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Searchers, The (1956)

by Frank S. Nugent.
Based on the novel by Alan Le May.

More info about this movie on IMDb.com


FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY


FADE IN

Behind the main title and the credits:

1	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - CLOSE SHOT - MOVING JUST ABOVE GROUND
LEVEL - A STUDY OF HOOFPRINTS - LATE AFTERNOON

The hoofprints are deeply etched in the ground, picking
their way through scrubby desert growth. An occasional
tumbleweed drifts with the light breeze across the pattern
of prints; and lightly-blown soil and sand begin the work
of erasing them. The CAMERA FOLLOWING the hoofprints
raises slowly to:

2	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - LATE AFTERNOON

We see the rider now. BACK TO CAMERA, jogging slowly along
-- heading down a long valley toward a still-distant ranch
house with its outlying barn and corrals.

3	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - MED. SHOT - MOVING - LATE AFTERNOON

The CAMERA FRAMES and MOVES with the lone horseman. He is
ETHAN EDWARDS, a man as hard as the country he is crossing.
Ethan is in his forties, with a three-day stubble of beard.
Dust is caked in the lines of his face and powders his
clothing. He wears a long Confederate overcoat, torn at
one pocket, patched and clumsily stitched at the elbows.
His trousers are a faded blue with an off-color stripe down 
the legs where once there had been the yellow stripes of the
Yankee cavalry. His saddle is Mexican and across it he
carries a folded serape in place of the Texas poncho...
Rider and horse have come a long way. The CAMERA HOLDS and
PANS the rider past and we see another detail; strapped
onto his saddle roll is a sabre and scabbard with a gray
silk sash wrapped around it...Horse and rider pass, moving
closer to the ranch as a little girl and a small dog come
tearing around the corner of the house.

4	EXT. THE YARD OF THE EDWARDS RANCH - MED. SHOT - DEBBIE -
LATE AFTERNOON

She is staring wide-eyed at the distant horseman o.s.
Her little dog has seen him too and is barking excitedly.
DEBBIE quickly reaches to grab the dog by the scruff of 
the neck, crouching over him. Debbie is 11 years old with
a piquant, memorable face.

5	EXT. THE YARD - CLOSE SHOT - DEBBIE

Here we must establish and dramatize what it is about her 
face that is memorable, so that if we were to see her again
five or six years later, we would know it is she -- perhaps
the eye color or the slant of eyebrow, or a trick of
scratching bridge of nose with crooked forefinger.

6	EXT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - MED. SHOT - AARON - LATE AFTERNOON

The ranch house is of adobe, solidly built, with a sod and
cross-timbered roof, deep windows. A small gallery or porch
extends across the front. AARON EDWARDS comes through the
door, attracted by the dog's barking -- and then he, too,
sees the approaching horseman and comes farther out --
curious but not at all apprehensive. Aaron is a lean,
weathered and tired man, with a down-swept mustache; a
gentler-looking man than Ethan and possibly a few years 
older.

As he squints off, studying the rider, his older daughter,
LUCY, comes out to stand behind him. Lucy is from 16 to 
18 -- a pleasant, feminine girl. She is carrying a mixing
bowl with some sort of batter in it, which she now
completely forgets to whip in her interest in the approaching
stranger.

In the next instant MARTHA EDWARDS follows the daughter onto
the porch. Martha is a still-lovely woman, although the
years have etched fine wrinkles about her eyes and mouth,
and work has worn and coarsened her hands. Those hands will
never be idle when Martha is on scene...And now, while she
shares the family's interest in the approaching horseman,
she automatically notes that Lucy has forgotten her task --
and she takes the mixing bowl from her and stirs the
batter.

7	EXT. YARD OF THE EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - LATE AFTERNOON

Along the side of the house comes BEN EDWARDS, 14, with a
man-sized armload of chunkwood clutched to his chest. He,
too, has spotted the stranger and is all attention. So much
so that he trips, but recovers his footing. He pauses to
dump the wood into a woodbox by the door -- his eyes always
riveted on the oncoming rider -- and then he moves toward
the others, biting a splinter out of a finger. Beyond Ben,
MARTIN PAULEY emerges from the barn and crosses the open
ground heading toward CAMERA. Martin is somewhat under
20, a lithe, perfectly coordinated male animal, with 
Indian-straight hair and a white man's eyes. He is carrying
bridle or other horse-gear. He looks to the family on
the porch -- to see if they recognize the stranger -- then
out again. He continues, followed by Ben, toward where
Debbie crouches over her dog.

8	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - ETHAN - LATE AFTERNOON

As he rides downslope toward the house.

THE CREDITS END.

9	EXT. THE EDWARDS RANCH - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA, LUCY, 
AND AARON - LATE AFTERNOON

Suddenly, Martha's eyes widen as she -- even before Aaron --
recognizes the distant rider. Her hand goes to her mouth
to check the name that trembles on her lips...An instant
later Aaron, too, identifies the oncoming horseman.

			AARON
		(incredulous)
	Ethan?

He looks at her, frowning, then slowly steps out onto the
hard ground. Martha hands the bowl back to Lucy and follows
Aaron.

10	EXT. THE YARD OF THE EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP

as Ethan rides in and sits his horse, looking down at them.
There is a noticeable constraint on all of them. Finally:

			ETHAN
	Hello, Aaron...

His eyes shift to Martha and hold. Ethan is, and always has
been, in love with his brother's wife and she with him.

			ETHAN
	Martha...

			MARTHA
		(a bit shakily)
	Hello, Ethan.

Ethan slowly, stiffly swings out of the saddle. Aaron and
Martha exchange quick glances...troubled, puzzled. Aaron
pastes on an uncertain smile as Ethan comes around his horse
toward their side.

			AARON
	How's California?

			ETHAN
	How should I know?

			AARON
	But Mose Harper said...

			ETHAN
	That old goat still creakin'
	around?...Whyn't someone bury him?

He goes to his saddle pack, begins unlacing it. Ben and
Debbie have inched closer -- half-shy, half-curious.
Debbie's dog begins sniffing at his heels. Ethan looks
down at them - not unfriendly, just a man not used to
children.

			ETHAN
	Ben, ain't you?

Ben nods.

			ETHAN
		(frowning at Debbie)
	Lucy, you ain't much bigger than
	when I saw you last.

			DEBBIE
	I'm Deborah!
		(pointing)
	She's Lucy.

Ethan looks in the direction of the pointing finger.

11	EXT. YARD - ANOTHER ANGLE

as Lucy steps down from the porch and approaches.

			MARTHA
	Lucy's going on seventeen now...

			BEN
	An' she's got a beau! Kisses him,
	too!

			MARTHA
	That's enough...Go on inside and
	help Lucy set the table...You, too,
	Deborah!

12	EXT. YARD - FULL SHOT - ANOTHER ANGLE

as Martin -- with slightly averted face -- crosses to take
the bridle of Ethan's horse and lead him away.

			ETHAN
		(wheeling on him)
	MOMENTO!

Martin checks his stride, stares in surprise.

			MARTHA
		(contritely)
	Martin!...Here we've been stand-
	ing...Ethan, you haven't forgotten 
	Martin?

			ETHAN
	Oh...Mistook you for a half-breed.

			MARTIN
		(levelly)
	Not quite...Quarter Cherokee. The
	rest is Welsh...So they tell me.

			ETHAN
	You've done a lot of growin'...

			AARON
	It was Ethan found you squallin' in 
	a sage clump after your folks was
	massacred...

			ETHAN
		(bluntly)
	It just happened to be me...No need
	to make any more of it...

			MARTIN
	I'll take care of your horse for you,
	Uncle Ethan.

Again, he starts to lead away.

			ETHAN
	Hold on!

Martin stops again.

			ETHAN
	I'll take this...

He completes unlacing the pack and takes it -- treating it
as though it contained something of value. Martin watches
with a touch of resentment: Ethan doesn't trust him.
Ethan turns and sees the look. He doesn't care what Martin 
thinks, nor does he explain. Martin leads the horse off.

			MARTHA
	Supper'll be ready by the time you
	wash up...Let me take your coat
	for you, Ethan.

He hesitates, then grudgingly surrenders it -- conscious
of its sorry condition.

			MARTHA
		(smiling faintly)
	And...welcome home.

He just nods, then turns to follow Aaron around the side of
the house toward the wash-up.

13	EXT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA

She stands alone, looking after Ethan -- his coat in her 
arms. She holds it against her breast for just a moment
and her eyes are tender.

				DISSOLVE TO:

14	INT. EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - NIGHT

The family is finishing dinner -- and the scene is not
quite, but almost, a still-life. Loud in the room is the 
pendulum tick of a Seth-Thomas clock on the mantel above
the fireplace -- in which logs are burning briskly. Ben
crouches near the fireplace, fascinatedly examining the
scabbard and sabre Ethan has brought home from the wars.
He tries to ease the blade just a bit out of its scabbard.
Aaron sits at one end of the hand-hewn table, Martha at
the other. At her right is Ethan, his fork scraping the
last crumb off his plate. Lucy sits at her father's right
and Martin at his left. Next to Martin is Debbie. In the
center of the table is the sorry remnant of what was once
a meal. Lucy and Martin have finished eating. Aaron is
sipping his coffee, and Martha -- her own plate largely
untasted -- is watching Ethan.

Ethan has shaved, changed his shirt. He straightens 
contentedly and every eye is on him, expectantly.

			ETHAN
	Good.

The clock rattles alarmingly -- the usual preliminary to
its striking; and then it bangs out the strokes like a 
fire-alarm gong. Eight fast clangs.

			AARON
	Ben! Deborah! Bed!

			DEBBIE
	But I've got to help with the dishes.

			MARTHA
	Not tonight...Ben, put that sword
	back.

			BEN
	It's not a sword, ma...It's a
	sabre!
		(moving to Ethan)
	Did you kill many damYankees with
	this sabre, Uncle Ethan?

			ETHAN
		(matter-of-factly)
	Some...

			BEN
	How many damYankees, Uncle Ethan?

			MARTHA
	Ben!...Martin, he'll sleep in the 
	bunkhouse with you tonight.

Martin nods and crosses to kiss Martha good night.

			MARTIN
	Good night, Aunt Martha...Uncle
	Aaron...
		(he hesitates)
	Good night, Uncle Ethan.

Ethan doesn't like being called Uncle -- as we must know
from the quick look he shoots at Martin. But he
acknowledges it.

			ETHAN
	Night.

Ben reluctantly puts the scabbard away, turns to Ethan.

			BEN
	Will you tell me tomorrow about
	the war?

			AARON
	The war ended three years ago,
	boy!

			BEN
	It did?...Then whyn't you come home
	before now?

			MARTHA
	BEN!...Go 'long with Martin. MARCH!

As Ben reluctantly heads out with Martin, Deborah crosses
to Ethan's side and studies him gravely.

			DEBBIE
	Lucy's wearing the gold locket you
	gave her when she was a little girl...

			ETHAN
	Oh?

			DEBBIE
	She don't wear it much account of
	it makes her neck green.

			LUCY
		(aghast)
	Deborah!

			DEBBIE
		(defensively)
	Well, it does...But I wouldn't care
	if you gave me a gold locket if it
	made my neck green or not.

Ethan looks at her gravely.

			ETHAN
	'Fraid I...
		(then he remembers
		something, rises)
	Wait.

He crosses to where his pack is -- a side table or something
-- and burrows into it. Debbie is at his side.

			ETHAN
	How about this?

It is a gold medal or medallion -- something appropriate
to Maximilian of Mexico -- suspended by a long multi-
colored satin ribbon.

			DEBBIE
	Oh! LOOK! My gold locket!

She holds it high for mother -- and all -- to see. Martha
takes it and reacts at its weight.

			MARTHA
	It's solid gold...Ethan, I don't
	think she's old enough...

			ETHAN
	Let her keep it...Just something I 
	picked up in Mexico.

Martha reluctantly surrenders it to Debbie's eager hand.
Aaron hasn't missed the word "Mexico" and looks sharply
at Ethan.

			DEBBIE
	Oh, thank you, Uncle Ethan...

			LUCY
		(to Debbie)
	Come along...

The two girls leave the main room. Martha and Aaron both
look at Ethan -- half expecting some further explanation.
He turns from them and looks into the fire. Martha begins
to clear the table. Aaron gets up, takes a pipe and a
spill -- lights it at the fire.

			ETHAN
	Passed the Todd place comin' in...
	What happened to 'em?

			AARON
	They gave up...went back to the
	cotton rows...So'd the Jamisons...
	Without Martha, I don't know...She
	wouldn't let a man quit.

Ethan turns and looks at her -- still busy with her dishes.

			AARON
		(change of tone)
	Ethan, I could see it in you before 
	the war...
		(Ethan looks at him)
	You wanted to clear out!

Martha freezes in what she's doing -- listening.

			AARON
	And you stayed out beyond all need 
	to...WHY?

Ethan can't answer, but he takes it as a challenge and
almost welcomes it.

			ETHAN
		(hard)
	You askin' me to clear out now?

			AARON
		(straightening -- with
		grave dignity)
	You're my brother...You're welcome
	to stay as long as you got a mind 
	to...Ain't that so, Martha?

			MARTHA
		(almost a whisper)
	Of course he is.

			ETHAN
	I expect to pay my own way...

Martha resumes her activity. Ethan crosses to his pack,
reaches into it for a leather pouch, brings it back and
tosses it onto the table. It lands with a resonant clink.
Both Martha and Aaron draw close to the table.

(NOTE TO WINTON HOCH: This scene should be dramatically
back-lighted.)

			ETHAN
	There's sixty double eagles in 
	there...twelve-hundred dollars.

He opens a waistline shirt button and hauls out a leather
money belt and drops that on the table.

			ETHAN
	An' twice that in here.

He reaches into the belt and takes out a few mint-fresh
gold pieces which he slides across the table.

			ETHAN
	...only these got the late
	Emperor Maximilian's picture on
	'em.

Martha picks up one of the gold pieces, staring at the
face on the coin: the same as that on the medal -- staring
sharply then at Ethan. Aaron is examining another coin
with a different interest.

			AARON
	Mint fresh...not a mark on 'em.

He glances questioningly at Ethan.

			ETHAN
	So?

Aaron shrugs and crosses to a barrel chair. He raises the
seat and lifts out a pair of old boots, some rags of
clothing and then raises a false-bottom lid and drops
pouch and money belt into it. Carefully he replaces
everything. During this Ethan's attention has gone to
Martha's hand, to one cut finger, its wound barely 
healed. He takes the hand -- gently.

			ETHAN
	Cut yourself?

She nods and withdraws the hand.

			ETHAN
		(softly)
	You were always hurting about your
	hands.

She looks quickly at him and self-consciously tries to
hide her hands, conscious of their work-worn appearance.
Then for a moment their eyes meet and hold -- and a world
of sadness and hopelessness is in the look.

Aaron closes the seat of the barrel chair.

			AARON
	Time for bed...

He picks up one of the lamps and starts away toward their
bedroom door. Martha looks at Ethan again. His
expression is bitter.

			AARON
	Night, Ethan...Come 'long, Martha.

She turns obediently and follows Aaron. Ethan looks after
them and waits as Aaron opens the bedroom door. Martha
goes into it and Aaron follows and closes the door.
Ethan crosses to the lamp on the mantel, blows it out.
Only the firelight strikes his face as he stares broodingly 
at the closed bedroom door.

				DISSOLVE TO:

15	OMITTED

16	EXT. YARD OF THE EDWARDS' HOUSE - FAINT DAWN LIGHT

Debbie's dog is barking excitedly as six horsemen slowly
ride toward the house and dismount. A lamp goes on inside.
The six horsemen are:

CAPTAIN, THE REVEREND SAM CLAYTON, a big man with frosty blue
eyes, graying hair, a bristly full mustache and the air of
grave and resolute authority. He is a minister of the
Gospel with a .44 on his hip.

LARS JORGENSEN, the Edwards' neighbor, is a harried little
man, Scandinavian. As we shall find out soon, he has a
brisk and buxom wife and a rather astonishing brood of
children.

BRAD JORGENSEN is one of these: sandy-haired, brash,
amiable, impulsive. He is in his early twenties.

CHARLIE MacCORRY, slightly older than Brad, is Sergeant of
Company A of the Rangers. (He is also Company A.) Charlie
is a taciturn, gently-spoken, competent man, clearly
patterned by his association with Captain, the Rev. Sam.

MOSE HARPER is an old scout -- a walking bone-rack, yet
capable of tireless feats of endurance. Some think him
"tetched" yet he has managed to endure to his age during a
time and in a region where few men lived to see their
grandchildren. He wears a ragged dark overcoat in all
weather, a narrow-brimmed hat with a feather in its band.

ED NESBY is a rancher and homesteader in his mid-thirties;
resolute, honest, self-effacing; nothing picturesque or
dramatic about him; just a solid citizen and a realist.

16-A	INT. EDWARDS' HOME - CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA

She is at the window of her bedroom, wrapper clutched with
one hand, lamp upraised in the other as she stares into the
dawn to see who these callers are. We hear the heavy foot-
falls of the approaching men, then a loud knock thrice
repeated -- an ominous sound.

17	OMITTED

17-A	INT. THE EDWARDS' - ANGLE AT DOOR

			SAM'S VOICE
	Aaron! Open up!...Sam Clayton!

The door is opened by Aaron -- holding a lamp and a gun. He
is only partly dressed -- pants, boots, undershirt. The bar
of light slashes across the faces of Sam and some of the men 
behind him.

			AARON
	Reverend...Come in!

18	INT. THE EDWARDS' HOUSE - FULL SHOT

			CLAYTON
	Sorry to get you out of bed so early...
		(as Martha enters,
		tightening her
		wrapper)
	Mornin', Sister Edwards.

			MARTHA
	What is it, Reverend?

			CLAYTON
	Lars Jorgensen claims someone bust
	into his corral last night and run
	off his best cows...

			AARON
	You mean those pure breds he just 
	bought?

Jorgensen enters -- an angry little man -- closely followed 
by Mose Harper, who is grinning foolishly.

			JORGENSEN
	Next time I raise pigs, by golly!
	You never hear of anyone running 
	off pigs, I bet you.

			MOSE
	Injuns has 'em...Caddoes or Kiowas...
	Kiowas or Caddoes.

			CLAYTON
		(irritably)
	Caddoes!

Mose spots Martha and at once whips off his hat and makes
her an exaggerated cavalier's bow.

			MOSE
	Respects to a charmin' lady, ma'am.
	...Respects, respects...

Ed Nesby enters.

			NESBY
	Mornin'...

			MARTHA
	Coffee's made if you...

			CLAYTON
	Coffee'd be fine, sister...

She heads for the stove.

			MOSE
		(an old man's
		whimper)
	My bones is cold...

His eyes brighten as he looks toward the fire and spots a
rocking chair. He shuffles toward it, plants himself and
begins rocking and half-crooning to himself.

			JORGENSEN
	Or bumble bees, by golly... I show
	them dirty rustlers!

			MOSE
		(crooning)
	Lookit me, old Mose Harper, rockin'
	in a rockin' chair...I'm a-goin' to
	set 'n rock, 'n rock, 'n rock, 'n 
	rock...

The front door opens to admit Martin, fully dressed and 
armed, with Charlie MacCorry.

			CLAYTON
	Over here, Martin...Aaron...

Martin ranges himself next to Aaron and both face Clayton.

			CLAYTON
	Raise your right hands.

Martha sets out cups on the table, begins pouring the coffee.
During the swearing-in, Ethan will enter the room from the
inner door -- unnoticed by the other men, but not by Martha.
And as the scene plays, the audience must always be
conscious of the by-play of glances between Martha and
Ethan as they face the prospect of being left in this house 
together.

			CLAYTON
	You are hereby volunteer privates in
	Company A of the Texas Rangers and will
	faithfully discharge the duties of same
	without recompense or monetary 
	compensation -- meaning no pay!...Amen
	and get your shirt on, will you, Aaron.

			AARON
		(stubbornly)
	Ain't goin' volunteerin' after
	rustlers without my morning coffee,
	Reverend...Drink your own!

			CLAYTON
		(sternly -- as he
		reaches for his cup)
	From now on, call me 'Captain'!

But Ethan advances and calmly appropriates the cup Clayton
is reaching for...

			ETHAN
		(mockingly)
	Captain the Reverend Samuel Johnson
	Clayton!...Mighty impressive.

Clayton marks his surprise.

			CLAYTON
		(dourly)
	Well...the prodigal brother...
	When'd you get back?

Ethan sips his coffee and doesn't answer.

			CLAYTON
	Haven't seen you since the surrender.
		(a pause)
	Come to think of it, I didn't see you
	at the surrender.

			ETHAN
	I don't believe in surrenderin'...I
	still got my sabre, Reverend...never
	turned it into any ploughshare 
	neither!

			JORGENSEN
	Is no time for kaffee-klatch while a
	man's beef is been run off.

			MOSE
	Injuns, Ethan...
		(taps his nose)
	Caddoes or Kiowas...Mose Harper,
	drinkin' coffee in a rockin' chair.
	...ay-eh!

Martha has left the room briefly to fetch Aaron's shirt 
and vest and stands behind him. Aaron drains his cup.

			AARON
	Ethan, countin' on you to look after 
	things while I'm gone.

Ethan -- cup to his lips -- looks over its rim at Martha
as Aaron starts to put on his shirt. Their eyes meet
briefly, then she looks away. Ethan sloshes the dregs of 
his cup into the fire -- some of it spattering Mose.

			ETHAN
	You ain't goin'...

			CLAYTON
	He sure is goin'...He's sworn in.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	Well, swear him out again!...I'll go
	with you.

Martha stands submissively, with her head bent, eyes
averted as Ethan crosses the room to get his coat, guns,
etc. Aaron follows him.

			AARON
	Now, Ethan, I ain't sure...

			ETHAN
	Don't argue!...And stay close...
	Maybe they're rustlers...and maybe
	this dodderin' old idiot ain't so
	far wrong...

			MOSE
	Thankin' ye, Ethan...thankin' ye.
	Kind words...

			CLAYTON
		(grudgingly)
	All right...I'll swear you in...

			ETHAN
	You can forget that...
		(as Sam stares)
	Wouldn't be legal anyway.

			CLAYTON
	Why?
		(a pause -- then
		shrewdly)
	You wanted for a crime, Ethan?

Martha waits -- intent.

			ETHAN
	You askin' as a Reverend or a
	Captain, Sam?

			CLAYTON
	I'm askin' as a Ranger of the 
	sovereign state of Texas.

			ETHAN
	Got a warrant?

			CLAYTON
	You fit a lot of descriptions.

			ETHAN
		(levelly)
	I figger a man's only good for one 
	oath at a time...I took mine to the 
	Confederate States of America...
		(he pauses -- then)
	So did you, Reverend...

He looks past him then -- at Martha and then at Aaron.

			ETHAN
	Stick close, Aaron...

He looks at Martha again...and then strides out.

19	EXT. THE EDWARDS' HOUSE -- DAWN LIGHT

As Ethan emerges he is brought to a momentary halt by sight
of a couple -- Brad and Lucy -- in each other's arms,
standing near the saddled horses of the posse. Clayton and
Jorgensen following him out, spot the couple, who now
belatedly are conscious of their audience.

			JORGENSEN
	Brad!...Is no time for lolly-
	gagging...

In confusion, Lucy runs back around the side of the house as 
Brad -- unrepentant -- grins at his irascible old man and
heads for his waiting horse. Clayton chuckles and turns
toward Martha, who has followed them out.

			CLAYTON
	Looks like I'll be reading the lines 
	over that pair before long, sister
	Edwards.

			JORGENSEN
	Is no time for talking weddings...
	Better say prayers for those dirty 
	thieves, by golly...running off a
	man's beef...

Mose, last to emerge, bows elaborately to Martha.

			MOSE
	Grateful to the hospitality of yore
	rockin' chair, ma'am...

The men are mounting. Mose nimbly vaults onto the back of
his horse -- which he rides bareback, with only a blanket 
pad.


