Duel in the Sun Page #9

I was about to say

that nothing on earth...

would bring me back here

except mother.

Is she in her room?

- No, she ain't in her room.

- Where is she?

You'll find her right in there,

in a long pine box.

Hello, Vashti.

- Mr. Jesse...

- No, thank you.

But Mrs. McCanles,

she said to me once...

"Vashti, you be sure and see

that Mr. Jesse eats proper..."

You've been a good friend.

I shan't forget it.

Poor Mrs. McCanles.

I wonder if Miss Pearl

would mind if you woke her up.

I have to go away soon.

I would like to see her.

What's the matter?

Didn't you hear me?

Yes, I heared you.

Only I'm certain sure

the devil hisself...

has been chasing Miss Pearl.

What on earth

are you talking about?

Mrs. McCanles, she treated

Miss Pearl awful good.

She treated everybody

awful good, even me.

And after she went to heaven...

Miss Pearl looks like she's had

a spell or something.

She wouldn't eat nothing.

She wouldn't talk to nobody.

She just stared and stared...

at Mrs. McCanles lying there

so still-like.

She ran to the barn...

and wouldn't come out

for nobody.

Poor Pearl.

She's sad.

I listened at the barn door...

and I heared her weeping

something awful.

I want you to do

something for me.

Yes?

Go and fix Miss Pearl

a hot breakfast.

Yes!

And I want you to pack

Miss Pearl's things.

Yes, ma'am! Yes, sir!

Go away.

Vashti said you wouldn't

come into the house...

and I couldn't believe her.

Leave me alone.

Have you gone out of your mind?

What are you doing out here

in the stable?

I bet your pa would think

it was too good for me.

Never mind what he thinks.

I'm not going to allow you...

Don't you worry none about me.

I'm going away from here.

- Really? Where are you going?

- It ain't your business.

Me and Dice

will get along all right.

Of course, there's Lewt.

He'll be paying a visit here...

sooner or later,

if I know Lewt.

That's right, I'm Lewt's girl.

You can't forget that, can you?

What makes you think that?

That's what you said that night.

You said you'd never forget it.

I did say that, didn't I?

It worried me sometimes

to think I'd made so much of it.

I hope it didn't make

any difference.

It didn't make no difference.

You're right. I'm Lewt's girl.

It's all I ever was.

It's all I ever could be.

You love him, don't you?

Love him? I hate him.

I wish they'd hang him.

I wish they'd hang him fast.

Yes. After all you've

been through, I suppose...

It ain't just his fault.

If he sent for me tonight,

I guess I'd go to him.

Lewt's not sending for you

tonight or any other night.

Listen, I have to be

in Paradise Flats...

a few days on business.

Do you want to wait here

until I go to Austin...

or would you like to

come with me right now?

Me? You're just

being sorry for me.

You don't have to be

sorry for me none!

Listen to me.

I won't have you thinking that.

It's you who are feeling

sorry for yourself.

I told Helen long ago

I wanted to get you out of here.

You told her?

Yes. She wants to be

your friend.

After your ma died...

I just didn't want to

go on living no more.

I know what you mean.

You'll like Helen,

and she'll like you, too.

You just wait and see.

She's a lady, ain't she?

Like your ma.

She's a lady,

like you're going to be.

No, I can't be no more.

Of course you can.

We'll just pretend...

the whole thing

was just a bad dream.

That's all it was actually,

a nightmare.

If only I could be good again!

Look at me.

Remember when you

wanted to learn...

when you wanted me to help you?

I know just the school for you.

School?

What's the matter?

Don't you still want to learn?

I'll do anything.

I'll cook for you.

I'll wash Miss Helen's clothes.

You'll do nothing of the sort.

You'll learn to waltz

and make small talk...

and have pretty dresses.

Here.

For me?

From mother to you.

Jesse, I...

I wish...

I wish I could die for you.

Let's hope you never

have to do that.

Is that you, Judas?

I got a message

from your brother...

the McCanles with the guts.

What's the matter

with the bad man?

Can't he deliver

his messages in person?

He has some business

tonight... with a train.

He just plumb don't like trains.

So I've heard.

Have you become his assistant?

We keep in touch

with each other.

You should have seen his face...

when I told him

you have Chavez with you.

I bet it was

a lovely sight to behold.

What's the message?

He says I'm to bring her

back with me... pronto.

Suppose she doesn't feel up

to making the trip?

He says if she don't

come back...

he's coming here

tomorrow morning...

bright and early and get her.

You seem to be

a capable messenger.

Would you mind

carrying back a reply?

Not at all. Glad to oblige.

You can tell my beloved brother

that I'll wait for him here.

I should have the sheriff

waiting for him...

but I prefer to meet him alone.

- Is that a promise?

- You're not talking to Lewt.

That's near enough.

I'm giving you one more chance.

Send Pearl out here...

or I'll plug you

from here to breakfast.

Just what do you think

Pearl's doing here with me?

Don't give me any...

of your high and mighty

noble talk, big words.

You think I wouldn't shoot you

because you ain't got a gun?

I wouldn't credit you

with any such compunctions.

I'm riding back

to that hitching post...

and then turning

and starting to shoot.

It's more than you did

for Sam Pierce.

Why all the consideration?

Just don't want them

fancy friends of yours...

to say you had a brother

who shot you down in cold blood.

You're going to hang.

You're going to hang

by the neck until you're dead!

You'll just go on

killing and killing...

till they kill you.

I hope Pearl gives you

a pretty funeral.

- Who's that?

- Just me... Lem Smoot.

Come here to gloat over me, huh?

You can turn right around

and get out of here.

I came because I thought maybe

you'd be needing a friend.

There's a funny glow in the sky

tonight, ain't there?

I remember once hearing

one of them Indian legends...

about how their ancestors

lit bonfires in the sky...

when a chief's son was a-dyin'.

He's dying?

It don't surprise me none.

Lewt always was a good shot.

It looks like

them ancestors of yours...

have to put out those bonfires.

What do you mean?

I guess Jesse's a little tougher

than you thought.

Thank God.

I thought I knew you

better than that.

I know how fond you were

of those boys...

and how proud

of them you were.

It don't seem possible...

but I must have been wrong

about a whole lot of things.

Laura Belle warned me

I was spoiling Lewt...

but I wouldn't listen to her.

Look. You see

them plains and hills?

I was so almighty proud...

of what I carved

out of this country.

I figured

I was building something...

for Lewt and Jesse.

And what have I got now?

Lewt a murderer, an outlaw.

Jesse...

Jesse would come back

any time you want him to.

You think so?

He told me to tell you so.

I'm just a lonely old man

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