Jesse James Page #7

---

Frank James had made good his escape,

but of Jesse James there is no news at all."

"The belief is that he was drowned,

but if he escaped he is thought to be

badly wounded and unable to travel far."

The dad-blasted, goldinged city police.

- Roy!

- Yes, sir?

I'm gonna write me an editorial...

If he escaped...

- You got to stop it, Zee. You've got to.

- I know it.

He ain't the Jesse you knew and loved.

That fella's gone a long time ago.

I could have liked him too,

but not this bad fella.

This one I could...

Well, if I ever come on him again...

If he escaped...

Can't you understand, Zee, he's no good?

It's like I told you.

Once you let yourself go, you can't stop.

He ain't a knight any more,

fighting a bad railroad. He's a wild animal.

You can't love him. Nobody can.

Why, everybody that liked him,

he's done wrong to.

And with his men gone,

he hasn't a friend left.

Not a friend in the world.

That's right too, isn't it?

Not a friend in the world.

Hey, you.

You. We're here.

Thank you.

- Keep your mouth shut.

- Thank you very kindly.

- Do you think you can make it?

- Yeah.

- Do you need some help?

- No, I'm all right. You go ahead.

Giddap.

My poor, poor darling.

My poor, hurt darling.

Zee. Is it really you?

I knew if you could you'd come here.

That's why I came.

I knew you'd come.

What's left of me.

But I'll get you well.

Wait.

Jesse. Hurry, Pinkie, hurry.

Well, I'll be doggone.

It's Daddy, dear.

My son.

- Mommy.

- Daddy's been hurt, dear, but he'll be all right.

Well, I'll be doggone.

Doggone.

Don't you think he's big for five?

Does he know anything about me yet?

No. Not yet.

Oh, Zee...

Is it too late?

Could we still go away?

To California?

No, it isn't too late.

We'll go just as soon as you get well.

Pinkie's gone to get the doctor now.

Jesse, I do love you so.

Jesse. You mustn't do that.

- Go on, I'm all right.

- But Pinkie'll take care of all that, darling.

Oh, Zee.

- Kinda happy, ain't you?

- Aren't you?

Jesse, if we were just

leaving today, this very hour.

- Nothing's gonna stop us, honey.

- I hope not.

But I'm scared, Jesse. I'll be scared

every second until we're on our way.

Maybe until we get to California.

Well, we won't have any money, remember.

- That money I hid in the hills...

- I don't want you to talk about that any more.

We'll make money.

Money we won't be ashamed of.

- Well, I wasn't ashamed...

- Now, stop it, I say.

Mr Howard.

- Yes?

- There's two gentlemen to see you, sir.

- What do they want?

- You knows them, sir.

All right.

He's human, ain't he?

- Well, sir. Hello, Bob. How are you?

- All right, I reckon. How are you, Jesse?

I'm toting some lead inside me,

but it doesn't bother me any.

- This here's my brother, Charlie.

- Hello, Charlie.

- Pinkie. Some coffee.

- Yes, sir.

Sit down, Bob.

- You look like you've come a long way.

- It's hot.

I escaped. They couldn't hold me.

Me and two fellas you don't know

jumped over a wall.

How'd you know where I was?

We seen Frank. He sent us.

That's what we come to see you about.

How's Frank? Where is he?

He's fine. He's up in the hills.

He's aiming to come down pretty soon.

That's what he wanted us to see you about.

Jesse!

- Are you going to be long?

- You remember Bob Ford, honey.

- That's his brother, Charlie.

- Howdy, Miss Zee.

- Are you going to be long?

- Stop your frettin'. I'll be up in just a minute.

Frank wanted us to tell you that if you feel

strong enough he wants you to meet him.

It's the Platte bank.

No. I'm going to California.

Frank's mighty anxious.

- Sorry. My mind's made up.

- There ain't even a marshal in the town.

There's a farm payroll on the 7th.

Frank's got three men already.

He don't figure it'll be any trouble at all.

Just walk in and take it.

No.

If you got plenty of money to start

in California, you don't need to think about it.

But if you was to need a bankroll, why...

I haven't got much money.

Hardly any money at all.

What else did Frank say?

He says it's the easiestjob you ever seen.

He says it'll only take a day to look it over.

Then if you're set on going to the coast

you got some money.

- Sure could use some money.

- This is just like picking it up off the ground.

- When did he want to meet me?

- Right away.

Daddy, Daddy! I wanna come in.

- I wanna come in.

- He can't go in. He'll spoil our game.

Come on in, but stop that hollering.

Frank figures we oughta clear

about two thousand apiece.

Sure could use $2,000.

Daddy, Daddy!

Those kids. Just a minute.

- Excuse me, Mr James.

- Howard.

Are you gonna walk around outside

with them guns?

You're right.

- We didn't hurt him, Mr Howard.

- We just killed him. That's the game.

He's little. You shouldn't play so rough.

- But that's the way you play outlaw.

- Jesse James has got to die.

I'll die, but they stuck me with sticks.

Just shoot me, don't stick me.

Bang, bang, bang!

- You're Jesse James. You're dead.

- I'm dead.

Go home, boys.

Get him ready.

We're catching the afternoon train.

Pinkie can follow with

whatever we can't carry.

That suit you?

Oh, thank goodness, Jesse.

I'm sorry, Bob. Tell Frank

I'll write to him from California.

- You mean you ain't coming with us?

- That's it.

What'll Frank say?

Can't make much difference what he says.

I ain't going to him.

Goodbye, Charlie.

Goodbye, Bob. I'm sorry you came

all the way up here for nothing.

- What'll we tell Frank?

- Tell him to join me while the joining's good.

Oh, Mr Howard, we've got to run

- For we're going to California

- With a banjo on our knee

Oh, Zee.

- Honey, what can I do to help?

- Jesse, that.

You bet your life. Zee...

Cos we're going to California

on the train this afternoon

Jesse!

Pinkie!

Oh, Jesse...

Oh, Jesse...

There ain't no question about it.

Jesse was an outlaw. A bandit. A criminal.

Even those that loved him

ain't got no answer to that.

But we ain't ashamed of him.

I don't know why, but I don't think

even America is ashamed of Jesse James.

Maybe it's because he was bold and lawless,

like we all of us like to be sometimes.

Maybe it's because we understand a little

that he wasn't altogether to blame

for what his times made him.

Maybe it's because for ten years

he licked the tar out of five states.

Or maybe it's because he was so good

at what he was doin'. I don't know.

All I do know is he was one of

the doggonedest, goldingedest,

dad-blamedest buckaroos

that ever rode across

these United States of America.

"In loving remembrance, Jesse W James."

"Died April 3, 1882,

aged 34 years, 6 months, 28 days."

"Murdered by a traitor and coward

whose name is not worthy to appear here."

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes