02x09 - The Judge

[bunniefuu]

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Zeb, is that dog meat they're cookin' over there?

Looks like it.

They'll eat anything if they eat dog.

So, would you, Josh, if you didn't have a choice.

[Zeb] 'These people are starvin'.'

I asked you a question.

How come you're not out huntin'?

Hunt for what? Nothing out there but jack rabbits.

Jack rabbits cannot feed the Arapahoe nation.

You're gonna bring me long horns up from Texas?

Up across the badlands and through the end of West Dakota.

Zeb, it can't be done.

After what they've done for our family

that's a chance I wanna take.

Why can't I go on this cattle-ride with you and Luke?

I'm sure you could use some help.

Who's gonna look after the farm

with Aunt Molly and Jessie off to Clearwater?

I know what some of you are thinking.

'You could hit out on your own.'

Well, I think we got Arapahoe braves here

with more sense than that.

[Zeb] 'And more pride.'

Let's head south.

[instrumental music]

Mind if I join you?

Please, don't send me back, Mr. Macahan.

I got nobody who cares who I am.

I can't afford to have nobody along that's gonna quit on me.

I won't quit on ya.

I'll never quit on ya.

Our chief say, we must obey you.

We do that

then no more.

I'll settle for that.

What's the matter with you two?

I not go.

Mister, if you don't have enough Arapaho in you

to catch up with us, I'll bury your bones on the way back.'

We anywhere near Texas?

We've been in it for the last few hour.

You mean the worst is behind us?

I figure the worst is ahead of us.

[intense music]

[water splashing]

[Jeffrey] 'Look, there's Stone Hand.'

Drink.

'Glad to have you back, Stone Hand.'

Alright, up and doin'.

Another ten minutes, we're movin' on.

[Zeb] 'Get 'em cinched.'

[instrumental music]

Aunt Molly

I wanted to thank you for bringing me here.

We had such a wonderful time.

Oh, my.

I completely feel you deserved a little flake.

I only wish Laura would've been here.

Mm-hmm, well, I hope she likes her new petticoat.

You know, now that you're a little better

I think the three of us might take a trip to, uh

St. Louis or...maybe even San Francisco.

You meant it? Honest?

Oh, I meant it. Honest.

Wow, I just love the play at the opera house.

Mm-hmm.

[Jessie] 'And I never so many ladies in fancy dresses.'

What's the delay?

The ladies are comin' now, Deek.

Play at the opera house, it's just grand.

I still think the funniest part is when they found..

- I just couldn't stop laughing. - That was very funny.

- Oh, dear. - Give me your hand.

Oh, thank you.

You, ma'am?

Oh, thank you.

I think I can manage the rest. Jessie.

Come on, Charlie, let's go.

- In a few minutes, Deek. - Here you are, miss.

Here you are, ma'am.

Thank you.

You know when Mr. Booth came on stage and gave his reading

it was so touching that I almost cried.

[chuckles] Yes.

Oh, you liked Edwin's performance.

I'm gonna have to tell him about that, he'd be real pleased.

You know Mr. Booth?

Missy, me and Edwin was up about half of night

over a poker table.

I think I'd just die knowing anybody so famous.

'You won't find him much different'

'we're just ordinary folks.'

Deek Peasley.

Jessie Macahan.

I'm Molly Culhane.

Miss Culhane?

Mrs.

Oh.

Yeah, well, kinda figured, you'd have had a lot of offers, ma'am.

[sighs]

Well..

[grunts]

How did you hurt your leg?

I just stepped on a rattler here and this swelled up.

Rattler.

Yeah, I'm gonna be alright about in a week or so

I'll be out dancin' with the ladies again.

You, uh, you from up Colorado way?

We're homesteading.

Where about?

Elk Creek.

Oh, yeah, it's a nice parcel up that way.

[Molly] 'Mm-hm.'

Said your name was Macahan, any relation to, uh, Zeb?

He's my uncle.

Do you know him?

Yeah.

Yeah, I know Zeb.

Are you good friends?

Mm, well, maybe..

We've known each other for quite a little while.

[Charlie] 'Have a nice trip, folks.'

