Johnny is walking through the way station yard alone. It’s still dark. He enters the building and shuts the door behind him. Inside, Julie is filling two cups from a coffee pot.
JL: I’ve got that horse bedded down.
JB: I found some coffee, but I don’t know what its gonna taste like.
JL: I don’t want none.
JB walks around, carrying the cup in her hand: When do you think the horse’ll be ready to travel?
JL: In about two hours.
He sits in a wooden straight-backed chair, crosses one leg over the other knee and starts to do something with his spur.
JL: We’ll get an early starts in the mornin’—if that’s all right with you.
JB sips her coffee: This is as far as you go.
JL: Lady, I have no way of gettin’ outta here.
JB: Well, you’ll. . you’ll have to go back and look for your horse in the morning.
JL rises from his seat, but grasps the chair with his hands and moves it closer to her, sits down again.
JL: Do you have any idea how far that is? That’s five miles back.
JB: Look, I’d like to help you, but I can’t. I’ve got something that I’ve gotta do alone. (she gets up and moves to the other side of the room) I’ve gotta meet someone in the morning.
JL: Well, he must be important to you.
JB: He is---(she turns to face Johnny) How’d you know it was a he?
Close up on Johnny, who is still seated.
JL: Took a guess. (he looks down, then back up at her) I bet it’s your husband.
JB: I’m not married.
Johnny smiles, glances down again.
JB: It’s my brother.
JL: It been a long time?
JB stands with head bowed: Yeah. . . . he got in. . .(she looks up) some kinda trouble, and he asked me to help him out, so----
JL: What kinda trouble he get into?
JB: Just. . . some kind of trouble. (pause) It wasn’t his fault, not really.
She comes over to rest her hands on the back of Johnny’s chair, he watches her, looking over his left shoulder.
JB: When we were kids, we never had anything. . . we were brought up with an uncle on an old dirt farm with a bunch of the scrawniest lookin’ chickens you ever saw runnin’ around.
She laughs when she mentions the chickens and Johnny smiles back at her.
JB: All we had was each other, and Jonas always used to say that one day things would be different.
Julie moves away from Johnny’s chair and laughs to herself again.
JB: He was gonna make so much money we would never hafta look at another chicken unless it was cooked in wine.
Johnny stands up and comes over to stand behind her.
JL: Where’d he plan on makin’ his money?
JB looks up at him: What do you mean?
JL: Well, I mean, if there’s easy money around, I’d like to get in on it. . . my life hasn’t been too soft either.
JB, shaking her head: You’re really different from my brother, I mean, things never seem to work out for him. He’s like a child, putting blocks on top of one another and never seems to make it. . ..
Johnny reaches his arm out to the wall behind her, they are talking face to face.
JL: That why you came out here, to help him make it?
JB: I came because he’s my brother and because he needs me. If you’d ever had a brother, you’d understand how it is.
Close up on a pensive Johnny. Music plays.
JL: Oh, I got a brother, all right. I know exactly how it is.
SCENE 10
Back at the jail, the Sheriff is sitting with his feet on his desk, eating. Gunshots are heard from outside, he grabs his rifle and moves off screen. Scott is in the background, moving to the front of his cell.
Outside, the Sheriff is in the street. There are a few other people about, and he goes off to investigate.
Next, we see Lucas Thatcher coming around the corner of the building and then easing into the front door of the jail. He heads directly back to the cell. Scott is sitting on the bunk, elbows on knees and hands clasped at face level. Neither man speaks.
Thatcher stands looking through the bars at Scott, hands on hips. Scott raises his index finger in greeting.
Thatcher moves left, to lift the key ring off of the nail on the post. First he unlocks the back door, and lets in Wade Hackett. Then, holding his gun in his right hand, Thatcher unlocks the cell door.
LT, to Scott: C’mon.
Scott just sits there, motionless.
Lucas enters the cell, grabs Scott’s right arm and says “c’mon” again. Scott reaches for the jacket on the bunk beside him with his left hand, stands and yanks his right arm out of Thatcher’s grasp. He walks slowly out of the cell, holding his jacket. Once outside the bars, he looks back at the gun in Thatcher’s hand. Hackett opens the back door, then says “c’mon”, and Thatcher pushes Scott towards the door. They exit.
