01x07 - Bandits

[bunniefuu]

ANNOUNCER: Previously,

on Elkhorn.

Arthur Packard of the

Bad Lands Cow Boy.

[g*nsh*t]

MERRIFIELD: No lawyers

here and no law,

not for a hundred miles.

ARTHUR: The Marquis de Mores is

not a man to be trifled with.

Heck, he owns practically

every building in

this town including this one.

SEWALL: What about

your daughter?

She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

ROOSEVELT: Baby Lee, her life

will be better without me.

SEWALL: What child is better

off without their father?

MAY: You said there

would be sightseeing.

RUSSEL: C’mon, now, May.

It’s, it’s an authentic

Western experience.

It’s a scam is what it is,

and you fell right for it.

"Come and see the natural

beauty of Pyramid Park."

You know what the locals

call this place, Russel?

The Badlands.

RUSSEL: Well, you won’t have

to complain much longer.

We’ll be in town

before you know it and

on the next train to Boston.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

See now?

- DRIVER: Whoa.

I’ll bet we’ve come

upon a grand sight.

[PUNCH, GRUNT]

[FOOT STEPS]

[DOOR OPENS, GASP]

[SCREAMS]

ROBBER: Cash and jewelry.

Now!

Russel, just do as he says.

RUSSEL: I’m just

reachin’ for my wallet.

ROBBER: Get out!

RUSSEL: Okay.

It’s okay, it’s okay.

It’s okay, it’s okay.

[g*nsh*t]

[CRYING, BREATHING HEAVY]

[SUSPENSE] ♪

Russel, don’t.

[g*nsh*t, SCREAM]

No, no, no. no.

Please, please!

Russel!

[CRYING]

[CRYING]

["ELKHORN" MAIN THEME] ♪

♪[SALOON] ♪♪

Bob Roberts!

I’ll take a pour of

your finest whiskey.

Red, we don’t want no problems.

You already owe on the broken

window and the card table.

I ain’t gonna be no trouble.

Not only am I payin’ my tab.

I’m buyin’ a round for everyone.

[MEN CHEER]

Had some good fortune, then?

You could say that.

And I got a feelin’

there’s plenty more to come.

[SNORING]

Should we do it?

Mm-Hmm.

[CHUCKLING]

Maunders!

Do you know how I

spent my morning?

Consoling the wife

of a dead man.

MAUNDERS: Fail to see

how that’s my fault.

Tenderfoots die

out here every day,

a hazard of the territory.

When I hired you to run

my stagecoach company,

my company,

the idea was to transport

goods, not tourists.

It’s not just a man who’s dead.

It is a customer.

Even a dullard should understand

that is not good for business.

A dullard?

MARQUIS: Your little scheme to

conceal the lockbox did not

even stump a common thief.

MAUNDERS: If you’re

frettin’ over security,

you shoulda hired a

g*n to ride along.

But it’s gonna cost ya.

MARQUIS: Paying off a widow

is what is going to cost me.

Our business is concluded.

Never set foot in here again.

You ain’t ever gonna find

another soul who knows

this territory better than me.

Terrain can be taught.

Common sense, it seems, cannot.

And now, I bid you

adieu, Monsieur Maunders.

Good luck.

[DOOR SLAMS]

This is great Joe.

How about a blue as well?

- JOE: Alright.

ROOSEVELT: Ah.

Exactly the man I

was looking for!

I could use a spot of advice.

What trouble have you

gotten yourself into now,

Mister Roosevelt?

A quagmire of cookery.

Cookery?

Baking, to be precise.

You see, Bill and the men do

such a fine job with grub,

I thought that today I

would surprise them with

a hearty meal of my own making.

Trouble is, I’ve been trying

to recall my mother’s biscuit

recipe, and I cannot remember

for the life of me whether

it called for baking

powder or baking soda.

I wired Elliott, but he’s

yet to respond, and, well,

I can’t very well wait

around all day, now can I?

Afraid I’m not so

knowledgeable on such things.

JOE: Got a simple solution

for you, Mister Roosevelt.

What you do is you make

yourself two batches,

one with baking soda, the

other with baking powder.

[g*nshots]

Danged gunslingers!

Stray round perhaps?

Shall we see?

I guess.

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

Redhead Finnegan’s back.

Who?

ARTHUR: Local nuisance.

