Then the scene cuts to Jonesy dozing peaceably outside (in something that looks like a horse trough). A straw tickles his nose and Jonesy mumbles something about there being 'one thing he can do without in this world and that's a pest like a certain frying sized tick I know'. Next we see Andy and Jess squatting down beside Jonesy. They nudge each other and playfully go around to the other side of Jonesy and Jess tickles his nose again. Jonesy grabs the straw and says he reckons he can do without Andy and his friend. Andy smiles and says 'Aw you knowed all the time.' Jonesy admits he could smell them coming because of the liniment Andy was wearing. |
Slim rides up and asks if they wouldn't happen to know a couple of good hands to help him tend a spread he owns. He has a fence that needs tending in the south meadow. Full of fun now, Jess sidles up and says that he has 'pretty good bunks over at the Sherman place'. Then he says 'Of course now if you really need help' and nudges Andy and asks what he thinks. Going along all the way, Andy looks thoughtful then says 'sure, why not. He looks like a nice enough fella'. Next Jonesy gets into the act and says he might even make up some of his mulligan like he does over at that Sherman place. Jess balks that 'that stew was the one reason he was thinking of quitting over at the Sherman place'. Never at a loss for words, Jonesy tells Jess not to expect any meat in his. Laughing, Jess and Slim ride off. |
Next we see Jess and Slim working on fences, talking. Here we learn that Jess has been on the ranch almost two months, 'two months next week', the longest he's been in one place since Jeff Davis called it quits. Slim asks if Jess misses the big open and Jess admits that he did sometimes, 'he's been five years on the drift'. Jess says there's nothing left for him in Texas and Slim tells him he's been looking for it elsewhere ever since. After Jess agrees, Slim says you can never find what you've lost, just something to take it's place. Jess agrees with the first part, but says only time will tell about the rest. Slim says he was glad to stop reaching out, and Jess counters that it takes time to drive a stake deep. Slim says this is good land and holds a stake firm once it's set in. He smiles and pats Jess on the shoulder before walking away. Jess looks around solemnly and says 'yeah, it's good country'. |
After they enter the house, Jess sees the soldier and greets him as Gil. Turns out Gil Brady is married to Jess' kid sister Francie. Gil says he deserted because he had a tough sargeant, Abe Jordan, who resented him because he was born too far south. Plus, Gil was a seventeen year old drummer boy in the Wilderness Battle in '64 and the sargeant lost a brother there. The sargeant just wouldn't let up. |
After Jess and Gil have left, Jonesy and Andy take turns harrassing Slim. Jonesy admits he gave Jess an extra horse and tells Slim he can take it out of his wages. Slim tells him Jess had wages owed him. The dialog is very clipped and to the point. It's obvious both are angry. Slim stubborn. Jonesy determined to say his piece. Finally, they let it out. Jonesy says "Pretty nice getting rid of a debt that easy." Slim says he's in no mood and he don't figure he had any debt. Jonesy tells him he may not have any debts, and he may not have anything else either. Slim attacks Jonesy's 'pearls of wisdom' and Jonesy says one thing he is sure of is that something's gonna happen to those boys out there, something bad (Jonesy is definitely psychic). Slim storms off. |
Later that evening, Andy shows Jonesy boots that are 'just like the ones Jess had'. They both glance over at Slim who is working on bills. Then Jonesy sings a song about a man, Wes Tanklett, who shoots his best friend Sam Older in the back. |
Next we cut to Jess and Gil carefully making their way across a steep and treacherous incline. A river rages below. As they get near the top, Jess is holding out his hand to Gil urging him on. Gil says he's scared, and Jess says he has company. Gil starts to move, then tumbles and pulls both him and Jess down into the river. |
Next, we see a sleeping Jess and Slim, but they sit up with guns drawn as they hear something in the woods. Slim tells Jess he sleeps pretty light. Jess says it comes from having nothing on my mind. Jess asks Slim if he wants some coffee, and they sit up and talk a spell by the fire. Jess looks away and tells Slim he'll probably stay up in Canada awhile. Slim tells him not to bother. It's just a part of the big open. Jess looks over at Slim and says 'maybe, but it aint good when being a friend makes a man go against himself.' Slim says sometimes a friendship, or a man, needs a test. Jess nods as the scene cuts to Areka sneaking up to the camp. |
Areka approaches. He stands right beside Slim's head, then notices Gil across the camp. He slowly walks over to him and makes sure it is Brady. Then he raises the knife. Before he can bring it down, Slim jumps him. Slim and the Indian fight. Slim breaks Areka's arm, and Gil gets up and goes for a rifle. Jess stops him. Slim's arm is wounded. Areka gets up and goes after Gil again. Jess and Slim pull the Indian off of Gil, then question Gil about why the Indian singled Gil out. Gil says the Indian tried to kill him for the bounty. |
Jess catches up to Gil just after Gill has crossed a bridge into Canada. Jess hollers up to him that he's taking him back. Gil says Jess will have to shoot him first and what about Francie? Jess replies that she's dead. Gil shoots at Jess three times (no wonder he deserted, he's a terrible shot). Jess takes aim and gets Gil with one shot. If the bullet didn't kill him, the fall did. |
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