S P O I L E R -- Dead Man's Hill The tree house: Veronica is working on a sketch, Malone is at the desk, writing in his journal. He leans back, exasperated. "Is it just me, or does it seem to be too quiet around here?" Veronica smiles. "Having trouble with your new story?" "Yeah," Ned admits, flexing his fingers. "Writer's cramp." Suddenly Challenger charges up the stairs, wearing his lab gloves, yelling "Make way! Coming through!" He's carrying a fuming beaker, bubbling and spewing white vapors. He races to the balcony and tosses it out. It lands below with an explosion of fire and smoke. Challenger heads back to his laboratory. "I really should put a window in the laboratory. Much safer… much safer." Veronica and Malone look at each other. "There. Does that make your day more interesting?" Veronica asks, as they go to the balcony to survey the damage below. "Too bad Marguerite and Roxton missed all the action," Malone comments. Veronica gets amused expression on her face. "Oh, I don't think they need Challenger for that." Ned smiles. *** Marguerite and Roxton are pushing through some jungle growth, and they come upon a clearing with a single tree, a rope hanging from a limb, smoky mists swirling about. "That's an odd looking snare," Marguerite comments. Roxton goes to the rope and gazes at it. "A knot like that has only one purpose, Marguerite� it's a hangman's noose." He goes a little further, looking around. Marguerite also glances around from where she's standing, and her face gets a stricken look. "John, I don't like this place. I think we should leave." He turns around. "I don't like it much either. What have you found?" "A tombstone� it has your name� J. Roxton, died 1875." Roxton is visibly shaken. He stands at the noose, his face framed by the ancient and discolored rope. "1875! You don't think that tombstone has any connection to me! Well, hell… J. Roxton could stand for� Joshua� Jacob�" He frowns. The picture gets fuzzy, and suddenly he's staring at George Challenger, mounted on a horse, wearing a long duster, and a sheriff's badge on his lapel. Two other riders, wearing deputy's badges are nearby. Roxton is mounted himself, his hands tied behind his back, the noose tightly around his neck… this time the rope is fresh and new. The sheriff says, "You've been found guilty, of being the wrong man in the wrong place at decidedly the wrong time." Roxton strains against the strangling knot. "Challenger! What are you doing?" he gasps. "What's going on? Where's Marguerite?" The sheriff speaks with calm amusement. "This is a necktie party, Roxton, and you're the guest of honor." "It's me, John!" Roxton protests. "May the Lord have mercy on your soul," Challenger pronounces. "Do it!" One of his men slaps the horse, which darts out from under Roxton. He manages to yell "No!" but then is dangling from the end of the rope while the lawmen ride off, laughing. [break for intro] A figure in black, on the ground, aims a rifle up toward the rope and fires. Roxton tumbles to the ground, and scrambles to his knees, gasping for air. A woman, dressed in a black blouse and black skirt, black hat, with dark hair tumbling around her face, kneels by him, pulling his ropes off. "Marguerite, thank God! Where's you go? What happened?" Roxton stares at the woman who is the image of Marguerite, though dressed differently. "I was going to ask you the same thing, mister," she says, slicing the ropes that bind his wrists. He staggers to his feet and stumbles a little, one leg apparently injured in the fall. Suddenly he realizes what she says. "Mister! Are you all right? Tell me you know who I am!" He's wearing a looser vest now, appears to be woven, with fringes, and a scarf around his neck. She gazes at him. "My name is Maylene Montgomery. And I'm sure I've never had the pleasure of your acquaintance." She seems a bit shy now. Roxton stares around. "Oh, no. It must be the tree… or the tombstone�" He grabs the remnants of the noose on the ground. "Or this…! This noose" "Having had your neck stretched like that, it's no wonder you'd be confused�" "Confused! If you think your name's Maylene, believe me I'm not the one confused around here!" His fear and bewilderment cause him to speak sharply. Maylene backs up a step. "There's been a lot of rustlers in these parts. Is that who you think did this to you?" "No. For some reason, it was your good friend and mine, Challenger." Startled, Maylene brings up her rifle and cocks it. "Jack Challenger? The sheriff?" They circle each other, he with his hands up, she with the rifle. "No, George Challenger, the scientist," Roxton tells her. "There's only on Challenger around her," she says, "And he's the law. I don't know why he would hang you without a trial, and I don't want to know. So just go on your way, and I'll go mine." She turns and walks away. Roxton staggers after her, grabbing the hat on the ground. "Well, wait a minute. We can't just split up. We have to find out what happened to us here!" "That's your concern, mister," Maylene answers sharply, obviously a little unnerved now. Angry and frustrated he catches up with her. "There you go again! It's not mister, it's Roxton! John Bloody Roxton!" She swings around and slams rifle into his chest. He collapses, and Maylene throws a hand up in the air in frustration. "Why did you go and do that!" She starts to walk away, but realizes she cannot just abandon him. "The things I get myself into!" Returning, she kneels by him, turns him over and tries to waken him by patting his face. *** A dirt street cowtown, several men and horses wandering about. The false-front "Trading Post" is the main establishment, and a tinny piano is being played. We see the swinging doors, and hands grip the top of the doors, push them open. High-heeled boots, spurs, black trousers, gun strapped low… and up to the face, topped by a black hat, which belongs to Ned Malone, only he has unshaven cheeks and a mean look in his blue eyes. "Howdy boys!" he calls jovially, stepping inside. The piano player instantly halts, and the poker game likewise ceases. "Is that piano music I heard?" The piano player nervously turns around. "No, sir, Johnny. I mean I know how you don't like piano music…" "What did you call me?" the gunman asks. "Uh…Ringo. Mister Ringo… sir!" "That's what I thought you said," Ringo smirks. He steps over to the poker table, grabs a handful of the money in the pot. "Ante up, boys. Don't let me spoil your fun." He saunters to the bar, and grabs the drink of an older man there, and downs it. He drops the money in the man's hand. "Mighty kind of you, friend." The man hurries away. "Barkeep! How about a little service?" A sawed- off shotgun jams into the back of his neck, and a feminine voice says, "I heard you were dead." He turns to face the pretty young woman with long, straight blondish hair, wearing a flat-crowned hat, white blouse and dark, loose trousers and dark jacket. "I heard a lot of things about you, too, Violet," he says easily. She lifts the shotgun and rests it back on her shoulder. "You must be crazy to come back here." He eyes her. "You know, the last person who called me crazy died, with three bullets in his chest." He leans toward for a kiss, but she turns and walks away. The piano starts to play softly. Angry, Ringo fires a bullet into the piano. "I hate piano music," he snarls. Violet, a few feet away, gazes at him, half amused. "You're so bad for business." He picks up a bottle and fills his glass. "But I'm good for so many other things," he says insinuatingly. Violet comes back near him. "Oh, none that I can recall." She takes off her hat. "I came to pay my tab," he says, offering her a pouch. She looks at it in disdain. "Who'd you have to kill for that, Johnny?" He isn't fazed. "Well, haven't you heard? A lot of rustling in these parts." Violet is disgusted. "What kind of fix are you and Sheriff Challenger working now?" They are talking in low voices. "Same old-same old," he replies. "I'm doing all the hard work, and he just keeps a low profile." "At his camp upriver." "Shh, that's strictly confidential." He grabs her and pulls her to him for a solid kiss, then gazes at her with confident amusement. "See, we're not so different after all?" Anger on her face, Violet grabs the shot glass of whiskey and downs it, as if washing away the taste. He's annoyed that this exchange might have been seen, but nonchalantly picks up the bottle of liquor and takes a long swig. *** A hardscrabble ranch, with several rough buildings, chickens scratching in the dirt. In the cabin, Roxton is sprawled on a rough bed. His shirt and vest have been removed, as have his boots, and there is a bandage around one foot and ankle. He awakens and stares at the woman nearby. "Where am I?" He rubs his sore neck. She quips, "Why you're in the grand guest lodge of the Triple-M ranch. "How did I get here?" he asks as she comes to the bed carrying a bowl and spoon. "Oh you walked some, and I carried you some." He doesn't really believe her. "You carried me…" "I couldn't very well leave you for the coyotes." She sits down alongside the bed. "Well… thank you. So, why is it called the Triple-M?" "It was my husband's idea. Martin and Maylene Montgomery. The three M's." Roxton is sure this is some kind of practical joke now. "Your husband?" "Yeah." Maylene shoves a spoon of food into his mouth. He chews and makes a little face. "Sorry. Gopher. I wasn't expecting company." He swallows. "So, Maylene, where do you think this husband of yours is?" "Last month Martin went on the cattle drive to Abilene. We needed cash for feed… but… the rustlers…" her voice breaks a little. "They shot him down in cold blood." Roxton is baffled now. "Rustlers?" "I'll get you some water," she says, and leaves the building. Roxton staggers to his feet, and sees a pile of magazine clippings on the table. They are old-fashioned drawings of buildings in monuments in cities like New York and London. *** At the hanging tree, Sheriff Challenger and his men gaze at the broken rope. "Boys, there's treachery afoot," Challenger says. "And as the law in this territory, I will not let it fester. Spread the word. I want Jeremiah Roxton dead or alive…. Mostly dead. And whatever fool it is that's helping him." They ride off. *** In the cabin, Maylene and Roxton are sitting at the table. Maylene is holding one of the pictures, her eyes wide with wonder. "You've actually seen these places? New York… London… Paris…" "I have. And so have you." She smiles a little. "There's a big difference between dreams and reality, Lord Roxton. I'm a rancher's wife… a rancher's widow. These plains are where I'll live and die. All this other is just… moonbeams and starshine as my Martin used to say." Roxton jumps to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck as he steps a few feet away, perplexed. "There must be something to make you believe who you really are!" "Don't start that again." He pauses by the table. "Would you stand up please?" She is wary, but intrigued, smiling shyly as she gets to her feet, and he takes her hands. Then he kisses her, soundly, and she responds warmly. After ten or twelve seconds, they break apart, both with somewhat stunned expressions on their faces. "Now do you remember?" he asks. She is about to answer when a voice calls from outside. "Widow Montgomery! Are you home?" Maylene goes to the window. "It's Jack Challenger!" "He doesn't remember me anymore than you do," Roxton states in irritation. The sheriff calls again, and Maylene answers, then turns to Roxton. "Stay out of sight. I'm sure that whatever happened between you two before was some kind of mistake." She goes out the front door. "At least we agree on something," Roxton mutters. Maylene goes and greets the sheriff who is on horseback. "Good day to you, sir." "Good day, Widow Montgomery. I've come to tell you the news. Me and the boys tracked down that rustler that killed your poor Martin. Unfortunately he had help we didn't know about and he got away. " "You know who this killer is?" she asks, shading her eyes from the sun. "Some greenhorn by the name of Jeremiah Roxton." In the house, Roxton hears this. "Oh, this just keeps on getting better and better!" he says bemusedly. Challenger continues, "So if you see any strangers around, you shoot first, and leave all the questions to me." Maylene nods, plainly shaken by this information. "I'll do that." With a grin, the lawman rides off. Maylene turns and rushes back into the cabin, grabbing a rifle next to the door. Roxton throws himself to one side, raising his hands. "Marguerite, you have to listen to me!" Distraught, she aims the gun. "You have ten seconds to tell me why you killed my husband!" He half smiles. "Now that's more like the Marguerite I'm used to!" Maylene cocks the rifle. "Eight seconds!" She lifts it to her shoulder. [break] "Marguerite, please! I did not kill Martin!" She fires between his legs, and he jumps. "My name is Maylene!" "All right! All right! You're Maylene, this is Wyoming, and I'm a bloody cowboy! But that does not change the fact that I did not kill your husband!" Maylene is near tears. "The sheriff says you did!" He speaks rapidly, trying to convince her. "Sheriff Challenger says that Jeremiah Roxton killed him. Now I'm John Roxton. He's got me confused with someone else, the same way I confused you with someone else that I care about. Very deeply." He moves toward her. "Don't," she whispers. "Please. You have no reason to fear me." She allows him to grasp the barrel of the rifle and take it from her. "I have no reason to harm you." "Well, sometimes, out here, being afraid is the only thing that keeps you alive." "It doesn't have to be that way," he says softly. "Yes it does." "You have to trust me. I need your help." "I don't know who you are! John… Jeremiah…" She is extremely confused and perhaps a little frightened of her own feelings. "I think you should go." "I don't have anywhere to go!" Now he is quite distraught, realizing even more clearly what has happened. "Hell, I don't know how we--how I got here… let alone how to get back where I belong!" She is adamant. "I can't help you." Roxton closes his eyes momentarily, his shoulders sagging. She goes to the door and opens it, picking up his hat to hand him. Knowing he has no choice, he goes to the door, hands her the rifle, smiles a little, then leaves. Maylene watches him limp across the yard, then slams the door, leans against it for a moment, then hurries to do something. Roxton has paused on a nearby knoll, taken off the boot on his injured foot, and pulls it back on. "If this isn't a dream, or a hallucination," he mutters, "What the hell is it?" He hears a sound, and ducks behind a tree, watching Maylene leave the house and head for her corral. "That's right, Maylene," Roxton says softly. "Where do you go in the world when you need help?" *** The Trading Post. It is night and the bar is empty except for Maylene and Violet on either side of the bar. Violet is pouring drinks. "Well, that's quite a