Original subtitles

Thank you.

Well, who are they?

Well, the big gun is His Imperial Highness, the Grand Duke Dimitri, his

to the Tsar, no less.

The young one's his nephew, Sergei. He's the Count of Kiev.

Now, that is a royal hunting expedition.

Uncle, these people say right behind the shoulder, you know.

He wants to know what we're doing here on their treaty line.

How dare they!

Mindset McCann.

He's a friend of Satangai.

He's got to get the Russians back.

We're Mormons.

Is it like leprosy, then?

I beg your pardon, ma 'am?

You and your lady are welcome here. Mister, I own this town.

Now, if you knew where there were Mormons on my land and you were keeping

from me, I wouldn't take kindly to that.

If I was a Mormon, that might make this meeting a little more interesting.

They sure are getting along fast, huh?

She isn't paying much attention to him already having a wife, either.

Now, Molly, he really cares for me.

And he wants a wife who can give him children.

Either Maggie or his other wife can.

He has another wife?

I will not have you running off to be someone's concubine.

Jeremiah has asked me to marry him, and I'm going to say yes.

You're not my mother. You can't tell me what to do.

I have only an absolute and certain conviction that this marriage is wrong

my niece and for you. Now, I want you to go to Laura and tell her that your

proposal was ill -advised and that you want to be released from your offer.

I can't do that, Mrs. Cohan. Then I would like you and your wife to leave

property at once. We shall release this great one from across the big water and

the woman. For what they have done, they must make big tribute to the zoo.

So much that every white man will know they would not make this much tribute

unless they were wrong.

No more formalities, General?

No. I am under the protection of your government again?

That, sir, is a guarantee.

Say, he says if it's to be war, the Sioux know how to die.

And I'll tell you something else, they know how to fight, too. If you're

for me, I'll be with them.

Are you just going to lie there like a sloth, or are you going to get up and

save the taxpayers some money?

You heard back.

Yes. Hello, Marshal. The same Joe. No friend of mine.

He's heard of that Reb Sheriff that you shot. Says he's a mean one.

You wouldn't have been the first Yankee that he's strung up.

Well, I have to congratulate you, Mr. McCann.

How's that?

Why, it's quite an accomplishment to start off in jail and in no time at all

up at the sheriff's dinner table and sleeping in his house.

Does that happen to you every time you get arrested?

Well, not every time.

Are you serious?

Me, a lawman?

Just so I get back on my feet again. I just need some temporary help.

It doesn't matter that my name and face is on wanted posters all over the

territory. Who's going to be looking for a wanted man behind a badge?

Are you going to do it or am I going to have to...

Look elsewhere.

All right, you got yourself a deputy.

Wow.

Oof. You don't look so good.

It was Tobe, wasn't it?

You know it was Tobe because you put him up to it. It's your own fault.

How's that?

It's simple.

A girl's got to do something to get noticed.

I had to get noticed.

Why didn't you start with this?

Hillary said you wanted to talk to me.

Yeah, that's right.

Wilmer not interested today?

No, he ain't just gone today.

I, uh...

I wanted to talk to you someplace we wouldn't be disturbed.

Why don't you tell me about them other men you killed?

When did you find out?

Yesterday.

Some inquiries I made when you first came into town.

Got answers back the first thing in the morning.

I kept trying to tell you, Orville, but somehow, somehow it just was easier not

to.

But you gotta believe me when I say I've never murdered anybody.

Not ever.

I believe you, Luke. I ain't accusing you of it.

The telegrams set out the circumstances.

Self -defense.

Nobody's faultier than that, Scobar.

But that don't change the fact that you're getting a reputation as a

But I don't want it.

I'm afraid it's not what you want.

You and Hillary, you're thinking of marrying, huh?

Yeah, we've been talking about it.

Ain't nothing I'd like more than to have you as a son, Luke. I think you know

that.

Well, even if I didn't, it wouldn't do good for me to say no.

Hillary wouldn't stand for it.

And I don't think you ought to let it happen.

I don't understand.

And if I got paper on you, it means it's all over the territory.

Ain't no place you can go where you won't be in danger.

Except here.

I'm afraid you won't even be safe here, Luke.

I'd never turn you in, you know that.

But you're a legal bounty.

Somebody come looking for you, nothing you can do but run.

And I don't want my daughter running with you.

That ain't no life for no woman.

Guess I never thought about it that way.

I think you gotta think about it, Luke.

I'll tell her I'm going.

I'd rather you didn't.

She cares a lot for you, Luke.

You tell her the truth.

She'll either run after you or spend the rest of her life mooning over what

might have been.

You mean you want me to ride her off and not even say goodbye to her?

If she thinks that you've just been playing with her, having yourself a good

time until the subject of marriage came up.

She'll take my guts.

Maybe even hate you enough to marry somebody else, some hard -working,

young man who ain't got five or six notches in his gun.

