"Thank you, Jesu." "Señor, the widow Gomez has delivered a son this morning." "A boy." "Bully for the widow Gomez." "But, señor, it has been more than a year ago since Señor Antonio Gomez has been buried in the church house." "Well, there are some men you just can't trust to stay where you put them." "You gamblers?" "Just get off the stage?" "You got eyes in your head, ain't you?" "It's what I'm paid for." "Oh, the marshal, huh?" "All right, now." "The stage is leaving in about 15 minutes." "You fellas want a drink, there's a cantina down the street a piece." "They're not too particular about their customers." " Look here, whatever your name is..." " The name's McCabe." "Guthrie McCabe." "We was just passing through." "Nice little town you have here." "Did you say they serve good whiskey?" "No." "Detail, ho!" " Hi, Jim." " Hiya." " How are things out at Fort Grant?" " Same as usual." "Who is it?" "Is that Sergeant Posey?" "Sergeant Posey?" "I hardly recognised you." "Haven't you put on some weight?" "Well, that's a nice dirty, thirsty-looking outfit you got there, Jim." " Forty miles." " Forty miles, huh?" "Hey, you men!" "How about a nice cold beer?" "As you were." "I haven't dismissed the detail, sergeant." "No, sir." "And before I do, I want one thing clearly understood." "We're riding out of here in a couple of hours." "And I mean riding, not floating." ""Riding not floating," that's good." "I'm gonna use that." "And just because Marshal McCabe here has been generous enough to set us up to five or six beers..." " I didn't say five or that's no reason to abuse his hospitality." " Hey, just one beer." " I count on your discretion, sergeant." "That's all." "Detail dismissed!" " Hiya, Guthrie." " Oh, no." "Oh, no." "What?" " Jim, good to see you." " Good to see you." " You know, I..." "No, wait a minute." " What?" "Jesu, fetch a ladder so that Sergeant Posey can get up on that poor, unfortunate animal." "By George, he made it." "Thank you, marshal." "It'll be a pleasure drinking to your health." "Follow me!" "Well, that was pretty funny, Jim." "But if you think I'm gonna ante up for all the beer that hippopotamus of a sergeant can drink between now and the time you leave, you got two more things coming." " You're up for re-election, aren't you?" " Sergeant Posey can't vote." "I bet he can't even make his mark on the ballot." " What about yourself?" "Want a beer?" " Yeah, sure." "I'll take this one." "Cheers." "Now, Ward." "Ward, come here." "Oh, it's you, Mr. McCabe." "Was you calling my name?" "Yeah, yeah." "I told you to take those drunks over to the courthouse." "Yes, sir, Mr. McCabe, that's what you told me and that's what I done, didn't I, fellers?" "But it wasn't no use." "No use at all." "Was it, fellers?" "Well, now, Ward, why wasn't it any use?" " Or am I supposed to guess?" " No, sir, Mr. McCabe." "Not that it calls for much guessing, and that's a true fact." "Well, what it comes down to is that the judge hisself was drunk last night and never even showed up in court today." "And so as I see it, they ain't but one thing to do and that's just march these fellers back to the jail until the judge sobers up enough to fine them legal and proper." "Now, come on, you fellers." "Hurry up." " One, two..." " Ward." "Turn them loose." "Now, you fellers listen to me." "By orders of Marshal McCabe, I'm a-turning you loose." "Go on, you're loose!" "You ain't turning us loose without buying us a beer, are you, marshal?" "You fellas don't mind drinking with gamblers and fort soldiers, do you?" "All right, Ward, buy them a beer and point them toward home." "Let's go, boys." "Belle?" " Look who's here." " Hello." "Guth, how many times have I told you I don't even wanna look at a man before 5:00." "Out!" "Outside, both of you." "Oh, now, Belle, honey, all we want is just a..." "All we want is..." "You can have anything you want out on the veranda." "Well, that's a pretty broad statement." "That takes in a lot of territory, Belle." "Lieutenant Gary, I have nothing against you or the Army." "Well, I sincerely hope not, ma'am." "Ma'am?" "!" " What am I, your maiden aunt?" " No, ma'am." " Call me Mrs. Aragon." " Mrs. Aragon." " Call me Belle." " Belle." "Call me madam if you're tired of living but don't call me ma'am." " No, ma'am." "And don't brush that dust off in here." "Excuse me." "I'm sorry, ma'am." "If you give me a broom, I could sweep it up." " Never mind." "Never mind." " It'd just take a second." "Well, what will you have?" "What he could use most is a bath." "Now, don't keep saying things like that to me." "I'm sorry, that's one service we don't provide." "Not that it doesn't have its possibilities." " Beer suit you?" " You read my mind." "With most men that's not too difficult." "And not too interesting either." "I can tell when a man walks through that door whether he prefers blonds or brunettes drinks whiskey or beer plays blackjack or poker is a cheapskate or a high roller." " Is that a fact?" "Well, how do you peg old Jim here?" "Oh, excuse me." " Beer, blonds and solitaire." " Solitaire, that's me." "And that'll be four bits, Guth." "He hasn't got a dime." "You called it." "I haven't got a dime." "Except I'm not so sure about blonds." "No man ever is." " That's true." " Well, Jim what brings you to town?" "Orders." "Well, sure." "I didn't think you'd ridden 40 miles for fresh air and sunshine." "My orders are to accompany you to Fort Grant." " Accompany me?" " That's right." "And I'm to use any means short of handcu..." "Any means short of handcuffing you to persuade you to accept the major's invitation." "And if you don't accept, I will handcuff you." "Sit down, Belle, join us." "What, has there been a murder out at the fort or...?" "Somebody run off with the sutler's wife?" " Nope." " Why not?" " It wouldn't be a case of stealing?" " No." "What soldier's got anything worth stealing?" " That's very true." " No." "I can't agree with that at all." " You're..." "You're not gonna tell me?" " No, I'm not gonna tell you." "Well, I don't know, Jim." "That's an awful long ride." "Forty miles." "You know, that's..." "No, no, that's not so far." "And I have my duties here to think of." "McCabe, I don't put my foot down often." "And that's one of the things I like about you, Belle." "Just one of the things." "But it's a very rare quality in a woman, and I admire you for it." "What time did you say we were gonna leave?" " Three o'clock." " Three o'clock." "Fine." "Oh, Belle, get the cook to build me a steak, will you?" "And well-done this time." "Not raw like it was last night." "You didn't eat here last night." "Or the night