Hyah!
- Melody. - Huh?
How many verses you say there was
to that song?
Oh, about 100, I reckon.
100.
But I only know about 90 of them.
Melody,
what is it?
Some cow town, it looks like.
Well, how come a cow town here?
I thought there wasn't any till Hot Creek.
I don't know, unless...
Unless what?
George, you recollect that fork in the road
4 or 500 miles back where we turned right?
I just remembered. We should've turned left.
Well, it don't surprise me none,
I can tell you that.
A cowhand that goes in for breaking horses,
by the time he is your size,
he's been hit in the seat of the pants
so many times he ain't got any brains anymore,
just a kind of oatmeal in his head.
Howdy, friend.
Howdy.
Where are we, old-timer?
This here's Payneville.
Painful? What's painful?
This here is.
You mean generally,
or is this personal?
It's a bad sign, Melody,
when the first fella you meet in a town
is some kind of hobgoblin.
Don't go far, will you?
I don't aim to be drinking here
for more than about 5 or 6 hours.
Is that him?
Yes. I think so.
Well, I guess she's got as much right
to get thirsty as a man.
Look. She's coming out.
Just look at that walk.
Very nice.
Don't, Cyrus! Don't!
Let go of me, will you?
No. Look.
I didn't mean nothing.
I didn't know.
All right. From now on, don't go making remarks
about other men's girls, see?
Yes, sir.
No, no, sir. No.
What's the matter with you?
Nothing, señor.
You want something maybe, please?
Give me some of... them.
Tomates?
Open 'em. I'll eat 'em here.
Si, señor.
Again.
Don't try to draw on him.
If you do, you're dead.
Did he see me?
No.
Thought he did.
He'll cross back over to get his horse.
We pushed 1,000 head of cattle up there,
me and my partner...
him and me.
And what's more, you fuzzy-faced apes,
my name ain't Roscoe, and I ain't nobody's uncle.
And the next one that calls me so
is going to have to get down on the floor about it.
And don't look for me back, either.
I will invest my money
in a town where there is at least one man
that ain't a leaping lunatic.
Drunk already?
Let's get out of this place.
It's a spook town.
The more I see of it, the more I don't like it.
Did they do something to you?
Nah, they didn't do nothing
outside of calling me their uncle.
It's their attitude.
They're, uh... they're, uh...
they're, uh, disrespectful.
The trouble with you, George,
you take a little getting used to.
You don't make the right impression on people.
You ought to know that by now.
Ought I?
Sure. You walk into someplace
where nobody don't know you...
You already got that dumb look on your face.
First thing you do, you ask some fool question
any papoose could answer, like,
"Where am I?"
Naturally, you ain't immediately nominated
for governor.
What you got to do,
you got to walk in kind of...
unsmiling.
Unsmiling, eh?
You got to look like you're somebody and
act like you're somebody...
like you can take care of yourself
no matter what happens.
And pretty soon, you are somebody.
Is that what you done?
It just so happens I ain't hardly said
more than 2 words in this town,
and already I got a certain... standing.
Mmm.
Unsmiling, eh?
The way it is now,
I can walk into anyplace around this dump
and clear my own place at the bar until they...
or rather, even before they know me.
Yeah.
All right.
Come with me.
Huh?
Come with me.
Mr. Unsmiling Jones.
Thought you said you weren't coming back.
Your pleasure, gentlemen?
Some liquor.
Yes, sir.
Stop goggling.
You're with me.
Mud in your eye.
Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.
Good stuff, huh?
Yeah.
I make it myself.
How much?
On the house, anytime.
Much obliged.
You see?
It's spooked.
The whole dadblamed town is spooked.
We gotta get out of this place quick.
Why, it's all very simple, George.
Simple?
What would you have done
if somebody had drawed on you?
What on earth would anybody be wanting to draw on me for?
Because you was asking for it.
The way you walked in,
the way your face was all scrounged up.
It was just asking somebody
to slap leather with you.
Well...
Look, Melody,
you couldn't hit the hind end of your horse
with a handful of buckshot,
and you know it.
Right in front.
He'll move.
And you ain't a gunfighter, that's all.
You ain't even a good shot.
You're just a plain, no-good bronc stomper
that's been hit in the seat of the pants
so many times...
Look.
Wait. He's looking at something else.
Darling.
Monte.
Don't move. There's a gun on you.
Just come with me and keep close.
But listen, lady...
Do as I tell you, and I'll get you out of this.
And smile.
Smile.
That's better.
Stay right here with your backs to the wall,
and I'll get your horses.
Who is it?
I never seen her before.
That time in Cheyenne when you was kicked in the head,
and you was missing 4 days...
you sure you didn't marry somebody
while you was out of your head?
I wasn't that far out of my head.
Whoa.
Now ride around there
and keep close to the front wheel.
But, miss...
Are you looking to get shot?
- No, ma'am. - No, ma'am.
Then do what I say.
And when you start moving, move.
Now, can you tell us what happened?
What's them initials stand for?
That's for my name, Melody Jones.
Or Monte Jarrad, too.
You don't look much like him, really.
Exceptin' you're built something like him...
tall and spindly.
