1
MAN: Pull up!
Where you headin', mister?
- That town called Rio Arriba?
- That's right.
That's where I'm headin'.
Are you Mr. Simms?
No.
The sheriff don't want any strangers in town,
not till day after tomorrow.
Then I'm in time.
- For what?
- The hangin'.
- Tomorrow, ain't it?
- Yes.
So just turn around and go back.
You are welcome to Rio Arriba the day after.
I've ridden a hundred miles
to see this hanging.
That's for the sheriff to decide.
Unbuckle your gun belt.
Give me your rifle.
Don't take the hand off the butt.
Ride in slow. I'll be right behind you.
(hammering, sawing)
(hammering, sawing continue)
- Who is it?
- Shh. I don't know.
That's his office.
Picked him up on San Marcos Pass.
Said he came to see the hanging.
I told you not to let anybody through
except Simms.
- Now get back there and see you do it.
- Yes, sir.
- Well, you got a name?
- Douglass.
Who you looking for?
Did I say I was looking for somebody?
Rio Arriba's a quiet little town.
We don't get many strangers here.
What do you want?
Like your deputy said,
I come here to see the hanging.
- Where'd you ride in from?
- Winthrop.
You rode a hundred miles over the mountains
just to watch a hanging?
Uh-huh.
You know the men who are gonna die?
No.
Oh, you just like to watch hangings,
is that it?
(hammering, sawing continue)
I'll keep your guns.
You stay away from this jail
while you're in town.
What time is the hanging?
Six o'clock in the morning.
They start serving breakfast
at the hotel at 5:30.
You can watch it on a full stomach.
My name is Loomis. I own the bank.
- How do you do?
- They shot my bank full of holes, killed my teller.
But we caught 'em red-handed,
all four of 'em.
No, sir, they didn't get a dime.
When you hang 'em tomorrow, do it slow.
Afraid you got me confused, young fella.
Aren't you Mr. Simms,
the hangman from Silver City?
No.
If you're not the hangman,
what are you doing here?
Just passing through.
Maybe he came here to help 'em break out.
Just looking to feed my horse
and find a hotel room for the night.
Yes, sir, I'm the hotel clerk.
I can find you a room, sir.
- May I take your horse?
- All right.
You didn't answer my question, mister.
I didn't hear you ask one.
- What's your business here in Rio Arriba?
- SHERIFF: Quinn!
Put it down.
Ain't we got enough trouble
without you startin' more?
Folks are a bit edgy today.
Might be a good idea for you
to stay in the hotel.
All right. Break it up.
That's just what we was tryin' to avoid-- a crowd.
You ought to know that, all of you.
Come on. Break it up.
- You going to church tonight, Torn?
- MAN: Emma?
- Yes, Father, coming. Are you, Tom?
- Yeah, I'll be there.
Willie, take care of this horse.
Saturday, we give 'em a fair trial.
We never had a hangin' in this town before,
so we had to send to Silver City
for a man to do the job.
(chuckling) And we--
We all thought you was him.
Well, it's not my line,
but if he don't show up,
I might accommodate you.
Tony.
- Take my horse, and I'll meet you at the store.
- Yes, Miss Josefa.
JOSEFA: Jim!
Josefa.
It must be four years.
- It's closer to five.
- When I saw you crossing from the courthouse,
I just couldn't believe it was you.
I still can't believe it, Jim.
It's me, all right.
This is an occasion.
It deserves a celebration.
- Yes, it does.
- Come on.
I'll buy you a beer.
- Nago, dos cervezas, por favor.
- S, seorita.
Let's sit here.
What brings you to Rio Arriba, Jim?
Nice country.
What are you doing here?
I have some business
with the sheriffs office.
Gracias, seor.
- Have you been back to New Orleans?
- Nope.
- We had fun.
- Uh-huh.
Since my father died,
I don't get to travel much.
Where have you been?
I got a little ranch outside of Winthrop.
I never heard about it.
Small place.
Sometimes I wish mine were.
It's too much for a woman to handle.
- You never got married?
- Nope.
I just can't seem to find the right man.
Maybe you're too particular.
That's what my father said.
When we met in New Orleans...
I was husband hunting.
You were?
I guess I-- I guess I did behave
a little foolishly.
Oh, I don't know. Maybe you were smart.
Did you ever marry?
Yes, I did.
A fine girl.
I'm sure.
I have to go.
