[ theme music playing ]
Got enough sand
and grit in my mouth
to start
my own desert.
Come on, I'll buy
you a drink.
A little later, huh?
Howdy.Howdy.
Send a couple of
telegrams.
There you are.
[ telegraph clicking ]
I'll bet a dollar
they're wrong.
You heard about
the three convicts
went over the wall
of the Montana prison
last month?
Mm-hmm.
Been keepin' our wires
busy ever since.
Ain't a day passes
somebody doesn't think
they've got 'em spotted.
Willow Bend this time.
One of them is supposed
to be hiding in a ravine
west of the town.
Hmm. Sendin' for
a cattle buyer, huh?Mm-hmm.
I guess Judge Garth
wasn't hit as hard
by the blizzards
as most outfits.
He lost plenty.
These are rough times.
Four men for every job.
Every freight's
loaded with drifters
lookin' for work
they ain't gonna find.
That'll be $2.60.
Mm-hmm.
[ telegraph clicking
continues ]
[ chuckles ]
It's a good thing you
didn't take that bet.
Willow Bend talking.
It wasn't one of
the outlaws in that
ravine after all.
It was a ranch hand
sleepin' off
a payday drunk.
Heh. A man wakes up
lookin' down all those
g*n barrels,
he might just
take the pledge.
[ laughs ]
I know it's
way up there.
It's never been
this high.
Sure hate to ask you
to keep carryin' me
like this.
It's not only you.
It's pretty near
everybody.
Wait a minute.
For your kids.
Say, Ollie,
the Banner office
is closed up.
You happen to know
where Molly went?
Yeah, Jim Peter's place.
She left a couple
of hours ago.
I need a bottle
of that tonic
the cook's
been using.
Ain't you gonna ask me
what she's doin' over at
Peter's place?
I figured
you'd tell me when
you get around to it.
Let's see...I need--
Oh, yeah,
ten yards of rick-rack.
For Betsy. Blue.
She's makin'
some curtains.
Light blue
or dark blue?
Oh. Same.
I wouldn't say
that's light or dark.
Kind of in the middle.
Well, do the best
you can.
The reason Miss Molly's
not here is,
Jim Peter's wife
had twins last night.
Is that a fact?
First twins in
Medicine Bow's history.
She'd be doin' us
a kindness if she'd
stick to writing
about weddings and births
and barn raisings
instead of
stirring up trouble.
Trouble?
Oh, don't pay
no attention to him.
Closest blue I got.
That ought to do
just fine.
Here, this'll pay
for the cook's tonic.
Put this
on the Judge's bill.
Now, what's this
about Molly stirrin'
up trouble?
Well, you haven't read
this week's paper.
No, I haven't
had time.
Here.
The editorial?Right.
"Time for action.
"m*rder and robbery
have become all too common
"in the past few months.
"For too long,
the citizens of Medicine Bow
"and a dozen other towns
and settlements
"have been content to wait
to the U.S. Marshals
"and the duly elected
sheriffs
"to capture
the band of outlaws
who came out of the badlands
to loot and k*ll."
It's all true,
and it's all been
said before.
No, you quit too soon.
Listen here.
"All we get is excuses
instead of action.
"Our lawmen tell us
there's always more crime
"when things are bad,
"which is small comfort
for the people
"who have seen their
dear ones shot down
and their
life savings vanish."
Now, here's the part
I'm talking about.
"Your editor
has been told
"it would take an army
to hunt down the outlaws
"in their badlands hideout.
"So be it. The Banner
has telegraphed
"the President
of the United States
"requesting that he send
companies or battalions
of troops--
"as many as needed--
to hunt down every k*ller
in the badlands."
Seems like a sound
notion to me.
All you need
to do any job
is enough time
and enough men.
I agree.
If they send the troops,
which I doubt,
how long do you think
it'll take 'em
to get here?
Two weeks.
It'll take 'em
a month.
And what do you think
those outlaws will be
doing in the meantime?
Well, up to now, they've left
Medicine Bow alone.
They hit all around.
They haven't come here yet.
Well, that's like
drawin' aces
every time.
That kind of luck
can't last forever,
you know.
I gotta go, boys.
I'll see you later.
So long.
I still say
it's a mistake
for a woman to
print a newspaper.
It'd be a poor newspaper
that was afraid to fight
for what's right.
