01x05 - Desperate Measures

[bunniefuu]

ANNOUNCER: Previously

on Elkhorn

SEWALL: Met a boy once.

Gifted with great ambition,

cursed with a weak heart.

[g*nsh*t]

ROOSEVELT: Would

your maiden name be

Von Hoffman as in the daughte

of Louis Von Hoffman?

My father has been

most supportive

of our Western venture.

ROSIE: I never did

catch your name.

Wilmot Dow.

Rosie Maddox.

COWBOY: New to town, boys?

[g*nsh*t]

- No! Don’t!

I told you, if

you were afraid of

privations and

discouragements, don’t come.

And I came with Mary’s blessing.

I ain’t decided

whether I’m stayin’.

[HISSING IN DISCOMFORT]

Heyah!

MADDOX: Ain’t a

huckster yet been able

to make it to the porch,

but you’re welcome

to give it a go!

(stammering) I beg

your pardon, Ma’am,

but I’m no huckster. [GUNSHO

MADDOX: Don’t care

for liars, neither!

I can spot you boys a mile out.

Ain’t no self-respectin’

cowboy wearin’

no glittery knife out

here on the frontier.

Just beggin’ for a

bandit to lift it off ya.

You salesmen might

be good at talkin’

others outta their money,

but you’re sure darn

fool with your own.

Now state your business

or be gone.

I came to commission

the services

of the best seamstress

in all of the Badlands.

Although perhaps

I should reconsider?

After all,

I’m a darn fool with my money.

A customer?

Well,

why didn’t you say

so to begin with?

Come on!

Well, you’re in luck.

I’ve got two pelts left

over from last winter.

Buckskin ain’t a popular

getup around these parts.

Well, I’ve wanted a

suit since I was a boy.

Better move that darn foot

and everything else

attached to it!

Sincerest apologies, Ma’am.

I ain’t no Ma’am neither,

just Maddox.

A huckster I can

spot a mile out,

but a Roosevelt,

at arm’s length, I suppose.

Heard you were tryin’ your hand

out this way ranchin’ anyhow.

I’m from New York

m’self, y’know.

Upstate.

You’ve never heard of it.

Look, buckskin ain’t

practical out here.

It don’t breathe,

and it shrinks when it storms.

And it storms aplenty.

It’s not for every day.

It’s for a profile, for

the papers, back east.

It’s high time they knew the

ranchman and not the politician.

I’ve got a photographer coming.

MADDOX: Can’t measure you if

you don’t stand up straight.

Sorry, the ride must’ve

tuckered me.

Hold on.

I’m just fine.

Here.

As I was saying,

a photographer is en route

from New York.

He should be here

in around five days.

So the suit must be

ready. MADDOX: Hmm.

It’ll be ready,

by the skin of my teeth,

but it will be ready.

Thank you, Ma-

Thank you-Maddox.

[THUD] [GLASS BREAKS]

MADDOX: Mister Roosevelt?

Mister Roosevelt?

[THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪[THEME MUSIC] ♪

[THEME MUSIC] ♪

DOW: Well,

that’s mighty

sweet of Aunt Mary.

Does she miss me?

I certainly miss her.

Especially her cookin’.

Heckuva lot tastier

than what I got goin’

in the kitchen that’s for sure.

Was all that yapping just

to say that dinner’s ready?

Well, Uncle,

folks out here,

they might call that

po-lite conversation.

What on earth can that be?

[c*ck g*ns]

[GRUNTING]

DR. STICKNEY: Take a

big, deep breath for me.

[GROANING]

Give me one more.

[SIGH]

Infection of the

digestive system.

Enteritis.

DR. STICKNEY: Mm hmm.

You needn’t have

summoned the doctor.

I easily could’ve

told you as much.

SEWALL: Just relax

now, Mister Roosevelt.

Bosh, Bill!

I’ve beaten this many

times before, and

I will beat it once more.

DR. STICKNEY:

With respect, Sir,

that was in New York, with

sanitary conditions

and plentiful medicine.

You’re in no condition to

be doing much of anything,

and it’s gonna take us

the better part of a week

to get the proper

remedies out from Chicago.

I cannot

wait a week!

I have important preparations

to attend to. Enough

of this foolishness!

MADDOX: Now, you just lie

yourself down, Mister Roosevelt!

You got yourself a condition,

and throwin’ a temper tantrum

ain’t gonna make it no better!

