Blackthorn

Dear Ryan,

I reckon you're feeling lonely now that your mother is gone.

You're too young for something like this.

She must've told you about me, and I never stopped thinking about you.

Even though I've never seen you, I bet my best memories

I'd recognize you in the blackest night.

These past years have been hard on us all.

Very few of us are still around.

The land where I live now is a good one, quiet people,

peaceful for the most part.

But it's not home.

That's why it's time for me to come back...

You'll burn this letter after you read it, like your mother would've done,

and wait for me.

Much love,

your uncle.

I can't come tomorrow.

We need you to pay us for this week's work.

And for the seeds too. You never paid for them.

You know where the money is. Just take it.

No.

You're the boss.

You have to give it to me.

I can't take it. That would be wrong.

I'm not your wife.

Sure.

You're right, Yana.

You're right.

I have rain gear.

Mr. James, you're going away, aren't you?

My mom says all gringos leave once they have lots of money.

You're a gringo, but you don't have that much money.

I'll have enough after selling the horses.

Take care, Yana.

I'll see you when I'm back from Potosi.

Then I'll leave for good.

There ain't no grave

can hold my body down.

There ain't no grave can hold my body down.

When I hear that trumpet sound

I'm gonna rise right out of the ground.

Ain't no grave

can hold my body down.

Well, I look way down the river

And what do you think I see?

I see a band of angels

And they're coming after me.

There ain't no grave

can hold my body down.

There ain't no grave can hold my body down.

Well, look down yonder, Gabriel,

Put your feet on the land and see.

But Gabriel, don't you blow your horn

Until you hear from me.

There ain't no grave

can hold my body down.

There ain't no grave can hold my body down.

Take care of him.

I'm withdrawing all mymoney.

In dollars, please.

Mr. Blackthorn,

have we done anything to upset you?

You know, there is just one thing.

I can't remember ever being so well received in a bank before.

Good day.

Your whisky, sir. American.

Here. Thanks.

Americans are creatures of habit.

They have excellent Scotch here, French cognac...

But Mr. Blackthorn here likes to stick with his old gringo whisky.

Yeah, it just seems to haunt me, you know.

To a fine sale.

Thank you.

You have quite a talent for breeding horses.

Those horses will be the envy of many men around here.

But you'd think that here, in Bolivia,

with so many bloody Indians, it would be simple to find good horses.

Indians got nothing to do with it.

The terrain's too rugged here for good horses. Too high.

I was wondering if maybe you all would like to play a few rounds of cards.

What you think?

Yes, we're in.

I miss a good card game out on the ranch.

Ain't nothing but a goddamned bunch of Indians out there, you know.

There's no civilized folk, like yourselves.

Easy.

Don't leave me now, Cinco.

Easy, buddy.

Easy, buddy.

Don't move!

Come here, horse.

That's it.

Goddamnit!

- I'm out of bullets. - Get up.

Please.

I'm freezing.

Are you Chilean?

Spanish.

Conquistador!

I just came here to work.

Are you going to kill me?

So you speak English.

You got any idea where in the world we are?

We're in the middle of nowhere.

My entire future ran off with that horse.

Everything I've got. 6.000 dollars to get me back home.

Horse alone's worth 500.

Now I've got your miserable life on my hands...

Ain't worth a nickel.

I'm sorry.

I thought you were after me.

Please, I just want to live a little longer.

You do, huh?

Be my guest.

Eat.

Eat, you flea-ridden coward.

It was just a little jump.

"The best horses..."

Filthy hag!

I'll run you all the way

from here to El Paso!

Oh, shit.

Come on.

Fuck!

What the hell are you doing, Butch?

- Not the best place to rest. - It has a nice view.

She's handy.

You teach her?

I don't think anybody ever taught her anything.

And it's about time you learned her name.

Kid, I think it's time for us to go.

Don't worry, those were the last.

You're not listening.

I mean go as in leave.

Go to South America. Now.

Butch wants to leave.

Go to South America.

And he wants me to go with him.

Why you tellin' me?

I think it might be a good idea.

The three of us.

That's all.

It's a great idea.

You're pushing your luck, son.

Please.

They've been following me for days.

I need your help.

Alright, now you can be on your way.

Taypi is only about 15 miles away down the tracks here, so you just follow it.

Even if I make it, they'll catch me.

And they'll kill me.

Well, good for them, whoever they are.

I'm not gonna repeat myself, you son of a bitch!

Get up and get down the tracks!

Please. Have pity and help me.

I can give you your money back.

I have the money, but it's hidden.

That's why they're after me.

You'd better not be playing me, you bastard!

It's two or three days on horseback from here.

An abandoned mine.

I'm an engineer.

I worked at the tin mines. That's why I came over from Spain.

When we get there, I'll give you your money back. I promise.

That's not good enough.

I stole from the mine I was working in,

in Oruro.

Those mines are well-guarded. Patiño owns all that.

Yeah.

You stole from Simón Patiño?

You're planting high cotton, boy.

Can I have a drink?

Patiño, huh?

Yes.

I robbed the Suyana Mine.

Patiño... You know him?

I know snakes, no matter what hole they crawl out of.

- How many's following you? - I don't know.

A dozen maybe, I'm not sure.

How far back are they?

A day or two.

Not anymore.

Who are you?

My name is Eduardo.

How much money did you steal, Eduardo?

Not much. Just enough to...

Nobody steals "not much" from the richest man on the continent.

How much did you steal?

10,000 pounds sterling.

50,000 American dollars, more or less.

Well, that's 25,000 for me, then.

But you said 6,000.

Look,

the only reason that you're alive is that you might have some money.

Now you owe me half!

You owe me for every step I take without a horse, every hour I go without water

and you also owe me for not shooting your sorry ass the first time I saw you!

- Do you understand? - Yeah.

Now shut the fuck up and just follow me.

Fuck!