02x05 - Ride Into Darkness

[bunniefuu]

Come on. Come.

Ha!

You were right about his horse
pulling up lame,

look at those tracks.

He can't be far off now.

Ha!

I still don't see why he'd go
to all this trouble

just to break out of jail.

You told me you were gonna
turn him loose tomorrow anyway.

Once you get that deputy star
of yours broken in a little bit,

you'll stop worrying
about things like that.

Yeah, I guess so.

Well, not many places he can be,
except up in those rocks.

[ g*nshots ]

Let's try to draw him
out a little.

We're gonna give him a chance
to surrender, aren't we?

He's had enough chances.
If he was gonna surrender,

he would've done it by now
instead of sh**ting at us.

- Well, maybe--
- Maybe nothing!

Get back down behind
that dead tree

and start firing
as soon as you get there

and don't stop
until I tell you to.

Keep low, you understand?

Manley, drop your g*n
and climb down out of there!

Your boss would like that,
wouldn't he?

Well, supposing you come up
and get me!

Well, I guess that's it.
Let's go.

Aren't we gonna take him
back with us?

Well, no need to.

I'll tell his kin
where they can find him.

Wish there was something
I could say, Mary.

Can we go now?

My own brother.

I never thought
I'd be leaving him like this.

Morning.

Is this the way
to Danver's Pass?

Howdy, men.

What'll ya have?

Anything just so
as it's wet.

Ah, it cuts the dust.
Sure is hot around here.

If you don't like our town,

nothing says
you gotta stay here.

You know where I can find
a man named Dan Preston?

Never heard of him.

Excuse me, I'm looking
for a man named Dan Preston.

You mind telling me
where I can find him?

Well, never heard of him.

Nobody ever heard
of Dan Preston?

No.

Dan Preston?
I know Dan Preston.

You're drunk, Wilson.

Well, I haven't had
a drink since--

You're three sheets
to the wind.

You know the boss don't like
drunks hanging around here.

But, Matt, I--

That's right, Wilson, it
gives this place a bad name.

But I--

All right, out!

Well, wait a minute,
what do you mean out?

Just a second.

Don't be coming around here
soused up, you hear?

Now you go on home
and sober up.

Get on the horse.

Get out of here!

Give me another drink.

You've had enough.

What do you mean
I've had enough?

You've got your horse

tied to the boss's
hitching rack, mister.

So?

Boss don't like people tying up
on his hitching rack.

What's it there for?

For people who have permission
and you don't.

In that case, maybe you better
tell me how to get it.

That's your problem.

Now are you gonna
move that horse?

Yeah, I'll move him,
for now.

I'll just make
sure you do.

Jessup, guess I don't
have to tell you

that my barn burned
down this morning.

I'm sorry to hear that.

You know you got
to be mighty careful

about fire around here.

In this dry country,
an accident with a match,

that can be kind of costly.

There was no accident.
That fire was set.

Oh?
Is that a fact?

It is
and you know it.

Now, Patterson, you couldn't
be accusing me, could you?

I could and I am.
You had that fire set.

Of course, you are prepared
to prove that.

I don't have to prove it,
I know it.

You couldn't buy me out

and now you're gonna try
to burn me out.

I don't run as easy
as some of the others.

Well, I can understand
why you're upset.

Fire's a bad thing.

That's why I'm gonna forget
what you said.

But that offer I made you
for your place,

that still goes,
even without the barn.

Why, you dirty thieving
tin horn, I'm gonna--

He's dead.
What happened?

Well, it's simply a matter
of self-defense, Chuck.

He tried to pull a g*n on me
and I had to sh**t him.

Joe Patterson tried
to pull a g*n on you?

That's right, Chuck.

That ain't the way
I saw it.

Well, how'd you see it?

This man never went for his g*n,
he was shot down cold.

Would you swear to that?

You bet I would.

I'm placing you under arrest
for m*rder.

Hold on a minute, boy.

All right, Chuck's just doing
his duty as he sees it.

After all, Chuck's the best
deputy sheriff in town.

Yeah, sure, he's the best.
The only one.

[ laughter ]

Come on, let's go.

Want me and the boys
to go along with you?

No, we got to respect the law.
I'll be right back.

You come along, too.

What I said
about your horse still goes.

So you see, sheriff,

it was simply a matter
of self-defense.

Patterson went for his g*n.

That's not
what this man said.

Well, you got to learn
to evaluate evidence, Chuck,

if you ever want
to become sheriff.

What about the truth,
isn't that important?

Which carries
more weight, Chuck?

