"There's a Flamingo Road in every town." "It is the street of social success, the avenue of achievement, the golden goal for all who struggle and aspire to reach the top and sometimes find that from the top, there's no other place to go." "And so, in Boldon City, a small town with people of big dreams, their Flamingo Road had touched them all with ambition." "The political factions who killed flies on the porch of the Palmer House, the big timers who killed care at Lute Mae's, a place that had been called many things, most recently a road house, the Tony Night Club set who sip champagne," "the gang at Pete's cafe who dunk doughnuts, even the gaudy show folks with Coyne's Carnival who once a year set up their tents on the wrong side of the tracks." "corners of the Earth!" "We have none other than Bonnieta, 300 pounds of loving." "She shakes and shimmies like the jelly on your grandmother's table." "Also, on the inside..." "You won't see it again for another year." "Only in town once a year, folks!" "All right, then!" "Glad to see you." "Hey, hey!" "Hey, hey!" "Come in!" "Come in, folks, come in!" "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" "The big-time show." "The biggest show on wheels!" "Twelve cars of outstanding attractions brought to you from the four corners of the Earth." "Hey, hey!" "Hey, hey!" "Hurry, hurry!" "Right this way for that featured attraction." "Those masked beauties of the Sultan's harem, in exotic, tantalizing, captivating dances of the Far East as you've always wanted to see them." "It's spicy!" "It's daring!" "It's a thing to take your breath away!" "A dance to make the old men young and the young men old!" "A dance, gentlemen, which is a replica, an exact replica of the dance that you would expect to see in the Far East." "I can see that you're all men of the world, traveled and sophisticated." "But you, gentlemen, I'm sure each and every one of you will understand and appreciate the unveiled beauty which will be yours for the small price of 10 cents, one dime, the tenth part of a dollar!" "Every year you've been telling me the same thing." ""Next season will be better. " But it ain't." "Now I want my money." "Rent for the carnival lot, the light bills, and the money I loaned you two years ago." "But, sir, I just don't have the necessary funds at the moment." "Things in the entertainment world are at a low ebb, sir." "Yes, sir, the tide is sure enough out." "Now, sir, if you'll just give me a little bit more time, I..." "All the time I'm gonna give you is the time that it takes me to go uptown, get an attachment against your show and find the sheriff to serve the papers." "I'm gonna take your show." "That's what I'm gonna do." "The young ladies will unveil briefly, the box office will open and the big show will continue on the inside." "And, now, ladies and gentlemen, if you'll be kind enough to step up to the box office, the young lady will oblige you by selling you the ticket and the big show..." "Hurry it up, girls." "We're folding the show!" "Not again, Tom!" "Get out of those costumes." "Get going, girls." "Here we go again, kids." "Run, run, run." "What do they think we are?" "Three blind mice?" "Tell them to strike the canvas and get loaded." "We got to beat an attachment across the state line!" "Get yourself together, girls." "The sheriff's breathing down our necks." "Hello, there, Sheriff!" "Hi, Sheriff Semple, sir!" " Boatright!" " Yes, sir." " Boatright, where's my other chair at?" " Goodness, Sheriff, if it ain't..." "I remember once before I didn't have me a chair for my hat." "It dropped to the floor." "I had to pick it up myself." "Yes, sir." " Boatright?" " Yes, sir?" "Whatever happened to that other boy?" "I don't know." "I guess maybe he's still in jail." "Here we are, Sheriff." "Yes, everything's gonna be all right now." "Yes, sir." "Everything's gonna be all right now." " You want to see me, Sheriff?" " What have you been doing, bub?" "Fishing." "I didn't figure you'd be fool enough to do any work on the county time." "Well, if I felt like I was getting someplace I wouldn't mind doing a day's work." "The county pays me little enough, but I don't even earn that." "There are plenty of folks in this county who would do less for a lot more." "When I gave you this job, I told you to let me do the worrying." "Well, it's kind of hard not to do your own worrying." "I got plans for you, bub." "Long-range plans." "Deputy sheriff is just a good starter." "A man can make a heap of friends being deputy sheriff." "Of course, he can make enemies, too, but that's politics." "You just got to be sure that you make more friends than you do enemies." "I want you to run out to that carnival show that's playing across the tracks." "Mark Lanright has got an attachment against them." " Field!" " Hi!" "I've been chasing you for the past 10 miles." "Hello, Sheriff." " You're gonna have to get a faster car." " Evening, Miss Annabelle." "Don't keep the lady waiting, bub." "And don't forget to serve these papers." "Hi, Annabelle." "Field Carlisle, I shouldn't even speak to you." "You promised to play tennis with me yesterday afternoon." "Well, I'm a busy man." "The duties of a deputy sheriff don't allow much time for tennis." "Papa says that deputy sheriff job is just ridiculous, that you should have finished law school and then you'd be..." " Respectable." " Well, that's what Papa says." "You know, your papa can say almost anything he wants to and people listen to him." "The trouble with you is you just don't want to improve yourself." "Look at that outlandish cowboy hat." "Why don't you wear something dignified?" " I reckon I'm used to it." " Used to it?" "I don't understand you, Field." "How can you be so stubborn about some things and so easygoing about everything else?" "You know, you look awful pretty today." "I've got a good mind to give you a great big kiss." "Right here in the middle of the street?" "Really!" "You get the craziest notions." "Isn't that the truth?" "Well, I got to go do something official." "Bye." "Papa says to invite you to dinner tonight." "And don't you dare stand me up." "If I could be with you I'd love you strong" "I want you to know that I wouldn't go" "Until..." "What are you doing here?" "Getting up a parade." "You're just in time." "Who are you?" "Deputy sheriff." "Oh." "Well, then you're not in time." "Yeah." "I could figure that looking over the lot." "They must have left in a hurry." " Did they forget you?" " No." "Why didn't you go with them?" "Look, if you want to throw your weight around, why don't you go outside where there's plenty of room?" "I'm just being mildly official." "You don't look much like a sheriff." "You look more like Buffalo Bill with that hat on." "Look, all sheriffs got to wear this kind of hat, otherwise people wouldn't know they were the law." "Why didn't you go with the others?" "They weren't going anywhere." "They were just running." "If it isn't this town, it's another." "Besides, I got tired of being on the wrong end of a rabbit hunt." " Doesn't make sense." " It does to me." "Well, look, you can't stay here alone in a tent." "What you gonna do?" "Well, I could pan for gold or something." " What's your name?" " Lane." "Lane Bellamy." "Thanks." "Lane?" "That's a funny name for a girl." "I suppose it was something fancy like Elaine, but nobody ever bothered to call me anything but..." " What's yours?" " Field." "Field Carlisle." "That's a funny name for a man." "Well, it's really Fielding." "Look, you couldn't go away and forget I was here for the night, could you?" "I could sleep here and then tomorrow figure out something to do." " How about it?" " Have you got any money?" " Sure, I've got three dollars." " It isn't very much." "That's a lot when you think of how many times I didn't have three dollars." "What'd you do in the carnival?" "Well, sometimes I was Seminole Annie, then again I was Princess Kalina, siren of the Pacific." "Lately, I've been one of the Sultan's favorite dancing girls." "But most of the times, I was just a little tired and dirty." "Sick of moldy tents and one-night stands and greasy food." "Sick of having people look at me like I was cheap." "Look, why don't you come uptown with me and get some supper?" "Maybe we can figure out what to do about you." "You wouldn't have anything personal in mind, would you?" "Nothing." "I just don't like to eat by myself." "I wouldn't have to go like this." "I've got better clothes." " You sure you want me to go?" " Sure." "There's an attachment on this show." "Right now you're the only tangible asset." "I won't be but a minute." " Maybe I'd better wait outside." " No, you don't have to if you don't want..." "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Sheriff." " I