Savage Land (1994) - full transcript
Two women and some children travel across the mid-west. The elements are rough but then things get worse when they are pursued by two outlaws.
- [Adult Luke] All my life I
dreamt of seeing the Wild West.
(man singing in foreign language)
(gentle instrumental music)
(wolves howling)
(bird screeching)
(horse neighing)
(people chattering distantly)
- $2.00, $2.00 to see Amanda
Macola, the Kansas City Thrush.
There you go.
Come on, you're holding up progress.
Let's go, $2.00.
There's plenty of room,
get on in there. Thank you.
♪ Arms will be stretched ♪
- [Adult Luke] But that's
me there on the left.
And that's my sister Hanna.
She wanted to be a singing
star so bad she could taste it,
and was always dragging me
to hear some old dumb singer.
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
Actually, this one weren't half bad.
♪ There's gonna be some
music down in Fort Riley ♪
♪ Hear it echo from the mountains ♪
♪ Let it sweep across the plains ♪
♪ Feel it moving in among you ♪
♪ Heart to heart and hand to hand ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet music to
soothe a savage land ♪
♪ They ain't got too much I want ♪
♪ Back east, back east ♪
♪ So I just stopped and brought my songs ♪
♪ The words and melodies ♪
♪ Now I'm happier to entertain ♪
♪ To make you feel real good ♪
♪ Way out here in the wild frontier ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet music to soothe ♪
- Hey, what are you kids doing here?
♪ The savage land ♪
- Let go of me!
Put me down!
Come on, put me down!
(men cheering)
- Yee-ha!
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
(giggles) Thank you.
- When we get to Cripple Creek,
I'm gonna ask Pa for some singing lessons.
- If we get to Cripple Creek.
- We will.
Pa is gonna find lots of silver.
I just know it.
And if not, maybe I can find
someone here to teach me.
Hanna Morgan, the Fort Riley Thrush.
- More like, Hanna Morgan,
the Fort Riley Sage Hen.
- Lucas Morgan, you're always
making fun of my dreams.
- Everybody knows dreams don't come true
if you tell 'em outright anyhow.
- Do too!
- They do not.
- Do to!
(gun firing)
(crowd cheering)
- Let's go see what it is!
- No.
- Come on, let's go see what it is!
- No, we promised Aunt Betsy we'd be home
straight after school,
and we're late already.
- Well, it weren't me who made us watch
an old Kansas City Thrush.
- (sighs) Okay, two minutes.
- Five.
(gun firing distantly)
- Three, and you set the table.
(crowd cheering distantly)
- Okay, deal!
(crowd chattering distantly)
(dramatic music)
(leather crunching)
(gun blasting)
(bottle shattering)
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
- [Man] Dang through the middle!
- [Adult Luke] Well, it weren't
as much fun as a shoot out.
But this guy was dern good.
I didn't realize it at the time,
but that gunslinger would end up being
a very important part of my life.
- Oh my gosh, Hanna.
You wouldn't have believed it.
I ain't never seen shootin' like that.
- Oh, big bother.
- [Adult Luke] Well, now, the
West was opening real fast.
The gold and silver booms were way ahead
of our government's ability
to supply proper mining deeds,
and Quint knew it.
Things often had a way of
slipping through the cracks.
That left a lot of crumbs for scoundrels
like him and Cyrus to pick up.
- Hello, Cyrus.
You look like you need a lovin', darling.
- Now, Chloe, I already done said,
me and Quint are here strictly
for business this time.
- Oh, I know, sugar. So am I.
Maybe we could merger or something, hey?
(both laugh)
- Well I'm bettin' you know it.
- Hey, I ain't supposed to be here.
- Well you are.
(both laughing)
- You got it?
- Much obliged, little brother.
- You know, I'd get hung for this.
- Yeah, me too. Kinda fun,
ain't it? (laughs) Shh!
- Hey, listen. This
ain't what we agreed on.
- It just gets you a little
something on account,
on account you say one word
where we got the skinny
on them deeds, you
swing first, understand?
Now get!
(Cyrus chuckling)
Cyrus!
Cyrus! What in the
tarnation are you doing?
- I don't think he's coming, Quint.
- He's coming.
He's may look stupid, but he ain't.
- Nah, he don't look stupid, Quint.
Matter of fact, he's just kinda like you.
- He's coming, Cyrus!
Do you think you can
look any more obvious?
(laughs) I told you he was coming.
(horse neighs)
(both laugh)
- Well, well.
- Here's the deeds.
Guard 'em with your life.
- Now, don't worry.
- You treat them right.
- You bet.
- You see? My little brother was right.
That Colorado strike is so new,
they ain't even set up a land agent yet.
They have to send the deeds
back here to be recorded.
- Then the agent's
gonna turn right around,
send 'em all the way back to
Cripple Creek the same way.
- Correct!
Only if someone who knew about it
was to intercept them deeds beforehand,
they'd find themselves the legal owners
of some mighty rich holes in the ground.
(both laugh ridiculously)
(birds twittering)
- You should have been there, Aunt Betsy.
She had about the most
beautiful voice I'd ever heard.
If I could sing like her,
I swear I'd died and gone
to heaven on the spot.
- God likes your voice
just the way it is, Hanna.
All the people at the church say so.
- Oh, it ain't the same.
I want to be on the stage.
- Most likely when people hear you sing,
they're going to watch you under one.
- You don't know beans about it.
- Oh yeah?
Well, I know that Mama wouldn't
approve of all this nonsense
about singing on stage and such anyhow.
- Luke Morgan, I hate you!
- I swear, men ain't got
sense God gave mules.
- All I said-
- I heard what you said.
Now go apologize for it. Now get!
- Great.
(door creaks)
Sorry.
- Luke.
Do you ever think about her, Mama?
A lot?
- Yeah.
- Me too.
Today's Mama's birthday.
I can't remember how
old she would have been.
I've been trying all day.
I just can't remember.
(tender instrumental music)
- Do you think Pops is
going to send for us?
- Of course.
- How can you be so sure?
Maybe he figures he's
better off without us.
- Lucas Morgan, you know Papa said
that once he got things
together, he'd send for us.
- Yeah, I reckon.
- Anybody hungry around here?
- Uncle John! Did we get any mail?
A letter from Papa?
- What do you say we get washed up
and go get some of Aunt Betsy's cooking?
Come on.
- [Adult Luke] Every day we asked
if we got a letter from Papa.
Every day we got the same answer.
- Well, don't you two look
all down at the mouth.
- Didn't get no mail from Papa again.
- John, stop teasing them like that.
Give them the letter.
- Okay.
- Let me see!
- Let me see it!
Come on, let's see what it says.
- "John, found a little silver,
but also discovered mining's not for me.
So I bought the town emporium."
- An emporium?
- Got it for a song, too,
from what we can figure.
Lucky thing.
Sounds like your daddy only had
about a song and a half left.
- "Bought the emporium
from a man heading west.
He ran it into the ground, but
it weren't the store's fault.
Got just enough left for two
tickets to Cripple Creek.
Reckon we won't be eating much
for the next couple of months,
but I can't bear anymore without my kids.
Thank Aunt Betsy for her kindness.
I can't repay you for all you've done.
Love, Jubal."
- Woo-hoo!
- [Betsy] You sure they're
gonna be all right?
- Well, I had my doubts about mining,
but when it comes to
running a general store,
ain't nobody better than Jubal.
They'll be fine.
- [Betsy] Good. I'm sure gonna miss 'em.
- Yeah, me too.
- We'll be needing the room soon.
- Aye.
(tender instrumental music)
- [Adult Luke] I almost couldn't believe
what was happening to us.
My dream was coming true at last.
Today, Hanna and me was really doing it.
We was getting on a stage coach
and headin' west to Colorado.
I could hardly wait.
- Chris, you smell that?
- Flapjacks?
- Pretty close. Romance and adventure.
Plain as the nose on your face.
(both laugh)
- Here they come!
- [Adult Luke] I could see it all now:
cowboys, injuns, and Papa.
- Morning, ma'am.
- Whoa!
- That's it?
- Yep.
Morning, John. Ma'am.
- Here they are, half an hour
early and no stopping 'em.
- Well, well, well.
So you two pups wanna
go to Colorado, do you?
- Yes, sir.
- Just what makes you think
you got the mud for it, boy?
It takes a man with a lot of courage
to brave the silver fields, a woman, too.
Freeze in the winter, roast in the summer.
Springtime the bugs gonna eat you alive.
Indian summers can drive a man mad.
They'll kill you for your silver,
shoot you for your boots.
You so much as look cross-eyed at a man,
you get yourself hanged.
And that goes-
- I know.
And so can a woman. (laughs)
- (laughs) By golly,
you two are all right.
John, they got more backbone
than a 10-foot rattler.
They can sure go with me.
These kinda pups is just
what the West needs.
Now, get your huggin' over.
We gotta roll here.
- [Chris] All right, all set.
- Thank you.
- Go get in.
(horse neighing)
- You write, you hear?
- Promise.
Thanks for taking us in, Aunt Betsy.
I love you.
- Let's go, ma'am. We've got to move.
Watch your step.
(man snoring)
Hey, boy, wanna ride up there with me?
- Sure.
- Get up there.
Ma'am.
Oh, Chris.
- Yeah?
- Whoa, boy.
- Bye, Uncle John. Bye, Aunt Betsy.
- Thanks for everything, Aunt Betsy.
Take care, Uncle John.
- Lucas Morgan, you take
care of your sister.
- Yes, sir.
- I love you guys. Miss you.
- Okay, boy, say "Ha."
- Ha?
- Ha!
- Ha!
- Ha! Get on, go!
(adventurous music)
- Love you!
- Bye, Hanna, Luke.
- Bye! Bye!
- Bye! Bye!
- [Adult Luke] Little did we know,
we weren't the only ones eager
to see that stage pull outta town.
(tense music)
- Oh! Wait!
Wait! Wait.
- Whoa! Whoa.
(horses neighing)
- I just bought a ticket.
- Cutting it kinda
close, aren't you, ma'am?
- It weren't intentional, believe me.
- 10 will be just fine.
Climb on in, ma'am.
- Thank you.
- [Adult Luke] Neither Hanna
or me liked saying goodbye
to Uncle John and Aunt Betsy.
They'd been real good to us,
and it weren't going to
be the same without 'em.
But we were on our way,
and I never thought I'd be so happy
as to watching them
Kansas City wheat fields
disappear behind us.
I told Cole, our driver,
I wanted to know the second
we crossed into Colorado.
And furthermore, one of our passengers
was that fancy gunslinger.
I was dying to talk to
him about everything,
only he didn't strike me as
being the real talkative type.
Hanna was sure glad to
see Mandy climb aboard
at the last minute, too.
I know she'd be bending her ear for hours
about singing and such.
Hmph! Girls.
- I must look a mess.
- I don't think you look a mess at all.
- I was robbed.
- Robbed? Wow.
Who did it?
- My so-called business manager.