But she sure ain't going to do if she's measuring every man that she meets

against the young Lockenbauer who was noble enough to give her up for fear of

ruining her life.

You're the most ruthless old pirate I ever met.

Thanks for everything.

Get out of here.

I don't like exposed positions, Captain, in any situation.

Neither do I, General.

If the river floods today, this is the only route open.

Bring her up.

Well, except, Cap, you could move through the echo waste, then move up

corner foothills.

You could.

We wanted to waste three days and get to those mountains that are only seven

miles ahead of us.

You don't want to waste three minutes, Captain.

Pass word to the outpost riders to range further afield. Yes, sir.

More fire up the place, sir.

If I have to repeat it, you'll be a corporal by nightfall.

Boom, boom! Yes, sir!

Well, of course, that's another day, General.

So, tank guy, keep this up. You don't want to clear the Canada. I don't need

more of your military brilliance, Coley. I want seven cans.

Now you're talking, General. I'll need a thousand dollars to get things

together. Go see the paymaster. Go!

Coley! You!

I want him alive.

Try to make... that clear to my friends, sir.

ask your guests whether or not they're Mormons.

That, sir, is none of your business.

These people are on McCann land, not yours.

It's no use, ma 'am.

You're giving sanctuary to hypocrites and murderers.

Murderers? What are you talking about?

I'm talking about mountain meadows.

Mountain meadows?

Ask your mealy -mouthed Mormon friends.

They'll tell you.

Mr. Taylor.

Mountain Meadows is the ugliest stain in Mormon history.

Nine years ago in Utah Territory, a group of Mormons driven by a kind of

after years of persecution committed an atrocity.

What kind of atrocity?

A massacre.

A massacre of people in a wagon train headed for California.

Mormons dressed as savages, accompanied by real Indians, attacked the wagon

train and killed 120 people.

Only 18 children were spared.

My sister and all her family,

seven people, were murdered at Mount Meadows by

Mormons like these people you're protecting.

I'm sorry.

I'm truly sorry.

Mr. Taylor, you took part in this massacre?

No, ma 'am. Like most Mormons, I didn't learn about it until weeks later.

And even then, I didn't believe it.

Listen to him.

You can't find a Mormon alive who had anything to do with that massacre.

All right, woman.

This is your land.

But when he moves off this homestead, he'll be moving across my land.

And, mister, that's when I'll be burying you.

It's time for us to leave, Maggie.

We'd best get in the wagon.

But, Jeremiah... Just get in the wagon, Maggie.

Yes, Jeremiah.

May I say goodbye to Laura?

There'll be no need, Mr. Taylor.

I can't send you away now.

Anything were to happen to you, your blood and Maggie's would be on my

conscience.

Besides, lately I've been accused of not practicing what I preach.

You stay, both of you.

Aunt Molly, I'm sorry for those things I said.

I want you men to stake out that farm 24 hours a day.

Right. What do we do if the Mormons leave?

Let the wagon get clear of McCann property and burn it.

What about the Mormons?

Hold the man and fetch me.

I'll be coming out with a rope.

Is anything broken?

Who are you?

You can't talk.

Is that it? You can't talk.

All right.

All right, I'm gonna try to get you out of here.

I'm gonna try to lift this. I don't think I can, but I'm gonna try.

So you're gonna have to pull yourself out.

You think you can do that?

All right.

Here we go.

Ready?

Now, try not to be frightened, all right?

I'll be back as soon as I can.

That's pretty fair horse handling, I'd say.

Doggone it, that thing almost got me killed.

Well, maybe you don't deserve to live pushing a horse that hard.

I'll tell you what, though. You just kick him on back the way you came, and

he'll stay a lot healthier.

And who are you?

It ain't polite to ask personal questions in this part of the country.

Now, go on, get.

Now, look, mister, I ain't got time to play games with you. I'm trying to find

some help.

Well, this ain't the place to look. Now, move!

You got more guts than brains.

Pedro, I reckon we're going to have to take him in.

I think you're right.

You come easy, huh?

Look, I ain't going anywhere with you.

Wrong.

I need help. There's a girl hurt back down that trail. She's been pinned under

wagon.

Is that an Indian girl?

A mute?

Yeah. I mean, I think so.

She didn't talk.

Maria.

We're going to have to hoist the wagon up over.

I will.

Well, it's going to take at least two men.

I will.

A little more!

I think she's going to be all right, Yucca.

She's going to be fine.

Let's just get this wagon.

You know, a little excitement back there. I forgot the amenities. My name

Kurt Grayson.

Luke McCann.

Well, it's a pleasure.

And this here is Pedro.

Just Pedro.

I want you to know Yucca there is real grateful for what you've done for him,

and he'll get around to thanking you in his own way.

I take your word for it.

Yeah, a bit more.

We almost got it.

Yeah, a bit more.

He's unbelievable.

Yeah, he is, yeah.

That's why I'm glad he's on my side.

Hey.

