04x27 - The Last Battleground

[bunniefuu]

[ horses approaching ]

What are you up to,
mister?

You're on
Sherman Ranch property.

I couldn't let you
stop me.

Not now...

not after I found it.

Found what?

Sixty thousand in gold.

We're sittin' on it.

At least I can die
a rich man.

Golly, it sure
didn't miss you by much.

I won't need a haircut
for another month.

Jess, are you sure
you're all right?

Oh, I'm fine,
Daisy.

All I need is
another hat.

You find out
who it was?

No more than I found some papers
with his name on it.

Ned Billings.

Nobody seemed
to know him.

Ned Billings.

Never heard of him.

I wonder
what he was up to.

Beats me.

Funny thing though.

Before he died
he said something

about sitting
on 60,000 in gold.

All I found was
some pieces of a wagon,

an old wagon at that.

What's the rest of it?

There's not much more
to tell.

Found a hub
from a busted wheel,

some pieces of wood.

One of them had
some faded printing on them,

I couldn't make it out.

Looked to me
like army markings.

Where is it?

Well,
I left it with Mort.

I figured
he'd want to use it.

Slim.

You mind telling me
what's eating you?

I have to
get into town.

If it's because of
anything I did,

I want to know, Slim.

I have to stop Mort
from talking to anyone

about what you found.

Now do you mind?

You're too late.

What do you mean?

Lot of people saw me
bring the body into
the sheriff's office.

Al Frazier
even came over

from the paper
to get a story on it.

Nobody could figure out
what the markings
on the wood was,

but Mort's gonna try
and find out.

How?

Mort's sending a telegram
to Fort Sanders and--

Slim, what's wrong
with you?

Why didn't you tell me
first, Jess?

Now just plain
mind your own business.

Now wait a minute.

Jess, I've never seen Slim
like this before.

Do you know
what it's all about?

No, I don't, Daisy.

But I'm gonna
find out.

I guess
it'll have to wait.

His mother and father,
they must be part of this.

Slim's the only one
that can tell us that, Daisy.

[ clattering ]

I'm not waiting
any longer, Daisy.
Oh, Jess.

He's been up there
for over an hour. No supper,
not a word to anyone.

I've had enough.

No, dear, go back
to your school work.

Well?

I'm looking for somethin'.

Like what?

A hole to crawl in?

I wish it was that easy.

You still say
I put you in it?

You had no way
of knowing, Jess.

If I knew, I likely
wouldn't do it again.

I didn't tell you
about it

because I was trying
to forget it myself.

I thought it was over,
done with.

Your mother.

Yeah.

It all happened
when I was in the army.

So I didn't hear about it
from her till I got back.

It was a start of a bad winter
in the middle of the w*r.

Pa had gone to the upper rays
to bring the stock down
before the heavy snows hit.

So ma had to take care
of things the best she could.

About the same time
some Confederate raiders

stole a convoy of union wagons
from the Cheyenne army.

Those wagons were never seen
or heard from again.

But a week or so
later Pa came home,

shot up, half frozen,
out on his feet.

He never had a chance
to tell her what
had happened.

She wrote me about it
but I couldn't get home
until after the w*r.

I knew my mother
was troubled

and not just
because Pa had died.

When I found out
what was bothering her,

I was ready to take
on a pack of wildcats.

And Pa was one
of the few men

in these parts to know
the mountain passes,

and some no-good
just started talk

that he had taken pay
to guide the Rebs

with the union gold
out of the territory.

Well, I knew it was a lie
but couldn't prove it.

Just shut the dirty mouths
that were saying it.

And it wasn't long after that
that Ma died.

Well, the doc gave me
some medical reasons,

but I figured
it was a broken heart.

And what I did was, just like
plowing across their graves.

You didn't know, Jess.

But I'm gonna
have to face it.

Would you go out there
with me tomorrow?

You know I will.

Daisy wouldn't
let Mike and me

finish up all the
fried chicken.

