Original subtitles

ANNOUNCER: Previously on Elkhorn...

MERRIFIELD: I’d say that 26,000 got you

one heck of a herd, Mr. Roosevelt.

I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.

MARQUIS: Allow me to introduce my wife.

Medora.

♪

There are always consequences here,

Mr. Roosevelt,

even for the published word.

MEDORA: See to it that is never published.

PADDOCK: Your move, newsboy.

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪

[CATTLE LOWING]

♪

♪

BLAIRE: Hold it right there!

♪

Hands up!

Turn around, slow.

♪

There you go. Put it down.

Easy.

♪

Go!

[GUNFIRE]

Go! Go! Go!

♪

[GUNFIRE]

COWBOY: Don’t worry. I’ll run ’em down.

♪

♪

♪

He’s wasting his time.

I know where he’s going.

♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪

[THUD] [PANTING]

Blast it!

MERRIFIELD: All right, steady him, boys, steady him.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, Mr. Roosevelt.

Plenty of seasoned cowboys can’t hold a calf by themselves.

Well, I very much had to try.

MERRIFIELD: Yes and now I’m very much gonna help you,

so come on in here.

Okay boys, let’s take him down.

Nope. There we go.

MERRIFIELD: Get on in here!

Alright, you get around.

Hold ’em steady.

Alright.

Well, whatcha ya waitin’ for?

SEWALL: I prefer to do the holding.

Are you serious?

Don’t tell me you don’t have the stomach for it!

Ah, I got stomach aplenty!

I just don’t care for this part all that much.

Come now, Bill!

Find your mettle!

Yeah, come on Sewall, find your mettle.

We can’t hold ’em here all day.

Keep ’em steady, boys.

♪

Okay. Hold ’em, hold ’em.

Hold ’em down, hold ’em down.

[COW BELLOWS] [BRAND SIZZLES] There we go.

[COW BELLOWS]

MERRIFIELD: Okay, let ’em up.

Get ’em up.

There you survived.

Buncha cryin’ over nuthin’.

I just don’t care for it.

Ah, the elk’s horn.

A quality brand for a quality product!

How are the rest coming?

MERRIFIELD: Well,

brandin’ a thousand head of cattle

ain’t no easy task, Mr. Roosevelt, but

last couple days Sylvane and new boys

been doin’ a good job with them steers up on the northern pasture,

workin’ ’em as fast as they can.

What say we join them?

Should be the perfect practice before the

round-up in the fall, wouldn’t it?

MERRIFIELD: Yeah, it may be that, but uh,

well, let’s just say

them cowhands, they can be a bit

of a wild bunch, Mr. Roosevelt.

I would expect nothing less!

MERRIFIELD: I guess what I’m trying to say is we

hire ’em for their hard work,

okay, not necessarily their manners. And uh...

yeah, them boys, they don’t have

such a great reputation for uh

respect for proprietors, such as yourself.

Bill,

if I cannot earn the respect of working men,

what business have I here?

MERRIFIELD: Fair enough, but

don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

♪

TEX: Hold down a runner.

♪

Yah!

That’s how it’s done. Did ya see it?

Ha, ha! Nice!

[COW BELLOWING]

♪

ROOSEVELT: How magnificent!

Do you mind?

♪

This ought to be good.

ROOSEVELT: Hasten forward quickly there, boys!

SEWALL: I don’t think this is a good idea, Theodore.

ROOSEVELT: Someone grab me a hot iron,

and come hold ’em! Quick!

TEX: ’Fraid we ain’t gonna hold ’em.

ROOSEVELT: I beg your pardon?

Say, we ain’t gonna hold ’em

’cause we ain’t gonna brand ’em.

I believe you are under my employment-

And I believe I ain’t gonna brand this cattle TWICE.

♪

Blast it!

[LAUGHTER]

TEX: Best leave it to us, Mr. Employer.

Cattlemen don’t do nuthin’ but get in the way out here,

especially the four-eyed ones, who can’t spot a brand from the saddle.

♪

Let’s have at it, then!

I will not be spoken to as such!

Let us fight or be friends!

Hey!

Ain’t no respect to be gained

by you intervenin’.

Just gotta let this play out.

