01x04 - Fugitive Road

[bunniefuu]

[ wind blowing heavily ]

[ groans ]

Awful twister,
eh, sarge?

Sergeant Jordan!

Not now.

Sergeant, please,
I wish--

All right, Areka,
here you are.

Sergeant Jordan,
I...

You will need one such
as me to read the trail.

Oh, I won't.

You're staying here.

Major--
I know what you're
gonna ask for, Abe,

and the answer is no.

You mean you're gonna
let Brady get away?

With 18 troopers
left in the command,

I have no choice.

I can't send a patrol out
looking for him

and that's that.

Well,
is there anything else?

Yes, sir.

First Sergeant Abe Jordan
requests permission

to handle
this matter alone.

I've been going
through his gear,

got some letters
from Laramie.

He's got kin there.

There's one thing this
whole world could do without

and that's a pest...

like a certain frying
sized tick I know.

Andy's friend,
I reckon

I could do without
both of them.

What do you two think?

Aw, you know it
all the time.

When you come up wind,
I smell that liniment

I put on your salve
when that horse
threw you.

He didn't
neither throw me.He did, too.

Hey, wouldn't happen
to know where I could find

a couple of good hands
to help me

tend a small spread
I own, do you?

Like, there's a fence needs
fixing in the south meadow.

Now, mister,
I don't know.

We got pretty good bunks
over at the Sherman place,

of course, now if you
really need help.

What do you say?

Sure, why not?

Looks like a nice
enough fella.

I might even make up some of
that mulligan for supper,

like I do over
at the Sherman's.
Oh, now
wait a minute.

That's the one reason
I was quitting, to get
away from that stew.

Well, if you're expecting
any meat in yours, don't.

There won't be any.

Andy, go give Jonesy
a hand.

[ horses neighing ]

Whoa there.

Jonesy!

Jonesy!

Jonesy!

What's wrong,
Andy?

You stay inside.

And you stay
right where you are.

I'm warning you,
boy.

Don't--

Don't k*ll me.

Please don't k*ll me.

I... I...

Get a bunk ready
right away.

Jonesy,
what happened?

Hurry! Hurry!

You know, Slim, next week
will make 2 months.

Huh?

The longest I stayed
in one place

since old Jeff Davis
called it quits.

Oh.

You miss the big open,
Jess?

Sometimes.

I've been 5 years
on the drift.

You ever
go back to Texas?

Yeah,
once after the w*r,

and there was nothing
left there for me.

So you went looking
for what was gone,

someplace else, huh?A lot of places.

Well, I don't think a man
ever finds what he loses,

just something
to take its place.

You got
the first half right,

time will tell about the rest,
for me anyway.

For me it was kind of nice
to stop reaching up.

Just needs
getting used to.

Takes time
to drive a stake deep.

Eh, this is a good
country, Jess.

Good land.

It holds a stake firm
once it's set in.

Yeah,
it's good country.

A lot of land open
for homesteading.

Oh, now
take it slowly.

Everything
in its time.

Let me get used
to the bridle

before you set
the saddle, huh?

Hey, you're back.

Hey, you sit down.

Gil!

Hi, Slim.Hi.

Here's one of
Slim's shirts.

Oh, thank you, Andy.Hey, what happened to you?

I'm in trouble,
Jess.

Terrible trouble.

What is it?

Well, I deserted.You what?

Listen to what
he's got to say

before you start in
on him.

Oh,
Slim Sherman.

Slim, Gil Brady.

How are you,
Mr. Sherman?

Now what's this
about deserting?

Well, don't hound
at me, Jess.

I'm not hounding at you,
I just want to know why.

ANDY: There's
a good reason, Jess.

There's no good reason
for deserting, Andy.

JESS: What about Francie?She's all right.

She's going to meet me
when I get up to Canada.

And that's why I came here,
see, for you to help me.

Don't mix in it,
Jess.

He's after me
by now.

It won't take him
long to find me.

Who are you
talking about?

His name is Abe Jordan.

He almost
got Gil k*lled.

GIL: He's crazy, Jess.
I swear he's crazy.

Is this Jordan
in the army?

Yeah, he's a sergeant
at the post.

You mean you ran away 'cause
you got a tough sergeant?

Yeah, I got
a tough sergeant,

look at
my face here.

He's the one
that did that?

Oh, he had it
done.

What did you do
to deserve it?

I happened to have been
born too far south,

just about
as simple as that.

I was on that army post
for 14 months,


has been fighting a w*r

that's been over
for 5 years.

And when he found out I'd
been at the Wilderness Battle

in '64,

he started in on me.

