"Where's it all begin?" "Violence." "The gun." " Isabelle!" " The knife." "The axe." " Isabelle, come here." " How's it born?" "How's it start?" "We all just wanna make it." "To live." "To exist." "Stay out of the hoosegow." "We love if we're lucky." "We lose, we're damaged." "Hardened." " Isabelle." " We do what we have to." "What we are compelled to do." "Not true." "I like Sidney on account of his small prick." " Like a little mushroom." " Easiest coin I ever earned." "Barely even know it's in, don't matter which hole." " He's a disgusting little man." " With a perfect little prick." " Try not to talk so much like a whore." " Try not to talk so much like a bitch." " I got a bad itch this week." " It's those fat railway fucks." "Dirtiest pricks in the entire county." "Hey!" "Wait!" "Please, no!" "Grab the goddamn bag, goddammit!" "Don't shoot!" "Come on, don't dillydally!" "Get outta there, kid!" "Samuel!" "Get up here and thread this mark." " What do you think?" " They pretty far shucked." " And I got these old eyes." " Sam, you slower than molasses in January." "How the fuck these pricks get the bulge on a lawman?" "We was just making a deposit, is all." "A deposit." " I wasn't ready." " Mayor Bishop is dead." "Goddammit!" "Bled out real fast." "Fuck all." "Post the bounties, then get Josiah on it." "Top coin." "I don't give a shit how much." "Just get it done." "Josiah?" "They dragged him off somewhere." "No time to bury him." "Mayhap I should have the men start peeking for the body?" "Yeah, have them round it up, chop off the top." "If he sees fit, he can keep the coin." "I don't care." "We gotta keep heading south." "Don't wanna give them any time to breathe." "We slag any longer, we're going to lose the track." "Boys, saddle up." "We ain't but a half day behind 'em." "I ain't used my axe in a while... and I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't looking forward to it." "Charlie, what you playing at?" "Bang, bang, bang." " Look like hell, boy." " Yeah, we're here, ain't we?" " The worst is comin' soon." " Shut your yap." "Boys'll be fine." "Be prepared, is all." "Sure is good to see you, Aunt Esther." "You ain't aged a day." "I don't like it one bit what you boys got yourselves into." "Shut your yap!" "Don't listen to her, Charlie." "She don't know nothin'." " You better keep your hands off that lady." " It's fine, boys." "I don't make no habit, but a woman needs discipline at the proper time." "Just hand over the supplies, we'll be on our way." "No need to bulldoze, son." "Me and Esther came and done this on our own accord." "I didn't come nowhere on nobody's own accord." "I think all y'all be on-the-shoot." "All y'all gonna have to answer to the Good Lord soon." "Shut your yap!" "Now you listen here, old man." " I'm big bug around here." " No, no!" "Let him be!" "You try that again, I'm gonna clean your plow real good." "You understand?" "Henry, he can't breathe." "I'm fine, woman, I'm fine!" "Well?" "Hey!" "You're gonna wanna go down on the east side, through Rock Canyon... and White Sands." "Cross over outside of El Paso." "West trail's better." "Through Deming, cross in Columbus." "Ain't nothing on the east side from here to the border." "We'll dies." "Exactly." "Ain't nobody dumb enough to track you that way." " Who says they're tracking?" " There's bounty on your heads." " Eight thousand, all in." " You're joshing'." "I wish I was..." "for my nephew's sake, but I ain't." "That man y'all shot, he died." "Government official." "Right and proper from another county." "Bad luck!" "He was a friend of Sheriff Mckay." " They was compadres." " Dammit all to hell!" " I told you not to shoot that..." " Hobble your lip, Charlie." "And that poor young woman, too." "We didn't kill no woman." "That's a lie." "You see how cruel you is?" "You didn't even notice!" " Two-thousand each?" " Thousand on each of the boys." "The rest is on you." "They don't know us." "No way they could." "Tall man with the ivory grips is what they call you." " And the... the fat man." " Who's the fat man?" "Masks don't cover all it up." "If they don't catch you now, you be alright." "They don't know your faces, but they gonna come at you hard, especially you, until you're good and gone." " East trail it is." " Horses can't make it." " We can't carry enough water..." " If they die, we'll foot it." "You can't foot if you can't drink." "Well... let's hope that don't happen till the final stretch." "Plenty of green patches on the other side." "Fuck all, Henry!" "Man, you done fucked the rooster." "Dammit all to hell!" "No." "Sorry, ma'am." "I truly am." "Goddammit, Henry." "You can't shoot no woman." "Joe." "Joe!" "Joe!" "Don't you do it, you fuckin' cow head." "My kin!" "They's my goddamn kin!" "You done crossed the line." "You know as well as I do, $8,000's enough to turn anyone." "Even kin, Henry." "Even kin." "Alright, hand it to your sister." " But I wanna do it again, Papa." " Now, Charlotte, let's give a turn." " Papa!" " Don't talk back to me, girl." "Well..." "I'll be." "All youse good at is boy things, you ugly rut." "Hush up." "I'll fetch more rounds." "You disgusting bitch." "You got clitchy chuck all over my fingers." "Get up." "You alright, Button?" "Alright, then." "Hey, now." "Never, ever point a gun at somebody unless you intend to bed 'em down." "You bitch, I dare you." "Florence Ethel Tildon!" "You put that gun down at once, or you're gonna get a whoopin' like you've never had." "I was just kiddin', Daddy." " Flo, you go to your daddy now." " I'll go." "Best get in there, give your daddy a rubdown before supper unless you want a whippin'." " I'll go, Mama." " Hush now, Charlotte." "It's Flo's turn." " But she got to..." " No buts." "You do as you're told and shut it." " Let her go, Mama." "I don't..." " No buts for you either, young lady!" "Now git!" "That's a good girl." "These bodies been out here a lot longer than I like." "Josie." "There's something over yonder." "In the bushes." "Alright." "Whoever you be, I implore you, reveal yourself." "We ain't gonna hurt you, long as you come out slow-like." "Last chance." "What's your name, little girl?" "Don't be scared." "Come here." "All's good now." "What's your name?" "Lulu." "Well... that's a pretty name." "Lulu." "What happened out here?" "And who are you to those folks?" "My Grammy and Grampy got shot good." " Yeah." "Who shot 'em, honey?" " I couldn't see them good, but I could hear them." "Bad men." "Yeah, bad men." "Now, do you know why the bad men wanted to shoot your grandfolks?" "Not sure." "I thought they were good at first, and just getting Grampy 'cause he beat on us, but..." "But what, honey?" "But then they bed down Grammy." "And that ain't right." "I loved my Grammy." "When I heard them do that, I sunk down in the brush." "I prayed Jesus till they went away." "They did." "But then the horses run off and I was stuck." "I can ride." "If the horses was here, I could've!" "Now, I know this is hard, Lulu, but..." "I need to know what those men said." "They said a lot of bad words I shouldn't say." "No, not like that." "I need to know where they went." "They said they was going east, through White Sands." " That's impossible." " That's what they said!" "I ain't lying!" "No... that makes sense." "They know we'd have to be cracked to follow 'em down those parts." "Well, I ain't cracked." "Ain't no coin worth that." "Goddamn." "What you get for talking out your neck, yellow scamp." " Sorry, Lulu." " It's okay." "He had it comin'." "Yeah." "Now, we're gonna have the yellow man take the girl back to town, we'll push on." "Boss... maybe we should think about this." "I thought about it." "I think you oughta get on your fucking horse, we'll go get some heads." "I'm starting to wonder if we's dead and gone to hell." "Left rung... firebug... snatch... wart." "You go and you get the pillow." "What the hell you yappin' about?" "Build it!" "Build it strong with the logger and the roots, big John!" "You okay, Maddie?" "Probably too late to save myself from the fire, but I'm gonna die tryin'." "Hallelujah and praise Jesus." "You mind your place." "I was just joshin'." "I wasn't." " I need some water, boys." " I'm hungry, goddammit." "Sun up, sundown and back again with no eats." " Steak'd be nice." " Now he's joshin'." "Henry?" "He gone." "Almost." "Whole side of his head's rotten." "Yeah, well, better him than us." "I didn't mind him." "I'm not gonna talk ill of the dead, but I didn't care for him much anyway." "You just spoke ill of a dead, Charlie." "Shut the fuck up, Joe." "He's not quite dead yet, but he's almost there." " Put him out?" " Waste of a good round, if you ask me." "Well, that ain't nice at all." "Goddammit!" "You happy now?" " I gots to have eats, Henry." " What we needs is some whores." "No eats or we die." "If we die, whores won't gonna matter." " You're a smart one, kid." " That's real funny." "Henry might as well dropped a pile a shit in your mouth." "Shut your yap, Charlie." "I'll kills ya dead." " I'll make you a goner, you dirty halfwit." " Hobble your lips." "Can't go much farther without horses, Henry." "My foot's swole and these bags is like lead." "Back." "Get down." "Well, I'll be." "That ain't no town, Henry." "Nope." "Town can't be too far." "Gotta get their congregation somewhere." "They might have eats." "They'll have eats." "And they'll have horses." "Alright, boys." "We hit 'em at dark." " Cackleberries?" " Yes, dear." "No, no." "That'll do just fine." " Charlotte?" " Yes, please." " Florence?" " Can't handle no more cackleberries." "I can't handle any more cackleberries is the proper way, Florence." " I know, Mama, but Daddy always says it." " Do as I say, not as I