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.
Might as well stay mounted Sergeant. Looks like the stage is ready.
Yes sir. I'll talk to the agent.
Morning Mr. Church.
Morning to you Captain. Did you come for them?
My orders say to meet Mr. and Mrs. Horace Quiring at the Red Cloud Agency and escort them to Fort Laramie.
Good.
At their stage outside?
It is. Did you hear me say good?
I heard you.
Good. That's good for their leaving and good for good riddance too.
Bureau of Indian Affairs bothering you Mr. Church?
Bothering's a small word Captain. I won't try to spell it all out for you. You wouldn't believe me if I did.
Suffice it to say I am played out.
Well if they're ready.
The Indians are played out too.
What's the matter with them?
You don't know these folks at all?
The major says Mr. Quiring has something to do with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Basket weaving, dancing, law and culture studies, fire making, Indian mythology. Oh I tell you Captain we've had a busy couple of weeks.
Well if he wants to learn about the Indians he'd...
Captain, he's been teaching.
He's been teaching the Indians how to make baskets?
That's the least of it. Him and his Mrs. Tu touched up a few of the tribal dances and that Gussie...
Say your orders don't mention Gussie?
Gussie?
She's their niece. A great hand to go around and make fires rubbing a couple of dry sticks together.
Showed the Indians how did she?
Oh they was amazed. Oh you wouldn't leave Gussie here. Well I mean seeing her name ain't set down in your orders. Oh you wouldn't do a trick like that to me Captain.
I'll take them home.
Oh good. Of course that poses a problem too.
How's that?
You gotta find them first.
They lost?
Always.
Let's go Captain.
Can you see them yet?
I make out three heads up at the top of the rocks. Guess they're heads.
That's the quarry. From a distance there's always some question.
Then you get close up and...oh I've got to rest. Oh dear. Getting light headed.
I don't see how they got up that high. Especially the women.
No you don't. You've got to catch them in the act to believe it. And then you'd swear you hadn't seen it. Oh active. Mighty active.
Well I'll go up and get them. Can't keep the patrols sitting around all morning.
I figure they're your responsibility now Captain. I've done all I can do. And in some.
We'll pick you up on our way down.
Alright.
Mr. Guiring.
I never hoped for this. Truly a legopus mutus.
Watch your Latin Gussie. Legopus leucurus.
Strictly speaking of course it's a rupestrus. But you can't blame the girls for being carried away.
You talking about that bird there on the ledge?
I know you're going to tell me it's a white tailed ptarmigan. But in bird circles it's a...
It's a grouse.
Well yes if you want to be blunt it's a grouse.
Horace.
Right here Winifred.
Only in the broadest sense is the ptarmigan a grouse. A kin. A kin. I'll give you. Nothing more.
Remember Uncle Horace. Aunt Winifred's last paper before the Ornithological Society definitely established the ptarmigan as a gallinaceous bird akin to the grouse.
Oh yes you see young man you want to have your facts well in hand before you take on the quiring girls.
Oh so by the way who are you?
I'm Captain Quince. I'm in charge of your cavalry escort to Fort Laramie.
Oh yes yes indeed of course. Well now I'm Horace Quiring.
Oh and this is my wife Winifred and my niece Augusta. We call her Gussie.
Girls Captain Quince.
Ma'am. Miss.
Jickhands Captain.
Yes ma'am.
My goodness Quince.
Well she's thinking of the Australian black ash.
Oh.
Indeed I'm not Uncle Horace. We studied the quince at the seminary. I'm thinking more in terms of the pear shaped fruit of the Pyra Sedonia.
She has you there Horace.
Oh yeah. I warn you Captain. They keep a man on his pace. Well shall we make our descent.
Yes I kind of think we better.
Maybe it's a little early for them to have breakfast Lee.
The quirings they probably struck out before dawn and roasted a buffalo on an open fire.
A fire Gussie made rubbing two dry sticks together.
I know you don't like your assignment Lee but there's no cause to exaggerate.
I thought the Indian agent was exaggerating too.
They seem like perfectly nice people to me. Pleasant close knit family.
You spent five minutes with them. Never got past how to do.
Mrs. Daggett was leaving on the stage. I explained that.
That's all right. Maybe it's better you find out for yourself.
The Indian agent says they know more about Indians than the Indians do. They might start telling us how to run the guard mount.
I wish they'd come. I'm starved.
Maybe they're lost. Oh that's ridiculous.
The Indian agent says they're always lost. You see they go climbing around a lot looking for birds and things.
Well they're not lost this time. Here's Mr. Quiring.