story, May. You always said you wished your life had more adventure." Maylene shakes her head a little ruefully. "I don't think I'm cut out for it, though. Not like you." "Funny how things turn out," Violet says thoughtfully. "All I ever wanted was a good man like your Martin. And a little place to call my own." "I lost my man. Nothing else matters after that." Maylene gulps her drink. "I know." Roxton comes up to the window outside and peers in, sees the women. "Well, there's Veronica," he mutters. Inside, Violet says, "Well, he couldn't have gone very far." Both look around as the door opens. "He didn't," Roxton says. Violet produces a small handgun. "Is that him? Not hard on the eyes at all." Roxton comes up to the bar alongside Malone. "Hello, Veronica." Violet looks at him. "You think everyone you meet is someone else?" "Only the people who are someone else." Maylene asks, "Why did you follow me here?" "I took a chance that whoever you would go to for help might be someone I could trust. And I believe I can trust you." He nods toward Violet. Violet laughs. "Well, you were right about that too. He isn't thinking straight at all." She lifts the liquor bottle. "Whiskey?" "Maybe when this whole problem is sorted out…" She's amazed. "You really aren't from around here, are you!" "I have to find Challenger." "If he's looking for you, that shouldn't be hard to do." "I have to get to him first, and try and sort out this crazy situation." "Why?" Maylene asks. "Because you think he's someone else too? A scientist you said." "A brilliant one. And if I can get him to remember that, hopefully he can figure out where we are, and how we all got here and how we can get home. Because believe me, I certainly can't." Violet gazes at him, and finally lowers the small gun she'd been holding. "Look friend. If there's one thing I've learned in … my life of adventure…" She and Maylene exchange knowing smiles. "… is that things look different in the morning. There's a bunk out back and you're welcome to use it." Maylene is horrified. "Violet, you can't!" "I can and I will," Violet responds stubbornly, following Roxton to the back door. They pause there, and Violet speaks quietly. "Maylene is the closest thing I've got to a friend around here, and if you hurt her in any way, Sheriff Challenger will be the least of your worries." Her face is very determined. Roxton nods. "Point taken. Now where can I find him?" "I'm warning you, he's as crooked as a snake, and he's got a partner." "What else do you know?" "Nothing about Maylene's husband. But a whole lot more about Sheriff Challenger and his partner than I care to know. Best advice I can give you is to keep your ears open." Violet pulls the door shut and goes back to the bar to Maylene, but Roxton stays right outside the door. Maylene is upset and fearful. "What do you think you're doing? Challenger said he's looking for Roxton and whoever is helping him! If he finds that man here, you're going to hang too!" "From what I've heard, Challenger spends all of his time camped at the river, looking for rustlers, he says." Violet pats Maylene's back. "May, come on! Why don't you get some sleep?" She hands Maylene her gun and bag, and escorts her to the stairway, assuring her that everything will be just fine, and she'll close up the bar, then see Maylene in the morning. Maylene goes up the stairs and Violet comes back to the bar. She pulls a gunbelt from under the bar and lays it on the top. "If someone's paying attention," she says aloud, "Things should be a whole lot better come sunrise." On a piece of paper she draws a rough map, as Roxton watches through a crack in the door. She rolls up the paper, and sticks it in the holster along with the gun, then departs. *** Outside on the dark streets, Roxton straps on the gunbelt, then looks at the piece of paper. "At least Veronica still knows how to make a map," he mutters. *** In the early morning light, Sheriff Challenger is seated at a campfire along the river, stirring a pan of beans, whistling Red River Valley ("from this valley they say you are leaving… we shall miss your bright eyes and sweet smile…."). He hears noises that make him edgy, and finally he jams the knife he's using as a stirrer into a log and gets to his feet. "Is that you, Angus?" He turns and draws his pistol. "Whoever you are, you'd better come out now!" Roxton emerges behind him. "I believe the traditional saying is reach for the sky." He's pointing his own gun at Challenger, who raises his hands, glancing behind him, and drops his gun. "You don't know who you're dealing with, son," Challenger warns. "Oh but I do," Roxton says, coming closer. He pats Challenger down as he talks and finds a small derringer-type gun in the sheriff's boot, which he sticks in his own waistband. "Professor George Challenger, late of the University of Edinburgh (?) … leading of an expedition to the lost plateau …" "Keep talking," Challenger says, amused. "The plateau is home to a shifting series of realities." The sheriff