01x17 - The Jesse Cowan Story

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When did this happen, Troy?

Just about three months ago.

Some of them Beales snuck
up on the place in the dark.

The next morning,
this is what we found.

We figured your Pa and the rest
didn't have a chance.

It's our fault, Bob.

We should have been here, not
off fightin' somebody else's w*r.

Maybe.

It still ain't too late
to settle the score.

Guess you ain't heared.

The Beales has left.

What do you mean, left?

Pulled up stakes
and quit the valley...

Every last one of them.

We heard they was
figurin' to latch on

to one of them wagon trains
headin' for Oregon or Californy.

They'll find out
it ain't gonna be that easy.

Come on, Jesse.

Where to?

To get us some Beales.

We'll follow them
clean to Californy,

if it takes
that long to catch up.

How far till we make camp,
Major?

Oh, I figure Jimson Creek's
about an hour yet.

Knockin' off a little early,
ain't ya?

But I suppose with you
favorin' that sore back,

it'll take twice as long
to get to California this trip.

Oh, is that so?

Well, since you're
so interested, Mr. Wooster,

we're layin' up here at Jimson
Creek to make some repairs

and to let the womenfolk
get caught up on their washin'.

Besides, I told McCullough
to meet us there.

You suppose he's seen any of them
Indians we saw signs of back there?

What's the matter,
you worried about your hair?

Well, I'd like to keep it
a little while longer.

Major!

Major Adams!

Major Adams!

Whoa! What's the trouble?

Wagon back there
cracked an axle.

Oh, that's all we need.
Whose outfit is it?

Belongs to one of them Beales.

Well, I better
go take a look, I guess.

Well, you see how it is, Major.

Yeah, pretty bad split.

I don't reckon you got
another axle with you, have ya?

What do you think we are, rich?

Afraid we got
no extra timbers at all.

Well, we couldn't
change it here anyhow.

Just have to make this one
do a mite longer.

Won't last another mile.

It's gotta last.
Go on up to my wagon.

There's some green hide
up there.

Wooster'll give you
a strip of it.

Soak it in water and wrap
it around there real tight.

When it dries,
it'll hold like iron.

We had no business startin'.

Now we'll probably be stuck
out here in the middle of nowhere.

Aw, quit grousin', Rufe Beale.
Make yourself useful.

Get a jack under this thing
and lift it up.

Take the strain off that axle,
we'll fix it for ya.

Still warm.

This must have been
their noon camp.

We'll be up with them
by night, for sure.

Yeah, I think I growed
to this saddle.

Feels like we've been on this
trail for three months at least.

I don't know. I lost
track five, six days ago.

But it don't matter now.
We're up with them.

Just a few more hours.

Bob, how you figure
on goin' about this?

That is, if'n it's
the right wagon train.

What do you mean?

Well, we gotta find out
somehow or other

just who it was
who pulled the raid that night.

You're too particular.
A Beales a Beale, ain't he?

Just get me one in front
of my r*fle, I'll be satisfied.

You can't go around killin'
people out of hand, Bob.

They did.

Look, there's old Anse.

Now, whoever did our folks in,
it couldn't have been him.

How do you know?

Look, we're here for one thing.

If you ain't got
the belly for it,

then don't be gettin' in my way.

Bob, look.

It's the real thing, Jesse.

Those are Injuns.

What do we do?

Maybe they're friendly.

And if they ain't?

One way to find out...

Let's turn around and see.

Have your g*n handy.

Well, we found out soon enough!

Ooh!

How is it, Bob?

Ain't too bad, Jesse.

Well, we drove them off,
but they're liable to be back.

Let's get out of here.

Can you make it, Bob?

Ha.

Well, here's where we camp.

I don't see McCullough.

He'll be here.
Start circlin' up.

Circle up!

It's a pure relief
to know we're gonna be

able to rest
for a couple of days.

Jolt of that wagon's
enough to unsettle your spine!

You'll get plenty of time to
rest when we get to California.

California...

do you think
we'll ever reach it,

that we'll find anything,
anywhere,

that'll seem like home
after the valley?

Why, sure, honey, that ain't
the only nice place in the world.

I keep thinkin' of that big old oak
tree on the rise behind the cabin

and the brown leaves that come
driftin' down with the first Fall rains.

