We ain't licked yet, major.
They'll never lick us.
Artillery prepared for action, sir.
At the command, fire at will.
Take your post.
Do they see the flag, major?
Their colonel can't help seeing it.
Fire.
You sure settled their hash, colonel.
- Burial detail.
- First platoon, fall out.
Hey, the war's over! Throw away
your carbine, soldier!
- Throw it away!
- The war's over!
- War's over!
- Hey, we won. The Rebels quit!
- Johnny. Hi, Johnny.
- Hi, Jericho.
- You okay, kid?
- Don't call me "kid."
All right. I wanted to know
how you made out, kid.
Still wet-nursing the
little brother, sarge?
He ain't too little.
- War's over, colonel.
- When did it happen?
Lee surrendered at
Appomattox this morning.
- So it's finally over.
- Yes, sir. Wonderful news, isn't it?
Wonderful.
I gave the men permission
to celebrate.
They seem to have been
making a pretty good job of it.
Dismount.
Further celebration will be
confined to the tent lines.
Yes, sir.
Lead off!
I killed a hundred men today.
I didn't want to.
I couldn't help myself.
What's wrong with me?
I'm afraid.
Afraid I'm going crazy.
No.
No. It was the war, that's all.
But the war's over now.
I can stop. I'm safe,
God helping me.
Come on in, Del.
Everything under control?
You look like something's
bothering you.
Something is.
Come on, out with it.
Just, what happened
this morning.
A hundred men killed,
with the war over.
I hate it, Del.
Hate it.
Thinking about it makes me sick.
Sick and ashamed.
They could've run up a white flag.
If they wouldn't,
that's not your fault.
Thanks for saying that, Del.
Forget it. Relax.
Well, we made it, didn't we?
Yeah. Sometimes I thought
we wouldn't.
I never had any doubts.
That's why you're the colonel.
Don't talk that way. We've been
a team, a good team, all the way.
We'd better check the sentry lines.
I thought somebody said
the war was over.
We're not out of the Army yet.
Come on.
My feet hurt.
You haven't been riding
on your feet.
When are you gonna get
the ramrod out of your back?
The minute we're out of uniform,
so quick your eyes will pop.
If the captain is ready, move.
Yes, sir, colonel.
Yes, sir.
- Who's in charge of this post?
- Sergeant Howard, sir.
- Take it easy, Owen.
- Sergeant of the guard.
Hi, colonel!
I mean "mister." He's a civilian
same as me. Have a drink.
Put this man under arrest.
McGuire. Judd.
Take his side arm.
Come on, Jericho.
- I wish I didn't have to do that.
- Nothing else you could do.
Jericho's been a good soldier.
If anybody should know better than
to drink on sentry duty, he should.
Meantime, how about you
getting some sleep?
You'd better do the same.
I want to start for home
first thing in the morning.
- The soldiers are coming!
- Here they come!
- Caroline. Caroline!
- Just a minute.
Come on, Caroline.
We don't want to miss anything.
Hello, Doc!
- Proud of your nephew, ain't you?
- You bet I am.
- You never thought he'd be a colonel.
- Oh, yes, he did.
- Do you think he'll take the job?
- Oh, sure he will. I know Devereaux.
Federal judge is a big job,
especially for a man that young.
A man who handles
that bunch in a war...
...can make law-abiding
citizens out of them in peace.
And that's what we want.
The soldiers are coming!
The soldiers are coming!
- Take the men on into Glory Hill.
- You leaving us, colonel?
For the time being, captain.
Just for the time being.
- Hi, colonel, glad to see you back.
- Great work, colonel.
- I want to shake the hand of a hero.
- Oh, welcome home, Del.
- How are you, my boy?
- Fine, uncle. Fine.
- You look it.
- Good to see you.
- Thank you.
- What do you think?
You sure aged since
I saw you last, Owen.
I'll take that as a compliment.
It's a wonderful reception.
You ain't seen nothing, yet.
Wait until the dance.
- Caroline...
- Excuse me, Miss Emmet.
- First dance, Caroline?
- Yes.
That can wait.
Business before pleasure.
- We want some things settled.
- What?
The biggest surprise you ever had.
- Del.
- Hello, Caroline.
- Everything under control at camp?
- Fine, colonel.
It's been a long time.
Three years and two hours
and 20 minutes too long.
Excuse us, while I make
up for lost time.
Certainly.
You look wonderful. Now I know why
I wanted to be a civilian again.
There's so many people around here
I can't hear a word you're saying.
- Evening, captain.
- Evening, Crawford.
I've been waiting for a chance
like this for a long time...
I know what you're going
to say, Del, but don't, not yet.
After all, you've been home
less than three hours.