guess I had you figured all wrong." " Why?" "You really meant that, didn't you?" "About taking me uptown for something to eat?" "No bargains?" "No "I'll do this if you'll do that?"" "No hot breath down my neck?" "Better?" " A lot." " Good." "You know something?" "You're too pretty to be alone in Boldon." "I've been in lots worse towns." "Took pretty good care of myself, too." "I'll bet you did at that." "Let's go." "All right." "Here, take this inside and cut them up, will you?" "Right away." "Cut them up." "Hello, Sheriff." " Evening, Joe." "Well, how are you, Field?" " Hi, Pete." "One hamburger, hold sauce." "Hey, bring me some more pie and another pitcher of milk." " Coming right up." "How's everything?" "How's the soup?" "Hi, Field." " Hello, Millie." " How's the Blue Plate?" " You couldn't do worse." " You're out late tonight." " Rabbit hunting." "Must use quite a snare." "Millie, this is Lane Bellamy." " Hi." " Hello." " You're gonna have the Blue Plate, too?" " Well, if it's no worse than you say it is." "It couldn't be." "Don't eat the soup, it's awful." "Two Blue Plates!" "Well, here we are." " Well, aren't you gonna ask me?" " What?" "The story of your life?" "I figure that's the least you're entitled to." "You know, I'd almost forgotten I didn't know you." "There didn't seem to be anything for me to be curious about." "You said that as though you meant it." "I hope this won't spoil a beautiful friendship." "If you want anything else, just yell." "Everybody else does." "You're a good girl." " Good and ready." "Do you go through this every night?" "It comes with the Blue Plate special." "We got up to where your great ambition was to be a dancer." "Isn't much more to tell." "I had a few jobs with burlesque, got stranded in Helmet, then a fellow with a doll pitch wanted an assistant so I hooked up with Coyne's Carnival." "And that takes us right up to 8:30." " Now what are you gonna do?" " Catch my breath." "You got to make a living." "What can you do?" "I was gonna figure that one out tonight." " Hey, Pete!" " Yes, sir." "I was just wondering if you could use another girl to wait tables?" " Well, I don't know about that." " Miss Bellamy here is looking for a job and I notice that business has been pretty good." " You ever wait a table before?" " Once." "Here no one will know the difference." "Okay." "You wait lunch and supper." "Ten dollars a week, your meals and tips." "Well, you can do better than that." "Everybody knows the restaurant business better than I do." " I think it's wonderful." "I'll take it." "Thanks." " What for?" "So you're getting fallen arches." "Hey, Millie, the new girl here starts tomorrow, noons and supper." "Oh, good." " May I have a check, please?" " Did you ever wait table before, honey?" " Well, not in a cafe." " Ain't anything to it." "Just bring them in full, take them out empty, and don't drop the tray when someone pinches you." "And you'll get pinched." "Millie, you don't happen to know of a good, cheap room someplace, do you?" "Only kind I do know." "I tell you what." "You and me could go in on a double, if you want to try it?" "That'd be swell." " You got a place to stay tonight?" " Yes." "Yes, I have." "Thanks." " None of my business, mind you." " Let's get out of here." " Well, I'll see you tomorrow." " Okay." "Look, I'm not gonna try and thank you for everything now, but..." "Well, thanks, anyway." "Hey, bub." "Surprised to see you, bub." "Thought you'd be having a fancy dinner up on Flamingo Road." "Well, Coyne cleared out." " Miss Bellamy here is all he left." " Hi." "This ain't a very good town to get stranded in." " Well, no town is." " Pete just gave her a job." "I asked him to." "That's good." "We got a nice town, Miss Bellamy." "We aim to keep it that way." "Everybody working and happy." " I'll take you home." " You do that, Field." "You've got a great reputation for courtesy." " Figure to see you later." " Yeah." "Like to have some more milk, Sheriff?" "Yeah, fill it up." "Was that fat man telling me to get out of town?" "I never know for sure what he means, myself." "Hey, he gives me the creeps." "We had better looking people than that in our sideshows." " Do you like him?" " No." "Now that I come to think of it, I don't guess I do." "Well, how come you work for him then?" "Well, he's a very important man in this town." "That's a very funny reason." "You don't have to stay here tonight." "You know that, don't you?" "Sometimes a nice guy comes along and even the things he says don't sound the way they did when somebody else said them." "Would you like to sit on my porch for a minute?" "Yeah." "It's funny how everything can change within a couple of hours." "Supposing I had run away with Coyne and the others," "I would've just had to keep on going." "Got to stop sometime because after a while you get afraid." "Then there isn't anything left that you want or care about." " You don't feel like that now, do you?" " Oh, no." "For the first time in my life, I feel I really belong someplace." "And someplace belongs to me." "I live in Boldon and I don't ever have to leave unless I want to." "Hey, look, they can't make me go, can they?" "I mean, if I don't want to." "They can't just bat a person around because the town doesn't want them." "No." "That's good." "Well, it's getting late." "That fat man said he wanted to see you." "I suppose so." "Well, good night." "Good night." " You know something?" " What?" "I'll bet you're a lousy sheriff." "Mmm." " Boatright, hurry up!" " Yes, sir." " Did you find Field?" " Yes, sir." "He's eating breakfast at the Eagle Cafe and he's had six cups of coffee already." "Hello?" "Oh, yes, Sheriff, he's here." "Hey, Field!" "Field!" " Yeah?" " It's for you." "Hey, bub, it don't look exactly right, my deputy spending so much of the taxpayers' time drinking coffee." "Get shined up, pick me up at the hotel at 7:00." "Keep this evening free." "That was the Sheriff." "I got to see him tonight." " I'm sorry about our date." " So am I." " Tomorrow?" " Sure." "Good." " Well, Pete, how's she doing?" " Fine." "Okay." "She's the best I ever had." "I had to slap him a couple of times." "Outside of that, he bored me stiff." " How about going out with me tonight?" " Well, I..." " What time will I pick you up?" " After 8:00." "I'll take it." "Hey, if you're gonna be free tonight, want to go on a double date?" "I'm going out with Tunis Simms." "We could get his brother Johnny for you." "Awful nice boys." "Thanks, Millie." "I don't think so." "Oh, honey, you can't sit home like a dope every night waiting for Field to get around to seeing you." "Some other time, maybe." "You sure seem to know all the answers, but I'm afraid you don't understand the questions." "How's a fellow supposed to appreciate a girl if she ain't popular with other fellows?" "Look, baby, people like Field live on Flamingo Road." "People like us live on River Street." "And on River Street, the Simms boys are awful nice." "Oh, so that's what makes the difference in Boldon?" " Living on Flamingo Road?" " It sure helps." "Well, maybe one of these days, I'll get a place on Flamingo Road, myself." "Well, when you get there, honey, save me a room and bed." "Can you break down now and tell me where we're going?" "How are you and Annabelle getting along these days?" "Same as usual, I guess." "You two think about getting married ever?" "You know I can't do that on my salary." "Maybe we can straighten that out." "I told you I had plans for you." "Plans that don't include you getting mixed up with that stray cat from the carnival." "How would you like to be a member of the State Legislature?" "I'm no politician." "I don't think I could get 10 votes from my own home town." "I didn't ask you how to get elected senator." "I asked you if you wanted to get elected." "Do you or don't you?" " Well, yeah." "I guess anybody would." " You catch on fast." "Now, all you need to know is two words, "yep" and "nope. "" "You can't go wrong if you say "yep" to the right people and "nope" to the rest of them." "It might be a good thing, bub, if you was to get married." "Man going to the Legislature's got to have a heart of gold and a respectable wife for voters to see." "Gives folks confidence in him." "Never been able to figure out why." "Yep, Annabelle Weldon would be just about right." "You see, bub, I am planning to skin me a big bear one of these days." "Step on it." "It's after 7:00." "Sure don't want to keep Dan Reynolds waiting." "Dan Reynolds?" " Pinch its ear, bub." "I like to hear it squeal." " Good evening, Sheriff Semple, sir." " Evening, Wade." "They nominating senators here this evening?" "There are a lot of senators elected at Lute Mae's place." "And governors, too." "Come