do, girl." " Yes, Papa." " You acts like you all big and smart," " but you can't even says it right." " Leave me alone, Sissy." "I'll leave you alone when I want to, you dirty whore." " Hey, now!" " Watch your language, young lady!" "She should get a soap mouth for saying that curse." "Only dumb ugly girls like you get soap mouths." "Hey!" "Cut it out now!" "One more word and I will get the stick." "Please say grace, Georgie." "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed." " Amen." " Amen." " Tastes real nice, Mama." " Well, thank you, honey." "Yep, mighty nice." " Are we gonna have milk again soon?" " Cow looks bony." "Can't figure if it's old age or just not enough feed." "The good Lord will always get us through." "Just testing us, that's all." "Yep, testing us good." "In all that plagues us in this world, all the darkness, there will always be a little God to find." "And it's a beauty to behold." "Praise Jesus." "Praise Jesus." "Hold on." "Hold on now." "Stop eating right quick." "Mama, I'm hungry." "Can I please just finish..." "Your mama's feelin' the Holy Spirit now, Flo." "Ain't no way to plan for when it comes." "Here it is." ""He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man," ""that he may bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of men..."" "Well, that's for some men, in the biblical times." "Not for you, Georgie." " 'Course not." " Nor for you girls." "I reckon that's stated proper, 'cause it says men, not women." "Women ain't allowed to do nothing in that book." "Back in those times, back in those times... drink was different." "Now it's the whiskey, got the devil in it." "The devil's work." "The devil's work is not right." "It's not right." "Sweetheart..." "don't let yourself get all worked up." "It's gotta stop." "Go on there, read us the rest." "Yes, of course." ""Thou makest darkness, and it is night," ""wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth." ""The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God!"" "They seek their meat, they seek their meat from He, God, Him." "Only He can bring us the grass for the cow." "Only he can bring healing to the town and steady congregation to us once again." "We do the work, but He decides." " You must always remember that." " Always, Mama." "Be thankful, no matter how dark the time." "And worship." " Praise Jesus." " Praise Jesus." "You may eat." "Go!" "Go!" "Well, I'll be." "Dinnertime." "Back in your chair, ma'am." "Take a settle." " Flo, get your hands up!" " No need for that, mister." "Y'all can put your hands down." "You heeled?" "Just my scatter gun over yonder." "There's another." "Under the bed in the sleep room." "Six-shooter." " Daddy, look what she did!" " They found it, they'd kill us." "It's okay, honey." "Smart young lady you got there." "Now, mister..." "Mister, I'm trying real hard to be as nice as I damn well can." "Ain't gonna tell you more than once." "Don't you ever lie to me." "Yes, sir." "That it?" "Alright, then." " He isn't gonna kill us?" " Hush now." "Can I ask what exactly it is we can do for you boys?" "You look like good boys." "Good Christians." "You wouldn't hurt us, now would you?" "I can assure you, ma'am, these ain't good boys I got here." "And I myself, well, I's a hard case." " But we ain't here to do no killin'." " I gots to have eats." "Well, ses, sir." "We have... hens' eggs and bean sludge for you." "Nice and hot." "I think we strike gold, Henry." "If you're all finished, I'd ask you to slide yourselves down yonder." "Get a wiggle on." "Come on." "Keep your fire pointed at their noggins, Joe!" " Where'd all that blood come from?" " Shut it now, girl!" "Why's she trying to get us full of bullets?" "Quit poking' at 'em." "Nothin' wrong with the young lady wanting to have a little conversation." "She's just a dumb, stupid kid, sir." "Looks like a lady to me if I ever seen one." " She's just stupid." " You're stupid." "Alright." "Let's be nice to each other as we pass the time." " I'm sorry, Sissy." " No, you ain't." " Well, yes, I am." " No, you ain't." "Yes, she is already!" " How many horses, mister?" " Only two, sir, and they's crows' bait." "Other two died in the freeze-out." "Dammit!" "Dammit all to hell!" "I got two pack mules, sir." "Mayhap that'll help." "I ain't riding' no pack ass." "We'll take the horses, put Little Joe on one of them mules." "Mighty slow movin'." "It'll get us to the meet-up." "Alright." "Listen here, mister." "We ain't gonna hurt you none as long as you go along." "Alright?" "We're gonna have a breath, wash up, get some shuteye." "Then, at daylight, we're gonna light a shuck outta here." "Well, what if the lawmen comes tonight?" " That's the smartest thing he's ever said." " They wouldn't track us this far." "If they had the sand to do it, they'd be tracking dead horses." "We got time." "You don't know