I'd been at the Sheriff's all morning,
but ain't much to be done
unless they catch him, so...
Lucky I sleep with a little
something in my pillow
or I'd be making beds
at the hotel right now.
- Gosh.
- Maybe I should have stayed.
You know, did more concerts.
Built myself up another nest egg.
- I think you're beautiful.
- Pardon?
- I think you're beautiful.
- Well, (giggles) thank you.
What's your name?
- Hanna. Hanna Morgan.
That was my brother, Luke,
that hung his head in a moment ago.
We're on our way to Cripple
Creek to be with our Papa.
- Well, thank you, Hanna.
(soft instrumental music)
- Here, boy.
- Whoa!
- Just pull up on 'em, son.
Just pull up on 'em. Here we go.
All right. Here we go.
(moving instrumental music)
(horses neighing)
- [Adult Luke] We'd planned
on spending the night
at a weigh station and
heading into the mountains
the following morning.
I couldn't see it yet,
but up ahead were the
Rockies and Colorado.
- Hey, boy.
- [Adult Luke] The gunslinger
didn't wake up the whole time.
If it weren't for the snoring,
I'da thought he was dead.
It's the code of the West:
you never mess with another man's guns.
But I just had to see 'em for myself.
(tense music)
(gunslinger snoring)
- You're a girl?
- Don't touch my guns, kid.
I killed a man once for
that. Then I shot his dog.
- It's a girl!
- Is he okay?
- Yeah, I think so.
- No, I mean up here.
- Oh. (laughs)
(lighthearted music)
(Mandy laughs)
- They're back in there.
- I'm telling ya.
- All right, (indistinct) you
say you know how to catch 'em,
that's just right.
Hey, boy.
- Hey.
- I've just about got it.
(Cole laughs)
Here, hold this.
- Let him try it.
- You wanna try? Come on.
- Yeah, I'll try.
- All right.
- Won't do better than you,
but I'll try.
- Keep your line.
Keep the line tight now.
- I saw you sing.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
Luke and me snuck in under
the flap and listened.
- That's right. I remember now. (laughs)
That was you!
- Yeah.
It sure is pretty, your voice.
Just about the sweetest
sound I ever heard.
- That's the nicest thing.
Thank you, darling.
- I'm gonna be a singer someday.
- Of course you are, darling.
- For true.
- Well, I think that's real nice, Hanna.
Truly I do.
Singing's a wonderful thing for a woman.
I guess it's why God gave
us such pretty voices.
(both laugh)
(lighthearted music)
- I'll tell you how to fish.
What kinda bait are you using, anyway?
I mean, I...
- [Adult Luke] Little did we know,
we was being follered the whole time.
- We could take 'em tonight.
- We'll also get a keister
full of buckshot for trying.
We gotta be twice as
careful once they're camped.
Besides, they're gonna have
the station master for a guard.
Ah, we'll wait till they're in the pass.
We'll lock 'em up real good there.
- [Adult Luke] Of course,
little did they know
someone was a-followerin' them too.
- How long you reckon
it's been since Indians
attacked a stage coach?
- Never, not in these parts.
- (laughs) Boy, they're
sure gonna be surprised.
- We gotta make it look like
someone's after something
other than those registered deeds.
At least till the dust settles.
- Do we get to scalp 'em, too?
I was just askin'.
- Come on. We gotta meet Lassiter.
(horses neighing)
- [Adult Luke] Later on, Cole told me
them Indians was probably
with us the whole time.
They can hide for days
in your back pocket,
but I sure never saw 'em.
(wolves howling)
(man coughs)
(horse whinnies)
- Hanna, I ain't smelled better,
and paid hard cash for it.
- (laughs) Cole's right, you beat the tar
outta my cookin', ma'am.
- It's nothing, really.
- Hanna, it's a gift, like my voice.
I'd love to be able to cook like that.
- You mean, you can't?
- Lucas!
Just because she's a girl,
where in the books does it say
she's gotta know how to cook?
- That is not what I meant.
What I meant was that she should...
Dah! Horse apples.
- I guess it's 'cause Daddy got rich
owning all those coal
mines back in Virginia.
He'd always say, "If God
wanted you in the kitchen,
Amanda May, we wouldn't
have had the good fortune
to afford a cook."
- You're complaining?
- It would just be nice to
be able to cook for myself
every once in a while.
- Why'd you do it?
Leave home, I mean.
- Well, it's my daddy's fault, really.
He always said I should follow my dream.
Though I do suspect he figured I'd look
a mite closer to home. (chuckles)
I don't know if Mama's
speaking to him yet.
(all laugh)
- I could teach you how
to cook, Ms. McCullough.
- Oh, Hanna, I'd be
tickled pink about that.
(soft instrumental music)
- They're done.
- Great!
- It's pretty good, Hanna.
- Thanks, Hanna.
- Thank you.
- Oh! Oh!
- Good job, sis.
(wolves howling)
(soft suspenseful music)
It's me. I'm Lucas Morgan.
Don't worry, I ain't armed.
I brought you these. They're biscuits.
My sister, she made 'em.
She made some stew also.
If you don't mind, I could get you some.
- Got my own food.
- Well, maybe just the biscuits then.
- [Adult Luke] The gunslinger
sure was a hard lady
to get to know, but at
least she ate the biscuits.
And she didn't shoot me.
(soft instrumental music)
♪ Far away, I see a hearth fire burning ♪
♪ Dreams returning to
the place I call home ♪
♪ Far away from where
my heart is yearning ♪
♪ Ever turning to that place far away ♪
♪ Smiles await, ending the journey ♪
♪ Arms will be stretched
in a loving welcome home ♪
♪ Far away, although the road be winding ♪
♪ Now it's worth finding ♪
♪ Can it be far away ♪
(grand orchestral music)
- Ow! Ooh!
- Doesn't make much of a bird, does he?
(Quint laughs)
- They're coming.
- How far?
- Two hours. Around noon, I reckon.
- For you, that could mean
two hours or two weeks.
- I don't see why we
need him along no how.
- He's the only one who
knows how to for certain
make it look like Injuns
attacked that stage.
- Well, hell, Quint, I could-
- I know, I know, I know!
But he ain't gonna have
no problem hurtin',
especially with them young'uns aboard.
Come on, now.
Can't be keepin' him
waiting once they come.
(suspenseful music)
(horses whinnying)
Hey, here they come! Get ready!
- Hey, hey!
- Whoa, whoa!
- Why we stopping?
- Something ain't right.
- Now!
(Cyrus grunting)
(dramatic music)
- Whoa!
- Whoa! Injuns! Injuns!
- Get down below!
(woman screams)
(gunshot booms)
(Hanna shrieks)
- Luke!
(Luke screams)
Luke, come here!
(gunshot booms)
- I wish you'd let us just rob 'em.
We could've had 'em already!
- No, no bullet holes! We've got this.
Just keep slinging them arrows!
(gunshots booming)
(Cole screams)
(gunshot booms)
- Oh!
- Come on by!
- Hyah!
(Cole shouts)
(horse neighs)
(Cyrus laughs)
(gunshots booming)
- Let's go! Let's go!
Get the horses, come on. This way.
(dramatic music)
- Hyah!
- They're coming!
- Must be a renegade.
I ain't never seen
Injuns like that before.
Hyah! Hyah!
Chris, the pin. The pin's coming out.
- I'll be back for ya.
- Tell 'em (indistinct).
Jump!
- What about Chris?
We're not together.
- [Cole] Can't help him now. Jump!
- Get out, quick! Gotta get out now!
(all screaming)
(Cole grunting)
(solemn music)
- Well, the horses won't go down this.
We're gonna have to find another way down.
Move out.
- Cole!
Where is he at?
- Look!
(solemn music)
Is he okay?
- What do we do?
- Come on down here. Come on down.
- How?
- How do we get down there?
- Is he okay?
(children and Mandy crying)
- He's down there.
- He's down there.
He's hurt. He's got an arrow in his back.
What do we do?
- Okay, we'll go.
- Mister, are you all right?
- Cole! Are you all right?
- No need to shout, boy.
Everybody accounted for?
- Yeah, we're all here.
- Gun's gone. Still carrying iron?
- I got 'em.
- Oh!
- Oh, lord.
You're beaten pretty bad.
- My daddy always said if
you're gonna do somethin',
do it good.
I guess I did.
- Well, your daddy'd
be proud of you today.
I don't expect we can move you
till we deal with that arrow.
- Better be quick about it.
It won't take them savages
long to get down here.
Let's go, do somethin'.
- Okay, I'm gonna get you
from behind, all right,
and then we're gonna pull it through.
Boy, can you help me with this?
All right.
- Okay.
- Hold him tight. Hold
him down. Here we go.
(Cole grunting)
It's coming through.
I got it.
- Boy, take this bag and
get me on my feet. Let's go!
- Get under his arm.
- Oh!
- Lift him.
- (grunting) Get me up!
Get outta here!
- It's all right. I got you, I got you.
Help us, help us here.
(Cole grunting)
- Put me down.
- No.
No, Cole, we gotta keep going.
- I said put me down! Put me down.
Now listen to me.
You're not gonna get very
far carrying my sorry hide.
You hang on to that pouch, boy.
It's got government things in there.
I ain't never let 'em down yet.
- We can't just leave you here, Mr. McKay.
- You ain't got no choice.
Now listen to me.
Chris used to be a guide
with the Buffalo Soldiers.
If he's still alive, he'll find us.
- What if he isn't?
- Don't worry about me.
Stay as close to the trail as you can.
When Denver finds out we're not coming,
he'll send a search party for us.
- But what if they don't?
(tense music)
- Come on, let's go. Let's go.
- That's all right. Here, over here.
Put me down.
- Okay.
You'll be okay, Cole. You'll be all right.
- It ain't much, but it'll keep you going
till help arrives.
- Thanks. Don't worry about me, boy.
I'm gonna be all right.
- I don't know.
I just think that we
should stick together.
- No, no, no, I'll only slow you down.
This ain't Fort Riley.
Besides, what makes you
think I feel like sharing?
- [Hanna] Mr. McKay, I
found this by the wreckage.
I don't know if it's any good or not.
- It's fit as a fiddle,
Ms. Hanna. That's fine.
- They're a couple of
hundred yards upstream.
They ain't found the coach
yet, but it won't take long.
- All right. You better get moving.
Boy, you gotta act like a man now.
I want you to take care of
these women for me, you hear me?
- Yes, sir.
- Get going.
- Bye, Cole.
- Take care.
- Come on.
- Here, boy.
I don't need any water. Go.
(tender instrumental music)
It's a mighty nice piece of iron.
- It'll hit what you aim at.
- Whatever set you on this course
must've really been something.
- Yeah, it was.
You take care now, you hear?
- Watch your top. Now go.
(uneasy music)
- Hey, Cyrus!
Come on, you idiot. Get down here now!
- Come over here.
- Oh, gee!
- Look it here. They've
gone back the way they came.
- The mountains must
make 'em nervous, huh?
(both laugh)
- Let's get the horses.
