03x06 - Ladykiller

[bunniefuu]

When I first met that girl,
she was skinny enough

to sit on a quarter and
show silver all the way around.

I married her
and she went plum to suet.

I swear, she could get fat
bitin' her fingernails.

Hey, Charlie!
Lookie there!

Grew himself a dent
in the back of his head.

More than a while ago
from the looks of it.

Wonder if his horse
throwed him.

Hey, Charlie!

Same as the other one.

Ain't likely they both
got horse throwed.

Lookie, I'll tell you what...

I'll stay here with 'em,

and I want you to ride
into Stockton

and tell the sheriff
the whole story.

All right?

-Uh-huh.
-All right.

Now, you sure you know
what to tell him?

Sure.

All right.

Hey, Charlie! Charlie!

♪ [theme]

[all clamoring]

Hi, Heath!

Sit down, Glenn,
before you fall down.

Come on,
how about a drink?

I had all of that
I can handle last night.

That, too.

Hey, I saw your foreman
down by the corral.

The Barkleys didn't buy much
at the auction.

Well, we were gonna buy


but all but four
were substandard.

But I thought Nick
was dead set against Hereford.

Jarrod and I
talked him into it.

Mr. Glenn.

Heath, now it's past noon.
We ought to be movin' out.

There's your hang-up.

Come on! Roll 'em! Roll em!

Big ten! Big ten!

-Is he winnin'?
-Mm-hmm.

Well, that could mean
two more days.

Old Nick ain't
gonna quit the game

till he's got all the money,
or none of it.

Dace, you like ham sandwiches?

Yeah. Yeah, why?

It's all yours.

I'll see if I can
pry him loose.

Be good to me!

Time to head for home, Nick.

Home is where the heart is.

Home is also where
they expected us with
some white-faced cattle.

Mm-hmm, the valley's
been without those

potbellied shorthorns
for over a million years.

Another day or two
shouldn't make any difference.

Ha-ha! Seven!

And the money comes
to smiling Nick Barkley!

-[laughs]
-Come on, Nick,
shake loose.

You're all fired trail eager

because you're all cleaned out,
that's all.

Well, I was, and I am.

Well, our foreman,
Mr. Dace Edwards,

is older than
two times ten and a half,

and his pants come
clear down to his ankles.

If he can't roll out
those potbellies by himself,

then we're really in trouble.

We'll see you
back at the ranch.

Nah, nah, nah, you're not gonna
leave me out on that trail

with no one to argue with
but myself, and you know it.

-Stick around.
-What for?

This is for!

-Come on now!
-Dace!

Come on, 200 more!
Let's go!

[bangs table]

[chuckles]
Look at all that money!

Trail expenses.
You move 'em out.

We'll catch up to you later.
Ya hear?

Yeah, I'll see you
in a couple of days.

Uh, Dace, my San Francisco
tobacconist

makes these up
especially for me.

Fifty cents a piece.
Smoke 'me real slow, will ya?

Yeah, thanks.

Well, uh,
I'll spend a night

at Bleeck House
at Newman's Crossing.

See you there, huh?

-Yeah.
-Yeah, Bleeck House.

Have a nice trip.

All right, come on,
come on, come on, come on.

Seven! The devil!

All right!

[laughs]

All right, new sh**ter,
gentlemen.

New sh**ter comin' out,

and he's comin' out
for $800.

Am I covered?
There it is! Come on!

Ten dollars for the sh**ter.

Ten dollars.

All right, dice, come on.
Here it comes. Here it comes.

[yells]

[laughs]

Eleven!
Clean livin' triumphs again!

Yah!

[mooing]

Yah!

[mooing]

Howdy.

Well, afternoon.

You got any vacancies?

How many of you is there?

There's five of us.

Well, fifty cents a head

includes a hot supper
and a hot breakfast.

-Come on.
-Four of us are cows.

-Oh, yeah?
-Yeah.

Is them things all right?

What do you mean?

Their bellies swole up
like they got the vapors.

And their short legs
like they couldn't find
the salt lick.

Horns the length
of your thumb.

Those are Hereford cows.
They're worth $100 a piece.

Anything worth $100
can look any way it wants to.