Two hours and 20
some odd minutes.
I need more time than that.
- Owen kind of got a head start on me?
- That's not it, Del.
It's just that I want to think things out.
I wish you'd understand.
I'm trying to.
- There's one thing you can be sure of.
- I know, Del.
And I'm proud that you
feel that way about me.
It's just that I'm not quite sure
enough about myself. I have to be.
I want you to be. I'll keep asking
you every so often.
Thank you, Del.
- My dance, captain?
- Your dance, colonel.
You boys are missing
a fine time at the dance.
Well, so are you.
I heard they got barbecue pork, roast
beef, fried chicken, and all free too.
I don't want to hear about it.
Plenty of free drinks too.
- I said, I don't want to hear about it.
- Must be lots of pretty girls there too.
Don't matter if you're fat or lean.
They're proud to dance with a soldier.
Yes, sir, laugh and dance
and talk and...
...make a man mighty glad
he's home from the war.
Jericho, shut up. Just shut up now.
I don't know why you
don't walk to Glory Hill...
...and have yourselves a little drink.
We ain't going nowheres
and neither are you.
I don't trust you
as far as I could stick this.
Careful. I ain't even been
court-martialed yet.
- Don't yell.
- Now we're all in trouble.
I said, be quiet.
Now stay there.
- The colonel will have me shot.
- He'll just give you life in jail.
Take me with you, Jericho.
I'm gonna live off the country,
instead of it living off me.
- You want to try that?
- It's that or get court-martialed myself.
All right, come on.
We won't be needing you. Get.
Everybody's so proud
of you, Owen.
Are they?
It's really wonderful to have
you and Del back home again.
The town hasn't been
the same without you.
I suppose you'll open up
your law office again.
There's an office over
Mr. Trumbull's store.
Mrs. Trumbull told me to tell you
about it before you made plans.
You talk too much.
Ladies and gentlemen,
veterans, friends...
...I'm not telling you
any news when I say...
...this is the greatest night
in the history of our great little city.
We welcome and we thank...
...the brave volunteers who kept
the road open to the Union...
...and who saved our Colorado
gold from the invader.
But words are not enough.
Action, that's what we all want.
That's what this man is here for.
Mr. Roger MacDonald from Denver...
...representative of
the territorial governor...
...has a very important
announcement.
- Mr. MacDonald.
- Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen...
...it gives me great pleasure
to announce...
...that the territorial governor, at
the request of your leading citizens...
...has appointed as the first federal
judge in this district...
...Colonel Owen Devereaux.
- Owen, how wonderful.
- Why didn't you tell us about it?
I hadn't made up my mind.
Haven't yet.
Now it's up to Colonel Devereaux.
I just want to say one thing.
I didn't ask for my job in the Army.
I was elected to it by the volunteers
who served with me.
So now, unless those same men
and you home folks here...
...tell me that I'm the man
you want for judge...
...I don't want the job,
and I won't accept it.
- Well, all right, folks, how about it?
- Yeah!
Thanks. I'll do my best
to do a good job.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations, Owen.
Your dance, judge.
Colonel. Jericho busted out. He
escaped. Him and Mutton McGuire.
- All right. Dismissed.
- Thank you, sir.
Well, we'll have to get back to camp.
Do you think it's that
important, Owen?
First desertion on our record and only
two days before we're mustered out.
- Will you forgive me?
- Of course, Owen.
See you tomorrow, Caroline.
As soon as I can get off duty.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Think I'll walk down the street
with you boys.
All right. Come along, Doc.
What'll you do about Jericho?
- Report him as a deserter.
- The same for Mutton McGuire?
Let's leave the rest of it to the Army
and talk a little civilian business.
Del, I want you to be
my federal marshal.
For the first time,
you're not making sense.
Me, a federal marshal.
I wouldn't have any other man in
the job. We've been a team too long.
Owen's right, Del. Absolutely right.
Look. In the first place, I'm not cut out
to be a marshal or anything like it.
Second, after bossing men around for
three years, I'd like to stay away...
...from any job that has
"official" tagged to it.
- I thought you felt the same way.
- I did and I still do.
Why, I didn't ask for the judge's job,
but I got it, and now I need help.
So I'm not gonna
let you turn me down.
Well, I'll think it over.
But don't count on me.
Why, sure I'll count on you.
The same as always.
Colonel Devereaux?
Yes. What do you want?
I want to look at a hero.
I want to ask you about this.
- I don't know what...
- I'm talking about the white flag...
...you saw my men put up
at Jacob's Gorge.
You could have taken
us without firing a shot.
But you killed them,
under a flag of surrender.
You killed 100 decent men.
What for, colonel?
For a morning's entertainment?
For pure, crazy love of killing?
You're no hero.
You're an insane murderer.
Well, now it's your turn to die.
You'll...
You'll need...
You didn't have to kill him. You had
him covered. He couldn't have...
You did see that white flag.
- What happened, captain?
- Who is he?
It's a Reb officer.
How'd he get here, captain?
Just a man that didn't
believe the war was over.
Well, it's over now for him.
Take care of him.
Yes, sir. Get going,
we'll take care of this.
York, Morris, Saunders...
Oh, Del. Del.
That Rebel, he didn't
know what he was saying.
A man hurt that bad,
and what he'd been through.
Tell me something, Doc.
Could the war get a man,
a decent man like Owen, so...
...well, sick that he can't stop killing?
Del, you've known Owen
almost as long as I have.
You don't mean to tell me you really
believe what that crazy Rebel said?
It won't do us any good
to lie to each other, Doc.
There's something wrong with him,
we both know it.
I don't like what I just saw.
But war affects different
men in different ways.
Time. That's what men need
when they get back from a war.
Time, and people standing by that
care about them and believe in them.
What if that's not enough to cure him?
- I'm not saying there's anything wrong.
- I am.
If you really think that, Del...
...you'd be a poor friend to go
back on him when he just got home...
...starting the biggest
and hardest job he's ever had.
You can't let him down, Del,
any more than I can.
- I don't want to.
- You've got to take the marshal's job.
I'll make a deal with Owen.
If he'll take that gun off and stick
to being judge, I'll take the job.
- Not otherwise, Doc.
- That's fine, Del. Fine.
You do swear that you will uphold and
defend the U.S. Constitution...
...that you will faithfully discharge
your duties as federal marshal...
...and that you will at all times serve
and enforce the law, so help you God?
So help me God.
Well, that's that.
Congratulations, marshal.
Thanks, judge.
Yes, Del.
That deal goes all the way.
I'll count on that, Owen.
Del.
- I'm mighty happy about this.
- Thanks.
- So am I.
- Thank you, Caroline.
- Captain.
- Make it marshal.
Yes, sir. Marshal, we're
kind of a committee.
We want you to come over
and see Corporal Dickson.
- What's he up to?
- He's down flat on his back.
Over at camp, in his shack.
There's been some trouble.
Maybe you'd better
come along too, Owen.
Why, you don't need me, marshal.
Sounds more like you need Doc.
Howdy, son.
Hi, Doc. Howdy, captain.
What happened, Dickson?
I went to work my claim, soon as
I got my discharge yesterday.
You know my claim.
Told you about it many a time.
Four men I'd never seen
before in my life...
...told me to get off
of Ed Carter's property.
They grabbed me, held me up
against a rock and pistol-whipped me.
They pistol-whipped him until
he couldn't stand. Booted him.
He has some broken ribs.
- He laid up there till way last night.
- Couldn't talk at first.
We all got warned. Any man that
trespasses on Ed Carter's property...
...will be in trouble, so they said.
Charlie Trumbull says the Great Star
Mining Company owns our claims.
Too many guns.
Get them out of sight.
We're out of the Army,
all done taking orders.
I'm talking to civilians.
Any man that thinks he can settle his
business with a gun, I'll arrest.
I don't want to do
that to any of you.
So we should let the gang, that stayed
home while we fought, rob us...
...and not even put up a fight?
- Save that for the judge.
The judge?
You mean, the colonel?
That's right, Johnny.
Doc, do you think you could have
him in shape to be in court in an hour?
I'll be there, captain.
You'll be flat on your
back if you are.
All right, bring him in on a cot.
You men be there too.
And round up any other fellows that
have a complaint, or think they have.
But remember, no guns.
You argue that the Great Star
Mining Company...
...is illegally in possession
of your property.
Now that's on the basis
of miners' law...
...a local agreement among miners
who prospected here before the war.
Who better to make
miners' laws...
...than the men that found the gold?
That's us.
- That's right.
- Yeah.
We've heard your testimony,
corporal.
- Are there any other witnesses?
- Yes, sir. Me.
All right, Johnny.
My brother Jericho and me
had a claim before the war...
...that we found and staked out
according to miners' law.
Right spang in the middle of what
Ed Carter claims is his now.
- Well, I mean to dig that claim.
- Good boy.
A man's got a right
to keep what he found.
We've heard one side of the case.
Now let's hear the other.
- Mr. Carter.
- Why, yes, Owen. I mean, Your Honour.
Colorado is now a federal territory.
Someday, and someday soon...
...Colorado is going to add another
bright star to that glorious flag.
Let's get to the point.
All right, judge.
I'll get to the point.
Miners' law went out
when federal law came in.
The U.S. government says
a man who doesn't work his claim...
