"**" "* Quincannon, Quincannon, Quincannon * * remember the name Quincannon" "* Quincannon of the west" "* Quincannon of the west * a fighter, a battler, and fast as a rattler * * when danger was about * a good man, a fair man, a two-fisted square man *" "* Quincannon, frontier scout * a frontier scout is a man * who rides to see what lies ahead * * he bosses the wagons, and he keeps 'em in line * * and watches the trail for an injun sign *" "* an overturned pebble * can tell him where an injun's tread * * a frontier scout is a man * who knows where the buffaloes will graze * * his rifle's a legend, and his gun is law *" "* there ain't a man livin' that he can't outdraw * * and the ladies all agree that he has the winning'est ways *" "* Quincannon, Quincannon, Quincannon * * remember the name Quincannon" "* Quincannon of the west" "* Quincannon of the west" "hey, Sonny." "Driver:" "Giddap!" "Ha!" "Know anyone around here named Quincannon?" "Yeah, he's in the saloon." "Quinny, them fellers are lookin' for ya." "I gathered as much." "You... you an outlaw?" "What'd they give ya?" "Couple of coppers." "Couple of coppers?" "Trade ya for a silver cartwheel." "Okay?" "Okay." "Thanks." "So long, Dickie." "Say, boy." "You, little shaver." "Come here a minute." "I wanna talk to ya." "Son, there's nobody by the name of Quincannon in there." "Sure, I saw him go in." "What did he have on, son?" "What'd he look like?" "Don't you guys know him?" "There." "That's him." "It is." "Now, you wouldn't wanna joke..." "He's around here someplace." "We'll find him." "Fine, quinny, I'll have that black horse saddled up before you get back." "That'll be in five minutes." "Soon as I pack." "Right." "(Footsteps approaching)" "Would you please get out of here?" "(Screams)" "Sorry, ma'am, just trying to avoid an emergency." "(Muffled screams)" "You hit pleasantly." "Now, if you'll stop spitting, little bobcat, I'll let you go." "Is that a treaty?" "Huh?" "(Screams)" "(Screaming continues)" "So, Quincannon, here you are." "Am I?" "Would you gentlemen please get this polecat out of my room?" "We'll do that, ma'am." "Maybe." "We're glad to find him here." "Happy as bears in a Berry patch." "Would you mind telling me, gentlemen, what's all this trackin' and trailing' about?" "From col." "Conover, sir." "He'd like to talk with you." "Oh, the army, eh?" "I thought you were from down Kansas way." "Had a little trouble down there." "Nothing important." "Give the colonel my respects." "Tell him the army'll have to do without me." "In the name of the United States," "I herewith arrest you." "Using force if necessary." "Force is necessary." "(Grunting)" "(Grunting)" "Oh, seven years bad luck." "(Door opens)" "Ramrod's on his way up, sir." "I mean the colonel, bless him." "(Footsteps approaching)" "(Knock at door)" "Colonel." "Where is he, lieutenant?" "In the next room, sir." "Never mind." "You make seeing an old friend a very difficult manner, quinny." "Friend?" "You should have answered my letters." "Correspondence is one of my many weaknesses." "That's very inconsiderate of you." "I've had men out looking for you as far South as forts fetterman and Reno." "That's very friendly of you." "So are these ties of friendship." "Burke!" "Release Mr. Quincannon." "This the only way you could handle the situation, lieutenant?" "Your orders were, sir, for me to find Mr. Quincannon and then to hold him." "To hold him, sir, this action was necessary." "Mr. Quincannon has a habit of hitting people with anything he can get his hands on, colonel." "Burke, out west here, people don't put handcuffs on grizzly bears unless they don't know." "I wouldn't mention this to anyone." "They might not believe you." "How'd you do it anyway?" "I say, how'd you do it?" "Well, sir, it was like this." "We entered the room..." "No hard feelings, lieutenant." "Dismissed." "Stand by." "I know how much the army meant to you, quinny." "It was your whole life." "You had a great career ahead of you." "You smashed it." "Why?" "Get to the point, Harry." "A shipment of rifles is missing." "New Henrys." "Lever-action repeaters." "Eight hundred of them." "And 10,000 rounds of ammunition." "Where'd it happen?" "Near fort c.F. Smith." "Those rifles were to rearm the garrisons of the bozeman trail forts." "Hmm." "That's red cloud's country." "Cheyenne, sioux, and arapaho." "The shipment was secret." "I was the only one in the command that knew about it." "The word was brought direct by courier from Washington." "None of my subordinates knew about it." "The shipment was sent by ordinary freight." "The rifles were packed in flour barrels." "The guards were armed civilians." "The hostiles raided