DR. STICKNEY: Keep

him well rested,

plenty of water.

Fever should break

in a day or two,

with any luck.

SEWALL: And without luck?

DR. STICKNEY: Just

keep him rested. Alright?

The photographer is

expecting an excerpt

from my book

about my exploits on

the frontier thus far.

If it is not finished

when he arrives, then

MADDOX: Then he won’t get it,

will he?

I’ve seen this

one time too many.

Just as good a chance that his

fever don’t break than it does.

So what do we do?

Well, I can tend

to him here, but

what your boss needs is tawote.

Tawote?

Not familiar.

- It’s a local medicine

from the Sioux village

just a ways north here.

Sioux? MADDOX: That’s right.

Tawote’s made from

the sweet flower

and bitter roots

that grow near ’em.

Remedy for just about

anything that ails you.

If only Merrifield were here.

He’d ride there and

back somethin’ quick.

Well, I’m not Merrifield, but

I’ll give it a go.

DOW: Uncle, I can go.

You’re still a little

shaky in the saddle.

MADDOX: Well, whoever’s

goin’, they need to go now.

Mister Roosevelt ain’t

got so much time.

You ride straight on,

there ain’t no reason

why you can’t be

back by sundown tomorrow.

Best get on then.

I’m afraid he’s done for, Ma’am.

[HEAVY SIGH]

If the fish are spoiled

by time they reach Dakota,

imagine their

arrival in New York.

Freight from

Columbia’s too slow.

It ain’t lastin’

between the ice houses.

Well, until they can

build faster trains,

we’ll just have to

build more ice houses,

won’t we?

Makes perfect sense.

Oh,

this arrived for you.

Everything alright, Ma’am?

I am wonderful,

simply wonderful.

JOE: What do you want

me to do about the-

the fish?

[HORSE WHINNIES]

SEWALL: Easy, easy, easy.

Good girl. Yeah.

Yeah. I know we’re both tired.

I’ll keep at it if you will.

Hyah!

[GALLOPING HOOFBEATS]

MADDOX: Now you just relax.

This ain’t for you,

not yet anyway.

I ain’t missed a deadline yet

and I ain’t about to.

My seamstress and my warden.

MADDOX: By any name, I intend

to see that you get better.

If only to see how silly

you look in this getup

when it’s done.

It’s the

dress of the American Frontier.

And what’s next, then? Hmm?

A top hat like Abraham Lincoln?

Hmm.

You just worry about

getting better.

Oh, I will get better.

This will not beat me.

Oh, I believe you.

Now rest.

[PANTING]

[PANTING]

[PANTING]

[PANTING]

BULLY: Boo!

BULLY: What’s the matter? Does

The-o-dore have a tummy ache?

Leave me be-!

BULLY: Or what?

You’ll cough on us?

ROOSEVELT: Go away!

I’m not afraid of you!

[GLASSES BREAK]

[YOUNG ROOSEVELT YELLS]

[PUNCHING]

ROOSEVELT SENIOR: Hey!

What’s going on there!?

BULLY: Daddy won’t always

be around to protect you,

The-o-dore.

ROOSEVELT SENIOR: Theodore,

you were supposed to stay inside

until your pain subsided.

It’s never really gone.

It always comes back.

Alright. Come on, sit up now.

Do you remember

our trip to Africa?

Of course.

The jackals on the safari,

remember how they always

went after the weaker prey?

There are plenty of jackals

in this world, Theodore.

And they’ll always come

after you if you let them,

but it is not their choice.

It’s yours.

Just as you’ve chosen to

strengthen your character,

so too must you also your body.

And we can make

your body, Theodore.

But until you have

that strength,

you must project it,

or the jackals will have you.

Come on.

Let’s go inside and

get that cleaned up.

And you’ll need yet

another pair of glasses.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[HORSE BLUSTERS]

[GRUNTING]

SEWALL: Stubborn beast.

What?

What’s gotten into you?

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Easy, easy, easy.

Shh

I went and pushed you

too far, didn’t I?

Alright.

We best get goin’.

It’s a long walk ahead of us.

Come on.

MARQUIS: With a second

mine in the Black Hills,

we’ll have the clay

extracted by the spring

and we will finally-

MEDORA: Stop!

MARQUIS: My love, we were

just- MEDORA: Get out!

What’s the meaning of this?

I’ve been looking

for you everywhere.