He ain't never let up.

I was only


I was a drummer boy,
you know that, Jess.

But he lost
a brother there.

Bad enough I wore gray


but I was
at the wilderness, too,

and for 14 months
I took it.

He caught me
trying to desert.

So you got
the best of it.

You know what they usually
do to deserters, don't you?

Yeah, I do.

He catches me,
he'll do a press hall.What do you want me to do?

In that last letter
you wrote you mentioned
you'd been up

the Lolo trail
into Yellowstone.

Sure, but that was


I want you
to take me into Canada

through the Lolo.

You'll
never make it.

Well,
it's either making it

or Abe Jordan.

Why drag Jess
into this?

He just told you he doesn't
remember the whole trail.

He can't help you.

Well,
it's the quickest way,

and that map
you got would help.

What map?

I showed him that
survey map you made up,

thought maybe
you'd like to help.

Oh, I could do it
with a map, Slim.

What about
the good country?

Don't throw
all that away, Jess.

I've got to help him.

No, you don't.There's a reason.

And a good one.

He told Andy and me.

That Francie
I mentioned,

she's my kid sister...

and Gil's wife.

I won't
give it to you, Jess.

What?

Hey, Jess.

If your sister is the reason
for you going, tell me this,

what's gonna happen
once he gets up there?

You think
this is gonna end?

If the army wants him,
they'll find him,
he knows that.

He'll be on the run
for the rest of his life

and dragging Francie
right along with him.

And besides,

no matter
how you weigh it,

it still comes out
deserter.

I'm still going.

It's your choice.

Well, I guess
that cuts it.

Well,
of all the bullheaded.

You two will need
some food and water.

I'm-- I'm sorry,
Jess.

Well, don't be.

Stakes weren't driven
in too deep anyway.

What's the matter?

Forget about
your sacroiliac?

No, but there are some
things I'd like to forget.

I gave them
an extra horse.

I know.

You could take it
out of my wages.

Jess had wages
due him.

Pretty nice, getting
rid of a debt that easy.

Jonesy,
I'm in no mood.

And I don't figure
I had any debt.

While you keep figuring
that way, Slim,

you may not have
any debts

and you may not have
anything else either.

You're all fired sure
of your little pearls
of wisdom, aren't you?

One thing
I am sure of,

something's gonna happen
to those two boys out there,

something bad.

That trail
gets mighty rough.

Jess can take care
of himself.

Yes, I know that,
sure he can,

but not with that
short horn in tow.

Hey, Jonesy,
look at these boots.

Hmm, nice, huh?

Just like the ones
Jess has.

Yeah.

Oh, Andy,

that song
you wanted me to sing?

Oh, sure, Jones.

♪ Well, my song concerns
an outlaw named Sam Older ♪

♪ Who robbed the rich to give
the poor their fairly due ♪

♪ No wonder he could turn
to tears from here to boulder ♪

♪ The night his friend
Wes Tanklett shot him through ♪

♪ And through ♪

♪ Now the lilacs sweep
the hill where Sam lies under ♪

♪ And a shrine of silver
holds his g*n intact ♪

♪ But when shadows fall,
the raven's call as we forget ♪

♪ That Wes Tanklett shot
Sam Older in the back ♪

All right, Jonesy,
that's enough.

That isn't all of it, Andy,
but funny thing about it,

Wes Tanklett never did sh**t
Sam Older in the back.

He was haunted
for 10 years by that song

until he dug up
the real culprit.

The music bother you,
Slim?

Yeah,
I'm trying to work.

It's about that time
anyway, Andy, let's go.

ANDY: I don't care
if he is my brother,

he shouldn't have done it.

Suppose they get lost,

suppose they run out
of food and water.

Slim should have
let 'em have that map.

Wouldn't have hurt
to do that, would it?

Andy.

Andy, you got no right
being mad at me 'cause
I did what I had to.

I'm mad because
you let down a friend.

That's worse than
stealing a man's horse

and leaving him afoot.

A man can always
get another horse,

but a good friend's
hard to come by.

Well, thanks, Jonesy,
you're really helping things.

Turning my own brother
against me

with your
back country singings.

Now don't get your feathers
on in with me, boy.

Nobody has turned
anybody against you,

except yourself.

Seems as if
you forgot, Slim,

it was you that said
that about friends.

And what Jess
is doing is wrong.

I got no call
to do wrong, too.

Yeah, but Jess
is your friend.

And Brady is a deserter,
I'm not gonna help him.

You said that before.

More than once.

Slim's not mad at us,
Andy.

He's just
mad at himself.He ought to be.

Well, we've got to look at it
a little bit from his side.

Now he wants
to help Jess,

I can see that.But I can't.

Well, of course,
he's not thinking
entirely of himself.

You know, a man
could be put in jail

for maybe 10 years
for helping a deserter.

You know that.

He doesn't want that,

especially, a man
that's got a little brother

he's trying
to grow up.

You sound like
you're on his side.I didn't say that.

I just want you to know that
he's got a side, that's all.

Say, Jonesy...

what's he gonna do?

Well,
what do you think?

We better ruffle up some
grub for him to take along.

Yahoo!

All you got to do is tell me
what you're looking for.

You have a hand here,
a man named Jess Harper.

Where is he?Is that what you came
barging in for?

Nobody here
by the name of Harper.

Mister, you know
the penalty

for helping
an army deserter?

Mm, this fellow Harper,
he's a deserter?

Andy!What's going on here?

Let go
of this boy!

He tried to steal
your horse.

Do like he says.

Come on.

I thought I'd told you
to stay at fort.

Areka quit army
to go look for Brady.

You'll obey
my orders?

Yes, sergeant.

We look
for Brady together.

All right, go on,
look around.

Yes, sergeant,
right away.

Stealing your horse?

Look, soldier,
what is this?

Harper, Brady,
manhandle on the boy?

I don't quite know
what it's all about,

and I want you and
your Indian to git.

Mister, I just rode 20
straight hours to get here.

Now don't start playing
the tackhead with me.

This isn't the army,
so don't you play

the sergeant with me.

Come on, Andy.

Jess Harper wrote a letter
to a man named Brady.

I traced that letter
to Laramie.

Man at the post office
told me

I could
find him out here.

Well, Pinkerton's could use
a smart man like you.

Mister, I'm gonna ask you
just one more time.

Where is this Harper?

You got me
a little bit confused.

Who do you want?
Harper or this man Brady?

I want Brady,
but I think he came
here to see Jess Harper.

Now I want to know
if he did!

Once you know,
then what?

Look, sergeant,
from the barn.

You want to argue
with this?

Well,
Brady was here,

but he and Harper
went to Texas.

They went to Canada
over the Lolo trail.

How do you
figure that?

'Cause Canada
is the only place

that Brady thinks
he'll be safe

and the Lolo trail's

the shortest way
to get there.

We go now?

No, the horses need rest
and so do we.

We'll leave
in the morning.

If you have any thought
about riding out of here

ahead of us later,
don't.

He sleeps
with both eyes open.

Not you or anyone else
is gonna stop me

from getting Brady.

He's mine!

We better walk 'em,
Gil.

You sure
this is the right way?

I stopped being sure


If we only had that map.

Well, we don't.

It'd be a lot easier.

We haven't backtracked yet,
we're still heading north.

Jess...

you think
we're going to make it?

We'll make it.

[ neighing ]

Now what do we do?

[ panting ]

Keep going...

on foot.

Come on.

Give me your hand.

Jess, I'm scared.

Well, you got company.
Now give me your hand.

[ screams ]

[ coughs ]

One thing I never learned
how to do was to swim.

How did you like
your first lesson?

Fine.

Except
I never figured

you'd be here
to give it to me.

I'm full of
surprises.

Look, I got three horses
waiting back up the trail.

Let's go.

Two riders,
maybe 6, 7 hours.

Other rider still follow,
maybe 5 hours.

Yeah,
he's getting closer.

How much light
do we have left?

Enough to go


They'll be making
camp soon.

Maybe closer
to Canada.

We'll get them before
he reaches the border.

Him and Harper

and anybody
who's with him.

I'll see to it personally
that they regret helping him.

We'll make camp here
for the night.

Well, there's still a few
hours of light left, Slim.

Couldn't we go
a bit further?

Get a fire going,
Brady.

Well, it can't be much
further to the border.

Oh, it's not.

The sooner
we get into Canada,

the sooner you get
back to the ranch.

I know.

Slim, I haven't said
anything, but...

you know me
and Gil are obliged,

you showing us the way.

I didn't do it
for him.

Oh,
don't be too hard on him.

He's just a kid
who never grew up.

Yeah.Well, it's different
with you and me.

We've been around,
we could handle something
like a Sergeant Jordan,

but Gil,
he's just a--
Yeah, I know.

He's just a young kid
that never grew up.

Jess, you ever thought
what the army would do to you

if they found out you were
helping a deserter?

He's my kin,
I didn't bother to think.

But he's not yours.

No, he's not.

There is still enough
light to travel,

we should not stop now.

