Original subtitles

[ horse snorting ]

[ horse snorting ]

They got a horseflesh, just like you said, Little Tree.

Now let'’s get 'em out of there.

[ horse neighs ]

[ horse neighs ]

Yah, hyah!

Ya!

[ horse neighs ]

Hyah, yah!

[ horse neighs ]

Ya!

Ya! [continues shouting]

[ horses neighing ]

MAN 1: Come on, come.

Come.

[ gunshot ]

[ gunshot ]

You said there wasn'’t to be no killin'’.

An old Indian ain'’t real killin'’.

Is it, Little Tree?

But we agreed!

Shut up.

[ horses neighing ]

[ cowboys yelling ]

♪♪ [ bugle ]

Howdy folks, I'’m the Old Ranger.

In the early 1870s the Navajo Indians

were doing their best

to accept the white man'’s civilization.

Edward Keams, Indian agent of Fort Defiance

even foresaw the day

when the Indians would govern themselves.

He formed an Indian police force to maintain order.

But recruits were few. Paid only $5 a month,

and officers were not allowed to carry guns,

even for their own protection.

Now one of these officers,

armed only with a handmade silver badge,

was Harry Two Horses,

who finally had to rely on an...

Harry, I'’m glad you got here.

We'’ve got big trouble.

I heard.

The old farmer.

The daughter of the man they killed

said there were three of them.

They took six horses.

Now it'’s up to you, Harry, to run '’em to earth.

When you'’ve done that,

the soldiers will go out and make the arrest.

Would it not be more simple

to send the soldiers instead of me?

There'’s only a small detachment here.

The rest of the troop is scouting

in an Apache raiding party down South.

They haven'’t seen the truth yet,

but they can'’t hold off much longer.

They'’re gonna have to surrender

just as your own Navajo people have done.

But more important, as matters stand at present,

an Indian can'’t really depend on the white man

for complete justice.

He'’s got to get it for himself.

That'’s why I've organized this Navajo police force.

That'’s why it's got to work.

But you say Indian cannot arrest a white man,

cannot even carry a gun,

what is the good of my going after them?

I told you, you can track '’em down.

But armed with just a badge I am laughed at.

They say I am fit only to chase down the children

and bring them to your agency school.

A sheepherder without sheep cannot be a sheepherder,

a silversmith cannot work without silver,

and yet we are expected to live by your laws

and to enforce them without the tools of the trade.

Harry, I understand how you feel,

but most of the settlers

look upon any Indian with a gun as a danger.

With the Apache tribe still causing trouble,

they lump you Navajos in the same group.

They'’d never stand for my allowing

my Navajo police force to carry firearms.

Well, even the commanding officer here

says that...

That an Indian will always be an Indian.

Harry, it'’s taken me a long time

to get the officials in Washington

to agree to this police force.

It'’s an experiment that can be stopped

at the first sign of trouble.

It takes time to develop confidence and trust.

Mr. Keams, I understand

what you have been trying to do for the Navajos

and I appreciate it.

I do not want it to end in difficulty for you.

I'’m sure it won't.

This is only a small start.

But it is a start towards self-government.

As you say, it is a start.

I will find your murderers.

Oh, Harry one more thing.

One of these men was an Indian, probably a Navajo.

I saw the grave up in the hills, a good shaded spot.

Your grandfather will rest well.

But I do not rest.

There was no reason for him to die.

He was tired old man, not even armed.

Why should they kill him?

I do not know the answer to that,

but I will learn it.

Could you tell me anything about them?

There were three men.

Two were white, one was an Indian.

I could tell by the way he set his saddle.

I was not close enough to see more.

The white man sends you after the murderers of my grandfather

without a gun?

Are you to blind with the blaze of authority from your badge?

The agent does what he thinks is best.

I will find these thieves,

the soldiers will make the arrest.

If they see you, they will kill you as easily

as they did my grandfather.

Without a gun your badge is nothing.

Only a target flashing in the sun!

The agent Mr. Keams says

that one day the Navajos will again govern themselves.

Much depends now upon a few

for what will happen in the years ahead.

Besides, Mr. Keams is our friend,

he believes in us.

We must not disappoint him.

I will gather some of the young men

to go with you.

No, I'’ll go alone.

Too many riders will let them know

that we'’re after them.

They would spot us before we spotted them.

I will know him.

[ horse neighs ]

This here one runs as fast as you say,

it ought to fetch us a fancy price across the border.

The Mexicans go crazy over a good hunk of horseflesh.

It'’ll be dark before long, we can head out of here.

Been here too long now.

Should be halfway to Mexico.

We could be layin'’ in some drywash full of arrows, too.

And it can still happen.

You still worried about my killin'’ that Indian?

These people ain'’t to be trifled with.

Besides, you killed a government charge,

that brings the soldiers into it.

