Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

Don't tell me that you two are still at it.

No, I've been through for 20 minutes.

Draw up a chair and sit down, Matthew.

Spoon bread's extra fine today.

Afternoon, Marshal, what'll it be today?

Well, Festus looks pretty happy there.

Just bring me some of what he's got.

Yeah, if there's any left.

Sure enough, Marshal.

I thought you was gonna be too busy

to join up with us, Matthew.

Well, I was when you came by, but that was over an hour ago.

Yes, and, uh, he's...

Well, he's just fixin' to make himself sick,

that's what he's doing.

Well, he hasn't been eating like this

for a whole hour, has he?

Every single minute, and I'll tell you why.

I made the mistake... I promised him a free dinner

if he'd just go up in the high country

and bring me back some ginseng roots, you know.

Well, you know what he did?

He-he brought me back six little measly plants.

Now he's trying to eat enough to last him all winter.

You ol' scudder.

I know what you're fixin' to do.

He's fixin' to boil them roots in a whole barrelful of water

and then sell it off for a dollar a pint.

And he sat there and grudged me a decent meal.

Oh, no, go right ahead and eat. I want to warn you, though,

if you get a belly ache it's gonna cost you

- about two dollars. - What?

About four dollars.

Now you've did it.

You'd better get a good hold on that money bag

when they tolled up my bill, I'll tell you that.

Oh, watch it, it's hot, Marshal.

Joe, just go ahead and put the marshal's on my bill, too,

since I'm gonna be making such a barrelful of money.

- Sure, Doc. - Now, h-hold up, Joe.

I'll have some more 'cause I still got me

just a little bit of empty spot.

But don't fill her quite so high,

'cause I want to be sure and save room

for some of that gooseberry pie, directly.

Well, don't worry, Doc, I won't hit you quite that hard.

And I want you to know I appreciate it.

Well, by golly, you'd better hurry or you won't be able

to hit me at all. Here comes ol' nervous Howie.

Marshal. Marshal, you got to get over

- to the Dodge House right away. - Jo... Howie,

don't be a-bustin' in on everybody's dinner,

you'll spoil our indigestion.

Marshal, Mr. Wiley says you got to come over quick.

Oh, fiddle, we ain't heard no shootin'.

Matthew, Old Man Wiley's probably just scared

somebody's gonna run out on a two-dollar hotel bill.

Marshal, there's liable to be worse than shootin'

if Mr. Wiley pulls out that double barrel he keeps

under the registration desk.

The lobby's full of Indians.

- Indians? - Howie.

You sure you ain't been over at the Long Branch

bellying up the bar all day?

Marshal, I swear.

Well, tell Joe to keep my dinner warm for me.

Howie.

Them Indians ridin' elephants, are they?

Well, I reckon I'd better go over and see what's going on.

I'll see you directly.

W-Where did they go?

Oh, don't worry about it, Joe.

They just... Why don't you put their plates back in the oven,

keep 'em warm, they'll be right back.

They went to see an hallucination.

Sure, Doc.

A what?

- Come here, look at this. - Hey, an Indian's pony.

Hey, let me see, let me see.

Get away from those horses, would you?

All right, folks, that's enough.

Let's break it up and move along, here.

But there's Indians in there, Marshal.

Well, you've seen Indians before.

Now break it up and move along. You boys

- leave those ponies alone. - I told you they was in there,

Marshal, just as big as life.

Well, they're not here to hurt you. That's pretty obvious.

Now let's break it up and move along.

Come on.

I got him, Mr. Wiley. I brought him.

I got him here, he's here. The marshal's here.

Certainly took your time, Howard.

- Leaving me alone here with those savages. - Well, I...

I looked... Had to look all over for him, I couldn't find him...

Marshal.

Well, Mr. Wiley, I see you still have your scalp.

Now where are these savages?

Back there in my office.

I can't have 'em parading around out here.

You see what's going on outside.

