How The West Was Won (1978) s01e02 Episode Script

- You lied to me, Caine.
- I didn't have any choice.
- You wouldn't guide us if you knew my orders.
- You give the order for a massacre I'm gonna gut you belly to brisket.
- Arrest this man.
Knock him down.
Shoot.
Fire at will.
Feed him.
Feed him! Caine's outfit come in here? Where's Colonel Caine? I want that butcher's scalp.
Where is he? He's dead, Zeb.
- Morning, ma'am.
- Morning.
- You must be Mrs.
Macahan.
- I am.
Twenty-two years old, little over 6 feet, light brown hair.
You'd be Luke Macahan.
Drop the gun belt, boy.
- What do you think you're doing? - Sorry to inform you, ma'am but your son's under arrest for desertion from the United States Army.
Name's Grey.
One move of that scatter gun, I'll empty that saddle.
Now step down.
Better talk to him, lady.
Now your son's facing prison.
This goes any further, it could be the hangman.
Mister, start walking.
- And if I don't? - I'll drop you right there.
Zeb.
You were gonna kill that man.
Man's a killer, gotta be stopped.
Think Luke was gonna give up without a fight? I don't know what Luke would've done.
- And neither do you.
- The hell I don't.
He's a Macahan, ain't he? Luke, we don't want you to go, any of us.
Ma, don't you understand? I don't have any choice.
Uncle Zeb is right about that Provost marshal.
He's gonna come back.
And when he does, Uncle Zeb is gonna kill him.
Or I will.
- You will? - Lf it means staying alive, Ma, yes.
- Uncle Jacob.
- Scared clean out of theirjumpers.
Will you look at what we got here.
Come on, somebody else I want you to meet.
Now, ain't nobody gonna hurt you.
Come on up here and take my hat off.
Get.
- Now get out of here! - Let's go.
- Got him.
- We are bound to help him.
- It is our law.
- Bring pliers for a bullet.
Take him inside.
We are not moving.
We stay in case Luke needs us.
Woman, you are the stubbornest human being I ever met.
What gives you the right to come here and tell us what to do? You've been out smoking the peace pipe with the Indians.
We've been breaking our backs.
I ain't no farmer, any more than my brother Timothy was.
You kept him chained to a plow every day of his life for 20 years.
He was dying to come West.
You haven't the faintest what goes on between a man and woman who love each other.
You ever loved a woman? All you know is animal lust on a buffalo road with some Indian squaw.
- Let me tell you something.
There's a lot more animal lust in all of us, including you than you'd like to admit.
You never stayed to see if he was dead? There was somebody coming, Pa.
If he's dead, I wanna know it.
But if he's alive wouldn't that be pretty? I never figured hell for angels.
Maybe I'm not dead.
But you'll be fine.
Just fine.
My name is Erika.
But you must call me Miss Hanks.
I sure hope they let you look after me.
It is my hope too, Mr.
Macahan.
Ma.
- Ma.
- Ho! Uncle Zeb's in the barn.
He's saddling up.
He says he's leaving.
- We can survive without your Uncle Zeb.
- He says he's gonna try and find Luke and bring him back here.
I don't understand, Zeb.
Luke would be in danger if you brought him back.
Kate, Luke's life's gonna be in danger wherever he is as long as Grey is after him.
- Luke'll fight him and Grey'll kill him.
- So we're back to that.
Kill or be killed? If killing would save the life of one of your children you'd kill.
You're wrong, Zeb.
There are other ways.
- Welcome, Chief Claw.
- Strange, I never see your man.
He's gone most of the time.
It is not good to leave a woman and young ones alone in this country.
You need a man, pretty lady.
This Mountain-Is-Long.
- Good fighter.
Good hunter.
Good man.
- I have a man.
We go hunt now.
Come back, see this Long-Knife.
- Goodbye, pretty lady.
- Mother, do you think they believe you? - Do you? - I don't know.
I had to say something.
He's a very determined man.
Do you know a mountain man called Cully Madigan? Cully Madigan? As of last week, Madigan had killed and scalped over two dozen Arikara braves.
Get to the point, boy.
The point is he's your friend.
If you find him before I do, you might keep Madigan from the gallows.
I wanna know why my son's on foot and you're poking him like sheep.
- You tell her, boy.
- I saw something moving.
I thought it was the deer.
You came close to shooting this man? He done a might better than come close, ma'am.
- What are you gawking at? - That man.
He's handsome.
- Put the horses in the barn, Josh.
- Wait a minute, Ma.
I don't trust him.
- Why? - Coming here, he asked too many questions.
I didn't mean no harm, ma'am.
If I did, that boy would be back there gathering ants.
I just want you to know how bad it is before I kiss you.
- Why would you believe he was here? - Because he protected one of your women.
I think you might be protecting him.
