The Return of Frank James Page #5

Killing is one thing, but

letting an innocent man die-

I know, and I agree with you,

but it may be my only chance.

I promise you once I get Bob

Ford, I'll give myself up.

Good-bye, Eleanor.

- [Knocking]

- Come in.

Oh, so it's you.

Close that door and sit down. I've got

a few things to say to you, young lady.

All right, Papa. Get it over with.

Uh-huh. I suppose you realize

you've made me and the Star...

- the laughingstock of the country.

- I'm sorry.

Oh, I suppose you think that

takes care of everything.

- Other papers have made mistakes.

- Yes, but none of them...

have made the mistake of having a gullible

female on their staff and trusting her.

None of them have-

You saw that interview with Runyan

in the Globe this morning, didn't you?

- Yes, I saw it. - Uh-huh.

It's all true, isn't it?

- Not altogether.

- Oh, no?

Didn't Runyan come to see you?

Didn't FrankJames hang him up in the closet?

Ha. I suppose you'll be telling me

next that Frank James is really dead.

I could hardly tell you that.

I talked to him last night.

You saw him?

That murderer, and you didn't turn him in?

Young lady, you're going

back to college tomorrow.

I've had enough of your nonsense.

My daughter mixed up with murderers.

Papa, I've got to go to Liberty, Missouri.

You bet you do. What? What's that?

Did you read a story in your

paper about a Negro named Pinky...

who's going to be hanged in a few days

as an accomplice in the express robbery?

- Yes, yes. What about it?

- Well, he's innocent, and-

What's that got to do with you?

Have you gone out of your mind?

How do you know he's innocent?

If you'll stop standing on

your head and sit down...

I'll tell you how I know and

why I've got to go to Liberty.

- Makes good eatin'- wild

hen. Don't it? - Mm-hmm.

'Course...

it didn't get the fine

cookin' Pinky had've given-

- I can't do it, Clem.

- Can't do what?

- Can't go on.

- What's the matter? You sick?

Yeah, sick inside.

In a few days they'll be hangin' Pinky.

Hangin' him for something he didn't do.

Must have been crazy.

I'm goin' back, Clem.

- And let Bob Ford get away?

- Let Bob Ford get away.

Well, you can't do it, Frank. You can't.

After all our work, are we gonna

give up on account of a darky?

We're goin', Clem.

It ain't Pinky makin' you do

this. It's that girl in Denver.

You got her on your mind

more than you have Bob Ford.

In a few seconds, you're gonna

have an awful sore seat, son.

Maybe I am, but what would Jesse think

if he knew you were walkin' out on him?

That's enough, Clem.

I guess she's afraid you're gonna get hurt.

[Mocking] "Oh, don't go,

Frank. That poor Ford boy"-

I'm goin', Clem, and I'm goin' alone.

[Hoofbeats Departing]

Frank! Frank!

Frank!

- Can I go with you?

- Suit yourself.

[Horses Whinnying]

[Whinnying Continues]

- What you doin'that for?

- We're honest men, Clem.

Yeah, but tain't a fair

swap. Why, I could get-

Maybe you could, son. Maybe you could,

but we got no time for tradin' talk.

[Donkey Braying]

Pick out a couple of good head.

Hey, stranger. How much you figure

an outfit like this is worth?

Oh, about $500 or $600.

Here's $600. I'll throw in the horses.

Come on, Clem.

- Anything wrong?

- No, exceptin' that outfit don't belong to me.

[Train Whistle Blowing]

[Telegraph Clicking]

- [Clicking Continues]

- ## [Whistling]

[Door Opens]

When's the next through train east?

Just missed it. Won't

be another till tomorrow.

It's no good. We gotta be

in Kansas City tomorrow.

You can make up your mind you ain't gonna be.

[Clicking Continues]

Those trains there-

Them's freights, all except

number eight. That's fast mail.

- Due in a few minutes, ain't it?

- Yeah.

But it don't even

- [Whistling] whistle goin' through here.

- You can flag it, can't you?

- What, flag number eight?

What for? It don't carry passengers.

Only mail and fast express.

You're gonna flag it tonight, partner.

[Clicking Continues]

Come on. Get your lantern.

[Clicking Stops]

- Come on. Get goin'.

Get goin'. - Y-Yes, sir.

I guess you know you

can be arrested for this.

- Federal offense, stoppin' a mail train.

- Yeah, we know. Go on. Go on.

I'm goin'. I'm goin'. Take it easy.

- [Whistle Blowing]

- [Muttering]

- [Panting]

- [Train Approaching]

Engineer's gonna be mighty surprised.

Mail ain't stopped here in

the 10 years it's been runnin'.

[Frank] Keep swingin',

brother. Keep swingin'.

Y:

- Yes, sir.

[Whistle Continues]

[Bell Ringing]

- Hey, what's the trouble? - What's

the mat- Holy smoke. It's a holdup.

It ain't a holdup. We

just wanna ride with you.

Get goin'. Don't stop till you

get to Kansas City, no matter what.

Get in the cab with him, Clem.

[Bell Ringing]

[Steam Hissing]

Hold her open, brother.

I'm comin' in with you.

Sorry, miss, but there ain't no reason.

But there is a reason, a good reason.

FrankJames is liable to

come in any day now...

and when he does, you'll hear

the truth from his own lips.

I see. So you want us to hold up the hanging

while Frank is out murdering another man.

No. I want you to wait, to

keep from murdering a man.

Pinky's not guilty. I know it,

and I think you know it too.

What harm would there be in postponing?

What for? To give FrankJames

a chance to raise a gang...

and raid the jail like he did once before?

That's it! That's what the

scheme is, and you're part of it!

- You're a fool, McCoy, and a

dad-blasted liar! - Now, now, Major.

A liar and a sneaky little coward

to boot. You couldn't get at Frank...

so you're striking at him through

his poor helpless Negro boy.

- You and your perjured witnesses and this

weak-kneed- - There's nothing to be done here.

Why, for two cents I'd take you

out and shoot you down like a dog...

- you dad-blasted Yankee

scum! - [Door Slams]

I couldn't stay. In an

hour it'll all be over...

and I want to be as far away as I can.

- I understand, my dear, and I'm sorry.

- It's all right, Major.

You've been very kind, but I'll

never understand your people.

No, you'd have to live among

us a long time to do that.

Now don't think too badly

of Frank, because he-

He and I and all of us around here-

Well, we've been brought up to right

our own wrongs, regardless of everything.

And what about the wrong being done Pinky?

If you ever see Frank James again, tell

him I think he's low and contemptible.

Only a selfish brute would

let an innocent man die.

Well, good-bye,

Major, and-

- Good-bye, my dear.

- Thank you again.

Frank! Did you get him?

- No.

- Oh, the dirty rotten coward!

- I knew you'd come.

- Did you?

Yes. Behind all my doubts,

there was always a feeling that-

Put 'em up, Frank... and keep 'em up.

I see you finally got out

of that closet all right.

Oh, yes. And now let's see you get out

of a rope around your neck. Put 'em on.

Goin' to an awful lot of bother, ain't you?

Oh, no bother. It's a pleasure

- [Chuckles]

a real pleasure.

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