Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! 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.

Women, like men, helped build the West

by doing strange jobs,

but none was more unusual

than the girl who became a...

MAN: Holdup! Holdup!

Holdup!

Holdup!

Holdup! Holdup!

Holdup!

Ho! Holdup!

Another holdup.

My gosh.

Well, that doesn'’t help much, but thanks anyway.

All right, you'’re next, Mister

Sheriff, I can'’t tell you any more than that fella.

You must'’ve noticed something.

When I didn'’t have a gun in my face,

I had a fist in it.

Sorry.

So am I.

Just once--

Just once I'’d like to meet somebody

who notices things when something happens.

Tom, you'’re wasting your time.

You'’ll never get 'em this way. You gotta go out after '’em.

Oh, I'’ll go out, Charlie,

but tracking '’em is gonna be a waste of time too,

out in that rough country.

Well, you better do something to help me.

I can'’t take much more of this.

This is the third time this month they'’ve hit those gold shipments.

You might try helping yourself

by putting more guards on your stage.

More guards? Nobody wants to be

a sitting duck for $50 a month.

If there'’s anything I can do, anything to help you, just let me know.

I'’ll even go out and help you track them,

anything you say.

But those holdups have got to stop.

Oh, excuse me, ma'’am, I forgot all about you.

Obviously.

I'’m sorry I kept you waiting.

Look, you don'’t have to stay around here any longer.

I thought you wanted all your passengers

to give you information, Sheriff.

That'’s all right, ma'am. You probably didn'’t notice any more than the rest of them.

Suppose you just sit down at your desk and write.

Write what?

What I'’m going to read you.

All right.

You ready?

Ready.

"White man."What?

Write it. "White man.

"About 5'’8",

"slender waist, broad shoulders,

"broad forehead, steel blue eyes,

"deep set and piercing,

"rather large ears,

voice sharp and rough--"Wait. Wait. Wait.

"Large ears.

Voice sharp and rough."

"Scar on back of right hand."

Scar?

Mm-hm, like it had been scraped,

just enough to break the skin.

Bullet scar?

Possibly. Wasn'’t healed yet.

Now for his clothing.

Oh, you'’ve gone far enough.

You know who he is?

Yeah, he was in this jail just last week,

and his name'’s...

Benson. Todd Benson.

Now, can you give me a description of the other two?

No, they were too far away.

Well, it doesn'’t matter.

At least you pegged Benson for me.

Ma'’am, you are wonderful.

What I mean is this is even more than I'’d hoped for.

Still don'’t see how you did it.

It takes a woman to look at a man, Sheriff, and really see him.

Sure glad you were on that stage.

Wait a minute. What about me?

What?

I lost everything I had in the world in that robbery.

Hm, I'’m sorry to hear that, Miss.

Or is it Missus?

Miss Lee Whipple.

Where were you bound for?

Los Angeles, to join my aunt.

Now I can'’t even buy a ticket to Sacramento.

Well, tomorrow I'’ll see what I can do about it.

You ever been in jail, Miss Whipple?

In jail?

What I mean is,

well, hotel rooms are kind of scarce,

and they'’re kind of expensive,

and I'’m kind of broke.

We got a lot of free jail cells.

Me? Stay here? In jail?

Well, why not? Look, you can lock yourself in.

Or out, whichever you want.

All right, give me the key.

Good. I'’ll start locating Benson.

Don'’t bother to sign the register.

Hi, Chase.

Tom.

Give me a beer, will you?

I hear they got the stage again today.

Yeah, it'’s almost getting to be a habit.

I'’m running out now to see if I can find any tracks.

What, in those hills?

You know you won'’t get anywhere.

At least it'’ll make Duff feel better.

He was just in here for a drink.

Sure seems mighty worried.

Yeah, I'’m worried too.

Say, you remember a drifter named Benson,

who used to come in here once in a while?

Benson?

Small fellow.

Rides a bay mare with a blaze face.

He got shot across the back of the hand last week in a brawl.

I threw him in jail overnight.

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, I remember him.

Well, in case he comes in again,

get word to me, will you?

You, uh-- You think he had anything to do with the holdup?

I'’m sure of it.

If I can get just one of those outlaws behind bars,

I'’ll find out what I need to know about the rest of them.

See you.

[ chattering ]

Whisky. A double.

Didn'’t you get my order to stay out of here?

No.