that." "I don't care a continental what you think I know or don't know." " What'd y'all do to get in a fix like this?" " What'd I tell you, girl?" "It's their own, private business, Flo." "I know what you're thinking, mister." "But we ain't like that." " Like what?" " We ain't killers." "We bank thieves." "We only beefed them 'cause they was trying to beef us." "I knew we should've held off when we saw who was in there." " Rather be in a bone orchard?" " Might as well be." "More money on our noggins than Jesse James." " Hobble that lip, Joe." " We didn't hear nothin', sir." "I'm sure you's good boys..." "just had to do what you had to do." " How much?" "How much money on your heads?" " Keep it shut now!" "Only way we're gonna kill you is if you don't go along." "Liar." "You'll kill us either way." " That one there's got a lip on her." " A mighty fine lip." "You sure got sand, lady." "Most cases... you'd be right." "But..." " we ain't up for doin' that no more." " You ain't into doin' that no more." " Unless need be, of course." " How you know we won't squeal?" "Because he knows we won't." "Right, sir?" "We're gonna make you flush, honey." "Rich people... they don't like to squeal." "That's mighty generous of you, mighty generous." " We've never been flush before, have we?" " No, honey." "No, we haven't." "Make us lighter for the ride, won't it, Charlie?" " Sure will, big bug." " How far to the border?" "Little less than a day's ride." "Maybe a little longer, dragging' plow." "Might be nice to get roostered." "Please, Henry?" "A few nips couldn't hurt." "You got any red eye?" "There's some for medicinal matters in the sleep room." "What is it you called, ma'am?" "Her name's Ada, but that don't seem important." "Just be a good boy." "I know you's a good boy who believes in Jesus." "I'll show you a good boy." "Come here, sit in my lap." "I will do no such thing." "You best not be making a mash on no married woman loves Jesus." " I'm just having a little..." " You ain't having nothing unless I say so." "Thank you, sir." "Thank you." "You should go for that one." "I'd rather die than to let you put your fil..." "Shut it, gyp face." "I'd rather die than to put my filthy hands on your pasty..." " Throw up the sponge, kid." " She laid into me first!" "You ain't seen what I saw." "She been givin' me the eye ever since we walked in here." "Just tell me which one I'm sticking it in." "Then I'll get right to it soon as I'm done washing up." "You behave yourself and be a good ol' boy, Joseph." "Need you to keep outside watch tonight." " Mister, is the girl married?" " No, I'm not." "But I don't have any interest in boys or leavin' home." "She can't get in the family way." "Fever got her when she's young." "Makes it hard." "I'm sorry to hear that." " But when I asked, I meant her." " Her?" "Yeah, her." "She hitched?" "No, sir." "She's only 15." "Seems like she got some time." "Most boys in the town with consumption." "What's your name, little bug?" "We call her Florence." "Well, I'll be." "That's a sweet little name for such a sweet little bug." "Please leave our girls to themselves, sir." "We keep 'em pure and in the path of Christ." "She a pretty lady." " I don't like where this is going." " She ain't no lady." "She's just a girl." " Ain't any lady is the proper way, Mama." " This ain't time for joking, Flo." " This man intends..." " I intend to what, ma'am?" " I don't like what you're getting at." " Don't mind my wife, sir." "She knows you don't intend nothing sinister." "Why don't you hop up here on my lap now?" "Now you wait a second there, sir!" "You leave my daughter be, or you gonna have to fight me like Kilkenny cats, guns or no guns!" "That's rich." " Georgie!" "Christ in Heaven!" " Papa!" " Papa!" "Papa!" " Ain't gonna be no fight, mister." " You ain't a good man." " Never said I was." " You're a curly wolf." " Maybe." "You killed him!" "He ain't dead." "He's just boogered up." "Now pony up, little bug." "I ain't gonna hurt you." " Come on, missy." " No!" "No, don't you touch her!" "Hey!" "No need for that, Charlie." "She was comin' on her own legs." "Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." "Still don't like him pushing me places." "That's fair enough, bug." "Florence." "Florence!" "No!" "You best stay where you is." "Be a good boy and make him stop, on account of Jesus!" "Joe!" "I don't know nothin' about Jesus." "No need for that shit." "Sorry, Henry." "Alright now." "Go on, little bug..." "take yourself a nice nip." " He needs a doctor." " Broke nose don't need no doctor." "Keep that flannel mouth shut, girl." "Everything's fine." "I..." "I don't need no doctor." " I'm just fine." " You see?" "Told you so." "He only hit me on account of my threatening." " It's my own damn fault." " Now, that's the spirit, mister." "My apologies, ma'am." "No excuse for what he