The Desperadoes Page #3

- No, nothing.

- I thought maybe I stepped on your foot.

But you will, probably.

Steve, would you and Uncle Willie

mind stepping outside for a minute?

Sure, Hank.

We have some responsible citizens

gathered there...

- and we'd like to have you join us.

- What's going on?

You'll find out when you get there.

Come on, Uncle Willie.

Here he comes now, Judge.

Well, boys, what'll it be?

As the legal law in Red Valley,

I represent a body of citizens...

that want to do something

about those men killed in the bank robbery.

You don't seem much concerned.

Well, we are.

That's right, Steve.

Can't blame them for wanting action.

You can't get action

till you know who did it.

When will we know? It looks to me...

like you spend most of your time

loafing around the country or dancing.

That's no way to catch murderers

and bank robbers.

I have to work my own way.

And while you're doing so,

what's to prevent it from happening again?

We got a lot of money coming into this town

from that horse contract.

If you don't get them robbers,

they're apt to be back.

These horses we are selling to the army

are about all we have left.

- They won't come a second time.

- That's what you say.

My word's either good or it's not.

To me that don't mean a thing.

I want to see a hanging.

Why, a law officer ought to be out

on the trail, not in a dance hall...

hopping around

like a frightened mountain goat.

Any time enough people want me to resign,

I'll do it.

- That's all I've got to say.

- That's good enough for me.

- For me, too.

- Have a drink.

There's plenty of girls in there.

Have a drink, boys.

Get inside and enjoy yourselves.

- You worried about Steve?

- Yeah. A little.

I think being sheriff means a lot to him.

It means being able to stay here.

Any man would want to do that.

- In kind of a bad spot, ain't you?

- They can't expect miracles.

When I arrest him,

I want to know I've got the right man.

I wish I could help you.

Have you uncovered anything at all?

- I got an idea the man I want is Jack Lester.

- Jack Lester?

- Why, he's only a common rancher.

- Uncommon, Uncle Willie.

He's got a ranch

and he doesn't run any livestock on it...

and he's got three hired hands

to help him do nothing.

- You must be mistaken, Steve.

- I'm getting surer every day.

Do you remember the silver rowel

I showed you?

He used to wear a set of silver spurs

and he doesn't wear them anymore.

And I always thought Jack didn't have

a dishonest bone in his head.

This is the most terrible thing

I ever heard of, Steve.

Keep this quiet, Uncle Willie.

- Did you hear what he said?

- No.

I got a surprise for you

and it won't be pleasant.

I'm waiting.

He's sure Jack Lester is the man he wants.

As soon as he gathers up a couple

of loose ends, he's going to have him jailed.

That wouldn't be very pleasant

for either one of us.

- Dad.

- Where you bound, Al?

Home, to get something to eat.

If you're hungry, come along.

I'll be along in a little while.

I've got another surprise for you.

See that fellow over there

with Allison and Steve?

That's the Countess' cousin, Bill Smith.

What about it?

He's also the man Sam Glennon

was sending me from Leadville.

That's enough surprises for one night.

- Hey, where are you going?

- Home.

I've got to chaperon my daughter.

- What's ailing the old buzzard now?

- Plenty.

- Lester, I got a couple of surprises for you.

- Yeah?

Pleasant surprises.

- Well, had enough of my cooking?

- Plenty.

That's a fine thing to say.

- You know what I mean.

- I'll take all I can get. Some other time.

That's better.

Nice place, Red Valley.

What brought you here?

I thought I'd like to see the Countess.

What's keeping you, besides Allison?

Nitro's up at the Countess' with a bad foot.

You and Nitro Rankin?

- That's a funny combination.

- Nitro did me a favor once.

Do you know anything

about the bank robbery we had here?

I know one thing, Steve,

I had nothing to do with that robbery.

Do you believe me, Steve?

What you say

has always been good enough for me.

Thanks.

Why don't you stay here in Red Valley?

I'm wanted, Steve.

You can get $10,000 for me.

I don't want you at any price.

- Like some more coffee?

- Not for me, Allison. I gotta be going.

So do I.

- You're welcome here any time, Bill.

- Thanks.

- What about me?

- You're part of the family.

That's the trouble. Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Miss Allison.

- Goodnight.

Goodnight, Uncle Willie.

- Through with your courting, boys?

- For tonight, yeah.

Yeah, having a daughter's a real trial.

Man with a son

can get all the sleep he needs.

But with a daughter you can't close

your eyes until everybody's gone home.

Thanks.

How do you like him, Al?

The way you do a book when

you don't know how the story turns out.

Books have happy endings.

This story could have a happy ending.

Does it matter what he's been?

All right, come on!

- Come on.

- Get it on.

Come on, boy.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

- Enjoying yourself?

- Kind of.

I got a job here breaking wild horses.

Horses the ranchers are selling to the Army.

A job? Are you crazy?

I must be, with a job like this.

Come on home with me. You want a job,

I'll give you one dealing faro at the hotel.

I like it here.

I get $3 for every horse I break.

I'll give you $50 for every sucker you break.

You'll get killed here, one way or another.

- No, thanks.

- Why?

I'm kind of changing my ways.

Aren't you kind of forgetting who you are?

I'm trying my best to, Countess.

All right,

I'll be by later and pick up the body.

Easy, boy.

You'll get used to a load on your back.

Everybody does.

He won't mind that in a little while.

Howdy. That's just

what I've been telling him.

Sometimes I feel sorry for them, though.

It's hard to lose that kind of freedom.

That depends on what you trade it for.

Are you working here now?

- It doesn't seem like your kind of job.

- Well, it isn't.

Then why are you doing it?

I answered that question the other evening,

or do you want me to tell you again?

I said I wasn't going to ask you

any more questions, didn't I?

Okay. Come on.

Listen to me.

Smith came to town to rob the bank,

didn't he?

Suppose you said so

in a crowded place where everybody...

Where everybody could hear you?

He's a stranger.

He's got no good reason for being in town.

He might find that hard to explain.

And Red Valley would sooner believe you

than him.

Especially since you have me

backing you up.

- That's a good idea, Clanton.

- Yes, but there's one flaw.

Smith might give some good answers.

He'll never get the chance to answer.

Easy.

Maybe I ought to just pour this liniment

on you and let it soak in.

You only been working one day and you're

as banged up as a Republican in Texas.

- What will you be in a month?

- I ain't banged up.

Now, take me, I'm fine.

Leg don't hardly hurt at all no more.

Hey, not so hard.

All right, that's enough.

You ought to knock

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