Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
SERGEANT: Halt. - Whoa.
SERGEANT: Have a pass? - Yes, sir, captain.
Sam Moore.
What's your business, Sam? Going to visit your wife?
No, sir.
I was going away from her, and fast too.
[MEN LAUGHING]
- All right. Let him through. - Giddap, Dolly.
SERGEANT: Step aside for the stagecoach.
Hello, Ted. How many you got?
Three, sergeant, and a lady.
SERGEANT: Your passes, please.
Mr. Colburn, Army sutler.
Judge Hatfield. Oh, good morning, Your Honor.
John Goodrich, merchant of Richmond.
And the lady...
...Julia Hayne, Virginia City, Nevada.
And what is your business in Richmond, Miss Hayne?
To visit the commanding officer at Libby Prison.
SERGEANT: You got folks in there?
I'm a Southerner.
- The commander's my friend. SERGEANT: Sorry, ma'am.
All right, gentlemen. Thank you very much.
Go ahead, Ted. Let them through.
[KNOCKING]
Let them up.
That last shift didn't do so badly.
Forty-four, 45...
...46, 47...
...48.
That means we've passed the powder magazine.
Yeah, and it lays rights over here.
- How much further we got to dig, captain? - Oh, about five more feet.
Only eight more hours till we're free.
Gosh, my pa must have been a beaver.
He probably was.
- Guard. - Yes, sir?
Open up.
Captain Irby, you ain't going in that lower-west alone.
Them Union prisoners sure is savage.
IRBY: Do as I tell you and lock the door behind me.
GUARD: Yes, sir.
[MAN SNORING]
You. You, up.
Okay.
You, on your feet.
You too.
And you.
All right, you four men, move it.
Come on, move the stove.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
- Heave. - Heave.
- Heave. - Heave.
IRBY: Now, clear out.
No, no. It's no use.
He wouldn't dare come alone if they didn't know he was coming.
Now, get back and look out for yourselves.
Hey.
What are you doing?
IRBY: All right, you men. Come on out.
You hear me? Come on out of there.
You made quite a bit of the headway with your system of operation, Captain Bradford.
That tunnel wasn't a bad idea.
But I happened to learn you were digging it three days after you started last spring.
Three months and almost 13 days.
And you let us go on working, did you?
All that time, killing ourselves, trying to get out of that rat-hole?
You've led two other attempts to break out of prison, Bradford...
...one of which cost the lives of some of my men.
Since solitary confinement means nothing to men like you, except to make you worse...
...I thought this time I'd let you work out your own punishment.
That was a very amusing idea, captain. I see you've quite a sense of humor.
This time, it's final.
You and these two know the penalty for third-escape try.
You think that'd be any worse than rotting in this fever-hole?
If you'd like to dig further, you're welcome. Only no matter where you come up...
...under that shed across the vacant ground as you planned...
...or where the sewer comes into the canal, you'll find a few bayonets waiting for you.
- That's all. - No, no.
That's not quite all, captain.
You must allow me to thank you for the timely warning.
And it was very gallant of you letting us amuse ourselves in there.
And believe me, if ever the opportunity arises...
...l'll repay you for every foot of this tunnel, with interest.
I'll be at your service and it'll be a pleasure.
Captain, there's a lady waiting inside.
Julia.
Julia.
I wondered if I'd ever see you again.
Haven't you forgotten?
Forgotten? How could I?
But I've changed.
Not to me.
And you, Vance.
What's been happening to you?
Of course, I knew you were here. Certain people in Virginia City told me that.
That's simple enough. Here, sit down.
Thank you.
They gave me this job while I was convalescing from Chancellorsville.
Thank heaven I'm fit and ready for service as soon as they can find some use for me.
Vance, the war's going badly for us, isn't it?
Very badly, Julia.
The South hasn't anything left to fight with except the will.
Wars are won with gold nowadays, not with men.
And the North has the gold.
That's why Sherman's in Atlanta.
But if the South had the gold to buy supplies, arms, powder...
Who's going to stake us? Jeff Davis is bankrupt.
There's hardly a dime in the Confederate treasury.
Even England has stopped her credits. We're lucky if we last another six months.
I'm not thinking about credits, Vance.
I'm thinking about a gift to the South of $5 million in gold bullion.
- Julia, you're crazy. Where in the world...? - Virginia City.
Impossible. That's a Yank stronghold and...
You're familiar with Virginia City. Have you forgotten?
It's one of the richest mining centers in the world. And the biggest mine owners there...
Of course.
Dr. Cameron, Armistead, Marshall, all Southerners.
Whose loyalty adds up to the $5 million which they're giving to the Confederacy.
But they can't move it out for fear of stirring up a suspicion.
