Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman (1993) s01e04 Episode Script

Law of the Land

Come on! Stay put now! Dr.
Mike's gonna make you feel better, I promise! How many pennies did you say he swallowed? Seven! Is he gonna be alright? He's gonna be fine.
Just give him some of this castor oil tonight.
It comes with a money back guarantee.
- Oh my gosh! - Get down! - Where'd it come from? - I don't know! Don't turn your back on me, old man! Come back here! You coward! You afraid to face me? Turn around! What for? So's I can be the one that shot Kid Cole.
I said turn around, old man! Somebody get the sheriff.
There ain't no sheriff! Then somebody better get a doctor.
You got your mind set to draw on me Go ahead and draw.
Sorry, ma'am.
Is he your feller? No.
As of now, he's my patient.
Sorry, ma'am.
I made sure not to hit no vital organs.
Well, I'm sure he appreciates that.
It's an honor to see you shoot someone, Mr.
Cole.
No honor to it.
My cousin Leonard saw you shoot a fella in Juarez.
Never been to Juarez.
Somebody help me bring him in.
Never met no lady doctor.
Then we're even, Mr.
Cole.
I never met a gunfighter.
Stand up, boy.
How much I owe ya? 5 dollars.
Would've been cheaper to bury him.
He may still have that opportunity, Mr.
Cole.
He's very weak.
Excuse me, ma'am, but I don't wish any man's death.
Then why did you become a gunfighter? Wasn't by choice.
I killed a man in Texas a long time ago.
He had a reputation for being fast soI got one too.
Then people started coming after me.
How's the air around here? Good for consumption.
How'd you know that? I recognize the cough.
Here.
This should help some.
The doctor in St.
Louis said it wasn't so bad.
Said if I'd settle down, take it easy thatI should be okay.
Sounds like good advice.
Thanks.
This seems like a nice town.
Peaceful-like.
And you can't beat the view.
I know what it's like to be new in town, Ingrid.
You're the first girl Matthew's ever brought to supper.
Colleen! It's time we got to know each other better.
Where's Brian? He said he was too excited to eat.
He's going hunting with Sully tomorrow.
He's got ants in his pants.
Yes, Matthew.
Where are you from in Sweden, Ingrid? Stockholm.
Do please tell us about it.
I hear it's lovely.
Matthew -- the blessing.
Dear Lord, please bless the food that is in front of us and please bless us and our guest.
Amen.
Amen.
So, I understand you and Matthew met at the church.
He's spoken of you a great deal since then.
Wait.
Are you alright? Drink this.
I'm so sorry.
I eat too fast.
I'm sure that's what it was.
Let's go back to the table.
What happened? Is she okay? She's malnourished, Matthew.
Her stomach reacted to the fact that she hasn't been eating.
She's starving? Yeah.
Just eat slowly.
- That oughta be enough.
- Thanks for the job, Miss Olive.
Well, now, a young man could use a little change in his pocket.
We'll settle up when you get done.
You'll be back by dark? - Close to it.
- Olive! I got something for ya.
Excuse, please.
What can I do for you? I look work.
You got? With half the mines closed, there a lot of you boys looking.
I strong.
Work hard.
I'm sorry.
We can't help you.
You know I'm even gonna have to close down store credit.
We don't want 'em here anyway.
In case you get hungry, I made you a little something.
Thanks.
Go on! Get outta here! Will you look at that! They're doing it again! I'm getting my gun! Loren! Loren! Go on, git! I told you to stay away from here! Loren! Alright! Alright, now you boys go on.
My garbage is for my hogs! It's not theirs to take.
Here.
Take it.
Go on! Olive! What's wrong with it? Looks like somebody shot her.
It's alright.
It's alright.
What's that?! I'm asking the deer's permission to take her earth life.
No! She doesn't give her permission! She's just hurt! She's in pain.
I can't let her stay that way, Brian.
Cheyenne say if you inhale the deer's last breath you can keep her spirit alive.
Go on.
No, I don't want to.
She's not gonna live, Brian.
She can't run.
Some coyote is -- Mom can fix her! She fixed my leg and it's as good as new! - Brian - Put her breath back! Give her back her spirit.
