itll transfer both of you -- just one more word. they look at him silently. he means it. finally tike spurs his horse and the group sta'ts for town, camera panning. them past. the statt.on a¿½m boxcars into a side street.
(after a moment, a little
beg pardon, ma'am.
if they move, kill them. c.l. grins happily and squats on the floor, his 12 gauge pump shotgun angled up at:
waiting for us
how in hell do i know?
no, son -- we got company there too -- -besides, when i travel, i like my feet to dangle.
no. you just hold them here and wait as long as you can -- after the shooting starts.
you boys want to move on -- or stay here and give him a 'decent burial'.?
- you.sound like you're all caught up,
what in hell is the matter with you?
he's had five years on the r ck pile, dutch -- and twenty more to u go -- that.can hurt a man.
fo -- but he takes a dim view of 20 more years in the carcel --
no.
they won't need them -- we will. sykes thinks this over, finally nods. a little and turns away. 115 lyle and his brother and dutch stand in a half. circle around the poncho. waiting. angel, the last, drops his saddle bag, then crosses to the wall and drops down to rest. for a long moment the men look down.a-t the pile of saddle bags.
well,. why don't you answer me, you dapnned yellow.-livered trash? the brothers fide, et., look at each other.
i don't know a damned thing except i either lead this bunch or i end it -- right now;
son of a bitch! 121 lyle's boot flashes into the pile. the washers fly in all directions. lyle whirls on pike.
they set it up:
railroad men -- pinkertons -- bounty
,k for it i tector-, looking at angel's gun, half turns to pike.
agua verde is the closest three days maybe -- then we sell the extra stock -- get some griib and the news and drift back to the border -- maybe a payroll -- maybe abank --
didn't you run some kind of mine -- in sonora?
why in the hell, did you ever quit it?
i don.'t know"any better -- maybe don't want any better, hell, i wouldn't know what to do with 'better' if it poked me.in the eye with a sharp stick.
what in hell do you want me to-say ,-?
pershing. has. got men spread over the whole border. everyone of those garrisons is going to be.gptting payroll.
well -- i don't figure it's going to .be easy, but it can be done.
i wouldn',t have it any other way.
well, i caught up to them -- two or three times -- there was a man named harrigan -- he had a certain way of doing things -- so i made him change his ways -- when you do that to a narrow man -- he can't live with it - from then on he's got to change you -- break you -- just to prove he's.right -- there-'s a hell of a lot of people, dutch -- that just can't stand to be wrong.
i guess -- but they can't ever forget it -- that pride that being wrong or learn by it.
 that toothless old wreck was a real gun about twenty years back -- used to run with thornton and me killed his share and more -- around ----langery -- ambushed stages all along that old board highway.,.he had those swede immigrants so scared theyqd starve rather than go to town and by beans for their kids, and there wasn't a sheriff in. the territory to take issue -- he laughs, drinks the coffee and gags.
leave him alone!
we don.'t get rid of nobody we stick together -- just like it used to be -- when you side aman you stay with him -- if you can't do that you're worse than some animal -- you're finished -- we're finished -- all of us! tector looks at him silently. 148 pike turns to mount the horse. placing his foot in the stirrup he stiffly starts to swing on. the leather breaks and. he falls under the animal. landing on his back, he lets out a loud shriek.
were about two hours from the santa caterinas. he turns and rides toward the mountains, the men following.
we started together -- we'll end it together.
your boy2
he did fine --
no ---he did fine. just fine.
so --?
how?
ashamed of having us meet your people?
far as ifm concerned, you can go,
looks like i'm outvoted.
wants to visit his folks alone -- thinks we're a little rank for his people.
how do' you want it?
hard to believe.
you know us, then --
like to ride with us, old man? and for a moment, the old man's eyes flash as he watches: 162- dutch and threevillagers shoeing a very small, very mean 16l. mule. all four have been drinking a little and are thoroughly enjoying themselves as is the mule as he pitches and knocks them all sprawling.
the federal. troops they don? t. protect you --
-so angel lives with a dream -- while mapache eats the mango --
many times -- and with the mango too.
i never could carry a candle to you, old timer.
i dream when i sleep -- and eat when i'm hungry.
we'll go. have a drink, then try and sell the horses.
i seen one just like this in waco.
