Wes is on the stallion trying to break him. Wes says, "Yippee! Woo hooh"
The horse throws him, Wes groans and the stallion runs off. JL is by their horses and walks over, picks up Wes' hat and helps him up, laughing says, "Wes, I tell you you’re gonna break your back
before you break that horse."
Wes says, "Well, I'm gonna break him."
Wes starts to go after the stallion and
JL holds him back. JL says, "Come on. Come on. Forget it. Let's go to town."
SCENE 11
Scene opens with ML alone in a darkened room, deep in thought. SL enters taking off his hat. SL walks slowly over, putting his hat down.
SL: "Well, what do you plan to do?" and begins to take off his gloves.
ML:, "After the strays are taken care of, we go over to the East Mesa for ah surveying and
there's that wooden foot bridge that was washed out last winter."
SL throws his gloves on table: "You know what I mean. About Johnny."
ML : "He made his decision."
SL: "Oh, did he?" SL rests hand on gun. "Now, the way I heard it, he got some help."
ML: "Anyway the matter is closed. It's not open for further discussion."
Slight sarcastic laugh from SL: "You don't give at all, do you? All pride and Johnny's
cut from the same mold. Not one inch of give."
ML gets up walking away and turning around: "You want me to go after him? Beg him into coming back here?"
SL: "Is that so bad?"
ML : "And how long do you think it would last? If he's willing to let go that easily. If nothing here has gotten through to him. If he hasn't learned anything. If what he's running to out there is so important, then let it happen. Let it happen now."
SCENE 12
Outside the saloon doors, a couple comes out and wanders down the street. JL and Wes come down riding down the street with the stallion between them. JL and Wes ride to the stable and
get off their horses. They enter the stable. JL says, "Howdy." The stableman is polishing a saddle, he stops, walks over and asks: "Evenin. Wanna bed em down?"
JL :"That's right. Just for tonight."
Stableman looks at horses: "It'll cost you four bits."
JL is getting money and the stableman says, "Oh, ah, you goin to the saloon?"
JL : "Sure."
Stableman: "Then it'll be in advance."
JL hands him money, stableman looks at stallion saying, "That's fine lookin horse flesh.
Wild, huh?"
JL: "That's right."
Stableman :"You ever think of sellin him?"
JL : "Oh,no! Uh uh. He's not for sale."
Stableman: "I'll give you fifty dollars."
JL : "Nope."
Wes: "Wait a minute, Johnny. How much money you got?"
JL : "I got about five, six dollars."
Wes: "Well, I ain't got more than three. We're gonna need some cash."
JL : "I'm not gonna sell him, Wes."
Wes: "Well what about the watch?" Takes watch from JL. "Here, Johnny."
Wes hands the watch to the stableman. "Here, it's gold. How much?"
Stableman looks at watch: "Kinda old."
JL takes the watch back and says, "That's not for sale either."
Stableman says, "Ten dollars."
JL: "Nope."
Stableman: "All right! Fifteen, that's as high as I'll go."
Wes: "Better shut up, Johnny. Now, you can't force him up no more."
JL: "I'm not tryin."
Wes:, "You mean you really don't wanna sell it?"
JL: "That's right."
Wes: "Well I swear, sometimes you just don't make no sense, now. When you
ever gonna need a watch? When's it ever gonna be worth more than fifteen dollars for you to know the time? Come on, Johnny! You ain't never gonna need it."
JL looks at the watch, sees the stableman is counting out money.
JL: "Fifteen, huh?"
Stableman: "Uh, huh." He hands over the money.
Wes puts out his hand and JL pushes it away. Stableman walks away with the watch, JL watching him.
Wes asks, "What's wrong?"
JL: "Nuthin."
Wes says, "Well, come on!"
JL looks at stableman once more and then follows Wes to bed down horses. Stableman looks at watch, smiling.
SCENE 13
In the saloon, music is playing. Wes and Johnny are sitting at table with a stranger. Two saloon girls come up, Wes pulls them on his lap saying, "There's plenty of room for everybody" He yells, "Three whiskeys!" Man gets up chasing a saloon girl and another saloon girl sits down by JL,
Wes yells, "Oh, make that four!" She reaches over to JL and he hands her his drink. Wes has obviously been drinking quite a bit, says to JL, "Ever seen so many hot tamales in your life, Johnny? They got more life than them jugglin beans? Just like old times eh?"
JL : "That's right, Wes."
Wes looks at JL who doesn't look happy says, " Ha ha!...... Hey, Johnny! You all right?"
JL picks up his hat and gets up, "Yeah, listen, I tell ya...I'm ah...I'm gonna get some air. You'll be all right, huh?"
