Devil's Doorway Page #3

---

He has to be back on the third day

before the sun is going down.

Isn't it rather cruel?

It depends on your point of view. Shoshones

were a small tribe. Every man counts.

Suppose one day that boy had to fight

for his people... Wouldn't it be good idea

if they knew they could depend on him?

But he's not living with the tribe now.

He'll never have to face that test here.

I hope not, ma'am.

There is our warrior.

That's a fine set, Jimmy.

They are yours.

You've earned them.

You made it, Shining Spear.

You're a man now. We're proud of you.

Whatever the trouble,

you will be sleeping tonight.

That boy has a good home.

Don't worry, ma'am. They are Shoshones.

They ran away from the reservation

20 suns past.

Their hearts are dying because

they have no freedom.

They have no milk and

the children weep.

- They heard that Broken Lance has much land.

- Why do you bother to translate?

- Do you care what I think?

- They have broken the law.

I thought you might wanna know.

He says they want a place

to live. They want a home.

- What do you say now?

- What do you think I say!?

I'll tell them to go away and

tell them I don't own my land.

They stay, they will

only add to my troubles.

(You can not stay.)

(I want peace with the white man.)

(We salute you.)

This is Thunder Cloud.

I remember when I was a child he was the

greatest hunter and the bravest warrior.

Once I fought as a mountain lion

and hunted as the eagle.

Now my spirit is dead.

Even my eyes are dead.

We will die, but we'll never

go back to the reservation.

- What did you say to them? - I told them

they haven't to go back to the reservation.

I told them they were home.

You're the only people

who know they are here.

- No one will find out from us.

- No one.

We'd better be on our way.

I will leave you here.

Lance, will you come to the house?

I want to talk with you.

It wouldn't be a good idea for you

to be seen with me after dark.

If you think so.

Lance, I guess I deserved what

you said about the law.

I understand now what that law means.

I want you to know, if you let me,

I'll work for you to get it changed.

I don't know if there's much

I can do, but I want to try.

That's good to hear.

We haven't lost this fight. I've

been thinking about filing a petition.

Yes, Orri, yes. That's the idea.

If we can get enough signatures here,

The Land Office will have to take notice.

- I have faith in people. If they hear

your side of the story... - They will sign.

I'll write a few letters

to Congress myself.

It sounds... just fine.

Thank you.

- Good night, Lance.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- Oh, Mrs Masters... - Yes?

The next time you carry a gun

for protection against Indians,

- you'd better make sure the firing

pin is not rusted. - The... what?

That damn thing!

Through that pass you will find green

pastures and clean water for your sheep.

Mr. Coolan!

I caught that man with the sheep

trying to come at my place.

I scattered the sheep,

they can be roundup later.

The other side of that pass

belongs to me. Stay off it.

That's a big horse you're riding.

And it's a long fall of it.

Like you said. It is a big horse.

There you are. unless it rains, your

sheep will be wiped out within a month.

- And it never rains in Wyoming

in the summertime. - Mr. Coolan...

It was your idea for us to come here.

What do you suggest now?

Through that pass the rains never dries

up, the mountains keep the wind out.

There is a waterhole in there big

enough to float a clipper ship in.

And the grass... it's belly high.

It's a place for home.

I'd like to live there myself.

Alright lawyer, we paid you good money

to tell us what to do. What's your answer?

My answer is in effect

the answer of the Land Office.

They informed me that Indians are

ineligible for benefits of the homestead law.

- The rest is up to you, gentlemen.

- Indians have always fought for their land.

- Poole doesn't strike me to be afraid.

- It's my duty is to tell your rights.

For the rest, of course, you have

to attend to yourselves.

Fear didn't enter into

my considerations.

Why get your head blown off

if there is another way?

I'd like to talk with Poole.

Maybe we can make a deal.

We want grazing and watering rights.

We'll rent, lease or buy.

- Go on. - Legally, we can

go in Sweet Meadows right now.

- Why don't you?

- We'd rather do it without fighting.

I see.

Those men are not going to

let their sheep starve to death.

Would you care to go with me

to talk with Mr. Poole?

- When can we leave?

- Right away.

Not a foot, mister. I hope you will

do alright, but not on my land.

- You do realize we have the right to

homestead on Sweet Meadows? - I do.

Lance, as your attorney,

I recommend some sort of agreement.

I wanna follow your advice

wherever I can, but not this time.

May I speak with you alone?

Don't be in a hurry about this.

It is serious.

- Why did you bring him here, Orri?

- Because I want you to understand your position.

This is the time for compromise.

The Shoshones had a chief

who compromised.

He even fought alongside the

white men against his own race.

Today my tribe is on a

reservation, shut in like animals.

There are a few of us left

who won't go to a reservation.

We'll stay and we won't compromise.

Would you compromise if the Land Office

reversed its decision about you?

- What's going to make them change their minds?

- Maybe my petition will.

If you had a legal claim to even a part

of Sweet Meadows, you'd be better off.

Alright, I'll make a deal with you.

If your petition is works,

I will talk to the sheep men.

Thank you.

- Time is running out. You'll have to do something.

- I promised to see what happens with the petition.

Let me tell you something about

Miss Masters. In the first place...

She is emotionally involved

with that Indian.

In the second place she's a shrew.

I regard her for, professionally.

But her petition is a fraud.

An attempt to stall the time. No chance.

Where did you get

all the confidence?

I've been talking with the Land

Commissioner in Cheyenne yesterday.

- What did he say? - If that petition

would have all signatures of everyone

...it wouldn't change

the decision one bit.

- But the Indian would still fight.

- I doubt that. Why should he?

If you went out there and stake the claim

you'd be doing yourself and the Indian a favor.

I think it

resigned itself to be inevitable.

- Maybe you're right.

- This petition could drag on months. - Yes.

And I don't have to remind you

that sheep die easily.

Excuse me.

- When did you go to Cheyenne?

- Last...

Just before the war. Nine years ago.

- It looks like the kid swallowed it. - I admire

that boy. He follows the advice of his elders.

I'll go back in town and see how the

young lady's petition is getting on.

You'll follow in discrete distance

and bring me news of the battles

as quickly as possible.

This Indian will chew that kid

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes