Original subtitles

They wanted me to write the truth

about this savage wasteland.

Well, I will write the truth.

I'll call it "A Wilderness Without Hope".

What was it Dante said?

"All hope abandon ye who enter here."

Desert sure is pretty tonight, huh?

Name is Chance, Nathan Chance.

I don't know about you, but I get bored traveling.

Feel like talking.

Where you from?

New England.

Excuse me.

I wouldn't stand too close to the edge if I was you.

You might find yourself out in that brush country.

Woman like you wouldn't stand much chance out there.

It may be better than here.

I don't know about that.

If some short-legged Comanche didn't lift

that pretty rolled up hair of yours,

the desert sun would sure cook the salt out of you.

What a quaint way you have of putting it.

Well, I ain't no Cape Cod blue blood, Ma'am.

I'm sure there are other people on this train

who speak your language far better than I do.

Traveling alone?

You got the blackest eyes I ever seen on a woman.

Would you please go away?

I knew a little girl once had eyes as black as yours.

It was down in Tallis on Christmas Eve.

I'm not interested in hearing about it.

Well, that's exactly what she said,

and it turned out to be a beautiful Christmas.

Let go of me!

Take it easy I ain't gonna hurt you.

Chance!

Reckon I had to do that, Ma'am.

He wanted my skin for his trophy room.

I'd stick around, but I don't think the law

would understand my point of view.

You explain it, how it was that is.

Hope I didn't spoil your trip.

The clack of the train thundered in my ears

as I stared at the body on the floor of the vestibule.

This was my introduction to the glorious West

that Wells Fargo was trying so hard to sell

to the civilized part of the world.

She was just standing there in the vestibule,

Sheriff, when I came through.

She said the man that shot him jumped train

about an hour back.

She's gonna have a hard time proving that.

Yeah, well, excuse me.

I wouldn't jump to too many conclusions, Hal.

I knew that fella. He was a bounty hunter.

Name was Curran.

What's that got to do with it, Jim?

Did you ever see a woman shoot a bounty hunter?

- Murdock? - Yes.

Jim Hardie from Wells Fargo.

This is Sheriff Hal Humphrey.

Welcome to Gloribee, Ma'am.

Guess you had sort of a baptism by fire there.

No more than I expected.

Miss Murdock's the lady I was telling you about, Hal.

She's writing a journal for an eastern newspaper.

Going to tell the folks about the West

and what it's really like.

Wells Fargo's sponsoring her trip.

Well, I guess it's good business.

It should spark some of those city women

to getting their men to buy land out here and settle on it.

A woman's point of view can be a dangerous thing.

Well, the truth shouldn't be too dangerous, Ma'am.

Not at all. Only I don't think that's what Wells Fargo wants.

Yeah, well, right now I'm more interested

in that shooting on the train, Miss Murdock.

Well, fortunately, for me

the savage who committed the murder

was quite uninterested in removing my rolled up hair.

Otherwise, I might have arrived quite bald-headed.

I'm glad you find that amusing, Mr. Hardie.

I'm glad to see you have a sense of humor.

I think you'll find the wit in my journal rather pungent.

I'll be at the hotel if you have any further questions.

I presume there is a hotel in this town?

Yes, Ma'am, there is.

It's right across the street.

However, since you're traveling alone,

I'd feel much better about it

if you'd come out to the farm and stay with us.

Just so I can keep an eye on you

for Wells Fargo, you understand?

Mr. Hardie, after what happened on the train,

I think I can survive without any

western gentleman's eye on me.

I prefer forming my own opinions.

She's gonna sell land out here.

Looks like she might have formed a few too many opinions already.

A stock show?

In her honor.

Jim, that's liable to attract every

boot black cow puncher in the territory.

Not to mention a hundred slick-fingered gambling men.

Well, her father wants her to see

what the West is really like,

and that cattle raising is really an important industry.

Well, I'll have to put on more deputies.

That's all right, Hal.

Do whatever you have to do.