[Charlie shouts]

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[indistinct]

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[Charlie] 'Giddy up!'

You got a soft way of looking when you're asleep, Ms. Culhane.

I beg your pardon?

I said you got a soft way of lookin'

when you're asleep, Ms. Culhane.

Soft and inviting..

...ma'am.

Goin' your way home to your husband?

No.

I-I mean, I'm a widow.

Oh.

Well, it's too bad we didn't run into each other back there

in town, could've showed you around little bit.

'You and the young lady.'

I'm..

...on the widower side myself.

Oh, I'm sorry.

She was quite woman, my wife.

I felt a powerful sense of loss when she passed out.

Oh, I'm sure.

Well, I imagine, you felt the same?

Why, yes, of course.

She had dark hair, you know.

Dark eyes.

'Well, she had the same kind of soft skin that you got'

'I can tell.'

'And like a summer breeze, sort of brushin' your lips.'

Yes, there's some women natural born to please a man.

'You know, all she used to do'

'was stand in front of the fire, you know'

with her fists on her hips.

Kinda darin' me to take her, you know.

'Yeah, like in a rough hand'.

'And gentle too.'

'You know what I mean?'

Ha.

Tell you, I never met a woman who could undress like that.

'Probably never will again.'

Mr. Peasley.

Ma'am.

Don't you think that the things that you're saying

and...well, the way that you're saying them is..

...well, just too personal.

Too what?

Well, I mean there's a, there's an intimacy about it that..

Well, yes, ma'am, there's some intimacy.

Well, it was an intimate woman.

[chuckles]

Mr. Peasley, are you toying with me?

I don't know what you mean. You're sayin' with my talkin'

about my wife is upsetting you, ma'am?

Come now, Mr. Peasley, I think you know exactly what I mean.

No, I don't, better explain it to me.

Don't pay him any attention, Aunt Molly.

'Oh. Yeah, well'

don't pay me any mind.

[Charlie] 'Hip, hip, hyah!'

[thunder rumbling]

Hee! Ahh!

[wind howling]

Howdy!

Well, there's more than leg-stretching time here, folks.

You'll puttin' up for the night with that storm headed in.

- Puttin' up for the night here? - That's company rules, ma'am.

No stage on the ridge road.

'Night's are when the storm's comin' in.'

'And we got a dilly headed this way.'

- Hi, Deek. - Swenson.

Give me a hand, Charlie.

Well, I won't be so bad, Molly.

Stoppin' over kinda gives travelers

chance to get acquainted.

Would they have the proper facilities here?

[laughing]

And I would appreciate you not calling me Molly.

The name is Mrs. Culhane.

Mrs. Culhane.

- Yes. - Yes, ma'am, I'm sorry.

I try to remember, I keep forgetting.

I'll try to remember.

Far as the proper facilities go

'only thing they got here is a dry skin under a roof'

and that's gonna change once the storm comes in.

You better get in.

Come along, Jessie.

[thunder crackling]

Mr. Swenson, what is in this soup?

Well, I put the gizzards in.

Don't think you'll find nothin' strange.

At least, I hope not.

There's nothin' more nourishin' than gizzards.

Well, sorta depends on what time of the day you k*ll the animal.

- Isn't that right? - Yeah.

Mr. Peasley, please.

Mm?

Oh, weak stomach, huh?

Sorry.

What are your sleeping arrangements here, sir, please?

This is it.

What does he mean, "this is it?"

We're locked out of the stage out there, driver's already

belly-down on the seat cushion. You got two places to sleep.

- One's in here. - The one we can't use.

Well, what's the other option, Mr. Peasley?

That's a barn.

I wouldn't recommend that.

Rainy nights like this here, you generally find

lot's of Indians in there, sleepin' it off.

Indians?

Jessie, it just seems we have to find

the driest place we can in here.

[Deek] 'Yeah, well, it makes sense.'

This is where I'll be sleeping.

[thunder crackling]

Now, I don't think you ladies would've been

bothered by them Indians in the barn.

That's good, Molly.

I don't think they'd be 'cause they wouldn't wanna lose

their...sleepin' rights

for the work they do around the station.

