02x01 - Epitaph for an Indian

[bunniefuu]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a bold adventuring man ♪

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ Battled for rights with a powerful hand ♪

♪ His blade was tempered, and so was he ♪

♪ Indestructible steel was he

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter

♪ A fearless and mighty adventuring man ♪

- [Jim] Right after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803,

settlers began pushing into the new territory.

They came by wagon, by horse, on foot, often without women,

but in this new country, women were already there.

Men met them, sometimes married them,

the result, the half-breed.

Such a boy was Ike Green, half Kentuck,

half Choctaw, and a friend of mine.

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

- Big Knife...

My father...

Give it to him.

Crawford Green lives Dardanelle

in Arkansas Territory.

Thanks, Big Knife, for everything.

[dramatic choir music]

[mellow music]

- Is there something I can do for you?

- I'm looking for a tavern.

- Well, this is a tavern.

- You're the owner?

- Did I say I was?

- I'm Jed Hubble. This here is Ed Thwait.

Names mean anything to you?

- Should they?

- Well, if you was from around here they would.

- Oh, I'm not from around here.

- Maybe you're looking for Quint Oxley.

- No, all I'm looking for is a bed and a place to clean up.

It won't hurt nothing to let him stay here.

We could keep an eye on him.

- You think he might be somebody?

- He might. Then again, he might be nobody.

- Well, that's something Quint'd want to know.

I'd better ride out and get him.

- Let him sign the register.

We can go in and talk to Medford.

- I got a feeling he won't be staying here very long.

- Quint'll decide that.

[knock on door] - Come in.

- Well, thank you, miss.

Something wrong?

- That's the first time anyone ever called me miss.

- Oh. [chuckles] Well now, let's see.

I could call you Emily, Dorothea, or Rachel--

- My name is Nikita.

- Nikita?

That's an Indian name, isn't it?

Choctaw?

- My mother was.

- [speaks Choctaw]

- You speak the Choctaw tongue?

- Well, just a little.

Picked it up trapping along the Yazoo River.

Matter of fact, I got quite a few friends among Choctaws.

- I'm glad to know that, Mr. Bowie.

By now everyone in town knows Jim Bowie is staying here.

- Oh, they do, huh?

Who spread the word around?

- You wrote your name in the register book.

I heard Mr. Medford send word for Mr. Oxley.

- This Mr. Oxley must be an important man.

- He is.

- [Jim] You lived here long, Nikita?

- I was born in a village not far from here.

My father and mother died last year from the slow fever.

- Now tell me, do you happen to know

a man named Crawford Green, an Indian?

Well, if you've lived here all this time, you must know him.

- I have work to do, Mr. Bowie.

[door closes]

- Good day.

I'd like something to eat, please.

- We don't serve meals here.

- Sure looks like somebody had something to eat.

- Those are mine. - Ah.

Well, would it be foolish to ask if you serve coffee?

- I just served the last cup.

- How about some ale?

You serve that, don't you?

Howdy.

How's the trapping this season?

- You happen to know an Injun named Crawford Green?

- Never heard of him.

You got any more questions, or can I ask a few?

- What'd you want to know?

- Like where you come from.

Like how long you plan to stay here.

- Oh, a day or so. I'm from Opelousas.

- This breed you're looking for,

what happens when you find him?

- Can't say 'til I do.

- Big secret, huh?

- More of a personal matter.

- You know, I don't think you're gonna have much luck.

- Why not?

- People around here don't like

somebody sticking their nose into

something that's none of their concern.

- Anything else you want to ask me?

[sloshing]

- Hey Les, what kind of a barkeep are you,

keeping these dang ol' flies in your ale?

What's the matter, man?

Don't you want to finish your drink?

[laughs]

[door closes]

- You the sheriff?

- Well now, what kind of question's that?

Of course I'm the sheriff. Pete Weber.

- My name is Jim Bowie.

Looking for a little information.

- I ain't seen your face around here before.

- Haven't been here before.

- You're a trapper come to sell furs.

- No, I'm not selling anything.

- This information you want, it's about something in town?

- I'm looking for an Indian named Crawford Green.

You know where I can find him?

- Craw Green moved away from here.

- Hmm?

When?

- Six, seven months ago.

- Where'd he move to?

- I don't keep track of every redskin

breed that lives around here.

- Well, maybe you can tell me where he used to live.

- Won't do no good, there's nobody living there now.

- [Jim] I could ride over, take a look.

- It's just a waste of time.

- How do I go?

- You're real set on going.

Craw Green's place is down by the river.

Take the road south from here, you pass a creek,

there's a ford you cross over, and that's it.

Bowie?

There's gonna be some folks ain't gonna

like you snooping around here.

- You mean like Quint Oxley?

- You know him? - [Jim] Not yet.

- He owns the tavern, trader's store,

and most everything else in this town.

- And you too, Sheriff?

- [Pete] Nobody asked you to come here.

- That's where you're wrong. Somebody did ask me.

[door closes]

- Mr. Bowie, my name's Quint Oxley.

Seems like I owe you an apology.

- Why's that, Mr. Oxley?

- Well, being a property owner, I have my enemies.

Some of my men took a notion you were one of 'em.

- Your men were mistaken.

- I told them that.

- I'm just looking for a man named Crawford Green.

- [Quint] Old Craw Green, the Indian breed?

- You know him?

- Everybody around here did.

Had a little place down by the river.

- Do you happen to remember where he moved to?

- No, can't help you there.

- Seems kind of funny, doesn't it, that he'd suddenly

leave a farm he'd worked so hard to make a go of?

- Well, you know how these Indians are.

One day they're working their heads off,

and the next day, they're gone.

- Well, thanks for the information, Mr. Oxley.

- Mr. Bowie, you may not realize it,

but your name has carried a long way.

You're what might be called a famous man.

- No, I didn't realize it.

- Can't imagine why you should be

kicking up all this fuss over a no-account Indian.

It's kind of hard to understand.

- Maybe it is for you.

- Well, if there's anything else, I.

Say, how about having a drink with me?

- No, thanks.

I'm riding out to Craw Green's place.

- There's nobody there.

- I'll just take a look.

- What'd Bowie want?

- Craw Green. - What'd you tell him?

- Well, I--

- You told him where Craw lived.

- He forced me to.

- All right, Pete.

Now, listen. All of you.

You know what this place was before I got here.

I made this town.

Changed it up from an overnight stop

for trappers and whiskey traders.

Now I've got my money invested here,

and your job is to protect my investment.

- If you want me to take care of him, Mr. Oxley--

- There's some things you don't settle with g*ns.

I'm in business. I don't want any k*lling.

Hub, I'm giving you this job.

He's out at Craw Green's.

When he gets back, use your hands.

- Hands?

But that's Jim Bowie.

- [Quint] Hub can handle him.

- Why, he won't even know what hit him.

- Fine. [slams table]

[stirring choir music]

- What's the matter with this town?

- The townspeople are not friendly.

- That's an understatement.

Hmm?

- Jed Hubble is waiting for you.

- Any special reason?

- They don't want you to know, Mr. Bowie.

- Know what? - About Crawford Green.

- Oh, I was just out there.

It's like everybody says.

Looks like he's been gone a long time.

- What's the matter with being a half-breed?

Why should you deny what you are?

- You shouldn't, you should be proud of it.

- I am, and so was Craw Green.

He never moved away from here, Mr. Bowie, he...

He was shot.

- Why? - [Nikita] I don't know.

Ed Thwait told me about it one night

when he'd had too much to drink.

He said Quint Oxley went out there

one night full of whiskey and hate, and--

- And k*lled him.

Why? He must have had a reason.

- He hates Indians.

- Well, quite a few people hate Indians.

They don't go around sh**ting 'em down in cold blood.

Why would Oxley single out Craw Green?

- I don't know.

- You sure about this?

- I even know where he is buried.

- Would you take me? - Yes.

Pretend you're making love to me.

- What?

- Kiss me.

Don't look around.

Jed Hubble is watching us.

- Well, Nikita, I think you ought to go on back.

I don't want you to lose your job.

- I see you got your eye on that

little breed girl from the tavern.

- Well, she's a pretty girl.

- I guess nobody told you,

but Nikita happens to be my girl.

- She didn't mention it. - Boy!

[punch]

[grunt]

[clattering]

[punches]

[grunt]

[grunt]

[punch]

[clattering]

[punch]

[clattering]

[thump]

[groan]

[punches]

[heavy thump]

[groaning]

[punch] [grunt]

[splash]

[bouncy music]

- First time I've ever known Hub

to come out on the short end.

- Where'd you take him?

- Doc Lengel. He's patching him up.

- When Doc gets finished, tell Hub he's through.

- You're firing him?

- [Quint] As of now. Why?

- Hub and I been together an awful long time.

- Maybe you'd like to keep it that way.

- Maybe I would.

- No, Ed.

- Old Hub's been an awful good friend to me.

- You looking for a reputation, Ed?

You want to go down in history

as the man who shot Jim Bowie?

Ed! [g*nsh*t]

He drew a g*n on me, you saw that, Pete.

- Yeah, I saw it.

Why didn't you let him go after Bowie?

- Because Bowie's important enough

to bring the US marshals here,

investigating, digging into things.

- Bowie's already digging.

- I'll handle him.

- How?

- Personally.

[mellow choir music]

- Who buried him? - I did.

[hoofbeats]

- You're a busy man, Bowie.

- Seems I'm not the only one.

- Something I'd like to discuss.

- Well, start discussing.

- You interested in money?

- When I earn it.

- [Quint] Five hundred in gold.

- That's a lot of money.

- Right outta here.

Forget Craw Green, if you're smart.

- No sale.

I just found Craw Green's grave.

- [Quint] I see you've got a helper.

I made you a good offer, Bowie.

You shoulda taken it.

- That p*stol only holds one shot.

If you miss-- - I won't miss.

[punch] [grunt]

[punches]

- Why did you k*ll him, Oxley?

What was it, Oxley, what was it?

There's your one-man law.

- [speaks Choctaw]

- No, I'm not finished.

- You speak Choctaw, Oxley?

Could it be that you're Indian?

- No, I'm a white man. I'm as white as you are!

- All white, Oxley? - Yes, all white!

- Not part Indian?

'Cause if you are, there's nothing to be ashamed of.

You should be proud to be!

- All right, my father was an Indian,

but not another living soul knows it.

- And Craw Green found out, is that it?

[triumphant music]

- He m*rder*d Craw Green.

- That's a pretty serious charge.

I guess you got proof.

- All you need, Sheriff.

- I'll take care of him.

- Like you took care of his friends?

- Mr. Bowie, you told me this town could change back.

Sheriff Weber was a good man.

Maybe he can change back too.

- All right, Sheriff, he's yours.

- Thanks.

[stirring choir music]

- I was just coming in to say goodbye.

- Goodbye, Mr. Bowie. - Bye, Nikita.

I'd like you to have this.

- What is it?

- Two hundred dollars, Ike Green's money.

- No, Mr. Bowie. I-- - It's all right.

I think Ike would have liked you to have it.

- You must have thought a lot of him.

- Yeah, I did.

He was the first Indian who worked on the stage line.

Matter of fact, I got him the job.

- I can't take it.

- Buy a tombstone for old Craw's grave,

and have 'em write something nice on it in Choctaw.

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter

♪ A fearless and mighty adventuring man ♪