I didn't ride in on the turnip wagon, mister.
Well, tonight's your night.
Now, I'll tell you what, I'll give you a good price on this blanket.
Tonight's your night, I'll give you that.
Have you ever seen a white man's face with the pox?
The pox!
The pox! Hell, giddyup.
The pox!
I'll meet up with you again!
I'll be waiting.
Hey.
Let's get out of here.
We gotta put some distance between us and them fellows.
Hold your nose, boys.
Going by the hog ranch.
Ladies.
Morning, folks.
I'm Bill Miller, Sheriff out of Sheridan.
These men are my deputies.
Who's the jigger boss here?
You men care for coffee?
No, thank you.
Ain't got time.
- You the honcho here? - Yeah, I am. This is my party.
Well, that's a good looking bunch of horses you got there.
- Yep. - You got papers on them, I suppose.
You bet.
You got a badge, I suppose.
Well, no need to get puffed up.
I should be eating ham and eggs at the Blue Goose back in Sheridan.
Instead I'm out here sleeping on the ground, eating jerky,
looking for a horse thief and a killer.
Yeah.
I'm after a pretty rough lot
run by a fellow named Big Ears Bywater.
I guess you can't be on the other side of the law
and not have some ridiculous name attached to your reputation.
Why do they call him that?
Well, they say he can hear a horse at 20 miles.
Well, he paid me a visit the other night.
Well, now, can you tell me which way he was headed?
No, sir. He came into my camp, then he went out.
Well, Big Ears ain't a name he responds well to.
And don't let that name fool you, any of you.
That man's a killer and he's a horse thief.
My plan is to catch up with him right quick.
With any luck, I'll be wearing his ears on my watch chain.
Y'all steer clear of anybody you don't know.
Folks in Carbon County don't take to yamping livestock.
Don't dally long here, Mr. Ritter. You'll sleep better.
Ladies.
Must be 500 head.
We can't do nothing with a herd that size.
No, except take them into Canada.
I ain't driving no herd through 800 miles
in which I can get shot or jailed.
We ain't gonna do nothing.
Let them fools do the work.
We'll dog them all the way to market.
Number One.
I want to tell you something.
Now,
birds fly to water in the evening
and away from water in the morning.
To water in the evening and away from water in the morning.
Remember that.
Now, this here is for you.
That is you.
Number One, meet Number One.
It's yours. You take it.
Here, put it under your chin.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
In a week-and-a-half she'll be better than you are, Heck.
I don't doubt it, Mr. Ritter. I think we got a child prodigy on our hands.
Ma'am, thought you might like a cup of coffee.
You seemed quiet at supper.
I heard you talking to Tom, that we were just a few days from Sheridan.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, do you have any plans of what you're gonna do once you get there?
Not yet. I have a few days to think about it. How about you?
You made any plans?
Well, I was gonna wait for you.
I thought you might mention something.
Truthfully, it didn't occur to me.
Well, obviously.
Was that an error on my part, ma'am?
Of course not.
Why don't you take your coffee and go find somewhere to have a smoke, Mr. Ritter?
I didn't mean to offend you.
Good night, Mr. Ritter.
We gotta redirect and cut north.
I thought you said it was too late to hit the Lander Cutoff.
It is.
But I don't want to lose the herd to a horse thief.
If it's too late to hit Lander's, then how are you planning on heading?
Well, we gotta drive them straight north to the Big Horns
and then take them over the Whale's Back.
Oh, and I want them in Moncrieffe's pens and paid for.
All right?
Same as me.
What's a Whale's Back?
It's a tricky piece of real estate that we gotta navigate.
I know it's dicey
but it'll save us time and maybe the herd.
Well, how about we forget that part?
I got 25% of the vote around here.
I'm for making a stand and killing that son of a bitch now.
Well,
you can start by washing the dishes.
And after that, don't take on more than you can handle. Okay?
Well, in case you hadn't noticed,
I've been handling things just fine for the last 800 miles.
Listen to me.
I know Ed Bywaters.
Remember I told you about that man that split my head open?
My hair frozen to the ground.
Ed Bywaters.
Damn.
Good thing you didn't tell me how steep it was.
Well, it don't matter.
One way or another, we're going up this hill and over the top. That's it.
They want us to climb up there? It's too high.
It looks steep.
It's too high. It's too high.
Figure on freighting that wagon over the pass?
No, sir. No, sir.
We keep the mules and leave everything else behind.
Now, what I want you to do is put Number Three on a horse.
