02x31 - Men in Shadows

[bunniefuu]

I still think this is crazy,
taking a chance someone will
recognize you

just to get
a bottle of whiskey.

We've got a cold night
ahead of us crossing
through that north ridge.

Gotta get something
to take the edge off it.

It'll just take a minute.
I'll be in and out,
we'll be on our way.

Whiskey. Bottle.

Make that three more.

Sounds like a real
wild time comin' up,
friend.

We met before, friend?

Name's Banta.

Of course, drivin' the stage,
I get to see lots of faces, so,

well, maybe I drove you
one time or another.

Dixie Howard.

Nice funeral.

Yeah.

I'm sure gonna miss Banta
comin' in on that noon stage.

Let's get a drink.

Jess, you shouldn't
take this so personally.

Dixie Howard's
not the same man
you knew ten years ago.

There's only one
Dixie Howard, Slim.

It has to be
the same man.

That's not what I meant,
and you know it.

I don't know
what you mean.

If you're tryin' to tell me
he's changed into something
he didn't used to be,

I don't buy it.

Leastways,
not all of it.

Been a lot of posters
out on him for quite a while,

callin' him
a common k*ller.

He k*lled an old man
in here last night.

Things can't be
any plainer than that.

Slim, that old man
had a g*n in his hand.

If Dixie hadn't
of shot him, he'd
have got shot himself.

Not necessarily.

He could've
given himself up.

I know how you feel, Jess.

It still doesn't
change anything.

Sit down, Slim.

I used to know
Dixie Howard almost
as well as I know you.

First time I met the man,
it was across a card table.

I was just
a shirt-tailed kid.

I pulled a g*n on him.

I thought he was
cheatin' me.

He shot the g*n
out of my hand.

He had all the right
in the world to k*ll me,

but he just shot
the g*n out of my hand.

After that,
we rode together
for a long time.

That was before
he went bad, Jess.

That's just the point.

He probably isn't
bad now, not really.

Just takes one gunfight
too many

with people not really
seein' it your way
and callin' it m*rder.

Next thing you know,
you're bein' hunted,

and you have to k*ll again
just to stay free.

I can't help thinkin'
how it might've happened to me.

And it still could.

Well, I don't believe that.

Oh, I can see you
gettin' into trouble,

but I can also see you
lettin' a jury decide
whether you were wrong.

Depends on the jury.

I'll grant you,
there's a pretty fine line

between a gunfighter
and a k*ller.

But your friend Howard
just stepped over that line.

Maybe he stepped over,
or maybe he was pushed.

I don't know which.

Last night, he didn't
have much choice.

I just hope that posse
don't catch up with him.

Don't expect me to drink
to his freedom, Jess.

I don't.

But if you wanna drink
to his capture,

you better do it
with somebody else.

Purty, Jess.

She's real purty.

Thanks.

We got some chores
to do, Jess.

I'll see you
back at the ranch.

Jess, you see different
about Dixie Howard than I do.

That's fine,
I respect your opinion
'cause you're my friend.

Let's leave it
at that, huh?

All right.

Save half them chores
for me, huh?

The rough half.

Jess Harper?

That's right.

The name is signed Julie.
Is that you?

Well, I could've
signed it Dixie Howard.

What about Dixie Howard?

From what he said,
I thought you'd be
a much older man.

Well, I've lived a lot.
It just doesn't show yet.

- Now what about Dixie?
- You know he's hurt.

He needs a place to stay
until he can get
his strength back.

- A horse and supplies.
- Where is he?

Could you leave town
right now without
making anyone suspicious?

Not so fast, lady.
Where do you figure
in this?

- Does that
make a difference?
- It sure does.

That figures why
that bounty hunter's
been hangin' around.

That fat price tag
on Dixie's head.

What bounty hunter?

That's Kramer.
I was afraid of that.

You mean he's been
on your trail before?

He followed us
through the foothills

south of Boulder Junction.

We traded one of
the horses for a wagon there,

and then joined
the wagon train.