My goodness. Oh don't you bother getting up for me Major and Captain.
Morning Mr. Quiring. Morning sir. Oh isn't it.
Sit down Mr. Quiring. Thank you.
Well now how nice. So this is the officers mess is it.
That's right. Would you like some coffee while we're waiting. Oh I'd love some coffee. Nothing like a good cup of coffee.
Waiting. For the ladies. For the ladies.
For Mrs. Quiring. Miss Gussie. Oh the girls. The girls. See where are they.
Well I just supposed you'd all be together. We were. We were. But that was at breakfast.
I haven't seen the girls since breakfast.
A little raspy in the throat are we Captain. No I sort of choked.
You want to watch that. That's bad business. You've had breakfast Mr. Quiring.
My goodness yes. Why it's after seven Major. Oh it was a good breakfast too.
It was outdoors you know. Open fire. All the sounds of the aurora as the sun came up and shone with its full glory on Laramie Peak.
You say an open fire Mr. Quiring. Yes Gussie insists on an open fire.
Ever since she learned how to. Well the things young ladies learn in seminars these days.
My just open your eyes. Mind telling us what you had for breakfast.
Not at all. Glad to. Winterfred's department you know the food. She made the boast.
But to tell you the truth I never thought she'd bag it. Well sir she wasn't up in that canyon five minutes until bang bang.
Oh I'm sorry. I hope I didn't frighten you Major. No no no I'm all right.
Bang bang what Mr. Quiring. Oh breakfast yes breakfast.
It wasn't a buffalo by any chance. Oh no no no a buffalo. I don't believe Winterfred could have bagged a buffalo. No it wasn't a buffalo.
No I didn't think it would be. No it was a antelope.
See that is a bad throat you've got there Captain. I guess it comes from exaggerating things.
Wouldn't you say Major. I've got some business to attend to. Better get over to headquarters. But you haven't had your breakfast Major.
Well I'm not hungry. Oh no no I'll bet Winterfred could tempt you with some of that antelope.
Oh my delicate succulent. I hope their foray into the woods was successful. I couldn't go with them you see I was most anxious.
What foray into what woods Mr. Quiring. What woods. Now wait just let me get my bearings. Now which way is north.
That way. That's splendid yes that's it. There are some woods to the north and last time I saw the girls they were.
Captain Quince you're to form a search party immediately. Take what men you need. Search party. Why.
The land to the north is Indian country Mr. Quiring. Of course that's why they went. Oh my goodness a search.
You speak as if the girls are lost. We're speaking as if they're in danger Mr. Quiring. Those woods are full of Arapaho, Shoshone, Crow.
I don't think they'll bother the girls. But I am glad you mentioned that.
I've been meaning to have a chat with you concerning the perimeter defense of the fort. Captain. Yes sir. Move out.
Now Major. Right away sir. I noticed last night a tattoo. It seemed to me you would make the slightest.
I wonder if I understood you correctly captain. Were to look up in the trees as well. You understood me Mr. Cybrids.
Up in the trees. Up on rock ledges. Up on cliffs. The ladies climb sir. Climb or fly I don't know.
But you pick a spot no one can get to except maybe an eagle. They'll be there.
Captain. Shhh. Head of us Mr. Cybrids.
Sounds like a grizzly. Like no grizzly I ever heard.
Put your rifle down Mr. Cybrids. Let's give them a hand. It's an Indian captain. Poor devil.
Somebody stuffed a gag in his mouth. What's all this he's caught in. That Mr. Cybrids is a butterfly in that.
A butterfly. How on earth. Here give me a hand. Yes sir. Let's get that kerchief out of his mouth.
No. No kill. No kill. You're all right. We're not going to kill you. What are we caught on Mr. Cybrids?
It's a handle or something sir. Trap down this brush. You let go. I run. I no come here again. You let go. White squaw's crazy.
Yeah I think you're right. You. You man down there. Don't set him free.
Captain. Look where she is. Clear up at the top of the. I told you Mr. Cybrids. You better come down from there Mrs. Quiring.
No. No. You not let her down here again. I run. White squaw full of bad spirits. Shut up. Young man.
Do as I say. Leave me and him as you found him. He bothers us. Keep working Mr. Cybrids. Let him go when you get him free.
I'll go up and get the girls. Are you hard of hearing young man? I hallowed you on two occasions about the Indian.
I heard you Mrs. Quiring. And you deliberately let him go after I told you he bothered us. He won't bother you anymore.
See down there he's running like fire down. They've flown Aunt Winifred. But with all the commotion who can blame them?
