Plot

Cattle baron John Chisum joins forces with Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett to fight the Lincoln County land war.

As one of the founders of the town of Lincoln, John Chisum is increasingly worried as Lawrence Murphy moves in on the local stores, bank and land by questionable means. Chisum and fellow honest ranch owner Henry Tunstall try and use the law, but Murphy owns that too. Confrontation threatens and Tunstall's man Billy Bonney is not slow to get involved.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

A series of paintings and a song in the opening credits show John Simpson Chisum (John Wayne) and his best friend James Pepper (Ben Johnson) taking their cattle and their ranch hands on a long cattle drive from Texas to the newly-settled land of New Mexico. After fighting the weather, Comanches, and other dangers, Chisum settles and builds a ranch and eventually owns a cattle empire the size of a small state. Lincoln County grows nearby, and Chisum often goes up on a large hill near his ranch to look out over the beautiful landscape, in a patriarchal vigil. The paintings fade into the film itself, showing an aging Chisum still sitting atop the hill.

Pepper, also having aged, rides up to join him, and the two discuss how Chisum often sits up there, and how things have changed since they first arrived. Pepper remarks on how the government has penned up all the Indians on reservations and how new people are moving in and making the land more crowded. However, Chisum is philosophical, saying change eventually works out for the better, and the two ride down off the hill to meet the noon stage when it rolls into town. Pepper begins grumbling again, that they shouldn't have allowed Chisum's niece Sallie (Pamela McMyler) - who is the person they're intending to meet on the stage - to come to Lincoln County because a young woman in the house may be trouble. However, John tells him Sallie wrote and told him she was coming and he intends to welcome her despite Pepper's opinion on the matter.

Further off across Chisum's vast territory, a group of banditos rides up from Old Mexico to meet Karl Riker (Gregg Palmer) and his friend Brady (Bruce Cabot). The drunken leader of the banditos, Neemo, (Lloyd Battista) suggests John Chisum has too much land, horses, and cattle, and when Brady pays him a fee, Neemo ominously says he will now collect a bonus from Mr. Chisum, before rejoining his men and riding off across the plain. Brady and Riker discuss that Chisum is not going to take kindly to banditos stealing some of his property, and ride away back to town before Chisum and Neemo can confront one another. Neemo and his men, meanwhile, find three of Chisum's men driving a herd of horses and descend upon them, killing two of them and riding off with the horses. Neemo shoots at the third, but he escapes and rides into town.

In town, meanwhile, Pepper and Chisum are waiting for the stage, and notice that a businessman named Lawrence Murphy (Forrest Tucker) has set up businesses in town - a bank, an assay office, and many more. Chisum remarks that there's no law against a man owning businesses and as long as Murphy doesn't mess with them, they have no reason to be unfriendly to him. His mood instantly changes, however, when he sees a friend, Amos Patton (John Agar), and his family about to leave Lincoln County for good, and someone taking down the signs over Patton's store. Patton explains he lost the store and was driven out by the new owner, and somehow just doesn't feel like Lincoln County is the same anymore. He and his family leave for Arizona, and Chisum and Pepper see a new sign being put up over the store, indicated the person who forced Patton out is in fact Lawrence Murphy. Then, the ranch hand who escaped the banditos arrives in town and tells Chisum his friends are dead and the horses have been stolen. Pepper, Chisum, and the men with them ride off immediately in the direction the banditos went, to confront them and get the horses back.

Out on the second-largest ranch in the area, British-born rancher and openly pacifist Henry Tunstall (Patrick Knowles) and three of his younger ranch hands are busy sorting cattle that have wandered over from Chisum's land into their herds, to return them to Chisum. One of the young men (Geoffrey Deuel) , addressed as William by Tunstall, points out a calf sired by a Tunstall bull but out of a Chisum cow, and asks if they can keep it. Tunstall tells him "thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's property" and they turn the calf loose with its mother, only to see the owner of the cows himself come riding over the plain towards them. Tunstall hails his friend, and Chisum explains they're off to confront the horse thieves. William asks if Chisum needs help but Chisum has already ridden past before he gets an answer. Tunstall doesn't believe in guns or violence, but allows William and his other two hands Charley (Ron Soble) and Tom (Chris Mitchum) to follow Chisum, going along himself to see what happens.