You mean they took me for somebody else?
That's why I did what I did...
so's you wouldn't get killed...
by mistake.
Oh.
Then it wasn't me they were scared of?
They thought you was Monte...
Monte Jarrad.
You say somebody is fixin' to kill this here Monte Jarrad?
Nobody but the sheriff and his posse.
Any particular reason outside of prejudice?
Well, there's always the reward, of course.
$1,000 dead or alive.
Mr. Unsmiling Jones...
A man with a certain standing in the community.
Whoa.
Is this Monte?
No. They just took him for Monte.
Of course it's Monte.
Hi, Monte. Heard a lot about you.
Don't pay no attention to Pop. He's a little, uh, mixed up.
Oh...
This is Uncle Roscoe, ain't it?
Hi, Uncle Roscoe.
I'd ask you to alight and eat,
but I think you'd better keep going,
and straight south, huh?
Oh, I ain't in any hurry.
Can't you understand what I've been trying to tell you?
There's gonna be a posse after you.
Not after me. I ain't done nothin'.
Ain't you gonna alight, Monte?
No, he ain't. He's gonna keep going.
Now look, you can't be as thickheaded as all that.
This country's full of men
just aiming to shoot you on sight
and find out about the mistake later.
Now you get out of here while you still can.
But supposin'...
you heard what she said, didn't you?
Get going.
Who are you?
He's my brother Avery.
Now, are you going?
All right.
Come on...
Uncle Roscoe.
Cherry?
Come in, Cherry.
But I'm telling you, Monte,
that's just the way it was.
One punch, and the stage driver,
this Ira Waggoner fella was flat in the road.
Wish he'd broken his neck.
You know what I'd do?
But that's what I get for tying up
with someone I ain't never seen.
You don't even know Waggoner?
I never saw him in my life.
It was Leo that picked him. Leo talked to him,
and it was fixed that that shotgun guard that got me
was gonna be left behind in Coldwater.
Outside the horse,
there wasn't even supposed to be no shootin'.
I got a good mind to blast his belly open
the minute I see him.
That's right, Monte.
Get out of here!
I was just gonna say...
never mind what you was gonna say.
You get to town and look for Leo.
So I don't have to slope out of here by myself.
Sure, Monte.
You stay here.
Now...
what about this fella?
I already told you, Monte.
He's nothing but a tramp cowhand.
Stop talking like a fool, or like you think I'm a fool.
How do you know what he is?
How do you know he ain't one of Luke Packard's men
from the Express Company, or Luke Packard himself?
Come on, Monte, and sit down.
There.
Now, he's nothing but a tramp cowhand
who just wandered into Payneville
with an old side rider.
On account of the same initials on his saddle
and the way he looked, they took him for you.
Homer Cotton was already fixin' to shoot him
when I got this idea.
I figured the best thing I could do
was to help 'em keep on thinking he was you,
which I did the best I could.
By this time tomorrow night,
the posse will be riding down after him
50 miles from here.
And the whole north will be wide open for you.
I don't see anything wrong about that.
Yeah.
Ain't nobody as stupid as you make him out to be.
He's just a common, ordinary,
useless bronc stomper,
like you could see any which way
you looked around here.
And he'd have done anything I asked him to.
He would, huh?
He did, didn't he?
Kind of liked you?
Yeah, looked like it.
That's what I thought it was.
Well, you better be glad he did, too.
There's something maybe you better remember.
And never mind telling me
how it didn't mean nothing to you.
Just don't monkey around with nobody at all,
unless you want to see their belly blasted open.
You know, George, in all my life,
I ain't never been so low in my mind
as I been since I talked to that there girl.
Look, Melody, if we aim to get across that line,
don't you think we ought to hustle up these ponies
a little bit?
No, 'cause I don't aim to cross any line.
What are you talking about?
I don't aim to get across any line,
because that's just what she wants us to do.
That's the trick.
I worked that one out
almost before she got her mouth shut.
You mean there ain't no posse?
Oh, sure, there's a posse, all right,
and it's probably trailing us.
But there wouldn't be if she hadn't sicced it on us.
Are you telling me
that there pretty little lady is a skunk?
Something happened back there.
We don't know what it is.
All I know is, if that posse's
trailing us to the south,
it'd make a mighty good opening
for somebody else to get away to the north.
I can't believe it.
What I'm wondering is, where is that somebody else now?
Well, if what you say is a fact,
he's probably hid out somewhere around that there same place.
That's the way I figured it, too.
Leastways, if she ain't, we...
Now, wait a minute, Melody.
You ain't gotta be no dumber than necessary.
That would make me somebody, wouldn't it?
The man that took Monte Jarrad.
Now, you look here, Melody...
You don't understand, George,
but for one hour back there,
I felt what it felt like to be high regarded.
I don't think I'm ever gonna feel the same
about things again.
But that fella's a killer!
I might even get... you can't tell...
get to be sheriff.
That or a corpse.
One or the other.
Now, you just listen to me.
Where you going?
Back.
But listen, Melody. Melody!
You go on if you want to.
If only you could shoot a little better.
What are we supposed to be doing, playing indian?