It threw him off the scent,
but not for long, I guess.

Is that your horse
tied up down there?

Yes.

You go down the back way;
I'll bring him around.

[horse nickers]

Julie said nobody
was gonna take a chance
and help me.

Then, she doesn't know
Jess Harper.

Hello, Dixie.

b*llet still in there?

[chuckles]
I can see
you don't know Julie.

Knife, bent fork,
waiting for moonlight.

Ten minutes, she had
that lead plucked out.

First time in two days
she's closed her eyes.

Fine girl,
Jess.

I guess you know you're in
a tight corner, Dixie.

There's 50 men
lookin' for you.

They all know you're not in
very good condition to ride.

That's why
I sent for you.

I don't like putting a friend
out on this kind of a limb,

but I had nobody
to turn to.

I know that.

I figure I'm alive today
on account of you.

So this limb I'm out on
don't bother me much.

Good friends don't keep score
on who owes who a favor.

You owe me nothing, Jess.
Nothing at all.

First thing I gotta do
is get you to some shelter.

Any place
that's lonely.

I won't be ready
for company right away.

Well, there's a line shack

on the northwest corner
of the Sherman ranch,

place that I work.
Hasn't been used all winter.

Likely won't be
until round-up.

We'll need another
saddle horse.

We've been using
Julie's horse
and the wagon.

- What about food?
- We're near out, Jess.

I'll think of some excuse
to get into town for supplies.

Include a bottle or two in those
supplies, will you, Jess?

Yeah, I'll do that.

Howdy.

I'd say you just came from
where I was gonna look.

You're lookin' for
Dixie Howard, huh?

If he's back in
that country,

he's hidin' under
a small rock.

Nothin', huh?

Nah. $3,000 worth
of nothin'.

Got a night's work
cut out for us, Jess.

That fence is down
along the west line.

Fifty strays
roamin' the canyon.

I got somethin' else
to do right now, Slim.

I'm afraid she's gonna
have to wait, Jess.

She?

How long do you think
it takes Windy Jackson

to spread the word
that a strange pretty girl

gave him a note for you?

You can sure count on
old Windy.

I'm a firm believer
in romance, Jess,

but I'm also a believer
in gettin' those strays
behind wire.

- Fifty of 'em, huh?
- Yeah.

If we stop chewin'
and get to it,

midnight will find us
back here.

Well, let's get to it.

How can it be so hot
in the daytime

and so cold when
the sun goes down?

Missing the smell
of magnolias, Julie?

I miss the smell of poverty
along with the magnolias,

so I guess
it's about even.

There'll come a day
it'll be just the way it was.

Best hotels, clothes,
food.

Nothing but the best.

Dixie, about Jess Harper.

Maybe he never intended
to come back.

If there's one man
in this world I trust,

it's Jess.

$3,000 is a lot
of temptation.

They could put 10,000 on
my head, and Jess would never--

Is he the exception
to the rule

that every man
has his price?

It may not hurt to ride over
to the Sherman ranch,

see what's
holding him up.

And Julie.

If we've been crossed,
don't come back for me.

You just go on
and take care of yourself.

You sure believe in
takin' chances, don't you?

That's more than I can
say for you.

Well, a job came up.
I couldn't get out of it.

How long do you think
we can stay there before
someone finds us?

Nobody'll come lookin' for you
in that leg-breakin' country
at night.

You'll be safe
until morning.

I expect to be
frozen to death by morning.

I can think of
a lot warmer places
you and Dixie will wind up

if you try to leave without me,
places you won't like.

Now stay put
till I come for you.

When will that be?

I'll pick up what we need
in town before sunup.

Be there a couple hours
later.

Thanks for openin' up
for me, Frank.

I sure appreciate it.

About another hour,
we'll be in sight of
the line shack.

Think we can afford
to hold up here
ten minutes?

Let's make that five.

Sooner we get out
of this country,

the less chance we have
of bein' spotted.

Water can taste good.

Which reminds me, Jess.