But I'll look for myself.
Why does this provost marshal look for you? I ran away from the Army because I couldn't stand the killing.
You left the war because you could not kill? Oh, Luke.
I have great hopes for you.
That horse belong to the provost marshal, son? Yes, sir.
The man he's looking for, is he here? It is not permitted to say.
You're a great one for drawing down on a man with his back turned.
Drop the scattergun, Grey.
Drop it.
Now the gun belt.
Get if off or I'll kill you.
You'll try.
You must not You must not do this.
- It's against God's will.
- Lf I were you, I'd get out of the way.
Brothers and Sisters come between them.
Quickly.
If you would kill each other, then you must first kill us.
There shall be no killing here.
This is sacred ground.
Grey, you got the devil's own luck.
Your nephew's not here, Macahan.
But one day, I'll run him to ground.
And I'll kill him.
And then I'll find you.
Mother Tice, come quickly.
No.
No.
No.
Don't shoot.
Don't shoot.
No.
No.
You ain't gonna kill them.
Water.
Water.
Help me.
Hey - Grey? - He is gone.
- But how did - Do not concern yourself.
He is gone.
And you are safe.
Oh.
It's getting to be a nice little habit, waking up and finding you.
It is a habit I pray to God we can break.
You were very sick again.
For a while you were delirious.
Even Mother Tice was worried for you.
What happened? After that man left, we found you unconscious.
When I tried moving, I felt the stitches tear and I guess I passed out.
I should never have tried to hide you in the storeroom.
You did just fine.
As usual.
Mr.
Macahan Luke.
Luke, huh? I think we're making some progress.
Oh, you are so lobish.
I should not tell you this, but there is someone here to see you.
Who? He is awake now.
You may come in.
Luke.
Hey, you're doing pretty good here.
Got a bed to lie around in pretty gal to look after you.
Took on some smarts since I seen you.
Uncle Zeb, Grey was here.
I know.
We had a little talk.
He won't be back.
Luke, I promised your ma I'd come and get you.
We're all going on to Oregon.
He is too weak to travel.
He has lost much blood.
You're right there, miss.
I've seen him looking better.
Well, this here's Erika, Uncle Zeb.
She's been nursing me.
I know.
From what the elders tell me, you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this young lady.
Elders.
Sometimes they are not plain.
- Plain? - Oh, it's an expression they got here.
It means simple, honest.
Ah, heh.
I'll tell you one thing that's plain, and that's you ain't fit to travel now.
But it's all right, because I got some business I gotta take care of.
When I'm done, I'll swing by and pick you up.
Uh, that is if, uh, you still wanna go.
- Miss, you keep him plain.
- It will not be easy, Mr.
Macahan.
That I can believe.
Will you go to Oregon? You want me to go? You know I do not.
How come you're getting the eggs this morning? Ma's busy.
My goodness.
We're all up early this morning.
Never mind, Ma.
I'll get the eggs.
Never seen Laura up so early.
And so ready to do chores.
I've never seen you so ready to take a bath.
I have to go.
Guess it makes a difference when there's a man around the house.
Good morning.
- You're up early.
- Chores.
I think last night was one of the nicest dinners we ever had around this place.
Well, it sure was nice dining with ladies, instead of sitting alone on a rock somewhere.
- How you feeling today? - Healed enough to be on my way.
Where you going from here? Far, likely.
- West? - I reckon.
I envy you.
Just pick up and leave whenever the feeling hits you.
I sure wish I wasn't stuck here.
- Why? Where would you go if you weren't? - I don't know for sure.
But I wanna go where there's a town.
A big town with people.
A city.
But that'll never happen.
You're mighty pretty, you know that? Thank you.
And lucky for you, not so lucky for me, I'm a man of very strong moral fiber.
Or else I'd be tempted to just sweep you off your feet and take you wherever I'm going.
I wish your moral fiber weren't quite so strong, Mr.
Anderson.
Ha, ha.
Well, the fact is, my morals ain't so hot.
And neither is anything else about me.
No money.
No future, and no prospects.
I'm too old.
No, Oregon is what your ma has in mind.
That's a long pull but it sure beats anything any passing-through saddletramp has to offer.
Give me something to take with me, will you? Like a smile.
Eggs.
- Are you leaving? - Yep.
It looks like he's all right to ride.
Where's Josh and the girls? Well, Laura and Josh are in the house.
Jessie's down by the creek.
- I want you to go in the house.
Just stay put.
- But what is it? I don't know.
Just do like I say.
Mama! - What happened? - Indians.
Couple of Arapaho scouts.
I don't think they meant to harm her none.
- What do they want? - Just having a look around.
I guess Jessie startled them.
Why were they sneaking around here? Well, it might have something to do with that Chief Claw.
Shoshone and Arapaho ain't exactly kissing cousins, you know.
They've been known to lift each other's hair now and then.
Your family could be in a bad place here.
Come on, Jessie.
I'll take you home.
I washed and sewed it up for you.
- You sewed it? - It needed mending.
Thank you, ma'am.
I'm gonna miss all this feminine attention.
Well, no need to go right away.
You could use another day or two of rest.
I'd give everything I own to be able to stay on.
But I already been here longer than I should.
I wanna thank you for treating me like part of the family.
They friendly, or should I be holding on to my hair? They're friendly.
Laura.
Jessie, bring out the cookies.
It's all right, just pass them out as usual.
We would be honored.
I think he wants to know who you are.
- I don't speak their language.
- Well, just let me handle it.
What did you say? I told them you were my bride.
Just think about last night, make pretending easier.
My man.
He wants to know why I'm fixing to ramble.
Tell him you have business far away.
He ain't swallowing it.
Maybe it'll help convince him if you kiss me.
- What? - You know, goodbye kiss.
My man.
You better go now.
It was a goodbye kiss, remember? Yeah.
I remember.
Ladies.
Cully.
Mountain men was the name Americans gave to those ferocious, half-savage and legendary men who were the unwitting pathfinders of this nation.
Till the late 1830s, when the fur trade virtually ended mountain men pushed ever deeper into the heart of an unmapped wilderness.
Cully.
Cully, come on out.
It's Zeb Macahan.
They lived and dressed like Indians, married Indian women and embraced the Indians'fierce code of courage and honor above all else.
And like the Indian, they frequently took the scalps of their enemies.
For the most part, the mountain man loved and respected the Indian.
But when in conflict with him, he could be a relentless and terrible adversary.
How're you fixed for smoking tobacco? Got a little.
Cully.
Obliged.
- Been a spell.
- Some.
What you doing up here? Well, I got so as I couldn't stand the noise down there.
Besides, this is my old stomping ground around here, you know.
I was the one brought you up here first time.
Remember? Yeah, I do keep remembering how green I was when you first took me under your wing.
Hadn't even took me a scalp yet.
Yeah, I, uh, don't see none around here now either.
Got a war bag full of them.
- Arikara? - Word do get around.
Well, the army said it.
I told them they was wrong.
Well, you was wrong.
This child has killed himself a passel of them bloody-minded scalawags.
Cully.
You're not the kind of man that goes to warring on somebody without good reason.
They got my boy, Zeb.
And I'm gonna keep killing Arikara till I get him back.
Jeremiah? Last time you seen him he was just a tad.
He's near 12 now.
What'd they do? Just ride off with him? Scalped his ma in the doing.
You mean Little Tree's dead? She will be if I don't get her boy back.
He's middle of the whole world far as she's concerned.
Why'd they take him? Must have had reason.
Well, to hear them tell it, it's because they ain't had a great war chief since Portagee.
And he's so old now he can't do anything but talk.
He's the one that scragged my boy.
You mean Portagee took Jeremiah to raise him up to be their new war chief? Whatever give him that idea? Shaman told him the new Messiah that was gonna lead the Arikara back to glory was not yet a man, not yet Indian, but born in the heart of thunder.
Aha.
And you're the man that walks with thunder.
Well, heh, sounds crazy but, you know, it figures.
You look at it a certain way, that's kind of a compliment.
Can't fault old Portagee's thinking.
I can fault him.
Right twixt the eyes with a hand ax, once I track him down.
I gotta ask you, Zeb army send you up here after me? Well, we had a talk but that's not the reason I come, Cully.
I come to warn you that the army's out to kill you.
- They figure you're gonna trigger an uprising.
- I don't want to trigger no uprising.
I want my boy back.
Got any idea where Portagee is? I know where he is.
But I gotta go see Little Tree first.
Well, then we best get to it.
Sooner we get to your boy, maybe I can get the army off your scent.
You'll be riding with me? Well, I made my brother's wife a promise.
I told him I was gonna take him to Oregon.
I reckon saving your boy's gotta come first.
When I find the boy, I mean to go right in amongst them, Zeb.
You could lose a little hair.
Never figured to live forever.
Hmm.
This here's Round Pebble.
She's Little Tree's baby sister.
Cully.
You know something? Every time I figure on trading you for them ponies and squaws that Cheyenne chief keeps offering for you I take a gander at what I got and I say, "No, sir.
" I am ugly.
No, ain't no such thing.
You're as pretty as the first day we shared a blanket.
And you're a good liar.
I'm good.
Best liar living is right here with me.
It's good to see you again.
Hello, Little Tree.
How are you feeling? Better, now.
Zeb here's gonna help me fetch Jeremiah back.
You found him.
Next thing to it.
We know where to look.
Is this true? It's true.
We'll have that boy back to you in no time at all.
Do this.
Bring him to me.
