by Elmer Kelton
TODD
(muttering to Comanche)
Ticknor! The kingpin. God, I wish Colonel Oldham'd show up!
With the sound of the procession fading, Todd rides to the square. He keeps glancing around seeking Colonel Oldham. After a short time, he dismounts and ties Comanche to a hitching rail, looks up at the second floor of the courthouse.
TODD (CONT'D)
(to Comanche)
Oh, if I could just only have a word with Pap again. Just one....
(he lifts his head, alert)
Hey! Wait! That's Wint Crigley!
He has just seen WINT CRIGLEY on guard at the courthouse door.
EXT. SQUARE
Todd goes over to a scrawny, stooped little man really too old to be in the militia.
TODD (CONT'D)
Whatta you say there, Wint? How's military life suiting you?
CRIGLEY
'I gannies, Todd, it don't suit atall. I don't like this business.
TODD
(in a lowered voice)
Say, Wint...uh, would you lemme go up and speak to Pap for a minute. Sure would mean a lot to Ma and the kids.
CRIGLEY
(darting looks around)
Well now, Todd, I don't know. We got orders again such as that.
But all right. No more'n a minute though. Not to save your blessed soul!
As Todd is about to slip in through the courthouse door, Harley Dexter walks up. Todd freezes.
DEXTER
What's going on here?
CRIGLEY
Aw, just letting Todd see his pa for a little bit. I know...
DEXTER
See your pa, is it? You fool with
me and you'll see him for sure!
Right in there beside of him. Beats me why you're running around loose anyway. Ticknor's too damned easy.
A new idea strikes Harley Dexter.
DEXTER (CONT'D)
You got a gun?Nobody but militia allowed to have guns on the square. Orders from Colonel Ticknor.
TODD
You see one on me?
DEXTER
Oh, I don't mean on you.
Where's your horse?
Todd glares at him. Dexter looks around and spots Comanche.
DEXTER (CONT'D)
I see him. I see that musket too. Step over there and hand it to me. Peaceable! Or I'll run you in.
They go toward Comanche, Todd in the lead. A few feet away, he stops and waits, gazing at Dexter with deadly rancor: a
look that makes Dexter hesitate to think of a gun in Todd's hands.
DEXTER (CONT'D)
Stay where you are. I'll get it.
TODD
You may get a hoof in the balls too.
DEXTER
(hesitating, then brandishing
his rifle at Todd)
Then hand over the fucking thing yourself! And don't bat an eye doing it.
Todd steps over coolly, takes the musket and passes it to Dexter.
TODD
I seen Matt Scanlon awhile ago with a six-shooter slung on him. He ain't militia. You gonna disarm him too?
Dexter ignores Todd, stalks away. As Todd is standing by Comanche's head untying him, he mutters,
TODD (CONT'D)
Lord, what if he'd'a thought to look in my saddlebag!
EXT. SQUARE/ TRINITY RIVER BANK
Todd rides away from the square, so as not to be present when the death wagon returns. He soon veers left and angles to the bank of the Trinity. His attention is caught by a movement downstream.
A wagon is pulling onto a smooth grassy expanse of river bank shaded by tall, wide-spreading pecan trees. Todd sees three slaves waiting by an open grave. The wagon stops, a bundle is unloaded, the wagon turns back toward the square. Todd rides hastily down to the site.
EXT. TRINITY RIVER BANK
By the time Todd arrives, the corpse is in the grave and the slaves are filling it. Todd addresses a TALL SLAVE with a stern face.
TODD (CONT'D)
Who're y'all burying?
TALL SLAVE
The nigger driving the dead wagon tole me his name's Ed Hampton.
TODD
Why! He's got a family! You can't just pitch him in the ground like a dead dog
TALL SLAVE
Suh, I doan know nothing about it. You knows I gotta do whatever they puts me at.
TODD
Course you do.
(continuing after
a short pause)
You know Flem Nugent?
TALL SLAVE
Sho' do. Seen him a little bit ago... You know whut?
(stabs the ground
with his shovel blade)
He pled for this man's body, Mr
Flem did. But you think they'd let him have it? N-o-o. Say nobody only kinfolks can claim a body.
TODD
Who said that?
TALL SLAVE
Captain Dexter, mainly.
Todd receives this in scowling silence. The tall slave looks at him inquiringly for a moment then goes back to work, rounding off the grave mound with his shovel. Todd is deeply moved, as if picturing his father's grave. He turns slowly and rides upstream along the grassy bank.
TODD
(to Comanche, looking around)
Widow Yoakum must be turning over in her grave. Left this spot for a city park. Promote community spirit, her will said. Sure! A dumping ground for men murdered by their neighbors.
EXT. TRINITY RIVER BANK
Todd is still riding along, with the graveyard-park well behind him. He stops, looks out across the stream at the prairie between here and Red River.
TODD (CONT'D)
(to Comanche)
I'll go crazy hanging around here waiting for Tillman. Let's go rout out Colonel Oldham again.....And Jenny too, if we can. They say a purty daughter can thaw a daddy's heart. If that icicle in old Ticknor's chest counts as a heart.
