Fort Utah (1967) - full transcript

[horse blusters]

[horse blusters]

[blustering]

[shouts]

[groans]

If I'd gotten here
a minute sooner,

I could have picked him off
that rock before he jumped ya.

He wanted your horse.
His horse is dead,

back over yonder
where the buzzards are.

If you weren't such
an ornery-looking cuss,

I'd swear
you were Ben Coots.



I ain't any more ornery
than I used to be.

I ain't seen hide
nor hair of you since...

since that day in Tucson.

Yeah, that was the day
I signed on as an Indian agent.

About...
About three years ago.

You know, I've been
trailing you for miles,

trying to figure out
who you was.

Who'd you think I was?

Wasn't sure.

But right now I don't trust
nobody out in this territory.

Something gone wrong?

Worse than that.

The Indians I've been
wet-nursing, they jumped
the reservation.

And right now
they're terrorizing



everybody and anything
in this territory.

What triggered 'em?

Damn if I know.

I was making my yearly trip

to the Indians Affair Office
in Denver.

On my way back here, I got word
that all hell had broken loose.

I sure didn't know there were
any hostiles around here.

And my job
is to round 'em up

and bring 'em back to
the government feeding grounds.

Single-handed, I suppose.

If I can get any help
from the army...

If not, single-handed.

That's gonna be
kind of impossible.

What probably will happen
is my head's gonna wind up
on an Indian lodgepole

with a bunch of naked savages

dancing, whooping
and hollering all around me.

Then you'd better quit now while
your head is still where it is.

[chuckles]
Being an Indian agent

is about the only thing
I'm fit for these days.

So I reckon I'll hang around,
lodgepole and all.

Only game in town, huh?

Something like that.

Stacked odds too.

He was probably
from a scouting party.

But you can bet
the rest of your whiskey

there are more of 'em
around here somewhere,

snooping about.

I thought this was gonna be
a nice, peaceful trip.

Well, if you're lucky enough
to hang onto your scarf

for a few more days,
it might be.

A trip? Where?

Placed called
"anywhere I light."

You ever been there?

Come on, Horn. Things can't be
as bad as all that.

That's what I keep
telling myself.

[blustering]

You know, I'm out here
looking for

a wild hyena
by the name of Dajin.

And them Indians ain't gonna
start behaving until I get him.

That who you thought I was
when you were following me?

Dajin?

The only trouble is,
I don't know what he is,

who he is
and where he is.

Not only that, I don't even know
what the devil he looks like.

You know, the way I figure it,

there's only one
outside chance.

Yeah? What's that?

Well, if them Indians are
willing to settle for his scalp,

I figure the rest of us
can live to a ripe old age.

The only trouble is till, when
and if they get Dajin,

they'll massacre
every white man in sight.

Right now they're seeing us.

That's the rest of the scouting
party I was telling you about.

[gunshots continue]

[screams]

[shouting]

Ain't never gonna get 'em back
to the reservation this way.

You can get 'em back feetfirst,
if you want 'em that way.

Feetfirst don't count.

Maybe both our heads
will end up on those lodgepoles.

Maybe so.

[gunshots]

[screaming]

Ow!

Why is it every time
I get nicked,

it's always
in the same place?

Let's do it your way.
Feetfirst.

[whooping]

Looks like those lodgepoles
will have to wait.

I wouldn't count on it
if I was you.

There's a lot more
of 'em around.

All over.

Next time there
won't be so few of 'em.

[whinnies]

Looks like I'm not
the only one around here

who didn't know about
the Indians being on a rampage.

Just look at 'em.
Dumb and innocent,

like they was riding
into a picnic ground.

What about the army
in this area?

They should
know about the Indians.

Seems like somebody
should have told 'em

them Indians
jumped the reservation.

Fort Utah around here somewhere?

Oh, couple hours ride
over yonder a ways.

Well, why didn't they send
some soldiers over here
to protect those people?

The army's always posted when
a wagon train's coming through.

Appears there's been
some kind of a slipup.

It appears there might be
some kind of a massacre.

I'll ride over to the fort.
I was heading that way anyhow.

Tell 'em to get
some soldiers over here
to protect these people.

You better tell
that wagon master

to pull up that outfit, hold
fast and wait for the soldiers.

Or for the Indians.

Infernal wagon master.

Keeps us going
from daylight to dark.

[whinnies]

Whoa! Whoa.

[man]
Whoa!

