Original subtitles

Sure is boiling down.

Time yet?Nope.

Is that Vernal up ahead?

Looks dead enough to be.

Sure is dead.

What time we waiting for?

3:00, I guess.

What are you gonna say to her?

I ain'’t thought it up yet.

Hank, uh, pick you '’cause you got a way with the women?

I suppose.

What if, uh, she don'’t do like you say?

I don'’t know. I...

ain'’t never...

killed me a woman before.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and this is Vernal, Utah territory, 1878.

A hot July afternoon, when Slouch and Beaver,

two of Hank Lanier'’s gunpokes,

rode into town, looking for a lady,

a woman they had never seen or ever met.

I call this story...

Hey, hey, Slouch, how you gonna say it?

[ chuckles ]

Whole propositon'’s kind of loco, ain'’t it?

Well, let'’s see.

Ma'’am...

allow me to introduce myself.

My name'’s Joe Moresby.

My friends call me Slouch.

I'’m a gunpoke for Hank Lanier.

Now, you ain'’t never heard of Hank, ma'’am.

He runs this here valley,

and he'’s got a 12-year-old boy

that ain'’t had no education since his ma died.

Now, Hank sure would be mighty pleased

if you was to come on up to Dirty Devil and teach his brat.

Just enough for a cattle rustler'’s son to know.

Pack your duds, ma'’am, and let'’s get moving.

Slouch, you sure have a way to palaver them big words.

[ chuckles ]

3:00. Let'’s ride.

Uh, when we get to town, you keep an eye on the street...

Right.while I get us a schoolmarm.

[ clucks teeth ]

[ dog barking ]

Wait here.Right.

[ horse blows ]

[ owl hooting ]

Yes?Where is she?

Where is who?The schoolmarm.

They said up at Lees Ferry there'’s a new teacher here in Vernal.

Yeah, there is.

I'’m it.[ chuckles ]

You? The schoolmarm?

Hank Lanier gonna near die laughing.

Why? Back East, where I'’m from,

they'’re a lot of man teachers.East?

It figures.

Been here long?Yeah. I just arrived.

I got a proposition.

Oh! Well, if it'’s tutoring you want?

If it'’s what?

I mean, if you want me to teach you to read and write,

I can assure you no one need--[ chuckles ]

You know, maybe you'’re right.

Maybe I could use some book learning.

But it ain'’t for me.

It'’s for Hank Lanier's kid, Jack,

up to Dirty Devil.Up to what?

You are green, ain'’t you, mister?

Everybody in these parts has heard of Dirty Devil.

Smack plum on the Dirty Devil River.

Now, Hank Lanier wants a teacher up there.

And, mister, you'’re it.

I'’m afraid you don'’t understand.

I'’m under contract,

brought out to Utah by the territorial governor.

Now, I can'’t simply change my assignment

without proper authorization.

Well, you got it, mister schoolmarm,

from Hank Lanier and me...

'’cause Hank Lanier is the law in Dirty Devil

and in this here town, too.

Well, I'’ve got something to say about that.

Get your duds, mister schoolmarm,

'’cause you're moving.

Now.

I think you better leave.

Sure...

with you.

[ horses blowing ]

[ dog barking ]

[ birds chirping ]

[ horse whinnying ]

You'’re going sleeping up there?

Maybe he figures on riding on ahead

and presenting himselfto Hank.

You get him some vittles. That'’ll bring him down.

All right.

Well, now, that'’s better. You catching on fast.

You can get me there, but you wont keep me there.

Well, the only way you leave is stretched out in a pine box.

You know, Hank don'’t like to lose none of his men.

[ chuckles ] Alive, that is.

Ha!

[ crickets chirping ]

[ wild dog barking ]

[ bird hooting ]

Beaver, get that rope! [ grunts ]

Hey, Slouch, what have you got there?

I got me a schoolmarm, boys.

[ man cheers ]

[ horses neighing ]

What did you bring us, uh, Slouch?

That certainly ain'’t no sheriff.

That'’s a schoolmarm! [ laughs ]

A schoolmarm? [ laughs ]

MAN:Slouch!

Who'’s that you got there?

Your schoolmarm.What kind of a jokeis this?

It'’s a teacher,

leastways I found him in a schoolhouse in Vernal.

You, come here.

What'’s your name?

Ralph Edmunds and I resent--

Nobody asked you, Edmunds.

You know how to teach?

I presume so.

You brought me some schoolmarm.

Well, he'’s the only one.

HANK: You pass any cavalry down the flats?

Didn'’t see a single soldier boy,

especially down at Lees Ferry.

