Dakota Page #4

Listen... they're

playing a waltz.

Lady, you like to dance?

Oh, I... I'd

love to but...

Oh, a nice place you have here.

Oh, yes... it belongs

to m'sieur Bender.

We make arrangement with him

for the homesteaders to

have it for one night.

Si... Mr. Bender's

a fine man, Si?

I hope they have room for us.

Did you ever see

anything so colorful?

It makes Dakota a

melting pot, doesn't it?

Ever try Kansas city in July?

Got here all right, eh, Devlin?

How did you get here,

Collins, as the crow flies?

Met up with a coupla

friends with horses.

Mr. Slagin...

Mr. Devlin.

Nice ta see ya again, Slagin.

You never met me before...

Musta been my brother.

Oh, a big fella?

Yeah, as handsome as they come.

About as handsome

as a prairie dog.

He's a bad man to mess

around with, Devlin.

Well, he sure got the job done.

And he's awfully

fast with a gun.

About as fast as you

are, I suppose?

Yeah.

Just how fast is that?

Oh, John, if you're not in...

Oh.

This is Mr. Slagin. You met

his brother on the boat.

Was that your brother?

I thought it was you.

I mean...

How do you do?

You know Collins, of course.

Yes.

I guess you'll be wantin' a

coupla rooms, eh, Devlin?

Yeah... one for us and

one for the cap'n.

What were you about to say?

I was going to say let's dance,

but it seems kind of silly now.

I mean, I don't feel

like it anymore.

Oh, sure you do.

Do us a little favor,

will ya, Slagin?

Yeah. Will ya step outside

and arrange for someone

to stable our horses?

When a lady wants to dance, we

gotta fix it so she can, right?

Yeah, sure.

I want ya ta have your fun

while ya can, Mrs. Devlin.

You never can tell how ya feel

about things come tomorra.

Here ya are, Devlin.

Any time we're not here, and

you want to see me or Bender,

look back in the office.

Take whichever room ya want,

but leave us one

with a bed in it.

Darling, why do you

take such chances?

After all, no one

here's on our side.

I learned one thing from

general Morgan, Sandy...

That's when you're surrounded

and haven't a chance...

Attack.

Hello.

Met your brother this morning.

Yeah... how's he doing?

Not bad, but it looks like

there's some sad days ahead.

John?

Yes?

Do you think I look

good in black?

There ain't no gol'

darned horse thieves

holdin' up no ship o' mine.

So I grabs my carbine, I gets the

pair of 'em in my sights and wham!

You wouldn't believe

this, but, eh...

Missed 'em, clean as a whistle.

This our key, cap'n? It

don't make no difference,

it fits all the doors.

I just stopped by to talk

to the ladies a minute.

They remind me of my

dear old aunt Minnie.

Oh, this is Mr. and

Mrs. Devlin, ladies.

They work here... They're

doin' a song and dance act.

Of course, they're off for tonight

on account of the big doin's.

- I'm Jersey Thomas.

- I always thought Jersey was a state.

Could be, on occasion.

That's New Jersey you're

thinking of, dear.

They certainly manage to attract

all the obvious types here,

haven't they?

Just one big happy

melting pot, eh?

But don't melt too

easily, will you, dear?

And you thinking all the time

that Jersey was a state.

Why you!

You open this door,

you big lady killer!

Well, glad I met'cha,

good-bye.

He must be one of those one-woman

men I've heard so much about.

Oh, I guess he just gone

down to git hisself a drink.

Suppose we leave it

unlocked, Devlin?

Some of the boys might

want to drop in.

How are ya?

For the moment,

short about $20,000.

Is that so...

How'd ya lose it?

Turning backflips.

That couldn't be it, could it?

You prove it's yours,

and you can have it.

When I walk out of here,

if it's in my pocket,

will that prove anything?

You wouldn't take advantage of a man

with a bad leg, would you, Devlin?

Well, you wouldn't

hide behind it

with my $20,000,

would you, Bender?

You talk like you might try to

take that money away from me,

and I don't think I like that.

You're not in Fargo to

stay, are you, Mr. Devlin?

Oh...

Bad character, eh?

Oughta move on.

Well, I don't like

to seem blunt,

but we've got a pretty nice

little community here,

and we don't exactly cotton

to sharp wits who come here

with the idea of trimming

the folks hereabouts.

Friend of yours or mine?

Better hand over

the money, Bender.

I got the place surrounded.

That's funny, so have I. Things ought

to start to break shortly, huh?

Right now...

Let's have it.

Go ahead and take it, if you

like that kind of a gamble.

There's an easier way to

get it, though, Devlin.

Leave on the first boat?

There's nothing personal

about it at all.

This country's my country, and

the people in it are my people,

and I'm gonna look after

their interests.

But it's not to their interest to let you

run around with your hands full of money,

buying up options on their land,

very cheaply, for the railroad.

You got all the facts right

on file, haven't you?

You're married to Poli's daughter...

far as I'm concerned,

that connects you

with the railroad.

And that provides me with a neat

little life insurance policy too.

- Does it?

- If you got me, she'd scream for help,

and papa Poli'd be up here

with the united states army

before you could saddle a horse,

which leaves you holdin'

the small cards, Bender.

So I'll take the money.

Look out!

Sweet little baby.

Now don't you get to flirtin'

with them sand bars,

and papa'll buy ya a

nice new ton a coal

when we git to Grand Forks.

I never see'd this river

kick up like this before...

Must be a storm a brewin'.

Hey!

Them windstorms come up without

givin' no advanced notice,

don't they?

I see'd your wife...

Hurt her hard.

Picked me up and slammed me down

like I was a old

spittoon or somethin'...

Allowed them to keep their doors

closed in hurricane season.

Which way'd she blow, from

the north or the south?

Sandy?

Here, use my key.

They're all alike...

It fits any door in the house.

Lookin' for your wife?

Don't guess she'd be in

that suitcase, do ya?

You ain't figurin' on

shootin' her, are ya?

Now wait a minute!

Maybe it weren't her fault.

For a woman, she

didn't look too bad.

The man don't show much sense,

shootin' a woman...

Especially in this country,

where they're so scarce.

Hold that light closer.

John.

It was an accident, John.

They didn't mean to hit me.

It was you they shot at.

This man know his

business, Bender?

If he doesn't,

your wife may die...

In which event I

also cash in, right?

Now if someone will

hold her other arm.

Take a deep breath,

Mrs. Devlin.

John, I'm frightened.

Not so much of a wound,

the doc says.

Trouble is that bullet's

pressing on an artery.

If he happens to make a slip and puncture

that artery, then she's gonna be in trouble.

Is that it, doc?

That's it.

Anything else you wanted

to see me about, Devlin?

She be all right, doc?

Her shoulder may be

stiff for a coupla days.

My guess is that

she'll out live you.

How long will it take ya to finish up?

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