- How long are you gonna be in town?
- Just until tomorrow.
Oh. Well...
Good to see you again, Jim.
Amigo.
- Whiskey.
- S, seor.
Willie! Take Mr. Simms's horse
to the stable.
I'll tell the sheriff you're here.
(footsteps)
Mind if I join you?
Sit down.
Can I buy you a drink?
I have mine.
I hate to drink alone.
Oh, bartender. Whiskey.
Simms is the name, from Silver City.
I've come to perform a little service
for you folks. (chuckles)
Say, uh, what does a man do
for a little recreation in this town?
At-- At night, I mean.
I'm a stranger here myself.
(doors swing open)
SHERIFF: Mr. Simms?
Oh, Sheriff. Come in and have a drink.
No, thanks.
Uh, would you care to inspect the gallows
and have a look at the prisoners?
Oh, there's plenty of time for that.
Had a long, dusty trip.
Think I'd like to freshen up a bit.
- Your room's ready, Mr. Simms.
- Oh, thank you.
I hope I see you again, sir.
Of course, not professionally.
I'll drop over to the jail this afternoon.
Sheriff!
I wonder if / could see the prisoners.
You said you didn't know 'em.
I never met 'em, but I think I know 'em.
They do you a bad turn?
I've been following them for six months,
tracking 'em up and down the state.
It's a relief to catch up with 'em
and find out the law
is gonna do the job for me.
You, uh-- You're sure
they're the same bunch?
There's two white men, a half-breed,
and an Indian. Right?
That's them.
We never had anything like this
in Rio Arriba before.
I'll be glad when it's over.
You're wasting a lot of good lumber.
A tree would've done just as well.
They were sentenced to be hanged,
not lynched.
- Primo!
- MAN: Yes, sir.
- They givin' you any trouble?
- No.
- Feed 'em?
- They ate.
All right, come here.
On your feet! All of you.
(prisoners chuckling)
I said move! Now!
- Can you spare a smoke, stranger?
- Shut up.
What are you gonna do, punish us if we talk?
I was hoping
you'd bring us a woman, Sheriff.
(prisoners chuckling)
Like to know their names?
No.
Much obliged.
Who was that, Sheriff?
Don't you know?
I never saw him before in my life.
He came to see you hang.
- This is the last night. Now watch 'em.
- Yes, sir.
And don't talk to 'em.
If they want anything, call me.
- Sheriff?
- Hmm?
Do you think I might get off long enough
to go to church tonight?
- I'll see. I'll do what I can.
- Okay.
Parral. Father Bailey's here to see you.
I told you to keep him out of here!
- Your mother's with him.
- I don't wanna see her either!
(lock turns)
Primo, what time is it?
I don't talk to you.
You're the only one
we got nothin' against, Primo.
Primo takes good care of us.
We all love him.
- Well, I don't love you.
- Sure you do.
The first time I have a little nino,
I'm gonna name him Primo, after you.
You joke, when you should be praying.
(sawing)
Get down!
What you thinkin', Zach?
I'm wondering who that stranger is.
From the way he looked, he sure
didn't come here to help us.
- I can't place him.
- He seemed to know you.
He looked at you the hardest.
- Lujan.
- Hmm?
You ever see that man before?
No, but he's got the face of a hunter.
Zach, we don't have much time.
Don't you think we know that?
- We can't just wait in here.
- Go ahead!
Bang your head on the bars and yell.
They'll hang you right now.
(bell tolling)
(tolling continues)
Emma, you say
the darnedest things sometimes.
Good evening, Mr. Steinmetz.
Hello, Torn.
Emma, do you happen to know
where I put my stomach powders?
- Oh, yes, Father.
- Would you get me one?
- Yes, Father.
- Just in case.
Tom, Emma is a fine girl.
Yes, sir, I think so too.
The world's big, and there are
many wonderful places in it.
- And I'd like for Emma to see them.
- Well, sir, I wanted to--
Let me finish, Tom.
I was a pack peddler when I came here.
It's taken me a quarter of a century
to make what I got today.
And now I'm too old to enjoy it.
I want Emma to enjoy it,
but not in this out-of-the-way small town.
I want her to marry some man
who lives in Philadelphia or Boston,
has his business there,
mixes with educated people.
Am I wrong to want that for her, Tom?
No, sir.
Right now, Emma thinks she loves you.
I guess she does,
but she's never had a chance
to meet anyone else.
