Original subtitles

OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hi-yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley Country.

Miners, generally, are a superstitious lot.

They believe in ghosts that haunt the underground,

believe it'’s bad luck for a woman to go inside a mine,

believe in all sorts of charms and jinxes.

So just keep that in mind as I tell you this story of...

Her name is Lupin,

this Paiute maiden who has stopped at a water hole

in Death Valley.

Lupin, the same as the blue wildflower

that coppers the valley in the early Spring.

But this is June. June 1890.

The flowers have gone, so have the prospectors.

Even the Indians have moved up into the Panamints

to escape the heat.

No wonder, then, that Lupin

is surprised to hear someone approaching.

Howdy.

I thought, from a distance, it was my partner.

I didn'’t expect to find a pretty girl out here.

You must be thirsty.

Thanks.

My name'’s Norman Berry.

Berry?Like what grows on bushes.

My name Lupin.Lupin?

Like what grows on stems.

[ laughs ]

This is the best thing that'’s happened to me in weeks.

You no have luck prospecting?

I haven'’t had a smell of silver.

And yet, there must be silver in these parts.

Yes, we Indians know where find it.

Yeah, but I'’m no Indian.

You making camp here?

Would you like to stay and eat with us?

Well, there'’s plenty for three.

That is, if you don'’t mind beans and bacon.

If I go home, I eat pine nuts, piñon.

Then you'’ll stay?

Good.

Pine nuts don'’t sound, to me like much of a dish.

Paiutes depend on them much.

All summer long we gather them.

When you could be mining silver?

Silver no fill stomach.

Sell it and it will.

Locate a rich enough mine, you could eat for years.

That is white man'’s way.

Sure.

Then why you no ask me, "where find silver?"

You mean you'’d tell me?

MAN: Hey!

Hey!

My partner, Bill Snyder.

Any luck?Not a bit.

We'’re having company for supper. Miss Lupin.

Well. Fast worker.

Turn my back and you pick yourself up a squaw.

Easy, Bill, she savvies English.

I'’ll go gather some firewood

while you'’re unpacking.

What'’s the matter, Pocahontas, you afraid of me?

You don'’t need to be.

[ screams ][ groans ]

You little devil!

What happened to Lupin?

She ran out on us.

Had a big buck at home, maybe, wanting his supper.

Well, that'’s too bad.

Just when she was gonna tell me where to find silver.

What?The Indians know.

And she'’ll let you in on it?

She sorta indicated she would.

Kinda went for you, huh?

[ scoffs ]

She sure is a good looker.

Made a deep impression on me.

You better follow her. Learn about this silver.

I don'’t even know where she lives.

You'’ll find her.

You'’ve got to.

Lupin!

What happened?

I was afraid I'’d get away from here

without ever seeing you again.

You leaving soon?

Sun up tomorrow. This is our last day.

Weather, it is too hot?

Pickings are too poor.

We'’ve used up our grubstake.

The Panamints are full of silver.

We'’ve been looking in the wrong places, then.

Let Lupin show you.

Lupin can draw map.

Lupin.

That wasn'’t the only reason I wanted to see you again.

You know entrance to Wildrose Canyon?

Yes.

Head up that canyon past old Christmas Gift Mine.

Well how far?Half sun east.

Look for narrow canyon to right.

Yeah.

So narrow you think it lead nowhere.

Trail steep, but keep climbing.

Thanks.

Bill! Bill, look at this silver!

Look! Thick as raisins in pudding!

[ laughs ]

And we got a 20 foot seam, at least.

Yahoo!

And no telling how deep she goes.

Oh, I could kiss that squaw.

I could kiss you![ laughs ] Hey.

I could kiss the ground I'’m standing on.

[ laughs ]

Well, let'’s get busy and stake out the claim.

Sure, sure. What'’ll we call it?

The Lupin Mine.Yeah, the Lupin Mine.

Owners Snyder and Berry.

The Lupin Mine, owners Berry and Snyder.

Sure, sure.

Berry and Snyder.

Well, that marks the boundaries.

Here'’s the record of it.

All right?Yeah.

That does it.

Now let'’s get over to Independence

and file that duplicate with the county recorder.

Yeah.

[ chatter ]

120 in the shade.

Take my advice. You'’ll wait for cooler weather

before you go back up to that claim of yours.

With an assay report like the one we got?

$90 to the ton? [ chuckles ]

It'’ll keep.

You'’re not as broke as we are, Jake.

Hope you don'’t run into no sandstorms.

Anything else you can think of?

Yep.

This time of year?

Number of things.

Sourpuss.

Gravedigger.

You know, we ought to be able to get

about $80,000 for our claim.

Divide that by two, don'’t forget.

Unless there was something to happen to one of us.

Now you sound like the gravedigger.

What'’s gonna happen to us?

And I'’m well satisfied with $40,000.

Well, I'’m not.

You'’re not gonna catch me sweating my life away for $40,000.

Sure must be an easier way than this to get into big money.

Say, what'’s gotten into you, talking like that?

Maybe it'’s the heat.

Come on, let'’s get going.

Will be a lot cooler at the mine,

6,000 feet up in the mountains.

Bill, look. Cloudburst.

Let'’s get outta here!

Go!

Dad-blasted cloudburst!

Sending us days off our trail like this.

[ chuckles ] Just be glad you'’re still alive.

Still got a mine.Half a mine.

Don'’t forget it was me Lupin told.

Some partners wouldn'’t even have gone 50-50.

I put up half the grubstake.

And the mine'’s recorded in both our names.

Then what'’re you arguing about?

Come on, let'’s get going.

Go ahead. You'’re leading the way.

