"Steamboat rounding the bend!" "Steamboat rounding the bend!" " The boat's a day early." " It is that." "I gotta go down to meet it." "My new entertainers are on the boat." "All right, make your bets before the wheel stops rolling." "Make your bet." "Chief!" "Sam, put a couple of cases of champagne on the ice." "Right!" "Chief, chief!" "Where's my daughter, Lettie?" " Him backstage." " Get me my hat and coat." "The boat's coming in, folks." "It's a day early." "Lettie!" " Lettie!" " Yes, Pop?" "Is that music mangler getting familiar?" "Take your hands off of my daughter." " Why, Pop." " Don't you know that ain't modest?" "What a thing to say, and about your own daughter, too." "I'm not talking to you, I don't like you." "Well, come on, the boat's docking, we got to meet the people." "You have to wait." "I can't wear this dress." "I have to change." "I can't wait." "I'll go by myself." "And you take my advice, keep away from that fella." " I know a crook when I see one." " Pop." "I bet he'd steal your shirt." "Well, speaking of shirts, isn't that one of mine?" "Yes, I stole it." "I borrowed it." "Here." " See what it says there?" " Nope." "Made in Paris." "I tell you, he's a suspicious character." "The boat!" "Pardon." "Have I the honor and pleasure of addressing Miss De Valle and her charming ladies?" "And you don't have to tell me that you're my new employer, Honest John Calhoun." "I recognized you at once from your description." "I've heard so many wonderful things about you, Mr. Calhoun." "About how honest you are... how generous and free-handed with money." "Thanks." "But I'm not Mr. Calhoun." "My name is Candless." "I am the manager of Honest John Calhoun's Emporium." "The finest establishment in the northwest." "You may call me Pop." "Very well, Pop." "That'll do." "Till I can think up something better." "Ladies, this way to the carriages, please." "Ladies, the next carriage is right over here!" "Get the champagne ready, boys." "All the champagne." "Come right in, ladies." "Right up to the bar, here we are." "Champagne for everybody." "This is on the house." "Sarsaparilla for me." "To Belle De Valle." "The belle of the Yukon!" " Very fine vintage." " Nothing but the best." "My sentiments exactly." " I so admire a man who doesn't drink." " I never touch it." "Anything I can do for you, Mr. Candless?" "Mervin, you're just in time." "Ladies, ladies!" "This is Mervin, the town marshal." " Hello, Mervin." " Hello, girls!" "Glad to meet you." "Mervin, our new star, Miss De Valle." "Chief, show the ladies to their rooms." "And Miss De Valle, if there's anything that I can do, command me." "Well, thank you." "Isn't he cute?" "Howdy, brother." "I'm looking for Mr. Calhoun." "Mr. Calhoun is up-country." "He's looking at a mining claim." " He'll be back tonight." " Thank you." "Sam Slade's my name." "Haven't I seen you someplace before?" "No." "Clear case of mistaken identity." "Bartender, would love to have some of your best jug whiskey." " What do you want to see Mr. Calhoun for?" " Why, I'm looking for a job." "I'm the town marshal." "What's your game?" "Game?" "Well, I'm a peace officer by trade, but I see that job's filled." "Peace officer?" "You don't look tough enough to hold down a job like that." "I ain't tough." "I just keep other people from getting tough." " Pretty fast with a gun, huh?" " I don't like guns." " So you use a knife?" " No, I don't like knives either." "I had a cousin, Walter, that cut his thumb plumb off just whittling." "That learned me about knives." "No, I just use reason." "You know, talk to people." "That wouldn't work around here." "Brother, be careful with that knife, this suit cost $14." "Just how would you go about talking yourself out of a fix like this?" "Well, I don't know offhand." "Kind of reminds me of my Uncle Gus." "Used to be Sheriff of Bedville." "Uncle Gus only had one hand." "So, of course, a fella with just one hand couldn't use a gun or a knife." "Why not?" "He has the other hand." "Yeah, but naturally in the other hand he had a jug, like that." "Fella's got to have him a jug." "You can see for yourself, he couldn't use a gun or a knife with a jug in one hand... the other hand all..." "Drink, friend?" "I take great pride and pleasure... in presenting the Nightingale of the North, my daughter, Lettie!" ""Every girl is different." "Either she's a beauty" ""Or she's brainy" ""Or the kind you call on when it's rainy" ""Every girl is different" ""One prefers a baker, one a barber"" ""I prefer a man in every harbor"" "For a moment I thought the fleet was in." ""Every girl is different" ""Some would like a salesman, Some a watchman"" ""I like roaming in the gloaming with a Scotchman"" "Don't forget those bagpipes, dearie." ""Oh, look at the Duchess with a snooty air about her" ""Her father used to run a livery stable" ""When she went to school she wore a dunce cap" ""She learned her lesson, and now she's wearing sable" ""Every girl is different" ""Either she's a tomboy, or she's fragile"" "I swoon." ""Or perhaps she's discouragingly agile" ""But isn't it a shame" ""That men" ""Are all the same" ""You should learn to dance"" ""When you twirl around it's such a grand sensation"" ""That's for old maid aunts" ""I know better ways to keep in circulation" ""Every girl is different."" " "What are you?" - "The slow type?"" ""Or the fast type?"" ""No, I think that I'm the made-to-last type" ""Now I hope my lecture made you see the light" ""But if you have the slightest doubt in the facts I've pointed out" ""Why don't you browse around my library some night?"" "Hey, chief, what goes on?" "Boat come in day early." " Hi, Mr. Calhoun." " Hello, George." " Place is going great guns, eh?" " Looks that way." "You know, you could double your take in here, Calhoun." "Yeah, by letting you put crooked