Middle of Nowhere Page #2

started the town

was he was sure there was gold

in the Dead Mountains.

Ain't there?

Lots of men went into

the mountains looking for it.

Only one of them ever come back.

Old man MacKay.

Ever hear of him?

Yeah, we heard of him.

Every day, every week.

Gunmen, fortune hunters

come trailing into town

all looking for old man

MacKay's gold.

All of them packing guns,

willing and anxious to use them.

Uh, what's your interest

in the Dead Mountains?

You looking for gold too?

No, not gold. Water.

We got 3,000 head of cattle

on the Sedalia Trail.

Why would you want to take

cattle into them mountains?

Well, there ain't any water

on the plains

for 30 miles, that's why.

Hm.

If I was moving

3,000 head of cattle,

I sure wouldn't wanna

take them into country

I didn't know nothing about.

That's why we're in Endicott,

for some information about them.

Information won't

do you no good.

What you need's a guide.

You need somebody that knows

them mountains as well he knows

his way from that front door

over at this bar.

Got anybody in mind?

Yes, I have.

How'd you like

to earn some money?

No.

Now, look, you're running

short of money

and I'm running short

of whiskey.

Oh? First I heard of that.

My customers don't pay

what they owe me,

I can't afford to buy

any new stuff.

I think you ought

to do what I say.

Come on.

This here is, uh,

Joel Turner.

Howdy. Gil Favor

and Rowdy Yates.

I was born and raised

in this part of Texas,

I could take you blindfold.

Any nook or corner.

Could you get

3,000 head of cattle

through the Dead Mountains?

Sure.

What about Indians?

There are not many of them

in the hills.

They stopped us.

Oh? Where'd you come up from?

South.

They must have tried

Echo Pass.

There are lots of others.

Much better suited

for driving cattle through.

Fine. The job's yours

for the asking.

I'm your man.

Good. You ready to start out?

As soon as I get my gear.

We'll be right here.

Excuse me.

Are you going into

the Dead Mountains?

We sure are, ma'am...

Uh, that's right, miss.

My name is Barbara Fraser

and I came to Endicott

yesterday on the stage.

How do you do, ma'am?

Gil Favor, Rowdy Yates.

How do you do?

Please take me with you.

Now, I know that sounds strange,

but my father's

in there somewhere

and I've got to find him.

We're taking a herd

of cattle through.

We wouldn't have time

to be looking for anyone.

But I just want

to go along with you.

I won't be any bother, really.

I've hired a horse.

And once we're in the mountains

you wouldn't have

to worry about me.

I'd like to help you,

miss, but, uh,

there's just no place

for you on a cattle drive.

Oh, but I came all the way

from the east

and I'll just do anything

to find him.

Well, boss, maybe we could go...

Uh, no, I'm afraid

there's not a thing

we could do for you, ma'am.

I'm sorry, Miss Fraser.

Yeah, I'm sorry too.

Look, boss, I ain't one

to argue, but...

Then why are you going to?

Well, you heard what she said.

She's just looking

for her long lost father.

That's her story.

Huh?

You know, Rowdy,

I'm beginning to believe

half the population in these

United States are trying to find

a way into the Dead Mountains

to find MacKay's gold.

Oh, but that isn't

the case with her.

I mean, she just here after her

father. You heard her say that.

Like I said, that's her story.

Oh.

Well, l... I don't know how

you can displease

such a sweet-looking

little girl as that.

Oh. Practice.

Well, I hope I didn't keep you

waiting too long.

The important thing is you're

getting us where we want to go.

I'll show you a way to get

your herd through the mountains.

Whoa. Whoa.

That's the pass

I had in mind.

Ah, good. More than wide enough

for the cattle.

It don't stay that wide

all the way in.

The going gets pretty rough

for quite a while

before we get to water.

It seems like

it always does.

Up here!

Up here.

That's that eastern girl,

isn't it?

Yeah.

Pick up her horse.

What happened?

My horse stumbled. I fell.

Trying to ride straight

up the side of a mountain

isn't the smartest thing

in the world to do.

I didn't think it would be.

What'd you have in mind?

Going into those

mountains alone?

I am going into these mountains.

My father's in there

and I'm gonna find him.

Say, your father's name

wouldn't be MacKay

by any chance, would it?

MacKay? Of course not.

It's Fraser.

Look, we're...

We're going on in there.

You know, we can't let her just

go on by herself.

Why can't we take her with us?

Thank you.

Well, looks like my mind's

been made up for me.

Oh, but boss...

Look.

If I had a choice, I'd send

you back to Endicott right now.

With him.

You think you can manage

to sit your horse?

Well, she's riding with them,

we're riding after them.

Plan's working out, Banning.

Yeah, just like

you planned it.

Yeah, well, let's go.

We wouldn't want them

to get lost.

You know, traveling hasn't been

too bad so far.

We're past the worst part of it.

I think we ought to be able

to get our herd through here,

don't you?

Yeah, sure, I guess so.

Well, come morning,

Mr. Favor,

we got three

or four more hours' ride

before we get to water.

Well, fine.

Oh!

Oh...! Oh!

Oh.

I suppose

I behave foolishly.

It was probably just a coyote

or something.

No, that was "just"

a mountain lion.

You know, for somebody

who scares easy,

you sure get in some

strange places.

Oh, l...

I just felt like being alone.

Felt like remembering

my father.

The way he was

the last time I saw him.

He was very tall.

Almost as tall as you are.

And very gentle.

He was educated in Edinburgh

and was teaching in Boston.

He was a geologist

and a mining engineer.

Everyone said he had

a brilliant career ahead of him.

And what happened to him?

Well, he took me

on an excursion one day.

Left my mother alone

in the cabin.

And the lamp overturned

and the cabin burned down.

He started drinking

very heavily after her death.

I guess he felt guilty

about leaving her alone.

And then he gave up

his teaching job

and sent me to live

with an aunt and uncle.

And then he just

disappeared.

He went west.

There were a few letters

at first,

but then none at all.

What makes you think

he's in Texas?

Well, I got a letter

from him two months ago.

You mean, he told you to come

out here alone like this?

Oh, no.

He just wanted to know

if I was happy

and if everything was all right.

But in it he mentioned

the Dead Mountains.

And I found out where they are,

and here I am.

Did, uh, he say

what he was doing

in the Dead Mountains?

Well, he said that a man

who had befriended him

was using his training

and knowledge.

Sounds like it could be MacKay.

He didn't say.

He could use his experience

as a geologist

to help him find the ore,

and as a mining engineer

to help him get it out.

Mr. Favor, you've just got

to help me find him.

Look, l...

I've got to get a herd through.

You took me with you.

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