The two engage in a gun battle and Jeb is once again forced to kill in self-defense. Some time later Thor and Mrs Callum hatch a plan to gain revenge on Jeb for the pain he has caused them. Thor pretends to forgive Jeb and agrees to marry him, planning to murder him on their wedding night. When the moment arrives, Jeb reveals to her that he knows her plan; she cannot bring herself to carry out the murder and reconciles with him. Grant Callum rounds up a gang of other Callums and they chase Jeb across the desert, intending to finish the job of killing all the Rands that Callum had begun all those years ago. Jeb finally recalls the night that his father and siblings were murdered, realizing that it was Grant who killed them and that Mrs Callum was there too. Thor learns that her mother had an affair with Jeb's father, and that when Mrs Callum's husband discovered it, he attempted to murder Rand, but was killed himself, resulting in Grant slaughtering Jeb's entire family to avenge his brother's death. On learning that Jeb survived the slaughter, Mrs Callum adopted him, out of guilt. Thor pleads with her mother not to allow Jeb to be hanged, stating there is still time to make up for her actions. As Grant is about to hang Jeb, Mrs Callum shoots him dead. She asks for and receives forgiveness from Jeb and Thor, and advises them to look to the future and enjoy their lives together. Cast Teresa Wright as Thorley "Thor" Callum Robert Mitchum as Jeb Rand Judith Anderson as Mrs. Callum Dean Jagger as Grant Callum Alan Hale Sr. as Jake Dingle John Rodney as Adam Callum Harry Carey, Jr. as Prentice Bobby "Bonedust" Young as The Sergeant Ernest Severn as Jeb Rand, age 11 Charles Bates as Adam Callum, age 11 Peggy Miller as Thor Callum, age 10 Ian Wolfe as Coroner Norman Jolley as A Callum Lane Chandler as A Callum Elmer Ellingwood as A Callum Jack Montgomery as A Callum Production The film's writer Niven Busch and leading lady Theresa Wright were married for a decade beginning in 1942. Wright and Robert Mitchum were cast together again seven years after Pursued in Track of the Cat (1954) directed by William A. Wellman, with Mitchum receiving top billing in their second pairing. Reception Critical response Film