Thief mostly though nobody

can seem to prove it.

Temperamental fellow but never

seemed quite so agitated.

Wonder what’s set

him off this morning?

Ah, looks like the boys

gave ol’ Red a close shave.

A spot of advice,

Mister Roosevelt,

never fall asleep

at Bob Roberts’ bar.

That’s when cowboys

can get a little

creative with their mischief.

[g*nsh*t]

Alright, let’s put a stop to

this before someone gets hurt.

C’mon.

Be careful, now!

[g*nshots]

FINNEGAN: A man treats

y’all to drinks,

and this is how you repay ’em?

Don’t sh**t, Marquis!

So many b*ll*ts have

hit my property already.

I would be well

within my rights.

ARTHUR: Perhaps you would.

But give us a chance to

quell this without bloodshed.

FINNEGAN: Whoever did

this better come out here!

- FINNEGAN: By the time

- Very well, Packard.

I count to five,

someone better be standing here

- Alright, let’s say

- FINNEGAN: and confessin’

you distract him while I go

around and get the drop on him?

How do you intend I do that?

Polite conversation, perhaps?

Okay.

FINNEGAN: One

Two

Good morning!

FINNEGAN: Are you the

fella who ruined my looks?

No, but perhaps I could help

you find the perpetrator.

What might he look like?

FINNEGAN: I don’t need help.

I’ve got no business with you

unless you’re hidin’ that man.

Are you hidin’ ’em

from me, rawheel?

Cause that ain’t gonna

go so well for you.

?

Cause that ain’t gonna

go so well for you.

ROOSEVELT: Now,

wait just a moment-!

Red!

[GRUNTS]

MARQUIS: To the

Bastille with him, then.

ARTHUR: Sleep tight, Red.

MARQUIS: You have shown great

initiative today, Packard,

a soldier’s resolve.

It is to be commended.

Well, thank you, Marquis.

I appreciate that.

There is a business opportunity

I would like to

discuss with you.

Just opened up, in fact.

I believe you might be the

exact man I’m looking for.

ARTHUR: I’m flattered, Sir,

truly,

but I don’t know the first thing

about managing stagecoaches.

I’m a newspaper editor as

you’re certainly aware.

You’re a businessman.

"The Cow Boy is not

published for fun but for

two dollars a year."

I always liked that

little touch, Packard.

And I couldn’t

agree with you more.

For even endeavors of passion

must turn a profit if

they are to endure.

Now, I know we’ve had

our disagreements.

But do not let that blind

you to an opportunity.

At the moment, the people of

Deadwood must ship their goods

from a train depot three

hundred miles away.

A coach line in Medora would

cut that distance by half

and position our town, not

just the center of cattle trade

in the Badlands, but the

center of trade itself.

And you, Packard,

would be at the helm.

It’s a generous

proposal, Marquis,

truly, but you

should know I have

no aspirations of grand wealth.

And what about independence?

How do you mean?

Well, this building is a

fine base of operations,

but as long as I own it, your

fortunes are tied to mine.

Think of it, Packard, an

independent enterprise?

So to be clear, you would

hand the deed over to me?

And expand the paper’s reach.

Consider my offer.

But should you decide

against it, well then,

please run this in

tomorrow’s edition.

[FINNEGAN GROANS]

Someone let me outta here!

Ah. You.

You.

[ROOSTER CROWS]

Uncle, I am starved.

How much longer on those

biscuits do you think?

I wouldn’t be in no rush.

Yeah.

Oh, I wanted to

show you something.

I traded for it in town.

Not much your style.

It’s for Rosie,

for the next time I see her.

Well, what do you think?

You’re really smitten

with this girl.

Well, I a-

Lunch is served!

Unfortunately, the baking

powder took a b*llet this

morning, so I had to

gamble with baking soda.

Somebody shot the baking powder?

Not on purpose.

Well, that clears

it right up, then.

DOW: Either way,

this is a wonderful surprise

Mister Roosevelt, thank you.

Shall I fetch some jam?

Oh, no need, Wilmot.

Mother always intended them

to be savored as they are.

DOW: Ah, a,

Mr. Roosevelt,

they’re quite firm.

[BISCUIT CRACKLES]

ROOSEVELT: Well then,

perhaps they could use

a spot of jam after all.

[CHUCKLES]

Yes, Sir.