Shift of pov to outside, where it is very dark ----and then Scott makes his move! He throws his jacket at Wade and then makes a run for it, kind of hot foots the bullets at one point, then hustles around a corner and keeps running right into the Sheriff, who catches Scott’s arm on the way by. Lucas and Wade are right behind.
Sheriff: Hold it!
They all look at each other, but no one speaks.
SCENE 11
Back at the jail, the Sheriff is seated with a white mug of coffee. Scott is outside of the cell, walking around as he speaks. Then he comes to stand with his back to the door facing the Sheriff. Thatcher is standing on Scott’s right.
SL: Now, they set the whole thing up to make it look as if I were trying to escape. . . so they could shoot me down and get it over with.
LT: That’s a lie and you know it!
Shot of the Sheriff sipping his coffee. Throughout this sequence, the camera cuts to him for his “reaction”. As usual, it’s clear he is listening carefully, but his face gives very little away.
SL: I suppose the shooting down the street had nothing to do with you either.
LT: Sheriff, c’mon---
SL, emphatically: It was to get you out of the way, Sheriff---very convenient.
LT: We walked past the door and the man was high tailin’ it down the alley so we opened up fire on ‘im.
SL, hands on hips: That’s a pretty tough story to swallow, Sheriff, if you consider that they just happened to be taking a stroll as I just happened to be escaping. (Scott points and becomes even more emphatic) Now, how did I get the keys to unlock the door when I’m inside the cell and the cell is locked?
Sheriff, to LT: Somebody must’ve given him help.
Scott stands with right hand holding his left wrist. We can also see Wade seated in the background.
LT: That’s right, he must have had some help, that’s a brilliant conclusion . . . (gestures towards Scott with one thumb) It must have been the guy who says that he’s his brother.
SL reacts to this: Now, that’s pretty impossible, because my brother is out looking for that girl right now. (he gestures over his shoulder towards the door with his own thumb.)
LT, sarcastically: You’ve got his word on that, right?
SL, firmly: You’ve got my word.
LT: Beautiful.
He walks towards the Sheriff.
LT: Sheriff, it has to be that other boy. . .he’s gotta still be in town.
Thatcher stands behind the Sheriff, his hands on his hips. The Sheriff is giving this some thought.
LT bends down closer: You know, I don’t know how much more proof you think it is that you need, but the fact that the man high tails it outta the cell, with or without help, that’s enough proof for me!!! And I think that you had better release this man with us, right now! (he starts to move towards Scott)
The Sheriff never looks at Thatcher during this speech.
Sheriff: No! I said he’d get two days and that’s what he’s gonna get. You two’d be wise to just sit it out. Now get outta here.
LT says nothing. He stalks out, past Scott, who stands with his arms folded over his chest, eyes lowered.
The Sheriff has gotten to his feet and approaches Scott, who meets his eyes, nods and says “Thanks” as he starts back towards the cell.
Sheriff: You’d better get back inside.
He puts his hat back on his head, follows Scott and locks him in the cell.
SCENE 12
Back at the way station, it’s still night time. Julie is lying in a bed, she wakes and looks around, gets up out of the bed, adjusts her shawl and sneaks out the door. Johnny is sleeping on top of a table, she pauses to look at him before she goes out.
Next, we see Julie leading the horse.
JL: Well, where do you think you’re goin’?
JB: I’m leavin’.
JL: You ain’t goin’ no where. You’ll never find your way out there at night, you’ll be lost by dawn, can you afford that?
JB: No, I can’t afford that. I’m to meet my brother at a certain time tomorrow. He told me if I wasn’t there on time, he’d figure that something was wrong and he won’t wait for me.
JL: Well, where were you gonna meet ‘im?
JB: Look, I gotta do this alone. Please, there are some things that I can’t tell you, really I can’t, I’ve trusted you too much tonight, I don’t know, I just---
JL, with intensity: Look, Julie, there’s something I gotta tell you, now you listen to me. I got a bank robbery on my head. You understand that? There’s a posse no more’n two days behind me.