You think we'll ever see
anything half as beautiful as that?

I swear,
I'm beginning to wonder.

Some of us are gettin'
almighty weary, I can tell you.

Aw, you been listenin' to Rufe.

Now don't you fret, honey.

When we get out there
and find us a new home

and you get married
to cousin Wilk...

You're wrong there, Dorcas.

I'm not gonna marry Wilk Beale,
and that's final!

Why, I thought
it was all settled.

Well, it ain't.
That's just Rufe's doin'.

I'm his kid sister,
and he thinks

he can marry me off
to anybody he wants to.

Well, he can't.

When the time comes,
I'll pick my own man.

You got somebody in mind?

Of course not!
Whatever gave you that idea?

What's the matter, mister?
You havin' trouble?

My brother was shot. Y'all don't happen
to have a doctor on the train, do ya?

Uh, no, we ain't, but Major
Adams will know what to do.

Come on, follow me.

Easy does it, boys. That's it.

Well, what do you think, Major?

Looks like the bleedin'
stopped. That's all to the good.

You go ahead
and take care of him, Charlie.

I'll get some water.

The rest of you
go on about your business.

You just leave it
to Charlie there.

I know he don't look
very bright,

but he's got a natural hand
for this kind of thing.

He'll take good care of him.

How'd this fella
get shot up anyhow?

We run into some Injuns.

Where and how many?

Back down the trail a piece,
four of 'em.

Well, I think we better
just keep it quiet.

Some of these folks are liable
to get a little bit scared

if they think
there's Indians around.

Reckon he's got a chance, Major?

Oh, sure he has. Charlie
will take good care of him.

It's like I said,
all you can do now is wait.

He'll be all right.

Thanks, Major.

All right, now there's grub over
there, in case you get hungry.

If you want anything else,
just yell for Wooster.

Fine.

Here you go.

Bob?

Where?

Now you just rest easy.
You're bein' took care of.

Is this the train?
You find the Beales?

No, I ain't, not yet.

You're gonna be
all right here, Bob.

I'll go take a look around.

Jess, go careful. You can't
let 'em have the first look.

Now y'all stop worryin'.
No Beale is gonna get me.

Sally Jo?

What's the matter, Sally Jo?
You forgotten me?

No.

No, I ain't forgot.

I just can't believe it.

Jesse.

What in the world
are you doin' way out here?

I could ask you the same thing.

Reckon we're both
a long way from home.

I just can't believe it!

It's been more than three years
since you went away to w*r.

You've changed.

You ain't.

You're just the same.

Just like I remembered.

Well, now, you all right?

Just fine,

and Aunt Dorcas and Uncle Anse
and all of us.

It's just that, well,

I never been out of the
valley before in my life.

It feels like we've been
travelin' like this forever.

I suppose...

But you here...
I can't get over it!

I never thought
I'd ever see you again.

Yeah, I reckon you didn't.

Reckon old Anse didn't
think so either, or Rufe.

What you mean, Jesse?

You're sayin' you don't know what Bob and
me found waitin' when we come back home...

Or what was left of it.

Is that why you've
ridden all this way?

Well, it weren't
just to say howdy

or to tell your kinfolk
we didn't mind what happened

that night
when they fired our cabin.

Oh, Jesse...

Now don't you go bein' scared.
We ain't Beales.

We don't fight womenfolk.

I'd never be scared of you,
Jesse,

and I'm powerful sorry about
your ma and pa and the rest of 'em.

It was awful.

It was just as terrible
as it could be.

I know how you must feel

because, well,
I lost folks, too.

Yeah, a lot of blood's
been spilled, all right.

But now...
Can't it be over now, Jesse?

I don't see how you figure,
Sally Jo.

Ain't nothin' been settled,
nothin' at all.

Sally Jo. What's goin' on?

It's Rufe.

Who you
lollygaggin' around with?

She's already spoke for, mister.

Get away from her before I...

Yeah, it's me, Rufe...
Jesse Cowan.

You surprised?

You followed us
all the way out here?

That's what it looks like.

Well, I call that
mighty obligin'.

Gives us a chance
to finish the job.

Might give you a chance to try.

Rufe, Jesse,
you gotta stop this talk!

