Original subtitles

FLINT: When you're scouting for a wagon train,

two things are always a worry... Indians and no water.

Indians can kill you one way,

but no water can kill you worse.

It's a town.

What's wrong with that?

I didn't know there was one there...

Where the spring is.

That's where we watered last year.

But last year, it was right in the middle of nowhere.

It sure isn't this year.

What's the matter?

I don't know. I feel kind of uneasy.

You know, like a horse that's about to shy

because he senses that...

That somewhere there's a rattler.

Come on.

Howdy. Howdy.

What do you call this place?

Don't have a name. It just started.

This is where the spring is, isn't it?

Yeah, this is where the spring is.

I sure hope you got plenty of water.

We got a wagon train back there that's really dry.

We got plenty of water.

The only thing is, we just elected the mayor.

And the mayor just passed a law

that no wagon train is to get any water

unless they pay a dollar a wagon for it.

You want to start shooting right now?

Now, wait a minute.

You go on in and talk to the mayor,

and if you want to break the law...

all right.

Thomas, do you hear kind of a hum?

A buzz, maybe? If you listen close,

it sounds like a dry rattle.

Yeah, I think I hear that little buzz.

Stay out here and see if it gets any louder.

Who's the man they call the mayor here?

I'm Mayor Tucker.

Call me Mr. Tucker.

Howdy, Mr. Tucker.

What's this I hear about chargin' a dollar a wagon for water?

That's right.

That's the family rate.

If you got any livestock,

it's 25 cents a head.

Doesn't that strike you as kind of expensive?

Expensive?

That's a debatable point.

Expensive.

Expensive depends on how much you've got of it,

and is it good.

Zeke?

Zeke Thomas.

It's been years.

Violet, I... I thought...

Uh-uh, honey. I'm not dead.

Whatever are you doing way out here?

I'm, uh... I'm goin' west.

Alone?

No.

You married, Zeke?

Yeah.

Is she young?

Yeah, she's young.

She's smart.

She's real pretty.

Well...

what do you know?

And she married a barge captain, huh?

No. No, she didn't.

I'm not a barge captain.

I'm goin' west to start a new life.

Well...

what do you know?

Now, don't let it upset you.

What could be nicer on a warm day

than a cool drink of water?

Yes, sir, at any price.

I'll tell you what.

Why don't you go back and talk it over with your wagon master?

Explain to him how things are.

It's the law.

And what if we don't figure to obey the law?

It's a funny thing.

Every man in this town is a deputy,

sworn to uphold it.

I'll tell you another thing, Mr. Tucker...

Even funnier.

Every man in this town is a thief.

What'd you do, used to know that fella?

Yeah.

On the Mississippi.

I was watching from inside.

Looked to me, honey, like you knew him real well.

I never should've left him.

Why not?

Best man in the world.

Yeah?

How do you know that?

I was his wife.

Maybe you still are.

Maybe I am.

Come on up.

Everybody up, please.

I want to tell you about tomorrow, folks.

I got some news for you, not very good.

The only water within 50 miles

is in a spring up ahead of us,

and there's a pack of thieves sittin' right on top of it.

These fellas claim the water is theirs,

and they won't give us any unless we pay their price.

And that price is pretty goldarned steep.

A dollar a wagon,

and a quarter a head for stock.

That's highway robbery!

Why do we have to pay 'em that?

Let's take what we need, let 'em try to stop us.

Now, now, hold on, just a minute!

Don't be too anxious to break out your guns.

We can whip 'em probably, yeah.

But there's bound to be a bunch of us

layin' out there with our bones bleachin' in the sun.

I'm not gonna agree to that, except as a last resort.

What else can we do? Let's go get the water!

Now, hold it, hold it.

Listen me out, will ya?!

We're in Federal territory here,

within a day's ride of a Federal Marshal.

This is what we're gonna do.

Our stock needs resting, our wagons need mending.

A couple of days' camp won't do us any harm.

I'll leave Flint McCullough here in charge,

and Wooster and I will go see the Federal Marshal.

We'll find out whether or not

we have to pay for this water.

That's all.

Take care.

Evening.

Mr. McCullough, didn't Zeke come back with you?

