Chapter 4 Bumblebee

Chapter 4 Bumblebee

Sprewell sat in his seat, with an unpleasant frown on his face clutching his brief case close to his chest. Daphne Storm just came back from the bathroom where she had changed and freshened up. Her blonde hair nicely done with some fresh make up in her face, she looks kindly at the pale Thauran woman. “It is surprising just how good it does to freshen up a little. Would you like to borrow my Channel Box, you look very tired.” Lady Luna pulls herself together and her cool tone rebuffs Daphne.. “No, thank you.” Daphne shrinks back into her seat, flushing. Valthim, leans forward. “You should ask for permission first to address a lady of such stature and her beauty does not need gaudy clown paint unlike it seems you do.” Hawk looks up. “You insult that girl one more time and they have a real reason for locking me up.” Doc Boone also leans forward. “This isn’t the Thauran Kingdom. We give a hoot about Nobles and the self rightgeous high born.” Even meek Mr. Peacock had something to say. “Didn’t Federal Police arrest the Thauran Emperor and a group of his advisors for conspiring against the Union by doing business with the Worm and oppressing their own kind? From what I read it didn’t sound all that noble to me and if I understand the commoners on Thauran worlds were quite pleased.” Valthim’s hand flashed to the handle of a small Walther Laser he carried in a shoulder holster. The Shaill Sheriff said. “Pull the weapon, Sir and I will arrest and restrain you.” Valthim glares with unveiled hatred at the Mollusk, but sits down. Lady Luna fought hard to keep her composture and not burst into tears. The words of the drunken doctor and the liquor sales man hit close. They could not know that her own father was one of the Nobles implicated in the criminal activities. Activities she despised but had known about herself. From the passenger deck a crying child could be heard. Valhim got up and closed the access door that seperated the lounge from the stair case that led up to the actual passenger deck. Then he bored as it appeared walked to the public GalNet terminal. He was still angry and brooding about the insults but then he noticed the green blinking light and with an excited for him an totally uncharacteristic scream he pressed the activation control and the terminal came on. All the passengers as if electrified got up and stared in his direction as he activated the field screen. A voice came on reading the message that was flashing over the screen in Standard Union. “GalNet services for the Upward / Coreward region five remain interrupted due to external vandalism. SII GalNet and SII Security are dispatched and work as fast as possible to restore full service. GalNet has increased broadcast energy to all unaffected transponder stations and basic broadcast channels can be received. Currently no two way communciation or enhanced data services possible. We like to ensure our customers that everything possible is done to ensure fast restoration of all GalNet services.” Lady Luna who had also risen from her seat said. “Are there any news of the Army? Please call for Captain Lyda” Valthim said. “I am afraid this is not possible, GalNet is able to broadcast but no one in this region can sent messages, but I am sure it is only a matter of time now.” Valthim switched to Union One, the official Government News Channel. The terminal informed him that visual or Avatar services were still not available, but audio was. “Here is GalNet Channel 1, The voice of the Union. A State of War has officially been declared between the United Stars of the Galaxies and the Shiss Empire. Civilian Traffic to the Coreward sector is rerouted through the space of our new allies, the Nul. All communication to the Big Corridor area has been lost as all GalNet Communication extender have been destroyed by Shiss forces. Army Units in the region are assumed to defend the affected settlements in the region. The Assembly is currently being addressed by Admiral McElligott in a closed session. We will update you as soon as more information becomes available.” Boone’s eyes sparkled. “Finally the Fleet is in charge!”

--“”—

Gbuzzzh served the Nest of Hazzzock for all his life and his family did for centuries. He was now in charge of seven Kashirs and he himself managed to get a Zhum-Kashir from the First Nestling Shipyards at Shiss-Ta. Even the 400 meter Kashir, appeared small compared to this Capital Battleship, the finest and biggest ship class ever built by the Shiss. Only 200 existed and he was in command. The power and might, the destruciton he could unleash and the horror he instilled. It had been built to answer the increasing threat of the Nul. His current mission was to destroy the communication buoys in the region. The Karthanians had supplied them with a detailed map showing all the locations of these mostly automated stations. Somne where occupied but then destroying them was even more rewarding. He had just destroyed the very last one, not very far from a Union Colony, called Charlie’s Port according to the Karthanian intelligence. Officially the Karthanians where neutral but they had little love for the Union, and the Karthanians had send an envoy who was detached to his command. Gbuzzzh was lying belly down on his raised Command roost and looked at the back of the rigid bony body of the Karthanian and said in the old language. “You served us well Karthanian but Zuhm has been called and Karthania is next, and you won’t leave this ship alive.” The Karthanian turned his entire body and said. “You speak in a tounge I do not understand Nestling of Command, did you address me?” Gbuzzzh snickered. “Oh yes, I just told my fellow command Shiss how pleased we are with your information and told them about the reward you about to receive.” That caused the rest of the Shiss that were also on the bridge to laugh. The Karthanian simply laughed too and said. “Your victories is payment enough.” Neither the Shiss aboard the ship nor the Karthanian remembered that this behavior of the Shiss, betraying their allies was the real reason for the Shiss/ Nul war that lasted so long. The Shiss and the Nul once were allies and the trust of the Nul was used to lure them into a trap and a bloody massacre where the Nul killed millions of Nul, but it appeared that the Karthanian would face a similar fate. His Scanner operator said. “ I am getting energy emissions consistent with these Communication buoys only two xaahz from our current position. It is not on the map and just came on.” Gbuzzzh laughed excited. “They are putting up a new one. So this time we will not only destroy the tool but the Union scum littering space with this junk.” The Scanner operator added. “I am getting mass readings and it looks to be a very big station.” Right after the Scanner operator had said that a voice came from the Tachyon Radio station. “ This is the ISS Security, you are identified as non Union hostiles responsible for the destruction of ISS company equipment and causing lethal injury to Company employees. Please stand down and prepare to be taken into custody. This is your one and only warning.” Gbuzzzh raised from his command roost and snarled at the Shiss who among other things operated the communications equipment. “I did not authorize you to replay alien transmissions!” The Yellow throat ducked in anticipation of physical punishment. “My liege, the equipment came on all by itself. We currently investigate a foreign program component that invaded our systems just now.” Buzzzh did lash his tail across the face of the Yellow Throat and paid little attention to whatever that meant. He had never heard of a species called ISS, but most likely one of the many Union species that supposed to exist. They too would…” The Karthanian interupted his thoughts. “We should vacate these coordinates very fast.” “We are not cowards and there is nothing that could stand against us now!” Whatever else he wanted to say did not pass his teeth, there was complete silence as everyone stared on the main viewer. A spherical space ship appeared on the scanners and came closer very fast. It was engulfed in a shimmering purple bubble. The Union Letters spelled SII Security Across it s hull. Dome shaped turrets appeared all over the gigantic alien ship.

--“”— Bumblebee as the Union settlers had called the third planet in the Minkor System had been a pleasant garden world with five large continents and deep oceans. Seemingly endless grass Tundra covered most of the biggest continent and with some imagination it was shaped like a terran Insect called bumblebee. When the local fall season came around; the shoulder high grass that covered the ocean sized praries turned to a bright orange. Huge herbivores called Puffies then slowly moved like big combines gorging themselves on the protein rich orange seeds. Leaving dark, almost black stalks behind, furthering the symbolic visual analogy with that Terran insect. Both the grass and the animals had commercial value. The orange grain not only made colorful bread and cakes, it had a nutty flavor many humans liked and had the potential to make Bumblebee a very rich world. The first harvests where snatched up by produce dealers like hot cake. Three Giga Corps: Enroe, SII Agra and Tyson Food already set up local test farms and the local business development cooperation received a substantial grant from the Union Colony development fund, used to upgrade the local Space Port to a Class II, complete with Long distance scanners and ground defense batteries.

