Original subtitles

Now see here. We've been standing here

in the heat and the dust for the last 20 minutes.

Why aren't we moving? Sorry, ma'am, but we're 30 minutes early getting here,

and I have to pick up a passenger.

You'll be on time, I'm sure.

Rain or snow, Daniel Quint ain't missed this stage

on the 1st of August for the last nine years.

Be that as it may, it's awfully hot.

There he is, ma'am.

Like I said, Daniel Quint ain't ever been late.

I might try to find a new thrasher.

The old one's just about useless.

Daniel, try to find thee something else.

Now, Abraham, we've talked about this before,

last year and the year before that.

Thy wife has been dead ten years now,

and the burden of our community is too great for thee to bear alone.

I've watched thee, Daniel, in the hours before dawn,

standing near the stream.

Thine eyes are the eyes of loneliness.

I could never be completely alone with friends like thee.

Stage is waiting. We'd better go.

You folks can get aboard now.

Luke. Abraham.

Remember, Daniel, "no man is an island."

Stay in Rock Springs a few days.

Don't hurry the Lord.

Ah, it appears like you've been gaining more weight around the middle, Mr. Quint.

The Lord's been very generous this year.

I'll say where Daniel's put on more weight.

Must be close to $10,000 strapped around his belly this trip.

That's the kind of weight I'd like to put on.

Howdy, folks. I'm the Old Ranger.

The most difficult task in the Old West was survival.

And for a man like Daniel Quint,

the leader of a small religious community in Wyoming,

life was even more difficult.

In 1864, Daniel Quint found out

that the duties of his flock were overshadowed

by the personal problems of his own life.

Because Daniel Quint, like most men must, had reached...

Are you going to California, Reverend Quint?

Mr. Quint.Oh.

No, ma'am. I'll be getting off at Rock Springs.

Rock Springs?

They say that's a place filled with saloons

and cheap dance halls.

I have business there. Oh?

With the bank. Oh.

I go there once a year. Oh!

Are you all right, Miss Erickson?

I don't know.

It's the heat, I guess. I... I feel awful.

This is Mr. Quint. Miss Erickson.

Miss Erickson.Hello.

She's going to Devil's Creek.

Is there anything I can do?

I don't think so.

We'll be stopping at a way station soon.

You'll feel better after you've had a little rest.

I hope so.

This was a wonderful idea of yours.

You know, I think August is the devil's month.

It's almost as if the very fire of Hades pushes out from the ground

to remind us of hell.

I never thought of it that way before.

I must remember that... the devil's month.

To remind us of hell.

That's pretty deep thinking for such a young woman.

I'm not so young, Mr. Quint.

You know, this is wonderful.

I feel better already.

The heat always did affect me.

I fainted once or twice because of it... heat prostration.

Silly, isn't it?

Many people can't tolerate the hot weather.

Sister Damian, one of the women in my community,

almost died from a hot spell last year.

I always thought religious people like you

used words like "thee" and "thou," but you don't.

We do use the old language, but only with those we love.

It seems to make strangers uncomfortable.

I can't picture you as a religious man.

Well, you know...

I mean, most of them look so serious.

Almost angry. And with those long beards.

You know, I bet you're a much more handsome man without all those whiskers.

Do you have to wear it? No. It's just tradition.

Many of the men in my village are clean-shaven.

How does it feel?

If I must be truthful, it itches.

Why do you go to Devil's Creek? It's a mining town.

It's no place for a pretty, young woman like you.

It was as far as I could go with the money I had.

I'm running away, Mr. Quint.

I shouldn't have asked. None of my business.

No, I want you to know.

I haven't had anyone to talk to these past few weeks.

I've been so mixed up and confused

for a year now.

It all started when I met this man, Johnny Meadows.

My mother and father were killed in a Comanche raid when I was ten,

and I was sent to live with some friends, the Andersons.

They were very nice to me, but they had two daughters of their own,

and I... I always felt like an outsider.

I cried myself to sleep the first six months with them,

'cause I felt alone.

Terribly alone.