Evening train's due at any minute.

If a guest walked in here now and saw...

- Now, just a minute. - I want them out of here,

Marshal. Now.

What did they do?

Didn't you tell him, Howard?

Well, I didn't take the time, Mr. Wiley.

I just got him here as fast as I could.

They want a room.

I can't have those heathen in my hotel, Marshal.

I won't!

Now, suppose you just calm down

for a minute, Mr. Wiley,

till I find out what this is all about.

There's nothing to find out.

I'm full up; there's not a vacancy in the place.

Every room is taken. Now you do your job

and get them out of here.

Mr. Wiley?

Seeing as how all your rooms is took,

I think I'll just amble down to train,

tell them strangers to go to the Arcadia Hotel.

You suit yourself, Festus.

Ed Spencer won't take those heathen in

any more than I will, and you know it.

Reckon you're right.

Maybe I'd ought to stay here and give Matthew a hand.

'Cause them Injuns must be powerful fierce

to get you all fretted up like you are.

I'm sorry about this, but it's Mr. Wiley's property,

and it's up to him to say.

And I say "Get them out."

We were wrong to come here.

In my land, the stranger is welcome

the way he comes, and we came in peace.

It has never been so with your people.

It has not changed.

We have gold.

We will pay.

I don't want your gold.

I told you, we haven't any rooms.

Marshal, I want you to get these Indians out of my hotel

and I want you to get them out now.

I'm sorry, Chief.

You know me as "Chief"?

I saw your neck piece.

But you're not Shawnee or Cherokee.

I don't recognize your tribe.

Marshal, I'm not going to tell you again.

I'm getting a little fed up with you.

And I'm getting a little fed up with you, Marshal.

This is my hotel; I know my rights.

We all know your rights.

Just don't push them.

We... will go.

Festus?

Go over and get Doc here right away, will you?

What-what... Marshal, you can't do...

This is my... Marshal! That... Marshal!

Is he wounded?

No, but for three days,

his flesh has burned hotter than the sun.

He would not let us seek the aid of the white medicine man.

Today he fell from his pony.

We disobeyed him and brought him to this place.

His strength is gone.

We must stay long enough

to let the white man's medicine work.

Well, Doc's on his way over.

He'll get all the medicine we've got.

Howard, you take these valuables

and lock them up in the safe out back.

Yes, sir, Mr. Wiley.

How long they gonna be in there?

I told you folks to move on out of here, now, didn't I?

You break that window, it's gonna cost you a month's pay.

Now, move along! Come on.

Break it up and move.

You ain't really fixing to make them Indians leave,

are you, Matthew?

I don't know what else to do, Festus.

Why don't you let me grab Old Shaky by the gullet there

and get us a key to one of them rooms?

Well, it's a good idea,

but I'm afraid it's against the law.

Oh, fiddle the law.

It's sure mighty weak to stand behind a weasel like that.

We have to find a safe place for him.

I'm afraid there's gonna be trouble over this.

Matt?

What is it, Doc?

Well, he's got pneumonia.

Pneumonia?

Yeah, and he's a pretty sick man.

I've got to get him someplace where I can keep him warm.

I'd take him up to my office, but that little Reynolds kid

is up there with the mumps,

and I don't want to expose him to that.

Well, Doc, looks like we'll have to take him down to the jail.

Jail? No, that...

He's critically ill, Matt.

That jail's as drafty as an old barn.

Doesn't look like we got much choice.

Well, all right then.

Festus, run over there

and stoke that fire up real good.

Get it good and warm.

Whoa!

Beg your pardon.

That's all right.

- Single room, sir? - Please.

Register, please.

Be just as careful with him as you can.

It's a... just a slight misunderstanding, sir.

We, uh, we don't allow Indians in the hotel.

Where are they taking him?

Over to the jail.

Marshal?

If you have a sick man there,

wouldn't it be easier to bed him down here?

