10x26 - The Running Man

[bunniefuu]

- What kind of trouble?
- I don't know.

Her letter just said that she and her
husband were in some kind of trouble

and needed help.

She's...

Well, I haven't seen her for
about three years, but she was...

Oh, you can have the time
off, no question about that.

As a matter of fact,
if you need any help,

Calvin Butler's an
old friend of mine.

- You remember Cal?
- Mm-hm.

He's an old timer.

Yeah, he built the town of Butlerville,
founded the whole community.

Good man to know if
there's any trouble up there.

Sounds like, yeah.

Joe, why don't you go along
with Candy to Butlerville?

If he needs any help,
you can take him to Cal.

- Fine.
- And let me know what's happening.

- When do you wanna leave?
- As soon as possible.

- First thing in the morning?
- Good.

Hey, Joseph, you know the difference
between a table and an ottoman?

Sure I do.

Well, take your
feet off the table.

Oh.

Hey, buddy.

- Looks like you need some help.
- Sure appreciate it.

Looks like you
got a little trouble.

- Give 'em a hand, will you, Candy?
- Yeah.

Guess we're not heavy enough.

No, you're just right.
Your pole's too short.

- That's it. Get it up there.
- That's got it.

All right, we got her.

Sure glad you men came along.

I don't know what I'd have done.

If I'm not out of this valley come
dark, I might not get out at all.

What's stopping you?

A b*llet.

What are you talking about?

Man homesteaded next to me,
Billy Harris, he got b*rned out.

It was after dark. His wife
and young 'un were in the place.

They d*ed there.

You know who did it?

Ain't got the slightest idea.

But you can bet I ain't
gonna live in a place

where people get b*rned
out in the middle of the night.

Martha, we'd best be on our way.

We'll give you a
hand with the team.

Thanks, but you done enough.

Thank you both.

Pleasure.

Martha, help me
hitch up the team.

Mister. Where you from?

Butlerville.

You k*lled 'em.

Let go of my bridle.

You set that fire that
k*lled her and the boy.

You or... your son
there or your foreman.

You b*rned 'em to death.

Let go of my bridle.

You'll pay for what you done.

If that judge don't make
you pay, the good Lord will!

Come on, go on home,
Harris. Go home and sober up.

Home. I don't have a home.

b*at it.

Ah, Mr. Butler.
Everything's ready, sir.

Hello, Stead, Sam.

You're all gonna
be right comfortable.

Hot water any time
you want it, Mr. Butler.

Liquor in the room.

Town looks pretty deserted.

Suppertime.

Long past that, by my stomach.

Where are we supposed
to meet that young lady?

Said just go to the Butler
Hotel, she'd find me there.

The only hotel in Butlerville
must be the Butler.

Yeah.

How you doing? We'd like
a couple of rooms, please.

Sorry, only got one left.

All right, we'll take it.

Oh, Calvin Butler's
staying here, huh?

That's why there isn't much
room. He takes up most of it.

Well, it's his hotel. I
guess he's got the right.

- You know him?
- Yeah, he's a friend of my father's.

Wonderful man.

Up the stairs, third
door on your left.

Thank you.

You talk almighty rough for a man
who's going to own the ranch one day.

You keep on the way you're going
and there won't be a ranch to own,

and I won't be alive to own it.

A man has got to fight.

Not your way, Pa.
This isn't 30 years ago.

And those aren't Indians out
on that range or Comancheros.

They're settlers come to open new land,
the same way you came 30 years ago,

and they have as much
right here now as you did then.

No, they haven't. This was
Indian land when I came.

Oh, Pa, you're blind.

You won't let go of yesterday and
you... and you can't see tomorrow.

OK. You can pull out
any time you want to.

Oh, I'd pull out if I could.

But I can't.

None of us can.

Now that that woman and child are dead,
it'll be a job keeping any of us alive.

Well, I've seen a lot worse.

You needn't worry about it.

Well?

Parker's wife is still
in the dress shop.

She hasn't tried to go to Parker.
She hasn't tried to send word to him.

You tell the men to
keep scouring the country.

I want Parker found
and brought in here.

Well, what's wrong now?

All I'm asking you is to find
Parker and offer him some money.

Enough money to keep him
quiet. You can do that, can't you?

If you can't buy Parker
off, what'll you do then?

I'll do what I have to. You
ought to know that by now.

Say, you don't look like
you had a drink all day.

As a matter of fact,
friend, I haven't.

I expect you're dead
thirsty about now.