and..." "Do you realize what 800 rapid-fire repeaters could mean in the hands of savages like the arapaho and the Cheyenne?" "When we fight, we're patriots." "When the Indians fight for their homes, their savages." "By the great horn spoon, you sound happy about it." "You're getting to be part Indian." "Please, quinny, I didn't come here for a sermon." "I need your help." "Who got the rifles?" "Arapahos, I think." "Iron wolf's band." "Iron wolf, huh?" "He's very ambitious." "His people run with dull knife's cheyennes." "He'll use those rifles to build himself up politically into a big chief." "He wants to outdo dull knife and red cloud." "You see, quinny, that's why I need you." "You know these things." "You know the arapaho and the Cheyenne." "You speak their lingo." "You've lived with 'em." "You know how they think." "Please, will you take this scout mission?" "Find these rifles before they can be used against us." "You have good scouts." "California Joe, Johnny redwing." "Well, they're not 10% of Quincannon for this job." "No, Harry." "You gone yella, quin?" "Quinny, I..." "Quinny, I'm sorry!" "Quinny!" "Quinny." "I apologize." "I didn't mean that." "Please listen to me." "Col. Conover?" "At your orders." "Lt. Burke told me you were here." "Miss Mason, may I present col." "Conover." "How do you do, miss Mason." "You'll excuse me." "Quinny, will you have the courtesy to wait and hear me out?" "Miss Mason, won't you sit down?" "Now, is there anything I can do for you?" "I'm on my way to ft." "Smith, colonel." "Oh, are you?" "Very interesting..." "And very dangerous." "You'll have to have a very good reason for me to authorize such a request." "From gen." "Sheridan." "Asking you to help me." "And the general leaves it to my discretion." "Why do you want to go there?" "My brother, corp." "Mason, was stationed at ft." "Smith." "He's being held for $2,000 ransom, and I've brought the money." "Oh, who is holding him and where?" "Indians." "Arapahos, I think." "I was given a message in Washington telling me to bring the money to ft." "Smith." "Was that in the incident you mentioned, Harry?" "No, that was earlier." "Lt. Hostedder and a sergeant had a patrol out." "It was ambushed." "Only the lieutenant and the sergeant escaped alive." "Wasn't a paymaster's guard wiped out and a month's payroll stolen?" "You know the Indians have no use for money, Harry." "They give it to their children for toys." "Oh, miss Mason." "Have you received any report from the department of the army on your brother?" "He was reported killed in action." "Madam, I regret to say that if you have received such a notice, it is true." "The army never makes mistakes, miss Mason." "Is capt." "Bell still in command at ft." "Smith?" "He was my brother's commanding officer." "Yes, he is still in command there." "I met capt." "Bell in Washington last summer when he was on leave." "He's a fine man." "And a fine officer." "And I would like to hear from his own lips that my brother is dead." "Perhaps there's still a chance he is alive with the Indians." "Madam, I can save you a useless trip and possibly your life." "Your request is denied." "Then I will have to go back to gen." "Sheridan and have him order you to..." "Your privilege." "Give the general my compliments." "Good day, sir." "I am sorry, miss Mason." "Good day." "I couldn't let her risk her life on a wild goose chase." "There's more to this than meets the eye." "Yes, there is." "And I didn't change my own mind, Harry." "What the girl said did it." "I'm going, and I'm taking her with me." "Looks like you've got a lot of white skunks in the Garrison at ft." "Smith." "Iron wolf is an Indian skunk if there ever was one, and I'll do anything I can to keep him from arousing the Cheyenne and the sioux and arming them with those Henrys." "I'll also try to uncover any mess at the post." "There are people who try to provoke the Indians so they can kill 'em off faster." "If I can prevent another washita massacre, Harry," "I'll do it, and I'll kill any man," "Indian or white, gets in my way." "No regrets." "The girl is a decoy, then, so you can uncover a mess at the fort?" "Prettier pigeon I've never seen." "Revenge is what you really want." "I don't want you blackening the good name of the army." "Won't be me, Harry." "If it's blackened, it's been done already." "Well, I can't believe that any of our men at ft." "Smith could..." "If you do find anything out of line, let me know about it." "I will." "Now write me out a military pass for miss Mason." "Put her in my custody and under my orders." "How many men do you want?" "Two." "Two what?" "Two squads?" "Two troops?" "Two men." "Are you joking?" "Is