Cattle Empire

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Drag it.

- Up and down the street!

Drag it out of town!

Yeah, get rid of him.

- Drag him out of town!

Should've hung him!

Drag him out of town!

That oughta help skin him up.

- Drag him!

What are they doing? Who is it?

It's John Cord.

They're dragging him.

Are they killing him?

Are they? ARE THEY?

Yes, Ralph, they're killing him.

Make them stop it!

All of you, stop it.

You make them stop it.

What about your eyes?

That's enough. That's all.

Who's on the horse?

Me, Tom Powis.

Is he still alive?

Yes, sir. But a couple more runs...

Where's Brewster?

Right here, Mr Hamilton.

You're the law here.

I put you in office myself.

What kind of lawman

lets this kind of thing happen?

Do you know who that is lying there?

My brother told me.

Maybe Douglas didnt tell you right.

That's John Cord. John Cord.

You're right, Mr Hamilton,

you put me in office.

Everybody here owes you something,

one way or another.

But John Cord came riding in

bold as daylight.

He served his time.

The town dont feel that way.

When he wouldn't leave,

they wanted him hanged.

I said I'd let him off

with a dragging, then head him out.

That's John Cord, Mr Hamilton. If

it wasn't for him, you could see.

He's responsible for my little

daughter never walking again.

You forgot?

I forget nothing!

Lift Cord into my wagon -

I'm taking him to my place.

Is that clear?

DO YOU HEAR ME?

Do I have to do it myself?

I will.

Don't, Ralph.

I wouldn't, Mr Hamilton.

Douglas.

You don't know what's good for you.

Help me keep this man alive,

so I can keep you all alive.

Better let me strap him to his

horse and head him out of town.

If none of you will help me,

my wife and my brother will.

Janice... Douglas...

I wouldn't do that!

- That goes for me too.

He took this from me.

I'll kill anybody

that tries to help him.

I'm with Tom. My wife's

in the cemetery cos of him.

My brother's out there too.

You can't see my store,

but it used to be over there.

His horsemen destroyed it.

You'd see that, if you could see.

I never got it started again.

This is for your own good.

Go ahead, Douglas,

they won't shoot you.

I'm afraid they will, Mrs Hamilton.

Your husband refuses to realise

that's John Cord.

I KNOW WHO HE IS! I SENT FOR HIM!

All right, Janice.

Lie still, John. Otherwise

you're bound to get dirt fever.

Janice Wilson!

You got your hair done up.

Lie down. You may have concussion.

You always worried about concussion.

Heads like mine don't get broken.

Please, lie down

till the doctor comes.

If you worry about a man's health you

should also worry about his spirits.

You'll make it worse!

When a man's getting mad in prison

for five years...

...a letter from his girl

can do a whole lot for his spirit.

I'm not your girl -

I married Ralph Hamilton.

A new bride?

No, weve been married five years.

You didn't waste any time.

I owed you nothing, you saw to that.

I don't know about that.

After what you did to Ralph you think

you can help yourself to his wife?

You used to wear my ring -

it's my privilege to kiss the bride.

When you blind another man

you lose your privileges.

You think I didn't remember that

every day and night for five years?!

I'd better go and find out

what your... husband... wants.

Who is it?

Walk so I can hear you.

Cord?

My ears have eyes, Cord...

so does my memory.

Douglas, get out and stay out.

You might need my help, Ralph.

When I need you I'll send for you.

This Winchester is no longer of use

to me but it keeps my hands busy.

The prison was underground but before I even got

used to the light they handed me your message.

You still had eyes.

Did you read it?

It's a good rifle.

You didn't bring me 300 miles

to talk about your rifle.

I've got a herd for you to move.

A herd? I'm John Cord, remember?

I remember.

Nobody would ask John Cord

to move a herd now.

Nobody but John Cord could move

a herd this size - 5,000 head.

It doesn't look

like you're desperate...

...or that moving 5,000 head

of cattle is life or death.

Rooms don't change, bank accounts do

But a man with 5,000 head...

They're not all mine. Almost

everybody in Hamilton owns a share.

That herd could make

a dying town live again.

That makes my heart bleed!

I've hated you a long time, too.

But can't we let it be?

Because no-one else would move

a herd for you at this time of year?

If you get them to Fort Clemson

you'll be a top trail boss again.

I'll pay you $15,000 in advance.

$15,000? Your conscience

bothers you that much?

I need you that much.

What's the matter with Garth?

Hes dealt from the bottom

since this happened.

By the time I realised, he had

half my cattle and his own ranch.

He'd like the town

renamed "Garthville".

Well, there's always

little brother Douglas.

He's a green kid.

He'd bring 100 head to Fort

Clemson, if he got there at all.

No, you're the man, if you'll do it.

The army needs beef for the troops

and the Indian reservations.

They're paying good -

I'll pay you good.

I'd be in a position to ruin you

without half trying.

Yes, you would.

Well, I won't do that to you, Ralph.

So Ill take my torn shirt

and my reputation...

Forget the past, Cord!

Nobody else has forgotten it!

- Nobody helped them forget it.

You've got to ride trail for me.

Youve got Janice. The scores even.

You can make it. You try.

Mr Cord? Where do you think

you're going?

That's my business.

You turned him down?

What do you expect?

Do you know what it cost

my brother to ask you?

I know.

I hate you so much it burns my guts.

But if you have to see all of us

Hamiltons crawl, I'll crawl too.

I don't care what you Hamiltons do.

You cant turn him down.

You might sleep better

if you squared part of your account.

I spent five years

squaring that account. I sleep fine.

Youre not going anywhere!

Even?

I can't get mad at a kid

I taught to ride and shoot.

I'm not a kid any more!

Then why dont you take the herd?

You know why - I'm not good enough.

Now take the gun. I'll shoot anyway.

I wouldn't want to kill you, junior,

you got too much learning to do.

Why, there's Little Johnny!

Little Johnny!

George Washington Jeffrey!

Where you been all this time?

You remember my kid brother?

Thomas Jefferson Jeffrey.

Where hes been is his affair.

How's your daddy?

Well, he's been dead for some years.

I knew hed been ailing but...

Im sorry, Little Johnny.

It looks like

you've been ailing too, eh?

What he looks like is his affair!

Who are you boys working for now?

We aint. We quit Garths place.

The fool thinks he can take his herd

to Fort Clemson this time o' year.

Most of them rivers is bone dry.

For once, George Washington

is right about something.

Only one trail boss might make it.

But he wouldn't try, eh, John?

I thought maybe that was what

Little Johnny came back for.

What he come back for is his affair!

You boys interested in a drink?

Interested? No.

All hes interested in

is when youre gonna ask us.

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