They'll be stopping,
too.

Maybe they'd
keep going.

No reason for them
to push themselves.

They don't know
we're after them.

Besides the trail's
too dangerous

to follow after dark.

I go take a look
further on.

You want Brady
as bad as I do.

But remember this,
he's mine.

[ grunting ]

If it meant my life,
I couldn't eat
another forkful.

No wonder you put away
enough for three.

Right, Slim?

If you say so,
Jess.

What are you gonna do
when you get to Canada?

Oh, try and find me a job
somewheres, I reckon.

I hope, well, with
Francie coming along.

Yeah.

Where are you gonna
meet her?

What?

Oh! Oh, it's a place
called Calgary.

You know we haven't talked
about her all this time.

Tell me about her, Gil,
how is she?

Oh, she's fine,
fine.

You two
got any youngins yet?

What kind of a husband
you think I am?

I mean, me being
in the army, you know,

No, sir, that's
no way to have kids.

We were saving money
for a family though.

Maybe now
we can have one.

Hey, how about that,
Slim?

I'm gonna be an uncle.Swell.

What's she look like, Gil?

Still big-eyed
and scrawny?

No, Jess, no, no.

She filled out nice.

Last time I saw her
she wasn't but 16.

All elbows and knees.You wouldn't know her now,
she is quite a woman.

You know,
when I went home

and found out
you two got married,

I was mighty happy
and indebted to you.

I used to worry
about her

being alone
and all.

She been a good wife?

None better,
Jess.

And I done my best
to make her happy.

I'm gonna turn in.

See to it
that fire keeps going.

Sure, Slim.

Goodnight.

Yeah, sleep good,
Slim.

Thanks.

[ bird hooting ]

Sergeant?

I'm awake.

Well, they're only
a few miles away.

You sure?

Tracks are 1,
maybe 2 hours old.

Good.

We go after them now?

No, it'll be
too dangerous.

It's too dark,
they might hear us.

I don't want to lose
Brady now.

We'll start
just before sun-up.

The bridge across
the Canadian border

is not too far away.

I said we'll leave
just before sun-up.

I don't want
to lose Brady.

If we wait, we may
lose him anyway.

Areka, I heard you
coming at the camp

for the last


What chance in
they hearing it?

I wasn't trying
to be quiet.

When I want to be,
I can,

you know that,
sergeant.

I'm no Indian.

I told you what we're
gonna do and that's that.

Now turn in!

[ horses neighing ]

You sleep pretty light.

It comes from having
nothing on my mind.

Coffee?

Yeah.

[ dog howling ]

Well,
couple more hours

and we'll be across
the bridge to Canada,

and it'll be all over.

Yeah.

Never been
to Canada before.

I reckon I'll stay
for a while

and have a look
around.

Don't bother.

It's just another part
of the big open.

Maybe.

But it ain't good when
a friendship makes a man

go against himself.

Yeah, but sometimes
a friendship

or a man needs a test.

Well, it ain't too hot,
but it's coffee.

Thanks.

You understand
why I did it?

Yeah, I guess so.

It's on account
of Francie.

Yeah, that's the way
I had it figured.

But I still don't think
you're helping

either one of them.

You think they'll be
on a high lope now, huh?

If the army
tries to stop him.

Or maybe not.

But that's better than him
being in Yuma prison.

What, you like
the idea of Francie
maybe not having a home?

I like the idea of her having
her man to look after her.

A man?
He's just a kid.

Eh, maybe so,

but she's got a right
to some happiness.

Everybody does.

A man's free
to strike out on his own

if what he's leaving
doesn't suit him.

That's what I did.

But it's different
with a woman,

she's got
to make due.

That's the way
things are.

Francie wasn't even a woman,
she was just a kid.

There was a lot of us
Harpers then.

Francie was the only one
worth anything.

And I left,
one on the drift,

left her with them.

They're all gone now.

Francie's found somebody
who cares about her

and I'm gonna
do my best

to see
she doesn't lose him.

I turned my back on her once
when she needed me.

I'm making up
for it now.

Well, I guess it's just
a matter of a man

doing what he feels
is right.

There comes a time
when a man has to think

with something
other than his head.

I only wish
Brady was worth it.

I think he is.

I don't.

It's almost dawn.

There'll be light
in a couple of hours.

Think I'll stretch out.

Gil!

[ g*nsh*t ]

He tried to k*ll me!

He can't
hurt you now!

He's ours, bro!

Why that Indian
wants you dead?

I don't know,
I swear.
He singles you out,

went right by me
and went for you.
I want to know why.