- Come on!
They're going upstream.
- They're going. They're going!
- Don't break out the whiskey yet.
It ain't gonna take 'em two shakes
to figure out what we done.
But you done good, boy.
You bought us some breathing room.
- You did real good.
- Come on.
- [Adult Luke] Now, Cole told me later
he wasn't worried about dying for a moment
with Chris around.
But Chris-
- Oh man.
- [Adult Luke] Tells it different.
- Looks like you ain't
goin' today, Cole McKay.
Lost a lotta blood in the bargain.
I can't move you, can I?
I can't take you with me neither.
Looks like we best say a prayer
for the womenfolk and the kids, I reckon,
'cause they damn sure gonna need it.
(gun clicks)
(soft tense music)
(horse whinnies)
- What?
- The kid's fooled us.
- Oh, come on!
- Turn around.
- I surely do hate bugs.
- (laughs) Well, that's pretty darn funny
'cause they seem to like you pretty good.
- I'm hungry.
- Well, why don't we just
light us up a big old bonfire
and cook us a side of beef then.
- I didn't mean to-
- Look.
For all I know, your
papa could be Kit Carson,
but most of us, we from the city,
and this ain't like a stroll after church
for any of us, now is it?
- All right, sorry I bit your head off.
I'd just like to get as
much distance as we can
between us and them murderin'
thieves before dark.
- [Adult Luke] Clara was right.
It didn't take them varmints two shakes
to figure out what was what
and where we was headin'.
If only we'd known about
Lassiter being so deadly and all
and a bloodhound to boot.
They was breathin' down our necks,
and the only thing we was
worried about was our bellies.
(Mandy coughing)
- Come on, keep moving.
- Who died and left you in charge anyways?
I'm tired and I don't
wanna go another step.
- Fine with me. Come on.
- Oh, big bother!
- Move, now!
(dramatic music)
- Look, you don't threaten my sister.
I don't care if you are an
adult and you got a gun.
You ain't hit anything with it yet anyhow.
- Now, listen.
- No!
- Them Injuns-
- No, you listen.
Now, we are tired and we are hungry.
And we ain't seen hide nor hair
of the trail for two hours.
We ain't going one step further
till we see what's what,
do you understand me?
- I say-
- I say-
- Keep moving!
- Well, I don't care what you say.
You want my opinion?
I don't think you ever
killed a man or his dog.
I think that you just plug
whiskey bottles and talk big.
- That may be so, boy.
But I know more about
survival than you all,
and I'm just trying to protect you.
- Are you proud of yourself, Lucas Morgan?
Picking on Clara when she's
just trying to help us.
- Look, I was trying to protect us.
- You men are all alike! Ugh.
- To heck with y'all.
Y'all attached, you hear me, attached!
(horse whinnies)
- Hold it there, you little varmint!
(ox roars)
(Luke screams)
Hold it right there, boy!
(Luke screaming)
(dramatic music)
- Help!
Help! Help!
- What in blazes are you doing, boy?
Are you aiming to fly?
- I'm slipping! Help!
- Well, I ought to leave you there
for the fool you are.
Why did you run, boy?
There ain't no need to be
afraid of Jebadiah Hawkins.
- Help!
- Well, give me your hand, boy.
- Get me outta here!
(suspenseful music)
- Give me your hand, boy.
Hold it, hold it, hold it.
The ground isn't safe.
Them rocks are a crumblin'.
- Get some help! Please.
- Hold it right there.
- You hold it there.
I'm a-fixin' to help the young pup,
except the ground is breakin' apart.
- I'm slipping! Help!
- Well, what can we do?
- Well, I reckon when he falls,
we climb down and give
him a decent burial.
- Help me! Please, help! Help!
- I got an idea.
Hold on, Luke, hold on.
- Help!
- Come on, Luke! Climb!
- Pull!
- Come on!
- Pull!
(Luke screams)
- Climb!
- Luke!
- Come on, come on.
- Luke, come on!
- I'm trying.
- Hold it now, ladies.
- Come on!
- [Clara] Hold on, hold on.
- Come on, come on!
- Come on, Luke.
Come on now.
- Come, Luke.
Okay, Luke.
- (shrieks) Come on, come on.
- We got you.
(horse whinnies)
- That's it.
- What do you mean, that's it?
- This is as far as I'm going today.
Them kids wanna stay lost
another day, my pleasure.
- I say we keep looking.
- Cyrus is right.
We ain't found 'em yet,
we ain't gonna find 'em
in the next 10 minutes.
(ox snorts)
- Where you going, missy?
- I'm getting a pelt.
- Them pelts are my livelihood.
They ain't for guests.
Now get on back here. Get.
- We appreciate the meal anyway, sir.
It's been a long spell since breakfast.
- And why is that?
- It's because we were
on the stage to Denver.
Injuns attacked us.
- Is that so?
- Mr. McKay, our driver, was wounded.
We had to leave him in a cave.
He told us to head west along the river
until the rescue party found us.
- What rescue party?
- The one they'll send from Denver
when they find out we're missing.
That's why we've been following the river.
- (laughs) Is that so?
- Yes, sir.
- Y'all went over just behind the hill
back there about 10 miles, didn't you?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, it looked like the river
was fixing to double back on itself, why?
- Uh-huh.
I made the same mistake once myself, son.
- Mistake?
(tense music)
- The Indians call that stretch
of the river Snake River
'cause it's got a forked tongue. (laughs)
- You mean to tell me
that we've been following the wrong river?
- (laughs) For about half a day.
- No wonder we couldn't find the road!
- Look, Mr. Hawkins, could you help us?
- Hold it right there, missy.
Don't try no highfalutin
women things on me.
- Could you lead us back to the trail?
- I can't and I won't.
- Why?
- You got vittles and a place to sleep.
- But-
- Missy, I can hear a gnat
belch in a windstorm.
There ain't gonna be no Indians
sneakin' up on ya tonight.
Now you be thankful, and
don't try my patience,
'cause you might not
wake up in the morning.
- It's okay.
- (laughs) That's much better.
(Jebadiah howls)
(Lassiter groans)
- They're staying just
far enough ahead of us,
like they know what
they're doing and we don't.
(bottle crashes)
- Thanks, Hanna.
- For what?
- For saving my life.
Mama'd be real proud of you.
Think Papa heard about the stage yet?
- How? We're not due back for a day or so.
- Oh yeah.
You think we're gonna die?
(soft solemn music)
- Didn't you promise Mr.
McKay you'd take care of us?
- Yeah.
- Seems to me I should be
asking you that question.
- Well, thanks anyhow.
- You're welcome.
- So, what you lookin' at, Miss...
- Tilton. Clara Tilton.
Lookin' at the stars.
Back in Texas,
I used to walk out every
night and look at 'em.
They're so quiet and peaceful.
They ain't never been
touched by anything sad.
- Why'd you leave, Clara?
(tender instrumental music)
- I had two boys. Babies, really.
There was an outbreak of cholera,
and Henry, that was my husband,
he was a proud man
and his religion didn't hold with doctors.
Got half the county
'fore they put it down.
- Oh. You were lucky.
- When my babies died,
I just strapped these on and rode away.
Guess I figured I'd be
Calamity Jane or something.
I swore I'd never care for someone so much
they could hurt me like that again.
- But if you don't care for anyone, Clara,
it all hurts.
- Cyrus!
(Cyrus and Lassiter shriek)
Where in damnation are they?
- All right, well, Lassiter
here's the best there is.
Eh? Eh?
(Lassiter grumbles)
You see? You see? You see?
Huh. See. (snoring)
(Jebadiah snoring)
- With all these hides around,
you'd think he'd at least share.
- Shh! If he hears you, he's
liable to put the fire out too.
- I ain't slept in 18 years, girl.
I hear everything.
(Mandy humming)
♪ Bees that hum, birds that fly ♪
♪ Every sound's a lullaby ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will ♪
♪ Golden moon, high above ♪
♪ Shine upon the ones I love ♪
♪ Tell the stars, shimmer bright ♪
♪ Fill our hearts with dreams tonight ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will be tomorrow ♪
♪ By and by ♪
- Missy, would ya sing it again, please?
♪ Golden moon, high above ♪
♪ Shine upon the ones I love ♪
(tender instrumental music)
♪ Tell the stars, shimmer bright ♪
♪ Fill our hearts with dreams tonight ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will be tomorrow ♪
♪ By and by ♪
(Jebadiah snoring)
- Get up!
(Cyrus shrieks)
I said get up!
You better get 'em today, Lassiter.
- We'll find 'em when we find 'em.
- We ain't gonna bother with
that Indian hoo-ha no more.
- Yeah, but I-
- I said don't bother.
My plan was to leave one alive
to report back that it was Injuns,
but they done made me mad.
It ain't gonna happen no more.
I'm gonna leave their
bodies for the wolves
is what I'm gonna do. (laughs maniacally)
Now get up!
(pots clanging)
- Hope you find the proper way now, girl.
- I expect after buryin'
two boys and a man,
I can safely be called woman, ya old coot.
- Well, no disrespect meant.
- None taken.
All right, so we head toward that cut
till we find a break in the trees,
then we slide down and we'll
be back on the right road.
- You ought to be there
by early afternoon,
unless you fall off some mountain.
(all chuckle)
Stay on the high ground,
let ya know who's a-comin', friend or foe.
- We thank you kindly, Mr. Hawkins.
- Hmph.
And just so you know, them
Indians around these parts,
them's pretty peaceful.
- These surely weren't.
- Just so you know.
What?
- I'd like to thank you, that's all.
- Well, a little company now
and then never bothered nobody.
(soft instrumental music)
Ma'am.
I got you a little something.
It's for you singing real pretty.
- Thank you.
- Well, go on then.
Good luck.
Oh, darn.
- Whoa.
- You did it, Luke, you found the road!
- Hey.
- All right!
- Good going, boy.
- Shucks, it weren't nothing.
- No, it's everything.
- Well, now that we've found it,
I reckon we better get off
before them Injuns find us.
- Well, how about we have lunch now?
That way we can push straight
on through till nightfall.
- Good idea.
Let's head back up under that ledge
that way we can still see the road,
but I don't think anybody will
be able to see us up there.
- Okay.
- All right.
(horse neighs)
(tense music)
- Please hurry. I'm so hungry.
(Mandy chuckles)
Thank you.
- Oh. Here you go.
- Thanks.
It's empty.
- Well, I found the road.
The river shouldn't be too hard.
- Luke, be careful, you hear?
- Clara.
- Thank you, honey.
(Luke humming)
(suspenseful music)
(Luke shrieks)
(Luke screaming faintly)
- Luke! Luke! Luke!
- You know boys, Hanna.
He probably got to chasing
a squirrel or something
and lost track of time.
(suspenseful music)
- Is that you, Luke?
(women screaming)
- Don't shoot her, you jackass!
Not till we get that satchel.
- She's getting away!
- Well go get her then.
- Oh, okay.
- Don't hurt me!
- Stop, they'll hear you.
