Original subtitles

That's enough, Barnum.

That's fine.

It's ridiculous.

Well, look at it as a scientific experiment, David.

Right. Right? What does it prove?

It proves that our roadbed's as smooth as a train just glides along.

Is that right?

I thought you re -ballasted that roadbed.

We did.

But we had to spread that ballast pretty thin.

You know, it costs money.

And money's what this is all about.

Try to prove to Mr. Thaddeus Bancroft that the BPSD is worthy of substantial

loan. He'll lend us the money, boss.

Why? Because we need it.

And because the BPSD is the fastest growing, most progressive railroad in

West. Right.

And the whole union.

Right again.

Well, maybe Mr. Thaddeus Bancroft won't agree with you two.

Then why don't we be honest with him?

Honest with him? He's a banker. I don't care if he's a banker. Why not?

Maybe we can shock this banker into generosity.

After all, we are growing.

That's why we need capital.

With $150 ,000, we could perform miracles.

Dave,

if we get a $150 ,000 loan out of the United Boston Bank, it's going to take a

miracle. Now, trying to impress Mr.

Bancroft a little might help a trifle.

Yeah, maybe.

He and his daughter are going to enjoy a wonderful trip on the BPS &D, sitting

there watching a wonderful new country spread right out before their eyes, just

waiting for development.

And in complete luxury.

Right. I bet you even the U .P. can't understand us.

Wait a minute. What luxury?

We spent about half the corporate budget on the best wine and food available.

A little pate, a breast of guinea hen, truffles.

Truffles? If you're going out to the high stakes, you've got to gamble a

Ben, are you ever going to get tired of hanging by your fingernails?

Let's have a toast.

Bankrupt or bankrupt?

So what's up?

Wouldn't be a shame to waste the rest of it.

clean up Barnabas, and I'll go check the baggage car, and David, the next time

you try a scientific experiment, don't make it so messy.

Right.

Woo!

I'll take that Indian off your hands.

I don't believe I got your name.

Wilkins, J .B.

Colonel, United States Army, retired.

Now, if you don't mind, Mr. Calhoun. I do mind.

Unless, of course, you represent the army.

Judging from the uniforms of your men, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I don't want to have any trouble with you, Calhoun.

But that's War Cloud.

And he's my Indian.

War Cloud?

I've been tracking him for two months.

And I'm not going to give him up.

Well, he attacked my train, but I don't think that entitles him to be lynched.

I'm taking him to the army at Briggs Junction. If you feel like he's your

property, you turn in a requisition for him.

Get him on the train.

Callow.

If it's a reward you're after, you can have it. I'll give it to you.

Just let me have that Indian.

A reward? Don't you worry.

I'll get it.

across the hill and beat them to bridge junction.

We've got to get rid of it.

Quietly. Van War Cloud is wanted for murder, arson, robbery, everything short

piracy. How do we get rid of him quietly?

You just shoot him.

Technically, that's murder.

Besides that, there's some kind of reward for it.

How long before we can get into Briggs Junction?

Pile on the wood? I suppose about dawn.

But Mr. Bancroft and his daughter are going to meet us at Briggs Junction.

We'll get in early.

We'll take War Cloud down to the back part of town, turn him over to the army

and forget about him.

Except for the reward.

In a little while, we'll be shy of one renegade Indian and fatter by however

much that reward is. All ready to welcome Bancroft's aboard.

We're locked. Nobody's around.

The army post is on the other end.

You can hardly blame him for being a little reluctant.

He is walking to his own hanging.

You must have had quite a ride.

It cost me the night and a horse.

But it was worth it for this Indian.

I told you that he goes to the army post.

A man has a right to be stubborn, Calhoun, but not stupid.

I want no trouble with you, Calhoun.

Just war, Claude.

To lynch.

To execute.

You have no choice.

There he is, all wrapped and ready for delivery.

Well, I hope the Army appreciates all this work we're doing.

I'd better get back to working that locomotive.

Calhoun, you captured War Cloud.

The Army's been after him for months. This deserves congratulations.

Thank you.

But I'd like to keep it just between you and I, Lieutenant. I'm meeting a banker

today trying to negotiate a sizable loan, and he might frown on investing in

railroad that gets attacked by Indians.

A thing like this is kind of hard to keep quiet, especially when there's a

reward involved.