dice and roulette wheels in here... and filling the place with your bunko men." " That is blunt, but true." " True?" "But nothing to worry about as long as we're behind you." "My answer's still the same:" "No." "You can carry this honesty thing too far." "Yeah, but that's just a difference of viewpoints, George." "Now, you take the short view, that is, make all you can while you can." "I take the long view." "Establish a reputation for honesty... and do business with the same people all through your life." " But suppose that..." " Put that back." " So long, Mr. Calhoun." " So long." " Congratulations." " Thanks, Pop." "Who is that tall man standing over there?" " The one in the brown coat?" " Yes." "That's our boss, John Calhoun." "Honest John, eh?" "Would you tell Mr. Calhoun I'd like to see him in my dressing room?" " Say, Pop." "How'd the show go?" " Great, great." "Miss De Valle would like to see you in her dressing room." "Miss De Valle?" "Oh, the new star." "Keep her happy." " Miss De Valle." " Come in." "Why, if it isn't our old friend, Mr. Jack." " Viola." " How are you?" "We haven't seen you since you ditched us in Seattle." "We've talked about you a lot though." "And did my ears burn." "After you left, a jeweler came and took back that bracelet that you gave Honey... he said you didn't pay for it." "My goodness was there a to-do!" " Beer." " Of course." "Why, that's the bracelet, isn't it?" "The jeweler must have relented." "A very kind gentleman from Sioux City helped me out of my difficulties." "An elegant gentleman." "A banker." "He didn't have much hair and he creaked a bit when he walked... but he certainly was a gentleman." " Viola!" " All right, I'm going, I'm going." "You look great." "Belle De Valle." "I like your new name." "I assure you, I didn't change it for the same reason as you changed yours." "What's your game up here?" "I've got the greatest proposition in the world." "I've turned honest." "And I'm sweet 16 and never been kissed." "It's on the level." "I figured I ought to make something out of myself." "Amount to something in the world." "Come back and offer you my name and fortune." "You were thinking only of me?" "But you don't have to believe me unless you want to." "I don't believe you." "You're just worried that I'll send word to the Seattle Police." "Telling them the whereabouts of one Gentleman Jack." "Now you wouldn't do a thing like that, would you?" "Oh, no?" "First time you misbehave." "Now, skidoo." "I have to change." "You can join me for supper." " With wine." " With wine." "And get this straight." "No more playing around with that little red-headed singer." "You've got that all wrong." "We're just friends, we're just..." " Is platonic the word you're looking for?" " Yeah, platonic." "When you turn platonic, wolves will be vegetarians." "I'll be ready in a few minutes so you stay on tap." "And remember, don't get any ideas." "From now on, you fetch and carry when I whistle." "I don't know why you insist on hanging on to me." "You always did all right without me." "Sure I did all right without you." "But with you it's more fun." "Say, I'll tell you a nice number." "You know McGee?" " McGee who?" " Well, it's a song." "Listen." "You know, When You And I Was Young, McGee." " Yeah, I know it." " You know it?" " Let's go." "You ready?" " Ready." "Thank you." " I'm Calhoun, you want to see me?" " Yes, sir." "Come over to the office." "Pop Candless, shake hands with Sam Slade." "He's working here." "How are you?" "Now I remember you." "We worked together on Winslow's Carnival." "You had the roll down and count." "And you were the short change artist." " Well!" "Remember Chili Carthy?" " The sheriff with the long coat?" " Pop, see that everything outside is all right." " Sure." "Sam, it's good to see you." "What took you so long?" "Missed the boat." "I've come to take you home." "Wait just a minute, will you?" "I want you to hear this." "All right." "My, that's lovely." " Why don't you try it?" " All right." "Lately I find myself out gazing at stars" "Hearing guitars" "Like someone in love" "Sometimes the things I do astound me" "Mostly whenever you're around me" "Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings" "Bump into things" "Like someone in love" "Each time I look at you" "I'm limp as a glove" "And feeling like someone in love" ""Like someone in love."" "Hey, Pop!" "Me rob piano player's room." "Don't say rob, this is an investigation." "All right, me investigate room." "Steal him." "The cur!" "Get me a pencil and paper." "You're going to travel, you're going to Nome." "More sarsaparilla." ""Seattle Police, Seattle." ""Steve Atterbury is here." ""Come and get him."" "Will you tell Mr. Calhoun that supper is served?" "You know, this reminds me of when I was young and gay." "Cold bottle and a hot bird, and love." " Isn't it grand?" " It is, but often it's only indigestion." "Go on." "John, listen!" "I thought I told you to stay off that stuff!" "What's a man going to do when he finds out that his only daughter... has fallen in love with an international crook." "A bigamist!" "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about Steve Atterbury, the crook." "Our piano player?" "He's harmless." "Listen." ""Dearest Steve, I hope this letter will reach you..." ""and that you will decide to come home and face the music." ""Sherry." ""P.S. The children miss you very much."" "The heartless brute." "When I think of those poor little children a-weeping and a-wailing." "With no father to bounce them on his knee... and wipe their little noses." "So Steve's on the run, eh?" "I'll find him and tell him he'd better get out of town." "No need to do that." "I've already put a spoke in that villain's wheel." "I sent a runner to Nome with a wireless to the Seattle Police... to