Arizona Page #2

Who elected you?

Oh, some of the boys.

Hey, Joe Briggs.

I got some time on my hands, Joe,

and there's a charge against you.

Might as well hold court out here

where it don't smell so bad.

Are you ready to stand trial?

I ain't got much time. Can you hurry it up?

Sure enough.

Just step in a little more where it's shady.

Now, prisoner at the bar,

the charge against you is...

that you up and blowed the head

plumb off of Gus Modesto...

in consequence of which said shooting,

said Gus is deader than blazes.

Are you guilty or not guilty?

No, Judge, I don't reckon

I can say not guilty...

when everybody seed me do it.

Now, what in tunket made you

act like that, Joe?

Drinking. Just drinking.

Well, the verdict of this here tribunal is...

that Joe Briggs is fined $5...

for disturbing the peace.

Court is hereby adjourned...

to Lazarus Ward's bar,

where said fine will be duly disposed of.

Some day, Judge Bogardus,

the law will come to Arizona...

and half of you will be hung.

Miss Phoebe, you belittle us. Not half, 90%.

Maybe the government forgot us now...

arguing about what should be free

and what slave...

but the time will come...

and when it does,

this will be a territory to be proud of.

Quite right. Quite right.

A territory to be proud of.

Meanwhile, Mr. Briggs,

there is a fine to be paid.

Any of you gentlemen that feel up to it

may participate in the first round.

I mean any one of you gentlemen.

You got the $5, ain't you, Joe?

Mighty nice talk you give.

Probably won't do much good, though.

Somebody has to tell them off,

whether it helps or not.

You're sure doing a man's work

around this town, ain't you?

I keep busy.

Do you wear them jeans all the time?

Why?

Well, I packed a banjo

all the way from Saint Louis.

Thought I might serenade you tonight,

if you'd put on a dress.

You'll serenade me the way I am.

I mean...

I'll be busy tonight.

Music's for idlers anyway.

Thanks for the pie.

Keep the oven hot.

I don't want any serenading, now.

No serenading.

Haircut? Shave?

I could use a shave.

Fix you up in a jiffy.

You play a nice fiddle. I got a banjo.

Finest fiddle in the West.

I packed her 1,500 miles.

She never done bust a string.

Say, does Miss Phoebe Titus

live at her pie stand?

Yes, sir. Fine girl, Miss Phoebe.

Figuring on doing a little courting?

Maybe.

Let's fix you up sweet then.

Good close shave.

Some vanilla extract on your hair.

Yes, sir! Plenty of vanilla.

Don't shave me too short.

Who is that?

Do you want I should send him away?

Go on back to bed.

Can't you hear? I'm being serenaded.

- Was it good?

- I don't know.

I guess so, I've never been sung to before.

You look kind of pretty standing there.

Lots different than you did in that saloon.

I suppose it would please you more...

if I'd walk around town all day

in my nightshirt.

I think I could get used to them britches

if I stayed around long enough.

You figuring on leaving?

Sometime.

This Arizona Territory is worth looking into

for a man with ideas.

Maybe if you studied it some

you'd decide to stay.

Might be I'd settle down,

if I could get a job to suit me.

You mean one with something doing

all the time, to keep you on the move?

Yeah.

Say, how did you know that about me?

The way you go poking

into other people's troubles.

The way you talk.

The way you wear your hat.

Well, you sort of took an interest in me.

Yeah.

Arizona could use fellas like you right now.

Maybe something will turn up.

You sure are a calculating woman.

I wouldn't say what I said...

if I didn't like you some.

Much obliged.

Same to you.

Play some more music.

- Fancy or courting?

- Just music.

Howdy, Johnny.

Howdy, Miss Phoebe.

- Morning, Solomon.

- Sorry I missed the commotion yesterday.

It wasn't much.

Need some needles and another sack

of flour for those gol-darned pies.

Those gol-darned pies

are making you a good living.

Better ways than that to get ahead.

How much are your needles?

Quarter apiece.

25 cents?

Why, you old Scotchman.

What do you have to do,

find them in a haystack?

Well, you know

the cost of hauling over land.

Especially when freighting men like Ward

charge us twice what it's worth.

What about Ochoa?

He's bringing in goods at fair prices.

Well, he can't supply everybody.

There's a business for you. Freighting.

Plenty of room for another honest outfit.

Yeah, I reckon so.

Well, how many needles you want?

Two's plenty.

Johnny, take a sack of flour

over to Miss Phoebe's right away.

Wagons, oxen, mules...

and plenty of good strong men

that aren't afraid of hard work.

Also Indians.

That's part of living here.

I own a wagon

that's fit to haul anything anywhere...

four horses...

and I got enough money

to buy oxen and another wagon.

Solomon, I wouldn't be surprised

to see myself in the freighting business.

Why, I thought you was aiming to own

the biggest cattle ranch in Arizona.

That's right, and here's a better way

of getting it than selling pies.

You're forgetting you'd be bucking up

against Lazarus Ward.

- He don't like to play.

- Ochoa's doing all right against him.

Two wagons.

You'd always have to be waiting

for somebody else's train to set out...

so as you could join for protection.

Four wagons would do the trick.

Four wagons could travel alone.

I'll get along with two.

Phoebe...

you and me think lots alike.

We both got confidence

this country's going to grow.

Now, I didn't drive no mule teams

across here...

with every cent I had...

without figuring that more people are

going to be coming here all the time.

Being the man

who opened the first store in Tucson...

you ought to know

which way the wind's blowing.

Phoebe, it looks like

you got yourself a partner.

Shake.

Now, I'll put up money enough for

two more wagons and some oxen. Then...

Say, where are we going to find

a good man...

to head the outfit on the trail?

- They're darn scarce.

- Yeah.

Leave it to me. I'll get him.

See you later, partner.

Got all day.

Good morning, Mr. Muncie.

Good morning.

I was hoping to buy a pie for breakfast,

but you was out.

- Hello, Phoebe.

- Howdy.

There's something that might be worth

talking about, Mr. Muncie.

Yes, ma'am.

Do you mind going someplace

where it's not quite so noisy?

Wherever you say.

Somebody rob you again?

No.

I've been thinking about something

for quite a spell.

I just settled it.

You seem mighty pleased.

Remember that job

you were talking about last night...

the one with something doing all the time?

Well, it's waiting for you, right now.

What's that?

Heading a freighting outfit

on the trail for me.

For you?

Solomon Warner is my partner.

He runs the big store here.

Maybe I'm taking a long chance

deciding you're the man for the job.

But I'm a pretty good judge of people.

Well, what do you say?

Miss Phoebe...

I'm going to tell you something

I'm afraid you won't understand.

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