done." "I'm alright." "You just as fine as cream gravy." "You like sitting up here?" "Like it better if you didn't stink so darn bad." "Young lady's got a point." " I'll bet we smell worse than pigs in shit." " I told you I need a wash." "My parts itches." "Where's the bathing happen around here?" "You boys get watered up." "We'll trade posts when you're done cleaning'." "You wanna... get yourself washed up, you best do it now." "Your family should pony up, as well." "They'd like to water up now, that's their concern." "What in Jesus's name does she think she doing?" "That's a smart girl." "It's mighty fine, what she's layin' out." "Don't you reckon?" "Reckon what?" "She's trying to save our lives." "If you told I'd gotten a chill... six marks on a clock ago, I'd have laughed you down." "Wind's coming at night beast-like this time of the year." "Fire feels nice." " What's your trade, mister?" " Mr. Tildon preaches the Good Lord's word." "In that little church house?" "Yes, sir." "When it's full." "We gonna run into any funny business in the morning?" "People walking about?" "No, sir." "Town's a few miles in." "We ain't had... nobody at morning service, or any other service for months now." "Like I says, town's got the consumption, everyone's shut in." "I'm gonna get some shuteye, get myself a nice rubdown." "I'm sore deep." "You know how, little bug?" "Sir, may I say my piece?" "Much obliged." "I wanted to plead with you one last time, man to man, please leave my little Flo's purity for her husband," " whomever that may be." " Please just be a good boy." " I ain't no boy." " Let me handle this." "Your daughters give you rubdowns, I take it." "Why, yes, sir." "That's the frontier way." "Daddy likes it when I do it best, 'cause my hands are strong." "Yes, yes, honey." "Just... quiet down." "All I want's a rubdown, same as you." "Nothing sinister." "Nothing... sexual." "This is a house of God." "We do not speak of such things." "What kind of things?" "Sexual things?" "Joe, you keep outside watch tonight." "Take the other girl with you." "Daddy?" "Daddy!" "Daddy, stop him, Daddy!" " He'll behave himself." " Charlotte, Charlotte, you just go along." " Everything'll be fine." " I'll try." "Honey." "Honey, look at me." "I love you." "I love you, Daddy." "Joe, you behave yourself." "No funny business." "Pony up, little bug." "First light, we move." "We're lucky if they ain't dead." "They didn't find no horses." "You have to prepare for a stretch like that to make it." "Well, maybe they was prepared." "I doubt it." "They're bank robbers, not trackers." "I doubt it, too, but... they're gonna come across some horses soon." "And if they're still kicking, they might kill for 'em." "I don't think it's smart, us going in only two like this." "With surprise, we'll get the bulge on 'em." "When we get to Mesilla, I plan to picking up some more muscle." "That'll help." "Honest, I don't miss the boys." "Their water's been more use than they'd have been crossing this stretch." "Yeah." "Get up." "Alright." "Come on." "You have the oils?" "We use chicken fat." "We'll do it dry." "Well, now take it up." "Get positioned proper, honey." "Shit." " What the dickens got into you, little bug?" " I'm sorry." "Son of a bitch." "I should've asked." "Girl... even if I'm... belly fired," "I ain't partial to that." "I'm sorry." "Shit." "What are you doin'?" "What's wrong?" "Am I not doin' it proper?" "I ain't opposed to relations with you." "As a matter of fact..." "I have a fire in my belly right now." "But this ain't the way I want it." "I wanna bed you proper." "But you're here acting more like... an adventuress than a lady." "You been with one of them?" "Been with a couple in my day, I reckon." "But you gotta remember, I'm old." "You're not old." "For a lawbreaker..." "I'm ancient." "What was it like with the painted ladies?" "Did they do it good?" "They have their own way." "But if I wanted those kind of relations..." "I could have 'em any time I want." "Now, what got into you, little bug... make you do a thing like that?" "Youse likes to talks about anything?" "Alright." "Youse real lucky Henry called me off... or I'd be fucking you silly right now." "Where'd that come from?" "Knife." "Where'd those come from?" "I think you know." "I suppose I do." "Did it hurt?" "Every time." "Better than not hurting, though." "That means it's all over." "I never met a man like you." "I reckon you ain't met many men." "Not many, but some." "I thought they were all like my daddy." "I was wrong." "You are a good man." "I ain't never been accused of such." "Well, I'm accusing you." "How's your riding legs?" "Better than most girls, worse than most boys, I suppose." " That'll do." " I'm tough enough." "You ever been down Mexico way?" "No." "Mighty pretty in the right spots." "Henry?" "Yes, darlin'." "You fancy me?" "I reckon I