FADE IN:

INT. SHACK - DAY

Darkness. Quiet. The CAMERA MOVES through the gloom of the

small, dirty, wooden hut, past a broken table, over a wellworn

saddle lying on the floor. Now, a pair of boots standing

empty by the rotting remains of a rough-hewn bunk, up to a

holstered gun hung on the corner of the bed. The still shape

of a man, a bedroll his only protection from the splintery

planks. This is EMMETT, fast asleep.

The door of the shack bursts inward as a Gunman crashes in.

For a moment he is silhouetted against the blinding morning

light, his two six-guns blasting even before the door has

bounced shut behind him, returning the hut to darkness.

Emmett’s holster, the gun gone.

The gun is here in Emmett’s hand, erupting now with three

quick explosions. The intruder flies against the far wall of

the hut and lands on the floor dead. From outside, two bullets

pierce the plank wall behind Emmett, light streaming through

in .45 calibre shafts.

Emmett is out of the bunk and on the floor. He fires once

over the bunk. In the moment of quiet that follows, we hear

running FOOTSTEPS outside the hut. Emmett follows their

progress with the point of his gun, but holds his fire.

Suddenly a shotgun blasts a large hole in the roof of the

shack, and the table disintegrates in a new column of light.

Emmett glances upward, but quickly returns his attention to

the side walls, trying to follow that gunman. Now more fire

comes from there and more footsteps. Another shotgun blast

showers Emmett with debris, but he ignores it, concentrating

on the walls.

WHAT HE SEES. The Man Outside moves quickly past a crack in

the wall, momentarily revealing his spot by blocking the

light. Emmett fires once ahead of him, stopping his progress

and forcing him back to the crack. Emmett fires his last

shot there, and the man outside goes down hard.

The shotgun rips another jagged hole in the ceiling and blows

a crater in the dirt by Emmett’s foot. The shape of a man

flashes across the new hole. Emmett looks across the room at

the top bunk, where the barrel of his Winchester protrudes a

few inches from the bare planks. Emmett throws his empty sixgun

noisily into the far corner of the hut. Instantly the

man on the roof blasts away in that direction.

Emmett dives for the bunk. With the tips of his fingers, he

pulls hard on the muzzle. The Winchester flips full circle

into the air as the bunk behind it is shredded from above.

With an odd kind of inevitability, as though seeking its

rightful place, the Winchester arcs into a shaft of light,

where it is met by Emmett’s steady, waiting hands. Before it

has even settled, he has cocked and fired twice through a

hole in the roof. Emmett stops and lowers the carbine. The

Man on the Roof falls spread-eagled through the weakened

ceiling. Debris and sunlight shower his lifeless form.

Emmett listens, moves silently to the door, and opens it

carefully. WE FOLLOW him outside, out into the bright

sunlight, into the awesome promise of the American West.

EXT. SHACK - DAY

Emmett moves warily around the isolated shack. There are no

more attackers. He looks off into the distance. Two riderless

horses, galloping away, are the only moving things in the

empty landscape. A third saddled horse, a pinto, stands

nervously near Emmett’s horse, which is tied to a stake.

Emmett walks to the body of the Man Outside and looks down

at him. He doesn’t know him. He moves to the pinto and calms

it. He examines the distinctive brand on its flank, a circle

with two wavy lines beneath it. Emmett is clearly mystified.

He rests his arms on the saddle and stares after the

retreating horses.

THE MAIN TITLE BEGINS.

EXT. EMMETT RIDES (VARIOUS SHOTS) - DAY/NIGHT

Emmett travels, the saddled pinto in tow. He moves from high

mountain terrain down-country, through meadow and canyon. He

makes night camp near a rushing stream. The land flattens as

he approaches the desert. The sun beats at him as he dismounts

at the edge of a white-hot plain. He takes a short pull from

his canteen and squints off across the flat, empty space.

All he can see ahead is blinding sand and blue sky.

THE MAIN TITLE ENDS.

EXT. DESERT (SERIES OF SHOTS) - DAY

Emmett is now surrounded by the white blankness, moving slowly

under the broiling sun.

He stops his walking horses and squints out into the distance,

seeing something. We see it too, but just barely: a distant,

horizontal smudge on the glaring sand.

Emmett reaches the smudge. It is a man, barefoot and dressed

only in longjohns, his head propped on a rock, eyes closed.

The man’s skin is burned red and beginning to blister, his

lips parched. Yet there is a curious ease to his repose. If

he has lain down here to die, he has done it in peace. This

is PADEN.

Emmett lifts Paden’s head and puts the canteen to his lips.

Paden’s eyes struggle to open in the glare. He takes a few

sips of the water. His lips crack with a slight smile at the

taste. He looks up at Emmett, takes another sip, and tries

to speak. Emmett must lean down to hear his raspy whisper as

he tries again.

PADEN

Pleased to meet you.

EXT. NIGHT CAMP - DESERT - NIGHT

The terrain here is more hospitable. Paden, wrapped snugly

in a blanket, lies with his head against the saddle from the

pinto. Emmett is preparing his bedroll across the fire.

EMMETT

Two of the horses ran off, but that

pinto you’re riding hung around.

PADEN

You got no idea what they were after?

Emmett shakes his head "no".

PADEN

Offend anybody lately?

EMMETT

Not for five years.

Paden understands.

PADEN

Jefferson City?

EMMETT

No, Leavenworth.

PADEN

I’ve never been in there. They just

jumped you out of the blue?

EMMETT

I had to get up anyway.

PADEN

(smiles)

Me, I’m riding along, minding my own

business. Four cowboys come by and

we decide to ride together for a

while, friendly as can be. I always

figure you might as well approach

life like everybody’s your friend or

nobody is... don’t make much

difference. We get out in the middle

of that frying pan and suddenly

everybody’s pointing their gun but

me. I guess they admired my horse.

She’s a great one, a sweet little

bay.

EMMETT

Looks like that’s not all they

admired.

PADEN

Yup. The whole rig. I don’t care

much about the rest, but I surely

will miss that bay. Least they didn’t

kill me. That was right considerate,

I thought. They were laughing when

they left me. Thought it was real

funny. I walked for a little while

but there was no use, so I gave it

up. Figured it was just bad luck.

Emmett comes over and fills Paden’s coffee cup.

EMMETT

Looks like those boys are headed

south, so they weren’t the same ones

that jumped me. Which way you going?

PADEN

Where’s the pinto going?

EMMETT

I gotta stop by Turley and meet a

guy.

PADEN

Where’s Turley?

EMMETT

South of here, past Chimayo.

PADEN

Maybe I’ll go along as far as Chimayo.

Get me some clothes. Maybe a bath.

EMMETT

Yeah, maybe a bath.

Emmett settles down at his saddle and pulls a blanket over

himself. Paden glances at the rifle in its scabbard on the

pinto’s saddle by his head.

PADEN

Is this loaded?

Emmett nods and closes his eyes. Paden smiles at the implied

trust and settles down himself.

EXT. APPROACHING CHIMAYO - DAY

Emmett and Paden, who is still clad only in longjohns, ride

toward the low, adobe settlement of Chimayo.

EXT. ENTERING CHIMAYO - DAY

Emmett and Paden enter the town past a cluster of teepees.

Three Cavalry troopers ride past them.

EXT. STREET - CHIMAYO - DAY

The little settlement is the center of civilization for miles

around. The U. S. Cavalry maintains an outpost here, and

there are many soldiers on the street. Emmett and Paden pull

up to the general store. Paden dismounts and hands his reins

to Emmett. Passersby look with curiosity at the undressed

Paden.

EMMETT

I’ll get these horses tended.

Paden nods and looks doubtfully at the store. He scratches

himself. Emmett produces some money and flips Paden a coin.

Paden nods.

PADEN

I’m good for it.

Emmett rides up the street, leading the pinto. Paden starts

toward the store and nearly collides with a shocked woman,

who covers the eyes of the little girl with her and crosses

the street. Paden gives an apologetic tip to his non-existent

hat as he watches them go. Before he can turn back to the

store, his eye is caught by something up the street. He reacts

big.

WHAT HE SEES. His horse, a good-looking bay. And, dawdling

his way out of a saloon, a disreputable-looking Cowboy.

Paden’s hand slaps his side, where his gun should be. He

grimaces and looks around desperately, then hurries into the

store.

INT. STORE - DAY

The lone CLERK is showing a woman customer a bolt of cloth

at the back of the store. Paden hurries in and makes a beeline

to the display case holding handguns and ammo. He spots

something he likes and taps the glass impatiently. The Clerk

reacts with distaste to Paden’s appearance.

PADEN

Excuse me, there --

CLERK

I’ll be with you in a moment, sir.

Paden looks out the front window, up the street. The Cowboy

is untying the bay’s reins.

Paden, more agitated now, glances back at the Clerk, then

moves around and opens the back of the display case. He

extracts a shiny, new Colt .45. The Clerk reacts with alarm

and moves toward Paden.

CLERK

Just a minute there, fella. When I’m

done with this lady --

PADEN

I’ll take this one.

He drops his coin on the case top.

CLERK

(looking at coin)

That one’s twenty dollars.

Paden is frustrated. He leans to peer out the window again.

PADEN

How much to borrow it?

CLERK

These guns are for sale.

PADEN

(indicates his coin)

What can I get for that?

The Clerk gives up on putting him off and comes around the

display case, disgruntled.

