The Duel

---

We got them agitated,

didn't we?

You ride with god today.

You know I ain't got

no religion.

Do you not fear

the eternal hell

that awaits you?

I ain't planning

to see it just yet.

Good people of Helena.

Good people of Helena!

I am saddened

because today

Helena loses one

of her true sons.

Now we've cleansed

the Mexican filth

from our city,

but the disease left behind

has infected our civility.

Man:

That's right!

You hear that?

These brown heathens pushed

their carts through our land.

And instead of uniting

against these indignations,

we stand here divided.

Watch yourself, Jesse.

Abraham is trickier

than the devil in the shade.

And so,

on the challenge given

to Abraham brant

from Jesse Kingston,

in the way

of a Helena duel,

are we now assembled?

Take care of my boy

if I fall.

We will.

Gentlemen, come forward.

God made this world, Jesse,

and it pains me little

to send you from it.

You shall pour out

each other's blood

and we will cover it

with dust.

Whomever bleeds

the dirt red the most today,

his deeds shall not

be forgotten.

You distinguished yourself

honorably against

the Cheyenne.

It was the comanche

in my day.

Either or,

the most contemptible breed

of people, don't you agree?

Perhaps.

Or perhaps

they're misunderstood,

your honor.

I understand you have

a problem with a dead Mexican.

Ross:

Not "a" dead Mexican,

Mr. Kingston.

Dozens.

The latest one is the nephew

of a Mexican general--

Ernesto Calderon.

He went missing

along with his sister

some time ago.

The general--

kicking up quite a fuss

about it.

He's threatening

to bring a battalion

of Mexican soldiers

across the border

to look for his niece

and the man who killed

his nephew.

Now, I don't need to tell you,

wars have started over less.

Now, all the bodies

are turning up

in the same strainer

in the river...

About here.

It's roughly 12 miles

from mount hermon.

I take it you've heard

the name Abraham brant.

Foolhardy stories,

tales from the war, mostly.

They call him

the preacher,

i believe.

I saw him once in Kansas

just before the war.

The ranchers near Wichita

were offering 50

for every red scalp

that was turned in,

and brant showed up

with 1,000 of them.

Red, Mexican, negro--

it didn't matter,

as long as they had

dark hair and dark skin.

And later, I saw him

preaching to half the town

with a spirit

that I have neither

seen before nor since.

And as god

as my witness,

I saw him

lay his huge hand

on this gimpy

teenage girl.

And he cured her

with a touch,

like Christ himself.

Pardon me,

your honor, but--

but you'll have me

believe he simply

touched the girl

and she walked?

All the way

to the church.

Married her

the next day.

I'm assuming he resides

in mount hermon.

He is mount hermon,

captain.

Now you'll travel alone

under an assumed name

and profession.

Time is of the essence.

Calderon's blood is up.

Why not send me

with a company?

There's too much at stake.

You simply find out

if brant is at the root

of these killings

and wire me

from fort McIntosh.

Once certain,

i will commit in force.

How long?

I'm not sure.

I think it's best

not to presume this time.

You've only

just now returned.

What is it?

David?

The man

I'm inquiring upon...

Abraham brant is his name.

He may or may not

be responsible for

some terrible things.

It's my job

to determine which.

Go on.

By some...

Strange twist of fate,

brant happens to be

the same man that killed

my father 20 years ago.

Now, I know

what you're thinking,

but truth is,

men like brant have orphaned

hundreds of boys like me.

And it was

my father's challenge.

David,

you know as well as I,

you will go there

and you will kill

this man.

You don't know that.

You can't know that.

Why else would you

be sharing this?

I've never once

heard you speak like this.

I'm curious,

that's all.

They say he's been

touched by god.

Marisol, I'll go

where they send me.

It's not as if I've been

chasing this man

my entire life.

I can ride as well as you.

You taught me to track--

it's crazy talk.

We should change the subject.

You're gone more

than you're ever here.

What happened

to the tompkins woman

only a month ago

was south of Austin.

And not just

some rogue straggler

we've somehow missed,

but a band of Cheyenne

and comanchero.

Would you like me

to describe to you

exactly what they did

to that poor woman?

This is coming

from the governor himself.

At least here,

we both know you're safe.

Since you took me,

you come and you go.

I'm left here

with nothing to do.

There's the sheltons.

Donahues are less

than a mile.

Marisol, this is a job.

It's my work.

You can't expect me

to put you in that kind

of danger.

Then perhaps this time

when you return,

I will have left.

Excuse me.

You kill it,

you clean it.

Marisol:

You've never

spoken about him.

Do you miss him?

From all accounts,

Jesse Kingston was

recalcitrant and headstrong

and got what he deserved.

I figure he picked

the wrong fight.

What about you?

You ever miss old Javier?

You changed the subject.

It's impossible

to love someone

who hates their self

that much.

I miss nothing.

Morning, gentlemen.

Saw smoke.

Thought we'd see

to some lodgings,

rest our horses.

What brings y'all

this way?

We're on our way

to Ciudad Victoria.

The map at fort McIntosh

showed a town.

Mount hermon, I believe.

Someone had

the good sense

to chart it.

We figured we'd

practice the same good sense

to stop and make use.

She family or help?

My apologies.

My name is David Locke.

This is my wife Marisol.

Of course, if there's

some trouble in town,

we could return

to fort McIntosh

and pass on word for you.

You need to see

the preacher.

Put that down.

We have new guests.

They're asking for lodgings.

They shall have it.

Welcome to mount hermon.

From where is it

that you come?

Houston, sir,

by way of fort McIntosh.

My name is David Locke.

This is my wife Marisol.

I'm Abraham brant.

You've met my son Isaac.

He says welcome.

Abraham:

I am mount hermon's mayor

and law when there's need,

but I am unfailingly

the town's ethereal counselor.

Marisol,

are you religious?

I'm spiritual,

but I do not like

religion, sir.

Me neither.

And you, David?

My wife and i

are one and the same, sir.

Please,

we are not formal here.

"Abraham" works just fine.

- Abraham:
Morning.

- Man:
Morning, Abraham.

Here we are.

Make yourself at home.

Thank you, Abraham.

All we need now

is some rest.

I'll leave you to it.

Buenas noches, Marisol.

Mr. Locke.

We'll be here only as long

as we need to.

Just stick to the story,

let me do my job

and we can leave

this place,

just as easy

as we came in.

Okay?

Okay.

Morning, gentlemen.

Isaac:

What are you

doing out here?

I never let the sun

catch me sleeping.

And I enjoy acquainting myself

with any new place.

How'd you find your cabin?

It was fine, Abraham.

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