Two Rode Together Page #2

No argument.

What made you decide

to come along?

Ride all night

on some wild goose chase.

I'll tell you this, you didn't

decide me to come along.

- I'll tell you that.

- I didn't figure I did.

Those things come one in a box?

- Don't you ever buy your own cigars?

- Sure. I bought two last payday.

- That was three months ago.

- Here.

Thanks a lot.

Hey, I got a match.

Gee, I'm surprised

you can afford matches.

I can handle that, all right.

Why did you come?

Well...

If you must know, it was mostly

to get away from Belle.

Belle? Why?

- I thought you two were kind of:

- I know, I know, I know.

Well, to be completely

ungentlemanly about it...

l... Not that I ever pretended

to be otherwise.

- We were, we were.

That's what I heard.

And...

...just lately she started

calling me "Guth."

I noticed that.

Guth. The first time I heard it I thought

she'd got something stuck in her teeth.

Guth, Guth, Guth. But she didn't

have anything stuck in her teeth.

It was in her craw...

...and a few nights ago she got it out.

Yeah, go ahead. What happened?

Well, that's not a subject you can

discuss in mixed company...

...especially when

one of the parties is...

Matrimony.

- No.

- Matrimony.

Holy smoke. Matrimony.

And, of course, in this case,

when one of the parties is sort of...

You know, she carries a stiletto

right there in her garter.

I know.

And we were sitting

around the place talking...

How do you know?

Well, you just told me.

Say, she actually proposed, huh?

- You didn't know about that before?

- About what?

About the stiletto?

How would I know

about that before? Come on.

What do you mean?

Did she propose? No.

She didn't, if you mean

getting down on one knee.

She didn't do that.

You have to give her credit

for more animal cunning than that.

No, no. As I...

As I remember the approach...

...it was that she didn't see

why I was satisfied...

...with just 10 percent of her take...

...when she was willing

to go for fifty-fifty.

You mean to tell me you're getting

10 percent of Madam Aragon's place?

- Don't tell me you didn't know that.

- I didn't know about that.

I get 10 percent of everything

in Tascosa.

Holy crimanetta.

What? This goes along

with the job of marshal.

- You're a dirt...

- It's no secret about it.

- You're a dirty thief, McCabe.

- Everybody knows it.

Wait a minute.

You don't think I could live

on the marshal's salary, do you?

- A measly $100 a month, Jim?

- Well, that's 20 more than I get.

I know, but look...

Look at you.

Look at you. Jim, Jim.

You're a man of simple wants.

I just require a little more, that's all.

- Oh, come on, that's a lot of hogwash.

- Horses are watered, sir!

All right, Posey.

The men refill their canteens?

Well, the men did,

but I didn't notice you refilling yours.

That's right. I'm afraid I haven't.

There you go again.

Just when I think I got you

trained real good...

...you go forgetting things like now.

It's just downright

discouraging, lieutenant.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sergeant.

It won't happen again.

Hey, Slim! Fill mine up

while you're at it, will you?

- Now, see here, civilian...

- Posey. Posey.

Marshal McCabe's our guest.

He's afraid of getting

his fancy boots wet.

And me with my feet killing...

Well, there goes another man

with simple wants.

Eight beers.

There he is,

the blessing of the Lord.

Clay, Pete, come here.

William.

William!

- William!

- Anna!

Anna!

You sure seem to be popular

around here.

The least you could do is tip your hat

or take a bow, make a speech.

Yeah, I might.

Except it's you they're cheering.

- Me?

- Yep.

You'll find him.

- You'll find my Toby!

- Here now, Mary. Now, Mary.

Well, he's here.

Does he know what he's here for?

That's not my department, sir.

Well, maybe we can

make it your department.

Yes, sir.

- Mrs. Frazer.

- Welcome back, Jim.

Thank you.

He'll find our son.

I know he will.

I could see a light...

...shining around his head.

Just like a halo.

You mean to tell me

you dragged me 40 miles...

...all the way out here, for that?

I did not drag you, Marshal McCabe.

You had reasons of your own

for coming, remember?

All right, Jim. All right.

Let's just say that I got my own

good reasons for going back.

- Lf I could catch a few hours sleep...

- Sleep?

Could you sleep knowing

what a disappointment...

...this is going to be

to those people?

I'll sleep like a baby.

- I'll be happy to prove it.

- Now, wait. Take it easy.

You saw how those people looked

at you when we rode in.

I sure did. I sure did.

Now that you explained to me

why they looked at me like that...

...I can't say I'm too impressed.

That was the same kind of a look

the Romans gave the Christians...

...just before they turned

the lions loose.

All right. But you've had dealings

with Quanah Parker before.

He knows you. He trusts you.

Quanah Parker

wouldn't trust his mother.

Of course I've had dealings with him

with horses and hides.

A little gold one time.

- Weapons?

- Yeah, yeah, a few weapons.

But I'll tell you this, I never once

rode out of that camp of his...

...without having the feeling that I'd

left something important behind me.

Like my scalp, for instance.

Would money influence your decision?

Yeah. Yeah, might.

I'd be exceeding my authority...

...but I'm prepared

to enrol you as a chief scout.

The pay is that of a first lieutenant.

- Eighty dollars a month?

- And found.

Well, now, major...

Now, I'll tell you what I'll do...

...just to show you

my heart's in the right place.

Now, there's 100,

2, 3... There's $400.

Good Yankee currency. That'll buy you

five chief scouts for a month.

Now, you tell them just exactly

what you told me:

That all they have to do is to ride

into Quanah Parker's camp...

...and tell him they want all

the white prisoners...

...his Comanches have captured

in the last 15, 20 years.

You get any takers, you can pay it

out of that 400.

No, go on, take it.

I'll be riding out here in a month or so.

I'll pick up what's left.

Mr. Gary, perhaps Marshal McCabe

can share your quarters...

...until he's rested sufficiently to return

to his more lucrative duties in Tascosa.

- Fine.

- Yes, sir.

I know Madam Aragon

will be glad to see him back.

- Won't she, Guth?

- Hell, now, Jim...

- Just what is your price, McCabe?

- Lf you'd call him Guth, he'll shave...

I don't know what this private joke's

about, but it's gone far enough.

Just how much do you think

human lives are worth, McCabe?

Whatever the market will bear.

No more, no less.

I've told you what I could pay.

That's all I can do.

Well, I believe you, major.

I believe you.

- So I'll take it.

- Sit down.

- Well, I'd prefer, sir...

- Sit down!

You understand,

this is just a matter of principal.

I'll make up the balance

from that bunch of sooners out there.

What balance?

- I figure it's worth about $500.

- What?

Five hundred dollars a head

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