EXT. IN FRONT OF SALOON - DAY

The Cowboy mounts the bay.

INT. STORE - DAY

Paden holds a broken-down memory of a gun as though it were

a cow chip.

PADEN

(resigned)

What’s it take?

The Clerk holds up a box of shells.

CLERK

This is extra.

Paden snatches it from his grasp and heads out of the store.

PADEN

I’ll be back.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Paden hurries out into the middle of the street. Several

passersby stop to look at him. A teenage girl lets out a

delighted shriek.

IN FRONT OF THE SALOON. The Cowboy has turned the bay into

the middle of the street and now looks to see what all the

fuss is about. When he makes out Paden standing alone, his

expression changes.

Paden is having trouble extracting a shell from the ammo

box. He glances up the street at the Cowboy and sees that he

has been spotted. He shakes one shell loose and drops the

box, trying to insert the bullet in the gun.

The Cowboy pulls his six-gun, leans forward, and spurs the

bay hard toward Paden. He raises his gun and fires at Paden.

There is general alarm in the street as the bystanders dive

for cover.

Paden gets the shell loaded as the Cowboy bears down on him,

firing. The bullets kick up the dust in front and back of

Paden, who now raises his pistol slowly. A bullet tears

through the floppy material at his crotch. The Cowboy is

almost upon him when Paden fires. The Cowboy is knocked off

the horse and hits the street dead.

OMIT

EXT. STREET - DAY

A big, tough Cavalry SERGEANT has been summoned by a TROOPER

and now walks briskly toward --

A small crowd gathered around Paden, who is affectionately

stroking his reacquired horse. Two troopers flank him

suspiciously. The Sergeant glances at the body of the Cowboy,

then pushes through the crowd and confronts Paden.

TROOPER

(indicating Paden)

This is the man, Sergeant. He claims

the animal was stolen.

SERGEANT

How do I know this is your horse?

The bay nuzzles Paden.

PADEN

Can’t you see this horse loves me?

SERGEANT

I had a gal do that to me, but that

didn’t make her my wife.

PADEN

I’ll tell you what, on the underside

of this saddle I got my name

scratched. Take a look and you’ll

see.

SERGEANT

Oh, yeah, and what would your name

be?

SHERIFF COBB (O.S.)

Paden.

The Sergeant and Paden both look to see COBB come through

the crowd; he is an imposing man in a duster. Paden’s reaction

is deep and mixed, a whole chapter in his life coming back

at him.

PADEN

(quietly)

Hello, Cobb.

SHERIFF COBB

Hello, Paden. How ya doing?

SERGEANT

You know this man, Cobb?

SHERIFF COBB

I surely do.

SERGEANT

(to troopers)

Let’s see that saddle.

One of the troopers uncinches the saddle and flops it upsidedown

in the dust. "Paden" is scratched on the underside.

SERGEANT

(satisfied)

All right, move along, folks. Get

these children out of here.

The crowd begins to break up. Paden and Cobb are left facing

one another. Cobb takes in Paden’s longjohns.

SHERIFF COBB

I see you’re prospering without me.

PADEN

It’s been a while.

SHERIFF COBB

Where’s the dog?

Paden’s look pierces Cobb, but he bends to pick up his saddle

and when he straightens, there is a smile on his face.

OMIT

EXT. SIDEWALK - DAY

Cobb and Paden come out of the general store and start down

the sidewalk. Paden is a little unsteady in a pair of cheap

boots. A small pile of clothing is in his arms. On his head

is a bad-looking new hat. He catches his reflection in a

window and tries to give the hat a rakish tilt.

PADEN

Appreciate the loan. I’m good for

it.

SHERIFF COBB

Let’s talk about that.

(a beat)

I’m looking for some men.

PADEN

I’ve given that up.

SHERIFF COBB

So have I. I’ve got a legitimate job

now. I can use a guy like you.

PADEN

(doubtful)

You’ve got a legitimate job.

SHERIFF COBB

Yes, sir. You wouldn’t believe it.

PADEN

You’re right.

Cobb stops and faces Paden.

SHERIFF COBB

This is mighty sweet, Paden. I think

I finally found my place in the world.

PADEN

Well I’m real happy for you, Cobb.

But I think I’ll keep looking for

mine.

KYLE, a tough associate of Cobb’s, hurries up to them.

KYLE

(to Cobb)

He’s getting out.

Kyle goes back up the street.

SHERIFF COBB

(smiling)

C’mon, this’ll interest you.

Cobb moves off after Kyle. Paden watches a moment

thoughtfully, then follows.

EXT. STOCKADE - DAY

Kyle is digging into a saddlebag on one of three saddled

horses at the gate of the stockade. Trooper guards flank the

entrance. Cobb comes up and stares at the gate. Paden reaches

the end of the sidewalk and leans against a post, watching.

The heavy gate is opened and a jailkeep steps out into the

sunlight; he looks back into the gloom. TYREE comes out,

wearing civilian clothes, shackled hand and foot. He’s mean.

The jailkeep unlocks Tyree’s irons and steps back, a little

too quickly. Tyree nods at Cobb and a smile slits his face.

Kyle comes up and hands Tyree his holster. Tyree buckles it

on and bends to tie it to his thigh.

SHERIFF COBB

Look who’s here, Tyree. It’s our old

riding buddy.

Tyree looks up and straightens slowly at the sight of Paden.

No love lost. Cobb, standing between them, grins and then

laughs. He takes the reins of his horse from Kyle and swings

up.

SHERIFF COBB

I invited Paden to join us, but he’s

not having any.

Kyle and Tyree mount up. Tyree looks down at the longjohned

Paden with a sneer.

TYREE

(like a knife)

Where’s the dog?

The three head out of the village, passing Paden.

SHERIFF COBB

(to Paden)

You owe me thirteen bucks.

Cobb spurs his horse and the three gallop away in the dust.

PADEN

(to himself)

Thirteen... bad luck.

EXT. RESTAURANT/SIDEWALK - DAY

Emmett and Paden come out of a restaurant. Paden is now bathed

and fully dressed for the first time and he looks quite

different, better. The old gun he purchased is stuck in his

belt. Three horses -- Emmett’s, the pinto, Paden’s bay --

are tied to the post in the street.

Paden is fussing with his new, cheap hat. Emmett takes a

close look at Paden’s bay.

EMMETT

I see what you like, she’s mighty

pretty.

PADEN

And bridle-wise, too. She’s the only

thing I lost I really cared about.

(he messes with his

hat, disgruntled)

’Cept for maybe my hat. It’s a great

one. Got a pretty silver band on it.

My head spent three years training

it.

(frowns at his new

hat)

I surely do miss that hat.

Emmett gives him an amused look; this sounds kind of familiar.

Emmett unties his two horses.

EMMETT

I gotta be going.

PADEN

Going to Turley, was it?

EMMETT

(nods)

Gotta meet a guy and head out for

Silverado.

Paden takes the excess reins of the bay and begins idly

slapping them around the post, distracted. Emmett swings up

to his horse.

PADEN

What’s Turley like?

EMMETT

(he doesn’t make

distinctions)

It’s a town...

PADEN

They got a saloon there?

EMMETT

I expect.

PADEN

Women?

EMMETT

I expect.

Paden takes a long time looking around the village’s main

street. It doesn’t look promising. Emmett regards him with

growing bemusement. Finally --

EMMETT

Maybe you want to ride along with me

as far as Turley.

Paden lights up slightly at the suggestion. He looks up at

Emmett. This is how Paden makes his decisions these days. He

seems to be digesting it slowly.

PADEN

Maybe... I’ll ride along... as far

as Turley.

Emmett nods and turns his horses into the street. Paden mounts

up and follows him.

EXT. TRIP TO TURLEY (SERIES OF SHOTS) - DAY

The two men, leading the pinto, make their way through desert

country to Turley.

EXT. EDGE OF TURLEY - DAY

Near the corrals at the end of the main street of the small

town of Turley, a small WAGON TRAIN is loosely formed up,

waiting. The settlers from the wagon train mill about. Several

regard Emmett and Paden with unusual interest as they ride

by on their way into town.

One of the Settlers is a lovely young woman. She glances at

the two men, then returns her attention to her wagon. Both

Emmett and Paden notice her. She is HANNAH.

EXT. MAIN STREET - TURLEY - DAY

A tall gallows is being constructed in the middle of an

intersection. Emmett and Paden look it over as they ride

past. Two workmen pause in their labors and look them over.

EXT. SALOON/HOTEL - TURLEY - DAY

This is the busy part of town. Amidst the street traffic and

pedestrians sits a wagon with three Settler men, who watch

Emmett and Paden’s arrival with enormous interest. As the

two travelers hitch their horses in front of the saloon, the

oldest man, HOBART, approaches them with some agitation.

HOBART

(yelling)

Baxter, Hawley, where the hell have

you been? You’re late! And I’ll tell

you, I don’t like it. It’s a bad

start, boys.

Emmett and Paden exchange looks.

HOBART

I’ve got my people sitting down

there...

(indicates end of

street)

...swatting flies and raring to go.

EMMETT

I’m afraid it is a bad start, friend,

’cause my name isn’t Baxter, and he

ain’t Hawley.

HOBART

You’re not Baxter?

EMMETT

My name is Emmett.

HOBART

(to Paden)

And you’re not Baxter, either?

PADEN

No, I’m not Hawley.

HOBART

Well, god-dammit! God-dammit!

