Pale Rider Page #4

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right now.

Preacher?

He's gone.

What?

Who?

The preacher. Packed up and left.

But, why?

Where to?

I don't know. He must have left

before sunup.

He must have gone to tell LaHood

about the vote last night.

With his bedroll and coat?

I can't believe that he's gone.

It's not like him.

He would have said something to us.

Well, I reckon we'll survive.

All this talk about fighting,

no wonder he's gone.

What's that supposed to mean?

LaHood be damned!

Isn't that what you decided last night?

I spoke my mind, if that's what you mean.

You got the rest of them to vote your way.

They voted their conscience.

They voted to fight!

Damn right!

If it comes to that.

You think they'd have voted that way

before the preacher came?

Or if they knew he wouldn't be here?

-They voted to stick together.

-The preacher held them together!

They knew he helped you in town!

They watched him stand up

to that animal LaHood sent out here!

They were counting on him

to beat LaHood himself.

I reckon I did all right by you

before he came.

Didn't l?

Damned if that don't cut it!

LaHood dammed up the creek.

If you'd accepted LaHood's offer,

this never would have happened!

$1 0...$20...

...and $30.

Thank you. Come back and see us.

Reverend.

What can I do for you?

There you are.

It's time to pack up the missus

and light out of here.

Don't seem like we have much choice.

How about you, Barret?

Any ideas?

Where's the preacher?

He'll know what to do.

He ain't here.

You mean he's gone?

He went to tell LaHood

we turned him down.

But before he left...

...he said if anything happened,

he hoped we'd do like he'd do...

...if he was here.

Sh*t.

I don't know.

I suppose we could dry pan

for a couple days.

I know he'd hate to see us quit,

without giving it our best.

Let's play it out a few days.

What can we lose?

One nugget. I'd like to find me

one big nugget.

I'd shove it so far up LaHood's ass

it'd wink at him when he washes his teeth.

You got sand, Barret...

...but you can't lie worth a damn.

With the preacher gone,

your life won't be worth spit.

If I was you,

I'd pack them two ladies and git.

You angry at me?

No. Whatever gave you that notion?

You angry at Mama then?

I wouldn't say that. Not angry.

She hurt your feelings, didn't she?

I know how that feels.

Let's talk about it later.

Can I borrow the mare?

Can you saddle her?

I already did.

Sure, take her out for a stretch.

Rich, by Christ!

I've struck it rich!

Look at this!

You pair of clodpolls.

Come see what Daddy pulled out

of the stream.

LaHood!

You sugar-legged toad, I beat you!

Look at this! Old Spider's struck it rich!

What've you got, Daddy?

You brainless barn owl...it's gold!

Go get the mules!

We're going to town.

Us? We're going to town!

I want to apologize if anything

I've said or done...

...is gonna stand between us.

Can't think of any such.

Sure looks like Spider's payday's come.

Maybe it's just his turn.

Like it was your turn a couple days ago.

At least someone will leave Carbon Canyon

a few dollars richer.

When we all pack up...

...there's room in my wagon

for anything you want to take with you.

Are you asking us to leave here with you?

I reckon we're all going, aren't we?

Ever since your daddy died...

...I've done what I could to help you,

without putting any conditions on it.

Now I'm putting one on.

You owe me the truth.

What do you have against me?

Nothing.

Is there a chance for us being together?

You are the most decent man

I ever met, Hull Barret.

The answer is yes.

I apologize...

...for being so high-strung lately.

It's just that...

...I've been so confused.

With what's been going on,

it's a wonder we all ain't crazy.

We've got nothing more to worry about.

We'll start all over again someplace new.

The three of us.

The first town we get to...

we'll find ourselves another preacher.

Yes.

Another preacher.

Come to see how the rich do it?

Maybe.

Your mama know where you are?

I don't tell her everything.

She wouldn't like your being here.

I'm 15. Same age as her when

she got married. I can do what I want.

You want me to show you around?

Isn't that why you came here?

Three-quarters of a mile up the stream

we diverted half of Cobalt Creek.

It flows through a ditch along the slope.

It ends up about 100 yards up yonder.

It can't just end.

It doesn't really.

It flows into a length of three-foot pipe.

Then that flows downslope real steep.

Then that narrows to a two-foot pipe...

...then a one-foot pipe.

All that time it's going down slow...

...but it picks up speed...

...and force by going into a thinner pipe.

It hurts my ears.

By the time the water

reaches the monitor...

...I've got about 200 pounds of pressure

per square inch.

I could blast that gravel out of that cliff.

Then it washes down into the bed

and travels through the sluice.

It looks like hell.

I can get 20 tons of gravel a day

on this rig.

So, what did you really come up here for?

I was just riding.

Thought I'd take a look around.

I'm wanting to take a look, too. At you.

Real close.

Look what I got me, boys!

A tin pan's daughter.

Stop! Stop, please!

LaHood!

It's old Spider!

Come on out and have a drink...

...with an honest man, you skunk's butt!

Is he one of them?

A piece of trash.

Name's Conway. Used to work for me!

It's too bad.

For a while, I had them buffaloed.

Then this preacher come along,

shot them full of sass.

You take care of him...

...along with the rest.

Made me look bad in front of my men.

He whipped four of them.

A preacher did that?

You're damn right he did.

What did he look like?

He was tall and...

...Iean.

His eyes....

Yeah, his eyes...something strange...

...about them.

That mean something to you?

Sounds like a man I once knew.

Might be. He recognized your name.

It couldn't be.

The man I'm thinking about is dead.

I know you're in there, Coy!

I got something to show you!

Come on out and have a drink...

...you old sow belly in bloat!

Sounds like your daddy's running out

of steam. You better take him home.

No. Hell, we only get

to town here once a year.

Where's LaHood?

Inside.

What is it you want?

You're Stockburn.

These are my deputies.

Gentlemen, say hello to Mr. Conway.

I have no grief with you.

It's Coy I want to talk to.

He's listening.

You creepy-legged lizard.

I don't think Mr. LaHood wants to talk

to you...

...tin pan.

Maybe he'd like to watch you dance, huh?

I don't know how to dance.

It's easy.

Just move your feet...

...to the rhythm.

Stay where you are, boys!

Some music, gentlemen.

Take him back to Carbon Canyon.

Tell that preacher to meet me here...

...tomorrow morning.

Stop! Who are you?

You know which end of that thing

shoots the bullet?

You won't believe what's happened.

LaHood dammed up the stream!

Spider found a rock full of nuggets!

The Wheeler girl's horse

come back without her.

I'll be damned!

She got caught up at LaHood's,

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