is even more amused. "Yeah, we get a lot of them around here." "It wouldn't be the first time. You see, back in the real world, you and I are the best of friends." Roxton keeps his gun in Challenger's back as he urgently speaks. Challenger gets a cagey expression on his face. "Close friends?" "I said I'd follow you to hell and back… and sometimes I think we've come pretty close." "If that's the case, then that gun is just one big bluff." Challenger swings around, knocking Roxton down. He gets hold of the knife and attempts to plunge it into Roxton's chest, with Roxton holding onto his fists. "George! You're the only one who can get us out of here!" He gets his knee up under Challenger and hurls him back. Both men are on the ground and they notice a fallen pistol at the same time. They scramble for it, but Challenger is closer and gets to it in time to put his foot on it. Challenger still has the knife. "I'll get you out of here all right," Challenger snarls. As he lunges for Roxton, Roxton slugs him twice, and the sheriff goes down. Roxton grabs the gun. "Don't make me do it, George…" More softly, pleadingly, "Don't make me do it…" Challenger laughs and reaches for a nearby weapon, Roxton fires, knocking the gun away, then grabs Challenger from behind, arm around his neck. "George, please! You're our only hope!" Horses are heard approaching--the two deputies. "It's Roxton!" Challenger yells. Roxton slugs him with the gun. "Sorry." He takes off on foot as the two deputies come to their boss. *** A while later, Roxton is resting a moment, when he hears a rider. Ducking behind a rock, he spots the black-clad gunslinger on a white horse. "I wondered when you were going to show up, Neddy boy," he murmurs. "The question is, whose side are you on." As the rider moves by, Roxton steps out into the open with his gun and yells, "Malone!" Johnny Ringo halts his horse and looks around. "Roxton! I've been looking all over for you." Ringo dismounts and strolls toward him. "You recognize me?" Roxton is evidently relieved. Ringo nears. "Of course I recognize you. Why wouldn't I recognize my old friend?" Catching Roxton off guard, he wrests the gun from Roxton's hand, and points it at him. "You'll same me a whole lot of trouble… just by dying." He gazes at Roxton with narrow-eyed lust for killing. [break] "Now you listen to me, Ned," Roxton says urgently, his hands at shoulder height. "You're Ned Malone. You're a journalist for the International Herald Tribune." "Yeah," Ringo agrees, lifting and cocking his gun. "And you, you're Wyatt Earp." He pistol-whips Roxton. "Come on friend, get up! I hate to kill a man who's not resisting." "I'm not playing your games," Roxton rasps, struggling to his knees. "Who's playing?" Ringo responds with an ugly smile. "This is business." Ringo fires a shot near Roxton's legs. "Get up!" he yells, "And run!" "If you insist," Roxton complies, and as he fakes a move to get to his feet, retrieves the derringer from his belt, shooting Ringo in the left arm, just winging him, but throwing him off his feet. Roxton picks up his gun and runs off. Ringo struggles to sit up, looking at the wound in his arm. "All right. Now we're going to have some fun." He gets to his feet, and sees an approaching figure. "Ah, the Widow Montgomery. Always a pleasure." "What do you want?" She lifts her rifle to her shoulder and aims it at him. "Well, I'm looking for the man that killed your husband," he replies, in a friendly manner. "The real question would be what's gotten you so fired up." Roxton is behind some trees above them. "I was on my way home…" He jerks his head. "Well, it's that way. By the hanging tree… You wouldn't know anything about that, would you? I've heard you're pretty hand with that rifle." She keeps the gun ready. "Jeremiah Roxton did not kill my husband." Ringo sneers, "Your man's not even cold in the ground and you've gone and found another." Her anger with the remarks distracts her a moment. He grabs the rifle and jerks it out of her hand, drawing his own gun. "I am sorry, ma'am," Ringo says, pointing his gun at her. "I just hate loose ends." She braces for the shot, but it comes from the side, as Roxton shoots the gun out of Ringo's hand. Stunned, the gunman staggers to the ground, and Roxton comes down to slug him and finish the job. He turns to Maylene. "What are you doing here?" "Violet told me what she did, leaving you the gun and the map. After that I couldn't think of anything kind to say to her, so I left." "Violet did the right thing." "Yeah, if you want to get yourself killed!" Seated on the ground, Ringo snarls, "You're both going to swing!" "Who is he in your world?" Roxton asks Maylene. "A shiftless outlaw. Johnny Ringo. Who do you think he is?" "Someone we should probably tie up before he causes any more trouble." As Ringo tries to get to his feet, Roxton slugs him again. Maylene looks at Roxton. "And if you're not the killer?" "Well, give me enough time and I'll help you remember everything." She laughs nervously. "At