Original subtitles

I'd been scoutin' for five days,

and I had nothin' but bad news to report.

To the north, a cloudburst had wiped out the usual trails,

and to the south, nothin' but marshes.

Just when I was about to give up,

there it was...

A natural passage west.

The wagons would have easy rollin',

and when Major Adams saw it, he'd shout for joy.

You lost, boy?

Just wander away from your mama,

and now you can't find your way back home?

That it, boy?

More likely, the rain we had last night.

You know how it is after a rain.

They always come up out of nowhere.

The darndest thing.

Reckon we'll have to shove him back down.

This hot sun, he'll curl up and just shrivel away.

That would be the kindest thing we could do for him.

I scout for a wagon train. I'm comin' through this way.

Well now, that's real interestin'.

Comin' through this way, you hear?

You know where you are, boy?

It's my job to know where I am.

Is it your job to trespass on private property, too?

Private property?

This land?

For how far?

You see good, boy?

I see fine.

Well, you take a real good look around,

and even if you stand up on your tippy toes and look some more,

you'll still be lookin' at less than half of it.

I don't see any markers or stakes or fences or anything.

Oh. Did you hear the dirty word that boy just said?

Fences.

You better go find your mama and tell her

to wash your mouth out with yellow soap.

What happens if you wander across the property accidentally?

You'll get shot.

Now get movin', mister.

I wouldn't.

Now drop 'em. Easy.

That was a right pretty move, boy.

Where'd you learn that move?

My mama.

Now, who owns the property?

Oh, she ain't gonna like this.

She ain't gonna like this at all.

She? A woman controls all this land?

Bringin' us back in naked, without our talkin' irons...

She ain't gonna take kindly to that.

Not that it'd do you any good, mister...

Our humiliating pickle.

She won't thank you.

I don't know. I get along rather well with the gentle sex.

Gentle? Is he talkin' about Madame Kingdom?

Madame who?

Our boss.

No, you never mind him.

Gentle is just the word for her.

She's as gentle as a...

as a tornado tearin' up the plains...

as a stampedin' herd in a lightnin' storm.

Yes, siree.

How'd you ever come up with a word that fits her so good?

I'll bet you he has her eatin' right out of his hand.

Yeah, elbow and all.

He'll just ask permission

to bring his wagon train across her land,

and she'll roll out the red carpets.

Hey, Frenchy, has she got any that color?

She can dye 'em red, can't she?

He bleeds, don't he?

Let's get goin'.

Is she in?

Is she expecting you?

Well, this whole situation sorta come up unexpected.

He's got a cravin' to meet her.

She's inside, dispensing justice.

Uh-oh.

WOMAN: I will not have a peon telling me how to run my ranch!

If it were any other foreman but you, Alec,

he'd have these vaqueros flogged!

I will not whip my men, Mrs. Kingdom.

Well, I have no such compunction.

How many of my cattle did they lose?

Fifty head.

Fifty?!

Because these stupid bunglers don't know their jobs!

You there! What's your name?

Manuel Sandoval.

Señora, I have worked for you for 20 years.

During this time, I have learned my job.

I want information from you, not impertinence!

How did my cattle get into the larkspur?

It was a black night.

There was no moon, señora.

We could not see the loco weed.

There were many cattle and only four of us.

We had been in the saddles for 30 hours.

Well, where'd you expect to spend them, in bed?

What do you think I pay you for?

We could not hold them no longer.

If there had been fences...

I will not have a peon telling me how to run my ranch!

Alec, they will get no pay for the next six months

and no credit at the store.

Even though you don't approve of it, my sensitive Alec,

I will have them whipped as a disciplinary measure.

Maria.

Get me Frenchy, Buzzer, and Ed Stilson.

MARIA: They are waiting for you now, señora.

Oh, come in, boys.

Take these men to the east corral.

I want them very soundly flogged.

Who's this man?

