The Redhead from Wyoming

**

**

**

When the territories of the Great West

were thrown open, men of all kinds rushed in.

Most came to settle peaceably,

lured by free land, gold, cattle.

A man could begin a herd with a maverick:

An unbranded stray on the public range.

By putting his brand on it, he owned it.

Cattle barons had started their great herds with mavericks.

Now they fought each settler

who tried to do the same.

They fought to keep the settlers off the public lands,

drive them from their homes...

...destroy their towns.

Vast ranges became the battlegrounds

of cattle wars.

When the Wyoming big ranchers found guns were not enough,

they used the Maverick Law:

A law through which

they appointed themselves commissioners,

With power to rule in the ownership

of every maverick branded.

A commissioner's ruling could declare the settler

a rustler...

outlaw his brand, make his mavericks illegal to sell.

Of course, there was no shortage of sharp-witted men,

who were quick to take advantage of this law.

I know what I'm entitled to!

I'm willing to fight for my rights!

And I'm willing to fight for your rights,

but you've got to stand behind me.

You've got to put me in the Governor's mansion!

You've got to have someone to represent you,

not just Reece Duncan.

Go ahead, Mr. Averell.

Don't let me stop you.

What brings you to town?

Your ears burning?

What is this Maverick Law?

The Maverick Law was designed to protect us all

against cattle rustling.

There is nothing in that law that says new settlers,

can't pick up unbranded cattle and call them their own.

When a Cattle Commission was appointed to watch over brands

and cattle, that was for our protection too!

I'd like to ask Mr. Duncan one question.

I'd like to ask him who paid bribe money,

to the Cattle Commissioners to outlaw your brands?

To see to it that every time you roped a maverick

it was confiscated?

Just hold it still everybody, real quiet and still.

Put the gun away.

I only aimed to drill his hat, Sheriff.

Just let out some hot air.

Keep it there.

I think Mr. Duncan would like

a crack at the governorship himself.

Do you reckon Wyoming will ever have a governor

who'll take a shot at a man who doesn't wear a gun?

No...

or anyone who carries it undercover either.

This is a big deal, Sheriff.

You ought to step out of it.

Everybody oughta.

I'm warning you men, this range is taken.

There's no room for squatters.

You started from scratch yourself, Duncan.

That was a long time past.

For you!

But we're just beginning!

And we aim to start with mavericks,

and we aim to stay.

You'll stay just so long as you stay within the law.

Which means that if I find any one of you rounding up

and branding cattle on my range,

I have the right to fill you full of lead.

Easy, boys, easy.

A couple of you boys have asked me if I had any ideas.

Well, gentlemen...

Here's one of my biggest ideas right now.

**

Hello, Kate, how are you?

Same as always, Jim.

Measurements and... memory.

Keep the measurements, forget the memory.

I'm gonna make it up to you.

Folks, the newest and latest scintillating gem

to greet our fair town.

Is there anyone here so young

who doesn't recognize the name of Kate Maxwell?

Hello, boys.

Pleased to meet you.

Boys, I never was any good at keeping secrets from you,

but I sure kept this one.

That place of mine I've been fixing up...

Well, it belongs to Kate from here on in.

There'll be music, high-kick dancing

and the straightest card game in Wyoming.

And you'll have money for it too!

Kate's a cattle buyer now.

She aims to buy up every maverick

you can lay a rope on, so bring 'em on in.

Kate's got her own brand, and not an outlaw brand.

She'll market your mavericks for you, and there's nothing...

that Duncan and his Cattlemen's Association

can do about it.

What are you up to this time, Jim?

I told you I was gonna make you rich.

I don't suppose I've got to ask my lawyer if this is legal?

It's legal, Mr. Duncan.

I've looked into it.

Miss Maxwell, you've looked into it too?

It's liable to get you in some hot water.

Why, I soak in hot water every day, Mister.

It's good for the... complexion.

I'm glad you're used to it, just in case any of those

mavericks you take in trade come from my range.

I'm just warning you.

No animal on my property, branded or not, is a stray.

Whatever you pick up on the open range is yours.

Anything you take from me has lead coming after it.

Suppose you and me have a little talk, Mr. Averell.

Wait'll you find out what this is all about.

All right boys,

take the coach and the wagon over to Kate's Place.

Hoy... hyah.

Boys, make room for the lady.

Oh, Kate, this is Stan Blaine,

Sweetwater's strong arm of the law.

Pleased to meet you, Sheriff.

Why don't you show me the town some night

before you show me the jail?

You talk like you dress, but you don't feel that way.

Play along with him.

Play?

He's just a drifter.

Doesn't make any trouble, doesn't want any.

The job was open, so he took it.

Drifter?

Now, I... am a man with a purpose.

Thank you.

Mind if I give you a hand, Miss?

Why I'd be pleasured.

- I'll carry you! - Oh-- no!

This one's a lady.

Why, thanks.

Take a look, Kate.

It's all yours.

Not bad.

In fact, pretty good.

So why are you giving it away?

Well, honey, I've got a sense of obligation.

I owe you something.

Oh, the world must be coming to an end.

Not only is Jim Averell giving things away,

but he's paying his debts.

Listen, Kate.

A lot of things have changed since I last saw you.

Since I last saw you...

running out of Abilene like a jackrabbit,

leaving me holding the sack.

Did anybody get rough with you?

Why?

Will you go back there and gun them down?

Sorry, Jim, there's no money in it,

just a poor, underpaid judge.

I guess somebody oughta give me

a necktie party for what I've done to you.

Maybe somebody will.

But you came when I called you.

You didn't waste any time.

Birds of a feather.

But that doesn't mean I'll ever feel the same way about you.

You will, honey.

You will.

Believe me, that last sour deal is way behind me.

I'm going up...

up and up right into the Governor's mansion.

To ask a pardon?

To be the governor.

I'm going to make the whole territory of Wyoming

my own private range.

Think I can't do it?

These settlers would vote me into the White House.

I'm the only one around here who'll promise them anything.

And what's in your way?

Reece Duncan.

I got a big front, but he is big.

Sounds crazy, but it's true.

If Duncan goes, I can be Governor of Wyoming.

You will, of course, drop in sometime for a drink.

And you'll be with me.

That's what I'm trying to tell you, Kate.

I'm going to make up to you for everything.

What's this other thing about?

Why am I a cattle buyer?

You don't have to know anything about cattle.

Don't let that scare you.