The Black Dakotas (1954) Movie Script
1
(EXPLOSION)
(PEOPLE SHOUTING)
(EXPLOSION)
Well, we're near
the end of our journey.
Mr. Marsh, our enforced association
has been most agreeable.
For me, it's been a distinct
pleasure, Mr. Paige.
Hard to believe that 2,000 miles
from this peaceful territory,
an unfortunate war is rending
our beloved nation in two.
Yes, we can be thankful that the differences
between the North and the South
haven't yet touched
the Dakota territory.
Those horsemen are chasing us.
- I haven't even got a gun, have you?
- No.
(GUNS FIRING)
Hurry, man! Hurry!
(GUNS CONTINUE FIRING)
Whoa!
Get out, both of you.
Well, sir, I suppose
you intend to rob us.
You may as well do likewise
and perhaps we can
get on with our journey.
Keep your money, sir.
We're only interested
in your dispatch case.
There's nothing in it of value,
only some unimportant papers.
Signed by
Mr. Lincoln?
Why, yes.
And they're not
important, Mr. Paige?
You know my name?
And that of your
travelling companion.
Brock Marsh, I believe.
John Lawrence?
Right.
Most happy to welcome you, sir.
Proud to know you. I've looked
forward to this moment.
These are our friends.
Warren, Stone, Gibbs.
Howdy.
Mr. Paige, your
dispatch case, please.
This is an outrage.
I represent the President.
I am in the employ
of the government,
empowered to make treaty
with the Sioux Indians.
We knew that before
you left Washington.
We even know about the gold that's
following you in a few days.
That gold is a peace
offering to the Sioux tribe,
from President Abraham Lincoln.
We think it will serve a
more worthwhile purpose
in the treasury of
President Jefferson Davis.
I take it I'm dealing
with traitors.
Traitors, rebels.
Whatever you Yankees
choose to call us.
We serve the government
of the Confederacy.
Mr. Marsh, these papers will
give you all the identification
that you need in town.
A letter of introduction
to Judge Baker. Everything.
You mean you are going
to masquerade as me?
To the best of my ability.
You see, I'm as much as a stranger
in this territory as you.
Then, what's to
become of me, sir?
You will be kept safe
in a place we know of
until this business is over.
Just a matter of days.
He mustn't escape, sir.
We have too much at stake.
You have nothing to worry about.
Warren, you'll be in charge
until we meet tonight.
I'll go on ahead.
I have a stop to make with
some of our Indian friends.
But I hope to be
in town when you arrive.
And you'd better remember
your new name.
Zachary Paige. It's my neck
in a rope if I forget.
And remember, too,
no matter what happens,
we're strangers to each other.
If you get into trouble,
I won't be able to help you.
It's up to you now.
Good luck.
Mr. Paige.
I don't care to
talk to you, sir.
Earlier today, I told you
that our journey together
had been a distinct
pleasure for me.
I lied.
- You see, I knew how it would end.
- Indeed.
- You had the advantage of me, sir.
- Yes.
I'm sorry.
But in war we have to do
many things we're sorry for.
What's this mean?
John left strict
instructions about this man.
He was perfectly safe with us.
He was not perfectly safe
as long as he was alive.
If I may say so,
neither was my neck.
Listen, Marsh, if you're only
worried about your neck...
I am.
My neck is most
important to our plan.
And nothing must stand
in the way of this plan.
Nothing.
Bury him.
(URGING HORSES)
(ALL CHATTERING)
What's the matter here?
Where's my driver?
Right in there.
What happened to him?
We were attacked by
a small band of Indians
about 20 miles out of town.
They came scrambling
out of the rock shooting.
We barely managed
to drive them off.
You did a good job.
- You the only passenger?
- Yes.
Your driver managed to
get in some good licks
before they got him.
They'll be storming
the town next.
No white man's life is
safe in Dakota anymore.
That's right.
There used to be soldiers
at the fort to protect us.
Now they're gone.
Can't even get an escort
for the stagecoach.
They're being put to better
use fighting rebels.
Well, I'd rather
they was fightin' Indians.
Drive the coach down
to Mr. Sherwood's, Charlie.
Tell him I'll pay
for Jim's funeral.
My name is Mike Daugherty.
I own the stage line.
Your name, sir?
Zachary Paige.
I'm here on a mission
from our President.
- From Mr. Lincoln?
- Yes.
I have a letter of introduction in
his own handwriting to Judge Baker.
I am Judge Baker.
How do you do, sir?
I have my credentials right
here from Mr. Lincoln.
Well, you see, friends?
My petition to the President
did carry some weight.
Sir, you are most welcome here.
And I extend my friendship
and full cooperation.
Thank you.
I'm gonna take quick advantage
of your offer, Judge.
I'd like an audience
with War Cloud,
the Sioux chief,
as soon as possible.
That can be arranged.
But those redskins are in
a scalping frame of mind.
I have authority to make any
treaty that'll satisfy them,
within reason, of course.
Uh, say now.
I'd be glad to take you out
to War Cloud, Mr. Paige.
Gimpy, I think Mike here
is the man for the job.
War Cloud has had
a warm feeling for him
ever since he learned to
speak the Sioux language.
You're elected, Mike.
War Cloud says he's the one man
in town whose word he'll take.
All right, I'll give it a try.
I can get you to him, but
understand, you can expect
anything except what you're looking
for while we're in Sioux territory.
You here to kowtow
to them, Mr. Paige?
You an Indian lover, too?
I'm here to extend
the hand of friendship.
Why don't you shut up, Grimes?
I'll shut up when I see soldiers
back here protecting us.
That's the kind of
friendship I want.
Judge, we caught us a traitor.
BAKER: Why, Marshal,
that's John Lawrence!
I'm surprised
as much as you are.
Caught him red-handed, about
10 miles out of town,
dickering with some Indians.
I always suspected Lawrence was
in sympathy with the rebels.
MAN 1: A traitor's a traitor.
MAN 2: Let's string him up!
(ALL AGREEING)
We don't string up anybody without a
trial while I'm Marshal of this town.
But you caught him in the act.
And that's enough!
We don't have to
wait for nothin' now.
Be a warning to some
others I ain't sure about.
MAN 3: Yeah. That's right.
(ALL AGREEING)
Just a minute!
You making the charge, Marshal?
Heard it all.
He and some renegade braves
were planning to kill War Cloud.
Then, they were going to take over
our town and the whole territory.
Haven't you anything to say
about it, Mr. Lawrence?
I don't think anything I'd
say would help me now, Mike.
You're right, nothin'
you'd say could help you.
He's going to get a fair trial.
All right, if we got
to have it legal,
let's get on with it, Judge.
- Right here.
- (ALL AGREEING)
It's as legal a place as any.
BOGGS: Well,
what are we waiting for?
(ALL AGREEING)
Not a very peaceful introduction
to our town for you, sir.
I'm very interested in
watching frontier justice.
We live in constant fear
of a Sioux uprising here.
We're forced to
use drastic methods
with men who attempt to inflame
the Indians against us.
GRIMES: There's only one cure
for a spy. The rope!
(ALL AGREEING)
Quiet, please. Quiet!
The United States District
Court's in session.
State your name.
John Lawrence.
Where were you born?
Richmond, Virginia.
But you always said
you were born in Boston.
I was born in
Richmond, Virginia.
John Lawrence, you've been
found guilty by a fair trial
of having plotted with the
Indians against the whites,
of spying for the South.
You've been sentenced to
death by due process of law.
Dad!
- As Marshal of this township, it is my duty to...
- Dad!
- Dad!
- Ruthie.
Dad, those fools,
those stupid fools.
Ruthie, you must
go away. Please.
Dad, tell them it isn't true.
Tell them you're not a spy.
It's useless.
I only did for the South
what any one of them
would do for the North.
Hang her, too, Marshal.
She's just as guilty as he is.
(ALL AGREEING)
Ruthie, I want you to leave now.
Mike, you can't let her see this.
Get her out of here.
Ruthie, you'd better
come along with me.
Mike, you didn't do anything?
He tried his best. There
was nothing he could do.
- Judge Baker was...
- (DISDAINFULLY) Judge Baker.
He gave your father
a fair trial.
Yes, I can see how fair it was.
Right here in the
middle of the street.
Why, it's no better than murder.
Murderers, that's what
you all are. Murderers!
If this is the way
the North fights the war,
then I hate the North.
And if my father loves the
South enough to die for it,
then I love it, too.
Don't you want to
sentence me, Judge Baker?
Why don't you put a rope
around my neck, too?
That's enough, Ruth.
You've got to get...
Mike, get her out of here now.
Come on.
You men responsible for murdering
my father will pay for it.
What are we waiting for?
Let's hang the dirty spy!
(ALL AGREEING)
You can stop this hanging.
You can tell 'em it's a matter
for the Federal government.
I can't interfere.
Do you have anything
you want to say?
I do not regret anything
that I've done.
Except that I've brought
unhappiness on my daughter.
She knew nothing
of my activities
for the South, that I swear.
(ALL SHOUTING)
(ALL CHEERING)
Oh, Mike, how could they?
How could they?
War causes terrible things
on both sides, honey.
We'll go away from this town,
where you can forget about
what happened today.
No, I won't.
I won't give them
that satisfaction.
Ruth, you can't stay here now.
I will.
They're not going to
drive me away.
You'll never be able
to stay around here
after what happened today.
Look, you know what
I've always hoped for.
I could start a stage
line somewhere else.
But, Mike, you mustn't
leave your business here.
Then you're not going to
fight this town alone.
What do you mean?
It's going to be
you and me, honey,
against the whole world,
from now on.
Oh, yes, Mike.
Always. Always.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I'd like a word with you, Mike.
Hasn't there been enough said
and done around here today?
Now, now, Mike, that was
a very sorrowful affair,
but one we couldn't help.
I know you're close to the family,
but the tragedies of war...
Do I have permission
of the Court
to give Mr. Lawrence
a decent burial?
I will personally see to it that his
body is adequately taken care of.
More than adequately.
Now, about Mr. Paige and what
we promised to do for him,
with respect to the Indians.
Won't tomorrow do?
I'd like to see War Cloud
as soon as possible.
I consider it very important
that we lend Mr. Paige
every assistance.
We never know when those savages
might break loose and turn on us.
All right, if you insist.
We'll go this afternoon.
First, I'm going to
take Ruth home.
Oh, well, yes.
Yes, of course.
That girl made a lot
of enemies today.
She needs your
protection, my boy.
You take her home first.
What do you want?
GRIMES: That girl. We're going
to run her out of town.
We don't want any Southern
spies around here.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
- I didn't expect...
- You weren't expecting me at all.
No. No, I wasn't.
I don't think I've had the
pleasure of knowing your name.
No? But I got the pleasure
of knowing yours.
Mr. Marsh.
I think you must have
made a mistake.
The name is...
Marsh.
Brock Marsh.
I've know'd it ever since
you told that story
about the Indians
holding up the stagecoach.
You see, I know'd that was the
story you was going to tell.
If something had gone wrong
and the real Paige
had come into town,
he'd naturally have told who
really held up the stage.
Who are you?
Joe Woods. "Gimpy" Joe
Woods, they call me.
Everybody knows me here in town.
What they don't know is,
I was John Lawrence's
right-hand man.
- Well...
- I can be a lot of use to you, Marsh.
The first use you can be to me
is never use that name again.
The name is Paige.
Zachary Paige.
Ah, I'll remember,
Mr. Paige.
John Lawrence never
told me about you.
He'd 'a told you about me.
We'd 'a met.
You sure didn't do much to
try and stop that hanging.
You might have taken a chance.
Take a chance!
And maybe ruin the job
I came here to do.
That would have been
a brilliant move.
Ah, too bad.
Too bad. John was
a good friend to me.
- If you'd 'a known him like I did...
- Look.
He went into it with his
eyes wide open, didn't he?
He got caught. We mustn't.
That's all.
This deal we're going
to offer the Sioux...
We promise them everything, huh?
I'm going to give them
more promises
than Abe Lincoln
ever dreamed of.
And we're not going
to keep one of them.
And after we're gone, they'll
attack the whole town.
- Say now, I've got some ideas on that...
- I don't need them.
Just do as I say, and
we'll get along fine.
Now, wait a minute. John
Lawrence had a plan for this.
If you don't run it his
way, there'll be trouble.
Trouble?
Not from me.
And not from you.
Remember, we're all
in this together.
We're working for one cause.
All right. All right,
you're the boss.
But don't you outsmart yourself.
You remember, you ain't
worth a tinker's dam
to the Confederacy dead.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(KNOCKING CONTINUES)
Just a minute.
Horses are saddled and waiting.
Good.
I hope War Cloud
will be glad to see us.
He'll meet any treaty terms
you've brought, if they're fair.
Well, they're more than fair.
Does he have complete
control of his tribe?
Well, War Cloud's chief.
There's a younger leader called
Black Buffalo who wants his job.
He's about the worst hater of
whites in the entire Sioux Nation.
How do you stand with him?
No white man stands very
high with Black Buffalo.
He was educated
by white men, too.
Can read and write,
but he hates them all.
Well, I'm hardly
dressed for riding,
but this'll have to do.
Your horse will
never know the difference.
No. No, but I will.
Miles seem to be getting longer.
We're about halfway.
(SIOUX SHOUTING)
War Cloud's reception committee?
No, that's a war cry.
Ride and shoot.
That's Black Buffalo's
renegades!
(FIRES GUN)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(GUNFIRE)
(SPEAKING NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
I'm on my way to talk
peace with War Cloud.
Why do his braves
try to kill me?
Sioux want no peace
with white man.
(ALL AGREEING)
Those papers are from the
President of the United States.
They'll prove to War Cloud
that what I say is true.
We take you to Black
Buffalo in Dry Canyon.
He know what papers say.
(BOTH SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
You have killed
Black Buffalo's brother.
- You will die for this today.
- What?
- (COMMANDS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
- I had nothing to do with it.
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
The Sioux have got
Zachary Paige!
Eight of Black Buffalo's
renegades
ambushed us on the
way to meet War Cloud.
They kill Paige?
No. They're taking him to
Black Buffalo in Dry Canyon.
Paige is Lincoln's man.
We're getting him back.
If they kill Paige,
we'll all be massacred.
- Where's the Marshal?
- I don't know. We can't wait.
Well, am I going alone?
- MEN: No.
- Come on.
These writings,
they make big promises.
We have had many big promises.
This time, they'll be kept.
As soon as your chief, War
Cloud, agrees to the treaty.
War Cloud is an old woman.
His blood is cold.
He'll let the white man
steal the Sioux hunting
grounds, kill our people.
(ALL AGREEING)
Today, this man has
killed my brother.
No, no, I didn't.
It is the same.
He is dead.
The white man talks of peace,
but they come here and kill.
We kill, too.
(COMMANDS IN
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
These lies on paper
will start the fire.
If you kill me, it'll
bring the soldiers back.
What can they find?
Only ashes.
The white man and the red man
can live in peace together.
You have never tried for peace.
Always you fight us.
War Cloud would believe me.
Yes, he would believe you.
That is why
he must not meet you.
He is not good for the Sioux.
Soon he will die.
I will be chief.
(SPEAKING NATIVE-AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
Black Buffalo is
great Indian coward.
Black Buffalo is Chief Coward.
All Indians are cowards.
(SIOUX EXCLAIMING ANGRILY)
It's easy to be brave when you have
me tied and I can't fight back.
When you kill like this,
without giving me a chance,
the Great Spirit above
will call you cowards.
He will not welcome you.
Cowards never go to the Happy
Hunting Ground when they die.
Only brave warriors.
(BOTH SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
No Indian is coward.
Indian warrior is brave.
You will have good chance
to save your life.
(COMMANDS IN
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
You'll give me a fast horse
and a running start?
No. No horse.
But you will have good chance
to save your life from fire.
If Spotted Deer
light fire, you burn.
If not, you go free.
What do I use to stop him with?
This.
You asked for chance.
You have it.
(EXCLAIMS)
I won. You've got
to let me go!
You lost.
The fire is burning.
He didn't light it.
He's dead.
The fire is burning.
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
(GUNSHOT)
(SPEAKING NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
It would be very easy for me
to have these men kill you
as you wanted to kill me.
But I do not lie about promises.
The Great White Father
loves his Indian brothers.
He does not want to kill.
Let these men get on their
ponies and go free.
Let 'em go free?
After we caught 'em in cold-blooded
torture. They need killing.
If we kill them,
it may mean war.
What I'm trying to do
is keep the peace.
MIKE: Mr. Paige
is right.
Keeping the Indians at peace
is the most important thing.
Let them go back to War Cloud
and tell him what happened.
That'll show our sincerity and
may help me with the treaty.
Return to War Cloud and tell
him I've spared your lives,
and that I'll have council with him
tomorrow when the sun is high.
(SPEAKS NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
All right, men,
let's put out this fire.
GIMPY: Paige.
Are you crazy?
We don't want them Indians
to stay peaceful.
Yes, we do. Till
we get that gold.
Here's your gun,
Mr. Paige.
Black Buffalo won't need it.
Well, I guess I've got a lot
to thank you for, Mike.
Well, the luck was
with both of us.
Otherwise, you'd be an angel by now.
Or something.
Either that or a cinder.
MARSHAL: Take him into the
room back of my office, boys.
Who is it, Whit?
Who is it?
I don't know. Some
easterner, I guess,
judgin' from his clothes.
An easterner?
We haven't had any easterners
around here in a month.
Except Zachary Paige.
This man was just killed today.
Bullet in his heart.
You don't say. Murder.
Well, how'd you know about it?
Where'd you find him?
