Hondo

Hey, Mama. Mom! Look at that.

Look, Mommy, look.

Johnny!

Now you let Mommy do the talking. Remember.

Yes, Mom.

But he has no horse.

No talking.

Good morning.

- You look like you've had trouble. - Yep.

I lost my horse a few days ago getting away from some Indians.

Indians?

We made dry camp last night above the llano.

Sam here smelt more Apaches, nuzzled me up.

So I thought I'd put some miles between us.

But why? We're at peace with the Apache.

- We have a treaty. - Yes, ma'am.

Now I got to get me a new horse, borrow or buy one.

I can pay you in United States script. I'm riding a dispatch for General Crook.

- My name's Lane. - I'm Mrs. Lowe.

I'm Johnny.

- The water sure looks inviting. - Well, help yourself.

Watch out for that dog, son.

Could you hire me or sell me a horse, Mrs. Lowe?

Of course. I've only got plow horses, and two that are only half-broken.

The hand that was breaking them for me got hurt and had to go to town.

- You mean you're staying here alone? - Oh, no.

No, my husband is up in the hills,

- working some cattle. - Oh.

He would pick today to be away, when we have a visitor.

I'd enjoy meeting him, ma'am.

I wouldn't touch that dog, son. He don't take to petting.

And now if you'll allow, ma'am, I'll take a look at those horses.

Of course. You'll find a saddle over by the barn.

In the meantime, I'll fix you something to eat. I imagine you're hungry.

I could eat. Thank you.

I'm so sorry my husband had to pick today to go hunting those lost calves.

He would have enjoyed having a man to talk to.

We welcome visitors.

Must be right lonely around here. Especially for a woman.

I don't mind. I was raised here.

- What can I feed your dog? - Nothing, thanks.

He makes out by himself. Can outrun any rabbit in the territory.

It's no trouble at all.

If you don't mind, ma'am, I'd rather you didn't feed him.

I see. You don't want him to get in the habit of taking food from anyone else.

Well, you can hand it to him.

No, ma'am, I don't feed him, either. Sam's independent.

He doesn't need anybody. I want him to stay that way.

It's a good way.

- Everyone needs someone. - Yes, ma'am. Most everyone.

Too bad, isn't it?

- You're a good cook, ma'am. - Thank you.

A woman should be a good cook. Good cook myself.

Why didn't you get on him when he was stuck?

'Cause I didn't want him sitting on me from a standing start.

Stay with him.

You chose the most savage one.

I won't give you an argument there.

He's always been a fighter.

I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for a horse that wouldn't fight.

It lets you down when the going gets tough.

It's a little dull.

Well, I can do almost everything around a ranch, but I never could

put an edge on an ax.

Where is it?

- What? - The grindstone.

This ranch looks like it's been here a little while.

Yes, I was born here. My husband was raised here, too.

He's an orphan. His parents got killed in a wagon-train massacre,

so my father took him in.

- Handy. - What do you mean?

Well, it seems the figures are against it.

Only young fellow in 1,000 square miles,

only young girl in 1,000 square miles.

They get in a whirl over each other. That's what I meant. Handy.

I guess it was quite a coincidence.

But they say that the right two people are going to meet

by an arrangement of destiny.

You believe that, Mrs. Lowe?

- Yes, I do. - Interesting.

Always sink a blade into a log, son. Keeps the edge clean.

Well, I guess I'd better quit stalling and get back to that horse.

And can I play with Sam now?

I've told you twice not to.

But you do what you wanna do.

Really, Mr. Lane, if you knew the dog would bite, I should think...

Mrs. Lowe, people learn by getting bit. Youngster just learned.

Johnny.

Don't you ever touch that dog again! Now go in and take your nap.

While I'm at it, I'll shoe those plow horses.

Thank you very much. They do need a shoeing, I guess.

They do.

I guess my husband's having a hard time finding those strayed calves.

I guess he is.

Perhaps he won't be home until late tonight,

or he may even camp in the hills and come in tomorrow after you're gone.

He'll be so sorry to have missed one of our very few occasional visitors.

I guess I'll go and look after Johnny.

Mrs. Lowe, you're a liar.

