"Ah, it's no use." "Fine time for the pump to go out." "We come back from a two" "Weeks' huntin' trip an' can't even take a bath." "Well, you go out an' see how much is in the rain barrel," "Will you?" "All right." "Pa?" "Here comes jim oxford." "Hello, jim." "Howdy, lucas, mark?" "When did you get back?" "Oh, about an hour ago." "I got a pump valve for you." "Woman down at the store asked me to drop it off." "She said you had it on order." "That's right, over a month," "Couldn't have come at a better time." "Oh." "What's the matter?" "That's the wrong size." "Hattie ought to know better than that." "Oh, I reckon so, if she'd been the one who sent it out." "What do you mean?" "Well, ain't you heard?" "Of course you ain't, you've been back up at the mountains." "Hattie don't run the store no more." "Hattie" "She went up to denver about ten days ago." "Said her sister or somebody needed her." "She sold out?" "That's right." "There's a new lady now..." "Mildred scott." "She come down from santa fe, bought the place." "If you ask me," "She sure doesn't know her business." "Jim, I can't believe hattie left without sayin' goodbye." "She didn't have no choice, you weren't here." "Jeez, somebody else in the store," "That's sure gonna make it different." "That's right, son." "Wait till you meet 'er, I never seen such" "A mixed-up female in my whole life." "Oh, I better get goin'." "Bye, jim." "Well, son, maybe we better go in" "To meet 'er." "We're gonna have to exchange this valve." "What in the world is" "Woman:" "But you've got to have it, hattie was never out of it." "She knew I needed it, she always kept it on hand." "It eases the pain in my back." "Oh you just simply got to have it." "It's called doctor bertram's super tonic" "And it comes in a brown bottle." "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked everywhere." "I'm going to have" "To order it." "No, I don't have it- all down here" "And I've looked like everywhere." "Maybe it's- oh, look, look," "Everybody, please, please." "Look I-I'm just getting settled" "Here, I've gotta make my inventory," "If you would just come back later." "Yeah, but you don't understand" "I need it so badly." "Would you please go?" "I'm terribly sorry." "I've got to have it!" "I" " I'm awfully sorry, miss milly." "That's all right, marshal," "Just- just leave it there." "Come back tomorrow, would you please?" "Well, miss, I" "Oh, miss milly, this is lucas mccain, an' his boy, mark." "I was tellin' you about them." "Oh, yes." "How do you do?" "Excuse me." "How was the hunting' trip, lucas?" "Fine, oh, good, micah, fine." "We've got, uh, three deer hangin' in the cooler." "Oh, good, good." "Uh, I get invited to a steak dinner?" "Oh, anytime, micah, that is," "If you don't have, uh, too much work left to do." "The marshal was kind enough to help me out." "He was the only" "One, well, you saw how everyone else act- oh, this place is in" "Such a mess, I think I could use" "Some of doctor bertram's tonic myself." "Now, look, miss scott, I don't wanna add to your" "Troubles, but this pump valve you send out to me" "With jim oxford is the wrong one." "Wrong one?" "Um-hm." "But how could it be?" "Well it doesn't fit the pump." "Well it came all the way from santa fe, collect on the stage." "Hattie denton must have written up the order wrong or somethin'." "Well, probably." "Oh, what do you want me to do with it?" "Take it back, an' order the right one, ma'am." "Mr. Mccain, I'm not set up to do business, much less start" "Exchangin' merchandise." "Now, we don't wanna spend the rest of our lives gettin' our" "Bath water out of a rain barrel either." "Well, I'm sure that's your concern, an' not mine." "Now, wait a minute, miss scott, what're you gonna do" "About the valve?" "Are you gonna take it back, or not?" "You know, I'm afraid you just don't understand, mr." "Mccain," "I just bought this business, I put a lot of money into it," "Practically every cent I've got." "Well, I paid for that for you." "You didn't even put a deposit" "Down on it, an' now you want me to send it back." "Of course I do." "People here think that whoever owns the store is a" "Is a bank." "When I took hattie denton's accounts receivable," "I didn't realize it included practically the whole town." "Don't people around here pay money?" "Or don't they have any money?" "Now, look, miss scott, it's been a pretty dry year," "Crops haven't been too good." "Folks have been havin' to sell off cattle to make ends meet." "I'm gonna have to do the same thing myself." "Well, maybe you better get" "At it instead of goin' off hunting'." "That was our winter meat we were after!" "Well, I hope