least you tell a good story." *** The sheriff and his deputies are riding along, and one of the deputies calls Challenger's attention to something. They spot Ringo hopping along, hands tied behind his back, ankles roped together. Challenger laughs as he rides up to the young man. "Well, howdy, Ringo. That's quite a trail you left. You got something to tell me?" "It was Roxton and Montgomery's widow!" "That timid little mouse is riding with Roxton?" Challenger is incredulous. "Get me out of this," Ringo begs. "And give me a gun!" Challenger dismounts and goes to Ringo, knife drawn. He walks around behind him. "I'm not sure I should," he growls. "You see, something else has happened. Roxton came looking for me, and the embarrassing thing is… he found me." "What!" "Not what!" The sheriff puts the knife to Ringo's throat. "How. You see, apart from me and the boys, you're the only ones who knows where we're camped." "You're crazy! I didn't tell Roxton where you were and you know it." The knife stays at the throat. "Maybe you didn't. But if you didn't tell him, who did you tell?" The light of recognition dawns in Ringo. "Oh… Violet." Challenger steps back now, jams the knife into the tree trunk. "Violet!" *** At the hanging tree, Roxton and Maylene. "Is this the first place you remember here?" Maylene asks. Roxton nods. "Yeah. You and I found this tree in the middle of the jungle." He takes the noose she is holding. "This was old and weathered, but still in one piece, tied to that branch up there. There was a tombstone with my name on it, right over there." He points. "You read from it." "Was Challenger with us," Maylene asks, then backtracks. "You and Miss Krux, I mean, when you found this place." "He was back at the tree house." She's doubtful. "Tree house?" "Yes, where we all live." Now she looks intrigued. "Challenger was there with Violet and Johnny Ringo." "Who do you think they are… in your world?" "Well, Ned Malone is an American journalist, and Veronica Layton is a resourceful young woman who grew up alone in the jungle." "Is there something happening between them as well?" Roxton gazes at her. "You mean like there is between us?" She looks at him, and he comes closer. Her face takes on a wary, fearful expression. "Don't kiss me again," she pleads. "You know, sometimes Marguerite is afraid of me, just as you are. That makes me think that maybe, someone broke her heart, the same way you're heart's been broken… and she's still not ready to risk that happening again." Maylene asks, "Did someone ever break your heart?" He smiles confidently. "Oh, I never met the woman who could break my heart." The smile changes, softens. "Until I met Marguerite." They gaze at each other. *** In the saloon, Violet is patching up Ringo's arm. He winces with pain. "Sorry," she says insincerely. "That might hurt a little." She wraps a bandage around the bloody wound, and he jumps again. "It's just a scratch!" "You're making me sorry I ever killed the doctor!" "I imagine he's a little sorry too." She finishes the bandaging and he gets up, pulling on his shirt. She stares at him. "That's it? No thank you? Or should I put that on your tab too?" "I had something else in mind for you and me to do next." She laughs disdainfully. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, Johnny, but never the same one twice." She turns away, and with an ugly expression on his face, he draws his gun and points it at the back of her neck, cocking it. "You take a lot of things for granted, Violet." Violet swings back around. "I know Roxton was here, telling his lies." Ringo fires into a whiskey barrel. Violet flinches, but the other men in the saloon vamoose. "I also know that you believed those lies," Ringo continues, firing his gun again, this time shattering a bottle. He comes closer. "And I know that you told him where to find Challenger." Violet is a little nervous now. "I swear, Johnny. I didn't say!" He brings the gun closer to her face, leaning in. "There's only one way out of this for you now. Roxton came here once for help. He might be fool enough to do it again. And if he does… you're going to pay your tab… to me." *** Three men are riding holding torches. Roxton and Maylene, double on Ringo's horse, are approaching her ranch, and spot them. "Whoa," Roxton says, "Challenger!" He urges Maylene to dismount and they duck behind a tree. Challenger and his two deputies ride up to the house, and Challenger shouts for the Widow Montgomery, calling for her to throw out weapons and come outside. When there's no response, he orders his men to torch the place. Maylene is horrified, and Roxton has to stop her from running out there. "No. It's not the cabin, he wants." Inside the fire consumes Maylene's precious magazine clippings. "Why are they doing this to me?" Maylene wants to know. "It's me he's after. He knows you are helping me," Roxton tells her. Maylene shakes her head, baffled. "How? The only person that knows is Violet, and she would never tell." "There's one