Justice

THOMAS:
When we last spoke,

you called me a coward.

Now, I do not see the Lord's

way as a violent one,

but I did pray for you.

I prayed that

you would survive the war

in the stand

for righteousness.

I write you now for your help.

I see how action must sometimes be

taken to right terrible wrongs.

There are bad men here,

terrorizing this good community,

and I have taken a stand

and have paid a price for it.

Reverend McCord?

Miss Ginny.

May I help you?

I need to talk.

Well, it is rather late.

And I fear it may not

be very proper.

I want to quit

this life.

I'm ashamed of who I am.

(SIGHS) Of what

I've become.

Miss Ginny, God forgives us our

sins when we recognize them.

Well, that sounds good

and all, but how?

How am I gonna

get away from Reb?

He says he owns me.

He'll never let me go.

Miss Ginny, you give

yourself over to the Lord,

and he will

take care of you.

And I will stand

with you.

(GINNY SOBBING)

I want to believe you, Thomas.

You just have faith.

(SIGHS)

Miss Ginny, please...

Please, stop.

Okay.

Now, we can talk more

in the morning.

Why don't you get yourself

on home safe now?

Well, ain't this a sight?

Reb, it's nothing.

We was just...

We was just

talking, is all.

Miss Ginny came

for spiritual guidance.

That's what you call it?

Nothing happened, Reb.

This here

is a house of God.

And I will kindly

ask you to leave.

(GROANS)

Reb, stop it!

You don't know him, Ginny.

Baby, please, you don't... Get!

You done messed up,

Preacher.

(GROANING)

Nothing happened, Reb.

That one's from me.

And that one's

from the Mayor.

The Mayor?

I believe

you were told to keep

your goddamn nose

out of his business.

(SPITS)

You should've played along.

But, no, you gotta

be all high-and-mighty.

"Yea, though I walk through the

valley of the shadow of death,

"I will fear no evil,

for thou art with me.

"Thy rod and thy staff

shall comfort me."

See you on the other side,

Reverend.

(HORSE NEIGHS)

(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

Whoa.

MAN:
Help me!

Help me!

Strap him up.

MAN:
Help me!

What is this man's crime?

Well, can't you see

for yourself'?

Crime of niggerdom.

Ain't you heard?

War's over.

You lost.

The war is over

when I say it's over.

My counsel to you is that you get

back up on that horse of yours,

before I strap you

to this here pole.

(CROWD GASP)

Untie the n*gger.

What's your name, son?

Abraham, sir.

You go on home, Abraham.

Thank you, sir.

My name

is James McCord,

but my friends

call me Marshal.

We gonna have a problem?

No, Marshal. No problem.

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

(PIANO PLAYING)

Whiskey.

(EXHALES) One more.

Nice hat.

Thank you.

I want it.

Excuse me?

I said

that I want it.

I'm sure you can get one for yourself.

(CHUCKLES)

I want that one.

Not gonna happen.

(C*CKS GUN)

Unless you wanna die

for this hat,

I suggest you pick up

your friend,

and leave me to my drink.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Can anyone here tell me

where the church is?

No one?

No one knows

where the church is?

Head back down the road

to the edge of town.

You won't find much.

But you can't miss it.

f any of y'all see

the Reverend McCord,

you tell him his brother's

looking for him.

MAYOR:
It's a tragic thing,

a man of the cloth

burning to death like that.

He had plenty of chances.

Yeah. Well,

accidents happen.

You know,

when I first come out here,

it was open space

as far as you could see.

Wild country for the taking.

Some folks call it

God's country.

Well...

Well, I say not even God's going

to stop me from taking my share.

(GROANS)

What about blood?

What's that

supposed to mean?

Preacher's brother

rode into town.

Really? Well, I've

seen his type before.

A dog looking for a bone.

And he's a Marshal.

He's a U.S. Marshal?

You sayin' that

he might not buy the fact that his

brother's death was accidental?

It could be that

accidents run in the family.

Yeah, I reckon they may.

Why don't you

get yourself a Colt?

You know

they're more reliable.

(C*CKS GUN)

My daddy gave me

this gun.

It suits me fine.

Why don't you worry

about that U.S. Marshal?

MELISSA:
"...because He maketh

intercession for the saints

"according to the will of God.

"And we know that

all things work together

"for good to them

that love God,

"to them who are the called

according to His purpose.

"For whom He did foreknow,

He also did predestinate

"to be conformed

to the image of His Son,

"that He might be the firstborn

among many brethren."

(HORSE NEIGHS)

JAMES:
Whoa.

How can I help you, sir?

JAMES:
This was

my brother's church.

I'm looking for him.

That'll be all

for today, children.

Thank you, ladies.

I'm Melissa.

James McCord.

Let me take you to him.

I'm so sorry,

little brother.

I should have come sooner.

You didn't know?

Did I ask you where my

dead brother was buried?

I'm sorry. I...

It's not your fault.

"Dear James,

"When we last spoke,

you called me a coward."

"I do not see the Lord's way

as a violent one,

"but I did pray for you."

THOMAS:
I prayed that

you would survive the war

in the stand

for righteousness.

I write you now for your help.

I see how action must sometimes be

taken to right terrible wrongs.

There are bad men here,

terrorizing this good community.

I have taken a stand

and have paid a price for it.

"I fear for my life.

"I beseech you,

come quickly.

"Help drive this evil away.

"Your brother, Thomas."

Are you a sheriff?

U.S. Marshal.

Do you know

how my brother died?

They found his body in the

church after it burned.

There are bad men

in this town.

And he did stand up

against them.

THOMAS:
Does the Word not say

that the righteous and the

meek shall inherit the earth?

But tell me this,

when is it time

to just pray?

Yes, the good book

tells us, and I quote,

"Must not we look

the other way?"

But it also tells us

that there is a time.

A time for everything.

I am but one man.

But I will not look away.

I see who the thieves are

and I call them out!

There.

There, my brothers

and my sisters,

there are the servants

of darkness.

Stand with me,

my brothers and my sisters,

and we can rid

this town of their evil.

I will find out what

happened to my brother.

If there was foul play,

someone will pay for it.

Do you have

a place to stay?

Thought I'd camp out.

We have a small bunkhouse

out by our stables.

It's not much

to pride yourself on,

but you're welcome

to stay there.

I don't wanna

impose, ma'am.

No imposition,

I assure you.

Thank you very kindly.

It's settled, then.

(CLATTERING)

Hey!

Hey, hey, you clumsy oaf.

Have a care there, will ya'?

God damn.

Gus, open that up.

Mmm-hmm. Where are the guns?

They're in the next shipment.

All right.

Close it up.

You, get some

canvas over there.

Don't want them

getting wet.

God damn. (GROANS)

(SIGHS)

(SPITS)

JAMES:
Tom was always

the best with wits.

He, uh...

He thought things through.

I'm more of a "take action"

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