Mr. Peasley, just what do you think you're doing?

I'm fixing my bed.

[gasps]

Sorry.

Oh, with the entire room

from which to choose a place to sleep

you have to pick a spot right on top of us.

Molly, you can see how this part of the room is the driest.

Nonsense!

I see other dry places you could sleep.

Never met up with a more edgy female.

Tell you, Jessie, I'll be glad when this night is over.

Me too.

Now, I'm kinda sound sleeper, ladies, so..

...if you hear anything creepin' across the floor

in the dark..

...ain't me.

[thunder rumbling]

Just what could be creeping across the floor?

Mr. Peasley.

[snoring]

Mr. Peasley.

[snoring]

[thunder rumbling]

[sighs]

Oh, yes, I could do it.

I could k*ll him without a qualm.

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Hey, Bob.

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Best wait here.

Hey. Hut!

Hee-haw.

Howdy.

What's your business, mister?

Name's Macahan, Zeb Macahan.

Didn't ask your name, just your business.

I was talking to a freighter down the line

askin' where we might buy some cattle

he mentioned your name.

What're you doin' ridin' with them Indians?

They're my drovers.

Cattle herd is for their people.

They wrap a whole tribe up in Colorado territory.

Got no cattle for sale.

We've been passin' through your cattle for the last ten miles

in here, Appelton. They all got your brand on 'em.

That freighter told us

you'd sell us all we could use, 40 cents a head.

He told you wrong.

I wouldn't sell those savages cattle for $40 a head.

Now get 'em off my land before I put holes in 'em.

Mister, that's a good way to make your woman a widow.

Not ain't much of a threat, Macahan.

I got no woman.

You see the Apaches took her a good time ago.

Took my boy too.

I ain't gonna tie you up by tellin' you

what they did to 'em before they died.

But if you don't get your Indians outta my sight

damn fast, I promise you there will be some killin'.

I'm sorry to hear about your family.

I understand how you feel.

You better understand it, no one else down this way's gonna

sell cattle to benefit the likes of those murdering savages.

Well, that gives me somewhat of a problem.

You also got a problem you're not thinking straight

if you figure to drive a herd

over the good night trail this time of the year.

Don't figure on drivin' 'em up the good night

we gonna head 'em straight north into Colorado territory.

Well, I know for sure, that can't be done.

You lose a head every mile.

You believe that, do ya?

Well, I know it.

You'd probably lose half your Indians too.

Come now.

Well, that suits you just fine, wouldn't it, Mr. Appelton?

I got nothin' personal against you, Macahan.

But any misery comin' to an Indian suits me just fine.

As you said it.

Well, right then, how about sellin' us

a couple of hundred head.

You could make yourself some money.

You could sit back here and get yourself a lot of pleasure

thinkin' about all the misery we're havin' in that trail

with them Indians.

At the same time, I could use a small remote eight or ten head

if you ain't gonna charge me too much.

Alright, I'll sell you a cattle at 50 cents a head.

Only because I know their bones

will be bleachin' in the badlands.

I haven't corralled here within a week.

How about throwin' in a lead steer, keepin' head at north?

You're not too eager about what it takes

to herd cattle, are you?

I'll throw in a lead steer

and I'll give you good range horses for $12 each.

Now, you got the cash money settled up?

Cash and the barrel heads

as soon as you got 'em rounded up here.

And, uh, Appelton, I'm, uh..

...I'm sorry about your family.

[instrumental music]

[galloping]

[indistinct]

I don't know, after a heavy rain like this

could be a whole day behind schedule.

[Jessie] 'Oh, I think I'll sleep for a week when we get home.'

[Molly laughing]

[Molly] Of course, you will.'

Well, I'll tell you

I sure don't like the idea of waitin' here whole day.

'Course I suppose, I could ride with you ladies

as far as Oakley.

'Little bit longer that way, still.'

Well..

...guess I'll stay here.

Jessie.

Goodbye, Mr. Peasley.

Mrs. Culhane.

Goodbye, Mr. Peasley.

Oh, I'll see you again.

Have a nice trip, folks.

- See ya, Charlie. - Swenson.

