The Big Country Page #5

- Why not?

Why not? Well, it would be same

as selling it to the Terrills.

The name is McKay. James McKay.

Will you sell Big Muddy to me,

Miss Maragon?

I'll pay you whatever it's worth.

As far as I'm concerned, the Hannasseys

can take water whenever they need it.

That goes for the Terrills, too.

Maybe I can keep the peace, if I'm

living here and working the place.

How about it?

Pat always did love this place.

Well then?

And it would be a wonderful

wedding present, Jim.

That's right. And you wouldn't

really be losing the place.

If it's ours, in a way it's still yours.

All right.

You've bought yourself a ranch.

You're a very persuasive man, Mr. McKay.

Let's head back and draw up a paper

before I change my mind.

I don't know where else to look.

We'll try it again at first light.

Hey.

Don't shoot, boys. I'll come peaceable.

If that's coffee,

I wouldn't mind having a little.

You fellows on a roundup?

Roundup?

We've been looking for you

since yesterday.

Where you been, anyway, McKay?

I reckon you're the last man

can answer that.

Been out shopping,

for a wedding present.

You can joke about it now,

but you get yourself lost out here

and I gotta keep men out

ridin' their backsides off all night.

I wasn't lost.

You know the major was out himself

tryin' to trail you?

Hey, Shorty, you and Waco

go on back to Ladder.

Tell Miss Terrill we've found him.

Tell her we'll bring him in easy

as soon as he's rested up.

Douse that fire.

Hello, Pat.

Jim!

Oh, Jim, we've been

out of our minds with worry!

- I'm sorry. You shouldn't have been.

- Thank heavens you're safe!

I was all right all the time.

Didn't Ramn tell you?

Well, sure, but... Jim McKay, do you mean

they've been out on a wild-goose chase?

We've been driving ourselves

crazy for nothing?

Getting lost out here can be

dangerous business, Jim.

It's happened to people

who've lived here all their lives.

But I wasn't lost, Major.

And I say you were lost.

What were you doin' for

two days and two nights?

Just ridin' around for pleasure?

Mr. Leech, I knew exactly

where I was all the time.

You're a damn liar.

You were the lostest-lookin' thing

I've seen in ten years.

If it's a fight you want,

you've picked the right time for it.

Haven't you?

Yeah, I'm offerin' you a fight.

Or ain't that a nice word back East?

You're gambling, Leech.

You're gambling that

if we fight you can beat me.

And you're gambling that if you beat me

Miss Terrill will admire you for it.

Out here we leave a lady's name

out of an argument.

But, since you brought it up,

let me tell you somethin'.

I think you took advantage

of Miss Terrill

when she was away from home.

You looked mighty big back there.

But not out here.

You're just not good enough

for her, McKay.

I aim to prove it. Right here.

You aren't going to prove anything with

me, Leech. Get this through your head.

I'm not playing this game on your terms.

Not with horses, or guns, or fists.

Don't you want to hear where I've been?

Why I went?

- Don't you want to hear from me...

- Who cares what you did?

You let him call you a liar.

I've never been so humiliated.

- Calm down, Pat. There's no reason...

- Don't you care what people think?

No, I'm not responsible

for what people think.

Only for what I am.

Don't you care what I think?

Do you like to have people

think of you as a...

A coward. Why don't you say it?

Are you afraid of the word?

I'm not.

And I'm not gonna spend the rest of

my life demonstrating how brave I am.

You've already demonstrated that

quite fully enough.

Pat?

I'll move into town

first thing in the morning.

I think we both need

a little time to think this over.

I think that could be

a very fine idea. Good night.

Yeah? Who is it?

You lost again?

Huh?

Just like before.

I'll be leaving here

in the morning, Leech.

Yeah, that would figure, McKay.

I don't know why you thought

you had to come say goodbye.

The goodbye that I have in mind will take

a little more room than we have in here.

Well...

We got maybe half a million acres

here on Ladder, Mr. McKay.

You just go pick out

any little spot that suits ya.

I'll be right with ya.

I'd like this to be strictly between us.

I can see how you'd feel that way.

All right.

McKay, you're a bigger fool

than I thought you were.

And, to tell you the truth,

that just didn't seem possible.

Come on.

All I can say, McKay,

is you take a hell of a long time

to say goodbye.

I'm... just about finished,

if it's all right with you.

It's all right with me.

Now tell me, Leech. What did we prove?

Huh?

They're gettin' near the river, Steve.

All right, boys. Let's go.

Why are we doin' this, Steve?

- Why? Major's orders, that's why.

- I ain't sidin' with the Hannasseys,

but... chasin' thirsty cattle away

from water just don't seem right.

Look, cowboy, you'd be better off

if you just do what you're told

and don't ask any questions.

This your stinkin' idea, Leech?

They pay you double

for this kinda dirty work?

You just run on back home

and tell your daddy

he's watered his last steer

in the Big Muddy.

Yes, sir, I'll deliver that message.

And you run on back home

and shine up the major's boots!

All right, let's spread out

along the river. Let's go!

Why ain't you dead?

You let 'em run my cows off

and you come back standin' up!

What could we do, Pa?

There was 20 of them. Just a few of us.

Them cows is worth more

than the whole lotta ya.

We gotta get 'em back to water, ya hear?

We gotta get 'em back, or they won't

last two days in this dry spell.

We'll get 'em back, Pa.

How? When? Next year?

We got to figure a way

to get them Terrill men

away from the Big Muddy right now!

I ain't had any peace

since Clem Maragon died.

Go get that girl.

- Bring her here.

- Who? Julie Maragon?

You just do as you're told.

If she's sweet on you

like you claim, it'll be easy.

If she ain't,

drag her here by the hair.

How are you?

Qu linda! Glad to see you again!

Is Miss Patricia home?

Miss Patricia...

I don't know. I didn't saw her today.

Something wrong, Ramn?

It's not a place to me to say it.

- Not even to such an old friend?

- Ohh, an old friend! Yes!

But, you know, last night

was a big trouble here.

And Mr. McKay go away.

To San Rafael or somewhere.

I don't know.

Hello.

Throw something off a chair

and sit down.

Would you like to try a cigarette?

Where'd you get those?

In the East. Don't look so shocked.

I saw a woman smoking one.

It's very elegant.

Oh, well. I don't care

about anything, anyway.

All right, Patsy, what's wrong?

Nothing. And you know

I detest that nickname.

- You have to know everything, don't you?

- I didn't mean to be inquisitive.

Oh, for heaven's sake, sit down.

I declare, some people

you can't insult at all,

and other people get in a huff

over the slightest thing.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm in such a state today

I don't know what I'm saying.

Well, are you going to tell me or not?

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