Chisum finds Neemo and his gang watering the horses along a river and tells his men to stay behind and cover him. He and Pepper ride down and he openly challenges Neemo, telling him the horses are his. Neemo insists there is a mistake, but Chisum won't be fooled, and Neemo tells him he hasn't got enough men to deal with his gang. He offers to sell the horses back to Chisum but Chisum won't pay a second time for his own property. Neemo then draws a gun and Chisum shoots him dead. William rides down to join Chisum and Pepper and the three of them start firing upon Neemo's gang, who are firing upon them. The others cover from a distance with their long guns. William's aim is impressive for one so young, and after the remaining banditos flee at seeing their numbers depleted, Chisum comments on William's skill. Tunstall arrives on the scene and asks if everyone is all right. Pepper shows Chisum some American money he found on Neemo's body, suggesting he was paid to come up from Mexico. Chisum then tells Tunstall that when he brings his men to the reception party he has planned for his niece Sallie, to be sure to bring along William. Tunstall then reveals that William is, in fact, none other than Billy Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid, whom he has taken on as a ranch hand and is working to reform. Chisum is unhappy at this news, but says he isn't going to renege on the invitation. He and his men ride back into town to meet Sallie.

Upon arriving in town, Chisum goes into a Saloon and encounters Murphy and his business partner James Dolan (Edward Faulkner) . Dolan is in the process of telling local rancher Juan Delgado (Alberto Morin), in no uncertain terms, that he no longer can water his herds along the land he always has before, as Murphy now owns it and is running too much cattle to share water rights. Murphy is more friendly than Dolan, but he apologetically backs Dolan up on this claim, and Chisum interjects himself into the conversation, telling Juan he can come onto the Chisum spread to water his herds. Murphy says Chisum is a generous man, and that they are now neighbors because he just acquired some land contiguous to his spread. He tries his best to be friendly to him, and even offers Chisum a drink, but Chisum refuses, leaving the saloon, telling Murphy he knows what he did to Amos Patton and that he has no intention of being friends with him. Walking out of the saloon, he encounters Riker and Brady, but Brady now has his sheriff's badge on and tells Chisum he was just appointed the new sheriff. Chisum, knowing Brady is a former criminal, suspects Murphy of being behind it.

The stagecoach finally arrives - four hours late - and Chisum and Pepper go out to meet it. A young married couple, Alex and Sue McSween, (Andrew Prine and Lynda Day George), however, is all that can be seen. However, Alex reveals Sallie was on the stage and told them to be on the lookout for her Uncle and to tell him she had gone into the stables nearby. Sallie herself then comes running out of the stables and asks for money to pay for a horse, which she will settle up once she unpacks. Pepper obliges and Sallie buys her new horse, and Sallie tells Chisum she's invited the McSween family to the reception Chisum announced for her. Chisum offers to let Sue and Alex stay at his ranch until they get settled, but Alex says they have rooms in town and that he was asked to come from Kansas City by Lawrence Murphy, who knows Alex has legal experience and wants him as his personal lawyer. Alex clearly has no idea what he's getting into, and Chisum decides not to tell him just yet, taking Sallie back to the ranch and telling the McSween's they'll see them at the reception on Friday.

Over the next week, Sallie settles in to the ranch, and says she loves it there much more than staying with her Aunt in Baltimore. She and Chisum discuss how he built his empire, and how he never married, and how he is blood brothers with an Indian who was once his enemy but now is penned up on the reservation. He shows Sallie his watch, which has her mother and Chisum's brother in their wedding clothes as the picture within.

Meanwhile, Tunstall buys Billy a new suit of clothes in town, and tells him his good behavior has earned him a bonus in pay. One of Billy's old friends, Jess Evans (Richard Jaeckel), rides into town with his gang. Billy makes it clear immediately he has no wish to have anything to do with Evans and that he has gone straight, which dismays Evans and impresses Tunstall. Evans is met by Riker, who takes him aside to tell him of a plan they have hatched with Murphy.

