stagecoach.txt

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Stagecoach (1939)
by Dudley Nichols and Ben Hecht.
Based on the story "Stage To Lordsburg" by Ernest Haycox.
Shooting draft.
More info about this movie on IMDb.com

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Fade in to a scene of wild countryside. Menacing music begins 
as a stagecoach appears going away towards the horizon.

Dissolve to the stagecoach crossing the screen against a 
dawn sky, followed by a cavalry troop.

Dissolve to the cavalry troop riding against the dawn on the 
horizon.

Dissolve to a similar shot of a band of Apaches, riding 
furiously towards us.

Dissolve to a tremendous vista of desert and mountains against 
the sky with a glimmer of dawn on the horizon. The stagecoach 
appears and crosses the screen. Fade out.

Title: 'Until the Iron Horse came, the Stagecoach was the 
only means of travel on the untamed American frontier. Braving 
all dangers, these Concord coaches -- the "streamliners" of 
their day -- spanned on schedule wild, desolate stretches of 
desert and mountainland in the Southwest, where in 1875 the 
savage struggle of the Indians to oust the white invader was 
drawing to a close. At the time no name struck more terror 
into the hearts of travellers than that of GERONIMO -- leader 
of those Apaches who preferred death rather than submit to 
the white man's will.'

Fade in to another shot looking over the desert and mountains. 
In the distance we see riding rapidly towards us two frontier 
figures brandishing rifles -- typical scouts of the U.S. 
Army at the time.

Dissolve to a U. S. cavalry camp set against a background of 
desert and mountains. It is early morning and the American 
colours are being hauled up. In the foreground, a bugler is 
sounding the reveille, and several soldiers pass, leading 
barebacked horses. An officer on horseback watches the colours 
being raised into position. The bugler sounds another salute, 
blowing the call for colours. In the distance, we see the 
two scouts riding rapidly towards the camp, one white, the 
other an Indian. They gallop in... and are joined by the 
officer on horseback.

Dissolve to a bare room with whitewashed adobe walls -- the 
headquarters of Captain Sickels, the commander of a troop of 
cavalry stationed at the town of Tonto, Arizona. Capt. Sickels 
sits at his desk with Lt. Blanchard, a young officer just 
out of West Point, standing over him. We see the two figures 
who came riding in across the desert so furiously. The White 
Scout wears buckskin, his hair long in the frontier fashion 
of that day. He stands opposite the captain on the other 
side of the desk where a large map is laid out showing the 
Territories of Arizona and New Mexico as they were in 1885. 
The other scout is a full-blooded Cheyenne, a powerful-looking 
Indian who stands impassively. A Non-Commissioned Officer of 
the Signal Corps is also in the room; he sits at a pine table 
on which is a telegraph instrument. The White Scout sweeps 
his finger across the map, covering the area from the San 
Carlos Reservation. There is a feeling of tension in the 
room.

		WHITE SCOUT
	These hills are full of Apaches! 
	They've burned every ranch in sight.

His finger sweeps the map; his head nods to the impassive 
Indian.

		WHITE SCOUT
	He had a brush with them last night. 
	Says they're being stirred up by 
	Geronimo.

The word has a striking effect on Sickels and Blanchard. 
Even the telegraph operator takes a step forward.

		CAPT. SICKELS
	Geronimo?

He turns to the Indian, regarding him narrowly.

		CAPT. SICKELS
	How do we know...

Cut to medium close-up of the Indian standing still.

		CAPT. SICKELS
		(continuing, off)
	...he's not lying?

		WHITE SCOUT
		(off)
	He's a Cheyenne. They hate Apaches 
	worse than we do.

Resume on a medium shot of the whole group as before. Capt. 
Sickels swings round in his seat towards the N.C.O. There is 
a moment of tension as he looks at the two scouts, now 
convinced. The telegraph instrument begins to chatter, and 
Sickels turns to the N.C.O. decisively.

		CAPT. SICKELS
	Clear the wire to Lordsburg.

		N.C.O.
		(already sitting down 
		to the telegraph key)
	That's Lordsburg calling. They seem 
	to have something urgent for you, 
	sir.

Sickels goes and stands by the N.C.O. The others gather round 
watching as he clicks his key in reply and then takes up a 
pencil, writing as the instrument chatters. He has written 
only a few words before the instrument abruptly stops. He 
tries his key, but the sounder is silent. He tries it again, 
impotently.

		CAPT. SICKELS
		(sharply)
	Well?

Cut to medium shot of the Captain standing beside the N.C.O.

		CAPT. SICKELS
	What's wrong?

		N.C.O.
		(still trying his key)
	Line's gone dead, sir.

Sickels impatiently indicates the sheet of paper on which 
the N.C.O. had begun to write.

		CAPT. SICKELS
	What did you get?

		N.C.O.
		(handing the paper to 
		Capt. Sickels)
	Only the first word, sir.

		CAPT. SICKELS
		(looking up)
	'Geronimo'.

Camera pans right as Sickels passes the paper across in front 
of the N.C.O. to Lt. Blanchard. The White Scout stands beside 
him. There is a silence that is heavy with menace as the men 
look at each other.

Dissolve to the main street of Tonto, where a few cow ponies 
and buckboards are hitched along the racks in front of the 
stores. Three men stand on the sidewalk. As we hear the 
clatter of horses, camera tracks left, and round the corner 
at the end of the street comes the Concord stagecoach, 
bounding along behind six lathered horses. Camera pans right 
with it as it clatters down the middle of the street.

We see the street in long shot, as the stagecoach comes near. 
Camera pans across the street as the stagecoach passes and 
goes off in foreground.

Another long shot across the street shows: OVERLAND STAGE 
COMPANY, written in large letters over a gateway with the 
office to one side; the Oriental Saloon is next door. People 
are running out of the saloon and from the stores to see the 
biggest daily event there is in town -- the arrival of the 
stagecoach, which comes towards us and pulls up in front of 
the gateway. A crowd has gathered and more men rush up on 
horse and foot.

The Shotgun Guard is seen from below getting down from the 
driving-seat. Various voices can be heard shouting greetings 
to the driver, Buck Rickabaugh. Buck is an important and 
proud man, and loungers call to him, eager for recognition.

		VARIOUS VOICES
		(off)
	H'ya, Buck!... 
	Howdy, Buck!... 
	How's things in Bisbee, Buck? 
	Have a good trip?

Meanwhile the Shotgun Guard, who has guarded the treasure 
box from Bisbee, jumps down to the sidewalk.

		SHOTGUN GUARD
	So long, Buck.

Men begin unhitching the horses. Buck acknowledges the cheery 
greetings as the Wells Fargo Agent in Tonto pushes his way 
through the crowd.

		WELLS FARGO AGENT
	Howdy, Buck. Got that payroll for 
	the mining company?

Buck kicks the box which is under his seat.

		BUCK
	She's right here in this box.

The Wells Fargo Agent climbs up to the top of the coach, 
calling to a colleague as he does so.

		WELLS FARGO AGENT
	Give us a hand with this box, Jim.

		BUCK
	Jim, I'll pay you that $2.50 when I 
	get through.

		JIM
	Okay.

The two agents get the box down and carry it off between 
them -- Buck looks over his shoulder to the other side of 
the coach.

		BUCK
	Now you kids, get away from them 
	wheels!

He starts to get down and calls out to the men who are leading 
the horses away.

		BUCK
	Well... sir, we ran into a little 
	snow up there, quite bad, so you 
	fellers better prepare for a good 
	frost.

He jumps down and disappears round the side of the coach. 
The Tonto Hotel is seen on the other side of the road.

Medium shot of the stagecoach as Buck comes round to open 
the coach door.

		BUCK
	Passengers out for Tonto...

A Tonto businessman climbs out and two figures remain sitting 
in the coach. Through the rear window can be seen Mrs. Lucy 
Mallory, her cloak drawn about her; she looks tired, yet 
there is great strength of character in her clear face. 
Through the other window can be seen a meek little man named 
Samuel Peacock, who is sitting on the front seat opposite 
her. There is something gloomy and parsonical about his whole 
appearance.

He looks thoroughly uncomfortable and uneasy in this wild 
environment. Buck, with two or three little boys tagging at 
his heels, proud of being close to such a great man, sees 
that these last two are not moving to get out and calls in 
to them.

		BUCK
	You folks might as well stretch your 
	legs...

He looks at Lucy, coughs and corrects himself.

		BUCK
	...your limbs, ma'am. We're changin' 
	horses here.

He helps Lucy out and she holds her cloak about her. Her 
voice is crisp and well-bred with just a trace of Virginia 
in it.

		LUCY
	Is there some place where I can have 
	a cup of tea?

Tea is not quite in Buck's lexicon. He removes his hat, 
scratches his head and speaks politely.

		BUCK
	Well, ma'am, you can get a cup o' 
	coffee right there in the hotel.

		LUCY
	Thank you, driver.

		BUCK
		(who has a tender 
		heart)
	You ain't looking very pert, ma'am.

		LUCY
		(as she leaves)
	I'll be all right, thank you.

		BUCK
	Yes, ma'am.

A medium shot of the porch of the Tonto Hotel, at one side 
of the Oriental Saloon, shows an attractive young girl sitting 
with a U.S. Army Captain standing beside her. She gets up as 
Lucy Mallory appears, walking towards the door of the hotel.

		GIRL
	Why, Lucy Mallory!

She runs towards Lucy.

		LUCY
		(gladly)
	Nancy!
		(to the officer who 
		comes to join them)
	How are you, Captain Whitney?

		NANCY
	What are you doing in Arizona?

Seen in medium shot, Lucy and Nancy stand by the door of the 
hotel. As she speaks, an immaculately dressed gentleman, 
wearing a white hat, comes through the door behind them.

		LUCY
	I'm joining Richard in Lordsburg. 
	He's there with his troops.

		CAPT. WHITNEY
		(off)
	He's a lot nearer than that, Mrs. 
	Mallory. He's been ordered to Dry 
	Fork.

		NANCY
	That's the next stop for the 
	stagecoach. You'll be with your 
	husband in a few hours.

Lucy's face lights up with pleasure and they all turn and 
start to go in through the door. The well-dressed gentleman, 
Hatfield, stops short in the doorway and stares for a split 
second at Lucy. She reacts to his stare. Hatfield recovers 
himself, lifts his hat politely and stands by to let them go 
inside.

The tables and chairs beside the window of the hotel are 
seen in medium shot from the hotel lounge. Lucy, Nancy and 
Capt. Whitney come in and the two ladies sit down.

		NANCY
	I'm so glad to see you, Lucy. Sit 
	down with us and have a cup of coffee. 
	You must be tired from that long 
	trip.

As they sit down, Lucy looks out of the window and notices 
Hatfield standing in the street outside and looking through 
the window. She turns to Nancy, interrupting her.

		LUCY
		(curiously)
	Who is that gentleman?

The Captain answers quietly as his wife looks indignant.

		CAPT. WHITNEY
		(standing, looking 
		out of the window)
	Hardly a gentleman, Mrs. Mallory.

		NANCY
	I should think not. He's a notorious 
	gambler.

They all look curiously out of the window at Hatfield. He 
notices them and turns and walks away across the street, 
going with easy grace towards the saloon.

A medium shot takes us inside the U.S. Marshal's office. It 
is a one-storey frame shack with a sign on the window. 'Curly' 
Wilcox, the U.S. Marshal, sits behind a desk littered with 
papers, his feet propped on one edge of it. A couple of deputy 
marshals are lounging in the office. One sits in the 
foreground on a chair; the other stands in the background 
leaning on the windowsill. Curly is lighting his pipe as 
Buck comes in, importantly.

		BUCK
		(to the deputies)
	Hello, Mick. Howdy, Frank. Well, 
	Marshal, I'm looking for my Shotgun 
	Guard. Is he here?

Curly is seen from above in medium close-up, leaning forward 
and shaking his head. There is a rack of shotguns propped 
against the wall behind him.

		CURLY
	Out with a posse, Buck... tryin' to 
	ketch the Ringo Kid.

He pushes a picture across the desk. With the burning match 
he indicates the photograph. He shakes out the match and 
throws it on the floor.

Buck, seen from below in medium shot, looks down at Curly. 
His hands are in his pockets, and he is surprised.

		BUCK
	Ringo! I thought Ringo was in the 
	pen.

		CURLY
		(off)
	He was.

Buck picks up the picture and grins.

		BUCK
	Busted out? Well, good for him.

Resume on the group in the office.

		FIRST DEPUTY
	It's my guess the Kid's aimin' to 
	get even with them Plummer boys.

		SECOND DEPUTY
	Yeah, it was their testimony sent 
	him to the penitentiary.

		BUCK
	All I can say is he better keep away 
	from that Luke Plummer. Gosh, Luke's 
	run every friend o' Ringo's out of 
	Lordsburg.

Change to a low angle medium shot of Buck, who likes his 
unofficial job of carrying news from town to town.

		BUCK
	Last trip there I seen him hit a 
	rancher with his gun barrel an' lay 
	his head open like a butchered steer.

Cut to a high angle medium shot of the Marshal, who leans 
forward. His feet have dropped to the floor with such a bang 
that Buck looks at him, wondering at the effect of his words.

		CURLY
	You seen Luke Plummer? In Lordsburg?

Resume on Buck.

		BUCK
	Yes sirree.

Close-up of Curly looking thoughtful. There is a pause as he 
looks from one to the other.

Cut back to the shot of the group in the office. Curly gets 
to his feet, reaching out for a rifle which is leaning against 
the wall. The deputies watch him curiously as he addresses 
them.

		CURLY
	You boys take care of the office for 
	a coupla days.

He picks up the rifle.

		CURLY
	I'm goin' to Lordsburg with Buck.
		(as he gets his coat, 
		he explains gruffly 
		to Buck)
	Goin' to ride shotgun.

They go out together, Buck protesting weakly.

		BUCK
	Oh lor', Marshal, when am I going to 
	learn to keep my big mouth shut...

Outside the Tonto Bank, we focus on the glass panels of the 
bank door. White letters on one side read: MINERS' AND 
CATTLEMEN'S BANK and on the other: CAPITAL $50,000 -- ASSETS 
$250,000. The bank is situated across from the Oriental Saloon 
and we can see the stagecoach reflected in the glass, with a 
crowd of people around it watching as fresh horses are hitched 
up.

Dissolve to the interior of the bank. The two Wells Fargo 
agents appear, heaving the large iron treasure box onto the 
counter in front of Henry Gatewood, a prosperous-looking 
gentleman, who stands behind the counter. He seems to be an 
important man who commands respect in this Arizona frontier 
town. A big, old-fashioned iron safe is in a corner behind 
the counter. At the front of the office there is a wicket, 
and an old cashier is doing some business with a couple of 
ranchers.

		WELLS FARGO AGENT
	Payroll, Mister Gatewood.

		GATEWOOD
	You know, ever since I opened this 
	bank, I've been trying to tell those 
	people to deposit their payrolls 
	here six months in advance. It's 
	good, sound business.

Gatewood begins to write a receipt as the Agent takes a 
package of money from the box and puts it on the counter.

		WELLS FARGO AGENT
		(pleasantly)
	It's good business for you, Mr. 
	Gatewood.

		GATEWOOD
	Here's your receipt. Fifty thousand 
	dollars.

He smiles affably.

		GATEWOOD
	And remember this -- what's good 
	business for the banks is good for 
	the country.

The two agents pick up the empty box and go out, watched 
affably by Gatewood.

End scene on a close-up of Gatewood staring after them with 
a slight frown. 

On the Tonto street a group of stern-faced women, all wearing 
badges, march along in almost military order, camera tracking 
beside them as they go. In front of them, at a safe distance, 
walks a girl named Dallas, accompanied by a rather kindly, 
middle-aged and embarrassed Sheriff. Dallas is carrying a 
valise.

Medium shot of Dallas, tracking beside her as she walks along 
the wooden sidewalk, the Sheriff just behind and the Ladies 
of the Law and Order League following.

Medium shot of the Ladies of the Law and Order League marching 
grimly behind.

A closer shot of Dallas as she walks. It is obvious that she 
is suffering some inner distress and seems close to tears, 
but her mouth is set hard in the attempt not to reveal her 
feelings. A sudden outcry off-screen makes them stop short.

		DOC
		(placatingly, off)
	Now, my dear lady...

A sign, nailed beside the doorway of a house on the street, 
reads: DR. JOSIAH BOONE, M.D. The door opens and Doc Boone 
hurriedly appears, a hard-faced Landlady behind him. He is 
somewhat unsteady on his feet, but he has not lost his 
optimism and good nature. In his flight he has hurriedly 
grabbed up an old blue Union Army overcoat and a small bag 
which is his medicine case. Camera tracks back slightly as 
they come out onto the porch.

		LANDLADY
		(shrilly)
	Don't you 'dear lady' me, you old 
	deadbeat! I'm keeping your trunk 
	because you ain't paid your rent.

Feature Doc Boone as he balances himself carefully on his 
two feet, gets a better grip on his overcoat and medicine 
case, and lifts his hand jovially to the angry woman.

		DOC
	'Is this the face that launched a 
	thousand ships...'

Feature the hatchet-faced Landlady, hands on hips, as she 
looks at him sternly through her steel-rimmed spectacles.

		DOC
		(off)
	'...And burned the topless towers of 
	Ilium?'

Cut back to Doc Boone raising his hand dramatically to his 
lips and blowing her a kiss.

		DOC
	'Farewell, fair Helen.'

His eye catches sight of the sign fixed on the wall by the 
door and he leans over and wrenches at it, determined to 
take all his stock-in-trade with him. He rips it off and 
tucks it under his arm; then, with a last look at the 
Landlady, he walks off.

Close-up of Dallas, backed by two of the Ladies of the Law 
and Order League. She looks distressed by the turn of events. 
They look rather pleased.

		DALLAS
	Doc! Doc!...

She hurries forward.

Doc Boone sways along in medium shot with his doctor's bag 
and overalls in one hand and his notice under his arm. Camera 
pans slightly right as Dallas rushes up to him. The Sheriff 
and the Ladies of the Law and Order League can be seen in 
the background, watching.

		DALLAS
		(desperately)
	Doc! Can they make me leave town? 
	When I don't want to go? Do I have 
	to go?

The Sheriff comes forward, embarrassed, and catches Dallas's 
arm. His voice is plaintive.

		SHERIFF
	Now, Dallas, don't go makin' no fuss.

Doc Boone, Dallas and the Sheriff stand together in medium 
close-up, with the Ladies in the background. The Sheriff is 
helplessly plucking at Dallas's arm, but she jerks free 
defiantly as she appeals to the amiable Boone.

		DALLAS
	Do I have to go, Doc? Just because 
	they say so?

She indicates the Ladies.

		SHERIFF
	Now, Dallas, I got my orders. Don't 
	blame these ladies. It ain't them.

		DALLAS
		(almost screaming)
	It is them!
		(to Boone)
	What have I done, Doc? Haven't I any 
	right to live?

		DOC
		(patting her arm 
		paternally, quite 
		unperturbed)
	We have been struck down by a foul 
	disease called social prejudice, my 
	child. These dear ladies...

The Ladies look on, very distastefully. The Landlady has 
joined them and is looking particularly self-righteous.

		DOC
		(off)
	...of the Law and Order League are 
	scouring out the dregs of the town.

Cut back to the shot of Doc Boone, Dallas and the Sheriff.

		DOC
	Come, be a proud, glorified dreg 
	like me.

		SHERIFF
	You shut up, Doc. You're drunk.

		DOC
		(with dignity)
	I'm glorified, sir.

The group of women still look on, sternly.

		LANDLADY
	Two of a kind.

Cut back again to the shot of Dallas and Doc Boone standing 
on the boarding house porch with the Sheriff behind and the 
Ladies in a bunch to one side.

		LANDLADY
	Just two of a kind.

She lifts her skirts and stalks off towards her front door.

		DOC
		(very dramatically, 
		giving his arm to 
		Dallas)
	Take my arm, Madame la Comtesse! The 
	tumbril awaits. To the guillotine!

They start to move forward as the Landlady calls back to the 
other Ladies of the Law and Order League:

		LANDLADY
	Wait till I get my badge, girls. 
	I'll join you.

Doc and Dallas walk along the street, arm in arm. Camera 
tracks along with them and with the Ladies, who follow in 
formation.

The procession is seen coming along the sidewalk from between 
two men, who stand with their backs to camera in the doorway 
of the Oriental Saloon. The two men move out of the way as 
Doc and Dallas come to the edge of the porch and put down 
their baggage. Dallas sits down and Doc comes forward, pausing 
in the doorway.

Inside the Oriental Saloon, halfway down the bar, Mr. Peacock 
is talking to the Bartender.

		PEACOCK
	If you ever go East, brother, come 
	out to my house for dinner. Nobody 
	in St. Louis sets a better table 
	than my dear wife, Agatha.

As he speaks, Doc Boone comes to the bar in the foreground 
and motions politely to the Bartender, who comes to him 
suspiciously.

		DOC
	Jerry.

		BARTENDER
	Yes, Doc?

Doc Boone leans against the bar, and he and the Bartender 
look at each other. Peacock can still be seen in the 
background, silhouetted against a window.

		DOC
	Jerry, in the past I will admit, as 
	one man to another, that economically 
	I haven't been of much value to you. 
	But...
		(he lowers his voice 
		confidentially)
	...you don't suppose you could... 
	ahem... put one on credit?

Bartender shaking his head.

		BARTENDER
	If talk was money, Doc, you'd be the 
	best customer I got.

		DOC
	I'm leaving town, Jerry.

		BARTENDER
	Honest?

		DOC
	Yes, my dear fellow, and I thought 
	you might, in memory of our many 
	happy...

		BARTENDER
		(reaching for the 
		bottle)
	All right, Doc, just this one.

		DOC
	Thank you, Jerry.

The Bartender gives him a bottle and a glass, and Doc 
carefully and with relish pours himself a drink. He turns 
the glass in his hand, regarding the liquor with fond 
anticipation. Meanwhile the Bartender nods towards Peacock 
at the other end of the bar.

		BARTENDER
	Here's a man goin' with you on the 
	stagecoach, Doc. He's an Easterner 
	from Kansas City, Missouri.

Peacock looks up and turns towards them.

		PEACOCK
	Kansas City, Kansas, brother.

Doc Boone lifts his glass to Peacock, but his attention is 
on the glass rather than on the stranger.

		DOC
	Your health, Reverend!

He drinks.

Doc Boone continues to drink with relish, not taking any 
notice as Peacock speaks.

		PEACOCK
		(off)
	I'm not a clergyman, my name is 
	Peacock. I'm a... ahem...

He coughs hesitantly.

		BARTENDER
		(off)
	He's a whiskey drummer.

Doc Boone coughs on his drink and sets down his glass.

		DOC
		(amazed)
	What?

Peacock still stands at the end of the bar, with Doc Boone 
and the Bartender looking towards him. Doc Boone is delighted.

		DOC
	Well, well, how are you...

He walks along the bar towards Peacock.

Cut to Doc Boone as he comes right up to the whiskey salesman.

		DOC
	...Mr. Haycock!

		PEACOCK
	Peacock!

		DOC
	You don't need to tell me, sir. A 
	familiar name, an honoured name! I 
	never forget a face of a friend.
		(he peers at the open 
		case)
	Samples?