20
AND	OMITTED
21

22	EXT. THE EDWARDS' HOUSE -- DAWN LIGHT

as Ethan and Martin ride to join the group.

			CLAYTON
	Let's get on with it...

			DEBBIE
	WAIT!

She comes flying out of the house in her long flannel 
nightie and runs to Martin.

			DEBBIE
	Martin! Ride me as far as the well!

			MARTIN
	Grab hold!...

He swings her up in front of his saddle. They start away.
Ethan is last to ride out. He is watching Martha. He brings
a gloved hand up in a salute. She starts to raise her hand
but only brings it just above her waist, a fluttering
gesture with tremulous fingers. It is the last he will ever 
see of her alive.

23	EXT. YARD OF THE EDWARDS' HOUSE - FULL SHOT 

as the posse slowly rides out, with Ethan last. Martin reins 
in to let Debbie slip to the ground. Ethan passes her.
Debbie stands watching the men ride away, waving at them.

			AARON'S VOICE
		(calling)
	DEBORAH!

She turns and comes running back -- CAMERA PANNING -- to the
little group on the porch; Ben in the door; Lucy crossing
the porch; Aaron and Martha at the steps.

				SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

24	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - POSSE - LATE AFTERNOON

Ethan and Mose are advancing at a steady walk, both men
leaning slightly out of their saddles to study the
terrain -- the trail they are following. Out to one
side -- fifty yards distant -- is the main body of the 
posse: Sam, Jorgensen, Charlie, Ed, moving roughly
parallel to Ethan but at a faster clip. Martin comes
riding in toward Ethan from behind CAMERA.

			MARTIN
		(calling)
	Uncle Ethan!

Ethan reins in -- compressing his lips at the "Uncle."
Mose waits.

			MARTIN
	Somethin' mighty fishy about this 
	trail, Uncle Ethan...

			ETHAN
	Stop callin' me 'uncle'...I ain't
	your uncle.

			MARTIN
	Yes, sir.

			ETHAN
	Don't have to call me 'sir' neither...
	Nor grampaw neither...Nor Methuselah
	neither...I can whup you to a frazzle.

Mose lets out a snickering laugh.

			MARTIN
	What you want me to call you?

			ETHAN
	Name's Ethan...Now what's so mighty 
	fishy about this trail?

			MARTIN
	Well, fust off...

He breaks and all turn at a distant hail from Jorgensen.

			JORGENSEN
	Look! Look! 

25	OMITTED

26	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - RISE OF GROUND - BRAD

He is holding his rifle with both hands straight over his
head -- and he repeats the signal until he sees they have
seen him.

			JORGENSEN'S VOICE
		(excitedly)
	Brad! He's found them...Come on!

27	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - THE POSSE WITH BRAD IN
THE DISTANCE

as Jorgensen digs spurs and leads the way. The other
riders follow.

28	MED. SHOT - BRAD - RISING GROUND - LATE AFTERNOON

He waits grimly until he sees them coming, then wheels his
mount and takes off over the hill.

29	FULL SHOT - THE POSSE

as it comes up the rise and the men rein in on the crest.
Jorgensen stares and his face mirrors shock and dismay.
The other men look down into the long valley on the far
side with equally grim expressions.

			ETHAN
	Call that young fool back!

Jorgensen doesn't even seem to hear him. Angrily Ethan
whips out revolver and fires into the air. Then he
swings his arm in a come-back gesture. He rides out
ahead then a short distance and dismounts...and slowly
the others follow.

We see now, the bodies of a few bulls stiffening in the 
sun. Ethan goes to the nearest one. A feathered lance
is driven into it. He pulls the lance out. Mose comes
over beside him.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	Caddo or Kiowa, huh?...Ain't but one
	tribe uses a lance like that!

He hands the lance to Mose.

			MOSE
		(almost a whisper)
	Ay-eh...Comanch!

Brad rides in -- shrill with anger.

			BRAD
	Killed every one -- an' not for
	food either...Why'd they do a
	thing like that?

			ETHAN
	Stealing the cattle was just to
	pull us out...This here's a murder 
	raid...
		(facing Jorgensen)
	It shapes up to scald out either your
	place...or my brother's.

Jorgensen wilts and casts an anguished look back over
the miles they have ridden.

			JORGENSEN
	Mama!...Oh please...please no...
	BRAD!

And with that one word, Jorgensen calls upon his son to 
follow and they take off...fast. Ed Nesby and Charlie 
MacCorry follow. Sam Clayton pauses.

			CLAYTON
	Jorgensen's place is closest...If
	they're not there, we'll come 
	straight on!

Then he too rides. Martin swings his horse back to where
Ethan and Mose still are standing.

			MARTIN
	Well, come on!

			ETHAN
	Easy!
		(he starts toward 
		his horse)
	It's forty miles, sonny...Horses can
	do with some grain and a little rest.

			MOSE
	Comanch generally hits at moonrise.

			MARTIN
	Moonrise!...It'll be midnight 
	before...I ain't waitin'....!

He wheels his horse and goes tearing to catch up with the 
others. Ethan shrugs and stoically takes grain bag to 
feed his horse. Mose does the same.

			MOSE
	Wisht it was Caddoes...or Kiowas...
		(shakes his head)
	Comanche...

Ethan just gives him an angry look and then ruthlessly
begins discarding every bit of unnecessary equipment 
from his saddle.

				WIPE TO:

30	EXT. THE EDWARDS RANCH - WIDE ANGLE - SUNDOWN

Nothing moves. Nothing could be more tranquil. The
shadows are long. A thin wisp of smoke rises from the 
chimney. And then Debbie's little dog trots around
the side of the house out into the yard.

31	EXT. EDWARDS YARD - CLOSE SHOT - THE DOG - SUNDOWN

He comes to a standstill and his nose is working. He
begins to make excited little sounds deep in his belly.
Then he lies down, muzzle between his paws, watching,
listening.

32	INT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - ANGLING TOWARD
THE DOOR

Debbie sits on the floor, playing with a little rag doll.
The slanting blaze of the setting sun makes a brilliant
area of light in which she is sitting. Beyond her, on
the porch steps, Ben is squatting, whittling a piece of
pine into a slingshot frame. We hear Martha and Lucy
busy with the dishes. Aaron comes from behind CAMERA
and stands in the doorway, absently rapping out his
pipe. Near the doorway, on a wooden peg, hangs his gun,
belt. He puts the pipe in his pocket and glances down
at Deborah, intent on her play. He looks swiftly at
where the women are busy - then stealthily eases the gun 
from its holster and slides it under his shirt. He
hasn't made a sound and is sure he's got away with it.
He clears his throat noisily and reaches for a light
shotgun pegged above the door.

			AARON
	Think I'll see if I can pick off a 
	sage-hen or two, Martha...

33	INT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA AND LUCY

busy at the wooden sink. Martha doesn't turn.

			MARTHA
	You do that, Aaron...

			AARON
		(still pleased
		with himself)
	Won't go far...

He steps out. Only then does Martha turn -- and her
eyes go at once to:

34	INT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - ANGLING TO DOOR

and FRAMING the empty holster, as Aaron pauses on the
porch.

			LUCY'S VOICE
	My, the days are getting shorter!

35	INT. EDWARDS HOUSE - CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA AND LUCY

as Lucy heads for the lamp.

			MARTHA
		(sharply)
	Lucy!...We don't need the lamp yet...

Lucy frowns at her mother.

			MARTHA
		(easily)
	Let's enjoy the dusk a while.

36	EXT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - AARON AND BEN -
ON PORCH

Aaron is slowly scanning the terrain.

			AARON
		(to Ben)
	Mind you sweep up them shavin's.

			BEN
	Yes, Pa...
		(undertone -- man
		to man)
	An' if you see any sage-hens,
	I'm ready.

Aaron stares as the boy shifts a fold of blanket, or
whatever, by his side -- to disclose Ethan's cavalry
sabre. Aaron smiles and rubs the youngster's head, then
sets out across the yard.

37	EXT. THE EDWARDS YARD - FULL SHOT - MOVING

Debbie's dog rises at Aaron's approach and joins his
master as they set out across the plain.

38	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY NEAR EDWARDS HOME - MED. CLOSE SHOT -
AARON

He is walking through the scrub and brush grass, every
sense alive and straining. He pauses every three or 
four strides -- casting each quadrant in turn. Once he
whips, gun ready, as a sage-hen or quail whirrs up not
far from him. He smiles grimly as he watches it fly
away. He keeps on.

39	EXT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - AT PORCH

Martha comes to stand in the doorway. Ben doesn't look
at her. His eyes -- like hers -- are fixed on the figure 
of the man.

			BEN
		(quietly)
	It's all right, ma...I been watchin'...
	Only I wish...

			MARTHA
		(quietly)
	What, Ben?

			BEN
	I wish Uncle Ethan was here. Don't
	you, ma?

She doesn't answer. Lucy comes to the door.

			LUCY
	Mother, I can't see what I'm 
	doing!...

			MARTHA
	NOT YET, LUCY!...

40	EXT. RISING GROUND - WIDE ANGLE - PAST AARON

He stands on the near slope of a rise and then gradually
moves toward its summit, so that only head will be
silhouetted. He drops to one knee, half-leaning against
the slope and slowly looks out...The CAMERA PANS very
slowly, following his careful sweep of the terrain.
The scene is entirely peaceful.

41	EXT. RISING GROUND - CLOSE SHOT - AARON

with narrowed eyes slowly scanning the ground. Suddenly
the head whips right. We hear a bird's sharp call.

42	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - SKYWARD SHOT - A SMALL BIRD

It is taking flight, sweeping away in erratic arcs.

43	EXT. RISING GROUND - CLOSE SHOT ON AARON

He squints closely at the ground from which the bird had
flown. Then slowly his eyes range toward the left.

44	EXT. RISING GROUND - WIDE ANGLE - PAST AARON

Across the meadow, a shadow seems to touch the grass and
at once a covey of quail takes off, whirring loud. Aaron
waits no longer, but slides down the slope and starts
running at a crouch for the house, stopping every so often
to look backward.

45	EXT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTHA AND BEN -
SUNSET

(NOTE TO W. HOCH: What J. F. has in mind for this and the
following scenes is the same kind of dramatic use of red
you achieved in "Yellow Ribbon" in the scene telling of 
Custer's defeat.)

They are standing in the ruddy glare of the sunset and
Ben has Ethan's sabre in his hand. We hear Aaron coming
at a run, breathing hard. Ben takes a step as though
to go to him, but Martha's hand at once is on his
shoulder. Aaron gains the porch.

			AARON
	In the house, boy...and...

He puts finger to his lips, sign for Ben to say nothing.
Ben nods and goes inside. Aaron and Martha face each
other, the question large on her face. Slowly he nods
the confirmation of her fears, then gently propels her
ahead of him through the door.

46	INT. THE EDWARDS HOUSE - FULL SHOT - SUNSET

The room is deeply shadowed except where the dull crimson
of the sun through door and windows slashes the blackness.
Ben is waiting and Martha turns toward Aaron as he pulls
the door shut, bars it and sets the shotgun down. He
takes the revolver from his waist and Martha holds it
as he reaches for his gun belt.

			AARON
	Ben, close the shutters.

Buckling on his gun belt, he moves toward the middle of 
the room, looking around him, taking inventory of his
resources. Lucy slowly approaches, biting a knuckle,
eyes wide with fright.

			LUCY
	Pa?

One shutter closes and the bar of light they were standing 
in goes out. Martha, Aaron and Lucy are dark silhouettes
now against the red beam from another window.

			MARTHA
		(sudden fear)
	Where's Deborah?...
		(calling it)
	DEBORAH!

Debbie emerges from a shadowed corner into a beam of 
light. She is clutching her rag doll, nibbling a 
cookie. She holds it for them to see.

			DEBBIE
	I only took one, ma...Topsy was
	hungry.

Ben closes the shutter. And now the room is almost com-
pletely blacked out, except for the dying light filtering 
through the rifle ports of the closed shutters.

				WIPE TO:

47	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE SHOT - THE POSSE - DUSK

This should be an expansive view to convey the fact that
the posse has split -- the main group heading for the
Jorgensen place, Martin forking off to race alone for the
Edwards ranch.

Coming toward and passing CAMERA is Martin, riding all out.
Several hundred yards away and moving in a divergent
direction are the others -- Brad and Charlie, Sam,
Jorgensen and Ed Nesby. The men are not compactly bunched,
but strung out, each taking his own best course and his
own speed...As the riders pass and the dust of their
passing, we see two other riders -- Ethan and Mose --
minute specks in the distance, possibly a mile or two
behind.

48	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - MOVING SHOT - ETHAN AND MOSE - DUSK

(NOTE TO W. HOCH: What we are trying to get here is that
moment of swift transition from twilight to night; of
riders briefly touched with the last colors of day and then,
as they pass, becoming one with blue shadows of night.)

Ethan and Mose are holding their mounts to a jog, in
marked contrast to the all-out pace of the others. The
CAMERA PANS after them as the dark fingers of the night
stretch across the valley. The wind begins to rise and
somewhere off in the hills a coyote pack yaps.

				DISSOLVE TO:

49	INT. EDWARDS - ANGLING PAST AARON AT WINDOW INTO ROOM -
NIGHT

Aaron is little more than a shadowy silhouette as he peers
into the night through a partly-opened shutter. Suddenly
the room leaps alight as Lucy opens an inner door and
enters, holding a lighted lamp. Aaron closes the shutter,
spins on her angrily.

			AARON
	LUCY!

Martha crosses the room swiftly and blows out the lamp.
In the brief moment the room has been lighted, we see
that Lucy is carrying a dark shawl in one hand; that
Ben is crouched at another window -- rifle ready; and
that Deborah is on her feet -- standing like a child 
who is being dressed.

			LUCY
	I'm sorry...I couldn't find the
	shawl...

			AARON
	Hurry, Martha...Moon's fixin' to 
	rise...

He cautiously swings the shutters open. A pale light
filters into the room. We see Martha wrapping the 
shawl around Deborah.

			MARTHA
		(softly to the child)
	We're going to play the sleep-out 
	game...Remember?...Where you hide 
	out with grandma?

			DEBBIE
	Where's she buried?

			MARTHA
	And you'll go along the ditch --
	very quietly -- like a...
		(her voice breaks)

			DEBBIE
	Like a little mouse.

			AARON
	Now!

He reaches for the child, but he has to wait for Martha's
last embrace.

			MARTHA
	There!...And you won't come back 
	or make a sound...no matter what
	you hear? Promise!..No matter what?

			DEBBIE
	I promise...Wait!

			AARON
	Child, child!

			DEBBIE
	Can't I have Topsy to keep me 
	company?

			AARON
	There's no time...

			MARTHA
	Here she is, baby...Baby...

Aaron takes the child, swings her out the window.

			AARON
	Down low -- go!

Martha would come to the window to look out, but Aaron bars
her with an arm and draws back to the side of the window to
watch her go...Outside the little dog barks a welcome and
presumably starts to follow the girl. Aaron reacts.

			AARON
		(hoarse whisper)
	Here dog...here!

The dog whines but obeys. Aaron continues watching the
child's course -- unconsciously imitating her every run
and twist...Then he smiles and we may see the brightness 
in the corners of his eyes.

			AARON
	She reached the ditch...

He closes the shutters and turns -- and his arms go
around Martha, weeping soundlessly.

			AARON
	She'll be all right, mother...
	she'll be all right.

50	EXT. A HILLOCK WITH TWO HEADBOARDS - MED. CLOSE SHOT - 
NIGHT

Nothing stirs and we hear nothing. Then, with faintest
little rustle, Debbie comes snaking along the ground
into the hollow between the two graves and lies there
face down, pressed against Topsy. She becomes one
with the earth and the stillness. And then the moonlight
strikes the tips of the scrub growth and as a cloud scuds 
by, the moonlight reveals something glittering -- like
beads. And the CAMERA from that ground-level shot
RAISES quickly to:

51	CLOSE SHOT - FROM EXTREME LOW ANGLE - SCAR

The Comanche we are later to know as SCAR is painted
for war -- tall, savage, mockingly looking down at what
we know is the child's hiding place...And in that
instant, from a dozen quarters and a dozen throats,
sounds the wild yammer of the warwhoop!

				DISSOLVE TO:

52-	OMITTED
53

54	EXT. RISING GROUND - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIN - MOONLIGHT

He stands beside his spent and fallen horse. Its breathing
is a rasping whistle. Martin tries to haul its head up.
Useless. Breathing hard himself, his face ashen in the
moonlight, Martin looks desperately off in the direction
of the ranch. Then he jerks the rifle from its saddle
scabbard -- struggling with it because it is under the
horse. He freezes then -- listening...And we hear the
steady beat of two horsemen approaching. Martin knows
who they are and his face is alive with hope. He gets
the rifle free at last and goes running toward the oncoming
riders.

			MARTIN
		(shouting)
	Ethan!...Ethan!

The CAMERA SWINGS with him and we see Ethan and Mose
approaching at the same steady gait.

			MARTIN
		(waving)
	Uncle Ethan...it's me...Martin!

Ethan doesn't slacken, nearly rides him down.

			ETHAN
	Out of my way!

Martin goes sprawling to his hands and knees. Mose con-
tinues without slowing.

55	EXT. RISING GROUND - ANOTHER ANGLE - PAST THE RIDERS - 
MOONLIGHT

			MARTIN
		(desperately)
	Mose! Wait!...

He goes running, stumbling after the riders -- desperately
calling to them...

			MARTIN
	Ethan!...Mose!...

And then at the crest of the rising ground, he stops --
We see in the distance the glow of a fire leading from the
barns and the hayricks and the house of Aaron Edwards.
Martin runs down the slope.

56	EXT. YARD AND APPROACH TO EDWARDS HOUSE - WIDE ANGLE - NIGHT

(NOTE TO W. HOCH: Here again that use of red is suggested.)

The ANGLE is past the porch uprights toward Mose and Ethan as
they ride in. Little tongues of fire are licking the edges
of the uprights. A few arrows, imbedded in the wood, are
burning along their shafts. Beyond are the glowing ashes of 
the hayricks and the charred, smouldering rails of the corral.
There are no bodies in evidence...The red glow of the burning 
is on the faces of the men as they dismount.

Ethan strides to the porch, knocking away one of the blazing
arrows as he heads to the door. He stops there -- and what 
he sees makes the big shoulders droop, the huge frame slump.
Slowly then -- and removing his hat -- he goes in. Mose
shuffles to the edge of the porch and squats there and rocks
back and forth, his face working and crying soundlessly with
senile grief. We hear a splintered door crash from its hinges
within the room and Ethan's muffled voice calling through the
house:

			ETHAN (o.s.)
	Lucy?...Deborah? Lucy?

He strides back through the main room and out onto the porch
just as Martin comes at a shambling run across the yard.
Ethan takes a few steps out toward him. Martin would pass
him, but Ethan grabs his arm.

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	You stay out!

Martin tries to fight his arm free.

			ETHAN
	Nothing for you to see.

			MARTIN
	Leggo...

Ethan turns him and drives a brutal right to his jaw. Martin
goes down -- out cold. And only now do we understand how
merciful the blow was as Ethan looks compassionately at the
fallen figure.

			ETHAN
	Don't let him go in there, Mose...

And he takes off at a stumbling run for the hilltop.

57	EXT. THE HILLOCK WITH THE TWO HEADBOARDS - FULL SHOT - ETHAN

as he nears the graves.

			ETHAN
		(calling)
	Lucy -- Lucy!

He runs in, looking around him. He sees the little dog,
dead on the ground. And then he sees a shadowed something:
The shawl Debbie had worn. It is spread out, almost as though
concealing a body. Fearfully he stoops and pulls it away...
There is nothing there, but the shawl. He drops to his 
knees, his head bowed, his face tortured. The moonlight
is clear on the face of the nearer headboard. It is of
weathered wood and the chiselled letters on it read:

		   HERE LIES
		MARY JANE EDWARDS
		KILLED BY COMANCHES
		   MAY 12, 1852

		a good WIFE & MOTHER
		  In her 41st year

				SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

58	EXT. THE HILLOCK - FULL SHOT - SLOWLY PANNING - DAWN LIGHT

The funeral is begun. In the foreground are three newly-
made crosses at the head of as many open graves -- which we
need not see. With head bared, Sam Clayton is concluding 
his prayer. Near him stand the Jorgensen family: Mrs.
Jorgensen, Lars and LAURIE -- blonde, just beginning to
reach her maturity -- and a stepping-stone of tow-headed
children.

			CLAYTON
	...and to Your keeping we commend
	the souls of Aaron...Martha...and
	Benjamin Edwards...

Mrs. Jorgensen and Laurie -- impelled by the same feminine
sympathy and interest -- turn to look at Ethan and Martin.
The PANNING CAMERA picks them up...Ethan standing dry-eyed,
looking at the grave of Martha; Martin -- with bruised lip --
looking out across the plain.

Clayton now opens his small, well-worn Bible to a marked page.

			CLAYTON
	Man that is born of woman is of
	few days and full of trouble...

Ethan looks at him, angrily, impatiently.

			CLAYTON
	He cometh forth like a...

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	Amen!...Put an 'amen' to it!

			CLAYTON
	...like a flower and is cut down...
	Amen!

			ETHAN ET AL.
	Amen!

Ethan turns on his heel and walks -- CAMERA PANNING -- to
where Ed Nesby has been holding the horses. Brad is already
mounting. Mose is there too and Charlie MacCorry. Silhou-
etted against the dawn light are the rifles in each man's
saddle scabbard. Clayton is right behind Ethan.

			CLAYTON
	Charlie--you and Brad ride point!
	...Don't get too far ahead...

The young riders spur out.

59	EXT. NEAR HILLOCK - MED. CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN AND MRS. JORGENSEN

Ethan is about to mount when Mrs. Jorgensen comes up and
catches his arm.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Ethan...
		(he turns impatiently)
	Those girls mean as much to me as 
	though they were my own...Maybe you
	don't know my Brad's been sittin' up 
	with Lucy...and my Laurie's real 
	fond of Martin...

Ethan glances back at where Martin and Laurie are standing.

60	ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING LAURIE AND MARTIN

The girl is looking at Martin full of compassion, tries to
console him by taking his arm and squeezing it as he stares 
blindly at the graves and Jorgensen stolidly beginning the 
work of shovelling them full.

61	EXT. NEAR HILLOCK - ETHAN AND MRS. JORGENSEN AS BEFORE

Ethan looks back at her -- stone-faced.

			ETHAN
		(impatiently)
	I'd be obliged if you'd get to the
	point, ma'am.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	I am...I am...It's just that I know
	Martha'd want you to think of her boys
	as well as her girls...And if the girls 
	are...dead...Ethan, don't let the boys
	waste their lives in vengeance!

Ethan shrugs his arm free and mounts.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Promise me, Ethan!

He ignores her and turns angrily to where Martin is.

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	Come on, if you're comin'...

He digs spurs and rides out with the others. Martin comes
over, with Laurie a step behind. His face is set, his 
eyes almost unseeing.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(a heartbroken murmur)
	Oh, Martin...Martin...

			MARTIN
	We'll find them, Mrs. Jorgensen...
	We'll find them...

He swings into his saddle. Laurie impulsively runs to his
side, steps onto the toe of his stirruped boot and pulls her-
self up to his level to kiss him hard and full upon the mouth.
He looks at her dully, as though hardly conscious of it. And
she is back beside her mother. Martin rides away after the
others.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(slowly)
	I almost hope they don't find them!

Laurie looks at her mother and understands.

					CUT TO:

61-A	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - THE SEARCHERS - EARLY MORNING LIGHT

The SEARCH THEME begins as we see the riders in turn.
A series of portraits of the men.

62	CLOSE SHOT - BRAD AND CHARLIE - riding point, they come
to a pause, surveying the terrain ahead. Charlie, with
an arm signal, indicates he will take the left. Brad
nods and he rides out to the right.

