How the West Was Won Page #5

...London-made and loaded for bear.

I'll take part of that bet.

I told you I wouldn't stand

for you fleecing any...

Cheyennes.

There's too many to fight.

We'll have to run for it.

You can't outrun them with wagons.

The minute you get moving,

cut your teams loose.

- Have you gone crazy?

- Go on, get moving.

Chances are they want our stock

more than us.

Now, you're a gambler, ain't you?

All right, let's get moving.

Keep them closed up there.

I don't know how to unhook them.

Cleve, watch out!

Cleve!

Joe, pick me up.

We'll be moving at daybreak.

I'll take a few men,

see if we can find him.

Give him a decent, Christian burial.

Someone's coming! Someone's coming!

Well, I can let you have this rig for a dollar

a day, and I'll give you a good team.

- Pick it up in the morning.

- That'll be fine.

Could you tell me the way

to the Brooks claim?

Well, the claims are down by the river.

- Which road should I take?

- Only one road. Along the river.

- Thank you.

- Sure welcome.

We're looking for a Mr. Huggins.

You found him.

This is Miss Lilith Prescott.

I figured.

They told me you was a real looker.

Yup. It's all here for you.

Just the way Mr. Brooks staked it out.

Must've had 20 men working on it.

Well, where are they now?

Who's digging the gold?

Gold? I ain't never seen a better grade

since I come here with Millie.

It was just a pocket, though.

The whole shebang, nothing but a pocket.

Oh, we cleared 4200

before it played out.

Now, about that 4200...

Mr. Brooks, he spent three

before his heart give out.

I put up 600 for a brass-handled casket.

I figure the rest you owe me

for sitting on your claim.

Oh, miss, I mean, that's only fair, ain't it?

I mean, wouldn't you...?

Funny pair, all right.

How about you boys?

Come and see the brand-new attraction.

It's exciting and sensational.

Step right in, gentlemen.

Miss Prescott?

Hello, Mr. Morgan.

I'd invite you in, but it's a little cramped.

This is no life for a fine woman like you.

I heard your mine was played out.

But where's your fancy friend?

Cleve?

Last I heard, he was in Hangtown.

You mean that no-good went off

and left you?

He went off and left me.

But I don't agree that he's no good.

Cleve is Cleve, that's all.

You're a perplexing woman,

Miss Prescott.

When a skunk needs killing...

...well, it ain't enough just to say

a skunk's a skunk.

Mr. Morgan...

...all my life I've wanted

to marry a rich husband.

Can I blame Cleve for wanting

to marry a rich wife?

Both of us may have been born

for the poorhouse...

...but we're not the kind to like it.

Do you believe all this you've been saying,

or is it just words?

Now, tell me the truth.

The truth is...

...Cleve and I couldn't live alone

just on love.

Not for five minutes.

Then you've answered the question I've

been asking for better than 2000 miles.

I got the biggest ranch you ever did see.

You can't ride across it in a day.

That land's gonna mean money

sooner than you think.

You want a rich husband...

...you're looking at him.

There ain't a blessed thing you have to do

except mind the kids.

I'm sorry.

Not now.

Not ever.

What a waste.

Someone put together like you.

Aggie.

Those who struck it rich wanted

all the pleasures that money could buy.

And there were plenty to sell to them.

Even the Sacramento riverboats

took on luxury goods.

I'll see it.

It's up to you.

Betting?

What's the matter with you?

- I'm checking out.

- Checking out?

What's the matter with him?

Lily, I got to talk to you.

I found myself throwing in

a winning hand.

Well, I just never thought

I'd do that for any girl.

Lily.

How'd you like to hook up

with a no-good gambler?

Oh, hon, we are on our way.

I got $1200 right here.

- What'll we do, open a gambling house?

- No.

A married man should spend

his evenings at home.

Then we'll open a music hall

in San Francisco.

- No.

- I can still sing and dance.

No. A married woman should

spend her evenings at home.

- But we can't sit at home on $1200 for...

- Lily.

Have you seen San Francisco?

It's ugly, and it's small,

and it's full of fleas.

And it burns down

about every five minutes...

...but each time they keep on rebuilding it

a little bigger and better than before.

It's alive and kicking

and nothing can stop it.

And it makes you

wanna build something too.

A railroad.

A steamship line.

Something to help the baby grow.

Cleve, on $1200?

We could start out

with a wagon or a rowboat.

With the help of the devil,

I'll bet we make it.

Young America was not only

a union of East and West.

There were North and South too.

And between them,

the bonds were weakening.

Mr. Lincoln, now retired

from Congress and practicing law...

... realized that the South would fight...

... to mold the new and

uncommitted territories to its own image.

Still two years from the presidency...

... he pleaded that the free West

be allowed to remain free...

... and warned of the hazards

of a house divided against itself.

But the South,

seeing its power and influence wane...

... struggled against the inevitable

in dozens of Western towns.

And slowly, the bitter seeds of civil war

took root.

Howdy, Ms. Rawlings.

Whoa, Rosebud, whoa.

Say, Mr. Peterson,

what's that suit you got on?

Uniform, Mrs. Rawlings. A uniform.

Our militia company was sworn in...

...and I'm Corporal Peterson now,

Ohio Volunteers.

You won't be seeing me for a spell.

Hey, I got a letter for you,

from way out in California.

It must be from my sister, Lilith.

"Dear Eve..."

Mr. Peterson, could you wait a minute?

I wanna answer this right away.

Zeb?

Zeb, come on down here.

Well, we was hoping

that Zeb might be going with us.

His pa went when the first bugle blew.

Ain't one enough?

Hi, corporal.

Jeremiah, get Mr. Peterson

some buttermilk.

Buttermilk.

It's from your aunt Lilith.

She says there ain't no war out in California

and they don't expect there'll be one.

"Business is brisk.

Many opportunities

for an energetic young man."

There's talk of building a railroad east.

"Cleve has hopes of getting in

on the ground floor.

We would welcome Zeb

if he wants to come."

Ma, did you write her about me?

- Not exactly.

- Now, did you?

I told her you didn't like farming

any better than your pa did.

Ma, you got the wrong idea

about this war.

It ain't gonna be so bad, is it, corporal?

You know Pa's having the time of his life.

Now, Ms. Rawlings,

I got it from the captain himself...

...that we ain't gonna be gone

no time at all.

Pa left it up to you whether I go or not.

But you know what he really felt.

Ms. Rawlings, there ain't much glory

in tromping behind a plow.

Reckon there's no hurry

in answering this letter.

Thank you for waiting.

You mean I can go?

Oh, there'll be things to do.

Ma...

Gotta get your underwear washed

and your socks darned.

Do they give you one of them suits?

One of them uniforms?

I reckon.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes