02x06 - Cattle Drive

[bunniefuu]

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[music continues]

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[instrumental music]

Bees! Bees!

[screaming] They're all over me!

Help me! Josh!

[Josh] 'Over here, Jessie.'

Josh! Josh..

Come on, let's go. Go! Aunt Molly!

Bee stings are poison to Jessie.

And she only got stung once or twice that time.

Not dozens, like now.

[sobbing] She could even die.

Now, I've telegraphed Denver City for a zinc preparation

I've read about in a medical journal.

It should be here on the morning stage.

But will it work?

I don't know, Mr. Macahan.

All you can do is keep drugging her to ease the pain.

You're scared too, aren't you, Uncle Zeb?

I don't think that doctor's gonna be able to save Jessie.

Honey, I wanna take you to the Arapaho village

and have the medicine man look at you.

They've been dealing with stings and snake bites..

...and poisoned toadstools and such as that

further back than anybody can remember.

Whether we go or not, it's..

'...it's up to you to decide.'

Take me, Uncle Zeb.

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Uncle Zeb, you can't do this.

Sorry, Luke.

[dramatic music]

Luke! Please remember

your Uncle Zeb is not exactly your enemy, you know.

Well, enemy or not, Aunt Molly

we've got the right to bring Jessie back..

...before it's too late.

[speaking native language]

[screaming]

If she dies, Uncle Zeb..

...I'll k*ll ya.

If she dies, Luke..

...you won't have to.

[instrumental music]

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

Looks like it.

They'll eat anything if they dog.

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

Looks to me like these people are starving.

[music continues]

Chief..

...your people..

...they do not have fat meat to eat?

Braves are hunting.

The Great Spirit smiles.

They'll return with buffalo.

And if the Great Spirit does not smile?

It will be time for some to die.

'The very old.'

What about those cows

the government agent was supposed to send?

There are no cows. Not for five moons.

Five moons!

We did not offer White Eagle and his people food

because there is none they would eat.

Chief, I will speak to the government agent.

We will see.

We will see.

It's Aunt Molly!

Zeb!

How is she, Zeb?

There's nothing to report yet, Molly.

We're just hoping and praying.

- Did you bring the medicine? - It never came.

The stage arrived, but the medicine wasn't on it.

[Jessie screaming]

[speaking native language]

[Zeb] 'Boys, the chief says you're not going in.'

Quietly. Come on.

[instrumental music]

Jessie!

Mama, when's pa coming home?

Mama, I can't hear you.

Pa's been away too long.

- Jessie. - 'Uncle Zeb?'

Mama, won't talk to me.

She won't tell me when pa's coming home.

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I'm here, dear.

Mama?

Try to sleep now.

Why won't pa come home to us?

Why? He's been delayed, Jessie

but he'll be home real soon.

[mumbling] Mama.

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[indistinct mumbling]

[medicine man chanting in native language]

[continues chanting]

[chanting stops]

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[speaking in native language]

Her fever just broke.

[whooping]

[cheering and laughing]

[Luke] Uncle Zeb.

Jessie!

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It's funny.

I had so many dreams.

I've even seen ma and pa.

But in every one, I was so far away from home.

I'm kinda glad to have you back, Jessie.

All of us.

[music continues]

Josh.

Think you can get the ladies back to the ranch alright?

Be no trouble, Uncle Zeb.

Good. Luke and I are gonna go back down to the reservation

and see if can find out why that beef hasn't gotten through.

Yeah. Looks like they're in a bad way around here.

You know, Uncle Zeb, uh, I don't know how to say this..

...but, uh...well, I was wrong

about not wanting to let you bring Jessie up here.

You boys did what you thought was right, Luke.

You got no reason to apologize.

Maybe we don't have to apologize, Uncle Zeb..

...but I sure figure Luke and me didn't act very bright.

Well, I can't argue with you there.

He didn't have to agree so fast.

[laughing]

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All these people, Uncle Zeb..

...you mean they walked all the way from the village

looking for food here?

Must be even worse than we've been thinking.

Must we worse than anybody's been thinking.

[knocking on door]

Come in.

My name's Macahan.

Are you the one that's responsible

for the getting the beef to the Arapaho nation?

Mind shutting that? Flies be pesky this time of year.

[door banging shut]

Why don't you kick that thing right off its hinges

'while you're at it?'

Be saving the toe of my boot for your rump

if I don't get straight answers.

I swear, the next politician from the Indian bureau

who shows up here without me hearing

the bottom of a herd of cattle

will get the point of my own boot.

You're saying you got no beef at all?

Young man, I'm loaded with beef.

Come on!

Come on, sample a morsel or two.

When it came in, I thought of shipping it back

'as a gift to the presidential chef.'

I figured if could slip some of this

into the president's kitchen, he'd pay some attention

to what's going on out this way.

Smells like it's been rotten for a month.

No.

No, I'd ration out beef

that'd only been rotting for a month.

'This.. Well, this I had to draw the line at.'

I got ten of my Indians lying up in the hills

wishing they were dead after stealing a barrel of this.

- Who's responsible for that? - 'Who knows?'

Who cares?

Except for us, or this way

you have to live with this situation.

No, between the meat packer

and those with the hands-out down the line

that comes to mighty little left.

Pennington, it's your job to get after them people.

Well, sure. Sure it's my job.

Let me show you something, Macahan.

Come on.

Copies of letters I've been sending East.

Once a week, I'm writing complaints

not only about not getting that promised beef on the hoof

but about that salted meat we are getting that I can't issue

for fear of poisoning people on the reservation.

- What answers did you get? - Wart healers.

They just love words like "unanticipated delays"

"due to unforeseen logistic problems."

Yeah, Mr. Pennington, what happens when winter

comes outta those hills?

[child crying]

[crying continues]

Well, I..

...I just feel there'll be busy hands..

...burying people.

[crying continues]

[Zeb] 'We can look for a couple of answers out here too.'

[instrumental music]

[men laughing]

How come you men aren't out hunting with the other braves?

Get on your feet.

I'm not gonna tell you again.

I said, "get on your feet."

Now, I asked you a question.

How you're not out with the rest of the braves hunting?

Hunt for what?

Nothing out there, but jackrabbits.

Jackrabbits can feed the Arapaho nation.

You're wasting your breath, Mr. Macahan.

This bunch will be first in line for a handout

but last to lend a hand when there's work to be done.

- We have no horses to hunt. - 'The agency gave them horses.'

They k*lled 'em for food.

So our people could eat.

And I warned you about that too, didn't I?

Horses are given you, not for eating

but to hunt with.

Starving people got no choice, Pennington.

Oh, I understand that, I just..

...I just lost total patience with the likes of these.

I get more trouble from them

than I do the whole tribe put together.

'Hitting the bottle at night--'

We can do what the white man can do.

We are Arapaho warriors.

You make laws for your white man

not tell us what to do.

Warriors? Unless you change your ways

you'll be known as the dregs of your tribe.

I don't know, Mr. Pennington.

The dregs..

...are the ones with the most spirit.

It's an interesting question?

- What's your name? - One Wolf.

Well, One Wolf, looks to me like you're the leader of this bunch

so I'm gonna say what I gotta say to you.

I want you to gather them together

saddle those horses double quick.

[Mr. Pennington] 'Wait a minute, Macahan, what horses?'

The agency horses.

How much money do you keep around here?

A few hundred or so, for emergencies.

Well, that's what I figure we got here.

An emergency!

Right here. Below the state plains.

There's Longhorn scattered for a thousand square miles there.

And you're gonna bring Longhorns up from Texas?

'It'll you months.'

Most of winter'll be gone before you even got halfway back here.

Goodnight and Loving tried it over a year and a half ago.

Took three months and lost 400 head.

Yeah, I know Charlie Goodnight, but I'm not using his trail.

Meaning?

Meaning, I'm gonna take 'em straight north from here.

Up across the Badlands and through the Llano Estacado.

[Mr. Pennington] 'You're gonna drive a herd through the Badlands?'

'It can't be done.'

You mean it hasn't been done.

A lot of difference between "hasn't been" and "can't."

Well, even if you manage to pull a herd together

they'd die of thirst between rivers.

I used to scout out of Fort Stockton here before the w*r.

Now, I know that country, it's hard land.

But Longhorns are tough animals.

Now, there's a good chance we can get 'em across there alive.

If we could, it'd be worth it.

After what they done for our family

that's a chance I wanna take.

