Fort Laramie: Playing Indian

Raimen Burr as Captain Lee Quince, specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier, the saga of fighting men who rode the Rim of Empire, and the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.

Captain Quince, Sergeant, Sergeant Gorse, how are you? Sure good to see you, Captain.

You look kind of funny though. What do you mean? I'm close, muffty. I ain't used to you out of uniform. I'll be back in uniform at midnight tonight, Sergeant. We'll stay in town till then.

Man, you can buy me a drink. Me, but... I thought you was gonna get rich in St. Louis. Did I say that? What are you talking about? Nothing else before your leaf come through. Just proves you shouldn't believe everything you hear, Sergeant.

Yes, sir. I'll try to remember that. See that you do. Then to really fool you. I may go back to St. Louis. What the army? A man can make money there, Sergeant. I don't mean gambling, I mean honestly.

In an honest business, buying things. Selling them. Well, sir, the army sure no place for a man who wants to get rich. I'll say that. The army's no place for a man who wants to do any living at all.

You're either turning black with the boredom of garrison, or you're riding hell-bending to nowhere. I'm not sure enough true, Captain. Oh, come on, let's get our drink. How does B company, Sergeant? Company's fine, sir.

Major Daggett's gonna be mighty glad to see you back at Fort Laramie. He isn't gonna see me till midnight. He'll be waiting up. Send me into town to tell you. No? Yes, sir. Well, what?

Arapahose. They've been raiding for horses. Masekert a whole family over in the basin about ten days ago. I mean, I mean they jumped the reservation, not the whole tribe, just a few of them I guess.

Mr. Syberts took Bee Company out last week, but he didn't have any luck. Why not? I don't know Captain, I wasn't with him. What? I've been on Sicklist till two days ago. Sicklist? You? Yes sir, uh, hack you kicked me in the belly.

Oh, well a little whiskey will cure that side. Well, here we are. Mr. Cyberts is feeling mighty bad about it. You're a ballet? Like I said, it's good to have you back, Captain. Uh, bottle of Ryan, two glasses.

Come here. The bottom and boil it. Look at what came in. What's his trouble? Oh, okay. Eight soldiers, I guess. I like a lot of people since Richmond. Yeah, too much war maybe. I guess everybody like to forget it now. Well, I like to forget it. There's a war still going on.

You're right sir. What do they think stands between them and all the hostiles out there waiting to hack them to pieces? Who does all their dirty work for them? It isn't like people to be grateful for any favors, Sergeant.

No, sir, I guess not. And I think of the troops aching for home while they sweat and freeze and spill their blood all over the frontier for 50 cents a day. It makes me mad.

Tell me about St. Louis, Captain. Here's your liquor, gentlemen. How you? You know them, Sergeant? No, sir. What's your trouble, Mr.? My name ain't Mr. It's Rudy-o. I ain't talkin' to you. I'm talkin' to the soldier.

I'm with the soldier. You stay out of this, you know what's good for you. You tell him, Moilin, what do you want from me? I never saw you before. Yeah. You won't wanna see us again after we're through with you.

What's this all about? We don't like soldiers drinking where we drink, mister. They like to teach them a lesson now and then. Don't we, Moylan? Yeah, we do it too. Now, just set up, mister.

What's the matter with you coming in here with a soldier? You're gonna drink with him too. Rudy, I just guessed that he ain't no better than those soldiers himself. Just scum floating with scum. That's what I call it.

Well? Okay. Sergeant Gorse. Yes, sir. You can have more than there. Thank you, sir. Move out. I'll... I'll buy you that drink now, Captain Quince. You can buy the first one, Sergeant.

Yes, sir. You're half an hour late, Captain Quince. I was on the post at midnight major. I wanted to get back in the uniform before reporting. I'm glad of that anyway. I kind of figured you would be.

You still think I'm too army, don't you, Lee? We've known each other long time, Major. Since Vicksburg with Grant. I remember a night in Chattanooga, you weren't very army. I've forgotten the girl's name, of course.

Captain Quince, a trust sergeant, of course, told you about the Eorapo trouble. You know? They're out raiding for horses. They've slaughtered a family over in the basin. It's got to be stopped. Settlers are beginning to wonder what the second cavalry's doing at Fort Laramie.

If this goes on, there won't be any settlers. Hard enough homesteading this country without a man waiting for him and his family to be massacred by renegade Indians. I'll take a patrol out in a few days, have a look around.

