The Searchers Page #4

ETHAN:

Got a warrant?

CLAYTON:

You fit a lot of descriptions.

ETHAN:

(levelly)

I figger a man's only good for one

oath at a time...I took mine to the

Confederate States of America...

(he pauses -- then)

So did you, Reverend...

He looks past him then -- at Martha and then at Aaron.

ETHAN:

Stick close, Aaron...

He looks at Martha again...and then strides out.

19EXT. THE EDWARDS' HOUSE -- DAWN LIGHT

As Ethan emerges he is brought to a momentary halt by sight

of a couple -- Brad and Lucy -- in each other's arms,

standing near the saddled horses of the posse. Clayton and

Jorgensen following him out, spot the couple, who now

belatedly are conscious of their audience.

JORGENSEN:

Brad!...Is no time for lolly-

gagging...

In confusion, Lucy runs back around the side of the house as

Brad -- unrepentant -- grins at his irascible old man and

heads for his waiting horse. Clayton chuckles and turns

toward Martha, who has followed them out.

CLAYTON:

Looks like I'll be reading the lines

over that pair before long, sister

Edwards.

JORGENSEN:

Is no time for talking weddings...

Better say prayers for those dirty

thieves, by golly...running off a

man's beef...

Mose, last to emerge, bows elaborately to Martha.

MOSE:

Grateful to the hospitality of yore

rockin' chair, ma'am...

The men are mounting. Mose nimbly vaults onto the back of

his horse -- which he rides bareback, with only a blanket

pad.

20

ANDOMITTED:

21

22EXT. THE EDWARDS' HOUSE -- DAWN LIGHT

as Ethan and Martin ride to join the group.

CLAYTON:

Let's get on with it...

DEBBIE:

WAIT!

She comes flying out of the house in her long flannel

nightie and runs to Martin.

DEBBIE:

Martin! Ride me as far as the well!

MARTIN:

Grab hold!...

He swings her up in front of his saddle. They start away.

Ethan is last to ride out. He is watching Martha. He brings

a gloved hand up in a salute. She starts to raise her hand

but only brings it just above her waist, a fluttering

gesture with tremulous fingers. It is the last he will ever

see of her alive.

23EXT. YARD OF THE EDWARDS' HOUSE - FULL SHOT

as the posse slowly rides out, with Ethan last. Martin reins

in to let Debbie slip to the ground. Ethan passes her.

Debbie stands watching the men ride away, waving at them.

AARON'S VOICE

(calling)

DEBORAH!

She turns and comes running back -- CAMERA PANNING -- to the

little group on the porch; Ben in the door; Lucy crossing

the porch; Aaron and Martha at the steps.

SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

24EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - POSSE - LATE AFTERNOON

Ethan and Mose are advancing at a steady walk, both men

leaning slightly out of their saddles to study the

terrain -- the trail they are following. Out to one

side -- fifty yards distant -- is the main body of the

posse:
Sam, Jorgensen, Charlie, Ed, moving roughly

parallel to Ethan but at a faster clip. Martin comes

riding in toward Ethan from behind CAMERA.

MARTIN:

(calling)

Uncle Ethan!

Ethan reins in -- compressing his lips at the "Uncle."

Mose waits.

MARTIN:

Somethin' mighty fishy about this

trail, Uncle Ethan...

ETHAN:

Stop callin' me 'uncle'...I ain't

your uncle.

MARTIN:

Yes, sir.

ETHAN:

Don't have to call me 'sir' neither...

Nor grampaw neither...Nor Methuselah

neither...I can whup you to a frazzle.

Mose lets out a snickering laugh.

MARTIN:

What you want me to call you?

ETHAN:

Name's Ethan...Now what's so mighty

fishy about this trail?

MARTIN:

Well, fust off...

He breaks and all turn at a distant hail from Jorgensen.

JORGENSEN:

Look! Look!

25OMITTED

26EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - RISE OF GROUND - BRAD

He is holding his rifle with both hands straight over his

head -- and he repeats the signal until he sees they have

seen him.