before." "Well, come to think of it, I didn't, did I?" "No." "No, that's right, I guess I didn't." "Detail, ho!" "Fall out for water." " Fifteen minutes." " Fifteen minutes!" "It's harder than my saddle." "You're in great shape, sitting on that porch." "You know, I still can't figure it out." "I can't figure it out." "No fuss." "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... I..." "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 for each captive I bring in." "If this is another joke, I want to tell you I regard it in extremely bad taste." "And you can consider that my lowest offer." " And you, sir, can go to the devil." " All right." "Suit yourself." "Suit yourself, but just remember this:" "Now, you can't send a troop into Comanche territory without breaking the peace treaty." "One false move, and you have another Indian war on your hand." " Wouldn't look good on your record." " Never mind my record." "They'd bust you, major." "They'd bust you, and you know it." "In the meantime, you got congressmen breathing down your neck to do something about those constituents there." "Now, what you need is a civilian to pull the Army's chestnuts out of the fire and you want me to work for Army pay." "Oh, no." "Those sodbusters out there haven't $500 between them." "They've begged, borrowed, and sold everything to get this far." "That's my problem, that's not your problem." "My problem." "Now, you just give me three hours out there in that camp and if there's any hard cash..." " He'll smell it out." "That's correct." "That's..." "I'll smell it out." "Now, are you gonna make the decision for them, major or are you gonna let them make up their own minds like they should?" "I don't know how the word got out that I'd sent for you but somehow it did." "And they've been expecting a messiah a Moses come to deliver their children from bondage." "And I've got to send them you." "Get him out of here." "And leave the door open to let in a little fresh air." "A pleasure to do business with you, major." "Pleasure." "They burned up the whole place." "The boy, they kill." "We find him the next day." "But the little girl, she was just gone." " How old was she?" " Freda?" "Freda was 9 year old." " That would make her 16 now." " Yeah." "Yeah." "The fourth of August, 16." "Go home, Mr. Knudsen." "Go home." "Give it up." "Go on back to Minnesota, forget you ever had a daughter." "Forget?" "Forget I...?" "The Comanche..." "The Comanches mate their women early." "If your daughter's still alive she's probably got a couple half-breed kids by now." "Oh, come on, McCabe, that's a hell of a thing to say." "That don't makes no matter to me." "No, by golly." "She's still my little girl Freda." "I don't go back without her." "Please, mister, listen to me." "For seven years we wait Mama and me." "Wait for the Army." "The Army to beat them, them dirty devils." "So we can come back here again for Freda." "Seven long years we work and save." "I got $285, mister, for my Freda." "All right, take the description, Mr. Wringle." "All right, Ole." "What colour was Freda's eyes?" "Eyes was blue." "Colour of her hair?" "Hair was yellow." "Yellow like corn silk." "Yellow like gold, it was." "Yeah, just like gold, $285 worth." "You don't need me for this." "Form your square!" "Ready your partner!" "Now corners off." "Of all the stupid..." "Wait, you're breaking everything." "I give up!" "I give up!" "Well, now, that's more like it, Miss Marty." "Back home, I usually come a-calling for my gal at the front door." "May I have the honour of the first dance?" "I'm claiming the first dance, Ortho." "Now, fair play, Greely." "I get to get the first dance, Miss Marty." "You do?" "Come on, honey, I'll help you down." "Good evening, miss." "Well, boys, looks like an early winter." " You all right?" " Of course she's all right." "Just having us some fun is all." "You said, "Good evening," now you can say good night." " Greely Clegg!" " Well, he knows the rules." "Ain't no soldiers allowed in this camp after sundown." " Sorry, but I'm afraid I'm here on duty." " You ought to be ashamed." "After the lieutenant brought Mr. McCabe here to help us." "We ain't asking for no help McCabe's nor the Army's." "Just to be let do the thing we come here to do." "But no." "Mustn't rile the Comanches." "Sit tight, they say." "While you Yankee blue-bellies go parading up and down as big as you please we're sitting here waiting for you to find one man." "One man, mind you." "And he's supposed to do what all us put together couldn't do." "Good evening, miss." "How much is he paying you, Yankee out of what he's claiming to ransom our kinfolk?" "There's only one way I'd like to answer that question but I'd have to be out of uniform and off duty." "Right now, I'm neither." "By the way if you'd like to repeat that question, be at the post armoury at 4 tomorrow." " I'll be there." " And I'll be off duty." "Of all the contemptible, mean-minded ungrateful men I've ever met." "There you be, Greely." "You know, that fits you to a T." "Reckon now that means I get the first dance, huh, Miss Marty?" "Go wash your faces." "And your mouths too." "Go on, scoot!" "Now, Martha stop torturing yourself." "Why don't you let me have that?" "Let me give it away." "Or better yet, destroy it." "What did Mr. McCabe say?" "Nothing much." "Mostly, he listened." "I thought you'd be at the dance." "I'll tell you what." "You put on that pretty pink dress of yours and we'll go to the dance together." "It'd be good for you to have some fun mix more with the young people." "I'd rather not, Father." "Well, I think I'll turn in." " Good night, dear." " Good night, Father." "I won't have those people exploited milked of every last dollar to line McCabe's pockets." "He'll get chief scout's pay and not one cent more." " I thought you agreed to..." " I agreed to nothing." "The man's a scoundrel." "I'll use him and kick him out." "Mr. Gary, I'm placing you on detached duty." "You'll take those settlers as far as Oak Creek the limit of our patrol area." " Sergeant Posey will accompany you." " Yes, sir." "Posey will remain with orders to bring them back here if you don't return in three days." " Is that clear?" " Well, no." "Not entirely." "Return from where?" "I'm ordering you to volunteer to go with McCabe and meet with Quanah Parker." "Well, what about the treaty?" "The department's orders?" "They can scarcely apply to a deserter out of uniform." "If you don't return, mister, that's exactly what will show on your record." "If I don't return, it won't make much difference what shows on my record." "When am I ordered to desert, sir?