other. Johnny Ringo," Roxton reminds her. "I've got to get Challenger away from those deputies. I just hope Johnny's packed enough ammunition." He heads back to the horse and the saddlebags. "How would Challenger know what Johnny Ringo knows?" Maylene asks, and then realizes. "Unless the sheriff and Ringo are partners!" Rummaging in the saddlebags, Roxton finds an ornate man's pocket watch. "Triple M!" he exclaims, studying the design. "I believe this belongs to you." He hands it to Maylene. Maylene is horrified. "I gave this to Martin the day we were married! He gave me this!" She fingers the carved turquoise set in silver on a ribbon around her neck. Her face takes on a hard, angry expression. "Johnny Ringo must have killed him!" "Ringo and the sheriff. And they are trying to hang anyone they can find to cover it up." In a rage, Maylene cocks her rifle and heads toward the burning buildings. Roxton runs after her. "Maylene, no!" Just as he reaches her, she fires as he knocks the barrel of her rifle into the air. "You're not a murderer! There has to be another way!" Down below, Challenger looks around, spots them. "I want them dead or alive!" He and his men turn their horses. "There's goes the element of surprise," Roxton wails. "Come on!" They mount the horse and take off at a gallop, the posse behind, firing their pistols at them. [break] As they ride, Maylene cries, "Ride for the river! It's our only chance!" After a while they come to some large rocks, and Roxton halts the horse. "Never outrun them." Maylene jumps off, and he does as well, then slaps the horse to keep it running. They duck behind one of the rocks and the posse continues after the horse. "Where are we going?" Maylene wants to know. "Elementary tactics… they're heading for the high ground. Come on!" He leads the way up a hill, where they duck behind more rocks. By then the posse has found the riderless horse and backtracked. A gun battle ensues. Roxton checks his loads. "The high ground isn't as useful when you're almost out of ammunition." From below, Challenger yells, "Roxton! We can do this easy… or we can do this… haarrd." Roxton looks at the woman. "You know the high ground better than I do." Maylene motions. "The river is over that cliff." "Cliff! Just when my ankle is getting better. Let's go." They take off running with the three lawmen behind, and come to the high cliff overlooking the deep river. Roxton glances at her. "Can a prairie girl swim?" "Can Miss Krux?" she retorts. "Like a mermaid." "Then so can I!" With a screech, she jumps. A moment later, Roxton follows, yelling. Challenger and his men come up to the cliff to watch them swim away, out of reach. Challenger says there's only one place they can go now. *** The town. Roxton and Maylene pause and look around the deserted streets. Maylene frets, "This isn't right. There's no horses! It's never closed!" Roxton's expression shows he realizes what is going on. He heads around the back of the building, while Maylene goes in the front door. "Violet?" she calls warily. "Is anyone here?" Then she hears noises from behind the bar, and finds Violet tied to a post and gagged. Violet tries desperately to say something, but is unable to until Maylene removes the gag. " Run May! It's a trap! Run!" she cries. Before Maylene can move, Ringo emerges from behind her, grabs her from behind. "You murdered my husband!" she accuses. "You'll see him soon enough," he smirks. Roxton has come through the back, where he found Violet's sawed off shotgun, and he enters the room, raising it. Maylene tries to break away, but succeeds only in knocking a bottle off a shelf, breaking it. Ringo pushes Maylene in front of him around the bar. "You're like a bad penny!" he yells at Roxton. Roxton aims the gun. "You let her go, Ringo." Violet has picked up a piece of broken glass and is frantically sawing at the ropes still binding her wrists. "That's what Malone would do." "Not in this lifetime," Ringo growls. At that moment, someone appears at a side window. Roxton whirls and fires the shotgun, killing a deputy. It distracts Ringo a moment and Maylene is able to break away, knocking a kerosene lamp to the floor. She and Roxton duck behind the piano. Roxton keeps shooting at them, destroying the piano. "Shoot back!" Maylene urges, dumbfounded that Roxton is simply holding his pistol. "I can't. He's still my friend." "Ready to give up? Why prolong the agony," Ringo taunts from behind the bar. Violet rises behind him. "My thoughts exactly." She clubs him with a large stick, and then hits him again. He falls. She runs to Maylene, and grabs her. "Come on, Maylene, we've got to get out of here." Challenger appears in the doorway. "Oh, you'll get out of here all right," he says nastily, "But not in the way you planned." "Shoot him!" Violet urges. "No. Without Challenger we don't go home." "If we die here," Maylene reminds him, "Then everything is over." Roxton notices the lamp on the floor in front of Challenger, and fires into it, causing it to