Desert Fury Page #3

Do you think you should?

Sure. Fast.

Me too.

A nice view from here.

Yeah, you can see Chuckawalla.

If you want to.

If you want to.

Still mad?

The ride worked it off a little.

Me too.

Fritzi?

We had another fight last

night and she slapped me.

What did you do? Slap her back?

Oh shut up.

I'm shut up.

She really loves me, Tom. She...

Just doesn't understand me.

Me too.

"Me too", what?

Love you.

I know that.

I don't know what I want.

At least, not yet.

I think I know.

You're looking for what I used

to get when I rode in the rodeo.

You keep on having people say...

That's a mighty special person.

I'd like to get that kick again.

Maybe I can get it with

just one person saying it.

A nice view from here.

You can see Chuckawalla.

Yeah. And the snow on the mountain.

And smoke out of the chimney.

That's the Bar-Triangle ranch.

I'd like to buy that place someday.

How far is it from here?

Oh, about eight, ten miles.

Just past Halverston.

Halverstons.

That's where Eddie Bendix is staying.

Yeah.

I saw him again last night.

He came to the Purple Sage.

He's a strange man.

You're building it up.

Did you know his wife?

I only saw her after she was dead. I got

there ten minutes after it happened.

She went right through the

guard-rail. A gory mess.

She...

She what...?

She was a beautiful woman.

I imagined she was.

Such a horrible accident.

Yeah, accident... that's what

it says in the records.

I never could quite figure out why

Bendix was driving another car.

You don't like him.

I think he's no good... for you.

Now you're building it up.

Maybe.

Let's go back.

Sure.

Rosa.

Rosa.

Is she home yet?

No, ma'am.

Take that thing out of here.

I'll have one of the boys send

your car over from the ranch.

So long, Paula.

So long, Tom.

Alright, Fritzi. You win.

I was wrong. I shouldn't

have said what I did.

I don't know why it went that way.

I never slapped you even

when you were a little kid.

Maybe you should have.

Maybe.

I don't know Paula. I can't

seem to get through to you.

I think it's the other way round.

Maybe.

I don't suppose it's any use in talking

to you about going back to school?

No use.

Alright, we won't talk about it.

Who'd you go riding with today?

Tom.

Tom's a nice guy.

I think so.

Do you like him?

I like him.

I have to go to Los Angeles on business.

It might be an idea if you went along.

Bought yourself some new clothes.

I don't need any.

A girl always needs new clothes.

Go ahead. I can afford it.

You can afford anything,

can't you, Fritzi.

Almost anything.

We'll leave in the morning.

What do you say, baby? We'll have fun.

If you promise to tell

the boys I'm your sister.

Too much competition that way.

Your older sister.

Alright, it's a deal.

Run upstairs now and get dressed.

We'll have dinner together.

Get that horsey smell off you.

Use my perfume, and plenty of it.

I can't keep you in a school

or out of the stables.

I like stables.

Hello, Pat... Fritzi.

Tell Tom Hanson to come to the Purple

Sage tonight. I want to talk to him.

Right.

[ Door knocks ]

Yes?

Hello Fritzi.

Hello, Tom. Sit down.

Pat said you wanted to see me.

Would you like a drink?

No, thanks.

Stop acting as though you

were going to be ruined.

Now, if I were ten years younger...

And since I'm not,

you can call me mother.

Okay, ma'am.

Tom Hanson.

You are 28 and you

come from Waco, Texas.

You were a ranch hand.

Then four years of barnstorming

around the country in rodeos.

The doctors say if you ride

again you will be killed.

If it wasn't for Pat giving you this job

as deputy, you'd be on your ear.

If you had the money you'd buy a ranch,

but you're broke. Is that right?

I was vaccinated when I was nine.

They left that out of the report.

I've had a detective agency

on you. Do you mind?

They tell you what happened

the night I got drunk in Cheyenne?

No. They didn't say anything about that.

I hope the report cost you plenty.

It did.

Anything you really want, does.

Meaning what?

I found out you are honest

and you've got guts. I like that.

You're smart and you know the ropes.

When you say you want to settle

here on a ranch, I believe you.

But I'd pay cash to be sure.

So far, it sounds like a bad investment.

That's why I called you up tonight.

To find out.

I suppose you're wondering

why I keep sending Paula away.

I never thought about it.

She's nineteen. A woman.

She hasn't any friends in this town

except my... business associates.

It's not her fault. I guess it's mine.

Anyway, I've got a problem on my hands.

I wondered if you'd noticed.

How would you like to marry Paula?

Now we're getting somewhere.

Is that why you put the

Pinkertons on me?

And I'll protect an investment

with more capital.

Tom, if you marry Paula,

you'll get your ranch.

A bigger one.

Better stocked than any you could buy

if you worked until you were ninety.

And how about Paula?

Oh... she likes cattle, horses.

She likes the desert country.

That's one reason I picked you.

What about the other reasons?

Alright.

We've been here ten years.

The town has never accepted us.

Not that I care. I would never

mix with them anyway.

They have accepted you.

You're one of them.

And if she marries you,

eventually they'll accept Paula.

She'll get her friends.

I see.

Any more?

One thing more.

I've seen you with her.

You are in love with her already.

That about wraps it up... doesn't it.

For me it does.

Where is Paula now?

Home. Why?

I'd like to talk to her.

Okay..

You can drop me off while you're at it.

Paula. Are you awake?

Yes.

Come on down. Tom's with me.

He wants to talk to you.

I'll be right down.

I think I'll go on up to bed. I'm tired.

I want you to stay.

Me... why?

What is it?

Fritzi and I are cooking up

a deal. It concerns you.

Tom.

Paula, how would you like to marry me?

Fritzi just offered me a ranch.

A big one if I'd marry you.

I'd like to know what my chances are.

Paula, I...

What do you say?

Thanks a lot, Tom.

But I don't think I'll be around here

long enough to take you up on that.

Some other time, maybe.

Paula.

Now what made you

do a fool thing like that?

If I want a ranch, I'll get one.

If I want to marry Paula,

it's my business.

You deliberately set her against me.

You're always pushing her around.

One day, you're going to

push her out of your life.

When it comes, it won't be pretty.

She needs me.

I couldn't push her off if I wanted to.

That's why she came home.

She'll never leave me.

Cut that light!

What are you doing out

here alone at night?

What are you doing?

Go on, beat it.

You heard me tell you to beat it.

Yes.

What do you want from me?

Nothing.

It's nice to meet somebody

that doesn't want anything.

This is where it happened, isn't it?

Where what happened?

The accident.

I know all about it.

Who told you?

Tom... I asked him.

Why?

I just wanted to know.

Why didn't you beat it

when I told you to?

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