The unsubstantiated
word of a stranger

you never saw before,

or the unanimous word
of a whole group of men

who live right here
in this town

who you know can tell
when they see a man
going for his g*n.

But I still say that--

And I say you've got to learn
some respect.

And also to stop calling

the town's
leading citizen a liar.

Well, don't be too hard on him,
sheriff, he'll learn.

Anything else
you want me for?

No, Matt, I'm sorry
the whole thing happened.

Stop by the saloon later,
I'll buy you a drink.

Something I can do for you,
mister?

Sheriff, I--

Don't just stand around,
boy,

there's lots of paperwork
over there that needs doing.

These young fellas
just don't seem to realize

that being a lawman
is work.

Boys were a lot different
when I started wearing a badge.

I'd like some information.

So would I,
your name for instance.

Harper, Jess Harper.

All right,
now what can I do for you?

I got a letter from a man
named Dan Preston.

He's a prospector,

helped me out of a jam
a couple years ago.

Anyway, in the letter,

he said he was here
in Danver's Pass

and in some kind of trouble.

He asked me if I'd come
and help him out of it.

Now that's why I'm here.

Now could you tell me
where I could find him?

What did you say
that name was again?

Dan Preston.

- Uh-uh, never heard of him.
- Dan Preston?

Chuck, run out
and get me some tobacco.

Sure, sheriff--

I said, run out
and get me some tobacco now.

- I want it now.
- That's what I--

Ain't you ever gonna learn
to take orders?

Until you learn
to take orders,

you're never gonna
be able to give 'em.

Okay, sheriff.

Believe you me,
when I was a deputy,

somebody told me
to do something, I'd--

These young boys today--

About Dan Preston.

Already told you.

Nobody around here
with that name.

Look, I've been told
a lot of things

and some of them
are getting hard to believe.

Look, Harper,
I know everybody in this town,

it's part of my job.

And if I said
I never heard of Dan Preston,

then there is
no Dan Preston.

Everybody is sure trying
to convince me there isn't.

Now what did you mean
by that, son?

Look, what kind of a town
is this anyway?

Danver's Pass?

Why, it's a nice, friendly,
peaceful little town.

Friendly?
Like a bobcat you mean.

Of course, we're pretty much
off the beaten trail here.

We don't meet
many strangers.

So it's just natural folks
would be a little skittish

where you're concerned.

Now this business
about Preston.

If you're dead set
on finding him,

my advice to you
is to ride on.

All right, sheriff.

Thanks for your time
and your help.

Glad to be
of any kind of service.

Is there a place to eat
around here?

Fine restaurant
right across the street.

Well, I don't suppose
this'll do any good to ask,

but could you tell me

where I could find
a named Wilson?

Wilson?

Hmm. Wilson?

Well, what would you want
to be seeing him about?

Just want to pay him
a friendly visit.

Oh.

Yeah, he's got a little ranch
about five miles north of town.

Thanks.

CHUCK: Hey, Jess.

Say, Jess, I--

Chuck!

How long do I have to wait
for that tobacco?

Come on, boy, shake a leg,
we got work to do.

Walt, there's something
I don't understand.

There's lots of things
you don't understand

and I'm getting tired
of saying it, too.

Now then, do you want
to be sheriff

of this town someday
or don't you?

Well, sure.

All right then,
just try to remember

that a good lawman
is a servant of the people.

Stop bothering the citizens
you're supposed
to be working for.

Like Matt Jessup?

Well, sure, I mean
Matt Jessup.

He's the leading citizen
of Danver's Pass, ain't he?

Why, think what this place
would be without him.

Look, I was born
in this place.

There was nothing wrong with it
before Matt Jessup moved in.

Do you want
to argue with me

or do you want
to learn something?

I don't want
to argue with anybody.

I just want to do my job.

All right, I'm trying
to teach it to you.

But you're making
an awful uphill job of it.

Well, will you teach me
why part of my job is to say

that nobody around here
ever heard of Dan Preston?

That was the prospector
that passed through here

a couple of weeks ago,
wasn't it?

No, it wasn't.

[ horse whinnying ]

WALT: Well, looks like
that young fella

is getting some sense
and leaving town.

I wouldn't tie up there
if I were you.

You're gonna tell me
it's against the law?

Only guests of the hotel
have permission to tie up here.

The boss don't like it

when people tie up
without permission.

That old song and dance
again, huh?

You don't like the music?

I don't like anything
about this town.

That includes you,
your music and your boss.

We're real sorry
to hear that.

If you don't like this place,
why don't you leave?

There's couple of things
I'd like to do first.

Like what?

First off,
I want to see you

on your hands
and knees again.

