Jesse James Page #5

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Give him a glass of water to wash it down.

Everybody set? Just throw that door open

when I say the word and then step back.

- You don't have to tell me to step back.

- Don't hurt nobody.

We'll throw a few rounds down the street

for the fun of it.

Ready? Open it.

Stop them! Stop them! Hurry!

Get after them!

Get after them! Everybody!

- Goodbye, Uncle Rufe.

- Goodbye, honey. I don't blame you.

Jesse played fair.

He did everything he promised.

So you gotta keep your part of the bargain

and stick to him, honey,

cos you're the only hope there is for him.

- I'll stick, all right.

- Miss Zee.

Is we got everything?

- I think so, Pinkie.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Goodbye, Uncle Rufe.

- Goodbye, honey.

Let's go.

Come on. Play pony express.

Well, I guess they'll be busy there for a while.

- Darling...

- Oh, Zee.

Oh, darling.

Darling.

Just let me look at you.

- You like the curtains?

- They're just as pretty as they can be.

I made them.

My goodness, Zee. I...

I never expected ever to have

a house as nice as this one.

I made that too.

"God bless our home." That's better

than you can get in a store, Zee.

- That's a mighty pretty frame too.

- Pinkie made that.

- Good work, Pinkie.

- Thank you, Mr Jesse.

It sure is fine, Zee. The whole place.

I'm just as proud of you as I can be.

Giddap.

Hello!

Hello!

- Evening, ma'am.

- Good evening.

Do you know where the Wilsons live?

- About a mile on up the road.

- Thank you, ma'am. Giddap.

- Pack.

- Yes, sir.

- Jesse...

- Pack. We're leaving.

- But it was only a farmer.

- How do you know?

- How is she, Doc?

- She's weak, of course, which is only...

- You're a friend of Mr Howard's, aren't you?

- You might say so.

- Have you any idea where he is?

- He travels a lot.

- Salesman?

- Something like that.

You can tell him from me, any husband who

stays away from a wife at a time like this...

I can't say I've got any use for him.

- There's a lot in what you say.

- You can go up, but don't stay long.

Ain't he the dad-blamedest,

cutest little cuss that ever...

Now, honey, you mustn't blame Jesse

for not getting here.

Maybe he just couldn't get away and, uh...

- It doesn't matter.

- Honey, you shouldn't feel that way about it.

I can't help it. I'm too tired to care.

This is the way it always is.

We live like animals. Scared animals.

We move. We hide.

We don't dare go out.

All day and all night we just sit,

scared of a shadow on a window.

Scared of a footstep on a porch.

Scared of a door opening.

And when he's away, it's worse.

All I can think of is, "Is he dead?"

"Is he lying dead in the mud in the woods?"

Maybe he's dead now.

Uncle Rufe, I wanna go home.

You're home, Zee.

This is your home - yours and Jesse's.

I mean home with you. Back to Liberty.

- Will you take me?

- But, honey...

Doggone it, I...

But Jesse promised...

Yes, I know.

And I used to believe him.

But he'd never change.

Jesse'll be an outlaw as long as he lives.

I know it now.

He's wild, Will.

He's like a horse you can't break.

He's crazy with wildness and there's nothing

you or me or him or anybody can do about it.

That's why all last night I wanted to die.

I prayed and prayed that I'd die.

And my baby...

I prayed that he'd die too and end it all.

My darling.

Mommy didn't mean that, honey.

My precious baby.

Mommy didn't mean that, honey.

That's all right, honey.

I'll take you home.

Hi, Pinkie. Zee!

- Mr Jesse.

- Yes?

She's gone.

- Gone? Gone where?

- Her and the baby...

- The baby?

- Yes, sir.

- Was she... Were they all right?

- Yes, sir. They's all right, both of 'em.

But she gone now. The major come

and took 'em away back to Liberty.

This here's a letter she give me

to give to you, sir.

Poor kid.

I tried to get here, Pinkie, but I just couldn't.

They got after me and...

Did you see him?

Mr Jesse, he's the cutest little old thing

I ever did see.

Just a-yellin' and a-hollerin'

so it nearly bust your ears.

I bet he's the loudest-yellin' baby

that ever was born.

- What colour eyes has he got, Pinkie?

- Blue.

Great big old blue eyes, big as a saucer,

lookin' right at you, sir.

- Does he look like Zee?

- Like you.

- No...

- He's the spittin' image of you, Mr Jesse.

- Well, I'll be doggone.

- 'Cepting he's bald.

He's bald as a peeled egg.

But, my goodness, Mr Jesse,

that sure is one cute little old baby.

I'll be doggone.

Just yell and wave his little old arms.

- Doggone.

- Yes, sir. We's all mighty proud of that baby.

Lord, Lord. I guess we'd better go after them,

Pinkie. When did they leave?

- They left Monday.

- On the train?

No, sir. In the major's buggy.

Oh. I don't like that. We'll have

some supper, then we'll go after them.

- But, Mr Jesse...

- Yes?

I don't know if I'd go after 'em right now.

No? Why not?

They got that Mr Wright with them.

- Wright?

- Yes, sir. The police marshal.

He come too.

I see.

Never mind the supper, Pinkie.

We'll start now.

You mean after 'em?

Yes, right now.

What did she say about being unhappy?

It's just like I told you, Mr Jesse.

She say she scared all the time

and I know she cried a lot.

She say she don't know

how she could stand it.

I see.

- I guess I can't blame her.

- That's just what she says.

I guess it was pretty bad for her.

Yes, sir, I guess it was.

Pinkie, I'm not going any further.

You mean you ain't goin' after 'em?

I've changed my mind. She's right.

There ain't any happiness

to be found with me.

If she can find it at all, it's without me.

- Yes, sir.

- Tell her that.

Tell her I won't bother her any more.

If she can be happy now, I'm glad.

Tell her that too.

Yes, sir.

And, Pinkie, tell her...

Yes, sir?

Tell her not to let the baby know

anything about me. I won't mind.

- Roy!

- Yes, sir.

- Take an editorial on dentists!

- Yes, sir.

Paragraph.

If we are ever to have

law and order in the West,

the first thing we got to do

- is take out all the dentists...

- Ding-a-ling! Choo-choo!

Ding-a-ling! Choo-choo!

Get out of the way. Choo-choo!

Help! Help! Save me.

Save my life.

And shoot 'em down like dogs.

Save me!

Stop it, both of you. Stop it!

- I...

- Stop it.

- He's worse than the child.

- But they're great fun.

- How old is he?

- Just five.

You don't say. Mine's going on three.

Wait a minute.

- Here. Can he have a piece?

- Yes.

Say, "Thank you, sir."

- Thank you, sir.

- You're welcome.

- Wonderful child.

- Thank you.

- Are you the editor, sir?

- I am, sir.

- What can I do for you, my friend?

- I want to run this card in your next issue.

"George Remington,

Remington Blueing Company, Philadelphia."

"Now at Dixie Belle Hotel." How much, sir?

I guess about a dollar'll cover it,

Mr Remington.

There you are.

- Thank you, sir.

- And thank you very much. Goodbye.

Goodbye. Roy! Set this...

By the way...

Didn't that fella Jesse James

come from somewheres around here?

He did. Why?

I suppose you're protesting against

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