Why, yes, he did. I thought he was right here.

No. No, I didn't see him.

Thanks anyway. I'll find him.

What are you doin' here?

Just being neighborly.

You know, seeing how nice you're set up here and everything.

Mm-hmm. Well, I can tell you

we're not set up to entertain strangers.

Oh, I didn't expect to stay long.

Mr. Tucker just sent me out on a little errand.

About the water, you might tell Mr. Tucker

we've sent for the Marshal.

So, if he wants to make any trouble,

he'd better take it up with him.

It's not about the water, either.

He don't expect no trouble about that.

This is more of a personal matter...

Kind of... well, intimate, you might say.

I got a message for Mister, uh...

Well, you know, the fella that rode into town with you.

Give that to him.

Zeke? Yeah?

Is anything wrong?

No, no.

You were gone for so long, I worried.

Nothin' to worry about.

I just thought something might have happened to you.

What could happen?

Don't you know yet that nothing could ever happen to me

as long as I've got you?

Oh, Zeke.

Every time you tell me you love me,

you just get so serious.

You get so serious, you almost frighten me.

Well, I guess that's how much I love you.

Zeke?

What is it? Nothing.

Flint and I were just talking.

Flint wants me to ride back into town with him...

Kind of scout around, see that those fellas

don't come out here tonight and stir up trouble.

You mean, you're going now, without supper?

The sooner we get started, the sooner we get back.

Right, Flint?

Yeah, that's right.

Look, uh... I'll tell you what, Flint...

Why don't I ride into town myself and look around?

If there's no trouble brewing,

that'd save you a trip. All right with you?

Sure, that's all right with me.

Zeke, do you have to go?

Sure I do.

It'll make things safer that way.

Mr. McCullough, I wish you'd stay to supper.

Thank you, Mrs. Thomas. I'd like that.

Oh. The stew's burning.

Doesn't smell burning to me.

It smells real savory.

After Wooster's cooking, it'll be a treat.

Wild fennel.

I picked that way back in Missouri.

Thank you.

Sit down. Thank you.

Were you ever married, Mr. McCullough?

No. No, I never quite made that.

Never been in love?

No, not really.

I never was myself until just recently.

It's hard to believe sometimes...

Someone else, they can be...

so close...

they're just all your life to you.

And then it frightens you...

because when they go away, they can go so far.

I never knew about that, ma'am.

Not really.

There's your note, Mr. Tucker.

What do you think you wanted to see me about?

A drink first, Mr. Thomas?

After what you charge for water,

I doubt if I could afford your whiskey.

On the house.

I've been hearin' about you from Violet.

Now, there's a fine woman.

And a happy woman.

It's a fine thing for a man to have a happy woman around.

Makes you almost want two of 'em, don't it?

Mr. Tucker, do you mind getting at

what you're getting at?

Violet told me you were famous

all up and down the Mississippi.

Toughest barge captain there ever was.

I never went out of my way to hurt anybody,

if that's what you mean...

unless he hurt me first.

Quite a man with the ladies, too.

But that was back in the old days.

Guess you don't talk about the old days, eh, Zeke?

Where's Violet?

Oh, but that's not like Violet.

No, sir, she sure remembers.

She told me you meant so much to her,

she didn't ever forget.

But she could for money, huh?

Well, it might be a good idea to give her some,

so maybe she could forget.

Because what if she remembered?

Want to ask a lawyer? He'd tell you.

He'd tell you 20 years in prison

for two wives and no divorces.

Think it over, Zeke.

What if your new wife finds out?

Nice young girl.

I'll bet she'd leave you fast.

All right, how much do you want?

300.

I haven't got it.

180 is all I've got.

And that's all you're gonna get.

Well, Zeke, you bring that here tomorrow.

And let's make it 200.

Round figure, easier to remember.

Zeke, wait.

Violet, was I ever mean to you?

No.

Then why are you doing this to me?

I need the money. I sold the barge,

took every cent to outfit...

$180 is all I got left to start in the West with.

Oh, honey.

I don't want the money.

I just want you.

You picked a fine way to go about it.

Why'd you have to go and marry her?

Couldn't you remember me?

Couldn't you remember it was me you were married to?