Did you bring
that whiskey along?

Yeah. Two bottles.

- [rocks rattling]
- Don't look up.

Lawman wouldn't be
tryin' for an ambush
shot, Jess.

Yeah, and if it's Kramer,
he'll wait till
we're all mounted

to get a clear shot
at you.

If he's got
any sense, he would.

Keep him watchin' you.
Stand close to him, Julie.

Oh, we can do
better than that.

All right,
don't overdo it.

Some things can't
be overdone, Julie.

Just hold it
right there, Kramer.

Drop that r*fle.

And the g*n belt.

Kinda see a deal here.

Splittin' that bounty
on Howard plumb down the middle.

I said
drop the g*n belt.

Another part of that deal
is maybe not sayin' anything

about you aidin'
and abettin' Dixie Howard.

Fifteen hundred
in your pocket,

and no embarrassin'
questions asked by
the sheriff.

You didn't
have to k*ll him.

You're wrong, Julie.

I did have to.

Why'd you do that, Dixie?

For you, Jess.

A few days, I could
be far away from here,

Kramer walkin' around
Laramie, making no
trouble for me.

What about you?

If Kramer was alive today,

then Jess Harper was helping
Dixie Howard to escape.

It could've been done
another way.

Don't ask me how,
but Kramer didn't
have to die.

I got no tears for him.

He got it the way
he's been handing it out--

in the back.

Now here's what I call a picture
of domestic tranquility.

You seem to be recovering
pretty fast, Dixie.

Just bein' brave about it.

Never believe in advertising
my aches and pains.

You're getting drunk.

Maybe a little bit drunk.

At the thought of spending
the next week

in this cozy little
cottage with you.

If I were you, I'd lay off
that bottle for a while.

We better get
some coffee goin'.

I hope there's water
in that well outside.

There should be.
I'll knock the boards off.

How long you been
travelin' with Dixie?

About three years.

Runnin' all the time?

No, we traveled
through the south
for a while.

Kind of a gambling team.

With you along
to soften up his victims.

I imagine you did
pretty good.

We did.

Until the town's
leading citizen

decided Dixie was cheating
and pulled a g*n on him.

Dixie
k*lled him.

We've been on the run
ever since.

I figured it had to be
something like that

to make him start
running downhill.

Running changes a man.
He's not the same.

He is to me.

Yes, I know.
That's why you're helping us.

What's your reason?

Same as yours.
I owe him my life.

Maybe more than that.

I used to love him
once, I think.

It's a long time ago,

and I'm not sure anymore.

I'd like to love him again.

When you're free and clear,

maybe things will
work themselves out.

I don't think so.

There've been
too many killings.

Too many times when he...

That was a bright move.

You'd have fired this g*n,
they'd have heard it
clean across the valley.

Well, I wasn't
thinking about that.
I was thinking about you.

There's just one thing
you better start thinkin' about.

That's keepin' a clean trail
on the way to Canada,

if you ever wanna get there.

I'm not sure
if I do or not, Jess.

I'm sorry, Julie.

I didn't mean
to talk to you like that.

I guess we're both
a little edgy.

Thanks for tryin'
to help me.

You're welcome.

You sparkin'
my girl, Jess?

I'll be back
tomorrow, Dixie.

Julie.

Julie!

I could do with
a bite to eat.

You wanna
talk about it?

What?

I said do you
wanna talk about it?

About those supplies
you bought in town.

Those horses you borrowed,
things like that.

It's Dixie Howard, Slim.

Can't say I'm surprised.

That woman with him,
is that the one
you saw last night

Yeah.

Her name's Julie.

Jess, do you realize
how far out your neck
is right now?

Slim, do you know
what it's like
to owe a man?

To know that
every breath you take

is because he stuck
his neck out for you

when you needed help?

You know you're
wrong, don't you?

Yeah, I know it.

Well, all right.

You took Dixie Howard
and his girl someplace
they could stay.

You brought 'em supplies
and fresh horses.
Now you can't undo that.