About the only way
you look natural to me

is when you're
on all fours.

Well, you come right ahead
and try, mister.

That lucky punch you threw

bought you more trouble
than you know.

All right, hold it.

What's the matter, Chuck?

You working overtime again?

No, just keeping the peace,
that's all.

I don't see that any laws
are being broken.

Both these men want to fight
and there's no law against

a little exercise
under the circumstances.

All right,
but it's gonna be a fight.

- No gunplay.
- It's all right with me.

I don't need an iron to flatten
this saddle tr*mp.

You too.

Mister, if you touch
my horse or my gear

while I'm in that hotel,

I'll tear your head off,
understand?

Nothing's gonna happen
to your horse.

You won't be here
that long.

There are no vacancies
in the hotel.

No?

No, I'm sorry,
we're all filled up.

Yeah?

Well, I can understand
how that might be.

This is such
a beautiful town.

I'll just bet people come here
from all over

to spend their vacations.

You know, you're making it
kind of hard for me to like you.

Let's get
one thing straight.

Nobody's running me
out of this town.

I came here to find Dan Preston
and I'm not leaving until I do.

Not in my hotel.
Like I say, we're all filled up.

Well, maybe somebody
checked out this morning.

I'll ask the clerk,
that is, if you don't mind.

Hello, ma'am.

Hello.

Well, have you
seen enough?

I'm sorry, ma'am.

It was just a surprise

seeing a girl like you
in a place like this.

Like finding a rose
in a nest of rattlesnakes.

Well, that's not very original
but thanks anyway.

You can forget
about that sweet talk, mister.

Mae is Mr. Jessup's
private property.

Ain't you, Mae?

Go take a walk
somewhere, Pete.

Sure, Matt.

I'd like a room, ma'am.

We're all filled up.

Well, maybe somebody
was planning on checking out.

Could you look and see?

Matt, the sheriff
wants to see you,

he says
it's very important.

Tell him I'll be along
as soon as I get time.

Yeah, I'll tell him that.

The man asked you if anybody
was planning to check out.

Tell him, Mae.

Nobody's planning
to check out.

I get it.

Then could you tell me
where I could find Dan Preston?

I've never heard of him.

That's the stock answer
around here.

Somebody must be
giving away prizes.

I hope that's not your idea
of something funny.

No, it isn't.

I just expected a little more
honest answer from you.

Why?
Am I so special?

I don't know.

You just seem different
from the rest.

How?

Cleaner, not so hungry
to have to lie.

Well, thanks
for the vote of confidence.

Forget it,
I'm wrong all the time.

He's a real sweet talker,
ain't he, Matt?

Shut up.

Are you all right, Rafe?

Yeah.
But he's gonna get paid off.

Mister, next time
you better use your g*n.

My fist is getting awful sore
knocking you down.

Uh-uh.

Miss, would it be
too much trouble

to ask you for some water?

I'm awful dry.

Don't say it, Matt.

Let the man
have some water.

I'll get you a drink,
just wait a minute.

Thank you, ma'am.

Matt, if you got a minute,
I'd like to talk to you, alone.

Sure.

No one sits
but the hotel guests.

Oh, it's all right, Rafe,
let him rest a while.

He's got a long ride
ahead of him.

He'll be leaving soon.

Unless he wants to sleep
in the streets.

He wouldn't do that,

not when he knows the sheriff
had to lock him up for vagrancy.

Vagrancy,
that's a pretty good one.

Here you are.

Thank you, ma'am.

There's a wash stand
in the hall.

You're welcome to use it
if you like.

All I mean, Matt, is,

maybe you ought to take it
a little easy, not go too far.

I mean,
like sh**ting Patterson.

What are you worried about?
You're the law in this town.

Well, sure, Matt, sure,
but word does get out, you know,

and we don't want
that U.S. marshal

coming back here again
from Laramie.

Nothing happened last time
he poked his nose in.

I know, Matt, I know.

We managed to sweep
everything under the rug

pretty good that time.

But next time
we might not be so lucky.

You know,
for a thick-skinned man,

you sweat an awful lot.

I'm just talking
for your own protection, Matt.

All right, all right.

I, uh, I won't k*ll
anybody else today.

Is that what you want
me to say?

Well, I just don't want
any trouble.

Like what?

Well, like Harper in there,
asking about Dan Preston.

Now if you're getting
any ideas about--

He'll be riding on soon,
anything else bothering you?

Well, no.

Relax then.

Oh, one thing.

He asked how to get
to Wilson's place.

Yeah.

I should have
thought of that.

You didn't tell him,
did you?

Well, yeah, I didn't think
there'd be any harm in that.