He can’t be serious!

Father feels he’s

given us enough.

MARQUIS: But for certain,

he must understand what,

what we are trying

to build here.

What he understands is profit

and our lack, thus far.

We are spread too thin,

across too many ventures,

too many industries.

Gutless old fool.

We will find the

money elsewhere.

[MARQUIS SIGHS]

Let us sell the hotel.

I beg your pardon?

It will take far too long

to turn a profit in itself.

First, you insult my father,

and then, you offer my

business to be sacrificed?

It is you who has spread

us so thin, dearest.

And now you have put

our entire enterprise

at the mercy of

the coming round up

and our fate

in the hands of those who

do not wish us to succeed.

So

We must consider those whose

fate is in our hands,

who have benefitted

from our mercy.

We will call in our debts.

You know, you oughta

be thanking me?

Yeah.

Most cowboys would put you

outta your misery.

Huh?

Nothing.

Okay. Well,

you’re welcome.

You smell that girl?

That’s a fire.

Come on.

Let’s go. Come on.

ROOSEVELT SENIOR:

A few more steps.

Alright, Son.

Happy birthday.

What is all of this?

Tools, Theodore.

These are the tools you’ll

need to make your body.

Three days of the week

will be dedicated to lifting.

We’ll have someone

here to help you.

And on Wednesdays,

Mister Colson,

who’s the champion of the gym,

is going to train you on boxing.

A life worth living is active

and inquisitive, Theodore.

Wasted only when you

stop discovering,

and you stop

challenging yourself.

You can’t let your body

dictate its limits.

Your mind is strong

enough to reach beyond.

But, Dad the doctors

said I should-

No. It’s not

about the doctors.

It’s up to you.

Here. Come here.

Come on now.

Ball up a fist, like this

with your thumbs on the

outside, both hands.

I want you to bend your knees.

Alright?

Okay. Now using only

these first two knuckles,

I want you to hit

straight into the bag.

Good.

[HITTING BAG] Keep

those knees bent,

shoulders strong.

[HITTING BAG]

DOW: Excuse me, Ma’am.

Oh, a man of his word.

Rosie?

You don’t look so

pleased to see me.

DOW: No, (stammering)

I’m pleased.

I’m more than

pleased, it’s just uh-

ROSIE: Well, these are

for Mister Roosevelt.

They’re leftovers

from the old hotel.

How did you know?

MADDOX: Well, that’s

simple, ain’t it?

I told Doc Stickney

to fetch my niece.

Girl, what took you so long?

- Hold on. So?

- ROSIE: Auntie Maddox took over

lookin’ after me

after my folks passed.

MADDOX: And she turned out

pretty well, despite it.

[LAUGHTER]

ROSIE: Auntie, Wilmot here’s

the one I was tellin’ ya about.

The handsome fella?

ROSIE: Auntie!

Don’t pay no mind to her.

Well, I should be

getting back to work now.

MADDOX: You be careful,

you hear? ROSIE: Of course.

Rosie

that was awful kind of you.

Of course. Don’t worry.

Mister Roosevelt’s

in good hands.

DOW: I’m sure.

Hey, ah,

do you-

It’s dark out, and do you need

someone to ride back home with you?

No. That’s alright. The

hotel buck driver brought me.

Oh. Okay.

Well,

good night Wilmot.

Good night, Rosie.

[DOW CLEARS THROAT]

Ma’am, uh, [MADDOX SCOFFS]

do-uh- MADDOX: Hmm.

Yes, Ma’am.

SEWALL: Alright.

Wish me luck, girl.

[c*ck r*fle]

LOUISE: Now, it ain’t

polite to lurk like that.

MADDOX: Made you some

tea, Mister Roosevelt,

if you can keep it down.

Mister Roosevelt?

MADDOX: Theodore Roosevelt!

Only my enemies

and my mother

have taken such a tone.

MADDOX: Well, you’ll be

feelin’ the wrath of both

if you don’t get yourself back

into that bed this instant!

I just need to

finish this excerpt,

and then I’ll be

right back to resting.

It’s as you said,

I’ve never missed a deadline,

and I’m not about to. MADDOX:

Well, I wouldn’t had said that

if I was knockin’ on

the gates of heaven.

Then I’d be doing

more important things

than making some

darn fool his shirt.

Don’t go thinkin’ you’re

the first stubborn man

I’ve ever come across.

There used to be a

Mister Maddox, you know.

