Ride Lonesome Page #3

- He was a good man.

- Yes, ma'am, he'd have to be.

They told me why you're taking the boy

to Santa Cruz.

Did they?

- They'll hang him, won't they?

- Yes, ma'am.

- He's so young.

- He killed a man.

- It doesn't bother you? Bringing him in.

- No, ma'am.

You just don't seem like the kind

that would hunt a man for money.

I am.

Good night, Mr. Brigade.

Mrs. Lane,

I made a place for you inside the wall.

- You'll be safe there.

- Thank you.

Good night.

She's sure something, ain't she?

Said she was married to that station fella

near a year.

Can you imagine having her around

all that time?

All them days. Nights.

Just thinking on it

gives me a way down shiver.

I wonder what she'll do now,

she's without a man?

Find another.

But if she loved that fella hard enough,

she'd stay a widow, wouldn't she?

Ain't the kind. Not her. Some are.

Some can get along without.

Not her. She's the kind that's got a need.

Deep lonely need only a man can get at.

How do you know?

I've seen it in her eyes.

In her eyes.

Is Brigade still trying

to get that animal up?

Yeah. He was at it all night.

Why doesn't he shoot him

and get it over with?

He said he wanted to wait.

He claims animals are like people.

Feel the morning sun on them

makes forget all the hurt they got.

Makes them want to start over.

There are sure times he doesn't act like

a man that makes his way killing.

Miss Lane.

Could I have a word?

Something you ought to know.

My brother, Frank,

he'll be along most any time now.

Won't anywhere be safe once he gets here.

And you being a woman,

I'd hate to see anything happen to you.

- Is that all?

- No.

No ma'am, what I was thinking was,

I'd see to it that Frank made it

right by you if you was to help me.

- Help you?

- Yes, ma'am. Yeah.

I've been watching Brigade

ever since the junction.

The way he looks at you, kind of hungry.

You shouldn't have any trouble

getting yourself close against him.

- Close enough to help me get safe away.

- I don't understand.

- Come on, sure you do.

- She said she didn't.

You can't blame a man for trying.

- Is this what you wanted her to get for you?

- I sure could use it.

We're moving out.

I'll be riding your horse.

- What am I suppose to do?

- Walk.

I don't think so.

You let me go.

If you don't, I'll swear I'll cut you in two.

No, you won't, Billy Boy.

Not unless you jacked that saddle gun.

That's my Winchester you got.

You pump a round into it, did you?

'Cause if you didn't,

you got a hammer hanging

over an empty chamber.

I shot myself in the leg once riding.

I never carried it around

under the pin since.

You're lying.

There's one way to find out.

Pull the trigger.

That is if you think you have time

to jack that gun

before I blow your brains out.

Go ahead, pull.

Or ain't you used to killing a man

from the front?

- You just put it down, Billy Boy.

- No.

I said, drop it.

I could've swore.

Looks like we don't

have to shoot him, either.

The woman, she's falling behind.

- Now, Boone, back there...

- Yeah?

Thanks for getting that gun

out of my middle.

I couldn't let him shoot you

without a chance.

Why? You'd have had Billy.

Never would've enjoyed being a free man

done you that way.

Thought maybe you was afraid

you might need me with Frank to catch up.

- It crossed my mind.

- I figured it did.

- Top of that hump, we'll be in Santa Cruz.

- We?

Look, Brigade.

You and me going against each other,

it just ain't right.

I said to Whit more than once,

I'd give most anything

if we could work out something

short of killing.

Such as?

Them dollars they're giving you

to bring Billy in.

I'll match them, double if you say.

It'll take me awhile, but I'll get it.

How? Stopping coaches? Killing?

- That's all over with.

- Is it?

Gotta be.

A man gets half way,

he ought to have something of his own

to belong to and be proud of.

- They say that.

- I've got me a place.

Gonna run beef. Work the ground.

Be able to walk down the street

like anybody.

All I need is Billy.

I set out to take him to Santa Cruz.

I full intend to do it.

Well, I just wanted you to know how it was.

Way I look at it,

it ain't near as hard for a man

if he knows why he's gonna die.

They stayed here the night.

Can't be more than a half a day ahead.

- That'd put them in Santa Cruz by morning.

- Could, but it won't.

Should have known all along.

Brigade knows we're after him.

But he's still taking his time

moving in the clear, not covering his tracks.

It's been plain from the first.

So plain I couldn't see it.

But I don't follow.

It ain't Billy he wants. It's me.

But Billy's the one with the bounty on him.

It ain't the money Brigade wants.

Not the money at all.

I did him a hurt once. Long ago.

So long I almost forgot.

And all the time I was thinking

that was why he was taking Billy in to hang.

To get even. That isn't it.

He knew I'd come after him.

He wants me to catch up.

And I think I know where.

Let's let the boys rest their horses.

There's no hurry. He'll be waiting.

Hang tree.

You can be glad it ain't long ago, Billy Boy.

It was, like as not Brigade here

to hang you over that jury limb

and have it over.

Gone dead now, but in its time,

more than one danced their last on that.

Ain't that right, Brigade?

- Brigade...

- I heard you.

Come to think of it,

you strung a few there yourself.

You talk too much.

We'll night at the river bed.

Touchy, touchy.

- Quit it.

- It's something to do.

I said, quit it.

Don't you ever get tired

of holding that gun on me?

It won't be long now.

I'll have you in Santa Cruz by morning.

Brigade figures to split

the bounty with you, does he?

- Nope.

- Then why are you helping him?

- I ain't.

- You're holding a gun.

- I got a reason.

- Such as what?

- Amnesty.

- Amnesty?

- Some word, ain't it?

- What's it mean?

Free.

Free?

That's what we'll go

as soon as we get you to Cruz.

Me and Boone.

We ain't always seen eye to eye to the law.

If we get you next to a rope,

it'll make us even. We can start over.

- Boone's got a place...

- Hey did you...

You mean they'd do that

just for bringing me in to hang?

We got a poster on it.

I guess that kind gives me a worth, don't it?

To us it does.

What about Brigade?

What about him?

He's the one that caught me.

I don't figure he's going to hold kind

to you taking me away from him.

I thought about that.

I thought about that a lot.

It really don't matter.

You ain't going to get me

to Santa Cruz anyway.

If Frank was coming,

he'd have been here by now.

Maybe.

It's a shame about that woman.

There's going to be a lot of killing

if Frank gets here.

Not knowing she's along,

you can't tell what's going to happen.

Frank wouldn't shoot a woman, would he?

Not only Frank. There's the boys.

I never thought about that.

Whit?

Whit.

Why don't you let the hammer down

nice and easy on that gun

and the two of us ride right on out of here.

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