Wells Fargo is footing the bill.

Well, it's your show.

When you finish staring, my good man,

would you mind opening the gate?

You think it's a good idea to let her go traipsing around

the country like that by herself?

Actually, my job was to cooperate, not to interfere.

I suppose I'd better keep an eye on her.

The country through a woman's eyes,

is rugged, hard, and cruel,

fighting harshly against the pitiful efforts

of the pioneers who would invade it.

The people are no longer humans beings.

The West has frozen them,

scorched them, flooded them.

They're living in a near-animal state.

Don't tell me you jumped train too, New England?

Why should I?

I didn't murder anyone in cold blood.

You weren't lined up in that fella's sights either.

I have no intention of standing here

discussing morality with you.

Let go of my arm.

You sure got a chin full of argument.

What are you doing out here?

I'm writing a book, if you must know.

You know, I only read one book

in my whole life, "Aesop's Fables".

There's a story in there about a fox

that wanted some grapes.

He called them sour when he couldn't reach them.

I reckon some folks sure have to feel that way about life

when they can't quite grab hold.

I'm afraid I still don't understand your language.

Doesn't matter what your mouth says.

It's what you eyes say.

I was just trying to answer the questions

your eyes were asking me.

Maybe I don't see too good.

Hello, Hardie. Last time I seen you was down South.

Christmas Eve, I believe.

Yeah, I had a few too many tequila eggnogs

as I remember, you didn't like that.

Still riding bog on Wells Fargo, Jim Boy?

It's an honest living.

You still carrying guns for the revolutionaries?

No, sir, those mercenaries take

too many risks for too little pay.

I gave all that up to come back

and go in business for myself.

Mr. Hardie, if I may be so bold as to interject,

you old chum here is a murderer.

He's the man on the train?

That fella drew down on me first.

Got a right to protect myself, don't I?

Is that true, Miss Murdock?

Did the other man have his gun out first?

Well, suppose he did?

I don't see what difference that makes.

He still shot him.

It makes a good deal of difference.

It's a difference between murder and self-defense.

That man was a bounty hunter, Nate.

I hope you'll tell that to the Sheriff, Jim.

Don't matter to some of these sheriff's

who the bounty boys bring in

just so they ain't still kicking.

Well, I'm not the sheriff, and I can't speak for him.

But I can promise you one thing.

If you're wanted for anything,

somewhere down the line we'll tangle.

Well, we've tangled before, Jim Boy.

Matter of fact, I still owe you one from our last fracas

when you took advantage of my condition.

That's the best you can do, huh?

You wanna try me?

Looks like you're still one up on me, Jim Boy.

I'm gonna try to keep it that way.

I guess that's all right by me just for old times sake.

Well, old times sake isn't gonna keep me

from checking up on you, Nate.

Well, you got responsibilities, I don't.

That's the difference between us.

Just for the record, Jim Boy,

I ain't wanted, not by nobody.

Then why'd you jump the train?

Well, I ain't so snow-white the law would believe my story,

but I figured you do.

The sheriff wants to talk to me, I'll be in town.

Seein' ya.

Bye, New England.

I don't think it's too good of an idea for you

to be out riding around by yourself, Miss Murdock.

I think you're right.

Western law enforcement is apparently quite incompetent.

Western Law is no different than any other law.

"Laws are silent in the midst of arms,"

Mr. Hardie... Cicero?

"And laws aren't valuable only because they're laws,

but there's right in them,"

A man by the name of Beecher said that.

You going back into town?

Well, since it isn't safe for a woman to be out alone,

I suppose I'll have to suffocate in that hotel room.

Well, if it becomes too suffocating

or too distracting to write,

we'd still love to have you at the ranch.

We're right up the road there, and you can't miss it.

Mr. Hardie, let's clarify something.

I know that your western hospitality

is only prompted by your employers.

What makes you so bitter?

I'm not bitter, Mr. Hardie.

I'm cynical, can't you tell the difference?

Mind my asking what you're doing?