Hobart turns and looks across to the other Settler men. He

yells.

HOBART

They ain’t Baxter and Hawley! Where

the hell are Baxter and Hawley!

All this commotion has attracted some attention and amusement

from passersby.

BAXTER (O.S.)

Quit your yelling, old man. We’re

right here.

Hobart looks around to find two tough-looking men on horseback

behind him -- BAXTER and HAWLEY.

HOBART

Who you calling an old man?

Baxter gets down from his horse and smiles, friendly for

him.

Emmett and Paden watch with interest.

BAXTER

(offers his hand)

Calm down, Mr. Hobart. I’m Nord

Baxter. That there is my partner,

Tom Hawley.

Hobart takes his hand grudgingly. He’s glad they showed up.

HOBART

(gruff)

You’re late. It’s a bad start, boys.

BAXTER

(grinning)

Yes, sir. We’ll just have to get you

people to Silverado that much quicker.

Emmett and Paden have continued to watch. Now Hawley looks

over at them suspiciously.

HOBART

All right. Let’s get going.

BAXTER

You remember my letter, don’t you,

Mr. Hobart? Half now and half when

we get there.

HOBART

(remembering, impatient)

I remember, I remember. C’mere.

Hobart, Baxter, and Hawley move to the wagon, where the two

other Settlers wait. The younger of the two, CONRAD, eyes

the guides suspiciously. Hobart speaks to the third man, a

huge, bearded fellow called EB. Eb sits upon a strongbox in

the bed of the wagon, an awesome blunderbuss in his arms.

HOBART

Open the box, Eb.

Eb stands, unlatches the strongbox, and opens it, revealing

an impressive cache of coins and paper money. Hobart extracts

a pouch of coins and hands it to Baxter, who pockets it.

CONRAD

Don’t you want to count it?

BAXTER

Not at all, friend. We trust you.

Now let’s get this train on its way

to Silverado.

Emmett and Paden watch the other five men head in the

direction of the wagon train. Paden looks over at Emmett.

INT. SALOON/HOTEL - DAY

At the back of the big room is a registration desk for the

hotel and stairs to the rooms. Emmett and Paden are eating

near a table of three Tough Men. Emmett is questioning a

WAITRESS, and his questions are making her nervous.

EMMETT

...He’s about my size, energetic

young fella, wears two guns in a

fancy rig. He’d be a stranger here.

WAITRESS

(moving away quickly)

I don’t know him, I told you. I ain’t

seen nobody.

Paden, munching on a biscuit, has noticed something out in

the street; he gets up and walks to the entrance.

EXT. SALOON/HOTEL - DAY

WHAT PADEN SEES. The wagon train is moving by. Paden’s

attention is drawn to the seat of one of the wagons. Hannah,

the lovely settler woman, is there; sitting beside her in a

husbandly manner is Conrad. Paden is interested enough in

the pretty girl that he barely registers a new arrival at

the saloon’s hitching post. The newcomer takes his saddlebags

and a Henry .44 rifle from his horse and comes up into

the saloon.

INT. SALOON/HOTEL - DAY

The newcomer is a lithe, strong, black man -- MAL. He has no

other weapon besides the rifle. Mal looks around the room

and walks wearily to the registration desk, although there

is no one behind it. He RINGS a bell for service.

At the sound of the bell several of the patrons look up and

spot Mal for the first time. The three Tough Men are instantly

displeased at the sight of the black man. Paden, returning

to his meal, notes their attitude and glances over at Mal.

Mal leaves his saddlebags at the registration desk, but takes

the rifle as he walks across to the bar. The nervous Waitress

is working there. The sight of Mal only adds to her agitation.

WAITRESS

(cold)

What do you want?

MAL

(friendly, tired)

I haven’t had a drink of whiskey or

slept in a bed for ten days. Give me

a bottle.

The Waitress hesitates, uncertain. She places a shot glass

and a bottle on the bar beyond an elaborate, brass, nude

statuette whose upraised arms hold dishes full of hard-boiled

eggs. Mal has leaned his rifle against the bar and must now

move a few steps to stand before the whiskey.

The three Tough Men exchange looks as Mal uncorks the bottle

and slowly, lovingly fills his shot glass. He puts the bottle

down and regards the glass for a long moment of pleasant

anticipation. Mal’s hand has started for the glass when the

saloon’s PROPRIETOR appears from a back room.

PROPRIETOR

(sharply)

Hey! What are you doing, buck?

Mal draws his hand back and straightens slightly. A different

kind of weariness comes into his face.

MAL

Having a drink.

PROPRIETOR

No, you’re not. Get out of here.

The Proprietor shoots the Waitress a withering look; she

shrugs helplessly and hurries away. At the tables two of the

three Tough Men quietly rise and separate, moving toward the

two ends of the bar. Emmett and Paden watch.

MAL

(flat)

I haven’t had a drink of whiskey or

slept in a bed for ten days.

PROPRIETOR

You ain’t getting them here.

MAL

(gravely)

I’m real sorry to hear that.

At this, the First Man steps forward quickly, snatches Mal’s

rifle, and slides it down the bar. Mal looks across the

distance at his only weapon.

PADEN

(quietly, to Emmett)

Doesn’t look quite fair.

EMMETT

(watching carefully)

Which way do you mean?

The Second Man lurches up to the bar and pins Mal’s arms

behind him. The First Man moves quickly, cocking back his

arm for a punch square in Mal’s face. As the blow is

unleashed, Mal bends forward with terrific speed and force,

pulling the Second Man onto his back. The Second Man’s face

is suddenly where Mal’s was an instant ago, and the First

Man’s punch lands hard on it. Mal slams the Second Man’s

back against the edge of the bar; he falls to the floor. Mal

blocks a blow from the First Man and steps in with a flurry

of body blows.

Back at the Tough Men’s table, the Third Man pushes back his

chair as if to rise. Emmett has just picked up a chicken

leg; now he waves it ever so slightly at the Third Man: "Stay

out of it". The Man looks at Emmett and Paden, then settles

back into his seat.

Mal sends the First Man crashing down through a table with a

final blow. He turns in time to see the Second Man, back on

his feet, grab Mal’s whiskey bottle and break it against the

bar. Mal looks for a frustrated moment at the splashing

whiskey -- what a waste. The Second Man lunges with the sharp

glass. Mal lifts the heavy statuette easily with one hand

and uses its upraised arms to catch the Man’s wrist and twist

the bottle painfully from his grasp. Mal’s other hand hits

the Man once in the throat, and he is down.

The Proprietor rises from behind the bar, a sawed-off shotgun

in his hand. Mal spins, swinging the statuette brutally

against the Proprietor’s arm. The shotgun clatters to the

floor as the Proprietor recoils in pain, crashing into a

shelf of glasses. The fight is over.

Suddenly, standing in the doorway holding a leveled gun is

an enormously tall figure -- SHERIFF LANGSTON. Dressed rather

elegantly in suit and bowler, he dwarfs the man at his side,

DEPUTY KERN. He surveys the scene as the three injured men

stir back to life. When he speaks, it is, surprisingly, with

a British accent --

LANGSTON

What’s all this then?

PROPRIETOR

This nigger’s breaking up my place,

Sheriff Langston.

LANGSTON

I don’t like that word much, Carter.

PROPRIETOR

We don’t serve them here and you

know it. I asked him to leave and he

went crazy on us. He owes me money

for this damage.

LANGSTON

Is that a fact?

EMMETT

’Fraid not, Sheriff. These other

fellas started the ruckus.

Langston’s attention focuses on Emmett and Paden.

LANGSTON

There are three strangers in this

room, traveller, and these gents you

are accusing aren’t them.

(to Mal, indicating

Emmett and Paden)

Are these your friends?

MAL

(shakes his head "no")

I wanted a drink and a bed. I guess

I came to the wrong place.

LANGSTON

(taking in the mess)

Came to the wrong town. I don’t

tolerate this kind of thing. It’s

hard on the peace, and it’s hard on

the furniture. Now, knowing a bit

about Carter here, I’m going to let

you go without paying for the damages.

But go you will, and I mean now.

MAL

Is there a place in town that takes...

my kind?

LANGSTON

You misunderstand. I want you out of

town. In fact, I want you all the

way out of my jurisdiction.

MAL

(seething)

That ain’t right.

LANGSTON

I decide what’s right in this

jurisdiction. Now move.

Mal glares at Langston and, finally, moves. He takes his

rifle from the bar, then walks over, picks up his saddlebags,

and slings them over his shoulder. He is almost to the door

when he stops, turns, and walks slowly back to the bar. The

shot glass full of whiskey has miraculously survived the

fracas. Mal brings it to his lips and swallows with

satisfaction. He turns and goes out the front door. Langston

motions to Deputy Kern to follow and witness Mal’s departure.

Langston turns and looks at Emmett and Paden as he slowly

uncocks his revolver and holsters it.

PROPRIETOR

Who’s going to pay for all this,

Sheriff?

LANGSTON

Don’t press your luck, Carter.

Langston moves to Emmett and Paden’s table and pulls up a

chair. He lifts the last biscuit from a basket. He takes a

fastidious bite.

LANGSTON

Now let’s talk about you chaps.

PADEN

We’d rather stay.

LANGSTON

We’ll see about that. I’m Sheriff

John Langston. As you may have

guessed, I am not from these parts.

PADEN

You’re kidding.

