"Howdy." "Gettin' ready to open up?" " This weekend." " That'll be real nice having a store right there." " Well, good luck." " Thanks." "Oh." "Hidey, Lou." "What brings you to town?" "Heath Barkley sent me in from the mine." "Wants me to tell you they'll be comin' in tomorrow night... with a load of gold for the San Francisco mint." "Oh, the San Francisco train don't leave till 9:00." "I ain't sitting' around watchin' it." " They'll have their own guards." " Oh." " When?" " Tomorrow night." "About suppertime." " How much, amigo?" " 50,000." "I sure don't mind gettin' my fingers dirty for that kind of money." "There." "That'll take it right through to Merced on tomorrow morning's train." "That is if it doesn't go through the floor of the baggage car." "What have you got in that trunk?" "Rocks?" "It feels like it sometimes." "No." "Uh, I'm a book salesman." "These are my samples." "Oh." "Seems to me, if I was gonna go on the road..." "I'd get me a line of feathered pillows." "You know, sometimes I wish I had." "Step over to the desk, and I'll make out your receipt." "Oh, look, Mother." "Oh, how lovely they are." "This one's like the canary I had when I was a child." "I remember." "You called it Bo Peep." " I thought she named him Sassafras." " Sassafras was my cat." "That's right." "It was Sassafras." "I remember." "He was the one with the pleased expression on his face when Bo Peep disappeared." "Only because you left him out of the cage." " Mm-hmm." " Elaine?" "Victoria?" "Elaine Baxter!" " Oh!" "Elaine!" " Oh!" " How are you?" " Oh." "It's been so long." " How have you been?" " Just fine." "Fine." " Oh, Elaine, I want you to meet my daughter Audra" " Audra." " My son Nick." " Howdy." "Elaine and I have been friends- good friends for many years." "Now, what on earth are you doing in Stockton?" "Well, this is our store." "We're opening it." "Oh, I never wrote you." "Oh, well, I got married three years ago in Denver." " I'm Mrs. BertJason now." " Oh." "Oh." "Come inside." "I want you to meet Bert." "Come on." "I think you better make that a gross." "Oh, yes, sir, Mr. Jason." "Bert, can you break away?" " Excuse me." " Yes, sir." "Oh, Victoria, it's so good to see you." "Bert, this is Victoria Barkley, one of my oldest and dearest friends." " How do you do?" " It's a real pleasure." "Elaine has spoken of you often." " This is her daughter Audra" " Hello." " How do you do?" " And her son" " Nick." " Nick." "Yes." "I'm sorry." " Glad to meet ya, Nick." " Same here." "Why didn't you let me know you were coming here?" "I was going to, but, well, we had to get set up and get the store open." "Uh, excuse me." "Mr. Jason." "I'll have these things for you... first of the week, uh, if you'd care to pay for them now." "I'll just sign, and you can send me a statement." "Oh, uh-Well, you see, my company has a regulation about that." " What kind of a regulation?" " Gentlemen, this, uh, sounds like business... and I have some other things I have to attend to, so, if you'll excuse me." " Certainly." " Mother, Audra..." "I'll meet you at the livery stable in about a half hour, all right?" " You see, it's not that we don't want new business" " What is the problem?" "Uh, well, ma'am, it's just you don't seem to have your... credit established over at the bank as yet and" "Well, that'll take just a few weeks." "We have to open first, start making money." "Oh, I understand, Mr. Jason, but, uh... you see, well, uh, with the company, that's something else again." "They feel if you don't have your credit established right off" "What you're saying is that we're a bad risk." "Oh, no." "No." "Not at all." "Oh, no, sir." "But, uh, uh, well, you just get set up, and you let me know... and, uh, I'll be glad to take an order." "Well, uh, good day." "Good day." "How are we supposed to get the merchandise we need without credit?" "Oh, Bert, there are other companies." "We'll make it." "Of course you will." "Stockton is a growing town, and we can use you here." " Thank you, Victoria." " Audra, we must be going." "Now, we're going to be your very first customers." " Only if you will have dinner with us as soon as you can." " We promise." "Don't we, Bert?" " Bye." " Excuse me." "Ladies." "Good afternoon." "I'm terribly sorry." "We're not open yet