" Stop it, will you?" " Sure." "Hey, go on, take a walk." "You make me nervous." "Sure, Ed." " You still here?" " Joan, you're a prized dummy." "So you've said before, about a million times more or less." "That Leslie kid won't marry you, he can't." "His family won't let him." "Rich, prominent people with real social positions." "What am I?" "Just a little gal who sings torch songs in a naughty nightclub." "See, Ed?" "I know your routine better than you do yourself." "Yeah, I guess I am the chump wasting my breath arguing with you." "Why do it then?" "You know why." "Because I'm screwy about you." "This past year has been perfect." "We've had some swell times." " And we're gonna keep on having them." " Oh, not a chance, Eddie." "No college boy still wet behind the ears is gonna bust us up." "Now, be a good little boy and don't get yourself all in a lather." "This is what you know, here's where you belong." "Now, listen, Ed." "I've been up and down Broadway since I was 15 years old." "I'm fed up with hoofing in shows." "I'm sick of nightclubs, hustlers, bootleggers, chislers and smart guys." "I've heard all the questions and I know all the answers." "And I've kept myself fairly respectable through it all." "The whole atmosphere of this street gives me a high-powered headache." "I've got a chance to breathe something else and boy I'm grabbing it." "Pick up the marbles, hon." "You win." "By the way, here's a couple of trinkets I wanna return to you." "Might as well do it now." " Sure you don't wanna keep this hardware?" " Positive." "All through playing house?" "All through, Eddie." "Thanks." "Well, so long, kid." "It was swell while it lasted." "Yeah." "Hello." "About eight hours too early, aren't you?" "I thought our date was for lunch today." "Is that the best you can do?" " Joan, something's happened." " What?" "My father walked in on me about an hour ago." "Oh, I thought he was in California." " Yes, so did I." "So your father hired detectives to watch me." "I didn't have anything to do with it, Joan." "I'm not blaming you, Don." "Why didn't you tell me that you and that Eddie..." "There's no answer to that but we're not now." "You know I would've told you before we were actually married." "You know that." "Of all the men in the world, Eddie Fields." "A bootlegger, a racketeer, a crook." "Joan, he's been in jail three or four times." "You know you can't blame my father for..." " Shh." "Don, please." "Quietly." " I'm sorry." "It's perfectly okay, Don." "All we can do is forget it." "You're a darn sensible girl." " You understand..." " Please run along." "If you ever need or want anything you know I'Il..." " Oh, get out." "Looks like war has been declared again." "You get back your service stripes, honey." "Nice of you, Eddie." "Say, when a guy like him marries a doll like you I'll kiss your foot in Macy's window at high noon." "Oh, I can take a hint, you don't have to knock me down with no club." "How's for scramming and letting a gal get dressed?" "You daffy little tomato, I'm bugs about you." "I'd marry you myself if I wasn't already married." "Well, take it." "I'll see you at the apartment about 2:3o." "I gotta run over to Brooklyn first." "It's Joan, all right." "She's using a phony name." "Yeah." "Hello?" "Yes, Charlie?" "What did he look like?" "Oh, that's Waco, all right." "You're sure you didn't tell him where I live?" "Uh-huh." "Yes, from Eddie Fields in New York." "Of course they are." "Well..." "Okay, thanks for letting me know." "Bye." "Oh, excuse me, miss." "I thought you was out." "That's okay, Emily." "Go right ahead." " Oh, Miss La Rue?" " Yes?" " I won't be around here much longer." " No?" "No, I'm leaving to get married." "Well, congratulations." "I'm much obliged but I don't know if I ought to be congratulated or not." "You see, I'm marrying a wheat farmer." "I kind of envy you." "A farm sounds so nice and peaceful." "Well, that part is all right but gee, I've never laid eyes on the fellow." "We got introduced through a matrimonial agency." "We exchanged pictures." "I call that very romantic." "Yes and no." "Miss La Rue, you've been awful nice to me." "Tipped me so liberal and all that, well I just can't leave without making a confession." " A confession?" " Well, you see the pictures I had taken of myself turned out awful." "So, well I sort of swiped one of your pictures and sent it to him." "You did?" "Gee, I'm glad you ain't sore." "I'm not, but won't he be when you arrive and don't exactly resemble your picture?" "Oh, shucks." "He may be deceiving me too." "His farm probably ain't nothing like as big as he said in his letter." "He probably sent me a picture of some movie actor." "What does this mail-order Romeo of yours look like?" "Well, this will give you kind of a rough idea." "Well, they both look healthy." "How old is he?" "The man, I mean." "Thirty, and he's got a grand farm, that is if he ain't an awful liar." "And he wanted a wife bad enough to write to an agency." "Sure, women are awful scarce." "Even schoolteachers get married there." "Emily, would you like to make a hundred dollars?" "Oh, who wouldn't?" "You sent him my picture." "He's expecting a woman that looks like me." "I've gotta get out of town quickly." " You ain't committed no crime." " Of course not, but I have to leave town." "I have to go away someplace where somebody can't find me." "I'll give you $ 1 oo if you'll let me bat for you." "I never heard of such a crazy idea." "A nice-looking girl like you wouldn't wanna bury yourself in a wheat farm." "You were willing to do it." "Well, look at you." "You're young and you're pretty and you got talent." "Look at me." "Anyhow, I was born and raised on a farm." "I know all about it." " Why, you couldn't stand it a week." " Of course I could." "A hundred dollars, Emily." "That's a lot of money." "Oh, no, I couldn't." "But gee, with a hundred dollars maybe I could get myself a husband here in town." "Of course you could." "And then I'd sort of have a chance to try the goods before I bought it." "Emily." "Yours has got bushy eyebrows." "He'll tickle you every time he kisses you." "I don't care, as long as he kisses me." "You know what they say about men with bushy eyebrows and a long nose?" "Oh, Queenie, I can tell you've been married before." "Mine's got a Buick and a Ford and an Indian squaw to do the heavy work." "Oh, that ain't nothing." "Mine's got a radio and a bathroom with running water." "Seen it in the picture he sent me." "Did he send a picture of himself in the bath?" "Say, has yours got plumbing?" "Or is it one of them farmhouses with a telephone booth in the backyard?" " I don't know." " You don't know?" "Can you tie that?" "Oh, well, she won't be so almighty calm when it's 4o below zero and she has to get up in the middle of the night." "Welcome home." "Thank you." "Excuse me, I got a cold." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Oh, it'll be all right." "A long trip out here from Montreal, isn't it?" "Oh, I should say so." "I was..." "Well, I guess we ought to be taking the high dive." " What?" " I mean, get married." "We can get the wedding ring and the marriage license at the jewelry store." "That's sort of a quaint custom." "I don't know." "Most people that want a wedding ring want a marriage license." "Saves time and trouble to get them at the same place." " Yes, I guess it does." " Yeah." "Giddyup." "That one's nice." "Hm." "You like it?" "It's very pretty but much too large." "Well, that's the smallest size we carry." "We don't get no call for small ones around here." "It will have to do then." "You can wind some thread around it so it will fit you." "How much?" "I'll make it a bargain." "That ring's worth at least 5 and a quarter." " You can have it for $4." " Three-fifty." " Three seventy-five." " Three-fifty." " Three-sixty-five." " Three-fifty." "Oh, all right but I'm losing money." "You gotta bargain with these people up here." "They're a bunch of horse traders." "I guess this is an order, all right." "Where are your witnesses?" "We haven't any." "Looks like you folks ain't used to getting spliced." "I'll scare you up some." "Ma, Clyde." "Come on in the front room." "I got a couple who want to get married." "I can't come now, Elmer." "I'm making a cake." "Don't give me no argument, I said to come." "You too, Clyde." "Here are your witnesses." "Let's get it going." "Hello, Mr. Gilson." "So you're taking the fatal plunge." "Quit your giggling, Ma." "Let's get it going." "The sooner we get it going, the sooner we'll get finished." "I'm making a sponge cake." ""Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." "Into this holiest state, these two persons present come now to be joined." "If any man can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together let him now speak or else forever after hold his peace. "" ""And receiving a ring. "" ""And by joining hands I now pronounce that they are man and wife. "" "Three dollars, please." " Congratulations." " Thanks." " Congratulations." " Thank you." "I hope you'll be very happy." "Yeah, fine." "L..." "Thanks." "Oh." "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "Much further?" "We'll be there in a few minutes now." "You don't get into town very often, do you?" "No, not very." "Those are funny-looking horses." "They're fine horses." "Built for work." "Maybe we should have bought some rice in town." " What for?" " To throw over ourselves." "So this is home." "This is the living room." "And that's the kitchen." "The bedroom's over here." "Oh." "Just one bedroom?" "You know you surprised me when you got off the train." "You're so pretty." "Thanks, but you couldn't have been awfully surprised." "You got my picture." "Well, I didn't know it was really your picture." "Oh." "Hadn't you better do something about that cold?" "I'll sweat it out working tomorrow." "Are you kind of tired?" "No, not much." "Maybe a little." "Guess you had a long, hard trip here on the train." "Oh, it wasn't so bad." "And the wagon ride out here from town, sort of tires a person, till you get used to it." "The roads aren't very good, are they?" "Well, they're a lot worse in the spring, after the rain." "Well it's getting too cold to stay up much longer." "Guess we better turn in." "Oh, it can't be very late yet." "Oh, well." "Better move those bags." "They got seed in them." "Don't bother." "I won't fall over them again." "Oh, let me go." "Oh, get away from me." "Oh, you little..." "What's that?" "Probably neighbors come to shivaree us." "To do what to us?" "Shivaree, the wedding celebration." "All the neighbors from miles around come to celebrate our wedding." "And it gives them a good excuse to get drunk." "Oh." "Hey, come on." "Bring them on." "Hi, Jim." "Hello, Mrs. Gilson." "I'm Joe Atterbury." "This is my wife, Minnie." "Meet Tom Buchanan and Sam Perkins." " Howdy." " Hi." "I see you get the place all fixed up." "Hello, Mr. Gilson." "I'm Sam's wife, Dora Perkins." "I bet you're surprised to see these hyenas." " How are you, Gilson?" "Glad to see you." " How are you?" " Well, hello, Jim." " Hello, Forgan." "Hello." " Ain't you gonna introduce us to this charming lady of yours?" "Mrs. Gilson, this is Mr. McDowell and his friend, Mr. Forgan." " How do you do?" " This is indeed a pleasure." "Jim, you coyote, how did you ever snare such a pretty young bride?" " He don't deserve her now, does he?" " Really, I..." "Hello, Jim." "Hello, Jim." "How are you?" "Look at her blush." " Coloring up like a tomato." " Will you excuse me, please?" "The other guests are..." "Set it right down there." "Bring them all here." " We'll make this alive." "Yeah." "We'll be feeling mighty high if we worked our way through all this hard cider." "Get some glasses and cups." "Come on, everybody shake a leg, let's all dance." "I'm so glad you're here." "I hope you'll be happy in the community." "Thank you, I'm sure I will." " I hope so." "If you'll excuse me." "Can I have the honor of this here dance?" "Thanks, but I don't dance." "Oh, sure you do." " Come on." " No, really." "I better not." "What, already?" "You've only been married a couple of days?" "Say, boy, you sure don't lose no time." "I didn't mean that." "It's nothing like that." "Come on, let's dance." " You enjoy married life?" " Oh, it's all right." "Nothing like it after you get used to it." "I've been married and divorced twice." "I ought to know." "Somebody give Jim a drink." "He looks grouchy." " Powerful cider, ain't it?" " Any harder, it'd bounce." "There you go." "Nothing." "One two three." "Hey." "Oh, come on." "I like playing Post Office." "It's almost my favorite game." "Six letters and seven postcards for Mr. McDowell." "Yes, sir." "It's old Bull." "I only wish the mail was from Mrs. Gilson." "Look out for her husband, Bull." "Look out he don't shoot you, Bull." "Oh, give her a kiss for me, Bull." "Come on out of there, Bull!" "Gee, you're giving him the whole sack of mail." "Now it's your turn, Joan." "Give the bride a chance." " Don't be ashamed, we've all been brides." "A long time ago." "Well." "A letter and a postcard for Jim Gilson." "Come on, Jim." "Go get her." "Gee, it is great to be married." "You needn't be afraid." "I'm not afraid, Jim." "You know that." "I won't bother you anymore." "Oh, don't talk that way." "It's so silly." "L..." "I'm sorry I