The Petrified Forest Page #6

coming out of a dream.

Then I caught on and realized

I was only a desert rat...

and that's all I'd ever be.

Do you know what I asked him?

I asked him if I could go away with him.

But you wouldn't have,

even if we'd had the money.

Would you, Alan?

- Would you?

- No, no, Gabrielle. No.

You see? He doesn't give a

hoot in the hot place about me.

I saw that plainly enough.

It only made me love

him all the more.

That's why I was willing to go

out with you in the moonlight...

when Duke Mantee came in.

I'm sorry, sister. I don't like

to interfere with anybody's fun.

It's all right. It was

probably just for the best.

Yes. When I look at

you, I guess it was.

You know, I'm sorry

now that I came back.

I'll take a drink of that stuff.

Are you sorry you heard the truth?

I've told you, I'm the kind of person

to whom the truth is always distasteful.

Your wife must have

treated you terribly.

- Why do you say that?

- She talked all the heart out of you.

I could put it back.

No, no. Don't delude yourself.

You better not drink any

more of that rye whiskey.

It isn't the rye. It's the same

disease that's afflicting Boze.

- Frustration!

- Sit down, pal.

What do you care

whether I sit or stand?

What can I do to

assail your superiority?

I got to think

about my health, pal.

If I had a gun, I wouldn't

know what to do with it.

I want to talk to him.

- Me?

- You can talk sitting down.

I heard you doing it.

Well, what's on your mind?

Those liberty bonds of

yours buried in Santa Fe...

What do you know about them?

- What will you do with them?

- Leave them there.

That's right. Meanwhile, your granddaughter

stifles and suffocates in this desert.

A few of your thousands

will give her a chance.

Yes, and maybe give you

a chance to steal them.

- I heard what you been saying.

- That's just a low way...

to justify your stinginess.

I know you were a pioneer

once, but what are you now?

Just a mean old miser, hanging on to

your money as though it meant something.

Why don't you die and

do the world some good?

You must be drunk.

Yeah.

Drunk or just about the

lowest-grade rat I ever run across.

What do you mean talking

to an old man like that?

Well, you're right, Duke. I was guilty

of bad taste. I apologize, Mr. Maple.

You'd better crawl, or I might

have to put the lug on you.

Talking to an old man like that.

She'll get it when she needs it, when

she has a family of her own to support.

And probably a good-for-nothing,

unemployed husband.

- There's three people coming up the road.

- Okay, keep quiet when they get here.

Reach for it! I've got

you! I've been waiting.

I've been watching

every move that you made.

- Get that gun, Jackie.

- Are you hurt?

- He got me in the hand.

- Frisk them.

- Get in there, or I'll shoot you.

- Let us out of here!

We have nothing to do with

this. That sandstorm...

Shut up.

- I won't have that man pawing me.

- Get back to the car, Ruby.

That sand's beginning

to blow too hard.

Get back to the car.

Bandage him up, sister.

He'll be all right.

Go with him. And you better get a line

and tie him up and leave him there.

- So you tried to be brave, did you?

- I had my chance, and I muffed it.

- Come on, Boze.

- Tough luck, halfback. Nice try.

Trouble is, you're just too

fast for your interference.

Come on. Get in here.

Sit down over there.

Come on, step on it!

You, down there. Come on, sit down!

If any more people come in here, we'll

have to be sending out for recruits.

Hi, colored brother.

Good evening.

Say, boss, we better lam out of here. With

that sand blowing, we won't be able to see.

We go when I say so.

Finish your supper, Slim.

Okay, boss.

See you later, deacon.

Say, Duke. Did you mean to hit him in

the hand, or was that just a bad shot?

It was a bad shot, pop, but

I had to get it off fast.

I let him make a mug out of me,

but don't anybody try it again.

Just keep in mind that I and the

boys is candidates for hanging.

Any one of you makes a wrong move,

I'm gonna kill the whole lot of you.

Now, keep your seats.

I knew it was a mistake to

take that hitchhiker in the car.

- What does he have to do with it?

- He didn't help very much.

No, I haven't helped

matters at all, up to now.

Duke, would you mind passing me

that rucksack that's beside you?

- What do you want with it?

- I want to get out my life insurance policy.

If you reach in there, you'll

find it among a bundle of papers.

What do you want with your

insurance papers? Expecting to die?

You guessed it, Mr. Maple.

Thanks. Now, can I take out my

fountain pen? It's just in here.

Say, what about my car?

That's a nice bus you got there.

Let's hope it won't be all

full of bullet holes and blood.

Oh, there's one little

dressing case with some...

With some things I need.

May I have that, please?

I took a look in that case.

I got a friend that likes rubies.

- You mean you're going to steal them?

- Yes, ma'am.

You're a filthy thief.

Yes, ma'am.

Say, look here. How much will

you take to let us out of here?

- How much have you got?

- Well, I can let you have, say, $200 cash.

Bring it here.

Just put down the whole

wallet. Down there.

You got any more?

- I have a little loose change.

- Keep it.

- Well, may we go, then, please?

- No.

- Look here, I understood...

- Sit down where you were.

- You're a mean, contemptible thief.

- Quiet, Edith.

There's nothing we can do but

hope that someday the government...

will take measures to protect the

life and property of its citizens.

Here's your wallet, pal.

- Duke, I have a great favor to ask you.

- Yeah?

Yes. I don't think you'll refuse,

because you have imagination.

You're not afraid of doing

rather outlandish things.

What are you getting at?

This insurance policy,

it's my only asset.

It's for $5000.

Now, I've written on the back of the policy

that I want the money paid to Miss Maple.

Yes, Miss Maple. That

young lady in there.

If Mr. And Mrs. Chisholm witness

my signature, it'll be all right.

You see, what I'm

getting at, Duke, is this:

After they've signed, I wish...

I'd be much obliged

if you'd just...

kill me.

It couldn't make any

difference to you.

Even if they catch you,

they can only hang you once.

You know better than anybody they

have more than they need against you.

And you needn't be bothered

by any humane considerations.

It will be difficult to find a more

suitable candidate for extermination.

I shall be mourned by nobody.

In fact, my passing will evoke

sighs of relief in certain quarters.

Besides, you'd only be carrying

out the sentence of the natural law.

Survival of the fittest.

By golly, he is drunk.

Sure, and having a

fine time showing off.

Of course I'm showing off. I'm

trying to outdo Boze in gallantry.

There's nothing unnatural in that.

He was willing to risk his life to become an

all-American star. I'm ready to do likewise.

Can't you see that I mean this?

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