What's he doing in my house with a gun?

Well, he's a wagon train scout,

ma'am, and he's got some notion...

Where are your guns?

They're not far from here, ma'am.

You disarmed them?

Yes, ma'am.

And may I ask why?

Well, they started making jokes,

and all of a sudden, I lost my sense of humor.

So you deprived them of their weapons, hmm?

That was very adroit of you, mister...

McCullough.

Because they're very competent with weapons.

That's why I employ them.

What technique did you use?

Well, the funny boy here,

he said that it was a right pretty move.

Well, it must have been.

Maria, take Mr. McCullough's gun.

No, ma'am.

I don't allow strange weapons in my house.

Are you threatening a defenseless old woman, Mr. McCullough?

Mrs. Kingdom, I'd hardly call you defenseless.

Well then, what do you want... at gunpoint?

Permission for your train to go through?

No.

It's our only route, ma'am.

No.

We'll respect your property.

We'll carry our trash with us.

We'll disturb nothing.

You'll disturb me.

The answer is still no.

You keep saying no, but you don't give me a reason.

Do I need to give you reasons?

Yes, ma'am. Why?

Because a reasonable woman would.

Well, it's a little late in life for me to be reasonable,

which I consider a form of weakness,

but maybe you can convince me that I should be.

Yes, ma'am, I think perhaps I can.

There are a lot of people on the train,

and for most of them, it would be a matter of survival.

They can't afford to be delayed another month.

It might cost them everything,

and their whole future lies in getting to California,

and they're in a hurry...

The old because they're old,

and the young because they wanna start a new life.

They're the pioneers of today,

the way your folks were perhaps on this land,

and they shouldn't be denied the opportunity...

Because of the capricious whims of a woman.

A capricious whim, huh?

Well, Mr. McCullough, let's examine my whim.

If I let your train go through,

soon there'll be a parade of them.

My place will become a public highway,

and the squatters would come.

I've had to deal with them in the past.

No, no, no, I won't have it.

So, you see, you failed to convince me.

And you must admit I've been very reasonable.

I'll admit you're being stubborn.

You may go now, Mr. McCullough.

Not yet, ma'am. I haven't had my say.

You have finished.

I don't know how many guns you have around here,

but we have more than 300 on the train.

Now, we're not used to shooting our way through places,

but if we have to fight, we can fight.

Are you threatening me?

You call it anything you like.

Snare, this gentlemen's impudence is beginning to tire me.

How many acres do you have, Mrs. Kingdom?

You're quite helpless, and yet you demand statistics.

Very well then...

300,000, more or less.

I wonder if you have the deeds to all of them.

I have what's far more important to me...

I have the land!

Now get him out of here.

How do you think he'd like to go, ma'am...

Walkin' or carried?

Well, he's our guest.

You must show him all the amenities.

Ask him his preference.

Carried you'd be more comfortable, mister.

You wouldn't feel a thing

because we carry them real dainty-like.

I'll walk, thanks very much.

May I get my rifle?

You shouldn't let children play with dangerous weapons.

Vamos, amigos.

There'll be no whipping tonight.

Why don't you stay for supper, Mr. McCullough.

We set a fair table, and while we eat,

you can try again to persuade me

to let your wagon train go through.

Everything these people have, they're carrying with them on the train...

All their worldly possessions... Afraid not too many of those.

That's why they shouldn't be delayed or held up.

What excuse did she give for not coming down tonight?

She did not say, Donna Felizia.

She tell me to bring a tray to her room.

My granddaughter.

You accuse me of having capricious whims.

Well, if I have, she's inherited them with a vengeance.

Have you seen her, Alec?

Just before supper.

And in spite of the special influence you have with her,

you couldn't persuade her?

You know why she won't eat with us.

Mr. Snare is not here tonight,

and I won't have rebellion in my own household!

I particularly wanted Mr. McCullough to meet her.

