Strange Empire (2014) s01e03 Episode Script

Previously on Strange Empire Jeremiah! My husband didn't kill those men.
You may live in delusion as long as you care to.
I sent a telegram to Cornelius, told him our baby was born.
That one there, that's your newborn son.
Strange Empire 1x03 Other Powers Now, that line there is for Parley long distance.
God in heaven is the longest mile of all, but me, I can talk to your dead.
He's got no robe or collar.
I wonder if this water's worth the price he charges.
How much is that? A good solid dollar.
Goes to the miners welfare, so he says.
If you'd like to pray, Mrs.
Loving, or talk to your dead? Thank you, Mrs.
Briggs, but I have hope my man's alive.
Do you see what we're becoming? Do you see it? They're raising spirits.
Leaving notes and flowers for their men.
Mrs.
Fogg set up there yesterday, offered herself up as a medium.
Taking nickels out of everyone's pocket.
I told Jared to run them off.
They come back in the dark.
Jamie Surpitt there, like Christ on the cross.
He gave me holy water.
Said it was for you.
We all have sins, John.
Blessed our child in the womb, him.
What came of it.
That isn't our child.
Boy needs to be fed.
There he is! Get! Get! He's mine! He's my boy! You sold your boy, and I bought him.
What kind of a mother does that? Milk her, and then get her out of here and lock her up.
Cornelius has promised to bring the payroll.
He suspects you of skimming.
As we have been, Isabelle.
It costs money to sink a mine, and no coal taken yet.
He will love this child.
He will see his future through us, his name carried forward.
He will give us everything.
Ada never made a sound.
Isabelle You must ask him for that loan, John.
If you don't, we will lose everything.
The gentleman in charge of the mine, Mr.
Franklyn Caze, has supplied us with the wagon and shovels for the burials.
And you have a horse.
My own, yes.
I'm coming with you.
Mrs.
Fogg will take the twins.
In her house? And witness to her work? We had word of tragedy.
Was you and yours? Can we do for you? Anything, ma'am.
Don't mind no custom or feel obliged.
Seems we're short on horses.
Have loan of 'em, as you need.
Obliged, gentlemen.
World's a terrible place.
Mama? May I ride with you? There are prayers need saying for the men.
Of course you can.
Found this nailed to my door.
What are you set up here for, missus? Fortunes.
Well, the house has a percentage of your fortunes, same as your clatch.
It's God's work, this.
God speaking to souls.
No tax on that.
Hey! Get in there and do what you're paid to, and don't you go leaving your ghost cards round me neither, else you'll be going without your teeth! Back to work! What are they fixing to do? They're going to the grove, bury their men.
Bad luck, them women.
They are squatters in my camp.
I intend riddance of them.
Whoa.
Hold up.
Morning, miss Logan.
My brother's lying with your men.
I intend him buried.
Ride with us.
You're welcome to.
Gentlemen celestials here were telling me there's a river not far west deep enough to hold a boat loading and unloading.
That railway will be one day, that mine, too.
What are you on about? Birthing a town.
With a newspaper, a school, businesses.
Was business got you that horse.
That's the truth, ma'am.
Was one of my gentlemen gave me the horse, and silver dollars, too.
One for every kiss.
Would you stay, Mrs.
Briggs, or do you intend leaving? I have nought but to stay.
Here? With stones for breakfast? We could open a saloon.
Whiskey's good business, and meat pies.
Exactly my thought.
Would you stay, Mrs.
Loving? I am here to ranch, Ms.
Logan.
Not much for town life.
Let's go.
Excuse me, miss.
Sir.
Name's Morgan Finn.
From Station House, south of here.
I recall.
It sparked.
How is that? I thought you and your father would be back east by now.
My father? I am Mrs.
Blithely.
The gentleman is my husband.
Jeremiah Jeremiah! That's not your horse.
Did you steal her? I woke up the other morning, and she was here.
Waiting for you, I suppose.
She's my husband's horse.
Husband's name would be Jeremiah? Nobody's been here.
Not since I came back anyway.
My name's Caleb Mecredi.
I'm marshal hereabouts.
Katherine Loving.
There are bodies north of here, men killed in cold blood.
Murderer's a man name of John Slotter.
Calls himself captain.
I know him.
It's Montana territory they died in.
Your side of the 49th.
I want you to arrest him.
A husband and two boys full grown to men.
I should have expected them to carry me to my grave.
What would you say as an epitaph? I say "here lies Robbie Logan, "newspaperman, "who was my brother and equal in all things except boxing and fighting.
" And here, the very dear Seamus, in love with me and God and no other And I him.
Best bury them and then shoot the dogs.
They have men in their stomachs.
How is it a half-blood blackfoot comes to be a marshal in the service of the United States government? Indians south of here killed some miners a while back, also a rancher in Helena.
According to sources, in Montana alone, there's been a tally of 56 purebred white men killed by Indians.
There a tally for how many Indians are killed by white men? Where I'm from there sure as hell is.
Mrs.
Loving, I am here to make a case to the white men to keep the army out of Montana.
I am here to prevent the United States cavalry from killing every single Indian from here to kingdom come.
