At the gallop, ho!
Fort Laramie.
Fort Laramie.
Starring Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince.
Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier.
The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire.
And the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
How far you reckon it is to the North Platte, Captain?
Ten miles, Sergeant. No more than that.
Lieutenant Cybert should have the company bivouac there by now.
You aim to follow the creek bed and clean up there, sir?
Not after we water the horses.
Ah, this spot's good enough.
Yes, sir. Move up, Clint.
Sergeant?
Captain says we'll take a break here, ease those cinches,
and lead the mounts down to the stream there and water them.
All right, Sergeant.
After they're watered, they can pin graze.
I'll mind them.
Kind of peaceful, ain't it?
It's quiet.
Sit down, Gorse. More comfortable than a McClelland.
Yes, sir.
Ah, them Shoshones, they got a way of wearing you out.
You think they're still running, Captain?
They'll be back. They never run for long.
Not when they're hungry.
I never heard of Shoshones as far east as the Nebraska border before.
You can find them as far east as Texas.
Only there we call them Comanches.
They're offshoots of the same tribe.
They sure don't talk this thing.
Dialect's the only difference.
They're a disorganized lot, the Shoshones.
I guess we can be glad for that.
A little of them goes a long way.
How about the company, Captain?
We'll know more when we rendezvous.
Lieutenant Cybert says orders to make camp on the North Platte
until the company's accounted for.
I think we held up, sir.
I hope so.
I sure got a thirst.
Hold it, Gorse.
You hear that?
Like digging?
Up there, top of the rise.
I don't see anybody.
Neither do I yet.
Come on, I'll move small.
She's awful little to be manning that spade.
Man, she's not too handy with it.
She must want a whole doug awful bad.
That earth's like granite.
Let's go up, Shazam.
It feels like she's alone.
Yeah.
Ma'am, you cut out a big job for yourself.
I got no food, no coffee, nothing to offer the Army.
We're not asking for anything.
You could have come yesterday.
Yesterday I could have stood it if you'd come.
You'll be all your life picking away at that heart pan.
Haven't you got a man to do this for you?
I had one yesterday.
He's dead now.
And a man's got a right to a grave.
Sergeant.
Yes, sir?
Get Flint up here.
We need a grave dug.
Yes, sir.
Where is your husband, ma'am?
In bed.
In the hut there.
Wait.
Bowling here, sir?
Gangrene.
He's ridden with it.
Must have taken him a long time to die.
Yes, sir.
Got a broken leg.
That's hard pain, Captain.
Looks hard, Gorse.
Here, we'll wrap him in these bedclothes.
Right, sir.
The Army always take over this way when it's too late.
It's best he's out of here, ma'am.
You ready, Gorse?
Yes, sir.
Ready now.
Don't...
Don't bury him.
Just yet.
Grave's not ready yet.
Drink it, Mrs. Dennis.
It's hot, that's all I can promise.
They're a long time at it.
It takes time.
Drink it, Mrs. Dennis.
Luther was a long time at it, too, the dying.
I know.
All the things he's lived through out here.
The gun raids and blizzards and droughts, starvation.
There's never been food enough.
But a broken leg.
I had to kill him.
You're a long way from help out here.
Yesterday, just yesterday.
And you come today.
Yesterday would have been too late, too, Mrs. Dennis.
Before I could do something, freeze with him, starve with him.
When's the last time you watched a man die, Captain?
Yesterday.
Did it take 10 days, 10 days and 10 nights?
Did you hear him scream with pain and beg for you to go for help
and beg you not to leave him?
Mrs. Dennis.
Where will you go now?
You got people somewhere?
Oh, sure, I have people.
I got parents in Philadelphia who never want to see me again.
Two years ago when Luther came back for me, they fought us all they could.
When they saw I meant to leave with him, they said, don't come back.
You can't stay here.
The nearest to me is here.
There's two dead babies out there by where I'll set Luther down.
You can't stay here alone, isn't safe.
I'm not used to feeling safe.
Captain, it's already out there.
Then you can go now.
Mrs. Dennis, this is no country for a woman alone.
We'll take you to Fort Laramie. It's safe there.
