How the West Was Won Page #2

and get acquainted.

No, no, no. That's yours.

Keep that, ma'am.

Well, you sure set your cap in a hurry.

Is he the backwoodsman

you've been waiting for?

More than likely he's got

a wife and six kids waiting for him.

Thank you, ma'am, that was right tasty.

You've only had four plates.

I was beginning to think you didn't like it.

Well, it don't pay to eat too much

on an empty stomach, ma'am.

How come you're to be traveling

so late at night?

Well, I'm kind of anxious

to get to Pittsburgh.

I ain't seen a city for a long time.

I aim to whoop it up a little.

Well, now, we've never seen

a mountain man before.

Tell me, them Rocky Mountains

as high as they say?

Well, now, I just don't rightly know.

I never climbed one. I've...

Uh...

Well, you know,

that just ain't exactly true.

Jim Bridger and me...

...we started up one of them little-bitty

Rocky Mountain foothills, you know.

And then, one day, we see this fella...

...and he has a great big pair

of white wings...

...and a harp in his hand.

And I said to Jim...

...I said, "Jim, I don't like the way

that fella's looking at us."

And Jim said he didn't care too much

for it neither...

...so we both skedaddled down

out of there...

...and to this day I ain't never had

a good look at the Rocky Mountains.

- Well, I remember one time...

- Zebulon.

- What?

- One liar at a time is enough.

Well, then, I reckon it's about bedtime.

Gotta get an early start in the morning.

We'll be expecting you for breakfast.

Oh, well, that's mighty hospitable,

Mr. Prescott...

...but sometimes I wake up

and get the urge to move.

I might be long gone by sunup,

but thank you.

- I wanna thank all of you. Good night.

- Good night.

- Strange fellas, these mountain men.

- Yeah, kind of like a wisp of smoke.

- By golly, that looks like my blanket.

- It is.

Well, then, I'm a mite confused, ma'am.

Whose bed would it be?

Yours.

I ain't ever saw a bed like that

since last time I come east.

Why'd you do it?

Ain't polite to ask a girl

why she done something for a man.

No. Well, I reckon my manners

ain't much at that.

Anyway, I sure thank you.

Good night, ma'am.

Are them Indian girls pretty?

Well, now, I reckon that all depends

on just how long a man has gone...

...without seeing one.

How long's it been

since you seen a white girl?

I ain't quite sure why you asked that.

How pretty do I look to you?

But, ma'am...

...ain't you just being a little bit forward?

Well, you're headed upriver

and I'm headed down.

There's no time

to get these questions answered.

You dead sure you want them answered?

Yes.

Glory be.

Ma'am, it seems like

you've been kissed before.

I've never been kissed permanent before.

By golly, you sure use surprising words.

I never heard "permanent" mixed up

with a thing like a kiss before.

I can still feel that kiss.

- Can you?

- Well, you said something before...

...that we had not forget:

I'm heading upstream

and you're headed downstream.

Lovers have parted before

and come together again.

- Ma'am.

- Eve.

Eve, I'm a sinful man.

Deep, dark, sinful.

I'm on my way to Pittsburgh

to be sinful again.

Likely I'll stay drunk for a month.

I won't even remember

the fancy gals I dally with...

...or the men I carve up

just out of pure cussedness...

...any more than I'll remember you.

Linus, I'm asking you.

Can you still feel that kiss?

Eve...

Eve, you make me feel like a man

standing on a narrow ledge...

...coming face-to-face with a grizzly bear.

There just ain't no ignoring the situation.

Eve!

Eve!

- Eve! Where is she?

- Zeb, what's the matter?

Anyways, you're here.

I thought you'd gone with him.

- Gone?

- Yes, gone.

I knowed you were setting with him...

...but I kept telling myself,

"At least she's looking at a man."

Even a wisp of smoke like that

is better than...

Are you crying? Crying for him?

Now, what does that mean?

Now, tell me what that means.

Nothing, Pa.

What time did you come to bed?

It was early, Pa.

It wasn't. It was late.

Daughter, I'm only gonna ask you once.

Is there anything for your ma and pa

to worry about?

No, Pa, there ain't.

He'll be back.

I'll see him again.

But you expected to see him this morning.

You know you did.

I don't care. I'll see him again.

Look.

- You got a growed man to do that?

- I did. Just like in the book.

Did you get him to say them crazy words?

I told you before, it ain't the words,

it's the sentiment.

You mean, he didn't even giggle nor nothing

at such foolishness?

He said it was a real solemn occasion.

Like shooting the rapids without a paddle.

No matter what he said, he did it just

to get rid of you so as he could clear out.

You know that's so.

And you're lucky he did. Do you wanna

live like a squaw all your life?

Go on, say anything you like...

...but I'll see him again. I know I will.

And he ain't got a wife and six kids.

He ain't got a wife at all yet.

Hey, Pierre!

Someone's coming upriver.

Customer.

Trapper, seems like.

See how that cover bellies up?

Could be furs.

Thirsty, mister?

Drier than a grasshopper on a hot griddle.

Well, welcome to our little inn, sir.

My name is Jeb Hawkins,

late colonel of the Alabama militia.

- Where you bound for?

- Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh? Well.

Looks like he's got

a whole canoe of furs, Pop.

- Sure enough mountain man.

- Indeed.

One of our explorers gonna extend

our domain to the far shores of the Pacific.

Well, nothing but the finest for you, sir.

Whiskey?

- Right.

- No pepper or rattlesnake heads in this.

Nothing but the pure grain

and the sweet kiss of the malt.

- Never mind the cup, I'll just take the jug.

- Oh, a real mountain man, huh?

- I trust you'll toast our noble banner, sir.

- Sure will.

Golly, you're right.

That's real sipping liquor.

Pa, him being a trapper, you suppose he

might know what that varmint is we got?

Well, say, now, he might.

Yes, sir, he just might.

Sir, we caught us

a cave-dwelling critter...

...that no man in these parts

has seen before.

You know, it'd be right satisfying

to having you tell us what it is.

Well, I don't know too much

about cave-dwelling varmints.

Just yonder. Take your jug.

Well, I...

I don't know.

WOIt's right over here.

You know any sweet-talking gals

in Pittsburgh?

No, no. Nary a one, yet.

Well, Pop and I are hoping

we'll vacation there.

I'll be at the Duquesne House

if it ain't burned down.

Hey, there, now, you pretty girl,

you sure you got a varmint in here?

Now, you...

WODo you hear him?

Huh?

WOHe breathes loud and fierce.

- We keep him in this hole just yonder.

You keep him in there?

You gotta look a little closer.

Well, he seen the varmint, Pa.

- Well done, daughter.

- I ain't so sure.

He was hard muscled. I could feel

the blade just skitter along his ribs.

Oh, you just need more practice,

that's all.

It's a pity you ain't got the knack

your ma had.

Lord rest her soul.

All right, men, lay it on, men.

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