Original subtitles

OK, boys, breakfast.

Hey, you'll wake the world, girl.

I just feel like sharing the morning, Pa.

Listen, wash up, you two. Ma's set out a new tablecloth.

And you too, Pa.

What's with you today, girl?

Pa, smell that day out there, Pa.

Fresh and new as a just-cut melon.

And I saw some geese heading north last night,

up there slipping across the cold of the moon, free and going.

Talk like you was just born.

Be a gal I'll never understand.

Good morning, Molly. Fine day.

Listen to them old horses out there.

Even they feel the tugging I feel.

Not that the likes of an orphan girl

should get notionable about places and things.

But still an' all, they told me I'd grow up to where I'd feel my tugging,

and, oh, I sure do feel tugging.

Oh!

Pa!

I make them cows up on the Malapai somewhere right about there.

- Yeah, if they ain't been run off, Pa. - Yeah, could be.

There weren't no cut signs around the Malapai, though.

Still, could be. We'll ride out to Malapai and see.

Russ, you ride the west rim. Albert...

- Are you listening, son? - I'm listening, Pa.

What's wrong with that girl out there? She knows I like milk in my coffee.

She's been out there long enough to milk a cow twice and build a barn around it.

She's to that age, Albert. Dreams take 'em.

Them dreams and that age.

- I don't remember no such age. - And you weren't no such young 'un.

Her folks must have been real people, the... the spirit she got in her.

That boy.

Would do that boy good to understand us women.

Oh, he understands 'em, Mother. He understands 'em.

I beg your pardon, Ed?

For what?

Are you suggesting that Albert plays loose with women?

Oh, no. I ain't never seen Albert play at nothin'.

Now, Russ, you ride the west. Albert...

Hey, Pa! Pa, come quick!

- Ed. - Best wait, Martha. Wait right here.

Pa, I make out one buck took her right here.

They scuffled some and the sign goes out.

Four horses, light-loaded, heading south and east.

It Kiowa, Pa?

Worse.

It's Quichero.

Lord help us.

I hope so.

- Better sit down, Martha. - What is it, Ed?

Melissa's been taken by the Kiowa.

- Oh, the Kiowa? - Quichero.

- Oh, Ed. - Best get to tracking, Mother.

- I'll get rations. - I'll feed them horses.

- Get one horse and one ration. - One man, Ed?

- I'm going alone, Martha. - Alone?

The boys'll need to stay here with you.

Besides, one shadow's harder to see than three.

No!

I mean, it ain't right, Pa,

a man going out there alone, him being Quichero an' all.

- You heard me. - I heard him too, Pa. He's right.

- Quichero ain't no normal redskin. - Besides, she's our sister.

Go ahead and go on, Pa. We'll follow you.

We'll take Ma down to the Wilkinsons' near Dodge. Then we'll trail you.

All right, but don't you hold me up.

Ed... you aim to kill those Indians?

I do.

- Hate won't bring that girl back. - No. No, but these will.

Ed, I want you to take a man of God with you.

Don't you worry, Martha, God will be with me.

I want you to take the Reverend Cox with you.

- Finney Cox? - The Reverend Finney Cox.

Why? That old sin-stompin'...

The reverend is your sister's godfather

and the good man that baptized her and opened up the worth of her beauty.

And this land and this place need that beauty,

come whatever happens to it, Ed.

- But, Pa, that old... - A man of God, Ed.

- Ma, he'll just slow us down. - I mean it, Edward.

All right, I'll take him. Give me that.

And the Dodge marshal.

The Vails take care of their own troubles.

They always have and always will.

Now, I'll take that thrashing windbag you call a reverend

if that eases your mind.

But I ain't takin' no law, and that's final.

I could puddle water on you and let you take root if that's your mind.

We'll get her back, Martha.

Looks mighty good, Sam.

Well, two years a chuck-wagon cook had to teach me something.

Sam, that is just... Did you cook that yourself?

- Sure did. - And look at them flowers.

- Get away from there. - Well, I wasn't gonna...

Doc, wonder what's keeping Miss Kitty? She's late.

Well, I think that's a woman's prerogative.

- Woman's what? - Prerogative.