that safe?" "No, it's less dangerous." "It's your party." "I'll take that shave-tail Burke, and that sergeant Calvin." "Your bosom friends." "They were smart enough to find me, had enough gumption to jump me." "They'll work out fine." "I'll need four good mounts and a pack horse." "I'll give you an army voucher to the liberty stable owner." "Oh, and I want Calvin and Burke dressed as cowhands or buffalo hunters." "You'll break Burke's heart taking away his uniform." "I don't think so." "You know, it's fun giving the colonel orders." "Have 'em ready in front of the stable at daybreak." "I gotta get the pigeon ready for flight." "(Rooster crows)" "Detail reporting for duty, sir." "Skip the "sirs" from now on." "This stays here." "But... but I'll need some indication of rank or uniform." "Listen, Burke, the academy is still on the Hudson" "2,000 Miles east of here." "My advice is to leave it there." "Now, the saddles are in the stable." "Bring 'em out." "Oh, Burke, take that ramrod out of your back." "You'll ride much easier." "Man:" "Quinny." "Morning, ma'am." "Morning." "Hi, colonel." "Morning, quinny." "How you gonna ride in an outfit like that?" "Side-saddle." "You'll do better walking." "What are you doing?" "Could've at least put on the riding boots I gave you." "They were too large." "Everything here?" "Yes, and you can have it all back." "No lady would be seen in these." "Ma'am, you'd like a lady in anything or nothing." "What, uh, what makes you think they'll fit?" "I've given the matter a lot of study." "Here, put these on." "I will not." "Want me to go with ya?" "You all have to stare at me?" "Still the prettiest thing I've seen this morning." "Now mount up." "You wanna reconsider, quinny?" "What?" "Your commission." "I can get her reinstated." "The army could sure use ya." "They have already." "What do I do now?" "You're a lady knows how to kick." "Well, kick." "**" "You know, I think I'll get his reinstatement ready, just in case." "What did you say?" "Oh, I didn't hear you, colonel." "Uh, nothing." "Where's the telegraph in this town?" "It's in the express office, but they ain't open yet." "Well, you get a man to open it up." "I want to telegraph the department of the army in Washington." "Yes, sir." "How ya doin'?" "Why don't you stop trapping people?" "Ma'am, a horse softens you up before he hardens you up." "May I help you mount?" "No, thank you." "I can manage myself." "Very well." "Mount." "We're movin'." "We're crossing that Ridge over there before the country gets too open." "It's easier country on this side." "That's why the Indians use it as a high road for hunting and war parties." "I don't see any road." "You're not an Indian." "Now, follow me, ride where I ride, and stay below the skyline." "What hair I've got I want to keep." "I'll build a squad fire." "How 'bout me makin' us some hot con pone and boiled coffee like neither one of ya tasted west of bullocksee?" "Pullin' stakes in 20 minutes." "Supper is buffalo jerky and water." "Pass it around, huh?" "Twenty minutes, why?" "Indians around." "Think we'll have a skirmish maybe?" "Not if I can help it." "Besides, it's a hunting party." "Did you see them?" "How do you know?" "What are you trying to do, scare us?" "That's my sideline, ma'am, scaring' women." "Cheyenne buffalo arrow." "How do you figure it?" "Well, a buffalo arrow flies with the blades vertical, so it can enter a buffalo's ribs which are vertical." "War arrow flies with the blades flat." "A man's ribs are horizontal." "So are a woman's." "Come on, we can chew on the way." "Dismount." "Calvin, you stay here with miss Mason and the horses." "Hold their muzzles so they can't whinny." "What is it?" "Small party of Indians in that gap down ahead." "We've gotta go through there." "Burke, you're going with me." "Yes, sir." "No, if there's a fight, it's got to be a quiet one." "Got a sheath knife?" "No." "An officer to fight with a hatchet?" "Just think of yourself as a man who might have to save his own life." "If an owl hoots, bring up the horses." "If a coyote barks, hightail it out of here and head for ft." "Kearny." "All right." "Oh, I hope nothing happens to him." "To them, I mean." "Ma'am, with God riding' herd, a man can do much." "Quinny there can do more than most." "You know, it's funny." "He seems to me to be so much more than a Indian scout buffalo hunter." "Best scout on the bozeman trail, and he used to be an army captain, too, and a larruping' good one." "What in the world made him give up a position like that?" "Well, I don't figure it." "He must have had his reasons, though." "He was in on that massacre of black kettle cheyennes." "Guess he didn't like it." "I