White Feather Page #4

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in the stockade.

American Horse was wrong

to do this. I have chosen.

I will stay here.

This is where I will make my life.

Bundle her up

and I'll take her back to her people.

I have no people.

When I left our village,

I told my father.

Now I am dead to all of them.

Appearing Day, you don't just move in like this.

Things aren't done that way.

Josh, she's left her people.

You can't turn her out.

- Get that squaw out of here.

- I'll decide that.

You can stay here, at least for now.

I'll find a place to sleep outside.

Go to sleep, Appearing Day.

We'll talk about it in the morning.

We'll work this out somehow.

Appearing Day.

I scare you?

You told me to sleep,

but I could not sleep.

I have done wrong.

I have made much trouble for you.

It wasn't your fault.

I should've explained.

I should've made you understand.

Now I do understand.

There is no love

in your heart for me.

You're wrong, Appearing Day.

There is much love

in my heart for you.

You must go to bed now.

This time I will sleep.

- Josh?

- Yes.

Appearing Day, you better stay here inside.

It'll be safer.

- Josh is going away?

- Only for a little while.

I'm going to see your father.

Is there anything you want me to say to him?

All has been said.

We know who the second killer was-

the one who made the rescue.

It was your friend Little Dog.

One of the Pawnee scouts recognized him.

Do you expect Broken Hand to turn his son

and American Horse over to you, Colonel?

- Well, we can't very well ignore two killings.

- Certainly we expect it.

Then we may be making

this trip for nothing.

Well, let's make it and find out...

with your permission, Mr. Tanner.

Whoa!

Well, it's started.

The first of the tribes

are moving south.

Those are the Crow

and the Blackfeet.

Those are part of the Sioux

and the Arapaho tribes.

That means the others are

probably moving out too...

except for the Cheyennes.

Heading for the promised land.

I wonder how long

they'll be able to live on promises.

You seem to have become quite attached to

the Indians, Mr. Tanner, one way or another.

If this happened to you,

would you like it?

Colonel, if he's to do any of

the talking with Broken Hand...

it might be wise to keep

his attitude in mind.

I will, sir.

As well as the fact that

he's entitled to his own opinion.

I'd like to talk to him first, sir, if I may.

If he'll listen to you.

Chief Broken Hand, I would like to speak to

you first of your daughter, of Appearing Day.

I have no daughter.

She has chosen.

- Little Dog put his trust in me, and because of that, so did you.

- We will speak of her no more.

I will sign this treaty

because my word has been given.

You will wait before

the council table.

Mr. Ferguson.

- Have your twos and fours face about.

- Yes, sir.

Twos and fours, rear lines forward!

Wheel about into line! Ho!

Ones and threes,

one line forward! Ho!

- Maybe we should ask him to come to the fort.

- No, it's gotta be now.

You're right, Colonel. It will bind

all those warriors to Broken Hand's word.

If they can be held off

till the signing.

That's the chance

we'll have to take.

The colonel will give me the papers.

Two soldiers were killed

at our fort-

One by American Horse

and one by your son, Little Dog.

Are they here?

We will talk of them

when the paper is signed.

The promises you asked for,

Broken Hand, are written there.

I will read them with you

if you want.

The treaty is now signed.

My people are bound by it.

- In the name of the government

of the United States-

White feather.

It is a challenge.

My son and American Horse

are not bound by your paper.

They have chosen to fight,

and they wait for you in the hills.

- Just the two of them?

- This is their challenge. They expect you to honor it.

You mean, American Horse and Little Dog

want to meet the troops in battle?

- Two men?

- Yes. This is true.

They are waiting.

- This is insanity.

- Well, if you ask me, the whole thing's a trick.

Broken Hand signed the treaty.

He gave us his word.

I'm inclined to trust Broken Hand...

but not these young

Cheyenne warriors.

I can't take a chance on treachery.

I'm sending to the fort

for the full complement.

- Good.

- Shall I tell that to Broken Hand?

It's only fair he knows it.

If he's being honest with us, he won't take offense.

If he isn't,

it'll be a fair warning.

- Mr. Ferguson.

- Yes, sir.

Send a dispatch rider to the fort.

Call out the full complement.

Yes, sir.

Broken Hand, the colonel's sending

for the full complement of cavalry.

It is well.

I will come out to see my son die.

The family of American Horse

will want to see also that he dies well.

All of my people will have

a right to be there...

to see this and remember it.

Perhaps the white man will have

something to remember too.

Cavalry! Fall out!

Little Dog has gone into the hills to die.

American Horse is with him.

- And Josh?

- He's going out there.

There may be much killing.

I must go to them.

- If you can help, Ann-

- You keep out of this.

Ain't no daughter of mine

helpin' any squaw, ya hear?

Come on, Appearing Day.

I'm going with you.

Hyah.!

Ho!

- Troops "C" and "D" reporting, sir.

- Follow me.

Ho!

Well, if they're picking a place

for an ambush, they could do worse.

They'll be waiting there.

Broken Hand said they call it

the Valley of the Dead.

Cavalry! Forward!

We'll stay on the right side

and keep the wash between us...

just in case.

Well, there's the enemy.

I don't remember anything

in the book that tells you...

how to draw up a battle line

for a war like this.

Mr. Ferguson!

Here.

Take your first rank up the hill

and bring them in.

- Yes, si-

- Quietly. No shooting, please.

Yes, sir.

Forward! Ho!

Rifles out!

You're thinking of his father,

Broken Hand.

And the warriors.

Ho!

He mustn't fire that gun.

Bugler! Sound the recall!

Hey! Ho!

What else could I do, sir?

If I fired they-

I know. That's what

they wanted you to do.

Well, maybe they'll stop playing

in a minute. I hope so.

If this keeps up,

it may have the whole tribe joining them...

and it won't be a game anymore.

All right.

I don't wanna use guns.

We can't fire first

or we'll have a war on our hands.

I'm going out there and talk

to Little Dog, Colonel.

I doubt if American Horse will

let you get within talking distance.

I think it's worth the chance.

They still want us to make the first move.

Wait.

Tanner comes to speak

for the white soldier.

I'm here to speak for myself.

I am here to fight, not to talk.

Get your rifle, Tanner.

I will fight Little Dog if that's what he wishes,

with a rifle or with a lance.

- But I will talk first.

- This is a time for dying.

- Get your rifle, Tanner.

- When I have talked!

Little Dog and American Horse are still my friends.

I've done nothing to change that.

Words have too many shadows.

I want no more words.

As your friend, Little Dog,

I'm here to ask you not to die.

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