Yeah. Yeah, I could use a drink.
How about you? Wanna join me?

- It'll be a pleasure.
- All right.

It's kind of quiet in this town, not
too many people moving around.

- What's going on?
- You ain't heard?

No, I just got in.

Well, what you don't
know won't hurt you.

What's that supposed to mean?

Take... Take some advice
and don't ask a lot of questions.

A few questions, a few drinks.

- I ain't got no answers.
- What about the Harris family?

They got b*rned out. Do
you know anything about that?

Friend, you better do yourself a
favor. You best get out of town.

Hey, did your friend show up?

Not yet. No sign of her.

Well, I didn't have any luck.

I asked questions all over
town, but I didn't get any answers.

Just like those two people we saw
out on the road... act like nothing's wrong

while they're
shaking in their boots.

Something's really
got 'em scared.

Or somebody.

Why don't you
talk to Cal Butler?

That's not a bad idea.

If anybody knows what's going
on around here, it'll be Butler.

- Candy. I'm so glad you're here.
- Barbara.

I was afraid maybe you
wouldn't be able to come.

You couldn't have kept me away.

Joe Cartwright.
He's a friend of mine.

- Ma'am.
- Candy, Jess has been sh*t.

- Is he hurt bad?
- I don't think so.

- How'd it happen?
- Well, I'm not sure.

But either Cal Butler did it
or he had somebody do it.

Cal Butler? Are you sure?
It doesn't sound like Butler.

I'm sure.

Why? What's... What's
Butler got against Jess?

Jess is land manager for this territory
and he's been doing all the surveying,

been helping the homesteaders
every way that he can.

I find this awfully hard to
believe about the Butlers.

I mean, I've always been
told they were good people.

Do you call pulling down
fences, burning homes,

burning a woman and child,
you call that good people?

- And you're absolutely sure it's Butler?
- Jess is.

He was there the night Cal Butler and
his son Stead and their foreman Torrance

set fire to the Harris place.

Did he see them do it?

That's why he was sh*t.

They know he's a witness.
Probably the only witness.

Did he go to the sheriff?

Yes, he reported
it to Sheriff Daniels.

Next morning riding
home he was sh*t.

What'd the sheriff do about it?

He works for Cal Butler.

Where is Jess now?

Old man Parsons found
him and took him to his house.

Then he came and told me.

You see, I've been afraid to
go out there to take a doctor

because the sheriff's
been watching me.

Now, there's a circuit judge and a US
marshal gonna come day after tomorrow.

That's Monday. If we could
just last out till then, Candy.

We'll last. Don't worry.

What do you think, Joe?

Well, I think they're liable
to find him sooner or later.

We better get to him first.

- Yeah, good idea.
- I'll go with you, Candy.

Come on.

Get Don and Miles
and go after them.

Jess.

- Barbara?
- Oh, Jess.

- Where have you been?
- I couldn't come till I got help.

Sheriff Daniels has
been watching me.

- Where's Mr. Parsons?
- Took his wife and ran off.

He was afraid Butler
would k*ll him for helping me.

Your leg, how is it?

It's not bad.

- Candy.
- Jess.

I should have known you'd
be the first one she'd turn to.

Who else did she have?

Oh, you're hot.

It's all right.

Just a little warm, that's all.

You were right.

We were followed, three of them.

One of them's standing
lookout. The other two rode off.

Jess, this is Mr. Cartwright,
a friend of Candy's.

Jess.

Well, they found out what they
wanted to know, where he is.

- Joe, we gotta take him into town.
- But Candy, we...

Barbara, out here we won't stand a
chance if we really got up against it.

- Well, what's in town?
- A solid jail.

And a sheriff who'd
just as soon k*ll him.

Not with us watching.

But we still have to get him past those
three men that followed us out here.

Well, just one if
we leave right away.

Don't I have anything
to say about it?

Not a thing. In town, we can lock
you in that jail and lock them out.

It's just till the day after
tomorrow, anyway, Jess.

Then the judge and
the marshal'll be here.

Well, like the man said, I don't
have anything to say about it.

- What do you think you're...?
- Easy.

Unbuckle that g*n belt
and drop it on the floor.

You can't do this.
I'm the law here.

Not anymore, you're not.

All right, in the cell, come on.

- Move, come on.
- You're asking for a lot of trouble.

Yeah, maybe I am.

Just what is it you
think you're doing?

That man needs protection.
This jail's gonna give it to him.

Well, I'm the sheriff.
I'll look after him.

Ha! Last time he came to
you for help, you sh*t him.

