American Outlaws Page #10

EXT. GALLOWS

Cole, his face swollen from a beating, is marched up the

stairs of the gallows toward the waiting hangman.

LONG SHOT:

of the gallows, detectives and soldiers down the street on

both sides, guns ready. The position is completely

unassailable. Cole is at the platform. His hands are tied in

front of him. The noose is placed on his neck.

BACK TO:

The gallows. Parker leans forward in anticipation. A UNION

LIEUTENANT approaches with the black hood. Cole spits in his

face. The CROWD ROARS. The Lieutenant angrily motions to the

HANGMAN, who grabs the lever --

The drums STOP --

But the drumming doesn't.

The drum corps look at each other, confused. The Army men

and the Pinkertons squint in concentration. There's

definitely some sort of rhythmic DRUMMING, coming closer...

The CROWD, sensing something, easing back from the

gallows...

The drumming gets LOUDER ...

EXT. STREET

REVEAL Fifty-odd CATTLE suddenly STAMPEDING from down the

street, their hooves creating the drumming!

REACTION SHOTS as the Pinkertons and Army men start to

scatter, the cattle surging around them --

EXT. VIEWING STAND

ANGLE ON Parker and Alan Pinkerton running for cover,

Pinkerton half-turned to watch the action.

PINKERTON:

Brilliant...

Pinkerton suddenly spots something confusing. We FOLLOW his

stare to see --

ANGLE ON:

a HORSE in the middle of the cattle, cutting through the

steer, towards the gallows.

THE HANGMAN REACHES FOR THE LEVER AGAIN, BUT JUST AS HE

DOES -

Jesse -- masked -- appears from the side of the horse,

where he's been hanging on Indian-style. He gets a leg up on

the horse's back and LEAPS --

SLAMMING into the Hangman, bringing him down!

The cattle pass the gallows, revealing that the tight ranks

of the Army and Pinkertons are now spread out --

EXT. GENERAL STORE

SMASH! From the nearby GENERAL STORE, the other masked

rescuers CRASH through the big front window on horseback and

ride into the Army men, FIRING AWAY.

TOTAL CHAOS! The Army men and Pinkertons fight towards the

gallows. As Jesse untangles himself from the Hangman, the

Union Lieutenant reaches for the lever but BANG drops as

Frank opens fire.

Frank starts picking off soldiers. The detectives and

remaining soldiers are completely disoriented.

EXT. GALLOWS

Jesse flashes a knife and the noose drops away from Cole's

neck. Facing Cole, he cuts the rope on Cole's wrists --

Cole instantly draws Jesse's guns from his waist holster,

spin-reverses them and SHOOTS two Union soldiers climbing

the stairs behind Jesse's back. Jesse and Cole exchange a

look, then Jesse steps away --

As Bob rides by he TOSSES JESSE'S GUNBELT into the air.

Jesse draws both guns from the belt as it flies by, spins

and starts shooting.

EXT. MAIN STREET

The soldiers have totally broken ranks. One riderless horse

led by Comanche Tom pulls up by the scaffold. Jesse LEAPS ON

and Cole jumps on behind him. Jesse puts the spurs to it and

the horse SURGES into a gap in the crowd.

Allen Pinkerton steps past the panicking troops, squarely

in the path of the charging horse. He draws his gun and

FIRES. The bullet PLOWS into Jesse just as the terrified

horse lurches forward, TRAMPLING Pinkerton.

Cole holds Jesse up and the riders take off down the

street. We see Frank has disappeared from the water tower.

The soldiers fire at the fleeing liberators. One of the

detectives runs over to the injured Alan Pinkerton.

DETECTIVE:

Sir, are you all right?

(shout)

Somebody get a doctor!

EXT. MIMMS HOME - NIGHT

WE SEE one window upstairs with a light on.

INT. BEDROOM

Doc Mimms has just finished bandaging Jesse, who lies

unconscious beneath the sheets. Zee is holding an oil lamp.

ZEE:

He's going to be fine, right Daddy?

DOC MIMMS:

The bullet came out clean, but he

lost a whole lot of blood. Praying

wouldn't hurt.

The SOUND OF HOOFBEATS APPROACHES from outside.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Doc Mimms opens the door. A UNION OFFICER and a squad of

soldiers push in.

OFFICER:

Good evening, sir, we're looking

for a fugitive.

DOC MIMMS:

A fugitive? Who?

OFFICER:

We don't know, but he was very

badly wounded. We're checking all

the houses in the area.

INT. BEDROOM

Zee hears her father protesting, then FOOTSTEPS on the

stairs. Quickly she undresses, grabs a quilt from a chest

and jumps into bed with Jesse. She pulls the quilt up to her

neck, completely hiding him.

At that moment, the Officer barges in. Zee lets out a

little gasp as if startled awake. She covers herself with

the quilt.

ZEE:

Sir! Who are you?

OFFICER:

Oh. Sorry ma'am.

ZEE:

I should hope so.

The Officer EXITS. Zee watches the door for a moment, then

looks down fondly at Jesse.

ZEE (CONT'D)

Jesse, are you awake?

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