What are you gonna do, just ask her where he is?
To tell you the truth,
I ain't figured out yet what I'm gonna do.
I was mixed up in a little shooting once.
I just can't tell you how quick I got sick of the whole idea.
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
He's changed, Avery.
He can't help it. He's in trouble.
They're chasing him, and he's wounded.
No. It's more than that.
You know, when we were all kids together,
just growing up,
he... he was kind of wild, of course.
That's why I was so crazy about him, I guess.
But it ain't wildness now.
He's mean.
Plain downright mean.
And he's gettin' meaner all the time.
There she is now. Why don't you ask her?
What you got in this mattress, skulls?
Take your dirty feet off my bed!
You really got a crust.
My horse run off...
Shh.
Now, look,
I don't know if you're crazy or not,
but you've got to get out of here.
I'll get you another horse and saddle...
I couldn't leave without Henry Henshaw.
Your partner?
No. Henry's my horse.
I couldn't leave him, especially with his bridle on.
Where is your partner?
George? Oh, he's out somewhere in the brush.
He's the nervous type.
Oh.
You're in some kind of a fix, ain't you?
Of course not.
All I'm trying to do is to...
keep you out of a fix.
Don't you see?
That's why I took you out of town.
You mean when you called me Monte
in the middle of the street?
You're kind of crazy about this Monte, ain't you?
Look, I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll make a deal with you.
Shh.
What did you do that for?
That was your dog. He's seen something.
Somebody's prowling around out there.
Your partner, maybe.
No. He'd fall over something.
Sounds like he's gone now.
What kind of a deal?
Will you...
will you do something for me?
Sure.
Will you stay in this room until morning?
Do what?
Sleep here in that bed.
For me, will you?
Why?
I'll explain it in the morning.
I just don't want you
going out of here tonight.
All right.
You promise?
Sure.
Thank you.
And for Pete's sake, stay put this time, will you?
Mmm.
Thanks.
Good night.
Uh...
You don't want to sit and talk a spell first?
Heaven forbid.
Stick 'em up.
You surely took long enough about it.
You heard me?
Oh, I've been listening to you slipping and sliding
around here for about 5 minutes.
You always want to shoot 'em in their right eye.
It spoils their aim.
I went back into town last night...
To look into things.
What did you find out?
Well, the way it looks now, as long as you keep on
letting anybody think you're this Monte Jarrad,
you got exactly 5 chances of being hung or shot,
which a fella tells me is just about a record in these parts.
How come?
The sheriff's got just about everybody in this county
in the posse that ain't got no other aim in life
but to catch you and hang you.
There's a family in this county named Cotton
that you killed 3 members of about 5 years ago.
And this family, which has got about 150 uncles and cousins,
is at the same time conducting
an independent hunt to kill you ahead of the posse.
3?
If neither one of them crowds gets you,
the Express Company's got its men here.
Because $40,000 in cash was taken off that stage.
Some say $40 million,
but that sounds like an overstatement to me.
Failing all them people getting you,
you can look for the United States Cavalry to arrive
in about 3 days, because there was some mail on that stage.
All these bodies aim to kill you first,
'cause you is Monte Jarrad,
and second, 'cause you ain't Monte Jarrad,
and they just don't like to be disappointed in the hangin'.
You said 5.
If you keep on looking at a certain female lady
the way you been looking at her,
I think we could be safe in counting on Monte Jarrad himself
to take a hand in the shooting soon.
What I don't understand is if this Monte Jarrad
is such a well-known, popular sort of a jigger,
how come I get mistook for him?
Because Monte ain't been back around here for 4 or 5 years.
Besides, you ain't run into nobody that knowed him good.
You ain't fooled nobody that really knowed Monte.
Also, I got a message for you.
Not for me. I don't know nobody in Payneville.
I don't know if you'd call it a social introduction or not,
but you did knock him on the palm of his pants.
Name's Waggoner, Ira Waggoner.
He drove the stage that Monte held up.
How'd he know about me?
He don't. "Give this to Monte," he said.
Him and everybody else still thinks you're him.
Everybody but this ornery little lady skunk
that you've taken up with.
Skunk, huh?
'Morning.
Cherry.
George didn't mean that.
He was just shooting off his face.
No. He's right.
Look, Cherry.
Oh, what George thinks
ain't got anything to do with what I think.
No. You go on about your business
any which way you want to go.
Now, look here. There ain't any use in this.
You don't have to cry.
Please. I am a skunk, and I know it.
No, you ain't a skunk.
You've been awful nice about it,
even when you knew I was lying.
All I can say now is I'm sorry
I drug you into it, and good-bye.
Look, what kind of a box is it you're in?
Can't you tell me?
Well, you see, I've known Monte Jarrad
ever since we was kids. We grew up together.
So when he rode in hurt,
I tried to help him, that's all.
Did you get him out?
No.
No. They'll catch him now, I guess.
The posse'll be poundin' back by this evening.
When I told you last night that I'd explain,
I decided to tell you the truth,
the whole truth, and see if you'd help me.
I mean like...
take his saddle, maybe, or anything
to lead the posse away.
There just wasn't nobody else I could turn to.