Robin.
Marshal Caleb Mecredi, Montana territory.
Pleased to meet you, ladies.
I am truly sorry for your losses.
Beads on your jacket.
Indian beads.
Half one, ma'am.
Half's enough.
Was Indians killed our men.
Remains to be proved.
Not to me.
I wouldn't trust you with my back turned, and none of you shouldn't neither.
Can you tell me about the massacre? What you saw? Some of the miners are leaving, despite being owed back wages.
They can't leave.
Give them whores in lieu of pay.
We ain't got enough whores.
You know, six only, and Constance.
Get out! Get out! Cribs are for whores! You don't whore Get out! You! Both of you, out! Get back to work.
No, I no longer work for you, captain.
God curse you and cut you down! No Can I help you? Are you in charge of those celestials? No, sir, I work the mine.
Them chinamen are the railway crew.
I wasn't aware there was a mine here.
how long it's taken to get it up to working.
Tell me what you know about this mine.
The working man's sense of things.
I'm an investor, I have questions, and you are the best man to make answer.
Well, first thing is, the payroll's late.
Hmm.
Today, we ask for a good kill, a big animal.
Spirit's with us, we bring him back and feed the camp.
Look at 'em.
Christ.
Well, they won't go.
Say they've got nowhere to go.
Place like this is as good as any.
What's to be done with 'em, Captain? Where are they to go? Did you not suck the milk of human kindness from your ma's breast, man? - Get away from me.
- I'll not.
I'll haunt you till 'cause you're a devil brought to earth.
I'll haunt you till you gibber and crack! Get back to hell where we came from.
Cornelius.
Father.
Let me get our big baby boy.
Look at you, John, a regular frontiersman.
Mr.
Caze! Mr.
Caze was kind enough to fill me in.
He tells me there's a mine, and miners short on pay.
You're emptying my pockets.
The mine belongs to me.
- I sunk it.
- You're skimming.
You may examine the ledgers.
Which will show what you want them to.
Despite that, you have made a fine boy.
A grandson.
This is Cornelius Slotter II.
In a long and legendary line.
Hello, little man.
Payroll isn't here.
Mark I will want assurances before they are given.
Come.
Wasn't me that asked for a ride, Captain.
I'm here about pay for the men.
Well, there's whores in the cribs.
You tell your men no charge till their pay comes.
Arrange it with Jared.
I'm not here about whoring.
I'm here to tell you, you pay us Or we move on.
Now, that is a very pretty dress.
It's a wedding gift from John.
I have something better.
I should like to see you wearing nothing but that collar.
I am married to your son now.
His very wife.
And respectable? Mrs.
Slotter, I am sorely disappointed.
Time was you would have jumped up and down for such as this.
My apologies.
A man's present for a whore, that.
Your son knows he married a whore.
He did it to spite me.
He took me out of love.
Are you sure? John! Get in here! I will see that mine of yours now! I'm told three men tried to get this mine to running, and you the fool fourth.
Railroad is the new business.
Government money, grants of land, And you cheating everyone of it, just like in the war.
What is your position with the mine? We'll have the coal seams surveyed and the tunnels in soon.
Mine's costly without transport.
Give us two months, and the income from the mine will pay back the railway-building.
But you are presently short of cash, so your foreman says.
And men below muttering about pay.
I'm not financing your mine, John.
I'm building my railroad.
He came upon me as I was returning.
Attacked you? Yes, and I put the scalpel in the artery here.
Rebecca! He lost his blood very quickly.
He died, and you have no sense he's dead, and you're the cause of it? I have the sense of this artery.
Large and close to the surface Oh, my God.
It is an observation from life, for science.
Mr.
Caze? This is the gentleman buried him.
Your wife then spoke of her misfortune? Man's name was Charlie Grout.
He used to work for Captain Slotter.
There's any judge and God on high would forgive the killing, and I won't mention a word of it.
I thank you for that.
It's my anatomy lesson.
That is the great artery where I cut.
Rebecca! We'll get you a tent up, sir.
Thank you again, Mr.
Caze.
Mr.
Caze! I've fry bread for you if you've an appetite.
Well, ma'am, I haven't seen heaven yet, but I am sure it looks just like this.
Oh.
Thank you.
You tell me where to purchase supplies, there'll be a bakery in Janestown Camp.
I'm afraid the Captain's got that locked up.
All the supply goes through him.
I know what was done to you, Georgie.
I will have an eye for an eye, and you avenged.
Be some game in your woods, John? Big enough to turn on a spit and fire? I found one.
That's it.
Put it in the pouch.
There's a stream catches up to a river runs south of here.
We'll fish there for a while, come back.
Maybe by then, this trap will have caught.
Was Jeremiah's horse you found yesterday? Yes.
And no sign of him? We're sorry for you, is all.
Sorry.
I've looked everywhere I can for him.
I have to have faith that he'll find me.
Four-legged game.
Quickly.
Stay here, and stay down.
When it's clear, circle back around to the camp.
I'll lead them off you.
Now, who goddamit is shooting at us? Who the hell are you shooting at me? Mrs.
Loving! No! No! Jesus Christ.
She's not even wearing a gun belt.
Wasn't her did the shooting.
It's murder what you did.
There's no sheriff here.
No one but you to see it.
Leave her be.
If someone comes looking, she'll stay hid.
You don't want her found fresh.
Boy! You wait on me, goddammit! I'm sorry.
I'm sorry Neill! Neill.
Georgie He's dead.
You're okay.
You're with us again.
What are you doing up here? Seems you've been accused of murder.
Has he? My son? You've got no business in this Canada.
Full dozen killed and more, my side of the border.
By Indians.
I was inquiring of your men.
I know most Indians who pass through hereabouts.
Know their languages and habits, and, well, this group so murderous, seems to have come and gone so fast as to not have been there at all.
There is some suggestion that your part in this was to rid these good, God-fearing women of their men and set them to whoring.
Well, I would have to be a genius or a madman to work such evil.
You've been accused, Captain.
Accused by whom? I would not endanger a witness.
Marshal's got no truck here.
You watch your back south, mind.
We are the same breed, after all.
Your unpaid miners gave those women there their loan of the tents.
What of it? Community goddamn spirit, that.
You're not careful, you'll have the start of a union.
But you have brought the payroll, Cornelius.
You said you have.
I have indeed.
Then give it to me.
They're railway payrolls.
I could arrange a loan to you for your mine.
Were I to do that, I would need assurance that there is no threat here of community or union.
All right.
Jared! Out! All of you, out! Get out! We'll get When we've been paid.
Payroll's tomorrow.
You get out now, or you're cut off.
Listen up! New rules! You shall not stand on Janestown Road! You shall not draw water from my pump! Any man or woman caught crossing this line shall be shot dead! Your mine's sunk all the way to damnation, John Slotter.
Railway's headed the same place.
I'll not be part of it.
Stand back.
Give him room.
He's alive.
Were you just playing dead, or are you some spirit resurrected? He needs shelter.
Get his leg.
Get his leg.
I'll get water.
From his goddamn well.
Know what's going to happen when that old preacher dies? Miner will see it as a sign.
A sign Of what? Of something.
Either good or bad, up to you.
You can set things right and fair, Cornelius.
Pay the men.
It's your grandson here, he's asking you for his daddy's sake.
I suppose I could loan you the money, John.
I don't, they'll burn this house down, and you set to join the legions of the failed men gone before you.
And what are your terms? Majority share is mine.
No.
Majority belongs to me.
That is my offer and final.
Take it or leave it.
Hell with you.
There he is.
My boy Well, Isabelle, there's a piano.
You could sing to us.
I haven't the inclination.
What are we to do, then? And who are you now? Miss Mary Collacutt.
Sleep, my child and peace attend thee - all through the night - Pretty little whore.
All that's left.
There's a wagon due tomorrow, provisions on it, flour, sugar and such.
Enough for you to get your business started, Mrs.
Briggs.
Keep the women and children fed.
A wagon? Whoa Afternoon, ladies.
Out for the weather? Gentlemen.
Surrender your wagon and there will be no trouble.
That's our partner up there, sniping you.
You will take off your gunbelts and get down from the wagon.
Your britches, too, gentlemen.
Take them off and be quick about it.
Best find some shade now.
We'll leave your gear up the trail so's you're not helpless.
Hiya! He's dead.
No, his heart beats still.
I have my hand upon it.
It's faint, barely there, but But it beats.
If I had electricity, I am certain it could be startled.
- Stop.
- No.
No, Thomas.
I delivered a child from flesh with no birth.
They both lived.
I did it myself, and this, this I can do, too.
I know Stop it! You are not God! He's passed.
Don't speak of it yet.
If you do, there'll be blood.
He is still with us.
Pray for him.
Old Jamie Wash me clear and clean of my sins.
Isabelle Isabelle! John? John It's okay.
It's over.
- I'm here.
- It's over.
Shh, it's not over, I'm here.
Shh I am to burn in hell.
Burn in hell Shh Shh Is he bedded? Yes.
So, how goes the great romance between you and my son? Hmm, he's looking too well for you, I suppose.
Hale and hearty, and standing on his own two feet.
And filling you up with child.
I would have done it for you.
I could have, but you didn't take.
Can you imagine being my wife? I was your whore.
I don't imagine being your wife would be much different.
He can't afford that mine and you haven't the investors.
He will not suffer your terms.
Give me three months payroll, and I'll sign a note and I'll repay it myself.
And what is your surety? Flour for a month, sugar and cake.
It's something, that cake.
That Logan's right.
Could be a place, this, a stop on a line.
A place we could live in, make our lives.
That's right.
Miner's pay.
Not a moment too soon, either.
I'll get the bread and the wine.
Be a regular catholic mass for Jamie.
Stay a bit.
We'll be up.
Do you think I'm a savage, Mrs.
Loving? Why should I think that? Because I should like to look into those bodies.
Look because of the secrets they hold, the science in them.
I am no believer but in nature.
Would you walk with us? Jamie's at peace, ma'am.
And he's promising peace for us, too.