Original subtitles

Amen.

wrong place, mister. This here's a Ponexpress station. We ain't got nothing

valuable. We know who you are. You work for the slavers. Oh, I swear.

You carry these warrants for runaway slaves.

You're helping the bounty hunters crack them down.

Mister, we just carry the mail. We don't know what's in it. You're lying.

Nebraska's free soil.

You're kind of welcome.

You're lucky we don't kill you.

I'll do just fine.

Rider coming.

I quit.

Nobody can teach those greenhorns.

Let go.

Hold it. Hot sweat.

The company needs new riders. They'll get the hang of it.

They'll kill each other first.

All right, break it up.

I wish I shut up.

Fightin' will get you fired.

Box! Get over here.

I've had enough.

Good, you're fired.

Fine. Then leave the horse.

Says here Freestaders attacked the Rock Creek Station last week.

Run off the riders, burned it down.

Where's that?

Nebraska Territory, north of Kansas border.

Don't make sense.

Freestaders attacking a Pony Express?

Nothing makes sense in those parts.

Folks there have been fighting for so long, they don't know friends from

enemies. Well, they're fighting to decide whether Nebraska's gonna be a

slave state or free soil.

I'm glad we're not involved.

I wouldn't be so sure Russell Majors and Waddell want me to send two riders to

Rock Creek to rebuild the station.

What? It's just temporary till they have train replacements.

Why us?

They know my boys will get the job done.

Always end up drawing the short straw.

I drew the other one. Come on, Jimmy. A change of scenery might do us both good.

Yeah, if we live through it.

When you get to Rock Creek, look up Ben Turner. He's the marshal there. I

thought he was a Texas Ranger.

Oh, he was.

Then he got married.

His wife wanted him to take a safer job.

Sounds about as safe as sitting on a powder keg. Ben's an old friend of mine.

Solid as an oak. I seen him put down a riot one single-handed without firing a

shot. If the boys get in trouble, you can count on him.

I'll be long as soon as I can.

Shouldn't be more than a couple of days.

Take care of yourself, Hugh.

It's a change of scenery, all right.

It's worse than I imagined.

Like Teaspoon said, it is a war.

That's strange.

Well, there's no sense in trying to rebuild here.

It'd probably be safer to put a new station in town.

Well, then, let's get to Rock Creek.

We could use a hot meal.

God bless you. You're going to be free.

May you have a safe journey, Lord.

Damn feathers.

Bring in the colors again.

Sure are a lot of soldiers around here.

Those damn slavers are terrorizing the town.

Honest folks aren't safe in their beds. I hear it every day in my store.

It's you hothead free status causing all the trouble, McCoy. Your kind burned out

the Pony Express Station.

It's you and your damn newspaper that are stirring folks up by printing lies.

Don't you dare question the integrity of Mr. Fitzgerald. He's the finest. Enough.

You gentlemen had your say.

You see, the truth of the matter is that...

That there's so much fighting that nobody knows what's going on.

I'm doing the best I can, but I need evidence to arrest someone.

Not a bunch of hotheads.

Seems to me you look a whole lot harder when one of your slave owner friends

hollers. Don't you run your mouth at me, McCoy, unless you can back it up.

Nobody's going to shove their politics down my throat.

Now, you like it or not, the law is bound to protect the slave owners, too.

Now get out of here.

We've got work to do.

Marshal Turner?

Who's asking?

James Hickok. I'm a friend of Teaspoon Hunter, and this here's the kid.

Teaspoon?

Thought I'd beat that.

You know, last time I saw that old buzzard, he's about one step in front of

a jealous husband.

How is he?

Same as always.

What brings you boys into town?

We work for the Pony Express, and we're here to fix up the way station. Teaspoon

said you might be able to help.

I guess that's about the least I could do.

I'll tell you what, fellas. You come out to my place for dinner this evening, and

we'll talk it over then.

My wife makes the best meal in Rock Creek.

You'd be here at six.

Teaspoon. I swear I thought they were gonna kill all of us. So I'm leaving.

All Russell, Majors, and Waddell has left of that old livery stable.

Well, good luck, boys.

You're gonna need it. I know everybody in here.

Hey, Miller.

