Ride Lonesome

I hear him.

Mornin', Brigade.

I've been looking to find you, Billy.

I know. I've been seein' your dust

for three days.

I figured it better to let you catch up

and have it out'n over.

The others? Where are they?

They went on ahead.

I told 'em I'd be along

after I buried you.

Mount up. We're going back.

You know I can't do that.

It's the only thing you can do.

If I was to ride south with you,

there's them that'd see me hang.

You left a dead man in the street

in Santa Cruz.

- Fair fight.

- He was killed from behind.

Like the others.

I don't know how much they're paying you

to bring me in,

but it ain't near enough.

I'd hunt you free. Let's go.

I guess that makes me out a liar, don't it?

Them boys didn't go ahead.

They're scattered all in rocks.

There's no way for you to get outta here.

Now, look, Brigade,

I got no quarrel with you.

If you ride outta here,

I'd forget about this whole thing.

What's one more bounty to a man like you?

Money's got blood on it.

We're goin' on back.

You don't understand.

I give the word, you're dead.

Maybe. But before I hit the ground

I'll blow you half in two.

- You're bluffin'.

- Am I?

Call 'em off, Billy.

Hold your fire boys. It ain't gonna work.

I knew I should'a done it my way.

In the back?

Charlie!

Charlie!

You all find my brother Frank.

You tell him what's happened.

Tell 'em Ben Brigade's takin' me

to Santa Cruz.

You hear me, Charlie?

Well, you tell him that.

He'll know what to do.

Now, get goin'.

You better put them on tight.

Hop on.

You know my brother, Frank?

Heard of 'im.

Then I guess you know you ain't

gonna get me to Santa Cruz.

Wells Junction.

There's nobody out'n about.

You don't suppose Frank'n the boys

circled high around and are waitin' do you?

Let's see.

- Anybody home?

- Stay right there.

- Drop the gun.

- Better had.

Well, I'll be. Ben Brigade.

Hello, Boone.

Fancy runnin' into you in all this empty,

I saw you come up over that rise.

Couldn't quite make you out.

A man can't be too careful

in this part of the country.

You're a long way from home.

- No more than you.

- I can go back.

- You must be Billy John.

- So?

I heard a lot about you!

You ain't as small as I thought you'd be.

You staying for the night,

or going to Santa Cruz?

Did I say I was goin' to Santa Cruz?

Not in words.

I came through there a while back.

I heard that Billy John had killed a man.

The man knottin' tie rope

said it was murder.

- Where is the station man?

- He ain't here.

Had some of his animals loose-herded

up on that flat.

Went out this mornin' to gather 'em

before the Eastbound come through,

- but they beat 'em to it.

- Who's they?

Freeds, Mescaleros,

Sunday-school teachers, for all I know.

He went to find 'em.

- Left you here to tend the station?

- Not exactly.

Whit!

The woman, bring 'er out here.

Never mind.

Now you all get your horses

and ride on outta here.

Now, look, lady.

Just do like I say.

That's no way to act.

Me and Whit's been

doin' you a service, with your man away.

- Tell her we ain't here to harm her.

- Why are you here, Boone?

A man needs a reason

to ride this country. You got a reason?

Don't matter. I want you gone. All of you.

But ma'am, we can't do that.

Just up and ride off.

No tellin' when your man'll

find them horses'n get back.

Besides, woman ain't safe out here alone.

- She won't be alone.

- No?

No, the Westbound's comin'.

They're in a hurry.

Whit, fetch up them animals in the corral.

We can make up the team change

for the lady before we go.

I don't need your help.

No, but the folks on the coach do.

They ain't had a meal hot or square

since they left Santa Cruz.

If I were you I'd look to feed 'em.

I know what you're thinkin'.

You're thinkin' that me and Whit's been

sittin' here waitin' for the coach to pull in.

Waitin' to take off with the Fargo box

or somethin' pure awful like that.

- Well, you're wrong.

- Am I?

Plum.

Mescalero.

Don't come out here!

Nothin for a woman to see.

What call they got to do a thing like that?

Murder raid. That or they wanted the horses.

- Butchers.

- Boone, that dust boil.

You figure they drew off

when they sighted the station?

Looks that way. Enough of 'em,

they'll try to scald us out before dark.

Whatta we gonna do?

- Only thing we can, bury the dead and wait.

- Wait?

If they catch us in the open,

come night, we wouldn't have a chance.

We'll fort up in the station till morning.

What about Billy?

What about him?

Well, him sitting out there

between you and Santa Cruz,

kinda makes the hill

higher to climb, doesn't it?

You could swing north, take Billy to Bisbee.

- A rope's a rope.

- He's going to Santa Cruz.

- No matter what.

- No matter what.

If you ask me, it ain't Christian.

Covering these folks

without reading over them.

I don't know if it's gonna help them now.

Yeah.

- Whit.

- Yeah?

- I shouldn't think it like this.

- What?

Look out there.

War signs.

Well, we got a treaty with the Mescaleros,

ain't we?

Just words on paper.

Yes, we been gettin' along.

I knew a man once. Got along with his wife.

One day she up'n shot him.

Dead?

- But why?

- Got mad.

Mescalero, they're mad.

But we ain't done nothin' to 'em.

We're white. That's good enough. Come on.

Sam.

You figure Brigade knows why we're here?

Not yet.

Guess there ain't no way him

findin out, is there?

Only one.

I'm gonna tell him.

- Tell him?

- Tonight.

If I were you,

I'd hold onto that shovel...

...'cause likely as not we're gonna

be needin' it again. Soon.

- I make it three.

- Four.

- Coffee?

- Thank you.

My husband

should have been back by now.

He said he'd keep after as far as Dry Fork.

If he hadn't picked up the animals by then,

he'd double on back.

That would have put him here before dark.

He likely got cut off.

- He wouldn't leave me here alone.

- Not if he had a choice.

You think something's happened to him?

I didn't say that.

There's any number of reasons

for his not getting back.

Even if he found the horses he'd have

to loose-herd them clear here by himself.

Could take him half the night,

maybe longer.

He never shoulda gone.

You'd have him lose his animals

and not go after them.

Not talkin' about animals, talkin about you.

- Me?

- He left you alone.

I can take care of myself.

If you were mine, you wouldn't have to.

Meaning?

Meaning I'd never of brought ya here

in the first place. Nowhere for a woman.

Running a swing station

is my husband's job, Mr. Brigade.

He should find a better one.

Like bounty hunting, for instance.

You cook good coffee.

Mr. Brigade...

You'd better get some sleep.

We'll be leaving first thing come morning.

- Leaving?

- Three days'll put us in Santa Cruz.

But I...

If your husband's not back, we'll swing

toward Dry Fork, pick him up on the way.

- Well, I...

- Good night, Mrs. Lane.

Best cookin' I had in a long time.

Mighty handsome woman, Mrs. Lane.

Don't look like they're

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