Appaloosa Page #8

HITCH:

Well, it has been sorta expectant

of late.

ALLISON:

It’s his job. It’s not his damn

life.

Hitch isn’t touching that one.

ALLISON:

Won’t it be elegant, Everett?

Allie takes Hitch’s hand and begins to lead him around.

(CONTINUED)

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ALLISON:

We’ll have our parlor here, where

we can look out and see who’s

coming to call. And this will be

the kitchen.

Allie continues to hold his hand.

ALLISON:

Will you come often and visit us?

Allie rubs her hand on Hitch’s back beneath his jacket.

HITCH:

Every time I’m invited.

ALLISON:

I can cook, you know.

Allie keeps rubbing her hand on Hitch’s back.

HITCH:

(trying to be polite)

I never thought you couldn’t.

Allie turns to Hitch, both arms around his waist.

ALLISON:

Do you think I’m pretty?

HITCH:

Yes.

Allie pulls in closer.

HITCH:

Allie -

ALLISON:

I want you to kiss me, Everett.

HITCH:

Allie. I think we should stop

here.

Allie pulls Everett’s head down and kisses him. She doesn’t

let go. After a moment, he kisses her back.

Then he holds her away at arm’s length.

HITCH:

I’m with Virgil, and so are you.

ALLISON:

Virgil’s not here.

(CONTINUED)

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49.

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HITCH:

We ain’t with each other. We’re

both with him.

Allie is silent. Hitch still holds her.

HITCH:

Allie. For Christ’s sake.

ALLISON:

Let me go. Let me go, goddamn you.

Hitch lets her go, hands up in surrender.

HITCH:

I’m leaving, Allie.

ALLISON:

You bastard!

HITCH:

Allie.

ALLISON:

Just go!!

She shoves him. Totally bewildered, he grabs his shotgun and

takes off.

ALLISON:

You sonofabitch!

48

EXT. MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS - WINDY AFTERNOON 48

Hitch lopes toward the office. SUDDENLY HE STOPS:

At the far end of town a LARGE GROUP OF RIDERS round the

corner heading for the Marshal’s office.

Hitch hustles to the office.

Cole calmly steps out the door as Hitch reaches the porch.

The riders ride up and form a semi-circle, three rows deep in

front of the office. Dust swirls in the wind.

A rider next to Vince holds the reins of Bragg’s black

stallion, a poncho over the saddle.

VINCE:

We come for Mr. Bragg.

(CONTINUED)

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COLE:

Can’t have him.

VINCE:

We’ll take him if we have to.

COLE:

If you do, he’ll be dead.

(turns to Hitch)

Everett, you step on into the

office with that eight-gauge and

first thing anything happens, you

blow Mr. Bragg’s head off.

Hitch enters the office.

Down the street, Allie has joined a few town folk aware of

the confrontation.

COLE:

You boys best redirect them animals

around and shoo.

OFFICE - Bragg’s in his cell. A week’s growth of beard.

BRAGG:

Mind closing that door, getting a

little drafty in here.

Hitch sees Whitfield’s gone. The back door is open.

Hitch looks out then closes it.

BRAGG:

It appears your star witness flew

the coop.

STREET - Vince and his men have moved closer.

VINCE:

We know you’re good, Cole. But you

ain’t as good as twenty of us.

COLE:

You know the arrangement, boys.

First time one of you does an

ineluctable thing...

VINCE:

You shoot him, you think we’ll ride

off?

COLE:

Nope.

(CONTINUED)

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VINCE:

We’ll kill you and Hitch.

COLE:

You’ll try.

VINCE:

There’s twenty of us, for God’s

sake. You willing to die to keep

us from taking him?

COLE:

Sure.

Vince stares hard at Cole.

VINCE:

(calling out)

Hitch? You willing to die too?

COLE:

Course he’s willing to die. You

think we do this kinda work ‘cause

we’re scared to die?

OFFICE -

HITCH:

(to Bragg)

He’s got ‘em turned. They’re

arguing with him.

Bragg knows he’s right.

STREET:

COLE:

You?

VINCE:

Me?

COLE:

You afraid to die?

VINCE:

I ain’t afraid.

Cole steps to the edge of the boardwalk.

COLE:

Good. ‘Cause you go first.

(CONTINUED)

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Vince rocks back in his saddle.

Cole points off to his right, without looking.

COLE:

And the boy with the red scarf. He

goes next.

The RIDER with red scarf lowers his rifle.

Cole steps off the boardwalk into the street.

COLE:

Go on home, Vince. Too many people

die if you don’t.

Cole takes off his hat and swats Vince’s horse.

Vince struggles, steadying his mount.

Cole moves among the horses, pushing them.

COLE:

Go! Go on home!

VINCE:

There’ll be another time, Cole.

Vince gives the horse its head and the other riders follow

him out of town.

Cole comes back on the porch. Hitch steps out.

HITCH:

Whitfield run off.

COLE:

He’ll be back...

A crowd begins to gather in the street, coming out from

various buildings on Main. Katie is among them.

Allie comes running up.

ALLISON:

Virgil, Virgil! Are you all right?

COLE:

I am.

Allie runs to Cole and hugs him.

(CONTINUED)

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ALLISON:

That was the bravest thing I’ve

ever seen. Just you and all those

men.

COLE:

Everett was with me.

ALLISON:

Oh, pooh on Everett. He was

inside, hiding.

COLE:

Everett wasn’t exactly hiding,

Allie.

Allie turns to the small crowd.

ALLISON:

Isn’t that the most heroic thing

you folks have ever seen?

Someone begins to clap and pretty soon the whole crowd joins

in. Allie clings to Cole, who’s clearly uncomfortable.

COLE:

(waving off the crowd)

That’ll be fine. That’ll be fine.

You folks go on home! It’s over,

go on!

49 INT. EARL MAY’S CORNER SALOON - NIGHT 49

Hitch sips beer while Katie nurses a whiskey. It’s still

windy outside.

KATIE:

He really is something, isn’t he?

HITCH:

I ain’t seen a man like Virgil Cole

ever.

KATIE:

Did you like her little

performance?

HITCH:

Not so much.

KATIE:

That’s an evil woman, Everett.

Hitch does not respond.

(CONTINUED)

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KATIE:

She is. I know about evil women,

Everett, and I know about sex. And

I know how silly men are about it.

Katie eyes Hitch.

KATIE:

I’ll bet you when Mr. Cole’s not

around, she flirts with you.

(off Hitch’s silence)

She does. Don’t she?

HITCH:

Fact is, she got kind of forward

with me awhile ago when we were

looking at the new house.

KATIE:

What did you do?

HITCH:

I run off.

KATIE:

You say anything to Mr. Cole?

HITCH:

No.

KATIE:

You going to say anything?

HITCH:

No. Virgil couldn’t hear something

like that.

Hitch takes a gulp of beer.

HITCH:

And I don’t want him knowing

anything about it from you. If he

finds out, I’ll know who couldn’t

keep her mouth closed.

KATIE:

There been a few times when you

didn’t want my mouth closed.

They share a laugh.

KATIE:

What if she tells him and says it

was your doing?

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