01x02 - Woman from White Wing

[bunniefuu]

Find 'em?

There's some tracks
at the far end of
the valley.

Open ground, and it
tails into a fork,

so there's no telling
which way the main herd went.

Maybe they went up
higher in the timber.

Too early for that.

Most likely, they followed
some game trails

and ate their way
up toward White Wing.

Trampas, you stay here
and keep the bees gathered.

Steve and I will circle
and see if we can
cut their track.

You make good coffee.

Yeah, I do.

You didn't used to.
What happened?

That new girl in town,
Virginian.

She's very nimble
with chicory.
She showed me.

Nimble with chicory, huh?

Heh heh.

She hum while she pours?

Heh heh.

How do you know?

Let's go.

**

What where you're goin'
next time!

Whew!

Tracks. I'd say
the main herd's right
over the next rise.

**

This country kind of
takes your breath,
don't it?

You been up here
before?

Not this far.

Then you never seen
White Wing.

I never knew anything
like this was up here.

Judge built it
years ago.

Never finished it.

Why?

A woman.

She came from a place
called White Wing.

That's why the Judge
gave it that name.

What was she
to the Judge?

I don't know.

The Judge don't welcome
questions about it.

The man builds a home
for a woman,

he's gotta think on things
like love, marriage..

a life together.

It never got done.

The most I know is,
the woman died.

Judge grieved.

He used to come up here,

spend some time here,
lookin' at this house
that never got built.

Finally, he quit comin'.

You think you know
all there is to know
about a person,

and somethin' like this
comes up.

You find out what's
important about him
you never knew at all.

Guess you're right.

Think someone was here.

Still are.

You belong to those cows
on the side of the rise?

That's right.

I figure you work
with Judge Garth.

I'm his foreman.
Who are you?

Dawson. Frank Dawson.

Name mean anything to you?

Should it?

I don't know. Maybe not.

You ride in
from the north?

We rode in, mister.
That's all you need to know.

Afraid you're wrong
about that, Dawson.

You're on--
White Wing?

Is that what they call it?

What do you know
about this place?

I've heard about it.

How's the Judge?
Why?

Because I'm a polite man.
I'm asking about
an old friend.

Ah, no, that's not
exactly right.

Not a friend.
Someone I knew once.

And "how's the Judge"
is a stupid question anyhow...

why, with him owning
half the state of Wyoming,
nearly...

and most of what's in it.

Judge has done pretty good,
better than most.

And you know what?
I couldn't be happier
for him.

You plannin' on stayin'
out the day here,

or ridin' on?

I'll tell you what.

I had it in mind to ride
into the Judge's place,

but now that I've run
into his foreman,

he can do a piece of work.

Tell him from me--

Tell him I want
to see him here.

Just tell him this, mister.

Say Frank Dawson
is waiting for him
at White Wing.

Like that.

And that'll do it, huh?

He'll come around?

Right. A-runnin'.

Say "Frank Dawson",
say "White Wing",

then get out of the way.

Truly.

I'm afraid
you made a mistake,

because I just don't
happen to be a messenger.

If you want to pass a word,
you do it yourself.

Because if you're
meaning a threat,

I think Judge Garth would
like to hear it direct.

And one more thing.

Say that on the day
I ride out of here,

everything he's got--
all his land,
all his ranches--

will taste like ashes
in his mouth--bitter.

Say that.

**

Molly?

She's out. Oh, hello.

Had a bit of
an accident here.

Yeah, Molly just
stepped out.

Can I do
anything for you?

I hope so.
You keep a copy

of the back issues of
the paper, don't you?

Naturally.
Which issue?

I don't really
remember.

It was three, four,
or five weeks ago.

There was a news piece
that the Judge read

and spoke some about.

I don't even remember
the name of the man
who seemed interested.

What was
the story about?

Well, I'll know it
when I see it.

Well...good luck to you.

**

You know what
this here is?

Sure, a bunch of
fire laddies

blowing their brains out
on brass instruments.

No, no, no.
It's more than that.

Show me where.

This here--

this here's
an occasion.

Isn't it?

This here's an occasion.

You see?

It scares me to think
that a grown man

finds his pleasure
in brass bands.

Save it! Save the applause!

He'll be here in a minute!

Well! Things go well
while I was away?

We managed somehow, Judge.
Where's the senator?

Oh, he's all tangled
in a string tie.

Now that he's
U.S. senator,

he says he'll learn
to tie one, by crikey,
without any help.

How's Betsy?

Seems she managed
best of all.

Which is not to say
she didn't miss you, Judge,
'cause she did.

Well, that's
an intelligent child.

This is for her.
Yes, sir.

Did you make a good deal
on the cows?

Oh, not cows!
High-bred beauties!