Here-haw-hey!

Hee-yah.

[whistling]

[instrumental music]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[horses neighing]

Hold now!

[galloping]

[gasping]

[both screaming]

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[Jeffrey] Guess I'm old enough to have a beer too, huh, Mr. Macahan?

I reckon you're old enough to have a beer too if you want.

[Jeffrey] 'Thanks, Mr. Macahan.'

Root beer.

It's tough growin' up, ain't it?

[chuckles]

That's it we're drivin' 200 head north to Colorado.

We're lookin' for a cook, don't need nothin' fancy.

If the Apaches don't take your stock and your herd

the desert will.

'It'd take a fool to try it'

'even bigger fool to hurl 'em to drive like that.'

Any way, it'd be a cold day in hell before I ride with Injuns

if I was a cook

which I ain't.

We're payin' double wages.

You don't seem to understand, mister, money can't hire

that kind of a job, not around here anyway.

Looks like the cook's job is still open.

[snoring]

You know him, Uncle Zeb?

Knew him a long ways back, Luke.

[snoring]

Ah.

Dang, Zeb.

You tried to drown me.

Tap, I think you're tryin' to drown yourself

with all the whiskey you got in you.

Took me all night long to get this drunk.

This is a waste of good money.

I tell you somethin', Tap, I..

...I got good reason for celebratin'.

'I'll tell you somethin' else, it's good to see you.'

Been a long time.

It's been forever.

I remember I handed you back to sea

just to get away from that dang caterwaulin' of yours.

You still think you can sing?

Not as good as you can snore.

'That sound I knew it was you in there, your snorin'.

Tap, what you've been doin' this off, lately?

Oh..

...my sailin' days is pretty much over.

Climbin' around them riggings, high seas..

...takes a lot younger hands and legs than I got.

Well, we're all gettin' a little older, Tap.

But you didn't answer my question.

Tell you the truth..

...I ain't doin' much either.

Well, now it seems to me, I recall it, in the old days

you was a pretty good cook.

How are you now?

Why?

'Cause I'm puttin' together a chuck-wagon for a cattle drive

lookin' for a cook.

A cook, huh?

I suppose you'd be havin' a supply of medication along

in case a feller needed it.

Well, might seem a way clear to..

carryin' enough so's you could sweeten

a cup of coffee at night.

I'm kind of a two coffee man at night.

Tap, you got a deal.

[laughing]

[dramatic music]

[groaning]

Wh..

Oh!

[groans]

Jessie.

Jessie.

'Jessie.'

Jessie.

Jessie!

Jessie.

Jessie!

Jessie.

[dramatic music]

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[Josh] 'Aunt Molly.'

[Laura] 'Aunt Molly.'

Laura, Josh!

h*!

- Aunt Molly. - Laura.

- Oh, my God, what happened? - Aunt Molly, you're hurt.

- Are you alright? - I'm alright now. I'm alright.

My head hurts, but I'm alright.

The stage got wrecked and I couldn't find Jessie.

- W-where is she? - Oh, I don't know.

I was unconscious and I think she must have headed back

for the way station to look for help.

Well, come on, we can pick her up on the way over there.

Let's hurry. Oh, Laura, I'm so lucky to be alive.

Oh, you know, the driver was k*lled.

- Oh, God, thank God-- - Hurry, Josh.

[carriage rattling]

[Josh] We waited all night at the stage depot in Elk Creek.

When the stage still didn't come this mornin', we decided

to ride out to the way station and see what happened.

Ha! Yip-hip!

Well..

Looks like you're tryin' to corner

the whole Texas chef market, mister.

[chuckles] Yeah, I'm just tryin' to outfit my drovers.

Well, I'll let you in on a little secret, friend.

Drovers ain't already got their own chefs

they ain't no drovers.

[Tap] 'Sure do look mouth-waterin', don't they?'

[chuckles] You know, when I was a boy, about your age

I had me a penny.

Sometimes, it'd take me half a mornin' to make up my mind.

You too?

[chuckles] Now these here, jelly ones.

In my day, why, uh, you get six of them for a penny.

And, boy, was they good?

