02x04 - Orville Gant

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[music continues]

When I saw you last night, I thought I was seeing a ghost.

Elizabeth Harrison is dead.

She died in the Fort Nile's m*ssacre with her husband.

Everyone thought I was dead.

I decided to leave it that way.

So, then you made a new life for yourself.

I never stopped loving you, Zebulon.

I'll have to say the same thing, Beth.

...to a doctor, Beth, that's all there is to it.

But I only fainted.

I don't want anyone to know who I am.

Perfectly alright with me as long as you see the doctor.

Concussions... or strange affairs.

There's something I must do.

Some place you have to get to?

Yes. And it's very important.

Of course it's your business when you decide to ride a horse.

'But before you throw a saddle on him..'

...you remind yourself you're gambling your life

'against that important trip you wanna make.'

I truly don't understand you.

I just don't want the colonel to try

the mine shipment at Jimson's Break.

Why? It doesn't make any difference to you.

Because I got friends there.

Maurene--

They figured this town to be the last place with a mine guard

you'd expect to get robbed, huh?

That's about it. Flint is as clever a man as I've ever met.

Tommy, I want you to take this note up to Mr. Jimson. Alright?

Alright, pa.

You tell him to reroute that gold shipment.

Wait a minute. You're telling him to reroute the shipment?

I don't want anyone coming near here.

We're gonna have to see if we can't figure out some way

to give old Mr. Flint a nice warm welcome.

So...you decided to warn the town.

'I'm afraid that we'll have to..'

...change our plans.

Your friend, the sheriff..

...has presented us with another alternative.

My pa'll stick you in jail for life, you fathead.

[chuckling]

I'll take a guess.

You want me take Orville's note up to that mine

and you'll be waiting at Butte Canyon for an ambush.

That's right.

And you'll be appearing..

...carrying a note in the sheriff's own handwriting.

The boy goes free.

He goes free..

...the minute I see that gold.

I have your word.

My...word.

[Jessie screaming]

Help me! Please!

[Josh] 'It's the bees!'

- What is it, child?! - Bees!

Get her in the house! Quickly!

When Jessie was bitten in Virginia, did she have a doctor?

I was too young to remember, Aunt Molly.

But I think so.

The doctor said..

...that bee stings are poison to Jessie.

And she only got stung once or twice that time..

...not dozens like now.

Maybe she could even die.

[sobbing]

[groaning]

Where is that doctor?

Josh did have a long ride, Laura.

[horse approaching]

There he is.

But the doctor.. Where is he?

He's not coming, Laura.

Well, he's got to come!

Where is he, Josh?

He's tending to a woman in Creve who's in labor.

He's afraid it's gonna be a breech birth

'cause she's only 18 and this is her first child.

You went all the way to Creve?

I had to. It's where the doctor was.

Well, when is he gonna be here, Josh?

He doesn't know.

Josh, did he say anything..

Give any estimation as to when he's likely to come?

He hopes he can maybe get over here tomorrow night.

Here..

...laudanum.

He said to give four, maybe five drops to Jessie

whenever she's in pain.

I'll give her some right now.

[exhales sharply]

[sighing]

Josh..

She'll be alright, Laura.

I'm so scared for Jessie.

She's gonna be alright.

Town's got quite a romance going on here.

Yeah.

Sounds like you don't approve.

I don't give a hang one way or another about any romance.

That lady's story about being abducted by hide cutters

in White River Valley..

That bothers me, doc.

And she's gonna sell it to the judge when he gets here.

You mean it's not the truth?

No it ain't, doc.

I got a telegraph from the marshal's office

in Johnson City.

The marshal says there's no report on any school teacher

being abducted in the White River Valley.

Well, that woman had been abused.

Macahan said he had to k*ll two men in order to free her.

I don't have any answers, doc.

But she lied about being abducted.

And maybe Macahan is not giving us the real reason

to k*ll those two men.

I've heard a lot about Macahan..

Carson, Joe Walker..

They got a code, those mountain men.

"Don't lie and don't quit."

That's the way it goes, I think.

Yeah, I know, doc.

They got their own personal kind of justice

has no relationship with what the law calls due process.

No relationship at all.

[Beth] 'You did not.'

The first time I ever saw you was at Benford

and I promptly set my cap for you.

The first time I ever laid eyes on you

I thought you were the prettiest thing I'd ever seen.

That's understandable. You'd been living for five months

up in the mountains with bears.