She's right.
Talk isn't gettin' us nowhere.

Let's do something about it.

Just let me know
when you're ready.

Well, what's the matter
with right now?

Or are you yellow?

That shot sounded like it was
comin' from down by the wash.

Come on.

Cut this out!
What's it all about now?

It's a personal matter, Major!

Get up from here!

Hold it! Hold it!

I said what's this about.

Outsiders got no part of this.

I'll be the judge of that.

If you two think you're
gonna use my wagon train

as a shootin' gallery,
you picked the wrong outfit,

and as for you,

I took you and your brother in to
this train because you needed help,

and I'll kick you out
just as quick as I took you in.

So if you got any concern for
your brother, you better behave.

If I was you,
I'd get on back to my wagon.

You won't need that g*n.
Pick it up, Wooster.

I better have yours, too.

There's only one of me, Major.

There's a whole lot
of them Beales.

You just leave that up to me.
Give me your g*n.

Come on, Sally Jo.

What is this, some kind of a feud
you two brought with you from the hills?

Is that it?

Ain't nothin' we can't
straighten out ourselves.

All right, go on back
to your wagons, boys.

See what you get pickin' up
every stray you run across?

You mark my word, Major, these
mountain men are gonna cause you trouble.

What would you have me do,
Mr. Wooster?

Turn them two Cowan boys
out in Indian country...

With one of them
laid up already?

I don't know, Major.

Well, if you don't know, why
don't you keep your mouth shut?!

Well, how you feelin' now?

I don't know yet.

What was that you used on me,
horse liniment?

I always say what's good
for a horse is good for a man.

Is that why all your cookin'
always tasted like hay, Wooster?

Is that nice, Major,
makin' them remarks

about my cookin'
in front of these strangers?

Well, you better go look after your cookin'
out there. I think I smell it burnin'.

Boys, I got a fella here that's
got something to say to you.

We ain't interested in anything
Anse Beale's got to say.

You'll hear him anyway.

Go ahead, speak your piece.
They'll listen.

Get it over with then.

I come in peace.

Can't you boys
try to meet me halfway?

You know, the Good Book says...

Well, that's old Anse
for you, Major...

Bushwhack r*fle in one hand,
Bible in the other.

There's no g*n in my hand,
Bob Cowan. I laid it aside.

You must have k*lled off
so many of our kinfolk,

you figured there wasn't
enough left to hurt you.

I tell you, no. I was shamed...

Shamed by everything that
happened there in the hills.

Come a day when I looked around,
it was like everything I seen,

every rock and foot of ground,
soaked with blood...

Cowan blood or Beale.

It made no difference.

We'd come out on top
for the moment,

but I knew what few Cowans
were left would nurse their wounds.

Someday they'd
take up the fight again,

and so it would go on,
just like it always had.

Unless...

Unless what?

Unless somebody ended the thing
right there.

I knew it was up to me to take my
people and belongings, everything,

and get out of that valley
for good,

and that's just what I done.

You were scared out.
You knew we was comin' back.

Hold on, Bob. Let him finish.

You think it wouldn't have been
easier to stay where we was?

That was the only home
most of us had ever known.

Some, like Rufe, would have
turned back 100 times,

if I hadn't been here
to drive 'em on.

I'm hopin' to find a new place
in a new land

that ain't borne the curse
of senseless feudin',

and I'm askin' you boys
to let me do it.

You got the nerve to ask that,

after the raid on our Pa's place
that left nothin'

but some charred logs
and a few headstones?

I had nothin' to do
with what happened that night.

I'm tellin' you true.

And you want us to forget what
we come all this way for?

You want us to forget what
happened to our folks

and say it was all right
for them to be slaughtered!

Won't nothin' satisfy you
except more killin'?

Well, I'm here.

I'll stand up to either
or both of you,

if that's the way you want it,
any time or place you say,

just so you let the rest
of my family go in peace.

I don't fight old men.

Now just a minute.
You're not gonna fight anybody.

Now look here, you two boys. You
both fought in the w*r, didn't you?

You both know that
the North and the South

have agreed to call it quits
and get along with each other.

Well, I don't see any reason why the
Cowans and the Beales can't do the same.

It's a different thing.

I don't figure it is.