And I wanted to meet him, Grandmother.

How could I ever resist the only man

who ever defanged your pet rattlesnake?

I'm Angela Kingdom.

I'm Flint McCullough.

I know. You're already famous on the ranch, Mr. McCullough,

for giving Mr. Snare...

Shall we call it throat trouble?

The poor monster couldn't dine with us

because he couldn't swallow anything but insults.

Thank you, Mr. McCullough.

But the next time you see him, why don't you shoot him.

Not that it would change things permanently.

There'll always be one like him around.

He's very necessary to me, Mr. McCullough,

because poor Alec is too gentle to deal with my problems.

We had a little trouble with rustlers last month,

and after all the excitement had died down,

poor Alec discovered that he'd killed one of them.

Is it true you cried that night, Alec?

I don't remember crying,

but I wasn't happy at having to kill a man.

Doesn't seem to bother Mr. Snare,

nor, I suspect, would it our guest.

Have you ever killed, Mr. McCullough?

Yes, ma'am.

Did it bother you?

It didn't set to well with me.

You're being modest.

I don't believe you ever lost any sleep

over a little matter of a killing.

Maria, bring liqueurs and coffee to the living room.

Angela, take Mr. McCullough's arm.

Do you mind, Mr. McCullough,

if I assert myself and disobey my grandmother?

♪

You like music, Mr. McCullough?

Very much.

It's a great comfort to a woman who's alone as I am.

You may have gathered that my granddaughter isn't very fond of me.

That's not true.

I just don't approve of you

when you order the world around like the Almighty himself.

Are you married, Mr. McCullough?

No, ma'am, there's not much room for marriage in a scout's life.

Well, you're not gonna remain a scout all your life, I hope.

No, one of these days I'll settle down, get myself a spread.

Do you like ranching?

Yes, ma'am, it's a good life.

Where you gonna settle? Well, I don't know.

There's lots of country, but I think I prefer California.

Well, what's wrong with this territory?

Well, there's nothing wrong with it.

Most of it's already taken.

You can't even pass through it, let alone homestead on it.

It may prove easier than you think.

What time is it?

Half past eight.

I told them no whippings!

I heard you countermand my order, Alec.

That was very foolish of you.

This isn't the Middle Ages, this is the 19th Century.

Men don't get whipped anymore for making mistakes!

More's the pity.

My father was a sea-faring man before he came here.

He maintained discipline

by bringing his cat-o'-nine-tails ashore with him,

and using it.

Don't fret, Alec.

They'll be much better vaqueros in the morning.

Don't you agree, Mr. McCullough?

I don't know.

When I was a boy, I had my pants dusted regularly,

but I always had the opportunity of dropping them myself.

Well, I'm sure the dusting

has made you the man you are now.

Thank you.

This isn't a ranch, it's a prison!

And I was hired as a foreman, not a warden.

I'm checking out, Mrs. Kingdom.

I can't very well check out as your granddaughter,

but I'm going to leave with Alec.

Mutiny?

At sea, my father used to punish mutiny by death.

There's much to be done before you leave, Alec...

The cattle tally on the north range,

the food bins you ordered for me...

You'll have to supervise their assembly...

And the new windmill at the wells

that you built for me... Not pumping properly.

Since you know the mechanism,

you'd better attend to it yourself.

All right.

In the morning, please.

Early.

I'll take care of it.

Good night.

Good night, Grandmother.

Good night, Mr. McCullough.

Oh, no, it's not good night.

It's good-bye. I'll be leaving tonight.

And good luck.

I just lost my granddaughter and my foreman.

Aren't you sorry for me, Mr. McCullough?

No, Mrs. Kingdom, not in the least.

You gave up much too easy for you.

What have you got up your sleeve?

I knew you'd see it. I never pick 'em wrong.

What have I got up my sleeve? Mm-hmm.

Nothing but aces, Mr. McCullough.

Well, I figure about five of them.

