Louis seems a million miles away now.

It must be lovely and cool in the park.

Ruth... did I do the right thing?

I could've kept my eyes closed, my mouth shut,

and the probably would've made me head of the department.

No, you knew it was a bribe.

You couldn't have taken in and lived with yourself

and still been the kind of man that you are.

I suppose so.

But it won't be easy.

It'll mean starting all over again.

I don't mind that.

Sometimes it's better to get a fresh start.

You'll see, Pa.

When we're settled in Oregon and you're teaching again,

you'll forget all about that.

I hope you're right.

I know I am. In a few years,

this school will be the most important one in the whole West,

and you will be the head of it.

Heh heh. Well, even if I'm not,

I'll still be the luckiest man in the world...

because I'm married to a woman who understands

that there has to be truth in a man's life...

and knows there's no peace if you live with a lie.

RALPH: Professor Owens!

Professor Owens!

Shh! My child is asleep!

It's all right, ma'am. We don't mean to cause you any trouble.

Ralph, what is all this?

All right, Uncle, you heard his voice.

Is that him?

Can't tell.

He didn't say enough.

Who are you looking for?

Somebody killed Lank Carr. We're hunting him down.

Does Major Adams know about this?

He ain't around. Must be with outriders.

You can't take a thing like this in your own hands.

Somebody had better go and get him.

That's what I was sayin'.

We got him! We got him, Ralph!

Come on, boys!

Paul, don't you get involved with this.

There's nothing you can do.

I've seen mobs like this before.

There's no reasoning with them.

I can't just stand here. I've got to do something.

What's happening? Why all the shoutin'?

Nothing, honey. You try and go back to sleep.

Paul! Paul, wait!

Where's Daddy goin'?

Nowhere, honey. He'll be back in a minute.

I swear, I didn't mean to kill him!

Shut up! You'll have time enough for that

when we start hangin' you!

Now, wait! You don't know what you're doing.

We'll know soon enough.

What do you say, Uncle... That's him, ain't it?

I don't know.

RALPH: I'll give you a chance to make sure.

Come on, you speak up!

I didn't mean to kill him! I didn't mean it!

You've got no right to do this.

You keep out of this!

Well, Uncle?

It's him, right enough. He's the one.

Listen, you.

You shot my brother down, just like he was a dog,

and you're gonna pay for it.

I never done it on purpose. I swear I didn't!

Come on, boy!

Let him go!

It's no use, Professor!

Mrs. Smith, have you seen my husband?

Nope.

How do you like it?

Ridin' in here as bold as you please,

lookin' for one of those Saint Joe saloon women.

He said it was his sister he was lookin' for.

Well, all I can say is that things will be comin' to a pretty pass

if we had to have a woman like that on the train.

It's the truth... everything I said! Please! I'm not lyin'!

He said something about my sister, so I hit him.

And he come after me with a knife, and he was gonna kill me sure!

I had to shoot him!

Look, he cut me!

Go on, you scratched it on something!

No! Sis!

Get the rope!

Sis!

Sis!

Sis, help!

Help me!

Ohh!

Major Adams!

Major Adams!

You go on to camp.

Mrs. Owens, what's the trouble?

They're gonna hang him.

They're gonna hang him. You have to stop them.

Gonna hang who? He's only a boy.

Just a child. Please, you've got to stop them.

Come on, you'd better come with me.

No, don't wait for me.

You go, please. Hurry. You go!

Hyah!

Giddyap! Hyah!

I hope you ain't plannin' on makin' a living as a hangman,

'cause you just ain't got the callin'.

Here, you try it!

You gotta listen to me.

Somebody's gotta listen to me, please!

He lied about my sister!

All right, shut up! I'm ready!

Get out of here!

No!

Pull away! Please, don't! No!

Hey! Hold it!

Hold it!

There'll be no hangin' here!

I'm runnin' this outfit!

You ain't gonna tell us what to do!

Don't let him scare you off!

Now, get away from him!

My son is lying under a sheet in that wagon over there.

I'm sorry about that, Mr. Carr,

but you don't hang a man without a trial.

It's a long way to the nearest judge.

If you'll read the articles of this wagon train that you signed,

you'll find out that I'm the judge here.

Then what are you waitin' for?!

We'll give him a trial tomorrow night at sundown,

after I've found out what this is all about.

Why tomorrow? Why not right now?

Quiet!

Shut up!

We hit water at Porter's Creek tomorrow.

We'll try him there after you've had a chance to cool down.

