02x28 - The Tumbleweed Wagon

[bunniefuu]

Pa, it's ready.

All right,
get your beans.

I hope the food's
better than this
in the territorial prison.

You'll get used to it, mister.
You're gonna be there
for quite a spell.

Ditch-digger shoes
and bib overalls.

Farmer, huh?

He your kid?

Can you beat that?

[ chuckling ]

Two sod-busters
delivering Billy Pore.

How come they
picked you for the job?

Didn't pick.

I asked for work.

Yeah? Why?

'Cause you're money
to me, mister.

My quarterly rent,
food for the winter.

Town pays $50
for delivering

convicted criminals
to the prison wagon.

That all they figure
I'm worth, $50?

No.

You caused
so much trouble,

the town will bonus me
$50 extra

for getting you
stowed away behind bars.

So for $100 you
stuck your neck out.

But if three or four
of my friends

were to come along
and blow your head off,

you never would
have a chance

to spend that money,
would you?

[ laughs ]

Plate's empty, farmer.

Some more beans, son.

Sure, Pa.

Well, I'll say this
for you fellas,

you sure know
how to take care of a man.

I got no chance
to escape,

so I guess
I'll just settle back

and eat up
these beans.

Eat all you like.

Tomorrow, I turn you
over to the marshals

in that prison wagon.

And I go into town
with my receipt,

and get my money.

Pay off my debts.

And keep my family alive
through the winter.

Well, in that case,

you better scrape
the pot, boy.

I'm beginning to get
a start on a real appetite.

As a matter of fact,
mister,

you're kind of like
the answer to a prayer.

Things were looking
kind of dark

for me and my brood

till I got the chance
at that $100

for delivering
you to the lockup.

Answer to a prayer, huh?

[ chuckling ]

Well, nobody ever accused me
of that before.

But I reckon there's
a first time for everything.

[ g*nsh*t ]

I suppose you want me
to thank you

for k*lling him,
is that it?

You nearly
blasted him in two.

What are we gonna do
for money?

How are we gonna live?

I didn't mean to k*ll him,
Dad, I didn't.

He was beating you so
and I was scared.

You could have hit him.

You could have
knocked him out.

I didn't think.

Now I got nothing.

A scratch farm,
family thin as rails,

and nothing to feed 'em
with this winter.

I was only wanting
to save your life, Pa.

To do that,
we had to keep him alive!

Mornin'.

Mornin'.

I'm Joe Warner.

This is my son Morgan.

Howdy.Howdy.

I'm Slim Sherman.

Where you heading?

Back home to Laramie.

Laramie.

That's a far piece
from here.

Yeah, I came up
to buy some stock.

It tastes
better than it smells.

Join me for some coffee
if you care to.

Thank you.

Thank you
very kindly, mister.

Morgan, get our cups
out of the gear.

MORGAN: Sure, Pa.

You ranch down
at Laramie, mister?

Uh-huh.

Me and my boy farm up
near Horse Creek

about 30 miles
from here.

Corn mostly.

Here's the cups, Pa.

It's been bad this year.

Awful bad.

No rain at all.

Yeah, the range
has been dry down

Laramie way too.

Something happen to you,
Mr. Warner?

What do you mean?

That bruise,
side of your face.

Oh, I fell
getting off my horse.

I'm a farmer, mister.

I'm more steady
on the ground.

You already
buy your stock?

Yeah, horses,
north of Glenrock.

How come
they ain't with you?

Oh, they'll be driving 'em down
next week sometime.

You're alone, then.

Yeah.

Stranger here too.

Ain't nobody knows
you except them folks

in Glenrock
and down Laramie way?

That's about
the size of it.

Hold it, mister.

Tie him up.

What, Pa?

Tie him up.

What are you talking about?

Get on with it.
Tie him up.

I don't get it.

You know
I don't have any money,

I spent it
on the horses.

Now what do you want?

A receipt.

A what?

A receipt for $100.

You understand now, boy?

He's gonna be
Billy Pore.

We're gonna deliver him
to that prison wagon.

He's gonna be
our flour, our grits,

our bread
for the winter.

You can't, Pa.

Ain't nobody knows him.

Marshals will take anybody
I bring in.

Paper just names him
Billy Pore,

wanted for stagecoach robbery.

I'll get my receipt.

You heard
of that wagon, mister,

Tumbleweed Wagon?

It's waiting on the plat
to pick up prisoners

and deliver them
to the pen.

And that's where
you're going as Billy Pore.

Go on, tie him up.

Are you out of your head?

Tie him up!

No, Pa!

Get on with it!

This is some kind of a joke,
isn't it?

Or has he just been
in the sun too long?

No, mister.
This ain't no joke.

He's gonna substitute you
for another man.

Hold it, mister.

Don't make
another move like that,

not if you want
to go on living.

Tie him up.

You won't get away
with this.

I will, mister.

I sure will.

From now on in,
you're Billy Pore.

Listen.

You come back
to Laramie with me

and I'll get you
that $100.

[ scoffs ]

Once back to Laramie,

you wouldn't
have to get me nothing.

Just call the law.

He's an innocent man, Pa.

You're gonna send him
to jail

for who knows
how many years.

Stop preaching
at me, boy.

Now, look,
I promise you.

You come back to Laramie,
there won't be any law,

I won't say anything
to anybody.

Pa, look.

Shoshone squaw.

All right.
Put me on the ground.

Take my horse,
my saddle, all the gear.

That will bring in
nearly $100.

Horse and saddle
and everything you own,

only bring questions.

What I've got to come back
with is a receipt.

I aim to get it
down there.

Tumbleweed Wagon,
not a bad name for it.

What I hear,

you'll be covering
plenty of ground

before it stops rolling.

Mornin', Marshal,
I'm Joe Warner.

That's my son Morgan.

You know,
we've been sitting here



We got a man in here
due for hanging.

I'm right
sorry, Marshal.

They're always sorry
when they're late.

We've been out


You know,
we got homes too.

Is that Billy Pore?

No, I'm not Billy Pore.

Here's his papers.

Armed robbery,
attempted manslaughter.

That's a lie.

Get him down
off the horse.

Look, I'm Slim Sherman.

I ranch down
Laramie way.

I'm not Billy Pore.

I don't know
who he is or where he is.

He just gunned me
and tied me up.

His papers are all right.
Better give hima receipt.

That's why
he brought me here,

to get a receipt.

I'm not Billy Pore.

Everyone of you
has got a story.

You didn't rob
and you didn't k*ll.

Somebody else,
a mistake.

You listen to me, son.
We've been traveling
for a week

picking up prisoners
and we're tired.

Just be quiet
and we'll have no trouble.

Will you tell 'em
the truth?

You've been told,
we don't want trouble.

We've got plenty of it
in that wagon.

You got the wrong man!

Hank, open her up.

Send somebody
to Laramie,

the Sherman Ranch,
they'll tell you who I am.

Wagon's open.

MARSHAL:
Here's your receipt.

Thank you very much,
Marshal. Thank you.

Come on, son.
Let's go home.

What do I have to say
to make you understand?

This is just
a scheme of the old man

to pick up
some easy money.

You know
this is a lie.

And you don't like it,
do you?

Tell 'em the truth,
Morgan.

Tell him how you found me
in the gully

and I shared
my coffee with you.

Get away from my boy!

Tell 'em, Morgan!

Get in that wagon.

You've got to listen to him!

Get!

SLIM: Tell 'em the truth!

MARSHAL: You better do
as you're told.

I got to talk
to that boy.

Come on, son,
we're going home.

Come on!

You got company.

Gus, break camp.

Hank, hitch her up.

I sure wish they'd build
some prisons in this territory.

I don't like hauling men
all the way back to Denver,

it gets harder
every time.

Yeah, and we ain't
getting any younger.

I hope we get
no trouble.

When we get there,
they're all still alive.

Nice-looking fella.Mm-hmm.

See what he got
in his jeans.

All right, Hank.

[ marshaling horses ]

She's still trailing us.

Billy Pore, that's what
they called him.

I heard of Billy Pore.

Ben, how's your woman?

Still following us?

Them Indian squaws,
they follow a man like a dog.

Well.

Welcome
to the Tumbleweed Wagon.

Doc here says
he heard of Billy Pore.

Me, I never did.

Take it easy, Charley,
take it easy.

He ain't all here yet.

His feet's on the ground
but his head's in the clouds.

Son, I'm Doc.

I operate with cards.

Faro, euchre,
name it, I'm your man.

They caught me
at crooked game.

Gave me two years.

No cards, nothing.

Where we going?

Colorado.

Territorial prison,
Billy boy.

Don't call me Billy!

Well, a real fire-eater.

Yeah, tough one.

There's a tough man, Billy.

Charley Fox.

Say hello, Charley.

Did you ever hear
of Charley Fox and his g*ng?

Important man
in northern Wyoming.

Big g*ng,
lots of money.

He's on his way to prison
to be hung for m*rder.

He's a tough man, Billy.

Now I'm not Billy Pore!

No, you're a judge
of the federal court, huh?

[ laughs ]

That's a good one,
Charley.

Hey, if it ain't Charley!

You ain't Billy Pore,
who are you?

I'm Slim Sherman.

I was substituted
for Billy Pore.

Oh, sure,
it is a masquerade party!

Oh, that's what this is,
it's a real masquerade party!

No, no. No, this ain't
the Tumbleweed Wagon.

You know
what this is, huh?

The Hotel Astor
in New York.

Ben, Ben,
you hear this guy?

Shut up!
Will you let me be?

Oh, now, Billy,
there's another boy

with a good story.

He didn't do nothin' either.

No, no, no,
he didn't do nothin'.

He just shoved a man,
you know, easy and gentle.

Yeah.

He broke his shoulder,
that's all.

Just for an Indian squaw.

DOC: Yeah, that's a fact.

He's Ben Mountain.
He is a mountain man.

You know,
all muscle, no brain.

He saw a pretty Indian girl,
and he wants to marry her,

live in the mountains.

The chief, he wants money.

So Ben, he robs.

Five years.

And just
for a pretty Indian wife.

Come here, Billy, I want
you to see something.

Come here.

See?

That's her following.

She's gonna die
following me.

She's gonna die.

Go home, Wataki!
Go home!

You know why she's
following you, don't you?

She wants to get your boots
when you die in that jailhouse

and give 'em to her
real Indian husband.

Take it easy.
Ben, take it easy.

They'll chain us
in here, Ben!

Come on!

Cut it out, Charley!

You got something
you want to say, Mr. Pore?

They're going to hang you,
aren't they?

That's right.

Led a band of outlaws,
k*lled some men.

I'm the prize package
in this wagon.

Sure.

I bet you shot them
in the back.

Take it easy, Billy.

I'm not Billy.

No, you're
Little Red Riding Hood.

Don't you start up with me.

Maybe you ain't
this Billy Pore.

Maybe you're figuring
on getting to that jailhouse

and getting identified
and then getting set free, huh?

That's right.

Yeah, well, maybe
you're gonna get disappointed.

'Cause first this wagon's got
to get to the jailhouse.

It ain't there yet.

She's still trailing us.

Vamos!
Beat it!

Go on!

Make her go home, Marshal.

Make her go!

You got to admire her,

to follow him
all the way to pen

and then sit outside
that prison for 5 years

just waiting for him.

Maybe I can ride back
and run her off.

She'll only fade
into the brush,

and when we turn our backs,
she'll be out there

following us again.

Think she might
try something?

You gonna be afraid
of a Shoshone Indian girl?

Hold up at the next
turn out, Hank.

We'll camp there.

Ben, what did Charley mean
about the wagon

not having reached
Colorado yet?

In the mountains,

I was going
to take her there.

That's what
I was gonna do.

Hey, Ben, listen to me.

We were gonna live there.

All the time I'm alone.

Then one day I see her.

All right, so she's a Shoshone,
but she's good for me.

She feeds me,
takes care of me.

I don't feel so all alone.

Are they planning anything?

I don't know.

I don't want anything
to happen, Ben.

I just want to get
to Colorado.

I had to buy her.

You understand, buy her.

I didn't have no money,
so I took it.

I couldn't stand
being alone any longer.

They ain't got no right
to make me alone again.

They just got no right!
They ain't got no--

Easy, Ben.

I understand.

I'm sorry
for you too, Ben.

In fact,
I want to help.

