04x32 - The Road to Helena

[bunniefuu]

[ neighing ]

BOY: Hold it
right there, mister.

You know
you're trespassing?

Nope, I sure didn't.

What are you doing out here?

Well, before
you blasted away at me

and spooked my horse,
I was driving my--

driving my herd to Cody.

If they haven't stampeded
back to Laramie,

you can probably see 'em
over that ridge there.

You mean you ain't one
of 'em no-goods from Cody?Nope.

And if this is kind of welcome
they get hereabouts,
I'm glad I'm not.

I reckon I'm sorry, mister.
Pop told me to discourage
them city folks

that might come around
snooping.

Well, you don't seem to think
much of those folks from Cody.

Pa says there ain't
nothing good in that town.

Can't trust the law,
can't even believe the preacher.

Well, thanks
for the warning.

I better just take care
of my business there

and get out,

that's if I can find
my horse and steers.

They're likely
down by the creek,

I'll help you round 'em up.

Then I'll show you
a shortcut to town.

I reckon I at least
owe you that much.

Come on.

Well, I guess I'd better
take you up on that,

before you decide that folks
from Laramie are no goods too.

How are you
tonight, Ruth?

Good evening, Mr. Ross.

Come on now,
what do I have to do

to get you to call me
by my first name?

Excuse me.

I think you're wasting
your time with her, Frank.

I never waste my time.

Yes, sir?

Well, hello.

Too late for a meal?No.

Our special tonight
is fried chicken.

Sounds good, is it?

Serve quite a bit of it.

It's chicken or beans.

Since you recommend
the chicken so highly,

I'll take it.

And a cold beer
while I'm waiting.

Yes, sir.

Chicken and beer please.

One dinner, Sam.

Well?

He just sold Gibson
some beef cattle.

For how much?

Five hundred.

It's in his pocket.

What's his name?

Slim Sherman.
He's from Laramie.

You know him, Ruth?

I think I've heard his name,
that's all.

Give him his drink.

Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry.

That's all right.

They put something
in your drink, get out of here.

What kind of a whiskey
hole is this? I asked
for a beer not a bath.

I said I was sorry.Well, I'm gonna
get out of here

before you put
something else on me.She's new here, mister.

Pretty but pudding-footed.
I'll get you another beer.

Never mind.

I lost my thirst,
and my appetite.

You're not gonna
let a spilled beer spoil

your whole evening?

This isn't the only
saloon in town.

Follow him out.

I'm sorry.

You spilt that drink
on purpose.

No, I stumbled.

You begged
for the job here.

I don't want nobody
on the payroll I can't trust.

Please.

Arkins.

It's a good thing
the deputy likes you.

Now get back to work.

She told him
to clear out of here.

I'm sure of it.

Well, I'll talk to her
about it later tonight.

Ruth.

Did I scare you?

I didn't know who it was.

But now that you do,
you're not afraid.

Well, it's late.

Too late for a girl as pretty
as you to be out alone.

I'll walk you
to the boarding house.

Oh, no,
you needn't bother.

Well, protecting ladies
is part of my job,

I'm the law here in Cody.

And even if I wasn't, why,

I'd be glad for the chance
to walk with you.

I've been wanting to get to know
you better, Ruth,

but well, you don't make
friends too easy.

Why, I haven't been
in town very long.

Your father, he kind of
keeps to himself too.

Why, he hasn't been out
of that boarding house

more than a couple of times
since you folks got here.

He's been very ill.

Maybe he ought
to see a doctor.

It's late, I really
do have to go

and please don't bother
to come with me.

You need looking after.

I've already proven
that to you once.

I know and I appreciate it.

Well, I'm glad you do.

You know, I can understand
your boss getting mad at you.

After all, a man expects
his employees

to be a little more loyal.

Please.

[ groans ]

[ screams ]

Help! Help!

Did he hurt you?

I figured you'd be in trouble
when you warned me,

but I didn't figure
the local law being on it.

Does that hurt much?

