At the Porter Hotel, Hoby comes out and finds townspeople gathered
out front. They glare at him and move on, and the prosecuting attorney,
Jeff, comes along and says that Hoby is to blame for turning Bud Ehlers.
Hoby says that the jury turned the man loose, and insists that the man
is innocent. Bud comes out and thanks Hoby for helping get him loose,
and confirms that he can't be tried again for the same crime. He then
tells Hoby that he did kill Old Man Nelson. Bud then advises Hoby to
forget it, but Hoby insists on talking to him in his office. The former
defendant refuses, saying that he's a free man, but Hoby insists.
In the office, Hoby tells Bud to tell him the whole story. Bud says
that he bushwhacked Nelson outside of town for the $4,000 he was
carrying. He drank with Nelson and rode out to town with him to help
him, just like he testified. However, then Bud shot Nelson before riding
back to town. He explains that he figured that Hoby would find out he
was with Nelson, so he admitted it and threw himself on Hoby's mercy.
Bud is telling Hoby now because he figures that he can't do anything
about it, and wouldn't admit he was a fool to the townspeople. The
killer figures that he can blackmail Hoby with what he knows. Hoby tells
him to get out of town but Bud figures that the people owe him
something and he plans to collect. The marshal tells him he's not going
to pay it off and shoves him out of the office.
Over the next
two days, most of the townspeople avoid Hoby. Hoby goes to the barber
shop and Aaron's customer immediately leaves. Aaron tells Hoby that
there's talk of holding an election for sheriff. The townspeople figure
that it's time for Hoby to move on. Aaron wonders why Hoby helped set
Bud free, and Hoby says that the state's got to prove that Bud is guilty
and he let the audience consider it. He angrily insists that Farrow saw
Nelson killed, and asks Aaron if he's ever known Farrow to be
convicted. Aaron asks him if he believes Bud is innocent or guilty, and
Hoby says that it doesn't matter. The barber asks if the townspeople are
right that Bud paid Hoby to help, and Hoby tells Arron to tell them to
hold the election and quick, and he'll count the ballots.
Later, Bud visits Hoby and says that he saw Steve Marriner run into
town. Steve was a friend of Nelson's, and was asking where he could find
Bud. Bud demands that Hoby stop Steve or he'll kill him. Hoby tells Bud
to get out, and Bud reluctantly goes.
Later at the saloon,
Farrow tells Steve that he saw Bud gun down Nelson. He also says that
Hoby told the jury that they shouldn't hang a man on his words. Steve
asks if Farrow was drunk when he saw the killing, and Farrow admits that
sometimes he doesn't know if he is or isn't. Hoby comes in and sits
down, and tells Farrow to find another table. Once Farrow leaves, Steve
says that he and Nelson were partners. Steve was heading home after
selling their partner, and Hoby tells him that he can get the money from
the judge. However, he warns that Nelson lost $2,000 losing cards with
Bud. Steve immediately says that Nelson didn't believe in playing cards.
He asks what Hoby had against Nelson, because everyone in town has said
that Hoby let Bud off. Hoby tells him that he tries to enforce the law,
and Steve insists that jury was wrong. Steve says that he doesn't carry
a gun, and asks where Hoby stands if someone tries to kill Bud. Hoby
tells him that he'll be right in front of Bud, and Steve tells him that
it wouldn't be smart. He then says that Hoby reminds him of a man he
knew that got in front of a wolf they were hunting and got his head
blown off.
Outside, Steve finds Bud and points out that he's
jumpy for an innocent man. Bud figures that Steve is going to try to
kill him, and Steve advises him to run if he sees him with a gun. He
warns that if he does kill Bud then it'll be by the book. As Bud walks
off, he comes to Hoby, who has seen the entire thing.
Hoby is
in his room, considering Steve's threat and how he had to stop him. Bud
arrives and tells Hoby to stop Steve. Hoby says that he'll tell the
townspeople that Bud is guilty when the time comes, and until then
there's nothing he can do about Steve. He advises Bud to leave town, and
Bud figures that if he leaves town then Steve will be waiting for him.
Hoby admits that it isn't a bad idea, and Bud says that he's not leaving
Porter. He sits down next to Hoby and says that the marshal has him a
new roommate. Hoby angrily throws him out.
That night, Steve
leaves the hotel and Hoby approaches him. He notices that Steve is
carrying a gun now, and says that he doesn't want Steve or Bud to get
into trouble. Steve tells Hoby that he doesn't want to tangle with him,
but someone has to pay for Nelson's death. Hoby tells him that a captain
once told him that it's better to let a hundred guilty men free because
they think they'll get away with it and then the law will stop them.
Steve asks how many chance Bud will get and walks off.
Bud is
drinking at the saloon and notices that everyone is avoiding him. He
says that he doesn't care and then goes over to Farrow. Farrow tries to
pull away, and Bud says that Farrow tries to get him hung. Steve comes
in and tells Bud to leave Farrow alone. Farrow runs out and Bud says
that he knows why Steve is wearing a gun. He asks the drinkers if
they're going to let Steve kill him, and the bartender says that he
didn't hear Steve say anything about killing anyone.
Hoby comes
in as Bud insists that the jury found him innocent. The marshal says
that Bud isn't innocent and never was, and tells the townspeople that
maybe they should vote him out of office. He thought Bud was innocent
and says that the law is for the innocent as well as the guilty. Hoby
then says that Bud told him that he killed Nelson, and the law says that
you can't try a man twice for the same crime. When Steve says that if
there's a bad law you work without it, Hoby admits that he can't keep an
eye on him 24 hours a day. He advises him not to cause trouble inside
of Porter, but says that he can't cover everything outside of it.
Bud accuses them of being in it together and demands protection from
Hoby. Hoby says that he can't lock Bud up for no reason, and Bud smashes
the bar's mirror. The bartender, Joe, refuses to press charges and
Steve covers the cost. Bud says that they're all against him and backs
out. Farrow comes in and Bud instinctively shoots him in the shoulder.
Steve draws his gun and shoots Bud dead, and Hoby takes his gun. He says
that he'll go quietly, and he only meant to scare Bud.
The
next day, Hoby releases Steve and says that the coroner ruled that the
shooting was justifiable. Steve thanks Hoby for all that he's done and
asks about the election. Hoby figures that they probably won't, and
Steve jokingly offers to be his campaign manager if they do.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 5, 2017