The Hanging Tree

The Gold Trail

Montana 1873

Every new mining town's gotta have a

hanging tree. Makes folks feel respectable.

Everything for sale?

I wouldn't sell except

I'm needing a grubstake.

How about that cabin over there?

That belongs to the fellow that runs

the general store, but he ain't selling.

- How much?

- How much would you say?

- If you left it up to me: 5 cents.

- How about 1,000 - dust or nuggets?

- $ 500.

- Oh, she's worth more than that, lock stock and barrel.

$500 in gold coins.

Come on, let's go!

I'll throw her in for another

$5 gold piece.

No, thanks.

- Hey!

Sluice robber!

Hey, I think I got him!

Sluice robber! Sluice robber!

I got him real good!

Keep your eyes open for blood spots!

Hey!

Sluice robber!

I don't suppose

you would help me.

Sluice robber!

- Sluice robber? Why should I?

- I'm bad hurt.

- Where is my shirt?

- I burned it.

What for? That's the

only shirt I've got.

If you wore that out of here,

they'd hang you.

- How did it feel?

- I've been better.

It ought to.

After what I dug out of you.

Leave a big hole?

Yes, but it will heal.

- What's your name?

- What's yours?

Doctor Joe Frail.

My name's Rune.

- Rune what?

- That's all. Just Rune.

- Where are you from?

- Where are you from?

Will you stop answering my questions

with another question?

Stop asking me questions, then!

How do you expect to pay me

for my professional services?

I can pay you nothing.

If I had any money, do you think I'd be dumb enough

to rob a sluice box and get myself hung?

Do you think I want to doctor you and

treat you for nothing?

Of course, you could earn your keep.

I could use a manservant.

All gentlemen should have one to black his boots

and swamp out the cabin.

- You can cook, I hope.

- No! And I ain't no servant!

All forms of life can be taught.

Even fleas.

Yes, you will be my bond servant.

And do as I tell you.

You can go to hell!

You know what that is?

It's the bullet I dug out of you.

An unusual calibre.

Even if they didn't see your face, this

could be your mark for the hanging tree.

How long will I have to work as your

servant before we get even?

As long as I say.

Maybe forever.

If I had let you bleed to death

You'd be dead forever.

You can start by cleaning up

this cabin from top to bottom.

Then you go down and pass the word

that Dr. Frail is open for business.

Doctor in town up on the hill!

There's a doctor up there.

What would we want with a doctor?

Come here.

How old are you?

New doctor in town!

A doctor in town up on the hill!

Open all hours!

Hey, boy!

- What's that doctor's name?

- Frail.

- Joe Frail?

- Yes.

You tell him you saw Tom Flaunce.

- All right.

- Thanks.

A doctor in town!

A doctor in town!

Doctor up there!

- Where is he?

- Dr. Frail. Up on the hill.

Let me see your teeth.

Nothing the matter here

except malnutrition.

What's that, Doc?

Not the right kind of food

and not enough of it.

I ain't had luck at the diggings, Doc.

We do the best we can.

There's a cow tied up in back,

coming fresh pretty quick.

Take it with you. I'm packing

this child on milk.

I can't pay for no cow.

I'll loan it to you.

Oh.

Thank you, Doc.

How much do we owe you, Doctor?

Give me a kiss.

- I'm paid.

Who is that?

Now hear me, brethren!

If you bring your sick to the butcher

doctor, they will die!

His instruments are foul with sin!

If you are sick,

come unto me!

And I will lay my hands on you

And my hands will make you well.

Don't enter this place! Don't succumb to

the black magic of this devil's spawn!

Hello Grubb.

Don't turn your evil

eyes on me, Joseph Frail.

Brethren beware!

The Bible says...

Here's his Bible!

Beware, Joseph Frail. He who

diggeth the pit...

will fall into it!

Well, who's next?

Me, Doc. Remember me?

I was over at Oldrich Gulch last year.

Well, Frenchy. Are you ill

or looking for a stake?

No, I have a carbuncle on the rump.

Figured you could lance it for me.

That costs one ounce of dust,

or $20 hard money.

- Can you pay this time?

- Well, I got a little bit in the poke.

Come on in.

- Got yourself a helper, Doc?

- That's right.

Drop your pants and

bend over the table.

Rune, this is Frenchy Plante.

Don't believe a word he says

And don't ever let him

get behind you in the dark.

- The Doc's sure a caution, kid.

- I've found out.

- I just wish I could swing a gun like Doc here.

- Be sure to burn it.

Ever swing a gun, kid?

Doc! I came for a cure

not a killing!

If I could swing a gun like that,

I'd be the biggest man in Montana.

Ow! Doctor!

People would sure back off

the street when I'd come to town.

Kid, it's not old Frenchy, it's the Doc

you gotta watch out...

Oh! Ah!

Ahhhh!

Hey, quit it. Nobody's listening.

Society Red bets 300.

- Too dear for me.

- I can't do it.

- Check that 300.

- And raise you 300.

I'd like to call and raise with

this gold claim.

- Where is it located?

- Around the bend.

I'll allow 2,000.

- How much of it?

- All of it.

Take your time, Doc.

Like the man says, when the wind blows

too hard, tree's gotta bend.

Now wait a minute.

The tree hasn't blown down yet.

Call.

Ace high.

A pair of deuces.

What you gonna do

with all that, Doc?

Buy a ticket back to Illinois

and burn down another house?

I ain't gonna slap no

leather with you, Doc Frail.

Take the money, Rune.

What's that about him

burning a house down?

He hit that fella. He did nothing

and he nearly killed him.

Unsaddle my horse and

stake him out.

All he said was something

about a house burning down.

Are you gonna kill

a man for that?

Rune...

We're starting a new regime.

We rise at 4:
30...

work the claim until 8:30...

Then we come here and take care of patients.

Any questions?

Any questions about my life

or my way of life?

- No.

- Good. Go unsaddle the horse.

That Frenchy wasn't far wrong.

If you aren't the devil,

he's sure sitting on your shoulder.

- 15,000. Take or leave.

- Okay.

Hey, Doc!

Hey, Doc!

There's a fellow in town.

He needs you bad. Stagecoach driver.

- He staggered in half dead - took 3 days to get here.

- What happened to the passengers?

- The coach got held up and all the passengers killed!

- All except for a lady.

- She got lost.

- And the driver says she was a real looker.

Mr. Flaunce, you know the canyons around here.

Would you lead a posse to find that lady?

- Yes, all right.

- You take the posse back down that road.

Coming, Doc?

I'd better stay. There's the stage driver

and I have patients waiting for me.

Want to ride with us, kid?

I got no horse.

Take mine.

How come?

What if I just kept on going?

No matter where you went,

that bullet hole would tell its story.

Which posse are you riding with?

- I'm gonna look for that Lost Lady.

- That figures.

Watch yourself. I don't want my

bondservant crippled.

Don't worry, I'll take good care of

your property and your horse too.

There!

She isn't here.

There's something.

Letter's to her.

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