The idea is to have
all three glasses
right side up
in three turns?
Right. Turnin'
two at a time.
Two at a time.
All right.
One, two--
One, two--
That didn't
take you long.
Go ahead.
Didn't have much
to do. Thanks.
Danny, you got some paper
and a pencil?
Sure.
One, two, three.
That drink's on me.
I said thanks.
Actually, it's more
like a bribe.
In case you got some
nice, easy jobs comin' up.
Pick up the telegrams
from the morning
before you start home.
And give this
to Molly, will you?
Why don't you give it
to her yourself?
She's out
at Peter's place.
Won't be back
till after 6:00.
I can tell you
what it says right now.
"Dear Molly...
"I'll be around
with a fresh shirt,
"fresh haircut,
come Saturday night,
to pick you up
to the box dinner
and the dance."
See that she gets it.
Now try it.
The buckskin
that dude's ridin'
is a Box E horse--
a New Mexico brand.
First I've ever seen
in these parts.
Molly?
Molly?
You're not gonna
help her now, Doc.
That's 500 head.
Not prime,
but better than most.
If we get a fair price,
I think we should be
in pretty fair shape.
Hmm. We ought to start
drifting the main herd
up into the hills,
save the valley grass.
I'll get the boys
started on it.
Wait a minute.
Don't be in
such a hurry.
Sit down.
Are you going into town
Saturday night?
I'd planned to, yeah.
Well, I'm not
surprised.
You have missed
a dance or a social
or a box supper
since the snow melted.
You know,
a married foreman rates
a house of his own.
It takes time to build,
so I thought I'd better
ask if I should start
ordering the material.
Maybe I'd better
ask the lady first.
You do that.
I expect you'll find
she's already got
the furniture
and the curtain
material picked out.
[ horses approaching ]
Mark...what's
the trouble?
There's no easy way
to say it.
Molly's dead.
ABBOTT: The outlaws
must've seen the papers
or heard about
what she was up to.
Four of them rode
into town last night
and emptied their g*ns
into the Banner office.
We followed them
as far as we could.
We lost their trail
in a gravel wash.
We had to wait
till daylight to
start out again.
Then we found
they'd doubled back.
They must've passed
this way about dawn
and headed
for the badlands.
We could use
some fresh horses
and extra rations.
Of course.
Give him
a few minutes alone.
There wasn't anything
anybody could do for her.
It was all...
over so fast.
Two men saw them
ride in, but...
nobody was around
when it happened.
Not a soul.
And I gotta
tell you this.
I was in a poker game.
And I didn't see
Molly ride in.
Here's the note.
You, um--
You know
how we all feel.
Yeah.
I can understand why
you want to go, but--
Remember, this isn't
a one-man mission.
You're riding
with a posse.
And it's the posse's job
to find those man
and bring them back
for trial.
Yeah.
You'll sleep better
afterwards
if you do it that way.
I'll worry about sleep
when we catch up to 'em.
I know you're
in no mood to listen,
and I can't blame you.
But no matter what
the provocation--
I'll think about it.
Six, seven hours old.
About the time
they gained
while we waited
for daylight.
Yeah.
Same old story.
They leave a trail
a baby could follow
clear up to the edge
of the badlands.
Then they just seem
to disappear.
[ spits ] Blech!
That bad?
If it didn't pour,
I'd call it solid alkali.
We can't go much
farther without
decent water.
It's better than nothin'.
Couldn't miss
one of 'em.
He was a big dude
in fancy clothes,
shiny black boots.
Looked like
a real dude.
He was riding
a buckskin with
a Box E brand.
That's
a New Mexico brand.
The reason I know--
I'm from New Mexico.
Seein' that brand
was like seein'
an old friend
from back home.
At least, that's what
I thought at the time.
How were
the other three dressed?
Like cowhands.
One of them had his hat
rolled real tight,
and another one had on
a bright green shirt.
And a scar on his face
right below the eye.
What about the last one?
I don't remember
too much about him.
Best I remember,
though,
he had on
a buckskin vest,
fancy tassels.
I didn't get a look
at his face.
Time to ride.
Brent might've seen
something I missed.
Why don't you
talk to him?
Already have.
All right, boys,
mount up.
[ coughs ]
Not much muscle
left in coffee grounds
that have been used
five times over.
