?

good evening, stranger, what'll it be? well, i could use some grub and a pot of coffee. it's a little late, but maybe there's some stew left. it has to be heated though. i don't mind waiting. hey, hank, put a fire under that stew. would you like a drink while you're waiting? no, thanks. you can answer a question for me though. where can i find the ja? -amarillo ames' outfit? -that's right. well, it's about a half a day's ride northeast of town. you go straight out main street till you get to... bodie? by jingo, it is bodie. i guess you remember me, big man. i'm mike laverson. what's on your mind? you are, ever since you bushwhacked my brother in san antone.

rson tribe, there's too many of you. hear that, dode? mr. bodie here is trying to beg off. now ain't that just like a back-shooter. get on with it, kid. either you take him or i do. all set, big man? i'm gonna plug ya. what do you think of that? sounds to me like you're aiming on talking me to death. don't try it. drop your gun belt. not that it makes much difference, he was asking for a bullet and he got it.

there are three of us left. we'll get you for doing this. no matter how long it takes. ? looks like we got us a visitor. ? you looking for somebody, stranger? ? where can i find amarillo ames? who wants to know? i do.

good afternoon, ma'am. is mr. ames home? ? i don't believe i know you. no, ma'am, you don't. your father sent for me. i see. come i thank you, ma'am. ? if you'll give me your name. cheyenne bodie. excuse me a minute, mr. bodie. i'll tell my father you're here.

? my little brother, jamie. he died a few months after this was taken. i'm sorry. won't you sit down? ? mr. bodie. i see you've met my daughter, susan. yes, i have. ? it's good to see you again, cheyenne. so, mr. ames. i wasn't sure you'd feel that way. and yet you came anyway. well, you sent for me. i'm gonna say what i said to you 18 months ago. it's all over, it's done with. nobody else knows the details. my daughter, the men, nobody. and i don't want to ever hear you refer to it again, not ever. understand? come on, sit down.

i've heard talk. ja has been right in the middle of them. one of my men has been killed, another one, pete webb, will limp the rest of his life. to top it off, nine months ago, i took a bullet through the lung. it's practically impossible to find a man you can trust. the last two hands i hired were tied in with rustlers. i got a taste of that from your men when i rode up. but the point is, unless i sell every head of stock i own and for a top price, the bank takes over. the ja, the stock, everything. i'm making a trail drive to dodge. i need a man with experience, a man i can trust, so that he can take over if i don't last out the trip. have you got a reason to think you won't? good reason. that bullet through the lung that i spoke of took more out of me than anybody knows. well, i sure hope it's not that bad. either way, you know my answer. i appreciate that, but you'll be paid more than gratitude. they're offering a $2,000 bonus for the first herd into dodge.

t, you draw double pay. the first herd into dodge gets top price and the bonus, and they'll be a lot of other outfits trying to beat us. we've got to make it in a month, not a day over. well, it can be done if you've got the right kind of men. oh, they know their business. and they're loyal. but they need leadership all the way. you told your top men about me? i have two good men, rowdy shane and slim mantell. they're both in line to take over here at the ranch, but neither one of them have ever bossed a trailed drive or even been on one. it looks like you're gonna have to tell them. it worries me. rowdy and slim have been through the range wars with me and they're loyal. and like all good men, they have their pride. i can't let them think i lack confidence in them. i'd just rather they wouldn't know. unless the time came they had to know. whatever you say, i hope they never have to know.

cheyenne, i've given this whole thing a lot of thought and i think this is the way to handle it. well, what's this? full authorization for you to take complete charge, if the occasion arises. ? move 'em. keep moving. saxton, get after those strays. ? pushing them hard. that's my plan, i have no choice. -i'll keep after them. -cheyenne. i notice the boys are still being polite to you. bad sign when a cow hand is polite. ?