Told Blaine to tell you.

I ain'’t seen Blaine.

I stopped by a friend'’s.

Well, you better get out of town. The sheriff'’s looking for you.

Sheriff?

That'’s right. He'’s got you tabbed in that holdup.

Who told him?

That'’s exactly what I'’d like to know.

Go on, get out of sight.

The sheriff'’s out there now.

He spotted my horse.

Go through my office, out the back door.

Hold it, Benson.

Come here.

You better take a little trip.

Well, thanks.

Mm-hm.

Oh, uh, one more thing.

[ gun fires ]

How did it happen?

Well, I tried to hold him for you.

Pretended to offer him a job,

brought him in here to talk about it.

He got a little edgy. He started to leave.

So I pulled my gun to cover him,

and he drew on me.

That'’s too bad.

He can'’t talk now.

Sorry, Tom, just nothing else I could do.

Well, I'’ll send the coroner over.

Better leave him like he is until he has a look at him.

Hey, you in there?

LEE: Hm? Is that you?

Uh-huh.

Oh, I didn'’t hear you come in.

Did you find your man?

Yeah. Dead.

Dead?

Friend of mine was holding him for me.

He tried to get away.

A rotten break.

If I could just slap Benson behind bars,

I might'’ve busted that gang wide open.

That'’s too bad.

I'’ll get you the description of another one.

Oh? How?

I'’ll ride the stage until there'’s another holdup.

Send a woman out to spy for me? Uh-uh.

Nothing doing.

Stop talking like a-- like a man.

If a woman'’s able to help you, you should be glad.

We don'’t have a holdup every trip.

Besides, you don'’t have any excuse to spend all your time riding on the stage.

I'’ll find one.

I'’m sure you'll like them.

I charge a dollar and a half a piece,

and they'’re the best material I can get,

and they'’re well made.

Your shop'’s in Auburn, eh?

Yes, but I get so much business in Grass Valley,

that it keeps me busy traveling back and forth.

Look, I got all of these orders just on this one trip.

MAN: Pull up there!

[ guns firing ]It'’s a holdup!

[ firing continues ]

Hello.

I'’ve been waiting for you.

I had to ride out and look into a shooting

at the flats this afternoon.

Just now heard about this holdup.

I think I'’ve got something for you.

A redhead?

Yes, he had sandy eyebrows and rather light-colored skin

and big red freckles on the back of his hands.

"Thin build, one shoulder higher than the other."

No, don'’t place him.

How about the other one?

"Black hair, 5'’7",

"dark eyes, deep set and piercing,

left-handed."

No.

"Six feet, heavy build,

gray eyes, rather flat nose"?

How could you tell that?

Well, his nose didn'’t hold the bandana away from his face very far.

It had to be flat.

You haven'’t finished.

"Very large forearms,

"hands heavily calloused,

walks with right foot turned in."

Yes, like his leg might have been broken at one time.

It was. A horse fell on him.

His name is Manning. He works at the livery stable.

Please don'’t take any chances.

I won'’t take as much chance as you did

getting his description.

Manning.

Yeah?

What'’s the idea of the gun?

Want to ask you some questions about a stage holdup.

MANNING: Are you kidding?

Nope. Come on, let'’s go to the jail.

All right, come on.

You say that Manning doesn'’t know how the sheriff got wise to him?

No. No idea at all.

He said the sheriff just walked onto the stable

and threw down on him.

Well, something or somebody

is putting the law too close for comfort.

And we'’ve got to find out who it is.

I wonder if it could be that girl.

What girl?

Miss Whipple.

She was on the stage during both holdups.

In fact she'’s been on the stage during every trip.

Eh, that'’s just on account selling them shirts.

Yeah, that'’s what she says.

But is that the real reason?

If it is her, how does she do it?

During the next holdup, I'’ll be on that stage.

All right, don'’t be all day.

Come on, move!

All right, now, get in the coach.

On your way!

Giddyap! [ whistles ]

Giddyap! Giddyap!

Well, that'’s the fastest 200 I'’ve ever lost.

You seem awfully calm, Miss Whipple,

for someone who'’s just gone through a holdup.

It'’s the first one that frightens you, Mr. Chase.

After a while, you sort of get used to them.

Whoa! Hold up!

Did you say $200, Ed?

That'’s right.

$200.

Well, look, if you don'’t need me for anything else,

maybe I better get back to my place

and see if I can make up what I lost.