Since we hit
the badlands,
we've trailed
them east, north,
and southwest.
Heh.
They led us in a circle,
or near about.
How far do you figure
we've come?
80 miles maybe.
More like 100.
No, it's less than that.
Three days
in a saddle--
sun up
till fall down,
and only 80 miles?
You've got
to be wrong.
We lost a lot of time
tracking, don't forget.
Those outlaws came
into Medicine Bow--
they were fresh
and clean.
Clothes were clean
and no whiskers.
They hadn't been
riding for three days.
Even a rabbit knows better
than to lead the hound
straight to his hole.
That's just what
I'm gettin' at.
Bad water,
short rations.
We go on any longer,
we won't have enough
grub to get home on.
Well, I got another hole
or two in my belt,
and I drunk
bad water before.
We all have.
Yeah, I know that.
It's not just
a matter of the food
or the drink.
Some of us around here
have got women and kids
and stock
to worry about.
I know that, too.
What it boils
down to is...
how much longer do you
figure to go on?
Noon tomorrow.
If we haven't sighted
the outlaws...
or found
their camp by noon,
we turn back.
ABBOTT: Nothin'.
Not even a dust devil.
Well, this is
as far as we go.
All right, boys!
I'm as sorry as you are.
No need
to be sorry, Mark.
You tried.
Makes sense--
what Mark said.
I didn't argue
with him, did I?
Even if the men
wanted to keep on,
the horses couldn't.
I know it.
But he will.
You're goin' on
anyway, huh?
Yeah.
Well, let's get goin'.
No.
What do you mean, no?
We're friends, aren't we?
You find that camp,
you're gonna need
another g*n.
How much water you got?
A couple pints.Let's see it.
All right, half a pint.
That's what I thought.
The rest of the men
have got even less.
Just enough
to get you back to
the alkali spring.
I've been saving mine.
How much food you got?
I can get by
on rabbit track soup.
I did it before.
Food's not
too important,
but water is.
I got a canteen
nearly full.
It'll take one man
a long way.
It'll take two men
just half as far.
Well, you could--
Nobody I'd rather
have along, Steve.
Can't afford a thirsty guy
like me, huh?
Be lucky.
I'll try.
STEVE:
No easy way to tell you.
Molly's dead.
Stay here.
Whoa.
STRAM:
And another one had on
a bright green shirt.
And a scar on his face
right below the eye.
Drop your g*n.
Now your belt.
Listen close,
'cause I'm only
gonna say this once.
We're goin' down below.
Walk where I tell you,
when I tell you,
or you won't live
to get there.
Get back.
Let's go.
Found him
up on the ridge.
Who is he?
He didn't say.
Get the saddle bags
and blanket roll,
take his horse
to the corral.
You want me
to unsaddle him?
Yeah. You do that,
Moose.
Don't give him
too much water.
Not all at once.
Don't worry.
Moose ain't much
with people.
But he sure don't make
any mistakes with horses.
With your horse that dry,
maybe you could use
a drink yourself.
What's your name
and what are you
doin' here?
Stand easy.
Hold it!
Come on. Up.
Where do you
come from?
Montana.
Where are you going?
South.
Who's chasin' you?
Nobody.
Not for the last
few days.
[ laughs ]
Takes one to smell one.
You're out of Deer Lodge.
That's right.
Name's Harris.
Pete Harris.
Yes, Deer Lodge--
the home of
the Iron Hotel.
How'd you get
over the wall?
I had some help.
The Montana prison's
in Deer Lodge.
They had a breakout
about a month ago.
One of the names
was Pete Harris.
I don't remember
the others.
Fred Troy
and Bill Simmons.
What happened to them?
Got split up.
An escaped con, huh?
How much would they pay
for your hide?
I didn't stop
to ask.
$200 is the Montana price
for escaped convicts.
That's on the hoof.
Every one of you here
is worth at least
twice that.
Dead or alive.
Why'd you come here?
There aren't too many
places for a man
on the run to go to.
I heard about
a bunch of outlaws
workin' out of
the badlands and
gettin' fat at it.
Thought maybe you could
use another hand.
There's only one man
can give you the answer
on that.
He isn't here now.
Clean socks.
Now, how'd a man
on the run
ever get clean socks?
Clotheslines in
every town, friend.
