Rocky Mountain Page #3

B. Wheat.

Now, how do you make James

out of that?

Well, I'll tell you if you wanna know,

but you won't believe me.

My right first name is Buck.

Buck. Buck Wheat, huh? Heh.

So they named you after a pancake.

Well, no.

My uncle had this team of mules.

When I was born, he told my old man he'd

give him any one that he named me after.

So he picked the one named Buck.

Oh.

- Guess he should've picked the other one.

- Well, no.

The other one was named Sally.

Lafe.

They're out at the stagecoach.

Maybe she wasn't on it, lieutenant.

She might have missed the stage.

Scouts, out.

Forward.

Lafe, here they come.

They'll see the smoke in a minute.

Just go on cooking.

Captain!

Captain Barstow!

They said you were going to...

Why are your men hiding?

Why are you two here like this?

You better go back up there.

If this ambush don't work, ma'am,

there's gonna be an awful lot of shooting.

Captain, they're not after you.

That's Lieutenant Rickey, my fianc.

- Let me go! Let me go...

- If you make a noise, they'll all be killed.

There's a gun covering every one of them.

One sound out of you, and we'll shoot.

You wouldn't kill them in cold blood.

That's up to you.

They'll be here in a minute.

I'm gonna try to take them alive.

But if that doesn't work, I promise you

not one of them will have a chance.

What do you want me to do?

Sit down there quietly, by Jimmy.

You expect me to help you

set an ambush?

The best thing you can hope for

is that it works.

Jimmy, a cup of coffee for Miss Carter.

Coffee, Miss Carter?

Here they are, Lafe.

Remember, we'll have them covered

every second.

Rick!

Johanna!

Johanna, darling.

You got here pretty quick, lieutenant.

- Were you on the stagecoach too?

- We came along just after it was over.

I don't understand.

- How did you...?

- She was unconscious when we found her.

Indians must have left her for dead

along with the others.

They came back after dark

and burned up the stagecoach.

There's been a whole lot more men

here with their horses than just you two.

I guess the Indians

use this water hole too.

They saved my life, Rick.

You might thank them.

I'm sorry.

I'm very grateful.

We got word just before we left

to keep our eyes open...

...for a rebel patrol

that's been reported heading this way.

- For a moment there, I thought...

- That's all right.

- How about a cup of coffee?

- Fine.

Rustle up another cup, Jimmy.

We've got company.

Steady, Jimmy.

Remember, Rick, I owe my life to them.

Darling, I couldn't forget that.

- There you are. Hope it's not too strong.

- Thank you.

Plank, Jonas,

come down and get their side arms.

Hang their gun belts on their saddles.

I'm sorry, Rick. I had to do that.

Or they would have killed you.

- Come on, let's have it.

- You and your men are prisoners of war.

As commanding officer, you'll be

held responsible for their behavior.

- All right, take them to the top of The Rock. Let's move, blue

-belly.

We know all about him.

His name's Lafe Barstow.

And he's a captain

from the Mississippi Mountain Rifles.

Whatever a mountain's doing

in Mississippi.

We got a mountain.

Well, kind of, anyway.

Yes, but what's he doing out here?

His mission is to contact

the Confederate underground in California.

He has authority to commission officers

for an armed uprising.

And make it an act of the Confederacy.

How can he get anywhere with that,

with just these few?

Of course he can. California's crawling with

bandits, outlaws and rebel sympathizers.

All Barstow has to do is gather up a few

thousand of them and call them soldiers.

They can burn

and sack everything in the state.

Then, if captured, call themselves

prisoners of war. They'll jump at it.

What good would that do?

The war's 2000 miles away.

How do we know

how much damage he can do?

What if an army has to be brought

out here to stop him?

- That could change the course of the war.

You're just overwrought, son...

...because you been took.

- Yeah. And you know how it was done.

By using Miss Carter as a blind.

All I know is...

...I wouldn't be up here now,

all in one piece, if it wasn't for him.

Same goes for her too.

He knew what he was doing.

- It gave him a hostage in case of trouble.

- That isn't true, Rick.

Then why didn't he leave you up here?

He tried to.

I forced my way into it.

I didn't know what to do.

I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean that.

I'm just sore at myself for being stupid.

I wouldn't say you was exactly stupid.

The captain's just a little bit smarter.

Lieutenant.

As you know,

we can't stay here much longer.

There will be a search for your patrol.

From what you say, a search for me too.

You're right.

But you can't ambush the whole regiment.

I've made a fair start.

While you're my prisoner,

it will make it a lot easier...

...if you'll give me your word

not to try to escape.

You can have freedom of the camp.

I ain't going nowhere.

Not at the cost of getting shot at, I ain't.

- Well?

- I give you my word that I'll escape if I can.

And do my best

to see you caught and shot.

- Suit yourself.

- I will.

Miss Carter,

I must ask you the same question.

- See here now...

- Miss Carter can speak for herself.

Miss Carter is my fiance.

I know.

That's the only reason you're alive.

Don't force your luck.

I regret this,

but you must see the necessity for it.

I promise you

I'll make no effort to escape.

Thank you.

Guess I'll be pulling out for a while,

soldier.

Hi there, lieutenant.

I always said the only way you could find

me would be to get yourselves captured.

- You know this man?

- Every garrison knows Cole Smith.

And the band of outlaws that follow him.

Why don't I just stroke you one

across the snout?

Never mind that.

Jimmy.

- Yes, sir?

Miss Carter and Craigie

will have the freedom of the camp.

If the lieutenant or his men

make any suspicious move, shoot them.

Yes, sir.

Just a minute.

- I suppose you had a good reason for this.

- I always do.

Would it be asking too much,

why the "California Beal"?

I never go into deals blindfolded.

Before I go joining any army,

I wanna look the soldier boys over first.

- And now you've had your look.

- You're lucky.

You got yourself in a mess of trouble,

and I ought to let you stew in it.

But I got enough stake in this

to pull you out.

I'll be back in two days with my men.

Before it gets any more crowded up here.

Any objections?

How do we know you'll ever get back?

I don't think you got much choice.

Unless you fellows

wanna go along with me.

You couldn't travel

with all them prisoners, though.

You'd either have to let them go

or kill them off.

We got this far without you.

We'll finish the job the same way.

You try to raise an army out here

by yourselves...

...and the war will be over

before you can even get up a platoon.

After all,

it ain't like you boys was winning.

Give him a hand with his gear.

- Lookit here, Lafe...

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