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.