Original subtitles

If Matt knew we was here, he'd skin us alive.

If we wait for him to take care of it, we'll wait forever.

[ dog barking ]

Too risky to use a gun. Every Arapaho in the village would hear it

and come a running.Who said we'd use a gun?

There's other ways.

Like I said, there are other ways. Fires don't leave bullet holes.

Winona!

Winona!

Over here, quickly.

Somebody in there?

The girl Winona.

Thanks to you, my daughter will live out her life.

You are a brave man.

No thanks needed.

I have seen you many times but we have never met before.

Among my people I'm known as Quinto.

Slim Sherman.

Winona will always be grateful to you.

And our tribe will always look upon you as one of us.

Why, she's the girl that was on trial last week

for killing young Cady.

And you are the foreman of the jury who freed her.

So it is twice now that you have saved her life.

No, no, I didn't save her life.

The evidence did.

Yeah, they proved her innocent so,

well, that's why we acquitted her.

Winona, this is the man to whom you owe your life.

I will not forget, my father.

How'd that fire start?

I do not know.

I was at the stream,

someone came at me from behind.

They covered my face and dragged me into the hut.

They struck me.

That is all I remember.

You didn't see anyone or hear any voices?

Do we need to see or hear to know who it was?

The Cadys?

Yeah, that'd be my guess too, but which one?

How are you gonna prove it?

You see, to bring charges against anybody

you've got to have witnesses, evidence.

It doesn't look like we've got any.

But you heard them in the courtroom,

you heard their threats when she was allowed to go free.

Yeah, the whole town heard it,

it still doesn't prove anything.

But don't worry, Quinto.

I'll report this to the law

and have a talk to Matt Cady myself.

And right now is as good a time as any.

No, wait, my friend.

You cannot leave yet, not without your property.

My property?

What is rightfully yours.

I've got everything I came with.

Oh, no, no, you are wrong.

She is now your property. She belongs to you.

She belongs to me?

It is the law of our tribe.

When a life is saved from certain death,

then that life belongs forever to the one who saved it.

Well, that's a mighty interesting law, but...

my tribe's got a law too, that-- one of them is that...

no human being can own another.

Now, I appreciate the offer, but I can't accept it.

Oh, you don't understand.

If she does not pay her debt to you,

she will bring shame and disgrace upon us all.

We will be forced to send her away.

Now look, I don't know anything about this law

or whatever you call it, but I can't take her home with me.

Don't you know what the people in Laramie would think?

Don't you know what everybody would think?

I'm sorry, Winona.

Well, you're the nicest gift that's ever been offered to me

but I can't take you home with me.

What shall I do, my father?

You know what you must do.

[ wind blowing ]

[ thunder rumbling ]

What are you doing out here?

I'm following you.

Why?

Because it is my duty.

Where you go, I must go.

That's loco weed talk.

Why don't you go back to your people where you belong?

There is nowhere to go back. I belong to you now.

Winona, you're a-- You're a fine girl.

I-I wish I could let you follow me, but I can't.

People just wouldn't understand.

Look, I'm gonna give you an order

and I want you to obey it. Will you?

Of course, I am yours to do with as you wish.

Good. I'm ordering you to not follow me one step further.

Understand?

I understand.

I'm glad we got that settled.

Bye.

[ thunder rumbling ]

What, are you just gonna sit there?

I only do what you told me to.

[ thunder rumbling ]

Well, come on!

I wonder what's keeping Slim.

It's not like him to be late for supper.

Well, that thunderstorm was coming down

pretty hard, Daisy.

He likely took cover.

Or he could have stopped over in Laramie

and found himself a gal and got married.

Well, that's what you're always

wanting him to do, isn't it?

And what's wrong with wanting two healthy attractive young men

to find wives for themselves?

Well, there ain't nothing wrong with wanting it.

Except there's only two things in this world I'm afraid of,

that's a decent woman and being left afoot.

[ laughs ]

MIKE: Hey, there's Slim!

And he does have a girl with him!

I'll be doggone.

She looks like one of the Arapahos.

She's a real pretty girl.

Yeah.

Well, what are you all staring at?

Nothing.

Just a little walleyed from staying inside so long.

Well, aren't you going to introduce us?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Winona, this is Daisy Cooper and Jess Harper,

Mike Williams.