Sure I was married to you, Violet.

But I was a kid. It was a mistake.

You know that. That's why you ran off.

I looked for you, I looked for years,

and they told me you were dead.

Zeke...

let me ask you one question.

If anything ever happened to her...

Like sickness or an accident or...

maybe she just can't stand the West and she goes...

What I'm saying is,

if you didn't have her,

would you have me back?

If I couldn't have her, Violet,

I wouldn't want to live.

It's just a shame.

A shame and a pity for everybody.

Her, too.

Because what'll she do when she finds out about me?

You ever tell her, I'll kill you.

But what if she finds out all by herself...

and she leaves you?

You going to kill her, too?

You sure got a lot of killin' to do.

Is he back yet? No.

Would you like some company?

Sure.

Whew.

Nice night.

The sky's really big.

Yes, it is.

A little scary. I'm used to a roof.

I like a night like this...

The warmth still in the ground.

Animals like it, too.

They sleep real peaceful.

You're up kind of late aren't you?

Reading.

Reading.

That's something I don't get time to do much anymore.

Why did he go to town, Mr. McCullough?

Books, that is.

But now I can read the stars.

I can tell you where Cincinnati is...

or how long it'll be until morning.

Don't you know?

I can read Indian signs.

I can almost read a buffalo's mind.

You're talking so you won't have to tell me.

I can look grass in the eye

and tell you what last winter was like.

Please tell me, Mr. McCullough.

I'll tell you one thing, ma'am...

A book's quite a thing.

Look at the Bible...

Maybe a book that asks where all those stars came from...

or what's a million years

one way or another...

Or one year, for that matter...

If all you do is sit and worry.

Like a woman...

worrying as to why her husband doesn't come home.

Why doesn't he?

Don't trouble the night, ma'am.

Learn to sit.

Whatever it is, it'll pass away.

Well...

what have you two got, secrets?

You're up kind of late, aren't you?

I was reading.

Reading to Flint?

Did you know Maggie was an educated girl?

Yeah.

Back home, she was a teacher.

Then she married a barge captain.

That's kind of unusual,

an educated girl marrying a barge captain.

Would you like a drink, Flint?

No, thanks. I never do late like this.

Oh. Funny thing...

I never do myself.

I just dropped by to tell you that, uh...

I'm gonna wake you early.

You're taking a hunting party out...

You and Hawks.

Well, can't you send somebody else?

You're the best shot. While we're tied up here,

I thought we might as well lay in some meat.

All right. I'll be ready.

Good night.

Good night. Good night, Mr. McCullough.

Why were you gone so long, Zeke?

A fella in town...

A fella I used to know back on the River.

Why didn't you bring him back here?

Nobody you'd care to meet.

What's wrong, Zeke?

Nothin'.

You look worried.

Just been a long day.

Let's go to bed.

Maggie?

You go to bed. I want to read for a while.

Maggie...

I know it's a funny thing, but...

in the daytime, with all the other folks around,

you look so sweet.

Anybody would think you'd spent all your life in a convent.

I can hardly believe you're mine.

But then...

And late like this, in the lantern light,

when I have you close...

I can see your eyes shining soft.

Then I know we're man and wife.

Hey, look down there!

That's what we've been lookin' for!

You got him! Got him good!

Nothin' to it. It's all in this.

Yeah? Sure.

Just take aim.

Look down the sights.

I got it! I got it!

You got my buffalo, but that's all right.

First time I shot anything in my life.

That's what I'm tellin' you... it's all in that.

I don't suppose you'd care to buy it?

Well, I'd offer you $10 for it.

I got no need for 10.

What have you got a need for? 20.

Zeke, I can't give you 20 for that.

I don't need it for that.

Have you got a need for a watch... for 5?

Winds good. Every night, when I wind it,

it winds real soothing,

like it was tellin' you, "Don't worry for tomorrow."

All right, $20.

Suppose you fellas can get that meat

back to camp without me?

I gotta see a fella in town,

a fella I'm closin' a deal with.

Hold still.

I said, hold still!

Ma!

Ma! Shh!

You hush up.

You want to bother Mrs. Edwards?

Don't you think she's in enough trouble now?

Heh. I'll say she is.