A man walks out
the big front gate,
they give him $5
and a new suit.
But when you go over
the wall, you go with
your pockets empty.
You got a fine horse,
a good saddle,
carbine, six-g*n.
Three boxes of shells.
I've been on the road
four weeks.
I met people
here and there.
You're here and there
pretty good, friend.
How'd you find us?
I went lookin' for you,
and kept on lookin'.
I was out of water
and about to give up
when I spotted some
cottonwood sprouts
on the other side
of the hill.
Knew there had to be
water around here
somewhere.
Underground water.
None over on
my side of the hill,
so I figured it had
to be over here.
If you're wondering why
I didn't speak right up--
a man likes to be sure.
He's right.
We ain't very friendly
till we know
who we're talkin' to.
I could use some more
of that water.
Try some stew.
At least it's filling.
Eat hearty.
We may be goin' out
when the boss gets here.
Where do you
want these?
Other side of the tent.
You're a handy man
to have around.
That's what happens
when you're behind
the wall.
Nothin' seems
like hard work.
Well, I wouldn't know
about that.
You never made
the rock pile?
Nope.
Boss comin' in!
Well, you'll know
where you stand
pretty soon now.
They got you workin'
for your keep, huh?
After Deer Lodge,
it's all downhill.
Well, I'll put in
a good word for you
with the Colonel.
Colonel?Calhoun.
He's the boss
of this outfit.
He listens to me
a lot.
Much obliged.
The other fella may be
faster with a g*n,
but I got it up here.
Calhoun knows that.
Harris.
Harris!
You deaf or something?
Just busy. Why?
A friend of yours
just rode in
with the boss.
Didn't know I had
a friend in this part
of the world.
Who is it?
Guy you went over
the wall with.
Him and the boss
want to say hello.
Sure.
Pour yourself a cup.
Me, too.
Didn't have to mark
the calendar in that prison.
They gave you a new scar
for every day you were there.
They tell me
it's one of the worst.
The guards
got their exercise
by beating you.
The food?
Fed their hounds
better than they did us.
I'll take a b*llet
before I go back there.
Pete Harris!
Never thought
I'd see you again.
I thought
they cut you down at
White River Crossing.
I was--
I was lucky.
We'd have never
made it over the wall
without old Pete.
He'll do to take along
any time, any place.
My name's Calhoun.
How'd you find
this place?
It wasn't easy.
Took a long time
and a fair amount
of luck.
Your luck started
when you weren't shot
after you found it.
Well, I'm here.
Why?
I was hoping
I could ride with you.
No, I'm sorry.
With Troy here,
I've got all the men
I can use.
You can stay till it's
safe for you to ride out.
Well, I won't
get too far
without my g*n.
You can have that back
when you leave.
All right.
You're sure you can't
use another man?
No, I like to keep
my crew small,
just enough
to do the job.
Makes the shares bigger.
By the way, what happened
to the third man?
What was his name?
Simmons.Simmons.
Oh, yeah. Bill Simmons.
What happened to him?
We got split up
after that trouble
Troy mentioned.
The three of us went
three different ways.
I haven't
seen Bill since.
Have you, Fred?
No. Lucky any of us
got out of there.
I like to have lucky men
riding with me, Troy.
Some of us make our
own luck, you know.
Troy here is a specialist.
What's your specialty?
Stayin' alive.
See you later, Harris.
Good enough.
Glad you made it, boy.
That Moose
is a wonder.
He can ruin the
best piece of meat
a man ever saw.
Maybe you'd better
have a little bite of
the fool k*ller.
It'll make anything
taste good.
Heh.
Drink up,
pass it around.
Been a long time.
Thanks, boss.
CALHOUN: Professor?
I was just, uh...
testing my willpower.
Moose?
How many jobs
have you ridden on?
Uh...
Eleven.
[ laughs ]
That's right, eleven.
Your numbering's
gettin' better, Moose.
Most of us
have been together
for about a year now.
11 jobs.
Some of them good,
some of them fair.
We haven't lost
a man yet.
I promised you
that military methods--
thorough reconnaissance,
careful planning,
attention to detail--
would pay off.
And it has.
But everything that has
happened up to now
has been training for
what's gonna happen next.
We just finished
another reconnaissance.
We've got a big job
ahead of us.
The biggest yet.