We will do her.
Then the three of us'll head north.
North? I want to be with my woman and my son, alone for a while.
Seems like I'm always off hunting or trapping or something.
I ought to be seeing my woman's kept happy.
And have a strong hand in the raising of that son of mine.
By the way, did I ever thank you proper for giving him to me? Come back soon.
Quicker I'm gone, quicker I'm back.
Bye, Little Tree.
We'll bring your son back to you.
Goodbye.
- Are you ready, Zeb? - Let's go.
Pretty lady.
It is a good day.
See, it is good day.
Why Macahan still sleep? It's Sunday.
It's our day of rest and prayer.
I have brought you man.
Good man.
I have a man.
Your braves saw him.
But Long-Knife no longer here.
He had to go away.
Mountain-Is-Long will be your man till he returns.
Good man.
Kill many Arapaho.
Bring you horses.
That's not our way, Chief.
I have one man.
It is Shoshone way.
The Shoshone way is not our way.
Now I want you to take him and leave.
They're leaving.
And the big one's staying.
Ma, we can't stay locked up in here forever.
I've gotta go out and feed the animals.
Hey, look.
Somebody's bringing in horses.
Aren't they beautiful? And leaving them.
What do you suppose it means? I don't know.
But I'm gonna find out.
You must go.
Please, now.
Well, I can't.
Don't you understand, I can't.
I'm sorry.
I can't.
I can't.
He's really mad, Ma.
What are we gonna do? Get down.
Jessie.
- Josh, put that down.
- But he's wrecking our house.
Josh.
If you shoot him, the Shoshone will really be our enemies.
- But he's gonna kill somebody.
- No, he's not.
Now, if he really wanted to hurt us he would be in here by now.
Are flowers plain? Flowers are strictly plain.
I'm thanking you.
Mm.
- How is your wound? - Oh, it's getting better.
I'm just pretending so I can stay near you.
Didn't you know? It is wrong to tell a lie.
Aw, but not if it's a plain lie.
You wanna sit? I should not.
- But you will.
- I will.
Come on.
You know I been thinking about making myself useful around here.
Maybe as a shepherd or something.
With your wound you would not be able to get around the sheep if the wolves come.
Wolves.
What does a Simonite shepherd do when wolves do attack? Kills it, if he can.
That's strange.
You'd kill a wolf for trying to kill your sheep but won't kill a man who's trying to kill you.
A wolf's only trying to get something to eat.
A wolf has no soul.
Neither did some men I've run across.
God would find you in error, Mr.
Macahan.
For a lot of things.
I did hear your father say the other day that they needed a new pigpen built.
There wasn't anybody to build it.
Mr.
Yoder, who was our pig man, died.
Pig man? What.
But you have not been about long enough to see, but here everyone has a place.
There is a baker man and a shoe man and a milkman and And a pig man.
Then there is something I can do.
To be pig man is not easy.
And to build a pigpen is not simple.
It must be very strong and set right down in the ground so the pigs can't root out underneath Erika, there are two things in this world that I know somewhat about.
One is running and the other is pigs.
How's that? Well, remember.
I was raised on a farm in Virginia.
We had a lot of pigs.
Then I'm sure you could be a pig man for the Bruderhof.
Yeah.
- I will speak to my father.
- And he will speak to the council of elders.
And the council of elders will speak to you.
Get up.
Come on, get up.
Come on.
Come on, get up.
Get up in there.
Come on.
Hey.
Come on.
You pasy-gutted, wind-sucking Get over here.
Get over Get Come back here.
Come on.
Hey.
Come here.
Pa! Ho, ho! Hey, Pa! Pa! Pa! I seen him, Pa! I seen him, Pa.
I seen him.
Big as life.
- Seen who? The back shooter? - Yeah.
He's over at that blackbird village right now.
That's exactly where I told you he was the whole time.
Yeah, Pa, you told us.
We just couldn't believe it.
It didn't make sense.
When am I gonna learn to not take stock in what you and your brother think's good sense? - Neither one of you got brains to fill a thimble.
- I know it, Pa.
I knew right where he was all the time.
I know exactly where he's at.
- Now, you better tell me he was hurting.
- He was, Pa.
He was limping.
Limping bad.
Walking with a cane.
Walking with a cane in the village? No, up on that hill.
You know, where the creek comes down from the pines? He was sparking with that girl we was telling you about.
The one we was teasing, Pa.
Walking with a cane and sparking a girl.
Your brother told me he hit him bad! Well, we thought he was hit bad, Pa.
Charlie knocked him clean off the horse.
- And he wasn't twitching after he fell.
- He was playing possum! Yeah, but it don't matter, now, Pa.
Does it? I mean, we know where he is now.
I could have killed him myself, Pa.
Could have drawed a bead, killed him while he was kissing that girl.
