Flaming Star

No lights.

- What do you think? - Too quiet.

Ma?

- Pa? - Happy birthday!

- We couldn't resist. Even Pacer jumped. - Where you been?

It sure is a surprise, since my birthday was last week.

It's the first chance we had to come out.

Wash up. Supper will be out.

You spent all day working. We thought you'd never come.

I'll take care of the horses. Eat up!

We'll do that. Will, play us some music.

How about this one?

Hey, Dorothy, never mind those dishes.

May I?

- Supper's ready. - Supper!

- Sure is a fine-looking cake. - I could eat a buffalo.

You dance like one.

Supper was great, Mrs. Burton. Will and me always say...

in cooking, no one would guess you were different from...

well, our ma or anybody else.

I'm really proud you liked it, Tom. Just a little more cake?

No, ma'am.

- What have we here? - From me.

Well, now, that...

That sure is fine.

What is it?

Well, you hang it on the wall...

and you put hot water in here.

It's mostly for a man to shave by, but you can comb your hair in it...

or anything.

It sure is fine.

Roz is trying to civilize Clint against the day he proposes.

- If he gets around to it. - You wear the britches...

maybe you ought to propose.

Pacer and me can look more presentable when we come to the Crossing.

I thank you all, for everything.

- More coffee, anyone? - I think we best be going.

- We can make room here for anyone. - No, thanks.

We better go too, 10 miles can be long.

Ten? Me and Roz gotta go clear to the Crossing.

The way she rides, you'll make good time...

if you can keep up with her.

We'll ride along with you a ways.

- Thank you, Mrs. Burton. - Thank you, ma'am.

- Good night, all. - Good night.

- See you at our wedding next month. - You better see me before that.

- Good night! Good night! - Good night!

Take good care of her.

We better go or we won't get home by morning.

Thanks again.

- Good night, Clint. - Good night.

- Good night, Roz. - Night, Pacer.

- What's that look for? - Just thinking.

With that fancy gadget to primp, you'll be the prettiest fella in Texas.

Will you be quiet? No use waking everybody up.

- I'll put up the rig. - I'll get us some coffee.

Quiet!

Will, I tell you...

you gotta stop all this fooling around.

Making all this noise, I tell you, the old man's gonna be...

See him?

Hunter?

It's hot out there.

Indian came up on that hill just now.

Pacer says he's no hunter.

Tie up the horses.

- What is it, Sam? - Not sure yet.

He looked like he was trying to figure something out.

Nobody said anything about trouble at the party the other night.

No, sir.

A lot of things can happen in three days.

Neddy, last time you saw your sister, you hear anything?

No, it was just about like always.

Didn't you think so, Pacer?

If trouble starts, who'll hit us first, your folks or Ma's?

Shame on you, Clint. It's more likely neither will bother us.

That ain't been my experience about people in the middle.

Maybe it's the new chief.

- What new chief? - The Kiowas got a new chief.

- Since when? - Maybe a month.

- What about old Lame Crow? - He's the old man of the tribe now.

- How long you known this? - Since it happened.

- Don't you ever tell anybody anything? - Not if they don't ask.

Sometimes I think you're more than half Indian.

- He told me. - Maybe you're the other half.

Maybe your ma was Indian too and didn't let me know it.

One horse.

- Are you my brother beyond the wall? - Yes.

Then why light go out when friend come in peace?

Why does a friend who comes in peace wait until the sun is gone?

Warrior ride when stars are alive.

- Only against his enemies. - In the world of white men...

there are men who are not enemies nor friends.

- That is why I come to talk. - Without giving your name?

I am known from one end of earth to the other.

I have the strongest magic, and I lead many, many warriors.

I am Buffalo Horn.

Buffalo Horn!

We cannot be enemies to the Kiowas without being enemies to ourselves.

- Buffalo Horn should know that. - I must see your eyes when you tell me.

- Do you come out, or do I come in? - Neither.

We will talk to our brother only in the sunlight.

Your answer is honest.

I will return again at a time when the sun has killed the stars.

- That was him. - The new chief?

- By himself? - The others were over the hill.

What do you think?

He was carrying a war spear with scalps on it.

They wouldn't do anything to us.

Maybe not.

I wouldn't be too sure. Know what some of them still call you?

A trader said they got a name for you:

"The thin woman who deserted her own people."

- After more than 20 years. - I don't believe it.

You boys better go to the Crossing tomorrow for supplies and ammunition.

That's fine. Fine.

Not so fine.

Won't be any time to dally with Roz. I want you back by nightfall.

You heard Pa, no horsing around with Roz.

What do you mean "horsing around"?

- Ain't that what you're doing? - No, it ain't.

- You mean you mean it? - What if I do?

- With a gal that wears britches? - What's wrong with that?

Ain't nothing wrong, but...

on second thought, you might look pretty good with skirts on.

Where is everybody?

Anybody here?

I've been thinking about you, Clint.

- What's the matter, Angus? - I've decided that you're my friend.

But if your half-breed brother comes here, I'll kill him!

You're not gonna kill anybody.

You!

- Don't make me shoot you! - Put it down, Angus, he means it!

You better get out of here, both of you.

- Are you both crazy?! - No, we're not crazy.

- Maybe just smarter than before. - What are you talking about?

The Kiowas hit the Howard place the night of the party.

Of the whole family, you know how much they found in the ashes?

One hand!

- One of Dorothy's! - Stop it!

Now he's out making a coffin for her.

Just to bury her hand in.

Oh, my God.

- They didn't hit your place, though. - No.

And you're right out the same way.

I don't know...

Pa's out with some men now. They'll probably get killed too.

But you don't have to worry about it.

You'll always be safe from them!

Let's go.

No. Not until we get our supplies and ammunition.

Everything all right?

Nothing's all right.

What happened?

Buffalo Horn hit the Howard place.

- Killed them all. - Dear God!

If you hadn't tended them for fever, they'd be dead four years ago.

At these times I wonder if we did the right thing.

We did exactly the right thing. I wish you wouldn't say such things.

What does everybody want? There's a million miles here...

room for them, us, and a million more.

It was their land, Sam.

They don't like anybody else taking part of it.

It ain't anymore.

We've worked this place for 20 years. Nobody can tell me it ain't ours.

Did those Pierces say something about us?

- Nothing much. - Whatever they said, it's my fault...

for being what I am.

Neddy, now, you listen to me. I'm speaking for the boys and me.

We don't want to hear such things again.

Whatever happens, we'll stick together...

and we'll not be swayed.

If we have to live alone or become a power unto ourselves...

we'll resist whoever and whatever comes against us.

- Hey, Clint! - Dred Pierce.

We want to talk to you, Clint.

They're not gonna do anything.

What do you want, Dred?

The Kiowas hit the Howard place Monday. Wiped them out.

We heard about it. It's a terrible thing.

How'd you hear about it?

Me and Pacer was at the store this morning.

- The Indians didn't tell you about it? - I don't want to hear that.

There's gonna be trouble. Indians coming from everywhere.

More than a hundred already, I've been told.

We've been tracking the ones that hit the Howard place...

- ...but we lost them. - Get to the point.

The point is, if it comes to a showdown, are you with us or not?

- That's a foolish question. - Not with your family.

Watch yourself. You might open your mouth once too often.

- You gonna answer the question? - It don't need an answer.

- What did I tell you? - It does.

Yeah, I think we got all the answers already...

with all the reds and half-reds in this family.

Hold it!

The first man who tries for his gun will get a buffalo slug.

Come back here, son.

You making out that the death of old friends don't mean anything to us?

- That ain't the question. - Then what is it?

- Well, it's a question of loyalty. - Go on.