Doesn't seem to be any room here.

I didn't have any trouble.

I just had a cancellation.

Marshal, is there any law

against having guests in my room?

Well, not that I know of.

Thanks, friend.

Upstairs.

Wait a minute!

Wait, where do you think you're going?

Come back! Doc! Marshal!

Marshal, this is my hotel. I don't want them in here.

Now, you can't get away with this.

You don't quiet down, Mr. Wiley,

I'm gonna have to throw you in jail

for disturbing the peace.

Now, thank you, Mister... Tripp.

Cal Tripp.

You see what's going on in there? See what he's doing?

That marshal's supposed to uphold law and order.

There's no law that says I got to have Indians in my hotel.

Will he be all right, Doctor?

Well, it's a little early for me to tell yet,

but if I'd have got him a couple of days ago, maybe.

If there's anything you need...

I mean, if there's any question of expense...

Well, I didn't exactly look in his pockets,

but I'll do everything I can for him.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything.

I just mean it's very important

that he gets all the help we can give him.

You seem pretty interested in this man, Mr. Tripp.

Yes, I am.

Many people are.

It's a long story.

Is there somewhere we can talk?

Let's try my office.

I don't like to leave them unprotected.

I'll send somebody over

to keep an eye on them.

Fine.

Here you are.

Thank you, Marshal.

- Doc. - Thanks.

Well, Mr. Tripp, go ahead.

Lieutenant Tripp, Marshal.

14th Cavalry out of Walla Walla.

Special assignment.

This gives you some pretty broad authority here.

It's imperative that Chief Joseph reaches Washington.

I'm here to see that he does.

Isn't that a pretty large order for one man?

He was offered a full military escort

and the best transportation available but he refused.

He'd said he heard of Indians climbing aboard the iron horse

and never seeing their homes again.

The sight of a bluecoat quite understandably riles him.

Yes, Chief Joseph.

He's war leader of the Nez Perce, isn't he?

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains.

Chief Joseph.

He's the only Indian ever to defeat three divisions

of U.S. Cavalry.

Fought us to a standstill.

Yeah. Got a pretty important patient there, Doc.

Begins to look like it.

The Nez Perce, uh,

they finally got them on a reservation, didn't they?

After a four-month running battle and very high casualties.

Yeah. You know who one of those casualties was, don't you?

I've been thinking about that.

That's Corly Watts' brother, wasn't it?

- Yeah. - Friend of yours, Marshal?

Yes, he was. A mountain man.

He and his brother were scouts for the Army.

They were in campaigns against the Cheyenne, Pawnee, Comanche.

They were real close as brothers.

And his brother was killed by the Nez Perce.

Yeah. If he finds out Chief Joseph is here in Dodge,

we're gonna have more trouble than we bargained for.

That hotel will have to be guarded day and night.

I'll need your help.

You got it.

Well, if his fever gets any higher,

you won't have to worry about guarding the hotel,

I'll tell you that.

If there's anything you need, Doctor, I'll wire Wichita.

Oh, no. I've got everything I need here.

It's just that I won't know how he is for a while.

If he dies of natural causes, that'll be difficult enough.

But if something else should happen,

something like this Corly Watts,

there are 1,000 warriors awaiting the outcome

of this trip.

They're on reservation, but they've hidden their weapons.

They wouldn't turn them over to the Army.

It's a touchy situation.

What does he hope to do in Washington?

He wants to see if the government will permit

his people to return to their mountains.

He's been granted an audience with the president.

Well, then we'd better see that he gets it.

And what if word got around

that Dodge City's got a welcome mat out

for every ragtail Indian renegade

who's got the money to pay?

That'd be bad. Real bad.

Amos, you've got a store. What's it gonna do to your business

if the word gets around that the law, that the marshal

- is on the side of an Indian? - Well, it'd cost me plenty.

That's right.

Well, it could cost every one of you plenty.

