The Rebel

Don't move, friend.

We don't mean no harm.

Just a little conversation over a plate of your beans.

That's agreeable, ain't it?

I don't have much choice.

Don't talk like that.

Could be worse.

We could be jumpers, or the like, even killers,

but we ain't.

Pratt here's a ex-farm boy, and me,

I'm a part-Cajun boy longing for his New Orleans.

You live around here?

Uh uh, just passing through.

That's our good fortune, huh, Pratt?

It's our lucky day.

You ever seen that?

You looking for him?

I'm still asking the questions, friend.

Take another look.

No, I never did.

You sure, boy?

Look, I told you I never saw him before.

What do you want me to do, put it in writing?

You wanna know something?

I believe you.

Why isn't the gentleman eating?

We should learn to be more considerate?

That's all right, Colonel.

We done ate all his beans.

Ain't none left for him.

You must forgive my companions.

We've been on what you might call

the Spartan diet these past few months.

Guess those are just the fortunes of peace.

Give him back his gun.

I was aiming to do that right soon, Colonel.

Now it doesn't matter whether he has one or not.

Why don't you go, boy?

I'll give you that consideration since you were one of us.

Gather your things and ride out.

We have no fight with you.

Ow!

Hold it, Pratt.

Private Cass, he asked for a little sport.

You better teach your flea-fill dog a few new tricks.

You mount up and ride out.

Colonel, he's a good man.

I think we oughta take him back to headquarters.

I know we'll find some use for him.

Perhaps you'll accompany us, soldier.

- The horses, Pratt. - Yes, sir.

Take him.

He's our guest, not a prisoner.

Sure, Colonel.

What'll it be?

Come on, guest.

Come on, inside.

Beans, beans, beans.

Not much, is it?

But then, you got a real liking for beans, don't you?

You better watch your temper, boy.

We'll cut you up for a couple meals if we have to.

The boys are just having a little innocent josh with you.

You better let them get away with it.

Sure, soldier.

- We got plans for you. - Yeah?

Maybe I can ride down a few old ladies for you.

You run into some kids, I can help you

take their candy away from them.

You know, I admire you, I really do.

You got uncommon spunk.

Maybe so, but he ain't got

enough food to suit me, I guarantee.

Yeah, I'm just about empty, too.

Sit down.

You ain't gonna argue with us again, are you?

Pratt, how about you and me

going out and finding something, huh?

Be careful.

I'm always careful, you know that.

I know you can handle our guest, Colonel,

but I just don't want him to be no bother.

Come on.

You know, Pratt, this is gonna be our lucky day.

Don't make this any more unpleasant than it already is.

Sit down.

Is that an order, Colonel?

Suit yourself.

It'll be a while.

Some headquarters you got here, Colonel.

Don't look down on me ever.

It's not much, but up here I have

something I wouldn't have anywhere else.

Afraid the best I can

offer you is some of your own beans.

How about it?

Well, there's one thing I can say.

This is the first time I've

ever been waited on by a Colonel.

Rebel colonels aren't really very much in demand lately.

Funny.

Four years at West Point, 23 years in the field,

I'm serving beans.

And maraud against civilians.

But not kill them.

My gun hasn't been shot since the war.

And your friends, how about them?

I still command my men.

All two of them?

Tell me something, Colonel.

Just who are you kidding with one flag,

two scavengers, and few sand bags?

We've survived haven't we?

What are you doing here anyway?

My last command was to take this area and hold it.

And then the Yankees come through?

They did.

We retired until they withdrew and now we're back.

What's left of it.

Retired?

You mean you hid.

It was a necessary stratagem.

What about the folks down there.

Why haven't they smoked you out?

What do we cost them, except a little food?

They could come up after us,

but some of them would get killed.

As long as we stay away from the town, they tolerate us.

Colonel, your last command was rescinded at Appomattox.

Let me tell you something.

My world ended at Appomattox.

The last vestige of a way of life.

A life of dignity and culture.

I don't want to go back to anything less.

I don't want to see the ruins of it.

So, better this than no world at all.

Hey, Cass, how are we gonna get

to the bank without being seen?

We're not.

I thought we was gonna make a little call on the bank.

There are a lot of different ways of making money.

But the bank is too tricky.

Take a look at that house across the street.

- You see it? - Yeah.

It's just like money in the bank.

All you have to do is hold the gun.

All right.

Hey, show him what we got, Pratt.

We got tators, we got apples, we got chicken.

- Look at this green apple. - We got real ham, whiskey.

I wanna show him the big surprise.

Look at this.

What do you think of that?

You leave your hands off of her.

This the way a colonel fights when there isn't any war?

Cass, you've gone too far.