She used to live at the Arapaho village.

Used to?

Where does she live now?

Well, you-- you might say she sort of lives here.

Here?

Oh, Slim, how thoughtful of you.

But I don't really need any help with the chores.

Well, that's not exactly why she's here.

Why is she here?

Well, to tell you the truth, it's kind of hard to explain.

You see, she was in trouble and her father gave her to me.

She's mine now.

Slim Sherman, what sort of hanky-panky have you been up to?

Hanky-panky?

Yes, hanky-panky.

I haven't been up to anything of the kind, Daisy.

It's just she belongs to me.

I can't get rid of her.

You mean her father just gave her to you,

like a box of candy?

You might say that.

And why did her father give her to you?

Well, you see, there was a fire in the village

and she was trapped in a hut and I managed to pull her out.

You sure you don't want a pencil

so you can write this all down?

The Arapahos have a crazy law that says

if you save somebody's life, that life belongs to you.

It's...

it's their way of saying thanks.

Their way of saying thanks?

Oh, you think it's funny, don't you?

Saddest thing I ever heard.

Well, I don't care what you say.

A law like that should be ignored

by anyone with a grain of sense.

Well, I tried to ignore it, Daisy,

but well, it didn't change anything.

Why, you poor child, you're still soaking wet

from that thunder shower.

I see you don't have much else to wear.

Well, all right, Slim,

I suppose we can keep her for a couple of days.

She can share my room.

The first chance I get,

I'm going to have a talk with her father

and set things straight.

Well, that suits me fine.

It wasn't my idea.

Come with me, I'll get you some dry things.

Yes, sir.

And, you, shut up.

Your dinner's on the stove.

It's gonna have to keep.

I'm gonna go over and see Matt Cady.

Now? What for?

That fire was no accident, Jess.

And I think he knows it.

You want me to go with you?

No, I expect I can handle it myself.

See you later.

I've been looking for you, Matt.

You're a hard man to find.

I shouldn't be, I've been sitting right here.

I saw a fire at the Arapaho village today.

I came in to tell you that the girl isn't dead.

Are you suggesting that I started some kind of a fire?

You or your brothers.

Well, you're shooting up the wrong tree, Slim.

I've been in town since early this morning.

With Lon and Wayne?

That's about right.

About won't do it.

I said they were here, you calling me a liar?

I'm not calling you anything.

I came here to warn you.

The girl is staying at my place.

You try anything again, you've got me to answer to.

Well, first you acquit her of killing Randy,

now you're her protector.

I didn't know she meant so much to you.

She doesn't, but law and order does.

I'm sorry what happened to your kid brother

but he shouldn't have forced his attentions on her.

She had every right to defend herself.

She was just a no-account Indian.

If that's true then he wouldn't have much reason

to attack her, would he?

Don't try it again, Matt.

Now that's what I think of it.

I told you after the trial we'd wait,

we'd do it my way.

We waited a whole week, didn't we?

As long as she's dead, I don't see

what you're getting all riled up about.

Now the only thing that's riling me

is how could Pa have sired a couple of whelps like you.

Now, you didn't kill her.

She's safe at Slim Sherman's

and everybody in Laramie can guess

who started the fire.

Well, guessing ain't proving it.

Now, you listen to me and you listen carefully.

I want you to stay away from her,

both of you.

One Cady is already dead

because he couldn't keep his hands off

a dirty little Indian girl.

I have no wish to lose two more on her account.

But she killed Randy, Matt.

Are you forgetting that?

I'm not forgetting it for one minute.

I want her dead as bad as you do

but I'll say how and I'll say when

and we won't have to answer to the law when we do it.

[ alarm ringing ]

Are you kidding?

You're getting up an hour early?

I lost a lot of time at that fire yesterday.

Got to get to that fence mending.

Well, Daisy ain't getting up this early.

You'll have to make your breakfast yourself.

Well, I didn't figure you were gonna do it.

Well, how did you know I was up so early?

It is my duty to know.

Where'd you learn how to cook like this?

It does not please you?

Sure it pleases me.

Pleases me very much.

Mike, do you know

where Slim put his soiled clothes?

Winona, you don't need to do these.

It is my duty to please him,

even in small way.

Is he a friend of yours?

He is just a brave from the village.

He no longer matters.

