Original subtitles

OLD RANGER: And now, Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hi-yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley Country.

Of all the bandits in the Gold Rush days,

the one who struck most terror to the heart

was Joaquin Murieta.

The trail he left behind was marked with blood

and echoed the length of California

with his famous war cry...

Some say that circumstances forced Joaquin into

his infamous reign of murder and plunder.

Others, that he took to it naturally.

I leave that for historians to debate.

But few will argue that any bandit

has ever been more merciless.

And no ranch, no mining camp, no town was safe

from his sudden raids.

I am Joaquin!

"And the red stains on the sidewalk of Sonora

will not soon be forgotten."

It'’s terrible. I'’ve never heard of such brutality.

Murdering those men in cold blood.

I'’m so thankful you're a sea captain, Steven.

Kind of a freshwater captain, these days,

travelling up and down the Sacramento River.

Well, that'’s better than making your living

in the mountains with men like Joaquin Murieta at large.

And his awful, three-fingered friend, Garcia.

You shouldn'’t read those stories, darling.

Nor you, either, baby.

Oh, it'’s time for her to go to bed.

Oh, let her stay up a little longer.

My one night home.

Oh, you'’ll spoil her, Steven.

I see so little of her.

First thing you know, she'’ll be a young lady,

and we'’ll hardly be acquainted.

[laughs]

At the rate you'’re going,

you'’ll be able to have enough money to retire soon.

Full passenger list every trip up to the mines?

And just as many coming back loaded with gold.

Oh, I'’m not complaining, dear.

I just wished I could take Nita with me.

Could I, Anne?

Oh, Steven.

Just this once. It'’ll only be for a week.

Well-- Well who would take care of her?

The captain.

She can sleep right in my cabin.

I don-- I don'’t like the idea, Steven.

What could possibly happen?

She'’s perfectly at home on a boat?

She'’d have the time of her life

and you'’d get a chance to rest.

Oh, very well.

That'’s my girl.

Spoken like a true captain'’s wife.

[ ship horn blasts ]

And when we get home, we'’ll tell Mama

what a good girl you'’ve been.

And then maybe she'’ll let you--

[ baby noises ]

And then maybe she'’ll let you come with me again.

[ baby noises ]

Now, in with you.

Oops! We almost forgot your prayers.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Amen.

Now to bed with you.

Goodnight, my precious.

Sweet dreams.

Get the little lady all tucked away, Captain?

Yep. Snug as a bug.

I got a couple of kids of my own.

Back in Ohio.

And you know what I'’m sending them and their Ma?

More than $8,000 in dust.

I wouldn'’t advertise the fact, my friend.

Don'’t you worry none about me, Captain.

I pack a .45.

And when we get to Frisco,

I'’m taking this stuff direct to Wells Fargo.

There'’s a rowboat out there.

Some poor duffer rowing himself

all the way up the river to the Dickens.

I sure don'’t envy him none.

Seems to be more than one man in the boat.

Yeah, at least three.

Well, at least you'’ll have some help with the--

What is the meaning of this?

You are the capitán,yes?I am.

And I might point out that it'’s etiquette to hail a ship before you board her.

[ laughs ]

Murieta?Si.

I am Joaquin!

Pirate!

Fool. Gringo.Let go!

It'’s for my missus and kids, please!

I will take good care of it.

[ gunshots ]

[ screams ]

[ gunshot ]

[ woman screams ]

No!

You have much gold in there, right?

There is nobody else left to kill, Joaquin.

[ speaks Spanish ]

You know, amigo, this is better

than robbing stagecoaches.

Look. More people, more gold.

There is so much a man cannot carry it all.

[ baby whimpers ]

[ Bandit ] !¡Caramba!

A baby.Shh, she is sleeping.

Joaquin: What are we to do with her?

What is there to do but to leave her where she is?

On a drifting ship?

Joaquin: It might hit something and sink.

Then she would drown.

Si, it is better we kill her now.No.

One quick thrust, she will never know.

Put that dagger back, you three-fingered butcher.

We will take her with us.

