Original subtitles

We're now traveling as high in the Rockies as our route will take us.

I never passed through here without thinking of Jim Bridger and all the stories he used

to tell about the mountain men.

This is a strange, remote part of the world, and only a certain breed of men live here,

whether they're Indian or white.

Bridger has a friend named Ruddy Blaine, who's roamed these mountains since he was a boy.

He knows them so well that even the Indians call him the Trailblazer.

I often wonder if on some hidden pinnacle out there he watches our progress, but there's

no finding him unless he wants to be found, not Ruddy or his constant companion, the Shoshone

whose life he saved from the Utes, the Indian known as the Serpent.

They say these two have a trail through the impenetrable heights of the Rockies, a trail

that has come to be known as the Path of the Serpent.

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There's only one route for wagons through this part of the Rockies, and we'll follow

it closely, check the landmarks every mile of the way.

It's the most dangerous stretch of wilderness between St. Joe and San Francisco.

This is Shoshone country, but this time of year other tribes prowl the forest, Utes ride

up from the south and sometimes find trading posts willing to give them guns and whiskey

in exchange for government goods, and then a rain of terror sweeps the countryside until

the fire water burns out.

Bring him in here, let's get him on that bunk, easy with him now, he's got his legs, easy

now, easy, careful, all right, say, yes sergeant, I must find the trailblazer, and he must come

to me as soon as possible, I'll try, go quickly boy, if anyone can find him, you can, I will,

take care of him, all right Eddie, my daughter's coming, she's coming here by wagon train,

19, she's come alone all the way from England, 19, can you believe it, just three years old

she was when her mother took her from me, I know Bart, you ain't talked to nothing else

for months, the train's not due for three or four weeks, I don't have that long, you

got to hold on, whatever would she do out here without you, I wasn't expecting anything

like this, a man gets lonely for the sight of his own flesh and blood, could you bring

her here, could you do that for me, oh, I don't know Bart, these mountains is crawling

with them bloody Utes, Eddie, you wouldn't ask me to die without seeing my daughter,

you could bring her here in five days, over the path of the serpent, take a girl over

that path, no one knows the path of the serpent but you and the Shoshone, if the Ute spots

you at least you'll have a chance to get away, Clay will go with you, won't you boy, of course

I will, you better put on your buckskins, oh Bart, sad times that come on us now, what

do you say, Eddie, you know I'll try, that's all I'll ask, hang on now, you hear me, I'll

not die, not till I've seen my daughter.

We're getting into your father's country pretty soon now, I've been hungering for something

all my life not knowing what it was, now I see it all before me and the wonderful smell

of pine trees and cedar and firs, giant mountains holding up the sky, it's all familiar to me,

I have such a sense of well-being, I'm home at last, well I hope you find what you're

hungering for, most people seldom do, haven't you?

No, no I keep riding up the mountain hoping that I'll find home but I always have an urgency

to keep riding on toward the horizon, oh do you know a man named Ruddy Blaine, he's

a scout too, Ruddy Blaine, sure he's a legend out here, he's my father's dearest friend,

that's so, Jim Bridger says that Ruddy Blaine is the greatest mountain man alive, what's

the matter?

Oh it's just the sounds, what sounds?

The sounds of the forest, but there isn't any sound at all, there's a pattern to the

sounds of the forest and if anything breaks it, it's a warning.

What kind of warning?

To keep your eyes open, I'm going to ride up ahead and have a look around.

What is it?

I don't know, maybe it's just my imagination or maybe I'm just edgy about the youths.

Yeah, me too, I've been listening for war cries all afternoon myself, well I think we'll

pull back under these trees and sit for a while, want me to pass the word?

Yeah, tell the people no shooting, no loud noises of any kind and tell Charlie not to

build any fires.

Got you.

Howdy.

Howdy.

Who's in charge of this outfit here?

I am.

Well I'm glad to see you, I'm Ruddy Blaine.

Ruddy Blaine, the devil you are.

No the devil I ain't, Ruddy Blaine's who I am and no kin to the devil.