They have too many guns.
Some of your friends might get hurt.
- Get away from me!
- Well, did you find it?
- No.
Now, where is the satchel?
- Who are you?
- Well, yesterday we was Indians.
- Do you think maybe we could
have this little tea party
some other time?
Where is the satchel?
- We ain't got any satchel!
- Maybe the boy's got it.
- Where is the boy?
- Leave the girl alone!
- All right, you just keep
them pretty little lips shut
and we'll get the boy,
and after we find the kid and we kill him
and we get us the satchel,
we'll have us a little fun.
(Quint and Cyrus laugh)
(woman screaming)
- We'll get to 'em later.
- [Adult Luke] I wanted to
try and take them no goods
right then and there.
But Skyano, chief of the Cherokee,
said as long as Quint and
the boys was lookin' for me,
the girls was safe.
And he was right.
As we rode along, he told
me a bit about his people.
- The road to our new home was hard
and riddled with the bodies of my people.
Many of us died, including my family.
- The Trail of Tears.
I learned about it in
school, back in Fort Riley.
- I was an infant.
Missionaries found us
on the side of the road.
I was still clinging to my mother's robes.
They buried my family
and took me to raise.
- You were lucky.
- (laugh bitterly) Yeah.
If the great white fathers in Washington
had not decreed we could
no longer live on our land,
I would never have lost my family,
or met the (indistinct).
- Gosh, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean-
- That's okay, boy.
I know what you meant.
Your sister and her friends are safe.
- [Luke] Thank you.
- We'll rest here and wait for the others.
- So how did you end up here?
- Well, my adopted mother and father
cared for me a great deal,
treated me as one of their own.
Many people feared for our children
and their children at school.
To them, education was like a magic
one should not own unless one was white.
Then one night, when I was
a grown man, I had a vision.
It said I should return to
my people, to the old ways.
It hurt to say goodbye,
but it hurt more to stay.
- And did you find them?
- No, I found Fast Crow instead.
- Fast Crow?
- The only child of chief
of all the Cherokees.
In white man's world,
it was like marrying the
boss's daughter. (chuckles)
- Is that Fast Crow?
- No, that is (speaks foreign language),
the one who cures.
She's medicine woman.
The spirits gave her her power,
and she brings us good fortune.
And she's as good as any
three men in a battle.
(tense music)
- Are you gonna kill me?
(Skyano laughs)
(medicine woman laughs)
Now what makes you think that, boy?
- Well, I never met many Injuns before,
except the ones bushwhacked
us back on the ridge,
so I just figured that was you.
- (laughs) Those are apple Indians, boy.
- Apple Indians?
- Yep, red on the outside and
white on the inside. (laughs)
Those men you saw take
your sister in the forest,
those were your Indians.
- But why dress up like them?
- Well, perhaps if the army
were only looking for Indians
that attacked a stage,
they might not consider something else
that might still be missing.
Those men are still looking
for something they cannot find.
That's why they still pursue you.
- [Adult Luke] Skyano had
it figured out for a while,
but it wasn't till he said it
I even remembered I still had the satchel.
I wanted to ask him why he
was doing all this for us,
but I guess I already knew,
'cause that's what a man does,
no matter what color he is.
(suspenseful music)
Quint and them didn't know it,
but Skyano had led 'em
just where he wanted.
He'd been planning this attack
from the moment the girls got nabbed.
I asked him how he knew he was right,
and he just smiled and said it was a gift,
like Hanna's cooking.
- That's a pretty good fire.
You're all right, boy.
- So, do we get to wear war paint, too?
- War paint?
No, you see, it's our
custom to appear fierce
and brave against other warriors.
Not those cowards.
- So, tell me what I should do.
- Do? Nothing.
You'll come with us and watch.
- Look, that is my sister out there, okay?
I am not just gonna stand around and watch
while you do the fighting.
- Whoa-oh, this one would fight
for the honor of his sister.
Tree Climber, prepare him.
Tree Climber will help you.
If you're gonna fight with us,
you must be one of us.
- Don't worry, it's nothing.
(soft instrumental music)
- You speak English too?
- Sure.
I learned it from my father.
Come on, let's go.
- Spunky little cuss.
(men laughing)
(soft suspenseful music)
- Don't you come near them.
- Nothing I hate more than a bossy woman.
Oh! (laughs)
(men shouting)
(women shrieking)
Get her! Get her!
Get her!
Lassiter! Lassiter!
- Quiet! They'll hear you.
- Lassiter! Did you get her?
Go get the horses.
- Something's wrong.
- Stay here.
- Lassiter! Cyrus!
Where you going, you
yellow-bellied coward?
(Hanna whimpering)
I'll shoot her!
Smart, real smart.
Look at it this way,
at least you got the
half-breed to torture.
Can't say as it hasn't
been fun, boys. (laughs)
(Tree Climber hoots)
(horse whinnies)
- No, you'll hit Hanna!
(gunshot booms)
- [Adult Luke] I should've
apologized to her
right then and there.
- See? Told you.
- [Adult Luke] Clara could do more
than just talk big and
shoot whiskey bottles.
(horse neighs)
(hopeful instrumental music)
- Whoa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Hanna, Luke! Oh!
I didn't know what happened.
Oh god, I didn't know.
Let me look at you. Let
me look at you. (chuckles)
- [Luke] Papa.
- I didn't know when I'd see you.
- You must be the little ones' father.
- Yes. I do owe you a debt, sir.
Your son told us what all happened.
- The Cherokee do not
make war on children.
It's bad enough when you have
to go into battle with them.
(Jubal laughs)
- Go! Get, go. (grumbles)
- [Skyano] You weren't far?
- No, the stage driver's partner
brought him in all shot up.
They told us about the ambush.
Given time, they reckoned
it wasn't Injuns at all.
It took me all of 30 minutes
to put together a possy
once folks heard it was women and children
that'd been attacked.
The Marshal, he's still
trying to put together
the why to the how, though.
- Well, maybe this will
put some light on things.
- Not only are you a
great warrior, Skyano,
now you're a hero.
- Yeah, well just make sure
your people in Washington know that.
- These guys made you look bad.
- Yes, I know.
How would you like it
if they disguised themselves
as marshals? (laughs)
There's much to tell.
- Come on, meet my father.
(Mandy laughs)
Papa, this here is Amanda McCullough,
the world-famous singer.
- Mr. Morgan.
- Nice to meet your acquaintance, ma'am.
I hope these two didn't
give you too much grief.
- Oh, I don't know what we
would've done without Luke, sir.
And Hanna, she's just
about the best friend
a girl could have.
- Excuse me, folks.
Name's Grant, Denver US Marshal.
Do you think you might be able to answer
a few questions, Miss...
- McCullough.
- McCullough.
- Amanda McCullough, yes.
No, I don't mind a bit.
Well, it all started in Fort Riley,
and I had the worst problem with...
- Father, this here is Clara Tilton.
She's just about the bestest
shot in the whole West.
- That so, Miss Tilton?
- It's Missus.
- Oh.
- She's a widow.
- Luke!
- Well, she is!
- That so?
- We're gonna say
goodbye to someone, Papa.
We'll be right back.
Come on!
- My children told me
you saved their lives.
That's a debt I can hardly repay.
- Well, it were both ways, sir.
Luke did his share of saving.
They're good kids.
- Yeah, don't I know it.
But they are a handful.
- And you said you were on
your way to San Francisco,
ma'am, when these men attacked you?
- That's right, Marshal.
Did you know that they have palaces there?
They can hold 100 people at a time
just to hear somebody sing.
- No, ma'am.
- Believe me, if you spent
a lotta time in tent shows,
you'd realize what heaven
a theater is. (laughs)
- Well, I wouldn't know about that, ma'am.
I save all my singing for church.
And I haven't met anyone
there with talent yet.
- Jubal.
- Pardon?
- It'd be nice if you
called me Jubal, ma'am.
- Well, in that case,
you best call me Clara.
- All right, Clara.
What do you do in these parts?
- Well, I bought a general store
from a man headed east about a month ago.
I gather they ran it in the ground
but it weren't the store's fault.
Bought and paid for.
- Why, this is Cripple Creek Emporium.
That's my store.
- What are you talking about?
- Well, I bought the same store last week.
- Last week?
Well I bought it last month,
and I got the paper to prove it.
It's my store.
- Well that guy must've sold it twice.
- Well the point is, I bought it first!
- Well I got my whole life in that store!
- Well so do I!
- You know, we just built
ourselves an auditorium
here in Denver, ma'am.
- Is that right?
- Yes, ma'am.
It'd be a real pleasure
to hear you sing in it.
Mayor's wife's even talking
about opera, for god's sakes.
- You really think
they'd let me sing there?
- Sure do, ma'am.
(soft instrumental music)
- Well, maybe I could stick
around a little bit. (giggles)
Who knows, if I like
Denver and vice versa,
I might even consider teaching
a few lucky young girls.
- That would be real nice, ma'am.
(Mandy giggles)
- It looks like I got a partner, ma'am.
- Looks like.
- [Adult Luke] It was getting dark
before I had a moment to
say goodbye to Skyano.
- What'd they say?
- That you're too big for your britches.
- Oh yeah?
- They say you're a man
who walks in a boy's body.
They wish me to tell
you they wanna call you
(speaks in foreign language), Little Foot.
- Huh?
- They wish to honor you, Luke.
They think you're very brave
for one who's so young.
- Oh.
So, do you think you'll ever come back?
- What, to the white man's village? No.
- [Luke] Why not?
- Too many white men live there. (laughs)
No, my place is here, boy.
I must teach them what I learned.
- What's that?
- That it's not guns that will defeat us,
like it did the buffalo,
but the lack of the white
man's kinda knowledge.
It's something my people
must learn together.
Perhaps...
- What?
- Perhaps there is someone that'll benefit
from looking at the world
through the white man's eyes.
- Tree Climber?
Yeah, sure, anytime.
I can ask my father and
he can stay with us.
- No, no, no, not today, though.
There's much to be done
before the upcoming winter.
Perhaps I will come to
your village after all
and speak to your father.
So boy, look after your sister always,
and mind your father.
And always remember,
first there's your family
and then there's all else.
- Did someone very wise once say that?
- Yeah, I did. (laughs)
- [Adult Luke] Well,
that's how it happened.
Like I told Hanna-
- Take care, Little Foot.
- [Adult Luke] Dreams don't come true
if you tell 'em outright,
but I finally got mine, and then some.
It's a good thing, too,
'cause I got lots more dreams.
(gentle instrumental music)
♪ Far away, I see a hearth fire burning ♪
♪ Dreams returning to
the place I call home ♪
♪ Far away from where
my heart is yearning ♪
♪ Ever turning to that place far away ♪
♪ Smiles await, ending the journey ♪
♪ Arms will be stretched
in a loving welcome home ♪
♪ Far away, although the road be winding ♪
♪ Now it's worth finding ♪
♪ Can it be far away ♪
(man singing in foreign language)
(lighthearted instrumental music)
dreamt of seeing the Wild West.