That's the first critter
I ever seen worth $100
wasn't wearin' spurs.

Mmm! A hundred dollars!

That's right, $100.

What you gonna do with 'em?

Well, I'm gonna interbreed
some fat on some of them
stringy mossyhorns.

That's what I'm gonna do.

You're more like to come out
bacon than beef.

Yeah, well, right now
I'd settle for a bowl of beans.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Uh, that'll be


and a dime each
for your horse and cattle.

That comes to, uh...
a dollar even.

And I'll house 'em,
oat 'em, and curry 'em.

Ah, got nothin' smaller
than a 20?

Afraid not.

Well, that's all right.
You go on down to the house.

My daddy has some change
and then my sister'll sup ya.

You can wash up
in the trough right over there.

Okay.

Glad to have ya.

[hammering]

Do you always have
to use that hammer?

I swear, after the way
your brother and I sl*ve
to get you all that schoolin',

you don't read nothin'
except them fairy tales.

Always thinkin' that
you're a Cinderella princess.

Anything wrong with dreamin'?

No, you just keep
a good tight grip on that dream,

and one of these days
it'll all come true.

We get enough money,

and we build that hotel
up on the north rise...

a big sparklin' white one...

a real showcase.

And kings and emperors
will come from halfway
around the world

to enjoy our hospitality.

And I'll get me
a solid silver nutcracker...

with handles.

Why don't you fetch me
a little taste of whiskey
like a good girl.

[knock at door]

You have to wait.
We've got a guest.

Howdy.

Howdy, ma'am.

Well, howdy, cowboy.

Here, let me take your gear.

You've been swallowin'
a lot of trail dust, have ya?

Well, I chewed enough sand
to make my teeth get short.

Well, sit down, sit down.

I've got somethin' for ya

that'll make your teeth grow
a foot and a half.

Belle, pour the man a drink.

Only charge ya a dime...

'lessen you want
the 20-cent kind.

That's been aged
about an hour longer.

Well, I always go first-class.
Now you take it out of this 20.

Sorry,
it's the smallest I got.

And take a dollar out
for my accommodations.

Well, I reckon
we can find change for this
around here somewhere.

Where you from, Mr., uh...

Edwards.
Dace Edwards.

Originally from Cincinnati.

Comin' out west
to make your fortune?

Yeah, a little idea of mine.

I got them four Hereford cows
out there,

and I'm gonna
start a new breed.

Yeah, I saw you ride in.

Those are eastern-lookin'
cattle, all right.

Hundred dollars a head.

You must've done pretty well
back east to save up $400.

Oh, just a drop in the bucket.

Here you go, cowboy.

Thank you there.

Belle, you take good care
of our friend.

I've got some work to do
out back.

Okay, Pa.

Oh, you care for a refill?

Yes, ma'am. Never did like
to eat much on an empty stomach.

[chuckles]

Pardon me for sayin' this,
ma'am,

but I've been to one circus,
two carnivals,

and eight county fairs,

and you're the prettiest girl
I ever saw.

I bet you said that before.

No, never once, so help me.

Well, I'm just
a simple country girl.

You're liable to turn my head.

[chuckles]
Yeah, I wouldn't do that.

Oh, here, let me.

BELLE:
Oh, I love the smell
of cigar smoke.

It's got a man smell to it.

Well, I get these
made up special
in San Francisco.

Oh.

Virginia tobacco's fine,

but I like mine
a little heavy on the Cuban.

[both laugh]

You know somethin'?

I never knew a man

who was really comfortable
with his boots on.

[chuckles]

Yeah, well, uh, I've had 'em on
for four days now.

They're kinda stuck.
They're kinda growed on like.

Well, here, you just
let me help you with 'em.

You take your other foot
and push.

Well, ma'am, I--

I just can't do this
in all righteousness.
I just can't.

Just lean back and push.

Ma'am...

ma'am...

if I'd known about
this place before,

I'd have been here
a long time ago.
[chuckles]

[chuckles]

[groans]

I hit him a good one.

He's dead.

How much did we get?

Four hundred dollars
worth of cattle,

if he was tellin' the truth.

Bart, you better drive 'em
up the west wash

until we can find a buyer.

I figured he was worth gettin'.
Beside the cows, what we get?

