Original subtitles

Hoyt, I wanna talk to you-- to all of you.

-We've done all the talkin' that needs to be done. -Not quite.

This telegram just come from Sacramento.

-What's it about, Hoyt? -[chuckles] From the state land commission.

He's sending a lawyer to talk to Libby Matthews.

[chuckles] Talk ain't gonna save our cattle.

They need grass, they need water.

-So do mine. -Then ride with us then. We'll get it for 'em.

We're gonna give Libby Matthews just five minutes to let us drive our herds on Stone Creek.

Don't be a fool. You're not gonna scare Libby Matthews.

You tried that before and she's still there.

If you try to run her off that land, there'll be a killin'.

-That's what she wants. -Maybe so,

but if you get a bullet in ya, what difference will it make to you or your family

whether your cows have graze and water or not?

This lawyer will be here any day now. He'll open up the Matthews land and--

It ain't Matthews land. It's public land.

All the more reason why we should have this lawyer handle it.

Now let's just try to be a little patient.

-[scoffs] Patient? -Jed's right, Hoyt.

Let's see what the lawyer can do.

Hoyt?

Yeah, looks like I don't have much choice in the matter.

All right, we'll let this lawyer try to

get the Matthews off the Stone Creek land his way.

If he don't do it his way, we'll do it my way.

-[rifle Blast] -[neighing]

Mister?

Mister, you okay?

♪ [theme]

Ma! Ma, he's gone!

He was right here, Ma!

Look, here's his hat!

-Probably wasn't hurt bad as you thought. -He looked real bad, Ma.

His face was all bloody. I only meant to scare him.

Well, it appears you did. Come on.

Don't you think we better look around for him?

We've got work to do, Danny.

You didn't eat much.

I wasn't hungry.

DANNY: Ma! Ma!

What is it, Danny?

Ma, it's the man that was down at Dakota Flats.

Come on. Let's get him into the house.

[groans]

Who are you?

I'm Libby Matthews.

This is my mother-in-law and my son. Who are you?

I don't know.

What?

I don't know who I am.

But-But your name?

I can't remember.

I can't remember anything.

I can't--

[mutters]

[rooster crowing]

-Good morning. -Good morning.

I didn't know you were awake yet. Sit down and I'll get you some coffee.

I've been awake for a long time.

I was just lying there trying to remember something about myself.

-LIBBY: Can I get you some breakfast? -No, thanks, ma'am.

-I'm not hungry. -You better drink your coffee.

Danny's out trying to find your horse.

My horse?

You rode onto our property yesterday afternoon and Danny--

-Danny what? -Shot at you.

Well, not at you. He tried to fire past you.

-He only meant to scare ya. -Why?

Them ranchers down in the valley have been trying to run us off our land.

Danny thought you was one of them coming here to make more trouble.

-We're sorry. -We got no need to apologize.

We got signs posted. You should have believed them, mister.

But if I was on your property,

I must have had some reason for coming here.

Do you have any idea what that might have been?

No, none.

But Danny says you had a coat on when he first saw you.

Maybe there'll be some identification in it. He might find it now.

In the meantime, you need a fresh shirt. I'll get you one.

What are you gonna do?

Get him one of Scott's shirts.

Here. Put this on.

-It belonged to my husband. He's away. -But he'll be back soon.

He'll be back real soon now.

You really should eat something, you know.

A little broth if nothing else. Help you get--

What are some of the towns around here?

Rockville's, uh, about six miles away down in the valley.

Then there's Pinewood. That's about 20 miles up in the hills.

Do they mean anything to you?

-No. -Well, they're both small.

If you lived in one of them, I'd know it.

Well, thanks for the shirt. I'll return it to you just as soon as--

Certainly you're not thinking of going right away?

[sighs] I can't stay here.

Of course you can. That is, until you're better.

Well, give it a few days at least, please.

-Well, maybe a few days. -Good.

What are you thinkin' of, beggin' him to stay?

-The man is hurt. -How do you know he's hurt as bad as he's lettin' on?

