The Naked Spur

Kemp: Don't move.

Turn around.

Keep your hands wide.

You want something from me, mister?

Sure came up quiet. Got to give you credit.

My name's Tate.

Guess that don't mean much to you,

or anyone else, huh?

This here is pokey.

You fixing to meet somebody?

Meet somebody? Who?

Wouldn't mind if I did.

Wouldn't care who he was or where he comes from

or what he does.

A man ought to always mind his own business, I say.

Looks like you're the one expecting company.

How long have you been here?

Been poking around these hills three or four weeks now.

Got no calendar to know exact.

Got nothing to show for it either.

If you're ready to talk some, I'd appreciate

your putting that gun down.

You might get bee stung or something

but I'd be just as dead.

Got some breakfast coffee boiling.

You want some? = no.

Eh, tobacco?

This party you're asking after...

Friend of yours?

He killed a marshal.

Kansas?

You've come a ways.

It ain't every peace officer who'd do that.

I ain't seen Kansas since before the war,

so I wouldn't know you to look at.

My name's Tate, like I said. Jesse Tate.

Howard kemp.

You figure he's back in these hills, Mr. kemp?

I lost his trail this side of the river.

- Did you see any sign? - Hmm.

Ran across a dead fire the other day.

Where? = back in there.

Got no map to tell you sure.

Now, you can tell me better than that.

Maybe. If we was going the same way, but we ain't.

Helping you don't put no money in my pocket.

- 1 got $20 here. - $20!

$20. It's yours if you get me on a fresh trail.

$20! Ah!

$10 now...

$10 now, $10 when we find him.

Start out by showing me that dead fire.

Does this fellow know you're after him?

He knows.

Then he might be waiting behind some rock.

Waiting for us to ride up in front of his gun.

Uh-huh.

He might.

It was still warm yesterday.

Horses moved out this way. More than one, for sure.

This fellow got company?

Could be packing an extra horse.

But there might be two of them waiting for us, huh?

That's why you held the gun on me.

Come on, let's go. Come on.

Trail's as plain for you as it is for me.

- Another fire. - They ain't making much time.

Must be something wrong with them.

Looks like a horse fell there. = yeah.

- Well, it's no use guessing. - Ahhh...

Look out, rocks! = ride!

Well, I guess that's the end of it.

Yeah, if it was a natural slide.

Jesse: Look out! Look out!

Well, you found him.

Uh, he's got to come down sometime.

Yeah, but when? A day, a week.

And the chance is he sneaks down some night

and gets us.

We'll take turn on watch.

Having it out with this fellow ain't my job, not for no $20.

You've got him, but he got you too.

Unless there's another way up there.

You're crazy! You can't get up there!

Go up the trail and get some cover

and take a shot at him every once in a while,

and make him think we're stuck down here.

Ain't we?

Come on.

Hold it!

- What's the trouble? - Get down.

I heard some shooting and came to look.

Who are you?

Oh, that's the way it is?

Lieutenant Roy Anderson, sixth cavalry.

Indian fighter extraordinary.

You're a long way from an army post, lieutenant.

I quit playing soldier last week.

Uh-huh. Let's see your discharge.

I'm riding east, from fort Ellis. What's wrong with that?

Nothing, except the Bozeman trail runs east from Ellis.

How come you're this far off it?

Well, you see, there's some bad-tempered Indians

along the Bozeman trail and...

Seems this chief's daughter fell into some trouble

with a handsome, young army lieutenant, and...

Well, you know how it is.

The army never did understand me.

Yeah.

Hey, how about these?

Alright, give him back his gun.

Come on.

Oh, you never did tell me

what the shooting was about.

I don't even know who I'm talking to.

This here is Mr. kemp. My name is Tate, Jesse Tate.

You don't say?

We've got an outlaw killer trapped up there

starting rockslides every time we show our heads.

An outlaw killer throwing rocks?

That sounds real desperate. = come on.

Show him the picture, Mr. kemp.

Come on, show me.

You followed him all the way from Kansas?

He did. I joined up with him this morning.

Sort of helping out. Like a deputy.

Looks like you got yourself a real

interesting problem in tactics, sheriff.

Yeah. Come on up the trail.

Crazy, ain't it, pokey, what one man

will do to catch another?

I'd put my carcass to climbing

that cliff and never think twice.

Hey, come on.

I thought you said you were going someplace?

Oh, don't mind me, I won't get in the way.

I'll be right here behind you, sheriff,

in case the bad man sticks his head out.

Wonder if I can make it.

- Now, what do you want here? - Just offering my help.

- Why? - Why are you turning it down?

If I burn my hands, I'll let you try it again.

Now, stand by with your gun. I did as much for you.

Now, ain't that the way?

A man gets set for trouble head-on,

and it sneaks up behind him every time.

That's life.

Get up.

Open your gun belt and let it fall.

No need to fuss there, soldier.

I've been out of cartridges since abilene.

You can see.

Now why don't you just do what I say?

Hey, you two! It's all over!

Get him, Ben!

Ohh! Ah!

Alright, Ben. Tie him up!

Lina: Let me go, let me alone! Let me alone!

Roy: Calm down, sweetheart, we're not gonna hang you.

I ain't fighting you no more, Howie.

- Not the three of you, I ain't. - Who's she?

You remember old frank patch, don't you, Howie?

This here is his daughter, Lina.

I remember an outlaw, name of patch,

lying dead in front of a bank in abilene.

I don't remember any talk about kinfolk.

He was my father.

Howard: What's she doing here with you?

I guess she don't know nobody but me.

And I didn't figure on seeing Kansas again.

Till now I didn't.

Alright, get up. Come on, get up!

Here you are, Tate. That settles us.

I'm much obliged to you. = thanks.

Say, Mr. kemp, now you've got two of them to handle,

maybe you still have a mind to hire up help.

This is my job, I'll do it.

Make you feel any better, sheriff,

you can make me deputy, official-like.

You ain't letting on like you was

a sheriff or something, are you, Howie?

Why, sure he is. Ain't he?

He told me he was a peace officer.

I don't know why you should do that.

No matter who gets me, the reward still holds.

How's that?

Ain't you showed him my picture, Howie?

I seen a paper saying he was wanted,

nothing about no reward.

Maybe he ain't got a good copy like I have.

Ben: Is that what he showed you? - How much?

Says $5,000. Why, you talk like you knowed it all along.

Why else would a man tear off the bottom of a poster?

I'm taking him back and I'm gonna do it alone.

You didn't catch him alone.

You was goin' round and round until you run into me.

You were hired to do a job and you were paid for it.

You ain't gonna buy my claim on this for no $20.

What about him? He done the climbing, didn't he?

Could have gotten killed, too.