Sure, go ahead.

Now, how about you, sir?

[ men chattering ]

Where'’s Briggs?

He went to his blacksmith'’s shop.

Did you find out anything about that girl?

Yeah, she'’s working with the sheriff all right,

giving him a description of you men.

Now, you get out of town for a while and play safe.

I'’ll tell Briggs.

I saw you bring him in. Is he one of them?

He sure is.

Can you make it stick?

I sure can.

Good. Good!

Charlie, you once said you'’d do anything to help me.

You mean it?Name it.

All right, I want to slip this man out of here after dark,

have you take him down to Sacramento until his trial.

I'’ll fix it so you can get the stage outside of town.

Nobody'’ll be the wiser.

Think they might try to bust him loose, huh?

I'’m not going to take any chances.

Anybody hits me on the head this time,

all I'’m going to lose is my consciousness.

Monroes wanted us to come out to dinner tonight.

Tell '’em I'm sorry.

All right, I'’ll ride out to tell 'em.

Maybe we can make it Saturday.

Hi there.

See you when you get back.

You better.

MAN: Morning, Ma'’am.

All right, Johnny, let her roll.

Yes, sir.Oh, wait, please.

I almost forgot something important.

I'’ll just be a minute.

Will you please see that Tom gets this, Mr. Duff?

He'’ll want to wear it tonight for dinner.

Oh, all right.

Be sure to tell him I fixed the pocket.

I'’ll do that. Let '’er roll!

Hyah! Giddyap now! Hyah!

Hyah!

Giddyap now!

DUFF: Oh, Sheriff!

I'’ve been waiting for you to come back.

Miss Whipple asked me if I'’d give you this.

A shirt.

She said you'’d probably want to wear it tonight

to the Monroes for dinner.

Tonight?

Yeah, and she said to be sure and tell you that-- [ horse neighs ]

Wonder what the stage is coming back for.

Holdup! Holdup!

Whoa!

What'’s the matter, Johnny?

Holdup.

On the way to Grass Valley?

You never carry any gold shipment going that direction.

They weren'’t after gold, this time.

They were after Miss Whipple.

Whipple. They told me to turn around and come back and tell you

that they'’d make a trade.

Briggs for Miss Whipple.

And you have until midnight if you ever want to see her again.

This is one time I really outsmarted myself,

sending Briggs down to Sacramento.

If I could get my hands on him,

I'’d find out where they'’re keeping her.

He can'’t do us any good where he is right now.

If there was just some way we could get word to the gang

that he isn'’t here, that we couldn'’t make a trade if we wanted to.

No, that would just make things worse.

They'’d never send her back then.

Well, I sure wish I could help you, Tom.

"Ed Chase has the cigar case.

I saw the outlaws take from him during the holdup."

"Ed Chase has the cigar case

I saw the outlaws take..."

Chase.

Ed Chase.

[ slams desk ]

Hey, Ed.

Well, hello, Tom.

Any news on Miss Whipple?

Yes, I found out where she is,

and I'’m getting a posse to go after her.

Can I count on you?

Well, sure-- sure you can, Tom. Sure.

How'’d you find out?

Had a little... talk with Briggs.

Look, we leave my office in a half an hour.

Gonna round up some others.

[ horse neighs ]

The boss.

Well, did he turn Briggs loose?

No, he did not. He made him tell where this place is.

Now, look. There'’ll be a posse here in about a half an hour.

I want you two to clear out. Take the girl with you.

Go to Blaine'’s place.

[ Miss Whipple gasps ]

All right, reach!

Drop those guns.

Watch him.

[ grunting, punches ]

Good morning.

You going on that stage again?

Of course.

Now that I'’ve got my prisoners, your work'’s over.

On the contrary, my work is just beginning.

My excuse for being a stagecoach spy

has suddenly blossomed into a thriving business.

Does that mean that you just might stay here in Auburn?

Well, it would be rather difficult

to carry it on from Los Angeles.

What about your aunt?

Funny, but I haven'’t even thought about her the last few weeks.

Well, don'’t you think you ought to...

write and tell her?

I already have.

You know, I never thought I'’d see the day

I'’d be kissing my deputy.

That shows how times change.

It was a long time before Duff Stage Line

had any more trouble with outlaws,

and the wedding of Tom and Lee

was the only one I know of

where the groom wore the bride'’s shirt.