How big a reward?

A thousand dollars.

You can use that, can't you?

I can use $150 ,000, a lot more.

Look, we got a bullet in the boiler.

It should be fixed just about now.

Inside of an hour, we can be on our way.

If you could keep this institute quiet until then, I'd appreciate it.

You capture the most wanted renegade in the territory, and you call it an

incident.

Well, I have to telegraph Fort Riley for instructions.

If the news gets out, it gets out.

But it won't come from me.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

All right.

Benjamin P.

Calhoun.

A man who won a railroad and a poker game.

Didn't work for it. Didn't earn it. Just won it.

Then I'll enlighten you even further.

Won it on four queens. The boy's been a little partial to me.

Are they always partial to you?

You've now met my daughter, Kathleen, Mr. Calhoun.

And I'm delighted.

Right now, I'd like to show you our railroad.

Afternoon, boss.

Howdy. Where's Dave? Well, he got the boiler fixed, but he's having a little

trouble under there. What he means is he's having trouble getting underneath

there to perform his daily inspection of every moving part. A very thorough man,

my partner.

Dave!

Yeah, I'm just about gone, too. We're going to have to take it into Kansas

and get it rebuilt.

We'll need some... But, Dave, I'd like to have you meet Mr.

Bancroft, United Boston Bank, and his daughter, Kathy.

Dave Tarrant, our construction former.

Pleasure.

Mr. Calhoun, how old is this locomotive?

Well, that's an amazing thing, isn't it, Mr. Bancroft? You'd never know it. It's

in such excellent condition.

And the more Dave complains, the better shape I know it's in.

I see.

My father has remarkably keen vision.

Ah, excuse me.

Got a minute?

Sure.

Sure. Barnabas, could you show Miss Bancroft and his daughter to the private

car, if you'll excuse me a minute?

Oh, if you don't mind, I'd like to look over the passenger facilities first.

Anything you wish, Miss Bancroft. Barnabas here to show you around.

What are you trying to do, Ben? Give Mr. Bancroft a thrill?

Waiting to see which collapses first, the locomotive or our roadbed?

I told you the worst thing you could do was let him ride this thing.

You think I'd let him ride on it if I didn't know that I had a man along to

it sing like a bird? Always me. You get us in and I gotta get us out. Well, I'm

telling you, Ben, this... Well, go clean yourself up a little bit. A college man

ought to look more like a college man. Never mind what a college man should

like. Ben, this thing will not... Oh, we better get it rolling. We've got a

schedule to keep.

from here to Buffalo Pass.

Good. Good. Get him on board. We're pulling out right away.

I hear freight Buffalo Pass becoming quite a thriving route.

Get him inside.

What's he doing here?

Traveling to Buffalo Pass with you.

There'll be an army detachment waiting for him there.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

Not this trip.

Well, you've got to take him.

Word gets out that I'm holding War Cloud. There's liable to be a lynching.

don't have enough men to protect him.

Well, that's your worry.

This is a train, not a prison cell.

Sergeant Terry there and Private Rowan will guard him.

Besides, right now nobody even knows this is War Cloud.

One man knows.

A man by the name of Wilkins.

Mr. Calhoun, this is an official request from the United States Army.

Put him on board.

Sergeant!

You prove a brutality, Mr. Calhoun.

Not much I can do about it in this case, ma 'am.

Railroad's got to carry anybody that bought a ticket.

You nearly killed him.

This is your train, and you're responsible for his treatment. Kathy,

a meeting of the Boston Suffrage Society.

This is a human being, Mr. Calhoun, not an animal.

I wouldn't get too sentimental, Miss Bancroft.

If you gave him a knife in two seconds, he'd kill you. Well, I can hardly blame

him the way he's been mistreated.

My daughter's made an extensive study of the West from the underdog's point of

view. We have... Push these people off their lands. We've slaughtered their

buffalo herds. War Cloud slaughtered a few people, too.

He and his band have terrorized this territory around here for quite some

now.

If you have so much sympathy to spend, then why not spend a little on the

that have died because of War Cloud?

Can you prove what War Cloud has done?

Did you see it happen?

I saw him hold up this train, or try.

But it still doesn't make it right for... Kathy, that will be all.

You'll have to excuse my daughter. She has to find some cause, no matter where

it is.