You'll leave me be.
It's not a brave thing staying on here. It's stupid.
I mean to stay on with Luther. Why, yet?
All right, Mrs. Dennis.
Let's get back to the horses, Sergeant. We're wasting time.
She wasn't much grateful, was she, Captain?
We did a small thing. She had no cause to be grateful, Flint.
She has no mind to be grateful for anything the West gives her or takes away.
Must have been a pretty little thing once, kind of dainty like.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Must have been a pretty little thing once, kind of dainty like.
How old do you reckon she is, sir?
Early twenties.
Looks most half a lifetime to me, Captain. All drawn tight and mean.
The West does that to a woman.
They come here as girls and no time they're women.
Old, past their years.
She's not mean, Flint. She's soft as a kitten.
She's born a lot, that's all.
Oh, you think that, sir?
I know that.
You'd think she'd want to leave, though.
No use her hanging on to the land. She can't prove it up by herself.
She'll get out once she thinks it's her own idea.
Right now, she thinks she can't face the thought of leaving him there.
She's got nowhere she wants to go.
Wonder what'll happen to her.
I mean, alone, like that.
She can't fend for herself, can she, Captain?
Those women I seen out here'd find him a man.
Any man. Marry again. Just to live.
They hate the West.
Chances are they'll get married.
They'll get married.
They'll get married.
To live. They hate the West.
Chances are they'd hate the man, too.
But they keep marrying. To live.
Now this one, Captain.
You seem pretty sure, Sergeant.
Just a feeling.
She'll go back east somewhere.
Leave her dead. Go back where she came from.
She don't belong out here.
She's got no wagon or stock to pull it.
She'll have to walk.
Maybe she won't, sir.
Maybe she won't.
Come in.
You sent for me, Captain?
Yeah, of course. Come in.
Yes, sir.
Sergeant Gorse, ever since we got back from Horse Creek,
the fort's been full of stories that make the cavalry sound like a wet nurse outfit.
You know anything about them?
What kind of stories, sir?
You know any troopers who are going around collecting money to send Mrs. Dennis back east?
Troopers? No, sir, I don't.
I've been kind of lucky at poker lately.
Thought maybe I'd share it with whoever's running the charity around here.
I guess that'd be me, sir.
I guess it would.
Here.
I'm obliged, Captain.
You're not going to make this a habit. No, sir.
You taking the money to her?
No, sir, Private Flint's leave starts tomorrow.
After first call, he'll do it.
That's all, Sergeant. Yes, sir.
She remind you of someone, Gorse?
A girl somewhere? No, sir, it ain't that.
It's just she's so little and all, kind of like a stray.
She don't belong out here.
Carry on, Sergeant.
Captain Quince reporting, sir.
I'm afraid you didn't do a very good job on the Shoshone's, Captain.
We didn't wipe them out, Major, if that's what you mean.
You met them near the Nebraska border before, isn't that right?
And they were hightailing it into Nebraska the last we saw, those that lived.
Well, they're back, Lee, and in numbers, too.
They're hungry in numbers.
And they're hungry in numbers, too.
Well, they're back, Lee, and in numbers, too. They're hungry in numbers.
I'm familiar with your charitable streak, Captain Quince.
I understand it's spread to Sergeant Gorse right on down to the ranks.
There's no cause for worry, Major.
It's not widespread enough to be called an epidemic.
All right, all right, Lee.
The Shoshone's are raiding homesteaders from our side of the North Platte,
south along Horse Creek.
I understand there aren't many settlers along the creek.
Oh, not many.
They're just hungry, Captain Quince.
This time they're carrying off women.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Then move out.
Your smoke ahead, Captain.
I see there is, Mr. Cybert.
Might be able to surprise them.
Just how do you think we could manage that?
Well, sir, if the fire's still burning,
chances are there may be Indians around somewhere.
Look at that smoke again, Mr. Cybert.
Yes, sir?
Well?
I still see it.
Good for you.
Then you see the fire smoldering, not burning fresh.
You think the Shoshone's have gone on, sir?
They're not ones to sit around and admire their work once they've struck.