But that's where
it's gotta end.

I hope it does, Slim,
believe me.

You know, I'm in this mess
as deep as you are,

withholdin' information
from the sheriff.

But I'm not gettin' in
any deeper, Jess.

And neither are you.

All right, I'm goin' out
to see Dixie in the morning.

I'll tell him
he has to clear out.

Oh, you startled me.

I'm sorry, Julie.

How's Dixie?

Quiet.

He finished his second bottle,
he's sleeping it off.

How long has he been needin'
that much whiskey?

Quite a while.

There was a time I remember
he wouldn't touch a drink.

There was a time.

That's the story of his life.

I came down here last night,
sitting and thinking.

Surprising how little time
you have for thinking

once you're grown up.

Where you from
originally, Julie?

Memphis.

A long time ago.

Jess, why do people
go wrong?

Is it because
they aim so high,

that if they fall,
they can never
climb back up?

It's never too late
to start again.

It's never too late
to start again.

I've heard people
say that.

But it's never
worked for me.

Well, it worked for me.

Did it?
I wonder.

If it had, you wouldn't
have bothered with
Dixie and I.

To start a new life,
you have to cut off the old,

no matter how much
that cutting hurts.

Well, I...

I'd better go
start breakfast.

I'm kind of lost
without a mirror.

How do I look?

You look
just fine, Julie.

Just fine.

Morning, Jess.

Hello, Dixie.

Everybody's certainly
cheerful this morning.

Anything happen between
you two I can patch up?

Glad to help.

We better have a little talk
about something, Dixie.

[horse whinnies]

It's the deputy.
Put that g*n away.

Take Julie in the other room.
I don't want any gunplay,
you hear, Dixie?

You let me handle it.

Jess said no gunplay.

Jess isn't the one
whose neck they wanna stretch.

Morning, Tommy.

You're just in time
for breakfast.

You here alone, Jess?

That's right.

There's nothin' lonelier
than a line shack
this time of year either.

You must've come up
through the gullies.

I figured I latched
onto something when
I picked up your tracks.

Still lookin' for
Howard, huh?

Yeah.

Some of the boys
were beginning to figure

he holed up
and died somewhere

till Kramer's body
came into town.

- Kramer?
- I guess you
ain't heard.

Yeah, Kramer's horse
came ridin' in,

Kramer slung over the saddle
like a sack of oats.

Shot in the back.

Whose this belong to, Jess?

Got me. It was here
when I got here.

- Don't go in there, Tommy.
- Why not, Jess?

Nobody's in there.
Said so yourself,
you're all alone.

Tommy, quit snoopin' around
and get outta here.

You're on Sherman land.

I know that.

But it don't make sense,
you gettin' all excited
if nobody's inside.

Why, Jess honey,
you preparin' to fix
me some breakfast?

I declare, you...

Oh, my goodness.

I'm sorry, miss,
I just dropped in.

I've never been
so mortified in all my life.

I guess I better be
runnin' along, Jess.

Say, Tommy, do me
a favor, will ya,

and don't say anything
about this in town.

Sure, Jess.
I understand.

She's a...

she's sort of
a cousin of mine, see.

Sure. I know.

Quite a woman,
eh, Jess?

I thought that kid's eyes
were gonna fall right
out of his head.

Nobody got buried.
Why the gloom?

You're well enough
to ride, Dixie.
You'll have to leave tonight.

I figured on staying
another day or two, Jess.

It's too dangerous.

Slim Sherman knows
you're somewhere in these parts.

You'll have to be
outta here by tonight.

All right.
If that's what you want.

Julie and I thank you
kindly for your help.

How about coming
along with us, Jess?

Profit's uncertain,
but the fun'll be there.

No, thanks.
I like it fine
right where I am.

No yearning
for the old days?

No, I never even
think about 'em anymore.

A man can sit a saddle
just so long.

There's a kind of
freedom, though,
in those days.

Gunslinger had his place
a few years ago.

So did the buffalo.
Times change, Dixie.

