Only the Valiant Page #2

If there's anybody can take

Tucsos up to Fort Grant,

it's Captain Lance.

I hate his black heart, too,

but he's still the best officer

I ever served under.

Didn't the captain

really wanna shoot him?

- Well, he...

- Sure.

But he wants to do it

all neat and proper,

according to regulations.

The way he should have shot you, Onstot.

Except deserters get hung,

unless they're lucky.

Hi, Dick.

Hi, Joe.

Thought you'd be in bed.

I've got too much to do.

I don't like what

you're gonna do tomorrow.

I don't like it at all.

Neither do I, but it's gotta be done.

I'm telling you straight.

Any detail leaves here with Tucsos

maybe ain't gonna come back.

I just rode out a couple hours.

Them hills is full of Apaches.

I could feel 'em.

They'll be coming after him.

Well, I got my orders.

I figured that's what you'd say.

I'll walk a piece with you.

I've gotta be getting back, Bill.

You still haven't answered me.

Yes, I have, by not answering.

You mean it's no.

Dick's the one?

How long have you known it?

I don't know.

I do.

I guess I always have.

You know, when I think of your future,

I tremble.

Why?

He'll beat your children

and break your heart.

Every day?

Every single day.

Wonderful!

Yes, he will be wonderful, Cathy.

Has he asked you yet?

Not yet.

Do you know what he's gonna do

when you say yes?

No, what?

This.

Good night, Joe.

See you in the morning, Dick.

Lance, I was over in your quarters

looking for you.

The Colonel wants to see you.

Where's Holloway?

Courting.

Come in.

- Good evening, Captain.

- Mrs. Drumm.

If you'll excuse me.

You sent for me, sir?

I certainly did, Richard.

What do you think you're doing?

Sir?

I told you to assign an officer to the detail

that is taking Tucsos back.

I didn't say assign yourself.

You didn't say not to, sir.

I thought you'd have

more sense than that.

You know we've got

nothing but a cadre here.

And you should know if you don't

that you're the only officer

I have any faith in.

I'm a sick man, Richard,

despite what Jennings tells me.

I'm in no position to handle the post.

You're the only person here

I can depend on.

I don't want you taking

Tucsos up to Fort Grant.

Too many lives depend

on your being here.

Well, the orders are out, sir.

You can't change...

I can change any orders I ever gave,

and I'm changing those right now.

I want you to wake up the adjutant

and tell him to put Lieutenant Holloway

in charge of the detail

that is taking Tucsos back.

Holloway?

He's a good man, isn't he?

Well, yes, sir,

he's one of the best, but...

Then he's the officer

commanding the detail.

I've never argued with you

about an order bef...

Then don't argue with me now, Captain!

That's the way I want it.

Yes, sir.

Anything else?

That's all, Richard.

- Lance...

- Save it.

The minute they started,

we knew we had 'em.

And it was a slaughter.

High watermark

of the Confederacy, they called it.

Come in.

Hello, Dick.

Not asleep yet?

You're taking over the Tucsos detail, Bill.

I'm sorry.

You're joking.

I wouldn't joke about a thing like that.

No, of course you wouldn't.

Looks like tonight's my unlucky night.

That's funny.

First time I remember an order

being changed around here.

Like rewriting the Bible.

Well, it's the one time I don't mind

making it easy on the captain.

Do I, Cathy?

And I guess I'm the one

who needs sleep now.

Good night, Cathy.

- Dick.

- Good night, Bill.

Good night.

Dick.

That was a cruel thing to do.

Cruel?

Why did you do it?

Why?

I don't know what you're

talking about, Cathy.

You're not fooling me.

I've lived in an army post all my life.

Dad's right.

Orders don't get changed

unless someone goes

to an awful lot of trouble to change them.

Cathy, believe me,

it's just the way things are.

I was planning to go myself.

Until you saw Bill kissing me,

and then you went

directly to Colonel Drumm.

I never...

Cathy.

I don't know what it's all about,

Dick, but whatever it is...

Well, good night.

Prepare to mount.

Mount.

Good luck, Bill.

Thanks, Dick.

Good luck, Joe.

Back to you, Dick.

Forward... ho!

He's been standing at that wall

the last three nights.

Wonder when he sleeps.

What makes you think he can?

Halt! Who goes there?

Corporal of the guard!

Post number three!

I brought back a friend of yours.

Bill Holloway.

What's left of him.

Put him in the guardhouse.

You done a wrong thing, Dick.

Wanna take a look?

Just as well.

Bill.

Joe.

- Take care of him, soldier.

- Yes, sir.

Aren't you going to

tell me how it happened?

I guess you've got a right to know.

They jumped us about three hours

after we left here.

Me and them two soldiers only got away

'cause we was riding rear guard.

They took Bill alive.

Me and the two soldiers rode circles

the next three days,

trying to catch up with 'em.

He was headin' back here

this afternoon when we found him.

Was he still alive?

I guess you might call it alive.

They was sending him back

deliberate as a warning.

When are those 400 men coming?

Another week.

That's what I figured.

I didn't think Tucsos

would be sending us a warning

unless he was dead certain

he could wipe us out.

Now he's gotta get even with us

for capturing him.

My guess is they're

up there behind a pass

beatin' their war drums right now.

Is that a guess or is that a sure thing?

I lived with the Chiricahuas

for ten years.

You can learn a lot

about injuns in ten years.

When do you think he's coming?

That's hard to say.

Might be three days, might be less.

Only thing sure, he ain't gonna wait

for that relief column to get here.

Another thing's for sure,

Tucsos got a look at this place.

Right this minute,

he knows our strength

better than the sergeant major.

Let me know what you decide, Dick.

Thanks, Joe.

Captain Lance, they want you

back at the gate, sir.

I'm sorry about Lieutenant Holloway, sir.

There wasn't a finer officer.

We know what he was to you.

Thank you.

He was a good officer and a good man.

And I say the Army ain't

got too many like that.

Give me a hand

with these boots, Rutledge.

If it wasn't for Lance,

Holloway would still be alive,

and he'd be dead.

That's what's wrong with the Army.

The wrong guys always get killed.

First time in four days

those toes have seen daylight.

Yeah, I'm gonna miss

Lieutenant Holloway.

That's a lot of talk, Murdock.

If the truth were known,

you're probably glad

that Holloway got killed.

It just gives you another chance

to apply for a commission.

I'll never get a commission

as long as Lance is around.

And would you say that was

his fault or your fault?

Or maybe they were afraid

they might not find another sergeant.

Shut your mouth, you dirty Reb.

Well, I'll say this much for the captain.

He can tell the difference

between a soldier and a tramp,

and if you can do that,

you're a good officer.

I'll leave it up to you, Rutledge.

You went to West Point.

And Lance had him kicked out.

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