"There ain't nothin' steady about a woman, Stokes." "Their minds is as changeable as the moon." "Yeah." "And there's always a man in it." "Man in the moon,Juke, get it?" "No." "My Pearl ain't like that." "You and Pearl figure on holy matrimony?" "She don't like my whiskers." "Then why don't you whack them off?" "Oh, Pearl wants me to, but I keep thinkin' about Samson." "You mean Samson, the little tailor in Albuquerque?" "No, you heathen." "Samson was a king." "Lived in Egypt or " Afrikee" or someplace like that." "Well, what about him?" "Well, he had a mane and whiskers just like mine." "Strongest fella you ever seen." "Pushed buildings over with his bare hands." "Yes, sir." "He had a gal, too, named Delilah." "Didn't she like whiskers either?" "No, sir." "Snuck in one night, clipped Samson slicker than a frog's belly." "After that he was so durn weak, couldn't even break a toothpick." "You're an awfully sweet little girl, Miss Myrtle, and it won't be long before you meet your daddy in Albuquerque." "Oh, Mr. Cole, you're so funny." "Isn't he, Miss Wallace?" "Yes, honey, very amusing," "Amusing?" "He's funny." "Isn't he, Mr. Martin?" "Very funny." "Yes, sir, he's a regular circus." "Certainly is." "Thank you, ma'am, ladies." "I aim to please." "You know, Miss Myrtle, if I was gonna see the man I love most," "I'd try to get some sleep so's to look fresh and pretty when he meets me." "My daddy don't care how I look, just so I get there." "Shouldn't wonder, ma'am, if the same advice wouldn't work for you too." "You haven't closed your eyes since we left the railroad." "I'm fine, thank you." "Whoa!" "All right, come out a-jumpin' and reach for nothin' but sky." "Everybody but the kid." "Throw your guns overboard and come down out of there." "We ain't got no gun and we ain't got no box." "Get down!" "All right, everybody, line up!" "And don't anybody try anything!" "Come on, get over there!" "Well, missy, what have you got there?" "Nothing." "I'll have a look at that satchel." "No!" "Boy, I got the tiger by the tail!" "A tiger by the tail!" "Fine way to make a livin', robbin' women." "Shut up!" "You're next." "That's not my money." "It's collections." "It belongs to- Shut up!" "Whoa, horses!" "Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Come on, boy!" "Come on, Mr. Cole!" "Come on!" "Whoa, horses!" "Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Whoa!" "Myrtle?" "Oh, Mr. Cole, you were elegant!" "I bet this old coach had a mighty scared little passenger." "I was at first, but I ain't now." "All right, you get back inside and we'll pick up Miss Celia and the others." "No, sir." "I wanna ride up there with you." "All right, up we go." "Here comes the stage!" "Where you goin',Juke?" "Where's the Sheriff?" "We've been robbed!" "Sheriff!" "Help you down?" "Myrtle!" "Honey!" "Daddy!" "Look here, let me through here." "Celia." "Oh, you're good." "Oh, Ted." "Let me look at you." "How's my kid sister?" "Ted." "Dear, what's the matter?" "Did you hear what the driver said?" "We were held up." "Did they get the money?" "Our $10,000, Ted." "All of it." "Ten thousand dollars?" "Mr. Cole?" "What is it, honey?" "I told Daddy how you knocked a bandit down... and caught the runaway and saved my life." "I'm mighty obliged to you, mister." "If you ever need a friend in Albuquerque, you got one." "Thanks." "I'll remember that." "Durn funny, Sheriff." "First stage holdup in months." "Why'd they pick on my run?" "I wasn't carrying' nothin', not even a gun rider." "Why'd they kill that poor fella in there?" "Keep quiet,Juke." "Now who were the passengers in this coach?" "Well, I was drivin'." "There was that lady and this fella here, the little gal and that big fella over there and the dead man." "All right, the rest of you scatter." "Go on!" "Go on about your business!" "You look intelligent, mister." "I'm the sheriff, and I'd like to know what happened out there." "Five men held up the stage, a man was killed and this lady here lost $10,000." "What's she carrying' that kind of money around for?" "I wouldn't think that concerned you or me." "If I were wearing that badge, I'd get a posse and go after them." "I didn't ask you how to run my office." "And if you want to stay in this town, you'd better let me run it." "Hank!" "Get a couple of men, take care of this body." "And round up my deputies and have them meet me here." "Remember what I said about needing' a friend." "Good-bye, Mr. Cole." "Good-bye, Myrtle." "I'm sorry about all that money." "Thank you." "Mr. Cole, I want you to meet my brother, Ted Wallace." "Mr. Wallace." "We've all got a lot to be grateful to you for, Mr. Cole." "Your sister has the name wrong." "It's Cole Armin." "I'm here to work for my uncle." "John Armin?" "Yeah." "That's right." "What's the matter with those folks?" "You'd think I had smallpox." "Son, I'd rather have smallpox than the name of Armin in this town." "Go on, keep talking." "All right, Mr. Armin, here it is." "There's a crowd of men gathering at the jail right now, yelling their heads off, demanding action." "That coach brought a dead body in." "That's murder!" "All right." "I ordered Matt Wayne to get that Wallace girl's $10,000." "If carrying out that order involved a killing, that was part of his job." "Well, I could cover up the robbery, but killing, that's something else." "Take the outraged citizens on a horseback tour, Linton." "And, Murkil." "Murkil." "Murkil!" "Get Wayne and his men out of town." "You got it?" "Got it." "I'm tellin' you the boss is busy and don't want to be disturbed." "Now go on and sit down." "I'm telling you again I want to see him." "What's all the racket?" "Ah, this office boy says I can't seeJohn Armin." "You're lookin' at him." "Why, you're notJohn Armin by 30 years." "Have you ever seen him?" "Yeah, a long time ago." "How do you know I ain't him?" "By the size of your ears." "That's gonna get you thrown out on yours." "Murkil!" "Who are you?" "I came to seeJohn Armin." "I'm John Armin." "What do you want?" "I'm here to take that job you offered me." "What's your name?" "I was wonderin' when somebody'd get around to that." "I'm Cole Armin." "Welcome, Cole." "Welcome