Do you know what it is to really feel alone?

Yes, I do.

You work, and you try to keep busy,

and you're surrounded by people, but...

You're still alone.

One day, Johnny Meadows dropped by,

and he took a liking to me.

Both of the other girls were prettier, but he liked me.

He used to take me for rides in his surrey

and walks down by the river,

to the church dance, and...

And all of a sudden, I... I didn't feel alone anymore.

And then he changed.

What happened?

He tried to paw me, to kiss me hard.

And he became like an animal.

He scared me.

I fought him, and I ran away,

but he told Mr. Anderson that he'd find me wherever I was.

I... I sold one of the bracelets my mother had given me, and I took the stage.

I'll never get married, ever.

I hate men. I don't even wanna be around them.

No, you're wrong.

All men aren't like Johnny Meadows.

Some men are animals, but not all.

One day, you'll meet some nice young man,

and he'll love you and be kind to you and want to take care of you.

You'll see.

They're animals.

They're selfish, savage animals.

I don't ever wanna have anything to do with any man.

Christ was a man.

Yes.

And you're a man, and I'm not afraid of you.

Your hand is so gentle.

Soothing.

We better go back.

I'm sorry I caused such a...

Aah!

Oh...

Thy head hit a rock. Is thee all right?

Snake... It... It frightened me.

It's only a scratch.

I'll take thee... I'll take you back now.

Whoa-oa-oa!

Well, good-bye, Daniel.

You can't stay here. You don't know anyone here.

You'd be alone. It's not safe.

I'll manage. How?

Well, I'll get a job.

And then when I have enough money, I'll move on.

Here you are, miss.

Let's go, Daniel. We're four hours late already.

Oh, sorry. Oh, that's all right.

Look at those men.

They're the kind of animals you were talking about.

Be sensible. How can you live without any money?

Where will you stay?

Take this.

No, Daniel. I couldn't take your money.

No, I'll get a job.

And then as soon as I've saved enough for stage fare, I'll go someplace else.

Let's go, Mr. Quint.

But suppose you can't find a job?

Well, it may take a few days, but I'll... I'll get one.

I've got to.

Daniel, are you in that much of a hurry to get to Rock Springs?

Well, I've always gotten there the first week in August.

Then you couldn't stay here for a few days?

Come on, Mr. Quint.

Do you really want me to stay?

Oh, yes.

I'm rolling right now, Mr. Quint.

I'm staying here, Ben. May I have my bag?

Thank you, Daniel. Thank you.

Good night, honey.

Daniel.

So, you, uh, think he met up with some foul play, this Daniel Quint?

Yes. When the Rock Springs Bank sent a message to our village

telling us that Daniel had not arrived, we became alarmed.

We're afraid something may have happened to him.

Especially since he was carrying our entire season's treasury.

Treasury?

The Lord smiled upon us this year.

It amounted to almost $11,000.

That's an awful big smile.

Daniel, you've shaved it off. You look wonderful!

- I got tired of it. - Hey!

Mamie, look. Oh! Aren't you the handsome one.

I'll be through in a minute.

Come on. Sit down. Sit down, Mr. Quint.

Let me get you a cup of coffee.

She's a mighty nice girl, Mr. Quint.

You're a lucky fella.

I just can't get over it. What a change.

What is it?

Just a little headache.

I could stroke your temples,

ease it up a bit. I'd like that.

Excuse me, sir.

I don't wanna appear bold or nothing like that,

but, uh, I sure do hanker

to be introduced proper to your daughter, sir,

and maybe...

She's not my daughter.

Daniel.

Daniel... Daniel, wait.

That... That boy is just a stupid farmhand.

Anybody over 25 is old to him.

Daniel!

Daniel, wait.

Daniel, please. Please let me talk to you.

I'm leaving in the morning. I'm going to Rock Springs.

All right, Daniel.

But first, I'm going to talk to you.

There's nothing to talk about. Please go.

You shouldn't be here, and I'm old enough to... To be my father?

That is what you were going to say, isn't it?

