Original subtitles

Jake!

Ha ha! Welcome home, Mark.

How was New Orleans?

Fine. Just fine, Jake. Where's my father?

He's gone hunting.

Is Mother inside?

Say, Mark, you're lookin' fine.

That New Orleans cooking must've...

What is it, Jake?

Where's my mother?

She's gone.

Gone? Gone where?

Back to her people, I guess.

To the Cheyennes?

But why?

Can't say.

You tell me, Jake.

Maybe you'd better ask her, Mark.

Yeah, I'll do that.

Charlie, what in tarnation

are you expecting to see out there?

Huh? Oh, I was just squinting.

I thought I might get a glimpse of that Hanford Station.

We ain't even anywhere near it yet.

What's all them Hanford markers for, then?

This must be Hanford land, ain't it?

Sure is, every last inch of it.

Two days this side and three days beyond.

Sure don't seem right for one man to own all that land.

If you call tumbleweed and prairie dirt owning land,

I guess maybe you're right.

After all, there wasn't nobody out here

makin' bids on this land when he got it.

What are you so all-fired anxious

to get to Hanford Station for, anyhow?

Oh, I was just speculating.

Speculating, huh?

You're just figuring on wetting that whistle of yours, huh?

On some of Old Man Hanford's corn liquor

that he's gonna put out at that celebration?

Ah, Major, you shouldn't ought to rag me like that.

She sure is a looker, though, ain't she?

Oh, Ann Jamison? Yeah.

Yes, sir, mighty handsome.

Old Man Hanford's pretty lucky...

All that land and her, too.

Hey. Looks like Flint.

Ridin' real fast, too.

Wagons... ho!

Ho!

You look pretty tuckered, boy.

Yeah, I guess I am, at that.

Well, don't start bleatin' to me

about how hard you have to work.

I wish I had nothin' better to do

than to ride out all over Creation

and get paid for it to boot.

Well, what's on your mind? Something wrong?

I'm not sure.

You'd better give it to us, good or bad.

I rode out to the Cheyenne village

to talk with Running Bear.

What'd he have to say?

I didn't get close to him.

There was a ceremony going on... a burial ceremony.

That's a sacred time of the Cheyenne,

especially if somebody important has died.

Did you find out who it was?

No, but from the post at the top of the lodge,

I figure it was a woman, but I didn't want to get close.

But believe me... There's something wrong there.

You figure there's any trouble with the settlers?

Maybe something like that.

You figure they might attack the train?

Is that what's in the back of your head?

More or less.

The ceremony lasts three days,

so you'll be able to get to Hanford Station easily enough.

Yeah, we'll make it.

You'll have to wait and see.

I'm gonna make a wide sweep

and see what I can find out.

I'll be waitin' for you at Hanford Station.

Good luck.

Save a little of that good luck for yourself.

And keep your eyes open, too!

Wagons ho!

Hyah! Hyah!

Good evening, folks.

Good evening.

Ah, Major!

I saw you talkin' to McCullough a little bit earlier.

Everything's all right, ain't it?

I sure wouldn't want to get Mr. Hanford all riled up.

Everything is all right, Martin.

Good, good. I'll bet he's got those wedding bells

already out and ringing.

You know, he's gonna be hoppin' on both feet

if this here cargo ain't on schedule.

In case your Mr. Hanford don't know it,

I'm not runnin' a marriage service out here.

Oh, is that right, Major Adams?

I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean nothin' personal.

I think I understand.

Thank you, ma'am.

Major Adams?

You know Mr. Hanford pretty well, don't you?

Sure, many years.

Well...

what kind of a...

What's he like?

Well, you're the one that's gonna marry him.

You ought to know that.

Oh.

Oh, there I go.

I should've turned in early

and kept my big mouth shut.

No, that's all right.

I suppose you just want to know...

Same as all the others...

Why I came all the way out here

to marry a man I hardly even know.

Miss Jamison...

you owe me no explanation whatsoever.