Don't you know a soap making machine when you see one?

Soap making machine, wouldn't it be easy just to buy a bar?

Look I'm running your ranch.

I wanna save you money.

- That's good. - Now.

You take this rig here.

You put fire ashes in the barrel.

Then the rain washes through the ashes,

and fills the little tube with lye water.

Then you mix the lye water with grease

from two deers and a bear,

and the next thing you know you got soap.

Good.

There's just one thing that puzzles me though.

What's that?

How does the rain get in the barrel?

We take the roof down.

Well, did you change your mind, Miss Murdock?

No.

Oh.

You seem to sit a horse very well for an easterner.

My family's been riding to the hounds

for years, Mr. Hardie.

Well, I hope we can show you that our way of life out here

hasn't had the chance to go to the dogs yet.

I don't want you to misunderstand my intentions

of being here, Mr. Hardie.

I'm writing a journal to typify the West,

and I was told that the Haymaker Farm

is typical of your way of life here.

Well, I'd say it's pretty close to it, wouldn't you Jeb?

Oh, Jeb, this is Miss Murdock.

This is Jeb Gaine.

He more or less runs things around here.

Glad to make your acquaintance, Miss Murdock.

I wouldn't exactly say that this was

Boston's Revere Hotel.

But it's mighty comfortable.

Jim, Look!

Whoa.

Whoa.

Whoa, boy, whoa.

Stop 'em, Jim, stop 'em!

Hold on, Jim!

Hey, Jim, you all right?

Yeah, I'm all right.

That's a nasty looking gash.

Well, I must've done it when I hit the wagon there.

We'd better get him into the house.

Yeah, come on I'll make you a poultice.

That'll be all.

You need a doctor.

Now don't you worry about a thing.

I'll fix him up as good as new.

Now, Miss Murdock, you come over here

and wash off the dirt around there.

Come on.

I gotta got out to the barn and get me some cobwebs

and make me a poultice.

What on earth are you talking about?

You mix them with wheat flower.

Ain't nothing like it to stop the bleeding.

But that's ridiculous.

He'll get an infection from those filthy things.

Ain't what the doc says,

and I learned it from him.

And he's been using them for 40 years.

Be right back.

The doctor learned it from the Indians.

They've been using cobwebs

and with a great deal of success for a much longer time

than your family's been riding with the hounds.

Really? How fascinating.

Well, I suppose you have to make due

in such primitive surroundings.

Well, I suppose you do.

You've got quite a medical school back in Boston,

I believe, don't you?

The best, the most advanced in the country

if I do say so myself.

Did you ever hear of a Dr. Ashley Patterson?

Of course!

He's responsible for some great advances

in the use of drugs.

I was fortunate enough to cover

one of his lectures for my newspaper.

I was fortunate enough to be his host

when he came West to do his research for those lectures.

He was trying to learn more about the drugs and the herbs

as used by the Indians for medication.

I think he believed a good deal more in the cobwebs

than you do, Miss Murdock.

Touche, Mr. Hardie.

Mind if I ask you a question?

Why did you accept this assignment in the first place?

A challenge, Mr. Hardie.

Like going up in a balloon.

A challenge from your father?

I think it's rather generally known that

he's one of the largest stock holders in Wells Fargo.

At the expense of my mother's life.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

There's a lot more about this West

I understand than you think.

My mother was dragged out here

away from the decent civilized life that she knew.

And they both fought this wilderness for so long,

they didn't have the sense left to know it had

swallowed them until my father struck gold.

For him, it was an escape.

But it was too late for my mother.

She died in childbirth.

Don't you think that could've happened back East or anywhere else?

Well, it won't happen to me

regardless of what my father thinks.

I'm not interested in romanticizing the West

for his further justification.

I can only see this part of the country

as my mother must have suffered from it.

I think that answers all your questions, Mr. Hardie.

Not quite.

There's one more, if you don't mind.

Would you happen to know whether

your mother loved your father or not?

Why, is that supposed to justify everything?

