River of No Return Page #4

Come here, boy.

I shoulda told you myself.

- You did what she said?

- Yeah.

Look. Look, the man was no good.

He was trying to kill a friend of mine

so I shot him.

They sent me to prison for it.

That's where I was

when I was away from you.

I could have told you much easier

when you were older.

- You shot him in the back?

- Yeah, I shot him, in the back or in the front.

What does it matter how you kill a snake?

What does it matter which way he's facing?

We'd better get moving.

You wanna help her with the stuff?

The Indians call it the River of No Return.

From here on, you'll find out why.

One thing about this.

The longer you last, the less you care.

Kay!

You stay out here and keep watch.

If you see or hear anything, whistle.

I can't light a fire yet.

They may be around here.

- Indians.

- I know.

They can smell smoke

as far as they can see it.

- I'll be all right.

- Hey, you look fine.

You too.

Now, get out of those clothes

and climb into these blankets.

Here.

I'll wait outside.

Dry yourself with one blanket

and wrap yourself in the other.

- See anything?

- No.

- Is she going to die?

- No, she's a strong girl.

She won't die so easy.

But she's awfully sick, isn't she?

Well, she's cold, exhausted, hungry.

- Will we stay here long?

- No. We're hungry, too.

You better see if you can scrape up

some wood. Maybe some pine nuts.

We'll have to take a chance on a fire.

And be careful.

(Kay) All right.

It's very fancy for the Northwest.

The Emporium, Kansas City.

Lie down.

Come on! Come on.

All right. Sit up.

I think you'll live.

I'm sorry I opened my big mouth

in front of the boy.

You hurt me and I wanted to hurtyou back.

Well, that's the way it works.

If it wasn't for me,

you'd be halfway to Council City by now.

If it wasn't for Weston,

I'd be asleep in the bunk in my cabin.

Can'tyou get some sleep?

Just so he does. That's what matters.

- I don't know what happened to me there.

- You're just hungry.

Sometimes men have eaten

worms and grubs and roots.

- You read that in a book.

- I ate a worm once,

but I was very young then.

Last week in tent city, I ate a sirloin steak.

I was a lotyounger then, myself.

He's asleep now.

We'll let him sleep.

It wouldn't be anything if we had a rifle.

He'd just hunt something and kill it.

He's a fine shot.

Why did he kill a man?

Sometimes you can't help it.

Sometimes it's to save your own life.

He said it was to save his friend's.

That can be the same as your own.

Then why'd they send him to prison?

It's hard to say.

Because he shot him in the back?

Kay!

(Mark) Look, there's two of them!

Wake him! Wake him up!

Look.

Get the rope.

You got him! You got him!

- Isn't it almost done?

- Almost.

- Now, where did she go?

- Her name's Kay.

- I know.

- You always say "you" or "her" or "she".

- Why do you hate her?

- Now, what makes you think I hate her?

- You treat her bad.

- I treat her like what she is to me: nothing.

Then it's only because you hate him.

The man who stole from us.

- Well, don'tyou?

- No.

After what he did to us?

She said he didn't know any better.

She said that sometimes you do wrong

things that seem all right when you do them.

Like what?

Like whatyou did.

(sighs)

Are you going to kill him?

Mark, look.

There's a law.

You can't steal a man's horse.

In this land, that's like stealing his life.

I didn't make the law.

All men make them to live by.

What he did to us might have

taken our lives. Still might.

Now, are you gonna tell me

where she went? Where Kaywent?

She's takin' a bath in the waterfall.

Finish it.

I'd be alive again if I hadn't starved to death.

I see you're still alive.

- How was the water?

- Freezing, but I'm becoming hardened.

I guess it's from seeing life in the raw,

and running around with strong,

silent types like you guys.

Yeah. I'll go get the stuff off the raft.

I'll help you.

- See how I've changed?

- How would I know?

You oughta take a dip in the falls yourself.

Might wash some of the starch

out of you, or rust.

- Or whatever it is.

- Or whatever it is.

You're not such a mean person,

in spite of yourself.

Some other time and some other place,

we might have even have gotten along.

Now, what's all this?

What kind of an act is this?

I'm a performer. Didn'tyou know?

Songs and dances.

- I think I know you pretty well.

- I think I know you, too.

Hm? What am I like?

Really not so bad.

Not so tough and grim as you seem.

I think you do a little acting yourself.

You could be nice if you half-tried.

You don't have to hate me

just because you hate him.

I don't hate you.

You'd do anything to save him,

wouldn'tyou?

You'd even be... friends.

I could be that without him.

Why?

Why not?

Leave me alone!

Let go!

(Mark) Matt!

(gunshot)

He sure wanted that meat.

- Yeah, we're in a hungry world.

- Ain't we.

- You all right?

- I think so, butyou're not.

- Take your shirt off.

- Oh, I'll live.

My name's Benson. This is Dave Colby.

You're a fine shot.

I'm as hungry as that cat.

We ain't eaten for two days.

Well, go ahead and eat.

You earned a piece of it.

We smelled your food.

Had to make sure it wasn't Indians.

Left our horses down by the water.

You prospectin' for gold?

Not any more, mister.

We're prospectin' for a man.

You didn't say who you was.

Calder.

- This here your wife?

- No.

You headed for Council City?

Yeah, on the river. We got a raft.

Ain't that kinda foolish,

with all these Indians?

- It isn't too bright without them.

- Yeah.

Now I know where I seen you.

Same place you leftyour table manners?

Same place I left a gold claim

to a card shark named Weston.

Wasn'tyou and him kind of thick?

I can't quite place you.

But then, all the faces lookthe same.

I heard you and him

pulled out of there, on a raft.

Do you know somethin' about this?

Yeah, that's my trouble.

I know a little about everything.

- What are you doin' with this guy?

- I want to get away for a while.

Fresh air and relaxation.

Did you dump Weston? Or did he dump you?

All right, honey. I'm lookin' for him, too.

Only you try to make Council City on

that raft and you won't get away for a while.

You'll get away for ever.

- You come with us, and you got a chance.

- Oh, we'll get there.

You getyour belly full of food,

and you're a lover.

Did you hear what I said... honey?

She heard ya.

Well, ain't she got a right to take

her best chance the way she sees it?

With us, she's got one.

- You wanna ask me?

- Go ahead, honey. It's your party.

All right.

I'd rather have no chance... with him.

You heard her.

You and your partner did me a favour, Colby.

Now I'll do one for you.

Just take your meat and get out.

All right, get up.

Get up!

You wanna do what I say?

Do what he says.

Getyour horses

and ride them up to that point.

Wait for your friend there.

Do it.

No, leave his rifle. Just take yours.

Do it, Sam.

Thanks for the meat.

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