Now, we've, we-we've all put a lot into our businesses.

- It's my life savings are in there. - Everything.

Well, it's not just that. It's not just us.

We've got to think about our-our wives and our families.

Now, if the... if the marshal gets away with this,

there's no telling where it's gonna stop.

Well, if you ask me, now,

I think he's overstepping his authority.

- That's right. - He sure is. -Yeah.

Well, we're not the only ones who think so.

Now, if enough of us can get together,

- he's gonna have to listen to us. - He sure will.

Well, y-you tell your friends, y-you tell 'em to come to

the Long Branch tonight and-and w-we'll talk about it.

Good.

Good. - We'll be there. We'll be there.

Will you be there?

I don't even know if I can get away.

I hate to leave the hotel even for a few minutes,

especially at night with those-those Indians in there.

Y-You never know what's gonna happen.

I-I shouldn't even be here now.

Now-now, don't you forget what I told you.

Tonight.

Come in.

I'd like to have a word with you, Mr. Wiley, if I may.

You and I have nothing to talk about.

I think we have.

Whatever it is, say it and get out.

I understand you've been going around town this afternoon,

stirring up people about those Indians in my room.

What about it?

I don't think that's a very good idea.

Oh.

Well, let, uh... let me tell you something, Mr. Tripp.

If, uh... if you want to love Indians,

that's-that's your business.

Mine is running this hotel.

Now, how many guests do you think I'll have

if I turn it over to the Indians, hmm?

None. None!

Do you know why?

Because most people around here feel exactly the same way

as I do about Indians.

You hate them.

No, sir.

I-I don't hate anybody.

I've, uh... I've got nothing against the Indians,

long as they keep their noses clean

and stay on the reservation, where they belong.

But when they start coming around here

and trying to register in my hotel like, uh...

well, uh... well, that's-that's something else again.

All right, Mr. Wiley,

but I'd like to give you a piece of advice.

You keep on the way you're going,

you're gonna lose this hotel.

What do you mean?

If a mob tries to take those Indians from my room,

we're going to stop them,

and this place could turn into a battleground.

And if that mob gets mad enough,

they just might burn this whole place down.

Now, I'd think about that if I were you.

I'd think about that real hard!

♪♪

Kitty.

Seems to be a lively evening here.

What are we celebrating?

You'd better have yourself a drink.

You're liable to need one before this night's over.

Everybody's pretty upset

about those Indians at the Dodge House.

Yeah, Wiley didn't, uh,

waste any time spreading the word around, did he?

Can't you get them out of town?

No, I can't. One of them's real sick.

Charlie Britton says he's wounded.

Some of the men think

they ought to be turned over to the army

at the fort.

That Charlie Britton's loudmouthed as usual, isn't he?

Marshal!

How are your Indian friends doing?

You got them all set up, comfortable like?

I hear they're what's left of a war party.

Burned down a wagon train south a ways.

You heard wrong.

Now I'm gonna tell you men something, all of you.

I don't know what stories you've heard about these Indians,

but they're not here to scalp you.

They're not here to do any harm.

They're here minding their own business,

and you all ought to be doing the same thing.

Yeah, they're, uh, Nez Perce, ain't they, Marshal?

What's that got to do with it?

Well, Mr. Wiley says that one of them's the chief himself.

Chief Joseph.

Well, that part you heard right,

but it just so happens he's an old man

and he's very ill; he may be dying.

That's the reason they brought him here,

- and that's the only reason. - The way I hear it,

he killed two dozen troopers on his own hook.

Sick or not, I don't like Indians, Marshal,

and not many of us do.

How about that? Right?

Well, that's funny, Charlie.

I'd think you'd be real fond of them,

many furs as you've stolen off the Pawnees

with a few bottles of cheap rotgut.

You got no right to say that, Dillon.

Nobody ever caught me trading whiskey.

I got a lot of posters on my desk

of men I haven't caught yet, either.