You look beat, partner.

Well, I am.

Fence mending is a tough job.

I'd sure go for a hot bath.

It is ready for you.

What is?

Your hot bath.

Come.

Hey,

I'll be dad-gummed.

I'm beginning to think you made yourself

a pretty good deal.

You wouldn't care to have me take the little lady

off your hands, would you?

Ain't no chance.

She's mine, all mine.

You are pleased?

That's the general idea.

You're a pretty good mind reader.

Well, what are you waiting for?

To give you your bath.

Did they teach you that at the village, too?

They teach us to bathe the small children.

And what is a man but a small child grown up?

It cannot be so very different.

Well, it's different enough.

You wait outside.

But who will scrub your back?

Just let me worry about that.

That is an order?

That's an order.

You know, Slim, every now and then

I get the feeling you're gonna go

all through life missing an awful lot.

Whoa.

It'll take me about a half an hour

to get this list filled.

Winona and I have some shopping to do,

she needs a new dress.

There we go.

Thank you.

Morning, Slim.

Howdy, Bert.

Got a load of supplies here.

Fill that for me?

Reckon I can.

Well, if it ain't the squaw man.

Hey, how does it feel

to have a nice little Red Stick all your own?

You know, I wondered why you brought in

that not guilty verdict so fast at the trail.

Was it then you took a shine to her

or was it even earlier?

You're walking on eggs, Cady.

Don't dig your heels in.

Of course I can't blame her

for feeling grateful to you.

After all you've paid in advance

for what you're getting.

All right, let's step outside.

Sure, squaw man, anything you say.

Lon.

That'll be enough of that,

now break it up.

You all got nothing better to do

than stand around here,

watching a street brawl?

Now clear out.

Slim, are you all right?

Now get on your feet.

I guess I ought to apologize

for my brothers.

I don't like street brawls any more

than the rest of you.

There's usually no excuse for them.

Well, I'm wondering if there's any excuse

for what he's done.

Matt, I think you better head on home.

Oh, no, not till I've had my say first, Sheriff.

Lon and Wayne got reason to hate Sherman

more than they should, I think you all know why.

First he frees the killer of our brother,

then he takes her to live in his own house.

Or is that why you freed in the first place, Sherman,

'cause you wanted her for yourself?

You know that's not true.

I only know what I see.

I see her here with you.

She claims she killed Randy in self-defense.

Well, I don't see her fighting off Sherman.

Maybe that doesn't bother you people.

Maybe you don't mind having a squaw man around town,

maybe you'd like to take the Arapahos

into your own homes.

Winona, get in the wagon.

If I were you people,

I'd ask myself a lot of questions.

Most of all, I'd ask who was really the guilty one

at that trial.

My brother or her...

or him.

You feel better now, Matt?

Come on.

First we drink,

so that lodge has luck with favor

upon both of us.

Oh, no thank you, Mr. Quinto.

No thanks.

Oh, it is custom.

If you do not drink then I do wrong

in eyes of ancient chiefs for bringing you in here.

Oh, well, then just a sip.

It's delicious.

You must give me the recipe.

The recipe?

What you put in it, how you make it.

Oh, one part ox blood...

one part goat's milk,

just drop of rattlesnake juice.

Now about my daughter,

she does not please man who she belong to, huh?

Oh, it isn't that.

The people in town don't understand.

They are thinking the wrong thing

about your daughter and Mr. Sherman.

That is very foolish of them.Doesn't it bother you?

I'm not bothered by evil thoughts of others.

It is them who are bothered by them.

But she is your daughter,

her reputation is at stake.

Her reputation is without blemish.

Exactly, and I want to keep it that way.

That's why you must take her back immediately.

Cannot do that.

She is no longer mine to take.

Our laws forbid it.

Oh, that ridiculous law.

I don't see how you can bear to live with it.

I have to live by laws which are right for me.

If I do not,

I'm shamed in eyes of my tribe.

But I don't live by any such law

and I'm civilized.

I see you wear wedding ring.

You have husband?

My husband died some time ago.

Then why you still wear ring?

Why?

Because I was a married woman.

But your husband is dead.

Well, that doesn't make any difference.

The ring is a symbol of our marriage.

If I took it off, people wouldn't understand.

They would think the wrong thing about me

and I wouldn't like that.

