The Stranger Wore a Gun Page #5

on going to New Orleans.

A man could live like a king

with all that money.

Everything he wants. Beautiful Creole girls.

You ought to see them.

No women so pretty anyplace in the world.

Skin like amber velvet,

soft and smooth to the touch.

They can drive a man out of his mind.

They like a big man, a man with muscle.

But it takes more than that.

You've got to have money to spend.

Clothes and a big diamond stickpin

wouldn't hurt.

Until you've lived like that,

you don't know what living is.

But it takes a better man than you, Slager,

to make up his mind what he wants.

All right.

Fifty-fifty.

But I'm keeping this gun on you

till I see the color of that gold.

I'm back here.

Holster your gun.

You've been pushing

to use that gun on me, Kurth.

- I promised you the chance.

- What are you waiting for, Stone?

Afraid to face me. So you're fixing

to gun me down in the back?

You don't deserve any better.

Raise your hands.

Higher. Over your head.

Turn around.

You like it better this way, Kurth?

Yeah.

Poley, Mark Stone been in here tonight?

Not tonight.

What's he done to you, Mr. Mourret?

What makes you think that?

I don't know. You got

a funny look on your face.

Last time I saw it was just before

you hung Gigs Barlow.

- Some day, Poley, I'll...

- Jules!

Kurth is laying over in the alley, dead.

Stone killed him.

He just stood there, cold as ice,

and shot him down.

- Where did he go?

- I don't know.

- You waiting for him, too?

- Go away.

That's no way to talk.

We've been friends for a long time.

It was mostly as a favor to you

that I helped Jeff.

- Helped Jeff? Used him, you mean.

- I'm a business man collecting a debt.

By this time, that Conroy girl

knows all about you and that debt.

- I'm not worried about the Conroys.

- I wish Jeff wasn't.

She's probably twisting him

around her little finger right now.

- So that's where he is.

- I didn't say that.

But you did, my dear.

You got a few of notches in your gun.

You ever shoot a man in the back?

You know better!

They saw it coming. They had a chance.

That's the way we do things.

We give and take our chances.

Reef, you trigger that gun of yours

now and again.

Did you ever kill a man

that never did anything to you?

Only in war. Otherwise live and let live.

That's the way I feel.

Soldier, you know what

the Quantrill Raiders were?

Sure.

Butchers that used the war

to cover up their murders and robberies.

There's one of them in town now.

He doesn't do things the way we do.

When he shoots a man,

he shoots him in the back.

And that's the way

he killed Dan Kurth tonight.

He can't get away.

Things like that give this town a bad name.

Yes, and we ought to do something about it

right now.

Let's take something along with us,

like a rope.

Sure, let's get a rope.

Yeah, come on. Let's get a rope.

Wait! He's lying!

Mourret is lying!

What else can she say?

She's in love with him.

- Come on, boys. Let's go.

- Can't anybody stop them?

Where there's a stampede, ma'am,

the safest place is up a tall tree.

Quiet!

Shoot him the minute he comes out.

- Quick! It's a lynching!

- So that's what all the ruckus is about!

Is that all? You've got to stop them!

I can't try nothing like that

without the Sheriff.

I don't know where he went.

What are you going in there for?

There's nobody there.

- Wait! Where you going with that gun?

- Stay back.

I can't understand it.

Men like Degas and Mueller,

yes, but Mourret?

He's still alive. Out in the open now.

And the killing's already started.

I knew it had to be someone here.

I would believe it was Mourret.

- Lf I could only believe you.

- I've told you all about myself.

Where I've lied, what I've done,

and why I did it.

There's nothing to gain by lying now.

Of course he's telling us the truth.

What can we gain against

anyone as powerful as Mourret?

The house is surrounded, Travis.

You can't get away.

You've got just 30 seconds.

Send him out, Conroy.

All right, Travis, we're coming in.

Did you find him?

You clumsy idiot.

You all seem a little jumpy this morning.

Have a drink. On the house, of course.

Yeah, I do need an eye-opener, at that.

You've been needing

an eye-opener all your life.

Lay off, Jules.

It wasn't my fault he got away. Not this time.

You know, I remember

when he first came here.

Right through that door.

Now we've lost him for good.

You really think you've seen the last

of Jeff Travis?

He won't dare show his face

around here again.

What are you getting at?

You think he'll come back?

Don't you? He's not the running-away kind.

He'll come back.

My men have blocked

every street and alley into this town.

They're good boys. They'll stop him.

Sure, they'll get him.

A fly couldn't get through.

That tall man is a lot smarter than any fly.

You don't think those fellows are

going to stand and wait for Jeff to show up?

They'd better. They have my orders.

Your orders? You got the crowd last night...

when it was liquored up

and ready for excitement.

They're tired out now,

they've been up all night.

Probably home right now, sleeping it off.

Take a look. See if they're still there.

- Why, sure they are, Jules.

- I said look!

They're gone, Jules.

The dirty, yellow dogs ran out on us.

They couldn't.

You beginning to feel it, too?

- Shut up, Poley.

- Don't be so jumpy, Jules.

Poley is only trying to tell you

he sort of feels Jeff's presence.

- Now what?

- I thought I heard something.

Feel how still the air is.

Like just before a cyclone or a storm.

Or death.

- Stop talking like that, or so help me I'll...

- Get a hold of yourself.

Sure.

We got nothing to worry about.

We can handle it.

We always handle everything together.

Both of us, huh, Jules?

Good morning, Josie.

Morning, Jeff.

It's later than I thought,

and I've got things to do. Elsewhere.

Sorry I kept you fellows up all night.

I'm sorry about all this, Jeff.

We were too hotheaded.

- The two of us can still get together.

- Which one of your men killed Jake Hooper?

What are you looking at me for?

- I thought he was the one.

- Wait a minute.

That'll satisfy the Hooper killing.

You can easily prove

that you killed Dan Kurth in a fair fight.

That'll satisfy folks all around.

We'd both be clean.

- Jules, you wouldn't!

- How about it, Jeff?

We can play out the string together.

We could, Jules.

But I'll give you a choice instead.

Get out of here, Josie.

You let me take you in

so the law can hang you...

or go for your gun.

We'll finish it up right here.

You're being kind of hard on me, Jeff.

I'm giving you a better chance

than you ever gave anyone.

Jeff, look out!

Fine fire, Jeff.

Reminds you of Lawrence, remember?

You going to stay there and burn,

or come out and take a bullet?

There's only the two of us left, Jeff.

Let's call it off, Jeff! What do you say?

We'll burn if we stay here.

We'll both get out that door.

Only one of us is going out.

Jeff, how does it feel

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