Man in the Saddle Page #3

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had a reason to do this.

If Skull got Juke, they did it to

get me. They knew how close we were.

Then wake up. Quit

mooning over Laurie.

You know just as well as

I do that Will Isham...

can't bear to have

anything stand in his way.

You do.

George.

Over there.

A little warm in there, mister.

Don't tell me, Bale.

Clay on the shoe of your horse out there

comes from only one place, Coral Flats.

Well, Mr. Merritt.

Come in. I was thinking about you.

These boys were just getting set...

for a little celebration

after what they did tonight.

I was about to oblige them

with some good clean fun...

but I don't think

they like the odds now.

Tell you what, Owen, you and

me don't want to spoil anything.

So let's you and me go down

the street and have a drink.

George and I'll go down

the street and have a drink.

- Come on, George.

- Don't be like that, Owen.

My motto is:
Never interfere...

when a man's out for some

good, clean fun and enjoyment.

Just shoot him in the back of

the head like you got my brother.

Skull hands wouldn't shoot anybody.

They're cattlemen, like Mr. Dutcher.

He couldn't shoot his

way out of a chicken coop.

I've had enough of his talk.

What's it gonna be, Fay?

Yeah, what?

Let's find out.

You're all standing around

here braced for a fight.

Which one of you was gonna handle

George? Or was it all of you?

Sure the whole bunch. Skull style.

A wolf pack on one man like

they got my brother, Juke.

All right, men, scratch for it.

Killed a poor kid like Juke,

who never did nothing to nobody.

Well, Bale started it.

I can sleep a little better now.

Sort of takes care of Juke.

- I was riding your way.

- Glad I saved you the trip.

- Hello, Laurie.

- Hello, Owen.

I'll be with Mrs. Keenan.

She wants to fit my new dress.

Will.

I want a word with you.

What are you so jumpy about?

- Do you want trouble with me?

- I've been having trouble with you.

But from now on you're going

to have trouble with me.

- Is that an offer, Owen?

- Yeah, it's an offer.

Merritt.

I'll tell you something.

I've never liked you, your

manners, or your style.

I'm thinking about something,

and you know what it is.

What belongs to me is mine, entirely

mine. Do you hear? So stay away.

Stay away from everything

that belongs to me.

Just make sure that you hang

on to what belongs to you.

One horse is coming.

Better drop that cigarette.

The house is all lit

up. You're pretty jumpy.

Yeah, I am. I feel it...

close.

Like a man feels when a

gun's pointing at him...

even when he can't see it.

You haven't seen

anything tonight, George.

Sure.

- Not a very good place for you to be,

Laurie. - I know. I had to see you.

- May I sit down?

- Please do.

Owen, what are you thinking?

- Things I shouldn't.

- I was afraid you would.

And afraid you wouldn't, too.

What was it you came here to say?

It's my husband. His

pride is terribly strong.

It makes him wonder if I still

feel about you as I once did.

Do you?

Owen, Skull's too big, too

big for you to fight alone.

- There's nothing else to do.

- Sell out to Will. Leave the country.

No, Laurie.

I thought I could make you see it.

You doubted that I could make

my mind pull my heart along.

- You're right, Owen, I can't.

- I'm sorry.

Sometimes ambition

can be bad for people.

It can hurt them so much.

Now there may be more

bloodshed all because of me.

You say you won't run away, Owen.

But if I break my bargain with

Will and run away with you...

then would you leave?

You'd go that far for me?

I would. I'll be here tomorrow night.

George.

Have you seen George?

No, he's not here.

He don't feel sleep. He

going out to see the cattle.

He told me not to tell.

- Yeah?

- Yes.

- I'd better go look for him.

- Everybody go away. I have to stay here.

- I don't like this place.

- Spooky, Charley?

Like a long time ago

when Chief Egden...

he come through with his guerrillas.

I had a bad feelings, like I have now.

I hear the trees talk.

I hear the water talks. It's not good.

- Keep away from that vanilla extract.

- What do you mean?

Blow out that light.

Four horses.

Look.

George, who did it?

Bad feelings like old days.

Rise and shine, you lunkhead.

Why don't you shoot?

I was just thinking, when

I pull this trigger...

I'll be shooting Christmas Creek

Ranch right out from under me.

It'll start a run and jump fight.

Sitting on my porch night after

night was getting dull anyway.

What are you shooting at this hour

of the morning all by yourself?

What are you trying

to do? Is this a joke?

No joke, Repp. You know I can

shoot straighter than that.

Someone from Skull got one of

my men last night. Who was it?

I don't know.

Who was it, Repp?

You're wrong, Merritt.

None of us shot George Vird.

Repp, how did you know it was Vird?

I just thought that...

Think faster, Repp. Send him

out, or I'll shoot to kill.

Merritt, listen!

No time for talk.

Look.

You can't fight the whole army.

Charley, get word to Mrs. Isham that

I won't be around for a few days.

That Merritt, he just shot us all

up. He knows about George Vird, too.

Dutcher, are you gonna

let him get away with this?

Shoot.

Much shooting on

Seor Merritt's rancho.

- Will you saddle my horse, please?

- Yes.

Spread out. You got to find him.

What are you doing?

Paying him back for what they

did to our line cabin today.

Get out. Why don't you grow up?

- Just when I was having a little fun.

- This is no time for kid's games.

Someone is coming.

You and your shooting.

Nan, over here.

This may sting.

Here, put some inside of you, too.

You'll hate that.

Feel better?

My favorite pair.

Owen, why did you go back

to your place tonight?

I got to thinking, a man

can't run all the time.

He has to fight sooner or later.

Nan, thanks for everything,

but I got to get out of here...

or you'll be in a mess of trouble.

You can't.

Come on now. Sit back.

You've lost a lot of blood.

That's better.

Stop trying to be a

hero and get some rest.

Hitch up the buckboard. I'm

taking Miss Nan to the dance.

Hello, Nan.

- I told you, hitch up the buckboard.

- No buckboard.

- Nan.

- No Nan.

We've a date for the dance

tonight. She couldn't have forgot.

I've been counting on it

all week. She promised.

Bandages.

Owen Merritt was shot last

night. He came here, didn't he?

She's gone off with him.

I don't ask for much.

Just take her to a dance, and

be with her once in a while.

Merritt doesn't love her, but it

don't make no difference to her.

She'd run off with him.

She'd do anything he asks.

I ought to kill both of them.

Where are they?

I'll find them.

You stay here and make sure Mrs.

Isham doesn't leave the house.

We're ready to start

after Merritt, Mr. Isham.

I've never seen in you the

desire to destroy, to kill.

- Have I killed?

- Your men have.

You hired them and you supported them.

Owen Merritt killed one of my men,

and I suppose that's all right.

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