Her name's Sun Fu.
I know what her name is.
Just let her ride alone.
Mrs. Johns can double up with Ging Wing Ring, Number One.
I'll take the little girl with me.
What about Lung Hay? I doubt he's too handy on a horse.
- I reckon the same goes for Ms. Johns. - Yeah.
Unhitch the mules.
I'll lead the way. Keep the herd together.
We can't stop at all.
Now, let's do it. Let's go. This is it.
That's it, boys. Steady.
Come on!
Come on.
Okay.
Yeah.
Hold on. Hold on.
- Mr. Moncrieffe? - I am.
My name's Ritter, Prentice Ritter.
I wired you in April about bringing horses from Oregon.
Oh, aye, the man from Oregon. Welcome, welcome.
We've been waiting for your arrival with some anticipation, Mr. Ritter.
I'm not sure I understand that, sir.
Well, Sheriff Miller wired me from Cody a few days ago asking about you.
He said he met you up there on the buffalo range.
Oh, yeah, back there on...
Yeah, he did.
He was in a sweat to catch some horse thieves, see.
I rode ahead to tell you that we're coming in.
Who's your trail hand here?
Well, this here is Ging something or other. I call her Number Five.
And would you mind if I leave her with you and go back to the herd?
No, no, no.
She can keep Miss Foster company in the kitchen for a wee while.
I'll lend you some lads to go out with you, help you bring them in.
Where would you like me to put these cavvies?
Put them over in the south pasture corrals over there.
Keep them separated for a week.
- All right? Good. - Yes, sir.
- Howdy. - My nephew, Tom Harte.
- You put on a good show, Mr. Harte. - Thank you.
- Congratulations. - Yes, sir. Thank you.
I'll settle up with Moncrieffe.
Well, I thought I'd be a part of that.
Well, no need for that. I've got your interests covered.
- Come on in. - Yes, sir.
Now, I can write you a check
to the Stockman and Merchants Bank in Denver, if you like,
but I find most people these days prefer cash.
What would you prefer, Mr. Ritter?
Maybe we should work up the figure first.
All right, by all means.
Does that grab your fancy?
- Wasn't expecting that much. - Aye, well...
You know, between the British Army needing horses for the Boer War
and your army needing them for that Spanish-American dustup,
the price of horseflesh has gone through the roof.
Makes me sound like a war profiteer.
Can you live with that?
More than live with that, Malcolm. You bet I can.
- Cash? - Yes, sir.
A couple of times back there I didn't think this transaction was gonna happen.
No, I'm sure you didn't.
- Well, you're good and safe now. - Thank you.
Now, that's a good deal of money.
Got any plans?
Right now, a hot bath and clean clothes.
I meant, you got any plans for your wealth?
Not sure.
Been thinking of getting some land, you know.
Right now I'm kind of wore out
so I'm gonna take my people into the town for some hot water, soap
and some shopping.
I'm afraid I'm gonna have to be a wee bit remiss in my duties as a host tomorrow.
Me and the lads have to take a herd over to the Wallop Ranch.
We'll be back by nightfall.
Now, you'll be all right here on your own?
Miss Foster, my housekeeper, is gonna be here, so...
Yes, sir. Do you need any help or...
Oh, no, no, thank you. We'll be back by suppertime.
It's a great pleasure to have a table full of people here.
A very rare occasion for us to hear this.
Thank you for coming.
Ging Wa. Ging Wa.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to propose a toast
to your successful venture.
Thank you.
Honkle Pren.
Well, look here.
Off to bed now.
Bedtime.
Yeah.
- Come on, baby. - That's it.
There you go.
Which pocket? Come on.
Which one? Come on.
How about that one?
You got it? Yeah?
Okay, sweet dreams, now.
Good night.
I want to thank you, Mr. Ritter, for everything you've done for us.
You've been so kind to me and the girls.
You've been so generous.
Well, you're so very welcome. You really are.
So, what are your plans now?
Well, I thought I'd step outside for a smoke.
That's not what I meant.
Yeah, well...
I had a long talk with Lung Hay.
I proposed that you and he take the girls to San Francisco.
He says there's a place that will look after them
in a more permanent way.
And you volunteered my services?
Yes, ma'am.
Well, that's very...
That's very kind of you. Thank you.
If Ging Wa is fit to travel,
then I shall make plans immediately.
Now, hold on now, lady. Hold on. There's no need to rush off.
Well, there's no need to delay, either. I can be ready tomorrow if necessary.
Yeah.