no. alcohol:. or gasoline. 190 freddy sykes edges up close to pike. he is anxious to make a. statement and he speaks to him as he walks around the car.
no,. the old man's right. they -got t em now with motors and wings -- cover 60 miles in less than an hour. goin' to use them in the war, they say. this could cover. 30 miles in an hour -- ' cording to the road, of course.
not that easy -- these automobiles can't stand.any rough ground -- or hot sun like a horse ---they're for show mostly. 191 tector touches a fender and one of the guards spurs toward him, cursing in spanish. tector backs off,. hands in the air.
you're here with us,pardner -- any business you got with the general comes after we finish ours -- and that is selling horses.
_ you make.one move to trouble and i'll -kill you -- understand -- we stick together.
let's get some beer and talk to the general about his automobile and our extra horses,,.nice and easy. the men turn and follow him into the cantina.
beers.  six cervesas,
the g3neralisimo has cleaned this part a of the country . he ought to have it to spare.
let her go! 203 angel looks at the girl, furious and hurt.
take it easy! he places a hand on angel's shoulder.
his sweetheart --
he didn't, he was. after the girl.  mapache is having difficulty understanding. he looks at z'amorra with a puzzled expression.
he went a little crazy when he saw her with you. mapache laughs. his ego is pleased with the idea that.he had taken someone's woman. he turns and explains grandly in spanish to the rest of. the cantina.
i. never heard of any american troops fighting down here.
we have vez"y'few sentiments in common with our government.
of all those garrison rail spurs that ofie is the easiest to hit -- but i've got to figure where we can get out with. the wagon.
arms shipments are generally. kept secret . how did you find out about this one?
' i -- we can do 'it , , ,
with your permission . i need a bath.
we better get him cleaned up.
por favor, general -- but i need him.
some day i'm going to build me one of these and live in it. i don't know why i € didn' t just let him kill you.
move them a thousand miles away and buy them a ranch --. two -- three, ranches.
son -- twenty thousand cuts a lot of. family ties.
twenty.
pleasure-, ma' ain.
i met a woman i wanted to marry.  pike 'grins a little at what now seems an absurd thought.
buenas no the s mi amor. aurora swings and catches him full handed across the face9 the groceries scatter on the floor -- pike bounces off the wall,. looks at her, tries to grin.
your husband due back?
no! he picks up a pan with a hot handle, drops it, spilling hot stew or soup on his foot, hops around cursing looking at the shambles on the stove and on the floor.' 236dd aurora stands looking at him with love, then smiling softly crosses to the side-board and pours him a drink. he takes it, suddenly both are laughing.
she had a husband and i should have had enough sense to kill him. he wasn't around and i got careless. one night he.walked in on us - - got her with the first shot. he caught me here with the second then the damndd coward turned and ran.
not yet but there-hasn't been.a day or an hour that i haven't thought about getting him - - he didn't want that woman he just. wanted to kill somebody - - well, he killed her - - not me and i'll see him dead for it.
this is the last go round - - this time we do it right.
get the guns off and get on, out of here; he turns and scrambles down inside the cab. outside the men quickly finish loading and the wagon pulls up alongside the cab.
not yet - i want to return e. favor.  he.€yanks the throttle into reverse and jumps off the locomotive onto the wagon.
get on those rear. wheels'. the gorch brothers scramble down into knee-deep water and begin to push.
lyle; .put your horse in the traces! 336 lyle hands a bottle of whiskey to tector and nudges his horse forward.-as he swings off, it is obviaeas that he is a little drunk,
and we got a hell of a long way to go 'with a considerable number of people just waiting to take 'em away.
agua verde -- or before -- and when he does, don't look for no open arms.
last i saw he was ridin' four sticks of dynamite into the river.
yeah he'll be along.
let's move.- and they do, still chuckling-as we.;
are they bluffing. or did they really miss it?
a lot depends on how hungry they are.