come up and get that dirty crook." "Why, you whiskey-soaked idiot!" "Didn't you realize if the Seattle cops ever light here... we'll all have to take it on the run?" "I think I'll drift on a few hundred miles." "I forgot you're wanted in Seattle." "Forgot." "Hello, Viola." "I'm busy." "Miss De Valle says supper's ready and she's waiting." "Tell her I'll be along in a minute." "And remember, Miss De Valle doesn't like waiting." "What are we gonna do?" "I'll send another runner with a wireless to the Seattle Police... telling them their man is in Nome." " Come on." " Where we going now?" "To see that Steve gets on that boat to Nome tonight." "Good!" "You better go sleep it off." "That peak must be 15,000 feet high, and it's perpetually covered with snow." " It's one of the highest in North America." " No." " No what?" " No lectures, no statistics, that's what." "Not tonight anyway." "Every time we're alone together, you find something else to talk about besides..." "Well, besides..." "Well?" "Well, it just seems a shame to waste all that moonlight." "Wonderful moon." "Lettie, you know how I feel about you." "I don't have to tell you." "Maybe that's how people know when they're in love." "Words aren't necessary." "And I know you're in love with me." "You're very conceited." "But absolutely right." "It's like this." "I haven't any right to take you in my arms." "I got in some trouble back home and until that's straightened out, well..." "I just haven't any right." "You see that, don't you?" "Because when a fella kisses a girl like you he's gotta say, "I love you..."" "and, "Let's get married in a hurry."" "Well, I can't say that." "So you see how it is, I just can't kiss you." "I see." "But I do love you." "And if I had the right, I'd take you in my arms and I'd tell you I love you." "Do you understand?" "I understand it'd be very improper for you... to kiss me under the circumstances." " Now, I better walk home with you." " All right." "Well, I really have to go in now." " Good night." " Good night." "I better not kiss you goodbye, someone might be looking." " Besides, you're not supposed to." " That's right." " Good night." " Good night." "Cast off all lines, sir!" "Here you are." "20, 40, 60, 80,100." "$100!" "What do you want me to do, drown him?" "No, just untie him when you get down the river a ways." "Take it easy, friend." "You got lots of time." " He's on his way." " Good." "You got some change coming." "Only gave him $100." "Stand by, sir." "Them bells sure do sound pretty." "Always did like the sound of bells." "I remember one time..." "Belle." "I forget all about her." "Steve's new tune." "Isn't it lovely?" "You're just a little bit stuck on that fella, aren't you kid?" "Nope." "I'm not a little bit stuck on him." "I'm madly in love with him." "And I'm gonna marry him and have 13 children all in steps like this." "Boat's leaving, Pop." "Yeah, I know." "Steve's on it." "I know it's tough, kid." "Don't you think you better go up and get some sleep?" "Good night." "John!" "Steve's on that boat." "I know." "Lettie, he's not worth crying over." "I'm not crying 'cause I want to." "Come on, come on." "Keep your chin up." " Honey, it's me." " Come in." "That's the trail there." "Malemute's just a little ways ahead." "All right, thanks." "Next time you take a swim, don't forget to take your clothes off." "Come on, boy." "Better hurry, Lettie." "You're on in a few minutes." "I'm hurrying." "Tears are tough on the mascara, aren't they?" "Here, let me help." "Is this the first time you've had your heart broken?" "You're not gonna tell me it can happen more than once." "The heart is like one of those old Chinese vases." "It can have enough cracks in it to look like a spider web... but it'll still hold together." "What's the cure, if there is one?" "Time." "Diamond bracelet helps speed things up." "A new hat." "The best thing's to get mad." "Break something." "Over the guy's head if possible." " Lettie." " Steve." " I've got to talk to you." " About what?" "About that mess in Seattle." " Is it true?" " Well, of course it's true, but I can explain it." "See, Lettie, after last night I didn't want you to think that there was any..." "Look, I'm late for my number and there's no need of explaining." "When a fella and a girl with nothing much to do go for a walk in the moonlight... it almost always has to end up in that type of conversation." "Just as it almost always has to end up in a kiss." "Don't worry." "I'm late." "Goodbye." "If I were the type to play around it wouldn't be so bad" "But I didn't know my way around and what a time I had" "I was taken for a sleigh ride in July" "Oh, I must have been a set up for a sigh" "A mockingbird was whistling a sentimental tune and I didn't know enough to come in out of the moonlight" "So the big romance was only make believe" "Just a sleigh ride on a balmy summer eve" "My dreams were safe all winter and then to think that I" "was taken for a sleigh ride in July" "Stop crying and get mad." "I can't get mad." "I just want to bawl." "Just remember." "A woman is always at her worst when she's bawling." "Or at least will be until they invent a powder and rouge that won't melt." "I guess I've been made an awful fool of." "Sucker is the word." "Now get out there." "I was taken for a sleigh ride in July" "Oh, I must have been a set up for a sigh" "A mockingbird was whistling a sentimental tune and I didn't know enough to come in out of the moonlight" "So the big romance was only make believe" "Just a sleigh ride on a balmy summer eve" "My dreams were safe all winter and then to think that I" "was taken for a sleigh ride in July" "Mervin, you know Steve, my piano player." " Yeah, I hear he left town." " Well, he's back." "He's been tapping my cash register." "There he is." "I hope you don't want