Every time I talk to you these days, you seem to have a sudden urge for tobacco.
I won't smoke.
Yeah.
I've been thinking of going into Sheridan to find out about real estate,
then mosey around some, you know.
Yeah, and...
You know,
I never told many people this before.
My one attempt
at having a family and settling down turned out badly.
Now, I'm neither brave enough nor strong enough to go that way again.
No, no.
And you see,
at one time I had... We had
a sweet baby child, a beautiful child,
and she... Excuse me.
She never reached seven years.
It was a horse-related accident, my fault, you see.
And even today it's hard to talk about.
And I haven't got it right since.
Yeah.
Well...
Well, I think I'll
go have that smoke.
Excuse me.
How you doing?
Where are you off to?
I'm gonna get me a smoke
before I turn in.
What about you?
I figured I'd take off early in the morning,
go after some of those strays that missed the pen.
Get some money on their hooves.
Speaking of money...
What's this? We weren't supposed to get this much for the horses.
Son, I couldn't borrow enough back home
to buy the herd so I sold out.
- You sold out? - I did
in order to make this financial deal possible.
Well, who gave you authority?
Excuse me?
In case you've forgotten, your mother did.
Yeah, she willed you the ranch. She didn't tell you to sell it.
Look, I didn't take this deal just to sell some horses.
I wanted to straighten out some family wrongs.
Give you a new start, explore possibilities.
Now, I've still got eyes.
I've been seeing the way you been moving around that Number Three gal,
which is all right.
So, that's your share of the proceeds and then some.
That should square it between you and your ma.
What about you and me?
More than square.
Old Bob Tate's gonna be good as new.
Yeah, take me into Sheridan and buy me some land.
Hello, Nola.
Girls!
Print! Print!
It's Nola!
What?
He's in the barn!
Go around back!
You see this?
Honkle Pren. Honkle Pren.
Don't hurt the children.
I told you we'd meet again, old man.
I know what I'm gonna do with Nola and her little friends there.
The question is,
what am I gonna do with an old goat like you?
How about it, old goat?
What was that?
- Are you a praying man, shit bird? - Yeah.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Yeah, well, you just keep going.
You'll be a praying man by the time I leave my mark on you.
First thing I'm gonna do with you,
I'm gonna nail your credentials to this log here.
Then I'm gonna push you over backwards.
Let's see what kind of savvy you got then, huh?
When I'm through with you,
you're gonna wish the Mandan squaws had got a hold of you, Mr. Blanket Man.
- You about through? - Yeah.
All right, 'cause you just booked yourself a ticket to hell.
You're gonna leave this world a toothless, desperate old man.
You will not hurt these children. No, sir.
- Honkle Pren. - Honkle Pren.
Everyone all right? No one's hurt?
Good job.
It's all right.
Tom.
- Where's Heck? - Dead.
Thanks, son.
Cut his ears off and send them to that marshal in Sheridan.
Yeah.
You all right?
Yeah.
Yes, sir.
Whoa! Whoa!
Here you go.
Number One, bye.
Well, buckaroo. Ging Wa.
Last one, buckaroo.
Thought I had this all worked out.
I reckon I got something to say to you.
I know you can't understand my words but you can hear me.
I want to know how to get in touch with you some day.
I want to know that things turned out,
that you had a good life.
Thank you.
Most men are afraid of failure in this world.
It seems like some are afraid of success.
Goodbye, Mr. Ritter.
This is for Mr. Ritter.
Let's go.
Dear Mr. Ritter,
I hope this letter finds you well.
I'm embarrassed it's been so long since last I wrote to you.
Spring must almost be over at Siam Bend.
You have no idea how it touched me
to learn the name you've given to that point on the river.
I seem so preoccupied with time these days.
You told me, right there on the river, that nothing was more unforgiving than time.
Honey, you would not recognize me as time can be ruthless,
especially to women.
You, on the other hand, I'm sure, are as stout and straight as a ridge pole.
Ghee Moon and Ging Wa have grown into wonderful young ladies.
I see them often and they always ask of you.
Promise me that you will not laugh at an old woman
when I tell you I still dream of the time I sat and splashed my feet in the water with you.
There are so many things one wishes they might change about their lives.
I want to say that it is you and you alone
who will abide in me in my final hour.
Thank you, Mr. Ritter, for giving me back my life
even if I could not share it with you.
With warmest thoughts, Nola Johns.
We're all travelers in this world.
From the sweet grass to the packing house.
Birth till death.
We travel between the eternities.