you got plenty," "You're gonna need it." "Let's see here now, mccain, mccain lucas." "Lucas mcccain." "Mccain lucas, yes, here it is, $32" "Now, just a minute, miss scott" "Going back" "Hattie denton always kept a runnin' account for me," "Just like everybody else in north fork." "Well, I'm not hattie denton, I can't afford it." "There'll be" "No more credit in this store for anyone until all these accounts" "Are paid up." "Now, if you'd like to bring yours up to date" "Well, don't you worry about it, miss scott, it will be" "Taken care of." "Come on, son." "Oh, lucas, lucas, wait a minute." "What's the matter with her anyway?" "Now, now, calm down." "She figures she owns the town or somethin'?" "Well, aside from the bank" "Over there, she practically does." "Now, what do you mean by that, micah?" "She told you." "That ledger book," "She's carryin' an awful lot of folks." "What's a store for?" "People around here are good for it." "Hattie knew that." "Yes, but miss scott doesn't" "Know it yet." "She's really a nice person, lucas." "It's just that," "Well, starting' up in a new town, new business, I'm afraid she" "Isn't too impressed with north fork." "Well, I don't think north fork is very impressed with her" "Either." "You know jim oxford was" "Right when he said she didn't know her business." "She doesn't." "Well, I'm glad you admit it." "She was a schoolteacher up" "At santa fe, before she came down here." "A schoolteacher?" "That's right, a schoolteacher." "She came into a small inheritance." "Said, she always" "Wanted to go into business by herself, an' well, when she" "Heard hattie was sellin' out, she came down an' made a deal." "Now, give her a chance, lucas boy." "Look, micah, I'd be happy to give her a chance," "If she'd just be a little bit reasonable." "Oh, time will take care of that." "A schoolteacher?" "All right, micah, what do you want me to do?" "Go back in there an' apologize?" "Well, now, I wouldn't rush it," "Give her a few days." "Come on, I'll buy a cup o' coffee." "And, uh, maybe a piece of chocolate pie." "Are you gonna buy it or, uh, serve it?" "Huh?" "Oh." "Come on, son." "Marty, tell me something." "How long have we been knockin'" "Around from one cow town to another?" "Well, too long I'd say." "Now, denver, there's a town." "Standin' here in this bar ain't gonna get us any closer to it." "Hmm." "What's in denver?" "What do we do there?" "Well, we always been able to find somethin'." "Yeah, that's just what I mean." "No, I" " I think we've" "Found the opportunity we've been lookin' for right here." "You mean here?" "Well, let's say over there," "Across the street in that store." "Now I ain't gonna work in no store." "Well, who is?" "But that's the" "Only supply point in better 'an 100 miles." "People don't" "Seem to realize how important that store is to them." "Why, if it wasn't there they..." "Wouldn't have any place to buy what they need." "Hey, what are you talkin' about?" "You know how to use that gun, don't you?" "I've been known to use it, yeah." "Well, that's all you need to know." "You just stay here an' leave the rest to me." "Hey, now, jack, you" "I'll be back, I'll be back." "I just don't know." "I mean, how would it look?" "Well I'm afraid it would look" "Much worse if you went out of business, miss scott." "After all" "It is your money." "They owe it to you." "Now how are you gonna help" "Them, an' supply them with what they need if they don't help you" "An' pay what they owe." "I just don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings." "Now, why should you care about that?" "I saw how they" "Treated you, they don't care about you, miss scott, business" "Is business, an' you are not gonna have one unless you put" "Your foot down, an' get those bills collected." "You won't offend them." "I mean, I don't wanna make any enemies, if I can help it." "There was a man that came in earlier today." "I shouldn't have" "Spoken to him the way I did, but well, I was so" "I know exactly how you feel." "But believe me, the sooner all this is cleared up, the better" "It will be for everybody." "They will respect you for it." "Now I'm a newcomer to north fork, just like you." "I don't wanna create any bad impressions either." "I'll just ride out to your customers," "An' talk to them in a nice, friendly way." "Before you know it, all that money will be paid..." "An' things will be just fine." "That would be nice, but where would that leave you?" "Oh, don't worry about that." "You can give me, oh, ten per cent of what I collect for you." "I just don't know what to say." "I" " I do need help, only- only what, ma'am?" "I hardly know you." "You're