for business." "Yes, I know." "I gathered that from the sign outside in the window... but I was hoping you'd sort of make an exception in my case." "No." "I'm sorry." "We're not open until the weekend." "Oh, that's too bad." "You see, I need these things for tonight." " Tonight?" " Yes." "I can't wait for the weekend." "Well, let me see your list." "Um, let's see." "Shovels, pickaxes, shoring boards... uh, buckets, kerosene." "Oh, Bert, uh, we have all of this in the basement." "We can take care of this gentleman." " I'd be very much obliged." " Well, you want all this stuff now?" "No, no, no." "Uh... you can take your time, gather them together." "I'll come back around suppertime and pick them up, if that's all right." "Well, that'll be fine." "We'll, uh-We'll have it ready then." "That's most kind of you." " Thank you." " Thank you." "BertJason, I'm gonna have to give you lessons in salesmanship." "This is quite a big order... whether we're open for business or not." " Well, aren't you pleased?" " Well, sure I'm pleased." "Well, let's get these things out." "It'll be suppertime soon." "Come on." "Who's winning?" "I am." "Ha!" "You mean you were." "I understand you were in Stockton today." "How come you didn't stop in and say hello?" "Oh, Audra and I had so many errands to do, I" " I don't know where the time went to." "Well, Nick tells me you ran into an old friend." "Yes, I did, and it was quite a surprise." "She was Elaine Baxter." "Of course, her name now is ElaineJason." "Anyhow, she and her husband are opening a general store here in Stockton." "Oh?" "Well, the town could use another general store." "We certainly could." "Bandy's is always running out of things." "I think they'll do very well- with a little help getting started." "Why don't we give them a party and introduce them to all our friends?" "Well, I'm sure they would appreciate that... but they need much more than customers right now." " What?" " Credit." "Well, haven't they talked to the bank?" "Mm-hmm." "So did I." "But it seems theJasons have run into a lot of bad luck." "The, uh" " The store in Denver burned down... and the one they opened in Albuquerque- They had to close that one too." "They were weathered in for two months." "The bank agreed that it wasn't their fault, but they still couldn't help them." "Hmm." "Well, banks are supposed to be cautious institutions, you know." "It seems to me that what your friends need... is someone substantial to guarantee their credit." "Well, as a matter of fact..." "I was going to bring up that matter at dinner tonight." " Aha." "Well, now, do you think they're a good risk?" " Yes, I do." "Well, I don't." "BertJason." "That, uh, name rang a bell with me this afternoon when I first heard it... so I did some checking' into it." " Well, what did you find out?" " Here it is." "All here." "BertJason, six years ago, Oklahoma Territory... armed robbery, no conviction." "Five years ago he shot down a man in Dodge City in self-defense." "At the same time, he was running around with an outlaw by the name of Frank Colder." "But, Nick, what does that prove?" "What does it prove?" "Jarrod, self-defense, no conviction." "You're the lawyer." "Tell us what it means." "Well, very simply it means he's as free a man as anybody else." "But don't you think it's kind of strange that your friend would marry a man like that?" "Well, maybe she didn't know about him, or- or maybe he's changed." "Uh, Nick." "Nick, you were there today." "You saw him." "What did he look like to you?" "A killer?" "An outlaw?" "Mother, you can't judge a man by the way he looks!" "My father-your grandfather- and Elaine's father were prospectors together." "When my father was killed in the mine collapse, Elaine's family took me in." "They didn't have to, but they did." "They saw to my upbringing, my schooling- everything." "Now, I want to help them." "I'll take full responsibility." "Well, now, I don't think that'll be necessary." "After all, we still are a family, aren't we?" "I think if Heath were here he would agree too." " I think we're all in agreement." " Thank you." "By the way, Nick, a rider came down with a message from Heath." "He'll be in tomorrow night with that shipment of gold- 50,000 dollars' worth." "Well, that means we're gonna