hate the west." "Barbaric..." "Yes'm, anything can happen hereabouts." "Three things a man has to have handy in the west..." "A dry rifle, somethin' to eat, and a prayer, and many a time a prayer is the only answer." "I haven't prayed since since I was a little girl." "Well, you're a big girl now." "They'll do the best they can." "You and me, we'll pray the best we can and hope for a hornswoggle miracle." "What's that?" "Ma'am, that's when you come out of it alive." "Four." "Got a blanket over the fire to hide the light." "Can't tell what tribe it is from here." "Don't." "Don't what?" "Don't scalp him." "(Imitates bird call)" "Put that hatchet in your belt." "Wide-eyes are friends to the crows." "(Speaks native language)" "The crows are friends to the wide-eyes." "Arapaho." "He was watching you." "We surprised him." "We had to kill him." "Buffalo hump says this wide-eye is brother to the crows." "He thanks him." "(Imitates owl hooting)" "(Imitates owl hooting)" "I never heard of oak soup before." "Neither did I." "You barbarian." "Aren't we all?" "Only I don't bother to hide it." "To scalp a man in cold blood." "I didn't scalp him." "What do you call those?" "Well, I just borrowed his hair." "Thought I might need it." "What do you call scalp?" "Skin where the hair grows out." "See any skin on those?" "Stop." "What are you making?" "An Indian stagecoach." "For you, chiquita." "Chiquita?" "Yeah." "Means you're cuter than a Fawn's ears." "All right, get the saddles off the horses." "Calvin told me you used to be an army officer." "I was." "Captain." "Seventh cavalry." "Don't you ever regret it?" "I mean, army life is so exciting and glamorous." "Is it?" "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to pry." "All right, stash it behind those trees and cover 'em with branches." "These are government property." "So are you, lieutenant, if I can keep you alive to ft." "Smith." "Why are we leaving the saddles here?" "'Cause Indians ride bareback." "We're goin' into open country." "It's swarming with Cheyenne, arapaho, and red cloud sioux, so the change of tactics is in order." "Here, put this dye on your hands and faces." "From now on into ft." "Smith, we're Indians..." "Or corpses." "Here now, put these duds on." "You have to make a squaw out of me?" "I have known a lot of fine squaws." "I should imagine you have." "This belong to your wife?" "No, I bought it for you." "I couldn't afford to marry a squaw, too expensive." "Now, you take a blackfeet woman." "She can cut down lodge poles, make and break camp, tan buffalo hide, sew moccasins." "She'd bring between 10 and 15 buffalo ponies to her father." "That's a lot of gold." "I haven't got it." "Oh?" "Put these on." "You can't order me around." "Read the last paragraph." ""And at all times miss Mason" ""will be in the custody and under the orders of Mr. Linus Quincannon."" "Why should I be under your orders?" "I'm an American citizen." "Isn't this a free country?" "Sure, it's free to everyone..." "Sioux, Cheyenne, and arapaho." "And they all like a woman's scalp." "I guess I am in your hands." "I wish you were." "I give 20 fine ponies for this squaw!" "Well, what's so funny?" "I'd give 20 fine ponies to see you out of that outfit." "I thought you'd like to see what an Indian chief looked like." "Chief who?" "Oh, I don't know his name." "Hey, hey, you've got to put this stuff on your face and hands." "Oh, no, please." "It's filthy." "Now, hold a second." "Oh, no!" "I don't want that on..." "Keep your eyes closed." "Let go." "Hold still." "No, I..." "Quinny, when do we get to ft." "Smith?" "Tomorrow at daybreak, if we're lucky." "Thanks for shortening my name." "I like it." "War party on that mesa to our left." "I don't wish them no harm, only maybe a little case of smallpox." "Don't look at 'em." "One of 'em has field glasses on us." "Keep moving." "**" "(shouts in foreign language)" "What the devil did you tell 'em?" "That wide-eyed pony soldiers are coming to fight 'em." "What were they?" "Sioux." "Santee or yankton." "How could you tell from such a distance?" "By how scared I was." "(Gun fires)" "Somebody's shooting at somebody." "Somebody's shooting at us." "Man:" "Who goes there?" "Quincannon and party from ft." "Kearny." "You look like Indians from here." "Can you give us more identification?" "My respects to your commander, capt." "Bell." "Ask him if his hammertoe still hurts." "Open the gate." "You say you're Quincannon." "Look more like a Cheyenne to me." "Get off that beat horse, and let's take a look at you." "(Both laugh)" "Quinny." "Bell." "Sergeant, show these men some hot water and decent quarters." "Quinny, what in man's name are you doin' out