The Searchers

["Revised Final Screenplay" by Frank Nugent]


	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