3 Godfathers Page #5

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New Jerusalem.

You will make it.

When does little Pedro eat next?

Not for more than two hours.

Adis.

Guess I better get moving along.

Maybe you better leave me your pistol.

The coyotes, you know?

Yeah, sure, Pete.

Coyotes.

I'm sorry I called you

a chili-dipping horse thief back there.

It's all right.

I just remembered what tomorrow is.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Pete.

Our Father...

who art in heaven...

make some space...

in your Holy Land...

for this poor Pedro.

Mount up. Let's get going.

"... unto Jerusalem... "

"... a donkey tied, and a colt with her:

"Loose them, and bring them unto me. "

A donkey and his colt.

You just try stealing a man's burro

in this country!

They'd string you.

That's it, Kid.

Sing it.

Sing a lullaby.

This is where she ends, godson.

This is the end of the trail, little Robert.

So, you break your promise

to a dying woman?

I can't go any further.

Of course you can, Bob.

What does the book say?

- Follow the book.

- Get up on your knees, you sack of dung!

You can't...

You got no right to call me that.

I'm going.

But you quit talking Mex

in front of the infant.

You quit it, you hear?

- You're doing fine, Bob. Just fine.

- Sure I am.

Just think of the cantina

in New Jerusalem.

Yeah, I'm thinking of it.

A glass of beer.

- A big cool, cool glass of beer.

- Yeah.

Five glasses of cool beer.

You'll make it.

Sure I will.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

Merry Christmas to all.

Set 'em up, bartender.

Milk for the infant...

and a cool, cool beer for me.

A baby!

Turn around, Texas.

Turn around and draw.

Perley, you old hay shaker.

You got me.

Looks like the baby's pappy...

is a mighty sick man.

Texas, you're about half-smart.

Jury still out, Curly?

Yep, still out.

The boss says, "Come and get it. "

I'll thank you to remember

there's only one boss around here.

Yes, sir, and she says, "Chow's down. "

- Morning, Carrie Lou.

- Morning, Bob. Sit right here.

Thank you.

Folks at the courthouse said you looked

mighty handsome in those new jeans.

Thanks, Carrie Lou.

And especially in those boots

with the Lone Star stitched on them.

Yeah, they're real comfortable.

Hope the batter on this chicken

is to your liking.

- Looks good.

- A little syrup for them corn oysters?

Corn oysters? I didn't get no corn oysters.

I only had but two ears of sweet corn.

All right, seeing what he did

for little Buck.

Little Robert.

I told you he wouldn't stand for

a name like that for a little Perley.

His name

is Robert William Pedro Hightower.

Yes, of course it is,

until the court changes it.

Ma!

Bob, have some coffee, will you?

You ain't eaten much lately.

- You off your feed or something?

- I'm worrying.

Don't worry about it.

Maybe the judge won't give you

the full 20 years.

It ain't that.

I could do 20 years standing on my head.

I'm worrying since I hefted little Robert

this morning. He's losing weight.

It's only natural for new babies

to lose a little weight, Bob.

He didn't lose any when I was nursing him.

No. We're giving that little dear

just every care we can.

If he were our very own

we couldn't love him more.

Ma, don't carry on, now.

One thing you can count on,

Bob Hightower...

you couldn't find better hands

to leave the little mite in...

than Perley's and mine.

- That's right, Bob.

- Sure.

Maybe. You two being

his uncle and aunt...

sort of distant relations, you might say.

See, Ma, I knew he would.

I knew I had you pegged right.

Look, you just sign this paper

right there on the "X," see?

Wait up, now. Wait up. What is all this?

The adoption papers, of course.

I ain't anxious

to turn my godson to pasture.

You just said right there

that we were distant relations.

I never.

- The jury's coming in, Buck.

- How they look?

They look like a passel of pallbearers.

Your Honor, we find the prisoner guilty

according to law...

but under exterminating circumstances.

Before passing sentence upon you,

Robert Marmaduke Hightower...

Now, have you anything you wish to say?

No, sir. I guess I ain't.

You ain't?

It seems, in this case...

we have a mighty fine set

of extenuating circumstances...

notably dealing with an infant child

you claim to be your godson.

He is my godson.

And now we come to the question

of the infant's custodianship.

Who gets him, etc.

- Your Honor, if the court pleases...

- Yes, I know.

I got your application right here.

Prisoner, have you any objection

to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...

taking this here child?

If you mean permanent,

I got plenty of objections...

but if it's temporary, that's different...

providing, of course, they guarantee

to give him a good education and such.

And just what specific do you mean

as "and such," etc.?

Teach him good horse sense, respect...

say, "Yes, sir" when he's spoke to, and...

That seems reasonable.

Do you agree, Buck?

Sure, Wiley.

But what Ma and me wanted

was to have little Buck permanent.

Sure you would,

but you ain't going to get...

little Robert William Pedro

permanent, Perley.

Now, that's as it may be,

etc. And so forth...

Robert Marmaduke Hightower...

it is within the power of this here court...

to sentence you to a term of 20 years

in the penitentiary.

However, this here court...

may be willing

to suspend that sentence indefinite...

providing you sign this here paper...

yielding your godson

to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...

and furthermore providing

that you never again set foot...

in the township of Welcome,

territory of Arizona.

You can throw the book at me, Judge.

I ain't gonna do her.

I ain't breaking my promise

to a dying woman.

That's just what I been waiting for

to hear you say, son.

I hereby give you the minimum sentence

under the law:

One year and one day.

Court's closed, bar's open.

Double bourbon, bartender, if you please.

Bye, friend.

I'll be awfully good to little...

Robert William Pedro.

- Goodbye, Bob.

- I know you will, Carrie Lou.

Goodbye and good luck, boy.

A year in jail will do you real good.

Thank you, ma'am.

Bye, Bob. Good luck.

- Goodbye, Perley, you old hay shaker.

- Goodbye, Bob.

Say, kind of look after my deputy,

will you?

See he gets started home

from Yuma all right.

You know, he's never been away

from Welcome before.

Sure, I'll take care of him.

Put him on the train myself.

- Mr. Hightower.

- Miss Latham.

I want to thank you

for that Lady Baltimore cake.

- I'm mighty glad you liked it.

- It would have been a lot lighter...

without that hacksaw you baked in it.

Proud to haul you, son.

Can I write to you, Mr. Hightower?

Can I call you Bob?

I'd be proud for you

to take your pen in hand, Miss Latham.

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