01x04 - The Stranglers

[bunniefuu]

ANNOUNCER: Previously

on Elkhorn

MERRIFIELD: Lot of

easterners line their pockets

out here as cattlemen.

ROOSEVELT: You’re

a fine partner,

but we need managers.

We ain’t here to break broncos.

You’re here to manage a ranch.

ROSIE: Miss Medora, we still

have a hotel full of guests.

Surely we need a manager.

MARQUIS: I think you will find

me far easier to deal with

than those crooks in Chicago.

And you will search

his room for proof.

ROSIE: Seems a bit

dishonest is all.

No lawyers here

and no law.

That’s a waste of good

water, if you ask me.

SEWALL: I’ll ask ya

again in ten years

when ya ain’t got no teeth left.

DOW: Well,

you still hung up

on them ponies?

I know you think we overpaid-

SEWALL: That ain’t

what I think.

Price was fair for

the ponies we got.

Should’ve got were

cheaper horses.

ROOSEVELT: Well,

it’s a done deal,

so no sense in remaining

sour about it.

[SEWALL SIGHS]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

SEWALL: They are fine ponies.

ROOSEVELT: Indeed,

and come morning

they’ll be roaming their

new pastures at the ranch.

[OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

[OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

Stop! Thieves!

[g*nf*re]

Trying to get yourself k*lled?!

Can’t very well just let

them take them, now can I?

Stay down! [g*nf*re]

DOW: Come back, ya

cowards! [g*nf*re]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

[g*nf*re]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

Get back here, ya cowards!

[g*nsh*t]

They took the new ponies.

SEWALL: Jack!

JACK: It’s just my

leg. I’ve got two.

[GROANING]

We’ve got to get that b*llet out

and get him to town

somethin’ quick.

We’ll take care of

this immediately.

Don’t you worry, Jack.

They were fine horses.

They were, indeed.

[THEME MUSIC] ♪

[THEME MUSIC] ♪

[THEME MUSIC] ♪

Different calibers.

We’ll find you.

DR. STICKNEY: Won’t

be working a week.

Leg should be just fine,

granted you mind them stitches.

Means no ridin’ for a few days.

DOW: Wait. You sayin’

he can’t even ride home?

DR. STICKNEY: Well,

ridin’ home’s still

ridin’, ain’t it?

Unless you got a spare wagon?

Afternoon, gentlemen.

- SEWALL: Doctor.

Well,

don’t see what choice we got.

Yep.

[GRUNTING]

You seen that man before, Wil?

DOW: I’ve certainly

never seen that suit.

You get Jack a room, now.

I gotta tend to some business.

DOW: What business?

I’ll tell ya once I know.

DOW: Uncle?

Yes sir.

All right.

[GRUNTING]

[DOOR OPENS]

[GRUNTING]

[RINGS BELL]

[PANTING]

Hi.

Hi there?

Would you like a room?

DOW: Ah,

ah, yes,

yes Ma’am. Sorry.

Oh, I’m sorry.

Sorry um, I would like

a room, yes, for my-

friend here to rest

up in. We ran into a

spot of trouble this morning.

Horse thieves?

DOW: Yes, Ma’am.

How’d you know?

Popular problem this morning.

Oh, I don’t think

we can take him.

He’s gonna bleed all

over my new linens.

DOW: Oh, ah,

well, I hadn’t thought of that.

[ROSIE LAUGHS]

I’m just foolin’ ya.

We’ll put some towels

down. It’ll be just fine.

And I’ll have someone check

on him every couple hours,

make sure he’s comfortable.

How’s that?

DOW: Why, that’s-

real service.

Well, that’s what three

dollars a night gets ya.

Three?

Th-three dollars a night?

It’s worth every penny.

There you go. That’s okay.

Yep.

Um

Well,

let us say

two nights, and if

he needs more, then

I guess I’ll just have to

come back and

pay more.

All right, sign here.

DOW: Oh, yes, yes, Ma’am.

Alright, take this

gentleman to room four

and mind the leg.

Thank you.

Alright. DOW: On the

right side there.

ROSIE: All set.

It’s nice of you.

Takin’ care of your men,

treatin’ him to

such a fine room.

DOW: Well, I,

I’m not treatin’ anybody.

My boss will probably

reimburse me, truth be told.

You’re not supposed to do that.

Do what?

Truth-tellin’.

You’re supposed to let

me think you’re rich.

Why is that?

Well, gals like

rich, handsome cowboys,

now don’t they?