along, I'll show you and everything's going to be all right." "You'll meet the right people." "Hurry up, Gracie." "The well's going dry." "Where do those big shots put it all?" "Well, Titus, you old blimp, you!" "How are you?" "How are you, Lute Mae?" "I didn't expect to see you in my place again." "I don't get around like I used to." "Meet Field Carlisle." " How are you, Field?" " Howdy, Lute Mae." "I knew your father, the judge." "You look some like him." "And I always said there was never a handsomer man in the state." " Thanks." " Your friends are upstairs." " Yeah, I reckoned they would be." " Go on up." "Meet the big boss." "No matter how many times you see it, you just can't believe it's real." "Go up." "Don't keep the boss waiting." "My old man, rest his uneasy soul, once said that the only time to raise was before the draw." "I always believed him after he took a club to the back of my head." "Raise." "I'm in." " I'll stay." " Out." " I think I'll take a test card." " Let's have some action, boys." "I'm just a man who doesn't know his own weakness." "That's possible." " Maybe it could be you, Gracie." " Could be." "There." " Thank you." "How many for you, Dan?" "I think I'll just play those." "Come on, baby, let's watch this." "Two to the dealer and check." "Check." "Check." " Check to you, Dan." " Okay." "Here you are." "Growl over that." "I can't match that." "I think you're lying, but I haven't got nerve enough to find out for sure." "Thanks, boys." "Easy come, easy go." "Come on, Gracie." "Take a handful." " Help yourself." " Thank you!" "Look at that, a pair of deuces." "What a bluffer." "Still pushing 'em." " Oh, boy!" "Hello, Dan." "Well, this is a surprise, Titus." "I didn't think you could make the stairs." "I usually manage one way or another." "When it's worth your while." " How are you, boys?" "How are you?" "I'd like you to meet my deputy, Field Carlisle." "Dan Reynolds." " How do you do, sir?" " I knew your father, the judge, slightly." "He did his best once to put me in jail." "Come on over and meet the boys." "This is John Shelton from Brenton." " Mr. Shelton." " How are you?" "Link Niles from Marlack County." "Very, very shy." " Glad to meet you." " How do you do, Mr. Niles?" "Here's one of the best." "This is Ed Parker from Trondo." " Mr. Parker." " How are you, Field?" "Les Mitchell, Kentara County." " How do you do, sir?" " Glad to know you, sir." "Tom Hill from Lodge View." " How do you do, Mr. Hill?" " How do you do?" "Oh, yes, and Gracie." "Gracie!" "Where are you from, sugar?" " I'm from Paducah." " There we are, Gracie from Paducah." "Never would have guessed it." "I figured on finding all you boys getting up a weekend frolic." "So I just came down to tell you how things is in my district." " How are things?" " Well, when Lockheart died, it sort of left a hole in the Legislature." "I figured to help you plug it up." "We were half-thinking of Ed Morgan taking the vacancy." "Yes." " Well, you can stop thinking now." "I've done it for you." "Since it's my district, I'm going to put my deputy, Field, there." "That's all right, Sheriff." "Sure." "And now, Senator Carlisle, you understand with what difficulty a great public servant is born." "How do you feel?" " Well, like the tail on a runaway kite." " What you need is a drink." "I didn't come up here to talk politics." " Let's get on with the game." " I'm ready." "Here." " Is this all there is to it?" " That's all." "Oh, now and then we have to help cut each other's bait." " You mean I'm Titus's minnow?" " Not exactly." " It could turn out that way if you let it." " I figured you'd see things my way." "Now I want to do something for you, Dan." "I've got some fine convict boys out to my county farm." "You could get them cheap for that road job you're building." "At a dollar a day for the county and a dollar and a half a day for you?" " That's a nice good figure, Dan." "Deal you in, Titus?" "We'd like to take some of your money home with us." "Most of the county's been trying to do that very thing for years." "Ante up, boys." " Okay." "What are you gonna play?" "You're a veteran, aren't you?" "Yes, sir." "Army or navy?" " Army." "Fourth Division." "You been around." "Well, that's all to the good." "You can go a long way in this state if you want to." "You've got a good name and with Titus backing you, you've got a good start." "You stick with Titus." "And remember one thing." "He's the only man I know that can make a sow's ear out of a silk purse." "Somehow, I always hate to see it happen!" "Here's luck to you, Senator!" "Thanks." "I appreciate that." "All right, bub." "Let's push off." " Sheriff?" " Yes?" "If I could be with you I'd love you strong" "If I could be with you I'd love you long" "I want you to know that I wouldn't go" "Until I told you, honey, that I love you so" "If I could be with you one hour tonight" "If I was free to do the things I might" " Hi, Sheriff!" " Millie!" "I'm telling you true" "Hello, Lane." "Well, Sheriff, I'm surprised to see you here." "I'm here on business." "Political deal." " Oh." " By yourself?" "No, I'm with Millie and the two Rover Boys." "That one over there bought me a sandwich and a cup of coffee, and now he's sore because he figures it's money thrown away." " I see." " What's this, Sheriff?" "A raid?" "No." "Come on." "Let's go over here." "All these machines are fixed." "Hey, Lane." "Let's get out of here." "You going with me?" "No." "Oh, you moving in, Field?" "Here's 80 cents for my sandwich and coffee." "Let's have no hard feelings, huh?" "Hey!" "Wait a minute!" " Millie..." "Come on, let's get out of here!" "I think you better stay here with your friends." "I'm sure the sheriff will take me home." "I'll see you later." "Well, all right." "But I don't see why you had to go and spoil a nice party." "What were you doing out with the Simms boys?" "I was afraid for a while you weren't going to ask me." "I thought maybe you didn't care one way or another." "I bet this is a pretty place by daylight." "What's the name of it?" "Shell Springs." "Is it really a spring?" "It's the only spring in the state that's guaranteed to have no therapeutic value." "Now can we forget the statistics?" "It is getting late." "We'd better be getting back." "Come on, Buffalo Bill." "Somehow I wish you'd known this was going to happen the way I did." ""The grossness of Titus Semple's shadow" ""prevents us from describing it as 'sinister,' but we call it 'evil. "'" "That's telling him." ""In his shadow today stands the scion" ""of one of the town's oldest families." ""For Fielding Carlisle, we have only sympathy." ""For the voters, we have only pity. "" "My, my, that Doc Waterson sure can pour it on, can't he?" " So long." "So long." " Sorry, Field." " It's your paper." "I've known you since you were a youngster, son." "Your father was a fine man." "I never understood why you didn't finish law school like he wanted." "You never really looked good wearing a deputy sheriff's badge." "Too much like a ring in your nose." "Hey, bub!" "Ready?" "Seen the Advertiser this morning?" "The whole town's laughing." "Nobody but an idiot would read that filthy sheet." "One day Waterson's going too far out on a limb, and when he does," "I'm gonna chop it off and him with it!" "Have you had that talk with Annabelle yet about getting married?" "I kind of wanted to think about it a couple of days." "Nothing to think about." "You drop me over at the Palmer House and get over to that girl's house and ask her to marry you." "I think it's just wonderful your being a senator!" "I'm just as proud as I can be." "But that nasty Mr. Waterson in the Advertiser!" "Papa says you should sue him." "Even if you can't collect any money, it'll teach him a lesson." "But I don't see why you didn't tell me about it before I read it in the paper." "You could've called me last night." "Well, it was late last night." "It was awful late." "Next thing I know, you'll just pick up and go off to Olympic City and that's the last I'll hear of you." "Well, I'm not elected yet." "Papa says anybody who's got the sheriff behind him gets elected." "We've known each other for a long time, Annabelle." "I've just been thinking that it would be a good idea if you and I went to Olympic City together." "They tell me that any young man going into politics is supposed to get married." "Field, darling!" "I do love you so!" "And I am so proud of you!" "Mrs. Senator Fielding Carlisle." "Norma Henderson will just be livid." "Although I don't suppose anyone will be surprised and that's half the fun." "I have a million things to do." "The reception and our announcements to get out." "And Papa says we'll have to do some entertaining to interest the nice people in you." "He says