3:10 to Yuma Page #9

...he glances at Mark, then quietly opens his window.

75 EXT. CATTLE TRAIL, SPUR - NIGHT

The group is now following the CATTLE TRAIL up a spur. Stars

light the Heavens above for miles around. It’s beautiful...

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

...but nobody bothers to notice. The lawmen have their eyes

on the hills around. Checking every shadow and shape. While

Wade just looks bored.

His gaze falls on Tucker riding his BLACK HORSE...

...and a smile creases the outlaw’s face. He gives a GENTLE

WHISTLE, almost inaudible. And the his horse abruptly stops.

Tucker digs his heels, but the magnificent horse refuses to

budge until Wade gives another GENTLE WHISTLE. Tucker glares

at Wade and he just does it again...

...and again Wade’s horse stops dead. Tucker fights the horse

but it’s clear Wade has total control. Stopping and starting,

amusing himself.

MCELROY:

Wade.

Wade whistles once more to get the horse going again, then

leaves Tucker alone. There’s a smile under McElroy’s scowl...

WADE:

You really think the Marshal’s plan

is gonna work, Byron. I gotta

confide in you. I don’t.

McElroy says nothing.

WADE (CONT’D)

My crew knows all the back roads to

Fort Huachuca. They’ll catch the

marshal by daybreak.

TUCKER:

What makes you so sure they’ll come

for you, Wade. Why should they.

Wade smiles.

MCELROY:

They’ll be coming. They’re lost

without him. Like a pack of dogs

without a master.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(2)

MCELROY (cont'd)

...Doc Potter is pale with concern.

WADE (CONT’D)

Have another drink, Doc.

DOC POTTER:

I gave that up six years ago. I’m a

changed man now. A righteous man.

WADE:

Trouble the righteous have is being

able to know right from wrong.

Doc Potter stares at Wade, unable to answer.

All of a sudden, McElroy turns to look back at-

A FIGURE following them on horseback about four hundred yards

back along a ridge...

...the rider seems to be following the group. Disappearing

around bends or behind trees, only to reappear on the trail a

few moments later.

McElroy looks to Butterfield who is alarmed.

BUTTERFIELD:

Jesus, no. Not so soon...

Dan looks to McElroy who stops his horse. The group instantly

goes on the alert. Weapons up. Fingers on triggers. The

FIGURE keeps riding towards them.

MCELROY:

Off your horses. Move it.

Everyone obediently does as he says...

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(3)

...Tucker roughly yanks Wade down to the dirt. Doc Potter

helps McElroy. Butterfield gathers the horses by the reins.

Dan, McElroy, and Tucker take up firing positions behind some

rocks and hedges. Eyes on the cattle trail. Weapons ready...

...finally, the LONE FIGURE appears around the bend.

ANGLE ON:
TUCKER as he goes to shoot. Out of nowhere, Dan

clamps a hand down over his rifle.

DAN:

It’s my son...

WADE:

Now is that the quiet one or the

one that doesn’t shut up.

Dan shoots him a look, then approaches William.

DAN:

I told you to stay home.

WILLIAM:

I left home. I’m on my own now.

DAN:

Goddammit, William. This’s no time

for games. You turn around. Now.

Dan gathers his horse. The others respectfully keeping their

distance and riding on with him. Leaving William behind...

...we HOLD ON:
WILLIAM upon his horse, not turning around.

EXT. CATTLE TRAIL, RIDGE - NIGHT

They’re cresting a ridge now. And William’s still following

them a few hundred yards back. Dan brews with frustration...

...not realizing that Wade is riding nearby, watching him.

WADE:

It’s a difficult age. Between the

hay and the grass, my old man used

to say.

DAN:

He’s stubborn.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

WADE:

Well, you can’t plant a radish and

get an onion.

DAN:

Don’t talk to me like you know me,

Wade. We ain’t friends.

WADE:

Only a stubborn man would keep his

family on a dying ranch.

DAN:

...He’s trying to help. He thinks

he’s looking out for his old man.

WADE:

(smiles)

You know why I’m so hard to lock

away, Dan? People like me. Farmers

give me shelter. Cattlemen give me

food. Judges let me off. Jailers

let me out. Law-abiding citizens

out there feels strangled by their

shitty little lives. And me...

(grins)

...well, I’m like the bird that

should never be caged.

Wade glances back at William...

WADE (CONT'D)

Your boy isn’t protecting you. He’s

following me.

...and he rides on. Dan watching him.

EXT. WILLIAM’S CAMP, CATTLE TRAIL - NIGHT

William cooks his supper on a CAMPFIRE later that night. His

horse is unsaddled nearby. He burrows into his HAVERSACK and

pulls out a well-read DIME NOVEL.

INSERT:
THE DIME NOVEL featuring a SILHOUETTED OUTLAW on the

cover. A smoking pistol in each hand. Rain falling in sheets

under the lurid title: “THE OUTLAW’S REVENGE!”

William consumes the pages of the DIME NOVEL with an excited

grin, glancing at a FLICKERING LIGHT on the trail ahead...

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EXT. CAMP #1, CATTLE TRAIL - NIGHT

...it’s the group’s CAMPFIRE. Everyone’s asleep, except for

Wade who’s staring up at the endless blanket of stars and Dan

who’s got the watch.

We see Dan remove the ANTIQUE BROOCH from his pocket, gazing

at it a moment or two. Rubbing it gently with his fingers.

BUTTERFIELD:

...So were you conscripted into

Lincoln’s army, Mr. Evans? Or a

volunteer?

DAN:

Neither. Maybe both.

WADE:

What’s that mean?

DAN:

I was a volunteer in the

Massachusetts State guard. Then, in

‘62, the Federal government was

running low on men so they called

in state militias. To protect

Washington.

WADE:

And you got hurt.

Dan says nothing.

WADE (CONT'D)

What are you doing out here, Dan?

You got a family at home. You’re

not a lawman. You don’t work for

the Railroad. Or Pinkerton.

DAN:

Maybe I don’t like the idea of men

like you on the loose.

WADE:

It’s man’s nature to take what he

wants. That’s how we’re born.

DAN:

Well. I make an honest living.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

WADE:

Maybe honest. But I don’t think

it’s a living. You must be hurting

bad for money if you took this job.

DAN:

Go to sleep.

WADE:

I have to imagine being in debt

puts pressure on a marriage.

DAN:

What would you know about marriage.

We can’t all be cut-throats and

thieves.

WADE:

I know if I was lucky enough to

have a wife like Alice, I’d treat

her a whole lot better than you do,

Dan. I’d feed her better. Buy her

pretty dresses. I wouldn’t make her

work so hard...

(beat)

...yeah, I’ll bet Alice was a real

pretty girl before she married you.

...and Dan just explodes, his RIFLE in Wade’s face.

DAN:

Shut up about my wife. You say one

more word about her and I’ll cut

you down right here. Right here.

WADE:

I like this side of you, Dan.

DOC POTTER (O.S.)

Mister Evans.

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