Daniel, look at me.

You're a handsome man in the prime of life.

Why, any woman would consider herself lucky to have a man like you.

No. It's wrong. It's all wrong.

It couldn't be.

You're too intelligent to let the difference in our ages stop you.

It's other things. You've been alone too long.

The idea of marriage over again.

A new marriage at this stage of your life.

A young wife.

You're afraid, Daniel.

That's all it is.

Maybe we're not right for each other,

but we've got to give ourselves a chance to find out.

I can't think right now.

I've got to take a walk. Excuse me.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.

I must've dropped off. Can I help you?

Yeah. You got a girl named Erickson here?

A Lorna Erickson? Yes, sir.

All right. Give me a room.

And in the morning, you tell her I'm here.

And tell her alone.

Who shall I say?

Johnny. Just Johnny.

Come on in.

Two weeks is too long away from you.

Well, you're not exactly jumping for joy at seeing me.

You were supposed to be here two days ago.

I got caught in a hot game in Moss Point.

Are you sure it wasn't that little chiquita at the Blair House?

Now, come on!

You know there's no other woman for Johnny Meadows but you.

What's wrong? I've got a headache.

Well, I haven't! Come here.

You'd never stroke my temples, would you, Johnny?

What? Nothing.

Hey, you got that old man here in Cupid harps yet?

Bet ya have. He's not an old man.

All right. So he's not an old man. So what?

I'm here now. You just steer him out to the lake.

I'll give you two hours to get him there. I don't know.

Helping you cheat at cards was one thing,

and luring sodbusters into a game was another.

But I don't like this, Johnny.

What are you talking about?

Ever since we found out this Holy Joe takes 10,000 or more

into Rock Springs every year, we've planned this.

We were gonna take the money and go to Mexico,

live like a king and queen, remember?

I remember.

But the money, Johnny... it doesn't belong to him.

What's wrong with you?

You're what's wrong with me.

Now, you listen to me.

I don't know what's gotten into that pretty little head of yours,

but either you help me do this the easy way,

or I'll do it alone, my way!

All right!

Two hours.

Daniel, I must talk to you now, right away.

All right. I wanna talk to you.

Let's take a ride. Then I'm going to Rock Springs.

All right. Hurry.

I thought we'd go down to the lake. Why'd you wish to stop here?

Because this is the end of the line, Daniel. What?

You're a nice man. You're much too nice for your own good,

and you've got a lot to learn, and I don't want to have to be the one to teach it to you.

Now, you get going to Rock Springs now, while you still can.

Wait.

Wait!

Wait! What are you talking about?

She's talking about me.

You're early, Lorna.

Get his belt, under his shirt.

You know this man?

He's Johnny Meadows.

He wants your money belt, Daniel.

Let's have it.

You'd better give it to him.

You... You're involved in this.

Everything was all part of a plan just for the money.

I said, hand it over.

And I believed you.

I even felt...

The money.

Aaah!

Daniel, you're killing him!

Daniel, he isn't worth it!

You're out of your head.

But not over the money.

Over her.

You old fool.

You're in love with her. But she's nothing but a cheap...

Aah!

He's right. I'm a fool.

An old fool.

Daniel!

God have mercy on him.

My name is Dave Cook. I'm a detective.

Your people hired me to find you.

I waslost.

Daniel...

those things I told you earlier about my childhood,

about being so lonely...

that much was true.

Daniel.

Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa!

Why, Daniel, thee... thee looks so different.

I feel different.

Thee need not tell us what happened if thee does not wish to.

There's much to tell.

Good luck, Mr. and Mrs. Quint.

Mr. and Mrs.?

Luke, Abraham, my wife.

I must hurry ahead and tell the others.

There'll be a celebration.

Our life in the village may not be easy for thee.

I will have you. I mean thee.

Dave Cook found Daniel Quint.

Daniel and Lorna Erickson found each other

and a new life together.

Later, General D.J. Cook,

who became superintendent of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association,

wrote about the incident in his book

published in 1882.

It was one of many chapters in the history of the West.