You'd do just about anything for that belly-gunner,
wouldn't you?
But this morning I decided not to.
It just wouldn't be fair
dragging you into it no further.
Oh, I was gonna tell you the truth, all right.
I wasn't gonna ask you to do nothing else about it.
That why you brung Monte's saddle along with you?
What?
Well, I didn't know it was there.
I thought you might have noticed it
when you put this blanket over it.
I don't know why I even try to lie to you.
Me neither.
Come on, Henry.
What are you doing?
Changing saddles.
You...
you're gonna do it?
It's what you wanted, ain't it?
Well, yes, but...
Melody.
You can make it, can't you?
I hope so.
It's just those people will see you with the saddle
and tell which way you went.
But you'll have such a lead,
you'll make it, I know.
You mean do I aim to let myself get caught?
The answer is no, so forget it.
Looks like a fella can stand just so much
of that pounding, and then...
I, uh... I'm awful grateful to you.
Ain't there something I could do for you, maybe?
Sure. You can take care of my saddle.
Oh, all right.
Melody.
Ride as hard as you can,
and don't stop for nothin'.
Good-bye.
Well...
That sinks the duck.
Thank you.
I... I meant good-bye.
Good-bye.
Would you take something from me, for keeps?
I won it for bronc stompin' last year at Cheyenne.
I was 17th.
Thanks...
champ.
Giddyup!
Melody!
Where you going?
Melody!
Whoa.
Well, he's gone.
He's on his way with your saddle,
and you can see it a mile off.
You said last night he'd left the house.
Where'd he stay?
Well, I don't know, Monte.
He just disappeared.
Start movin'.
Sure, Monte.
You know what I'd do if I ever caught you crossin' me?
Now, wait a minute, Monte.
I know you're in trouble and upset and all,
but I don't like that kind of talk.
I didn't ask you what you liked.
I'm just telling you
you better be careful what you're doing.
I'm going over and pick up Uncle Roscoe if I can find him,
and then I'm on my way.
When you get through with what I told you to do,
I'll send for you.
Be ready.
Ahem.
Can I get by?
10.
Up 10.
I call!
You fellas ought to let people pass
when they ask you.
Waggoner.
Out back.
You want to see me?
Sit down.
You needn't keep watching my gun.
You couldn't stop it.
There's only about 3 men in these parts
that I can't slap leather with.
One of 'em's Monte Jarrad...
But you ain't him.
No?
No.
You had me fooled for a time, but...
not after I thunk it over.
But you're frontin' for him, and that's all I want to know.
Where is he?
I was fixin' to ask you that.
I done my part of that job.
Now I'm waitin' for you fellas to do yours.
You understand?
Mister, I'm gonna tell you the truth.
I ain't got the first idea in the world
what you're talking about.
I want my share.
I want to know where that moneybag is.
You understand that, don't you?
Nope.
Then you better start remembering,
because you're gonna tell me before you leave this room.
You mean you figure I know where that money is?
I figure you better.
Well, uh...
I don't know exactly what to say to that.
Nobody else has to know, you know.
Just you and me, 50-50.
Mister, I swear, I don't know how
you've lived as long as you have.
What do you mean?
You remember Morgan Earp?
Sure.
Remember he got his spine shot in two.
He had his back turned to a door
that had glass in the upper half.
Sure. What about it?
Look behind you,
and you'll find just that kind of a door.
That's the oldest one in the book.
That glass is painted over, and I know it.
Maybe, but I sure wish you'd give it a second thought.
I've had just about enough of this.
So have I.
Hello, Leo.
Who's this?
I don't know.
All I know is he's trying to pass himself off as Monte.
I know that already.
He's riding Monte's saddle.
What kind of a deal
is you trying to make with this tramp?
No deal, Leo.
I was just trying to find out about things.
What things?
Well, I got a certain right to...
To do what?
You set here till you hear me ride off.
After that you be around here someplace
where I can find you when I want you.
You understand?
Yeah.
I want to hear some more about them rights
you're so worried about.
Let's go.
Me?
Mmm. Come on.
Walk ahead of me until we're out in the street.
Mount your pony.
Mister, I can't tell you how much obliged I am to you
for getting me out of that box.
Ride by my off stirrup, close.
I ain't goin' that way. I'm going this...
Shut up.
You're going the way I tell you to go.
What I can't understand is how in the name of Sam Hill
a tramp like you ever found a way to kill Monte Jarrad.
Get going.
Stay where you are.
Now, look, I'm sick and tired...
I'm gonna smoke a cigarette.
When I'm done with it, I'm gonna throw it away.
When I throw it away, take care of yourself.
Some friend of this belly-bustin' gunman,
I take it?
Say that while you can, tramp.
Figure you're pretty good with a gun yourself, hmm?
Outside of Monte, I've never seen anybody any better.
All I meet today is champions.
You shot Monte in the back. You want to try again?
No, because I aim to pull out of this fix.
It ain't my squabble, and I don't see no sense
in getting myself shot up about it.
For one thing, Monte Jarrad ain't dead.
What'd he do? Just give you that saddle?
No, he didn't, but his girl did.
What girl?
Cherry, Cherry de Longpre.
