Boom Town Page #12

underground, right down there...

...and no way on this man's Earth

to get it out.

Look what happened to Burkburnett.

Whizbang. Desdemona.

Dead holes before their time.

Gentlemen, as a geologist,

I agree with Mr. McMasters.

- The compound ratio of substrat...

- That's high-forehead stuff.

The main thing is, boys,

if you stick with me...

...l'll contract and guarantee you

the present price...

...and you'll make more money.

- Boys, Big John is right.

Oh, you did?

But I understood you were

all set to sign with us.

McMasters, huh?

Evans has signed with him.

That means the entire

Elk Creek crowd will follow.

- What's the matter with us?

- Him.

He's got a great line of smoosh

and he knows the oil business.

I'm heading for a drink.

I don't know why you got us into this.

I'll be ruined.

You can always say you were

a big man once.

Big once? That's a bit...

McMasters is likely to sink us, at that,

at the rate he's going.

Say, he doesn't know it...

...but maybe Uncle Sam will be

interested in what he's doing.

Get me Senator Grayson in Washington.

What? That's terrible.

Well, unload all my Compton-United.

I'm closing out.

- Yes?

- Mr. Aldrich calling.

Tell him I'm out of town.

Tried to put me against the wall, huh?

Now who's asking for a blindfold?

It's nice to see you so happy about it.

Sure I'm happy. On top of the world.

See what happens when a simple-minded

guy falls in with a man like Compton?

- Turn him into a crook.

- Everything considered, it's a little odd...

...making excuses for Mr. Sand.

- What do you mean, excuses?

He was a burglar,

and I licked him down to his size.

Pretty expensive victory, J.M.

Selling oil for half what you paid for it.

- Cost you about $5 million.

- We'll make that in two months.

I'm sorry to interrupt,

but Mr. John Sand to see you.

Sand, here? You fellas clear out.

- Send him in.

- Yes, sir.

You think this is wise?

I'd like to see him alone, Karen.

Of course.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Well, I see you took a bath.

Anything more I can do for you?

Yeah.

You can give your wife a divorce.

- What?

- You can give Betsy a divorce.

You almost cleaned me out, but I saved

enough so we can start over again.

Oh, yeah, and she wants the boy too.

Have you gone daffy?

That's the best way all around.

That'll leave you free to marry Karen.

Still poking your nose into

other people's business?

- Why not? She's a smart, good-looking...

- Wait a minute.

Do you mean to say that...

That Betsy's in love with you?

Well, what do you think?

What do you think I'm doing here?

What do you think happens

to a woman, anyway?

She's a little human too, you know.

And prettier than the day you married her.

I've noticed that even if you haven't.

And you don't have to worry about

Little Jack, you know.

You can drop around and see him

once in a while, if you get time.

- You got it all fixed, haven't you?

- Sure I have.

Back-dooring me, that's what you're doing.

Sneaking in my back door.

- So what?

- You're not gonna get away with it.

You and I started a fight once

and never finished.

Now I'm gonna beat your brains out.

Boy, am I gonna enjoy this.

What are you backing away for?

Oh, my goodness.

There must be something we can do.

- Can't we do anything?

- Call the police.

Don't do that.

They might get mad.

Get your hand out of that birdcage.

What is all this? What's going on here?

Are they in conference?

Well, we'd better... They'll...

Kind of soft, ain't you, big boy?

I'll talk to them.

I started them in business.

- I thought you looked like a fight promoter.

- That door's locked too.

Come on, come on.

- Take it easy.

- What are you doing?

Come on, get out.

Boys, this is disgraceful.

Come on, get out. The bunch of you.

Honey, buy me a ticket for Europe

on the first boat and keep the change.

Yes, Mr. Sand.

What are you laughing at?

We've lost a fortune.

Luther, I've just done the best

afternoon's work of my life.

If you hadn't pulled this, we might've

talked ourselves back with him.

I wouldn't go back with him if he was

the last thing in the world to eat.

Send the tickets over to the hotel,

will you?

- I want to see Mr. McMasters.

- He's busy right now.

So are we. I'm Stebbins, U.S. Marshal,

Federal District Attorney's office.

Feeling clean again?

Yeah. Yeah, I guess I'll live.

A man always worries about his tie

when he's in love, doesn't he?

Karen, there's something

I want to tell you.

You don't have to. I'm a high-class

eavesdropper, partner.

Don't you know that's my business?

You never got much out of this, did you?

I got plenty. All I asked for...

...except the frosting.

And I knew in my heart

I'll never get that.

A man told me so once.

Yeah, you said it. You're high-class.

This may not be, but I'm going to do it

because I want to.

High-class or not,

I'm going out the back way.

Just to begin to see how it feels.

Goodbye, stranger.

Okay, stranger.

Are you John McMasters?

- Yes, but I'm sorry, I got...

- I've got a warrant for your arrest.

- Arrest? I don't get you.

- Federal indictment.

Heard of the Sherman Antitrust Law,

haven't you?

I don't know what this is about,

but first I have to see my wife.

I don't know why not.

A wife's swell when you're in a jam.

That's not the idea.

- Daddy.

- Hiya, son.

How's my boy?

Hey, you got hurt.

Hello, dear...

Look, son, you go upstairs and play,

will you?

- I want to talk to Mother.

- Okay.

- He's a great kid.

- Yeah.

Come in here.

- You're hurt. Who's that man?

- Never mind that.

You're not getting away from me.

You know that?

- What?

- I'm not blaming you, maybe...

...but you aren't walking

with him or anybody else. Understand?

- Him? What do you...?

- Sand.

He told me all about it.

I had to give him a licking

to show him that's out.

You're my girl, see?

And you always will be.

Even if I have to lick you to prove it.

I'm your girl.

You can lick me if it'll help.

I'll save it for when you need it.

You did say that you got the money

to drill your second well...

...by shooting craps in a honky-tonk.

- Right?

- I said part of the money.

- How did you get the rest?

- It was a deal...

How did you get the money

to drill your first well? Wasn't it by...?

- I object...

- Naturally he objects.

What is the government's object

in this questioning?

Your Honor, we are trying to prove,

and I believe we have...

...that this man was a lawbreaker

from the start.

That Big John McMasters,

in full knowledge...

...willfully conspired to break the laws

of the United States.

That he is typical

of the economic royalists...

...and bourbon industrialists who,

for self-indulgence...

...seek to ride over the laws

and commonplace securities...

...of the citizens of this country.

And for that...

...the people of the U.S.

Will demand for John McMasters...

...the maximum penalty

of 10 years in a federal penitentiary.

For the last time,

the spectators will preserve order.

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