I didn't intend to explain.

And I'm not apologizing.

I'm not ashamed.

Well, ma'am...

I'm not much with words, but...

I'd like you to know that you've got my best wishes,

like anybody else.

Thank you.

Say, Melissa, look at that pretty dress.

That's real fine.

Miss Jamison fixed it up for me.

Melissa! What are you doing here?

I was only...

I was not asking you.

I came to see Miss Jamison.

See the bow she put on...

I don't believe we need any help from your sort.

Miss Jamison, I...

It's all right, honey.

It's all right.

You know, ma'am,

when I was a little fella,

I had an old aunt who once said to me,

"Boy, there's a time to cry,

but it's not when people are talkin' about you."

I'm not crying, Major Adams.

I'm not crying.

That's a girl.

Good night, ma'am.

Mr. Hanford, are you quite sure

that this is just the way you want it?

You heard me. I want it writ down

just the way I said.

Very well.

If you'll just sign it, then.

Right there.

Mr. Hanford, I'm afraid that's...

What's the matter?

Ain't that good enough for you?

There ain't two men between here and California

that don't know my mark,

and have put money on it, too.

How do you like the coat?

$100 gold from Chicago.

And extra for the vest.

What is it?

Come in. Mark!

Mark, boy! Ha ha!

How are you, boy?

Come in, come in.

Lookin' great.

It's been a long time.

Five months, huh?

Well, come on, have a drink.

Mr. Hanford, don't you think your son ought to...

It's all signed, ain't it? It's all legal, ain't it?

All right, go on, get out.

Heh heh.

How do you like the getup?

Pretty fancy, huh?

I just came from the Cheyenne village.

You know...

the whole station is yours now. You know that?

What'd you do to her?

We're celebrating too soon.

I got me an awful head.

Why did she leave?

Answer me.

Look, Mark...

you gotta understand.

It wasn't that I wouldn't let her be around no more, but...

Well, she wouldn't change none.

Same old squaw ways.

Followin' around behind me.

Well, it ain't no way for a man to live.

So, she went back to the Cheyennes, where she belongs.

She wanted it. That's a lie.

You drove her to it.

You don't know their ways.

She's an Indian.

And so am I.

Don't you say that.

Don't you ever say that.

You're a Hanford, just like me.

I raised you to be a gentleman.

And ain't no man got the guts to say different.

Now, boy, you gotta be a gentleman.

The whole place is yours now. I made it legal.

I don't want it.

Look, Mark...

I come out here an immigrant...

A greenhorn... And I built it all.

I dug it out with my own hands.

And I did it for you. Didn't you know that?

You couldn't have done any of it

without marrying that..."squaw".

But she wasn't just a squaw then, was she?

No. You picked the daughter of a great Chief

so you could get the Cheyenne trade.

That ain't true! It's me! I done it!

And I got a right to some kind of life, ain't I?

I'm a young man yet.

I got me a new woman.

What woman?

Didn't I tell you?

She's comin' out with Adams on the wagon train.

I met her in St. Louis.

You'll like her, boy. She's real good-lookin'.

Yeah, I guess I know where you met her.

You're still a wet-nosed kid.

You ain't seen a day you can talk to me like that,

and don't you forget it.

And for her, you killed my mother.

Killed her? What are you talkin' about?

Oh, you didn't know?

She starved herself to death

because she couldn't bear the shame.

No, boy, I didn't know.

I had no idea.

Mark, I didn't make her leave.

I had to tell her about Ann coming

about my sending for her.

She just stood there. She didn't say nothin'.

Stood staring like a Cheyenne totem.

I thought she went back to her brother.

Why'd he let her die? Why don't you blame him?!

I know who to blame!

You killed her.

And you're going to pay for it.

Mark.

Mark!

He'll come back, won't he, Jake?

I don't know.

Lead 'em in there!

I want 'em tight together!

Pull that wagon out!

Pack some stuff between them wagons!

Hey, Martin.

