The Naked Spur

Don't move.

Turn around.

Keep your

hands wide.

You want

something from me, mister?

Sure came up

quiet.

Got to give

you credit.

My name's tate.

Guess that don't

mean much to you...

or anyone else, huh?

This here's

pokey.

You fixing to

meet somebody?

Meet somebody?

Who?

Wouldn't mind

if i did.

Wouldn't care

who he was

or where

he comes from or what he does.

A man ought to always

mind his own business, i say.

Looks like

you're the one expecting company.

How long

you been here?

Been poking around

these hills

three or four

weeks now.

Got no calendar

to know exact.

Got nothing

to show for it either.

If you're ready

to talk some,

i'd appreciate

your putting that gun down.

You might

get bee stung or something,

but i'd be

just as dead.

Got some breakfast

coffee boiling.

You want some?

No.

Uh, tobacco?

This party you're

asking after,

friend of yours?

He killed

a marshal.

Kansas?

You've come a ways.

It ain't every

peace officer

who'd do that.

I ain't seen kansas

since before the war,

so i wouldn't know

you to look at.

My name's tate,

like i said.

Jesse tate.

Howard kemp.

You figure he's

back in these hills, mr. Kemp?

I lost his trail

this side of the river.

Did you see

any sign?

Hmm. Ran across

a dead fire the other day.

Where?

Back in there.

Got no map to

tell you sure.

You can tell me

better than that.

Maybe, if we

was going the same way,

but we ain't.

You got your job,

mister, and i got mine.

Helping you

don't put no money in my pocket.

I got

$20 here.

$20?

$20. it's yours

if you get me on a fresh trail.

$20, i...

10 now...

10 now, 10 when

we find him.

Start out by showing

me that dead fire.

Does this fella know

you're after him?

He knows.

Then he might be

waiting behind some rock,

waiting for us

to ride up in front of his gun.

Uh-huh.

He might.

It was still

warm yesterday.

Horses moved

out this way.

More than one

for sure.

This fellow

got company?

Could be packing

an extra horse.

But there might be

two of them waiting for us, huh?

That's why

you held a gun on me.

Come on.

Let's go, come on.

Trail's as plain

for you as it is for me.

Another fire.

They ain't making

much time.

Must be

something wrong with them.

Looks like

a horse fell there.

Yeah...

well, it's

no use guessing.

Ahh.

Look out!

Ride!

Ride!

Well, i guess that's

the end of it.

Yeah, if it was

a natural slide.

[Gunshot]

Look out!

Look out!

[Horse whinnies]

[Rocks crashing]

Well, you

found him.

Yeah. He got

to come down sometime.

Yeah,

but when?

A day, a week,

and the chance is

he sneaks down

some night and gets us.

We'll take

turn on watch.

Having it out

with this fellow ain't my job,

not for no $20.

You've got him,

but he got you,

too.

Unless there's

another way up there.

You're crazy.

You can't get up there.

Go up the trail

and get some cover,

and take a shot

at him every once in a while.

Make him think we're

stuck down here.

Ain't we?

[Hoofbeats]

Come on.

[Kemp]

Hold it!

What's

the trouble?

Get down.

I heard

some shooting

and came

to look.

Who are you?

Oh, that's

the way it is.

Lieutenant

roy anderson, sixth cavalry,

indian fighter

extraordinary.

You're a long way

from an army post, lieutenant.

I quit

playing soldier last week.

Uh-huh. Let's see

your discharge.

What's wrong

with that?

Nothing. Except

the bozeman trail runs east from ellis.

How come you're

this far off it?

Well, you see,

there's some bad-

tempered indians along the bozeman trail.

Seems this

chief's daughter fell into some trouble

with a handsome,

young army lieutenant and...

well, you know

how it is.

The army never did

understand me.

Yeah.

Hey, uh,

how about these?

All right,

give him back his gun.

Come on.

Oh, you never

did tell me

what the shooting

was about.

I don't even know

who i'm talking to.

This here's

mr. Kemp.

My name is tate,

jesse tate.

You don't say.

We got an outlaw killer

trapped up there,

starting rockslides

every time we show our heads.

An outlaw killer

throwing rocks?

That sounds

real desperate.

Come on.

Show him

the picture, mr. Kemp.

Come on.

Show me.

You followed him

all the way from kansas?

He did.

I joined up with him this morning,

sort of helping out,

like a deputy.

Looks like you got yourself

a real interesting problem in tactics, sheriff.

Yeah.

Come on up the trail.

Crazy, ain't

it, pokey,

what one man

will do to catch another?

Now, if it was

gold up there

instead of

this outlaw,

i'd put my carcass

to climbing that cliff

and never

think twice.

Hey,

come on!

[Gunshot]

[Gunshot]

I thought you said

you were going someplace.

Don't mind me.

I won't get in the way.

[Gunshot]

I'll be right here

behind you, sheriff,

in case the bad man

sticks his head out.

Wonder if

i could make it.

Now what do

you want here?

Just offering

my help.

Why?

Why are you

turning it down?

If i burn

my hands,

i'll let you

try it again.

[Gunshot]

Stand by

with your gun.

I did as much

for you.

[Gunshots]

[Rumbling]

[Crashing]

[Twig snaps]

Now, ain't that

the way?

Man gets set

for trouble head-on,

and it sneaks up

behind him every time.

That's life.

Get up.

Open your gun belt

and let it fall.

No need to fuss

there, soldier.

I been out of

cartridges since abilene.

You can see.

Now, why don't you

just do what i say?

Hey, you two!

It's all over!

Get him, ben!

[Gunshot]

Ha ha ha

ha ha!

Oh!

Ha ha ha

ha ha!

All right, ben.

Tie him up!

Let me go! Let me alone!

Let me alone!

Calm down, sweetheart,

we're not going to hang you.

I ain't fightin'

you no more, howie.

Not the three

of you, i ain't.

Who's she?

You remember

old frank patch, don't you, howie?

This here's

his daughter, lina.

I remember

an outlaw name of patch

lying dead

in front of a bank in abilene.

I don't remember

any talk about kinfolk.

He was

my father.

What's she

doing here with you?

I guess she don't

know nobody but me.

And i didn't figure on

seeing kansas again,

till now i didn't.

All right.

Get up.

Come on,

get up!

Here you are,

tate.

That settles us.

I'm much obliged to you.

Thanks.

Say, mr. Kemp,

now you got

two of them to handle,

maybe you're still

of a mind to hire up help.

This is my job.

I'll do it.

Make you feel

any better, sheriff,

you could make

me deputy. Official-like.

You ain't

letting on

like you was a sheriff

or something, are you, howie?

Why, sure he is.

Ain't he?

He told me he was

a peace officer.

I don't know why

you should do that.

No matter who gets me,

the reward still holds.

How's that?

Ain't you showed them

my picture, howie?

I seen a paper

saying you was wanted.

Nothing about

no reward.

Maybe he ain't got

a good copy like i have.

Is that what he showed you?

How much?

Says $5,000.

Why, you talk

like you knowed it all along.

Why else

would a man

tear off

the bottom of a poster?

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