Hank, that bank is ripe.

Don'’t tell me when it's ripe.

Well, Beaver and me could'’ve took it ourselves.

When you gonna catch on, Slouch?

Who gives the orders around here?

Come with me.

[ both laughing ]

Come on in.

[ exhales ]

Who asked you to come in here?

Now, go on, get out.

Get out!

A little learning, that'’s what that kid needs.

A little manners, too.I can see.

He obeys me pretty good.

He gets a whack if he don'’t.

And he loves me all right, I'’m sure of that.

And I'’m sort of fond of him, too.

But I daren'’t show it in from of the boys.

Why not?Oh, they wouldn'’t understand it.

But that ain'’t none of your business.

You'’re here to teach my Jack reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Just about what he needs.

I'’m here under duress.

And one more thing--

little geography.

I want him to know what'’s going on outside Dirty Devil and the valley.

He'’ll need that when he grows up.

[ exhales ]Mr. Lanier.

And don'’t teach him any lies, you hear?

I don'’t want him to be like the rest of the scum out there.

Just teach him to obey his old man

and respect him.

None for me.

You can'’t keep me here against my will.

I didn'’t hear you say that, Edmunds.

I meant it.

Did you see them guards when you come through?

You don'’t scare me.

I run this valley just like an army.

My boys got orders to shoot

anything that moves without my say-so.

When Jack'’s got his learning, then we'’ll see.

And if I refuse to teach him?

Nobody refuses me, mister.

Nobody.

Try it once more.

"John gave...

"the...

"ball to Tom.

"'’Thank you,'

said Tom."

Aww, shucks, Mr. Ralph. What good'’s this?

You'’re doing very well.

Reading does lots of good.

Ain'’t as good as shooting coyote.

It "isn'’t" as good as shooting coyote.

And that geography stuff,

I ain'’t never--

I am never going to see any of them places,

so, why read about '’em?

Your father wants you to know about the world out there.

He told me so.

What good'’s book learning if you spend

most of your time in the saddle, anyway?

Yeah, well, many times when you'’re not riding

and you'’re alone,

you wanna know things, understand things.

And now, if you like, I'’ll read you some more of King Arthur.

"My good blade carves the casques of men.

"My tough lance thrusteth sure.

"My strength is as the strength of ten

Because my heart is pure."

Eight times three...

is 24.

Eight times four is...

30...

32.

Eight times five is...

Eight times five is--

Say it by fives if that'’s easier, Jack.

5, 10, 15, 20,

25, 30,

35, 40.

It'’s 40!

Once more, the eights.

Eight times one is eight.You'’re distracting the boy.

Just watching.

This isn'’t a show.

It is, to me,

watching what you'’re doing to Hank'’s kid.

I told you to stay away from here.

Your Pa wants you.

Now, what did you say?

I said to stay away from here.

You-- [ groans ]

Go ahead, your father'’s waiting.

And you like trouble, huh?

Well, you get it.Just stay away.

You was the one that put the kid up to helping Beaver.

What are you talking about?Yeah.

He got bullwhipped by Hank

for disobeying orders at Lees Ferry the other night.

One of our men got killed.

When we got back, Hank laid on 20 stripes

with orders to bring Beaver no food, no water, nothing.

And this morning, the kid sneaks Beaver water and grub.

We figured it was you who done it.

Yeah.

I suppose, in a way, I did do it.

[ door opens ] HANK: Get in there.

I wanna talk to you.

Tell him what you told me!

You'’re hurting the boy.

Well, he'’s my son, ain't he?

You mean, he was your son. Shut up!

Tell him, Jack.

Go ahead, Jack. Speak up.

I--I said it was wrong

for Pa and the boys to go romping and killing down at Lees Ferry.

That'’s right. That'’s what he said.

And what else?

Well, come on! Speak up!

He gave ya a big mouth!

I told him I helped Beaver because

I wanna be like a Knight of the Round Table.

That'’s right. That'’s what he said.

It ain'’t no surprise to me where it all come from.

He did no wrong.

He did no wrong?

He knows when I punish one of my men, I'’m doing right!

When I say Beaver gets no grub and no drink,

that'’s the law!

Now, both of you, get out of here.

Teacher and I got words.

Why don'’t you let me and the fellas--

Beat it!

Go ahead, Jack. It'’s all right.

You got him pretty good, ain'’t you?

Leastwise you think you have.

Well, he'’s still my son.

I never doubted it.

And all that talk against robbing and killing,

that come from you?

You might say so.

It'’s flattering if you do.

Don'’t make jokes with me, Edmunds.

You poisoned my own flesh and blood

against me, under my own roof.

He used to love me!

Now, all of a sudden, he'’s telling me

what'’s right and what's wrong!

His old man. Well, stop it!

Stop putting that stuff in his head!

You drag me out here to teach, and that'’s what I'm doing.

The three R'’s.

I'’m teaching him in the only way I know how.

What your son sees, he sees himself.

It doesn'’t take me.

You'’re taking my son from me, Edmunds.

Everybody in camp says so.

He'’s growing up

and he'’s beginning to understand.

And you told him how.

But you'’re not gonna tell him anymore.

What are you gonna do?

Shoot me?

Or whip me like you whip Beaver?

Sure, go ahead. Make an example of me in front of your son.

That'’ll teach him to love you.

Now, listen to me, Edmunds.

I'’m gonna give you one more chance.

If that boy comes to me

with preachments once more--

And if he doesn'’t,

I will have failed.

You gotta think of that boy.

Well, if it wasn'’t his fault, why did he whip Beaver?

I tell you, next time, he whip any one of us.

It'’ll go on as long as he'’s boss.

The time'’s coming.

I made up my mind.

I'’m sending Edmunds back.Back?

That would be inviting the cavalry right in here.

I'’ll take that chance.

Give him a horse and let him go.

That'’s asking for trouble.

I gave an order, Slouch!

What about the cavalry,Hank?

They'’ve been riding up and down this territory for two years

and they ain'’t found us yet.

You turn that school teacher loose,

and they'’ll come crawling here in a week.

You got a mind to get rid of that teacher,

that'’s your business.

But how,

that'’s our business.

No.

The kid would hold it against me

for the rest of his life.

It would tell him that everything the teacher said was right.

[ chuckles ]

The kid'’s got eyes and ears. You think he don'’t know?

[ scoffs ] He knows what we are.

Especially, he knows what you are. MAN: Slouch is right.

I say we kill him.

But you give him a horse and tell him he'’s free.

And you tell the kid Edmunds wanted to go back.

The kid will hate him,

and then he'’ll forget him.

And when he gets to Rattlesnake Bend, I'’ll be there.

There ain'’t no other way.No!

Edmunds goes free!

Any other way, the kid will know.

How Hank? How?

He'’d look at me and tell.

Now, remember what I told you about books.

They'’re about the most precious things there are.

Giving you these.

Thanks, Mr. Ralph.

Idylls of the King.

It'’s my favorite reading.

I hope someday it'’ll be yours.

You aren'’t never coming back,

are you, Mr. Ralph?

Maybe, someday.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Where are you, jack?

Hey, Jack!

Jack, where are you?

Got something for you, boy.

Come see what I got. It'’s a book.

[ chuckles ]

It'’s got pictures in it. [ chuckles ]

Where are you, Jack?

Jack.

Jack?

Jack,

where are you?

Why you hiding from me, boy?

Where'’s Jack?

I ain'’t seen him.And Slouch, where is he?

Where is he, Zimmer?

He didn'’t say, Lanier.

[ horse blowing ]

[ horse neighs ]Hyah!

Mr. Ralph!

Mr. Ralph!

Mr. Ralph!

I'’m going with you, Mr. Ralph.

To the canyon entrance, Jack, no further.

To wherever you'’re going,

that'’s what I mean.No, Jack,

you belong with your father. He needs your help.

And helping others makes the strength of ten, remember.

Yes, Mr. Ralph.We'’ll ride together,

as far as the entrance, and then, you must return.

[ clicking ]

Hey, Jack!

You'’re in my way, Hank!

Don'’t stop me!

Put down that rifle, Slouch!

Slouch, put down that rifle or I'’ll kill you!

[ horse neighs ]

Pa!

Pa![ grunting ]

You--

you, keep going with him.

I'’ll get you back to camp.

No,

it'’s--it's too late.

They'’re waitin' to finish me off.

My time was due.

You need a doctor.

[ exhales ]

You and-- with all your learning--

[ chokes ] you ought to know a dead man when you see one.

Pa. Pa!

[ crying ]

Will you--

will you do to him

like I wanted to?

Say something over me, son.

Say--

say something you learned.

"M--my strength is as the strength of ten...

"Because--

Because my heart is pure."

[ looses breath ]

They took Hank Lanier'’s body down the the flatlands

and gave him a decent burial.

Soon, peace, at a new name, came to Dirty Devil.

Today, they call it Fremont River.

And the old rustler'’s hideaway is just a memory,

thanks to teachers, like Ralph Edmunds,

and learnin'’ books, like this McGuffey'’s Reader of that day,

which I hold, here, in my hand.