More Dead Than Alive Page #3

- Your offer still stand?

- Sure!

We were just about to pull out.

Billy, lock up that wagon.

You come with me, Cain.

All right, Billy, let's get rolling.

I gotta stop over at my place

and get my gear.

Eighteen years in prison made me

think I'd never touch another gun.

That gun's gonna earn you

a lot of money, Cain.

Good money.

Yeah, yeah, it sure will.

I bet you're pretty...

pretty good with that.

What I love are those 12 notches.

- Those were the good old days.

- How would you know?

I've heard.

I've heard how every man

would wear a gun

and if he wanted to have it out

with a guy, why, he did.

Today you're lucky

if you can get a guy outside to fist-fight.

Here, load up.

I'll...

see if I can trim

that branch back a little.

Looks like I need some practice.

I never miss.

Well, Cain,

you just got yourself a free show.

Now, I know what you're doing there,

you're holding back, aren't you?

- No.

- Yes, you are.

I know you killed 12 men. I know

you must have been sharper than that.

I was.

How'd you do it?

How'd you kill 'em, I mean?

Different men, different ways.

"Different men, different ways"?

But you always let 'em

draw first, right?

No.

Not if there was a chance

I might get beat.

The only code I had

was to let 'em know I was coming.

But you never

bushwhacked anyone, did you?

Well, like I said, they knew

I was coming, so they all had guns

and none of them got it in the back.

Well, see, I thought...

You thought that

I marched down the street,

called 'em out

and waited for 'em to draw?

No, Billy, I...

I was hired to use my gun and I did.

Well, I...

I'd let anyone draw first.

'Cause I can outdraw anyone.

It's... it's hard for me to believe

that you never were as good as I am.

Good at what,

Billy, hitting branches?

Or killing men?

There is a difference.

Eighteen years ago

a man never holstered an unloaded gun.

You're just playing games, kid.

Let me ask you something.

How old were you

when you killed your first man?

- Sixteen.

- Sixteen.

What was he?

A sheriff or a marshal or what?

- Soldier.

- Soldier?

How much you get paid?

I didn't get paid anything.

It happened in a fist-fight.

Oh, well.

No, I mean, what about when

you had that first notch on your Colt?

What about it?

I didn't get paid anything

for that, either.

I killed a bounty hunter

who was after my hide.

Well, the first time

you got paid, how much?

- $50.

- $50!

$50.

Fifty bucks

don't mean much to him, Cain.

He's spoiled.

He don't know what it was like

out here in those days.

Well, it was different.

A lot different.

My father was a sergeant

in the Fourth Cavalry,

and they were always out

chasing Indians.

I never saw much of anything

except the inside of army forts

till I killed that soldier.

All my life I'd seen men die.

The ones that lived brag about

killing others, so life was cheap to me.

And $50 was a lot of money.

Especially when you were on the run.

Yeah, you make it sound lousy.

It was.

Hell, I just wish... I just wish

I'd been living in those days.

'Cause the way

I handle a gun, boy, I'll tell ya.

The way you handle a gun,

you'd been a dead man.

Somebody would have

shot you in the back

because they were afraid

to face up to you.

That's the way it was,

and don't you think different.

Mr. Cain.

How come...

no one went for your back?

It's a big enough target.

Well, a fella did once,

but his aim was low.

I got a scar on my ass to prove it.

Here, try that on, for a start.

Go on, man, put it on.

Put it on.

Yeah, it looks good.

It looks good.

Everything's gonna be black.

Black Stetson, black bandana.

Everything black but the silver.

Here, a black jacket, black jacket,

black pants...

Look at this.

Look at that buscadero belt.

Ain't that snazzy, huh?

It's just what a killer's supposed

to wear, ain't it, Cain?

I guess so, but... I sure never

wore nothing like that.

Well, think maybe we better try

some of this on, huh?

We might have to make

some alterations.

You're a big son of a b*tch.

Look, here's some black boots.

Killer Cain. Killer Cain.

We stay here for a couple of days,

and then we'll hit Tempe,

and Phoenix, and Higginsville

and Liberty, and...

by the end of the month

we'll be in Valseco.

Mornin', Linus.

Seen The Epitaph?

Well, something in here I think,

uh, will interest you.

Says Cain's coming back to town.

According to the article, Cain's been

with Dan Ruffalo's shootin' show

for almost a month.

He'll be here today or tomorrow.

Ha kee.

I thought we made a deal.

Hi.

I want you to know I tried.

I believe you.

Oh, I'm not kiddin' myself.

I know it's not the best life, but...

it's better than anything

I've ever known.

Then I'm happy for you.

I better go finish my sketch.

It was nice seeing you again.

Wait a minute.

I owe you these.

I had a feeling I'd get these back.

Be seein' ya.

Be seeing you.

All right, folks, step right up.

It's the biggest little show in the territory.

Hurry, hurry, hurry. Thank you, sir.

I hope you enjoy yourself.

Step inside, folks, and see

the spectacular shootin' show,

starring the infamous Killer Cain.

Step right inside,

ladies and gentlemen, if you dare,

and let the Killer show you

the 12 notches on his Colt

and how they got there.

All right, folks, step right up.

Come on, folks,

you got a treat inside. Let... what...

What the hell are you doin'?

All this shouting

about "The Killer," "The Killer".

Now, look...

Listen to me.

- Billy, calm yourself.

- Now, you should listen to me.

You said that I was the star.

I was the star!

Billy, this is my show,

and I'll bark what I damn well please.

Now you get your butt back in there

and do what I pay you to do.

Go on, git, git!

All right, folks, I know you don't wanna

miss this spectacular event.

Here's your change, sir,

thank you very much and...

Carson?

I'm glad to see you!

You come to see the Killer?

You know, I think you and I

might work something out.

What are you getting at?

Well, seein' as how you and Cain

have met before and right out here,

I think folks might, uh, well,

they might enjoy seeing a little... encore.

I'll make it worth your while.

All right, ladies and gentlemen,

step right up, let me see

the color of your money.

Mr. Cain,

would you take a challenge?

Three shots apiece for a dollar?

Sure.

It looked easy.

Well, thanks anyway.

It sure would have been great

if I could have said I'd beat you.

I'm the best shot in town, Cain.

You wanna take me on for a dollar?

Well, I guess we can't see

the Killer back down.

There you go.

Son of a bee!

Cain...

best of six...

on the wheel.

Three out of six.

Six out of six.

Can't beat that.

Mr. Cain, what'll you have?

Well, I'll try some of that rye.

All right.

Say, here, it's the next one,

right here, that's on me.

And, uh... you can pour me...

pour me the same.

At least I don't see any signs around

that says I can't, do you?

Thanks.

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