Steamboat Round the Bend Page #2

and Ill-we'll have 'Chief

Engineer'...

put on there, see?

And if I have any room, you know...

and you work good, we'll put

'First Mate.'

Come on, now. Let's get

goin'. Hurry up.

That you, Duke?

-Hello, Uncle John.

-Hey, you're kind...

of late, ain't you?

I guess I am, Uncle John.

Who-Who's that...

This is Fleety Belle, Uncle John.

She-She- She's a swamp

gal, ain't she?

Oh, I guess that's right. But...

But there's some mighty fine

people in the swamps.

You're actin' awful queer, Duke.

You done some thin' bad, ain't ya?

Mighty bad, Uncle John.

What'd you do?

I killed a man.

Well, was it on account of her

you done it?

Yes, sir.

Can Fleety Belle sit down and

get dry, Uncle John?

Guess so. Half the Claremore

Queen's yours, ain't it?

Its all right, Fleety Belle.

Uh, you all ain't had nothin' to

eat, have you?

I'd mighty like something

for Fleety Belle.

She's about worn out.

I got-

I got some hot coffee here.

Ill get some bacon in a minute.

Where'd you meet her?

Well, there ain't much to tell.

We was down at Blue Bottom

Bayou back of...

Hannan gettin' out timber.

Some swamp people come along

in their shanty boats.

I used to wave at 'em, tryin' to

be friends with 'em.

But they'd never wave back

or nothin'.

Just make their womenfolk

get indoors.

First time I seen Fleety Belle, I...

I thought she was a boy the way

she was dressed.

Well, I blowed my whistle...

and-and she waved back.

And her old man came out

and gave her a whippin'.

After that, I seen her pretty

near every, day.

Then her folks found out, and

her old man gave...

her a worse whippin;

And that's why she run away.

-Was it one of her kinfolks you killed?

-No, sir.

-It was Big Steve.

-Who's he?

Engineer on the Memphis Girl.

When he found Fleety Belle on

the steamboat...

where I was hiding her...

he started after her.

You know I don't get mad easy, but...

but when I do, it's like a-like

a thorn tree...

a-growin' and growin' inside

of me, and-

Well, we started in fightin'.

He drawed a knife...

and I picked up a chunk of

stove wood and...

throwed it at his hand.

And he ducked right into it,

and I knowed...

by the way he fell that he

was dead.

Well, then, ain't nobody can say

that that wasn't self-defense.

-Did anybody see it?

-Nobody but a-a preacher fella.

-Calls hisself the New Moses.

-I know 'im. I know him.

He come up on the Pride of

Paducah with me.

I sent a message to you by him.

Did he give it to you?

Yeah, he told me.

-He-He seen it, huh?

-He seen it.

And it was night, and he was

sleepin' on deck.

He didn't blame me none. Just

done a lot of prayin'...

and told me to give myself up.

I don't know nothin about

religion.

But he's right.

He-He's right.

You gotta give yourself up.

There ain't no jury could blame

you for...

doin' a thing like that.

Now, come on. Come on and sit

down there. Come sit down.

Get you something to eat here now.

Then we'll go on over. We'll

see the sheriff,...

and you can give yourself up.

No!

He ain't gonna give his self up.

Listen here. Who asked for any

opinion of...

yours on this thing?

You've done enough to him already.

Now, sit down there and get you

something to eat.

He's gonna do as I say. He knows

that he can trust me.

No, he ain't gonna do what you say.

We heard tell of this hangin' judge.

Ain't nobody gonna hurt Duke.

-Sit down!

-Sit down, Fleety Belle.

Eat some thin'.

Uncle John's right.

There ain't no thin' to run

away from.

I told you not to come here. We'd

be safe in the swamp.

Aw, swamps! He's a river man.

He couldn't live in the swamps.

He's not that kind of people.

But they'll hang you, Duke.

I know they will!

Aw, they won't do any such a

thing. They won't hang him.

Don't pay any attention to her,

Duke. She'll...

only get you in worse.

You shut up and stop sayin' that!

You're just thinkin' of yourself!

You don't care what...

happens to Duke!

Now, honey, Uncle John is-

I ain't never had no thin' to love

in my life, and...

Im not gonna let 'em take you.

Nobody's gonna take me away

from you, honey...

except maybe for a little while.

You and me gotta be free to get

married and-and...

live on this boat.

lf you don't come with me now,

you'll never see me again.

Come on, son. Let's get on over

and see the sheriff.

-You let him alone!

-Now, honey-

-Come on, son.

-I know why you're doin' this.

Its because you hate me, and

you think I ain't...

good enough for him.

Comin', Duke?

Im comin', Uncle John.

But you've gotta take care of

Fleety Belle while Im gone.

Rufe? Rufe?

Sure is quiet up here.

Sleeps right upstairs there.

See if I can wake him up here.

Rufe?

Hello down there. Well,

good heaven Betsy.

What are you doin' down there

this time of night,...

Doc? Can't you let a man sleep?

Come on down. Duke... Duke

killed a man.

Well, doggone me. Who was it,

Duke? Somebody I knowed?

Fella named Big Steve.

-Never heard of him.

-Come on-Come on down, Rufe.

Now, Doc, there ain't no need of

me comin' down them stairs.

Wait just a minute. Ill

fix you up.

Here you be, Duke.

Now just open her up and make

yourself at home.

Take the first bed you take a

liking to. And, Doc...

just hang the keys on the front

doorknob, will ya?

Ill be seein' you in the mornin'

now about breakfast time.

Good night.

Huh.

You'd think somebody killed a man

every day around here...

and come and give their self up.

Hey, you. Girl!

Come on inside here now.

Supper's about ready.

Sit down.

-Sit down!

-I ain't go in' to! You sit down!

I don't want nobody wait in' on me.

I know you hate me, and

I don't care.

Duke told me to stay here, and

Im gonna do it.

As soon as he gets out, him and

me's goin' away.

And we ain't comin' back neither.

Maybe you're goin' away,

but he ain't.

Yes, he is.

Now, we'll see about that. I never

knew of any good...

comin' of a river man get tin'

mixed up with swamp trash.

Hey, look out there! Hey.

You know-Say, you're a...

You're a spunky little rascal,

you know it?

You-

You kind of got to admire

you at that.

-There she is!

-Just wait till I get you home.

-No, I ain't a-go in'!

-Ill beat the hide...

off of you for this...

runnin' off with a river man,

shamin' me in...

the face of the Lord.

Makin' trash out of herself.

I don't know as I want...

to marry her now.

She'll marry you, Ben, after Pop

gives her a good whoppin'.

-Oh, I won't! I won't! I won't!

-You'll shut up!

Darn you! Ill beat the livin'...

-Hold on there!

-Go ahead and beat me!

That's all I ever knowed.

Take me back.

But I won't marry him, and

you can't make me.

Ill run away, and Ill... Ill keep

on doin' it till you kill me!

Now, you listen to me. And you

don't have to go anywhere.

-Oh, shut up!

-He's just lookin' for trouble.

Go ahead. Give it to him.

Ain't no sin runnin' off with

the man you love...

and ain't nobody gonna make

me say it is.

You heard what she said. Now,

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