- And an almighty poor liar. - I don't understand you.

These horses haven't been shod in a couple of months.

It's a cinch that ax hasn't had an edge on it in two months.

And your tea can, a five-pound tea can in your house is empty.

Your husband's been gone a long time.

Now, look here, Mr. Lane, I don't think you have any right to...

I'm not talking about rights. I'm talking about lies.

Why did you lie to me, Mrs. Lowe?

Were you afraid that maybe you wouldn't be safe here with me

with your husband away?

- That it? - That's partly it.

Women always figure every man comes along wants them.

- Mr. Lane. - Yes, ma'am?

You're right. I was lying. My husband is overdue.

He should have been home long ago.

Figure Apaches killed him?

Of course not. There are a hundred possible explanations.

Indians are one of them.

But we're at peace with the Apache, except for a few...

Mrs. Lowe, if you've got good sense,

you'll pack up you and that boy of yours and come out with me.

There's trouble brewing in the Apache lodges.

Vittorio, their main chief, called a war council.

A full report of it is in that dispatch I'm carrying.

But you don't know, we've always gotten along splendidly with the Apache.

They drink and bring their horses to our spring

on their way north to the buffalo hunt.

I've never seen the great Vittorio, but there've been plenty of Apaches here.

I've seen the great Vittorio, before the treaty.

His horse had 40 scalps hung in its mane.

That was before the treaty.

We broke that treaty, us Whites.

There's no word in the Apache language for lie,

and they've been lied to.

If they rise, there won't be

- a White left in the territory. - They won't bother me.

Us, I mean. We always got along very well.

People I know, man and his wife, got along real well for

20 years. Then one day,

she upped and blew a hole in him,

big enough to drive a stagecoach through.

She got mad. The Apaches are mad.

Well, I have nothing to worry about, I'm sure.

Nice to be sure.

Get out of the way.

- Strange dog you have. - I don't have him.

- The two of you are together. - He stays with me.

- He can smell an Indian at a half a mile. - He smells Indians? I don't believe it.

Sure, lots of dogs smell Indians. You can teach them.

Teach them? How?

First you get yourself a puppy and then,

you hire yourself a tame Indian and cut a willow switch.

Then you get the Indian to beat the puppy

with a willow switch four or five times a day.

And when he grows up, he'll always signal when he smells an Indian.

Beat a puppy. How cruel.

That's the way they do it.

Anyway, I don't believe a dog can smell Indians.

I mean, as different from anyone else.

- You or me, for instance. - Well, they can.

As a matter of fact, Indians can smell White people.

- I don't believe it. - Well, it's true.

I'm part Indian, and I can smell you when I'm downwind of you.

- That's impossible. - No, it isn't impossible, Mrs. Lowe.

You baked today. I can smell fresh bread on you.

Sometime today you cooked with salt pork.

Smell that on you, too.

You smell all over like soap.

You took a bath. And on top of that, you smell all over like a woman.

I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe, and I'm only part Indian.

Mrs. Lowe.

Mrs. Lowe.

What do you want?

- I watered and grained the stock. - Thank you.

I'll bed down near here some place tonight.

Mr. Lane?

You can't sleep outside, there's a storm coming.

I've fixed a pallet for you in the corner.

It would be uncivilized to let anyone sleep outside,

and after all, we are civilized, aren't we?

Speaking for you, of course. But me?

I guess you could call me civilized.

That's your bed. I'm sorry it has to be on the floor.

I have to set the batter for the morning. I hope the noise won't disturb you.

It won't.

Good night, ma'am.

Put that gun down.

You're Hondo Lane, the gunman.

- I carry a gun. - Don't come any nearer.

You killed three men in a gunfight last year.

- We heard about it. Three men. - Yes, ma'am.

- Just as quick as I could. - Don't come any nearer.

It's not a very good idea to point one of these things at anybody

with an empty chamber under the firing pin.

You can see it plain as day.

I keep it that way because of Johnny.

Well, now it's loaded.

Keep it that way, and keep it high.

Please stay. I really want you to.

I'm sorry. I should have realized from the beginning that you are a gentleman.

Civilized? Gentleman?