I'm looking for
the wagon master.

You're looking at
the wagon master.

You better stop your wagons.
There's trouble up ahead.

Well, there's trouble behind
too. Wagon trouble all the way.

Lost enough time
on this trip already.

You may lose a lot more.

Well, I figure
we roll the wagons

for about two hours more
before dark.

Most wagon trains
have a scout to tell 'em
when there's Indians around.

The scout we had
disappeared two days ago.

Indians?

Hostile.
The whole area is full of 'em.

We ain't never made camp
this early before.

Ha!

[men]
Hey! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

I guess that's what happened
to Hogan, our scout.

I'd been chewing him out
pretty regular,

and when he didn't come back,

I thought he just took off
or lit out somewhere.

But if what you say is true,
Indians could have got him.

Friend of mine is riding
into Fort Utah.

He'll get some soldiers
back here.

I sure hope
we don't need 'em.

Should be here
sometime tonight.

I don't want them to know
about the Indians

or the soldiers getting here.

They'll see 'em
when they get here.

You ask me, your people
should be told what's going on.

- I'm not asking you.
- They have a right.

A right to what?
To be scared to death?

Women, children,
greenhorn tenderfoots.

Ain't nothing they can do
about it anyhow, except pray.

Mister, did you ever lose
a wagon train in the past?

You're pretty savvy, mister.
What's your name?

Tom Horn.

I heard of you.

I'm Eli Jonas.

Did lose a wagon train once.

Some of them know about it.
They're skittish.

You tell 'em about
the Indians, they'll panic.

Look, you don't want to tell
your people what's going on,

all right,
that's your business.

But someone's gonna have to
keep a lookout.

You and me, Mr. Horn.

We'll sit up the whole
long night and keep watch.

The Indians probably know
you're in this territory.

Best thing for you to do

would be to pretend
you don't know about them.

Light your fires,
have your usual evening.

** [ Harmonica ]

Anyone on watch?

Yeah, regular man
on routine watch.

He should be
coming down directly.

We'll take over then, huh?

Yeah. They enjoy themselves this
way practically every night.

Except it's a little
different tonight.

That's because they don't know
they're in hostile territory.

I don't suppose anyone knows
what tomorrow will bring.

Well, those Indians show up,
they're in for a surprise.

So are these people.

I brought a load of repeating
rifles along on this trip.

Now the Indians don't expect
that kind of opposition.

There's always a chance they'll
get a bellyful and turn tail.

There's also a chance
they won't.

Those soldiers show up
that you've been talking about,

I'll sure worry
a lot less about it.

** [ Continues ]

[ Man ]
Very good.

Hey, Sam.

Do your imitation of the
wagon master telling Hogan off.

Oh.

[chuckles]

Look here, Hogan,
you miserable,

flea-bitten, sad,
sorry excuse for a man.

[laughing]

No wonder Hogan
never came back.

A wagon train scout
you ain't.

Blamed if I ain't
stuck with you,

like these nice people
are stuck with you.

I ought to break
Sam Tyler's jaw.

Well, you sound just like
he's making you out to be.

[Sam]
And another thing, Hogan.

When you report back,
I want to know about every tree,

shrub, hill, dale, rock
and rattlesnake along the way.

You understand, Hogan?

[laughter]

Oh, come on now.
Don't be bashful.

Ladies and gentlemen,
we're in for a big treat.

No, no. Please.

Miss Linda Lee has consented to
sing us an air from La Boheeme.

There must be some mistake.
I didn't say...

No, no. No, no. Thank you, but
I won't be able to sing tonight.

You see, my voice is very...

Greer's been bullying her
ever since she joined the train.

Miss Linda Lee, huh?

Mm-hmm. Yeah,

she's traveling with
an elderly couple named Potts.

Greer's got a wife,

but he hasn't given
Miss Lee a moment's peace.

Well, little lady...
Come on, Miss Lee.

Lift your pretty little head
and sing for us.

You see? He suspects
she can't sing at all.

Now he's got the others
ragging her.

Well, then stop it.

Oh, she could stop it
soon enough, all by herself
if she wanted to.

Just prove she can sing.

You want it stopped,
you do it.

[Greer] Well, now, you want to
hear her sing, don't ya?

She's one of those
big opera singers.

She keeps promising...

[applause]

[man]
Hey, what's the idea?

What do you think
you're doing, mister?

I'll walk you
to your wagon, ma'am.

Who says you will?

I don't even know who you are.

[Jonas] Greer. I don't think
you want to find out.

Well, who is he?
I never saw him before.

I saw him.
He just rode up

and latched on to
the wagon train here

[Jonas]
He'll be gone tomorrow.

For me,
that's not soon enough.

Come on. Don't waste any time
on him. Come on. Stop.

If you ain't gone by morning,
mister, we'll settle this.

Almost makes it
worth waiting for.

[crowd murmuring]

Oh. Oh, I was waiting to...

Well, I wanted to
thank you for...

Well, go ahead.

[chuckles] Well, you see,
they don't understand
about operatic singing.

Almost nobody does.
How the raw night air

can be very harmful
on one's throat and...

Oh, that concertina, I mean,
to try to accompany a soprano...

That's what I am,
a lyric soprano.

With that jarring,
discordant notes

of a squeeze box
type instrument,

it's ridiculous.

It's impossible.

That was a pretty long
thank-you, ma'am.

You haven't listened
to a word I've said.

I was listening.

[sighs]

You don't believe me either.
You're like all the rest.

Except I'm not
asking you to sing.

Who are you?

I'm not so sure
myself anymore.

You must have a name.

Yeah, sure.
Name's Tom Horn.

Are you joining us
on this trip?

No, I'm going
in the opposite direction.

Any place in particular?

No. No place in particular.

I see.

Well, where did you come from?

Same place,
more or less.

[chuckles] Traveling from
nowhere into somewhere.

Isn't that always the hope?

[chuckles]

You might say
that's where I'm from.

Nowhere.

Only my nowhere has a name.
St. Louis.

And you're going to a somewhere
that has a name.

Yes.

San Francisco.

I have a singing
engagement there.

Well, I guess
I never did get around

to simply saying thank you.

For the song
you didn't have to sing?

Yes.

Well, good-bye, Mr. Horn.

I suppose if you're
going on your way soon,

I won't be
seeing you again.

No, I expect not.

[footsteps approaching]

If we're gonna stand watch,

we better head for
some high ground.

I'll settle
for that hill over there.

Well, that leaves me that bluff
straight across from it.

[whinnies]

[whinnies]

Horn.

- I didn't see no sign
of no Indians.
- Good.

And I ain't seen
any sign of that friend
of yours with soldiers.

- They'll be here.
- You said he'd be here
last night.

That's right. I did.

If the Indians didn't get him.

Took your word
about everything.

Could be you're setting us up
for a band of cutthroat robbers.

And I could be saving my skin
by getting out of here.

Well, Horn, I can't wait
any longer.

If this is hostile country,
I've gotta get that
wagon train out of here.

Then head it toward Fort Utah.
It's the only protection
within a hundred miles of here.

-I'm going
straight up that trail.
-And maybe right into an ambush.

We roll those wagons
fast enough, we'll get
out of this prairie.

If you don't, those people
will be buried on it.

You ain't telling me
how to run my wagon train.

You owe them a choice
of going to the fort
or risking their lives.

Like I said last night,
I'm not telling them nothing
about no Indians.

- Then I will.
- No, you won't.

Not you or anyone else.

Who do you think you are
to decide whether people
should live or die?

Why won't you listen to reason?

No Johnny-come-lately
is gonna tell me my business.

Those people don't have
to know nothing I see fit
to keep from 'em.

Well, I think they do.

[horse whinnies]

[groans]

[whinnies]

[whinnies]

[coughs]

Those people
are my responsibility,

no matter what you say,
and I do what I think
is right for 'em.

Get...
[grunts]

Ain't no use we
talk about Indians.

Not until I am positive
there's gonna be trouble.

I know from experience
I'm right.

And if I have to kill you
to make you understand,

then I'll kill you.

There's one thing
you better never
have to learn from experience.

Don't hold a gun on me.

You're so all-fired worked up,
why don't you go to the fort
and get the soldiers.

It's for sure somebody has to.

In the meantime,
we'll get out of here

and go just as far away
from this place as we can.

I hope for the sake of
the people that are with you

that it's a long way.

[whinnies]

[blusters]

[whinnies]

[blusters]

[whinnies]

[Tom]
Sergeant of the guard!

Anyone around?

[wood creaks]

[creaks]

- Where'd he come from?
- I don't know.

Come on, laddie boy.
Come on. It's time to wake up.

I guess this time
I've been following you, huh?