Balsy opened the Intercom and said. “Passengers it looks like we made another leg of our journey. We are apporaching Bumblebee and all looks peaceful.”

As the passengers walked down the boarding ramp onto the clean duro-crete of the landing area, sun drenched with a mild breeze tugging on their clothing they felt as if walking out of a nightmare. The air was fresh, but not cold. There was a faint hint of fresh hay in the air and and the sky was clear and baby blue. However the space bus was the only space ship there. From the distant Terminal ground skimmer was coming their way. Lady Luna once again clutching her cape said with a failing voice. “I don't see any Army Apaches.” Valthim said. “This is a civilian port, they have their own garrison and this place looks as if they have undergound hangars as well.” This seemed to console her somewhat. The skimmer was a large passenger transporter and many of the passengers recoiled as they saw a Shiss behind the controls. Baldy tried to calm them. “Relax, this is Crhizzz, he is a Purple Throat and our companies local manager. The tall muscular four armed Shiss jumed to the ground and Vatlhim fingered his rifle more out of instinct than anything else. The Shiss said. “Forgive me, but the Port Facilities are closed since the crisis started and we did not even expect a bus comin through. Baldy embraches the much taller Shiss. “Twenty nine hours from Cobalt Springs with a detour over 56454 that should be a new record. At least in Spacebus terms!” The Shiss agrees. “Yes you crazy human, that is fast, but why risk it?” “They made us Post Ship again.” The Shiss understands and gestures towards the landing field. “they didn't offer you an escort? Where's your escort?” “They left us at Cobalt Springs, but you have plenty soldiers here?” “None of the Army kind. They left yesterday to engage the Shiss at Shallow, They haven't returned since.” Lady Luna pressing her gloved fist before her mouth with trembling almost screaming voice. “Is this monstrosity saying there are no soldiers here either? I demand to know where Captain Lody is.” The Shiss hisses but it is more like a sigh. “I know I look like them but I am Purple throat and we are Union citizens for over 1900 years. I am a Civilian, I do not know the names of the soliders or their exact plans.” Baldy sticks his finger directly under the nose of the Thauran lady. “I had about enough of you, you can find transportation somewhere else. You keep insulting my friends, you act like your something better. This ain't Thauran, Sister and you can stick all your noble nonsense up your light blue behind. On a more personal note, if you are Military you should know Soliders recieve orders and go where they told. Chasing some Army Captain during war time in a Space bus is about the dummest thing I ever heard.” Lady Luna started crying and Valthim actually pulled his gun, but only halfway. Hawk had, despite his cuffed hands grabbed the wrist of Valthim and said calmly. “I can break your wrists right here and now Mister!” Valthilm howled more out of rage than pain. “This insolent bastard, this peasant dared to insult a Lady of highest birth.” The Shail Sheriff said. “He is the Shipmaster and has by charter of his company and by Union Law the right to refuse transportation to anyone. He is entitled to an oppinion and by the second article of our constitution can express it. Ms Lody may file law suits or complains and do all the thing civilized Union Citizens do. So Mr. Valthim do you want to act upon your impulses then do so and I will revoke any weaon license yoou hold by grounds of emotional instablity and confiscate your hardware for starters.” Wilcox stepped behind the Shail. “I back him up on that one too!” Valthim nods and Hawk released his grip. The Shiss said. “I bet all your nerves are raw and on the edge. Coreward Space Bus Company will pay for accomodations at the local Holiday Inn.” The Shiss gestured to the Skimmer. “I bet all those kids are tired and bored.” The Passengers, the kids, Wilcox and Baldy also climbed aboard, only Emerson and the Archa remained behind. The Archa said to the Shiss. “Any chance we got a Primary Cooler Unit in stock?” “The Shop is open but our personnel is gone, evacuated with most of the town folks.” The Archa raised his upper legs and said. “Come then Emerson, let us see what we can find.” The Shiss piloted the open skimmer towards town and Wilcox asked. “If everyone left, why are you still here?” “Not everyone left. SII and Enroe personnel is still here and so are all the beings of the Bumblebee Defense Militia.” The Shiss poined at a black and yellow sleeve patch. “I am one of them,” Sprewell did not even try to veil his mistrust, as Wilcox did and said. “Why haven't the Shiss been here?” Chrizz pointed at two massive tower like structues in the distance behind the Spaceport. “We have them on our long range scanners alright, but ENROE just installed these as part of the Port defense.” Sprewell looked. “I fail to understand.” Boone sgrinned deeply. “Because the Shiss who tried found out why LOKI torpedos have such a terrible reputation. Those are Loki Torpedo launch towers.” Chrizz steering the flyer off the Space port and towards town. “We only got 2 torpedoes left but they don't know that, and the first 8 we launched blasted 8 Kashir to bits.”

--””--

The passengers sit on tables in the Hotels dining room and a human and a shiss female serve dinner. Lady Luna not among them but appears from the elevators and walks toward the reception. Her steps are stiff and unsteady. Before she could reach the counte,the hotel door opens and a wounded, sod covered man stumbles in. Doc Boone much more agile than anyone would have thought rushed to the man, gone was the drunken jolly man and in his place a man in charge. “Crizzz get over here and help me get this man over there to the sofa. “Hawk get me my bag I left at the table.” Doc Boone remove the bload soaked clothing and revealed terrible bite marks, and gory wounds. “Son, this will take a while but I think we can get you through.” “I am Ulf Banner, I am from Shallow, the Shiss came. I managed to crawl away and escape in my old Poodle.” Luna stalks closer. “But the Soldiers there protected you!” the man coughs. “No mam, the Soldiers were slaughtered, I doubt any of them made it. The Shiss killed everyone!”

Lady LUnawhispered .”Killed anyone?” My husband...” Luna steps back, turns halfway to the counter and then with a sigh collapses onto the floor. Valthim yells. “Quick, Wilcox, Doctor. The Lady she is ill!” Doc Boone doesn't turn his head. “I still try to save this man's life. Isn't there a Health station in town?” The Nul said. “It hasn't been delivered yet and the Civilian Med personnel evacuated too.” Doc Boone with both hands bloody suturing and clamping said. “Daphne get help and get her to a room. Check her pulse and get her undressed. I be there in a moment.”