Are you calling me a thief?

The shoe fits, wear it.

That'll put you on the inside looking out for about 30 days,

but I'm not gonna waste the taxpayers' money

feeding you.

You get out of here.

I don't want to see you around Dodge for a month.

How's your arm?

I don't know, Kitty.

Doesn't feel too good.

Maybe you ought to let Doc take a look at it.

I think I'll do that.

- I'll see you later. - All right.

All right, everybody, drinks are on the house.

I'll get even with Dillon for this.

I'll see him in his grave if it's the last thing I do!

Charlie, he ain't an easy man to put in the ground.

If you ask me, you'd better forget it.

Turning against his own kind.

He'd shoot any one of us down,

just to save the hide of one of them murdering redskins.

Funeral parlor's right down the street, Charlie.

You figure on tangling with Dillon again,

you'd better mosey on down there

and let Cyrus measure you for a coffin.

It'll be Dillon they'll be measuring

after I tell Corly Watts

how he turned Dodge over to them redskins!

I want you to stay here till the answer comes, Barney.

Stay here?

Marshal, that's apt to take all night.

I don't care how long it takes, Barney.

I want you here when the answer comes, clear?

Whatever you say, Marshal.

- Festus. - Howdy, Matthew.

Pick a card.

Where's Tripp?

Oh, he's out yonder in back messing around.

Now be sure you recollect which one it is.

Ah. They, uh,

about to settle down for the night up there?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, put her back.

We fetched them some vittles

and Moss took their ponies over to the stable,

and Doc just went up a little bit ago.

Ah, well, all right, you can get yourself

a couple hours sleep, Festus.

I'll keep an eye on things here.

Five of spades.

Yeah, what about it?

Well, ain't that the card you picked out?

No.

Nine of hearts?

No.

Well, which one was it then?

It was the queen of spades.

Queen of spades?

- That hurt there? - Yeah.

Well, can you make a fist with it?

Doc, I can't close my hand any further than that.

You think it's broken?

No, it's not broken.

The only thing I can do is put it in a sling for you.

Well, you picked a bad time to put my arm in a sling.

Well, I didn't pick the time.

I'm just telling you that it's not gonna be

very much use to you for a while.

Well, maybe as long as you and I are the only ones

that know that, it's all right.

Who is it?

Tripp.

All right.

What happened?

Oh, it's just a bruise.

Is it serious?

No. Think it'll be all right.

How are things looking downstairs?

I didn't see anybody prowling around.

There are too many ways of getting in this place.

Those first-floor windows in the rear.

Well, the only way they can get up here is through the lobby.

How is he, Doc? Any change?

Well, he's-he's resting some easier.

I think the main thing now is to keep him warm and comfortable.

Is he able to speak?

Hasn't said a word to me, and you know, I...

I know how much pain he must be in.

Tell you something I've learned about him.

What's that?

Quite a man.

Since we left our land,

your shadow has been where we passed.

The great chief you journeyed to see wished it that way,

so you could travel safely through his country.

He would give you the speed and comfort of the iron horse

if you would just give your consent.

By morning, my strength will return.

We will trouble you no more.

Ah, Chief.

Matt, you're gonna stay here a while?

I was figuring to, Doc.

Well, I've given him some sedation.

He ought to go to sleep.

Now, I have to get over to the office.

I've got to check on that little Reynolds boy.

Young man, my advice to you is to get some rest.

Well, I can't rest.

Sure could use a drink, though.

All right, then, if you want to walk along with me

to the office, when I'm finished,

I'll just drop you off at the Long Branch.

That all right with you, Marshal?

Sure.

Now why in thunder don't you men go home

like the marshal told you to?

This is a free country, Doc.

We got a right to be wherever we want to be.

Amos is right, Doc.

We're not breaking the law.

What's wrong, Doc? What's bothering them?

Oh, don't ask me to explain that.