LANGSTON

(ignoring that)

But the good citizens of Turley have

taken me in their embrace, and for

one simple reason. I maintain the

peace. So when strangers come to

town, I always ask them their

business. Have you come for the

hanging?

EMMETT

("no")

I’m just meeting a guy here and moving

on. So far I haven’t been able to

find him.

LANGSTON

In my town, when you’re looking for

someone, you ask me.

EMMETT

All right. I’m looking for a young

fella, full of juice. About my size,

wears a fancy two-gun rig.

Langston takes a long time reacting to this information. Now

he slides his chair back a foot, giving his gun hand a little

more room.

LANGSTON

I know where that gentleman is.

OMIT

INT. CELLBLOCK - EVENING

A lean, young man is bouncing around his cell, playing hacky

sack, keeping a small, leather, bean bag from falling to the

floor by kicking it with his bare feet. This is JAKE.

Langston opens the door to the cellblock and speaks over his

shoulder to Emmett and Paden, who have removed their guns.

LANGSTON

Now I want everyone to behave himself.

At the sight of Emmett, Jake’s face lights up. And then he

does an extraordinary thing: with one long stride he is across

the cell and into the air; he hits the bars halfway up and

clings like a monkey. Paden reacts as if he is one.

JAKE

Emmett! Am I glad to see you!

EMMETT

(touching him)

Howdy, Jake. What’s going on here?

JAKE

You got me. This is a crazy town,

Emmett. I think we ought to get out

of here.

Jake lowers himself and darts about as he talks.

JAKE

All I did was kiss a girl.

EMMETT

(skeptical)

That’s why they got you in jail?

JAKE

Yeah, I kissed a girl and this guy

didn’t like it and we had some words,

so I decided to get out of there.

Jake looks at Emmett as though that should make it perfectly

clear. Emmett waits.

JAKE

So I did, I got out of there, I don’t

want no trouble. You know me.

(indeed, Emmett does)

So I walked out on the street and

the fella tried to shoot me in the

back.

EMMETT

...And you had to kill him?

JAKE

No, no, no! I winged him, and he

dropped his gun.

EMMETT

You’re in here for winging a guy?

Paden watches, fascinated.

JAKE

Well, no, not exactly. See then his

friend opened up on me.

EMMETT

What friend is that?

JAKE

The one with the shotgun.

LANGSTON

The dead one.

There is a long moment of silence in the cellblock.

EMMETT

Jake, I’m going to ask you once --

was it self-defense?

JAKE

(after a moment,

quieter now)

Honest to God, Emmett, he would’ve

killed me.

LANGSTON

The jury saw it differently.

PADEN

(putting it all

together)

So this is the guy you’re going to

hang?

LANGSTON

Tomorrow morning. Ten o’clock.

PADEN

(nods)

I was afraid of that.

Emmett steps back and leans against the opposite wall, looking

down at his boots.

JAKE

Emmett, can’t you help me?

Emmett looks up at the young man. He looks sad.

EMMETT

Jake, you know the law. You know

what they did to me.

Jake remembers. It makes him gloomy.

EMMETT

Blind Pete always said you’d hang.

Jake’s eyes flick over Emmett, but his expression doesn’t

change.

EMMETT

I guess tomorrow at dawn he’ll be

proved right.

LANGSTON

Ten A.M.

EMMETT

Right... I thought they always did

it at dawn.

(to Jake)

So long, kid. I’m sorry.

Emmett walks out. Jake watches as the other two follow.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Emmett and Paden walk along the sparsely populated sidewalk.

They are quiet for a few moments. Finally --

PADEN

Shame about the kid. Seems a lively

sort.

EMMETT

(morosely)

He is that.

PADEN

I hate to see any man swing. Bad

luck.

EMMETT

Bad luck for me. Now I gotta bust

him out of there.

Paden stops. Emmett has moved a couple more steps before he

notices and turns back to Paden.

PADEN

You’ll have to deal me out on that.

I’ve had some experience with that

sort of thing, and I don’t want any

more.

EMMETT

I understand.

PADEN

It’s not going to be easy.

EMMETT

It never is. But he’s my brother.

(Paden reacts)

We’re going to California together.

But first we’re going to stop in

Silverado and see our sister. And I

can’t show up there with a story

like this.

Paden nods. He is sympathetic.

PADEN

Then I guess this is where we part

ways. Sorry.

EMMETT

No hard feelings.

PADEN

C’mon, I’ll buy you a drink.

EMMETT

You haven’t got any money.

PADEN

All right, you buy me a drink.

They cross the street toward the crowded, noisy saloon.

PADEN

You know, a good smelly saloon is my

favorite place in the world.

INT. SALOON/HOTEL - NIGHT

This is the busiest place in town, really packed. Emmett

heads for a spot at the bar, but Paden, who is taking in the

scene with relish, stops in his tracks, staring across the

room.

WHAT HE SEES. Through the moving jumble of bodies and the

heavy smoke, Paden’s hat with its silver band, floating atop

an unseen head at a poker table.

Paden adjusts the old gun stuck in his belt and goes in that

direction.

At the table a heavy game is in progress. An UGLY COWBOY is

wearing Paden’s hat. Paden plants himself across the table

from the man. In seconds, Paden’s posture brings things to a

halt. Quiet ripples out across the room. The Ugly Cowboy

looks up and recognizes Paden.

PADEN

You’re wearing my hat. What else you

got that’s mine?

UGLY COWBOY

I don’t know what you’re talking

about, mister.

He shifts a little in his chair. His right hand slides off

the table. Bystanders back away. Emmett watches from the

bar.

PADEN

I hope your hand isn’t tickling my

bone-handled Colt. If you stand up

real slow and let me see, you might

live through this night.

The Ugly Cowboy hesitates, his eyes darting. He pushes his

chair back slowly and begins to rise as if in compliance.

But now a bone-handled Colt is in his hand, clearing his

holster. Paden is quicker. He snatches his gun from his belt

and fires.

Paden’s eyes, squinting through a cloud of gunsmoke, as we

hear the Ugly Cowboy’s body CRASH to the floor in his chair.

Paden’s glance now darts down at an angle.

WHAT HE SEES. His hat lands on the saloon floor, spins once

on its brim, and settles into stillness like a tossed coin.

Silence in the saloon. Then, in a far corner, the BANGING of

chairs and a door SLAMMING. Paden’s gun points that way, but

there is no one there. Only an overturned chair, and an empty

pair of boots -- Paden’s.

Paden picks up his hat and walks toward his boots. Emmett

moves to the dead man, unbuckles the gunbelt, and pulls it

free of the body. He picks up the bone-handled Colt and puts

it in the holster, then stops abruptly. We hear the steady

advance of FOOTSTEPS across the saloon floor. Emmett’s eyes

follow the off-screen presence.

Paden, seated, is pulling on his newly-regained boots with a

delighted air when a shadow surges up and engulfs him. He

looks up.

Sheriff Langston towers over him.

INT. CELLBLOCK - NIGHT

Paden is brusquely deposited in the cell next to a surprised

Jake by Sheriff Langston and DEPUTY BLOCK.

PADEN

You’re making a big mistake.

Langston is not interested. He and Block go out.

JAKE

That’s what I told ’em.

INT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Deputy Block eyes Emmett, who loiters by the door as Langston

settles himself.

LANGSTON

Maybe I ought to throw you in jail

too. Then you could be with all your

friends.

EMMETT

I haven’t done anything.

LANGSTON

I want you out of town before the

hanging.

EMMETT

I’ll be long gone.

OMIT

INT. CELLBLOCK - NIGHT

Paden forlornly regards a snoring drunk in another cell as

Jake talks to him.

JAKE

You mean you ain’t coming with Emmett

and me?

PADEN

I can’t say I’m convinced you’re

going anywhere.

JAKE

Sure we are. We’re leaving at dawn.

PADEN

I’ve got no reason to run. It was a

fair fight and there were plenty of

witnesses.

JAKE

(bubbly)

Yeah, that’s what happened with me

too.

PADEN

The other guy drew first.

JAKE

(same for him)

Right!

Paden looks a little discouraged, but is still unconvinced.

EXT. GALLOWS - MAIN STREET - NIGHT

Emmett sits up on the new gallows in the deserted

intersection, his legs dangling through the dropped trap

door. Now he begins idly collecting wood shavings into a

little pile.

INT. CELLBLOCK - NIGHT

Paden steps close to the bars that separate the cells and

looks up at Jake, who is dangling at arm’s length from one

of the overhead bars in his cell.

PADEN

(whispering)

Your brother seems pretty good, but

it isn’t going to be easy getting in

here.

Jake drops down to the floor.

JAKE

He ain’t coming in, we’re going out.

(motions)

Gimme your belt.

Paden, trying to follow this, unbuckles his belt.

JAKE

Didn’t he tell you about Blind Pete?

PADEN

(handing him the belt)

We didn’t get that far.

JAKE

Blind Pete taught me a great trick.

Jake grasps Paden’s belt by the buckle and snaps it at Paden

with a CRACK, like a lion tamer.

INT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - DAWN

Deputy Block cheats at solitaire while Langston dozes at his

desk. Now we hear FOOTSTEPS and BANGING outside.

STABLE BOY (O.S.)

Sheriff! Sheriff! Open up!

Block unlocks the door as Langston comes groggily to life. A

STABLE BOY bounces at the door, pointing off.

STABLE BOY

Sheriff Langston, come quick!