Eighteen dollars
and 80 cents in cash.

All he had on him
was that 20.

Sure he did well back east.

Four hundred dollars,
"a drop in the bucket,"
he said.

Well, we got $18
and 80 cents,

with what we're gonna get
for his gear and cattle--

now that ain't bad
for a half hour's work.

But he fooled us!

Someday
I'm gonna meet a man
with so much money

he doesn't have to lie.

Now don't fret so.

Bart, see if you can
load him into the wagon,

and I'll drop him
in the river.

Belle, you clean the blood
off of the floor.

Aw, now, princess...

when we get enough
to build our hotel
on the north rise,

you're gonna be
up to your neck
in rich men.

The day always seems
to be gettin' further
and further away.

Your biggest problem
is the way you roll the dice.

You use that wrist flip.
It's no good. You don't get
any control.

You gotta push 'em out
with the heel of your hand

and say,
"come on, dice!"

I've been in certain parts
of the country

where they call that
a carpet slide,

and they sh**t you for it.

There it goes again,
that attitude.

-There's nothing wrong with my--
-Your attitude is all wrong!

You think, uh,
you think "wish,"
you don't think "win."

Now, when you roll,
you gotta talk to those dice.

How you expect them to do
what you want 'em to do

if you don't talk to 'em?!

We better rest these horses.

-They're not sweatin'.
-Well, I am.

I never once heard you say,
"Come on, dice.

Make it and I'll get you
some new spots."

Nick, them squares
are made out of ivory.

They can't hear
a word you say.

All right, then how come
I'm a $3,100 winner?

You cheat.

Uh-uh, I play
the winning streak.

Play the winning streak.
You can't win, you can't win.

You can't lose,
you can't lose.

Look over there.
Look over there.

See that little rabbit?
You see him?

-You see him?
-Yeah, I see him.

Now I bet you $10
when I holler,

he's gonna spook
to the right.

All right? Huh?

No, no bet. No.

[yells]

[laughs]

There, see that?

Now, when was the last time
you saved $10 so easy?

That must've been 15
or 20 minutes ago,

when I didn't take that bet

on whether them
stupid bird's nests
had pink eggs or blue eggs.

You wanna camp here?
I got some hooks.

We'll see how lucky you are
with these trout.

Oh, no, no, no,
I can afford a hot meal.

Oh, by the way,
where was that place old Dace
was gonna meet us yesterday?

Bleeck House
up on Newman's Crossing.

Oh, well, why can't we stay
there tonight,

get up and have
a fresh start in the morning?

We're only six hours
from home, Nick.

We'll be there
before midnight.

Tell you what,
we'll flip for it.

Heads we go to Bleeck House,
tails we go on home.

Not a chance.

But I'll bet you
the food is lousy.

Fifty says it isn't!

No bettin'!

[laughs]

You'll never get that bed
clean that way.

You're goin' against the grain.
You gotta go with the grain.

This way, this way, okay?

Looks like somebody
got hurt here.

Uh, no,
we just slaughtered some hogs.

Hogs, huh? Well, how does
a half a dozen pork chops
sound to you?

Sounds great to me.

Oh, uh, well,
we sold off all the pork.

But we got beef stew
for supper,

and for breakfast
we got bacon and beans,

and sleepin's
in the loft,

and the price--


But goin' price
is only a quarter.

There you go thinkin'
small again, Heath.

Here. Here's five.

Well, uh,
I-- I ain't got change for $5.

Oh, that's all right.
You take it.

We just want the best
in the house.

You got it!

Say, what time
did our foreman
leave this mornin'?

Who?

A fella named Dace Edwards.

He was driving
some white-faced cows.

He was supposed to stop here
last night. Did he stop here?

No, there ain't been nobody
around here for days.

Uh, listen, I'm gonna
go down to the house

and get my sister to start
supper for you. All right?

-All right.
-Glad to have you.

What do you suppose
happened to Dace?

Oh, I don't know.
You get those fat cows movin',

-you wouldn't wanna
stop 'em, now would ya?
-I guess not.

All right,
let's get the horses unsaddled
and get to that hot meal, huh?

And one of them's got a roll
of hundred dollar bills

you could stuff
a tall goose with!