You're not supposed to answer a question with a question.

You're beginning to sound like my father.

He has some primitive idea that I don't understand

what really counts when it comes to people.

I think maybe he's right.

You'll find out here,

especially in this part of the country,

that what really counts is what's inside

of a man or a woman.

And that if they love each other enough,

they can survive almost anything.

Here we are. This'll stop the bleeding in a jiffy.

And he'll be as good as new.

Good day, Mr. Hardie.

I hope you survive.

Make a good woman if someone will put a firm mind on her,

but, I guess, she ain't no branding calf.

You take it easy I'm not a branding calf either.

Well, you better start behaving like one

before she gives everything a bad name,

including Wells Fargo.

Yahoo-hoo, great day in the morning!

I feel like a young bull!

Oh, are you the sheriff here, sir?

- I am. - My respects to you.

I'm Major Bob Shankford, Empire Building,

and owner of the finest land of cattle

this side of the Mississippi.

I heard tell about you stock show,

and I'm prepared to pay top price

for whatever pleases me.

Now my boys here they work hard and they play hard.

Now this $1,000 should cover any damage

they might inflict on your fair town.

Good day to you, sir.

Come on.

Well, I suppose I'd better go

look after the literary society.

I don't want these boys to add a new chapter to her book.

Stop it, stop it!

Helping ladies in distress

is a little more in your line, Jim Boy.

I was on my way when it started getting rough.

I could see you were.

I checked up on you, Chance.

You're not wanted for anything.

And as far as the incident on the train goes,

bounty hunters have made mistakes before.

The sheriff's willing to call it self-defense

on the strength of the lady's testimony here.

Things were just getting interesting, Chance.

What were you planning to do,

save the lady from sin and corruption?

I got better things to do.

Well, that was the whole point of our being here.

So far I ain't heard nothing but music,

and the clink of glasses over the screaming female.

Ain't you heard the clink of $50,000?

Now maybe my ears ain't so good.

Wouldn't have to be so good.

Ain't more than 20 feet from you.

It's in a belt around his waist.

That's a lot of fat to be carrying around his middle.

Bad for the heart.

How do you know it's there?

Oh, I've good ears.

I heard about the Major from a boy

that used to work for him.

Well now, what is your plan?

I'll show the Major a good time.

Then take the load off his heart.

Figure the best time would be tomorrow,

while the stock show's going on.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's safe

to step outside the door in this town.

Why'd you go in there in the first place?

I found my snake pit, and I was drawn to it,

like some people are drawn to the smell of blood.

The men in that saloon didn't intend to do you any harm.

They're hard-working ranchers that were looking

for a little relief from a rather difficult job,

and they're no different from the men in the East.

Though, perhaps, they're a little more direct.

I'm sorry, but my first impression of this frontier

Wells Fargo is trying to thrust down the throats

of civilized people was right.

And you're about as wrong as anyone could possibly be.

I won't give you the satisfaction of

of admitting to that by going back, Mr. Hardie.

It'll take more than a snake pit

to make me give up my journal.

I'm going to write about the West

in all its chapped, diseased glory.

Well, I have more important things to do

than stand here and argue with you, Miss Murdock.

But I happen to believe in this country

and in the people and their dreams.

They're taking this frontier, this wilderness.

One day they'll develop it into a fine, decent civilization.

They've fought this wilderness for so long,

they haven't the sense left to know

that it swallowed them.

Maybe they had a dream once, but no longer.

No, it's still there.

Though, perhaps you can't see it.

Sometimes you have to dig very hard

before you get to the gold,

even if it means getting your hands a little bit dirty.

Say what you will, Mr. Hardie,

you can't change my mind.

Then I won't try.

Good day.

Yes, sir, Major, I traded short horns with Shanghai Pierce

not more than six months ago just outside Laredo.

Hey!

Any friend of Shanghai's is an amigo of mine.

He's a good man, a shrewd businessman.

But he's not as shrewd as Major Bob, no, sir.