The night of the reception comes, and most of the town and surrounding ranchers, with Murphy and his men conspicuously absent, arrives to celebrate. There is food, dancing, music, and a good time to be had by all, but Chisum sees Billy and Sallie dancing and instantly becomes very alarmed. Alex McSween falls into conversation with Chisum, telling him he'd never met Murphy before the former happened to pass through Kansas City, where he lived, and offered him a high-paying job. He doesn't yet know exactly what sort of legal affairs Murphy wants him to handle and doesn't appear to be in on any of the plotting.

Some distance from the party, some of Chisum's men are driving a herd of beeves to the Indian Reservation, where the Army will distribute them to the Comanche tribe there. A stranger (Glenn Corbett), walking without his horse and carrying a saddle, hails the camp and asks if he can come in to get some coffee. The ranch hands are suspicious but allow him to join them, and he tells them his name is Pat Garrett and he's a former Buffalo Hunter. He also tells them he came into the camp to warn them that they have several riders sneaking alongside their herd of cattle in the dark, and that they could be in trouble. Garrett offers to help them deal with the situation, and they give him a horse and go to confront the mysterious riders. The riders turn out to be Riker, Evans, and some of Evans' gang, and when they see they've been spotted, they start firing their guns and cause the herd to stampede and scatter. Garret and the ranch hands fire upon the bandits, and one Ranch hand is killed. Garrett plugs Riker when the latter gets too close, but the bullet only grazes his ribs. They drag Riker back to the Chisum ranch to tell Chisum what happened.

Chisum, Tunstall, and McSween meet the men in the Kitchens so as not to disturb the party going on. Chisum tells the men to gather as much of the scattered cattle as they can and that they'll explain the situation to the Army in the morning. He also tells McSween that Riker will likely be his first "legal affair" but doesn't elaborate further. He asks Pat Garrett if he'd like a job but Garrett says he wants to try his hand at gambling before settling down. Chisum still wants to reward him for helping, and tells him he can have his pick of a horse. He also offers him a drink, and introduces Pat to Sallie when they go outside to get the whiskey. He also has to introduce Pat to Billy, but mercifully the two are civil to one another, despite Pat having heard of Billy's less than stellar reputation.

The next morning, Chisum dumps Riker off at the jail and overrides Brady's intention to handle the little rustling matter himself, sending a telegram to a Judge to come in and try Riker for murder since one of Chisum's men is dead. Alex, meanwhile, goes for his first meeting with Murphy. Murphy then reveals to Alex that he sees the Map of Lincoln county as a chessboard, and that he is willing to do anything necessary to get Chisum's land because it is smack in the middle of the territory he wants to control. Brady and Evans both come in and Lawrence assures them that Alex is one of the family. Brady is upset that Riker has been arrested and that a Judge is coming. Murphy dismisses Alex and tells Brady to let Riker escape, and print up some wanted posters. Riker will hide out of town until the Judge gets tired of waiting. Evans asks why he can't just assassinate Chisum but Murphy says that Evans would likely get killed himself before he got the chance, and to leave the planning to him.

Dolan and Delgado start fighting again, and Billy intervenes by shooting out a lantern on the store steps. Delgado says the store, being the only one in town now, has more than doubled the prices and no one who is a smallholder like him can afford it. Murphy offers to mortgage Delgado's spread, and Tunstall and Chisum arrive on the scene, indicating that they intend to start their own store and bank in the spirit of healthy competition, to keep the prices down. This upsets Murphy and Dolan. Evans tells Billy his aim is still good but Billy still refuses to be friendly to him.

Chisum and his men deliver a few of the beeves to the army and tell the captain there that the rest will be delivered later. However, the Army captain says that he is no longer interested in buying cattle from Chisum and that he has arranged to get cattle from another, cheaper, more reliable source. They tell the Indians who have come out to meet Chisum to go back to the reservation. The chieftain, White Buffalo (Abraham Sofaer) refuses, instead going over to tell Chisum he has no intention of letting this matter sour their friendship. A sergeant tries to drag White Buffalo back, but Chisum tells him that if he touches White Buffalo he'll kill him. Thus warned, the Sergeant lets White Buffalo go about his business undisturbed and Chisum rides away. Murphy then comes out of the Army office and reveals he is the newer, cheaper source of meat for the Army, intimating Chisum charges too much and that the Army has made the right decision.