you'll have to move right back here to Flamingo Road where you belong." "I thought you'd never get around to asking me." "Neither did I." "Oh, Field!" "He's not here." "No." "Oh, yes, he is." "I mean, he just come in." " Hello, Pete." " Hello, Field." "You wanna talk to him?" "Oh." "Oh, okay." "No, no, I don't ask no questions." "You are the boss." "Hello, Senator." "The Advertiser must have quite a circulation in Boldon." "What do you care what they said." "Just reading your name made me proud of you." "Hungry?" "No, thanks." " Coffee, huh?" " Yeah, maybe some coffee." "Look, there's something I've got to tell you and I don't quite know how to do it." "It's about you and me." "I'm gonna get married." "You knew this last night, huh?" "Lane, please try to understand." "I'm not sure of anything." "I'm trying to do what I think is right." "It must be right, otherwise it wouldn't be so hard to do." "Yeah, I suppose so." "I'm almost glad in a way." "Sounds funny, doesn't it?" "Sounds funny to me when I say it." "But now we don't have to watch anything die." "That's what we would have had to do." "The waitress at the Eagle Cafe and Senator Carlisle." "I'll get your coffee." " Where'd he go?" " Field?" "I guess he changed his mind." " Sit down, drink your coffee." " No, thanks." "I don't want it." " I got to let you go, Lane." " You mean I'm fired?" " Well, business ain't been so good lately." " Business has been fine." "And if you let me go, you'll only have to get another girl." "The job is not really good like used to be." " Tips ain't much and the food is rotten." " The job is good and I want to keep it." "I've got to keep it, don't you understand that?" "I'm sorry, but it's just the way I said." "Business ain't good." " Okay, I won't make it tough on you." " You are a nice girl." "Someone else might carry on and cry maybe." " I don't cry, Pete." " Here, this is for the week." "And $10 more on account I didn't give you no notice." "Thanks." "Look, I'd like to bet you this that you won't tell me why I was fired." "That's a hard bet to refuse." " Yes, Miss?" " I'm looking for a job." " I'd like to put an ad in your paper." " I know you." "You're that carnival girl who took a job at the Eagle Cafe." " Yes." " Come in." " Sit down." " Thank you." " Now, what happened?" " I got fired." "I know, but what's the story?" " That's all there is to it." "I got fired." " That isn't all there is to it." "And advertising for a job isn't going to do you any good." "You're not gonna get a job in Boldon." "Or if you do, you're not gonna be able to keep it." "I don't understand what you mean." "I think maybe you can find the answer sitting on the porch over there at the Palmer House." " You mean the Sheriff had me canned?" " That's it." "Well, then it wouldn't be any use putting an ad in your paper." "Are you sure you know what you're talking about?" "I'm a newspaper man." "I always check the source of my information." "If you don't mind, I think I'll do the same thing." "Thanks." "I know you're not asleep." "You don't have to pretend you are!" "How are you, Miss Bellamy?" "Did you have me fired from the Eagle Cafe?" "Did you have it fixed so I couldn't get another job in this town?" "There wasn't really anything personal in it." "It's personal to me if I don't have a place to eat or sleep." "I reckon it would be." "I'm a quiet man, Miss Bellamy." "When I see trouble coming, I try to duck it." "Now, with you and Field Carlisle, I just can't see nothing but trouble." "I don't mean anything to Field Carlisle." "If I did, he wouldn't be getting married, would he?" "I just don't want to take any chances, Miss Bellamy." "Field's going to the State Senate." "One of these days, he's going to be Governor." "A man like that's got to get married, stay married, happily married." "That's fine, but I've got a right to live, too!" "You know, when I was a young fellow, I once had a job at a warehouse." "There were rats there." "I didn't pay no attention to them." "One night, though, I went to sleep and a rat near half chewed my big toe off before I knew what was happening." "After that I went around and plugged up all the holes." "And as long as I kept the holes plugged, I didn't have nothing to worry about." "That's how I kept my toes all these years." "I won't be run out of town this way." "I'm gonna stay here and get another job." "Any kind of a job." "I'm gonna stay here if it kills me!" "You may do just that, Miss Bellamy." "One more move shouldn't be so hard to take." " You've been a carnival girl." " I'm not a carnival girl anymore." "You sure been acting like it with young Carlisle." "I'm not running." "Do you understand that?" "I'm sure sorry you did that, Miss Bellamy." "I beg your pardon." "Hey, what are you doing walking the streets this time of night?" " I'm on my way home." " Oh, yeah?" "Say, who are you and what do you want?" "Does this mean anything to you?" " No, it doesn't." "This girl giving you any trouble, Lieutenant?" "Yeah, she tried to pick me up." "Let's get her to the station." "What kind of a deal is this?" "I haven't done anything." "I can go easy in court or make it tough on yourself," " I don't care which!" "But you can't put me in there!" "All right!" "Let's go, Mac!" " Hello, Pete." " Field, I am glad to see you again." "From everywhere you go, I hear you make a fine election speeches." "Thanks." "I understand Lane isn't working here anymore." " Why'd you let her go?" " Well, business was not so good." "I notice you got another girl." "Well, business picked up." "You know how it is." "Yeah." " You don't know where she is, do you?" " I don't." " Maybe perhaps Millie, she knows." " All right." "She just disappeared, didn't come home one night." "Even left what little clothes she had in the room." "I tell you, Field, I was worried." "I thought something might have happened to her." "And then I got to thinking." "She must have just left town." "That was when you were away orating for votes." "But you got more important things to think about now, Field, what with getting married next week." "Suppose I ought to offer you my congratulations, Senator." "Thanks." "See you again, Field." "Mr. Pete, do we charge extra for a second cup of coffee?" "No, no, no!" "A cup of coffee..." " You get out tomorrow or Thursday?" " Thursday." "Did you ever stop to think how it is?" "The judge can never say anything but "thirty days!" "Thirty days!" You'd think it'd get monotonous." "You never did say what you was in for." "They said I was trying to pick up men on the streets." "How about you?" "My boyfriend cut himself on a knife I was holding." "What are you gonna do when you get out?" "Go back to Boldon, I guess." "Try to get a job if I can." "Boldon?" "I know a good place you can get a job in Boldon." "I used to work there." " A road house called Lute Mae's." " Yeah." " It sounds like a good setup." " It was." "I waited tables, served drinks." "A lot of big shots go there." "Big tips." "There ain't no cops gonna pick you up, either, if you work for Lute Mae." "She's just like that with all the politicians and big shots, from the Governor on down!" "Just tell Lute Mae I sent you." "Only don't say where you met me." "She always told me I'd wind up in the can and I'd hate for her to be right!" "Shut up!" "Ah!" "When I was very young, I made up my mind to be rich." "How'd you make out?" " I found it was better to change my mind." "Frankly, I'm broke and I need a job." "Sugar or lemon?" " Oh, no tea for me." "Thank you." "Me, neither." "My tonic." "Sure wish I could drink tea." "The things make the room look so cozy and genteel." "But I can't stand the stuff." "It gives me gas." "You say you can't get a job anyplace else in town?" "Why?" "I've been at the county farm." "There's a piece in the paper about me." "I never read the paper." "If I don't know what's going on, I can't worry about it." "I sure wish those girls weren't so talented." "I can serve drinks and wait on table." " And in a pinch, I can even sing a little bit." " Yeah, I was afraid of that." "I'd like to know why you're lying." "I'm not lying." "You're not lying in what you say." "It's what you don't say." "You know, I've got a hunch about you and it scares me." "I think you'll make trouble for me one of these days." "You're moody." "And the moody kind always cause trouble." " Gracie!" " Coming!" " Did you want me, Miss Lute Mae?" " This here's Lane Bellamy." " Hi!" " Hello!" " She can room with you, Gracie." " You gonna work here, honey?" " Well, I..." " Take her back to see Frank." "He'll get you a uniform and tell you what to do." "I'm sure I've got one that fits you, honey." "Thanks." "Peterson!" "Do you know why I'm not gonna let you go to jail?" "I've spent a long