do." "I fancied you soon the moment you walked through that door, even though I knew I shouldn't." "But it's different now." "Now that I know you're a good man." "Henry?" "Yes, darlin'." "I never been kissed before." "Damn near Apache country." "Maybe they got 'em already." "Maybe." "I doubt it, though." "That stretch would've got 'em before the Apache did." "I just wanna collect 'em." "I don't care if they're dead already or alive as June Wiggles," "I just wanna collect 'em." "Josiah." "It's okay to lose out once." "Hell, we're done flush already." "Nobody's gonna hold it against us." "No, it ain't, and that ain't what it's about." "You oughta think about shutting your cock-holster, 'less you wind up like old yellow man over there." "You back down, Josiah." "I'm not one of your whores." "I won't quit until you do." "I'm just saying." "Yeah, just sayin'." "Let's light a shuck." "Come on." "Take a sit on your seat." "Alright now." "We all clear?" "We's good." "Time to hightail it." "I knew that bastard'd keep the woman the whole damn night." "Well, if my knob was slimy with done cunny, I'd have stayed in there too." "Wake it up now, Henry." "Time to light a shuck!" "Dammit, come on." "Already late." "Don't wanna tempt fate." "Them's rhymin' words, Charlie!" "Well, ain't you smart." "Take a settle... knuckleheads." "What the fuck is this?" " What do you think?" " Who's she think she is, Calamity Jane?" "Well... this here's the new member of our gang." "What's gotten into you, Sissy?" " You got rocks in your noggin, Henry?" " I'd mind your tone." "I'll mind my tone just fine, but I'm worried about you givin' fire to this girl." " You don't know her." " I'd mind your tone a little more." " That's my wife-to-be." " Wife-to-be?" " Ain't nobody gonna say nothing?" " Ain't nothing nobody can say, missy." "First church we find across the border, we're gonna stop and do it proper, ain't we now, Henry?" "Why, yes, we is, little bug." "That way, I'm keeping my promise, old man." " Save her for her husband." " Charlotte." "No, no, honey, I done got my nose boogered, but my legs are just fine." "Flo, you're upsetting your mama." "Why don't you come on back to earth now?" "I'm already right here on earth, Papa." "Henry and I are going off together." "Please, sir." "I beg you." "In the name of the Good Christ." "She's just a baby." "She don't know what she's doin'." "Now I can tell... that you are a good man." "Just like your husband?" "Yes, sir." "Now, I know you don't wanna lead her to the fire when she's just a young'un." "She deserves a chance to lead a righteous life." "You shut it, Mama." "I've had about enough of you." "Honey, I love you." " You're my little baby!" " Honey, my sweetest, darling little girl." "I know you're just making a mash to save us, but this here's a fair man." "He got no need to bed us down." "He would've done it already." "Henry, we gots to cut stick." "Flo... you just tell this man... that you love your family and that we need you." "You tell him you can't go." " Yes." " I see here a man that... he wants to make his way away from the fire." "I see a man that wants to lead the righteous way." " Yes." " I see a man here that might..." "Sissy, why you playing such devilish games?" " I ain't playin'." " Well, hell!" "Ain't she a firecracker." "Honey... why you wanna point a gun at your daddy?" "What I ought to do is open a crater in your face with this here pistol." "What you think about that, Papa?" "Well... it sounds to me like he done bamboozled you... turned you against your own pa." "Sissy, that's just about enough!" "Now, you leave Daddy alone!" "Be a good girl, honey, put the gun down." "Just remember... that the good Lord is testing us." "We can still serve him, honey," " and make everything better." " Honey, we got to stick together as a family." " Yes." " Alright." "That's enough." "You wanna do this right, sweets." "Sit down." "Fresh?" "Hold on." "We got 'em, alright." "They're on foot, headed to Mesilla, and this boy here... he's bleeding like a wag tail on the rag." "I wouldn't be surprised if we come up on another stiff." "Which way?" "Well, from here in... there's only one way that men can trek." "By the looks of this, they ain't but two hops and a holler away." " Do we ride?" " Hell, yes." "Let's cut stick." " Can I sit with my family, sir?" " I ain't gonna tell you twice." "Sit... down." "You too, missy, other side of the table." "Henry, what the hell's going on here?" " We need to cut stick." " It'll just take a few minutes." "But it ain't arguable." "Best grab a chair." "What in the Good Christ's name is being..." "You shut your fucking mouth till I tell you different!" "Hey, bug... the things we talked about, what do you wanna do first?" "First thing... or the second thing?" "The second thing." "Alright, then." "Makes sense." "Have at it." "No!" "Sit