Station West

1

It's hard to grow old

in the dust of the prairie

And a man can't grow old

where there's women and gold.

The story is told

in the dust of the prairie

That a man can't grow old

where there's women and gold.

There's a stranger in town

where a stranger ain't welcome.

He should take some advice

and turn right around.

The stranger should flee.

Go back where he came from.

And live a long life

away from this town.

And live a long life

away from this town.

Evening, stranger.

You must know everybody in town.

Everybody but one. Don't know you.

You do now.

Got a vacant room?

- By day, week or month?

- I do not know.

Because the way you look at it,

a man can't be too sure in this town.

I've been here six years

and I ain't dead yet.

I'll settle for a week.

Eight dollars cash in advance.

- From Kansas, eh?

- No.

Always put on where I'm going

next so I won't forget.

Room 10 at the end of the hall.

Make your own bed.

Furnish your own towel.

Your grip's where you dropped it.

Thanks for the key.

Seven loses.

All right. Get your bets down, boys.

Get your bets down!

Number seven, the winner.

Get your money down, boys.

The man's getting lucky.

Eleven. The man wins.

Get your bets down.

All right, boys. Cover your bets now.

Eight's your point.

Number eight's your point.

He's my man.

We can take a come bet on that.

Eight the hard way.

No thanks. Here you go, dealer.

Next shoot.

Sometime remind me to tell you

how much you mean to me.

Sometime remind me to tell you

how happy we could be.

Sometime remind me to whisper

each dream, each plan, each promise.

But why wait around for sometime?

Why don't you tell me now?

A whiskey,

like you pour it for yourself.

Don't you know it's no fun

to drink alone?

Not till after the first one.

You a stranger here?

What kind of whiskey was that?

On the bottle, it says rye.

The way you take it, I don't

see what difference it makes.

I'll have another rye.

You haven't answered my question.

I am a stranger everywhere.

Got a job?

Listen, fella. I know that one too.

"Got a job, stranger?"

Not? Why don't you join the army.

Three meals a day and a place to sleep.

"A nice warm uniform..."

It's a little more than that.

Yeah, there's one thing more

that I could never take.

It's got second lieutenants.

You want to make this a

personal matter, all right?

I don't make it anything, soldier.

You tried to sell me something.

I didn't buy it.

Why don't you beat it?

If I weren't wearing uniform,

I might teach you a few manners.

If you could teach me anything,

you wouldn't be in a uniform.

You couldn't be looking

for trouble, could you?

- I could, but I'm not.

- That's fine.

Because this is one of the best places

west of the Atlantic Ocean to find them.

That was my first impression.

That lieutenant is a nice young boy.

I don't doubt it.

But his mouth is too big.

Like your ears.

The view is much

better at this table.

And you must like to pick fights.

Only with second lieutenants.

We like second lieutenants here.

You see here everybody

fights except the army.

I wouldn't know.

So anyone who doesn't like the army...

I know what you mean.

But I'm afraid I'll have to come back.

You see I...

I like the way you sing.

Captain Iles, commander of the post.

Mr. Haven, sir.

Lieutenant, I see you finally got here.

I seem to finally get everywhere.

Mrs. Caslon, Mr. Haven.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

You met Mr. Stellman.

It came off beautifully, sir.

He picks a good fight.

Matter of fact.

I think I am still a little sore at him.

- Sit down, Mr. Haven.

- Thank you, Captain.

So you're operating under sealed orders.

All this mumbo-jumbo is characteristic

of the Military Information Department.

We try to use it as sparingly

as possible.

I've been in this territory

for a number of years.

I think you'll find it a little rougher

here than the suburbs of Washington DC.

Very sensibly.

Then why is M.I.D. sending you here?

Because two soldiers have been murdered.

Those two soldiers were killed

while escorting one of the gold stakes.

Is escorting gold

one of the functions of your command?

Young man, the functions

of my command look very pretty on paper.

But they are not very practical

in a territory like this.

What's happening to the gold?

I permitted it to be stored

on a warehouse on the post.

Captain, you're in a bad way.

Wells Fargo won't convoy gold.

You tried and failed. Two men are dead.

Gold's piling up at your post.

You can't move it.

The post is undermanned.

You want the quartermaster's

plague to replace 7 uniforms.

Sent to the freight

office in West Rim City.

The freight building burned

down with the uniforms.

I'm not operating a fire department.

And if I were,

West Rim City is 60 miles away.

- That doesn't concern me either.

- Well what does?

The killing of two soldiers.

They were my men, Haven.

I'm trying every way I know

to find out who murdered them.

- So will I.

- It may be harder than you think.

I don't know how you operate.

But this is a dangerous job

that can get you killed.

You make it sound very

difficult, Captain.

Why don't you just wrap up your flag

and take it back east with you?

- Look here, Lieutenant.

- Yes?

How will I know what you're doing?

I'll let you know from time to time.

That's very obliging of you.

One thing. I don't want

to visit the army post.

Then report to me through

Mrs. Caslon here.

You can be a friend of her husband.

He owned the Argus mine

and died last year.

If that meets with your approval.

Only if it meets with hers.

I'd be delighted to help.

- Is that all?

- Yes, I think so.

He really isn't that abrupt.

- Good night, Mary.

- Good night, George.

- Do you see?

- I see.

I think he secretly likes you.

The commander can

certainly keep a secret.

- Would you like a little sherry?

- Only if you'll have some too.

Excuse me.

What mine were the two soldiers

trying to convoy gold from?

The Argus. It belongs to me.

That brings me to a question

I'd decided not to ask.

Then I'll answer it first.

Captain Isles has asked me to marry him.

I can understand that.

But you can't understand why Capt. Isles

should be involved in the gold business.

I do now.

You must realize there's

a lot of gold from

all over the territory

stored at the post warehouse.

- How much would you say?

- Perhaps as much as half a million.

In fact, I have about

$50,000 in my safe now.

Really? Tell me, who is

taking all this the gold?

I don't know. That's

the worst part of it, not knowing.

That I might find out.

- Don't get into trouble.

- That's why I'm here.

- I know, but does not get...

- Do not worry it.

Trouble and I are old enemies.

We understand each other.

- Good night, Mrs. Caslon.

- Good luck.

How happy we could be...

Every time I come in here you

stop singing. Why is it?

You don't have to come in.

Look, I didn't come back

to start a fight. Or break the bank.

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