I want to give her that chance.
Now, what has he been telling you?
Oh, about Philadelphia and Boston.
Gosh, wouldn't you love to go there?
- Good evening, Sheriff.
- Good evening, Mr. Steinmetz.
Emma, Torn.
(organ plays)
Must be big doings in church tonight.
Looks like everyone in town is going.
That's right. It's our annual
novena to St. Anthony.
Uh, when would you like
to look at the prisoners?
I'd like to finish my cigar first.
All right, there's no hurry.
Finish your cigar.
Think I'll stretch my legs.
(organ continues)
- (knocking)
- It's open.
Jim?
Come in.
I'm on my way to church.
I thought that you might like to go.
Well, I don't go to church anymore.
Jim, I-- I don't understand.
It's very simple. I just don't go.
I'm sorry, very sorry.
Josefa.
If you'll allow me, I'll walk you there.
Of course.
(whispering) Stay down.
You think the sheriff would
let us go to church, Primo?
No.
It's all right if I look at it
from the window, isn't it?
All right.
(organ continues)
Everyone's going to church.
You think they'd pray for us, Primo?
Primo.
Will you pray for us?
You want me to?
You're a good man, Primo.
God will listen to you.
- What should I pray for?
- That we go to heaven.
I can't do that, but I will pray
that God will forgive you.
I'll settle for that.
- (organ stops)
- (whispering) Was it Tucker?
How soon you think
before he'll make his try?
When everyone's in church.
No talking!
I'm prayin', Primo.
Do you have any children, Jim?
Little girl.
How old is she?
Three.
Pretty?
(organ resumes)
She's pretty,
like her mother was.
Was?
She's dead.
Oh, I'm-- I'm sorry.
- Good evening, Sheriff.
- Evening, Josefa.
You must have been very much in love.
I still am.
TUCKER: Beautiful evening, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Thanks, Josefa.
Guess I needed to talk to a woman.
There's a woman inside
I think you might do well to talk to.
(boys' choir singing: sacred)
(choir continues)
Well, should we take a look
at our bad boys now?
Fine.
(lock turns)
- Primo.
- Yes, sir.
- Everything all right?
- Yes, sir.
You go on to church now.
Mr. Simms is with me.
- Thank you, Sheriff. Thank you too, Mr. Simms.
- And, Primo.
- Yes, sir?
- Come back as soon as the service is over.
Mr. Simms may want to get to bed early
on account of tomorrow.
That's all right, Sheriff.
- Take your time. Don't worry about me.
- Thank you, sir.
All right, on your feet, all of you.
Over here.
Say, uh, couldn't we have
a little more light in here, Sheriff?
Sure.
I'd like to get a good idea
of each man's size and weight.
(groans)
(grunting)
(groaning)
Hold him up. Hold him up till I get the key.
There's a key dropped on the floor.
All right, get it!
- I can't reach it.
- Reach with the dipper.
Reach!
Reach!
(dipper scraping on floor)
The blanket.
This will go all the way.
Come on.
(choir continues, loud)
(whispering) Give me the keys.
Your medicine.
(muffled scream)
- I'll tie her up.
- We'll take her along.
- She'll slow us down.
- They won't rush us as long as we've got her.
- Shh!
- Now get the horses.
(muffled shouting)
I think we're all aware of the shadow
that has fallen over Rio Arriba.
The gallows casts a shadow even at night.
Tomorrow, four men are to die.
That they die is the just fulfillment
of Caesar's law.
But I would remind you that these four men
are also creatures of God,
eligible for his mercy.
Pray for them as he would.
If you recall, there was also
a scaffolding at Golgotha.
And Christ, bleeding and dying,
took time in his agony
to turn and to pardon a common thief.
Remember that tomorrow.
For all of you, it'll be daybreak.
But for these four men...
it'll be the midnight of their lives.
Your prayers will help them.
- (organ plays)
- (choir sings in Latin)
SHERIFF (faint): Help. Help.
Help-
Help-
Help!
Help! Help me.
- (choir continues)
- Help.
What's the matter? Qu pasa?
(gunshots)
(all clamoring)
Emma!
Emma!
Emma!
Here's her purse.
Emma!
- Emma!
- Emma!
- How's the sheriff?
- He's badly hurt.
PRIMO: Everybody, come on! Let's go!
Get your horses and guns!
- Get your gun and horse and let's get going.
- Where?