I know I'm probably gonna be stuck
with both of you all the way to California,

and you're welcome to come
on this train, but on one condition,

and that is that you stop this
feudin' till we get to where we're goin'.

Major Adams,
I'll speak up for my kinfolk.

If Jesse and Bob
will make a truce,

we'll pledge ourselves
to keep it.

Well, Bob, what do you say?

Can we get our g*ns back?

If you two will give me
your word that you

wont' use them on the Beales,
I'll give 'em back to you.

All right, I reckon
it's a deal then.

Then shake hands on it.

I'd rather not.

I will.

That's better.

Wooster!

Yes, sir?

Fetch me their g*ns.

Thank you, Major.

Thank you, boys.

Who's there?

Me, Jesse.

Guess I was kind of edgy.

You wanted something?

Wanted to talk to you.

Well... will you set?

Thanks.

Awful quiet, ain't it?

That's the way I like it
when I'm standin' guard.

Don't think I ever seen
so many stars before.

I know there weren't
this many back home.

It's a different world out here.

It's a mighty big country.

You've seen more of it
than I have.

What was it like, Jesse?
The w*r, I mean.

Was it very bad?

Nothin' I'd like to talk about.
Just as soon forget it.

There was one thing, though.

What?

You'd probably laugh
if I told you about it.

I won't laugh. I promise.

Well, it seemed like,
when I was homesick,

all I really thought about
was a girl with golden hair

with sunlight caught in it.

Your face...
I could never forget your face.

Oh, Jesse!

How long have you known it?

How long have you known
you loved me?

I guess I was born knowin' it.

I'm tryin' to forget it 'cause
you're a Beale and I'm a Cowan.

Did you know it
was the same with me?

Well, now how was I supposed to?

You couldn't see it at all in my
eyes, the way I looked at you?

I didn't think
you ever looked at me.

And you went away.
You went to w*r.

I didn't have a chance
to say good-bye.

It was like
some part of me died.

Sally Jo...

You'd better go now...

Back to your wagon
and back to your people.

Jesse!

It's no good.

There can't be nothin' for the
likes of you and me, Sally Jo.

There's been too much
blood spilled already...

and more yet to come.

You really believe that,
don't you?

Then I reckon you're right.

Good night, Jesse.

Sally Jo, honey, what's wrong?

Nothin'. Nothin', Aunt Dorcas.

It ain't anything.

Well, it must be something powerful
wrong for you to be carryin' on like this.

Now tell me.

I tell you, it ain't nothin'.

Well, I know better than that.
You've been talkin' to somebody.

Somebody's hurt you bad.

Wouldn't have been Jesse Cowan?

What would have made you
think a thing like that?

Well, it's certainly sure you
ain't cryin' over your cousin Wilk,

and anyways I've been thinkin' for a
long time that you was in love with Jesse.

How could you?

Oh, I know the signs,

and believe me, honey, it
ain't nothin' to be ashamed of.

To love somebody's
a sight better than to hate 'em,

and who knows that better than an old woman
who's lived her life in the midst of hate?

You, Aunt Dorcas? You've
always felt the same as I have?

Child, it's men
who go out and do the feudin'.

Women stay home and pray

and patch 'em up
when they come back,

and none of it makes sense.

Who knows when the fightin' started between
the Beales and the Cowans... or why?

I've been tryin' to find
that out for years,

and not a soul
would ever tell me.

Oh, what am I gonna do?

Just wait and hope and pray.

Pray hard.

Howdy, Bixby.
Everything all right?

Fair enough, except that oldest
young 'un of mine's still coughin'.

Don't think it's serious, but we ain't
got a drop of paregoric or nothin'.

Thought you might.

Well, best thing
in the world for that's

a little whiskey and rock candy.

I got the whiskey.

Well, I'll give you
some rock Candy here.

Take this and soak it
in a cup of whiskey.

Give him a spoonful of it once
in a while. That'll do the trick.

Thanks a lot, Major.
I'll try it.

Feels like I'm workin'
a little cough myself.

Well, you just cough yourself up there
and take care of that patient of yours.

He's asleep.

By the way, Major, do you
have any idea what happened

to that other fella
that joined the train yesterday?

You mean his
brother Jesse? Yeah.

Yeah, I sent him and Hawks
out to fetch us some meat.