He takes out a bottle, regards it critically as he uncorks 
it, and then half-drains it, nodding sagely. Peacock looks 
at him nervously.

		DOC
	Rye!

At this, Peacock hurriedly closes the case. Doc Boone places 
a friendly hand on his shoulder and Peacock looks even more 
uneasy. 

Outside in the main street of Tonto, the luggage is being 
piled onto the stagecoach. The men finish hitching up the 
horses and Buck climbs onto the driver's seat. Another man 
brushes out the inside of the coach. Everybody bustles around. 
The passengers wait on the sidewalk.

The banker, Gatewood, is standing behind the counter of his 
office as Mrs. Gatewood, a frigid-looking termagant, strides 
into the bank and comes up to him, her hand outstretched.

She stands, her face turned away from him, her hand stretched 
out towards him.

		MRS. GATEWOOD
	I need five dollars, Henry.

She holds her hand out, keeping her head averted.

		GATEWOOD
		(reaching in his 
		pocket, all smiles)
	Why certainly, my dear, certainly.
		(he gives her five 
		silver dollars)
	What is it this time, a new...?

		MRS. GATEWOOD
		(interrupting him as 
		she puts the money 
		into her purse)
	I want to pay the butcher. Dinner 
	will be at twelve o'clock. I've 
	invited the Ladies of the Law and 
	Order League.

		GATEWOOD
	Don't you worry, my dear, I'll be 
	there.

Mrs. Gatewood strides off, leaving Gatewood standing behind 
his counter.

Cut to a close-up of Gatewood frowning.

He turns away thoughtfully towards the old iron safe behind 
his desk. He bends down quickly and picks up a parcel of 
money, the payroll package.

A high angle shot looks down at Gatewood as he kneels beside 
the open safe holding the parcel of money. He takes a black 
leather bag and stuffs the money into it.

In the main street, Buck sits up in the driver's seat of the 
stagecoach, holding the reins. In the background Lucy Mallory, 
Nancy and Capt. Whitney come down from the porch of the Tonto 
Hotel.

		BUCK
		(calling)
	All aboard for Dry Fork, Apache Wells, 
	Lee Ferry and Lordsburg!

As he shouts, the two women and the captain come across the 
road towards the stagecoach. The Sheriff accompanies Dallas 
as she walks along the sidewalk, carrying her valise. In the 
background, the Ladies of the Law and Order League hurry 
past. The Bartender and another man come into shot and watch 
them as they go past the saloon.

Dallas and the Sheriff come up beside the stagecoach.

Curly leans down from the driving-seat and takes her bag.

		CURLY
	I'll take that, Dallas.

		DALLAS
	Oh, thanks.

The Sheriff opens the door for her. Her face is set and 
defiant now, her chin up.

		SHERIFF
	In you go, Dallas, and a pleasant 
	voyage.

Dallas lifts her skirt to step into the coach, revealing her 
ankle and part of her striped stockings. Someone whistles. 
She looks round, annoyed.

The Bartender and the other man are seen in medium close-up, 
looking towards Dallas. The Bartender grins and nudges his 
friend, who grins back. Then they both look back towards 
Dallas.

Dallas draws her skirt up a little higher, playing up to 
them and grinning. Then she gets in and the Sheriff moves 
away, shaking his head.

Dallas is seen through the stagecoach window, sitting back 
in her seat.

Peacock starts to climb into the coach, followed closely by 
Doc Boone. The Doc hands up his bag and his notice to be put 
with the rest of the luggage on the top of the coach.

		DOC
	Thank you, thank you, my friend.

Doc Boone is also carrying Peacock's sample bag. Peacock 
leans out of the coach towards him.

		PEACOCK
	I'll take it, Doctor.

		DOC
		(raising a hand)
	Oh no, no, no trouble at all. I'll 
	carry it on my lap.

Peacock sits back weakly as Doc Boone, with much heaving and 
spluttering, hauls himself into the coach.

Nancy, Lucy and Capt. Whitney stand together waiting, when a 
member of the Law and Order League comes up to them.

		LADY
	Mrs. Whitney, you're not going to 
	let your friend travel with that 
	creature.

She turns round. Dallas, seen from the side through the coach 
window, ignores the remark.

Lucy looks up towards the coach.

		NANCY
		(off)
	She's right, Lucy. Besides, you're 
	not well enough to travel.

		LUCY
		(determinedly)
	It's only a few hours, Nancy. I'm 
	quite all right.

Dallas looks out of the window of the coach, then looks away.

		NANCY
		(off)
	But you shouldn't travel a step 
	without a doctor.

The two Ladies stand one on either side of Lucy, trying to 
persuade her.

		LUCY
	There is a doctor, dear. The driver 
	told me.

		LADY
	Doctor? Doc Boone? Why, he couldn't 
	doctor a horse!

Capt. Whitney stands at the open door of the coach. Doc Boone 
looks out of the window on one side, while Dallas can be 
seen sitting on the other. Nancy and Lucy come up to the 
coach, then Nancy and Capt. Whitney help Lucy to climb inside.

		NANCY
	Now, Lucy darling, you must be very 
	careful, take good care of yourself -- 
	oh, watch that step, now!

As she gets in, the Whitneys close the door and Buck calls 
down from the driving-seat.

		BUCK
		(off)
	Now, ladies, both ride facing forward, 
	please!

		NANCY
	There we are!

		CAPT. WHITNEY
	Pleasant journey, Mrs. Mallory!

		LUCY
	Why, thank you. Goodbye!

		NANCY
	Goodbye!

		DOC
	Goodbye!

Nancy looks away, embarrassed.

In a corner of the saloon Hatfield sits at a table, smoking 
and playing cards. He turns and looks out of the window on 
his left. He sees Lucy in close-up, leaning round and looking 
through the window of the stagecoach.

Now he is seen from the outside, looking through the saloon 
window.

Lucy continues to look out of the stagecoach window. Then 
she sits back.

Hatfield, still in his seat, continues to look.

		HATFIELD
	Like an angel in a jungle.

He turns back to the cardtable and plays his hand.

		HATFIELD
	A very wild jungle.

		COWBOY
	What are you doing, Hatfield, talking 
	to yourself?

Hatfield, a cigarette dangling from his lips, leans forward. 
He puffs on his cigarette, then smiles coldly. His cultivated 
voice seems to have a cold, mocking edge to it.

		HATFIELD
	You wouldn't understand, cowboy.

He shakes his head, still smiling.

		HATFIELD
	You've never seen an angel. Or a 
	gentlewoman, [a thoroughbred].

He turns and looks out of the window again, camera panning 
with him.

		COWBOY
	Come on, ace bets.

		HATFIELD
	I raise, gentlemen.

We can hear them putting coins onto the table.

Buck and Curly sit up on the driving-seat of the stagecoach 
as it waits outside the Tonto Hotel, ready to pull out. 
Several townspeople stand around, shouting their farewells. 
A man waves an arm to them.

		MAN
		(shouting)
	So long, Buck, so long, Curly. Nice 
	trip, boys.

		BUCK
	So long, boys, so long, kids.

In the background, a detachment of ten cavalrymen lead by 
young Lt. Blanchard comes galloping down the street. Everyone 
looks round towards them, shouting in amazement. As they 
come up and pull in alongside the stagecoach, Blanchard wheels 
his horse so that he is by the driving-seat and holds out an 
envelope towards Curly.

		LT. BLANCHARD
		(crisply)
	Captain Sickels asks if you will 
	deliver this despatch in Lordsburg 
	the moment you arrive. The telegraph 
	line has been cut.

Buck and Curly lean down, a trifle mystified, towards 
Blanchard.

		CURLY
		(taking the despatch 
		and looking at it)
	Sure.

Blanchard looks up at Curly from his position astride his 
horse, while Curly leans over the side of the coach to face 
him.

		LT. BLANCHARD
	We're going with you as far as the 
	noon station at Dry Fork. There's a 
	troop of cavalry there. They'll take 
	you on to Apache Wells. From Apache 
	Wells you'll have another escort of 
	soldiers into Lordsburg. You must 
	warn your passengers that they travel 
	at their own risk.

Curly looks puzzled.

		CURLY
	At their own risk? What's the trouble, 
	Lieutenant?

		LT. BLANCHARD
	Geronimo!

The word has a dreadful effect on Buck, who half-rises, trying 
to get rid of the reins and speak at the same time, neither 
of which he accomplishes. And on the sidewalk, the crowd 
looks startled as the whisper runs among the people: 
'Geronimo!'

		BUCK
		(wheezily)
	Geronimo! I... I ain't goin'.

		CURLY
		(gruffly)
	Sit down!

Blanchard looks at Buck and his tone is cool with an edge of 
scorn.

		LT. BLANCHARD
	Of course, the Army has no authority 
	over you gentlemen. If you think it 
	unsafe to make the trip...

Curly is stung by the tone of the young officer, and he stares 
Blanchard grimly in the eyes.

		CURLY
	This stage is going to Lordsburg. If 
	you think it ain't safe to ride along 
	with us, I figure we can get there 
	without you soldier-boys.

		LT. BLANCHARD
	I have orders, sir. I always obey 
	orders.

Blanchard turns his horse and rides back towards the troop 
of soldiers, who have stopped a little way behind the coach.

Curly climbs down and goes to the door of the stagecoach.

Now Curly is shown from inside the coach, opening the door 
and looking in to address the passengers.

		CURLY
	Did you all hear what the Lieutenant 
	said?

Lucy looks at him.

		LUCY
	Yes, we heard.

Curly looks round again.

		CURLY
	Well, me and Buck are takin' this 
	coach through, whether they's any 
	passengers or not. Now whoever wants 
	to get out can get out.

Inside the coach, Doc Boone is busily inspecting the contents 
of Peacock's bag. Peacock leans across anxiously, but Doc 
Boone pushes him away, closing the bag.

		DOC
	Courage, Reverend. Ladies first.

Peacock looks anxiously over at the two women.

Curly also looks at them.

		CURLY
	How 'bout you, Dallas?

Dallas looks round at him, her face set.

		DALLAS
		(harshly)
	What are you trying to do... scare 
	somebody? They put me in here. Now 
	let 'em try and put me out! There 
	are worse things than Apaches.

The Ladies of the Law and Order League stand in a grim row 
looking on.

Curly looks over at Lucy, his voice softened with respect.

		CURLY
	If you take my advice, ma'am, you 
	won't take this trip.

Lucy's face, when she looks at him, is determined.

		LUCY
	My husband is with his troops at Dry 
	Fork. If there's danger I want to be 
	with him.

Now it is the turn of Peacock and Doc Boone. Peacock clears 
his throat and speaks meekly.

		PEACOCK
	Well, you see, brother, I have a 
	wife and five children...

		DOC
		(slapping him on the 
		hand)
	Then you're a man! By all the powers 
	that be, Reverend, you're a man.

Doc Boone grips the whiskey-sample bag firmly and Peacock 
sits back with a pious expression.

Curly stands at the stagecoach with his back to camera. He 
closes the door.

		CURLY
	All right, folks.

		HATFIELD
		(off)
	Marshal...

Curly turns at the sound. Hatfield is seen in medium shot, 
standing between two of his gambling cronies.

		HATFIELD
	Make room for one more!

He starts to move forward. Curly stares at him, astonished, 
as Hatfield comes up to the door of the coach. [Lucy looks 
out of the window curiously.]

		HATFIELD
	I'm offering my protection to this 
	lady.

He takes his hat off to her.

		HATFIELD
	I can shoot fairly straight if there's 
	a need for it.

		CURLY
	That's been proved too many times, 
	Hatfield.
		(growling)
	All right, get in. We're late.

Curly goes off, watched by Hatfield. The gambler climbs in 
urbanely.

		HATFIELD
		(to Peacock)
	May I trouble you to move over, 
	sir?...

		PEACOCK
	Why, yes, of course.

		CURLY
		(off)
	Close the door.

Buck sits nervously ready on the driving-seat as Curly climbs 
up beside him.

		BUCK
	Oh, Curly, we can't...

		CURLY
		(sitting down)
	Get going, Buck.

Buck resigns himself.

		BUCK
		(shouting and whipping 
		up the horses)
	Hey up! Bessie, Brownie, Bill!

Doc Boone leans out of the stagecoach window to wave goodbye.

The Ladies of the Law and Order League stand in medium shot, 
all firmly in a row.

		DOC
		(off)
	Farewell, ladies.

The Ladies scream in horror and one of them covers her eyes.

		DOC
		(off)
	Sweethearts!

Cut back to the same close-up of Doc Boone leaning through 
the window, waving and smiling.

Now we see the main street of Tonto in long shot, as the 
music begins. The stagecoach moves off, coming down the street 
towards camera, the soldiers wheeling into position behind. 
Camera pans left with it as it passes and goes out of shot, 
followed by Lt. Blanchard leading his troop of cavalry.

The scene dissolves to a high angle medium long shot of 
Gatewood standing by the road with the heavy valise. The 
stagecoach can be heard approaching, and, as it comes into 
shot, Gatewood raises his arm to flag it down. Buck pulls 
the horses up beside him.

		GATEWOOD
		(pleasantly)
	Room for another passenger?

		BUCK
	Sure, Mr. Gatewood. Goin' to 
	Lordsburg?

		GATEWOOD
	That's right. Just got a telegram. 
	Had to pack this bag and didn't have 
	time to catch you at the Oriental.

He opens the coach door.

		GATEWOOD
	Well... I've made it anyway.

Their words are partly muffled by the noise of the horses 
champing at the bit and stamping and snorting. Gatewood climbs 
in and Buck urges the horses on again. 

Dissolve to a long shot of the road that leads out of town. 
The stagecoach appears in the foreground, the horses going 
at a good clip down the winding road into Monument Valley. 
Behind the stagecoach the detachment of cavalry is strung 
out, dust rising behind the horsemen in a cloud. It is a 
hot, clear morning.

Buck and Curly are seen from behind in medium close-up on 
the driving-seat. Curly looks over his shoulder, rearranging 
the baggage on the roof of the coach, while Buck chatters 
and larrups the horses.

		BUCK
		(yelling)
	Hi, Susy! Hi there, Billy! Gitty Ap! 
	Git alang! Git alang, Susy!

Nervously to Curly If there's anything I don't like, it's 
drivin' a stagecoach through Apache country.

Now we reverse the angle of Buck and Curly so that they are 
facing camera. Buck looks around nervously, making sure the 
cavalry is near. [Then, reflectively, he reaches into his 
bulging pocket, takes out a stone and throws it with sharp 
aim at one of the lead horses, catching it on the rump.] 
Curly, who has his rifle in the boot and the muzzle between 
his knees, is sunk in thought, trying to puzzle out something.

		CURLY
	Sure funny, Gatewood ketchin' us 
	outside town that way.

		BUCK
	I took this job ten years ago so's I 
	could get enough money to marry my 
	Mexican girl, Julietta. I been workin' 
	hard at it ever since.
		(yelling)
	Barney, git on there!

		CURLY
	At marriage?

		BUCK
	Why, certainly; my wife's got more 
	relatives than you ever did see! I 
	bet I'm feeding half the state of 
	Chihuahua!

		CURLY
	Don't it seem funny to you? About 
	Gatewood?

		BUCK
	And what do I get to eat when I'm 
	home in Lordsburg? Nothing but frijole 
	beans, that's all. Nothing but beans, 
	beans, beans! Gitty ap, Sam!

Inside the stagecoach, Gatewood is squeezing his bulk into 
the seat between Lucy and Dallas, both of whom look at him 
with some distaste.

		GATEWOOD
	Excuse me, ladies.

He chuckles.

		GATEWOOD
	Warm today.

Peacock and Doc Boone sit side by side, seen in medium close-
up.

		DOC
		(slurring his words)
	Your wife made it warm fer me today, 
	Gatewood.

Dallas, seen in close-up, looks down.

		DOC
		(off)
	She was chairman of our farewell 
	committee.

Dallas looks round towards Gatewood.

He is now shown sitting between Lucy and Dallas. He clears 
his throat uncomfortably, trying to break the ice.

		GATEWOOD
	Fine-looking bunch of soldier-boys 
	back there. It always gives me great 
	pride in my country...

Doc Boone opens Peacock's bag again, looking at Peacock with 
a wicked grin.

		GATEWOOD
		(continuing, off)
	...when I see such fine young men in 
	the U. S. Army. Anybody know where 
	they're going?

Doc Boone places an exploratory hand inside the bag.

		PEACOCK
		(closing the bag, but 
		not before Doc 
		extracts a bottle)
	Brother, aren't you aware of...
		(he coughs nervously)
	...what's happened?

Gatewood, sitting importantly between Lucy and Dallas, looks 
over at him.

		GATEWOOD
	I don't follow you, Reverend.

Doc Boone looks pleased with himself, while Peacock protests 
feebly.

		PEACOCK
	I'm not a clergyman...

		DOC
		(cutting in)
	My friend is a whiskey drummer. We're 
	all going to be scalped, Gatewood. 
	Massacred in one fell swoop.

Cut back to the same shot of Gatewood between the two women.

		DOC
		(off)
	That's why the soldiers are with us.

		GATEWOOD
		(smiling patronizingly 
		at Lucy)
	He's joking, of course.

Cut back to the same shot of Peacock and Doc Boone.

		PEACOCK
		(fluttery)
	Oh no, he's not. Oh dear no. I wish 
	he were.

		DOC
		(cheerfully)
	It's that old Apache butcher...

Cut again to the same shot of Gatewood and the women.

Gatewood looks very uneasy as Doc Boone continues:

		DOC
		(off)
	Geronimo.

Now back again on Peacock and Doc Boone.

		DOC
	Geronimo, that's the name of our 
	butcher. He's jumped the reservation. 
	He's on the warpath.

Again back to Gatewood and the women.

		GATEWOOD
		(appalled)
	Geronimo? Well, why weren't the 
	passengers notified? Why wasn't I 
	told?

Peacock and Doc Boone look at the banker.

		PEACOCK
	We were...

		DOC
	We were told, Gatewood.

		PEACOCK
		(nodding)
	Yes, yes.

		DOC
	Weren't you told when you got that 
	message...

Now Gatewood looks suddenly agitated, while Lucy and Dallas 
sit silently on either side of him.

		DOC
		(off)
	...from Lordsburg?

		GATEWOOD
		(blustering)
	Oh yes, yes, yes, of course, of 
	course, I forgot.

The stagecoach and the cavalry troop are now seen in long 
shot, trotting across the prairie, silhouetted against the 
evening sky. Camera pans with them as the coach goes out of 
shot, followed by the cavalrymen.

Cut to a medium close-up of Buck and Curly on the driving-
seat. Curly holds the rifle across his knees, deep in 
meditation, [while Buck, still grumbling, takes a stone from 
his pocket and tosses it with unerring aim at one of the 
horses].

		BUCK
	Now, doggone it, her grandfather's 
	comin' up from Mexico to live with 
	us!

		CURLY
	I can't figure out how he got that 
	message.

		BUCK
	Who, my grandfather?

		CURLY
	No, Gatewood.

		BUCK
	Sweetheart!

		CURLY
	Said he got a message.

		BUCK
	Sweetheart!

		CURLY
	The telegraph line ain't working.

Now part of the prairie is seen in medium long shot. The 
horses, pulling hard, come into view hauling the stagecoach 
up a short sandy slope, throwing up clouds of dust as they 
go off followed by the cavalry.

Dissolve to a high angle very long shot over another part of 
the prairie with the stagecoach lurching towards camera. The 
horses gallop up the slope towards a tree in the foreground. 
As they come up, a shot rings out.

Meanwhile the cavalry troop is seen fording a river, far 
behind the stagecoach, camera panning across with them as 
they go up the other bank.

The stagecoach is still being hauled forward, Buck pulling 
wildly at the reins to bring the horses to a stop. They whinny 
and buck. Curly jerks up his gun.

		BUCK
	Hey look, it's Ringo!

		CURLY
		(with relish)
	Yeah.

The Ringo Kid, seen in medium shot, is standing with a rifle 
in one hand and a saddle in the other. He shouts out. He 
swings his rifle round, and camera tracks in to medium close-
up then to close-up of him. Buck can be heard steadying the 
horses.

Buck and Curly are seen in low angle, up on the driving-seat. 
Curly grins slightly and raises his shotgun.

		CURLY
	Hello, Kid.

Ringo stands calmly looking on. The desert stretches out 
into the distance beyond him. If Ringo is taken aback by 
Curly's shotgun, he doesn't show it.

		RINGO
	Hiya, Curly. Hiya, Buck, how's your 
	folks?

Cut back to the same low angle shot of Curly and Buck. Buck's 
eyes are popping with surprise.

		BUCK
	Fine...
		(he clears the frog 
		out of his throat)
	...Fine, Ringo, except that my wife's 
	grandfather...

		CURLY
		(gruffly)
	Shut up!

The stagecoach is seen from the side, showing Lucy, Peacock 
and Hatfield staring curiously out of the windows.

		RINGO
	Didn't expect you to be ridin' shotgun 
	on this run, Marshal.

Ringo stands in the foreground with his back to camera, 
looking up at Buck and Curly.

		RINGO
	Goin' to Lordsburg?

		CURLY
	I figured you'd be there by this 
	time.

Ringo starts to move towards the stage.

		RINGO
	No, lame horse.
		(looking up at Curly)
	Looks like you got another passenger.

		CURLY
	Yeah.

He stretches out his hand.

		CURLY
	I'll take the Winchester.

Ringo looks up at him. He makes no move to surrender his gun 
though his manner is friendly. His eyes smile up at Curly as 
he drawls.

		RINGO
	You might need me and this Winchester. 
	I saw a coupla ranches burnin' last 
	night.

Curly looks down at Ringo. Buck, behind him, is looking over 
his shoulder.

		CURLY
	I guess you don't understand, Kid. 
	You're under arrest.

Ringo looks up good-naturedly.

		RINGO
	Curly...

He turns suddenly as a horse whinnies off. Beyond the 
stagecoach, with Ringo standing beside it, the soldiers come 
clattering into view, rounding a wall of rock at a canter. 
Ringo turns right round to look at them.

		CURLY
		(off)
	Gimme that gun, Kid.

Ringo is seen in close-up, looking up towards Curly. His 
eyes flick back towards the approaching cavalrymen. He sizes 
up the situation and with a good-humoured shrug looks again 
up to Curly and uncocks his gun to throw it up.

Lt. Blanchard now leads his troop up to the stagecoach in 
the foreground. Ringo throws his Winchester rifle up to Curly, 
who catches it. As the lieutenant rides up to them, Ringo 
throws his saddle up onto the top of the stage.

		LT. BLANCHARD
	Everything all right, Marshal?

		CURLY
	Everything's all right, Lieutenant.

The stagecoach is seen from the side as Ringo goes up to it 
and opens the door. Through the window, Peacock watches him 
in some alarm.

		RINGO
	Hope I ain't crowding you folks none.

He climbs in with them and they close the door.

Lt. Blanchard waits by the stagecoach, as Buck starts the 
horses up again, and the cavalry troop come up round the 
bend behind them. The soldiers follow the stagecoach as it 
moves off.

Dissolve to a long shot of the stagecoach coming up a track, 
silhouetted against the sky. The landscape is very bleak; 
only a small dead tree is visible, in the foreground. The 
stagecoach, followed by the cavalry, goes off on the right.

Dissolve to Buck and Curly sitting on the driving-seat.

		BUCK
		(cheerfully)
	Ain't Ringo a fine boy?

		CURLY
	I think so.

		BUCK
	Hey, you're just smarter'n a trade 
	rat -- you knew all the time he was 
	going to Lordsburg. Hey, reckon what 
	he meant, he saw ranch-houses burnin'?

		CURLY
	Apaches.

Inside the stagecoach, the occupants openly or covertly 
inspect the newcomer. Through the window behind Lucy, the 
countryside can be seen going past. Gatewood, sitting the 
other side of Lucy, picks up his bag of money from the floor 
and puts it on the seat beside him. He breaks the silence in 
a friendly way.

		GATEWOOD
	So you're the Ringo Kid.

Ringo has seated himself on the floor with his back against 
the door between Hatfield on the front seat and Lucy on the 
rear seat. He looks straight at Gatewood, his voice casual.

		RINGO
		(drawling)
	My friends just call me Ringo.
		(he smiles)
	Nickname I had as a kid. My name's 
	Henry.

He takes off his scarf as he speaks.

Cut to a close-up of Gatewood in the foreground with Dallas 
beside him. They both look towards Ringo.

		DOC
		(off)
	Seems to me I knew your family, Henry.

Doc Boone and Peacock are seen, squashed together in the 
corner of their seat. [Doc Boone has been lighting a long 
stogie. He shakes out the match and chuckles at Ringo.]

		DOC
	Didin't I set your arm once when you 
	were, oh...
		(he holds his hand 
		knee-high off the 
		floor)
	...bucked off a horse?

Ringo looks at him, sizing him up with keen eyes.

		RINGO
		(grinning)
	You Doc Boone?

		DOC
		(off)
	I certainly am.

Peacock and Doc Boone are seen from the same angle as before.

		DOC
	Let's see, I'd just been honourably 
	discharged from the Union Army after 
	the War of the Rebellion.

Hatfield turns sharply to look towards Doc Boone.

		HATFIELD
		(haughtily)
	You mean the war for the Southern 
	Confederacy, suh.

		DOC
		(suddenly bristling)
	I mean nothing of the kind, sir.

Ringo, still looking at Doc Boone with sharp interest, 
disregards the interruption.

		RINGO
	That was my kid brother broke his 
	arm. You did a good job, Doc, even 
	if you was drunk.

He ties his scarf back round his neck.

The shot of Peacock and Doc Boone now shows Boone grinning.

		DOC
	Thank you, son. Professional 
	compliments are always pleasing.

		PEACOCK
	Yes, they are.

		DOC
		(flicking ash from 
		his stogie)
	What became of the boy whose arm I 
	fixed?

There is a pause. The smile goes from Ringo's face and his 
voice is quiet as he looks straight ahead of him.

		RINGO
	He was murdered.

Dallas looks round sympathetically.

Peacock and Doc Boone look down, obviously moved.

Ringo looks saddened by the memory.

Now the stagecoach is seen in medium long shot as it comes 
towards camera out of a slope against the sunset, with a 
large rock formation in the Arizona desert rising up behind. 
Lt. Blanchard and the cavalry troop follow closely. Inside 
the stagecoach, Doc Boone smiles cheerfully at Peacock, his 
arms wrapped protectively round the whiskey-sample bag.

Peacock smiles back rather wanly.

Lucy, sitting by the window, with Gatewood partly in shot 
beside her, looks pale and uncomfortable. She raises a 
handkerchief to her face, then turns away and looks out of 
the window.

Hatfield watches her covertly, with a worried frown. Smoke 
drifts from Boone's stogie and Hatfield raises his 
handkerchief to try and blow it away. [Lucy coughs,] and 
Hatfield looks coldly at Doc Boone.

		HATFIELD
	Put out that cigar.

Doc Boone has the stogie stuck in the corner of his mouth. 
He puffs on it absently. Then he turns somewhat nervously in 
Hatfield's direction [as Lucy can be heard stifling another 
cough].

Hatfield stares at him firmly.

		HATFIELD
	You're annoying this lady.

Doc Boone looks across towards Lucy. He does not like 
Hatfield's tone, but he is a kindly soul and he takes the 
cigar-butt out of his mouth, at the same time nodding towards 
her with great dignity.

		DOC
	Excuse me, madam.

Lucy smiles at him graciously.

Doc Boone tosses the butt out of the window.

		DOC
	Being so partial to the weed myself, 
	I forget it disagrees with others.

Lucy smiles, then lowers her eyes and looks away out of the 
window again.

Hatfield fixes a cold eye on Doc Boone.

		HATFIELD
	A gentleman doesn't smoke in the 
	presence of a lady.

Doc Boone leans back and folds his hands over his plump belly, 
addressing no one in particular in an amiable tone.

		DOC
	Three weeks ago I took a bullet out 
	of a man who was shot by a gentleman. 
	The bullet was...

Hatfield's eyes blaze as he stares at Boone, half-rising in 
anger.

		DOC
		(off)
	...in his back.

		HATFIELD
	affronted Do you mean to insinuate...

Ringo looks over at Hatfield and speaks to him with quiet 
authority.

		RINGO
	Sit down, mister.

Hatfield sits back, rather put out.

Ringo is shown looking up at him with a half-smile. But there 
is no doubting the determined character that lies concealed 
behind his casual manner.

		RINGO
	Doc don't mean any harm.

The stagecoach and the escorting cavalrymen are seen in very 
high angle long shot as they go along the trail in Monument 
Valley, the fantastic and majestic scenery rising up all 
around them. Camera pans slowly with them as they go on down 
the trail. Fade out.

Fade in to the station at Dry, Fork, a wide yard in which 
there is a low adobe building with a corral. There are fresh 
horses for the stage in this corral, together with mustangs 
belonging to those at the station. [A Mexican boy, who has 
been standing on the gate and peering down the road, lets 
out a cry in Mexican and three or four Mexican vaqueros, 
picturesque in their high peaked hats and coloured shirts 
and high boots, appear and hurriedly swing open the big gate.] 

There is a clatter as the stagecoach comes into view at a 
good clip and Buck, yelling at his horses, steers the 
stagecoach skilfully in through the gate, the cavalry escort 
cantering up behind. Camera pans with the stagecoach as Buck 
pulls the horses to a stop in front of the long low adobe 
building in the station yard. The soldiers file across past 
them as Buck and Curly begin to climb down.

The stagecoach is seen in low angle medium shot from the 
side. The cavalry horses continue to ride past in the 
foreground, partly obscuring the business behind -- people 
getting out and luggage being hauled off the roof of the 
coach. Ringo gets out first, followed by Hatfield, who brushes 
down his cloak fussily. Then Peacock gets out, keeping a 
firm hold on his sample bag, which he has by now retrieved 
from Doc Boone. Hatfield waits and helps Lucy down; she looks 
weary and holds her cloak about her. Buck attends to the 
horses.

		BUCK
		(shouting to the men)
	Be careful of ol' Bessie up there, 
	now... Take it easy, hold it -- steady 
	there, girl. Take a look, see if 
	there ain't a stone in the hoof of 
	that hoss down there.

Cut to a medium shot with the stagecoach just visible on the 
left and men bustling around the horses. Ringo is standing 
at the doorway of the station-house. Billy Pickett, the 
manager of the station, stands by the stagecoach as Doc Boone 
gets down. They greet each other like old friends. Camera 
pans slightly right as Doc and Billy grasp each other and 
shake hands in delight.

		DOC
	Well, if it isn't my old friend, 
	Sergeant Billy Pickett... How are 
	you, Billy?

Billy's wife comes up and joins them, smiling happily.

		MRS. PICKETT
	He's fine, Doc, and mighty glad to 
	see you.

Everybody bustles around in the station yard. Doc and Billy 
go off arm in arm, and Hatfield and Ringo follow them. Mrs. 
Pickett goes forward, towards the stage.

		MRS. PICKETT
	Great heavens to Betsie, we didn't 
	figure on no stagecoach coming through 
	with them Apaches raising Cain. I 
	was just telling Billy there to hitch 
	up the buckboard...

Gatewood interrupts her.

		GATEWOOD
	Now wait a minute -- you mean to say 
	there are no troops at this station?

Hatfield and Lucy are going away towards the station-house 
door. Lucy turns suddenly at Gatewood's words as Mrs. Pickett 
continues off.

		MRS. PICKETT
	There ain't no soldiers here but 
	what you see.

		LUCY
		(anxiously)
	But my husband, Captain Mallory. I 
	was told he was here.

		MRS. PICKETT
		(off)
	He was, dearie. Got orders night 
	afore last to join the soldiers at 
	Apache Wells.

Lucy, very upset, turns away, trying to be courageous, but 
the strain shows.

		BUCK
		(off)
	Well, that means we got to turn back.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	I can't go back.
		(he catches hold of 
		himself and blusters)
	See here, driver, this stage has 
	started for Lordsburg and it's your 
	duty to get us there.

As they speak, camera pans right with Lucy, who slowly goes 
over to a bench by the wall and sinks down.

Gatewood and Lt. Blanchard face one another, with Buck 
standing between them. Curly watches in the background.

		GATEWOOD
		(loudly to Blanchard)
	And it's your duty, my boy, to come 
	along with us.

		LT. BLANCHARD
		(politely)
	It's my duty, Mr. Gatewood, to obey 
	orders. I'm sorry.

		BUCK
		(hopefully)
	If you soldiers go back, Lieutenant, 
	we all gotta go back.

Dallas leans wearily against a hitching post, listening 
impassively, just letting the dispute wash over her.

		LT. BLANCHARD
		(off, to Curly)
	Captain Sickels ordered me to return 
	from here immediately. I can't disobey 
	orders.

Lucy is sitting on the bench with Hatfield beside her. Ringo 
stands in the foreground looking over towards Lt. Blanchard 
and the others.

		RINGO
	I think we can get through all right, 
	Curly.

Buck stands in the centre of the group, Lt. Blanchard, 
Gatewood, Curly and Mrs. Pickett gathered around.

		BUCK
		(plaintively)
	Don't egg him on like that, Kid. I'm 
	drivin' this outfit and if the 
	soldiers are headin' back so am I.

He plonks his hat back on his head and stomps off petulantly. 
Gatewood and Lt. Blanchard face one another again.

		GATEWOOD
	I call this desertion of duty, young 
	man. I'll take it up with your 
	superior officers! I'll take it up 
	with Washington if necessary.

		LT. BLANCHARD
		(quietly)
	That's your privilege, sir. But if 
	you make any trouble here I'll put 
	you under restraint.

		GATEWOOD
		(collecting himself)
	Now don't lose your temper, don't 
	lose your temper.

The others watch as Gatewood stalks off in a rage.

		CURLY
	I'll tell you how we'll settle it. 
	We'll take a vote. Inside, everybody.

The stagecoach stands in the middle of the yard. The horses 
have been unhitched. A group of chickens are pecking about 
in the dust behind it. All the passengers follow Curly towards 
the door in the background.

		CURLY
	Come on, Buck.

		BUCK
		(plaintively)
	Oh, but Curly, I don't want to go...

Inside the station guest-room, the long table is set for a 
meal. Doc Boone comes in first, followed by Hatfield and 
Lucy. Then Dallas enters, with Peacock and Mrs. Pickett, who 
hurries across and into the kitchen as she speaks.

		MRS. PICKETT
	Now, come on, girls, set yourselves 
	down; I'll get you something to eat.

In the foreground, his back to camera, Hatfield pulls a chair 
out for Lucy. Dallas sits herself down by the wall at the 
far side of the table as the others continue coming through 
the door in the background. Curly comes forward, taking 
control of the situation; the others gather round the table 
as he speaks.

		CURLY
	Now, folks, if we push on we can be 
	in Apache Wells by sundown. Soldiers 
	there will give us an escort as far 
	as the ferry, and then it's only a 
	hoot and a holler into Lordsburg.

		BUCK
	I...

He stops to clear the frog out of his throat and Curly goes 
right on.

		CURLY
	We got four men can handle firearms... 
	five with you, Ringo.

Doc Boone and Billy Pickett are seen in high angle, both 
leaning on the bar; Billy has his mouth wide open and Doc is 
examining it, holding Billy's tongue down with the back of a 
spoon.

		CURLY
		(off)
	Doc can shoot, if sober.

At Curly's words, they both look over at him.

		DOC
		(sarcastically)
	I can shoot, I can shoot.

A low angle shot of Curly shows him standing by the table 
with Lucy sitting in profile beside him. Ringo lounges against 
a doorpost in the background.

		CURLY
		(taking off his hat)
	Now, Mrs. Mallory, I ain't goin' to 
	put a lady in danger without she 
	votes for it.

Lucy is seen from above sitting with her back to the window.

		LUCY
		(firmly, but with a 
		tremulous catch in 
		her voice)
	I've travelled all the way here from 
	Virginia and I'm determined to get 
	to my husband. I won't be separated 
	any longer.

A low angle medium shot shows Curly in the foreground, Ringo 
and Buck standing behind Dallas, who is seated at the table, 
with Peacock visible in the background. They are all looking 
towards Lucy. Curly turns to Peacock.

		CURLY
	What's your vote, mister?

		PEACOCK
		(clearing his throat)
	Well, I...

		RINGO
		(interrupting him)
	Where's your manners, Curly?

Curly, who is just putting his hat back on his head, stops 
in his tracks and turns to look at Ringo, who is regarding 
him sternly.

		RINGO
	Ain't you going to ask the other 
	lady first?

Dallas looks up towards Ringo in amazement.

Ringo and Buck are seen from below as they face Curly, who 
stands almost back to camera. He looks down towards Dallas.

		CURLY
	Well, what do you say?

Dallas looks up. There is a pause. Her eyes move back towards 
Ringo, then she looks down.

		DALLAS
		(sighing)
	What difference does it make? It 
	doesn't matter.

Ringo, Buck and Curly face each other again.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	I vote we go on.

Gatewood is standing with Peacock beside another window.

		GATEWOOD
	I demand it, I'm standing on my legal 
	rights.

The group is seen in a low angle medium shot. Lucy and 
Hatfield are seated at the table in the foreground, while 
the others stand around anxiously in the background, except 
for Dallas who is sitting against the wall near the door 
beside Ringo. Curly looks towards Hatfield.

		CURLY
	What do you say, Hatfield?

Hatfield, idly playing with some cards on the table, looks 
towards Lucy, off-screen. He picks up the cards, laying the 
top one face upwards. It is the ace of spades.

		HATFIELD
	Lordsburg.

		GATEWOOD
		(standing with Peacock 
		behind him)
	Four.

He is obviously very pleased.

Curly, standing with his back to camera, looks across the 
room to the bar where Doc Boone and Billy are standing.

		CURLY
		(pointing)
	You, Doc?

Doc Boone steps forward, Billy following him.

		DOC
	I am not only a philosopher, I am 
	also a fatalist.

Doc Boone and Billy stand together. Billy has by now provided 
Doc with a drink and he is very cheerful. He also knows that 
he is the centre of attraction and that this is his great 
moment.

		DOC
	Somewhere, some time, there may be 
	the right bullet or the wrong bottle 
	waiting for Josiah Boone. Why worry 
	when or where?

		CURLY
		(off, very impatient)
	Yes or no?

Billy is urging Doc Boone on.

		DOC
	Having this wisdom, sir, I have always 
	courted danger. During the late war... 
	when I had the honour, sir, to serve 
	the Union...

Hatfield looks up sharply at these words.

		DOC
		(off)
	...under our great President Abraham 
	Lincoln...

Billy and Doc Boone salute each other.

		DOC
	...and General Phil Sheridan, I fought 
	midst shot and shell and the cannons' 
	roar...

Curly, seen from the side, looks stern.

		CURLY
	Do you want to go back or not?

Doc Boone and Billy continue their salute.

		DOC
	No!

He looks indignantly at Curly and turns back towards the 
bar.

		DOC
	I want another drink.

Billy and Doc Boone giggle together and hurry back to the 
bar.

Curly and Peacock are now seen from below.

		CURLY
	That's five.

He looks at Peacock. How about you, Mr. Hancock?

		PEACOCK
		(meekly correcting)
	Peacock.

Cut to a medium close-up of Peacock.

		PEACOCK
	I... I would like to go on, brother, 
	I want to reach the bosom of my dear 
	family in Kansas City, Kansas, as 
	quick as possible... but I may never 
	reach that bosom if we go on. Under 
	the circumstances... I... you 
	understand, go back with the bosoms...
		(he coughs hastily)
	...I mean with the soldiers.

Cut back to the previous shot of Curly facing Peacock with 
Gatewood nearby.

		CURLY
	One against! Well, Buck?

Curly turns towards Buck, and camera pans swiftly with his 
gaze, to include Ringo in the shot, with Buck.

		BUCK
	I...

He clears his throat to try again, but Curly cuts in promptly.

		CURLY
	Buck says aye. That's six!

Buck makes futile motions of protest, but Curly has already 
turned to Ringo. I'm votin' your proxy, Kid. You go with me.

		RINGO
	Nothin' gonna keep me out of 
	Lordsburg, Curly.

He goes out of shot.

		CURLY
		(looking after him 
		grimly)
	There sure ain't.
		(he addresses them 
		all)
	Well, folks, that settles it. We're 
	goin' through. Buck, you get them 
	horses changed. Set down, folks. Eat 
	your grub.

He strides off through the door, followed by a protesting 
Buck.

		BUCK
	But, Curly, ain't we gonna eat?

		CURLY
	We'll eat later.

The room is now seen in medium long shot with Lucy sitting 
in back view nearest to camera, Hatfield just beyond her. 
Doc Boone and Billy can be seen at the bar in the background. 
Gatewood and Peacock stand at the far end of the table as 
Mrs. Pickett comes through the door near the bar carrying a 
steaming soup tureen.

		MRS. PICKETT
	Here y'are, folks, food's on the 
	table. Help yourselves, you got a 
	long ride ahead of you.

She puts the soup on the table and turns to go back to the 
kitchen, passing Doc Boone and Billy as she goes.

		MRS. PICKETT
	You ain't drinking, Billy.

Ringo is standing by the table. Dallas is uncertain whether 
she should sit down, knowing she is not expected to sit with 
'respectable' people. So she passes behind Ringo, going 
towards the door. He turns round to her, pulling out a chair 
for her opposite Lucy.

		RINGO
	Set down here, ma'am.

She spins round to face him, stopping in her tracks.

Lucy, seen in profile, is sitting at the end of the table, 
Gatewood a seat away at her side. Hatfield stands at the 
bar. They all look round towards Ringo and Dallas.

Dallas hesitates for a split second. Then she gets her courage 
up and takes the chair.

		DALLAS
	Thank you.

Ringo sits down beside her as camera tracks in to a medium 
close-up of them.

Lucy, seen in close-up, looks across in distaste.

A close-up of Dallas shows her looking back towards Lucy in 
embarrassment, before looking away miserably.

Across the table, Lucy still looks disapproving and Gatewood 
looks superior. Hatfield comes forward and stands stiffly 
beside Lucy. Gatewood passes Lucy a plate which Hatfield 
intercepts to place with great courtesy in front of her.

Dallas is still acutely embarrassed. Ringo, unaware of the 
tension, passes her a plate with equal courtesy. Trying to 
brave out the hostile glances, Dallas reaches for her cup of 
coffee and Ringo passes her the sugar with a smile.

Hatfield breaks the tension. He looks from Lucy to Dallas, 
then bows stiffly to Lucy.

		HATFIELD
	May I find you another place, Mrs. 
	Mallory? It's cooler by the window.

Ringo raises his eyebrows in surprise.

There is a pause as Lucy decides how to act.

		LUCY
		(rising)
	Thank you.

Lucy rises from her seat and sweeps off round the table behind 
Gatewood, watched incredulously by Doc Boone and Billy Pickett 
from the bar.

The table is now seen from above in a long medium shot, with 
Dallas and Ringo sitting on one side, Gatewood on the other. 
Ringo stares, amazed. Dallas spills some of her coffee and 
the cup rattles as she sets it back in the saucer. Gatewood, 
not to be outdone, gets up and goes to sit at the far end of 
the table, as far away from Dallas and Ringo as possible. 
This whole episode takes place in complete silence. Mrs. 
Pickett bustles in with a jug of coffee and pours a cup for 
Lucy. Hatfield sits down beside Lucy in their new places.

Dallas and Ringo are conspicuously isolated at the end of 
the table. Dallas is miserably embarrassed. Ringo looks 
perplexed as he watches the others off-screen, then all at 
once he thinks he understands and turns to look apologetically 
at Dallas. He cannot face her, and stares uncomfortably at 
her plate instead.

		RINGO
		(sheepishly)
	Looks like I got the plague, don't 
	it.

		DALLAS
	No... it's not you.

		RINGO
	Well, I guess you can't break out of 
	prison and into society in the same 
	week.

As she does not raise her eyes from her plate he begins to 
stand up apologetically. She catches his arm and suddenly 
there are tears in her eyes.

		DALLAS
	Please!... Please.

Ringo sits down again, looking at her with a straight grateful 
gaze. She collects herself and passes a bowl for him to help 
himself to some stew, but he takes it from her and gives her 
some instead.

Hatfield and Lucy are now seen at the far end of the table 
from us behind Ringo and Dallas, who sit with their backs to 
us. Camera tracks in past Dallas and Ringo to a medium shot 
of Lucy and Hatfield eating their meal. Lucy, suddenly 
overcome, lays down her fork and rests her head in her hand, 
looking pale. Hatfield addresses her anxiously in a low, 
polite tone.

		HATFIELD
	You're ill, Mrs. Mallory?

Lucy straightens up, fighting off nausea.

		LUCY
	No... it's just... I'll be all right.

He regards her anxiously.

		LUCY
	You're very kind... Why?

		HATFIELD
	In the world I live in one doesn't 
	often see a lady, Mrs. Mallory. [I'm 
	only doing my duty as a Southern 
	gentleman.]

Close-up of Lucy, who looks at him curiously.

		LUCY
	Have you ever been in Virginia?

Hatfield hesitates as if to evade the question or shape a 
lie. He drops his voice.

		HATFIELD
	I was in your father's regiment.

Lucy looks at him wonderingly with her clear, direct gaze.

		LUCY
	I should remember your name. You're 
	Mr... Hatfield?

Lucy looks questioningly at Hatfield.

		HATFIELD
	That's what I'm called, yes.

She turns away, puzzled, and sips her coffee.

Ringo and Dallas are seen in medium close-up as they eat. 
Ringo looks at her and she looks down self-consciously.

		DALLAS
	Why do you look at me like that?

Buck is now seen from below coming through the door in the 
background behind Dallas and Ringo, who are sitting at the 
table piled with the glasses and bowls used for the meal. He 
takes off his hat as he comes towards the table and addresses 
the company.

		BUCK
		(cheerfully)
	All aboard for Apache Wells, East 
	Ferry...

Curly comes up behind him and interrupts.

		CURLY
	The horses are changed... we'd better 
	get going.

		BUCK
		(determined to have 
		his say)
	...and Lordsburg.

Round the table, the passengers are all waiting. Lucy sits 
at the far end of the table, Ringo and Dallas nearer to camera 
on the other side. Hatfield gets up and goes towards the 
bar. Lt. Blanchard comes in the door as Ringo looks up at 
Curly.