Don't make excuses for me, Father.

Then don't do things that make excuses necessary.

Don't make me wish I'd left you at home.

We're all set.

All right, let her roll.

Are you sure you folks wouldn't be more comfortable in my private car?

I've got a bottle of champagne on ice.

Imagine. Well, that's very kind of you. Let's go, Kathy.

Miss Calhoun.

I'm sorry about the mess.

Yeah, so am I.

About $22 .50 worth of fares and $100 worth of damage so far.

Maybe we ought to lock him in the baggage car.

Well, he'd love that.

That's where all the guns and ammunition are.

Now, I'm afraid you're going to have to earn your wages, Sergeant. Just keep an

eye on him.

What's going to happen to the Indian?

He'll be hung after a fair trial.

And will it be fair?

Yes.

I'm sorry you have to see all of this, ma 'am, but it's a rough country out

here. It's a barbaric country.

Murder and mayhem.

It's what you people live by.

And what do they do to a killer back in Boston?

Awful, isn't it?

I mean it. Isn't it the worst food you ever ate?

As a matter of fact, it is.

See, boss, I'd do a lot better up front in the cab.

I rather doubt that a man who can't learn to run a stove could ever learn to

a train.

Now, Mr. Calhoun, I wouldn't like to think a railroad I've invested in is

subject to Indian attacks.

Mr. Bancroft, you have my word that this was a very unusual occurrence.

But still, there is some danger involved.

Well, there's danger on Wall Street, too, Mr. Bancroft.

But it doesn't keep a man of vision from investing.

We can handle the Indians.

You can handle the profits this railroad brings in.

Are your passengers served meals?

I know we haven't got to that yet.

They still bring on their lunches.

I was thinking about War Cloud.

Kathy, I thought we'd heard the last of that.

Do you know if he's been fed at all?

I figure that's up to the army.

Well, it seems to me that if a man is worth capturing, he's worth feeding.

I brought you something to eat.

I wouldn't get too close to him, miss.

Sergeant, if you don't mind, he can't eat with his hands tied to the seat.

I imagine you haven't eaten since they captured you.

I only meant for help.

I see War Cloud enjoyed his dinner.

At least he had a reason for being rude.

That'll be Scout Block we're coming into.

I thought this sort of thing rarely happened in your line, Mr. Campbell.

He's not an Indian type of bankroll.

He's a lynch mob.

Mr. Calhoun, I've ridden half a day over these mountains to get here before you,

and I'm not feeling very reasonable.

I'll give you one chance to get that Indian out here before I let these good

citizens tear your train apart.

I told you I was turning him over to the army.

I did.

They're taking him to Fort Wright to stand trial. There's nothing more to be

said. That butcher you're transporting murdered my wife and son.

The boy was nine years old.

Do you have a son?

No.

Well, if you ever do, I hope he lives past nine.

I'm sorry about your son, Mr. Wilkins.

But had he have lived to be 18, would you want him to be part of a lynch mob?

Just drag him out of here.

It can't be done.

He's the railroad's responsibility, and I'm delivering him up for trial.

They won't give up the Indians.

What's happening?

Let's get that Indian.

Mr. Calhoun, I'm 30 years in the Army.

I retire next month.

I'm not getting myself killed for an Indian who's going to be hanged anyway.

Get back inside where you belong.

One thing you might want to make a note of.

The law of the land guarantees that Indian a fair trial.

BPS indeed guarantees him safe passage to it.

Anyone who wants to stand in the way of that is going to get himself shot.

That's right.

We can only kill a few of you.

All right, the train's about to move.

Anybody heading for points east, welcome aboard.

The others, clear the track.

Mr. Calhoun, what if I had invested in your railroad and they had attacked this

train and burned it? They didn't.

Well, the point is, it can happen.

Anything worthwhile is worth a gamble, Mr. Bancroft.

If you're afraid to take a chance, then I suggest you withdraw your offer now.

Maybe you're right.

Well, that settles that.

Now, at least I think I can guarantee you a pleasant trip the rest of the way.

You taking tickets, Calhoun?

We got some more passengers.

Do we

have to let him on?

They bought the ticket.

We've got a legal responsibility to carry it.

and let you go inside, ma 'am.

There's a group of men in there that are ready to kill any of you.

Even a girl.

Because of War Cloud?