(man singing in foreign language)
(gentle instrumental music)
(wolves howling)
(bird screeching)
(horse neighing)
(people chattering distantly)
- $2.00, $2.00 to see Amanda
Macola, the Kansas City Thrush.
There you go.
Come on, you're holding up progress.
Let's go, $2.00.
There's plenty of room,
get on in there. Thank you.
♪ Arms will be stretched ♪
- [Adult Luke] But that's
me there on the left.
And that's my sister Hanna.
She wanted to be a singing
star so bad she could taste it,
and was always dragging me
to hear some old dumb singer.
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
Actually, this one weren't half bad.
♪ There's gonna be some
music down in Fort Riley ♪
♪ Hear it echo from the mountains ♪
♪ Let it sweep across the plains ♪
♪ Feel it moving in among you ♪
♪ Heart to heart and hand to hand ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet music to
soothe a savage land ♪
♪ They ain't got too much I want ♪
♪ Back east, back east ♪
♪ So I just stopped and brought my songs ♪
♪ The words and melodies ♪
♪ Now I'm happier to entertain ♪
♪ To make you feel real good ♪
♪ Way out here in the wild frontier ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet music to soothe ♪
- Hey, what are you kids doing here?
♪ The savage land ♪
- Let go of me!
Put me down!
Come on, put me down!
(men cheering)
- Yee-ha!
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
(giggles) Thank you.
- When we get to Cripple Creek,
I'm gonna ask Pa for some singing lessons.
- If we get to Cripple Creek.
- We will.
Pa is gonna find lots of silver.
I just know it.
And if not, maybe I can find
someone here to teach me.
Hanna Morgan, the Fort Riley Thrush.
- More like, Hanna Morgan,
the Fort Riley Sage Hen.
- Lucas Morgan, you're always
making fun of my dreams.
- Everybody knows dreams don't come true
if you tell 'em outright anyhow.
- Do too!
- They do not.
- Do to!
(gun firing)
(crowd cheering)
- Let's go see what it is!
- No.
- Come on, let's go see what it is!
- No, we promised Aunt Betsy we'd be home
straight after school,
and we're late already.
- Well, it weren't me who made us watch
an old Kansas City Thrush.
- (sighs) Okay, two minutes.
- Five.
(gun firing distantly)
- Three, and you set the table.
(crowd cheering distantly)
- Okay, deal!
(crowd chattering distantly)
(dramatic music)
(leather crunching)
(gun blasting)
(bottle shattering)
(crowd cheering)
(crowd clapping)
- [Man] Dang through the middle!
- [Adult Luke] Well, it weren't
as much fun as a shoot out.
But this guy was dern good.
I didn't realize it at the time,
but that gunslinger would end up being
a very important part of my life.
- Oh my gosh, Hanna.
You wouldn't have believed it.
I ain't never seen shootin' like that.
- Oh, big bother.
- [Adult Luke] Well, now, the
West was opening real fast.
The gold and silver booms were way ahead
of our government's ability
to supply proper mining deeds,
and Quint knew it.
Things often had a way of
slipping through the cracks.
That left a lot of crumbs for scoundrels
like him and Cyrus to pick up.
- Hello, Cyrus.
You look like you need a lovin', darling.
- Now, Chloe, I already done said,
me and Quint are here strictly
for business this time.
- Oh, I know, sugar. So am I.
Maybe we could merger or something, hey?
(both laugh)
- Well I'm bettin' you know it.
- Hey, I ain't supposed to be here.
- Well you are.
(both laughing)
- You got it?
- Much obliged, little brother.
- You know, I'd get hung for this.
- Yeah, me too. Kinda fun,
ain't it? (laughs) Shh!
- Hey, listen. This
ain't what we agreed on.
- It just gets you a little
something on account,
on account you say one word
where we got the skinny
on them deeds, you
swing first, understand?
Now get!
(Cyrus chuckling)
Cyrus!
Cyrus! What in the
tarnation are you doing?
- I don't think he's coming, Quint.
- He's coming.
He's may look stupid, but he ain't.
- Nah, he don't look stupid, Quint.
Matter of fact, he's just kinda like you.
- He's coming, Cyrus!
Do you think you can
look any more obvious?
(laughs) I told you he was coming.
(horse neighs)
(both laugh)
- Well, well.
- Here's the deeds.
Guard 'em with your life.
- Now, don't worry.
- You treat them right.
- You bet.
- You see? My little brother was right.
That Colorado strike is so new,
they ain't even set up a land agent yet.
They have to send the deeds
back here to be recorded.
- Then the agent's
gonna turn right around,
send 'em all the way back to
Cripple Creek the same way.
- Correct!
Only if someone who knew about it
was to intercept them deeds beforehand,
they'd find themselves the legal owners
of some mighty rich holes in the ground.
(both laugh ridiculously)
(birds twittering)
- You should have been there, Aunt Betsy.
She had about the most
beautiful voice I'd ever heard.
If I could sing like her,
I swear I'd died and gone
to heaven on the spot.
- God likes your voice
just the way it is, Hanna.
All the people at the church say so.
- Oh, it ain't the same.
I want to be on the stage.
- Most likely when people hear you sing,
they're going to watch you under one.
- You don't know beans about it.
- Oh yeah?
Well, I know that Mama wouldn't
approve of all this nonsense
about singing on stage and such anyhow.
- Luke Morgan, I hate you!
- I swear, men ain't got
sense God gave mules.
- All I said-
- I heard what you said.
Now go apologize for it. Now get!
- Great.
(door creaks)
Sorry.
- Luke.
Do you ever think about her, Mama?
A lot?
- Yeah.
- Me too.
Today's Mama's birthday.
I can't remember how
old she would have been.
I've been trying all day.
I just can't remember.
(tender instrumental music)
- Do you think Pops is
going to send for us?
- Of course.
- How can you be so sure?
Maybe he figures he's
better off without us.
- Lucas Morgan, you know Papa said
that once he got things
together, he'd send for us.
- Yeah, I reckon.
- Anybody hungry around here?
- Uncle John! Did we get any mail?
A letter from Papa?
- What do you say we get washed up
and go get some of Aunt Betsy's cooking?
Come on.
- [Adult Luke] Every day we asked
if we got a letter from Papa.
Every day we got the same answer.
- Well, don't you two look
all down at the mouth.
- Didn't get no mail from Papa again.
- John, stop teasing them like that.
Give them the letter.
- Okay.
- Let me see!
- Let me see it!
Come on, let's see what it says.
- "John, found a little silver,
but also discovered mining's not for me.
So I bought the town emporium."
- An emporium?
- Got it for a song, too,
from what we can figure.
Lucky thing.
Sounds like your daddy only had
about a song and a half left.
- "Bought the emporium
from a man heading west.
He ran it into the ground, but
it weren't the store's fault.
Got just enough left for two
tickets to Cripple Creek.
Reckon we won't be eating much
for the next couple of months,
but I can't bear anymore without my kids.
Thank Aunt Betsy for her kindness.
I can't repay you for all you've done.
Love, Jubal."
- Woo-hoo!
- [Betsy] You sure they're
gonna be all right?
- Well, I had my doubts about mining,
but when it comes to
running a general store,
ain't nobody better than Jubal.
They'll be fine.
- [Betsy] Good. I'm sure gonna miss 'em.
- Yeah, me too.
- We'll be needing the room soon.
- Aye.
(tender instrumental music)
- [Adult Luke] I almost couldn't believe
what was happening to us.
My dream was coming true at last.
Today, Hanna and me was really doing it.
We was getting on a stage coach
and headin' west to Colorado.
I could hardly wait.
- Chris, you smell that?
- Flapjacks?
- Pretty close. Romance and adventure.
Plain as the nose on your face.
(both laugh)
- Here they come!
- [Adult Luke] I could see it all now:
cowboys, injuns, and Papa.
- Morning, ma'am.
- Whoa!
- That's it?
- Yep.
Morning, John. Ma'am.
- Here they are, half an hour
early and no stopping 'em.
- Well, well, well.
So you two pups wanna
go to Colorado, do you?
- Yes, sir.
- Just what makes you think
you got the mud for it, boy?
It takes a man with a lot of courage
to brave the silver fields, a woman, too.
Freeze in the winter, roast in the summer.
Springtime the bugs gonna eat you alive.
Indian summers can drive a man mad.
They'll kill you for your silver,
shoot you for your boots.
You so much as look cross-eyed at a man,
you get yourself hanged.
And that goes-
- I know.
And so can a woman. (laughs)
- (laughs) By golly,
you two are all right.
John, they got more backbone
than a 10-foot rattler.
They can sure go with me.
These kinda pups is just
what the West needs.
Now, get your huggin' over.
We gotta roll here.
- [Chris] All right, all set.
- Thank you.
- Go get in.
(horse neighing)
- You write, you hear?
- Promise.
Thanks for taking us in, Aunt Betsy.
I love you.
- Let's go, ma'am. We've got to move.
Watch your step.
(man snoring)
Hey, boy, wanna ride up there with me?
- Sure.
- Get up there.
Ma'am.
Oh, Chris.
- Yeah?
- Whoa, boy.
- Bye, Uncle John. Bye, Aunt Betsy.
- Thanks for everything, Aunt Betsy.
Take care, Uncle John.
- Lucas Morgan, you take
care of your sister.
- Yes, sir.
- I love you guys. Miss you.
- Okay, boy, say "Ha."
- Ha?
- Ha!
- Ha!
- Ha! Get on, go!
(adventurous music)
- Love you!
- Bye, Hanna, Luke.
- Bye! Bye!
- Bye! Bye!
- [Adult Luke] Little did we know,
we weren't the only ones eager
to see that stage pull outta town.
(tense music)
- Oh! Wait!
Wait! Wait.
- Whoa! Whoa.
(horses neighing)
- I just bought a ticket.
- Cutting it kinda
close, aren't you, ma'am?
- It weren't intentional, believe me.
- 10 will be just fine.
Climb on in, ma'am.
- Thank you.
- [Adult Luke] Neither Hanna
or me liked saying goodbye
to Uncle John and Aunt Betsy.
They'd been real good to us,
and it weren't going to
be the same without 'em.
But we were on our way,
and I never thought I'd be so happy
as to watching them
Kansas City wheat fields
disappear behind us.
I told Cole, our driver,
I wanted to know the second
we crossed into Colorado.
And furthermore, one of our passengers
was that fancy gunslinger.
I was dying to talk to
him about everything,
only he didn't strike me as
being the real talkative type.
Hanna was sure glad to
see Mandy climb aboard
at the last minute, too.
I know she'd be bending her ear for hours
about singing and such.
Hmph! Girls.
- I must look a mess.
- I don't think you look a mess at all.
- I was robbed.
- Robbed? Wow.
Who did it?
- My so-called business manager.
I'd been at the Sheriff's all morning,
but ain't much to be done
unless they catch him, so...
Lucky I sleep with a little
something in my pillow
or I'd be making beds
at the hotel right now.
