The Last Hard Men Page #4

and hunt down Provo. My hands are tied.

Now, it gravels on me, captain...

I can't help you out,

but that's the way it goes.

I'll ask you to come back with us.

Well, like you say,

you got no authority on this land.

You go on back if you have to.

I'll go where I have to.

I know where you're going,

six feet under.

That's where you're going.

They got seven guns to your one.

Everybody's gotta die,

nobody's gotta give up.

Look at you.

You can't even get on a horse.

You ain't been out three days,

you can't even ride.

That is, by God, enough!

If I don't keep after him,

he's got no more use for Susan.

He'll turn his dogs loose on her.

He don't care nothing for her,

he wants me.

If I can't do nothing else,

I can offer him some kind of a trade.

Now mount up!

I'll ride with you

till we get out of sight.

Then I'll cut north

and pick up his trail.

I'm coming with you.

Be damned if you are.

I wasn't asking your permission.

We best step down, let the horses blow.

The deeper we get

into this reservation...

the rougher it gets.

It's nothing like Massachusetts.

Planning to stay here in the territory?

Yes, sir.

- What kind of work do you do?

- Hydroponics.

It's a special kind of agriculture.

Grow crops in sand.

Use chemicals for fertilizer.

We use horse manure.

You know,

you ought to let your hair grow.

Keep your head warm in the winter,

sun off your neck in the summer.

Short hair ain't right for a man.

What about that there pistol?

You know how to use it?

Yes, sir.

I was once pretty good with it.

Targets, anyway.

- Never shot at a man?

- Never had cause to.

I guess there is a difference.

Man is generally a little bigger.

Those are horseshoe tracks. It's them.

These mountains run about 30 miles

into deep gorge country...

the Grand Canyon.

Provo won't put his back to that.

He's gotta keep going northeast

till he makes a stand.

Or an ambush.

We'll wait a spell.

- What for?

- Sundown.

Sign's hard to read in the rocks...

but they headed up that dry streambed.

They could double back

and set up a trap.

I don't see much point

in walking into it.

They're not far.

Maybe two, three miles.

When we don't show,

Provo will send someone back...

to look for us.

Why don't we go fishing?

How's that?

That'll do. Yeah, that will do fine.

Well, we best get on up the hill.

Don't never cock a rifle...

till you're ready to use it.

Best to leave this here, anyway.

In plain sight.

Are you sure...?

Are you sure someone's coming?

Provo has gotta get worried.

He might even think we're lost.

He'll send out a stalking horse.

Send a what?

A man, to show himself.

Someone we're sure to recognize...

to put us on the trail.

It's an old trick.

You...

You told the sheriff you're gonna try

and trade your life for Susan's.

Did I?

Provo is not a man about to bargain.

Not when he's got all the chips.

No, he wants only one thing.

Me, alive.

Then he'll find some mean way

to kill me.

He'll take his time...

because it will come on him...

that killing me is gonna leave

a great big hole in his life...

where his hate was.

I don't reckon the man's got

anything else to live for.

Yeah, that's my ace in the hole.

I want to kill him...

but he wants to kill me slow.

That's it.

Comes to a showdown, he'll hesitate...

and that's when I'll get him.

Weed.

You move an ear, you're a dead man.

- Put that gun away.

- I'm just trying...

I don't want you shooting me.

Pull his boots off.

Come on, hurry it up.

You're losing your touch, George.

What you gonna do with me, Burgade?

Maybe cut you up a little.

Let you bleed to death, maybe.

- You tell me what I want to know.

- And if I do?

Then I'll tie you to the tree

and leave you there...

till I finish my business

up the mountain.

- Then I'll come back to you.

- That's mighty white of you.

Choose between you killing me

and the law hanging me?

- You gotta do better than that.

- Do I, George?

Do I, you son of a b*tch?

Where are they? Where's my girl?

- For Christ's sake.

- Come on, you bastard!

What about if Weed

fell off a cliff last night...

and busted his stupid neck?

If he fell off a cliff,

Burgade pushed him.

Now he knows where we're at.

He's out there someplace

looking at us right now.

I'll show you.

Get up.

Get up, goddamn it!

I don't say it twice.

He's down there.

Why don't you wave to him?

Go on, wave to him.

- Wave to him!

- You're insane!

No.

No.

I'm dead.

Dead.

The only thing that kept me alive

all those years...

and at Yuma...

was knowing I'd be standing here

with you one day.

I planned it.

I planned it right down to the blue sky.

Samuel Burgade.

Burgade!

Everybody who came

to that Yuma prison, I'd ask:

"What about Sam Burgade?"

I found out what he was doing...

where he lived, and you.

Even that school you went to

back in Virginia.

And all the men you was going with.

I knew you'd be home on Fridays

doing the wash for him.

There it is.

There it is.

You see it?!

Yeah, in the trees, a flash.

Lens of his glass.

- Got a seat right in the front row.

- Oh, no, don't touch me!

I know what you're gonna do.

Not me.

What they're gonna do.

No! Please don't hurt me, please!

You, up there! All of you, down here!

Run, run, run!

Take her, she's yours.

- You serious?

- Try me.

- No!

- Shiraz, come on.

What do you wanna

cause her trouble for?

- She never hurt you.

- I don't wanna hurt you, kid!

- Now move!

- What about yesterday...

when you didn't want anybody

to touch her?

She would've screamed yesterday.

I want her to scream today.

You don't die for women.

You kill for them.

Run! Run! Run!

- Get her!

- Wahoo! Damn.

No, don't do it!

Oh, those murdering bastards.

No, it's what they want.

Stop!

No!

Stop!

No!

No!

Oh, no!

Hold her damn feet!

She nicked you!

Come on, you son of a b*tch.

Burgade!

Burgade!

Burgade!

Burgade!

I don't wanna hit you again.

They're f***ing your daughter!

- Let me shoot.

- What about Susan?

I'll get closer. I won't miss.

For the love of God.

He didn't come.

He should've.

He will.

If he doesn't come for her by sunrise,

string her up to this tree.

And when he sees her

jerking on them ropes, he'll come.

- He'll come.

- What if he don't?

He will.

Remember in the prison, I told you:

Him thinking of himself all the time...

as being one of the Lord's own angels?

If he stays down there

and lets her die...

it will be all over anyway.

Before the week is out, he'll stick a gun

in his mouth and pull the trigger.

- Are you all right?

- I...

I don't know.

Susan.

She's lying where they left her.

- Is she...?

- She's got some clothes on.

I saw her move.

Maybe she's not hurt too badly.

- Not hurt?

- She's alive.

That's what it comes down to, isn't it?

If she can survive it,

we sure as hell can.

I guess maybe you're some tougher

than I figured you for.

Yeah.

They don't seem to be moving out.

Half-moon comes up about 10:00.

Won't be bad light for shooting.

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