He was buried
in a shallow grave,
not far from the stage line.
Coyotes had dug him up.
One of the Tatum boys saw
buzzards droppin' down
and he told me about it.
Oh, say, if you see
this Mr. Paige,
will you tell him I want
to have a talk with him?
Sure thing, Whit.
If he gets back.
BOGGS: I say she ought to
get out of town,
and stay out for good.
Just try and make me
get out of town.
Well, we don't have to
take that kind of talk.
Not from the daughter
of no Southern spy.
Just one more step,
Mr. Grimes.
Ah, that's enough of that.
Now, look out, Marshal.
She don't like you none.
That's right, Marshal,
I don't like you.
Nor you, Judge Baker.
And if either of you tell me that
I can't walk on the sidewalk,
that I can't even
buy food in this town...
No, no, my dear.
Nothing of the kind.
You buy anything you want.
Ruth, for your own good, you
ought to stay out of town
until things cool off.
I'll come into town just
as often as I want to.
And I'll advise you not
to try and stop me.
Because next time I have either
of you in my gun sights,
I may not be able
to resist the temptation.
(EXCLAIMS) For a minute, I thought she
was going to let both of you have it.
Well, I must say, my introduction
to your Indian problem out here
was a pretty rough one.
If it hadn't been for Mike, Gimpy
Joe, and the rest of these men,
my mission would have been
ended right now. So would I.
I wonder if I could have a little
talk with you in my office.
Certainly.
What's it about?
Well, it's about a man
whose body we found
about 20 miles from town.
An easterner.
Well, I don't know whether I'll
be able to help you, Marshal,
but I'll try.
All right if I buy these
boys a drink first?
I think you better
come inside now.
Very well.
Go ahead, boys. I'll
join you in a minute.
Well, after you, Marshal.
You ever see him before?
Never.
There are a few questions
I want to ask you, Mr. Paige.
Somebody's committed
a murder in my territory,
and it's my job
to find the murderer.
It's just possible
that you can help me.
Well, I don't know how, Marshal,
but if I can, I will.
Good.
Now, as I said,
the man's an easterner.
About the only way a man can
get here, short of riding,
and he wasn't dressed for that,
is on the stagecoach.
I can assure you he wasn't
on it with me this morning,
if that's what you mean.
You were the only passenger?
That's right.
I know it's only
my unsupported word,
if the driver
hadn't been killed...
How many Indians
attacked the stage?
Seven or eight.
Armed with rifles?
Rifles, bows and arrows.
Oh, and I think a couple
of them had pistols.
Yeah. I guess they did.
Jim, the driver,
has a .45 bullet in him.
So does this fella.
Do you carry
a gun, Mr. Paige?
No. Well, that is,
not usually. Sometimes.
- MARSHAL: Do you have it now?
- No.
You didn't carry it when you
went into the Indian country?
Well, I had it with me, but I
was captured by Black Buffalo,
who took it away from me.
Well, you've had
quite a day, Mr. Paige.
Twice almost killed by Indians.
(CHUCKLES)
I guess maybe I ought to let
you have that drink now.
Thanks, Marshal.
I could use it.
BAKER: Marshal,
look here.
This label here, seems
to be a name on it.
I can't quite read it.
My eyes are not
what they used to be.
"Tailored by
"Stuyvesant Brothers,"
"Washington, D.C.,"
"for Zachary Paige!"
Did you see him?
See who?
Whoever it was who shot
through that window.
We were just leavin' to come over
and join you boys for a drink.
Naturally, I pulled my gun.
It hasn't been fired though.
Here, take a look.
And the judge is dead.
Looks like the Marshal is, too.
(MARSHAL GROANS)
No, he isn't.
Who was it, Marshal?
Did you see?
(MUMBLING)
(INDISTINCT)
What are you tryin'
to tell us, Marshal?
He's dead.
Yeah, and the murderer's getting
further away every minute.
And I know who she is.
Who she is?
Ruth Lawrence threatened both
the Marshal and the Judge again
just a few minutes ago!
- We all heard her.
- (MEN AGREEING)
And she was carrying a rifle.
She almost shot 'em down.
She told 'em she'd get even.
Well, it's all plain as day.
This is why she'd
come back to town.
Said she wanted to get
'em in her gun sights.
Well, she done it, all right.
We'd better pay a call on her.
And take a rope.
(ALL CLAMORING)
Try to hold 'em here.
And give me a chance to get to
Ruth ahead of these maniacs.
(MEN CHATTERING)
GRIMES: All right,
get your horses.
Wait! Wait!
You can't take the law
into your own hands.
We gotta. The Marshal's
dead, and so is the Judge.
This time, we gotta
do it ourselves.
We know what to do now.
BOGGS: Hey, look! Mike's
cut all the saddles loose.
Hello. Mr. Paige?
Yes.
Yeah, my name's Sherwood.
They told me
I'd better look in here.
I'm the undertaker.
Oh. Oh, I see.
Yeah, it's too bad
about these killings.
They were fine men,
Marshal Collins and Judge Baker.
Yes. Yes. Splendid.
Mike.
Ruth, get back on your horse.
We've got to get
out of here in a hurry.
Why? What are you
talking about?
There's a wild mob
coming after you.
After me? What's the
matter with you, Mike?
- They're coming here to hang you.
- Hang me?
- For shooting Judge Baker and the Marshal.
- What?
- Come on, Ruth. We've got to get out of here.
- No.
GIMPY: Wait a minute.
She didn't shoot those men.
I did.
- You, Gimpy?
- Yeah.
But why?
Because they found out...
Never mind.
I had a good reason.
MIKE: Was it a good reason why you had
to lay down a trail straight to Ruth?
I didn't. I come
the long way around
just so no one
would follow me here.
Why'd you have to
come here at all?
Because I had to.
Let's just leave it at that.
We'll leave nothing at that.
Ruth made threats,
everybody heard them.
Everybody back there believes
she did the shooting.
Well, I know she didn't.
And that's what you're going to
tell them when they get here.
I ain't going to
tell anybody anything,
and you're both...
(GROANS)
I'm sorry, Ruth.
I had to come here.
Your father had
a meeting planned.
A meeting?
We gotta make a run for it.
There's no reason
for me to run away.
There sure is. Look, Ruthie,
you got to trust me,
just like you would your father.
I can't leave you here now.
Mike, he knows too much
for me to leave him here.
Load him on that horse.
Now, don't worry. We'll
take good care of you.
We got a good place to hide.
Nobody here.
(HORSE WHINNYING
IN DISTANCE)
(HORSES RETREATING)
You hear that?
Somebody's riding away.
After them!
Listen, Mike, if you want to
help Ruthie, you keep quiet.
All right. Take them
on to the cave.
You wanna ride the rest
of the way sitting up?
Be easier on the horse.
Look, Ruth, these men are all
friends of your father's.
You go with them. I'll
see you later tonight.
- But, Gimpy...
- Just keep trustin' me, will ya?
What do you have against doors?
This is a small town.
If nobody knows I'm talkin' to
you in the middle of the night,
nobody's gonna ask questions.
Well, I've been waiting for you.
What are we going to do about
that meeting John Lawrence
planned for tonight?
There ain't gonna be no meeting.
After what happened today,
I have to take you out to War Cloud's
camp tomorrow morning myself.
That's what I come to tell you.
You're lucky I'm here.
I'm lucky I'm not in
jail right now, or dead.
The only reason
I'm here is because
somebody killed the Marshal and
Judge Baker this afternoon.
I know.
I killed them.
You?
Well, somebody had to.
You sure brought a lot
of trouble with you.
What do you mean?
If you hadn't killed
Paige against orders,
they'd never have
found his body.
And I wouldn't have had to kill
the Marshal and the Judge.
Ruthie wouldn't have
been almost lynched.
Well, it was unfortunate
about finding the body.
But I could blame your men for
not burying it deep enough.
Well, what's done is done.
Yeah, can't fight about it now.
You better be ready
early in the morning.
It's a long ride
out to War Cloud's camp.
Frankly, I've had
my fill of Indians.
Yeah, well, so have a lot of us.
But this is one part of the
plan that only you can finish.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Well, thanks, Gimpy, for keeping
an eye on me this afternoon.
All right. We got to
protect each other.
All the way.
(DRUMS BEATING)
I come from President
Lincoln to talk of peace.
The Sioux want peace.
But he is tired of
lies and promises.
My people put on their war paint
and will await my word
to drive the white man from
the Sioux hunting ground.
Look.
My people are eager
for the war path.
They are not afraid.
The Sioux warriors are
many and well-armed.
But the United States army
is many times larger.
Your army is fighting
a war far away.
You have no soldiers here.
Now is the time we take back the
land you steal from the Sioux.
Yesterday, you tell
me the same lies.
Yesterday, when I was coming
here, you tried to kill me.
You enemy of Sioux.
You talk crooked.
(SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
We will listen.
Yesterday, I was captured on my
way to this Council meeting.