Joaquin-- [ ship horn blasts ]

There'’s a steamer coming up the river.

We must leave quickly.

I will carry her. You pack her clothes in that.

And after we get her ashore, what then?

I will decide.

I do not like it.

It is what I like that matters.

Bring that.

It is all right, Ninita, you are quite safe.

Safe.

In the arms of Joaquin Murieta.

[ laughs ] God help her.

Oh no!

No!

Oh, dear God!

It was a massacre.

A vicious, cold-blooded massacre.

Every soul on board.

[ cries ]

I know how you must feel, Mrs. Dicks,

but you have one consolation.

You know he died bravely.

Where is he?

They'’ve taken him to the undertaking parlor.

And my baby?

Baby?

My little girl, Anita.

She was with him.

He begged me to take her along, and I let him.

[ sobs ]

I let him.

There was no baby aboard.

Are you sure?

Positive. We searched that ship

from stem to stern.

Then she'’s alive!

They'’ve taken her with them.

Knowing Murieta, it isn'’t likely.

I-I-I know what you'’re thinking

but that'’s not true.

She'’s alive!

And I'’m going to find her.

If it takes me the rest of my life, I'’m going to find her.

[ bell ringing ]

[ baby coos ]

Joaquin: I am sorry if I frightened you, Reverend Mother.

I come to inquire about a little girl who was left here

one night last year.

She was hardly more than a baby.

Joaquin: With dark hair, flashing eyes, and--

You must mean Angelica.

She is still here at the convent?

Why do you ask?

To give you this.

For her care.

You are the father?

How, then, do you know about this child?

Joaquin: I am Joaquin!

I, uh-- I see they'’ve increased the reward.Yes,

and every week brings news of fresh crimes he'’s committed.

I'’d, uh-- I'd pay that much and more to find my child.

I'’m sorry I can't help you, ma'’am.

Well, if-- If she isn'’t here then I-- I'’ll try the next camp.

Captain Love?Yes, ma'’am?

You and your rangers are on the trail of Joaquin Murieta?

You'’re mistaken, ma'am.

We'’re on our way to Los Angeles.

You can trust me not to breathe a word.

I have every reason to long for Murieta'’s capture.

I'’m Mrs. Dicks.

The widow of Captain Dicks?

And the mother of the little girl

whom Murieta stole.

I'’ve been searching for her ever since.

Travelling from camp to camp, asking everyone I meet, but--

There'’s only one person in this world who knows where she is.

That'’s Murieta himself.

Yes, Mrs. Dicks, we are on his trail.

His former sweetheart has tipped us off to his hideout.

Capture him alive so I can question him?

It'’s my only hope, Captain Love.

We'’ll do our best, ma'am.

Off to the right is the Arroyo de Cantua.

That'’s where Murieta'’s hiding out.

LOVE: Don'’t look around now because they'’re sure to be watching.

Should we stick to the plan you told us?

Yes. We'’ll continue to ride until nightfall,

and then we'’ll double back and surprise them at dawn.

They just stopped to fix a saddle.

♪ I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee ♪

♪ And I'’m going to Californy my Susanna for to see ♪

♪ It rained all night the day I left ♪

♪ The weather was so dry

Not even one look do they give toward the Canyon.

It is true, then, what my spies have reported.

They are riding to Los Angeles.

[ horses galloping ]

The Rangers!

Put up your hands!

Where'’s Joaquin?

Halt!

[ gunshots ]

[ man screams ]

There goes Joaquin.

[ gunshot ]

Dead?

LOVE: Yes, devil take his soul.

Garcia, too.

Good job, Captain. Everybody in California will be grateful.

Not everybody, I'’m afraid.

I saw you ride up, Captain Love.

You brought him back?Yes, ma'’am.

In part. His head.

His head?

To prove to folks that Joaquin Murieta'’s really dead.

Then you killed him?

We had no choice, Mrs. Dicks.

I felt so sure that at last--

I-- I prayed so hard.

I'’m sorry, Mrs. Dicks, believe me.

If only I could'’ve had one little moment with him.

And now it may-- It may take me years.