You don't know him. You don't know why he come here.

-My guess is them ranchers sent him up here to scare us. -You're wrong!

-How do you know? -I just do.

-If Scott was here, you wouldn't act-- -Well, he isn't here!

He's been gone for two years and he may never--

No, wait.

[mutters]

[groans, gasps]

-I heard you cry out. Is everything all right? -Oh, I'm fine.

I just had a dream.

I guess you'd call it a nightmare.

It was all about this eagle with its wings spread like

it wasn't gonna fly, but it was angry and gonna fight.

[chuckles] It just came closer and closer, so I--

DANNY: Ma?

-Is there anything wrong, Ma? -No. Everything's all right. Go on back to bed.

-Are you sure? -Yes. It's okay. Go on.

-Good night. -Good night.

-He feels very badly about what happened. -Yes, I know.

He should have waited to find out what you wanted. He figured you were one of those ranchers.

Maybe I am.

I don't think so.

Why do these ranchers wanna drive you off your land?

There's a drought. They need water and grass and we won't sell out.

-Can't you get protection from the law? -[scoffs] The law.

The law is on their side. They say this is public land

and the state owns it and we're just squatters.

But if the law tries to put us off, we'll fight it too.

-The land must be very dear to you. -No reason to hide it.

Some people say it's a myth,

but we know somewhere on this property is the Sequoral Ledge.

What's the Sequoral Ledge?

A vein of gold. My husband is a mining engineer.

He spent years checking the stories about it.

Now it's just a question of getting someone to back him. That's why he's east.

He'll be back soon with the money.

In the meantime, it's just you two women and the boy, huh?

LIBBY: That doesn't matter. We'll win somehow.

We have to.

This land, the Sequoral Ledge, it's Scott's life.

It's my life too.

I'm gonna be right here when Scott gets back.

You better try to get some sleep.

I'll be going into town in the morning.

-I wonder if I could borrow a horse? -Oh, certainly.

-But-- -No, no, no. I'm all right now.

I think it's time I start trying to find out who I am.

Oh. Just don't tell 'em you know us. They'll be a lot friendlier.

-Good night. -Good night.

To the right.

Yeah.

Now up. Good.

Down.

I don't know quite what to tell you.

I suppose I know as much as the next man about amnesia.

And I know practically nothing.

-Can a person recover? -Of course.

That is where there's no physical damage to the brain.

And none seems indicated.

But it's completely unpredictable.

Your memory might never return or it might come back,

any instant, returning just as mysteriously as it left you.

But how? What would make it come back?

Well, who can say?

Usually it's coming in contact with something or someone who's familiar to the victim.

[chuckles]

I guess there's only one thing I can say with absolute certainty.

Amnesia can be caused by a blow to the head.

But I've never heard of it being cured by another blow.

So I don't suggest that you go home

and hit yourself over the head with a frying pan.

[chuckles, clears throat]

Excuse me. That was a very poor joke.

I should have resisted the temptation to make it.

That's all right, Doc.

How much do I owe you?

Well, a dollar all right?

Sorry I couldn't do more for you, but

what you need there's no prescription for. Luck.

-Hello, Hoyt. -Hello, Cameron.

I was just fixin' to stop by your place and see you.

Glad to save you the ride. How 'bout another beer?

Say, uh, where's that lawyer the state was supposed to be sending down here?

I haven't heard from him yet.

It's been three days since you got the telegram. I think he'd better hurry up.

What do you mean by that, Hoyt?

Cameron, that's what I was fixin' to talk to you about.

If the Matthews ain't off the Stone Creek land in one week from today--

-Now, look, Hoyt-- -You listen to me, Cameron.

I'm losing three, four head a cattle a day. I'm gonna be wiped out.

So are you. So is every man in this valley if we don't quit pussyfootin' around.

-Hoyt-- -One week, Cameron. One week.

And no more time, no more talk.

And then we gonna burn her out.

-NICK: Mother! -[sighs]

Nick, I wish you wouldn't start hollering the minute you come in the door.

