Original subtitles

Okay.

St. Joseph.

St. Joseph, Missouri.

In the line, folks.

Everybody off in St. Joe.

St. Joseph.

You worried?

Aren't you?

Everything's going just the way we planned.

Damn it.

Saunders. No!

Couldn't be.

Split up.

Each man take a car.

Take this. Meet me in Fort Kent.

What are you doing?

Hold it right there. Come on.

Where are his bags?

His wife probably took them. His wife?

The young lady he was traveling with.

I overheard him talk about going to Fort Kearney.

Damn it.

What does she look like?

You can't just go

That'll be $1.

They full up over at the weigh station?

No, but I'm tired of sleeping under those hard bunks.

Well, you'll sleep comfortable.

Room 211, upstairs, into the hall. Thank you.

Excuse me.

Welcome to Seneca, ma'am. Can I help you?

Yes, I'd like a room, please.

Oh, ma'am, I'm sorry, but that gentleman got my last room. Oh, you must have

something. The stagecoach driver said this is the only hotel in town.

Well, it is, ma'am.

But I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do. Ma'am, don't worry. You take my room.

Oh, that's very kind, but I couldn't. No, please. I have another place to

stay. Are you sure? I insist.

Room 211.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Give him a dollar back.

here you go ma'am thank you

Pardon me.

No, no, please don't get up. I just stopped by to inquire if you found a

place to stay.

Yes, ma'am, I did.

Good.

You were a godsend today.

I don't know how to thank you. Well, I'd consider the debt paid if you'd join me

for supper.

No, no, I couldn't impose on you again.

I wouldn't be imposing. I'd enjoy the company. Please.

I'm Margaret Calhoun. Pleased to meet you. Folks call me Kid.

The hotel clerk said that you work for the Pony Express.

That's right.

Rock Creek's my home station.

Is that anywhere near Fort Kearney?

No, but you'd pass through it on the way.

Is that where you're headed, Fort Kearney?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Well, that's quite a distance to be traveling, especially on the stage.

I've ridden through Fort Kearney quite a few times in my restaurants.

Nice place.

I'm looking for a young woman.

I have some family business there.

It must be awfully important to travel that far.

There was one came in on the stage today. I put her upstairs in room 211.

There's a bunch of us who ride for the Express.

We've been out in these parts only a short time.

We used to be in Sweetwater, but the company, they moved us to Rock Creek.

They had trouble keeping the station open.

Something wrong?

Oh, no.

I was just thinking how romantic that sounds.

Really?

Kid, do you read any poetry?

Sometimes.

Here. I think you'll like this. I want you to have it as a token of my

gratitude.

Thank you.

Pardon me.

If you're looking for that young lady, she mentioned she was going to have her

supper in the dining room.

Why, thank you very much, ma'am.

Oh, oh, my, I... I'm really feeling faint all of a sudden.

Oh, if you'll excuse me.

It's nothing to be concerned about, I assure you.

A good night's rest is all I need. No,

no, I insist.

You have your supper.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

Was there a young lady sitting with you?

Yes, there was. Where is she?

Why do you want to know?

That's a military matter. Now, where'd she go?

She said she wasn't feeling well and decided to excuse herself.

Look out back and check the street.

Enough talk. It's time to vote.

All those in favor of a special tax to rebuild the schoolhouse, vote aye.

Aye.

Those opposed?

No.

The ayes have it. What sense does it make to build a new schoolhouse? We

ain't even got a teacher.

Don't worry. I got notices in every paper between here and St. Joe.

Teaspoon, we'll need books, too. All the school's books burned in the fire.

There must be plenty of books right here in town.

Why don't we just take up a collection for the kids to use till the new ones

get here? Good idea, Noah.

Rachel, will you handle that? I'd be glad to.

Then if there's no further business, I declare this meeting adjourned.

Hey. Hey.

How's your ride?

Oh, it's good.

We missed you around here.

It was terrible, kid.

The schoolhouse exploded in flames, didn't it, Cody?

It was one of the worst fires I ever saw.

Wasn't nothing we could do about it.

That's a shame about Mr. Harrison.

What's that?

The book a woman gave me.

A woman?

I'm on the way back from my run. I stopped off at the Seneca Hotel.

I thought I'd sleep in one of the... How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.

Must have been a very interesting trip there, kid.

Those are love poems.

Why'd some woman give you that?

Oh, come on, Lou. You make it sound like something happened.

Sounds like it to me, kid. You weren't helping much, Cody. What am I supposed

to think?

Cody.

It's a present for you.

A present?

Yeah. The hotel I stayed at... The hotel I stayed at ran out of rooms, and

an old lady... An

old lady needed one, so I gave her mine. This is a token of her appreciation.

