"Where's the La Fonda Hotel?" "Hotel?" "Over where?" "Thanks." "You talk English?" "Yes." "Where's the La Fonda Hotel?" "What's the matter?" "Doesn't anybody know?" "It's over there by the stores." "Si, way over there." "No, not over there." "What's the name of the street?" "What's the matter with you?" "What are you looking at?" "You, I'm talking to." "Who you looking at?" "I show you... the... hotel." "Why don't you look where you're going?" "Okay, Sitting Bull, pick up your feet." "Get going, come on." "There is the hotel." "Thanks." "Please..." "You take this." "put it in your pocket." "Don't lose it." "Her name is Ishtam." "My grandmother gave it to me" "When I come to the city, so I not be run over." "No, I'm not buying any souvenirs." "No, no, you on't buy it, you keep it." "It protect you." "From what?" "Hello." "No, ma'am, not at all, ma'am." "Positively nothing." "I'm very sorry." "Thank you, ma'am." "If anything turns up, I have your name." "Room and bath for one, please." "Nothing available, sir absolutely nothing available." "No mail, Mrs. Eustace." "You might try the El Capitan down the street, sir but I know they have nothing either." "My name is Blane." "I reserved rooms for four with bath." "Oh, yes, Mr. Blane, I received your wire." "Hey, Bud." "Yes, sir?" "Check that for me, will you?" "Be glad to, sir." "You wait here, I'll bring you a check right away." "If you'd checked out by 3:00, sir we wouldn't have charged you for an extra day." "Sorry." "Not a thing, sir." "We don't have a thing." "Yeah, I know." "Will you put that in Mr. Frank Hugo's box?" "Oh, yes, sir." "Would you like me to call his room?" "No, just put it in this box." "Yes, sir." "Here is the check for your bag, sir." "Keep the change." "Oh, thak your, sir." "Yes?" "I want to see Frank Hugo." "If you'd telepohoned from downstairs you'd have found that Mr. Hugo is not in." "Is there anything further?" "Not that I can think of." "Then if you'll allow me, I'll close..." "I told you, Mr. Hugo's not in!" "You his barber?" "I'm M. Hugo's private secretary." "That's too bad, I was going to ask you for a shave." "You can't wait in Mr. Hugo's room." "Where is he?" "If you have no appointment you'll have to wait downstairs." "I don't like it downstairs." "When will he be back?" "I said you'll have to wait downstairs." "Now look: if you don't leave this room at once" "I'll have to call the manager." "I wouldn't do that." "Then get out!" "Excuse it, please." "Oh..." "Hello." "Is Frank in?" "No." "Did, uh..." "Did you do that?" "He'll be all right." "Oh, I wasn't worried." "A lot of people will be very grateful to you." "Jonathan can be awfully stuffy." "Yeah, I noticed." "Do you mind my asking what you're doing here?" "Waiting for Frank Hugo." "He ought to be here in a few minutes." "I'm having dinner with him." "Do you expect to join us?" "Look, why don't you just sit down and stop pumping?" "I was just curious." "You don't intend shooting me, do you?" "Did you really expect to find a gun?" "Good heavens, you really did." "You must led a fascinating life." "You're not through with me, are you?" "Aren't you going to frisk me?" "No." "May I have a light?" "Sure." "There's one right there on the table." "Shall I answer that?" "No, I'll get it." "Hello." "No." "No, Jonathan's not here." "Yeah, this is Mr. Hugo's room." "Oh, hello, Mr. Hugo." "No, there's nobody here." "This is the bellboy speaking." "I just brought some ice." "Yes, sir." "Yes, sir." "Yeah, I see." "Yes, I will." "That was Frank?" "Frank himself." "Call the police." "I don't think this gentleman would approve of that." "Your boss just telephoned." "He said he wouldn't be back until tomorrow." "Well, that's being stoop up rather thoroughly." "You're not leaving?" "Yeah." "But we could have dinner in the room." "Frank's already ordered it." "No, thanks." "I'll be seeing Frank early." "Who shall I say called?" "Just tell him Shorty's pal called... and will call again." "Hello there, Mr. Gagin." "How about some lunch?" "The grill's open." "Who are you?" "My name's Retz." "R-E-T-Z" " Retz." "I don't know you." "Well, come along inside." "We'll have a cup of coffee get acquainted, again." "Got my name, huh?" "Oh, I got a lot of things." "For instance?" "Well, you come in on the 4:00 BUS sat up all the way from Washington D.C." "that was a cute little trick you pulled with your note for Frank Hugo to find his room number." "You waited till he phoned he wasn't coming till tomorrow." "Also, you haven't had any lunch." "Neither have I." "How about a bite?" "I'll have a cup of coffee and some Danish pastry." "Yes, sir." "What are you having, Gagin?" "Not a thing." "That'll be all, then." "I guess you know you're not going to find a room in this town." "The fiesta's got her filled up to her ears." "It starts tomorrow night." "Lots of excitement." "Floats, dancing in the streets" "The indians put on a special show." "You a cop?" "That's about right." "Washington?" "Government cop." "My, my." "How come you're tailing me, Uncle Sam?" "Oh, thank you, ma'am." "You'll excuse me." "Oh, I'm not tailing you." "I got in yesterday ahead of you." "Come for the fiesta?" "I didn't know about the fiesta." "You and the fiesta are both gravy." "Who's going to ask the questions-- me or you?" "Go ahead." "I'm not used to pumping cops." "Oh, I don't mind." "How come you know me?" "Saw you in Washington at Shorty Thompson's inquest." "Some inquest that was, huh?" "You testified you had no idea who killed your pal." "Yeah, the cops and I were equally baffled." "I spotted you at the desk here." "Checked on your arrival." "That's the whole