American Outlaws Page #5

EXT. MIMMS HOME - DAY

Jesse and Frank ride toward a handsome white two-story

frame house that stands in a grove of elm trees.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

They dismount and walk up to the porch. A FARM HAND in a

cowboy hat is nailing a rail onto the porch.

JESSE:

Scuse me, we're here for the Doctor.

The farm hand turns and pulls off his hat -- her hat. She's

a chestnut-haired beauty in her late teens, ZERELDA MIMMS.

ZEE:

Jesse! Frank!

She hugs both of them enthusiastically. Jesse is obviously,

immediately smitten.

JESSE:

Zerelda? Little Zee Mimms?

ZEE:

You were little Jesse James when

you left.

JESSE:

But you got big!

Zee arches an eyebrow.

JESSE (CONT'D)

I mean, you aged --

Zee arches both eyebrows.

JESSE (CONT'D)

I mean, I mean, in a good way you

got big and older.

Zee tilts her head. Jesse's mouth moves, but nothing comes

out, until

JESSE (CONT'D)

Frank, don't you have something to

say?

FRANK:

You're doing just fine.

JESSE:

(pulling it together)

Zee, we got to talk to you and your

father.

DOC MIMMS, a grey-haired man wearing rimless spectacles,

steps out of the doorway.

DOC MIMMS:

Frank, Jesse.

(looking)

Where's Web?

ANGLE ON:

A LONG SHOT of the Mimms house. We can see, but not hear,

Jesse talking. A beat, then we hear Zee CRY OUT. Doc Mimms

staggers, SLUMPS DOWN in the door frame. Jesse and Frank

rush to help him.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PARLOR - A WHILE LATER

The room is comfortable and elegant in a simple way. Doc

Mimms is slumped in a big chair. Zee, her eyes red, is

pushing a glass of sherry into his hands. Jesse and Frank

sit across from him.

JESSE:

-- rode right into them, screaming

like a banshee.

DOC MIMMS:

My little Web did that?

JESSE:

Pff. He jumped his horse clear over

our heads, killed a dozen Union

soldiers before they knew what hit

them.

Jesse looks at Frank, urging him on.

FRANK:

Whyyyy... he took down the Gatling

gun and the cannon all by himself.

JESSE:

Saved all our lives, Doc. None of

the Liberty boys would have come

home if not for Web Mimms, Doc.

God's honest truth.

Doc is fighting back tears, but proud.

DOC MIMMS:

Web died fighting?

JESSE:

Died a hero.

ZEE:

(quietly)

But still died.

JESSE:

If there's anything we can do for

you, Dr. Mimms. We want to help.

DOC MIMMS:

Start thinking about yourselves.

You, the Youngers, Clell Miller, all

of you. Don't end up like Charlie.

They found out Charlie rode with

Quantrill's Raiders. They arrested

him, tried him by military tribunal

and hanged him this morning.

FRANK:

I thought there was general amnesty.

DOC MIMMS:

For soldiers, yes. But if you rode

in one of the partisan bands,

they'll hang you for treason. And

you boys are in more danger, because

you've got a farm.

Jesse and Frank don't understand.

ZEE:

Daddy, don't start with this again.

DOC MIMMS:

Zerelda, it's no coincidence. The

railroad men come through, offering

to buy up land. Nobody sells. Then

they start hanging men who own farms

for treason?

FRANK:

You're saying the railroad's got

the Army doing it's dirty work?

DOC MIMMS:

Rich men in Washington, don't

matter if they wear a tie or a

uniform, they're all the same.

JESSE:

All we thought about was coming

home. I swore I'd kill anybody who

tried to get me off my farm again.

If I have to go to war with the

railroad to stay, fine by me.

FRANK:

Think about this. If we just come

up with a story and stick to it, we

should be all right.

JESSE:

What kind of story are they going

to believe?

ZEE:

Hmm. You were in the Confederate

Army with General Hood's Texas Army

until... say Sharpsburg, then you

were reassigned to General Jeb

Stuart's cavalry until you

surrendered in Tennessee.

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