Major Dundee Page #5

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They are willing to share everything

they have got with you, Major...

most particularly their hunger.

Would you like to see the children

in our dispensary...

whose sickness is starvation?

- Lieutenant Graham, fire!

- Sir!

Sgt. Gomez, slaughter two mules,

distribute the meat...

and whatever stores you find in that

blockhouse to the people of the village...

- and to this lady.

- Teresa. Teresa Maria Santiago.

- Ma'am. Ryan!

- Yes, sir.

Lieutenant!

With beauty such as yours,

this village is rich beyond comparison.

Lieutenant Tyreen!

God save the Queen.

We entered the village

to take food and horses...

We entered the village

to take food and horses...

but instead gave away our own,

and everyone was thankful.

Our wounds were tended

by a German lady...

who spoke English and was pretty,

if somewhat old.

- Hold it there, will you?

- Thank you, ma'am.

Also, a very lovely Mexican girl

who was kindness itself, gentle and young.

Don't worry, son, it ain't near your heart.

To the victors belong the spoils.

Well, Ben, you look quite the gentleman.

After the war, Amos...

the Tyreens of County Clair become

the landed gentry of Virginia.

It's not over yet.

By midnight tonight I want every man in this

command drunker than a fiddler's b*tch.

At that point, our prisoners will escape

and run for help.

But we will not discover this until sunup.

Tomorrow night, after following us all day...

that French cavalry will camp and prepare

to attack our disorganised rabble.

But before they make their move,

we will steal them blind and be on our way.

You are either...

a $70, red-wool, pure-quill military genius...

or the biggest damn fool

in Northern Mexico.

No question of it.

You haven't got the temperament

to be a liberator, Amos.

I don't?

If I may suggest, sirs,

the time has come to join the fiesta.

Sitting alone is bad for the soul.

Captain Tyreen. Does he shave?

- Does it matter?

- Didn't to me.

She's not here.

Too bad.

There was something about that woman.

There sure, sure was.

Made me think of...

satin.

- Soft, white satin.

- Major.

Excuse me, Major.

A waltz.

I'd be delighted, sir.

- Lieutenant Graham.

- Sir!

- Why aren't you with the pickets?

- I've been relieved, sir.

Carry on.

Sir, in my opinion we need more guards

at the blockhouse...

or the French prisoners are going to escape.

Thank you, Lieutenant, for your opinion.

Now, I trust you will carry on.

No, sir. You see, I'm cutting in, sir.

- What?

- Cutting in, sir.

Lieutenant Graham,

have you been drinking?

- Senorita.

- Thank you, Lieutenant.

A Mexican dance, perhaps?

I wanted to say goodbye, and thank you.

It was good to celebrate just being alive.

- Are you planning to stay on here now?

- I don't know.

I met my husband when

he was a medical student in Vienna.

My family disapproved violently.

So violently, I no longer have any ties there.

And I'm needed here.

There is no one else except for Linda,

not for a hundred miles.

You will say goodbye to Lt. Tyreen for me?

I'd be delighted.

I liked the way he asked me to dance.

As if we were in a ballroom in Vienna.

- It was a lovely little charade.

- The Lieutenant has style.

He must be a fanciful man.

He is corrupt. But I will save him.

Thank you for being kind.

All I feel is kindness.

Next time I'll be more fanciful.

Hadley! Wiley! Get them mules in here.

Mount up. Just fall in. Get in there.

Ryan is missing, sir.

Graham went to look for him.

- Who went to look for Graham?

- Gomez.

Sergeant Gomez,

be gentle with the bugler boy.

He's ill.

Take your time, Trooper Ryan,

take your time.

We're delighted you decided to join us.

Now if you'd only warned us,

we could have sent Sgt. Gomez...

to serve you breakfast in bed.

Ryan, put it in the saddle!

All accounted and...

All present and accounted for, sir.

I can see that, Lieutenant Graham.

I can clearly see that.

Suppose you could manage

to move them out now?

Twos left, right turn.

Last night the Major let

the French prisoners escape.

He hoped they would go to

their garrison for reinforcements.

They did.

This afternoon he sent Lt. Graham

and some troopers out as a decoy.

The rest of us hung back, waiting.

Jefferson, that scarf is

to decorate the cannon, not you.

- Yes, sir.

- Wiley, secure those pack animals.

Sergeant Chillum, are the pickets out?

They're out. Not that they'll do any good.

If them Lancers has got a fieldpiece...

they could move it in,

lay in one round, and then finish us off...

with them 10-foot frog stickers

they're packing.

No, they'll camp.

Begging your pardon, Lieutenant,

but who says so?

I do.

Don't they look pretty?

My boys can take that outfit,

the walking ones anyway...

with one hand tied behind our backs.

How's that, Aesop?

They're soft, O.W.

They ain't never been south.

They're closing up.

They'll be less than five miles

from Graham by full dark.

What if they don't stop?

What if they don't camp? They just keep on,

smash hell out of the Lieutenant?

Mighty is the arm of the Lord.

January 15. It took the French

three days to discover...

all they were chasing was

a one-armed scout and a renegade Apache.

By that time, Mr. Potts and Riago

figured we were safe...

and decided to lose them and find us.

We rested and healed our wounds.

Hey! I'm drowning!

- Come on in.

- I already had my bath.

Hey, the water's fine.

- First shave, Tim?

- Yep.

- Maybe we should call you Ryan now.

- Yeah.

We are waiting for Mr. Potts, Sgt. Gomez...

and the rebel captain to return

from the scout.

We fear that the French have taken

reprisals against the village.

I keep thinking about Linda

and pray for her safety.

- What happened?

- Just like watching a bird die.

- And the woman?

- I don't know, Amos.

If they hanged her, they cut her down.

Them boys in the pretty hats

make the Apache look like missionaries.

Never underestimate the value

of a European education.

- No sign of Charriba?

- Don't worry about that, Amos.

He wants to drag it out.

I think he figures on leaving stories

about you that'll be told...

around the campfires of his people

for a thousand years.

We were healing,

becoming a command again.

Hard and watchful, anxious for battle...

when that which

the Major hated most occurred.

Sir! A deserter.

O.W. Hadley has deserted, sir. Last night.

A horse is gone,

food and ammunition supplies broken into.

Mr. Potts, you take Riago

and pick up his trail.

I want that man back.

It ain't my job, Major.

I didn't sign on to go chasing

after no homesick soldier boys.

It's mine.

All right, Sergeant, you find him.

Beg your pardon, sir...

but what'll they do to Pvt. Hadley

when they catch him?

What?

Son, it'd be our good luck if he killed him.

But he won't and the Major will.

Oh, no, Mr. Potts...

the Major will not.

In two days,

Sgt. Gomez returned with O. W. Hadley.

Along the way he found the lady doctor

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