Pepper later takes Sallie for a ride over the ranch, having warmed up to her presence there. He shows her some of the herds, and the oldest bull they have, who is still living even after having brought the original herd up from Texas. They hear gunshots and find Billy is having a little target practice with a cactus, as well as practicing his reading out of a Bible that Henry Tunstall let him borrow. He greets Pepper and Sallie and the two ride on, Sallie smiling at him and telling him to keep practicing.

Back at the ranch house, McSween has abandoned Murphy and has told Tunstall and Chisum everything. He says he can't go along with a crooked businessman like that and that he and Sue are leaving Lincoln to go back to Kansas. Chisum says McSween should stay, as he knows about running stores and legal business and they need someone to run the new store and bank they're opening in town. After being reassured Tunstall and Chisum have no intention of doing anything crooked in their business, McSween gladly offers to become their junior partner in the venture. A building is secured in the town to be the joint bank and store, with the McSween family living in an apartment in the upper story. Chisum and Tunstall gather up a large group of their men and send them to Santa Fe to pick up the merchandise for the store. Billy is among those riding along, and Pat Garrett also agrees to come work for Mr. Chisum, having discovered he's no good at Gambling and needing a job. Billy carves a cross out of wood for Sallie and gives it to her before the wagon train sets off for Santa Fe. Evans, Dolan, and Murphy watch from their store window, and Murphy says to Evans it's a long way to Santa Fe and back, which means they have time to plot something. Sallie, back at the ranch, indicates to Pepper and Chisum she's falling for Billy, much to their dismay. Pepper asks Chisum what they're going to do, but Chisum says they can't stop her.

Meanwhile, in town, Brady is shocked to see a bounty hunter, Dan Nodeen (Chris George), come riding into town with a very dead Riker on the back of his horse. Nodeen is known for his vicious temper and his willingness to do anything to collect rewards. He also has a vendetta with Billy the Kid, though he doesn't know Billy is in town yet. Murphy, thinking this could be to his advantage, tries to get Nodeen to come work for him, but Nodeen is only interested in killing and collecting money and turns him down.

The wagon train begins returning from Santa Fe. Billy and Pat have now struck up a friendship, jokingly calling each other "Big Casino" and "Little Casino" as neither really is any good at gambling, and converse about how Billy once ran with the worst of them but is doing his best to turn over a new leaf. Pat warns him that he still has a "smell of death" about him, and that he will have to work hard to get rid of it, but he believes he can do it with time and with patience. Billy is encouraged by this, and they come to a large river which they have to cross to get back into Lincoln. They are halfway across with the wagon train when an army of rustlers about fifty strong comes galloping up, wearing masks to hide their identity. One is revealed to be Evans as he adjusts his mask, and they start pouring bullets into the wagon train. However, Chisum and Tunstall expected this and two of the wagon covers are torn off to reveal that they do not carry supplies, but extra men with rifles ready to fire at the first sign of trouble. The battle rages and some of the supplies are lost in the river, but Evans and his men are driven off. However, Evans fires a parting shot at Billy, who he is angry at for going straight, and it knocks Billy off a wagon and into the water. Garrett immediately abandons the fight and goes to rescue him. Billy is taken back to Chisum's ranch, where the doctor reveals that the bullet broke a rib but didn't do any permanent damage, and that Billy needs two weeks of rest. Sallie offers to nurse him back to health, and Chisum and Pepper set out with their guns to take revenge on Murphy, knowing he is the only one with interest in ambushing the wagon train. Tunstall stops them, begging them to wait and not cause more bloodshed as too many lives have been lost. He indicates he's riding out the next day to put pressure on the Governor of New Mexico to get involved in the land war. Chisum doesn't think this will work, but agrees to let Henry try his way first before they come to a head to head battle. Pepper wanted to take out his revenge on Murphy, too, but reluctantly goes along.