Wes :"Sure, Johnny! Old Wes ain't gonna be lonesome."
Laughing Wes yells, "Where are those whiskeys bartender?" JL is walkingaway from saloon, outside, he leans against post.
Scene shifts to the ranch:
ML is standing by fireplace. He walks over and sits on a sofa, seemingly lost in thought.
Back in town:
JL walks across town and goes into stable. Walks by Barranca and stallion and sits down in empty stall. Wes comes staggering out of saloon saying, "John" And heads to stable yelling, "Johnny! Johnny! Woo hooh" JL smiles slightly. Wes says, "Woo hooh" JL gets up walking over saying, "Well, look at you."
Wes: "Woo hooh. Oh, good old Wes have himself a time, oh !"
Wes looks at stallion, adding: "Oh, now's as good a time as any."
JL :"For what?"
Wes : "To break him." Wes starts walking towards stallion and JL puts
his hands on his shoulder steering him away saying, "No, no. Come on. Come on."
Wes : "But...I ... I wanna break em, you hear Johnny? I wanna break him."
JL : "You can break him in the morning. Okay?"
Wes :"You gonna be here in the morning‘, huh?"
JL laying Wes down: "I'll be here, Wes. Come on now, let's sleep."
Wes : "Oh, all right. All right. I'm gonna break him in the moring, I'm gonna break him."
Wes continues mumbling about breaking the stallion for a few seconds. JL puts Wes' hat on top of him and just looks at him. He gets up and walks over looking at the stallion.
SCENE 14
A ranch hand named Walt walks out of the corral leading horse. ML walks over
saying, "Hey, Walt! See that more wire and posts get over to the East Mesa."
Walt : "Yes, sir."
ML grabs reins as Walt starts to shut gate but hearing riders, ML lets go. He sees the Strykers and their men riding up.
Samuel yells, "Lancer. Seen one of your boys headin’ into town. Where's the other?"
ML : "Johnny?"
Davy pulls his gun as Samuel says, "The one that shot my son."
ML: "He's not here. Why?"
SS: "My boy died. Now I want your boy. And I want him fast."
ML: "He's gone. He's not coming back."
SS: "You’re lying."
Walt : "I'll get the boys, Mr. Lancer."
SS: "Do it."
Davy shoots Walt, ML goes to help Walt, looking at Samuel. Samuel says,
"When your boy gets back, we'll be waitin."
SCENE 15
Scott rides into town. JL is sitting at table in the saloon, alone, drinking a beer. Wes and some saloon girls are at the next table. Through the window, he sees SL ride by and stop at the stable. JL watches him walk to saloon, he puts down beer, rubs at his face with his hand . SL walks in, sees JL and nods.
JL straightens his chair: "You came a long way for nothing‘, brother."
SL takes off hat and walks toward him gesturing, "Then you won't mind if I ah sit down for a while."
JL: "No, go right ahead."
SL puts his hat down and takes a seat--Johnny actually pushes it out for him.
SL looks around the room: "Yes, sir. I see what you mean." Nodding his head, he takes off his right glove. "This is really a great life."
JL looks to his right and back: "This place does really good at night."
SL: "Oh, I bet it does." SL moves glass over and picks up bottle of whiskey.
JL: "You get those cattle back yet?"
SL : "No, it'll take a couple of days."
SL takes top off of the bottle.
JL : "So, what'd the old man do, let you off for good behavior?"
SL holding open bottle: "He didn't send me."
Pause, JL swallows: "Oh, yeah before I forget you know that small creek on the south side? You know where it narrows there?"
SL nods as JL continues. "Well, there's undergrowth been pilin up. It's gonna dam up on ya if ya don't clear it. I guess it'd take ya about....about a week."
SL, holding glass of whiskey: "It'd take us a lot less time if you were there to help us."
JL smiles and SL quickly adds: "Never mind, I know. Forget it. You've got everything you want right here."
JL looks down saying, "No, Scott. I got it other places."
SL smiles: "Hey, it's a funny thing. I was just riding through town, I never expected to find you here. I mean with all that talk about freedom, it's a funny thing to find you all jammed in between these four walls."
JL, looking over at Wes: "Well, Wes and I we're gonna take off tonight."
Wes looks at JL smiling, SL takes a drink: "Just ah...just takin off."
JL nods: "Yeah."
SL: "Got any plans?" He starts to take a drink repeats, "I said have you..."
JL interrupts: "Yeah, I heard you.... Yeah, we're gonna head south. There's a range war
brewin and ah.... well we heard they were hirin guns."
SL , glass in his hand: "Just gonna kill time. Amonst other things?"
