Broken Lance

---

Little heavier in the shoulders?

That's from slinging that

ten pounds sledge.

They all get it.

It's all there.

Do you mind if I look?

It's just that.

I don't know.

I keep my eye on all

that stuff myself.

Deveraux!

Let's go.

Where?

The Governor wants to see you.

I don't want to see him.

I'm thorough here.

- Let's go, partner.

Here's your grub.

Sidewinder.

Thanks.

Good gun.

Nice balance.

Come on over.

Joe Deveraux.

Yes, it'll be just a minute.

The Governor'll see you now.

Good luck, Joe.

Thanks a lot.

Glad you came, Joseph.

I couldn't do anything else.

I wanted to talk to you.

The simplest way was

to bring you here.

Sit down.

You look different, Joseph.

More mature, I guess, and...

...changed.

Three years brings changes.

- You're not interested...

...in what prison did to me.

Yes I am.

I'm very interested.

Barbara still hasn't married.

Anything else?

- Yes, there is.

There's considerably more.

Sit down.

I brought you here to keep

you from being killed.

You can think I'm hypocritical.

But for the respect

I had for your father...

...and your mother...

My mother?

Never mind.

There's been enough violence in

the ranch. I won't have any more.

I won't have any more.

Your brothers are in the next room.

They've a proposition to make you.

A business proposition.

They assure me it's a good one.

I'd like...

I'd advise you to take it.

Come in.

Hello, Joe.

Joe.

- Joe.

I told him and I tell you, Ben.

I'll stand for no trouble.

There won't be any trouble.

We don't want any and...

...l'm sure Joe doesn't.

I'll give you ten minutes.

- Fine.

You look good, Joe.

I'm glad to see it wasn't

too tough on you.

I know it wasn't easy but...

The Governor said you'd a

proposition for me.

He told me to take it.

What? Before you'd even heard it?

Why he should know better than that.

Besides, this is a family

matter, Joe.

We're still your brothers.

- Just tell me the proposition.

All right.

You see, Joe...

...there have been

a lot of changes...

...since you went in.

I can see some of them right here.

What kind of...

- I'll do the talking, Denny.

Sure, Ben.

That's one of the changes.

The other is that we run

the ranch from town now.

It's gotten too big to

operate from home.

What did you do with my mother?

You know, Joe, she doesn't like town.

She went back to her own people,

Joe. That's all she wanted.

Anything else we'd have done it,

just as we will for you, but...

...I think you ought to realize...

...that we've got different

responsibilities now.

Deveraux Ranch isn't just cattle

any more. We've got...

...oil leases, mineral rights...

...and stockholders

we have to protect.

Just tell me the deal.

All right, I'll tell you the deal.

It's Oregon. Brand new territory.

We'll buy you a spread, stock it and

cover your losses for three years.

Or else?

There is no 'or else'.

That's it.

I think that'll get you started.

What if I don't like Oregon?

You'll like it.

- I hear it's real nice country.

We worked it out for you

the best we could, but...

...if there's something else...

There is something else.

Three years.

Three years out of my life.

Three years I spent in

that stinking jail.

Can you give me back those?

No. Not even if I had

them to give you.

I lost mine sweating out chores

for Pa before you ever born.

I'm not crying about them.

I'm just telling you.

You've got our offer and

you've got our money.

The train goes through here at six.

Be on it and the deal stands.

That's not very smart, Joe.

But the rest of the deal stands

if you make that train.

He's real hot, ain't he?

He'll cool down.

When he does, he'll take

the deal. He's too smart.

Ain't that right, Ben?

- I don't know.

Anybody that throws 10,000 dollars

in a spittoon makes me nervous.

Pick it up.

For the price, he'll get

you three and back.

You sure you want that saddle?

Another couple of dollars and

I give you a better one.

What's your hurry?

Ben said find out where he was going.

I know where he's going.

Get on your horse, fellow!

Joseph! It is you.

Hello, Two Moons.

The gods, they smile on us this day.

I guess they do.

You missed me about three inches.

Maybe you're getting old.

If I want to hit you, I hit you.

You come home to stay, Joseph?

I don't know.

Your mother is at the meeting

place of our people.

Is she all right?

- She is the same.

She waits for you.

Yeah.

There's something else

I got to settle first.

You are alone. I have 20 men...

- And have your tribe destroyed?

No.

Where you go?

To the home place.

- Good.

Talk to Running Wolf.

- I'm not talk to anybody.

The Old Man's dead.

Do you listen to that

medicine man too?

At night, I hear wolf calls.

- You always hear wolves.

Pa never let anybody kill

them, you know that.

You want to ride in with me?

Well?

It is fitting you go alone, Joseph.

Superstitious old fool.

Hello, Pa.

I came back.

The old men said you wouldn't

rest easy till I did.

I've heard the medicine men...

...think you're running

the hills with the wolves.

Maybe you are at that.

What should I do, Pa?

Have you a sign for me?

Or are you to let me figure...?

Hold him still.

Just brand him, don't barbecue him.

'Cmo est, seor?

- Muy bien, Francisco'.

'Seor' Matt...

...all goes well?

- Yes.

We'll have the other camps

cleaned up by sundown.

Here too.

We'll drive the beef herd

toward home tomorrow.

Take them slow.

They're running off stock

on the east range.

Johnny was riding herd last night.

They shot his horse under him.

He walked and told Two Moons.

- Ben!

Get a horse!

You want I get some boys?

- No, we'll handle it.

Not a sign of them.

They rode in the stream.

You can't tell where they went.

Horse slipped, no?

- Which way, do you think?

Let's go.

Two, three...

...four, five, I count, Pa.

Six!

It's Pa!

Get out of here!

Let's go!

Get out of there!

Get up, you're not hurt.

Let this steer loose.

Could you change the brand

without botching it?

I've seen these two before.

We fired them last year.

They're no good.

Well?

We didn't mean nothing, Pa.

Just a couple little old steers.

- Why?

I don't know.

We needed the money, that's why.

Money? But you got money.

If you mean that lousy

40 a month...

Don't ever use that tone to me.

- Pa, we didn't mean nothing.

No, you didn't. You figured you've

steal some cattle and sell them.

Anybody would know that brand,

even though it had been raised.

But you figured nobody...

- Pa, we didn't even think of that.

I don't think you did.

You two together couldn't

have figure that out.

But somebody did?

Who put you up to it?

Nobody.

It doesn't make any difference.

You did it.

Be sure it wouldn't be a secret...

...you had to drag these

two lunkheads in with you.

They no talk.

Let them be. They're not to blame.

Just these two.

What should I do with'em?

They were caught rustling cattle

and changing the brands.

If you notify the Sheriff

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