down!" "She ain't fucking around." "No, she ain't!" "Charlotte!" "I'm sorry, Sissy." "I meant to hit you up higher." "Move it, Mama, 'less you wanna get sprayed." "Bug." "We're all damned to eternal burning." "All of us, all of us." "All damned." "And the devil that deceived us was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone," " where the beast..." " Shut up, woman!" " ...into the lake of fire and brimstone..." " Take a settle now, woman!" " Shut your fucking yammer box." " Shut!" "God!" "What you've done is unforgivable!" "The devil's in you now!" "There ain't nothing can keep your soul outta the fires." "Ain't nothing more demonic than striking down your own flesh and blood," " your own kin!" " Shut it, mister." "I'd like to exchange words now, man to man." "Take off your vest." " Pardon?" " You do as you're told." "Take off your vest." "Get that thing outta here, will you?" "Backdoor." "You look at me when I talk to you." "Yes, sir." "I'm ready to talk." "Now don't be a lickfinger." "I wasn't licking no finger... sir." "Why don't you tell me how it is your oldest daughter got all twisted up inside." "Why she couldn't be in the family way." "I told you that already." "She got the fever." "You sure about that?" "Yeah, 'course I'm sure." "Now... you have two choices, you son of a bitch." "Humiliation or death." "Now, you either speak truth... or I'll pull the trigger." "Well?" "She was pregnant." "What?" " She was in the family way." " When?" "When was she in the family way?" " Please, sir, don't make me..." " You say it!" "I was sick." "I was sick with the devil's seed!" "I was sick with the drink!" " There was a demon living here with us!" " How old?" "A demon!" "God have mercy on us all." "How old was she, mister?" "Eleven." "Eleven... years old." "And I speak the truth when... when I say digging that baby out of her is what twisted her all up inside." "You look at me." "Who put her in the family way?" "Who planted that filthy seed?" "That was the devil's work." "That was the drink." "You... you frontier folk is wrong, if there ever was such a word." " The devil's work?" "The drink?" " Yes, sir." "Yes, sir!" "And I guess that you... you just... done fixed that, right?" " Yes, sir." " Yeah?" "Long time ago?" "Yes, sir." "I..." "We brought Jesus back into our home." "I quit the drink." "We drove the demon out." "So now the demon's clean gone?" "And you repent?" "So all's good, you know?" "Good with God?" "Yes, sir." "Christ forgives." "He forgives." "Well, yes, he does, mister." "Well, yes, he does!" "So I have one more question." "If the... the devil... if he's gone from this house... well, then, that must've been you... getting your dirty ass licked... and your tiny prick slopped on by my bride-to-be last week," "and the week before that and the week before that!" "Hey, you shush!" "I might just pump you full of lead on account of you knowin' it was goin' on all these years." "Yeah, that's right." "You see..." "Here's the thing." "You see..." "Christ forgives." "He does." "But I don't." "Hey!" "Joe." " Yes, sir." " Here you are, old boy." "I need you to do something for me." "I need you to fuck this man proper, right there in that shit hole." " What did you fuckin' say?" " Please don't!" " Keep your heads down!" " What did you fuckin' say?" "Charlie, you mind the ladies for me, will ya?" "Take 'em outside a spell." "My pleasure." "I don't need to put eyes on this sick shit." "I don't know about this, boss." "I ain't never done nothin' like it." "You'll be fine as cream gravy." "Now whip out that knob, boy." "You so much as move a muscle, I'm gonna put two bullets in the back of your head before you can say eat my asshole." " Okay." " Where's that chicken fat?" "We're all out!" "Shame." "Looks like Joe's going in dry." "Henry..." "I don't like some man ass." "You put it in the back of a woman, I reckon." "Yes, sir, once or twice, with the old ladies at Miss Rita's." "There you go." "Alright." "Now you just close your eyes and you imagine it's that... nice lady's ass." "Alright, I reckons I can do that." "Alright, then." "You stay right there." "Hey, mister." "You ready?" " No!" " Alright, go." "Now you hit him nice and hard." "Make sure he knows it's in him." "I ain't worked up, Henry." "I gots to get it ready." "Alright." "That's fine." "And you... take your time." "You stay comfortable." "You shush." "You know... usually I'd wait till after." "But this is too good." "Ain't I the matchmaker?" "All set." "It's ready, Henry." "Alright, old boy, now you shove it in there nice and deep." "No!" "Please!" "Please!" "Just shoot me!" "Please!" "Please!" "Shoot me!" "Stop!" "Stop." "Joe, stop." "You done good, boy." " I don't gotta gets it in, Henry?" " No." "No, you don't." "I just wanted to scare him, is all." "Now put that thing back in your riding pants." "Thank