him arrested." "It ain't that I'm kindhearted, Mr. Calhoun." "But it's too much trouble sweeping out the jail and bringing him his meals." " I'll just run him out of town." " No, he had that chance." "Now lock him up, and I'll tell you what to do with him later." " Coming peaceable?" " No!" "You didn't know when you was well-off." "I reckon you just want to see the inside of my jail." " Morning, boss." "Morning, Miss De Valle." " Morning, Sam." "Say, you're pretty near out of dog, ain't you?" "He's a cute little fella." "Let me." "Come here, come here." "Say, he makes war talk, though." "I took care of that little matter, boss." "It'll be done this morning." " Good." " Here." "You carry him, will you?" "Belle, don't you think I look kind of silly carrying him?" "Don't be foolish." "You look very domestic." "I like you this way." "I always said if you devoted half the time to work... that you do to thinking up those confidence games... you'd be a very successful business man." "Hey, Mr. Calhoun!" "You look mighty silly." "Big man like you carrying a little dog like that." " Prof. Salisbury." " Yes?" "I don't think you remember me, sir." "I ran a pack train for you when you made your survey in South America." "Yes, of course." " This is Miss De Valle, Professor." " Miss De Valle." "The Professor's the world's greatest authority on the weather." " Come now." " Yes, it's true." "He made the North Atlantic surveys... which have saved the lives of thousands of fishermen." "Really?" "You're the first professor I ever saw." "I always thought they wore plug hats." "This is the town marshal, Professor." "Just the man I wanted to see." "I have here the data from the United States Government Bureau... on my two-year study of Alaskan weather conditions." "I'd like to deposit them in a safe place until I can leave for the States." "Why not put them in the safe in my place?" "Marshal, take the Professor down to the Emporium." "Sure." " Thank you very much." "See you later, I trust." " Certainly." "Right this way, Professor." "This is it." "Come in for a moment." "This isn't San Francisco." "There's nothing you'd want in here." "A corset string is a corset string and I just broke mine." " Be there in just a minute, Mr. Calhoun." " No hurry." "The latest thing in straws." "Look, the only guy who would wear this would be a grade B idiot... on his way to the fireman's picnic." " Anything I can do for you?" " Yes, a corset string, please." "We might have one in the stock room." "I'll take a look." "Yeah." "This is the hat." " Nix, nix." " This is a dream!" "I like that fellow." "He appeals to me." "Business man." "Money in the bank, good reputation around town." " Certainly." " Takes up the collection in church." " They can trust him with it." " Of course." " I like him." " His wife probably has to help the maid." "I still like him." "I wouldn't mind helping the maid." "You'd be out of character." "You're the type that needs waiting on." "Just lately." "I used to be the type that came from a family of nine." "I did the cooking, sewing, while my younger brothers and sisters were growing up." "But you were glad to get away from all that." "No, I don't think you'd like this kind of fellow." "Keep it." "I'd rather you were wearing it when I say this." "And if you laugh, I'll run a hat pin right through your vest pocket." "Let's get married." "Well, I'm not sure I like your being quite so surprised." " Well, it's so sudden." " I'm supposed to say that." "I never thought that you..." "Of course not." "Not when you're one jump ahead of the police at all times." "But you've changed." "Now you even insist on taking a morning walk." "You've never got out of bed before noon unless the mattress caught on fire." " You're different in a lot of ways." " Am I?" "We might find this all very boring." "I wouldn't." "I promise." "Jack, this is all on the level, isn't it?" "Of course it's on the level." "I'm as honest as the day is long." "That's wonderful." "I haven't been so happy since the night you gave me the bracelet." "I wouldn't want another disappointment like that." "No, of course not." "Everything's set." "And so, gentlemen, when the reports are published... you people of Alaska will no longer be at the mercy of the elements." "You will know when to expect changes in temperature." "No longer will the intrepid traveler of the northern wastes... be caught out on a trail by sudden cold spells and left to die." "You mean that you'll be able to tell when the freeze-up's coming in advance?" "Unfortunately, we of the Government Weather Bureau... have not yet reduced our prognostications to an exact science." "We are occasionally in error." "Our predictions have sometimes missed by as much as 12 hours." "That'll be great." "You know, if we can know within a day... when a freeze-up's coming, that'll sure save a lot of lives." " This is yours if you open that." " What for?" " I want a look at the Professor's report." " I couldn't do that." " See you later, Mervin." " Thanks for the drink." "Hello, Mervin." "If a big fella had you in a fix like this what would you do?" "How'd you talk your way out?" "Mervin, the fix you got me in now reminds me a whole lot... of a fella I used to know down home." "Fella by the name of Hod Durning." "He was a great big fella like you..." " and he was cross-eyed, just like you." " But I ain't cross-eyed." "I don't mean cross-eyed exactly, I mean he had a cast in his eye like you." "I haven't got a cast in my eye, look." "Well, you're right, Mervin." "You ain't got no cast in your eye." "All right." "Talk yourself out of this." "Hey, I'm on fire, I'm on fire!" "I'm on fire, I tell you, put me out!" "This your gun?" "Drink, friend?" " Mr. Calhoun." " Hello, George." "What are you gonna do, a little gambling?" "You wouldn't really