Boom Town Page #3

Course, if you don't want the money...

You wanna pay me? Well, why didn't

you say...? Come in, gentlemen. Sit down.

I was only saying yesterday, I wonder

what happened to Mr. Sand and...

Let go of Mr. McMasters, you idiot.

- Well, it's the big feller.

- Hi, Harmony.

- It's all right, Harmony, there's no...

- Here you are, Luther.

- Well.

- Two thousand on account.

Two thousand?

But you owe me $ 7000.

That's for good faith.

We still got our lease.

We'll pay the rest

when our new well comes in.

- New well?

- Sure.

You're gonna give us

tools and equipment.

I give you what? Harmony, get the sheriff.

I'll give you jail sentences...

Wait a minute, now, take it easy.

All right, he's got us where it hurts.

- We gotta give him a sixteenth of the well.

- What? We'll do no such thing.

Certainly not. I... I... What's that?

A sixteenth?

Well, I... I... No, I run

a strictly cash business here.

All right, all right.

Then we'll give you an eighth.

- Give an eighth of a million dollars away?

- A million dollars? Are you...?

You mean 10 million dollars.

We can afford a measly eighth.

- Come on, Luther...

- No, no, no. Over my dead body.

Where do you get off mooching your way

in for an eighth, you old cow thief?

- I'm going over to the bank on my own.

- Wait a minute. Wait.

I don't know what to say.

You said enough, trying to let

this crook in on a sure thing.

I worked my hands raw

to earn that money.

Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

I might consider an eighth.

But an eighth of what?

What makes you two maniacs

think you're gonna find oil this time?

Say, do you think we'd be

sticking our necks in a noose...

...if we didn't know there was oil?

Come on.

- No, no, I still think an eighth is...

- Well, all right. All right. I'll do it.

But it's got to be an eighth.

And we'll sign the papers right now.

Harmony goes out with you

to see there's no monkey business.

And if you two fellas

don't bring in a well this time...

...you go to jail. Both of you.

I'm not gonna... I'm...

For heaven...

I'm stuck again.

Hot groceries.

- Hey, Big John, come and get it.

- Okay. I'm ready for it.

Here she is, boys.

Another Barbara Fritchie special.

Hey, what's that for?

We gotta have a name for the well.

You mind if we call it that?

"Beautiful darling Betsy."

Well, I'll be doggoned.

Okay, Shorty. Say, when are we

gonna get a load of this gal?

Maybe you'll see her one day,

if the well comes in.

We're due, all right. Take a look

at the sand from that last bailing.

What's that? Rabbit again?

Rabbit stew la "modee."

Shot two nice fat ones this morning.

Couldn't go out and shoot a can of beans

for a change, could you?

Let's drive to Eva's for a steak.

- We got 13 or a dozen bucks left.

- No. Rabbit's okay by me.

We're due for a bust. Five weeks of this

ain't natural, fella. I got the jumps.

You and Harmony go in. I can make

a few more feet of hole before dark.

- Besides, I got some letters to write.

- Oh, okay, okay. Me for town.

You work out your nightlife

with water on the side.

But that gal may stand you up, so just

don't turn out to be Henry the Hermit.

I'll pick up the groceries

and meet you over at Eva's.

- Hey.

- Careful, my dear.

- Let the deacon help you.

- Thank you.

Looks like Aunt Molly's got

a new visitor.

Yeah. Kind of looks that way.

But I'm not sure.

You'll like the other place better, dear.

Not a hotel, more like a boarding house.

More homelike for a girl like you, dearie.

We have evening get-togethers,

and the nicest Southern cooking.

- You're very kind, but I...

- Ma'am, I'm about to speak a piece.

You're new here, so you don't know

Aunt Molly and the deacon.

Molly's done a little time.

And the deacon...

...well, he can squirm under a

water moccasin with a high hat on.

And you, Auntie,

keep that knife in your corset.

It might not look nice if I'd have to

kick you in the stomach. Now, get.

Well, thank you very much.

You see, where they wanted

to take you...

Well, a girl like you

might not have liked it.

You mean I'd wake up in a gilded palace

and be afraid to go home?

Oh, you were wise, huh?

Well, they were pretty obvious.

You know, the first time I voted...

...my mother broke down and told me

all about the big, bad world.

- Thanks anyway.

- You know...

...I still think you need

somebody to keep an eye on you.

- This is a pretty rough town.

- Oh, dear.

- What?

- I thought it was Galahad.

Galahad in boots and a Stetson, come to

rescue the fair Elaine from the dragons.

- But underneath you're just Modred.

- What do you mean, Modred?

Sir Modred. Of all the knights,

he was the wicked one.

I'm very sorry.

She kind of rustled her bustle at you,

didn't she?

Modred. Say, what do you know

about those guys Modred and Galahad?

Let me see. I know Pete Galahad.

Sheriff over in Whizbang.

No, no. Two different guys.

Could you tell me where I might find

Mr. Jonathan Sand?

He's drilling out in the south section.

About a 30-mile ride.

I could get you a jitney.

Oh, no, not tonight. Thank you.

I'll have supper and go in the morning.

Yes, ma'am.

- Well, I take your order now.

- Let's see. How's the chicken?

Don't order fried chicken,

it's three-year-old jackrabbit.

- Saved again from a fate worse than death.

- Come on, Lena...

...tell her John McMasters

is just a babe in the woods.

I bring your soup,

but don't go in no woods.

Lena's dizzy from dollar tips.

- Are you Big John McMasters?

- Yeah.

You've heard about me, huh?

Well, I certainly have.

Doesn't that surprise you?

I'm pretty well-known in these parts.

I heard about you

long before I arrived here.

On the bus, huh?

Yes. That's right. They were saying,

"Big John McMasters...

...there's a fellow to be heard from."

- Really?

Come on, now, stop kidding me

into a bear trap.

A lot's going on tonight.

What am I going to call you

for the rest of the evening?

The rest of the evening?

Yeah. All I know now is Elaine.

What am I gonna call you when I

take you to that rodeo, for instance?

Well, maybe I just better be

the Lady Elaine for a while.

I don't wanna give you any surprises.

You look delicate.

Lady Elaine, nothing you could tell me

would surprise me.

Wait and see, Sir Modred.

- You want to order?

- Sure. What are you doing here, at that?

Are you one of those lady drummers?

No, I'm much more important than that.

If I like it here, I might open a shop.

- What kind of a shop?

- Lingerie.

- Come again?

- Underwear. Ladies' underwear.

Ladies' underwear?

Well, I don't know. Now, you see...

...the girls in this town... Well,

what I mean is there's not much call for...

- You'd better order.

- Yeah.

Now, Lena, my love,

I want a steak, 32 ounce, rare.

Same racket.

Hasn't changed since I was a kid.

Knock down the milk bottles

and they give you St. Vitus.

Stop it, you'll wear him out.

Mr. Summers, just a minute.

I want you to meet Lady Elaine.

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