? might be a good place to rest them. you look like you could use a little rest yourself. plenty of time for that later on. drive them across. drive them across!

keep 'em in shallow water. ? keep 'em movin'. ? don't let 'em head downstream. ? stay in the narrow part of the river. ? keep 'em movin'! ? he can't swim.

ow to swim. yeah, you sure would have thought so. one of us better track back to the ja and tell susan. she might want to take the boat and meet us in dodge. she sure ought to know, all right. i'll cut out as soon as we make camp. should be back in three or four days. uh, it's getting along towards dark. that crossing took a lot out of us. we'll bed the herd down here until morning. rowdy, you figure you're running things now? you've got any objections? well, i don't know yet. it depends on how the rest of us feel about it. let's get these cattle on the move. we're wasting daylight. you're taking orders from me, bodie. just like you took them from amarillo. we're camping here and we're camping now. amarillo's orders to me were to take over if anything happened to him. then why didn't he tell us that? he was hoping it wouldn't be necessary. i think you're lying. if he'd have told anybody, he'd have told slim or rowdy.

you read it. come on, let's go see to the herd. it looks like you'll just have to take my word for it. your word's no good. not with me, it ain't. i don't know you. no one else here does. if you got a point to make, make it. from here on to kansas is all outlaw country. or some other pack of rustlers. i was hired by amarillo ames. he told me to take over and i'm doing it. you're kinda outnumbered, ain't ya, bodie? that's right, but if it's a fight you want, go ahead, get it out of your system. what, and get shot up? nothing doing. i heard in town how fast you are with a gun. you've got your fists.

take him, rowdy! ? come on, rowdy, get in there. ? come on, rowdy, show him who's boss. ? come on, rowdy, get up. ? come on, get on your feet. drown him. drown him! ? dcome on! ? come on, come on, we're gonna settle it this way?

? all right, let's get at those cattle. all of you. or does somebody else want to argue? i'll ride for you, cheyenne, but not because i'm afraid of ya. i don't want you afraid of me. and i don't want you to ride for me. you're still riding for amarillo ames right, let's head out for dodge. we gonna let him get by with this? it was your fight, rowdy, you lost it. we're still a long way from dodge city. we're a long way from anywhere. ? we've got an hour of daylight left.

edge of night and a little further. well, those are hard orders on the men and on the cattle. they were amarillo's orders and they're mine. amarillo died pushing himself. he'd still be alive today if he hadn't been in such an all-fired hurry. he had a reason. he lost his life for it. ? trouble is, he's taking orders from a grave. he's money crazy, that's what his trouble is. t, the first herd into dodge means a $1,000 bonus to the trail boss and he aims to earn it. it's almost like he was beholden to amarillo for something. something so big that even amarillo's dying don't change it. yeah, well, he's gonna crank us and half the herd to boot before he's through. you can fight him or cut out. rowdy tried fighting. nobody's cutting out.

could be you're gonna have a short lifetime. time to start the first watch, ain't it? why don't you and me take it? all right. we're pulling out two hours before sun up. well now, wait a minute, when do we sleep? save your grumbling for the strays. grab whatever sleep you can, there won't be much of it. ? you ride herd the other side. if the cattle get too restless, better let me know. mantell, i'm grateful to you for stepping in to calm things down. maybe i better straighten you out on something. in a showdown, i'm with them. they're my friends, you're a stranger. i keep waiting for you to show some signs of being human.

all right, that's far enough. squint! you can ride a lot quieter than that. quiet men get shot, loud ones are likely to be friends. you still running from the law? you could call it that. i'm riding with ruck grover. yeah, cattle rustling gets to be hard work. you want to rest a spell? can't, ain't got time. i come out looking for ya. horseback news tells that you had a run in with the laverson brothers and plugged one of them. and signed on with amarillo ames to boss his drive. pushing his herd up to dodge. we buried amarillo back at the river. too bad. anyway, when i heard it was the ames' cattle that ruck planned on raiding, i figured i'd risk riding out and get word to you.

well, i hadn't planned on it. i wouldn't want the laversons to think i was running out on them. no danger they think that. not the direction you're heading. horseback news says that they bought boat tickets at kansas city and a train ride to dodge. they aim to bury you once and for all. well, that's something to look forward to. i'm telling you all this so ya can pull out. i can't leave amarillo's herd. you'll never get those cattle to dodge anyway. like i told ya, ruck aims to take charge of those steers. when? another day, maybe two. ruck's bad medicine. it's good you got boys to back you on the trail. i wonder just about how much backing i'll get. you're gonna need friends against the laversons, too. wish i could side with you, but the law men are thick on the other side of the kansas line. ah, you've done enough already, squint. grover's big chance was surprise, he doesn't have that anymore. what about the laversons?

it doesn't look like there's any way to avoid it. you're gonna need friends. i lost one friend back at the river. you're the other. well, luck to you, cheyenne. you're gonna need the full limit. oh, uh, ruck will come at ya when and where you least expect it. that's his favorite move.