Till that time, nobody lays a hand on this boy!

I'll prepare myself to wait.

But, Major Adams...

I intend that my son's death

should be paid for.

I'll ask you to remember that.

I won't forget that.

Now, go back to your wagons.

Go on back to your wagons, all of you!

Come on, son.

Oh, Paul! Paul!

You were right. I couldn't do a thing with them.

What happened?

Major Adams got there just in time.

He stopped them. Oh, thank God.

Thank God.

Want a chaw, boy?

Why don't you try sleepin'?

I don't feel like it.

I reckon I wouldn't, either.

The rope...

came awful close.

He shouldn't have said what he said about my sister.

I'm deep sorry I killed him.

That's the truth.

But he shouldn't have said that.

And when he come at me with that knife,

it was like somethin' wild.

I couldn't think.

Well, you'll get a fair trial.

If it was self-defense, you got nothin' to worry about.

You mean that?

Sure he means it.

But Mr. Carr is gonna be a hard man to convince.

I put my word down, and that's how it's gonna be.

You go on, Charlie. I'll take over the rest of the night.

Right, Major.

Thank you. That sure feels better.

Hmm. Who'd you say your sister was?

Ruth Drew.

Hmm. What does she look like?

She's some older than me,

got long hair, kind of light.

She was the prettiest girl in the whole county.

And she's just... nice.

You understand?

Mm-hmm.

She always used to take care of me

when I got in trouble...

and put me to bed and say prayers for me.

And she used to hide me when Pa took after me with a belt.

Sounds like a pretty good kind of a sister to have.

Here.

Oh, thank you.

That's right good.

Ruth used to boil up coffee in a pot like that.

Always used to like it that way.

You reckon I can trust you to not try to run off now?

You can trust me.

I'll be back in a minute.

Oh, Miss Owens.

Major Adams, I brought the boy

a plate of supper and some rock candy.

Didn't you think we was gonna feed him?

Well, I just, uh...

Could I please see him?

Well, I don't reckon there's any reason not to,

if you want to.

Go ahead. Thank you.

Jimmy.

Ruthie.

Oh! I knew I'd find you.

No matter what anybody said, I knew I'd find you.

Oh, Jimmy.

I was feelin' all lost.

I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't found you.

It's all right.

It's downright good to see you.

Look.

Rock candy. You remembered.

Oh, Jimmy, you're hurt.

No, it's just a cut.

You've grown so big.

You've grown do big, I'd hardly know you.

What are you doing way out here, honey?

I come to find you.

You know, Pa died.

Did he?

Yeah, a couple of months back.

What'd he die from?

He worked his shift in the mine, like always.

And then at night, he took to hackin' and coughin',

and the next morning, he just died.

We buried him up at Creegan's Knoll.

Aunt Martha came and Old John Hosmer.

That's all.

I got no tears for him.

He drove me off.

I don't care what happened to him.

The last thing he said... He wanted me to find you

and tell you as how he forgave you.

That's very kind of him.

You didn't say good-bye to me

when you run off.

Jimmy, it wasn't like he told you.

He wouldn't let poor Tom in the house.

When Tom's orders came,

all we could do was run off and get married.

Pa never said nothin' about you.

Never even spoke your name... until he was dying.

What happened to Tom?

He died.

In the war?

Camp fever...

The very first week.

But I've got a little girl.

Sarah... she's seven years old.

And I'm just married again, Jimmy,

to a wonderful man, a schoolteacher.

Jimmy?

How'd you know where to find me

on this wagon train?

A man in Saint Joe swore up and down

he saw you take this train.

What man?

I don't remember his name.

He wore a fancy vest

and lace on his shirt.

Eddie.

That's it... Ed Stevens.

That place he runs...

The Satin Slipper... what is it?

It's... just a place.

What was it you did there?

What was it you did there?!

Why can't you tell me?

Jimmy, you're so young.

That man I killed... what he said was true, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?! Jimmy, I...

And I killed him for it!

I had a baby, Jimmy.

I had nowhere to go... no family,

no one to take care of me.

I always looked up to you.

You weren't like the other girls down the mine.

You could've become something!

You didn't have to sink into being a cheap...

Jimmy, don't!

Oh!

Oh, Jimmy, don't.

You're so young.

You don't really know what life is like.

Jimmy, if you're a woman and you're alone,

it can crush you like the earth falling in on you.

Honey, I had to get away from that mine.