- After 'em.
- They stole five horses!
- MAN: Primo, I want a horse.
- (Primo shouts)
We can't find Emma.
They must've taken her with them.
Josefa, they've taken Emma.
What'll I do? Please help me. Please!
Mr. Steinmetz, we'll all help.
I'll get my horse and go with you.
Come on, Jim.
You can't overtake them tonight
before they get to San Marcos Pass.
- One of them can hold that against a hundred.
- Aren't you coming with us?
It's gonna be a long, hard chase.
I can use some sleep.
I'll wait till morning.
Do you mean to tell me,
after what's happened tonight,
you can just go back to that hotel
and go to sleep?
- Yes.
- And then what?
I'm gonna find them...
if it's the last thing I do.
Good night.
- What do you think, Lujan?
- With the woman along, they can overtake us.
Taylor, you stay here
and hold 'em off till sundown.
We'll turn off at the top of the pass
and head for Elder Gorge.
- We'll make camp and wait for you there.
- Please let me go. Please!
- Later.
- Please, my father will give you anything.
I've already got all he can give me.
PRIMO: Everybody, let's go! Come on!
Quinn, how about those boys back there?
Come on. Carpenter, Sloan, Quinn!
Steinmetz, let's go!
(hoof beats in distance)
Get your horse, go into town,
and get a wagon back here.
Quick. Go on.
- Take this man down with the others.
- Primo, Murphy looks very bad.
There's nothing I can do for him.
You've gotta get him out of here.
PRIMO: Do what you can.
I've sent for a wagon.
We'll get all the wounded back to town.
All we can do now is wait.
Then we'll follow them over the pass.
Once they get into the open desert,
we can circle 'em.
TOM: Once they get to the desert,
we can lose them.
They got Emma.
- I'm not going to take that chance.
- DOUGLASS: Hold it.
- Come on, Tom.
- Wait.
Primo's right. You can't rush 'em.
But don't worry about losing 'em.
What do you know about it? Who are you?
You're a stranger here.
You say you can't rush them.
That's all right for you.
But me, it's my daughter who is in danger.
- Maybe you want us to lose them.
- I've been following 'em for six months.
I'm not gonna lose 'em now.
If I was you,
I'd pick out 12 of these men
and send the rest of them home,
especially the old fellow
and the lady over there.
I can't send Mr. Steinmetz home.
He's not gonna do us any good,
and he's just gonna get in the way.
He won't leave.
I'm sorry.
(footsteps approaching)
Primo just told me you don't want me along.
Well, that's right.
Emma's gonna need me
when we catch up with them.
With you along,
we might not catch up with 'em.
You might get hurt.
I wouldn't wanna see that.
Are you worried about me?
These are mean men we're after.
They're real mean.
- For the gorge, you must turn off here.
- You still like the gorge idea?
Yes. We told Taylor we'd wait for him there.
We can move faster on the desert.
That's where they'll be looking for us.
If we keep moving and ride hard,
we can reach the border in two days.
In the desert, we can only ride at night.
Two days and we'll burn up.
- She won't last a day.
- Well, why do we need her?
I need her.
We'll head for the gorge and hole up there
till they stop searching.
- Lead, Lujan.
- Hyah! Hyah!
Hyah!
- What do you think, Mr. Douglass?
- Sun's going down.
That's what he waited for.
We can't track 'em by night.
Let's move ahead as long as we can see.
Everybody, get mounted!
Somebody build a fire. Start up some coffee.
Can't we go on-- just you and me?
Be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Yeah, but I'm worried about Emma.
Well, suppose we were lucky enough
to stumble across them.
You don't think
they'd give up without a fight?
- She'd be the first they'd kill.
- STEINMETZ: Here is one of them!
Here he is! Come on, all of you!
Come here, all of you! Help!
I found one of them!
There he is, see? He must be one of them.
This is not one of them.
That must be the real Mr. Simms.
- Got a timepiece?
- No, sir.
Here. Take mine.
You go back to the rim of the gorge
and fire a shot every five minutes.
- But what good'll that do?
- Sound carries a long way in these canyons.
If they're in there, they'll hear it.
Make 'em wonder.
Keep 'em up all night.
Take their minds off Emma.
One of us will relieve him every hour.
Keep it up all night.
You take turns standing watch.
I'll look after the horses.
I'll take the last turn.
You'll take the first.
I'll take the first watch.