And a perfect bull
in the boxcar.

Blue ribbon,
prize every ounce.

Might that be
the senator?

This here senator
happens to be the first--

the very first senator
from the state of Wyoming.

You're gonna stand right
up there alongside him.

My, my, this is
a glorious day for
the history of Wyoming.

Empire-builder like you,
politician like him.

Could be you got some
ambitions I don't know
about, Judge?

Uh...take care
of the cattle.
All right.

Tell Betsy I'll be home
as soon as I finish
with the senator.

Ladies and gentlemen--

Ladies and gentlemen!

It gives me
great pleasure now

to present to you
the very first senator

from the great state
of Wyoming!

Thank you!

Thank you,
ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you.

As your very first
senator...

from this great
and glorious...

and mighty state
of Wyoming...

Hey, boss?

Did you tell him?
What'd he say?

Tell him what?

About White Wing,
that fella Dawson.

No, I didn't.
And I'm not going to,

and neither are you.
Just keep quiet
about it for now.

Look at 'em.

Just look at 'em.

A grown man.

Someday you gotta explain
things about him to me.

Will you do that?

Look at 'em,
Trampas.

They're as pretty
as if they were
carved in butter.

Will you do that someday?

Come on, Stevie.

Howdy, brother.

Oh, Mr. Biggs.
Mr. Biggs...

I'd be obliged
if you'd sign
this little ledger

so we can unload
these animals.

It'll have to wait.

We got some
prime stock here,

and Trampas' brother is
in that car back there.

I think we'd better
unload 'em before
everybody gets restless.

This here's where
they're gonna stay

until the senator's
speech is over.

Well, you could pull
the link pin

and then move us onto
a siding up track.

I could get fired, too.

Who'd do a thing
like that to you?

The Citizens Improvement
Committee, that's who.

Might that be
Judge Garth?

That'd be Judge Garth.

You pay mind, now.
Ain't one cow
to be unloaded

till the senator's speech
is finished.

All them cows cooped up
for so long--

just seems a shame, huh?
Uh-huh.

Why'd the Judge lay down
an order like that?

Could be he's got a mind
to run for governor.

By not unloading his cows?

Wyoming being a state
and all,

and the senator to it
makin' a speech--

it ain't seemly to
run cows right through
the middle of it.

A man could never
get to be governor
doin' a thing like that.

I guess the senator's
still talkin'.

The way senators do.

Tell you what--

Steve, you go get
some unloading planks.

You heard what
Mr. Biggs said about--

I heard. You do it.

All right.
There you go.

Come on, Trampas.
Give me a hand.

Hey, but you did hear
what Mr. Biggs said.

I heard him, I heard him.

He said there wasn't
one cow to be unloaded

while the senator's speech
was goin' on.

He didn't say nothin'
about a bull.

No, sir, he didn't.
Whoa, son.

And it is with
pleasure that--

And it is with
pleasure that I know...

what vast strides
have been taken

in recent years

in your beautiful city
of Medicine Bow...

that is a citadel

of law and order...

and peace and quiet!

That is--That is called...

Judge,
I'll just never know

how that bull got out
of his car all by himself.

Trampas is, uh,
trying to get him...

back.

All right, get 'em
out of here.

You heard the Judge, boys.
Let's move 'em.

We'll get 'em out of here
on tiptoes, Judge.
I promise you that.

**

Hyah!

Hyah!

Giddyap!

( whooping and whistling
continues )

**

Have you seen him yet?

He'll be here, Miss Betsy,
any minute now.

Come on!

Whoa.
Whoa. Hi.

Miss Betsy, you're
beginning to ride
real pretty.

Oh, it was the Virginian
who taught me.

TRAMPAS: It was
the Virginian who--

The only thing
the Virginian taught you was,

there was a four-legged
animal named "horse".

It was me that taught you
how to ride pretty.

And it was me that
had to unlearn her

everything ignorant
that you taught her.

Oh, it was all of you.

Do you think so?
Do you really think
I ride pretty?

Like you were
born to it.

Thank you.
When will Daddy be here?

Presently.

What's that?

This is known as
a ribbon-tied package.

It's mine!

Oh, come on!
Give it to me.

Daddy gave it to you
for me.

Oh, your Daddy's
a very busy man.

When would he have time
to buy you a present?

He's got things
on his mind

like pure-bred cows
and senators.

Please.

You just said
the magic word,

and ladies
get presents.

Boots.

Oh, aren't they gorgeous?

Oh, aren't they gorgeous?

Look, Trampas.
Aren't they gorgeous?

Gorgeous.

They are.

Oh, they are!

You two get on back
with the herd.

I want to talk
to Betsy.

Well, seein' as
your Daddy's not here,

it appears to me
you're boss.