He means it, Ben,
he really does.

I know Charley's
rough sometimes

but he's got a heart,
he's got a real heart.

You worried about
your wife, ain't you?

Well, I can help.

I got friends
who can give her money,

lots of money,
enough to last.

Now, Ben, ain't that a kind
and human gesture?

You mean it?

You bet I do.

But there's something
I want you to do for me first.

What?

Don't listen to him, Ben.

Son!

Never interfere when one fella
is trying to help another.

Now tomorrow we're gonna be
stopping at the Johnson Ranch

to load our water barrels.

Now you're a big man, Ben.

They're gonna want
you to help.

That ranch is gonna have
a message for me.

I want you to get it

and I want
you to deliver it to me.

Will you do that?

And you'll take care
of Wataki?

I sure will.

My friends
will take care of her

like she was their
very own.

I'll bring you the message.

MARSHAL: Come and get it.

Open your mouth
and I'll cut your throat.

All right.

Come on out,
one at a time.

What's the specialty tonight?

Roast pheasant
under glass?

Shut up and get down.

Over by the fire,
get your grub.

No sense
getting this fella here

used to all this fine food,
Marshal,

he don't figure to stay
in the jailhouse that long.

Doesn't he?

Well, he keeps talking about
how he's here by mistake.

Claims he ain't
who he's supposed to be.

Well, I was supposed
to be born rich,

look what happened.

Yeah, funny how things
get mixed up, ain't it?

Fella like him
better be careful.

He's liable to wind up
being nothing at all.

Go on with your eating.

I want to get you
chained to the wheels.

The wheels?

Yeah, that's your boudoir,
Billy boy. Yeah.

Chained to them wheels.

So you don't go
nowhere at night.

And the marshals know exactly
where you're at.

[ Wataki singing
in distance ]

Sit down.

Sit down.

She might be
starving out there.

Somebody ought
to take her some food.

I'm going
to take her a plate.

Fill it up.

That's good.

I brought you
some food!

You don't have to be afraid!

It's right here!

I'm leaving it
for you!

I couldn't find her
out there.

I left the food
on the ground.

You got a kind heart,
Marshal.

I got to remember you
in my will.

I don't want
any lip out of you.

All right, you're finished,
on your feet.

[ Wataki singing ]

What's she saying, Ben?

What's the chant for?

Courage.

To give herself courage
for something she must do.

All right,
move to the wheels.

Come on, move.
You two on the other side.

Sit down.

[ continues singing ]

[ singing stops ]

She stopped.

Maybe she stopped
to eat.

Maybe.

Ben, what are you doing?

No, Wataki, no, no.

The wheel.

Get back
to the wheel.

Ben, you're crazy.

You'll just get yourself into
more trouble breaking out.

I don't trust them.

Who?

Them.

They're not going
to take care of Wataki.

They're thinking
something else.

Wataki saw something.

What?

More, Wataki, more.

What's going on there?

Run, Wataki, run.

Hold it,
right where you are!

Get down, Ben!
Get down!

Put it down.

You're not doing him
any good with it, put it down.

Put it down.

Shoulder wound.

Would you like
to care for him

for the rest of the trip?

All right.

Hank, give us a hand.

We can let them
in now.

Were you in on this?

What do you mean?

You yelled for him to duck.

I don't like to see
any man shot down.

Oh, Billy Pore
would never do that, huh?

I told you before,
I'm not Billy Pore.

Look, I don't like you

and on top of that
I don't trust you.

So from now on,
just watch your step, huh?

Get inside.

All right, Hank,
hitch 'em up.

Gus, break camp.

It could be you,
Billy boy.

What?

We lost our messenger,

and I'm expecting
a message

when we fill
the water barrels tomorrow.

Durant
don't like you.

He just might ask you
to help fill them barrels.

So if it is you,

and if the rancher does
tell you something,

you're gonna tell me.

Am I?

Give me.

Are you?

You wouldn't
get away with it.

You mean they're gonna
hang me for k*lling you?

You know
I got nothing to lose.

[ Doc laughing ]

Pa, you asleep?

No.

Then you got
to help me, Pa.

I'm feeling
kind of sick.

Oh, you're just
hungry, boy.