A little numb.

Let's get out of here.
They had somebody follow me.

I don't want to tangle
with anybody else right now.

Mr. Sherman--

You know my name.

That's one of the reasons
I warned you earlier.

Come along, I'll put
a cold compress on that.

SLIM: Thanks for
what you're doing.

How long have you been
in Cody?

Just a couple of weeks.

Don't try it.

It's all right.

So you kept the others
from stealing my money

so you could take it, huh?

No.

Please, sit down.

She said sit down.

All right,
why'd you bring him here?

I'm going to ask him
to help us.

This is Slim Sherman.

My father David Franklin.

Who'd you tangle with?

Ross.

He was waiting for me
outside the saloon.

For you?

It's all right,
Mr. Sherman stopped him.

Oh.

So you whipped
the king of Cody, did you?

How much have you told him?

Nothing.

What...

what makes you think
he can be trusted?

Don't you remember
what he did in Helena?

Last year?

Sherman...

Helena.

Oh, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah.

I seem to recall.

You're the fella
that set that town

back on the right side
of the ledger, aren't you?

What guarantee
does that give us?

It isn't just
his reputation.

I have a feeling
about him that...

A feeling?

My daughter is willing
put our lives

in the hands
of a total stranger

because she has
a feeling about him.

We've got to trust someone.

We can't get to Helena
by ourselves.

You're right,
we can't.

We can't.

Dad.

It's all right.

Lot of help you are.

Well, he got away
from me.

Maybe I'm lucky
he did.

This fool Sherman
still with the girl?

I bet on it.

What happens
if he finds out?

Well, let him.

They'll have to make
their move then,

that's exactly
what we want them to do.

Jamie, go out
and pick out

about three good horses,
will you?

Get some extra ammos
and food, you know.

I got a feeling we're gonna be
riding tomorrow.

Okay.

Why do we have to cut
your kid brother in on this?

Well, look at it
like this.

Why do Jamie
and I have to cut you in?

Oh, Sam, you'll have to take
over here for a couple of days.

There's some business
I have to take care of.

Well, it better be something
with money in it.

They're gonna sell this place
right out from under you

if you don't come up
with some cash,

specially my back wages.

Oh, never mind that.

What I've got in mind will pay
your wages for 50 years.

Dad?

Take those
doggone pills away, baby.

They'll k*ll me
quicker than my wound.

You-- you can't see it
from where you are sitting.

Mr. Sherman,
I warned you tonight

because I wanted
to help you.

But I also had
another reason, a selfish one.

Go ahead, I'm listening.

My father and I have
to get back to Helena,

and we need someone
to take us there.

There must be
a lot of men around

that know the country
north of here.

It's, uh, it's not quite
as simple as all that.

We'll have to tell him
everything.

Yeah.

You see, we can't go back
to Helena with--

well, with just anybody.

We got to have somebody
we can absolutely trust.

You see, I'm carrying
$50,000 in cash on me.

Fifty thousand dollars?

And I thought
you wanted my $500.

If you got so much cash,
why were you--

Why am I working
in a saloon?

That's me.

See I was a paying teller
in that bank, for years.

Then, well, Ruth's mother
deserted me.

I felt that I had
to give her a better chance,

that I'd give her
a better break and so--

Well, one Friday evening,

when I closed the bank,

I walked out of there
with $50,000 in cash on me.

By Monday, Ruth and I were
a long way from Helena.

What went wrong?

I found that I couldn't spend
a dollar of that money.

And so Ruth here ends up
as a saloon girl,

like her mother.

Somehow we felt if he didn't
spend any of the money,

it was as though
he hadn't stolen it.

And you want it
to take it back, is that it?

Yes.

Why don't you just turn it over
to the law?

Oh, I--
I tried that in Billings.

The sheriff
there was such a pleasant,

accommodating man.

About half a day out of town,
he shot me in the back.

I thought he'd finish me,
but before he took the money,

he went after Ruth.

He was a very surprised man
when I shot him.

