Fort Worth

1

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[]

Get dirt in that new press,

and I'll whale the black

juice out of you.

I'll put the cover

right back on it, Mr. Garvin.

Just as soon as I finish

this special edition.

Well, see that you do.

Better proofread his copy.

We got lady readers.

[LAUGHS]

Looks like we got company.

Whoever would that be?

Somebody with

a taste for solitude.

Texas Trail makes lonely riding

for a man alone.

[]

Great godfrey, a woman.

You never see one before?

Sure, but not out here

in the middle of nowhere.

What can I do for you, ma'am?

I heard there were

wagons southbound.

Been ridin' to catch up.

Any objections

if I join your train?

No, help yourself.

Afternoon.

Where are you headin'?

Texas.

It's a big state.

San Antonio.

Where are you going?

I'm for Fort Worth.

We can travel together

for a piece.

Good idea.

Pretty dangerous

for a woman alone.

My idea exactly.

A woman needs a man

to look after her.

Don't you worry, lady.

You'll be safe

with me and Mr. Britt.

Britt?

Hey, Mr. Britt!

Let's go!

All right, Toby,

alley-oop.

Aah.

Attaboy.

Toby's ma died in Dakota.

His pa was killed by Injuns

before Toby was born.

It won't do him no harm

knowing a man like Ned Britt.

No harm at all, ma'am.

They have a good deal in common.

You know Mr. Britt?

He rode into Texas

20 years ago, alone.

His only friend was a gun.

But it fed him and kept him

alive in many other ways.

Ned Britt?

Why, he claims firearms

is just for heathens

that can't read.

He's joshing you, ma'am.

I saw him when

he rode out of Texas...

a one-man arsenal,

off to join

the Southern cavalry.

[]

TOBY:

Yippee!

Lookie,

Mr. Britt.

[MEN

YELLING]

And what's that?

Cattle on the drive

for Dodge City.

[CATTLE LOWING]

You'll wanna remember

your first cattle drive, son.

Be something for you

to tell your children.

Bellies full of

good Texas grass,

they're heading north

to the railroads.

By the time you're grown,

iron rails will be

crisscrossing these prairies,

and the cattle

will be riding to market

instead of having all

the good meat run off of 'em.

Be more efficient, but

nowhere near as pretty.

[]

[CATTLE LOWING]

We're gettin' close

to Buffalo Wells.

The cattle smell it.

Well, let 'em drink.

We'll bed down here.

Hey, Gabe.

Yeah?

Trouble's brewin'.

Know who's on his way to Texas?

I don't know and I don't care.

You will.

He's camped yonder.

Ned Britt.

Ned Britt?

Ain't he satisfied he made

Abilene and Dodge City

unfit for human habitation?

What's he goin' to Texas for?

I'm just

a north-riding stranger.

Who is this Britt?

He sets up a newspaper in Texas.

You'll read about all

the brand blocki" you've pulled.

[LAUGHS]

Just a type slinger.

Him and Ben Garvin own

a couple of papers in Kansas.

I hear they figure to get

a whole string of 'em

clean across the Southwest.

They make too free namin' names.

Names like...

Gabe Clevenger?

I won't have him in Texas.

Now, who's gonna stop him?

[LAUGHS]

Don't tell me

you jaspers are scared

of some quill pusher.

No, not scared.

Just gettin' along

kind of comfortable.

Why, you big brave bunnies.

I'll show you how to han...

Shut up, you big wind,

and put that gun away.

Now don't tell me

that you're scared

of your own shadow.

Afeard to throw lead

at some ink dauber.

He throws lead, jughead, type.

And it's got

aplenty scatter to it.

You drill one of them

newspaper fellows,

and what have you got?

A dozen more ready to step in

and blast the print at you.

Ha, ha.

That don't scare me.

[]

GABE:

You and that hot trigger of yours.

We got a jumpy herd

on our hands here,

and I ain't a-payin' you

to stampede 'em with gunfire.

Did I hear you send

for me, Gabe?

I didn't send for...

Yeah.

[CHILDREN SHOUTING]

[]

Whoa.

There you are, boy.

Stay and eat,

Mr. Britt.

Thank you, ma'am, but, uh...

I'd be pleased to.

TOBY:
Lady,

I want you to meet my friend, Mr. Britt.

Howdy, ma'am.

Hiya, High Pockets.

Stop skittering.

I've called you that

often enough,

though I had more

freckles when you...

Flora?

Flora Talbot.

About time you came home, Ned.

Were you the one riding south?

Heading back from Dodge City.

Alone?

Have you forgotten when you

used to ride herd for Dad?

Cowhands still like

to go on a weeks' toot

when they hit Abilene or Dodge.

[LAUGHS] I left 'em there.

Must be some pretty strong

attraction back in Fort Worth.

There is.

He's a lucky man.

You be sure to tell him so.

He'll be awful glad

to see you, Ned.

Blair.

Of course.

Might have known.

I hear he pretty near

is Fort Worth now.

I've been hearing some

pretty bad stories about you.

It figures.

Ned Britt,

a respectable newspaperman.

Blair will die laughing.

Your father wouldn't.

No, he'd have been

proud of you, Ned.

Just as I am.

He did better raising you

than he did me.

He'd have been

pretty proud of you too,

if he could see you.

[PLAYING FOLK MUSIC]

It's a still

night. Hot.

Cattle will get restless.

Don't you worry.

That Caster will

get the job done

quiet as a breeze.

Quiet, everybody.

Quiet.

Special edition.

"On Monday, April the 1st,

"the wagon train was attacked

by hordes of Indians.

"Only the trusty gun of

Toby Nickerson

"saved the immigrants

from destruction.

"Scores of redskins

bit the dust.

"And when the smoke cleared,

"young Nickerson was seen

to be in complete command

of the situation."

Bang. Bang.

[GROUP LAUGHS]

You wrote that.

A boy ought to have something

to show his grandchildren.

"Miss Flora Talbot,

"now returning home

after driving her own herd

"to market in Dodge City,

"joined the wagon train today.

"To all our young buckoes,

let it be known

"she will shortly wed

"Mr. Blair Lunsford

of Fort Worth.

He is the crack shot

of Tarrant County."

[GROUP LAUGHS]

Blair would be

dancing in the streets

if he knew he was gonna see you.

Hm. It's been

a lot of years.

Be worth turning off the trail

for a sight of him.

Why don't you?

Why don't you start

your paper in Fort Worth?

It's your home.

So was Abilene and Dodge City.

So will San Antonio be.

Newspaper's gotta start

where there's readers.

You know what I mean.

Why haven't you ever come home?

I...kind of forgot that.

Was it because of Amy Brooks?

Maybe in the beginning.

Whatever happened to her?

MAN:

Where are you, Britt?!

That's that rider's guide.

How'd he get in there?

That you?

I don't wanna make

any mistake about it.

I heard Clevenger's

camped next door.

I suppose you're

one of his hands.

My name's Jack Harvey.

Happy Jack Harvey.

Now put that name

in your public prints.

Happy Jack don't do

no pot shootin'.

I'm giving you notice

to get yourself a gun.

Boy, you're right

out of a dime novel.

So go back and tell Clevenger

you scared me.

Go join a Wild West show,

anything.

But stop bothering

these people here.

You don't care they see you

afraid to fight?

Not a whoop.

Let it go at that.

Yellow-belly!

[LAUGHS]

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