If you had, I'd eat your liver raw.
He's mine, you understand that? He's mine.
And I'll teach him not to tangle with no Judson.
- Did he see you? - No.
He wasn't seeing nothing but that girl.
All the better.
He won't be expecting us.
Are we gonna go get him, Pa, are we? We're gonna get him all right.
All three of us.
- Where's your brother? - I don't know, Pa.
I ain't seen him since we went looking for that fella.
You told us not to come home till we had something to tell you.
Well, go fetch him.
Go get him right now.
- You know it may take some time, Pa.
- Get him! Well, what if that fella leaves before I get Charlie back here? He's walking with a cane, ain't he? Walking up a hill, sparking them blackbird women, ain't he? He's having hisself a good old time thinking nobody knows where he's at.
He thinks there ain't nobody gonna get him.
Thinks he's safe.
- But we'll get him.
We'll get him.
- I reckon you're right, Pa.
You gonna stand there grinning like an idiot or go find your brother? Well, I'm I'm going, Pa.
I'm going.
And get back here fast.
We got work to do.
I hear you, Pa.
Aah! - Hi, Mr.
Macahan.
- Well, Joshua.
Why aren't you at your chores? I gave Joey Hostetter two cents to do them for me.
Isn't that against the rules? Yes.
Well, what happens if you get caught? I will be taken to the council and given a penance.
What sort of penance? I will be given more chores and more prayers to say.
That worth two cents? I would like to talk to you but you are always with my sister.
Well, she's kind of nursing me.
But you're well now.
What is it you wanted to talk about? I hear the elders talking about you.
Sometimes they call you an outlaw.
I'd like to know how it is, being an outlaw.
Only thing could be worse is prison.
But looking at it, it's kind of a prison in itself.
See, Joshua, when you're on the run, you're all alone.
And most of the time you're scared to death.
That day on the road, against those men, you were not afraid.
Oh, I was afraid.
I was afraid, also.
Well, there's nothing wrong with that, Joshua.
Only a fool's never afraid.
Joshua.
What're you doing here? Why aren't you out tending cows? - Oh, he was helping me with the corral.
- Do not lie for him, Mr.
Macahan.
- It's time to bring the cows in, Joshua.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Go on.
- Bye, Mr.
Macahan.
You know, I got a little brother back home named Joshua.
We call him Josh.
From the Bible's Joshua? No, no.
From my Great Uncle Joshua.
Yeah, folks say he used to run whiskey up and down the Mississippi.
That was before he opened up a school for wayward girls in Natchez.
But Joshua was the successor to Moses.
It would not be permitted to call his namesake Josh.
I know.
It would not be plain.
Erika.
I finished your coat.
Try it on, see how it fits.
I didn't expect to see it so soon.
Well, I can't even see where you took it in.
Well, how do I look? Like a Bishop? No.
But now you can go to church and eat in the refectory.
Are you sure? I asked Bishop Benjamin.
Only you must remember to sit with the men.
Ah, I don't wanna sit with the men.
All they ever talk about is crops and fertilizer.
- I wanna sit with you.
- No, Mr.
Macahan, with the men you sit.
- With you.
- Well, you must not.
It would not be Plain.
- You getting the same feeling I am? - Had it for the past 10 minutes.
We're being followed.
How many you figure? Well, those grouse they spooked back there settled pretty quick so I'd say maybe 10, 15.
- All the signs we've seen is Crow.
Don't make sense.
Crow's always been friendly.
Why would they be following us? Looks like we're about to find out.
- Who's the warbonnet? - I don't know.
Never seen him before.
Maybe it's Red Hawk.
He's the one that's been making big noise at the war councils lately.
Cully, if we gonna make a move, we best do it now.
I don't much like the odds.
Red Hawk.
I speak your language.
Why does Macahan ride with you? Well, he likes me.
We've trailed together before.
My business is not with Macahan.
Chief, we come together like hell and damnation.
- What is your business, chief? - Throw down your guns.
- Let's take them.
- Hold it, Cully.
You're not getting your boy getting blowed out of the saddle.
You always was one for reason, Zeb.
I'd give a lot to know what this is all about.
I ain't so sure I wanna find out.
I don't much like the way they're treating us, Zeb.
We manage to get out of this, we should give them a hard lesson in manners.
I'm gonna cut out your heart, Red Hawk, and hand it to you.
It don't look to me like you're scaring him much, Cully.
They're gonna peel us, I reckon.
Kind of looks that way.
Well, guess you and me, Cully, we always figured we might wind up like this.
I'm just sorry about your boy.
I'm sorry too.
And for getting you into it.
Guess your family's gonna have to get on to Oregon without you.
Don't give it up.
We ain't dead yet.
Oh, she's just daydreaming, Ma.
She's been doing that a lot since Mr.