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Get out of here." "Thank you, sir." "Good evening, Jim." "Where are you going?" "To desert." "Hey, isn't that pretty heavy?" "Better let me help you." "Oh, it's not too heavy." "Looks heavy enough from here." "There." "That's our wagon over there." "All right." "Oh, say you picked a good spot too." "Out of the wind." "Far enough from the crick so you won't get too many mosquitoes." "Near a dead tree that'll keep you in firewood." "You're an old trail hand." "Well, maybe not too old." "Have you been in the Army very long, sir?" "The name's Jim." "Jim Gary." "Yeah, about nine years." "What's the matter?" "It was just nine years ago that my brother was captured." "Oh, I was up north then." " Montana territory." "I just got out..." " It was my fault, you know." " What do you mean?" " I was supposed to look after him." "When the Indians came, I ran and hid." "He was only 8 years old." "How old were you?" "Thirteen, I think." "Yes." "Where was your father and the others?" "Hadn't been any Indians within 50 miles." "He'd gone to visit a neighbour." "They weren't even touched." "It was a small raiding party, I guess." "I was still hiding when Father came home too frightened to come out after I knew the Comanches had ridden away." "Well, it..." "It sounds to me, Miss...?" "Marty." "Sounds to me, Miss Marty like there wasn't anything you could have done anyway." "Except get captured yourself." "I have a picture of him." "Do you think you could get Mr. McCabe to look at it before he goes?" "I'll make sure he does." "I'll get it." "Real Pennsylvania rye." "If you don't say that's good whiskey my name isn't Wringle, Henry J. Wringle." "That's Henry J. all right." "Yes, sir." " Now, what about this boy of yours?" " No, no, no." "Not my boy, my wife's." "By her first husband." "See, I promised her I'd do everything I could to find that boy of hers." "In fact, I..." "I had to give her my word on it before she'd marry me." "Well, that seems natural enough." "Oh, yes, yes, it's natural." "But it certainly isn't practical." "Not when you've got a business to run." "Now, this journey." "Why, this thing could go on for months." "All these people setting these camps up every night eight, nine miles..." "No." "I just haven't got that kind of time to waste." "Well, maybe you'll be lucky." "McCabe I've always been a man that made his own luck." "And if I'm any judge of character so have you." "You know, my wife hasn't seen that boy of hers since he was 2." "Be 17 now." "McCabe I will guarantee that you could bring in any boy that age tell my wife that it was her son she'd accept him without question." "And then you could get back to your business." "Then I could get back to my business." "I'd be willing to give 1000..." " Five hundred dollars for..." " You said 1000." "All right, I'll make it 1000." "And, McCabe, any boy would do, you know?" "Well, he'd have a good home, get an education." " What's wrong with that?" " Not a thing." "Not a thing, Mr. Wringle." "Maybe in time, he'd grow up to be a man like you." " You bet your life." " All right." " It's a deal." " It's a deal." " Fine, thanks a lot." " I'll take the keg, to bind it, huh?" "All right, you can go..." " Hello, lieutenant." " Interrupting something?" "Oh, no, no, no." "I was just wishing Mr. McCabe good luck." " Good luck, McCabe." " Yes, sir." "Yes, sir, Mr. Wringle." "Yes, sir." "That was Mr. Wringle." " Happy fella, isn't he?" " Mr. Wringle." "You know, that's the trouble with the world today." "There are too many Wringles." "Why, they're just all Wringles all over the place." "There are too many Wringles in the bed, there are Wringles in your shirts there are Wringles in your face." "There are too many Wringles." "You better give me this keg." "You've had enough." "We're pulling out of here in the morning, you know." " We?" " We." "What, was this Frazer's idea or was it your idea?" "Major Frazer." "Direct orders." " Doesn't he trust me?" " Who does?" "Does he think I ought to have a chaperone?" " Probably." "You need one." " I need one?" "I got enough trouble trying to keep my own scalp without having to try and look after your scalp." "Look, you don't have to worry about me." "I can take care of myself." "There's no point in arguing." "There's no point in arguing." "I'm going with you." " You've seen very few Indians..." " Now, wait a minute." " When were you planning to pull out?" " I was planning to pull out at sunup." "All right, change your plans and pull out a little before." "I don't want people to know I've gone with you." "Yes, sir!" " Yes, sir!" "Lieutenant, yes, sir!" " Oh, cut it out!" " Is there any other orders?" " Stop acting like a fool." "Is there any other orders?" "If there are no further orders..." " Knock it off, will you!" " Is it all right if my friend and I go out?" "And I go someplace where it's quiet and drink to all the Wringles in the world?" "Look, cut it out, Guthrie." "We've been friends too long." "Whatever gave you that idea?" " Hiya, Posey." " Evening, sir." " Did you have a good supper?" " Oh, yeah, fine." "You seen McCabe?" "Oh, him." "He's over at the old Hickman place with a keg." "That figures." "There's some coffee over there if you'd like to join Dad." " Well, thank you, ma'am." " I'll see you." " Well..." " Oh, no, no, no." "Now, if you two want to stroll down lover's lane holding hands you can do it someplace else, because this is my room." "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to startle you." "Well, the least you could've done is knock, because this is my room." "Now, wait a minute." "She wanted to ask you something special before you left." " Is that so?" " Yeah, that's so." "This picture." "It's my brother, the one we're looking for." "Of course, he was very young there, but it's all I have and I thought it might help you." "How long has it been since that picture was taken?" "At least 12 years." "I think he'd be about 17 now." "About 17?" "About 17." "You..." "You give me a picture of a curly headed 5-year-old kid with velvet knee-britches and you think it'll help, huh?" "Would you like me to tell you what this little angel looks like now?" " Come on, Guthrie, cut it out." " No, no, no." "Let her know." "It's about time somebody in this camp knows." "Here." "Here." "Now, let me..." "Let me tell you something." "Do you...?" "That kid has braids down to here now." "Stiff, stinking braids filled with buffalo grease." "And he's got a scar there, right in his shoulder where they stuck the pins right in through his flesh." "Then took some rawhide ropes and hung him up like that so he'd sort