Ace in the Hole Page #5

You like it now, don't you?

Well, everybody likes a break.

We didn't make it happen.

Oh, Smollett! How's it look?

Don't know yet. Lots of problems.

We've been figuring on doing some

bulkheading and cross-bracing.

But those old walls, I don't know.

All right, boys, start

bringing those jacks in.

Well, it looks like we'll

be here for a while.

I brought you enough for a couple

of days, some shirts and shorts.

- A couple of bottles.

- Save it, fan. No booze.

- Not for the duration.

- Hey, you!

The sheriff wants to see you

down at the trading post.

And don't waste none of his time,

because he ain't staying around long.

- Maybe you ain't, either.

- You don't say?

You wanna know something?

He don't like you.

And I was gonna propose to him.

He won't eat any steak.

Maybe he'd like a little raw

hamburger or some milk maybe.

After all, he's only a baby.

Try him with a lollipop, Sheriff.

Or how about my right arm?

He'd like that. You would,

too, wouldn't you?

So you're that Tatum guy that was

popping off over the phone last night.

Not popping off, Sheriff.

Just threatening.

You play along with me,

and I'll have you re-elected.

You don't, and I'll crucify you.

That's all I said. Remember?

I think I'll have my boys take you to

the county line and throw you out.

Throw out your campaign manager?

You need plenty of help, Kretzer.

And maybe before I throw you out,

I'll toss you in the clink for a while.

Wasting your time on

a rattlesnake hunt.

- This is where the votes are.

- What do you know about votes?

There's seven here in

Escudero, 700 up there.

We had a big barbecue, and I

made a speech, a good one, too.

Then we sat down to a

little poker game,

and you started bothering me,

right in the middle of a hand.

What'd you have, pair of deuces?

This is better.

Here we've got an ace in the hole.

- Two candy bars, please.

- A couple of hamburgers, please.

How much are those

Swiss-cheese sandwiches?

- I'll have the coffee.

- I'll take a coffee.

Come on, Mama. I need some help.

We're swamped out here.

Come on.

Now, how's this, Sheriff? By tomorrow,

I'll have your name all over the paper.

"The man who rushed here

at the first cry for help"

"to direct the rescue operation."

By Tuesday, everyone in

the state will know you.

"Gus Kretzer, the tireless public

servant who never spares himself."

I'll pile it on every day.

Six days of this and

I'll make you a hero.

The election's in the bag.

In the bag? The guys running

against you will vote for you.

Okay, I'm a hero. And

what do I make you?

Now here's the deal.

The way things look, there's

gonna be other newspapermen

trying to horn in on

this story. A lot of them.

Maybe all the way from New York.

This is my story.

And I wanna keep it mine.

You're gonna help me.

Mr Tatum, we're moving

you into our room.

It's a good, comfortable bed.

Oh, no, Mr Minosa. I don't

want to put anybody out.

Mama and I will be fine.

This is a great honour.

Okay. Thanks.

Oh, Herbie, unpack for me,

will you? And stand by.

We're gonna take some

pictures of the sheriff.

Guess I'm getting too old

to crawl around in there.

- How about a cup of coffee?

- Make it two.

Coming up.

- What's the latest?

- Not too good.

There must be a pretty deep

fault underneath there,

or it wouldn't have caved in.

How long will it take?

Of course we haven't been

able to get all the way back.

There's a lot of

shoring to do first.

That means getting those

bulkhead timbers placed right.

- Then there's all that cross-bracing.

- How long?

When we get that done, we ought

to be able to start operating.

Moving those heavy slabs and stones

so the whole shebang doesn't come

crashing in on us and on him.

- How long?

- Well, Gus, I can't tell you exactly.

But I don't see how we can

do it under 16 hours.

Uh-uh.

Well, maybe I can do it in 12 hours

if I send for a second crew.

Although some of the men

don't want to work,

on account of that

jinx you wrote about.

Look, Mr Smollett, I'm no engineer,

but the way you wanna do it,

those crumbling walls

and piles of stones,

isn't that kind of

dangerous for your men?

Not after we get the walls braced.

Suppose we set up a drill

on top of the mountain

and go straight down.

Cut through all that rock?

Do you know how long

that would take?

You tell me.

Six, maybe seven days.

It's a great big job.

Have you got any drills like that?

Yes, sir, but it's not necessary.

Once we get that back part

shored up, I think...

You're thinking too much.

Let Mr Tatum do the thinking.

But he's all wrong.

- I think...

- You're thinking again, Sam.

A few years ago, you was a truck driver.

Now that I'm sheriff, you're a contractor.

Do you want to be a

truck driver again?

All right, Gus,

if that's the way you want

it, I'll set the drill.

But that fellow in there.

Seven days.

I know what's in your mind,

Mr Smollett, and it does you credit.

Leo's a rugged boy. The

doctor told me that himself.

He'll get the best of

care, so don't worry.

Sugar?

- Hey, how about some cigarettes?

- Couple of hot dogs, please.

Don't you wanna be paid, lady? We had

four hamburgers and four coffees.

- That's $1.20.

- Can you change a $50?

- Hey, how about one here, Chuck?

- Okay, fan.

Get me a few of Mr Smollett,

the man whose know-how is gonna

save the life of Leo Minosa.

You'll be the biggest contractor

in the business, I bet you.

And let's get that drill. See you,

gentlemen. Lot of work to do.

Yes?

Come on, come on. What is it?

I met a lot of hard-boiled

eggs in my life,

but you, you're 20 minutes.

Is that a boost or a knock? Because

I haven't time to figure it out.

I've been doing my own figuring.

Took in 70 bucks so far. By

tonight, it ought to be $150.

Seven times $150.

That's over a grand.

That's the first grand I ever had.

Thanks.

Thanks a lot.

Look, Mrs Minosa, your husband's

stuck under a mountain.

You're worried sick. That's

the way the story goes.

Now get the smile off your face.

It's been a nice day, Chuck.

I feel like smiling.

You heard me. Get it off.

Make me.

That's more like it.

And don't wipe those tears. That's

the way you're supposed to look.

Put on your wedding ring.

Go on back and peddle

your hamburgers.

Good morning, everybody.

This is radio station

KOAT, Albuquerque.

Bob Bumpas speaking and bringing

you another on-the-spot report

of the Leo Minosa rescue operation.

- Send up more casings!

- Since the operation began 3 days ago,

the drill has cut its way

57 feet closer to Leo.

You have just heard the

voice of Sam Smollett,

the man who is in charge

of the drilling job.

This man, together with Sheriff Kretzer

and a crew of volunteer rescue workers,

is tirelessly fighting this battle

against stubborn rock and fleeting time

with a human life at stake.

If anyone can lick this,

this curse of the mountain of

the seven vultures, they can.

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