The Ox-Bow Incident Page #3

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- Go on.

When I see what mark

those cattle had,

I be very, very quiet.

- [ Mapes ] What kind of marks?

- Oh, in the throat.

Three little whatchamacallem.

That's Kinkaid's mark.

- The dirty rats!

- [ Clamoring ]

- How many were there?

- Forty head.

- I mean rustlers.

- Three.

Why were you so long

in bringing us this word, Major?

I knew my son

would want to go along.

He was out on the range.

Major Tetley,

you mustn't let this

be a lynching.

It's scarcely

what I choose, Davies.

Promise me

you'll bring them in

for a fair trial.

I promise that I'll

abide by the majority will.

Tetley, you know what's

legal in this case as well as I do.

[Judge ]

All we ask is a posse...

to act under a properly constituted

offiicer of the law.

That's where I come in.

Risley made me a deputy.

In that case, Mr. Mapes,

suppose you deputize the rest of us?

That's not legal.

No deputy has the right to deputize.

- How 'bout it, boys?

- Suits me, Butch.

Go ahead and pray.

Mapes, you're

violating the law.

Raise your right hands.

I hereby solemnly swear that

I am duly sworn in as a deputy...

in the case of the murder

of Larry Kinkaid.

And am willing to abide by

the decisions of the majority.

So help me God.

- Say ""I do.''

- [ All ]

I do.

Tetley, you bring those men

in alive. Or as I'm justice

of this county...

you'll pay for it

and every jack man

in your gang!

- Tetley!

- You coming?

Get my horse.

I'm going with them.

Then get down to Kinkaid's.

Get the sheriff.

We'll stop here

for a minute, gentlemen,

and breathe our horses.

Winder, take one man with you,

go up to the top of that ridge...

and see what you can see.

Doin' this in the middle

of the night's crazy.

I thought

you liked excitement.

I got nothin' particular against

hangin' a murdering rustler.

It's just, I don't

like doing it in the dark.

There's always some crazy fool

to lose his head...

- and start hangin' everybody in sight.

- Us?

- Funnier things have happened.

- Well, we didn't have to come.

It'd looked kind of funny

if we hadn't, wouldn't it?

Besides, I like

to pick my own bosses.

Whether we picked them

or not, we sure got 'em.

That's what I don't like.

That Smith and Bartlett

shootin' off their mouths.

Farnley...

and that renegade Tetley.

Struttin' around his uniform

pretending he's so much.

He never even saw the South

till after the war.

Then only long enough

to marry that kid's mother

and get run out by her folks.

Figured there was something

fishy about him dressing up like that.

Sure. Why do you suppose

he'd be living in this

neck of the woods...

if he didn't have

something to hide.

Let's get out of here before

we all freeze to death.

Or else give it up.

We'd be the laughingstock

of the country if we went home

on account of cold.

That's right.

But I'm telling you...

this rope's gonna

have to be thawed out

before it's fit to use.

Mind if I come in

a little closer, Mr. Carter?

No, come on. I'm finding it

kind of lonesome myself.

-Powerful cold tonight, ain't it?

- I got a blanket if you want it.

No. Thank you

just the same, Mr. Carter.

But it takes all my hands

to stay on this old horse.

- Better have

a couple of shots.

- I never use it.

I sure wish we was well

out of this here business.

Ah, it's a way

of spending time.

It's man taking on himself

the vengeance of the Lord.

[ Snickers ]

You think the Lord cares

much about what's happening

up here tonight?

He marks the sparrow's fall.

I seen my own brother

lynched, Mr. Carter.

I was nothin'

but a little fella.

But sometimes now,

I wakes up dreamin' about it.

Had he done what they...

picked him up for?

I don't know. Nobody never

did know for sure.

[ Inhales, Exhales Slowly ]

Well, a couple of shots more whiskey

can't do my soul any harm.

Darby sure sells rotten liquor.

Warms you up though.

Feels like fire

creepin' in the short grass.

I guess I'll just let her

spread a little while.

[ Farnley ]

Put out that light,you fool.

You wanna give us away?

Who to?

Chuck that butt

or I'll plug you.

Start something.

For every hole you make,

I'll make two.

Looks like you're gonna have

a lot of shootin' to do, Mr. Farnley.

Listen, something's coming!

Whoa. Whoa.

Whoa.

Hyah! Hyah, hyah, hyah!

Fools! Stop him! Stop it!

- What's the matter, Art?

- Shot.

- Where?

- Left shoulder.

You fool, you must be drunk.

Nobody but a drunken idiot...

- would drive down a grade

in the dark like that.

- I thought it was a stickup.

If those horses weren't

a sight smarter than you...

that coach would be

at the bottom

of the canyon right now.

[ Ma ]

Rose Mapen!.

Hello, everybody.

This is my husband,

Mr. Swanson of San Francisco.

And, uh, my sister-in-law,

Miss Swanson.

- Did you just get married, Rose?

-Just today.

[ Laughs ]

No wonder you were

in such a hurry.

[ Ma Cackling ]

My name is Tetley, sir.

I can understand why

Miss Rose is in a hurry...

to show the other ladies

what can be done

in the way of matrimony.

- Thank you, sir.

- Say, what's everybody doing

up here this time of night?

[ Clears Throat ]

Why, uh--

Art's shot.

[ Clamoring ]

[ Chattering Continues ]

- Gee, I'm sorry.

- [ Art ]

You couldn't tell.

You hadn't ought to come

barging out like that.

In the dark especially.

I couldn't tell who it was.

Everybody yelling like that.

Aw, shut up!

Here. I'm good

at this sort of thing.

[ Art ]

Look, do women

have to watch this?

[ Art Screams ]

[ Davies ]

There's room in the stagecoach

for you, Art.

Yeah, I better get you

on back to Darby's and get

some hot food into you.

- I'm all right.

- Come on. Be a good boy.

Don't be stubborn.

- Yeah, don't be a fool.

- Mind your own business!

Bring his horse over,

will ya?

- She's his wife now and kind of new.

- Yeah, looks that way, don't it?

I take it you've had

the privilege of knowing...

- Miss Mapen before

she became my wife.

- That's right.

And possibly you imagined

at the time there was some

understanding between you?

Yeah, sure.

- My wife is a very impulsive woman.

- That's what I'm saying.

Needless to say,

I'm pleased to regard...

any friend of my wife's

a friend of my own.

However, I don't need to

remind you that the pleasure

of such an acquaintance...

depends upon the recognition

by all parties...

of the fact that

Miss Mapen is now my wife.

She must be given

a little time...

to become accustomed to her

new responsibilities.

As yet, I must

confess that I'm jealous

of her least attention.

You'll forgive me, I know.

A bridegroom is prone

to be overly susceptible for a time.

Later, when we've had time

to get accustomed

to our new relations...

I shall be delighted

to welcome you and others

of my wife's friends...

to our home

in San Francisco.

If it is still her desire.

Until then--

Why, that superior little--

Looks like Rose's took

onto herself a lot of trouble.

Giddap! Giddap!

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