Now, what would be
your pleasure, ma'am?

I was just gonna
say that, Miss Betsy.

Seems he said it
for me.

My pleasure?

Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.

As boss?

Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.

Um, you two get on back
to the herd.

Me and the Virginian
have some talking to do.

Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.

Betsy...

there's a place
called White Wing.

Do you know anything
about that place?

I know something
about it, not much.

There's a house there.
Not a whole house.

It's something that
was never finished.

Do you know anything
about it?

Well, once Daddy started
telling me about it.

It was on the night
of my last birthday.

Then, right in the middle
of it, he stopped.

I asked him
to take me there,

and he said he didn't
want to talk about it
anymore.

And then he said
something else--

not to talk about
what he told me.

Grown man like me
ought to know better

than to ask a child
something she
shouldn't tell.

I'm not a child.

But why'd you ask
about White Wing?

It's, uh, something
I'm gonna talk to
your Daddy about

when he gets back
to Shiloh, that's all.

Come on, Betsy.
I'll race you.

**

Dog turnin' wild.

Frank?

You figure
he'll come?

He'll come.

Jesse and me,
we figure he'd
better soon...

or else we'll have
to go after him.

That so, Jesse?

That's so.

I said it before--
you're no part of it.

Ain't that a sorrowful
thing to say to us,
Jesse?

After Frank here,
and you and me...

We was real close, Frank.

How long?
Eight, nine years?

Sharin' the same slops
and the same chains,
the three of us.

If that don't make us
a part of it, Frank,

I swear I don't know
what does.

Seems to me that
there ain't nothin'

gonna bring a man
closer to another

than runnin' fugitive
with him.

Why, it's like a blood tie.

I figure the hurt
that Frank's got in him

ought to be worth a lot.

What's the grinnin'?

All this soft talk

comin' from a man
like you.

In jail, the way
you talked about him,

the way you said the Judge
was the richest man

that ever happened.

Wouldn't mean we're poor.

Poor but brainy, Jesse.

We're gonna stick
close to you, Frank.

**

* Ten thousand cattle
gone astray *

* Left my range
and traveled away *

* The son of a g*n,
I'm here to stay *

* Have left me dead broke,
dead broke today... *

Soft as a lady's glove.

Now, why'd you go say
a thing like that for?

Just tellin' you.

Here I am sittin' here,
my mind in my cards,

and you gotta bring up
things like gloves
and ladies.

It's enough to shake
a man down to his bones.

Saturday night like a--
like a year away.

You know something,
Trampas?

A man like you
ought to have a saddle
built for two.

Uh-huh. Get 'em comfortable
while they're joggin'

and they fall asleep
on you.

Ain't you ever
gonna settle down

with just one woman,
Trampas?

Oh, I tried that once.

Little gal down in Casper.

It was serious.
Gonna get married.

She went around
tellin' everybody.

Everybody
but her husband.

You know, I came that close
to gettin' shot with
a scattergun.

It taught me
a lesson, though.

Always check the brand.

Make sure you're not drivin'
another man's stock.

You did a good job, Eddie.

Thank you.

You know,
I can't play this game.

Hey, Judge.
Hi, Judge.

Evening.
Virginian here?

Right here, Judge.

I want to talk to you.
Yes, sir.

Sorry if I fouled
anything up for you
this afternoon, Judge,

but high-bred stock
like you brought home

get restless
all cooped up...

start bawlin'.

Yeah, when you plant
a bull in front of 'em.

What'd you expect 'em
to do, curtsey?

Sorry. Sorry if
I spoiled your plans
for the governorship.

Who wants to be governor?

The way you were
milkin' honey on that
senator, I don't know.

I sent that senator home.

Fed him some Wyoming wine
at the hotel,

planted some ideas
in his ear

for the good of the state,
and sent him home.

And that's as much
political ambition
as I'll ever have...

for a while.

And that's just as long as
I'll be workin' for you.

Betsy tells me
you spoke about White Wing.

Yes.

We were trailin' herd
nearby

and rode down to it.

There was a man there.

His name
was Frank Dawson.

Frank--

Did you talk to him?

Yes.

Why didn't you
tell me?

I was going to,
in the morning.

I didn't want to spoil
your homecoming.

What did he say?

That he was there.

He wanted you
to come to him.

Something else he said.

When he rode out of here,

everything you owned
would turn bitter.

Can I ask you
why he said that?

You know...

how it is with you
and Steve and Trampas?

I don't think
I understand you, Judge.

Well, the three of you
are friends.

More than that.

Most times we are.

Like three forks
from a mother stream.

Like it was
the same blood

flowin' through you.

That's how it was with me,

Frank Dawson, and Ben.

Ben Church.

He's a long time dead.

