The Proud Rebel

Whoa.

Morning, sir.

Can you tell me what the next town is?

Aberdeen.

Aberdeen?

Not Scotland, Illinois.

Scots settled it, that's how come it got the name.

There's two miles over that rise there.

Pretty big town, now.

Big enough to have a good doctor?

I hope to tell you.

Man or animal, Doc Davis is the best.

Got his office right across the street from the barber shop,

can't miss it.

Thank you, sir.

Just a minute, that bridle.

If my eyes are as sharp as I think they are,

you're a Southerner.

That's right.

Well now, ain't that funny?

Here I am headed south, and here you are headed north.

That evens things up.

Well I hear you're going in the wrong direction, mister.

I hear there's a lot of money to be made down there.

I don't know anything about scavenging.

Scavenging?

You're pretty huffy for a grayback, ain't ya?

The war's over, mister.

Here we are.

Come on, David.

Sit, Lance.

Wait here, Lance.

Come in.

Dr. Davis?

Yes, friend.

Something I can do for thee?

Well, I don't know.

Then what is it you want from me?

You both look good and healthy.

I'd like you to examine my boy.

He's a fine looking lad.

What's thy name, son?

David, David Chandler.

Thee tell me, son.

Doctor, he can't talk.

Oh.

Would thee mind if I had a look at thee, son?

Oh, don't like doctors, I take it?

Hmm?

I'm not the first he's been to, I can see that.

Well, I suppose he's tired

of having a lot of snoopy old men

looking down thy throat, eh?

Come on, I'm not going to hurt thee.

Come along, now.

That's a good lad.

Now open thy mouth.

No, wider son, wider.

Eh, that's better.

How long has he been this way?

A year.

How did it happen?

He had a shock.

Wait outside, son.

What did the other doctors say?

What do you say, Doctor? Can you help him?

This isn't as simple as a broken arm or a broken leg.

This is different. Come to the point, Doctor.

The point is, that this is something none of us know much about.

Some doctors claim it isn't in the throat at all, but up here.

Mr. Chandler, sometimes I wish I were a minister

instead of a doctor.

A minister could give thee hope.

A doctor can only give thee facts.

You mean it's hopeless.

No, no, no, there's always hope.

And faith, does thee have faith, Mr. Chandler?

Some.

They need a lot of it, or they grow awfully bitter.

And bitterness can become a bad habit.

Same as war.

Now of course, there's an outside chance

that he can be helped.

Have any of the other doctors suggested

any kind of treatment?

No.

An operation might help,

an operation by the right man.

By you, Doctor?

No, no, no, I wouldn't try that kind of surgery.

I was thinking of an old colleague of mine.

You think he can?

Maybe.

But it's no use thinking about it.

He's in Minnesota with a Dr. Mayo.

Whereabouts in Minnesota?

Rochester.

What's his name?

Strauss, Dr. Eli Strauss.

Strauss, Strauss.

Wait, hold on.

He's not going off just on my say-so.

Wouldn't you?

I don't know.

But I think thee would.

Mr. Chandler, take my advice.

Make the best of what thee has.

Will you write and tell him I'm coming?

Of course.

I can see it's no good talking to thee.

Thee's a stubborn man.

I can't pay you now.

But I'd like to know what I owe.

Is money the only way to pay for something?

The gates of heaven will open wide to a poor man.

I'll have no trouble getting in.

- Thank you, Doctor. - Don't thank me now.

Thee may want to damn me after thee gets there.

Gotta go to Minnesota, David.

There's a doctor there.

I know how you feel, son, but we gotta keep trying.

He may be the one we're looking for.

I knew you'd understand.

Come on.

Come on, Lance.

Hey Harry, them sheep are blockin' the way.

Get them moving, Lance.

Go get 'em boy.

That's what I mean by sheepdog, Pop.

Come on, guys.

Come on, Lance.

Down, boy.

Be with you in a minute.

No candy this time, David.

We'll need food, good food.

I know.

Thank you Mrs. Schumacher.

Good day sir, what can I do for you?

My boy and I were just passing through.

I need a few things.

I could judge that.

Can you judge silver?

Sterling?

$30 worth.

Not anymore, they ain't.

Maybe before the war.

A lot of silver coming up north, lately.

It's worth more now, but I won't argue with you.

What'll it barter for?

Oh, say $10 worth.

20?

Split the difference with you, how's that?

$15 will buy a lot of groceries and a whole case of candy.

- That's the best you can do? - The best.

I could leave myself a little room for profit.

Take out what you need, and we'll total it all up.

What's the matter, what happened?

Leave that dog alone.

We seen the dog runnin' loose in the alley

and we figured he's a stray.

Well he's not.

- Our mistake, I guess. - Shut up, Tom.

- Come on, David. - Just a minute.

You don't think we were tryin' to steal him, do you?

That's strong talk in sheep country.

I don't think anything.

I just don't want any trouble.

You one of them graybacks?

Why, sure he is.

Look at them Wellington boots.

I don't like talkin' to people's backs,

I ask you something.

Yes?

Yes, what do you mean, yes?

The name's Burleigh, Jeb Burleigh.

All right, Mr. Burleigh, I'm from the south,

if that's what you wanna know.

Come on, David.

Wait a minute. I'd like a little respect.

I told you before, I don't like people I'm talkin' to

to walk away from me.

Look at me.

You look at me when I talk to you.

I'm lookin', but I don't see anything.

Come on, David.

- Come on Jeb, let's get out of here. - Not so fast.

You just don't go around accusin' people of stealin'.

How do I know he's your dog?

Maybe you stole him yourself.

Whose dog is he, boy?

I told you, he was mine.

I want the boy to tell me.

Whose is he?

Talk up, boy.

What's the matter with you, can't you talk?

Whoa, whoa!

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Are you all right?

Are you all right?

What, what is it?