call it gambling." "You mind if I use one of your tables?" " No, help yourself." " Thanks." "Boys, let Mr. Maitland use this table." " Game's closed, men, cash your checks." " Thank you, boys, thank you very much." "Like to do a little gambling on the freeze-up date, boys?" "Little too early for that." "We don't usually start until late in the fall." "What's your idea on the freeze-up date?" "I got 3,000 ounces of dust, two to one that says the river freezes up... by September 15." "You're crazy." "She ain't never froze before October 1." "Just put your money where your mouth is, I say September 15." "I'll take 30 ounces of that." " You got a bet." "Get his name, Frank." " Spike Roberts." " When did you say the freeze-up was?" " September 15." " I'll take 20 ounces of that." "McClusky." " I'll take 40 ounces." "Tambrook." " What did you say the odds were?" " Two to one." "Give me 10 ounces, Mills. 10 ounces." " They fell?" " With a bang." "Avarice, avarice." "Man's greed always leads him to his downfall." "Your smart friends will undoubtedly be making some substantial bets... on the freeze-up date." "Are your men covering as much of the money as possible?" "Not a cent." "I don't believe in gambling of any type." "Well, I don't see how you stand to make a profit." "I do." "I wouldn't stay around here if I were you." "Leave while the suckers are happy." "An old rule of mine." " Goodbye." " Bye." "Anybody else think I'm crazy?" " We're all cleaned out." " Who's gonna hold the stakes?" "That's a lot of dust." "4,500 ounces of temptation." "Well, the Marshal here can keep it at the jail and watch it." " Well, who's gonna watch the Marshal?" " You questioning my character?" "Folks." "Why not let Mr. Calhoun here hold it?" "He may not be the only honest man in town, but he's the only one I know." "No, I don't want to hold the stakes." "But gentlemen... what's happened here tonight proves one thing we need in Malemute." "And that's a bank." "I suggest a committee of citizens get together... and select some reputable member of the community to start one." "Now, the man selected should be sober... industrious, honest, and of good integrity." " Nice billing." " It was forced on me." "Good morning, Mr. Calhoun." " I want to open a savings account." " Yes, ma'am." "Why, Viola!" "I thought it'd be safer here than in a mattress." " What name, please?" " Viola Chase." " A checking or savings account?" " Savings account, please." " Be ready in just a minute, Mr. Calhoun." " All right." " What is that?" " It was a boiler, now a vault." " There you are, sir." " Thanks, Smitty." "Take a ton of dynamite to blow that baby." "My happiness is tinged with a certain amusement." "Doesn't it seem odd that you should be custodian of other people's money?" "That's like setting a tiger to mind a baby." "What's the old saying about a tiger changing his spots?" "Leopards have spots." " Do I have to start acting dignified?" " Why?" "A banker's wife has to be dignified." "Did you locate the minister yet?" "No." "Not yet." "Sent runners up and down the river but they haven't found him." "Alby will be here in a couple of weeks on his regular circuit." "A couple of weeks?" "I can hardly wait." "Not that I'm impatient or anything but... a Madam Lucille once told me that there's one thing a girl can't be too quick about." " You're happy about this, aren't you?" " Sure." "I've never had much faith in banks but I happen to know the president of this one." " I'd like to open an account." " I shall be delighted, Miss De Valle." " A checking or savings account?" " Both." "Mr. Calhoun." " May we have your signature, please?" " Certainly." " Mr. Calhoun, I got a problem." " Yeah, what is it?" "That piano player's ruining my whole life." "I spend all of my time waiting on him." "Do you think he's grateful?" "Nothing suits him." " He's always batting me." " I tell you what you do." "Tonight, take him to Nome." "They got a good jail there." "Leave him and send a wire to the Seattle Police saying they can pick him up." "That's the smartest thing I ever heard of." "On top of which, I got a girl in Nome who'll be mighty glad to see me." "I hope." " Thank you, Mr. Calhoun, thank you." " Think nothing of it, Marshal." "If you ever run short, don't go to strangers." "You and me's going for a little ride." "I won't put these on you if you promise not to bat me." "Promise?" "I told you and told you to quit batting me in the jaw." "First thing you know, you're gonna make me mad." "Get up." "Marshal." "There you are." " Officer, do your duty." " Go away!" " Arrest me." "I know my constitutional rights." " Go away!" " Arrest me." "I got $700." " Get off me, you big moron." "I got $700 and the jail is the only place in this town..." " Will you get out of here?" "...where a man with $700 is safe!" " Arrest me..." " Get off." "...or you'll be derelicting your duties!" "Go away, will you, you bore me." "Mervin, look at me." "See how mad that'll make you." "The key, where is it?" " Was it a big key, or just a little one?" " The handcuffs." "Let's look out there." "More light." " Prof. Salisbury." " How do you do?" "I ask you, sir, is this right?" "I have been arrested in every state in the Union." "And in several territories." "Once in south Memphis, I was forced to build roads..." " and again in Chattanooga I had..." " Get up." " But the key, George!" " Shut up!" "So you've been in a lot of jails." "Well, you and I are gonna have a little talk." "Well." "The bank's been robbed!" "Wait for me!" " I want all the dust you got in that boiler." " Well, of all the..." "Now, look here, you!" " How'd you tumble?" " Your professor got drunk and talked." "That was a pretty plan." "When did you figure to grab the dust and run?" "About the day after tomorrow." "Open it up." "I'll do the