I had to... from the coal dust

and the men staggering down the hill drunk every Saturday night,

and the women getting gray and old

and spent before their time.

Oh, Jimmy, I know what I did was wrong, I know.

But I had to keep my baby. I did.

I built a wall around her, honey.

Nothing touched her, nothing.

Jimmy, look at me.

Major Adams?

Major Adams!

Jimmy, don't do this to me.

It's all buried and forgotten.

I made a new life for myself and for her.

Jimmy, try to understand!

Get her out of here! I don't want to look at her anymore!

Oh, Jimmy.

You'd best go now, ma'am.

Anything you'd, uh, like to tell me?

No.

He's my brother.

I sort of figured.

I don't know what to do.

I have a husband and a little girl.

I can't tell you what to do, ma'am.

You won't say anything, will you?

Not if you don't want me to.

No.

Thank you.

Good night, ma'am.

Good night, Major.

Hello, Paul. Morning.

Morning. I thought you were still sleeping.

Looks like another scorcher.

It certainly does.

Ruth, where did you go last night?

What?

I saw you leave.

It was a long time before I went back to sleep.

You weren't back.

Well, I just went for a walk.

It was so hot, I couldn't sleep.

Paul.

Nothing.

What is it, Ruth?

You're upset about something.

Is it that boy last night?

He'll get a fair trial. You heard what Major Adams said.

I'd better fix breakfast.

Now, Ruth...

you remember what I told you when we were married?

Well, it's still true.

I'm older than you are,

and I'm crotchety and set in my ways,

but I love you, Ruth.

And you can always trust me.

I do, I do.

Mighty hard on my husband,

being held down to one cup of coffee a day.

Why, back, he drunk near a quart of it

every morning and night.

Good morning. Good morning.

You're late with breakfast, Mrs. Owens,

not that I blame you.

Hardly done with the night,

and it's hot enough to boil a body alive.

Did you see that boy they caught last night?

He just didn't look like a killer to me somehow.

Well, my husband says that kind never does.

What do you think about it, Mrs. Owens?

Well, I really wouldn't know.

All right, ladies, let's go.

Get back to your wagons and get loaded up.

If we're gonna get to water by sundown, we gotta get movin'.

All right, everybody, get loaded up!

Load up!

Let's get movin'! Come on, let's go!

Close 'em up. Keep 'em closed up.

Keep 'em closed up, now.

Well, is it hot enough for you this morning, son?

What's the matter? The cat got your tongue?

He's been like that all day.

I reckon he ain't said more than two or three words.

There's something I meant to talk to you about...

That knife that you said Lank pulled on you.

You don't need to worry yourself none about that.

What's eatin' you, boy?

That's the only defense you got.

What do you figure to tell 'em at the trial?

If they want to hang me,

they can go ahead and do it.

I had no cause to shoot him.

I killed him, and I didn't have no right to.

And there's something else out there in Oregon

you've never seen.

What? An ocean.

The biggest ocean in the world.

What's beyond the ocean?

China.

But we won't get that far this trip.

Howdy, Professor!

Howdy, Major!

How are you, ma'am?

How's my little girl today?

You gettin' tired of that old wagon?

Oh, yeah!

I tell you what you do... You ask your pa

if he won't take you for a ride on my horse.

Tell him I'll drive the horses for him for a while.

Please, Papa?

All right, puddin'.

All right, fine.

Well, you've gotten him out of the way.

What is it you wanted to tell me?

That kid... your brother...

What happened between you two?

Nothing. Why?

Well, he ain't the same boy I talked to yesterday.

Jimmy was always very moody,

even as a child.

I guess you'd know about that.

But I'm sure gettin' worried about tonight.

Why?

You promised him a fair trial, Major.

You know you promised.

He'll get it, just as fair as I can make it.

Then there's nothing to worry about.

He'll be all right.

They'll have to see that he's innocent.

All you have to do is look at him

and you'd know he wouldn't do a thing like that.

I don't know what they can see

in a man who won't defend hisself.

What do you mean, he won't defend himself?

What did he say?

He said he was guilty.

Well, that doesn't make sense.

You know that's not true.

You know he wouldn't do that.

Makes do difference what I know.

If he won't say it, I can't make him.

You can't make a man want to live

that's already dead inside.

What do you want me to do?

Well, some things are just buried too deep

for a stranger to meddle with

Sometimes a man can't say

whether it's right or wrong.

You know, Mrs. Owens...

during the war, I had a sergeant.

He got pinned under a canon

that was shot off its carriage.

