Seven Ways from Sundown

A Ranger.

Now we get a Ranger. Let's whup him.

What's the matter with you two fellas?

Tar and feather him as a lesson.

Yeah, tar and feather him. You with us?

Come on!

Come on.

Someone mind telling me what happened?

Jim Flood happened.

Flood figured he was getting cheated at poker by Ike Hanley.

He shot Hanley then shot his brothers.

That's when we needed us a Ranger.

One finally comes along, he ain't even got brains enough to be wearing a gun.

Take it easy, Beeker. - Take it easy?

After Flood burns my place down and shoots four men?

Without a lawman, this town depends on the Rangers.

Ain't never one around when you need 'em.

Hey, the fire's starting up again.

- Hey, get those water buckets, men! - Form a line, men!

Mind telling me how I get to the town of Buckley?

It's about 30 mile due north.

Which way did this Flood go?

Out that way. Northwest.

But I wouldn't go chasing after him all by my lonesome.

I'm obliged.

Better get out of this town, though, before they decide to hang me.

I guess you fellas are Company "D." That's right.

Captain Bledsoe sent me up from Austin.

I'm supposed to go to work for you.

You Lieutenant Herly?

Mm-hmm. What's your name?

Jones, sir. Seven Jones.

You any kin to Two Jones?

Yes, sir. He was my brother. You knew him?

I knew him.

You remember Jones, Lieutenant.

I remember, Sergeant.

I'd have been here earlier, but I've been chasing a fella by the name of Jim Flood.

You were chasing Flood?

Well, not exactly chasing him.

Mostly just trying to see which way he went.

He sort of wrecked a place called Beeker's Crossing.

What happened?

He burned down the saloon, shot up the place.

I couldn't pick up his trail.

He's got a long start.

Hennessey, you'll go after Flood in the morning. I'll figure out which men you can take.

You're not going?

No, I've got too much work to do here.

You take care of Jones. Get him settled.

How long you been a Ranger? Just since they signed me up at Austin.

Don't you believe in sidearms?

They said you'd issue me a revolving gun.

Mm. What about Clancy's old gun?

It'll be deducted from your first month's pay.

Well, it sure is a honey.

Well, it's a gun, not a baby, Seven.

Yes, sir. And you don't call sergeants "sir."

You know how to shoot it?

Sort of. Is there someplace where I could try it out?

About 10,000 square miles of nothing out back a ways.

Come on.

Take a shot at that gong out there.

That's doing it the hard way.

You some kind of trick shot or something?

No.

Try the rest of your shot.

Only safe place in the whole valley was that gong.

I'll show you your bunk and where you can put your horse.

Soon as you tend to your horse, maybe Mrs. Karrington will give you some dinner,

if she's got any left. Mrs. Karrington?

Yeah, that's her house over there.

She's got the deal to feed us Rangers.

I could sure use something to eat.

Put your horse in the first stall there.

Thank you.

I just got a glimpse of him when he went by the house.

Hmm? I'll bet he's real nice.

Mm-hmm.

Ma? Hmm?

Do you think--

Do you think the average person would like me in this dress?

Mm-hmm.

They told me I might be able to get something to eat.

The noon meal's already over.

Who sent you? That lieutenant?

No, ma'am. Sergeant Hennessey.

Oh. Well, clear a place for yourself at the table.

There's some dishes in the kitchen and beans in the pot.

It's the door over there.

Hold still.

A cup.

We got plenty of cups.

And two plates.

Well, I think that looks all right.

I think it's beautiful.

Did you find the beans all right?

Uh-huh.

You didn't get any coffee. I'll get it for him, Ma.

There you are. Uh, Mr.--

Jones. Seven Jones.

I'm Joy Karrington.

Ma, his name is Seven Jones.

Pleased to meet you, ma'am. Sit down.

Go ahead and eat.

I'll get the hot water started, and you bring the rest of the dishes, will you, dear?

That's a nice dog. His name's Apache.

Apache?

Well, it's no funnier name than you've got.

No, I-- I guess not. Just wait till you've heard the rest of it.

You see, my pa wasn't much for fancy when it came to giving out names,

so he just named us by the numbers and let it go at that.

Plain number's not much of a name.

That's what my ma said, too, so we always used to add something like, uh,

the firstborn was One for the Money Jones,

the second was Two for the Show Jones,

and right on up to me.

My full name is Seven Ways from Sundown Jones.

Well.

You're new on the Rangers. Yes, ma'am.

How'd you come to join?

Well, mostly it was on account of my older brother, Two Jones.

He got killed working for the Rangers.

Oh, I'm sorry.

That, uh-- That was a real pretty dress you were trying on.

It's for the Fultons' barn raising tonight. Are you going?

Well, I don't know. I haven't been asked.

Well, the Fultons will be real glad to have you.

Well, maybe.

Oh, I'll get you some pie.

We ain't that hard up for men, Herly.

That's for me to say, Sergeant.

You know as well as me what kind of man Flood is.

I ought to be taking a whole company instead of one new man.

Jones has got to pull his own weight.

You saw how he handled a gun.

Me and him taking on Jim Flood would be downright suicide!

You're taking Jones, Sergeant, and that's that.

Hennessey.

You don't think I like making that choice, do you?

But I got men scattered over half of Texas.

I need at least five men down in the south plateau,

four men covering the Baker place,

and I can't send Duncan or Hollis.

Most of those men are protecting cows.

Is saving a few head of cattle more important than a man's life?

He joined up, didn't he? Let him earn his pay.

He don't seem to know Flood was in on the killing of his brother,

but finding out might make him act even more foolish than normal.

I'd say he'd be the last man to send.

Stay, Apache. You stay here, boy.

Stay.

Apache!

Apache. There.

There's a good dog. It's all right.

There. There now.

Well, just maybe he might not be the last man to send.

How come you can't handle a six-shooter?

Us Joneses never had too much spare cash.

I never could afford one of them revolving guns.

When word gets back in the morning about Flood,

you and me's gonna take out after him.

Good.

Say, uh, your brother ever mention anything about working for Herly?

No. Two wasn't much for writing.

I'm glad I'm going with you, Sergeant.

Well, maybe along the way I can teach you about using a sidearm.

I'd be obliged to you.

Jones? You're staying here tonight. Keep an eye on the office.

Yes, sir.

The first barn raising I've been to in a year.

Lots of girls and lots of whiskey. Both are fun and both are risky.

Hey! Wait for me!

Come on, Shorty. We can't keep the women waiting.

Yeah, all the good-looking ones will be picked.

You sure smell pretty, Shorty.

Yeah, he smells like he climbed out of a jug of that fancy flowery water.

Let 'em rip!

Come on! A gal in one hand and a jug in the other!

Maybe I should take the duty, Seven.

Wouldn't want you half asleep when we take off.

I'm all right.

Hennessey. Yeah?

You said you knew my brother.

How'd he come to get killed?

Well, I don't know much about it.

Some fracas down in the Big Bend country. Yeah, I know that.

If you should get sleepy, I'll take over.

Thanks.

Oh, hello. Hello.

You wanna sit down?

I thought you went to the barn raising.

Oh, oh, we-we did, but, uh--

Well, Ma wasn't feeling so well,

so we, uh-- we left early.

Oh.

That's too bad.

They said it was you and Hennessey going out after Jim Flood.

That's right. Sergeant Hennessey and me.

Fr-From the stories I've heard about him,