here?" "Brought you a pretty girl." "The devil you say." "Mason:" "You remember me, captain?" "Miss Mason, maylene, what a wonderful surprise." "Wonderful." "Sergeant." "Sergeant:" "Yes, sir." "Remove lieutenant Richards from his quarters." "Make room for miss Mason." "Thank you." "Yes, sir." "Come on, quinny." "It's been a long time." "Yep, an awful long time." "Thought you swore off the army for good, quinny." "Last I heard you were down in Kansas." "Col. Conover talked me into this scout." "It's a chance to make a few dollars." "And your mission?" "To find the whereabouts of a shipment of missing rifles." "All I know is the Indians got 'em." "Well, I wasn't even informed of any shipment of rifles." "I didn't know of it." "You weren't supposed to." "And you're gonna scout and try and find them in some Indian camp, hmm?" "Why, that'll take all my troopers at least." "I'll just take the two men I brought with me." "You'll lose your hair." "(Laughs)" "Lots of us will miss you." "How'll ya do it?" "Knowing Indians, perhaps with the use of a little whiskey." "You try anything like that, and I'll have to arrest you." "First you'll have to catch me." "The whiskey traders are a Thorn in my side." "Particularly a fellow called blackfoot Sam and his crew." "If I could ever catch him on Indian land..." "I suppose miss Mason's here because of her brother." "Wild goose chase, I suspect." "He was her only relative." "She had to be sure." "He was killed, all right." "Hostedder swears to that." "One of those unfortunate things where a small band of Indians breaks away from the others and raids for glory." "You know how it is." "Yeah." "Well, I gotta get to my stall." "I could use a night's sleep." "It's been good seein' ya, bill." "Same here, quinny." "Ah, it's a pleasure to have some fresh faces around this forsaken outpost." "Like maylene's?" "Yeah." "(Laughs)" "Sorry I'm late, captain." "Miss Mason, may I present lt." "Hostedder." "How do you do?" "Lieutenant." "Lt. Burke." "Lieutenant." "He was the one in charge of that patrol Jack was killed on." "Yes, he was." "Hiya, quinny." "Hi, hostedder." "And rumor has it you're taking an Indian scout." "Could be." "Wish you'd take me along." "Getting bored with Garrison duty, Phil?" "I've got a personal score to settle." "I was in charge of that patrol they wiped out." "Almost wiped out." "Yeah, except for sgt." "Wilson and me." "You were lucky." "We were about a half a mile ahead scouting for an all-clear." "They must have come in fast." "And out." "By the time I got back, the massacre was over." "And for what?" "Some piddling supplies?" "Any particular tribe?" "If I knew, we'd certainly go after them." "Renegades, if you ask me." "Used war-clubs and lances." "Didn't leave a single arrow behind." "They're panthers or rattlesnakes!" "They ought to be wiped from the face of the earth." "That kinda attitude will only cause more killings on both sides." "What else can we do?" "We made treaty after treaty with them." "And we've broken nearly every one of them." "Whose side are you on, Quincannon?" "I'm beginning to wonder." "Lt. Hostedder, my brother, corp." "Jack Mason was with you on that patrol you mentioned." "I received word that he'd been killed." "Is there any chance that he might have been captured?" "I'm sorry, ma'am, there isn't." "He was definitely killed in action." "(Knocks)" "Who is it?" "Put out that lamp." "Anything happen?" "I've been waiting for you." "Somebody pushed a note under my door." "Who was it?" "I don't know." "When I opened the door, there wasn't anybody there." "And the note?" "The note says I have to put the money under a saddle in the stable hanging on hook number three." "I have to be there at 11:00." "I'll do it." "No, the note says I have to do it myself or the deal's off." "Give me the money." "Here." "Be there at 11:00." "Go through the motions." "Please be careful." "Don't worry." "I'm always careful about trapping skunks." "Evenin', Mr. Quincannon." "Oh, howdy." "One of my mounts needs a little attention." "Shall I call the hustler, corporal?" "Never mind." "I'll handle it myself." "Yes, sir." "(Metal scrapes)" "(Horse whinnies)" "Quincannon:" "Psst." "Maylene." "**" "Quinny." "(Yells)" "Call the corporal of the guard." "Yes, sir." "Maylene." "Corporal of the guard!" "Corporal of the guard!" "When are you gonna get that cut fixed up?" "It's all right." "It'll dry." "It's awfully bad." "Quinny." "Count it, Calvin." "Yes, sir." "Maylene, you watch this." "What the devil is going on here?" "Good evening, captain." "I understand you put lt." "Hostedder in the guardhouse." "I did." "100 $20 gold pieces." "Quinny, man could buy a county of land