♪

I see. Unafraid to insult me,

but too afraid to back your words.

[PUNCH MISSES] [PUNCH HITS]

♪

Alright, then, Cattleman.

Must be nice wearin’ them storm windows

when the rain comes!

[PUNCHES LANDING]

[PANTING]

[PUNCH MISSES] [PUNCH HITS]

Whoo boy! Got some fire in ya!

[PUNCH] [PANTING]

[PANTING]

SEWALL: Watch that right hand, Mr. Roosevelt!

[PUNCH]

[THUD]

MERRIFIELD: Come on. Get up now, Mr. Roosevelt.

[PANTING]

TEX: Alright, alright. I yield.

[PANTING]

[BLOWS ON GLASSES]

[PANTING]

Let us be friends then.

Well, I’ll be.

TEX: Most o’ you flatfoots come out

just trying to make a quick buck.

Sittin’ pretty while we break our backs.

I dunno if you’re smarter...

but you’re different.

♪

♪

♪

[ROOSEVELT SIGHS]

ROOSEVELT: An extraordinary day!

I cannot remember the last time I was so exhausted!

MERRIFIELD: Yeah, and some much-merited sleep to come, Mr. Roosevelt.

ROOSEVELT: Yes, indeed.

[HOOFBEATS]

Can I help you, gentlemen?

BLAIRE: Mr. Roosevelt, I take it?

Yes. BLAIRE: My name is Emmett Blaire.

I own the Prairie Falcon Ranch, ten miles up the river.

And I’ve come here today to seek satisfaction.

For what?

BLAIRE: For the cattle you’ve been

stealin’ from my property.

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

MERRIFIELD: This ain’t our brand, Emmett.

It’s made to look like it, sure, but

you can see here how it’s been done one point at a time.

That ain’t ours.

Come on, Emmett, you know how these rustlers work.

If we were stealin’, which we ain’t,

why wouldn’t we just use our own brand to do it?

Instead of making a fake iron, try to pass it off as our own.

Figured so your boys wouldn’t get caught with it on my property!

That’s hogwash.

ROOSEVELT: Mr. Blaire,

if you know my name then you know my reputation.

BLAIRE: I’ve heard of your reputation,

back east.

I don’t know a thing about you out here.

What I do know for certain

is that I caught your man in the act.

That is preposterous!

We have no need for thievery!

Why, Elkhorn is as honest an enterprise as they come!

Well then, perhaps

we should ride out on your range tomorrow

to see how many more of my stock you got?

Well then, perhaps we should!

Sir...

may we have the week

to investigate your claim?

I’ll give you three days.

Then I’ll come back here,

and I’ll sort it out myself.

SEWALL: It just doesn’t make much sense.

If someone’s gonna rustle, why not keep ’em for themselves?

Sell ’em off quick?

Why brand ’em as ours?

And out here, Mister Roosevelt,

as I’m sure you’re aware, a rancher’s

reputation is his livelihood.

Well then, perhaps

someone

is intent on ruining my reputation,

someone

who would benefit from our failure.

SEWALL: You suggesting the Marquis de Morés?

He tried taking the property mere days ago

on the ridiculous claim of his sheep grazing.

Surely, he’s willing to try an even less savory approach.

That may be, but how are we gonna prove it to Emmett?

I’ll visit Arthur Packard tomorrow.

See if he has any further insight on the Marquis.

It’s quite a scheme. ROOSEVELT: Yes.

Seems the Marquis is intent on controlling

the entire territory

and likely much beyond

and...

by any means necessary.

♪

♪

[DOORS SQUEAK]

MANAGER: Rosie! Mister Bartholomew in room 5

asked for fresh bath water half an hour ago!

ROSIE: Well, not to me, he didn’t. MANAGER: And the couple

staying in 8 need new linens.

They said that theirs are dirty!

I told you to wait for the washin’ to come back

before you started making beds!

MANAGER: What do you think you’re doing?

Did ya not hear what I just said?

ROSIE: Of course, I did. Look

if you had sent the laundry out yesterday like I asked,

we’d have fresh linens right now, but we don’t.

MANAGER: What a pleasant surprise, Miss Medora.

Rosie, would you please get some tea.

Oh, I’m not here for leisure.