You can't judge
all law men by one.

There's a lot more good ones
than bad.

Well, $50,000,
is always a heap of money.

And law men are only human
like Deputy Ross here in Cody.

I'm sure he knows
who Dad is.

Two days ago,
our rooms were searched.

You see,
he doesn't want to arrest me.

He just wants the money,
that's all.

The reward is all yours

if you'll just get us back
to Helena to return the money.

It's a long trip.

What about your wound?

It bothers him a lot.

Well, then he couldn't go
by horseback.

No, I've-- I got a team

and a wagon
down at the livery stable.

I should
get back to Laramie.

If you were sensible man,
that's exactly what you'll do.

It's all right,
we have no claim on you.

If we're in trouble,
we made it for ourselves.

I had no right
to ask you,

but you were kind
and we were desperate.

Well, I do
owe you something.

If you hadn't have
warned me,

I'd be out there in that alley
without my money.

Maybe even
without my life.

We should be out of Cody
by sun-up.

That's their wagon, all right,
there's no mistake.

Only one place to go
in this direction,

that's Helena.

A lot of rough country
between here and there.

Most anything
could happen.

Are we gonna
ford this thing?

Yeah, it's not too deep
but it does drop off in spots.

How are you feeling,
Dad?

Every jolt this wagon makes,

feels like I've taken
that b*llet all over again.

So I want to lighten the load
in the wagon.

I'm gonna
unhitch one of horses

and take you across
one at a time.

I am not leaving
the wagon.

Now look, Mr. Franklin,

all I want to do is get you
and the wagon across.

Well, we'll chance it
together.

It's that money
you're worried--

I am not leaving
the wagon!

Stubborn old--

What are you going to do?

I'd like to forget
the whole thing.

Slim, if he goes in the wagon,
I have to.

Please,
you can get us across.

All right,
why do it the easy way?

Get in the back.

You all right?

I think so,
my dad's in trouble.

Help me!

Help!

Better get away from this wagon,
it's liable to turn over.

I can't! I'm stuck!

Hang on.

I'm gonna
have to cut you loose.

Hang on now.

Thanks.

How do you feel?

Safe.

You swallowed
a lot of water.

She--
she'll be all right.

Won't you, baby?

I was worried about you.

Oh, I'm-- I'm all right,
and the money, see?

That's safe too.

Well, I wondered
when you'd get around to that.

You almost got us all drowned
because of it.

There you are.

Your clothes
ought to be dried pretty soon.

I'm gonna
check on the horses.

Now you just rest,

I can manage.

You want to open
that bag of yours

and spread that money out
so it can dry?

The money
is perfectly safe, son.

It's wrapped
in waterproof oil skin.

Well, that's pretty smart.

How about the wagon
and the team?

Will you let me take
one step at a time?

Come on.

All right, boys,
easy now.

Let's go, come on.

That was a good meal,
Ruth.

Glad you liked it.

I don't cook venison
that often.

Wouldn't know it.

I've owed you a good meal.

Well, that debt
is paid in full.

Well, I'm--
I'm too full to breathe.

I haven't seen you
eat like this in months.

My dear,
you are looking at a man

who's finally made peace
with himself.

You two better
get some sleep.

I'm gonna stay and watch.

Yeah, I'll take
the first guard.

You sure
you're up to it?

Oh, sure,
I feel fine.

I'll go
check the horses.

All right.

Well, wake me at midnight.

You sleep till 3:00,
I'll take the second watch.

I'm not gonna
fight with you.

Never won an argument
with a woman yet.

Slim?

Thanks.

Maybe you'd better save that
till I get you back to Helena.

Even if we didn't get there,
I'd say it.

These last few weeks,

I was beginning
to distrust everybody.

And then you came along.

It would have been
so easy for you

to have treated me
the way the others had,

or just turned your back
and walked away.

Ruth, it wouldn't be easy
to walk away from you.

I wonder
if we're in time for dinner.

Oh.