You mean, you would lose face.

You would be shamed in eyes of your tribe.

I'm glad my people are not civilized.

We do not have to worry about wedding rings.

Now I have work to do...

it's been a very good meeting.

Look at those little rascals,

know exactly what to do.

Don't have to teach them a thing.

It is very late.

You will go to sleep now?

Not for a while yet.

I want to lock them up real good.

There's been a coyote around here

for the last few days.

Then I will make you some coffee.

Well, no.

Hey, why don't you get some sleep?

You've been working harder than I have.

My place is with you.

I will stay, too.

Don't you ever get tired?

To work hard is my duty

and my pleasure.

Are you happy here, Winona?

To keep busy is to be happy.

Don't you miss your people in the village?

I do not have time to miss them.

You're so different

and very beautiful.

'Course I suppose it's been told to you before.

Among my people we do not say these things,

we feel them.

See, that's the difference between you and me.

If I feel them I-- I've got to say them.

I'm beginning to think that I was lucky

having a chance to save your life.

Lucky that you people have that crazy law

that gave you to me.

The law was not meant to hurt anyone.

Well, Matt Cady was right about one thing.

You can't stay on here like this.

I no longer please you?

Yes, you please me,

you please me very much.

That's just the trouble.

When a man and woman please each other

and want to stay together,

well, it should be done legal and proper.

They should stand in front of a preacher

and have him read to them from the Good Book.

Do you like me, Winona?

You are a good man, strong yet gentle.

Well, that's not what I ask.

I want to know how you feel about me.

How do you wish me to feel about you?

With your heart, your love.

If that is your wish then that is how I feel.

Love isn't something you can order,

it's something that's inside of you

whether you want it to be there or not.

Is that what you feel for me?

Yes, that is what I feel.

You better fix that coffee.

[ door shuts ]

You come with me!

Leave her alone, mister!

No!

You bring me disgrace.

I hate you for this. Go.

What did he want with you?

It was nothing.

Didn't look that way to me.

Please, you will not tell Slim.

It would shame me and I owe him everything.

I bet you do. You owe him the truth.

What is the truth, Winona?

What is there between you and that brave?

I was pledged to marry him.

We were in love.

But that is over now.

It was wrong of Jacero to come here to ask me

to forget my duty.

You still in love with him?

No.

There is no room for love when a debt of honor must be paid.

Well, morning.

Morning.

How are the pups?

Oh, they're fine. Frisky as all get-out.

Oh, good.

Jess, I...

think I got it all figured out.

What?

About Winona.

Oh, yeah?

She's a fine girl, Jess.

Got to thinking about it last night.

She's the kind of girl that'd make a good wife for anyone.

For you?

Maybe.

I don't care what anybody says. She's staying on.

Got to have a chance to know each other, learn to care.

Think that's something you can just learn to do, Slim?

Well, how do you think it happens, like that?

Look, partner, this is something no man

can figure out for another.

I just get the feeling that you like her

because everybody says you're not supposed to.

Are you claiming I don't know my own mind?

No, I'm claiming you don't know hers.

Now what is that supposed to mean?

Well, you don't know anything about her, her past.

For all you know, there might be another man.

Now you're talking like Matt Cady.

She's not good enough for me.

That ain't true, I didn't say that.

I think Winona is a fine girl, it's just that--

[ door shuts ]

Oh, forget it.

Hello, Matt, kind of early for you to be here.

I'm looking for my no good brothers, Tess.

Usual place.

You got nothing better to do than to sit here?

All right, come on, get. Come on.

What's the matter, Matt? You getting old?

You come here, you see plenty of Tess.

Not when I got work to do.

You never give us any time off.

You treat us like we were a couple field hands

instead of your brothers.

Well, maybe I'm trying to keep you out of trouble.

Come on, let's get out of here.

What are you doing hanging around here, Indian?

Better move off.

I wish to trade for whisky.

You know I'm not allowed to sell liquor to you Arapahos.

Seems to me that your tribe is in enough hot water as it is,

what with your woman taking up with Slim Sherman.

That's a lie. He means nothing to her.

Well, I wouldn't know about.

Now get out of here.

He has no right to her.

For once in your lives,

you boys were in the right place at the right time.

Tess.

What are you talking about?

You want me, Matt?