He disappears. Langston goes out, calling back to Block --

LANGSTON

Lock this door and don’t let anybody

in.

EXT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - DAWN

Langston hurries up the street after the Stable Boy.

INT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - DAWN

Deputy Block bolts the front door.

PADEN (O.S.)

(shouting)

Hey! What are you doing, you crazy

kid? Don’t do it!

Block draws his six-gun and edges suspiciously toward the

door to the cellblock.

PADEN (O.S.)

Oh, Jesus! Somebody stop him!

Block turns the doorknob and pushes the door open with his

foot, gun ready. He moves into the cellblock.

INT. CELLBLOCK - DAWN

Block moves cautiously to where he can see the cells. A

strange look crosses his face.

Jake is hanging by the neck from the overhead bars, two belts

forming the noose, his head at a disgusting angle from his

body. One foot gives a final twitch and he is still.

PADEN

Cut him down! For God’s sake, cut

him down!

Block is confused, uncertain. He doesn’t want to go in there.

PADEN

Hurry up! You might be able to save

him!

BLOCK

What for? So we can hang him?

Paden, sincerely desperate now, looks up at Jake, whose face

is turning blue.

PADEN

I think I’m going to be sick... when

I see what Langston does to you when

he gets here.

Block lets it sink in, then takes some keys from his belt.

BLOCK

(to Paden)

You get way back there.

Paden moves back quickly, motioning for Block to hurry. Block

holsters his six-gun, opens Jake’s cell door, and goes inside.

He gets up on the cot, pulling a knife from a sheath. He

strains up against Jake’s body, stretching to cut the belt.

Suddenly Jake can stand it no longer: he sputters to life,

his long-held breath blasting in Block’s face. Block,

startled, stumbles backwards off the cot, raising the knife

threateningly. Jake grabs the overhead bars, swings up, and

kicks Block in the chest. The deputy careens across the cell

and hits the bars. He throws the knife outside the cell and

draws his gun, ready to shoot Jake.

As Block’s finger pulls the trigger, Paden’s thumb intrudes

between the hammer and the firing pin. Paden has reached

through the bars behind Block to grasp the gun with his right

hand. Now with his left he grabs a handful of Block’s hair

and slams the deputy’s head hard back against the bars. As

Block slides unconscious to the floor, Paden keeps the gun,

wincingly uncocking it.

PADEN

Got to be real quiet here.

Jake has unhooked himself and is freeing his makeshift noose.

He rubs his reddened neck.

JAKE

(a hoarse whisper)

Right.

EXT. GALLOWS - DAWN

Langston huffs to a stop next to the Stable Boy, his

countenance a picture of outraged befuddlement. He, the Stable

Boy, and just one other surprised citizen are the only

witnesses: the gallows is aflame, burning like a pyre.

Langston considers this phenomenon, a suspicion slowly growing

in his mind.

EXT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE - DAWN

Paden and Jake come out warily. The street is deserted. Paden

straps his holster on; he’s glad to have it back at last.

Not as glad, however, as Jake, who seems to have a nearly

religious relationship with his rig, an elaborately tooled,

double gunbelt with two pearl-handled Colts.

JAKE

That’s the longest I ever did it.

’Bout bust a gut.

PADEN

(finger to lips:

"quiet")

What now?

JAKE

We wait.

The two men move carefully off the porch and into the street.

A wood stair goes up the outside of the jail to a door. Now,

high behind Jake, Deputy Kern comes out, nightshirt flapping,

cocking the carbine in his hands. He has thumped down five

steps before he focuses on Jake and Paden. He starts to raise

the carbine.

Both men see the deputy, but Jake’s reaction is so fast that

Paden need only watch. Jake spins and, before he has stopped,

both his Colts are erupting in his hands. The carbine flies

out of Kern’s grasp and clatters down the steps. Jake

continues to fire -- the stair at Kern’s foot splinters and

he steps backwards and up. Jake continues to splinter the

steps at Kern’s feet, until he has made the deputy exactly

retrace his steps and retreat back through the door. The

firing stops.

Paden gives Jake an odd look. Paden may have seen someone

this fast and good before, but he can’t remember it. He puts

his finger to his lips -- "shhh".

PADEN

Where’s your brother?

JAKE

(reloading fast)

He’ll be here.

A bullet WHIZZES between the two men as we hear shots from

the far end of the street. Langston is coming toward them

firing. They move back to the cover of the jail porch.

ALLEY ACROSS THE STREET. Emmett roars into view, riding his

horse and leading two others: Paden’s bay and the pinto.

A window above the jail breaks open and Kern starts firing

at Emmett.

DOWN THE STREET. Langston, behind a wagon, uses a British

two-handed grip to fire off a few rounds.

Emmett brings the horses over, and Paden swings quickly up.

Jake focuses his attention, unleashing a fusillade as Emmett

leads the pinto along the front of the jail.

EMMETT

Jake, come on!

DOWN THE STREET. Langston lifts his head from behind the now

bullet-pocked wagon. He’s impressed.

Jake runs along the porch, hits the top of the hitching post

on the fly, and takes off, landing lightly in the saddle of

the pinto. The three men gallop out of town in a cloud of

dust.

EXT. RIDE OUT OF TURLEY (VARIOUS SHOTS) - DAY

The three men ride hell-for-leather away from town. At the

first bend they leave the road and head off cross-country,

their horses straining up craggy hillsides and sliding down

dusty slopes. There is some good riding going on here.

OMIT

EXT. THE CHASE (VARIOUS SHOTS) - DAY

INTERCUTTING the three men and the Posse Langston has raised,

as the Posse closes ground over choppy terrain. Now the three

fugitives come through some trees along the bank of a stream

and splash across to the other side.

EXT. A SPLIT IN THE TRAIL - THE CHASE CONTINUES - DAY

The three men come thundering along a dusty trail to the

place where it splits. The high road disappears up the side

of a ridge; the low road is really the bed of an arroyo. The

three men exchange looks. Paden plunges into the arroyo.

Emmett shrugs to Jake, and the brothers follow Paden.

INTERCUTTING. The Posse splashes across the stream. The three

fugitives twist their way through the crooked arroyo.

AT THE SPLIT IN THE TRAIL. Langston pulls his group to a

halt. He looks at the tracks leading into the arroyo, and a

smile splits his face. He leads the Posse up the high road

fast.

EXT. ARROYO - DAY

IN THE ARROYO. Paden and Emmett pull up, looking back at

Jake, who has stopped at the last bend in the gully, watching

their rear. Now he rides up to the others.

JAKE

I think we lost ’em.

EMMETT

There’s nobody coming?

Jake shakes his head "no". Paden and Emmett exchange long

looks. Paden looks to the ground above them, even more

worried.

PADEN

Oh-oh.

They spur their horses out of there.

EXT. MOUTH OF ARROYO/FLATLANDS - DAY

The three riders break out of the arroyo and exchange looks

of glee on seeing the clear flatlands ahead. SHOTS ring out.

They look over their shoulders to see Langston’s Posse,

practically on top of them, pouring over the lip of a rise

and firing at will.

The three men whip their horses and head flat out across the

open space toward a cluster of boulders three hundred yards

away. They are vulnerable and exposed as shots PING around

them. They are not going to make it.

WITH THE POSSE. Deputy Block jumps from his horse onto the

top of a boulder and lies prone, bracing his Winchester for

an accurate shot.

BLOCK

(to himself)

Let’s see you fake this one, kid.

He is about to fire when suddenly the rocky surface in front

of his face explodes. He is so startled, he falls off the

boulder.

Another Posse member is coming between two tall rocks when a

bullet hits near his head and ricochets into the rock on the

other side. His horse rears up, and the horse coming up behind

him collides with it.

Langston and Deputy Kern have just started across the flats,

but pull up next to a cactus at this new firing. An arm of

the cactus is immediately severed by a .44 slug.

KERN

Is that them shooting?

LANGSTON

(pointing)

No. It’s coming from those rocks.

WHAT HE SEES. Paden, Emmett, and Jake are now halfway to the

cover of the distant rocks. Another shot CRACKS, and a puff

of smoke appears from ahead of them in the boulders.

KERN

Let’s go. He ain’t hitting anything.

LANGSTON

You idiot, he’s hit everything he’s

aimed at.

KERN

...But they won’t be out of our

jurisdiction till they pass Flat

Top!

As Paden, Emmett, and Jake disappear among the boulders,

Langston rises high in his stirrups to catch a final glimpse.

His bowler is blown off his head. He lowers himself back to

his saddle.

LANGSTON

Today my jurisdiction ends here.

He turns his horse back. The others do likewise.

LANGSTON

(over his shoulder,

to Kern)

Pick up my hat.

EXT. BOULDERS - DAY

Emmett and Paden rein in their frothing horses in the natural

bowl of rocks near a tied horse and the remains of a campfire.

Jake has stopped short of them and taken his horse back to

peer out toward the Posse. Grinning, he comes back to the

others. The three riders bring their horses around and focus

on a spot above them.

On the top of the highest boulder, Mal leaves a comfortable,

prone shooting position and eases himself down to a lower

rock. A bandolier of .44 bullets dangles from one hand. He

rests his Henry rifle at an angle across one shoulder.

JAKE

(to the others)

This a friend of yours?

PADEN

He is now.

JAKE

Who is he?

PADEN

Oh, a guy who got run out of town...

EMMETT

...just like us.