Yeah, but, Uncle Zeb, you're not counting on that bunch

to help you drive cattle?

I mean, half of them are spoiling for a fight.

Well, that's the kind we need, Luke.

Ones with fight in 'em.

How about that emergency fund? We good?

Well, you're ready to risk your skins

I guess the agency can put up the money.

[Zeb] 'What about r*fles and supplies?'

You got enough to outfit this bunch?

'You'll drain me of almost everything we got'

but we'll see what we can do.

I sure hope you figure on taking me along.

I sure was thinking of asking you.

You know the answer to that.

I brought in the mail, Mr. Pennington.

Yeah, thank you, Jeffrey. Lock the door, Jeffrey.

Mr. Macahan.

Mr. Macahan, are you gonna need a grubwagon boy to help you?

Well, we ain't takin' no grubwagon down, son.

Say, you look mighty young to be heading out on any long trails.

Oh, I'm small for my age..

...sixteen.

Got my own mule. Pa left me when he died.

I got no mom, Mr. Macahan.

'Nobody would miss me.'

Who look out after you, boy?

Oh, I work for Mr. Murdock at the general store.

I sort of do the cleaning and errands and

taking out the mail and things.

I'm on my own, Mr. Macahan.

[chuckling] I see.

Well now, I'll tell you what.

Couple of years from now if I'm going to be putting together

a bunch of drovers, look me up, I might put you on it.

[instrumental music]

How old did you say you were?

Fifteen?

I say, you better improve your memory, boy.

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I hope you got it straight what we're doing.

You got tonight, they go home, say goodbye to your families.

Tell your chiefs we're going to be back with many cattle

before the first snows.

Maybe we not go with you.

It is our business where we go.

Now we have r*fles, horses.

Cattle easier to steal.

I can't argue with you, One Wolf.

You and your men show up south of that river tomorrow morning.

I'm going to be coming looking for you.

'You can count on it.'

[instrumental music]

Well, good luck, Mr. Macahan.

Don't need to mention

you'll need all the Almighty can bestow.

Never turn down good wishes. Mr. Pennington.

I wouldn't my life depending on them being south

of that river tomorrow.

I don't know, I've got a hunch they might show up, Luke.

I got them just mad enough where they want to see me again.

'How will a cattle drive like this take, Uncle Zeb?'

Oh, it's kinda hard to say, Josh.

There was a fellow by the name of Goodnight

him and his partner drove a herd north from Texas and Colorado

this was about a year or so ago

around 2,000 head too, as I hear

but..

Hell, they had to take 'em there a thousand miles out of the way

but if could grab this herd straight north to Colorado

why, we can cut months off the trip.

And is it true what they say about the outlaws down there?

That may be, but we'll just have to take our chances on that.

Who's that you're writing to, Luke?

Oh, it's, uh, somebody in Jimson's Break.

I said I'd be back to see her, but..

...I don't look like I'm gonna be back for a while yet.

Another her?

How many girls do you have anyway, Luke?

Never seen me with more than one, did ya?

[laughing] He means one at a time.

[all laughing]

Jessie, I understand you and your Aunt Molly

are going to have a nice trip.

Oh, I'm so excited about that.

I've never been to a big town.

She needs a complete rest after what she's been through, Zeb.

And I hear that the desert springs of Clearwater

can work wonders.

After a coupla weeks there, she'll be as good as new.

Oh, I've never been to a big town either.

Not since I was six.

Why do they have whole stores in Clearwater just for ladies?

With the newest hats and dresses and fancy petticoats

from the East.

Well, we'll bring one back for you.

'You know, there's something I couldn't figure out.'

What?

Why do they make petticoats so fancy..

...when men aren't even supposed to see 'em?

Who says they're not supposed to see them?

[all laughing]

Now, now, this conversation is becoming positively ribald

[laughing] Oh, oh, oh!

[all laughing]

Uncle Zeb, why can't I go on the cattle drive with you and Luke?

I'm sure you could use the help.

Who's gonna be looking after the farm with Aunt Molly

and Jessie gone off to Clearwater?

It seems the disadvantages of being the younger brother

around here will never seem to stop.

Why should they?

- Luke! - 'Jessie!'

Why don't you play something on the organ as a send-off

for Zeb and Luke tomorrow morning?

[Zeb] 'Yeah, that's a good idea.'

'We haven't heard Jess play for a long time.'

[Luke] 'Yeah, Jess, let's do "Beautiful Dreamer."'

Alright.

[playing "Beautiful Dreamer" on organ]

Come on, Luke. Josh?

♪ Beautiful dreamer ♪

♪ Wake unto me ♪

♪ Starlight and dewdrops are awaiting thee ♪

♪ Sounds of the rude world ♪

♪ Heard in the day ♪

♪ Led by the moonlight have all passed away ♪

♪ Beautiful dreamer ♪

♪ Queen of my song ♪

♪ List while I woo thee ♪

♪ With soft melody ♪

♪ Gone are the cares ♪

♪ Of life's busy throng ♪

♪ Beautiful dreamer ♪

♪ Awake unto me ♪

♪ Beautiful dreamer ♪

♪ Awake unto me ♪♪

[all laughing]

That was very good, dear.

[Luke] 'Jessie, do you know "Amazing Grace?"'

'I think so.'

'It's been a long time since I played it, but..'

'...I'll try.'

[Zeb] 'I don't think there's any need for a lotta talk here'

'so I'll make it short.'

It's a long rough trip, I want everybody staying close.

We're all gonna have to depend on each other.

You all know where we're headed and why.

I know what some of you are thinking.

You got a horse and a g*n, supplies..

...you could head out on your own.

But I think we got a wrap of braves

with more sense than that.

More pride.

Let's head south.

[instrumental music]

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[Luke] I noticed you've been watching your back-trail a lot lately.

Is something making you edgy?

[Zeb] Oh! Nothing particular to make me edgy.

Just keepin' my eyes peeled.

Never hurts.

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Luke, I do believe you've got the touch.

Yeah. I'm willing to lose the touch once we get to Texas

and can hire a real cook.

Hungry.

More?

[Luke] 'Oh, help yourself.'

Your name Otter Belt?

Otter Belt.

Otter Belt, how do you feel

about headin' down on this cattle drive?

Otter Belt think good.

Some think bad, foolish.

Some say, "Wait, see."

I think we see.

Well, at least we've got one on our side.

[scoffing] Yeah, I kinda agree with you there.

Maybe I'll just have a talk with them right now.

I...I don't know exactly what we've got ahead of us tomorrow

we're gonna be countin' on you two.

I figure you got influenced with your brothers here.

You are afraid we will lead all against you?

No, I'm gonna handle that part of it

if I find I'm wrong about you.

Wrong?

You two are upset because of the things on the reservation.

Well, I don't blame you.

But you're just gonna have to be patient.

- It takes time. - Time?

It is always time.

Children die, my people starve..

...and still they ask us to wait.

Our chief say we must obey you.

We do that, and no more.

[instrumental music]

I'll settle for that.

Is that a white man's scalp?

It was taken in a fight with the Long Knives.

I don't care where you've got it

but don't be wearing it tomorrow.

'Cause men, where we're goin' in Texas

would blow your head off if they saw that.

Maybe wear his scalp end of trail.

[music continues]

Another help?

- You do like my cookin'. - Yeah, well..

[clearing throat]

...for some reason, I seem to have two appetites tonight.

[music continues]

Howdy?

Mind if I join you?

I should have known you'd catch me.

I guess you probably haven't had much to eat

since you've been following us, huh?

Some berries.

[sighing]

Well, in that case..

...I guess you might as well sit

and finish what you're eating.

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

I got nobody who cares where I am.

And nobody to miss me.

Everybody's got somebody that misses him, son.

Not me.

I had a dog once and he used to miss me..

...but an Indian k*lled him and ate him.

That's why I don't hanker much for Indians.

Well, now you know we're using Indians on this drive.

Why'd you wanna come along for?

Just figured it was time I'd be doing

something important, Mr. Macahan.

Be almost 11-years-old.

Oops!

Well, I-I can understand that.

I guess a fella's gotta have somethin' going by the time

he's 11, don't he?

Hey, you come by the homestead last night.

How come you didn't announce yourself then?

Oh..

...I was gonna ask you a second time if I could go with you.

But if I asked you a second time

and you said "no" a second time

and then caught me the third time, like now

you'd get mad.

Well, hey..

Well, that-that takes a little doin' to figure that out.