1. need some-help. 353 angel quickly gets to his feet and follows pike. to the wagon. pike reaches into a box near the seat and removes a piece of fuse.
get that case of explosives near the back. angel climbs on the wagon. lyle, hearing him,.crawls out from underneath. his brother also awakens and starts moving around. sykes, hat. over his eyes, looks up but doesn't move.
protection. (as they look at
now i'm goin' to make it real easy for something to happen. 35l pike sets the box on the ground and pries open the lid. he begins setting the sticks on the ground next to the box. angel gets down and pike hands.him a coil. of baling wire.
wrap these in pairs and put a fuse cap between them. angel takes the first two and starts to work on them. 355 lyle watches for a moment then nudges his brother and climbs on the wagon and begins looking over the.boxes.  one is much bigger than the others and of a different shape. 356 angel and pike arm the dynamite sticks in the shade of the wagon.
you told them about our trail?
whatever i don't know, i'm going to learn.
hold up 1.
just hope. they don't belong to villa.
tell that one in front to come. over here . alone!
tell him to-come closer!
you see this? he tickles. the end of the fuse-with the dead ash on his cigar.
itts-a: very fast fus.e,any trouble and no guns for the general. herrera is solemn as he ponders for a moment, then begins to 'smile.
nobody:. nunca nadiel
go on back-and tell the general that one of us will. be there tomorrow for-the trade. 1,any trouble -- no gunsb herrera takes one last look at the guns. then he wheels his horse and. rides off.
this isn°t over yeti 376 herrera rides his horse to the bend in. the river then, reaching his men,€reins his horse up and-turns him around. he whistles loudly and calls out :
ride ahead a hundred yards and check the washes.  you and i will cover the flanks -- keep on the gun -- watch the rim.
i'll tell you when --
where? angel smiles, then turns and calls softly.
cut him loose 388 angel speaks, led by ignacio, they quickly free tector and hand him his weapons with murmured apologies. tector looks at them, whistles, softly.
don't break that fuse.  angel lifts a crate.
they part of your village?
how long have they been around?
how long have they been following us.  close? 391 angel eases the rifle crate down, two peons take it. he turns to ignacio.
if they ever get armed and led, this whole country'll go up in smoke.
don't worry we got ' em. hidden. as soon as i. get 'my share of the gold i'll tell you where four cases are.  $2500 worth.
quicker i get back, the quicker the next load'll get here. 399 herrera brings a small wooden strong box. kneeling on the ground he opens it and counts out two small bags of gold, and hands them to zamorra. zamorra hands them to pike.
about two.  miles up the arroyo .  three cases of rifles, one of ammunition, are in the brush behind it.
our contract was 16 cases of rifles and 8 of ammunition -- for $10,000 -- not a machine gun. it is our gift to the general.
i'll think it over.
just carryin' all this weight. he hold's up two bags of gold.
you and your brother take in the next' load, and the machine gun - 'then dutch and angel. sykes,. you follow them and pick up the pack horses. leave the wagon.
it'-9 his word2
no water.
they'd be after us every step of the way -- i know thornton. no, i'm tired of being hunted -- we go back to agua verde and let the general take,.  care of those boys.
he's so tickled with the guns he'll be celebrating for a week and happy to do us a favor. thornton ain't going after us in there. while they're busy pick- ing over freddy) we'll.' take the back trail off this mountain and head for town. the others look at him silently. finally:
we take one sack to pay our way. bury the rest -- together. they think this over, then nod.
i hate to see an animal treated like that.
maybe we- could buy him. they are silent for a long moment. finally:
we,could use another gun. 450 mapache, zamorra and the german advisors now grouped around the fire see the men.
i want to buy him back.  dutch and the others look at him surprised,
i'll give half my share to get him back.
you've had your fun with him.
want to go hunting, general? mapache looks at him confused.
why not?. the group moves through the celebration out the main gate and into the village beyond.
yeah. 464 they cross to their horses, their drunkenness lessening with every step. pike and dutch pull rifles. or shotguns from their saddle scab- bards as do . lyle.and-tector,. then they move up the village street.
we want angel; mapache stares at them without answering.