What are you doing with my saddle?

You will not be needing this any longer.

What's he talking about?

Well, this is kind of embarrassing, Luke, but we're going to need your horse

help us pull our wagon.

What are you talking about? Use one of your own horses.

No, no, no. See, now you don't understand. No, you don't understand.

She's your friend. I found her. You take care of her.

I just want to ride out of here.

You're not going anyplace.

At least not until we know a lot more about you than we already know.

Here we are, Luke.

This is it.

Now, let me give you a little advice here. When you talk to the colonel, you

your manners on him. You see, when a man treats a colonel with respect, well,

he'll return the favor.

Boy, now, it would be a mistake for you to take anything that's happened to you

personal because it wasn't intended that way.

Oh, of course not.

Oh, you're still angry, are you?

Well, you'll get over that just as soon as you talk to the colonel.

And there he is.

Let's go.

Well, you could at least give me a hand.

Sure.

A young man doesn't seem to know how to count the hours, does he?

Better break it up, Peter, before Kurt gets any notion of using a gun.

Next time we tell you, it's behind his back, so you have a fair chance, huh?

Yeah.

Thought you weren't going to take any of this personal.

That was your idea.

Yeah, right.

That was my mistake.

Allow me to introduce myself.

Jared Flint.

Colonel Flint.

Retired unhappily from the late but distinguished army of Northern Virginia.

I said?

Look, Colonel, I don't... I don't know who you are or why you're here, and I

don't care.

I haven't done anything except trying to help one of your people, and all I want

now is to be allowed to ride out of this place.

Oh, well.

I see you're in no mood for a reasonable discussion right now, young man.

Pedro, see, he's cleaned up and, you know, properly dressed to suffer.

Kurt should have something by his side.

Come on, Tigre.

Well, little dog, yes, you know that, uh, Zeb McCann and Satangar are moving

to the Parque de Par.

Well, that means there's gonna be a lot of fighting.

Gonna have a lot of bodies being buried.

Point is, the Army wants to make sure of one body.

Zeb McCann.

That's right. The Army wants to make sure White Eagle is dead.

Now, a lot of money here.

Enough.

To buy new guns for you and all your partners and with you for one year of

time.

Now, getting paid for doing what comes natural, too.

Not so bad, huh?

You take a couple of your braves, you go to Satangai's camp, and you ask to sign

up again.

Now, he'll swallow that story.

Now, you boys, you've been pretty bad up here.

You gotta make him believe you had to change your hearts.

Especially... since the Sioux is about to get itself killed off.

You say Satangai would take us back to be Sioux warriors?

You bet your life he will.

He's going to need every man Jacket can handle a gun.

And he ain't going to hold all that thieving and killing to watch you've

doing again, yeah? No siree.

He'll probably thank you for it. I mean, now that he needs you.

I can't.

Ain't going to expect trouble in that camp.

So it's simple.

A couple of you grab him, you stick a knife into his gullet.

Nice chica, Akua.

have talked much about it.

If Satangai would welcome us to help him fight, to be proud again, to be

among his warriors in the day of death.

We have talked much about it. It was a thing we asked of each other many, many

times.

How to prove to Satangai our hearts are with our people.

What could we do to make Satangai believe we would fight for the honor of

Sioux Nation?

Dead.

Sir?

It's Brinkerhoff.

Oh, send him in.

General, I think you better step outside, sir.

Huh?

Former barrel detail.

When Claiborne climbed out of the water and looked down and saw what happened,

he says, now you look here, and next time you give me a bath, you use a saw.

Have a seat, young man.

I hope you will find our pair.

And you be careful not to slop your gravy, because that suit cost me a lot

money in St. Louis.

How are you feeling now?

Well, probably about as good as you're feeling.

Well, I see our visitor's spirits have improved.

Kurt tells me that your name is, um, McCann.

It seems to me I've heard that name elsewhere.

Yeah, well, maybe you heard of my Uncle Zebulon.

The mountain man.

Oh, indeed I have.

Well, well, well, well, we are honored to have a representative of so

distinguished a family at the table.

Here, here.

Thanks.

Well, that wasn't quite what I was thinking of. Now, if I remember rightly,

heard, oh, a few years back, about another McKeon.

He wanted by the law down in Missouri.

A few years back.

You've got a pretty strong memory.

You may must assure me, Mr. McKinnon, that your past is of absolutely no

interest to me, nor is your future, for that matter.

Then why don't you let me go, Colonel?

Because my men and I have got some important business to attend to in this

region shortly, and, well, I just wouldn't feel comfortable with somebody

running around loose knowing our whereabouts. So, until that business is

completed, you will remain here with us.

You're free to move about the valley as you choose, providing, of course, you

make no foolish attempts to escape.

Well, just how long is this going to be?

Two, three weeks at the longest.

Three weeks?

Try to accept it, Mr. McKeon, because there is absolutely nothing that you can

do about it.

My grandfather came up with this.