Yes. That animal.

I have more reason than any of you to hate him.

Because of him, every Sioux is blamed.

It might not take time to ask you your politics.

I paid for my ticket.

If they make trouble, you can put them off.

I wouldn't want to see anyone as pretty as you are get hurt.

Then I will be well protected.

Your English is better than your judgment.

I learned my English in a mission school, but I made my own judgments.

Calhoun?

You wanted a trial?

Well, that's what we'll have.

Look around.

There's enough of us for a jury.

Calhoun, I accuse this Indian of arson, robbery, and murder.

Reeves, he burned my bond, and he killed a Benton's hired man.

I lost a herd of horses.

Raided the Gibbons' place.

Killed them both.

Each of you can bear witness at his trial.

His trial is taking place right here. Now, there's not going to be any

court taking place aboard this train.

We'll be in Buffalo Pass in about two hours.

We'll just have to wait till then.

We've been waiting for months.

Reeves, how do you vote?

Guilty. Hang him.

Guilty.

And what about you, Sergeant?

I follow orders.

But not too far.

And I vote guilty.

That makes a majority for hanging.

Barnabas, collect the weapon.

Oh, I'm unarmed, Mr. Terrence. I'm sorry, Miss Bancroft.

I'm a little edgy tonight.

And I'm a little impressed.

It must take exceptional talent to be a construction superintendent on a

railroad. I'm really a full -time engineer.

I only ride shotgun on occasion.

Ride shotgun?

Oh, it's a figure of speech.

Sort of a guard.

And on this particular special occasion, are you riding shotgun for the railroad

or for Benjamin P. Calhoun?

For both, I guess.

I find it hard to tell them apart sometimes.

Ben's a driving force. He makes it all go.

And you?

Me? I'm building the railroad.

Not now.

Not this trip.

You're not building a railroad, you're betting it on your chances of getting

Cloud to Buffalo Pass.

And frankly, Mr. Tarrant, you didn't strike me as a gambling man.

I'm not.

Then you are doing it for Ben Calhoun.

No, for me.

I built this line, Miss Bancroft.

I guess that's why I'm ready to fight for it, War Cloud or not.

I believe in what I do.

in building a railroad.

Not so much because it's engineering, but, well, wherever these tracks go,

civilization follows.

I guess that sounds preachy, doesn't it?

Not at all.

That's what my father said before we came out here.

And he's had a good hard look at it now, and maybe some second thoughts.

But it's true.

There's a lot of country out there that a man can shape any way he can, and

shape himself along with it.

That's the challenge.

You and Ben Calhoun.

You're an unusual partnership.

Well, it works. We're building the railroad.

Even if my father doesn't give you the loan?

Even if.

Oh, we can use the money.

But I feel we might get along without it. We have to.

You feel free to pass that opinion on to your father if you like.

Do you think I'm prying on his account?

Well, it was your question, Miss Bancroft. You answer it.

I'm sorry.

I was prying.

Not only for my father.

For myself as well.

Did you find out anything you wanted to know?

I'm not sure.

But I'll let you know, Mr. Tarrant, when we finish this trip.

I just came to talk.

All right.

Let's talk.

I'll make it short, Calhoun.

You say War Cloud's going to stand trial at Fort Riley.

The Army says.

All right.

But listen to me. Listen to me carefully.

If he goes free, any way, any how, I'm coming after you.

You're saving that Indian's neck, and I'm holding you responsible.

Did you ever hear of a fair trial, Wilkins?

A fair trial's fine for human beings.

But I don't count that Indian as human.

Because he's a soup.

Because he's an animal.

Because all he knows is killing.

Let me ask you something.

Were you on your ranch when you were...

Wife and son were killed?

No, I... I was in town.

That's it.

That's the reason.

What reason?

You have to kill War Cloud in order to ease your own conscience.

Yet you're not even sure he's the one that did it.

He murdered my wife and son.

And I wasn't there, no. I was away. I left them.

I'll get back to find... I'll define what was left.

I left them alone.

But... Leaving them alone is no crime.

War Cloud killed them. That's the crime.

And I'll have his life for it.

And then what?

I don't know.

I left my ranch two months ago.

I buried them and I left.

Maybe after he's dead.

Maybe I can go somewhere else.

Oh, but I promise you, I'll have my payment.