? well, we better bed 'em down, they're about wore out. keep driving 'em. i want a full-out circle on the herd from now on. well, when do we stop?

at later. he's asking for a stray bullet, and you know it. he ain't one for sharing reasons. then, neither was amarillo. amarillo's dead. he's liable to have company. ? what's back of the herd? nothing. how far back did you ride? couldn't find a thing. the fact is, i didn't know what i was looking for. but you looked good, you're sure of that? i looked real good. there's nothing back there. probably up ahead then. you ride ahead with me. ? so, that's what you was looking for?

here they come. ? you were expecting them? i was told they might hit at us. ? i better round up the men. too late for that. they're trying to stampede that herd right back in our laps. anybody that doesn't get trampled to death, they figure on shooting. so, why not head them off? i got a better idea. let's turn the tables on 'em. ? come on, get out of here.

good, boys, turn the herd. come on, round 'em up. ? how many do you figure we lost? are you speaking of cattle or men?

it's a risk that every cattle driver has to take. could've happened to any of us. let's get him buried. we're leaving wooden crosses behind like milestones. ? anybody still hungry, you better fill up on food. you're gonna need it. we lost a full day today. we can make it up by taking a shortcut to the west. you mean we're driving again without even an hour of sleep? that's the size of it. why, if we head west from here, that'd mean we'd be cutting across desert. it also means that we won't be bothered by grover or any of the indian treaty tribes that might be on the prowl. we'll get back the day we lost.

who's "we"? if it's a showdown, i guess you can count me out. you can't quit, not now. that's what you think. we're quitting and we're taking the horses out of the remuda. come on, let's get the strong box. wait a minute, we want our pay. if you're so set in getting this herd into dodge in a hurry, you take 'em. you ain't a man, bodie, you're a machine that don't know no part of a heart or soul. now pay up and pronto. all right, you can ride out, all of ya. but i'm not paying out a cent. you're gonna force us to take it from ya? i'll make you a proposition. stay with the herd, get it to dodge city inside of four weeks, there'll be a sizable bonus for every man in the outfit. that's my last word. yeah, well, i want my money and i want it now.

i could put that slug a few inches to the right, pete, and split you right in two. but you're no good to me dead. now, get on your horses, all of ya. you'll have plenty of chances to shoot me in the back if you want it that way. there must be something mighty big in this for you. what is it? i'm through talking. they tell there's a bonus for the first cattle drive to hit dodge. you figure on claiming it? so, that's it. you had me fooled. you either ride or clear out. we'll settle the score in dodge. i'm afraid you'll have to stand in line.

he's like a crazy indian ghost. rides in the camp at night, gives orders, and rides out. he's a brave man, but he's not crazy. you just catch a glimpse of him now and then against the sky. he ain't one to hand out much of a target. who'd shoot him? you? i thought you hated him least of all. i can't make noises like you, rowdy. then, who ever heard of shouting a man to death? what was that?

we'd thought we'd ridden right on by ya. you must have been pushing night and day. night and day and in between. surprised to see you, miss susan. we know how bad you feel about your dad, miss susan. he was a fine man. we all miss him. thank you, slim. all of you. well, where is he? you mean the boss, cheyenne? he's not the boss. you are, rowdy, as of right now. it ain't quite that easy, miss susan. ld him to take over, and he took over. and you let him? rowdy made a move to stop him. didn't quite work out. i'll settle this right now. where is he? wasn't expecting you to join the drive, miss ames. ray harris told me about the high-handed way you took over when my father died. i'm here to change that. i'm putting someone else in charge right now.

it looks like it's time you and i had an understanding. now get this straight, miss ames: until this drive reaches dodge, the cattle and the men are my responsibility. that's the way your father wanted it and that's the way it's gonna be. i'll show you. another thing you better know: cause me any trouble, and i'll send you back to the ranch if i have to strap you to a horse to get you there. rowdy, i am putting you in charge immediately. i want this man paid off and sent out of camp before sunup. well? like i said, miss ames, you can stay with the drive as long as you don't start stirring up trouble. i'm waiting, rowdy. sorry, miss susan, it's not that i don't want the job, you understand, but... we'll be moving out in two hours, better get some sleep.