Indeed. Indeed. First the Indian. And we silenced him. But now. Just look around down there Gussie. Enough army to. Have you lost something important Captain?
Ma'am. Ma'am you got to understand a few things about the West. About Indians. About army garrisons.
Well now if that isn't what we're trying our level best to do Captain Quince. And how better to do it than by going directly to nature. Studying the birds of flight. The animals.
Miss Gussie. Yes. Miss Gussie this is Indian country. You're not allowed to go directly to nature in Indian country. Not if you're a white woman.
Now that's plain silly. It's a treaty says so Mrs. Quiring. Took a long time. Talking. Negotiating. Giving and taking. And finally it was decided the Indians were the only ones with rights to this land.
The Indian didn't mean us any harm. Did you think Aunt Winifred? Furthest thing from his mind. He was nosy that's all. Gussie and I had stolen up on. Now mind what I tell you Captain.
We'd stolen up on a bittern. A sharp shinned hawk. Aunt Winifred your language. I'm breaking it down for the Captain. Remember the problem we had earlier about what he called a grouse. Oh of course.
Ma'am if you'll let me get a word in. A bittern. A sharp shinned hawk. A goshawk. A bald eagle. And a crow. A crow Aunt Winifred.
The Indian was a crow wasn't he Captain? Yes ma'am. He was a crow.
And to use her words Major when the crow persisted in making so much noise we did the only reasonable thing. That's when they dropped a butterfly net on him and gagged him with a kerchief.
Wait a minute I've lost track. Is this crow a bird or a Indian? Captain the Army's been my life for fifteen years. But this business with the Quiring's may bring it to an untimely conclusion.
I'm about to write Washington that if they send another party out here in the name of investigating anything I'll resign.
How long the Quiring's going to be putting up here? He hasn't said. But this is in order Captain. From now on I'm assigning you to a full time watch on the three of them.
We can't always be sending search parties out to find them. There's no watching the three of them at one time. They got a way of pairing off or striking out alone.
And assign a man to each of them. But I want them accounted for at all times. Hope we don't have any Indian uprisings before they leave. Couldn't spare the men to fight them.
Oh no. Yeah? That'd be Mrs. Quiring. What on earth is she doing with Sergeant Gorse? Talking to him anyway. I'd have to get closer to find out what about.
You go ahead Captain. I'm going over to the Suttlers. Just remembered Mrs. Daggett's out of hat pins.
Are you sure you're trying to understand? I'm not sure no ma'am. I hear what you're saying all right.
It's a perfectly simple and direct statement. Toe out. Toe out. Oh Captain Quince. Help me make this nice sergeant understand.
What's wrong Sergeant? I don't rightly know Captain. Something about the way I walk or don't walk or something. The lady she...
You two haven't met? Formally? Well now we... She just come on me talking. Well then allow me. Mrs. Quiring this is Sergeant Gorse.
Shake hands Sergeant. Yes ma'am. Now then. Did you say Gorse? Yes ma'am. That's my name. Gorse.
Wonderful. Oh wonderful. Wait till I tell Gussie and Horace. A Quince and a Gorse on the same army post. Oh I can't wait.
This is too good to keep. You'll excuse me. Yes ma'am. And don't forget Sergeant. Toe out. Toe out.
She sure got a bird somewhere isn't she? Maybe. You think I walk funny Captain? I'm beginning to think everyone's a little funny around here one way or another.
My name. What's she going on about my name for? She knows what it means. What does it mean? I don't know. Now me I got a couple of choices.
They can't decide if I'm an Australian black ash or the pear shaped fruit of the pirous Sedonia.
Captain. I'm going to go get me some beer. See you practice on the way over Sergeant. I don't forget. Toe out.
Now you just got to make up your mind to stay put Mr. Quire. We can't come looking for you every now and then.
Well I'm never lost you know. Never. I always know where I am. I have maps and charts. Well it's more that I don't know where you are.
Oh then you're lost. No sir I'm not. I'm just. Oh well that's a different matter entirely. Don't worry I'll get us back. I have maps and charts and things.
Can't understand Winifred though. That's my wife Winifred. Yes sir. It's not like her to steer me wrong this way.
Usually Winifred's word is her bond. She says something it's true but this time she. By the way I don't believe I caught your name Sergeant.
My name's Gorse. Oh yes Sergeant. Oh that's a fine name. Imagine you're quite proud of. Did you say Gorse? I sure did.
Oh my. That's a good one. Now the joke's on me Sergeant. It is huh. Yes Winifred didn't steer me wrong at all. She said oh my this is rich.
