Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Lucia Darling was the first schoolteacher

in the territory of Montana-- then a lawless frontier

where anything could happen, and did.

Lucia came to the town of Bannack in 1863,

and trouble immediately began-- big trouble.

The town tried to ignore it

like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand.

But Lucia was a fighter,

and so began the battle between...

There'’s two of 'em.

Drop '’em.

Everybody out.

Hand down that gold.

Come on! That other box too!

Just a minute.

Put that back on the stage.

That box is mine.

There'’s nothing in it that you'’d want.

It'’s full of books.

I'’m a schoolteacher on my way to Bannack.

If you don'’t believe me, open it.

The key'’s in my luggage.There'’s no school in Bannack.

I'’m gonna open one.

Get her outta the way!

Never mind her. Let'’s go.

You'’ll regret this as long as you live.

I'’ll get them back.

I'’ll get them back!

Morning, Judge Edgerton.Morning, Buck.

You expecting someone on the stage?

No, sir. It'’s carrying a shipment of gold,

and it'’s almost an hour late.

My niece, Lucia, is on that stage. I hope nothing'’s happened.

I hope so, too, sir.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

Trouble?

Yeah. Two masked men held us up

just this side of Grasshopper Creek.

They got the box with the gold in it.

I want a full report.Lucia!

Lucia Darling!Uncle Sidney!

Oh, I'’m so glad to see you.

Are you all right? Did they hurt you? Oh, yes.

No, no, no. I'’m fine.

But they took the schoolbooks I brought for the children.

I don'’t understand.

What in the world would the bandits want with your books?

Well, I had them in a strongbox.

They must'’ve thought that it was full of gold.

A road agent is a man in a hurry, miss.

He'’ll take everything that he thinks is valuable,

then discard what he doesn'’t want later on.

Don'’t you worry, Miss Lucia.

We'’ll find them, and we'’ll find your books too.

All right. I need a posse right now.

I'’m taking you home.

You had enough excitement for one day.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]It can'’t be.

What can'’t be?

Well, that man over there--

he'’s one of the men who robbed the stage.

Who are you talking about, miss? Him. Over there.

That'’s Cyrus Webster. He'’s my deputy.

He robbed the stage.

Uh, what'’s the matter, Buck?

What did you do with my books?

Books? What'’s she talking about?

The, uh, stage was robbed, Cyrus.

Miss Lucia here claims that--

Well, she claims that she can identify you

as one of the bandits.

Oh, well, that'’s-- that'’s impossible, Buck.

You know-- You know that I wouldn'’t rob any stage.

Come to think about it, I haven'’t seen you around the past hour.

Where ya been?Well, uh, old man Cook--

he was complaining about some stolen cattle out there,

so I went out there to see him.

Well, then, the, uh, Cook ranch

is nowheres near Grasshopper Creek.

You couldn'’t have been in two places at the same time.

Well, let'’s find this Mr. Cook

so we can verify this man'’s story.

All right.

Well, there was nobody out there at the ranch. Nobody out there.

Then you can'’t prove that you were at the Cook ranch?

No, but you know my word'’s good enough around here, Buck.

This is a very serious charge you'’re making against my deputy, Miss Lucia.

Will you swear to it in court?

Yes.

I'’m sorry, Cyrus. Give me your badge.

It'’s her word against mine!

Maybe. Maybe not.

But a hearing will decide that.

I'’ll be glad to help all I can, Sheriff.

I was circuit judge in this territory for quite a while.

Well, as you know, we don'’t have a courthouse,

but, uh, will the saloon be all right?

Oh, I'’ve been in a few.

Unofficially, of course.

Yes, the saloon will be fine.

[ no audible dialogue ]

Yes, sir, two men held us up.

They come down on us so fast, we didn'’t have a chance.

Can you identify them?

Well, they both wore a mask.

I understand that during the robbery,

one of the bandits was unmasked.