And they was askin' about that
fella that was here yesterday?

Yeah,
said he was their foreman.

Huh! He was just a foreman!

You can't trust
nobody nowadays.
What'd you say?

I told him we never seen nobody
fit that description.

Good. Now, you figure
they got 1,500, maybe $2,000?

Oh, more than twice that!

Enough to get us
a real fine hotel.

We gonna get 'em at supper?

Not so fast.

They're young,
and they're wearin'
their g*ns low.

Yeah, and I wanna know
who they are,

where they come from,
and where they're goin'.

We made a mistake
with that foreman.

But, Daddy, all you gotta do
is swing that hammer
just a couple times.

Now, Belle's right.
There's no sense
in courtin' a noose.

Hey, they're comin'!

This could be
the biggest one yet!

It could be the last one
if you ain't careful.

Belle, you feel 'em out.

I'll be in the backroom
gettin' some shut-eye
with both ears open.

Howdy. Come on in.

Just make yourselves at home.
Got the pot boilin'.

Corks out of the whiskey.
Belle, they're paid.

[door shuts]

Well, now...
see what I told you?

Some days
you just can't lose.

Howdy, ma'am.
I'm Heath Barkley.

I'm Nick Barkley.

Oh, sit down,
I'll fix you a drink.

The best in the house,
please.

Are-- Are you
the Stockton Barkleys?

Yes, ma'am.

Oh.

I hope you gentlemen are hungry.

Do you like beef stew?

You make it,
I'll guarantee it.

I, uh...
I-- I'll set the table.

Let me help you.

Uh, it's your move,
Mr. Barkley.

Nick.

It's your move, Nick.

That wasn't a very good move.

You make it hard for a fella
to concentrate.

It's, uh, getting late.
You must be tired, Mr. Barkley.

Nick.

Oh, Nick.

We don't get people like you
by here very often.

Well now,
I don't see why not.

It's a very cozy place.

Cozy? [chuckles]

Well, I guess it's better
than sleeping in the saddle.

That's about all
you can say for it.

Well, now,
I wouldn't say that.

Well, I've seen your house.

You have? When?

When I've been to Stockton.

I sit up there
on that south forty.

Guess I've spent a lot
of hours lookin' at it.

Big white pillars.

We're gonna have a house
like that some day.

All white and sparklin'
like a palace.

Well, when you come by,
be sure to come visit.

I'll, uh...

well, I won't be able
to make up a stew like yours,

but I'll sure
make you up somethin'.

Well, I don't get
to Stockton very often.

Do you get by here very much?

No, no, not ordinarily.

This may prove to be
my favorite route to Fresno.

I hope so.

Oh, it is late.

You said you were gonna
leave before sun up.

I don't need any sleep.

Well, I do.

Next time.

It might be sooner
than you think.

-Heath, come on.
-Hmm?

-Come on, we gotta
go to bed. Come on.
-Fine.

Come on,
we gotta go to sleep.
Get up.

Night.

Good night, Belle.

I got a feelin'
he just might be comin' back.

I hope so.

Daddy.

You let 'em get away.

Those are
Stockton Barkleys, boy.

Too rich, too many friends,

too many folks
expectin' 'em back.

But all that money.

We tempted fate
when we k*lled their foreman.

Besides,
that black-haired one,
he, uh...

he sparked to Belle.

They all do!

We might build this
into somethin' permanent.

A Barkley marryin'
the likes of Belle?

You be quiet!

Sure, princess, sure.

I just get a feelin'
that solid silver nutcracker

is gettin' closer and closer.

Hold up, Heath, hold up.

What's the matter?

I just remembered
I left that r*fle of mine

back at the Bleeck House
in the barn.

Nick, we're over halfway home.

If you have to sh**t anybody,
you can use mine.

Oh, no, no, no, you go on.
I best go back.

Boy, howdy, a $3,100 winner
worryin' about a $20 g*n.

Well, I happen to like that g*n,
and it may get rusty,

a horse may step on it
and break the stock.

All right,
I'll ride back with ya.

You'll need somebody
to argue with.

No, no, no, you go on.

The family,
they might be worried.

Well, I'm sure
Dace's got back

and told them about
that crap game.