mystery, on my end." "Except what you're doing here." "I'm tailing Mr. Hugo." "I thought you knew that." "I don't know anything." "I been watching him for six months." "You don't watch him very close, do you?" "You mean you think he killed Shorty?" "I'll leave the thinking to you, Uncle Sam." "All right." "This is what I think" "You're here to square things for Shorty by knocking off Hugo, right?" "Go on." "Also, you are as dumb as they come." "I am, huh?" "Why, Mr. Hugo's a big man in this part of the world." "He's got lots of friends in this state." "He's too tough for you." "Maybe." "Why don't you smart up?" "Leave him to us." "We'll get him." "Anything else on your mind?" "Oh, don't rush off." "You know, I wouldn't like it a minute if Mr. Hugo got you." "Wye, you're not a bad fellow." "You're like the rest of the boys" "All cussed up because you fought a war for three years and got nothing but a dangle of ribbons." "Whe don't you let your Uncle Samuel take care of him?" "How long you been after him?" "A long time" "Too long to let anything happen to it now." "Yeah." "Would be a shame, wouldn't it?" "Thanks for the advice, Uncle." "Maybe I sized you up all wrong." "Maybe you're after something else." "And maybe you're working for Hugo." "I told you I worked for the government." "Doesn't the government work for Hugo?" "It did all during the war." "Well, if it isn't Jonathan's friend." "He sends you his love." "Mr. Locke, mister..." "Gagin." "Mr. Gagin." "How do you do?" "Care to have a drink with us?" "If I was thirsty." "Maybe he could use a little company." "He looks lonely." "I'm a friend of Frank Hugo." "I told Mr. Locke about your message." "He's going to talk on the phone with Frank in an hour." "We thought you might care to expand it." "No, I don't." "Anything you have to say to Hugo you can say to me, Mr. Gagin." "Please, join us." "You can hold your drink in your hand if you're not thirsty." "No, thanks." "If your business is important" "I could tell it to Frank and expedite matters, perhaps." "No, I don't think so." "I'm afraid Mr. Gagin can't be seduced." "See you again, Gagin." "Did you find anything?" "No, senor, I've been to all the hotels they don't have nothing." "No room single, double, nothing empty in San Pablo tonight." "Okay, here." "Maybe you try Tres Violetas." "You find something there." "What's that, a hotel?" "No, saloon." "Or maybe some Indian or Mexican have room in his house." "Pretty crowded, but give them a few bucks maybe they move." "What is this..." "whatchamacallit?" "What's that?" "The Tres Violetas." "I take you." "Uh, here is the Tres Violetas, señor." "Thanks." "You." "What are you doing here?" "I was waiting." "I'm glad to see you again." "You don't say." "I..." "I thought I would never see you anymore." "Look, do you know where I can get a room?" "A room." "Why?" "To sleep in." "Mama mia has a room." "Do you know her?" "Yes." "Where's she live?" "I don't know, I am lost." "I thought you knew this town." "I knew where the hotel was because I passed it before." "I never been to San Pablo before." "I live in San Melo, 75 miles away." "Okay, okay." "What do you want?" "My two friends went away and left me." "Where'd they go?" "Inside, looking for muchachos." "For what?" "Boys." "Do they know where Mama Mia lives?" "I don't know what they know." "Thanks." "Maybe I go with you?" "No, not tonight, Sitting Bull." "You will need me, señor." "What's going on inside your head, huh?" "Oh, nothing, señor, nothing." "Only I..." "I don't know what to do tonight." "Why don't you get yourself a muchacho like your girlfriends?" "I don't know how." "You're T" "Excuse me." "Yeah, I was talking to your friend outside." "Pila?" "Oh, all night she will be outside." "She's crazy." "Yeah, I would'n be surprised" "She said something about Mama Mia." "Do you know where she lives?" "Oh, si, I know where she live." "I take you." "She don't know nothing about Mama Mia." "Excuse me." "Whiskey." "Tequila." "No, I want a big whiskey." "Big one, big one." "Tequila, eh?" "No change, senor." "Too big, too big, no change." "That's the smallest thing I got." "Señor, my name is Pancho." "I would like to help you." "I will be your friend." "I tell you what I going to do..." "Is 20 pesos." "Is your 20, huh?" "Yeah." "He can change only ten, eh?" "Yeah." "So we drink ten, and everybody is happy, eh?" "You want to make everybody happy, si?" "Sure, let's make everybody happy." "Make mine whiskey." "I don't want to burn a hole in my neck." "Amigo, you are the blood of my heart." "You are true friend." "To you." "Down the hatch." "Manito, fill up my friend's glass." "Full!" "Big!" "The big drinks is most best." "Hey, listen." "You know why that man sing, amigo?" "He sings because tomorrow we burn zozobra." "He's god of bad luck." "He's got face more worse than me." "Tomorrow we burn zozobra-- and we have fiesta." "No more zozobra, no more bad luck." "Big drink for everybody." "So quick we drink up all the change." "There's a lot more where it came from." "When I see you, I say" ""this is kind of fellow more proud than you, Pancho."" "Pancho very proud man." "Oye, chato, give everybody drink." "Big drink for everybody." "Pancho is buying!" "Yeah, you lend me ten dollars." "I pay you tomorrow, eh?" "Amigo, my beautiful amigo!" "You got kind of face I like." "You come in here for something." "You tell Panchito what you look for he get it for you." "Yeah, you tell Panchito." "I'm looking for a place to sleep in." "What, you got no place for sleep?" "That's the kind of man I like" "The man with no place." "I will give you the most fine place to