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♪♪

Beehive, huh?

Sure don't appear to be as busy as one, does it?

Well, it used to be quite a place.

All I want's a cold beer, a bath, another cold beer,

those horses we bought and one more cold beer.

Gentlemen.

Welcome to Beehive.

My name's Parley.

I'm the new parson here.

We haven't had a chance to get acquainted.

Afraid we're not parishioners.

Name's Ben Cartwright, from around Virginia City way.

Uh, my sons, uh, Joseph and Hess.

Howdy. Howdy.

Pleased to meet you, though, Reverend.

No, no, not Reverend.

I prefer Parson.

I had the call, and I answered it.

If you're in town Sunday, I'll be preaching my first sermon.

Everyone's welcome,

for the Lord knoweth not a stranger.

Well, thank you very much, Parson.

If we're still in town, we'd be happy to attend.

Uh, could you direct me...

Hey, fellas, come out here and look who's here!

Hey, marryin' man, you get any new wives lately?

How about loaning me a couple?

We'll get 'em from your friends!

Why, this is disgraceful!

I've never seen anything like this.

Friends...! Back off! That's enough!

Come on, get back to the ranch, all of you.

All of you!

Sorry this happened-- my boys had a little too much to drink.

It's quite all right, Mr. Carbo, I'm used to it.

My people have had years of it.

Mr. Carbo...

...this is Ben Cartwright and his sons,

from over near Virginia City.

Pleasure, Cartwright.

I've heard of you, and of your ranch.

If there's anything I can do for you...

Well, Mr. Carbo, as a matter of fact, there is.

We're here on a horse-buying trip.

Could you direct us to Heber Clawson?

Yeah.

I can direct you to him.

Just follow that buckboard.

That's him.

It's really a pleasure to see you, Mr. Cartwright.

I knew from our correspondence

we felt the same way about good horses.

Well, my son Hoss is really responsible for that.

He's the one who first heard of your stables.

Oh, my wife Susannah.

My wife Elizabeth Anne.

Girls, this is Mr. Cartwright...

Hoss, Little Joe.

M-Ma'ams.

We've been anxiously awaiting your arrival, Mr. Cartwright.

Thank you, ma'am.

We don't get much company out here.

It's nice to see some new faces.

Thank you.

New faces?

Why, there was a traveling drummer by here

not more than six months ago.

And Heber is still complaining

about Susannah and me buying a few little things.

A few little...?

Why, he left with an empty wagon and took a trip to Europe.

Our husband is given to slight exaggeration.

All right, I'll help you with the horses,

show you where to freshen up,

and after that, we'll have some supper.

Hey, that... that sounds mighty good,

if it wouldn't be too much trouble.

Oh, it's no trouble at all.

Susannah does all the work; I just watch.

She's taking advantage while she can.

I'm a very fortunate man, Mr. Cartwright.

Oh, I trust the fact that we're of the Mormon faith

doesn't disturb you.

Of course not, Mr. Clawson.

Joseph... Hmm?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, Pa.

Boy, I'll tell you one thing, Pa...

he sure got some mighty fine-looking horses.

Boy, he sure does, doesn't he?

Hey, Pa? Hm?

You know they were...

you know they were Mormons when you were first writing to them?

No, the subject never came up.

No reason for it to.

Every man's religion is his own business, isn't it?

Oh, yeah, sure, but...

you know, you hear a lot about this polygamy, and...

then when you see it for the first time...

Yeah. You know, Joe, I was thinking about that myself.

You first meet Mr. Clawson,

and he looks just like an ordinary feller, don't he?

Well, isn't he?

Oh, Pa, you know what I mean.

Well, yes, I know what you mean.

He has a religion which is different from ours...

a religion which approves of plural marriages.

But before you start thinking that's awful strange,

just remember that all ancient religions practiced polygamy.

Yeah, but, Pa, that was Old Testament days.

Well, they're an Old Testament people.

Matter of fact, they have the same problem.

