Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

In the West, a man'’s word was a promise to live by,

or in failing it, to die by.

An act of bravery was an everyday occurrence

to be admired only in passing,

except when a band of hardened outlaws faced it,

and a horse soldier who added that extra ingredient

of stubbornness to his bravery, in...

All right, see if you can spot any dust back there.

Let'’s get 'im.

You'’ll be all right now,kid.

They won'’t find us here.

I knew we'’d make it, Curly.

It'’s bad, isn't it?

It don'’t look good.

Now, don'’t you worry none.

We'’ll get you fixed up all right.

I don'’t want to die.

Don'’t let me die, Curly.

Save your breath.

You get yourself some sleep,

so you can heal good. You hear?

[ sighs ] Please, don'’t let me die, Curly.

That'’s a promise, kid.

If that boy don'’t get a doctor, he'’s not gonna make it.

I know.

We can'’t set here for long.

I know that, too.

I guess we made it.

I can'’t see a thing out there.

What are you gonna do about him?Wait.

What for?

Till he'’s able to ride.

We haven'’t got enough supplies to hold up here for long.

Well, then we'’ll get some.

Sure, just walk in some store and buy '’em.

Every law man within 100 miles of here

is out lookin'’ for us by now.

If we gonna spend any of that bank money we got,

we better move out of here.

We'’ll stay until Sandy gets better...

or until he dies.

This ain'’t no good, Johnson.

We'’ve got a right to go our own way.

Yeah, sure, sure,

and get ourselves killed.

[ gun firing ]

[ fires ]

[ gun fires ]

All right, soldier boy, hold it right there.

Get down off of there.

If you'’re lookin' for money, I don'’t have any. I--

I haven'’t been paid in two months.

How many more soldier boys you got out there?

None, I'’m riding alone.

You gonna end up alone,

for good, if you don'’t tell us.

There'’s no one else with me.

The law sent you lookin'’ for us?

No, I'’m on my way to Fort Bowie.

Bowie'’s in the other direction, south of here.

We'’ve been watching you.

You trailed us in here.

[ chuckles ] Trailed?

I was runnin'’ down a jack rabbit,

tryin'’ to shoot myself a meal.

Well, now, if that don'’t beat all.

Who thought that up, you or the sheriff?

Move.

I don'’t know what you'’re up to.

It'’s none of my business,

but if you'’ll just return my gun,

I'’ll be on my way.

Sure.

You sucker us into believing you came here by accident.

Then we let you go.

You go straight to the law

and tell them where we'’re holed up.

[ grunts ] Uh-- no, it ain'’t like that at all.

It ain'’t, huh?

You want more, or you want to talk?

[ gasps ] There'’s nothin' more to say.

You see anything?

Nothin'’.

He might be tellin'’ us straight.

We'’ve got ourselves an officer.

Lieutenant Jason Beal.

He'’s going to Fort Bowie, all right.

This here is his assignment orders.

Are you satisfied now?

That don'’t mean you didn't come lookin'’ for us.

Yeah, maybe.

We'’ll just let it sit for now.

We don'’t mean you no harm, lieutenant.

Just being a might cautious.

Overly so, I'’d say.

My gun, please?

Well, we'’d like to oblige you,

but I don'’t guess you'd be needin'’ it for a while.

Now, you wait a minute.

I'’m under orders from the federal government.

Detaining me is a serious offense.

Look, you, you ain'’t goin' nowhere

until I may not let you go.

We got a man hurt bad over there,

and right now that'’s all I'’m concerned with.

How you feelin'’, Sandy?

Not-- Not too good.

Here, take some of this.

[ coughs ]

You intend on lettin'’ him stay here like that?

There'’s nothin' else we can do.

You could take him to a doctor.

Well, if you haven'’t figured it out yet,

we'’re in trouble with the law.

This whole countryside is crawlin'’ with lawmen

lookin'’ for us.

So what? Isn'’t it worth taking the risk

instead of lettin'’ him die like that?

That'’s the chance we take.

He knows it.

We ain'’t got much grub left.

Too bad he didn'’t get that rabbit he was after.

Well, if we left Sandy behind like I wanted to,

we'’d be halfway to the border by now.

You'’d sing a different tune if it was you.

But it wasn'’t me.

I'’m smart enough to stay out of the way of any lead.

Well, if none of you have the guts

to take your friend to a doctor,

I will.

That'’s not a bad idea,Curly.

