Apache Territory

The desert's a killer.

Hundreds of miles of burning, blazing sand,

and a few scattered water holes.

None of them reliable in the dry season.

My name's Logan Cates.

You wonder why I'm out here.

A man just drifts when he's without illusion, without purpose in life.

I'm on my way to Yuma.

This is the only way to get there.

But you don't move too fast, not if you want to live.

Vigilance is the price of life in Apache country.

Even if you find water, you're only half out of it.

You still have to get through the Indians.

Apaches!

Wagon burned. Everybody killed.

Mother.

Daddy.

You'll be all right, now. You'll be all right.

What's your name?

I'd better get you away from here before they come back.

We'll head for Apache Wells.

Stay there. I'll be right back.

Go back! I just want to see if it's safe.

Drop it!

Don't shoot, mister.

Looks like somebody already took care of that.

How did it happen?

Apaches ambushed me and my friends back at Bates Water Hole.

We heard a shot and tried to get away.

I was the only one who made it.

Yeah, I know.

I saw it happen from up on a hill. I fired those shots.

You saved my life. Thanks, mister.

What's your name?

Lonnie. Lonnie Foreman. What's yours?

Logan Cates.

Sure glad to have met up with you, Mr. Cates.

What's the matter with her?

Apaches killed her folks.

Help her.

You're safe now.

She sure is pretty.

How old are you, son?

Nineteen.

So you think she's pretty, huh?

Yes, sir.

I was hoping I could find someone here that'd take care of her.

Guess I'll have to take her on to Yuma.

Mind if I trail along?

Glad to have you.

I'll fill the canteens, so we can get started.

Better wait till after sundown.

It's safer to travel at night.

Yes, sir.

My name's Lonnie. What's yours?

Junie. Junie Hatchett.

That's a pretty name.

See my harmonica? Want to hear me play it?

Quiet!

Apaches?

No.

I'm Grant Kimbrough.

And my fiancee and I are on our way to Yuma to take the stage East.

May I ask your name?

Cates. Logan Cates.

Mr. Cates, may I present Ms. Jennifer Fair.

Hello, Logan.

Hello, Jen.

Well, you two have met before, huh?

We've known each other a long time.

I never heard you speak about Mr. Cates before, Jennifer.

There was nothing to say about him.

What happened to the girl?

Mr. Cates found her out in the desert. Apaches killed her folks.

Apaches? Yes, sir.

We haven't seen any.

You don't see 'em, Mr. Kimbrough. You feel 'em.

Ms. Fair's been out here long enough to know about Apaches.

Well, we'd better water our horses and be on our way.

I'd wait till after dark.

We want to catch the morning stage.

There won't be another one till late in the week.

You can always get another stage.

You can't get another skin.

Mr. Cates,

I led a whole cavalry detachment through the war.

Now, I believe that I'm perfectly capable

of taking care of Ms. Fair and myself.

But you don't have that cavalry now.

I'm sure that whatever Mr. Kimbrough decides will be right.

Whatever you say, Ms. Fair.

Me and Mr. Cates are going to take her to Yuma after it gets dark.

He said it's safer than moving around out there in the daylight.

You like Mr. Cates, don't you?

Sure. He saved my life, and hers, too.

We'll be ready to leave in a few minutes now, Jennifer.

Grant.

Don't you think it would be wiser if we wait until dark?

Oh, no, dear. We should leave right now

if we expect to catch that stage in Yuma.

But it'll be much safer to travel at night.

I thought you were going to abide by my decisions.

Well, under the circumstances, I think we should listen to him.

Jennifer, how well did you know this Logan Cates?

Grant, there is nothing for you to be jealous about.

I'm sorry, darling, but you know how much you mean to me.

Thought you were leaving.

No. We're going tonight, along with the rest of you.

That is, if you can tolerate my company.

I always liked your company, you know that, Jen.

You had a strange way of showing it.

I told you once, Jen, I... I didn't like to be tied down.

Like to keep moving.

What kind of life is that for a woman?

Why didn't you let me decide that?

I thought my way was best.

As it is, it turned out best for you.

At least Grant Kimbrough knows what he wants in life.

He's a man a woman can depend on.

I'm glad you found that kind of man, Jen. I...

I know you'll be happy.

I wanted that for both of us, Logan,

but you wouldn't have it.

Well, it's over and done with.

I was hoping I'd never see you again.

After tonight, you won't.

Looks like a dust cloud.

No, a dust cloud doesn't hug the desert that way.

Cavalry.

I heard that Injuns sometimes dress in Army uniforms.

No, it's Cavalry, all right.

And the way they're riding, somebody's after them,

and that could only be Apaches.

Fill your canteens and we'll be on our way!

Whoa!

I'm Sergeant Sheehan of the 5th Cavalry out of Fort Yuma.

We were testing dry wells and were ambushed by the Apaches.

They hit us from all sides. I lost 10 men.

Where'd it happen? About 10 miles south.

Probably Churupati. He's on the loose again.

Churupati? He's a renegade chief.

Do you think they followed you?

I didn't look back.

Sergeant, would you mind if we rode along with you?

Very well but it'll be hard riding. We won't stop until we hit the Fort.

Oh, we don't mind. I'll get our horses.

All right.

I think we got a good start on those Apaches. We'll make the Fort all right.

Fort Yuma is 30 miles, Sergeant.

I know that.

You couldn't ride those horses five miles. They're beat.

We can't stay here. We'd all be massacred.

You stand a better chance here than you do out there in the open.

There's a lot in what you say.

What do you suggest?

Spread your men out across these rocks.

We can stop any charge that Churupati makes.

It's a good idea.

How's your ammunition? - We got enough.

A couple of kegs of black powder.

Styles! Graves!

Conley! Webb! Spread out on these rocks.

Zimmerman, tie down the horses.

What for? To stay here and be slaughtered like the rest of the troop?

I say we ought to keep on moving.

I'm not taking any more orders from you.

You take another step, soldier, and I'll kill you.

As long as I'm in command, you'll do as you're told!

Now tie down those horses!

You should have stayed back at that desk in Saint Louis, Sergeant.

Sergeant, do you think it's advisable to make a stand?

What Cates says makes sense.

We've got a better chance staying here than making a run for it.

Of course, Sergeant, whatever you think is best.

How do you fight them? They're like ghosts.

Like I told you, Mr. Kimbrough,

you don't see 'em, you feel 'em.

Awful quiet out there.

I wonder what they're up to now.

Churupati's got us boxed in.

He can afford to wait.

Well, if I were back at my desk in the adjutant's office

I'd know what to do.

But this is my first skirmish with Apaches.

When, do you think, they'll attack again?

Your guess is as good as mine.

What should we do?

Keep a sharp lookout at all times.

Graves, get back up there!

We'll build a corral and tie the horses down,

and we'll ration what food we have between us.

Zimmerman, you and Webb bury Styles.

Conley, give me a hand with the corral.

You seem to be expecting to stay here quite a while.

Maybe.

Of course, you have some plan for getting us out.

My only plan is to stay alive.

Styles was a nice fellow, a good soldier, too.

I wonder if he had any family.

Yep. A wife and kids back East.