They are standing face to face in the dark.
JB: I don’t understand.
JL: It means I’m a dead man unless you take me with you. Now there’s a place in Mexico I know of, if you can help me get there, I’ll be safe.
JB, hesitatingly: You think. . . you could take someone else to this place?
JL: Maybe.
JB: There are some things about my brother that I didn’t tell you. I’ve been holding it in so long, it feels like a nightmare. I haven’t been able to trust anybody or talk to anybody—I really feel like things are gonna work out now though, I feel like, well, like I can trust you. (pause) I can trust you, can’t I?
JL: Yes. Yes, you can trust me.
SCENE 13
Scene opens with daylight shot of water rapidly flowing over rocks.
Julie is seated in the rig, she looks content.
JB: It’s almost sundown, he should be coming anytime now. This is the place he described. (she gets down from the rig, looks around) There’s the river, bridge, everything.
There is a pretty long, high footbridge visible in the background. Johnny is sitting on the ground, arms resting on raised knees, head slightly bowed. He clasps her hand as she walks past him. He looks very pensive.
JB, sighs: Johnny, this, ah, this place (she crouches in front of him) in Mexico. You think there’s some kind of job I could get down there?
Johnny is picking at the fabric of his pants leg.
JL: What d’you want with a job? (he smiles)
JB: I gotta get some money if I’m gonna get a lawyer and clear Jonas.
JL: You really think you could, huh?
JB: He’s never been in Denver, he told me. And if a man’s innocent, it’s only a question of time til they clear him. (she gives Johnny a look) You believe he’s innocent, don’t you?
JL: Oh, sure, sure he’s innocent. We’re all innocent, Julie.
JB: Why can’t you believe in him?!
Johnny looks down, he doesn’t answer her.
JB: I believe in you.
Johnny gets up and walks around to the other side of the tree.
JL: Suppose he don’t come? Julie, a lot coulda happened to him since he wrote that letter.
JB: He’ll come.
She gets up and follows him around the tree.
JB: Everything’s gonna be all right, you’ll see.
Julie stands with her back to the tree, facing Johnny.
JL: Julie, what if he doesn’t come? What’re you gonna do?
JB: I, . . .well, I guess I’d go back East. Or I’d. . .(she lowers her eyes)
JL: Or you’d do what?
JB, looking up at him: Go with you.
JL: You’d go with me?
Slight nod from Julie.
JL: Any where?
JB: Well, it’s not anywhere, we’re going to Mexico, aren’t we?
JL: Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe we’d go back.
JB: We can’t do that, it’s too dangerous.
JL: I know a place. Place where we’d be safe. (he puts his left hand on the tree trunk behind her) It’s a ranch. A big, beautiful ranch, like something out of a dream. It’s got rolling hills, and clear lakes, why every time you go over a hill, it’s a whole new world.
While he’s talking, the camera lingers on Julie’s face, she’s breathing deeply, eyes fixed on him, smiles at the last part.
JL continues: The people there, they’d take care of ya—
JB, shakes her head. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. We’re going to Mexico, the three of us. I got you and I got Jonas.
JL: Julie---
He puts his hands on her shoulders and bows his head. (the bracelet on his right hand is very noticeable in this shot)
JL: I got something to tell ya.
She protests, he repeats the line.
JB, raising her hand: No, don’t tell me, please, let’s not spoil it.
She presses herself against his chest, he embraces her.
Suddenly, we hear a clicking sound (as well as a change in the music) and both of them react to the noise.
There is a man on the hill with a gun. He has blondish hair, dark clothing. The left shoulder of his shirt is torn. He’s carrying a set of saddle bags. He does not look friendly.
JB: Jonas!
She goes to him, puts an arm around him and leans her head on his chest.
JB: Oh, Jonas.
He keeps his attention on Johnny, hasn’t even acknowledged her yet.
Jonas: All right, what is this?
Johnny looks at him, but says nothing.
JB: He’s a friend, a good friend of mine.
Jonas, to Johnny: Drop it.
Johnny takes his gun and tosses it to the ground.
JB: You can trust him.
Jonas: I told you not to trust anybody.
JB: Yeah, but . . . but he’s different, Jonas. (she bends down and picks up Johnny’s gun and hands it to him) He’s gonna take us to this place in Mexico where you’ll be safe.
Julie is talking to Jonas with her back to Johnny.
JB: We can lead the kind of life we always talked about.
Jonas wipes his mouth on his sleeve, then holsters his gun. He sets his saddlebags down on the ground and turns towards them. Julie is still standing with her back to the camera and to Johnny.
JB: Jonas, I’ve been so worried about you.
Jonas: Did you bring the money?
JB, touching his arm: No, I had to use it to get rid of these bounty hunters---
Jonas is angry, grabs her arm: You did what?
JB, loudly: I had to use it! (the camera shifts to Johnny, while Julie continues speaking) It doesn’t matter, we don’t need it anyway.
Jonas glares at Johnny: What’s your friend’s name?
JB: Johnny.
There is another clicking sound and Johnny raises his gun.
JL: I’m sorry, Julie. I’m takin’ your brother in. (to Jonas) Throw your gun down.
Jonas complies. Julie is frozen in stunned disbelief, then starts slowly moving towards Johnny.
JB: No, no, I trusted you. Why?? You want the reward, you want the money?
JL: For my brother. (The camera stays on her, as she backs up, shaking her head, while Johnny’s voice continues) He’s the one back there in jail, for something Jonas did. It’s the only way I can free ‘im.
Suddenly, Jonas shoves Julie at Johnny, then he turns and runs up the hill towards the bridge. Dramatic music plays. When Jonas reaches the center of the bridge, the floorboards collapse beneath him. Quick shot of white water flowing down below. Jonas is hanging from his hands, dangling below the level of the bridge.
Johnny runs out towards him to help. He pulls Jonas back up. Jonas immediately punches Johnny. He falls back, grabbing the railings and kicks out at Jonas, but falls through the hole himself and now he is dangling there below the level of the bridge. Another quick shot of the raging river far below. Johnny pulls himself up, he’s on the outside of the bridge. Jonas runs over to try to shove him off. He’s not successful and Johnny manages to clamber back onto the bridge. They trade punches
Julie runs out onto the bridge, pausing to look down at the water, and we have another shot of the current. Jonas pushes Johnny towards the hole, then suddenly it is Jonas who has fallen through again and is dangling. Quick shot of Julie, looking distressed. Johnny is clinging to the bridge and holding onto Jonas with one hand.
Jonas drops.
Both Johnny and Julie watch from opposite sides of the hole in the bridge. Jonas is swept away.
JB, begins almost calmly, then gets progressively more hysterical: You killed him. I trusted you. I brought you to him. And you killed him!!!
Johnny crosses the space and grabs her shoulders, then pulls her to him while she continues saying that he killed Jonas.
JB: You lied to me! You lied to me!
Transition to shot of the water again. Some time has elapsed and Johnny and Julie have moved off of the bridge and are back on the riverbank by the trees and the rig.
JL: I tried to tell ya, Julie, a hundred times I tried to tell ya. But I couldn’t. I had to think of my brother.
He hands her Jonas’ saddlebags. She holds them to her chest and moves off camera without looking at him or saying a word. They both get into the rig and we see them driving away.
SCENE 14
Back at the jail. The Sheriff is holding his ever-present coffee mug. He moves over towards the cell, the deputy is there, holding a plate.
Sheriff: Want some beans, son?
Scott reaches through the bars and lifts the cover, he barely takes a glance.
SL: No thank you.
Sheriff: It ain’t much, I know.
He gestures for the deputy to leave, then starts to walk away.
SL, still leaning on the bars: Sheriff . . .
Sheriff turns back to face him: Yeah?
SL, looks directly at him: You’ve got about three hours left.
Sheriff turns away again: Yeah, I know. (he moves around the post towards his desk) Let’s hope your brother’s got the proof.
SL: What if he hasn’t, Sheriff? What if he can’t find that girl? Or what if he finds her and he can’t get back in time? You know as well as I do that if you turn me over to them, I’m nevah gonna get to Denver alive.
The Sheriff has been sipping at his coffee throughout.