Why?

Oh, no reason,
except it's gettin' late,

and I noticed that Beale
ridin' out a while ago,

and it kinda started me
to thinkin'.

Rufe Beale? Yeah.

Why didn't you
tell me that before?

He wouldn't try nothin'
with Hawks there, would he?

Go fetch my horse.

Yes, sir.

Say, how's that brother
of yours doin' by now?

Major figures
he's gonna be all right.

Well, I sure wish him
a lot of luck.

He sure stopped a bad one.

Say, what are you
lookin' around at?

Just can't get yesterday
out of my mind.

Oh, you mean them Injuns?

Ah, we don't have
to worry about that.

As long as we stay close to the train,
we can make a run for it if we have to.

Hey there, Jesse Cowan!

You sure
went scootin' that time!

It's Rufe Beale.

Where is he?

Up top.

Beale, what are you
tryin' to do? Cut it out!

You just stay peaceful,
Mr. Hawks, and nobody will hurt you.

This is between Jesse and me!
You hear me, Jesse?

Yeah, I hear you.

I understand you're wantin'
to know who led the raid

the night your folks
got burned out.

I'm gonna tell you. It was me!

Would you tell me why, Rufe?

What would get into a man
to do a think like that?

And what about my old man when
you Cowans caught him without a g*n?

What chance did he have?

I waited ten years
to settle for that.

Now it's your turn.

Well, I'm waiting. Come on out
in the open. Let's settle it now!

We agreed on a truce.

Don't let that worry you.
We're not in camp now.

Or did I have you figured right?
You're just yellow.

He's talkin'.
He's up there hidin'.

Rufe, I gave my pledge,
and I'm keepin' it.

You ain't foolin' me, Jesse.
You're just plain yellow.

Sure enough.

All right, Beale.
This thing's gone far enough.

Put that g*n away
and come on down here.

I reckon you hear me.

He's gone.

What's been goin' on here?

Nothin'.

You in the habit of puttin'
b*llet holes in your own hat?

Let me see that g*n.

Ain't been fired.

All right, let's start over.
Now what happened?

I said it was nothin'.

Rufe Beale started it, Major.
He was up there waitin' for us.

Broke the truce, huh?

Now nothin' come of it, Major.

He wanted a fight,
but he didn't get one.

Can't we just let it go at that?

We might, if I thought
it would end there,

but with a fellow like Rufe, I
know gall-darned well it won't.

Come on, we better get back
to camp before it gets dark.

How you feel, Bob?

How do you think I feel?
I heard about what happened.

I never thought I'd be
ashamed of my own brother.

To think you'd knuckle down
to a man like Ruth...

You just don't understand.

What's there to understand?

If I'd had been there, you can
bet he'd never got away with it.

He started the shootin',
didn't he?

It was your place
to carry the fight back to him.

Now look here, Bob...

Rufe can't help it.

He was born to feudin',
just like you and me,

raised to hate Cowans because
that's what a Beale was for,

but you and me,
we went off to w*r.

We seen a lot of killin', sure,

but we come back knowin'
there's a sight more

to this here world
than that one valley

and the things
that happened there.

You can talk like that, with good Cowan
blood cryin' to us out of the ground?

I'll try to believe
I never heard you.

I'll try to make out it's that
gal that's turned your head.

Now look here, Bob...

Evenin', ma'am, Mr. Beale.

I'd like to have
a little talk with you.

Something wrong, Major?

I'd call it that, yes.

You know, I made a deal
with you and the Cowan boys,

got a promise from both of you.

That promise was broken.

Who broke it?

It wasn't the Cowans.

Jesse Cowan was mindin'
his own business this afternoon.

I sent him out huntin'
with Bill Hawks,

but you ask that fella Rufe where
he was and what he was doin',

and tell him for me that I ain't
gonna stand for any more of that.

That's all.

Ma'am.

You seen Rufe?

No, I ain't.

Here I am.

Get off that horse.

Sure.

What's up?

That's what I want
to know from you.

Major Adams was just by. He
said you went and broke the truce.

Just dusted Jesse Cowan with a couple
of b*ll*ts, knocked his hat off of him.

You should have seen him.

He was so scared, he
couldn't do anything but crawl.

