Chuka

...and I respectfully submit...

that the devastation from the attack...

on November 17 and 18, on Fort Clendennon...

commanded by Colonel Stuart Valois...

formerly with the Fifth Lancer Brigade, British Army in India...

being so complete...

even to the poisoning of the water well...

that the post be abandoned...

and no rebuilding and manning of Clendennon be attempted.

Information gathered from Hanu...

War Chief of the Arapaho war party...

captured with his followers, November 23, 1876...

reveals that plans...

for the attack had been under consideration for several months...

and was motivated by lack of food...

and insufficient equipment and supplies...

for the Arapahos to care for themselves.

Hanu's story is substantiated by the fact...

that all food and stores in the fort...

were found to have been removed...

as well as the guns and ammunition.

The single exception...

being a handgun...

that was discovered under the stairwell.

Hanu further states that the revolver...

belonged to a civilian.

In Hanu's words...

a strange, lone man...

who had ridden in from the north.

- You ladies all right? - Fine, thank you.

Ladies...

this won't take long at all. We'll be out of here in...

- You got a crowbar? - Yeah.

Get it.

Lucky.

I don't know lucky, but we all ought to be dead.

Why don't we get this wheel on and get the hell out of here?

Get up in there!

Hike!

Open the gates!

- Carry on, Sergeant Hahnsbach. - Yes, sir!

Carry on, Corporal!

As you were.

- Sir, the sentence has been carried out. - Very good, Sergeant.

From this point forward...

punishment for desertion will no longer be by whipping...

but by a firing squad.

- The troop is yours, Sergeant. - Yes, sir.

Troop dismissed!

Ladies, welcome to Fort Clendennon.

I am Colonel Valois. This is my executive officer, Major Benson.

Ladies.

This is Señora Veronica Kleitz...

and that there is Señorita Helena Chavez.

This is the Colonel.

A deserter, señora, and a thief.

Please don't allow the actions...

and, therefore, the discipline of one man to disturb you.

In a lifetime, Colonel Valois...

I've learned that one man is the image of all men.

Have you, señora?

And now, perhaps you'd like to freshen up before continuing your journey.

- Major. - Colonel?

I'm sure you would like to escort the ladies to my quarters.

Thank you, Colonel.

This way, ladies.

Howdy.

She kind of...

cut your water off, didn't she, Colonel?

You reek of whiskey, Trent.

Not exactly the quality one looks for in a chief scout.

Who's that?

I don't know.

Looks kind of mean, don't he?

That, sir, is a hired gun...

called Chuka.

Begging your pardon, sir.

What's he doing here, Baldwin?

We met him on the trail, Sergeant. He helped us with a busted wheel.

Well, that was nice of him, wasn't it?

Right about that time, some Indians come out of the dust and give us a look.

- A look? - Yep.

You mean they didn't try to stop you?

Nope, just give us a long look.

Well?

Well, Hanu. I told you what I thought a long time ago.

Why don't you ask him? He just come through his territory.

Maybe he smells better than I do.

That wouldn't be difficult, Trent.

Mister, this is the commanding officer of Fort Clendennon...

Colonel Stuart Valois.

Colonel, I'd like to stay here overnight if it's all right with you. Any place will do.

Where are you from?

Anywhere I happen to be.

All right, Sergeant.

Did you see anything unusual on your way in?

If you mean that good-looking young chief, he was pretty unusual.

Yes, I know about him. Anything else?

A lot of starving old women, starving old men, little tiny kids.

They're often hanging around the fort. We have to run them off.

Why do you run them off? Why don't you feed them, Colonel?

My orders are to see that they move south to new hunting grounds in the winter...

back north in the summer.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Would you mind standing up when I'm talking to you?

All right, Colonel.

Thank you.

I've discovered, Mr. Chuka...

that to a savage, kindness means weakness.

He'll despise you for it.

The moment you turn your back, he'll put a knife in it.

I offer you that piece of intelligence, sir.

It might save your life one day.

Colonel...

they're awful hungry out there, and I think they're mean.

And unless you give them food, or the rifles to hunt their own...

they're going to come in here and take it.

There's a little piece of intelligence that might save your life sometime.

Did you see any kind of a patrol out there?

I saw exactly what I told you, Sergeant.

- Three troopers? - No.

- You mind telling me where I bed down? - Yes. The stables.

And there'll be no whiskey drinking or smoking.

- Understand? - I understand, Sergeant.

He wasn't so mean after all.

What he said made a lot of sense, Colonel.

- All right, Sergeant. - Thank you, sir.

My patrol is overdue.

Your stage can't leave until my scout finds out why.

Yes, sir. I'll get the ladies' baggage.

- Better get started, Trent. - Yes, sir. I thought...

I'd just get some chow and then I'd be on my way.

Don't be too long.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

If there's anything I can do to make you ladies comfortable, just...

Just another saddle bum, looking for a free meal...

and a place to sleep.

Major?

I wouldn't let him hear you call him no saddle bum.

He's called Chuka, and he's fast...

awful fast.

- Señora? - Yes?

I'm sorry, but we'll be here overnight.

Here? I don't understand.

The Colonel won't let the stage go through...

and I guess he wants you to spend the night here in his quarters.

Very well. Thank you, gentlemen.

- Major. - Ladies.

Aunt Veronica?

Do you think there is a danger?

No, I think Colonel Valois is just being cautious.

Why didn't you say hello to him?

What are you talking about?

Mr. Chuka.

You knew him.

I could tell.

The name is even familiar.

I remember a story you told me long ago...

about the young man on your father's rancho.

There were many young men on my father's rancho.

But now I mustn't think of young men or talk of them.

I am promised.

You have given your word.

- My father has given his word. - It's exactly the same thing.

You will do nothing against your father's wishes.

As long as he keeps his place...

I don't care what his reputation is as a gunfighter.

- But, sir, this man is a bad... - At this moment, Sergeant...

I'm more concerned with an overdue patrol...

than I am with a single gunfighter sleeping in the stables!

Yes, sir.

- Have a drink, Otto. - Thank you, sir.

What do you make of it?

I don't like it, Colonel.

Neither do I.

Neither does Trent.

I've warned the General at Fort Wallace half a dozen times. Look at this.

"Hanu wouldn't dare." Or this one...

"It would be suicide for Hanu to attempt anything...

"with Forts Wallace, Dodge, Hays, Bascom, and Garland so close."

And this is the best of all.

"Your men could not be depended upon in a fight."

They'll measure up, sir.

Yes, of course, Sergeant.

- After all, we've trained them, haven't we? - Yes, sir.

The ladies, are they quite comfortable? Señora what's-her-name...

Kleitz, sir. They're in your quarters, sir.

They're in your quarters.

Yes.

I mean, if I send a dispatch rider for help...

and then Hanu doesn't attack...

Anyway, there's no guaranteeing...

he'll get through if Hanu is planning something.

I just wish I had a good British regiment under me instead of these...

Everything will be fine, sir.

Yes, Otto.

I'm sure it will be.

Just one more thing, Sergeant.

As the ladies have to spend the night here...

I'd like to make things as pleasant as possible for them.