		CURLY
		(to Ringo)
	Okay, Ringo, get going.
		(to Mrs. Pickett)
	Mrs. Pickett, tell Billy the 
	buckboard's all ready. Let's get 
	going.

There is a scraping of chairs as all except Lucy rise and 
make for the door. Ringo accompanies Dallas. Blanchard comes 
up to Lucy and addresses her politely.

		LT. BLANCHARD
	Have a pleasant journey, Mrs. Mallory, 
	and my compliments to your husband.

Buck hurriedly grabs something to eat off the table as Curly 
hustles him out. Billy and Doc Boone are the last to leave, 
arm in arm and very merry.

Dissolve to a high angle long shot of a fork in the trail on 
the prairie which spreads out into the distance. The 
stagecoach comes into shot from the foreground and the horses 
gallop off down the right-hand fork while Lt. Blanchard breaks 
away from his men to follow it a little way. The soldiers go 
off to the left, followed by the Picketts' buckboard. Lt. 
Blanchard watches the stage as it goes off into the distance.

Lucy is seen from below in medium shot leaning out of the 
window of the coach. Curly is just visible sitting up on the 
driving-seat.

Lt. Blanchard turns on his horse to face camera, smiling and 
waving his hat to the retreating stagecoach. Lucy, still 
leaning out of the stagecoach window, smiles and waves her 
handkerchief.

Lt. Blanchard continues to wave for a moment. Then his smile 
fades. He lowers his arm and replaces his hat on his head, 
then turns away from camera.

From where the trails cross, we can now see the stagecoach 
disappearing into the distance down one trail and Lt. 
Blanchard galloping off down the other trail after his cavalry 
troop.

The cavalry troop and the buckboard with its outriders are 
seen from above in long shot, galloping away across the 
prairie. Lt. Blanchard canters into shot from the foreground, 
catching up with them as they ride along the trail.

The flat plain is now seen with the sky above stretching 
away into infinity. The stagecoach trundles into shot in the 
foreground with its six horses trotting along unhurriedly. 
There is no soldier escort now and the people are on their 
own. The stagecoach rattles away down the track and into the 
distance towards the horizon. Fade out.

Fade in to a medium close-up of Buck and Curly up on the 
driving-seat. Curly, his gun across his knees, scans the 
horizon vigilantly. Buck chucks a stone at Nellie, shouting 
a little to spur on the horses. He clears his throat, inviting 
conversation, but Curly pays him no heed. Finally Buck can't 
stand the silence and turns as if Curly had spoken.

		BUCK
	What'd you say?

		CURLY
		(looking at him as if 
		he were crazy)
	Nothin'.

		BUCK
		(meekly)
	Oh, excuse me. Well, why don't you 
	say somethin'? A man gets nervous 
	settin' here like a mummy, thinkin' 
	about Indians!

		CURLY
	You say somethin'. You been talkin' 
	all day without makin' any sense.

		BUCK
		(belligerently)
	All right, here's somethin' that 
	makes sense! If I was you I'd let 
	'em shoot it out!

		CURLY
	Let who?

		BUCK
	Luke Plummer and the Kid.
		(curly merely looks 
		straight ahead)
	They'd be a lot more peace on the 
	frontier if Luke Plummer was too 
	full o' lead to hold his liquor.

		CURLY
	I ain't sayin' I don't share your 
	sentiments, Buck, but you're a born 
	fool. First place Luke would kill 
	the Kid in a gun-fight. Second place 
	if Luke did get shot he's got two 
	brothers jest as ornery as he is, 
	and if Ike Plummer didn't kill the 
	Kid then Hank Plummer would.
		(he spits off 
		disgustedly)
	Nope, safest place for Ringo is in 
	the pen and I aim to get him there 
	all in one piece. Time he gets out 
	Luke Plummer will of picked a fight 
	with the wrong man and it'll all 
	blow over.

		BUCK
		(looking at Curly 
		with astonishment)
	Well, I'll be doggoned! I done you 
	an injury, Curly. I thought you was 
	after the reward.

		CURLY
		(reproachfully)
	Reward! Why, the Kid's old man and 
	me was friends.
		(he stares off into 
		the horizon)
	Besides, I can use that five hundred 
	in gold.

Inside the stagecoach, the passengers are seated in the same 
positions as during the morning. The heat is stifling and 
dust drifts in through the open windows. The coach jolts and 
bounces as it whirls along at fourteen miles an hour. 
Gatewood, seen in medium close-up with Dallas beside him, is 
playing the indignant man-of-affairs.

		GATEWOOD
		(blustering)
	I can't get over the impertinence of 
	that young lieutenant! I'll make it 
	warm for that shavetail!

Doc Boone, again with the sample bag in his lap, is very 
thoughtfully attempting to rearrange Peacock's scarf round 
his neck. The wind is blowing it about so much that it is a 
futile exercise.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	I'll report him to Washington! We 
	pay taxes to the government and what 
	do we get? Not even protection from 
	the Army!

Peacock is now seen in close-up with Doc Boone just in shot, 
his hand rearranging the scarf so that it practically covers 
Peacock's face. While Gatewood continues to hold forth, Doc 
Boone cleans the dust from Peacock's face.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	I don't know what the government's 
	coming to! Instead of protecting 
	businessmen, it's poking its nose 
	into business.

Cut back to the same shot of Dallas and Gatewood.

		GATEWOOD
	Why, they're talking now about having 
	bank examiners...
		(he snorts)
	...as if we didn't know how to run 
	our own banks.

The stagecoach is going really fast and a stiff breeze is 
coming through the windows. Dallas desperately tries to 
rearrange her hat, which is being blown about.

Cut back to Peacock and Doc Boone, who pulls a bottle from 
the sample-case and holds it up to Peacock ingratiatingly. 
Peacock does not protest. So Doc Boone takes a large swallow.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	I actually had a letter, from some 
	popinjay official, saying they were 
	going to inspect my books! I have a 
	programme, gentlemen, that should be 
	blazoned on every newspaper in the 
	country.

Gatewood now addresses his remarks to Lucy, as the most worthy 
of attention.

		GATEWOOD
	America for Americans! Don't let the 
	government meddle with business! 
	Reduce taxes! Our national debt is 
	shocking...

Lucy leans against the side of the coach, as far away from 
him as possible.

Doc Boone is staring lovingly into Peacock's face.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	...over a billion dollars! What the 
	country needs is a businessman for 
	President!

		DOC
		(amiably, holding up 
		a bottle)
	What the country needs is more bottle.

He points to the bottle.

		PEACOCK
	What?

		DOC
		(affably)
	Bottle!

Dallas, sitting next to Gatewood, has her eyes closed and 
her head leaning against the back of the seat.

		GATEWOOD
	You're drunk, sir.

Doc Boone's smile fades as he turns indignantly to Gatewood.

		DOC
	I'm happy, Gatewood. Woof!

He giggles. Now it is early evening. The stage comes into 
shot in the foreground, the horses trotting away down the 
track which stretches way into the distance across the flat 
desert.

Again we see Curly and Buck on the driving-seat, Curly nearer 
to camera. He looks over his shoulder.

		CURLY
		(turning back)
	How come you're using this road? 
	It's gonna be cold up there.

		BUCK
		(grinning)
	I'm using my head. Those beach-crowd 
	Apaches don't like snow.

Curly looks at him, but says nothing.

In the stagecoach, the passengers are all weary, their 
shoulders covered with dust. Lucy, seen in medium close-up, 
is in obvious distress, looking very ill and worn out.

Dallas is shown leaning back against her seat. Gatewood is 
sitting next to her with an unpleasant frown on his face and 
clasping his bag of money. Dallas, who has been looking in 
Lucy's direction, suddenly ventures for the first time to 
address her. She sits up and leans sympathetically across 
Gatewood.

		DALLAS
	Wouldn't you like me to sit beside 
	you? You could lean on my shoulder. 
	You look so tired.

Lucy pulls herself together and her cool tone rebuffs Dallas.

		LUCY
	No, thank you.

Dallas shrinks back into her seat, flushing.

Hatfield, seen sitting in profile with Peacock nearest to 
camera beside him, leans forward. Camera pans left with his 
movement to include Ringo, who is sitting on the floor between 
the seats.

		HATFIELD
	How are you feeling, Mrs. Mallory?

Lucy looks over towards Dallas. Then she turns to Hatfield.

		LUCY
	Is there any water?

Ringo looks up at Hatfield, who is seen in profile. Hatfield 
turns away and, cupping his hand round his mouth, leans out 
of the window to shout up to Buck.

		HATFIELD
	Driver! Canteen, please!

The coach is seen in low angle from the outside as it trundles 
along. Curly, just visible up on the box, passes a canteen 
down to Hatfield, who is reaching out of the window to receive 
it.

Lucy can be seen leaning back wearily through the opposite 
window.

Inside the coach, Ringo takes the canteen and undoes the cap 
as Hatfield fumbles in his jacket for something. Ringo offers 
the canteen to Lucy. Medium shot of Lucy with Ringo passing 
her the canteen.

		HATFIELD
		(off)
	Just a minute, Mrs. Mallory.

Hatfield takes the canteen from Ringo and pours some of the 
water into a small silver cup, which he has in his hand. He 
fills the cup, then passes it to Lucy.

Lucy takes the cup from Hatfield's outstretched hand and 
gracefully drinks. Then she closes its little lid and looks 
at it.

She looks again, more closely, scrutinizing its crest and 
Latin inscription: 'Ad astra per aspera', as if trying to 
recall something from her memory. She then looks up at 
Hatfield and leans forward, pointing to the cup as she 
questions him.

		LUCY
	Haven't I seen this crest before?
		(holding out the cup)
	Isn't this from Ringfield Manor?

Hatfield takes the cup.

		HATFIELD
	I wouldn't know, Mrs. Mallory. I won 
	that cup on a wager.

Lucy seems disappointed by his reply. Ringo, sitting in his 
position on the floor, breaks the silence.

		RINGO
		(looking up at Hatfield)
	How about the other lady?

Dallas is lying back against the headrest with her eyes 
closed, next to Gatewood. He looks down disapprovingly. She 
slowly opens her eyes and looks up with a grateful smile.

Ringo takes the canteen from Hatfield's extended hand, pulls 
off the cork and offers it up towards Dallas.

Cut to the same shot of Dallas next to Gatewood. Dallas 
brushes some hair out of her face.

		DALLAS
	Thanks.

Ringo's eyes flick across towards Hatfield, then, still 
grinning, he passes the canteen over to Dallas.

		RINGO
	Sorry -- no silver cups.

Dallas leans forward a little to take it.

		DALLAS
		(quickly)
	This is fine!

She raises the canteen to her lips.

Gatewood watches her disapprovingly as she drinks deeply 
from it. Then with a pleasant smile she offers him the 
canteen.

		GATEWOOD
		(shaking his head in 
		disgust)
	No!

Dallas looks down towards Ringo, smiles bravely and hands 
him back the canteen. Then she sits back, leaning her elbow 
on the edge of the window and covering her ear with her hand 
to protect it from the breeze.

Dissolve to a very long shot of the stage galloping towards 
camera along a dusty track. The sky is stormy above them.

Dissolve to a medium shot of Dallas, Gatewood and Lucy sitting 
hunched up in the front-facing seat. Dallas has a blanket 
wrapped round her shoulders. Gatewood still sits stiffly 
with the bag of money on his knee. Lucy is also huddled up 
in a cloak and is turned slightly away from the others. 
Ringo's head can be seen in front of Lucy, his face obscured 
by his large hat.

Now we see a close-up of Dallas with the blanket held up in 
front of the window to protect her face from the breeze. She 
stares fixedly in Ringo's direction, off-screen.

Cut to a close-up of Ringo's head bending forward so that 
only his hat can be seen. He raises his head slightly and 
looks up under the brim of his hat.

Dallas now looks up, embarrassed to have been found out. 
Ringo, smiling slightly, drops his head again, trying to 
sleep.

Cut to Lucy as her eyes close, then open; her mouth opens 
slightly. She is obviously very unwell. She pulls the cloak 
closer round her face.

Now we go to Peacock and Doc Boone. Doc Boone gets another 
bottle out of the bag. He exchanges glances with Peacock and 
grins at him, then pulls the cork out of the bottle, but 
Peacock lays a hand on his arm.

		PEACOCK
	Please...

Doc Boone looks at him reproachfully, pushes away Peacock's 
hand with his other arm and drains the bottle, tossing it 
empty out of the stagecoach window. Then, after regarding 
the interior of the sample-bag lovingly, he folds his arms 
across the top of the bag and lays his head on them to go to 
sleep, watched sadly by Peacock.

On the driving-box, Buck and Curly are huddled up in their 
coats against the cold wind. Curly looks over his shoulder, 
down towards the passengers in the coach below them. Buck 
shouts at the horses, trying to make himself heard above the 
howling wind. Fade out.

Fade in to a long shot of the Apache Wells station, seen 
from above at sundown. The stagecoach can be seen lurching 
along the track in the distance. Three or four Mexican 
vaqueros in the compound rush towards the gate to open it.

The gateway is seen in medium shot with the trail stretching 
away into the distance. In the foreground the men open the 
gate, chattering in Mexican among themselves all the time. 
The stagecoach comes through the gate and rolls off-screen 
in the foreground. One of the Mexicans closes the gate while 
the others, all armed with shotguns, run shouting after the 
stagecoach.

Buck pulls the horses up outside the station-house. Camera 
pans slightly left with the stagecoach as it comes to a halt, 
then holds as the station manager, a pot-bellied Mexican 
named Chris, comes up. He opens the door of the stagecoach 
and, as Ringo lowers himself out, he runs round to stand 
staring up in amazement at Buck and Curly. Buck is full of 
the joy which follows averted danger.

		BUCK
		(cheerfully)
	Howdy, Chris. Seven hours from Dry 
	Fork. That's fast driving, amigo!

		CURLY
		(as the passengers 
		climb out)
	Get the folks a bite to eat, Chris, 
	while we change horses. We're pushin' 
	right on to Lordsburg.

		CHRIS
		(waving his arms)
	You come without soldiers?

Buck and Curly are now seen looking down from the driving-
seat.

		BUCK
		(a hero)
	Sure, we wasn't scared. Never seen 
	an Apache, did we, Curly?

		CURLY
		(looking round 
		anxiously and ignoring 
		Buck)
	Where's the cavalry, Chris?

		BUCK
	Yeah, where is the soldiers?

Buck's jubilant expression is fading rapidly as he looks 
more closely at Chris's uneasy face.

Chris is seen from above with the back of a horse between 
him and the stagecoach. He looks up.

		CHRIS
		(shaking his head, 
		his eyes wide)
	Ain't no soldiers.

He gestures helplessly.

Buck and Curly look down in horror.

		BUCK
	Huh?

		CHRIS
		(off)
	Soldiers gone.

Lucy and Hatfield are standing together. Lucy steps forward, 
face taut, her voice shaky.

		LUCY
	Where's Captain Mallory? Where's my 
	husband? Where is he?

Lucy now comes beside the stagecoach; for the first time she 
shows signs of cracking up. Peacock leans through the window 
listening, as Chris steps forward and faces her.

		CHRIS
	You his wife... I think?

		LUCY
		(frantically)
	Yes, where is he? Did he go with his 
	men?

Close-up of Chris.

		CHRIS
	Si, se�ora.
		(he motions towards 
		the hills)
	Leetle... what you call it... 
	skirmish...

Lucy's eyes open wide with incredulity.

		CHRIS
		(off)
	...with Apaches last night.
		(hesitantly)
	Soldiers take Captain Mallory to 
	Lordsburg...

Close-up of Chris.

		CHRIS
	...I think. He get... hurt, maybe.

Close-up of Lucy.

		LUCY
		(standing very still)
	Badly?

Close-up of Chris.

		CHRIS
		(nodding unhappily)
	...Yes, se�ora. I think so.

Hatfield, standing just behind Lucy, watches her with concern. 
She stands looking at Chris, off-screen, for a moment, then 
slowly turns away from camera and walks off behind the 
stagecoach. Hatfield follows her anxiously.

Dallas is standing by the door of the station-house, with 
Gatewood on the other side of her, as Lucy comes up. Dallas's 
heart goes out to Lucy and she steps forward sympathetically.

		DALLAS
	Mrs. Mallory, I'm awfully sorry. If 
	there's anything I can...

Lucy stops and faces Dallas as she speaks.

		LUCY
		(coldly)
	I'm all right. Thank you.

She turns away and goes on into the station-house, watched 
unhappily by Dallas. Hatfield steps gallantly up and follows 
Lucy into the house.

Lucy comes in through the door that leads from the yard into 
the lunch-room. It is a fairly large room with bare white-
washed walls, a bar at one side and some tables and chairs. 
Lucy looks terribly sick and is fighting for strength and 
self-control. But as she reaches out for a chair to steady 
herself, she suddenly puts her other hand to her head and 
without warning she collapses in a dead faint, sinking to 
the floor out of sight behind a table. Just then, Hatfield 
comes through the door; he starts forward to help, looks 
down, then hurries back to shout through the door.

		HATFIELD
	Marshal! Come here. Quickly!

Then he rushes back to Lucy, bending down over her.

Curly is seen from below, hurrying through the door. At first 
he cannot see Hatfield and scans the room anxiously until 
his eyes light on him, off-screen. He pauses, laying his 
shotgun down on the bar beside him.

Hatfield is kneeling down beside Lucy's inert body on the 
carpet. Curly's shadow can be seen against the far wall. 
Hatfield gently lifts Lucy's head off the floor, as Curly 
hurries into shot to kneel down beside him. They exchange 
glances and Hatfield nods slightly. Curly bends down and 
starts to pick Lucy up gently in his arms as though she were 
a child.

Dallas now hurries through the door, coming towards camera, 
then stops, looking down anxiously. Doc Boone and Gatewood 
follow her closely.

Curly, holding Lucy in his arms, carries her towards the 
door at the back of the room, which leads into a passage and 
bedrooms. Hatfield turns, picks up the oil-lamp from the 
table beside him and follows them through.

Gatewood, Dallas and Doc Boone turn their heads to watch 
them go, as they stand in a helpless huddle. Peacock joins 
them, while Hatfield and Curly are seen going out with Lucy 
through the door in the background.

Dallas is standing by Doc Boone, who is leaning against the 
bar. They are both watching very tensely. Dallas turns to 
Doc Boone and lays her hand on his arm.

		DALLAS
	Come on, Doc.

She hurries out of shot in the foreground, but Doc Boone 
remains leaning against the bar. His eyes close in anguish 
for a moment. He covers his face with his hands, and at that 
moment Ringo steps up to him.

		RINGO
		(quickly but firmly)
	Let's go, Doc.

Doc Boone wipes his forehead with his hands and then with a 
set expression starts to walk towards camera, followed by 
Ringo.

Outside in the dim passage, Dallas speeds urgently down to a 
lighted doorway halfway along. She stops and looks through, 
then hurries into the room. At that moment, Doc Boone comes 
into shot from the foreground, padding unsteadily along the 
passage after her. He goes through the same door and, as he 
disappears inside, Hatfield's shadow falls on the opposite 
wall from where he is standing on guard. Then he steps out 
of the room, looking back over his shoulder.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	A sick woman on our hands!

The remaining passengers are moving with Buck towards the 
warm fire in the large fireplace.

		GATEWOOD
	That's all we needed!

		BUCK
	I... I feel kinda sick myself.

Ringo goes to close the door as Gatewood continues to bluster.

		GATEWOOD
		(raging)
	We're in a fine fix, my friends. 
	It's a fine country we're living in. 
	The Army has no right to leave a 
	public place like this undefended!

		RINGO
		(coming back and 
		silencing him)
	Looks to me like the Army's got its 
	hands pretty full, mister.

As Ringo speaks, standing back to camera in the foreground, 
Dallas hurries into the room. Hatfield can be seen through 
the open door, standing on guard in the passage behind her. 
Dallas hurries up to Chris, who has been bending down beside 
the fire. He stands up.

		DALLAS
	Have you a wife?

		CHRIS
	Si, se�ora.

		DALLAS
	Call her.

Chris goes off, shouting in Spanish to his wife. Dallas turns 
towards Ringo in the foreground, with Buck watching in the 
background.

		DALLAS
		(turning to Ringo)
	Go into the kitchen and get some hot 
	water -- lots of hot water.

		RINGO
	Yes, ma'am.

Ringo turns to go as Dallas hurries off again, leaving the 
men standing in a stunned silence. Just at that moment Doc 
Boone stumbles back into the room, followed by Hatfield. Doc 
Boone wipes his mouth and without a word goes off towards 
the bar, watched by Hatfield and Gatewood. Dallas closes the 
door to the passage behind her.

Doc Boone slouches unhappily against the bar, watched by 
Peacock, who stands in the corner holding his sample-bag 
tightly. Doc Boone, swaying slightly, looks at the nearly 
full bottle in his hand.

Hatfield looks over at him with a kind of suppressed fury.

		HATFIELD
	A fine member of the medical 
	profession!

Cut back to Doc Boone and Peacock at the bar.

		HATFIELD
		(off)
	Drunken beast!

At these words Doc Boone firmly replaces the cork in the 
bottle and presses it home with the palm of his hand. Only 
then does he turn, steadying himself on the bar, to look 
purposefully in Hatfield's direction. He starts taking off 
his jacket.

		DOC
	Coffee... gimme coffee... black 
	coffee... lots of it...

He drops his jacket and staggers off, watched by Peacock 
from the corner.

Dissolve to the station kitchen, where Doc Boone, shirt-
sleeves rolled back, is desperately trying to sober himself 
up. Curly pours him another cup of black coffee from the 
coffee pot on the range while Ringo holds him steady round 
the chest. Doc Boone hands Curly back a tin cup, demanding 
still more coffee; Curly refills it from the pot.

		CURLY
	That makes four, Doc.

Doc Boone drains the tin cup, his face turning purple with 
the effort, but he holds the cup out manfully again.

		DOC
	More, and blacker!

		CURLY
		(looking apprehensive)
	Ain't that enough? You'll have it 
	coming out of your ears in a minute!

		DOC
	Keep'er comin', Curly!

Curly splashes the cup to the brim again and Doc Boone puts 
it to his lips heroically, gasping with the effort.

		RINGO
	Drink it down.

		CURLY
	It'll make you feel better.

Suddenly Doc Boone gasps and looks up at Ringo, clasping his 
stomach.

		RINGO
	All right, now!

He heaves Doc Boone bodily across to the right, where he 
bends over to vomit.

In the lunch-room, Peacock and Gatewood are the only two 
sitting at table eating dinner. Hatfield stands in the 
background guarding the door to the passage. Suddenly, unable 
to contain himself a minute longer, he lunges over to the 
kitchen door behind Peacock and kicks it open.

Standing at the open door, he sees the group within clustered 
round Doc Boone. Ringo holds him over a basin while Curly 
and Chris stand helplessly watching. They all spin round as 
Hatfield shouts.

		HATFIELD
		(yelling)
	Isn't that drunken swine sober yet?

		CURLY
		(retorting)
	We're doing the best we can!

		HATFIELD
		(yelling)
	Well, hurry!

Hatfield stumps off impatiently. Then camera pans left as 
Doc Boone straightens up, puffing, his eyes rolling. Curly 
moves off to the left and throws a glass of cold water in 
his face. Doc Boone blows and splutters, but he urges Curly 
on with a wave of the hand.