He was quite a little ways away from me,

but maybe somehow I could've gotten to that man.

I don't know.

The Rebs were comin' up the hill,

stormin' at us.

I had the rest of my men to think about.

I had a choice to make.

I made that choice, and I never turned back.

But I can still hear that man screamin'

when I left him.

I don't know, Mrs. Owens.

Don't know.

Maybe my men could've gotten out of there on their own.

And maybe I could've saved that fella.

I just don't know.

But I'll guarantee you there's many a night

when I think a great deal about that.

But this isn't a war, and I'm not alone.

I have to think about my husband and my child.

Oh, I feel so helpless and guilty.

The Bible says each of us is born

with guilt trailin' from us,

and I believe that.

But I also believe that no man can speak for another.

I can't speak for you, Mrs. Owens.

I know.

I know.

Hyah.

Mommy? Mommy...

what are they gonna do with that man they caught?

Nothing, Sarah.

Honey, see if you can find your book.

I'm tired of it.

Well, try and find the rag doll I made for you.

I did, and I put lace on the shirt,

like that man who used to come see us when I was a baby.

Where was that, Mommy?

Sarah, please!

Paul? Yeah?

Where's your gun?

Still in the valise with my books, I guess. Why?

Mommy?

I don't want Sarah to find it. Oh.

Don't you remember, Mommy?

The man who used to come see us,

with the soft, pretty shirts with lace.

Don't you remember, Mommy?

No, I don't remember, Sarah!

What's wrong, Mommy?

Nothing. I'm sorry, honey.

Look, here's your funny little lamb

with the ear torn off.

Here, honey, play. Play with him.

Mommy!

It's all right, baby.

Howdy, Major.

Porter's Creek, huh?

Never goes dry.

It's the same all the way up...

Just black mud.

Them folks back in the wagons

are sure gonna take it rough when they see this.

Yeah, I think they will.

It'll be roughest of all on that kid.

What kid?

Ah, never mind.

Did you see any sign of rain at all?

No, not a cloud.

You'd best go on ahead,

see if you can find something for us for tomorrow.

All right, Major.

Oh, and, Major... I'll keep my eyes open.

Hyah! Ho!

Can't you smell it? Can't you smell the water?!

Go now! Come on!

MAN: Porter's Creek. Not even a trickle.

Mud. Plain mud.

All right.

I took you off the trail, wasted two days.

Aw, heck, Major, we can't blame you.

You never made this drought.

Be that as it may, we gotta keep on rollin'.

We'll rest here for a few hours and then push on.

At least it'll be a little cooler traveling at night.

What about our teams?

They won't last without water.

Get some shovels and dig down deep.

You'll get enough water there for the stock.

That's all right for the stock, but what about us?

We ain't got a drop left in our barrels, Major!

It's the same with us.

Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute!

I ain't through yet.

We're gonna have to pool whatever water we got,

go on strict rations till we get out of this drought.

Charlie! Yes, sir.

You and the Professor are in charge of the collection of water.

Right.

There's to be a trial, Major.

That'll be at sundown, Mr. Carr.

My son is lying out in that waste behind us,

where no one will ever see him.

You understand?

That was a part of my immortality

that was just torn off from me.

I mean to have that paid for, Major.

Now, don't get yourself all worked up

into a lather, Mr. Carr.

You'll get your pound of flesh.

But it'll be at sundown, like I said.

Ain't no one gonna touch it!

You got no right holdin' out!

You're not better than the rest of us!

We want that water!

Give us that water!

Come on, give us that!

I'll lay this on the first man

that comes near to me.

I told you, it ain't water!

It's cider! And it's mine!

Every last drop of it!

He's lyin'. It's the truth.

I made it from my own apples

before the wind tore up the farm.

And if I have to kill to keep it,

that's just what I'm gonna do.

But don't you be makin' no mistakes about it!

You just try it.

Mr. Williams, I'll make you a proposition.

Let me taste it. If it is cider,

I'll keep it in my wagon for you.

I promise you, no one will touch it.

MAN: We can drink cider. It's wet, ain't it?

It'll only make you more thirsty!

Come on, let's take it!

By gosh, it is cider.

Mr. Williams, I'm sorry.

I didn't want it to drink.

I just wanted it for the kids

to remember what it was like back home.

It was for them...

for memory's sake.

Jimmy?

I got nothin' to say to you.

You understand that they're going to hang you?

I don't care.

Jimmy, don't be childish and bitter.