JL : "That's right."
SL, looking down at his glass: "You'll be dead before your thirty."
SL takes a drink, and JL smiles back saying "That comes to us all don't it brother?."
SL : "But when you go you won't even leave a small ripple." SL sets down glass, picking up his glove.
JL : "That it, brother. I mean ah...the sermons over ain't it?"
SL leans forward saying, "It's the only good thing that's ever happened to you in your whole life and your gonna get up and walk away from it. And all for nothing. But I guess that's all you got going for you from now on."
SL stands up, he has both gloves on and puts out his hand saying, "It was nice
to have met you, brother." JL looks at hand and takes it, smiling and shaking his hand. SL says looking at him, "Good luck." He lets go of his hand, walks around the table, picking up his hat and walks out, stopping at door to put his hat on. He doesn’t look back.
JL is still sitting in his chair, SL walks across the street to the stable.
Wes gets up and comes over saying, "Don't let him bother you Johnny." He slaps Johnny on the arm. JL says, "Wes, would you mind leavin’ me alone for a little while?" Wes says, "Sure, Johnny. I-I-I think I'll go out and have me that fun we talked about,
hmm?" Wes leaves and JL sits staring at his hands. Through the window, we see SL ride quickly out of town.
JL looks up, hearing a horse, neighing across the street.
SCENE 16
Wes is in the corral pulling on reins and the stallion is rearing up. Wes says, "Get! Get down here!....Woah" Horse rears up and hits Wes, knocking him down. Horse stomps
on Wes. Wes screams. JL comes running out of saloon and jumps corral fence saying, "Hey, Wes!" He grabs the stallion. Townspeople all run to fence as JL ties stallion to it. Wes is laying on the ground not moving, JL runs to him saying, "No, Wes!" Stableman
comes out. JL checks out Wes. Stableman says, "Is he dead?" JL says, "Yeah, I think so." He unbuttons Wes' shirt, stableman says, "Somebody go get the undertaker. Ah, we'll keep his horse, it'll help pay for the burial."
JL gets up and walks to stallion and pulls out his gun, pointing it at the stallion. Townspeople collectively gasp and back away. JL stands there pointing gun, drops arms down. He puts his gun away saying to stableman, "You still want the horse? You said you'd pay fifty dollars for him."
Stableman: "That was before he turned killer. Better put a bullet in him. He'll
always be wild."
JL : "What if I broke him?"
Stableman: "Hm, he might be worth somethin, but no fifty dollars"
JL : "I don't want the money."
Stableman: "What then?"
JL: "The watch."
Stableman smiles, "You feelin all right mister? That horse'll break your back before you even get a saddle on him?"
JL : "Well, you let me worry about that. Gotta deal?"
Stableman nods says, "Yeah. Sure."
SCENE 17
JL is on stallion getting ready to break him. Man says, "Watch out. Watch ‘em Johnny!" He nods his head and they let him out of small area into corral. Stallion bucks and bucks, shows JL thrown off horse. Stableman laughs. JL gets up, pats stallion and gets back on. Stallion starts bucking again, stableman is watching. Stallion stops bucking, JL has broken him.
He rides up to stableman and says to the stallion: "Now, you’re just another horse." Stableman: "Yeah, but now he's of some use."
JL gets down and stableman pulls out watch: "Ah, there's your watch. You earned it.
JL takes the watch, opens it and looks at it, looks at stallion and walks away.
SCENE 18
SL is riding across Lancer towards Hacienda. Davy has gun trained on SL and Samuel stops him saying, "No, let him come in, just don't let him leave."
Teresa comes out of Hacienda saying, "Scott, Murdoch wants to see you!"
SL is tying up horse says, "What is it? What's wrong?"
Teresa: "That man. The one Johnny shot. He died."
SL looks at Teresa and heads in hacienda with Teresa following. ML is loading gun,
SL comes in hacienda, ML turns to SL: "She tell ya?"
SL : "Yes. I better go get some help."
ML and Scott stare at each other, Scott turns to go and ML asks: "Scott. Did you find Johnny?"
SL turns back saying, "Yes, I found him."
SL leaves. ML returns to loading his gun.
Scene shifts
Lancer Ranch sign is laying on ground. JL picks it up and puts it in ground. He gets on horse and rides toward Hacienda.
SL gets on horse to leave and Davy shoots him off of his horse, SL is laying on ground. ML heads for door with shotgun in his hand saying, "Teresa, you stay right there."
Teresa is looking out window yells, "Wait! It's Johnny!” ML goes to window and watches JL riding up saying, "We've got to keep him away from here." ML heads for door, JL comes in yelling, "Murdoch!"