Hold!
Sergeant!
Yo!
Think we could find them, Captain?
They're probably hours away by now.
Blessed with traps, Mr. Cybert.
Yes, sir?
Sergeant, that's Carpenter's cabin ahead, isn't it?
It was, sir.
You and I'll ride in, Sergeant.
Mr. Cybert will move the patrol to that rise to the left
and hold the position.
Two shots will be your signal to move in, Mr. Cybert.
Yes, sir.
That's an old fire, Captain, smoldering.
Mr. Cybert and I know that, Sergeant.
Any questions, Mr. Cybert?
No, sir.
Then move out.
Yes, sir.
Come on, Gorse.
That's Carpenter.
There, Captain.
Yeah.
He's cold.
It is an old fire, Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
And it be his wife's brother by the cabin.
He ain't been here months, sir.
That's all there was, Carpenter, his wife, her brother.
Just the three of them, Captain.
I don't see her anywhere, Ryan.
It's not likely we will.
You'd think it'd be enough just to kill a man, wouldn't you,
Captain?
You'd think so, Gorse.
Come on.
No sign of life, sir?
No sign of life, Mr. Cybert.
I was wondering, Captain.
I know what you're wondering, Sergeant.
Her place would be north of here, sir.
Do north, along the creek.
Mr. Cybert.
Yes, sir.
You'll take half the patrol and move along
Horse Creek to the south.
You see those dots of smoke on the left?
Yes, sir.
Then you'll be able to see the smoke
coming from the left.
I'll be right there, Captain.
I'll be right there.
You'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
You see those dots of smoke on the horizon?
I see them, sir.
Well, check them.
Yes, sir.
Sergeant Gorse, prepare to move
the other half to the north.
Yes, sir.
All right.
I'm going north with Gorse, Mr. Cybert.
We'll rendezvous at the usual point
in the north flat.
First arrival makes camp and waits.
We're pickets out.
Right, Captain.
I'll judge the fires better this time, sir.
Use your eyes, Mr. Cybert.
Then use your head.
How long you gonna wait, Captain?
Nothing stirred up there by her place.
The troop is in position?
Yes, sir.
Full circle.
Set back in the hills all around the hut.
Likely she's gone by now.
Flint would have been through here
with the money two, three days ago.
Maybe.
I'm going in, Gorse.
You got a clear shot at the door all the way.
I didn't think we'd find her hut still standing.
Well, we'll see, Sergeant.
Hold your fire, Gorse.
That came from the hut, sir.
The army's not welcome here, Captain.
You fire that again, ma'am.
The whole patrol will move in.
You have some money to give me too, Captain.
I will talk inside, Mrs. Denny.
You all right, sir?
No problem, Sergeant.
How many men, Captain?
Six, all around the hut.
Six army men after one woman.
The Shoshone's a-radin' all along Horse Creek.
You're lucky they missed you.
Lucky.
You can bring a few things, but not much.
Let's get them together.
You didn't answer me, Captain.
I asked you what you come for.
I told you to take you back.
I was real took in at first.
I felt sort of kindly toward all the brave army men who put by the money for me.
Private Flint was here then?
That his name?
That nice smiley one who dug Luther's grave?
Yeah, he was here.
Cleaned till early this morning he was here.
I don't figure out with the army a thing now, Captain.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Denny.
Oh, it's too late, aren't you, Captain?
Too late for everything.
I am sorry.
I warned you it wasn't safe here.
So your hands are clean.
Your conscience is clear.
I didn't mean that.
Oh, you warned me, but I had in mind you was talking about Indians when you said this was no country for a woman alone.
Indians or Flint or any man who hasn't seen a woman for a long time.
Now you've come.
Six of you.
To force you to safety this time, ma'am.
There's a safe place for a woman out here?
Fort Laramie, for the time being.
Flint was from Fort Laramie.
Private Flint isn't the whole cavalry, Mrs. Dennis.
You'll get food there, rest.
In a couple of days there's a stage out for the east.
With cavalry protection.
Not unless it's called for, ma'am.
Go back home.
I guess that's all that's left.
I hate that, Captain.