sleep in all San Pablo." "I'm your man." "Fill them up." "Hey, what's the matter?" "You don't feel good?" "You drink whole bottle and don't feel good?" "That's bad." "I feel fine." "No, something is wrong." "I sing and something says, "Pancho, shut up."" "That's you." "I didn't tell you to shut up." "Your heart tells me." "What's the matter, you're not Pancho's friend?" "I'm nobody's friend." "What's the matter?" "Somebody follow us." "I don't hear nobody." "Somebody walk soft." "Oh, it's a girl." "Oh, she no good... too skinny." "I told you once before tonight. no dice!" "Oh, she your girl, eh?" "I don't know her." "That's all right, you can tell Pancho." "I don't know her and I don't want to know her." "Now, go on home and play with your buffaloes." "Hey, that's right." "She's too skinny... no good." "Ah, them kids" "The fiesta bring them like honey." "They come for sing, for dance for get fellow, have a good time then go home and pull the plow for a year." "That one pretty skinny." "You get much better more later on, eh?" "Hey, ski..." "Oh, she gone." "My goodness where she go, eh?" "Where we going?" "I show you." "Where's the house?" "The house, señor." "You're drunk." "Is possible." "But never too drunk for know my own house." "Have a look." "The palace of Pancho!" "That's a fine ceiling, that's good walls" "Beautifullandlord." "Especial for you." "Yeah, give me the bottle." "How you like my house, amigo?" "I've been in worse houses." "Who owns that outfit?" "Tio vivo?" "She is mine." "I own everything." "12 beautiful horses..." "Three beautiful chariots..." "Whole beautiful orchestra" "All Pancho's." "Hey, you drink pretty good for a gringo." "Yeah." "Some people is happy when they got money." "Me, I'm only happy when I got nothing." "Nothing and a friend." "So long as Pancho got somebody he can tell: amigo, I love you" "that's enough." "They can keep everything else." "Keep the whole world." "Give Pancho..." "Only Pancho." "What do you want?" "You want a ride?" "Yes." "Wait a minute, I'll wake up fatso." "Hey, Pancho." "You got a customer." "All closed, no more customers." "Come on, come on, get up." "I told you, she too skinny." "Lots more better manana." "Come on, Pancho, she wants a ride." "Turn it, will you?" "No, no ride." "Is late, Tio Vivo closed." "Music wake the peoples." "Okay, no music but turn it, huh?" "I don't give no free ride, is rule." "Break the rule." "Ten centavos--one ride." "Okay, here." "Did you ever ride on one of them before?" "No." "Well, go on, get going, go on." "Which one?" "Try the pink one." "Okay, Sitting Bull" "Why don't you give us a war whoop?" "You know..." "That's all." "Diez centavos, ten cents, one ride." "Ishtam, the good goddess." "What's she good for?" "To keep away death." "Very fine charm." "I got a better charm." "Soldier gun." "Why?" "Best charm in the world." "Keeps away the bogeyman." "Someone is here." "What?" "Someone is here." "Who's here?" "Someone is hiding out there." "Gagin?" "Yeah." "Sorry to wake you up but I got to thinking maybe we ought to have a little talk." "We had a talk, Uncle Sam." "Sure, but another one." "I got a couple of new ideas." "Oh..." "Go on, beat it, Scrambo." "Go on over there, way over there." "I told you I didn't want you removing Mr. Hugo from the scene but I'm not worrying about that anymore not the way you're handling it." "Walking in here and telling him" "Shorty's pal is looking for him!" "Playing it tough, huh?" "They've got a couple of bad boys out looking for you." "This interest you?" "Yeah...kind of." "Those mugs that Mr. Locke put on you will be arount to the Three Violetas." "They'll find out the same lead I did." "What time does it open?" "Around 9:00." "I got an extra bed in my room." "You'll be a little more comfortable there." "No." "I'll stay here." "Kind of figured I was wasting my time." "Hey, Retz." "Yeah?" "Thanks." "Don't mention it." "Say, fine beautiful morning, mi amigo." "How you feel?" "Fine." "How you sleep in Pancho's palace?" "Like a baby, eh?" "Yeah, like a baby." "Where'd you get this razor?" "It's a very fine razor." "I shaved with it myself once." "What time is it?" "About ten minutes past 7:00." "I have a fine deam last night." "I dream all my horses is alive and we all riding on desert for hunting lions." "And I am young again." "Service, eh?" "Where you get that new bucket?" "I find it." "That's very fine bucket." "Is sign of good luck when you find new bucket." "Yeah?" "I got a looking glass, small one." "I don't need it." "I'm all through." "Why do you have to look like that?" "Lile what?" "Like you come out of a sideshow." "What's a sideshow?" "Place where they keep freaks." "I look like a freak?" "You look like zip-what-is-it?" "Why do I look like that?" "Well, I don't know." "Maybe it's the dress." "This is my granmother's dress." "She gave it to me when I come to the fiesta." "I never had a dress so nice as this." "Well, it might be all right if you took some of them spangles off." "I take them off." "You might also comb your hair." "My hair?" "Is not right?" "All right for mice to sleep in." "Give me my coat." "Here." "Go get yourself a permanent wave or something." "Maybe a manicure, huh?" "No, I can't take the money." "Why not?" "Is too much." "You can count, that's something, huh?" "Go on, take it, make yourself look human." "You like me if I look human?" "Look, Sitting Bull" "I'm not buying any trouble this trip." "I got other things on my mind." "Go on now, beat it." "Ten dollar?" "Mi amigo, you crazy for waste time on a stick." "Fellow like you can get princess, fat one." "Yeah, I've had princesses, all