These Thousand Hills Page #3

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- Oh, Tom, whatever happened?

- It's Lat.

He's outside. He's hurt.

- He's hurt real bad.

- Oh,yeah. Can somebody get a doctor?

Here, help me with him,

will you? Oh, Tom.

Get me some whiskey, Happy.

Oh, Tom.

Tom.

Oh, poor Tom.

Lat?

No. No, no. Lie still.

Lie still.

- You'll get that fancy dress dirty.

- I don't care.

I do. I bought it.

Time for breakfast.

- I'll finish up downstairs.

- All right, Happy.

I think you're

getting back some weight.

I swear I never

saw a man that thin.

I sure got it soft-

breakfast in bed.

A tray like that-what would

that cost in a restaurant?

Oh, depends what kind

of restaurant it is.

- Callie, I'm leaving here today.

- You can't.

Why not? Tom's got a job.

You want me to sponge off you forever?

- But the doctor said-

- I don't care what the doctor said!

There's only one kind of a man

that lives off a woman.

Don't, Lat.

W- Why should you

waste your time and money on me?

It's not charity, Lat.

I like taking care of you.

I never felt this way

about anybody before.

A- Aren't I good enough for you?

It's not you, Callie. It's me.

I'm no closer to getting

that ranch now than I ever was.

It's a whole winter gone by, and I ain't

got nothing to show for it. Not a dime.

You got me.

Excuse me. Who-Who do I see

about making a loan?

Pay in there.

Then you'll be at the meeting, Marsh?

- Excuse me.

- Don't stand in the door, boy. Come in.

- My name is Evans, Lat Evans.

- I know.

- Shake hands with Brother Vaughn.

- How are you?

- Mr. Evans is quite a jockey.

- Oh, the Lord loves a good rider.

Well, I ain't give him

much of a chance lately to love me.

That don't matter, brother.

He makes his own chances.

I'll see you tonight.

Mr. Conrad, uh-

uh, what-what I came

to see you about-

Sit down.

Rest that hat.

What can I do for you, Evans?

Well, I don't have a job right now

and- and I'm out of money...

and a bank loans money, doesn't it?

That's right. A bank loans money.

There's also work for anybody who's out of it.

Well, uh, I'm not

after a job, Mr. Conrad.

- What are you after?

- Ranching.

Sheep or cattle?

- Cattle.

- Hmm.

- They call sheep the golden hoof.

- I like cattle.

- Have you got a ranch in mind?

- Yep. Along the Tansy River.

It's good high grass,

and high grass is fat grass.

Could I see you for a moment, Uncle?

Oh, excuse me. I-

Notjust now, honey.

In a few minutes.

I'll wait outside.

I don't want to keep you

from anything important.

It's all right.

She's my niece.

You know, Evans,

a bank isn't a racetrack.

We can't afford to back gamblers.

Well, why not?

You gamble all the time, don't you...

on weather and grass

and- and the price of cattle?

I'm asking for a loan

as a start on something solid.

- As a stake.

- I'm sorry, Evans. It's too much of a risk.

You get yourself some security-

a piece of land...

a deed, something to put up-

then we'll talk about a loan.

Meanwhile, I will be very glad

to back any horse you race.

Thanks.

For nothin'.

- Is my uncle free now?

- Free?

There ain't nothing free in this bank.

Lat?

- Can I get you a cup of coffee?

- No.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing's the matter. I've been drinking.

I went to the bank to ask for a loan...

for a stake on a ranch...

but they don't loan you money

at a bank unless you got money.

So I've been drinkin'.

The last time I counted,

there was more than $2,000 there.

Buy the ranch you want, Lat.

But- But, Callie,

that's your savings.

I'm investing it.

- Oh, no. I- I can't.

- Well, you'll pay it back.

But what if I go broke

like my old man?

Not you, Lat.

Maybe I'm just doing it

to keep you with me.

Well, there it is, Mr. Conrad.

It's good fat grass, just like I said.

And I'm gonna put it

all under fence.

Fence? Why, there'll be free grazing land

in Montana longer than you'll ever live.

That's what they said

in Eastern Oregon a while back.

You know, people say

that cattle do fine here.

They say that natural pasture is enough,

even in the winter. But it isn't.

Because cows get poor

in the winter.

And too many ofem die off.

And the calves are born spindly.

And the beef weighs less.

And someday, who knows, we may even

have a cold stretch here like you never saw.

And then come springtime, all them cows

will be dead that you lent money on.

- Go on.

- Well, my idea is...

I'm gonna grow hay here, and I'll store it up

in my barn during the summer months...

and come winter,

I'll hand-feed it to my cattle.

Fences, hay and homestead.

- In Montana?

- That's what I see coming.

$2,000 won't buy many cows.

Be enough to get me started,

and that's all I need.

The bank will match

whatever you've paid for the land.

Thanks.

A straight business proposition.

Interest, one percent a month.

That rate makes figuring easy.

- Well, you're never gonna regret this, Mr. Conrad.

- Oh, one point.

I make it as an older man.

You can take it or leave it.

Too many young fellas

start out ambitious.

Somewhere they leave

that ambition in a saloon...

or a fancy boudoir.

Evans is a good name back home.

I'm out to make it

mean something here.

Fine.

Did you get what

you wanted this time, Mr. Evans?

Yes, Miss Joyce.

''For every beast

of the forest is mine...''

''...and the cattle

upon a thousand hills.''

Why not?

Come into the bank.

We'll draw up the papers.

Hiya.

Yippee!

We're in business, boy!

- Meaning what? - The loan, you

mutton-head! We got the money for the cows!

- Whoo-hoo!

- Well, I'll be.

Yeah, but, Lat,

I got nothin' to put in the pot.

- The chips is all yours.

- Eh, we're partners, ain't we?

What do I have to do, knock that

into your thick skull?

Whoo! You and me's

runnin' this ranch together.

And maybe we'll have Whitey

and Carmichael workin' with us too...

if they want jobs.

Ain't nobody ever wanted me

for a partner before.

Ahh.

Well, like I said,

you'd live to die rich, didn't I?

Didn't I, huh?

Come and get it!

Come and get it!

There ain't much!

- Dressed for a buryin'?

- No, dinner.

- In town?

- I ain't gonna eat it out in the brush.

- Where's Tom?

- He rode in last night to seeJen.

- Whiskey's gone.

- I'll get you a bottle.

Whitey, I think you'd better take a look

at the cows in the south pasture.

They might drift into the fence.

You know, it's a wonder to me

a cow ever lived till you got here.

A lot ofem didn't.

Well, Mr. Evans.

- And dressed fancy.

- Hello,Jehu.

- Party somewhere?

- At the hotel.

I'm invited to dinner

by the Conrads.

I hear the winter busted

nearly everybody but you, Evans.

- Did it?

- Half my herd's gone. And I got horses missing.

- Stolen?

- Looks like it.

If you're thinkin' of sellin' what's left of

your herd, I'm lookin' for some more head.

Ain't that pressin' your luck, Evans?

It's either me or the auctioneer.

Besides, you said once

my luck wouldn't last.

Maybe we both ain't waited

long enough to tell.

See me after roundup.

I might listen to your price.

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