to Albuquerque." "Get going, Murkil." "This is Ed Linton, our sheriff." "Yes." "I met him down at the jail." "I thought you were gettin' up a posse, Sheriff." "I gave you some good advice down there." "If you're smart, you'll take it." "That's why he's here, Cole." "Wants to borrow some of my men to go with him." "You know, in Texas, if the law don't move fast enough, a rope and a tree is the payoff for robbin' women and cold-blooded shooting'." "I'd be glad to go along, Sheriff." "Now you stay here, Cole." "We've got some talking to do." "Get what men you need from the yard, Linton." "Better get going." "Come on in, nephew." "We've got to have a little talk." "Just sit down and make yourself comfortable." "Thanks." "Quite a place you got here." "Uh-huh." "Well, how do you think you're gonna like your new job?" "I can answer that when I find out what the job is." "Well, I wouldn't send to Texas for a mule skinner, Cole." "You're stepping in to a manager's job." "Manager?" "Yeah." "Help yourself." "I've got a big enterprise here." "A transportation outfit that hauls most of the ore down from the mines." "I've done the spade work... and the money's rolling in- big money- but I'm getting tired." "You aim to let me run all that?" "Soon as you learn the ropes." "Now the teamster is the toughest man alive, respects nobody he can lick." "And that covers a lot of territory." "It takes plenty of brains and brawn to handle them." "Sounds interesting," "And we have to fight for contracts too." "That's where everything goes, no holds barred." "Why did you pick me?" "Because you're an Armin." "Oh." "And with another Armin in the saddle," "I can see my empire spreading beyond the borders of the Territory of New Mexico." "When do I start?" "You've already started." "But you'll wanna clean up a little, I guess." "Uh-huh." "Get a room in my hotel, then come back here." "Thanks." "Thanks, UncleJohn." "I'll try to measure up to all that." "Now I want you to hit the Rio Grande bottoms south of town." "Spread out and comb the timber, Harry." "All right, Sheriff." "Here we go, men." "¶¶" "¶¶" "Hi, old-timer." "Hi." "I didn't know you were a drinking man." "Ordinarily I ain't, but right now I'm desperate." "Mr. Armin, there comes a time in life when a man just has to have a drink." "You're lookin' at a man seekin' courage, comfort and confidence." "You'll never find it in there." "I'm gonna keep on lookin'." "I've been humbled, humiliated, disgraced and discombobulated, Mr. Armin." "Cole's the name." "Howdy, Cole." "Mine's Juke." "Howdy,Juke." "What's eating you?" "Pearl- fairest of the fair in all Albuquerque... and the best durn barber in the territory." "Oh." "Lady barber?" "I called her that once." "She run me down the street with a razor." "She says she's a tonsorial artist." "Kind of high-toned, huh?" "High-toned?" "Swell-headed." "Has been ever since she shaved the governor last year." "She'd really be tough on you if she ever shaved the president." "Cole, that woman's tried to shave me every day for nine years." "Says I ain't doin' her business no good." "If everybody was like me, she'd starve to death," "Everybody plays." "On double-O." "So this is what's holdin' you up?" "I told you before that the boss said for you and your men to get out of town." "All right." "Jackson, cash these in." "We're headin' north to White Spring Canyon." "Make your bets, gents." "All right, everybody plays." "All put down together." "Everything goes on number 12." "On number 12." "You gettin' the same idea I am?" "Yeah." "Number 12." "Yahoo!" "I won!" "I got the tiger by the tail!" "Seems to me we've heard that before." "We have." "Come on, pay up." "I got the tiger by the tail!" "Come on, fella, we're gonna have a talk." "Speak your piece." "I'm stayin' right where I am." "That's a nasty cut." "Kind of fresh too." "Hold it, mister." "Get back there, all of you!" "You too!" "This is private and personal between my friend and that scorpion there." "If living means anything to you, you got a lot of talking to do." "Let go of me!" "Come on, there!" "Come on, let me through there!" "Open up!" "That scorpion's gonna have a little talk with my partner... or he ain't gonna twist no more tiger's tail." "Well, it didn't take you long." "I want Miss Wallace's $10,000." "What are you talking about?" "You know what I'm talking about." "The money your thugs took off of that girl on the stagecoach." "Oh, you know about that?" "Yes." "Supposing they did?" "The Wallaces are our competitors, Cole." "And you'd rob a woman, kill an innocent man to destroy them?" "The law of self-preservation applies to business too." "The competition has got to be strangled." "So the end justifies the means?" "That's not important." "Life is cheap out here." "The money itself had no value to me... as money." "But don't you see, Cole?" "It would have set Wallace up as a dangerous threat to us." "I'm building a big business here that'll be yours someday." "Wallace's 10,000 got in my way, so I removed it." "Now I understand why our name is poison in Albuquerque." "You're too emotional,just like your father." "That's why he died poor." "Never mind that." "I want that girl's money." "I don't stand for threats, Cole." "And if you got any ideas of calling on the law, it'll be your word against mine." "What about the word of your hired killer?" " He won't talk." " If he don't want to shake hands with sudden death, he'll talk." "There's a mob with a rope looking for you." "You want to talk to them or to the law?" "Take him to the sheriff,Juke." "Tell him I said to lock him up." "I wish Pearl was here to see what a useful citizen I've turned out to be." "Come on, get movin'." "Let's you and I have another little talk, eh, Cole?" "Do you want to save any of these, Ted?" "No, burn 'em all up." "I don't want to save a scrap of anything to remind me of this place or anybody in it." "How do you suppose Mr. Armin knew I was bringing the money?" "He's got connections all over this territory." "And his nephew being on the same stage wasn't just a coincidence." "Just because his name is Cole Armin doesn't convict him with me." "Look... instead