kinds." "I got one now back East." "That's crazy." "Why don't you bring her to the fiesta?" "She's busy... with another guy." "I don't think I like him, that other guy." "Ah, don't say that, he's okay." "He's got what it takes." "Dough." "Mr. Hugo in?" "I said is Mr. Hugo in?" "Who is it?" "The man who was here yesterday." "Oh, Shorty's pal-- let him in." "Mr. Hugo will see you." "You want me to come back for the shampoo?" "I'll call you later." "Mr. Locke in his room?" "No, Mr. Hugo, he left ten minutes ago." "Wait downstairs." "You want me in, boss?" "No, out." "All right, Mr. Gagin, what can I do for you?" "Yes, this is Mr. Hugo." "No, I can't talk to him now." "No more calls till I let you know." "Would you like to look around?" "I don't mind company." "Sit down." "I'm glad to see you, Mr. Gagin." "How's our friend, Mr. Retz?" "He's okay." "I hear you been talking to him." "What would I have to talk to him about?" "I don't know." "Comrade in arms." "You're both shooting at the same target, aren't you?" "." "He's no pal of mine." "Good for you." "Cigar?" "No, thanks." "So you're Shorty's pal." "That's right." "Shorty was a nice guy." "Yeah, he was." "Weren't you in the same outfit together--Pacific area?" "Tried to get in myself." "Too bad they had to turn you down." "I gave Shorty a job when he got out, a good job." "Yeah, I know." "Hundred a week just to see that people didn't bother me too much" "Should have solved all his postwar problems." "Too bad Shorty turned out to be a crook." "Got himself all crumbed up reaching for easy money." "That's kind of funny talk coming from a guy who's done rather well out of the government" "Kind of like spitting in my own face." "That's what you're thinking, isn't it, Gagin?" "I'm thinking." "Our friend Shorty was the kind of crook that nobody likes, not even me who am rather broad-minded about such things." "Short took something from me and tried to sell it back." "I don't like blackmailers." "Nor would you if you were in my business." "They constitute a very bad industrial hazard." "He refused to give it to me, there was a fight." "Your pal Shorty wasn't as tough as he thought he was." "So you had him killed." "Let's say he lost the argument." "To three guys with blackjacks." "Were there three?" "Three pretty stupid guys, too." "Stupid?" "Yeah." "They didn't get what they were after." "They didn't?" "No, I got it." "A cancelled check for a hundred grand on a Mexican bank, signed by you and made out to a guy who was making patriotic speeches about the time I was getting a tan in a place called New Guinea." "You sound like a disillusioned patriot." "The number of the check is 6431." "You've got me convinced." "It wouldn't be on you, would it?" "No, of course not, you wouldn't be that dumb." "All right, Mr. Gagin, how much do you want?" "30 grand." "Shorty only wanted 15." "The extra 15 is on account of Shorty." "A real friend." "Don't kid yourself." "You're doing it for you just like I did what I did for me." "Look, do I get the 30 grand or do I turn the check over to Mr. Retz?" "So that's the way it's gonna be." "That's the way it's gonna be." "Look, Gagin, let's hit it on the nose." "You and me, we, eat out of the same dish." "You used to think if you were a square guy, worked hard played on the level, things would come your way." "You found out you were wrong." "All you get is pushed around." "You found people are intested in only one thing--the payoff." "That's all I'm interested in." "You know, Gagin, I like you." "There are two kinds of people in this world:" "ones that fiddle around worrying about whether things are right or wrong and guys like us." "Do I get the 30 grand?" "It'll be pretty hot" "Are you sure you want it?" "I'm sure." "You know the spot I'm in." "I'd be a dope to pay blackmail." "And if you don't?" "There might be a photostatic copy of the chek." "Then you have to pay again." "Now he may remember the check number and bank." "I'd be buying practically nothing for my 30 grand but a headache." "20 years for stealing from the government is also a headache." "Yeah, that's worth thinking about." "I'm getting tired of that check haunting me." "I'll take a chance on you being a square blackmailer." "I'll give you 15 grand." "30." "Well, I came to enjoy the fiesta." "I'll charge it up to pleasure." "You'll want it in cash, naturally." "Right here in my hand." "I don't carry that kind of money with me." "It'll take me a few hours to get it." "Where can I reach you?" "Here." "I'd rather you didn't clutter up my rooms." "I'll let the money around, say, 7:00." "See you then?" "Couldn't we find someplace more public?" "More public?" "Yeah, it's a sensible precaution." "You know where the Tip-Top cafe is?" "I'll find it." "And you'll have that little item." "Youll get the check when I get the dough." "I don't even trust my mother." "And I guess a blackmailes can't be too careful." "Must be an exciting way to make a living." "I'll have to try it sometime." "I'll see you at the Tip-Top cafe." "At 7:00." "Good morning." "Waiting for you friend?" "Known him long?" "Yesterday." "You like him?" "Well, why don't you help him?" "He's in trouble." "I know." "You mean you know the kind of trouble he's in?" "Yes." "What kind of trouble would you say it is?" "He will die, maybe." "Yeah?" "When?" "Soon." "How soon?" "Before long." "How do you get that?" "I saw." "What did you see?" "I saw him dead." "Beats me how you get that." "You saw him dead?" "Oh, you mean you dreamed it." "No..." "I saw it." "Yesterday when he came to the merry-go-round." "I saw his face." "Dead." "His eyes were closed, the skin