American Outlaws Page #15

WOMAN:

Why?

COLE:

I don't want her to see me shoot

this man.

The woman covers the child's eyes. Cole raises the shotgun.

Jesse half covers his eyes and turns his head. The Manager

swallows.

EXT. FIDELITY BANK

Comanche Tom walks over to where the old man is still

SMACKING Jim and Bob.

OLD MAN:

I know it ain't no durned bank

holiday!

COMANCHE TOM:

You're right, sir.

OLD MAN:

Then why can't I go in there?

COMANCHE TOM:

On account of we're robbing it.

OLD MAN:

Oh. Why didn't you just say so?

COMANCHE TOM:

It's a secret.

OLD MAN:

Fine. I'll just wait here.

COMANCHE TOM:

I'd appreciate that.

The old man settles against the wall. Comanche Tom moves

back to his horse. Bob and Jim walk off, glaring at the old

man.

INT. SHERRIFF'S OFFICE

A lean, middle-aged SHERRIFF is walking by his window. His

DEPUTY is whittling at the desk. The Sherriff pulls up short.

SHERRIFF:

What the --

DEPUTY:

What is it?

SHERRIFF:

Old Man Tucker is just standing

quiet outside the bank.

DEPUTY:

So?

SHERRIFF:

When have you ever known Old Man

Tucker not to be yelling at

everybody?

He takes in the group of riders, reaches for his rifle.

EXT. FIDELITY BANK

Jesse and Cole RUN FROM the bank with full saddlebags.

Everybody MOUNTS UP and starts riding down main street.

FRANK:

How'd it go in there?

JESSE:

Fine. How'd it go out here?

FRANK:

We're gonna have to talk...

BANG! The gang flinches as a chunk of wood splinters from a

post. They turn to see the Sherriff running out in front of

them, raising his rifle --

The entire Gang draws their guns. Jesse raises a hand.

JESSE:

Sir, you can do this the smart way,

or the stupid way. Only one way ends

with you still breathin'.

The Sherriff takes in the Gang's firepower. He lowers the

rifle.

JESSE (CONT'D)

(to the Gang)

Just 'cause we're robbing a bank,

no reason not to be civil about it.

The Gang turns and RIDES OFF hard.

The DEPUTY walks up to the Sherriff a beat later.

SHERRIFF:

Where the hell were you?

DEPUTY:

I had you covered.

(beat)

From back there.

SHERRIFF:

Sh*t.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

A bonfire burns in the middle of a rough camp in the woods.

The Gang members are sitting around, relaxing and drinking

coffee. All eyes are on Jesse and Cole as they finish

counting the money.

JESSE:

I got seven thousand.

COLE:

I got three.

BOB:

Ten thousand dollars! That's almost

a thousand apiece!

The men HOOT AND HOLLER.

LONI:

My luck is changing at last!

Cole holds up a pile of papers.

COLE:

These are deeds and mortgages of

farms the bank was holding for the

railroad.

BOB:

Better pass them over here before

something happens to 'em.

Cole goes to hand the papers to Bob and "accidentally"

drops them in the fire. The men CHEER again.

JESSE:

All right, settle down. All this

money ain't ours.

BOB:

Well, no, Jesse, it was the bank's.

That's why we had to go to all that

trouble of stealing it.

(to Frank)

You explain it to him.

JESSE:

We oughta take some of this, give

it to our neighbors in Liberty. Lot

of people hurting up there.

CLELL:

None of them risked their necks for

this.

FRANK:

Now, let's think about this. We

create some good will with the folks

hereabouts, make it easier to dodge

the law.

JESSE:

See, Frank's being smart about this.

COLE:

Just because he reads all those

books and knows all those big words

doesn't make him smart.

BOB:

Uhh, yeah it does.

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