-All right, where would you like me to start hollering? -Did you get the mail?

-I thought you were taking a bath. -I am.

-Right there on those steps? -Anything for me?

-Nope. -What is it with all these baths?

I mean, you take one, two, three times day.

-What's it get you? -Clean.

-You had to ask. -That's strange. Nothing from Jarrod.

He said he'd write the minute he got to Rockville.

-There's only probably one stage out of Rockville each week. -Yeah.

-I'll get your lunch. -No, we'll get it at the chuck wagon.

-I'll tell you something. It'd be-- -[knocking]

I'm Mr. Blair from the state land office.

-Ted Blair? -That's right.

-Oh, please, come in. -Thank you.

I've heard Jarrod speak of you many times. My sons, Nick--

-How do you do? -How do you do?

-Heath. -How do you do?

-I hope I haven't come at an inconvenient time. -Not at all.

-You're just in time for lunch. -Well, now, that's nice of you, but I'm afraid I can't.

I've got to get right back to Sacramento. Train leaves in less than an hour.

I stopped by to see if Jarrod was here.

No, he left for Rockville last Monday.

Is something wrong?

Well, I got this telegram this morning from a Mr. Cameron in Rockville

urging me to see that Jarrod got to Rockville as quickly as possible.

Well, he should have been there three days ago.

BLAIR: Well, unless he planned to stop somewhere en route.

No, no, he didn't. He said he was going directly to see some woman named--

-Matthews? -Yes.

Well, perhaps there's no cause for alarm.

On the other hand, maybe there is.

I think maybe we better check into it.

I'll have McCall take over for a few days, and you saddle the horses, huh?

Right.

-May I? -Oh, yes, of course.

Can I do something for you?

-Do you know me? -No.

Well, then I guess there's nothing you can do for me, Father.

Wait.

What's the trouble, my son?

Do you know what amnesia is?

-Yes. -Well, that's my trouble.

A few days ago I was knocked off my horse, and when I came to I didn't know who I was.

Oh, I see.

I don't know why I came here. I-- I suppose I hoped you'd know me.

I'm sorry. Look, if you need a place to stay--

No, no, Father, that's not the problem.

Perhaps you should talk to Dr. Driscoll.

I already have.

Wait. I don't feel I should let you go without doing something to help.

Don't worry about it, Father. There's nothing you can do.

There is one thing.

-You mean pray for me? -Yes, if you wish me to.

Well, now, I don't know.

Isn't there something in the Bible about a man and his name?

Yes. You mean, "As his name is, so is he."

From Samuel.

That's strange, isn't it?

A man can lose his soul, and he says, "Sure, Father, go ahead. Pray for me."

But he loses his name and he's not so sure.

-You see, I don't know what kind of man I was. -That doesn't matter.

It does to me.

That's part of what I'm looking for.

Not just who I was, but what I was.

My boy, you forget.

Your name, everything about you is already known to him.

Well, if you'll forgive me, Father,

that's not much of a comfort to me.

Maybe I belong here and maybe I belong in jail.

-Somehow I don't think so. -But you don't know for sure, do you?

And neither do I.

Maybe that's why I don't want you to pray for me.

Maybe I'm afraid of the answer.

-Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of ground to cover. -Just one more thing, my boy.

No matter how you feel right now, just remember,

you're not alone and you're not forgotten.

We never are.

I'll try to remember that.

Danny? Danny, I--

Oh, I didn't know you were back yet.

I'm back.

You must be very tired.

You didn't find out anything in Rockville.

Not in Rockville, not in Pine Lake.

[sighs]

I walked every street a dozen times.

Went into every saloon, every hotel, every store.

I stared at everybody I saw and they stared back at me like I wasn't there.

-What'd the doctor say? -[chuckles] He wished me luck.

You know, you very nearly didn't get your horse back.

After Pine Lake, I almost kept right on going.

-Where? -I don't know.

Anyplace I guess where there are more streets to walk, more people to stare at.