- ARTHUR: Hey there, Joe?

- JOE: Arthur?

You playin’ warden, Packard?

Just being neighborly, Jake.

Heard you were workin’

for the Frenchman now.

Take it from me.

That don’t work out

well for no one.

JOE: I’m closin’ after this,

so you’re either buyin’

and goin’ or just goin’, Jake.

And your credit’s

long-spent here.

MAUNDERS: Seems I’m

paid-up, Ferris.

Packard.

Never thought I’d see the day.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Red.

You were quite

the menace this

Better for keeping

people out than in.

I just hope Finnegan’s

learned his lesson.

No paper today, Arthur?

I wouldn’t expect one tomorrow

either, Mister Roosevelt.

Too many contracts to finish up

and books that need squaring.

Jake Maunder’s stagecoach

records were inconsistent

to say the least.

Lot of missing sums I

expect will remain missing.

Oh, but on the upside,

I was able to work out a

deal with the mining company.

Turns out when you offer to ship

their goods in half the time,

ears tend to perk up.

And pens get ready

to sign, no doubt.

You know, you’re a

skilled man, Arthur,

sure to succeed at any endeavor.

Just be sure to keep sight

of what brought you out

here in the first place.

Of course, Sir.

Oh, how’d those

biscuits turn out?

Poorly, I’m afraid.

Received the recipe this

morning from my brother.

Of course, we needed our

dearly departed baking powder.

Ah, I see.

Well, you’ll have to

give it another go once

Joe Ferris restocks.

Oh, your brother’s

expecting, is he?

Ah, yes.

His wife Anna’s expecting

their first born any day now,

sooner than anticipated.

Or perhaps I’ve just lost

track of time out here.

He’s hoping for a girl,

but they’ve yet

to choose a name.

And do you plan on visiting

your daughter soon?

Why do you ask?

Mentions it here.

Your brother inquires

when you’ll be back

to visit Baby Lee.

Right.

He did, didn’t he?

I’m looking into that

when I can visit New York.

But it’s tough to leave when

there’s so much work yet to do.

Quite right, Sir.

A lot work to do for both of us.

But we can’t lose sight of why

we came out here

in the first place.

My apologies, Mister Roosevelt,

but I have a lot of

contracts to tend to.

Of course.

Good luck, Arthur.

ARTHUR: Oh, Mister Roosevelt?

[DOOR OPENS, SHUTS]

MEDORA: A quick jaunt there

and back and home before dark.

Deadwood is not a town

you want to dally.

Trust me.

I don’t mind the trip.

It’s just, wouldn’t it be

best if you sent someone

with a little more experience?

I mean, running a hotel is one

thing, but contracts and trade

and such, I don’t even

know where to begin-

MEDORA: I’m not asking

you to write the contracts

or even understand them.

I am asking you to make

sure they sign them,

regardless of whether

or not they agree.

Consider it an exercise

in negotiation,

in persuasion.

But, Medora, I don’t-

Rosie, do you think

I’m spending all this

time an effort on you

so you can run

some tourist hotel?

Well, I-

This place has its

charm, but it’s one small

thread in the grand

tapestry of my enterprises.

So I need you to learn now,

and I need you to learn fast.

And whatever happens,

don’t ever forget,

we are bigger than this place.

You are bigger than this place.

Or at least, I’ll make

sure you are soon enough.

A lady shouldn’t travel alone.

Surely, I should have

someone to protect me,

shouldn’t I?

Smart girl.

I’m having Paddock escort-

ROSIE: No.

I’m sorry, perhaps

someone I’m a little more

comfortable with?

You have a person in mind?

Well, I was thinking

maybe Wilmot Dow?

The woodsman?

He’s Roosevelt’s man, is he not?

Yes.

He’s very dependable.

I trust you’ll choose wisely.

ROSIE: Think they’ll

be missin’ you today?

Well, Mister Roosevelt,

he was cordial enough, but

will the ranch fall

apart in my absence,

without a strong and

steady hand to guide it?

Who can know such things?

Well, all the same, I

appreciate the company.

How could I turn down a ride

with such a pretty view?

Uh, Rosie,

I wanted to give you something.

Ah.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

DRIVER: Whoa.

ROSIE: Why are we stopping?

What’s goin’ on?

[HORSE NEIGHS]

[g*n c*ck]

[GASPING]

ROBBER: Up. Up.