was white." "He was dead." "Not a bad hunch." "I don't see things like that but I got it figured my way." "Listen, I'm trying to help him." "Do you believe that?" "If he tells me." "Hi, Retz." "Why, hello there." "I just been talking to your friend." "How'd you like to take a wald?" "Lots of fiesta doings starting up." "No, I'm not here for the fiesta either." "That's what I figured." "You didn't come for the show." "You come for the money." "You know, I been a little slow on the pickup." "I don't know why." "I just didn't figure you for a shakedown job." "I'm after Hugo." "You've got some evidence that can help me send him up but I haven't any idea what it is." "You're trying to sell it to him but the chances are ten to one you'll wind up like Shorty." "I'm asking you for that evidence, officially." "See, I'm not talking for myself." "I'm talking, like you say, for Uncle Sam." "You tell Uncle Sam to go take a walk for himself." "And look Copper, don't wave any flags at me." "I seen enough flags." "Well, I've spoken my piece." "I've heard enough pieces too." "They don't register anymore." "Okay... soldier." "I'll be seeing you around." "I'll be around." "What happened to you?" "Do you like?" "Do I look human?" "Oh, brother." "What else should I do?" "Well, you can't do anything else-- you've done everything." "Are you hungry?" "I ate an apple." "No, no, no, I mean food." "Come on, it's a little early but we'll have some lunch." "Where?" "In the restaurant." "Oh, no, I can't." "Why not?" "What's the matter, don't you answer questions?" "Aw, you don't have to be afraid of a restaurant." "All you have to do is walk in, sit down and pretend you're a human being." "Yeah, I want to sit over there." "Hey." "See anything you want?" "Look, if you can't read, say so." "I can read." "Go ahead and read it." "See if there's anything you want to eat." "I'm not hungry." "Uh... two fruit cocktails two trout with au gratin potatoes two orders of salad, thousand island dressing got that?" "Yes, sir." "We'll order dessert later." "Yes, sir." "Where you been living, in a barrel?" "I live in San Melo." "You know, it's funny." "For a minute I thought I was back in New Guinea, again." "Only in New Guinea they're darker." "Who is?" "Girls." "You like them darker?" "You going to laugh at me, I"ll go away." "Nobody's laughing at you." "What a goon." "Lot of different kinds of fruit, all chopped up." "Go ahead, eat it, it's good." "That smells very good." "That's to kep it cold-- that's very nice." "In San Melo ice is very hard to get." "We put everything down the well by string and..." "I must talk to you, Mr. Gagin." "It's very important and I've only got a few minutes." "Frank is coming down." "You said you put things down the well, huh?" "Please, couldn't we go to another table?" "No, we couldn't." "Can't you see we're having lunch?" "But I must talk to you alone." "I'm terribly sorry." "Please, Mr. Gagin, I'm only asking three minutes but they're very important minutes, for both of us." "Okay." "You go on over and sit at another table over there." "I'll call you." "You will excuse us for a moment, won't you?" "What's on your mind?" "Frank just told me what you're doing and I rushed right down here hoping to find you." "You don't know me." "You have no reason to believe anything I say but you can't lose anything by listening." "All right, I'm listening." "He's very clever, Frankie." "He's seen to it I have everything except money" "But I could get out... with money." "I know what you're thinking." "What's she up to?" "Why do I even listen to her?" "You said it, sister." "You're such a fool asking for only $30,000." "Do you know what he'd have asked for, in your place?" "A million, and gotten it." "Let me do it" "I'll get you twice as much and get what I want too." "How?" "Will you let me?" "I asked you how." "Don't give him the check." "Give it o a lawyer in Tulsa or anyplace else, New York, Chicago- some honest lawyer." "Put it in a sealed envelope and pay him a thousand-dollar fee." "And tell him that if anything happens to either you or me he's to send the envelope to the F.B.I." "Then you tell Frank what you've done and ask for $100,000." "When that's gone, ask for another $100,000 and we become sort of..." "partners with Frankie." "I've learned this sort of high finance from Frankie himself." "Too rich for me." "But don't you see it's more than the money?" "It's only way to keep alive." "You don't think Frank's gonna let you enjoy it even if he gives it to you." "I'll enjoy it." "All right, I know you're not afraid" "But why not get more?" "It's so simple." "No, I don't play." "But why?" "I don't trust that lawyer" "The one who clips us for a grand." "I said we've find an honest one." "Hugo buys them all, even the honest ones." "But he won't know who he is." "You'll know." "Oh, I see..." "And of course you can't trust me." "Right." "Then do it yourself." "I'll trust you." "Too many angles." "Please, it's tremendous if you do it right." "He has millions." "You're a smart cookie, aren't you?" "But I'll do it my way." "But it's stupid." "So stupid." "Maybe." "I found out something though." "There are a lot of people smarter than me and they aren't up nights figuring out how to help me." "But I'll buy you a drink." "What'll you have?" "Nothing, thank you." "Hey!" "Come on back." "What's your name?" "Pila." "Pila?" "Yeah." "Pila, I want you to meet" "Miss Marjorie Lundeen." "How do you do?" "I'm terribly sorry about intruding like this." "This must be dull town after the fiesta dusty and hot and full of flies." "I'm glad I don't live here because I like bright