63	THE MAIN BODY OF THE MEN, Clayton passing first, expres-
sion resolute, competent...Then Ed Nesby and old Mose,
squinting at the ground as they ride, all but sniffing
like an old hound dog.

63A	MARTIN - Next to last in file. Finally:

63B	ETHAN - His face a study of relentless purpose.

				WIPE TO:

64-	OMITTED.
67

68	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - BRAD AND CHARLIE - AFTERNOON

The two men are at a cairn of rocks -- their horses nearby.
In the near distance, Clayton is leading the men of the
search party at a fast clip toward the cairn. Charlie is
standing, Brad tearing the rock cairn apart. In Charlie's
hands is a Comanche head-dress of polished buffalo horn
and feathers. Brad doesn't even look up as the men ride in
and dismount, but continues his grim work of uncovering the
buried Indian.

			CLAYTON
	Another one, eh?

			CHARLIE
	This 'un come a long way 'fore he
	died.

			CLAYTON
	Well, that's seven we can score up 
	to your brother, Ethan.

			NESBY
	I don't like it.

			CLAYTON
	What don't you like?

			NESBY
	Injun's on a raid generly hides their
	dead so you won't know how many 
	they've lost...If they don't care
	about us knowin', it only spells
	one thing...they ain't afraid of us
	followin' -- or of us catchin' up
	with 'em either.

			ETHAN
	You can back out any time, Nesby.

			NESBY
	Didn't say that...
		(angrily indicating
		Brad)
	What's he doin' that for...

			CHARLIE
	He wants to be sure...

Brad shifts another rock and looks grimly upon the face (o.s.)
of the dead Comanche. Then he spits at it and stands.

			BRAD
		(grim)
	Let's get along...

			ETHAN
		(to Brad)
	Why don't you finish the job?

With that he strides to the cairn, whipping a knife out. he
crouches over the body (o.s.) and with his own back con-
cealing what he is doing, he bends to his bloody task.
Sam Clayton crosses to stand behind him.

			CLAYTON
		(gravely)
	What good does that do?

			ETHAN
	By what you preach...none!

He stands now and he faces Sam.

	But by what the Comanche believe --
	now he can't enter the spirit land,
	but has got to wander forever be-
	tween the winds...because I took 
	his mangy scalp!

He flings the scalp down and grinds it into the dirt with his
heel...He wipes clean the blade of his knife as he crosses
back to his horse. The men mount (those who have dismounted)
and they ride off.

				DISSOLVE TO:

69	OMITTED

70	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - RAVINE - CLOSE SHOT - BRAD AND MARTIN

Brad is looking out into the night -- strain and tension in
every line. Beyond them we may see some of the other men --
sitting or sprawled on the ground near a sheltered fire.

			BRAD
		(a whisper)
	If only she's alive...I'll make it
	up to her... No matter what's hap-
	pened...I'll make her forget...She's 
	just got to be alive...

Ethan crosses behind them carrying his blanket roll. He looks
at them sourly.

			ETHAN
	Get some rest!

They move off, heading for their blankets. The CAMERA HOLDS
on Ethan as he rolls up his blanket and turns on his side.
He fishes a miniature out of his pocket and gravely studies
it by the light of the flickering little fire.

70-A	CLOSE SHOT - THE MINIATURE - NIGHT

It is a picture of Martha. The CAMERA PULLS BACK to show 
Ethan studying it gravely, then putting it away and lying
back to stare broodingly into the night.

				DISSOLVE TO:

71	EXT. RIDGE TOP - CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN, BRAD, MOSE, SAM -
SUNSET

The four faces are just over the ridge, peering at some-
thing far distant, far below.

			MOSE
	Could be a buffler...

			BRAD
	It's horses, I tell ya...

			ETHAN
	It's them all right...

He starts to squirm down the ridge, the others
following.

72	EXT. HIGH COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - THE SEARCHERS - SUNSET

Ethan's group crosses to where the other men are waiting
with the horses.

			ETHAN
	They're camped by the river --
	'bout twenty miles from here.
	Soon's it gets dark we'll circle
	out so's to jump 'em before day-
	break.

			CLAYTON
		(slowly)
	You're right sure you want to jump
	'em, Ethan?

Martin and Brad stare at Sam -- not understanding the 
question. But Mose knows what he means and studiously
looks into space.

			ETHAN
		(touch of defiance)
	It's what we're here for, ain't it?

			CLAYTON
	I thought we were trying to get the
	girls back -- alive...We jump those
	Comanches, they'll kill 'em...You
	know that!

			BRAD
		(bewildered, angry)
	But...but what are we doin' then?...
	What are we supposed to do?

			CLAYTON
	What I had in mind was runnin' 
	off their hoss herd...A Comanche
	on foot is more apt to be willin'
	to listen...

			NESBY
	That makes sense to me.

			MARTIN
	Yeah...

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	What do you know about it?...What's
	a quarter-breed Cherokee know about
	the Comanche trick of sleeping with
	his best pony tied right beside
	him...You got as much chance of 
	stampedin' their herd as...

			CLAYTON
	...as you have of findin' those
	girls alive by ridin' into 'em...
	I say we do it my way, Ethan...and 
	that's an order!

			ETHAN
	Yes, sir...But if you're wrong,
	Captain Clayton, don't ever give 
	me another!

They look into each other's eyes a moment, then Sam turns
to mount...and the others follow. Slowly then they start 
riding down the slope.

				DISSOLVE TO:

73	EXT. FLAT GROUND, LIKE MARSH COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - THE 
SEARCHERS - DAWN MIST EFFECT

(NOTE: It is now planned to shoot this on sound stage.)

Fog and heavy morning mist rise from the swamp. Some cat-
tails in the near ground. The effect is eerie, very still
except for the trilling of frogs. Then, very quietly, the
men emerge from the mist swirling around them. They are
leading their horses. Sam looks baffled, angry. They
stand still, listening -- then slowly continue.

74	EXT. FLAT GROUND - ANOTHER ANGLE - FULL SHOT - DAWN MIST
(SOUND STAGE)

The mist is thinning. In the f.g. is a small blackened
area -- the ashes of a campfire. The men come through the 
mist -- wary, vigilant. It is Mose who first spots the 
fire. He runs to it and drops beside and feels the ashes.
The others come up around him.

			MOSE
	Ay-eh...They was here...

			ETHAN
		(to Sam)
	SURE!...They WERE here...Now they're
	out there...an' waitin' to jump us!...

He looks at Clayton.

			ETHAN
	You got any more orders, Captain?

			CLAYTON
		(quietly)
	Just keep goin'...

They move on, slowly.

74-A	EXT. FLAT GROUND - FULL SHOT - MOVING (SOUND STAGE)

The mist is thinning as the men warily move along.
Suddenly there is the faint hoot of an owl from behind and
to one side...the men turn slightly, hearing it...A moment
later another owl hoot, from the same side but up ahead.
From the interchange of looks, we must know that the riders 
are aware of its significance. Mose cups hand to his mouth
and he hoots in exact imitation of the other calls. Clayton
glares at him.

			MOSE
		(in soft apology)
	Jus' bein' sociable, Cap'n...

Ethan grins wryly. And now the first, faint, ruddy touch
of the sun hits the slowly moving horsemen and begins to
burn through the mist.

74-B	EXT. NEAR RIVER - PANNING SHOT - MORNING

The CAMERA SLOWLY PANS from a sun-touched butte or crag to 
the file of men slowly walking their horses. An occasional
shred of mist drifts by. Everything about the little
cavalcade bespeaks tension, watchfulness. Suddenly -- and
every man sees it at the same time -- we see a file of
eight Comanches ride slowly out of a canyon at a dis-
tance, walking their horses at the same pace and on a
course roughly parallel with, but slightly converging on,
our group.

			CLAYTON
		(softly)
	Keep goin'...

Brad, who has been looking up ahead, sounds a new 
warning.

			BRAD
		(tensely)
	Look!

			CLAYTON
	Easy!

74-C	EXT. CANYON COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - PAST THE SEARCHERS

Another Indian file of eight angles out of a different
canyon and begins to cut in toward the group -- riding
slowly, very quietly. Clayton slightly alters course,
veering slightly away from the converging files, but
still riding slowly. And then, from ahead but at a 100
yards, another Comanche group seems to rise out of the 
ground and slowly begins closing the gap.

			ETHAN
		(to Clayton)
	If you were tryin' to surround
	'em, you sure succeeded.

			CLAYTON
	How far's the river from here, 
	Mose?

			MOSE
	I been baptized, Reverend...yes
	suh, been baptized, thank ye...

			CLAYTON
	Well, you better brace yourself 
	for another one...YA-HEE!

And with that yell, he drives spurs and cuts sharply at
an angle to the converging Indian files -- and every man
is with him. In the next instant, the Comanches whoop and 
give chase.

74-D	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - THE CHASE

with the Ranger group short-cutting in such a way as to
outstrip the Comanche horsemen in a mad dash for the river.

74-E	EXT. THE RIVER'S EDGE - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP

Clayton flings his hand up in a signal to halt as the
Rangers reach the bank. They rein in, wheel their horses
and are reaching for the rifles as the Comanche vanguard
races into view -- to find themselves opposed by seven
veterans, sitting their horses, rifles at their shoulders.
The charge breaks as the seven rifles bark, almost in
unison -- and the Indians wheel to shelter.

			CLAYTON
	YA-HEE!

And once again he spins his mount and takes off, across
the river, followed by the others.

74-F	EXT. THE RIVER - FULL SHOT

As the men pound across.

74-G	EXT. FAR BANK OF RIVER - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP

They dismount and Charlie and Nesby take the horses and
run them to some place of protection as the men group
around Clayton and Ethan. During this:

			CLAYTON
		(shouting his orders)
	This is as good as any...Charlie,
	you and Ed take the horses...

Mose runs over and crouches beside Ethan. Beyond Ethan
is Martin, then Brad...Nesby and Charlie will rejoin the 
group after an appropriate interval...with all the men 
shielded behind river boulders, etc.

75	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - ANGLING PAST ETHAN AND MOSE WITH MARTIN
AND BRAD BEYOND

Ethan and Mose are hunkered down behind some rocks, very casual
and business-like as they check rifles, set out and care-
fully wipe cartridges.

			MOSE
		(chattily)
	Minds me o' the time Joe Powers
	an' me fit us some Kiowas...

Martin is in the throes of buck-fever, wiping mouth with
back of his hand, peering anxiously across the river.

			MARTIN
	You think they mean to charge us, 
	Uncle Ethan...?

			MOSE
	...We found us an ole buffler wallow...

			BRAD
		(staring across
		river)
	Criminy!

76	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - LONG SHOT - PAST THE GROUP

On the opposite bank, we see the full force of Comanches
riding into sight -- racing their mounts to the edge, then
wheeling off -- jeering, taunting. Brad starts to bring up 
his rifle.

			ETHAN
	Steady, Daniel Boone! You don't 
	want to miss...It makes them think
	their medicine's stronger than 
	yours...

			MOSE
	Ay-eh...That's jest what I tole Joe
	Powers...That un's gettin' kinda
	sassy, ain't he, Ethan?

One Comanche rides a few yards into the water, brandishing
his rifle, taunting the white men. A moment later he is
joined by a second brave.

			ETHAN
		(grimly)
	Real sassy.

He and Mose slowly bring their rifles to bear -- and then
the two shots crack out almost simultaneously. And within
split seconds both Comanches fall. The others race away.
Sam comes charging over to Ethan and Mose.

			CLAYTON
		(angrily)
	I didn't give any order to fire!

			ETHAN
	That's all right, Captain...I don't
	need any formal invitation to kill
	a Comanch...

			CLAYTON
		(grimly)
	You got one now!

And he drops behind a rock as, with a wild whooping, the
Comanche forces swing from their places of hiding and hit
the river. The men open fire, all but Martin, who has
frozen, staring wild-eyed at the oncoming Comanches.

77	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - PROFILE SHOT - THE DEFENDERS

Brad, Charlie, Clayton, Nesby are snapping shot after shot.
Only Martin seems out of it. Ethan shoots him a glance.

			ETHAN
	Slack your shoulders...Slack 'em...
	Your hands'll take care of themselves...

Some of the tension leaves Martin. Somehow his gun is in
position and he is firing as fast and well as the others.

77-A	EXT. THE RIVER - FULL SHOT - INDIAN CHARGE

The Comanches are coming in, crouched low over their ponies'
necks, whooping and firing. Men and horses go down, counted
off by the expert marksmanship of the Texans. But they 
keep coming.

77-B	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - PROFILE SHOT - PAST MARTIN, ETHAN, MOSE

They drop their rifles now and pull out revolvers for close-
range work. One Comanche breaks through from the side, his
buffalo lance ready for the thrust. Ethan whirls and fires.
The Comanche horse charges through the defense line and
out and there is a muffled scream of pain from Ed Nesby.

77-C	EXT. THE RIVER - WIDE ANGLE - THE INDIANS

The charge breaks and Comanches wheel left and right, racing
back across the river. With magnificent horsemanship, one
brave rides to an unhorsed warrior crouched in the shallows
and swings him up behind. Two others, riding together,
head for one of the two dead Comanches Ethan and Mose had 
downed on their first shots. Swinging simultaneously from 
their saddles, they grab the dead man and carry him off.

77-D	EXT. THE RIVER'S EDGE - ANGLING PAST MOSE AND ETHAN

			MOSE
		(cackling)
	There goes yer scalp, Ethan!...

Ethan snuggles his rifle to his shoulder as two other racing 
Comanches prepare to pick up the other dead Indian. Most
of the Comanches have regained the far bank now and are 
racing away. The firing from the Texans has stopped.

			ETHAN
	I still got one out there.

78-	OMITTED
81

82	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - CLOSE SHOT - BEHIND ETHAN

The angle is along his rifle barrel as it beads on one of the
racing Comanches trying to pick up the dead Indian.
Clayton's big hand grasps the rifle barrel.

			CLAYTON'S VOICE
		(quietly)
	No, Ethan.

83	EXT. RIVER'S EDGE - CLOSE SHOT - THE TWO

Ethan looks up into Clayton's face.

			CLAYTON
	Let them bury their dead...

Ethan pulls the gun free and looks out across the river.

84	EXT. THE RIVER - LONG SHOT - PAST THEM

The Comanches have done their work, are riding away -- and
over the saddle of one lies the limp form of the dead Indian.
Ethan looks back at Sam.

			ETHAN
	That tears it, Reverend...From now
	on, you keep out...
		(mad now -- facing
		the others)
	All of you!...I don't want you with
	me...I don't need you...for what I
	got to do!

			CHARLIE
		(quietly)
	No need to shout, mister.

The CAMERA SWINGS to pick up the figure of Nesby outstretched
on the ground, writhing in pain; with Charlie kneeling beside
him. The men cross to stand around the fallen man.

			CHARLIE
	Reckon we got to go back -- Ed's
	shoulder is smashed -- bad!

			NESBY
	I can make it...just get me on a 
	horse...

			CLAYTON
	No good, Ed...And Ethan's right...
	This is a job for a company of 
	Rangers...or it's a job for one or 
	two men...Right now we're too many...
	an' not enough...

			BRAD
		(facing Ethan)
	Only one way you can stop me lookin'
	for Lucy, mister...An' that's kill
	me...

			MARTIN
	That's how I feel, Uncle Ethan...
		(correcting the
		slip)
	Ethan, sir.

Ethan glares at them, but has to accept it.

			ETHAN
	All right...but I'm givin' the 
	orders...You take 'em or we split
	up here and now...

			MARTIN
		(quickly)
	Why, sure, Ethan...There's just the 
	one thing we're after...finding
	Deborah and Lucy...

			ETHAN
		(grimly -- turning
		away)
	If they're still alive...

He heads away, for his horse. Brad and Martin look at each 
other as the full import of Ethan's footnote strikes home.
Then they head for their own horses.

85-	OMITTED
86

86-A	EXT. THE RIVER - FULL SHOT

Ethan, Martin, and Brad mount. Clayton crosses to them.

			CLAYTON
	You boys got enough shells?

They nod.

			MARTIN
	Yeah...

			CLAYTON
	Vaya con dios.

The three re-enter the river and slowly start across, with
Clayton gravely looking after them. The three riders
continue across the river...and the Search Theme resumes.

				DISSOLVE TO:

87	EXT. WIDE ANGLE - DESERT COUNTRY - BLAZING NOON

A region of buttes and giant rock formations; treeless, arid
and seemingly reaching out to infinity. Far off we see a
cloud of dust -- miles and miles off. Only the dust,
nothing else. From behind CAMERA ride the three men -- Ethan,
Brad, and Martin -- dust-powdered, eyes bloodshot. The
three are watching that distant cloud of dust. They force
their weary horses onward.

				WIPE TO:

88	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE - LATE AFTERNOON

The ANGLE is past some spectacular butte or citadel of rock
into another long reach of valley -- different from the
first view of it, yet alike in its suggestion of endlessness.
But now there is no cloud of dust far away -- nothing to 
suggest the passage of anything but time itself.

Ethan, Martin, and Brad ride into the fringe of the butte's 
shadow and scan the terrain ahead.

			BRAD
		(shrill)
	They got to stop sometime...if 
	they're human at all, they got
	to stop!

			ETHAN
	Naw...a human man rides a horse till
	it dies...then he goes on afoot...A
	Comanche comes along...gets that
	horse up...and rides it twenty more 
	miles...Then he eats it.

Ethan turns to catch Martin thirstily drinking from his
canteen.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	Easy on that!

			MARTIN
	Sorry...We don't even know if Debbie
	'n Lucy are with this bunch...Maybe 
	they split up...

			ETHAN
	They're with 'em -- if they're still
	alive.

Brad wheels on him.

			BRAD
	You've said that enough!...Maybe
	Lucy's dead...maybe they're both
	dead...but if I hear it from you 
	again, I'll fight ya, Mr. Edwards!

			ETHAN
		(an aside)
	That'll be the day!...Let's ride.

				WIPE TO:

89	OMITTED

89-A	EXT. VALLEY AND CANYON WALL - WIDE ANGLE - THE RIDERS -
LATE AFTERNOON

(NOTE: This is the gap in the rocks near the "Medicine
Country" at Monument.)

The three riders come to where the trail they have been 
following forks...the main horseprint track leading ahead,
a lesser track heading for a narrow gap between two buttes.

			MARTIN
	Four of 'em cut out here...Why?

Ethan thinks he knows why. His face is bleak. But he tries
to be casual.

			ETHAN
	I'll take a look...You keep after
	the others...

He turns his mount toward the gap.

			MARTIN
		(eagerly)
	You want us to fire a shot if...

			ETHAN
		(disgustedly)
	No...nor build bonfires...nor beat
	drums neither. I'll meet you on 
	the far side.

He's still grumbling as he rides off. An abashed Martin
rides ahead along the broad trail with Brad.

(NOTE: Ethan's serape, tied behind his saddle, should be
clearly seen as he rides away -- not pointed up, but visible.)

				WIPE TO:

90	EXT. FAR SIDE OF BUTTE - TWILIGHT

Martin and Brad, riding in a direction opposite to that in
which they had taken off -- indicating their circle route --
haul up momentarily as they spot Ethan, standing beside his
horse, his back to them, some distance along. They turn
slightly off their course and ride out toward him.

91	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - NEAR BUTTE - TWILIGHT

Ethan turns, almost startled, as the two youths ride in.
His serape is no longer behind his saddle. Ethan looks at 
them blankly for a minute -- as though not really seeing
them.

			ETHAN
	Oh...it's you.

They both stare at him.

			ETHAN
		(a vague gesture)
	I...uh...here's where they met up 
	again...

They both can see that.

			ETHAN
		(pointing)
	Trail leads off there...

They look at him and each other -- for these are clearly
unnecessary remarks and doubly surprising coming from Ethan.

			BRAD
	Why'd they break off?
		(no answer)
	Was there water in that canyon?

			ETHAN
	Huh...? No...no water.

			MARTIN
	You all right, Ethan?

			ETHAN
	Huh...?
		(more like his
		usual gruff self)
	Sure I'm all right...

He goes to his horse, mounts. Martin is right beside him
and he notes the missing serape.

			MARTIN
	Say!...What happened to your
	blanket? Lose it?

			ETHAN
	Must've...Anyway, I ain't goin' back
	to look for it...

He leads out. Brad rides up beside Martin. Again the two
exchange puzzled looks. Martin shrugs and the three
continue along the broad trace of the Indian ponies into
the setting sun.

				DISSOLVE TO:

92	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - A POCKET IN THE HILLS - TWILIGHT

Ethan crouches over a small fire built into a slit trench so
that barely the glow of the flames can be seen. Beyond him
Martin is leading their unsaddled horses away. The men have
come to the end of another long day. Both men look up as
Brad comes over a hill slope and rides recklessly down the
incline to their camp. His horse is lathered.

			BRAD
		(shouting it)
	I saw her!...I saw Lucy!

Martin runs to his side as Brad slides off his mount.
Ethan moves more slowly.

			BRAD
		(continuing)
	They're camped 'bout two miles over...
	I was just swingin' back when I saw 
	their smoke...I bellied up a ridge
	an' they was right below me...

			MARTIN
	Did you see Debbie?

			BRAD
	No, but I saw Lucy all right...She
	was wearin' that blue dress...an'
	she was walkin' along...

			ETHAN
		(voice flat)
	What you saw wasn't Lucy.

			BRAD
	It was, I tell you!

			ETHAN
	What you saw was a buck wearin'
	Lucy's dress...
		(they stare at him)
	I found Lucy back there in that
	canyon...I wrapped her in my blanket
	an' buried her with m'own hands...I
	thought it best to keep it from you --
	long as I could.

He can't look at Brad or at Martin. Brad can't speak -- and
then finally:

			BRAD
	Did they...? Was she...?

Ethan wheels on him in shouting fury.

			ETHAN
		(blazing)
	What've I got to do -- draw you a
	picture?...Spell it out?...Don't ever
	ask me!...Long as you live don't ever 
	ask me more!

Brad wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He turns --
walking stiff-legged as though on stilts back to his horse.
He bends his head against the saddle, as though to hide his
grief. Martin turns away from him and walks back to Ethan.
And in that moment, Brad mounts and takes off in the same 
direction from which he had ridden in.

			MARTIN
		(frantically)
	BRAD!...

They run for their horses.

				CUT TO:

92-A	EXT. ROUGH ROLLING COUNTRY - NIGHT - MOVING - CLOSE SHOT - BRAD

He comes pounding down a slope, and he takes off his hat and
skims it away. He rips off a neckerchief as though to
relieve the rush of raging blood.

92-B	EXT. THE EDGE OF A RISE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - BRAD - NIGHT

He reaches the crest and reins in. A distant firelight is on
his face. He takes one moment to look down into the Comanche 
camp o.s. Then he has his gun out. His eyes are wild, his
face wet with sweat. Then he throws back his head and he
yells -- and with the yell goes charging into the camp.

92-C	EXT. A RIDGE - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - NIGHT

They rein in -- staring -- as from afar they hear Brad's yell
echoing and bouncing off the canyon walls. There is nothing
they can do. They hear his shouts, then the quick bark of his
.44, and the angry shouts of the Comanche.

92-D	EXT. COMANCHE CAMP - EXTREME CLOSEUP - BRAD - RIDING - NIGHT

His face is red with the reflected light of the fires he is
passing o.s. and his eyes are alight with a crazy, savage
joy. His gun cracks once, then again -- and the hammer
clicks on a spent shell.

92-E	EXT. COMANCHE CAMP - CLOSE SHOT - SCAR - NIGHT

He stands apart, warbow drawn and arrow notched. He releases
it at his running target. We hear its impact and a high 
gasp of pain...and then the jubilant, yammering yells of 
other Comanches.

92-F	EXT. A RIDGE - FULL ON MARTIN AND ETHAN AS BEFORE - NIGHT

The distant yammering of the Comanches doesn't quite drown 
out one stifled scream of pain; we can surmise a scalping
knife was busy in the last instance of Brad's life. Martin
slumps in his saddle. Ethan listens a moment, then turns 
to Martin.

