Original subtitles

You sure they come this way? I don't see no tracks.

You wouldn't know a deer track if you stepped right on it. They pass this way

every year after the snow melts. You ever fire that thing, Horace?

Of course I have.

Jake, show them which end to point.

Shh, shh. What is it?

Mine.

Oh, my Lord in heaven.

I think he's... I think he's... Dead.

Oh, mercy, no.

Clear out.

Wait.

She got into it.

Where? That stone crink.

Colleen, get me the cutters.

You're going to cut off my arm? No, I'm going to clip the arrow. I'm going to

need to push it right through.

You better let me.

Thank you, but I'm quite capable of performing this.

This one?

Yes.

Now tell me exactly what happened.

Well, uh, we was out hunting deer.

A bunch of Indians come out of nowhere, started shooting.

Yeah, and... Don't.

Try to talk now, Horace.

He's right. You're in shock.

I'll need some chlorine water.

Colleen, would you bring me some bandages from upstairs? I'll be right

Just keep your mouth shut. If we try to tell him what happened, it's just going

to lead to trouble. You don't want to get Jake in trouble, do you?

No. Because you will.

You'll get us all in trouble.

I don't like to lie.

It's against my principles.

Oh, you don't have to lie. Just leave that part out.

We can explain.

You saw what happened when you tried to explain to the Indians.

You've got to be quiet.

Besides, it's just an Indian.

You want to stand with the Indians or you want to stand with your friends?

Your friends are counting on you.

Lauren, are you all right?

I heard about the attack.

Oh, Horace.

Did you see what did it? It was Indians.

They all looked the same.

How many were there? Six.

It might have been ten. They had paint on their faces. More paint.

And it was letting out these awful, god -awful blood -curdling screams they do

when they was charging at us. Now, we're ready. I'd like you all to wait outside

for us, except for Colleen.

Mickey's gonna scream?

Cover your ears.

Horace?

You gonna be all right?

Horace,

I'll try to do this quickly.

Once the arrow's out, it won't hurt so much.

The true horse almost got scalped by 20 Indians. Oh, he just got an arrow in the

arm, that's all. Dr. Mike's taking it out.

Oh, Daddy. Huh?

Some hero.

Excitement. There's been trouble at Blackstone Creek.

I know.

It's bad.

No, actually, Horace is going to be all right. Dr. Mike took the arrow out. The

Indian's dead.

What Indian?

Little Eagle. He was out hunting deer and they shot him.

They didn't say anything about that.

They told me they were ambushed.

That's not true.

Wait right here.

Horace. For all people to get caught in an ambush.

Horace wouldn't hurt a flea. It wasn't any ambush.

Jake shot Little Eagle.

What are you talking about?

The hell's Little Eagle?

The Cheyenne Brave. He was out with a hunting party. Same time as these two.

Jake killed him. I didn't kill nothing.

It was ambush.

Bunch of Indians looking for trouble almost killed Horace.

I was there, Jake.

Did you see it?

Not exactly.

But the Braves tell you, fire your rifle.

Yo, are you going to believe these savages?

Of course he does.

Practically one of them.

What makes them say it was me?

They said it wasn't the old one and it wasn't the one that got hit with an

arrow. It was a man with long brown hair riding a black horse.

Why half of the men in this town got black horses?

It couldn't have been Jake.

He can't hit nothing.

He ain't brought home a deer yet.

It's nothing to laugh at.

Lying makes it worse.

You're calling a liar.

Now, Sully, this is the Indians' word against the townsmen's.

And we don't have any proof.

I know the Cheyenne.

But I know you, Jake Slicker.

Can you bend your fingers?

Good.

Well, there doesn't seem to be any nerve damage.

You're lucky, Horace.

I guess you could say that, but I wish I'd never gone out there.

I don't even like hunting.

I don't know what got into me.

Horace, could I ask you about the ambush?

What about it?

Was that how it really happened?

What do you mean?

The way Jake and Lauren said.

Well...

Yeah? You didn't see Jakey shoot an Indian first.

Indian?

Little Eagle.

He would kill you today.

Oh.

Yeah, I heard about that. That's terrible.

It's terrible.