EXT. HIGH DESERT - DAY

An awesome rock spire soars into the perfect blue sky above

the orange desert. The sight is spectacular. The slow surge

of MUSIC exhilarating. It is the perfect setting in which to

see the four horsemen who now appear on a ridge. Here they

come --

Riding together, side by side, for the first time -- Emmett,

Paden, Jake, and Mal.

EXT. HILL - DAY

The travellers crest a hill above a wide desert plain and

pull up at the surprising sight below -- there in the

distance, stopped dead in a disorderly line, is the wagon

train we saw leave Turley. The horsemen exchange puzzled

looks.

EXT. WAGON TRAIN - DESERT PLAIN - DAY

The Settlers are clustered near a wagon as the four horsemen

ride down on them. There is a tense silence as they dismount

and approach the group. Hobart, the leader, steps forward to

meet them. After a long perusal --

HOBART

(calling)

It’s okay, Zeke.

From the cover of a nearby wagon, Zeke appears, lowering a

shotgun that had been trained on the newcomers.

EMMETT

Hobart, what are you people doing

here?

HOBART

This is where Baxter and Hawley brung

us.

EMMETT

Well, they’re wrong. This territory

is full of bad characters.

HOBART

And they were two of them. Look --

He gestures and the Settlers part to reveal the wagon which

held the money box in Turley. The money box is gone, but the

still form of its giant guardian, Eb, lies in the bed of the

wagon, dead.

HOBART

Baxter and Hawley killed poor Eb

here and stole our money box.

(gestures)

They went north and we’re going after

them.

The newcomers now see that a few of the Settler men and boys

are preparing to ride in pursuit. Mal and Paden exchange

looks, not terribly impressed.

EMMETT

Forget the money. You’ve got to get

these people out of here. This is no

place to be sitting with women and

kids.

JAKE

Your next water ain’t for three days.

HOBART

We got no life in Silverado without

that money. Everybody put in, that’s

our whole stake.

Paden looks around. His gaze falls on Hannah, somber now,

but still lovely. Conrad, her husband, stands beside her.

Mal has been watching a little girl cling to the leg of one

of the Settler men who is going out on the chase. Now the

black man quietly mounts his horse, and speaks to an older,

solid-looking man, MR. PARKER, standing by his wife.

MAL

How long have they been gone?

MR. PARKER

About an hour.

Emmett and Paden watch Mal with interest. Jake is excited by

this development. He jumps up on his horse.

JAKE

I’ll go with you, Mal!

Paden isn’t so quick to commit, but then he notices Hannah

gazing up at Mal and Jake with radiant admiration. He digests

that and moves toward his horse.

PADEN

Deal me in.

He steals a look at Hannah as he mounts up. Emmett has watched

all this with growing resignation. Now he speaks crisply,

all business.

EMMETT

Jake, you know the way out of here.

I want you to get this train moving

toward Silverado, and fast. I’ll go

with these guys.

Jake is disappointed, but nods agreement. Emmett turns to

Hobart and the Settler posse.

EMMETT

You men stay with your wagons and

your families. Get rolling and keep

your eyes peeled.

Emmett moves toward his horse, as Conrad, rifle in hand,

steps forward belligerently.

CONRAD

Wait a minute! If you do get the

money, how do we know you’ll come

back?

EMMETT

(flashes him a look)

If we don’t, you can keep my brother.

HOBART

(to Emmett)

I’m trusting you, mister.

CONRAD

(to Hobart)

You trusted Baxter. I’m not letting

these men out of my sight.

As Conrad moves toward his horse, Paden looks at Hannah, now

standing all alone. Paden thinks he acted too quickly.

EMMETT

(indicating Hannah)

If I’d brought a pretty lady like

that into a place like this, I’d

stay close.

Paden reacts to Emmett’s interest in Hannah.

CONRAD

That’s none of your business, mister.

Let’s get going.

PADEN

(quietly, to Emmett)

I think you got a point, Emmett.

Maybe I better stay here with her.

Emmett smiles and snaps his reins, moving out with Mal.

Reluctantly, Paden follows, twisting around for a last glimpse

of Hannah.

WHAT HE SEES. Hannah moves toward Conrad’s horse, as if to

touch her husband. But Conrad, his face set in suspicion,

barely nods farewell as he sweeps by her. She looks after

him desolately.

Mal, Paden, Emmett, and Conrad ride off to the north, as

Jake begins yelling orders to the Settlers to get things

moving. What he lacks in expertise, he makes up for in

enthusiasm.

EXT. HIGH DESERT (SERIES OF SHOTS) - DAY

The four men track the killers across the rugged terrain.

Sometimes, Emmett gets down from his horse to examine the

tracks.

On a flat, rocky expanse, the chase party is temporarily

stalled. Emmett and Paden confer, balked. Mal, peering ahead,

spots something and points it out to the two expert trackers:

a steaming horse patty. They head off in that direction.

OMIT

EXT. RIM OF BOX CANYON - DAY

The four men crawl to the lip of the canyon and get a clear

view of the activity below; the box canyon has been turned

into a hideout for the Dawson Gang, a band of border raiders.

There are about twenty-five outlaws moving about among the

tents, caves, and wagons of the encampment. Their horses are

penned in a natural alcove in the rock off the main floor of

the canyon.

The strongbox from the wagon train sits on the tailgate of a

wagon. Next to it is a large keg of whiskey from which the

outlaws are drawing generous portions. Baxter and Hawley

have brought the loot proudly back to their cohorts, and the

celebration is centered around this wagon.

On the rim the pursuers exchange looks in reaction to this

new situation.

PADEN

(to Emmett)

You know, hanging around with you is

no picnic.

EMMETT

Anybody got any ideas?

EXT. OUTLAW CAMP - BOX CANYON - DAY

One of the outlaws spills some whiskey onto the money in the

strongbox. DAWSON, the leader of the gang, angrily slams the

strongbox closed and kicks the offending outlaw. Suddenly,

there are cries of warning from the Sentinel at the entrance

to the box canyon. HOOFBEATS echo into the canyon from that

direction. The outlaws react en masse with a frightening

display of armed readiness.

WHERE THE TRAIL ENTERS THE CANYON. From the shadows emerge

two galloping horses: on the first is Emmett, who holds the

reins of the second, across whose saddle is draped the

seemingly lifeless body of Paden. The Sentinel watches them

pass under the point of his carbine.

AT THE WAGON. Emmett dismounts quickly and ties both horses

to a wheel. Dawson decides not to shoot this guy yet. He

watches as Emmett runs back across the canyon to the cover

of some crates and crouches down behind them, looking up at

the rim above the entrance. The outlaws, guns pointed, stand

around him.

TALL OUTLAW

(to Dawson)

Should I kill him, Mr. Dawson?

DAWSON

(approaching Emmett)

In a minute!

Emmett, still cowering, looks over his shoulder at Dawson.

He speaks now, and throughout, very fast.

EMMETT

I wouldn’t do that. You’re going to

need every gun when that posse gets

here.

DAWSON

Posse? What the hell you talking

about?

EMMETT

My partner and me robbed the bank in

Turley and headed out with a posse

on our tails. My partner there caught

one a ways back, and I think he kicked

off while I was looking for this

damn canyon. You’re Dawson, ain’t

you? I’m Tex LaRue.

(offers his hand for

only a second)

Used to ride with Ry Morris. You

know him. Well, Andy Sims told me

there was a hideout here, so I headed

for it. Hope you don’t mind.

Paden, lying over the saddle, his face shielded by his hat,

winces at this story.

DAWSON

You brought a posse to my best hideout

and you want to know if I mind.

Mister, I don’t know any of those

names and you’re about to die.

EMMETT

Wait a minute! If you don’t believe

me, ask them...

(indicates Baxter and

Hawley)

...they saw me and my pal in Turley

before we did the job.

Baxter and Hawley peer at Emmett and nod to each other.

BAXTER

I saw ’em there, all right, but I

don’t know about any bank job.

DAWSON

If you took the bank in Turley,

where’s the money?

Emmett crouches lower, looking nervously at the rocks.

EMMETT

I’d get down if I were you. They may

be up there now.

DAWSON

(just as he suspected)

No money, eh?

EMMETT

The money’s in my saddlebags over

there, but I ain’t stepping out to

get it.

The outlaws, all of whom are standing in the open, think

he’s crazy. Dawson motions Hawley toward Emmett’s horse.

Hawley is almost there when gunfire erupts from the rocks

above and Hawley goes down dead. Now all the outlaws hit the

dirt, some firing wildly. Paden unobtrusively frees his rope.

Dawson comes down beside Emmett.

EXT. RIM OF BOX CANYON - DAY

Conrad and Mal fire into the canyon, then move to new

positions.

EXT. OUTLAW CAMP - DAY

ABOVE THE ENTRANCE to the box canyon the Sentinel disappears

into the rocks, moving upward.

AT THE CRATES. Down the line from Emmett, an outlaw gets

hit. The outlaws can’t see anything to shoot at.

EMMETT

(agitated)

If we charge them, they won’t have a

chance. But we gotta get to the

horses.

DAWSON

What do you mean, the horses?

Emmett jumps up. He yells to the other outlaws.

EMMETT

Cover me!

He runs in a mad zig-zag toward the gate of the horses’ pen.

EXT. RIM OF BOX CANYON - DAY

Mal, firing rapidly, follows Emmett’s route with precision.

EXT. OUTLAW CAMP - DAY

Mal’s shots kick up dust inches from Emmett’s flying feet.