Well, you think them

gals ever settle for

honest, handsome cowboys?

I think it’s the handsome

part that counts.

Oh,

[CHUCKLING]

I see.

MR. FISKE: I had intended

to present this matter

to Mister Roosevelt himself.

MERRIFIELD: That

is a possibility,

but I’m afraid he’s

occupied at the moment.

But I assure you, Mr. Fiske,

I have full authority

in his stead,

and I’ll look forward to relaying

all information we discuss.

Wonderful.

In that case, I’ll

have a contract

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

[LAUGHTER]

MERRIFIELD: Pleasure.

FISKE: Mine.

There you are.

I’m ready to ride.

What was this business

of yours, anyway?

Tell ya once I know.

Not ridin’ just yet.

EATON: Heard you had some excitement

this morning, Mister Roosevelt.

I’m afraid you

missed it, Howard.

EATON: Afraid not.

They hit my ranch first and

a few others in

between, it seems.

Horses?

EATON: Wagon, too.

My good one.

I had intended to

wait for the law.

Hand off the dead one

at the very least.

But if we leave right

now, we may be able to

catch up to the

thieves before they-

We can’t catch ’em.

Not on our own.

That’s why I sent a telegram

last night to Granville Stuart.

Know him?

Only in reputation.

Up in Montana, heads the

Cattlemen’s Association, yes?

EATON: Among other

ventures, yes.

He’s got himself a little posse,

goes by the name

of the Stranglers.

They handle

transgressions like these.

I see.

EATON: Too often,

good folks like you

are left "waitin’

for the law."

Granville, he ain’t a waiter.

He’s a seeker.

Seekin’ the justice

this place needs.

My thoughts exactly.

They should be arriving

at my ranch tonight.

You’re welcome to

join us if you like.

I can think of nothing

I’d rather do more.

DOW: Excuse me, I ah,

I just,

I thought I’d

bring some flowers.

For my friend. Um.

You said he was room 4, right?

They’re real pretty.

DOW: Ah, yeah- Oh! Excuse me.

Well, maybe I should just leave

’em right here with you, and

you can decide if you

want to send ’em on or

just keep ’em right here.

You said you was gonna

be back in a day,

and it’s barely been an hour.

You must be real concerned

about your friend.

DOW: Well,

truth be told, I’m kinda

waitin’ on my uncle

to finish up some business, so.

There you go again with

that truth-tellin’.

Just say you stuck around to

see the girl from the hotel.

DOW: Right. Right. Okay.

Well,

I stayed for her.

Hmm.

Better.

[DOOR SQUEAKS]

SEWALL: Merrifield!

What are you up to?

Well, last time I checked, nothing

wrong with a man taking a stroll.

Other than that,

I’ve no idea what

you’re talking about.

You workin’ side deals

under Mister Roosevelt’s nose?

What, you spying on me?

sh**t. Should’ve expected

nothin’ less from you.

But still I ain’t

done nothing wrong.

And if Chicago wants to offer

us two cents more per-pound,

it is my responsibility

to consider it.

Chicago?

You’re doin’ deals with Chicago?

We already have a

deal with the Marquis.

MERRIFIELD: A deal

with the Marquis?

That’s rich.

What I’m doin’ here is

none of your concern.

SEWALL: Theodore

asked me to manage,

so I’m gonna manage.

MERRIFIELD: That’s right,

Sewall. He asked you to manage,

but asked me to partner.

Don’t you forget that.

And if you was managin’

the way you should,

you’d understand

this ranch has been

bleedin’ money from

here to Albany.

Oh and heck, now you

can include them horses

from this morning in that tally!

So you chew on that!

SEWALL: You’re not wrong, Bill.

You’re not wrong.

But Theodore gave his word.

And you go back on that,

well, let’s just say

I hope I’m there

when you tell him.

Hey!

- MERRIFIELD: Get off me!

[PUNCH]

[FIGHTING]

So, all the way from Maine, huh?

Yes, Ma’am.

Never been myself.

Anything you miss?

Well

the sky, I suppose.

We got sky here too, you know?

DOW: No, I’m talking

about the night sky.

The way the stars

shine there, just,

well, there’s nothin’ like it.

My daddy actually used to

take me on picnics at night.

We’d gaze up at the stars.

They’re pretty out here too.

Promise. You just

gotta know where to look.

Maybe you uh,

can show me them sometime.

[FIGHTING OUTSIDE]

Sometime real soon!

[FIGHTING]

[FIGHTING]

DOW: What’s gotten into y’all?

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

MERRIFIELD: You

know what, Sewall?

Thank you.

Thank you for helping

me see things clear.

I was just contemplating

that offer,

but now

my mind’s plumb made up.

Uncle, you okay?

STUART: Evening there, Eaton.

Your ranch has grown since

the last time I visited.

Bad terrain here.

It bodes well for the hunt.

If our horses are

throwin’ shoes,

imagine trying to

hurry a string of

stolen ponies along.

EATON: Thanks for

coming, Granville.

STUART: It’s my duty.

Better we nip ’em here than they

creep into Montana.

EATON: This here’s

Mr. Theodore Roosevelt.

STUART: A man would have to

be born atop the Bighorns

not to know Mr. Roosevelt.

What brings you out here, Sir?

ROOSEVELT: The business

of cattle, most days.

But this one? An

appeal for justice.

I’m amongst the wronged

parties, you see.

A dozen ponies lost

and a man wounded.

STUART: That’s some raw luck.

ROOSEVELT: You know, the

wagon tracks head north.

Do you think that they’re

headed for Native land? Perhaps

they’re offloading the

horses to the Sioux?

STUART: Unlikely.

Ain’t much profit to be

made from Indian-trading.

Stealing from y’all, one by one

that’s quite an operation.

They’ll be takin’ the horses

back somewhere else first,

a camp, most likely.

And when the thievin’s all done,

they move ’em out, all at once.

I see. STUART: But-

you’re asking the right

questions, Mr. Roosevelt.

Where will they sell ’em after?

And if they’re smart, that camp

will be in the same direction.

And seein’ as they took

that wagon decoy north,

I reckon we’ll find that

camp just to the south.

What do you mean, wagon decoy?

STUART: If you’re

stealin’ all them horses,

you ain’t dragging

along a wagon too.

Make your getaway

slow as molasses.

Naw, I reckon you’ll

find it abandoned

on the outskirts

of Longbow. Just

follow the tracks,

as they hoped the law to do.

EATON: That was my good wagon.

Much thanks.

I best be off to fetch it then.

STUART: Best be.

We’ll see about your stock.

Any idea as to who these

horse thieves might be?

A famous g*ng, perhaps? Or

there is a prominent

cattle baron here in Medora

that would take great pride

in spoiling my operations.

The Marquis de Mores

is not your man.

How could you be so sure?

Very well.

Looks like we’ll

take our leave now.

With any luck,

we’ll have your property

back within the week, Sir-

Uh begging your pardon,

but I very much intend to

see this justice through.

I’m not sure that’s a good idea.

With respect, the justice we

deliver is often overdue but

outside the bounds of the law.

Requires discretion.

And to have a Roosevelt

along to endorse it, well.

TR: I am a man of Dakota

seeking satisfaction for his

lost property. Nothing more.

And any law that inhibits

true justice, well,

to the wind with it, I say.

Ah.

Found at the scene of the crime.

A rare caliber for

these parts and

evidence to incriminate,

should you require it.

Ride along as far

as Belle Fourche.

Beyond that,

it’s our pursuit.

Very well.

STUART: Well, then,

best be on our way.

MARQUIS: Bonjour.

So grateful to

catch you gentlemen

just in the nick of time.

You see

I’ve come to join your hunt.

MARQUIS: They took seven of

my best horses, you know.

Crafty devils.

Come, Roosevelt.

Certainly you’d agree I’m

entitled to seek recompense?

I suppose you are.

MARQUIS: Then again,

all this could’ve been

dealt with already

if only I’d caught

them in the act.

Well,

I suppose you’ll have

to back your boasts

when you find them.

I suppose I will.

Best get some rest.

Sleep well.

Thank you, Ma’am.

MEDORA: Cleaning up messes

while the boss plays cowboy.

I sympathize with you there.

It ain’t exactly that.

My apologies.

I do appreciate you bringing

this matter to my attention.

Uh huh.

Chicago has always

been troublesome.

They’re the past.

We are the future.

What else is one to do when the

world is leaving you behind?

It’s better when the

steer doesn’t know.

He’s calm then,

walking right to the slaughter.

You need do nothing more.

I will handle it from here.

Thank you, Mister Sewall.

- Thank you, ma’am.

- The honor and respect

between our businesses

remains intact.

I see why he brought you here.

True friends

are rare.

Ma’am.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

Fetch Paddock, would you?

He’s got an errand to run.

Oui, Madam.

Fire’s fresh out.

Lotta hooves.