This here's Corporal Clay Taylor.

Taylor, I'm glad to meet you, I'm Flint McCullough.

McCullough, Bridger raised him a cub named McCullough.

That'd be me.

Well now I'm glad to meet you.

Say how is that old coon Bridger?

Oh he's the same, last time I saw him was in St. Louis, he was getting ready to take

a train west for the army.

Oh that's him, I tell you that old fellow will be leading a train west when he's ready

to die.

Come on into the camp.

Oh I'd sure like to but, well it's urgent business I'm here on, we're here to collect

a young lady for her pa, her name's Penelope Huntington.

Something gone wrong?

Well the Utes attacked the fort, her pa's a sergeant there, they wiped out nearly half

the command, he's sore wounded, he's just barely hanging on hoping to see his girl.

Well it'll take us twelve or fourteen days to get to the fort.

I figure I can make it in two, over the path of the serpent.

You think that's going to be safe for the girl?

I ain't one to deny what she'd be a lot better off here with you, but if she wants to see

her pa alive, she's got a chance of it.

What about the Utes?

We scouted both sides of the river, there ain't no sign of them now.

All right I'll take it.

All my life I've heard of the path of the serpent, all my life, and now you're going

out there after him and I can't even go along.

Well this isn't exactly a pleasure trip you know.

Why do I have to stay back with the women and children all the time?

They'll begin to call me your homebody Charlie, homebody Charlie, that's what they call me.

We have to keep you in a safe place, you know every time an Indian sees that brush on your

face he gets an itchy finger.

I want to see the path of the serpent.

What was that you said Charlie?

Oh nothing, I was just talking.

He wants to see the path of the serpent.

Well I can't blame you for that, but you and I have got a job to do taking care of the

train.

Well as long as you put it that way.

That's the only way to put it, that's the way it is.

I'll pick out a horse for you.

All right.

You know Charlie, I'll take a good look at it for you, huh?

Stay home Charlie, yeah, them or the women and children.

I hope that serpent bites them.

I sure hate to be the one to bring you this bad news girl.

I know you are, and I appreciate your kindness in making such a dangerous trip.

This is my friend, he's going to make the trip with us.

He's a Shoshone, he was raised in captivity by the Utes.

He can only talk with us in sign language, they cut out his tongue when he was just a

little fella.

It's his path we're going to journey.

I can do it.

Sure.

Now that I've met you, I know you can.

You'd better get started if you're going to cover any ground before daybreak.

I'll give you a hand here.

I hope you'll find that your father's better.

And I'll see you when I see you.

Yeah.

I'm glad I met you, Eddie.

You see old Bridger, tell him we met up, and tell him he done a fine job on you.

Out here, you learn to sleep whenever you can.

I can't sleep.

Well, you don't have nothing to fear, serpents watching from the trees, and I'm watching

down here.

I'm not afraid.

You know, I seem to remember this place before.

Something about the way the trees are bending over me.

I remember it from a long time ago.

Well, you was born in this country, girl.

Well, I was only three years old when I left.

How could I possibly remember that?

Well, the Indians got a saying.

They say when a baby's born, it first opens its eyes if it sees the shining mountains.

It'll never be happy in no other place.

The shining mountains.

What a beautiful name.

Why would anybody want to call them the Rockies?

Oh, I don't know.

I guess maybe because they're old and tough and cranky.

I call them a lot worse than that in my time.

I'll never call them anything but the shining mountains.

You sure got the look of your ma, girl.

You almost take my breath away.

You knew my mother?

Oh, your pa and I, we met her at the same time.

Your hair is like hers, and your eyes, they're like hers.

I think your smile, that's more like your pa's.

I think your feeling for this country, that's like your pa's, too.

Your ma, she hated it.

I never knew that.

Oh, sure.

Well, she wouldn't have lasted another winter.

Pa, he done wrong bringing her out here.

Well, your ma was a beautiful, gentle person, but she didn't have the kind of strength it

took to stand up against this country.