I was carrying a peace treaty.
Black Buffalo destroyed it.
Only the arrival of my
friends saved me from death.
I could have had
Black Buffalo killed.
He can tell you this.
But I did not,
because my mission is one of
peace to the Sioux nation.
Black Buffalo did wrong.
I can read.
The treaty told of lies.
It made sacred promises.
How will War Cloud know
of promises in treaty
if it is destroyed?
The paper I carried yesterday
was only an unsigned copy
of the treaty for study by you.
Today, I have brought
the original treaty,
already signed by the President
of the United States.
It guarantees new hunting
and trapping grounds.
It promises the Sioux
these lands forever,
and that white settlers will be
kept off of them by our army.
And within a few days,
there will arrive
President Lincoln's
peace offering
of $100,000 in gold.
This will buy food
for your people,
warm clothing for winter,
strong medicine for the sick,
and make the Sioux tribe
rich and very powerful.
You say Sioux
will get new lands.
You say Sioux will get gold.
War Cloud says, when?
BLACK BUFFALO: If white man lies,
we burn your town, kill everyone.
Young braves will rise
across the whole frontier.
They will drive enemies back
to the far banks
of the Missouri.
Black Buffalo talks much.
But I am Chief.
If gold comes
three sunsets from now,
War Cloud will agree
and put his mark on treaty.
And all Sioux
will keep the peace.
I have spoken.
I leave you this treaty
until three suns have set.
It is the Great
White Father's promise.
Hey, you done all right.
Looks like we can't lose.
If the gold comes through
in time, we can't lose.
Mr. Lincoln's 100,000.
Boy, it'll buy a lot of beans
and bullets for the South.
It will be put to very good use.
Very.
(GUN COCKING)
I'm sure glad we're not long
for this part of the country.
I miss that good, old
Southern cookin'.
So do I.
That stage with the money on it
is just about due, isn't it?
- GIBBS: I think before morning.
- What do you make of all that?
It's plain they're planning
to rob my stagecoach,
but it isn't just the gold they're
after, it's something else.
I'll see what I can find out.
Coffee, Ruth?
Yes, please.
Frank, you were always a
good friend of my father's.
All of us worked
very close with him.
I loved him very much.
Folks here called him a spy.
Back home we call him a patriot.
But this waiting
for the stagecoach,
that's like plain robbery.
I can't believe that's
what he wanted.
Well, it's simple.
The South needs the gold
more than the Sioux.
It'll feed plenty of
hungry soldiers,
get shoes for them,
bullets, maybe victory.
Your father made a vow.
I think he'd like to know that
you helped keep it for him.
I'd do anything for my father.
(HORSE NEIGHING)
(WHISTLING)
Too bad you got here
late for supper.
We had roasted hog.
Yeah, that's my favorite eatin'.
Sorry we missed it.
Well, tonight's
the night that counts.
Any word yet about the gold?
Warren's down on the road
waitin' for word now.
Mr. Paige.
I'm sure you're surprised to
see me here, Miss Lawrence.
Well, this is too hard
to grasp all at once.
I thought you came
from President Lincoln.
No, I was detailed here at
the request of your father.
Ruthie, this is Brock
Marsh from Richmond.
Richmond?
But you talk like a northerner.
Well, I've had
a lot of practice.
So, it was you who shot
the real Zachary Paige?
Yes, and he died
like a good soldier.
Like so many do on our side.
But I don't understand. Why did
you have to take his place?
Wouldn't he have done what
you're doing with the Indians?
Up to a certain point, yes.
Whatever promises he made he would
have kept, and that's the difference.
We won't keep any of them.
You're going to double-cross
the Sioux in everything?
In everything.
We're fightin' a war.
There are some things you
stop at, even in war.
Those Indians will
start a massacre.
The idea in fightin'
a war is to win it.
Miss Lawrence, this was
your father's plan and,
well, we'd like to
have you with us, too.
Don't be against
what he believed in
just because of
the people in this town.
They haven't been
very nice to you.
No, they haven't.
Well, then, we can...
We can count on you?
Yes, you can count on me.
- I don't want to stay here any longer.
- Good.
Ruth, you're being a fool.
You don't understand, Mike.
Do you?
Yes, I understand
everything now.
(HORSE APPROACHING)
Someone's comin' up the trail!
It's Warren.
Did you find out?
Yes.
The stage carryin' the gold is
about three hours behind me.
It's bein' escorted by four
militia men from the fort.
Three hours, huh?
Well, we'll be ready. Where
are we goin' to stop them?
The road makes a sharp
turn at Elephant Rock.
Here.
Now, when the coach
hits that turn there,
it'll have to slow down.
We can catch them in a
crossfire, right there.
Right, Gimpy.
We'll split up.
You and Burke and Stone
go on ahead.
- Warren and Frank will come with me.
- All right.
Let me get a cup
of coffee first.
I've had a long ride.
All right.
Gee, that smells real good.
- Here, have this.
- Thanks.
Well, to success.
The next three hours are
goin' to seem more like ten.
Mmm, that's real good coffee.
How about some Southern
hospitality for the Yank?
Cup of coffee, Yank?
I don't think he likes you.
You better let
Miss Lawrence take it.
I don't want it!
RUTH: Why you ungrateful,
selfish, you...
You... You'll wait
for the day
before I'll even bring you
a drink of water.
I'm glad I'm through
with the North
and everybody I ever met here.
- He don't like her either.
- (ALL LAUGHING)
(WHISPERING)
You've got to get help.
That gold must get
to the Indians.
(EXCLAIMS)
(GUN FIRING)
WARREN: He took my horse!
(GUNFIRE)
(HORSE WHINNYING)
Warren, you go that way!
(GUNSHOT)
He's dead.
Mike shot him.
In the back?
He's probably hidin'
in the rocks.
- But he didn't have a gun.
- Sure he did.
There was a rifle in the
saddle boot of the horse.
- WARREN: Of the horse Mike took?
- Yeah.
No, there wasn't.
That was my horse he grabbed,
and I never carry a rifle.
I depend on this.
I haven't liked you since
you shot Zachary Paige.
Now just what are
your plans, Marsh?
You aimin' to kill
the rest of us?
Now wait a minute, Warren.
You're in on this, too.
You've been in all along.
I never had a chance to tell
you before this happened.
That's why I sent
the others on ahead.
We got a good deal here.
What deal?
The South can't win the
war, you know that.
We'll take the 100,000
and split it, even.
And get rid of the others?
Sure, we can do it.
You double crossin',
betrayin', sneakin' coward.
And you call yourself
a Southerner.
No deal, Mr. Traitor.
We're takin' that gold
straight to Jefferson Davis.
But we're not
takin' you any place.
Mike, are you hurt?
- I just took a bad fall. I'll be all right.
- I heard shooting.
- Marsh killed Warren and Frank.
- What?
He's been a traitor
to both sides.
He's going to take
that money for himself.
I've got to get help, Ruth.
You won't have time. It's too
late to go into town now.
I'll get help.
Come on!
Ah, too bad Frank
and Warren ain't with us.
And all because we didn't shoot
that Yankee when we had him.
Here they come.
Burke, you and Stone
get over behind that rock,
pick off the two soldiers
on the far side.
Gimpy and I'll stay here and
take care of the others.
Don't open fire till we do.
Gimpy, when they hit the bend,
you pick off the driver and I'll take
care of the two soldiers on this side.
DRIVER: Get up there!
Get up!
I guess that's it.
Burke!
Stone!
Guess we're all that's left.
Let's get the gold.
Here it is.
- $100,000.
- Yeah, I believe you.
I just ain't got
the time to count it.
Let's load it in the saddlebags.
Here.
RUTH: Get your hands up.
Nobody's gonna get that
gold but the Indians.
- Don't be a little fool.
- Don't you move and be a big one.
Ruthie, you can't stop us now.
We're gonna stay right here
until Mike brings help.
But that'll spoil everything.
After all we've been
through to get this gold.
For what? No good for the
South nor for the Indians.
Paige! Paige!
You're not gonna kill her.
We can tie her up and leave her.
All right, but make it quick.
- Mike will be here soon.
- Come on, Ruthie.
(GRUNTING)
You'll be all right
as soon as Mike comes.
Gimpy, listen to me.
He killed Frank and Warren
and he'll kill you, too.
She's right, Gimpy.
I did kill them,
and the gold goes
with me, alone.
(SIOUX SHOUTING)
(GASPING)
Friends, and once again
we are all friends,
this is a big day
for our little town.
Today, we approach a great
future for our territory.
We're going to grow and be a valued
member of these United States.
From now on, we're at
peace with the Indians.
Here is the gold
promised the Sioux,
and this is the original
treaty sent from Washington
and signed by President Lincoln.
All it needs now
is the signature
of War Cloud to make it law.
War Cloud will keep peace.
(ALL CHEERING)
War Cloud will make mark.
Karagarga@2014
(EXPLOSION)
(PEOPLE SHOUTING)
(EXPLOSION)
Well, we're near
the end of our journey.
Mr. Marsh, our enforced association
has been most agreeable.
For me, it's been a distinct
pleasure, Mr. Paige.
Hard to believe that 2,000 miles
from this peaceful territory,
an unfortunate war is rending
our beloved nation in two.
Yes, we can be thankful that the differences
between the North and the South
haven't yet touched
the Dakota territory.
Those horsemen are chasing us.
- I haven't even got a gun, have you?
- No.
(GUNS FIRING)
Hurry, man! Hurry!
(GUNS CONTINUE FIRING)
Whoa!
Get out, both of you.
Well, sir, I suppose
you intend to rob us.
You may as well do likewise
and perhaps we can
get on with our journey.
Keep your money, sir.
We're only interested
in your dispatch case.
There's nothing in it of value,
only some unimportant papers.
Signed by
Mr. Lincoln?
Why, yes.
And they're not
important, Mr. Paige?
You know my name?
And that of your
travelling companion.
Brock Marsh, I believe.
John Lawrence?
Right.
Most happy to welcome you, sir.
Proud to know you. I've looked
forward to this moment.
These are our friends.
Warren, Stone, Gibbs.
Howdy.
Mr. Paige, your
dispatch case, please.
This is an outrage.
I represent the President.
I am in the employ
of the government,
empowered to make treaty
with the Sioux Indians.
We knew that before
you left Washington.
We even know about the gold that's
following you in a few days.
That gold is a peace
offering to the Sioux tribe,
from President Abraham Lincoln.
We think it will serve a
more worthwhile purpose
in the treasury of
President Jefferson Davis.
I take it I'm dealing
with traitors.
Traitors, rebels.
Whatever you Yankees
choose to call us.
We serve the government
of the Confederacy.
Mr. Marsh, these papers will
give you all the identification
that you need in town.
A letter of introduction
to Judge Baker. Everything.
You mean you are going
to masquerade as me?
To the best of my ability.
You see, I'm as much as a stranger
in this territory as you.
Then, what's to
become of me, sir?
You will be kept safe
in a place we know of
until this business is over.
Just a matter of days.
He mustn't escape, sir.
We have too much at stake.
You have nothing to worry about.
Warren, you'll be in charge
until we meet tonight.
I'll go on ahead.
I have a stop to make with
some of our Indian friends.
But I hope to be
in town when you arrive.
And you'd better remember
your new name.
Zachary Paige. It's my neck
in a rope if I forget.
And remember, too,
no matter what happens,
we're strangers to each other.
If you get into trouble,
I won't be able to help you.
It's up to you now.
Good luck.
Mr. Paige.
I don't care to
talk to you, sir.
Earlier today, I told you
that our journey together
had been a distinct
pleasure for me.
I lied.
- You see, I knew how it would end.
- Indeed.
- You had the advantage of me, sir.
- Yes.
I'm sorry.
But in war we have to do
many things we're sorry for.
What's this mean?
John left strict
instructions about this man.
He was perfectly safe with us.
He was not perfectly safe
as long as he was alive.
If I may say so,
neither was my neck.
Listen, Marsh, if you're only
worried about your neck...
I am.
My neck is most
important to our plan.
And nothing must stand
in the way of this plan.
Nothing.
Bury him.
(URGING HORSES)
(ALL CHATTERING)
What's the matter here?
Where's my driver?
Right in there.
What happened to him?
We were attacked by
a small band of Indians
about 20 miles out of town.
They came scrambling
out of the rock shooting.
We barely managed
to drive them off.
You did a good job.
- You the only passenger?
- Yes.
Your driver managed to
get in some good licks
before they got him.
They'll be storming
the town next.
No white man's life is
safe in Dakota anymore.
That's right.
There used to be soldiers
at the fort to protect us.
Now they're gone.
Can't even get an escort
for the stagecoach.
They're being put to better
use fighting rebels.
Well, I'd rather
they was fightin' Indians.
Drive the coach down
to Mr. Sherwood's, Charlie.
Tell him I'll pay
for Jim's funeral.
My name is Mike Daugherty.
I own the stage line.
Your name, sir?
Zachary Paige.
I'm here on a mission
from our President.
- From Mr. Lincoln?
- Yes.
I have a letter of introduction in
his own handwriting to Judge Baker.
I am Judge Baker.
How do you do, sir?
I have my credentials right
here from Mr. Lincoln.
Well, you see, friends?
My petition to the President
did carry some weight.
Sir, you are most welcome here.
And I extend my friendship
and full cooperation.
Thank you.
I'm gonna take quick advantage
of your offer, Judge.
I'd like an audience
with War Cloud,
the Sioux chief,
as soon as possible.
That can be arranged.
But those redskins are in
a scalping frame of mind.
I have authority to make any
treaty that'll satisfy them,
within reason, of course.
Uh, say now.
I'd be glad to take you out
to War Cloud, Mr. Paige.
Gimpy, I think Mike here
is the man for the job.
War Cloud has had
a warm feeling for him
ever since he learned to
speak the Sioux language.
You're elected, Mike.
War Cloud says he's the one man
in town whose word he'll take.
All right, I'll give it a try.
I can get you to him, but
understand, you can expect
anything except what you're looking
for while we're in Sioux territory.
You here to kowtow
to them, Mr. Paige?
You an Indian lover, too?
I'm here to extend
the hand of friendship.
Why don't you shut up, Grimes?
I'll shut up when I see soldiers
back here protecting us.
That's the kind of
friendship I want.
Judge, we caught us a traitor.
BAKER: Why, Marshal,
that's John Lawrence!
I'm surprised
as much as you are.
Caught him red-handed, about
10 miles out of town,
dickering with some Indians.
I always suspected Lawrence was
in sympathy with the rebels.
MAN 1: A traitor's a traitor.
MAN 2: Let's string him up!
(ALL AGREEING)
We don't string up anybody without a
trial while I'm Marshal of this town.
But you caught him in the act.
And that's enough!
We don't have to
wait for nothin' now.
Be a warning to some
others I ain't sure about.
MAN 3: Yeah. That's right.
(ALL AGREEING)
Just a minute!
You making the charge, Marshal?
Heard it all.
He and some renegade braves
were planning to kill War Cloud.
Then, they were going to take over
our town and the whole territory.
Haven't you anything to say
about it, Mr. Lawrence?
I don't think anything I'd
say would help me now, Mike.
You're right, nothin'
you'd say could help you.
He's going to get a fair trial.
All right, if we got
to have it legal,
let's get on with it, Judge.
- Right here.
- (ALL AGREEING)
It's as legal a place as any.
BOGGS: Well,
what are we waiting for?
(ALL AGREEING)
Not a very peaceful introduction
to our town for you, sir.
I'm very interested in
watching frontier justice.
We live in constant fear
of a Sioux uprising here.
We're forced to
use drastic methods
with men who attempt to inflame
the Indians against us.
GRIMES: There's only one cure
for a spy. The rope!
(ALL AGREEING)
Quiet, please. Quiet!
The United States District
Court's in session.
State your name.
John Lawrence.
Where were you born?
Richmond, Virginia.
But you always said
you were born in Boston.
I was born in
Richmond, Virginia.
John Lawrence, you've been
found guilty by a fair trial
of having plotted with the
Indians against the whites,
of spying for the South.
You've been sentenced to
death by due process of law.
Dad!
- As Marshal of this township, it is my duty to...
- Dad!
- Dad!
- Ruthie.
Dad, those fools,
those stupid fools.
Ruthie, you must
go away. Please.
Dad, tell them it isn't true.
Tell them you're not a spy.
It's useless.
I only did for the South
what any one of them
would do for the North.
Hang her, too, Marshal.
She's just as guilty as he is.
(ALL AGREEING)
Ruthie, I want you to leave now.
Mike, you can't let her see this.
Get her out of here.
Ruthie, you'd better
come along with me.
Mike, you didn't do anything?
He tried his best. There
was nothing he could do.
- Judge Baker was...
- (DISDAINFULLY) Judge Baker.
He gave your father
a fair trial.
Yes, I can see how fair it was.
Right here in the
middle of the street.
Why, it's no better than murder.
Murderers, that's what
you all are. Murderers!
If this is the way
the North fights the war,
then I hate the North.
And if my father loves the
South enough to die for it,
then I love it, too.
Don't you want to
sentence me, Judge Baker?
Why don't you put a rope
around my neck, too?
That's enough, Ruth.
You've got to get...
Mike, get her out of here now.
Come on.
You men responsible for murdering
my father will pay for it.
What are we waiting for?
Let's hang the dirty spy!
(ALL AGREEING)
You can stop this hanging.
You can tell 'em it's a matter
for the Federal government.
I can't interfere.
Do you have anything
you want to say?
I do not regret anything
that I've done.
Except that I've brought
unhappiness on my daughter.