Today, the only man
who can earn a living
with a g*n

has a badge to go
along with it.

You think that's the way
it oughta be?

Yeah, that's the way
I think it oughta be.

Is this good-bye, Jess?

I figure we're just about
evened up, Dixie.

I guess we'll meet again.

No gunfighter
breaks with the old days,

not for too long.

When did it
happen, Dixie?

When did you begin to enjoy
using a g*n,

and shootin' to k*ll
when you use it?

Jess, you make me sound
like the devil himself.

I gave you
the benefit of the doubt
when you k*lled Banta.

Now I'm beginning to think
you could've avoided
k*lling him.

Maybe I could've.

Maybe not.

How old was he, 65, 70?

How long do you want
a man to live?

Well, you heard
our landlord.

Guess tonight,
we start riding again.

I'm not going with you.

Julie.

There's nothing
for us up north.

There's nothing
south, east or west.
I can't go with you.

You and Jess played
a little game for
the benefit of that deputy.

Pretty good acting.

Maybe you found time
for a little rehearsal.

It's not Jess.
Not entirely.

Not entirely?

Part of it is simply
that we've come to
a dead end

here at this line shack.

Now wait a minute.

You owe me more than
you can pay, that's
what you said to me

more than once.

I have nothing
to give you.

You can take,
but I can't give.

You know I didn't
mean that, Julie.

It doesn't matter
whether you did or not.

Don't leave me, Julie.

I swear to you,
we'll have a good life.

Life like it was.

The good life.

For the past 20 years,
you've been a legend.

They've even written
books about you.

But that's all past now.

You're not Dixie Howard,
gentleman gunfighter gambler.

You're just a middle-aged
man who drinks too much,

and who's got
a price on his head.

Thanks very much.

Oh, Dixie, you're smart
in so many ways.

If you could only
see yourself now--

You know, we've been
doing things all wrong.

If we had money,

enough money, we could
buy our way.

We could stop crawling
on our bellies like beggars.

You haven't heard
a word I said.

I can't live in the future
and the past at the same time.

No one can.

Yeah, we could buy back
everything we lost.

Money.

All it takes is money.

Wait for me, Julie.
You wait right here.

Dixie, what are you
going to do?

I'm gonna give 'em
something to talk about
in these parts.

They've been pushin'
Dixie Howard pretty hard.

Let's see how they like it
when he pushes back.

Whoa.

That tree wasn't there
on the morning run.

[Dixie] That's the way
life goes.

Full of surprises.

Generally, the first thing,
the shotgun gets tossed down.

That don't happen fast, I'm told
the man that's holdin' it

gets pretty dead
pretty quick.

That was real obligin'.

Let's see, a stage making
a run with no passengers
is not good business.

Unless something
valuable's being shipped.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Like I said, this is all
kinda new to me.

Killin' old men
ain't new to you, though.

Toss it down.

That's fine.
Just fine.

Lesson I learned
a long time ago.

Don't talk smart
with a g*n in your face.

Where is he, Jess?

Where's who?

Your murderin' friend.

- He's ridin' out today.
- He's ridin' nowhere.

Now you're tellin' me
where he is, and we're
goin' after him.

- I thought we decided--
- I just came from town.

I heard about Kramer,
b*llet in the back.

Now I know
that wasn't you,
not in the back.

That just leaves Howard.

Since when did
a bounty hunter like Kramer

mean anything to you?

He didn't mean
anything to me.

But Kramer had
the law on his side,
like it or not.

I'm not standin' by
watchin' you protect
the man who did it.

Now where is he?

He'll be 50 miles
from here by tomorrow.

Now let's leave it
at that.

I asked you
where he was today,

not where he'll be
tomorrow.

He's leavin'
the territory, Slim.

Now that's good
enough for me.

I'll give you
one last chance, Jess.

Where's Dixie Howard
holed up?

What are you doin',
givin' out last chances?

Stop playin'
the Almighty, Slim.

On you, it don't
look so good.

