Life Begins at Forty Page #7

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- I've gotta tell Del.

Hey, hey, what are you gonna tell her?

You gonna-

You gonna ask her to marry you?

Well, do you think

she'd have me?

Yes!

- Del!

- Well, now that you've asked me, when'll it be?

Why- l-

- Mr. Ken?

- Yeah?

Will you give us a party

so we can announce it?

Lee might change his mind.

How about tomorrow night?

Have to ask Miss Ida about that.

Then it's all settled.

Come on.

I wish you'd stay out of here.

You told me to drop in

when I had some news.

Now I've got some news

that's fit to print.

I just arrived back in town

after a trip.

What do you want me to do about it,

put it in the society column?

Be a good idea at that.

Kenesaw Clark-

or Mr. Kenesaw Clark-

Wednesday'd and Thursday'd...

in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville?

Say, I don't want this

to get out.

Just between you and I, I sneaked over

to do some horse racin'...

at Churchill Downs.

- It's a pretty track, ain't it?

- Yeah.

I guess so.

Met an old friend of yours

while I was over there.

- Sends regards to ya.

- I don't know anyone in Louisville.

Sure, you know this fella.

- He's your bettin' commissioner.

- I never bet on the races.

He told me that you and Wally Stevens,

about three years ago...

come down there and tried

to make a cleanup... on a sure thing.

He's a liar.

That's funny.

About the time that, uh...

$3,000 disappeared from the bank...

this horse run last.

- What are you driving at?

- Me? Oh, nothing.

How did it come that there

was a society item in the paper...

saying that you was in Chicago

about this time?

How could you be in Chicago when you

and Wally Stevens was in Louisville?

- That's not so!

- Not so you's in Chicago?

No, Louisville.

The way I've got it, uh,

printed up here in my paper...

I wouldn't be surprised...

if a lot of people believe it.

Of course, Joe, uh...

if you could figure out some way

to, uh, clear Lee's name...

as a kind of a weddln'present

for him and Del...

why, I may be able to kill

the rest of that edition.

Now, I've only got till midnight.

That's my deadline.

Dance]

- Hello, Del.

- Where's your boyfriend?

He went downtown.

He'll be back in a few minutes.

Forgot the cigarettes.

- How many?

- Two cartons.

- Wrap 'em for you?

- No, that'll be all right.

- Quite some doings at your house, huh?

- Yeah.

- Congratulations.

- Thanks.

Jailbird.

Look at that.

Look what that old boy landed.

A man never gets too old

for a blonde, does he?

I wonder if she got a sister.

Well, well, If it aint Kid Cotton!

- Sir.

- How are you?

I just know you're Mr. Clark.

And I'm so glad to meet you.

- We owe everything to you, don't we, Daddy?

- Yes.

- I'll show you where to put your coat.

- Thank you.

Hey, Tom. Say, you-

You far exceeded my expectations.

Well, looks like I'm in for one of

the liveliest years of my life, Kenesaw...

if I hold out.

Now, now.

Don't get discouraged, Daddy.

Don't- Don't do that.

- Hello, honey.

- Oh, Mr. Ken. I'm so happy!

- Hey.

- What?

- Did you ask her If she had a sister?

- Oh!

What's happened?

He's not breathing.

Hey, it's Joe Abercrombie! Come on.

Give me a hand. Get him in the drugstore.

You're never gonna get around it.

Give him some air.

- Careful, boys. Careful.

- Easy. Easy.

- Say, phone for a doctor, will ya?

- Right.

- He's been shot!

- Shot?

I'll bet Lee Austin did it.

- He said he'd get Joe.

- Somebody call the colonel.

- I'll go.

- Who's with me to get Austin?

I don't care if they are busy!

Cut in on 'em!

- Give me the sheriff's office!

- Hurry, Colonel. Joe's just been shot!

What?

Joe?

- Where is he?

- In the drugstore.

Hello, Pap! Hiya!

- Hello, Mr. Clark.

- Hi, Pappy.

Just wanted to drop T. off

and say good-bye to ya.

- Couldn't have dropped him

anywhere else, could you?

Well, you better change your mind

and come and join us.

No. Much obliged. Gotta make the foot

of the mountain by daylight.

Well, you know you're always

welcome here anyhow, you know.

Pig!

- Good-bye!

- Bye!

Good-bye! Good luck!

- Hurry up with that stuff!

- We better give Parker the treatment too.

Don't worry.

We'll take care of him.

All right! Come on now!

What are we waitin' for?

For some tar and feathers!

- All promenade!

Dance]

Promenade back!

Do It again!

Swing your partner!

Swing 'em high!

All sashay!

Everybody dance!

- What do you fellas want?

- We want Lee Austin!

- What do you want him for?

- He shot Joe Abercrombie! That's what for!

He didn't shoot anybody.

Now you guys get outta here.

- We're saying he did, and we're taking him.

- No, you're not taking him.

There he is!

Get him, boys! Get him!

Pappy!

Something's happened.

T.'s hollerin' for help.

Get goin'!

Wait a minute!

Wait a minute! Hold on!

Cut it out and listen a minute,

will ya? Hold on!

You fellas are all wet.

How could he have done that?

- He's been at this party all night.

- That's a lie.

- I saw him downtown just before Joe was shot.

- I only went to get cigarettes.

- There! You see?

- That don't say he done it anyhow.

Now get outta here! Come on!

Ow!

Down! Down!

Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it!

All you, stop it!

Stop! Will you stop?

I tell you Lee didn't do it!

Will you stop? Stop!

Stop it, I tell ya!

Stop it!

Lee didn't do it! Stop it!

I'm sorry, Kenesaw.

Here. Get your gang and get outta here,

and don't you come back in here!

Kenesaw, Joe's told me everything.

And I want all you people to know

that Lee didn't have anything to do...

with stealing that money

from the bank.

And we're going to make

full restitution.

Lee, I only hope you can

find it in your heart to forgive us.

That's all right, Colonel.

And if you'll only come back

to your old job in the bank...

I'll be very grateful.

Thanks.

That's mighty fine of you, Colonel.

Kenesaw, your-

Your old paper's waiting for ya.

Thanks. Just a minute.

There's just one thing here.

T. here figures that that school job

would keep him pretty busy.

He's wonderin' if you couldn't make him, uh,

lightnin' rod inspector.

We-We haven't got

any lightning rods.

- You haven't got any?

- No.

Well, he'd make you an awful good man then.

They're made out of iron.

Yeah.

- Yeah. I'll look at it.

- All right. Fine.

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