of dangle like that until the kid tore himself off these pins just to prove he's a man." "He forgot his English." "He just grunts Comanche now." "Just grunts." "And he's killed." "And he's taken scalps, white man's scalps." "And given the chance, sister, he'd rape you." " I told you to cut it out!" " Now you..." "You hush." " I'm not gonna hush." "Just shut up!" " I'm talking to the lady." "You hush." "When he's finished, he'd trade you off to one of the other bucks for a good knife or a bad rifle." "Now, is that what you want me to bring back to you, huh?" "Is that what you want?" "Why, you no..." "Why didn't you knock her down and kick her teeth in while you were at it?" "How about a snort before you go?" "Hey, Jim." "Jim!" " Jim!" " Marty." "Marty, listen." "That was the whiskey talking, not McCabe." "So forget it, please." "Put it right out of your mind." "No, it wasn't the whiskey." "It was the truth." "I'm a fool for..." "For crying over someone who died nine years ago." "But I can't help it." "You leave her be." "Go on back to camp, Miss Marty." "I'll go and come when I please, Mr. Clegg, and with whom I please." "Well, then you'll oblige me by stepping aside." "Now, Yank I know this ain't what you call your armoury and you got on your soldier suit and all that but I don't reckon hugging my gal comes under the heading of duty." "I'm not your girl, never have been nor will be." "Well, that remains to be solved." "Now, why don't you and me just step out here a piece and we'll get this thing started." "Get away, you stupid idiot." " He shoved you, Greely." " I know he shoved me." "I know he done it." "I seen it." " You fellas gonna fight?" " Yes, Mr. McCabe." "Let me hold your coat." " Here, give me your coat." " Much obliged." "What are we looking for?" "Looking for a chip for him to knock off my shoulder." "Well, here, try him." "Thank you." " Hey, hey." "I'll hold that." " Thank you." " Fight fair, Jim." "Fight fair." " McCabe, you keep quiet!" "I'm telling you, just shut up!" "That's all." "I dare you to knock that piece of firewood off my shoulder." "Go on, Jim, knock that piece of firewood off his shoulder." " I'm handling this." " You stop this and go on home!" "Marty, you stay over there." "Everything is going..." " Knock that piece of firewood off!" " Stay out of this!" "Why don't you two knotheads go on back to camp and wash up or something." "Come on, help me, Ortho!" "Get up!" "Jim, you just ain't half trying." "Hey, Greely, I've got him!" "I've got the scissors hold on him." "Ortho, it's me." "You dumbbell!" "Mr. McCabe!" "They're killing him!" " It's two against one." " Two?" "I thought there were four of them." "My leg!" " You dumbbell." " Ma'am." "You're..." "You're obstructing my view." "Come on, Jim." "You're going great, Jim." "Foul." "Jim." "Foul." "Sergeant Posey!" "Daddy!" "They're killing Mr. Gary." "Choke him, Ortho!" "Choke him till his eyeballs pop out." "Hey, that's my brother you just poked." "I can't swim." "Come on, Greely." "Oh, you don't have to do that." "Really, it's nothing." "This hand is cut." "I've got to put ointment on it." "It's just a scratch." "Sir, it'd give me pleasure to take those two tackles..." "Forget it." "They've never been anything but trouble since we started out." "Come on, Posey." " What is it?" " Could be Comanche!" "What is it?" "Godless Comanches." " I killed one." " All right." "Mrs. McCandless!" "Toby!" "Mr. McCandless, that's your wife!" " Hey, wait a minute." " Toby!" "It's my little boy!" "That was the wind you heard, that's all." "Now, come on." "Come, baby!" "Come, Toby!" "Toby, come to Mama!" " My baby!" " Relax." "Toby." "It was my baby." "Oh, Marty, help me." "Help me." "It's my little boy, he's across the river." "He needs me." "The Indians will get him!" "He needs me!" "The Indians!" "Clegg, if you and those two idiot sons of yours cause any more trouble I'm gonna have you slapped in irons!" "Hiya, Guth!" "Pull up a chair, have yourself some breakfast." "Had mine about an hour ago." "Little morning coffee?" "There's one thing we ought to get straight, though." "From now on, we take turns doing the cooking." "Oh, yeah." "Yeah, and there's one thing more we ought to get straight." "From now on, we ride together." "Is that clear?" "Well, it's your scalp." "Your scalp." "You're crazy fool enough to risk it for $80 a month, that's your luck, huh." "But don't buck me, Jim." "Don't buck me." "Don't interfere." "I'll do the talking, I'll do the trading, not you." "Well, you sure do plenty of talking." "That's right." "Well, you make lousy coffee, I'll tell you that for sure." "You...?" "You talk good Comanche, huh?" "I do all right, don't worry." "Well, you better start talking." "Remember now, I'll do the talking." "Quanah Parker." "You know me." "Quanah." "Quanah, this is my partner here." "This is Jim Gary." "He's from up north, Montana way." "He's good friend." "Brain, big brain." "Lie." "Soldier." "I see him before." "Well, you got a good memory." "Yeah, I was with Major Frazer last year when you signed the peace treaty." "Now you break treaty." "You come here." "No, no." "No, I'm not in uniform." "You see, my coming here has nothing to do with the Army." "We're here to trade." " Yeah." " Show him, McCabe." "You're still giving the orders?" "Quanah, I'd like to talk a little business with you." "We've got two pack horses here, first-class, pretty merchandise." " Oh, you." " Oh, you." "Give me the white men." "I give the orders, not you." "We'll see who gives the orders." "Take them to a lodge." "You would have to come along." "Why didn't you tell me you'd met Quanah Parker before?" "There must have been 50 other officers at that parley." "He never even looked in my direction." " Not much." " No, he didn't." "Hey, who was the skinhead out there, the troublemaker?" "Stone Calf." "He's head of the Buffalo Shields." "They're some kind of a warrior society." "Just for your information, he claimed our scalps for crossing the treaty lines." "Put your trust in the Lord, young man." " That's what I did." " Who are you?" "Now?" "Nakotah's woman." "My real name is Hannah." "Hannah Clegg." "I had a husband once." "And two sons." "Greely and Ortho." "Yes!" "Do you know?" "You know my boys?" "We..." "We sure do." "They're..." "They're fine boys." "Both of them." "They're full-grown men now." "They've come back with their father to look for you." "Oh, no." "No." "They must never do that." " Why?" " They must never find me." "Never." "You'd rather be listed as dead?" "I am dead." "Ma'am, are there any other white prisoners in camp?" "Running Wolf." "And the girl, Wah-kay-nah." "She has two young'uns." "No others?" "Mostly dead." "Some sold off in Mexico." " Oh, I gotta go now." "I gotta go." " Mrs. Clegg." "I'm sorry." "Stone Calf's woman." "Stone Calf's woman, she's white." "But don't tell them about me." "No, please, don't tell them." "Well, I see you've been taking a look at our merchandise." "It is many years since I trade for glass beads and red flannel." "What do you want for these, McCabe?" "Well, just before we start the trading I'd like you to know that I don't enjoy being treated like a prisoner." "I came here of my own free will, and I want your promise that we can leave the same way, all in one piece." "Now, of course, if Stone Calf's the new head man around here maybe I ought to be talking to him." "Stone Calf." "He still says words over buffalo shield to turn away bullets." "But we know different, don't we?" "All right." "Now that brings up an interesting question." "I understand he has a white wife." "Is that right?" "One of the captives?" "As a matter of fact, Quanah, this..." "That's the reason we're here." "We want to buy back some captives." "We want to buy back a boy named Running Wolf." "Want a girl named..." "What was the name of that girl?" " Wah-kay-nah." " Wah-kay-nah." "We also want to buy back Stone Calf's woman." "Handles real nice, doesn't it?" "I imagine a repeater like that would come in mighty handy if you ever had to have a showdown with a troublemaker like Stone Calf." "You think it over." "Think it over, Quanah." "Take your time." "That's Stone Calf, huh?" "Big medicine." "Why am I taken?" "I send you back to your people." "No, I am a Comanche!" "No, I'm no white man." " Is he white?" " Boy is white." "Wah-kay-nah." "What's your name?" "Is it...?" "Is it Freda?" "Freda?" "Can you speak English?" "Freda." "Don't you remember?" "Fre..." " Freda Knudsen." " Freda Knudsen." "Sixteen the fourth of August." "I've had enough of this." "Let's forget it." "Yeah, the time to forget it was before we started." "I'm gonna take that kid back to Henry J. Wringle." "All right, squeeze what you can out of Henry J. Wringle, but she stays." " Wait!" " All right." " You make trade for one more." " No, no, Quanah." "Looks like you're gonna have to handle Stone Calf yourself." "Now, that shouldn't be too hard." " Six more rifles." " All right, six more rifles." "Come on." "Come on!" "You made trade with me, McCabe." " I keep the rifles." " All right." "All right, I'll stick to my end of the bargain." " You trust me, don't you, Quanah?" " No." "Well, who are you?" "I am Stone Calf's woman." "Well, that's no white woman." "She's a squaw." "No, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "No, wait a minute." "That's no Comanche." "How do they call you, señorita?" " Elena." " Elena, huh?" "Elena." "Well, that'll do for now." "Stone Calf know about this?" "No." "But he will find out." "And when he does, he will follow, señor." "Of that you may be sure." "If you are wise, you will send me back." "You mean, you want to go back?" "It does not matter." "For five years, I have been Stone Calf's woman." "His squaw." "I'm not worth fighting for." "All right, come on." "Come on." "Let's get out of here." "Well, are you coming or aren't you?" "Stone Calf will never let me go." "He will kill you both!" "Yeah, I know." "All right now, you can stay here or you can come with us." "It makes no difference to us." "Come on." "All right, hold it." "Well, this looks like as good a place as any." "We'll stop here." "Señorita, how about you rustling up some firewood?" "I could do with a pot of coffee." "You're not gonna build a fire." "Why don't you send up smoke signals while you're at it?" "I can't spell." "Let me set you straight." "While there's daylight, we travel." " All right, you go ahead." " What are you gonna do?" "Sit here and wait for him to catch up with you?" "Yeah, something like that." "Unless you've got some better ideas." "What, with all that West Point training of yours maybe you think we ought to surround him." "Oh, come on, use your head." "Killing Stone Calf or him killing us could set off another Comanche war." "All right, if I get killed I kind of hope maybe they will set off another war." "I'm not gonna argue, McCabe." "I'm giving an order!" "Well, I've taken just about all the orders I can stand." " You don't bluff me with that!" " Now, wait a minute." "Just a minute, Jim." "Just a minute." "Now, you think back." "Now, I haven't drawn on very many men but when I did I wasn't bluffing, and I'm not bluffing now." "Now, don't you make me prove it." "I'm giving you fair warning, McCabe." "I'll jump you the first chance I get." "You're just bull-headed enough to do it, aren't you?" "Aren't you?" "All right, Jim, you want to go on ahead, I want to stay here." "We'll split up." " You take young Wringle with you." " What about her?" "Hey, señorita, come here." "Now, he's going on ahead, I'm gonna stay here." "What do you wanna do?" " I stay with you." " There you are." "Now, remember, McCabe don't expect any help." "When I leave here, I'm gone." " And I won't be back." " Good riddance." "Come on." "Keep an eye on junior, Jim!" "You know he's worth 1000 bucks to me!" "Go on." "Go on." "Get the fire ready." "Go on." "William." "That's him." "Good morning, sir." "I believe this is what you wanted." "Posey." "Yes, sir." "Toby!" "Toby!" "All right, now that's enough." "Keep going." "All right, file by and take a look if you want to, but keep going." "One boy's not gonna satisfy those people." "What can I tell them?" "How can I convince them there's no hope for the others?" " It happens to be the truth, sir." " It's not the truth." "Not when you admit talking to Mrs..." "What's her name?" "The wife of that bible-thumper, Mrs. Clegg." " You disobeyed orders, Mr. Gary." " Yes, sir." "And you stood by while McCabe traded weapons with Quanah Parker." "Yes, sir." "Now you're willing to condone a further deception by passing off Running Wolf as the Wringle boy when there's not a particle of proof he is." " He fits the description." " Well, he fits a half-dozen descriptions." "No, sir." "Not going to be a party to any fraud." "Let McCabe whistle for his blood money." "For all we know, he'll never come back anyway." "Sir, I promised." "He earned the money, even if he never gets a chance to spend it." "I see no reason to honour a promise to a dead man when it entails a cruel lie to the living." "I'll handle this in my way, mister." "Yes, sir." "Jim, I know you did what you thought best." "By trying to spare people pain you can sometimes cause more." "This was a job for a hard man." "That's why