She saved you some.

I'll be down directly.

How come Slim's
not up yet?

Oh, I heard him tossing
and turning all night, tiger.

Daisy and me figured
we'd let him sleep some.

He sure was actin' funny.

It's kind of hard
to explain, tiger.

Slim needs all the friends
he has right now to back him,

with no questions asked.

I'm with him 900%.

I figured you would be.[ horses approaching ]

You better go inside,
Mike.

You want me to
get Slim?
No, not yet.

I got him into this,
maybe I can get him out of it.

Go on now.

Morning, Jess.

Hello, Mort.This is Major John Ellis.

Major.

Jess Harper.He the one?

He is.

It seems what you came
across yesterday,

stirred up a few things,
Jess.

Major has been sent
to investigate for the army.

What I found
was on private property.

Belonging to one
Slim Sherman, yes?That's right.

And he's not much interested
in digging up the past.

No, I didn't think
he would be.

But his feelings
about the matter

aren't too important
to me or to the army.

You plan on finding it
all by yourself?

No, you're gonna
lead us to it.

Big country out there,
major.

I might not be able
to find it again.Easy, Jess.

You're planning to defy
the United States Army?

Just how many troops
do you figure

it'll take to make a man
remember somethin'?

A company maybe,
a battalion?

Harper,
you're facing arrest.

Do you realize that?

You can't arrest
a civilian.

Possibly not.

But Sheriff Corey
didn't come out here

just for the ride.

Sheriff, arrest
this man right now.

Now before there's any
real trouble, Jess,

let me have your g*n.

Now wait a minute,
Mort.

Hold it.

Nobody's arresting Jess.

Not if I can help it.

Since when can the army ride in
and start mistreating civilians?

We were about to explain that
to your short-tempered friend

when you came out
waving that scattergun.Well, you better keep talkin'.

And I'm warning you,
my temper doesn't measure out
much longer than his.

I'm afraid the major's
within his rights, Slim.

He has authorization
from the US Marshall's Office

and the Territorial Government

to make his investigation
for the army.

I'm ordered to see that
he gets full cooperation.

I've got no reason
to doubt you, Mort.

Well, I guess we better
accommodate these gentlemen.

You don't have to
on my account.

You've already
had to take

on a big share
of this trouble, Jess.

It rightly
all belongs to me.

We'll be riding out there
this morning,

as soon as we saddle up
and get our gear.

Good.

We're prepared to ride.

Sherman, I know
what this means to you

and I warn you we're here
to dig out the truth,

not cover it up.

Don't you worry, major,

that's something
I've been after for a long time.

I'm not afraid of it.

Mort, do you have
the same feeling

I have about
that army man?

Don't blame the army,
Daisy.

I wouldn't like him any better
out of uniform than in.

He practically ordered you
to go back to town.Sure.

He's just used to calling
all the shots.

Nobody in the office,
so I got to go back anyway.

I wish you were going
with Slim and Jess.

No, now there's not much
those two couldn't handle
short of a cyclone.

Now don't worry.[ laughs ]

So long, Mike.

MIKE: Bye.

Come on.

Major.

Spotted two strangers
following us, sir.

You know who they are?No, sir.

Might be others
that heard about

that gold dust
and the convoy.
It's no secret.

I want no bloodshed unless
it's absolutely necessary.

You're just gonna
let them tag along

without knowing
who they are?
Certainly not.

There's lots of cover
around here.

We'll let them ride
into a trap,

that way we'll find out
who they are.

Take positions
behind these boulders.

Hold it right there.It's a trap, Pa.

[ commanding horse ]

Get his g*n, Jess.

He ain't packing one.

Well, then he'd better
start acting like it.
Over there.

All right,
dismount, mister.

Keep him covered,
sergeant.

Ellis.

John Ellis.

Well, I might
have been expecting

the likes of you,
Courtland.

Friends of yours,
major?

Not exactly.

His name's James Courtland
and I suppose that's his son.

That's right, John.
His name is Will.

I should have known
you'd be involved in this.

Well, since I was in it
from the beginning
it made sense.

What sense?
What do you mean by that?

I was junior officer
in the Cheyenne armory

at the time the rebels
took over that convoy.

Well, maybe you know
more about this

than you're letting on.

Maybe.

As I said
I was only junior officer.

Now Courtland here
was senior officer.

In fact he was CEO
of the entire armory.

Well, you came out here
looking for $60,000

in gold dust right?

That's wrong.

When that convoy
couldn't be found

I was court-marshaled,

dismissed from the service
for negligence.

You had your trial.

It's not fair, John,
and you know it.

If you're not looking
for the gold dust,

what are you doing
out here?

I'm not quite sure.

Since the w*r,
Will and I've been farming
up in the mountains.

It's a hard life.

k*lled his mother,

that and what the army
did to me.

The only way I could keep
going was because I knew
I was not guilty as charged.

I suppose you'll say
you're here to find proof
of your innocence.

That's what I hope
to find, yes.

I'd about given up
finding way to clear myself,

then Will was in town
for supplies

and heard the news
about the wagon being found,

that meant there was hope
and I had to come.

Are you asking
permission to go along

and dig up the rest
of that wagon?

We have been following you
to ask if we could go along.

Maybe ask is the wrong word,
I'm begging.

You don't have to beg
anyone, Pa.

Quiet, Will.

It's out of the question.

Well, now wait.

I'm Slim Sherman.

Did you know my father?

Yes, I did.

You think he helped
that rebel outfit get away?

When those wagons
couldn't be found,

I hated anybody who had
anything to do with them.

If I had time to think
the past few years,

I know now I can't judge any man
until I have all the facts.

I'd be as anxious to clear
your father's name as my own.

But right now
I can't say whether

he was mixed up
with it or not.

Courtland has as much right
to go as any of us.

That's fool's talk,
Sherman.

I've said he can't
and that's the way it stands.

Suit yourself, major.
But you're still
on Sherman property.

And it's just possible
that Jess won't be able to
find that rockslide again.

MAJOR: I've told you,
I've got the authority

to investigate
this case.

Now if I have to
I'll get a court order

and bring Sheriff Corey
out here to enforce it.

Better start riding then.

All right, Sherman.
He can go.

A trip to town now would be
just a useless waste of time.

But I warn you,
if anyone tries
to interfere

with the official business
of this expedition,

I'll personally see
that you pay for it.

Thanks.

This means a lot to me.

I hope we both find
what we're looking for,
Mr. Courtland.

Mount up.

Well, that's
their tracks, all right.

But we'd better get close
or we're liable to lose 'em.

Oh, don't worry. As soon
as they camp, we'll move in,
see what's going on.

Now they got to find
that gold before

it's gonna do us
any good.

Well, from what we found,

looks like the slide hit
only one of the wagons.

And I doubt if that was carrying
any of the gold.

The bags of dust
were all in strong boxes.

Yes, Courtland?

I locked every one
of them myself.

There's still
lot of digging to do.

That slide carried anything
this way right with it.

You, you're not getting tired,
are you, Sherman?

I've just started, major.

You're only
lookin' for gold.

I'm lookin' for something
much more important.

That so?

You're not a bit interested
in the dust either.

Are you now, Courtland?

We used to be
pretty good friends, John.

What turned you against me?

For a good officer,
duty comes first.

I had no choice,
friend or no.I'm glad to hear that.

I thought maybe it was because
I was promoted ahead of you.

I only told the truth.

You had your trial,
what more do you want?

Not much.

The right to walk among men
with my head up,

chance to be the kind of father
my son can be proud of.

That's all.

That partner of yours
doesn't know when to quit.

Even Courtland
got an idea

the slide washed
that wreckage further down

from where
we've been looking.

No, no, no.

I don' think they'll find
much by a torchlight.

If there's anything
out there, they'll find it.

