Cahill Page #4

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The boy has a touch of pneumonia.

- Just pneumonia?

- But he's young.

Proper bed rest, good care...

he'll be as good as new.

You sure, Doc?

I'd bet my brand-new, Chicago-made...

leg amputator on it.

He's worried about one thing, though.

What's that?

Your shoulder.

He wants me to take a look at it.

Forget it.

Thanks, Doc.

- Can we...

- Go right ahead.

Hello, Budger.

How are you?

I'm all right, Pa.

Sure you're all right, you're a Cahill.

Cahills have survived floods,

earthquakes, pestilence...

every natural disaster known to man.

Not to mention...

a few unnatural ones.

Can I get you anything?

You hungry or thirsty?

No.

I'm just a little tired, Pa.

All right, Son. You get some sleep.

Get some rest.

When you get back on your feet...

me and you and...

old Daniel there...

gonna get to know each other better.

- It sounds like a promise.

- You can believe it, Son.

- Pa?

- Yes.

You never told me a promise before.

No...

I guess I never.

Hetty, I...

I'll be back.

I gotta check on some prisoners.

I'll sit with him now.

You look done in yourself, Daniel.

No.

Only on the outside.

Tried to kill me, Danny.

I hid the money

and wouldn't tell him where...

because I thought

we might wanna give it back.

And they tried to kill me.

I been afeared to sleep, Danny.

You go to sleep, Billy Joe Cahill.

Nobody's gonna hurt you.

- Danny!

- Sit down!

Now, I'm gonna ask you

one more time, boy.

- And if you don't answer...

- Close the window.

- What'd you say?

- Close the window.

My brother's sick.

You want him to catch his death?

Where's the money?

We killed two men to get it.

You gotta understand, boy...

we ain't gonna hang any longer

or be any deader if we kill two more.

Where's our money?

Tell him, Billy Joe.

Let him have the money and get.

We'll give ourselves up and confess.

I never meant for four innocent men

to hang for something I did, anyway.

Tell him, Billy Joe.

I can't.

You don't believe I'll kill you?

It was pitch-dark.

And I was scared near outta my pants.

I went this way and that way, and...

well...

I know where it is.

But I can't tell you where it is.

I kinda have to find it again,

if you can understand?

Get him dressed.

- He's got pneumonia.

- I don't give a...

- What'd you say?

- I said, he's got pneumonia.

Even if you kill me and take him,

he won't live an hour out in that rain.

When did the doctor say

he'd be on his feet again?

Didn't say.

When he is, you know where we'll be.

Yeah.

You swear.

You swear on your brother's life

and on his everlasting spirit...

may it rot in Hell for time eternal

if you break your oath to me.

You swear you'll bring that money to me

within a fortnight.

And that you won't tell anybody,

anybody at all...

about what you've done.

Or what we done before you.

Swear it.

I swear.

On your brother's life and eternal spirit.

On my brother's life and eternal spirit.

Funny thing.

I keep thinking about my mama.

She said I was born to be hung.

But to be hung for something I didn't do.

Of all the bad things I've done.

I killed my first man

when I was 12 years old.

Now to be hung...

- You know who's going to do it?

- That kid, I guess.

He's acting sheriff.

Sure hope he knows what he's doing.

I seen a man choke-hung once.

Didn't break his neck proper.

It was five minutes

before he stopped kicking.

Did they shoot him?

No.

It wasn't a lynching, you understand.

It was a legal, proper hanging.

And they don't shoot you

at legal, proper hangings.

Dirty bastards.

Good morning.

There's some makings.

- You the one that chews?

- Yes, sir.

Thank you kindly.

They made up their minds yet?

Wednesday morning.

Two days.

Marshal?

This damn animal...

keeps taking in air.

Looks pretty grim

for them fellows in there.

Yeah.

Mr. Cahill, you think they did it?

Jury said they did. Judge sentenced them.

What I'm asking is,

do you think they did it?

I think they're guilty as hell...

of robbing a Mormon drover

in New Mexico.

And I gotta hang them.

Goes with the badge.

Anytime you boys want to come back,

you're welcome, and don't you forget that.

- Thank you, ma'am.

- Thanks for taking care of me, too.

I was glad to do anything

I could, Billy Joe.

You kinda like our pa, don't you?

Now, what makes you say that?

You look at him funny sometimes.

Maybe there's a lot of words

being spoke inside your head...

that nobody can hear except you.

Billy Joe, I'll talk to you

about that in 10 or 15 years.

That sound gives me the shivers.

I wonder what it's doing

to those who're waiting for it.

- Thank you, ma'am.

- Bye.

Bye.

Things didn't work out

like we planned, did they, Danny?

No, they didn't.

And I ain't blaming

that no-good Struther, neither.

It was like the Lord and the Devil

was having a tug of war in my gut.

The Devil won.

Seems like the Devil always wins.

Maybe that's why so many people

are on his side.

Yeah.

But I ain't really.

I just wanted to get back at Pa

for never being around.

Pa ain't so bad, Danny.

Let's tell him about the whole thing

and be done with it.

We can't.

Figure we don't know him

well enough yet?

No, that ain't it.

If Pa gets himself into something,

he gets himself out.

And that's what we gotta do.

Get ourselves out

without Fraser killing us.

Sure is hard, acting like a man.

- Almost didn't find you.

- Hell, J. D...

I left a trail a blind man could follow.

- They didn't go home?

- Nope.

- Where are they?

- Right there.

- What are they doing?

- Just sitting.

- They pick up the money?

- Nope.

Fishing.

Just sitting and fishing.

Four men are gonna hang

for something they didn't do...

and they're just sitting and fishing.

There they go.

Lightfoot.

Amy and me tried for a lot of years...

to have children.

But...

maybe they came along too late in my life.

- Yeah?

- There ain't nothing too late...

if you love it.

Danny!

I'm here.

Here.

Come on.

Come on.

Where'd you bury it, Billy Joe?

It was pitch-black. I

didn't have a lantern.

I...

can't quite remember.

There.

Hold this.

You're making enough noise

to wake the dead.

It wouldn't hurt

to be a little quiet and careful.

For what?

To take candy away from babies?

Why do you suppose

they wouldn't tell me?

Didn't they know

if they confided in me, I'd...

Give them a chance, J.D.

Probably got it worked out

in some kids' way.

Kids?

Bank robbers.

God!

Some poor soul leaving his mortal body.

- I knowed! I know it!

- I think it's just an old hoot owl.

You sure?

Nope.

Did you see them bank robbers

jump out of their pants...

when that old owl hooted?

I am now gonna give them a scare

they ain't never gonna forget.

While their pants are down,

I'll give them a little parental guidance.

- Found something?

- I hope it's the right something.

- They got the money.

- Yeah.

Come on.

Holy Christmas!

Like taking candy away from babies?

Very funny.

I'll tell you something funnier.

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