Listen, ain't no use in all three of us sitting here.

Plant and I are going down to the shack, and one of us will spell unicorn liar.

Finished with your chores, Josh?

No.

Just saw Laura walking off with Jeremiah.

Molly, you've got to do something to stop her from marrying him.

It's unnatural.

Oh, Josh, there are some things we must accept. If nothing we say will change

the situation.

You're not going to let her do it, are you?

Jessie, Laura's a young woman now.

What do you think would happen if I forbade her to marry Jeremiah?

She'd run away with him.

Bet she would.

I think so, too.

Then, if the marriage didn't work out, her pride would prevent her from coming

back home again.

I don't want that. Do you?

No.

I sure want her to stay.

I just wish there was something we could do.

Jessie, Laura's out walking with Jeremiah. Would you go and find her,

and send her in here?

Yes, ma 'am.

You want to see me?

Oh, Aunt Molly.

It doesn't seem like so long ago since I wore this.

Of course, it will need some new lace and some ribbons. Oh, Aunt Molly.

I suppose there's no point in asking you to wait for a few weeks until you're

sure.

I talked to Jeremiah about that.

But he has to get to the settlement, and I want to be a part of it.

Child, you saw what happened with Burton.

You'll both be in grave danger when you leave here, if not from him, from others

like him.

Jeremiah says I'll always be danger, but we must trust in God's mercy.

Molly, what kind of wife would I be if I let danger keep me from him?

Yes, I see.

And White Eagle had given us the time we needed. From where we stand, the white

soldiers will not find it easy to kill us.

It is good, Satangai, but not enough.

You must buy more time.

You must meet with their war chief under a white flag.

White flag?

Under a white flag, men may talk.

And talk is better than war.

Their war chief will see in his mind's eye many soldiers dying before the

is done.

To wipe out that picture, he will talk.

But we do not chase the white soldier.

He's free to ride back to his fort and live in peace.

That is true, but he will not leave.

He will not believe the Sioux will fight where they cannot win.

He will ask them to lay down their arms.

And while we talk, your people will prepare for battle.

I will stand under a white flag.

Who taught you to throw a bowie knife like that?

Uncle Zed.

Well, I'm glad to see you keep yourself busy.

Oh, yeah.

I'm just about run out of things to do.

Hey, Luke.

Why don't you come on down the creek with me? I'll teach you how to shoot.

Well, thank you, but I already know how to shoot.

You know how to draw a bead and pull a trigger. I'm talking about teaching you

how to shoot.

And it ain't for free.

You can teach me how to fling that bowie knife the way you do, and it should be

an even swap me teaching you how to handle a gun.

Well, I'm not sure you can teach me anything, but... Yeah, even swap.

Now, the problem with most boys who want to learn how to shoot quick is that

they never get over the thinking about the details of it. And that is a sure

to get yourself killed in a square -off gunfight.

You don't think that's the secret of your success?

Let's not be so sarcastic, shall we?

Thank you.

Of course I think about it. I think about where I want the lead to hit.

That's all I think about.

I just let instinct take over.

Instinct? What instinct?

Survival, my friend. Pure and simple.

Now, let's see what you can do.

Three out of four. That's pretty good.

I told you I wasn't sure you had anything to teach me.

It's good enough to get you killed one time out of four. That just means you

won't have a very long life.

Oh, you think so?

I know so.

You had it thought out every step of the way.

And you had no instinct.

Now, you take a mountain cat, for instance.

You got a big cat with these long claws that he holds in all the time, right?

Well, when that cat gets in a fight...

or he's stalking some game, he doesn't have to think about them claws coming

or taking a swipe.

I mean, his natural instinct just takes over.

And that is how smooth and simple a gunfighter's draw has to be.

Something like that.

You think I could learn to shoot like that?

Well, I did. Of course...

I had the fastest gunslinger in the whole Southwest as my teacher.

My brother Frank.

He really the fastest?

Well, he's down in the range wars in Texas right now.

You want to know the funny thing with Frank? He never even has to touch his

anymore. I mean, a rancher just lets out word that Frank Grayson's riding line

for him. And trouble just naturally disappears.

You think highly of him, don't you?

Yeah. Yeah, we've always been real close.

He showed me some private pointers.

I might get around to teaching you someday.

Let me see your gun.

Keep it clean.

See, the first thing you want to do is you want to file off this sight because

it just gets in your way.

And then get yourself a leather thong to tie that holster down.

Maria, you're looking fit.

Hey, who's that devil you...

Next when the nose comes off, huh?

You want that?

Yucca, the colonel does not want the boy killed.

You understand?

I just can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?

Anybody ever tell you you got an impulsive nature?

Yeah. Well, you don't got no right to treat her like that.

Why not? She's his woman, not yours.

You can thank Pedro there for your life.

My life?

Yeah, that foot fighting that Yucca does is called sabat.

No one quite knows where he picked it up, but he can break a bull's neck with

kick.