Doc Boone wipes his forehead with his hands and then with a set expression starts to walk towards camera, followed by Ringo. Outside in the dim passage, Dallas speeds urgently down to a lighted doorway halfway along. She stops and looks through, then hurries into the room. At that moment, Doc Boone comes into shot from the foreground, padding unsteadily along the passage after her. He goes through the same door and, as he disappears inside, Hatfield's shadow falls on the opposite wall from where he is standing on guard. Then he steps out of the room, looking back over his shoulder. GATEWOOD (off) A sick woman on our hands! The remaining passengers are moving with Buck towards the warm fire in the large fireplace. GATEWOOD That's all we needed! BUCK I... I feel kinda sick myself. Ringo goes to close the door as Gatewood continues to bluster. GATEWOOD (raging) We're in a fine fix, my friends. It's a fine country we're living in. The Army has no right to leave a public place like this undefended! RINGO (coming back and silencing him) Looks to me like the Army's got its hands pretty full, mister. As Ringo speaks, standing back to camera in the foreground, Dallas hurries into the room. Hatfield can be seen through the open door, standing on guard in the passage behind her. Dallas hurries up to Chris, who has been bending down beside the fire. He stands up. DALLAS Have you a wife? CHRIS Si, señora. DALLAS Call her. Chris goes off, shouting in Spanish to his wife. Dallas turns towards Ringo in the foreground, with Buck watching in the background. DALLAS (turning to Ringo) Go into the kitchen and get some hot water -- lots of hot water. RINGO Yes, ma'am. Ringo turns to go as Dallas hurries off again, leaving the men standing in a stunned silence. Just at that moment Doc Boone stumbles back into the room, followed by Hatfield. Doc Boone wipes his mouth and without a word goes off towards the bar, watched by Hatfield and Gatewood. Dallas closes the door to the passage behind her. Doc Boone slouches unhappily against the bar, watched by Peacock, who stands in the corner holding his sample-bag tightly. Doc Boone, swaying slightly, looks at the nearly full bottle in his hand. Hatfield looks over at him with a kind of suppressed fury. HATFIELD A fine member of the medical profession! Cut back to Doc Boone and Peacock at the bar. HATFIELD (off) Drunken beast! At these words Doc Boone firmly replaces the cork in the bottle and presses it home with the palm of his hand. Only then does he turn, steadying himself on the bar, to look purposefully in Hatfield's direction. He starts taking off his jacket. DOC Coffee... gimme coffee... black coffee... lots of it... He drops his jacket and staggers off, watched by Peacock from the corner. Dissolve to the station kitchen, where Doc Boone, shirt- sleeves rolled back, is desperately trying to sober himself up. Curly pours him another cup of black coffee from the coffee pot on the range while Ringo holds him steady round the chest. Doc Boone hands Curly back a tin cup, demanding still more coffee; Curly refills it from the pot. CURLY That makes four, Doc. Doc Boone drains the tin cup, his face turning purple with the effort, but he holds the cup out manfully again. DOC More, and blacker! CURLY (looking apprehensive) Ain't that enough? You'll have it coming out of your ears in a minute! DOC Keep'er comin', Curly! Curly splashes the cup to the brim again and Doc Boone puts it to his lips heroically, gasping with the effort. RINGO Drink it down. CURLY It'll make you feel better. Suddenly Doc Boone gasps and looks up at Ringo, clasping his stomach. RINGO All right, now! He heaves Doc Boone bodily across to the right, where he bends over to vomit. In the lunch-room, Peacock and Gatewood are the only two sitting at table eating dinner. Hatfield stands in the background guarding the door to the passage. Suddenly, unable to contain himself a minute longer, he lunges over to the kitchen door behind Peacock and kicks it open. Standing at the open door, he sees the group within clustered round Doc Boone. Ringo holds him over a basin while Curly and Chris stand helplessly watching. They all spin round as Hatfield shouts. HATFIELD (yelling) Isn't that drunken swine sober yet? CURLY (retorting) We're doing the best we can! HATFIELD (yelling) Well, hurry! Hatfield stumps off impatiently. Then camera pans left as Doc Boone straightens up, puffing, his eyes rolling. Curly moves off to the left and throws a glass of cold water in his face. Doc Boone blows and splutters, but he urges Curly on with a wave of the hand. DOC That's it! Again! Curly throws another glass of water in Doc Boone's face, and he shakes his head and blows, trying to clear out his alcoholic fuddle. Ringo steps back out of the range of the water. Then he grabs Doc Boone's arm and pulls him down on a seat. RINGO Sit down here, Doc. As Ringo wipes Doc Boone's face and head with a cloth, Curly urges Chris to the fire. CURLY Keep the fire going, Chris! Plenty of water! Chris hurries across to attend to the fire. Curly kneels down in front of Doc Boone. Peacock and Gatewood are seen sitting at the table. Hatfield paces up and down behind them, running his fingers impatiently through his hair. Suddenly Peacock's face drops and he leaps to his feet with a blood-curdling yell. PEACOCK Savages! Hatfield and Gatewood spin round, startled, as Chris comes calmly through the door of the kitchen. CHRIS That's my wife... In the yard doorway stands a full-blooded Apache girl, a certain savage beauty in her figure. She stands there like an evil shadow, her eyes darting around at the strangers. Two Mexican vaqueros stand behind her. CHRIS (off) Yakima. Peacock is terrified as he quavers to Chris in a high key PEACOCK But she... she's a savage. CHRIS Si, señor, she's leetle bit savage... I think. Chris speaks to the girl in Spanish, waving his arms. The vaqueros go off outside and Yakima comes forward from the doorway. The agitated Peacock stands near Gatewood, who is sitting by the table. Chris is beside them, addressing Yakima as if she were a chattel. The girl slips into the room with the grace of a snake and walks through to the kitchen. Hatfield watches in the background. Then Gatewood turns sternly on Chris. GATEWOOD There's something about this. That girl's an Apache! BUCK Yeah. He clears a frog out of his throat. CHRIS (pouring coffee) Sure, she's one of Geronimo's people... I think. (grinning) Maybe not so bad to have Apache wife. Apaches don't bother me... I think. Peacock appears not at all convinced. But at that moment Doc Boone comes through the door and strides towards the passage at the back of the room, followed by Curly and Ringo; he is a different man now, a good professional, as sober as a judge. Everyone turns to watch them as they go. Cut to a medium long shot looking up the passage towards the door of the lunch-room as Doc Boone comes towards camera, followed by Ringo and Curly. Hatfield watches them from the threshold. Doc Boone dries his hands on a towel, then throws it over his shoulder. As the men reach the door of the bedroom in which Lucy is lying, he stops and turns back to Ringo and Curly. Ringo moves off, but Curly shakes Doc Boone's hand sympathetically. CURLY All right, Doc? DOC (in a courageous whisper) All right. He turns and disappears through the doorway, watched by the men in the passage. Curly turns to go. Inside the bedroom, Dallas stands waiting with an oil-lamp in her hand. Doc Boone pauses in the doorway, holding two buckets of hot water. He looks up at Dallas nervously, then pulls himself together. DOC (in a low voice) All right, now listen. He puts down the buckets and wipes his forehead with the towel, then goes off to the right as Dallas moves past him and closes the door. She comes back and puts the lamp on a side table, looking towards Doc Boone, now off-screen. Cut to Curly standing in the passage, with Ringo and Hatfield beside him on the threshold of the lunch-room door. All are staring towards the closed door on the left. They stand there waiting for whatever is going to happen. Dissolve to one of the Mexican vaqueros playing a guitar in front of the fire outside in the compound. It is night. A voice starts to sing, off. Camera pans slowly left to a long shot of the horses in the corral. Yakima sits on the fence, singing. Close-up of Yakima singing. She looks over her shoulder as if hearing some significant noise, but nothing other than the stamp and shuffle of horses can be heard. Still singing, she walks towards the Mexicans sitting round the guitar player; camera pans right with her and holds as she stops, leaning against a wooden post. Cut to a medium close-up of Yakima singing. Suddenly she stops and speaks in Spanish in a