		DOC
	That's it! Again!

Curly throws another glass of water in Doc Boone's face, and 
he shakes his head and blows, trying to clear out his 
alcoholic fuddle. Ringo steps back out of the range of the 
water. Then he grabs Doc Boone's arm and pulls him down on a 
seat.

		RINGO
	Sit down here, Doc.

As Ringo wipes Doc Boone's face and head with a cloth, Curly 
urges Chris to the fire.

		CURLY
	Keep the fire going, Chris! Plenty 
	of water!

Chris hurries across to attend to the fire. Curly kneels 
down in front of Doc Boone.

Peacock and Gatewood are seen sitting at the table. Hatfield 
paces up and down behind them, running his fingers impatiently 
through his hair. Suddenly Peacock's face drops and he leaps 
to his feet with a blood-curdling yell.

		PEACOCK
	Savages!

Hatfield and Gatewood spin round, startled, as Chris comes 
calmly through the door of the kitchen.

		CHRIS
	That's my wife...

In the yard doorway stands a full-blooded Apache girl, a 
certain savage beauty in her figure. She stands there like 
an evil shadow, her eyes darting around at the strangers. 
Two Mexican vaqueros stand behind her.

		CHRIS
		(off)
	Yakima.

Peacock is terrified as he quavers to Chris in a high key

		PEACOCK
	But she... she's a savage.

		CHRIS
	Si, se�or, she's leetle bit savage... 
	I think.

Chris speaks to the girl in Spanish, waving his arms.

The vaqueros go off outside and Yakima comes forward from 
the doorway.

The agitated Peacock stands near Gatewood, who is sitting by 
the table. Chris is beside them, addressing Yakima as if she 
were a chattel. The girl slips into the room with the grace 
of a snake and walks through to the kitchen. Hatfield watches 
in the background. Then Gatewood turns sternly on Chris.

		GATEWOOD
	There's something about this. That 
	girl's an Apache!

		BUCK
	Yeah.

He clears a frog out of his throat.

		CHRIS
		(pouring coffee)
	Sure, she's one of Geronimo's 
	people... I think.
		(grinning)
	Maybe not so bad to have Apache wife. 
	Apaches don't bother me... I think.

Peacock appears not at all convinced. But at that moment Doc 
Boone comes through the door and strides towards the passage 
at the back of the room, followed by Curly and Ringo; he is 
a different man now, a good professional, as sober as a judge. 
Everyone turns to watch them as they go.

Cut to a medium long shot looking up the passage towards the 
door of the lunch-room as Doc Boone comes towards camera, 
followed by Ringo and Curly. Hatfield watches them from the 
threshold. Doc Boone dries his hands on a towel, then throws 
it over his shoulder. As the men reach the door of the bedroom 
in which Lucy is lying, he stops and turns back to Ringo and 
Curly. Ringo moves off, but Curly shakes Doc Boone's hand 
sympathetically.

		CURLY
	All right, Doc?

		DOC
		(in a courageous 
		whisper)
	All right.

He turns and disappears through the doorway, watched by the 
men in the passage. Curly turns to go.

Inside the bedroom, Dallas stands waiting with an oil-lamp 
in her hand. Doc Boone pauses in the doorway, holding two 
buckets of hot water. He looks up at Dallas nervously, then 
pulls himself together.

		DOC
		(in a low voice)
	All right, now listen.

He puts down the buckets and wipes his forehead with the 
towel, then goes off to the right as Dallas moves past him 
and closes the door. She comes back and puts the lamp on a 
side table, looking towards Doc Boone, now off-screen.

Cut to Curly standing in the passage, with Ringo and Hatfield 
beside him on the threshold of the lunch-room door. All are 
staring towards the closed door on the left. They stand there 
waiting for whatever is going to happen.

Dissolve to one of the Mexican vaqueros playing a guitar in 
front of the fire outside in the compound. It is night. A 
voice starts to sing, off. Camera pans slowly left to a long 
shot of the horses in the corral. Yakima sits on the fence, 
singing.

Close-up of Yakima singing. She looks over her shoulder as 
if hearing some significant noise, but nothing other than 
the stamp and shuffle of horses can be heard. Still singing, 
she walks towards the Mexicans sitting round the guitar 
player; camera pans right with her and holds as she stops, 
leaning against a wooden post.

Cut to a medium close-up of Yakima singing. Suddenly she 
stops and speaks in Spanish in a low voice, telling them to 
go. The group of Mexicans under the covered shelter by the 
fire get up, wrapping their cloaks around them. Yakima, again 
singing, does not move. The Mexicans go off on the right 
with the guitar player still playing, looking back at her as 
she sings. Cut back to the shot of Yakima singing. Suddenly 
there is the sound of hoof-beats. She listens, a curious 
smile glinting in her black eyes.

Curly, Ringo, Buck and Hatfield come rushing out of the house. 
As they run towards camera, Curly hands Ringo a shotgun. 
Camera tracks in closer as they run forward and stop suddenly. 
The stillness of the night is broken by whooping, and the 
hoof-beats get louder.

From their point of view, we see a vaquero galloping away 
under the gate into the night.

Hatfield, Curly, Buck and Ringo watch impotently.

		BUCK
	It's them vaqueros! They've run away!

A pause.

		CURLY
	Yeah! With the spare horses.

Buck and Ringo look at him worriedly. Then they look back 
towards the corral.

Out on the prairie, where the full moon is rising over the 
mountains, a coyote howls its long-drawn-out cry. It howls 
again, the cry echoing mournfully across the long lonely 
vista. In the gloomy lunch-room, Ringo, lighting a cigarette 
from an oil-lamp, looks up slightly as the coyote howls again.

In the lunch-room the men are sitting around in varying 
degrees of agitation. Hatfield is playing patience at the 
table behind Ringo, who moves away. Suddenly the howl of the 
coyote changes, and we hear, mingled with it, the sound of a 
baby crying. Both men look round slowly towards the door to 
the corridor.

Now we look along the table with Curly and Hatfield sitting 
at the end, Peacock sitting in the foreground and Ringo 
leaning against the chair opposite him. They all look round 
at the door to the passage in the background. The wail comes 
again. Buck edges round into shot at the end of the table.

		BUCK
	Them coyotes gimme the creeps. They 
	sound jest like...
		(again the high wail, 
		louder)
	...jest like a baby.

They look up at him slowly, then Buck looks down at Hatfield's 
patience game and points.

		BUCK
	Black eight!

Hatfield looks down at his game again, but his mind is not 
on it. As they all turn to look down at Hatfield's cards, 
the passage door slowly opens and Dallas appears silhouetted 
against the light. She is holding a bundle in her arms. Slowly 
they all become aware of her. The last trace of hardness has 
vanished from Dallas as she holds the infant in her arms, 
and there is a wonder in her face. She stands a moment in 
the doorway, a smile in her eyes, then comes into the big 
room with the little bundle of wailing life wrapped in a 
bigger bundle of blanket. The men all get up and go towards 
her, surrounding her.

Seen from below through the door from the passage, Dallas 
stands three-quarters back to camera as she holds the baby 
and looks up to the men grouped around her -- Ringo nearest 
camera, then Hatfield, Curly, Peacock trying to see his way 
between Curly and Buck. They all smile tenderly and in 
delight. Curly puts out a finger to touch the new-born child, 
carefully, as if he weren't sure it was real.

The new-born baby, seen close from above, screws up its face.

Dallas, seen in medium close-up from below, is smiling up 
towards Curly, whose hand holds the blanket away from the 
baby's face, while Buck and Peacock look down excitedly. 
Buck is completely overcome; he looks up.

		BUCK
		(amazed)
	It's a baby!

Dallas's voice is as proud as if the child were her own, her 
smile tender and maternal.

		DALLAS
	It's a little girl.

Ringo and Hatfield look down, quite speechless.

		BUCK
		(off)
	It's a little girl. Well I'll be 
	doggoned!

Curly, Peacock and Buck all crowd round Dallas, looking down 
at the baby in Dallas's arms. Dallas is three-quarters back 
to camera and the baby cannot be seen.

		BUCK
		(outraged)
	Why didn't somebody tell me?

Hatfield and Ringo look over at him, off-screen. Hatfield is 
the only one of the group who has not been smiling; his eyes 
are intense with anxiety.

		HATFIELD
	How is Mrs. Mallory?

Cut back to the shot of Dallas, Peacock, Curly and Buck. 
Dallas looks up towards Hatfield.

		DALLAS
	She's going to be all right.

		BUCK
		(grinning)
	Well I'll be doggoned.
		(to Peacock)
	Did you know?

Peacock looks up and is about to say something, then changes 
his mind and looks down at the baby again, grinning. Dallas 
looks up towards Ringo.

Extreme close-up of Ringo staring at Dallas.

Close-up of Dallas smiling slightly as she looks up towards 
Ringo. She looks very beautiful.

		BUCK
		(off)
	Well, I'll be doggoned!

Cut back again to the men crowding round the baby. Dallas is 
still smiling up towards Ringo. Buck looks down at the baby 
and wiggles his finger on his lips, making a funny gurgling 
noise, but Peacock stops him.

		PEACOCK
		(sternly)
	Don't do that.

Buck stops, looking rather put out.

Dallas leaves the men and hurries away with the baby just as 
Doc Boone comes through the passage door into the room. He 
looks weary and terribly sober. As he comes forward the men 
all surround him admiringly; even Hatfield's eyes show a new-
found respect. But Doc Boone seems oblivious of the excitement 
and enthusiasm, heading single-mindedly past the men to the 
bar. Curly comes up and puts a hand round his shoulders; 
Peacock waylays him, standing in his path, and grabs his 
hand, pumping it and staring into his face.

		PEACOCK
		(fervently)
	Doctor Boone!

He seems about to say something else, but obviously words 
fail him. Doc Boone does not reply, but starts to move on 
again, with Peacock holding his arm on one side and Curly 
holding his arm on the other.

Doc Boone takes up the same position he had occupied before 
the emergency where his bottle of whiskey still stands on 
the bar. His face grey and lined. He puts his cigar back in 
his mouth. The others are all jubilant; Peacock and Curly 
smile at him from either side; Hatfield and Buck, also smiling 
broadly, come up and stand by the bar. [Chris takes up a 
position behind the bar.] Doc Boone disregards them and seems 
unaware of anything but his own weariness.

		CURLY
	Come on, boys, three cheers for old 
	Doc Boone! Hip, hip...

		PEACOCK
		(raising a finger)
	Sssssh! Quiet!

Buck and Curly have drawn breath to cheer but Peacock cuts 
them off.

		BUCK
	Well, we ought to be...

		PEACOCK
		(smacking the bar top)
	Quiet!
		(he looks reproachfully 
		at Buck and adds)
	Mrs. Mallory.

They all subside, conceding the point. In the meantime, Doc 
Boone has poured himself a drink and with much relish downs 
it in one. Then he slowly lowers the glass, blows his breath 
out sharply and for the first time looks round at the others 
and grins. Ringo is standing shadowed in a doorway out in 
the passage. Dallas comes out of a door farther down the 
passage, putting a shawl round her shoulders, and walks down 
the corridor away from camera without seeing Ringo. Ringo 
starts to follow her. Just before he reaches her, Chris comes 
out of another door carrying a lamp. Ringo stops.

Chris, seen from the side holding the lamp, stands close up 
to Ringo, his manner secretive.

		CHRIS
		(in a low, warning 
		voice)
	Kid, I know why you go to Lordsburg, 
	Kid. I like you. I knew your poppa. 
	He was a good friend of mine. If you 
	know who's in Lordsburg you stay 
	away... I think.

		RINGO
		(guardedly)
	You mean Luke Plummer?

He lights his cigarette from Chris's lamp.

		CHRIS
	Luke... Ike... Hank... all there 
	together. I saw them.

A wild shine comes into Ringo's eyes and he grips Chris's 
arm eagerly.

		RINGO
	You sure of that, Chris?

		CHRIS
	Sure I can tell you the truth.

As Chris nods, Ringo's eyes gleam.

		RINGO
	Thanks, Chris. That's all I wanted 
	to know.

He moves away towards the door, watched by Chris.

		CHRIS
	You crazy if you go... I think. You 
	stay away, Kid. Three against one no 
	good.

Ringo takes no notice and goes outside. Dallas is seen in 
long shot, standing in the dark compound. In the moonlight 
the vast expanse of desert seems ghostly, yet strangely 
beautiful. Ringo comes into shot from the foreground and 
silently watches her as she walks slowly out of sight. He 
starts to follow.

Cut to low angle medium shot of part of a fence as Dallas 
comes up, walking slowly and thoughtfully past camera, her 
arms folded. The experience of the last few hours has affected 
her deeply, taken all the defiance out of her face and 
softened it into beauty.

Ringo quietly follows her.

Dallas walks along by the fence, followed at a small distance 
by Ringo. She stops and rests a hand on the wood. Thoughts 
of what she might have been seem to be crowding into her 
heart as she stares off into the moonlit distance. Ringo 
calls out to her in a low voice.

		RINGO
	You oughtn't go too far, Miss Dallas.

She turns at his voice and he comes towards her on the other 
side of the fence.

		RINGO
	Apaches like to sneak up and pick 
	off strays.

He leans against the fence and looks down at her. She does 
not look at him at first.

		RINGO
		(conversationally)
	You visiting in Lordsburg?

		DALLAS
	No, I... I have friends there.
		(she turns towards 
		him)
	And maybe I can find work.

She turns to face him properly and suddenly speaks to him in 
a rush.

		DALLAS
	Why don't you escape, Kid? Why don't 
	you escape?

Ringo and Dallas face one another across the fence.

		RINGO
	I aim to, Miss Dallas... in Lordsburg.

		DALLAS
	Why Lordsburg? Why don't you make 
	for the Border now?

Ringo leans forward in close-up.

		RINGO
	My father and brother was shot down 
	by the Plummers. I guess you don't 
	know how it feels to lose your own 
	folks like that.

Cut back to the shot of Ringo and Dallas, as she looks off 
over the moonlit plains. Her voice is dull and flat.

		DALLAS
	I lost mine when I was a kid. There 
	was a massacre in the Superstition 
	Mountains.

He looks at her in surprise, but she is looking back at her 
own dismal childhood.

		RINGO
	That's tough, especially on a girl. 
	[It's a hard country.]

		DALLAS
	You have to live, no matter what 
	happens.

		RINGO
	Yeah, that's it.

They look off for a moment into the moonlit distance, each 
deep in their own thoughts. Ringo is trying to muster courage 
to express what he feels. Finally he turns to her, with his 
voice, at first awkward and halting, growing in emotion.

		RINGO
	Look, Miss Dallas...

Close-up of Ringo.

		RINGO
	...you got no folks... neither have 
	I. Maybe I'm taking a lot for 
	granted... but I watched you with 
	that baby... that other woman's 
	baby... and you looked...
		(he grins)
	...well...

Close-up of Dallas.

		RINGO
		(off)
	...but... well... I still got a ranch 
	across the Border. It's a nice 
	place... a real nice place... trees... 
	grass... water... a cabin half-
	built...

Close-up of Ringo.

		RINGO
	...a man could live there... and a 
	woman.

Dallas's eyes are brimming with tears, as she looks up at 
Ringo.

		RINGO
		(off)
	Will you go?

Dallas looks at him as if she cannot believe her own ears.

		DALLAS
	You don't know me! You don't know 
	who I am!

Dallas and Ringo face one another in profile.

		RINGO
	I know all I want to know. You're... 
	the kind of girl a man wants to marry.

They stare at each other for a few moments, then Dallas turns 
away.

		DALLAS
		(tearful)
	Oh, don't talk like that!

Dallas, overcome by the rush of feeling that possesses her, 
gathers up her skirt and dashes off.

Curly is now seen approaching from the house. His voice, 
when he speaks, is gruff with suspicion.

		CURLY
	What you doin' out here, Kid?

We look along the fence, with Ringo on one side and Dallas 
hurrying away on the other. She stops at the sound of Curly's 
voice, then moves off as Curly strides up to Ringo.

		CURLY
	Stick close to the reservation.

Fade out. 

Fade in to a room at the Apache Wells Station. It is early 
next morning. The men of the party are bunked down on the 
floor in various positions. Suddenly a voice galvanizes them 
into action.

		CHRIS
		(Shouting off)
	Curly!

He rushes in.

As he opens the door, the daylight coming through the doorway 
lights up the people in the room. Everybody sits up. Curly, 
who is lying by the door, looks up at Chris.

		CURLY
	What's wrong, Chris?

		CHRIS
		(excitedly)
	My wife, Yakima. She run away.

Ringo and Curly sit, looking up towards Chris, off-screen. 
Curly is holding a gun.

		CHRIS
		(off)
	When I wake up she's...
		(making a wide gesture 
		with his hand)
	...gone.

Curly moves his leg and yanks Ringo across with him. We see 
that they are handcuffed together round the ankles.

		CURLY
		(apologetically)
	'Scuse me, Kid.

He pats Ringo's leg and turns to Chris again, growling at 
him reassuringly.

		CURLY
	The way you come bustin' in here 
	you'd think... we was bein' attacked. 
	You can find another wife, Chris.

		CHRIS
		(off)
	Sure I find another wife. But she 
	take my rifle and my horse! I never 
	sell her, I love her so much.

Doc Boone sits up on the bar buttoning his trousers. Chris 
addresses him passionately.

		CHRIS
	I beat her with the whip and she 
	never get tired!

		DOC
	Your wife?

		CHRIS
	My horse! Find wife easy, yes, but 
	not horse like that!

Gatewood and Hatfield are sitting in a corner of the room. 
Hatfield looks elegant, even in his prematurely disturbed 
sleep. Gatewood stands up; an awful thought has struck him.

		CHRIS
		(off)
	Mala Yakima!

		GATEWOOD
	I knew that woman was a thief.

The words are no sooner out of his mouth than he starts 
stumbling about, feeling all around for something. It is 
obvious that his bag has gone. Curly looks over at him from 
his place on the bunk.

		CURLY
		(suspiciously)
	What's the matter with you, Gatewood?

Hatfield gets up and moves away as Gatewood shouts 
frantically.

		GATEWOOD
	My valise! Where's my valise?

In a general shot of the room, everyone is looking round 
towards Gatewood as he shouts off-screen.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	Which one of you has got it?

Buck, sitting down on the floor near Doc Boone and Chris, 
holds up the valise.

		BUCK
	Here. I been usin' it for a pillow. 
	Thought you wouldn't mind.

Gatewood rushes into shot and grabs the valise, standing 
threateningly over Buck.

		GATEWOOD
	Didn't I tell you to keep your hands 
	off my things?

		BUCK
	Well, I'm sorry I...

No one speaks. Buck starts to get up.

Buck is now standing up in front of Doc Boone, with Chris 
visible standing near the door. Buck sticks out his tongue 
rudely at Gatewood, who is off-screen, and then moves off 
towards the door, looking back at Chris as he goes. An 
unpleasant thought has struck him too.

		BUCK
	That squaw of yours will find some 
	Apaches and bring 'em back here.

		CHRIS
		(indignantly)
	My wife's people they won't bother 
	me... I think.

		BUCK
		(wheezily)
	They bother me... I think!

He goes out.

Chris turns back to Doc Boone. Doc Boone is sitting on the 
bar and pats it with his hands stiffly.

		DOC
	Chris... is this bar open?

		CHRIS
	Sure, all the time, se�or, si.

Doc Boone jumps down, and as he lands on the floor it is 
obvious that the short jump has jarred every bone in his 
body. Camera pans slightly right as Chris goes round behind 
the bar and gets out a bottle and a glass for him. Doc Boone 
turns round towards him and uncorks the bottle.

Gatewood, puffing angrily, puts on his jacket. Curly, who is 
standing by him, is still dressed only in his shirt-sleeves. 
Hatfield can be seen in the background, leaning against the 
doorpost and looking through the open door.

		GATEWOOD
		(impatiently)
	What are we wasting time for? Let's 
	make a break for it.

		HATFIELD
		(staring at him coldly)
	We got a delicate woman to consider.

		GATEWOOD
	Well, do you want her to stay here 
	and be butchered, with the rest of 
	us?

Ringo comes into shot and stands with Curly facing Gatewood.

He sits down preparing to put on his boots as Hatfield and 
Gatewood continue to shout at one another.

		HATFIELD
	Why don't you think of anyone else 
	for once?

		GATEWOOD
		(shouting)
	Are you insinuating...?

Curly intervenes.

		CURLY
	Easy, easy, easy! Quiet, boys, quiet.
		(Gatewood stalks off)
	We ain't butchered yet. But you're 
	right...

Ringo looks up.

		CURLY
		(off)
	...we'd better get goin' for Lordsburg 
	soon as we can.

Ringo looks towards the door of the corridor, then back 
towards Curly, off-screen.

		RINGO
	Might be a good idea, Curly, if -- 
	uh...

Doc Boone is standing at the bar, drinking, with Gatewood 
beside him and Buck in the background.

		RINGO
		(off)
	...if Doc took a look at the patient.

		BUCK
		(grinning)
	Yeah, and Little Coyote.

Gatewood gets himself a glass and pours himself a drink. He 
holds out his glass to Doc Boone.

		GATEWOOD
		(clearing his throat)
	If you'll join me, Doctor...

He drinks.

Doc Boone looks at him, then shakes his head.

		DOC
	No thanks.

Camera pans left with Doc Boone as he moves away from the 
bar, leaving Gatewood drinking on his own. The pan continues 
as Doc Boone passes the fireplace where Peacock is standing. 
He throws his drink into the flames. The fire roars up and 
Doc Boone goes out of shot, watched by a rather startled 
Peacock, who looks round towards the bar, then down at the 
flaring grate. 

Dissolve to a close-up of Lucy in the bedroom. Her head is 
propped up on the pillow and Dallas's hands are in shot 
braiding her hair.

The bedroom is now seen in medium shot. Lucy lies in bed, 
with Dallas sitting on the bed beside her. The door in the 
background opens and Doc Boone comes in cheerily.

		DOC
	Good morning.

Dallas gets up and goes to close the door as Doc Boone stands 
at the end of the bed looking down at Lucy.

		DOC
	You're looking chipper today.

Now Doc Boone is seen in close-up as he looks quietly at 
Lucy, then turns his head towards Dallas, both off-screen.

		DOC
	You're up early, Dallas.

Dallas is leaning against the wall by the door. She looks 
pale and drawn. Her cloak has dropped away from her chest 
and she draws it up again, but does not reply.

Close-up of Lucy, who knows better.

		LUCY
	She didn't go to bed, Doctor.

Close-up of Doc Boone, looking down at Lucy.

		LUCY
		(off)
	I'm afraid she sat up all night, 
	while I slept.

His eyes flick up towards Dallas again.

Close-up of Dallas.

		DALLAS
		(apologetically)
	Oh, I slept in the chair a lot.

Close-up of Doc Boone looking at her. He does not believe 
her. Doc Boone and Dallas are now seen in medium shot across 
the room. Dallas moves away from the wall and crosses the 
room behind Doc Boone as she speaks.

		DALLAS
	Well, it was nice to stay awake and 
	hold the baby.

Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he goes across to the 
bed where the baby is lying next to Lucy. He bends down to 
look at the baby.