...in any three-year period
loses all rights to that claim.
The judge knows where we've been
the last three years.
I know where you've been.
You can't live on
the war the rest of your lives.
We don't want to. We want what
belonged to us before the war.
No man here can say I haven't acted
in strict accordance with federal law.
Law. Law! That's all we hear.
It's all your law,
all for you and none for us.
You know as well as we do, the only
gold here is on Yellow Mountain.
- Why should he have all of it?
- Yeah, that's right.
- I'd like to get something off my chest.
- All right, go ahead.
I can't argue law, and I won't try to.
But fact is fact.
These men came to Colorado to pan
a fortune, the same as Mr. Carter.
They had property when they left.
Now they're told they lost...
...what they had while
fighting for their country.
They can't work
without their claims.
I'll hire every man honourably
discharged from the regiment.
Hooray! Hire us to work
our own claim.
I'll pay top wages, $60 a month,
cash on the barrelhead.
A man can't live on that.
You come work for me, Ed.
I'll pay you a $65 a month and throw in
a pair of shoes every other Christmas.
Let's have order.
I'm in a peculiar position.
My sympathy and personal feelings...
...are the same as the marshal's.
I know what you men
are up against.
But my personal feelings can't enter
into my decision as a federal judge.
Now, if I ruled in your favour, my...
Well, my decision would be reversed
by a court of appeals.
Now, if there's injustice in the law,
that's a matter for Congress...
...not for this court.
In accordance with the law...
...the lands here in dispute, whose
claimants did no work on them...
...within the three years immediately
preceding the date of this action...
...are public lands
and subject to preemption.
Therefore, I am
compelled to rule...
...that the defendant, the
Great Star Mining Company...
...is legally the owner
of the lands preempted.
Anyone found trespassing on Great
Star Mining Company's property...
...after this date does so in defiance
of the law and at his own risk.
Court is adjourned.
That was quite a session
you let me in for.
I'd hoped it would
turn out differently.
I wish it could have.
Forget about that for now.
There's something more important.
What is it?
Brace yourself.
I'm gonna kick you in the teeth.
You won't like it right at first.
I don't like doing it.
But we've always been on the level,
and I'd like to stay that way.
Caroline and I have decided
to get married a week from today.
I wanted you to know about it before
Caroline gets here in a few minutes.
I won't pull the old line about:
"The best man wins."
Call it the lucky man.
No, Owen.
Isn't Caroline the only one
with the right to say no or yes?
All right. We've always been
on the level with each other.
There's something wrong
with you, Owen.
I don't know what it is exactly.
Maybe you don't know either.
But I think you ought
to go away for a while.
Take a rest. Get hold of yourself.
Go away?
- Take a rest?
- Until you're like your old self again.
You probably think I say this
because I'm in love with Caroline too.
I am. But believe me,
six months from now...
...I'll be best man at the wedding
and give the bride away if you want.
Just not now.
You know, I don't have to take
this kind of talk, Del, even from you.
Yes, you do, Owen.
I'll ask you what
the Rebel major asked you.
Why did you have to kill his men?
Why did you have to kill him?
You can't answer that, can you?
Maybe you don't dare answer it,
even to yourself.
You're sick inside, Owen.
You're too sick to marry.
I'm not sick.
Now, you get that very clear
in your mind. I'm not sick.
I'm not leaving,
now or any other time.
I'm marrying Caroline a week
from today. Don't try to stop it.
You can't marry her the way you are.
You can't do that.
Get out of here. Get out!
Stop it, Owen.
You're acting like a crazy man.
Del.
Left the wedding kind of early,
didn't you?
- Thought I might be of more use here.
- Never needed a doctor less.
Del, you're not making this
any easier on either one of us.
I know how you feel today.
One way, I can't blame you.
Doc, this marriage is all wrong.
You know as well as I do, Owen isn't fit
to marry Caroline or anyone else.
If anything on earth will get Owen
straightened out, it's this marriage.
He needs her. Her love can cure him,
if nothing else will.
- I wish I could believe that.
- I believe it.
Just so you don't go back on him,
walk out on Owen.
I'm not gonna quit my job,
if that's what you mean.
I feel better
hearing you say that, Del.
Runaway! Runaway! Runaway!
I'll be right back, dear.
All right, folks, stand back.
Come on, give them room.
Now, take it easy with him.
Tom! Tom Barton!
Come on out of it, now, Tom!
The gold's gone! Cleaned out!
Well, bring him to!
Do something!
Come on, Tom, talk!
What happened to the gold shipment?
Gone. Two men...
...uniforms.
Couldn't see faces.
They had masks.
I shot one.
Two men in uniform. Go on, Tom.
Tom!
