Conagher Page #4

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We pushed a lot of cows | back into the hills today.

Good. See any riders?

Smoke Parnell and a couple of his men.

Kind of stirred the pot a mite.

Smoke seemed kind of mad.

- Did you see Mahler? | - Nope.

That figures.

You'd better eat | and get yourself some rest.

I'll stand watch the rest of the night. | McGivern will be up at first light.

There you go.

She ain't writing to you, saddle bum.

Good shot, old man.

- Conn, you okay? | - Okay, Johnny.

- You hit bad? | - Yes, damn you.

You came asking for it. | I didn't send no invites.

Are you gonna help me?

You got a man hurt down here!

You want to come and get him, | put your rifle down and come on!

Hold your fire! I'm coming down.

He's gut shot, | and I can't take him back up that hill.

Bring him inside.

Do you want me to drop my gun belt?

No, keep it. If you feel lucky, grab for it.

Easy, boy.

You don't think too much of us, do you?

Bunch of two-bit thieves | that'd rustle an old man's cows?

You ought to think about | quitting this bunch.

Can you do anything for him?

The man's dying, kid.

Now, get back up that hill.

You come after me again, | you'd better be using that gun...

'cause I'm gonna be aiming for your guts.

- You're a hard man, Conagher. | - It's a hard country, kid.

You're bleeding all over my bed, cowboy.

I'm hurt bad, damn you.

Jackson.

He used to ride for me. | He was a good hand, too.

Then he took to riding | with that Ladder Five outfit.

What do you reckon it is | that makes a man go to hell that way?

It's the money, Mr. Tay.

Ain't it?

Give us a hand here, Johnny.

The money.

God help us if that's all it is.

- Storm's coming. | - Sure looks like it.

Conagher, I saw them. | Tile Coker and three others.

Where?

About four miles east, | pushing 25-30 head north.

Goes to snowing, it'll cover their tracks.

I'll get my gear and follow them.

Keep your eye open, Johnny.

Ma, I heard something back there.

Sounded like a lot of cattle bawling, | some men with them.

- Did they see you? | - I don't think so.

I just saw them | kind of shadow-like through the rain.

Ruthie, go in and stoke up the fire.

When I get done here, we'll have supper.

Who's there?

It's a half-drowned cowpuncher | looking to come in out of the rain.

Howdy, Mrs. Teale.

Mr. Conagher, won't you come in?

I better see to my horse.

- I'll get him. | - Wait, I'm coming, too.

- Where on earth did you come from? | - A ranch south of here.

- Go on over by the fire. | - Thank you, ma'am.

- Hey, your roof leaks. | - Yes.

- How long have you been out there? | - A couple of days.

- Here. Have some soup. | - Thank you, ma'am.

My name is Evie.

I rubbed your horse down, sir. | Sorry we have no grain.

Feed that mustang grain, | he'd figure you was trying to poison him.

Thank you, son.

That horse has come a far piece.

Kind of bad weather to be traveling in.

I was following some rustled cattle.

Lost their trail in the rain and the dark.

- Seen any cows? | - Yes, sir. I saw some.

I think they're being held in a corral | over back of us.

- Back in the mountains a few miles. | - How many men?

I don't know, sir. | Maybe only a couple. Might be more.

We could send word by the next stage...

and the sheriff | could come over from La Mesa.

Ma'am, I reckon I'll just mosey up there | and start them cows back.

If you could wait a couple of days, | we might get some help for you.

Mrs. Teale, any man who asks for help | better not start out in the first place.

- Goodnight, Mom. | - Goodnight, Ruthie.

Thank you, ma'am.

- Goodnight, son. | - Goodnight, Mr. Conagher.

I heard about your skirmish | with the Indian.

That seems like an age ago.

Things have such a way of passing here.

- Your man never came back. | - No.

I know that Jacob was killed | or injured in some terrible way.

He wasn't a man | just to go off and stay gone.

All right. Get back.

I said, back up.

Where's the other two?

Out for a walk.

Get over there and get the horses saddled | and be quick about it.

Come on, Coker, get inside | and throw out the coats.

- Damned if I will. | - You'll be damned if you don't.

Come up with any iron, | you'll be lying there next to your partner.

For God's sakes, man, you ain't | gonna leave me here to bleed to death.

Just lie there | and be glad you ain't gut shot.

What about our outfits?

To hell with your outfits. Get new ones.

Parnell's gonna kill you for this.

The sheriff down at La Mesa | is just waiting for you.

- So your best bet's east. | - East?

There ain't a town or place for 50 miles.

That's the life of an outlaw. Tough, ain't it?

Son, how'd you like | to make a couple of dollars...

and take a free ride on the stage?

Yes, sir, I'd like it. | What do you want me to do?

Help me take that herd to La Mesa.

- Is it all right, ma? Can I go? | - Yes, you can.

You'll take good care of him, | Mr. Conagher?

Yes, ma'am.

Likely he'll take good care of me.

My pa was gonna | go into the cattle business.

Maybe you'll do it for him some day.

My old man figured I was loco | when I started punching cows.

How old were you?

About 12.

You keep shy of me until we leave.

The saloon is no place for a boy.

- We got business to do. | - Yes, sir.

You Tom Webb?

- I am. | - I ride for the ST.

I got 27 head of good cattle | down at the pens I'd like to sell.

I could use the cattle, | but isn't this an odd time to be selling?

This is recovered stolen stock.

It's too far a piece | to drive them back to the outfit.

What happened?

I trailed them to a cabin | north of Mrs. Teale's place...

recovered the stock, and then me and | this other cowpuncher drove them here.

Any idea who the men were?

They were all riding Ladder Five horses.

Let's walk over and look at those cattle.

"Oh, Balan, two bodies thou hast slain, | and one heart...

"and two hearts in one body, | and two souls thou hast lost.

"And therewith she took the sword | from her love that lay dead...

"and fell to the ground in a swoon."

Well, looky here.

I knew I hit him.

Okay, back-shooter, where is he? | The idea was to trap him.

I'll find him and I'll kill him. | What difference does it make?

Okay, damn it. Spread out. Let's find him.

Smoke.

He's around here somewhere.

If he went over here, he's a dead man.

You can never tell about him. | I want to make sure.

We'll head back to the outfit and get Chris.

See what's going on at Tay's place.

How much longer are you gonna stay?

We'll keep looking until dark. | We'll pull out in the morning.

Splendid.

Damn you, Parnell, | just lay there and don't even scratch.

You dish up a plate of that grub.

Just reach over and ladle it up.

Now, Parnell, I'm gonna ride out of here...

and you boys are going to get up | and leave the country.

You've had your try at me and you failed.

Come noon tomorrow, | I'm gonna come hunting you...

and I'm gonna shoot on sight.

- Meet your maker, Conagher! | - Come on, Staples!

There's one dead one already.

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