And if it isn't Wartelot, it'll be you.

But I'm going to fight.

She tried to kill Ward Clough.

I was going for a drink of water.

With a knife?

Would you like me to get you that water?

I'm no longer thirsty.

That's what I thought.

If you cause any more trouble, you're going to have to be put off the train.

Change your fighting clothes in my car, if you like.

For a girl who loves the whole human race, you turned out to be a pretty good

Indian fighter.

Nothing to do with her being an Indian.

She was going to kill War Cloud.

And you stopped her.

Violently.

Mr. Calhoun, I don't know how I brought myself to do it.

Never in my life have I laid a hand on another human being in anger.

Perhaps said you have told her you were opposed to violence and that would have

stopped her.

You can be sarcastic if you like.

But it seems to me if we took the trouble to try and reach these people...

it seems to me that it would be much more effective if you took this

of love that you seem to have and aimed it all at one man instead of the whole

human race.

Now I'm to hear the woman's place is in the kitchen lecture.

No.

No, that's not exactly what I had in mind.

What did you have in mind?

That's the second time today you've struck another human being in anger.

Mr. Calhoun!

Mr. Calhoun!

Out there.

Well, they can't stop a train with bows and arrows.

stay inside.

Maybe they're gone.

No.

Why aren't they attacking?

They want War Cloud.

They want an easy way if they can get him.

What if they ask for it? They will.

Bancroft, where are you going, Sergeant?

I told you I'm not going to die for that Indian. If they want him, they can have

him. Sergeant!

You go out there and they'll kill you, too.

What are you waiting on?

Think it'll work?

If we protect the cowcatch in the rails with some steel deck plating.

We can wedge that charge in there so that the blast will go up.

At that split second, we'll ram the cowcatch underneath and hope we don't

the front end of the engine too much.

You're going the other way.

Absolutely not.

All right, what do we need?

Diamite, steel deck plates, and two volunteers to commit suicide.

Let's get it.

No gun for you, Wilkins.

You promised me that you won't try to kill War Cloud with it.

If you don't kill him now, you'll never get another chance.

War Claws are only hope of staying alive.

You really believe that?

Look at him.

He's laughing at you.

You think he wants to strangle at the end of a white man's rope?

Oh, no.

He'd like nothing better than to die right here.

Exchange his life for all of ours. That's glory for him.

That's also your kind of glory, Wilkins.

You don't care what happens to anyone else as long as you can have War Cloud's

scalp.

Give me a rifle and come home.

I've got a right to defend my life. And I've got an obligation to protect his.

Can't you understand that? No.

Then understand this.

No rifle.

All right, General.

I don't understand you. I think you're dead wrong.

But you've rammed it down my throat.

And maybe I can keep it down.

You've got my word.

I'll fight to keep this savage alive.

So I can see him legally hanged.

You've got my word.

All right.

There's one.

Can't you see what he's carrying?

What are you going to do?

We've got about one minute to turn more cloud over to.

Are you crazy? Let me cut him loose. That's what they want. Get him to them.

Sure, turn him loose and he'll lead the attack against us.

Tell the truth, Calhoun. Am I right?

Are we going to dive in?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Dave?

What was that?

When we go through that door, the time will be up. Start shooting whether you

see anything or not.

Waste that stuff, and we won't have enough for the barracks.

We'll get hit with dynamite.

Three percent.

I don't see any money on it.

Take that back if you want to take it.

Find out.

Get all the steam you can out of the side valve.

How do I blow the whistle, Ben?

How do I do it? Good luck.

I estimate that you took in $122 .80 in shares on this trip.

and lost about $1 ,000 in property destroyed.

Correct?

Correct, sir.

There goes the reward money.

Well, gentlemen, I suppose my father considers this trip a total loss.

That's what I figured.

Oh, but speaking for myself, I found the experience very interesting.

Kathy, for once you're wrong. I've developed a very strong interest in

railroading since yesterday.

Yes? A bank doesn't gamble on wood or steel. It invests in what it can talk to

and count on.

And put his faith in the man, you, Mr. Calhoun, and your men.

You'll have your money in a week.

Well, let me congratulate you, Mr. Bancroft, on a very wise decision.

Thank you. And now that you have $150 ,000, how are you going to spend it?

Might spend it on a pretty girl like your daughter.