Please, Sully.
Hello, Ingrid.
I had to see you again.
You alright? So sorry for the dinner.
Don't worry about that.
I'm just worried about you.
Thank you for worry.
My brother - he come with my sisters from North Dakota.
[introduces Matthew in Swedish.]
Now that our father is gone.
It's good that we are come one place.
Here.
Brought this for you.
- [speaks Swedish.]
- Jon says he take care of us.
Oh.
[speaks Swedish.]
But he say he work for.
Miss Olive's got me mending fences.
Work.
You interested? Ja.
Ja.
Thank you.
Mom! Can you fix it? Fix what? Found him in the woods like this.
Can you fix her, Ma? I can try.
Thanks, Ma.
Get my medical bag.
I'll do what I can.
You shouldn't have told him you could fix it.
You're asking for trouble.
You're the one who brought trouble back here.
He can talk you into anything! What should we name it? Is Sully your first name? No.
Well, what is? It's not a good name for a deer.
Come on.
I promise I won't laugh.
Trust me.
It's not even a good name for a man.
Please.
[speaks quietly.]
Byron.
What? [speaks louder.]
Byron! Byron?! Hey, Byron.
- Water? - Ja.
You like Ingrid, ja? Ja.
Yeah! She's nice.
Ja.
- Here.
- Thank.
For my sisters -- eat.
So many! For one person.
One cow.
One cow would feed you all.
Ja.
Got something to show ya.
- A wolf do that? - No, that wasn't a wolf! That cow's been butchered! Who the heck -- - Immigrants.
- Now, Loren I'll get my gun.
We can't be sure it was them! Aw, who are you kidding? We both saw those scroungers! Cattle hustling is a serious offense! And not something you can let somebody get away with.
How old are you? Seven? Eight? Ten.
What's going on here?! There! - Go get that fella! Get him! - Somebody killed one of Olive's cows.
Here's your man! Found this in his tent.
String him up! Hold on a minute here! You can't just hang a person! Yeah? Watch us! Somebody get a rope! No! No! Please, no! Where are the children? Olive! You've gotta stop them! I can't! Just get inside! Move aside, Reverend! He's a child! He's a cow thief! He's a boy who's asked for sanctuary in the Lord's house and he's gonna get it.
He's gonna meet the Lord alright, just as soon as he's jerked up to Jesus! You can't kill a man for trying to feed his family! Yeah? Reverend, you'd better step aside.
I'm sorry, Olive.
If you want me to move, you're gonna have to make me move! Me too! Me too! Go home! We'll be back.
You can't keep him in there forever.
Peaceful little town, huh? What happened? They say he stole a cow.
He's lucky the bullet went right through.
It's Sully.
I heard you had a little trouble.
I think we should wire Denver for a Marshal.
For one stolen cow? They'd sooner come out for a toothache.
What we need is a sheriff.
You're absolutely right.
We should look into getting one.
And how're you gonna pay for the sheriff? Well, I suppose we could take up a collection.
That's a good idea.
Should we put out an advertisement? I guess we should.
What, you're going now?! Those people are ready to hang him! No! No, please stay with him.
They might come back for him.
Hey, doc! Got some advice for you.
You best watch your step, you hear? You best watch yours, you hear? Thank you, Mr.
Cole.
My pleasure, ma'am.
You know I don't like poor manners.
- Horace, I'd like to place an ad.
- Yes, ma'am.
And I want you to make sure it's posted throughout the territory.
What'd you like it to say? Help wanted - sheriff.
Must be of strong moral fiber, have knowledge of the law.
There go most of your candidates right there.
I don't suppose you'd be interested in the job? I'm retired.
So I see.
Good day, Horace.
Good day, Mr.
Cole.
Ma'am.
It's dangerous bringing her here.
Ingrid I had to.
I'll watch the front.
- You gotta let me tell them it was my idea.
- [translates to Swedish.]
No.
It's not for you to take all the blame.
[responds in Swedish.]
Jon says they take you and then no one left to take care of sisters.
You help.
He ask promise.
Promise you no tell.
I don't feel right about this.
- [speaks Swedish.]
- [translates .]
Promise.
Promise.
What are your qualifications then, sir? Let's see now.
Well, I've rode with the Younger gang and the James gang.
Oh, I rode with the Dalton gang for a spell, too.
So if any of those showed up in town and caused a ruckus, I'd recognize 'em right off.
And you, sir? I got my own gun.
Would I get to wear a badge? My qualifications? I've killed me 12 men already.
I ain't afraid to use force if I have to.
So, say someone was accused of disturbing the peace? How would you handle that? I reckon I'd have to shoot 'em.
If someone stole a piece of candy out of a store, what would you do then? I'd have to shoot him too.
Gentlemen, prepare to fire.
Ready! Fire! Shootings fine be accuracy is finer.
Looks like the only way I'm gonna have me a quiet, peaceful town is to make me one.
I'm surprised you'd be interested in such a position.
Well, truth be told, all I really wanted to do was find a quiet place to put out a few rose bushes.
Maybe break up a saloon fight once in a while Mr.
Cole, would you excuse us just for a moment? Yes, ma'am.
Well, thank you all for showing up.
The committee has reached a final decision And we're going to hire Mr.
Cole.
Sorry, fellas.
We'd like you to start immediately.
By moving the boy to the safety of the jail.
What's the salary? Say, uh2 bits a day? Make that 4 bits a day and we got a deal.
Then we're agreed, Mr.
Cole.
Ah, just one thing else.
You ain't gonna be my boss, are you? Hold on there, son.
You get out of here.
Where'd you learn to fight, Bradford? You sure you're alright? Come over here.
I've got something for you.
Here.
Take this.
It's for your people.
Come on, son.
Thanks, ma'am.
I'll take care of it.
They want food, they ought to hunt for it.
Just like everybody else.
They're miners and farmers.
They don't know how to hunt.
Besides, they don't own any guns.
Are you gonna pay for their guns? Nobody asked them to come here.
Nobody asked any of us to come here.
Why were they beating up on that boy? He do something wrong? Some people don't like other people because of where they come from.
There's something I gotta tell you.
What is it? Tell them to go back to where they came from! [shouting.]
Immigrant lovers! Matthew, the fire! Matthew, no! I was with Jon.
It was my idea to kill the cow.
I helped him slaughter it and bring it back.
I'm as guilty as he is.
How could you, Matthew? How could you steal that cow?! The town blames the immigrants and now they're ready to hang a boy! You'd have done the same thing if we were hungry.
These people are starving.
I just thought I could help.
Why did you wait until now to tell me? Because Jon made me promise.
It was wrong of Jon to make you make a promise like that.
If anything happens to Jon his sisters got no one to look after them.
I can't stand the thought of her going hungry! - If I can get Miss Olive to listen - No! - I can explain -- - No! No, you let me handle this.
I'll offer to pay for the cow.
And you'll get a job to earn the money.
Here's the money for the cow.
Take it.
I will not.
Why not? Isn't it enough? There's enough there for 2 cows.
Then take it! I can't! It weren't you that stole it.
- What if it was? - Matthew! You wouldn't do something like that.
But if I did? Then we'd have to hang you too.
Wouldn't we? That's the only way to keep order around here.
No exceptions to the law.
And what law are you referring to? I'm referring to the law of the land out here.
This ain't Boston, you know.
We're doing what needs to be done.
If you hang that boy it's going to be murder -- not justice.
No! Pup pup! No! Pup pup! Brian? Brian! Brian! Push harder, Brian! Push, Brian.
Oh, no! I told you something like this was gonna happen, didn't I? She won't do it again! Yes, she will! She's a wild animal! You can't control her like a dog! I promise! I'll take care of her! I'm sorry, Brian.
But that deer has got to go back to where she came from.
She doesn't belong here.
You can give me a spanking if you want, but please let me keep her! You must keep her tied out there, you hear me? Yes, ma'am.
What do you think you're doing?! Did you see what they're doing? Yes, ma'am.
They're getting ready to set fire to that! Sorry, ma'am.
There's no law against string up a dummy.
You're not going to do anything about it?! Nope.
Then I will! Come on, ma'am.
Come on, now.
Tell them to take it down! I can't do that.
They don't plan to wait on a trial! They're going to hang him! Little lady, you got my word.