What do you mean by that, Pa?

Persecution.

These people have been

driven out of their homes time and again.

And stoned.

Murdered.

Driven out into the open plain,

where 600 of them died in one winter.

So many of their men have been killed that...

they practice plural marriage just to prevent extinction.

Well, they're sure hardworking people.

You can tell by this place.

Yeah. This country owes a great deal

to the Mormon Church.

Many a wagon train would never have reached

the Nevada Territory, if it hadn't been

for the Mormon stations along the way.

Well, anyhow, these Clawsons seem like mighty fine folks.

Yeah, they're fine folks, all right.

Elizabeth Anne, are you sure you want to drive the buggy

all the way out to where those men are working?

Will you please quit worrying?

I tell you, the fresh air will be good for me.

Well, you can't help worry a little bit

about people you love.

Susannah?

Did you ever hate me?

I mean, at first.

I think I tried, a little.

But who could hate you?

You know...

I was afraid when I first came here.

But you always made me feel as if I was wanted.

You are wanted.

Very much.

Susannah...

I don't know why the Lord meant it to be me to have a child...

instead of you.

I just know he did.

I know it, too.

Without you, there'd be nothing.

Now, come on.

Pa, have you ever seen a prettier bunch of horseflesh?

Don't give me too much of an opening, Hoss.

Mormons have quite a reputation for being shrewd dealers.

I found that out at Monmouth Crossing out of Carson,

and at Genoa, when they had the Mormon stations there.

Aw, we really weren't so bad; we just had a way of setting up

our stations where they were needed most.

Well, I guess you could call it good business.

Unfortunately, a lot of people didn't.

Oh, here comes that lunch the girls promised us.

No...

Oh, don't let any of this go to waste.

They ain't much likelihood of that, ma'am.

Mmm! Boy, that looks good.

Thank you.

You know, Heber,

those are two remarkable women.

Why, thank you, Ben.

And you couldn't be more right.

I hate to interrupt

a good lunch like this with business talk, but how long

do you think it'll take to round up the rest of the herd?

Five, six days.

Long as that?

I was hoping we could do it sooner.

We're in a bit of a bind of time, you know.

We got to go up north and get that bunch up there.

I'll tell you what, I'll ask Grant Carbo

if he won't lend me a couple of hands to help out.

That might be a good idea.

Carbo, uh, seems to be a pretty big man around these parts.

I'd say so.

With the exception of myself,

everyone in Beehive works for him, one way or the other.

Is that so?

Well, Dave, you ever figure you'd wind up

working for a Mormon?

Well, maybe we're gonna get a bonus,

like an extra wife or something.

What do you say, Cartwright?

I say we got a lot more work to do.

Well, we'll see you in about four days.

That's right. Remember, there's a dry stretch

after you leave the Humboldt here.

How come it's always me that's got to go, and never Joe?

He always gets to stay, dad-burnit.

Because we've already looked over the horses

we've got here-- Joe can look after them.

This new bunch we're looking at, I need you.

You know, it really is wonderful to have somebody in the family

that knows so much about horses.

Well, young man, you just make sure you meet us on time.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Clawson, I don't want to start a family squabble

or anything like that, but, uh, I don't know

whether your wives spoil you or you spoil your wives,

but they sure didn't take much time in spoiling my two boys.

I wouldn't want them to know it, but I've got

to admit they're pretty good at that sort of thing.

Ladies.

Bye. Bye, Mr. Cartwright.

Bye, Hoss.

I'll save you a piece of pie, brother.

Yeah, you do that.

♪♪

You know, talking about that apple pie

kind of worked up my appetite.

You got any left?

I think we can find some. All right.

Heber...

this is the Sabbath-- why aren't these horses hitched up?

Now, you come on in and get dressed.

And that goes for you, too, Joe Cartwright.

We're gonna be late for church.

Yes, ma'am.

What's the matter?

I'd hate to disappoint Susannah

and Elizabeth Anne, but...