Yes it is. She was telling me about the Gorse you see and I was quite naturally excited about that. Why? Well for a good reason I assure you.
You don't run into Gorse every day you know. Well I don't but now look here Mr. Quire. I quite naturally assumed that Winifred was referring to the common furs or win.
And that's why I struck out to see it. Perhaps snip a sample or two. I sure don't know what you're talking about.
Your wife. I hear everything she says and I don't know what she's talking about neither. Well Dennis I rode out I got to thinking perhaps Winifred wasn't referring to the common furs or win at all.
Yes I said. Well it's been years since I read her paper on the Gorse but I remember the main points all right.
So let me see now. There's the Gorse Linnet, the Gorse Chat, Gorse Hatch, Gorse Hatcher and Gorse Thatcher.
What are you talking about? All them Gorses. Oh my. Oh no say. Oh shame on me. Well I never remember to keep it simple for the lamer.
Well I never remember. Well to begin at the beginning again we're back now to the furs and the win. That's very like Juniper. That last bunch with all them Gorses in front of them.
Birds. Songbirds many of them. You like birds is that what you're saying? Oh I like birds. Oh my dear Gorse.
Birds and I. Oh I'm sorry but a sergeant named Gorse. Winifred will just have to do a paper on that. Oh we got a lot more interest in birds than that out here.
You do. Oh sure. Well you don't want to mess around with common old Gorses when you can come up on a say the Jayhawk. He flies backwards you know.
Then there's the Mugwump. Mugwump? Did you say Mugwump? My goodness I thought they were extinct. Oh no. No we got them all over out here.
Then there's the three footed firebird. Three footed? Stands on one rubs his other two together makes fires. Gussie will be thrilled.
I just can't believe this. That's why I come up here Captain. They're really leaving? That's what they say. Pushing farther west on the trail of a three footed firebird.
I told them California. Up high in the Sierra. At least why is the last covey I saw was there.
I understand Mrs. Quirion is going to give you full credit on her paper about them. You better count heads here. Here's Mr. Quirion talking to the Major.
I seen Mrs. Quirion not two minutes ago. She was helping the squad do some Indian bead work. She isn't doing it now. Find her Gors.
Oh now. She ain't run away again Captain. I want them all three on that stage Sergeant. Yes sir. Keep an eye out for Miss Gussie while you're at it Sergeant. Yes sir.
Oh Captain. Captain. Yes Mr. Quirion. Well now I wouldn't want to miss shaking your hand in farewell Captain. The stage is packed. I've said my goodbyes to the Major.
You lose something? Your wife. And I don't see Miss Gussie either. Well now let me see. Well if I were Winifred now where would I go?
I always begin that way you see and then I let my mind function as if it were Winifred's mind. The root house. That's clear over behind the settlers. That far? Well when we go over. What's she doing at the root house?
My you didn't know. She found a small flowering gorse and thought it only fed. Never mind. Captain Quince. What now? It's Miss Gussie Captain.
You see Captain. We're all accounted for. There's no problem. I'm afraid there is sir. It seems Miss Gussie was demonstrating how quickly she. Well they don't think it's too serious but under the circumstances they took her to the post hospital.
Hospital? Under what circumstances Mr. Simons? Burned hands Captain. But the doctor says in a few days she'll be able to travel.
In a few days. Mr. Simons this is an order. For the next few days no dry sticks for Miss Gussie. Move out.
Fort Laramie is produced and directed by Norman MacDonald and stars Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, captain of cavalry with Vic Perham as Sergeant Gorse.
The script was specially written for Fort Laramie by Kathleen Height with sound patterns by Bill James and Tom Henley. Musical supervision by Amerigo Marino. Featured in the cast were Howard McNeer, Virginia Gregg, Parley Bear, Shirley Mitchell and John Danaer. Jack Moyles is Major Daggett and Harry Bartel is Lieutenant Cybert.
Company attention.
Dismiss.
Next week another transcribed story of the Northwest frontier and the troopers who fought under Lee Quince, captain of cavalry.
Yours truly Johnny Dollar is no signature on a valentine. Not that our danger loving insurance investigator is opposed to romance. It's just that the detective's profession calls for a pragmatic approach to life if he wants to go on living.
That's why no matter how lovely a lady may be, no matter how attracted to her Johnny Dollar may be, solving the particular case he's working on always takes precedence over sentiment. The case he's working on now calls for courage as well as caution.
And it's a baffling mystery thriller you'll enjoy following clue by clue as you listen to yours truly Johnny Dollar Monday through Friday evening on most of the same CBS radio station.
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