Oh.

You know, when I start to thinkin' about it,

I never did have me no birthday party at all.

Well, that's understandable.

You probably are not sure whether you were born or not.

Well, I am too.

It was the same night that my Uncle Philgren shot his big toe off

when the towel got tangled up in the chicken wire.

I can recollect...

Now, tell me, what is a cow getting tangled up in chicken wire

and your Uncle Philgren's big...? Never mind.

I will accept the fact that you were born

simply on the basis that you're here and there's nothing I can do.

Here she is!

Look out, look out. Get out of the way. Get out of the way.

- Get back there, Kitty. - Oh, thank you!

- Happy birthday, Kitty. - Thanks, Matt, very much.

Miss Kitty, you might as well start off with this here.

You haven't got much choice. You might just as well.

Let's see. "To Kitty from Festus Haggen."

Well, now, ain't that a surprise?

I sure do hope you like it, Miss Kitty.

Well, I'm sure I will.

Oh!

Oh, isn't that pretty?

Thank you, Festus, so much.

That there's to keep your hair straightened with, Miss Kitty.

That's one way of putting it.

Now, just here. Now, this is an important one right here.

- Just pay attention. - Yes, indeed it is.

- It's from Doc Adams. - You betcha.

What number birthday is this here for you, Miss Kitty?

Festus, you don't ask a lady a question like that.

You mean you forgot?

She means it's none of your business. That's what she means.

Oh, Doc.

Oh, that is just beautiful.

Thank you so much.

Well, no more beautiful than... than the lady.

Aw.

Come in, Mrs. Vail.

Marshal.

Mrs. Vail.

- Could I see you a moment? - Certainly.

Well, Mrs. Vail, what can I do for you?

Melissa's been taken by Kiowa. Quichero.

- When? - This morning.

- This morning? - Oh, I know. I...

I've thought about it the whole day.

This is the first time in 23 years of marriage I've disobeyed Ed.

He said you weren't to know, Marshal.

He went after 'em alone?

Oh, he took the boys and the Reverend Cox,

but he refused to hear you being called.

Quichero? You mean he came all the way up here just to take...?

Marshal, I've come to you because...

because I know the hate that Ed has in him and he'll only think of killing.

Now, if you're with him, maybe you can...

I'll do more than be with him. I'll call the cavalry from Fort Dodge.

No, please. Ed would never forgive me.

Oh, he's... he's... he's arriving about now at the crossroads,

to pick up the reverend, and then they're heading south

and they're cutting across the Great Mesa.

Oh, please, Marshal, it's... it's our daughter.

If... if you call out the cavalry or even a posse,

there's no telling what Ed would do.

But if you're with him, you've known him a long time,

maybe you could... you could treat this like a private matter.

Please, Marshal.

All right, Mrs. Vail, I'll do what I can.

Thank you.

You best go home now.

- What's that for, anyhow? - Well, I think it's a...

- What is it, Kitty? - It's a jewel box.

- Kitty, uh... - I know. You have to leave.

How long?

Well, looks like three or four days probably.

Festus, you and Newly'll have to look out after things here.

- You betcha, Matthew. - Yes, sir. You bet.

Doggone, I'm sorry, Kitty.

Well... are we here to have a party or aren't we?

♪ Shall we gather at the river

♪ Where bright angel feet have trod

♪ With its crystal tide forever

♪ Flowing by the throne of God

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful, the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the saints at the river

♪ That flows by the throne of God

♪ Soon we'll reach the shiny river

♪ Soon our pilgrimage will cease

♪ Soon our happy hearts will quiver

♪ With the melody of peace

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful, the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the saints at the river

♪ That flows by the throne of God ♪

Amen, brethren. Amen.

Glory be to God.

That there, folks, that concludes the meeting tonight.

So go home and sleep, knowing that the good Lord is your pillow.

And if you care to, each and every one of you

may donate there at the contributing box,

so as to make sure the gate of sweet heaven is open at your approach.

God surely and purely blesses you.

God surely and purely blesses you.

Hallelujah. Glory Hallelujah.

Oh, indeed, hallelujah.

And may the guidance of the sweet Lord

move forward at your shoulder through smoke and temptation.