a stranger." "Well, I hardly know you." "But I guess we'll just have to trust" "Each other, hmm?" "No one else has offered to help, have they?" "Well, there was the marshal." "Oh." "But he's not a storekeeper." "All right, let's try." "We'll see what happens." "You won't be sorry." "Now, if you'll just give me the ledger" "Book, why, I'll get started right away." "All right." "There you are." "Thank you." "Oh, mr." "Adams." "Yes?" "You will be nice about it, won't you?" "Of course, I will." "Don't worry about a thing." "Marty?" "Our new business." "That's our new business?" "What kind of business is that?" "Money." "Collectin' money." "Let's see, mccain, mccain, ha!" "Lucas mccain." "Hm." "Who's that?" "Our first customer." "Why don't you give me some more water, son?" "Oh, all right." "Well, what's the matter, you're afraid you're gonna waste it?" "Well, this has gotta last till mornin'." "Now you didn't" "Haul it up from the creek, I did." "All right, mark." "That miss scott, she sure made a fuss out o' nothin'." "But how come you didn't pay her off, we've got the $32, an'," "Well, more than enough for the new pump valve." "Well, son, I'll pay her, but right now it's a matter of" "Proper money handling'." "We've got the money, but I don't spend it" "Till I know there's gonna be more to replace it." "Oh, you mean like sellin' our cattle?" "That's right." "That heifer down at the south pasture," "She's about ready for market." "In a day or so we'll take 'er in," "Sell 'er, an' then we'll pay miss scott." "You take a ranching' an' farmin' town like north fork," "That's the way everybody does business." "They have to." "Hattie knew it an' she never lost a cent by it." "It's sort of a matter of mutual trust." "I don't think miss scott trusts anybody." "Now, mark, like micah said, let's give her a chance." "After all, a woman starting a new business, I guess it" "Gets to be a little lonely, worrisome." "We make amends an' I'm sure she'll turn out to be just as" "Good a friend as hattie was." "Oh, pa?" "Hmm?" "You think she is pretty?" "She's pretty." "Why?" "Oh, well, I just saw the way you were lookin' at her." "Oh?" "How'd I look at her?" "Well, you know." "I" "Son, those dishes aren't gonna dry themselves, you know." "Good evenin', mr." "Mccain." "I know you?" "Well, not exactly." "My name is adams." "What can I do for you, mr." "Adams?" "Well, my friend here and I" "Are just payin' a neighborly visit." "We're makin' north fork" "Our home, an' we're acquirin' an interest in a business here." "That right?" "What kind of business?" "The, uh, the general store." "I thought miss scott was runnin' the general store." "Well, she is." "We're just helpin' her." "Oh?" "Now, mr." "Mccain, there's a little item on the ledger here" "For about $32 that you owe us." "We came to collect it." "You what?" "$32, we came to collect it." "An' seein' as how we're havin' to make this special effort," "You can just add 20 percent to that amount for our trouble." "She send you out here?" "Why else would we come?" "Well, you can turn those horses around an' tell" "Miss scott I'll be in tomorrow." "Personally." "Now, please, I said this was a neighborly visit." "We don't" "Want any trouble." "All we want is what's rightfully ours." "Maybe you didn't hear me too well." "Mr. Mccain, I believe in giving a man fair warning." "You've got a lot to lose here, for just $32." "Get out o' here." "Anythin' you say." "Only next time, we won' talk so much." "An' maybe you won't have that rifle with you." "What was it you said, pa," "About miss scott winding up being a real good friend?" "Here you are, ma'am." "Almost $300, and I haven't even started yet." "This is wonderful." "Now, how much do I owe you?" "Why, nothin', ma'am, I've" "Already taken it out, if you don't mind." "It's all noted right" "Here." "I made a copy so you can keep this." "I hardly know what to say." "Well, you don't have to say anything." "It's a pleasure." "Now I'd better get back to work." "Hello, there." "Nice day." "Good mornin'." "I want some corn syrup." "Corn syrup." "Uh, oh, here, here it is." "There you are." "Never mind your ledger this time," "I got the money right here." "I don't understand." "Miss scott, I'm only gonna say this once." "I get my supplies" "Here because it's the only place." "If there was another food" "Store in this town, you'd never see me again." "But why?" "Maybe I can answer that, miss scott." "What happened to your face?" "Why don't you ask her?" "What was he talkin' about?" "You got a man workin' for you named adams, collecting' money?" "Well, yes, I do." "Why?" "People aren't gonna take to that, miss