An old lady gave you that?

That's right.

I wouldn't even have took it if I didn't think you'd like it.

Thank you, kid.

I never should have doubted you.

Thank you for the donation, sir. School appreciates it.

Get back to work, Jesse.

All right, everybody!

Grab hold.

We'll raise her.

Horses ready?

Yep.

All right.

On a count of three.

One.

I'll go with you.

Don't bother. You're busy.

I'm never too busy to say goodbye to you.

For you.

Hello, kid.

Margaret, what are you doing here?

I just stopped by on the way to Fort Kearney.

I realized no one was here, so I let myself in so I could write you a note.

We were over at the school race, and you ought to come see it.

I'd love to.

How do you two know each other?

We don't really. We met in Seneca the other day.

Kid was kind enough to give me his hotel room.

Oh, so you're the one who gave him that book of poems, then?

Yes, yes, I did.

I hope you're enjoying it.

I'm sure y'all have a lot to talk about, if you'll excuse me.

Lou!

Did I say something wrong?

No.

Come on, I'll walk you over to the hotel.

Oh, can I trouble you for a small favor first?

Sure. There's a poem in that book that I'm particularly fond of.

May I borrow it so I can write a copy for myself?

Well, I don't have it right now. I can get it to you later, though.

You won't forget?

Promise.

Well,

you never told me what you were going to do in Fort Kearney.

Oh, it's just family business.

I won't bore you with the details.

Oh, it couldn't be that boring. What, with soldiers chasing you?

What soldiers?

Well, tell the other night. They came looking for you right after you left.

Well, you haven't seen them around here, have you?

You in some kind of trouble, Margaret?

Then I might be able to help.

They murdered my husband.

The soldiers?

No, their commander.

Captain Saunders.

What happened?

My husband caught him cheating at cards.

And the next night, Saunders shot him.

I saw it, but he didn't realize it.

I told the sheriff, but Saunders denied everything.

And... His men backed him up.

Only now they're... They're trying to kill me.

I thought if I ran for it, I would stop.

It's gonna be all right.

Come on.

Let's get you to your room.

Appreciate you letting us store these books at your office, Teaspoon.

Oh, glad I could help.

I think we got the beginnings of a real fine library for the school.

But soft.

What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

William Shakespeare.

This here is Robinson Crusoe. Ain't he that fellow that got stuck on the

island? Yes. Oh, it's wonderful.

Bet you'd love it. It was my favorite when I was younger.

For months, all I could dream of was being shipwrecked on a deserted island.

Well, I might give it a try.

You should.

You know, that's the great thing about reading.

Just by turning a page, you can be in another country, in another time.

I love books. Can you tell?

You know, I got the job for you.

Oh?

Pay ain't much, but the hours are decent.

You'd be perfect.

What are you talking about?

Being a new school mark.

Me? Yep.

No, I couldn't do that.

Oh, sure you could.

How could I teach school when I hardly had any myself?

Well, education ain't where you learned. It's what you know.

Well, you got more education teaching yourself than most people I know went to

college.

But it takes training to be a teacher.

I wouldn't know where to start with students.

Start where you started with yourself. Find something that they're curious

about and let that work for you.

Well... I'd be willing to give it a try if folks didn't object.

Well, why would they?

Well, let's face it, Teaspoon, I'm not exactly the school-marm type.

Well, believe me, you'll do just fine.

Hold on. Hold on.

What are you saying this woman looked like?

I've never seen her.

I've been told she's about 25, red hair.

Quite attractive.

Well, then, I wouldn't mind meeting her myself.

Excuse me.

Why are you so anxious to catch up with her?

She's carrying stolen military documents.

Now, I've been ordered to recover them before she delivers them to Southern

sympathizers. I wished I could help you, but I don't recall any one of that

description. I have reason to believe that one of your Pony Express riders met

her in Seneca four days ago.

Well, that'd be the kid.

He mentioned something to me about meeting some lady and she gave him some

kind of book.

What kind of book?

I don't have it. What'd you do with it?

I gave it to one of the riders.

Which one?

Lou, but he's out on a ride.

I'm gonna search his bunk.

And you got no right to do that.

You get out of my way, son. This is private property.

Sergeant. Now, hold on a minute. Hold on a minute!

Now, nobody wants any trouble here.

Now, how about if we do the searching?

And you watch. Will that suit you?

Let's get on with it.

Come on, kid.

What the hell was that?

It's a dress.

It's a present he bought for a girl in town.

The book is not here.

You must have taken it with him. Where is he?

He made the express run to Lone Tree. He'll be back by supper.

Sergeant.

Why is he so anxious to get that book?

Hey, where you going?

Hey, where you going?

But I told you the truth. No, you didn't.

Saunders says you're spying for the South.

He's here?

Margaret, what's going on?

Don't believe Saunders.

He's not a soldier. He's an outlaw.

What? He murdered the real soldiers and stole their uniforms. It's the truth. I

swear it. Then what's he want with that book?

You didn't give it to him, did you?

No. Lou's got it.

Saunders doesn't know where Lou is, does he?

Yes. My God, kid.

Saunders will kill Lou to get that.

It's an express rider.

What's wrong, Kevin?

Is your name Lou?

That's right.

I think you're carrying something I want.

I ain't allowed to give out letters, sir. You're gonna have to pick it up at

the weigh station.

I'm not talking about a letter. I want that book.

What book?

The one your friend gave you. Hand it over.

Why? Don't argue with me, boy.

I'll take it if I have to.

I don't have it. It's back in Rock Creek.

You're lying.

Search him.

You can't do that.

Stop it!

Yeah.

Those soldiers just about killed me for that book.

They're not soldiers. They're outlaws.

Did you give them the book?

No. I gave it to the school.

Figured they needed it more than me.

What's in it that's so important?

Nothing that's got anything to do with us. Sure it does. It might be plans

about the war that's coming.

Damn it. I'm sick of being dragged into other people's fights. It's our fight.

It's our country. Why do you keep running from it? Why are you so anxious

to get blood on your hands?

Hold on! That's enough!

Well, you two are going at each other the one person that could tell us the

truth is probably leaving town Let's go find Margaret

He's

still mad

I don't like being lied to I'm sorry I shouldn't have

When you saw that book, you acted as though I did something wrong.

I didn't say that.

No, but you were thinking it.

That's still no reason to lie to me.

You would have gotten more upset if I told you Margaret was pretty.

You're trying to blame all this on me, and I didn't do anything.

Neither did I. That's the point.

You acted as though I did, and I lied to defend myself.

We're both wrong.

You really think she's pretty?

Not compared to you.

Looks like you're coming right along.

Yep. Another week, we'll be open for business.

The hotel's donating tables and chairs, and we collected over 100 books for the

library. Yeah, but you still ain't got a teacher.

Well, as a matter of fact, I found somebody who's perfect, and she lives

right here in town.

Who?

Rachel.

Are you joking about this?

No, he's not.

I'd like to jive.

Well, pardon me, Rachel, but what makes you think you can teach school?

Well, I love books and education.

I taught myself.

You don't have any schooling? Nothing formal, no ma'am.

I believe President Lincoln never went to school neither.

Well, that's fine for politicians.

But a school teacher ought to have an education.

I am educated.

Folks say you once associated with men of questionable reputation.

It's true I once worked with a gambler, but that was a long time ago.

I don't think that's an appropriate influence for our children.

Do you, Mr. Tompkins?

Can't say that I do.

I'm not going to teach them how to gamble. I'm going to teach them how to

read and write and do their figures.

Well, we know that, Rachel, but it just wouldn't look good. You understand,

don't you?

Yeah.

I understand.

Sorry to trouble you.

Rachel Tompkins, that lady is one of the most wonderful women I've ever met in my

life. Of course she's made mistakes, but she's learned from them. She's a better

person for it. That's why she'd make a great teacher, because she knows

mistakes is part of learning.

Of course, I don't expect you people to understand any of that. You're so damn

perfect.

What's so important about this book?

Damn it, Margaret, Lou almost got killed over this thing. What's Saunders want

with it?

This. Wait a minute.

You're going to try to tell us this is all some ripped page?

The other half of this is held by a man I'm supposed to meet in Fort Kearney.

Now, we don't know each other. This is the only way I have of identifying

myself.

If this page matches with his, he'll give me certain documents. What

documents?

The government in Washington needs gold to fight the war that's coming.

Most of that gold is sent by ship from California.

Now, if the Southern forces know what ships it's being sent on, they can steal

it for themselves.

So this man is a Southern sympathizer?

Yes, and he's going to give me a copy of a stolen shipping schedule so I can

carry it south.

So you're spying for them? No, I only posed as a sympathizer to get a copy of

the schedule.

Why should we believe you?

Because I'm telling the truth.

I swear it.

Look, no one can stop this war that's coming. But at least we can shorten it

by making sure that the North gets that gold.

I don't want my husband's death to be for nothing.

What do you think about this?

I don't trust her.

That's your opinion, Jimmy. I do trust her.

Why? She's lied about everything.

I say we don't get involved.

We're involved whether we like it or not.

You're drugged.

No matter what we do, we're going to be helping out one side or the other. But

we don't know which one. She says she's working for the union, but what if she's

not? By helping her, we could be helping out slavers.

Politics don't matter. Facts are simple.

Saunders is a renegade. He tried to kill Lou for this book, and he'll try it

again. That means we've got a choice.

We either wait for him to make his move, or we make ours.

I don't see your friends.

Don't worry they've been shadowing us since Rock Creek.

What now?

We check into the hotel.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to wrap up the book and leave it for a man at the desk

named Farnsworth.

He's the one I told you about.

He'll contact me if the pages match.

Afternoon. Need a room?

Two, please. Sign here, please.

107 and 108.

Thank you. You're welcome.

It's in the police.

Don't you make a sound.

It's empty.

What was that?

Jonathan! I heard something!

Grace? Margaret?

Lord, no.

I should have given that book to Margaret.

Saunders might not have shot her if he'd gotten it.

It ain't your fault, kid.

Nobody thought he'd try anything until she got that gold schedule.

This book has caused so much damn trouble, I feel like burning it.

Not till we get Saunders. He's gonna pay for what he did.

Well... There might be one way to smoke him out. How's that?

Get the gold schedule from Farnsworth. We can't without Margaret.

There might be another way.

I'll be Margaret.

No, you won't. Why not?

Farnsworth doesn't know what Margaret looks like.

It's too dangerous.

Not with you four keeping an eye on me. If anything happens, you'll be right

there. Just might work, kid.

I don't like it.

Let's lose Nick.

Makes it her decision.

Rachel!

Teaspoon, what are you doing? Why are these children here? Well, they come for

learning. The school's at the other end of town. But the teacher is here.

Teaspoon, you heard what those folks said. I'm not a good influence.

I'll be right back.

Rachel, if I was you, I'd put more stock in what these children think than in

what Tompkins said.

But it's not up to those children now, is it? Maybe not, but they need a

teacher. Even Jesse's getting bored without his lessons.

Seems to me everybody gains from this.

All right, I'll try.

Atta girl.

But you have to hang up this laundry. Oh.

All right, follow me.

Jesse.

Yes,

ma'am, may I help you?

I'd like a room, please.

Right away.

Oh, I'd like to leave this for a friend of mine.

His name's Farnsworth?

Yes, ma'am, Mr.

Farnsworth. I'll see that he gets it.

203. Thank you.

Well, I can't leave. No, I've got customers to take care of. A teaspoon,

Sid. It's important.

It won't take a minute. All right.

What are you reading, Jesse?

This is a dumb book. Let me see.

The Last of the Mohicans.

This is a great book.

It's full of adventure.

Who can tell me what a novel is?

It's a made-up story.

That's right.

You mean it ain't true?

Well, not exactly, no.

Then what's the good of reading it?

Good question.

Who can tell me why we should read stories that aren't true?

Can you?

Oh, come on. Somebody's got an answer.

For fun? For fun. That's a good answer. Yeah. Yeah.

Why else?

How about entertainment or adventure?

I don't know about you.

But this looks like learning to me.

Where's Twin Bluffs?

It's about three miles north of town.

I'm supposed to come alone.

So that means we're gonna have to get out there ahead of you.

If we leave at dawn, we'll have plenty of time to get in position.

I don't like it. We'll be at the hotel too long.

I'm gonna stay back and follow you. No.

If he sees you, it might scare him off.

Better go with him.

Thank you.

Amen.

Well, well, well, well, well.

I must say, you're a hell of a lot more affectionate as a woman than you are a

pony express rider.

You're too early.

I haven't got the schedule yet.

You never will, headed that way.

Mr. Farnsworth isn't waiting over in Twin Bluffs.

He's over at the pond.

How do you know?

Because I took the letter he wrote to you.

Left mine in its place.

I had to get rid of your friends.

Don't do that.

If you know where Farnsworth is, why don't you get the schedule yourself?

Because he might be too careful to bring it with him.

Besides, he's expected a woman.

I need you to get it for me.

What if I don't?

Oh, you will.

Go, boys.

There's no sign of her.

Something's wrong. She should have been here by now.

I'm getting a bad feeling.

Let's get out of here.

Mike, this is the police.

Get out of sight!

We're gonna be watching you. You do like I told you.

You should have a look at this.

It's the curse we were carrying.

Tracks go that way. Let's go.

Mr. Farnsworth.

At your service.

I apologize for being so cautious.

I'm sure you understand.

Don't give it to me.

What'd you say?

Get down!

That's fair enough.

Don't do anything foolish.

You burn that and you're as good as dead.

You'll kill me anyway.

Put it out.

Not till you drop your guns.

All right.

You alright?

Yeah.

You had me worried.

I'm fine, kid.

All this bloodshed over a damn piece of paper.

Oh, my God.

The schedule.

Let it go Lou come on sometimes it's best just to let things go