running." "Honest John Calhoun." "You almost had me fooled." "All right, everybody sit down." "Very pretty." "All right, Mervin, start taking it out." " Ever been to a lynching, George?" " No." "You will." "You'll be playing a most important part." "You can't get away." "Those miners will run you down even if you have a two-day start." " How were you gonna get away?" " On the Alaskan Star." "She arrives Wednesday and leaves Thursday... but I see I can't operate without you and you can't operate without me." "Why don't we just take this dust and quit all the jabbering." "You're a smooth character, Calhoun." "Looks like there's gonna be quite a party of us leave Thursday night... on the Alaskan Star." "Partners?" "Nothing like company to make a pleasant voyage." "That's right." "But either Mervin or me will be dropping in to the Emporium... every couple of hours." "And if any one of the four of you are missing, it's gonna be rough." "I'll start yelling and there'll be a posse of miners on every trail." " Until Thursday." " Come on, Mervin, bring the empties." " But George, I don't understand..." " Come on." "Looks as though you gentlemen are going to have to split more ways than you figured." "Give me a hand, boys." "Right pretty, huh?" "It's pretty all right but it ain't gold." " Where I come from we call it sand." " Are you sure?" "I got fooled with this once before." "I come pretty near marrying a homely widow with 40 acres of this stuff." "I knew those mugs would never get the best of us." "Come on, Sam." "Of course, you always intended showing your partners the real plan." "You don't think I'd double-cross my partners, do you?" "Not to give you a short answer, yes." "I suppose this is an unpleasant surprise." "I remember the old saying:" ""The tiger cannot change his stripes nor the leopard his spots."" "Well, what are you going to do?" "I'd give a substantial reward for the answer to that question." "I wouldn't walk across the street with you." "You're acting a whole lot different from the girl I used to know." "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." "And as far as I'm concerned it can be the last." "Now, Mama always said, "Many a honest heart is concealed behind a simple face."" "Well, your face is concealing something." "Marshal." "Too bad your prisoner got away, I understand he outsmarted you." "Nobody better start picking on me." "I've had a very trying day and my nerves is all on edge." "I ain't picking on you, Marshal." "Just reminded me of a fella we had down home one time." "He let his prisoner get away from him and at the next election..." "Talk your way out of this if you're such a much." "Well, I don't know just what to do." "Looks like you got me this time." "But you know, I just happened to think of what my Aunt Puny used to say." "She was my sickly aunt." "And when she got in a spot where she didn't know what to do... she'd just faint." "Like this." "Here you are, Mervin." "Now, Aunt Puny used to say that in case of a nose bleed... put something cold to the back of the neck and it'll stop it." "This your gun?" "Drink, friend?" "Mervin, you and Sam look around town and pick up Steve." "He's as good as here." "Girls, I heard Pop sound curfew a half hour ago." " Good night, Mr. Calhoun." " Good night." " Any luck?" " No." "Looked all over town for that young fella." "Can't find him no place." " Are you the town marshal?" " I'm him." "The Alaskan Star hailed me coming up the river..." " and the Captain asked me to give you this." " Thanks." " What does it say?" " Official business." "You know you can't read." "I was gonna get somebody to read it for me later." " You don't have to tell everybody." " "To the Peace Officer of Malemute." ""Please hold for our arrival one Steven Atterbury."" "We gotta find that fella tonight if we have to run this town through a sieve." " Why tonight?" " So that Mervin can hand him to the cops... before they get off the boat." "If them cops start snooping around this town too much... some of us are gonna be very unhappy." "Come on." "Mervin." "Throw that drunken Indian out." "Funny thing." "Never saw a blond Indian before." "Here he is!" "Open up!" "I'll give $1,000 to the man who gets him." "He went that way." " What do you want?" " Nothing." " Who are you?" " Nobody." " Who's that?" " It's me, Steve." " Steve!" " Lettie, I have to talk to you." "Say, you must have a pretty broad-minded wife... to let you come charging into girls's bedrooms this way." "Yeah, but they're chasing me." "And the police from Seattle are gonna be here in the morning." " You've gotta listen to me." " Don't try to lie out of it, Steve." "I know you got a wife and children in Seattle." "You're out of your mind!" "What's all this nonsense?" "Somebody tells you an idiotic lie about me and you believe them." " That's love, I say..." " Come out of there with your hands up!" " Who, me?" " Yes, you." "Excuse me, Miss Lettie." "I thought I heard a man talking." "You mean talking like this?" "I sometimes do that in my sleep." "You know, I could have sworn I heard a man talking in here." "Well, you can see there's no one here." "I can see now." " Steve." " No kids, no wife." "Believe me." "I do." "I believe you, I do!" "Woman, you're hindering the law." "Well, there goes my $1,000." "I've got him!" "I tried to give you a chance, young fella." "Too bad you didn't have sense enough to take advantage of it." "When do I get the $1000?" "When you hand him to the police on the Alaskan Star in the morning." "And see that you don't lose him between now and then." "You want me to help you watch him, Marshal?" "No!" "Help watch him." "Little man... you're worth 1,000 of Mr. Calhoun's dollars dead... just the same as alive." "So try anything you like." "Yes?" "Good morning, Mr. Calhoun." "Sit right down." "There's