Well, I came here because I wanted to come.

I can stand up against it.

I've seen a lot of women come out here.

I've seen what it does to them.

Not like her, Ruddy.

No one ever came out here quite like her.

Thank you.

I've come to stay.

You can't stay alone.

Well, I don't have to cross that bridge yet.

He sighted something.

Clay, you stay here with Penny.

Come on, Bill.

I was born here, too.

Then you must feel as I do.

Well, I lived here all my life, but never took notice of the shining mountains until the day.

He sighted the huge signal fires.

They're saying they've seen a party of three white men and a white woman in the forest.

I know, I know there's danger for the girl.

Leave the horses.

Ruddy, we won't make any time at all on foot.

It would be a lot harder to find on foot, though, than on horseback.

Yeah, I guess I'm just too worried about Penny.

I want to get her there as soon as we can.

You gotta trust this Indian, Bill.

He never failed me yet.

Besides, we can leave the horses here.

At this speed and water, they might be here when we get back.

Let's go.

You know we're heading for the river.

How? How do they know?

Well, this is their part of the country.

Every time we make a move, we send them a message.

Sounds of the forest, isn't it?

It's a simple way to put it, yeah.

Penny! Penny! Penny!

Penny! Penny! Penny!

If you hadn't killed that Indian, you might not be alive.

Now, be quiet!

Can't you see what this serpent's doing to him?

It's only what any other Indian would do.

It's the spoils of war, and they ain't never very pretty.

You're gonna have to get used to that if you want to stay in this country.

It's all part of your shining mountains.

We gotta get out of here.

There's bound to be more of them mutes around here.

We gotta get down to the river quick.

I got a couple of canoes hidden there.

Bill, Clay, you ready?

Yeah.

Let's go.

How long will it be now?

We're lucky we ought to reach the fort by daybreak.

As long as I've lived, I've dreamed of coming out here.

Oh, Mr. Blaine, I can't lose my father now.

Now, don't you go letting your mind dwell on that.

You're right.

You live at the post, Mr. Blaine?

No, the forest is my home.

In a cabin?

Well, I was always gonna build a cabin.

I just never got around to it.

Maybe if I was married, it would have been different.

As it is, the older I get, the more four-wall streets I see.

The more four-walls sort of squeeze me in.

You never married?

Oh, now, girl, dear, some men is husband material, and some ain't.

Now, I took the big old sky, the wind, mountains for mine.

You never loved anyone?

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

I must have, once, when I was younger.

God, no one ever loved me, though.

Nope. If someone had wanted me, it might have been a little different.

You mean a man who's loved has no need of a mountain?

Something like that.

My mother loved my father very much.

She never loved anyone else but him, as long as she lived.

Yet she stayed in England, and he stayed here on the mountain.

Well, if I'd have had to love someone like your ma, I'd have...

I'd have lived in Timbuktu.

Oh, I see.

That's all a long time ago.

I've never met anyone like her before.

Well, she's a mighty nice young lady.

Nice?

Well, she's the kind of girl, if you see her, you know you've seen her.

You mean she's beautiful?

You think so?

Yeah.

In a brotherly sort of way.

I'm glad that's all it is.

Not that it'll be perfectly all right.

After all, I have no hold on her.

Not that it'll be perfectly all right.

After all, I have no hold on her.

That's right.

There was a moment last night when she turned and smiled.

She didn't say anything, mind you.

She just smiled.

But it seemed a very special smile.

One that really meant something.

If you know what I mean.

You're not hard to follow.

And in just that much time,

it was as though my whole life was starting over.

Guess I sound as though I've suddenly taken leave of my senses, huh?

Well, you have.

You know, sometimes it happens that way.

But tell me, you've had experience.

You're an older man.

Well, Clay, the older you get and the more experience,

the more you find out the age and experience doesn't get you to know about women.

Yeah, well, that's pretty depressing.

No, it isn't.

I find that it feels kind of good to think that no matter how old I get,

that someday I might feel like you again.

Absolutely miserable?

Absolutely.

I wish I knew how she felt.

Why don't you ask her?

Oh, I don't know her well enough.

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It's only a short walk to the fort from here.

I'll send the serpent ashore to make sure all's well.

They'll not be walking into no trap.

Clay, you and Bill stay here and take care of the girl.

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You still alive?

Bart?

Ready.

What day is it?

It's Friday.

I've been gone five days.

You left me some brandy.

Ah, I'll get it.

Don't you move.

Goodbye.

I held on.

What's been going on around here?

This corpse is standing around out there

with a razor hair on the back of your neck.

They've come back.

That devil's come back to finish us.

We drove them off.

And orders come to abandon the fort.

Move on to the colonel's garrison.

I told them not to come back.

I told them not to come back.

Listen.

I told them not to take me.

I had to wait.

See my daughter.

You brought her ready.

It didn't fail me.

I brought her.

I brought her.

Do you know the sight I got to walk her through?

There's Bennington and Brown and Charlie and Hill

standing around out there.

It was the lieutenant's inspiration.

I put your old comrades out to keep the watch

before he zips me.

The blasted utes are so full of liquor.

They'll think the fort's still manned.

Billy be darned.

I would have given him a right arm

to have seen your face when you walked up to him.

It's a grim joke to be playing.

You best fetch my daughter.

Come on.

They want us to come.

Everything must be all right.

I got a terrible sight to walk you by, girl dear.

I know.

Father.

My little girl.

God is good.

You heard my prayers.

Good morning.

No, no, no, no.

We won't waste time in tears.

You favor your mother.

I hoped you would.

Ruddy, don't you favor a mother?

Yeah.

Clay, little boy.

Glad to see you.

Never expected to lay eyes on you again in this life.

Better let me take a look at that wound, Bart.

Not now.

I want to look at my daughter.

Girl, dear.

We come together barely in time to say a proper goodbye.

You're all I have in this world.

I'm all you have.

I've been thinking of nothing else lying here.

Oh, Father.

I don't have much to leave here in the way of worldly goods.

But I have a friend.

The finest man that ever drew breath.

Ruddy, come closer to me.

My eyes are not seeing like they should.

You'll never fail me.

Never once in all these years.

You'll not fail me now.

You'll grant me a last request.

You just name her, Bart.

Penny.

You'll do as I ask, like a true, affectionate daughter.

Yes, Father.

Like a true, affectionate daughter.

Yes, Father.

Ruddy.

You're on my deathbed.

I ask you to give me assurance that I can be leaving this world in peace.

I ask you to marry my daughter.

Marry?

Aye.

Oh, Bart, I'm old enough to be your pa.

Age has got nothing to do with it.

You're the bravest scout in the Rockies.

She ought to marry someone young.

Young?

Well, you're in your prime.

Not a young man in this country can stand against Ruddy Blaine.

Any woman would be proud to have you.

Tell him. Tell him, daughter.

But, Father, Mr. Blaine and I have only just met.

I never wrote you a letter without mentioning his name.

It's the truth, is it not?

Yes.

Look at her.

Shy as a doe.

Oh, Bart, quit it. You're embarrassing her.

Look at you. Blushing.

Bart, you're getting to me, too. Now, quit it.

We'd better wait outside.

No, Bill. Time's running out.

I want my friends about me.

Clay here grew up in this command.

What I have to say can be said in front of friends like you.

You must be going out of your head with pain.

Now, I want you to stop it.

You know I ain't suitable for her. I'm a mountain man.

Trailblazer.

No need for you to apologize to any daughter of mine for what you are.

Well, I was a man growed when she was born.

Look at her, Bart.

She's young and fair.

She belongs with someone young and fair like herself.

The name of heaven, man.

You know I had no time to shop around.

She's a girl of education. She's even been across the big ocean.

Now, leaving age out of it, Bart,

what have I got to offer a girl like her?

You've got your name,

your honor, and your good right arm.

All that's holy.

Why are you suddenly turning into a shrinking violet before my very eyes?

Is my daughter not good enough for you?