They need a leader, someone strong, resourceful...
...who knows all the country between.
- That's why I've come straight to you. - To me?
Yes, you're the only one who could do it.
Is that the only reason you came straight to me?
Oh, l...
I don't know, Vance.
I still don't know.
But you're my oldest and my dearest friend.
I knew I could trust you.
Tell me, why did you leave your home here and go north?
Was it because of me?
Well, partly that then, because I wasn't sure.
I wanted to sing.
Father was so furious.
A Hayne on the public stage.
You gave a recital in Boston, I heard.
Only one.
Then the war.
Oh, it was a long jump, Vance, from Boston to Virginia City...
...singing in the Sazerac Saloon.
But why?
Virginia City is a loyal Yankee nest.
Drunken Union soldiers talk and I listen.
I'm a very good listener, Vance.
And what I hear, I pass on.
And that's why you were chosen to come here.
Yes. To get your help.
Oh, so much depends in you, Vance.
You must go and see the president.
MAN: Mr. President, we must face the facts.
The Army's half starved, therefore is only at half its strength.
Each week, thousands of our boys are dying...
...for lack of proper equipment and medical supplies.
What the captain suggests is dangerous and difficult...
...but the $5 million these people are willing to sacrifice may save the South.
How do you propose to bring the gold to Richmond, Captain Irby?
Between Nevada and the Mississippi there are 17 Union forts...
...guarding the roads and every inch of the river.
Quite true, but I have planned a route by which I hope to dodge them...
...but it's a great deal harder and longer than the old immigrant trail.
If you'll permit me to demonstrate on your map.
Go right ahead, sir.
I'd head due south through lower Nevada and the territory of New Mexico to Texas.
A convoy could meet us at our Amarillo outpost...
...rush the gold to Galveston, then by a blockade runner...
...all the way around to Wilmington, then here.
- How long would it take to reach Amarillo? - About four weeks.
It makes sense to me, Mr. President.
How well do you know that southwest country, captain?
I've hunted, scouted and driven cattle through most of it.
I know every water hole and arroyo, almost every cactus bush.
It's pretty dry and barren, but I'm sure I can make it.
Well, General Page.
If Captain Irby says he can, he will, sir.
Jeb Stuart told me he was the smartest scout he ever had.
And he added that Irby could lead a cavalry raid to Hades and back.
From what I hear, that's a pretty accurate description of Virginia City, general.
By the way, Irby, where is the messenger who brought us the good news?
One moment, sir.
Julia, the president would like to see you.
Mr. President, may I present Miss Julia Hayne...
...the daughter of Colonel Hayne.
Mr. President.
I knew your father, Miss Hayne.
He was a gallant soldier...
...which explains the courage you found for such a dangerous mission.
Thank you, Mr. President.
We're proud of you and deeply grateful.
Good luck to you, captain.
The hopes of 10 million will be riding with you.
Doggone that confounded...
...dadgummed, slab-sided, dad-burned, tarnation, doggone...
MOOSE: Quiet.
MARBLEHEAD: ...buffalo.
Right. The lamp.
Irby left the joker in the pack when he didn't shut off this tunnel.
Sure enough left the road open to the powder magazine.
- There it is. - Yeah. Here.
Hey, not yet.
Wait until the sentry changes at 10:00.
MARBLEHEAD: Doggone that confounded...
- Shut up. ...dadgummed...
- What are they digging? - Earthworks, the last line of defense.
Is it as bad as that? Are they so close?
Seventy miles, at Spotsylvania Court House.
But they'll never take Richmond now, Julia. You've brought us new hope.
Who's billeted here?
The 17th Cavalry.
They're using it as headquarters.
They'll probably move on any day now.
Looks strange, doesn't it?
Oh, Vance, do you remember the old days here?
The parties father used to have in this house?
It was fun growing up together, wasn't it?
IRBY: I wish it could have lasted forever. We were close then.
Do you remember the last Christmas I spent here before the war?
Frost was glistening in all the fields...
...holly wreaths were in all those windows, mistletoe in the hall.
And Father standing in the doorway with the light behind him...
...so straight and proud and handsome.
And now...
...wet leaves cover the ground at Shiloh, don't they, Vance?
Julia, why do you torture yourself with memories?
What have I got left?
The war's taken everything.
Not me, Julie.
Perhaps someday we...
But now, I just feel dead inside and I will be till the war is over.
When do you start west?
Tomorrow, by troop train to the border, then by stage.
We'll see each other later then at Virginia City.
Yes. But remember, when we meet, we've never seen each other before.
- Then the Federals can't suspect. - Oh, I'm an expert at that now.
Treating friends like strangers and enemies like friends.
I won't forget.
What time is it?
Around 10:00.