Don't throw your life away for nothing.

You're too young.

You have no right to do that.

You listen to me.

There's a horse around the bend. Here, you take this.

I told you, I don't want nothin' from you anymore.

Jimmy, please, take it...

Not for me, for Sarah. She's only a little girl.

Please, Jimmy.

Don't make her pay for what I did.

After you left,

when Pa used to come after me with a belt,

I used to go hide in the attic

and think about when we was together.

And I used to think how I was gonna run off and join you.

I loved you then.

But I don't love you now.

And I don't forgive you.

Everything that man said was true,

and I don't forgive you!

All right.

You're just like Pa.

You're filled with righteousness and hate.

You have to punish somebody, Jimmy,

even if it kills you.

You let them hang you.

I don't care.

I don't care anymore what happens to you.

Quiet!

Quiet!

Shut up!

This is gonna be a trial,

like I said.

My son is dead.

This man killed him.

I want to see justice done.

We heard your side of it, Mr. Carr.

Now, boy, you tell your story to 'em,

like you told it to me,

and I'll see that they listen to you.

You better speak up, son.

This is your last chance.

I got nothin' to say.

Do you want that rope around your neck?

I don't care what they do to me.

You hear me? I don't care what you do!

Is there one among you that'll speak up

in this boy's defense?

Just one?

All right.

All of you that think he's guilty,

step across that rope.

All right, we voted. Now get the rope on him!

No, wait! Please wait!

Listen to me! Please listen to me!

MAJOR: Listen to her!

Listen to her!

You all know my husband

and my little girl Sarah.

Maybe I have no right to do this to them,

but I'm the woman.

I'm the woman that Jimmy was looking for.

I'm the woman from the Satin Slipper.

I'm his sister.

He didn't know anything about me, nobody did.

I thought that it was all past and forgotten,

that I would never have to think about it again.

I know that what I did was wrong.

I never thought that it wasn't.

But I'm starting a new life.

You've all left something behind,

something that you don't want to carry with you.

You want the West to be a new start, a new kind of life.

Please.

Don't you see, the only thing Jimmy did

was to believe that I was still the sister he remembered,

the girl that took care of him

and wiped his tears away.

He's not really guilty.

I am. I killed Lank Carr.

If someone has to pay for it,

let it be me! Please let it be me!

That don't change nothin'.

Lank just told the truth about it, that's all!

You shut up, sayin' that!

And don't you go on beggin' those people, sis.

They ought to all ask you to forgive them

for what you had to do.

I didn't mean to kill him.

It happened just like I said.

He come at me with a knife.

He was gonna kill me for sure.

I wouldn't lie.

You tell 'em, sis... even when Pa whipped the blood from me,

I never lied. Tell 'em.

Come on! It don't change nothin'!

Put the rope on him!

Get away from him! That's enough!

You heard what this kid said.

If Lank had a knife,

somebody must know about it.

What about you, Uncle Foster?

You was there.

Everybody knows I can't see nothin'.

But you can hear.

I heard him some.

I heard Lank...

You heard Lank what?

Pay him no mind, Major.

He's old and weak in his head.

I may have lived off your charity

for 20 years, Brother Carr,

and I'm beholden for it.

Every scrap.

It won't be long till they'll be throwin' dirt on me.

And I can't take a sin of God on my soul.

I can't do that.

You don't know what you're saying, brother.

I can't do it! I heard him!

I heard Lank say,

"I'm gonna cut you up!"

What become of that knife?

Where is it?

I gave it to Pa.

Mr. Carr...

I want to see that knife.

My boy wouldn't attack a man with a knife

except for cause.

He wouldn't do that.

You're a fair man, Mr. Carr.

You know we have every right to look at that knife.

There's dried blood on the end of that knife.

Look at it. Sure is.

Lank wouldn't jump a man.

He wouldn't do that.

You hear what I'm saying?

My boy's dead.

And somebody's got to pay for that.

Do you hear me?

You can't take a man's sons

and his land away without somebody paying.

Ain't no more use in it, Pa.

Come on.

All right, get back to your wagons.

Get that rope down.

Paul. Ruth.

Paul, you don't have to bother with me anymore.

Why didn't you tell me?

It would've made no difference.

I love you, Ruth.

We, uh... we gotta go back to Sarah now.

Jimmy... you comin' with us?

Yes.

There's a breeze buildin' up, Major.

Some clouds over that-a-way.

Might mean rain.

You know, Charlie...

for once, you might be right.