	124:
it helps.
that is in the good book.  but here in this town, it is five cents a glass. five cents a glass, does anyone think that that is really the price of a ----drink? the price of a drink let him decide who has lost his courage and his pride and who lies a govelling heap of clay not far removed from a beast today.-
the soldiers sit up -- take a look! thornton straightens, turns slowly, looks -- stiffens a little.
hold your fire; -- we wait till they come out -- catch them in the act. then.you kill him or go back to yuma; thornton turns toward him, his.face white, remembering-
i can nail himl
he said wait.
what if they go.out back?
it's covered, you two-bit rednecked peckerwood. the men settle slightly. thornton remains tense -- then turns as:
well, we'll just join in. angel, turning away, hesitates, looking up through the window
son of a bitch he turns and crosses quickly to the back door. dutch follows. pike opens it a little, looks ou.t at.
i didn't shoot that old. boy-my first shot killed this man. right here.
maybe we all did. but by god the next time you plan your massacre a little more carefully . or i'll begin it with you!
you'll begin a trip back to yuma prison if you don't learn to keep your mouth shut l why - in hell didn't you kill pike when you had the chance? but thornton doesn't answer -- he turns, listening to:
"shall we gather at the river where bright angels rise and fall shall we gather at the river when the work's all done next fall?"
we were preventing a robbery and.attempt- ing to capture a band of outlaws.
you lured that gang in here.  the rail- roadts been blabbing about a big silver payload for weeks;
you gave the ordersl if you want the job done right -- you keep the hell out of it next time - you and the rest of your railroad trash" i'll do it -- but my way. - -
he's dead!
and he's got a 'lot of 'good men? back there to keep him company.
i'd like. to say a. few kind words for all the departed -- then perhaps a hymn or two would be in order -- followed by a' church supper with a choir. continted
,ten years ago it was some shaky drunk with a tin badge that hid in the g1n mill till you cleared town with your grab. now, they're
he was -- but he got old and tired and when that happens, things change.
come on pardner, let's get out of here. -
we've got money.to spend and not a worry in the worlds
they're not going to look for us in their own backyard,
that's my business -- being sure. there is a knock at the door and. thornton whirls. elizabeth throws the bolt.
hold it!
relax -- just a little champagne i ordered.
every one of us is worth a year of drinking and whoring to any fool that can read a wanted poster and carry a gun.
deke thornton isn't just. any fool that can carry a gun and read-a wanted poster.
we can hope he ain't on. our tail -- but don't bet on it.
tector and i have been stealing since the big depression and we ain't never been caught. this thornton don't bother us nohe.
i don't really give a damn about deke thornton. i just know that i'd surely like to aet the hell off. this horse.
you dirty son of a bitch.
mexico lindo.
we've'been over that before, mr. harrigan.
'listen -- i don't want to go back to prison, mr. harrigan,.  .not ever -- but it.has to be my way.
you'll use what you have.
and you'll see it doesn't happen again or i'll see you dead or rotting for -the rest of -- you try your life behind bars to run -- i'll be after you and so will. they.
i gave you my word.
the sharing up's going to be the some as always.
if you two boys don't like equal shares why in hell don't you just take it all? they look at him silently.
deke thornton.
maybe that damned railroad:
and we,ain't getting any younger. for a moment, it looks like he'll get a smart answer in return, then: lyle drinks and lifts the bottle to angel who.crosses to.the fire,. drinks and passes it to sykes.
we got to start thinking beyond our guns -- theft days are closin' fast.
you spent your time and money running whores in hondo while i spent my stake setting it up. lyle calmly picks up a washer, flips. it to pike who catches it, looks at it, through it, drinks, tosses it back on the pile.
looks like i'd have been better off running whores than making plans9 stealing horses and buying uniforms. 1.32 the men are silent for a long moment. then they break into soft laughter which builds slowly.
i threw away more chances in one year that you will see in your whole.l.ife -- but that don't mean you have. to ' be a damn fool like me. dutch sits up, rolls and lights a cigarette.
well, i surely hope to god we did. 138 sykes crosses to pike, gives him a cup of coffee, moves away,
and he ain't changed -- only now-he does his killing with a coffee cup. dutch laughs and then both lean back listeningas: 139. angel, wrapped in his serape leaning against the-wall, plays the great ranchero songs of old mexico., 140 lyle.and tector are also awake and listening.
hats goin' to get pis killed -- get rid of him!