Wait a second. Better
handcuff him and gag him.

We don't want him
shouting out the window.

Good idea. Here,
make yourself a deputy.

- Turn around.
- You're gonna pay for this.

Tell me where that doctor
is. I'll get him for Jess.

He lives in the office
over the saloon.

Right.

How you feeling, Jess?

All right.

Candy, are you sure we did
the right thing bringing him here?

We did the only thing.

What are you looking
at me like that for?

I was remembering when you and
I were a couple of law-abiding men.

Wasn't much more than
a couple of weeks ago.

A man has got a right to
fight for what he won once,

and when people fight,
someone is bound to get hurt.

What are you getting so
high and mighty about?

You're in as deep as I am.

Yes, sir, I sure am.

You handed me a bear
and I took him by the tail.

And there just
ain't no letting go.

Mr. Butler, I'm Joe Cartwright.
Do you remember me?

Oh, young Cartwright.

- Come in.
- Thank you.

You know my son, Stead?

Yeah, I think we met a couple of
years ago when we were down here.

Yeah, two years ago October.

Well, you go on about
your chores now, Stead.

Young Cartwright and I
are gonna get along all right.

- Nice to see you again.
- You bet.

Ah, I always like to have a little
nip in the morning. How about you?

No, I'll pass, thank you.

Well, I always admired your pa.

He always admired you.

I wonder how he'd feel if he knew
you were sitting down to a game

that ain't none
of your business.

He'd say don't
come home a loser.

You're in Butlerville
to help Parker?

I came with a man who did.

My father sent me
here to say hello to you.

Said if I needed any help, all I
had to do was ask you and I'd get it.

You're in with the wrong bunch.

It doesn't seem like that to me.

Sit down, son.

Let me tell you
how it really is.

Yeah, Mr. Butler,
you tell me how it is.

How's Jess?

He's much better now that the
doctor's got the b*llet out of him.

How are you?

Oh, Candy.

I don't know what I would
have done without you.

Easy, easy, easy.

What's wrong with me?

Nothin'. Nothin' at all.

I love Jess. I really do.

I know, I know. You're
just tired, that's all.

Yeah.

What do you want?

I want to look at you.

Go on, b*at it.

A man who'd set fire to a house,

burn up a woman and child,

he's something to see.

I said get out of here.

Tomorrow, the judge
gets here. You'll get yours.

Parker's gonna
say he saw you do it.

One man's say-so ain't enough.

But I saw it too.

I'm gonna tell 'em.

You'll hang.

Pa, you know what's
the matter with you?

Tell me.

You got the Sunday fidgets. It's caused
from not having enough work to do.

Now, what you ought to do is go out
there and chop me up a cord of wood,

a whole cord.

And do all your
work for you, hmm?

Well, that's sort of a
side benefit, ain't it?

You know what I'd like to do?

Take a long ride.

To Butlerville.

Oh, quit worrying, Pa.

What kind of trouble can
Candy and Joe get into anyhow?

Do you feel like
taking a long ride?

To Butlerville?

If we left now, we could
be there by noon tomorrow.

You talked me into it.

Well, my guess is the doctor ran
straight across to the hotel from here.

Cal Butler knew all about us locking
you in and locking up the sheriff.

And he insists we're
making a big mistake.

Other ranchers stand to
lose as much as he does.

Other ranchers must have
b*rned the Harris place.

That's what Cal Butler says.

I know what I saw.

All right, you know
what you saw.

In order to convince
the circuit judge of that,

you're gonna have to find
somebody else that saw what you did,

otherwise it's gonna be
your word against Cal's.

- My word'll stick.
- Maybe.

Did you know that Ella
Harris and the little girl

were supposed to be at
Twin Forks till late next week?

That's what everybody thought.

That's where I
thought they were too.

But it doesn't make
any difference.

They came home early,
their bodies were in the ashes,

and you can't excuse them away.

All right, here's
what can happen.

It's what Cal Butler calls
buying peace for the valley.

You testify that it was dark that night,
it was hard to see the people's faces,

you can't really
identify anyone.

If you do that, you're gonna
have yourself a nice ranch

and a nice bank account.

You think about that.

I knew Ella Harris.

She was a decent woman.

Knew little Jennifer.

She was a nice kid.

They were good people.

Barbara.

There's our ranch.

There's money.

How do you want it?

You know how I want it, Jess.

Tell Mr. Butler

that Mr. and Mrs. Parker...

told him to go to hell.

I'll be happy to.