time building up this organization and I'm not going to break it down for some five-and-10-cent chiseler." "Now, listen, Reynolds..." " You'll resign for reasons of ill health." "Because if you're not sick now, you will be when I get through with you." "Deal me out." "I'm out." "Peterson's a good superintendent of hospitals." "I wouldn't want to lose him." "If he's not smart enough to steal and stay in the clear, he gets dumped." "Dan, I ain't going to like losing Peterson." "We had them hospitals with the contracts for heat, light, and all the supplies paying off good." "I don't aim to lose him." " Getting a bit out of line, aren't you, Titus?" " I got big feet, Dan." "If I ever step out of line, you'll see them." "I'm not going to have an investigation in an election year." "He's out!" "And you'll let him go quietly or you'll both go." "Like that!" "Come on, let's get on with the game." "Mr. Reynolds' party." "Two Old Fashioneds." "Gracie!" " Yes, Miss Lute Mae." "Table 22, a special." "You're leaving early." "How long you got that Bellamy girl working here?" " Why?" " She done time, county time." "How do you figure to improve the reputation of your place?" "I lost that some time around the Spanish-American War." "Maybe you ought to get rid of her." "Somebody might complain to the authorities." "When you walk through that door, I'm the authority." "Besides, I like her." "And knowing you don't makes me like her twice as much." "Just figured to be friendly." "I'll bet." "Hurry up with that order, girls." "Why is Titus Semple interested in you?" " Is he?" " I expect a straight answer." " What did you ever do to him?" " Nothing." "He just told me I ought to can you." "What did he do that for?" " I don't know." " You're lying." "That's right, I am." "He thought Field Carlisle was interested in me." "I was wondering when you'd get around to tell the truth about that." "I'm not interested in what's happened." "I'm interested in what may happen." " You still in love with Field?" " He's married." "Are you or aren't you?" "I don't know." " Well, what are you going to do about it?" " I'm not firing you, am I?" " Aren't you?" " No, I'm not." "Most of the time, I don't like people." "Most of the time, I don't trust them at all." "Especially women." "I must be getting old." "It's going to be a pretty rugged party up there." "Keep an eye on Dan." "See that he don't get in trouble or burn the place down." "Thanks." " What's that stuff?" " Daylight." "Well, turn it off." "I don't like it." " Feel awful?" " Terrible." "How did I end up in here?" "Well, it took a bit of doing but I finally managed." " I really tied one on last night, didn't I?" " Mmm-hmm." "Here you are." " What's that?" " Whiskey Sour." " Oh, no!" " Oh, yes." "Go on, drink it." "How do you know about these things?" "I read about them once in a bartender's manual." "Better?" "Better." " What's your name?" " Lane." " No, no, I mean your first name." " That's my first name, Lane." "Well, it was mighty nice of you to take care of me, Lane." "I still don't see how you managed it or why." "Not because I'm pretty, that's for sure." "Lute Mae told me to take care of you." "She said you were very important." " Are you important?" " I don't feel very important." "Look at the score board." "I don't behave like this all the time." "Just once a year after elections, purge my soul." "I've got a soul that needs lots of purging." " Well, your candidates won, didn't they?" " Mmm-hmm." " They always win?" " Just about always." "If they didn't, I wouldn't be important anymore." "Look, honey, honey, I've got an awful hangover." "Sorry." " Can I wash up in there?" " Certainly, help yourself." "My old man warned me there'd be mornings like this." "You're pretty careless with your money, aren't you?" "Thanks." " Is Field Carlisle a good man?" " Carlisle, yeah." "I guess he's all right." "You would know if he wasn't, wouldn't you?" "I mean, you helped get him elected, didn't you?" "Titus seems to have a lot of faith in him." "Would you consider that a recommendation?" "You sure ask a lot of questions." "Someone once told me that it was one way to get answers." " Where the devil is that towel?" " Here it is." "I'm beginning to feel almost human." "Say, you know, you're a very pretty girl." "I guess I am human." "I'll get you some breakfast." "Don't tell me you can cook, too?" " Uh-huh." "The way you talk, I don't see much difference between politics and a carnival pitch." "How come you're so interested in politics?" "Just trying to improve my education, I guess." "It wasn't much of an education to begin with." " You sure learned to cook." " You learn a lot of things in a carnival." " How are you feeling, Dan?" " Terrible." "This man been annoying you?" "As a matter of fact, she's been bothering me." "She can handle a drunk and make a whiskey sour and cook bacon." "Crisp." "A man's got to know more about a gal like that." " Get me a cup of coffee, will you?" " Sure." "I've got a hangover just from opening bottles for you last night." " Did you have fun?" " Honey, fun is like insurance." "The older you get, the more it costs." "Do you mind if Lane drives me down to my construction job?" "I'm afraid I'll fall asleep at the wheel." "When I asked you to keep an eye on him last night," "I didn't mean you had to room together all through college." "How about it, Lane?" " Well, if it's all right with Lute Mae?" "I swear, I don't know whether I'm running a road house or a get-acquainted society." "Oh, go ahead." "Let's go while we still have her blessing." "Wake me up when we pass Trondo." "Now I know why you wanted me to come along." "Well, there it is." "With all this, how do you ever find time for politics?" "Honey, I couldn't move a load of gravel without politics." "When I first started my construction company, I discovered that the fat jobs, the big money jobs, are going to other people." "I needed connections and I found the only connections I could trust were the ones I made myself." "So, I began to get men elected here and there." "It was pretty simple." "Do the people always elect the men you want?" "The people haven't elected anyone in this state for so long, they've lost the habit." "It's a lot of trouble to go to the polls." "Usually it interferes with a baseball game or a fishing trip." "When people don't care, they get about what they deserve." "Meaning a Dan Reynolds?" "Yeah, that's about it." "Hi ya, Dan." "Hi ya, Burr." "Come on over and meet Burr." "It's good to see you." " Everything on schedule?" "Well, we hit rock yesterday." "We had to blast." "Lane, this is Burr Lassen." "He's head of all our construction." " Been with me 10 years." " Hello." "Pleased to meet you." "Well, I'll be seeing you." "Okay." "Come on, let's get something cold to drink." " Be with you in a minute!" "Okay!" "This is what we call home." "Not good, not bad." "I've seen worse." "What'd I do with it." "I thought I had some change here." "Here." "This is the first time since I was a kid that anyone has ever given me anything." "It's an interesting switch." "And everything about you is interesting." "The more I see you, the less I understand." "There's something inside you that just won't give." "If I were going to be around a little longer, maybe I could try and figure you out." " Going away?" " New York." "Probably Washington." "Oh." " Be gone long?" " Quite a while." "I guess today is goodbye then." "Yes, I guess it is." "I'm crazy about you, Lane." "What's your last name?" " Senator Blangsted." " Afternoon, Senator Carlisle." " Have you come to a decision yet?" " Decision?" "Well, about appointing me to the power commission." "You remember, about six weeks ago, you said for me to be patient." "And I still say be patient." "You're young, my boy." "Why, you've only been with us two, or is it three months?" " Now, it took me four years to..." " Hey, bub, come here." "Excuse me, Senator." "I don't want you to make a nuisance of yourself by asking favors." "People always expect to be paid back." " Tell the driver to take us to the hotel." "Twenty-third and Second Avenue." "Mr. Reynolds." "Paging Mr. Dan Reynolds, please." "Mr. Reynolds." "Paging Mr. Dan Reynolds." "Mr. Dan Reynolds, please." "Not a very interesting session, was it?" " Excuse me." " Okay, Sheriff." " Yes, Sheriff Semple?" " Dan Reynolds in town?" "Yes, sir." "Flew in this afternoon from New York." "I'm saving his table, 22." "Better slow down, bub." "Dan Reynolds is in town." " What am I supposed to do, salute?" " What's the matter with you, bub?" "I guess I'm just a little sick of being stuck in a corner and not getting anyplace." "The only thing I've done in that whole session is to make one little speech, and then there were three