How come a strong
young fellow like you

is stuck off
in the backwoods someplace?

I guess because
I want it that way.Oh.

Hmm, you want it that way
or your old man does?

Did you ever consider
joining up, Will?

Good pay,
lots of travel.

Get a little excitement now
and then for those who want it.

Don't waste your time
trying to recruit
a Courtland, sergeant.

They don't take too well
the army way.

Pa was a better man
than you ever will be.

SLIM: Jess.

Keep your g*n ready
and your eye

on all of them,
sergeant.

There's no gold there.

It's gone,
they took it out.

How could they?
It was still locked.

Well, they evidently
had a set of keys.

Now Mr. Courtland here
couldn't produce
his keys at the trial.

There was only one other set
at the Federal Treasury.

My keys were stolen,
I swear.

Looks like their
commanding officer

used this for his
own belongings.

Hey, wait.

Looks to be
some kind of a map.

Mmm.
Bet it's a map.

I'd say
it's their escape route.

See,
from the Cheyenne Armory,

they pass close
to the Sherman Ranch
up into the foothills

through this canyon
where we are now,

and then Summit Pass.

Do you know
where that is, Slim?Yeah.

I used to go hunting there
long time ago.

With your father,
I suppose.

SLIM: Yes, it was.

It'd be suicide to take
wagons through there

especially during the winter.
There's good chance
they wouldn't make it.

Nevertheless this is
a possible route for them

to take out
of the territory, yes?

It's possible.
Yeah.

Then we're making
for Summit Pass.

If they got through,
we won't find a trace of them.

If they didn't,
what's left of the convoy
should be somewhere

between where we are
and the Summit, you agree?

I guess that's the only way
you can figure.

But it's gonna
be rough going.
That's you can count on.

I think this map will tell us
what we need to know.

Wait a minute, Slim.

Some writing
on the back.

Looks like that Rebs officer
kept some notes, like a diary.

There's a date,

"Sank strongboxes in lake
to save weight.

Gold dust
still in sacks."

That means we won't be looking
for boxes anymore.

Well,
there's something else.

Another date.

"Heavy rains
may cause slide.

According to..."

I can't make out the rest.

MAJOR: Give that to me.

"According to our guide
Matt Sherman."

Can't sleep?

Looks like
I did it again, part.

Ellis would've never seen
those notes

if I had not weighted in
and pointing them out to him.
I'm sorry.

He'd have find them
sooner or later.

It still doesn't prove
anything.

I wish I could be
that sure.

See, before I joined up,

I had some pretty hot
arguments with Pa about it.

He didn't want me to go.

Thought your folks
would naturally be

on the side
of the north.

Yeah.

Old Pa fought
his way west,

took on renegade Indians,
outlaws.

Anyone who got
in his way,

but he just felt that the w*r
between the States

was just
purely senseless.

So did a lot of people,
for good reason.

Yeah, he had his.

And younger brother's
had lot of.

Uncle Ben
moved down south,

Pa just couldn't stand
to think of.

I mean, fighting him,
Uncle Ben trying to k*ll me.

You can't blame him
for that.

No, I guess not.

But I didn't see Pa
for a couple of years.

I hate to say it, but the time
that convoy was stolen,

I just don't know
how he felt.

JAMES: Slim?

Yeah.

I couldn't help but overhear
what you were saying.

For what it's worth, I think
your father was a fine man.

No matter what he did, I'd bet
he had a good reason for it.

Thanks, Mr. Courtland.

But the trouble is, that man
can have the best of reasons

and still be wrong.

That could happen
to most anybody.

Yeah.

It's just hard to get
used to the fact

that your father
could be like most anybody.

Maybe human's
a better word.

When a man can realize
that about his father and mother

and still love and respect them,
he's just about grown up.

Well, goodnight.

Goodnight.

You better
get some sleep.

It'd suit me just fine.

Short from a blow in the head,
I don't think I'm gonna make it.

I'll be glad to
oblige you.