Once Emmett throws a glance upwards; Mal’s cutting it pretty

close. Baxter slides in next to Dawson, who is thinking hard.

BAXTER

(indicating Emmett)

Brave man.

DAWSON

I think there’s only a couple of

guys up there and this asshole’s one

of them.

AT THE WAGON. An outlaw is cowering beneath the wagon, but

doesn’t notice as Paden reaches out and secures the latch on

the money box.

AT THE HORSE PEN. Emmett throws open the make-shift gate and

runs in among the horses, yelling and waving his arms. The

horses begin to run out of the pen.

AT THE CRATES. Dawson jumps up and orders his men forward. A

line of outlaws rushes toward the pen, all the while firing

up at the rim. Paden appears at a gallop from behind, pulling

Emmett’s horse beside him. A rope stretches from his

saddlehorn to the strongbox bouncing along in the dirt.

Paden comes through the line of outlaws firing and heads for

the pen. A few of the outlaws make the mistake of closing

the gap and aiming at Paden’s back. The bouncing strongbox

knocks them head over heels.

Emmett leaps from a rock onto his passing horse, firing behind

him. He and Paden go down the trail in the midst of the

outlaws’ horses. The strongbox careens after them.

EXT. MOUTH OF CANYON TRAIL - DAY

Mal and Conrad, mounted; are waiting as Emmett and Paden

ride out of the mouth of the canyon. Beyond them, the outlaws’

horses scatter toward the horizon. Paden jumps off his horse

and picks up the strongbox.

IN THE ROCKS ABOVE THEM the Sentinel from the outlaw camp

positions himself to fire at the men below.

EMMETT

(to Mal)

That was some idea of yours. Next

time you go in.

Paden is tying the strongbox to his saddlehorn when there is

the loud CLICK of Conrad’s rifle being cocked. He nervously

points it at the others.

CONRAD

I knew it. Put that box on my horse.

MAL

Mister, you got a lot to learn about

people.

A SHOT rings out. Conrad takes it in the chest and flies off

his horse. Now an amazing sight -- Emmett, Paden, and Mal

all turn and fire at once. The Sentinel is really dead.

EXT. DESERT RISE - DAY

Below in the distance the wagon train moves across the desert,

dwarfed by giant rock walls. Now, coming right PAST CAMERA,

at a gallop ride Emmett, Paden, Mal, and Conrad’s horse with

his body slung over it.

EXT. DESERT - DAY

Hannah sits alone on the high seat of her wagon. She is

unaware that behind her the four horses approach. And that

her husband is dead.

OMIT

EXT. WAGON TRAIN CAMP - NIGHT

Mal, Emmett, and Jake lounge about a campfire within the

quiet circle of wagons. Emmett is whittling a whistle pipe

out of a stick.

MAL

After the war my family worked a

little piece of land near Savannah

for a while. But the way it was down

there then... well, they made it

hard every way they could. Finally

my daddy figured the promised land

was out this direction. By that time

I was so sick of farming, I didn’t

want to touch another hoe ever. I

wouldn’t come with ’em. My daddy

took it pretty hard. Him, my ma, and

my little sister headed out without

me. They’ve got a little place south

of Silverado. I guess they’ve done

okay. Good enough anyway so that

when my ma wrote me last time, she

said they needed my help to work the

place. That was almost nine months

ago she wrote. Letter took a while

to find me, but when it did, it was

just the right time.

EMMETT

Where were you?

MAL

Chicago. Working in the slaughterhouses.

JAKE

Chicago! You been to Chicago? Was it

wonderful?

MAL

(remembering)

No.

Paden walks into the light of the fire and pours himself a

cup of coffee.

EMMETT

Where you been?

PADEN

(caught, vamps)

Oh, I was just checking the, ah...

(gestures vaguely

over his shoulder)

...you know, lookin’ in.

He concentrates on his coffee and moves away from the light.

Mal, Emmett, and Jake exchange amused, knowing looks.

JAKE

Jeez, Paden, her old man ain’t even

cold yet!

Mal and Emmett laugh.

EXT. ROLLING DESERT - DAY

SERIES OF SHOTS as the wagon train rolls westward.

Paden is driving Hannah’s wagon; she sits beside him on the

seat.

PADEN

He acted bravely out there, Hannah.

Just bad luck his getting hit. Could

have been any one of us.

HANNAH

I don’t believe in luck. I know what

Conrad was like. Don’t tell me what

you think I want to hear.

PADEN

Never will again.

HANNAH

We got married just before this trip,

so we could come out here and try

the land. It’s hard to find a man

willing to take on a life like that.

She pauses and takes the reins from him.

HANNAH

Love isn’t the only important thing.

Emmett rides up on Hannah’s side and keeps pace beside them,

smiling at the sight of the couple.

EMMETT

How you doing, m’am? Getting enough

help?

Hannah, caught between the two men, smiles.

HANNAH

More than enough.

EMMETT

Have you thought at all about your

plans?

HANNAH

Some. I’ve been talking to the

Parkers. One thing I know I’m not

doing -- I’m not going back.

OMIT

EXT. RIVER CROSSING (VARIOUS SHOTS) - DAY

The wagon train splashes noisily across the river, drivers

yelling loudly to urge on their teams. Emmett, Paden, Mal,

and Jake, on horseback, direct the crossing.

EXT. APPROACHING SILVERADO - DAY

The wagon train is moving through pretty, rolling country.

Mal rides up to join Emmett and Paden on point ahead of the

train. In his hand is a yellowed letter. He points off to

the south where a dramatic half-dome of rock towers above

the hills.

MAL

This is it, gents. My ma told me to

head south past that rock.

PADEN

Good luck, Mal.

EMMETT

Maybe we’ll see you sometime.

MAL

(doesn’t think so)

Yeah... maybe. So long.

He rides away, and he doesn’t look back.

EXT. FORK OF THE ROAD (OUTSIDE SILVERADO) - DAY

A buckboard with a man and a young girl in it is stopped at

the fork, its two occupants standing up and waving excitedly.

As the wagon train pulls to a halt, Hobart climbs down from

the lead wagon and is embraced by the homesteader from the

buckboard, BRADLEY.

Bradley points off along the right fork of the road as he

speaks to Hobart.

BRADLEY

It’s right down this road aways.

I’ll ride in with you myself.

(to the girl in the

buckboard)

Carol, go spread the word our people

are here.

The girl, CAROL, whips the buckboard into motion and

disappears down the road. Bradley is looking down the line

of wagons.

BRADLEY

I thought there’d be more of you.

But I thank the Lord for each and

every one. We’ll have a solid strip

of bottomland under the plow when

you people stake your claims.

(a grim look at Hobart)

And we’re going to need every hand

to hold it.

AT HANNAH’S WAGON. Emmett has brought his horse up to face

Hannah and, on horseback beside her wagon, Paden.

EMMETT

Hope to see you again, m’am.

She nods demurely.

PADEN

I think I’ll ride along with the

lady here. Just take a look at this

farmland before I come into Silverado.

See what makes a trip this hard worth

taking.

(catches Emmett’s

amused look)

I’ll see you around.

EMMETT

I’ll be around.

AT THE LEAD WAGON. Hobart has what might be tears in his

eyes as he picks up the reins and looks at the countryside.

HOBART

I feel like I’ve arrived in Canaan.

BRADLEY

When we got here, we thought it was

Eden. And it’s pretty close -- right

down to the serpents.

The wagon train moves out along the right fork of the road

as Emmett and Jake, waving goodbye, ride straight ahead toward

town.

EXT. ENTERING SILVERADO - DAY

Silverado is a sprawling, active, handsome frontier town, a

cattle center and supply station for the burgeoning silver

mines to the west. Emmett and Jake ride into town.

OMIT

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Mal comes around the shoulder of a hill and reins to a halt.

He takes the yellowed letter from his pocket and checks a

detail. He smiles at the stand of cottonwoods that marks his

route. After all these years, he’s excited to be approaching

some kind of home. He hurries on.

EXT. LAND OFFICE/HOLLIS HOME (SILVERADO) - DAY

The land office is in the front of the first floor of the

Hollis home, a separate, two-story structure on a side street.

Now we’re looking down the porch as KATE HOLLIS embraces her

brothers, Emmett and Jake. Her big, bear-like, gentle husband,

J.T., comes out to add his greetings. After the laying on of

hands, the attention of all four is drawn to the doorway and

a figure we cannot yet see.

Now he steps shyly into view: eleven-year-old AUGIE. Jake

makes a show of shaking Augie’s hand, man to man. Emmett

kneels to greet him at eye level; the boy’s grown a lot in

five years.

EXT. HILL - DAY

Mal reaches the top of the hill, a look of high expectation

on his face. But now he pulls up sharply, his expression

changing. Not what he expected.

Down below in a pretty, little valley that recently embraced

a farm are hundreds of cattle, roaming free across the last

remnants of the fields. And the burnt-out remains of a small

farmhouse.

EXT. FARMHOUSE RUINS - DAY

Mal dismounts near the blackened timbers and walks into the

ruins. He looks around in a daze: he’s home, but there’s no

home there.

EXT. KNOLL ABOVE BRADLEY’S PLACE (HOMESTEADER LAND) - DUSK

Paden and Hannah are just reaching the top of the knoll. In

the distance below them is Bradley’s farm, in the barnyard

of which the wagon train has pulled up for this first night.

