Original subtitles

♪ [ trumpet ]

Around in 1870, in the brawling, gambling town of Fort Griffin,

lived a woman known only as Mystic Maud.

Everything about her,

who she really was and where she came from,

was cloaked in mystery,

but one thing was certain:

she was the best female card player of her day.

If cards made her name a legend,

they also brought her to a strange end,

but not before she left what became known as...

Open for 25.

I'’ll call you,

and raise you 50, gentlemen.

50.

Raise 100, ma'’am.

I'’ll cut the cards, ma'am.

Two.

100.

And I'’ll raise you 20.

20 and call.

You win.

[ men laughing ]

I'’ll be leaving Fort Griffin.

I'’ll be back when I raise another poke.

You reckon your luck will change, mister?

Reckon it will.

What makes you so sure?

No woman ever beat me at this game twice.

Patience, pretty one.

When these cards have spoken,

your future will be revealed,

and what is fated will happen.

You know I don'’t believe in cards, Juanita.

Nobody can tell what lies ahead.

You have lived with the cards all your life.

They brought you riches.

They'’ve made your name a legend.

Why should you distrust them now?

Because I want more of a life than the one I lead downstairs.

Were you ever in love, Juanita?

Sí.

With a young handsome soldier, when I was a girl.

Did he make you happy?

Sí.

Until he went away.

I cried so hard that my mother said

that flowers would bloom in my eyes.

And you, muchacha?

Mm-hmm.

His name was Jim.

We were in love.

To hold him to me, I made his life my own.

He had the magic with the cards, too, huh?

I never met anyone who was better.

Everything I know, he taught me.

Did you marry him?

No.

He wanted to wait till he'’d made it first.

Wait? Why?

Everyone knows that love is a flower

that turns to fruit after marriage.

By then, it was too late.

He died in my arms in a gunfight.

Duele un poquito.

All I could think of is what I'’d lost.

A home, children.

I thought I'’d never live to be like other women.

Then Peter came into my life.

You'’re very fortunate.

There are very few women to whom love comes twice.

This is my last chance, Juanita.

I can'’t lose twice.

Have courage.

The heart is there.

It needs only direction.

Tomorrow, when you go to him,

go with joy.

[ gasps ]

Oh, mi dios.

What is it, Juanita. What'’s wrong?

[ gasps ]

You must not travel on the stagecoach

to Willow Falls, tomorrow.

Why?

Because a man you know

will also be traveling on it.

Who?

I can only tell you what the cards say.

You must take your own buggy so he does not see you.

He holds evil in his heart.

He can cause you much suffering.

Riker, I tell ya, I can take her.

There'’s no woman in the world that good.

And you came to Dodge City to tell me that?

Got any idea who you'’re up against, Keyes?

Oh, Mystic Maud, or at least that'’s what she calls herself.

I'’ll bet the name's as bogus as store teeth.

Maybe, but nobody has yet been able

to smoke out her real moniker.

Could be there'’s something she'’s mighty touchy about.

That'’s her business.

One thing she doesn'’t have to hide from nobody.

What'’s that?

She'’s the smartest card sharp

in Calico this side of the border.

I'’m no tinhorn, either.

I know tricks this Mystic Maud, or whatever she calls herself,

never even heard about.

Keyes, you'’re more of a rabbit brain

than I figured.

For every trick you'’ve got up your sleeve,

she knows a dozen, so stop dreaming.

My friends,

Today, I speak to you on a matter that concerns

our own Willow Falls.

Your families, and your children.

And some day, my own children, too.

When I first came to Willow Falls,

It was a wilderness of canvas tents.

Today, it'’s a respectable town.

But there are those who'’d like to destroy it.

Last night, this letter was placed under my door.

It advises me of plans

to build a gambling casino here.

[ crowd gasps ]

Now, my friends,

you have worked hard and you have saved

to build this house of the lord.