There's nothing--

not a thing you need
to tell me, Judge.

I've got no right to it.

It needs tellin'.

Dawson waiting for me
at White Wing.

Needs tellin'.

The three of us--
Frank, Ben and me--

were ridin' with
a wagon train out of Ohio

to Wyoming.

Had a woman there.

A woman you'd dream.

A woman--

The reason we were
going to Wyoming--

we each had a section.
Government grant land.

Build a home, settle.

End to drifting.

Could be what'll
happen to you

and Steve and Trampas
someday.

We don't think about it.

You will.

well...you were havin' me
with my mouth open

about that wagon train
in Wyoming...

and that girl.

She was called Annie.

Annie.

The wagon train was to
go through Illinois,

south into Missouri,

and pick up some folks
at the Santa Fe Trail,

and take the Cheyenne Trail
north to Wyoming.

It was easy,
many times driven,

and safe.

Then Ben had an idea--

a shorter route...

that he'd heard of
or maybe read somewhere.

North to Colorado,

through it,

and into Wyoming.

And we all thought
it was a fine idea.

There was adventure to it.

Cut away from the boredom
and the rules of
the wagon train.

There was another reason.

Annie was carryin' a child.

So, we cut away
from the train,

rode into Colorado,
headed for a pueblo...

and got lost.

'Cause Ben couldn't
remember

what he maybe read
or maybe heard of somewhere

about the short route...

to Wyoming.
We were lost.

Desert wasteland,

some forgotten edge of--

of windswept world.

What happened was,
Ben and Frank sickened.

Ben died.

Our horses died,
all but one.

What was left
was Frank--sick--

and me and Annie.

And the one horse,

and no water, no food.

Frank was real bad off.

He pleaded with me
to take the horse,

and Annie to ride it,
and move on,

look for some settlement
or people or...

waterhole or...

life itself.

'Cause ours
was driftin' away.

So I did it.

I swore I'd come back
for Frank,

swore it
on my life's blood.

So, we left him there,
and...

I lifted Annie to the saddle
and we moved on.

I don't know
how many days,

but we found a camp.

They fed us
and gave us water, and...

I went back for Frank.

He wasn't there.

Frank wasn't there.

I yelled his name,

rode for miles.

Yelled his name
against that...

forsaken wind.

He wasn't there.

So, I rode away.

What happened to Annie?

We moved into Wyoming,

found a place.

You know which place.

White Wing?

Started to build her
a home.

She bore the child.

A girl child.

Three months later...

Annie died.

Betsy is Annie's child.

I'll ride into White Wing.

You stay here and keep
an eye on things.

Trampas can do that.

I'm goin' with you.

What's between Dawson and me
needs only that--

me and him.

He's got two men
with him.

You figure you're as good
as two of them put together?

I'll bring your horse
around, Judge.

You do that.

**

Someone's comin'.

Frank.

I'm, uh...

I'm glad to see you.

I came back to look
for you, Frank.

Oh, I don't doubt you came
back to look for me.

But when you found me gone,
you let it end there.

I tried to find you, Frank.

Kept at it for years.

Went out myself,
hired riders.

Combed the whole state.

I never stopped
looking for you, Frank.

You never
stopped looking.

You're a liar.

I remember
about a month ago

the Judge readin'
something in a paper

about an old friend of his
that broke jail down in Texas.

That be you, mister?

I remember the Judge said
at the time

he'd been lookin'
for his friend
for almost 15 years.

You didn't just forget
about me, Garth,

after you
found me gone?

Why would I do that?

Because you loved Annie.

We all loved her.

And with Ben dead,

and me gone
or most likely dead,

Annie belonged to you--
what you always wanted.

And with what
we had here--

what we all
had here, the land--

you got rich and fat
on our stake.

I looked for you,
couldn't find you.

I swear to you,
that's the way it was.

Yeah, sure.

You want to hear the way
it was with me, Garth,

laying there,
waiting for you?

You were almost lucky.

They say my tongue
was so thick,

I'd have choked on it
in an hour.

They--these people
heading south--

they took me
all the way to Texas,

tied up in ropes.

They had to.
I was raving crazy, Garth,

my brain filled with
that exploding sun.

They say that when
I reached this Texas town,

I wandered around sick,
pitied, laughed at.

Then I shot a man,
and they put me in jail
for 20 years.

He didn't die.
I didn't k*ll him.

But they put me
in a four-cell Texas jail

for 20 years.

I'm sorry.

After a while,
my thinking got clearer,

and I thought that
it couldn't have been
very hard

for anybody to find me...

if they were lookin'
for me.

Then I got to
thinking about you

and waiting
all that time.

Then I heard about you
a few months back.

Heard about you being here,
being a judge, a power,

being rich, all the things
I should've been.

