San Antonio

NARRATOR:
Before 1877, southwest

Texas was pouring cattle northward...

...over the newly opened Chisholm Trail.

The Texans of the open range

could see wealth and power just ahead.

But this is the year of the great breakup.

The outlaws of the wide open West

have learned how easy it is...

...to raid the lonely herds.

In this country, where the ranch houses

are 20 miles apart...

...the thieves hit hard and often,

stampeding the wild cattle.

Rustlers gather from the length

of the frontier for the easy kill...

...and the range is without defense.

Night after night, they drive the cattle off

by hundreds that mount into thousands.

And the vast herds are melting away,

ruining the men who built Texas.

The outnumbered ranchers

have fought back...

...but the savage range war

has smashed their leaders...

...and driven them into exile

across the Mexican line.

Only a few men

like Charlie Bell of San Antonio...

...still keep

the banished fighters posted...

...hoping against hope

that the great days can be brought back.

Maybe a peace officer.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

- I'm Charlie Bell of San Antonio.

- You have pass?

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

The border is closed, seor.

Is new order.

Look here, you people.

I can go and wade the river

a mile below here without any trouble.

But I don't mean to do

anything of the kind.

If you try to cross, there is nothing

what we can do but try to stop you.

It is not our fault

if your law breaks down...

...so your best men come live with us.

We will have peace in Mexico,

even if every day we must fight.

Clay Hardin is in Nuevo Laredo

and I mean to see him.

Other men have come after him before.

It only means more fight.

I know all that,

but I'm Clay Hardin's best friend.

Then you know he is going back

to Texas. You can see him then.

If you wanna save his life,

you'd better let me see him now.

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

- Go on in.

CHARLIE:
Thanks.

[MAN HUMMING NEARBY]

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

[WOMEN SHOUTING IN SPANISH]

He is gone. He's not here.

We never heard of him.

That horse is the horse of my husband.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

WOMAN:

Help! Help!

Juan, Jose, Rita, Rosita!

We're attacked. We're stricken.

A bad stranger is upon us.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

Looking for someone?

I ought to take that thing

and bend it over your head.

Ha, ha. You look like the time

you sat on the cactus. How are you?

Ha, ha.

What's the matter with these people?

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

[LAUGHS]

You could've saved yourself a long ride.

I wrote you I was coming home.

I guess you wrote other people.

Everybody knows

you're gonna make a try at it.

They do?

Well, why burn up horseflesh coming

all this way down here to tell me?

Clay, I rode to tell you not to come.

At least not now.

[SINGS]

I love you

You're not ready to ride, Clay.

I never see a man

shot up so bad as you was.

[SINGING]

Be mine

Yahoo!

You think that's why

I stayed in Mexico, huh?

Oh, don't go back, Clay.

It ain't worth it.

All southwest Texas is busted.

San Antonio is just gonna be

another dog town all falling down.

[SINGING]

You're sweeter than any wine

That's just why I'm going back.

Now, you listen to me, Clay.

We've counted more than 5000

wanted outlaws loose in Texas.

They got a chain of stock thieves

all along the border.

Them fellows can run a herd into Mexico

every night.

Mexico can't help it, Charlie.

Us neither.

Look at the way we fought them.

You tied into them harder than

anybody else. And what did it get us?

Your ranch burned out, your cows

run off and yourself all shot to pieces.

Everybody knows

who I blame for all that.

Clay, don't you see that's why

you'll never get back to San Antonio?

You think Roy Stuart

don't know you're after him?

I left Texas to find out something.

I found it. If Roy Stuart thinks

I'm coming after him now, he's right.

He's right about something else too.

The only way you'll get

to San Antonio alive is to stay away.

- Can you get a bet on that?

- Anywhere in Texas.

The gamblers

are making book in the streets.

Laredo's practically put up a grandstand

and sold seats...

...to see you shot as you cross the line.

- Yeah?

Well, cover every cent you can get.

I'll pay it.

[WOMAN SCREAMS,

SHOUTING IN SPANISH]

[DOG BARKING]

Don't run away, honey.

We won't look. Ha. Will we?

Now, listen, things got so bad up there,

the governor asked for military aid.

Colonel Johnson's cavalry

is policing San Antonio.

And the colonel himself swears

he'll outlaw you the day you come back.

Yeah? Charlie?

Roy Stuart has gotta be convicted

and hung.

You'll never get him that way, Clay.

I've got him now.

What do you think I've been doing

down in Mexico?

We were whipped before because

we lacked proof. We don't lack it now.

- Does Stuart know?

- Of course he does.

All the more reason

it's sure death to cross over.

What do you want me to do?

Send somebody else?

All right, Clay. What's the next move?

Cross over into Laredo.

Get me seat on the San Antonio stage.

- In whose name?

- In my own name.

- What?

- Sure.

Onyx. He looks good.

How come you haven't lost him

in a poker game by now?

Because I don't gamble the way you do.

Oh.

- Hi, boys.

- Hi, Charlie.

He wouldn't be here

if Clay Hardin didn't aim to go through.

There'll be a fight if he tries to.

- You gonna put into it?

- Not me. But there's plenty as will.

Three-to-one, gents, 3-to-1 Clay Hardin

never sets foot in San Antonio.

Place your bets

with Honest Jay Witherspoon.

Never run out on a bet yet.

Or at least, with two exceptions,

it was never proved.

- Three-to-one Clay never makes it.

- Why should Clay come back?

His cattle is scattered

from Stinkwater to breakfast.

- Half his friends is dead, other is foolish.

- It's worse than you say.

But here's 100 that says he will be back.

Another 100 says it will be

the best thing that happened to Texas.

Thank you, Mr. Streeter, I can use this.

Any more bets?

Three-to-one. Three-to-one.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

Ain't that Lafe McWilliams?

Had all them gunfights in San Antone?

Sure is, brother.

Five-to-one. Make it 8-to-1.

Clay Hardin never makes San Antonio.

Get your money here, boys.

It's 8-to-1 here.

I got the signal.

Clay Hardin has left Nuevo.

- He may be over the Texas line by now.

- Well?

They lost him, he just disappeared. We

should've rode the river like the others.

Clay can't ride the brush 150 miles.

- There must be lead in him yet.

- That's right.

Even if he tried it,

the lookouts would get him easy.

They can see a rider 20 miles

as he comes through.

The Monterey coach is coming up.

Do you suppose he'd be fool enough...?

No.

Wait. That ain't the Monterey coach.

That's old Jaime Rosas driving.

That's a charter coach from below.

How do you do? How do you do?

- Oh, sit down.

MEN:
Ha-ha-ha!

I don't sit down. Don't argue with me.

- Always the opposite.

- Oh.

One side. One side or a horn

knocked off. Scatter, you slickers.

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