Are you going to tolerate a temple of Satan here?

CROWD: No.

I thought not.

Card sharps, jezebels,

dice players, and their like,

are not welcome in Willow Falls.

Gonna be laid over for a spell, folks.

You can sit or stretch your legs,

whatever you fancy.

What'’s trouble?

It went lame.

Lucky we was only five miles from here,

we'’d never made it to Fort Griffin by sundown.

Where the devil are we, anyway?

Willow Falls.

How long do you reckon we'’re gonna be stuck here?

An hour, maybe more.

All depends on how soon I can get a horse that can travel.

Howdy.

Howdy.

Any place in town a man can go to wash down the dust?

We don'’t have any saloons in Willow Falls.

Well, maybe you can tell me what a stranger

does here to kill time.

Well, that all depends on how you kill time

on the Sabbath where you come from.

I found a sociable game of cards

is the best time killer any day.

Well, I reckon if a party can be kept nice and quiet,

man can always rustle up a couple of friends,

keep a stranger company.

My name'’s Abbot.

Joe Keyes.

If you really love me, Peter, we wouldn'’t have to wait.

Is there any doubt in your mind?

I loved you from the day we first met.

I often think that Providence must have had a hand in it.

In bringing us together on the train.

I never that I'’d ever fall in love with a minister.

You know, I keep asking myself the same question.

What question?

Why such a beautiful and wonderful woman

would choose to share my humble life?

There are so many other men that could give you

much more than I.

Oh, I can find a husband I can live with.

But I need a husband I can'’t live without.

Oh, I love you Peter, and you love me.

That'’s all I need.

I wish it were that simple.

Since when is getting married such a difficulty?

Lottie, the lord wants this church

built before anything else.

Peter, I have money.

Quite a lot, in fact.

Well, it'’s more than enough to complete the church.

It'’s yours.

Where did you get it? You'’re a schoolteacher.

My father. It was a legacy

Oh, it'’s yours, Peter, for the church.

Lottie, the church...

The church is for the people.

It should be their money and with their strength.

I can'’t take your money.

We just have to wait.

Why are you so proud and stubborn.

Peter, why should we put off what we could have now?

A new life, a place of our own.

A chance to start over.

Peter...

there'’s something I have to tell you.

Something you should know.

Lottie, you spoke of a new life for both of us.

But don'’t you see? For me, it'’s already begun.

I need your love.

I need your strength,

so that I can carry on my work

in the lord'’s vineyard.

[ sobbing quietly ]

Have I said something to make you unhappy?

As you know, gentlemen, faro is a mighty easy game.

Pick the right card to win or lose.

Any way you play it, the game is yours.

So lay your bets, gentlemen.

One of us is going to walk out a rich man.

Well, well.

So that'’s what that rascal'’s up to.

Who?Abbot.

Looks as though he'’s called a meeting of the parish elders

without even telling me about it.

Why?

Probably to discuss ways of raising money for the church.

They know how much it means to me.

Excuse me.

Where you going?

To look in on it for a minute.

Maybe I can help things along.

Oh, must you, Peter? It'’s getting late,

and I want to be back before nightfall.

I'’ll only be a minute.

All right, I'’ll wait in my buggy.

My stake'’s ride on the queen,

giving you all the chance to copper her.

Place your bets, gentlemen.

Gambling.

Do my words and my pleadings mean nothing to you?

Can you so lightly destroy all the good

that we'’ve built together?

That'’s your property you'’re breaking up.

Let him alone!

Let him alone!

He'’s the reverend.

I'’ll pay the damages.

You mean know what you'’re doing...

to yourselves, and to our town?

There'’s no law against a man enjoying

a bit of sport if he wants to.

There'’s God's law.

It can save you from yourselves,

but you'’ve got to want to obey it.

Who does he think he is, breaking up our game?

Why don'’t you people cut him down a size?

Can'’t. He's got everyone in town behind him.

