Man Without a Star Page #4

for my type of operation.

Just what is your type of operation?

Before winter I intend to

have 30,000 head on the grass.

This is open range and I'm going

to make the most of it while it last.

At that rate it won't last long,

2 maybe 3 years and grass will be gone.

So will I.

Like you say, it's open

range and I suppose

if a man's might, gets in,

gets what he wants and

gets out in a hurry.

Only this time it

happens to be a woman.

I know.

How much do you want to take over it?

- As foreman?

- Yes

- Not interested.

- Why not?

- Cause it means trouble.

- Trouble?

Sure, Cassidy, Toliver and the others

ain't gonna take this lying down.

You keep crowding and

sooner or later, they will fight.

- And if they do?

- Well, they ain't gonna fight with me.

Why not?

Because I'm not

interested in fighting.

Not at thirty a month.

- Possible to make it fifty?

- Mm Mm.

Sixty?

Oop.

- I'm gonna need you, Dempsey.

- Are you?

What do you want?

YOU:

- Thank you.

- Well...

It's nothing.

I wouldn't say that.

- To my new foreman.

- Come on now, wait a minute.

A lot of way to taking a man's job,

this is not one of them.

What shall I call you then?

Well, let's say I'm... top hand.

- What did you write?

- A nice figure.

Not the one I want.

I don't believe in overpaying help.

I'll have a lot of trouble with you.

You're so right.

Let me have that branding iron.

- Slap it up.

- Who, me?

Sure, it's time you learned

how to brand a maverick.

Say, that's real pretty.

About another 10 years,

you'll be a top hand

10 years after

an expert job like that?

Come on, go on.

Want to try it once for a dollar?

- You call it.

- Okay.

Now!

You're gonna win

my whole months pay.

Listen, for what you're

learning, you're buying it cheap.

This time, next month you'll be

helping me to sell my saddle.

Is this what you're trying to do?

Yeah!

Well, how about this?

Holy smoke!

Or would you rather do this?

- Oh Demps, when do I learn that?

- You don't.

That's all a lot of hogwash, kid.

Look know this.

Twirling a gun never

saved a man's life.

There's only one

thing you gotta learn.

Get it out fast.

And then put it away slow.

Get what I mean, kid?

Hey!

All right.

Let's go to work, children.

- The herd's in.

- Good.

- Where about?

- Over on the flats.

And Demps, all 5,000 of them are

strung out from here and Texas.

Come my lady.

There they be!

Who brought them in?

- Steve Miles, from the Sabine.

- Steve Miles?

Yeah, you know him?

Yeah, I know him.

Who's he got with him?

Well, there's

Tom Quitman, Concho Perez.

He's got Yaqui Neal and Mublin, right

in point. But I don't know the others.

- You will.

- Yeah?

Hey, the boss lady gets around.

Miss Bowman,

Steve Miles, trail boss.

- How do you do?

- Says he'll need some cash for his men.

Alright, Strap talked to you

about working at the Triangle?

- Nope.

- Why not?

Well, I just don't think Steve

such a good hand with cattle.

Well, they managed to bring

this out from Texas, didn't he?

Come on in to the ranch,

we'll talk it over.

What about my men?

You think they'd mind

waiting for you in town?

That's it, boys.

Head for town!

Is there any other orders or

shall I put the herd upon Blue Lake?

What about Little River? I thought

I told you to put some over there.

Why, Dempsey Rae.

Howdy, Steve.

Did Texas get too small for you?

Hey Dempsey, ride back to

the ranch with Miles and me.

You and Texas take a few hundred.

When you get your tally,

drift them north along the Little River.

Hey, wait a minute. Cassidy has

been saving that grass along the river.

They gonna use it this winter,

you gonna crowd them?

I'm gonna do what I was told,

like to have you do the same thing.

- Just don't have any trouble.

- Trouble, I don't want any trouble.

Come on, Texas, let's cut them out.

Hey, Tex, there's a loose one,

I'll go on at it!

Go get her, Waco,

show 'em who's boss!

Texas, come here!

Quick, quick.

Come on baby.

Let's go.

Texas, come and help me!

- Come over here!

- Take it easy, Waco!

My foot...

It's in the stirrup.

Get me out of here.

- What happened, Waco?

- I don't know.

I rode into it, I didn't see it.

- I didn't even know it was there.

- Well, it won't be there much longer.

Come on!

Leave it alone.

Take off your gun belt.

Drop it!

Now step down.

This my wire, son.

And I want you to leave it alone.

We're saving this

grass for our winter feed.

We don't want our own cattle on it and

we don't want the Triangle cattle on it.

Now is that understood?

You heard what the man said.

Answer.

Dad, dad. Little Waco has

been hurt. Come here, quick.

He could've put that

between your eyes, son.

Take his gun.

See what's wrong!

Now, step up you.

Your man got hung up on our wire.

His back would need some work.

Here, let me have that boy.

Step down, son.

I got just the thing to fix them cuts.

Who are you?

I'm Bill Cassidy, ma'am. I want you to

know we're sorry about little Waco.

And there's something

else we want you to know.

It might be a good idea to keep

your cows away from Little River.

- Why?

- Because we're stringing wire.

From them canyon

down across the river bed.

We figure to hold that grass

and keep it for winter feed.

Do you own that ground?

No, but we got there first.

- Is that the law?

- We figure it is.

- In other words, it's your law.

- We don't aim to be unfriendly, ma'am.

But with you bringing in the big herd,

we've got to do something about our few.

- That's why we are fencing that grass.

- Government grass, huh?

Call it that if you want,

but we're going to use it.

So am I, Mr. Cassidy.

We'll see about

that, Miss Bowman.

Here!

You got a wolf cub on your hands,

better teach him some manners.

Let me have my gun!

- Hold up your horse!

- Give me that gun!

I said put up your horse.

Jeff, what happened at Cassidy's?

Tell me!

I don't like wire.

I do not like anybody that uses it.

I've heard that before.

Haven't you?

You've got some men waiting

in town. Take 'em their money.

I usually take my

orders from a foreman.

You just took one

from your foreman.

Strap is through as of today.

He sent a boy on a man's job.

I want to talk to you later.

Looks like Dempsey got real soft.

You and your men have three

days to get drunk and sober up,

then report back to

the ranch ready for work.

- So how's the back?

- Oh, I'm going to all right, Demps.

Cookie smeared me with

some of that magic grease,

and the cuts close up so fast,

they almost caught his finger.

Hey Texas, why don't you let Cookie

smear you with some of his magic grease.

Kid, let me have

a look at that arm.

I thought I was only

supposed to drink sarsaparilla.

It's not for drinking.

At least, not for you.

She thinks I'm a boy.

I'll catch up with that guy,

and when I do, I'll kill him!

Shut up!

Well, that's easy for you to say.

It's not your arm,

you don't know how it feels!

I know how it feels.

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