You just might have to.

NOLAN: Who goes there?

Who goes there?
Show yourself or I'll sh**t.

Take it easy,
sergeant.

I heard someone or something
coming up on the camps.

Do you think
you hit them?

I hardly saw them.

How bad?
Can't take care
of him here.

We've got to get him
to a doc.
There were
two of them, Slim.

They got to the horses
before I even got close.

Well, he's got
to get in to town.

Oh, Mr. Harper
will take the sergeant

and you and I are heading
for Summit Pass.

Whoever was out there
is likely to come back.

Well, we'll be ready
for them.

They're probably just drifters
who've heard about the gold.

Anyway there's four of us
and only two of them.

I say we go back.

Get Mort and a posse.

Now you get this straight
right now.

I'm in command
and I say we continue.

We're only a day's ride
from the pass.

You start at sun up
with the sergeant.

He's not exactly right,
Jess.

The rest of us have
a lot more to gain or lose

by this trip
than you do.

I'd do what he says.

Get the sergeant
to the doc.

Are you trying
to get rid of me?

Slim's right.

We're much too close
to turn back now.

There's too much
at stake.

Somebody else
is close too.

You'd be doing us a favor.

All right.
I just hope that favor
doesn't get you all

a b*llet in the back.

Slim, are you sure this is
what you want me to do?

I'm sure, Jess.

There's too much
push me to stop now.

Just don't push
too hard.

Mike and Daisy are gonna
worry about you.

You're just afraid you're gonna
have to do all the work.

Don't worry,
I'll save you some.

Good luck.

Look at these.

Looks like they
must've camped here

band
and a wagon or two.

There's only
one way to find out,

make a search
of the entire area.

Courtland, you and your boys
start up the far end.

Sherman, you take this position,
I'll cover that end.

With everything you find,
near those boulders

we'll make
our camp there.

Now hurry it up.

It'll be dark before long.

You better get some rest.

Rest?

No, Slim, I've been waiting
much too long for this.

Hey, Will,
tie up the horses.

Get back undercover.
What do you think
you're doing?

Take it easy, Ellis,
they can't see us.

Nolan saw you last night
and you nearly wrecked the plan.

Oh, I don't know
about that.

If I hadn't had slipped
on that loose gravel,

that big sergeant
and that Harper fellow,

they'd still be with you.

That's just two less
to deal with.

Right.

Find anything?

I'm not sure yet.

Oh, we're sick
of this job, Ellis.

You know, helping you
cheat on supplies

to the Arapahoes
steal an army payroll.

That's a lot
cleaner work, you know.

And we are tired
of waiting.

Sixty thousand in gold dust
ought to be worth a wait.

Anyway, you keep quiet.

Don't sh**t anymore
till I tell you.

And when will that be?

When Sherman and the Courtlands
have located the gold for me,

then I'll give you
the signal.

After that, you'll have enough
k*lling to last for a long time.

From the number
of kingpins we've found

I'd say the rest
of the wagons are right
here in this clearing.

But almost no wooden parts.
Now why?

Major, I told you,

with the heavy snow
this pass

is almost impossible
to get through.

I don't think
they did anyhow.

A little wood because
they probably had to burn it

to keep warm.

Horses died with them
or had to be k*lled for food.

And that means that
this is as far as they got.

They must have buried the gold
somewhere in this area.

You plan to use that
to find the gold?

If I can find anything
that's buried with this,

it'll save us
a lot of digging.

You may have time to waste,
but I don't.

Pa, I've got to say it,

say it before you k*ll yourself
in trying to do too much.

What?

Mr. Sherman and me
had a chance to talk

some on the trail
this morning.

I guess, men aren't supposed
to talk about feelings much

but I've got to tell you
that no matter

what happened
to those wagons,

you don't have to prove
anything to me.

Thanks, boy.

I appreciate
what you're saying.

Officially now
it looks like to me,
this whole trip for nothing.

Maybe not.