Solid. Mostly womenfolk.

I wouldn'’t take no loudmouth from nobody,

man or woman.

Who'’s that?

Mean, uh, Lottie?

I'’d swear I've seen her before.

What'’s her last name?

Deno.

Lottie Deno.

She'’s a schoolmarm.

She and the preacher aim to get married pretty soon.

Is that a fact?

Uh, she'’s a mighty fine lady, Miss Deno.

The lady I know has a different name,

and she'’s no schoolmarm.

Some hombre wants to see you.

He says he has an important message.

Who is he?

I'’ve never seen him before.

Take over for me, Rick.

He has the evil eye.

Howdy.

What brings you back to Fort Griffin?

I told you I'’d be back if I found somebody to stake me.

Have any luck?

Not yet,

but I'’ve a feeling it's going to change real quick.

Lottie.

You'’ve got me mixed up with somebody else, mister.

My name'’s Maude.

[ laughs ]

Everybody here knows that.

The folks in Willow Falls,

the preacher you'’re going to marry,

swear you'’re Lottie Deno, schoolmarm.

What do you want?

Reckon the thousand I lost,

and two more as a bonus.

That'’s blackmail.

Can'’t blame a man if luck

is suddenly cutting on his shirttails, ma'’am.

If I hurry, I guess I can catch

that next stage back to Willow Falls.

All right.

I'’ll give you the money.

Provided you never come back.

You win.

Don'’t, you'll get burned to death.

Keep the buckets coming!

It'’s all over, reverend.

We might as well go home, there'’s nothing more we can do.

No, it'’s not all over.

We'’ll build a new church.

A bigger one.

For this generation, and for others to come.

That'’d take a miracle, reverend.

Folks around here have already given everything they'’ve got.

How about making room for one more, gentlemen?

Sorry, mister, but the game is closed.

Closed?

I'’ve got a roll as big as that wagon wheel

burning a hole in my pocket.

That'’s a lot of money to play with, mister.

I'’d hate to see you lose it.

Don'’t worry,

there'’s more where this comes from...

Maud.

Plenty more.

Bartender!

Give everybody a drink on me.

[ laughter ]

Oh, say, excuse me.

Wonder if you could tell me where I could find Miss Deno?

Miss who?Lottie Deno.

She teaches school here.

Ain'’t no teacher in Fort Griffin by that name,

and Mr., uh...Green.

Reverend Green.

I wonder if you could be mistaken.

She told me that this is where she lives.

No, ain'’t no mistake about it.

I'’ve been here nigh on 30 years.

Know everybody.

I sign '’em in, and sign '’em out.

I'’m afraid I don'’t understand.

Reckon you wouldn'’t, you being a stranger.

My name'’s Crocker, I'’m the town clerk,

and town undertaker.

I see.

Well, thank you very much, Mr. Crocker.

I guess I'’ll just have to keep trying.

[ gunshot ]

This man is dying.

Someone get a doctor.

Reckon if he'’s cashing in his chips,

he needs you more than he needs a doctor, reverend.

Please!

Anybody here know this fella?

I need his name for the records.

DENO: His name is Keyes.

Joe Keyes.

We were playing poker, he'’d been losing.

and he picked a fight with Rick.

Rick shot him.

Lottie.

[ gasps ]

You'’ve made a mistake, mister.

My name is Maude.

Forgive me, madam.

For a moment, you reminded me of a girl I...

...once loved.

Once?

She'’s dead now.

All right, some of you men,

let'’s pick him up and get him out of here.

Lottie Deno sent Peter more than enough

money to rebuild his church.

He came back to Fort Griffin,

some say to take Lottie back with him,

others, to return her money,

but when he returned, she was gone.

Nothing more was ever heard of her.

But there remained one testament:

a beautiful new church in Willow Falls

which became Lottie'’s legacy

for generations to come.

Be with us next week for another true drama

from our American past.