In town, the new store is a huge success, and Dolan is enraged by this, telling Murphy that he'd better do something because his store is failing miserably. Murphy reassures him something will be done, but Dolan is less than convinced, because he has had no customers for days. He and Evans set off with two of Brady's deputies, Morton (Robert Donner) and Baker (John Mitchum), to carry out their new scheme.

Sallie continues to nurse Billy back to health, and Tunstall warns Billy not to get into trouble while he is gone visiting the governor. Billy promises he won't, and Tunstall leaves him the Bible to continue to practice his reading. He then goes out to his wagon to ride off to Santa Fe. Chisum says that he's worried about Sally and Billy, but Tunstall says Billy reminds him of a young man who killed another man in a brawl in England, and was hanged for it, and Tunstall always was sad that he could not help that young man. He has determined not to let the same thing happened to Billy and Chisum agrees to let Tunstall go on. After Tunstall has left, however, Pepper tells Chisum that things have already escalated past diplomacy and all that's going to clear the air is a confrontation between him and Murphy to settle once and for all who is in charge of this territory, possibly even a fight to the death. Chisum doesn't agree or disagree, but walks away to think it over.

Meanwhile, Evans has put some "T" brands on a few of Murphy's cows, to make it look like Tunstall is rustling Murphy's cattle. Brady tells Morton and Baker to bring Tunstall in and hold him in jail until after Murphy himself is the first to get to the governor and tell his side of events. The two deputies ride off and intercept Tunstall, who is on the way to Roswell to catch the stagecoach to Santa Fe. They tell him he's wanted for rustling and is going back to Santa Fe with them. Tunstall reaches in his pocket to get his tobacco pouch and Morton believes he's going for a gun. He shoots him dead on the spot. Instantly, when they see it was the tobacco pouch and that Tunstall had no gun on him, the two deputies realize that they will be tried for murder and drop an extra gun next to the body to make it look like Tunstall pulled a gun on them. They ride back into town and make their report, and then flee to Valverde before the Judge earlier sent for by Chisum comes.

Judge Wilson (Ray Teal) rides into town, just in time to see Tunstall's funeral taking place. Chisum, grieved at the loss of his friend, immediately marches off after the funeral is over to confront Brady. McSween and Wilson follow to make sure he does nothing rash. Sallie tries to comfort Billy, who is heartbroken and angered at Tunstall's death, but Billy refuses to leave the graveside. After everybody has left, he makes a promise over Tunstall's grave to "put out the candle of the wicked". Meanwhile, Evans and Murphy are in Santa Fe, and they tell their side of the story to the Governor, who believes them.

Brady is forced to admit his men have left town and that he has no intention of arresting his own men. Wilson empowers Chisum and his men to bring in Morton and Baker "dead or alive". Wilson explains to McSween that he has done this so if Chisum decides to enact revenge without a trial it will be legal. Chisum, Pat, Charley, Tom, and several other men from his and Tunstall's ranches ride off to Valverde, find the two deputies, bind them and force them to ride back to Lincoln. Chisum tells them that he wants to shoot them, but has decided, since it was Tunstall they murdered and Tunstall would want justice served properly, that he is taking them into town and making sure they hang for the murder. Billy watches them coming back across the plain from a hidden place in the rocks. Chisum and several others ride off to Chisum's ranch to pick up Judge Wilson, leaving the deputies with Pat, Charley, and Tom. Billy seizes his chance and rides down to join them, talking with Pat in a friendly way. However, when Pat says Billy needs to get home and rest, Billy hits him over the head and proceeds to shoot Morton and Baker dead. Charley and Tom can only watch as he rides away.

In town, Pat, Charley, and Tom bring the bodies in. Brady, Chisum, Wilson, and indeed half the town are waiting to see what will happen when the deputies are brought in and are shocked to see them dead. Garrett tells them that Billy was the one that did it and Brady instantly goes to organize a posse to bring Billy in. However, Billy comes riding down the street at a gallop, shoots Sheriff Brady and rides out of the other end of town before anyone can stop him.