You've been climbing on him
ever since we left Laramie.

Now lay off!That Indian's a scout
for the army.

So he's a scout
for the army,
then there's your answer
why he went for Gil.

Since when did they start
k*lling deserters

instead of taking them
back for trial?

He'd k*ll me for the $20
bounty on deserters.

That satisfy you?

k*ll me quiet like
and sneak away,

come back for his proof
after you'd gone.

What about that,
Indian?

You heard
what they said.

Is that why you tried
to k*ll him, for the bounty?

His life is not
worth that.

And you and the other
are like him.

Then why did you
try to k*ll him?

For Palo Duro Canyon.

What about
Palo Duro Canyon?

I don't know
what he's talking about.

I talk about 20 men
who died there

because you
deserted under fire.

He's lying!
I talk about
the boy soldier

who fell at Palo Duro
with a w*r lance in his throat,

whose brother beat you,
the marks you carry now!

That's a lie!

Sergeant Jordan
ordered--

I talk about the Sioux scout
who fell at Palo Duro

fighting
his own people,

because he believed
the white man was right!

Don't listen
to him, Jess!
It ain't so.

It was Jordan, him
and his [ indistinct ]
call of the wilderness.

Doesn't it seem to you
that in the 14 months

he says Jordan's
been riding them

that fort commander
would have heard,

that he would have done
something about it?

I don't know.

What do you mean
you don't know?

Jess, you ain't
turning on me.

You ain't gonna
believe this Indian

instead of your own kin?

All right.

Gil!

You chose.

Now are you convinced?

Was the Indian right?

Did those soldiers
die on account of you?

No, but if you
want to believe it,
you go right ahead.

JESS: If that's so,
put the g*n down.

GIL: Oh, no.
You showed me
where you stand.

I ain't going back
and have Jordan k*ll me.

JESS:
Gil, I give you my word.

Jess, I don't want to,
but so help me,

I'll k*ll you
where you stand.

You move...

you'll get the same.

Well, of all
the stupid things.

Maybe
it's for the best.

Yeah?

Well, tell it
to the dead Indian.

Well,
he tried to knife Gil.

And you heard why.

I heard, but I ain't
so ready to believe.

If it makes you
feel better.

Get the g*ns.

It's gonna be up to you
to find enough rocks to--

[ g*nsh*t ]

Gil!

No, it came from
back down the trail.

SGT. JORDAN:
All right, Brady,

you and your friends
stand up,

slow-like.

[ g*nsh*t ]

SGT. JORDAN: Stand up!
It's the last b*llet
I'm gonna waste!

Who k*lled him?

Brady.

Where is he?

He's gone.

[ g*nsh*t ]

[ horse neighing ]

No, no, no,
I'll be all right.

I should have figured
Brady would try
something like this.

He'll go free for a while,
but you two are gonna pay
for helping him.

You're in no position
to make any threats.

Besides, he had
nothing to do with it.

I had
as much as he did.

That must make you
Jess Harper,
the brother-in-law.

That's right.Don't be surprised,
I read his mail.

Did he cook up
some fancy story for you?

He told us a few things.

About Palo Duro?
About your sister?

What about her?Oh, Brady had a fancy
for deserting things,

his friends,
his wife.

Francie?
Where is she?

She's dead.
He left her.

She couldn't stand being
alone, she k*lled herself.

You're lying!

When?

Over 3 months ago.

I'll be back.

Be careful, Jess.

I guess
you don't like the way

I talk to your friend.

Oh, that's too bad.

I'm gonna get Brady
and he's the only one

in good enough shape
to go after him.

I couldn't get very far,
neither could you.

Brady's gonna hang.

He's gonna pay
for Palo Duro...

and for him.

[ panting ]

Gil!

I'm taking you back!

You'll have
to sh**t me first!

What about Francie?

Francie is dead!

[ screams ]

h*!

So long, Andy.

Bye, sarge.

Well, sarge, any man
who could put away

three bowls
of my mulligan--

Has to have
a cast iron stomach.

Now you listen--

Jonesy, anytime you want
another job, you see me.

All you got to do
is sign up for 6 years
and do exactly
as you're told.

Oh-h*, I don't think I'd do
very well in the army.

I've got a sacroiliac
that just won't let up.

Besides,
we wouldn't let him go.

Goodbye,
sergeant.

Sherman.

Harper.

I kept saying it
coming back 500 miles,

I'm sorry for telling you
like I did.

You did
the right thing,

and so did I.

[ whistles ]

You reckon this country
will take them stakes again?

It never let go
of the other ones.