- Vail. - Preacher.

I don't see you here for the word.

- Melissa's been taken by the Kiowas. - Oh, my God.

And sweet and pure as Eve before the apple she was.

It's Martha's wish that you'd ride along.

I'd be most honored to do Martha Vail's bidding, any hour, day or month.

I know why Martha wanted me to go along, Vail.

Do you?

With me along, won't no harm come to that girl, if we find her changed.

- There won't, huh? - As the Lord sees me.

Well, you do the praying, Preacher.

Come on, the boys are waitin' outside.

Bad hand. Three of a kind.

Sees evil, speaks evil and hears evil.

May the good Lord bless them because they know not what they doeth.

- Hello, Preacher. - What you say, sin-killer?

Cain and Abel. I'm riding this?

Blacksmith said that old nag of yours ain't up to hard riding.

It's the best I could do on short notice.

Now, you got any more complaints, let's have 'em before we trail out.

What am I doing with that rump-ripping army saddle?

It's easier on the mule. Had to make a choice.

See how it stands, surely and purely do.

The missus done the inviting. Keep that thought.

I will, surely and purely will.

Vail, I'd say they ain't yet found a way of putting breakfast into a bottle.

Nobody asked you to say.

Ed.

What are you doing here, Dillon?

- I heard about your trouble. - Nobody's inviting the law along.

- Get fed so we can head out. - But, Pa...

I said get fed!

Look, we got no trouble needing the law, Dillon.

Ed, you're about the most independent man I know.

But you're gonna have to accept the law on this

or I'm gonna have to call in the army.

- That'd get my girl killed. - Would it?

What does that mean?

Quichero rides all the way up here from Kansas territory just to get her?

- Did he attack your ranch? - No.

Any burning? Any killing? Did he run off your stock?

Came in after first light like a wolf, ripped her away.

- Why? - I don't know why.

Because he's an Indian and Indians don't need reasons for what they do.

Everybody needs a reason, Ed.

Well, when we find him, I'll ask him, just before I slit his red throat.

You better get that out of your mind right now.

Now, look, Dillon, I didn't ask you here and I don't want you here.

But you found us and I know you ain't gonna be put off unless I kill you.

But I'm gonna do this my way. I got a right to go after my daughter.

You got a right as long as it's within the law.

You step outside the law, you're gonna have to answer for it.

How far we go back, you and me, Dillon?

- Quite a ways, Ed. - Yeah, times change, they say.

It's the way of things.

Not some things, Dillon. Not some things.

Not the meaning of that girl they got.

Boys, boys. Stop it. I said quit it.

Fighting between you two dear brothers.

The shame is plain. The shame is plain.

Now, break it up.

Don't try it, son.

Don't nothing. Nobody cuffs me around.

- Albert. - What?

- Did you cook these beans? - I did.

Well, there's two ways to beans.

You soak 'em through so's you can eat me,

or you don't so's you can shoot 'em.

Course that don't go for billy goats.

You could eat too if it wasn't for you curling your life with that whiskey.

You're an expensive man to yourself, Vail.

Now, Preacher, them two boys, they ain't never fought before.

Oh, they've argued a time or two, but they ain't never fought.

Now, how do you figure that, Preacher?

Just Cain and Abel. I can smell the sulfur.

'Twas a matter of time, surely and purely a matter of the Lord's time.

His time and patience.

Russ?

We was talkin' on Melissa, Pa, and Preacherman Cox here makes out

she's one of the sweetest and tenderest things two eyes ever laid hold on,

her not even being full growed yet.

Well, Albert sided in with him and I just didn't like the tone he took.

I didn't mean it that way.

- She's my sister too, ain't she? - Orphan sister.

First thing you know, him talking an' all, we just took to it.

Just a matter of time. Cain and Abel.

Vail! Let him go.

Vail, I told you to let him go. I'm not gonna tell you again.

Spawn of the devil's touch and thought.

Just a matter of time.

Next time you're dealing in blessings, you'd be wise to count your own.

Now, you boys better get one thing straight right now.

Either you learn to control your tempers, you and your father,

or all three of you are gonna wind up in the Dodge City jail.