I'm not a philosopher. I'm a doctor.

Seems to me you're more than a doctor.

Anybody knows what makes this town tick, it's you.

Well, if you want my diagnosis,

it's probably a question of fear.

Of a sick old man, two braves that don't even have a gun?

Oh, no. I mean, a fear of conscience

or something like that.

I don't know what you mean.

Well, I think you do.

This land that this town sat on once belonged to the Indians.

You know that. And then they took it away from 'em.

And when the Indians objected to it,

why, they ran the cavalry in to teach 'em a lesson.

That's right, but that ought to make the people feel secure.

Well, they're secure enough, all right,

as long as the Indians don't want to do anything about it.

We got Indians here... That is, across the river.

Every once in a while, a few of 'em come into Dodge,

and sell trinkets and things.

Don't mean anything.

Nobody wants to kill 'em. They're harmless.

So is the chief... harmless.

No. No, Lieutenant, that's...

It's a little different, the chief and his men.

Why? What makes them different?

Well, you see, they're not willing

to lay down and play dead.

Haven't given up yet.

And their very presence here is a reminder

of everything bad that's happened to the Indians.

And in some cases, it's been pretty disgusting.

Well, I don't know what in thunder

I'm standing here talking to you about it for.

I got a sick boy up here. Come on.

Corly?

Corly?

Corly?

Just put your hands up, mister.

I-I... I come peaceable, Corly.

Keep facing straight ahead.

Drop your hands now, mister.

I, uh... I come to tell you something, Corly.

I know you?

No, no-not really, but...

but I seen you in Dodge a couple of times.

How'd you know where to find me?

Everybody knows where you stay,

Corly, uh, y-y-you're a legend in Dodge.

What'd you come here to say, mister?

Come to tell you...

there are Indians in Dodge.

- That so? - Yeah.

And everybody knows how you feel about Indians, Corly.

They do?

Well, I mean, you...

you've been fighting against 'em half your life.

The Sioux, the Comanche.

I married a Comanche.

I lived with the Sioux.

But these ain't Sioux, and these ain't Comanche.

These is Nez Perce.

They killed your brother, didn't they, Corly?

Didn't they kill your brother?!

They killed somebody belonging to you, did they?

Oh, no, no, no, no. I-I just thought...

I mean, I...

Who are they?

Mr. Wiley says it's the big chief himself.

Chief Joseph?

And he got a couple of braves with him.

I don't know what, but they're sure working up to something.

I wouldn't fret about it none, Miss Kitty.

As long as they ain't got no leader,

they ain't fixing to do anything.

Looks like I'm not exactly the most popular man in town.

I wouldn't let her worry me.

- Sam? - Yeah.

Won't you bring this gentleman a shot of whiskey, please?

- Usual for you, Doc? - No, nothing for me, thanks, Sam.

Sam, put those drinks on the house.

- Yes, ma'am. - Well, by golly, thanks, Kitty.

Kitty, I want you to meet Lieutenant Cal Tripp.

This is, uh, Kitty Russell.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

She owns the place.

As you can see, you're in mighty good hands.

Now, I'm going over to Dodge House

and check on my patient.

- See you later. - See you in a little while.

- Thanks, Kitty. - See you later.

Well, let's sit down.

Festus tells me that, uh,

you're having a little trouble

getting the chief to accept some protection.

Well, you can't exactly blame him, ma'am.

Every time he's trusted the white man,

every time he tried to keep the peace with us,

we betrayed him.

What do you mean?

Well, time after time,

we broke treaties with him,

and still he held his warriors back.

But then one day, a group of white trappers

went into his territory,

and there was an Indian girl

bathing in a stream.

Well...

some say it was the chief's daughter.

And that began four months

of the bloodiest fighting the army's ever known.

- Thanks, Sam. - Mm-hmm.

Well, I certainly don't envy you your job.

I'm surprised you made it this far.