She's havin' a big baby, like you.

Yeah. Isn't that trouble enough?

Any news? Not yet.

I brought a little extra water we had.

Oh, thanks, Maggie. Hi, darling.

Say, Maggie, when are we gonna sit outside your wagon?

How about it, Maggie?

What do you mean?

Aw, come on, you can't fool us.

Hey, I think she's puttin' on a little weight.

Maggie, is it true?

Is it? Yes, it's true.

Oh, Maggie, congratulations.

I'm so happy for you.

I just knew it, didn't you?

I could just tell.

Can I help you?

I'm looking for Zeke Thomas.

He's not here.

Isn't he around?

He went hunting.

Oh.

Is there someone here calls herself Mrs. Thomas?

I'm Mrs. Thomas.

Yeah?

Well, that's a little matter I came to straighten out.

See... Zeke was in town last night to see me.

Heh. You think Zeke has secrets from me?

Well, honey, if he doesn't, he should.

This your wagon?

Looks real nice.

I've been thinkin' I'd like to take me a little trip west.

Why don't you tell me what you came for,

and then you won't have to wait.

Sure. Why not?

I'll tell you what he didn't tell you.

He's married to me, honey.

June '51, in Natchez.

Since we never got a divorce,

that means he isn't married to you.

That's all.

That's all I came for.

See, I just didn't figure it was fair for you not to know.

Or fair to me, either, honey, because...

after all, I'm his wife, and a wife has rights.

I don't believe you.

Why don't you ask him?

I could show you a marriage certificate.

You're lying. I know you are.

Go ahead, ask him.

Or maybe there's a lawyer here.

You could talk to him.

Honey, you need to talk to someone real bad.

You need advice.

What are you doing out here? What's wrong?

Is there something wrong? Yes.

Well, what is it?

I just found out Zeke is married to another woman.

How do you know that?

She came to me. She told me.

Easy.

Come here.

You know, she could be lying.

She wasn't. She wasn't.

Oh, my mind.

It's as if suddenly I'm nobody.

Me, I'm just not me anymore.

I don't suppose you've seen Zeke yet.

And I'm going to have a baby.

He doesn't even know it yet.

I didn't know it myself until just last week.

And now...

Now I'm not even married to him.

How could he do this?

When you love, you just give everything.

Please, Mrs. Thomas, don't cry.

I know it's hard, but...

you just can't help hurt.

I... I've always felt that there was something...

hidden in him, something dark.

Now I know what it is.

Why don't you have a talk with him?

I can't. I'm afraid to.

Well, then what do you plan to do?

I want to go away.

I want to go back east.

I want you to take me to the first stagecoach going back.

I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't do that.

You mean you won't help me?

You're wrong not to give the man his chance.

Mrs. Thomas?

You needn't accompany me.

Yes, ma'am, that's exactly what I have to do...

Accompany you right back to your husband.

Come on.

Hey, if you people still need water out there,

I was thinking maybe we could give you a special rate.

Say, 50 cents a family.

Price comin' down, huh?

Well, we're just tryin' to avoid trouble.

Thanks, Mr. Tucker.

But the Marshal's coming.

Yeah?

You sure of that?

He'll be here tomorrow.

We'll get all the water we want,

legal and free.

Speakin' of the Marshal comin',

don't that worry you, Zeke?

Why should it worry me?

Oh, I don't know.

I just thought a man with two wives...

One of them might go to the Marshal.

Well, that's better.

I was afraid your memory was slippin'.

$200?

Perhaps I'd better explain, Mr. Tucker,

so you won't be too disappointed.

That's only half of it.

You mean, 100?

No, I mean half of 200.

Well, that's 100.

Maybe you'd just better open the envelope.

What, are you out of your mind?

You tore the bills in half!

That's right. You'll get the other half

when I get the divorce papers from Violet.

What are you talkin' about?

That wasn't part of the deal.

It is now.

Where am I gonna get a divorce out here?

Might take months.

I'm in no hurry.

Where will I find you?

Just send the papers to Sacramento,

care of General Delivery, and you'll get the rest of the money.

Oh, Mr. Thomas?

Even half-bills I like to count.

Oh, did you hear that, honey?