Oh, at the very least!

Pour me a brandy.

Strong.

Have what you want for yourself.

It'll have to be a quick one.

Tell me, Mrs. Kingdom,

how is it that we never get around

to talking about the wagon train?

Now, why do I always forget about that?

Bring the tray out to the porch.

We'll have our little palaver out there.

All right.

You know, it could be good business for you,

and for us, to let us through.

Look at it, Mr. McCullough. Isn't it beautiful in the moonlight?

Yeah, it's very pretty.

You know, these people will provide a market

for your horses and cattle one of these days.

You know, it's larger than some European countries.

It's almost as large as the state of Rhode Island.

When I die... And I haven't much longer.

I'm over 80.

No one to leave it to.

What about your granddaughter?

And Alec?

Well, why not? They seem to be in love.

Ugh. He can't even manage it under my direction.

He'd ruin it left to himself.

He's sentimental, weak, wishy-washy.

He stood up to you.

Seems to me, that takes guts.

All my life, I've had to put up with half-hearted men...

Molly-coddles!

My own husband...

Jonathon Kingdom...

Married him when I was 20.

My father left me 50,000 acres of land.

Jonathon was content with it, but I wasn't.

I saw the possibilities of a great horse and cattle empire!

And I wanted it.

Jonathon took up fishing.

So while he fished,

I started to build what you see now.

I fought for it,

fought for every inch, acre, rod, and mile.

Indians...

squatters...

even government agents.

This isn't just a ranch...

this is me!

So I can't leave it to an Alec,

as I couldn't have left it to Jonathon...

or to Homer.

Who was Homer?

Hmm?

Angela's father.

Distant cousin.

We had a daughter then.

Marcia.

Homer married her.

So I made him my foreman,

but he sided with the Indians against me,

said I mistreated them.

Well, they repaid his friendship with typical Apache gratitude.

They came here one night to finish us off,

came out of the darkness over that little hill...

I watched their approach from this very porch.

Homer was completely helpless.

I took over.

I had to.

Oh, we suffered losses...

Great losses!

Aah!

We drove them off... for a price.

So what happened to Homer?

Oh, he was quite upset...

to the point where they went back to Ohio.

Not long after Angela was born,

Homer and my daughter died of the fever.

I brought Angela back here to raise.

Jonathon, Homer...

now Alec Stoddard.

How'd you like to own this ranch, Mr. McCullough?

You're offering all this to me?

When I die.

My granddaughter goes with it.

Well, why pick on me?

I sized you up the moment I saw you.

In your hands, this ranch would flourish as it did in mine.

And your heirs...

My heirs?

Yours and Angela's.

They'll carry on the tradition.

Good stock breeds good stock.

Good stock, huh?

Well, what's wrong with being compared to a thoroughbred?

Only one thing, lady... I'm not a horse.

This afternoon, you ordered death,

and now you're ordering life.

How does it feel to have all that power?

It feels fine.

And my authority will pass on to you.

You'll like it.

The wagon train will either go through here or detour around...

That's the wagon master's problem.

Thanks very much for the dinner, Mrs. Kingdom, and the interesting offer,

but it's no deal.

Good night.

I'm not offering you a choice of action, Mr. McCullough.

What?

What's the matter, boy?

You gettin' yourself lost again?

The lady don't want you to leave, boy.

She's got a cravin' for your company.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I'm surprised at you.

You're the unpolite type that eats and runs.

Now you better go back up there and apologize to that lady.

What is it you want?

Maria.

The pleasure of your company, Mr. McCullough.

Show Mr. McCullough to his room,

and you boys see that he gets there safely.

It's got a southern exposure. You'll be real comfy there, boy.

Nighty night, boy.

Make yourself at home 'cause this is it.

Shh!

I'm sorry.

We'll have to speak softly, Mr. McCullough.

My grandmother's room is just down the hall.