with that." "$2,000." "Whose money is that?" "Found it in hostedder's hat box." "Gold." "The army pays in gold." "The Indians held up a paymaster's train in this area." "Couldn't have come from that robbery." "There are no survivors." "You know that." "We found it in this bag." "What tribe, captain?" "Well, how would I know a thing like that?" "Arapaho." "Arapahos held up the train, killed the guards, and stole the gold." "Only they have no use for gold." "Did hostedder know of that shipment of rifles?" "I doubt it." "I didn't even know." "Now what are you suggesting?" "That the arapahos used that captured payroll to buy information on those rifles." "That is ridiculous." "That gold isn't." "Nor the fact we found it in this room." "How are you mixed up in this, maylene?" "I received word in Washington that my brother was still alive, that I could buy his freedom, so I came here and brought the money." "That's right." "We put the money where the blackmailers said." "Hostedder was the man who picked it up." "Here it is." "It's all marked." "Col. Conover marked it himself." "What a foul thing for hostedder to do." "What a cruel thing." "I'm sorry, maylene." "Hostedder knows your brother was killed." "I'll work with you on this, quinny." "I'll see to it that hostedder gets a general court." "So will I." "Orderly." "Have lieutenant hostedder report to my quarters immediately..." "Under guard." "Yes, sir." "That such a thing should happen in my command." "Oh, captain." "See that you return him to the guardhouse after you've questioned him." "Don't worry, I will." "That was stupid, trying to blackmail a girl over her brother." "Not half as stupid as selling rifles to the Indians for $8,000." "Shut up." "And all I got out of it was 2,000." "Get me out of this, bell, before I drag you into it." "All right, all right." "I'll get you out of it." "I always said I'd take care of my friends, didn't I?" "I guess what happened tonight convinced you about your brother." "I'm afraid so." "Guess I had a long trip for nothing." "Well, it gave me a chance to meet you." "What are your plans?" "Back to kearny and ft." "Supply..." "And then east." "I wish you'd wait til I return from this scout." "I'd like to see you through myself, make sure that you're safe." "Thank you for asking, but if a stage comes through, I'll have to take it." "But you can't." "You're in my custody, under my orders." "I wish it was always." "Do you, quinny?" "(Gun fires, dog barks)" "Hostedder tried to jump me." "I had to shoot." "Dead?" "Yeah." "Have the body removed from my quarters." "Dismissed." "Back to your barracks or duty on the double." "Well, he had something coming, selling Henry repeaters to the arapahos." "How do you know?" "Know what?" "That he sold those rifles to the arapahos?" "Hostedder told me." "Said he made his deal with iron wolf." "Aren't you tired?" "Yes, I think I am." "That's one thing hostedder didn't know..." "Hmm?" "That those rifles were Henry repeaters." "How did you know?" "I w..." "You must have told me." "No, I didn't." "I was careful not to." "Can you prove a foul accusation like that?" "It'll be hard now that you've killed your accomplice." "There's only one witness left against you." "I'm going on that scout tomorrow for those missing rifles." "If I get back," "I'm bringing iron wolf with me." "He'll be at your trial, capt." "Bell." "You know blackfoot Sam?" "Whiskey man." "Curly know him." "Go to blackfoot Sam." "Where he?" "Maybe in cottonwood canyon." "Find him." "Give him this." "Ride..." "Fast." "Curly always ride fast." "See anything?" "Nothing that moved." "Anything that didn't?" "There's a drag-tail comin' out of that valley over that Ridge." "Trail boys and horse tracks." "Looks like the whole Indian tribe passing though, heading northeast." "(Mumbles)" "That's all right, Burke, you'll learn." "I wasn't born in a teepee either." "What are you watchin' for anyway, quinny?" "Whiskey trader named blackfoot Sam." "Well, what do you want whiskey for?" "Oh, that's a right foolish question." "I want the whiskey for a little scheme." "It has power over Indians." "That's against army regulations." "It's a court-marshal offence, and it can mean hanging." "I'm not in the army." "Before I ran into you, I was a good officer." "Since then I fought with my bare hands like a common trooper." "Been always out of uniform, stood by while you killed an Indian, and now you want me to engage in this..." "Well, this reprehensible whiskey business." "What's that big-caliber word mean?" "I don't know." "Well, it means despicable, contemptible." "All right then, criminal." "Criminal, huh?" "Listen, Burke." "It would take a thousand