be on guard duty at the depot." "All night." "Hmm." "Oh, come in." "We've been expecting you." "Please." " We have everything ready for you." "Bert, do you have the bill?" " Uh, no." "Well, it was here somewhere." "Just keep your mouth shut, and don't you make any noise." " Don't try nothin'." " What" " What is this, Bert?" " I don't know." "Just do as he says, Elaine." "That's good advice, Mrs. Jason." "I suggest you take it." "Relax now, folks." "We're gonna be visiting with you for a while." "What is it you want?" "We-We're not open yet." " We-We have no money." " Well, we don't want your money, Mrs. Jason." "Well, what then?" "Merchandise?" " Take it." " We don't want your merchandise either." "Although we may want to use some of it... and everything we need seems to be right here." "There's a bedroom and kitchen in the back." "Well, that's good." "Mrs. Jason, I think we might all enjoy some coffee." "Do you have any?" " Yes, we have coffee." " That's fine." "Would you make us some, please?" "We'll do anything you ask." "Just don't harm my wife." "I assure you." "No one's going to be harmed... providing no one tries to harm us." "The coffee, please." "Dave." "Pretty little one." "Pajarito." "You don't like the cage, no?" "Help me take these things downstairs." "When we leave, I'm gonna set you free also, amiguito." "Border, cut it out." "Leave that bird alone." "This one I take with us." "He can keep us company and sing for us while we work." "There, pajarito." "Look at the light." "It'll make you happy." "This would be the wall facing the baggage depot, would it not?" "That's right." "Give me the mattocks." "Mostly sand." "We'll have to shore up as we go." " You have the lumber?" " Over there." "Border, go get the lumber." "And let's get started." " What are you waiting for?" " How much gold will there be?" "50,000, I understand." "Much more than we expected." " And in Mexico it'll command an even higher figure." "Come on." "Go get the lumber." "Don't worry, amiguito." "When we leave, I'll set you free." "Coffee?" "I gotta hand it to you, lady." "This here's good." " What time is it?" " I don't know." "I ain't got a watch." "Late, I reckon." "What are they doing down there?" "Diggin'." "Digging?" "Yeah." "Diggin'." " You know, in the dirt." " For what?" "Well, that's a good question." "I asked myself that question lots of times." "Like when I lived on my pappy's ranch." ""Work the dirt, boy. " That's what he used to say." ""Work the dirt." "It'll pay. "" "But all I ever got was raw hands and a busting back." "I don't know though." "This here's different." "My turn comes down there" "I reckon my pappy was right." "This here's gonna pay." " Bert, what's happening?" " Dave... go on downstairs and help Border." " We're gonna rest a bit." " Right." "Lady sure makes good coffee." "They're using our cellar to tunnel across to the baggage depot." "There's a shipment of gold coming in tomorrow night, and we're going to take it." "I" " I don't understand." "Obviously you're- you're an educated man." "How could you do such a thing to decent people?" "Well, it's very simple." "Until a few years ago, I was a schoolteacher... entrusted with the future welfare of my students." "And while I was highly esteemed... or pitied, I found it very difficult to live on 30 cents a day." "That's what your decent people paid me." "And so, one day..." "I said I simply have had enough." "Does that answer your question, Mrs. Jason?" "If it does..." "I suggest you go to the bedroom there and get some sleep." "Tomorrow is another day." "You will go about your business as usual." "I don't want people to come in here and see you in- shall we say an overwrought condition?" "Do as he says, Elaine." "And remember." "There will always be a gun pointed at one of you." "Is that clear?" "Yes." "Quite clear." "I'll be all right." "You go ahead." "You know, when I lived on a schoolteacher's pay..." "I used to use parched corn for coffee grounds." "They say they grow coffee in some parts of Mexico." "Perhaps when we get down there we might even buy a plantation." " Yeah." " No." "I mean it." "Why not?" "How do you think tycoons and land barons got their start?" "You know anything about growing coffee?" "No, but" "What is it?" "Are you nervous?" "No." "I'm