I reckon you figured
the Indians got me, huh?

Stockade?

Yeah. Fort Utah.

Who did get us?

I don't know.
It was dark when I got here.

I couldn't see 'em,
but whew!

I sure could smell 'em.

I saw three of 'em, but
I wasn't noticing the smell.

[chuckles]
You're just lucky.

You must have been downwind.

From the looks of what
a couple were wearing,

I'd say army deserters.

You know, it sure beats me
where the army's gone to.

Moved out.

Yeah, permanent like.

Left the fort deserted, and
those three pack rats moved in.

I just can't figure
why the likes of them

would want to hole up
in this empty fort.

Yeah. And why they'd be careful
just to bust our skulls,
not kill us.

It's gotta be that they're
waiting on word from somebody

before they do us in.

Maybe they won't kill us then
until he gets back.

There's gotta be
a way out of here.

I just ain't been able
to figure it out yet.

Those people
in the wagon train...

Indians show up, there won't be
any way out for them either.

There's one thing
for damn sure.

They're not gonna get any help
from this empty fort.

I ran into a troop of cavalry
riding out here from the East.

I talked to the officer
in charge.

Told him where
the wagon train might be.

Before I rode out, he promised
me that he'd ride herd on 'em.

Good. Good.

Then at least
they'll get some help.

Yep.
[sighs]

Maybe I should have taken
the wagon train
to the fort after all.

Well, you can still
change your mind,
but like Mr. Stokes said,

for your own safety,
we better escort you
as far as Narrow Ridge.

I reckon you're right.

I'm beholden to Stokes
for sending you boys to join us.

Lieutenant, we're in for it.

I'll get the men and ride ahead,
try to draw 'em off.

No, you stay with us.
I got me some rifles to issue.

Whoa.

Eli Jonas has sure
been acting mighty skittish

since those soldiers
got here a while ago.

Sure like to know what that
old buzzard's got on his mind.

I'll deploy the men.
[whistles] Hyah!

He must have seen something.

Jonas. Hey, Jonas!

Form a circle. Then I want you
back at the last wagon, pronto.

Hey! Get out of here!
Hyah!

Looks like
the Indians are coming.

[Linda]
Oh, no. What are we going to do?

We're probably gonna
have to fight for our life.

Mr. Jonas. Mr. Jonas, sir.

Ain't there a chance
we can make a run for it?

Get the rest of the men
over here.

Yes, sir.

Rafe! Give me a hand
with these rifles.

Whoa. Hyah! Hyah!

[whooping]

[whooping]

Don't you worry.
We'll be all right.

Here.

Repeating rifle.

You knew there was
Indians out there.

- These will hold 'em at bay.
- You should have told us.

Get back to your wagon!

[shouting]

[whooping]

[gunshots]

[whooping]

[whooping]

[whooping]

[gunshot]

[whooping]

[screams]

[screaming]

Tom! Tom!

[whooping]

Not even time
to bury our dead.

Miracle any of us got out.

We're on our way to the fort.

There are soldiers there.
We'll be safe.

Hyah.

It's giving a little.

Yeah, looks like the termites
might have chewed it loose, huh?

Wish they'd been hungrier.

You know, this is the first time
I ever bust out anywhere

since I was a kid locked
in the outhouse. [laughs]

Give me a boost, will ya?

Okay.

What do you think
you're shooting at?

They got out, ran in there.

Stay out here in case they try
to come out one of the windows
or the door down there.

You tried to kill 'em.

What was I supposed to do,
invite them in for tea?

Dajin said anybody came here,
you're supposed to try to
hold 'em alive for him.

Dajin. That's the hyena
I've been looking for.

Now he's looking for you.

I'm gonna tell you one thing.
Dajin ain't gonna like it.

He ain't gonna like it
for sure one bit. Go on.

[grunts]

[groans]

[grunts]

They got to Sarge.
I'm going after Dajin.

Dajin told us to stay here.

[creaking]

[creaking]

[clicking]

[glass shatters]

Winged him.

[gunshots]

Gone for his friend Dajin.

And you can bet when Dajin
comes back he'll have more
friends with him.

The way I count
there's still one here.

That's one too many.

[footsteps receding]

Keep me covered.

[gunshots]

[groans]

[groans]

[body thuds on ground]

Thanks.
Now let's get out of here.

We got to bury the stink.
Him and the one back over there.

The time we're finished
their friends will be back
and bury us.

