Blood on the Moon Page #3

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You mean that hired gunman of Riling's?

So I had him pegged right.

Too bad, he was a nice seeming fellow.

Too nice to read that note.

But he did.

Do you think this Garry's a killer?

Joined up with Riling, didn't he?

Get out of here, Amy!

I'll make Riling remember this.

They'll run 'till they're worn out.

Four days to the deadline.

It'll take us a week to round 'em up

and get 'em off the Reservation again.

It's young Barden.

I hope it wouldn't come to this.

Just a month ago me and him

went to a shindig together.

Yeah, he was a nice boy.

Well, what do you want?

It's about your Barden.

He was killed on the raid.

I figured maybe that's what happened

when he didn't come home.

I was with him when he got hit.

Nothing I can do.

It's a big price to pay for

a little bit of graze.

Too bad you had to get mixed up in this fight, Barden.

I joined up with the other small ranchers

'cause I figured their fight was my fight.

We ain't being paid to fight, mister.

I'm sorry about your son, Mr. Barden.

You can believe that if you want to.

Sure. Sure.

I've lived here more than of half my life

with my wife and my son.

She died about four years ago.

And now...

Now he's gone.

Go on in the Hotel, Amy.

I told you to ride on through.

- So you did?

- You're time's up, get started.

- Get out of here, Amy.

- No.

- Go on into the hotel.

- No.

Don't move, Lufton.

Your drift, Shotten.

Get that girl out of there.

I said, drift.

What are we waitin' for?

But this is what Riling wants.

He said so.

That's your horse, Reardan.

Get moving.

I ain't taking orders from you.

All right, Reardan. Any time you want.

Make up your mind.

I won't wait.

You won't be this lucky next time, Lufton.

I don't get it, Garry.

I just don't get it.

You're riding on, aren't you?

I'm glad. Not for us, but for you.

I want to thank you for this.

I want to apologize too, for what I said to you.

Don't let a man's whim fool you.

I haven't.

COMMISSARY:

12 MILES

What do you want, amigo?

Whiskey.

Would you be looking for me?

I ain't looking for anybody, mister.

Is that you, Kris?

I heard about Fred.

I'm sorry, Kris.

I'll make Lufton pay for that.

What good'll that do? Fred's...

Fred's dead.

It'll make me feel better.

Did you come all the way over here to

tell me that?

No. I missed you this morning.

I didn't know you'd be here.

Why are you?

I'm leavin' the country.

But Kris, the fight's almost won.

Lufton's herd is stampeded half way up

the Three Braves.

Who cares?

Hey Jim, where have you been?.

I've searched the country for you.

How'd you find me?

Settlemeir said you took the Commissary road.

I took a chance.

What's up?

Let's have a drink. I've got news.

Give me a glass and a handful of cigars

and then get out.

On the level, Jim.

What are you doing here?

Running out.

Any reason?

Two. Shotten and Reardan.

I never heard of you running away

from a pair like that.

- Well, I. I never did.

- Then why?

They were gonna kill Lufton in cold blood

when I stepped in.

I'm glad you did.

Are you?

Jim, what's eatin' you?

Why we've got more at stake here

than a bag of marbles.

You mean, you have.

Jim, Lufton isn't dead.

He isn't even hurt.

And after that stamped he hasn't got a chance.

- Then why bother about me?

- Because, I need you.

You don't think Lufton'll do

business with me, do you?

No.

No he'd rather lose his herd.

Exactly.

But today you stepped in

and saved his life.

He won't forget that.

So when you ride up with an offer,

he'll take it.

Because he has to.

Why not?

It's, something you wouldn't understand.

Try me.

It starts with your double cross

of a bunch of poor jugheaded homesteaders

and the hiring of gun hands.

It goes on to you making love to man's daughter

to get her to turn against her own father.

And your try for Lufton yesterday...

It goes past that

to the death of Kris Barden's son.

And it winds up right here.

with Reardan waitin' outside to see

if I go with you

or he shoots me in the back.

I've seen dogs that wouldn't claim

you for a son, Tate.

All right, get off.

I said, get off.

Hold it.

Give him time.

Can you make it to your horse?

Get out.

Why'd you do it?

I always wanted to shoot one of you

and he was the handiest.

Get out.

What are you doing here?

I want to see Lufton.

Why you dirty saddle stiff!

Get out of here, quick.

Lufton'll have to run me off.

I don't need orders from him

to cut down on you, Now get out!

What is it?

I'm looking for your father.

- Oh he's...

- Careful Miss Amy.

It don't matter to him where your father is.

It's all right, Ted.

That's a bad cut.

Come inside. I'll fix it.

Sit down.

Tate Riling?

Is he - dead?

No.

I keep remembering what you said yesterday in Sun Dust.

Was this a whim, too?

This business with Riling?

It was a pleasure.

What brings you back?

Gall, for one thing, John.

I got in a little jangle with Riling down at Commissary last night.

I'm through with him.

- Well?

- You may not believe me, Lufton

I want to tell you what you're up against.

Then it's up to you.

I already know what I'm up against.

You don't know that Pindalest aims to

buy your herd, do you?

He rejected it.

He won't reject it when Riling offers it to him.

Sure. Riling and Pindalest planned it together.

Pindalest's part of the deal was to order

you off the Reservation.

Riling was to prime the homesteaders to keep you

out of the Basin.

Do you figure you can round up your stuff

and cross it before the deadline?

- No

- And rather than let the Army take 'em you'd sell and take the loss wouldn't you?

Not to Riling.

But to a stranger like me with cash in his pockets.

That's the deal. I was supposed to make the offer

with Riling's money.

I don't believe it.

No, he's right, Cap.

I'd be a fool not to sell.

Well, I'll drift.

I just thought I'd let you to know.

Jim, wait a minute.

You don't tell a dead man he's dead.

You came here for something else, didn't you?

Well, I did had kind of an idea.

- Might not be what you'll like.

- Let's hear it.

Suppose the deadline was put off for a week.

That would give you time to round up your herd.

- Deadline hasn't been put off.

- It can be.

How?

Pindalest would laugh at me if I asked him to.

He wouldn't laugh at me.

No I'm not hiring a gunman to save my herd

or anything else.

Jim!

Jim, please wait a minute. He didn't understand what you were saying.

Please don't leave until he does.

He understood all right. Now step back.

I'm gonna follow you 'till you turn back.

You'll have a long ride.

I'm header for Texas.

All right.

We better quit this.

- You'll come back with me and give Dad a chance to apologize?

- No.

But you better go. They'll be looking for you.

I won't go unless you got with me.

Well, I'm gonna turn in.

I'm not leaving.

Well you're not staying here.

- Will you go back with me?

- No.

Then I won't go.

- I'll give you one more chance.

- No

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