Dakota Page #6

But Bender is over in

Fargo on the prairie

gettin' them farmers

to sign contracts.

I thought maybe Mr. Devlin

would like to know about it.

Oh, I'm sure he would.

Run down to the kitchen.

Never mind, I'll go myself.

Look...

I don't know why, but

there's a man down there

who's been watching this window.

Keep an eye on him. He's

spyin' on someone, huh?

Well, we'll soon find

out about that.

Hey, go away!

Dagnabit, I gotta learn to keep my head

out'n them windows for I get all cut up.

For the record,

you were with Morgan's raiders...

First company...

Fast with a gun...

None faster...

A killer...

With both hands...

And you're an agent

for the railroad?

Uh, they know that.

Mm-hmm.

Well, that's for Collins.

Now what's for me?

Well, not much, honey.

Just married?

A coupla weeks.

Good, eh?

Swell.

Nice gal?

The best.

She'd have to be, of course,

or you'd have sent her

down for the eggs.

These hens seem to be a

little slow on delivery.

Think they're in the mood?

They've no excuse.

I just showed them

how it's done.

Well, I'd like to tell ya that I

think you're an all-right gal,

but you wouldn't want to

hear that, would you?

Mm-mm, nothing

secondhand.

And this may not be final...

Who can tell?

Anyway, I'll check with

ya from time to time.

Well, in the meantime,

don't pass up anything

that'll do just as

well, eh, Jersey?

See ya later.

Come to think of it,

you might as well wait.

I don't believe you'll

be going anyplace for...

A couple of hours.

Why not?

Why... I think...

Bender's men...

They've orders not to let

you out of the hotel.

Why?

What's up?

Why, I think...

Bender and Collins, they're

at Fargo on the prairie

signing a contract

with the wheat growers.

Don't be a fool. It's not only

them, they've got 20 men.

You haven't got a chance.

Yeah.

I know.

Have you seen

Mr. Devlin?

Please, have you

seen Mr. Devlin?

He's riding to Fargo

on the prairie...

On business, I think he said.

I just wanted to say, friends,

I'd like to thank Mr. Bender for

puttin' my name up for office

and all you boys for

gettin' in back of me.

But at the same time,

I want to warn ya,

friend and foe alike,

as long as I'm Marshall, there's

gonna be law and order in Fargo.

Looks like important things

happening in Fargo, Mrs. Stowe.

Yes, and all in one day too.

Oh, Mr. Devlin,

meet Mr. Plummer.

How do you do?

How are ya?

How is your very charming wife?

She's all right, thanks.

Is this a free expression

of the will of the people?

Eh, a little farmer who

didn't know very much,

opened his mouth

to say something

and found he was chewing

on Cobb's knuckles,

and the will of the people

curled up like a sick mackerel.

Then the deal's been made.

Yes, and if our

crops are harvested,

Mr. Bender takes

a profit.

If they're not

harvested, he takes us.

In other words, with

Collins as Marshall,

we'll be drawn and quartered.

Well, if you don't like it,

one other thing you can do...

Pack up and get out.

Or organize an opposing team.

Devlin, I believe I have

some money of yours.

Would you like it now?

No place to invest it

around Fargo, is there?

Might open up a popcorn stand,

the community's bound to grow

when the railroad comes through.

What railroad?

I see you made Collins Marshall.

Yeah, good man.

You ridin' my way?

Yeah.

Come on.

Now about that railroad, I...

On second thought, Bender,

maybe you better let me

have that money now.

It's safe at the hotel.

You found a use for it?

Yeah, I'm pullin' out tonight.

Chicago?

Nope, Grand Forks.

Dakota?

Yeah.

You're tryin' to run a

blazer on me, Devlin,

but you're bettin'

against a bad hand.

Think so?

Yep.

You see, I followed

the surveyors up here.

I happen to know the government's

granted the right of way

and plans have

already been drawn

for the railroad to

run through Fargo.

But they could change those

plans, run through grand forks.

Not after they've

spent all that money

runnin' a survey through here.

How much do you

think that'd cost?

Fifty thousand dollars. And

how much would it cost

to buy that contract you

made with the farmers?

One-half million dollars,

good American go...

Oh.

See, it'd still be cheaper

to run another survey

and bypass Fargo.

Yeah, I suppose

anything is possible.

Like consigning that contract

you have with the farmers

over to me...

For a consideration, of course?

Let's go in my office.

Why not?

There ya are...

Twenty thousand on account,

and eighty thousand

when the railroad comes through.

You're takin' me over, Devlin.

Maybe, but a sure

hundred thousand

is better than half a

million in the bush.

Well, there it is, consigned

to you personally, right?

Naturally.

Here she comes...

The boat's comin'!

Here she comes!

There's Nicodemus...

The horses must be ready.

But I still can't understand

why we're leaving.

You've got the contracts.

We're leaving

because we gotta stay away from

Bender until the wheat's harvested.

If he can't get his

hands on that contract,

he won't burn the wheat--

It won't do him any good.

What if someone sees us

taking our bags out?

They won't. After Bounce

arranges to have us picked up,

he's comin' back for 'em.

Then they'll see him.

Let's not make the worst of

it until we get it, Sandy.

We'll go down and see

the riverboat come in.

Do you think we should?

Why not?

They're watching us...

Let's let 'em see us.

Then they won't think

we're up to any tricks.

If you weren't trying to

be so fine and noble,

we wouldn't be in

this awful mess.

Sure... you can remember

me as a man who...

Gave his all for his fellow man.

I remember you as

a big so-and-so,

who I'll never be able

to live without.

Wait a minute...

Tears and everything.

What is this, good-bye?

I don't know, but... I just don't

want anything to happen to us.

Like things the

way they are, eh?

Where would I ever find another

handsome, easy-going...

No-good man like me?

Yes.

In any first-class jail

west of the Mississippi.

How'd you do with

them pesky sand bars?

Get yourself hung up

on ol' camelback?!

Sure, I did, and I got myself

off of'n 'em, too, by jucifer!

Get aboard, 'n come up here!

We had an escort from the hotel.

Yeah, Slagin and Cobb.

Looks like Bender's traveling.

He's probably leaving

on the boat, too.

That's right, check up on us.

Let's find out.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Devlin... Mrs. Devlin, how's

the shoulder this evening?

Better, thanks.

That's fine.

Not going away, are you?

Yes, I am, for a few days.

Grand Forks?

No, Chicago.

I made a little deal. I'm

going to check up on it.

John, look!

It's Mr. Geary.

Geary? Father must have sent

him here to buy the land

for the railroad.

Sandra.

I did it again.

Because you love me?

Your father told me that you skipped

off with a rascal named Devlin.

I didn't believe

it, of course...

I mean, about his

being a rascal.

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