You'll take B Company out tomorrow morning. May I make a suggestion, Major Daggett? If it's in order. Lieutenant Siberts took B Company out and found nothing. Sure he's green, but a fewer arapaho can hide easy from a whole troop of cavalry beaten its way through this country. Give me twelve men. I'll scout those Indians, get

them set up. Then I'll come back for the company. No. No, it's too slow. There isn't time. Better let me try it, sir. I said no, Captain. You haven't got very far your way, Major. You have your orders. Yes, sir. Oh, Captain. Yes, sir? I heard you and Sergeant Gorse were in a brawl earlier this evening in town. Conduct and becoming an officer. You should

learn to control your temper, Captain. I wonder what family the Erapahos are putting the knife to tonight made you dig it. I should never start this sort of thing with you. Take your patrol. Yes, sir. Any further orders? May I have Sergeant Gorse and Lieutenant Syberts, but no other officers or non-commissioned officers. Right.

Vacher men threw the main gates of the post-half hour before revelry. Any questions? No, sir. Then move out. There's a cabin just over this rise, Captain Quince. Eh... must be new, Mr. Sybards. Yes, sir. It is.

Man and his family, he's erm... he's raising horses. A man's a fool. There's just this good land that days ride from the fort. You're right, sir. Am I, Mr. Sybards? Of course, sir. What if the man likes it out here away from people?

That make him a fool? No sir. Then I'm wrong. I'm afraid I don't understand sir. You agree too easily Mr. Sybitz. Better learn to think for yourself. Yes sir? No. Where is your cabin? Well you'll see it in a minute sir.

There it. No. Look, it's been burned! Oop! Sergeant! So is the Rapa-Hose again, Captain? Yes, Captain. Look down there, Sergeant. Well, the patrol out of the scout, Sergeant. Thousand yards between men.

If there's any Indians around, I want to know it. The men will watch us at the cabin for arm signals. Right, see. Then join Mr. Cyberts and me down there. Move out. Yes, sir. Follow me, Mr. Cyberts.

Looks like they slaughtered every one of them. Young boy.

Just the whole family, Mr. Sybud's. That's all of them, sir. Thank God for that. Every one of them scalped. Looked in the boy. At least they... They went tortured. No, sir.

Tell me, uh... Tell me Mr. Sybud's... Was the... The other family like this? Oh, yes, sir. I see. Made quite a mess, didn't he? Take a good look, Sergeant. How many horses did this man have, Mr. Sybitz?

About ten, as I remember, sir. Well, Sergeant. Funny thing. What is? Captain, I don't know how they Marappa holds good. I surprised him so fast. What makes you think they did? Not many arrows around.

A man had a chance to put up any fight at all. There'd be a lot of arrows. Is that all? Yes, sir. You sure? Well... Yes, sir. Sergeant Gores, I excuse Mr. Siberts because of his lack of experience.

But you... You're a disgrace to the cavalry. Wanna clean your sleeve and send you back to stable detail? Yes, sir. Don't stand there, Gavin, use your eyes. I'm looking. Look harder. There ain't no tracks.

No tracks? Somebody dragged him out with a blanket. Somebody? Why do you say somebody, Sergeant? I don't know, sir. There's something wrong here. Look, how old that boy, Sergeant. Maybe 12, 13. Old enough to be a brave in a couple of years if he was an Indian, sir.

Don't a rapper who's usually keep a boy that age and try to make a warrior out of him? They always do. No way. In tracks, they wouldn't hide their tracks. No, they wouldn't. Captain. Yeah?

I know why you got so mad I'm pretty mad myself. Took you long enough, Mr. Syberts. Yes, sir? A man wearing moccasins doesn't care about his tracks, he's got nothing to hide. Wasn't the rapper who's did this, wasn't Indians at all.

Was white men. Those places this, Captain. Jake Steele and his wife. Their daughter lives with them.

Shouldn't their daughter live with them, sir? Ali's 19. Going on 20. She had some schooling back east. You mean she should be married now? This country needs women, mr. Sybitz, but it doesn't need single women Yes, sir Mr. Sybitz yes, sir dismount an unsaddle Dry the horses turn him into the corral yonder

Catch the saddles over in that brush so they can be seen all other equipment the men will keep yes Two men will stand by for escort duty move out yes, sir Captain quince miss do you Captain, what are you and your troopers doing out here?

I'll tell you if you ask me in. Oh, come in. Where's your family? Well, they rode over to the abbot place. That's a long ride. They're spending the night. They'll be back tomorrow. Why? Is there trouble?

No, not for you, Holly. And what are you doing here? I came to borrow your ranch. What? I needed for a few days, maybe a week. No, Captain. You and your folks can stay with the abbots for a while.

I'll send for you when I'm through here. You seem to have it all figured out. I have. Of course. Shall I leave right now, Captain Quince? Soon or the better, I'm sending an escort with you.

Well, that's very kind of you. I can spare a couple of troopers. And you'll move in here. Sergeant Gorse and me. Wouldn't you like for me to stay? and cook for you? No, no, no.

You couldn't do that. Why? Don't you think I'm a good cook? Maybe when this is over, I'll ride back sometime and find out. Captain Quince, just because you and I've met once or twice at Fort Laramie Dance.

Just a minute, Miss Holly. You don't understand. Don't I? I should have explained. There's going to be a fight here. Fight? I'm using this place for a trap, baitin' it with a bunch of horses.

And when the men I'm after come for them, well, we'll be waitin'. What men? Men who've been stealin' horses, murderin' settler families, blamin' it on their arapahoes. You mean it's white men who've been doing that?

I do. Captain Quince, I'm beginning to understand that being in the cavalry, you're accustomed to ordering people around and not explaining anything. I'm sorry, Holly, I upset you. Now, if you'll wait outside while I get some things together, I'll write up to the abbots with that escorts you promised me.

Good. Captain. Yes? I hope you have a chance someday to find out about my cooking. What I mean is, good luck. Thank you, Holly. Go on, get out of here now. Well, it took me that long to do something. I'd get busted to a private.

You can still get busted, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Mr. Sybrits. Right here, Captain. You'll take over the patrol, Mr. Sybrits. I want you to spot the men in a complete circle around this place half mile out. They're to dig in and When they think they're hidden I'm gonna ride that circle. I understand sir. Heaven help any trooper. I can see yes, sir

There to let those men through When they hear gunfire from the cabin here there to kill anything that tries to get back out any questions no sir move out yes Yes, well sergeant You and I are going to be sitting on the panel this trap Like poison meat, huh?

Maybe. Before we get off. You have to do that, Sergeant.

I didn't join the army to be locked up in this coup for three days. Maybe you'd rather be sitting outside with the real men. Half-buried, afraid to move with nothing but a canteen of water and a handful of jerky.

And no smoke. And no smokes. Captain Quince, I never had it so good. Then shut up. Dark God already? Good. Ain't the kind of men who would attack even a woman in a day like...

No, I guess not. Go as you lied to me. What? No smokes. You tried to make me think you'd find it rough out there with the troopers because they can't smoke. Well... You never smoked in your life, yape. Not with that quitter tobacco in your jaw day and night.

What are you trying to give me? You need action too, Captain. Bad as I do. Yeah, I do. Three days of this is worse than a winter in Garrison. You go to St. Louis, I'm going with you.

with you. That easy money. Wait, wait, come here. Well, there's horses. Listen. We got him, Captain. We got him. Okay. Move fast. Get out the back window. Caught the off side of the cabin. But don't shoot till I get at least one of them inside here.

Yes, sir. Good hunting, Captain. Same to you, Sergeant. A little talk with you. Look out, Jim. You'll have a gun. Listen, mister. Where you gonna hurt nobody?

We got something to tell you is all. Let's fix them and get out of here Jim. We're just passing by Mr. Got some news for you. Maybe they'll ain't nobody home. They wouldn't leave all them horses alone would they?

I'm coming in Mr. Don't shoot now. Have your daughter like the lamp Mr. Then we can talk. Jim. You're next, mister.

You okay, Sergeant? Yes, sir. We got two of them anyway. I didn't realize there were more than that. He was holding their horses. Well, the troopers will take care of him.

They deserve a little action too. He sure do. Who are they, you know? Strangers. One inside dead? I didn't kill him. You took an awful chance, Captain. It'll be worth it. Maybe we can find out what they did with all the horses they've stolen.

Maybe we can take them back. Yes, sir. Good. My ladies, two families won't never get theirs. Hear that, Captain? Mission accomplished. No more women and kids dying hard. It's kind of good, don't it, Kid?

Don't it? Sergeant. Yes, sir? Feels a whole lot better than making money in St. Louis. Fort Laramie is produced and directed by Norman McDonald and stars Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry with Vic Perron as Sergeant Gorse.

The script was specially written for Fort Laramie by John Meston with Sound Patterns by Bill James and Ray Kemper, musical supervision by Amarego Marino. Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Dan Riss and Joyce McCluskey with Lawrence Dobgen, Clayton Post, Paul Duboff and James Nusser.

Old Man Trouble takes it on the chin five nights a week when Bing begins to sing, which is just dandy for everybody else who's listening in. Since Old Man Trouble has no great charm to speak of, and since Bing Crosby has an ear for melody, a cheery disposition and many other charms as well, folks naturally prefer to

spend their time with Bing. For good company and easygoing songs, hear the Bing Crosby show Monday through Friday nights over most of these same stations.