Besides,
you might need some help...

with that girl.

You get out of here.

Are you sure?

I saw him with my own eyes.

Jarrod, that's terrible!

Well, the prodigal returns.

High livin' got me down.

And what's so terrible?

They found three more bodies
in the north jetty.

Three more?

That makes nine
in the past two months.

Any identification?

Not unless you wanna count

their skulls being crushed in
like all the others.

We were beginning to worry
about you.

You were supposed
to be here yesterday.

Well, didn't Dace
tell you we'd be late?

-Dace?
-We sent him ahead
with the Hereford.

He isn't here.

Well, he should've
got here yesterday.

Maybe you and Nick
better double-back,

see if he's in any trouble.

Well, Nick isn't with me.

What do you mean?

Well, he left his r*fle
at the place we stayed at
last night

and rode back to get it.

Oh, well, then he'll be here
in a few hours.

Well, not exactly.

You see, he left
a girl there also.

Oh?

Not anything to worry about,
though,

because Nick's ridin'
a winning streak.

But if Dace doesn't show up
in a couple hours,

I'll ride back
and check on him.

-Good.
-What's for lunch?

Howdy.

Told you I'd be back
sooner than you thought.

Well, I didn't
expect you back so soon.

Well, I forgot my r*fle.

A man who sits a horse
the way you do

couldn't ride five feet
without noticing
an empty r*fle boot.

Well, as a matter of fact,
I was just about
all the way home,

and I remembered
I'd stuck in under some hay
in the corner of the barn here.

Eh, many hands
make light work.

Here, I'll get that.

Thank you.

Aren't you afraid
you'll disappoint

a lot of beautiful,
rich young ladies
up in Stockton?

Well, if there were that many
beautiful young ladies
up in Stockton,

I wouldn't have to take
my r*fle out of the boot
in the first place.

Besides, none of them
are as pretty as you.

Mr. Barkley!
Bart, Mr. Barkley is here!

Look, why don't you come on
over here and sit down

and make yourself comfortable.

Pa, Pa, Mr. Barkley
forgot his r*fle.

Why don't you get him
some coffee.

You're gonna be stayin'
the night, Mr. Barkley?

-Well, I--
-Big doin's in town tonight.

There's a barn dance.
Belle, did you tell him
about the barn dance?

Uh, there's a barn dance.

Oh.

Well, I...

Would you do me the honor
of your company?

You can wear your flower dress.
Have you had lunch?

-No--
-Belle, why don't you fix
a picnic basket.

It's kinda warm around here,

and it's nice and cool in that
grove down by the river.

Ain't nothin' too good
for our star boarder
Mr. Barkley.

What did Nick think
of those Herefords?

He finally change his mind?

It took some convincin'.

[chuckles] Well,
they'll grow on him.

Audra, what are you doing?

Put any more sugar in that tea,
you're gonna have to chew it.

Well, nine men
have been m*rder*d.
Aren't you two worried?

-Yes, we are.
-[knock at door]

I'll get it.

Oh, Sheriff,
come in, come in.

Afternoon.

You're just in time for coffee.

Thanks, Victoria.
Hello, everybody.

I'm afraid I've got
some bad news for ya.

We found another body.

It's your foreman
Dace Edwards.

-Oh, no.
-Dace?

-Where?
-The river.

North jetty.
Same place as all the others.

Heath, how much of a head start
did he have on you?

About 12 hours.
We were supposed to catch up
to him at Bleeck House.

-But he never showed up there.
-How do you know that?

Well, we checked there
last night. They hadn't
seen him.

Gonna wire the lawman upstream.
We'll form a posse.

We'll ride with you, sheriff.
Let's go.

What kind of a person
would do a thing like that?

Like it?

Love it.

I mean the picnic lunch.

That, too.

I was talking about your face.

Are you tryin'
to memorize me?

Mm-hmm,
from chin to hairline.

I just--

Well, I just can't get enough
of lookin' at ya is all.

Why?

Oh, I don't know.

I think maybe I'm tryin'
to find something wrong
with ya.

Very difficult.

But you found something?

Mm-hmm,
those blue, blue eyes.

Bet a man could drown
in those blue eyes.

I never thought
anyone would notice.