an extra cup and the coffee's piping hot." "I always say that coffee should be clear as crystal..." " hot as the devil..." " And black as a thief's heart." " Good morning." " Is it?" " Some coffee?" " No coffee." "It'll do you good." "Lay out those dresses, Viola." "No coffee." "Mr. Calhoun, I know at heart you're just a diamond in the rough... but your barking doesn't frighten me a bit." "Diamonds don't bark." "Pack those dresses." "So that's your decision." "You're cutting loose from me." "Spurned is the word they use in books." "It'll do." "Have some sense." "I've got a tiger by the tail." "It's a choice between my skin and the kid's." "You wouldn't want me to put my neck in a noose, would you?" " Or would you?" " I'm considering." "If you feel that way, all you have to do is speak to the right people... and I'd be wearing a heavy iron bracelet." " Pack this?" " Yes." " Well, why don't you tell the police?" " I don't know." "Maybe being in love has something to do with it." "There's a whole epidemic of soft-heartedness around here." " Don't worry." "You're immune." " I certainly am." "I think you'll change your mind." "And come running back to you?" "Maybe a gentleman wouldn't say this, but I'd bet my last dollar that you will." "Well, don't you worry about what a gentleman would say." "Now get out." "Are those tears?" "The day I cry over a man... will be a day just like this." "Oh, Steve." "Stand by, sir." "Throw the line, sir." " Let them alone." " But I..." "But you can't go over there." "I'm giving them a chance to say goodbye decent." "I'm just a sentimental man at heart, I guess." "Stand by engine, sir." "Don't they make a pretty couple?" "Both engines, full astern, sir." " That's arson, ain't it?" " What?" " Him already having a wife and family." " It's murder." " But you can't reason with her." " All right, stand back folks, gangway." "Gangway." "I'll tell these coppers to treat you nice on the boat." "Thanks." "Steve, darling!" " Sherry!" " I'm so glad you're here!" "What a surprise." "Lettie, this is Sherry." "My sister." "Your sister?" "Well." " Pop, this is Sherry, his sister." " Then it was her that wrote the letter." "I didn't even know you had a sister." "He has two others and three younger brothers." "The children miss you so much." " So I heard." " Sure takes a load off of my mind." " Thank you, Captain." " Good luck, chief." "Sir, your prisoner's right there." "Now look here, Officer, we'll fight this case in every law court in the country." " Hello, Steven." " Hello, sir." " Who are these men?" " Mervin, the town marshal... and Mr. Candless." "Meet my father." "See, Father, we thought I was going to be arrested for that trouble back home." "No, I paid the company the money your foolishness lost." "I guess it was mostly my fault." "I shouldn't have tried to force you into being a businessman." "Well, Steven, aren't you going to introduce me to the young lady... whose waist your arm is around?" " Sir, this is Lettie Candless." " How do you do, Lettie?" "Don't bother remembering her last name, she's gonna change that right away." "A crowded wharf is hardly the place to get acquainted... with a prospective daughter-in-law." "Well, what are we waiting for?" "Come on, let's go!" "Did you have a nice trip?" " Have a cigar." " Thank you." ""Made especially for C. V. Atterbury."" "Well, you know, that's a very funny thing... that you should have the same name as C.V. Atterbury... that owns all those railroads and steamships..." " and mines and banks." " What's funny about that?" " You mean you are the..." " Let me assist you, Mr. Candless." " No." "Let me assist you, Mr. Atterbury." " Thank you." "All right, make your bets before the wheel stops rolling, men." "Make your bet." "Pick your lucky number." "A toast!" "I want to propose a toast to Mr. Atterbury, my father-in-law to be." "And to Pop Candless, my father-in-law to be." "If you'll excuse me, I must change for my number." " And the name of that number is?" " The Ballad of Milicent Devere." "Ballad of Milicent Devere." "Sounds like something from Robert Service." "Mr. Atterbury, you're in for a surprise." "Viola, will you bring my things?" " I won't be a moment." " A single moment will seem forever." "Spoken like a true knight of the round table." "Pardon me, Mr. Atterbury." "I have to run down to the bank, but I'll be right back." "Pop, Sam." "Excuse us, folks." "Imagine not knowing Steve had a sister." "Why there's seven of us children all told." "And father had four brothers and two sisters." "So you can see we've got a very bright future." "Anyhow, a busy one." "Hello, George, I got your message." "What's up?" "Just want to talk to you about a few things." " Double-cross, huh?" " Sort of." "The Alaskan Star sails tonight instead of tomorrow night." "That must have cost you something." "It did." "But it'll show a neat profit." "Less people get a cut." "Come on, start moving." "Make a bad move anytime you want, gentlemen." "Miss De Valle." "They walked out on us." " Where do you think they've gone?" " That Mr. Jack, he's so industrious." " He's gone to the bank." " What?" "I love hard working men, they come in so handy on the first of the month." "What a first class sucker I've been." "To think I believed that fellow." "All right girls, make your changes for the next number." " Hold everything!" " Hold everything?" "You can't do that... the show must go on, you know." " Why?" " I don't know." "To think I've got my own money in that bank." " Anything wrong with the bank?" " The bank?" "What about the bank?" " I'm not saying it's unsteady or anything..." " I got money in there." "Your money will be safe." "Probably." ""Probably" won't help me buy a chicken farm to retire on." "Kids, wait a minute, kids." "There's nothing to worry about." "If