Let's go back to Richmond.
[EXPLOSION]
IRBY: The prison.
Back to town as quick as you can make it.
Dog-darn this dad-blame swamp.
Marble, I never thought you'd turn out to be a water buffalo.
If I don't get out of this water, it's gonna take the curl out of my hair.
If you don't shut up, you're gonna have a bullet parting your hair.
MAN: Here are some tracks, men.
They're running every which way, but they're probably headed upstream.
Come on.
All fish head upstream, my friend, that's how they get caught.
Come on.
Gentlemen, this is Captain Bradford...
...one of our most reliable sources of enemy intelligence.
I question that, sir.
A man of any intelligence would hardly spend a vacation in Libby Prison.
I understand, at the time of your capture...
...you were tracing the report of gold shipments to Richmond.
That's correct. The shipments were made.
Ridiculous. How could the silver and gold that might dribble through to the rebels...
...affect the outcome of this war one way or another?
They couldn't, sir, so long as those shipments were small.
I have reason to believe the rebels' next shipments will involve millions.
- That could prolong this conflict for years. - Where could they get millions?
Only one place, sir. Virginia City in Nevada. Three of the richest mines in America...
...belong to Southern sympathizers there. - Virginia City. That's a rebel hotbed.
- You'll have to watch yourself. - Thank you. We will.
By the way, I'm taking these men with me, sir.
We always work together.
Well, what are their qualifications?
Well, sir, Marblehead there...
Yes, sir.
...he's probably one of the finest horse-thieves east of Chicago.
- You mean Kansas City, sir. - Oh, Kansas City.
- And Moose. - Yes, sir.
Well, he's had four wives, so he's had to learn how to keep undercover.
Shucks.
Well, that settles it.
Draw what money you need from the paymaster.
And before you leave, look over the Washington reports on Virginia City.
BRADFORD: Thank you. - Good luck to you.
Thank you, sir.
- Sir. - Sir.
Hey, why did you say I only had four wives?
- Well, what was it, five? MOOSE: Sure.
BRADFORD: Oh, I keep losing count.
This is most uncomfortable. I've never had such a rough ride.
My congressman will certainly hear about this road.
In fact, I think I'll write to President Lincoln.
He's kind of busy right now.
- There's a war on, you know. - Oh, the war, the war.
When I think of all those brave boys on the battlefield, so many of them.
- It's bad for business, you know. - What is your business, mister?
Life insurance.
- Perhaps I could interest you in a policy. - No, thanks.
Great American Insurance Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Fine protection.
- I would not be a good risk. - Nonsense, you look as fit as a fiddle.
I suppose you avoid all unnecessary forms of excitement?
Oh, sure, sure. I just sit home, reading books.
Oh, you Westerners are lucky.
No taxes to speak of, nothing to worry about.
Of course, you are deprived of the glorious opportunity to defend your country.
You are lucky to be out here.
They tell me they are drafting men your age in the North.
Yes. Yes, they are.
That's the part of the war I don't approve of.
What business are you three gentlemen in?
- Well... - We're in the mining business.
Gold mining. We thought we'd mosey around Virginia City for a spell.
Doesn't your friend know there's more silver than gold in Virginia City?
- Yes, but... - We're in both.
That's it.
So you're from Virginia City, are you, Miss Hayne? You haven't said.
Haven't I?
Now that we've all mentioned our business, how about you?
Since you joined us a few miles back, I suppose you live in this part of the country.
- Cattle business? - No, no.
Maybe you could say I handle hardware.
- Full line? - Oh, full enough.
- Hardware. - Here is one of my samples.
You take this, Mr. Marblehead.
I'm a trifle gun shy.
Any of you gentlemen happen to be carrying a gun?
No, no, no, not me. I never touch them.
All I want's a pocket full of rocks.
Guns are for warlike people. What made you ask?
MAN: This country isn't as soft around here as this gentleman thinks.
- Did you ever hear of John Murrell? - No. Who is he?
You mean, Murrell's guerrillas? Sure we've heard of them.
They're a pack of murderous skunks.
MAN: Hey, you are right.
- Beautiful work, don't you think? - Yes.
These things make me nervous.
Thank you.
This is his stamping ground.
Murrell specializes in stagecoaches.
He wouldn't dare hold up the United States mail.
I'd protest to the Post Office Department immediately.
Murrell wouldn't be after the mail.
Not with five business men like us, carrying between us maybe 15- Or $20,000.
Yes, that's right. We would be a pretty good haul at that.
That's what I figured. Now there isn't any point in making any trouble.
If you'll hand over quickly what you have, nobody will get hurt.
Well, doggone if you'd take a man's father's watch.
MARBLEHEAD: Dadgum.
Quickly.