'pears 'brother pike' needs help, brother lyle.
damned old fool like me's not worth. takin' along.
why didn't you tell me he was your grandson?
go onl coffer rides forward.
agua verde -- maybe two or three days. juarez -- five -- six days hard riding,
how long --€ mr. thornton.
yes.;. they don' t know about zny life when i am out of the village. pike and dutch both laugh softly, then pike pulls up at a . watering trough and dismounts as his horse begins to drink.
whatfs the problem?
they'll be coming back -- and we'll be waiting for them.
we was supposed to go after them -- thornton reins up, looks at coffer, who looks quickly away.
and the soldier. who shot my father what was his name?
and the leader -- how was he called?
they took her?
you have been there -- with the dream?
you just bet he has, joe.
it doesn't make any difference, kid our business is in agua verde for a moment angel looks like he will explode, then he lifts a bottle of tequi.lla in salute to pike.
that was a balloon ,you damned old fool.
like some others i could mention?
sure ain't your woman no more.'
put a! in a split second he draws and fires.
his fiancee??.
is that so? - -
but we're going to need special equipment.
with my permission -- you all need a bath.
gentlemen, you will excuse me, i'm sure.
i choose my own.  withyour permission. zamorra joins mapache, looks at pike whose hand is close to his. gun, turns to the general.
and.who in the hell_is mapache?
i'm not going to steal guns for that devil to rob and kill my people again.
they were not my people -- nor yours -- i care about my people, my villag.e, mexico.
take them a large bag of gold when it's over.
al]. we'd need is for el mapache to find out we armed some village.
i. know. you will.  then. they all turn as: 233 tector and.lyle and their ladies enter, somewhat wet and stained with wine.
trot them on in, boys -- i' :m hell on packin' mules, but i'm 'a delight with, .a pretty girl.
you need help?.
order; dammit;,. corporal9 get those ---men out of that car, . get the animals
don't shoot; . it's the army, you idiots; - but his words are drowned out in a volley-of firing. some of the soldiers start for the bridge. three or four of the bounty hunters quickly mount and spur on to the bridge after thornton.
well, old huey started firing up.at tem. i even tried to stop him.  then one of them bandits nailed him from across the river,
how, in-hell am i goin' to fight without boots?
saddle up -- we're riding out' in the b.g., a horse whinnies as the men look at him dumb- founded.
telegrama de san antonio para su exaelencia, el general.
kill them.
you- stay up there and look for bighats.,. i'm going to start. 'rigging the fireworks. dutch: turns, crawls back and lifts the glassese pikewalk down near the wagon and. prods. angel., who.is sleeping _: his boot.
we didn't lose them -- i could point to them now. sit still, dammitl you think pike and old sykes haven't been watching us -- you think if we hadn't.turned off they wouldn't just have sat back and let us walk into it -- six of them hid and all the. guns.and ammunition they need -- you think i wasn't sweating blood they wouldn't try and hide their trail! they look at him silently, almost frightened by his vehemeno e
now,
that it will, son, that it will. 392 the indians rope the two cases on the burro. they work smoothly, each man knowing his job. angel. climbs down off the wagon, murmurs a farewell to ignacio and the others, and they disappear into the shadows.
the others are waiting at the wagon and unless i r eturn pretty damn quick they. blow it. 'zamorra smiles, admiring pike's caution.
you fix it pretty damn good. you fool mel
'wait, por favor. in case he cant find them.
you going to whip me?
openin' boxes. like he thinks it's christmas.
wiat for? l we delivered.
they got angel.  some people would betray their mothers for two dollars and one drink.
unhitch and bring the horses - leave the wagono
how -- ? but. sykes can't answer and dutch rides off.
we're just lucky he didn't talk.
_-no wag.  no' way at all.
there's sykes.
what. would you do in his place. gave his word.
no more than. i do 0
you come for your friend? pike and the others stop.a few feet away.
i,'11 pay you his share of the gold.
no, i don't. need gold.  .i don't sell that one. 453 mapache turns away and mumbles something to zamorra.
let's get angel.  462 tector€immediately reaches.for his gun and stands as if he has just been given an important order by a commanding offi- cer. lyle rises more slowly, begins to check the.-loads in his pistols.
angel?.
hey, this dog lost those gringos you wanted - but.we kill 'em tomorrow -- naw. you go on and get out of here;
take him.  473 tector and lyle ignore mapache, their eyes drifting over the mexicans who are slowly edging forward,some beginning to grin.
vete, angelito:. te esperan. los. gringitos.  475 angel stands fast, then curiously he takes a step forward.
maybe we better wait here for jess,
you the one that shot me?
what are;. your plans?