Ride Lonesome Page #4

Yeah.

You wouldn't want to see a woman

all shot up and dead, would you?

- Well, no.

- Well, then?

- Then what, Billy?

- You're every place, ain't you?

He was trying to talk me out of my gun.

Where's Mrs. Lane?

Down there by the river bank.

If he tries to talk that gun away

from you again,

let him have it.

Yeah.

- I didn't mean to startle you.

- I couldn't sleep.

I'm glad.

We'll be in Santa Cruz tomorrow, won't we?

If we get an early start,

we should be there by noon.

And what then, Mrs. Lane? For you, I mean?

I don't know. I'm not sure.

This country's nowhere for a woman

without a man.

I'd be obliged to look after you.

- I can manage.

- I'm sure of that.

The first I saw you at the junction,

I said to Whit,

"There's a woman

who can take care of herself. "

I saw it in your face.

The way you hold your head.

The way you walk.

All over proud of being a woman.

Not afraid to let a man look at you.

Think what he wants.

Burn inside to put his arms around you.

Not like some I know.

Always acting like it was Sunday.

Thinking every man who looks at them

wants them.

No, sir.

A man had you, Mrs. Lane,

he'd never know a black lonesome night.

- Good night, Mr. Boone.

- Mrs. Lane.

If you're counting on Brigade

being any help to you,

better forget it.

He won't be going all the way to Santa Cruz.

I got to kill him.

Hang tree. So that's what they call it.

Mr. Brigade,

I try very hard, but there's some things

I just don't understand.

Back at Dobe,

when Billy had that gun on you,

- Boone saved your life, didn't he?

- Yes, ma'am.

Then why would he want to kill you now?

- He told you that?

- Yes.

- Why?

- He wants Billy.

Billy?

You mean you'd kill each other for bounty?

- Like two dogs fighting over a bone.

- You could say that.

- I see.

- No, ma'am, you don't.

It's not Billy I want

or any of the others I've had to ride down

to make my way on the one man I'm after.

And will he bring enough bounty

to see you through to your next dead man?

Mrs. Lane.

Long ago I was the Sheriff of Santa Cruz.

I rode Billy's brother Frank in for murder.

The jury found him part guilty,

sent him to Yuma.

He swore that when he got out

he'd get even. He was young, wild.

I had a wife. Looked a lot like you.

She wanted me to turn and run.

Keep running.

Pleaded with me. I couldn't do it.

Word came that Frank was out.

I waited for him in the street.

He didn't come.

When I got home, my wife had gone.

Frank had taken her. Brought her here.

- Here?

- Yes, ma'am.

He hung her.

Whit.

Get on that rise,

when you see dust, high end it back here.

- Sam.

- Yeah.

When are we going to kill Brigade?

- Soon.

- You know, I've been thinking,

he ain't a man you can go straight at.

We have to figure some way

to get him between us.

- Can't kill a man like Brigade from behind.

- We could stand off.

I don't hold to ending a man

with a long gun.

Don't worry, when the time comes,

I'll take care of him.

I hope so.

I hate to see you lose your place

up Socorro way.

- I'll be mighty proud to work for you.

- Work for me?

I plowed when I was young.

I ain't much with chickens,

but I can slop pigs with the best of them.

How long you and me been riding together?

- About two years.

- More like five.

So?

So you ain't going to be working for me.

You're going to be a partner.

- Partner?

- Right down the middle.

How come?

'Cause I like you.

I never knew that.

- Now get on that rise.

- Yes, sir.

I'd like to say it again, Mrs. Lane.

I'd be obliged to look after you.

I could help you bury Brigade

and live happy ever after, is that it?

There's some things

a man just can't ride around.

Hey!

Frank's coming!

- How far back?

- A mile, maybe less.

I saw him from the top of the rim.

- Do we cut and run, or don't we?

- This is as far as I go for now.

Figured it was.

Whit, look after Mrs. Lane.

Should have known it

when you wouldn't swing north to Bisbee.

It's been Frank all along.

- You... You wait...

- Shut up. I said shut up!

Last night I heard you tell Mrs. Lane

why you've been hunting for Frank.

So?

Billy can wait.

Me and Whit will be covering you

in the brush.

Look, Boone.

- This won't change anything.

- I never figured it would.

Get up on your animal, Billy.

- But I...

- Do like I tell you.

Look, Brigade.

You know you ain't got a chance.

One.

You.

What are you going to do?

That's up to Frank.

That's close enough.

You're fixing to have a little hanging I see.

I thought that tree would be dead and down

by now.

Cut him loose.

- You're standing alone.

- I wouldn't count on it.

- He's got two Winchesters behind him.

- Is that so?

- So what do we do now?

- Sit there and watch your brother hang.

- You don't mean that.

- Don't I?

- He's only a boy.

- He's as old as his gun.

It's me you're after.

You got no quarrel with Billy.

What quarrel did you have with her?

That was a long time ago. I'd almost forgot.

- A man can do that.

- Don't let him do it, Frank.

I done you enough. Don't make me kill you.

- I can't let you do that.

- Stop me.

Any shooting and that horse will go

right out from under Billy.

If his neck don't snap,

you can cut him down in time.

That is, if you're alive.

You don't leave a man much choice,

do you?

I thought for a minute

you were gonna let him swing.

So did I.

Brigade.

I don't suppose there's any way

of getting Billy from you?

Aside from going over you?

Come and get him.

Better get Whit to catch up Billy's horse,

unless you want him to walk to Santa Cruz.

You mean I can have him?

Take him. I got no more use for him.

You heard what he said, Whit!

Get them horses!

Yes, sir.

Funny how a thing can seem one way,

and then turn out altogether something else.

You said you wanted to start over.

I hope so.

'Cause if you don't, I'll be the one

who comes looking to find you.

- I'll remember that.

- Good luck.

Mr. Brigade.

- Will you be going on to Santa Cruz?

- No, ma'am.

- I think I understand.

- I figured you would.

Good bye, Mr. Brigade.

Well, that figures.

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