Camp was here.

They got two hours on us, maybe.

What are you searching for?

STUART: They’ll leave a

lookout, now and then.

Handy to know who’s trailin’ you

when you’re dealin’ in

things you shouldn’t be.

Survey the area, rocks, groves,

anywhere a set of

eyes could be hidin’.

MARQUIS: I will let you

know when I find a lead.

DWIGHT (horse

thief): Hiyah! Hiyah!

[GALLOPING HOOFBEATS]

He’s here!

The horse thief is here!

Hiyah!

Marquis, did you see

which way the thief went?

MARQUIS: Asks the

man with glasses!

STUART: Well done,

Mr. Roosevelt!

We’ll have him in no time!

[GALLOPING HOOFBEATS]

Hyah! Come on. Hyah!

Whoa! Whoa. Whoa!

ROOSEVELT: I think you’re

quite cornered, Sir.

DWIGHT: Please mister,

(stammering) I ain’t the

man you’re lookin’ for.

I’m tellin’ ya, I

ain’t no horse thief!

STUART: Then why were

you camped on that perch?

DWIGHT: Why?! There’s dangerous

men in these parts, that’s why!

I see a posse such as yourselves,

totin’ g*ns, without no badges.

I got no interest in tanglin’!

STUART: And what about your

as*ault on Mr. Roosevelt there?

DWIGHT: You mean the man

that came into my camp,

g*n drawn without

announcing himself?!

And I ain’t even hurt him much,

just enough to get free.

STUART: We will catch

the rest of your boys.

So you might as

well come clean now.

I ain’t got nuthin’

to come clean about.

I believe his answers have

been perfectly reasonable.

I want recompense as much as the rest, but

perhaps we should consider he’s telling the truth.

DWIGHT: Yeah. Listen to him.

I am tellin’ the truth. I

got no reason to tell a lie.

MARQUIS: Monsieur Stuart,

did you notice the ear?

STUART: How’d you come

by that notch, friend?

[CLEARING THROAT]

There is only one way to get

that, Monsieur Roosevelt.

He was found guilty

but offered mercy.

Given exile from somewhere

instead of death,

but they marked him in

case he ever returned.

And if he did,

there would be no mercy left.

DWIGHT: I, I, I ain’t

that way no more.

STUART: And yet

rather than bear the mark,

you’ve grown your

hair to cover it.

I’ve seen enough.

- ROOSEVELT: Granville, with

all due respect,

you can’t be serious?

This is circumstantial at best.

STUART: This man is guilty.

Not guilty here though,

not of this crime at least,

not past a reasonable doubt.

Plus there are plenty

of guilty men who

walk free with no marks at all.

STUART: I’m not here to

balance all the scales.

But I can do my small part

to keep good folks safe.

And I’ve been at

this a long time,

long enough to know

when someone’s deserving

and when they ain’t.

If he’s deserving,

then let us take

him to Deadwood.

Face a trial. Proper justice.

It was our justice

you’d want to see.

Was it not?

Well, you’re seeing it now.

This is not justice.

Hanging a man without

a shred evidence?!

STUART: Evidence?

Get me his sh**ter.

Rare caliber for

these parts, you said

and evidence

to incriminate.

Granville,

please.

This isn’t certain.

Deadwood isn’t

even an hour away.

STUART: I’m sorry

Mister Roosevelt,

but this is how

it’s going to be.

Take him.

DWIGHT: No! No! No! Help me!

You’ve got the wrong

guy! It wasn’t me!

I’m no horse thief!

Help me please!

I’m sorry, Granville,

but it seems that we

are at an impasse.

DOW: Ask you somethin’, Uncle?

How do you get a gal to,

I dunno,

not think you’re an ape?

Well, don’t act like

one for a start.

Thanks for that. SEWALL: This is

that girl at the hotel, right?

Can’t stop thinkin’

about her. SEWALL: Yeah.

One thing I know for sure,

they all like it

when you listen.

So were you listenin’

to her yesterday?

I think-I think so.

SEWALL: Show her

you were listenin’.

You understand?

I’m not sure I do. No sir.

Oh.

You got some nerve.

No need for all

that now, Sewall.

Okay? Just came

to say thank you.

For helping me see things clear.

I ain’t takin’ the deal.

How’s that?

Well, I started thinkin’

after our little

to do.

As much as it chaps my hide

to admit it, you were right.

Mr. Roosevelt’s word is more important

than an extra couple of bucks and

should’ve always

been that simple.