She knew nothing
of my activities
for the South, that I swear.
(ALL SHOUTING)
(ALL CHEERING)
Oh, Mike, how could they?
How could they?
War causes terrible things
on both sides, honey.
We'll go away from this town,
where you can forget about
what happened today.
No, I won't.
I won't give them
that satisfaction.
Ruth, you can't stay here now.
I will.
They're not going to
drive me away.
You'll never be able
to stay around here
after what happened today.
Look, you know what
I've always hoped for.
I could start a stage
line somewhere else.
But, Mike, you mustn't
leave your business here.
Then you're not going to
fight this town alone.
What do you mean?
It's going to be
you and me, honey,
against the whole world,
from now on.
Oh, yes, Mike.
Always. Always.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I'd like a word with you, Mike.
Hasn't there been enough said
and done around here today?
Now, now, Mike, that was
a very sorrowful affair,
but one we couldn't help.
I know you're close to the family,
but the tragedies of war...
Do I have permission
of the Court
to give Mr. Lawrence
a decent burial?
I will personally see to it that his
body is adequately taken care of.
More than adequately.
Now, about Mr. Paige and what
we promised to do for him,
with respect to the Indians.
Won't tomorrow do?
I'd like to see War Cloud
as soon as possible.
I consider it very important
that we lend Mr. Paige
every assistance.
We never know when those savages
might break loose and turn on us.
All right, if you insist.
We'll go this afternoon.
First, I'm going to
take Ruth home.
Oh, well, yes.
Yes, of course.
That girl made a lot
of enemies today.
She needs your
protection, my boy.
You take her home first.
What do you want?
GRIMES: That girl. We're going
to run her out of town.
We don't want any Southern
spies around here.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
- I didn't expect...
- You weren't expecting me at all.
No. No, I wasn't.
I don't think I've had the
pleasure of knowing your name.
No? But I got the pleasure
of knowing yours.
Mr. Marsh.
I think you must have
made a mistake.
The name is...
Marsh.
Brock Marsh.
I've know'd it ever since
you told that story
about the Indians
holding up the stagecoach.
You see, I know'd that was the
story you was going to tell.
If something had gone wrong
and the real Paige
had come into town,
he'd naturally have told who
really held up the stage.
Who are you?
Joe Woods. "Gimpy" Joe
Woods, they call me.
Everybody knows me here in town.
What they don't know is,
I was John Lawrence's
right-hand man.
- Well...
- I can be a lot of use to you, Marsh.
The first use you can be to me
is never use that name again.
The name is Paige.
Zachary Paige.
Ah, I'll remember,
Mr. Paige.
John Lawrence never
told me about you.
He'd 'a told you about me.
We'd 'a met.
You sure didn't do much to
try and stop that hanging.
You might have taken a chance.
Take a chance!
And maybe ruin the job
I came here to do.
That would have been
a brilliant move.
Ah, too bad.
Too bad. John was
a good friend to me.
- If you'd 'a known him like I did...
- Look.
He went into it with his
eyes wide open, didn't he?
He got caught. We mustn't.
That's all.
This deal we're going
to offer the Sioux...
We promise them everything, huh?
I'm going to give them
more promises
than Abe Lincoln
ever dreamed of.
And we're not going
to keep one of them.
And after we're gone, they'll
attack the whole town.
- Say now, I've got some ideas on that...
- I don't need them.
Just do as I say, and
we'll get along fine.
Now, wait a minute. John
Lawrence had a plan for this.
If you don't run it his
way, there'll be trouble.
Trouble?
Not from me.
And not from you.
Remember, we're all
in this together.
We're working for one cause.
All right. All right,
you're the boss.
But don't you outsmart yourself.
You remember, you ain't
worth a tinker's dam
to the Confederacy dead.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(KNOCKING CONTINUES)
Just a minute.
Horses are saddled and waiting.
Good.
I hope War Cloud
will be glad to see us.
He'll meet any treaty terms
you've brought, if they're fair.
Well, they're more than fair.
Does he have complete
control of his tribe?
Well, War Cloud's chief.
There's a younger leader called
Black Buffalo who wants his job.
He's about the worst hater of
whites in the entire Sioux Nation.
How do you stand with him?
No white man stands very
high with Black Buffalo.
He was educated
by white men, too.
Can read and write,
but he hates them all.
Well, I'm hardly
dressed for riding,
but this'll have to do.
Your horse will
never know the difference.
No. No, but I will.
Miles seem to be getting longer.
We're about halfway.
(SIOUX SHOUTING)
War Cloud's reception committee?
No, that's a war cry.
Ride and shoot.
That's Black Buffalo's
renegades!
(FIRES GUN)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(GUNFIRE)
(SPEAKING NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
I'm on my way to talk
peace with War Cloud.
Why do his braves
try to kill me?
Sioux want no peace
with white man.
(ALL AGREEING)
Those papers are from the
President of the United States.
They'll prove to War Cloud
that what I say is true.
We take you to Black
Buffalo in Dry Canyon.
He know what papers say.
(BOTH SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
You have killed
Black Buffalo's brother.
- You will die for this today.
- What?
- (COMMANDS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
- I had nothing to do with it.
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
The Sioux have got
Zachary Paige!
Eight of Black Buffalo's
renegades
ambushed us on the
way to meet War Cloud.
They kill Paige?
No. They're taking him to
Black Buffalo in Dry Canyon.
Paige is Lincoln's man.
We're getting him back.
If they kill Paige,
we'll all be massacred.
- Where's the Marshal?
- I don't know. We can't wait.
Well, am I going alone?
- MEN: No.
- Come on.
These writings,
they make big promises.
We have had many big promises.
This time, they'll be kept.
As soon as your chief, War
Cloud, agrees to the treaty.
War Cloud is an old woman.
His blood is cold.
He'll let the white man
steal the Sioux hunting
grounds, kill our people.
(ALL AGREEING)
Today, this man has
killed my brother.
No, no, I didn't.
It is the same.
He is dead.
The white man talks of peace,
but they come here and kill.
We kill, too.
(COMMANDS IN
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
These lies on paper
will start the fire.
If you kill me, it'll
bring the soldiers back.
What can they find?
Only ashes.
The white man and the red man
can live in peace together.
You have never tried for peace.
Always you fight us.
War Cloud would believe me.
Yes, he would believe you.
That is why
he must not meet you.
He is not good for the Sioux.
Soon he will die.
I will be chief.
(SPEAKING NATIVE-AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
Black Buffalo is
great Indian coward.
Black Buffalo is Chief Coward.
All Indians are cowards.
(SIOUX EXCLAIMING ANGRILY)
It's easy to be brave when you have
me tied and I can't fight back.
When you kill like this,
without giving me a chance,
the Great Spirit above
will call you cowards.
He will not welcome you.
Cowards never go to the Happy
Hunting Ground when they die.
Only brave warriors.
(BOTH SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
No Indian is coward.
Indian warrior is brave.
You will have good chance
to save your life.
(COMMANDS IN
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
You'll give me a fast horse
and a running start?
No. No horse.
But you will have good chance
to save your life from fire.
If Spotted Deer
light fire, you burn.
If not, you go free.
What do I use to stop him with?
This.
You asked for chance.
You have it.
(EXCLAIMS)
I won. You've got
to let me go!
You lost.
The fire is burning.
He didn't light it.
He's dead.
The fire is burning.
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
(GUNSHOT)
(SPEAKING NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
It would be very easy for me
to have these men kill you
as you wanted to kill me.
But I do not lie about promises.
The Great White Father
loves his Indian brothers.
He does not want to kill.
Let these men get on their
ponies and go free.
Let 'em go free?
After we caught 'em in cold-blooded
torture. They need killing.
If we kill them,
it may mean war.
What I'm trying to do
is keep the peace.
MIKE: Mr. Paige
is right.
Keeping the Indians at peace
is the most important thing.
Let them go back to War Cloud
and tell him what happened.
That'll show our sincerity and
may help me with the treaty.
Return to War Cloud and tell
him I've spared your lives,
and that I'll have council with him
tomorrow when the sun is high.
(SPEAKS NATIVE AMERICAN
LANGUAGE)
All right, men,
let's put out this fire.
GIMPY: Paige.
Are you crazy?
We don't want them Indians
to stay peaceful.
Yes, we do. Till
we get that gold.
Here's your gun,
Mr. Paige.
Black Buffalo won't need it.
Well, I guess I've got a lot
to thank you for, Mike.
Well, the luck was
with both of us.
Otherwise, you'd be an angel by now.
Or something.
Either that or a cinder.
MARSHAL: Take him into the
room back of my office, boys.
Who is it, Whit?
Who is it?
I don't know. Some
easterner, I guess,
judgin' from his clothes.
An easterner?
We haven't had any easterners
around here in a month.
Except Zachary Paige.
This man was just killed today.
Bullet in his heart.
You don't say. Murder.
Well, how'd you know about it?
Where'd you find him?