Oh, you’re not?

How can I help you?

This hotel

is now officially the property

of my dear husband, the Marquis.

You are now standing inside

the Hotel de Morés.

We were not made aware.

I am making you aware.

And starting now, we will be catering to a more

upstanding clientele.

We will show them that hospitality in the Badlands can exist.

And that requires more

sophisticated service than what

has previously been offered.

Rosie, was it? - Hm hmm.

Yes, missus.

Any thoughts?

ROSIE: Ah,

new management is a good start.

MEDORA: Done.

You’re fired.

ROSIE: Uh... Miss Medora,

we still have a hotel full of guests.

Surely we need a manager.

And in you,

it has one.

ROSIE: (Stammers) Um, we... um,

I’m sorry. Me? Wha-

♪

TEX: Whatcha readin’ there, Mister Roosevelt?

"King Olaf."

Cover says "Wayside Inn."

TR: Oh well, that’s the book.

The story is a

poetic sequence.

A what, now?

Think of it like a

a musical story.

Much like a campfire song!

Well,

alright now!

It’s about a real Viking king from long ago.

He avenges his father,

reclaims his kingdom,

and he seizes his destiny.

Lots of action, then?

Sure. Yes, it’s very exciting,

but more than that,

well, it’s inspiring.

One could only hope to demonstrate such

fortitude and bravery in their lifetime.

I think on it often

to give me courage when it would otherwise fail.

Well, you might wanna use some of that courage

next time ya gotta heel a calf.

That’s fine advice, Tex.

♪

[GIGGLING]

DICK: Theodore?

Hellooooo?

[GIGGLING]

Oh. That’s just my cousin, Alice.

[GIGGLING]

As long as I live, Richard,

I will never forget such a sweet sound.

DICK: Well, you best go talk to her, then.

♪

♪

♪

Hello, I’m-

ALICE: The boy with mice in his pockets.

I beg your pardon? ALICE: That’s what Richard says.

He can hear them squeaking during class.

It must be quite a scene.

TR: I enjoy studying the natural world.

I don’t always have mice in my pockets.

Sometimes I have a frog...

or several.

You don’t have any critters with you now, do you?

I do not, but

perhaps I could find some in the brush.

Good heavens, no!

I just wanted to make sure.

♪

I’m Alice Lee.

What are you reading, Miss Lee?

Austen.

You know, I find her to be a plain read.

Am I plain if I enjoy it, then?

Oh, no! My apologies.

You are...

well, you are anything but plain.

I could be plain.

You don’t know me.

Well, perhaps we could have dinner sometime

or go for a walk,

so that I could.

If I said yes,

how would you ever learn perseverance?

Ask me again sometime.

Perhaps by then I’ll have swapped this

wretchedly plain book for

something enthralling.

♪

The Saga of King Olaf

by Henry Longfellow.

Just a suggestion.

♪

SEWALL: Mr. Roosevelt?

Best be on your way.

♪

♪

♪

[HOOFBEATS]

Arthur.

Arthur.

What happened?

♪

ARTHUR: How much more explicit did I need to be?

That was only meant for your eyes,

so you could understand the kind of men

you’re dealing with out here.

I hardly needed another lesson myself, but...

Paddock felt obliged to teach it.

♪

Arthur,

this was safe at Elkhorn.

♪

The Marquis.

Medora.

She must have taken it!

And right under my nose!

Perhaps you do need it spelled out then, Mister Roosevelt.

There are men out here,

and women,

who you must not trust,

especially those in the fold

of the Marquis de Morés.

This act of violence cannot stand!

I will not allow the town’s newspaper editor

to be assaulted so brazenly!

We’ll wire the sheriff in Deadwood...

There’s nothing to be done.

♪

Even printed, it’s

my word against his.

Funny thing about getting all bruised up,

it makes it hard to sleep.

And when you’re not sleeping,

you’re thinking.

I’ve been thinking.

Perhaps I’m not as cut out for this venture as I previously thought.

No.

That’s nonsense.

Utter nonsense!

I thought some honest reporting

might bring some civility to Dakota.

♪

Perhaps I came too soon.

Maybe if I pack it up, came back in

five, ten years

if I even come back at all.

♪

If honest men do not find their courage,

that time will never come.