I know how you must feel, but--

Oh, no, you don't. I didn't know.

Not until today, and then it hit me.

Just two days ago, I had a name, I belonged somewhere.

I knew people. They knew me. I had a life!

And you still will have. I'm sure one morning

you're just gonna wake up and all of a sudden you'll remember everything.

-In the meantime-- -In the meantime, what?

You can stay here. There's a job for you here.

No money, but room and board.

-Look, I know you mean to be kind-- -No, not kind.

Selfish. We need help here. You can see that.

And I need to keep on going. I need to keep searching.

You still can. It doesn't have to be a full-time job.

You can use this as sort of a base.

Some place to always come back to. You need that.

I need to find out who I am!

I know. And I wanna help you.

Supper's ready in 20 minutes.

-Danny! -I forgot--

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Where are you going?

I forgot the wire clippers. Me and Dakota are gonna fix the west boundary fence

-where it was cut last week. -Dakota?

That's what I call him 'cause that's where I saw him first-- Dakota Flats.

He said it was okay with him. Sure nice to have him around, isn't it, Ma?

It sure is, Danny.

-Bye, Ma. -Good-bye, Danny.

[clears throat] How do I look?

Scott bought you that dress just before he went away.

I'd almost forgotten I had it.

Ma! Ma, you look great!

Don't she look great, Grandma?

-Gee, it's been so long, Ma. -Where's Dakota?

Oh, he said he wasn't hungry. He's out looking for his coat.

What's for dinner, Ma?

Wash your hands.

-They're clean. -Go wash your hands.

You said you wasn't gonna wear that dress till Scott come back.

I changed my mind.

Howdy, Hoyt. What you got there?

-Bad news. -What do you mean?

Got this off a horse-- a horse I found near the Matthews place.

-Look at these. -Them are legal papers.

That's right. Belongin' to Jarrod Barkley, a lawyer.

A lawyer the state was sending down here to get the Matthews off Stone Creek land.

What do you think happened to him?

-You think he's dead? -I don't know.

Horse was roamin' free, legs were scratched and cut.

Saddle hadn't been off him in days.

-What about talkin' to the sheriff? -[chuckles] The sheriff.

He's over in Black Butte. Besides, I'm tired of messin' around.

I'm gonna go over to the Matthews place tonight, Quint.

And one thing I wanna know right here and now. You goin' with me?

-I don't know, Hoyt. I-- -Quint, I'm tired of arguin'.

Hoyt.

I'll get the boys together.

Libby said you was goin' away for a few days.

Probably be back at the end of the week. Looks like it's gonna be a nice night.

The night I wanna see is the night it rains.

Maybe if they got some water down in the valley, them ranchers forget about us.

Danny tells me it hasn't rained in over five months.

What are those ranchers doing for feed and water?

I haven't asked them. No concern of mine.

-Why isn't it? -What's that supposed to mean?

Well, it just seems to me that maybe this whole problem could be solved without a fight.

Like for me and Libby to give up you mean.

Let 'em drive their stinkin' cows over my son's land.

Let 'em come. Let 'em in. Let 'em look for the gold.

And if they find it, let 'em have it.

Well, let me tell you, mister whoever you are,

me and Libby don't give in that easy.

-Ready to go? -Yep.

-You riding all night? -I got a lot of ground to cover.

-Which way you heading? -Up north.

I wish you weren't going. I have a feeling you won't be coming back.

Who is that?

It's riders.

-Come on! -Get out!

-Let's get outta here! -Where you going?

[rifle blasts continue]

Grandma! Grandma, are you okay? Ma!

Ma!

-Danny, what-- -Grandma's been hurt!

-I'm all right. It's nothin'. -Let me see.

-It's just a flesh wound. -Let me see!

Danny, get a pan of hot water and some towels.

[groans]

-Here, Ma. -Hold this up.

-What'll it be? -I'm looking for a man named Vatcher.

MAN: Well, look over here.

-You're Vatcher? -That's right.

I work for the Matthews. I have a little message for you.