of using the money we have left to go home, couldn't we make a fresh start here?" "What with?" "The only start we can make, honey, is back home, or go to work forJohn Armin." "Armin!" "Armin!" "Armin!" "That's all I've heard since I got here." "Albuquerque could grow into a big city someday, and you could grow with it." "It's the fear of his power that's strangling you and everybody else in this town." "I not gonna stand by and watch you quit." "Is this the Wallace Freighting Company?" "Ted!" "It was the Wallace Freighting Company." "You've got nothing to say that we want to hear." "Get out!" "Miss Celia, I don't want to fight any more today." "Will you ask your brother to sit down and listen?" "Sit down, Ted." "I came here thinking you might need some help." "What kind of help?" "I could learn to drive mules." "Is this another one of your uncle's schemes?" "Well, I just came from him, but he didn't send me." "I'm interested in this town and its possibilities." "Matter of fact, I'm looking for a job." "You heard what my sister said." "We're out of business." "Maybe this will put you back in business." "Our money." "How did you" " You'll find it all there." "I don't know how to thank you." "I can tell you how, by selling me an interest in your company." "You mean you want to be partners with us?" "I reckon." "Mister, you've made a deal." "The Wallace-Armin Freighting Company." "Sheriff!" "Sheriff!" "Jackson, I'm not going to tell you again." "Stop that noise." "I ain't started makin' noise yet." "When I do, everyone will hear me, including the United States Marshal." "You can tell Armin and tell him this- I ain't aiming' to go to no gallows alone." "Walking from here to Chicago and back doesn't do my carpet any good." "Besides, it doesn't solve anything." "What am I gonna do about thatJackson?" "How am I gonna keep him quiet?" "So you got a prisoner who threatens to make trouble." "I think we can handle that situation." "What about them lamps burning all night in the Wallace office, their stockade bustin' with mules and new equipment?" "I tell you there's somethin' goin' on over there." "Oh, I know all that." "What I want to know is, what do they got in the fire?" "What their contacts are?" "What their bids are?" "I want a report from the inside." "How you gonna get it?" "The party who's gonna attend to that is on the way here now- so stop worrying... and get off my desk!" "¶¶" "¶ Gonna run all night ¶" "¶ Gonna run all day ¶" "¶ Bet my money on a bob-tailed nag ¶" "¶ Somebody bet on the bay ¶¶" "Hey, wait a minute!" "What are you tryin' to do, scald me tender enough to pick my pin feathers?" "Listen, you, you're having supper with nice folks... and you don't to want to smell like a mule, do you?" "Well, I ain't aiming' to stay after vittles anyhow." "I gotta meet Pearl when she closes her Tonsorial Parlor." "Yeah." "What are you lookin' at me like that for?" "Juke, there's a sheriff looking for you somewhere." "Where?" "Where?" "Ah, what'd you say that for?" "Nobody'd hide behind that foliage you're wearin' unless he was playing hooky from somebody's jail." "Now ain't that a nice thing to say." "Here I agree to work with you fellas, take you into my home and" "Say, how do I know how many sheriffs is chasing' you around the country?" "I'm gettin' that look again." "What does it mean this time?" "This time it means I'm gonna cut your hair." "No, sir!" "You ain't gonna do no such a durn thing now!" "Stay away from me with them sheep shears." "Go on now." "Hey, who's this awful-looking character?" "Huh?" "Character?" "Why, doggone it, that's me without my whiskers." "Yeah." "Cole, this is gonna be a secret just twixt you and me, huh?" "You fellas ought to be ashamed of yourselves." "That costs plenty of money." "Oh, I don't know what you fellas are worrying about." "You got wagons, mules, men, money enough for wages and feed till you get goin'." "I guess that ought to show John Armin you mean business, eh, Cole?" "I reckon you're right,Juke." "But I'm just realizing how much I gotta learn about this ore-freighting business." "Ted, where is that Half-High mine you're talking about?" "It's a lot easier to show you on the map." "Come on." "That'll give you a better idea." "Uh-huh." "Now this is the road to the mine." "Yeah." "It's the only way up." "That looks like a tough place to get to." "Oh, gettin' up ain't the problem." "It's gettin' down with 10-mule wagons." "Yep." "Well, that's the only way you can make it pay," "Those big wagons with trailers on that steep and narrow road?" "Sure looks dangerous." "Oh, of course it's dangerous, but if Armin can do it, you can." "Armin?" "He's got Huggins, the owner, by the throat." "Nobody else in town would touch the haul." "So he gets his own price." "Can't we underbid him and make it pay?" "Enough to keep us goin', that's about all." "But if we can save money for Huggins, other owners will line up on our side." "Why, it seems like to me we ought to pay Mr. Huggins a visit." "Listen, you men, you come and eat this supper right now or I'll feed it to the mules." "Yeah, go on." "Get over there." "Go on, go on." "You too." "You too." "You fellas ought to be ashamed of yourselves." "Here Miss Celia's been slavin' over a hot stove all day... mixin' fancy vittles for you galoots." "Ah, quiet,Juke." "You talk too much." "That's his association with Damon and Pythias." "Hey, wait a minute." "If that road isn't wide enough for two wagons to pass, what do you do when you meet one coming down?" "You don't pass anybody." "You see, there's a flag on top that's raised as a warning if somebody's comin' down." "We do the same thing at the bottom if we're goin' up." "Eat your supper, boys!" "Evenin', Sheriff." "Wait a minute, Harvey." "Leave it here." "I'll take it in to him." "Suits me." "ThatJackson don't look none too tame to me anyway." "He needs a lot of watching'." "Yeah." "Good night, Sheriff." "Good night." "Here's your supper,Jackson." "Now listen, when I leave, I'm gonna forget to lock you in." "That door's open." "There's a horse waiting' for you." "You get aboard and out of Albuquerque, fast." "Well, you must of got my