The Last Wagon Page #6

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Did you, or did you not, kill these men?

I killed 'em.

In cold blood?

What's that mean?

If a man kills another man in hot

anger, perhaps even temporary insanity-

in hot blood, that is-

the law calls it second-degree

murder, or even manslaughter.

But if a man plans to kill and

cold-bloodedly sets out to do it...

that's murder in the first degree...

punishable by hanging.

It was the second way with me.

- Cold-blooded murder?

- That's right, I guess.

I wanted to kill 'em, and I did.

How many men you killed?

- You mean, on the battlefield?

- Anyplace.

- How many?

- Why do you ask?

Man hangs me, I wanna know if

he knows the meaning of hangin'.

There's a difference between war and murder

- a great difference.

Tell me the difference.

In war you kill the

enemies of your people.

That's what I did.

Wasn't them people you killed

in the Civil War your people?

My people? The Confederates?

They was Americans, wasn't

they? And they're Americans now.

And they're your friends

now it's over, ain't they?

- Of course.

- Then you killed your friends.

You see, with my people it's different.

- We only kill our enemies.

- Your people?

The Comanches.

But you're a white man.

I was...

until the day the Harpers

come to my lodge...

and each of 'em took my wife...

and then killed her.

And when my boys went to help their

mother, the Harpers killed them too.

Smashed their faces into

pulp with their heels.

That's what they was doin' when I heard

the screamin' from the river and run back.

Too late.

But I wasn't too late

to see them Harper faces.

Even while they was pumpin' me full

of lead, I was seein' their faces.

Even as they left me for

dead, I was seein' their faces.

And when I was-

when I was buryin' my wife and

my boys, I was seein' their faces.

Then the anger in me was

hot-blooded, General, like you said.

But as I tracked 'em west it got cold.

Real cold.

And that's the way it

was when I killed 'em.

Cold-blooded.

And I was glad I killed 'em.

You wanna hang me for that,

General, you go right ahead...

'cause I'd do it all over again...

and I'd be glad.

No matter how deeply provoked...

no man has the right to take

the law in his own hands.

It's the Comanche law

to avenge your people.

You're a white man. You are

bound by the white man's law.

There was no "white man's

law" for hundreds of miles!

And even if there was, you show me

a "white man" jury in this land...

that'd hang four white men for killing

an Indian squaw and two Comanche boys.

I would. The color of the skin of

the victims makes no difference to me.

Murder is murder.

And law is law, Comanche

or white, if it's just!

General, you say you'd have

condemned them Harpers...

for killin' my wife and my boys, right?

- In due course of law. - Didn't I just

do what you'd have deputized me to do?

I didn't have to wear no star to do it.

I wouldn't have deputized

you to murder them.

All right, to hang 'em,

then. No difference.

In that Bible there, ain't

it justice that counts?

Everywhere on Earth people's got laws

that's maybe different

from their neighbors.

But justice don't change nowhere...

even in places where they give medals

for killin' Indians, like out here.

Medals like that one you're wearin'!

I have no need to

tolerate abuse from you.

You're in no position

to challenge my motives.

I've always done what I believed right.

Oh, and so has he!

All I've heard here is talk of

killing, of the taking of lives.

I've heard no one say

anything about giving lives.

You say he took four lives.

Well, isn't there anything in that Bible

about giving six lives back, and more?

Like these others who might

be dead if it weren't for him.

When he could have saved

himself, he saved us.

When he could have gone,

and I urged him to go...

he chose to stay and

see us through to safety.

Maybe this is a different

kind of an eye for an eye-

the giving of lives instead

of the taking of lives.

But I know any one of

us is willing now...

to give our lives for him.

He did more for me than save my life.

He made me grow up.

He gave me something I

couldn't have lived without-

pride in myself.

We want him to live, sir.

I was moved by what you said

about the giving of lives.

Do you love this man?

Of course.

Yes, son?

So do I.

The hearing will come to order.

By the authority vested in me by

the president of the United States...

I'm ready to pass judgment

on this man, Comanche Todd.

You've spoken well for the Indian...

and through your subsequent actions

have helped your fellow whites.

And as an alternate

to hanging this man...

would you both agree...

to take him into custody for

as long as you both shall live?

Oh, yes, I do.

Me too.

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