[chuckling]

You didn't say you thought I was pretty though.

Not for a long time.

I thought you were never going to do anything but hold my hand.

Well, I was scared of you.

Scared?

I'd never been so scared in my life

is when I was trying to work up nerve to kiss you.

[chuckling]

I thought about it a thousand times. The things..

You know, I'll never understand how papa didn't catch on

to what was going on.

Well, I think he caught on. He was always comin' up to me

hintin' about when was I going back to the mountains.

[chuckling]

I had a hard time making up excuses.

Like the time you put a splinter on your leg and hobbled around

for a month pretending you were too banged up to ride a horse.

Yeah, I remember.

Good times.

The best.

And when you said you loved me..

...did you?

You know the answer to that, Beth.

[Logan] 'Seems everybody's in a hurry to leave town'

'before the judge gets here.'

Just thought I'd ride for an hour or two, marshal.

Or maybe a week or two, huh?

Get out of here.

Now, look, Miss Smith or whatever your name is..

I don't like calling a lady a liar

'so maybe it's best you be quiet.'

I'm holding you at the hotel as a material witness

to a homicide till the judge gets back here.

Homicide?

It's what we call a k*lling, Miss Smith.

It's gonna be up to the judge to figure out whether or not

that homicide is justified.

Meaning, you or Macahan, one of you, has been shading the truth

more than just a little bit about you being abducted.

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

You done on waiting for us in town, huh?

Couple of things I can't figure..

I never saw you before.

Mr. Jimson, I'm sort of a sometimes deputy for Orville.

I guess times you were in town, I was away.

How come you're not wearing a badge?

He's a deputy alright.

The whole town's been talking about

how he's sparkin' Orville's daughter.

I'll think it over.

[Luke] Mr. Jimson, we don't have an awful lot of time.

- Tommy's not back yet. - No.

I was a damn fool to let that boy go ridin' off like that

with all them outlaws out there.

They wouldn't bother a boy

riding along the trails, would they?

Maybe not.

Tommy's supposed to be back at 9 o'clock.

Almost noon.

I figured that one thing, he'd hurry back was for

prospect of seeing a sh**t-out.

You figure 10 volunteers will be enough, Orville, hm?

Ah, you did some fast mind changing, huh, Ben?

[Ben] 'No, you got that wrong.'

None of us wanted to get k*lled for Jimson or his gold.

But when we heard you were headin' out lookin' for your son

well, we thought we'd be neighborly, give you a hand.

I sure appreciate it, Ben.

The rest of your boys too.

Have a good trip, judge?

Ah, good enough, considering that back-breaking stage there.

What have we got coming up?

We got a light docket this time.

- That's good. - Number one..

...Ol' Annie says you don't have the jurisdiction

to close her down

I'm gonna burn that old bitty's tail for that.

Wait a minute.

One way to skin a cat is raise her license fee to $300 a month.

She'll burst a gut when she hears that one.

By the way we found another body in the river last week.

An old prospect, shot in the head.

Another m*rder, that's five in less than three weeks.

I tell you, nobody's safe in this county anymore.

Judge, uh, Macahan's in town waiting for the hearing.

Oh.

Well, that's exactly the point that I was making.

Now, two men are k*lled by Zeb Macahan..

Those two bodies are buried

and nobody's to prove or disprove the motive.

Well, I got to thinkin' that something was fishy.

You know, I don't get much of anywhere talking to that woman.

I'll get someplace with her.

In fact, I think we'll just question her statement

this afternoon before we talk to Macahan.

I would say that would be correct, yes.

Traveling between various settlements teaching school.

Teaching is my profession.

I don't know why you insist on questioning that.

Well, you said that you were teaching school

in the White River Valley when those men abducted you.

Is that not so?

I did not say that.

You sure did, ma'am, I wrote it down in black and white.

What I said, and I will repeat, is I was teaching school

in the settlements along the White River.

But when I was abducted, I was moving to another settlement.

Of course, that explains why nobody reported

your disappearance.

No one would have any reason to notice my disappearance.

I said my goodbyes in one settlement

and I was moving on to the next.

How many times are we going to go over this?

I've given it to Marshal Logan.

It seems simple and to the point.

Oh, it is simple and to the point.

[scoffing] And it is a lot of words..

...saying nothing.

Well, we might as well move on to Mr. Zeb Macahan's statement.

'Now, briefly he says that..'

"While traveling in Kettle Meadows

"he came across two hide skinners

who were holding you prisoner."