message to Armin." "When I come back in five minutes, I don't wanna find anybody here, understand?" "What's the matter, Sheriff?" "What happened?" "You can see, can't you?" "This fella Jackson broke out of jail and I shot him." "I reckon trouble's over for him, but it might just be startin' for some folks." "What do you mean by that?" "Nothing." "Only sometimes dead men leave ghosts behind 'em." "That's an awfully good supper, Miss Celia." "I'm glad you enjoyed it." "Uh-oh." "I'm warning you now." "You can't hold me responsible for any casualties." "This is my first experience in an apron." "Uh-uh!" "Huh?" "Oh." "You're doing fine." "Uh-oh." "I think I spoke too soon." "Well, at least this is one less dish to dry." "I'm sorry." "It was Ted's fault." "He said you could do anything." "Hmm." "You know, that, uh, brother of yours is all right." "He's all the family I have left." "When Ted came out West and got started in this business," "I sold the home back East and joined him." "I reckon he found the goin' pretty tough." "He found your uncle running the whole town." "Riding herd on the little fella, huh?" "Yes." "I hope you won't be sorry you joined us against him." "There's a fella in jail I'm figurin' on takin' the jingle out of my uncle's spurs." "I'm sticking to my deal, Celia." "I thought you'd feel like that, Cole." "Cole?" "Cole?" "Where is everybody here?" "The sheriff just shotJackson makin' a getaway on a horse." "What?" "Yeah." "I'm afraid your uncle's spurs are still jingling." "Now I agree with Ted here." "We have the equipment and drivers and can guarantee the delivery of paying loads to the mill... at a price attractive to you and profitable to us." "Experience is more important than equipment, Mr. Armin." "When a wagon train leaves our mine, we've got to know it'll get to the mill." "I can answer for that." "I drove the haul for Walton." "I know every foot and every hazard." "And now we've gotJuke with us." "Yes, sir." "Ted'll be on the lead wagon." "I'll be right behind him with Damon and Pythias." "Why, I could make that run with a piano on the back of every mule, pail of water in each hand and another on my head." "Mr. Clark, what about a deal?" "Well, now wait a minute." "Mr. Huggins, our manager, feels you're new here." "He wants me to show you what you're headin' into." "Come here." "I saw it." "I rode up here, you know." "What's that mine up there?" "Angel's Roost." "Angel's Roost, huh?" "But I wouldn't get too ambitious, Mr. Armin." "It's the richest strike in New Mexico, but the road up there is just plain murder." "Who's got that contract?" "Nobody." "They're afraid to try it." "Why'd you work the property if you couldn't get the ore down?" "Well, Huggins had a deal with John Armin." "He agreed if we sunk a shaft he'd get the ore to the mill." "What happened?" "Well, we like to broke our company digging in up there." "And when we were ready to go, Armin welshed." "Tried to hold us up on the hauling price." "I reckon he figured on breaking us then taking'it over himself." "Howdy, lady." "Welcome to Albuquerque." "Thank you." "Could you tell me whereJohn Armin's office is?" "Straight down the street." "Monarch Building." "You can't miss it." "Bed 'em down,Juke." "I'll put the contracts in the safe." "I'll tell Celia the good news." "Tell her to put the coffee pot on." "Right." "Put 'em up." "Get over here and open up this safe." "There's no money in it." "Open it up!" "Well!" "Cole!" "Cole!" "What happened?" "Where was that shot?" "The office." "What's the shooting, Ted?" "A hold-up man jumped me when this young lady came in and started blazing away." "Where's the body?" "Just went through that door." "We can't have no bodies runnin' around loose in Albuquerque." "I'm afraid I'm not a very good shot." "Good or bad, it was timely." "You always carry a gun, lady?" "It came in handy tonight." "Just happen to be passing by?" "Yes." "I only arrived in Albuquerque today." "I'm looking for work." "I'm Letty Tyler." "Work?" "What kind of work?" "Oh, bookkeeping, correspondence, payroll." "I think I could make myself generally useful." "We'll need some help, Cole." "Now that we've got the Huggins's contract, we expect to get others." "We're certainly grateful to you, Miss Tyler, though I'm afraid we couldn't pay you much at first." "Well, I'm sure I could make out on whatever you could afford." "Well, what do you say, boys?" "It's all right with me." "What do you say, Cole?" "I'm just a junior partner." "Whatever the seniors decide." "Then you can start in the morning." "We'll be busy with the Half-High haul." "So, Celia, you can sort of acquaint her with things until we get back." "Fine." "I was about to make some coffee." "Won't you join us?" "Thank you." "I'd love to." "Lock up the Huggins's contract, will you, Cole?" "It's on the safe." "I had him opening the safe when the gal walked in." "Your idea worked out just like you said, Mr. Armin." "Well, I got the job." "Did you find out anything?" "Yes." "They're nice people." "I wasn't asking about their social qualities." "What are they up to?" "They've got a contract." "The first haul comes off in the morning- the Half-High mine." "I want to congratulate the both of you on a job well done." "Sit down, Miss Tyler." "I can see now that our association is going to be quite profitable to both of us." "Looks all right,Juke." "There's no flag showing on top." "Well, that gives us the right-of-way." "What are we waitin' for?" "Let's get goin'." "What are you doin' on this road, Murkil?" "Hi, Wallace." "Funny place to meet up, ain't it?" "You didn't raise no flag on the top." "That gives us the right-of-way." "Flag or no flag, the right-of-way belongs to anybody that can take it." "Put down that gun." "And the other one too." "I guess you had things figured about right, Cole." "Figured?" "You didn't think your boss was the only Armin in town that could figure, did you?" "Both of you get down and unhitch those horses." "The bookkeeper's job doesn't include janitor work, Letty." "Oh, I'm just sort of clearing the decks for action." "Ted won't know the place all cleaned up." "You think they'll get that ore down