ML: "How did you get in here?"
JL : "I heard a shot I came around the side,"
ML : "Who told you to come back?"
JL : "I wanted ta talk to you."
ML: "I thought you did all you’re talking when you left. Now get out of here."
JL : "Where is everybody?"
ML : "Out making up for all the work you refused to do I suppose."
JL : "Somethin’s wrong."
ML : "The only thing wrong around here has always been you. So, get out while you still can."
JL: "Teresa?"
ML grabs his arm saying, "I thought I made myself clear but in case I didn't listen and
listen hard. I don't need you, now or ever. Now, get off my land."
JL says yanking his arm away angrily, "All right!" He walks toward back door, opening it he sees SL hurt says, "Scott!". He helps SL through door saying, "Come on, sit down." Teresa and JL help SL to couch, SL is holding left shoulder. ML says, putting pillow on couch, "Here. Teresa get some hot water and bandages."
SL says unbuttoning shirt, "I'm all right!"
Teresa heads out of room.
JL: "What happened?"
ML: "It's no concern of yours."
JL : "Look, I have a right to know."
Teresa turns around: "Sam Stryker's boy died."
ML: "Teresa!"
Teresa : "He has a right to know." To JL. "Stryker and his men are out front, just waiting for you to come back." JL stares at ML.
SCENE 19
Gene runs up to Sam Stryker saying, "He's in the house. Went in the side door. I couldn't get a shot at him." Sam Strykers voice is heard while camera is on
Lancers in the Great Room, "Lancer! Now listen to me. We know he's in there. Now send him out and the rest of you won't get hurt. Well, what's it gonna be?"
The Lancers all just stand there, ML and SL staring at each other, finally JL starts to head for the door and ML grabs his arm saying, "Johnny!" JL says, "Look it's my responsibility. I have a right to handle it in my own way." Taking off his hat, he walks by Teresa saying, "Thanks Teresa." Teresa looks at ML and JL leaves.
SCENE 20
Stryker’s men are all lined up behind a wall waiting. Davy says to Samuel, "He ain't comin out." JL looks out from behind shed. Samuel says, "Gene, get around the back of the house, see if you can flush him out." Gene leaves. JL sneaks out and dives under
wagon. Slowly crawling, gets up and dives behind water trough. SL and ML come out with rifles firing. Men behind the wall fire back. JL with gun drawn dives into corral. Samuel seeing JL aims gun saying, "There he is!" Davy stops him saying, "No, Paw! Let me take him." JL runs across the corral. Samuel says, "You out of your head boy?" Davy puts down rifle and pulls gun out saying, "Not so long as your there with that rifle I
ain't." Davy runs toward barn. Samuel yells, "Davy!" Men continue to fire at SL and ML and they fire back.
Horses in corral start running. JL runs and Davy yells, "Lancer!"
JL turns firing hits Davy in left shoulder, Davy yells, "Paw! Paw! Kill him, Paw!"
JL runs over to Davy while Samuel is shooting at him and grabs him holding gun on Davy.
JL yells, "Stryker! You lost one boy, you want to try for another? Tell your men to
drop their guns."
Samuel says to men, "Drop em." They drop their guns.
JL : "Now, get on your horses and get out."
Stryker and his men head for horses. JL has gun on Davy looking at him, Davy asks, "What ya gonna do?"
ML : "Johnny!"
Johnny pulls gun back and shoves Davy watching him go. Davy goes out fence and gets on horse and they ride away. JL stares and camera switches to ML staring.
SCENE 21
JL is digging hole for post. ML rides up saying, "Hey," Getting off horse he continues saying, "I missed you when the rest of the work crew came back.
JL : "Yeah, well I figured I'd pass up chow, get a little jump on the job."
ML : "Nice day."
JL : "Yeah."
ML : "I saw a stand of wild horses out by the Black Mesa this morning. How much longer do you think you'll be working here?"
JL ,leaning on shovel: "Well, I'm just gonna lay out a string line. That way it'll keep the crew busy until dark."
ML : "Good thinking." ML walks towards fence line
picking up post leaning on it saying, "You know a man's life can be laid out like a row of post holes. Sometimes maybe that's not all good. Maybe there's a time when a man has to listen to the sound of a far away train whistle. Kind of break the pattern. Maybe
there's even a time when the most important thing in the world is to go out after a wild horse."
JL : "Up by Black Mesa?"
ML : "About forty, as near as I can figure. No telling’ how long they'll be there. You
know how a wild horse will move on."
JL smiles saying, "Yeah, a wild horse can really move fast, once he's
got a mind to."
JL and ML both smile, head for their horses and ride off.
THE END
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