I picked McCabe." "I thought he might be able to teach you something I've never been able to." "Well, what's that, sir?" "That only God has the right to play God." " What?" "Why, you dirty, rotten gut..." " Come on." "Come on now, that's enough." " Comanche..." "Get off of me!" " Move him out." " Come on." " What kind of an army you got here?" "I'm a decent taxpayer, and no dirty, rotten..." "He was an officer in the American Army." "Lieutenant Thompson." "We met at this baile, this dance..." "Veracruz?" "My father had been transferred there from the presidio at San Fernando." "We..." "We danced." "We laughed." " And you fell in love." " Sí, we became engaged." "And so, on my 17th birthday, we began the journey." "My father, an escort of dragoons from his regiment my due{y:i}ña." "Well, do you have no mother?" "No." "She died when I was very young." "Two days after we had crossed the Rio Bravo the Comanches..." "Did you hear something?" "No." "No." "No, I didn't hear anything." "Say, why don't you come over here and sit down?" "Over here." "Sit over here." "No, no." "Look, over here." "There, that's better." "It's a little more companionable like that." "Being a dark night and all that." "You don't mind if I put my arm around you, do you?" "Now..." "Now, go on with your story now." "What were you saying?" "The Comanches attacked?" "Shut up!" "Go on, the horses." "Now, I want to..." "I assume that you've all had an opportunity to look at this captive boy Lieutenant Gary brought in." "And I want to say to all of you that we haven't the slightest inkling as to this boy's identity." "That's my boy." "That's my Toby." "Or where, or how, or even when he was captured." "Certainly must've been very young." "He neither speaks nor understands a word of English." "Major, may I have a word, please?" "Do you think it possible that an older boy, say 7 or 8, could forget his English so completely?" "Well, I wouldn't say it was likely, Mr. Purcell, but certainly possible." "Hearing nothing but Comanche for 10 years." "Living like one." "Getting to think like one." "Yes, I've known cases." " Please, Mr..." " Stand him up." " Get up there, Injun!" " Watch it!" "Watch it!" "Well, anyone here want to claim him?" "Oh, no." "Not me." "You couldn't pay me to take in a mad dog like that." "I say we've come on a fool's errand, all of us." "Let the dead past bury its dead." "Let's go back home where we belong." "You sure you didn't see my Freda?" "She was 9 year old." "Blue eyes, gold hair..." "No." "No, Mr. Knudsen, I told you, I didn't see her." "I say we should go back home where we belong." "I agree with Mr. Wringle." "I've thought so for a long time, Marty." "If this unfortunate boy is an example of what we can expect then I say we're too late." "Major, give him his freedom." "Send him back to the only life he knows." "Why, no." "Why, no, you can't send him back." "That's my boy." "Why, Marty, you know that's my Toby." "William, tell them that's our Toby." "Oh, William, don't let them send him away!" " Don't let them send him away!" " Relax now." "They won't send him away." " Toby!" " Mrs. McCandless, please." " Marty, that's my Toby!" " Easy, lad." "I'll take the boy, sir, since no one else wants him." "Do you really think he might be your son, McCandless?" "Between the two of us, no, sir." "But if you ask me again I'll swear on the Bible he is." "Major, my Mary ain't ever gonna know what's real and what ain't." "But if I can give her comfort in a lie I'm sure God won't kick me out of heaven for it." "So with your consent, sir I'll take our Toby and do the best I can for him." "Well, you're taking on a serious responsibility and a dangerous one." "But he's yours." "Good luck to you." "Mrs. Frazer, ma'am!" "Mrs. Frazer, on the double, please!" "You, you're supposed to be dead." "I'm sorry, Slim." "I didn't quite make it." "Come on." "Come on." "Mrs. Frazer." "Marshal McCabe, we thought you..." "Yes, yes, I already heard about that." "I wonder, ma'am, if you'd take care of her." "Her name's Elena." "Elena de la Madriaga." "You're very welcome, my dear." "Thank you, ma'am." "You are not going to leave?" "No, I wouldn't..." "No, I'm not gonna leave." "You go on there." "Come on, marshal, this will be a pleasure." "Evening, ma'am." "Evening." "How are you?" "Hi, Reverend." "Ortho." "Greely." "What's the matter with them?" "Well, I'll be damned." "Hi, Jim." "Should've stuck around." "Missed the excitement." " Yeah, I must've." " Yeah." "Hey." "Hey, wait a minute." "Wait." "Hold on." "Now this kid's supposed to belong to Henry J. Wringle." " Oh, and just who says so?" " I do." "I wouldn't take him if you'd pay me 1000 dollars." "Now, wait a minute, Henry." "You and me made a deal..." " I don't know what you're talking about." " You don't know what I'm talking about?" "Maybe the major wants to know what..." "The major would, McCabe, but the matter's been settled." "The boy's been identified and claimed by the McCandlesses." " Well, I'll just straighten you up." " This is my boy." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you." "Wait a minute, what...?" "Jim, I told you that Henry J. Wringle was supposed to get that kid." "Yeah, well, you heard Henry J. He wouldn't take him as a gift." " The matter's been settled, McCabe." " Oh, you keep out of it." "You can't address me in those terms, sir." "What do you mean I can't?" "Just because you got that Yankee soldier suit on, don't..." "Don't try and..." " You got no authority over me!" " That's where you're mistaken." "You're still on the Army payroll." "At $80 a month, Guth, remember?" " All right, I quit, I resign." "I quit." " No, you don't." "No, you don't." " Sure." "Why...?" " Mr. Gary put him under house arrest, till we can talk this over." "Yes, sir." "Hey, now, wait a..." "Now, you listen to me..." "No, you listen to me for a change." "Now, you coming along peaceably, or do I have to get rough?" "Jim!" "You see, McCabe, I don't bluff easy either." "Now, don't make me prove it." " I've heard of the old Army..." " Sergeant." " Yes, sir." " Remove the body." " Marshal, this time I'll buy the beer." " Jim!" "Jim, don't..." "You gonna let them take me to jail?" "Evening, Marty." "Looks like you're about ready." "When do you expect to pull out?" "Sunup." "So much left to pack, I don't know where we're gonna put it all." "Well..." "I haven't seen one of these things in years." "It was my brother's." "He wouldn't go to sleep without it." "In a way, I guess, it's become the voice of my conscience." "He meant so much to my father." "Everything was Steve." "Talk of him going to college and becoming a