Are we old enough friends for you to do me a big favor?

Sure, Matt, anytime.

That Indian boy looks like he could use some sympathy.

Sympathy? What kind?

Liquid. Lot's of it.

Hi.

I couldn't help hearing you in the bar.

I don't blame you for wanting that drink.

With troubles like yours, I'd want to drink too.

Come on, try it, it'll make you feel better.

[ coughs ]

Why should you care?

Maybe 'cause I know how you feel.

There was a boy in love with me once name of Johnny.

Another fellow tried to take me away from him

but Johnny wouldn't let him.

He figured if I was worth having,

I was worth fighting for, even worth killing for.

He got me back all right.

I guess I'm talking too much.

Maybe you don't price your girl that high.

Maybe you don't mind her belonging to Slim Sherman.

Maybe even you're scared of him.

Of course, I couldn't blame you if you were.

[ coughs ]

Boys, there's nothing like a fancy woman

and a bottle of whisky to get quick results.

I told you we'd wait for the right time

to take care of Sherman and the girl.

The time is now.

We're gonna let that Red Stick do it for us?

No, we'll let him set it up for us.

Whatever happens after that,

the town will know who to blame.

And it won't be us.

Up you go, tiger.

We'll be back before dark, Jess, I told Mrs. Wade

that I'd bring over the clothes for the new baby today.

Oh, the diapers, did you bring them, Mike?

Yup.

Okay, y'all get going.

That little baby is gonna be an old man

by the time you get there.

Bye.

Winona, have you thought about what I told you last night?

You still feel the same way?

Are you sure you're happy here?

Are you sure this is what you want?

Yes.

I wish I was a lot more sure

about the way you feel towards me.

Love is what you said,

something that must come slowly from inside.

Everything's gonna work out. I promise you that.

What do you want?

No!

[ grunting ]

Slim!

What's going on?

I don't know.

He just bursts in here and draws his knife on me.

Who is he?

He's the man she's in love with.

I tried to tell you before, they were gonna get married.

You came along and did what you did,

turned everything inside out.

Yeah, I guess I did a good job of it all right.

Well, you don't seem too surprised.

I had a feeling she was holding something back from me

but I guess I just didn't want to know what it was.

Why didn't you tell me that you loved him?

No, it is you I care for.

You care for me but you love him.

I hate him.

He has shamed me in your eyes and the eyes of all my people.

She's right. I shouldn't have come.

Only a fool drinks the white man's whisky.

Somebody give you a bottle?

The girl at the saloon.

The one they call Tess.

Matt Cady's girl.

It will not happen again.

I will leave the village.

I will go far away and never come back.

Now wait a minute.

No point in you running away if you love each other.

You go with him, Winona.

It's where you belong.

You still do not understand.

You saved her life.

Now she belongs to you forever.

There is no way to change that,

not without shame and disgrace.

[ crying ]

What do you suppose happened down there?

What's the difference?

Long as we finish what that Indian started,

only thing that matters is what people think

when they see that Sherman and the girl are dead.

What about Harper?

We'll have to chance that.

It's all or none.

Now remember what I told you.

Hold your fire till they come running out.

That ought to bring them out.

Winona.

Slim, it's better if we all keep busy.

Slim, the barn's on fire!

Trigger happy fools, you couldn't wait?

They'd have been sitting ducks.

You think that Indian did it?

No, but the Cadys probably want us to think so.

If that fires spreads anymore,

it's liable to take the house too.

We'll never get them here.

Slim, you keep them busy from here.

I'm gonna make a run for it out the back.

[ gunshot ]

[ gunshots ]

[ gunshots ]

[ gunshots ]

[ grunting ]

[ grunting ]

You stay down.

Jess!

[ gasps ]

[ grunting ]

No!

Stay where you are.

Jacero, are you all right?

He saved your life, Winona.

But Matt would have killed you if he didn't jump him.

Now what do the laws of your tribe say about that?

I do not know.

Well, I know.

From this moment on, you owe your life to him, not to me.

It means you are his property now.

That is an order?

That's an order.

You're a sweet girl, Winona.

I shall miss you.

I shall miss you, too.

Good luck, Winona.

Thank you.

You are a good man.

But not the right man.

You know something, Jess?

Yeah, I know, always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Yeah.

[ chuckles ]