Lift up the couch.

Lift it up, now!

Just give him what he wants.

- You alright?

- Yeah.

No, no stay.

Please stay.

Alright.

I’m so sorry, Rosie.

I was meant to protect

you, and, well,

I couldn’t of failed

more than that.

Hey, hey, no.

Don’t talk like that,

not even for an instant.

You did exactly what

you needed to do.

You kept a level head, and

you kept us both alive.

Hey, I’m the one who

dragged you out here.

Maybe it’s best if you plan

our outings from here on out.

That locket was

really beautiful.

Thank you.

MARQUIS: You do realize I

insure our client’s cargo?

So every one of these incidents

comes directly out of my pocket.

And I’m working on it.

Deadwood is sending a proper

deputy to help nab this crook.

Finnegan.

I could’ve ended

this with one shot.

Instead, you spared his life.

And you hired me because of it.

I hired you to right the ship.

Instead, it’s only

sinking faster.

Then perhaps it’s time

to print this after all?

WARD: Mister Packard?

Deputy Ward.

Been a while, Marquis.

Yes, I suppose it has.

WARD: Better part of a year

since that unfortunate

business with Riley Luffsey.

What’s unfortunate

is when men let their

passions spoil good business.

Fix this.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Must be pretty bad

if you sent for me.

It is, Ward.

I’ve done everything

that I can think of,

changed shipment times,

alternated routes.

We even removed the lockboxes

from the stagecoaches because we

can’t be trusted with

people’s valuables,

not to mention their well-being.

Are you certain it’s Red?

He’s a pestilent runt,

but I’ve never known him

to be the violent sort, much

less a cold-blooded k*ller.

What I do know is that he

was waving cash all over

town the night of the robbery.

Well, that is quite the

pest but a reliable one.

So we’ll send out another coach

as a decoy and see if he bites.

What do you need?

A posse you can trust.

Thank you.

I’m relieved to see

you back in one piece.

Well, that was my first

stickup, and I would not mind

it being my last.

It’s easy to forget,

between changing linens and

serving breakfast to

businessmen that this place

still has its wild side.

It won’t forever.

But that criminal still runs

free because your woodsman

failed to act and failed

to protect our contracts.

Hard to imagine Paddock

letting that happen.

He, a, I asked him not to.

Perhaps he’s not as

dependable as you thought.

I should get back to work.

Rosie

we must be careful in

whom we place our trust.

Our lives often depend upon it.

That’s all.

She looks just like her mother.

Yes.

Like a tiny reflection.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Now, you tell me you got

that yellow son of a g*n.

We will with your help.

Deputy Ward is gonna assist

us in setting a trap.

DOW: Well, then, what

are we waiting’ for?

Let’s go, Sir.

ARTHUR: You could bring

her here, you know?

Your daughter, I mean,

instead of traveling

all the way back east.

Well, I’m not sure an

infant would find stagecoach

robberies as appealing.

Plus, with all the

work to be done,

that wouldn’t be fair to

her, not yet at least.

You once told me we have

to make an honest stand

if we want this place to change.

And that means bringing

families out here,

making this a town

worth living in.

I’d leave her in New

York if I were you,

Mister Roosevelt.

It’s too hard to protect the

people you care about just now.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

DRIVER: Whoa.

SEWALL: Everyone

hold your fire!

ROOSEVELT: Bill?

What are you doing here?

There’s been an incident

back at the cabin.

You might want to see it for

yourself, Mister Roosevelt.

Got the silverware too.

Whole place has been

picked-through good.

Baby Lee.

SEWALL: Well, it ain’t much

of a silver lining, but

at least your contracts with

the Marquis are still here.

They didn’t take the contracts?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hi.

DOW: Rosie!

What are you doing here?

- Well, I was-

Don’t worry, Rosie.

We’re gonna get the

guys who did this.

Well, actually,

that’s why I’m here.

Guess who’s down at Bob

Roberts’ place just now,

flush with cash,

drinking whiskey like

there’s not a care in the world?

Finnegan.

DOW: I’ll ride ahead

and fetch the deputy.

Mister Roosevelt,

I’ve only just now figured

out who the k*ller is.

If you’ll allow me a moment,

I think I can explain.

Another round, if you please?

WARD: Evening, Red.

Well, now.