MARTIN: What is it?

Come on, get up.

What the dagnab's goin' on here?

Hanford's boys have come for Miss Jamison.

Well, Mark!

Gee, it's good to see you, boy.

Miss Ann?

Mark Hanford's here for you, miss.

Mark who?

Mr. Hanford's boy.

Ma'am.

Oh, yes.

Your father told me about you.

But I didn't expect you to be so...

I didn't expect my father to pick anyone like you.

I'll wait till you're ready.

Don't you think it's kind of silly

for me to traipse off like this in the middle of the night?

My father has his ways.

But I guess you've already found that out.

All right.

I'll be ready in a minute.

What are we doing here?

Well, answer me.

Get down.

This isn't Hanford Station.

I said, get down.

Huh?

Hey!

Let go of me!

Look, where is this?

It's the Cheyenne village.

Your father doesn't...

Oh.

Well, you can take me to your father right now.

Not just yet.

You'd just better. Be quiet.

You can't get away with dragging me around like this.

You have no right.

You're gonna find out what I've got a right to do.

You killed my mother.

I killed...

Both of you... him and you.

Your father?

I don't believe it.

How much did he pay you to come out here?

Oh, you...

How can you...

To one of your own people?

You're not one of my people.

I'm Cheyenne now.

Tie her up.

Let go of me!

You bring Hanford trouble to Cheyenne.

That was the woman who came to take my mother's place.

Your mother was sister to Running Bear.

That she is dead, we grieve together.

But it is not good that her death

should be a sign of great trouble.

You must send the woman back.

My mother was the daughter of Chief Yellow Bird.

The blood of Yellow Bird is in my blood.

In Cheyenne law, the woman belongs to me.

Why do you wish it?

Do you like the woman?

I despise her.

But I swear I'm gonna make my father pay for what he's done.

You speak of vengeance like a Cheyenne,

but you think as your father.

I am Cheyenne now.

For you, that is not possible.

Let me prove it.

It's Martin.

What?

It's the woman! The woman's here!

Start the music. Come on, hurry!

Hey, hope I didn't interrupt the celebration.

Well, where is she?

Why don't you bring her in?

Ain't she here? Here?

But your boy come for her...

With a couple of Cheyennes.

He told me that you sent him out there to get 'em.

Cheyennes?

Mark's dragged her off to the Cheyenne camp.

I ought to kill you right now!

I didn't know anything...

Aw, shut up! Go on, get out of here.

Well, Jake...

ain't gonna be no celebration.

Tell the men to be ready.

We'll ride at sunup.

Stop it.

Please stop it.

Now you are Cheyenne.

Cheyenne blood is my blood.

Cheyenne law is my law.

McCullough!

Hi, Mr. Hanford.

What's goin' on? You planning to ride out and meet your bride?

Gettin' kind of anxious, aren't you, Hanford?

She ain't comin', and you know it.

And I'm holding you and Adams

and the whole train responsible.

You signed a contract to bring her here.

Simmer down, Hanford. I don't know what you're talking about.

Then you let my son drag her off to the Cheyenne.

Your son took her to Running Bear's village?

That's right. And I'm gonna go get her.

Are you talkin' about ridin' into the Cheyenne camp?

I'm talkin' about takin' what's mine.

That means Running Bear will fight

if you try to ride in there and take her.

Is your new woman worth what might happen?

You seen her?

She's a pretty woman.

Yeah.

But that ain't all.

I found her in a little place near the river...

in St. Louis.

She was dancing.

Dancing like some kind of a wild thing.

In a red dress with spangles.

But she wasn't like that.

No, she was quiet.

She hardly let me come near her.

So, I went away.

But I couldn't get her out of my mind.

I kept going back, again and again.

You see, I just had to have her.

There ain't no whelp of a son of mine gonna keep her form me.

You ride into that camp, and you're gonna start a blood war.

There won't be a settler in the Territory that's safe...

And that includes you, Hanford.