We're fixin' to get you a divorce.

And that's gonna suit me fine.

Matter of fact, Violet and me...

We kind of had in mind

a wedding ring ourselves.

Didn't we, honey?

My, it's a hot night.

Well, I guess we got things all fixed up, then, huh?

Maybe you men think you got things all fixed up,

but there's gonna be just one little hitch.

What's that, Violet?

I'm not giving you a divorce.

What?

What's that you say about it?

I'm not giving him a divorce.

You'd better ride along.

And don't worry... I'll change her mind.

You'd better do that if you want the other 100.

I mean, the half of the 200.

Have you seen him yet?

Yes, he's coming now. Good luck.

Now, don't you go.

Remember, you promised.

I don't know how I'll even start.

I don't know how I'll start.

Maggie mad about something?

I don't know.

What did she go in for?

Maybe she's not feeling too well.

Looks to me like something's going on.

Looks to me like there's a storm coming up.

I'd better tie things down.

Flint, you been talking to Maggie about anything?

Giving her advice about anything?

What's going on between you and Maggie?

If you don't like it, why don't you stay at home at night?

What do you mean by that?

I mean, why don't you stay at home at night?

If you've got something to tell the woman,

go on in there and tell her.

Flint, you been talking to her about violet? No.

Look, that's all over. What Maggie don't know won't hurt her.

That's what you think. If you don't go in there

and talk to that woman, you're gonna lose her.

Lose her? Thanks to who?

You? That's what you been doin'?

Tellin' her to run off? Have you?

Easy, Thomas.

You fool, I didn't tell her anything.

Zeke!

I'm sorry, ma'am.

What were you fighting about?

It doesn't matter. Let it go.

I've kept some supper warm for you.

I'm not hungry.

Zeke, I just don't understand you anymore.

Is that why you were talking with Flint?

Yes.

You thinkin' of going away?

What do you mean?

Remember Steve Russell's wife back on the River?

How she took up with that traveling man?

Steve loved her.

When he found her laughing in that bar in Memphis,

he put a bullet in her mouth.

Did that show his love?

That's right, it did.

Then he put five more down her front,

like buttons,

just because he couldn't live without her.

Are you trying to frighten me?

No, Maggie. I'm...

I'm just sayin'...

I don't quite know how the future's gonna work out.

But no matter how it works out,

it's gonna work out with you and me together.

Isn't there something you want to tell me?

Let's go to bed.

Maybe we'll talk later.

What is it?

I'm just checkin'.

Checkin' what?

Some of the men are acting kind of nervous,

talkin' about going into town and shootin' in out.

If they ask you to join up, make sure that you don't.

What was that for?

I just wanted to see if you were still alive.

You looked dead.

I feel dead.

Maggie...

can't we just forget everything

and be like we used to be?

No.

Why not?

Don't you know? No.

I mean, up to now,

you've had no complaint, have you?

We haven't had a fight, have we, Maggie?

No.

You always liked it, living on a boat with me.

You like the River...

and the flowers in the spring.

You even liked the River in the winter.

And you liked me.

You liked the trip west right up till today.

At least I got the idea you did...

The way you carried on, laughing...

and close, like every man dreams his wife's gonna be.

Well, maybe it was just put on. Was it?

Was it what?

Everything you ever said or did.

Was it put on?

No, it was true.

Well, then why isn't it true now?

Because it's all a lie!

A cheap and ugly lie.

What do you mean?

Oh, Zeke, stop pretending.

I saw her. She was here today.

All right.

What do you want me to say?

I just don't understand how you could do it.

I did it because I loved you.

I loved you too much.

I was afraid I'd lose you.

And I honestly thought she was dead.

You thought she was? Why didn't you find out?

I tried, Maggie, I tried for years.

Then I met you, and...

then I didn't try.

I was afraid I'd find out she wasn't dead,

and I'd have to give you up.

Well, you don't have to be afraid anymore,

because now I'm going.

Maggie. Please leave me alone.

Can't you see it's over?

Maggie.

Maggie, please don't cry.

And don't worry.

I'm gonna get a divorce from her.

It'll just take a little time, that's all.

Just a little time.

Look, you believe me, don't you?

I believe you.

