The Tin Star Page #2

make sure it's signed right.

You sign my claim yet?

Did he sign it?

- It's Bogardus, he'll kill you.

- Let go.

What are you up to, Ben?

- I gotta arrest you, Bogardus.

- You're not gonna arrest nobody.

- Gotta do what the law says.

- A man's gotta defend himself.

That half-breed had it coming.

Now, that's far enough. Hold it.

Now, let's talk this thing over.

- I gotta take your guns first.

- First you listen to me.

I drawed in self-defense.

I got witnesses.

Even if I didn't, no sheriff's

gonna disarm no white man

for shooting a mangy Indian.

You an Indian lover?

- I know what I gotta do...

- Hold it!

Now, don't try that again.

Go inside, I'll buy you a drink,

and we'll talk this over

like two growed-up men.

Hey, witnesses.

- Sheriff's trying to shoot me.

- No, I just want your guns, that's all.

Nobody pulls a gun

without he means to kill.

Everyone in the street

can see what you're up to.

Now, just take it easy,

and I'll go with you.

You made a mistake pulling that gun

on a man like me.

There was no reason

in the world to do it.

I don't like having no one

lay a gun on me.

No, sir.

Hadn't ought to done it, Ben.

Why, there ain't a man in town

lay a finger on me if I was to...

Excuse me for butting in, sheriff,

but you forgot to sign my claim.

- Lock him up.

- Give me that hat!

Get going.

- I ain't had a chance to thank you.

- Sign my claim.

If it hadn't been for you...

I'm just looking out

for my reward money, is all.

Yeah.

If I had seen him pulling that gun

from back of his hat,

I'd have triggered him, I think.

- Ben, you almost got killed.

- Would have been a big mistake.

- What did I do wrong?

- Everything.

You listened to what he was saying

instead of seeing what he was doing.

- You pulled your gun too early.

- No, he'd have pulled his first.

You walk right up to a man,

chances are he won't gunfight.

Because at 3 feet, he knows

he'll get hurt, maybe killed,

even if he draws first.

Pulling your gun, you just goaded him

into trying to get you.

You better take off that tin star

and stay alive.

- Do you hear that, Ben?

- Look, Millie, I ain't gonna quit.

Woman's strongest argument:

Bang the door.

She's right, though. She knows

what's wrong with that badge.

Man pins it on,

he can't take it off.

They'll give you a nice funeral.

See my claim gets off, will you?

I wouldn't expect no bounty hunter

to appreciate this badge.

I wore one a lot longer

than you ever will.

- Afternoon, ma'am.

- Afternoon.

- I'd like to see Mr. Hickman.

- Come in, Owens.

I... I'd like to talk to you outside.

What's on your mind?

Well, I'd like to talk to you alone.

Nothing you can say to me

she can't hear. What is it?

I... I got a room for you.

Got a room.

Well, I mean, I... I got you

a room at the hotel.

I went to Buck Henderson,

and he's giving you

the best place he's got.

I like it here.

- Anything else on your mind?

- No.

Well, yes. Is it true what you told me,

that you used to be a sheriff like me?

Not like you.

Well... Well, how come you quit?

That's my business.

Look, will you come outside?

It's got nothing to do with her.

What's wrong with Morg?

Nothing.

Well?

Well, I'm in trouble.

- Bogardus out of jail?

- Cleared in court. Had witnesses.

You give him his guns back?

Best Judge Thatcher could do was

fine him $50 for resisting arrest.

How long you had that badge?

Since Sheriff Parker got killed.

Nobody else wanted it, huh?

Yeah. Bogardus.

- He wanted it for a shooting license.

- That's how come he didn't get it.

Town don't want prisoners

brought in dead.

Yeah, I know, they only want

sheriffs brought in dead.

- How come they picked you?

- Well, I'm only temporary.

You're more temporary than you think.

Yeah.

- Well, I guess I got a lot to learn.

- You won't have time to learn.

I would if you'd show me.

- Take off the badge. Quit.

- I can't.

I'll be gone in a few days.

A few days might mean the difference.

It might.

Don't cock your gun

with the ball of your thumb,

it can slip in a gunfight.

Hit the hammer with

the whole joint of your thumb.

Your gun comes out cocked

as you jerk it for action.

There's a lot more to gunfighting

than just shooting at a mark.

You gotta keep cool,

have absolute confidence.

You lack confidence.

That's how you let Bogardus stop you.

- Yeah.

- And to have confidence,

you gotta keep a cool head.

Don't take any chances

you don't have to, but wait,

then end the fight with one shot.

- Wait?

- It's that time you wait

that means the difference between

missing a man and killing him.

- I don't wanna kill nobody.

- Then take your guns off.

A man ain't to be shot

without a chance to surrender.

Or make his fight.

As long as you wear that badge,

you gotta walk up,

tell him to throw them up and then

watch which way his hands move.

If they go up,

you got yourself a prisoner.

If they go down, he's dead,

or you are.

A decent man doesn't wanna kill,

but if you shoot, you shoot to kill.

How about hitting them in the arm?

That hokey-pokey gets you killed.

Guys brag about shooting a gun

out of a man's hand.

They're lying. They shot to kill.

- A wounded man can still kill you.

- Well, you did it.

With Bogardus, you hit his gun.

That wasn't my fight, that was yours.

I could take a chance.

What if you missed?

He'd have killed you,

or I'd have had to kill him.

Now, try it again.

Trunk's floated out.

- See that snag sticking up there?

- Yeah.

Draw fast, but don't snap shoot.

Take that extra split second.

- That was a man, you'd be dead.

- I got more shots.

You're dead.

You're not taking your time.

- I'd be dead if I slowed down.

- I didn't say to slow down.

Be fast when in action.

Be fast with your muscles,

but deliberate here.

Take that second,

pull the trigger once.

That's what counts, the first shot.

Point dead-center, fight's over.

Well, you didn't expect me

to hit it, did you?

Did you?

Let's see you try.

Well, it's kind of far.

That was just a matter of luck.

Who's that?

- Howdy, sheriff.

- Howdy.

- What are you shooting at?

- Just a mark. Where you going?

Town. Zeke and me

has run out of groceries.

The McGaffey brothers,

Zeke and Ed.

They got a place

the other side of Red Canyon.

Got some Indian blood,

haven't they?

You notice everything, don't you?

I notice you're wearing

your guns too low.

That's where Sheriff Parker wore his.

Parker's dead.

- How did he get it?

- A stagecoach got held up.

He suspected somebody,

but he wouldn't talk.

Well, one day his horse

came in without him,

and they found his body right here

with a rifle bullet through his head.

- Feel better?

- Yeah. Wanna see?

Tomorrow. More to your job

than handling guns.

There's things in town you gotta learn.

That your second shot of whiskey?

I can hold my liquor.

Sure, gives you more confidence.

Wrong kind of confidence.

Well, look, I'd get laughed at

if I took beer.

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