INT. CAVE – MORNING
Mal is asleep on some hay in the small cave his father has fixed up as a hideout and home. A shadow falls across him.
Ezra stands looking at his son with loving eyes. In his hands are a water bucket and his Henry rifle. Now he turns quietly
away.
EXT. CAVE – MORNING
Ezra emerges. From here, it would be impossible to tell that the cave was inhabited. Except that, on this morning, Mal’s
horse is tied nearby. Ezra looks around cautiously and moves off into the rocks.
EXT. ROCKY HILLSIDE – MORNING
Ezra picks his way among the boulders warily.
EXT. MOUNTAIN SPRING – MORNING
Ezra comes out of the surrounding rocks and goes to the edge of the spring. A stream runs off downhill from the pool. He props the rifle against a rock and bends to drink from the spring. He hears something and turns quickly. What he sees makes him reach for the rifle, but the sound of several GUNS COCKING freezes him inches from it.
There are four Cowboys, McKendrick’s men, emerging from their hiding places. Their eyes search the surrounding rocks.
Scruffy and Red, the cowboys from the previous night, are there, but the leader is HOYT.
HOYT
Where’s the other one, Johnson?
Ezra is silent.
HOYT
You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you, old man?
(resigned)
Our orders are to run you two off. If you tell us where your son is, we won’t have to do any shooting.
EZRA
You’re lying, Hoyt… like always.
HOYT
Not this time. I got my orders.
Ezra thinks a moment, looks over at Scruffy, then back to Hoyt.
EZRA
My son’s on his way to town.
HOYT
That’s too bad.