lawyer too." "I was jealous of him, I know that now." "I used to pray to be changed into a boy." "Times I still do." "Climb trees, throw rocks, go fishing." "Is that why you wear these clothes?" "Won't go to dances?" "Maybe." "There's a dance tonight at the post." "Bachelor officer's hop." "I'm a bachelor, you know?" "Another thing you ought to know is that..." "How did you know?" "Well, I..." "I asked." "Come here." "Now, another thing you ought to know about..." "Oh, excuse me." "Another thing you ought to know about me is I like the Army." "I just wouldn't be happy anywhere else." "Oh, I know the pay isn't much." "Won't buy diamond earrings and fancy dresses, stuff like that." "And it can be a lonely life for a woman." "But it can be a good life too." "Are you proposing to me, Lieutenant Gary?" "No!" "No, I was just asking you to go to the dance with me tonight." "And as far as proposing, I was gonna get around to that later." "I'll call for you at 8, Marty." "I haven't said I accept!" "I didn't promise you a thing, Jim Gary!" "Come in." "The prisoner, present and accounted for." "Good evening." "Care for a glass of sherry?" " No, sir, I might take..." " That'll be all, sergeant." "Yes, sir." "No, I would not care for a glass of sherry." "I would care for a glass of whiskey, a tall glass of whiskey." "I've never liked you, Mr. McCabe." "Well, now you surprise me." "However, I will concede that you have done me and the Army a great service." "We can come to terms with Quanah Parker but there was no reasoning with hotheads like Stone Calf." "His death was most timely." "Well, to your prompt return to Tascosa." "What's that mean?" "I'm not under arrest?" "Here are your discharge papers, Mr. McCabe." "With some reluctance, I have granted you an honourable discharge and $40 for your services." " Well, you said it was $80 a month." " Two weeks makes 40." "I shelled out more than that for the trade goods." "Yes, and for rifles." "Too bad." "Looks like you made a bad investment." "Well, here." " What was that for, sir?" " That's for the drink." "Oh, you don't even store honest whiskey." "Guthrie." " She wants to speak..." " Guthrie?" " Will you go in, please?" " Yeah, that's my name." "Why does she want to speak to him?" "Oh, of all the stupid, tactless people I've ever..." " Well, I still want to know..." " Oh, shut up!" "Guthrie?" "What is it now?" "These people." "They smile at me and show their teeth, but it's the eyes that bite." "I have not seen the back of anyone's head since I came here." "Their eyes are all on my body like dirty fingers." "As if they would turn their backs, I would leap upon them and my touch would have to be washed off like filth." "You should not have brought me here." "I do not belong with these people." "Running Wolf was brought in here tied to a hand-led horse." "You weren't, you know." "But how could I know I would come back to this?" "For five years with the Comanches, my eyes never saw a tear." "Now they see the silent questions." "How many braves has she known?" "How many mestizo children carry her blood in their veins?" "Now, why didn't I kill myself?" "I took a Comanche!" "Well, that's great." "That's..." "That's great." "You wanna go back, spend the rest of your life as a Comanche?" "Hide behind that old war paint, dead before you're 30." "I don't understand it." "With all the Comanche that's rubbed off on you, I don't know..." "Why didn't you soak up a little backbone so you could stand up and fight?" " Why didn't you do that?" " Fight?" " Now, listen, you listen to me." " How can I fight?" "Now, nobody wants their past tattooed across their forehead." "But you're gonna take those years to the grave with you." "Sooner you learn to live with them, the better." "Now, can't you understand that?" "You..." "You know, I prayed and prayed that someone would come and help me." "And you." "You..." " Oh, now cut that out." " I don't know how to show my gratitude." "You hush." "You hush." "Now, well..." "Stand up." "Stand up." "That darn thing." "I..." "Now, just don't interrupt me." "I'm..." "I'm thinking." "Now, these people are giving a dance tonight." "Dance?" "And you and me are gonna attend that hoedown." "We're gonna, but..." "You're gonna have to get yourself fixed up." "You gotta get a comb." "And you have to have a dress." "Now, where am I gonna get a dress?" "Jim Gary." "Jim Gary." "He's engaged to that little girl down at the settlers'." "He doesn't know it yet, but he's engaged." "She might have a dress." "She's about the same size." "You turn around." "Well, never mind." "Never mind." "She might have a dress." "And you've got to do something about these." "Either put them back, or put them up like..." "Well, now, you get yourself fixed up, I'll get the dress." "So you are leaving..." "When did you say you were leaving?" "Sunup." "Independence, that's a mighty long way." "Yes, it is." "I..." "I've been thinking, I get a furlough in about three months do you think maybe I could come and visit you?" "Lieutenant Gary, are you proposing now?" "Yeah, I..." "I guess I am." "Well, aren't you...?" "Don't you...?" "Yeah." "Mama's gonna untie you." "I'm not going to leave you tied up like that." "Braid." "Mama's gonna cut that off so you'll be my darling little white boy." "Toby!" " Good evening." " Evening, sir." "Come on, señorita." "Let's go in and knock them dead." " Well, good evening." " Hello, Jim." "Looking fit." "Come on over here and say hello to the major." "Major, you know Señorita de la Madriaga." " Major Frazer." " Glad you could come." " And Mrs. Frazer." " Very beautiful." "Won't you sit down?" "And you know Miss Purcell, daughter of Judge Purcell." " Of course." "How are you, my dear?" " You know Marshal McCabe." "Crusader of the law, diplomat, adventurer, man-about..." "Yes, thank you." "Thank you." "Major, you have a very fine jail here." "I thought you'd appreciate it." "Well, you dance?" "No, but I take an occasional drink." "Bar's right in there." "Can we get you ladies some refreshments?" "Marty?" "Punch?" "Oh, yes." " Well, excuse us." " Yeah, we'll bring it right back." " Four, Posey." " No, three." " Enjoying the dance, marshal?" " No." "Well, looks like we poisoned the waterhole." "Yeah." "Say, Upton, have you got a free dance for Miss de la Madriaga?" "Sorry, Gary, my program's all filled up." "Chase, how about you?" "You got a free dance for the señorita?" "Well, sir, excuse me, but..." "But this is our dance, don't you remember?" "Oh, wonderful." "Excuse me, sir." " Will you have some?" " No, thank you." " Hey, that's a good idea." " I thought so." " Will