We'll be home tomorrow.

There will be
plenty of good vittles then.

No, Pa, it ain't that.

It's the money,

what we did
to that Sherman fella.

I recoil over
every time I think of him.

Don't think about it then.

Takes a heap more
than thinking

to feed a family through
a starve,

I can tell you that.

Pa...

is this what you
growed me up for,

so I could feel
all rotten inside?

'Cause if it is,

I'd as soon starved
a long time ago.

That's crazy talk, boy.

Go to sleep.

Beholding to you, Pa.

But it ain't crazy.

What good is living

if this is what
it comes down to?

Now, look here, boy.

I got your ma
and the others to think about.

How do you suppose
they're going to feel

if we was to come home
empty-handed?

We didn't come home
going like this.

There's a man's life
to answer for.

How is he?

No!

It's all right, Wataki,
I just want to help.

[ groans ]

Wataki.

She's right here, Ben.

She's right here.

It's a clean wound.

You're going
to be all right.

It's like a fire.

Ben, I got
to ask you something.

It keeps burning.

While you were chained
at the wheel,

you said something
about Wataki.

That she didn't trust him.

'Cause she saw something.

What did she see, Ben?

Ben, you got to tell me,
what did she see?

Two or three men
on horseback

riding along the ridge
following the wagon,

trying to keep
out of sight.

Who were they?

Bad.
I can tell.

They bring trouble.

Death.

I figure
they're gonna--

they're gonna
raid the wagon.

All right, you,
on your feet,

you're gonna haul water.

Now don't make me
come in there

and get you, Mr. Pore.

That's right,
help the man, Billy boy,

and earn
our undying gratitude.

If you think
I'm interested

in your gratitude
or anything else you've got,

you're talking
to the wrong man.

If he's even thinking
of stepping out of line,

I'll k*ll him.

There's one more.

Come on, shake a leg.

Pine Top Ridge.

Huh?

Pine Top Ridge.

You talking to him?

Oh, he just asked me
to pump slower,

so he could rest
a little more.

Pump fast.

MARSHAL: All right, Hank,
let her roll.

Well?

Well what?

You got a message
for me.

Maybe.

Give me.

I got
some conditions first.

What are you trying
to do, boy?

You got a message
for Charley Fox,

you give it to him.

He ain't a man to play
games with.

Conditions still stand.

You cut my throat,
you get nothing.

All right,
what you got in mind?

I want to know
what it means, the message.

I want to know
what's going on.

Well, you'll be part of it,
if that's what's worrying you.

I want to know
what it means.

It means a jump
on the wagon.

The message tells me
when and where.

His whole outfit,
Charley Fox's g*ng.

They're gathering to bust
this wagon wide open.

Smash it like a melon.

What about the marshals?

I got a dozen men
waiting someplace.

They'll g*n down
those marshals like sheep.

I'm Charley Fox,
you understand?

Nobody is gonna hang me

or keep me in a cell
or in a box.

I'll give them their marshals
on a wooden board.

What's the message?

I haven't got one.

He didn't give it?

Sure, he did.

What do you think
I'm gonna do,

give it so innocent
men get k*lled?

The message.

It's for the marshals,
not you.

Marshal,
there's gonna be--

CHARLEY: The knife.
Get me the knife!

Give me the knife.

The girl's got it.

Get it!

What's going on?

Get up.

Listen...

I said get up.

He started it,
Marshal.

He came at Charley
with a knife.

What?

A knife, I knocked it
out of his hand,

the girl's got it.

We were sitting here
passing time, telling jokes,

then all of a sudden
he comes at us like a mad man.

He ain't safe, Marshal.
He ain't safe.

You're lying!

Get outside.

That's just fine
with me.

I got something else
to say.

Come on.

There's gonna be--Get!

They're gonna
ambush the wagon

at Pine Top Ridge.

Charley Fox's g*ng.

They are, huh?

The rancher
gave me the message.

Now you're gonna be k*lled
unless you go another way.

Change direction,
huh?

You've got to.

Hank, bring me a chain.

You've been causing
nothing but trouble.

So I'm gonna
put you on a leash.

I'm gonna tie you up
just like a dog.

You're going to be
ambushed.

Now you got to go
another way.