Can't sleep anyway.
(sighs)
- Taylor.
- Yeah?
When we get out of this,
you wanna stick with me or split up?
- Well, I haven't given it much thought.
- Well, I have.
You're a good man, Taylor.
I should hate to lose you.
Well, I sort of like having
a man behind me I can count on.
That Parral's a louse.
The Injun makes me nervous.
Never know what's going on inside his head.
- I never crossed a man that rode with me.
- Well, neither did I.
- I need you with me.
- That goes double.
I got one weakness
I feel you should know about.
What's that?
Women.
Every man's entitled to one weakness.
Mine's cards.
You think Lujan
needs some help with the horses?
Well, now, he just might.
Is that silk?
(gunshot echoes)
Where'd that come from?
Where'd that shot come from?
It's an old trick. They wanna keep us awake.
Get back on watch.
Go to sleep.
You never hear the shot that kills ya.
Well, they were here, all right,
not too long ago.
Looks like those shots of ours
changed their plan.
Tracks show they went down the gorge.
Yeah. Could be the Indian's
thinking to throw us off.
Hyah!
(chattering)
- (gunshot)
- Stop that, you idiot!
I want Emma to know we're following.
Now they all know!
You said we'd lose 'em in the gorge.
They're smarter than you thought, red man.
There's only one man that could have
followed us down here.
The one with the eyes of the hunter.
The strange one that the sheriff
brought down to the jail to look at us.
He's right. I saw him with the posse
up on San Marcos Pass.
Well, who is he? What's he doggin' us for?
- Maybe she knows.
- I never saw him before he came to Rio Arriba.
- Why did he come?
- To watch you hang.
- It's the truth!
- Let her go.
He must know one of you.
Maybe it's you he's after.
How could he be?
I never saw him before.
Now look, he don't look like no banker
or the owner of any place we ever robbed.
Let's kill him.
Then the others can't follow us.
That's a very good idea. You do it.
- Let Lujan do it!
- No, no.
We need Lujan to take us to the border.
- You catch up with us tonight.
- But why me?
It was your idea!
What is it, Mr. Douglass?
You see some movement
up there in that tall grass?
TOM: No, sir.
I think there's a man up there
waitin' for us to come within range.
Why don't we make him fire first?
Then one of us would be dead.
- We gonna wait for sundown again?
- Primo.
You take the lead.
You and the others circle the hill.
Stay just outside rifle range
of that tall grass.
I'll go up the other side.
Why are you doing this for us, Mr. Douglass?
I'm not doin' it for you, Mr. Steinmetz.
Come on.
Come on. Keep moving.
- I'm waitin' for ya.
- I'm here.
Drop it!
You remember that woman?
No.
Now look at it.
- No.
- You're lying.
I never saw her before. I swear I didn't.
You stopped at my ranch six months ago.
I never saw your ranch.
I don't even know where it is.
- There were four of you.
- We never did.
Please, you gotta believe me! (sobbing)
She begged and cried
and pleaded, too, didn't she?
Please leave me alone. I have a baby.
I have a husband. Please leave me alone.
Take anything you want,
but please leave me alone.
Didn't she? But it didn't help much.
I never saw that face before.
I was never on your ranch.
- I never did anything to you!
- Which one of you?
Which one of you did it?
I didn't do it.
I've done some bad things--
robbed, stole, I've run cattle.
- But I never killed no woman!
- Come on! Talk!
- There were four of you! Which one?
- (gun cocks)
Which one?
Don't do it. Please.
Let me live. Please let me-- Please.
I've got a wife and baby too.
Don't do it.
Please don't do it. I'll do anything for ya.
Then it was... all four of ya!
(gunshot)
Holy... Mother--
(exhales)
- Good morning, Father.
- Good morning, Josefa.
- How's the sheriff?
- Oh, much better.
Good. Poor Mrs. Parral.
I feel so sorry for her.
It's hard to believe one child
can bring so much happiness...
so much grief.
Any news of Primo and the men?
No. Jim Douglass is along
with 'em, isn't he?
- Yes.
- He came to church with you.
Yes.
Do you know him?
Years ago.
I hadn't seen him in five years.
But he's changed.
What happened to him, Father?
Quite a lot.
He was out tending his cattle.
He came home late one evening
to find that his house
had been ransacked and robbed
and his wife had been raped and murdered.
How awful!
I think that's what's
brought him to Rio Arriba.