And this'll be
our last job.
After this one,
we scatter--
each man with
enough gold
to take him wherever
he wants to go.
Like, uh...
Kansas City?
Oh, we might even go
further than that, Professor.
Like Paris or London
or Madrid, huh?
I understand they have
some very fine wines
in Madrid, Professor.
Very cheap, too.
What kind of a job
is gonna get us
that kind of money?
A very simple job.
Washington is sending gold
into the territory
to bolster the banks,
make it easy for cattle men
to get along.
The gold shipment
is coming by rail
on a regular
passenger run.
There'll be troops
with a big shipment
like that.
That's right, two carloads.
A full company of infantry.
How are we gonna
handle a company
of infantry?
That train
crosses seven bridges
in the area I scouted.
Four of those bridges
are 100 feet high
and over 300 feet long.
Mr. Troy over here is gonna
blow one of them up.
How can you separate
the car carrying the gold
from the rest
of the train?
We can't, Professor.
You're gonna put
the whole train
into one of them canyons?
Exactly.
Soldiers get paid
to take chances.
But there'll be
women, kids.
One of the first rules
of w*r, Professor,
is don't let the need
to inflict casualties
stand in the way
of a successful operation.
100 feet.
Those cars will be
smashed to kindling.
I don't like it.
You rob a bank,
all you have chasing you
is a sheriff and some men
he rounds up for a posse.
But this one--
we'll have the Army
and the U.S. Marshals
after us.
By the time
they find this camp,
we'll be long gone.
Soldiers don't
scare me none.
They'll run out of water
and quit just like
the posses.
The U.S. Marshals
won't quit.
I forgot, you had
a little experience
with them, haven't you?
Only one. But he was
more than enough.
I robbed a post office
when I was 18.
The Marshal chased me
all through Texas
and halfway to Canada.
It took him three years,
but he caught up with me.
You don't have to
go on this one, Professor.
Oh, I'll go.
I was just pointing out
it might be tougher
than you thought.
In other words,
you don't like my plan.
I--I like it fine.
Just fine.
Peters, Wilson--
You and Saunders ride out
of here in the morning
with the dynamite.
I'll give you a map later
to show you where
to catch it.
Close enough to the area
so we won't have to
waste time gettin' to it.
That's all you need
to know for now.
Moose, how is
that lousy meat coming?
Good, boss.
If you like it burned.
I'll lend you a hand.
Good.
You're not Pete Harris.
That makes us even.
You're not Fred Troy.
I came within an inch
of saying
I'd never seen you
before in my life.
Why didn't you?
'Cause I remembered
hearing about
a fool cowhand
who didn't turn back
with Abbott's posse.
My saying I knew you
ties us together.
You make one mistake,
you can get us
both k*lled.
Somebody's behind us.
Yeah.
Remember Lefty Parker
and how bad he wanted
to come with us?
That was funny.
Yeah, I felt sorry
for him.
But...just couldn't
take him along.
Too risky.
He was so scared,
his hands would've been
shaking so bad,
he couldn't hold on
to the rope.
Whitey wanted
to go with us, too.
He's gone.
Who was it?I don't know.
Well, you know
how I got here.
What's your story?
Fred Troy was k*lled
at White River.
Kept it a secret
so I could assume
his identity.
I contacted Calhoun
through an informer.
You a U.S. Marshal?
Yeah.
I get paid
for doing this.
What are you
getting out of it
besides a chance to be
shot in the back?
Four of this bunch
k*lled a friend of mine.
All your friends
mean that much to you?
This one did.
You're going to talk to
Calhoun in the morning.
You tell him you figure
it's safe to be
heading south.
After what I've heard?
No chance of him
lettin' me go,
and you know it.
You forget--
you're a wanted man
running for the border.
You're not gonna be
talkin' to any law.
I've got unfinished
business here.
That more important
than those 200 people
on that train?
I'll take care of your
unfinished business.
You warn
the Marshal's office,
the railroad,
and head back here
with a posse.
Well...
Still testing
your willpower?
This is the first drink
I've had since--
I believe you.
It's just that you're
no good to me anymore...
'cause that won't be
your last.
It will.
I give you my word.
I just felt like a...
little nip.
You just felt
like a little nip
because you're scared
of this job.
The scareder you get,
the more you'll drink.
