Woman Walks Ahead

1

[CATHERINE] 'Dear sir,

'my name is Catherine Weldon

and I live in New York City.

'I studied portrait painting

as a young woman,

'but when I married,

'it was deemed unsuitable

for me to pursue a profession.

'Recently, I visited

an exhibition

'of George Catlin paintings

of American Indians

'and my breath was taken away.

'It was the freedom

that struck me.

'Even inside the paintings,

the people were free.

'I discovered that

no portrait of you,

'the great Chief Sitting Bull,

'exists in any

of our public galleries

'and I intend

to rectify the situation.

'Almost one year ago,

my husband died

'and I've been in mourning

ever since.'

No.

[CATHERINE] Please stop here.

[CATHERINE] 'Now my deep grief

has finally passed.'

Aah!

'And I can find consolation

in my work.

'I've not sought

the permission of my father

'or my husband's family

'so you may think I am

something of a renegade.

'I assure you, this is not

by nature but by circumstance.

'I've written to the Agent

to say I'm on my way.'

[CHASKA] "Dear Mr. McLaughlin,

"I have painted many portraits

of senators, congressmen,

"and even a vice president.

"But lately I took

a decision to head west,

"with the intention of

painting portraits of Indians

"who've made their own

mark on history.

"In particular, I'm keen

to capture on canvas

"the last of the great Sioux

war chiefs, Chief Sitting Bull."

Tell her, hell, no.

She's also enclosed a letter

addressed to Sitting Bull

to be delivered in person.

New York liberals

stoking the flames.

When she gets here, arrest her.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

Hello?

- Fresh linens, ma'am?

- Oh, yes, please.

How long till we get to Omaha?

Half a day.

- You're an Indian, aren't you?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Which tribe?

- Presbyterian.

I'm heading to

Standing Rock Reservation.

I'm going to paint

Sioux Indians.

Have you ever been

to Standing Rock?

The Sioux hunted my people

like rabbits,

cut out their hearts

and fed 'em to the dogs.

You call if you need

any more towels.

[MEN TALK INDISTINCTLY]

- Ma'am.

- [MAN LAUGHS]

Hm.

Thank you.

Forgive me, ma'am,

but, uh...

very few unaccompanied ladies

travel beyond Omaha.

Then they are missing

some rare beauty.

- You're not a soldier's wife?

- No.

Soldiers' wives don't see

the beauty of the prairie,

only its hazards.

Well, are you gonna

make me guess?

You seem very good at it.

You're a missionary.

Oh. No, unfortunately,

I don't have the certainty.

Well, the only stop left is

Standing Rock Reservation.

If you're not a soldier's wife

and you're not a missionary...

...what other business

could you possibly have?

- I'm a painter.

- A painter?

Yes, a full-time painter.

I'd guess you came here

out of New York City.

Why?

'Cause New York is

the headquarters

of the National Indian

Defense Association.

From time to time, they send

their political agitators

out west

to stir things up

on the reservations.

I guess that's closer

to the truth.

I just told you,

I'm a... a painter.

Painters can be agitators too.

Often are.

So, now I'm a spy?

I'd guess you're traveling

to Standing Rock

to promote opposition

to the Allotment Act treaty.

Sir, if I knew what

the Allotment treaty was,

which I don't,

I probably would oppose it.

Well, you sure as hell

couldn't paint it.

I met you two minutes ago,

and already you have accused me

of being a spy and a liar.

I work for the War Department,

darling.

I didn't mean to be

presumptuous,

but you do have

that certain look.

What look is that?

The look of someone

filled with good intentions.

Oh!

And that's bad?

West of Missouri,

it can be lethal.

Would you mind if I gave you

some practical advice?

I don't really care

for practical advice

from someone who's such

a poor judge of character.

May I take your order, ma'am?

No, I'll... I'll eat in

my compartment. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Ma'am.

[MAN 1] Okay, I've got it.

[MAN 2]

What have you got in here?

[MAN 1] Get my bag, will you?

Bring it. Grab a hold of...

Porter!

Hey, not her. I need you here.

Yes, sir.

I'll give you a hand with that.

Oh! Thank you.

- Sounds good, Charlie.

- Colonel.

This lady here, she came

all the way from New York

to paint Indians.

Is that a fact?

- Oh!

- I hope they f*** you.

Cut the baby out, like they did

the Robinson girls.

Indian-loving b*tch.

I'm sorry, Colonel.

My blood boils.

If you had any sense at all,

you'd get back on that train.

Return east with it today.

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS]

[SHE GRUNTS]

[SHE PANTS]

Uh!

[INSECT BUZZES]

Hello.

Do you know somewhere

maybe I could...

[SHE PANTS]

...hire a wagon?

[INSECT BUZZES]

Oh.

This is really very kind of you.

So, is the weather...

often this bad?

Or is this unusual?

Please be careful. There are

bottles of turpentine in there.

Wait!

Slow down!

Good afternoon.

Agent McLaughlin?

Colonel Groves. War Department.

Special Envoy for General Crook.

Where's the rest of it?

Yeah, General Crook's ordered

a 50% cut in rations

of flour, bacon and sugar

to take effect immediately.

When a new treaty

needs to be ratified,

it's our experience that hunger

concentrates the Indian mind.

This is my wife Susan. Susan?

Do you find that hunger

concentrates your mind?

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

We don't encourage

the use of the old language

on the reservation.

Thank you, dear.

[DOOR SHUTS]

Hot as hell out there.

You f***ing idiots in Washington

want to start another war?

No, sir.

[HE TALKS INDISTINCTLY]

[GROVES] Mr. McLaughlin,

did you give permission

to that crazy woman to

come onto the reservation?

Oh, Agent McLaughlin.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

Sorry. I... I look a mess.

It's kind of dusty out here.

Well, we're in the middle

of a three-month drought.

Sorry if it inconvenienced you.

You got my letter?

Didn't wait for a reply?

Why would you refuse?

Mrs. Weldon, I order you

to be on the train

when it returns east

tomorrow morning.

You order me?

Find her a cabin for the night.

Escort her back to the train

in the morning.

Can I help you

with your luggage?

Her luggage was stolen.

Mrs. Weldon,

I hope you made a sketch

of the thief before he got away.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

If I gave you money,

would you get word

to Sitting Bull I'm here?

I'll be back

tomorrow morning at dawn.

You'll be here, right?

[LOUD KNOCKS AT DOOR]

- Who is it?

- [GROVES] It's me.

Go away. I'm writing

to my congressman.

You really should

lock this door.

Lot of thieves around.

I'll be upcountry

in the morning

so I came to say goodbye.

Maybe arrange to meet

for dinner,

next time I'm in New York.

Why would I want to

have dinner with you?

I don't know.

We might get along.

I paint a little myself.

Landscapes.

You're an admirer

of George Catlin.

You know his work?

You bet.

I can't look at these

the way most people do, though.

The scalp dance.

Saw my first scalp dance

in the Black Hills back in '75.

But when I saw it,

there were little blonde scalps.

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