Look, Mr. Bing. Here's the story.

Local man survives Indian ambush.

Will you read it to me?

Not now.

Listen.

Bing, our very own telegraph operator, made a daring escape from an Indian

ambush after being shot in the arm with a deadly arrow.

I'm proud of you.

Don't read no more.

Did you fire your gun?

Can you see their faces? I don't want to talk about it.

He's been through quite an ordeal. He needs to rest.

Will you sit there easy and I'll come back.

I'll come look on you later.

No, listen.

A daring escape from an Indian ambush after being shot in the arm with a

arrow. In a heroic chase, Mr. Bing rode ten miles with the arrow stuck right in

him. Heroic.

Mr. Bing was the only one stupid enough to get shot.

Think them Indians will try something now?

They might.

Where is Forrest? He's at Dr. Mike's.

Alone? He might be running a fever.

Raving, you know, saying crazy things.

You're right. Maybe we should go check on him.

After we finish our meatloaf.

Now, I heard that there were 50 Indians and a

rain of arrows, and Horace just walked right through them. No, that's not the

way I wrote it. There were 10 Indians. That's not true either.

Your whole story's wrong.

I got it from eyewitnesses. But you didn't talk to all of them, did you?

got no right printing this. It riles people up.

Well, why don't you tell me what you think happened? What I know.

Because I'm planning to do another story for tomorrow.

No, don't do that. Why?

Another story will make this bigger.

Folks more excited.

You've got to settle this quiet.

Jake Slicker?

I thought you killed one of their people.

That's bull.

I ain't killed nobody.

They got witnesses.

They're savages.

We got witnesses too, don't we? Yeah, me and Hort. We was out hunting with Jake

here. They ambushed us.

They say they want you to come before the tribal council.

Get a fair hearing.

Is that right?

Well, I'll tell you what I want them to do.

Go to hell.

He said it, Jake.

Try to get both of us together and talk. Let's talk.

We got nothing to talk about.

Just tell him to get out and stay out.

You got no business here.

What did the Indians say?

Said they'd be back to get Jake.

Why didn't you say something?

What could I say?

You're always looking to speak. You're standing up when people got no one else

to speak for them.

Well, you can't just turn Jake over to the Indians if he didn't do this. He did

it. How can you be so sure?

You know what Jake's like.

Drinking again, he's probably drunk when this happened. That's pure speculation.

The Cheyenne saw him shoot.

I believe the Cheyenne. They don't lie. And I believe Horace. He doesn't lie

either.

You've known him longer than I have. Has he ever lied?

No. Horace has nothing at stake. He has no grudge against anyone.

Maybe he got confused.

Maybe the Indians got confused.

They're angry, and from what I've seen, they have every right to be. Maybe they

just jumped to conclusions.

And maybe you're not thinking right.

You're angry too, Sully.

Are you sure you're thinking right?

Stage ain't coming.

Stage from Denver ain't coming. Why? What's happened?

We got attacked by Indians. Had to turn back.

They won't come until they get a cavalry escort.

Say the roads ain't safe.

I was afraid something like this would happen. Where are you going?

I'm going to the reservation to see if I can talk to him. I'll go with you. No.

Why? You won't be welcome there. Why not? What have I done? Nothing but your

wife. So are you.

I might not be welcome either.

Yes it is.

And it could get worse.

I'm going to take you back to the homestead. There's been some trouble out

the roads.

What kind of trouble?

Nothing you get to worry about.

Indians?

Yeah, we got a report that they attacked the stage.

Not around here, though. They kill anyone?

I don't think so. Dr.

Mike just wants us to stay put for a while until things calm down.

How long will that be?

Not too long.

I hate staying in.

I know. If Jake hadn't gone and done this... Dr. Mike said you don't know if

did.

Yeah, but Sully says he did, and I believe Sully. So what if he did?

Them Indians are like animals.

They scout people, take them to the ground, that red ant eat them alive. Now

they're burning up our land.

Their land as much as ours, Indian lover.

Look at this stupid thing.

What's in it, huh? Don't touch that.

No one's supposed to open it. Why not?

It's sacred.

Let's go.

Hey, Indian lover.