burst into flame. "Live to fight another day!" Roxton yells to the two women. "Go!" He and the two women dash out the door as the sheriff recoils from the fire. Outside, Violet picks up a pistol and tosses it to Roxton. "You take care of her." There's a strange, determined expression on her face. "Violet!" Maylene cries, alarmed. Violet looks at her. "I've got my own account to settle." Roxton and Maylene watch in utter horror as Ringo emerges from the burning saloon, coughing. Violet is waiting for him, raising her pistol. Ringo sees her, raises his own, but she shoots first. He staggers back and falls, hit in the chest. But he manages to raise himself slightly and shoot at her, before falling back. "Women," he mutters disdainfully, he coughs, and the gun falls from his lifeless hand. Violet stares at the red puddle forming on her chest. "Violet!" Maylene shrieks and runs to catch her as she collapses. Maylene tries in vain to stem the bleeding with her hand. Roxton can only stare in utter horror. "No." "Keep dreaming, May," Violet gasps. "For both of us." She expires. "No, no, this isn't happening!" Roxton cries, aghast. "I won't accept this!" Challenger steps out of a doorway, gun in hand. Roxton swings his weapon toward him. "Not another step, Challenger!" he yells. The sheriff speaks pleasantly. "I'm your old friend, Roxton. You wouldn't shoot me." Roxton turns his head away, and fires his gun. Challenger falls backward into the saloon. The expression on Roxton's face is one of utter disbelief as he gazes at the dead man. "What have I done?" He seems near tears. The gun falls from his limp hand. Maylene runs to the sheriff's body and grabs his gun and the shiny badge, and returns to the numbed Roxton. She leans in close to him. "You got the man who killed my husband… the man who tried to kill you! You saw that justice was done. This belongs to you." She places the badge in his palm and moves off to the side. Still stunned and sickened, Roxton gazes down at the badge in his hand, and sees the shiny surface corrode and rust. Suddenly he is standing in front of the weathered noose again. Marguerite, a little distance away, calls, "John! What is it?" Abruptly the noose vanishes. "Oh, I knew I didn't like this place," Marguerite moans. Then the tombstone vanishes. "Did you see that?" she asks. Roxton nods silently, then manages to say, "Marguerite, I lived it!" Marguerite stares at him. He looks at the ancient sheriff's badge he's holding. [break] In the tree house, Challenger is sitting at the table. Roxton has tea, Malone is leaning against the counter, Veronica appears to be either setting the table or clearing it, while Marguerite is on the other side of the table. She has the badge. "So at the end of this little day dream, you were the noble lawman who tamed the wild west," she says cynically, handing the badge to Challenger. Roxton moves to stand beside Malone. "It wasn't a daydream, Marguerite." Malone says, "Well, for Maylene, it must have been a dream come true. Roxton made sure that justice was done for her husband." Marguerite rolls her eyes in disgust. "And for Jeremiah Roxton," Challenger adds. "Yeah. Too bad about you and me." Malone looks at Challenger. "And Violet," Veronica puts in. "Even she paid the price for taking the outlaws' money." "Justice fifty years too late if you ask me," Marguerite says scornfully. "Justice is never too late," Veronica says. "That's why the tombstone and the noose disappeared." "Because some cowboy was hung for a crime he didn't commit?" Marguerite asks. "Somehow his restless spirit magically caused that noose and tombstone to appear in the jungle." "Where a good person might find it," Challenger says, getting to his feet, "and set things to rights." He goes over to Roxton and pins the badge to his suspender strap. "In this world or the next." Veronica comes along side of Roxton. "Well I'm proud of you." Roxton grins. "Well, thank you, Veronica." "See that's the way a great western supposed to be," Malone asserts. "The hero gets kissed by the pretty girl." As the others laugh, Marguerite sniffs and stalks over toward the balcony. "The hero is supposed to kiss his horse," she snaps. Roxton has been watching her the whole time, a thoughtful, puzzled expression on his face, and now he follows her. "Since when did you become so cynical?" He sits beside her on the bench at the balcony rail. "You were there. You saw the noose, and the tombstone disappear." She is pouting. "Me cynical! You should have met my third husband. Or was it the fourth?" She is quite sarcastic. Roxton puts his tea cup and saucer aside, and peers at her. "You're jealous." "Of this drab and dreary prairie girl?" Marguerite scoffs. "She was… the most beautiful woman I ever met." Marguerite is stunned for a moment. "You said she looked exactly like…" Then it dawns on her. "…me." She laughs, he cocks an eyebrow at her teasingly. "Care to ride off into the sunset?" he asks softly.
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