you draw your money out tonight." "What are we waiting for?" "Come on, let's go." "You can start down to the boat with that stuff." "I'll take care of locking up our ex-partners and catch up with you later." "All right." "But first, there's two things I gotta do." "What would you do if a fella did this to you?" " Well, I..." " That's one of them." "What's the other?" "This." "Ain't no use to look on the boat for me." "I don't like boats." "They make me seasick." "You thought I was dumb, didn't you?" "Stay where you are." "You weren't a bit ruffled when Mervin walked out of here... with that gold dust, were you?" "You know, sometimes I'm so smart I surprise myself." "I knew exactly what Mervin was gonna do." "You were smart enough to sneak back to this window and take a peek." "That's just what I did." "Open it up." "All right, everybody get in that closet." "Mervin's gonna be awfully mad when he finds... he's carried all that sand 1,000 miles." " Looks like this kind of upsets things." " Yeah, I know." "Just like Papa always said:" ""If you lay down with hound dogs, you gonna get up with fleas."" " You kind of had some ideas yourself." " What do you mean?" "I know all about those horses you had staked out between here and Fairbanks." "Well, Grandpa used to tell me if a fella don't look out for himself, nobody else will." "Well, it looks like I'm in with nothing but a bunch of crooks!" " How do you know this here bank ain't safe?" " I'm positive it isn't." "Miss De Valle is Mr. Calhoun's sweetheart and she's worried about her money in there." "That's good enough for me." "I got 400 ounces of dust in there... and if I don't get it, he gets this!" "Heap much trouble, Mr. Calhoun." "Many people come, they got ropes." "Hang everybody." " Chief, go guard the front door." " All right." "What are we gonna do?" "You should have stayed away from here, there's a run on the bank." " I know, I sent them." " You sent them?" "Of course, I spread the rumor the bank wasn't safe." "You'd be surprised how quickly people believe a story like that." "Listen to them." "You ought to marry some honest fella and help him get along in the world." "That's not a bad idea." "We haven't got any money to pay off." "Mervin stole the sand because he thought it was gold and George stole the gold." "Suppose you go out there and try to bluff them with conversation." "That's your specialty." "But I'll try." "It's been so nice knowing you, Miss De Valle." "Let's all be quiet, please!" "Quiet!" "Folks, your money is inside and is absolutely safe." "You're the only one that thinks so." "All this trouble has been caused by some malicious rumors." "We don't want any unsatisfied depositors." "Anybody..." "Give us our money, we'll be satisfied." "Well, the bank opens at 9:00 in the morning." " I want my dust right now!" " Wait a minute, wait a minute!" "All right." "The bank will open in a moment." "Take care of the keys, chief." "Are you crazy?" "How are you gonna pay them?" "Mama told me if I didn't go to Sunday school I'd wind up at the end of a rope." "We can't all hide in there." "Come on, give me a hand." " I'm confused." " Come on, get busy." "Pop, you take that set of scales, Sam, you take that set." "I'd like to see the expression on George's face... when he opens up them sacks and finds out he's got sand, too." " All right, chief." "Open up, let them in." " All right." "Quiet, folks." "Form a line at each window." "Now don't crowd." "All your gold's safe, you'll get it." "I can see that I've always underestimated you." "Resourceful would be a good one-word description of you." "Thank you." "I can think of another word but I won't use it, being a lady." "Cover that." " Here's some greenbacks." " Calhoun." " Atterbury wants to see you." " Yes?" "Hello, Mr. Calhoun." "I'd like to talk to you for a minute." " Why, certainly." "Step right in." " Thank you." " Miss De Valle." " Good evening." "My boy, a situation like this can be disastrous." "So I've heard." "But I have no intention of leaving a man like yourself... in such a predicament." "There's no need to worry." "We're all right, the money's all here." "Mr. Calhoun, I pride myself on one thing:" "My judgment of character." "When I first laid eyes on you I said to myself:" ""There's a fine, honest, dependable man."" "I hope you're not injured, Miss De Valle." "Although I quite realize all this excitement would cause a lady to faint." "It was the shock." "I'm all right now." "I should like, sir, to have you accept these drafts on San Francisco... for deposit in the amount of $100,000." "Mr. Atterbury." "Really, I couldn't, Mr. Atterbury..." "I couldn't think..." "Step in here, Mr. Atterbury." "Mr. Candless, a passbook, please." " C.V. Atterbury?" " Correct." " Shall I use your Seattle address?" " Yes." "C.V. Atterbury just deposited $100,000." " What?" " What did you say?" " C.V. Atterbury just deposited $100,000." " He did?" "C.V. Atterbury?" "I saw him with my own eyes." "I don't know where to put this where it's gonna be safe." "I'm gonna put mine back in the bank." "Me, too." "Mr. Atterbury, would you please take off your hat?" "Thank you." "I've always wanted to see a halo." "You should look in your mirror, Miss De Valle." "Mr. Atterbury." "I wish you fellas would make up your mind." "One minute you take it out, the next minute you put it in." "All right, next, who's next?" "Come on." "Please, Mr. Candless, may I have back my book?" "I don't want to be robbed in the middle of the night." "Viola Chase." "You know, Viola..." ""yes," would make it Mrs. Candless." "I won't say yes." "I'll say maybe." "May I?" "Now that you want to be a banker's wife, a little less flash." "You know, a little more conservative in public." " And in private?" " Be your own calm, sweet self." "I know exactly what you mean."