We're not stupid,
boy.

Just could be
changing directions

could help you out.

I'm telling the truth!Truth?

You've been spouting
nothing but lies

from the first minute
I saw you.

Gus, chain him
to that brake.

You're gonna walk.

You're gonna pay
for causing that trouble

and for hiding
this too.

All right,
let's roll.

Will you get it through
your thick skull that--

Roll!

Pine Top Ridge.

When it happens,
I'm gonna k*ll you myself,

personally.

Hold on, Hank.

You want a drink, boy?

No.

Give me your word
you won't start trouble,

and I'll put you
back in the wagon.

Where are we?

Pine Tree Ridge
right up ahead.

Listen to what I told you
about that raid.

They're waiting
up there for you.

Riders coming.

Is that your raid,
mister?

Two riders.

You've got to let him go,
Marshal. You've got to.

Let who go?

Him.
He ain't Billy Pore.

MARSHAL: What?

JOE: He ain't.

Billy Pore jumped me.

My boy k*lled him.

Billy Pore is dead.

We buried him.

What's the matter with you?
You gone loco?

It's the truth, Marshal.

I k*lled him
to save my pa.

Well, then who's he?

I-- I couldn't collect
the money lest

I delivered a live man,
so I chose him.

A stranger riding home.

Here's your receipt,
Marshal.

He ain't Billy Pore.

I swear it, he ain't.

Send somebody back

and I'll show you
Billy Pore's grave.

He's an innocent man.

I sold him like a sl*ve.

Lord, forgive me.

It's the truth.

What do you think?

Well, he ought to know
who Billy Pore is.

Could be a trick.

Well, it isn't.

And neither is what I told you
about Pine Top Ridge.

Turn 'em around, Hank.

We're going another way.

No!

Keep on going!

Giddyup! Giddyup!

Hold it!

Get up on the seat.

Turn 'em around.

Hyah!
Ha!

Hey, there they are,
up along the ridge!

We can't make
a run for it.

Everybody
under the wagon.

Hey!

Here, take this, mister,
I hope you can sh**t.

Thanks.

It's going wrong,
all wrong.

[ g*nshots ]

Pa!

Hand me my g*n, son.

[ g*nshots ]

[ g*nsh*t ]

Pa!

Keep firing, boy,
or we'll all get k*lled.

How many is left?

See how many.

[ g*nshots ]

Five.
Five, I think.

[ g*nshots ]

Go on,
make a run for it.

Yeah.

[ g*nsh*t ]

We've driven them off.

They're clearing out.

They ain't gonna hang me.

No. No!

Let me go!Shut up.

Let her go.
I'll k*ll you.

Let her go.

She's gonna get me
out of here.

Marshal!

Marshal!

Go on,
sh**t, sh**t!

Let her go, Charley.

No, they ain't gonna
hang me.

I got a long way
to live yet.

You'll never get away
with it.

We'll see about that.

Now you come near me,
I'll k*ll her.

Ben.

Come on,
mountain man, run.

Run for your woman.

Let her go.

Ben, come back here!

You hear him, mountain man,
he's got good ideas.

Listen to him!

No.

Ben,
get out of the way.

Don't come near me.

Don't come any closer.

Let her go!

[ Wataki singing
in native language ]

Welcome home,
Mr. Sherman.

You're only
a couple days late.

I couldn't help it, Jess.

You was detained,
is that it?

Yeah, I was detained.

Well, I've been doing
all the chores.

Gathering up horses,
changing teams, mending fences,

a flock of other things
that tire a man out.

You look fine to me.

All that work
must have done you good.

Just what was you
detained by?

Jail maybe?

A gambler?

A woman?

All three.

Jail, a gambler
and a woman?

Yeah, and a leader
of an outlaw g*ng.

Slim, this ain't funny.

I've been working
like a dog around here.

Next time there's
any stock to buy, I'll go.

Well, as long as you won't
believe me, Jess, I--

I might as well own up
to the truth.

I met a red-headed gal.

She's the prettiest thing
you ever did see.

I should have knowed.

Why didn't you just tell me
that in the first place?

Well, I should have known

that I couldn't put
anything over on you.

Come on inside.

Come on inside,
I'll tell you all about it.