You dared do that
after I pledged my word?

I don't give a hoot
about your word.

You don't speak for me.

You be careful
what you say, Rufe!

Why should I? I'm fed up.

I didn't wanna come out here
in the first place.

You can't change a Beale by draggin'
him away from where he belongs,

and you can stop
throwin' your weight around.

I've had all I'm gonna take.

I took a horsewhip to you
before, and I can do it again!

Old man, that was 20 years ago.

Ugh!

Anse! What's wrong?

You done this!

I never hurt him none!
Hardly even touched him!

It's his heart!
Quick, go get the Major!

Oh, Jesse! Jesse, I've been
lookin' all over for you!

Why? What's the matter,
Sally Jo?

It's Uncle Anse! Oh, Jesse,
I'm scared! I think he's dyin'!

He was having a row with Rufe,
and he just keeled over!

Jesse, I can't think what it
would be like without him!

I'm sorry, Sally Jo, real sorry,
but you knew he was sick.

You knew you couldn't
keep him forever.

Jesse, I'm scared!

Now, honey,
you're shakin' like a leaf.

What will happen now?
All the feudin'?

And Uncle Anse, he'd understood
about you and me,

but if he dies...

Now you ain't to worry,
you understand?

Whose girl are you?

Yours, Jesse.

All right.

Ma'am, I'm real sorry.

If there's anything I can do for you,
just let me know, will you please?

Thank you, Major.

We can manage everything.

We'll be all ready to go
whenever the train goes.

We won't hold you up.

Hold on now. That's something
that ain't been settled yet.

What ain't settled?

Major, we're grateful for
everything that you've done for us,

but us Beales ain't gonna be
goin' any further with you.

We're gonna be
pullin' out of the train

as soon as Anse is buried,
and we're headin' home.

Who said so?

We all did. It's agreed.

How about this?
Does he speak for all of you?

He sure does.
None of us belong here.

We was never out of them hills
before in our lives.

Well, it's a free country,
folks.

It's up to you to choose whether
you stay with us or go on back,

but I'd just like you to remember that
you've already come over 1,000 miles.

Major,
you just don't understand.

Us Beales, we ain't like other
people. We're mountain folks.

You can't pull us up by the roots
and just put us down anyplace.

He's right, Major.
We wanna go back.

Well, whatever
you decide's up to you,

but we pull west the first thing
in the mornin', no matter what.

Anse?

Uncle Anse!

Miss Sally, I'm sorry, but the
Beale wagons are leavin' the train.

What about you?

It's whatever Jesse wants.

What are you talkin' about?
You're comin' back home with me.

No, Rufe.

No, I ain't.

I love Jesse. He loves me.

That's how it is, Rufe.

Y'all might as well know it.

Sally Jo and me,
we figure on bein' married.

Oh, no, you don't.

Sally Jo, I'm standin' here
in place of our Pa,

and I tell you I'll k*ll you myself
before I see you marryin' up

with any man by the name of
Cowan. Now get away from him!

You keep your hands off of her!

I've been doin' my best
to bury this feudin',

but you're just bound
not to let me!

Major Adams,
there's just no use.

I'm askin' you
to release me of my pledge.

Begins to look to me
like you two are gonna

have to settle this thing
once and for all.

I'm ready.

Sally Jo.

Major! Major Adams!

It's McCullough!

Over here, Flint.

Looks like you're
gonna have some company.

Indians?

Yeah, I've been watchin' 'em.

There's a big party camped
about a dozen miles north of here.

When I left, they were puttin' on
the w*r paint and startin' the dancin'.

From what I can tell, they got
their eyes set on something big,

and the only thing that's
big around here is the train.

What are we gonna do, Major?

We're gonna do a lot of things,

but gettin' panicky
ain't one of 'em.

First thing is you two are gonna
stop your feudin' as of this minute.

They won't jump us before dawn.

By that time, we'll be ready
for 'em, thanks to you, Flint.

Well, I'm glad to see
you appreciate me, Major.

Never mind about that.

Get some help and get all
the stock inside this circle.

Right. Wooster, Hawks...

All right, everybody. Start
gettin' your wagons lined in closer.

Get your barricades up.

Well, Rufe, if you're still of a
mind to pull out of this train,

you better get movin'.