Jim Douglass is not the kind of a man
to just watch a hanging.
Must be some connection
between those four men
and what happened at the ranch.
I think that Jim must believe
that those men committed the crime.
Did they?
Nobody knows. I doubt if Jim knows.
But his child, Father.
What happened to the child?
A ranch hand and his wife
are taking care of her.
That child could have been mine.
I was in love with Jim Douglass,
and he asked me to marry him.
I didn't have the sense to say yes.
You'd have married a good man.
How do I get to his ranch?
Well, after San Marcos Pass,
you take the Winthrop Road to Canyon Diablo.
There'll be a small stone cabin.
- You think Parral got our man?
- I hope they got each other.
(chuckling)
LUJAN: LOOK.
ZACH: Yeah. There's Parral now.
He got our man. I feel better.
That's not Parral.
It's the hunter.
How could they have caught us so soon?
We rode all night!
LUJAN: They haven't. It's only one man.
TAYLOR: Well, we can handle
one man easy enough.
He's marking a trail for the posse.
- Let's wait for him.
- And let the posse gain on us?
- Go on. I'll catch up with you.
- Why you?
I'm a better shot.
And I don't like a man doggin' my trail.
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(grunting)
What do you think, Lujan?
LUJAN: There's sure to be someone there.
Then we'll get something to eat.
- We need fresh horses more than food.
- Maybe we'll get both.
Come back here!
(horse whinnies)
- Now, where did you think you were goin'?
- (crying)
Aw, don't cry. I'm not gonna make you walk.
I'm gonna let you ride...
right up here next to me.
We haven't seen Douglass
since he killed Parral.
He must have gone back.
Douglass didn't go back.
Look.
(chickens clucking)
(pan sizzling)
- Howdy.
- Howdy.
Can you spare a little food?
We haven't eaten all day.
Food's pretty scarce around these parts.
(sniffs)
We're willing to pay for hospitality.
- Where you headin'?
- Rio Arriba.
Oh, well, you're lost.
You're headed in the wrong direction.
Rio Arriba's across the Diablo,
to the north.
You can spare a little grub
for the lady, can't you?
I guess so.
We'd be satisfied with a cup of coffee.
You know what happened to your horse.
- Well, just one word, and you'll get the same.
- I won't talk.
Eggs!
Where can we get a couple of horses?
Well, the, uh, Douglass ranch
is about four miles west of here,
but I don't know if they've got
any horses or not.
Don't get any foolish ideas.
- What's that?
- It's gold.
Them's my teeth.
- Where do you keep your gold?
- I haven't got any.
- What are you mining for?
- Silver. So far, I haven't found any.
Well, I gotta get back to work.
Go ahead. Don't let us stop you.
What did he take?
Go and see what it was.
(screaming)
(screaming continues)
(screaming) No!
(hoof beats)
Let's go. The posse's coming.
Go ahead. Go ahead. I'll be along.
I said now!
Come!
Well, there's the miner's cabin.
Douglass's ranch should be
about four more miles west.
Who's that?
You know, that looks like Jim Douglass.
JOSEFA: Jim!
- I'm glad I caught up with you.
- Why?
Jim, why don't you stop this mad chase
after these men and let them go?
You can't undo what's been done.
And you have a child to think of.
How can you be so sure these are the men?
Come here.
Look at this.
That's John Butler, my neighbor.
Poor devil never harmed anybody in his life.
Now they've killed him.
Let's get him in the house.
Jim! Jim, come here!
Come quickly! It's Emma!
Come on! Hurry! Hurry!
Mr. Steinmetz! Hurry!
We've found Emma! She's here!
She's in the house!
(murmurs)
- (Emma sobbing)
- JOSEFA: Please don't worry.
Please stop crying. Every--
Everything's fine now. Really, it is.
- Emma.
- Look, Tom's here, and your father's here.
JOSEFA: Jim!
Now I know how you feel.
Go after them, Jim, and catch them.
Get them before--
Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!
Primo.
You take your men
and head straight for the border.
I'm going by my place
to pick up a fresh horse.
- I'll meet you at the river.
- Yes, sir.
Everybody, get mounted!
All right. Let's get going.
Juanita!
Juanita! Juanita!
Juanita.
(Speaking Spanish)
(Speaking Spanish)
Seor Douglass.
(Speaking Spanish)
(Speaking Spanish)
I'm not far behind them, but they took
the only horses that were here.