So you're the guy we ran into up there last night.

[chuckles] Didn't know they had a man around the place.

Is that what made you feel so brave?

You thought you were just attacking a couple of women and a boy?

So what's the message, mister?

-Don't come back. -Is that all?

That's all.

[chuckles]

Now you listen to me--

Put that gun away! Put it away!

That isn't gonna solve anything.

-I'm Jed Cameron. -I've heard of you too.

-I was just telling your friend here-- -I heard you.

Well, the same thing goes for you.

I wasn't a party to that raid last night.

I knew nothing about it until a few minutes ago.

If I had, I'd have tried to stop it.

Well, you better stop the next one, 'cause you're not running those people off that land.

Maybe the Matthews ain't told you yet.

Stone Creek ain't their land. They're squatters.

They put in 10 years of their life up there.

They're there and they're gonna stay there.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'd hoped we could settle this peacefully.

Maybe we could have before last night.

Now I'm gonna tell you just one more time.

Don't come back. The next time I'll be waiting for you.

[men chattering]

A week! That was your promise, Hoyt.

That was before I found the lawyer's horse.

How 'bout the rest of you? That Matthews hired hand meant what he said.

The next time he will be waiting.

Then we don't wanna disappoint him, do we?

I stand to lose more than any of you, but you can count me out.

-What we gonna do, Ma? -Run along.

-Well, what we gonna do? -Run along!

-Dakota's in the barn working. Shall I tell him? -No!

No. We'll tell him later.

What's this?

What are you hidin'?

This is that man's coat, isn't it?

Isn't it? Answer me.

-You found out who he is, haven't you? Haven't you? -Yes.

-But you haven't told him. -No.

-And you weren't going to. -No. And neither are you.

-Get out of my way. -Listen to me.

-You can't do this. -Listen to me. I need him.

I can't go on like this, not any longer.

I can't fight anymore, not alone, not without help.

And neither can you.

Look at you. Last night it was a bullet through your arm.

Next time it might be one through your head.

Dakota's our only chance of staying here. If he leaves, we've lost.

-No. -Yes. I'm tired and I'm scared.

And if Dakota goes, Danny and I leave.

You can just stay here and be burned out or driven out if you want to.

But if that man goes, I'm through.

You'd-- You'd just let them ranchers take my son's land?

Yes.

So if you want anything for Scott, you keep your mouth shut.

-Beer. -Sure thing.

-How do we get to the Matthews place? -Matthews place?

What do you want with the Matthews place?

Well, not that I think it's any of your business,

but we're looking for a man named Jarrod Barkley.

-Is he a friend of yours? -He's our brother.

-Your brother. -That's right.

Well, I found your brother's horse up in the hills yesterday.

Looked like the horse had thrown him and run off.

I looked around for him but I couldn't find him.

-I don't like saying this, but I think your brother's dead. -Dead?

That's my guess.

Now, just because you found his horse doesn't mean he's dead.

That's right, except we found his horse near the Matthews place.

How far is it to this Matthews place?

Well, it's about six miles right straight down the west road.

You can't miss it. You better be careful.

If the Matthews see you, they won't miss you, either.

DANNY: An eagle.

Yeah.

Hey, I just had a great idea. After this post, let's go for a swim in the lake.

That's good thinking, Danny.

[horses approaching]

Don't. Who are you and what do you want?

Our name's Barkley.

-Barkley? -HEATH: We're looking for our brother, Jarrod Barkley.

What makes you think he'd be here?

He's a lawyer representing the state land commission. He was coming to see you.

He disappeared, but his horse was found near here yesterday.

Somebody said you might know something.

You were told wrong, mister.

I don't know him and I never heard of him.

-Put that down! -Who's it belong to?

A man that works for us.

-Mighty fancy shirt for a hired hand. -Mighty fancy.

Put it down.

-Now ride. -Yes, ma'am.

Ride.

-She's lying. -I swear, that looked an awful lot like Jarrod's shirt.

Go on. Get!

They'll be back. You got no choice now.

