The Man from Colorado Page #5

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Not a thing, except it's the best news

since General Lee called off the war.

Did you ever see this before?

- This isn't your gun, is it?

- Maybe.

Where'd you see it before?

You tell me when,

and I'll tell you where.

A man was killed

in that holdup last night.

That's his hard luck.

No, it's yours. If you shot him.

I don't think you did.

I don't care what you think!

All right, I'm gonna lock you up.

All of you.

Until one of you gets sense enough

to talk straight. Come on!

The gun, the sack of gold dust...

...and where you were when

Ed Carter's office was robbed.

Three things against you, Johnny.

That might be enough to hang you.

Do you understand that?

You're not helping Jericho.

You don't wanna hang

for something you didn't do.

You've got your whole life

ahead of you, Johnny.

Did he tell you anything?

- You wouldn't believe him if he did.

- No, I wouldn't.

- Not with the evidence we've got.

- I still say Johnny wasn't in on it.

- How do you know?

- I know him.

He's protecting his brother.

Or trying to anyhow.

Well, you have a right to your

personal opinion.

- I have to go on facts.

- The law states that a man...

...is innocent until proved guilty

beyond any reasonable doubt.

- I know the law.

- All right.

Then put off the trial

for a few days.

Why should I?

I'll give you reason enough.

I want time to find Jericho Howard

and bring him in.

Haven't done well

finding him up to now.

I made a mistake by having a posse.

Del, I've gone along with you

as far as I can.

- If you were in my place...

- I'd give Johnny a chance to live.

This is one time I intend

to have things my way, Owen.

I don't want that kid touched

until I get back.

I don't take orders.

Not from you or anyone else!

You'll take this one.

Don't hang Johnny Howard.

- You've been hard to find, Jericho.

- I haven't been lost, marshal.

Now that you're here,

how do you figure on getting out?

- That's up to you to say.

- You bet it is.

Any idea I'm gonna give you

any of the best of it?

Depends if you want your kid brother

to hang for a killing you did.

Say that again!

Two nights ago Devereaux was getting

ready to try Johnny for the shooting...

...of a man named Rawson

in the holdup of Ed Carter's office.

- Johnny had no part of that job.

- I know he didn't.

There's enough evidence

to hang him.

He had a sack of gold dust.

Somebody dropped a gun

outside Ed Carter's office...

...with "J. Howard"

carved on the handle.

They can't convict the kid

on just that.

Maybe not.

But what will convict him is the fact

he won't defend himself.

Won't say a word.

He thinks he's protecting you.

Add it all up, Jericho,

and see what you get.

That crazy, know-nothing kid.

That's what he is, all right.

He's gonna swing for it

unless you make a move.

- You're asking me to...?

- I'm not asking you.

I'm telling you.

You're gonna dance on a rope end

sooner or later anyhow.

Johnny's too young

to die for nothing...

...but cockeyed loyalty

to his brother.

That's why I say it's up to you.

Who pays your bills, Jericho?

You or Johnny?

You coming with me?

Move over to the other place.

I'll see you there.

Give him his gun.

All right, marshal, you got your man.

What are you waiting for?

Johnny!

Colonel Devereaux's justice?

I just saw Johnny Howard.

You had to hang him. You had

another chance to kill a man.

You couldn't resist it.

I stood by you, Owen.

Let you go on being federal judge.

Thought I could stand between you

and people like Johnny Howard.

Keep you from any more killing.

I was wrong.

There's only one way to stop you.

That's to take the power of life

and death from you. Finish you.

And that's what I'm going to do,

any way I can.

You still won't get Caroline.

It was on the front door.

Aren't you going to say anything?

Everyone was talking at the store.

Owen, how can you hang five men?

Five more?

They had their trial.

You convicted them

on no more evidence...

...than there was

against Johnny Howard.

Just because they were with him.

Because they were guilty.

I think you better come with me,

Caroline.

To watch you hang them?

To show the town

that my wife believes in me.

I have a right to ask that.

How can I stand by you in this?

First Del, now you.

Owen, Del is the best friend

you ever had.

He wouldn't turn against you

without such good cause...

...that he had to,

any more than I would.

I try to understand you.

I can't.

I just can't.

You believe this

because Del believes it.

Because you're in love with Del.

- You always were.

- That's not true, Owen.

Do you love me?

You won't let me anymore.

Come on, jump in!

Let's go!

It won't do, it just won't.

What happened will be

all over Colorado.

We've got a war.

That's what it amounts to.

Next thing to plain armed rebellion!

Soldiers shooting at civilians.

- They're not soldiers.

- They were.

They were your own men,

which makes it look worse.

Your best friend is running the gang.

The man that you insisted on

for marshal.

Del Stewart will hang.

The same as any of the rest,

when I get him.

If you get him. Owen, we need

somebody else running things...

...that's not mixed up in this

personally the way you are...

...to get things quieted down, which

I don't believe you can ever do.

I'm a federal judge.

One man can put me out of office.

That's the territorial governor.

I come over as quick as I could.

Good night, Mr. Carter.

Good night.

Hi, fellows.

I hardly expected to see you around.

How about me buying a drink...

...to, kind of, celebrate

your good health?

Three.

- Funny thing, I lost my thirst.

- Me the same.

Funny thing.

I'll...

...have to drink alone, then.

- Seems a shame.

- Yeah, seems a shame...

...to say no to a popular man

like you.

You wouldn't believe

what a popular man you are.

Anywhere you go,

somebody's sure to tell somebody.

What were you doing

at Judge Devereaux's house?

He wanted to know

if I knew where Del Stewart is.

I told him no, of course.

Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell

anything on Del Stewart.

You boys know that.

You don't want to lie

to the wrong people!

In the Army, you were always

very careful not to get yourself hurt.

You're too old to change

your habits now.

Save your money.

You might need it.

What are you shaking about?

You can tell Del Stewart something

if you want to.

If you see him.

His lady friend

is in plenty of trouble.

You wouldn't mean Mrs. Devereaux,

would you?

I don't know any other lady friend

he ever had.

Things are mighty bad

in that house.

The judge locked her up.

No telling what he might do.

She asked me to get a message

to Del Stewart.

Said she needs help.

But if...

...I can't find him...

...I can't tell him.

Well...

...I'll see you boys around

some more.

Claims he's got a message for you

from Mrs. Devereaux.

When did you see Mrs. Devereaux?

- This evening at her house.

- He was there, all right.

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