troopers to recapture those rifles, and even then I'm not sure they could." "A Henry repeater in the hands of one Indian is equal to 15 troopers." "Those rifles shoot 15 shots at a load." "There's a lot of work ahead, and you've got a lot to learn." "If you wanna stay alive in the Indian country, you better start learnin' now." "I don't want any lame warriors in this war party." "You have my permission to turn back." "Sir, are you questioning my courage?" "Never had occasion to." "I don't expect to from now on." "I'll go with you." "I knew you would." "Whiskey's just a tactic." "Wish I had a little of that tactic right now." "Shod horses." "Yeah, that means white men's tracks." "There's a fire up there." "Yeah, that'll be blackfoot Sam." "I'll go follow it." "Keep your rifles in the scabbards." "When you get closer, keep callin' out," ""blackfoot Sam."" "Where'll you be?" "There are ten horses in this cavern." "Four are pack horses, six are for the riders." "Only five men around that fire." "Go on in." "Blackfoot Sam?" "Blackfoot Sam." "Blackfoot Sam?" "Blackfoot Sam." "Wait a minute." "Don't do anything foolish." "We're customers." "Put that gun down." "Let's go on into camp." "Who wants blackfoot Sam?" "We're here to do business with you." "Put down your guns." "We don't want any trouble with you." "How they call you?" "Quincannon." "Blackfoot Sam hears this name all over the bozeman country, but this is not for sale." "They go to St. Luis." "There they bring much money." "You've done very well." "Blackfoot Sam, he is a smart trader." "If a tin cup full of whiskey means more to an Indian than a fine beaver pelt, you'll help 'em, huh, Sam?" "It's whiskey we want." "You want to trade with the Indians for fur?" "No, that's your job." "We want it for the soldiers at ft." "Smith." "Five dollars a gallon." "Four." "Four?" "Four seventy-five." "Four twenty-five." "Four seventy five." "Go." "Go, goodbye." "Four seventy-five!" "Goodbye." "Four fifty?" "Four fifty." "It's four five-gallon kegs, $90." "And for the kegs, I will only..." "How were we supposed to carry that whiskey, in our pocket?" "You made your deal." "Blackfoot Sam is a man of honor." "The kegs go with the whisky." "I need a good pack horse." "How 'bout that one?" "This horse was once a famous buffalo runner." "He runs like the wind." "I haven't got time for horse-swappin' talk." "How much?" "I was thinking 50, but I take 40." "Then 25 is the price." "Why don't you steal him?" "(Mumbles)" "There's 90 for the whiskey, 25 for the horse." "Mr. Quincannon," "I think you are a robber." "You ought to know." "Burke, bring me my horse." "Load up the kegs." "See that they're full." "You like a drink?" "No, thanks." "Gotta get goin'." "Say, I saw a Cheyenne trail back a ways." "They lookin' for buffalo?" "No, pow wow with red cloud sioux." "Oh?" "That's right." "At the valley of the two smokes." "Well, if the cheyennes are there, the arapahos will be dogging along with 'em." "I gotta mosey along." "Gotta keep those soldiers happy." "Drunken soldiers, the only kind I like." "There's gonna be an ambush." "Two of his men just slipped out of camp." "Look at this hitch." "It's loose!" "Gotta tighten it!" "Ride into the bush." "Keep well apart." "I'll meet you over the Ridge." "I'll have that drink with you another time, Sam!" "Yes, if you are around." "(Horse whinnies)" "(Gun fires)" "Sounds like they got Burke pinned down." "Swing over that way." "Hold it!" "Well, that's five of 'em." "The Indian got away." "And you?" "I got off easy, quinny." "You won't be as pretty from now on." "Let's get him fixed up, huh?" "Imagine those gentlemen, thinking they could shoot us in the back." "Get me one of saintly Sam's bullet molds." "Here, drink this." "(Coughs)" "I thought you were gonna say," ""on duty, I never drink."" "I took it as an order." "Calvin, bring up the horses." "Pick out the best one of those for Burke." "Right." "Here, put this between your teeth." "Careful you don't swallow it." "Sorry I screamed when I was hit." "Put that between your teeth." "This is gonna be rough." "(Groaning)" "Well, go ahead and yell." "That's what you're supposed to do." "(Groans louder)" "Looks like what blackfoot Sam called valley of the two smokes." "Lot of Cheyenne and sioux teepees." "Some chief is giving a medicine talk." "I'm goin' down where I can here." "I'd like to go along with you, quinny." "No, you stay here and rest that leg." "(Indistinct voices)" "Red cloud of the sioux spoke well when he spoke of peace with the long knives." "Dull knife of the Cheyenne spoke well." "Now it is iron wolf of the arapahos who speaks." "It is well and wise to have peace with the white man