I don't care about that.

You think you got a chance of gettin' her out alive?

You know you haven't.

And what good is a dead wife?

Even in a red dress.

What do you suggest?

I know Running Bear.

He's wise, and he doesn't want blood spilled any more than we do.

Maybe I can bring her back.

If I can, you can settle it with your son any way you choose.

Agreed?

All right.

But you be back with her by noon tomorrow,

or I'm coming.

Remember that.

What do you want?

I'll tell him everything.

I'll tell your father.

Good. You tell him.

You tell him what it's like to be a squaw,

'cause that's what you're gonna be from now on.

You're gonna cook my food, water the horses,

and work until your hands bleed.

I will not. Yes, you will.

You'll do exactly what I say.

Then, when I'm finished with you, I'll take you back,

throw you at his feet, and let him have a good look at you.

Where do you think you're going?

I don't care what you think.

But I didn't know anything about your mother,

I swear it.

Your father never told me a word about her.

But he killed her for you, for some cheap...

I'm not cheap! You're cheap!

Here, put this on.

I pray that the wind of the north...

and the wind of the east...

and the wind of the south...

and the wind of the west...

may carry my mother to the place of all peace.

What are you doing here?

I...

I've been looking for you.

I felt that I just had to find you and tell you...

Tell me what?

What is there you could tell me?

I don't know exactly.

I just think I understand why you... hate me.

Then you can sit and talk about it with my father

when you finally get back to him.

Now, get away from here.

Look...

I didn't have to come all the way out here

to find somebody brave enough to hit me.

I thought I'd left all of that behind.

The cowards and the drunks and...

I said, get away from this place. You don't belong here.

Oh, that's right.

When you can't face something,

you can run off somewhere and hide, can't you?

You can run off to New Orleans,

where you won't have to be ashamed.

You're so righteous.

But you didn't do anything about it

when your mother was alive, did you?

No, you ran off to New Orleans,

where you wouldn't have to be ashamed of it.

Oh, your father told me about you, all right,

and how he raised you to be a gentleman.

Well, tell me...

Did you tell all your fancy college friends

that your mother was an Indian?

Were you proud of it there?

Stop it.

At least I was honest.

I told your father what I was.

I told him everything.

That wasn't why.

It wasn't because I was ashamed.

My mother was a Cheyenne princess,

and I was proud of her.

They wouldn't have understood.

I didn't belong there.

Never.

I belong here.

Do you?

I said, leave me alone.

Mark...

believe me.

If I'd known...

If I'd known about your...

I never would've come.

You know what I say is true.

If Running Bear does not send the woman back,

she will bring great trouble to the Cheyenne.

Trouble is trouble of Hanford,

not trouble of Cheyenne.

But if Hanford comes with many men and guns,

the Cheyenne will suffer.

The brothers of the Cheyenne will come

to fight beside Running Bear.

And the Army will come to find beside Hanford.

Running Bear knows that one pebble

makes many ripples.

The blood will stain many moons to come.

I speak as a friend of the Cheyenne.

Send the woman back.

You've run your errand for my father.

Now, go back and tell him the woman's stayin' here.

I'm not doing this for your father.

I have nothing to do with him.

You can settle your quarrel any way you want.

Just keep it between yourselves.

Are you doing this for your mother?

Is that why you're doing it? Yes.

You're wrong.

I knew your mother. She was proud and strong.

Proud enough to go off her own way in silence

when her time came.

And strong enough to give something up

rather than bring trouble to her people.

Or yours.

The Cheyennes are my people.

Are they?

You don't fit into the Cheyenne way of life.

You can lie to yourself if you want to,

but you'll never be an Indian.

That's what my father thought.

When I was a kid at the station,

if he even caught me talking to an Indian,

he'd beat me with his belt.

"You ain't no Indian. You hear me?"

It got so I didn't know who I was

or where I belonged in the world,

like I was different from anybody else.

Well, I know where I belong now.

