Purgatory Page #2

you were drovers, right?

That's right.

And that your cattle was stolen

by the Indians.

That's what he said.

Did they steal your ropes too?

Our ropes?

Yeah, I see your horses,

and I only see two or three ropes.

No branding irons. Aren't cowboys

supposed to have a lot of ropes?

You sure do ask

a lot of questions yourself.

Well, I guess you wanna be

joining your friends now.

I only killed one man.

He...

He begged me to do it.

Forty-five.

Forty-four-40.

Forty-five. And...

...45.

Not many Indians use a. 45.

- Well, we knew they wasn't drovers.

- So, what are we gonna do about it?

We'll walk softly.

Give them plenty of room.

Maybe they'll leave peacefully.

And maybe they'll drop us

a thank-you note on the way out of town.

Don't work that way, sheriff.

You should've told them to keep on riding.

This job's yours if you want it, Glen.

I'd just as soon go off and sit under

a big tree. Believe me, I'd rather.

Forrest, nobody'd blame you for it either.

Look, the last man we want

handling this thing is Glen.

Why, he'd shoot the eyes out of a dove

for singing too early in the day.

Brooks is right. If we got a hope of getting

out of this jackpot, I'm pinning it on Forrest.

That bunch, just ride out?

We got about as much chance

of that as a one-legged man at a...

...rat stomp.

We got any other choice?

You had your sorry moments...

...but all in all, I'd say you did

the family real proud today.

I did?

Yeah, you acquitted yourself

real good for a green farm boy.

Next time I write Esther

I'm gonna tell her so.

Excuse me.

- You're the doc, right?

- And you are...?

Smith. Jack Smith.

I just wanna thank you

for patching up my boys.

Think nothing of it.

Come on in. Let me stand you to a drink.

That's mighty tempting...

...but I don't drink anymore.

Well, that's a shame.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith.

You know, it's the damnedest thing...

...but I swear I seen that man

somewhere before.

He was in Wichita once.

Excuse me, Mr. Smith,

I have to go for an hour...

...so please tell your men to help

themselves to whatever they'd like.

Yeah, you see, I told you the whole

damn town is full of Bible-thumpers.

He's right, boss. Nothing but a bunch

of damn cheek-turners.

It's gonna be real easy.

What's gonna be easy?

It's none of your damn business.

How's the leg?

It hurts.

Bullets tend to do that.

Evening, miss. May I have a minute?

What do you want?

Listen, the man I shot...

...he was dying in the desert

and begged everyone to shoot him...

...but no one would. I mean, they

were gonna leave him to the buzzards.

Why are you telling me this?

Because I don't want you to misjudge me.

Why should you care what I think of you?

Because I like you.

What's your name?

Leon...

...Miller.

But most everyone just calls me Sonny.

What's your name?

Rose.

Rose, huh?

That's a mighty pretty name.

Rose what?

It's just Rose.

Well...

...I reckon it fits you pretty good.

You know, your grammar is terrible.

You know how to read?

Yeah, read all the time.

In fact, I...

- It's a dime novel.

- Yes, it's dime novels.

Hey, Sonny.

Why don't you bring her over

for a drink.

- This is the damnedest saloon I ever saw.

- Who's that?

My uncle. He gets mean

when he's drunk.

Where the hell are all the women?

I'm getting real lonely.

Did you hear what I said, boy?

Mean when he ain't too.

Look at you, hogging all the whores.

She ain't a whore, Uncle Guthrie.

I don't care if she's a nun.

They're all whores.

You know, you shouldn't be

walking around with boys...

...when there's real men in town.

How about me and you

crack some calico?

No. Please.

Don't.

No, Forrest. You can't.

What's the matter, sheriff?

You know what this is, don't you?

Sorry.

It's not your fault.

I'm obliged for that, son.

- You gonna put him in jail?

- We don't have a jail.

What? Every town's got a jail.

Well, this one doesn't.

Why's everyone just standing here?

Why didn't you draw your gun?

You best get him to bed.

Good night, Sonny.

Y'all go to bed!

Sonny, what the hell happened here?

I didn't see. I think...

I think he fell.

More likely, somebody felled him.

Get him off the street.

Glorious day, Glen.

Yep.

Beautiful morning, Brooks.

Indeed, Brother Lamb.

Morning.

Morning, Sonny.

Hi. Morning, sheriff.

Mr. Smith up and about?

I ain't seen him yet.

I'd like to speak to him

when you see him.

I'll make sure to tell him.

Hey, sir?

How long have you been

sheriff of this town?

Oh, better part of 10 years, why?

- Nothing.

- You know...

...you don't seem as seasoned

as the rest.

How'd you fall in

with this bunch, anyhow?

I begged my uncle to come along

with him.

On the cattle drive?

Bet by now you wish you hadn't, huh?

Yes, sir.

I feel like I was ate by a coyote

and crapped off a cliff.

Hey, Sonny!

Did you see which one of them

Bible-thumpers bushwhacked me?

No, sir.

Cavin, I want you to take your nephew

and check the general store.

We're gonna need ammo.

- Probably don't have any.

- Check anyway.

What will I use for money?

Your imagination.

- Sir?

- What?

The sheriff said he wanted to see you.

- He say what about?

- No, sir.

All right.

We got company.

Morning.

The boy said you wanted to see me.

Care for a cup of java?

Be obliged.

So how do you like our little town?

It'll do.

So, what's this all about?

One of your men got out of line

last night.

Used foul language

toward one of our women.

- That'd be Cavin.

- Yes, I believe it was.

I wish you'd speak to him.

I'll do that sheriff, but Cavin seemed

to have a grievance of his own.

Seems that one of your citizens

hit him over the head.

Well, I doubt if it was

one of my people.

You calling him a liar?

No, I only said I didn't see

one of my people do it.

Now, he was blind drunk.

Maybe he passed out

and just didn't wanna own up to it.

Yeah, maybe so.

So you will talk to him?

Look, he gives you any more trouble,

why don't you just throw him in jail?

That is, if you got the sand.

I had hoped it wouldn't come

to that, Mr. Smith.

We have extended our hospitality.

You're damn right we have.

That's enough, Glen.

The least we can expect in return

is for you to control your men.

I can promise you one thing, sheriff.

My men do exactly what I tell them to.

That's all I'm asking.

Everything else all right at the hotel?

- Your wounded being tended to?

- Everything's fine.

- Mind if I ask you a question?

- Not at all.

In all my years on the frontier, I never run

across a sheriff that wasn't armed.

How come you ain't packing?

Well, we never found the need in Refuge.

What? There are no guns

in this whole town?

- We have our own ways here, Mr. Smith.

- Damn right.

- Thanks for the coffee.

- Pleasure.

You are walking a thin line.

That man all but slapped you

in the face with a glove, sheriff.

That's not what I'm talking about.

You said "damn" twice.

Just keep him busy for a while.

Morning, gents.

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