The Searchers Page #20

EMILIO:

(sharply)

Miguel...caballo -- aca!

One of the Mexicans comes on the trot, leading in the

palomino. Emilio makes a gesture -- giving it to Scar.

EMILIO:

Co-bay tabitz-chat.

(meaning)

(Very fine horse.)

Scar looks at it greedily, then nods. He'll accept it.

He looks at Ethan. Again that faintly contemptuous smile.

He signals them to enter his tepee.

ETHAN:

(to Martin)

Stay out here.

MARTIN:

Not likely.

He follows Ethan into the tepee...and a worried Emilio

goes along.

168INT. THE TEPEE - FULL SHOT

A small fire burns in the center of the lodge and a shaft

of sunlight strikes in from the smoke flap at the peak.

Two chunky squaws, who have been tending the fire or

grinding corn in a rock pestle, scuttle to a side of the

tepee. Two others, one half-grown and the other slightly

taller, sit with their backs to the fire, huddled over some

leather work or stitching. Both are shawled. As Scar

enters, he barks a word to the squaws near the fire.

SCAR:

Pie-kay! (Clear out!)

(then he turns

to the white men)

Ih-card! (Sit!)

He sits on some robes, signs for them to sit opposite.

Slowly they look around them.

169INT. THE TEPEE - REVERSE ANGLE - AS FROM THEIR VIEWPOINT -

THE TWO OLDER SQUAWS

They are sitting with heads averted, slightly profiled --

but clearly Indian women, broad-faced, dark of hair and

skin.

EMILIO'S VOICE

His sons are dead...So his wives

sit on the honor side of his lodge.

170INT. THE TEPEE - ANGLING PAST ETHAN TOWARD THE TWO YOUNG

ONES:

ETHAN:

(glancing at them)

Are those his wives too?

One of the squaws turns -- and even in the shadows we see

it is another Indian face. The other does not turn.

Scar leans in, blocking the view.

SCAR:

Two sons -- killed by white men...

For each son, I take many scalps...

(in Comanche)

Mayah-kay zee-eh!...

(Bring the lance!)

The slightly smaller of the young squaws stiffens but

doesn't move. Scar glares.

SCAR:

(louder)

MAYAH-KAY ZEE-EH!

The girl gets to her feet. Ethan and Martin watch as,

still with averted face, she crosses to where a lance hangs

from the tepee wall. It has several scalps on it, including

one with light red hair. Slowly she carries it back. Scar

never takes his eyes from the faces of the white men,

savoring every moment of it. The girl extends the lance

between them, so that it is like a bare blade separating

two duelists. Neither Ethan nor Martin dares at first

look at more than the scalp pole...Then slowly their eyes

lift...and the CAMERA MOVES IN and RAISES TO:

171INT. THE TEPEE - EXTREME CLOSE SHOT - DEBBIE

As the shawl slips back to reveal her light hair, the

slant green eyes looking at them from a tanned, but still

white and very beautiful face. (NOTE TO MUSIC: The

SEARCH THEME should cover all the foregoing action -- but

at the first clear view of DEBBIE, it ends dramatically.)

Debbie's eyes hold theirs -- and then Scar's voice is

heard:

SCAR:

(in Comanche)

Pie-kay!

(Go!)

Swiftly she straightens, takes away the scalp pole and

goes back to her former place.

172INT. THE TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - THE GROUP AS BEFORE

Scar is watching the white men like a hawk. Martin's eyes

are wide and his breathing seems suspended. But Ethan is

playing it like a poker player.

ETHAN:

(his voice controlled)

I've seen scalps before...

Scar's eyes are mocking. He lets his robe slip back

from his shoulders, revealing a bare bronzed chest on

which -- glinting in the reflected firelight -- is the

medallion that Ethan had given Debbie. It is suspended by

a chain or rawhide string. Scar touches it.

SCAR:

This before?