He was buried
in a shallow grave,
not far from the stage line.
Coyotes had dug him up.
One of the Tatum boys saw
buzzards droppin' down
and he told me about it.
Oh, say, if you see
this Mr. Paige,
will you tell him I want
to have a talk with him?
Sure thing, Whit.
If he gets back.
BOGGS: I say she ought to
get out of town,
and stay out for good.
Just try and make me
get out of town.
Well, we don't have to
take that kind of talk.
Not from the daughter
of no Southern spy.
Just one more step,
Mr. Grimes.
Ah, that's enough of that.
Now, look out, Marshal.
She don't like you none.
That's right, Marshal,
I don't like you.
Nor you, Judge Baker.
And if either of you tell me that
I can't walk on the sidewalk,
that I can't even
buy food in this town...
No, no, my dear.
Nothing of the kind.
You buy anything you want.
Ruth, for your own good, you
ought to stay out of town
until things cool off.
I'll come into town just
as often as I want to.
And I'll advise you not
to try and stop me.
Because next time I have either
of you in my gun sights,
I may not be able
to resist the temptation.
(EXCLAIMS) For a minute, I thought she
was going to let both of you have it.
Well, I must say, my introduction
to your Indian problem out here
was a pretty rough one.
If it hadn't been for Mike, Gimpy
Joe, and the rest of these men,
my mission would have been
ended right now. So would I.
I wonder if I could have a little
talk with you in my office.
Certainly.
What's it about?
Well, it's about a man
whose body we found
about 20 miles from town.
An easterner.
Well, I don't know whether I'll
be able to help you, Marshal,
but I'll try.
All right if I buy these
boys a drink first?
I think you better
come inside now.
Very well.
Go ahead, boys. I'll
join you in a minute.
Well, after you, Marshal.
You ever see him before?
Never.
There are a few questions
I want to ask you, Mr. Paige.
Somebody's committed
a murder in my territory,
and it's my job
to find the murderer.
It's just possible
that you can help me.
Well, I don't know how, Marshal,
but if I can, I will.
Good.
Now, as I said,
the man's an easterner.
About the only way a man can
get here, short of riding,
and he wasn't dressed for that,
is on the stagecoach.
I can assure you he wasn't
on it with me this morning,
if that's what you mean.
You were the only passenger?
That's right.
I know it's only
my unsupported word,
if the driver
hadn't been killed...
How many Indians
attacked the stage?
Seven or eight.
Armed with rifles?
Rifles, bows and arrows.
Oh, and I think a couple
of them had pistols.
Yeah. I guess they did.
Jim, the driver,
has a .45 bullet in him.
So does this fella.
Do you carry
a gun, Mr. Paige?
No. Well, that is,
not usually. Sometimes.
- MARSHAL: Do you have it now?
- No.
You didn't carry it when you
went into the Indian country?
Well, I had it with me, but I
was captured by Black Buffalo,
who took it away from me.
Well, you've had
quite a day, Mr. Paige.
Twice almost killed by Indians.
(CHUCKLES)
I guess maybe I ought to let
you have that drink now.
Thanks, Marshal.
I could use it.
BAKER: Marshal,
look here.
This label here, seems
to be a name on it.
I can't quite read it.
My eyes are not
what they used to be.
"Tailored by
"Stuyvesant Brothers,"
"Washington, D.C.,"
"for Zachary Paige!"
Did you see him?
See who?
Whoever it was who shot
through that window.
We were just leavin' to come over
and join you boys for a drink.
Naturally, I pulled my gun.
It hasn't been fired though.
Here, take a look.
And the judge is dead.
Looks like the Marshal is, too.
(MARSHAL GROANS)
No, he isn't.
Who was it, Marshal?
Did you see?
(MUMBLING)
(INDISTINCT)
What are you tryin'
to tell us, Marshal?
He's dead.
Yeah, and the murderer's getting
further away every minute.
And I know who she is.
Who she is?
Ruth Lawrence threatened both
the Marshal and the Judge again
just a few minutes ago!
- We all heard her.
- (MEN AGREEING)
And she was carrying a rifle.
She almost shot 'em down.
She told 'em she'd get even.
Well, it's all plain as day.
This is why she'd
come back to town.
Said she wanted to get
'em in her gun sights.
Well, she done it, all right.
We'd better pay a call on her.
And take a rope.
(ALL CLAMORING)
Try to hold 'em here.
And give me a chance to get to
Ruth ahead of these maniacs.
(MEN CHATTERING)
GRIMES: All right,
get your horses.
Wait! Wait!
You can't take the law
into your own hands.
We gotta. The Marshal's
dead, and so is the Judge.
This time, we gotta
do it ourselves.
We know what to do now.
BOGGS: Hey, look! Mike's
cut all the saddles loose.
Hello. Mr. Paige?
Yes.
Yeah, my name's Sherwood.
They told me
I'd better look in here.
I'm the undertaker.
Oh. Oh, I see.
Yeah, it's too bad
about these killings.
They were fine men,
Marshal Collins and Judge Baker.
Yes. Yes. Splendid.
Mike.
Ruth, get back on your horse.
We've got to get
out of here in a hurry.
Why? What are you
talking about?
There's a wild mob
coming after you.
After me? What's the
matter with you, Mike?
- They're coming here to hang you.
- Hang me?
- For shooting Judge Baker and the Marshal.
- What?
- Come on, Ruth. We've got to get out of here.
- No.
GIMPY: Wait a minute.
She didn't shoot those men.
I did.
- You, Gimpy?
- Yeah.
But why?
Because they found out...
Never mind.
I had a good reason.
MIKE: Was it a good reason why you had
to lay down a trail straight to Ruth?
I didn't. I come
the long way around
just so no one
would follow me here.
Why'd you have to
come here at all?
Because I had to.
Let's just leave it at that.
We'll leave nothing at that.
Ruth made threats,
everybody heard them.
Everybody back there believes
she did the shooting.
Well, I know she didn't.
And that's what you're going to
tell them when they get here.
I ain't going to
tell anybody anything,
and you're both...
(GROANS)
I'm sorry, Ruth.
I had to come here.
Your father had
a meeting planned.
A meeting?
We gotta make a run for it.
There's no reason
for me to run away.
There sure is. Look, Ruthie,
you got to trust me,
just like you would your father.
I can't leave you here now.
Mike, he knows too much
for me to leave him here.
Load him on that horse.
Now, don't worry. We'll
take good care of you.
We got a good place to hide.
Nobody here.
(HORSE WHINNYING
IN DISTANCE)
(HORSES RETREATING)
You hear that?
Somebody's riding away.
After them!
Listen, Mike, if you want to
help Ruthie, you keep quiet.
All right. Take them
on to the cave.
You wanna ride the rest
of the way sitting up?
Be easier on the horse.
Look, Ruth, these men are all
friends of your father's.
You go with them. I'll
see you later tonight.
- But, Gimpy...
- Just keep trustin' me, will ya?
What do you have against doors?
This is a small town.
If nobody knows I'm talkin' to
you in the middle of the night,
nobody's gonna ask questions.
Well, I've been waiting for you.
What are we going to do about
that meeting John Lawrence
planned for tonight?
There ain't gonna be no meeting.
After what happened today,
I have to take you out to War Cloud's
camp tomorrow morning myself.
That's what I come to tell you.
You're lucky I'm here.
I'm lucky I'm not in
jail right now, or dead.
The only reason
I'm here is because
somebody killed the Marshal and
Judge Baker this afternoon.
I know.
I killed them.
You?
Well, somebody had to.
You sure brought a lot
of trouble with you.
What do you mean?
If you hadn't killed
Paige against orders,
they'd never have
found his body.
And I wouldn't have had to kill
the Marshal and the Judge.
Ruthie wouldn't have
been almost lynched.
Well, it was unfortunate
about finding the body.
But I could blame your men for
not burying it deep enough.
Well, what's done is done.
Yeah, can't fight about it now.
You better be ready
early in the morning.
It's a long ride
out to War Cloud's camp.
Frankly, I've had
my fill of Indians.
Yeah, well, so have a lot of us.
But this is one part of the
plan that only you can finish.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Well, thanks, Gimpy, for keeping
an eye on me this afternoon.
All right. We got to
protect each other.
All the way.
(DRUMS BEATING)
I come from President
Lincoln to talk of peace.
The Sioux want peace.
But he is tired of
lies and promises.
My people put on their war paint
and will await my word
to drive the white man from
the Sioux hunting ground.
Look.
My people are eager
for the war path.
They are not afraid.
The Sioux warriors are
many and well-armed.
But the United States army
is many times larger.
Your army is fighting
a war far away.
You have no soldiers here.
Now is the time we take back the
land you steal from the Sioux.
Yesterday, you tell
me the same lies.
Yesterday, when I was coming
here, you tried to kill me.
You enemy of Sioux.
You talk crooked.
(SPEAKING
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE)
We will listen.
