The Texican Page #3

I'm glad you came here.

This town has been needing somebody

who will stand up to Luke Starr.

I thought you said

you had something important to talk about.

I worked for Roy, your brother,

ever since he started a newspaper here.

You and Roy were close, then?

Best friend I ever had.

I'd like to carry on his work here.

But it can't be done, not without your help.

Running a newspaper

is a little out of my line.

I'd do it alone.

But somebody's

gonna have to stand off Luke Starr.

Roy's paper was always a thorn in his side.

He tried every way to shut it down.

Do you think Starr had anything to do

with what happened to Roy?

It didn't happen here.

The story is that Roy was killed...

in a fight at the relay station west of town.

The story doesn't hold up.

Roy was no gunhand.

I know. He was a man everybody looked up to.

That's why his paper was so trusted

and respected.

Roy fought every way he knew

to try and bring law and order out here.

That paper mean a lot to you, didn't it?

It was my life, Mr. Carlin.

Help me start it up again.

You seem to be forgetting

there's a price on my head.

My reputation's as bad as Roy's was good.

The newspaper has a name.

I'm gonna be honest with you, Mr. Brady.

I want to find the man that killed Roy.

And that's all I want.

After that, I don't much give a damn

what happens to this territory.

Or Roy's paper?

Or even Roy's paper.

These pesky locks.

May I help you?

Thank you.

Sorry.

- Am I in your way?

- No, not at all.

I was looking for my horse.

- Is that your horse?

- Yep, that's him.

I hope we meet again sometime.

If your eyesight is so bad

you can't recognize a horse from a mule...

then maybe you won't recognize me.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll look around and see

if I can find an old pair of glasses.

It was nice bumping into you.

- You ready?

- Hello, Luke. Of course.

- Where do you know Carlin from?

- Is that his name?

He's the best-looking man I've seen

since I came to Rimrock.

You seem awfully friendly with him.

I've never seen him before in my life.

Before you make any more friends

in Rimrock, check with me.

Forget him for now. Come on.

They're throwing us a spread...

the likes of which you've never seen.

We're going to Dominic's.

Can you hear me?

Who shot you?

Give me my bag, quick.

Carlin?

- Say, aren't you Jess Carlin?

- That's right.

Thought I recognized you.

Name's Thompson. Boyd Thompson.

I'm that whiskey boomer you pulled out

of that mudhole a few years ago.

Near Fort Worth, remember?

Yeah, now I do...

but you were in rags in those days,

not fancy duds like that.

It had to happen.

Good living and me

just naturally go together.

At the rate people are buying my whiskey,

I'll be a millionaire soon.

You don't want to hear about that.

Come on, I'll buy you a drink...

- at the Silver Ring.

- Silver Ring?

Matter of fact,

I was just on my way over there.

That's what I call a real coincidence.

Luke Starr is one of my best customers.

Is that right? Then you must know him well.

Know him?

I won $1,000 from him in a poker game

the last time I came through Rimrock.

What I don't know about him

ain't worth knowing.

There's a table opening up. Let's grab it.

Looks as though you've been singled out

for special treatment.

- Do you want it?

- Not me.

The last time I went out with one

of those dance girls, it cost me $200...

and all my best whiskey samples.

Sure, I knew there was a Roy Carlin

in town...

but I never had any idea he was your brother.

- Starr ever say anything about him?

- You bet he did.

The last time we played cards...

he was burning up about something

your brother had printed in his newspaper.

You know what it was?

Yes, I do, but Roy--

Mr. Thompson,

the poker game has already started.

Luke doesn't like to be kept waiting.

You know Gil Rio, don't you?

- Not as well as I'd like.

- The feeling's mutual.

- Want me to carry your bag upstairs?

- I'll take it.

Jess, if you're going to be around

for a while, we can continue this later.

Shouldn't take me more than an hour

to clean up these fellows.

- I'll be around.

- I'll see you later.

Have you known Thompson for long?

About 30 minutes.

He's a talker, you know.

The kind that's all wind and no spit.

You can't believe a word he says.

Maybe you haven't asked him

the right questions.

I suppose you have?

That's strictly between Thompson and me.

Get your information someplace else.

You don't like me much, do you?

I stepped on a rattlesnake once

I liked better.

You want to try to step on me?

Get your hand away from that gun.

Unless you want me to use

the one I'm holding.

You can put it away.

And I'm gonna meet you sometime...

when you don't have the edge.

Still working?

Just like I was getting paid for it.

I'll put you on the payroll any time,

you know that.

That's not what I came to Rimrock for, Luke.

What about changing your plans?

I don't know anything

about the saloon business.

Neither did your dad when I met him.

He was one of our bookkeepers.

I gave him a piece of the place,

he made a lot of money.

Same thing can happen to you.

All I want is his share of the saloon

that was left to me in his will.

Kit, I've offered you $10,000.

Isn't that enough?

Too much. That's why

I've been going over these ledgers.

All I want is what's rightfully mine.

No more, no less.

Look, you're the greatest woman

I've ever known with numbers.

The greatest, really.

And you know how I feel about you, don't you?

Why don't you change your plans?

What is it, then?

Maybe it's 'cause you think

I'm too old for you.

I don't know, Luke.

Maybe I'm just not ready to settle down.

Didn't sound like that

when you were talking about Carlin.

If I didn't know you better,

I'd think you were jealous.

All right, come on. I'll walk you home.

Luke?

If you'd excuse me,

I'll be with you in a minute.

Thompson's sore because he's losing.

Figures we're cheating.

Cheating him because he won last time.

So let him win a few hands.

It's not that simple.

I think he knows something.

- You run along. I'll see you in the morning.

- Good night, Luke.

- Hello, Jess.

- How are you?

- Won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

- Can I order something for you?

- No, thank you.

I was just on my way home.

- You don't work here, do you?

- No.

Then you must be a friend of Luke Starr's.

You make it sound as though I shouldn't be.

No, I'm just trying to understand, that's all.

There's nothing to worry about, folks.

I was cleaning my pistol,

and it went off by accident.

Now you can go back and have a good drink.

Please, Jess, I'd like to leave now.

A lot of people saw Mr. Thompson come in.

Make sure nobody sees Mr. Thompson go out.

If a gun goes off every night,

it must be an awful noisy game.

- You don't trust him very far, do you?

- Do you?

He's been more honest with me than most men.

Maybe you're just not

a very good judge of character.

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