Hold on. We ain't checked
this whole place out yet.

Do you expect
to find something?

You forget
I'm a government agent.

I have to fill out more reports
than I got hair on my face.

Inventory of
an empty fort, huh?

You also forget that I'm
supposed to take Dajin alive,
not hide from him.

You want to go,
go ahead.

All right,
let's bury the stink.

The sun's about down. We better
light a couple of lamps

before that wild hyena
and his crew get back.

They see the place dark, they'll
know for sure it's a trap.

[crickets chirping]

Sure is a lot of dried up
blood in there.

Like they took
indoor target practice.

Them soldiers didn't suddenly
up and leave this fort.

Looks more like
they died in it.

Yeah. Some of them right there
in the CO's office.

Mutiny maybe.

There wasn't supposed
to be more than 20 or 30 men
in there at the best.

Dajin and some of his men
took care of them.

In the middle of the night.

They couldn't have stormed the
fort, so he must have been one
of the soldiers stationed here.

If he wasn't, ain't likely the
others would have followed them.

They probably dug a trench
somewhere and dumped the bodies
in one of top of the other.

I can understand why
the government would want Dajin,
but why do the Indians want him?

I reckon we'll find out
soon enough.

[wagon approaching]

Dajin.

It sounds like
a wagon.

He could have a wagon.

How many men has he got?

It's the people
from the wagon train!

Come on, get that gate open!

[creaking]

[creaking]

This is all that's left
of us and the wagons.

Did manage to salvage
a few rifles though.

What happened to the troop
of cavalry I sent over?

[Greer]
Wiped out to a man.

A massacre.

- Where are the soldiers?
- There ain't none.

The fort's deserted.

You lied to me when you said
there were soldiers here.

He didn't lie.
We thought there was.

We figure
they were bushwhacked.

No whole bunch of soldiers
gets themselves bushwhacked.

Why, some of them poor devils

got their throats cut
while they was sleeping.

I've been blaming myself
for not taking your advice
in the first place.

Now, as it turns out, there
ain't no protection here either.

Even if he doesn't, I feel safer
being here inside this fort.

- Hello, again.
- Hi. Glad you're all right.

The man from nowhere.

- Oh, he ain't from
nowheres, ma'am.
- Oh?

- He's been a lot of places
and done a lot of things.
- All right, Ben. All right.

Maybe you people coming out here
from the East haven't heard
about Tom Horn.

But he's known well
out here in the West.

Leastwise for his gun.

So you're a gunfighter.

According to my friend
Ben Stokes.

That's what you're running from,
your reputation.

The fear people have
when they see you.

Fear makes a pretty
dreary world.

And lonely, I suspect.

Yeah.
That's the worst of it.

So, you want to go someplace
where nobody knows you

and, uh, start again, huh?

Well, people have been known
to do that.

Yes, I'm sure they have,

and I think people
deserve to be able to...

Each of you ladies will have a
room in the officer's quarters.

You men will have to
shift for yourselves.

Well, good night.

You know, you were right about

what people deserve
to be able to do.

I'm so glad you think so.

Good night.

It wasn't your fault.

Go on and tell me.

It's one of the hazards
of running a wagon train.

You already know that.

I can still see their faces,
hear their screams.

And where do I bring the few
that are still left alive
for protection?

A haunted army fort.

It's haunted all right, by
the ghosts of murdered soldiers.

[metal clanking]

I once heard there was
a cache of gold

stored here at this fort.

Your hearing was right.

It was a million dollars
in bullion.

- That's what Dajin was after.
- Who's Dajin?

Him and them that was
in on the massacre.

They're still living here.

They're not here right now,
but we can expect them back,
that's for sure.

That gold was shipped out of
the fort months ago, secretly,

so word wouldn't leak out
in advance and nobody would
hijack it.

So secret even Dajin
didn't know it was gone.

Yeah, he found out his bloody
massacre was for nothing.

So now they're out roaming
the countryside

trying to round up some food,
clothes, money,

maybe even women.

Well, that means they'll
fight us when they get back.

If they can, kill us.

You can count on it.

If one of us got word out
about the mutiny,

the whole United States Cavalry
would be out hunting them.

That's why he left a couple
of men here.

In case a stranger showed up.

Well, get the word out.

There isn't a telegraph station
within a hundred miles of here.

Dajin and his men would be back

and wipe us out before one of us
could get to a telegraph.

So what you're saying is
we're trapped.

