The Shadow Riders

(Mac)

"April 1865.

"Dear Ma and Pa,

I hope this letter

finds you well.

"I have some good news.

"Word is

the war may be over soon.

"I tell you,

if there's one thing

I've learnt,

"it's the Travens

ain't the only family

split by this war,

"brother against brother.

"I just keep fearin',

one day I might

look down my sight

"and find Dal across from me.

"I hear little brother

Jesse signed up, too,

"but nobody's told me

which side.

"Well, kiss Heather

and Sissy for me,

"and don't fret none,

I'm fine.

"Right now

I'm somewhere in Georgia,

"and since

I've been made Captain,

"the burdens

of responsibility

have been heavy.

[woman humming]

"It's a dirty job,

but somebody's got to do it.

Your lovin' son, Mac."

You feeling good, honey?

Yeah.

I hope you'll be stayin'

around here for a while.

Oh, I'm afraid not.

I think we're gonna be

pullin' out soon.

Well,

I'm sorry to hear that.

I was hopin' that

we could

get to know each other

a little bit better.

[sighs]

Well, darlin',

I am afraid that is one of

the curses of war.

You meet somebody

and you only got one night

to really get to know 'em.

One night, huh?

I love soothin' a man.

[both chuckling]

Oh, just imagine

these poor old feet of yours

marched clear across Georgia.

Marched? I'm in the cavalry.

All that hard ridin'

clear across Georgia.

And Virginia.

Not to mention Tennessee.

Then I got my geography

all wrong.

[knocking on door]

[people shouting]

[fireworks exploding]

(Mac)

Who is it?

(Sgt. Ballock)

Sgt. Ballock, sir.

Go away.

(Sgt. Ballock)

It's important, sir.

Nothin'

can be that important.

Lee's surrendered, sir.

Come in.

(Mac)

Sergeant,

what about the war?

Excuse me, Captain.

A courier just rode in.

Straight from Gen. Grant.

The war is over.

The men are anxious

to celebrate, Captain,

and they're waitin' on you.

Tell 'em I'll be right along.

(officer)

Squad, halt!

Right face!

Would you like a blindfold?

I'd like to know

why I'm bein' shot.

For blowin' up

an ammo depot, a train.

Of course I did,

you dumb knobhead,

I'm a soldier.

You've been found guilty.

I don't recall no trial.

[horse snorting]

[birds chirping]

Squad, attention.

Ready.

Aim.

[people shouting]

[guns firing]

[all hooting]

Hold your hands out!

[guns firing]

Thank you, Major.

I'm glad you fellas

happened along.

Couldn't let

you get shot, Traven.

You're too good

a fightin' man.

Where you fellas bound?

We're crossin'

the Mississippi.

Lick our wounds,

gather ourselves,

try to get back

some of that old swagger,

and come back fightin'.

I'd like you

to ride with us.

No, sir.

The first thing I'm gonna do

is lie down somewhere

and die for a couple of days.

Then I'm headin'

back to Texas.

Gonna work the land,

try to make somethin'

out of it,

instead of blowin'

it all to hell.

Yeah, at least

you have a home

to go back to.

Most of these men don't.

Lieutenant.

Sir.

Bring up that runaway

for Sgt. Traven.

Yes, sir.

Good luck, Sergeant.

Thank you, Major.

For everything.

I figure you'll be

needin' this, too.

Whoa.

[frogs croaking]

[birds chirping]

[insects chittering]

[hinges creaking]

[crickets chirping]

(Swamp Rat)

Well, looky there.

[horse snorting]

You get the horse.

[groans]

You sure you want to do this?

(Swamp Rat)

Well, maybe we ought

to talk about it.

[groaning]

Weren't nice of you fellas,

tryin' to steal

another man's horse.

(man)

Hey, Crystal, how about

gettin' in here with me?

[Crystal chuckling]

You should be so lucky.

[music stops]

How you doin', honey?

[moaning]

[clearing throat]

[hen clucking]

[birds chirping]

[man coughing]

Any law hereabouts?

[Swamp Rat groaning]

[groans]

In my part of Texas

we hang horse thieves.

If rope isn't handy,

we just shoot 'em.

Mister, I'm afraid

you really went and did it.

Those two men you're sayin'

are horse thieves are our kin.

[guns clicking]

Oh, not again.

[moaning]

Ever push cattle?

[both chuckling]

Of course not.

Well, I'll tell you,

sometimes they get spooked.

So spooked,

the slightest little thing'll

start a stampede.

And when they get that way,

well, a man has to ride

a mile just to spit.

[chuckling]

You talk too much.

Yeah, I know.

My ma used to say,

when they were

passin' out tongues,

I was the first in line.

[chuckles]

[men chattering]

[moaning]

Time for your bath,

darlin'--

[men clamouring]

What's that?

(man)

Find us a tree.

Nothin'.

No, what's goin' on?

Just the usual.

They're just hangin'

some Reb.

[men clamouring]

Get off of me.

I gotta go.

Aren't you gonna

take a bath?

[grunting]

[men chattering]

[man whooping]

What about it, Reb?

Any last words?

Go to hell.

[horse neighing]

Excuse me,

I seem to have caught you

in the middle of somethin'.

We just havin' a little fun.

I mean, up to now,

it's just been

swattin' mosquitoes.

Now we gonna hang us a Reb.

Get him down.

What for?

You a Yankee, ain't you?

That's right.

Well, this man's a Reb.

A damned Reb.

Why you botherin'?

Usually wouldn't,

except this one

happens to be my brother.

Get him down.

[woman screams]

Put your guns down

by that tree.

Now!

[all muttering]

Now, get him down

and cut him loose.

Come on, fellas, it's hot.

Just how many holes

you want to dig?

Down on your bellies.

[laughing]

Seems to remind you

of somethin', don't it?

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