scott." "Oh, really?" "Well, there's $300 in there that wasn't there yesterday." "Well, I'm not surprised." "Well, certainly there's no harm in asking' people to pay up." "I mean, well, I know I was a" "Little abrupt with you an' some of the others yesterday, but," "Well, how else am I goin' to stay in business?" "You ask a question like that?" "Well, miss scott, you can mark me paid up for good!" "32.50." "Well, honestly, I am sorry if I offended anyone, but I'm" "Simply trying' to run this business as a business." "You can't give things away, you know." "Now, look, miss scott, nobody is askin' you to give" "Anythin' but a little bit of yourself." "The people around here" "Depend on this general store for practically all their supplies." "Now somebody without feelin', an' without consideration, can" "Can make a pretty good thing at that, just like you an' adams" "Are doin'." "Linin' your pockets with gold, so to speak." "Now," "Hattie denton wasn't that way." "She loved people, an' she understood 'em." "That was more" "Important to her than a full" "Cash box." "Maybe you better start thinkin' like that before you" "Wind up the loneliest person in north fork." "Miss scott, can I give you a piece of advice?" "What else, marshal?" "You get rid of that man and his partner, or I will." "Now, listen here, marshal, you can't tell me how to run" "Partner?" "How are you doin', son?" "Fine." "Two more, an' I'll have enough for one bath." "Good." "You better hurry, though, it's getting dark out." "All right." "Pa?" "That's jim oxford's rig." "Jim?" "Jim!" "Good lord, jim, what happened?" "They jumped me, they stole my money." "I tried to fight 'em off." "Supply bill. $92." "They shot me." "They left me for dead, for $92." "Mark, we've gotta get him to doc burrage right away." "Go in the house, son, an' get me some blankets." "They're two of 'em." "Easy, jim, easy now." "Try not to talk, jim." "Easy." "Easy." "Mark, hurry up with those blankets, son." "Supply bill." "Mr. Adams." "Ah, good evenin', miss scott." "I was just comin' over to see you." "Would, uh, would this be your..." "Partner?" "Partner, ma'am?" "Well, marty here," "He- he works for me from time to time." "I see." "Have you collected any more money?" "Some." "I haven't counted it all." "Tell me, mr." "Adams." "The people you took the money from," "Did they give it you out of their own free will?" "I-I m not sure I understand" "What you mean, miss scott." "How else would they pay?" "Maybe a little friendly persuasion helped." "Wait for me at the hotel, mark." "What's she talkin' about?" "Oh, I couldn't say." "What are you talkin' about, ma'am?" "Your collection methods." "There was a man who came into the store today what" "Adams, I wanna talk to you." "What about, marshal?" "We just came from the doc." "He's tending' to jim oxford." "He was pistol-whipped an' shot through the shoulder," "Just to collect the $92 supply bill from 'im." "You couldn't have." "Marshal, I swear I didn't know" "Now, just a minute, who said we did anything" "Jim oxford said." "You left him for dead, that's what he said." "We don't know nothin' about that." "You know how it feels, a beatin' like you gave him?" "Either one of you ever been shot?" "I tell you, we did nothin'." "He drew a gun." "Jim oxford never carried a gun in his life." "You're under arrest, both of you." "You'll cool your heels in jail," "Till oxford's well enough to testify." "Now move!" "What have I done?" "How could I have been so- so stupid?" "Can you ever forgive me, marshal?" "Miss milly, I've seen a lot of things happen in this town," "Good an' bad." "This isn't the first time there's been a" "Misunderstanding." "But you'll see when the folks find out the" "Truth, things will start to brighten up for you." "Thank you, marshal." "Looks like you're gonna need a new pane o' glass in that" "Window, miss scott." "There you are, mr." "Penn." "Now, will there be anythin' else?" "No, that's- that's all today." "Now, just a minute, I know you haven't sold your cattle," "You can pay me when you get your money." "Well, I do appreciate that, ma'am." "An' if you need anythin'" "Else, you just come right back here an' get it." "Thanks ever so much." "Goodbye." "Mark?" "You're getting everythin' in the right place?" "Oh, I hope so." "Oh, now, this doesn't look like it's in the right place." "Oh, but- there." "That's where it belongs." "I don't know how I can thank you all, lucas." "You don't have to thank us, milly," "But maybe you can help micah figure out what that is." "You know, the next time I lock somebody up, I just think I'll" "Put him in one of these." "That'd sure be worse than goin' to jail."