I've sworn a Cheyenne oath of vengeance,

and I cannot break it.

You go back and tell my father that.

You go back and tell him he can beg his guts out

and it still won't do him any good.

Now I understand.

It's not your father you hate, it's yourself.

Just get out.

Running Bear, once again...

let me take the woman back.

It is the Cheyenne law.

He has a right to the woman

in return for the death of his mother.

She is his now.

There is another Cheyenne law.

The right to challenge for a squaw.

I'm taking the woman back,

and I don't think you can stop me.

I'm taking you to Hanford's.

You'd better get your own clothes.

McCullough!

Let go of her.

A Cheyenne doesn't draw a knife

unless he intends to use it.

Get your things and let's go.

He's gonna be all right.

I can't.

It's too late to change your mind.

We're sittin' right on top of a blood war,

and, like it or not, it's all because of you.

Well, I can't help it.

I just can't go to Mr. Hanford now.

I challenged for you. In Cheyenne law,

that means you're mine.

Now, get your clothes. We're leaving.

Is that true? Must I go with him?

Law says...

squaw goes if she is willing.

Oh.

Well, I'm not willing.

So I'm staying.

Why do I have to be the price that you want to pay

to stop this war?

Why do you pick on me? Because I'm a woman

and can't fight back?

Why don't you try to stop him?

I tried.

I know.

It's just that I want you to understand how I feel.

Look, tell Mr. Hanford that I'm sorry,

but that I can't keep our bargain.

Tell him that my going back with you

wouldn't change my feelings none.

Tell him to...

try and forgive me.

I'll tell him.

But I don't think it'll do any good.

Well, try anyway.

That's all I can do now, lady...

is try.

You didn't go with him?

I couldn't.

I just couldn't go.

What you said about me was true,

about being bought by your father.

I thought I could go through with it.

But I just can't.

I met your father

at a place where I used to work,

a place along the river.

I had to dance with 'em...

With the men that came in there.

But I never looked at them.

I never even used to hear them.

I used to tell myself that I was all alone,

that they weren't even there,

that I was in a park, all alone...

dancing in the wet grass.

You know...

once when I was little,

I ran away to that park.

Oh, it rained...

and it rained.

But I stayed there all day.

Until my mother found me and dragged me back...

so I could go on scrubbing for her

and haulin' her home drunk at night

from that wharf...

and going cooking for her...

Her boarders.

So I could go on smelling the filth

that they poured into the river every night.

I just had to get away.

I couldn't stay there and go on living.

But what you said about me was true.

I sold myself.

I made myself cheap,

just like my mother.

The only difference was that the price was higher.

I made your father say that he had to marry me.

If you could only understand...

If you could only understand...

Well, where is he? When is he bringin' her?

I just don't know, Mr. Hanford.

I should never have trusted McCullough.

Not much else you could do.

What is it? Business.

Come in.

Gray Eagle and his two sons.

What about 'em?

They come to trade, of course.

What are they offering? Don't matter.

I ain't got no time to talk to 'em now.

He's got one of the biggest Cheyenne tribes north of here.

He can brings us a lot of trade.

I got no time to talk now.

I'll tell him.

Almost noon.

Yeah.

Everything's set and ready.

I'm not gonna change nothin' till she gets here.

You ain't seen her, Jake, or you'd know.

She ain't like no other woman you ever looked at.

The first time I talked to her,

she slapped me and clawed the skin right off my face.

She's got fire.

Ain't that something?

When she gets here, I'm gonna play this thing

till it busts.

Well, Jake...

it ain't fair.

He ain't got no right to do this to me...

His own pa... after all I've done for him.

I gave him everything so he wouldn't live like I did.

Me, apprenticed out on a lake barge,

haulin' coal when I was 12 years old.

But not him!

I swore he'd never have his hands cracked open

with dirt in 'em.

Not my son.

Now he's turned on me.

What is it? What do you see?

It's McCullough.

He's alone.

He ain't got her with him.

Come in.