She kill him?
Ain't nobody killed him, you lunkhead.
He got hurt bad and couldn't travel fast.
I took out with his saddle as a kind of favor to her,
to fool jackasses like you away from where he was headed.
You aimin' to have me believe
a full-growed man like you
could let a girl talk him
into a dang fool trick like that?
All I can say is, here I am.
Brother, I've heard some dumb stories in my time,
but that one really takes the cake.
Get ready.
All right.
This don't make no sense to me in any particular.
But... let 'er go.
Put 'em up, black hat.
Higher.
Take his gun, Melody.
Like I told your friend,
"Never turn your back on anything,
"especially a woman."
It's all right, George.
This the girl?
Ain't she a lulu?
Get off.
Just a minute, miss.
If you're Cherry de Longpre,
you ought to know who I am... Leo Gledhill.
How do you do, Mr. Gledhill?
Now get off that horse.
But I'm a friend of Monte Jarrad's.
The lady said get off, Mr. Gledhill.
You big jughead.
We've been looking all over North America for you.
George, I want you to take Mr. Gledhill
for a walk out in the desert.
Way out, and leave him.
Git!
Leave him and do what?
Leave him and then follow Melody
to where you was headed in the first place.
This time I know
you're gonna get out of this country,
'cause I'm gonna take you out.
Well, how do you like that for organization?
You know very well who I am.
I don't know who you are.
I only know who you say you are,
and why should I take your word for that?
But that's who I am.
Well, you could be Luke Packard
who works for the Express Company.
I ain't never seen any of you before.
Come on, Melody.
Yes, ma'am.
Too bad, partner. I know just how you feel.
If there's anything in the world I like,
it's gettin' saved from bein' shot.
- Melody? - Hmm?
You know, Monte'd kill a girl
if she done to him what I done to you.
Sure he would,
but that's because Monte don't understand women very well.
Well, I suppose you do?
Well...
Pa gave me a piece of advice that ain't never failed me yet.
"Son," he says, "if you ever fool around a woman,
"always hide $1 in the toe of your boot,
"then you'll come out $1 for the good.
"That is," Pa says, "if you keep your boots on."
What are you gonna do now?
Oh, tie up with George again, I reckon,
and head down towards Hot Creek
and work around there this winter.
Will you be coming back this way?
In the spring, I mean?
Maybe. Don't like it much down there in the summer.
If you do, will you do something for me?
Well, I tell you, hmm,
I don't like to seem impolite,
but after the way thing's been going,
maybe I better listen to what it is before I say yes.
That's all right. I don't blame you.
This moneybag that Monte took.
When you come back through here,
I want you to get it
and give it back to the Express Company.
Can't.
You mean you won't.
I mean I can't. Don't know where it is.
Well, I'm gonna show you where it is.
In a little adobe house
that Monte used to hide out in.
Now, under the windowsill, there's a slab,
and under the slab,
there's a space big enough for a man to hide in,
if he could breathe.
And it's in there.
Monte told me
when it looked like he was going to die.
Heck, why don't we just get it and give it back to them now?
We certainly will not.
Why not?
'Cause Monte's got to have his chance,
that's why not.
They're looking all over creation for him.
If that money popped up here,
they'd close in on this country so tight,
a jackrabbit couldn't get out.
You got to wait till he gets away.
No. I guess I better turn it in right now.
But you can't!
After promising me, you wouldn't dare.
Promised? When was that I promised?
Oh.
Well, you got to promise. Now.
Oh. Well...
Well, do you promise?
All right, I... I promise.
Melody.
Melody, I'm awful sorry.
I... I hope you understand.
And maybe someday you'll forgive me, huh?
Oh, forget it.
Ain't a thing in the world you've got to worry about,
as far as I'm concerned.
If you ever do come back through here, I...
Well, I tell you, Cherry,
I'd like to see you again a whole lot,
but I just don't seem to be cut out
for the kind of life you folks lead
around these parts.
Yeah, I see.
Good... good evening.
Luke Packard's the name.
From the Express Company.
Uh, lift your hands just a little higher, will you?
And you, lady, step around the other side of him.
I'd certainly be embarrassed if you grabbed his iron
and flang a shot at me.
You know, that's something that's been worrying me
most of my life.
What would I do if a woman hung the drop on me?
Boy, oh, boy.
Over.
These don't give much light to speak of,
but kind of warm it up while we wait.
Wait for what?
The posse.
They're swinging around this way now.
The posse?
Yeah, the sheriff and some of the boys
are heading up here from the gulch.
Get over there in that corner.
What they're aimin' to do when they get here,
I couldn't say.
They didn't tell me.
But you can't do that.
No? Why can't I?
Because they'll kill him.
They won't arrest him.
Those Cotton boys won't let him.
They're legal, lady, legal to the teeth.
But I ain't the one they're after.
I ain't Monte Jarrad.
My name's Melody Jones out of high Montana.
I ain't never set eyes on the man.
Well, I ain't never seen
the gentleman in question myself.
But this is Monte Jarrad's hideout.
On information received,
this here girl is Monte Jarrad's lady friend.