Now, the third man that was involved in your abduction

was not present.

Now, in attempting to free you

Mr. Macahan was forced to k*ll those two hide skinners.

That's exactly the way it happened.

And then of course, he brought you into town

and your injuries were treated by the doctor.

Yes.

Had you known Mr. Macahan

prior to his freeing you from those two men?

Uh, do you mean, had I heard of him before?

No, my dear.

I asked if you had known him in the past.

Prior to your abduction.

I am not your dear.

Please tell me what difference it makes

if I'd known Mr. Macahan before that night.

The difference, Miss Smith..

Oh, well, by the way..

Elizabeth Smith is your real name, is it not?

Of course, Elizabeth Smith is my real name.

I'll hitch your horse, doctor.

Oh, no, leave him here.

I still have to visit the Anderson farm tonight.

[groaning]

She's been feverish since that time.

Almost immediately.

I've heard of cases where people had violent reaction

to bee stings but I've never seen one before.

It's not the first time I'm told.

She was stung by a bee about ten years back

and was ill for a week.

A week?

In most cases, the pain and the swelling

disappear after 36 hours.

Well, what I think we have here is a case of

watching and waiting.

Making the patient as comfortable as we can.

Now, I'll leave you the bottle of laudanum.

I want you to give 20 drops every four hours

if she's still in pain.

I'll come by tomorrow.

Goodnight.

Doctor, isn't there anything else we can do for her?

No... nothing that I know of.

'The laudanum will keep the pain to a minimum.'

'It will also keep her asleep most of the time.'

And as for the wounds, vinegar, tea, baking soda..

That's about all we can do.

Suppose the pain and swelling don't disappear..

Frankly, ma'am..

...I know a little more than what I've read about

severe cases of bee sting.

'Where there's no improvement..'

'Where there's been massive swelling, shock..'

'...rapid heartbeat..'

Some case have led to coma.

You're saying she might die?

Let's hope for the best, shall we?

Goodnight, ma'am.

Laura, this is not your fault.

There is no blame here.

[horses approaching]

The wagon.

Mount up.

Take your position.

I hope Hank Jimson shoots you.

Well, if he does, Tommy, a lot of people will be dying..

...including your friend, Luke Macahan.

Know this fella?

Yeah. I believe he wants to have a peaceful conversation with me.

Good morning, Mr. Jimson.

I hope that we can come to an amiable agreement

within the next 20 seconds or, uh

'one of my men is certain to display'

you know, a nervous trigger finger.

Up in these rocks are twin r*fles.

'Two r*fles point at each one of you're men here.'

Don't be uneasy back there.

Admirable leadership qualities, Mr. Jimson.

'We all want the same thing.'

'None of us wants any bloodshed.'

- Where's the boy, colonel? - Later.

Now, you tell your men to drop

all weapons to the ground and dismount.

Do as he says.

Now, Mr. Jimson, I want you and your boys

to start back up that road.

Just, uh, just keep walking.

'They're worth somebody's head'

'if he even turn his head and look back.'

Come on. Let's go.

I never thought Luke could do it.

[cowboys] Hyah, hyah!

Hyah!

What in the hell is that?

That's the gold you've been looking for.

Might be a problem totting any of it away though.

This ain't gold.

I'm afraid it is.

Unfortunately, it's been smelted in with pot iron.

That would be your idea I guess.

'I'm told you are, uh, man of your word, colonel.'

You told me the moment you saw this gold the boy could go free.

Well, here it is.

It's alright if I ride off with him now?

What other kind of trap you set for us, eh?

I didn't want to trap you.

I just didn't want anybody getting hurt during all this.

That's the way it turned out.

Alright, Luke.

I guess it's what they call a checkmate.

Take him.

Let's go, Tommy.

Come on.

What we gonna do? We can't take it with us.

Now, that is precisely the point.

There ain't nothing we can do with it.

We could take it to Mexico. Melt it down.

Pedro, use your head.

It's over 700 miles, the border.

With that load, we're lucky to make 10 miles a day.

That would be, uh...two and a half months

with every lawman coming at us.

We wouldn't make a 100 miles. Leave it.

[speaking Spanish]

- We take what we can. - Yeah!

Mount up and get out.

[screaming]

It's worthless to us.

Get your horses.

sh**ting, Luke?

There was one shot anyways.

That'll be your pa and a posse.

You tell your pa what happened.