But he had his back to me. I didn'’t see his face at all.

Then you can'’t identify Cyrus

as one of the bandits?

No, sir.

[ murmuring ]

All right. That'’ll be all.

Well, it all happened so fast,

I didn'’t get a good look at his face.

Take a good look at Cyrus. Well?

Well, one minute, I'’m inclined to say yes.

Next, I ain'’t so sure.That'’s not very positive.

It'’s as positive as I can be.

[ murmuring ]

I can'’t identify anybody.

[ no audible dialogue ]

I know how the others testified.

I don'’t care. I saw the bandit.

He was as close as you are.

I shall never forget his face.

He took the books and gold

and drove off with them in a wagon.

Lucia, please, just answer the question.

Do you positively identify the bandit?

Yes, I do. He'’s sitting right over there.

That will be all, Lucia. Thank you.

The court is now ready to render its decision based upon the testimony.

There is insufficient evidence to hold Cyrus Webster for trial,

and I order his immediate reinstatement.

MAN: Hooray![ chattering ]

MAN: I told Cyrus no--[ chattering continues ]

How can you congratulate a man who has taken so much from you?

Don'’t you understand?

The gold can be replaced, the books can'’t.

Not for a long time.

Without books, there'’s going to be no school.

Your cheers are for the man who robbed your children of their futures.

Oh, it'’s easy to convince yourselves everything'’s all right.

Ignore trouble, hide from it.

Like an ostrich with his head buried.

Well, you can'’t hide, because this trouble isn'’t going away.

I won'’t let it.

For the sake of the children.

Lucia, let'’s go home now.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

Whoa.

Lucia...

[ sighs ] Lucia Darling,

the town council just voted against opening your school.

They can'’t do that.

They sent me a letter offering me a job as a schoolteacher.

They'’re gonna have to honor it.

But that offer required you to also furnish the books, remember?

I do, and I'’m gonna get them back,

even if I have to go after Cyrus Webster myself.

Lucia, he was found innocent.

Now, I cannot permit you to go around stirring up any more trouble.

Uncle Sidney, this town needs stirring up.

What do you really know about Cyrus Webster?

For that matter, what do you know about the sheriff?

This is a new country, Lucia. You accept a man at face value.

You are chief justice of this territory.

You can'’t compromise with a thief.

I'’m not. And because I am chief justice,

I must function within the law.

Besides, the sheriff will do everything he can to get back your books.

But that'’s not enough.

Father always said, "Books are more powerful than guns."

But he did teach me how to use a gun.

Lucia, you'’re not a lawman, you'’re a schoolteacher.

That'’s right, Uncle Sidney. And when I get those books back,

I'’m gonna teach Cyrus Webster a lesson he won'’t forget.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

Who are you? What do you want?

Ah. Señorita, I am Rodriguez.

I mean you no harm.

Why did you follow me here?

Oh, Rosa, my wife, wanted me to welcome you to Bannack.

I'’m happy you'’re here too.

I saw you coming to the school, and I follow you.

Otherwise I won'’t have a chance to say "welcome."

Rodriguez, why are you so interested in me?

Uh, you are Señorita Lucia Darling,

the one that'’s gonna open the school, no?

Yes. Then it'’s very important that I help you open it.

You see, I have a little boy, Manuel, ten years old.

Uh, very bright, very intelligent.

He learns quickly.

But there is no school.

Like me, he does not know how to read and write.

Someday he'’s gonna grow up just to be another poor peon.

Rodriguez, there isn'’t going to be a school.

Unless I get my books back.

Señorita, I am your friend.

I will help you get the books back.

You are my friend. The only one I have at the moment.

No, señorita, I have plenty of friends.

They will help us too.

You know what, Rodriguez? I think maybe they can.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

Lucia...

Lucia, what are you doing? Who are these men?

Uncle Sidney, this is Rodriguez and his friends.

They'’re gonna help me find my books.