It ain't right.

Look, it ain't their family been touched.

It ain't them that had no stinking, thieving demon

put his hands on something sweet and full.

Pa, we never took to no one afore.

We took care of our own ructions the way we should.

Now all of a sudden we got them two,

old Mr. Law Bullets and the wind to push 'em.

- All right, let it out, boy, all of it. - All right. All right.

I never seen you back down on nothing wore skin or fur before. Not ever.

It ain't right.

It ain't right.

Please, where are you taking me?

Well, won't you say where you're taking me?

Riding you hoarse?

Yeah, Pa, it's the way we're tracking. We're just dragging our feet.

When was the last time you trailed redskins?

None. You know that.

Then if I were you, I'd tuck in my tail

and let them that know what they're doing do it.

- Yes, sir. - Come on, boy.

Better go easy on that, Mr. Cox.

Getting too much for you, Brimstone?

The good Lord's riding with me.

Too bad he ain't made that saddle softer for you.

The Lord keeps a count, son. The Lord keeps a count.

Why won't you tell me where you're taking me?

Where are we going?

Get off and walk around, Preacher. Even a fool'd know that.

- Would that fool help me back on? - Being a fool he would.

Look at this. Hard sign laid out so a child could read it.

Then it disappears altogether. Now, why?

You boys mount up, circle to the cut side.

Right, Pa.

You know as well as I do, they're letting us follow but not too close.

Yeah, I know what they're doing. I'd like to know why.

- There ain't no figuring Indians. - Well, I'll give you a hint, Ed.

They want us to follow but not catch up with them

till they get to wherever it is they're going.

Now, there's gotta be a reason for that.

Could be a lot of reasons for that.

Ambush for one, soon as they join the main tribe.

Well, an ambush we can handle maybe, if that's all they got in mind.

We're getting close to the nations.

There's 6,000 or more braves in there and only five of us.

Be bones in a hurry if they decide they don't want us.

What's the matter, Preacher? Belly churning up butter all of a sudden?

I ain't afraid, Vail. I'm stating possibilities.

Possibilities? Well, I ain't interested in possibilities.

- Melissa's in there. - I know she's in there.

But I'm saying hell and lead won't get her out of there.

- You got something that will? - I surely and purely have.

Let me and the marshal go in.

I go with God and he goes with the law,

leaving hate and fury behind.

There's death in the three of you, Vail. Facts is facts.

Yeah, and one of them facts is I might just kill you any time now.

You three go riding in there with all that hate, there'll be blood spilt!

Buckets of blood!

Madmen, all three of 'em.

But I go with God and stay with his will.

Get up in here, you devil's notion. Get up! Get up in here!

Here they come.

I give you a guess, Ed. They haven't found anything.

- Whew! - Hard to hear with that bellows.

Here, take a chew of this to wet the mouth.

It ain't godly.

It ain't godly,

but it might just keep you from fainting off that plow-puller you're stuck to.

Still ain't godly.

Don't care what it ain't. What it is is mine.

Ain't nothing to the south, Pa, except some mustangs running.

They wasn't spooked or nothing, just feeling free.

Nothing north. Six, maybe seven miles, not a bird to wing or a sand beetle.

It don't seem right, does it, Pa,

Quichero taking off in a line straight as 12 o'clock,

riding with about as much care as kittens?

I mean, it's sort of like he wanted to be caught, like he don't mind that.

Russ is right, Pa.

Ain't Kiowa not to send scouts around to check the backtrack.

Probably feels safe.

Preacher's right for once, folks.

Trouble with an Indian is he never figures a white man'll keep coming on.

Let's go, Ed.

Get up. Come on.

Go to her.

But why?

Go. Go to her.

What's the matter with her?

She's dying.

Kios.

Kios.

They took what's mine. They took part of me.

It's time for explaining, Ed.

Now, I know we're after your daughter, but there's more at stake than that.

Now, what is it we're not after?

Vail, they aren't too far ahead of us.

Now, we going together, or do I ride out alone?

Well, there's not too many of 'em down there.

Look, Ed. On that first teepee.

That war bonnet means talk.

You get back to the preacher and my boys.