Hey, that kind of fits.

You can be pretty bullheaded, you know.

Oh.

Yeah.

That's not bad for only a couple weeks' work.

Maybe not bad.

It's unbelievable.

You're a modest little fella, ain't you?

Hey,

tell me something.

Why do you wear two guns?

That little one told me if you couldn't get the job done with one, well, it's no

use having two.

Well, we've been practicing what now? Two weeks.

How many misfires have you had?

Maybe seven, eight times. Well, there's your answer. A single misfire in a

showdown can cost you your life.

You got two guns, you cut the odds in half.

Well, not exactly in half. I mean, I am a little bit slower with my left hand

than I am with my right.

But you're working on it. I am working on it.

Behind you.

Keep practicing.

You'll get it one of these days.

How did that one come in?

You developing a gun hand?

Yeah, I think so, Colonel.

He's doing fine. All he needs now is a lot to practice.

Good. Well, perhaps then, in a small way, we've repaid you for the

we caused you.

I think you'll find that a quick gun is a definite asset in your situation.

Been known to keep a wanted man alive.

That's true enough, but...

I don't expect to be wanted forever.

Oh?

Well, I hope you are not disappointed.

It was the time I rode at Stonewall Jacksonside.

I commanded his Colfax Brigade at Chancellorsville.

That time I hardly expected to end up my days as a wanted man either.

Pardon me, Colonel, but you chose to become a bandit and live this way,

you? I chose not to surrender my weapons when the Confederacy collapsed.

We are what we are, Luke.

No apologies.

Robbers? Yes.

But we only take from those that have more than their share.

We never steal from the poor.

You make robbing people sound like it's a business.

You say what you're doing is right?

Now, that is an ethical objection.

I am basically a practical man.

Well, I guess I can say there's nothing practically wrong with what you're

doing.

Unless you get hung for it.

That's very true.

And that is precisely the only difference between you and me.

What do you mean?

Well, it seems we both stand a reasonably good chance of ending up on

gallows. But I, for robberies enthusiastically committed and freely

acknowledged, you have underbelieved your story for something you didn't do.

Now then, in the ultimate, whose ethic makes more sense?

Morning, Maggie. Good morning, Mrs. Culhane.

Have you seen Jeremiah?

He's with Laura again.

They were both overjoyed that you agreed to the marriage.

Well, Laura's made up her mind, and I'm not going to let it come between us.

But you know, I am concerned about the ceremony.

I don't know of any Mormon settlements near here.

Jeremiah is a bishop of the church, Mrs. Culhane. He can conduct the ceremony

here, and it will be valid.

And when we reach a settlement house, we can formalize the rights. It's a very

simple service.

As the first wife, I give my consent to the marriage and place Laura's hand in

Jeremiah's.

Tell me, you're not concerned at all about, well,

sharing him with my niece?

How can I make you understand?

Laura is a sweet, loving, wonderful girl.

It will be a joy to have her in the household.

And Jeremiah's other wife... Ellen.

Aye.

She won't be concerned either.

You'd have to know her, Mrs. Culhane.

She'll probably be even happier than I am.

She'll have someone close to her own age to talk with.

Close to Laura's age?

She's only 20, Mrs. Culhane.

They could be sisters.

She's an angel.

Prettiest girl I've ever seen.

And her soul is as lovely as her face.

Won't she be upset to be missing the ceremony?

Oh, I'm sure she will be.

Jeremiah and I were talking about that last night.

We'd dearly love to have her here.

But the distance is almost 40 miles.

We only have the big wagon.

Yes.

You know, Maggie, I think I know where I could rent a buggy.

Now, I could send Josh to Kelsey to get Ellen.

That is, if you think Jeremiah wouldn't mind postponing the wedding.

Oh, I know he wouldn't.

He'd be delighted to have Ellen here.

He's very generous of you, Molly.

Not at all.

You gonna drive all the way to Kelsey to fetch that gal back?

She wants to be at the wedding.

Well, I don't know, Josh.

I'm a live -let -live man myself.

But I just can't go along with these Mormon people degrading, you might say,

womenfolk. Except they don't figure it to be degrading.

Sure appreciate you putting my horse out to pasture for me, Mr. Greedy.

I'll take good care of him.

Mr. Burton, there'll be a wedding taking place out at the McCann farm.

One of the McCann gals is marrying that Mormon out there.

That'll be wife number three for him.

McCann's becoming Mormons? I didn't say that.

It's just that Laura gal and Marion come Saturday morning.

Matter of fact, Josh McCann's on his way to Kelsey to pick up that Mormon's

other wife.

By heaven, we'll be inviting ourselves to that wedding.

And we'll be bringing along a rope.

Give that Mormon three widows one minute after that blasphemous marriage takes

place.

Get the boys.

Drink,

mister?

No, thank you. I'm fine.

rocks, they don't have much option for retreat.