Sheriff Daniels!

Hey, where's Sheriff Daniels?

- What can I do for you?
- Are you the deputies?

We're wearing badges.

Well, you know that
little barn back of the hotel

where people keep their horses?

Yeah.

There's a squirrel lives back there.
I been trying to catch him all week.

Just a little while ago, I seen him
running for the barn and I chased him.

He went under a bunch of straw. I
dug in the straw and there he was.

Uh, look, kid, we're glad
you found the squirrel.

We're kind of busy right now.

No, it wasn't the
squirrel. It was Billy Harris.

And he looked at
me like he was dead.

- You said that was...?
- Back of the hotel.

Come on.

See? There he is.

Is he dead?

Yeah.

What'd he die of?

You sure this is Billy Harris?

Yeah, that's him.

You know, his missis
and little girl were b*rned.

Yeah, I know.

Why don't you get on
home now, son, huh?

Go on. Go on, get.

Mr. Butler, Billy
Harris is dead.

Somebody strangled him and left his
body in an alley underneath some straw.

- I don't know anything about it.
- I think you do.

You best get out of town,
young man. Do you hear?

You'll be almighty
sorry if you don't.

What time is it?

One o'clock, I guess.

Doesn't the time go slow?

Yeah, when you're waitin'.

You got any idea what time the judge
and the marshal will be here tomorrow?

Maybe by noon if they
leave Clinstock early.

Well, let's hope they
leave Clinstock real early.

- Candy...
- Hmm?

I know I've asked a lot of you.

Well, a man has to feel
he's good for somethin'.

And I'm sorry for
what I've done.

For asking me to come here?

No.

For what happened
after you came.

That didn't mean anything.

Candy, you know I admire you.

I think you're the
kindest, the most gentle,

the most capable man
that I've ever known.

- But...
- Not a man to marry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too.

Sorry if I hurt you, Candy.

I think you kind of bloodied your
own nose a bit too, didn't you?

Kid was right.

It was Billy Harris's body under
the straw all right, and he was dead.

I went over to
talk to Cal Butler,

and he lied, said he didn't
know anything about it,

and suggested
we get out of town.

We're staying.

1846.

It was more than 20 years ago.

Called this place Toluca then.

Not more than six or
seven houses, there was.

That was the summer your
mother and I took over this land.

Our nearest neighbor
was, uh, Carl Smith,

up 100 miles or so to the north.

Comancheros
b*rned us out in '51.

Then in '56... I
lost all my cattle.

Zero weather for weeks.

Snow six foot deep.

You know, it kills a man to
see his cattle die one by one,

black out there
against the snow.

Then '61, things got better.

I told your mother, "Anna,
we'll never have to worry again."

She d*ed that spring.

A man builds a place,

he builds a life,

he's gonna fight to keep it.

Why did that Sam
have to k*ll Billy Harris?

Sam didn't have a choice, Pa.

You put Billy Harris's word with
Parker's, if it ever came to that,

it'd be the gallows
for all three of us.

Harris wasn't there the night
we b*rned his house down.

Doesn't matter. He said he
was. People'd believe him.

But to k*ll him right now
in the middle of town. Now.

He couldn't have picked a
worse time or a worse place.

Oh, he figured to take the body out of
town and lose it somewhere after dark.

Kid chasing squirrels
had to catch him.

Seems to me we weren't
cut out for this sort of work.

Wife comes home unexpectedly.
Kid chases squirrels.

Parker gets help
and forts up in our jail.

Everything we put our
hands to turns out wrong.

Now, now. Now, now, Stead.
It's not as bad as all that.

For you and me and Sam, it's...
it's as bad as falling down a well.

There's no way to stop
until we hit the bottom.

Hey, what do you think
you're doing out of bed?

I'm trying to get some exercise.

This being cooped up
in a cell is hard to take.

I know what you mean, but
I think you better stay down.

I know it's no fun being
cooped up like this.

I've been in jail a few times myself.
But you're gonna have to take it easy.

What were you in jail for?

Oh, I was innocent,
just like everybody else.

- You must have missed Parker.
- I don't think so.

If that sh*t hit him
and just wounded him,

they would have sent
somebody for Doc Wilkins.

If you hit him and k*lled him,
they would have come out.

There would have been
nothing to keep 'em in there.

It wasn't an easy sh*t. He
was back from the window.

But time was running
out and I had to take it.

I swear I saw him fall.

Oh, you missed him.
Doesn't figure any other way.

Pa, you all right?

