view on the bawling calf and the red hot iron coming out of the fire. it is midday in the box canyon and the four cowboys, texas slim, johnny foley, lippy macgregor and davey bunting are branding strays and johnny has the calf down ready for the pigging string but the calf kicks loose and knocks johnny into the fire and the other three cowboys are guffawing, their sweaty faces full of the camaraderie of hardworking men who might get irritable by the end of the day but not yet. and then like a flash, still laughing, young davey is on his paint and riding like hell after the stray and it is beautiful to watch because he and the paint are like one.
view on davey and dust kicking up a foot away and the extra terror gives him the strength to pull free of the horse.
view on davey and he is crawling clear of the horse but his leg is broken and it's hard and he looks toward the rocks where his friends are hiding sixty yards away.
davey crawling and crack! the dust kicks up eight feet away. he is ten yards from the boulders and it is agony to crawl.
davey crawling frantically and crack!.  dust explodes only inches from his head and he is pulling himself frantically and he is only three yards from safety.
view on dust puffing as davey's legs disappear behind the boulder, and there is a low groan.
davey lying behind the boulder and the whole front of him is soaking in bright red blood and the sun is beating down.
davey is lying there behind the boulder drenched in blood, looking up at the blazing noonday sun.