I'm a little reluctant to go to church.

But I thought you just told me you always attend.

When Reverend Morris was alive, yes.

A wonderful man, Joe.

Never did agree with my religion,

and we used to argue about it,

but he'd defend with his life my right to practice it.

The doors of his church were always open.

Well, this new preacher seems friendly enough.

Some of these self-ordained men have some pretty fixed ideas.

I planned to wait until I got an invitation

before attending his church.

Heber, please.

Elizabeth Anne and I are all ready to go.

Well, settles that.

We lose again.

Just don't ever let them start picking on you, Joseph.

They'll never let up.

Will you listen to him, Elisabeth Anne?

We never picked on anybody in our lives.

Oh, ho!

I'd like you to meet our new preacher,

Mr. Parley.

Heber Clawson,

his wife Elizabeth Anne,

his wife Susannah.

And you've met Joe Cartwright.

Preacher.

Mr. Clawson, I know that you are not of our faith,

but I want to make you welcome to the House of the Lord.

We thank you for that, Preacher.

You will find me a very understanding man.

I used to be a missionary among the heathen Indians.

I know salvation can be yours.

Oh, I understand the importance of salvation.

Each member of my faith must serve a mission, too.

Mr. Carbo, you know how fond I was of Reverend Morris,

and you know how hard I've worked for this parish.

But I never agreed with Reverend Morris

about admitting these...

these people into the church.

You'll find Mrs. Lang a great help, Preacher.

Come along, my dear.

For there is so much to do, my friends,

and that is a key word, "friend."

For we must all live together as children of the Lord.

But I say to you,

to ignore sin is to condone it,

and as soldiers of the Lord

we must march against it.

Ours not to condemn,

ours to cure,

to drive out evil.

And evil is here.

There is one among us

who worships a false God.

We must help him to see the error of his ways.

We must help him back

onto the path of righteousness

and away from the influence

of those destroyers of man and faith

who dwell in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake.

Let us not ignore them.

Let us extend our hearts

and our helping hands

to the innocent

who have been led into a life of sin.

And that is what I mean by the word "friend."

We extend our hand

to those who have lost the way.

We must save them...

...for when we save each other,

we save ourselves.

Amen.

Susannah...

I'm sorry about that.

He got a little carried away.

It's all right.

I won't let anything hurt you, Susannah,

you know that.

Everyone knows how much I thought of Reverend Morris.

And I must admit this town has needed the truth

for a long time.

Oh, you were splendid, Mr. Parley.

So much more honest and more forceful

than Reverend Morris ever was.

He's got the right to disagree with your religion.

That doesn't give him the right to stand up in church

and make personal accusations.

I won't deny it hurts, Joseph.

There have always been some

who've disliked us for our faith.

We've always known that.

Fortunately, there are some who know and respect

the Mormon religion for what it is.

I tell you, boys, the Mormon church,

by its very nature, is designed to destroy.

I've been around them a long time, Preacher.

Now you can't deny the Mormons done an awful lot

toward building up this country.

Why, when I first came here,

they were already irrigating their farms.

Looked like a garden.

Doesn't that prove my point?

Where are those people now?

In 1857,

Brigham Young issued an order for those people

to abandon this community and go back to Salt Lake City.

They obeyed like sheep.

There's your danger, Mr. Carbo.

Hundreds of people,

selling out their land and their houses.

Fantastic strength of one

bigoted man who lives with a harem of women.

Well...

you got me there, Preacher.

They did up and sell, all right.

All except Heber Clawson, that is.

Yeah.

Now, that's interesting.

How is it that he stayed on?

He couldn't defy the church order.

Well...

They tell me you cross ol' Brigham's palm with silver,

you can get away with anything.

Yeah, or, uh, give him one of your young wives.

That's what keeps Brigham young.

Well, I'll tell you--

Still, Heber Clawson has been a good neighbor to me.

Of course, I done a lot of favors for him.

Just loaned him a couple of hired hands,

a matter of fact, a few days ago.

Yes, but aren't we getting away from the point, Mr. Carbo.

Now, as the leader of this community,

you don't condone plural marriage?

No, I don't condone it.

It's just that I sort of kind of like to point out

where the blame belongs.

Now...

take Susannah.

I've known her a long time.

Both those girls are just innocent victims.

Why, if you get them out

from under Heber Clawson's influence...

Perhaps we'll do exactly that, Mr. Carbo.

Perhaps we will.

Well, it's been wonderful having this informal discussion.

And as I know I can't change your habits overnight...

...if I must come into this saloon

to meet with my discussion group,

I'm perfectly prepared to do so.

Enjoyed it, sir, very much. Thank you.

Mighty fine, sir. Thank you very much.

Preacher, you really got the word.

You're going to be all right. Well, thank you.

I'll take you to the door. Thank you.

H'yoh... H'yoh...

Ho!

When you gonna cut those hammerheads out?

We'll let these cool down a couple of days

until we bring the big herd out of the hills.

And than Joe can make his first cut here.

Well, in that case...

In that case, um,

there isn't much reason for you two

not to go on into town, is there?

Last few days up here have been pretty dry, huh?

Join us for a drink, Joe?

No, thanks. I think I'll just stick around here.

It's a funny thing, Joe.

Every time I've just about made up my mind

I don't like that Grant Carbo,

he comes up with another favor, like loaning me those hands.

Heber here?

No. He and Mr. Cartwright are up at Saltgrass.

No matter.

You're the one I want to see, anyway.

I've got no business with you, Mr. Carbo.

The door's behind you.

If you don't leave here at once,

I'll call Elizabeth Anne!

I just seen her drive off.

You'd have to call pretty loud, wouldn't you?

Now, why don't you be sensible and listen to me.

It'll be for your own good.

There's a lot of talk going on about town,

about you Mormons.

I think that preacher's out to get you.

There's even talk about running you out.

They wouldn't dare.

You're wrong.

They'd dare.

I think they'll try it.

Then we'll fight them.

One man,

a pregnant lady,

yourself.

Now, why don't you be sensible, Susannah?

Talk to Heber.

Convince him to sell 'em out to me, like the others did.

Let him and Elizabeth Anne leave here.

He ain't no kind of husband to you, anyway,

taking another wife like that.

I've made no secret about the way I felt about you.

I get what I want, Susannah...

one way or another.

Don't touch me!

Let me go! Let me go!

You can't fight me, Susannah.

You ought to make up your mind to that.

Oh, you looked so foolish

with your eyes bugging out

and your nostrils flaring.

I've known you a long time, Mr. Carbo,

and I never thought I'd live to see the day

you'd make such a fool of yourself.

I can't wait to tell Elizabeth Anne.

Oh---...

Oh.

I saw someone riding away from here.

I thought I better come back and...

Susannah... what's wrong?

It was nothing.

It wa... it was just someone for Heber.

It was Grant Carbo, wasn't it?

Susannah...

how much longer are you gonna try to fight this by yourself?

Oh, Elizabeth Anne, what am I gonna do?

Oh, I've... I've told you a thousand times-- tell Heber.

I can't. It would cause too much trouble.

Wouldn't that be better

than having Grant Carbo putting his hands on you,

following you around with his eyes,

trying to make love to you?

Heber is my husband.

You know what happens to anybody that tries to fight Carbo.

Heber is my husband, too,

and there's more than one kind of hurt.

Suppose Grant Carbo starts lying about his relationship with you?

People will believe him. Do you know that?

Susannah, Heber loves you,

and so do I.

And I'm not going to see

two people I love being hurt by lies.

If you don't tell Heber

how Grant Carbo's been bothering you, I will.

I say...

got a little worried

when you didn't show up for lunch, Elizabeth Anne,

so I thought I'd better ride in.

What's happened here?

It-It's nothing.