He paints a real rosy picture.

I'll buy you another one.

Two sarsaparillas, please.

Excuse me, General.

I apologize for interrupting your drink, but the Marshal neglected to introduce

us. I'm Matthew Fitzgerald, editor of the Plains Courier.

This is my associate, Mr. Parris.

Pleased to meet you.

We'd like to ask you a few questions for our readers.

What kind of questions?

Exactly why have you come to Rock Creek, Mr. Hickok?

We're supposed to fix up the Pony Express station.

Since when does the Pony Express hire gunfighters to carry the mail?

Gunfighters? No, I work for Russell Majors in Waddell.

We know who you are, Hickok.

Stay out of our business.

Hold it, Jimmy.

We're not looking for any trouble here.

We're just visiting.

Neither are we.

But our readers have a right to know if Mr. Hickok is a hired gun for the Free

Staters. I got nothing to do with them, why would I?

If I'm not mistaken, your father was William Hickok?

His reputation was well known.

He was a thief and abolitionist.

Don't do that if I were you.

Listen to me.

My father's dead.

You talk about him that way again, you don't join him.

This ain't our fight.

I'm distressed about the trouble you had at the saloon.

I don't know what's happening to this town ever since Mr. Lincoln was elected.

It's been tearing itself apart.

I've had my fill.

There's plenty more.

Well, ma'am, I don't mind if I do.

When Ben and I came here four years ago, this was the nicest town you could

imagine. And strangers started moving in, bringing all the trouble with them.

Killing each other over slavery.

It's outsiders who started it. Poor Ben's caught in the middle.

Clara.

Now, don't you go worrying about me.

I'm gonna be just fine.

Of course I worry about you. How could I not?

If you ask me, I think both sides are wrong.

How can it be right to shoot your neighbor just because he believes

something different than you?

Well, if your neighbor steals your property, you don't get much choice, do

you? What do you mean by that?

It's the abolitionists.

They don't just talk about freeing the slaves.

They take them.

Every man that has any property has a right to protect it.

That's the law.

And I'm sworn to uphold it.

Even if it's wrong?

That's not for me to decide, is it?

The law is the law.

Folks forget that.

They take matters into their own hands and then look what happens.

It's a war. It's getting worse every day.

Lord knows how far it's going to spread before it burns itself out.

You boys don't have to get involved in this trouble around here.

Just do your jobs and go on home.

We were warned, all right.

I don't know. It's a little fixing.

Anybody here?

Yeah.

You the fellas from the Pony Express?

Yeah, that's right.

Name's Gardner. Heard you're looking to buy some horses.

Yeah, could be, if the price is right. Well, I got the best stock in the

territory. I'll make you a fair deal.

Gardner! Hey, Gardner!

You in there?

Yeah.

I hear you've met two fugitive slaves at your place.

Get them out.

Well, I got a right to do anything.

Hey, stay out of it.

Buy from him you'll make a lot of enemies.

We don't look kindly on slave-stealers.

Now you get the hell out of here before I break your bone in your... That's

enough!

Enough, Booster.

We're just leaving, Marshal.

Come on.

Go home, Gardner.

I ain't done nothing, Marshal. I said go home, Gardner.

My place is five miles north if you're interested in that. Doc.

Why'd you let him go, Marshal? They hit him.

Gardner's lucky that I didn't throw him in jail.

He broke the law for hiding them slaves.

Marshal, you saw the... Son, don't you tell me how to do my job.

And I won't tell you how to do you.

Help!

Oh, Jimmy.

What?

Abolitionists hire a gunfighter. James Hickok.

Gunman of notorious reputation.

He's in the employ of abolitionist forces.

I didn't see that.

It's a bald-faced lie.

Who wrote this?

That fellow Harris.

Now, Jimmy, hold on a second.

Ah.

Jimmy!

Harris!

Mr. Fitzgerald! Harris!

He got discovered.

I warned you, Harris.

You're lying about me. You know this ain't true.

That's close enough, Mr. Hickok.

I work for the Pony Express.

That's it.

And I ain't leaving until you print that.

Write a letter to the editor.

Hold it, Jimmy.