slapped you that first night." " I guess you meant it, all right." " But I didn't." "I didn't mean it, I..." "Well, it was all so fast and I..." "Listen, listen, listen." "It's getting late, and we've kept these people up long enough." "Let's get going." "We'll all be going." "It's been a grand shivaree." "That was a great time, boys." "Hey, get Joe." "He's laying over there behind the box." "We've had a good time." "Good night, folks, me and Skins got plans." " Come on, straighten up." " I'm straightening up." "Say, Skins, you want a little nightcap?" "Sure I want a nightcap." "Yes, sir." "Jim, you're a wonderful host and we all had a wonderful time." "Come on over and see us sometime." "Joan you're the prettiest little woman." " Kiss me good night." " No." "No, you better go home and go to bed." "Oh, come on, girl, kiss me good night." "You break my accordion, eh?" "Hey, wait a second." "What's the matter...?" "Oh, you shouldn't have done that to my friend Forgan." "He's a fine fellow." "He just can't hold his liquor as good as me." " Drunk or not, I don't wanna..." " Tut-tut-tut." "Everything is all right." "Nobody is mad at anybody." "Everybody loves everybody." "Well, good night." "You go straight to bed and don't do nothing I wouldn't do." "Pigs." "All of them." "I thought it was kind of fun." "This place looks like a cyclone struck it." " Do you feel the cider?" " No." "I do." "My head is spinning." "Well, go to bed." "I'll clean up." "Well, good night." "Good night." "Don't bother with that, Jim." "I'll do it in the morning." "Mm-hm." "Jim, have you always lived on this farm alone?" "Not always." "Last spring I had a woman named Hazel keeping house for me." "You had a woman living here?" "Yep, Hazel." "She was an Indian squaw." " Pretty?" " Well, she weighed 25o pounds and she smelled." "Took me two weeks to get rid of the bedbugs after I got rid of her." " How awful." " Yeah." " Morning, Al." " Morning." "I got a letter for you from Mr. Peters at the bank." "Thanks." "Goodbye, Mrs. Gilson." "Bye." "Won't you tell me what's wrong?" "I promised you protection and a home." "Well, I can't give them to you." "The bank's notified me we've got to get off this land." " Leave the farm?" " It's mortgaged to the hilt." "The bank threatens to foreclose." " How much do you need?" " Eight hundred dollars." "I stand as much chance of raising 8 million." "You might borrow." "On what and from whom?" "It's driving me crazy paying the bills I owe now." "What do you intend to do with me?" "Send you back to Montreal, if I can ever raise the money." "No use prolonging the agony." "Has it been agony?" "Well, it must have been for you." "Things have only just started." "You don't know these northwest winters." "They're bad enough when you got everything that money can buy." "But you haven't the comforts..." "You know of course, that there's nothing, no one for me to go back to." "I'm afraid we'll have to stick it out together." "But our marriage is hopeless." "We started all wrong." "Like going into a race blindfolded." "Would you mind moving those bags so I can really clean this room?" "But I told you we were leaving." "Maybe." "Do you know what's in those sacks?" "Seed wheat, isn't it?" "That's the best seed that ever got into a gunnysack." "It took first prize at Calgary, same in Chicago." "That makes it the best wheat in the world." "And you grew it." "Yeah, after 11 years of slaving and sweating." "Ever since I left agricultural college, I starved, literally starved." "Well, I fertilized and cross-fertilized and experimented with crop after crop until the strain was fixed." "This seed will produce the heaviest head of white-flower wheat that's ever been grown." "There's a fortune in a crop of it." "More money than I've ever seen or ever will see." "And when the goal is in sight, after 11 years of struggle, you're willing to quit." " What else can I do?" " Stay here." "Plant your seed." "You can't plant until spring." "By that time, this land will no longer belong to me." "That's my proposition, Jim." "Think it over." "We'll never be able to do business on those terms." "Good evening, Mrs. Gilson." "Good evening, Mr. McDowell." "I just offered your husband to shoulder all his mortgages take over all outstanding notes and put him on a salary if he'll let me take over the farm and work it my way." "Is he going to accept?" "Well, there's just one obstacle." "I'm not interested in the deed unless