A telegram is sent to Murphy in Santa Fe by one of his men, and Murphy tells the Governor that Chisum and Wilson encouraged Billy to do this and that they should be punished. The Governor has no way to punish Chisum, but revokes Justice Wilson's powers so he cannot help Chisum in any way. Murphy rides back into town and gets Dan Nodeen to agree to be the new Sheriff, since Nodeen wants to kill Bonney and this has given him an opportunity to do so. The governor has also put out a 200 dollar reward for Billy and Murphy himself has added a thousand dollars, so the bounty is 1,200 dollars. Nodeen, Evans, and the Posse they organized ride out of town to hunt down Billy, who has gone into hiding. McSween has sent a letter to President Hayes himself, hoping the government will get involved before the land war goes any farther. Pat Garrett warns McSween that by the time the government gets around to investigating, Murphy might own the entire state. Wilson confronts Murphy with this, and Murphy counters by saying that Chisum put his name on whatever he could when he came into New Mexico, and he's been there a long time. Murphy has only been there a short while and claims he's just getting started. Chisum tells him that he hasn't just gotten started and has already drawn the line. He also warns Murphy that if anyone kills any more of his men, damages any of his property (including the store in town), or steals any more of his animals, he will not wait for the law but will come see Murphy personally.

That night, Billy comes in secret to see Sallie, who tells him she does not agree with all he's done. Pat comes out with a gun, and Billy accuses him of wanting the reward. This horrifies Sallie, since she knows Garrett isn't like that. Chisum comes outside, and tells Billy that all he's doing is going to get himself killed, and maybe other people, and hurt Sallie and several others. Chisum also tells Billy he was once in love with Sallie's mother, but rode away when he found out Sallie's mother would be happier with his less wild brother. Billy takes the hint - Chisum wants him to let Pat court Sallie instead of him. Chisum tells Billy he won't turn him in for Nodeen to kill, but warns him he is never to set foot on the Chisum spread again. Billy rides away. Sallie, having overheard the conversation, tells Chisum not to worry and that she'll make the right choice.

Nodeen rides all over trying to find Billy, with no success. He returns in town to rest the horses before they set off in the morning to search again. He refuses Murphy's offer of hospitality, going back to his room to drink alone. Evans and the rest tell Murphy that Nodeen is meaner than they expected and harsher as well, but Murphy insists that's what they need. Billy, meanwhile, has gone into hiding and watches Nodeen hunt him, from afar. Charley and Tom, wanting revenge for their employers' murder as well, have decided to join him. They plot to contact the rest of Tunstall's men and secretly hit Murphy's bank that night, blowing the safe and stealing all his cash and reserves to render him helpless. They lack dynamite, however, but Billy assures them he knows where they can steal some.

Later that evening, Garrett tries to comfort Sallie, who is sad about Billy. She asks if Billy really wants the same thing as Chisum, and Garrett says Chisum wants Justice but Billy wants revenge, and there's a difference. He also says that there's a difference between love and infatuation, and Sallie realizes he does indeed have feelings for her - something Chisum and Billy were already well aware of.

In town, Billy and his small band have managed to sneak into McSween's store and try to steal some dynamite. However, Alex hears them and comes downstairs. Billy explains they just need the loan of a little dynamite but McSween refuses, telling them he wrote to the president and that Billy needs to be patient. Billy insists he's made a promise and that he won't be swayed. Outside, Nodeen sees Billy's silhouette on the window, and goes to get Murphy, Dolan, and Evans. Sue comes downstairs and tells Billy that he shouldn't be here at this hour. Before the McSweens can argue further, however, shots ring out. Nodeen and his posse are firing upon the store from behind some boxes and crates. Billy's men all hide inside the store, and Nodeen tells Billy not to make any moves. Billy asks the McSweens be allowed to leave unharmed since they have no part in this. Nodeen says no one is allowed to come out until morning and that he'll kill anyone who comes out while it's still dark.