I hate it.
I know how you feel, Mrs. Dennis, but I just want to tell you that I...
You don't.
You couldn't.
You couldn't know how I feel about anything.
I'm going to get my things now.
The stage driver says about five minutes.
I wondered if I'd see you again, Captain.
I owed it to the sergeant, the troopers, to see their money got spent the way they meant it.
I wondered if I'd find a feeling in me to be grateful to you.
Any of you.
No one's asking for any thanks, ma'am.
No one expects any.
Once I can forget, maybe I can be grateful.
You're better off leaving.
Luther was a good man.
I used to read all he sent me about the West.
He saw the good of it.
New and full of hope, that's how he said it.
I never saw that in it, Captain.
I never saw the good.
Isn't all good isn't all bad either.
But you're better off back home reading about it.
Well, I'd better be getting on the stage now.
Safe journey to you, ma'am.
Thank you, Captain.
And I mean thank you.
Goodbye, Mrs. Dennis.
All set, driver.
Yes, sir.
Captain, he's in the saloon.
You should feel right about things now, Gorse.
You were the first to know she didn't belong here.
I won't feel right till he's settled, Captain.
But how can he be now?
The army can't touch him without Mrs. Dennis tells her story.
I've been through enough.
How about him?
He'd have drawn time, plenty of time for what he'd done to her.
Don't worry about it, Gorse.
When I wait, Captain, you can't do it that way.
I've seen you like this before, Captain.
You'll kill him.
I'll handle it, Gorse.
You know what they do to you, sir.
Killing him ain't worth that.
I'm not going to kill him.
But I am going to mark him up.
Maybe he'll wish I had killed him.
Is he drunk?
Not yet, sir.
In uniform?
No, still on leave.
You give me five minutes emergency leave, just five minutes.
You leave him be, Gorse.
That's an order.
Yes, sir.
Over there, Captain.
I see him. You stay here.
But, Captain...
That's an order, Gorse.
Yes, sir.
What?
Captain Quince.
Hello.
Set your glass down, Flint.
Not on orders just yet, Captain.
Two more days of my leave coming to me.
Set it down.
You've got his rights, Captain.
This saloon's not run by the Army.
It is now.
Clear everyone out of here, Barkeep.
Now, you just wait...
Sergeant, clear the premises.
Yes, sir.
What is this?
I don't know what you got in mind.
I do.
There's regulations on my side, Captain.
I'm waiting to hear you say it isn't true, Flint.
Sitting your saber aside, taking off your tunic?
Don't make you lessen, Officer.
You can't lay a hand on me.
There's regulations.
I'm waiting, Flint.
You touch me and I'll go over your head.
I'll tell my story to the Major.
You do that.
He'll break you down to my size once I tell my story.
You tell him, Flint, and tell it all,
because I'll be there to see you don't leave any of it out.
I don't come any closer.
I got every right to defend myself.
You sure do.
Put that chair down.
I don't care who you...
I'm just like you now, Flint.
I got every right to defend myself.
Your saloon's looking kind of run down, Barkeep.
Looks to me like it's due for some repairs.
Yeah, it sounded like it.
But what about the customer?
You just gonna leave him there?
See, he's taken to the infirmary, Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Is he bad off, Captain?
I'm not the best judge, Gorse.
I'd say a good army doctor could get him on his feet again in...
six months, maybe.
That saloon brawling sure is punishing stuff, sir.
It's deadly, Sergeant.
Well, what about me, my saloon?
Well, I'd watch who I let in there after this, Barkeep.
That man had a bad temper.
Fooled one of your chairs at me.
Fort Laramie is produced and directed by Norman MacDonald
and stars Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry,
with Vic Perrin as Sergeant Gorse.
The script was specially written for Fort Laramie by Kathleen Height,
with sound patterns by Bill James and Ray Kemper,
musical supervision by Amarigo Marino.
Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine, John Danaer, and Barney Phillips.
Jack Moyles is Major Daggett, and Harry Bartel is Lieutenant Seibertz.
Company, attention!
Dismissed.
Next week, another transcribed story of the Northwest frontier
and the troopers who fought under Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
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