And that poses
a little problem for me.
Please.
Please give me
another chance.
When I put that bottle
where you could
get your hands on it,
you had your other chance.
[ g*nsh*t ]
Come on in.
Good morning.Morning.
What can I do for you?
Well, I wanted
to say thanks
for the grub
and the water.
Guess it's time
I was movin' on.
What's your hurry?
I got friends
down in Juarez.
As long as
I can't hook up
with your outfit--
You're in luck.
Just so happens
I have an opening.
The Professor had
an accident last night.
He, uh...he got drunk
and shot himself.
After this job,
you won't have to hide out
in places like Juarez.
Good enough.
Could use my g*n back.
You'll have it
when you need it.
All right.
Got a bum shoe?
I think he's got
something under it.
Seems to be
favoring this leg.
Didn't work.
Calhoun cut me in
on the deal instead.
He say why?
Seems the Professor
had a little accident
last night.
He needs another man.
I talked with Calhoun
for two days
on the way here
about the prison.
What I didn't know,
I made up.
If you're
gonna be around,
you'd better have
the same answers.
Then you'd better
start filling me in.
Warden's name is McCall.
The Chief Guard is Kirk.
Bull-whip Kirk,
they called him.
We broke out on
the night of the 27th.
Here he comes.
Yeah, Moose
is not the best cook
in the world,
but it beats anything
we had at Deer Lodge.
CALHOUN: What's that
about Deer Lodge?
I just said the grub
beats Deer Lodge.
That's for sure.
About the best
you can say for it.
It won't be
much longer now.
Movin' out?Pretty soon.
I was busy
when we talked
just a few minutes ago,
Harris, but I got to
thinking--
I like to know more
about the men
who ride with me.
I found out
something about you
on the way out here.
Outside of the fact
that Troy thinks
you're pretty good,
you're just
a name to me.
Mm-hmm. What do you
want to know?
A man doesn't just
become an outlaw
for no reason.
I'm always curious
about how it first
got started.
A rancher went broke
owing me six months' pay.
Four days later,
I saw him driving
down the road...
diamond rings
on his fingers.
Brand-new buggy.
Matched pair
of buckskins.
So you
k*lled him, huh?
As it turned out,
the diamonds were glass,
the rig was rented.
He was putting up a front.
Trying to get a loan.
Hmm.
That's when
you met Troy here--
after they caught you
and put you in prison.
Mm-hmm.
Troy was telling me
something about
Deer Lodge.
That McGregor--
he must've been
a mean one, huh?
You must mean McCall--
Warden McCall.
That's right--McCall.
Yeah.
If he died in all
the different ways
the men prayed he would,
he would've been
a thousand years
gettin' it done.
He wasn't
as bad as Kirk.
That's Kirk--
Bull-whip Kirk--
Chief Guard.
Kind of living for the day
I meet him again.
Outside the wall.
Seems to me your problem
is a quick temper
and a quick g*n.
I never thought about it
as being a problem.
Oh, it is.
It's a problem.
Otherwise,
you wouldn't be here.
Take a look around you.
Each one of them
has something that meant
he couldn't live
by the rules.
What would you say
about O'Dell over there?
I don't know.
What about him?
He's easy.
He started stealing
because he was
too lazy to do
an honest day's work.
Moose here's
just stupid.
Give him a pat
on the head and
a place to sleep,
and he'll do anything
you tell him to do.
If he doesn't have
somebody to tell him,
he's lost.
What about Horn?
He looks just
plain mean to me.
You're right about him.
He is just plain mean.
Horn was raised
an outlaw.
His daddy
and his granddaddy
were both hung.
Denver's troubles
all come in skirts.
The Professor's
all come in--
I beg your pardon.
Came in bottles.
The Professor used to
fancy himself a gambler,
till he got drunk
one night and tried
to cheat.
Then he took a b*llet
in the wrist,
and that ended
his gambling career.
As for the rest of 'em--
What about you, Calhoun?
What did you say?
You like to know
something about
the men you ride with.
So do I.
I heard a lot of big talk
and big plans.
I also heard better
from men doing life
behind the wall.
Now, you--
You speak
your mind right out,
don't you, boy?
Mm-hmm.
[ laughs ]
Well, all right.
What do you want
to know?
You said everyone here
had a problem
of some kind.