HANNAH

Mr. and Mrs. Parker have agreed to

join their parcel to mine. We’ll

work them together.

(she points)

Mine starts right over there. It’s

all I’ve ever wanted. Pretty land,

isn’t it?

PADEN

(nods, looking at her)

And a pretty lady.

She turns to face him with a clear-eyed gaze that is almost

scary.

HANNAH

A lot of men have told me that. Maybe

it’s true. I guess some women are

slow to believe it.

PADEN

Believe it.

HANNAH

They’re drawn to me by that. But it

never lasts.

PADEN

Why?

HANNAH

Because they don’t like what I want.

PADEN

What’s that?

HANNAH

(turns back toward

her view)

I want to build something, make things

grow. That takes hard work -- a

lifetime of it. That’s not why men

come to a pretty woman.

He shakes his head, agreeing, though she cannot see it.

HANNAH

After a while, I won’t be so pretty.

But this land will be.

She turns to face him again. He understands now as well as

she that romance is not in their future. But friendship could

be.

PADEN

Hannah, don’t tell me what you think

I want to hear.

Hannah laughs with him.

EXT. FARMHOUSE RUINS - NIGHT

Mal has made a fire in the remains of the fireplace and is

cooking food. As he sits back, he senses he is being watched.

He turns. There at the edge of the light stands an old black

man holding a Henry .44 rifle like Mal’s -- his father, EZRA

JOHNSON. The two men look at each other a long time.

MAL

Daddy?

EZRA

I saw the light. I thought maybe Rae

had come back to see me. But I never

thought it’d be my boy. I never

thought that.

Mal goes to him and encloses him in his arms.

MAL

Ma?

Ezra looks up at him and shakes his head.

EZRA

She was sick for a long time. She

was sick when she wrote you, but she

didn’t say it. I never thought you’d

come. But she did.

Mal takes it hard. They move back to the fire together.

MAL

Where is Rae?

EZRA

She’s gone, gone to town. She hated

working on the farm...

(a bitter glance)

...just like you.

MAL

(gestures)

What happened?

EZRA

They run me off. They burned me out.

They made it so I couldn’t do. Just

like Georgia. If you won’t sell,

they take it anyway.

MAL

Who?

EZRA

(as though it were

obvious)

The cattle! This valley runs down to

a clear creek. That’s why we picked

this spot, and that’s why they don’t

want us here.

MAL

You own this land.

EZRA

I paid the government for it, all

right. That don’t mean much out here.

(he motions behind

him)

Malachi, I’m living like a wildcat

in a cave in those hills. Hiding

out, afraid to walk my own land.

MAL

What about the law?

EZRA

Whose law? The law here runs a man

down -- just like these cattle.

Mal thinks about that and grows very angry. Finally --

MAL

That ain’t right and I’ve had enough

of what ain’t right.

INT. HOLLIS HOME (SILVERADO) - NIGHT

The group is finishing dinner in the kitchen/sitting room at

the back of the ground floor. Augie is tooting the carved

whistle pipe that Emmett has given him. Kate and Emmett begin

to clear the dishes as Jake and J.T. continue to sit.

JAKE

I thought running the land office

would be easy work, J.T., but it

sounds like what you got here ain’t

much fun.

J.T.

We got a bad situation here, and

those homesteaders you brought in

with you are going to make it worse.

(indicates front of

house)

When they come into this office to

stake their claims, I think it’s

going to be the start of real trouble.

They’re going to cut McKendrick off

on the north.

KATE

J.T.’s done everything he can. I

married a brave man. Augie, take

that delightful gift your uncle gave

you out of here while we’re talking.

(back to others)

McKendrick picked the new sheriff

himself, so J.T. can’t even get the

law enforced.

J.T.

Half the gunslingers that drift into

town turn up on our police force.

EMMETT

A man could die of thirst before

anybody offered him a drink around

here.

J.T. pulls a bottle of whiskey from a cabinet and sets up

three glasses, but Kate pantomimes for him to add one for

her.

EMMETT

Maybe you all ought to come to

California with Jake and me.

(across the room)

How ’bout it, Augie, you want to go

with us?

AUGIE

Sure!

JAKE

You know, Augie, there are no schools

in California.

AUGIE

(aglow)

Really?

KATE

Augie’s going to grow up here. There’s

nothing wrong with the land, it’s

just some of the people.

J.T.

The problem is, Emmett, you killed

the wrong McKendrick.

KATE

Why, J.T., watch what you’re saying

around Augie. Emmett didn’t kill

anybody.

EMMETT

Well, Kate, it was self-defense sure

enough, but I think you’d have to

say I killed old Murdo. I think that’s

definitely the word.

JAKE

It was my fault.

KATE

It was not -- it was Murdo’s. Those

McKendricks don’t know how to act

like human beings.

J.T.

His son is worse than he was. He’s

smoother, so you don’t always hear

him coming, but he’ll do anything to

keep his range free.

KATE

(intensely)

I’m worried what he’s going to do

when he finds out you boys are back.

Emmett puts his arm around her.

EMMETT

I think Jake here can take care of

himself. I did five years I didn’t

owe. McKendrick ought to be satisfied

with that and let it lie.

Kate looks between her brothers. She is not reassured.

EXT. FARMHOUSE RUINS - NIGHT

Having smothered the fire, Mal mounts up, then reaches down

to pull his father onto the horse behind him. They begin

picking their way through the cattle when two night-riding

cowboys, RED and SCRUFFY, approach through the gloom.

RED

Is that you, Ezra?

SCRUFFY

(to his mate, jovially)

You see pretty good, Red. Is there

one or two of them?

(He laughs)

What brings you out of your hole,

Johnson?

RED

We’re going to find that place one

of these days. Who you got with you,

Ezra?

EZRA

This is my son. He’s come home.

SCRUFFY

Ain’t that sweet, Red? I’m afraid

you boys are trespassing on McKendrick

land.

MAL

You got it all wrong, mister. This

is our place.

RED

What? Mr. McKendrick bought this

place from your father.

EZRA

That’s a lie.

MAL

Tomorrow we’re going to town to

straighten that out once and for

all. The next day we’ll be back

here... farming. And these cattle

better be gone.

The two cowboys are taken aback. They look to each other for

guidance.

MAL

If I find any cattle on our land

after tomorrow, I’m going to start

carving them into steaks. And believe

me, that’s one thing I know about.

SCRUFFY

Killing cattle is a hanging offense

in these parts. If we shot you down

right now, we’d be within our rights.

MAL

Mister, you ever seen what a Henry

rifle can do in the hands of someone

who knows how to use it?

The two cowboys tense, their gun hands flexing.

SCRUFFY

Who would that be? You?

Behind Mal, Ezra lowers the barrel of his own Henry toward

the cowboys and cocks it. He looks like a man coming back to

life. The two cowboys are dumbfounded. They turn and start

to ride away. Scruffy shouts back at them --

SCRUFFY

This ain’t the end of it!

MAL

(to Ezra)

We’re going to get your land back,

Daddy... our land.

EZRA

(marvelling at events)

Maybe we will! Maybe we will!

(pause)

After all, I never thought I’d get

my son back.

EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT

Paden rides along the dark street, drawn irresistibly toward

the thinking MUSIC, lights, and hubbub of the big saloon --

The Midnight Star.

INT. MIDNIGHT STAR - NIGHT

Paden comes in and looks around with some pleasure. It’s an

expansive place, busy now with gamblers, drinkers, and

brightly-dressed saloon girls. A piano player bangs away in

the corner. Paden has to smile. This is the way a saloon

ought to be. Now, even Paden is home.

Paden walks up to stand at the bar. The BARTENDER is busy at

the far end of the bar. Paden is patiently waiting to get

his attention when he hears a woman’s voice behind him, on

his side of the bar.

STELLA (O.S.)

What can I do you for, stranger?

Paden turns to face his interlocutor, but at first cannot

find her. After a moment, though, he looks down to see a

small woman in a velvet dress -- STELLA.

PADEN

You work here?

STELLA

I run the place. What can I get you?

She is already moving away toward the near end of the bar.

He watches her disappear around the end, then sees the top

of her head appear behind the bar down there. As she moves

back toward him, she gets taller and taller, until she is

facing him eye to eye across the bar.

PADEN

Bourbon.

As she reaches under the bar and produces bottle and glass,

Paden leans over and peeks behind the bar. A foot-wide ramp

runs the length of it.

PADEN

Nifty.

STELLA

(smiles)

The world is what you make of it,

friend. If it doesn’t fit, you make

alterations.

PADEN

I’ll drink to that. Will you join

me, Miss --

STELLA

Stella.

PADEN

Paden.

Stella sets up a glass for herself, and they shake hands.

Paden looks up at a carved ornamental star on the back wall,

over the words "The Midnight Star".

PADEN

Stella... Are you the midnight star

herself?

STELLA

I am. I’m always there, but I only

shine at night.

A saloon girl -- a lovely, young, black woman -- RAE passes

with some drinks. Paden watches her go, then looks around

the room.

PADEN

My compliments to you, Miss Stella.

This is what I call a saloon.

STELLA

Thanks. That’s what I call it too.

PADEN

And I know what I’m talking about.

STELLA

You like a good saloon?

PADEN

It’s the only place I’m happy.

STELLA

Me too. What’s wrong with us?

Their eyes meet for a moment, and a real connection is made.

PADEN

You wouldn’t be needing any help