It's just foolish woman business.

Not some more of that business in town?

No, really.

Tell me.

0h, Heber...

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah!

Susannah, what's wrong?

I haven't got time to explain.

It's Heber.

There's gonna be bad trouble.

He's gone to town, looking for Carbo.

Hey!

You can't ride in here like a madman,

starting fights like this.

We demand an explanation!

We want to know what this is about.

You... you ask him.

He knows.

There wasn't no reason for it at all, I tell you!

The boss has done everything he could to be nice to them people.

Yeah...

Please... please, all of you!

Now, we're all agreed it was an unprovoked attack,

but let he who is without sin among ye cast the first stone.

You all know how much I thought of Reverend Morris,

God rest his soul,

but I told him from the first,

he was wrong to encourage those Mormons.

My wife always did say that. Mm.

We must not turn aside.

That's all right for you to say, Preacher.

How about that Cartwright?

What do we know about him?

Why, Mr. Carbo himself told me

the Cartwrights are the biggest ranchers in Nevada.

Sure, but how do we know this one is Joe Cartwright?

You ever see the way he packs a gun?

How do we know he ain't one of the Danites?

One of them hired killers the Mormon Church has?

I've said this before, and I say it again.

We could all be murdered in our beds.

Please, Mrs. Lang!

That's the way prejudice is born.

We must not jump to conclusions like that.

Conclusions?

And just remember--

There's nowhere those Mormons didn't have to be driven out of.

And they shouldn't have been allowed

to stop in this country, either.

Please! You must not poison your minds like that.

You must pray for guidance.

We have got to try to drive the Devil out

of the souls of these non-believers.

Now, pray that I may have divine guidance

when I go to talk to them.

Oh, I'll pray with you, Preacher,

but I mean to get me a gun and carry it, too.

You ain't gonna be alone, friend.

Please, all of you.

Let us pray.

Look, you, uh... you sure you don't want me

to go in town for the supplies?

I can't just hide under a rock, Joe.

Susannah, Elizabeth Anne and I are still Mormons,

and life goes on.

Well, I'll be out at the pasture.

See you when you get back.

Well, I guess that'll do it for today, Mr. Lang.

Put it on my bill.

No more credit, Clawson.

I've had an account with you for years now, Lang.

Well, money's tight.

Things change.

No credit for anybody.

Look, it'd pinch me pretty hard to pay cash right now.

I've got troubles of my own, Clawson.

You want those supplies or not?

Put these pants and shirts on my bill, will you, Lang?

Sure, Menken. Glad to.

You want those supplies?

Yes, I want the supplies.

Good day, Mrs. Green.

It's started again, hasn't it?

Yes...

but you and I have been through this before.

It's not us I'm worried about, Heber.

It's Elizabeth Anne.

She's never faced prejudice before.

I prayed for guidance,

and when I opened my Bible,

the marker fell on Luke 8:2.

The answer sprang from the page:

"Mary, called Magdalene,

out of whom went seven devils."

Repent.

Repent and be saved.

Fall on your knees

and pray with me,

you Mary Magdalenes.

Pray with me, Mary Magdalenes,

that I may free you from your sins!

Renounce the man

who has led you into this mockery of holy matrimony.

Free yourselves

from this concubinage!

Open...

Get out of my house

before I break your neck with my bare hands.

Oh, I saddled up that bay you like.

Thanks.

Where's Susannah going?

We can't move the horses alone.

Tex and Dave quit last night.

They went back with Garbo.

Hup.

Hyah! Come on.

Hyah...

Hyah!

Well, now, Iookie there.

If I'd have known they was gonna hire help like that,

doggone if I wouldn't have stayed on.

What do you reckon would happen if, uh,

this here team accidentally run away and, uh,

went right down into that band of horses?

I reckon I'd just have to ride

right along beside you and save you.

Let's give that Mormon something to think about.

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

Heber!

Up the slope.

See if you can turn the leaders!

Hey-yah!

Whoa... come on, whoa...

Get down off that wagon.

Well, now, what I want to do that for?

I just got this team of runaways quieted down.

I told you to get down off that wagon.

Well, boys, I...

guess I'm gonna have to accommodate him.

Hold it just like you are.

Load him in the wagon, take him back to town.

But it had nothing to do with you.

I'm the one that shot him. It was self-defense.

It doesn't make any difference.

Now what do you mean, it doesn't make any difference?

I'll go to the sheriff and explain what happened.

I've got witnesses.

There is no sheriff here.

Carbo's the law.

There still must be something we can do.

Oh, yes.

Like I told you,

we can do what our people

have always had to do:

move on.

I don't know.

Perhaps we're being repaid for defying the church

when Brigham Young ordered us to sell out here.

Don't say that, Heber.

You and Susannah were just married,

in love, this was your home.

You've served your missions, Heber.

Well, we'll have to decide

what we'll take with us.

Oh, now, wait a minute, you...

you can't just leave. Give all this up.

Everything you've worked for.

It's a free country. They can't make you leave here.

You're wrong, Joseph.

I know it all so well.

Small grains of truth

stirred up into a killing sandstorm.

All the tired, distorted tales

of Porter Rockwell,

Brigham Young's personal assassin.

The Fancher Train.

The Danites,

hired killers of the church.

But none of the real truth,

about our exodus from Missouri,

the assassination of our leader...

...the driving of our people from their beautiful Nauvoo...

600 of us who died in Winter's Quarters...

the long trek to Deseret...

Don't, Heber.

Don't torture yourself.

I've heard it so many times.

So many times.

He didn't stand a chance, boss.

Cartwright, as he calls himself.

He's a hired killer for the Mormons.

I mean, there ain't no doubt about it.

Clawson's one of them Danites, too.

He came at us with a rifle.

You don't know how many more of them Avenging Angels is waiting

right outside the town, ready to move in here.

My wife always did say we'd be murdered in our beds

if we let them Mormons stay.

Hey, preacher, you still gonna pray for 'em?

How?

How can I pray?

I offered them salvation.

They repay us with violence.

This crime cannot go unpunished.

You've done all you can, preacher.

A couple of killers loose.

May God have mercy on their souls.

♪♪

How can we leave this place?

We've put so much of ourselves into it.

We have no choice at the moment

but to accept Joseph's hospitality.

Virginia City's a large place.

There'll be a doctor there for Elizabeth Anne.

Don't worry about her, Heber.

I'll be with her every inch of the way.

You love her very much, don't you?

Yes.

And I'll love the child she's to give us just as devoutly.

They're coming.

There's about a dozen of 'em.

I didn't believe you, Heber.

I didn't believe a thing like this could happen.

Get Elizabeth Anne. I want you two to go on.

I don't want to leave you. You do as I say.

You go with the women. I'll hold 'em off

as long as I can, then I'll join you.

We both stay.

You keep moving.

We'll catch up as soon as we can.

Yes, Heber.

I'll saddle up a horse. Right.

Remember now...

let the preacher do the talking.

We don't want those women to be harmed.

Now we are not on a mission of vengeance.

All right.

Go on.

Clawson!

Do you hear me, Clawson?

Oh, I hear you, preacher!

We mean no harm to the women!

Now you send them on out!

You're too late, preacher!

They've already gone!

All right, smoke 'em out!

Heber!

Joe, come on!

Let's go get 'em.

No!

See to the wounded men.

You mean you're gonna let 'em go?

There's only two of them.

Nothing ahead of them but the desert.

They join up with the women,

that's gonna even slow 'em down more.

We got plenty of time.

Fires of hell and damnation.

They should've listened to me!

They should've listened.

Those women cannot escape.

We must find the man who has tainted them.

We must find him

and he must die

that they may be saved.

We won't let you down, preacher.

You can bet on it.

Mount up.

"The wages of sin... is death."

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