I'm sorry, Jess.

Kramer's not upsettin' me
as much as you are.

That hole you're diggin'
yourself into.

It's all right, Slim.

I'll have to be
leavin', anyway.

Dixie was right.
You can't break away
from the old days.

What kind of nonsense
is that?

You're no Dixie Howard.

No. Just a gunfighter
whose past keeps
jumpin' up

and hittin' him
in the face.

Don't talk yourself
back into a life
where you don't belong, Jess.

I don't know, Slim.

At this point,
I'm kinda mixed up.

[stage approaching]

Here comes
the noon stage.

Whoa.

What happened, Mose?

Met up with Dixie Howard.

- And he shot Kelly?
- Yeah.

Kelly even tossed his g*n down,
but Howard shot him anyway.

Didn't like the way
he was a-sassin' him.

[Slim] Ain't no passengers
on this run?

Nothin' except
express money,
and Howard's got it.

Easy now.

- Got him, Jess?
- Yeah?

Let's take him inside.

What's she
doin' here?

If she knows where
Howard is, you better find out.

We'll take care
of Kelly.

I'm not goin'
with him, Jess.

Nobody's goin' with him.

Not where he's goin'.

Dixie's finished, Julie.

He held up the stage
and wounded a shotgun guard.

So that's what he meant.

He said he'd give Laramie
something to talk about.

Where is he now?

I suppose he's
headed for Canada.

I figure he'll be around
to wave that express money
under your nose.

What are you gonna
do then?

I'm getting off
at this station, Jess,

- and I'm not
getting back on.
- [door slams]

We're formin' a posse
while Howard's trail
is still fresh.

You comin'?

Slim, this is Julie.

- Well?
- Yeah, I'm comin'.

Guard's in the house.
Will you look after him
till we can send the doc back?

Yes, of course.

Don't mind Slim
too much.

He knows you've
been with Dixie.

Right now, Dixie's
got no friends.

That's not likely
to change.

I understand.

I think I can fix that.

At least I'll make it
feel a little bit better.

Thank you, ma'am.

It hurts like
the fires of...

Kinda... it hurts, ma'am.

That's one thing they can't
say about you, Julie,

that you don't have
the mother instinct.

You're fit enough
to ride and k*ll,

and I suggest you keep
right on riding.

You're going with me.

I thought I made
that plain, it's all over.

I always liked
your spirit, Julie.

I think that's
a mistake I made,

not knocking some sense
into you from the beginning.

It's not too late.

Dixie, you better
get outta here
while you still can.

I pulled you
out of the muck.

You'll sink right back in
as soon as I ride outta here.

Muck right up
to your ears.

There are all kinds
of dirt, Dixie.

But your kind
doesn't wash off
with soap and water.

Doubled back, eh, Jess?

I should've guessed that.

That's right,
you should've.

Where's your partner?

It's just
you and me, Dixie.

Pulled my horse up,
said he was lame.

I was comin' back
for another one.

Among other things,
you've made a pretty
good liar outta me.

And now, Jess?

Unbuckle that g*n belt
and let it drop.

You want to see me hang?

No, I don't wanna
see you hang.

I don't wanna see you
go free and do any more
killin's, either.

Now drop it.

Don't try it, Dixie.

Brave Jess Harper,
the protector of women

whether they
like it or not.

You're not a gunfighter
anymore, Dixie.

You're old
and you're tired,

and I don't
wanna k*ll you.

Well, I can't say
the same.

I'm gonna enjoy this.

Julie.

Sure you won't stay
in Laramie for a while?

No, Jess.

I know what would
happen if I did.

So do I.

That's why I'm askin'.

We're so much
alike, Jess,

and there's so many
memories that would
stand in our way.

But maybe someday.

Maybe someday.

Good luck, Julie,
wherever you go.

Thank you.

Bye.

All right, Johnson.

You know, I never
could figure that woman out.

Of course, you can figure
most women out, can't you?

Sure, I can.Sure, you can.

[laughing]