Day of the Outlaw

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I never figured Hal Crane would

have the nerve to string up barbed wire.

It's more than barbed wire.

It's a thousand head of my steers, dying for feed and water.

You just have to drive your herds across his land once a year.

You could still work out something reasonable.

I'm through being reasonable.

I told Crane what would happen if he strung that wire.

Blaise...

We've pulled over some hard hills together

and I've rode behind you all the way.

A wire fence is a poor excuse to make a widow out of Crane's wife.

What have you been thinking about all winter?

Crane's barbed-wire fence or Crane's pretty wife, Helen?

Oh, hi, strangers. It's good to see you.

- Hi, Ernine.

- Ernine.

Be with you in a minute, Blaise.

I didn't think you men would get out in this weather.

Ernine, put up some coffee.

You boys must be eating pretty good at your place.

Sure ran through that last batch of supplies awful fast.

I didn't come to town for supplies. I came here to get a shave.

Look, Blaise, these farmers got a right to live too.

Never saw so much stock on your shelves.

You're doing a pretty brisk trade with them, aren't you Vic?

They're decent, hard-working folks.

All they ask out of life is a break from the weather

and a chance to work their lands in peace.

Ever known me to break the peace, Vic?

No, but I've seen you put away some who tried to.

- I don't hold for killing.

- You don't have to.

As long as you got somebody to do it for you.

I'm beholden to you for what you've done in the past

but things has changed and we got to change with them.

I don't object to change, just fences.

Barbed-wire fences.

I warned Hal Crane he was foolish for ordering that load of wire.

Still ordered it for him, didn't you, though?

Well, a man has a right to spend his own money as he sees fit.

You've declared yourself, Vic. That's all I want to know.

Crane's a proud man. He won't knuckle down.

But he's a farmer. That gun he carries is mostly bluff.

You call his hand, it will be plain murder.

Hello, Mrs. Crane.

Why, hello, Vic.

Dan.

Mr. Starrett.

If you'll just give me a list, I'll get right to it

so you can leave town before dark.

We're not leaving. Hal wants to stay overnight to settle some business.

Coffee's on, boys.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Crane.

Won't you join us for some nice hot coffee?

Why, thanks, Ernine. I don't know if I should.

This is the first time we've been away in months.

I promised Mrs. Preston that we'd come over.

Come on, boys.

I make much better coffee than that ranch mud you've been drinking.

Go ahead. Have a nice friendly cup of coffee the way neighbours do.

Won't you sit down, Mr. Starrett?

You know, I'm glad your husband is stringing up those barbed-wire fences.

We want more farmers around here and less cattle.

That's not a very friendly thing to say, Ernine.

Oh, I'm friendly enough, all right.

It's just that you and Blaise are keeping me from getting married.

I want a husband and not some ranch hand

that makes $30 a month with a bed in a bunkhouse.

I want a young farmer, homesteading a quarter section.

I'm afraid Mr. Starrett's more concerned with keeping the range open

than your getting a husband.

You've got the best excuse I've heard yet.

Ernine, where did you put the shortening?

Oh, father, just when we were getting sociable!

Excuse me.

How's the winter at your place?

Oh, it's been colder and harder than most.

Excuse me, Mrs. Crane.

This coffee made me think how good whiskey would taste.

Excuse me.

See you at the Wyoming.

Do you want to tell me something, Helen?

I don't love you anymore, Blaise.

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