Yesterday, I was captured on my
way to this Council meeting.
I was carrying a peace treaty.
Black Buffalo destroyed it.
Only the arrival of my
friends saved me from death.
I could have had
Black Buffalo killed.
He can tell you this.
But I did not,
because my mission is one of
peace to the Sioux nation.
Black Buffalo did wrong.
I can read.
The treaty told of lies.
It made sacred promises.
How will War Cloud know
of promises in treaty
if it is destroyed?
The paper I carried yesterday
was only an unsigned copy
of the treaty for study by you.
Today, I have brought
the original treaty,
already signed by the President
of the United States.
It guarantees new hunting
and trapping grounds.
It promises the Sioux
these lands forever,
and that white settlers will be
kept off of them by our army.
And within a few days,
there will arrive
President Lincoln's
peace offering
of $100,000 in gold.
This will buy food
for your people,
warm clothing for winter,
strong medicine for the sick,
and make the Sioux tribe
rich and very powerful.
You say Sioux
will get new lands.
You say Sioux will get gold.
War Cloud says, when?
BLACK BUFFALO: If white man lies,
we burn your town, kill everyone.
Young braves will rise
across the whole frontier.
They will drive enemies back
to the far banks
of the Missouri.
Black Buffalo talks much.
But I am Chief.
If gold comes
three sunsets from now,
War Cloud will agree
and put his mark on treaty.
And all Sioux
will keep the peace.
I have spoken.
I leave you this treaty
until three suns have set.
It is the Great
White Father's promise.
Hey, you done all right.
Looks like we can't lose.
If the gold comes through
in time, we can't lose.
Mr. Lincoln's 100,000.
Boy, it'll buy a lot of beans
and bullets for the South.
It will be put to very good use.
Very.
(GUN COCKING)
I'm sure glad we're not long
for this part of the country.
I miss that good, old
Southern cookin'.
So do I.
That stage with the money on it
is just about due, isn't it?
- GIBBS: I think before morning.
- What do you make of all that?
It's plain they're planning
to rob my stagecoach,
but it isn't just the gold they're
after, it's something else.
I'll see what I can find out.
Coffee, Ruth?
Yes, please.
Frank, you were always a
good friend of my father's.
All of us worked
very close with him.
I loved him very much.
Folks here called him a spy.
Back home we call him a patriot.
But this waiting
for the stagecoach,
that's like plain robbery.
I can't believe that's
what he wanted.
Well, it's simple.
The South needs the gold
more than the Sioux.
It'll feed plenty of
hungry soldiers,
get shoes for them,
bullets, maybe victory.
Your father made a vow.
I think he'd like to know that
you helped keep it for him.
I'd do anything for my father.
(HORSE NEIGHING)
(WHISTLING)
Too bad you got here
late for supper.
We had roasted hog.
Yeah, that's my favorite eatin'.
Sorry we missed it.
Well, tonight's
the night that counts.
Any word yet about the gold?
Warren's down on the road
waitin' for word now.
Mr. Paige.
I'm sure you're surprised to
see me here, Miss Lawrence.
Well, this is too hard
to grasp all at once.
I thought you came
from President Lincoln.
No, I was detailed here at
the request of your father.
Ruthie, this is Brock
Marsh from Richmond.
Richmond?
But you talk like a northerner.
Well, I've had
a lot of practice.
So, it was you who shot
the real Zachary Paige?
Yes, and he died
like a good soldier.
Like so many do on our side.
But I don't understand. Why did
you have to take his place?
Wouldn't he have done what
you're doing with the Indians?
Up to a certain point, yes.
Whatever promises he made he would
have kept, and that's the difference.
We won't keep any of them.
You're going to double-cross
the Sioux in everything?
In everything.
We're fightin' a war.
There are some things you
stop at, even in war.
Those Indians will
start a massacre.
The idea in fightin'
a war is to win it.
Miss Lawrence, this was
your father's plan and,
well, we'd like to
have you with us, too.
Don't be against
what he believed in
just because of
the people in this town.
They haven't been
very nice to you.
No, they haven't.
Well, then, we can...
We can count on you?
Yes, you can count on me.
- I don't want to stay here any longer.
- Good.
Ruth, you're being a fool.
You don't understand, Mike.
Do you?
Yes, I understand
everything now.
(HORSE APPROACHING)
Someone's comin' up the trail!
It's Warren.
Did you find out?
Yes.
The stage carryin' the gold is
about three hours behind me.
It's bein' escorted by four
militia men from the fort.
Three hours, huh?
Well, we'll be ready. Where
are we goin' to stop them?
The road makes a sharp
turn at Elephant Rock.
Here.
Now, when the coach
hits that turn there,
it'll have to slow down.
We can catch them in a
crossfire, right there.
Right, Gimpy.
We'll split up.
You and Burke and Stone
go on ahead.
- Warren and Frank will come with me.
- All right.
Let me get a cup
of coffee first.
I've had a long ride.
All right.
Gee, that smells real good.
- Here, have this.
- Thanks.
Well, to success.
The next three hours are
goin' to seem more like ten.
Mmm, that's real good coffee.
How about some Southern
hospitality for the Yank?
Cup of coffee, Yank?
I don't think he likes you.
You better let
Miss Lawrence take it.
I don't want it!
RUTH: Why you ungrateful,
selfish, you...
You... You'll wait
for the day
before I'll even bring you
a drink of water.
I'm glad I'm through
with the North
and everybody I ever met here.
- He don't like her either.
- (ALL LAUGHING)
(WHISPERING)
You've got to get help.
That gold must get
to the Indians.
(EXCLAIMS)
(GUN FIRING)
WARREN: He took my horse!
(GUNFIRE)
(HORSE WHINNYING)
Warren, you go that way!
(GUNSHOT)
He's dead.
Mike shot him.
In the back?
He's probably hidin'
in the rocks.
- But he didn't have a gun.
- Sure he did.
There was a rifle in the
saddle boot of the horse.
- WARREN: Of the horse Mike took?
- Yeah.
No, there wasn't.
That was my horse he grabbed,
and I never carry a rifle.
I depend on this.
I haven't liked you since
you shot Zachary Paige.
Now just what are
your plans, Marsh?
You aimin' to kill
the rest of us?
Now wait a minute, Warren.
You're in on this, too.
You've been in all along.
I never had a chance to tell
you before this happened.
That's why I sent
the others on ahead.
We got a good deal here.
What deal?
The South can't win the
war, you know that.
We'll take the 100,000
and split it, even.
And get rid of the others?
Sure, we can do it.
You double crossin',
betrayin', sneakin' coward.
And you call yourself
a Southerner.
No deal, Mr. Traitor.
We're takin' that gold
straight to Jefferson Davis.
But we're not
takin' you any place.
Mike, are you hurt?
- I just took a bad fall. I'll be all right.
- I heard shooting.
- Marsh killed Warren and Frank.
- What?
He's been a traitor
to both sides.
He's going to take
that money for himself.
I've got to get help, Ruth.
You won't have time. It's too
late to go into town now.
I'll get help.
Come on!
Ah, too bad Frank
and Warren ain't with us.
And all because we didn't shoot
that Yankee when we had him.
Here they come.
Burke, you and Stone
get over behind that rock,
pick off the two soldiers
on the far side.
Gimpy and I'll stay here and
take care of the others.
Don't open fire till we do.
Gimpy, when they hit the bend,
you pick off the driver and I'll take
care of the two soldiers on this side.
DRIVER: Get up there!
Get up!
I guess that's it.
Burke!
Stone!
Guess we're all that's left.
Let's get the gold.
Here it is.
- $100,000.
- Yeah, I believe you.
I just ain't got
the time to count it.
Let's load it in the saddlebags.
Here.
RUTH: Get your hands up.
Nobody's gonna get that
gold but the Indians.
- Don't be a little fool.
- Don't you move and be a big one.
Ruthie, you can't stop us now.
We're gonna stay right here
until Mike brings help.
But that'll spoil everything.
After all we've been
through to get this gold.
For what? No good for the
South nor for the Indians.
Paige! Paige!
You're not gonna kill her.
We can tie her up and leave her.
All right, but make it quick.
- Mike will be here soon.
- Come on, Ruthie.
(GRUNTING)
You'll be all right
as soon as Mike comes.
Gimpy, listen to me.
He killed Frank and Warren
and he'll kill you, too.
She's right, Gimpy.
I did kill them,
and the gold goes
with me, alone.
(SIOUX SHOUTING)
(GASPING)
Friends, and once again
we are all friends,
this is a big day
for our little town.
Today, we approach a great
future for our territory.
We're going to grow and be a valued
member of these United States.
From now on, we're at
peace with the Indians.
Here is the gold
promised the Sioux,
and this is the original
treaty sent from Washington
and signed by President Lincoln.
All it needs now
is the signature
of War Cloud to make it law.
War Cloud will keep peace.
(ALL CHEERING)
War Cloud will make mark.
Karagarga@2014