And I’m,

well, I’m sorry for

going behind your back.

I was hopin’ we could

keep this between us

since I ain’t made

the deal and all.

Well,

I don’t see no need to

concern Mr. Roosevelt

in things that ain’t happened.

Thank you, Sewall.

Only problem is

how foolish I’ll look

in front of the Marquis.

What do you mean?

SEWALL: I asked Miss

Medora to intervene.

You did what, now?!

You left me no choice, being

as reckless as you were-

Stop right there.

You realize what

you’ve done, Sewall?

She will intervene all right.

Come sundown,

that fella from Chicago,

he is as good as dead!

ROOSEVELT: Furthermore,

if we do not uphold

some level of civility-

- STUART: Aw, heck!

Goin’ in circles! MARQUIS:

Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen.

We have wasted so

much time already,

and our stolen horses

remain at large.

It pains me to say it, but

Roosevelt is right.

There is simply too much doubt.

Let us take this man to Deadwood

and be done with him.

STUART: Mount up.

ROGER: But, Sir-

STUART: You heard me.

Thank you, Granville.

I promise that you

will feel better

once we’ve delivered

him to Deadwood.

STUART: Not you.

I beg your pardon?

STUART: To Belle Fourche.

That was our

agreement, was it not?

She’s just over that hill.

It was a pleasure riding

with you, Mr. Roosevelt.

I want your word.

You won’t hang him.

You have my word.

I won’t hang him.

Good evening, gentlemen.

An evening stroll is lovely,

especially when it’s

done at a distance, Sir.

[PUNCHING]

SEWALL: Paddock! Stop!

PADDOCK: Come to

lend a hand, Mainer?

SEWALL: Let him go.

This man ain’t done

anything to deserve this.

PADDOCK: You gotta

be kiddin’, right?

We’re well past the

point of return here,

especially after I tell him you

tipped me off to his schemes.

I let him go, they’ll be fifty

K*llers headed back within the week.

But if he vanishes,

well,

Badlands is a dangerous

place after all.

You let me go,

or you will learn the

dangers of this place.

They will come lookin’ for me,

with fire and fury.

PADDOCK: Now what am I

supposed to do with that?

[g*nsh*t]

SEWALL: What have you done?

Bought us time if nothing else.

There is no us!

PADDOCK: If you’re thinkin’

of goin’ to the authorities,

don’t bother.

Heck,

you’d be my best witness,

watchin’ the man threaten me,

lunge for my weapon,

g*n just

goin’ off like that.

No sir,

law will be with me on that.

Maybe. PADDOCK:

Ain’t no maybe.

But I ain’t really

k*lled him anyhow.

Your man did,

soon as he opened

the door to him.

SEWALL: Merrifield.

PADDOCK: Best get now, Mainer.

I find it’s best

not to linger after.

[g*nsh*t]

What was that?!

We must go back.

MARQUIS: It is done.

What are you saying?

Must you be so naive?

What did you expect?

You wanted to witness

frontier justice.

Did you not?

Seems to me you got your wish.

You knew.

You only sided with me so I

would not intervene any further.

MARQUIS: I simply

saw what you did not,

inevitability.

Perhaps Stuart was right.

Best that these things

not have the endorsement of

prominent men like you or me

for their sake

as much as ours.

DOW: Excuse me, Miss?

ROSIE: Well,

what brings you

out this evening?

DOW: Well, I was just

walking around and

looking up, and uh,

well, realized I never did

catch the best spot to

see them stars from.

Oh, sounds like

quite the quandary.

DOW: Yep.

But,

um, it is not as hard

as having all this

and no one to share

it with. ROSIE: Oh.

May I?

Yes, Ma’am.

You know, all sounds

good and well,

but there is one problem.

What would that be?

I never did catch your name.

My name is Wilmot Dow.

Rosie Maddox.

[CLEARING THROAT]

Shall we?

Oh

lead the way.

Is he healing up

from the g*nsh*t?

Who’s that?

The cowboy, the one

the horse thieves got,

Jack.

Right.

Yeah, uh,

doing well.

Wilmot put him up in a hotel.

Good.

That’s good.

Any other action

while I was away?

Some trouble with the

Chicago people but

seems handled

for the time being.

Mmmm.

SEWALL: Was your

ride successful?

Not everything is as I

thought it was here, Bill.

There’s a

dire need for

civilization to come here

for law and order and

proper democratic institutions.

You ain’t kidding.

You hatchin’ something

I need to know about?

No, no. Just

thinking out loud.