Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

...where Western history comes alive.

Stories of the Old West

are stories of hardships and adventure,

of dreams and of courage.

Stories of the American pioneer

are all a part of our past, our heritage.

In the early 1840s,

the Overland Trail split at Fort Hall, Idaho.

One route went to Oregon and the other to California.

Men like Caleb Greenwood waited at Fort Hall to guide wagons to California,

where General Sutter paid a fee for bringing settlers to his fort.

It was a dangerous trip.

And one journey was more deadlier than any other,

because of...

MAN: Leroy, you about ready to move out?

I will be, as soon as your son gets back with my Carrie.

Those two-- they'’ll make relatives of us yet.

I expect he will,

as soon as we all get back to California.

You know, Andrew, I'’ve been thinking about the offer

that Greenwood fella made this morning.

Why?Well, it makes sense to me.

Maybe we are being foolish in not letting him take us south.

He makes his living scaring people like us.

I'’m not scared for me, but I'’ve got Carrie to think about.

You worry too much, my friend.

I say we find the young ones and move out.

Oh, gentlemen, you thought about my offer?

You know, this is your last chance to consider.

You die hard, Mr. Greenwood.

For a hundred dollars each, maybe I can save you from doing the same.

You do not scare us, sir.

I should, Mr. Bonney.

You might not make it without me and my boy.

There is nothing you can do for us that we cannot do for ourselves.

You'’re wrong, sir.

Those Indians don'’t know you. They'’re our friends,

and we make it a business to get along with them.

You also make it a business of getting along with General Sutter.

He pays you, too, doesn'’t he?

He does, half.

But then the good general ends up giving you land,

free.

There is plenty of free land in California.

Yes, but, Andrew, maybe--I'’m telling you, Leroy,

there is nothing on that trail that you and me and Gideon cannot handle.

Let us stop arguing and be off.

Good day, sir.

[ coins clinking ]

Where ya been, Johnny?Playing cards.

Hey, Pa, I figured both of us oughta take some money off these yahoos.

Now, what am I gonna do with you, huh?

[ sighs ]

Nothing I can'’t change. I'’m too much like you.

Yes, I-- I suppose you are.

Except that you got a lot to learn.

[ wagons approaching ]

Did you get us those two wagons going south?

No, not even one.

Oh, Pa, there ain'’t another wagon train due for two weeks.

Now, what are we gonna do here?We ain'’t staying, Johnny.

I got it. We'’re going to Austin and wait, right?

Wrong. Besides, two days in that town,

you'’d be no good to nobody.

Okay, then tell me, what are we gonna do?

Ride close to them wagons we didn'’t get it.

Oh, Pa.

Aw, look, Johnny.

I got an idea that they'’re gonna need us real soon.

[ gunshots ]

Come on!

[ Indians whooping ] [ gunshots continue ]

[ whooping continues ]

Pretty close, Pa.Not close enough.

They'’re still coming.

Stay down, Carrie. Stay down.

[ gunshots continue ] [ whooping continues ]

Don'’t be a fool. You know better than that.

Down there.

Hyah. Hyah. Hyah.

Stay outta sight and keep moving. Sure, sure.

And no killing. Aim to scare them.

Oh, yeah, but I-I--Johnny, will you do like I say?

[ whooping continues ]

Pa, they'’re turning tail.

Young Bear and his people.

Go after them. See if they'’ve circled back.

No rough stuff, Johnny.

I don'’t know what you'’re doing here, but you saved our lives.

They'’d have liked to kill us.I could see that.

What started this?

They came at us outta nowhere.

You had time to unhitch and set up the wagons.

They couldn'’t have come that fast.

We fired at them and drove them back.

You fired first?

They-- Like he said, they came at us.

They were looking for food.

Now, if you'’d have given them some, they'’d have gone away.

We, uh-- We didn'’t know that.Of course you didn'’t.

That'’s part of the game of getting along with them.

Do you think they'’ll come back?Probably.

If we pay you, will you take us the rest of the way?

Wait a minute. I'’ve got something to say about that.

You had yours, Andrew. We nearly all got killed.

Will you, Mr. Greenwood?Maybe.

There'’s a couple of things we better get straightened out.

Like what?

Like not shooting them if they come back,

and if we get a chance, we feed them just like we always do.

Why? We can run them off again, easy.

We ran off the scouting party.

If you had hit one of them, you might'’ve brought back a hundred more from the hills.

We can'’t be sure of that.

No, but I don'’t wanna find out.

I'’ll kill the first man that fires at them.

What an awful thing to say.

Those are pretty tough terms, Mr. Greenwood.

They have to me, Mr. Dalton.

I see we have no other choice.

Not if you wanna get outta here alive.

Let me help.I can manage, thank you.

Ooh. Ooh.

Can I go now?

If you want.

What'’s this about, Carrie?

Nothing.

Um, he was just helping me down.