He's dead.
You heard him, marshal.
Two men in uniform.
You'd better get a posse together.
I want volunteers.
- Come on, speak up!
- You got me, marshal, for one.
- I will as soon as I get my gun.
- I'm in.
- All right, I'm in.
- Me too.
- I thought we made a deal.
- We did.
Then what's the idea of the gun?
I'd look pretty silly going along
without one. Let's go.
Let's have your gun.
Get off that horse, quick.
Turn around.
Now walk.
And while you're walking,
say your prayers.
Dismissed, "colonel"!
What happened?
Where's your horse?
- He threw me and got away.
- I'll pick him up.
Forget it.
- What do we do with him, judge?
- Plenty of trees right handy.
There'll be no lynching.
That's right, marshal.
There'll be no lynching.
This man is entitled to a trial.
He'll have it, right here and now.
Hello, Johnny.
Has Jericho been around?
He's not here.
And he's not gonna be here.
I hope you're right.
- Want a drink?
- I'm particular who I drink with.
So am I.
I don't drink with a man
that just hung a friend of mine.
I didn't hang anybody, Johnny.
Oh, Mutton McGuire just put a rope
around his own neck.
That's about what he did.
There's no man who got anything but
the worst of it going against the law.
Mutton McGuire was a good soldier.
He was a good man.
Kind of a bad man to imitate.
- How are you, corporal?
- I get along.
I figured you'd be
on the other side of the bridge.
Celebrating victory for law, order
and Judge Devereaux.
I've got nothing to celebrate.
Johnny. Come on.
Johnny!
Go on out back.
Somebody's waiting to see you.
- Jericho?
- Yeah.
He's got his nerve,
coming right into town after today.
He brought half a dozen horses in,
looking for men to ride them.
I told him I'd go with him.
Any of you men feel like
joining up with us?
Sixty a month's not much.
Especially for digging gold out of
my own claim that Carter jumped.
But at least it's honest money.
It's better than getting hung,
like Mutton McGuire.
It's better if you're not man
enough to fight for what's yours.
It's not good enough for me.
You've got yourself one man anyhow.
Make that two.
Better keep out of this.
You've got a wife and kids.
I got nobody to hold me back.
If we can't get our rights by the law,
take them without.
- That all?
- I'll go with you.
I'd like to go, but I can't do it.
Too much to think of at home.
All right, think of it.
- I'm ready too.
- Come on!
- I wish you boys luck.
- You'll sure need it.
- You're looking pretty good, kid.
- I'm all right.
- How you been?
- Not too bad, considering.
You're as thin as a starved cat.
I guess it's from missing
the old Army beans.
Here, I figured that maybe you could
use some eating supplies yourself.
- Gold! Well, where'd you get it?
- Off our claim.
I dug it out of one
of Big Ed's hired hands.
Same place I got the horses.
- Here's your army, Jericho.
- Hi, Jericho.
- You sure you want to do this?
- We're sure.
- Might as well get what we can.
- Nothing left for us here.
Hey!
- Get down off of there.
- Jericho, don't make me.
They're grown men with nothing
to lose but their necks.
- You're a kid. You still got a chance.
- But...
There's only us two Howards
left in this world.
One of us is gonna live to be
a granddad. Now, come on.
So long, kid. Behave yourself.
What did you wish, Caroline?
Just that Del could be here.
I asked him to come,
but he said he was too busy.
It just doesn't seem right,
not being here for my birthday.
Oh, well...
Trouble is, you could
only marry one of us.
If I didn't know how you really felt
about Del, I'd think you were jealous.
Eat your cake.
I'll go.
Howdy, ma'am.
We'd like to see the judge.
He's just having his dinner.
That's all right, Caroline.
Come on in.
- Well, what is it?
- We got fired today.
Ed Carter's gun guards
run us off the property.
Why were you fired?
There's been too many holdups...
...and we've been too friendly
to Jericho Howard.
That's what Ed Carter says.
Well, I'm afraid it's up to him
to say who works for him.
Sure. But, judge, we're abiding
by the law you laid down.
Even though we're digging
our own gold for Ed Carter...
...we do it for our families.
We've done nothing to get fired for.
Except they used to be
my brother's friends. Used to be!
Calm down, Johnny.
You men can't blame Mr. Carter
for taking precautions.
I don't blame him for anything.
I blame you.
Jericho was all right till you
broke him. Why'd you break him?
Just because you won't let
any man stand up to you.
He's running the hills
because you drove him to it.
Him and the others.
Good men that fought hard for you.
But you treated them like dirt.
Any man's dirt to you, you're so crazy
with power. Just plain crazy!
That's enough! Get out.
Maybe you don't believe it, judge,
but there's two kinds of justice:
Yours and other people's.