- I'll go down and talk to 'em. - No, it's no good, Ed.

We're all going down there together.

It'll be dark before we get the others.

What difference does that make?

- Seen 'em? - Seen 'em.

We'll ride down on 'em and kill 'em.

Indians ain't nothing but dirt.

Get my daughter the only way, surprise 'em.

Surprise 'em, huh? Let me tell you something.

Quichero, when he wants to,

leaves a trail that a blind man could follow through his boots.

Indians... Indians ain't nothing but dirt.

Nothing but dirt.

Well, that nothing-but-dirt Indian's

gonna take every farm and ranch in this territory down to charred wood

if you push him too far,

and a raid on his camp'd do just that.

Nothing but dirt. Nothing but dirt. Nothing but dirt.

Most of all, the war bonnet on that ridge pole means he wants to talk,

and whether you like it or not, that's exactly what we're gonna do, talk.

If you ain't getting tired of him breathing on us, Pa, I am.

Go for your gun, Law Bullets.

I'm gonna need you, boy. Get saddled.

Intend to, right after I nail him in the sand.

And he can beat me.

Now, saddle up!

We're going down... to talk.

She just keeps looking at me.

It is enough.

Hold up.

All right, boys, unbuckle your belts.

- Dillon. - Drop 'em to the ground. Rifles too.

- We'll pick 'em up on the way back. - It's my daughter in there, Dillon.

And we're gonna get her without anybody getting killed.

Except us.

That's a risk we took when we came in here. Drop the belts.

Pa?

Drop 'em.

Hands of the devil drawn. Glory be to God. Hallelujah.

We got something to settle when this is over, Dillon.

I got a share of that.

Well, right now let's think about your sister. Let's go.

- She here? - She's here.

Where's my daughter?

He's come!

You may enter, but do so in truth.

You wanna talk.

You forgot one thing. You forgot one thing.

This lance, it comes before that talk bonnet there.

Marshal, you gotta stop this.

Shut up, Preacher. Quichero's the law here.

Get him, Pa.

- That's it, Pa, now. - Open him up, Pa, come on.

Come on, Pa.

Take him, Pa. Open that red belly.

This is sinful shame.

- Cut his guts out, Pa. - Finish him, Pa.

Now, get him!

You can't kill him, Vail. You know it and I know it.

So why don't you quit lying to yourself?

Take your daughter.

Go.

What's going on, Pa? Why didn't you kill him?

Why couldn't you butcher that piece of coyote bait?

Why don't you two boys give your mouths a rest?

Pa.

No.

Yes, Pa.

And, well, we've been talking.

She's been happy.

She... She has told me.

Through all these years, looking at her...

I have seen you.

I've always seen you.

Why have you denied your blood, Kay-e-mani?

Tell 'em.

You have earned your right to silence.

Tell 'em.

He is Kiowa.

What?

Glory be.

You're... You're an Indian?

Part Indian. I was born to this tribe. My father was white.

And Melissa, she's yours too, Pa, I mean really?

She's ours.

That year, gone taking the herd to Abilene you said.

That year.

Yeah, but, Pa, I mean, that makes us...

That makes you my sons,

never less than you were and never more.

Glory be.

You brought her back safely, Reverend.

Yes, Martha, we brung her back.

Go inside, child. There's food on the table.

Yes, Mother.

She's not even frightened.

No, Martha, she ain't changed.

But the rest of us is more than a little.

Martha, hold to your faith. Hold tight.

If you two be in the mood to go to church,

I might be thinking better of you.

Get up. Get out of here.

There be chores, boys. Best get to 'em.

Thank you, Marshal.

I worried afterward about asking you to go along. I had no right to do that.

But I... I was afraid.

Well, you did the right thing, ma'am. I... I'm just glad we got her back safe.

Marshal, was there any killing?

No, no killing.

Thank God.

A man does things. They're just done.

Well, that about says it, Ed.

There, um...

There are a lot of things to say, Martha.

Sometimes they don't need to be, Ed.

You mean you knew all these...

I knew that someday you'd tell me, yeah.

That knowing was enough.

I'm prouder of who I am than what I am.

That need explaining?

No, Pa. Kind of gets through to us.