people in the house." "I was there." " All right, four." "Don't go jumping out of your britches." "Remember I told you I was planning to skin me a bear?" "Well, it's a big bear and I'm taking my time in the skinning." "One of these days, when I think you are ready, I'm gonna make you Governor." "That's what I've been aiming at." "I never had me a governor before." "I'm sorry I'm late." "Evening, Annabelle." "You look real smart." "I look awful." "You needn't tell me, I know I do." "My hair's half done." "But I found out in the beauty shop today just how much it means to be a senator's wife in this town!" "They gave my appointment to Dan Reynolds' new lady friend." "Dan's lady friends last such a short time that folks are obliged to be polite to them." "This one is something special." "The girl in the beauty shop told me." "He brought her back with him from New York and she's got enough clothes, furs and jewels to start a department store of her own." "What's the matter with you?" " Good evening, Mr. Reynolds." " Hello, Maurice." "Well, I'm glad to see you back." "I've saved your regular table for you." "Just a moment, dear." " Hello, Titus." "Hello, Dan." "How are you, Field?" "Mrs. Carlisle, nice to see you." "Cocktails, Mr. Reynolds?" "No, I think you might bring some champagne." " We'll order a little later." " Very well, sir." "Cordon Rouge, Mr. Reynolds' table." "Dan, surprised to see you back." "And if it isn't Miss Bellamy." "Sit down, Titus." "Knew you had been running between New York and Washington for the last three months." "I hardly figured you'd come back without telling me, us working together for so long." "Lane dragged me back." "She wanted to see the State Legislature in action." "I didn't know you were interested in politics." "I wasn't until politics became interested in me." "The Legislature's really interesting to watch." "Of course, we officers of the law ain't as forgetful of our promises as the fellows who make the laws." "Now, me, I don't never forget anything." "You know, Sheriff, we had an elephant in our carnival with a memory like that." "He went after a keeper that he'd held a grudge against for almost 15 years." "Had to be shot." "You just wouldn't believe how much trouble it is to dispose of a dead elephant." "If I could be with you" "I'd love you strong" "If I could be with you I'd love you long" "I want you to know..." "Excuse me a minute, Dan." "Until I told you, honey, why I love you so" "I'd be anything but blue" "If I could be with you" "Hello, remember me?" "I'm the fellow that chases girls off carnival lots." "Hello, Field." "You've come a long way from the Eagle Cafe." "It's still a dining room." "No wonder I couldn't find you." "When you aim, you really aim high." "I suppose you've been in New York, too, huh?" "I've been in a lot of places since I saw you last." "Isn't it about time he asked you to marry?" " Did you?" " That was different." "Yes, it was, Field." "I was in love with you." "You're a thief, Reynolds." "My company went bankrupt today." "You're drunk, Martin." "Go away." " I'm sorry to hear about your company." "Sure, you're sorry!" "You're rotten." "The whole gang of you are rotten." "Come along..." " Now, just a minute!" "I got a right to tell him what I think of him." "It was my company, wasn't it?" "Didn't that bother you?" "You get used to it." "Someone's always crying." "If he was in and I was out, then my nose would be pressed against the windowpane and he'd call someone to pull down the shade." "I think it's disgraceful of that Dan Reynolds to flaunt a woman of that sort here." "Look at her, sitting there as if she owned the place." "Well, she practically does." "Dan just told me they got married in New York more than a month ago." "Oh!" "Really?" "How exciting!" "I must call on her the first thing in the morning." "Great." "Lane!" "Lane!" " Hello, Sarah." "Hello." "Well, I see Mrs. Reynolds is rearranging the furniture again." "We've been grunting and pushing all morning." "We get everything real nice time and time again, but it seems like Miss Lane just can't get comfortable in her mind." "Where is she, Sarah?" "I believe she's still down in the cellar messing with those contraptions." " What contraptions?" " I don't know nothing about them." "I've got enough to wear me out in the kitchen with an electric stove that you got to run with buttons and clocks." "Lane!" "Lane!" "I'm down here, darling." "You weren't supposed to get back until late tonight." "I didn't want you to see it till it was all finished." "But how did you know I wanted a shop?" "Oh, honey, after all the times you told me that pathetic story about having a workshop in your barn when you were a kid, your father not being able to afford even a hammer after the barn burned down." "It's wonderful." "Well, if there is anything that doesn't work, you can blame me." "Of course, I don't know one of these things from another except that's a saw." "I knew that because I was sawed in half a couple of nights when a magician's assistant got pneumonia." "I hope you'll be happy with it, Dan." "As happy as I am." " What?" " I said I hope you like it!" "Like it?" "Honey, getting you and this house are the best things I ever did." "Dan Reynolds, one of these days you're gonna make me cry." "Tea is served, Mrs. Reynolds." "Oh, no, Sarah." "Not down here, please." "But you said, "Serve the tea at 4:00."" "It's 4:00." "Strong enough?" " Mmm-hmm." " Lemon or cream?" " Straight." "If I actually thought you were gonna make me drink this stuff," "I'd have never bought that tea service." "I promise never to embarrass you by bringing it out in company." "Hello, Titus." "Hello, Dan." "Afternoon, Miss Bellamy." "Mrs. Reynolds." " Oh, Mrs. Reynolds now, ain't it?" "I always keep forgetting." "You know, I thought I'd give you time to get settled before I paid my respects." "I sure was surprised when you bought a place in Flamingo Road." "We always do the unexpected, Titus." " As witness, my afternoon tea." " Tea?" "Sit down, Titus." "I know what you want." "Here, dear." "Real nice place you got here." "Quite an ambitious undertaking." "Better than Lute Mae's." "I admire ambition when it don't get in my way." "I've never been able to make up my mind if you're awful smart or awful stupid." "Someday you may find out, Sheriff." "Here's your drink, Titus." "Excuse me." "Here." "Come on, Titus." "Out with it." " What's on your mind?" " Nothing." "Except I'd sort of like to see young Field get along a little faster." "You see, I've been busy measuring the Governor's chair for him." "Your memory is getting bad." "The name's Parkhurst, George Parkhurst." "The chair already fits." "I measured him for it myself." "Maybe you pronounce it Parkhurst, Dan, but it's spelt Carlisle." "I have nothing against Carlisle." "He's just not ready." "Maybe not, but I am." "You know the Governor's job was promised to George Parkhurst." "Yeah, but it can be un-promised." "I kind of like it for Field." "I like to see young fellows get ahead." "You know how I've always been, just an easygoing, friendly, fat old man." "Mmm-mmm." "The governorship was promised to Parkhurst, and it stands." "I'm going to keep my word." "So am I, Dan." "I'm not gonna let you get away with it." "Maybe I shouldn't be so stubborn." "Maybe I shouldn't care if you take over the state." "I can profit by it." "But Titus, I know what you've got in your mind." "Pretty nice state to hand over to you." "Give you five years and you'll drain it dry." "What isn't corrupted, you'll corrupt." "I've seen it." "I know what you're capable of." "You know, Dan, once before I said we could run this state real good together." "Now, I ain't sure." "I would hate to have to fight it out with you." "Sarah!" "Coming, Mr. Reynolds!" "Lane, what's the trouble between you and Titus?" "I just don't trust him, that's all." "That's a lot of hatred for just not trusting a man." "Never mind." "You'll tell me when you're ready." "Come on, honey." "What did he want?" "A favor." "I turned him down." "Sometimes I wonder why I don't let him have his way." "I have everything I want now." "I wish you meant that." "I wish we could get out and leave all this backstabbing and crookedness behind us." " And just turn everything over to Titus?" " No, no, I didn't mean that." "Well, you give me an answer." "Look, you know so much more than..." "Why don't you be honest with the people?" "Why don't you teach them to run their own state?" "Honey, the honest men get eaten up." "There are too many other men waiting, watching, probing for the soft spots, the graft." "No, it's better to be one of them." "Besides, I've got to keep my eye on Titus." "Left alone, he'd steal the gold off the capitol dome." " You wouldn't like that, would you?" " No." "That's why you get drunk on election night." "You're a very smart girl." "You take care of the teapot." "Let me take care of Titus." "It's not that simple, Dan." "Take the old labor gang and move that stuff." "You can take your crane and gang and give them a hand." "Hi, Lassen." " Hi, Sheriff." " I want to talk to you." " What about?" "Come on, bub." "I'm gonna give you a lesson in politics." "I've got some kind of bad news about that boy of yours." "Huh?" " Police picked him up in Boldon last night." "What for?" "Booked him on a hit and run." "There was also a drunk-driving charge." "Tommy never had a drink in his whole life." "Saw it right there on the police blotter." "It's just his word against a lot of witnesses." "I sure wouldn't like to take a chance on a boy of mine going up on a charge like that." "What is it you want, Sheriff?" "You didn't come here just to talk." "That's right." "You're gonna do something for me and after that I'm going to see that your boy gets off." "What is it?" "Well, you know Dan Reynolds is chairman of the prison board." "So I'm going to send you some convict boys and a man with a gun to watch them." "You're gonna put them to work without wages." "I won't do it." "I wouldn't do anything to hurt Dan Reynolds." "You and me are going to send Dan Reynolds to jail for peonage." "I won't do it." "You'll do it, Burr, just like I'm telling you." "If you don't..." "Come on, bub." "I'm not gonna go along with you on a frame-up like that." "Yes, you will, bub." "You'll go along and you'll do everything just like I say." "You're getting soft and weak." "You're just the kind of man I like." "You've got that anxious, hungry look I like to see." "That means you want the things I can give you." "You'd rather be Governor than anything else in the world." "Without me, you wouldn't be even a deputy sheriff." "You'll go along, bub." "You'll go along." "How are you, Miss Annabelle?" "Sheriff Semple!" "Sheriff Semple!" "Afternoon, Miss Annabelle." "Ain't seen much of you lately." "You look kind of peaked." "You been crying?" " Have you seen Field?" " Oh, some four to five days ago." "Papa invited some upstate bankers for lunch to meet him." "And they're still at the house waiting." "Papa's furious!" "He says he's given Field his last chance." "Yeah, I heard you two weren't getting along so well, quarreling in public and all." "It's been worse in the last week or so." "Some nights he doesn't even come home at all and when he is there, he talks so crazy, about being able to tell a governor by his anxious, hungry look." "I just don't know what to do!" "You just go on home, Miss Annabelle." "Just leave it to me." "Trying to crawl into a whiskey bottle?" "You're drinking in kind of bad company, ain't you, bub?" "Look, bub." "I got you this job to help you financially." "That name on the door is in water color." "I could spit on it and wash it out." "You've turned soft in my fingers." "I made a mistake about you." "The only way we can tell what a mule or a man can do is to give him a field to plough." "The job I have got to do is too big." " You're gonna throw me over, huh?" " I'm just turning you loose." "Well, you can't do that!" "I don't like for people to talk to me like the way you're doing, bub." "You're not gonna throw me out like you did the rest of them!" "Look, I told you, I don't like to hear you say such things." "You ain't even gutsy enough to fight an old man like me." "Get out!" "Get out!" "I told you it wasn't permanent, bub!" " What do you think is really happening?" " I'm not sure, but I don't like the feel of it." "That's the reason why I called you all here, to see if we could figure it out together." "I've been sort of bird-dogging Titus these past few days." "I found him in some very strange cover." "He's looking for trouble and he's got a nose for it." "Good evening, Sheriff." "Good evening, Sarah." "Don't bother to tell him I'm here." "I'll go right on in." " Well, how are you, boys?" "Hello, Sheriff." "I'm sure I never figured to find you all here." "How are you, Niles?" "John, Ed, Leo, Tom." "Dan." "Hello, Titus." "I didn't mean to break in on you like this." "I didn't really think there was no truth in it." "I heard the boys were in town and up here." "So I says to myself, "Why, that can't be so. "" "For years they've made it a point of dropping around to the Palmer House to say hello to me." "Now, why should they stop doing that all of a sudden?" "So I just started wanting company and come up to spend a little time with you." "We're glad to have you." "Yes." "How've you been, Sheriff?" "I was going to call you in the morning." "Something on your mind, Titus?" "Yeah." "Boys, we ain't gonna run Parkhurst as Governor." " What?" "What do you mean?" "Why, you're crazy!" "You know, I let people think that for a long time." "I used to like to hear them say, "That fat, good-natured old Titus. "" "You know, all fat people are supposed to be laughing and happy." "I spent most of my life getting people to think that." "All right, Titus, let's get down to it." "You still dreaming of running Carlisle in Parkhurst's place?" "No." " Then who is it?" " It's me." " You?" " I don't get it." "You are crazy." "You know you can't get away with it." "I think maybe I can." "I won't go along with it and neither will my district!" "Why, John, I figured to have you in jail by the time the primaries come along." "I've been doing some rooting around and you'd be surprised the things I ran into right here in this state." "There's been some unusual illegal contracts, phony land condemnations..." "Now see here, Titus, you..." "Now, you were in on that land grab, too, Ed." "The fact is, all of you seemed to have got your cut of it." "Now, here I have something that will really interest you." "What's this?" "Go ahead!" "Read them!" "Contracts, checks, bank statements." "They're photostatic copies so I've got plenty more!" "What's the idea of this?" "Why, you double-crossing..." "Now, there ain't no use to calling names." "You see, the public are used to having you all eat at the trough." "I don't know how they'll take it when they learn you ate up the trough, too." "Nothing for me, Titus?" "Oh, I have a few jim-dandies for you if you really want them!" "Now, look here, Titus." "If we go to jail, you go with us." "Now, that's a funny thing." "But somehow, there ain't a scrap of paper to tie me to you." "All of you were so busy getting your big cuts that you were careless when you gave me my little ones." "I plucked a goose here and there but nobody could find the feathers." "You know, I almost believe you." "I hope you do, Dan." "I sure wouldn't want to see you go to jail." "Dan, we've got to be reasonable." " I can't afford to take any chances." "Maybe we ought to think about this some." "There's nothing to think about." "Titus, if you try this, I'll fight you every inch of the way." "Sure sorry to hear you say that, Dan." "You'll find out sooner than you think that it don't pay to be too stubborn." "Well, I've got to be going." "Any of you boys coming my way?" "Can't go along with you, Dan." "Maybe we could make some kind of a deal." "Don't you think we ought to sleep on it?" "Maybe in the morning." "No." "You boys go on." "No hard feelings, Dan?" "No hard feelings." "Can I drop you, Titus?" "I got my car." "Maybe we ought to stop off and have a drink." "Sorry, Dan." "Good night, Dan!" "Maybe get a glass of milk, if you like." "I'm sorry, Lane." "Thought you were asleep." "I didn't feel much like talking." "You don't have to." "I heard the whole thing." "No matter what you give Titus Semple, he'll never let up." "He hates you worse than any of the others because of me." "Why?" "He's been after me ever since I came to Boldon." "He was determined to break me and make me run away, only I wouldn't run." " So he framed me." " Why?" "To protect his candidate's political future." "He thought Field Carlisle was in love with me and I was in love with him." "Were you?" "Yes." "Are you in love with him now?" "Were you in love with him when you married me?" "I don't know." "You at least knew you weren't in love with me." "You were that honest." "You thought if you married me, you'd be out of Titus's reach." "You thought I had more power than he had and you'd be secure, maybe one day you'd pay him back." "And then you and Carlisle would..." "That's not true!" "No one has ever played me for quite such a sucker." "I don't mind being taken for a free ride, but if you had just warned me, if you'd just told me these things when I asked you to," "I'd have known what to expect." "I've made two big mistakes in my life." "I underestimated Titus and I overestimated you." " But you..." " Too