Well, I mean,
I thought that...

You know, every time
you start thinking,

trouble comes up.

What did I do wrong?

Forget it.
I'll take care of it.

And our young Mr. Galahad.

Is that on the level,
what that jayhawk said

about you being Matt's girl?

Enough not to argue
about it.

Why a guy like him?

He asked me to marry him.
That doesn't happen every week.

Haven't a lot of other men?

Not to marry them.

And he is the town's
leading citizen.

Well, he takes
a bath once in a while.

That's more than
you can say

for most of the people
in this town.

This isn't the only trail town
in the world.

There's other places.

I've been there.

How long
have you been here?

Well, a week, a month,
I stopped counting.

What'd you come here for?

I hear it used to be
a pretty nice little town.

Too bad it changed.

Why don't you forget
about Danver's Pass?

You've got more important things
to worry about.

Like what?

Like getting
out of here alive.

The longer you stay,
the less chance you've got.

Do you think
I'd leave without doing

what I came here for?

There's worse ways to leave.

Like feet first?

That's a bad bunch
you're up against.

Don't get any more
mixed up with them.

What about you?

Aren't you kind of mixed up
with them?

Well, I've been mixed up
with them all my life.

Different names,
different faces,

and in different towns.

Well, I'm not leaving
till I find Dan Preston.

Forget about him.

You know where he is,
don't you, Mae?

You haven't heard a word
I've said, have you?

Leaving so soon?

Give me the key to room 7.

No.
No, Matt, don't do anything.

Please, Matt, don't--

Mind your own business!

Come on.

[ coughing ]

Now that's just
for openers.

Maybe loosen up your tongue
a little bit.

I'm through fooling
around you with, Dan,

I want to know
where that strike is now.

How many weeks
have you been hammering me

and how many times
have I got to tell you,

you will get nothing
from me.

I don't like
to have to do this.

[ slaps ]

Why don't you make it easy
on both of us?

You think I spent 30 years
frying in the desert

to make one good strike

so that I could turn it over
to a sidewinder like you?

Well, you're not even
gonna get out of this town

to register that claim.

You'll turn it over,
you got no choice.

You're wrong.
I've got a choice.

I can make sure
that gold stays

right where it is
till somebody else finds it.

Oh, I hope you change
your mind, Dan.

You only got 24 hours left,

and those 24 hours,
they're not gonna be very nice.

[ screams ]

Anything else,
Mr. Wilson?

No, you can go
on home now, son.

Okay.

Joey, you did a fine job.

Tell your father
I'll be over to see him

as soon as I get cleaned up.

Yes, sir.

Here.

Yeah, thanks.

[ knocking on door ]

Hello!

Anybody home?

Hey!

I told you
we weren't finished yet.

[ groaning ]

[ coughing ]

Try and stay quiet.

How did I get in here?

Wish you'd have walked.

You're a lot heavier
than you look.

Thanks, Mae.

What about the house?

It's gone,
burned to the ground.

I just dragged you in here
a few minutes ago.

I don't feel like
anything's broken,

except maybe my head.

Did Rafe do that?

Yeah,
along with k*lling Wilson.

How did you know?

I overheard Matt talking
about sending him out here.

I should have known right away
this would happen.

Looks like you kind of got
in the way of something, too.

Yeah.
A present from Matt.

He's very good
at that kind of thing.

Why don't you get
out of this town, Mae?

You can ride along with me,
I'm going back to Laramie.

You quitting?

No, not the way you think.

I can't fight
this whole town alone.

When I come back,
I'll have a U.S.
marshal with me.

By that time
Dan Preston will be dead.

Then you did know
where he was.

I met the old man
about a year ago.

I was working in a saloon
in Red Bluff.

He was down on his luck
so I gave him a grubstake.

Some grubstake. $25.

Yeah, that can seem
like an awful lot

when you're down and out.

I guess so.

Here.

Anyhow, I heard from him
a few weeks ago

and he said he'd struck it rich
and wanted me to come here

and share it with him,
so I came.

Do you want to hear
any more of this?

Yeah, go ahead.

But when I got here,

I found out that the old man
hadn't registered his claim

and Matt Jessup
was after it.

Well, it looked to me
like Matt was gonna get it,

so I got smart.

Wasn't very smart helping me
the way you did.

Well, I didn't think
anything could
bother me anymore,

but when Matt tied
the old man up

and turned Pete
loose on him...

The world's a rotten place,
Jess.

No, just some of the people
in it.

Well, I didn't come here
to clean up this town,

I came here
to help Dan Preston.

But it looks like I can't do
one without the other.

