?? >> here's adventure! ?? here's romance! here's o. henry's famous robin hood of the old west... ??

>> good morning, miss elaine. >> same to you, mr. jarrett. nice-looking sign. business. >> so do i-- in fact, that's why i came over: to wish you luck. >> thanks. i was hoping you'd come over to tell me that you'd changed your mind. >> about selling out to you? >> mm-hmm. >> i will never do that, mr. jarrett. >> never? >> as i told you the other day, my grandfather founded the western trade company and ran it till his death. then my father took over. after he died, i stepped into his shoes. >> weren't his shoes a little bit too big for you? >> why, i've done a darn good job. >> up till now, but it won't be long before you'll find out those dilapidated wagons of

be losing money hand over fist. >> why, you-- >> all because you're too stubborn to listen to reason. >> how dare you talk to me like that, you-- you eastern dude! >> eastern dude? >> the western freight company was a going concern long before you were born! and it will still be one, long after you're dead! >> not if you keep running it. >> i suppose you think you could do a better job? >> my stage line proves that. i started with one stage on a ten-mile run. now, my stages cover the entire state. >> except between bitter creek and sundance. >> and they'll cover that, too, one of these days. >> hm. >> or yours! ?? >> something wrong, elaine? you look madder than an old hen sittin' on glass eggs. >> i am, klondike. it's that jarrett. he's insufferable. i hate him. >> huh? why, guess i must have heard judd wrong. he said you went to bury the hatchet. >> i'll bury it, all right, smack in jarrett's head, if he doesn't watch his step. >> ohh. well, while you're taking care of that little chore, i'll get

>> oh, judd. ?? >> what do you want, cal? >> uh, stark asked me to give you a message. he said if you don't pay up those poker i.o.u.s by tomorrow, gonna make it rough. >> well, i can't, i haven't got the money. >> that's too bad. if i were you, i'd dig it up someplace. >> no, wait. the money, but i'm gonna need some help. >> for instance? >> well, you and a couple of the other boys. >> what's the deal? >> let's go someplace where we

(gunshots) ?? (gunshot) (gunshots) >> ho... ho!

>> get him out of that wagon! >> wouldn't it have been just as easy to shoot him? >> yeah, but with him dead, who'd drive the freight through? >> aw, there's plenty of drivers. >> the western company can't afford their wages. old klondike works for next to nothing because he likes his >> (chuckles) just like you, huh? >> (laughs) yeah.

?? >> hey, why you stop, cisco? >> that man needs help. >> how you know? >> the way he's walking. >> hey, walking is good for you. good for the panza. lots of people to it. >> yes, but they don't walk in high-heeled boots, reeling around and holding their heads. that man is hurt. come on, pancho. >> howdy.

hey, you don't happen to have a little extra water, do ya? i'm so durn dry and parched. >> pancho, get your canteen. >> did you have an accident, mr., uh... >> klondike. and what happened to me weren't no accident. i was held up, pistol-whipped, and set afoot, just that quick. the effect of it yet. >> it looks like a nasty bump, all right. but nothing seems to be broken. >> no, but my neck will be when the boss finds out that her wagon, cargo, mail, and horses has been swiped. >> you work for a woman? >> yeah, name's elaine. she runs the western freighting outfit. uh, you wouldn't be going over toward bitter creek way, would ya? >> that's exactly where we're going, to see an old friend. diablo will carry double. come on.

for the good of his corporation. >> i don't got no corporation. only when i eat frijoles. >> (laughs) come on. ?? >> this will do fine, cisco. >> thanks. >> you're welcome. >> yeah, two times. >> klondike, what happened?

>> swiped! >> yeah, the whole kit and caboodle. bunch of masked men rode out of some rocks and started throwing lead. >> jarrett-- he did it... to force me to sell. why, that lowdown sidewinder. i'll fix him. i'll blow him from here to jericho. >> miss elaine-- >> don't you "miss elaine" me! >> why, what's wrong? >> i'll-- let me go! i'm gonna kill that contemptible, no-good-- (gunshot) >> give me that gun >> no! uhh! >> now, miss elaine, about? >> as if you didn't know. >> i don't know. >> neither do i. >> and i don't know the same way. >> i'll tell you. i was held up on the way to sundance a while ago. elaine thinks you hired the sidewinders that done it. >> what? have you lost your mind? i wouldn't stoop to anything like that. >> no? >> no! >> i've known mr. jarrett for many years, and he's a very fine man. >> who are you? >> i'm the cisco kid. >> and i am pancho miguel fernando gonzalez de conejo. >> the cisco kid. so jarrett hired you to do his dirty work.

as for you, jarrett, don't think you can force me out of business. i'm a fighter, and i'll fight you to the bitter end. >> oh, miss elaine, you forgot your gun. >> come on, klondike. >> hoo hoo hoo! that, uh, that little wildcat is a spit in the fire, no? >> she's crazy, i didn't hire anybody. >> of course you didn't, but she'll never believe you until the real crooks are caught. >> uh-oh, heh, the fire's in the fat now. where do we start his time, cisco? >> we'll start with the stolen freight wagon, pancho. if we cafind it and return it to her, she might change her jarret t. >> if you can make that wildcat change her mind about anything, i'll buy you two the best saddles in texas. >> it's a deal. pancho, let's try to find that wagon before sundown. ?? what's the matter, pancho? >> oh, you know, cisco, i've been thinking. >> oh, you know, it isn't very good for you to think. >> but this time i've been

>> well, i've been thinking about this wagon. >> pancho, wagons have wheels, don't they? >> si. >> and the wheels leave tracks, no? >> si. >> well, then we'll follow the tracks until we find the outlaws. >> (giggles) cisco, you got brains, huh? you know, that is just what i've been thinking all the time. >> pancho, here is where the tracks leave the road. come on.

>> well, here's the end of the trail, and here's the wagon. what are we gonna do now? >> we'll take it back to the girl. pancho, you get in and drive the wagon. i'll take the horse. >> (whistles) hyah!

??

(pancho shouting to horses) >> elaine, elaine, come out here, quick! >> my wagon! who brought it back? >> pancho and i found it up in the hills. the cargo was gone. the outlaws must have carried it away. >> now, maybe you'll change your mind about cisco and panch >> no! >> oh, but we find your wagon on top of the hills for you. >> naturally, you knew where to look for it. >> oh, dadbust it, elaine. these hombres couldn't have swiped that wagon, why they-- >> klondike, when i want your opinion, i'll ask for it. >> what was that you said, miss elaine? >> i didn't say anything. >> oh, my mistake. i thought i heard you say, "thank you."

wagon. >> yes, we found the wagon, empty. >> heh, and no matter what, she thinks we are still the banditos. >> it will take an act of congress to make her change her mind about anything. well, it looks like we're all up a tree, cisco. >> i am not so sure. tell me, when is the opening of your stage line? >> next week, but i'm making a test run tomorrow. if i can show the post office department that i can cut even an hour off the western line's time to sundance, i'll have a good chance to get the mail contract away from that female wildcat. >> that gives me an idea. i think i know how to find out ?? >> i got your message, judd. what's up? >> the express company is shipping $3,000 in gold on the stage. >> you sure? >> yeah, elaine's fit to be tied. >> heh, she is, huh? >> yeah, she always handled those gold shipments before. but since these holdups, they don't figure the western's safe. they don't figure that anybody would expect to find the gold on the stage. >> which only goes to show how

>> yeah. (both laughing) >> well, you've done your share of the driving, jarrett. from here on, pancho will take over. >> i still think i ought to do the driving. >> oh, that don't make no difference-- pancho don't worry about a little thing like losing his life. (laughter) >> whatever happens, pancho, don't stop that stage. >> not even if the banditos' bullets come down like rain. >> not even then-- climb up. >> bueno. (chuckles) (whistles) hyah! ??

let's move! ?? >> here he comes. get set, carl. >> (whistles) just a minute, amigo! pancho's a-comin' down!

?? >> now, that's pancho. jarrett's supposed to be driving the stage. >> ah, never mind that.

(gunshots) >> duck!

(gunshots continue) >> whoa.

?? (gunfire continues)

(approaching hoof beats) >> come on out of there. >> john! >> you know him? >> know him? dadbust it, he's elaine's cousin. >> (chuckling) did you catch him, cisco? oh, i knew you would. >> i see you did all right, too. >> (chuckles) >> did you have much trouble? >> no, no, it was just like falling on top of the log. (laughter) >> everything worked out just as you planned, cisco. they were fit to be tied when they found there wasn't any gold

rocks. (laughing) >> come on, judd. join your jailbird friends. >> i've already apologized to cisco, mr. jarrett. now i'm apologizing to you. >> i'll accept it, only on one condition-- that from now on, you'll call me bill. >> agreed, bill. >> hey, pancho, looks like we've been playing cupid. >> is better to happen to him, not you. since when? >> (laughing) ?? >> cisco! i owe you a couple of saddles. where shall i send them? >> we'll be back one of these days. >> maybe on your wedding day! >> pancho. >> don't worry, people get married, don't they? >> oh, pancho. >> oh, cisco.

>> good-bye, amigos! >> see you soon! (laughing)

it was mid october when the stranger rode into crater junction. he was tired, and if the truth were known, he was a little frightened. as he passed along the street, he could feel the eyes of the town on his back, and on the thing he carried tied to the packhorse. but the looks didn't bother the stranger. he didn't care about the town or the people in it. didn't care what they thought. he had a job to do and he wanted to be done with it. morning! shave or a haircut? neither. i understand you're what passes for the local law in crater junction. that's right! there's nothing official about it, i take care of our town records, settle arguments, and handle any details that need handling. i'm ed teller. i've got a little detail for you to handle. it's on my pack horse. it looks like a body.

stone dead. i shot him myself. you're giving yourself up? no, i've come to claim my reward. the ranger's got $1,000 on his head. fellow's name is cass desmond. that's his, he was carrying it. uh, how'd you come to shoot him? self defense. he drew first. about the reward, i'll get in touch with the rangers. they'll wanna identify the remains before they can pay it. you might have to stick around a few days. there's only one fella who can identify cass desmond. i'd be more than happy to wait for him. ?? trackdown

(shooting) nub beamer's request for positive identification was received at austin, and forwarded to captain selby at ranger training headquarters.

o physical incapacity. elliot, i realize it's asking a lot for you and ride with gilman here to trader junction, you're the only one who can fill the bill.. you don't have to ask me, i'm volunteering. look stan, i know how you feel. we've gotten word that desmond was out to kill you. you probably heard the same thing. yes sir. as long as he was alive, i had to be looking over my shoulder. now i'm not a brave man. without my gun hand, there's not much i could have done. i mean if the body at crater junction doesn't happen to be desmond's. keep looking over my shoulder. but at least i'll know i have to keep looking. maybe you can stop wearing the gun. it wouldn't make much difference. it's mostly for appearances anyway. when you've been doing business with your right hand for thirty years, the left one gets kind of rusty. yeah i guess.

from porter for this one. well, we may as well get going. stan, i want you to know i appreciate this. let's just call it part payment on the pension the rangers gave me. good luck. ?? having you along will give my neck a rest. a man gets tired of looking over his shoulder all of the time. how long has it been since you've seen desmond? about two years. i was up in dallas when the trouble happened. i never did get the real story. the funny thing about it was that it was an accident. how do you mean? you ever hear of a place called langly? no, i don't believe so. the crossroads south of rock springs.

ily named kester, old man, son, daughter in-law. seems like they'd been having some trouble with wild horses in the area, asked us to check it. mmhmm. what they didn't tell us was that old man kester didn't believe in banks. seems he kept about seven thousand dollars in the place. it was kept a big secret, but, cass desmond found out. i was about a mile away when he walked in and started shooting. i heard the shots, but by the time i got there, the family was dead. he killed them all? yeah, the three of them. when i walked in, he tried to make it four. in the shootout he, did this. i got him inhe shoulder, but not good enough. he made it away. well then you're the only one alive who's seen him? yeah, i don't even know if that's his real name. that's what he called himself then. what'd he look like?

nothing about him that would make you take any special notice? except, maybe his eyes. cold like a dead catfish. two years is a long time. a man can change a lot. grow a beard, mustache, practically anything. it don't matter, when i see the face, i'll know. well, we appreciate your help. you appreciate it? the last two years i have done nothing but look back. what kind of a life is that? silly to ask a woman to marry me. well you've got it all wrong, i'm doing you no favors. you're doing me one. the first day out, there was no talk.

. where's the spread you're working on now? near the border outside of bitter springs. you get around a lot. last time i heard of you, you were riding for an outfit up near el paso. oh, it didn't work out. i heard a man fitting desmond' s description was in town, asking about me. i lit out. hmm. when you heard he was in el paso you should have let us know. i was in too much of a hurry to save my own skin. besides, it was just talk, nothing definite. well, we gotta get an early start in the morning. i'll take care of this hoby. no, no that's alright. no, go ahead, turn in.

?? ?? to each man, the body in crater junction meant something different. to one, that the name of another killer could be crossed off the books. but to the other, that a life of fear was at an end.

morning. oh, uh, morning gents. who's first? you nub beamer? that's right. did you send this? yeah, come to identify him huh? mmhmm. i'm hoby gilman. this is stan elliot. he will be the identifier. howdy, i got the body in the store room. how come you're handling things around here? because i've been here the longest. there's no sheriff if that's what you mean. besides, nobody wants the job. the store room's this way. ?? not very pretty is it? what happened? ed teller brought him in and said desmond drew on him. desmond wasn't too smart. teller had a loaded shotgun. no one could identify that. check the scar where you hit him. it's on his chest, i hit him here in the shoulder.

(sigh) wrong fella huh? yeah. well, thanks for letting us know anyway. it's alright, just doing my job. i was figuring on taking the burial expenses out of teller's reward money. now i gotta bury the poor fella at public expense! well i'm sorry you had to make the trip for nothing. i don't regret a step of the way. like i said at headquarters, knowing is better than not knowing. i guess that's one way of looking at it. a man in my position only has one way of looking at it. well, if you're ready to ride we better get started back. what's the rush? i got a job waiting. well i got one here. the man in there, i don't even know what his name is. that's none of my business. well i can't leave until i talk to teller. well if you ever get down my way, drop in and see me. now wait a minute. this fella, whoever he is has got desmond's wallet on him. that means desmond might be around some place in the vicinity,

that's only a guess. besides, i won't always have company, do i'd better get used to it. well, i wish you'd change your mind. thanks for wishing. so long hoby. goodbye mr. beamer. bye. do you know this ed teller? never saw him before he brought the body in. where's he staying now? there's only one place to stay in this town, that's the hotel. now wait a minute, ook in on him too. as ranger hoby gilman walked toward the hotel, his mind went ahead of him. teller had admitted killing the man who laid back at the barber shop. but who was he? why was he dead? and how did cass desmond's identification come to be on the body? would teller be willing to give the answers? or would he be waiting with the same shotgun he used on the dead man?

what's the number? room number eight. ?? (knocking) ?? well, looks like he left in a hurry. yeah, without even paying his bill! now why would a man skip out, who thought he had 1,000 reward money coming? must have been something awfully important.

what'd this teller look like? kind of thin. brown hair and eyes. how tall? might shorter than me. no, that doesn't fit desmond's bill from what stan told me. you don't think desmond would bring a body in and claim his own reward? i did for a minute. (laughing) you sure got some funny ideas. where'd teller keep his horse? the liberty stable. (hammering) morning russ. this is uh, ranger gilman. howdy. did uh, mr. teller come and get his horse? teller? yeah he sure did. didn't even give me time to finish shoeing him! came in this morning saying he wanted a set of shoes for him then, oh less than an hour ago he comes running in, went out before i had a chance to put the last one on! yeah, here it is! you mind if i look at it? no. he say where he was going?