lights and nightspots and lots of people." "I'm afraid I wasn't cut out for..." "I'll try to see you later." "Please think over what I told you." "It was nice meeting you." "She make you feel bad?" "I guess you're not used to her kind of ladies, huh?" "She's very beautiful." "Yeah... they usually are." "She has very nice clothes, and diamonds." "Diamonds... and a dead fish where her heart ought to be." "I known a lot of them babies." "She's not a baby." "Babies is what you call dames, do you understand that?" "No." "Do you understand what a human being is?" "Yes." "Well, they're not human beings." "They're dead fish with a lot of perfume on them." "You touch them and you always get stung." "You always lose." "You do not like?" "No." "My friend Maria is like that." "Jose bought her a new pair of shoes and she wouldn't wear them for him but tonight at a dance she's going to wear them in front of other men and I told her she shouldn't be like that" "because Jose bought them for her and she should wear them for him because a man doesn't like for a girl always to go barefoot." "Go on, eat your lunch." "I got some business I got to attend to." "Sounds like the fiesta's started." "No, not till 8:00." "They're taking old Zozobra to the plaza for the big burning." "There's still time." "Who ordered squab?" "I did." "There's not much there." "I'm not very hungry." "Bring the wine now, will you?" "Yes, sir." "How is everything, Mr. Hugo?" "What's that?" "Well, look who's here." "Must be 7:00." "On the nose." "You're on time." "I said "How is everything?"" "You'll have to wait a few minutes." "The bank messenger is coming from Tulsa." "You all set with your end of it?" "Yeah." "He's scared still I'll stand him up." "The messenger phoned he'd be a little late." "Why don't you wait at the bar and let you know when he comes." "Why wait at the bar?" "Pull up a chair." "There's plenty of room." "I prefer Mr. Gagin at the bar." "Don't be silly, Frank." "I feel like dancing." "After all, it is a fiesta." "Your squab will get cold." "Keep it warm for me, will you, Frank?" "Mind?" "Dancing will be better than sitting at the bar." "I've been furious at you all day." "You've cost me $50,000 by your bullheadedness." "50,000 and freedom and fun." "I don't know why I feel this way about you." "Oh, I'm not making a pass at you." "I'm just being stupid." "What's on your mind?" "You." "What are we waiting for?" "He's watching us." "I'm afraid to talk." "Come with me." "He isn't going to give you the money." "No?" "He's figured out one of his typical tricks." "What?" "Is he watching us?" "No." "Have you got a cigarette?" "I shouldn't be telling you this." "You certainly haven't done anything to deserve it." "But there isn't any bank messenger coming." "There's someone else." "Who?" "I don't know." "Oh." "I'm sorry." "Don't I know you?" "I don't know." "Do you?" "Everyone knows everyone on fiesta night." "Are you dancing?" "Not so you'd notice." "Where's Gagin?" "He stopped to talk to someone." "It's a good orchestra, isn't it?" "Dance?" "Some other time." "More wine?" "No, thank you." "Double bourbon." "Yes, sir." "Squab-- you should've had a steak." "There's a couple of your friends outside." "You better go have a look." "What friends?" "So they aren't your friends but you should look anyway." "You should've known better than to send a couple of knife fighters against Gagin." "I don't know anything about Gagin." "Maybe, but your friends don't look so good out there." "Mr. Retz, I'm having my dinner." "You're giving me indigestion." "I don't care what kind of a badge you're wearing." "Sore, ain't you?" "Glad to see it." "You wouldn't be sore if you'd got what you wanted from Gagin." "I'm grateful to you, Mr. Hugo--thanks." "Take Miss Santoya to the fiesta, will you, Jim?" "Come along, my dear." "I'll be at the hotel." "Call you there." "Beat it." "Yes, sir." "What happened?" "They got him--I saw it." "But he got away." "Take her to the fiesta." "And keep your eyes open for him." "He's crawling around someplace." "Bring him back to the hotel." "What about the cops?" "What about them?" "I'm worried." "I'm not worried about a thing." "Who are you?" "I phoned you." "I heard you were in town." "Where are they?" "Right over here." "Broke this baby's arm." "This one looks a little dead." "Couldn't be deader." "Here's a lot of blood." "This one's missing his knife." "Must have left it in the other guy." "If he had a knife." "Winke?" "He always carried a knife." "Pretty bad boy and plenty tough, too." "That guy can't be far." "Maybe we can run him down with all that blood out of him." "Let's look in the cars." "Get the knife out." "I will stop the bleeding." "Tighter." "Pull it tighter." "The police are there." "It is safe." "Has the bleeding stopped?" "Yes." "Help me get out of here." "What's that?" "The fiesta." "Walk slow... and keep in the dark." "Does it hurt?" "Yeah, it hurts." "Mi amigo, how is it?" "I need a little help." "Oh, I fix you." "What kind of hurt?" "Knife." "Where?" "In the back." "Knife is good." "Is more easy to fix." "I got knife three times." "When you're young everybody sticks knife in you." "Lie still, take big drink and pretty soon you're more better than before." "Sit down, niña." "Hold his head." "First you take big drink." "Drink long time." "Hey, you fix this, eh?" "Eh, that's a good kid." "I leave it alone but I make more tighter." "How you feel now, mi amigo?" "Give me..." "Give me a little more of that." "Sure, sure." "Somebody else was hurt?" "Yes." "Two." "One is dead." "Ay, good." "Your coat is pretty bad." "I don't think we can fix him." "Give