I can assure you, General, they have no intention of retreating. What about the

women and children?

Some of the women will kill themselves and some of them will kill their own

children.

Damn.

They've taken a solid position clear across the face of that mountain, sir.

But McCann's coming in. What?

Yes, sir. I saw him myself. He's coming in with that Sioux chief under a white

flag.

Maybe they're fixing surrender.

Anybody like to bet a month's pay they're not coming to ask for our

Get out there, McAllister. He knows you better than the rest of us. Yes, sir.

Back.

Morning, Zeb.

Chief's that thing guy?

Sent to escort you in.

We're not coming in, Mac.

You tell the general we'll meet him right here. He can bring one officer

him.

I'll go get him.

message for General Stoneslifer.

Battlefield priority.

Battlefield priority?

General's in the field under a flag of truce. Here, I'll take it to him.

Ha!

Ha!

No!

I don't agree with it. It'll be cannon or force of surrender, neither.

You've got my terms, McCain.

An unconditional surrender means just that.

All arms, every weapon, every horse will be brought down and turned over to me.

What did he say?

Says you can have their horses and guns whenever you sue warriors dead.

Well,

then he knows he hasn't got a choice.

What's this meeting about?

I figured if we're going to have a battle here today, I wanted to hear what

had to say about it.

I want to see how you negotiate with the chief of the Sioux here.

Hogwash, McCann.

What the hell are you wasting my time for?

I don't know what you're talking about.

The hell you don't.

Now you tell the chief to surrender unconditionally now.

General. Keep away from him, Ocala, sir.

Urgent dispatch, sir.

But when are we finished here?

Sir, the dispatch is from General Sheridan himself.

A direct order to you. Coded battlefield priority.

All right, bring it here.

Hold on.

Hold on. I got 50 men up there with rifles trained on you. If he comes any

closer, you're dead.

Read it from there, Captain.

Yes, sir.

Urgent battlefield priority for Brigadier General John Stonecipher.

You will cease immediately all offensive operations against the Sioux under

Chief Satankai and adopt and hold a defensive posture effective on receipt

this order.

What kind of nonsense is that, McAllister? There's more, General.

Inform Zeb McCann his presence will be required at your field headquarters upon

my imminent arrival.

Signed, Philip H. Sheridan, Commanding General. Your presence is required.

I see why you've been doing all this stalling, McCann.

Where'd you get that kind of political pressure?

Me and Phil Sheridan goes back a ways, General.

I'll be with that Tang guy till he gets here.

and hold a defensive posture.

Well, it doesn't sound like we're about to give up the farm.

Let Satangai make words to his people.

A great white war chief comes to speak.

He does not want to fight. He is a man of honor.

He speaks with a straight tongue what is fair to each.

He comes because he knows, White Eagle.

He does.

I do not know what he holds in his heart.

But he has the medicine to stop the fighting if he wishes.

Then we must listen to his words.

I see that our little talk has set you to contemplating the infinite.

That's a dangerous occupation for someone your age. You take my word for

Luke.

You know, Colonel, you had a point last night.

I'm being chased for something that really wasn't against the law.

And you here, you're living better than a king and breaking the law every day.

Oh, I even see me getting hung, and you only maybe going to jail.

Well, roughly, that does state a case for joining me.

Joining you?

That idea so far fixed?

Why would you want me?

You're bright, show courage, and will prove to be a top gunman, according to

Kurt.

And more important, you would be loyal to me.

I think I'd have to give that one a little more thought.

Don't take too long. We're moving out in a week.

Something we've had planned for a long time.

Something like a bank robbery?

No, no, no, no, no.

Colonel said you and Pedro were taking a ride this morning.

Said I ought to go along.

Welcome, amigo. Welcome.

What?

See, I was writing here a letter to Frank telling him how I was teaching you

handling. And that maybe you was going to join us.

Well, it doesn't look like there's any maybe now.

Hey, wait a minute, Kurt. Wait a minute.

I haven't made up my mind yet.

Well, you will.

You will.

It could do a lot worse, Luke. A lot worse.

The colonel is a good man.

Good.

He's the best there is.

I'll be happy to kill the man who says different.

He's been the same as a daddy to me for a long time.

How'd you two get together? In the war.

On the road to Gettysburg.

I was his raw recruit up from Baton Rouge.

He decided to take me on as an aide.

What did we get used to keeping each other alive?

Appomattox. When the colonel rode away, I followed him.

I guess I will till I die.

are going to take a gold shipment being sent down from that mine.

Gold shipment?

That's right.

Watching from up here, I discovered that when they bring that wagon up to the

mine, the gold rolls in three days.

It has been a long wait this time. It means it will be much gold.

Ain't it going to be heavily guarded?

Yeah, exactly right. So that's why we're going to hit them when they least

expect it.

A little time called Jimson's Brick.

You ever heard of Jim's Break?

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, I think so.

Some old sheriff runs the town. Who's crazy about trout fishing.