safely today?" "Ted and Juke are the best drivers in the territory." "They'll bring it down." "Oh, I'm sure they will." "I haven't seen Cole Armin today." "He go along?" "Oh, no." "He doesn't drive." "He had some other business." "Probably lining up some new contracts, huh?" "Probably." "He's awfully nice, isn't he?" "Seems to be." "Handsome too." "They made it, Letty!" "They made it!" "Hey, Murkil, helping' Wallace bring the ore in?" "That's the funniest thing I ever did see." "Did you have a nice trip, Murkil?" "They oughta build a monument to you!" "This town is sure proud of you, I'll say that!" "What's that for?" "They call this a wishing well, don't they?" "Well, I'm buying a wish for a dollar." "And if I ask your wish and you tell it, then it won't come true." "That's part of the legend, too, isn't it?" "Reckon." "Mind if I ask you something else?" "Not if you keep looking at that dollar." "Think you're gonna like Albuquerque?" "Reckon." "I'm glad." "I'm glad for a lot of things that have happened to me lately." "Before Albuquerque?" "Keep looking at that dollar." "You know, Celia, sometimes a single face or person will change the whole way of a man's living and" "and he starts wishing for things that never occurred to him before." "If your wishes and wants are real enough, they'll come in search of you." "I wish I could believe that." "Sometimes a man has to ask for what he wants." "Tell me about Texas." "Well, there's an awful lot of it and lonely sometimes." "Funny part is, I never knew how lonely." "Keep watching that dollar." "When did you find out it was lonely?" "In El Paso, when you stepped into that stagecoach." "And I found out something else too- that I needed someone to share this business of living." "Oh, why don't you ask me, Cole?" "You're pretty good with that whip." "A real expert could wrap it around a man's throat at 20 feet, strangle him to death." "That could be a dangerous weapon." "That's right." "I can certainly think of more pleasant things to talk about." "Thank you." "Like what?" "Tell me, Ted, how did Cole know... that Armin's men were going to stop you yesterday on the Half-High ride?" "Oh, he didn't know." "You see, Cole used to ride with the Texas Rangers." "They had a rule:" "whenever they expected trouble, they'd send a scout ahead before they'd expose their whole troop." "He borrowed that idea from them." "Pretty smart thinking." "Oh, he's a smart fella." "We're sure lucky we got him." "We got big plans for spreading out." "Uh, spreading out?" "Well, you're practically one of the firm" "I guess there's no harm in telling you." "But if I have my way, we're going after the Angel's Roost contract." "Your way?" "Well, Cole's afraid- that is, he's afraid for the animals, men and equipment." "But I'll be driving that lead wagon, and I know I can bring 'em through." "I'll be pulling for you, Ted." "Then how can I lose?" "Buenos dias, amigo." "Buenos dias." "Juke, what in the world are you dressed like that for?" "Aw, it's an idea of Pearl's." "She said she wouldn't go to the shindig at the mission... unless I got all rigged up like this." "I'm supposed to be a " trooby-door. "" "Troubadour." "Yeah, trooby-door." "Somebody blew it up- the Half-High mine!" "The Half-High mine- somebody blew it up!" "Tell Pearl I couldn't wait." "Hyah!" "Get outta the way!" "Get outta the way, folks!" "Hyah!" "Get outta the way!" "Giddyap!" "Move it!" "Hyah!" "Cole!" "Ted!" "Welcome to the family." "That's the best news I've heard in years." "Thanks." "I hope you'll be awfully happy." "Thanks." "I'm sure we will be." "Cole!" "Cole!" "Ted!" "The Half-High's been blowed up!" "What?" "Half-High?" "Mm." "What's next, Cole?" "Angel's Roost." "Young fella, what you propose is impossible." "But, Mr. Huggins, your loss of the Half-High mine might put us out of business too." "That's why we're forced to tackle Angel's Roost." "Twenty ton of ore slipping and sliding in that shale on a narrow road... with only a prayer between you and a drop of 5,000 feet?" "No, you'd never make it." "It's a road, isn't it?" "Not one that'll hold a 20-ton load in that shale with 12 mules." "Walton tried it and lost wagons, mules and men." "We still wanna try it." "Have you got that kind of equipment and drivers?" "Give us a week." "We'll have 'em." "You can count on it." "Just a minute." "It'll have to be 10 wagons." "Nothing less will pay." "Ten wagons?" "Yup." "If you come through, there'll be a contract waiting for you at the mill." "But I still think you're crazy to try it." "Mr. Huggins, your people have extensive holdings all over this territory." "Now, if we make good on this haul, we'll expect you to give us a chance at the rest of your business." "Just have that mill ready a week from today." "It'll be ready." "Here's a warning." "Just between us, we're not satisfied that Half-High explosion was an accident." "Neither are we." "Come on, Ted." "Good luck, boys." "Thank you." "See you at the mine." "Yeah." "Hope we didn't bite off more than we can chew." "Aw, we got plenty of time." "Is it bad, Ted?" "It's my leg." "Let me through here." "What's going on?" "Who shot him?" "The man who shot him is dead." "And you can tellJohn Armin that anyone else he sends after us can expect the same treatment." "What's John Armin gotta do with it?" "You oughta know that better than any man in Albuquerque." "You're working for him." "That's pretty wild talk." "That's not talk." "It's a warning." "The next move Armin makes against us, we'll wipe him out if it means killing every one of this thugs and burning his place to the ground." "Warren, help me to get him home." "I don't want any more protests from you, Miss Tyler." "Any consequences that follow your job, I'll back you up." "But, in case you get any righteous ideas, you're a criminal accessory to anything that happens." "Don't forget that." "Any scruples I might have had went on the bargain counter when I took this job, but you can count me out of any more murder plans." "I give the orders here." "I make the conditions." "You've got your instructions." "Carry them out." "I'm still working for you." "So, my nephew threatens to burn me out of business." "Hmm." "Yes." "Is he gonna be all right, Doctor?" "You needn't expect him to be on his feet for a couple of months yet." "That bullet split the femur right through." "Mm." "Split the what?" "The femur- the thigh bone." "Right now, he's suffering' from shock." "Needs rest, plenty of it." "That means no talking." "I'll look in again in the morning." "I guess that finishes us for the Angel's Roost contract." "Now, why does it?" "Huh." "To listen to him talk, you'd think he's the only driver in New Mexico." "Yeah." "Look, Ted." "You can run the business right from here." "Juke can get all the drivers and we'll still make that run on schedule." "Make it ahead of schedule." "Juke,you stay here and help Celia." "Where you going?" "I've got some private business to attend to." "Won't you come in?" "Well, what can I do for you?" "I just picked these up atJohn Armin's place." "Was I supposed to find them or are you getting careless?" "That's one you'll have to figure out for yourself." "What's that for?" "I was just figuring." "You must've needed the job bad to fire blank cartridges at a hired bandit in a fake holdup." "I needed a job bad." "I didn't say a job." "I said that particular job." "You have it all worked out, haven't you?" "It wasn't hard to work out, Letty." "Finding your gloves tied the whole thing together." "Very clever." "Wait a minute." "Was that bullet in Ted's leg part of your deal with Armin?" "I had nothing to do with that." "You mean you didn't actually fire the shot." "IfTed knew you were behind the shooting," "I reckon it would hurt him more than the bullet did." "What" " What do you mean by that?" "He's in love with you, Letty." "Cole Armin, I arrest you for arson." "Arrest me?" "Wait a minute." "What is this?" "Who made that complaint?" "John Armin." "You had it all ready, didn't you?" "The whole town heard you threatening to burn him out." "Come on." "Morning, Fred." "Sit down, Dave." "Hello, Mr. Cole!" "Stand up, Cole Armin." "Now, Cole, you've testified that you were not in the vicinity of the fire, yet you refuse to tell us where you were." "Now,you realize, of course, if you have an alibi... supported by a reputable citizen... it'll have a distinct bearing on your case." "I have have nothing to add to my testimony, Your Honor." "Tell him where you was, Cole!" "Go ahead!" "Tell him!" "You keep quiet,Juke!" "One more remark outta you, and I'll hold you in contempt of court." "But he's being stubborner than a jug-headed mule." "Sit down,Juke." "Tell him, Daddy." "Go ahead and tell him!" "Uh, wait a minute, Fred." "Myrtle here told me something I think you oughta know." "Well, if it concerns this case, why, bring her on up here, Dave." "Come on, honey." "Order." "Order." "Go ahead, Myrtle." "Tell him just what you told me." "Now, go ahead and talk, honey." "Well, Mr. Your Honor, when my daddy ran to the fire last night," "I was scared to be alone, so I went to the window to look at the fire... and saw Mr. Cole running out of the house across the street." "And, uh" " Now, Myrtle, do you know who lives across the street?" "Her- I mean, Miss Letty." "Are you sure that that was the man you saw?" "I'm pretty sure." "It was dark, but he was tall like him." "Yes, I'm pretty sure." "Well, that's, uh, a little irregular." "Now, honey, you have to be positive." "Your Honor, the defendant is my nephew." "And think we all feel he should be given every chance to clear himself." "Very possible I have been mistaken." "If such is the case, now is the time to correct it." "Why not call Miss Tyler to the stand?" "If she substantiates this testimony, I'll gladly withdraw my complaint." "Miss Tyler, will you take the stand?" "I can say if from here,Judge." "Cole Armin... was in my house with me last night." "Case dismissed." "John Armin, you've used my courtroom to air a private family squabble- for what reason, I don't know and I don't care." "But I'm going to see that it doesn't happen again." "Cole Armin, from today's testimony of your wild threats," "I'm compelled to curb your evident appetite for trouble." "Now, to protect you gentlemen from each other," "I hereby order a peace bond executed over each of you... in the amount of $5,000." "Sheriff, carry out that order." "Court adjourned!" "Celia." "I" " I reckon I owe you an explanation." "I'm not interested in details, Cole." "You owe me nothing." "All right, Armin." "You're in my custody until the bail bond's furnished." "It was right neighborly of you to come see me, honey, but, uh, you better run along home now." "Ajail's no place for a lady." "It is too, if that lady's best friend is locked up inside." "But I gotta stay here until they let me out." "Oh, no, you don't." "Here you are." "I got Clara all saddled and waiting." "She's watered and fed and can travel four days without sleep." "Now, get to work." "I'll keep watch while you saw." "But that would be against the law and we've gotta respect the law." "All right." "I'm gonna stand here until they let you out... if I have to stand till I'm a little old lady in a shawl." "I'll be a-sittin' here a- knitting' and a-waitin'." "Hello, Mr. Juke." "Hello." "Oh, there you are." "You come down here, young lady." "I want to have a talk with you." "Don't you know your pappy's lookin' for you?" "You better skedaddle home." "No, sir." "Not until Mr. Cole gets out." "Well, he's getting out." "I got the papers from the judge." "The sheriff's going in to turn him loose." "You'd better go in and keep an eye on him, Mr. Juke." "I don't trust that old sheriff." "Aw, don't you worry none about him, honey." "I'll take care of him." "Run along now, Heh heh heh." "Good-bye, Mr. Cole!" "Come on, Clara." "Reckon Mr. Cole won't be needin' us now." "Come on." "Juke just bailed you out." "I'm warning you, better keep a checkrein on that temper of yours." "Never mind the blabber." "Give him his gun and we'll get out of here." "Where'd that bond money come from?" "It was sort of a community affair." "Huh?" "Ted, Celia, Dave, Pearl - we all had a hand in it." "We?" "Yeah." "Borrowed some money on my mules." "Not Damon and Pythias?" "Well, we had to get you out of jail, didn't we?" "Well, I sure wanna thank all of you." "Good way to prove that is to get outta town." "Otherwise your friends will lose $5,000." "'Course, it isn't your money." "Never mind." "Come on." "Well, I guess we won the first round, Cole." "You know,Juke, it don't take a smart man... to figure that my uncle's getting a bear trap ready for me." "All you gotta do is stay awake, son." "A man's only got so many fights to win, so many dreams to dream, so much loving and hating to do, and usually old age catches up with him... before he can correct any mistakes he's made." "What are you gettin' that?" "My biggest mistake, old-timer, was ever leaving Texas." "Aw, you can't say that, Cole, now." "Eating time for the patient." "Is that all I get?" "Food and medicine are measured out in doses for invalids." "Yes, but I wasn't shot in the stomach." "If you'd taken one step farther down, you would have been." "You were lucky." "You know, bullets aren't the only thing that can tear you apart." "Disappointment in people can smash you too." "You're in love with Letty, aren't you?" "I was." "I guess we both picked the wrong person." "We have realities to face, Ted." "Good news, folks." "Well, I finally got all the drivers." "I had to pay 'em double when they heared it was Angel's Roost, but I got 'em." "We start the big climb at sunrise." "What about Cole?" "Did you get him out of jail?" "He's out, all right." "Out of town, probably." "Out of town?" "Yeah." "He said it'd be better for all hands if he lit out." "Made a lot of mistakes here, he said." "Goin' back to Texas, I reckon." "Somethin's gotta be done about this." "Oh, Myrtle." "Myrtle." "So the big Texas hero is crawling' outta town." "I don't aim to fall into any ofJohn Armin's traps." "I reckon Celia Wallace would like to see you turnin' tail." "But don't you worry." "I'll be callin' on her after you're gone." "Get up and fight." "Oh, man." "If that's the way they fight in Texas, I'm staying in Albuquerque." "As I was saying, Miss Tyler, you were brought here for a special purpose... and you failed completely." "I don't think there's anything more to say to you... except that here's your ticket on the next stage." "The sheriff will see you to the depot." "I can find the way." "I want to make sure that you get there safely." "I don't need any protection." "You'll need a lot of it if you're in this town after that stage leaves." "Come on, sister." "I'll bet this isn't the first time you were escorted out of town." "Take you hands off me!" "He busted his peace bond." "From the looks of you, that isn't all he busted." "Hold the jokes, Linton." "Go on, Murkil." "Well, you-you told me to pick a fight with him." "I did." "All right, Sheriff." "It's your move." "I'll seeJudge Martin and get a warrant for him for attempted murder." "That'll hold him in jail without bail just as long as I wanna keep him there." "Until you get tired of feeding him, then leave the jail door open and shoot him off his horse getting away." "I changed my mind, gentlemen." "I'm not leaving Albuquerque." "I'd advise you to change your mind back again." "No, you're going to change yours." "If you arrest Cole Armin and declare his peace bond forfeited," "I'll let out a yell that'll be heard in Washington." "And I have plenty to yell about, including my own part in it." "You're fixin' for a spell in jail, aren't you, lady?" "I'll have company." "Murkil!" "You ain't gonna let her get away with that, are you?" "Yeah." "You're the boss." "What are you gonna do?" "Life in jail..." "if we can't stop her." "You got more than her to stop." "That Wallace outfit's gonna try the Angel's Roost run tomorrow... and they got the toughest hombres in New Mexico driving." "They ain't gonna stop at nothin'." "So they're gonna try for the high one, huh?" "It's suicide." "He might make it." "He's an Armin." "Yes." "He might." "Get word to Matt Wayne." "But there ain't no sense in you leaving, Cole." "The Wallaces need you, and they're mighty fine folks." "That's why I'm leaving." "Yes, but you don't have to." "I'll have more witnesses than you can get into Fred Martin's courtroom... that you was nettled into that fight." "Now, wait a minute, Dave." "It isn't that fight." "I'd still be under bond, and next time..." "I'd kill Murkil and maybe Armin." "Hey, mister!" "We're shoving off for El Paso." "You coming with us?" "Good-bye, old-timer." "Good-bye, Mr. Cole." "I feel awful." "Cole!" "Cole Armin!" "So long, Dave." "Cole!" "Wait up there!" "Wait!" "Hold that coach, driver!" "Cole!" "Cole, I mean, you ain't going no place." "What's all this?" "Ask Letty." "Don't ask me how or why, but there'll be no further actions by the sheriff on that peace bond." "What's that?" "You heared her." "Look, fella." "I'm pulling out." "You leaving?" "No, he ain't!" "Git a gettin'." "Come on, son." "Hyah!" "Hep!" "Hep!" "Hey!" "Giddyap!" "Good luck, Cole." "I'm bettin' on you." "I hope you win, Dave." "I gotta." "I'm gonna send Myrtle to college with those winnings." "All right, folks, here's some easy money!" "Murkil's laying 10-to-1 that Wallace's outfit don't make the run!" "I'll bet $ 10 they do make it!" "It's a bet." "Here you are." "I'll take 100 of that." "All right." "I'll bet you 2-to-1 they don't even get up there." "I'll take that too." "All right." "Alice." "Put me in for 20." "I'll bet you 20 they don't get down. 10-to-1 they don't." "I'd give a $ 1,000 to be on that lead wagon." "Juke will bring 'em through." "Why didn't you go down to the gate and wish 'em luck?" "Somehow it didn't mean as much as I thought it would." "Well, after all, you know, Cole wouldn't have been much help." "He can't drive." "It was his being here that made the difference." "I'd feel better if he was with them." "Yes." "I know, Sis." "Strange, isn't it, how one person can become so important in your life... that without them nothing seems to matter." "It is strange." "We oughta be ashamed." "Thinking of ourselves when men and animals are risking their lives for us." "It's gonna take a lot of courage and luck to bring those wagons down." "All we can do is wait and hope for the best." "Maybe