Just don't forget that!
Get out!
Owen, I've never seen you like this.
The men didn't mean anything.
Johnny Howard's just a boy so worried
about his brother he doesn't know...
I wouldn't worry too much about him.
He's just on edge.
- Any man that...
- I think you'd better go, Doc.
Why can't you leave me alone?
That's five.
Your five...
...and five more.
I'll...
...fold.
I'll raise five more.
That's right, just sit still.
Which one of you knows
how to open that safe?
I'll give you one minute
to make up your mind.
You got a half a minute left.
Easy.
Nice and easy.
All right, that's plenty.
Tell Mr. Carter
I'm leaving him two sacks...
...to pay his expenses
for digging up our gold.
Sit down and finish your game before
you start to raise any commotion.
They ride into town, they ride out
again with $90,000 of my money.
What's done about it?
Absolutely nothing!
The marshal and the posse go out,
and they come back.
No prisoners, nothing but excuses.
They're veterans.
They can get away with anything.
Get a few things straight. They
wouldn't be running the hills...
...if they were given a fair break
when they came home.
What side of this thing
are you on anyhow?
Your side. That's my job.
But if you can name one man
in this town who helped those men...
...get a decent start,
I'll eat your hat.
- Why, I hired them. I...
- Sure, sure, you hired them.
At pay they couldn't live on.
You fired them when you found out
they were friends of Jericho Howard.
No wonder some of them joined him.
Fine state of affairs,
when the marshal stands...
...in front of the judge
and defends outlaws.
I'm not defending any outlaws...
...but this town had better wake up,
or there'll be more outlaws.
He's right in a way. A lot of men
are pretty hard up and mad.
We ought to be able to do
something for them.
We will, after we get some
law and order back in this country.
I hold you responsible.
We're not getting what
we counted on from you.
- We want action!
- That's what you'll get.
The men who robbed you
and killed Rawson...
...will be caught and hanged
within the next 48 hours.
- Let's get going.
- Where do we start?
Over in Glory Hill, where we should've
started in the first place.
On who?
When did you boys get back in town?
Who said we ever left?
I still bet Jericho saw us looking for
him. Just too ornery to let us know.
Two days is as long as I'll look
for any man, even him.
If he don't want us,
then let's forget about it...
...and try something else.
- Try what?
- You hear what happened last night?
- Yeah, we slept out and it rained.
Where you been
the last couple of days?
We've just been travelling around.
That's all, marshal. Looking for...
Not looking for anything.
That's right, we were just looking.
- Who does this belong to?
- Me.
- Where'd you get it?
- Why, Ed Carter gave it to me.
- Didn't you know he's my friend?
- That's kid talk, Johnny.
Somebody emptied
his safe last night...
...and got away with $90,000
worth of that stuff.
What do you know about it?
Not a thing, except it's the best news
since General Lee called off the war.
Did you ever see this before?
- This isn't your gun, is it?
- Maybe.
Where'd you see it before?
You tell me when,
and I'll tell you where.
A man was killed
in that holdup last night.
That's his hard luck.
No, it's yours. If you shot him.
I don't think you did.
I don't care what you think!
All right, I'm gonna lock you up.
All of you.
Until one of you gets sense enough
to talk straight. Come on!
The gun, the sack of gold dust...
...and where you were when
Ed Carter's office was robbed.
Three things against you, Johnny.
That might be enough to hang you.
Do you understand that?
You're not helping Jericho.
You don't wanna hang
for something you didn't do.
You've got your whole life
ahead of you, Johnny.
Did he tell you anything?
- You wouldn't believe him if he did.
- No, I wouldn't.
- Not with the evidence we've got.
- I still say Johnny wasn't in on it.
- How do you know?
- I know him.
He's protecting his brother.
Or trying to anyhow.
Well, you have a right to your
personal opinion.
- I have to go on facts.
- The law states that a man...
...is innocent until proved guilty
beyond any reasonable doubt.
- I know the law.
- All right.
Then put off the trial
for a few days.
Why should I?
I'll give you reason enough.
I want time to find Jericho Howard
and bring him in.
Haven't done well
finding him up to now.
I made a mistake by having a posse.
Del, I've gone along with you
as far as I can.
- If you were in my place...
- I'd give Johnny a chance to live.
This is one time I intend
to have things my way, Owen.
I don't want that kid touched
until I get back.
I don't take orders.
Not from you or anyone else!
You'll take this one.
Don't hang Johnny Howard.
- You've been hard to find, Jericho.
- I haven't been lost, marshal.
Now that you're here,
how do you figure on getting out?
- That's up to you to say.
- You bet it is.
Any idea I'm gonna give you
any of the best of it?