You thought your newspapers were supposed to print the truth. You guys

don't give a damn about the truth. You tell him. The Plains Courier is a

disgrace. Mind your own business, McCoy. I never printed a lie about any man.

Last week we heard the Freestaters were hiring gunmen to fight in the territory.

Then you show up.

Well, I ain't one of them. Look, ask the kid. He's from the South. That's right.

Jimmy doesn't work for any Florida. I ain't talking to you. I'm talking to

him.

Bring it up.

What's going on here?

Hickok threatened us, Marshal. We're just defending ourselves.

That ain't so.

Hush up.

You've been in trouble ever since you got here.

I'm not going to warn you again.

You do your job and you get out of town or I'm going to lock you up.

Guess Teaspoon was wrong about you.

You got

a beautiful

piece of land here, Garner.

If only Beauty could pay your bills.

Well, things are looking up, Mr. McCoy.

Them fellas from the Pony Express are coming out.

Probably buy them all.

No, I don't feel right.

Be a shame to see the bank foreclosed.

We don't want this land bought up by slave mongers.

Like that news fella, Fitzgerald.

That ain't gonna happen.

Unless I don't get back to work.

I wish you'd reconsider and take the best offer.

I appreciate it, Mr. McCoy.

But I ain't interested.

Now, you gotta understand.

All my life I've wanted a place like this.

Somewhere I could settle down, raise a family.

I'm sorry, Mr. McCoy.

But I ain't selling my dream.

Afternoon, Mr. Gardner.

Afternoon.

Gentlemen.

Think it over, Gardner.

These are troubled times we live in.

I came to look over your stock.

Well, you won't be sorry.

I got some fine horses for you.

When can you mount a raid?

Tomorrow. Good.

Gardner is trying to sell horses to the Pony Express.

I want him run off that land like the others.

Don't worry, we'll take care of it. Matthew, look at this. We'll have big

news tomorrow.

We're going to burn out that slave lover Gardner.

What did he mean about burning out Gardner?

Oh, don't pay Brewster any mind. He just likes to shoot his mouth off.

Matthew, do you know something about these raids?

Only what I read in the paper.

I'm so glad you could come.

I know how busy you both must be.

It's our pleasure, ma'am.

Ben mentioned the fight you had at the newspaper.

I hope you don't have any hard feelings towards him, James.

No, ma'am.

Marshal was just doing his job.

That's right.

It's a terrible burden on him, you can't imagine.

Nobody appreciates how hard it is.

Is there something wrong, Mrs. Turner?

It's just the way folks talk.

They say Ben isn't fair. That's not so.

He's a good man.

Decent man.

He's always done his best to uphold the law impartially.

This town won't let him.

It's a horrible thing.

They make you take sides, and then if you don't, everybody hates you.

Times like this, it's hard to know what to do.

I just don't want you thinking ill of him.

This Turner seemed awful upset.

He'd sure like to say something to the Marshal.

I don't think the Marshal's looking for any advice from us. I just wish there

was something we could do to help her.

There's nothing anybody can do. These folks got to figure out their problems

by themselves.

The sooner we get out of this town, the better.

That's the first time I've seen you turn your back on someone in trouble.

I ain't turning my back.

You can just see when there's a problem that's bigger than I am. Ever since

we've been here, these people have been dragging us into their fight.

It's like we're walking into the swamp, and every step we take, we just get

deeper and deeper. Maybe if the marshal favored the freestaters, you'd feel a

little different.

If that ain't so, then you know it.

Jimmy.

What?

I'm sorry. I had no cause to say that.

It's just that I can see how this town got so divided.

We just got here, and we're already set to arguing.

Just think, if you and I weren't friends, we might be on opposite sides

of this thing. Yeah, we might have been.

Just make sure that doesn't happen, okay?

It won't.

There's a lot of work to do tomorrow. Let's go.

You go on ahead. I'm gonna stay here and get something to eat.

See you in the morning.

I'll see you in the morning.

Urgent we talk.

Meet me tonight.

Anybody here?

Drop the knife raise your hand

You're

under arrest come on nice and easy now

A noble voice has been stilled.

A loyal son has been cut down in his prime.

Are we going to let his death go unanswered? No!

It's time we made these murdering abolitionists pay.