- Gosh.
- Maybe I should have stayed.
You know, did more concerts.
Built myself up another nest egg.
- I think you're beautiful.
- Pardon?
- I think you're beautiful.
- Well, (giggles) thank you.
What's your name?
- Hanna. Hanna Morgan.
That was my brother, Luke,
that hung his head in a moment ago.
We're on our way to Cripple
Creek to be with our Papa.
- Well, thank you, Hanna.
(soft instrumental music)
- Here, boy.
- Whoa!
- Just pull up on 'em, son.
Just pull up on 'em. Here we go.
All right. Here we go.
(moving instrumental music)
(horses neighing)
- [Adult Luke] We'd planned
on spending the night
at a weigh station and
heading into the mountains
the following morning.
I couldn't see it yet,
but up ahead were the
Rockies and Colorado.
- Hey, boy.
- [Adult Luke] The gunslinger
didn't wake up the whole time.
If it weren't for the snoring,
I'da thought he was dead.
It's the code of the West:
you never mess with another man's guns.
But I just had to see 'em for myself.
(tense music)
(gunslinger snoring)
- You're a girl?
- Don't touch my guns, kid.
I killed a man once for
that. Then I shot his dog.
- It's a girl!
- Is he okay?
- Yeah, I think so.
- No, I mean up here.
- Oh. (laughs)
(lighthearted music)
(Mandy laughs)
- They're back in there.
- I'm telling ya.
- All right, (indistinct) you
say you know how to catch 'em,
that's just right.
Hey, boy.
- Hey.
- I've just about got it.
(Cole laughs)
Here, hold this.
- Let him try it.
- You wanna try? Come on.
- Yeah, I'll try.
- All right.
- Won't do better than you,
but I'll try.
- Keep your line.
Keep the line tight now.
- I saw you sing.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
Luke and me snuck in under
the flap and listened.
- That's right. I remember now. (laughs)
That was you!
- Yeah.
It sure is pretty, your voice.
Just about the sweetest
sound I ever heard.
- That's the nicest thing.
Thank you, darling.
- I'm gonna be a singer someday.
- Of course you are, darling.
- For true.
- Well, I think that's real nice, Hanna.
Truly I do.
Singing's a wonderful thing for a woman.
I guess it's why God gave
us such pretty voices.
(both laugh)
(lighthearted music)
- I'll tell you how to fish.
What kinda bait are you using, anyway?
I mean, I...
- [Adult Luke] Little did we know,
we was being follered the whole time.
- We could take 'em tonight.
- We'll also get a keister
full of buckshot for trying.
We gotta be twice as
careful once they're camped.
Besides, they're gonna have
the station master for a guard.
Ah, we'll wait till they're in the pass.
We'll lock 'em up real good there.
- [Adult Luke] Of course,
little did they know
someone was a-followerin' them too.
- How long you reckon
it's been since Indians
attacked a stage coach?
- Never, not in these parts.
- (laughs) Boy, they're
sure gonna be surprised.
- We gotta make it look like
someone's after something
other than those registered deeds.
At least till the dust settles.
- Do we get to scalp 'em, too?
I was just askin'.
- Come on. We gotta meet Lassiter.
(horses neighing)
- [Adult Luke] Later on, Cole told me
them Indians was probably
with us the whole time.
They can hide for days
in your back pocket,
but I sure never saw 'em.
(wolves howling)
(man coughs)
(horse whinnies)
- Hanna, I ain't smelled better,
and paid hard cash for it.
- (laughs) Cole's right, you beat the tar
outta my cookin', ma'am.
- It's nothing, really.
- Hanna, it's a gift, like my voice.
I'd love to be able to cook like that.
- You mean, you can't?
- Lucas!
Just because she's a girl,
where in the books does it say
she's gotta know how to cook?
- That is not what I meant.
What I meant was that she should...
Dah! Horse apples.
- I guess it's 'cause Daddy got rich
owning all those coal
mines back in Virginia.
He'd always say, "If God
wanted you in the kitchen,
Amanda May, we wouldn't
have had the good fortune
to afford a cook."
- You're complaining?
- It would just be nice to
be able to cook for myself
every once in a while.
- Why'd you do it?
Leave home, I mean.
- Well, it's my daddy's fault, really.
He always said I should follow my dream.
Though I do suspect he figured I'd look
a mite closer to home. (chuckles)
I don't know if Mama's
speaking to him yet.
(all laugh)
- I could teach you how
to cook, Ms. McCullough.
- Oh, Hanna, I'd be
tickled pink about that.
(soft instrumental music)
- They're done.
- Great!
- It's pretty good, Hanna.
- Thanks, Hanna.
- Thank you.
- Oh! Oh!
- Good job, sis.
(wolves howling)
(soft suspenseful music)
It's me. I'm Lucas Morgan.
Don't worry, I ain't armed.
I brought you these. They're biscuits.
My sister, she made 'em.
She made some stew also.
If you don't mind, I could get you some.
- Got my own food.
- Well, maybe just the biscuits then.
- [Adult Luke] The gunslinger
sure was a hard lady
to get to know, but at
least she ate the biscuits.
And she didn't shoot me.
(soft instrumental music)
♪ Far away, I see a hearth fire burning ♪
♪ Dreams returning to
the place I call home ♪
♪ Far away from where
my heart is yearning ♪
♪ Ever turning to that place far away ♪
♪ Smiles await, ending the journey ♪
♪ Arms will be stretched
in a loving welcome home ♪
♪ Far away, although the road be winding ♪
♪ Now it's worth finding ♪
♪ Can it be far away ♪
(grand orchestral music)
- Ow! Ooh!
- Doesn't make much of a bird, does he?
(Quint laughs)
- They're coming.
- How far?
- Two hours. Around noon, I reckon.
- For you, that could mean
two hours or two weeks.
- I don't see why we
need him along no how.
- He's the only one who
knows how to for certain
make it look like Injuns
attacked that stage.
- Well, hell, Quint, I could-
- I know, I know, I know!
But he ain't gonna have
no problem hurtin',
especially with them young'uns aboard.
Come on, now.
Can't be keepin' him
waiting once they come.
(suspenseful music)
(horses whinnying)
Hey, here they come! Get ready!
- Hey, hey!
- Whoa, whoa!
- Why we stopping?
- Something ain't right.
- Now!
(Cyrus grunting)
(dramatic music)
- Whoa!
- Whoa! Injuns! Injuns!
- Get down below!
(woman screams)
(gunshot booms)
(Hanna shrieks)
- Luke!
(Luke screams)
Luke, come here!
(gunshot booms)
- I wish you'd let us just rob 'em.
We could've had 'em already!
- No, no bullet holes! We've got this.
Just keep slinging them arrows!
(gunshots booming)
(Cole screams)
(gunshot booms)
- Oh!
- Come on by!
- Hyah!
(Cole shouts)
(horse neighs)
(Cyrus laughs)
(gunshots booming)
- Let's go! Let's go!
Get the horses, come on. This way.
(dramatic music)
- Hyah!
- They're coming!
- Must be a renegade.
I ain't never seen
Injuns like that before.
Hyah! Hyah!
Chris, the pin. The pin's coming out.
- I'll be back for ya.
- Tell 'em (indistinct).
Jump!
- What about Chris?
We're not together.
- [Cole] Can't help him now. Jump!
- Get out, quick! Gotta get out now!
(all screaming)
(Cole grunting)
(solemn music)
- Well, the horses won't go down this.
We're gonna have to find another way down.
Move out.
- Cole!
Where is he at?
- Look!
(solemn music)
Is he okay?
- What do we do?
- Come on down here. Come on down.
- How?
- How do we get down there?
- Is he okay?
(children and Mandy crying)
- He's down there.
- He's down there.
He's hurt. He's got an arrow in his back.
What do we do?
- Okay, we'll go.
- Mister, are you all right?
- Cole! Are you all right?
- No need to shout, boy.
Everybody accounted for?
- Yeah, we're all here.
- Gun's gone. Still carrying iron?
- I got 'em.
- Oh!
- Oh, lord.
You're beaten pretty bad.
- My daddy always said if
you're gonna do somethin',
do it good.
I guess I did.
- Well, your daddy'd
be proud of you today.
I don't expect we can move you
till we deal with that arrow.
- Better be quick about it.
It won't take them savages
long to get down here.
Let's go, do somethin'.
- Okay, I'm gonna get you
from behind, all right,
and then we're gonna pull it through.
Boy, can you help me with this?
All right.
- Okay.
- Hold him tight. Hold
him down. Here we go.
(Cole grunting)
It's coming through.
I got it.
- Boy, take this bag and
get me on my feet. Let's go!
- Get under his arm.
- Oh!
- Lift him.
- (grunting) Get me up!
Get outta here!
- It's all right. I got you, I got you.
Help us, help us here.
(Cole grunting)
- Put me down.
- No.
No, Cole, we gotta keep going.
- I said put me down! Put me down.
Now listen to me.
You're not gonna get very
far carrying my sorry hide.
You hang on to that pouch, boy.
It's got government things in there.
I ain't never let 'em down yet.
- We can't just leave you here, Mr. McKay.
- You ain't got no choice.
Now listen to me.
Chris used to be a guide
with the Buffalo Soldiers.
If he's still alive, he'll find us.
- What if he isn't?
- Don't worry about me.
Stay as close to the trail as you can.
When Denver finds out we're not coming,
he'll send a search party for us.
- But what if they don't?
(tense music)
- Come on, let's go. Let's go.
- That's all right. Here, over here.
Put me down.
- Okay.
You'll be okay, Cole. You'll be all right.
- It ain't much, but it'll keep you going
till help arrives.
- Thanks. Don't worry about me, boy.
I'm gonna be all right.
- I don't know.
I just think that we
should stick together.
- No, no, no, I'll only slow you down.
This ain't Fort Riley.
Besides, what makes you
think I feel like sharing?
- [Hanna] Mr. McKay, I
found this by the wreckage.
I don't know if it's any good or not.
- It's fit as a fiddle,
Ms. Hanna. That's fine.
- They're a couple of
hundred yards upstream.
They ain't found the coach
yet, but it won't take long.
- All right. You better get moving.
Boy, you gotta act like a man now.
I want you to take care of
these women for me, you hear me?
- Yes, sir.
- Get going.
- Bye, Cole.
- Take care.
- Come on.
- Here, boy.
I don't need any water. Go.
(tender instrumental music)
It's a mighty nice piece of iron.
- It'll hit what you aim at.
- Whatever set you on this course
must've really been something.
- Yeah, it was.
You take care now, you hear?
- Watch your top. Now go.
(uneasy music)
- Hey, Cyrus!
Come on, you idiot. Get down here now!
- Come over here.
- Oh, gee!
- Look it here. They've
gone back the way they came.
- The mountains must
make 'em nervous, huh?
(both laugh)
- Let's get the horses.
- Come on!
They're going upstream.
- They're going. They're going!
- Don't break out the whiskey yet.