Those are fine words indeed, Mr. Roosevelt,

but courage doesn’t have quite the same appeal

when you’re getting kicked in the face.

♪

Come to Elkhorn

for just a few days while you rest up

under our watch.

Then you can decide what part you want to play in all of this.

♪

Alright.

♪

♪

♪

A moment,

Medora. - Ah,

what a pleasant surprise, Theodore.

How was your morning? - Did your husband have Arthur Packard beaten?

A severe accusation to make to a woman so early in the day.

Then you’ll forgive me one more.

Was the order given to put the Elkhorn Brand

on Emmett Blaire’s cattle?

I’m afraid rustlers are as common as flies in the Badlands, Theordore.

If you can believe it, I’m on my way to deal with one just now.

Good luck as always in your endeavors.

♪

♪

Rosie.

Yes, Ms. Medora.

Sit.

Touch.

Feel it.

[ROSIE SIGHS]

I can’t say I’ve ever felt anything quite as soft.

It’s from Paris.

Luxurious. - Hmm.

- Expensive. - Hmm.

I’ll have some ordered for you as well.

It’s important that a manager

gets her beauty sleep, too.

Thank you.

I’m sure you could’ve found someone far more

qualified.

I know quality when I see it.

But I also need someone

who will always do what’s best for the business.

Oh, well, you can count on me, Missus.

Come now.

Medora.

Now then,

what do you think?

[ROSIE LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY]

Well, I gotta say I prefer the Parisian sheets.

It was stolen.

The cow, I mean.

Do you see how the brand differs on the inside?

The deeper one that’s from Longcross Butte.

But, you can see where extra marks

were added to change its design.

These cows were sold to my husband

by the guest in room 3.

And I believe he is reselling pilfered cattle.

Now, if Longcross Butte and others

made a claim against us? Well,

that would make us complicit in a crime.

Oh. MEDORA: But...

if he’s a thief,

we need to be sure.

So tomorrow,

I will stall our guest

and you will search his room for proof.

Oh, uh,

I, I’m sorry Miss-

Medora-

It just

seems a bit dishonest is all.

Aren’t our guests entitled to their privacy?

Guests are entitled.

Thieves are not

and certainly not thieves

that risk our good reputation.

♪

What’s good for my cattle business

is good for our hotel.

You can see that.

Right, Rosie?

♪

Yes.

Good.

Better get that beauty sleep.

♪

SEWALL: Well?

Merrifield’s setting the trap as we speak.

It’s happening tonight.

ARTHUR: You really think this plan will work,

baitin’ that rustler with a fresh calf?

I haven’t the slightest idea.

Mr. Roosevelt’s trying to do right,

place that ain’t easy to do it.

Those are fine words...

SEWALL: It ain’t words.

It’s courage.

♪

♪

[GRUNTING]

I got it.

♪

♪

MERRIFIELD: Morning, Mr. Roosevelt.

Plan’s all set.

♪

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪

[UNLOCKS DOOR]

[OPENS DOOR]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[DOOR UNLOCKING]

♪

FRED: What is going on here?

ROSIE: Well, I, I was just coming in here to, um,

I left-I had to. - You better start talking.

ROSIE: I, um, well, I was just, um-

MEDORA: Rosie?

You forgot the clean sheets.

Begging your pardon, Sir.

The girl is just settling into her duties.

There’s simply no excuse-

your room should have been turned over already.

I am so sorry. I should have just

brought the clean ones up with me. I would’ve

saved myself a trip down the stairs.

Sir, I’m terribly sorry to keep you waiting.

It’s uh-

It’s quite all right.

♪

Oh, don’t forget your coat.

♪

[DOOR SQUEAKS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

It’s him.

The branding iron’s in the trunk.

Good girl.

But you must be smarter next time.

Hm?

Hm?

♪

♪

[GUNSHOT]

♪

♪

Whew!

Don’t go startlin’ me like that, Mister Roosevelt.

Not while I’ve got hot iron in my hands!

Tex,

were you about to put my brand on that calf?

TEX: I put on all my boss’s brands.

That’s my job, ain’t it?

Not on Prairie Falcon stock, it isn’t.

♪

What is this?

Tex,

you best make your way out of town before someone

takes justice into their own hands.

♪

Now hold on a minute.

I know my business.

I ain’t doin’ this for me.

I’m doin’ this for you,

for the ranch!

My friend,

if you steal for me,

you will steal from me.

Mister Roosevelt,

♪

I’m doing this for you.

I’m sorry, Tex.

But don’t come back this way.

♪

[COCKS RIFLE]

You heard him, Tex.

♪

♪

ROOSEVELT: And to think it was one of our own,

not the Marquis.

♪

SEWALL: Yeah.

You did the right thing.

♪

MEDORA: You did the right thing.

♪

Doesn’t quite feel like it.

That guest

was a notorious rustler.

Turns out he came up this way to hide.

But it was only a matter of time

until he caused trouble.

And with him gone, the integrity of our business

has been restored.

So,

where’d he go?

Oh, he checked out.

I think you’ll find it exceedingly common,

the deceptions of men.

And doubly so when you’re

an enterprising business woman.

But you showed great resourcefulness.

You did real good.

And who knows,

maybe tomorrow, you’ll even do something

great.

ROOSEVELT: Mr. Blaire. Here’s one of your missing calves.

We’ll send the rest home tomorrow.

Additionally, I’d be happy to send a few more-

reimbursement for your troubles.

BLAIRE: That’s mighty fair of you, Mr. Roosevelt.

Graciously accepted.

And what of the perpetrator?

He won’t be back this way.

BLAIRE: Well then, seems you’ve got things sorted.

If and when the time ever comes,

you can call on Prairie Falcon as an ally.

That’s much appreciated.

My men will help you get the rest home.

Thank you, Mr. Roosevelt.

Gentlemen.

♪

♪

TEX: Well,

ain’t that somethin’?

Glad y’all got it all worked out.

Happy endings, all around!

Have a drink, my friend.

♪

All I did was try to help.

And now I ain’t got a cent or even a good word, to my name.

I was quite clear Tex.

You were not to return.

Now...

I don’t much care about your clarity Cattleman.

I was right about one thing.

You are different than the others.

You’re worse.

What was it you told me?

"Let us fight or be friends?"

Well what say you now?

I’d say our friendship is concluded.

That slims it down real easy, doesn’t it?

ARTHUR: Mr. Roosevelt, let us just escort this man off the property.

TEX: C’mon, Cattleman!

One more round for old time’s sake.

What do you say, huh?

I’d say-

you’re right.

Our options have slimmed.

So let us fight.

TEX: Ehh, that’s the spirit.

♪

♪

[THROWING PUNCHES]

♪

[THROWING PUNCHES]

[PANTING]

♪

[YELLING]

[PANTING]

[YELLING]

[PUNCH]

[PANTING]

[PUNCH]

[PANTING]

What’s the matter?

Tired?

Need a nap, huh?

♪

I’ll rest when you do.

♪

[THROWING PUNCHES]

Sewall, put a stop to this now.

He knows what he’s doing.

I think I’ve had about enough.

♪

[THROWING PUNCHES]

ROOSEVELT: Enough, Tex!

Leave!

Please!

Please.

♪

I yield.

♪

MERRIFIELD: You heard him, Tex.

You had your say. Now get out of here!

♪

That was some courage, Mr. Roosevelt.

It didn’t feel like it.

ARTHUR: I don’t think feeling like it is the point, sir.

If honest men don’t find their courage,

civility will never come to Dakota,

now will it?

No,

it won’t.

♪

ALICE: It’s a tragic story, isn’t it?

♪

ROOSEVELT: How so?

ALICE: Well, Olaf wins.

He should be happy and content.

But then he tries to reclaim his wife’s kingdom as well.

Keeps reaching,

and it costs him his life.

I don’t find that sad.

Why not?

Well,

he gives everything for what he loves.

And to give everything,

even if it costs you,

what’s sad about that?

Well,

perhaps it wasn’t his battle to fight.

Perhaps she can fight her own battles, Teddy.

You know, I can’t remember the last time someone called me Teddy.

- Oh, I’m sorry- - No,

no, it’s, it’s quite alright.

Teddy is great.

Teddy’s perfect-

Alice.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

Okay,

back to work.

♪