Little Big Man Page #6

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No, you stay.

Not yet.

Maybe I can get back later.

Idle boasting, I assure you.

Who's this here?

It's me, Digging Bear.

Well, she wasn't called

Digging Bear for nothing,

I can tell you that.

Stay here.

Corn Woman's too tired.

Oh.

She don't sound tired to me.

That's not her.

That's Little Elk.

That's both of them.

Little Elk, you go on to sleep.

You, too.

Digging Bear!

Corn Woman, where are you?

I was lucky

I come across her last.

The others, too?

Yes.

I knew you were a good man.

Here's your new son.

I reckon right then

I come pretty close

to turning pure Indian,

and I probably would have spent

the rest of my days

with Sunshine and her sisters.

But sometimes grass don't grow,

wind don't blow...

...and the sky ain't blue.

Something's wrong

with the ponies.

Wolves.

Grandfather's d... Here!

Go inside.

Don't leave the tepee.

Grandfather,

what's wrong with the ponies?

Don't you hear that, my son?

I wonder why I didn't see them

in my dream.

Sunshine!

Grandfather,

you've got to get inside.

Why bother, son?

It's a good day to die.

We've got to get

to the riverbank!

I am blind.

I cannot fight.

But I won't run.

If it's

my day to die,

I want to do it here

within a circle.

Grandfather...

the river is part

of the great circle

of the waters of the Earth.

That's true,

but the soldiers would kill us

before we could get

to the river.

The sol...? Grandfather,

you didn't see any soldiers

in your dream,

and-and that means that...

that they can't see you now.

You think so?

Yes, yes.

What else did your dream mean?

I think you're right.

Then let's go to the great

circle of the river!

Invisible.

I never been invisible before.

It's too late.

We're cut off.

It doesn't matter.

We're invisible.

Grandfather, wait!

Grandfather!

I know it sounds ridiculous

but them soldiers never

lifted a hand to stop us.

I reckon it was so crazy,

they couldn't figure it out.

Or maybe they thought

we was prisoners

or even friendlies

since Old Lodge Skins

was grinning at them

like a raccoon.

Or maybe

we really was invisible.

All I knowed is we walked

right through 'em to the river.

Circle the camp!

Circle the camp, boys!

That was extremely enjoyable.

Glad you liked it

Grandfather.

Captain!

Captain...

...shoot the Indian ponies.

I beg your pardon, sir?

That is my decision.

- I shall shoot the ponies.

- But, sir!

- Sunshine...

- Go and do it!

Yes, sir.

Young man,

your self-righteous piety

is commencing to annoy me.

But I-I didn't

say anything, sir.

You think it's shocking

to shoot a few ponies?

Well, let me tell you,

the women are far more important

than the ponies.

The point is,

they breed like rats,

however, Lieutenant,

this is a legal action.

And the men are under strict

orders not to shoot the women.

Unless, of course,

they refuse to surrender.

Isn't that correct?!

Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Sunshine!

Run! Run!

Run!

No!

Where you going, soldier?

Message for the General.

Wait a minute.

What's that on your face?

Oh, mud, sir.

That's not mud,

that's Indian paint.

And that's an Indian knife.

What's your company?

My company, sir?

Yes, and the name of

your commanding officer.

What's the trouble, Captain?

I think we've got

a renegade, General.

He's wearing Indian paint

and he doesn't know

his commanding officer

or his company.

Take him away and hang him.

General!

General, don't you remember me?

I'm Jack Crabb,

the mule skinner!

Mule skinner?

Yes, sir!

I applied for a job as scout,

but you could tell

my true occupation

just by looking at me.

Yes, yes, I believe

I do remember that.

How did you become a renegade?

General...

I ain't no renegade!

I was captured by the Cheyenne

and held prisoner!

Why, they...

they took cactus thorns

and stuck them in me!

But I just laughed

and begged them

to keep on doing it!

You... laughed?

I laughed my head off!

Otherwise, I wouldn't be here.

Gentlemen, it is difficult

to admit to an error.

Captain?

Captain, your summary judgment

was wholly mistaken!

Now aren't you glad I saw fit

to question this

man more closely?

Yes, sir.

Please be more careful

in the future, Captain.

I'll drink the tea now,

Corporal.

Yes, sir.

What are you doing

up here, mule skinner?

Nothing, I...

just brought you tea, General.

And I wanted to...

thank you again

for sparing my life.

Why are you standing

to the side?

Turn this way.

You came up here

to kill me, didn't you?

And you lost your nerve.

Well, I was correct, in a sense.

You are a renegade,

but you are no Cheyenne brave.

Custer was right.

I was a total failure

as an Indian.

Do I hang you?

I think not.

Get out of here.

You're not going to hang me?

Your miserable life

is not worth

the reversal

of a Custer decision.

That was the worst thing

he could have done to me.

There was nothing left

of my self-respect at all.

I couldn't go back

to the Indians

so I went back among

the whites and become a drunk.

Boy, you're a sad sight, Hoss.

You should have stuck

to sody-pop.

How are things with you, Bill?

Fine.

I've changed my ways, Hoss.

That's good.

Say, Bill,

I need a drink worse than

a breath of life itself.

- Here's $20.

- Oh!

Get gloriously drunk.

But first, go across

the street to the barber,

and have yourself a bath,

and buy some clothes.

Then come see me in the saloon.

One thing I do know, Hoss,

any damn fool

can drink himself to death.

Come on. Come on!

Bill, I want to...

Hoss, I'd like to ask you

a confidential favor.

It's a delicate matter

involving a-a widow.

She needs a train ticket

out of town.

You give her this.

Sure, Bill.

See, my new, beautiful wife

is violently jealous,

and... and this widow,

oh, she's quite a widow.

I think I know

what you mean, Bill.

Her name was Lulu Kane.

Right now, Bill.

Good.

Get out of the way!

Get out of the way!

Get out of the way!

Bill! Bill...

He killed my daddy!

He killed my daddy!

He killed my daddy!

He's never gonna shoot

nobody again!

Took me seven years

to get him, but I got him!

Who was he anyhow?

Some boy.

Hoss...

...you know that matter

we discussed?

The widow?

Yes, Bill.

Don't tell my wife.

That'd really get me in trouble.

You've got me down

in this goldang water!

Come in, stranger.

Whatever it is you want,

we've got it.

Miss Pendrake?

You've mistaken me

for someone else, stranger.

My name is Lulu.

Your name ain't Lulu.

You're Louise Pendrake.

Who-who are you?

Well, I am Jack Crabb.

Miss Pendrake,

don't you remember me?

Jack Crabb?

My God.

Jack.

Well, this is quite

a pleasant surprise.

Th-this room

is more commodious.

And now, wh-what have you

been doing with yourself?

Lulu! What the hell

are you doing in here

sitting on your ass?

There's a

gentleman waiting.

I have a gentleman

in here, too.

Oh, I didn't see you, stranger.

Is everything

all right?

- Oh, everything's fine.

- Need anything?

If you do, just ring the bell.

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