Original subtitles

I guess it's a pretty important day, Mr. Baker.

All these Indians chiefs from all the different tribes.

Oh, it's mighty big doin's, Johnny, mighty big.

I'm glad Mommy let me ride up here with you.

I sure wish Emberato was here.

Ol' Hondo, he's riding out this wire a ways.

He'll be back shortly.

Where's that wire going to?

And where's it coming from?

You know, they tell me that that line is comin' all the way from back East

to Phoenix, and then to Fort Whipple

and some day that wire's gonna go all the way to California.

Gosh! Will Vittoro really be able to talk over it to Chief José?

Well, that's what Colonel Crook's got all these Injuns here for.

[Telegraph wires making noise]

Line's open and ready to transmit, Colonel Crook.

Thank you, Mr. Ridell.

Well, maybe after our little magic show today

the Indians'll show more respect for the telegraph, leave us alone.

If your magic works.

Oh, it'll work.

I'm gonna put the fear of the devil into these redskins

so they won't come within a hundred miles of us.

You know I've contracted to reach Fort Whipple by the end of the month.

To do that I've got to string thirty miles of wire a week.

Is that singing wire bad for the Indians?

Well, it could be if they fight it.

It could be a lot of help to all of us if they don't.

All right, Vittoro. What message would you like to send to José?

Send these words:

"Vittoro greets his Apache brother...

"and asks where Tonto braves hunt this season."

And we will know if José answers.

No white man will know the answer to that.

–All right, operator, send it. –Yes, sir.

[Telegraph clicking]

[Telegraph clicking]

"José greets his brother A..."

I've got a repair crew out there.

If the line's down they'll find it, but it'll take time.

If it's been cut again, it's Delgado.

Death to Ridell and his singing wire!

You stay here, Sam.

[Apaches yelling]

[Gunshots]

♪ ♪

Vittoro.

Vittoro is a good Apache, a good man.

He would not give the eagle claw to anyone he did not believe to be the same.

–How do you know Vittoro? –I have lived with his people.

And I have lived with yours.

That is not reason enough for Vittoro to make you an Apache.

How do you know Vittoro?

His daughter was my wife.

You are Emberato.

It was said that Destarte was married to a good man.

I am sorry.

I know what one feels in his heart

when he loses someone he loves.

You don't work for the telegraph.

For that you are fortunate.

If you have learned well from the Apache

you will live.

If you do live

tell Ridell

that he will die with his singing wire.

Go get him, fella.

Bring him back, Sam.

That a boy. Come on, Sam.

Keep comin', Sam.

Singing wire is good for questions.

Not for answers.

It has ears but no voice.

–No great power. –It will gather strength.

That's only white man lie, so they can take our land.

You said that thing would work.

Colonel, I'm fed up with idea of trying to impress these Indians.

Delgado and his bucks have been nothin' but trouble to me for months.

Now I say send your troops out after 'em and show 'em the

business end of your rifles. That'll impress 'em.

We've made fools of ourselves today, Mr. Ridell.

Worse than that we've encouraged some of those Indians to side with Delgado and his renegades.

I told you go after Delgado.

Now look, Colonel

you've got orders from Washington to give the telegraph company protection.

Thin wires stretched across miles of Apache country is a hard thing to protect, Mr. Ridell.

Well, you better figure out a way, gentlemen.

I've got a business to run, a contract to meet.

I'm in competition with Western Union, half a dozen other telegraph companies

and if I fall down on one job I don't get another one.

I understand, but the Army's got its own problems at the moment.

–I have only so many men. –So have I.

And right now they're spending their time repairing old wire, not stringing new.

I'll take action as soon as I get back to Fort Whipple.

What does that mean? You're going to go after Delgado?

I'll have to send a courier to Fort Bliss requesting more troops.

[Scoffs] A courier.

Can't you move any faster than that?

I'm sorry, Mr. Ridell.

We don't have an efficient telegraph service out here yet.

[Sam barks]

[Sam growls]

Easy, son, easy.

Only a half-inch long, but it can stop anything that lives.

You were lucky.

Yeah.

Indians?

Delgado?

You know who I am, don't you?

Yeah.

Doc

you know it's a shame to waste hands like that.

They're not wasted. I'm sort of a medicine man for the Indians in these hills.

I doctor 'em now and then.

And they repay me by forgetting me

if anyone asks about me.

That bandage on you...