Then I got to thinking
about getting out of
that jail

and coming here
and sh**ting you.

Then I could see
that just k*lling you

wasn't much of a way.

I had to see you hurt
the way I'd been hurt.

I thought foolish things,
like burning you out.

Foolish because I forgot
the kind of a man you are.

Burn you out, you'd start
from the ground,

build right up again.

Then, thinking about it,
it came to me what
I was gonna do.

And here I am.

What do you want?

We both know
what I want

and what I'm gonna get
from you, and why.

But that can come later.

I heard about Annie dying.
How long after was it?

Three months, four.

Did she ever mention
my name?

Nothing.

Well...

I've said what I came here
to say...for now.

Meantime, Judge,

I'm gonna let you sweat.

**

Anything I can do,
Judge?

Things said here tonight
best be kept between us.

I understand.

Something bothers me,
though, Judge.

That story you told me
about you and him
and Annie.

It seems to me you left
something out of it.

Something important.

Well, could you
tell me this?

He's a man
broke from jail,

and you're a man who
believes in the law.

Why don't you have him
found and taken back?

I can't.

You're gonna let him go
like that?

One word from him
and they'll bring a whole
posse after us.

He won't say the word.

You're so sure?
I know him.

I know him as well
as I know myself.

I know what he'll do
and what he won't do.

He'll see
that we're safe.

You know,
hatin' may be good for you,

but Wid and me
are here to collect.

You will...

after I do what
I came here for.

**

**

And a girl like that--

I want you to know
what I'm telling you
is the truth.

I don't doubt that, boy.

I like to hear you
talk like that.
Shows you're growin' up.

Scares me to think what
a girl like that can do
to a man like me.

Gettin' scared
is part of it.

The fun'll come when
you get a little more
sure of yourself.

Heh. You know
what I said to her?

Yeah. I do.

You do?
Yo.

How do you know?
She told me.

She--Miss--
She told you?

A couple of times.

Miss Becker?
Yeah.

She showed me her way
of making coffee.

She said you said--
Never mind.

Miss Betsy!

Yo!

**

Hyah!

Hyah! Come on!

Hyah!

What'd you reign up for?

Well, I just figured
something.

It's them new boots
she's wearing.

I remember once
my daddy gave me a pair
of new boots like that.

And just like that,
I figured I was
the fastest rider

in any territory
you could name.

Heh heh. Ah, it was
the boots that done it.

You catch up
with her now,

she's gonna weep.

Weep?

**

Betsy!

Hello, Betsy.
How are you?

Who are you?

My name is Dawson.
Frank Dawson.

Well, how'd you know
my name?

I knew the Judge
had a girl named Betsy.

I guessed that's
who you were.

I was riding into town.

But mostly I was
looking for you.
Why?

Well, that's
a long story, Betsy,

and one you'll have
to know sometime soon,

but not yet, not now.

Well, you know my father?

I knew your mother, too...

a long time ago.

You did?
Really, Mr. Dawson?

Tell me about her.

I don't know too much.
I was only four or five
months old

when she died.

But was she beautiful?

I mean,
very, very beautiful?

I just know she was.

Oh. I guess you can't
answer anything
if I don't slow down.

You look like her, Betsy,

just now,
the way you smiled.

And the hair.

It always does that.
I can't--

STEVE: Miss Betsy?

What are you
doin' here, mister?

Steve, that's no way
to talk to a stranger.

I think you ought to
move along.

We'll talk again, Betsy.

Now, why'd you
do that, Steve?

Why'd scare him off
like that?

What did he say
to you, Miss Betsy?

Just passin'
the time of day.

What did he say?

Well, just said
that he knew my name

and he knew my Daddy,
that he used to know
my mother.

Maybe he'd have had time
to say something

if you hadn't been
so discourteous to him.

What else did he say?

That he was going
into town.

What else?

Nothing. Why is it
so important?

I think we ought to
get back to the house.

Come on,
we'll race you.

No, I don't want to race.

STEVE: Those are
the three from White Wing
I told you about.

TRAMPAS: I guessed it.

Judge sure isn't gonna be
happy about that.

No.

No, he ain't.

Come on.

And that's about all
that happened, Judge.

He did tell Betsy
they were runnin' into town.

But they took off
as soon as we rode up.

Where's Betsy now?

She's around.

Tell her not to move
far from the house.

Yes, sir.

You think that's
what's on Dawson's mind?

What?

Betsy.

No.

I do.

I'm gonna tell it
to you, Judge.

You're not fightin' back.

And the reason for it
has to have Betsy in it.

It's the only way
it makes a little sense,

what's happening
between you and Dawson.

Him being an escaped man
and your not doin'
anything about it

is part of it.

But mostly it's the story
you told me about you
and him and Annie

out there in the desert.

What you did
was right, Judge.

Now he comes back here
and talks to you

in a way you wouldn't
take from anybody.

Why?

It's got to have
something to do with Betsy.

That's the only way
he could hurt you.

Last night at White Wing,

as soon as he started
talking about her,

I knew that was
what he was after.

Does he have a right
to her, Judge?

Yes, he has a right to her.

He's her father.

Annie was married to him.

What are you
gonna do, Judge?

Keep talking to him.

As long as I'm in front
of him, talking,

Betsy's still with me.

Somebody's
got to tell me why.

I've been able to ride
anywhere on the spread
since I was born,

and now I have to stay
on the place. Why?

Well, it's just the Judge
thinks that it would, uh--

Well, why don't you
ask him, Betsy?

I don't believe
what he says.

I mean, that those
two men just don't
look right--

the men we saw
with Mr. Dawson.

With all our own
riders on the place,
it doesn't make sense.

Do you think the Judge
would lie to you?

No.

I don't either.

You leave now.

Why?

Wid, don't ever
ask me that

about nothin'
I tell you to do.
Now leave.

Tired of beans
and coffee.

Come to town
for some decent food.

Well, you found me.

So...
what's on your mind?

Frank, we're both
older now.

We're supposed to be
reasonable men.

Not me. I'm not gonna be
reasonable at all.

We started out together--
you, me and Ben.

We each had a stake.

Yeah. And you ended up
with all of them.

And you also got my wife.

I came here
to talk to you.

You want to have done
with it right here?

Because that's what
it'll come to--
your or me.

Now, I owe you something,
and I owe you a lot.

I started out with land
that would've been yours.

And I'll pay you back
in kind.

Everything I have,
I'll divide it--

No. No, that's not
what I came for.

Frank, you rode
across my land today.

I had to get
to town, Judge.

The only way you can get
anywhere in this state.

You spoke to Betsy.

She's a beautiful child.

Looks like Annie.

And I'm gonna take her
away from you.

You come near that child,
and I'll k*ll you.

No, you won't, Judge.

I'm her father.

You made your mistake
years ago

when you left me
in that desert.

Slowly dying, I was.

You could've pinched
my nose and finished it.

You should have.

Because sooner or later,

I'm gonna make myself
known to Betsy.

She's my child,

and I'm gonna take her.

**

Count on it.

Where you been
for four hours?

An hour in,
an hour back.

Take you two hours
to order feed?

Now, boss man,
don't get all riled up
till you hear.

I done you just about
the biggest favor.

As a matter of fact,
you could go so far
as to compliment me.

You know that little
blonde in the restaurant
in town there?

I thought so.

Wasn't like that at all.

I just went in there
for a cup of coffee.

Engaged in conversation,
naturally.

You know,
that little blonde's
a mighty good observer.

You know what she observed
in the dining room there?

Judge Garth himself
and that fella Dawson.

Havin' a set-to.

Mighty serious, too,
she said.

You know,
that little blonde
got the idea

that fella Dawson
and his men

were the three escaped
convicts you read about.

Well, now, boss man,

you know it took me
about an hour and a half

to talk her out of
goin' to see the sheriff.

You talked her out of it?

Yep, that I did.

I took some doin',
but I did it.

So, uh, instead of
you yellin' at me...

Mm

Well, now, maybe she
won't tell the sheriff
about Dawson.

What do you think
she's gonna tell him
about you?

**

She's a nice kid.

Well-made.

Confident,
knows what she's doing.

You're right.
Even though you might be
sort of prejudiced--

you being her father.

He couldn't keep it
to himself.

And you're that close
to him?

He send you to me?

No, you might say I'm just
an interested bystander.

What do you want
from the Judge, Dawson?

He knows.

Put him
through a hurt?

Well, you couldn't say
I was right, could you,

to settle anything
so important between
the Judge and me

just by him
paying me off?

And the girl, now.
Don't you think

she ought to have
her real father?

She'll never have you
as a father.

The Judge will do anything
before he loses her.

Yeah, that's the way
he'll be thinking.

Something inside of him
will be hanging on
for the chance--

the one chance
of finding an out.

His mind will be working,
thinking, scheming,

how to get past me.

And I don't
underestimate him.

He's a hard man.
But there's one difference.

I've had the time
to think it out,

and I've got the cards.

So, let him do
his thinking...

lying awake,
like he was last night--

sweating,
staring at the ceiling.

People can go crazy
trying to find an out
that isn't there.

And I can sit around
getting a look at
my daughter...

while he goes crazy.

I like that.

Because you hate him?

That's right.

Yet you can
run around here,

free, without any fear,

knowing the Judge
won't call for help
against you,

'cause you know
the kind of man he is.

