Silver River Page #3

a hundred mile of here.

I like you better in skirts.

Sorry to disappoint

you, McComb.

Where ya going?

To make my bed

and get some sleep,

if it's all right with you.

Sure it's all right,

but I had an uncle once,

slept away from

the wagons one night.

In the morning he woke

up without his hair.

Scalped.

Now how would you know whether

or not there are indians out here?

You've never been west

before, greenhorn.

Ain't you gonna

sleep in the wagon?

No, you take it tonight.

I'll bunk down here.

I'll go over and count

the horses again

and pick up a couple

of blankets.

Please, mrs. Moore.

You could at least

knock on the wheel.

What sort of

a man is your husband?

He's a gentleman.

Oh... isn't that a shame.

How long since

you've seen him?

You ask a lot of

questions, don't you?

You're the sort of woman

a man asks questions about.

Besides,

i like your answers.

I thought you made up

all your own answers.

Awful wet down here.

Good.

Oh, I'm so sorry,

mrs. Moore.

It was only pistol. He

didn't know you were there.

I'm sorry, mister.

Are you hurt?

No, it's just

bent a little.

Pistol, take these over to

mrs. Moore with my compliments.

She's gone.

Gone?

How far can she get?

As far as your horse

will take her.

Take 'em on down to

the wagon yard, sam.

You ain't aimin' to settle in

silver city, are ya, stranger?

Oh, I might. Why?

Well, if I was you,

I'd keep moving.

Any particular reason?

You wouldn't

like it here.

Bad for your health.

Oh, well, that's certainly

very kind of you boys

to be so considerate

over a stranger.

Here. Hold my horse, sonny.

All right, boys.

Out you go.

We were just-

you're too young for

this game. Come on, kid.

Come back when you're

old enough to shave.

Move over.

Hello, McComb.

Open for business?

What kind?

Strictly on the level.

Maybe you remember.

I was figuring on a layout

like this for myself.

Too bad your equipment

didn't get here.

I was coming to that.

Mccomb, you need a partner.

I do?

Who do you suggest?

You're looking right at him.

What do you say?

I'd say you'd better have

a drink and forget it.

I don't need any partners.

Is there an undertaker

in this town?

Yeah.

Your boys seem

to be a bit rough.

You wouldn't want them

to get hurt, would ya?

Nobody's gonna get hurt. They're

just celebrating our partnership.

Banjo, I seem to remember

telling you once before

i never take chances.

It's too risky.

But maybe I do

need a partner.

A silent partner.

When he comes to, tell

him he's out of business.

Now get him out of here.

A glass of milk.

Primitive, but persuasive.

What?

Your method of

settling a debate.

What are you selling?

You sound like a lawyer.

I am a lawyer. Business

is a little slow at the moment.

It might surprise you,

sir, to know that

one of our great

universities of learning

once pronounced me

its potential best.

I am still potential.

Well, how about

a potential drink?

Always.

That's a gentleman's drink.

Beck is my name, sir.

John Plato Beck.

Thank you. Mccomb.

Michael j. Mccomb.

To your health, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Someone else here

to see you, Mike.

Who is it?

I think you better make yourself

scarce. This is personal.

The lady's husband.

You're McComb?

That's right.

I'm stanley Moore

of the silver river mine.

What can I do for you?

My wife tells me you took

over our freight wagons.

Those wagons were

neither hers nor yours.

I bought them faithfully.

Did she tell you that?

Yes, she did.

Can I offer you a drink?

Mccomb, I'm in kind of a spot.

To get my machinery

i need those wagons.

Will you lend them to me?

Lend them to you?

Mr. Moore, I operate

strictly on a cash basis.

If you want to buy those

wagons, they're for sale.

How much do you want?

Oh...

$6,000.

I haven't that kind

of money on hand.

Will you take shares in the silver

river mine? A dollar a share.

What do you say,

your honor?

That stock

worth anything?

Might be. It's a gamble.

Well, I'm

a gambling man.

I think you've got

a deal, mr. Moore.

Oh, have you met

my lawyer, mr. Beck?

We've met.

I have a client?

It looks like it.

Have you got an office?

Just down the street, sir.

My hat.

Let's go.

All right.

Get rid of this.

If you'll just sign one of

these blank forms, mr. Mccomb,

I'll make out the bill

of sale for the wagons

and give it to mr. Moore

in the morning.

All right.

Here we are.

Very pretty.

I hope our little deal

works out profitably for you.

I hope so, mr. Moore.

Now, if you'll pardon me.

Give my regards to

mrs. Moore, won't you?

Yes, of course.

Interesting couple,

the Moores.

Hmm.

Good looking wife.

He's to be envied.

You sound like

a lonely man, mr. Mccomb.

Man is only lonely when he

depends on other people, mr. Beck.

I don't.

As a student of human nature,

you excite my curiosity.

Where'd you come from and

what are you looking for?

I'm looking for a lawyer who

can mind his own business.

Sorry.

Gibbons' decline and fall.

I seem to remember a quotation

from that. Let me see...

"no clash of arms,

no matter of rebellion

can pluck from his grasp

what he had won. "

Sounds as if

you knew it.

Oh, I read a book once.

Heh heh.

Well, caesar was ambitious.

He lived by it, and

he died because of it.

A bad exchange, that,

isn't it, mr. Beck?

Death for ambition.

But, of course, there's

an answer for that, too.

Ambition should be

made of sterner stuff.

Of course, you've

got to be lucky.

Even caesar couldn't

make his own luck.

Oh, caesar didn't

have bad luck.

That was bad judgment.

He trusted a friend.

Remember? Brutus.

Good night.

You shouldn't have

waited up, darling.

I couldn't sleep.

He didn't give you the wagons.

I knew it would be like that.

You've got him all wrong,

Georgia. We made a deal.

What kind of a deal?

A fair one.

He doesn't even know

the meaning of the word.

I think you're

being hard on him.

He's just a businessman.

Stanley, you're not in

boston. You're in silver city.

The only dealing McComb

knows is double dealing.

What did you give him

for the wagons?

It wasn't money.

Well, what then?

Some shares in the mine.

Oh, I know he's

a little smooth,

but he's plenty smart, too.

Stanley, how many shares

did you give him?

6,000.

Don't worry, it'll be all

right, darling. You'll see.

Do you remember me?

You bet I do.

Sam. How are you?

Still pitching horseshoes? Some.

But I ain't playin' poker.

Had a tough run of luck,

mr. Mccomb.

Taking a party upcountry.

But the trouble is-

i know. You need

a stake, huh?

Uh-huh. I thought

that maybe- pistol.

I guess we sort of owe

you a favor anyway, sam.

Take care of him,

will ya? Good luck.

This is getting

monotonous, Plato.

More and more of

this paper every night.

That's true enough.

Tell the dealers not to

accept any more of this stuff.

After tonight I want gambling

losses paid off in cash.

Wait. Local merchants

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