Don't rub it in, Major.

Then get busy, boy.

Check your g*ns and ammunition,
everybody.

Put your women and children
in a safe place.

And above all,
we gotta keep quiet!

They'll come at dawn,
and when they do,

I want 'em to think
this camp is still asleep

and not know that we're ready
and waitin' for 'em.

Now hop to it, will you?
All of you!

Well, everything's still quiet,
Major. Nothing's happened.

Maybe McCullough made a mistake.

No, not that kind of mistake.

Got any water around here?

Sure, you wanna drink?

Well, just keep a barrel handy.

They might use
fire arrows on us.

Major, how long
you think we gotta wait?

Oh, another half hour, maybe.

How do you know
they won't hit us before dawn?

Bill, you ought to know most
Indians don't attack at night.

They figure if they're k*lled after dark,
their spirit will just wander forever.

It'll never find
the Happy Hunting Ground.

Superstitious heathens,
ain't they?

That all depends
on how you figure.

To them,
it's mighty real, Charlie,

just the same
as your religion is to you.

You know, it's hard sometimes to
think of them as men just like us.

Well, that's the trouble,
I guess.

Maybe if more people did, we
wouldn't have to fight them all the time.

See that everybody's in place.

Right, Major.

Don't you think you ought
to be back at the wagon

with your aunt,
in case shootin' starts?

Where you are, Jesse...
That's right for me.

Scared?

I sure am.

You weren't much scared
when you stood up to Rufe.

This is different.

Just to sit and wait
for it to happen...

Well, maybe they won't come.

Major says so. He ought to know.

Yeah. Yeah, I reckon.

When they do,
I want us to be together.

Sure, honey, and we're gonna
be together for a long time.

There it goes again, Major.

Yeah.

Somebody's comin'.

Hold your fire, Wooster.

Come on in, Flint.
How's it look out there?

Listen.

Yeah, we've been hearin' 'em.

They're out there signalin'.
They're gettin' ready.

Well, any time they wanna get
this over with's all right with me.

They don't need to hurry
on my account.

There it goes again.

Beale.

Well, hello, Bob.

What you doin', Rufe?
Huntin' Cowans?

I'm lookin' for my sister.

I want her to come with me
where she belongs.

Well, however it was,
you've done me a favor.

I rode 1,000 miles and took an
Injun b*llet waiting for this chance,

and I almost didn't get it.

Bob...

I'll stand up to you or anybody,
but now is not the time.

There's Injuns out there!

Who fired those shots?

It wasn't me, Major.

I didn't say it was you,
you knot-head.

He's dead.

So you finally got one of 'em.

I had to.
He didn't give me any choice.

Maybe his brother will.

Go ahead, tell him.

Here they come, Chuck.

Sure is a mess of 'em!

Remember, everybody,
hold your fire! I'll sh**t first!

Hold it, hold it.

Ready...

Now!

Rufe just k*lled
your brother down there.

What is it?

Did you k*ll Bob?

He asked for it.
He was game, for a Cowan.

Even laid up like he was,
he knew what he was needed for.

You might as well finish me
while you got the chance.

You're sick, Rufe...

Sick with a hate
you and me was born with.

I can't k*ll you for that.

You might as well. If you
don't now, you'll wish you had.

Jesse, you'll wish you had.

Look out, Rufe!

Rufe...

They're runnin', Major!
They've had enough!

Well, it don't look like
they'll be back.

I think you're right,

but we better keep
an eye on them anyway.

Get Major Adams, fast!

Sally Jo, hurry!

Jesse...

where are you?

I'm right here, Rufe.

You tried to save my life.

I never knew a Cowan
to do that for a Beale.

Don't you go talkin'.
You just save your strength.

What for?

I ain't goin' nowhere...
Neither to California or back.

The rest of you,
you go on along with Jesse.

Do what Anse wanted.

Jesse's a Cowan,
but he's marryin' a Beale.

He knew something all along
I couldn't see...

Feudin' never was...
Never was no good.

Oh, Jesse!

So even Rufe learned.

Took us a long time.

I hope it keeps.

We'll be rollin'
as soon as we can.

You folks are welcome to
come with us, if you're of mind.

We'll be along, Major.

Wagons, h*!

All right, get out of here!