That's right.

That's the place.

We'll write poor, we'll leave rich, then off to Durango. Ay, ay, ay, señoritas.

I have been waiting for this moment.

We

caught

him trying to escape.

Both of you, mount up and ride south.

The what?

I've no time to fool with you.

I want you to ride.

What's wrong with you anyway? You crazy?

Yes.

Your friend that was keeping his eye on the McCahan place thought so.

He's halfway to Mexico by now.

I don't know why I try to reason with you.

What do you want from us, mister?

You're not only stupid, you're deaf.

I want you to ride with the fear of God.

And don't look back.

Because I just may be right behind you.

Now, Mr. Burton, I'd hope to find you alone.

But since your wife is here, I'd advise you not to do anything foolish.

Who let you on this ranch?

Well, it wasn't any of your hired hands because there are not any of them around

anymore.

A couple of them got roughed up and the others just decided it had become

unhealthy to continue working for you.

Do you mean to tell me that you intimidated all our ranch hands? Yes, ma

guess I did.

But it wasn't too difficult, since they were cheap help to begin with.

Now, why don't you step outside and saddle up your horse?

What's your game, mister?

We'll talk about it on the way.

Good day, ma 'am.

The truth is, I'm far from liking a word with any of you.

You, Foreman.

You can cross my lands without any interference from me.

I hope someday somebody puts you where you belong, meaning in the ground.

But unfortunately, it won't be me or any of the men who work for me.

I'm sure the McCann ladies would like some assurance from you that they won't

have to stand watch at night to keep their barn from burning or any other

unexplained misfortune.

I have nothing against the McCanns.

The whole matter is closed.

I must say, Mr. Burton, your words are a great relief.

I hope we can forget everything that was said in anger and start afresh.

Madam.

I will forget nothing.

Then don't you forget I just may ride back this way sometime.

Mister, I hope you do ride this way again.

And next time I'll be wearing a gun.

My word will be kept to these people.

But I give you my word right now that when I lay eyes on you again, one of us

will be dead.

I'll keep that in mind.

I'm beginning to suspect that you're a territorial marshal. No.

You must be the one they called Stover.

I left you on your own until they started waving guns around.

Mm -hmm.

My best wishes to you, ma 'am.

And I hope all of you enjoy the wedding festivities.

Not a lawman?

No, ma 'am.

He is an amoral, vicious killer who will do anything or say anything to get his

job done.

And he was sent here to protect you?

My uncle was one of the leaders of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

A lot of Mormons have been killed in reprisal since then.

It preys on my uncle's conscience, so he hired men like Stover there to help

protect our family.

It's a dangerous life you're asking my niece to share.

Yes, it is.

I cannot guarantee it will ever be any different.

Stand easy, Jack.

Well, at least you didn't get any uglier, Zeb.

Sorry, I can't say the same for you, General.

You sure did stir things up in Washington, taking the Sioux side in all

You damn sure better be right.

Jack, I think I know your side in this.

Give me a few minutes with Zeb here, and then we'll hold a briefing session.

Sir.

You know what it took Zeb to override Stone Cipher?

Getting the Secretary of War out of bed at 4 o 'clock in the morning and trying

to convince him that some wild man by the name of Zeb McCahan knew more about

this situation out here than the senior officer in the field.

And that I owed said wild man a favor and that he once saved my scalp.

Well, hell, Phil, I'm sure you're not trying to hold you to own me any favors

for that, but I didn't know how else to stop a massacre here.

I sure appreciate you coming down and taking hold of this.

Well, General Grant gave me full authority to use my judgment in the

I'm going to try the best I can to avoid any bloodshed.

Now, Zeb, you feel that this, uh,

uh, satang guy is a reasonable man?

Known a long time, General. He's not only a reasonable man, he's an honorable

man.

Good.

Good.

Now, Zeb, I want you to take a clear look at the overall picture, not just

facts and a right or wrong judgment.

When the Count of Kiev was killed, All hell busted loose back east.

The Russian diplomatic corps boiled over.

The State Department sent out apologies, including a presidential promise to see

that justice would be done.

And the newspapers.

General, let me ask you something.

Now, what would you have done if that fellow had rode up to you and slashed

up alongside the face with that riding crop?

Well, what I would have done is not the point.

The point is that the count delivered a blow which was an insult. Wasn't meant

to maim or to kill.

But he was killed for his act.

and the government cannot close its eyes to an act of homicide committed in

front of the military.

General, I ain't asking anybody to close their eyes.

The fact is, that tan guy didn't do the killing. Now, all I've been asking for

all along is to bring in the Indian that did do it and have him stand trial.

Well, I might be able to sell that if the count and his woman hadn't been

kidnapped. Hell, they was on treaty lands and they was killing off the

food supply.

Damn it, Zeb, they were kidnapped and they were taken to Sadankai and held as

prisoners.