low voice, telling them to go. The group of Mexicans under the covered shelter by the fire get up, wrapping their cloaks around them. Yakima, again singing, does not move. The Mexicans go off on the right with the guitar player still playing, looking back at her as she sings. Cut back to the shot of Yakima singing. Suddenly there is the sound of hoof-beats. She listens, a curious smile glinting in her black eyes. Curly, Ringo, Buck and Hatfield come rushing out of the house. As they run towards camera, Curly hands Ringo a shotgun. Camera tracks in closer as they run forward and stop suddenly. The stillness of the night is broken by whooping, and the hoof-beats get louder. From their point of view, we see a vaquero galloping away under the gate into the night. Hatfield, Curly, Buck and Ringo watch impotently. BUCK It's them vaqueros! They've run away! A pause. CURLY Yeah! With the spare horses. Buck and Ringo look at him worriedly. Then they look back towards the corral. Out on the prairie, where the full moon is rising over the mountains, a coyote howls its long-drawn-out cry. It howls again, the cry echoing mournfully across the long lonely vista. In the gloomy lunch-room, Ringo, lighting a cigarette from an oil-lamp, looks up slightly as the coyote howls again. In the lunch-room the men are sitting around in varying degrees of agitation. Hatfield is playing patience at the table behind Ringo, who moves away. Suddenly the howl of the coyote changes, and we hear, mingled with it, the sound of a baby crying. Both men look round slowly towards the door to the corridor. Now we look along the table with Curly and Hatfield sitting at the end, Peacock sitting in the foreground and Ringo leaning against the chair opposite him. They all look round at the door to the passage in the background. The wail comes again. Buck edges round into shot at the end of the table. BUCK Them coyotes gimme the creeps. They sound jest like... (again the high wail, louder) ...jest like a baby. They look up at him slowly, then Buck looks down at Hatfield's patience game and points. BUCK Black eight! Hatfield looks down at his game again, but his mind is not on it. As they all turn to look down at Hatfield's cards, the passage door slowly opens and Dallas appears silhouetted against the light. She is holding a bundle in her arms. Slowly they all become aware of her. The last trace of hardness has vanished from Dallas as she holds the infant in her arms, and there is a wonder in her face. She stands a moment in the doorway, a smile in her eyes, then comes into the big room with the little bundle of wailing life wrapped in a bigger bundle of blanket. The men all get up and go towards her, surrounding her. Seen from below through the door from the passage, Dallas stands three-quarters back to camera as she holds the baby and looks up to the men grouped around her -- Ringo nearest camera, then Hatfield, Curly, Peacock trying to see his way between Curly and Buck. They all smile tenderly and in delight. Curly puts out a finger to touch the new-born child, carefully, as if he weren't sure it was real. The new-born baby, seen close from above, screws up its face. Dallas, seen in medium close-up from below, is smiling up towards Curly, whose hand holds the blanket away from the baby's face, while Buck and Peacock look down excitedly. Buck is completely overcome; he looks up. BUCK (amazed) It's a baby! Dallas's voice is as proud as if the child were her own, her smile tender and maternal. DALLAS It's a little girl. Ringo and Hatfield look down, quite speechless. BUCK (off) It's a little girl. Well I'll be doggoned! Curly, Peacock and Buck all crowd round Dallas, looking down at the baby in Dallas's arms. Dallas is three-quarters back to camera and the baby cannot be seen. BUCK (outraged) Why didn't somebody tell me? Hatfield and Ringo look over at him, off-screen. Hatfield is the only one of the group who has not been smiling; his eyes are intense with anxiety. HATFIELD How is Mrs. Mallory? Cut back to the shot of Dallas, Peacock, Curly and Buck. Dallas looks up towards Hatfield. DALLAS She's going to be all right. BUCK (grinning) Well I'll be doggoned. (to Peacock) Did you know? Peacock looks up and is about to say something, then changes his mind and looks down at the baby again, grinning. Dallas looks up towards Ringo. Extreme close-up of Ringo staring at Dallas. Close-up of Dallas smiling slightly as she looks up towards Ringo. She looks very beautiful. BUCK (off) Well, I'll be doggoned! Cut back again to the men crowding round the baby. Dallas is still smiling up towards Ringo. Buck looks down at the baby and wiggles his finger on his lips, making a funny gurgling noise, but Peacock stops him. PEACOCK (sternly) Don't do that. Buck stops, looking rather put out. Dallas leaves the men and hurries away with the baby just as Doc Boone comes through the passage door into the room. He looks weary and terribly sober. As he comes forward the men all surround him admiringly; even Hatfield's eyes show a new- found respect. But Doc Boone seems oblivious of the excitement and enthusiasm, heading single-mindedly past the men to the bar. Curly comes up and puts a hand round his shoulders; Peacock waylays him, standing in his path, and grabs his hand, pumping it and staring into his face. PEACOCK (fervently) Doctor Boone! He seems about to say something else, but obviously words fail him. Doc Boone does not reply, but starts to move on again, with Peacock holding his arm on one side and Curly holding his arm on the other. Doc Boone takes up the same position he had occupied before the emergency where his bottle of whiskey still stands on the bar. His face grey and lined. He puts his cigar back in his mouth. The others are all jubilant; Peacock and Curly smile at him from either side; Hatfield and Buck, also smiling broadly, come up and stand by the bar. [Chris takes up a position behind the bar.] Doc Boone disregards them and seems unaware of anything but his own weariness. CURLY Come on, boys, three cheers for old Doc Boone! Hip, hip... PEACOCK (raising a finger) Sssssh! Quiet! Buck and Curly have drawn breath to cheer but Peacock cuts them off. BUCK Well, we ought to be... PEACOCK (smacking the bar top) Quiet! (he looks reproachfully at Buck and adds) Mrs. Mallory. They all subside, conceding the point. In the meantime, Doc Boone has poured himself a drink and with much relish downs it in one. Then he slowly lowers the glass, blows his breath out sharply and for the first time looks round at the others and grins. Ringo is standing shadowed in a doorway out in the passage. Dallas comes out of a door farther down the passage, putting a shawl round her shoulders, and walks down the corridor away from camera without seeing Ringo. Ringo starts to follow her. Just before he reaches her, Chris comes out of another door carrying a lamp. Ringo stops. Chris, seen from the side holding the lamp, stands close up to Ringo, his manner secretive. CHRIS (in a low, warning voice) Kid, I know why you go to Lordsburg, Kid. I like you. I knew your poppa. He was a good friend of mine. If you know who's in Lordsburg you stay away... I think. RINGO (guardedly) You mean Luke Plummer? He lights his cigarette from Chris's lamp. CHRIS Luke... Ike... Hank... all there together. I saw them. A wild shine comes into Ringo's eyes and he grips Chris's arm eagerly. RINGO You sure of that, Chris? CHRIS Sure I can tell you the truth. As Chris nods, Ringo's eyes gleam. RINGO Thanks, Chris. That's all I wanted to know. He moves away towards the door, watched by Chris. CHRIS You crazy if you go... I think. You stay away, Kid. Three against one no good. Ringo takes no notice and goes outside. Dallas is seen in long shot, standing in the dark compound. In the moonlight the vast expanse of desert seems ghostly, yet strangely beautiful. Ringo comes into shot from the foreground and silently watches her as she walks slowly out of sight. He starts to follow. Cut to low angle medium shot of part of a fence as Dallas comes up, walking slowly and thoughtfully past camera, her arms folded. The experience of the last few hours has affected her deeply, taken all the defiance out of her face and softened it into beauty. Ringo quietly follows her. Dallas walks along by the fence, followed at a small distance by Ringo. She stops and rests a hand on the wood. Thoughts of what she might have been seem to be crowding into her heart as she stares off into the moonlit distance. Ringo calls out to her in a low voice. RINGO You oughtn't go too far, Miss Dallas. She turns at his voice and he comes towards her on the other side of the fence. RINGO Apaches like to sneak up and pick off strays. He leans against the fence and looks down at her. She does not look at him at first. RINGO (conversationally) You visiting in Lordsburg? DALLAS No, I... I have friends there. (she turns towards him) And maybe I can find work. She turns to face him properly and suddenly speaks to him in a rush. DALLAS Why don't you escape, Kid? Why don't you escape? Ringo and Dallas face one another across the fence. RINGO I aim to, Miss Dallas... in Lordsburg. DALLAS Why Lordsburg? Why don't you make for the Border now? Ringo leans forward in close-up. RINGO My father and brother was shot down by the Plummers. I guess you don't know how it feels to lose your own folks like that. Cut back to the shot of Ringo and Dallas, as she looks off over the moonlit plains. Her voice is dull and flat. DALLAS I lost mine when I was a kid. There was a massacre in the Superstition Mountains. He looks at her in surprise, but she is looking back at her own dismal childhood. RINGO That's tough, especially on a girl. [It's a hard country.] DALLAS You have to live, no matter what happens. RINGO Yeah, that's it. They look off for a moment into the moonlit distance, each deep in their own thoughts. Ringo is trying to muster courage to express what he feels. Finally he turns to her, with his voice, at first awkward and halting, growing in emotion. RINGO Look, Miss Dallas... Close-up of Ringo. RINGO ...you got no folks... neither have I. Maybe I'm taking a lot for granted... but I watched you with that baby... that other woman's baby... and you looked... (he grins) ...well... Close-up of Dallas. RINGO (off) ...but... well... I still got a ranch across the Border. It's a nice place... a real nice place... trees... grass... water... a cabin half- built... Close-up of Ringo. RINGO ...a man could live there... and a woman. Dallas's eyes are brimming with tears, as she looks up at Ringo. RINGO (off) Will you go? Dallas looks at him as if she cannot believe her own ears. DALLAS You don't know me! You don't know who I am! Dallas and Ringo face one another in profile. RINGO I know all I want to know. You're... the kind of girl a man wants to marry. They stare at each other for a few moments, then Dallas turns away. DALLAS (tearful) Oh, don't talk like that! Dallas, overcome by the rush of feeling that possesses her, gathers up her skirt and dashes off. Curly is now seen approaching from the house. His voice, when he speaks, is gruff with suspicion. CURLY What you doin' out here, Kid? We look along the fence, with Ringo on one side and Dallas hurrying away on the other. She stops at the sound of Curly's voice, then moves off as Curly strides up to Ringo. CURLY Stick close to the reservation. Fade out. Fade in to a room at the Apache Wells Station. It is early next morning. The men of the party are bunked down on the floor in various positions. Suddenly a voice galvanizes them into action. CHRIS (Shouting off) Curly! He rushes in. As he opens the door, the daylight coming through the doorway lights up the people in the room. Everybody sits up. Curly, who is lying by the door, looks up at Chris. CURLY What's wrong, Chris? CHRIS (excitedly) My wife, Yakima. She run away. Ringo and Curly sit, looking up towards Chris, off-screen. Curly is holding a gun. CHRIS (off) When I wake up she's... (making a wide gesture with his hand) ...gone. Curly moves his leg and yanks Ringo across with him. We see that they are handcuffed together round the ankles. CURLY (apologetically) 'Scuse me, Kid. He pats Ringo's leg and turns to Chris again, growling at him reassuringly. CURLY The way you come bustin' in here you'd think... we was bein' attacked. You can find another wife, Chris. CHRIS (off) Sure I find another wife. But she take my rifle and my horse! I never sell her, I love her so much. Doc Boone sits up on the bar buttoning his trousers. Chris addresses him passionately. CHRIS I beat her with the whip and she never get tired! DOC Your wife? CHRIS My horse! Find wife easy, yes, but not horse like that! Gatewood and Hatfield are sitting in a corner of the room. Hatfield looks elegant, even in his prematurely disturbed sleep. Gatewood stands up; an awful thought has struck him. CHRIS (off) Mala Yakima! GATEWOOD I knew that woman was a thief. The words are no sooner out of his mouth than he starts stumbling about, feeling all around for something. It is obvious that his bag has gone. Curly looks over at him from his place on the bunk. CURLY (suspiciously) What's the matter with you, Gatewood? Hatfield gets up and moves away as Gatewood shouts frantically. GATEWOOD My valise! Where's my valise? In a general shot of the room, everyone is looking round towards Gatewood as he shouts off-screen. GATEWOOD (off) Which one of you has got it? Buck, sitting down on the floor near Doc Boone and Chris, holds up the valise. BUCK Here. I been usin' it for a pillow. Thought you wouldn't mind. Gatewood rushes into shot and grabs the valise, standing threateningly over Buck. GATEWOOD Didn't I tell you to keep your hands off my things? BUCK Well, I'm sorry I... No one speaks. Buck starts to get up. Buck is now standing up in front of Doc Boone, with Chris visible standing near the door. Buck sticks out his tongue rudely at Gatewood, who is off-screen, and then moves off towards the door, looking back at Chris as he goes. An unpleasant thought has struck him too. BUCK That squaw of yours will find some Apaches and bring 'em back here. CHRIS (indignantly) My wife's people they won't bother me... I think. BUCK (wheezily) They bother me... I think! He goes out. Chris turns back to Doc Boone. Doc Boone is sitting on the bar and pats it with his hands stiffly. DOC Chris... is this bar open? CHRIS Sure, all the time, señor, si. Doc Boone jumps down, and as he lands on the floor it is obvious that the short jump has jarred every bone in his body. Camera pans slightly right as Chris goes round behind the bar and gets out a bottle and a glass for him. Doc Boone turns round towards him and uncorks the bottle. Gatewood, puffing angrily, puts on his jacket. Curly, who is standing by him, is still dressed only in his shirt-sleeves. Hatfield can be seen in the background, leaning against the doorpost and looking through the open door. GATEWOOD (impatiently) What are we wasting time for? Let's make a break for it. HATFIELD (staring at him coldly) We got a delicate woman to consider. GATEWOOD Well, do you want her to stay here and be butchered, with the rest of us? Ringo comes into shot and stands with Curly facing Gatewood. He sits down preparing to put on his boots as Hatfield and Gatewood continue to shout at one another. HATFIELD Why don't you think of anyone else for once? GATEWOOD (shouting) Are you insinuating...? Curly intervenes. CURLY Easy, easy, easy! Quiet, boys, quiet. (Gatewood stalks off) We ain't butchered yet. But you're right... Ringo looks up. CURLY (off) ...we'd better get goin' for Lordsburg soon as we can. Ringo looks towards the door of the corridor, then back towards Curly, off-screen. RINGO Might be a good idea, Curly, if -- uh... Doc Boone is standing at the bar, drinking, with Gatewood beside him and Buck in the background. RINGO (off) ...if Doc took a look at the patient. BUCK (grinning) Yeah, and Little Coyote. Gatewood gets himself a glass and pours himself a drink. He holds out his glass to Doc Boone. GATEWOOD (clearing his throat) If you'll join me, Doctor... He drinks. Doc Boone looks at him, then shakes his head. DOC No thanks. Camera pans left with Doc Boone as he moves away from the bar, leaving Gatewood drinking on his own. The pan continues as Doc Boone passes the fireplace where Peacock is standing. He throws his drink into the flames. The fire roars up and Doc Boone goes out of shot, watched by a rather startled Peacock, who looks round towards the bar, then down at the flaring grate. Dissolve to a close-up of Lucy in the bedroom. Her head is propped up on the pillow and Dallas's hands are in shot braiding her hair. The bedroom is now seen in medium shot. Lucy lies in bed, with Dallas sitting on the bed beside her. The door in the background opens and Doc Boone comes in cheerily. DOC Good morning. Dallas gets up and goes to close the door as Doc Boone stands at the end of the bed looking down at Lucy. DOC You're looking chipper today. Now Doc Boone is seen in close-up as he looks quietly at Lucy, then turns his head towards Dallas, both off-screen. DOC You're up early, Dallas. Dallas is leaning against the wall by the door. She looks pale and drawn. Her cloak has dropped away from her chest and she draws it up again, but does not reply. Close-up of Lucy, who knows better. LUCY She didn't go to bed, Doctor. Close-up of Doc Boone, looking down at Lucy. LUCY (off) I'm afraid she sat up all night, while I slept. His eyes flick up towards Dallas again. Close-up of Dallas. DALLAS (apologetically) Oh, I slept in the chair a lot. Close-up of Doc Boone looking at her. He does not believe her. Doc Boone and Dallas are now seen in medium shot across the room. Dallas moves away from the wall and crosses the room behind Doc Boone as she speaks. DALLAS Well, it was nice to stay awake and hold the baby. Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he goes across to the bed where the baby is lying next to Lucy. He bends down to look at the baby. DOC (poking the baby) We've got to get you to Lordsburg, Little Coyote. (he chuckles as Lucy looks at him, puzzled) That's what the boys christened her last night from the way she squalled. The baby is shown close from above, asleep in the bed. DOC (off) Little Coyote. How do you feel? LUCY Fine, Doctor. A bit tired. Doc Boone is now seen bending over the bed, with Lucy lying on the pillow below him. LUCY Doctor, do you think my husband... DOC (cheerily) Never mind. The best medicine he can have is to see you two safe and sound. You make up your mind to get there. LUCY (quietly) I have, Doctor. DOC That's the talk. You need more strength. Rest all you can. Dallas, maybe you can fix up some broth. LUCY (indicating a plate and cup on a chair) She has already. DOC Good! (to Dallas) How about some coffee for the boys? He gets out a cigar. Dallas, who is sitting down beside the window, nods and gets up wearily. DOC Try and sleep for a while, little lady. (he beams at her teasingly) And don't look so proud. I've brought hundreds of 'em into the world... (a pause) ...once upon a time, and each new one is always the prettiest. He goes out and Lucy watches him go. In the passage outside the bedroom Dallas stands against the wall waiting for the doctor as he comes out to go towards the lunch-room. She calls to him, her voice low and intense. DALLAS Doc... He turns back and comes towards her, leaning on the wall opposite her DALLAS ...Ringo asked me to marry him. Close-up of Dallas. DALLAS Is it wrong, for a girl like me? If a man and woman are in love, it's all right, ain't it, Doc? Doc Boone frowns back at her. DOC (quietly) You're going to get hurt, child, worse than you've ever been hurt. Don't you know that boy's headed back to prison? (She is silent and he goes on) Besides, if you two go into Lordsburg... Cut back to Dallas listening worriedly. DOC (off) ...together, he's going to find out all about you. She stares at him, then makes an inward decision. DALLAS (quietly) He's not going to Lordsburg. (after a pause) All I want is for you to tell me it's all right. Doc Boone looks at her with a depth of understanding. There is something regretful in his eyes; they see that Dallas is on ice that is too thin. DOC Who am I to tell you what's right or wrong, child? All right, go ahead. Close-up of Dallas. DOC (off) Do it, if you can. Good luck. DALLAS (almost with tears in her eyes) Thanks, Doc. He looks after her for a moment as she hurries away down the passageway, goes out through the door at the end and closes it behind her, then himself turns to go back to the lunch- room. In the lunch-room, the men are gathered in a tense group. Hatfield leans against the bar with his back to the others; Gatewood stands at the end of the bar drinking. Ringo is near the fire, where Buck is busily gathering up his things. Curly joins the rest as Doc Boone appears and taps Ringo on the shoulder. DOC Ringo... CURLY (interrupting) Well, Doc? DOC Both doing fine. She's a real soldier's wife, that young lady. He goes over to the bar and picks up his bottle and glass. Gatewood and Doc Boone are now seen at the end of the bar, with Buck behind them near the door. GATEWOOD (eagerly to Curly) That means we can go. DOC (pouring a drink) Not for a day or so, if you want my professional opinion. GATEWOOD What do you mean a day? Stay another day? Why? DOC Where were you when the stork came last night, Gatewood? Hatfield adds his support. HATFIELD I refuse to allow Mrs. Mallory to travel until she and the child are out of danger. Gatewood looks furious. GATEWOOD What d'you mean 'danger'? Aren't we in worse danger here? Peacock intervenes nervously. PEACOCK (clasping his hands) I don't wish to intrude... I've had five children... (coughing) ...I mean my dear wife has... and... much as I dislike to say it at this hour of our trial, I... ahem... I believe the doctor is right. In the group, Hatfield is leaning back against the bar, Curly is standing a little apart in the middle of the room, and Doc Boone by Gatewood at the end of the bar. The doctor strikes the top of the bar with one hand. DOC Spoken like a man, Reverend. GATEWOOD I say we've got to get out of here before the Apaches find us. That's common sense! Hatfield turns to Gatewood as Doc Boone walks away to the door into the yard, through which Ringo has now disappeared. HATFIELD (vehemently) I wish you were ten years younger, Gatewood! GATEWOOD Don't let my white hairs stop you! Buck and Curly move forward and intervene. CURLY Quiet! Quiet! BUCK (petulantly) Now, Curly, I haven't said a word. Gatewood moves away. CURLY (shouting at Buck) Will you shut up! Buck waves his hands in frustration and moves away as Curly tries to make everyone see reason. CURLY If we argue this thing out right we'll get somewhere. Now let's all sit down and talk sensible. The station-house door is seen from the outside, as Doc Boone comes out puffing on his cigar. CURLY (continuing, off) Come on, Buck, sit down. Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he shuffles forward and joins Ringo, who is busily tying his neck scarf. DOC (to Ringo) In that case you better make yourself useful, my boy. There's a young woman out in the kitchen. She's making coffee. She needs help. RINGO Thanks, Doc. Ringo starts to move away, camera panning slightly with him, but Doc Boone grabs him by the arm. Ringo turns towards him and they stand facing each other a moment. DOC Say, Kid, how old were you when you went to the pen? RINGO Oh well, I was going on seventeen. Ringo goes off, leaving Doc Boone looking after him. Doc Boone sticks his cigar into his mouth and then puts his hands into his trouser pockets and stands, looking thoughtful, for a moment. Dallas is at the range in the kitchen, grinding coffee. Ringo comes through the door at the back and stands leaning against the doorpost looking at her. She does not notice him. He waits there awkwardly for a moment and then speaks, self- consciously polite. RINGO Mornin', ma'am. Dallas looks up towards him. DALLAS Good morning. Camera pans slightly left as she picks up the coffee-grinder and goes across to the stove and starts spooning the coffee into the big coffee pot. Ringo comes forward and stands behind her, holding his hat. RINGO (shifting his weight hesitantly) I laid awake most the night wondering what you'da said if Curly hadn't busted in. Guess you was up too. I could hear you movin' around. (a little awkwardly) You didn't answer what I asked you last night. Dallas goes on measuring the coffee in the pot. Finally she stops what she is doing and drops her hands onto the stove. Close-up of Dallas as she swings round to face Ringo. DALLAS (her voice growing urgent as the words pour out) Look, Kid, why don't you escape? There's a horse out there in the corral. Cut to a reverse medium close-up with Dallas in the foreground three-quarters back to camera and Ringo facing her. DALLAS Curly won't go after you... he can't leave the passengers in this fix! RINGO But I got to go to Lordsburg. Won't you go to my ranch and wait for me? Dallas looks at him intensely. DALLAS (bitterly) Wait for a dead man? (she turns away) You haven't got a chance. Dallas goes back to her coffee-making, leaving Ringo standing awkwardly behind her. DALLAS It was three against one when the Plummers swore you killed their foreman and got you sent up. It'll be three against one in Lordsburg. RINGO There's some things a man just can't run away from. Camera pans round slightly left as Ringo comes towards camera and sits down in the foreground by the stove, partly out of shot. DALLAS How can you talk about your life and my life when you're throwing 'em away? (vehemently as he comes to her) Yes, mine too! That's what you're throwin' away if you... Ringo sits on the window-sill, looking at her. DALLAS (off) ...go to Lordsburg! RINGO (helplessly) What do you want me to do? Dallas leans forward urgently from the stove towards Ringo, while he looks at Dallas in confusion. DALLAS (pleadingly) Would it make us any happier if Luke Plummer was dead? One of his brothers would be after you with a gun. We'd never be safe. I don't want that kind of a life, Ringo. RINGO (slowly) I don't see what else I can do. DALLAS Go now... get away... forget Lordsburg... forget