You didn't tell us
what yours was.
My problem wasn't mine,
it was the Army's.
Would it surprise
you to know that I was
a colonel
commanding
a full battalion
in the field?
No, not a bit.
How did a colonel's
command dwindle
to a handful of misfits?
I'll tell you how.
Because the Army is run
by stupid, incompetent men.
Men who don't realize
that the commanding
officer in the field
must maintain discipline,
no matter--
At least my 15 years
in the service
weren't wasted.
I'm simply applying
the experience to
another field.
From what I hear,
you've done all right.
That's right, I have.
See you later,
gentlemen.
Don't push him
too hard.
He's like a clock
that's been wound
too much.
The spring
might snap.
I figure the Army
knew what it was doing
when it got rid of him.
I seen you talkin'
to Troy and Harris.
Yeah?
The funny thing
about Troy--
he's wearing
Texas boots.
I keep wondering how
he got Texas boots
in Montana.
Probably the same way
you got that horse
you ride--
from somebody else.
Tell the men I want to
see them after chow,
go over the final plans.
Thorough reconnaissance,
careful planning,
meticulous attention
to detail.
We have all the facts
we need now
except the date the gold
shipment moves by rail.
I expect the word on that
at almost any moment.
Then we can get down
to individual assignments.
Denver, Harris--
9 1/2 miles east
of Dennison,
the rails move through
a cut in the rock here.
Just beyond that cut here
is the longest bridge
and the deepest canyon
in the whole area.
You two will be concerned
with the telegraph wire.
Won't take two of us
to cut that wire.
You climb the pole,
cut the wire,
and call it good.
That's just exactly
the kind of thing
that puts people
like you in jail.
How would you handle it?
Oh, I'd, uh...
cut it eight or
ten times, I guess.
That's just
more of the same.
Cutting it
won't be enough.
I want at least
a quarter mile of that wire
stripped from the poles,
rolled and hidden.
The repair crews
won't have anywhere near
that much wire.
They'll have to
go back for more,
and that'll give us
the extra time we need.
You should start
pulling the wire
a half hour before
the train is due.
You should be finished
by the time it reaches
the rock cut.
Moose, O'Dell--
you'll perform the same
function at the other end
of the bridge.
Troy, you'll find
the dynamite cached
near the bridge.
You'll mine it
at both ends.
It will go off
when the train
is in the middle.
As soon as that happens,
I want both wire teams
to move in
from opposite sides of
the canyon with r*fles.
They'll see
that no survivors
from the train wreck--
if there are any--
get out of the canyon.
You'll maintain
your positions and
your covering fire
until my party
has cleaned out
the baggage car
and we're at least
a half mile away from
the train wreck.
Is that understood?
All right. I'm gonna
lose a map on the tracks
that shows the location
of a hideout
about 40 miles
from this camp.
An extra precaution,
buying time I don't think
we'll need.
Any questions?
Are we coming back here
after the job's finished?
Mm-hmm. We'll have to
pick up supplies
and divide the gold
before we split up.
Now I'm gonna show you
your exact positions.
I want each man
to know exactly what
he's going to do.
Once we get started,
there'll be no time
to ask questions.
Troy, you've
blown safes.
You think you'll
have any trouble
with a bridge?
No, just more of
the same.
How long do you think
it'll take you to
plant the charges?
It's hard to say.Roughly.
Two, maybe three hours.
It's be easier to say
if I knew how it was
put together.
You think you ought to
go ahead and scout it?
Might not be
a bad idea.
All right, you'll
leave in the morning.
Horn will see that you
have arms, ammunition,
and supplies.
How about Harris
going with me, in case
we run into trouble?
We work well together.
No. One man could be
a dr*fter looking for
a job and a handout.
Two men might
draw attention.
Anything you say.
I'd like to study this
for a minute.
Yeah, sure thing.
You in the habit
of wearing jewelry?
What?
Those holes
in your vest--
they look like
they were put
in there by a pin.
Don't think I've
ever seen anything
like that before.
You haven't seen
many sheriffs.
The one I stole this from
was just my size.
Fit me better than
the prison clothes
I was wearing.
I often wished
I could've seen his face
when he woke up
and found it gone. Heh.
Stealing from a sheriff.
That's pretty good.
All right, that's all.
Close one.Yeah.