You'’re not going to keep on looking

for your little girl, are you?

All my life, if I must.

As long as God gives me the strength.

Excuse me, ma'’am? Are you the widow Dicks?

Why, yes.

The agent at the stage depot

said I'’d probably find you over here.

I sure am glad to have overhauled you, at last.

I'’m afraid I don'’t understand.

You ever hear your husband speak of Ty, Paul, and Tom?

You knew my husband?

My skipper, ma'’am.

That'’s why I was bound to get this information to you.

What information?

My baby.

Is it about my baby?

She ain'’t a baby anymore, ma'am.

She must be all of eight or nine, by now.

Tell me, where is she?

I been in your wake all over California

but always you kept just one move ahead of me.

Where is she?

Oh, it cost me plenty. Believe me.

Oh, not that I begrudge the money. But, well...

for a poor, seafaring man--

I'’ll repay you gladly. Here. Here, take it.

Oh, ma'’am--It'’s all I've got, but you'’re welcome to it.

Oh, well, if you insist--Now tell me!

Where can I find her?

Write to this address in Angels Camp.

Write? I'’ll go there by the next stage.

Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Glad to help you, ma'’am.

Baldie! What time does the next stage leave for Angels Camp?

Angels Camp?

Now, Mrs. Dicks, you ain'’t picking up again?

For the last time, Baldie. I found her.

She'’s in Angels Camp. I have the address right here.

Well, I'’ll be darned.

Let me have a ticket, will you?

Oh, I forgot, I-- My money'’s all gone.

I have exactly one cent left.

That'’s hardly enough to get you to Angels Camp.

That was so stupid of him--

Well, I-I was so excited I--

I want to thank you for telling him I was at the convent.

Telling who?

The man who gave me the information.

He knew my husband. He sailed with him.

I didn'’t talk to anybody about you, Mrs. Dicks.

You didn'’t?What did he look like?

Well, he was a small-ish man.

Sailor'’s clothes.

Big, bushy eyebrows.And a face like a ferret?

That'’s Greasy Grimes,

one of the worst sharpers in Californy.

But this is the lowest trick he'’s pulled yet.

Then this address is...She'’s not there.

I'’m a fool. I'’m a fool to believe.

I'’m a fool to think I'’d ever find her. She's dead.

Murieta killed her just as he killed my husband.

The whole world is full of wicked people.

Sometimes I wonder if there just is a God at all.

Oh, I shouldn'’t have said that.

Now I'’m a wicked person, myself.

I don'’t blame you, ma'am, for losing your faith.

Oh, God forgive me.Where are you going?

To burn one last candle for my child.

So you do still believe?

I still believe.

You come here often, my daughter.

Whenever I'’m passing through the town.

You don'’t live in Stockton?

I live nowhere.

I spend my life in a constant search.

For my child.

She was lost when my husband'’s ship

was attacked by Joaquin Murieta.

Murieta?

The bandit. He'’s dead now.

This happened years ago, in '’52.

What time of the year?

Early Autumn, why?How old was she?

15 months.

She was just beginning to walk.

She had on her first pair of shoes.

Brown kit buttons.

Little girls are such a joy to dress.

Sometimes we have donations.

Let me show you some of the clothes--Please, no.

It will take only a moment.

Please wait.

Here is one dress.

And a little petticoat.

How did you get them?

They were left here.When? By whom?

And her satchel.

These are her clothes! My baby'’s!

Are you sure?

Well, I-- I made the them myself.

And her shoes. Her shoes, didn'’t I tell you?

Her brown with buttons.

She was wearing them that night when I found her at the gate.

Dead?Very much alive.

What happened to her? Where did she go from here?

Fetch Angelica.

Angelica?

That is the name we gave her.

[ sighs ] And I wondered if there really was a God.

You were looking for me, Mother?

And she has found you, at last.

The little girl of our story, Anita Dicks,

grew up and married Joseph Reilly,

who had come around the horn to California from Kentucky.

And it was from her grandson, Joe Reilly of Bishop, California,

that I got this true story of Death Valley Days.