What is it, Pa?

I don'’t know. Maybe nothing.

Little jumpy, aren'’t you?A little.

Trouble out there?We'’re being watched.

But I can'’t figure out why they don'’t come and ask for what they want.

That a bad sign?Could be.

They might decide to take instead of ask.

It'’s them, Johnny.

They don'’t seem to care whether we see them or not.

Maybe they'’re just curious.We'’ll know soon enough.

We could take care of them, Pa, if you'’d let us.

The rules I told them go for you, too, Johnny.

Caleb, is there anything we can do?

No. It'’s their move.

Gideon.

Gideon!

What is it? What'’s the matter?

My hero.[ chuckles ]

I need some water.

I'’m not supposed to leave you here alone.

But the creek'’s only a stone'’s throw away.

Yeah, but Caleb said--

Are you worried about Caleb, or is it Johnny you'’re worried about?

Have I got cause?

No.

No. It'’s just that he'’s always around.

I don'’t pay any attention to him.

Okay, Carrie. [ chuckles ]

But you keep it that way, okay?Mm-hmm.

[ screams ] No!

[ screams ]

[ screaming ]

[ screaming continues ]

[ screaming continues ]

No! Let go of me! [ screams ]

Step back, Carrie.

CALEB: You fire that gun, boy,

and it'’ll be the last thing you ever do.

He tried to make off with her.He'’s just hungry.

Now put down that gun.

Gideon, he didn'’t hurt me.

Put down the gun for me. Please?

Now, what happened? Did you offer him food like you were told?

I wasn'’t here. I went for water.

You'’re not much good at taking orders, are you?

I guess not.

You get him some food. Enough for all of them.

Johnny, you stay with the girl.

The rest of us will go ahead to see if it'’s clear to pull out of here.

Right, Pa.

Boy, you'’re awful jumpy when I'’m around.

Well, you keep watching me. Why?

Oh, maybe because you'’re real pretty,

or maybe because I never got you alone before.

Um, now you stay away from me.

Tell me why, Carrie.Um, stay away.

Gideon'’ll kill you.Oh, Gideon.

He'’s real dangerous, huh?Stop! Stop!

Get away from me!

We come in on something?

Oh, no.

We just finished loading the wagons.

Is that all?

See for yourself.

The others are coming. We'’re moving out.

You two ride up front, shotgun.

Did you see them?

No, Johnny, but if they'’re out there,

we don'’t wanna come on them suddenly.

You stay ahead of us a ways, huh?

And, uh, boy, remember,

this time don'’t lose your head.

Hyah! Come on! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

Can they get through? Looks awful narrow up there.

It'’ll be slow.

They'’ll make it.

Come on! Hyah!

[ shouting ]

Hyah!

[ whinnying ][ Indians whooping ]

[ gunshot ]

[ groans ]

CALEB: Is he dead?

I warned you.

I tried to tell you you'’ll pay.

I said I'’d kill the man who fired at them.

It was so fast it just happened.

Please, uh, listen to me. Let me tell you, please.

Tell me what? Speak fast, boy.It wasn'’t me, it was Johnny.

You'’re lying. You'’re trying to get even.

No.Hear him out, Caleb.

Where is he? Answer me.

Gone. He ran, scared.

His gun hasn'’t been fired, Caleb.

You wouldn'’t have killed Gideon. I know that.

How? How could you know?

Listen to me.

Nobody'’s holding you to your word.

Nobody.

I am, Andrew.

You all right, Caleb?

Haven'’t seen Indians in days. What do you think of it?

I was wrong.

They saw what it was, and they scared off.

Changed your mind about going after Johnny?

Nope. It'’s a question of justice, Andrew.

It'’s as simple as that.

Whose justice?

And what right do you take the law into your own hands?

That'’s the only law out here.

There'’s God's law.

You'’re wrong setting yourself up as his jury and his executioner.

Maybe. But I'’ll live with it.

Till the day you die.

I'’m coming with you, Caleb.

Then suit yourself.

I don'’t need you.

It'’s Reese Sybill.

You know him?

He'’s another scout. Lives in Austin.

Caleb.

Johnny gave me a message if I was to run into you.

Where is he, Reese?

In, uh-- In Austin.

He, uh, said to say he was expecting you.

Is that all?

I don'’t know what this is all about,

and I don'’t wanna know,

but you better hurry, Caleb.

Hurry for what?

He'’s been there a few days,

and he'’s acting like-- well, like they was his last.

Thanks, Reese.

Come on. Move.

[ grunting ]

[ gunshot ]

[ gunshot ]

[ clicks ]

Pa.

[ clicks ]

Is he dead?

Caleb...

could you have done it?

And so, a simple question of justice went answered.

Could he, or couldn'’t he?

If Caleb Greenwood knew the answer,

he shared it with no one.

Be with us again next week for another amazing story

from the American past.