what do you mean not exactly? well he said he wanted extra heavy shoes because he was travelling over a rough country. rough country? that would be south. yeah. well, i'm much obliged to ya. yeah. say, i was thinking, for what it's worth, teller left right after your friend, and they were both going south. yea. i was thinking the same thing. only thing i can't figure is, why? well, there's only one way i know of to find out. room is. i wouldn't want him to be the only one in the graveyard without a name. i take pride in keeping my records straight. well, in that case i'll make special effort.

it was clear his man was following stan elliot. and he knew it could only mean trouble for a one-armed man unable to defend himself. ?? elliot leave town? yeah, he's just ahead of me. going back the way he came. ept looking back over his shoulder like he though someone was after him. get down. all the trouble you've taken to bring him out here, you're sure taking a lot of time about catching up with him. there's no rush. when we move on him i want all the odds on our side. he's only got one arm here's one of his lucky shots. we'll hang back 'til he makes camp. then we'll take him. what about the other ranger who rode in with elliot? by the time he figures things out, it will be too late to do anything about it.

look like. when we get through with mr. elliot, nobody's gonna find his body. come on. the way he keeps looking back, he rides like a worried man. what made you so sure they'd send him? he's the only one that can identify me. who else would they send? ranger gilman found the footprints of another man joining teller's. he saw where the two men rode off together, following stan elliot's trail south. he didn't know that the other man was desmond,

walking from here. if that other ranger's got any sense, he's gonna wonder why i didn't stick around to collect the reward. wondering about it and knowing what to do about it are two different things. suppose he figures it out? what's to figure? as far as anybody knows, you found a body with my wallet on it. naturally, you thought it was me, and took it in for the reward. what if he finds out who the dead man is? johnny was a drifter. he hasn't got a living relative. he'll never be missed. no, but i'll be missed. i told ya, that ranger's got a good description of me. if he decided to find out about johnny, he's gonna be looking for me! you'd think you were the one that shotgunned johnny. it's not what i think that's important, it's what the ranger thinks! that's where you're wrong. the only thing that's important is what i think, look, i've gone along with you every inch of the way. i brought johnny in for the reward, stayed at the hotel, i kept you up on what was happening. i'm not just thinking of me, it's both of us. what are you driving at? we waited this long, we could wait a little longer.

ing him middle of things. you get ideas, but they're only half-baked. you stay here and keep an eye out for the ranger. i'll go on ahead. suppose i see him coming? then we'll bury both bodies together. keep the horses out of sight. (gunshots) (gunshots) if that's the best you can do, you're not going to be much trouble. that's right. it's me. it's just a matter of time now. that's all. (gunshot)

(gunshots) if you're wondering about the shots, that's my partner taking care of your ranger friend. like i said, just a matter of time. (gunshots) ?? (gunshots)

once my partner gets here, you won't have long to go. i'll give you a chance to get it all over with now. one way or the other, winner take all. we'll put our guns in our holsters and we'll both come out. now you can make your try. sure, i've got the edge, but it's better than sitting there waiting for it to happen. better make up your mind, he'll be here any minute. on, ranger. who knows, you might get lucky and get in a good shot. it's a better chance than you've got now.

that's close enough. any time you're ready. ?? hold it desmond. ?? (gunshots) ?? he said his friend was coming. i figured it was better to get it over with. his friend's a little ways back. we'll take care of him since we need to bury desmond.

yeah. it's him. well, one thing's sure.

well, i'm satisfied captain. cass desmond is dead and buried, no mistake this time. good. hoby, you can take care of this. it's from nub beamer at crater junction. what does he want? well, it seems he's got an unmarked grave up there. making his records untidy. (laughs) wants to know if you got the name of the man who was supposed to be desmond. yeah, the name was john otis. where'd you get that? desmond had his wallet and all of his identification. must have switched after desmond killed him. uhuh. what do you know about him? you mean otis? uhuh. well, he's a drifter, a hard hand...

otify anybody. i'll take care of this. stan, i uh, i wanna thank you again. if desmond hadn't tried to get you, he'd probably still be walking around. he shouldn't have pushed his luck. pushing his luck didn't bury him. what do you mean? well he was trying to push the rangers, they pushed back.

[theme music] [gunshots] get mounted. [dramatic music] (male #1) 'alright, let's go.' the blond-headed guy is the leader.