Hey, Norm. Come here.

You can see about 500 feet down

where that flashflood travelled.

Wow, that was close.

Yeah.

Heat got you?

Yeah.

Everything'’s dancing.

I'’ll get you some water.

[ sighs ]

Take it easy. That'’s all we've got left.

You mean we'’re out of water?

If you drank what was in there.

It was only a few drops.

Bill--Wait a minute.

Nothing to get excited about.

I'’ll never make it back to the claim this way.

This heat.

You do look bad.

I'’ll tell you what.

You wait here and I'’ll go back

down the trail and fill up the canteens

first water I come to.

I'’ll rig some shade up for you.

I'’ll get back to you just as quick as I can.

Bill?

Bill?

Bill?

[ horse trotting ]

Norman.

Norman!Wha--?

[ groans ]

I go get help.

He out of head with thirst.

Must help him quick or die.

We will go.

We wrap him in wet blanket.

His body will soak up water

like dry sponge.

[ moans ]

This shows you the boundaries, Mr. Faulkner.

"The Lupin."

How'’d you ever come to give it that name?

Oh, just an idea.

This is recorded in two names,

yours and a Norman Berry.

He was my partner.You bought him out?

He was killed in an accident.

That flash flood you were talking about?

No, uh, heat stroke.

Too bad.

Yeah, we were like brothers.

Well, if those samples assay as rich as you claim

you'’ve got a deal.

For $75,000?Right.

Meet me at Greenlight Ranch

on the 15th and we'’ll sign the papers.

I'’ll be there.

Lupin!

What'’re you doing here?

Boy, you Injuns can creep up on a guy.

You say your partner died in accident?

So you were listening?

Yes, I tried to g--You lie.

What'’re you talking about?You know.

Norm had a heat stroke.

I went for help, but when I came back he was gone.

Wandered off. Out of his head,

most likely, and fell into some canyon.

There was no trace.

You murdered him.

You killed him to get mine for yourself.

Lupin Mine.

But it do you no good.

From now on, this mine is cursed.

Putting the Injun sign on it, eh?

[ chuckles ] Well, go ahead.

It so happens I'’m selling it.

Sell it as often as you like, it do you no good.

This mine, with blood of your partner on it,

will haunt you to your death.

Hi, Jake.Hi.

Sure is hot. Got anything cold inside?

How could anything be cold in weather like this?

What brings you here?

I'’m meeting Faulkner in the morning to sell him the Lupin Mine.

That'’ll be a neat trick if you can do it.

What do you mean?

Faulkner'’s dead.

Dead?

Happened ten days ago.

Horse threw him as he rode up to the store.

Struck his head.

Killed instantly.

No...

it can'’t be.

My price is $75,000.

$60,000.That'’s a whale of a drop.

You'’re anxious to unload, aren'’t you?

It'’s just that I--

I got plans to go to Europe.

Now you can go.

All right, $60,000 cash.

At the Grave Sign.

I'’ll get in touch with my company, confirm the deal.

It'’ll be a formality.

How long will that take?

I'’ll send a wire from Dagget.

Should get word right back.

Thanks, Mr. Clark.

We'’re both to be congratulated.

Whoa! Whoa.

Hi, Jake.Hi.

Bring any mail for me?Nope.

I was expecting a very important letter.

From that fellow who was gonna buy your mine?

Yeah, Timothy Clark.

Here. Read this.

"Mining Man Suicide."

"Timothy Clark found shot in office."

No...

Oh, no!

I'’ll let you have it for $50,000.

Man, it'’s worth half as much again.

Not for my money.Look, O'’Brien--

You look. I'’m an old sourdough.

Was prospectin'’ around Death Valley

when you was wearing knee pants.

$50,000 is too high.

How much will you pay?

Hmm...$40,000.

Oh, you chiseler.

Take it or leave it.

I'’ll take it. We'’ll draw up

a bill of sale right here and now.

Hold on a minute.You'’re gonna welch, eh?

Before I sign anything,

I wanna do a little digging around here.

Are you suggesting this claim has been salted?

Now don'’t go gettin' your neck all bowed.

I just want to examine a few more samples.

Samples?

I'’ll dig you all the ore you want.

Sackfuls of them.

I'’ll let you smell it.

Taste it.

The richest silver in the Panamint, the Lupin Mine!

[ screams ]What?

BILL: The pick, it went in my foot!

[ screams ]

Take your boot off, I'’ll wash it out and bandage it up.

It'’s no use. I'm a goner.

Don'’t be a fool, it may not be deep.

No, I felt it go clean through.

A rusty pick.

BILL: I'’m a goner! O'’BRIEN: Nonsense.

We'’ll saddle up and head back for the ranch.

I'’ll never make it.

I can feel the pains already shooting up my leg.

Blood poisoning'’s setting in.

What'’s the matter with you? Are you yellow?

You don'’t understand, I'’m the victim of a curse.

An Injun hoodoo.

[ laughs ]

All right! Laugh, blast your hide, laugh!

But it'’s true.

She put a jinx on the mine

until the day of my death!

She--

Bill! Pull yourself together!

Pull yourself together, man!

Bill.

Fear can kill.

Lupin.

You know me. You can speak.

You hear what I say.

I'’ve heard for days.

Heard you tell about the mine.

About Bill'’s death.

Couldn'’t talk.

Don'’t try talk. Even now.

You saved my life, Lupin.

Why?

It mattered to me.

Lupin...

Mine safe.

It waiting for you.

Only one owner now.

No, two owners.

You and me.

The Lupin Mine.

And that'’s the end of "The Hoodoo Mine,"

but the beginning of life

for Norman Berry and his lovely Lupin.