Depends if you want your kid brother
to hang for a killing you did.
Say that again!
Two nights ago Devereaux was getting
ready to try Johnny for the shooting...
...of a man named Rawson
in the holdup of Ed Carter's office.
- Johnny had no part of that job.
- I know he didn't.
There's enough evidence
to hang him.
He had a sack of gold dust.
Somebody dropped a gun
outside Ed Carter's office...
...with "J. Howard"
carved on the handle.
They can't convict the kid
on just that.
Maybe not.
But what will convict him is the fact
he won't defend himself.
Won't say a word.
He thinks he's protecting you.
Add it all up, Jericho,
and see what you get.
That crazy, know-nothing kid.
That's what he is, all right.
He's gonna swing for it
unless you make a move.
- You're asking me to...?
- I'm not asking you.
I'm telling you.
You're gonna dance on a rope end
sooner or later anyhow.
Johnny's too young
to die for nothing...
...but cockeyed loyalty
to his brother.
That's why I say it's up to you.
Who pays your bills, Jericho?
You or Johnny?
You coming with me?
Move over to the other place.
I'll see you there.
Give him his gun.
All right, marshal, you got your man.
What are you waiting for?
Johnny!
Colonel Devereaux's justice?
I just saw Johnny Howard.
You had to hang him. You had
another chance to kill a man.
You couldn't resist it.
I stood by you, Owen.
Let you go on being federal judge.
Thought I could stand between you
and people like Johnny Howard.
Keep you from any more killing.
I was wrong.
There's only one way to stop you.
That's to take the power of life
and death from you. Finish you.
And that's what I'm going to do,
any way I can.
You still won't get Caroline.
It was on the front door.
Aren't you going to say anything?
Everyone was talking at the store.
Owen, how can you hang five men?
Five more?
They had their trial.
You convicted them
on no more evidence...
...than there was
against Johnny Howard.
Just because they were with him.
Because they were guilty.
I think you better come with me,
Caroline.
To watch you hang them?
To show the town
that my wife believes in me.
I have a right to ask that.
How can I stand by you in this?
First Del, now you.
Owen, Del is the best friend
you ever had.
He wouldn't turn against you
without such good cause...
...that he had to,
any more than I would.
I try to understand you.
I can't.
I just can't.
You believe this
because Del believes it.
Because you're in love with Del.
- You always were.
- That's not true, Owen.
Do you love me?
You won't let me anymore.
Come on, jump in!
Let's go!
It won't do, it just won't.
What happened will be
all over Colorado.
We've got a war.
That's what it amounts to.
Next thing to plain armed rebellion!
Soldiers shooting at civilians.
- They're not soldiers.
- They were.
They were your own men,
which makes it look worse.
Your best friend is running the gang.
The man that you insisted on
for marshal.
Del Stewart will hang.
The same as any of the rest,
when I get him.
If you get him. Owen, we need
somebody else running things...
...that's not mixed up in this
personally the way you are...
...to get things quieted down, which
I don't believe you can ever do.
I'm a federal judge.
One man can put me out of office.
That's the territorial governor.
I come over as quick as I could.
Good night, Mr. Carter.
Good night.
Hi, fellows.
I hardly expected to see you around.
How about me buying a drink...
...to, kind of, celebrate
your good health?
Three.
- Funny thing, I lost my thirst.
- Me the same.
Funny thing.
I'll...
...have to drink alone, then.
- Seems a shame.
- Yeah, seems a shame...
...to say no to a popular man
like you.
You wouldn't believe
what a popular man you are.
Anywhere you go,
somebody's sure to tell somebody.
What were you doing
at Judge Devereaux's house?
He wanted to know
if I knew where Del Stewart is.
I told him no, of course.
Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell
anything on Del Stewart.
You boys know that.
You don't want to lie
to the wrong people!
In the Army, you were always
very careful not to get yourself hurt.
You're too old to change
your habits now.
Save your money.
You might need it.
What are you shaking about?
You can tell Del Stewart something
if you want to.
If you see him.
His lady friend
is in plenty of trouble.
You wouldn't mean Mrs. Devereaux,
would you?
I don't know any other lady friend
he ever had.
Things are mighty bad
in that house.
The judge locked her up.
No telling what he might do.
She asked me to get a message
to Del Stewart.
Said she needs help.
But if...
...I can't find him...
...I can't tell him.
Well...
...I'll see you boys around
some more.
Claims he's got a message for you
from Mrs. Devereaux.
When did you see Mrs. Devereaux?
- This evening at her house.
- He was there, all right.
She's in trouble with the judge.
She grabbed me
just as I was leaving.
Told me she wants to see you.
She has to see you,
that's what she said.