Yes, I know. We had a long talk last night.

Oh, I can guess what it was about.

She told you she's always been surrounded by weak men...

My grandfather and my father.

And now me.

Alec was decorated for bravery at Antietam,

and he was in both battles at Bull Run...

Never mind, honey.

My grandmother's a strange woman, Mr. McCullough.

Those vaqueros she had whipped yesterday,

now that they've learned their lesson,

she'll keep an extra careful eye on them,

not to see that they do their work properly,

but to see that they're well fed

and that all their needs are taken care of.

That doesn't make sense.

On the contrary.

It makes perfect sense.

They're hers,

like her cattle or her horses or like a bronc'.

Once you've gentled it, then you can learn to love it.

You think she's gonna gentle me?

Flint, come here.

They're not only for you.

They're for Angela, for anyone else she wants to keep around here.

Yeah, I saw.

Well, she'll let me go, now that you've appeared.

Yeah? How is she gonna get me to knuckle under?

Starve me to death? Have me whipped?

If she thinks so, she's out of her mind.

She's probably one of the sanest women in the world,

Mr. McCullough, except for this one obsession...

The continuation of her ranch in her own image. Shh.

She'll win out eventually.

If bribes and flattery don't work,

she'll use force,

and she'll break your resistance in time, Mr. McCullough,

unless you get out of here.

And if she can't?

That's when Mr. Snare takes over.

Only this time, he won't give you the choice of walking or being carried.

Well, you two make everything sound just ginger peachy.

Alec! Alec!

Go on, Buzzer.

Good mornin', boy.

Brung you a nice mess of breakfast...

Grits, hot bread, hen fruit, and a steak big enough to milk.

What's the matter? You wasn't hungry?

Whatever made you lose your appetite?

All right, you've run your errand. Get out.

My, my, you still ain't got no manners.

Your mama must've drug you up awful careless.

Well, couple of months around here,

and you'll be bowin' and scrapin'

and sayin' thank you to a fare-thee-well.

Wanna bet?

No, you don't wanna bet.

Well, you wrap yourself around that, boy.

She says you gotta keep up your strength.

We're gonna help you get out of here.

All right, what's the plan?

She takes a buggy ride every morning at 7:00.

That's about an hour from now.

Snare drives her, unless he has some little job to do for her.

Well, as far as we know, he has nothing to do today.

Now we're changing the order of things.

You're gonna be Mr. Snare today.

How do you figure?

You're both about the same build.

With Mrs. Kingdom sitting in the buggy beside you,

you won't be challenged by the guards.

You underestimate her. She'll recognize me like that.

Not right away.

Due to that helping hand you gave him yesterday,

Snare's wearing a long silk scarf.

Now, it's a cold morning.

You'll keep the scarf wrapped up well around your chin...

until you're driven past the guards.

Well, I'm willing, but what about the scarf?

And how about clothes that match his?

Whole closet full of them he has...

All black like a funeral.

He will wear them to his own funeral.

Where's Snare supposed to be while I'm him?

I'd take care of him, only I'm supposed to be at the wells,

six miles from here, right now.

You took care of him yesterday. Think you can do it again?

It'll be a pleasure.

MRS. KINGDOM: Forgive me.

Forgive me, dear Lord,

for the wickedness I have done in the past.

Though hast given me to suffer almost unendurable affliction.

I have not complained.

Give me now the grace of Thy compassion.

See me as a sinner, but a tortured one.

Pity, dear Father,

a lonely, bereft old woman.

Thy child!

This woman prays in one breath and whips in the other.

A humble tyrant with a wig as a crown.

The wig, señor, is her crown of thorns.

She... come.

MRS. KINGDOM: Maria.

Sí, Señora.

Help me to get dressed.

Uno momento, Donna Felizia.

In here.

Toss that gun on the bed!

What are you doin', boy? Explorin'?

Or did you just get yourself lost again?

How'd you ever get to be a scout, anyways?

Inherit the job?

Who let you out of your room?

I slipped through the keyhole.

I didn't have breakfast, so I slimmed down.

Well, you're gonna slim down a heap more

before we're through here.

How come you're wearin' his clothes?

I want his job.

You'll get mine, too, if she finds out I let you wander around.

If you get me in trouble, boy, I'm gonna skin you alive

and wear your hide for a fancy vest.

She's only an old woman. Why do you work for her?

It pays the best, and she's the toughest hand on the place.

Now you get goin'.

Back to your stall.

This time, I'm not only lockin' you in,

but I'm cross-hobblin' you to the bed!

Ugh!

I'll be back in about an hour, Maria.

I'll have breakfast then as usual.

Uh, did Mr. McCullough enjoy his breakfast?

Frenchy says he didn't touch last night's tray.

He is feeling better today than he did yesterday.

Have a pleasant drive, Donna Felizia.

Thank you. I shall.

Hey, you drivin' her to the storehouse? No.

Darn, I'm near out of chawin' plug!

Good morning. Mm.

Lovely day, isn't it?

A little windy, but quite a relief after last week's rains.

Tell me, whose idea was this masquerade, Mr. McCullough?

My granddaughter's or my foreman's?

Come to think of it, I don't think I feel like a drive this morning.

Buzzer!

One peep out of you... Just one word to him...

You wouldn't dare.

You said I'd never lose sleep over a little matter of killing.

But a woman?

With you, I just have to find out afterwards.

Yes, ma'am?

Did the boys check the lumber for the new bunkhouse?

We was goin' to, only seems Frenchy got lost.

Well, find him at once!

Tell him I want the information immediate...

After breakfast.

Yes, ma'am. We'll have it by the time you get back.

That was a quick switch.

It's a good thing you think fast.

You said you had me sized up. Now don't underestimate me.

Say good morning to your boys.

Buenos días.

Good morning.

Would you really have shot me if I'd called out to the guards?

You ever play poker?

Frequently and well.

You know what they say.

You put up or you shut up.

Ah, come over to my side, Mr. McCullough.

Not a chance.

Well, this has been a very interesting ride, Mr. McCullough,

but now I'm getting a little tired.

And where are we going?

I'm goin' back to the wagon train,

dump this whole problem right in the Major's lap.

I have no wish to see your wagon train.

You're not invited. You can get out any place you like.

Well, how will I get home?

You're not very far. They'll find you.

Aren't you being rather cruel to an old lady, Mr. McCullough?

You're a fine one to be talkin' about cruelty.

When one has an important mission to accomplish,

it is sometimes necessary to use hard means to achieve it.

All right, you're a sweetheart.

Whoa there.

This spot all right for you?

This is miles away from home. Of course it isn't all right.

Frenchy was to drive me.

Did you bribe him to let you take his place?

No, he tried something that proved to be just a little too much for him.

So he had to lie down for a while and rest.

Frenchy?

I thought one of Snare's jobs was driving for you.

Oh, he had a little chore to do for me out at the wells.

I didn't know that he'd lower himself to do chores.

All right, Mrs. Kingdom, this is the end of the line.

I'll help you out.

This is outrageous! I refuse to budge!

Then I'll budge you.

The wells?

Alec went out there to fix your windmill.

Don't tell me that he asked for Snare...

You said you had aces up your sleeve.

Are you dealing the death card?

Did you send Snare out there to kill Alec Stoddard?

I should have called your bluff, Mr. McCullough.

You do get upset over a little matter of killing.

Hey there!

Don't shoot!

Ugh!

If I hadn't got that thing started again,

you'd be a dead duck.

Not much damage.

Mind shaking left-handed?

Thanks for saving my life.

Death on my head!

Blood on my hands!

Mr. McCullough! Help me!

I'm... I'm in great need of help!

Take care of her Alec.

Hey there!