The gold's safe and to get his men back to town.

Where you'll be going, Luke?

I got to see to something. Now get.

Get out of here.

'Run!'

Now, you heard the, colonel.

Ride out of here. Fast! Go on!

[cowboys] Ha! He-ha!

Let us cross this river...and rest..

...under the shade of the trees.

Never know do we. Do we, Curt?

[Luke] 'Curt, what happened?'

You sold us.

I'll be coming after you.

You'll be expecting me.

Curt, behind you!

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

Curt.

You k*lled him, Luke.

Curt, you're hurt real bad.

Let me take you back to town a help you.

You can't help a dying man.

Now, you don't know that.

I'm gonna take you with me.

Curt..

...I know how you felt about the colonel.

'I didn't want anybody hurt.'

Both of us dying..

...that don't make much sense.

You calling me a liar, judge?

No, I imagine that would be a very unhealthy act on my part

considering the fact that you just took on the whole

US Army up in the Dakotas.

No, I was just pointing out that Miss Smith's story

is puzzling because there seems to be some difficulty

in proving that she was from the White River area.

Well, I don't see Miss Smith has to prove nothing here.

She's not on trial, she ain't been accused of anything.

Now, this is an official hearing into a double homicide

'and the witnesses have the same responsibility here'

'that they have in a regular trial.'

Now, for instance, your relationship with Miss Smith

is open to question

whether or not you two were friends in the past.

Well, I think it's none of your damn business

about her and me being friends, judge

or where she came from neither.

Your only business is to take down the facts of that k*lling

the way I give 'em to you, and about them men abusing her.

I don't think that you're lying to me.

I just think that you're refusing to be candid.

Now, maybe you're not laying out the whole truth

because, well, maybe it has something to do

with the way those two men were k*lled.

The way they was k*lled was simple.

I k*lled one with my p*stol

the other with my bowie knife.

Nothing fancy about that.

Oh, you see, what I mean is

maybe those two men

could've been brought down here to face justice.

'In other words, you could be in a spot of trouble'

'if I found out that you has taken it upon yourself'

to decide those two men deserved k*lling.

You're right on the mark there, judge.

Them two deserved k*lling, alright

but that ain't the reason I k*lled 'em.

k*lled them two weasels 'cause I would've been planted

in the ground up there if I hadn't.

I am suspending this proceeding until tomorrow

at which time, you will accompany the Marshall

sufficient deputies up to the burial site in Kettle Meadow

to determine the cause of death of those two men.

Cause of death, just exactly like I told you, judge.

Now, I just came off a case

where a trapper claimed that he had to k*ll a man

who attempted to ambush him for his furs.

'Upon going up to the grave site, and exhuming the body'

we discovered that that so called ambusher

had been shot in the back three times.

Now, this hearing will continue after the marshal and his party

return from Kettle Meadow.

Appears to me like that judge there

is bucking for a governor, Logan.

What about you?

You going for assistant governor or something?

Zeb, I believed you and Miss Smith's story

the first time out.

'Except, yesterday morning'

I found Miss Smith down at the stable all set to ride out.

Ride out?

I was planning to return within the hour.

She says.

You're leaving, aren't you?

Marshal was right.

You were trying to steal that horse.

No, of course not.

He was mistaken, that's all.

I was only..

You know that fella down there?

No.

Looked like one of 'em who might of been out in the Prairie.

Oh, no. I would've recognized him, Zeb.

I think we need a little more wine. I'll be back.

Howdy.

Howdy.

I'm looking for a fella that might've been through here.

Red beard. Look like he might've been a hide skinner.

Could smell him a block away.

You sure described him, alright.

His name's Ned Growler.

Where did he go?

Don't rightly know.

He said he had to collect some money for some hides he brought.

Told me to shoe his horse right off.

You think he'd be heading out then?

Yeah, unless he takes up some gal

out at Annie's place, as he sometime does.

I don't think he's gonna be thinking

much about Annie tonight.

[Beth] 'Mister, would you please do me a favor?'

If you see Zeb Macahan

would you please give him this note? It's important.

How long you'd be shoeing my animal?

Another half hour maybe, Mr. Growler

Get me out of here in ten minutes.

I got important business.

Important business where?

Who are you?

What are you doing around this town?

Ain't nobody's business but mine.

How come you're such a hurry to leave?

You had a hand in all that woman went through, didn't you?

What-what woman?

Don't know what you're talking about.

It's time we get the truth out.