Todd sits as if in a momentary trance. He comes out of it suddenly, flicks the reins to guide Comanche into the stream. Once across, he puts him into a mile-eating lope.
EXT. RED RIVER - DAY
Todd rides along a narrow river-bank wagon road connecting the Oldham and Ticknor places. All at once he is startled by men's voices O.S. behind him. He stops. Then two other voices, a woman's and a man's, reach him O.S. from ahead.
He reins into the brush hemming the road. He sees TWO MEN on horseback fording the river on his R.
He loses sight of the men as they enter the brakes. They are quiet. On Todd's L. the woman's voice goes gaily on. The man with her is silent except for an occasional chuckle. Then they appear around a curve: Jenny Ticknor riding sidesaddle on a fine sorrel, Cabus on a mule beside her. Just before they come abreast of Todd's hiding place, the two men appear on the road on Todd's R. edging toward Jenny and Cabus, who halt in fear. The two men are tough-looking customers.
JENNY
(faltering)
Good morning.
The two men say nothing. They inch forward. Strangely, Cabus pulls off his flop hat and presses it tight against his breast, as if imploring or submitting. Todd eases the pistol out of the saddlebag, heel-touches Comanche to send him lunging into the middle of the road between the two parties.
He has the drop on the strangers. One of them, hat hanging
down his back from a thong around his neck, has a round head, protruding teeth and straight reddish hair: a chucklehead. The other man's hatbrim almost hides his eyes.
CHUCKLEHEAD
Hey! Whatta you think you're doing, kid! Put that gun away!
TODD
Drop your reins and put both hands
on the saddlehorn. First man makes a move I don't order's a dead man.
They comply, watchful for any opening.
TODD (CONT'D)
Now get down, but keep ahold of them saddlehorns till you're standing. Then put 'em high!
They obey. Chucklehead carries a pistol in a side-holster and a sh
ort-barreled musket on his saddle horn. Hatbrim has
a pistol stuck in his belt at a cross-draw angle, and a strange-looking carbine in a saddle scabbard.
TODD (CONT'D)
(motioning to Chucklehead
with his gun barrel)
You! Unbuckle that pistol belt and let it drop.
Chucklehead does this.
TODD (CONT'D)
Now both of you come my way three steps and stop.
They obey. Todd eases out of the saddle. At a word from him Comanche sidles toward the men and stands. They watch both Todd and Comanche uneasily.
TODD (CONT'D)
(to Chucklehead)
You set down and hug your knees. And if you ever want'a stand up again, you better keep still!
Hatbrim has a grim smile on his lips, aware it will not be easy for Todd to relieve him of his pistol.
TODD (CONT'D)
(to Hatbrim)
You. Step over to my horse. And don't make a bobble doing it.
As Hatbrim approaches, Comanche tosses his head and gives a mean nicker. Todd clucks his tongue. Comanche freezes.
TODD (CONT'D)
Put your hands again his side, then work your feet back till you can't go no futher.
Hatbrim obeys, until he is supported only by his arms braced against Comanche. Todd waits, while Hatbrim's arms become strained and lead-heavy.
TODD (CONT'D)
A signal from me and that horse'll jump aside quicker'n a monkey. And you'll end up with your face mashed. You ever had a taste of Texas dirt?
HATBRIM
All right, God damn it! I believe you! Hurry up!
Todd steps up and whips the pistol from Hatbrim's belt, backs away and clucks for Comanche to sidle toward Hatbrim to let him regain his balance.
TODD
Now go set down beside your partner. And stay thataway!
Hatbrim does so.
TODD (CONT'D)
Cabus, go around there and lead their horses back behind us.
Cabus does so. Todd steps over to Hatbrim's horse and whips the carbine out of the scabbard. A light dawns on him.
TODD (CONT'D)
Where'd you get this gun?
Hatbrim only grunts.
TODD (CONT'D)
I said 'Where'?
HATBRIM
Taken it off a dead Yankee.
TODD
How come he was dead?
Hatbrim only scowls.
TODD (CONT'D)
A Spencer repeater. They say you load it on Sunday and shoot it all week.
He kneels, lays the cocked pistol on the ground beside him, thumbs back the hammer of the Spencer and works the lever. A brass cartridge slides into the chamber.
HATBRIM
(nervously)
Watch how you handle that thing? It goes off easy.
TODD
Bet it shoots straight too.
With the Spencer now trained on the pair, he stands up, picks up and uncocks the pistol and sticks it in his belt.
TODD (CONT'D)
Stand up, you two. Put them hands high and march down to the river. Slo-o-w does it.
Jenny cannot refrain from protesting.
JENNY
You can't just let them go! They may be deserters.
Todd gives her a stern look then follows the outlaws to the river bank.
TODD
You fellers're lucky. The river's down. You might can wade plumb across.