			ETHAN
	Let's just hope he took some with 
	him...

He turns his horse back the way they had come. Martin
stares at him.

			MARTIN
	What you goin' to do?

			ETHAN
	Get some sleep...Tomorrow's another 
	day...

Slowly, he rides away. Slowly, reluctantly but helpless to 
do otherwise, Martin follows.

				DISSOLVE TO:

93-	OMITTED
99

100	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - LOW ANGLE SHOT - DAY

A study of horseprints etched in the soil -- the mark of
the passage of many horses; perhaps an eagle or turkey 
feather fallen from a warbonnet. And then we hear and
see the approach of two plodding horses, and the dusty 
boots of the horsemen -- Ethan and Martin -- following
the trail. The Search Theme resumes and continues over
the next three shots, helping us suggest the passage 
of time, the change of scene.

101	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - DAY

The two figures are little more than specks in a vastness
of savage country.

				WIPE TO:

102	EXT. MOUNTAIN COUNTRY - LOW ANGLE SHOT - DAY

Again we study the hooves of two horses, fighting their
way up a rocky slope and past a thorn bush on which --
fluttering in the mountain wind -- is a torn scrap of
scarlet cloth with a bit of beadwork or Indian decoration.

				WIPE TO:

103	OMITTED

104	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY - LOW ANGLE SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - 
AFTERNOON

It is a portrait study of two faces -- etched by wind
and privation and cold into tragic, fanatic masks.
Martin has aged years in a matter of months. Falling
snow flakes touch their faces and begin to rime their
stubbly beards.

			MARTIN
		(bitterly)
	Say it. We're beat!

			ETHAN
		(slowly)
	No...our turnin' back don't change
	anything...not in the long run. If
	she's alive, she's safe...for a 
	while...They'll keep her to raise
	as one of their own, 'til she's of
	an age to...

He turns his mount.

			MARTIN
	And you think we got a chance to
	find her?

			ETHAN
	An Injun will chase a thing til he
	thinks he's chased it enough...Then
	he quits...Same when he runs...Seems
	he never learns there's such a thing
	as a critter that might just keep
	comin' on...So we'll find them in 
	the end, I promise you that...We'll
	find them just as sure as the turning 
	of the earth.

				FADE OUT

105	OMITTED


FADE IN

106	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOUSE AND APPROACH - WIDE ANGLE -
TWILIGHT

The time is spring. It is a year and a half later.
The Jorgensen house is larger than the Edwards place --
of sod and logs, with a covered breezeway connecting
the two separate buildings of the house: one being 
the keeping room, the other the sleeping quarters of
the numerous Jorgensen brood. A meadowlark breaks into
his sudden song. A dog or two come barking around the
side of the house as Ethan and Martin ride slowly
from behind CAMERA toward the house. In that instant
a lamp is lighted within the house and Lars Jorgensen
comes to the door.

107	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOUSE - FULL SHOT - NEAR DOOR - 
TWILIGHT

Jorgensen peers at the two men as they ride up - recog-
nizing them, of course, but ill-prepared for the change 
in their appearance and full of unspoken questions.
Bearing a lamp, Mrs. Jorgensen hurries out to stand
beside her husband -- and her face works and tears 
begin to well in her eyes. Two tow-headed boys --
13 or 14 -- come after her. Jorgensen makes a little 
signal with one hand, not even looking at the boys,
and they hurry out to take the reins as Ethan and Martin
dismount.

108	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOUSE - MED. SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN

The passage of time has stamped Martin -- and will continue
during our story more and more to stamp him -- in the
image of Ethan. Now it may show only in the set of his
hat or trick of standing; later it will be in his walk,
in his speech (or paucity of speech). Neither man is sure
of his reception. They are thinking of Brad -- dead
because of their search; and Martin is thinking of 
Laurie. And then Mrs. Jorgensen is running across to 
Martin and has him in her arms as though he were her
son -- saying nothing, just holding him. He stands
frozen a moment and then he returns the embrace. Ethan
watches a moment, then crosses to Jorgensen.

			ETHAN
		(to Jorgensen)
	You got my letter about your son,
	Brad?

			JORGENSEN
	Yah...Just about this time a year
	ago...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	It came the day before his...
	birthday.

			JORGENSEN
	The Lord giveth--the Lord taketh
	away...

Mrs. Jorgensen starts to lead the way inside. Martin
hangs back.

			MARTIN
	I ain't fit to go indoors, miz
	Jorgensen...These clothes is...

Laurie rushes past her mother.

			LAURIE
	Martie!

She kisses him hard and full on the mouth -- and has
no eyes for anyone else. Mrs. Jorgensen looks on with
amusement. Martin is just bowled over.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(teasing)
	And him probably forgettin' all
	about you!...Probably can't even
	call your name to mind.

			MARTIN
		(smiling)
	Laurie.

And Laurie smiles triumphantly at her mother.

			MARTIN
		(continuing)
	But I fairly forgot just how pretty
	you was...

Laurie grabs his hand then and pulls him indoors --
and there is no further resistance from Martin.
Mrs. Jorgensen and her husband converge then on Ethan --
and her face is gravely questioning.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	The little one?...Debbie?

Ethan shakes his head. She squeezes his arm reassuringly
and they start indoors.

				DISSOLVE TO:

109	INT. THE SPARE BEDROOM OF THE JORGENSEN'S - MED. SHOT -
MARTIN - NIGHT

This is a room off the kitchen end of the keeping room --
and described in the book as the "grandmother room":
with narrow, slit-like windows, a set of single bunk
beds, possibly a fireplace.

Martin is in a deep wooden tub, taking a hot bath,
currying his back with a long-handled brush. Beyond
him is the door. It opens and Martin turns casually --
and at once stops being casual as Laurie enters and
purposefully crosses to a stool or bench on which his
discarded clothing is scattered.

			MARTIN
	Hey...What you doin'...?

She picks up the shirt, puts it over one arm; she reaches 
for his long-handled and ragged underwear, runs a fist
through a hole in its seat, clucks and shreds it into 
rags. During this:

			MARTIN
		(a yelp)
	Don't go takin' that stuff...

			LAURIE
	Ain't worth the mendin'...

She turns and looks at him, matter of fact.

			LAURIE
	What you gettin' red-in-the-face
	for?...I have brothers, haven't I?

			MARTIN
	Well I ain't one of 'em!

			LAURIE
	I'm a woman, Martie...
		(he tries to say
		something but
		she goes right on)
	We wash and mend your dirty clothes
	all our lives...When you're little
	we even wash you....How a man can
	ever make out to get bashful in
	front of a woman I'll never know...

			MARTIN
	You talk like a feller might just
	as leave run around nekkid...

			LAURIE
	Wouldn't bother me...
		(she heads for
		the door)
	I wouldn't try it in front of pa,
	though, was I you...

And she is laughing as she closes the door behind her.

110	INT. THE KEEPING ROOM OF THE JORGENSEN HOUSE - FULL SHOT

It is a plastered room, everything bright and shiny;
a big wood-burning cookstove, above it a row of shiny
copper pots; the furniture handmade and probably not too 
much unlike the good plain Swedish modern of today.
There should be Scandinavian accents in the decor. All
told, a cheerful, warm-smelling room.

Ethan is talking as Laurie enters the room still carrying
Martin's shirt, the rags of his underwear. She will
wait, listening for a break in what Ethan is saying,
to try to get her mother's attention. Jorgensen is
sitting in his usual chair -- with his boots off, puffing
his pipe more or less in tune with what Ethan is talking
about. Mrs. Jorgensen is in her rocker, darning or
knitting. Ethan is standing near the mantel.

			ETHAN
	...an' then it snowed and we lost 
	the trail...No need to tell ya all
	the places we went...Fort Richardson,
	Fort Wingate an' Cobb...the Anadarko
	Agency...Trouble is we don't even 
	know which band that war party belonged 
	to...

Mrs. Jorgensen looks up from her darning.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Well, you did all a body could,
	Ethan.

			ETHAN
	I got your boy killed.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(gently)
	Don't go blamin' yourself...

			JORGENSEN
		(angrily)
	It's this country killed my boy!...
	Yes, by golly!

Mrs. Jorgensen stands.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Now Lars!...It so happens we be
	Texicans...We took a reachin' hold,
	way far out, past where any man has
	right or reason to hold on...Or if
	we didn't, our folks did...So we
	can't leave off without makin' them 
	out to be fools, wastin' their lives
	'n wasted in the way they died...A
	Texican's nothin' but a human man
	out on a limb...This year an'
	next and maybe for a hundred more.
	But I don't think it'll be forever.
	Someday this country will be a fine 
	good place to be...Maybe it needs
	our bones in the ground before that
	time can come...

The speech impresses everyone but Laurie, who probably
hasn't heard a word of it.

			LAURIE
	Ma!...Martie's drawers is a sight!
	Ain't fit for rags!..Would it be
	all right if we gave him some of
	Brad's things?

There is just the briefest hesitation...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Why...'course it would! They're in
	the chest...

And she leads the way briskly, with Laurie following, to
a big chest at the far end of the room.

			JORGENSEN
		(rising excitedly)
	By golly, the letter...In the chest, 
	mama...It came for you, Ethan...
	last winter...

Ethan and Jorgensen cross together to where Mrs. Jorgensen 
is raising the top of a huge dower chest. She extracts
a letter, wrapped in oilskin against moths.

			JORGENSEN
		(continuing)
	Joab Wilkes of the Rangers brought 
	it...

Ethan takes the letter and studies it very carefully
before venturing to open it. Jorgensen is quite
curious, but trying not to seem nosy. The women remain
at the chest -- pulling out various folded garments,
etc. Finally Ethan carefully opens it and takes
out a letter -- dirty as to paper, crudely printed in
pencil and with a horseshoe nail pinning a two-inch
square snip of calico to the bottom of the sheet. He
reads the letter with the habitual difficulty of a man
unused to words and then he turns the letter, removes
the nail and looks at the snip of cloth.

			ETHAN
		(quietly)
	Mrs. Jorgensen...

She comes to him, her arms piled with clothing; and
Laurie a step behind her, holding up a new pair of long-
handled underwear -- measuring it with her eyes for
holes, etc.

			ETHAN
	Will you look at this?

He holds out the snip of calico.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Why it's just a snip of calico...

			ETHAN
	You ever see it before...like mebbe
	on a dress Debbie wore?

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Yes!..Yes, I remember!..Have they
	found her, Ethan?

			ETHAN
	No...not yet...

He takes the calico snip, places it within the letter
and carefully pockets it. He looks broodingly into the 
fire.

			ETHAN
		(continuing)
	...not yet...

Laurie's face is troubled as she turns from him and heads
for the grandmother room, carrying the armful of clothes.

111	INT. THE SPARE BEDROOM - FULL SHOT - NIGHT

Martin is sitting sulkily on a cot, wrapped in a blanket.
He glares up as Laurie enters. His feet are in his
boots.

			MARTIN
	Might at least have left me my
	pants!

			LAURIE
	Shush!...Time for bed anyway...
		(putting clothes
		near him)
	Likely these'll need some takin'
	in...Oh, Martie, you're that gaunted!
	...Ma's havin' a turkey for dinner
	tomorrow and...

			JORGENSEN'S VOICE
		(calling)
	Laurie!..Come...come!

Ethan opens the door, enters.

			LAURIE
	Yes, Pa!..Good night, Martie...
	good night, Mr. Edwards...

She wants to kiss Martie but is shy in Ethan's presence
and hurries out.

			MARTIN
	Good night...Laurie...

			ETHAN
	Good night...

Martin stoops to remove his boots. Ethan studies him
and looks thoughtfully after the girl and at Martin.
He takes the letter out of his pocket -- as though he
meant to read it -- and then he puts it back decisively.
He starts to undress. Martin lies back on his bunk.

			ETHAN
	Jorgensen's been runnin' his cattle 
	with my own...

			MARTIN
		(staring)
	YOUR cattle?...DEBBIE'S cattle!

Ethan returns the stare without any change of expression.

			ETHAN
	He's agreed to take you on and
	share the increase from my herd
	while I'm gone...I'll be pushin' 
	on tomorrow...

			MARTIN
	I ain't stayin'...I set out lookin'
	for Debbie...I aim to keep on...

			ETHAN
	Why?

			MARTIN
	Because she's my...my...

			ETHAN
	She's your nothin'...She's no kin 
	to you at all!

			MARTIN
	I always felt like she was...Her
	folks takin' me in, raisin' me
	like one of their own...

			ETHAN
	That don't make 'em kin...

			MARTIN
	All right...I ain't got no kin...
	I'm goin' to keep lookin' that's 
	all.

			ETHAN
	How? You got any horses, or money
	to buy 'em...You ain't even got 
	money to buy cartridges...Jorgensen's
	offering you a good livin' here...

Martin throws himself back, turns his face to the wall.
Ethan looks soberly at him -- and is sorry for the 
brutality of his words.

			ETHAN
	Martin...I want you to know some-
	thin'...

			MARTIN
		(turning -- mad as 
		hell)
	Yeah...you want me to know I ain't got 
	no kin -- no money -- no horses -- 
	nothing but a dead man's clothes 
	to wear!..You tole me that already...
	Now shut your head!

			ETHAN
	Good night.

				DISSOLVE TO:

112	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOME - WIDE ANGLE - DAWN LIGHT

It is a still scene, with the first light of day in the
sky, a thin plume of smoke rising from the chimney.

113	INT. THE JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - MED. CLOSE SHOT - LAURIE -
DAWN LIGHT

She is in a robe made of an Indian blanket, belted snugly
around her waist. She wears moccasins for slippers. Her
flannel nightgown is high at the collar and almost trails
the floor. She is at the stove, frying bacon and eggs; a
coffee pot is on the boil. Beyond her the door to the
grandmother room opens and Martin comes in -- dressed in
Brad's clothes. His eyes whip around the room. Laurie 
doesn't turn as he slowly approaches.

			LAURIE
		(quietly)
	Ethan rode on...an hour ago.

The starch goes out of him. He walks heavily to the table
and sits, slumped. She looks at him compassionately.

			LAURIE
	I don't know what you can do about
	finding Debbie that he can't...

He just shakes his head, not looking at her. She lifts the
food from the skillet onto a plate and sets it before him.

			LAURIE
	He'll find her now, Martie...Please
	believe me...I know.

He shakes his head. She crosses to the stove for the
coffee pot.

			MARTIN
	That's what scares me -- him findin'
	her.

Now it is her turn to stare.

			MARTIN
	Laurie, I've seen his eyes when he 
	so much as hears the word 'Comanche'
	...I've seen him take his knife an'
	...never mind...But he's a man can
	go crazy wild...It might come on him
	when it was the worst thing could be
	...What I counted on, I hoped to be
	there to stop him, if such thing
	come.

Laurie has poured his coffee. Now he sips it. She sits 
at the table with him.

			LAURIE
		(slowly)
	I hoped I could hold you here...But
	I guess I knew...So I stole this 
	for you...

She takes Ethan's letter from her breast and hands it to 
him. He takes it, puzzled, and slowly reads it aloud.

			MARTIN
	'I bought a small size dress off a
	Injun...If this here is a piece of
	yr chiles dress bring reward. I 
	know where they gone...Jerem
	Futterman.'

Martin is on his feet.

			MARTIN
		(excited)
	Futterman!...He's got a little
	tradin' post on the South Fork o'
	the Brazos...Laurie, I just got
	to get me a good horse! Think
	yer pa would...

			LAURIE
	Finish your breakfast...

			MARTIN
	I gotta catch up with him, Laurie!

			LAURIE
		(almost in tears --
		but angry)
	Go on then! Pa's in the barn
	saddlin' the Fort Worth stud...
	an' you can take the light gelding
	with the blaze...

			MARTIN
	But that's Sweet-face -- your own
	good horse.

Laurie goes to the front door and throws it wide.

			LAURIE
		(hysterically)
	Take it and welcome...but don't
	count on finding me here when you
	get back...I've been dallying around
	this god-forsaken wind-scour almost
	two long years waitin' for you...I
	ain't cut out to be an old maid!

			MARTIN
		(miserably)
	I can't help it, Laurie...I
	just gotta catch up with Ethan...

He runs out and she slams the door, then rests her head
against it.

113-A	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT - EARLY MORNING

Mrs. Jorgensen quietly enters the room and sees Laurie with
head pressed against the door. She wants to offer some
word of sympathy, but doesn't know what to say. She
crosses to the stove to pour herself a cup of coffee. Then
we hear the drum of horses' hooves, the sound of Martin
riding away. Laurie flings open the door, almost as though
to call him back.

113-B	EXT. PLAINS COUNTRY AND LAKE BEFORE JORGENSEN HOUSE -
EARLY MORNING

ANGLING from behind Laurie in the doorway as Martin, riding
one horse, leading another, goes galloping away.

114	EXT. FUTTERMAN'S TRADING POST - WIDE ANGLE - DAY

A low, squat adobe structure, with a crudely lettered sign-
board proclaiming it:

	'JEREM. FUTTERMAN, TRADER'

There are adjacent outbuildings and corral. Four horses
are tied outside, two being pack animals. A surly-looking
white man or breed sits in a stool tilted back near the 
door, whittling with a long-bladed knife, eyeing the horses
covetously. He glances aside and glares as a squaw
shuffles along bearing a clumsy load of faggots on her
bowed back.

			MAN
	Andale! Andale!

Fearfully she quickens her step. The man gets up, shoves
knife into belt and heads into the post.

115	INT. FUTTERMAN'S TRADING POST - FULL SHOT - DAY

It is a grimy establishment with some dusty trade goods on
shelves; a counter which serves as a bar; a few plank 
tables and benches.

The breed seen outside enters and crosses to a side table
where another mean-looking hombre sits preparing to play
a game of solitaire with a deck of limp cards.

Ethan and Martin are at a table in the center of the room,
examining a dirty, rumpled child's dress -- Debbie's.
Martin nods soberly in answer to Ethan's inquiring look;
yes, it's hers. Both look up as FUTTERMAN crosses from
the bar, carrying a whisky jug and two dirty glasses --
his fingers thrust inside the glasses. Futterman is a 
squaw man and a killer -- dead eyes in a white face.

			FUTTERMAN
	Drink?

He sets the jug down, picks up one of the glasses -- so
grey and thumb-printed it is almost opaque. Both Ethan
and Martin regard it with disgust. Futterman gives a 
slight shrug, takes the dress and starts to wipe the 
dirty glass with it. Martin snatches it out of his hand.

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	How'd you come by this?

			FUTTERMAN
	You said there'd be a thousand 
	dollar reward.

			ETHAN
	That's what I said.

			FUTTERMAN
	You got it with you?

Ethan looks at him and beyond toward the two men.

116	INT. FUTTERMAN'S - CLOSE SHOT - THE TWO PLUG-UGLIES

The solitaire player has a card in mid-air -- frozen,
watching. The other man has the same buzzard-watchful 
look.

117	INT. FUTTERMAN'S - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP AS BEFORE

			ETHAN
	Reward'll be paid when I find
	her -- an' if she's alive...

Futterman uncorks the jug, prepares to drink.

			FUTTERMAN
	Man's got a right to expect some 
	kind o' payment...I laid out for
	the dress an' sendin' you the 
	writin'...

He tilts the jug to his mouth as Ethan reaches for his
heavy leather pouch. Futterman watches greedily as Ethan
lets a gold piece slide out. He tosses it onto the table.

			ETHAN
	Twenty Yankee dollars.

Futterman puts the jug down. His hand inches -- as though
pulled by a magnet -- toward the gold piece.

			FUTTERMAN
	...an' a man's time is worth
	somethin'...

Ethan's big hand clamps over Futterman's and he starts
squeezing as a man would squeeze a lemon. Futterman's lips 
whiten.

			ETHAN
	Talk!

			FUTTERMAN
	A young buck fetched it in late 
	last summer...
		(Ethan eases the grip)
	Said it belonged to a captive chile
	of Chief Scar...

			ETHAN
	Scar? Never heard of any Chief Scar.

			FUTTERMAN
	Me neither...But this buck claimed he
	was a big war chief with the Nawyecky
	Comanches.

			ETHAN
	Keep talking.

			FUTTERMAN
	Scar's band was headin' north...to
	winter in at Fort Wingate...eatin'
	agency beef. That's what this buck 
	said...Maybe he lied.

			ETHAN
	And maybe you lie...

			FUTTERMAN
	In that case you won't find her --
	and I won't get my thousand dollars.

Ethan stands. Martin follows. Martin takes the dress and
folds it carefully.

			FUTTERMAN
		(too casually)
	Stay the night if you want...
		(Ethan shakes his head)
	Cards?...A jug?...If you'd like
	some company, we got a few squaws
	on the place...

Ethan and Martin head for the door.

			ETHAN
	No thanks.

The two plug-uglies stand -- mean ready to do their master's 
bidding.

			FUTTERMAN
	Don't forget to come back with 
	my thousand dollars.

			ETHAN
	Ain't yours yet.

They leave. The CAMERA holds on Futterman as he slowly
rubs his bruised hand. His henchmen drift toward him.

			FUTTERMAN
		(slight smile)
	Bad manners...He shoulda said 'good-bye.'

				DISSOLVE TO:

118	EXT. HILLY COUNTRY - MED. SHOT - ETHAN - NIGHT

They have set up camp near a cluster of cottonwoods to
which the horses have been tied. One of the horses is 
restless, possibly nickering. Ethan strokes its neck,
looking out thoughtfully into the night -- listening.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	Acts like somethin's out there.

			ETHAN
		(heading toward
		campfire)
	Smells a change in the weather...

CAMERA PANS him to where Martin is spreading his blanket
some little distance from the small fire.

			ETHAN
	Wouldn't surprise me if we didn't 
	have a frost 'fore mornin'...Here...
		(he picks up a 
		saddle and puts
		it close to fire)
	Whyn't you bed down closer to the 
	fire, boy?

Martin is a bit surprised as Ethan takes the blanket and 
spreads it near the saddle -- making the saddle serve as a
pillow. Then Ethan tosses a few more heavy pieces of dry
wood on the fire, making it blaze up.

			MARTIN
	Hey! What's the idea...?

			ETHAN
	Maybe I'm gettin' like Mose Harper
	-- my bones is cold tonight...

He spreads his own blanket as Martin wraps into his bedroll,
and when Martin turns, he casually arranges the blanket to
suggest it is over the figure of a man. During this:

			MARTIN
	Funny...When we passed through 
	Fort Wingate last winter, we didn't 
	hear mention of any Nawyecky Comanche 
	there...

Ethan steps back -- and studies the "dummy."

			ETHAN
	Not so funny...if you recollect what
	'Nawyecka' means...

			MARTIN
	What's that?

Ethan studies Martin's back -- the light on him -- and looks
around figuring the range of fire.

			ETHAN
	Sorta like 'roundabout' -- like a 
	man says he's goin' one place when 
	he means to go just the reverse...

			MARTIN
		(drowsily)
	Oh...

			ETHAN
	You all settled an' comfortable now?

Martin just grunts and snugs deeper into his blanket. Ethan
nods his satisfaction -- sure Martin isn't going to change
positions. Then he takes off his hat and boots and uses them
to complete the dummy. He picks up his rifle then and
quietly walks out of the camp.

				CUT TO:

119	EXT. HILLY COUNTRY - A RAVINE OR ARROYO - FULL SHOT - THREE 
MEN - NIGHT

Three shadowy figures -- Futterman and his two henchmen --
are quietly dismounting, taking rifles from saddle scabbards.
At a hand signal from Futterman, they quietly fan out
afoot.

120	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIN

still snug in his blankets, sound asleep; the fire burning
a little lower but still shedding plenty of light on him.