all right." "Well, it's understandable if you were." "You've been out of action for a long time." "Look." "I only asked if you knew anything about growing coffee." "One thing I learned:" "never listen to what a man says as much as how he says it." "It's her, isn't it?" "That's what's bothering you." " You don't like the idea of leaving her behind." " No." "It is, Bert." "I know." "Now, listen." "She's not your type." " Oh, for" " She's not!" "I know." "You like 'em wild and young." "You-They gotta make you feel like- like they're- they're fish jumping in your veins." "You're gonna be a rich man, Bert." "And a happy one." "I guarantee it." "Mrs. Barkley." "Audra." " Hello, Bert." " Hello." " Well, what can I do for you?" " Where's Elaine?" "Uh, she's, uh, gone out." "Oh." "Well, I really wanted to talk to you." "Mr. Jason, are those new dresses?" "Uh, yes." "They just came in from San Francisco." " Really." "Excuse me, Mother." " Mm-hmm." "I think I'll look at them." "Well, you're finally getting straightened out." "Quite a job, isn't it?" "Yes." "Yes, it is." "What, uh- What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" "Bert, I know who you are." "Or rather, who you were and what you were." "Hmm." " So?" " Does Elaine know?" "Oh, I told Elaine I'd had some trouble once." "That's all." " I saw no reason to say more." " I see." "What's past is past." "Over and done with." "Unless, uh, someone wanted to revive it." "I'm devoted to Elaine." "You know that." " I only want to help." " Help?" "Well, I won't go into sentimental reasons, but..." "I've instructed the bank to issue you credit until you can get on your feet." "Oh." "Mrs. Barkley, I don't want your help." " Well, I don't understand." "Why?" " Well, I just don't want it." "That's all." " What about Elaine?" " What about her?" "Well, don't you think she should be considered?" "Mrs. Barkley, the store here- our coming to Stockton- was her idea, not mine." "We've had stores." "Two before this." "Now, this one isn't going to be any different." "You work from sunup till sunset, waiting on people hand and foot." ""Yes, Mr. so-and-so." "No, Mrs. so-and-so." "We're all out of that. "" "Now, if I hadn't considered Elaine, I wouldn't be here now." "Well, I'm at a loss." "I don't know whether you're turning me down... because you dislike me or you have too much pride or... you hate what you're doing so much you don't want to succeed." "And it would be a pity if it were that." "I'm sorry, Mrs. Barkley." "I" "I didn't really mean to say all those things." "I don't know- Maybe I'm tired." "I don't know." "But believe me, please..." "I am trying." "And I am grateful for what you're trying to do." "I" " I don't know how to thank you." "No thanks are necessary." "Elaine knows that." "Well, I'll tell her when she comes in." "Audra." "Oh, Mother." "I've got two dresses I've just got to try on." "I might have known." "All right." "You go home with Jarrod." "I'll drop by his office and tell him to expect you." " I'll see you at dinner." " Bert, you and Elaine come for dinner soon." "Of course." "As soon as we can." " Bye." " Good-bye." " Do you have a dressing room?" " Uh, no, I don't." " I mean, they're not ready yet." " Oh, I don't mind." "Just anything will do." "What's in here?" "Well, now." "It's just a downright shame you had to see that, girlie." "Take your hands off me!" " Mrs. Jason!" " Sit down." "You heard him." "Sit down." " Audra, I'm sorry." " Who is she?" " I'm Audra Barkley." " Barkley of the Barkley Sierra Gold Mine?" "Yes." "The ironies of life." " She means trouble, Frank." " Nothing we can't handle." "You think not?" "Her people will be looking for her." "Well, let them." "They won't find her." "Will they, Mrs. Jason?" "Well, no." "No." "They- They won't find her." "Mrs. Jason." "Hurry, please." "Easy now." "You do just like we told you." "Now, just a minute." "Like Dave said... do like we told ya." " Yes?" " Mrs. Jason?" "I'm Jarrod Barkley." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" "I came to pick up my sister, Audra." "Is she here?" "Well, no." "She left shortly after Victoria." "Oh?" "Well, that's strange." "She was supposed to ride home with me." "Did she leave any message where she might be?" "No." "She didn't say anything." "Uh... perhaps she caught a ride with someone." "Yes." "I suppose that's what she did." "Well, sorry to have bothered you." " Thank you." " Good night." "Mr. Barkley." "Yes?" "Oh, nothing." "It was very nice meeting you too." "Good night." "That was fine, Mrs. Jason." "Now, back in the kitchen." "Evening, Sam." "Oh." "Evening, Mr. Barkley." "Waitin' up for that gold shipment?" "Yep." "Sam, did you ever have a younger sister?" "Uh- No." "Don't." "Border, we're through." "It's the wood floor." "Get the tools." "Está bueno." "Border, give me that two-by." "There." "That'll hold good enough." "Let's get these tools and get out of here." "I'm hungry." " Mother." " Yes?" " Dinner ready?" " Well, it's been ready for quite some time." "Silas is just waiting forJarrod and Audra." "As late as it is, they probably decided to stay and wait for Heath." "And I gotta eat and get out there myself." "Well, it's a mighty big dinner for just two people." "Good." "I'm hungry as a bear." "I can't think of more enjoyable company to eat with." "Aw." "Thank you, kind sir." "Buenísima, Mrs. Jason." "You cook very well." " I'll take the watch with Dave." " All right." "You're unhappy, senorita." "Don't you care for Mr. Colder's hospitality?" "Oh." "Audra, please." "Please try and eat something." "No, thank you." "I'm not hungry." " What did he call you?" " I beg your pardon?" "Colder." "Frank Colder." "That's your name, isn't it?" "Frank Colder." "It" "It has to be." "Audra, what is it?" "Don't you see?" "He's in with them." " What are you talking about?" " Why would you think that, Miss Barkley?" "My brother Nick checked up on you." "Where was it?" "Oklahoma City?" "Kansas?" "An outlaw by the name of Frank Colder- him- and you worked for him." "Oh, Audra, you don't know what you're saying." "Don't I?" "You're not denying it." "A simple name slip, Bert, and she picked up on it." " Shut up, Frank." " Is that proof enough?" "Deny it, Bert." "Please deny it." "It's true." "Well, why shouldn't it be?" "With our luck." "One failure after another." "I'm tired of it." "Well, then that also means you're tired of me... if you could do such a thing." "Elaine, it's too late." "Way too late!" "Oh, Bert, listen to me." "No, no." "It's never too late for anyone." "Elaine, you have the store." "You'll make out." "Look." "You'll get over this, and believe me, you'll be much better off." "Bert!" "All this time?" "All our plans?" "Stockton." "A new start." "Well, you-you planned this all along." "Well, go ahead." "Go on." "Kill." "Steal." "Do anything you want if- if that's- if that's what you want, do... and someday or somehow I'll just" "I" " I'll make it up." "Very touching." "Possibly the best reason I never got married." "The gold train just turned in to the street." "Heath!" "Let go of her!" "Get your filthy hands off her!" " Come here." " Stop." " Frank, what's happening?" " The ladies are making too much noise." " Take 'em down the cellar where it's nice and quiet." " Oh!" "Stop." "Oh." "Keep watch up front." "All right." "Get it unloaded, and the drinks are on me." " How was the trip?" " No problem." " You made pretty good time." " Well, we left the mine a little earlier than we figured." " How'd it go?" " Fine." " Nice and quiet around here, isn't it?" " Yeah." " Say, by the way, you had anything to eat?" " No." "I'll get something later." "There's plenty of food over at the house." "We waited on Audra and you, you know." "Oh." "Well, I had dinner over at the-Audra?" " By the way, where is she?" " I haven't seen her." "I thought she was home with you." "Oh, Mother told me that" " She didn't come home." " I told you." "I haven't seen her." "Well, looks like we've lost a sister." "Hey." "Take it easy, girlie." "I ain't gonna hurt ya." "And pretty soon it's gonna be all over." " Charlie, take the wagon to the livery." " All right." "The rest of you guys get some dinner." "I checked over at theJasons' store." "She wasn't there." "I figured she must have found a way home." " Did you look anywhere else?" " No." " I didn't realize until now." " Well, let's get started." "Heath, why don't you check the hotel." "Jarrod, you check the café." "I'll check the livery." "Or any other place you think she might be." "The gold's locked in the depot." "Good." "Go