I'm trying to tell you I ain't good enough for her.

Well...

I know what I am.

A blind man can see what she is.

I say you are good enough for her.

Nobody in this world knows you as well as I do.

Penny, it's the last wish of my heart.

You'll marry my friend.

I know how you've spent your life in the mountains.

And I know how little place a wife has in the way you've lived.

But if you'll honor my father's wish,

I'll try to learn your ways and not be a burden.

You don't know what you're saying to me.

That's like gulping the doorways of heaven.

I'll live and die for her, Bart.

And die for you.

I'll...

I'll build the finest cabin in the country for her.

I'll bring furniture from New York and Boston.

I'll trap the furs myself.

Oh, that young and beautiful life and you're giving it to me.

I'll sure take good care of it.

It's settled.

It's settled.

Now I'm content.

Now I'm content.

I've done well for you, Penny.

The years to come will show you how well.

Miss Lee, right away.

The devils will be back come night.

If you're here, you're done for.

I don't want to leave you.

I have not much longer to stay.

Go.

Go now.

Please.

He'll be hunting for you.

Go now, quickly.

Go as you come.

By the path of the serpent.

It seems like hours since Ruddy and the serpent went off.

No, they've been gone about an hour.

You know, it's strange how peaceful it is.

Just like any summer day.

I was thinking of winter.

Every year, as soon as the winter snows melted,

Ruddy would come to the fort.

He began standing on the parapet when I was six years old,

watching for the first sign of him on the mountain.

As older, he scoped the mountain to meet him.

When I was 15, my father let me spend the whole winter with Ruddy.

Ruddy taught me to trap, shoot,

pilot a canoe,

live from the forest and the stream.

Next year, my father died and I went with Ruddy and the serpent again.

I have no other family.

Yeah, I know.

One week ago,

I stood in the same spot looking up at those same hills.

I never loved a woman nor hated a man.

Now I'm here,

burying comrades of a week ago.

Torn in two with love and hate.

Hoping for the death of a man that's been like a father.

All because I want the love of a woman I didn't even know a week ago.

I realize this isn't the time to tell you this, Clay,

but the world doesn't begin or end with one person.

You're at the age to fall in love again.

You will.

Yeah, well, I'm not as cynical as you are.

Well, it's like you said yourself.

You're not as old.

I'll get Penny.

Did you tell her what I said last night?

Nope.

Then at least she doesn't know how I feel.

Well, I don't know how she could miss it if she's taking a good look at you.

Bill,

don't let me do anything I'd be sorry for.

Hey, wait a minute.

You're not threatening Ruddy, are you?

I'm not threatening.

I'm asking for help.

I'm afraid of what I might do.

Penny's made up her mind, Buster.

You get that through that thick head of yours.

I'm gonna go with the serpent in case he has to leave us.

Clay, I think it'd be best if you took the girl with you.

She's better off with you.

Can't I go with Mr. Hawks?

Well, we have business to discuss.

The rest of my belongings are still with the train.

Well, no matter who you go with, let's get going.

Come on.

Hey.

Have you quarreled with that girl?

No.

I feel there's something wrong between you.

There's nothing.

I feel there is.

Look, we've hardly spoken. How could we have quarreled?

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Then how could we have quarreled?

Then why wouldn't you pilot her canoe?

I thought you two should ride together.

You must have a lot to talk about.

Well, there's time for talk when she's out of danger.

Clay, look, I raised you since you were a little kid.

You're almost like a son to me.

That girl

is the grandest thing ever to walk this Earth.

I want you to be friends.

Now, tell me what's wrong between you.

There's nothing.

There's nothing between us.

I thought you wanted to talk to me.

I do.

We've been traveling for a couple hours and you haven't said anything yet.

I know.

You want me to tell you what I know about Ruddy Blaine?

My father already told me all about him.

He's a nice man, Penny.

I know.

It's in his face for everyone to read.

You want to talk about the decision you made?

The decision's already made.

What I'm trying to say is that

there's something bothering you out here, my friend.