Think you're gonna be up to
traveling again in the morning?

Oh, sure, sure.

Yeah, I'll be all right.

All I need is a little rest,
that's all.

You know,
it's a funny thing

how much pain it causes a man
to try and do the honest thing.

Yeah, it's discouraging.

MAN: Good evening.

Stand easy, mister.

Nice to see you again,
Ruth.

What do you want?

These men are my deputies.

Franklin, I've come here
to arrest you

for the robbery
of the bank of Helena.

Sherman,
you're on the wrong side

of the law this time.

Now you go
get me that money, old man.

If you'd wanted
to arrest me,

you could have done it
back in Cody.

And you should have.

You don't have
any authority out here.

That river's the county line.

I've got all the authority
I need right here, Sherman.

Now get me that money,
old man.

You did fine, baby,
fine.

Were you keeping this
hid on the chance

you might need it
against me?

Maybe the thought
did cross my mind.

It's gone now.

Do you--

Do you think
they'll come back?

Sooner or later.

He come to yet?

Well, we should have
gone back

to Cody and let the doctor
take care of him--

Oh, shut up!

I took the slug out of him,
he'll be all right.

Sherman did this to him.

Now it's not just the money
we're after.

I'm gonna settle up
for Jamie too.

They moved out.

And as soon as
I'm sure Jamie's all right,

we'll go after them.

And this time
we'll skip the conversation.

I'm gonna rest them
a spell.

Can I get down
and stretch my legs too?

Sure you can.

How are you feeling, Dad?

Much better,
thank you, dear.

Much better.

You know,
Ross didn't strike me

as the kind of man
who'd give up so easy.

I don't think he has.

One of them was wounded,

maybe they took him
back to Cody last night.

No, we can't figure that.

We just got to figure
they're still behind us.

Yeah, they can make
better time than we can too,

with this dirt wagon.

Yeah, tracks are pretty easy
to follow on this road.

We better leave it.

You mean strike out
cross country?

I've heard of this
yellow stone country,

it's rocky
but it's hard to track.

Well, whatever you say,
you're the boss.

No arguments?

What happened to that
stubborn streak of yours?

The river
washed it out of me.

All right, let's go.

Come on, boy.

Hang on to these.

Well, there's no sign
of them.

You think
we really lost them?

Yeah,
it looks that way.

It was worth being jolted
to a jelly.

Oh, did that bother your--
your hip much?

No, as a matter of fact,
it feels much better.

Well, that's good.

Well, if you two think
can unhitch the team,

make camp, I'll hunt up
some grub before it gets dark.

Fine.

Oh, there's a spring down
this way.

Better fill that barrel up
if you can before it gets dark.

Leave that to me.

Ruth?

Everything all right?

Yes, Dad's asleep
in the wagon.

Filling the water barrel
just exhausted him.

I didn't think I'd ever need
another bath again

after that dunk
in the river.

But I hadn't counted
on the trail dust.

Well I'm sorry to interrupt,
but we better get moving.

We're not camping here?

No, the hunt is not too good
around here.

There's a trappers
cabin up the trail,

maybe we can get some supplies
from him.

A fellow by the name of Brody.

Is something wrong, Slim?

Well, no,
plenty of daylight.

I'll get the team ready.

Hold it.

Drop it.

Stop it!

Inside.

All I got is food,
mister,

and you don't need that g*n
to get it.

Not interested in anything
that's here now.

I just want to
set up a little welcome

for some folks taking
the trail up to your cabin.

I don't much care
how we do this.

If you want a few busted bones,
it's all right with me.

Brody?

Brody?

It's Slim Sherman, Brody.

Come on in.

Howdy.Behind the door!

Are you
with those other three?

I thought
I can get you first...

then the girl and her old man
and then the money but--

[ door opens ]

Slim.

Take it easy, Ruth.

Atkins.

You know him?

Don't you remember?
I worked in his saloon in Cody.

You or nobody will be
working for this one anymore.