You're going to hide behind your little sister's skirt? Don't pay no attention

to him. Matthew, stop.

I'd like to come over and ask Mrs. Wakefield a few questions about what

happened. She's resting right now. I gave her some laudanum. Maybe later.

Oh, all right.

So, what side are you on? Have you come to that already?

Afraid so.

When two people say two different things, you've got to take sides.

Don't you believe our company?

Yes, I especially believe Horace.

And I also trust Sully.

Someone's lying, and I can't imagine who.

Sometimes people don't know they're lying.

They go through the same experience, but they see it in different ways.

And they'll swear on the Bible that their version is the truth.

So how do you find out what really happened?

I've been reading this book about newspapering, and it says you've got to

and figure out who would have a reason for lying, or for coloring the story in

certain way.

If Jake is guilty, he'd certainly have a reason.

And the Indians might have even more reasons.

If they started the shooting, they'd be looking for someone to blame.

Why? Well, Black Kettle knows that if the army gets wind of an Indian ambush,

they'd come in and massacre those Indians like they'd done before.

Black Kettle.

I took a bullet out of his neck once.

It was in my home.

He gave me the name Medicine Woman.

Well, until we know different, best policy is to stick with your own.

Tell Mrs. Wakefield I'll be by later.

Let's call a stop to the fighting.

The wife of Little Eagle.

She will bury her hair with her husband so that the spirit may go with him.

How many children did he have?

Who?

The dog soldiers went justice.

Sometimes. I think I should be with them.

They burned down the house of an innocent family.

Is that justice?

Could have been Dr. Mike's. Matthew, Brian, and Colleen could have been

But no one has been killed.

Yet. The attacks keep up. Someone will be, and it won't bring back Little

But it will let the likes know we are serious.

The killing was one thing, but the lying is a far greater injury.

And this has happened again and again.

I know.

The dog soldier say I must stop.

I'll talk to Jake, but you gotta give me time.

How long?

Another day.

I don't know if I can.

What do you want?

No, let me guess.

Not a shave.

Erica?

No, I don't think so.

Maybe it's my scalp you want.

I've just come to talk, Jake.

I've been talking quick.

I'm closing up.

This incident...

It's going to be a big thing. It's got nothing to do with me.

It's not about two people anymore. This fighting could spread clear across the

territory. Hundreds of folks could die, folks that you care about.

That's... It's in your hands, Jake.

You can stop this. You can make the peace.

How would I do that?

Talk to the Cheyenne.

They're angry because no one's owning up to what happened.

Somebody's got to make an apology, and if you do it, I'll do my best to make

sure no harm comes to you.

All they want is some kind of gesture.

Right. Right. I'll, uh... I'll go to him and I'll say,

I made a mistake.

Sorry. Sorry.

No.

I didn't do it.

And even if I did,

I wouldn't go crawling to no engines.

I already thought about it and changed my mind.

Get out.

Before I get my rifle and make this an incident.

What's wrong?

Thought I could get to Jake somehow, but I didn't.

I'm sure you tried your best.

With drinking?

No.

Makes it harder.

Thing is, once people get this mad, they forget what they're fighting about. All

they know is they gotta win.

They can't back down.

I'll ride with you. Make sure the children are all right.

Now get down, now, and be quiet.

Who's out there?

It's us.

It's all right.

What happened? We don't have enough supplies.

We just wanted to make sure you were all right.

What's wrong?

Some Indians rode into town. They took Jake away.

Kidnapped him?

Probably took him to the reservation.

I'm going to ride up there and settle this before the folks in town find out.

They will find out.

We're the only ones that saw it. But when the barbershop didn't open?

We could tell them he went on a trip.

They won't believe that. No one's going on any trips now.

Then we could say he came down with something. We can't lie.

I'm going.

No, Sully, don't. Please. It's not too dangerous.

Don't, Sully.

Please, just wait until daylight.

We'll tell the others and...

Get their help.

What kind of help are they going to be? Please?

Just wait until morning.

It's a big mistake.

Now, we're going to need a posse to go after him.

So who's riding with me?

Crazy. It's suicide.

Last time you led a posse, you fell off your horse before we got out of town.