I take those people out,
we face Indian tomahawks.

We stay here, it's
those cutthroat deserters.

- How many are there?
- We don't know.

Leastways, we got some
protection inside the fort.

I'm going up in the sentry box
and keep watch.

You two better get
a good night's sleep.

You're gonna need it.

He's sure looking forward
to meetin' up with Dajin.

And we're the bait.

- [Linda] Get out.
- [Greer] You be quiet.

[door closes]

[Linda]
Don't you come near me.

That Indian I saved you from
this afternoon,

he sure wanted to
be near you.

It was me that shot him.

He'd have dragged you off
for sure.

A woman ought to be
a little more grateful.

You wouldn't like
living in a tepee.

[grunts]

What makes you so precious?

I know about you,
Miss Linda Lee.

I know what you really are.
You're no singer.

[grunts]

Greer.

You stay out of this!

If it's her morals
you're worrying about,

she ain't got any.

[grunting]

[sighs]
Thank you.

He's right, you know.
I'm not a singer.

I said I was because
I was ashamed to admit it.

I didn't want
anybody to know.

I'm a...
a mail-order bride.

There's nothing wrong
with that.

Nothing wrong with a woman
desperate enough

to marry a man
she's never met?

I'll try and fix this bed.

It just seems so humiliating.

You know,
it doesn't make sense.

A woman who's
as beautiful as you are

having to get a husband
from a mail-order catalog.

There's got to be a reason
for it.

[sighs]
There is.

That's something that's
even harder to admit.

You don't want to
talk about it, don't.

My mother died
some time ago.

After that, I went to Europe,
lived a few years abroad.

When I came back,
I moved in with my father.

He wasn't rich, but he was,

well, what you might call
well-to-do.

And in St. Louis, at least,
we were considered to be social.

[chuckles]
I became engaged.

Well, then he was social.

Yes. Then my father was
charged with an embezzlement.

And rather than face
the charges, he... hung himself.

And did your fiance
break off the engagement?

Yes. And all my social friends
broke off their friendships.

Well, that's the trouble
with social people.

They can be so... unsocial.

What possessions my father had
were sold to pay off his theft.

I was destitute.

[sighs] Then I saw an ad
for mail-order brides.

Ha. The Rudy Reese Agency
in San Francisco.

So I answered it.

Soon I found myself
corresponding

with a lonesome gentleman
by the name of Brooks.

And that seemed to be
the answer to everything, huh?

That new start
you were talking about

in a place where
nobody knows you.

That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Oh, but it is.
It isn't love.

It's someplace
to run to and hide.

Well, I'm not
going through with it.

I don't know what will
become of me, but I don't
think I really care.

I'm sick of lying
to everybody

about the San Francisco
Opera House or anything else.

Miss Lee... I care.

If it matters.

Oh, yes, it does.

Thank you.

Night.

- [gunshots]
- [whooping]

- [horse whinnies]
- [gunshots]

[gunshots continue]

I told you this bank
was flat busted.
All we got was silver.

[gunshots continue]

Dajin!

I told you to wait at the fort
till we got back.

But two men came in there
snooping around.

- Well, you got 'em locked up?
- I had 'em locked up, but...

You let 'em get away!

Oh, no, Dajin.
They busted out.

Me and Sarge tried to stop 'em.
Sarge got killed.

And what did you do?
You run off like a scared
chicken, didn't ya?

No, Keaton's still there.

You run out on Keaton.

So as I could find you
and tell ya about 'em.

Three of ya. I leave
three of ya there.

You can't even take care
of two solitary men.

They'd have killed me,
Dajin.

That would have just
saved me the bother.

No, Dajin! No!

You and Sarge and Keaton,

you haven't got the sand to
ride with the rest of us.

We're heading back to the fort
to kill us a couple of nosy
visitors. Here.

If they're already left
when we get there,

we're gonna run 'em down
so they don't go

blabbing off their mouths
what happened there.

After yesterday's hell
out there on the prairie,

I have to tell you the danger
we face is not yet over.

It's only beginning.

That band of renegade Indians
may attack us here.

But there's another,
more immediate danger.

A band of marauders,

army deserters led by a man
named Dajin,

are undoubtedly on the way
to this fort.

[sighs] I thought we'd seen
the end of killing, death.

With Eli Jonas
for wagon master,

there ain't never gonna be
no end to nothing!

Now these men
will try to kill us.