I say an aye for an aye.

Who's with me? I am!

Would you just look at it, Marshal? It's a note Jimmy found. It proves he's

telling the truth.

How do I know you didn't write it? Because it's not my handwriting, damn

it! Get out of my way, McCoy! Trouble.

Well, I'd sooner die than let your kind take over. I would be glad to oblige.

I'll oblige both of you if you don't clear out of here.

All of you go home and go about your business.

We want Hickok. Hand him over.

Right now!

Hickok is going to stand trial.

That murderer don't deserve a trial.

No! Get into us!

I'm asking you to clear out and let the law handle this.

Whose side are you on, Ben?

You siding with the Free Staters now?

Yeah! Shut up!

You know me better than that.

But I'm not going for any lynching.

You best remember who your friends are and get out the way.

Hush up!

Need any help, Marshal?

Teaspoon?

Teaspoon hunter?

I think these good folks were just about ready to leave anyway, weren't you?

Doesn't end here.

Ben, how are you, old coot? Can't say I'm sorry to see you.

You don't need to thank me. Just saving your bacon like always.

What's all the fuss about?

I'm holding Hickok for murder.

He was dead when I found him. I didn't do it. Don't worry, son. We'll get to

the bottom of it.

Teaspoon will set the marshals straight.

Ben, I don't envy your job. Looks like you gotta be a smarter Solomon and as

tough as Job.

Those boys had it easy, didn't they?

Whiskey, teaspoon?

Little early, ain't it?

To you, sir.

Why don't you get me some air?

You and me, we go back a long way. Pulled each other through some pretty

tough scrapes, huh?

Well, I guess you could... I guess you could say that.

That's why I'm asking you to trust me when I tell you you got the wrong man.

A teaspoon.

Prince Gerald called me because he heard him arguing.

Took me over there and I saw Hickok standing over the body.

And Harris was arguing with someone else. Believe me, Ben, Jimmy didn't do

it. Somebody's trying to rustle that boy into a noose.

That's what trials are for.

There ain't gonna be no trial if that lynch mob gets his way. Why don't you

just hand him over to me? I'll move him someplace safe.

I can't.

I'm a U.S. Marshal. I guarantee he shows up for trial.

That's not the point.

I'm asking you as a friend.

Damn a teaspoon.

You know what it's like out here?

It's like Tinder waiting for a spark.

If I don't keep a hold of that Hickok boy, it's gonna explode.

You gonna kill an innocent man?

It ain't that simple.

I don't understand.

Time was you'd face down an angry mob without breaking a sweat. No matter who

backed you, who didn't, because you was the law.

You that same man today?

It's not like that anymore, Teaspoon.

Maybe you better stop wearing that badge.

Thanks for coming, Marshal.

At least it's ascending for me.

What brought you out here?

Well, we came to pay Gardner for some horses.

We found them like this.

That's a damn shame.

He just bought this place a year ago.

Spent every dime he had on it.

Who do you think did it?

Slavers, I reckon.

Gardner here, he tangled with them now and then.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

What is that supposed to mean?

Come take a look at these tracks over here.

You see that horseshoe there? It's got a bar on the backside of it.

What about it?

I found that same track out of Pawnee Express Station.

Freestaters supposedly burned that down, not slavers.

And that would mean that we're chasing one gang, not two.

Are you sure?

Well, we'll go have a look at them tracks and you can see for yourself they

match.

Teaspoon, the kid was right.

Man, this ain't no war between freestaters and slavers. What you got

here is a pack of outlaws using that for a cover. They steal from one side,

pretend to be fighting for the other. As long as they keep folks blaming each

other, nobody suspects them.

Harris must have found out. That's why they killed him and framed Jimmy.

My God, I helped him, didn't I?

Who are you talking about?

If I've been played a fool, it's up to me to set it straight, isn't it?

Ben, being a fool once don't mean you got to make a habit out of it.

You're going against long odds.

Me and the boys here, we can help you even them up.

You know, some teaspoon, I always tried to be a good lawman.

You see, the folks grew up around here believing that the law was going to take

care of them.

And now they're being told that it won't.

I've seen friends that, you know, they've been stripped clean by

politicians in Washington.