Most of my other supplies were stolen by Delgado and his men from the telegraph company.

–Sort of ironic, isn't it? –Yeah.

You know, I... I knew you were a doctor when you took that slug out of me.

I didn't know who you were.

Then I remembered Doc Stanton.

And did you remember

what happened in Tucson?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Full moon out there tonight.

Just as there was that night.

I went out to deliver a baby and

came home to find my wife...

A man doesn't have to explain things like that.

He does when the record isn't straight!

It never will be.

When I came home I found Jed Carter...

forcing his intentions on my wife.

There was a gunfight.

A stray bullet killed Jean.

I stood trial.

Trial!

I would have had a better chance in a kangaroo court.

It was the story of a poor country doctor

versus the son of the territorial governor.

I was guilty before I ever set foot in that courtroom.

The wagon taking me to jail broke an axle

rolled over, I came here

where I'm protected by the God-forsaken land

and an understanding with the Indians.

You're the first white man to come here.

Doc, I owe you a lot. Thank you.

You can pay me with silence, same as the Indians.

If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop in.

Just don't bring any of your friends.

I give you my word on that, Doctor.

And you look like a man of your word.

Thank you.

Come on, Sam.

[Murmuring]

(Ridell) Another Delgado bloodbath.

When is Crook ever gonna send those troops from Fort Whipple?

–They'll be here soon. –Soon?

How do we know they're ever gonna come? Look, that's my entire repair crew wiped out.

And you're number one scout, Hondo Lane,

a man who's supposed to able to get through anything. He's been missing for three days.

–He'll be here any day. –Any day...

Look, every day's delay is costing me five miles of telegraph wire.

Any more might cost me the contract and me my job.

It takes time. Colonel Crook had to send a requisi....

Look, I'm sick and tired of playing it by the Army book, mister.

Now my men are dying while you and Colonel Crook do paperwork.

Look, Mr. Ridell

the main function of this fort is to hold the territory and protect the wagons that pass through it.

Now I don't have enough men to do that, let alone go out after Delgado.

(Soldier) Open the gates!

Beginning to wonder about you.

Yeah, well

I leaned into a bullet going by.

Delgado?

Yeah, I ran across him as he was attacking.

How come you weren't killed like all the others?

Well, it seems you don't get killed by Delgado unless you work for the telegraph company.

I'm waiting for some troops from Whipple. How long do you think Delgado will be around?

As long as he is.

It seems the telegraph company attracts Delgado like fire does an hoary-eyed mustang.

And you figure we ought to wait here until the troops come, huh?

Maybe, maybe not. But a...

a big detachment is not the way to get Delgado.

Why not?

Well, the dust from a hundred ponies can be seen for fifty miles.

He's right.

Those renegades will see a detachment come

and sneak around the rocks and chaparral like coyotes.

Delgado will trap you, hit, and then run.

What do you suggest we ought to do?

Take a small force of good men and

go up in the hills after Delgado and put him on the defensive.

He's not used to that.

That's just what I've been saying all along. Look, Captain, forget about the troops.

Just get some good men and let's go.

All right, Mr. Lane. Give Sergeant Daniels a list of what we'll need.

There goes your first good man.

(Buffalo) Hey, Hondo. [Laughs]

By golly, I'm glad to see you back.

I heard you tellin' about your little fracas over there.

Say, while you're waitin' for 'em to load up your supplies

how about you and me sashayin' over to the cantina to take...

No, no, no, no. I got some hard ridin' to do, Buffalo.

Oh, you poor workin' stiff.

Grubbin', grubbin' all the time for a dollar, and for the Army.

What's a matter with you, Hondo? Ain't you got no ambition?

Well, now the last I heard you work for the Army.

Not for long.

Do you figure on gettin' yourself court-martialed or killed?

My hitch is up at the end of this month.

I am going into business for myself.

–Doin' what? –Bounty huntin'.

Bounty huntin'. I've been collectin' these dodgers for years

and I just got a whole new batch here from ol' Jesse Wilkins before he lit out for California.

Two thousand, dead or alive.

Some of 'em go as high as five thousand dollars.

I'm gonna stuff my money belt so full I'm going to get whey-bellied.

–Let me take a look at some of those. –Sure.

How about throwin' in with me, Hondo? You and me could get rich huntin' bounty together.

Well, now I don't favor huntin' myself.

I'll be...