There's going to be a trial.
It's just them boys are pretty sure of the verdict.
A bag of beans And a couple of candies for the little ones.
That's, uh, 1 dollar and 25.
Please put it on my account, Mr.
Bray.
You account's been closed.
I've always paid you on time, have I not? My children are hungry.
Here.
I have 50 cents.
I'll get you the rest.
You've got no credit here! Hey, you! Stop right there! Stop him! He's stealing this! Get him! They think they can take whatever they want! Let's go, Jake! What are you waiting for?! It all started with that cow thief! Let's go! Don't make me shoot you, boys.
You ain't getting more than one of us before we get you.
Let's go! You're the sheriff! Nothing I can do, ma'am.
We're outgunned.
You can stop this! It ain't just one cow.
One cow will turn into a dozen, And a dozen will turn into a whole herd! Where do you draw the line?! This here's a trial -- And the verdict is guilty! Yeah! No! Listen to me! It's not your affair! May God have mercy on your sorry soul.
I know I'm new in town but it would've been nice to have been invited to your party.
Bring him down, now.
The judge is coming tomorrow.
There's gonna be a trial.
Wrap it up.
Go home! All of you! Go home! So when will the judge be arriving? He ain't! I just got word he can't come.
Something about a double murder up in Boulder.
He said you should do it.
He made you something called a proxy.
That means he's appointed you his official representative.
Now, hold on! I ain't no judge! You are now.
You ever been through a trial? Yes, ma'am, but I ain't never been on this side of the law.
You don't steal a man's horse, his cattle, his water, or his wife.
And you don't shoot a man in the back.
You do any of those things -- you get hung.
Everybody knows that.
Hey, remember last year when Franklin dug that illegal well? He didn't argue none when we hung him.
Well, he didn't have that much choice then, did he? Some of us argued plenty.
What are we fooling around for? He already said he did it! Yeah! As official judge, I wanna hear both sides of this story.
Oh, you heard from everyone what happened! I haven't heard from the fella on trial.
He gets to speak his peace.
The rules say so? Ladies and gentlemen I did wrong.
What you don't know how it is to lose your Hope.
How it is to lose your hope I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
Sit back down, son.
Anybody else got something to say? Let's hang him! Yeah! Wait! I got something to say! No! I helped Jon kill the cow! No! And I helped him bring it back to town! If you're gonna hang someone, hang me! I don't know if anyone will listen to me.
My views aren't always the most popular.
But I do wish you'd listen to Matthew.
He and Jon stole a cow.
They know what they did was wrong.
But they did it because someone they both cared for was starving! I don't know what it's like to be hungry.
So hungry, I'd steal.
I hope I never know.
If that day came, I'd hope that my friends and family would would see me in need and help me.
I've come to love this town.
And the people in it.
I want it to be a good, safe place for my children.
And what we're deciding today is what kind of place this town will be.
A place where we all look out for ourselves? Or a place where we all look out for one another? And that means all of us! Whether we've been here for 10 years One year.
Or 1 month.
Whether we're from Ireland or Swedenor Boston.
Mighty nice speech, Dr.
Mike.
Anybody got anything else to say? I got something to say.
I'm dropping the charges.
What?! You can't do that! Can't I? If she brought them up, she can sure drop them.
It's all over.
You're free to go.
I always wanted to say that! Hold on there, boys.
Now, you're gonna work off that cow.
I wanna see you at the ranch at 6 in the morning to start mending fences.
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you, Olive.
You'd make a very fine lawyer.
Could I have a word with you? Now, don't get me wrong, Dr.
Quinn, You got a lovely little town here.
But I'm real sorry.
I just can't stay.
You're quitting? It hasn't even been a week! I may not be a gunslinger, but I sure ain't no lawman, either.
Guess I'm gonna have to learn me a trade.
Maybe I oughta go to medical school.
So long, ma'am.
Matthew.
Brian You remember what I told you when we were hunting? That the Cheyenne believe that a wild animal should be free? We should only take what we need for food.
Remember that? You think this deer's going to be happy here like this? For the rest of its life? No freedom to run and play? Be with its family? There.
Now you have my spirit.

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