Now you.
I take it you're Mr. Murrell?
You are a smart fellow. Come on, hand over, if you please.
But that's the point. I don't please.
Don't be funny, mister. This gun has a hair trigger.
- Don't be a fool, Kerry, he might shoot. - Go on, give him the doggone money.
It won't go off. Would you like to bet?
Oh, please, Mr. Bradford...
Why, Miss Hayne. Such solicitude is very touching.
You were saying, sir?
I do not particularly want to shoot you, mister, but I do not mind.
If you'll look back out of the window, you will see why.
- Guerrillas. - Yes, Murrell's guerrillas.
I think I outdraw you, eh, mister?
Maybe. I've only got one pair, but that ought to be enough.
Don't reach for that. Get them up.
I thought that little derringer of yours looked a little bit too well used to be a sample.
In any case, I didn't like your face. As a matter of fact, I still don't.
See if he's got another gun, Moose.
MARBLEHEAD: Give me that stuff. MOOSE: Give me that money.
MARBLEHEAD: You leather-headed... MOOSE: Your purse, madam.
I'll say he's in the hardware business.
Driver.
Now, Mr. Murrell...
...you're gonna tell your little boys playtime is over and you're coming along with us.
Driver, pull up.
Now then, start talking and make it quick and fast.
Come on.
Put up your guns, boys.
This fellow, he's got the drop on me. If you shoot, he'll plug me.
You go back and don't follow. He means business.
Mr. Driver, please drive before they change their minds.
[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]
Now, Mr. Murrell, would you be kind enough to step out?
No, you'd best ride on top, we don't like your company.
- What makes you think I would? - Hope three ain't crowding.
- Keep that on him till the next station. - I don't need this peashooter.
Keep my hands on him, you mean. All right, son.
TED: Bess, Dolly.
Just to think, I tried to sell that ruffian life insurance.
Oh, he wasn't as tough as my last wife.
- Pardon, I didn't know you were married. - Married? Only four times.
Five.
All insured, I hope.
Never mind. Don't pay any attention to me. I don't know what I'm saying. I'm all upset.
That's the tightest squeeze I was ever in in my life.
How about you, ma'am?
Don't you think the heroics were a trifle exaggerated?
Ma'am, you don't know him. You should have saw the last mess he got us out of.
Why, the night we started the dig...
You have a peculiar way of looking at things, Miss Hayne.
- What? BRADFORD: Pardon me.
Try it that way. The other can be done, but it is difficult.
I was silly, wasn't I?
But I was rude. Sorry.
I deserved it. I haven't said thank you.
- Lf you hadn't been here, Mr. Bradford... - But I had to be here.
Don't you believe in predestination?
You had to be here too, so did Murrell.
There's probably future reason for it.
MARBLEHEAD: Hey, Kerry.
The driver says there's a $5000 reward for this shadbelly.
TED: That's a lot of money for buzzard-bait like him.
MURRELL: You have not collected yet.
You doggone, tin-horn gambler.
Murrell's loose.
MARBLEHEAD: Doggone the dad-burn-it. Stuck in the creek.
All right, folks, unload and give us a push.
Ain't nothing else to do. Here's where we start playing horses.
This is a dreadful situation.
I shall most certainly write the Bureau of Rivers and Harbors about this.
TED: All right, folks, unload and give us a push.
Oh, no. No, don't put me down.
- Don't put me here. - There you are.
Now then, you stay there.
If you behave yourself, I may come back and get you.
Hey. Watch that there rock.
That one?
Hey.
I knew there was something I forgot.
Kerry, if you let me fall...
I wish you would.
I fell 10 days ago.
Hurry up, Kerry. You're too slow for a packhorse.
- Late today. TED: Had a rough trip.
- Any mail? TED: Yup.
- There you are. - Thank you.
We won't be here long, folks, don't stray off.
- Where are we gonna stray to? - Well, got a fair-to-middling saloon.
What about you, little man? Will you have a drink?
A drink? Moosehead, when I come out of that saloon...
...l'd be so teetotally tight that if I live to be 108 years old I'll die with a hangover.
Go ahead, boys, have something.
I don't mind if you wanna join them.
You know, for the first time in years, I don't.
You're a strange trio.
They're so totally different from you in every way.
I've often wondered what brought you together.
Oh, just luck, like you and I.
The interesting part is, what keeps people together, don't you think?
Hello.
What were you dreaming?
Oh, about us.
Was I behaving myself?
We were climbing a mountain together and we were almost at the top.
But suddenly you stopped me...
...as if there was something on the other side you were afraid for me to see.
There isn't, Kerry, is there?
I've been looking on the other side of mountains all my life.
- Usually, all I've got was a bumped nose. - Oh, don't tease me.
