The Gunfighter Page #6

Tulsa.

Wasn't me, partner. I've never

even been in the territory in my life.

- When will them brothers be here?

- I've got plenty of time.

I hope so. I hope you ain't miscalculated.

They're on foot. I chased off their horses.

They'll do good if they're here by eleven.

- I've seen better fights at a prayer meeting.

- They ain't got as much spirit.

Go for his eyes.

Jake, is that horse in any shape

to go again today?

No, I don't think so, Mark.

He's near worn down to a nubbin.

- You got a fresh one here?

- I guess so. Why?

Have him at the back door of the Palace

in 15 minutes, saddled with Ringo's stuff.

Give him some grub and water

and charge it to the county.

All right, Mark.

Anybody working here today?

Too busy to work today.

- Hiya, Mac.

- Tommy. Glad to see you.

- Looks like Saturday.

- How's Ellen?

Fine, thanks. Give me a rye.

- What'll Ellen say?

- She said I could have one if it was dusty.

- Wife don't like him to drink.

- Don't blame her.

She knows I'm all over that sort of thing.

Too much work to do these days.

- Join me?

- Thanks. I'll have the same thing.

- What you got, a ranch?

- We got it the first year we was married.

It ain't very big but it's coming along.

Married the cutest little girl you ever saw.

But did she settle this rounder down?

That's her, all right.

Little, but oh my!

- How many head of cattle you got?

- About 400. Started at 50.

- Got horses too?

- We ain't got many.

You need more outside help than we can

afford for horses, but I guess we got about 30.

- Sounds like a right nice start.

- That's the way her and I figured it.

Takes hard work to make anything out of

a place that little, but we don't mind.

Grazing land's good, there's plenty of water,

so we're better off than many.

We broke even last year.

Sounds mighty good.

Have one with me.

No, thanks. One is what she said.

Much obliged to you, though. So long, Mac.

- So long, Tommy. Tell Ellen hello for me.

- Yeah, I'll tell her.

Nice fella, Tommy.

Kinda getting on towards time, ain't it?

- I'll give her till the last minute.

- You don't wanna draw it too close.

I gotta hear something,

no matter how close I draw it.

If Molly ain't back pretty soon...

She told me about Bucky.

Never heard it before.

I guess he never knew what hit him.

It's a fine life, ain't it?

Just trying to stay alive.

Not really living, not enjoying anything,

not getting anywhere.

- Just trying to keep from getting killed.

- That's what Bucky used to say.

Just waiting to get knocked off

by some tough kid.

Like the kind of kid I was.

And the truth of the matter is,

it don't pay much either.

Here I am:
35 years old,

I ain't even got a good watch.

- How'd you get out of it, Mark?

- I just quit.

It ain't that easy. How'd you do it, really?

Remember when the gang

split up after that bank?

- We didn't split up. They scattered us.

- Well, anyway.

Some of us put into

Prairie City to get supplies.

But the word was out.

You should have seen what we walked into.

Yeah, I heard.

- Did you hear about the little girl?

- No.

I got sick when I saw her.

- Who did it?

- It could have been me as well as anybody.

- You don't know that.

- It don't matter. I was there.

So when we got back to the hills,

I kept a-going.

I kept on a-going until I got here

and I asked a man for ajob.

Didn't anybody ever say anything?

I wasn't as prominent as you are.

- It's funny, ain't it?

- What?

That was the time

I could've kept on a-going too.

I could've rode right on back to Peggy.

I used to wonder about going back

and giving myself up.

I finally argued myself

out of that one, thank goodness.

- Mark?

- Yeah?

- I've got that horse out here.

- Be there in a minute, Jake.

Well...

I guess it ain't much use

my waiting around here any longer.

You can write to me

and I'll give it to her if you want.

It won't do any good.

She's got her mind made up.

No place she could reach you, I reckon.

No.

I don't know where I am gonna be.

- So long, Mac.

- Do you have to be going already?

Yes. I gotta see a fella up the line.

What about your cut of the business?

Who do you want me to give it to?

Who's the prettiest girl in town?

I used to admire the banker's daughter, but

I might have been influenced by her money.

There's Frankie Mae. And the schoolteacher.

Give it to the schoolteacher. I've always

had a weakness for schoolteachers.

Put it in an envelope without any note

or anything, and drop it on her desk.

Schoolteacher. Consider it done.

It's been a real pleasure to see you again.

I often think of the good old days in Dodge

City, with you and Bucky and the others.

Them was the good old days.

Come on, Jimmie.

I don't think people have fun

like they used to. Do you?

No.

Jim, got a minute or two?

You look fine, honey.

I'm doing all right.

I... come here just to see you, you know.

I know. Mark told me.

But I just didn't know what to do, Jim.

It's all right now.

- How's Jimmie?

- He's a lot like you, I'm afraid.

Don't you think you'd better do

something about that quick?

I was justjoking.

He's a little wild, like all kids,

but he's a good boy.

D'you know he's out in front now?

I took him away once, but it looks like

the whole town's crazy today.

- I never saw anything like it.

- I looked out there.

I couldn't see no kid that looked like me.

He's still there, I'm afraid.

- Mark and Molly tell you what I want?

- No.

I wanna get away from here.

I wanna get out of this part of the country.

See if we can't find us a little ranch, maybe.

You and me and Jimmie.

- If only you'd thought of this before.

- We can still do it.

I could go to California or the Northwest,

where they ain't never heard of me.

See if I couldn't find us a little place. Then

you and Jimmie could come on out later.

They would never know who we were. We

could be safe out there the rest of our lives.

When did you get this idea, Jim?

I didn't get it. Itjust kinda come over me.

The way getting older comes over you.

All of a sudden, you look at things different

than the way you did five years ago.

All of a sudden, I knew this was

the only thing in the worid I wanted.

You and me and Jimmie,

together on a little place somewhere.

It's a wonderful idea, Jim.

It's wonderful, but it's no use.

- Why not?

- It's too late.

- Why? Mark done it.

- Eight years ago.

But you couldn't. Not now.

You're too well known.

The only reason Mark doesn't arrest you

is that he's Mark and you're his friend.

But you can't depend

on things like that forever.

One of these days, the federal officers'll

pick up your trail. That'll be the end of it.

They'll never give up, not as long as you live.

What about South America? We can meet

in New Orleans, get on a boat and...

What's the matter, Peggy?

Don't you love me?

- You didn't have to ask that.

- I've changed, you know.

I'm different now, Peg. I just want

to be somewhere. Don't you understand?

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