'But they just wouldn't last.'

'No, certainly, just wasn't no way you'd make them last.'

Now, you take these here, jawbreakers.

[clears throat] If you didn't bite down too hard on 'em

why, sometimes you can get one of them to..

...would work for, maybe half a day.

I believe them jawbreakers was my favorite.

Me too.

[laughing] 'Boy, ain't that a caution.'

You know, you signed on to be my helper

and the both of us like jawbreakers.

Sure is.

'I'm gonna tell you a secret.'

You know in this store, when a fellow spends more than $10

like old Zeb just got through doin'

why he gets a whole penny's worth of candy free.

'Now, why don't you just grab one of them jawbreakers'

go yonder and tell Mr. Curn he owes it to you

and see what he says?

Thanks, Mr. Henry.

Why don't we just make it Tap?

Go on, son. Ha ha ha.

Mr. Swenson, I'm willing to pay you whatever you ask.

Uh, ma'am, I just can't head off and leave to go searchin'.

I mean, it would be worth my job if, uh, some thievin' Indian

or a prairie White Tr*sh decide to help themselves here.

You don't seem to understand.

It could mean that girl's life

if she's out there wondering in that desert.

I-I can understand your worry but, ma'am, I..

There's nothing I can do until that southbound stage comes in.

If it does come in.

Then we can get some word to Elk Creek.

Mr. Swenson, it will be dark by then

and you know we can't go searchin' when it's dark.

Now we wanna find Jessie and we gotta find her now.

Besides, we'd get lost out there lookin' by ourselves.

[Peasley] 'More than lost, young lady.'

- Oh, Mr. Peasley. - Mrs. Culhane.

What did you mean by "more than lost?"

That accident happened up at Rim Canyon?

Well, I don't know. It was a long winding curve.

And the road with a, a sheer drop off to the left.

That sounds like Rim Canyon.

I see that little girl too hurt to climb back up to the road.

Tryin' to get out the other way.

But there's no way to get out.

She'd be wandering around in circles

gettin' her brains baked by the sun.

You speak like you know this part of the country.

I've been through it a time or two now.

Back then what I call my prospectin' days.

You both Zeb Macahan's family?

Uh, yes, sir. I-I'm Josh Macahan.

This is my sister, Laura.

Do you know our Uncle Zeb?

We've been close, a time or two.

Can you help us search?

Well..

Young lady lookin' at me with big, blue eyes

I don't see how I can refuse you.

Oh, thank you, thank you.

Swenson, we're goin' to that canyon.

We need four saddled horses.

Well, horses, that I can get ya.

Son, you'd find some water skins in that barn bag there.

You best fill a good half dozen.

Right.

Molly, there's some salt pork inside the station.

Some good black bread I'd seen.

It'd be a good idea to fix up some for us to take along.

Swenson won't mind you raidin' the larder.

You better clean that up.

Aunt Molly, I can see you don't like that man very much.

[sighs]

- He's impossible. - Yeah.

Right now I don't have any choice.

Swen, I'll take that dun color over there.

Yes, but he's a friend of Uncle Zeb's.

Well, he never said that he is your uncle's friend.

Only that he knew him.

And I don't think Zeb would make friends with a man like that.

That could be a nice ride.

[dramatic music]

[g*nsh*t]

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[speaking in Sioux]

No!

[sobbing] No.

[dramatic music]

No, please. Please, don't k*ll me.

[sobbing] No!

[instrumental music]

[panting]

Thank you.

I must have been walking a long time.

I was on the stage with my aunt.

It went off the road.

That's all I remember.

[speaking in Sioux]

You don't speak English?

I don't understand you either.

You want me to get on the horse?

[speaking in Sioux]

Where would you be taking me?

[speaking in Sioux]

Alright.

[sighing]

I think that's the direction I should be going.

[speaking in Sioux]

Didn't you hear me?

We're supposed to be going that way.

[speaking in Sioux]

I said we're going the wrong way.

No, leave me alone.

[speaking in Sioux]

No, let me go. Get your hands off of me.

[speaking in Sioux]

I'm not..

[horse neighing]

[speaking in Sioux]

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