Monte Jarrad is well known to be a beanpole,
such as you be.
But you don't want to forget
when a posse makes a mistake,
it's a mighty hard thing to unmake.
Oh, come now, let's don't look on the dark side.
What other side is there?
Mister, if them Cottons get ahold of me,
I'm a dead duck, and that's the truth.
Well...
And it ain't gonna be no good to say "I'm sorry," neither.
The fact is, I don't care a hoot
whether you're Monte Jarrad or Melody Jones
or Harmony Q. Smith.
All I'm interested in is $42,004.85
belonging to the Express Company I work for
and not another cussed thing on earth.
Once I get my hands on that,
you're as free as a bird, as far as I'm concerned.
Can I talk to this girl alone?
Yeah. You can step in there, if you wanna.
You trust me?
100 percent.
You'll never regret it, Mr. Packard.
You better take a light with you.
Well, how do you like that?
He's no better than a cheat.
Couldn't break my word in here if I wanted to.
What did you want to talk to me about?
Hmm?
Oh. Yeah.
Say, what about this?
What about what?
About my gettin' hung over this money.
How far you aimin' to carry this thing?
You know what the situation is.
You bet your sweet hand I do.
You figure if I tell where the money is,
it'll hurt that belly-buster's chances of getting away.
But what about my neck?
You'll have to do what you think
is right about it, of course.
You gonna hang on to that promise
you trapped me into?
I'm not gonna argue with you about it, Melody.
Well, maybe you're in love with this Monte Jarrad,
but I ain't.
Looks to me like this thing's gone just about far enough,
and I can't think further.
Just as you please.
Made up your mind?
Uh-huh.
Well, where is it?
Where's what?
The moneY. The money. Stop stallin'.
I don't know nothin' about any money.
What money was it?
You realize what you're doing, don't you?
That posse ain't more than 30 minutes away
from here, Monte, and when it comes...
I told you before, I ain't Monte.
All right, I ain't got any way to force you,
but I hate to see a man taken apart
without a chance to defend himself.
Even a reptile like you.
I'll tell you where it is.
Where what is?
The money you're after. What's the matter?
Can't you keep your mind on what we're talking about?
But...
If I tell you where it is, can we go?
That was the proposition.
Uh...
are you sure just which man you aim to be the death of?
Shut up, will you? Shut up.
It's under that slab under the window.
Well, what do you know about that?
Mister... you're a...
Then you were telling the truth.
Yeah.
Then look out for the fella
who's doing the shooting.
It's the real Monte.
He's after the money again.
Is he dead?
Yeah.
Shh.
There's somebody out there.
Is that the way you always draw?
You numbskull.
I'm sorry, but I couldn't be sure who was in here.
I, uh...
Who is it?
That used to be Packard,
the Express Company fella.
Well, that sinks the duck.
Now they got a corpus delicti.
A what?
A dead body.
That's the way the law says it. Corpus delicti.
Means if they got a corpus, you're delict.
Before this, even if they hung you,
we could have proved it was a mistake.
Then why did you do it?
We could have... do what?
Shoot him!
Him?
Yes, him. Why did you shoot him?
But why should I shoot the man?
A perfect stranger. Why should I shoot...
oh, now, wait a minute, both of you.
You can't hang it on me. Because when I come in,
what was you doing under the table
with your gun smoking?
If Melody shot him,
how do you account for that hole?
You think he ran outside,
shot him through the window,
and then came back in here?
That's right.
Which means we've touched a new bottom,
because if it wasn't you,
we've got that belly-buster back with us.
Melody, we got to get out of this country and quick!
Ain't nothin' holdin' me back.
All right.
But first, you get the ponies,
and keep your eyes open,
because there's maybe somebody else still out there.
Don't you think
maybe we ought to keep clotted together?
Melody, stop trying to think. Do as I say.
All right.
We got a little housekeeping
to do around here before we leave.
Give me a hand.
Let's get this corpus into that box.
Here, help cover up these spots.
You with us?
You bet.
All right, come on.
Step back.
You're under arrest.
Light those candles, Kriendler.
Let's see what's going on in here.
Stick 'em up, feller.
Well, I can't say I expected much more of you.
Is this him?
Ain't it?
Do I have to go through all that again?
Sheriff, he isn't Monte, honest he isn't.
He's just some guy that's got all mixed up.
Listen to me, hold me if you want to.
Put me in jail.
You think I'm crazy?
Those are very prominent people
in this county, the Cottons.
If I was to let him go just on your say-so,
they're just as liable as not to string me up.
Now, just take it easy.
Be along here any minute.
And if he ain't the man they want,
they won't touch a hair of his head.
Look, sheriff, if they hang me,
how are you gonna find out where the money is?
You know where the money is?
Even if you ain't Monte?
I do.
What ails you?
Nothin', nothin'.
Just clearin' my throat.
Well?
If I tell you where it is,
can I get out of here and my gal with me?
Melody, if I was you...
If he opens his mouth one more time,
knock him in the head.
I give you my word.
The minute that money's in my hand,
that door's wide open for you.
It's right...
Ohh! No!
That'll teach you to keep your mouth shut!
Come on.
Come on?