hey, hey! ? and what do you think, the mayor is driving out to meet us. oh, a welcoming committee, huh? it must mean we're the first ones in. see any cattle up ahead? not a single herd. i'll bet we are the first considering it took us less than four weeks. of course, if cheyenne hadn't drove us so hard, taken us a side longer. sure, so he can get his hands on that bonus money. anyway, we made it. anybody seen him this morning?

be in dodge city by noon. just got official word that ours will be the first drive to hit town. here they come. you better get back to the herd boys. good morning. good morning, ma'am. unexpected pleasure finding a lovely young woman like you accompanying a cattle drive. i'm robert ellison, the mayor of dodge city. i'd like you to meet mr. frank latham, city councilman. very happy to know both of you. i'm susan ames, owner of the ja ranch. miss ames, i have the honor of welcoming you and your men as being the first to bring a trail herd into our fair city this season. it gives me great pleasure to present you, as owner of the aforementioned herd, this bonus of $1,000. thank you, mayor. not at all.

ount for him. well, yes, it's-- reckon that'd be me, mayor. the name's cheyenne bodie. there you are, sir, $1,000, and congratulations from all of us for a job well done. much obliged, mayor. all right, let's get those cattle moving. ? well, my count totals out to be 2,370. that seem about right to you, miss ames? i'm sure it's right, mr. harrison. mighty fine looking herd. you mind telling me how many head you left texas with?

that makes you out a mighty fine trail boss, mr. bodie. thank you. i'm sure the credit goes to all my men, mr. harris. i'm sure it does, miss ames. i wouldn't want to take anything from them, but the drive is only as good as the man who bosses it. well, here's your receipt, miss ames. -thank you. -if you'll meet me in my office about five o'clock, i'll have what ready cash you need and the rest in a bank draft. i'm sorry to delay you, but we have four more herds coming in before nightfall, and i'm gonna be mighty busy. -five o'clock will be fine. -thank you, ma'am. well, i've got to be running along. nice to be meeting you. rowdy, would you tell the men to come to the hotel at seven to pick up their wages? sure will, miss susan. uh, miss ames, there's something i'd better tell you. yes? i promised the hands a sizable bonus if they got the cattle to dodge inside of four weeks... i'm fully aware of what you promised, mr. bodie, and the bonus will be paid. of course, it wouldn't have been necessary had you turned the herd over to shane. what i'm trying to tell you, ma'am... i'm sure there's nothing you can tell me that i want to hear. good afternoon.

who is it? cheyenne bodie. ? just a moment.

, mr. bodie. i said seven o'clock, not six. that isn't why i came. oh? come in. it's all there, the $1,000. i don't think i understand. i tried to give it to you this afternoon but you were so busy talking at me i couldn't get a word in edgewise. i told the men there'd be a bonus if they got through inside of four weeks. i promised on my own and i'm paying it on my own. i told you i'd pay the bonus. from what your father said, you're gonna need every cent you can raise to get the ja out of debt. please sit down. mr. bodie... if it wasn't the money that made you act

your father hired me to do a job. i did it. let's let it go at that. no, it has to be more than that. i don't doubt for a moment that you try to do whatever job you take on, but that's not reason enough for pushing the herd and men and yourself like you did. there must have been another reason. it concerns my father, doesn't it? if it concerns him, surely i have a right to know. yes, i...guess you do. i killed your brother. you killed jamie? it's not true. he and dad were on a hunting trip. there was some kind of an accident. i was the guy that your father hired when they came to wyoming that year. the day we were breaking camp to start back, i was saddling my horse.

he picked it up by the barrel that was pointing right at him. somehow or other, it went off. jamie died in my arms. your father never blamed me. it...made it even harder to take. of course, he didn't. you couldn't have known it would happen. it was my business to know. you don't ask a 12 year old boy to handle a buffalo rifle. i suppose i know how you feel, but it was an accident. at least i... i understand you now. ? i might have known you'd take it the way amarillo did. i'm grateful. i'll be moving along. ? cheyenne?