I'm gonna start with my polite method.

Ahh!

You're crazy! God! You're crazy!

You had to do with that woman, didn't you?

Oh, God! Please, God, no.

I ain't God, mister. I'm closer to the devil.

Now, don't you make no mistake about that.

Oh, I didn't do it.

Didn't do it.

Didn't.

Didn't do what.

Didn't have her.

Didn't have a chance to.

Tell it all.

Didn't even know they had a gal

till I got to the Forks.

- You mean by the North Fork? - Yeah.

Now, your story don't make no sense, mister.

That woman was took from the White River Valley.

Who told you that?

You and them partners of yours

didn't come from the White River Valley?

Why would we be so far South.

Woman lives up by the North pass

'where Crater and Horn said they'd catched her'

right near the cabin where she lives.

I can see that your Zeb Macahan

seems to be a truthful and honorable man

but I swear, Clay, that woman..

...hell, that nicely rounded form

does not have an honest bone in her body.

Ahh!

Now, tell it again.

And the dissembling that I sensed

seems to come from that woman trying

to conceal where she comes from.

Which, as you have pointed out, has absolutely nothing to do

with the hearing and the k*lling of those two weasels

as you so aptly named 'em.

Judge, I'll tell you what I'll do.

To put your mind at ease, I'll ride back on up there

to Kettle Meadows and help dig up them two fellas.

Now, that won't be necessary

because this case is closed.

Except, she's got a horse thieving charge against her.

Women don't steal horses, they borrow 'em.

Well, I think you're right about that, judge.

I think I know Miss Smith well enough to know that she would

try to get that horse back here to you just soon as she can.

What could be beyond the North Pass for a woman like that?

There's nothing up there but two ice and trading posts.

A settlement worth your life trying to get into

and it's even more miserable living higher up.

Leaves a lot of questions unanswered, don't it?

Now, the only question about you not answered

'is whether we hang you'

'or file up the territorial prison'

'with your life long presence.'

You're Zeb Macahan, ain't you?

- That's right. - I got told to give you this.

- A lady gave it to me. - Thank you.

You're welcome.

[Elizabeth] "Zeb, there's so much I can't explain to you.

"I can only say I've always loved you and I always will

"but I can't ever see you again.

Forgive me. Elizabeth."

You're blaming yourself for what happened but you shouldn't.

If I'd been smarter..

...maybe they wouldn't be dead.

[horse galloping]

[Orville] 'A telegraph for you, Luke.'

From you family.

Your family, Luke? How did they know you were here?

Soon as your pa said I could stay

I wrote and told them where I'd be.

Bad news, Luke?

It's my sister, Jessie, she's..

...she's very sick.

Oh, Luke, I'm sorry.

That means you're gonna have to leave, aren't you?

Afraid so.

Will you come back?

I kinda guess that's up to your pa.

I lived as long as I have, and I know when I'm licked.

You better come back, son

or there won't be living with this child of mine.

You take care of yourself now.

'I'm gonna miss you.'

Goodbye, sir.

Come on.

You say goodbye to Tommy for me.

Who's gonna say goodbye to me?

[instrumental music]

Hello.

Was wondering if you might help me with some information.

My name's Zeb Macahan.

I'm looking for a woman that might be around these parts.

Name, Elizabeth Smith.

She, uh, she's a school teacher.

'Might be teaching up there'

'in the settlements north of the pass.'

Now, mister, let me tell you something

I've been looking for this woman a long time

and I aim to find her.

If you got any information

I advise you to cough it up.

Don't make me get down off of this horse to get it out.

'Up here, pilgrim'

folks learn to mind their own business

like I'm minding mine

and we don't cotton to strangers.

I'm glad to see you can talk. We're making progress.

You know this woman I'm referring to?

'Mister, you don't hear too good.'

I said I mind my own business.

Huh! By golly!

You gonna make me get down off of this horse after all.

Mister..

Up yonder.

Past the saddle back, and cross the meadow.

Well, now, I'm mighty obliged to you for your politeness.

Good day to you.

'h*!'

[knock on door]

- Yes? - I'm looking for a woman.

Elizabeth Smith.

Beth's not back yet.

She's delivering some books to the Swinson Post.

I see.

Your name?

Macahan, Zeb Macahan.

Yes.

I've heard of you, Zeb Macahan.

I'm Beth's husband.

Yeah.

I've heard a lot about Zeb Macahan.

[theme music]