you!" "Thank you from the bottom of my gullet!" "Hey, Joe... fetch Florence." "And you... get your ass up off the table and sit down." "You not gonna kill me?" "Thank you, sir!" "Thank you." "Thank you." "I'm gonna clean the devil out..." "proper this time." "How you doin', little bug?" "You think about what you wanna use?" "Alright, then." "I reckon this'll do." "She gonna shoot me?" "No, no, no, Nancy pants." "You see... she wanted to at first." "Then I told her, y'know, gunshot's quick, it's easy." "Gunshot's a good death." "You deserve to feel it." "Holy hell, girl!" "You still have doubts about our new member?" "Hell no!" "You okay, honey?" "You alright?" "Water." "Hey, Joe, grab some water, will you?" "Alright?" "I'm sorry." "For what, little bug?" "You done mighty fine." "Thanks, Joe." "I never seen anything like that." "I suppose the look of it just... turned my stomach." "It's normal." "You done real good." "Real good." "No." "No." " I wanna finish it." " Ma'am... can I indulge?" "Alright." "Now, don't take this the wrong way, but there are better ways to finish." "Now, you cracked him mighty hard, but... he's still alive." "I thought he'd be dead after I broke his eye like that." "Yeah, you'd think so?" "But it don't always work that easy." "You gotta hit in the proper place." "Now... do you want to finish him now... or you wanna make him suffer a little bit more?" "Not much more." "Alrighty." "Lookie here." "You hit him here, he dies immediate-like." "You hits him right here, right here, just make him squeal like a pig." " A thousand thanks, sir." " Call me Charlie." "We're friends now." "Finish him, darlin'." "Now that's a show if I ever seens one." "Quiet, old boy." "Alright." "Let's get you cleaned up." " Missy?" " Yes, Charlie?" "Why'd you bed down your sis?" "She liked it." "Violence... how does it all begin?" "The violence." "We're either on one side of it or the other." "Sometimes both." "Where's the innocence go?" "Is it gone?" "Or is it always there beneath the darkness?" "Trying to remind us who we are." "How do we lose ourselves?" "Or we find in our true selves?" "The innocence or the darkness?" "Which are we?" "You got some blood on your face." "I'm leaving, Mama." "I was gonna kill you." " Why..." " Stubborn." " Why would you kill..." " Shut your yap, I beg." "I was going to kill you, but Henry convinced me not to." "He said he didn't wanna spill no more blood, didn't want me getting too used to it." "Now, I reckon there gonna be bounty-hunters and lawmen here on account of that big reward they're offering." "You best keep your mouth shut, Mama." "Remember, this is a gift Henry gave you." "The gift of life." "And also best remember... that you will not know where I am... and I will know where you are." "You understand?" "Yes." "Henry told me to leave you that." "I wish I..." "I would wish..." "I know, Mama." "Those boys fucked a rooster." "It's a mess." "Let's take a look-see around the property." "I need you to tell me everything." "Where'd they go?" "Woman!" "Where'd they go?" "Well... that's that." "Did you wanna make a run?" "You know I'm with you." "The border's close and they hours ahead of us." " We're beat." " We're not beat." "They just got our goat, just once." "It's up to you." "You're the boss." "We could stay." "Or we could cross over and we could look for 'em." "No, I think you oughta get on back to your family." "And I'm gonna poke around Mesilla a little bit, get a hot bath, you know, kinda linger, see if I..." "Hey, hey, I'll stay." "I know you will." "I'm well-upped, though." "You cut on out, get back to your family." "You're the boss." " At least we got two of them." " Yeah, we did." "Sometimes we decide to take the wrong path." "We think we're righteous." "Surprise ourselves." "We go toward the fire." "Make the wrong choice." "And we're beat." "It's all over." "It's all over." "Open your eyes, little bug." "Mexico." "You and me." " You and me." " Come on, love birds!" "Let's get a wiggle on!" "We cross, then we rest easy!" "I'll never be able to show you how grateful I am." "You will." "And I will." "Got all the time in the world." "No." "Henry!" "Henry?" "I'm sorry, Henry." "I wanted to, I really did." "I just couldn't." "That reward money is good, clean coin." "Well... that's it." "Didn't Daddy ever tell you about revolvers?" "You always, no matter what, gotta leave one chamber empty." "You know why?" "You know why?" "It's 'cause if you're addle-handed and you stack up all six and the gun drops..." "Then you've got yourself in a real bad box." "Hell, Henry told me... he knew a man who shot off his own ball." "Never could have relations again." "Poor thing." "Are you alright, Mother?" "You look balled up." "I know." "I know." "I reckon today's been a bag of nails." "Lots of changes." "Lots of changes." "Mighty nice, Joe." "Mighty nice."