? you remember that little ole gal that i was telling you about? you know the one over at orange dale, that school teacher, well... i know, but weren't there ever any other women in your life? well, look who's here. hey, trail boss, come on over and have a drink. ? what'd you have to go and ask him for? go ahead, pour him a drink. he's all man, even if he did rub us raw. let him buy his own whiskey. with all that bonus money, he can afford to swim in it. that money sure bothers you boys, doesn't it? yeah, why not; by rights, it should have gone to slim here or to rowdy shane. oh, forget it. it's all over and done with it. now forget it, both of ya. i ain't forgetting nothing.

i had the experience, you fellows didn't. it's as simple as that. i'm sick and tired of you and your slick talk, bodie. now why don't you just get out of here? he don't mean nothing by it, bodie. he's just had a little too much to drink. if you ask me, you've all had enough. any time a man doesn't collect his pay, he's either drunk or dead. hey, that's right, we're late. ? well, well. if it ain't the trail boss, and all alone. what's the matter, trail boss, no friends? if you're looking for yours, you'll find them at the hotel drawing their pay.

what i like about you, you know all the answers, that's what i like about you. i wondered what it was you liked about me. i'm gonna tell you something you don't know, trail boss. cliff laverson is down at the longhorn bar. he's been telling around town how he's gonna gun you personal for shooting his kid brother in the back. the way he tells it, you're real good at plugging kids. but a real gunslinger has gotta flush you out like a rat from under a barn. his brothers with him? he don't need his brothers. not with his speed with a gun, he don't. if you got any sense, you'll get out of town and fast. i hope it'll be all right if i finish my coffee first. go ahead and be funny. i'm gonna laugh real hard at your funeral.

howdy, cheyenne. ? it's chance meeting you. were you expecting me? the longhorn. i'd slay the rest of 'em. what cliff laverson was saying was bound to get to you. i'd figure you'd come after him. it was either that or run. once a man starts running, it's hard to stop. there's seven of them. ? the way it was told to me, cliff was making it man to man. that's how you were supposed to hear it. all three laversons are waiting

what's grover doing in it? he heard the talk, come down to get a piece of you. that stampede you worked on him kinda hurt his pride, you might say. you making up your mind? it's been made up for me. i'll wait for better odds. i figured it was a fool question when i asked it. ? ? drop it. ? if cliff laverson sent you, you shot the wrong man. squint was just a little too loose in the mouth to go on living. well, what are you standing there for? cliff's saving you for his own pleasure, and he's waiting. move. i said move!

straighten your hats, boys, we got company. the rest of you drifters, get out of here. ? take your time coming in, bodie. we're in no hurry. ? better step back a little, red. mr. bodie's gonna be attracting a lot of lead any minute now. ? figures a laverson would play it this way, seven of you against a man without a gun. hear that, grover? mr. bodie has up and lost his gun. mighty careless of him, i'd say. well, don't fret, mister.

? don't open your mouth. ? come in or run, bodie. either way, you're dead. ? susan did some explaining. stall for a minute. maybe we can make a deal, cliff. maybe we can't. ? i don't reckon i'm much good at crawling. ? all right, red, shove him in. hold it, laverson!

well i, i wish you'd change your mind and stay in dodge a while. i can use a man like you. i'm much obliged, mr. harrison, but i've been figuring on getting back to wyoming for quite a spell; as long as i'm this close, i think i'll just keep right on going. you sure you're in shape to make the trip? doc did a pretty good job. a little stiff and sore, but riding will work that out. how about the rest of your men? a couple of them got nicked, but nothing serious. well, best of luck, bodie. have a good trip. thank you. morning, miss ames. morning. cheyenne. the boys and i still wish you'd ride back to texas with us.

sure. thanks a lot anyway. ? i'll miss you, cheyenne. we'll all miss you. good luck. goodbye, cheyenne. ? wyoming can wait. hold on!

( no audible dialogue ) dealer: ace does the betting. $15, one time. 15? man: josh. well, hello, boone. what are you doing here? i gotta talk to you, josh. just let me finish up this hand, you hear? i'll wait outside. i'll be right with you. make it a quick one. ace is still high. all right, $20.