Anderson left If you ask me, I'd think she was stuck on him.
- Can get kind of lonely out here.
- What about you, Jessie? - Sometimes.
- You miss Virginia? And people.
- You need someone else to talk to besides - I know.
It's harder on Laura.
Ma, there wasn't one social that she wasn't all fancied up for.
Laura.
You all right? I'm all right, Mama.
It was always so much easier for your father to talk to you than it was for me.
I'm afraid, Mama.
Life's gone right by me.
You're so young.
You're not young for very long out here Do you know Mrs.
Remmie? Her husband's a farmer.
You've seen her in town.
She's only 26, Ma.
Twenty-six and she looks 50 I don't want that happening to me.
It's just so lonely out here I'm nearly 19.
And then I'll be 20.
The last time I was at a dance or a picnic was nearly 3 years ago I miss the boys that came courting.
You and Pa worrying about me when I got home too late.
I wanna dress up, and be told that I'm pretty.
I need those things.
Out here it doesn't seem important to you, but it's important to me.
I'm tired of looking in the mirror every day and seeing myself drying up.
But, honey we are going to be moving on soon.
- When Uncle Zeb finds Luke, brings him - Luke.
Luke.
Luke.
It's always Luke.
Well, what about me? Jessie and Josh, what about them? Mama, what about you? You're still young.
You could start over.
We're not leaving here until they come back.
We're going to be together when we leave.
We came as a family and we're leaving as a family.
Honey, it's gonna be all right.
It's not gonna be all right, Mama.
I hate it here.
I hate it.
Ma'am.
Ladies.
We're looking for a friend of ours.
Chances are, he probably dropped by.
Yeah.
I bet he did come through.
His name's Anderson.
Jim Anderson.
And knowing him, I bet he stayed on too.
Sorry, I can't help you.
Hard to believe.
Trail leads right to your door Tall fella.
Slick tongue.
Been known to dally with the ladies.
Then if he'd been here I'd certainly remember.
What about you, girl? It's just like my mother said, we haven't seen anyone like that.
Hmm.
Well, I figured if he did come through, he couldn't afford to hang around none.
Mm-hm.
Been pleasurable.
I knew it.
Anderson's an outlaw, just like those two.
Or worse.
Let's have a look at you.
Ah, I should have given you another day or two of rest, boy.
Morning, Anderson.
Morning.
Was hoping we'd be the ones to find you.
There's 12 of us all told looking for you.
Mr.
Burnett split us up to cover more ground.
Twelve, huh? Mr.
Burnett must be paying a pretty penny.
Well, the way we hear it, Mr.
Burnett can afford anything he wants.
And he wants you.
There's a bonus to the ones that bring you down.
Really? Well, how much am I worth? Two hundred.
Just 100 apiece? That's hardly worth dying for.
We don't intend to be the ones doing the dying.
Mr.
Burnett wants you to know he's already paid half the debt.
And when we bury you he's willing to mark it paid in full.
What do you mean by half? Well, those settlers that hired you, Anderson after you left, that left them kind of naked if you know what I mean.
We burned them out, Anderson.
House went up like tinder.
You talking about the Corbetts? Them's the folks that hired you.
Kept the other settlers in line.
Been acting like they should.
Sheep.
I'm afraid you're gonna find me different.
We figured.
That's one hell of a place to build a sod house.
Right in the middle of an Indian war.
Josh? Girls? Someone's coming.
- Mrs.
Macahan.
- Didn't expect to see you so soon.
There's Arapaho war party heading here.
- How close are they? - They'll have a powwow with the war chief.
Smoke the pipe.
Enough time for you to take your family and clear out of here.
- Why should we leave? - The Shoshone and the Arapaho are going against each other right here on your ground.
If they do have a war here, a lot of them are gonna die Could be your burial ground too.
We've been out here more than two years, Mr.
Anderson.
We've survived land grabbers and outlaws.
And Indians.
Lady, there's an Indian war heading right in your direction.
Damn, woman.
We're staying put.
- Does it hurt shaving? - Nope.
Looks to me like it hurts.
You going to take a bath too? - Yeah, I figured on it.
- Why does a man go to so much trouble? - Girls? - Heh, well, that's the best reason of all.
Are you not courting my sister Erika? - Courting? - You favor her, don't you? Well, yes, Joshua, I favor her.
- She favors you.
- She does? It looks all over.
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
So you will ask her to marry with you? Marry? Uh A man like me fine girl like your sister uh, it doesn't look.
Not at all.
- She will say yes.
- She tell you that? - No.
But I know it.
Therefore, I don't see why you have to shave your beard or take a bath, Mr.
Macahan.
Well, in the first place, Joshua, it's aawul scraggly And in the second place, and according to the rules of the Simonite Brotherhood an unmarried man ain't supposed to wear a beard.
But, wouldn't it be easier to get married than to shave? She will marry you this afternoon if you would ask her.
Joshua.
Go! Ah, he didn't mean any harm.
Oh, he is so lobish.
- Did you hear what he said? - Yes.
Is it true? - I shall wallop Joshua.
- Erika.
Is it? Well perhaps he is not so far wrong.
You mean you would marry me? It is bold of me to say it but I have been hoping you would ask.
- Oh, Erika.
- No, Luke.
Not here in the village like this.
Besides I have not said yes.
Oh, ha, ha.
But, Mr.
Macahan if you are well enough to be a pig man, you are well enough to be on your way.
- Yes, sir, that's true.
- Hmm.
Well, you're saying that you That you want to stay here.
Yes.
You're good people.
You have peace here, which is pretty hard to find these days.
Is peace all you seek? What of our faith? Do you seek faith? Well, I've been reading your Bible and I like what it says.
I wanna be one of you.
I wanna be among you.
But you are not plain.
No.
But I'm not very fancy, either.
Mr.
Macahan, you must understand we do not discourage converts but you are a man who has killed another in anger.
- I've never denied that.
- You repent of it? I sure do.
I regretted it when it happened and I regret it now.
What makes you think that you will stop being an outlaw? Well, first of all, I'm not nearly as much an outlaw as you think.
Second, if I stay here, there'll be nobody calling me out.
In other words, salvation through lack of temptation, is that it? Brother Benjamin, I will take it any way I can get it if you'll have me.
You would want to join the Simonite Brotherhood? Yes, sir, I would.
Hmm.
For now we will allow Mr.
Macahan to live among us.
By the way, Mr.
Macahan, there was a gun on your saddle.
We do not allow guns here but it is still your property.
I won't be needing it anymore.
Why don't you take it into town and sell it.
Do something good with the money.
We will do that.
The pig man has no use for a gun.
- Can you hear what he's saying? - Most of it.
He's just saying how he's not only a great warrior but a great peacemaker.
Come tomorrow, due to his great wisdom, why all the trouble between the Arikara and the Crow is gonna be gone forever.
He ain't only drunk, he's crazy.
Arikara been killing Crow and Crow, Arikara, just for the sport of it Ionger than anyone can remember.
What's gonna make them stop it? - You.
- What do you mean, me? You know, I'm beginning to feel downright left out of this.
Red Hawk's saying how he's gonna trade you to the Arikara if they'll stop killing Crow.
He's never gonna sell that deal to Portagee.
And don't count on that too much.
They sent a messenger off.
Portagee's gonna be here tomorrow for a powwow.
You know according to their way of looking at it ain't a bad plan.
The Arikara get you off their back and the Crow gets the Arikara out of their hair.
Damn.
Being peeled by the Crow's bad enough being peeled by them same bloody-minded scalawags that run off with my boy is more than I can take.
Well, I'll tell you something, I ain't hankering to get peeled by anybody.
I figure we better find a way out of here.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
How? Can you see the back of this post here? - Yeah.
- Any kind of snag or anything sticking out down below my hands? Well, there's a big knot sticking out about a foot down.
That should do.
You got her.
She's a-coming.
You done her.
- How's your teeth? - Get around here, you old coot.
Cully I been thinking.
If Portagee's coming into that camp tomorrow for a powwow he might have Jeremiah with him.
- Why would he do that? Well, for one thing, he might not want the boy out of his sight.
Another thing, he might want the boy to see how the Arikara handles a powwow with the enemy.
That makes sense.
And if he don't bring the boy there's time to get him out of the Arikara camp while they powwow.
- About the way I figure it.
- I'm beholden to you, Zeb.
I want you out of this now.
It ain't your business.
Let me ask you something, old hoss if that was my boy back there, would you be cutting out? You bet I would.
Well you lie some too.
Let's get out of here.
Go find us a place to hole up till morning.
Here, pig, pig, pig.
Here pig, pig, pig.
Here pig, pig, pig.
Come on.
Here pig, pig, pig.
Here pig, pig, pig.
Come here.
Here, pig.
Come here.
Just do it.
Come here.
Oh, shut up.
Here pig, pig, pig.
Mr.
Macahan.
Mr.
Macahan.
There are three men coming on horses.
They have guns.
Please, these men are like animals.
They have come to kill.
But if they do not find you here, they will go.
Bishop Benjamin, you can't keep me in the storeroom every time somebody comes looking.
It's getting too dangerous for you.
If you would be one of us, Mr.
Macahan, you listen to the Bishop.
To us, violence is a cardinal sin.
Now, whatever happens, you must not reveal yourself.
Whatever you say, Bishop.
Blackbirds come on out.
Fetch him.
Blackbird, you're gonna trot him out, or me and my boys are gonna start to get ugly.
