The Virginian Page #5

You always were a rotten liar, Steve.

Where'd Trampas go?

There's only us four.

I wouldn't lie to you.

Only the four?

You were drinking coffee from 2 cups?

Get the ropes off their saddles.

Take them to the cabin. Maybe

we'll catch the others by sunup.

Hope somebody's got a deck of cards.

What's worrying you?

- I'm getting a cold. - Shut the door.

Oon't get nervous. You only die once.

- And what's life anyways?

A few winters, waiting for spring.

A few summers, wishing they'd last.

A few bottles of whiskey.

Half a dozen girls you can remember.

Then you're six feet underground

and that's it. Now's as good as later.

No sign of 'em. They got away.

- It'd take an owl to see out there.

I told you there wasn't more of us.

Let's get this over with. - Wait.

You owe me a dollar and a half.

- I'll pay you tomorrow.

Come on.

I'll be glad when this is over.

- It won't be over for me.

I'm heading for the Teton Range.

Only one man is responsible: Trampas.

If we could be sure it was him.

- It's sure enough for me.

Just a minute, Baldy.

I want you to have this money.

Oon't worry, I didn't steal it.

Honey, your old saddle

never was any good.

You'd better take mine.

- Thanks.

Nebraska,

I'd like you to have this watch.

It's worth 4 dollars in any saloon.

Thanks, Steve.

Got a pencil?

You've got my gun.

Keep it with this.

Give it to him, later.

We're ready. Bring the horses.

Oon't worry, Shorty.

It's the best cure for a cold.

Ready?

Oo you want to say anything?

All set?

Virginian.

Steve said I should give this to you.

- Thanks, Nebraska. - Good luck.

"So long, I couldn't have spoken

without playing the crybaby. "

He's alive,

but he's got a bullet in his back.

Mother will take care of him.

She's an old hand at these things.

There isn't anything you can do.

We have to wait till the doctor comes.

His fever seems to be down a little.

- Quit worrying. He'll be just fine.

You'll need a doctor yourself if

you don't rest. - I'm not a bit tired.

Nobody can do two things at once

without getting worn out, except me.

Run along, recess is almost over.

- Yes, I'd better.

Hello, boys. - Hello, Miss Molly.

- I hear the patient's better. - Yes.

Wonderful of you to come over.

- We're sort of interested ourselves.

What about Steve? He's a good friend,

and he hasn't visited. Ooes he know?

He ain't with the Box-H outfit now.

- Yeah, he left some time ago.

If you see him, will you tell him?

And tell him he left his gun here.

I sure will, Ma'am, if I see him.

- Thank you.

Let me go.

- Come on.

I don't want to be a prisoner.

Let me go. - Are you a scaredy-cat?

What are you afraid of?

I ain't afraid of anything.

- Children, what are you doing?

We're the posse.

He's a rustler and we're lynching him.

You might hurt yourselves.

- He said he would.

He said he'd be Steve. - Steve

wasn't afraid when they strung him up.

Steve, strung up? - He didn't cry.

- You don't know what you're saying.

They caught him stealing cattle.

The Virginian had to string him up.

You mean they hanged him?

- Sure.

Is it true?

- Is what true?

That Steve was hanged?

- Who had to tell you that?

Then it is true.

- Since you already know, yes.

Oid he do it? - Somebody had to.

He was in charge. It had to be done.

If we don't put the fear of God

into law-breakers, you couldn't teach,

you could ride, or leave the cabin.

Our lives wouldn't be worth anything.

It's horrible.

- Steve knew what he was doing.

He knew the law out here

and he took his chance.

No reason to feel sorry for Steve.

Feel sorry for him, in there.

He's hurt because of lawlessness.

He did what he had to: His duty.

- His duty to lynch a man?

It wasn't lynching. When you lynch

a man, you take him out of jail,

out of the rightful hands of the law.

Here we have no police, no courts,

no jails.

We have to do things our own way.

It's downright murder. - You respect

the judge. He sent the Virginian.

And he wasn't alone. All decent,

upstanding men, doing what was right.

I suppose out here you become hard,

and lose all sense of decency.

It's our law. The only kind we've got,

and I'm grateful for it.

We're building a country out here,

and there's no place for weaklings.

If that's how you feel,

you better go. You don't belong here.

I will. I'll get out as fast as I can.

- I certainly guessed you wrong.

I thought you had spunk.

When I was your age,

I drove an ox team

1,000 miles to get here.

I shot Comanches, with my father

lying dead across my knees.

My family built a country too.

They worked and died as bravely

as you westerners. Indians!

You think only you fought Indians.

Heard of the Cherry Valley Massacre?

My grandfather was killed in it,

and my grandmother

went 90 miles on foot to get help.

You're proud of them? - Of course.

- Too bad you're not more like them.

I could do everything you did,

but I have a sense of right and wrong.

The boys are stopping the stage coach.

- Thank you.

I'm sorry for how I talked yesterday.

- It's alright.

You've been like a daughter.

Going and coming in the house.

I got impatient,

like you really belonged to me.

I wish you'd change your mind.

- It's best this way.

Oid you tell him I was going?

- Not yet.

I said you were worn out nursing him,

and the doctor ordered you to bed.

Hi, Andy.

- Hi, Taylor.

Someone leaving?

- Yep. Miss Molly. - Oh.

You're not really going?

Yes, I am.

We need you bad here.

Well, goodbye, Miss Molly.

- Goodbye. Goodbye, Mrs Taylor.

Will you ride up here?

Why, certainly.

Thank you for giving me a home.

What's the matter?

You don't want to go, Miss Molly.

- Why not? - You're in love.

I most certainly am not.

And I'm going home.

You know,

in this country, once in a while

you run into a mule that's so stubborn

he don't know what's good for him.

He won't eat, won't drink.

Just to be ornery,

he'd stand in one place and starve.

The only way to make him move

is to build a fire under him.

Oh, Andy.

That's better. You could run away,

but you wouldn't be happy.

He needs you now, mighty bad.

You go on back to him.

You don't need to build a fire.

Of course not.

Teacher weds cowpoke tomorrow.

Virginian up and around after

close shave from rustler's bullet.

Nursed by future bride.

Your foreman get here yet?

- You don't see him, do ya?

I thought he might be hiding.

- He don't hide, Trampas.

When he does show up, tell him

I want to see him. I'll be in here.

This would have to happen today.

Will the boys come into town tomorrow?

- They're there already.

You think we're getting married

the right way? No fuss? - Of course.

You've left out your mother.

- She couldn't come out here.

We could go to her.

We could take the train tonight.

No, our new life

has nothing to do with them back East.

Someday we'll go. Not now.

Tomorrow we'll be in the mountains.

There's an island between two streams.

Cool, with the smell of pines.

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