Mr. Sherman and me
help Ellis dig up

that gold dust
and take it back.

Maybe that'd square
things some.

I wouldn't count
on that, Will.

It's pretty rough
to dig in frozen ground

to bury that gold.

And snow drips in here
pretty deep.

[ birds chirping ]Something wrong,
Mr. Sherman?

No, nothing's wrong,
Will.

I just think I'll look around
some more myself.

See your pa get some rest
and douse the fire.

Yes, sir.

What's going
on down there, Ellis?

Just about
what we hoped.

It's pretty clear
from what we found

that the convoy
ended up here.
The gold dust?

Well, they must have buried it
in the clearing.

All we got to do is
find it.

Yeah.
Find it, dig it up,
you mean.

A lot of ground
to cover down there.

Hold up on Sherman
and the Courtlands.

We'll let them do
most of the work.

He's found something,
up in the tree.

Give me that.

Back me up
but stay out of the sight.

I'll find out
what's going on.

Where's Ellis?
He's still
looking for the gold
as far as we know.

I knew they couldn't bury
anything in this ground.

I found this
in a metal box

wedged in the branches
of a tree.

Everything we want
to know, right in here.

All written
by a Rebs officer in charge.

About your father?

He was forced to lead them.

They threatened
to burn the ranch and k*ll Ma.

That's why
Pa led 'em up here,

knowing
they wouldn't get through.

And when he realized
what he had done,

he tried to escape
and that's how he got wounded.

Your father didn't get
any medals

but I'd say
he served his country
as well as any man.

Mr. Sherman, is there
anything else in there?You bet, Will.

Not only what happened
to the gold

but the whole story
of how the wagons were stolen

from the Cheyenne armory.

Now according to this,
Lieutenant John Ellis

was given
a good sum of money

by the Rebs
to arrange the whole thing.

He's the traitor,
not you.
Ellis?

He set up the attacks
so the wagons could be stolen,

gave them your keys.

He was afraid something
like this might be found,

and that's why
he's here.

Major Ellis has an appointment
with the court marshal,

I'm gonna see
that he meets it.

Sherman found a journal
written by the Reb officer.

It tells what they did
with the gold dust.

Let's go get it.

Ellis.

We want to talk to you.

Hey, Ellis is
running out on us.

Keep sh**ting.
We can handle him.

You take right.
I'll take--

You drop that g*n,
mister.

You and Will all right?

He's guarding
the major's friends,

they admitted to trying
to k*ll us last night.

Ellis promised them
part of the gold.

They went to a lot of trouble
for nothing.

According to what I read
in this journal,

couldn't bury it so they hung
the sacks of gold up on a tree.

Well, they must have
rotted out by now.

There were few o' thongs
left but that's all.

That wind really comes
whipping through this pass.

That gold dust
would probably scatter

from one end of the valley
to the other.

Back to the earth.

It's a good place for it.

Well, Mr. Courtland,
the w*r's over now.

I love that picture
of your mother, Slim.

I'm so glad
you found it.

What did they say
at Fort Sanders

when you brought
Ellis in, Slim?

They said he'd get
what's coming to him.

He's been using his army right
to cheat people for a long time.

And what about
that nice Mr. Courtland?

Well, the colonel feels
that the w*r department
will restore his army rank

and make a public apology
for the treatment he got.

And there just might be
a special accommodation

for a man named
Matt Sherman.

Maybe even a medal.

Oh, that's wonderful.

Aren't you proud?

[ clattering ]

What on earth
are you doing?

What are you up to,
tiger?

Planning on going
on a chivalry or something?

Heck, no.
Slim said he'd take me

hunting up to that
summer camp sometime.

Well, you aren't gonna take
all my pots and pans, are you?

Not all of them,
just this one.

I'll leave the hunting
to Slim.

I'll be panning for gold dust,
$60,000 worth.

Oh, you will, huh?

Ah!

ANNOUNCER: Produced in color

in association with
the NBC Television Network.