There isn't much time.
- We know so little about each other. - What do we wanna know?
You're a very charming young woman.
Well bred, obviously. Highly respectable.
Me? Well, I suppose I'm just a soldier of misfortune.
It's a very interesting combination. Anything could happen.
What do you mean, we haven't got much time?
This time tomorrow, we'll be in Virginia City.
Well...
...you make that sound so final.
There maybe some things that you won't understand.
I only understand that we've gotta go on seeing each other and being together.
- Perhaps. - Perhaps?
Julia, is that all you've got to say?
Look, three weeks ago, I had no more idea than you where this was all going to lead.
But I know one thing now, it can't end here.
You know that too.
Yes, I do know it, Kerry.
But promise me one thing, that we won't cross bridges...
...or ask any questions till we know what's on the other side.
- Promise? - Promise.
[MEN SINGING "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC"]
MAN: This is the latest news.
"Tonight, with the fall of Vicksburg...
...the entire Mississippi River is in the hands of the Union Army.
Sherman has destroyed Atlanta...
...and the railroad that connects the deep South with Virginia.
The rebels are on the run, physically and financially.
Only an act of God can now prevent a great Union victory."
Virginia City, Kerry.
Yes.
Looks like they're celebrating our arrival.
Glad to be home?
Oh, yes, of course.
[GUNSHOT]
[SCREAMS]
- Now, now, take it easy. - What you need is a good, stiff drink.
That's the best advice I've had since I've been on this trip.
This is the roughest ride I've ever had.
I'm certainly gonna write a letter to my congressman.
I would too.
BO Y: Miss Julia. Miss Julia.
Oh, Cobby. How are you, Cobby?
- I missed you, but I'm glad you're back. - Thank you.
This is Cobby, Mr. Bradford.
- How do you do, Cobby? - How do you do?
- Pleasure to meet you. - Same here.
A rival, huh? Well, I hope they're all that size.
[PEOPLE SINGING "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC"]
We want every copperhead Southerner in Virginia City to see this.
And remember it because the next time we hang one of them...
...it won't be filled with sawdust.
Driver, will you get my grip?
I'll get it for you, I know where it is.
Julia, what's the matter?
Oh, I think I'll get out.
- My home is near here. - Wait a minute.
Why, you haven't even told me your address.
We'll see each other, Kerry.
- I'm in a hurry. - You're not in that much of a hurry.
How can I show up at your home to pay my respects to your family?
I haven't any family.
Oh, sorry.
COBBY: Here they are, Miss Julia, I got them both.
Well, thank you, Cobby. Oh, just two.
I have another one on the rack. Would you get it for me, please?
Sure.
This is very interesting, Captain Bradford.
The Bureau of Military Information is unduly alarmed.
I can assure you we have the local situation well in hand.
Yes, I read your reports in Washington, sir. But from our information...
...the next rebel attempt to run gold might be more successful.
Eh?
- They have a new leader. - So, what's his name?
I wish I knew, sir.
All we do know is that he came west from Richmond about a month ago.
By the way, where do the local Southerners gather?
Oh, no one place in particular.
The Crystal Bar, Sazerac.
Would you like an escort to show you around?
Oh, I think we can manage, thank you, sir.
You don't happen to know the Haynes family here, do you?
The Haynes family? No, I never heard of them. Why?
Oh, nothing. Just friends. That's funny.
I was under the impression she...
The family that is. ...lived in Virginia City.
You seem to have two problems, captain.
I should be interested to hear what you find out in either case.
You'll be among the first to know, I assure you.
- Good day, sir. - Good luck, gentlemen.
Good day, major.
Hello, Cobby.
- Mr. Vance. - Hello, Cobby, what's on your mind?
Miss Julia came in on the stage last night...
...but she was afraid to come here, so she sent me.
But she wants you to meet her at the Sazerac tonight.
- How did she look, Cobby? - Oh, swell.
Happy as a colt in clover.
- Thanks. That's fine. Come on, get to work. COBBY: Yes, sir.
MAN 1: Hey, kid. Give us a hand here.
IRBY: Measure your pourings carefully, boys, and keep those bars as uniform as possible.
Put a little more gold dust in each bag, John.
When you finish loading, nail down the false lid and start loading sacks.
Yes, sir.
Pack the flour a little harder around each bag, Mrs. Carter.
Double-bottom wagons and flour sacks, they were smart ideas.
IRBY: I just hope it works.
- I guess that's the last of it. - That's all for this wagon.
One more load will take care of the rest.
MAN 2: Gill, 50, Picket, 45, Talbot, 70, Parrish, 85.
- How much do you figure the lot, Cameron? - Just a shade over 5 million.
Five million into 1200 miles, that's our next problem.
- You can do it, Irby, if anybody can. - Let's hope.
Listen, everybody.
If everything goes right, we'll be able to start within 48 hours.
Pack your wagons, but keep out of sight. All of you know what's expected of you.
It'll be a hard and dangerous journey, even if we escape the Union soldiers.
And for all outward purposes we are an immigrant train headed for California...
...with our wives and children. Once we're out of town, the rest is up to me.
We've got to watch ourselves every minute from now on.
One slip, just one, and we're goners.
Not only for us, but for the South, remember that.
And one thing more.
When you leave here, don't go together. It might give some bright Yank an idea.
MAN 3: I value this about $30.
And the name is Tom...
I think you're on the wrong track, sir...
...but I've completed the list of what you term "copperheads" or "rebels."
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
And here it is:
"John Armistead, Thomas A. Marshall, Dr. Robert Cameron, Frank ***."
Et cetera, et cetera. Fifteen or 20 of them.
All reputable citizens.
I see. Thanks.
Well, my understanding is that Virginia City has mined 48 millions in gold...
...since the war started.
The Comstock ran most of it, I know that. We've got a record of their activities.
That still leaves a considerable amount unaccounted.
Apparently the property of these men.
Your information is approximately correct.
These people have had accounts in this bank.
Have had? Haven't they still?
No, only one or two small accounts.
Being Southerners, they were afraid of confiscation.
- Yes. - And frankly, I don't blame them.
No.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
So this gold's back in their possession, is it?
Safely hidden away until the war's over.
But they're all friends of mine, I'm not afraid. They'll bring it back.
Well, I wouldn't count too much on that if I were you, sir.
- How's that? - I said, to your health, sir.
Oh, yes. To yours, to yours, by all means, sir.
By the way, I don't see the name of Haynes on this list.
- Haynes? - Yes, Haynes or Hayne.
I thought they might be depositors of yours.
No, never heard of them.
Sure that's the right name?
Frankly, I'm not sure of anything these days, sir.
You see some incredible mirages in the desert.
- I beg your pardon? - I said, thanks for the information, sir.
Not at all, sir. It's been a pleasure.
MAN: Step this way, folks, to the door of rum, riches and rapture.
The one and only famous Sazerac Saloon, known from Philly to Frisco.
See the Living Lily, the only person ever framed in the Sazerac.
She inhales, she exhales.
She does everything but talk, and she is liable to do that.
Just look on the inside, folks.
See and hear the most beautiful girls that ever escaped from a female seminary.
Let's go in and mix around. Keep your eyes and ears open.
- Don't get into trouble, don't get drunk. - He don't think we'd do anything...
...wasn't pious, does he? MARBLEHEAD: Well, I hope not.
[MEN CHEERING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[WOMEN SINGING]
Let's mosey over here. Something might turn up.
- Well, well, hello, stranger. - Something did.
- True enough. WOMAN: How about trying your luck?
- I got a lot of luck and it's all bad. - The old guessing contest.
Pays one, two and three for one. Three winners and losers.
There she goes. Going like a boll weevil in a cotton patch.
Like taking a gal to a picnic, you don't know whether you're gonna bring her back.
We got a winner.
Just a minute, mister.
What will it be, mister?
What will you have?
What? Oh, anything, and make it double.
- Kind of took your mind off your business? - Yes.
What's her name?
Julie Adams.
How long has she been working here?
BARTENDER: Three, nearly four years.
She just got back from St. Louis.
The boys certainly did miss her.
I'll bet they did.
- You're wonderful! - Hey, I'm not that good.
- Take care. Have a nice trip. - Hi, Julia.
Julia, you're a nice kid.
- Fine. When are you leaving? - Tomorrow.
JULIA: Oh, you are? Well, good luck. - Goodbye.
- Goodbye. - You're all right.
- You're a beauty. JULIA: Thank you.
- Baby, you were marvelous. - I'm not that good.
MAN 1: Come on, darling. MAN 2: Raise your glass.
Good evening.
Oh, Kerry.
Well, hello.
This is a surprise.
How do you like Virginia City?
I haven't made up my mind yet. But I can see Virginia City likes you.
This is very funny.
Why didn't you tell me about it?
I didn't think it would matter so much.
At least I hoped it wouldn't.
Why, I don't know that it does. It puts quite a burden on faith, though.
Enough faith could carry it.
These people like me and respect me and they discourage those who don't.
- That's very nice arrangement. - Yes.
Tell me, would it help your percentage any if I bought you a drink?
I'm paid to be pleasant to everybody.
Everybody?
Yes. Why not?
That's right. Why not?
Come on, let me get you a drink.
Hey, bartender.
- Kerry said for you not to get drunk. - Yeah.
Fill it up.
I wonder what she'd do if we had another drink.
Finest west of the Mississippi. Here you are, pal.
I hope you're right.
BARTENDER: Look, Johnny.
All right.
Well, well.
It's a small world, isn't it?
I didn't know you for a minute, Bradford.
Maybe it's the fresh air in here.
What are you doing out here in Nevada?
Now, there's a coincidence.
I was just going to ask you the same thing.
I caught a minié ball at Cedar Creek.
Gangrene set in, so they shipped me back home.
Tough luck.
How do you feel now?
Not too bad.
You look fine.
You know, we often talk about you, my friends and I.
MAN: Down, boys. - We just done...
That's Irby.
I'll be doggoned if it ain't.
This is a quite reunion. We can have a drink on it.
That's a good idea.
Only this time, the treat's on me.
Same thing. Oh, excuse me.
This is Captain Irby, Miss Julia...
Miss... Don't tell me, I'll have it in a minute.
That's funny, who would've thought I could've forgotten that?
- You forget easily, don't you? - Maybe.
- How do you do, captain? - It's a pleasure, ma'am.
- Am I interrupting? - No, not at all.
Captain Irby's an old friend. As a matter of fact, we once shared the same roof.
Any friend of Mr. Bradford is a friend of mine.
I'm glad you're joining us. You know how it is: more drinks, more percentage.
Yeah.
- To the belle of the Sazerac. - To you both.
Virginia City seems to be quite a Union stronghold, ma'am.
- Yes, it's red, white and blue all over. - All over?
Of course there are a few copperheads here, but they're harmless.
What do you think, Irby?
I agree with the lady.
What harm could a few Southerners do way out here?
Hey, there's a couple fellows at the end of the bar...
...wants you to have a drink with them.
Well, if you'll excuse me.
It's been a great pleasure meeting you again, sir.
The pleasure's all mine, sir.
- Hi, fellas. - How are you? Have a drink.
Thank you. To you.
- Don't look, but you know who that is? - Recognize him?
- It's Irby. - Yeah.
Of course I recognize him.
What's he doing out here?
I don't know, but I imagine he's on the same business as we are.
Where did you meet him?
He came west on the stagecoach with me from St. Louis.
Why?
He was one of my prisoners at Libby for eight months.
Stay away from him. Don't let him question you, he's a Union spy.
A pleasure to meet you, ma'am.
Thank you.
- You ain't gonna let him get away, Kerry. - No.
He's liable to be halfway to Texas before daylight.
No. He'll be just where we want him.
Ain't that your music, Miss Julie?
[SINGING]
Hey, that's the gal that was on the...
- You don't say? - Yeah. Ain't it, Moose?
Sure looks like her.
It's Irby.
- Tom, John. - What's up?
I just left the Sazerac.
There's a Union spy in town named Bradford who knows me and knows why I'm here.
Has he seen you yet?
Get a word to Topp and Parrish and warn the others. I'll see Dr. Cameron.
Hurry and get the lid down.
Load this wagon.
- Good evening. - Good evening.
What can I do for you?
Working late for a blacksmith, aren't you?
Yep. Can I do anything for you?
[BANGING]
Somebody came in the shop.
It's Bradford, 10-to-1. No.
Pile this stuff in the wagons.
Drive them to Box Canyon, tell the first three parties to go there and wait.
- Are you going there now? - I'm going to re-enter the shop.
That may stall them until we can clear this room.
There's something going on here that don't meet the eye.
Looking for something?
Where's the man that just went in there?
What man? Ain't nobody been in here but you.
- You're lying. - Hold on, young fella.
I ain't used to being talked to that way.
Sounds like a bunch of church bells.
Hey, quit that pounding, will you?
I'd have bet my doggone life he'd come in here.
BRADFORD: Which one of you is ***? - Me.
Why?
Do you know a man named Irby?
Were you looking for me?
Yes, among other things.
Well, if I can help you in any way.
BRADFORD: You have already.
I'm afraid I don't...
[LAUGHING]
Oh, yes, I remember now. We once made an appointment, didn't we?
Well, gentlemen, I'm still at your service.
Yes, but I don't want you alone, Irby.
I knew as soon as you left, you'd come to your friends.
You're the leader of these men. You can surrender...
...or watch us pull this place apart. - I don't know what you're talking about...
I want you, your friends and that gold you came here for.
- Have you any idea what he means? - Search me, mister.
That's just what I'm gonna do.
- Moose, Marble. - Yeah?
BRADFORD: Are you all right? - Yeah.
Dadgum right, I'm all right.
BRADFORD: Come over here.
I think I've got something.
MARBLEHEAD: Well, I'll be doggoned.
Well, Mr. Irby.