They'’ll be after us.

You'’re gettin' old and cautious.

We'’ll have to get you a job swampin'’ out a saloon.

Somethin'’ quiet.

Age and caution go together.

Kill-crazy young fool like you

ain'’t likely to live long enough to get either one.

If we travel in daylight like you wanted,

some Indian would recognize them horses, for sure.

Hmm, try to lead '’em off in the dark,

we'’ll never get off this reservation.

Get it through that thick skull,

it'’s your neck I'’m thinkin' about.

I ain'’t killed no one.

I ain'’t likely to hang for stealin'’ a few ponies.

[ chuckles ]

Hang?

For killin'’ a Indian?

[ laughs ]

[ horse neighing ]

[ horses neighing ]

Now, now, now, settle down.

Somebody out there.

We steal a few horse

and you'’re as jumpy as we'’ve taken the Denver Mint.

Now, he smelled a wild horse.

No.

If that'’d been another stallion...

it'’d whinny back.

Better have a look around.

What'’s taken him so long?

You are gonna worry yourself right into the grave,

you know that?

It'’s better than losin'’ your hair.

To a bunch of Indian sheepherders?

[ gunshot ]

The lawman!

I can'’t figure it out. What'’s he doin' with a badge

if he ain'’t some kinda lawman?

What about it, Charlie?

I'’ve been away from the reservation.

Must be somethin'’ new.

You can'’t be much of a Indian

if you don'’t even know what your own people are up to.

I'’m no Indian.

Half-red, half-white.

Guess you ain'’t much of anything.

MAN 1: Why'’d he ride up on us, if he didn'’t have no gun?

Who cares?

Make a nice souvenir.

Get caught with that gimcrack, and it'’ll be two hangings

you'’ll be owin' '’em.

We'’re wastin' time.

Put a bullet in him and clear out. No!

Not till he can talk.

I wanna know what we might be ridin'’ into.

He'’s watching.

Come on, now.

Ain'’t no use playin' possum.

You see, you wasted enough time.

[ cocks gun ]

Pull that trigger and you sign your own death certificate.

Leave him be.

You some kinda lawman?

Indian Territory Police.

You rode in on us without no gun on purpose?

The entire Navajo Nation knows you are here,

they know I am here.

You could not ride through amidst of 1,000 Indians

without being noticed.

Everybody knows those horse,

everybody knows you killed the old man to steal them.

I warned you against killin'’.

Maybe people do care if you kill an Indian.

It is clear now that only one of you wanted

the old Indian murdered.

I know that now.

And I would be believed in a court.

Two of you might escape the noose,

but if I am found dead here,

it will be the end of the trail for all three of you.

What do you mean, Indian, about a court?

PETERS: I tell you what he means.

He'’s tryin' to turn us against each other,

tryin'’ to save his own hide.

Our young braves are waiting out there for you.

By coming here without a gun,

I hoped to get you to surrender and accept the fair trial.

Avoid bloodshed.

What about it, Charlie, you figure he'’s lyin'?

Yah.

Yes, our people were not always farmers.

Once even Apaches feared the Navajo tribes

and our young men have not changed

where vengeance is concerned.

He may speak the truth.

A scared old man and a superstitious Indian.

Some team I got myself hooked up with.

You believe his hogwash about the whole Navajo Nation

waiting for us out there in the hills?

Charlie,

you'’re supposed to know how these Indians think.

Why don'’t you scout around a little--

You'’ll see, he's lyin'’!

What you mean is, Charlie'’s a half-breed.

If he gets killed, it don'’t matter none.

Now that he'’s got you two buffaloed,

so we'’ll all go.

The three of us.

Go out there now

and each of you is a walking target.

They don'’t know which one of you is the murderer they want.

Without me, all three of you will die.

[ chuckles ]

But you won'’t die as easily as the old man.

You'’ll be staked out over an anthill

in the broiling sun.

Listen to him.

He knows there'’s nobody out there

and he don'’t want you to find it out.

You'’ll live longer than the others, Indian,

but you'’ll wish you could die.

Our people reserve a special kind of punishment

for those who turn against their own kind!

I'’m not one of your kind!

You try to hide to be white, but it will do you no good.

You turn your back on the other Indians

who accept you as one of their own,

never caring that your skin is so light.

Instead, your soul burns with a desire

to be like these other two-- never realizing

that a white man hates a thief, red or white.

And trying to prove that you are as good as these other men,

you robbed and killed, only proving

that you have less honor than any other Indian.

And what you have done does not make you as good as them,

it only makes the other thieves look down on you all the more!

You shut up!

You better not make Charlie mad.

he can be mean, especially with that knife.

He knows I speak the truth.

If any one of you had to be sacrificed for safety,

he would be the one to die.

[ laughs ]

Go on, Charlie, show him.

