"Here's 50 to cover that bet." "Worth 70 to me, just to watch it." "70?" "You're covered." "Anybody else wanna put money on dabbs?" "Stranger?" "You seem set on givin' away some money today." "That boy o' yours," "Looks like he oughta be back on the farm." "He could be, mr." "Dabbs, but I'm putting' up money that says" "He's faster than you." "I'll be happy to take some of yours." "I don't bet." "Now you go get your boy, I'm tired o' waitin'." "Yeah." "Careful not to scare him, he might tail it for home." "Hi, jack, is everythin' all right?" "We gonna get us a room in the hotel?" "I'm sorry, reuben." "Why?" "Isn't this town all right?" "Looks like a nice, little town to me." "Forget it, we'll ride on to north fork," "You'll like that even better." "But why?" "Why are we leavin'?" "Did somebody say somethin' again?" "Never mind, just do as I say." "Who said it, jack." "Who said it?" "It's the one in front." "He's been sayin' things about you," "The same as that fellow in dodge was sayin'." "Give me my gun, jack, please you got to." "If you insist." "You got somethin' to say to me, mister?" "Make your play, boy." "Ain't nobody gonna talk about me that way." "Now you've done it." "Now get out of here as fast as you can," "I'll try to fix this," "And catch up with you on the road to north fork." "That was the fastest draw I've ever seen." "Seems you, gentlemen, lost yourself a little bet." "How do you do, ladies an'" "Gentlemen?" "Well here we are with our annual shooting' contest." "Now, I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules." "However for any newcomers that might be present," "I'm goin' to repeat the rules." "Now, I want you to know" "That each man is entitled to five shots rapid fire" "At that target." "Now, I want you to know, too, that the winner will receive," "Absolutely free," "This beautiful brand-new model 12-gauge shotgun." "Isn't she a dandy?" "I'll say, yes indeed." "So come on fellows," "Step up an' try your eye, an'" "May the best man win." "Come on fellows, on to firing' now." "Sure is a mighty handsome lookin' shotgun." "Bet anyone would like to own it." "Meanin' you." "Well, sure." "I mean, it..." "It'd be fine for hunting' an' such." "Yeah, if you're old enough to use it." "I don't have any need" "For it, mark." "But since that salesman is so anxious to give" "It away, maybe I" " I'll get lucky, an' win it for you." "You mean, you'll give me the shotgun?" "Well, I haven't won it yet, but if I do, you'll get it," "When you're old enough to use it." "Four in, one out." "Well, I think I'll give it a try, micah." "Lucas boy, it looks like you gonna have a run for your money." "There've been quite a few good shots" "Come in from out o' town to win this shoot." "Well, mark's got his eye on that shotgun, so I guess that" "Kinda puts me on the spot, huh?" "Three in, two out!" "Go!" "Sharp shooting'?" "Yeah, let's have us a look." "Go!" "Five, all in!" "Lucas mccain." "Go!" "Five, all in!" "Well, any more contestants?" "Well, it looks like a dead heat between these three gentlemen." "Target will have to be moved back five paces." "How much does the winner get?" "No cash prize, just that fine shotgun over there." "Go!" "Four in, one out!" "Can you get my gun now, jack?" "Forget it, it's not worth the trouble." "Black hat murphy." "Go!" "Five, all in!" "That's pretty good shootin', son." "Just try, pa." "Lucas mccain." "Go!" "Five, all in!" "No wider than a nickel." "Dead center!" "I could've done as well, maybe better." "You should've let me try." "You might get a chance, later." "Can I be excused?" "All right, son." "Where are you goin' with that?" "Well, just outside, wanna show it to some o' my friends." "All right, but don't stray off too far, huh?" "All right." "Don't eat so fast." "I think I'll go out for a spell." "You're very good with that rifle of yours, mr." "Mccain, is it?" "That's right." "My name is jack scully, you mind if I sit down for a minute?" "No, go ahead." "Seems I've heard of a man around these parts who built" "Quite