Look, you try any monkey business with me,
and I'll blow you clear out of this house.
Now, where's that money?
You said you knew where it is,
now let's have it, quick.
I'm afraid I changed my mind.
I'm givin' you one more chance, fella.
Once and for all,
are you gonna tell us where that money is,
or do we have to get it out of you?
I don't think I got any suggestions.
Get ahold of him. Pin him!
Anybody who touches me
is gonna get their brains knocked out
if it's the last thing I do.
You brush ape.
How did you think you were gonna stop a man?
What are you doin' here?
Just lightin' the candle.
Oh, Melody, why didn't you go?
I... I reached for you, but I couldn't find you.
I couldn't hardly...
leave you here in all this mess.
Maybe I can be as tough as this Monte Jarrad.
Maybe just a little bit tougher.
We'd better get out of here.
They stampeded our horses!
Well, what do you know?
For the last time, where's that money?
I forget.
All right.
Put your guns away.
Go to work on him.
But don't knock his head clear off him,
because he's got to talk, and quick.
You.
You get over there.
Get him.
Whop him, Melody!
Whop him!
Get your hands off me!
I got him!
Wait a minute!
Bring him out here.
Where is it?
Let him have it.
Wait a minute. Hold it.
We got to try something else.
Why do we?
If you keep up that way, you're gonna knock him out,
and then what good is he?
You want me to heat up his spurs?
No, I got a better idea.
The way he said it, it's right here in this room.
The way he said it, it must be...
it's got to be...
I got you, boss!
There's a stiff in here!
Huh?
Holy jumping Jupiter. It's Luke Packard!
Luke Packard?
It is Luke, all right.
Run for it!
- Hey! - Hey, hey!
Open that door!
Come back here!
Whoa. Cherry?
Cherry?
Monte's headed for the de Longpre ranch.
Come on, let's go.
Cherry?
Hi.
And you can stop thinkin' what you're thinkin',
because you won't have time to throw that can.
And you're too far for that Winchester.
For a second, I thought you might be that Monte Jarrad,
but that can't be.
No?
No.
This Jarrad weasel looks something like I do.
Fools people sometimes.
Get over there.
Take off that holster.
And the boots.
Don't think we look alike, hmm?
I don't think I deserve people
saying a thing like that about me.
The jumper.
It ain't gonna do you no good, you know?
You don't think... so?!
Not even if we swapped every stitch.
'Cause there still wouldn't be no scar on my face.
But who'd know that...
if there wasn't no face left?
Is that what you really aim to do?
The pants.
I didn't come back here lookin' for you
just to admire you,
if that's what you mean.
Well, in that case, I guess I better fix you, too.
Because you ain't doin' this
just because it suits you to.
You're doin' this because you got
something else on your mind.
Yeah?
Yeah.
But I ain't gonna help you with it none.
I'm gonna make you ask about it.
All right. What about it?
What about what?
What about Cherry?
What about her?
You'll have to be a little bit clearer
than that about it, you know.
You know what I'm asking you.
Sure.
But you're gonna have to ask it
in plain words.
What were you doing in this house the other night?
And if I don't choose to tell you,
you'll never know, will you?
You'll tell me, all right.
Will I?
Look, fella, don't get smart.
I don't like it, and you won't like it, either.
Believe me.
What could you do
that you weren't gonna do already?
That's what I meant when I say,
"I'm gonna fix you, too."
I ain't gonna answer that question.
I'm gonna leave you to worry about that,
but I'll give you a hint...
she ain't yours no more.
You're lyin'.
You see?
That's what you're gonna have to worry about
from now on:
was I lyin' or not?
With me gone, you'll never know.
From now on,
you'll just have to go on wondering about that
for as long as you live,
which I don't figure to be very long.
Come on.
The hat.
You know what you are now?
You're just an old "used to be,"
that's all.
If you don't think so, ask her yourself,
because she's coming in right now.
You better get off to the barn.
George is there.
He's hurt.
Bad?
I think he's dyin'.
It's all right. Go on.
Why did you shoot that old man?
He come askin' for it.
Anytime somebody comes askin' for it,
they're gonna get it.
Found him in the gulch where you left him,
where you left him to die.
You're wearing his stuff.
So the tramp was tellin' the truth.
Monte...
You were gonna kill him, too.
You were gonna kill him and leave him here
to be buried as yourself.
Get your dumb thumb out of my eye.
I'm just trying to see if you was dead.
Well, I ain't.
And I don't like somebody
trying to gouge my eye out.
Monte?
Yeah.
I stumbled onto him up in the rocks.
You can't, Monte, you can't.
Look out, Melody! He's coming...
Take care of yourself, tramp!
Take my gun, Melody.
Take it and drill him.
Partner, you ain't got no gun.
You better get out of here. They're comin'.
Inside.
You two cover that door.
Yeah!
Leo, the front door.
You come back here!
You stop me!
Look, Melody...
Sit down.
Surrender,
in the name of the law!
Take that horse and cut for it.
You can make it.
If it's as easy as that,
why don't Monte get out of here?
Because he can't.
He can't race a horse
with that wound in his side,
but you can.
She's right.