- Now to defend ourselves...
- We gotta try
and kill them first.

- That's right, Greer.
- Hmm.

[Stokes]
With one exception.

Dajin, the man himself.

Now as an Indian agent for
the United States government,

it's my job to take him alive.

[scoffs]
That should be real easy.

Picking out one man
from the whole bunch.

Nobody said it'd be easy.

May not even be possible.

But the Indians want Dajin.

And if they can get him,

there's a slim outside chance
that we can have peace again,

and the rest of us
can get out of here alive.

You men will be issued
the same repeating rifles
we used yesterday.

And we'll be repeating
the same dying as yesterday.

You got a big mouth, Greer.

The little lady
sing for you last night?

Don't push it, Greer.

Or did she break down
and tell you the truth?

She ain't got no contract
with no opera company.

- [gasps]
- I told him.

Ask her about the real
contract she's got.

[laughs]
It's with the biggest,

fanciest pleasure house
in San Francisco.

Ask her.
Go ahead and ask her.

The Rudy Reese Agency.

It was exposed
in all the newspapers.

That's my letter.

You dropped it the first day
the wagon train was out of
St. Louis. I picked it up.

They recruit these girlies in
the East and on the way west.

Just so folks don't
wag their tongues,

these girlies pretend
to be mail-order brides.

Only she did 'em one better.
She claimed to be
an opera singer.

Keep your filthy mouth
shut, Greer!

You keep it shut,
or I'll fill it full of desert!

Horn, you got to listen.

Horn, he's right about
the Rudy Reese Agency.

It is a big syndicate for
so-called fancy saloon women.

I told you!

- There is something
you ought to know.
- I had her pegged!

Many of these women wrote
to men in San Francisco
and got letters back.

And they honestly believe
they're going west
to get married.

Not her. She was wise to what
was waiting in San Francisco.

- Greer, you don't know that.
- Huh!

I know people! And especially
people like her!

Greer, ever know
any people like me?

Jonas told me that most of
the women didn't even know what
the Rudy Reese Agency was.

But others did know.

I imagine they got
to San Francisco and...

You'll never know
which I was.

Well, I'm not asking.

Or for that matter
about my life in St. Louis,

that could be a lie too.

Like I'm a lyric soprano.

You'll never know for sure
about my past.

[chuckles] You'll never
know about mine either.
So that makes us even.

But it isn't even.
It's different for a woman.

A man doesn't
want a woman who's...

Who talks too much.

I guess I do.

You're always trying
to explain yourself.

Then you do the explaining.

The only important thing
is that

wherever we've come from,
whatever happened there...

we're not going back anymore.

You explain it so beautifully.

And we're not gonna talk
about it anymore either.

Not if you don't want to,
but we...

Ah. No mas.

I say no.

[gun clatters on ground]

And that's what I say about
fighting somebody else's
private war.

- You're staying, Greer.
- Uh-uh.

I aim to hitch up that team to
that wagon and get out of here.

The only thing you're hitching
up is them baggy pants of yours.

Look, Stokes, you're not
stopping me anymore than he is.
It's suicide staying here.

At least out there in the open
we can make a run for it.

A bunch of renegade marauders
ain't no better than them
Indians.

I say we hitch up this wagon
and get out of here
while we still can!

I'm the boss
of the wagon train.

What wagon train?

You lost your wagon train!

And from what I hear,
you lost the one before that.

I've made the decision.
We're staying.

You're through making decisions!

Does that mean
you're making 'em now?

We'll take a vote on it.

Hey, Tyler!

You want to stay here
and take a chance on dying...

Or do you want to leave here
and die for sure?

I ain't hankerin'
to die at all.

Well, make up your stupid mind!

Let's take that vote.

Whoever's in favor of
staying here, raise your hands.

- I'll go alone.
- Not on one of our horses
you don't.

If you want to leave here
so damn bad,

climb over that wall
and start walking.

Otherwise, pick up that rifle
and stand ready to use it.

Whoa!

Well... they're waitin'
for us. Let's go.

They're here!

All right, you women inside!
All of you, inside!

Come down out of there.
You could help someplace else.

[gunshots continue]

- Looks like we got him.
- Better look again.

Well, he said there were
only two of them there.
What are we waiting for?

Whoa! Hold!

[gunshots continue]

Hold you fire!

It ain't over.

It ain't gonna be that easy.

Just didn't know how many
of us were here.

Well, he does now.