Up until now, they've been keeping to open country.

Open country?

Well, ain't you had no trouble

with the other Indian tribes or anything?

Well, they seem to know who he is.

About 500 Sioux rode alongside him all one morning,

and not a word,

not a sign of greeting between them.

They just looked at him,

and then they began some kind of chant,

and he rode on out of sight.

And they knew I was there, too.

I didn't breathe all morning.

Smoke signals.

Peace belts.

Yeah, them Indians send out peace belts

when there's a high-muckety-muck coming through.

So's he'll get fit treatment and everything.

Well, I see that you know as much about Indians

as you do about muskrats.

What's happening?

Well, I don't know.

Sure is something taking place.

And it doesn't look good.

Who are they?

Well, one of them's Corly Watts.

You'd better go warn Matthew,

and I'll see if I can stall him off.

Where's the marshal?

He's right down at the Dodge House, Mr. Watts.

Howdy, Corly.

Well, danged if you don't look like

you're fixin' to chew on somebody.

Why don't you get down off your horse and come on in?

We'll have us a drink.

We'll have us a drink after a bit, Festus.

Get out of the way, Festus, we got things to do.

Yeah, you got things to do.

Once Matthew finds you back in town after he run you out,

you'll have a whole passel to do.

Corly,

those Indians aren't causing any trouble.

Why don't you talk to Matt?

Well, now, that's what I aim to do, ma'am,

but not for long.

Hey, where are you going?

Well, I'm going to help Matthew.

Marshal, they're gonna tear this place apart.

I hold you personally responsible for the damages.

Wiley, why don't you shut up

and go on back in your office where you'll be safe?

Hey, Doc, what do you think would be the chances

of sneaking the chief into a wagon

and getting him out of town? Would he be able to stand it?

Well, you haven't got time to even think of it.

They're out there now; look at there.

Never thought Charlie Britton would have nerve enough

to come back into town.

Now, look, uh, why don't you go upstairs

and try to calm those braves down, Doc.

Tell them everything's gonna be all right.

Oh, Howie.

I want you to go over to the telegraph office

and ask Barney if they've got an answer to that wire I sent.

- Well, I... - Hurry right now.

- Yes, sir. - Matt, if you go out there

and face them with that arm the way it is, you're crazy.

Well, maybe they don't know about the arm, Doc.

That's a chance I'll have to take.

Well, I don't see it that way.

Nobody expects you to go out there and get killed.

You want me to turn the chief over to them?

I'll be upstairs.

Lieutenant.

Looks like this is where you and I earn our money.

Corly.

Matthew.

We gonna have trouble?

We are if you try to get in this hotel.

I came here to do a job.

Making me kill you, Corly,

isn't gonna bring your brother back.

He ain't alone, Marshal.

You can't kill us all.

Now just hold on a minute.

First man that tries to get through that door

is a dead man.

You haven't got a chance.

There's 30 of us against the two of you.

I reckon you'd ought to make that three, Corly.

I got no quarrel with you, Matt.

But those men in there killed my brother,

and I'm gonna see they get what's coming to them.

Yeah, that's right!

Stand aside, Marshal!

Push him out of there!

Now just hold on a minute!

Those men in there aren't on trial,

and you men aren't a jury.

Corly's brother didn't get no trial

before them Nez Perce butchered him!

Corly's brother was a scout for the cavalry.

He died on the battlefield.

That's got nothing to do with these men in here.

Shoot him, Corly. He won't listen to decent talk.

Nobody's gonna do any shooting.

Now, you men are listening to a lot of stories lately.

You're gonna hear the truth for once.

Now, this is Lieutenant Tripp of the United States Cavalry.

All they wanted was their freedom

and a chance to live on land in peace.

They never once attacked us.

What I said... is true.

They came for me.

There's a lot of hotheads down there.

There always are.

Three Hand saw them.

He says they are many with weapons.

We will die like men.