It ain't gonna take 'em two shakes
to figure out what we done.
But you done good, boy.
You bought us some breathing room.
- You did real good.
- Come on.
- [Adult Luke] Now, Cole told me later
he wasn't worried about dying for a moment
with Chris around.
But Chris-
- Oh man.
- [Adult Luke] Tells it different.
- Looks like you ain't
goin' today, Cole McKay.
Lost a lotta blood in the bargain.
I can't move you, can I?
I can't take you with me neither.
Looks like we best say a prayer
for the womenfolk and the kids, I reckon,
'cause they damn sure gonna need it.
(gun clicks)
(soft tense music)
(horse whinnies)
- What?
- The kid's fooled us.
- Oh, come on!
- Turn around.
- I surely do hate bugs.
- (laughs) Well, that's pretty darn funny
'cause they seem to like you pretty good.
- I'm hungry.
- Well, why don't we just
light us up a big old bonfire
and cook us a side of beef then.
- I didn't mean to-
- Look.
For all I know, your
papa could be Kit Carson,
but most of us, we from the city,
and this ain't like a stroll after church
for any of us, now is it?
- All right, sorry I bit your head off.
I'd just like to get as
much distance as we can
between us and them murderin'
thieves before dark.
- [Adult Luke] Clara was right.
It didn't take them varmints two shakes
to figure out what was what
and where we was headin'.
If only we'd known about
Lassiter being so deadly and all
and a bloodhound to boot.
They was breathin' down our necks,
and the only thing we was
worried about was our bellies.
(Mandy coughing)
- Come on, keep moving.
- Who died and left you in charge anyways?
I'm tired and I don't
wanna go another step.
- Fine with me. Come on.
- Oh, big bother!
- Move, now!
(dramatic music)
- Look, you don't threaten my sister.
I don't care if you are an
adult and you got a gun.
You ain't hit anything with it yet anyhow.
- Now, listen.
- No!
- Them Injuns-
- No, you listen.
Now, we are tired and we are hungry.
And we ain't seen hide nor hair
of the trail for two hours.
We ain't going one step further
till we see what's what,
do you understand me?
- I say-
- I say-
- Keep moving!
- Well, I don't care what you say.
You want my opinion?
I don't think you ever
killed a man or his dog.
I think that you just plug
whiskey bottles and talk big.
- That may be so, boy.
But I know more about
survival than you all,
and I'm just trying to protect you.
- Are you proud of yourself, Lucas Morgan?
Picking on Clara when she's
just trying to help us.
- Look, I was trying to protect us.
- You men are all alike! Ugh.
- To heck with y'all.
Y'all attached, you hear me, attached!
(horse whinnies)
- Hold it there, you little varmint!
(ox roars)
(Luke screams)
Hold it right there, boy!
(Luke screaming)
(dramatic music)
- Help!
Help! Help!
- What in blazes are you doing, boy?
Are you aiming to fly?
- I'm slipping! Help!
- Well, I ought to leave you there
for the fool you are.
Why did you run, boy?
There ain't no need to be
afraid of Jebadiah Hawkins.
- Help!
- Well, give me your hand, boy.
- Get me outta here!
(suspenseful music)
- Give me your hand, boy.
Hold it, hold it, hold it.
The ground isn't safe.
Them rocks are a crumblin'.
- Get some help! Please.
- Hold it right there.
- You hold it there.
I'm a-fixin' to help the young pup,
except the ground is breakin' apart.
- I'm slipping! Help!
- Well, what can we do?
- Well, I reckon when he falls,
we climb down and give
him a decent burial.
- Help me! Please, help! Help!
- I got an idea.
Hold on, Luke, hold on.
- Help!
- Come on, Luke! Climb!
- Pull!
- Come on!
- Pull!
(Luke screams)
- Climb!
- Luke!
- Come on, come on.
- Luke, come on!
- I'm trying.
- Hold it now, ladies.
- Come on!
- [Clara] Hold on, hold on.
- Come on, come on!
- Come on, Luke.
Come on now.
- Come, Luke.
Okay, Luke.
- (shrieks) Come on, come on.
- We got you.
(horse whinnies)
- That's it.
- What do you mean, that's it?
- This is as far as I'm going today.
Them kids wanna stay lost
another day, my pleasure.
- I say we keep looking.
- Cyrus is right.
We ain't found 'em yet,
we ain't gonna find 'em
in the next 10 minutes.
(ox snorts)
- Where you going, missy?
- I'm getting a pelt.
- Them pelts are my livelihood.
They ain't for guests.
Now get on back here. Get.
- We appreciate the meal anyway, sir.
It's been a long spell since breakfast.
- And why is that?
- It's because we were
on the stage to Denver.
Injuns attacked us.
- Is that so?
- Mr. McKay, our driver, was wounded.
We had to leave him in a cave.
He told us to head west along the river
until the rescue party found us.
- What rescue party?
- The one they'll send from Denver
when they find out we're missing.
That's why we've been following the river.
- (laughs) Is that so?
- Yes, sir.
- Y'all went over just behind the hill
back there about 10 miles, didn't you?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, it looked like the river
was fixing to double back on itself, why?
- Uh-huh.
I made the same mistake once myself, son.
- Mistake?
(tense music)
- The Indians call that stretch
of the river Snake River
'cause it's got a forked tongue. (laughs)
- You mean to tell me
that we've been following the wrong river?
- (laughs) For about half a day.
- No wonder we couldn't find the road!
- Look, Mr. Hawkins, could you help us?
- Hold it right there, missy.
Don't try no highfalutin
women things on me.
- Could you lead us back to the trail?
- I can't and I won't.
- Why?
- You got vittles and a place to sleep.
- But-
- Missy, I can hear a gnat
belch in a windstorm.
There ain't gonna be no Indians
sneakin' up on ya tonight.
Now you be thankful, and
don't try my patience,
'cause you might not
wake up in the morning.
- It's okay.
- (laughs) That's much better.
(Jebadiah howls)
(Lassiter groans)
- They're staying just
far enough ahead of us,
like they know what
they're doing and we don't.
(bottle crashes)
- Thanks, Hanna.
- For what?
- For saving my life.
Mama'd be real proud of you.
Think Papa heard about the stage yet?
- How? We're not due back for a day or so.
- Oh yeah.
You think we're gonna die?
(soft solemn music)
- Didn't you promise Mr.
McKay you'd take care of us?
- Yeah.
- Seems to me I should be
asking you that question.
- Well, thanks anyhow.
- You're welcome.
- So, what you lookin' at, Miss...
- Tilton. Clara Tilton.
Lookin' at the stars.
Back in Texas,
I used to walk out every
night and look at 'em.
They're so quiet and peaceful.
They ain't never been
touched by anything sad.
- Why'd you leave, Clara?
(tender instrumental music)
- I had two boys. Babies, really.
There was an outbreak of cholera,
and Henry, that was my husband,
he was a proud man
and his religion didn't hold with doctors.
Got half the county
'fore they put it down.
- Oh. You were lucky.
- When my babies died,
I just strapped these on and rode away.
Guess I figured I'd be
Calamity Jane or something.
I swore I'd never care for someone so much
they could hurt me like that again.
- But if you don't care for anyone, Clara,
it all hurts.
- Cyrus!
(Cyrus and Lassiter shriek)
Where in damnation are they?
- All right, well, Lassiter
here's the best there is.
Eh? Eh?
(Lassiter grumbles)
You see? You see? You see?
Huh. See. (snoring)
(Jebadiah snoring)
- With all these hides around,
you'd think he'd at least share.
- Shh! If he hears you, he's
liable to put the fire out too.
- I ain't slept in 18 years, girl.
I hear everything.
(Mandy humming)
♪ Bees that hum, birds that fly ♪
♪ Every sound's a lullaby ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will ♪
♪ Golden moon, high above ♪
♪ Shine upon the ones I love ♪
♪ Tell the stars, shimmer bright ♪
♪ Fill our hearts with dreams tonight ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will be tomorrow ♪
♪ By and by ♪
- Missy, would ya sing it again, please?
♪ Golden moon, high above ♪
♪ Shine upon the ones I love ♪
(tender instrumental music)
♪ Tell the stars, shimmer bright ♪
♪ Fill our hearts with dreams tonight ♪
♪ All the world is sleeping ♪
♪ Underneath the sky ♪
♪ It will be tomorrow ♪
♪ By and by ♪
(Jebadiah snoring)
- Get up!
(Cyrus shrieks)
I said get up!
You better get 'em today, Lassiter.
- We'll find 'em when we find 'em.
- We ain't gonna bother with
that Indian hoo-ha no more.
- Yeah, but I-
- I said don't bother.
My plan was to leave one alive
to report back that it was Injuns,
but they done made me mad.
It ain't gonna happen no more.
I'm gonna leave their
bodies for the wolves
is what I'm gonna do. (laughs maniacally)
Now get up!
(pots clanging)
- Hope you find the proper way now, girl.
- I expect after buryin'
two boys and a man,
I can safely be called woman, ya old coot.
- Well, no disrespect meant.
- None taken.
All right, so we head toward that cut
till we find a break in the trees,
then we slide down and we'll
be back on the right road.
- You ought to be there
by early afternoon,
unless you fall off some mountain.
(all chuckle)
Stay on the high ground,
let ya know who's a-comin', friend or foe.
- We thank you kindly, Mr. Hawkins.
- Hmph.
And just so you know, them
Indians around these parts,
them's pretty peaceful.
- These surely weren't.
- Just so you know.
What?
- I'd like to thank you, that's all.
- Well, a little company now
and then never bothered nobody.
(soft instrumental music)
Ma'am.
I got you a little something.
It's for you singing real pretty.
- Thank you.
- Well, go on then.
Good luck.
Oh, darn.
- Whoa.
- You did it, Luke, you found the road!
- Hey.
- All right!
- Good going, boy.
- Shucks, it weren't nothing.
- No, it's everything.
- Well, now that we've found it,
I reckon we better get off
before them Injuns find us.
- Well, how about we have lunch now?
That way we can push straight
on through till nightfall.
- Good idea.
Let's head back up under that ledge
that way we can still see the road,
but I don't think anybody will
be able to see us up there.
- Okay.
- All right.
(horse neighs)
(tense music)
- Please hurry. I'm so hungry.
(Mandy chuckles)
Thank you.
- Oh. Here you go.
- Thanks.
It's empty.
- Well, I found the road.
The river shouldn't be too hard.
- Luke, be careful, you hear?
- Clara.
- Thank you, honey.
(Luke humming)
(suspenseful music)
(Luke shrieks)
(Luke screaming faintly)
- Luke! Luke! Luke!
- You know boys, Hanna.
He probably got to chasing
a squirrel or something
and lost track of time.
(suspenseful music)
- Is that you, Luke?
(women screaming)
- Don't shoot her, you jackass!
Not till we get that satchel.
- She's getting away!
- Well go get her then.
- Oh, okay.
- Don't hurt me!
- Stop, they'll hear you.
They have too many guns.
