The Duel Page #4

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I have to go now.

Ride to the first Ridge

this side of the river.

You'll see what

you're looking for there.

I'll meet you

at the split-fork crossing.

I'll wait there

an hour for you.

Naomi, wh-- Naomi!

God damn it.

Three miles?

Can you help me, please?

I need to see Abraham.

Abraham!

Abraham, help me.

Something's really wrong.

Where is your husband?

Last I seen,

he was painting his nose

down at hoot's

with that spud-n*gger whore

Naomi.

Please, I don't know

what to do.

Silas, see she gets home

and stay by her side until

the sheriff returns.

- Ladies, you fetch

Dr. Morris.

- Yes.

If you were mine,

Marisol,

I'd not leave your side

for anything.

Why, I recall,

at bull run,

i led my militia

through a wall

of advancing

blue-belly fire

entirely unscathed.

- "How so?"

One might ask.

But, friends, this is

divine conviction at work.

I tell you, we left

even general Lee

speechless.

You met general Lee?

Oh, it was a magnificent day

to behold.

My men killed

more yankee malefactor

than that milksop

bedford forrest's

entire regiment.

I believe he referred to us

as his "hangman militia."

Did you kill

many men, Abraham?

The faces of those

we've killed

remains hidden

behind our eyes

and our memory

for eternity,

without change.

There's no labor

in killing a man.

But for some,

it's living after

that's work.

You carry

the burden of many.

So should you.

Mrs. Naomi Ellis,

for one.

My reflection

is murderous,

but my conscience

is clean.

Your wife...

- No, st-- shh.

- Ah!

It's okay, it's okay.

I'm here.

Calm down, calm down.

I'm here.

I'm here.

David?

You're leaving me again.

I saw something

yesterday, Marisol.

We're leaving tonight.

I'll be back

before dark.

Gentlemen...

Pick your prey.

That one.

The woman?

You are twisted,

brother.

There you are.

The boy.

Gentlemen,

make your preparations.

Shh, shh, shh.

Vmonos.

Don't look like abuelito

is going to give you

much of a hunt.

Just the same.

Man:
Whoo!

Ah!

Go ahead, give her

another one.

Abraham:

Good job, son.

You gotta take

the scalp, George.

Nothing to it--

quick slit and a pull.

Isaac:

I guarantee you,

she'd take yours.

They're as wild

as injuns.

Whoohoo!

Whoo!

Abraham:

You bury her good,

now, Isaac.

I will.

Man:

...The sins...

Marisol?

Marisol?

Move, get out of the way!

Move!

The hell are you doing

to my wife?!

She's no longer yours, David.

Take him.

Let god in you.

Keys.

Get up.

Open this door.

I missed

the first five shots.

I mean, I must have picked

the quickest Mexican out of

the whole bloody bunch.

Mine damn near

got to the river!

Monte said that's the farthest

any Mexican ever made it!

God damn it,

that was a hell

of a time.

What do you figure

on doing with that?

You two put

your f***ing guns

down slowly.

Everyone sit up.

You and you,

take everyone's pistols

and put them over there.

You killed my son.

I hear your wife's sick.

What are you going

to do?

I'm going to sit

and wait.

You paid good money

to come here, right?

How much were

those Mexicans worth?

How much?

200 a hunt.

$200 per hunt!

And that's

what you call it?

Hunting?

No, please.

Why are you here,

old man?

Because we wanted

to kill something.

Something or someone?

Someone.

We wanted to know

what it felt like

to kill someone.

Well, I'm gonna

let you kill.

And I ain't even

gonna charge you for it.

You're gonna pick up

that pistol

and shoot monte

in his ugly f***ing face...

Or I'm gonna

shoot your father dead.

In fact, go on

and shoot Dale, too.

I don't much

like his face either.

Pick up the pistol,

killer.

Pick it up!

Don't do it, John.

Come on, son.

Come on, he--

he's fooling with you, John.

- Please.

- One!

You say one word

and I'll blow your

f***ing head off.

Where is my wife?

Where she belongs.

You can go right ahead

and put that old coach gun

down now, mister.

Aw, I figure I won't.

It's all right, boys.

I feel Mr. Kingston is due

a modicum of self-expression

under the circumstances.

Kingston?

I've known for quite some time

you'd be coming for me, David.

I took pleasure

in killing your father.

He was an abhorrent man.

If you think I'm here

to avenge my father,

you think too highly

of yourself.

You're nothing more to me

than youthful intrigue.

I'm a Texas ranger.

I was sent

by the governor himself.

All those Mexicans

you've been killing

been floating into a strainer

a couple miles downriver.

One was general Calderon's

own nephew.

Well, I must say

all this news

is shocking, David.

Though it seems you have

some bad information.

You see,

we bury the bodies.

Mexicans,

sh*t that they are,

decompose rather quickly.

How dirty did you get

that shovel today, Isaac?

Don't listen to him, father.

You're a f***ing liar.

I followed you today,

you piece of sh*t.

How long you think before

they find that scalpless girl

you dumped in the river?

Father, i--

i can explain.

Father, can't you--

can't you see what he's doing?

I tell you, he's--

he's lying.

You are as crippled

as your mother was.

I suppose I'll have to

try again with the new wife.

I'll shoot you dead before

you ever touch her again.

I have to say,

as much as I respect

your confidence, David,

I also respect when a man

can appreciate

his fate staring him

in the face.

You have hoot's rifle

pointing at your head, son.

I figure

I'm a better shot

than hoot.

Your pugnacious pappy

would have loved to hear that.

- Abraham?

- I say he's bluffing.

- Father, may I have

a moment?

- No!

Isaac:

David Kingston...

I challenge you

to fight me to the death

in a Helena duel.

My boy.

Let me do this, pa.

Let me help you up, son.

David?

I'll do it

on one condition.

When it's done,

my wife leaves here with me.

Put your guns away,

gentlemen.

There'll be

no more shooting today.

Abraham:

We'll meet outside, 8:00.

Abraham:

Good people of mount hermon,

you're about to witness

a Helena duel.

Mr. Kingston.

A most noble affair

of character and honor.

I took David's father

with this knife

over 20 years ago.

The one he now grips

is stained with my blood

from that same duel

and now will surely

drip red with my son's.

If Isaac lives,

he will be forgiven

his ill-considered behavior

and he will undoubtedly

be the better man

for what he experiences

here tonight.

Does me proud.

If David is Victor,

then in fairness,

he will be taken to his wife

and she will decide

their fate.

On this, you have my word.

Gentlemen, come together.

You shall pour out

each other's blood...

And we will cover it

with dust.

Begin.

Ah!

- Marisol?

- Shh.

You'll pull your stitches out

and bleed everywhere.

We can go home now.

Abraham:

"Dark eyes burning,

in the night they glow.

She knows only yearning.

What else is there

to know?"

That's beautiful, David.

And that's a lovely drawing.

You are one surprise

after another.

You've been busy

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