Now, I'm gonna ask you one more time, where is he? We looked everywhere, Pa.
No sign of him.
You've seen him with that girl.
He's gotta be here.
Blackbird, you better trot him out.
We cannot do what you ask.
Well Well, maybe if I put a bullet in you, some of these others would tell me.
Then you will have to kill us all.
Well, what do you wanna do, Pa? We can't kill them all.
No.
We can't kill them all.
We sure as hell can set some good examples.
Now, I'm gonna start shooting this one to pieces.
Starting with the ears, take a little scalp then his fingers.
Hey, backshooter.
I got one of your blackbird friends out here.
If you don't step out in one minute I'm gonna start to kill him real slow, starting with his ears.
Backshooter! You got less than a minute! Forty-eight seconds, that's all the time you got left.
It's my father they have out there.
You will try not to kill? I'll try, Joshua.
Go.
If this one dies, I'll fetch another.
Hey, backshooter.
Let him go, I'm coming out.
But get those people off the street first.
Jake, he's in there.
Go around behind him.
They won't move, backshooter.
Come on out.
Bishop Benjamin you can't stop this now, it's no use.
Please, get your people off the street.
I think he is right, Benjamin.
Go.
- You cannot do this.
He is unarmed.
- You sure of that? Guns are not allowed here.
It's gonna make this a whole lot easier.
They're all gone now, backshooter.
Come on out.
Not yet.
Let him go.
You sure he's got no gun? I am sure.
You don't know how much that pleasures me.
- This is willful murder.
- Bet your life, blackbird.
As willful as can be.
Get out of here.
He's gone now, backshooter.
Come on out and take your medicine.
We done everything you asked.
We're waiting on you.
Is that him? That's him, Pa.
Well, backshooter.
It took you long enough.
But here you are.
Killing your boy was a fair fight.
- Killing me ain't gonna bring him back.
- That's right, it ain't.
But it's sure gonna pleasure me to gut-shoot you and watch you die real slow.
Don't try anything foolish.
I'm trying real hard to keep a promise.
So am I.
You told me he didn't have no gun.
You rotten liar.
Charlie.
I'm sorry, Erika.
You could not help yourself.
I'm grateful for my father's life.
I'm gonna have to leave here now.
You know that? I will come with you.
No, you can't.
I've been lying to you.
I've been lying to all your people.
And most of all, I've been lying to myself.
I love you, Erika.
But I couldn't stand by and watch people like you be brutalized by men like them and not try and stop it.
It is hard enough to be plain sometimes even if you are born to it.
If you are not born to it it is all but impossible.
Goodbye, Luke Macahan.
Walk with God.
Think they'll come looking for us? They ain't gonna have time.
Here comes Portagee.
- They got Jeremiah.
- Yeah.
Now? Now.
Jeremiah.
Madigan.
Madigan.
Red Hawk.
We talk or he dies.
We talk.
We talk no more.
Too much talk.
Kill me, you do not save Madigan.
Madigan kill many Arikara.
Madigan belong to us.
It's no use, Zeb.
We could sit here till dawn, they ain't gonna budge.
There's no way all of us are getting out of here.
It's me they want.
They don't give a damn about you.
Now, you listen, Portagee.
Here's the way it's gonna be.
- Zeb and the boy go free.
- No.
Keep boy.
Now, you hear me, you savage old buzzard.
Because if you don't, I'm gonna cut you from belly to brisket.
And Zeb and me are gonna kill a potfull of your mighty warriors before they can kill us.
And if that happens you ain't gonna have the pleasure of keeping me alive for them two or three days of fun and games that you're counting on.
Boy stay.
Now, you're smarter than that, Portagee.
Do you think the son of Man-That-Walks-With-Thunder's ever gonna be your new war chief after he's watched you peel the hide off his father? I will die with my father.
You'll damn well do what you're told.
You shut up till I tell you when to speak, boy.
You got one minute, you old skunk, then I'm gonna start carving on you.
Let boy go.
Boy free.
White Eagle free.
Madigan stay.
I got your word they won't be harmed? You have word of Arikara Chief.
Cully, let's make a fight out of it.
Take a few of them with us.
You said it yourself, Zeb.
We got the boy to think about.
You and me always knew it could end like this.
And I want the boy and his ma to live.
She's done.
Remember what I taught you, boy.
Don't lie and don't quit, not ever.
You know what you gotta do, old coot.
They scalped my woman, Zeb.
Sure would pleasure me a heap to spoil their fun.
It must be done quickly.
Cut me loose, boy, I'll show you how to throw that thing.
That wouldn't scare ajackrabbit.
That's better.
Cut, you bloody-minded heathen, cut.
You know what you gotta do, old coot.
I wanna be with my woman and my son alone for a while.
Have a strong hand for raising that son of mine.
Cully!