Moose, go as quickly as you can to Drewery.
Tell him to block every street corner and passage with mounted troops.
MOOSE: What we need now is action, Kerry.
Sit down, Vance. What's the matter?
- It looks like we're up against a stone wall. - What's happened?
They got the city patrolled and every street blocked. They're searching every house.
Have they caught any of us?
Marshall, Gill, Pickett, Topp and Parrish. About 15 others caught and threatened.
You may be next. That's why I came here to warn you to burn our maps now, quick.
All right.
What about the gold?
It's in the wagons and they're safe.
For a few hours anyway.
Burn these, will you?
I'll get the rest.
What are your plans?
I don't know yet. They may get me, but that isn't important.
The thing is, how to get this gold out of town past those guards.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
Wait in there.
Here, take my coat.
All right. I'm coming.
Are you Doc Cameron?
Yes. What do you want?
Anybody else in here?
Yes, a patient. I'm busy.
That can wait.
Oh, Murrell.
You should remember, doctor...
...it is not the first time I am here.
Whoever you got in that other room, tell him to come out.
- Oh, what is it, doctor? - Well, it looks as if he's been...
Nothing.
Don't worry.
It's just to fix my arm.
Why do we wait? Do something for me, quick.
All right.
Bring him in here.
Will you help, Vance?
Marshall, Robert Gill, Cameron...
All right, you two take Dr. Cameron. I'll see Armistead.
That, I think, just about takes care of every Southerner here. Go ahead.
All right.
[MURRELL GRO ANS]
MURRELL: Hey, look out, doc. You hurt a little bit I don't care.
Next time you get a bullet wound, better not try to cauterize it with gunpowder.
It worked pretty good for a snake bite.
Then it should've worked for you...
...but it didn't.
It's a good joke, huh?
You. You know me, who I am?
Yes, I know you, Murrell. You used to be in Morgan's cavalry.
You've got a gang together now, not far away from here.
Yeah.
I hope you are not thinking about collecting this reward.
No, I'm thinking of one you can collect.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
You, see who is there.
If he's smart man, get rid of him.
Get over there, you.
Are you Doc Cameron?
Yes. Why? Anything wrong?
We can't tell from here. Who you got in there?
A patient with a smashed shoulder.
If you've got any business, it'll have to wait. This man can't.
Just a second, doc.
- Can't we take a look? - What for?
Gosh, I ain't never seen a operation before. Doggone.
CAMERON: What do you fools think this is? A sideshow?
Maybe a man who's bleeding to death doesn't mean much to you...
...but he does to me. - Just a second, doc.
There ain't no cause for you to go and getting all riled up.
No. You'll got yourself so excited, you'll cut him up the wrong way.
I had the measles once.
You don't operate on no measles, you big lummox.
Thank you, doc. That was nice work.
You lie almost so good like me, huh?
But nobody knows I am in Virginia City. Who are they looking for?
They're looking for me, Murrell.
- For you? - Yeah.
We are in the same boat, huh?
And maybe we can pull together.
Maybe. What you mean?
I'll give you $ 10,000 to do a job for me.
What kind of job?
Listen, here's what I want you to do.
On the west side of the city is the Union garrison...
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh, you.
Well, did you come back to tell me how much you liked the act?
No. No, I came back to ask you if you'd forgive me for...
For being disappointed in me?
Well, I suppose you couldn't help it.
No, it wasn't that.
But it was such a surprise seeing you up there.
If things had been the other way around, you'd...
I couldn't imagine you out there dancing the cancan.
That's a funny thought.
I'd probably get mixed up in my skirts.
- You know what I mean, though, don't you? - Yes, I know.
But you see, Kerry, no matter how much a man's in love...
...he really wonders whether the woman's quite good enough for him or not.
But when a woman's in love, well, she's just in love and that's the end of it.
You see, if you'd told me everything at first, l...
Have you told me everything?
No, I haven't. You're right.
I just made a silly fool of myself. I'm sorry.
Will you forgive me?
I forgave you a long time ago.
Maybe...
Maybe I even wanted you to care that much.
That's all I wanted to know.
In case anything should happen to me, I just wanted to be sure of that.
You're in some kind of danger, aren't you, Kerry?
Well, Virginia City's a dangerous place. Besides, there's a war on and...
Yes, there's a war on.
- Could I see you for a moment, sir? - Yes.
Excuse me. What is it?
Someone reported they saw Irby around the rear door of the Sazerac a half-hour ago.
Good, we'll take a look around. Wait here.
- I'll be right with you. - Yes, sir.
Is that why you came here?
I can't tell you about it now, darling.
But I want you to know this, I do love you...
...and that's the most important thing in the world.
Remember that always, will you?