me... give me that...wallet." "Inside pocket." "She's here, all right." "Get my gun." "No, no, she's gone, this gun." "No..." "Right hand pocket." "No gun, mi amigo." "You don't need gun." "You got Pancho now." "I'll be all right." "Sure." "I'll be all right in a few minutes." "Stick around." "Sure, sure." "I don't like them two guys." "They look bad." "What they come to Pancho for?" "They are after him." "Quick." "We hide him." "Be careful." "In... easy." "No, no, no." "Niños, stay on." "Everybody, free ride." "Stay on, stay on." "Free ride, free ride." "You want to get on?" "Ten cents." "Next ride right away." "Come over here." "What do you want?" "I said, "come over here"." "You looking for something?" "We're looking for a guy named Pancho." "You find him." "That's me." "Where's Gagin?" "Gagin?" "Who's he?" "The fellow you met in the saloon last night." "Oh...him." "He's Gagin." "He don't told me his name." "Where is he?" "How should I know?" "Why you ask Pancho?" "I don't know nothing." "Where'd you take him last night?" "Last night I am drunk." "All I know is I wake up, I am still drunk." "What do you fellows want?" "Why..." "Where's Gagin?" "Please." "I don't know nothing." "I don't know." "If I know, I tell you." "Hey!" "Now, cut the lying." "Where is he?" "Oh, why..." "You hurt Panchito?" "You think he's holding out?" "Not that fat slob." "He don't know from nothing." "It's all right." "It's all right now." "They gone." "A couple of fellows just tell me your name." "Pleased to know you, Mr. Gagin." "They want to know, "Where is Gagin?"" "I don't know." "Boom in the nose." "I don't know." "Boom in the mouth." "I don't know." "I fall down, but I don't know." "I told you Pancho very proud man." "I'm going to cut you in, Pancho." "Cut me in?" "On what, mi amigo?" "Five grand." "Grand?" "5,000 bucks." "You got that much money?" "I'm going to get it." "Lots of people going to get lots of things but they don't." "You ain't got it yet?" "Not yet." "We're going to get it." "We got to get going." "No, no, not now" "You are sick." "I'm not going to get any better if those guys come back." "Right, he goes away." "Maybe they come back." "Fiesta come here, dances here." "Somebody see him" "They find him." "They're not going to stop looking." "I'll be all right as soon as I get my punch back." "We will go to San Melo." "Where's that?" "Two hours by bus." "Are you sure there's a bus?" "Si, it leaves at 10:00." "We got an hour and a half to wait." "We can't wait in that bus station." "You go to the Three Violetas." "You Pancho's friend." "They remember." "Here, take him." "Hurry, quick." "Hey, listen." "They burn Zozobra, the god of bad luck." "Too bad they don't burn him hour ago." "You not feel good, señor?" "Whose sombrero?" "Is mine." "I want to borrow it-- how much?" "You will bring it back sometime." "Take him back there." "Nobody see you." "Big fight?" "Pancho help?" "How is he?" "He's all right." "We will stay here." "Then we will go to the bus." "How do you feel now?" "Yeah, you ought to know what's going on." "I know." "They tried to kill you." "And you want to know...why?" "Because they are bad." "And I'm good, huh?" "Yes." "I will take care of you." "You're just..." "you're just like Shorty." "No brains." "Don't talk." "Is the hurt better now?" "It's hot in here." "Hot in...in the jungle, too." "The rains turns to steam." "Please don't go to sleep." "Okay." "Okay, Shorty." "Okay." "I got something for you." "Here..." "Put that in your shirt." "Hang onto it." "Don't let nobody touch it." "Nobody." "That a boy, Shorty." "That a boy." "M. Gagin." "Mr. Gagin, quick, they're coming." "Where is the ticket seller?" "Next bus don't leave till 10:00." "Where is the ticket seller?" "Oh, he's gone down the street to watch the fiesta." "San Pablo, San Pablo." "La..." "La Fonda hotel?" "What?" "Hotel." "Over there, señor." "I didn't order a drink." "Nevermind!" "Leave it there." "Close those windows." "Yes, sir." "That's better." "I'll get it." "Yeah." "What's that?" "I can't hear you." "Yeah." "They di..." "What's the matter with you!" "Don't call me unless you've got something to tell me!" "Mr. Gagin!" "Mr. Gagin." "Mr. Gagin, please." "Which..." "Which one of you..." "is Frank Hugo?" "I'm Hugo." "Put that thing away." "Don't you see he's out on his feet?" "See if anyone else is with him." "Nobody." "Bring him in and shut the door." "Sit him down." "Who's the girl?" "What's the matter with him?" "He cannot remember." "He's hurt." "Better see if he has a gun." "What did you want to talk to me about?" "Shorty." "Yeah, you're his pal." "You got Shorty." "But I was pretty dumb." "I didn't get what I was after." "What was I after?" "Check." "You want to sell it to me." "How much do you want for it?" "Fif... 30 grand." "It's a deal." "I'll pay it in cash." "You got the check with you?" "Money." "Right here in my hand." "Can't you find it?" "There's no check in here." "What'd you do with it?" "Come on, where is it?" "What did you do with it?" "I don't know." "What do you know about it?" "I don't know nothing." "Where'd you pick him up?" "At tio vivo." "He was hurt." "He came there." "Where'd he go then?" "I don't know." "You don't know!" "You were waiting!" "What were you doing with him?" "He's sick." "Please, he is sick." "Gagin..." "Wake up, Gagin." "I got the money right here." "Now, where's the check?" "Try and think..." "The check, Shorty's check." "What did yo do with it?" "I want to see..." "Frank Hugo." "Can I take him away now?" "Get him a drink." "That's the stuff." "You feel better now, don't you?" "You remember where the check is." "You