There ain't nobody that shrewd.

Hey, when is this stock show gonna start?

Plenty of time, Major.

Let them get rid of the scrub first.

Nobody's gonna touch you in the purebred.

Here, have another drink.

Better get him back to his hotel room, boys.

He'll have a couple of hours to sober up

before the purebred auction.

The people, the horses, the wagons

flow in a muddy stream through this cracker-box community.

They fought this wilderness for so long

they haven't the sense to...

You cover the stairs. We'll back up Hawk.

Who's there?

Room service.

What do you want?

An ice pack for Major, sir.

Compliments of the management.

You stay nice and still and nobody will get hurt.

What?

Easy does it, Major.

Small-time high-line rider,

you think you're gonna get away with this?

Let him take the belt off himself.

All right, off with it fast!

You think you're smart, don't you?

I chewed up bigger polecats than you

and spit 'em out in bitty pieces.

He was an old man full of nothing but bluster!

You didn't have to do that!

You sure got a way of talking too much.

You feel like talking!

Talk to them!

Chance!

- She knows you? - No wait!

We'll take her along.

You stay put, Ella.

Sheriff!

Sheriff!

Sheriff!

Sheriff, there's been a shooting up in the Major's room.

Get a look at the ones who did it?

Yeah, I saw a couple of them

over in the saloon a while ago,

and they was boozing the Major up.

Let's go take a look.

There's something else, Sheriff.

You know that lady journalist?

They took her along for a hostage.

Are you sure about that, Jake?

Sure, it was the one you was talking to

in the saloon yesterday.

Chance.

I'll see if I can pick up his trail.

You get a bunch of men together

and catch up to me as fast as you can.

Anybody follow?

Clean sweep.

I told you no shooting, Hawk.

We got what we wanted.

You're branching out. I don't like it.

Every man for himself, Mister.

Even wolves work together.

But the big one, the lobo, he calls the shots.

Or he works the fastest in close.

I warned you, this was my party!

And I remember your last party down at Laredo.

We lost a good flank because it was your party.

You're getting soft, boy.

I was always soft about gunning a man down for no reason.

I make my own reasons!

It seems when I went South for a while,

I left somebody to cut my throat.

Maybe it needed cutting, Chance.

The wolves they don't follow no sheep.

Now we taking our share and heading for Canada.

What you do is your own business.

What about her?

I don't like witnesses.

Then I'll take her with me.

You'll take her with you dead.

Maybe you're right, Hawk.

Maybe I am getting too soft.

If you're a wolf, you gotta act like a wolf.

I told you to look out, New England.

Don't try it!

Outside, New England, get on a horse.

All your Colts on the floor over there. Fast!

Like you said, Hawk.

What I do is my own business.

I also said your throat needed cutting, Chance.

They don't call me Hawk for nothing.

Don't miss, you won't get another try.

Outside.

You're hurt.

Nothing serious, but it's slowing us down.

I want to thank you for saving my life.

Well, don't thank me, New England.

Chew my head off like before.

I liked you better with the same kind of crust I've got.

Now Hardie's house is somewhere nearby.

You know where it is?

- Yes. - You get on over there.

They'll help you out.

I'm not going without you.

What's the matter, New England?

That crust crumble a little?

Please, Chance, let me help.

It's too late, New England.

I don't wanna leave you.

There's no time, New England.

Now or ever. Get out of here.

But what are going to do?

I'm gonna break out of this place.

You'd just be in the way.

Give this to Hardie.

They've been here all right.

There's a candle in there still burning

without too much wax around it.

Looks like the trail goes out this way.

Miss Murdock, what's going on?

What's the matter?

Come on in the house.

Come on.

Now, now, now, now, come on.

You just sit right down there,

and you'll be all right.

What in tarnation's been happening to you?

They wanted to kill me.

Kill you?

Who was it? Ill fix 'em.

I don't know.

They robbed somebody.

I heard them talking.

Oh, well, now don't you worry no more.

You'll be safe here.