Son, you remember me telling you
about the trouble your mother and I had

with the three Cheyennes
on the way out from St. Jo?

They trailed us for four
days before I finally k*lled 'em.

That was a fight.
Man, that was a fight.

We're probably not gonna get
out of here before noon tomorrow.

It's a long time just
to go without a doctor.

Don't worry, I'll live.

That's all we need is to
bring the doctor in here.

He'd get over and tell Butler
they sh*t me instead of Parker,

we'd have 'em all
down here in a minute.

Yeah.

Our only chance is for them
to think they k*lled Parker.

Maybe we can keep him
alive till the marshal gets here.

That's good enough. Make sure they
don't see him through the window, huh?

- I'll put him in the other cell.
- Good idea.

We gotta get him in that other
cell before somebody spots him.

Go on out, Barbara. Stay low.

Stay low. Go on.

That's it.

How's Joe, Candy?

Oh, he's hurting some. He's gonna
hurt a lot more before it gets better.

Are you gonna get
a doctor for him?

Doesn't want one.

All right, Sheriff, come on.

In there.

Better keep your head down

or one of your friends
may sh**t another hole in it.

There you go.

He's quite a man, your friend.

- Oh, yeah, he's all right.
- You too.

I never liked you much.

I know.

There's Barbara, and all the
things you were that I wasn't.

And then the first thing she
does when I get into trouble,

she calls you for help.

And thank heaven she did.

We're not out of
the woods yet, kids.

But we will be, I know.

And I want you to
know that Barbara and I,

if you ever need any
help, we'll be here.

Well, no sign of him so
far. Did you get him moved?

Yeah, I switched
cells with the sheriff.

Good.

- How's he feeling?
- His leg's hurting.

She's worried.

But they'll make it.

They got something
extra going for 'em.

Yeah, what's that?

Each other.

- Pa.
- Mm-hm?

We gotta go after Parker.

But Sam k*lled Parker.
Claimed he did, anyway.

- But he didn't.
- How do you know that?

Well, it's just not human nature for
those people to stay in there that long

- with Parker dead.
- What do you wanna do about it?

Look at it this way. This
is Butlerville, our town.

Couple of gunhands come into
town, scare everybody half to death,

take over the jail
and run the sheriff off.

Right now Parker and his
wife are held prisoner in that jail,

and we don't know why.

But this is Butlerville, and that's
our jail, and we gotta get 'em out.

Yes, you're right. We'll get Parker
out alive and talk some sense to him.

Either way, we'll clear ourselves
with the marshal and the judge.

All right.

All right, I'll go with you.

You can go with
me if you want, Pa,

but... you better
brace yourself,

because, uh... this is
the bottom of the well.

Here they come.

What happened to you?

I was in a cell back there and a
bushwhacker sh*t me through the window.

You sh*t the wrong man.

I asked you to leave town.

And I told you I wouldn't.

Where's Parker?

Locked in a cell,
safe and sound.

I want him, and his wife.

You're not getting them.

Look here, son, I've known
your father for 20 years.

I'm sorry to see you hurt, and I
don't wanna see you hurt anymore.

Look, you better understand,
this is Butler country.

We take care of
our own problems.

- And we're the law here.
- Not anymore.

Tomorrow the US marshal
and the judge'll be here.

Then all of you are
gonna stand trial

for the death of that
woman and that child

and the m*rder of Billy Harris.

Oh, no. I'm not
gonna go on trial.

Stead.

Stead.

Stead.

Oh, no.

No.

No.

Marshal, came to say goodbye.

Glad you came, Mr. Cartwright.

Ben, are you leaving?

Yes, Calvin.

But, Ben, I need
you. You can help.

No. No, I can't help.

Because my foreman
sh*t your Joe?

No, Calvin.

Because your orders caused
the deaths of three people.

But that was an accident,
Ben. Pure accident.

Could have happened to anybody.
All you need to do is to say that.

Just one word from you.

If I could help Billy Harris,
or his wife or his child,

I'd do everything
possible to help you,

but I... I can't help them.

You put 'em right out of reach.

I guess I won't be
able to help you.

Yeah, you're right, Ben.

Nothing that anybody can do.

I lost my boy...

and everything I own.

Sure enough paid a high enough price
to open up this range to new settlers.

Much too high, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, you, um, see
that it stays open.

If you need any help, you call.

- Bye.
- All right. Thanks.

Well, Jess.

Barbara.

I'm not much good
at saying goodbye.

Goodbye, Candy.

Thanks.

Good luck.