Dodge City Page #8

to be the most important article...

that's ever appeared

in the Dodge City Star.

There it is. We'll have

it out by noon tomorrow.

How did you find out all these

other things about Surrett?

Abbie, a good newspaperman has two jobs.

One is to write the news

as it happens, day by day.

The other is to be ready

for it, and write it first...

all but the end.

This is Jeff Surrett's morgue.

I must be an optimist at heart.

I've been getting it

ready for a long time.

You two, haven't you got any

homes to go to? It's past midnight.

You'd better be running along,

Abbie. The Doc will skin me alive.

We've got Surrett by

the scruff of the neck.

You have? Why not let it go tonight

and resume your grip in the morning?

You two realize what kind of a

target you'd make from out there?

I'm gonna take you home before your

uncle gets after Joe with a shotgun.

Here's your cloak. I'll come back

and stay till you finish, Joe.

The story's all written. You

don't have to worry about me.

I'm just gonna mark it for the

printer, then call it a day. Italics.

Don't hang around, or Surrett

might come in and mark it for you.

They wouldn't try anything

at this stage of the game.

You think not? I hope you're right.

Good night, Abbie.

See you in the morning.

- Good night, Joe.

- Good night, Wade.

Lock this door after us when we go out.

Mr. Hatton, I am accustomed

to being up after dark.

- Lock it.

- All right.

- Good night.

- Good night.

"The laws of Dodge City

must be respected...

"not only by one group of citizens...

"but by all groups. "

Paragraph. I like that.

What was that?

Whoever killed Joe Clemens

ought to be strung up.

And, by golly, I'll furnish the rope.

If he's got enough neck

left to put a rope on.

They sneaked up on him.

Never even gave him a chance.

The bullet went through his heart.

I can only blame myself for this.

But it's one thing they

won't get away with.

Little fella sure was

aces. It's too bad.

I can't understand it.

Everybody knows that Joe didn't have

any enemies except Surrett and his gang.

Who else could have done it?

Isn't it sufficient proof that Joe's story

is gone and the whole file on Surrett?

This door was locked. I know

that because I tried it myself.

It's an old lock. Any key will fit it.

- There's nothing here. You're sure?

- He always left his copy here on top...

so we could set it up

first thing in the morning.

I'm sorry, Sheriff, that's printer's ink.

You can't wash it. It has to wear off.

Did you ever read the contents

of Joe's files on Surrett?

I certainly did, and there

was enough in it to hang him.

Keep that to yourself. I

think you ought to go now.

You're looking tired. Good night.

See the doctor and Miss

Irving home, will you?

Right.

- What's the next move, Wade?

- I suppose we're going to...

Are you sure he isn't

in his office upstairs?

I tell you, Surrett left town

on the 4:
30 train this afternoon.

If you don't believe us,

go ask the station agent.

Jeff was halfway to Wichita

when the shooting occurred.

You're barking up the

wrong tree, mister.

Thanks.

Your bet.

- Your bet.

- $3.

I call.

Who's winning all the money?

Been playing long?

Ask the bartender. He's got a watch.

What do you know about

Joe Clemens, Yancey?

No more than you, except that he's dead.

How did you know he was dead?

I heard some of the boys talking.

People keep dropping in and

out of here all the time.

Bet you $5.

I call.

Three fives.

- You're under arrest, Yancey.

- For what?

For the murder of Joe Clemens.

Keep my stack, Bud. I'll

be back in half an hour.

I wouldn't count on that if I

were you. Take him along, Rusty.

What's the matter,

Taylor? Are you nervous?

Go ahead. Deal them.

Yancey seemed a little

vague about this game.

Suppose you tell me what happened.

How should I know?

- Why don't you ask one of them?

- I'm asking you.

Did Yancey ever leave this

table after the game started?

No. He never left the room.

I told you a hundred times,

he never went out of the place.

Come on, you're wasting valuable time.

- Answer my question.

- No, he never left the table.

Stop lying. You're bad at it.

Yancey left that room between

midnight and 1:
00, didn't he?

- No.

- What time was it, then?

He didn't leave.

Let me work on him,

Wade. I can make him talk.

If you can't, I can.

Let him alone. Listen, if

you're too stupid to realize...

you're facing a charge of murder,

you deserve what's coming to you.

What do you mean?

I'm gonna have you indicted for

murder as an accessory after the fact.

I had nothing to do with it.

You're gonna be dancing in

thin air the same as Yancey.

Do you wanna swing, or you

wanna tell me and save your neck?

All right. I'll tell you.

Come on.

He went out about 12:30. Came

back in about half an hour.

That's better.

I'll do you a favor, Taylor.

Lock him up.

- Good morning, Mrs. Irving.

- Good morning.

Morning. Did you get

anything out of Taylor?

I did. Where's the doctor?

- In there. What's wrong?

- What'd he say?

Morning, Mr. Hatton. Won't you join us?

No, thanks. I came to tell you...

it's imperative you get Miss Abbie

out of town as soon as possible.

Why, for heaven's sake?

Because only two people beside

myself heard Surrett tell that lie...

that he saw Matt Cole lose

his money playing roulette.

One of those people was Joe Clemens.

That's why Surrett killed him.

You're the only other person

who can bear me out in court.

Without you, he can deny it

and the jury might believe him.

That's all the more

reason why I should stay.

I started this, and I'm

going to see it through.

Will you not be a little idiot?

You're life isn't worth a nickel as

long as Surrett stays out of jail.

You're the key to our

case and he knows it.

We can't go to trial for two weeks.

Your life's gonna be in danger till then.

Even in this house, on

the street, everywhere.

I know Surrett and I know what he'd do.

You know I'm right, Doctor. I

want you to get her out of town.

And stay out till I send for you.

- You're right.

- I see what you mean.

Abbie must take the

next train for Wichita.

She can stay with the Merrills.

I'll pack a valise at once.

Come and help me get

it down off the shelf.

I'd never forgive myself

if anything happened to her.

- I won't go. You can't boss me around.

- Can I not, now?

I'm the law in this town

and you'll do as I say.

I don't care what you

are, I'm staying here.

Aunt Ellen, don't pack...

You are the most stubborn

female I ever met in my life.

Can't you understand I'm

doing this because I love you?

All right, you two. Stop arguing.

Don't worry, Mrs. Irving. We've stopped.

What he needs is a rope.

He don't deserve a trial.

Hand him over to us.

We'll give him a trial.

This is more like it.

The last time I saw a mob

like that was in Texas...

when they gave Curley

Hawks a necktie party.

Mr. Grant, I want to talk to you.

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