"Find Del Stewart," she said to me.
"Tell him if he still cares
at all about me...
...he'd better come
and see me tonight."
You don't have to believe it.
I've got nothing to lose if you don't.
Still dog-robbing for the colonel,
the same as always.
He'd sell his mother for two bits,
and give you change.
The idea is to draw you
out in the open, no matter how.
I don't know which is the lowest...
...the judge or this!
I'll have to go over there.
- You're a fool if you do.
- All right, I'm a fool.
Maybe your friends ought
to stop you for your own good.
A few of us will go along,
just in case.
One man's enough.
Let's go.
Remember, I'll be right behind you...
...all the way.
Come on, come on.
Hurry up.
Hold it!
Get him locked up.
Get out of town before morning
and don't come back.
All right, just a moment.
Why, Caroline, come in.
What is it, Caroline?
Anything wrong?
Owen just arrested Del.
Doc, he's going to hang him,
murder Del with the law.
- Caroline, I can't believe it.
- You'll believe Owen, won't you?
Caroline?
Caroline!
Caroline!
You're the man I want to talk to,
seeing you're the marshal now.
I'm the marshal, all right,
but I got no business for you, Doc.
There's nobody sick around here.
Not yet anyhow.
- I want to see Del Stewart.
- He's not seeing visitors.
- Not tonight.
- I'm here on official business.
The law requires
a medical examination...
...for a man
before he can be hanged.
That's the first I heard about it.
You're kind of new at this job.
If you want to go
and wake my nephew, the judge...
...and ask him, it's your privilege,
of course.
Well...
...all right.
Come on.
- Hi, Doc.
- Hi, Del.
- Well, let me in.
- You can see him from out here.
How can I examine a man
through this?
- Get it over with.
- Don't rush me.
Would you hand me
my stethoscope, please, Del?
Lock him up.
Line up!
Backs to me.
Keep them up.
Get their guns.
Keep them up.
All right, in there.
Move!
- You're a fool to get mixed up in this.
- We'll talk about that later.
Caroline. You had no right
to bring her here.
- She brought me.
- I couldn't let Owen...
Don't make me talk about it.
Doc will drive you to Denver.
See the governor.
Tell him Owen is sick.
Too sick to go on being judge.
Now you'll have to hurry.
There.
If I were you I'd lie still, Del.
He'll sleep awhile. He'll be
in fair shape when he wakes.
- Doc, what are we going to do?
- You stop worrying.
With what I've got to show the
governor, he'll straighten things out.
All right, Jericho,
I'm ready to get going.
You ain't going to Denver, Doc.
Nobody is.
They've got the bridge blocked.
Judge, we found
Mrs. Devereaux's buggy.
- No sign of them?
- Can't get nobody to talk.
But they're around here sure.
Former marshal Del Stewart
escaped from jail last night.
We know he's hiding here.
Some of you know where he is.
The sooner you turn him over to us,
the better it'll be for you.
Come on, speak up.
Where is he?
This is a warning.
Unless Del Stewart is given up
before 7:00 tonight...
...all of you will have to accept
full responsibility.
You have until 7:00.
What time is it, Doc?
It's almost 6.
Come on, let's dig up some food.
Judge, shouldn't you get
something to eat?
And get a little rest? There's still
plenty of time before 7:00.
Del, if I go back to Owen...
...even now,
maybe he'd listen to me.
- You're not going back to him.
- I'm still his wife.
You're never going back to him.
Del!
Owen.
Owen!
Are you satisfied now?
Have you done enough damage?
Burn half the town.
I own property there.
Owned it, and so did
a lot of other people.
It doesn't matter to you!
Why didn't you stop him?
- Tell me anyhow.
- You told us...
...to take orders from the judge.
I tried to argue.
Didn't ask anybody what they think.
Started the worst fire this town
ever had. Started it deliberately.
You wanted a gang of outlaws
rounded up, well, there they are.
I suggest you leave law enforcement
to officers of the law.
Law? You're not enforcing law.
You're out to get the man
who stole your wife.
- My wife was kidnapped.
- Call it that if you want to.
Your wife ran off
with your best friend.
And you're out of your head about it.
Crazy to get even. Crazy!
Caroline!
Caroline!
Drop your gun, Owen.
There's been enough killing.
If you won't finish him, I will!
Owen!
- Bye, marshal.
- Have a good trip, Del.
- Thanks.
- You get us some action.
We'll stay in Washington
until we do, York.
Tell them all we want is our rights,
marshal. We'll take it from there.
- Goodbye, Doc.
- Goodbye, boy.
- Good luck, Del.
- Thanks, Caroline.
All aboard!
I'll be back soon.
- Goodbye!
- Goodbye!