Rocky Mountain Page #5

- It's mine too.

- I got the idea you were our prisoners.

- This has nothing to do with the war.

- What do you suggest?

A garrison, a day's ride from here.

A man who knows the country could

slip her through and be there by morning.

- Even if I could spare such a man-

- Let me do it.

I'll give you my word to return.

- With your regiment?

- Alone.

I offered you parole once,

you turned it down.

It was you against me then.

Things are different now.

She's safer here.

Smith's men will be here tomorrow.

You're willing to let her life

depend on that outlaw?

You'd better hope so.

- Why, I wouldn't trust him...

- I can't travel with prisoners.

If I have to move before I'm ready...

...I'll be forced to stand you up

and shoot you.

You mean to say,

you'd shoot down unarmed prisoners?

- You saw me.

- What, at the water hole?

Barnes was going for his gun.

But you wouldn't stand up helpless men?

Isn't that what you planned for me?

Plank, take him back.

I wish they'd come in

where we get a look at them.

What for? They ain't pretty.

You know this country...

...tell me, supposing Lafe decides

to pull out, could we make it?

Today you could.

What about tomorrow?

Well, if we're still here then

and Cole Smith's men ain't...

...I'd say we're liable to stay.

Cole Smith had better be on time

or we'll have to light out anyway.

- That water hole's almost dry.

- How long do you think it will last?

Hard to tell.

When they start to dry up, they go fast.

Not enough snow up there this past winter,

I reckon.

This time last year,

I was thinking of a lot of things.

But snow on a Nevada mountain

wasn't one of them.

One canteen a day for the men,

cut the horses down as much as you can.

Hadn't we better post a guard down there

case somebody gets extra thirsty?

Oh, I don't think you need to.

Smith will be here tomorrow.

- You still figuring him to come back?

- I'm betting an awful lot on that, Plank.

I sure hope you don't get called.

General Lee dealt the hand.

All I can do is play the cards he gave me.

Come on.

Don't strain your eyes.

They'll be there tomorrow.

Lafe's a fool to trust Smith.

We ought to light out of here

while we can.

- This is what you volunteered for.

- I didn't volunteer to be no Indian fighter.

- No?

- Well, no.

Reckon them buzzards

have lost something around here?

Looks a little

like they don't believe we're leaving.

I never did like them things

studding on me.

It ain't because

the buzzards know what they're doing...

...but it brings a question to mind,

"Do I know what I'm doing?"

How can you expect to understand him?

The man's a fanatic.

They all are,

or this war would have been over long ago.

- Maybe they feel the same way about us?

- He doesn't feel anything.

If he did,

you'd be on your way to the garrison.

He said Cole Smith was coming

with an army.

Army? A bunch of desert rats.

Well, whatever they are, they'll be

more welcome than what's out there.

If they get here.

- You think they won't?

- I don't know.

But if I wait to find out,

it will be too late.

Oh, Rick, I'm sorry.

If I hadn't insisted on coming out here...

...none of this would've happened.

- Don't say that.

- You know how much I wanted you to.

- No...

Two years is a long time.

You begin to forget

how much you love someone...

...till you see them again.

I've been waiting for you to say that.

Why don't we go down there

and pick off a few of them Indians?

That's why

they got their patrols out there.

They're just waiting for us to try it.

Well, let's oblige them.

They can afford to lose a few men,

we can't.

I don't mind the sniping,

they can't hit nothing from down there.

But I could sure use

a lot less of them drums.

The louder they bang them,

the better I like it.

It's when they stop

that I'm gonna start to sweat.

I never did care for sunrise much before.

But tomorrow morning

ought to be right pretty.

I hope I see you.

Half the beauty in the sunrise

is who sees it with you.

- I could argue that.

- At your age, you could.

I'm scared, Rick.

I've tried not to be, but I am.

We'll get out of this, both of us.

I promise you.

How? What can we do?

Listen, tonight, no matter what happens,

you stay in your tent.

- Don't come out for anything.

- What are you going to do?

- I've got it all figured out.

- Be careful, Rick.

Don't worry, I can take care of myself.

You better go now.

Remember, stay out of it.

Go to sleep, Spotty.

They can't jump us and drum too.

Plank's guarding the horses.

- You take care of him.

- Right.

We'll make no move

till Ryan jumps the high lookout.

I'll handle Rawlins here,

as soon as you make your move.

You picked yourself the toughest one.

They're all tough.

Let's go.

Good luck.

All right, Ryan.

Ah. Can't sleep

with all that noise out there.

Those ponies sure are restless tonight.

I guess they don't like Indian drums either.

Here, have a chew?

Yeah.

What part of Mississippi are you from?

Steamboat man, born and raised

on the river. Only, now I...

Will you go back to it later?

- Where's the lieutenant?

- I don't know.

I heard a shot,

first thing I know he jumped me.

Lafe.

Much obliged, captain.

You sure made a good Yank out of him.

Just as dead as they come.

Aren't we going after him?

He won't get far.

Lafe.

We got something down there

but I can't quite make it out.

What is it?

- What did you spot, Pap?

- A loose horse out there.

- The lieutenant's?

- Can't tell, it's too far away.

Plank, Jonas, pick him up.

We'll cover you.

What is it?

Something's up, ma'am,

but I can't make it out.

- What's happened?

- There's a horse out there.

We'll know in a few minutes.

Jimmy, come on.

Cole Smith's.

Maybe he got through first.

He never got through nowhere.

That's Cole Smith's horse.

- Then Rick got through.

- Could be, ma'am.

You know what this means.

Smith's men won't be coming.

- What do we do now?

- Only one thing we can do.

Get out there

and try to find them ourselves.

- A fat chance we got of doing that.

- I didn't say it was a good chance.

Well, ain't we got a little problem

of getting out of here first?

How about it, Plank?

We might be able to bust through

if we can get by their patrols...

...after dark, of course.

- Lf they hold off till then.

- How much time do you think we have left?

We're all right

as long as them smoke signals is there.

Once we're through the mountains, Craigie

and the others can pick up the trail.

What others?

You ain't gonna try busting through

with a girl and a wounded blue-belly?

What do you suggest?

Tapping them on the head?

Leave them here.

Besides, maybe the Yankee lieutenant

got through.

If Cole Smith couldn't make it,

I wouldn't bet no money on a blue-belly.

Craigie, if we get through, you and

that trooper can get her to the settlement?

Sure can, captain.

We'll pull out tonight.

Lafe?

Hadn't we better saddle up just in...

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