a reputation for himself with a rifle." "You him?" "If I've got a reputation," "It's not because I went lookin' for it." "Maybe not, but when one of those young gunnies" "Come into town, I bet you'll like to show 'em" "How fast you really are, don't you?" "No, I don't." "I take no pleasure in gunfightin'." "Really, mr." "Mccain?" "Really, mr." "Scully." "I can't tolerate the kind of a man" "Who does." "Especially the kind that likes to watch it." "Sometimes a man can't avoid a fight, if he's a man." "Good day, mr." "Mccain." "Pow." "Pow." "Boom." "You gotta lead them ducks." "Howdy." "Hello." "I've just been admiring' that shotgun you got there." "Pa won it for you, didn't he?" "Well, were you watchin'?" "Mighty fine shooting'." "Course there are some might be better." "My pa's the best shot there is." "Oh, leastways, I've never seen the man who's better." "You think I might hold it?" "Sure." "Don't worry, it's not loaded." "Golly." "That sure is some shootin' piece." "Had me a rifle once." "Did your pa let you use it, when you were my age?" "Taught me with it." "Taught me good." "Ain't no man says anythin'" "Against me, unless he comes up against my gun." "Oh, but you're not wearin' a gun?" "Can't, too dangerous." "Oh." "Hello, son?" "Oh, pa, this is reuben." "It's reuben miles." "Howdy, mr." "Mccain?" "Hello, reuben." "Just admiring' your shootin' prize." "Oh, thank you very much." "Mark, we'd better get started loading' the wagon," "Will you go get it?" "Oh, all right." "That's a mighty fine boy you got there, mr." "Mccain." "Oh, thank you, reuben." "You got work to be done?" "We're gonna pick up some supplies from the general store." "I can lift 300 pounds, picked up a horse once." "You want me to show ya?" "No, no, no, no." "It won't be necessary, reuben." "Thank you very much." "I sure would be pleasured to help ya." "Well, don't tell me no one's got money to back up these feelings." "Mccain's the fastest man in these parts, we don't know" "Anythin' about this boy you're talkin' about." "Well, seein' as mccain's, your neighbor, I think you'd" "Wanna back 'im out of pride for your own." "Mccain's no neighbor o' mine, nor any of us for that matter." "Uh-uh." "We just came into north fork for the shoot." "Yeah, on the way over here," "I met a man from minnekanni who told me about some" "Young farmhand that took leroy dabbs." "He's your boy?" "That's him!" "Dabbs was pretty fast, but I'd still have to go with mccain." "All right, how much?" "100, two?" "Now how're you gonna get mccain to a showdown?" "He ain't no gunfighter." "Don't worry, just leave that to me." "200 says mccain is a better man." "Here, bartender, you hold the stash." "I'll go for a hundred." "All right, gentlemen." "Anybody else wanna put down a little bet?" "Hey, let me give you a hand with that, reuben." "No, you rest easy, mr." "Mccain, I can handle it." "Why you're the strongest man I ever saw, reuben." "Oh, little sack o' potatoes?" "That sack o' potatoes weighs a good 100 pounds." "Oh, that's nothin'." "Look, mark, will you go in an' tell milly we'll be back" "In Friday?" "I'm goin' over to the harness maker." "I'll be right back." "All right." "I'll see you later, mr." "Mccain." "What do you mean, talkin' to mccain?" "Well, I'd say he's a pretty nice fellow, an' his boy there, too." "Oh, you would?" "An' you think" "He likes you, an' hasn't been sayin' things behind your back." "What are you talkin' about, jack?" "Had a few words with mccain," "In the dining' room after you left." "No, he wouldn't." "Well, he an' mark, mighty friendly towards me." "It's because he's afraid of you." "He's afraid you'll make 'im answer for what he said." "Oh, I couldn't believe mccain- he really was sayin' things?" "He told me to keep movin', they don't want us in town." "You're foolin' me, ain't you, jack?" "Look, he calls you a dirty half-breed, is that foolin'?" "I thought you should start wearin' this in town." "I like the looks of this town, reuben." "I figured we could open a saloon here." "Maybe we will..." "After I settle with mccain." "Well, we better get home, son." "Much obliged for your help, reuben." "You gonna be needin' that rifle, mccain." "What did you say?" "Your rifle." "What's troublin' you, reuben?" "You had me fooled, you did." "But you can't go talkin' behind my back!" "Look, I don't know what you're talkin' about," "Maybe you better explain." "Own up, mccain!" "To what?" "Either you get your rifle," "Or I'm gonna stomp you where you stand." "What's the matter with you?" "I won't be needin' this." "Well, good." "All right, get up an' fight!" "All right, hold it!" "Now that's enough." "Now who started this?" "Well, speak up!" "He does any more talkin' about me," "He better have that rifle next time." "What's this all about, lucas?" "Micah, I don't really know." "All right, break it up, on your way, everybody." "You, er," "You better come down to my office," "Your face could stand a little water." "Yeah." "Are you all right?" "Yeah, are we gonna leave?" "No, reuben, we're not gonna be pushed out of another town." "I'm goin' in this hotel, I'm gonna get us a room." "Put this" "On, an' wear it." "Now, if mccain gives you any more trouble," "You're big enough to take care of yourself." "What did that boy mean, you were talkin' about him?" "I don't know, micah." "Reuben seemed friendly enough" "A few minutes before, then he came up lookin' to pick a fight." "Reuben, is it reuben miles?" "Yeah, I think so." "Why?" "Well, the sheriff down in minnekanni" "Sent out a letter on 'im." "He's a young gunfighter makin' quite a reputation for himself." "Hmm, is he wanted?" "No, you can't call it murder when he outdraws a man." "Marshal said he's a dead shot." "Hmm." "Soft as pie one minute, dead shot the next." "I wonder how much scully has got to do with this." "Scully?" "Yeah, that fellow that's with 'im." "You know he coulda primed" "Reuben for this fight." "What I'd like to know is, why?" "Hey, here comes that kid reuben." "Well, like I was sayin', you know, it's a good thing mccain" "Didn't pick up his rifle." "The way I heard, that youngster," "He can't hit a barn door at 20 feet." "Ain't so, mister!" "Oh, say now, I'm real sorry, I didn't see you come in, sonny." "You shouldn't be a talkin' behind a man's back!" "Oh, no offense now, I" "I was just wonderin' how good you really were." "Well, all right." "You wouldn't mind showing' us," "Would you, son?" "Givin' us a little demonstration like?" "Oh, I don't know." "Oh, go on, just to help us settle a little argument." "Hey, look at that." "Yeah." "That answer your question, mister?" "Oh right, you're good." "Yeah, I..." "I'd say you're real good." "You're better than mccain," "Any day of the year." "A man would be a fool to bet against you." "Right." "Let me buy you a drink, son." "You got any sodie pop?" "Sodie pop!" "I'll buy you all the soda pop you can drink." "Right." "Hey, here." "Let's see you hit this card." "Look at that." "Dead center." "Reuben!" "Take this key, go up to our hotel room, an' wait for me." "Scully, we've seen how good your" "Boy is." "Could be he's a mite better than mccain." "Yeah, I'm withdrawing' my bet." "You can't do that." "Ah, they'll never fight anyway." "I'm callin' off my bet." "Now wait a minute" "Scully?" "I'd like a word with you." "Ah, come on men, buy you all a drink, eh?" "Yeah!" "Sure, sure!" "What's on your mind, marshal?" "Get out o' town, an' take that boy with you." "Whoa, now I know my rights," "Marshal." "We haven't done anythin' wrong." "You've been tryin' to engineer a fight between reuben an' lucas" "Mccain." "You've been takin' bets on it." "Well, we still haven't done anythin' that's against the law," "You can't do anythin'." "Maybe not now, but if that boy gets into another fight," "I'll count him a menace to society an' throw 'im in jail." "That goes for you too, scully, an' I mean what I say." "All right, the bet's off." "You give up on your boy, scully?" "More trouble than he's worth." "You two must had a fallin' out, huh?" "Nothing but a