-You gotta tell him the truth. -No.

Them two know you're hiding something. And when they come back--

-When they come back, we won't be here. -What?

I'm going to see Jed Cameron. He'll be glad to pay us the money to get off the land.

What are you talkin' about? What are you sayin'? You can't sell this land.

-It's mine. -It's Scott's!

-Then where is he? Why isn't he here? -He'll be back.

-When? -I don't know.

I'll tell you when-- never.

-No. -Yes, he's dead.

You can't say that. You mustn't. You're his wife.

I'm his widow. We're waiting for a dead man to come back to find gold that doesn't exist.

-That's not true. -It is true. I've known it all along.

-Then why'd you stay here? -Where else could I go?

Where will you go now?

-Now it doesn't matter. -'Cause that man will go with you?

-Yes. -But what if he won't?

-Well, he will. -Just 'cause you're in love with him

don't mean he's in love with you.

He'll have to go with us. Where else can he go?

All right. Let's say he does go with you. Let's say that.

What happens afterwards if he gets his memory back?

-I don't know. -He had a life before he came here.

He'll go back to it. He'll have to.

You'll be left empty.

No emptier than I am now.

-What are you gonna say to Mother? -As little as possible.

Just tell her we're gonna be a little delayed is all.

MRS. MATTHEWS: Mr. Barkley.

I wanna talk to you. I'm Libby Matthews's mother-in-law.

Hi, Ma.

Ho!

-Did you finish the fence? -Nope.

-Played hooky instead. -We went for a swim in the lake.

-Danny, would you take care of the horses? -Sure, Ma.

I have to talk to you inside.

-Would you like a cup of coffee? -Sounds good.

-How 'bout you? -Yes, please.

What's the matter?

There were a couple of men here today.

Not ranchers. Gunmen Hoyt Vatcher hired.

They warned me that I have to get off the land right away.

-This afternoon. -How many warnings does that make?

I've lost count.

But after they left, I started thinking, this isn't your fight.

-If anything should happen to you-- -I wouldn't worry about that.

I am worried about it.

You asking me to leave?

No, no, of course not.

Well, what then?

Well, it's kind of hard to explain.

Well, don't try, because this is my fight.

I've made it mine.

Why? Because you believe in the Sequoral Ledge and that maybe you'll find it?

No.

-Then why? -I don't know.

Maybe I'm just like you.

This place is all I know,

all I have to hang onto.

[horses approaching]

No, don't go out there! They're Vatcher's men. They said they'd come back.

[glass breaks]

Jarrod, it's Nick and Heath!

-What are they yelling about Nick and Heath? -Don't believe them.

That's just a trick to make you think they know you.

Jarrod!

-Keep him busy. I'll try to get into the back. -All right.

[clicks empty]

Jarrod.

Jarrod, it's me. Jarrod, listen to me!

Jarrod!

Jarrod, I'm your brother! I'm your--

Jarrod, I'm your--

Jarrod--

Where'd you get this gun?

You gave it to me. You had it made special for me in San Francisco.

You gave it to him for his last birthday.

Just before you left. Remember?

Don't you remember, Jarrod?

Nick?

[shudders]

Heath?

Nick! Nick!

[sobbing]

[sobbing continues]

Libby? Libby!

Libby?

-Libby. -Didn't they tell you I knew who they were?

-They told me. -Well, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry and ashamed. That's not much to say--

You don't have to say anything.

I was tired and afraid and lonely.

I needed someone. I didn't know that, not until you came.

But--

-You better go. -Not yet.

Not until I talk to those ranchers, try and fix it up so you can stay here.

No, I don't wanna stay. I don't have to stay.

That's what I was trying to tell you before your brothers rode up.

I wanted to go away. I wanted to go away with you.

I wanted to start living again.

But I still do, even though I know you won't be there.

I'm not sure I know how, but I wanna try.

Will you promise me one thing?

Don't ever stop trying.

I won't.

Good-bye, Libby.

[horses departing]

♪ [theme]