Sheriff: You askin’ for more time?
Close up of Scott.
SL: Time isn’t going to do me any good, because it’s only gonna force them into trying to kill me again.
Close up of Sheriff, as Scott’s voice continues: Next time, I might not be so lucky.
Scott is on camera again.
He glances down before he continues: No, what I’m asking is----
Sheriff: You want me to let you go.
Scott’s voice doesn’t register surprise or relief when the Sheriff says this. He just continues on in an even tone of voice.
SL: And I know it’s not an easy decision to make.
Camera shifts to the Sheriff, while Scott continues speaking: All I’ve got to give you is my word that I’m who I say I am and that I’ll be back later and prove it.
Sheriff: I don’t know, you’re askin’ a lot.. . . . give your brother another hour. . . if he ain’t come back by then---(he sets the coffee mug down on the stove, Scott shifts his arms, his movements in anticipation of what the sheriff is about to say) You can go.
Sheriff turns to face Scott now, his right arm resting on the post and pointing with his left hand.
Sheriff: You’d better be telling the truth—you’ll have me trackin’ ya along with them two.
Scott, serious expression through the bars, nods in comprehension: Thanks, Sheriff.
SCENE 15
Julie and Johnny arrive. The pull up in the rig, and Johnny gets out. He tries to offer her a hand down and she manages to climb out without allowing him to touch her. She is still clutching Jonas’ saddlebag to her chest, along with her purse. They step up onto the sidewalk and Johnny puts his hand on her shoulder to guide her to the jail.
Inside the jail, the Sheriff is seated. He rises as they enter.
JL: This is Jonas’ sister.
He steers Julie over towards the cell and gestures at Scott who is standing inside, smiling in greeting.
JL: She’ll clear ‘im.
Scott nods at Johnny, who turns and faces Julie expectantly. The Sheriff is also watching her intently.
Sheriff: That man Jonas Barrett?
Camera closes in on Julie, she doesn’t answer. Shift view to Scott and Johnny. Scott stands near the bars of the cell with his arms at his sides. He looks at Johnny, who is standing a bit in front of him, staring at Julie. Another close up of her.
Sheriff: Well, Miss Barrett?
Camera tight on her once more. Music plays. Silence lengthens—shot of the brothers again, Scott starting to look a bit apprehensive, close up on Johnny. Shot of Julie, as she starts to open her mouth to speak, then shift to Johnny who says her name.
Back to her, she shakes her head “yes”, then says the word.
JL: Julie, don’t do this.
Behind him, Scott has raised his hands to grasp the bars.
JB, turning away: Yes, it is Jonas.
JL: Julie! (he comes to stand immediately behind her) Tell him the truth.
JB: Can I go now?
JL, emphatically: She’s lyin’, Sheriff, she’s lyin’.
The Sheriff removes his hat and runs one hand through his hair.
JL: You wanna know why she’s lyin’---because Jonas is dead. (he grabs her arms and turns her to face him) Isn’t that right Julie?! It’s because of me he’s dead! (shouting) Isn’t that right!? (he shakes her)
Sheriff, calmly: Where’s the body?
JL, keeps his eyes on Julie as he answers: He got washed away, Twin Rapids.
Julie breaks free and runs out the door.
Sheriff, to deputy: Get the bounty hunters.
The deputy walks out the door, the Sheriff follows after him.
Commercial break.
SCENE 16
Johnny grabs the keys off of the post to unlock the cell door.
SL: Why would she lie now, Johnny, what happened out there?
JL, with bowed head as he works the lock: I killed him, Scott, we got in a fight and I killed him.
SL: You’ve gotta to back there and make her realize killing me isn’t going to do any good. Her brother’s dead, there’s no sense in lying about that now.
JL, through the bars: I can’t, Scott, don’t you understand, that I can’t! I killed her brother. Now, c’mon.
SL: What are you doing?
Johnny opens the cell door, Scott strides over and grabs the door with both hands and pulls it closed again.
SL: Nooo. Besides the sheriff and his deputy, there are two hungry bounty hunters out there, the odds aren’t very good. (he points out through the bars)
Shot of Johnny with the shadow of the bars on his face: Scott, I’ve had worse!