Think you got
everything covered,
then you find out
you're not as smart
as you thought you were.
Good luck, tomorrow.
I've used up
a lot of it already.
Well, what's
troubling you?
You buy his story?
I don't know.
If he's lying,
Harris is in it, too.
Or he could've been
planning it in the prison
and fooled Harris.
Why take chances?
We can do the job
without them.
Oh, no.
No, he's on the level.
I need a man who can
handle expl*sives.
I can use Harris, too.
If he's not,
we'll find out.
When?Tomorrow.
You can unsaddle.
The boss changed his mind
about sending you on ahead.
He said last night--
That was last night.
Stick around.
So, you accepted Troy
as a convicted bank robber
because he was locked
in the cell next to yours.
Seemed like
a good enough reason.
It never occurred to you
he might be a Marshal
planted in the prison?
No.
Did you tell him?I told him.
How'd he react?
He didn't like it.
If he is
what he says he is,
he has no reason
to want anything
except to follow orders
and get rich.
On the other hand,
if he's a Marshal,
he naturally wants
to inform the sheriffs,
the railroad, and the Army.
Let Mr. Troy show us
just exactly what he is.
There's a horse loose
down the valley,
near the trail going out.
He's not only loose,
but he's saddled
and he's ready to ride.
I'll arrange to send Troy
down there on an errand.
You'll be in the rocks
above him.
If he tries to ride out,
you sh**t him.
Who are you testing?
Me or Troy?
[ laughs ]
Three shells, huh?
For a good shot,
that's more than enough.
Take him
down the trail.
After all, Harris...
if Troy is a Marshal,
he's fooled you, too.
Right here.
Just keep your eye
on that horse.
You can load
the r*fle now.
Here he comes.
If he tries to ride out,
you k*ll him.
If you don't,
I k*ll you.
I didn't hear Calhoun
say anything about that.
You're hearing me.
You runnin' things now?
This part of it.
Just keep watching.
Get ready.
Here he goes.
That satisfy you?
Just wait till
he passes the trail.
You hope he'll make
a break, don't you?
Can I stop
watching him now?
Give me that r*fle.
You're a hard
loser, Horn.
Found him down at
the other end.
All right, hold it.
I'm Ben Dixon.
Calhoun's expecting me.
I know it.
You carrying a g*n?
No.
Go ahead.
Rider comin'!
Man comin' in!
Who's that?
That's the man
I've been waitin' for.
He's gonna tell me
what train that
gold shipment's on.
Hello, Dixon.
Some place
you got here.
Almost rode
right by it.
You got the word?
That's why
I'm here.
What's he doing here?
Why? You know him?
I ought to.
He sent me to jail
five years ago.
Moose, grab him!
Harris?
Wait here. He can't
get far on foot.
Harris is on
the other side! Come on!
[ g*nshots ]
Fan out.
[ g*nsh*t ]
Whew.
[ g*nsh*t ]
Just you and me
now, Calhoun.
Why don't you give up?
Who are you?
What do you want from me?
Remember the newspaper
office in Medicine Bow?
The one you shot up?Yeah.
There was a woman inside.
Now, I didn't know
about that.
I swear I didn't.
No. You didn't wait
to find out.
You just blasted away.
You're the last one
left, Calhoun.
Come out with your hands up
and I'll take you back.
Maybe you could
convince a jury it was
all a big mistake.
Why don't you just
come on down here and...
get me, boy?
I might just do that.
[ clicking ]
[ laughs ]
Well, now, it sounds
like you spoke a little
too soon, doesn't it?
All right, I'm--
I'm gonna teach you
a little lesson
before I k*ll you.
You're gonna feel
every b*llet,
one at a time.
And I'm not
gonna k*ll you
until the last one.
You're gonna have time
to feel sorry...
for every breath
you ever drew, boy.
Right here!
The men who k*lled Molly
are dead.
I told the sheriff
where to round up
the rest of the outlaws.
Any questions?
No.
Just glad you're back.
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02x11 - The Fatal Journey
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The series was loosely based on The Virginian: Horseman of the Plains, a 1902 Western novel by Owen Wister that Hollywood had previously adapted for movies.
The series was loosely based on The Virginian: Horseman of the Plains, a 1902 Western novel by Owen Wister that Hollywood had previously adapted for movies.