you come over and run my house for me." " I'm a rotten housekeeper, a worse cook." " I'll risk it." " And I've got a bad temper." " Me too." "We'll have a lot in common." "Well, I'll have to talk it over with Jim first." "Sure, only don't make me wait too long." "I'm not altogether sold on this outfit, but I could get sold on you, Mrs. Gilson." "Don't strain yourself." "Are you going to accept McDowell's proposition?" "I saw him talking to you." "Are you?" "I don't see why I shouldn't." "Well, you know what it means." "A chance of keeping this farm and letting you go on with your work." "I've found that keeping house for a man can be done on quite an impersonal basis." "After all, I'm only doing what any servant could do." "Even Hazel with her 25o pounds and her bedbugs." " I haven't given you much of a break." " I was thinking of the future." "Well, since I was crazy enough to drag you out here will you please leave that future in my hands for the next few weeks?" "All right, all right, all right." "Oh..." "Brrr." "Come in." " Good morning." "Golly, it's cold." " Haven't seen anything yet." " Winter's just started." " You're a comfort." "Isn't there any paper around here?" "Here." "This ought to be enough to start a fire." "The last day of the year, and what a year." "That's the last of the coal." "You waste too much trying to keep this place too warm." "Too warm?" "Why, I've hardly stopped shivering since I left Montreal." " You got all the bedclothes." " What?" "Well, I guess we have to ride over to Glover's farm and get another load of coal." " How far is that?" " We leave after breakfast we can get back by midnight." " Oh, practically just next door." " Coffee ready?" " Yes." "What time is it?" "Two minutes to 12." "Then we have two minutes to wait." " What?" " Nothing." "You hate me, don't you?" " No, but..." " Well, what's wrong, Jim?" "I can't forget the look on your face that first night..." "I've been able to forget." "Why can't you?" "That isn't the question." "I've never done anything to earn your love." "Isn't love the one thing you don't have to earn?" "Well, it seems to me it ought to be a natural sort of partnership." " Have..." "Have you ever heard a woman scream?" "No." " Well, you're going to." " Huh?" "Because I've been dying to do it for months." "Ah!" "I'm Mrs. Gilson." "I've just heard that there's a new baby here." "Can I do anything to help?" "Have you had anything to eat?" " Where's your husband?" " He went away." " Has the doctor been here?" " No." " Hasn't anyone been here with you while...?" "Just Sarah." "You poor little lamb." "But don't worry, everything will be all right." "Now, Sarah, you and I have a lot of work to do around here." "Is there any milk?" "Is there any milk?" "There's some in the pail." "Hurry up and get me a saucepan-full." "Sarah, I told you to get me some milk." "We'll take care of you in a jiffy, Mrs. Tipton." "And is there any flour?" "I'd like to make some bread." "It's in that tin." "All right, you get a bowl and put the flour in it." "It's awful to have a baby, isn't it?" "No, darling." "It's wonderful." "The most wonderful thing in the world." "There, now." "He's all dressed for company." "Sarah, take the baby over to your mother." "No, please, Mrs. Gilson." "I don't wanna touch it." "Now, isn't that silly." "Hold your brother, Sarah." "Do as I say." "He's a wonderful baby, Mrs. Tipton." "I don't know what we would have done without you." "Sure you don't want me to spend the night with you?" "I won't need a thing, dear." "It started to snow." "You better run along home before it gets too dark." "God bless you." " Mrs. Gilson." " Yes, dear?" "Don't worry about them, because I can take care of them now." "Joan!" "Joan!" "Jim!" "Jim!" "Jim!" "Are you all right?" "Yes, I'm fine." " How's the new baby?" " Oh, it's adorable." " Oh, Jim, if we only could..." " What?" "Nothing." "I had to take a man in." "He got lost on his way to Elk's Crossing." "I didn't have the heart to put him out in weather like this." "This is Mrs. Gilson, my wife." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "My wife's had a hard ride across the prairie." "What she needs is a good, hot supper." "Ed, of all the people in the world, what are you doing out here?" "You know I'm still pretty crazy about you, Joan." "But how on earth did you ever find me?" "Waco located you in Montreal." "I traced you from there." "Taking a powder on me for this." "You know, it's all a big mystery to me." "Screw out on a guy that can give you everything to live in a pigpen." "It's not as bad as all that, Eddie." "He's a big cluck or he wouldn't make you live in a joint like this." "Well, anyhow, I found you and I'm hanging on to you." "Oh, please don't, Ed." "Ed, let me speak to my husband alone for a minute." "Please get out." "How long have you known that man?" "Years." " Then why did you pretend to be strangers?" " Because I..." "When I came in, found him sitting here I was too surprised to say or do anything." "That's a ridiculous lie." "You don't have to explain." "You figure it's none of my business." "Oh, Jim, you've got to listen to me." "It's so hard to make you understand." "I knew Ed in New York while I was working in the chorus of a musical show." "He was..." "Don't keep looking at me that way." "I'm telling you the truth." "I swear I am." "We were together almost three years." " Then I ran away to Montreal." " How many others were there besides him?" "You get pleasure from torturing me, don't you?" " You thought I could give you a home, and I..." " Shut up!" "Stop it!" " And we both..." " Shut up!" "Don't say that!" "But, honey, the man doesn't love you." "You know that." "I love him." "I'll make him love me." "Don't be silly." "We'll drive to Vancouver, catch a boat for the Orient, then Europe, Paris." "I got 3oo grand in cold cash." "I told you I'm staying here." "You're so wrong, it isn't even funny." "You're the daffiest dame in the world." "I offer you..." "What's the use." "So long, pal." "So long, you chump." "Dishwater." "Well, I'm hanging around Elk's Crossing for a little while in case you change your mind and get smart." "Elk's Crossing is a dull little town, Eddie." "And I'm as smart now as I ever will be." "Thanks for letting me sleep here last night." "I appreciate it." "Fifteen days more, Gilson." "That's all you get." "Why can't I plant my wheat and pay you out of the proceeds like you promised last summer?" " We didn't definitely promise." "Besides, your mortgage interest has been due since last fall." " We ought to have foreclosed months ago." " Jim thinks banks are charity institutes." "You engineered this." "Bank was willing to wait." "You hadn't offered cash, bank wouldn't be foreclosing." "Is it a crime to buy what I can pay for?" "It is, when you're doing it just to work off a grudge against me." "I made you a fair proposition." "I offered to take over your debts if..." "If I let my wife become your..." "That's your idea of a fair proposition." "Well, let me tell you something." "I'm not licked yet." "I've still got 15 days." "Woof." "Ed." "Well, for the love of..." "Come on, honey, sit down." " Will you have something to drink?" " No, thanks." "Say, this is swell." "Every time I thought of you out in that shanty, I got the creeps." "You're wrong, Ed." "I've been very happy there." " Don't give me that." " I mean it." "Your missus is over in the beer hall." "I reckon she's thirsty." "Woof." "Ed, will you lend me $8oo?" "Are you kidding?" "Sure, that's piker money." "You're a grand guy." "Double in spades." " Eight hundred enough?" " Plenty." "And thanks a million." "Give him the dough and come on to Vancouver with me." "I love him." "Can't you understand that?" "Yeah, and the tougher the going, the more you love him." "It looks that way." "Just a natural mud lark." " I'm so grateful, Eddie." " Oh, lay off, will you?" "Jim, don't." "Fight!" "Come on, get up!" "Get out of here, you!" "Boy, what a slug." "There he is." "Now keep him." "I told you I don't want him." "I swear I don't." "No other man means anything else to me now." "Oh, you gotta believe me." "Doesn't this prove it?" "Would I be doing this unless I wanted you more than anything else in the whole world?" "Jim." "Giddyup." "I'm your wife and I love you." "And I'm going with you whether you want me to or not." "Seven-fifty, 8oo." "Right." "You understand about the letter to my husband?" " Why, certainly." " Thank you." "Oh, boy." " They've got a fine crop." " They sure have up to now." "Jim!" "Jim!" " What is it?" " The wheat's on fire." "Grab a blanket from your bed." "Oh, Jim, our wheat." "I'll die if any..." "Shut up." "Come on." "Take that one over there." "Jim, you've caught one of those terrible summer colds." "Well, you'll have to take some quinine and some hot lemonade and a hot-water bottle." "And I'm going to put you right to bed."