Moonrise Page #2

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Oh, what am I going to tell Jerry?

Maybe Jerry's in Richmond,

trying to date up someone else?

Maybe. Why all the phoney jive?

Heck, I ain't no square, you know?

Hi, Danny.

Hi, Elmer.

Hello, Hawkins.

- You all right?

- Why not?

Cup of coffee, Elmer.

Doggone, that gases me!

A wreck like that

and not even a scratch!

To top it,

Jerry Sykes takes a powder.

Man, the town's real gone, you know?

What about Jerry Sykes?

Ask him. He drove his car

home after the hop.

Danny don't care.

I bet you'd be happy

if he never showed.

Why don't you mind

your own business?!

Ssh, stash the yap.

Morning, Mr Sykes.

What can I do for you?

Where are the papers?

The Dispatch ain't come in yet.

Probably be in on the 10.10.

- Say, Williams?

- Yes, sir?

- Heard anything?

- No, sir, I haven't.

That Jerry Sykes,

he's a natural drag, you know?

Jerry had a beef with Gilly

Saturday night before he beat it.

All that corn liquor

he was soaking up...

Yeah? How was it you was able

to latch onto that mouse?

Maybe she got tired of waiting.

What's the matter? Haven't you

ever seen the kind that folds?

Want to go down to Brothers Pond

with me, Hawkins?

Try dragging the pond?

I reckon not. "I reckon, I reckon. "

When you gonna stop talking

like a hillbilly, Hawkins?

Ah, he's nothing but a square.

You gonna dig

that county fair, Danny?

I might.

You know that Jerry Sykes?

Strictly a sticky hicky.

Remember the time he trimmed

you down behind the schoolhouse?

Like cos his old man was JB Sykes

he had more rights than other guys.

I never did dig that.

Just cos your old man was a criminal,

that wasn't any reason why...

You talk too much!

Nothing in the whole town

but squares.

Hawkins?

Hello, Sheriff.

Made you jump, huh, fella?

You gotta be careful.

Wear your brain out, thinking.

I was looking for Mose Jackson.

The Tidewater freight ain't in yet.

- Whose boy?

- Jessie Hawkins.

Her nephew.

- Who?

- Daniel Hawkins.

Ain't Yankee.

He's from Chinnamuk.

The mountains.

Tell him to sit down.

You heard him, young fella. Sit down.

Educated fella, that Mose.

Engineer says he can read

as good as anybody - Better.

Read about every book there is, I guess.

That's too many.

Seven minutes late.

Huh?

Seven minutes late.

They oughtta whoop that engineer.

- Who's that fella just got off?

- Where?

Yonder. Last car.

You blind?

Black suit.

Preacher? Undertaker? Detective?

The town don't need any more

preachers and undertakers.

What use would we have

for a detective?

Peculiar animal, ain't he?

Ain't no telephone in there, mister.

Cab driver will be here soon.

Always is when the train comes in.

Talkative cuss, ain't he?

Maybe Uncle Joe was right,

a detective.

- Mr Chandler?

- Yes.

- I'm Mr Sykes.

- How do you do?

Well, I'll be hung for a witch!

Old JB Sykes helping somebody.

Must be an important guy.

What do you suppose a banker

wants a man like that for?

They tell me young Sykes ain't

been seen since the dance Saturday.

JB's been asking around.

You think Jerry's up to something?

- How would I know?

- I guess not.

I reckon you wouldn't care what happened

to him, the times he's licked you.

Figures his old man being

a banker makes him somebody.

Aah, you'll catch up with him

one of these days.

Detective...

There's something to figure.

Gilly?

Dan.

You're trembling.

I've been waiting since two o'clock.

But I told you three.

I have to be at school for this...

I can meet you after then.

Let's walk.

I know now why Jerry

didn't call me on Sunday.

Dan, I'm worried. No-one's seen him since

the dance and...

Are you in love with Jerry?

Ah, how could I be?

Danny.

Danny...

I don't understand anything.

Why are we meeting

in secret places as if...

as if we were hunted?

Why, Dan?

What is it in your eyes

that you never say?

It's like being in a long,

dark tunnel.

Why do you say that?

The way you look and act and talk...

Where will I meet you tonight?

- Blackwater.

- The old mansion?

Isn't that where Mose lives?

He's out in the back.

He'll never know we're there.

Danny, I hate this!

What are we hiding?

You make me feel guilty

when I've done nothing.

Danny?

Danny...

Why don't you tell me

I'm...

I'm crazy, or...

or upset or that it...

there's nothing to be afraid of?

That's right.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Just keep saying it.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

- Mose?

- Yes!

Look at Mr Dog.

No manners. No manners at all!

Where have you been lately?

Oh, around. I came over to see

when we might go hunting for coon.

A couple of fellas from the lodge

asked me yesterday to take 'em out.

If the air stays clear, I'll have

to take 'em out tomorrow night.

Railroading isn't

going to feed Mr Dog.

Mr Dog?!

Why d'you call everything Mr?

Ain't enough dignity in the world.

Come here.

I want to show you something.

She did her duty by the dog race.

Daisy-Belle!

Daisy-Belle, I'll be doggone!

Look what you went and done!

- Who's pappy?

- Juniper.

Never saw such a disgusted dog!

Came in, took one look

and made a rapid departure!

You're sad and afraid.

How do you know it was Juniper?

Always tell when Mr Dog did something

he shouldn't.

Like killing a chicken -

he acts guilty as all get out!

How does he know what's good

and what's bad?

Someone told him.

So long. So long.

In a philosophical mood, aren't you?

- Not particular.

- Kinda serious.

Got me a girl.

Got me a girl.

Ain't you interested? I guess so.

What are you going to do about it?

Oh, I only met her a few times

to talk to.

I think maybe she's afraid.

Afraid?

Because of what happened

to your pappy?

I don't know.

What if she's right?

What if there's bad blood in me, Mose,

that makes me do bad things?

I don't know what you mean -

"bad blood".

Blood is red. It keeps you alive.

It doesn't tell you

what you have to do.

Tell you something, Danny.

When I was a brakeman,

I found a hobo

sleeping in a boxcar once.

There was something about The lonesome,

cold look on his face

and the way he was lying there

made me throw my coat over him

and leave him.

The next I knew, the sheriff was

grabbing my dogs to chase him.

I never felt right

about the sheriff using the dogs.

It's all right for a dog

to chase a coon, but not a man.

Did they... did they catch him?

He was sent up for 15 years

for making love to the constable's daughter

when she didn't want it.

Do you think he was bad?

Well, he was... he was guilty.

Sure.

But first he was lonesome.

I think he got 15 years

for being lonesome -

not from having bad blood.

Yeah, but you get lonesome

out here at Blackwater

with your back to the swamp,

don't you, Mose?

But you don't commit no crimes.

Sure, I get lonesome.

A man ought to have a woman.

Friends, anyway.

A man ought to live in a world

with other folks.

When I came out here,

I thought I'd be out of the way,

with no-one shoving me around.

What I did was resign

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