Knowing what kind
of a man he is

doesn't keep me
from hating him.

Only what you have
isn't hate.

It's plain and rotten
envy, my friend.

What happened was,
you just drew a bad hand,

played it wrong,
and came up loser.

And now you're trying
to place the blame
on somebody else.

Only you're not placing it
on the Judge, Dawson,
whatever you think.

You're putting it
right on that girl
down there.

That's the difference
between you and the Judge.

All he's trying to do
is protect Betsy.

She's got to keep believing
the Judge is her father.

Because if she doesn't--

if she finds out you are--

it'll knock her down so bad,
you'll be destroying her.

How can you be so sure?
Did you ever have a child?

You know how a man
and his kid can feel

when they're
the same blood?

You can tell me
how she'll feel

when she knows
she's part of me?

Yeah, I can tell you.

Because if you try it,

you'll find out the Judge
means everything to her

and you mean nothing.

It won't be the Judge
you'll be breaking.

It'll be her,
your own youngster.

Otherwise, if it would
only be the Judge
you'd be hurting,

don't you think
you'd be run off?

**

Jesse.
Yeah?

How long you figure
he's gonna do that?

Do what?

Just sit there.

He's got things
on his mind.

So do I.

You're a boy
with a big itch,
ain't you, Wid?

That's true.

And the why of it is,
I've come too far

just to sit
and stare at him.

Well, why don't you
tell him that?

Frank?

Jesse and me
have been thinkin'.

And what it comes to is...

running fugitive
does something to a man.

Makes him restless.

Like what's happening
to Jesse...and me, too.

You can cut out
any time you want.

You ain't listenin', Frank.

Nobody's cuttin' out,
least of all Jesse and me.

Least of all.

We were talkin' about
being restless.

And when a man is restless,
he's uneasy...

ornery.

And we don't want to be
that way with you, Frank.

We don't, Frank.
Truly, we don't.

Now, what's needed--

Wid's talkin' to you.

I think it's only proper
you listen.

What's needed is for you
to make your move.

In my own time.

You don't seem
to understand, Frank.

You ain't got no time
of your own.

2/3 of it belongs
to Jesse and me.

What do we have to do
to convince you of it?

Now, you said
in a Texas jail

that Garth took what was
rightfully yours.

If you hadn't said it,
we wouldn't have helped you
break out of it.

But you said.

And it seems to me
the Judge sent it
right back at you,

that he'd squared with you
without a fight.

Ask me what I'd do
about it, Frank?

Ask me and I'd
tell you to--

I didn't ask, Wid.

I'd blink an eye,

and you're dead
where you sit, Frank.

Don't you know that?

Don't you know that?

I ain't a stranger
to hate...

or the way a man wants
to see what he hates crawl

and dangle and whimper,

like you're doin'
to Garth.

But I don't ever
put that before money.

Nor does Jesse.

Not ever.

You want to know
somethin', boys?

You're right.

I'm glad
you see it, Frank.

**

I didn't mean
to wake you.

I wasn't sleeping
very hard.

Long ago--
do you remember?

I used to come to
your room to look at you.

You used to pretend
to be asleep.

I remember.

And just as I would
get ready to leave,

you'd call me.

And I'd come back
and...

tell you a story.

And then, one night,
you didn't come hardly ever
after that.

Why?

Oh, I suppose I...

just felt sure of you.

Felt sure nothing was
going to happen to you.

Would you like
to hear a story?

Yes. Yes, I would.

Well...

this is about a man
and a woman.

An old man and old woman

who didn't have
any children.

They lived somewhere
far from here

in some wilderness,
alone.

One day, the old man
went off hunting.

And there, in a clearing
in the woods,

he saw a pool of water
he'd never seen before.

A clear, sparkling pool.

Well, it was a hot day,
and he was thirsty,

so he knelt to it
and drank.

When he'd finished...

he saw his reflection
in the pool,

and he was amazed.

It was the reflection
of a young man.

He had discovered
the Fountain of Youth.

Well, he ran home.

His wife saw him.
She was astonished.

And he told her
what had happened,
where the pool was,

and she went off
right after it...

to drink of the water.

Well, he waited for her.

But she didn't return.

And he went after her.

When he came to the pool,
he saw...

not a young woman...

but a small child.

His wife had drunk
too much of the water.

His heart was broken.

But, although he'd lost
someone he loved...

he loved the child, too.

Because she...
was of this woman.

So, he knelt down...

picked up the child
and carried her home,

cared for her,

protected her...

for as long as he lived.

It's a lovely story.

Daddy?

You're worried about
something, aren't you?

Why do you say that?

Well, it's been
a long time

since you did
what you just did tonight.

You can tell me about it.

What is it?

Well...

just the way of
the world, Betsy.

Suddenly you realize--

But it concerns me.
I know it does.

Does it have anything
to do with White Wing?

One day I'll tell you.

One day when it's...
more over.

But then I wouldn't
have helped.

Well, it isn't
anything important.
I can handle it.

You go to sleep now.

**

Go to sleep.

**

Look.

Where do you suppose
he's goin'?

Better catch up
our horses.

**

Judge?

That man's on my land.
I'm gonna run him off.

And k*ll him
if you have to?

If I have to.

No need to be
in a hurry, Judge.

Look.

**

Stay here.

I was comin' to you,
Frank.

With a g*n?

I tried
to reason with you.

There's nothing
to reason about, Judge.

I came for my daughter.

You know
what that means.

It means we're gonna
have to tell her who I am.

What do you think
that'll do to her?

Make her cry, I guess.

She's a grown girl, Judge.
She's gonna have to know it
sometime soon.

That desert sun
is still in your brain.

If you're saying
I'm doing this out of hate,

you're wrong, Judge.

What other reason
could you have?

You can't love her.

She's my flesh and blood.

And Annie's.

You're a caretaker to her.
I'm her father.

I love her...

in a way that you'll
never know anything about.

You're an escaped
convict, Frank.

The only kind of
life you can have
with that child is...

running.

Canada ain't very far
to run.

I can start
a whole new life there.

And I'm gonna get
my daughter.

You're not gonna
stop me, Judge.

You could have, soon as
I came to White Wing.

Called the sheriff,
had me taken away.

Why didn't you?

We were old friends.

I owed you something.

All right,
then you tell her.

You tell her the kind of
a man her daddy was

before he tried to walk
across a desert with you.

Tell her the love
I had for her mother.

Tell her what
I've been through
to get to her,

how long I waited for her.

Tell her she's
my flesh and blood...

and we'll see whose hand
she takes, Judge.

You'll do that
because you owe it to me.

**

Get Betsy.

You seen Betsy?

No. No, I haven't.

You seen Betsy?

No. Why,
what's the trouble?

Steve!
You seen Betsy?

Yeah, about an hour ago,
maybe less--riding.

Riding where?
North!

Ridin' easy, Steve?

No, she was
ridin' hard. Why?

Hey, Steve said
she was ridin' north.
Where you goin'?

Pick up the Judge
and Dawson.

**

Horse, all right.
Towards White Wing.

Two horsemen
trailin' her.

Wid and Jesse.

Howdy.

Hello.

We were with Mr. Dawson
the other day when you were
talkin' to him.

Come for a look around?

Mm-hmm.

It's kind of spooky,
ain't it?

No, I don't think so.

Neither do I.

This place feels lonely
and beautiful

and quiet.

Quiet isn't spooky
all the time.

No, it isn't.

Why'd you come here?

Well, we kind of
live here...

while we're waiting for
our friend to finish his
business with your Daddy.

You know, I've been
wondering about that.

About what, miss?

And I'll bet
you can tell me, too--

what business
your friend has here.

Cows or land
or something.

No. No, it isn't that.

It's something
about this place.

Well, they'll be
worried about me.

I'd better be
getting back.

You want to know?

You really want to know?

Oh, I could
tell you things.

There's things
I could tell you.

Tell me.

It's about things
that shouldn't be told.

I know some.
For instance?

That my Daddy started
to build this place

and he never finished it.

What else?

That's all I know.

But we both know

it's a might important
place to your Daddy,
don't we?

Yes.

Your daddy ever mention
that name Frank Dawson
to you?

Who is he?

He's a friend
of ours.

FRANK: Jesse!

That's close enough!

If you're lookin' for Betsy,
she's here all right!

Wid!
Yeah, Frank.

Whatever you got in mind,
you'd better forget it.

Leave the child alone
and ride out of here!

I can't do that, Frank.

We've come too far
to go off empty-handed.

I figure this
little girl here
has got a worth.

And for the Judge,
that ought to be
a good amount.

I'll give you
anything you want!

That's good, Judge.
Let's talk about it.

You can't make
a deal with him.

That's my daughter
in there.

I'm gonna get her out
unharmed.

You two wait here.

That's close enough!

Off it, Judge.

Now, drop your g*n belt
and come on in here.

Frank!

It's all right,
it's all right, Betsy.

It's all over, honey.

No...it isn't.

Not over at all.

You all right, Betsy?
Yes.

That's good, 'cause you
had me terrible worried.

Why should you be
worried about me?

All I could think
when you were in there
with them

is that you were
so very young.

And what is due you
is a long time to live.

Ain't no use for pain
that'll happen to you
to soon, Betsy.

Who are you?

A friend of your daddy's.

**

An old friend.