		DOC
		(poking the baby)
	We've got to get you to Lordsburg, 
	Little Coyote.
		(he chuckles as Lucy 
		looks at him, puzzled)
	That's what the boys christened her 
	last night from the way she squalled.

The baby is shown close from above, asleep in the bed.

		DOC
		(off)
	Little Coyote. How do you feel?

		LUCY
	Fine, Doctor. A bit tired.

Doc Boone is now seen bending over the bed, with Lucy lying 
on the pillow below him.

		LUCY
	Doctor, do you think my husband...

		DOC
		(cheerily)
	Never mind. The best medicine he can 
	have is to see you two safe and sound. 
	You make up your mind to get there.

		LUCY
		(quietly)
	I have, Doctor.

		DOC
	That's the talk. You need more 
	strength. Rest all you can. Dallas, 
	maybe you can fix up some broth.

		LUCY
		(indicating a plate 
		and cup on a chair)
	She has already.

		DOC
	Good!
		(to Dallas)
	How about some coffee for the boys?

He gets out a cigar.

Dallas, who is sitting down beside the window, nods and gets 
up wearily.

		DOC
	Try and sleep for a while, little 
	lady.
		(he beams at her 
		teasingly)
	And don't look so proud. I've brought 
	hundreds of 'em into the world...
		(a pause)
	...once upon a time, and each new 
	one is always the prettiest.

He goes out and Lucy watches him go.

In the passage outside the bedroom Dallas stands against the 
wall waiting for the doctor as he comes out to go towards 
the lunch-room. She calls to him, her voice low and intense.

		DALLAS
	Doc...

He turns back and comes towards her, leaning on the wall 
opposite her

		DALLAS
	...Ringo asked me to marry him.

Close-up of Dallas.

		DALLAS
	Is it wrong, for a girl like me? If 
	a man and woman are in love, it's 
	all right, ain't it, Doc?

Doc Boone frowns back at her.

		DOC
		(quietly)
	You're going to get hurt, child, 
	worse than you've ever been hurt. 
	Don't you know that boy's headed 
	back to prison?
		(She is silent and he 
		goes on)
	Besides, if you two go into 
	Lordsburg...

Cut back to Dallas listening worriedly.

		DOC
		(off)
	...together, he's going to find out 
	all about you.

She stares at him, then makes an inward decision.

		DALLAS
		(quietly)
	He's not going to Lordsburg.
		(after a pause)
	All I want is for you to tell me 
	it's all right.

Doc Boone looks at her with a depth of understanding. There 
is something regretful in his eyes; they see that Dallas is 
on ice that is too thin.

		DOC
	Who am I to tell you what's right or 
	wrong, child? All right, go ahead.

Close-up of Dallas.

		DOC
		(off)
	Do it, if you can. Good luck.

		DALLAS
		(almost with tears in 
		her eyes)
	Thanks, Doc.

He looks after her for a moment as she hurries away down the 
passageway, goes out through the door at the end and closes 
it behind her, then himself turns to go back to the lunch-
room.

In the lunch-room, the men are gathered in a tense group. 
Hatfield leans against the bar with his back to the others; 
Gatewood stands at the end of the bar drinking. Ringo is 
near the fire, where Buck is busily gathering up his things. 
Curly joins the rest as Doc Boone appears and taps Ringo on 
the shoulder.

		DOC
	Ringo...

		CURLY
		(interrupting)
	Well, Doc?

		DOC
	Both doing fine. She's a real 
	soldier's wife, that young lady.

He goes over to the bar and picks up his bottle and glass. 
Gatewood and Doc Boone are now seen at the end of the bar, 
with Buck behind them near the door.

		GATEWOOD
		(eagerly to Curly)
	That means we can go.

		DOC
		(pouring a drink)
	Not for a day or so, if you want my 
	professional opinion.

		GATEWOOD
	What do you mean a day? Stay another 
	day? Why?

		DOC
	Where were you when the stork came 
	last night, Gatewood?

Hatfield adds his support.

		HATFIELD
	I refuse to allow Mrs. Mallory to 
	travel until she and the child are 
	out of danger.

Gatewood looks furious.

		GATEWOOD
	What d'you mean 'danger'? Aren't we 
	in worse danger here?

Peacock intervenes nervously.

		PEACOCK
		(clasping his hands)
	I don't wish to intrude... I've had 
	five children...
		(coughing)
	...I mean my dear wife has... and... 
	much as I dislike to say it at this 
	hour of our trial, I... ahem... I 
	believe the doctor is right.

In the group, Hatfield is leaning back against the bar, Curly 
is standing a little apart in the middle of the room, and 
Doc Boone by Gatewood at the end of the bar. The doctor 
strikes the top of the bar with one hand.

		DOC
	Spoken like a man, Reverend.

		GATEWOOD
	I say we've got to get out of here 
	before the Apaches find us. That's 
	common sense!

Hatfield turns to Gatewood as Doc Boone walks away to the 
door into the yard, through which Ringo has now disappeared.

		HATFIELD
		(vehemently)
	I wish you were ten years younger, 
	Gatewood!

		GATEWOOD
	Don't let my white hairs stop you!

Buck and Curly move forward and intervene.

		CURLY
	Quiet! Quiet!

		BUCK
		(petulantly)
	Now, Curly, I haven't said a word.

Gatewood moves away.

		CURLY
		(shouting at Buck)
	Will you shut up!

Buck waves his hands in frustration and moves away as Curly 
tries to make everyone see reason.

		CURLY
	If we argue this thing out right 
	we'll get somewhere. Now let's all 
	sit down and talk sensible.

The station-house door is seen from the outside, as Doc Boone 
comes out puffing on his cigar.

		CURLY
		(continuing, off)
	Come on, Buck, sit down.

Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he shuffles forward and 
joins Ringo, who is busily tying his neck scarf.

		DOC
		(to Ringo)
	In that case you better make yourself 
	useful, my boy. There's a young woman 
	out in the kitchen. She's making 
	coffee. She needs help.

		RINGO
	Thanks, Doc.

Ringo starts to move away, camera panning slightly with him, 
but Doc Boone grabs him by the arm. Ringo turns towards him 
and they stand facing each other a moment.

		DOC
	Say, Kid, how old were you when you 
	went to the pen?

		RINGO
	Oh well, I was going on seventeen.

Ringo goes off, leaving Doc Boone looking after him. Doc 
Boone sticks his cigar into his mouth and then puts his hands 
into his trouser pockets and stands, looking thoughtful, for 
a moment.

Dallas is at the range in the kitchen, grinding coffee. Ringo 
comes through the door at the back and stands leaning against 
the doorpost looking at her. She does not notice him. He 
waits there awkwardly for a moment and then speaks, self-
consciously polite.

		RINGO
	Mornin', ma'am.

Dallas looks up towards him.

		DALLAS
	Good morning.

Camera pans slightly left as she picks up the coffee-grinder 
and goes across to the stove and starts spooning the coffee 
into the big coffee pot. Ringo comes forward and stands behind 
her, holding his hat.

		RINGO
		(shifting his weight 
		hesitantly)
	I laid awake most the night wondering 
	what you'da said if Curly hadn't 
	busted in. Guess you was up too. I 
	could hear you movin' around.
		(a little awkwardly)
	You didn't answer what I asked you 
	last night.

Dallas goes on measuring the coffee in the pot. Finally she 
stops what she is doing and drops her hands onto the stove. 
Close-up of Dallas as she swings round to face Ringo.

		DALLAS
		(her voice growing 
		urgent as the words 
		pour out)
	Look, Kid, why don't you escape? 
	There's a horse out there in the 
	corral.

Cut to a reverse medium close-up with Dallas in the foreground 
three-quarters back to camera and Ringo facing her.

		DALLAS
	Curly won't go after you... he can't 
	leave the passengers in this fix!

		RINGO
	But I got to go to Lordsburg. Won't 
	you go to my ranch and wait for me?

Dallas looks at him intensely.

		DALLAS
		(bitterly)
	Wait for a dead man?
		(she turns away)
	You haven't got a chance.

Dallas goes back to her coffee-making, leaving Ringo standing 
awkwardly behind her.

		DALLAS
	It was three against one when the 
	Plummers swore you killed their 
	foreman and got you sent up. It'll 
	be three against one in Lordsburg.

		RINGO
	There's some things a man just can't 
	run away from.

Camera pans round slightly left as Ringo comes towards camera 
and sits down in the foreground by the stove, partly out of 
shot.

		DALLAS
	How can you talk about your life and 
	my life when you're throwing 'em 
	away?
		(vehemently as he 
		comes to her)
	Yes, mine too! That's what you're 
	throwin' away if you...

Ringo sits on the window-sill, looking at her.

		DALLAS
		(off)
	...go to Lordsburg!

		RINGO
		(helplessly)
	What do you want me to do?

Dallas leans forward urgently from the stove towards Ringo, 
while he looks at Dallas in confusion.

		DALLAS
		(pleadingly)
	Would it make us any happier if Luke 
	Plummer was dead? One of his brothers 
	would be after you with a gun. We'd 
	never be safe. I don't want that 
	kind of a life, Ringo.

		RINGO
		(slowly)
	I don't see what else I can do.

		DALLAS
	Go now... get away... forget 
	Lordsburg... forget the Plummers. 
	Make for the Border and I'll come to 
	you.

She pleads intensely.

		RINGO
	You mean that?

		DALLAS
	I do, I do!

		RINGO
	Won't you come along with me?

		DALLAS
	I can't leave Mrs. Mallory and her 
	baby. I'll come to you from Lordsburg. 
	I swear it.

Dallas leans against the stove watching Ringo as he gets up 
from the window-sill. He looks round the room and then back 
again at Dallas, trying to adjust his mind to this tremendous 
change.

		RINGO
	I oughta have a rifle.

		DALLAS
	I've got one right here.

Camera pans right as Dallas rushes across the room and moves 
a coat from a rack of pegs on the wall, which is hiding a 
rifle. She takes it down.

		DALLAS
		(eagerly)
	I got it for you last night, while 
	you were all asleep.

Ringo stares at her in wonder.

		RINGO
		(as he takes it)
	You thought of this last night?

		DALLAS
	Yes, don't ask any more questions, 
	not now!

Ringo cannot take his eyes from her excited face. She is a 
complete wonder to him.

In the lunch-room, Curly stands holding a council of war 
round a large pine table, where Hatfield, Gatewood and Peacock 
are seated. The plaintive Buck stands beside Curly.

		BUCK
	Oh gosh, Curly, there ain't no Apaches 
	behind us. We can still go back to 
	Tonto.

		GATEWOOD
		(hitting the table 
		with his fist)
	No! I insist we go on to Lordsburg.

		CURLY
	What do you think, Chris?

Doc Boone is standing at the bar with Chris on the other 
side facing camera.

		CHRIS
	Geronimo between here and Lordsburg, 
	with my horse... I think.

		DOC
		(raising his voice in 
		song)
	'My horse is young, she has gone 
	astray...'

Chris covers his ears.

Curly and Buck are seen close from below.

		BUCK
	Quiet. This is a serious matter, 
	ain't it?

Doc Boone looks from the bar over his shoulder at the others, 
off-screen.

		DOC
		(raising his glass)
	Buck -- if I have only one hour to 
	live, I'm going to enjoy myself.

He drinks.

		PEACOCK
	Doctor, I don't begrudge you my 
	samples, but...

		BUCK
		(interrupting, wagging 
		his finger at Peacock)
	Now you hush -- I stood enough of 
	you. Now this is a serious problem 
	and I'm the only one who is talking 
	sense. Now if Curly...

Cut back to the shot of Buck and Curly as he interrupts Buck.

		CURLY
	Once we get across that ferry we'll 
	be all right.

Cut to a medium shot of the five round the table.

		CURLY
	The question is, what we gonna do 
	about the lady and her baby?

Curly goes towards the door to Lucy's room.

		HATFIELD
	Doctor Boone has settled that for 
	us, suh. I demand respect for his 
	professional opinion.

Doc Boone is seen at the bar, spinning round.

		DOC
		(looking up in surprise 
		at Hatfield)
	Hatfield!

Hatfield is now seen from below, sitting at the table playing 
patience, with Curly standing behind him and looking through 
the door into the corridor. Suddenly Curly remembers.

		CURLY
	Ringo.
		(turning back urgently)
	Ringo!

Camera pans slightly right as Curly rushes off down the 
passage shouting for Ringo.

Dallas and Ringo are outside in the corral, leading a saddled 
horse out from under the covered shelter. Dallas hands Ringo 
the rifle, which he sticks in the saddle-boot as he prepares 
to mount. They look at each other for a moment. They have no 
words for the things they feel. It is all in their eyes.

		DALLAS
	Hurry, Ringo, hurry!

He takes one last look at her, then digs his spurs into the 
mustang and the horse leaps forward. Camera pans left slightly 
as he canters off, leaving Dallas watching him ride away, 
her arm lifted in a little gesture of farewell.

Pan left with Ringo as he rides his horse hard, jumping the 
fence that rings the compound and galloping to the top of a 
rise a hundred feet away. As he tops the rise, galloping 
straight forward, he suddenly sees something that makes him 
saw on the bit. The horse comes to a dead stop as if it had 
four-wheel brakes. He dismounts again, looking around.

Dallas is watching anxiously from outside the corral. Her 
arm is still half-up in her incomplete gesture. From behind 
her comes Curly's voice.

		CURLY
		(off)
	Ringo!

Curly rushes into shot coming round the corner of the house. 
Dallas looks round and sees him coming; he is holding a gun. 
He rushes off in the foreground, shouting. Terror comes into 
Dallas's face and she cries out.

		DALLAS
	Ringo, don't stop! Go on, go on!

Curly rushes off after her.

Buck comes running out of the house after Curly, followed by 
Doc Boone. Buck stops at the end of the stagecoach and watches 
as Dallas goes on shouting.

		DALLAS
		(screaming, off)
	Keep riding!

Ringo's riderless horse comes cantering back into the 
compound, jumping the little fence by the wall. As it goes 
off, Dallas rushes into shot, shouting at Ringo.

		DALLAS
	Ringo, go on, go on, don't stop!

She is closely followed by Curly. Camera pans left with them 
as he catches up with her and she grabs his arm desperately, 
trying to stop him; but he throws her roughly to the ground 
and runs off towards the desert.

Ringo is standing motionless at the edge of the desert which 
stretches out beyond him, staring into the distance. Curly 
charges into shot and grabs him, taking his fists to handcuff 
them. Curly is hopping mad, but Ringo holds out his wrists 
calmly.

		RINGO
	You don't need them, Curly. I'm not 
	running away.

		CURLY
		(with an angry scowl)
	I'll say you ain't!

He snaps the cuffs.

		RINGO
		(nodding past Curly)
	Look at them hills.

Just then Dallas comes tearing up and grabs Ringo's arms 
wildly. She sees what they see in the distance, and stops 
struggling.

Curly steps forward, a look of real concern on his face. 
From a distant summit far across the desert, a thin white 
spiral of smoke is rising into the still air. It is 
interrupted sharply. Then another puff rises, like a 
telegraphic flash.

Curly turns back to look at Ringo.

		CURLY
	Apaches?

Ringo's jaw tightens.

		RINGO
		(nodding)
	War signals.

Dallas clings even more tightly to Ringo's arm. A look of 
despair comes into her eyes; she stands there, beyond all 
speech, beyond all hope now, as the scene dissolves. 

The passengers are all gathered round the stagecoach in the 
yard, prepared to set off once again. Camera pans right with 
Hatfield as he carries Lucy up to the stagecoach, followed 
closely by Doc Boone. They all help Lucy inside. Dallas 
follows them into shot; she has the swaddled baby held tight 
to her breast.

Dissolve to a high angle medium long shot of the stagecoach 
galloping out through the gate away from camera, going towards 
the hills in the distance.

Dissolve to the stagecoach galloping round the foot of a 
hill in another part of the prairie and disappearing into 
the distance. Dissolve to Buck and Curly sitting side by 
side on the driving-box. Buck is working to get all he can 
out of the horses; Curly sits alert with the rifle across 
his knees. As Curly scans the horizon, Buck, without turning 
his attention from the horses, calls to him.

		BUCK
	Don't you think you oughta take them 
	cuffs off the Kid? He's mighty handy 
	with a gun.

		CURLY
		(growling back loudly 
		without turning his 
		attention from the 
		dangerous horizon)
	You drive them hosses! I'll take 
	care of the Kid.

Curly keeps looking round the whole time, his gun at the 
ready.

Inside the coach, it is very crowded. Doc Boone is sitting 
on the floor, Peacock is squashed into one corner, while 
Gatewood, seen almost in back view, leans heavily on Doc 
Boone as he yells out of the window.

		GATEWOOD
	Can't you drive any faster?
		(he pulls his head in 
		and addresses the 
		group)
	Thick-headed lout! We've got to make 
	that ferry!
		(bitterly)
	A man works all his life to get hold 
	of some money so he can enjoy life 
	and then runs into a trap like this.

He takes off his stiff collar.

		PEACOCK
		(starting and leaning 
		towards Gatewood 
		nervously)
	A trap, brother? You mean the Apaches? 
	There's been no sign of them.

		GATEWOOD
		(yelping at him)
	You don't see any signs of them! 
	They strike like rattlesnakes.

Gatewood, his fear making him belligerent, glares at Hatfield, 
off-screen.

		GATEWOOD
	If you hadn't insisted...

Hatfield is sitting in the corner with Lucy's head on his 
lap.

		GATEWOOD
		(Off)
	...on waiting for her...

Lucy looks round.

Ringo is sitting on the floor against the door, his hands in 
their cuffs laid carelessly across his knees.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	...we'd have been across the ferry 
	by this time.

Hatfield cradles Lucy's head in his arms.

		HATFIELD
		(his eyes burning)
	You talk too much, Gatewood.

Gatewood's edginess is making things uncomfortable for Peacock 
sitting beside him, and for Doc Boone squashed down on the 
floor, only his head and shoulders in shot.

		GATEWOOD
		(with a snap)
	Your threats don't faze me, Hatfield.

Cut back to the close shot of Hatfield and Lucy. Lucy starts 
to sit up.

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	You're nothing but a tinhorn gambler.

		HATFIELD
		(leaning forward, 
		murder in his eyes)
	How would you like to get out and 
	walk?

Cut back to the same shot of Gatewood, Peacock and Doc Boone.

		GATEWOOD
	You can't put me out of a public 
	conveyance!

		DOC
		(placatingly)
	Gentlemen! Gentlemen!

Ringo looks up.

		RINGO
	Take it easy, Gatewood. We may need 
	that fighting before we get to the 
	ferry.

Now back again to Gatewood, Peacock and Doc Boone.

		GATEWOOD
		(angered by the boy's 
		tone, looking at the 
		handcuffs)
	You wouldn't be much good in a fight, 
	you jailbird.

Ringo just looks at him with a thin smile and says nothing.

		HATFIELD
		(off)
	Oh, leave the kid alone. He's 
	handcuffed.

		PEACOCK
		(off)
	Gentlemen, please!

Peacock sits by the side of Dallas, who holds the baby.

		PEACOCK
		(meekly)
	Let's not forget the ladies, bless 
	them.

He looks at the baby.

Dallas looks at him in grateful surprise.

Dissolve to a medium long shot of the stagecoach toiling up 
some rough dusty ground and going off in the foreground.

Dissolve to a medium shot of Buck and Curly on the driving-
box. They look very happy and Curly leans down to shout 
through the window to the passengers.

		CURLY
	Well, folks, we're coming into East 
	Ferry now.

		BUCK
	Lordsburg next stop!

He giggles.

Dissolve to a long shot of the ferry as seen from the 
stagecoach as it comes down the road. In the foreground there 
are some dark posts and fencing. Smoke wafts across the 
screen. The horses canter in, and camera pans left and tracks 
back as they pull into the open space in front of what was 
once the ferry building, now engulfed in flames. East Ferry 
is a scene of desolation; there is no one around, the houses 
are in ruins, burned to the ground. The stagecoach stops in 
the centre.

Buck and Curly are seen from the side on the driving-box. 
Buck and hardly speak for fright as he suddenly notices the 
ferry ahead of them.

		BUCK
	Curly, look! Look at the ferry.

Long shot looking across the still water of the river where 
the ferry lies burnt and broken on the opposite bank. All 
that remains is the thin cable across the water and the 
smoking ruins of the ferry wharf.

		BUCK
		(off)
	It's burnt too.

Curly jumps down from the driving-box of the stagecoach. 
Ringo jumps out, followed by Hatfield. Curly hands a rifle 
to Hatfield.

		CURLY
	Hatfield, stand guard over there.

Hatfield runs off in the foreground as Gatewood gets out. 
Suddenly everybody starts to talk at once. Gatewood is 
complaining as usual and his tone implies that Curly is 
responsible for the whole predicament. Doc Boone comes out 
of the stagecoach after him.

		GATEWOOD
		(harshly)
	Where's the Army? What are the 
	soldiers doing?

		DOC
	Anything I can do, Curly?

		GATEWOOD
		(at the same time)
	Are they going to let Geronimo do 
	nothing but pillage and burn?

		CURLY
		(putting a hand out 
		to stop Doc Boone)
	Ringo, come here, I need you.

Curly faces Ringo, takes out his key, and starts to unlock 
the handcuffs.

		CURLY
	Will you give me your word you won't 
	try to escape no more?

Ringo holds out his wrists, looking straight into Curly's 
eyes.

		RINGO
	I give you my word... to Lordsburg.

Curly's response is sharp; he jerks his thumb over his 
shoulder.

		CURLY
	Get back in the coach with the women.

Ringo's wrists are still held out and Curly is starting at 
him scornfully. For a moment they fight each other with their 
eyes. Doc Boone can be seen standing on the steps of the 
coach, and Gatewood, as Curly starts to move away from Ringo. 
But the boy holds out his manacled hands and stops him.

		RINGO
	I give you my word.

Dallas calls from inside the coach.

		DALLAS
		(off)
	Ringo, don't!

But Curly immediately unlocks the handcuffs, tosses them up 
into the box, and shouts at Buck at the same time.

		CURLY
	Drive in the river till she's up to 
	the hubs.

Long shot of the stagecoach in the clearing heading for the 
river; one of the burned huts is smouldering in the 
foreground. Camera pans left as the stagecoach moves off 
towards the water behind some rocks.

High angle long shot looking down onto the river from the 
near bank. The stagecoach comes into shot and halts as the 
horses stand on the bank, urged on by Buck.

Hatfield is standing amidst the ruins of one of the huts, 
taking off his cloak. Camera tilts down with him as he bends 
down, to show the body of a woman grotesquely perched on all 
fours, partly scalped. He covers the body with his cloak. 
Then camera tilts up again as he straightens up and stares 
into the distance. Something catches his eye.

In the hilly countryside, all appears to be still.

Hatfield looks anxiously over his shoulder towards the others, 
then back up to the hills again.

Dissolve to the side of the stagecoach, seen from behind. 
Curly and Ringo are struggling with a large log which they 
roll towards the stagecoach and begin to lash to the wheels 
and underside of the vehicle. Curly shouts quick instructions 
to Ringo, who hurries off. Buck, on the driving-box, has 
cleared most of the luggage from the top. He picks up Ringo's 
saddle and throws it down into the bushes beside him. Then 
he looks down towards Ringo again and shouts.