Does Matt think
you're coming back?

He knows I don't have
anywhere else to go.

Good.
Can you get me in to see Dan?

Through the back door.

What about horses?
Can you get me some?

I don't think so.

You're trying to start a w*r
without much of an army.

Yeah, I know.

What about Chuck,
that young deputy?

He seems like he wants
to do the right thing.

I'll talk to him.

Good.

Why'd you do that?

I don't know.

You better go.

Yeah.

Is everything all right?

Yeah, so far.

Get this thing fixed.

They don't make these rockers
like they used to.

Tell you what.

We get a hold
of Preston's ten-strike,

buy yourself a dozen
like that, solid gold.

[ chuckles ]

Dan.

Thing you fellas
don't understand about women

is that they like to know
who's boss.

Now you take Mae.

All right, I-- I had to hit her
a few times this afternoon,

so what happened?

Tonight she came
crawling back,

didn't say a word,
she's inside right now working.

You know,
women are like carpets.

They'll last long
if you beat 'em
every now and then.

[ laughter ]

Of course I...
I could be wrong.

Mae?

She must be upstairs
giving the old man his supper.

Waste of good food.

No, I don't think so.

He's liable to crack
wide open tonight,

I've seen it coming.

You better look in on him
just to make sure.

You coming along?

On a night like this,

I'm in the mood for young girls,
not old men.

Tell Mae to come down,
will you?

Sure.

Let me use
your knife, Pete.

Nobody uses my knife,
except me.

Give him the knife.

Matt, it's my knife.
It's the only one I got.

Give him the knife, Pete.

[ footsteps approaching ]

What are you doing?

You even breathe
and I'll blow your head off.

You pull that trigger,

you'll have more g*ns up here
than you can count.

Take a lot of k*lling,
don't you?

[ groans ]

Let's go.

[ door shuts ]

Evening, Pete.

Matt's looking for you.

Well, let him look.

Way he talks, you'd think
he was the only man around here.

You're a man,
aren't you, Pete?

Well, sure. Sure I am.

But--

But what?

Well, Matt, I-- I don't want
any trouble with Matt.

Oh, come on, Pete.

What he doesn't know
isn't gonna hurt him any.

Mae...

you're the prettiest thing
I ever seen in my whole life.

[ screams ]

What are you doing?

[ screams ]

Cut it out, Mae!

Cut it out, will you?
Please!

Matt, he grabbed me and,
and pulled me in here,

he started to get fresh.

Oh, no.

No, Matt, she's lying,
honest--

Up this way.

Any other cover around here
besides those rocks?

No, not for miles.

All right, let's go.

Mae, you and Dan stay put here.
Keep your heads down.

Chuck, up here.

It's like this is
as far as they can go.

It sure is, Matt,

I know this spot
like the inside of my pocket.

Start earning your salary.

All right,
you boys get over there.

Just keep firing,
that's all.

I got the spot
for you and I, Matt,

I've used it
plenty of times before.

Hold off sh**ting
till you're sure you can't miss.

No sense giving away
our position until we have to.

They'll be showing up
in that skyline any minute now.

[ g*nshots ]

Well, they're not even
coming close.

They're just guessing.

It's a trick, Jess.
I know the sheriff.

He's off over that way
waiting to pick us off

the minute
we try for the others.

You seem
mighty sure of that.

I am.

You know, he pulled
the same stunt a few days back.

k*lled a fellow named Manley,
for trying to get in Matt's way.

And you were part of it?

Being smart has never been
my long suit.

Sure, I knew
things were wrong,

but I didn't realize
until tonight

just how much
I had to make up for.

Well, I'm glad
you feel that way,

'cause I need somebody
that's willing to take a gamble.

Name it.

I want
you to count 60 slow

then show yourself
against that skyline,

and then duck
down again, fast.

Don't worry, it'll be fast.

All right, go on.

They're not sh**ting back.

All right, drop 'em.

All right,
come on, let's go.

All set?

Ready to go, Dan.

Take care of
yourself, Mae.

I'm gonna miss you, Jess.

Well, not for long.

What I said
still goes, Mae.

Soon as I can get
my claim filed,

I'm gonna start digging,

and half of every shovelful
is yours.

You just leave word
where I can reach you.

I'll be right here, Dan.

This town's beginning
to show signs of promise.

Might even be room
for a woman

who knows how to run
a good hotel.

I don't see
how you can miss, Mae,

especially now
that the sheriff's badge
is on the right shirt.

Looks good on you, Chuck,
keep it that way.

I'll do my best.
Thanks, Jess.

Good-bye.

Well, good-bye, folks.