Both sides then cease fire and wait until dawn, but when Nodeen makes his demands, Billy refuses to come out. The gunshots ring out between the two parties, and McSween begs to speak to Murphy. Murphy calls out to him, and Alex tells Murphy that he and his wife wish to come out. Nodeen doesn't want to allow this but Murphy says he doesn't want any women killed. Sue McSween is allowed to come out, but Nodeen grabs her and forces her behind the barricade his men have put up, and they begin firing upon the store again. Alex tries to negotiate a surrender but Billy stops him, refusing to cooperate. Sue, meanwhile, escapes on one of Murphy's horses and rides out to Chisum's ranch. Murphy orders a second barricade be built across the street to stop Chisum and his men from riding in. Delgado overhears this and rides out after Sue to warn Chisum.

At the Chisum ranch, Garrett sees Sue riding in and alerts Chisum. Chisum and his men greet her, and she hysterically sobs out that Murphy has attacked the store and that Billy's in there. Chisum, keeping his promise that he'd act if Murphy tried anything, rouses the whole ranch and forms an army of his own, with himself, Pepper, and Garrett in the lead. They ride out towards town, armed and ready for battle.

In town, Alex sees some of Billy's men fall, realizes they're outnumbered and will all be slaughtered. He begs to be allowed to talk to Nodeen and says he'll come out unarmed and alone. Nodeen says no one is allowed to leave alive unless they all come out at once with Bonney in the lead and all weapons left behind. The gunfire continues, and Alex foolishly goes out to try to negotiate with Murphy and Nodeen. Nodeen, not caring that Alex is unarmed, shoots him dead in the middle of the street. Billy, who had begged McSween not to go, is furious and redoubles his attack on Murphy's men. Nodeen orders torches be thrown at the store to smoke out Billy and his men and the store is promptly set ablaze.

Delgado intercepts Chisum and tells him of the barricade. Chisum and his men are unfazed, and continue riding into town, simply scaring up a herd of cattle belonging to Murphy to drive them in a stampede ahead of them. The scheme works - the cattle crash through the barricade and Murphy and Evans' men scatter to get out of the way of the thundering hooves and horns. Billy, Charley, and Tom - all that is left alive of their party - manage to escape the burning store and get into the street. Garrett and Pepper meet up with them, and they continue firing upon any Murphy man they see. Billy runs a gauntlet of bullets to ensure he personally gets to and kills Evans, who was trying to escape town. Meanwhile, Chisum sees Murphy hiding in his own bank, and charges in, and the two instantly engage in a fight. Both men, while aging, are big and powerful, and the brawl continues all over the bank, first downstairs and then upstairs. They fight with fists, chairs, and anything else that comes to hand to hit each other with, eventually bursting through a window onto the balcony. Murphy grabs a mounted pair of longhorn steer horns off the wall and strikes at Chisum with it. Chisum knocks it away to the ground, and the two continue to struggle until they fall off the balcony. Chisum is winded and bruised, but able to get up when Pepper comes to help him. However, the fighting around them comes to an abrupt halt when everyone realizes Murphy is dead, having fallen on and impaled himself on the steer horns.

Nodeen instantly tears off his badge and mounts his horse, throwing the badge at Dolan and telling him he resigns as sheriff since Murphy can't pay him the bounty on Billy anymore. He rides away and Billy gets a horse and prepares to pursue him. Garrett tries to get him to think better of it, but Billy announces that he intends to go back to being an outlaw and the "smell of death" they once talked about, and rides out of town in pursuit of Nodeen.

Some months later, the President appoints a new governor and the Lincoln County Land War is officially declared over. Pat Garrett is elected the new sheriff and marries Sallie Chisum, who expresses that she hopes all the violence is finally coming to an end. Pepper says that there will always be violence because "There's no law west of dodge and no God west of the Pecos", but Chisum tells him this old saying is incorrect, because "no matter where men go, sooner or later there's the law, and sooner or later they'll find that God's already been there." He then rides away, and Sallie wonders where he's going. Pepper assures her he'll be back, and while she and Garrett tend to the dirty dishes, he goes outside. As Pepper suspected, Chisum has once again resumed his patriarchal vigil on the hilltop, sitting under the tree and thinking of all that has happened.