you...?" " No, thanks." " Major?" " No, thank you." "Would you care to dance, Marty?" "Come on." "Come on." "Some of the ladies were inquiring..." "Well, what they really wanna know is in this marriage to the Indian, were there no children?" "No, madam." "Oh, I see." "My dear, we were wondering, among the savages, is it true...?" "Elena!" "Now, you listen here." "Now, you and me didn't get all dressed up tonight for nothing." "Now, come on." "You did that on purpose, Gary." "Don't you deny it." "If you want satisfaction, Mr. Upton, I'm at your disposal." "The same goes for you, Mr. Chase!" "And that goes for all you gentlemen!" " Gary!" " Oh, please." "I saw that, Mr. Gary." "You'll apologise to Mr. Upton and this entire company." "I will not apologise, sir, respectfully." "Major, please." "If there is any apology to this assembly it is mine." "This is a military matter, Miss Madriaga, nothing to do with you." "If I were not here tonight, major, this would not have happened." "Am I allowed to speak?" "Why, certainly." "Yes." "Ladies and gentlemen it seems like the only embarrassment here tonight is my presence." "If the truth will quiet your unspoken questions I give it gladly." "For five years I was the woman of the Comanche, Stone Calf." "He treated me like a wife." "The work was hard, the scoldings frequent and occasionally he beat me." "I did not bear him any children." "I know that many of you regard me as a degraded woman." "Degraded by the touch of a savage Comanche by having had to live as one of them." "You said I..." "Why did I not kill myself?" "Why I did not...?" " Why, I...?" " Go on." "Go on, you're doing fine." " I can't!" " Well, I sure as hell can." "She didn't kill herself because her religion forbids it." "You know, sometimes it takes more courage to live than it does to die." "You'd agree with that, wouldn't you, major?" "You know, I don't think any of you folks in this room have ever been to a Comanche camp." "Have you, major?" " Well..." " No." "No." "I have." "I usually limit my visits to three days." "Three days." "That's about 45 working hours for a woman in one of those camps." "You know, a Comanche, he don't know when Sunday comes." "And cooking's sort of the recreation for the women, they..." "And then, in their spare time, they chew the glue out of buffalo hides so that their man can have a nice soft pair of moccasins." "You can judge for yourself what kind of life it is by the number of survivors we brought back." " That's right, McCabe only..." " Yeah, but you shut up." "You shut up." "And now some of you are asking why this young lady doesn't go back." "Well, it might be interesting for you to know that this afternoon she asked me to take her back." "Because she was treated much better by the Comanches than she's been treated by some of you." "Good going." "Permission to leave, sir." "Mrs. Frazer, it was a grand party." "Hold everything here!" "Hold it!" "Hold it!" "What is this?" "Cold-blooded murder, that's what it is." "And in my opinion, you're as much to blame as that mad dog you brought in." "Come on!" "No, Mr. Wringle, don't blame him." "It was my fault, all of it." "God pity me." " Oh, no, not Mrs. McCandless?" " Yes, Martha." "She cut him loose so he could eat his food." "He grabbed the knife and stabbed her through the heart." "Now, look!" "Look, I know how you men feel but there's not going to be any lynching." "You think you're going to stop it?" " Quiet!" "Quiet!" " Yes, I am." "Ortho." "Greely." "Now, this here no lynching be, soldier boy." "The boy's had a fair trial with a judge and a jury." "I can imagine the kind of a defence he had." "Lieutenant Gary!" "I defended him as best I could." " Yes, he did." " But the jury decided different." "And I, as presiding judge, pronounced the sentence." "He's to be hanged by the neck until he's dead." "Now, wait a minute!" "All right, bring him out to the tree." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "All right, get him up here on the wagon." "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "McCandless!" "Good morning, señor." "Hi there, Mr. McCabe!" "Welcome home." "Ward, you're sitting in my chair." "You..." "Those clothes look familiar to you?" " Yep." " You got my clothes on?" "No, sir, Mr. McCabe." "These ain't your clothes." "Belle, my fiancée, Mrs. Aragon, that is she sent off to San Antone for them." "Same place that you get yours." "I ain't wearing a single thing belongs to you." "Excepting this star." "And that ain't yours no more." "Not since we had the election last week." "I bet you can't guess who's the new marshal." "Oh, don't tell me." "Don't tell me." "Don't tell..." "Let me think this out." "Let me think." "And you hush, Jim." "You hush." " No, I have..." "Nothing." " Not a word." "Not a word." "I didn't get to vote for myself, not even once." "Say, you fellas sure look hot and thirsty." "How'd you like to have a nice cold beer?" "Honeybee." "Honeybee?" "Sounded like "honeybee."" "Honeybee." "Thank you." "Ma'am, I wouldn't go..." " You said the room was..." " The room." " But not here." "We'll..." " What's your rush?" " You haven't introduced the lady to me." " And I don't intend to." "Really?" "Then I'll introduce myself." "Belle Aragon." "And everything you see around here belongs to me." "Including the livestock." "You are to be congratulated, madam." ""Miss," if you don't mind." "And you can drop the phoney airs." "I know all about you, Mrs. Stone Calf." "News travels fast in this country." "How'd you like a job, honey?" "I could put your hair in Indian braids." "A short skirt, some squaw boots, a little bear grease." "You'd be quite an attraction." " Does that stagecoach go to California?" " Yeah." "Yes, ma'am." "That coach goes to El Paso." "You can change coaches there." "But you ain't going to California." "Yes, I am." "Thank you very much for being so kind." "Belle, I'm gonna beat hell out of you!" "Honeybee!" " You thought I was fooling." " No, no." "Please, do you have room for me?" "Proud to haul you, ma'am, proud to haul you." "Step right in." "Ward." "Thanks for the beer." "Jim." "And six months room rent." "And meals." "And six months room rent." "And meals." "And..." "Jim." "Jim, take care of the Army." "They need you." " So long." "Good luck." " So long." "So long, Belle!" " Hey, Slim." " Yes, marshal?" " Come here a minute." " Stand by, Chuck!" "Come on!" "Come on, fellas!" "We're late." "Hang on, señorita." "Here we go!" "So long, Jim!" "So long, Guth!" "You'd think a woman with my experience would know more about men." "Yeah." "Well, guess old Guth finally found something he wanted more than 10 percent of."