[both chuckle]

Well, you have a defect, too.

I do? Where?

Your forehead.

Your hair keeps
falling down on it.

Something wrong?

You kissed me
like I was somebody.

You are somebody
to me, Belle,

somebody very special.

Don't talk that way,

and don't feel that way.

Let's just--

Never underestimate
the power of a woman.

Uh-huh, well,
I still say

we should've banged him
over the head during supper!

Son, a chicken
would make you one meal,

or it can lay enough eggs
for a thousand breakfasts.

A sheep will give you
two weeks of mutton,

or you could wear warm shirts
for the rest of your life.

And a cow, that'd be
about five weeks of meat,

or you could have milk
and h*ifers from now on.

Now, what would you want?
Huh?

Would you like chicken,
meat, and mutton

just for a short time,

or would you rather have
eggs and clothes and milk

and meat from now to eternity?

I don't understand all that.

Well, I should've sent you
to school along with
your sister.

But don't you worry.
Your pa will take care of you.

[horses approaching]

Well, they're comin' back.

They've been gone
just about the right
amount of time.

Belle?

Belle?

How did it go?

It was just wonderful, Pa.

-He still got
that money on him?
-Bart.

Daddy, she's got
a funny look to her
I ain't never seen before!

Well, it ain't the kind of look
you're ever like to understand.

Would you mind waitin' outside?
I wanna take a bath.

Well, don't throw the water out
when you're finished.

Bart's gonna use it.

Aw, Daddy, do I have to?

I'd appreciate it.

Yeah, looks like
it's workin' out.

Well, if Belle marries him,
who's gonna do for us?

Oh, we can hire
anybody we want.

Uh-huh.
She'll move in that big house
and grow uppity ways

and have us fetchin'
and totin'.

Oh, no, we got
a saddle on your sister, boy.

Not if she marries money,
we don't.

Wouldn't the Barkley's
be flat out shocked

to learn they got an in-law

that's done the things
that Belle's done?

We gonna be rich, Daddy.

Like havin' a tunnel
to the bank, son,

like havin'
a tunnel to the bank.

What was she like?

Hmm? Who?

The first girl
you were ever in love with.

Oh, that one.

She was a most unusual girl.

Was she like me?

No, very different from you,
very different.

She was?

Mm-hmm, yeah.

She had a darker
complexion,

a little shorter,
a little skinnier.

But, then again,

so are all Paiute Indian girls
at the age of 11.

[chuckles]

Oh, now you're
making fun of me.

I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to pry.

Oh, I just suddenly feel
I need to know everything
about you.

Do you have a middle name?

Mm-hmm.
Nicholas Jonathan Barkley,
ma'am, at your service.

What about you?
Where are you from?

Your father and brother
sound like they're...

oh, up around
Missouri, Kansas way.

Missouri.

Mm-hmm.
Whereabouts in Missouri?

Oh, someplace
you never would've heard of.

Well, try me.

Clay County.

Clay County, Missouri.

Seems I have heard
something about that.

Oh, no,
it's just a little place.

Nothing ever happens there.

Oh, well,
I don't know about that.

You were born there,
weren't you?

All right,
enough about your past.

You have any idea
about your future? Hmm?

Tell me.

Tonight,
right after that barn dance,

when we're all alone,
do you know what I'm gonna do?

No.

Well, I'm gonna buy us
two steaks about an inch thick

and two bottles of wine
at the best restaurant in town.

[both chuckle]

Is this where you're
holdin' the barn dance tonight?

I was.
It's been called off.

And I spent $8
on advertising!

Why'd you have to cancel?

Most of the men
rode out of town on posse.

-Who they lookin' for?
-Somebody around here's

been killin' folks and
throwin' them in the river.

Bunch of bodies wound up
in Joaquin County.

We might as well go home.

Eight, ten people
knocked in the head.

Maybe more.

We can still get home
before dark.

Ain't nobody actual
said lynch yet,

but they sure been
fingerin' their ropes.

Take me home, Nick.

Well, we could still stay
and have a little dinner.

Please?

If there are people around here
doing things like that,

I wanna get back and warn
Daddy and Bart.

Well, all right.

[clicks tongue]
Come on.

This is where
we found the bodies,

and this is where
we'll split up.