when our lodges are empty of food, when our young men have poor weapons." "Hear iron wolf." "His medicine is great." "Here is iron wolfe's medicine." "Here is the medicine to drive the wide-eyes from our lands, to chase the pony soldiers and the walking soldiers from the forts on the great trail to the land of the shashanis." "To kill all the white men who take the earth from us." "(Speaking native language)" "Iron wolf does not speak with two tongues." "In his camp on the antler horn he has 800 of this many shooting gun." "The white pony soldiers and the walking soldiers do not have them." "Iron wolf has them." "He took them from the white man in the great deed of war." "Let there be a council." "Let it be decided." "Will the Cheyenne and the sioux join the arapaho to kill all the white men?" "(Murmuring in native tongue)" "The temper of the tribes are about to gulp iron wolf's medicine." "If they do, the bozeman trail will be a river of blood." "I don't know how much time we got, but it isn't much." "Where do you think the rifles are now, quinny?" "They're on the antler horn." "Southwest." "Come on, let's go." "(Dogs barking)" "Give us a little time to start the uproar." "Then go on about your work." "Right." "We'll meet back here." "Good luck." "Yeah, good luck." "I'll get the bait." "(Dog barks) whiskey!" "Whiskey." "Lots of fine whiskey for furs." "Whiskey here." "Whiskey!" "Lots of fine whiskey." "Whiskey." "Here it is." "Very good." "Drink it." "Whiskey." "That teepee with the two guards in front, that's where the rifles are." "How you gonna get rid of the guards?" "You just keep these braves happy." "Here." "Drink, drink." "Good." "(Tribe carousing)" "Look." "That's iron wolf." "I want him." "Let's make him take out after us." "That won't be hard." "He wants us, too." "Especially dead." "Quincannon:" "I'm afraid we've lost 'em." "Afraid?" "I'm afraid we ain't." "(Horses running)" "There they are!" "(Yelling)" "We'll never cut that chief out of his herd." "Yes, we will." "We'll keep leading' him on till we catch him." "Or they catch us." "Whoa." "Whoa." "Old stone fort up ahead." "Nobody there to help us, quinny." "That place is deserted." "Has been for years." "I know." "We'll ride through it..." "(Guns fire, tribe yelling)" "The gate!" "The gate's closed." "We're trapped." "Cover me, quinny." "Thanks, Burke." "Better I do it alone." "Get me my rifle, will ya?" "Take a bad one?" "Long as I can shoot sitting' down," "I'll be with you, quinny." "Get some more shells." "How many we get?" "Two dead out there, quinny." "Shh." "(Yells)" "Well, quinny, there's nine out there including the chief." "Looks like they're gonna stay for a while." "Here, you take over here." "Give me your Smith  Wesson." "What do you want two handguns for?" "Gives me 12 chances." "You want to get a medal?" "No, I want to get iron wolf." "You'll get a belly full of lead." "(Screams)" "Come on." "Come on." "Came a little late, captain." "I don't think so." "Take these men into custody, lieutenant." "Hold it." "What are your charges, captain?" "Murder of blackfoot Sam and his party." "Murder?" "You may be my superior, but you're wrong, sir." "They tried to ambush us." "Arrest them!" "You heard my order." "You're wrong, captain." "I'm arresting you." "There's a slip of paper in this pocket." "Take it out and read it." ""To all commanding officers," ""all units in my command," ""Mr. Linus Quincannon" ""is on a special scouting mission" ""under my direct orders." ""He has authority to conduct independent investigations" ""where he deems necessary." ""Within the scope of this mission," ""his authority is to be regarded" ""as a direct order from me." ""Signed, Wayne conover, colonel, army of the west."" "You're within the scope of this mission." "I'm arresting you now." "Did you hear my order, lieutenant?" "You better have pretty strong reasons for this, Quincannon." "You captured a wagon load of those rifles?" "Who told you about them?" "Who gave you the gold for them?" "Who?" "**" "Have I told you how happy I am you came back to base?" "Not nearly enough." "Mr. Quincannon?" "Two telegraph dispatches for you." "Thank you." "It's from col." "Conover." "Bad news?" ""For services rendered," ""the commanding general of the department of the army" ""herewith reinstates the commission of Linus Quincannon, with advancement to the rank of major."" "Oh, I think that's wonderful." "Are you going to accept?" "I don't know." "If a fella wants to get married, it's a steady income." "Do you think I'm worth 20 fine ponies, major?" "I do." "**" "* Quincannon, Quincannon, Quincannon * * remember the name" "* Quincannon of the west * ooh" "* Quincannon"