Well, I did what I could, Hanford.

The girl told me to tell you that she was sorry.

She just couldn't keep her bargain.

I don't believe it. It's Mark's doing.

You're wrong. The girl made her own mind up.

The girl's mine.

She's coming back if I have to drag her.

You Hanfords are all alike.

You're stubborn as a pair of mules.

Frankly, I don't care what happens to either one of you,

but there's a wagon train full of people headed towards this station,

and I don't see why they should suffer

just because you haven't got the guts to face the truth.

I'll tell you what kind of guts I got.

Either that girl comes back,

or there's gonna be war.

All right, Jake, let's get ready.

Mr. Hanford, I've done just about everything

you've ever asked.

But this... it ain't right.

It don't make any sense.

You'll only be tearing down everything you built up here.

The station won't be worth nothin'

if you set off the Indians in this territory.

I don't care about the station! I want the girl.

We haven't the men for something like this.

And I ain't figurin' on gettin' myself scalped, either.

Now, you know I ain't a coward, Mr. Hanford.

But this just ain't right.

It don't make any sense.

Every last one of us will be slaughtered.

You'll be killing your own son.

And you won't get the woman, either.

FLINT: He's right, Hanford.

You ride into Running Bear's camp,

and not one of you will come out alive.

You're beaten.

And you might as well admit it.

I'll find some way.

Maybe if we snuck in the camp

with some blasting powder.

There just ain't no way.

Running Bear will get help

from the rest of the Cheyenne tribes.

And you can count on the Sioux joining them.

Jake...

get some boys.

Grab Gray Eagle and his two sons and tie 'em up.

Gray Eagle? That's right.

Them three is gonna fix things up for me just fine.

Go on, get 'em.

You can go back and tell your Cheyenne friends I'll meet 'em halfway.

They bring the woman, I turn Gray Eagle loose.

If they don't, I'll skin him alive.

I'll tell him, Hanford.

You don't give up easy.

That's Hanford's bargain.

Gray Eagle is brother to Running Bear.

I'd like to say he won't go through with what he's threatened.

But he's the kind of man who can't stand being beaten, either.

He'll do what he says.

It is Cheyenne honor.

The runners must be sent to the other tribes.

All right.

You two have never seen a blood war.

These tents will be ashes tomorrow,

and maybe Hanford's station along with it.

And those children won't be playing this time tomorrow.

They may not even be alive.

If you live to count the Cheyenne dead,

I hope you'll think it was worth it.

I've got to go with him.

There's no other way.

I can't let people be killed because of me.

I love you, Mark.

It doesn't matter if we can't ever be together,

as long as you know that...

and believe it.

Wait.

I'll go with you.

I don't like it.

Why ain't they done something?

Why ain't they here?

They'll be here.

There.

What'd I tell you?

No gun-play unless I say the word.

Well, finally come to your senses, huh, boy?

It was my decision, not Mark's.

Well, Ann...

you're just as pretty as when I first saw you.

I brought a horse along for you to ride back to the station.

Everything's lit up and waitin'.

The bargain's been kept, Hanford.

Untie the Indians.

I guess you're right.

Cut 'em loose.

You'd better understand one thing.

The only reason she came back

was to keep peace.

She loves me.

And if you want her,

you're gonna have to kill me to take her.

I see.

All right, boy.

There's something you'd better understand, too.

I ain't never asked for quarter,

and I don't mean to give it, either.

Give me a knife, Jake.

I couldn't have done it, Jake.

It's all right.

Well, boy...

a man wins or he loses.

That's the end of it.

It's all yours now.

I don't want it.

Don't say that.

It's yours... Yours and the girl's.

There ain't no place for me here now,

except to bury me.

I guess I done a lot of things wrong.

I ain't sayin' I didn't.

But I lived as I saw fit.

And I guess I'd go right on livin' that way

if I could.

Anyways...

I built it all for you.

Even your ma knew that.

So, you run it like a Hanford, see?