Close up of Scott: Well, I haven’t, so you go out there and you convince her.
JL, shouts: I can’t! Don’t you understand that I can’t!
He turns away from the cell with a distraught expression on his face. Then Johnny sees the saddlebag on the floor, and bends down to pick it up. Behind him, Scott looks on with one arm resting on the bars, a concerned expression on his face.
Johnny lifts the flap of the saddlebag and then the scene fades out.
SCENE 17
Julie is outside on the sidewalk sitting in a wooden chair., holding her purse in her lap. She gets up and goes inside the depot. There is actually a man behind the counter this time and she buys a ticket.
Johnny walks in, carrying Jonas’ saddlebag.
JL: You left this, Julie.
JB: Give it to me and leave me alone.
JL: No, not until you listen to me.
She stands there in front of him, holding her ticket and puts her hand to her face.
Close up on JL: Julie, you can have your revenge, but not with him. He’s innocent.
Julie looks at him: So was Jonas.
JL: Was he? He had changed. You knew that the minute you saw him.
JB: Just give it to me and leave me alone.
She snatches the saddlebag and moves away, towards the bench beneath the windows.
JL, shouts: Open it up! Go on, open it up!
She sits down, hugging the saddlebag to her chest.
JB: He’s innocent!
Johnny walks over and crouches down in front of her.
JL: Jonas said he’s never been to Denver, right?
Julie nods.
Johnny yells, slaps his hand against the bench: Is that right?!
She nods again.
JL: All right, go ahead, look!
She looks up at him, tears running down her face.
JB: You’ve opened it, you’ve looked in it.
JL: After what I’ve done, do you think I’d stop at that, Julie, do you think I’d stop at that?
JB: Can’t you leave me anything? You’ve killed him, isn’t that enough?
JL: They’re gonna kill my brother, Julie, do you understand that, they’re gonna kill Scott!
JB: Please, go away, leave me alone. (louder) Leave me alone!
Sad music plays. Johnny looks at her for a moment, then gets up and leaves.
She puts her hand to her forehead, crying. Finally, she opens up the saddlebag on her lap, takes out some papers. She stares at one for a long time, then brings it to her face, crumpling it up as she cries into it.
SCENE 18
At the jail, we see the two bounty hunters. Lucas takes a hat off of the rack and carries it over to Scott and the Sheriff. Scott is out of the cell, wearing his nice jacket.
Sheriff: Take him, Lucas, he’s all yours.
Scott glances at the Sheriff, who doesn’t make eye contact with him.
LT: C’mon. Then he says it again, and takes Scott’s shoulder. Scott is holding his hat in front of him with both hands, looks down at it with a little smile playing about his lips. He takes a few steps, then stops and with a serious expression, very deliberately places his hat on his head. Thatcher gives him a push from behind.
They exit, leaving a shot of the Sheriff standing watching them, his hand holding a bar of the cell.
Outside, Scott is obviously looking around.
Wade tells him to “get in the wagon”, and Scott complies, steps up and in, still looking around as he crosses his wrists. He really does this ahead of time as he isn’t even seated yet. Wade Hackett ties Scott’s wrists.
Shot of Johnny crouched on the boardwalk, he steps down into the street. He stands there, then camera shifts to Scott in the wagon, and we know Scott has spied his brother.
Lucas is driving, he starts the team.
JL: Go Scott! He starts firing, fanning his weapon with his left hand.
Scott goes into action, shoving Wade out of the wagon bed, then standing up and taking a swing at Lucas with his bound hands. Then Scott leaps from the wagon, lands on his back with his feet against a water trough. Johnny is still shooting. Scott scrambles to his feet and takes off running down an alley, while Johnny is shooting it out with the two bounty hunters.
We see that Julie has run out of the depot, still clutching the saddlebag. There is the sound of more shooting. The Sheriff comes out of the jail. Johnny runs after Scott, while Lucas and Wade keep firing.
Sheriff: Lucas! (the deputy is right behind him with a rifle, the Sheriff has his gun drawn.)
LT: It’s the prisoner, he escaped and the other man’s shooting at us.