121	EXT. HILLY COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - FROM BEHIND FUTTERMAN AND 
HIS HENCHMEN

At a crouch or crawling, the three worm their way among some
rocks until they reach a slight rise looking down into the
camp. Martin is asleep and next to him is Ethan's dummy,
hat over its face, and the fire still burning. The two
henchmen snake their rifles up to a firing position. A
shot cracks...and one man is knocked flat on his face.
The other whirls in the direction of the shot, his rifle
swinging in search of a target. A second shot splits the
night and the breed falls as though hit by a giant fist...
Martin is sitting up now, staring wildly around. Futterman
starts to run down-slope, away from the hidden marksman,
dodging between the rocks. A third shot catches him in 
the back and he spins and falls and rolls down the slope
into the firepit camp area. Martin is on his feet now.

122	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - FULL SHOT - MARTIN

He is staring at Futterman, face down and almost at his
feet. He looks around in fear at someone approaching --
hand going to his gun. Then he relaxes as Ethan casually
enters the camp, bareheaded, carrying his rifle.

			ETHAN
	Thanks...you did just fine...

Ethan kneels beside Futterman, turns him over, reaches
into his pockets -- first one, then another.

			MARTIN
		(dazed)
	Futterman?

			ETHAN
	He just couldn't wait...

			MARTIN
		(watching him go 
		through pockets)
	Whatchu doin'?...

Ethan grins satisfiedly as he straightens and spins the
gold piece in the air, catches it and pockets it.

			ETHAN
	Even got my twenty dollars back...
	We did all right.

And now Martin is getting the whole picture...and he's mad.

			MARTIN
	WE?...You just used me for bait --
	staked me out like a...buildin' up
	the fire...fixin' it so's...I
	coulda had my brains blowed out!

Ethan is just grinning at him -- completely unruffled,
denying none of it.

			MARTIN
		(explosively)
	Suppose you'd missed!

Ethan sobers a little, seems honestly surprised.

			ETHAN
	Never occurred to me...

				DISSOLVE TO:

123	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOME - WIDE ANGLE - DAY

It is a day in early winter. Charlie MacCorry, short-
coated, is galloping across the yard as Jorgensen crosses
it -- carrying a load of firewood.

			CHARLIE
		(calling it)
	Howdy, Mister Jorgensen...

			JORGENSEN
	Charlie...

MacCorry swings off his saddle near the porch, as the door
opens and Mrs. Jorgensen comes out -- shawled against the
cold.

			CHARLIE
	Got a letter here...

Jorgensen lets the cordwood drop...

			JORGENSEN
	By golly! A letter?

			CHARLIE
	For Miss Laurie...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Come in, Charlie, come in...
		(calling inside)
	LAURIE!...My land!...Two letters
	in the one year!...

124	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT

as Charlie enters, following Mrs. Jorgensen. Jorgensen
excitedly enters and closes the door. Laurie comes in from
another room. Charlie smiles and bows clumsily.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(to Laurie)
	A letter for you, Laurie...

			CHARLIE
	Yes'm...Figgered it might be the
	news you been waitin' for...so...

He hands the letter to Laurie who comes over eagerly, takes
it and studies the wrapper before opening it.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Real good o' you to ride all the
	way over, Charlie...Might at least
	say your thank you's, Laurie...
	Declare!

			CHARLIE
	No need to...

But Laurie has no interest in anything but the letter which
she is reading skimmingly.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Well?

			JORGENSEN
		(expectantly)
	Yah?

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Laurie! Don't keep a body just
	standin'!

Laurie looks up then.

			LAURIE
		(impatiently)
	I was just readin' to see if...
	Anyway, it's MY letter!

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(agreeably)
	'Course it is. Now let's all get
	comfortable an' set so's we can
	listen while Laurie reads her
	letter...

			CHARLIE
		(turning as 
		if to go)
	Maybe I'd better be goin'...

			JORGENSEN
	You stay, Charlie...After all,
	Charlie brought the letter, Laurie...
	He got a right to listen too!

Mrs. Jorgensen has been pulling and pushing chairs around
and now they all take places. Jorgensen automatically
reaches for his glasses on the mantel and puts them on --
even though he isn't going to read the letter. Laurie
has been sneaking looks at some of the other pages.

			LAURIE
		(surrendering)
	Oh, all right! Well...Martin says...

			JORGENSEN
	From the beginning...

			LAURIE
	'Dear Miss Laury'...He spells it with
	a Y instead of an I...E...Wouldn't you
	think he'd know...

			JORGENSEN
	Who cares what he spells it? Read 
	the letter.

			LAURIE
	Dear Miss Laury...I take pen in hand
	to let you know Ethan and me still
	are trying to catch up with them Com-
	anches the late Mister Futterman told
	us about...

She breaks off, looks up -- puzzled.

			LAURIE
	The late Mister Futterman?

			JORGENSEN
	That means Mister Futterman is dead,
	by golly.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Wonder what happened to the poor man.
	Go on, Laurie.

			LAURIE
		(resuming the letter)
	We cut north through Indian territory
	and...
		(her voice fades)

				DISSOLVE TO:

125	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - LATE SUMMER OR FALL - ETHAN AND MARTIN
(SILENT)

leading their pack animals. Martin's voice picks up the
narration.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	Soon we was meeting up with Kiowas
	an' Wichitas an' even some Comanches
	camped by one of the agencies...

				WIPE TO:

126	WIDE ANGLE - A COMANCHE ENCAMPMENT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - DAY
FALL WEATHER (SILENT)

The camp is on the outskirts of a trading post. Indians
watch unsmilingly from tepees, or in little clusters afoot;
a few mounted braves ride on parallel courses as Ethan and
Martin ride through camp toward the post.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	But none of them was Nawyecky's nor
	claimed to know a war chief named 
	Scar...He's the one the late Mister 
	Futterman said had Debbie...

				WIPE TO:

127	INT. APPLEBY'S TRADING POST - MED. SHOT (SILENT) - DAY

This trading post is in marked contrast to Futterman's --
being well-stocked, clean and presided over by HIRAM
APPLEBY, a resolute, clean-looking man of middle years.

Ethan and Martin -- in winter garb -- are being shown a
variety of trade goods, including a shoebox full of ornate
ribbon rosettes, such as are awarded animals at stock
fairs. Appleby is solemnly affirming the trade value of
these, as well as sleeve garters, etc.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	At one o' the agencies we outfitted
	with all kind an' manner of trade
	goods...figgerin' that'd make it 
	easier for us to come an' go...You'd
	laugh if I told you what was our 
	biggest seller...

				WIPE TO:

128	EXT. INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - MED. CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN AND FAT
INDIAN - EARLY WINTER OR FALL DAY

Ethan is ceremoniously pinning something on the stern-faced
buck. It is one of the rosettes seen in the shoebox.
CAMERA MOVES to an extreme CLOSEUP of the rosette. On it,
in gold letters, is:

			FIRST AWARD
			LARD TYPE HOG

129	EXT. INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - FULL SHOT - EARLY FALL OR WINTER 
DAY

As the Indian proudly steps back, we see beyond him a half
dozen other braves -- all rosetted. Ethan looks them
over complacently while Martin -- to hide the smile that
threatens to split his face -- bends to pick up a huge
bundle of furs.

				WIPE TO:

130	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP
FAVORING LAURIE

reading the letter. She is at the bottom of a page.

			LAURIE
	'There is one other thing I got 
	to tell you before you hear it
	from Ethan...How I got myself a
	wife'...

She stops and stares.

			LAURIE
	A WIFE?

She looks at them - dazed.

			CHARLIE
		(delightedly)
	He did?

			JORGENSEN
		(smacking his knee --
		very happy indeed)
	Good! A young man should get
	married early in life. Right,
	mama?

Mrs. Jorgensen, full of sympathy for Laurie, just glares
at her husband.

			JORGENSEN
	Every young man should at least
	once...Go on, Laurie! Read!

			LAURIE
		(haltingly)
	A little Comanche squaw - SQUAW!

And with that she crumples the letter and throws it into 
the fire.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(aghast)
	Laurie!

Jorgensen is out of his chair and scrambling in the fireplace
to recover the letter. He fetches it out, beating the
sparks out. The letter is basically undamaged.

			JORGENSEN
		(sternly)
	Is no way to treat a letter, Laurie
	...Mama maybe you better read it...
		(to Charlie, proudly)
	My wife was a school teacher, Charlie
	...She reads good.

Laurie snatches the letter back.

			LAURIE
	I'll read it...

Charlie crosses the room, picks up a guitar.

			CHARLIE
		(smugly)
	So he married a Comanche squaw...Haw
	haw haw!

Laurie glares at him. He begins chording the guitar.

				WIPE TO:

131	EXT. INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIN AND
"LOOK" - FALL OR EARLY WINTER - DAY

"LOOK" is somewhat under five feet tall, pigeon-toed,
platter-faced and wide-eyed. Over her arm is a very hand-
some blanket. She is coming forward shyly toward Martin,
propelled by a Comanche -- her father. Martin, with an
armful of trade goods -- a few yards of bright calico,
a couple of AGED SOW rosettes and some trinkets -- is
indicating the blanket. Look glances shyly at her father.
He shakes his head negatively. Look is disappointed.
The father points to Martin's pile of trade goods. Martin
bends and picks up the indicated object: it is a battered
high-crowned beaver hat. The Indian grunts his approval and
puts it on. Look looks relieved. Martin reaches for the 
blanket. Look takes a quick step backward and holds up 
one finger: wait! Then she runs back through the other
Comanches now crowding forward.

132	EXT. INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - ANOTHER ANGLE - FULL SHOT - 
INCLUDING ETHAN

who rides in slowly, leading their pack horse and Martin's
horse.

			ETHAN
		(quietly)
	Let's go...I think I stumbled onto
	somethin'...

			MARTIN
		(eagerly)
	Scar?

The name registers with some of the nearer braves. There is
a quick interchange of glances, frowning, hostile.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	When are you goin' to learn to
	keep your mouth shut! Come on.
	Let's get out of here.

			MARTIN
	But I just bought a good blanket.

			ETHAN
		(curtly)
	Forget it...

Martin mounts and the two ride out. The Comanches stare
after them suspiciously, resentfully.

133	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - MOVING
SHOT - EARLY WINTER DAY

They are riding down a slight grade beyond which (we can
assume) is the Comanche camp.

			ETHAN
	What I heard back there was that
	a band o' hostile Nawyeckas came
	through this way less'n two weeks
	ago...

			MARTIN
		(excitedly)
	Think it might be...?

He breaks and both turn as Look rides over the hill on a
little spotted Indian pony, with her squaw-bag slung up
behind her and her blanket over the saddle. She closes the
gap between them.

			ETHAN
	What's she followin' for?

Look smiles shyly at Martin.

			MARTIN
	Look, I changed my mind...You can
	keep your blanket.

He gestures for her to go back.

			MARTIN
	Go on back...

She stares and then dutifully wheels her horse. Martin and
Ethan face front again. Look wheels her horse again and is
right with them. Martin stops - exasperated.

			MARTIN
	Look...you don't understand...
		(he waves her away)
	I don't want it.

Look just sits.

			ETHAN
		(explosively)
	YOU don't understand, ya chunkhead!
	You didn't buy any blanket! Ya
	bought her!

			MARTIN
		(aghast)
	What?

			ETHAN
	You got yourself a wife, sonny!

			MARTIN
		(a wail)
	Oh no! Tell her she's got to go
	back...

			ETHAN
	And have her whole family after our 
	scalps for floutin' one o' their
	women?...No sir! Come on,
	Mrs. Pauley...

Look smiles and sets her horse in motion as Ethan moves
ahead. Martin's face is a mask of comic despair as he 
gives up. He is mouthing the words --

			MARTIN
	Mrs...Pauley?

And Ethan suddenly breaks into song; to the tune of "Skip
To My Lou:"

			ETHAN
		(singing)
	I got another gal purtier'n you
	I got another gal purtier'n you
	I got another gal purtier'n you
	Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

				DISSOLVE TO:

134	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - OPEN COUNTRY - CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN - NIGHT

Ethan is wrapped in his blanket roll, head propped by an
elbow, grinning sardonically as he watches a strange ritual
in the camp. The score is softly reprising "Skip to my
Lou."

135	EXT. NIGHT CAMP - FULL SHOT - PAST ETHAN - NIGHT

Look is standing with her blanket folded over one arm, her
head shyly downcast, not far from where Martin (back to
her) is spreading his own bed roll. He sits on it then
and begins pulling off his boots. He is very conscious
of Ethan's watchful scrutiny. Finally he is ready. He
lies back on his blanket. At once Look is at his side
to spread her own blanket. Martin sits bolt upright and
tugs his blanket free and wraps it protectively around 
him. She stares at him, puzzled.

			MARTIN
	Water!...
		(in Comanche)
	Pah!

She nods her understanding, hurries off to fetch a canteen.
Martin glares at Ethan.

			ETHAN
	That's the way to train 'em. Looks
	like Mrs. Pauley's goin' to make you
	a fine beautiful wife...

			MARTIN
	Cut it out, will ya...

Look returns with the canteen, hands it to Martin and kneels
beside him. He looks at her sympathetically.

			MARTIN
	Look...I wish I could explain to you.

And now Look speaks for the first time. She indicates
herself.

			LOOK
	Look?...

Now she jabbers in Comanche and, at the appropriate time,
will point to the sky and imitate a bird flying.

			LOOK
	Nay tzare T'sala-ta-komal-ta-name...
	unt kang-yah Look.
		(which means)
	(My father calls me Wild Goose Flying
	in the Night Sky...but you call me 
	'Look').

Martin looks blank, but Ethan chuckles.

			ETHAN
	Says her name's Wild Goose Flying in
	the Night Sky...but she'll answer to 
	Look since it pleases ya...

			MARTIN
		(blankly)
	Look?

She nods and smiles and quickly settles alongside him and
spreads her blanket over them both. Martin recoils, plants
his foot in the small of her back and sends her sprawling.
Ethan busts a gut laughing. Martin jumps to his feet,
angrily.

			MARTIN
		(hotly)
	I don't think it's so funny...If you
	want to do some good, whyn't you ask 
	her where Scar is?

Ethan stares at the girl. Her face is suddenly impassive as
she looks from Martin to the ground.

			ETHAN
		(grimly)
	She heard ya-all right...An' she
	knows...

He gets to his feet and he crosses to stand before her. So
does Martin.

			ETHAN
	Unt osupanet cah-nay Scar?
		(meaning)
	(You know where Scar is?)

She stares sullenly, not answering.

			ETHAN
	You ask her!

			MARTIN
	Look!
		(she faces him)
	Scar?...
		(sign talk)
	Do you know where he went? And if he
	has a girl with him...a white girl --
	nai-bist pabo taibo...

She stands...She indicates Martin. She indicates herself.

			LOOK
	Mah nee-koo-ur?
		(meaning)
	(Your woman?)

			MARTIN
		(shaking head)
	No...not my wife...My...
		(to Ethan)
	How do you say sister?

			ETHAN
		(in Comanche)
	Nami.

She looks gravely from Ethan to Martin. Then, with impassive
face, she bends swiftly, picks up her blanket and walks away
from them to choose her own sleeping place. The two men
don't know what to make of it.

				DISSOLVE TO:

136	EXT. CAMP - OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN -
MORNING

It is the same scene the following morning. The men are
standing above where Look had bedded for the night,
looking at the ground. Clearly marked on the hard
ground is a crudely drawn arrow.

			MARTIN
	Beats me how she could get that 
	pony out o' camp without neither
	of us hearin' a thing...

			ETHAN
	She ain't goin' back to her family,
	that's certain...not if she took
	off where the arrow points.

			MARTIN
	Think she means for us to follow?

			ETHAN
	How should I know...She's YOUR wife!

He walks toward their horses, starts to saddle up.
Martin follows.

			MARTIN
	I think maybe we oughta...

			ETHAN
		(hiding a grin)
	Yeah, I kinda figgered you'd say
	that...Bein' a new husband and all...

And Ethan starts singing "Skip to My Lou" half under his
breath. Martin gives him a sour side-glance and continues
saddling.

				DISSOLVE TO:

137	INT. JORGENSEN HOME - GROUP AS BEFORE - LAURIE READING -
DAY

Mrs. Jorgensen is bringing a lighted lamp over to the
table where Laurie is reading against the fading light
of day. Jorgensen's pipe has gone out and he lights it.

			LAURIE
	Maybe she left other signs for us 
	to follow but we'll never know --
	'cause it snowed all day and all
	the next week...We were heading north,
	through the buffalo country when
	something happened that I ain't got
	straight in my own mind yet...
		(her voice fades)

137-A	EXT. SNOW COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE SHOT - TWO RIDERS
(COLORADO FOOTAGE)

The two men are picking their way through a snow-mantled
grove. Martin's voice resumes the narration.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	Ethan's always been throwing it up 
	to me that I'm a quarter-breed...I
	never figgered it made much
	difference...

137-B	EXT. BUFFALO HERD - WIDE ANGLE SHOT - DAY (COLO. FOOTAGE)

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	But this day we came on a small 
	herd. We needed some meat so we
	circled 'round...

137-C	EXT. THE HERD - ANOTHER ANGLE (COLO. FOOTAGE)

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	...and came up on 'em afoot...
	They hadn't been hunted, so it was
	no trick workin' in close.

137-D	EXT. THE HERD - MARTIN AND ETHAN - DAY (COLO. FOOTAGE)

The two men walk from behind CAMERA. Ethan aims, fires
and brings down a bull.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	Ethan got a nice one on his first 
	shot, but then he began killing one
	after another -- cows as well as 
	bulls -- fast as he could fire and
	load...It was just a slaughter...
	no sense to it...

137-E	EXT. THE HERD BEGINNING TO RUN (COLO. FOOTAGE)

Shots cracking out -- the terrified bawling of the bulls --
the beginning of the stampede.

137-F	EXT. MED. CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN (PROCESS)

Martin strides across to where Ethan is firing.

			MARTIN
	Ethan, quit it!

			ETHAN
		(firing again)
	Nine...
		(another shot)
	Ten!

			MARTIN
	What's the sense in it!

Ethan turns and swings a backhand blow which catches
Martin by surprise and fells him.

			ETHAN
		(in a fury)
	Hunger! -- Empty bellies! That's 
	the sense in it, you Cherokee!..

He swings up his gun and fires again -- and again...
as Martin stares at him from the ground.

137-G	EXT. THE HERD - LONG SHOT - THE STAMPEDE (COLO. FOOTAGE)

Fear-maddened animals are swinging into full stampede
fleeing the deadly marksman. Rifle shots keep cracking
out.

137-H	EXT. MED. CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN AS BEFORE (PROCESS)

The thunder of the hooves is receding and Ethan grimly
lowers his rifle. Martin picks himself up -- still
staring at Ethan as though at a madman. Ethan turns
and looks at him.

			ETHAN
	Least, THEY won't feed any Comanches
	this winter...Killin' buffalo's as
	good as killin' Injuns in this country.

			MARTIN
	Peaceful tribes depend on the buffalo, 
	too....

			ETHAN
	Ain't that too bad...If you feel 
	that sorry for your kinfolk, I'm
	surprised you didn't take up with 
	that squaw wife of yours...

He whips out his shinning knife and strides toward the
dead buffalo o.s. Martin looks after him with troubled
expression. Suddenly he hears something, borne faint
by the wind.

			MARTIN
	ETHAN!

Ethan turns. Now faintly, little more than a shred of
sound, is the distant blowing of a bugle.

			MARTIN
	Listen!..Hear it?...There! Ain't
	that a bugle...and firing?

Ethan stares -- and then the bugle sound repeats and the
distant crack of shots, from long miles off.

			ETHAN
		(grimly)
	Just hope we ain't too late...

And the two break and run for their horses.

				DISSOLVE TO:

138-	OMITTED
140

141	EXT. A RIVER - WIDE ANGLE - CAVALRY CROSSING WITH
PRISONERS - DAY

			MARTIN'S VOICE
		(as narrator)
	It was all over long before we 
	got there and the soldiers was 
	high-tailin' it back to the agency 
	with their prisoners -- squaws 
	mostly -- by the time Ethan and 
	me reached the camp...

142	EXT. SNOW SLOPE - WIDE ANGLE - ETHAN AND MARTIN

Horses and riders plunge downslope through breast-high
snow.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	It was the Nawyecky Comanches all 
	right -- the ones we'd been looking
	for all this time...

143 	EXT. BURNING INDIAN VILLAGE - WIDE ANGLE - ETHAN AND
MARTIN - DAY

as they ride in, passing dead horses, a few bodies of men.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	Trouble of it was that the soldiers
	had hit when most of the fightin' 
	men was away -- huntin' maybe...
	So most of the dead was old men
	and women an' kids...And it was
	in one of the tepees Ethan found 
	her -- the little squaw who wanted 
	me to call her Look...

Ethan has dismounted in front of one of the tepees,
heads inside.

144	INT. TEPEE - FULL SHOT - DAY

as Ethan enters. A body -- Look's -- is sprawled on
the ground. He crosses, turns her over. Martin enters
behind him.

			ETHAN
	Well, you're a widower now...

			MARTIN
		(angrily)
	What'd the soldiers have to kill 
	her for!..

He sees something clutched in her hand. He stoops
quickly.

			MARTIN
	Ethan!

Ethan, who has turned indifferently to leave, pauses.
Martin shows him what Look had been clutching -- Debbie's
rag doll.

			MARTIN
	Look! It's hers, Debbie's...

Ethan snatches it, stares at it. Then he turns and runs 
from the tepee. Martin stares at Look's body, then 
covers it with a robe.

			MARTIN'S VOICE
	So we knew Debbie had been in the 
	village...What Look was doing there --
	whether she'd come to warn them,
	or maybe to find Debbie for me...
	there's no way of knowing...

He turns and then slowly heads out.

145	EXT. THE TEPEE - ETHAN AND MARTIN

Ethan stands there, his expression bleak, looking at
the scene. Martin joins him.

			MARTIN
	We gotta catch up with them 
	yellow legs...Maybe they got her 
	with them.

Ethan isn't thinking of that at all.

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	And maybe they got Scar!

They start away -- fast.

				DISSOLVE TO:

146	EXT. SNOW COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE - THE CAVALRY AND PRISONERS -
DAY

A long line stretching across the landscape -- women
falling and being prodded along by their captors. From
behind CAMERA ride Ethan and Martin and move to
intercept the column.

147	EXT. THE COLUMN - FULL SHOT - DAY

as Ethan and Martin come closer and look at the shawled
prisoners stumbling along.

148	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - DAY

as a young OFFICER spurs out of the column and rides
toward them.

			OFFICER
		(inquiringly)
	Yes?

			ETHAN
	We're looking for a girl -- a white
	girl...

			MARTIN
	She'd be about thirteen now...

			OFFICER
	We got two around that age...

			MARTIN
		(eagerly)
	Where?

			OFFICER
	You'll have to wait until we reach
	the agency...Fall in behind the 
	column...

			MARTIN
		(protestingly)
	But couldn't you...?

			OFFICER
	Sorry...
		(shouting it)
	Keep the column moving!..Close ranks
	there!

The officer spurs out to rejoin the column. Martin looks
at Ethan, his face alive with hope. But Ethan is just
looking stonily along the line of passing prisoners.

				WIPE TO:

149	EXT. THE NOKONI AGENCY - WIDE ANGLE - DAY

The column of cavalry and prisoners enters the agency
(COLORADO FOOTAGE). We see the dead and wounded on
travois; the agency Indians watching stoically; the
prisoners -- some of them -- being herded into a
chapel.

150	INT. OFFICE OF NOKONI AGENCY - FULL SHOT - DAY

The office has been set up as a temporary army head-
quarters. The GENERAL is being interviewed by two 
Eastern newspaper CORRESPONDENTS. At a table beyond
is a telegrapher, sending out a report of the victory.
A pot-bellied stove supplies heat and the General is 
warming his hands at it, intermittently. An adjutant
is rather wearily filling out a long official form.
The General, for all his mudded boots remains a beau
sabreur and is loosely modeled upon a certain other
well-known glory hunter of the Indian wars. He wears
a colonel's straps, but insists upon his brevet rank.