[ laughs ]

♪

PETERS: He'’s makin' you look like a fool, Charlie.

This ain'’t no time to goin'’ in for entertainment.

You would let him do that to you, hmm?

Don'’t pay no attention to neither one of them, Charlie.

Just keep in mind this Indian ain'’t no good to us

if he cut full of holes.

Put this thing away before it causes trouble we can'’t cure.

Now what you wanna start a thing like that for, hmm?

You don'’t show good sense.

Just makin'’ my point.

If there had been Indians out there,

Old Charlie'’s screamin' what I brought on running.

They'’d figure we was workin'’ that man over

with a hot brandin'’ iron.

All this Indian talk has unnerved both of you.

Who'’s goin' with me to see who'’s waitin'?

Not me.

Even if he'’s bluffin',

I ain'’t gamblin' my hair to prove it.

Your guts have turned to water, Sam.

Come on, Charlie.

No.

I have more to gamble than either of you.

I didn'’t kill the old man.

But if they catch me,

they'’ll see I spend more time dying.

He turned you into a pair of old women.

Maybe he'’s got you thinkin' if we surrender to him,

I'’ll be the one to hang, hmm?

He could be right.

Meanin'’ what?

Meanin'’ we ain't gonna risk a scalpin'’

by messin'’ around with him

till we'’re durn sure it'’s safe to do it.

Me and Little Tree will say when it'’s safe to do it.

[ howling in distance ]

I better check his ropes.

Will you let me go if I cut you lose,

give you a gun?

I can promise you only a fair trial.

White man'’s trial.

Why should that be distasteful to you?

You tried to be like the white man,

but these thieves will never let you.

You will always be an Indian to them.

You tyrin'’ to make a deal with him?

I was just checkin'’ his ropes.

Mm-hmm.

You keep away from him.

I don'’t like what you two might be cookin'’ up.

It will be sunup soon, we'’ll probably be movin' on.

If those Indians aren'’t out there,

you'’ll get that bullet I'’ve been promising you.

Then sunup will be the end for both of us.

My people will attack then.

You have that much time to give up.

But you don'’t leave me much choice.

If you ain'’t lyin', they'’ll kill me one way,

army another.

But your friends do have a choice.

He'’s really got you believin'’ that, ain't he?

You'’re just waitin' for a chance to bushwhack me

so'’s you can turn yourselves into this Indian.

It ain'’t like that at all, me and Little Tree--

You'’re thinkin' of your own hides, you said so.

You'’re figurin' to sell me out.

We think of our own hide, sure, same as you!

[ howling in distance ]

[ laughs ]

What you laughin'’ about?

That ain'’t nothin' but a coyote.

Ah, it was a signal.

My people are closing in.

Come sunup, it will be too late.

[ laughs ]

SAM: What about it, Charlie?

That sound like a coyoteto you?

Well, what about it?

[ howling ]

Stop it.

Do you think I'’m gonna let you side with him?

Turn me in '’cause somethin' screeches

out there in the night.

But you see, there'’s no answer.

If that was a signal, there'’d be some kinda answer,

wouldn'’t there?

[ howling in distance]

He wasn'’t lying.

Those are Indians out there.

They were not coyotes.

[ howling continues in distance ]

Well, I ain'’t waiting for '’em.

And I ain'’t waiting for you two to point no fingers at me.

Now get over next to that Indian.

SAM: You are crazy, you can'’t go out there!

Get over there.

I got a better chance to ride through '’em

if I go alone.[ cocks gun ]

Now, Peters, don'’t shoot, don'’t shoot--

I ain'’t leavin' nobody to f--

You will not turn me over to the Navajos?

I promise you a fair trial.

[ gunshot ]

[ cocks gun] HARRY: Drop it!

And Charlie, saddle the horses.

Mr. Keams! EDWARD: What is it?

You better come outside.

SERGEANT: The Indian deputy just got back.

Looks like he'’s got three prisoners.

[ horse snorting ]

There are your horse thieves.

That one is your murderer,

the other two will testify against him.

But you disobeyed my orders.

You know, you can'’t arrest a white man.

They are not under arrest,

they were at each other'’s throats.

I brought them in for their own protection.

Sergeant, those three men are an army matter now.

Better take charge of them.

Yes, sir.

Corporal, take the prisoners.

You see, he tricked us.

He made us think there was--

You can tell it all at your trial.

Now you better tell me exactly

what you were protecting those men from.

From my lovesick coyote and their own fears.

I have here the badge that Harry Two Horses

was wearing during this experiment in fear.

The badge is copper inlaid with silver

and it was made in the Territorial Prison

in Yuma.

It was from that simple beginning

that the tribal form of government,

as it known on the Navajo reservation,

gained its start.

Even today,

the Navajo is largely self-governing,

with its own courts, its own judges

and its own police force.