Check every house upstream,
both sides of the river.

Penn, Baines,
take the Laughlin place.

The old man and his wife
are over 70,

but check it out anyway.

Dekoven, Herm,
take the Stern's place,

also look in on the Hubbell's.

Next up would be Bleeck House.

Jarrod and I'll take that one.

That covers 20 miles.

By that time,
we ought to be meetin' up
with the Lathrop posse.

All right, let's move out.

Why the Bleeck House?

That's where Nick's
supposed to be.

Don't see any reason why
he shouldn't be ridin'
posse with us.

Seems to me you mentioned
something about a girl.

Yep, can't you see
the color of his face

when we tell him his romance
is just gonna have to wait?

[laughs] Should be something
approaching deep vermilion.

More likely to be purple.

You know, I think Nick's
winning streak is about
to come to an end.

Let's go.

Thanks for understanding, Nick.

I'll take the buckboard
to the barn and unharness.

Pa? Pa?!

-Huh?
-Wake up!

Wake up and listen to me!
Get up.

Now listen to me!
We gotta get away from here.

There's a posse,
and they're talkin' lynch!

Those bodies
we threw in the river
didn't stay underwater.

They found a whole lot of 'em.

How they gonna trace 'em to us?

When they can't trace 'em
any further upstream than this,

they're gonna start
pokin' around here!

There's nothin' to tie us in.

It's bound to narrow down
to us, Bart. Now do you
wanna take that chance?

Hush, hush.
Where's that Barkley fella?

Out in the barn unharnessin'.

What's he gonna think if he
sees us ridin' out like this?

A man hit in the head
with a hammer
don't think nothin'.

And with that money of his,
we can buy us a whole lot
of distance.

Nothin' happens to him!

Oh, Pa, don't you understand?

For a few hours, I had
everything I ever dreamed of--

right here in my hands.

And my hands were clean.

And it wasn't all yesterdays.

It was tomorrows.

Belle...
Belle...

Oh, Pa, why does everything
we touch turn to mud?

He was a nice young fella.

When we move on,
there's gonna be other ones.

Not like this one.

So what are we
supposed to do about him?

He's a loss.

We tap him on the head,
and we send him downstream.

No!

Downstream.

Downstream.

BART: You got an idea?

They found all the bodies
downstream.

What if they was to
find one

with his head bashed in
upstream?

Why, it'd sure take
the curse off of us.

Well, where
we gonna find a body?

In the barn, unharnessin'.

BART: And with a pocket
full of money!

I told you, Pa, no!

No!

Belle, whatever's goin'
between you and Nick Barkley
is past workin'.

Besides, he's got two things
we need very badly right now--

a body and a lot of money.

Oh, Pa,
please find somebody else.

I can't!

He fills our needs
like nobody else can.

And then we can stay here
and build our big hotel.

We ain't ever gonna have
that big hotel!

We won't ever have anything!

Maybe, but it beats
swingin' from the end of a rope.

You just move him
into the right spot
in front of the canvas,

and we won't have to explain
anything to anybody.

We can stay here,
we'll have a lot of money,

and be just as pure
as the morning dew.

I won't do it!

[groans]

You listen to me.

You ain't never disobeyed
your daddy before, and you
ain't gonna start now!

You hear me?
You got no choice!
It's him or us!

He's comin'!
Better listen to Daddy!

I brung us this far,
and I'm gonna take us
all the way.

You just tell them
we rode out to join the posse.

[knock at door]

Let him in, Belle.

Let him in!

Everything all right?

It's fine.

They left a note,
rode out with the posse.

Well, you see?
I told you there was
nothin' to worry about.

I'm, uh...
I'm sorry I ruined our dinner,
our whole evening,

but, well, it's still early.

I could fix you a cup of coffee
and maybe a sandwich,

for cheatin' you
out of your dinner, too.

Here, let me help you.

No, no, sit down over there.
I can do it.

[sighs]

NICK: I didn't realize
how tired I am.

[sighs]

Just lean back there
and relax.

Oh.

Oh, uh...

I was sure
my foreman stopped by here.

He said he was gonna.

Your foreman?

Dace Edwards.

Matter of fact,
I gave him a couple of cigars

before he left Fresno...

cigars made especially for me--
like this one.

Oh, let me see.

Oh, yes.
It's got your name right there.

Oh, you must've
left it here last night.

No, no, no, I'm sure I smoked
all of 'em before I got here.

Oh, you must be very tired.

Uh, why don't you let me
help you off with your boots,

and I'll show you some
real Missouri hospitality.

Missouri. Clay County.

Yes, that does ring a bell.

My brother defended
a bank robber from up that way.

He had a strange defense,
though, he, uh,

said he didn't even know
he had committed a crime.

The only crime that was known
around his parts

was workin' for a livin'.

They taught the children
how to rob and k*ll

rather than read and write,

and all the heroes
the kids had

were men like Jesse James
and the Youngers.

[groans]

[gasps]
Is he dead?

No.

Well, I can take care of that.

No! A shot
might bring the posse!

And they gotta find a body

upstream with
a mashed in head, right?

Let's get the canvas back up
and take him up river.

[horses approaching]

-Is that the posse?
-No, it's just as bad, though.

Heath Barkley
and some other man.

Let's get him in the back.

Belle, you get rid
of them fellas.

Oh, Mr. Barkley.

Afternoon, Belle.

This is my brother Jarrod.

Lookin' for Nick.
Suppose he's out back.

Uh, no, he isn't here.

He did come back at noon
to get his r*fle,

and then he went
right back to Fresno.

Well, he's a forgetful one.
Sorry to bother you.

Pleasure, miss.

I wonder why she lied.

That was Nick's horse
we saw in the pasture.

I don't know.
Let's ride out a ways
and double-back, huh?

Right.

That's Nick.

Let's go.

Hold it right there!

They come back!
In the barn!

Jesse! Bart! Come on out!

-We're happy where we are!
-So are we.

The rest of that posse
is gonna be with us any minute.

Daddy, what we gonna do?

You ever thought
about dyin', son?

Not when I can help it.

Oh, Pa, it's no use.

We ain't gonna quit, Belle!
I ain't never lost a fight yet!

g*n beats hangin'
eight ways from sunday.

You got the guts for it, boy?

I'm ready.
I'm ready!

Nick! Nick, are you all right?

[groans]

Where are they? Huh?

Take it easy.
Take it easy, Nick.

Where's Belle?

She's in the barn.
I'll get her.

I'll get her.

You sure
you're all right?

I said I'll get her.

[g*n c*ck]

Is it over?

It's over.

I wasn't gonna let 'em
hurt you, Nick.

I wasn't gonna let 'em
go through with it.

"Just sit back,
Nick, and relax.

Lean back, Nick."

Don't.

Sorry, Belle.

You did love me, didn't you?

Well, I'm...
I'm not sorry about that.

It's everything else.

Well, you don't have to be.

What do you mean?

I didn't k*ll
any of those people.

I just talked to 'em.

Pa and Bart is the ones
that k*lled 'em.

How many people, Belle?

I don't know, 15, 16.
I don't know.

And you just stood there
and let it go on, huh?

They'll hang me, Nick,
unless you help me get away.

Get away?

Well, there's only two of 'em
out there. Two between us--

Those are my brothers!

Well, you don't see me
sheddin' any tears
over my kinfolk, do you?

Well, I don't work
that way, Belle.

[chuckles]

Just my luck.

First time you ever
feel the sunshine and...

somebody comes along
and throws a bucket
of rainwater in your face.

If those are your brothers
out there,

then they'd let us get away!

There's gotta be someplace
for us, somewhere!

I'm afraid you'd always be
carryin' some dead people
in your hip pocket, Belle.

I wasn't--

I wasn't born 22 years ago.

I was born this afternoon...

in a grove down by the river.

The doctor that delivered me

said that a man could drown
in my eyes.

And then he kissed me.

I never grew up
around nothin' but men folk

who never turned a furrow,

never spent a drop of sweat.

They never did nothin'
by the book.

I even had to sneak away
to go to school.

We lived in nothin'
but old sod houses, caves,

but someday we were
gonna have that big house.

And then everything
was gonna be all right.

Come on, Belle.

They're...
waitin' for us.

Come on, come on.

♪ [theme]