But I reckon I can do it.

- What's your name, son? - Jeffrey.

Well, now, Jeffrey

every man that I bring along on this drive's gotta put in

a full day's work and more.

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

Oh, Mr. Macahan, I won't quit on you.

I'd never quit on you.

[instrumental music]

'Alright.'

'I'll see what we can do.'

[instrumental music]

So, that's why you've been looking behind you

since we left that river.

I wasn't sure who was following us.

Yeah.

He's waited till we got so far along

there's no way you could take him back.

You know something, Luke?

You're getting too smart for your britches.

[chuckling]

[sighing]

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[Luke] 'Uncle Zeb?'

Hmm?

How old was your son when you lost him?

Oh, he was just about old enough to start walking on his own.

Guess you sure missed him, huh?

Ah.

I don't waste my time thinking back.

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[sighing]

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[dramatic music]

Not go out there.

You're sure there's water out there?

There's water holes out there, alright.

'There no guarantee they ain't dried up.'

Luke, we've gotta across those flats before dark.

Let's move out!

[music continues]

Stay here, Luke.

What's the matter with you two?

Stone Hand crossed here as a boy.

Many people died.

No water.

One Wolf, you get up there with the rest of them right now.

Stone Hand, people have died all over this land.

Most of them without even knowing why they was dying.

But we do, don't we?

If there's any of us do any dying

that's because we got important job to do.

I not go.

Alright, then you don't leave me no choice.

If I let you go today, somebody else gonna wanna go tomorrow.

Now, you go up there and join the rest of them right now.

I not go.

[dramatic music]

Listen to me, all of you.

'If we don't get that herd back'

some of your old folks are gonna die this winter.

Might as soon see some of you die right here

trying to get that herd back. Is that clear?

- Uncle Zeb-- - Stay out of this, Luke.

He wants to return, let him.

Do you think I'm talking with the sound of my voice?

You're gonna be walking slow across that flat.

You can catch up to us or you can die.

I say move out!

Head out!

Get movin'.

[dramatic music]

If you don't have enough Arapaho in you to catch up

I don't want you anyway.

I'll bury your bones on the way back.

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Well, how far are you gonna let that Stone Hand walk?

How far would you say it was from the Arapaho village

to the agency?

Say about 10 miles.

Alright, if you walk that far to gamble with his friends

he can walk that far to prove

he's got the right to be with us.

[sighing]

[snake rattling]

[dramatic music]

[sighing] You know, Uncle Zeb

I don't wanna be telling you your own business.

Then don't try, Luke.

Well, I'm only suggesting that maybe you oughta

treat these bucks a little like children, you know?

Give them time to grow.

Luke, that's a full-grown man back there.

The only thing that is he's gotta prove that to himself.

He's the only one who can do that.

That's true, all these braves..

...they gotta measure up to a man-size job

we got ahead of us here.

[instrumental music]

After the horses, only one swallow per man.

After that, nothing till we get to the next waterhole.

If that ain't dried up.

If it is, Luke..

...we'll just have to wait till we get to the next one.

Do some prayin'.

[instrumental music]

[dramatic music]

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[Indians cheering]

[screaming]

Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!

- Get out of there! - Hey! Hey!

- Get out of there - Hey!

Look at that. "Poison."

Lead the horses back.

Nobody drink.

- Get him to empty his stomach. - Take him back.

No matter how thirsty you are, stay away from that water!

- Will he die? - I don't know, Jeffery.

We're gonna have to wait and see.

We wait to see if the man dies?

No, One Wolf, we're gonna wait and see if a man lives.

[dramatic music]

[Zeb] 'I guess we were lucky this time, Jeffrey.'

'The water's not poisoned anymore'

but it must have been once.

We buried that man that made that sign.

I figure this here pool's got a deep well

and it just kinda naturally cleaned itself out.

What poisons the waterhole, Mr. Macahan?

I figure nature is the culprit there, Jeffrey.

You see, there are snakes found natural in rocks.

In the heavy rains, they leach it out

and down into a pool like this and poison it.

Uncle Zeb..

...we anywhere near Texas?

About as close as you can get, Luke.

Figure we've been in it for the last few hour.

You mean, the worst is behind us?

I didn't say that.

[instrumental music]

I figure the worst is ahead of us.

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