What's that?

The money.

What money?

Nathan Chance gave it to me.

Oh, please, Jeb, he needs help.

Well, all right.

But I'd better do something about

that cut on your forehead first.

Cobwebs and wheat flower

are very good to stop the bleeding.

Well, I reckon that ain't no fitting poultice

for a lady.

It's good enough for me, Jeb.

Hiya!

Just like old times, Jim Boy.

Not quite.

I told you what would happen

if you were ever a wanted man, Nate. Now you're wanted.

Now you'd better use that gun

if don't plan on going back with us.

It's just about as empty as my head.

The girl's in trouble, Jim.

She was with me I sent her off with the money.

Hawk must've gone after her.

Where'd she go?

I'm going with you.

You're going back to town with the sheriff.

This is no time to argue, Jim. I know where she went.

But I ain't gonna tell you unless I go along.

All right.

I'll take the responsibility.

You got it.

Me and my deputies will take these jaspers back to town.

There, there. Now that ought to hold it.

You should've been a doctor, Jeb.

I was a veterinarian's assistant

in the cavalry during the war.

You think you'd be able to ride?

I don't wanna leave you here, and I got to get into town

and let the sheriff know all about this.

Oh, I'm fine, and you've been very kind, Jeb.

I want to apologize for the things I said

last time I was here.

Well, now I don't remember you saying anything too bad.

I hope you'll devote a whole chapter in your column to me.

All right, put that rifle back on the floor.

New England, ain't that what he called you?

You're a long way from home.

What do you want?

You shut up.

I should've figured you and Chance were in this together

the way he looked at you back in that saloon.

All right, where is it?

You tell me where it is.

That money has gone back where it belongs,

and there ain't nothing you can do about it.

Now you tell me where it is.

- Well... - Hold it, Hawk.

Remember what I said, Hawk.

Don't miss you won't get a second try.

Take care of him, Jeb. Get him out of here.

Are you all right, Miss Murdock?

Yes.

Still keeping one up on me, eh, Jim.

You know it's empty.

Where's the money?

He gave it to me to give to you.

What are you going to do with him?

I'm gonna have to take him back to the sheriff.

There were two men killed.

I had nothing to do with that, Jim.

That's the truth.

That'll be up to the law to decide.

Mr. Hardie.

I want you to let him go.

I...

I don't think I understand you too clearly, Miss Murdock.

I said, I want you to let him go.

Go on, get out of here.

Now wait a minute, New England.

Go on, you said there's not time now or ever.

He saved my life, Mr. Hardie,

and I want to return the favor.

You're to doing him any favors now by helping him escape.

When he brought the money back and gave himself up voluntarily,

it's going to make a good deal of difference.

He'll still go to prison.

Yes, he will.

I was in prison, down in Texas.

I should've learned something for it, New England,

but I didn't.

You want to go back?

You made me want to go back.

We're from two different worlds, New England.

Now we both have to go back where we belong.

Maybe my world would've been a lot better

if you'd been in it a long time ago.

Thank you.

I needed that.

Didn't I, Mr. Hardie?

At least my father would think so.

Yes, I think he would.

Now you come back

just as soon as you're able, Miss Murdock.

You're always welcome here.

Thank you, Jeb.

I might just take you up on that sometime.

- Good. - Goodbye.

And, Jim, you've been more than fair.

I want you to know that I've changed my reading habits

from Cicero to Mr. Beecher.

Oh, well, I wouldn't discount Cicero too much.

They each have their own point of view.

Though it's different,

I think, it's important we try to understand both of them.

All aboard!

Well, I'd better take my seat.

I want to write the last chapter of my journal

while it's still fresh in my mind.

Goodbye, Jim.

Thank you for everything.

Goodbye.

Hope you'll come back again someday.

And as the train twisted its iron ways

through the limestone hills,

I knew that I had learned something about myself

as I'd learned about them.

The arms of the West are open

to those who believe and are unafraid.

I think, I'm welcomed there now.