		BUCK
	Sorry about the saddle, Kid.

Another angle from above shows Buck with Ringo standing beside 
the horses and Curly by the side of the stagecoach.

		CURLY
	Ready, Kid?

		RINGO
	All set!

		CURLY
	Ready, Buck?

		BUCK
	Oh, I'm ready, Curly.

Curly jumps up onto the driving-box beside Buck, and Ringo 
starts to hurl pebbles at the horses to get them to go down 
into the water.

		CURLY
	Ready, Buck! Here we go, folks.
		(He leans down to 
		shout through the 
		stagecoach window)
	Just sit tight, folks, it'll be all 
	right.

The stagecoach starts to move forward. The camera is in fact 
mounted on top of the stagecoach and it lurches and shakes 
with the vehicle's motion as the horses move forward and 
struggle into the river. Camera swings round to the right so 
that it is shooting straight ahead, looking along the horses' 
backs as they plunge belly-deep into the water.

From the roof of the stagecoach, Buck and Curly are urging 
the horses through the water ahead of them. Curly hurls 
pebbles at them, Buck keeps shouting. Ringo is perched on 
the back of the roof.

Long shot looking over the river to the stagecoach, the horses 
now swimming. The stagecoach is hub-deep in the water, 
floating across on two big logs which have been lashed to 
each side of it and buoy it up.

The heads of the four leading horses are seen just above the 
water as they swim through the river, camera panning left 
with them. The horses are now swimming powerfully and pulling 
the stagecoach across the river. Camera pans across left as 
the horses reach the opposite bank and start to clamber out 
of the shallow water beside the broken ferry.

Dissolve to a medium shot looking along the dusty trail. 
Track along behind the stagecoach as it moves away into the 
distance. Now the coach is entering a new kind of country, 
desolate, with giant cacti pointing fingers up at the 
cloudless sky.

Dissolve to a medium shot of Buck and Curly on the driving-
box, Curly looking back the way they have come.

		BUCK
		(singing happily)
	All aboard for Lordsburg, Lordsburg, 
	Lordsburg...
		(he breaks off)
	Hey, Curly!

		CURLY
		(turns back to him)
	What?

		BUCK
	Do you think I ought to charge Mrs. 
	Mallory's baby halffare?

Curly gives him a look, then goes back to his watch.

A high angle very long shot looking over the desert shows 
the stagecoach like a small toy pressing on alone through 
the desolate expanse towards the mouth of a canyon. It is 
early evening. Buck can be heard, off, shouting at the horses. 
Suddenly, camera pans swiftly across to the rim of the canyon 
wall to reveal a large band of savage-looking Apache Indians, 
their foreheads smeared with white war-paint, lurking in 
ambush, waiting for the stagecoach to enter the canyon below. 
At their centre, looking down into the valley, stands the 
most dreaded figure in the South-west, Geronimo, powerful of 
frame, and with a craggy face that seems to have been carved 
out of red rock.

Another Apache is seen close, with still others of the band 
on horseback behind him.

Now Geronimo is seen from below in front of a group of 
Apaches. One of them points off.

The stagecoach is seen far away and below, as its horses 
gallop along in the middle of the valley. There is little 
cover for miles around. Camera swings round to the left and 
tilts up to the ridge to reveal the Apache warband turning 
away. Most of those on horseback ride out of shot, leaving 
Geronimo and two or three of his warband standing and watching 
them go.

Inside the coach the atmosphere is fairly relaxed and even 
Gatewood makes an attempt at cheerfulness.

		GATEWOOD
	Well, we'll soon be in Lordsburg. 
	Sorry I flew off the handle, Hatfield. 
	Just nervous, you know how it is.

Hatfield eyes him sardonically and says nothing. No hard 
feelings, I hope.

		PEACOCK
		(sitting up, rather 
		proud of himself)
	Well, all in all, it's been an 
	exciting...
		(coughing)
	...but very interesting trip, now 
	hasn't it?

Doc Boone looks up at him from his place on the floor of the 
coach.

		DOC
	Well, now that the danger's past, 
	Mister...

Peacock looks down helpfully, while Gatewood looks on.

		PEACOCK
	Er, Peacock.

		DOC
		(off)
	Ladies and gentlemen, since...

Cut back to Doc Boone on the floor.

		DOC
	...it's most unlikely that we'll 
	ever have the pleasure of meeting 
	again socially, I'd like to propose 
	a toast.

He looks up, then takes the cork out of his bottle and looks 
at each of them in turn.

		DOC
	Major, Gatewood, Ringo... Your health.

		HATFIELD
		(off)
	Thank you, sir.

Doc Boone takes a swig at the bottle, but as he does so there 
is a strange whistling sound and a thudding noise; Doc Boone 
chokes on the bottle, looking up with his eyes wide in 
amazement. He looks round and camera pans swiftly left, now 
showing Peacock and Gatewood. Peacock has an arrow stuck in 
his shoulder. The little man is sitting bolt upright, a look 
of disbelief on his face. He utters no sound as his right 
hand gropes to the arrow and holds it by the shaft, while 
blood pours down his hand. His face is frozen in agony for a 
moment, then, with a slight gurgle, he falls forward, watched 
in horror by Gatewood. Camera tilts down with him as he falls 
across Doc Boone. Doc Boone, now in close-up, leans forward, 
hurriedly trying to remove the arrow. He pulls it out and 
looks down aghast at Peacock.

Buck and Curly are driving along, unaware. A shot rings out 
and Curly looks round anxiously.

A medium long shot looks up a slope to where several Apaches 
are galloping down towards camera, silhouetted against the 
sky. Curly immediately raises his gun and fires twice; the 
shots explode with a shattering report. Buck, in horror, 
urges his horses onwards to renewed effort.

Now the Apaches are seen galloping over the horizon. The 
first one gallops out of shot, but the two that are coming 
over the hill fall, hit by Curly's bullets; camera pans 
slightly right as they roll, slipping down among boulders. 
Yet more Apaches appear behind them.

Buck is yelling at the top of his wheezy voice, urging the 
horses on, and Curly is yelling at Buck. Then Curly turns 
down to the door of the stagecoach behind him.

The ravine is now seen from below and in long shot. The 
Apaches appear at the rim as the stagecoach hurtles through 
the bottom of the ravine, coming towards camera and going 
off to the right.

Three Apaches now zigzag down the side of the ravine on their 
horses and pursue the stagecoach.

The wide flat plain stretches away to the far distant 
mountains on the horizon. The stagecoach speeds away from 
camera as Apaches swarm down the canyon slope, riding wildly 
in pursuit. The noise of yelling and the constant gunfire is 
deafening.

The team of horses is now seen from the roof of the 
stagecoach, with Buck and Curly in back view in the 
foreground. Curly is frantically chucking stones at the horses 
to urge them on.

Track beside the stagecoach to show Buck yelling wildly at 
the horses, as Curly continues to chuck stones at them.

Now track rapidly backwards in front of the pursuing Apaches, 
who gallop across the plain, leaving the canyon far behind.

Buck continues to urge his horses on wildly. Curly removes 
his gun-belt. He yells for Hatfield, and camera pans slightly 
right as the latter emerges from the window of the stage and 
takes the belt from him. While the exchange takes place, 
Dallas peers anxiously out of the window for a moment. Then, 
as Buck goes on screaming at his horses, Curly turns back 
and settles himself on the box, taking aim backwards over 
the roof of the stagecoach.

The Apaches, some with bows and arrows, some with old rifles, 
and a few with lances and buffalo-hide bucklers on their 
arms, are riding furiously, gaining ground on both sides of 
the stagecoach. They are still behind, but their intention 
is plain... to come alongside on both sides and rake the 
passengers with their fire.

The stagecoach is now going full speed, Buck yelling the 
horses on, Curly shooting over the back of the stage.

The Apaches thunder up in pursuit. One of them falls from 
his horse as the others charge on.

Track in front of the stagecoach, as the door at the side 
opens and Ringo crawls out precariously onto the exposed 
roof. He makes it, crawls forward, and reaches into the boot, 
getting his rifle. An arm appears from the stagecoach window 
firing at the pursuing Apaches. The stagecoach continues to 
hurtle forward, everyone except Buck firing back at the 
Apaches. Loud 'chase' music adds to the noise of gunfire and 
war whoops.

Now pan left with the pursuing Apaches.

Cut back to Ringo sitting upright on the back of the 
stagecoach, seen in profile, aiming down at the pursuing 
Apaches. He fires.

Seen from below, an Apache bites the dust; his gun flies in 
the air.

At the side of the stagecoach, Dallas looks anxiously out of 
the window as two arrows thud into the woodwork just beside 
her. One of the men inside hauls her away from the window.

Track again below and beside the pursuing Apaches.

Inside the coach, Doc Boone is bandaging Peacock's shoulder 
while Gatewood stands in back view in a mad panic. He pushes 
at Doc Boone, trying to get past him to the door.

		DOC
	Gatewood, will you shut up! I've got 
	a patient here!

		GATEWOOD
	Stop this stage! Let me out of here!

		DOC
	Gatewood! Gatewood!

		GATEWOOD
	Let me out of here, I tell you, stop 
	this stage!

As Gatewood continues to struggle, Doc Boone finally puts 
down his dressings and turns towards the hysterical man.

Doc Boone is seen from below, as he suddenly punches Gatewood 
hard on the chin.

		DOC
	You shut up!

Camera pans slightly right as Gatewood sinks down out of 
shot. Doc Boone turns back to his patient again. Through the 
window, the plain seems to fly by.

The stagecoach and the pursuing Apaches are seen in long 
shot from above, all charging towards camera, which tracks 
in slightly as the stagecoach goes off to the left. The 
Apaches chase after it, spread out in a row and firing 
constantly at their target.

From ground level, we see the team of horses and the 
stagecoach charge right over the camera lens, followed by 
some Apaches.

The stagecoach is now seen from the side. Ringo is lying 
full length on the roof, firing out over the back. Curly is 
firing past him from the box. Doc Boone, also holding a 
pistol, is visible at the window. Buck yells wildly at the 
horses, driving for all he is worth. As a bullet whistles 
past him, Doc Boone ducks back slightly.

Track with several of the pursuing Apaches, seen from below.

Ringo is lying on his side, aiming out over the back of the 
coach. He fires.

Track rapidly left with an Apache who falls to the ground as 
he is hit by Ringo's shot. His horse charges off left and 
several other Apaches pass over his body.

Doc Boone leans out of the window of the stagecoach, takes 
careful aim with his pistol, and then fires. Ringo is leaning 
back reloading his gun from the ammunition box, while Buck 
continues to yell wildly at the horses. Doc Boone takes aim 
again.

Lucy, seen in close-up with a scarf round her head, looks 
grimly out of the window. Doc Boone's hand with the gun is 
visible on the left. Lucy winces slightly as the gun fires.

From above the stagecoach, we see Ringo on the roof in the 
centre of shot. The Apaches are clearly gaining ground as 
the men are now aiming more or less sideways out from the 
stagecoach. Ringo and Curly fire, then Doc Boone does the 
same.

Two more Apaches bite the dust, while another gallops past.

Track rapidly out in front of the coach. More gunshots.

Track sideways with the pursuing Apaches.

Track with one Apache who is reloading a rifle as he gallops 
along. Clouds of dust and more Apaches behind.

Track sideways again with several mounted Apaches.

The stagecoach and horses are now seen in medium long shot, 
galloping furiously across the plain to the right. Two Apaches 
approach at the gallop from the left, followed by another 
intercepting from the side.

On the driving-box, Buck yells at Curly, who turns to the 
other side to aim at the intercepting Apaches. He fires.

		BUCK
		(yelling wildly at 
		the horses)
	Come on, get on, ho, go on, go!

Now the Apaches are shown galloping away from camera. One of 
them falls from his horse in the foreground and is dragged 
along by the reins.

On the driving-box, Buck continues to yell wildly at the 
horses while Curly starts chucking stones at them again.

		BUCK
	Get on there, hoa, hoa, go!

From Buck's point of view on the box, the horse team is seen 
galloping wildly along.

Track out in front of the coach, as an Apache on a piebald 
horse draws level with the team, throws away his lance and 
leaps from his own horse onto the leading pair.

Cut back to Buck and Curly, who is now turned towards the 
back of the coach again. Buck, seeing the Apache land on the 
horses off-screen, yells to Ringo.

		BUCK
		(shouting)
	Ringo!

Ringo leans forward behind him and aims across his shoulder. 
Track sideways with the team of horses, the Apache crouched 
on the shaft between the leading two.

Ringo fires across Buck's shoulder.

Cut back to the horses, to show the Apache brave hit and 
falling down onto the shaft between the first pair.

Ringo aims lower and fires again.

Now the Apache falls to the ground between the horses, who 
gallop on over him followed by the stagecoach. They go out 
of frame to the left. Camera holds on the Apache, who 
scrambles painfully up to a kneeling position as more Apaches 
gallop past.

Close-up of Hatfield leaning from the window of the coach.

He aims his pistol, then fires and smiles.

Track left as one of an Apache group bites the dust. Camera 
holds on the body as the others charge off.

Hatfield looks round, teeth bared, then aims again.

Track slightly left as more Apaches gallop past and away 
from camera. Two gunshots; two more Apaches bite the dust.

Hatfield now withdraws inside the carriage for a moment.

Track left with a bunch of Apaches who are catching up with 
the stagecoach, the back wheels of which show on the left.

Low angle close-up of Ringo on the roof of the stage. He 
aims and fires twice.

Cut back to the Apaches close to the stagecoach. Two more 
bite the dust.

Doc Boone is now seen close from below, leaning out of the 
window of the stagecoach and aiming his pistol. He withdraws 
inside again as two bullets hit the door before he can fire.

Now a low angle long shot shows the stagecoach hurtling 
towards camera. The Apaches have now almost drawn level with 
it on all sides.

Doc Boone leans out, aims and fires.

Again we see the back of the stagecoach on the left, the 
pursuing Apaches behind, as one of them bites the dust in 
the foreground. Track slightly left as the horse rolls over, 
then gets up again and gallops off.

A group of Apaches is galloping after the stage, camera 
tracking left and slightly above them. Then pan slightly 
right as the top of the stage comes into view with first 
Ringo, then Curly, taking aim and firing.

Track rapidly left with two of the pursuing Apaches. The 
horse of one of them is shot from beneath him and he is flung 
forward over its neck.

The stagecoach is now seen in three-quarter front view. Track 
rapidly out in front of it, panning slightly at the same 
time to keep it in frame. The pursuing Apaches are now all 
level with the coach.

Track rapidly left with two Apaches. One of them has a rifle 
raised. He aims and fires.

Cut to Buck and Curly on the box. There is the crack of a 
gun and Buck almost pitches off the box as he is hit in the 
arm. He slumps forward with a moan. Curly tries to pull him 
up again, calling to Ringo to help. Ringo sees what has 
happened and crawls forward to aid Curly in pulling him up.

Cut to a low shot as from the front of the stagecoach. The 
reins hang slackly from Buck's hand, off-screen, as the horses 
gallop along.

The men look down helplessly towards the horses. Curly yells 
at Ringo.

		CURLY
		(frantically)
	The leader, get the leader!

The reins of the leader are dragging on the ground. Ringo 
leaps forward between Curly and Buck, letting go of the 
wounded man.

Track sideways with the stage. We see Ringo jump off the box 
onto the back of the first pair of horses. Gunshots scream 
through the air and the music gets louder. Camera pans ahead 
of the first pair of horses as Ringo jumps onto the next 
pair, then onto the head pair. The attacking Apaches can be 
seen through clouds of dust in the background. Having landed 
on the shaft between the leading pair, Ringo scrambles onto 
the back of the nearest horse.

Track with Ringo on the back of the leading horse. He is 
seen in medium close-up and three-quarters back view. He 
gathers up the loose reins and starts to whip the horse on 
with the end of them.

On the box, Buck continues to hang onto the other half of 
the reins with his good hand, feebly urging the horses on, 
while Curly reloads his gun. But it is really Ringo who is 
doing the driving now.

		BUCK
	Go on, go on... go on... go on.

Curly gives Buck a hand dragging on the reins. Hatfield stands 
at the stage window following an Apache round with his pistol, 
off-screen. He fires, but there is a click.

The pistol is empty. Looking horrified, he withdraws inside 
the coach. A gunshot explodes.

Doc Boone is leaning out of the other window, also aiming 
his pistol.

Track sideways with the galloping Apaches, one of them aiming 
a rifle with one hand. He fires.

Cut back to Doc Boone following the Apaches round with his 
pistol. He fires. A click. His gun is also empty. He looks 
desperately round, then calls up to Curly, off-screen.

		DOC
	Curly! More ammunition!

Curly turns round from the box and shows the empty magazine 
of his rifle. He shakes his head.

Doc Boone now looks round in horror. He withdraws inside.

An Apache with a rifle is seen through the other window of 
the stage, drawing closer.

Track with the attacking Apaches. One of them fires his rifle.

Dallas, seen in close-up huddled in the corner of the smoke-
filled stagecoach, clasps the baby to her. A bullet whistles 
through, making a hole in the woodwork. She turns in horror 
to look at it.

Track with the attacking Apaches.

Dallas looks anxiously down at the baby, while the attacking 
Apaches draw ahead, seen through the windows of the stage 
behind her.

The baby is seen close from above, its eyes closed. The 
gunshots continue, off.

Dallas suddenly drops her head forward and buries it 
hopelessly in the baby's shawl.

Hatfield is looking grimly down at his gun, off-screen.

Hatfield's gloved hands are seen, close from above, opening 
the gun. There is one bullet left in the chamber. He spins 
it round to the firing position.

Cut back to Hatfield's face. He looks up and across at first 
Dallas, then Lucy off-screen, his face desperate and forlorn. 
As he raises the gun, camera pans right and tilts down to 
show Lucy huddled in the corner, muttering prayers. Hatfield's 
gun comes into frame on the left, pointing straight at her 
head. A pause, then there is a gunshot off, and the gun drops 
and falls to the ground as Hatfield is hit, off-screen. Lucy 
continues to mutter her prayers, apparently without noticing. 
Suddenly we hear the sound of a bugle and she looks up, hope 
dawning in her eyes.

		LUCY
	Can you hear it? Can you hear it? 
	It's a bugle! They're blowing the 
	charge!

Track right with the bugler and standard-bearer of the U.S. 
Cavalry galloping to the rescue. The bugler turns from side 
to side, sounding the charge, while the music turns to a 
triumphant cavalry theme.

Now we see from above the whole detachment of cavalry charging 
to the rescue, camera tracking right with the horsemen.

Cut to a cavalryman galloping along with the flag, others 
behind him, their sabres drawn.

Now we see the bugler in a high angle close-up, sounding the 
charge at the head of his troop.

In the distance, the stagecoach comes toward camera surrounded 
by the remaining Apaches, while the near cavalry stream 
towards it. The Apaches pull their horses to their haunches 
and begin to scatter and run, as the cavalry charge towards 
them. They flail their ponies with their moccasined feet as 
they head back the way they have come, leaving the horsemen 
behind in a cloud of dust. Ringo leaps from the leading horse 
and holds the team's head, while a small group of cavalrymen 
ride up to the coach.

From the inside, the door of the coach is jerked open and 
Ringo looks in eagerly. His eyes turn to Hatfield off-screen 
and his face falls.

Hatfield is leaning back against the side of the coach, with 
Doc Boone and Lucy supporting him on either side. He tries 
to smile, looking up at Lucy, and she leans down close to 
him, pity in her face. It is an effort for him to speak but 
he manages his last words to her.

		HATFIELD
	If you ever see Judge Ringfield...
		(fighting for breath)
	...tell him his son...

He does not finish his sentence, but closes his eyes and 
slumps forward on Doc Boone's shoulder. We hear the sound of 
the cavalryman's bugle, off.

Ringo is still looking anxiously through the door. Behind 
him the bugler circles round on his horse, still blowing his 
bugle.

Dissolve to medium long shot of the cavalrymen riding in 
formation across the plain. 

Dissolve to a street in Lordsburg, seen from above at night. 
It curves to the left so that one cannot see its full length. 
Oil-lamps light the store and saloon fronts, creating the 
usual Western atmosphere with an eerie effect of shadows 
from stark points of light. There are several buckboards and 
a number of cow ponies hitched to the racks that line the 
street on either side. It is Saturday night and Lordsburg is 
full of ranchers and miners, cowboys, businessmen and diverse 
town characters. There is a thudding of hooves, and around 
the turn in the distance come a group of cavalrymen, their 
horses lathered and their uniforms covered with dust, as 
they sweep past at a trot. Then two quartermaster's waggons 
come round the turn at a sharp trot. As the quartermaster's 
waggons draw near, the uniformed driver pulls the horses to 
a halt in front of the Army building, which is opposite the 
biggest and brightest saloon in town, the El Dorado.

One of the waggons is drawn up in front of the Army building. 
Several Army officers and four or five ladies have been 
waiting on the sidewalk in front of the Army office, and 
they flock to the waggon.

Two cavalrymen, one of them a captain, lift Lucy out; she is 
laid on one of the stagecoach seats. The ladies crowd round 
anxiously. Camera pans left as the cavalrymen carry Lucy 
towards the door.

		CAPTAIN
	Thank heaven you're safe, Lucy.

		LUCY
	Where's Richard? Is he all right?

		CAPTAIN
	He's all right, don't you worry.

Camera holds on a high angle shot of Lucy looking up from 
the stretcher as the ladies crowd round sympathetically.

		FIRST LADY
	It isn't a bad wound.

		CAPTAIN
	We'll take you to him immediately.

		SECOND LADY
	Where's the baby, dear?

Lucy looks up anxiously and everyone turns to look off to 
the right.

Dallas is standing in the doorway of the carriage with the 
baby bundled protectively in her arms. Two cavalrymen, 
standing one on each side of her, help her down the steps, 
and camera pans left as she comes up to the group of waiting 
ladies. A woman dressed as a nurse hurries forward and takes 
the baby away from her.

		NURSE
	I'll take the baby.

Then the woman goes off into the background followed by the 
other women, all cooing over the baby, and Lucy is revealed 
on the left still lying on the stretcher held by the 
cavalrymen.

		LUCY
	Dallas.

Dallas, seen close from below, moves forward, looking down 
at Lucy off-screen.

Lucy's head, seen close from above, lies on the stretcher on 
a pillow. She looks up at Dallas.

		LUCY
	If there's ever anything I can do 
	for...

She falters, lowers her eyes and looks away.

Dallas looks down at Lucy sympathetically.

		DALLAS
	I know.

She takes off her shawl and throws it over Lucy on the 
stretcher.

Lucy looks up at Dallas as she gently draws the cloak over 
her.

		CAVALRYMAN
		(off)
	All right, lady.

Lucy's head goes off at top of frame as the cavalrymen carry 
her away on the stretcher.

Dallas backs away as the cavalrymen move off into the 
background with Lucy. She pauses for a moment looking after 
them, then camera pans right with her as she goes over to 
the waggon and takes down her belongings from inside. She 
starts dusting off her hat, then looks up as a commotion is 
heard, off. Piano music comes from the saloons down the 
street. In the background, more cavalrymen ride across from 
left to right followed by the stagecoach itself, the tired 
horses walking, as some cowboys crowd round to watch. Camera 
pans slightly right as the stagecoach comes towards it.