			GENERAL
	And it was clear to me the
	hostiles outnumbered us four to
	one...with all the advantage of 
	terrain...

			CORRESPONDENT
	Four to one! What did you do,
	general?

Ethan and Martin enter, stand in the doorway.

			GENERAL
		(impressively)
	Sir -- we charged!..Gentlemen -- and
	I hope you will quote me -- I cannot
	say too much for the courage of the
	men who followed me into that
	Cheyenne camp...

			ETHAN
		(blurting it)
	Cheyenne! What Cheyenne?

			GENERAL
		(turning and
		staring)
	I beg your pardon?

			ETHAN
	That camp you hit was Nawyecka
	Comanche...Chief Scar's bunch...

			CORRESPONDENT
		(fascinated)
	Scar? What a wonderful name!...

			GENERAL
		(to his aide)
	Are you getting this, Keefer?

			CORRESPONDENT
		(to Ethan)
	How do you spell that word -- Nawyecka?

Ethan ignores him, still facing the General.

			ETHAN
	My name's Edwards...I'm looking for
	my niece...she was in that camp
	when you attacked...

			GENERAL
		(uncertain)
	Well...I know there were some 
	captives recovered...

			MARTIN
		(bitterly)
	Four of 'em dead...so we were told...

			GENERAL
		(uncomfortably)
	Unfortunately, the hostiles murdered
	them as we developed the village...

			ETHAN
	Are you sure they didn't die of
	carbine shots fired by a bunch
	o' Yank bluebellies so scared they
	couldn't tell the difference between
	a Cheyenne and a Comanche?

			GENERAL
	Keefer!..Put this man under arrest!

			ETHAN
	That'll be the day...
		(scornfully)
	'As we developed the village'...
	Next time you develop a village,
	hit it where the fightin' men are...
	You won't get any headlines for
	killin' squaws.

Keefer coughs.

			KEEFER
	Shall I show him the captives, sir?

			GENERAL
	Just get him out of here!

			KEEFER
	Yes sir...
		(he crosses to 
		Ethan)
	This way...

151	INT. THE CHAPEL - MED. CLOSE SHOT - ANGLING TO DOOR -
AFTERNOON

The door is opened by a guard and Ethan takes a step
into the room -- then stops in manifest shock. Martin
is at his heels, eager and expectant. Beyond them
stands Keefer, grave and compassionate. There is a
keening sound in the room -- almost an animal sound.

152	INT. THE CHAPEL - REVERSE SHOT - FULL

It is a simple log-sided room with plank benches without
backs. Up front is a small box-like pulpit, no altar.
Across the front of the room, set up either on benches
or on boards over saw-horses are four blanket-covered
figures -- at least two being the bodies of children.
Squatting on the floor near them is an elderly white
woman with hair hanging loosely down her back and clad
in Indian robes. Standing, facing the newcomers, is
a woman who may be no more than in her mid-thirties.
She is mad -- wild-eyed, frightened, with matted,
unbrushed golden hair, torn garments. It is she who has 
been making the keening sound, the animal moans. Now 
she crouches at the sight of them and looks desperately
for a means of escape. Two girls are asleep, heads
together and backs to the door. One has light hair, 
like Debbie's; the other brown hair. The afternoon sun
coming through a high window touches the light hair.

			MARTIN
	Debbie?...DEBBIE?

He has seen the light hair and starts crossing the room.
Now the madwoman begins her screaming, running from side to
side like a trapped animal. Ethan follows Martin into
the room, Keefer behind him. Martin comes to a stop,
realizing the woman is afraid of him. The two sleeping
girls stir, but do not turn.

			MARTIN
	Don't be scared, ma'am...

The madwoman crouches behind one of the benches, looking
at them with frightened eyes.

			KEEFER
	Just don't pay any attention to her...

Martin swallows and nods and crosses to the light-haired
girl. He reaches a hand gingerly to touch her shoulder.

			MARTIN
		(softly)
	Debbie?

At the touch, the girl is on her feet, crouching -- one
hand, like a claw, drawn back to rake his face. She
is unmistakably a white girl, but she is painted like
a Comanche woman -- her ears red inside, streaks of
paint accenting the savagery of her face. Her eyes
are frightened, yet full of hate.

			GIRL
	Pabo-taibo!
	(White man!)

The other girl has risen almost in the same instant --
but more out of fear. She is younger, but painted like
the other. She moves to stand behind the savage one.

			MARTIN
		(slowly)
	No...She's not...

			ETHAN
	I ain't sure...Where's that doll?

Martin stares at him, then realizes what he has in mind.
He fishes the rag doll from under his coat and holds it
out to the girl. She looks at it...and we may almost
suspect it is rekindling a memory -- but then she spits
at it. The other girl laughs. Martin turns away and
he's sick.

			KEEFER
	Was your niece about their age?

			ETHAN
	Not far from it...

			KEEFER
	Hard to realize they're white,
	isn't it...

			ETHAN
		(grimly)
	They're not white any more -- they're
	Comanche!...Let's see the bodies...

Martin nerves himself for the ordeal, turns to follow.

			ETHAN
	I don't need you...

Ethan and Keefer move away. As they do, the madwoman --
eyes fixed on the rag doll in Martin's hand -- begins
creeping up behind him. Martin is torturedly watching
Ethan and Keefer as first one blanket then another is
raised -- we will never see the dead. During this:

			KEEFER
		(the dispassionate
		pro)
	I'd like you to see them all...It
	might help us identify them...
	Shot in the head -- flash-burn
	range...The boy got his skull
	cracked...Here's the girl...

Martin stiffens, waiting.

			ETHAN
	No...

Martin relaxes...and in that instant the madwoman has
the doll in her hands. She cradles it and she croons.
Martin reaches to take it away. But she calmly sits,
cradling the doll, and rocks to and fro, humming a
lullaby. He can't take it. Ethan returns.

			ETHAN
	Well, we only got the one lead -- 
	Scar...And where we begin to look, 
	I don't know...

			KEEFER
	There's one thing. We recovered
	a bushel of trinkets in that camp...
	cheap stuff...trade goods...Couldn't
	help noticing that most of it was
	Mexican...Maybe if you could talk to 
	some of those Mexican traders along 
	the border...What do they call
	themselves?

			ETHAN
	Comancheros...

			KEEFER
	That's the breed...Course it might
	take time.

			ETHAN
	Time's running out...But I'm obliged
	to you.

They leave.

				CUT TO:

153	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP -
EVENING

Laurie has reached the last page of the letter, reading
it by the lamp on the table. Jorgensen is knocking out
the dead ashes of his pipe. Charlie is in the shadows,
a guitar in his hands -- not playing it, but occasionally
softly picking a note or chord. Mrs. Jorgensen is dabbing
moist eyes with a corner of her apron.

			LAURIE
	...so we're setting out for
	New Mexico Territory in the morning...
	I am sorry I won't be back for
	Christmas again this year...

She swallows hard, pauses a moment in her reading.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(quick sympathy)
	And you knittin' that muffler...

			LAURIE
		(impatiently)
	What's the difference!

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Well, I just thought it would be
	a sin and a shame not to let
	SOMEONE get some good of it...

She looks almost too obviously at Charlie, which annoys
Laurie. Laurie resumes her letter reading:

			LAURIE
		(peering closely)
	There's a word crossed out...It
	looks like 'I wish' or 'I will'...
		(she gives up)
	Anyway...'I set pen aside in the hope
	you are enjoying good health and your
	folks the same...I remain, respectfully...
		(forlornly)
	yours truly, Martin Paulie.'

That's all there is. Not a cross on it. Laurie just
looks at it. Jorgensen stands, pocketing his pipe,
easing the crick in his back. He ceremoniously removes
the spectacles and replaces them on the mantel.

			JORGENSEN
	They never find that girl.

			LAURIE
		(half to herself)
	Yours truly...
		(hotly)
	And he even has to write his full 
	name...Martin Pauley...not even
	just Martie!...
		(she stands)
	I don't care if he never comes
	back!

She heads for the front door.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(rising -- saying it
		without conviction)
	Now, Laurie!...

Charlie hits the guitar a little stronger. Mrs. Jorgensen
looks at him -- and the matchmaker is at work.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Charlie, you'll stay for supper?...
	Now I won't take no for an answer.

			CHARLIE
	Thought of saying 'no' never crossed
	my mind, Miz Jorgensen...No place
	I'd rather be than right here,
	right now.

Mrs. Jorgensen smiles and moves about her duties. Laurie
has opened the door and is staring out wistfully...and
Charlie begins playing and singing a verse from 
"Skip to My Lou."

			CHARLIE
		(singing)
	One old boot and a button shoe
	One old boot and a button shoe...

				FADE OUT

FADE IN

154	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE - ETHAN AND MARTIN
RIDING - DAY

The search theme is heard again as the two riders, with
single pack horse, are heading south through New Mexico.
It is hot country.

155	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - CLOSE MOVING SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN 
- DAY

Their faces are sun-tanned, burned dark and dry. Gone are
the heavy coats and clothing of their northern days. They
do not speak, just ride -- and there is the same bleak,
fanatic, hard look about them both. The music theme segues 
into something livelier and Mexican as we - 

				DISSOLVE TO:

156	EXT. A MEXICAN VILLAGE - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - DAY

It is a small place -- a single dirt street, a few adobe
houses; a few racks of dried meat; a burro with a load of
faggots on its back being driven along by a small boy; the
music coming from a little cantina in the middle of the
street. Before the cantina is a bone rack of a horse, 
without a saddle -- only a blanket pad. There is some-
thing familiar about the horse and Ethan is staring at 
it as they ride in.

157	EXT. THE CANTINA - FULL SHOT - DAY

The two men dismount, beating dust out of their clothes.
Ethan takes another look at the sorry old nag tied outside.
Martin pauses beside Ethan.

			ETHAN
	Recognize it?

Martin shakes his head. They start toward the cantina.

			ETHAN
	There couldn't be two like that
	in all the world...

158	INT. THE CANTINA - FULL SHOT - DAY

as Ethan and Martin enter. It is a dirt-floored room with
a small bar near the door, chairs and benches along the 
walls. A pair of guitar players are at the far end of the
room. A couple of Mexicans are playing a noisy game of
dominoes, slapping the dominoes down hard...EMILIO
FIGUEROA, back to the door, spurred boots across one of
the tables, is sipping a drink. Emilio is a cynical,
middle-aged, aristocratic-looking man in modified charro
costume. Watching the domino game is ESTRELLA, lithe,
sensuous, smoking a brown-paper cigarette; she is bare-
foot. Behind the bar is the proprietor, dozing on his
stool. Ethan takes a step into the room.

			ETHAN
		(loudly)
	MOSE!....MOSE HARPER?

The proprietor awakens. The domino game is suspended in
mid-play. Estrella turns...and from beside Emilio, pre-
viously obscured by the man's back and the big charro 
hat, pokes the head of old Mose. Emilio turns then to
look at the newcomers.

			MOSE
	Ay-eh...?

He is on his feet and advancing to meet them. As he recog-
nizes them a wide, foolish grin splits his face and his
mouth opens and closes in words that won't come out. He
grabs and shakes Ethan's arm, then Martin's.

			ETHAN
	Leggo my arm...You look mangier
	'n ever.

			MOSE
	Ain't been too good...No sir, not
	too good...Gettin' old, Ethan...

			ETHAN
	You were born old...

			PROPRIETOR
		(all smiles - as they
		head for the bar)
	Bienvenidos, senores...Pulque?...
	tequila?...mescal?...huiskey?

			ETHAN
	Tequila...

			MARTIN
	Lo mismo.

			PROPRIETOR
		(beaming)
	Y' par' el Viejo -- el vino del
	pais...tequila tambien!

Martin puts his back to the bar, leans elbows on it and
looks around.

158A	INT. THE CANTINA - ANGLING PAST MARTIN TOWARD ESTRELLA

She is giving him an appraising once-over, then signals
the musicians to play. She rests her buttocks against a
table and waits, her eyes challenging Martin to make a 
move. Emilio is watching Estrella and Martin with some-
thing akin to bored amusement.

158B	INT. THE CANTINA - ANGLE AT BAR

Ethan has poured a drink for Mose, now one for himself --
leaving Martin's glass empty.

			MOSE
	I been helpin' ye, Ethan...I been
	lookin' all the time...

Martin turns back to the bar to take his glass. He finds
it empty.

			MARTIN
		(to Ethan's back)
	Thanks for nothin'...

He angrily throws a coin on the counter, appropriates
the bottle and his glass and heads for a table closer to
Estrella. Neither Ethan nor Mose seems aware of his going.

			ETHAN
	Well, the reward still stands...

			MOSE
	Don't want no money, Ethan...jus'
	a place -- a roof over m' head...a
	little grub...a bunk to sleep in...
	an' a rockin' chair by the fire...
	my own rockin' chair by a fire...

			ETHAN
	You help me find her, you got your
	rockin' chair...

			MOSE
	Swear it, Ethan?...Given word?

			ETHAN
		(impatiently)
	Told ya, didn't I?

			MOSE
		(impressively)
	Ethan...I found a man's seen her...
	knows where little Debbie is!

Ethan stares at him. Mose nods his reaffirmation of it.
Then Ethan's hand locks on the old man's shoulder.

			ETHAN
	Who? Where is he...this man?

Mose winces under the grip. He can't speak, but he looks 
past Ethan and he points. Ethan turns. Emilio swings his
boots off the table and slowly crosses to them. He lets
cigarette smoke curl out of his mouth. Then he smiles.

			EMILIO
	I am this man, senor...Emilio
	Gabriel Fernandez y Figueroa...
	at your service...
		(afterthought)
	...for a price...
		(he smiles)
	...Always for a price...

As the men study each other, Estrella begins her dance --
and the rhythmic click of the castanets will beat like a
metronome. Emilio looks at the bottle on the bar, dis-
dainfully pushes it away and imperiously signals the 
proprietor to bring something better.

			EMILIO
	Un otra!

159	INT. THE CANTINA - ANGLING PAST MARTIN TO ESTRELLA

He is knocking off his tequila and looking at the girl
hungrily. She is doing her swaying dance, playing up to 
him and with unmistakable effect. He sloshes another drink
into his glass and, never taking his eyes off her, downs it.

160	INT. THE CANTINA - FULL SHOT - ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DANCE

Beyond Estrella we see Ethan, Emilio, and Mose at the bar --
gestures, headshakes, the entire pantomime of an inaudible
conversation. Then Ethan takes out his pouch and begins
dropping gold pieces into Emilio's hand. Meanwhile, dance
and dancer are achieving their purpose with Martin. And
the tequila is working. He gets to his feet, a little
groggily. Estrella's smile deepens and there is a clear
invitation in her eyes...Ethan turns then, his deal with
Emilio concluded, and he sees what is going on. He starts
for Martin's table just as Martin moves out to take the 
girl.

			ETHAN
		(tolerantly)
	Come on, Don Juan...We're on our 
	way...

Martin tries to push him away, his eyes still on 
the girl.

			MARTIN
		(thickly)
	Lemme alone...

			ETHAN
		(taking his arm)
	You breeds are all alike -- two
	drinks an'...

Martin breaks free and squares off.
			
			MARTIN
	Take yer hands off'n me...This
	lady an' me got some things to 
	talk over!

Estrella ranges herself alongside of Martin and slips an
arm possessively through his.

			ETHAN
		(a shrug)
	Suit yourself...While you're enjoyin'
	your little conversation, I'll be
	ridin' out with Senor Fernandez here...
	The Comanch' medicine country ain't
	far...there's one camp with a chief 
	named Cicatriz.

			MARTIN
	Never heard of him...

			ETHAN
	Cicatriz is Mex for Scar...an' he
	has a white girl in his tepee...Be
	seein' you...

He turns and heads out. Emilio, who has come up behind him,
gives Estrella a slight smile and bow.

			EMILIO
	Buena suerte, Estrella...Hasta
	la vista.

He follows Ethan. Estrella swings her body close to 
Martin and lets her arms slide around his neck.

			ESTRELLA
		(softly)
	Tu quieres...?

Martin blinks to clear away the fog of tequila and desire.

			MARTIN
		(a bitter laugh)
	Sure...sure...Only not this year...

He pulls her arms away and goes lurching after the others.
Mose catches his arm.

			MOSE
	'Mind Ethan 'bout my rockin' chair!

Martin continues out and Mose stands there -- his head
rockin' as though he already were in his chair.

				DISSOLVE TO:

161	EXT. (APPROACH TO THE NEEDLES MONUMENT) - A BROAD CANYON -
FULL SHOT - DAY

A small pack train (nine or ten horses, six or seven men)
winds through a canyon behind which we can see huge needles
of rock: majestic, savage country. At the head of the
column ride Ethan, Emilio, and Martin. Behind them come
Emilio's cargadores -- lean, hard-bitten wiry little
Mexicans. One leads a handsome palomino. The SOUND of
the CASTANETS ECHOES in the musical theme.

162	EXT. CANYON - MED. SHOT - HEAD OF COLUMN - MOVING - DAY

Ethan is looking around with grim interest.

			ETHAN
	Medicine country, huh?
			
			EMILIO
		(slight smile)
	Medicine so strong they believe the
	feather of an eagle found here can
	guard a man against bullets...
			
			MARTIN
		(looking ahead)
	If you got one handy, now's the 
	time...

Ethan and Emilio both look in the direction of his glance.

163	EXT. CANYON - FULL SHOT - REVERSE ANGLE - FROM BEHIND
RIDERS - DAY

They are turning a bend and now, ahead, we see a cordon
of Comanches -- all armed, all quiet, all very menacing
as they watch the approaching column. Emilio calls a
greeting in Comanche. It gets no answer.

164 	EXT. CANYON - MOVING SHOT - THE COMANCHE FACES - DAY

The CAMERA PICKS UP the faces in turn, as from the white
men's viewpoint, as they ride slowly by.

165	EXT. COMANCHE ENCAMPMENT - FULL SHOT - DAY

One tepee stands apart from the other's -- Scar's. Beyond
it are other tepees, the gathering of braves and some 
squaws, the drying racks for meat, etc. Emilio leads the
way toward the central tepee. They dismount nearby and
Emilio inclines his head toward the one tepee. Ethan and
Martin brace themselves and wait. The flap of the tepee
is closed.

			MARTIN
		(gruffly)
	What are we waiting for?

Emilio cautions him with a hand gesture.

166	EXT. THE TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - DAY

The flap is thrust aside and SCAR steps out -- the same
Comanche we had seen at the grave when Debbie was captured.
He stands tall, arrogant, eyeing the white men with hard,
implacable eyes. He has a robe gathered about him. Across
his face is a scar.

			EMILIO'S VOICE
	Senores! This is Cicatriz!

167	EXT. INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - 
DAY

The white men's eyes are as hard as the Comanche's: this
is the man they have long sought, the killer, the raper.
They cannot mask the hatred they feel.

			ETHAN
		(slowly...at last)
	Scar...It's plain to see where 
	you got your name.

Scar's hand moves to the scar on his face, and a finger
runs along it.

			SCAR
	Your name - Big Shoulders...His 
	name - He Who Follows.

			ETHAN
	You speak pretty good American for
	a Comanche...Someone teach you?

It is a leading question and Scar knows it. He looks long
at Ethan and the suggestion of a smile touches his lips.
But he makes no direct answer. He looks instead to Emilio.

			SCAR
		(in Comanche)
	Ah-we pabbo-tie-bo ee-kee-tay?
	(Why did you bring the gringos here?)

			EMILIO
		(a shrug -- in
		Comanche)
	Pabbo-tie-bo kim te-moo-er.
	(The gringos want to trade.)

			ETHAN
	That's right...We come to trade...
	Only not out here...
		(with sign language 
		accompaniment)
	I don't stand talkin' in the wind.

Emilio quickly turns and calls to one of his men. Emilio
is worried.

			EMILIO
		(sharply)
	Miguel...caballo -- aca!

One of the Mexicans comes on the trot, leading in the
palomino. Emilio makes a gesture -- giving it to Scar.

			EMILIO
	Co-bay tabitz-chat.
		(meaning)
	(Very fine horse.)

Scar looks at it greedily, then nods. He'll accept it.
He looks at Ethan. Again that faintly contemptuous smile.
He signals them to enter his tepee.

			ETHAN
		(to Martin)
	Stay out here.

			MARTIN
	Not likely.

He follows Ethan into the tepee...and a worried Emilio
goes along.

168	INT. THE TEPEE - FULL SHOT

A small fire burns in the center of the lodge and a shaft
of sunlight strikes in from the smoke flap at the peak.
Two chunky squaws, who have been tending the fire or
grinding corn in a rock pestle, scuttle to a side of the 
tepee. Two others, one half-grown and the other slightly
taller, sit with their backs to the fire, huddled over some
leather work or stitching. Both are shawled. As Scar 
enters, he barks a word to the squaws near the fire.

			SCAR
	Pie-kay! (Clear out!)
		(then he turns
		to the white men)
	Ih-card! (Sit!)

He sits on some robes, signs for them to sit opposite.
Slowly they look around them.

169	INT. THE TEPEE - REVERSE ANGLE - AS FROM THEIR VIEWPOINT -
THE TWO OLDER SQUAWS

They are sitting with heads averted, slightly profiled --
but clearly Indian women, broad-faced, dark of hair and 
skin.

			EMILIO'S VOICE
	His sons are dead...So his wives
	sit on the honor side of his lodge.

170	INT. THE TEPEE - ANGLING PAST ETHAN TOWARD THE TWO YOUNG
ONES

			ETHAN
		(glancing at them)
	Are those his wives too?

One of the squaws turns -- and even in the shadows we see
it is another Indian face. The other does not turn.
Scar leans in, blocking the view.

			SCAR
	Two sons -- killed by white men...
	For each son, I take many scalps...
		(in Comanche)
	Mayah-kay zee-eh!...
	(Bring the lance!)

The slightly smaller of the young squaws stiffens but
doesn't move. Scar glares.

			SCAR
		(louder)
	MAYAH-KAY ZEE-EH!

The girl gets to her feet. Ethan and Martin watch as,
still with averted face, she crosses to where a lance hangs
from the tepee wall. It has several scalps on it, including 
one with light red hair. Slowly she carries it back. Scar
never takes his eyes from the faces of the white men,
savoring every moment of it. The girl extends the lance
between them, so that it is like a bare blade separating
two duelists. Neither Ethan nor Martin dares at first
look at more than the scalp pole...Then slowly their eyes
lift...and the CAMERA MOVES IN and RAISES TO:

171	INT. THE TEPEE - EXTREME CLOSE SHOT - DEBBIE

As the shawl slips back to reveal her light hair, the
slant green eyes looking at them from a tanned, but still
white and very beautiful face. (NOTE TO MUSIC: The
SEARCH THEME should cover all the foregoing action -- but
at the first clear view of DEBBIE, it ends dramatically.)
Debbie's eyes hold theirs -- and then Scar's voice is 
heard:

			SCAR
		(in Comanche)
	Pie-kay!
	(Go!)

Swiftly she straightens, takes away the scalp pole and
goes back to her former place.

172	INT. THE TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - THE GROUP AS BEFORE

Scar is watching the white men like a hawk. Martin's eyes
are wide and his breathing seems suspended. But Ethan is
playing it like a poker player.

			ETHAN
		(his voice controlled)
	I've seen scalps before...

Scar's eyes are mocking. He lets his robe slip back
from his shoulders, revealing a bare bronzed chest on 
which -- glinting in the reflected firelight -- is the
medallion that Ethan had given Debbie. It is suspended by
a chain or rawhide string. Scar touches it.

			SCAR
	This before?

Ethan smiles -- and he's still playing poker. He stands...
and the others follow. Scar is puzzled.

			ETHAN
		(to Emilio)
	I came to trade, not to admire
	his collection...Tell him we're
	going to pitch camp across the 
	crick...Maybe we can talk trade 
	tomorrow.

Scar hasn't understood all of it. He scowls and looks 
at Emilio.

			SCAR
		(in Comanche)
	Ee-sap! Pabbo-tie-bo ee-sap!
	(He lies! The gringo lies!)

			EMILIO
		(placatingly)
	Tomorrow -- manana -- 'puetze.'

Scar looks at Ethan and at Martin. He smiles slightly,
and he nods his agreement.

			SCAR
	Puetze!

Martin and Ethan turn to go. Only then does Debbie look
swiftly at them and as swiftly away. Martin can't help
but pause, but Ethan prods him toward the tepee flap.

173	EXT. THE TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MOVING - THE THREE MEN

They emerge from the tepee and begin to walk away -- not
fast, not slow, and without a side glance. Scar emerges
and looks after them -- glowering. A few other Comanches
begin to gather near his tepee.

			EMILIO
		(urgently)
	Walk with dignity!
		(after a moment;
		lips hardly
		moving)
	If you gringo heretics have any 
	prayers, say them...

			MARTIN
		(transfigured)
	She's alive...Can you believe
	it, she's alive...alive...An'
	we found her...

			EMILIO
		(fervently)
	Please!...I, too, am alive...I
	wish to stay that way.

They reach the waiting cargadores and the pack train,
surrounded by suspicious Comanches.

			EMILIO
		(to his men)
	Vamanos!

They mount and ride out.

				WIPE TO:

174	EXT. SAND DUNES NEAR NEEDLES (MONUMENT) - FULL SHOT -
LATE AFTERNOON

Emilio is standing near his horse, talking to Ethan and
Martin.

			EMILIO
	You understand, senores...It
	is not that I am cobarde...
	cowardly...

			ETHAN
	Don't apologize...You did your 
	job...

Emilio nods and mounts.

			EMILIO
	He knows you -- who you are --
	and why you are here...This I
	did not understand...or I would
	not...even for gold, senores...
	have led you here.

He fumbles for a pouch, holds it out to Ethan.

			EMILIO
	Take it. I do not want blood
	money. Vaya con Dios!

He digs spurs and rides out. Ethan turns and looks soberly
at Martin. We hear the rest of the riders moving away.
Ethan and Martin cross the sand and go down slope toward
the creek where their horses are waiting.

174-A	EXT. SAND CREEK (MONUMENT) - FULL SHOT - THE TWO - DAY

			MARTIN
	You figger Scar means to kill us?

			ETHAN
	He's got to...All these years, run-
	nin', dodgin', knowin' we were after
	him...Now we caught up...It's him or 
	us.

			MARTIN
	Why didn't he make his move back 
	there?

			ETHAN
	I don't know...Somethin' tied his 
	hands...maybe hospitality...

He breaks and both wheel as sand slides from the top of the 
dunes. They look up.

174-B	EXT. SAND DUNE - DAY

Debbie is silhouetted atop the dune, looking down at them.

			MARTIN
		(barely breathing
		the name)
	Debbie...?

She slides down the dune to stand across the creek from them.

174-C	EXT. SAND CREEK - FULL SHOT - THE THREE - DAY

Her hand cautions them to silence and against coming any
closer.

			DEBBIE
		(in Comanche)
	Unnt-meah!
	(Go away!)

Both men move closer. She takes a frightened step back, as
if to run.

			MARTIN
	Debbie...Don't you remember me?
	I'm Martin.

She hesitates. She looks long at him.

			DEBBIE
		(in Comanche)
	Unnt-meah!

			MARTIN
		(softly)
	We ain't goin'! We ain't goin'
	without you, Debbie...Ethan, get
	the horses...I'll try to keep 
	her talkin'...

			ETHAN
		(harshly)
	How? She's even forgot her own 
	language!

			MARTIN
	Debbie, you're comin' with us!
	Hear me?

			DEBBIE
	No...not now...not ever.

These have been her first words in English...and they bring 
new hope to Martin.

			MARTIN
	I don't care what they've done 
	to you...what happened...

			DEBBIE
		(angrily)
	They have done...nothing...They are
	my people...

			ETHAN
	Your people? They murdered your 
	family!

			DEBBIE
		(reverting to
		Comanche)
	Ee-sap!
		(furiously)
	White men killed them - to steal
	cows! I was...little...I ran
	away...They find me...take care
	of me.

			MARTIN
	No Debbie! That ain't what happened!
	They been lyin' to you...

			DEBBIE
	You lie! All white men lie...and
	kill...

			MARTIN
	Debbie, think back! I'm Martin...
	remember? Remember how I used to let
	you ride my horse? Tell you stories?
	Don't you remember me, Debbie?

			DEBBIE
	I remember...from always...At first
	I prayed to you...come and get me...
	Take me home...You didn't come...

			MARTIN
	I've come now...

			DEBBIE
	These are my people...
		(in Comanche)
	Unnt-meah! Go! Go! Please!

			ETHAN
		(grimly)
	Stand aside, boy...

Martin turns as Ethan slowly reaches for his gun. It takes
Martin a moment to realize what he is about to do.

			MARTIN
	Ethan -- NO!

He moves quickly then to put himself between Ethan and the 
girl and in that instant there is the crack of a rifle.
Ethan is hit in the leg. It goes out from under him. Martin
swings and his gun is out and firing.

174-D	EXT. SAND CREEK - FULL SHOT - INCLUDING THE DUNES - DAY

A mounted Comanche is on the crest of the dune above them --
rifle raised. Martin's first shot brings him down the dune
in a spectacular horse-and-man fall. Debbie goes running
like a deer up the creek, away from Martin; in the same
instant we hear the angry yells of distant Comanches
charging from the far left. Martin turns to see Debbie
running away.

			MARTIN
	Debbie! WAIT!

Ethan is on his feet now and limping frantically toward their
horses. He shoves Martin ahead of him.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	Never mind her! MOVE!

They mount and take off, just as the vanguard of the
attacking Comanches swings around a point of rock and comes
charging toward the creek.

175	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE - LATE AFTERNOON

as Ethan and Martin race their horses from the creek area
and down a long incline, as -- from the heights above -- a
dozen or more Comanches, led by Scar, come tearing after
them.

175-A	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - MED. CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN - MOVING - DAY

Ethan is swaying in his saddle, just barely hanging on, as
Martin races up behind him -- driving Ethan's horse along.
They swing past a huge outcrop of rock and go tearing along
a vaulting wall of stone. Their hoofbeats and those of the
pursuers bounce and echo off the canyon walls, and bullets
whine and ricochet.

175-B	EXT. CANYON COUNTRY - FULL MOVING SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN -
DAY

They swing around giant boulders, up-ended like pancakes.
Ethan is lurching almost out of the saddle, barely conscious.
Martin spots the cave -- ahead -- and drives his mount and
Ethan's toward it.

175-C	EXT. THE CAVE (MONUMENT) - FULL SHOT - THE TWO - DAY

Martin pulls his horse in and swings off just as Ethan
slides from his saddle. He runs toward one of the huge 
boulders, crouches and starts firing.

175-D	EXT. CANYON COUNTRY - WIDE ANGLE ON THE COMANCHES - DAY

The Comanches are spread out but coming on fast. One goes
down under Martin's fire....another is hit in the arm. He
pulls up and the other Comanches wheel away from the hidden
marksman.

175-E	EXT. THE CAVE - FULL SHOT - MARTIN AND ETHAN

Martin runs back from his firing post toward where Ethan has
fallen.

			ETHAN
		(angrily)
	Go on! Get out of here while you
	can...

			MARTIN
		(pointing to the 
		cave)
	Over there!

Ethan turns and sees what he means. He starts dragging him-
self to the cave as Martin grabs the rifles from their
saddle scabbards, yanks off the water canteens and then
drives their horses away. Then he too runs for the shelter
of the cave.

175-F	EXT. THE CANYON - ANGLING FROM BEHIND MARTIN AND ETHAN

Both men are crouching, rifles ready. In the distance we
see their horses running off -- pursued by some yelling
Comanches. Four or six others come into sight, heading
for the cave -- moving cautiously, uncertainly -- not
seeing their quarry. Then the white men open fire and
the Comanches bend low over their horses' necks and clear
out of there. Ethan looks grimly at Martin.

			ETHAN
	They'll be back...

			MARTIN
	We won't be here...Come on!

He gets an arm under Ethan and hauls him to his feet.

				DISSOLVE TO:

175-G	EXT. THE GAP IN THE CLIFF - PANNING SHOT - SUNSET

CAMERA PANS from the top of the rock chimney to where Martin
is snaking his way through, carrying newly-filled water
canteens. He stands there, listening and looking back the
way he has come; and then, satisfied there has been no 
pursuit, he continues away.

176-	OMITTED
181

182	INT. THE CAVE - MED. SHOT - ETHAN - HALF-LIGHT

Ethan is lying on the hard earth, perhaps cushioned with some
boughs. He is half delirious. A small fire is burning.
Martin enters carrying the canteens. He looks
unsympathetically toward Ethan, then continues to the fire,
takes a knife and starts to sterilize it. Ethan gasps,
mumbles and then a word comes clear.

			ETHAN
	Martha...Martha!

Martin stares at him -- and now, perhaps for the first time,
he is fitting pieces into the jig-saw puzzle. He shifts
closer to Ethan and we see he is preparing to dig out the
bullet. Ethan opens his eyes and looks at him.

			MARTIN
	I gotta open that leg and let
	the poison out...

He poises the knife.

			ETHAN
	Wait...

He fumbles in his shirt pocket, brings out a greasy folded
piece of paper.

			ETHAN
	Just in case...Read it.

Martin sets the knife down, takes the paper, opens it and
slowly reads:

			MARTIN
	'I, Ethan Edwards, being of sound
	mind and without any blood kin, do
	hereby bequeath all my property of
	any kind to Martin Pauley...'
		(he stares, then)
	I don't want your property....
	'Sides, what do you mean no 'blood
	kin?' Debbie's your blood kin...

			ETHAN
	Not no more.

			MARTIN
		(angrily)
	You can keep your will!
		(he thrusts it back 
		into Ethan's shirt)
	I ain't forgettin' you was all set 
	to shoot her yourself...What kind 
	o' man are you, anyway.

			ETHAN
		(sitting up --
		eyes blazing)
	She's been with the bucks! She's
	nothin' now but a...

Martin shoves him back onto the ground.

			MARTIN
		(a shout)
	Shut your dirty mouth!

He gets to his feet, trembling, and stands looking down at
Ethan, his fists clenched at his sides and murder in his
eyes. Then his eyes rove to the knife lying on the blanket.
He picks it up and he looks again at the wounded man.	

			MARTIN
		(slowly)
	I hope you die!

And he kneels again to open the wound.

				DISSOLVE TO:

183	EXT. DESERT COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND MARTIN - DAY

Martin is hauling an improvised travois over the ground in
which, lashed by vines and some clothing, is the unconscious
figure of Ethan.

184	CLOSE SHOT - MOVING - MARTIN - DAY

Eyes shadowed, whiskered, drawn -- he is an implacable
figure as he drags the weary miles home. He hears a groan
from Ethan o.s. He barely lets his eyes drift to the 
sound. He doesn't stop.

185	CLOSE SHOT - MOVING - ETHAN IN THE TRAVOIS - DAY

We see he is delirious, lips parched, strapped to the poles.
The travois jolts over the ground. As he passes out of 
frame, the CAMERA HOLDS on the marks of the travois poles
scraping across the desert.

				FADE OUT

186-	OMITTED
193

FADE IN

194	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT - NIGHT

A party is in progress. Fiddler and banjo-player are
playing a lively square dance for one or two sets of 
dancers -- ranchers, their wives and daughters. Laurie
is not in evidence. At the far end of the room is a
table with a punch bowl set up and a cluster of men and
women about.

Jorgensen is at the door boisterously welcoming some
new arrivals. Leading them into the room is Captain
the Reverend Sam Clayton, with a bulky oil-skin package
under his arm. With him is Charlie MacCorry, dressed in
his best black suit and scrubbed until he looks raw.
Behind them come three or four other competent-looking
men -- Rangers all of them.

			JORGENSEN
		(shouting)
	They're here, mama...Come in, come 
	in...

195	INT. JORGENSEN HOME - FULL SHOT - FAVORING GROUP AT DOOR

Clayton waits for Charlie to come abreast, then hits him
on the back and drives him inside.

			CLAYTON
	Here he is, Lars...Combed, curried
	'n washed behind the ears!

Mrs. Jorgensen hurries over, beaming, to admire Charlie.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Why, Charlie, you look real handsome!

			CHARLIE
		(grinning)
	Yes'm...scarcely reck'nize myself...
	Where's Laurie?

Mrs. Jorgensen smiles and playfully pushes him toward
the guests.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	You'll see her soon enough....

Clayton -- and the other Rangers -- have been hanging
gunbelts on pegs along the wall. Now he shakes out his
parcel -- disclosing a green-black frock coat.

			CLAYTON
		(nodding to the music)
	Say, that music sounds so good it 
	must be sinful...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Grab a partner, reverend!

			CLAYTON
	Well, now, a man of my age just
	can't haul off and dance in cold
	blood...but if there's any of that
	wild cherry brandy of yours, Lars...

			JORGENSEN
		(suddenly sober)
	Nooo....
		(change of heart)
	Yah, by golly...One jug left...
	I get it!

Mrs. Jorgensen glares as he heads out.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Last winter that man swore up and 
	down there wasn't a drop left --
	and me with pneumoney!...Reverend,
	you'd better start clergyin' again!

196	EXT. JORGENSEN HOME - FULL SHOT - NIGHT

Horses, wagons fill the yard. We can hear the lively
music of the square dance. As Jorgensen opens the door
and sets out toward the barn, a battered dusty trap drives
in -- and on it are Martin and Ethan. Jorgensen at first
doesn't recognize them.

			JORGENSEN
		(hailing them)
	Hi!..You're late...hurry...

And then he sees who they are, and his jaw drops.

			JORGENSEN
		(staring)
	Ethan...Martie...No, don't get down!
	...You can't come in!

They stare at him.

			JORGENSEN
	The Rangers are here!

He says it as though that explains everything.

			ETHAN
	What's that got to do with us?

			MARTIN
		(eyeing the house)
	What's goin' on?

			JORGENSEN
		(who's forgotten 
		they wouldn't know)
	Why, my Laurie's getting married...

Martin throws the reins aside and jumps out. Jorgensen 
grabs his arm.

			JORGENSEN
	Wait! Don't you hear me! The
	Rangers...

			MARTIN
	So what?

			JORGENSEN
	You been posted for murder...both
	of you...That trader fella, the
	late Mister Futterman...

Martin tries to break free.

			MARTIN
	I gotta see Laurie!

			JORGENSEN
		(desperately)
	Go around the side...the grandmother's
	room...I'll tell her...PLEASE!

			MARTIN
	You better!

He heads around the side. Ethan meanwhile has climbed
stiffly down, slightly favoring his leg.

			JORGENSEN
	Quick...hide in the barn, Ethan...

			ETHAN
	Hide? Why would I?

He brushes past the little man and heads for the door.

197	INT. THE JORGENSEN HOUSE - ANGLING FROM BEHIND ETHAN

as he enters, with Jorgensen at his heels. For a moment,
as he stands there, the party breezes on. Then first
one, then another sees him. They gape, and the music
falters and stops. Sam Clayton crosses to confront
him across the width of the room. Jorgensen tries to
be the easy, smiling host--and makes a very bad job 
of it.

			JORGENSEN
	Look everybody...Look who's...

He can't even finish it but stands there making flapping
gestures.

198	INT. JORGENSEN ROOM - FULL SHOT - ETHAN AND SAM

-- others gaping. During the opening lines, Jorgensen
will covertly back toward the door to the inner room --
Laurie's room.

			ETHAN
		(to all)
	Evenin'...evenin' Reverend...or do
	I call you 'Captain'...?

			CLAYTON
	Came here for a wedding, Ethan...
	Until that's over, I reckon 'reverend'
	will do...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(coming forward)
	And news of our little girl, Ethan?

His face contorts and his smile is twisted.

			ETHAN
	She's not a little girl any more.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(eyes wide)
	You've seen her!...She's alive?

			ETHAN
	I've seen her...and she's alive.

Mrs. Jorgensen throws herself against his chest, sobbing.
Ethan looks past her at Clayton. And the faces of both 
men are grim.

				CUT TO:

199	INT. THE GRANDMOTHER ROOM - FULL SHOT

The room is dark. Martin is pacing, eyes constantly turning 
to the inside door. And then it opens and Laurie is 
inside, holding a lamp. She is in her bridal gown and
very obviously trying to keep from betraying the stress
she is under.

			LAURIE
		(quietly)
	Hello, Martie....

He just stares at her -- very lovely, strangely remote.
He suddenly is conscious of his dirty hands, his dusty,
worn clothing.

			MARTIN
	I...I wrote you a letter...Reckon
	you didn't get it...

			LAURIE
		(setting the lamp 
		down)
	One letter in five years...I read
	it till the paper dried up and 
	the writing faded out...

			MARTIN
	It wasn't much of a letter...

			LAURIE
	No, it wasn't...You mighta said you 
	loved me...You mighta asked me to 
	wait...At least that'd have been
	something...

			MARTIN
	But I allus loved you...You know
	that, without my sayin' it...I
	couldn't bring myself to ask you
	to wait...the little I had...
	not knowin' how much longer until
	we found Debbie...

			LAURIE
		(breaking)
	It isn't fair...

She sinks onto the bench.

			LAURIE
		(sobbing)
	It isn't fair, Martin Pauley, and
	you know it!

She begins to cry, very softly. He is beside her and his
arm goes around her shoulder comfortingly.

			MARTIN
	Don't cry, Laurie...I understand how
	it is...I'll just go 'way...

			LAURIE
		(spinning on him)
	You do and I'll die, Martie...I
	will! I'll just die!

And they are kissing through her tears when the outer door
is flung open by Charlie MacCorry. They part as he glares.

			CHARLIE
	I'll thank you to leave the room, 
	Laurie.

Martin stares at him, then at her.

			MARTIN
		(incredulous)
	Charlie MacCorry!...You weren't
	fixin' to marry HIM??

			CHARLIE
	She sure is!...An' don't think your 
	comin' back is goin' to change it!

			MARTIN
	As to that, I don't know, Charlie...
	We hadn't got around to talkin'
	marriage...

			CHARLIE
	What right you got to be talkin' 
	marriage to any decent woman...

			MARTIN
		(angrily)
	If you're talkin' about that crazy
	murder charge...

			CHARLIE
	AND other things...Mebbe you thought
	you was gettin' away with being
	comical about that Indian wife you 
	took...I bet she wasn't the first squaw 
	you...

Martin swings wildly but Charlie is a wily fighter. He
side-steps and chops Martin in the jaw and drives him
against the wall. Laurie runs between them.

			LAURIE
	Stop it! Both of you...I won't have 
	any fighting in this house.

Martin gently brushes her aside.

			MARTIN
	It's all right...Charlie, let's 
	move outside.

			CHARLIE
	I ain't wearing no gun.

Martin nods and unbuckles his gunbelt. The men head
outside as Laurie runs to get help.

200	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOME - BREEZEWAY

Charlie waits assuredly as Martin follows him outside.
Martin makes a wild run, swings. The blow is neatly
guarded by Charlie's left and countered with a crisp
right that puts Martin down. Martin gets to his feet,
more cautiously this time, and comes in at a crouch;
he's fighting like an Indian, not a white man. The
men from the wedding party come out now at a run.

			CLAYTON
		(yelling)
	Sergeant MacCorry!

Charlie turns slightly and in that instant Martin springs
and drives a straight right at his face -- almost as
though there were a knife in the hand. MacCorry stumbles
back into Clayton's arms.

			CLAYTON
	Is this in the line of duty,
	sergeant?

			CHARLIE
		(regaining his balance)
	No sir...pleasure.

			CLAYTON
	In that case, give the boys room...

Martin waits at a crouch as Charlie comes in, feints his
right and crosses his left. It is a hard blow but
Martin recovers and waits...Charlie circles and starts
to repeat. He feints his right but this time Martin
springs in, ducks and -- as the left shoots out -- he
grabs the wrist and throws Charlie over his head. What
we are looking at, in effect, is a wrestler against a 
boxer.

			CLAYTON
	Fight fair, son...Use your fists!

			ETHAN
		(drily)
	Comanches don't use their fists, 
	reverend...Let 'em alone...

Charlie is on his feet and warily starts circling -- now
trying to imitate Martin's crouch. Suddenly Martin
feints a right swing and connects with a solid left --
reversing the order of business. Charlie staggers and
Martin follows up with a wrestling hold, leaping behind
Charlie, locking both legs around him and driving his
arms upward behind his back so that his face is in the
dirt and so he could -- under other circumstances --
be neatly and expeditiously scalped. With the hands
locked, Martin then calmly draws a knife. He looks
innocently into the aghast faces of the crowd.

			MARTIN
	Could scalp him...but I'll just
	count coup!

With that he releases the paralyzed arms just long enough
to grab a lock of Charlie's hair and neatly snip it off.
He stands then and laughs as Charlie lamely gets to his 
feet -- easing the tortured arms. Clayton goes to 
Charlie's side. Laurie moves to Martin's side.

			CLAYTON
	You all right, sergeant?

			CHARLIE
	Dunno...Seems so.

			CLAYTON
	Well, go get cleaned up and we'll 
	proceed with the weddin'...

Charlie frowns and looks off at where Laurie and Martin
are standing.

			CHARLIE
	Ain't goin' to be any weddin' -- not
	till we get a few things cleared 
	up 'round here...

He walks rather unsteadily away leaving a thunderstruck 
assembly, murmurous with surprise.

				WIPE TO:

201	INT. JORGENSEN KEEPING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT

The last of the wedding guests is leaving: Ed Nesby
carrying his bull fiddle and with his wife and daughter
and two smaller children preceding him out the door.
The Jorgensens stand by -- trying to put a good face
on the wedding debacle. Charlie MacCorry is sitting
dejectedly, studying a spot on the floor. Ethan is
at the mantel. Laurie is in her room -- presumably
changing out of her wedding gown. Martin is at a 
sink, bathing a cut on his lip. Clayton, still in his
clerical coat, is near the door.

			NESBY
		(a grin)
	Well...it was a nice weddin' party...
	considerin' no one got married...
	'Night.

			JORGENSEN
	Good night, Ed...

Mrs. Jorgensen puts her handkerchief to her eyes -- letting
down now that the guests have gone. Jorgensen crosses
to her, pats her sympathetically.

			JORGENSEN
	Now, mamma!...

He leads her away. Clayton faces Ethan.

			CLAYTON
	I got to ask you and Martin to ride
	to the State Capitol with me, Ethan.

			ETHAN
	This an invite to a necktie party,
	Reverend?

			CLAYTON
	Captain...Nope, wouldn't say that...
	Likely you had your reasons for 
	killin' Futterman...Probably needed 
	killin'...I'm speaking as a ranger 
	now, not as a reverend...Fact that
	all three was shot in the back is the
	only thing that's raised some 
	question -- that and a missin' gold
	piece known to have been on him just
	prior to his demise.

Ethan casually reaches into his pocket, takes out a gold
coin and spins it.

			ETHAN
		(casually)
	That so?

Martin crosses to confront Clayton.

			MARTIN
	I ain't goin' to Austin, Reverend.

Charlie gets to his feet and he has his gun in his 
hand.

			CHARLIE
	You're goin' if the captain says
	you're goin'...

			CLAYTON
	Now, now...let's not grow dis-
	putatious...

Fast hoofbeats sound o.s. -- signalling the approach of
a four-man cavalry detail.

			CLAYTON
		(turning)
	What's that? More company?

He and Jorgensen head for the door.

			CLAYTON
	Kinda late getting here, aren't
	they?

A voice hails from outside.

			LIEUTENANT'S VOICE
	Hello there! Captain Clayton?

202	INT.-EXT. JORGENSEN HOUSE - ANGLE AT DOOR - NIGHT

Clayton stands in the opened doorway, Jorgensen behind
him, looking out. Drawn up outside is the four-man
cavalry detail, led by a young and very crisp
LIEUTENANT. We may or may not see the sixth man,
slouched over his horse. The Lieutenant swings off
and crosses.