Well, you're not gonna die at all, Chief, if I can help it.

Matt and that young lieutenant will stop...

No, they will not kill their own kind

to save us.

We are not brothers.

1,500 miles they retreated

over the worst territory in this country,

and we followed them

with 50 times their number of regular soldiers.

They never once attacked us.

They fought 14 different engagements,

but only in their own defense.

You call men like that murderers.

Yeah! Yeah!

All they wanted was their freedom

and land to live on in peace,

and I'll tell you one more thing.

That man lying up there sick in that room

was never really defeated.

He agreed to go on reservation

to stop the killing of Indians and whites.

But if any harm should come to him tonight,

the bloodletting and hate will start all over again.

Well now, Matt,

I think I've heard all the talk I want to.

Marshal!

Marshal! Marshal! Let me through...

Here, let me through here, let me through.

It just this minute come, Marshal!

All right, Corly, you've been waiting three years.

You can wait a minute more and listen to this.

I want all you men to hear this.

This is addressed to me.

Now, it says, "This is to inform you

"that Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce

"is under the protection of the United States government.

"Any person or persons interfering

"with his safe passage to Washington, D.C.,

"will be committing a crime against the United States

and will be punished by the full weight of federal authority."

And this telegram is signed "Ulysses S. Grant,

President of the United States."

Now read it.

I don't believe it!

- Go ahead, read it. - Don't believe it.

- Come on, let's see it. - The president.

- Let's see it. - Hey, he's really gonna see the president.

Is that on the square, Barney?

From Washington, D.C.

We've been waiting for it all night.

How were we to know, Marshal?

Well, if U.S. Grant wants to see him...

I'll tell you something, boys. It's all over.

Now you've heard it and you've seen it.

I want you to break it up

and go on about your business right now.

Now let's move!

Come on!

All right, Matt.

But they're still a long way from Washington.

Hey, hold on, Charlie.

Festus, take him over and throw him in jail, will you?

Be a pure pleasure, Matthew.

If you had to draw that gun, could you have done it?

I don't know.

Sure glad I didn't have to try.

Nine towels.

"Nine towels."

Marshal, everything all arranged?

They are leaving today?

Doc told you that yesterday, didn't he?

Yes, well, I just wanted to make sure.

Who is it?

It's Matt.

What's the verdict?

It'd be better if he could rest a couple more days,

but he snapped out of it.

Beats anything I ever saw.

Well, Chief, you're welcome to stay around Dodge

if you'd like to. I-I think people

have kind of calmed down a little.

I must go.

I wish you would trust us, Chief.

There are many white men who feel as we do.

There's a train leaving this morning.

No.

All right.

No point in riding him through the main street.

Festus got the horses out in back.

Follow me, Chief.

Good morning, folks.

We have your reservation?

No, no, we didn't figure to stay over in Dodge.

I believe we can accommodate you.

We have a very nice double...

Um, would you mind stepping in my office momentarily?

- We just... - Please, please.

You'll be much more comfortable in there,

and I can give you some idea of the size of our rooms.

This way, please.

♪♪

Our ponies have been well cared for, too.

If you would accept our gold,

the debt will be paid.

We don't want your money, Chief.

Good luck to you.

Oh, that's just some bacon and stuff

I had left over from my last hunting trip.

It'd have spoiled anyhow.

Hold it right there.

Corly, put the gun down.

Sorry, Matt.

He killed my brother,

and that's what I came for.

Now get out of the way.

I'm not gonna ask you again, Matt.

You'd better do some clear thinking, Corly.

You pull that trigger, it'll be the last thing you ever do.

I'll kill you right where you are.

Now, I don't understand you.

Why?

Because they're men like the rest of us.

You lost a brother.

We have lost many brothers,

but somewhere this must end.

If my blood will help, let it end here.

♪♪

There was some talk of an iron horse.

We will go.

It is said a brother must learn

to trust a brother.