Tried to raise his hands to me

while under the whims of whisky.

I tell you what, I showed him

the underside of

an iron stove lid,

and I ain’t never

seen him since.

Are you resorting

to threats now?

I’ll resort to

whatever I see fit

in order to get you on the mend.

Why

do you care?

I am but a stranger to you.

You ain’t a stranger.

You’re a neighbor.

And if neighbors don’t

look out for each other,

ain’t no one gonna

make it out here.

I’ve made my decision.

I will return to

bed. MADDOX: Hm hmm.

Come on.

This way.

Careful.

SEWALL: Is this

entirely necessary?

LOUISE: A stranger rides onto

your property under dark?

I’d say so.

And if he said he needed help,

I’d believe him.

Look, all I’m only

asking to swap horses.

I’ll make you a fair offer.

Money’s fair, sure.

’Cept it leaves us

stranded with a broken pony

while you take off

with our good one.

The money’s just a

gesture of good faith.

Now, I’ll get you a fresh

horse, a good horse,

once I get back to the ranch.

And uh,

whose ranch did you

say this was, again?

Mister Theodore Roosevelt.

[LAUGHTER]

WALTER: And who else you

got on that ranch, huh?

Wyatt Earp?

[LAUGHTER]

SEWALL: Please?

Please.

My friend is suffering.

If you delay me further, well,

he may,

he may meet his end.

LOUISE: He takes us for

a couple of simpletons,

just ripe for the hoodwinkin’

with that bum pony.

I ain’t hoodwinking no one.

LOUISE: Check his pockets.

WALTER: Get up!

Maybe it’s an autograph

from Theodore himself!

What else you got?

Hey!

Don’t.

LOUISE: Calm down, Walt.

I think he’s telling the truth.

This woman,

she mentions that Roosevelt.

Be an awful big act, to have

wrote all this up just in case.

Seems to me the only thing

you might be guilty of is

making your wife quite lonely.

Had to leave Mary back East.

LOUISE: You didn’t

have to do nuthin’.

Ain’t safe out here.

LOUISE: That one there

told me the same thing,

when he said he wanted to come

out and go full homesteadin’.

’Cept

I didn’t let him tell me no.

The way I see it,

if we struggle, we

struggle together.

We build our future

out here together.

You understand?

Yeah.

Hmm.

Give him the horse, Walt.

What?

Man’s got places to be.

Thank you, Ma’am.

Now, don’t forget about us.

And good luck with

Mister Roosevelt.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

♪[SALOON MUSIC] ♪♪

♪[SALOON MUSIC] ♪♪

Marquise.

Bob.

To what do WE owe the pleasure?

Hmm.

That’s a lovely piano, isn’t it?

♪[PLAYING A FEW PIANO KEYS]

And recently-tuned.

ROBERTS: Just last week.

After a few cowhands got

a little rowdy near it.

Had to replace a few

of the ivories, too.

MEDORA: Curious.

That you can afford

such luxuries

and yet remain months

behind on rent.

Now then,

that there’s necessary,

to bring in customers.

MEDORA: There isn’t

another saloon

for twenty miles, Bob.

I think your customers

can make do.

You know I’m good for the money.

MEDORA: Then be

good for it now,

Bob.

Now look here.

Don’t matter who you are,

I don’t care for nobody

questioning my honor

or trying to shake me down.

You refuse to honor your debt?

If you’re gonna sh**t me,

you best go and do it.

I’ll settle the

debt in due course.

And word of advice?

Next time you wanna

go threatin’ a fella,

maybe bring someone a bit

sturdier to do the threatin’.

MARQUIS: Fine advice.

[PUNCH] [IMPACT ON BAR]

My wife was very clear, Bob.

Your bill has come due.

ROBERTS: (sputtering) I’ll-pay-

every cent,

by tomorrow! I swear! I swear!

MEDORA: We are exercising

our legal right

to collect all

outstanding debts.

MARQUIS: Put the word out.

If any soul who owes our

enterprise a single cent,

it is time to settle up.

[HOOFBEATS]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

SEWALL: Hello?

Hello.

Hello.

Friend.

Friend.

Need medicine-

(bad pronunciation) Wote?

Wate? Wote?

MAHKAH: Owákahnige sni.

SEWALL: My friend,

sick.

Need medicine.

Medicine please.

Lady Maddox, I was sent

here by Lady Maddox.

MAHKAH: Maddox? Maddox!

SEWALL: Yes, yes, Lady Maddox.

MAHKAH: Ah, tawote.

Sinkpe Tawote.

SEWALL: Tawote! Yes!

Tawote! I need tawote.

Trade.

Yeah.

No tawote. Trade.

SEWALL: No.

My wife gave me

this. No trade.

This.

This.

Trade.

Tawote.

Tawote.

[CHUMANI IN SIOUX]

[WAPASHA IN SIOUX]

You have saved my friend’s life.

[SPEAKING SIOUX]

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

[PROMPTING HORSE]

DOW: Misses Maddox,

is Mister Roosevelt

going to pull through?

MADDOX: If this fever

don’t break soon,

he ain’t gonna last the night.

DR. LANDRY: What do you think

I’m gonna tell you, Theodore?

Nothing I haven’t

heard a hundred times.

That I have asthma,

a bad heart, and

I’m blind as a bat.

You forgot about

your weak stomach.

You shouldn’t be

running up stairs,

much less going on

extravagant hunting trips.

Are you suggesting that I’m

not taking my health seriously?

Because it’s precisely the

reason why I called you here.

I’m to be married

next month, and

I want to be strong for her.

Well, if you also intend to

live a long life with her,

then it needs to

be a sedentary one.

I’ve been told that by

everyone my entire life,

everyone except

my father.

I was sorry to hear

of his passing.

With all due respect,

if he were here now,

he would tell you

just the same as I.

That the life you describe

is not one worth living.

(muttering) Father.

MADDOX: Not a moment too soon!

Take a detour, did we?

SEWALL: It’s a long story.

Theodore,

can you hear me?

I made it, boy.

Come on.

You gotta fight.

You hear me, Theodore?

You gotta fight.

Now, you hear me?

MADDOX: Mister Roosevelt,

I need you to drink this now.

SEWALL: Is he gonna be alright?

Maybe.

Just maybe.

[SPITTING] [COUGHING]

I know.

I know. [COUGHING]

CYRIL: I’m here to

see Mister Roosevelt.

Is he in?

SEWALL: Mister

Roosevelt is uh

he’s uh- ROOSEVELT:

He most certainly is!

Shall we get started?

Could we try it

without the glasses?

ROOSEVELT: Of course.

CYRIL: That’s great,

Mr. Roosevelt!

MADDOX: I ain’t much

use with any of this.

You gentlemen, take care.

And you as well, Ma’am.

MADDOX: Boy, you best

stop calling me Ma’am

if you wanna keep

things straight between

you and my Rosie.

DOW: Ahh,

Missus Maddox.

MADDOX: Just Maddox.

Just Maddox.

And stay still.

Uncle,

this all seems silly

as heck, don’t it?

CYRIL: Absolutely

perfect, Mr. Roosevelt!

SEWALL: Well,

I don’t know what

to tell you, Wil.

He said it was perfect.

[CHUCKLING]

We’ve been receiving

payments all day

for debts I do not

even recall holding.

Good.

But I doubt they are

enough to build mines

or ice houses.

Those can wait.

You are enough.

You were right

about the hotel.

It may never turn a profit,

but it was never about that.

We must civilize this place,

if you intend us to stay

and not for some greater good.

For us.

For the family we’ll build here.

Family..?

Are you saying that you?

- Not yet.

[GENTLE LAUGHTER]

But someday soon.

After all

what good is an empire

without an heir?

[DOOR SQUEAKS]

Best keep drinking this.

I’m on the mend. Just

all that posing

took it out of me,

and it turns out that buckskin

doesn’t breathe so well.

TR: You saved my life, Bill.

How do they do it?

These men, in Dakota,

they look death

right in the eye, and

they do not blink.

Yeah, you just ain’t

seen ’em blink.

They’re no braver than us.

I’ve been

thinking about Mary a lot.

Thinking that maybe, ah,

you know, us being apart

it ain’t so good.

What are you saying, Bill?

Do you wish to go back?

No.

I want Mary here.

Start my own adventure with her,

the good, the bad

and all it brings.

Well,

I’d be delighted.

What say you bring her

here after the round up

once all the work is completed?

Alright then.

I was planning on heading

home to winter anyhow.

Looks like the train

will just be a bit more

crowded coming

back in the spring.

Well,

it sure will be nice

to have a woman’s touch

around the place, won’t it?