dumb farmhand!" "I almost wished I'd bet on mccain." "Divide up the money." "Eh, just a minute, scully." "You're not sayin' that you'd bet against your boy, are you?" "He's not my boy, not anymore, if you want 'im, you can have 'im." "All right then, how about you" "Givin' us reuben, an' backin' mccain yourself?" "All right, it will be a pleasure!" "My money's right here." "Ah, I guess I fell to napping'." "What's wrong, jack?" "It's mccain, he's been sayin' things again." "Reuben, he wants" "Us to get out, now he's got the marshal on his side." "You had your chance, why did you let it go?" "Oh, jack, maybe we oughta leave, I'm sick o' all this." "You'd run away like you're too scared?" "Oh, you can stay, it's me they don't want." "I guess I'll go live somewhere else where they ain't no folks." "Just me alone." "Maybe I'll get me another dog." "My dog he..." "Just took me like I was." "Maybe I ain't fit to live with other folks." "Reuben..." "When I found you, you were all alone." "An' you were in trouble, remember?" "I know, jack, an' you're the only friend I've got in the" "Whole wide world." "Why, if it weren't for you, I don't know" "What would have befallen me." "I know I ain't smart, an'" "I gotta look to you more times than not to tell me what to do." "You're like one of my own kin, reuben." "That's why it" "Makes me so mad when I hear a man like mccain" "Talkin' against you." "Why did he say it, jack?" "Why do they all say those things?" "Because some people are just foul inside." "They know you're" "Not too quick in the head, an' they just can't help it." "Oh, I don't like killin'." "Mccain has got to die!" "You should have heard what he said about your mother." "What could he say about ma?" "She's only part cherokee." "Pa says it's all right, that it didn't make no difference." "To men like mccain, it does." "From what I remember, before she died, she was good to me." "Why don't they let her be?" "You should have heard 'im," "Reuben, he said, "that kid is nothin' but a dirty half-breed." ""a dirty half-breed."" "Now, reuben, you have got to stop that mouth of his!" "You've got to kill 'im!" "I checked it already." "Now you go down there, you make him stand up to you." "I'll talk to them, to make sure the bets are called off." "Well, it's reuben, I'm more worried about micah." "See you later." "Haa!" "Mccain!" "Mccain, you ain't gonna run out on me!" "You've been talkin' about me again, mccain." "Scully, you better call off your boy." "Now, this is between you an' reuben, mccain," "Leave me out of it." "Boy, there'll be no gun fighting' in this town." "I'd hate to have to kill you too, marshal." "Listen here, micah." "Reuben, you know that your friend scully, has been makin'" "Bets on this gunfight?" "He wouldn't do that!" "Well, why don't you ask 'im?" "Jack's my friend, I trust him." "But I know you're lyin'!" "Lucas, scully changed his bet" "A while ago, an' put all his money on you." "All right, reuben, I'm gonna check my rifle first." "I advise you to do the same thing." "Jack's already checked my gun." "Jack's already checked it." "All right, reuben, you got your gunfight." "Make your play, mccain." "So jack checked your gun," "Huh, reuben?" "You better have a look at it." "You see, I couldn't lose, reuben, because your friend" "Scully was betting' on me." "An' you wouldn't let me check my gun." "You said you already checked it!" "Now, reuben..." "You know I wouldn't do anythin' like that." "Reuben, they are all lyin' to you." "Reuben, trust me." "Please trust me!" "He never really liked me." "He just used me." "He won't use you anymore, reuben, come along." "I'm sorry, mr." "Mccain." "It's all right, reuben." "Here, pa, you keep it." "Why?" "Well, you told me I couldn't" "Use it until I was old enough," "I didn't understand before, but- but now I do." "All right, mark, I'll keep it," "Until you think you're ready for it." "I guess it's good sense," "Not age, that makes the difference." "Well, you're getting' smarter all the time." "Let's go home."