were afraid you wouldn't get the money but here's the money." "Where's the check?" "I don't know." "Sure you do." "You put it someplace." "Now, where did you put it?" "I don't remember." "You're gonna remember." "It was in your wallet." "Yeah." "But you took it out." "I..." "I took it out." "Where did you put it?" "I..." "I don't remember." "Maybe I can help him remember." "Yeah, go ahead." "Where is it?" "He don't know!" "He lost it." "Where'd he lose it?" "I don't know." "Then how do you know he lost it?" "Maybe she'll talk for you, Tommy." "Where is it?" "Come on, you know where it is." "She don't know where it is, boss." "She knows all right..." "go on, keep it up." "Why don't you help him, Mr. Hugo, sir?" "You're the one knows how to treat a lady." "Who let you in?" "Maybe you don't like knocking on doors." "Maybe you're like this guy over here." "His line is blackmail." "One of these haywire veterans trying to put the bite on me for 30 grand." "What's your bite, mister, is it...ow!" "Gagin." "Gagin, get up, boy." "Get over there!" "Wake up, son." "It's all right, miss." "You can come over here now." "It's all right." "I been following you, Gagin ever since you left the merry-go-round." "Sorry to use you as a bait, but I wanted to be in on it when he tried to wrangle that check out of you." "Stay behind me, son." "Stay behind me." "Need it bad for evidence." "Could have got it, too if I'd waited but I guess I just couldn't wait ain't nice seeing folks get pushed around." "We're in bad company here." "Come on." "Go ahead, Gagin, be a sucker." "Come here to pick up some easy money just as it's in your pocket, you walk out." "This guy makes me laugh" "His idea of big money." "He's got me and all he asks for is 30 grand." "Guys like you work all their lives trying to earn meat and potatoes." "You end up borrowing enough money to pay for a hole in the ground to get buried in." "Then when you get a chance to make some real scratch what do you do?" "Mice like you and Shorty." "You ask for peanuts!" "You know what's going to happen when you get out of here?" "He's going to give you a lot of gas about duty and honor." "Fill you with fancy words like "responsability", "patriotism"." "That's how he's going to get that check." "And what're you gonna have?" "Nothing!" "Sure maybe I'll get sent to the pen." "That won't put money in your pocket." "I don't know why I talk to a guy like you." "All your life you waste time worrying about small -fry things-- about a job, about a two-buck raise about getting a pension." "Why don't you ask for 300 grand?" "300,000 bucks, Gagin!" "It'll set you up for the rest of your life!" "Give me..." "Give me that check." "Here, Retz." "Now you're talking!" "He can't hear you, Gagin." "His tin ear's busted." "Maybe he can hear this." "Like to eat with my hands." "It gets me closer to the food." "What's the matter, eggs cold?" "Coffee stale?" "Toast burned?" "I'm not hungry." "Huh!" "Funny thing.." "Every time I fret, I can't eat." "What makes you thing I'm fretting?" "Tow bucks worth of breakfast gone to pot." "It ain't the five grand you promised Pancho, is it?" "No." "He never expected to get that anyway." "Couldn't be that 300,000 you turned down the other night." "Fat chance I'd have of collecting that with you around." "Is it the kid?" "What kid?" "That little mouse with the big eyes." "You wouldn't be fretting about her." "Why should I worry about her?" "All I got to do is just say good-bye and that's the end of it." "It don't worry me none." "No, she don't worry you at all." "All you got to do is say good-bye and that's it." "You certainly are one hungry man." "Shucks, I got nobody to say good-bye to." "Any particular way you going to tell her?" "I'll tell her." "Sure, but what'll you say?" "That's my department." "I'll see you at the bus station." "I check your bags on the bus, señor." "Oh..." "Thanks." "Hope you don't mind if I kind of hang around see how you handle the situation." "Never been very smart with the women myself." "Maybe you can learn me a thing or two." "All you got to do is say good-bye." "Yeah, just say, "so long, kid"" "and that's the end of it." "Maybe she won't even be here." "Then you won't have to say nothing." "That'll make you happy." "You think maybe whe won't, huh?" "Nah, you don't know dames." "You don't know what they like." "They like to get their hooks in your." "You don't know what kind of a fuss they make." "I'll fix it." "Well, looks like this is your lucky day." "I don't see her around." "Mr. Gagin, my friend." "Howdy." "Glad to see you." "How are you, Pancho?" "I just came over to say so long." "So long?" "Oh, is sad word." "But you make me happy if it's not too long." "Yeah." "Uh, about that money..." "Oh, forget it." "My horses give me all the bucks I want." "We all same kind of peoples." "We all born for be broke." "I don't let you go home in the bus." "I take you Pony Express." "But you see how it is- they all busy." "Pancho!" "Pancho!" "Do me a favor, will you?" "Oh, sure, señor." "Anything, anything." "If Pila shows up will you tell her that..." "Pila, Pila." "You tell her yourself, señor." "Hey..." "Hello." "You remember me?" "Did you have a good time at the fiesta?" "I just stopped over to thank..." "Pancho." "Yeah, swell fellow, Pancho." "Also, I wanted to thank..." "Uh, what's-her-name." "Remember me to your grandmother." "She'll be glad to see you." "Lot of people will be glad to see you." "What I..." "What I'm trying to say..." "What I... mean..." "Good-bye, señor." "Well, say good-bye to the lady." ""Which way to the La Fonda hotel?"" ""I will show you the hotel.""