I forbid you to go out into the countryside.

It'’s dangerous. Besides, you'’ll accomplish nothing.

Well, how can you be so certain?

Because the sheriff has already scoured the countryside

for miles around, and he hasn'’t found anything.

Well, I didn'’t expect him to.

Law enforcement is his job.

Besides, your doubts about him are upsetting the entire balance of this town.

Uncle Sidney, if you'’d open your eyes,

you would realize that there never was a balance in this town.

And if something isn'’t done about it soon, there won'’t even be a town.

Come on, Rodriguez.

Hyah!

We found the schoolbooks that were taken from the stagecoach.

Classes will start Monday morning.

Hey, that'’s great![ chattering ]

She found the books.

You should'’ve let me take care of her

when she saw my face during the robbery.

Don'’t be a fool.

I'’m having enough trouble with these vigilantes.

I should'’ve taken off instead of stayed here. Whew!

And admit your guilt? No, you did right in coming back.

We just didn'’t count on this girl

being so confounded stubborn and smart.

If she found the books, she found the gold.

Maybe so.

Maybe I better check.

Not without me, you don'’t.

All right. But let'’s make sure we'’re not followed.

They look worried.And very cautious.

One person can follow them without them knowing it, but not more than one.

Then I will go, Señorita.

No, no, Rodriguez. I'’ll go. You stay here.

If I'’m not back within two hours, go find Judge Edgerton.

All right?But--

Rodriguez.

Señor, quick! Señor Judge!

Señor Judge!

La SeñoritaLucia... [ continues in Spanish ]

Oh, wait a minute. Slow down, please. In English.

Oh. La SeñoritaLucia tricked the sheriff

into believing that we found the books, but we didn'’t found the books.

What are you trying to tell me about Lucia?

Señorita Lucia follow the sheriff

and the deputy out of Bannack.

Now, they think that she knows where the gold is,

because we'’ve been telling everybody that we found the books.

But we did not found the books.

What it is, is that that sheriff and his deputy are the stagecoach bandits.

That I swear, Señor Edgerton.

When did she leave? How long ago?

Uh, about two hours.

I'’ll go get my amigos. They will help.

No. Wait a minute. There isn'’t time enough.

Maybe it'’s up to the two of us.

I'’ll get my gun.

Oh, Uncle Sidney, you came.

I'’m sorry we took so long. We knew only the direction you took.

Finding you wasn'’t easy.Well, that doesn'’t matter. You'’re here now.

And believe me, I found them. Come on.

Seems we have a new problem. Are they both over there?

No, no. They split up outside of town.

I followed the sheriff. I don'’t know what happened to Webster.

WEBSTER: You know now, lady.

Drop '’em.

Get towards that way.

Hurry up!

Phil.

I thought I told you to make sure we weren'’t followed.

Now, if she'’s smart enough to trick us, she'’s too smart to let go.

[ clicks ]

Gold, Cyrus.

And lots of it.

Well, I'’ll be danged. She was telling the truth.

Of course I was.

This one was a graduation gift from my father.

Buck, you worked to help me get appointed chief justice.

I trusted you. Why did you do this?

Well, it'’s a long story, Judge.

It all began in Virginia City with an unlucky game of cards.

I guess I figured the gold would kind of even things up.

But I wasn'’t counting on this.

What are you waiting for? Let'’s go.

Mr. Webster.

Both of you, move.

Father always said, "Books are more powerful than guns."

Still, he gave me one, just in case.

[ chuckles ] Lucia Darling, you'’re a pretty fair shot.

But I dare say you'’re an even better teacher.

At least you taught Cyrus Webster and the sheriff a lesson they'’ll never forget.

The lessons taught by Lucia Darling

served as the basis for what became

the educational system of the entire territory.

Chief Justice Sidney Edgerton devoted himself

to making Montana a fit place to live.

He became the first governor of the territory of Montana.

Next week, another true drama from our American past.