He takes Sandy into town.

We move out knowin'’ he'll be fixed up.

Sure.

Say, the soldier does have some brains, after all.

Yeah, a lot more than you'’ve got.

What do you think'’s gonna happen after he gets to town?

They won'’t fix him up. They'’ll string him up.

CURLY: Listen, you got any more smart ideas,

you keep them to yourself, you hear?

I wasn'’t thinking of taking him to town.

I was thinkin'’ of taking him to the army doctor at the fort.

Well, it'’s the same difference.

They'’ll turn him over to the law.

The army has no authority over civilians

unless they break the federal law.

Now, let me take your friend to the doctor at the fort.

As soon as he'’s well, he can ride out.

Sounds reasonable to me.

That'’s no good.

I ain'’t chancin' throwin'’ him to the wolves.

I say it'’s better than stayin' here and gettin'’ caught.

We'’re safe here.

At least we'’ve got good cover in this canyon.

That'’s right, Curly, but the longer we stay here,

the tougher it'’s going to be for us to move

without water and supplies.

You'’re not a god.

You can'’t sit in judgment over a man'’s life.

Curly--

Curly....

I heard something awful.

I ain'’t gonna make it.

You'’ll make it all right, kid.

We'’ll get you to a doctor, you hear?

All right, I'’m gonna let you take him...

but you'’re puttin' yourself on the line in exchange.

If Sandy don'’t come back,

your days are numbered.

You have my word.

If he gets well, he rides out a free man.

From then on he takes his chances

with a civil lawman and the sheriff.

You didn'’t hear me, soldier.

I didn'’t say if he comes back.

I said he'’d better come back,

or you'’ll be buried alongside him.

Let'’s not waste any more time.

Give me a hand.

All right, my gun now, please.

Now, remember, soldier,

There ain'’t no "if's."

Okay, let'’s get a move on.

He says I'’m cured.

Sound as a dollar.

It doesn'’t take a doctor to see you'’re a healthy specimen

once again.

Quite a change from the dyin'’ man

you dragged in here three months ago.

Well, I can admit it now,

I was hoping we could save you,

but I wasn'’t quite sure.

I'’m a hard one to kill, lieutenant.

The kind of life I'’ve lived makes you pretty tough, I guess.

Now that you'’re a new man, maybe you'’d like to change

that way of life.

I'’ve been hangin' around here long enough.

If I stay any longer, I'’m liable to get spoiled

by that army cookin'’.

I'’ll never forget what you did for me, lieutenant.

Give my regards to your friends,

if you see '’em.I'’ll do that, all right--

And a lot more, if you ever need it.

Hey, Sandy, you'’re back!

Hello, Curly,

Wes, Johnson. Good to see y'’all.

We'’d just about given you up for lost.

You look good, kid, real good.

I ought to after three months'’ doctoring.

Well, I gotta tell you, livin'’ with the army

is really somethin'’.

Well, Sandy, we'’re glad you'’re back.

No more than me, I can tell you that, Curly.

Listen, I'’ve been holdin' onto your share

of the bank money,

but it wasn'’t easy.

These two have been after me to split it up,

but I figured you'’d make it back.

It'’s a good thing, too,

or else I would have had to take all three of you on.

Ah, we spent most of what we had in Mexico.

You missed a big trip, kid.

There'’s no use standing. Come on.

It'’s gettin' close to calving time.

We figured on rounding us up some before they got branded.

We'’ve got a rancher just off the border.

He'’ll buy everything we can get our hands on.

Will he buy horses?

Sure he will, why?

A couple of days ago, I heard one of them soldiers

talkin'’ about a herd they were movin'’ up to the fort.

You'’re messin' with the wrong bunch

when you mess with the army.

Not this time.

They'’re having to use a short crew.

Most of them soldiers been sent up north.

By tomorrow, those horses will be a day'’s ride from here.

How many of '’em?

I don'’t know, but quite a few.

We'’ll take 'em.

We'’ll move 'em right down to the border.

Lieutenant, that shipment was your responsibility.

Yes, sir.

It'’s one thing to lose a horse in battle.

It'’s another matter to lose an entire herd

to rustlers, outlaws.

Sir, if I may say--There is absolutely no reason.

No justification for that at all.

Most of our men were out on duty, sir.

I was working with a skeleton crew.

That'’s a poor excuse, lieutenant, a technicality.

