Fort Worth Page #5

[SLAMS DRAWER]

So be careful

where your scent leads.

Ben made me enough

of a newspaperman to follow it.

But you don't

have to follow, Ned.

You can ride right alongside.

This town's going places,

and we're going with it.

We can pull double...

That's out for me!

Not in your dirty harness.

All right then.

That's the way

you feel about it.

But we're not the worst team

in the world.

[]

Where are you going?

Clevenger's got

a droving contract.

He's down at the stockyards now.

Panthers are gonna arrest him,

and I've got to cover the story.

Stay where you are.

You don't cover that story

with a pencil.

[]

GABE:

We get these few head

over the mountains there,

we'll be on our way.

SHERIFF:

Gabe!

Climb down off of

that horse real easy.

[LAUGHS]

You ain't gonna tell me

I'm under arrest again,

are you, sheriff?

And this time it sticks.

[LAUGHS]

That's why I voted

for you, sheriff.

So as you'd be a big help

to these here ferocious...

What is it they started

calling theirselves?

The Panther Club.

[LAUGHS]

The "Panthiers."

Well, uh, healthy-looking

cat's all right.

Their noses is cold,

and so's their feet.

You think I won't

blow your head off,

try finding it in the morning.

Haul him out of that saddle.

Mort Springer too.

The rest of you

we're giving time

to get across the county line.

I'll shoot the first man

who tries to come back.

Don't move, gents.

Stand where you are.

Drop that rifle, Walter.

I've got a bead on your back.

And you, Lunsford,

got a lead pill

all labeled for you.

Not yet, Shorty.

Ned Britt.

Yeah. Looks like

this is our lucky day.

Now, keep your sights cool

till he's ripe.

GABE:

Pick it up, sheriff,

and make out like

you got us covered.

And the rest of you

keep your mouths shut

and your hands still,

unless'n you want Shorty

to plug you in the back.

Now, let's us get our hands up.

[CHUCKLES]

GABE:

I only asked the chance

to raise my bail, sheriff.

And I'm partial

to a quick hearing.

A word from you with the judge

will help matters a lot.

Sheriff, I owe you an apology.

Who's got the drop?

I have.

It ain't my fault, Britt.

Gabe made me hold

this empty gun.

[ALL LAUGH]

Two in the bag, Gabe.

And I hear you ain't

particular anymore

about offending the press.

All right. Why don't you

reach for your gun.

That what he's trying to do:

Make you use 'em.

He'll claim it was fair draw.

Guess we couldn't be that lucky.

Cock-a-doodles like you

hang on to your lives

till the last breath

is squeezed out.

Get your rope, Mort.

All right.

Toss your guns in.

Reminds me of that day

at Saw Hill.

Same bad fix.

[GUN DROPS]

[GUNS DROP]

Couldn't do anything

about it then.

Can't now.

GABE:

Get rid of them guns.

[GUNSHOTS]

[GUNSHOTS]

Don't hurry!

You might catch 'em!

MAN:
Come on,

after 'em!

[]

Hah. Hyah!

You double-crossed

yourself that time

for fair, didn't you?

Riding double-harness

whether you like it or not.

Don't count on that.

I said I'd delouse this burg,

and I haven't changed my mind.

Ain't nobody yet proved

Ben was wrong about you.

Well, you prove it.

I'm going to Dallas tomorrow.

You come with me.

Watch me sell

those railroad moguls

on drivin' the line through.

Learn how a man can play

his honest opportunities...

without a cent in his kit.

The way you played Amy?

[]

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

I've got buckboards

waiting to take us

from the end of the line

into Fort Worth.

Show you how easy it'd be

to grade that right away,

Mr. Engineer.

Our agreement was

that you'd lay track

from there on at your expense.

We're to pay you back

out of earnings from Fort Worth.

If any.

Well, times have changed.

You'll have to put up the money.

[CHUCKLES] What I thought.

You've learned your cash,

banked over in Dallas,

is better than a lot

of rusted rail.

Or was that money a dream,

like your talk about Fort Worth

bein' the great cow town

of the future?

It was no dream, Sam.

I've got the cash,

but I can't use it right now.

That was our agreement.

And I aim to keep it.

As soon as I get

all the options I wanted.

But a friend of mine has got

a padlock on my cash.

I open it up,

he blows me right out of Texas.

Besides, you don't

need the cash.

Not when I'm offering you

the best potential

market town in the state.

Lunsford's ridin' in style.

Yeah. He aims to get

that general manager

to put up the money

to extend the line

to Fort Worth.

Now, wasn't that obligin'

of that Dallas paper

to keep me informed?

Well, what are you birds

a-waitin' for?

Go on.

And the products

of my packing plant

are no more than half

of what you'll freight.

Goods of all kinds.

People.

Read our newspaper.

See how we could

benefit the country

from the gulf

to the Kansas prairie.

Frankly, it was the Star

boosted us

into taking another look

at the prospects.

Yeah, I give Britt full credit.

He brought back old citizens

and new ones too.

Fought by my side

for law and decency.

We wiped out such problems

as Gabe Clevenger...

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOTS]

[]

Friends of yours, Lunsford?

Clevenger's men.

Any rails are laid

beyond Eagle Ford,

you'll lay 'em.

I'll risk neither

workmen's lives

nor company money on them.

Looks like luck has been running

a streak against me, gentlemen.

[]

You boys know

what supplies to order.

I'll meet you back here.

Put this in caps.

New paragraph here.

Now get to work.

Flora.

Come in.

Howdy, Miss Talbot.

I, um, brought you

some news for the Star.

Good.

The youngest Henby boy

came down with the measles.

And there's a harvest social

at the Dills' ranch

next Thursday.

You're both invited.

That's pretty hot news, Luther.

Better get it set up right away.

We're sure gettin'

a better-lookin' class

of reporter these days.

Be just as good

if I go to lunch?

Uh, just as good.

So long, Miss Talbot.

You've made

Luther's day for him.

Sit down, Flora.

The items were only an excuse.

I wanted to see you.

You don't need

any excuse for that.

You haven't been

out to the ranch.

I've been busy.

Ben's funeral and...

Not wanting to cut

Blair's fences.

I heard the words between you

the night you brought Amy.

Time you learn

no shock will kill

a woman's curiosity, Ned.

Fella says a lot

of things when he's mad.

I hope you know

how sorry I was about Ben.

That I took for granted.

And welcome back into the fold.

Dad would've kicked the bung

out of a barrel of mash

celebratin' the gunnin'

you gave Clevenger's men

at the stockyard.

I wonder if Ben would.

I still believe the printed word

is stronger than guns.

Only seeing him dead...

Makes a difference

when it's a friend.

Been you instead of Ben...

I'd be on Clevenger's

trail myself.

If it'd been Blair?

Yes, I'd fight for Blair.

I'm not a schoolgirl

that never heard of

all the Amy Brookses

in the world.

Blair's walkin'

in four-leaf clover,

having a woman

so broad in the mind.

Hm.

You ought to thank me

for bringin' Amy out.

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