Now you got enough food
and water for 2-3 days, Jamie.

Don't worry, it isn't gonna
take us that long

to get what we came for.

I'm sorry for holding you up.

That's no bother.

They probably think that
we headed back for Cody by now.

Now you get some rest, boy,

and I'll bring you back
some greenbacks for a present.

And Sherman's boots too.

Now as I recall,
there's a very famous trail

near here,
leads north into Canada.

Yeah, the Lolo trail.

Yeah, that's it,
the Lolo trail.

That somewhere near here,
isn't it?

It's not far.

Does it pass near Helena?

No, it heads east.

Well, then
it's of no use to us.

We shouldn't be keeping
Slim awake asking him about it.

We're not going
to Helena.

We're heading
north into Canada.

Dad.

We can make a good life
for ourselves up there

with $50,000.

Now look, I'm too tired
for jokes.

This is no joke.

Ruth, can't you see
I'm doing this for you?

No, I don't believe
that anymore.

And neither do you.

I agreed to help you
get this money

back to where it belongs,
and that's where we're going.

We're going to Canada
and you're going to take us.

Well, they can't be
too far from here.

They've switched
directions again.

Yeah, one thing's sure,

they're not going back
to Helena.

Well, whatever direction
they've taken,

it doesn't matter
'cause they won't get there.

Don't you try heading off
course.

I haven't hunted this
country like you have,

but I know we ought to be
headed north east.

Would you like
some water?

Won't you even talk to me?

What should I say?

Thanks for making
a fool out of me?

You know I never inten--

Or maybe you'd like
to talk about the future

in Canada,
living on stolen money.

When he gets thirsty,
he'll drink.

What are we stopping for?

I thought I'd get out
and take a look,

we haven't checked behind us
since daylight.

That's a waste of time,
keep moving.

The horses need a rest.

What are you doing?

What are you up
to anyway?

All right.

Hold it,
give that to me.

I was not planning
to use to it on you.

Well, I'm sorry.

I've had to learn
too many things

the hard way
since meeting you.

The r*fle, too.

What you gonna do?

Hand me that rope.

Hand me the rope!

You're spending
the rest of this trip

with your hands and feet tied.

And with you
that's the only way to travel.

Son,
there's no need of that.

You can't blame an old man
for trying, can you?

Well, I think I can,
if I work at it.

Now give me your hands.

We'll make
a quick camp here.

I'll water the horses.

Ruth, untie me.

Haven't you done enough
to me?

You don't understand,
I'm doing this for all of us.

No.

Now you listen to me,
daughter.

Listen to you?

You don't have the right
to have anybody listen to you.

And as far as I'm concerned,

I'm no longer
any daughter of yours.

You don't mean that,
you can't.

Oh, yes, I do.

I used to think
you were just weak,

but it's more than that.

You're a selfish,
scheming man

and I'm through throwing my life
away just to make you happy.

I'm through!

Help me.

Help me please,
Ruth, please.

Now work your way across.

Take your time,
we can get them.

[ g*nsh*t ]

I know I've been wrong,

I'll try to make it up to you,
I swear.

Oh, Dad,
we've had enough trouble.

Just stay out of sight.

Dad!

Franklin, take cover!

Now, stop him.

Oh, ah.

Thank you, baby,
thank you.

Nice sh**ting, son,
nice sh**ting.

Don't try
to talk to him.

I got to, honey,
I got some explaining to do.

No, you don't.

You know,
I'm sorry you got hurt.

You know, but you running
out there with the money...

that gave me the chance
I was looking for.

That was the idea, son.
That was the idea.

Here, take a look.

Stop pretending.

We both know the money means

more to you than
anything or anybody.

You seem mighty sure
of that, baby.

I switched it last night.

The money is in the water barrel
on the wagon.

Then weren't
trying to...

Run out on you?

No, honey, I--
I'm getting a little too old
for that kind of thing.

Son, do you think
you can get us
back on the road to Helena?

Mr. Franklin,
we've never been off it.

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