San Antonio Page #3

They don't have to sit up all night

bouncing their brains out.

It is not my brains is tired.

Well, use them, then,

and get us on the regular stagecoach.

Look, Tuesday, it is last night

we played already...

...so we got to be there yesterday yet...

...because the day before

we ain't no place.

- You know?

- What?

[SIGHS]

Look, next day it is last night

we don't start...

...and Tuesday evening

is the morning we ain't coming.

- Now you understand?

- Of course not.

I'm sorry, I'm not a teacher. Sheesh.

[CROWD CHEERING, APPLAUDING]

[BAND PLAYING WALTZ MUSIC]

Hi, Charlie.

Pony Smith was on the stage with me.

Lafe McWilliams tailed us.

I saw them.

They're in the street right this minute.

Public street.

We gotta do something

to get you out of this.

- They'll never give you a fair break.

- Did I ask for one?

All right, Clay. It's your carcass.

[CLAY CHUCKLES]

He called you Clay.

Uh-huh.

- You never told me your name w...

- Well, you never asked me.

- Are you really Clay Hardin?

- Uh-huh.

Well, are they going to arrest you?

I hope not.

Break up our whole evening, wouldn't it?

I'd like this better

if Charlie Bell was out of it.

Yeah, I guess you'd like

Clay Hardin out of it too.

I can handle my job.

- Then let's not waste any time.

- Don't worry about me.

[LOUDLY]

Well, Pony, I'll see you in San Antonio.

All right, Lafe.

[MUSIC STOPS]

CLAY:

Thank you.

We get from out now. Maybe?

Well, I think we ought

to tie on the nosebag...

...before we get from out now,

maybe, huh?

You'll tie on a nosebag,

won't you, Jeanne?

Uh, waiter. Two more nosebags, please.

Waiter, I will take one too.

Big size.

This next dance is mine.

I'm sorry, but I'm tired now.

Give us some music, boys.

Don't make me ask loud, lady.

BOZIE:

Wait a minute.

I am her management.

She got to have advance billing,

or else:
Poof.

No wiggles.

HENRIETTA:

Shut up, Bozie.

Surely you heard what the lady said,

didn't you, Lafe?

I don't believe I'd horn into this, Hardin.

I've known people

to get hurt bad sometimes...

...just by leaving too much slack

in their rope.

Uh...

Don't you find it a little crowded in here?

Maybe you'd sooner talk this over

in the street.

After you.

Sure.

I think I smell a polecat.

[GUNSHOT]

[CROWD SCREAMING]

CLAY:

Thanks, Charlie.

[GUNSHOT]

What's the matter, Lafe?

Something go wrong?

Did you see that potato draw on me?

He tried to gun me from the side.

Yeah, I saw him, Charlie.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

[WHIMPERING]

- Charlie.

- Yeah?

Tell you what you do.

Go over to the telegraph office.

Send an overnight wire to Roy Stuart.

Say:
"Deal went through as planned. "

You've got a buzzing in your head?

Sign it "Lafe McWilliams. "

Such a business:

Boom, boom, boom.

Just like burying people was no trouble.

Hmm. Heh.

I, uh...

I never thought of it

just that way before.

I'm a failure. I don't know how

to take care of her in such a madhouse.

If I ever get her back to New York,

I'm gonna have her locked up...

...and spend the rest of my life

in some nice, quiet insane asylum.

But you must have known this would

happen if you showed yourself here.

Kind of noisy for a minute, wasn't it?

I believe you've been delaying here

just to fight those men.

Me? Oh, no.

No, I just like music.

[TELEGRAPH MACHINE CLATTERING]

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

[MAN SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

[PIANO PLAYING UPBEA SALOON MUSIC]

You see Mr. Roy Stuart?

Up in his office.

[BO Y SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

Five hundred dollars to this

Jeanne Starr woman for one week.

Who is she?

Another one of your flea-bitten canaries?

Roy, why don't you leave

the artistic end of our business to me?

Because your figures don't tell anything.

The way you run this place,

nobody knows where the money goes.

What is this,

New Orleans style or Chinese?

I can't tell you, Roy,

how it hurts me to hear you say that.

What a tone of voice

to use to your partner. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Did you ever stop to think

what would happen to you, Legare...

...if I caught you shorting me?

You might keep the accounts yourself,

you know.

That is, if you can add.

[LAUGHING]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

For Mr. Roy Stuart.

Think over what I said.

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

Muchas gracias, Mr. Stuart.

Look at that. This was sent last night.

Took it 20 hours to come from Cotulla.

They must have brought it on foot,

walking backwards.

Why can't they...?

Lafe McWilliams must have gone crazy.

I told him 50 times never to wire me.

But I can use it.

Some kind of an accident

seems to have happened to Clay Hardin.

May I see it?

I don't think you'd be interested.

Your odds are way off kilter.

The Laredo stage has been in

for an hour. And was Clay Hardin on it?

- Nobody was on it except Charlie Bell.

- That's right.

Funny thing, I've taken more bets since

the coach came in than I did before.

ALL:
Ah.

- Still fussing about the odds, boys?

Well, I guess maybe

they are a bit tough, at that.

MAN:

Fifteen-to-one.

That I'd have to take,

if I was betting on my own funeral.

- Give them all they want.

- Right.

Get it out, boys. Come on.

Here's a hundred.

[TELEGRAPH MACHINE CLATTERING]

- Yes, Mr. Legare?

- I'm very sorry to bother you, Mr. Pratt.

Mr. Stuart just now received a telegram

and tore it up by mistake.

I wonder if you possibly have a copy.

- Yes, I think so.

- Ah.

We don't usually do this, you know,

but, uh, seeing that you're his partner.

Yes, of course.

Thank you very much.

He'll appreciate this.

Thank you.

[CROWD CHEERING]

It is the lady! She has come.

The lady from Monterey!

[CHILDREN SHOUTING]

See there? We got us a female visitor.

It's Jeanne Starr. In her own coach.

I wish it was Clay Hardin.

Not me. Come on.

Do you mean to tell me this

little mud Indian village is San Antonio?

Oh, it is nice. You will like it.

As far as I'm concerned, it's just

another place full of wild savages.

Try to look gorgeous.

Remember, hold in your stomach.

Oh, Henrietta.

[CLAY LAUGHS]

Hurry up. Get over there.

Here. Stand straight.

Pay attention.

What's the matter with you? Stay here.

Now, listen, boys,

if you can't make it good, make it noisy.

Do you understand that?

Good.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

[ALL CHEERING]

Mademoiselle Jeanne.

It is a pleasure to see you again.

Oh, Monsieur Legare,

what a lovely reception.

But then, you always

arrange these things so beautifully.

My dear, for such beauty as yours,

receptions arrange themselves.

[JEANNE LAUGHS]

[RO Y CLEARS THROAT]

Oh, yes.

Miss Starr, this is my partner,

Roy Stuart.

Mr. Stuart,

I've heard so much about you.

You're really a very famous man.

Miss Starr, that's the greatest

thing that ever happened to San Antonio.

[LAUGHS]

I was just telling Legare

how lucky we are...

[BAND LOUDLY PLAYING

"CAMPTOWN RACES"]

I said, I was telling Legare...

[ALL LAUGHING]

[ALL CHATTERING]

MAN 1:

It's Clay Hardin! He's back.

MAN 2:

There's Clay Hardin.

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