Evenin’, Deputy.

What are you drinking?

Bob, get this man a drink.

You hold that drink, Bob.

Red, you’ll be

coming with us, now.

You’re under arrest.

For what?

For k*lling a man in cold blood.

FINNEGAN: Killin’?

I’ve never k*lled

a soul in my life!

What are you talkin’

about deputy?

Are you sayin’ you never

robbed those stagecoaches?

Are you crazy?

Only a fool courtin’

death would try that!

You might as well

come clean, Red.

We’re taking you in

one way or the other.

I ain’t admittin’ to

things I ain’t done!

[GRUNTING]

FINNEGAN: Get offa me!

Well, now, I might’ve helped

myself to a few things.

WARD: As I said, we’re taking

you in one way or the other.

Hold up there, Deputy.

Things aren’t quite

as they appear.

Now, Red, obviously,

you’ve always been our

number one suspect.

Why wouldn’t you be?

You’re a professional thief.

Right after the robberies,

you came into this very

bar with a wad of cash,

buying everybody drinks.

I’m a friendly guy.

ARTHUR: Sure you are,

but you got to admit,

it’s mighty suspicious

being that flush with cash

right after the robberies.

I earned that money

fair and square.

ARTHUR: Stealing goods and

selling stolen property.

Now, the one thing I

couldn’t figure out

was why would you steal

the contracts of Marquis.

That’s worthless

paper to a thief.

I never stole no

contracts from no one.

ARTHUR: No, you didn’t.

Because the person that did

did so because he has a

grudge with the Marquis.

Isn’t that right,

Maunders?

What are you talking about?

You took those contracts right

after you stole the money.

Those contracts are

of no value to you.

That’s not the

actions of a thief.

That’s sabotage.

That’s personal.

See, a man like Finnegan,

given the chance he would

empty the pockets of

every single man in this room

except his own,

so I had to think.

How would a thief

stay two steps ahead?

By picking his own pockets,

knowing his boss

will refill them.

And those lockboxes

on the stagecoach,

well, that was your

idea, wasn’t it?

Yet somehow the bandit always

knew exactly where they were.

WARD: Arthur, you

sure about this?

ARTHUR: We were too

focused on Finnegan because

we wanted it to be Finnegan.

But Maunders here, well, he’s

been flush with cash as well.

Heck, just the

other day, I saw him

pay off his entire

debt to Joe Ferris.

You have no idea what you’re

talkin’ about, Packard!

The way I see it,

you had a pretty good

racket goin, ’ Maunders.

You were bleeding the

Marquis books on one end

and stealing from the

tourists in the other.

Until you got sloppy with

your stagecoach robberies,

k*lled a man, and got

fired from the job.

WARD: That’s making

a lot of sense, men.

You ain’t got a lick of proof.

’Fraid I’d intended

this for someone else.

You’re under arrest Maunders,

for robbery and m*rder.

[DOOR BURSTS OPEN]

Did you catch the thief?!

Deputy!!

[g*nshots]

I owe you, Sir.

Well done, deputy.

Justice is served.

Now, what to do

with Mr. Finnegan?

MARQUIS:

Congratulations, Packard,

excellent work.

Thank you, Sir.

I’m afraid, however,

that I must scale back

the stagecoach company.

I’ve had some unforeseen

circumstances with some

investments and must prioritize

other ventures for a time.

So it’s done, then?

Scaling back, I said.

I remain confident

in its potential, but

the expansion will have to wait.

I’ll keep a single

line to the Black Hills

under your management.

I won’t just hand

you the building

for such meager effort

but perhaps in time.

I’ll manage it for now.

Tres bien.

You know,

in light of recent events,

I think my expertise

might lie elsewhere.

And where is that?

Law enforcement.

Law must come to Medora

some day, mustn’t it?

Some day.

But not today.

Well, I’ll be.

ARTHUR: Mister Roosevelt?

My brother, Elliott,

got his wish,

a beautiful baby girl.

That’s wonderful, sir

I thought I’d let you know.

I sent word back to New York.

I’ll be returning in the winter,

just after the round up to

spend Christmas

with my daughter.

That’s a fine plan, a fine

plan indeed, Mister Roosevelt.

Oh, what was the name?

Your niece, did they

decide upon a name?

They did.

Eleanor.

Eleanor.

Eleanor Roosevelt.