El Dorado Page #3

Real easy.

Like he said, real easy.

And take him out of here.

I'd like to talk to you.

I'm Nelse McLeod.

I thought so. Pretty far

off your range, aren't you?

A little. Drink?

- Why not?

- You, too.

Glasses.

- You working now, Thornton?

- No.

- Is it all right if music play now?

- Yeah, sure.

You're not working. What would

you say if I tried to hire you?

- First I'd ask about the money.

- Money's good.

Then I'd ask about the job.

Good evening.

Thanks for the drink, gentlemen.

- Just a minute, son.

- I am not your son.

My name is Alan Bourdillion Traherne.

- Lord Almighty.

- Yeah.

That's why most people call me

Mississippi.

- Mississippi?

- I was born on the river in a boat.

You're pretty good with that knife.

Can you use a gun?

If I could, I'd be using one.

Good evening.

Just a minute, Mississippi.

Why do you have

such a great passion for my company?

Will you just relax

for a couple of minutes?

About that job.

A little range war

in the El Dorado country.

El Dorado?

Mind telling me who hired you?

Fellow named Bart Jason.

Do you know him?

We met. He offered me the job

a few months back. I didn't take it.

Do you know who you're up against?

Yeah. The sheriff, J P Harrah.

I understand he used to be

pretty good with a gun.

Not just pretty good, McLeod.

He's the...

- The fourth man you told me about.

- Right.

He used to be. He's not any more.

- What happened?

- What usually happens to a man.

A woman.

Seems he tangled with some wandering

petticoat, been drunk ever since.

You're moving in before he sobers up,

or before they get a new sheriff?

- And you're not coming in?

- No.

I suppose you have your reasons.

It's probably just as well.

With two like us in the same bunch,

sooner or later

we'd have to find out who was faster.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

So long, Thornton.

I thought we were going.

Mississippi, just listen.

McLeod, would you like to walk out

that door first, ahead of us.

No, I don't believe I would.

I didn't think so.

Can you hear me?

- We hear you.

- I'm coming out.

Where are you?

- Over here.

- Come on out.

Further into the light, hurry.

Now drop your guns.

Come here.

Inside.

- That all right, Thornton?

- Good enough.

Mississippi, get their guns.

If it's all right with you, we'll

drop 'em at the sheriff's office

and they can pick 'em up

on their way out of town.

- Sounds reasonable.

- Much obliged.

Call it professional courtesy.

Want to get something to eat?

I would've walked right into

those two, if you hadn't stopped me.

- I asked if you were hungry.

- I'm trying to thank you.

I'm hungry. That shivaree you put

on in there interrupted my supper.

It wore out our welcome.

We'll have to find

someplace else to eat.

- Now?

- Now.

She wants to know

if you want something else.

Just coffee.

- Not very hungry?

- No, not so much.

- A little green around the gills.

- Yeah.

I just finished something tonight

I've been two years doing.

What are you figuring on doing next?

Going back to the river?

I haven't thought much

about what I'm going to do next.

The river won't be the same

without old...

If you're going to stay around here,

I've got two pieces of advice.

Get rid of that hat.

Learn how to use a gun.

- I don't want to get rid of the hat.

- No?

No.

Johnny Diamond, he's the friend I...

the man that raised me.

All he left behind was

a gold watch and this hat.

I had to sell that gold watch

a year or so back.

So I guess

I'll just hang on to that hat.

What about learning to use a gun?

Johnny didn't believe in guns.

He always thought that...

He's dead. Think about that.

Unless you can

learn to stay out of trouble.

That's one thing even old Johnny

couldn't teach me to do.

Well, I'll be moving along.

Good luck to you.

You don't suppose

I could ride along with you?

- No.

- That's plain enough.

- I hope everything works out.

- What works out?

Whatever it is you're going to do.

Pay for the meal, will you?

So long.

Hold it, Cochise.

Steady boy. I'll take a minute.

Where are you?

Close enough to blow your hat off

if I hadn't recognised it.

- What are you doing here?

- Looking for you.

Don't you know better

than to follow a man that way?

- I don't know another way.

- You almost got shot.

- You fall off your horse?

- Yeah.

- You hurt?

- No.

Something's the matter.

I've got a bullet in my back, it

sometimes presses against something.

I get a screaming pain, then it goes

numb, and I can't use this hand.

- How long does that last?

- A while. Why are you following me?

I started thinking about

what you're going to do.

And what am I going to do?

You're going to El Dorado to help

your friend against McLeod.

How do you know he's my friend?

That look on your face when you heard

he'd turned into a drunk.

It's wearing off.

Give me a hand up on my horse.

You sure your friend's worth helping?

You spent two years chasing

the fellows that killed your friend.

You think your friend

was worth two years?

- I guess I asked a fool question.

- You did.

Give him a breather. Slow him down.

I was wondering.

Just how good is this McLeod?

I don't know first hand,

but they say he's one of the best.

I figure he'd be mad you turned him

down and showed up on the other side.

- I hope he is.

- How come?

Fellow in his business

hasn't got a right to get mad.

He gets mad, he's not so good.

So the madder he gets,

the better I like it.

Sure wish I was there to see that.

Why do you want to keep

sticking your nose in this?

Maybe I could help.

You saved my life two times.

But I'm going to be too busy

to keep doing that.

- You can't even use a gun.

- I need somebody to teach me.

Johnny Diamond always told me

to get the best.

He was right there.

But you're not going to El Dorado.

- I'm not?

- No, you're not.

"Gaily bedight, A gallant knight,

"In sunshine and in shadow,

Had journeyed long..."

- What's that all about?

- Just a poem.

One of Johnny Diamond's favourites.

Let's see:
"Gaily bedight,

A gallant knight,

"In sunshine and in shadow,

Had journeyed long, singing a song,

"In search of El Dorado.

"Over the mountains of the moon,

Down the valley of the shadow,

"Ride, boldly ride..."

Always liked that poem, too.

Makes me want to...

Ride, boldly ride?

It don't work out that way.

I'm learning that.

Hell. Hold it, Cochise.

- Step down off that horse.

- You always giving people orders?

You wanted to learn to shoot.

Right out there.

Hold it, Mississippi.

That's no way to use a handgun.

You have to draw and fire,

quicker than the other person.

Like this.

I see.

- How's that?

- Were you aiming at that cholla?

- No, the place you were shooting at.

- 'Fraid it's useless.

We'll be passing through Cuervo.

I'll have a talk with the Swede.

Who's the Swede?

An old friend of mine, a gunsmith.

There's the place.

- Swede, good to see you.

- What brings you here?

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