JORGENSEN'S VOICE

(excitedly)

Brad! He's found them...Come on!

27EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - THE POSSE WITH BRAD IN

THE DISTANCE:

as Jorgensen digs spurs and leads the way. The other

riders follow.

28MED. SHOT - BRAD - RISING GROUND - LATE AFTERNOON

He waits grimly until he sees them coming, then wheels his

mount and takes off over the hill.

29FULL SHOT - THE POSSE

as it comes up the rise and the men rein in on the crest.

Jorgensen stares and his face mirrors shock and dismay.

The other men look down into the long valley on the far

side with equally grim expressions.

ETHAN:

Call that young fool back!

Jorgensen doesn't even seem to hear him. Angrily Ethan

whips out revolver and fires into the air. Then he

swings his arm in a come-back gesture. He rides out

ahead then a short distance and dismounts...and slowly

the others follow.

We see now, the bodies of a few bulls stiffening in the

sun. Ethan goes to the nearest one. A feathered lance

is driven into it. He pulls the lance out. Mose comes

over beside him.

ETHAN:

(angrily)

Caddo or Kiowa, huh?...Ain't but one

tribe uses a lance like that!

He hands the lance to Mose.

MOSE:

(almost a whisper)

Ay-eh...Comanch!

Brad rides in -- shrill with anger.

BRAD:

Killed every one -- an' not for

food either...Why'd they do a

thing like that?

ETHAN:

Stealing the cattle was just to

pull us out...This here's a murder

raid...

(facing Jorgensen)

It shapes up to scald out either your

place...or my brother's.

Jorgensen wilts and casts an anguished look back over

the miles they have ridden.

JORGENSEN:

Mama!...Oh please...please no...

BRAD!

And with that one word, Jorgensen calls upon his son to

follow and they take off...fast. Ed Nesby and Charlie

MacCorry follow. Sam Clayton pauses.

CLAYTON:

Jorgensen's place is closest...If

they're not there, we'll come

straight on!

Then he too rides. Martin swings his horse back to where

Ethan and Mose still are standing.

MARTIN:

Well, come on!

ETHAN:

Easy!

(he starts toward

his horse)

It's forty miles, sonny...Horses can

do with some grain and a little rest.

MOSE:

Comanch generally hits at moonrise.

MARTIN:

Moonrise!...It'll be midnight

before...I ain't waitin'....!

He wheels his horse and goes tearing to catch up with the

others. Ethan shrugs and stoically takes grain bag to

feed his horse. Mose does the same.

MOSE:

Wisht it was Caddoes...or Kiowas...

(shakes his head)

Comanche...

Ethan just gives him an angry look and then ruthlessly

begins discarding every bit of unnecessary equipment

from his saddle.

WIPE TO:

30EXT. THE EDWARDS RANCH - WIDE ANGLE - SUNDOWN

Nothing moves. Nothing could be more tranquil. The

shadows are long. A thin wisp of smoke rises from the

chimney. And then Debbie's little dog trots around

the side of the house out into the yard.

31EXT. EDWARDS YARD - CLOSE SHOT - THE DOG - SUNDOWN

He comes to a standstill and his nose is working. He

begins to make excited little sounds deep in his belly.

Then he lies down, muzzle between his paws, watching,

listening.

32INT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - ANGLING TOWARD

THE DOOR:

Debbie sits on the floor, playing with a little rag doll.

The slanting blaze of the setting sun makes a brilliant

area of light in which she is sitting. Beyond her, on

the porch steps, Ben is squatting, whittling a piece of

pine into a slingshot frame. We hear Martha and Lucy

busy with the dishes. Aaron comes from behind CAMERA

and stands in the doorway, absently rapping out his

pipe. Near the doorway, on a wooden peg, hangs his gun,

belt. He puts the pipe in his pocket and glances down

at Deborah, intent on her play. He looks swiftly at

where the women are busy - then stealthily eases the gun

from its holster and slides it under his shirt. He

hasn't made a sound and is sure he's got away with it.

He clears his throat noisily and reaches for a light

shotgun pegged above the door.

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