So much has happened to me, I can't digest it all yet.

I feel

more has happened to me in the last few hours

than has happened in my whole lifetime.

Penny, don't talk about your lifetime as though you've already lived it.

Your life's just beginning.

Is it?

He spotted us.

They're across the river below us.

Yes.

They're signaling to head for this river.

We'd better trust our luck on land.

Hey, see if you can find a hiding place for the girl over there.

Go on, get going.

Bill, you expect we can get these canoes underwater?

Let's give them a try.

How long must we wait here?

Until the serpent says it's all clear.

I suppose he doesn't come back.

He will, don't worry.

Look.

Do you see anyone following him?

Colin, we missed him.

Colin, we missed him.

Says there's a big war party in.

They're feeling mean because they ain't taking no scalps out to get ours.

No guns, Clay.

One shot, no telling how many of them will come down on us.

They're starting this way.

Jack!

Help!

Help!

Come on.

Thank you, boy.

You durned your hat?

You did them the same for me.

Well, the horses are still here.

They never did find them.

Seems so long since we were here.

The serpent says the forest's mostly clear now.

Better take a couple hours rest before we shove off.

Yeah, I expect you're right, Bill.

You all right, girl dear?

I'm fine.

Just tired.

Hey, Bill.

There's something wrong here.

Clay say anything to you?

Said he wants to go as far as Denver with a wagon train to that army post.

Wants a change of duty.

He wants it.

Why would he want that?

You raised him, Ruddy.

You know him better than anybody else.

You gonna tell me what's chewing on you?

You gonna tell me what's chewing on you?

I told you it was nothing.

You never told me you was gonna join up with wagon train.

I've been wanting to see Denver for a long time.

Is this the child that used to run across the hills to meet me?

The kid would I help raise?

The son I never had?

Why don't you tell me what's come between us?

How come you changed towards me?

I ain't changed toward you.

How many times I have to tell you it's nothing?

It's a girl.

Ain't it? It's a girl.

That's why you figure you couldn't tell me.

Did you think I wouldn't understand?

How would I not understand?

The moment I saw her,

it was as though a special moment.

A spell came over me.

I didn't know her father's plans. I didn't know she was to be yours.

The world suddenly glowed with an excitement and a fire and the world was Penelope.

I'm sorry.

Why'd you make me tell you?

Now it's been said and it's always gonna be between us.

Oh, there ain't nothing gonna be between us.

You can't wipe out 20 years of friendship just like that.

Have you told her how you feel?

You're aiming to, ain't you?

No.

Don't you figure she's got a right to know?

She has no right.

A man's love is his own.

To speak or not is he chooses.

I don't see it that way.

I figure she's got a right to know.

I think you ought to tell her.

She's made her decision.

You ain't gonna tell her.

No, I'm not gonna tell her.

All right.

Why are you telling me this?

While my father was dying, didn't...

Your Paul was my oldest and my closest friend.

I know what was in his heart when he gave you into my keeping.

He wanted to make sure of your happiness and if he thought it was gonna be with...

But I haven't said my happiness was with Clay.

Oh, you don't have to say that, girl.

Dear, your eyes is full of it.

I didn't want to hurt you.

Clay and I have never spoken of love.

Well, you speak of it now.

You got a lot to say to each other.

Oh, now, look.

The time has long passed for me to go building a cabin.

Woman's gotta have a home.

I told you before that...

The forest is my home.

But we pledged our words.

If your Paul was here and...

Note the fix we was all in.

I don't think he'd mind if I gave up my trust to another.

Look, you're... You're both young.

You're full of all the promise and happiness that belongs to the young'uns.

Now, I love you. I love you both. I always will.

You... You go on.

I... I leave you with my blessing.

Go on. You go to him.

Go on. You go to him.

This the way you want it to end?

It's the only way it could end, Bill.

The only way for all of us.

There ain't no home for a woman on the path of the serpent.

© BF-WATCH TV 2021

© BF-WATCH TV 2021

© BF-WATCH TV 2021