Hey, that's pretty as a picture.

How did you ever get permission from the old battle-axe?

We might not have it.

When she came to, I asked her again,

but I was in a hurry to get back to you.

It seems to me that she nodded yes,

but we might not have permission.

Well, this is a fine time to tell me!

We might just be headin' right into an ambush!

I told her if we didn't get it, we'd take it.

Well, we might be in for a little hurrahin' then.

Could be.

Hey, Major, what's that?

HAWKS: Looks like squatters.

On her land?

From what you told me, that old heifer

sends her bully boys out to take care of nesters,

gives 'em a bounty for every one they bring in...

Dead.

Well, let's go see.

Hey, boy! Still lost?

It's gonna be easy to find your way around here pretty soon.

What are you up to?

Well, she's got us buildin'...

No, no, I just can't say that dirty word.

F-A-N-C-E-S.

That ain't "A," it's "E."

Well, ain't it, Major?

Oh, shut up.

Oh, yeah.

You see them nesters over there?

Well, we can't shoot 'em.

"Just leave 'em be," she says.

Oh, and that ain't the worst of it.

Now she says we gotta take a bath every week.

She thinks we stink!

Seems to me like there's been a lot of changes

in this here ranch in one short week.

Yeah.

I'll catch up with you, Major.

I gotta make me a social call.

All right.

Oh, Mr. McCullough, how good of you to come.

Won't you join me.

I'm afraid it's tea these days.

Tea would just about hit the spot.

Well, how have you been?

Fine, fine.

The doctor says I'll soon be my old self again.

Thank you, Maria.

An older old self, of course.

If you'd come an hour earlier,

you could have said good-bye to Angela and Alec.

They've gone?

On their honeymoon...

to a little lake in the mountains north of here.

Alec took along all of Jonathon's old tackle.

He wants to get in some fishing.

Oh, they're very much alike...

Kind and gentle,

with their own quiet strength.

He'll make her a good husband,

as Jonathon was to me.

You are thinking I have changed, Mr. McCullough.

Yes, ma'am.

I couldn't sleep those first few nights after I got ill.

I lay awake, thinking.

Something seemed to be lying on my chest,

weighing me down, threatening to suffocate me.

Can you guess what it was?

No.

300,000 acres of land.

And around me, all around, crowding my bed...

Accusing ghosts, people I'd taken from.

So I had to get it off my chest.

That's why I allow squatters to settle here.

Yes, I saw them.

And your wagon train to go through.

Soon others will follow.

I think now I'll be a little less lonely and frightened.

I can't imagine you being frightened.

Who else but a terrified woman

would have put up such a show of strength as I did?

Only panic could have made me that ruthless.

I was afraid to be weak,

to have my secret discovered.

To hear people mock me.

I can't picture people mocking you.

Can't you?

Is there anything in the whole world

more laughable... No, more ludicrous

than a woman who hasn't any...

I didn't tell you the whole story of what happened

the night the Apaches raided us.

I told you that we'd suffered great losses.

I said we'd won, but at a price.

I didn't tell you that

I was the one who paid the price!

They scalped you.

And left me for dead,

but I didn't die.

I struck back at the world.

An imperious, demanding, embittered woman

in a gaudy, flamboyant wig,

hiding her shame and fear from others,

shouting commands,

lest she hear jeering whispers.

Ugh, you don't want that. Put it down.

How about some whiskey?

No, thanks, ma'am. I've gotta be getting back to the train.

You know, Mr. McCullough,

I made one very bad mistake.

Instead of wanting you for Angela,

I should have married you myself.

Well, if you'd made me that proposition at the beginning...

Oh, but I would have had to have made it

over a half a century ago.

You weren't even born then, were you?

No, ma'am.

No.

So it wouldn't have worked.

Now it's too late.

Too late.

Good-bye, Mrs. Kingdom.

Good-bye, dear Mr. McCullough.