Three Violent People Page #2

I've got a little room way up in the attic.

We're gonna plant you there

until we decide what to do.

I'll make out a receipt.

Make it out to Capt. Colt Saunders.

You're crazy. I'm telling you, you'd

better crawl up in my attic and hide.

No, I want the nicest room in the place.

Just make out the receipt

to Capt. Colt Saunders.

They've got a saying in Texas:

"The Rio Grande changes its course...

"but the Saunders don't."

- Hello.

- You were unconscious.

That fight was a little fast

for introductions.

- I'm Colt Saunders.

- Miss Lorna Hunter.

Well, now that you're all right...

- My head's spinning.

- Oh, dear.

I always wanted to see what women

carried in one of these knapsacks.

You savage!

You brute!

Quiet down now.

I don't mind giving you a share,

but not all.

- Let me go, you...

- Savage? Brute?

Sodbuster!

All right, angel, where's the money?

Are you going to give it to me,

or do I have to shake it out of you?

You see, $900 is just much too much...

for services so far rendered.

Well, sir, you up and healthy already.

- Yes, sir, I see you healthy.

- You, girl.

Bring me the coldest bottle of wine

in the saloon. The best, hear?

Yes, sir.

- Shall I fetch you a comb, ma'am?

- No.

- Now, let's be civilised about this.

- Civilised?

Return that wallet. Then we'll have

a cool glass of wine...

and talk things over.

I finally begin to see...

the reason for your

insane conduct, Captain.

You believe I have stolen

some money from you.

Let's not say "stolen." A wallet

with $900 gold has been misplaced.

- When you remember where it is...

- Captain, look on the table.

I thought your money might be safer

in the vault downstairs.

Miss Hunter, I don't know how to begin...

Yes, sir, Captain. Thank you.

Who's in my room?

Nobody, ma'am, honest.

The Captain ain't in there.

I suppose I can assume

the same servants...

who were bribed to provide this...

were also bribed to ignore this.

Miss Hunter, Gen. Robert E. Lee

signed a formal statement...

to the effect that I was an officer

and a gentleman.

Now, please have dinner

with me tonight.

Give me a chance to prove

he wasn't guilty of false statements...

when he signed my commission.

It seems to me you go rather far afield

to involve the General.

I anticipated you would appear again...

after your outrageous behaviour

this afternoon.

I have a few things to explain to you.

- Over a glass of wine.

- No, l...

Fine.

- Aren't you forgetting your bribe?

- Special signal.

Dinner in 10 minutes.

You may not wish to have dinner

with me, Captain, after I've had my say.

I'll chance that.

Thank you.

First, I'd better prepare you.

You see, I'm an emancipated woman.

- Indeed.

- Yes.

I was fortunate in attending schools...

with progressive ideas.

- I may shock you.

- I'll be on my guard.

I'm husband hunting

and have eliminated you as a candidate.

As a candidate for what?

For marriage.

I have considered everything

and have crossed you off my list.

Crossed? I didn't even know

I was on any list.

Tell me, how could you eliminate me

as a candidate...

when you don't know

anything about me?

On the contrary.

You brawl in the streets.

You're used to awakening

under such circumstances...

that your money might have been taken

by a female person.

Frankly, you do not qualify, Captain.

So please don't try to continue

our acquaintance beyond this evening.

It's plain we are not suited

to each other.

Good night, Captain.

And thank you for the wine.

It was delicious.

Now see here, honey...

I might've guessed you called women

"honey" on short acquaintance.

- Miss Hunter...

- Good night, Captain.

You've got marriage all figured out...

like ledgers in a set of business books,

haven't you?

You left out the main ingredient: Love.

Oh, no. I intend to show my husband

great affection.

- Affection and respect?

- Of course.

I predict this man will spend

a great deal of time away from home.

No, he won't.

I've by no means

left love out of my calculations.

Love comes in time...

with understanding and respect.

I don't see how anyone can look so right

and think so wrong.

- I don't understand.

- About me.

I don't waste time brawling in the street.

I've got no time to waste.

I just spent the last four years

losing a war.

I've got a ranch to build up

and a family to raise.

I'm looking for a woman who...

A wife.

You're looking for a husband. Wait now.

Miss Hunter,

do you want to get married?

Of all the cold-blooded, unromantic...

Not the least bit

like double entry bookkeeping, is it?

No.

- I'll be back.

- No, serve it.

- Come back later.

- Yes, sir.

No, stay. Captain.

- But the dinner, sir. What'll I do?

- Eat it.

Captain.

I don't know. I just don't know.

- Come on, don't fall.

- Wait a minute.

Ruby, where can I find a minister?

Four doors down.

- Come on, we gotta get married.

- No.

- You don't want get married? You told...

- Oh, yes.

- I want to get married.

- You don't want to marry me, is that it?

No. I mean, yes, I want to marry you.

But not like this, Colt.

I want a white gown, and a veil,

and flowers...

and all the things to remember.

I know. I do know, but...

I've been away from Bar S for five years.

I want to go home.

I'm hungry to see my land again.

So if you could pass up the trimmings,

I'd be grateful.

All right.

You wait right here.

Miss Hunter...

- Ruby, I don't know your last name.

- LaSalle.

How do you do?

Miss Hunter.

Wait for me? Here?

I see what you mean

about these Saunders being violent.

He just...

Ruby, did you hear?

He's going to marry me. Me!

Did you hear?

- Expect me to spout congratulations?

- Why not?

- I expect you to be happy for me.

- Happy that you're riding for a fall?

It's a lot of nonsense.

It's a dream, honey. It never happens.

Because men who aren't afraid of guns,

Indians, or rattlesnakes...

are afraid of a little laughter

behind their back.

And there'll always be some man

with a weak mind and long memory...

who'll remember a girl who worked

at Selma's in Baton Rouge...

or Tess' in Frisco.

And when your man hears that laughter,

you'll wish you were long dead.

I'm telling you, Lorna, hide.

Sneak out of town, anything,

because that's just not gonna work.

I've got to believe it'll work.

I've got to.

I'll be here, honey, when you come

crawling back with your heart broken...

because your noble Captain

found out he made a bad bargain.

It won't be a bad bargain for him.

I've seen the other side of the street.

I'm going to be very hard to discourage.

Every day I'm going see to it

that he's made a very good bargain.

The minister's getting into his clothes.

Let me be the first to congratulate you.

If I knew how to pray, I would.

The mountains are very beautiful.

There are steep valleys in there

that take your breath away.

Places where it seems like if you knew

the right words, you could talk to God.

- That's a fool thing to say.

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