And I always thought that I had to take care of all these folks.

But I made one big mistake, didn't I?

I listened to the wrong people.

Let that Hickok boy go. We might need him.

Not your back, Marshal.

Well, Foster's killed and Charlie's wounded. We have to lay low for a while.

We've still got eight good men.

Not anymore, you don't. Now raise them.

Oh, they dropped that shotgun.

Now, Ben, you just don't understand.

Oh, I understand plenty.

I should have known the night that Harris was murdered.

And you let me in there just in time to see that Hickok boy.

You fooled me.

You fooled me with all that talk about fighting for states' rights.

And you used me to drive them people off their land.

I checked your records, Fitzgerald.

You bought the land dirt cheap, and then you sold it for a big prop.

Looks like I got here just in time.

Where'd you find him?

In a ravine in my old town.

Did he say who he was going after?

No, I got an idea. Jimmy, who was with Ben the night of his arrest?

The newspaper editor, Fitzgerald. Ben!

Ben!

That's his wife, he spoke.

Cover him up.

Now hold it, Mr. Turner, hold it. Ben, let me go.

There's nothing you can do for him now, man.

It's true.

I'm Teaspoon Hunter, ma'am.

I'm sorry we have to meet like this.

I have to see him.

I'll find out who did this, ma'am. I promise.

I know who did it.

It was Tal.

He killed my husband.

Excuse me, Mr.

Fitzgerald?

Yes? Sorry to bother you while you're eating, sir, but could I talk to you? It

wouldn't take but a minute.

Certainly, Marshal.

Thank you.

First off, I'd like to apologize for riding up on you like that the other

day.

If I'd known it was you, it's all right.

So you're just doing your job. Well, I'm glad you see it that way.

I personally have great respect for the press.

Now, you gentlemen are the lifeblood of a freak. What is it you want?

It's about these raids that have been going on.

I found some track time by the Ponexpress station.

What kind of tracks?

You wouldn't go printing this in your newspaper, would you? No, no.

I mean, we don't want the fellow catching on. Of course not, Marshal.

One of the killers was riding a horse with a bar shoe.

Shouldn't be too tough to spot if you don't change it.

That's very interesting.

See, the trouble is, I'm a stranger around here.

I don't know who to trust asking for help. I mean, what if I went to that

blacksmith, for instance, and he told a fella?

You can see my predicament.

I understand perfectly, Marshal.

And I figured you being the editor of the newspaper, you'd know who to trust.

Well, I would be glad to help.

Let me make some discreet inquiries, and I will report back to you.

Well, I'm much obliged.

No trouble, Marshal.

Glad to be of assistance.

Good day to you, sir, and please finish your sandwich.

He went for it.

You men ready, Brewster?

Just so you win.

Shake your horses.

One of you is riding a horse with a bar of shoe.

There it is.

This one has the bar.

We're gonna have to get another horse.

All right, boys, slow down your guns. It's Marshal Hunter.

Coyne Fitzgerald went inside.

I'm going after him.

I'll

sneeze

you now, boys.

Go ahead.

Go ahead!

I can make you a rich man, Mr. Hickok.

That how you bribed Harris before you killed him?

This town was the only home Ben and I had together.

I hate the thought of leaving, but I don't know if I could live here without

him. Well, you just take your time getting things together.

Let me know if I can help you.

Because me and the boys, we're going to be around here for a little while.

Yeah? I knew it. You're not going back to Sweetwater? No time soon.

What with the threat of war, Russell Major and Waddell wants to keep that

wave station open so we get the mail to the wet.

If I'd have known we were staying, Teaspooner, I'd have brought a few more

of my things. Not to worry, Cody.

Company's going to send for the others. They'll bring everything with them.

And it looks like I'm going to take over as marshal.

Well, they couldn't have made a finer choice.

Knowing you're here will make it easier if I decide to come back.

Mr. Hunter, Ben carried this with him every day, even after he

quit the Texas Rangers.

He spoke often of the two of you.

How much he loved those days.

I'm sure he loved you a lot more, ma'am.

He would have wanted you to have this.

Please.

I insist.

It meant a lot to him.

I just wish it meant more to others.

Slant, take it away.

Thank you.