And there'’s no room in the army for technicalities.

Your men should have never let this happen,

under any circumstances.

Yes, sir.

Now, I want those animals back, lieutenant,

every last one of them.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

You'’re not to return without them.

If you do...

I'’ll break you.

You'’re dismissed, lieutenant.

It'’s clear.

If we push hard enough, we'’re gonna reach border by night.

What'’s the hurry? We'’ll sleep here tonight,

get there first thing in the morning.

Well, it'’s a lot safer carrying cash

than playing nursemaid to this remuda.

We'’ll make it by sundown.

Sandy, see who'’s coming. Johnson, down there.

Wes!What'’s the matter?

Looks like they cut through here.

Soldiers, six of '’em.

Come on!

Get back![ gun fires ]

[ horse neighs ]

Take cover!

We got '’em! They can'’t get out.

How'’s it look?Rough.

They got us cut off. We can'’t ride out.

We can hold up here till doomsday.

Starve '’em out.

Hey, you soldiers!

We don'’t want to kill you.

Throw out your guns, we'’ll let you go.

We'’re in no hurry.

We'’ll wait 'till the rest of the troops get here.

That don'’t sound none too good.

Let'’s get it over with now and get them horses out!

I don'’t want to tell you no more, Wes.

Put that thing down.

We don'’t have to wait!

We'’ll fill you full of holes before they get here!

Is that what you want?

Well, we'’ll take our chances!

Curly, that'’s Beal,

Lieutenant Beal. I recognize his voice.

So what?

We'’ve gotta let him go!

That soldier boy sure gets hisself into a mess of trouble.

I owe him.

Maybe you do, but we don'’t!

We all owe him.

It could have been any one of us.

Beal! Lieutenant Beal!

I want to talk to you.

Who are you?

Curly Bill.

You know him, lieutenant?

We'’ve met.

The law'’s been hot on his tail a long time.

Cover me.

Cover the lieutenant.

How are you doin'’, lieutenant?

Sandy.

Lieutenant, you'’ve sure got a habit

of poppin'’ up at the wrong time.

What brings you here?

Those are government horses you'’re holding back there.

Is that a fact?

Well, we didn'’t pay much attention

when we picked them up.

LIEUTENANT BEAL: You should have.

I told you stealin'’ from the government

was a federal offense.

LIEUTENANT BEAL: You boys are in a lot of trouble.

Well, unless I'’m wrong,

you'’re the one who'’s in trouble.

Since you'’ve been a friend, we'’d like to help you out.

Then you won'’t mind if I take that herd back

where it belongs?

[ chuckles ]

Lieutenant, you'’ve sure got a funny way about you.

Lieutenant, we don'’t want to hurt you,

so we'’re gonna let you and your men get out of here alive.

I appreciate that, Sandy,

but not without those horses.

You'’d better take what gratitude you'’re gettin'

and move out.

Or we'’re liable to change our minds.

That shipment of horses was my responsibility.

I'’m under orders to bring '’em back.

I'’m not leavin' without '’em.

You stubborn fool.

All right, go on.

Get yourself killed over some dumb animals.

I'’m not gonna help you kill him, Curly.

You'’ll do what has to be done.

We don'’t need those horses.

We can pick us up plenty of strays.

We'’ll get them, too.

I told him I'’d help him if he ever needed it.

A man'’s word has got to mean somethin'’.

If you want, give him your share of the horses.

I'’m keepin' mine.

You know, someday you'’re gonna be screamin'’ for help,

and there'’s not gonna be anybody around to listen.

I'’ll worry about that when the time comes.

Beal!

Go on,

take '’em.

Thanks, Curly.

Wes!

You had no right!

WES: No right!

Shut up.

You'’re lucky I didn'’t kill you.

That soldier'’s more man than you'’ll ever be.

[ sighs ] Well, we'’re square now.

You owe me nothin'’ more.

Well, maybe so,

but if you ever need us, we'’re on your side.

You'’ve got style, lieutenant.

Style and a hard head.

I like that in a man.

Lieutenant Beal never needed another favor

from Curly Bill Brocious.

Beal went on to a distinguished army career,

while Curly Bill continued his bad man'’s life.

It'’s been said that Wyatt Earp killed Curly Bill

in a gunfight,

but others who were there deny this.

In any event, the famous outlaw faded away,

and to this day no one knows for sure.

Next week, another true drama

from our Western past.

See you then.