Now, I want this kept in perspective. You're not going to hand me some

Indian to place on trial and expect the Russians will be satisfied that justice

was done. Uh -uh. I ain't trying to satisfy no Russians. Well, maybe you

but I have to.

And I have to satisfy the people in this country who are wondering what kind of

an army they've got that permits kidnapping and murder of foreign

the Sioux.

General, are you saying we're back to punishing Sadankai and his people for

something that was started by somebody else in the first place?

I'm not saying that.

Zeb, you and I are going to come to an agreement that's going to settle

everything for all parties concerned.

What kind of agreement are you talking about?

You and I both know, Zeb, that every military leader is responsible for the

conduct of the men that he leads.

That's an issue that we can't avoid.

There has got to be a trial here.

Something for this country and the whole world to hear about.

Because if I settle the situation with anything less, this country is not going

to stand for it. On trial for what?

On trial for doing a lot less, perhaps, than I would have done in his place.

It's a damn sight cheaper price to pay than having those mountains strewn with

the bodies of all of his people.

Now, hear me out.

I will use all the influence I've got to make sure that the sentence he gets is

just a slap on the wrist. Say, two years in a military prison. Two years?

And I'll give you my personal promise to recommend a full pardon inside of one

year.

General, putting Satangai in prison would be the same as a death sentence

him. Damn it, Zeb.

I'm giving a 90 % concession here. I'm not getting a nickel back from you.

General, putting Satangai on trial would demean his people.

And more than that, you're just going to make all the Indians out here madder

than they are now because of the behavior of the white man.

Zeb, those are my final words.

You go to Satangai.

And you give him those terms.

If he'll surrender and stand trial, this matter ends.

And his people will be permitted to go back to the Black Hills with the treaty

still in force.

There's got to be another way.

There isn't.

Zeb, I owe you my life.

So believe me when I tell you that the terms I'm giving him are the best that

he's going to get.

The alternative war.

with the white and red men killing each other before the sun sets tonight.

And believe me, Zeb, Satankai knows that there's got to be a price paid here.

Yeah.

And he damn sure knows it's his side always does the paying.

Well, no matter how we feel about it, the final decision is up to Satankai.

He's got to decide if what I'm offering is a fair exchange for the lives of all

of his people.

Tell him he can think about it overnight.

I'll expect both you and Sadang Guy here at mid -morning tomorrow with his

answer.

Thanks, General.

My sun is set.

My day is done.

Darkness is stealing over me.

Before I lie down to rise no more, I will speak.

Hear me.

Great Spirit made us and gave us this land we live in.

You gave us the buffalo, antelope, and deer for food and clothing.

Our hunting grounds stretched from the Mississippi to the great mountains.

Where the tipi was, there we stayed.

No house imprisoned us.

No one said, to this line is my land, to that is yours.

Then... the white man came to our hunting grounds.

A stranger.

His fellows came to build the roads across our hunting grounds.

He brought among us...

The mysterious iron that shoots.

I said, the white man is not a friend.

Let us kill him.

But the numbers were greater than blades of grass.

They took away the buffalo and shot down our best warriors.

They wiped...

The trails of our people from the face of the prairies. They forced our

to forsake their ways of their fathers.

When I turn to the east, I see no dawn.

When I turn to the west,

The approaching night.

I have thought much about the words of the white war chief.

I think I... Perhaps at the trial, they will see the wrong of it.

They will see that the fault was not yours.

Do not believe it.

They judge me for the death of that man.

They are clever.

I am...

To the body of my people.

Therefore, they say this.

We give you this choice.

We will attack your body... if you do not entrust to us your heart.

But there is no trust.

No justice.

So I will not go to their justice.

I will not leave this.

My people.

I will stay here with them.

This will never change.

It will never change.

It will be so one day.

In another life.

We shall greet each other again.

It shall be so.

You are hungry

I

Have

decided

There are others who can lead our people

I am only a body, a voice.

This trial, it may be not bad.

No.

Not bad.

We will be separated for a time. I will always be with you near this prison.

No.

Our son, you must be with him.

I will bring him to you.

It will be a long time before he comes to me.

A long time before you come to me.

No.

A war chief cannot die by his own hand unless he has the honor of his people.

I cannot.

Our people will remember.

They will hold their heads up and say,

we are so warriors.

There will be no warriors more proud.

When the new sun rises.

Until then... We will talk of many things, my wife.

Our son.

Of a time when people will only smile at their brother.

He gives you these because you were his friend.

He will go with you now.

Bye.

Prepare to present arms, Captain.

Hup!

Reset! Hup!

General, this is Chief Satangai, war chief of the Sioux Nation.

We wanted him here today.

He's here.

I'm sorry, Zeb.

May God have mercy on this man's soul.

Let's hope that this is an end to it.

And to the agony on both sides.

I wish I could believe that, General.

Eight years after the period in which this story was set, the Sioux did meet

United States Army at a place the world has come to know as the Little Bighorn.