Where'd they all come from?

Thing we got to worry about
is they don't get out of
that fort alive.

They'd report on us for sure.

They must know about how
we killed them soldiers.

Not to say anything
of the second massacre

when we killed all them
squaws and their kids.

We didn't know what we'd find
in that Indian village!

Them Indian braves
didn't know what they'd find
when they got there either.

Yeah, but thanks to you they
know who they're looking for
now, don't they?

I was just yelling
"Let's get out of here!"

"Dajin! Dajin! Dajin!"
That's all you kept yelling!

That ain't helping
our problem none now.

All right, boys, spread out.
Make sure none of them get
out of that fort alive.

Ah, there ain't no sign of 'em.

Maybe... Maybe
they've pulled out.

Not a chance.

The way we flashed them,
maybe they think another
army garrison moved in.

The only other army garrison
anywhere around here

Dajin and his men
buried in a common grave.

Why don't
they attack again?

Why don't you talk louder.
Maybe they'll hear ya.

Nothing I'd like better
than to see them coming
straight at us again.

They're probably figurin'
there's more than one way
of skinning a fort.

Yeah, it's skinning us.

You should have let me go
when I wanted to.

Indians, you say.

Those Indians are long gone
by now.

Hey, Tom! I think I see
a couple of them deserters!

They're still too far
for me to get a bead on 'em!

Jonas, take the back
by the stockade.

Tyler, the east wall.
Greer...

Yeah, I'll cover the Indians
that ain't nowhere around here.

[thudding]

- Greer, get back
where I posted ya!
- What happened?

That's just what they want,
to have us running around
in circles.

- Get back to your position!
- They've got Tyler.

You only winged him.

Thanks. But you keep watch
out there!

What do you think
I've been doing?

You ought to know by now I got
eyes in both sides of my head.

The boys must
have got them all.

Them that they didn't get,
we'll get. Let's go. Hyah!

Jonas!

[gunshots continue]

[gunshots continue]

[groans]

[gunshots continue]

- The arm again, huh?
- Same damn spot.

[gunshots continue]

[hammer cocks]

Get back inside!

I want to help!

There are a couple of wounded
men back there! Help them!

You in the fort, open the gates!
We surrender! Let us in!

- We belong in that fort!
We're soldiers!
- [Indians whooping]

I'm Sergeant Dajin!

Let them take his hide.

It's Dajin,
only they don't know it.

[whooping continues]

With them Indians
on a rampage like that,

they ain't gonna stop
for nothing, no matter what.

For God's sakes,
let us in!

The only chance is to
turn Dajin over to them.

We've got women to protect.
Open up the gate.

I'll stay here and try to
reason with them.

- Wait a minute, Ben,
you can't...
- Now look.

I'm the Indian agent,
ain't I?

I'm the only one
they'll recognize.
Maybe they'll listen to me.

[whooping]

I'm Sergeant Dajin!
Them Indians want our hide!

[whooping]

For God sakes!
Let us in!

[whooping continues]

- Come on! Hurry up!
- Git!

Indians and outlaws
both at our throats.

Good.

Thanks.
Now drop those guns.

Hey, aim that
at those Indians out there.

Drop 'em.

[whooping continues]

Listen, we got Indians to fight.

You've got Indians to fight.

What's he think he's doing?

We've got Dajin!

It's Dajin you want,

not any one of us!

Oh, no, you don't!

You ain't giving me
to them Indians.

[hammer cocks]

We'll turn Dajin over to you!

Get Dajin's horse.

Dajin's dead.

Dead?

- They want him alive.
- So did I.

Damn it, they expect to see him
riding out of here on a horse!

Well, let's not disappoint them.

I don't know what they'll do if
they'll think this is a trick.

We better hope they don't.

[speaking native language]

They suckered us
out of the fort.

Well, you ornery old coot...

It's been nice knowing you too.

- [gunshots]
- [screams]

[speaking native language]

Well, I'll be.

He's dead for sure now.

Appreciate you takin' us
all the way to Casper.

I should be in shape
to drive the team by then.

I hope so.

'Cause that's where Miss Lee
and I are getting off.

Well, you ornery old...

Coot. Coot. I know.

You know, the last time
you said that to me

them Indians was holding
a gun on us.

And you're going back
to wet-nursing them, huh?

Well, like you said once before,
Tom, I guess it's the only
game in town.

Best friend I ever had.

You have a new friend now.

Hyah!