Tall in the Saddle

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- Have a nice trip?

- Yes. Very nice.

- Expecting someone?

- I guess not.

Say, where's the stage office?

Right over there, back of the depot.

Thank you.

Doggone your hide, Blossom. Look at that.

Look what you went and done.

I am telling you, Blossom,

that makes you...

the most aggravating female

I ever had a despise for.

I ought to poison you.

- Howdy.

- That the stage for Santa Inez?

Leaves in a minute. We've just got...

a couple passengers

to pick up at the hotel.

Santa Inez, $17.50.

- Your name?

- Rocklin.

Mind if I ride alongside the driver?

It's all right with me

if it's all right with Dave.

He's mad. It's his last trip.

Had a row with Harolday, the boss.

Old-timer, Dave.

- Grumpy old cuss. I can remember...

- I like grumpy old cusses.

Hope to live long enough to be one.

Here's your mail, Dave.

And one more passenger.

Mind if I ride here?

- Where's them women?

- Up at the hotel.

Why ain't they here?

This is the stage depot, ain't it?

You can pick them up there.

It's just up the street.

"It's just up the street. "

And they can't walk it?

What's the matter?

Don't easterners have legs like other folk?

Hold tight when you get

in the mountains, mister.

When he gets riled, you can hear

the passengers praying for miles.

Where are them women?

Waiting for you to carry them out?

Hey, Dave.

Will you tell Arly Harolday

her saddle ain't ready yet?

I ain't telling that crazy female nothing.

Last time I see her, she threatened

to rip the hide off me...

and bat me dizzy with it.

Say, mister, will you tell the agent

at Santa Inez...

to tell Miss Harolday

her saddle ain't ready yet.

- I'll say that.

- Thank you.

- This trunk go?

- Yes, it goes.

By next year, madam, we expect to have

a bathtub on every floor.

Don't drop it!

At your age,

you best not be lifting things so heavy.

Maybe you're young enough

to hoist it up there your own self.

Dave will have his little jokes.

Clara!

Staring as if you've never seen

a man before in your life.

I hope you have a nice trip, ladies.

If we get there.

Wouldn't surprise me if we didn't.

You wait till I get you on the road.

- Ever ride with Dave before, mister?

- Nope.

Then try and hold him down.

He'll scare the women to death.

I never feel sorry

for anything that happens to a woman.

Wonder why a young fella

who don't have to...

wants to come into

this dad-blamed country.

You mean what you said back there

about women?

Yep.

Then you're smarter than most.

Maybe I've seen more of them than most.

Shouldn't be surprised.

Shouldn't be a little mite surprised.

All the same...

Have a snort.

Whisky and women.

You ever think how much alike they are?

They both fool you, but you never figure

how to do without them.

- Have another.

- Not just yet, thanks.

- Well, here's to her.

- Who?

The next one that fools you.

- Want me to spell you for a while?

- Nope.

I've had a couple of snorts,

but that don't make no difference.

Leastwise, never has.

Don't ever get old and wore-out

and useless like me.

- Who says you are?

- Boss Harolday, for one.

I ain't bellyaching.

I reckon he's entitled to his opinion...

but him and me never did see eye to eye.

- What's wrong?

- It's constitutional, I reckon.

He's too darn sane,

believing in law and order.

What's wrong with law and order?

That depends on who's dishing it out.

I never was much on taking orders myself.

And as for the law...

you'll find out what that means

around these parts.

Driver!

- Driver, what's the matter?

- Nothing. Resting the horses.

You can get out

and stretch your legs if you like.

Resting horses? What for?

I can see with my own eyes it's downhill.

Are you in such an all-fired hurry, lady?

Certainly we're in a hurry!

Then, we'll hurry some.

Help!

Help!

Now what's the matter?

Why are you stopping again?

Indigestion.

Why do we stop here?

- Somebody say something?

- I did! Why do we stop here?

If you want to eat and stretch your legs.

Will you please stop referring to my legs?

You got some, ain't you?

Zeke!

Dave!

- You two-legged old sidewinder.

- Howdy do, ladies.

- How about something to eat?

- If it won't take too long.

Right this way.

You know, Zeke, this is my last trip.

Why?

'Cause Harolday won't take back

what he said.

No? What did he say?

"You're fired. "

Here you are, folks.

Just dig in and help yourself.

Ain't you gonna eat, mister?

I'll have some coffee.

- Supper, Dave?

- No. I'm drinking mine.

Set them up.

Young man, our driver's had

all the liquor he can take.

Has he?

You know he has.

You're not a complete fool, are you?

Frequently.

The rudeness of people in these parts

is appalling.

Mighty nice aroma of veal around here.

Doing yourself pretty well

these days, Stan?

A friend of mine was by,

sold me a quarter of beef.

Same friend that sold you that hide...

Bob here found hidden away

in your barn yesterday?

Hide? What hide?

One that might send you

to the penitentiary.

- What did you do with it, Stan?

- I never had no hide hidden out.

I saw it yesterday under the hay.

- It must still be there.

- No, it ain't. We looked.

Where is it?

- I tell you...

- What is all this?

Afternoon, ma'am. Miss Cardell, ain't it?

- Martin. Miss Martin. This is Miss Cardell.

- Pleased to meet you, miss.

Been expecting you down at Santa Inez.

I'm Sheriff Jackson.

- What's going on with him?

- Just a little matter of the law.

- Rustling.

- A thief.

- I tell you...

- Save it!

Matter of fact, Bob here says

the hide he saw yesterday...

had the KC brand on it.

What do you intend doing about it?

The law's pretty harsh around here

on cattle thieves.

Of course, we don't want

to make no mistake with an old-timer...

How about the owner of that beef?

Might he not have something

to say about it?

- Meaning?

- Red Cardell.

He's the owner of the KC, isn't he?

You're way behind the herd, mister.

Red Cardell died three weeks ago.

- Was murdered, you mean.

- That's right.

Shot in the back not far from here.

Maybe he was getting onto things...

about the cattle that's been missing

from the KC lately.

- I tell you, I never had no hide.

- You got beef.

Yeah, and I got a bill of sale for it, too.

Suppose you let me see that bill of sale.

Sure. It's right out here.

Like I said, I wouldn't want to

make no mistake with an old-timer.

That's her. The old one.

- She ain't got no legs.

- Hold your tongue!

And you.

Stop staring as if we were monsters.

We have to have another drink.

- Where's Stan?

- He's inside, explaining away a hide.

It seems they're eating stolen beef.

Somebody's loco.

Stan might give house-room

to a little dead beef...

but he'd never be fool enough

to leave the hide laying around.

How about it, Zeke?

That's the way it is, Dave.

- It's you, huh?

- Yeah, your old pal Bob Clews.

Get away from me,

you two-timing horse thief.

Them's fighting words, partner.

Stan, don't let them hang nothing on you

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