			LIEUTENANT
	Is Captain Clayton here, Reverend?

			CLAYTON
	I'm Clayton.

The Lieutenant gapes at Clayton's ministerial coat.

			LIEUTENANT
		(doubtfully)
	You're Captain Clayton?...

Ethan chuckles, to Clayton's very obvious annoyance.

			LIEUTENANT
		(recovering, he 
		salutes)
	Colonel Greenhill's compliments, sir.
	The Colonel wishes to know how soon 
	you could put a company of Rangers 
	in the field, fully armed and...

			CLAYTON
	Hold on, son...Who's this Colonel
	Greenhill you're talking about?

			LIEUTENANT
	Why Colonel Greenhill is Colonel
	Greenhill, sir...Commanding Officer,
	Fifth U.S. Cavalry...I'm Lieutenant
	Greenhill, sir.

			CLAYTON
	Oh...Now what's this your pa wants 
	to know?

			LIEUTENANT
	My pa wants to know...Colonel Greenhill
	wants to know how soon you could
	put a company of your Rangers in
	the field, fully armed and equipped,
	for joint punitive action against
	the Comanches.

			CLAYTON
	JOINT action?

			LIEUTENANT
	Yes sir...We've received information
	about a band of Comanches under a 
	chief named Scar...

			ETHAN
	What information?

			LIEUTENANT
	That maybe he's not far from here --
	holed up somewhere, waiting his
	chance to get back over the border...
	He raided north about a month ago...
	ran into more army than he bargained 
	for...Now he's running for cover, for
	keeps this time...

			CLAYTON
	And what makes you think he's in 
	this territory?

			LIEUTENANT
	Yesterday, one of our patrols picked
	up a man claims he was a prisoner
	with Scar till only two days ago...
	He talks crazy but I brought him 
	along...Says he lives here...keeps
	mentioning a rocking chair.

			ETHAN
		(half to himself)
	Mose...

And then he is striding to the door, calling it:

			ETHAN
	MOSE!

			MOSE'S VOICE
	Ay-eh?...Ay-eh?...

And the old man totters in, half-supported by a trooper --
hollow-eyed, weak, almost delirious.

			MOSE
	Come f'r my rockin' chai'...ole Mose.

			ETHAN
		(shouting it)
	Where's Scar, Mose...SCAR?

			MARTIN
	Ask him about Debbie!...Is she all
	right, Mose?

			MOSE
	My rockin' chai'...

			MRS. JORGENSEN
		(bustling over)
	Leave the poor man be! Can't you
	see he's out of his mind...

She tries to lead him away, but Ethan shoves her aside
and grips the old man by his arms.

			ETHAN
	Mose...try to remember!...You were
	in Scar's camp...

			MOSE
	Ay-eh...Made out I was crazy...
		(he giggles 
		foolishly)
	Ate dirt...chewed grass...I fooled
	'em, Ethan!...an' I got away...

			ETHAN
	Scar! Where's he holed in?

			MOSE
	Seven Fingers...ay-eh...Seven...

He staggers and this time Mrs. Jorgensen won't be denied.

			MRS. JORGENSEN
	Now that's enough! Here...by the
	fire...What you need's a good
	bowl of soup...

She leads him away, at last to his rocker by the fire.
During this, Ethan and Clayton have been mulling Mose's 
answer.

			ETHAN
		(blankly)
	Seven Fingers?

			LIEUTENANT
	That's what he told us...but there's 
	no such place on the maps.

			MARTIN
	Wait a minute! Isn't that the Caddo
	name for where all those canyons
	branch on the Malapai?

			MOSE
		(from his rocker)
	Caddo or Kiowa...ay-eh...ay-eh...

Sam Clayton wheels on the Lieutenant.

			CLAYTON
	You tell your pa a company of
	Rangers -- all fourteen of 'em --
	fully armed an' equipped will be in
	the field by daylight...headin' for
	the south end of the Malapai. If 
	he can catch up with us, well an'
	good...

			LIEUTENANT
	But...but captain, we can't possibly
	take the field tomorrow...for your
	own protection...

			CLAYTON
	Sonny, yonder's a passel of murderers,
	complete with Texican scalps an' white
	girl captive...You want to protect us,
	you just get out of our way...Now
	skedaddle!

The lieutenant skedaddles. Sam whirls on Martin and 
Ethan.

			CLAYTON
	Ethan, you an' Martin are hereby
	appointed civilian scouts -- without 
	pay...Charlie, hightail it to head-
	quarters an' spread the word...

			CHARLIE
	Yes sir...

He leaves. Martin's hands go to his side -- recalling
where he left his guns.

			MARTIN
	My guns...

He heads for the inner door to the grandmother room.

203	INT. THE GRANDMOTHER ROOM - FULL SHOT

as Martin enters and crosses to where he had dropped his
gunbelt. Even before he reaches it, Laurie is in the
room -- closing the door after her.

			LAURIE
	Martie...don't go! Not this time.

			MARTIN
		(staring)
	You crazy?

			LAURIE
	It's too late...She's a woman grown 
	now...

			MARTIN
	I got to fetch her home...

			LAURIE
	Fetch what home?...The leavin's of
	Comanche bucks -- sold time an' again
	to the highest bidder?...With savage 
	brats of her own, most like?...

			MARTIN
		(shouting it)
	Laurie! Shut your mouth!

			LAURIE
	Do you know what Ethan will do if he 
	has a chance?...He'll put a bullet 
	in her brain! And I tell you 
	Martha would want him to!

			MARTIN
	Only if I'm dead!

He strides out past her.

204	INT. THE KEEPING ROOM - FULL SHOT

as Martin re-enters. Ethan and Sam are waiting. Martin 
looks hard at Ethan.

			CLAYTON
	You ready?

			MARTIN
		(eyes never leaving 
		Ethan's face)
	I'm ready.

As they stride out,

				CUT TO:

204-A	INT. JORGENSEN HOUSE - GRANDMOTHER ROOM - CLOSE SHOT - 
LAURIE - NIGHT

as she stands at the window, in her bridal gown, and
sadly watches Martin again going away. Softly the
score reprises -- sadly now -- "Skip to My Lou."

				DISSOLVE TO:

205	EXT. MESA COUNTRY - LONG SHOT - THE RANGERS - DAWN LIGHT

A file of eighteen men and horses -- Rangers -- is walking
under the shoulder of a mesa, keeping well below the
skyline.

206	FULL SHOT - THE FILE OF RANGERS - DAWN LIGHT

They pass CAMERA one by one -- Sam Clayton in the lead,
Martin behind him leading two horses, then the others --
grim-looking, capable men of varying ages; some with long
drooping mustaches, some in need of shaves, some chawing
tobacco.

207	CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN - AT RIM OF A MESA - DAWN LIGHT

He is lying prone, his hat off, squinting down into a long
reach of desert canyon at the Comanche encampment -- with
tepees set up, a thin wisp of smoke rising from a fire,
the horse herd penned in a draw cut off by an improvised
corral of rawhide ropes.

208	EXT. THE COMANCHE ENCAMPMENT - WIDE ANGLE SHOT - DAWN 
LIGHT

The camp is sleeping. A dog yaps shrilly. One of the
tepee flaps opens and Scar steps out. He picks up a stone 
or a chunk of wood and throws it. The dog yelps and 
runs off. Scar's air is troubled, suspicious. He heads
for the horse herd. The camp sleeps on.

209	CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN - AT RIM OF A MESA - DAWN LIGHT

His face betrays a bitter inner satisfaction. He looks back
along the trail as faintly we hear the approach of the
Ranger company. Then he squirms back, retrieving his hat.

210	FULL SHOT - HEAD OF RANGER COLUMN - DAWN LIGHT

Sam, seeing Ethan in the near distance, raises his hand
in a signal for halt and waits. Ethan scrambles down the
trail to join him. He takes the reins of his horse from 
Martin.

			ETHAN
	We can get within 500 yards...there's 
	a hogback to the south.

			CLAYTON
	How many, would you say?

			ETHAN
		(drily)
	Enough to go around...I'd say about
	a dozen apiece...Mount 'em up!

He moves as though to mount, but Martin steps forward.

			MARTIN
	Wait! We go chargin' in, they'll
	kill her...and you know it.

			ETHAN
		(calmly)
	It's what I'm countin' on.

Sam stares at him, but Martin isn't surprised.

			MARTIN
	I know you are...Only it ain't 
	goin' to be that way...she's alive...

			ETHAN
	Livin' with Comanches ain't bein' 
	alive...

			MARTIN
		(same tone)
	She's alive...Better she's alive
	and livin' with Comanches than her
	brains bashed out...

			CLAYTON
	Now son, it's a bitter thing to say,
	but there's more than your sister 
	at stake here.

			ETHAN
	There sure is! I'm going to tell
	you somethin'...I wasn't going to 
	speak of it...But I'll tell you now.
	Did you notice them scalps strung 
	on Scar's lance?
		(Martin nods)
	Did you see the third scalp from 
	the point of the lance? Long...
	wavy hair...

			MARTIN
	I saw it...And don't try to tell 
	me it was Aunt Martha's or Lucy's...

			ETHAN
	You don't remember it, but I
	remember. That was your mother's 
	scalp!

Martin stares, quick disbelief in his eyes. But Ethan's
eyes hold his and there is no doubting the truth in them.

			ETHAN
	I didn't want to tell you...but
	maybe it's your right to know.

			CLAYTON
		(quietly)
	Now mount up, son...

Sam puts his hand on Martin's elbow -- as though to turn 
him to his duty. But Martin jerks the arm away.

			MARTIN
	It don't change it...All I'm 
	askin' is a chance to sneak in 
	there...an' try to get her out 
	before you come chargin' in.

			CLAYTON
	What if you're caught?

			MARTIN
	It won't tell 'em anything, will
	it! Just a man alone...

			ETHAN
	I say NO!

			CLAYTON
	Go ahead, son...But at the first
	alarm, we're comin' in -- and we
	ain't goin' to have time to pick 
	and choose our targets when we 
	do...

Ethan looks long and hard at Martin, then reaches into his
shirt for the folded, dirty, dog-eared paper that was his
will. Slowly he tears it into shreds.

			ETHAN
	It's your funeral...

Martin squats and starts pulling off his boots. He glances
up as Charlie MacCorry comes over, an Indian blanket in
his hands. He tosses it onto Martin's shoulder.

			CHARLIE
	Here...you fight like a Comanch....
	Maybe this'll help ya pass as one.

Then he grins and extends his hand. Martin takes it -- and
they shake as Charlie pulls him to his feet. Martin drops
his hat, and then -- at a crouching run -- he heads for 
the distant Comanche camp.

211	FULL SHOT - FROM BEHIND CLAYTON AND ETHAN, TOWARD MARTIN

as he runs downslope under the shelter of the hogback toward
the unseen camp. Clayton waves an arm at his men and starts
leading out -- in a somewhat different direction.

212	FULL SHOT - THE RANGERS, FAVORING CLAYTON AND ETHAN

They are leading their horses down the slope, still under
the lee of the butte, when two riders are seen approaching
at a fast gallop -- Lt. Greenhill and his courier. (The
latter is a bugler).

			CLAYTON
	What in...?

			GREENHILL
		(calling -- still
		distant)
	Captain Clayton...Captain!

Sam whips off his hat and makes frantic signals to Greenhill
to shut up. Greenhill pulls to a canter, puzzled, and
rides in.

			CLAYTON
		(exploding)
	Go on! Whyn't you have your
	bugler sound the charge while 
	you're at it??

			GREENHILL
		(blankly)
	Sir?

			CLAYTON
	Never mind...Your pa know you're 
	out here?

			GREENHILL
	Yes, sir...Troop's about ten miles 
	back...The Colonel sent me looking 
	for you...

			CLAYTON
		(dismissing him)
	Well you found me...Good work,
	son...Good work.

He starts away. Greenhill follows.

			GREENHILL
	If there's anything I can do, sir...

			CLAYTON
		(under his breath)
	God forbid...No, son, you flog on
	back and tell your pa where we're
	at...and where he's at...

			GREENHILL
	But he knows THAT, sir...Can't I 
	stay, sir?

			CLAYTON
		(reluctantly)
	All right...But keep your eye on 
	me, boy...I'm the hard case you're 
	up against here -- not these childish 
	savages...If you don't hear me 
	first time I holler, you better 
	read my mind...I don't aim to raise 
	no two hollers on any subject at 
	hand...

			GREENHILL
	Yes, sir...

He whips out his sabre -- to the imminent peril of Captain
Sam who quickly shifts out of the way.

			CLAYTON
	Watch that knife, boy!

Then Sam continues away and the Rangers after him.

213	EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF COMANCHE CAMP - FULL SHOT - DAWN LIGHT

Martin runs from behind CAMERA and dodges behind a rock. The
camp is still asleep, very quiet. Martin runs out from
behind the rock and makes another short dash toward the
camp, dropping behind a pile of blankets or other 
impedimenta. A dog runs out of one of the tepees, begins
barking.

214	EXT. THE HORSE HERD - MED. CLOSE SHOT - SCAR

He stands with another Comanche -- inspecting the horse 
lines. In the near distance the dog's barking is heard --
shrill, insistent. Scar, almost like an animal, sniffs
the air suspiciously. The other Comanche laughs.

			COMANCHE
	Tahbo.
	(A rabbit.)

Scar isn't satisfied but returns to his work.

215	EXT. THE COMANCHE CAMP - ANGLE FAVORING SCAR'S TEPEE PAST 
MARTIN

He is staring at it -- remembering it from certain distinct
decorations. The lower part of the tepee is rolled up,
for better air circulation. Martin wraps Charlie's blanket
around him and begins walking to the tepee.

216	EXT. THE LEE OF THE HOGBACK OR RISE - FULL SHOT - THE
RANGERS

The line is drawn up, dismounted, the men checking their
sidearms, tightening cinches, etc. Sam moves briskly along
the line of men, then mounts his horse.

			CLAYTON
	The State of Texas is payin' you
	boys $12 a month. Here's your
	chance to earn it...Now I don't
	want any foolin' around after
	scalps. We ain't got the time...
	Yankee cavalry's on its way 
	here to set those Comanches free...
	We gotta beat 'em to it -- our 
	way...Now mount an' guide center 
	on young Greenhill here. Son,
	you just follow me...And WATCH 
	THAT KNIFE!

The last comes as Greenhill tries to mount, simultaneously
flailing out his sabre perilously close to Clayton.

217	EXT. SCAR'S TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIN

Martin has gained the tepee, takes one quick look around,
then strides in.

218	INT. SCAR'S TEPEE

as Martin enters. One robe, tossed back, shows where Scar
has slept. Against one wall lie the huddled figures of
two squaws. Two other figures -- one being Debbie's --
sleep in robes. Martin's eyes go to Scar's place and then
rove slowly and hold on:

219	INT. TEPEE - MED. CLOSE SHOT - DEBBIE

She moves slightly so that the light strikes her fair
hair. Martin kneels close to her and gently touches her
shoulder, to awaken her. Her eyes open, then widen in 
fear. Martin quickly claps a hand over his mouth.
Silently she fights him, trying to pull the hand away.

			MARTIN
		(a hoarse whisper)
	Debbie...don't!

And then her fingernails rake his hand. He winces and lets 
go. She screams and tries to leap up. He grabs her. The
other squaws wake -- begin squawking.

			MARTIN
		(grimly)
	I'm takin' you whether you want 
	to or not...

Debbie sees something beyond him. Her eyes widen.

			DEBBIE
		(a scream)
	MARTIN!

220	INT. TEPEE - SHOOTING FROM EXTREME LOW ANGLE, AS FROM HER
P.O.V. - SCAR

He looms in the flap of the tepee much as he had over the
grave when he first kidnapped her. He has a scalping
knife in his hand. Scar whips his arm back. Behind him 
we see the other Comanche -- the one from the horse herd.

221	INT. TEPEE - FULL SHOT

Martin spins and his gun is out. He fans the trigger 
hammer twice -- and both slugs hit Scar. As the other
Comanche leaps in, Martin's gun speaks again. And then
he is on his feet, catching Debbie by the arm -- un-
resisting now -- and pulling her after him through the
camp. Shouts and cries bespeak the awakening of the camp.

222	EXT. THE HOGBACK - FULL SHOT - THE RANGER GROUP

They are mounted and in line. The echo of a shot comes
bouncing back. Clayton is facing the men. He solemnly
doffs his hat and bows his head.

			CLAYTON
	For these Thy gifts which we are
	about to receive...
		(donning his hat,
		he turns to the 
		bugler)
	Sound that horn, son, and Leave
	Us Go Amongst Them...YA-HEE!

And shouting the rebel yell, he leads the charge. The yell
is picked up by every man and the bugler sounds the charge
as though he had a regiment at his back. Lt. Greenhill --
a West Point beau sabreur in strange company -- has his
sabre at the "charge."

223	FULL MOVING SHOT - ON THE CHARGE

In the swamp of men and horses, we just have time to notice
that Sam is darting a somewhat worried look at Greenhill's 
sabre ominously close to his back. The charge is sounding,
the hooves are drumming and the men are yelling the way they
did when they rode with Bedford Forrest -- reins in their
teeth, guns in their fists.

224	EXT. THE ENCAMPMENT - FULL SHOT - AS THE RANGERS HIT

Comanches are running from the tepees, trying to reach their 
horse herd as the file of Rangers knifes in.  The bark of
hand guns is a steady sound now -- and the Comanches have
never been up against such marksmen. One charging Ranger
rides down a tepee. Another, with two guns drawn, scores
a running double on two Indians racing toward him from
opposite sides of his fast-running horse. A dodging
Comanche screams as a barrel-chested roan hits him broad-
side and sends him sprawling into the embers of the campfire.

225	EXT. SCAR'S TEPEE - FULL SHOT - ETHAN

He yanks his horse back to its haunches, firing at a
Comanche crouched near the tepee. The charge races past
him. Ethan swings off and runs to the tepee flap, whips
it open and glares. A squaw comes running out at him, 
knife upraised, but he knocks her sprawling with a full 
arm sweep. He turns and his face is a mask of frustration
-- and then he freezes, seeing what he has been looking
for:

226	EXT. THE INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - LONG SHOT - ETHAN'S P.O.V.

Martin is running with Debbie, trying to pull her along,
while she kicks and claws and tries to break free. (They
are about thirty yards from the camp proper.) Riderless
horses are milling, circling. O.s. we can hear the 
firing, the yells.

227	EXT. SCAR'S TEPEE - FULL SHOT 

Ethan remounts and heads around the side of Scar's tepee.
In the distance we see Martin and Debbie. The Rangers,
regrouping, are charging back through the camp, driving
the Comanche horse herd.

228	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - MED. CLOSE SHOT - MARTIN AND DEBBIE

Martin hears Ethan's horse riding down at them; he turns,
and Debbie pulls free and starts to run away.

			MARTIN
	No, Ethan! NO!

He goes running into the path of Ethan's horse.

229	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - MOVING SHOT - ETHAN

as Martin runs and grabs hold of his stirrup, trying to
fight the horse to a stop. Ethan swings on him -- once,
twice -- and Martin is knocked sprawling. Ethan rides
on, relentlessly.

230	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - FULL SHOT - DEBBIE AND ETHAN

She is running and dodging, trying to escape the horseman.
Ethan has his gun drawn. She ducks to one side and the
horse goes past. Both figures are almost obscured in the 
dust. Ethan spins his mount and charges after her. She
runs and then falls -- and he is off his horse and striding 
toward her.

231	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - ETHAN AND DEBBIE

Ethan is at the left of CAMERA and slightly closer to the 
foreground, with Debbie at the right, supine on the ground
and the dust swirling around her. Ethan draws and raises 
his gun. The hammer goes back.

			ETHAN
		(quietly)
	I'm sorry, girl...Shut your eyes...

The dust clears. The CAMERA MOVES slightly forward along
the gun arm and HOLDS on Debbie's face -- the eyes gazing
fearlessly, innocently into Ethan's. We HOLD for a long
moment and then the gun lowers. Ethan slowly holsters it
and walks over to her.

232	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - CLOSE SHOT - ETHAN

He looks down at her.

			ETHAN
		(softly)
	You sure favor your mother...

233	EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - MED. CLOSE SHOT - THE TWO

He extends his hand to her. She takes it and he helps her
to her feet. And then she is against his chest and his
arm goes protectingly about her. They are standing that
way when Martin stumbles up -- and stares.

				WIPE TO:

233-A	EXT. COMANCHE CAMP - WIDE ANGLE - DAY

The line of Rangers is afoot now, each man near his horse,
each man with rifle out, pumping shot after shot at the
fleeting remnant of Comanches riding down the long valley
with their scattered horse herd milling and criss-crossing
in mid-ground...And then as the firing slackens, from afar
we can hear the blare of a cavalry bugle sounding the
charge: sign of the approach of Greenhill's troop.

				DISSOLVE TO:

234	EXT. THE INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - FULL SHOT - FAVORING CLAYTON

It is perhaps half an hour later. Clayton is very grim of
face and occasionally wincing. His trousers are down over 
his ankles, his shirt-tails flapping over his long-handled 
red underwear. Behind him Charlie MacCorry is kneeling,
applying some crude first aid to Sam's rump. Beyond them
some of the Rangers are readying for the move-out. Sam
looks up angrily as COLONEL GREENHILL, a guidon bearer,
and bugler ride in. Greenhill is a choleric man.

			COLONEL
	Clayton, if you were in my command
	I'd have you courtmartialed for this!

			CLAYTON
		(angrily, to MacCorry)
	Hurry it up!

			COLONEL
	What's the matter, sir...You wounded?
	What is it, Sergeant -- a bullet
	or an arrow?

Charlie just gapes, but Clayton -- grim-lipped -- bends a
meaningful glare on someone off. Greenhill looks that way.

235	EXT. THE INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - CLOSE SHOT - LT. GREENHILL

He is standing with his sabre at salute -- looking as
miserable as any shavetail would look when in disgrace. It
could be that the end of the sabre has a pronounced bend.

236	EXT. THE INDIAN ENCAMPMENT - FULL SHOT - THE GROUP

Sam suddenly slaps MacCorry's hand away and grabs for his
pants and pulls them up -- and around a tepee come three
figures -- Ethan, Debbie, and Martin -- with Ethan holding 
Debbie's hand. And Sam's face is split by a grin as he
tucks his shirt-tails in and goes to meet them.

				DISSOLVE TO:

237	EXT. THE JORGENSEN HOUSE - CLOSE SHOT - MOSE HARPER -
AFTERNOON

He is in a rocker on the porch. Suddenly he stares out and
stops rocking. Faint in the distance, but coming closer,
the clop-clop of two horses, moving at a walk. A moment
later Jorgensen emerges and comes to stand beside Mose,
shading his eyes and squinting against the sun, still
not recognizing the distant horsemen. He is joined by
Mrs. Jorgensen. And then Laurie comes out and she too
stares, frowning at first, then with dawning realization.
Lars and Mrs. Jorgensen also begin to guess...to suspect...
and then to know. And Laurie starts to run.

238	CLOSE SHOT - MOVING WITH LAURIE

The CAMERA MOVES ahead of her as she runs blindly over the
hard-packed ground, running as hard as she can toward the 
still unseen but nearing horsemen.

239	FULL SHOT - THE GROUP

Ethan has Debbie on the pommel of his saddle, his arm
supporting her, and she is asleep. Martin is riding beside
them. Laurie comes running up to stare at Ethan and at
the girl. He smiles and puts a finger to his lips --
cautioning her against waking Debbie -- and then he rides
by. Laurie looks then at Martin. He doesn't know whether
to smile or not; he just waits. And then she is beside
him and she steps onto his stirruped foot and vaults up
beside him, and she kisses him just as she had on the day 
he left the graves to take up the search. And still holding 
her beside him, he rides slowly after Ethan and Debbie
toward the house.

				FADE OUT



		THE END
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