on back upstairs and keep watch." "You two, get goin'." "Qué pasó?" "The bird" " It" " It's dead." "So what?" "Go on." "Compadre, it's so hard to breathe." "Yeah." "It sure is stuffy in here." "I must apologize for your discomfort." "By morning, you'll be found and released, I'm sure." "I must be getting too old for this kind of excitement." "It's a good thing I'll be able to retire after tonight." "I've waited a long time for this." "There's not enough air in here." "That's what's the matter." "We're-We're through." "The gold-The gold is" "What's wrong?" "It's the same in here." " We've gotta get them out ofhere." " What are you talking about?" "Well, look at that bird." "Look at all of you." "There's gas in here from someplace." "You must've hit it in that tunnel." "What?" " Leave them." " Are you out of your mind?" " I said leave them!" " They'll die!" " We take them out of here, and we're dead." " He's right." " Let's get out ofhere." " Come on!" " Frank." " You wanted gold." "You gotta get your fingers dirty." " Not this dirty." "Not murder." "Not my wife." " Your wife." " You were gonna leave her anyway." "Come on!" " Frank, let go." " She's nothing to you." " I think maybe she is." "I made nothing but mistakes all my life." "She's the only thing I've done right." "Then stay with her." "Tie him up quick, and meet us upstairs." " But, Frank" " I said tie him up." " Anything?" " Nobody's seen her." " Did you check the Gordons?" " Yeah." "Elsye says she hasn't seen her since last weekend." "Where the devil could she be?" "Here we are beating our brains out lookin' all around here for her... and if I know our little sister, she's probably home right now getting ready for bed." "If that were true, Nick, somebody would have sent us word by now." "She's gotta be around here somewhere." "Let's go find Heath, see if he's had any better luck." "She better have a good excuse." "You know, Frank, the thought of a rope" "Don't think about it." "Now, we go out the back door." "Easy, like- like nothing's happened." "Now come on!" "Come on." "Our train will be here in an hour." "Let's wait across the street." " No one's seen her." " Oh, I don't know." "Well, I'm gonna check the store again." " Maybe Mrs. Jason forgot to tell me something." " Yeah." "Help." "Help!" "Well, they must have gone out." "Tell you what." "I'm gonna check back at the ranch." "She might be there." "All right." "We'll keep lookin' here." "Help.!" "Get a wagon." "Hurry." "We've gotta get the trunk." "Dave, come with me." "Take" " Take it easy." "We'll have you out ofhere in a minute." " There's gas in here." "They left us here to die." " All right." "Come on." "Hello." "I've, uh, had a change in plans." "I'd like my trunk." "It's all checked through to Merced." "Yes, I know, but I want my trunk." "It's right back there." " Got your stub?" " Stub?" " What stub?" " Baggage stub." "Well, you know me." "You-You know my trunk." "It's full of books." "Remember?" " Still need a stub for my records." " Stub." "Yes." "Well, I'm sure it's here someplace." "I've got a stub some" " Here." "Here it is." "Hmm." "All right." "Come in." "Come on." "Let's get outside." "They're taking your gold." "Come on!" "Giddap!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" " It almost worked." " Almost isn't good enough." "Elaine, that's too much for you to carry." "Well, these things have to be put out, Bert." "We open in less than an hour." "You can't do everything." "Well, I am here, you know." "Yes." "I know." "And I will be always." "So stop trying to do everything yourself." "Oh, Bert, I'm so nervous." "No." "That's-That's not the right word." "I'm" " I'm excited." " I am too." "I never thought I'd hear myself say that- and mean it." " Hello." " Elaine!" "Bert." " Audra." " Here's to your opening." "May it be successful and overflowing." " Oh!" "Champagne." " Right from our vineyards... and believe me, I know it's the best." "Oh, please stay and share it with us." "Get some glasses." " No, no." "You're much too busy." "We'll come back later." " Tonight." "Tonight." "Mr. Jason, do you have a dressing room now?" " Well, yes." "I just finished it last night." " Oh, good." "Now I can try on those dresses I liked so much." "Audra, they're not even opened yet."