You can't do no more damage around here.
Nope. I ain't goin'.
Why not?
A horse like that can't carry 3 people.
Well, looks like we're gonna have company.
Did you get 'em?
Get 'em? What do I want to get 'em for?
I ain't got anything
against them fellers out there.
Get down. You want to get your head shot off?
Then why did you shoot?
To make 'em nervous. He was shooting too straight.
George.
Listen, George.
There's only one thing about this whole business
still puzzles me.
What's that?
What I'm doin' in it.
You was gonna make something out of yourself.
Don't you remember?
That's right.
You was gonna take Monte and be somebody.
That sounds kind of silly now, I reckon.
Well, all I'm asking you now is...
Tell me when you figure you is somebody
so we can get the heck out of this shooting gallery.
Is that... is that really why you stayed?
Well, not exactly.
The truth is, I... I hadn't hardly got into that idea good
before I kind of got sick of it.
Too jumpy to suit my taste.
Why did you ride back into Payneville?
Well, it looked to me
like you was all tangled up in something.
I couldn't rightly figure out what.
And I could see there wasn't no use
to try to talk sense into your head.
So the only way to get you out
was for me to try to get inside
and bust open the whole shebang.
It never occurred to me that...
maybe you had reasons not to want to get out.
Melody.
What is it, Uncle Roscoe?
Where's my gun?
You ain't got no gun, George.
You better get me one, Melody.
If them fellas break in...
you're gonna need some help.
Here you are, George.
Got it?
Yeah.
Don't make out you're worse off
than you are, George.
Here.
Drink some of this.
We can't stand for this from nobody, George.
Hey, now.
Melody!
That all you got, 4?
What do you think you're doin'?
Nothin' you can stop, son.
Stop him, Avery!
Come back here, you.
I'm sorry.
Hey, Monte Jarrad.
What about it?!
What about it, Monte?!
How about it, Monte?!
Melody, please!
I'm waiting!
Hey, men!
Hold your fire! Hold your fire!
Let 'em shoot it out.
This one's for that scar on your face.
You're walkin' too good.
That one was a little too close.
No face left, remember?
Thanks...
partner.
Come on.
You can bring your hat this time.
What kind of a dumb town is this?
They catch a numpus like you, and then they don't hang him.
They slung me in, they slung me out.
That's all I know.
You still trying to make out you're bad off?
If you ever...
what's this?
The reward for drillin' Monte.
But they held back some.
$25 for the doctor.
$5 for... on a charge of vagrancy.
3 weeks' rent and board for livin' in the jail
when I wasn't guilty of anything.
What are you giving it to me for?
You brung him down, didn't you?
Me? I couldn't have brung down a 2-week-old baby.
I was so dreamy, I couldn't hardly move,
let alone use a drillin' iron.
But you had to, George, 'cause it wasn't me.
That shot came straight from this barn.
Avery?
Flat out.
Buck maybe?
No, I had his gun.
This is awful, George. Awful.
Who do you care saved your life?
I'd let anybody save mine.
I'm giving up.
Giving up what?
Everything. The whole business.
This time I ain't gonna
make no further fool of myself about her.
What in the Sam Hill are you talking about?
Not that I blame her.
She knowed him long before she knowed me.
And the way it was, it was him or me,
one or the other. She seen that.
And she had a right to shoot
at whoever she wanted to.
Melody, if you mean what I think you mean,
get out of my sight.
You ain't worthy for me to know.
I've been kidding myself too long, George.
I know who she was aiming at.
Come in.
Hello.
I was lookin' for my saddle.
Why, it's behind the curtains.
What's that?
The reward.
Oh.
Well, I was hoping
you wouldn't take it like that, Melody.
I ain't blamin' ya.
Well, after all,
it ain't no disgrace to be saved by a woman.
Saved? What kind of a chump do you take me for?
You still think I don't know who you were shooting at?
What?
Look, Cherry, when a fella puts hisself
between another fella and his girl,
he's got to look out for shootin' from both sides.
I understand that.
He's got to be ready...
Are you trying to tell me that I was shooting at you?
I ain't blamin' you, I tell ya.
It was a showdown.
You had to make a quick pick which fella you wanted.
All I got to say is I'm mighty glad
you ain't any better shot than you are.
Thanks for taking care of my saddle for me.
Why, you...
You butterfingered gun-juggler.
Melody!
Cherry!
Hold it.
That's just to show you...
when I aim at something, I hit it.
And when I hit something, that's what I aimed at.
Don't tell me she missed you all 3 times.
I changed my mind, George.
What now?
I, uh...
decided I... don't wanna be sheriff.
Well, that's a right smart decision.
What I'm thinking now, I'm thinking it's about time
I was thinking about settling down.
You'd think a fella that knew a little bit about ranchin',
he could make this dump into a right nice little place,
if he had a good foreman here.
You ask her?
Ask her what?
For the job, ya numpus.
You don't think I ought to go to Pop?
Go away, Melody. You disgust me.
Well, ha, if you think that's the way.
Melody. Melody, stop it.
Stop it, I tell you! Stop...
mmm!
Mmm.
My goodness,
you don't have to be so rough about it.