Ethan smiles -- and he's still playing poker. He stands...

and the others follow. Scar is puzzled.

ETHAN:

(to Emilio)

I came to trade, not to admire

his collection...Tell him we're

going to pitch camp across the

crick...Maybe we can talk trade

tomorrow.

Scar hasn't understood all of it. He scowls and looks

at Emilio.

SCAR:

(in Comanche)

Ee-sap! Pabbo-tie-bo ee-sap!

(He lies! The gringo lies!)

EMILIO:

(placatingly)

Tomorrow -- manana -- 'puetze.'

Scar looks at Ethan and at Martin. He smiles slightly,

and he nods his agreement.

SCAR:

Puetze!

Martin and Ethan turn to go. Only then does Debbie look

swiftly at them and as swiftly away. Martin can't help

but pause, but Ethan prods him toward the tepee flap.

173EXT. THE TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MOVING - THE THREE MEN

They emerge from the tepee and begin to walk away -- not

fast, not slow, and without a side glance. Scar emerges

and looks after them -- glowering. A few other Comanches

begin to gather near his tepee.

EMILIO:

(urgently)

Walk with dignity!

(after a moment;

lips hardly

moving)

If you gringo heretics have any

prayers, say them...

MARTIN:

(transfigured)

She's alive...Can you believe

it, she's alive...alive...An'

we found her...

EMILIO:

(fervently)

Please!...I, too, am alive...I

wish to stay that way.

They reach the waiting cargadores and the pack train,

surrounded by suspicious Comanches.

EMILIO:

(to his men)

Vamanos!

They mount and ride out.

WIPE TO:

174EXT. SAND DUNES NEAR NEEDLES (MONUMENT) - FULL SHOT -

LATE AFTERNOON:

Emilio is standing near his horse, talking to Ethan and

Martin.

EMILIO:

You understand, senores...It

is not that I am cobarde...

cowardly...

ETHAN:

Don't apologize...You did your

job...

Emilio nods and mounts.

EMILIO:

He knows you -- who you are --

and why you are here...This I

did not understand...or I would

not...even for gold, senores...

have led you here.

He fumbles for a pouch, holds it out to Ethan.

EMILIO:

Take it. I do not want blood

money. Vaya con Dios!

He digs spurs and rides out. Ethan turns and looks soberly

at Martin. We hear the rest of the riders moving away.

Ethan and Martin cross the sand and go down slope toward

the creek where their horses are waiting.

174-AEXT. SAND CREEK (MONUMENT) - FULL SHOT - THE TWO - DAY

MARTIN:

You figger Scar means to kill us?

ETHAN:

He's got to...All these years, run-

nin', dodgin', knowin' we were after

him...Now we caught up...It's him or

us.

MARTIN:

Why didn't he make his move back

there?

ETHAN:

I don't know...Somethin' tied his

hands...maybe hospitality...

He breaks and both wheel as sand slides from the top of the

dunes. They look up.

174-BEXT. SAND DUNE - DAY

Debbie is silhouetted atop the dune, looking down at them.

MARTIN:

(barely breathing

the name)

Debbie...?

She slides down the dune to stand across the creek from them.

174-CEXT. SAND CREEK - FULL SHOT - THE THREE - DAY

Her hand cautions them to silence and against coming any

closer.

DEBBIE:

(in Comanche)

Unnt-meah!

(Go away!)

Both men move closer. She takes a frightened step back, as

if to run.

MARTIN:

Debbie...Don't you remember me?

I'm Martin.

She hesitates. She looks long at him.

DEBBIE:

(in Comanche)

Unnt-meah!

MARTIN:

(softly)

We ain't goin'! We ain't goin'

without you, Debbie...Ethan, get

the horses...I'll try to keep

her talkin'...

ETHAN:

(harshly)

How? She's even forgot her own

language!

MARTIN:

Debbie, you're comin' with us!

Hear me?

DEBBIE:

No...not now...not ever.

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