That musta been in the batch I got from ol' Jesse.

Yeah, well, that is no good and there's a lot of other ones here that's no good because

here's one on Faro Jack Johnson

He died of old age three years ago.

Well...

If I just latch on to a couple of these fellas, though

–I'm going to make my fortune, you'll see. –Yeah, yeah.

Everything in order, Mr. Lane?

Corporal's getting everything together. We'll be ready.

Fine. Get ready to ride. You, too, Mr. Baker.

Hey, hey wait a minute, Captain!

Hold on just a second, uh...

I wasn't figurin' on doin' no more scoutin'.

Oh?

Now my hitch is up at the end of this month.

Well, you've still got eighteen days.

Get your gear and mount up.

I was figurin' on just sittin' around here and

plannin' my future.

Emberato.

Something's wrong with Sam's foot.

Well, it looks like Sam's going to be on sick call.

Will he be all right, Emberato?

Why, sure. He just needs a little rest.

You want to take care of him for me?

Sure thing, Emberato.

Hey, Hondo.

Captain's rarin' to go.

You two take care of each other.

You know I've been givin' this thing a lot of thought, and if

there ain't no reason why I can't get in a little practice while I'm doin' my scoutin'.

Now if I was to run across one of these fellers out there

I could bring him in along with my regular business.

Well, you haul Delgado in, they'll hand you a medal.

Heh, you keep them medals. I'll take the samoleans.

What's bitin' you?

Nothin'.

It's just another old one.

Hey, I paid money for them things.

(Soldier) Detail formed, sir.

–Mount your men, Sergeant. –Mount up.

Oh.

One of my best ones.

(Soldier) Open the gate!

Hurry, hurry, hurry.

[Barks]

(Buffalo) Hyah, hyah!

[Sam barking]

These are prints of Apache ponies.

Huh. More horse tracks over there, shod with iron.

They're the ones Delgado took from the telegraph wagon.

Here the iron-shod horses are cut from the pack.

Only two Apache ponies go with 'em.

I figure Delgado sent two of his men off with the stolen horses.

Probably below the border to try to sell 'em.

How many still with the main pack?

I count seven.

They're over the hill.

I spotted 'em. We'll jump 'em.

–Good, let's go. –Let's get somethin' straight, Ridell.

We're gonna capture 'em.

All right, all right. Let's go!

We're gonna move slow and quiet. Not a sound till I give the word.

And I mean not a sound.

–Are the men ready? –We're ready.

All right, let's go.

[Horse neighs]

We give the men a chance to get set up.

[Gun lever]

[Whispers] Ridell!

[speaking Apache]

[Gunshots]

Move in! Move in!

[Horses neighing]

[Gunshots]

You have a better chance of findin' a bobcat in these rocks.

That's for sure.

[Gunshots]

[Groans]

Captain!

Diamond's dead.

Well, the captain's hit hard.

We gotta get him to a doctor.

How's Richards?

Thanks to you he's likely to bleed to death.

You and that itchy trigger finger of yours.

Well, I had to do something. They were gonna get away.

(Hondo) He got away.

What's eatin' at you?

Do you ache to kill Apaches, Indians, or just Delgado?

What are we gonna do about the captain?

Well, we gotta get him to the fort.

That'll take two days. Maybe three with a wounded man.

I don't know no doctor closer than fifty miles. Do you Hondo?

–All right, so what do we do about him? –We take him to the fort.

Well, what good'll that do? You just said he was gonna bleed to death anyway.

What would you have us do, sit around here and watch him die?

–And let Delgado escape? –Delgado ain't about to escape.

The only question with him is when's he gonna take a notion to attack us again.

I tell you that Ridell is lower than the belt buckle on a snake.

I think he'd let his own brother die if he had a chance to get at Delgado.

Tell me something, Hondo.

How can a man let another man die

if there's a chance to save him?

Buffalo

I know a place where we can get a doctor.

Doc, I had to break my word. I'm sorry.

We've got a man bleedin' to death. I didn't have any choice.

Then I guess I have no choice either.

Bring him in.

Aw, doggone it!

Doggone it!

The first time I get a chance to make a bunch of money at my new business

it turns out to be a nice fella like Doc.

You're not gonna try to collect that money, are you?

Oh, no, no. Now that I know what a dirty business bounty huntin' is

I think I'll sign on for another hitch in the Army.

[Laughs] It's only beer money anyways.

Ah, what more does a feller need?

This man shouldn't be moved for three, maybe four days.

[Gunshot]

[Apaches yelling]

[Gunshots]

(Delgado) Emberato!

(Delgado) Come out! Meet with me and talk!

I wouldn't go out there.

I know you wouldn't. That's why I'm goin'.

(Delgado) Emberato! Over here!

Emberato has learned to live like an Apache.

Not only has he learned to survive in the desert

but he can also read what is written on the ground.

Thanks for givin' me a chance to prove myself.

Thanks for bringing Ridell to me.

Is that what I been doin'?

Well, you saw I got us trapped.

I only want one of you.

Give me Ridell, and the rest of you can go free.

What is it, Delgado? What is the fire that burns between you and Ridell?

(Hondo) Ridell did that?

Ridell did this.

I am a half-breed, Emberato.

My mother was an Apache, my father a white settler.

Once we lived in happiness

on the land my mother's people gave her.

One winter

my father left for Taos and returned with a white woman.

That night my mother and I left the house and returned to her village

where I grew up as an Apache.

Many times as a boy I would run away to watch my father from a distance

and I watched him raise a son

on my mother's land.

Over the years the singing wire came through

and my father made much money selling her land to the telegraph company.

That boy became line foreman.

That boy... You mean Ridell?

–You're sayin' that... –Ridell is my brother.

He's probably sellin' us out to save his own hide.

–Just be glad he's out there. –Oh, yeah, yeah. I know.

[Mockingly] 'Cause he knows the Apache better than any other white man.

Well, that's just what's worryin' me.

That winter

my mother was dying.

So I took her to a white doctor who told me she had to be taken to San Francisco

to a hospital, and that I needed money.

So I went to my father, and I learned he was dead.

Then I went to Ridell

and I told him why I needed the money.

And he laughed.

He said he wouldn't spend one penny to save a squaw. My mother!

When I struck him

he called his men and they strung me to a telegraph pole.

And I was helpless

when he flogged me with a steel wire.

That winter my mother died.

and I vowed

that Ridell and his singing wire would be no more.

Give me Ridell.

I need some time.

Time?

I give you until

the sun drops behind those rocks.

Then I'm coming in to get Ridell.

At least

if I kill you, or you kill me

one will bury the other with respect.

Emberato.

Give him to me.

I have nothing against you.

Well...

It's us for Ridell.

Why?

Do you want to tell 'em that, Ridell?

Seems like Delgado and Ridell are brothers.

All right.

Turn Ridell over to Delgado.

Well, now wait a minute.

You still got orders to protect the telegraph company and that means me.

With the captain bein' like he is

the book says I'm in command now.

With you in here we ain't got a chance.

Now maybe you all wanna get yourselves killed

but I still got a yen to live.

As a matter of fact, I gotta darn good reason for wantin' to live.

Maybe you ain't got no more use for this, Buffalo

but I have.

Now go tell Delgado he can have Ridell.

[Gunshot]

Mister, you just left yourself no way out.

(Delgado) Emberato, come out!

That shot?

Ridell just killed a man. He signed his own death warrant.

They'll hang him when he gets back.

Then why hold him? Give him to me.

Save yourself the trouble, Delgado.

I promise you he'll be turned over to a jury and tried for murder.

A white man's jury?

No.

I want Ridell.

[Gunshot]

[Gunshots]

Emberato

Ridell...

is he dead?

–Yeah, he's dead. –Emberato

bury me like an Apache.

Bury me like an Apache.

I got our horses, Captain.

Injuns left 'em up the draw a little ways for us.

Did you bury Delgado?

Yeah. I buried him high like an Apache.

Well, guess we better get movin'.

Captain, have you decided about Stanton yet?

I'd like to pretend I never met him.

But he's a fugitive, and I owe the law my allegiance.

Yeah, well, you owe Stanton your life.

Can I give you a hand?

Thank you.

[Telegraph clicking]

"José greets his brother Apache

"and tells him that the Tonto braves

"hunt in the land of the big rock that stands high."

It is well!

It is well!

It is big magic. More magic than the greatest of our medicine men.

The white man's words have power.

[Telegraph clicking]

–Colonel Crook. –What is it?

–War has been declared in Europe. –War?

–Where is Europe? –Don't worry.

Europe is so far away, none of us will ever have to worry about fighting there.

♪ ♪