CHUCKLEHEAD
Hold on here! You can't turn a man loose afoot in this country. No gun
nor nothing! At least let us have our horses.
TODD
Can't do it. The rightful owners'll be wanting 'em back. I expect you got friends over there. If you ain't, you better make some purty quick. And listen, you don't know what a favor I'm doing you.
(lowering his voice)
That girl's daddy just lo-oves to
see people he don't like swinging from a tree. Colonel James Ticknor.
You ever heard of him?
To judge from the look the renegades exchange, they have.
TODD (CONT'D)
See that timber over yonder. Once you get across, you make a bee-line for it. You run for cover 'fore you get there, and I'll test out the range of this gun. Now get going!
The two men wade across, thrashing to keep their feet in chest-deep water in mid-channel. But they make it, then walk away as Todd ordered.
EXT. RIVER BANK
JENNY
(breathless)
Oh thank you, Todd, thank you.
Todd does not answer till the men have gone into the timber. He likes hearing her speak his name, but he reacts by turning critical.
TODD
Your father oughtn't to let you ride around in these brakes with no pertection but Cabus?
JENNY
My father? My father's dead!
Todd is struck speechless.
TODD
(after a moment)
Well...uh...Ticknor.
JENNY
Oh, I see. No! Uncle James is my father's brother.
TODD
Oh... Well then...We better make tracks! Them bushwhackers may team up with some more and come back. Let's head for...your uncle's place.
JENNY
Todd...How can I ever thank you?
Todd looks at her enchanted. She gives him a radiant smile. He suddenly busies himself with strapping the Spencer
scabbard onto the flap of his saddle and stowing the other weapons taken from the ruffians.
TODD
Cabus, you lead the horses.
CABUS
Yes suh.
They start. The outlaws' horses do not lead well behind Cabus's mule, so it is slow going.
TODD
How far is it?
JENNY
Two miles, about.
Todd pulls out one of the captured pistols, turns and rides back to Cabus and holds it out to him.
TODD
You know now to shoot a pistol?
CABUS
I kin shoot a pistol.
TODD
Then stick this in your belt. You may need it.
Jenny watches with disapproval. Riding back to her, Todd draws out the Spencer and lays it across the pommel of his saddle.
JENNY
I didn't look...funny because I was afraid.
TODD
What for, then?
JENNY
Well, Uncle Cabus is truly like family. But if anybody sees him with a gun... You may not know this, but...
TODD
I do know. A slave ain't allowed to carry a gun. I know who else the rebels're disarming too.
Jenny gazes at him, perplexed.
TODD (CONT'D)
I had a musket taken away from me in town this morning.
Jenny looks away, troubled. They ride on for a short while in silence.
TODD (CONT'D)
Your folks...your mother...family. They don't live around here, I take it.
JENNY
No. In Tennessee. Mama and me're are the only ones left. When Papa
died, we came out to join
Uncle James and Aunt Mary. That is, Mama sent me on with Uncle Cabus and Mammy Sarah, meaning to sell our land and follow. But with the war going on she hasn't been able to. Then last year Mammy Sarah died...
Todd is trying hard to be sympathetic, but he grows wide-eyed with alarm on seeing tears in her eyes, because he does not know how to react.
TODD
I...I didn't mean to...
JENNY
Oh, that's all right. I want you to know.
Her sudden directness disconcerts Todd further. He cannot look at her.
JENNY (CONT'D)
Aunt Mary and Uncle James lived in Tennessee too when I was little. I stayed with them a whole lot. Papa was gone from home so much on his slave-trading business.
Todd cannot help throwing her a shocked glance.
JENNY (CO
NT'D)
It's not like you think! Papa was the kindest man alive. He bought any mistreated slave he could. And he only sold to good masters. He even wanted slavery done away with. But just not all at once...
Todd cannot help blurting out.
TODD
A slave-trader but might near an abolitionist.
JENNY
(flaring)
You don't believe me! But I want you to know my father was a good man! And Uncle James is a good man, too!
TODD
Do you know about what your Uncle James is doing, right now? Or about the fix my father's in?
JENNY
I know about the trials. I know that's why you came to see Colonel Oldham yesterday.
TODD
But do you have any idey what
these trials really are?
JENNY
There's a jury, I'm aware of that. If the men're not guilty, the jury'll acquit them...
JENNY (CONT'D)
Of course, all I have to go on is what Uncle James and Colonel Oldham tell me, but they...
TODD
It ain't no legal trial atall. It's a kangaroo court. You know what that is? It's A bunch of vigilantes on a rampage. You might as well say a mob!
JENNY
No! No! There's a dreadful misunderstanding somehow. I only hope...
Having looked at Todd with anguished eyes while they talked, Jenny turns now to gaze straight ahead. She is still on the verge of tears, and Todd is still uneasy about that.
TODD
(softly)
Jenny...
She turns her gaze on him. He takes a deep breath.
TODD (CONT'D)
When I thought your Uncle James was your father...
He looks relieved that apparently she will not cry, that her look is now more of sympathy, and curiosity.