bad, sugar." "This joke's on you." "Titus is top man now." "Dan." "Dan." "I'm here at the station." "I'm catching the 1:15 for Olympic City." "I'll probably be moving fast in the next couple of weeks so I can't tell you where I'll be." "Will you have Sarah pack a bag for me and send it on to the Olympic City Hotel?" "All right, Jamieson!" "Train's just about to pull out." "Dan." " Yes?" "Will you call me?" "There isn't anything to say." " Hello, Doc." " You got a story for me, Dan?" "I understand Titus has you all over a barrel." "He's gonna put himself in as Governor." "My client has no statement to make, Waterson." "I don't need any legal protection against Doc." "Don't miss the train." "Okay." " What are you going to do, Dan?" " I don't know." "I'm no lace-pants reformer, but I'll be horsewhipped before I'll turn this state over to Titus." "I don't know yet how we could have been so stupid as to let this happen." "Men like Titus don't just happen." "No, it's men like me that make them possible." "Say, Doc, you're always writing fancy, flag-waving speeches telling how to run the universe." " Have you a solution?" " Not off-hand." "But then I don't think our form of government's so bad that honest men can't run it." "Aboard!" " Good luck." " Thanks, Doc." "Who is it?" "Field!" " I got to talk to you." " Well, you can't." "It's late." "You're drunk!" "Not drunk enough." "There's not enough liquor in the world to wash away what I got to wash away." "You have no business to come here at this time of night." "There's nobody here." "I watched them all leave, one by one." "Sitting across the street for hours in my car." "Guess I went to sleep!" "It's as good a place as any." "Why don't you stop killing yourself this way?" "If it were just that simple." "I've been trying all day to get up the nerve." "Field, what's wrong?" "What's happened to you?" "I crawled into a bottle and I can't get out, my sweet little wife's thrown me over, Titus is through with me..." "I lost you." "You are drunk." "It's the only way I could get up the courage to come here to say what's been eating me all these months." "We should have stayed together." "I'd have been all right then." "None of this would have happened." "I'd have made a good deputy sheriff." "It never would have worked." "Whatever we had is over." "I can look at you now and know it's completely gone." "Now, come on, you can't stay here." "You better go home." "Go back to my gutter?" "I got a nice little place all staked out in front of the Palmer House." "Titus can rock and rock and rock and look down on me and spit." "Oh, he's got all of us." "He framed you and now he's framed Dan." "He's got us all." " What do you mean, he's framed Dan?" " I want a drink." "How did Titus frame Dan?" "What difference does it make?" "He's got us all licked." "I'm sick, Lane." "I'm sick all the way through." " I need a drink." "Please give me a drink." " All right, all right." "Then will you tell me?" "You're really in love with Dan?" "Field!" "Hold it, Sheriff!" "I'm Johnson of The Olympic City Times, Sheriff." "Will you make a statement?" "No boys, there ain't much to say at a time like this." "Senator Carlisle was a brilliant man with a great future." "But when a man gets into bad company and starts calling on another man's wife late at night when the husband ain't home..." " There's no doubt about it being suicide?" " Depends on how you look at it." "It's his gun, but then maybe a man could get so tormented by that kind of woman, he wouldn't know what he was doing." "Back to the office." "The Grand Jury must be crazy if they think they can make this indictment against me stick!" "I said the same thing to Semple last night when I first got wind of it." "But he appears to think they can." "He'd just come from the showdown at your house and he was cocky as a bantam rooster." "He's a trifle overweight for a bantam." "This is no laughing matter, Dan." "When the Attorney General steps into a case, it's serious." "They've got you on a peonage charge, working with convict labor, not paying for it." "And they've got the sworn statements of eight convicts and your own construction boss, Burr Lassen." "Well, if Lassen did it, Titus must really have him by the throat." "It's too bad about Burr, but as your lawyer," "I'm bound to worry about your neck." "Come in." " Mr. Reynolds?" " Here." "Good evening, Sarah." "If you want to see Mrs. Reynolds, you can't see her." "She don't want to see nobody, nobody at all." "Besides, Doc Waterson, she's asleep, sound asleep." " I'll tell her you were here." " Never mind, Sarah, I'll tell her myself!" "And at a late hour yesterday, the Grand Jury indicted Dan Reynolds, state political boss, on a charge of peonage." "The Attorney General is assuming personal direction of the case and he promises to press the inquiry to the fullest." "He is quoted..." "Now, you don't believe that, do you?" "Dan's too smart for any cheap graft." "No, I know it's a frame-up." "Field told me." "Did he tell you how Titus framed him?" "That's all I could get out of him." "I'm not much of a man for giving advice, Mrs. Reynolds, never having been able to take it myself, but I'm suggesting that you get out of town today." "If you don't, Titus will drive you out." "How?" "What are you talking about?" "Well, this morning a committee made a call on our mayor, a committee of women." "Yes?" "They went there protesting to the mayor about you." "But I don't understand." "Well, it's this way." "They call themselves the Mother's Committee." "Tomorrow, Titus will name it a spontaneous demonstration by indignant citizens." "I know you're trying to help me." " But I'm not running." " Maybe you'll wish you had." "Titus is digging up some more of his particular brand of dirt." "You'd be surprised how fast it can spread." " Get out of town!" " You're a cheat!" "What is this?" "I was hoping you'd get out before this happened." "It's gonna get louder, Mrs. Reynolds." "Louder and uglier!" "I'll stop them!" "No, don't!" "That's just what the mob wants." "Well, I'll stop them in another way." "I'll have them arrested!" "It won't do any good." "No one will come." "The same man who arranged that demonstration controls the police." "If you don't get out town, we'll run you out!" "Titus Semple!" "Yeah, he's still here, honey." "Lute Mae kept him waiting for you." "You want me with you or do you want to be alone?" "Alone." "Miss Bellamy, you keep surprising me." "Mrs. Reynolds, I mean." "I keep forgetting." "I sure figured you'd be gone by now." "You'd have saved a heap of trouble if you had." "Saved who, Sheriff?" "You or me?" " I ain't never felt in need of salvation." " Oh, but you are, Sheriff." "You've gotten away with the things you've done because everyone's afraid of you." "Well, I'm not." "Not anymore." "What you've done to me and what you did to Field is past." "That can't be helped." "But I'm not going to let you destroy my husband." "Miss Bellamy, I'm going to crucify you." "You and Dan both." "You're going to pick up that phone and call the Attorney General." "You're going to tell him it was a frame-up and that Dan is innocent." "Because if you don't, Sheriff, I'll kill you." "Looks like I just about got to do as you suggest." "Long distance." "Shame after I had everything planned so nice." "Hello?" "This is Sheriff Semple." "I want to talk to Attorney General Brandon in Olympic City." "I guess now we're gonna break out into a rash of good government, when poor old Titus has retired." "Dan's heart was never in smart politics." "He always had a kind of nasty streak of honesty!" "I should have spit you out the first time you lit between my teeth." "It ain't too late now." "It's your gun." "It'd be self-defense." "The position of the gun indicates that it could have fallen from Semple's hand." "These are his fingerprints." "I think that's all the evidence we need." "Dan, you can see your wife now." "I'm very grateful." "Thanks." "Take these down for photostats." " Right, Will." " Give me the Women's Division, block C." "I'm kind of disappointed in you." "Why didn't you tip me off this was gonna happen?" "I'd have had an extra on the street." "I haven't been very cooperative, have I?" "Some people think you have." "Half the county will be out to shake your hand." "I didn't mean it to turn out like this." "I've hurt Dan, too." "The one man who could have cleared him before the Grand Jury is dead." "Dan." "Dan, I thought I'd never see you again." "When you walked out, I knew then how much you meant to me." "The District Attorney wants to see you, Mrs. Reynolds." "It won't be too long." "And then we're going to start from the beginning." "Dan Reynolds, I told you one of these days you'd make me cry."