Some of your friends might get hurt.
- Get away from me!
- Well, did you find it?
- No.
Now, where is the satchel?
- Who are you?
- Well, yesterday we was Indians.
- Do you think maybe we could
have this little tea party
some other time?
Where is the satchel?
- We ain't got any satchel!
- Maybe the boy's got it.
- Where is the boy?
- Leave the girl alone!
- All right, you just keep
them pretty little lips shut
and we'll get the boy,
and after we find the kid and we kill him
and we get us the satchel,
we'll have us a little fun.
(Quint and Cyrus laugh)
(woman screaming)
- We'll get to 'em later.
- [Adult Luke] I wanted to
try and take them no goods
right then and there.
But Skyano, chief of the Cherokee,
said as long as Quint and
the boys was lookin' for me,
the girls was safe.
And he was right.
As we rode along, he told
me a bit about his people.
- The road to our new home was hard
and riddled with the bodies of my people.
Many of us died, including my family.
- The Trail of Tears.
I learned about it in
school, back in Fort Riley.
- I was an infant.
Missionaries found us
on the side of the road.
I was still clinging to my mother's robes.
They buried my family
and took me to raise.
- You were lucky.
- (laugh bitterly) Yeah.
If the great white fathers in Washington
had not decreed we could
no longer live on our land,
I would never have lost my family,
or met the (indistinct).
- Gosh, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean-
- That's okay, boy.
I know what you meant.
Your sister and her friends are safe.
- [Luke] Thank you.
- We'll rest here and wait for the others.
- So how did you end up here?
- Well, my adopted mother and father
cared for me a great deal,
treated me as one of their own.
Many people feared for our children
and their children at school.
To them, education was like a magic
one should not own unless one was white.
Then one night, when I was
a grown man, I had a vision.
It said I should return to
my people, to the old ways.
It hurt to say goodbye,
but it hurt more to stay.
- And did you find them?
- No, I found Fast Crow instead.
- Fast Crow?
- The only child of chief
of all the Cherokees.
In white man's world,
it was like marrying the
boss's daughter. (chuckles)
- Is that Fast Crow?
- No, that is (speaks foreign language),
the one who cures.
She's medicine woman.
The spirits gave her her power,
and she brings us good fortune.
And she's as good as any
three men in a battle.
(tense music)
- Are you gonna kill me?
(Skyano laughs)
(medicine woman laughs)
Now what makes you think that, boy?
- Well, I never met many Injuns before,
except the ones bushwhacked
us back on the ridge,
so I just figured that was you.
- (laughs) Those are apple Indians, boy.
- Apple Indians?
- Yep, red on the outside and
white on the inside. (laughs)
Those men you saw take
your sister in the forest,
those were your Indians.
- But why dress up like them?
- Well, perhaps if the army
were only looking for Indians
that attacked a stage,
they might not consider something else
that might still be missing.
Those men are still looking
for something they cannot find.
That's why they still pursue you.
- [Adult Luke] Skyano had
it figured out for a while,
but it wasn't till he said it
I even remembered I still had the satchel.
I wanted to ask him why he
was doing all this for us,
but I guess I already knew,
'cause that's what a man does,
no matter what color he is.
(suspenseful music)
Quint and them didn't know it,
but Skyano had led 'em
just where he wanted.
He'd been planning this attack
from the moment the girls got nabbed.
I asked him how he knew he was right,
and he just smiled and said it was a gift,
like Hanna's cooking.
- That's a pretty good fire.
You're all right, boy.
- So, do we get to wear war paint, too?
- War paint?
No, you see, it's our
custom to appear fierce
and brave against other warriors.
Not those cowards.
- So, tell me what I should do.
- Do? Nothing.
You'll come with us and watch.
- Look, that is my sister out there, okay?
I am not just gonna stand around and watch
while you do the fighting.
- Whoa-oh, this one would fight
for the honor of his sister.
Tree Climber, prepare him.
Tree Climber will help you.
If you're gonna fight with us,
you must be one of us.
- Don't worry, it's nothing.
(soft instrumental music)
- You speak English too?
- Sure.
I learned it from my father.
Come on, let's go.
- Spunky little cuss.
(men laughing)
(soft suspenseful music)
- Don't you come near them.
- Nothing I hate more than a bossy woman.
Oh! (laughs)
(men shouting)
(women shrieking)
Get her! Get her!
Get her!
Lassiter! Lassiter!
- Quiet! They'll hear you.
- Lassiter! Did you get her?
Go get the horses.
- Something's wrong.
- Stay here.
- Lassiter! Cyrus!
Where you going, you
yellow-bellied coward?
(Hanna whimpering)
I'll shoot her!
Smart, real smart.
Look at it this way,
at least you got the
half-breed to torture.
Can't say as it hasn't
been fun, boys. (laughs)
(Tree Climber hoots)
(horse whinnies)
- No, you'll hit Hanna!
(gunshot booms)
- [Adult Luke] I should've
apologized to her
right then and there.
- See? Told you.
- [Adult Luke] Clara could do more
than just talk big and
shoot whiskey bottles.
(horse neighs)
(hopeful instrumental music)
- Whoa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Papa!
- Hanna, Luke! Oh!
I didn't know what happened.
Oh god, I didn't know.
Let me look at you. Let
me look at you. (chuckles)
- [Luke] Papa.
- I didn't know when I'd see you.
- You must be the little ones' father.
- Yes. I do owe you a debt, sir.
Your son told us what all happened.
- The Cherokee do not
make war on children.
It's bad enough when you have
to go into battle with them.
(Jubal laughs)
- Go! Get, go. (grumbles)
- [Skyano] You weren't far?
- No, the stage driver's partner
brought him in all shot up.
They told us about the ambush.
Given time, they reckoned
it wasn't Injuns at all.
It took me all of 30 minutes
to put together a possy
once folks heard it was women and children
that'd been attacked.
The Marshal, he's still
trying to put together
the why to the how, though.
- Well, maybe this will
put some light on things.
- Not only are you a
great warrior, Skyano,
now you're a hero.
- Yeah, well just make sure
your people in Washington know that.
- These guys made you look bad.
- Yes, I know.
How would you like it
if they disguised themselves
as marshals? (laughs)
There's much to tell.
- Come on, meet my father.
(Mandy laughs)
Papa, this here is Amanda McCullough,
the world-famous singer.
- Mr. Morgan.
- Nice to meet your acquaintance, ma'am.
I hope these two didn't
give you too much grief.
- Oh, I don't know what we
would've done without Luke, sir.
And Hanna, she's just
about the best friend
a girl could have.
- Excuse me, folks.
Name's Grant, Denver US Marshal.
Do you think you might be able to answer
a few questions, Miss...
- McCullough.
- McCullough.
- Amanda McCullough, yes.
No, I don't mind a bit.
Well, it all started in Fort Riley,
and I had the worst problem with...
- Father, this here is Clara Tilton.
She's just about the bestest
shot in the whole West.
- That so, Miss Tilton?
- It's Missus.
- Oh.
- She's a widow.
- Luke!
- Well, she is!
- That so?
- We're gonna say
goodbye to someone, Papa.
We'll be right back.
Come on!
- My children told me
you saved their lives.
That's a debt I can hardly repay.
- Well, it were both ways, sir.
Luke did his share of saving.
They're good kids.
- Yeah, don't I know it.
But they are a handful.
- And you said you were on
your way to San Francisco,
ma'am, when these men attacked you?
- That's right, Marshal.
Did you know that they have palaces there?
They can hold 100 people at a time
just to hear somebody sing.
- No, ma'am.
- Believe me, if you spent
a lotta time in tent shows,
you'd realize what heaven
a theater is. (laughs)
- Well, I wouldn't know about that, ma'am.
I save all my singing for church.
And I haven't met anyone
there with talent yet.
- Jubal.
- Pardon?
- It'd be nice if you
called me Jubal, ma'am.
- Well, in that case,
you best call me Clara.
- All right, Clara.
What do you do in these parts?
- Well, I bought a general store
from a man headed east about a month ago.
I gather they ran it in the ground
but it weren't the store's fault.
Bought and paid for.
- Why, this is Cripple Creek Emporium.
That's my store.
- What are you talking about?
- Well, I bought the same store last week.
- Last week?
Well I bought it last month,
and I got the paper to prove it.
It's my store.
- Well that guy must've sold it twice.
- Well the point is, I bought it first!
- Well I got my whole life in that store!
- Well so do I!
- You know, we just built
ourselves an auditorium
here in Denver, ma'am.
- Is that right?
- Yes, ma'am.
It'd be a real pleasure
to hear you sing in it.
Mayor's wife's even talking
about opera, for god's sakes.
- You really think
they'd let me sing there?
- Sure do, ma'am.
(soft instrumental music)
- Well, maybe I could stick
around a little bit. (giggles)
Who knows, if I like
Denver and vice versa,
I might even consider teaching
a few lucky young girls.
- That would be real nice, ma'am.
(Mandy giggles)
- It looks like I got a partner, ma'am.
- Looks like.
- [Adult Luke] It was getting dark
before I had a moment to
say goodbye to Skyano.
- What'd they say?
- That you're too big for your britches.
- Oh yeah?
- They say you're a man
who walks in a boy's body.
They wish me to tell
you they wanna call you
(speaks in foreign language), Little Foot.
- Huh?
- They wish to honor you, Luke.
They think you're very brave
for one who's so young.
- Oh.
So, do you think you'll ever come back?
- What, to the white man's village? No.
- [Luke] Why not?
- Too many white men live there. (laughs)
No, my place is here, boy.
I must teach them what I learned.
- What's that?
- That it's not guns that will defeat us,
like it did the buffalo,
but the lack of the white
man's kinda knowledge.
It's something my people
must learn together.
Perhaps...
- What?
- Perhaps there is someone that'll benefit
from looking at the world
through the white man's eyes.
- Tree Climber?
Yeah, sure, anytime.
I can ask my father and
he can stay with us.
- No, no, no, not today, though.
There's much to be done
before the upcoming winter.
Perhaps I will come to
your village after all
and speak to your father.
So boy, look after your sister always,
and mind your father.
And always remember,
first there's your family
and then there's all else.
- Did someone very wise once say that?
- Yeah, I did. (laughs)
- [Adult Luke] Well,
that's how it happened.
Like I told Hanna-
- Take care, Little Foot.
- [Adult Luke] Dreams don't come true
if you tell 'em outright,
but I finally got mine, and then some.
It's a good thing, too,
'cause I got lots more dreams.
(gentle instrumental music)
♪ Far away, I see a hearth fire burning ♪
♪ Dreams returning to
the place I call home ♪
♪ Far away from where
my heart is yearning ♪
♪ Ever turning to that place far away ♪
♪ Smiles await, ending the journey ♪
♪ Arms will be stretched
in a loving welcome home ♪
♪ Far away, although the road be winding ♪
♪ Now it's worth finding ♪
♪ Can it be far away ♪
(man singing in foreign language)
(lighthearted instrumental music)