A posse's not the answer.

Call the army.

It's their job.

No, we gotta keep the army out of this. Only make things worse. We don't want

things to get no worse.

Once the army gets here, it'll be an all -out war.

Good. Let the army show them Indians they can't get away with it.

Let the army wipe them out once and for all.

Wait, if there's a war, a lot of people will be injured.

And it won't just be the Indians.

That's right. The town can get attacked.

Not if we protect ourselves.

Let me talk to Cheyenne, see if I can get him to let Jake go.

He can't talk for us.

He's only when he can talk for us.

Cheyenne aren't going to listen to anybody else. I think Matthew's got a

He's on their side.

I'm not on any side.

I want Keith.

Give me till tomorrow.

By tomorrow, Jake will be dead.

Please.

If we let the army in now, they'll come in shooting before they talk.

They'll destroy the reservation and they won't stop to see if there's a white

man there.

If you want to see Jake alive again, Sully's the best chance.

Mother, I... I agree.

Please, just let Sully try.

Should not have come.

Said you'd give me time.

I tried, but could not.

What happened to Jake?

Tomorrow there will be a council.

The dog soldiers don't want to wait. They want to torture you.

No, you can't let them do that.

You must leave now.

They could turn on you also.

No, I'm staying.

Fine.

I want to speak to the council.

How's your arm today?

Horace? Oh, fine.

You're awful, Paley. You run enough even.

Let me be.

Horace?

Dr. Mike.

Horace, I know you pretty good now.

There's something not right with you.

It's got all this work, that's all.

There is something you're not telling me.

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

Horace, I've always trusted you.

And you know you can trust me, don't you?

Well, yeah.

If there's something you're holding inside that you want to tell, you'll

much better once you do.

It was about the day that we was deer hunting, me and Lauren and Jake.

Something moved in the bushes and... Jake... Jake...

Yes?

He shot it.

I mean, the Indian.

Oh, my God.

We didn't know it was an Indian.

Horace, you lied to me. I didn't mean to.

Horace, I always thought you were the soul of honesty.

I never knowed you to fly neither.

Why? I didn't want Jake to get in no trouble.

Well, he's certainly in trouble now.

Jake and Lauren, they told me to keep quiet. They made it seem like the best

idea. They said it was the only way to keep things from getting out of hand.

But you must have known. I wanted to go along.

They never liked me. They made fun of

me.

They never let me go hunting with them. them before, but this time I was right

there with them. I was one of them.

If I told, I was afraid they'd never be my friends again.

Oh, Horace.

Sully was right, and I didn't believe him.

I'm sorry, Dr. Mike. I never dreamed it would lead to so much trouble. When it

started, it just kept getting bigger, and I couldn't stop it.

Myra, I don't know if you could ever forgive me.

I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't.

At least now we have the job.

Dan, would you have to go and tell him, boy? I couldn't keep quiet no longer.

Now look at the mess of trouble you started up.

He's doing the right thing.

So Jake did it.

Well, he thought he was shooting at a deer.

I believed you, Lauren.

I printed your story in the newspaper.

I didn't ask you to do that. People take what they read in the newspaper for the

truth. Well, maybe you ought to check your facts a little better next time

before you print something.

Matthew, it was just a mistake. We were all mistaken.

No, he's right.

I should have been more careful.

I got a printer.

What do they call it?

A retraction.

Right now.

I'm a pale thug.

Might make a difference.

Horace, I need you to come with me. You're the witness.

To the Indian King? You can't go there, Doug. Soldiers are shooting at

everything on the road. We'll never make it. Yes, we will.

Horace, no.

I gotta do it, Myra. To make things right.

We better get started.

Wait.

I should go with you.

I need you to stay here with Colleen and Brian.

I'll take care of them.

Thanks.

Thanks. You gotta get me out of here. Why? I didn't do nothing.

Want me to help you?

Tell the truth.

I was hunting deer. I didn't see no engines.

All right.

Wait.

All right, I'll... I'll tell you what happened.

It was Horace who killed the Indian next way they shot him with the arrow.

It was not Horace.

You tell me the truth, I'll let him peel your skin off inch by inch.

I... I... thought

I saw a deer in the bush.

I fired.

The Indian screamed.

And fell down dead.

I knew it was him.

I swear.

Why'd you lie?

It was an accident.

One Indian. I didn't know that he was too fast.

Why?

Indians die all the time.

No one gives a damn.

What are you doing here?

We just found out from Horace.

Jake did shoot the Indian.

I just heard the same thing from Jake.

So what'll happen now?

If he killed one of ours, he must die.

It was an accident.

Do you believe that? Little Eagle was hidden by bushes. Jake thought he was

shooting a game.

A lie.

No, it's true. I saw it. I was there.

They lied before and they're lying now.

They tried to cover it up. Yes, it was an accident.

But trust me. No. It turned against us.

You took the side of people who don't care if we die.

They shoot us and leave us in the dirt. No, you're the one that's turned.

It used to be fair. You taught me not to hate. Now you're blinded by anger. Open

up your eyes. I'm dancing.

Sully!

Sully!

Sully, stop it!

Sully!

Sully! Sully!

You should be ashamed. You call this man your brother?

Any word?

No. I'm getting concerned.

You should have called the army.

Oh, I'll call them now.

Sulk's had a whole day. Nothing's happened. You don't know that.

Besides, Dr. Mike wrote after him with new information.

That could be delaying things.

They'll say, call the army.

We can't let them do that.

What if Mom's in trouble?

The Indians are killing people. Remember what she said?

The soldiers go to the reservation.

They'll kill everyone there.

They ain't coming back.

I say wait one more day.

But they're in danger.

We gotta send help. Call the army. I agree. We ought to do something.

How are we going to send a wire with Horace gone?

I've been learning the code.

You can't read.

Horace has been teaching me the alphabet.

You ever send a wire?

No.

I've watched a lot. I think I could.

Then do it.

How does this work?

The council will listen to all sides, then make a judgment, and they must all

agree.

Those women, are they on the council?

Yes. It is said they look from a different angle.

Very true.

Are there no women on your councils?

No.

What's he saying?

He asked for permission to address the council.

I am caught in the middle between two great peoples.

The whites say I stand with the Cheyenne.

The Cheyenne say I stand with the whites.

What's Black Kettle say?

He says... He too has been in that place many times.

He asks Sully, who do you say you stand with?

I stand with the truth.

That is the only place for a leader to stand.

You got the wire?

Not yet.

Hurry.

You heard from the people that were there.

Both the Cheyenne and the white.

This man killed Little Eagle, but it was an accident.

He must give us life and that will be the end.

No, that won't be the end. If you kill this man, the army will take revenge.

Every act of violence will lead to more violence, to more death. We'll build an

all -out war.

Villages will burn.

People will lose their homes.

Children will see their parents killed.

War is coming. The spirits have said that.

It's better that war begins now, while we are still

strong and can fight.

If we let them kill us one by one, we will be too weak to resist.

What did they say?

They're saying kill the whites now and start the war.

You want to start a war?

It started with me now.

You're not going to start a war now while I'm your chief, Black, at all.

You challenge your chief, step forward now.

As long as one white man will talk to us, we will talk.

Because when no one talks, Cheyenne Nation is no more.

What's happened?

It says that you must bring horses, food, and gifts to the family of Little

Eagle.

It won't make up for the loss, but it will help the family to survive.

The tribal council agrees.

You're going to let him go?

Yes.

Give me your watch.

What?

Pocket watch.

Silver. That's right.

Little Eagle's family will need it.

And now the ring.

My pa gave this to me.

Thanks to you.

Her children don't have a pa.

Well, take that horse also.

How am I supposed to get back?

You keep choosing.

Jake, we'll give you a ride. Oh, thank you.

How come he's mad?

You saved his life.

I don't think he likes to feel indebted.

You saved a lot of other lives, too.

We're just lucky they didn't call the army. I thought they would.

Well, they did.

What do you mean?

The day after you left.

They sent a telegram to the army, but it never got there.

I cut the telegraph wires.

You what?

I climbed up and cut them.

Nice going.

Climbed up there? You could have fallen down. And it's against the law.

And you'd have done the same thing.

She's right.