Helen, this is Josefa.
She's a good friend of mine,
a very good friend.
- I want you to stay with her until I get back.
- Yes.
I don't know when that'll be.
I'll take care of her
just as if she were my own.
I guess I haven't been much of a father.
Bye.
God bless you, Jim.
Yeah, it looks like it, all right.
Mr. Douglass, here are the tracks.
This is where they crossed the river.
Mr. Douglass!
This is the international border.
We can't go any further.
I can.
Seora, did you see two men on horseback
cross the river here today?
(speaks Spanish)
(Speaking Spanish)
Ah, si. (continues in Spanish)
San Cristobal?
(continues in Spanish)
San Cristobal-- (continues in Spanish)
Muchas gracias.
(guitar playing, faint)
(guitar continues)
(guitar continues)
(Speaking Spanish)
S, seor.
Who are you? What do you want with me?
- Look at it.
- I see it. What of it?
- It's a watch.
- Look at the picture.
What about her? Who is she?
Do you remember her?
I never saw that woman before in my life.
Now get out of here.
I'm tired of you doggin' my trail.
She was my wife--
raped and killed by you.
I tell you I never saw that woman
before in my life!
Now get away from me!
(woman screams)
(hoof beats departing)
(chickens clucking)
(Speaking Spanish)
(child speaking Spanish)
(Speaking Spanish)
Where's the Indian
who rode up here on that horse?
(Speaking Spanish)
(gun cocks)
(crying)
Angela.
(Speaking Spanish)
Eat.
Why don't you kill me
while you've got a chance?
I came here to kill you.
I have no reason to kill you.
Why do you hunt me?
Just look at that picture.
- Your wife and baby?
- Yeah.
She's very pretty.
My wife and baby. They are pretty.
Why do you hunt me?
- You ever see that woman before?
- No.
There were four men--
two white men, a half-breed, and an Indian.
They robbed my ranch house
and they killed my wife.
I have never seen your ranch.
The horse you rode up here
you stole from my ranch.
I did not know that was your ranch,
and I didn't see any woman.
If you've never been to my ranch before,
where did you get this bag of money?
That I took from a miner
that I met in Canyon Diablo.
We were at his house.
We ate his eggs and meat.
And then he ran down the hill
to hide that money,
and Zachary killed him.
I took that money from his hand
when he was dead.
No. Uh-uh.
Butler was the one who told me--
six months ago,
the day my wife was murdered--
that the four of you,
you came straight
from my ranch past his place.
It is true. We did come past his place.
But we did not come
from the direction of your ranch.
We came straight from the border.
Well...
How--
Where did Butler get that money?
It was stolen from my house the day that--
that my wife--
But--
What I have told you... is the truth.
Oh, God.
Dear God.
(dog barking)
(no audible dialogue)
That's him.
Tom.
He's back.
Sheriff, he's back.
Glad you're back, Jim.
Been away a long time.
Father, I need help.
- We all do.
- I killed three men.
The people of Rio Arriba are thankful
that you brought justice where they failed.
You don't understand. I--
I didn't...
kill them for the sake of justice.
You were a member of an armed posse
legally sent out to get them dead or alive.
No, Father.
I didn't kill them for anything
that they did here in Rio Arriba.
I killed them for revenge--
revenge for something
that they didn't even do.
I set myself up
as the judge, the jury, and... executioner.
They swore that they were innocent.
One of them even--
He begged on his knees... for his life.
I wouldn't listen.
I killed them for something
that they didn't do.
Well, um...
Jim, let me point this out to you.
By telling me what you have
and feeling as you do,
you're already a step ahead
of a lot of other men
that have been in your shoes.
That doesn't mean
that I'm condoning what you've done,
but at least you haven't
excused your own actions by saying,
as many men would, that--
that these men were evil
and should die anyway
and that you merely carried out
a legal execution.
I know that, Father, but it doesn't help me.
I was wrong.
Wrong. Wrong.
Come on.
Some people think prayers help.
- (no audible dialogue)
- (footsteps)
(crowd applauding, cheering)
Ladies and gentlemen,
there's no need for me to tell you--
The emergency arose,
and the man appeared.
Mr. Douglass,
it's not often a man gets to do
so much for his neighbors
and do it like you did.
We want you to know
we'll be forever grateful.
And you'll, uh, be in our hearts always.
Thank you.
And in your prayers, please.