Two seedy-looking characters are watching, leaning on a rail.

One of them mouths something.

The stagecoach comes forward slowly, seen in three-quarter 
front view with Ringo driving on the box, Buck, his arm in a 
sling, at his side, and Curly on the roof behind.

The two men watch in amazement. One man is thin with a 
drooping moustache, a cigar clamped in his teeth; the other 
is a short, fat little man whose eyebrows are raised in 
childish astonishment.

		FAT MAN
		(with a wheezy gasp)
	It's the Ringo Kid!

Suddenly he turns and rushes away through the crowd behind 
him, hastily followed by the thin man. The other cowboys 
crowd forward to watch.

Ringo is driving slowly, Curly sitting silently beside him. 
The stagecoach moves slowly off, followed by a long procession 
of curious bystanders, mainly cowboys. 

In the El Dorado Saloon, a piano is banging out honky-tonk 
music amid the racket of a frontier saloon on Saturday night. 
Luke Plummer is sitting at a table playing poker, surrounded 
by the other players. A woman leans against his shoulder on 
one side. The last chip has been thrown into the pot.

		LUKE
	Aces and eights.

		COWPUNCHER
		(with a laugh as Luke 
		reaches for the pot)
	Dead man's hand, Luke.

The two rabbity men who were watching Ringo in the street 
rush up to the tables, the fat one coming round beside Luke 
and addressing him.

		FAT MAN
	Ringo Kid's in town.

		THIN MAN
	Yeah, drivin' the stage.

Luke looks up at someone off-screen and we see his face for 
the first time: hard, unpleasant, dangerous. A Mexican in a 
broad sombrero now looks anxiously down at Luke off-screen.

Luke rises slowly to his feet, camera tilting up with him as 
his face moves into shadow. The woman looks up anxiously at 
his side.

		LUKE
	Mis hermanos! (My brothers!)

Cut back to the low angle close shot of the Mexican.

		MEXICAN
	Si, patron, un momento!

He turns and runs off.

Luke stands with his cards in his hands. He looks at them 
for a moment, then throws them down on the table.

A close-up shows the cards lying on the table: two black 
aces and two black eights.

Luke starts to move away.

The saloon is now seen in a reverse angle shot with the table 
in the foreground. Luke moves away from camera, pausing 
briefly to address his fellow players.

		LUKE
	Cash in.

Then he goes over to the bar in the background, his woman 
sidling after him. He puts an arm on the bar and turns back 
towards the room.

Cut on motion to Luke at the bar turning towards the room. 
Another cowpuncher moves past in the foreground as the 
Bartender, a fat man wearing a top hat, places a bottle of 
whiskey in front of Luke and pulls out the stopper. Looking 
rather apprehensive, he produces a glass and Luke pours 
himself a slug of whiskey.

A long line of men stand in profile at the bar, the one 
nearest camera moving out of frame to the left.

Luke puts down the bottle and raises his glass.

Luke, now seen in a low angle close-up, tosses the whiskey 
back in one gulp and swallows.

The men at the bar all look round uneasily and gradually 
start to move away.

Luke looks meanly to and fro.

At the piano at the rear, the pianist is pounding away 
stolidly, gazing at Luke off-screen; the woman stands behind 
him.

Luke looks from side to side with a vicious expression on 
his face, but he is obviously scared and trying to hide it 
under the show of meanness. 

Dallas is still standing out in the street by the Army 
building. Two cavalrymen pass in front of her, carrying a 
stretcher with Hatfield's body on it. She watches it pass, 
then camera pans right with her as she moves towards a waggon, 
from which another stretcher is being taken carrying the 
wounded Peacock. The stretcher-bearers halt as Peacock 
addresses Dallas, holding out his hand to her, which she 
takes.

		PEACOCK
	Goodbye, Miss Dallas. If you ever 
	come to Kansas City, Kansas, I want 
	you to come out to see us.

		DALLAS
	Oh, thanks, Mister... er...

		PEACOCK
	Peacock.

The stretcher is carried off. Camera tracks slightly right, 
then out in front of Dallas as she moves away from the Army 
building. She suddenly stops and peers forward as we hear 
the jingle of a harness off. Seen across a rail fence, the 
stagecoach now comes up the street to join the waggons outside 
the Army building. We can hear the piano from the El Dorado 
Saloon playing somewhere nearby. Two men in shirtsleeves 
hurry up to the stagecoach and numerous bystanders crowd 
around.

		ONE OF THE MEN
	Hello, Buck! You got through all 
	right!

		BUCK
	All right, Bill.

		MAN
	All right, folks, you're all right. 
	Unload.

The door of the stagecoach opens and Gatewood steps out. One 
of the men advances towards him, brandishing a piece of paper.

		MAN
	Here y'are, Doctor, will you sign 
	this?

The door half-closes and then opens again as Doc Boone begins 
to emerge in the background.

Ringo and Buck are seen from below on the box. Buck leans 
forward wearily.

		BUCK
	Well...

		GATEWOOD
		(off)
	Thank you.

		BUCK
	...Lordsburg.

He looks up at Ringo.

		MAN
		(off)
	And you, Doctor.

Curly is now coming forward, holding his rifle and looking 
up at Ringo off-screen.

		MAN
		(off)
	There you are, thank you.

		CURLY
	Well, Kid?

Cut back to Ringo and Buck on the box, as Ringo leans forward.

		RINGO
	Curly, how long'll they give me for 
	breakin' out?

Curly looks up at him.

		CURLY
		(quietly)
	Oh, 'bout another year.

Ringo's expression hardens a fraction. Buck watches him 
anxiously.

		RINGO
		(after a pause)
	You know where my ranch is?

		CURLY
		(off)
	Yeah.

		RINGO
	Will you... see she gets there all 
	right?

Curly is a little surprised.

		CURLY
	Dallas?

Ringo looks straight ahead.

		RINGO
	Yeah. This is no town for a nice 
	girl like her.

He looks down at Curly.

Curly is touched.

		RINGO
		(off)
	Will you do it?

		CURLY
		(slowly and gravely)
	Sure.

At the front of the stagecoach, Doc Boone is visible behind 
the three men. The Sheriff, wearing a large stetson hat, 
comes up, followed by an inquisitive bystander.

		SHERIFF
	How are you, Marshal? Get my man 
	through all right?

He brandishes several pairs of handcuffs.

		CURLY
	I don't need them.

Gatewood, still rankling, taps the Sheriff's arm importantly 
and points up at Ringo, as they form part of a group which 
includes a portion of the crowd.

		GATEWOOD
	If you don't want to lose your 
	prisoner, Sheriff, you'd better take 
	him yourself.

The Sheriff, puzzled by having the driver of the stagecoach 
pointed out to him, turns and looks at Gatewood.

		SHERIFF
	What's your name, mister?

		GATEWOOD
	My name is Gatewood. Ellsworth H. 
	Gatewood.

		SHERIFF
	Gatewood. You didn't think they'd 
	have the telegraph wires fixed, did 
	you?

The Sheriff and a Deputy who has appeared on the left 
instantly leap upon Gatewood, who starts to struggle 
violently. Close-up of Gatewood struggling wildly as the 
Sheriff and his Deputy try to get the handcuffs on him. They 
finally succeed and camera pans left slightly as Gatewood is 
hustled away, followed by a crowd of delighted bystanders. 
As they go, Dallas is revealed standing by the wheels of the 
stagecoach. Soft music. Camera pans right and tracks out as 
she comes forward, to show the stagecoach in medium shot. 
Doc Boone is standing by the door, with the other three in 
their previous positions. Dallas stops by Doc Boone and Ringo 
climbs down from the box. He looks first at Dallas and then 
at Curly on the right.

Ringo and Curly are seen in profile.

		RINGO
	Can I meet you here in ten minutes?

Curly doesn't answer. He just stands looking at Dallas.

		RINGO
	I gave you my word, Curly. I ain't 
	going back on it now.

Curly looks hard at Ringo, then hands him his rifle.

		CURLY
	No ammunition.

Ringo takes the gun and starts to take off his hat.

		RINGO
	I lied to you, Curly.

He takes some cartridges out from the inside of his hat, and 
shows them to Curly.

		RINGO
	I got three left.

He puts his hat on again and walks off.

By the stagecoach, Dallas and Doc Boone stand on the left, 
Curly on the right. Ringo walks towards Dallas, loading his 
gun.

		RINGO
		(to Dallas)
	Come on.

He takes her by the arm and leads her off as Doc Boone walks 
towards Curly.

Track low in front of Dallas and Ringo as they walk off down 
the street. Ringo works the catch on his gun. Slow music.

Doc Boone is facing Curly, with Buck on the box of the 
stagecoach behind them. They all turn and watch the couple 
go.

Stay on tracking shot of Ringo and Dallas, now seen in three-
quarter front view. They pass the saloon. Camera pans slowly 
round so that it is tracking alongside and just ahead of 
them.

By Ringo's side, Dallas fumbles feverishly with her bag.

The doorway of the El Dorado Saloon is seen from behind the 
bar. Luke Plummer stands back to camera on the left at the 
bar. He whips out his pistol as two horses draw up at the 
door and two hard-looking men rush in -- Ike and Hank Plummer. 
They come up to Luke, who puts away his pistol and nods 
towards the door, where a group of bystanders are crowding 
round looking in anxiously. The farthest brother, wearing a 
hat, looks in the direction of Luke's gaze; at the same time, 
he grabs the whiskey bottle and reaches nervously for a glass. 
It clatters over the side of the bar and onto the floor. He 
looks scared at Luke and pours himself a drink. Luke comes 
round beside him and grabs the bottle. The man drinks and 
looks nervously from side to side again.

A line of men at the other end of the bar look on nervously.

Luke and his brother are now shown leaning on the bar in 
profile. They whip round towards camera, reaching for their 
guns as a noise is heard at the door.

Doc Boone wanders in, slamming the saloon door behind him. 
He comes up to the end of the bar facing the three men; he 
puts his black bag on the counter. Then he points at the 
whiskey bottle.

		DOC
	Can I have that?

A pause. Luke Plummer slings the whiskey bottle along the 
counter.

Doc Boone catches the bottle, looking quizzically up at Luke 
off-screen. He reaches for a glass and pours himself a slug, 
then raises the glass, his eyes still on Luke.

Cut back to Luke and his brothers, seen in profile, all 
looking meanly at Doc Boone off-screen.

Cut back to Doc Boone. He puts down his glass and looks 
innocently at Luke.

Cut back again to the Plummer brothers. Luke's face is 
contorted with anger and tension. He looks from Doc Boone to 
the Bartender and back again.

Now the bar is seen slightly from above with Doc Boone in 
back view in the foreground; Luke and his brothers are lined 
against it on the right. The Bartender stands behind the 
bar, still in his top hat, one hand in his pocket. Luke 
stretches out his hand to the Bartender, his eyes still on 
Doc Boone.

		LUKE
	Give me the shotgun.

The Bartender does not react. Luke turns to him and says it 
again, this time louder.

		LUKE
	Shotgun!

The Bartender produces a shotgun from beneath the counter 
and hands it nervously to Luke, who grabs it compulsively, 
smashing several glasses on the counter as he does so. The 
Bartender snaps his fingers at his fat assistant who appears 
on the left. They both go to a large ornate mirror which 
hangs on a wall behind the bar.

Looking anxiously at Luke off-screen, the Bartender and his 
assistant carefully lower the ornate mirror down below the 
bar counter.

Doc Boone and Luke keep on eyeing each other across the bar. 
Camera pans briefly right as the woman, seen earlier with 
Luke, rushes up behind him and seizes him by the arm.

		WOMAN
	Luke, please don't.

Luke thrusts her away savagely, camera panning right again 
as she lands in the arms of another woman and, recovering 
herself, rushes off upstairs.

Ringo and Dallas are still walking down the street, camera 
tracking in front of them. Neither looks at the other. Neither 
says anything. Her feet seem to drag as she walks, as if she 
never wanted to come to their destination. As the sequence 
continues, they walk in and out of shadows while music from 
bars and whorehouses comes and goes. Drunken laughter is 
heard off. They are obviously approaching the sleaziest 
quarter of town.

Pan and track slowly past a cat-house on the sidewalk; a 
girl sits on the steps. Bawdy laughter comes from inside, 
while a 'professor' can be seen pounding the piano through 
the cracked glass of the doorway.

Cut back to Ringo and Dallas still plodding forward. Here 
the music changes to a violin and piano playing a waltz.

Track sideways past a couple of similar establishments, Dallas 
walking ahead of Ringo in the foreground. Then track in behind 
them as they go towards the top of some steps, where Dallas 
halts and looks up at Ringo. Behind her is an alley of sleazy-
looking houses with lighted windows. Dallas looks desperately 
up at Ringo, who is partly visible in back view.

		DALLAS
		(hopelessly)
	Well, Kid, I...
		(she pauses)
	...I told you not to follow me.

Her face is hard and bitter with despair.

Dallas starts to go away down the steps into the alley, as 
Ringo stands watching in the foreground. She breaks into a 
desperate run, then halts as Ringo calls to her.

		RINGO
	Dallas!

She does not turn as Ringo comes down the steps after her. 
Slow music.

Dallas has her hand on the rail as Ringo comes up just behind 
her, too bewildered to say anything. Close-up of Dallas from 
the side looking away from him silently.

Low angle close-up of Ringo looking at her, full of concern.

		RINGO
	I asked you to marry me, didn't I?

Cut back to Dallas seen in profile. She finally turns towards 
Ringo with tears in her eyes.

		DALLAS
		(choking)
	I'll never forget you asked me, Kid. 
	That's something.

		RINGO
		(holding out his 
		wrists, his voice 
		calm)
	See them scars? Handcuffs... Scars 
	wear off, Dallas.

He puts his hands on her shaking shoulders

		RINGO
	I ain't gonna give you a chance to 
	forget me. You wait here.

He turns and strides off to the left. Dallas turns to watch 
him go, looking after him as if she can't believe what she 
has heard. The quiet music ends. 

In the El Dorado Saloon, everybody waits in a tense silence. 
Luke Plummer stands on the left of the bar with his brothers 
Ike and Hank. A card game is going on at a table on the right. 
The door suddenly opens and everybody dives down, their hands 
over their heads, as the Plummer brothers whip round, their 
guns out. Buck appears at the door, his arm in a sling. He 
gives a hoarse shout of fear as he sees the Plummer brothers 
turned towards him, their guns at the ready.

Buck stands at the door, petrified. He waggles his fingers 
placatingly and speaks in a terrified falsetto.

		BUCK
	...Er... er... Ringo said he would 
	be passing this way in six or seven 
	minutes.

He grins again placatingly and suddenly bolts out of the 
door, slamming it behind him.

Cut back to Luke and his brothers, who pocket their pistols. 
Luke swings the sawn-off shotgun into the crook of his arm 
and jerks his head to his brothers.

		LUKE
		(Urgently)
	Come on.

They stride towards the left, camera panning with them, and 
come up against Doc Boone, who has come round from the end 
of the bar to block their way. His tone is amiable, but firm.

		DOC
	I'll take that shotgun, Luke.

Close-up of Luke facing Doc Boone, who is in back view.

		LUKE
	You'll take it in the belly, if you 
	don't get out of my way.

Doc Boone stares grimly at Luke, off-screen.

		DOC
	[If it can stand the kind of whiskey 
	they sell here, it can stand lead.] 
	I'll have you indicted for murder if 
	you step outside with that shotgun.

He holds out his hand as if he were only asking for the wrist 
of a patient.

Luke stares at Doc Boone hard for a moment, then grins.

The two of them stand by the end of the bar, Luke's two 
brothers behind him, the fat Bartender in the background.

Luke tosses the gun on the bar with a clatter.

		LUKE
	Well, I'll tend to you later.

He thrusts Doc Boone brutally aside, camera panning left 
slightly, then strides off, followed by his brothers. Doc 
Boone comes forward to the bar again, grinning; he mops his 
brow and takes the whiskey bottle from the fat Bartender, 
who has come forward and thrust it towards him. He pours a 
slug, drinks it fast, then sets the glass down with a sigh. 
He gasps to the Bartender, who has been watching with bulging 
eyes:

		DOC
	Don't ever let me do that again.

The Bartender grins sympathetically and pushes the whiskey 
bottle towards him again.

In the street outside, Luke's woman is leaning over the third-
floor balcony above the bar.

		WOMAN
	Luke!

She tosses down a rifle. Camera tilts rapidly down with it 
to the sidewalk, where Luke catches it, his brothers standing 
on either side. Luke cocks the gun and they all look warily 
from side to side, then stride off to the left past a lamp.

		LUKE
		(calling up)
	Thanks.

And the three brothers move forward again, scanning the empty 
street ahead of them.

The Plummer brothers come round the side of the saloon, 
looking warily around them. A cat runs across in front of 
them. Medium close-up of the trio. Hank draws his gun and 
fires at the cat.

The cat scuttles away round a corner.

Cut back to the three brothers, as Ike gives a high-pitched 
laugh.

		IKE
	Hank missed him with four feet.

At a street corner, people scatter. A man rides towards camera 
on horseback with two other horses in tow.

Outside the El Dorado Saloon, cowboys are unlooping the reins 
of their mustangs from the hitching posts and leading them 
into corrals. The street is rapidly emptying.

Through the open door of a print shop, we see an old Type-
setter in shirt-sleeves, a green eyeshade on his brow, bent 
over a type box beside an old-fashioned printing press. Track 
in as the Editor hurriedly enters from the street, taking 
off his jacket as he goes. On the window is lettered: 
LORDSBURG SENTINEL. The old Type-setter straightens up as 
the Editor bustles in, and camera holds on them as they face 
each other across the press.

		EDITOR
	Hey, Billy! Billy! Kill that story 
	about the Republican Convention in 
	Chicago. Take this down.

He points out into the street.

		EDITOR
	'The Ringo Kid was killed on Main 
	Street in Lordsburg tonight...'

He slaps his hand on the press and points his finger at the 
surprised Type-setter.

		EDITOR
	'...and among the additional dead 
	were...' Leave that blank for a while.

Camera pans slightly right as the Editor comes forward and 
looks out into the street.

		TYPE-SETTER
		(following him)
	I didn't hear no shooting, Ed.

He puts his hands anxiously on the Editor's shoulders and 
looks out past him.

		EDITOR
	You will, Billy, you will.

Cut to a long shot of the street, a gas-lamp in the 
foreground. Two women scurry across the street, while a 
rancher drives a buckboard hitched to two horses at a tearing 
pace down the street out of town. The street empties as the 
three Plummer brothers, now spread out, stalk warily towards 
camera. Low music. The brothers look behind them as they 
advance, then pause and look round, standing closer together.

Cut to another long shot of the street, where the Plummers' 
shadows loom against the far walls. They walk slowly into 
view. Simultaneously, Ringo appears from the shadow in back 
view in the foreground. Everyone pauses as they see each 
other, then Ringo and the trio start to move slowly towards 
each other.

Ringo is now seen in reverse angle, stalking slowly towards 
camera, his footsteps loud on the board sidewalk in the empty 
night; he comes into a shaft of light, cocking his gun as he 
goes. He goes out of frame to the left.

Now the Plummer brothers are seen from below, stalking 
forward, their guns levelled. The music gets louder. They 
move out of shot.

Ringo is still coming slowly forward in the gloom. The music 
gets louder still, pounding in time with his feet. Suddenly, 
Ringo throws himself to the ground, firing as he goes, then 
feverishly starts reloading his rifle.

Dallas is still standing at the foot of the steps where Ringo 
left her. She turns and looks up anxiously, as a volley of 
shots rings out, echoed by a chorus of screams from the whores 
in the nearby cat-houses. Silence falls. Dallas reacts with 
anguish. She hurries anxiously up the steps towards camera, 
calling Ringo's name as she goes.

		DALLAS
	Ringo... Ringo... Ringo!

She halts at the top of the steps, looks anxiously off to 
the right, then her shoulders droop and she sinks her head 
despairingly down against the post at the side of the steps. 
There is a look of death in her face.

In the interior of the El Dorado Saloon, cowboys are crowded 
round the door, looking out. The door is flung open and Luke 
Plummer stands unsteadily in the doorway. He looks from side 
to side, then advances towards the bar with leaden feet. As 
he reaches the end of the bar, he staggers and falls, grabbing 
at the bar as he goes. He lands on his back, dead. Camera 
tilts down to show his corpse from above.

Dallas stands, dejected and beaten, at the top of the steps, 
her head resting on her hands. Track in as she raises her 
head when slow heavy footsteps are heard off. She rushes 
towards Ringo, as he appears from the right of frame in back 
view, and falls in his arms. Ringo holds her close to him; 
Dallas is crying in earnest now, her throat too full of 
feeling for a word to pass. The music, which has been playing 
softly, now reaches a climax. They stand locked in each 
other's arms.

As they stand clasped in one another's arms, a buckboard 
drives into frame from the left with Curly at the reins and 
Doc Boone behind. Doc Boone gets out.

		CURLY
	Ready, Kid?

Curly is seen in medium close-up on the front of the buckboard 
with the couple standing behind him, looking round at him. 
Ringo comes forward, followed by Dallas.

		RINGO
	Thanks, Curly.

Curly gets down from the driver's seat. Ringo starts to get 
up, then pauses. He turns to Dallas.

		RINGO
	Curly's going to see that you get to 
	my place across the Border.

She nods, looking up at him. Ringo gets up onto the vehicle 
and Doc Boone comes forward in the background beside Dallas.

		RINGO
	Well.

He puts out his hand.

		RINGO
	Goodbye, Dallas.

Dallas leans forward and clasps his hand in both of hers.

		DALLAS
		(almost in a whisper)
	Goodbye.

		CURLY
		(in back view in the 
		foreground)
	Maybe you would like to ride a way 
	with the Kid.

		DALLAS
	Please.

She gets up beside Ringo. Curly moves out of frame to the 
left. Doc Boone arranges a shawl around Dallas's shoulders, 
then does likewise. They sit there, waiting for Curly to 
climb up, too.

Curly and Doc Boone both move towards the back of the vehicle 
and each picks up a stone from the ground. Then they seem to 
go insane, for suddenly they both hurl their stones at the 
horses' rumps, yelling. The horses gallop off with the 
buckboard, nearly spilling Dallas from the seat and leaving 
Curly and Doc Boone shouting and waving their hats in the 
air.

		DOC BOONE AND CURLY
	Hiya, giddap, hiya, hiya, hiya!

Now the two men both take a step towards camera, shouting 
and waving their hats and grinning as the buckboard moves 
away off-screen. They chuckle contentedly and put their hats 
back on their heads.

		DOC
	Well, that's saved them the blessings 
	of civilization.

		CURLY
	Yeah.

He laughs, then taps Doc Boone on the shoulder.

		CURLY
	Doc...

He removes his Marshal's badge from his lapel.

		CURLY
	I'll buy you a drink.

He puts the badge in his pocket.

		DOC
		(waving a finger)
	Just one.

The two men laugh. Curly puts his arm round Doc Boone and 
they walk off to the left.

Darkness still lies over the land, but sunrise lightens the 
clouds on the horizon, as the buckboard moves swiftly away 
from camera into the distance, carrying Ringo and Dallas to 
their new life. Loud music and the words THE END appear and 
fade out before the end credits.
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