a little prayer from this end will help them... and us." "Stop running!" "Hup!" "When is the next stage for Santa Fe?" "If it's on time, it's due here in two hours and 15 minutes." "Well, that means more trouble." "Trouble?" "It's Matt Wayne and his men." "It's no secret here in town that they'reJohn Armin's gunmen." "Hold 'em here, Andy." "I'll see what the old man wants." "What do you want here?" "I wanna see Ted." "Matt Wayne and his men just rode up to Armin's place." "Right now they're probably getting instructions to smash your outfit and Cole Armin too." "Cole Armin's on his way to Texas." "He started for Texas, butJuke and I stopped him." "He's up there now helping to bring your wagons down from the Angel's Roost." " Do you expect us to believe that?" " You will when you hear the rest." "You were wrong about Cole, Celia." "He guessed that I was working for his uncle, and he was right." "John Armin brought you to Albuquerque to get information about our plans?" "Yes." "Cole suspected me and that's why he came to my house the night of the fire." "Oh, you don't know what it means to hear that, Letty." "Where are you going, Sis?" "It's time somebody in this family starting thinking about Cole." "You must've had a pretty good reason for changing over to our side, Letty." "I did." "I'll tell you when I have more time." "Now, boys, we're in for a tough job." "Y'all know what's ahead of you." "Remember what I told you." "If the shale starts slippin' or you get in any trouble, cut the animals loose and jump- let the wagons go over." "You understand?" "Sure,Juke." "We understand." "All right." "Get up on your wagons." "I'll give the order to start." "All right, boys." "Come on." "Let's get going." "I wanna wish both you boys a lot of luck." "We'll need it." "Here we go, Cole." "Albuquerque or bust." "Good luck,Juke." "I hope you make it." "Make it?" "Shucks, I can make that ride standing on my head." "Juke, one of your riders has run out." "Huh?" "Which one?" "Jim Rough." "Tearin' out for town on a horse." "Must've had one here waitin' for him." "Doggone it." "I was scared of that feller, but he's all there was left." "Armin hired every driver in town." "Armin probably hired him too." "Too bad." "I guess that hangs you up." "The agreement with Huggins was 10 wagons or no deal." "Tell Huggins it'll be 10 wagons." "H" " Hey!" "Wait a minute, Cole." "Wait a minute!" "Who's gonna drive Rough's wagon?" "I'm gonna try it." "Listen, this ain't no Wells Fargo four-up stagecoach on a flat Texas prairie." "This is" "This is a 12-mule hitch on a bad mountain road." "I know, I know." "I'm scared to let you try it." "Listen, to tell you the truth, I'm twice as scared as you are." "But standing here arguing isn't getting that ore down to the mill." "Get on your wagon,Juke." "Now, mark this, Wayne." "If they every get down from that run, it means" "Is there any chance they won't make it?" "There's a good chance they won't make it." "What do you want with him and his men?" "To play safe on the off chance that they might make it." "I want this Wallace outfit destroyed, wiped out permanently... to show Albuquerque that I'm still running it." "You know what to do!" "Now, get out, both of you!" "¶¶" "Hup, Damon." "Hey thar, Pythias." "Whoa." "Hey." "Hey!" "Ho!" "Hey!" "Hold 'em back there, Cole!" "Hold 'em back, Cole!" "Hey,Juke!" "Hyah!" "Damon, come on!" "Hup!" "Damon, Pythias!" "Come on, boys!" "Stop 'em, Cole!" "Stop 'em!" "I can't!" "Keep going,Juke!" "Hyah, boys!" "Hyah!" "Ho!" "Hold 'em!" "Hold 'em, Cole!" "Hyah, boys!" "Stop 'em, Cole!" "Ho!" "Ho!" "Ho!" "Doggone it, Cole!" "I told you ya couldn't drive." "What's the matter?" "The brake snapped on me." "You mean you come down through all that shale with no brake?" "Yeah." "Why, the man ain't living that can do it." "I'm not sure I am living." "Mm." "I thought we was both goners, us and the mules, when you come barreling down on us there." "Take a look at that." "Why, that weren't broke." "It was sawed!" "That's what I'm talking about." "Come on." "We got some business in Albuquerque." "No, you don't." "You get up on that lead wagon." "I'm gonna keep my eye on you." "Now you makin' me feel a lot better." "Thanks, pappy." "Yeah." "Pappy?" "Hmm." "What's going on, Harvey?" "Everybody's leaving town." "Well, can you blame 'em?" "Matt Wayne and his men are back." "Better get your kids and head for home." "Maybe you're right." "Remember, no shooting' till the sheriff fires." "What is it, Celia?" "You look scared." "I am, Cole." "Terribly." "Is it Ted?" "Anything happen to him." "No." "What's a matter now?" "Why'd we stop?" "The town's alive with Matt Wayne and his men." "They're waiting for you." "It's wholesale murder, Cole, if you take a step farther." "We're obliged to you for the warning, Celia, but I reckon we can handle any trouble that comes along, eh,Juke?" ""The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. "" "That's from the good book." "Now, if you folks will excuse me, I'll have the men gird their loins for battle." "I didn't figure you aimed to put yourself out for me anymore." "Well, thanks to Letty I'm seeing things clearly again." "Uh-huh." "Listen, Cole, bringing the ore in isn't important now." "Your life is... to me." "Thanks, Celia." "You run along home now by the side roads." "And if by chance you should see Preacher Murray, tell him he's gonna have a couple of customers." "I will." "Giddyap." "Take care of yourself, Cole!" "Giddyap!" "I got a good reason to now!" "Looks like the Armin Empire is going to war." "You're right, Miss Tyler." "Now you'll see what happens to people who oppose me." "The first sound of fire out there, you'll get a bullet in your back." "A gun with blank cartridges doesn't frighten me." "Blank cartridges?" "Are you gonna get your men off that street?" "I'm not changing my orders." "They get you, old-timer?" "Aw,just nicked me." "Hey." "Walton got here with the cavalry just in time, didn't he?" "Mr. Armin!" "Mr. Armin!" "Wait a minute, Pearl." "What now?" "If I'm gonna make the supreme sacrifice," "I'll be dagblasted if I want the whole town watching'." "Pull down that curtain."