The Sheriff moves off, followed by the deputy. Quick shot of Julie, then cut to Scott, who is behind a building. His hands are still tied. We hear a dog barking. Scott picks up a stick lying on the ground, it looks like the handle to some tool. He’s looking over his left shoulder, waiting for someone to come around the corner.
Johnny comes running down the alley, he has his gun drawn, turning to face the direction he’s coming from as he slips behind the building.
Great timing here! Scott is ready to swing the stick just as Johnny turns and sees him. JL says “Whoa!” and ducks, puts his hand up. Scott reacts, he’s relieved, lowers the stick, they stand shoulder to shoulder with their backs against the wall. Johnny reaches across his body with his left hand to touch Scott.
SL: Good to see you. (he smiles)
JL: You all right?
Scott nods.
Cut to a shot of the Sheriff standing with his deputy and the two bounty hunters. He directs the deputy to go one way, and Lucas and Wade head up a set of stairs. Quick shot of Julie, looking around.
Back to the Lancer brothers, we can see the Sheriff starting down the alley towards them, but they can’t see him yet. Johnny looks around the corner.
JL: Sheriff.
Sheriff: Drop your gun.
JL: What d’ya mean, ‘drop my gun’, they woulda killed him.
Sheriff: I said drop it!
Scott lets go of his own “weapon’ with a sigh. Then suddenly, the deputy strikes Johnny from behind with the stock of a rifle. Scott goes after him, they struggle.
Up above, Lucas looks out of a window.
Back on the ground, the Sheriff has Scott under control, while the deputy is helping Johnny stand.
Wade joins Thatcher at the window, both have guns ready.
We hear Julie’s voice: He isn’t Jonas! He isn’t Jonas!
Lucas is about to shoot, but Wade taps his arm to stop him in response to Julie’s cries. She is seen running towards the lancers and the two lawmen, still clutching the saddlebag.
JB: I lied, I’m sorry, I lied! I lied. Please don’t shoot him. I’m sorry.
She gestures, her mouth moves but no more words come out. Johnny gives her a long look, then she turns and runs away.
SCENE 19
Johnny is leaning over a water trough, putting some water on the back of his neck. Across the main street, Julie is seen coming out of a building.
Johnny straightens, sees her. He shakes the water from his hand. She disappears inside, and he walks across the street.
Inside the stage depot, Julie sits down. Johnny enters and leans on the counter, looking sideways at her. She does not look at him.
JL: Where you goin’ Julie?
JB: Back home.
Johnny walks over to her, kneels beside her chair.
JL: Some how I never got around to askin’ where that was.
JB, finally looks at him: No, you never did.
Johnny looks down: You know that ranch? It’s there, just like I said it was. It’s waitin’ for you.
JB: It’s no good, Johnny. Thank you for asking me, but I gotta go home . . and I gotta. . I gotta start making a new life for myself now. (pauses and smiles) Least I know if I ever need a place with green rolling hills, I got one to come to.
He looks and her and she meets his eyes. His head moves towards her a little bit, then finishes. They kiss.
Julie smiles again, then gets up and walks out. Close up on a pensive Johnny.
Outside, Julie stands on the boardwalk, waiting for the stage. Scott moves into view, standing not too far from her. She seems to see him, then looks away towards the direction that the stage will be coming from. He stands with his arms crossed, looking straight ahead as the stagecoach arrives.
When the vehicle pulls up, Scott bends to look inside. Murdoch exits, helping Julie in.
SL: Well, how’d it go?
Murdoch: It went fine, real fine, bought a thousand head. They look real good.
The stage departs, Johnny comes out to join them.
ML: Should be getting ‘em in about a week. (he greets his younger son) Johnny! Feel like going back?
They start walking down the sidewalk.
ML: You boys look rested, you find something to do while I was gone?
SL: No, nothing.
ML, chuckling: You must have found something.
JL, rubbing the back of his neck: No, Murdoch . . . we just watched the dust settle.
Johnny walks on, then Scott, followed by a smiling Murdoch. Shot of the street with tracks left by the stagecoach. We see the three Lancers mount their waiting horses to head for home.
THE END
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