But what difference does it make?

Maggie, it means we're together

and we're married.

We're not married, and there's no time for a divorce.

Why not?

Because I'm going to have a child!

Maggie.

Maggie... you wait here.

Promise me you'll stay here.

You wait here, and I'll be back.

Just remember one thing, Maggie...

We're going west together.

Anything stirring?

Nothing as yet.

Well, they're gonna be stirring, I'm sure of it.

They wouldn't come snooping around

if they weren't up to something.

I don't think you should've sent those men out to get that Marshal.

Well, that's mighty nice of you, Bragg,

using your brain on my behalf.

It was just an opinion.

What was I supposed to do,

let the Marshal ride up here and shoot us down?

Look where we are. We've got five or six men,

and that whole wagon camp's gonna come riding in here.

It is? Yeah.

Well, I don't see it.

I don't see a head movin' anywhere.

But if you see a head movin',

just shoot it, huh?

Gettin' yourself pretty?

I'm gettin' ready for bed.

I thought maybe you were gettin' pretty to go out.

Why should I go out?

People sometimes like to go out.

Sometimes they like to travel.

Some even like to go west

with a wagon train.

Now, if you want to go west, Violet,

you just bring that subject up to me.

You just ask me.

Say, "Tucker, let's go west."

And we'll go.

Only in my opinion...

You at your age and me at mine...

There's not much point.

What I'm tryin' to say is, honey,

after you've spent your life goin' down the wrong road,

why try to turn around?

I don't believe you!

You can always change.

There's always a chance.

You mean, change for another man?

You just try.

What are you doing... Shootin' stars?

Would you boys be nervous?

I don't see hundreds of men chargin' by here.

There was someone movin' out there.

I know there's somebody movin'.

Get back to your places. Maybe there will be.

ZEKE: Violet?

Violet?

Zeke.

What's that?

Some fellas from the wagon train,

come to finish things up, like me.

You needn't have bothered to come for that.

I told you I'll never divorce you.

That's right, Violet, you won't.

There's no time left for things like that now.

What are you talking about?

Maggie's gonna have a child, Violet.

My child.

That's too bad.

You shouldn't have married her

while you still had another wife kicking around.

That's right, Violet.

That was a mistake.

But I won't make another, I promise you.

Whatever else happens,

I won't see my kid come into the world like this.

There's not much I can leave him.

But he's got the right to a name.

So I'm gonna have to kill you.

Oh, Zeke, don't talk like that.

You couldn't.

Oh, yes, I could, Violet.

But they'll hang you for it.

Don't matter.

Nothin' matters except that kid.

You and me don't count, Violet.

We don't count at all.

I'll never let you go.

Zeke, don't kill me! I can't give you up!

I just can't!

Put the gun away, Thomas.

Easy.

Where'd you come from?

Maggie asked me to come.

I ran into a little trouble,

but that's quieting down,

so all I've got to do now is take care of you.

Nothin' you could do to take care of me.

I gotta do it all myself.

All right.

You want to kill her, you gotta take me first.

That don't make sense. We're friends.

Are we? You do what you're set on doing,

and you're not worth crossing the street for.

But I happen to care about Maggie,

and she doesn't deserve this.

So go ahead. If you're gonna draw, go ahead.

You think I won't?

FLINT: I'm waiting.

You'd better enjoy yourself.

You won't have long to wait.

Zeke, don't!

He'll just kill you.

I'll give up. I'll do anything you want.

You can have her. I love you.

What's goin' on here? Nothing much.

We came into town because... Well, we got kind of thirsty.

Yeah, I see. Where's Flint?

He's in the saloon, seeing that things are quiet.

You bring the Marshal with you?

The Marshal's dead, shot in the back.

From the looks of things, it looks like your friend Tucker

might've had something to do with it.

Well, if he did, he's not gonna be able to tell you about it.

And, Major, you got all the water you want.

Tomorrow you can roll.

Who have we got to thank for this?

I guess you might say Zeke Thomas here.

How it came about is gonna be pretty complicated to tell.

Well, let's get our wagons.

We gotta get loaded and get rollin'! Come on!

All right, lead on!

Let 'em roll!

Come on, Wooster! Hyah!