the Plummers. Make for the Border and I'll come to you. She pleads intensely. RINGO You mean that? DALLAS I do, I do! RINGO Won't you come along with me? DALLAS I can't leave Mrs. Mallory and her baby. I'll come to you from Lordsburg. I swear it. Dallas leans against the stove watching Ringo as he gets up from the window-sill. He looks round the room and then back again at Dallas, trying to adjust his mind to this tremendous change. RINGO I oughta have a rifle. DALLAS I've got one right here. Camera pans right as Dallas rushes across the room and moves a coat from a rack of pegs on the wall, which is hiding a rifle. She takes it down. DALLAS (eagerly) I got it for you last night, while you were all asleep. Ringo stares at her in wonder. RINGO (as he takes it) You thought of this last night? DALLAS Yes, don't ask any more questions, not now! Ringo cannot take his eyes from her excited face. She is a complete wonder to him. In the lunch-room, Curly stands holding a council of war round a large pine table, where Hatfield, Gatewood and Peacock are seated. The plaintive Buck stands beside Curly. BUCK Oh gosh, Curly, there ain't no Apaches behind us. We can still go back to Tonto. GATEWOOD (hitting the table with his fist) No! I insist we go on to Lordsburg. CURLY What do you think, Chris? Doc Boone is standing at the bar with Chris on the other side facing camera. CHRIS Geronimo between here and Lordsburg, with my horse... I think. DOC (raising his voice in song) 'My horse is young, she has gone astray...' Chris covers his ears. Curly and Buck are seen close from below. BUCK Quiet. This is a serious matter, ain't it? Doc Boone looks from the bar over his shoulder at the others, off-screen. DOC (raising his glass) Buck -- if I have only one hour to live, I'm going to enjoy myself. He drinks. PEACOCK Doctor, I don't begrudge you my samples, but... BUCK (interrupting, wagging his finger at Peacock) Now you hush -- I stood enough of you. Now this is a serious problem and I'm the only one who is talking sense. Now if Curly... Cut back to the shot of Buck and Curly as he interrupts Buck. CURLY Once we get across that ferry we'll be all right. Cut to a medium shot of the five round the table. CURLY The question is, what we gonna do about the lady and her baby? Curly goes towards the door to Lucy's room. HATFIELD Doctor Boone has settled that for us, suh. I demand respect for his professional opinion. Doc Boone is seen at the bar, spinning round. DOC (looking up in surprise at Hatfield) Hatfield! Hatfield is now seen from below, sitting at the table playing patience, with Curly standing behind him and looking through the door into the corridor. Suddenly Curly remembers. CURLY Ringo. (turning back urgently) Ringo! Camera pans slightly right as Curly rushes off down the passage shouting for Ringo. Dallas and Ringo are outside in the corral, leading a saddled horse out from under the covered shelter. Dallas hands Ringo the rifle, which he sticks in the saddle-boot as he prepares to mount. They look at each other for a moment. They have no words for the things they feel. It is all in their eyes. DALLAS Hurry, Ringo, hurry! He takes one last look at her, then digs his spurs into the mustang and the horse leaps forward. Camera pans left slightly as he canters off, leaving Dallas watching him ride away, her arm lifted in a little gesture of farewell. Pan left with Ringo as he rides his horse hard, jumping the fence that rings the compound and galloping to the top of a rise a hundred feet away. As he tops the rise, galloping straight forward, he suddenly sees something that makes him saw on the bit. The horse comes to a dead stop as if it had four-wheel brakes. He dismounts again, looking around. Dallas is watching anxiously from outside the corral. Her arm is still half-up in her incomplete gesture. From behind her comes Curly's voice. CURLY (off) Ringo! Curly rushes into shot coming round the corner of the house. Dallas looks round and sees him coming; he is holding a gun. He rushes off in the foreground, shouting. Terror comes into Dallas's face and she cries out. DALLAS Ringo, don't stop! Go on, go on! Curly rushes off after her. Buck comes running out of the house after Curly, followed by Doc Boone. Buck stops at the end of the stagecoach and watches as Dallas goes on shouting. DALLAS (screaming, off) Keep riding! Ringo's riderless horse comes cantering back into the compound, jumping the little fence by the wall. As it goes off, Dallas rushes into shot, shouting at Ringo. DALLAS Ringo, go on, go on, don't stop! She is closely followed by Curly. Camera pans left with them as he catches up with her and she grabs his arm desperately, trying to stop him; but he throws her roughly to the ground and runs off towards the desert. Ringo is standing motionless at the edge of the desert which stretches out beyond him, staring into the distance. Curly charges into shot and grabs him, taking his fists to handcuff them. Curly is hopping mad, but Ringo holds out his wrists calmly. RINGO You don't need them, Curly. I'm not running away. CURLY (with an angry scowl) I'll say you ain't! He snaps the cuffs. RINGO (nodding past Curly) Look at them hills. Just then Dallas comes tearing up and grabs Ringo's arms wildly. She sees what they see in the distance, and stops struggling. Curly steps forward, a look of real concern on his face. From a distant summit far across the desert, a thin white spiral of smoke is rising into the still air. It is interrupted sharply. Then another puff rises, like a telegraphic flash. Curly turns back to look at Ringo. CURLY Apaches? Ringo's jaw tightens. RINGO (nodding) War signals. Dallas clings even more tightly to Ringo's arm. A look of despair comes into her eyes; she stands there, beyond all speech, beyond all hope now, as the scene dissolves. The passengers are all gathered round the stagecoach in the yard, prepared to set off once again. Camera pans right with Hatfield as he carries Lucy up to the stagecoach, followed closely by Doc Boone. They all help Lucy inside. Dallas follows them into shot; she has the swaddled baby held tight to her breast. Dissolve to a high angle medium long shot of the stagecoach galloping out through the gate away from camera, going towards the hills in the distance. Dissolve to the stagecoach galloping round the foot of a hill in another part of the prairie and disappearing into the distance. Dissolve to Buck and Curly sitting side by side on the driving-box. Buck is working to get all he can out of the horses; Curly sits alert with the rifle across his knees. As Curly scans the horizon, Buck, without turning his attention from the horses, calls to him. BUCK Don't you think you oughta take them cuffs off the Kid? He's mighty handy with a gun. CURLY (growling back loudly without turning his attention from the dangerous horizon) You drive them hosses! I'll take care of the Kid. Curly keeps looking round the whole time, his gun at the ready. Inside the coach, it is very crowded. Doc Boone is sitting on the floor, Peacock is squashed into one corner, while Gatewood, seen almost in back view, leans heavily on Doc Boone as he yells out of the window. GATEWOOD Can't you drive any faster? (he pulls his head in and addresses the group) Thick-headed lout! We've got to make that ferry! (bitterly) A man works all his life to get hold of some money so he can enjoy life and then runs into a trap like this. He takes off his stiff collar. PEACOCK (starting and leaning towards Gatewood nervously) A trap, brother? You mean the Apaches? There's been no sign of them. GATEWOOD (yelping at him) You don't see any signs of them! They strike like rattlesnakes. Gatewood, his fear making him belligerent, glares at Hatfield, off-screen. GATEWOOD If you hadn't insisted... Hatfield is sitting in the corner with Lucy's head on his lap. GATEWOOD (Off) ...on waiting for her... Lucy looks round. Ringo is sitting on the floor against the door, his hands in their cuffs laid carelessly across his knees. GATEWOOD (off) ...we'd have been across the ferry by this time. Hatfield cradles Lucy's head in his arms. HATFIELD (his eyes burning) You talk too much, Gatewood. Gatewood's edginess is making things uncomfortable for Peacock sitting beside him, and for Doc Boone squashed down on the floor, only his head and shoulders in shot. GATEWOOD (with a snap) Your threats don't faze me, Hatfield. Cut back to the close shot of Hatfield and Lucy. Lucy starts to sit up. GATEWOOD (off) You're nothing but a tinhorn gambler. HATFIELD (leaning forward, murder in his eyes) How would you like to get out and walk? Cut back to the same shot of Gatewood, Peacock and Doc Boone. GATEWOOD You can't put me out of a public conveyance! DOC (placatingly) Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Ringo looks up. RINGO Take it easy, Gatewood. We may need that fighting before we get to the ferry. Now back again to Gatewood, Peacock and Doc Boone. GATEWOOD (angered by the boy's tone, looking at the handcuffs) You wouldn't be much good in a fight, you jailbird. Ringo just looks at him with a thin smile and says nothing. HATFIELD (off) Oh, leave the kid alone. He's handcuffed. PEACOCK (off) Gentlemen, please! Peacock sits by the side of Dallas, who holds the baby. PEACOCK (meekly) Let's not forget the ladies, bless them. He looks at the baby. Dallas looks at him in grateful surprise. Dissolve to a medium long shot of the stagecoach toiling up some rough dusty ground and going off in the foreground. Dissolve to a medium shot of Buck and Curly on the driving- box. They look very happy and Curly leans down to shout through the window to the passengers. CURLY Well, folks, we're coming into East Ferry now. BUCK Lordsburg next stop! He giggles. Dissolve to a long shot of the ferry as seen from the stagecoach as it comes down the road. In the foreground there are some dark posts and fencing. Smoke wafts across the screen. The horses canter in, and camera pans left and tracks back as they pull into the open space in front of what was once the ferry building, now engulfed in flames. East Ferry is a scene of desolation; there is no one around, the houses are in ruins, burned to the ground. The stagecoach stops in the centre. Buck and Curly are seen from the side on the driving-box. Buck and hardly speak for fright as he suddenly notices the ferry ahead of them. BUCK Curly, look! Look at the ferry. Long shot looking across the still water of the river where the ferry lies burnt and broken on the opposite bank. All that remains is the thin cable across the water and the smoking ruins of the ferry wharf. BUCK (off) It's burnt too. Curly jumps down from the driving-box of the stagecoach. Ringo jumps out, followed by Hatfield. Curly hands a rifle to Hatfield. CURLY Hatfield, stand guard over there. Hatfield runs off in the foreground as Gatewood gets out. Suddenly everybody starts to talk at once. Gatewood is complaining as usual and his tone implies that Curly is responsible for the whole predicament. Doc Boone comes out of the stagecoach after him. GATEWOOD (harshly) Where's the Army? What are the soldiers doing? DOC Anything I can do, Curly? GATEWOOD (at the same time) Are they going to let Geronimo do nothing but pillage and burn? CURLY (putting a hand out to stop Doc Boone) Ringo, come here, I need you. Curly faces Ringo, takes out his key, and starts to unlock the handcuffs. CURLY Will you give me your word you won't try to escape no more? Ringo holds out his wrists, looking straight into Curly's eyes. RINGO I give you my word... to Lordsburg. Curly's response is sharp; he jerks his thumb over his shoulder. CURLY Get back in the coach with the women. Ringo's wrists are still held out and Curly is starting at him scornfully. For a moment they fight each other with their eyes. Doc Boone can be seen standing on the steps of the coach, and Gatewood, as Curly starts to move away from Ringo. But the boy holds out his manacled hands and stops him. RINGO I give you my word. Dallas calls from inside the coach. DALLAS (off) Ringo, don't! But Curly immediately unlocks the handcuffs, tosses them up into the box, and shouts at Buck at the same time. CURLY Drive in the river till she's up to the hubs. Long shot of the stagecoach in the clearing heading for the river; one of the burned huts is smouldering in the foreground. Camera pans left as the stagecoach moves off towards the water behind some rocks. High angle long shot looking down onto the river from the near bank. The stagecoach comes into shot and halts as the horses stand on the bank, urged on by Buck. Hatfield is standing amidst the ruins of one of the huts, taking off his cloak. Camera tilts down with him as he bends down, to show the body of a woman grotesquely perched on all fours, partly scalped. He covers the body with his cloak. Then camera tilts up again as he straightens up and stares into the distance. Something catches his eye. In the hilly countryside, all appears to be still. Hatfield looks anxiously over his shoulder towards the others, then back up to the hills again. Dissolve to the side of the stagecoach, seen from behind. Curly and Ringo are struggling with a large log which they roll towards the stagecoach and begin to lash to the wheels and underside of the vehicle. Curly shouts quick instructions to Ringo, who hurries off. Buck, on the driving-box, has cleared most of the luggage from the top. He picks up Ringo's saddle and throws it down into the bushes beside him. Then he looks down towards Ringo again and shouts. BUCK Sorry about the saddle, Kid. Another angle from above shows Buck with Ringo standing beside the horses and Curly by the side of the stagecoach. CURLY Ready, Kid? RINGO All set! CURLY Ready, Buck? BUCK Oh, I'm ready, Curly. Curly jumps up onto the driving-box beside Buck, and Ringo starts to hurl pebbles at the horses to get them to go down into the water. CURLY Ready, Buck! Here we go, folks. (He leans down to shout through the stagecoach window) Just sit tight, folks, it'll be all right. The stagecoach starts to move forward. The camera is in fact mounted on top of the stagecoach and it lurches and shakes with the vehicle's motion as the horses move forward and struggle into the river. Camera swings round to the right so that it is shooting straight ahead, looking along the horses' backs as they plunge belly-deep into the water. From the roof of the stagecoach, Buck and Curly are urging the horses through the water ahead of them. Curly hurls pebbles at them, Buck keeps shouting. Ringo is perched on the back of the roof. Long shot looking over the river to the stagecoach, the horses now swimming. The stagecoach is hub-deep in the water, floating across on two big logs which have been lashed to each side of it and buoy it up. The heads of the four leading horses are seen just above the water as they swim through the river, camera panning left with them. The horses are now swimming powerfully and pulling the stagecoach across the river. Camera pans across left as the horses reach the opposite bank and start to clamber out of the shallow water beside the broken ferry. Dissolve to a medium shot looking along the dusty trail. Track along behind the stagecoach as it moves away into the distance. Now the coach is entering a new kind of country, desolate, with giant cacti pointing fingers up at the cloudless sky. Dissolve to a medium shot of Buck and Curly on the driving- box, Curly looking back the way they have come. BUCK (singing happily) All aboard for Lordsburg, Lordsburg, Lordsburg... (he breaks off) Hey, Curly! CURLY (turns back to him) What? BUCK Do you think I ought to charge Mrs. Mallory's baby halffare? Curly gives him a look, then goes back to his watch. A high angle very long shot looking over the desert shows the stagecoach like a small toy pressing on alone through the desolate expanse towards the mouth of a canyon. It is early evening. Buck can be heard, off, shouting at the horses. Suddenly, camera pans swiftly across to the rim of the canyon wall to reveal a large band of savage-looking Apache Indians, their foreheads smeared with white war-paint, lurking in ambush, waiting for the stagecoach to enter the canyon below. At their centre, looking down into the valley, stands the most dreaded figure in the South-west, Geronimo, powerful of frame, and with a craggy face that seems to have been carved out of red rock. Another Apache is seen close, with still others of the band on horseback behind him. Now Geronimo is seen from below in front of a group of Apaches. One of them points off. The stagecoach is seen far away and below, as its horses gallop along in the middle of the valley. There is little cover for miles around. Camera swings round to the left and tilts up to the ridge to reveal the Apache warband turning away. Most of those on horseback ride out of shot, leaving Geronimo and two or three of his warband standing and watching them go. Inside the coach the atmosphere is fairly relaxed and even Gatewood makes an attempt at cheerfulness. GATEWOOD Well, we'll soon be in Lordsburg. Sorry I flew off the handle, Hatfield. Just nervous, you know how it is. Hatfield eyes him sardonically and says nothing. No hard feelings, I hope. PEACOCK (sitting up, rather proud of himself) Well, all in all, it's been an exciting... (coughing) ...but very interesting trip, now hasn't it? Doc Boone looks up at him from his place on the floor of the coach. DOC Well, now that the danger's past, Mister... Peacock looks down helpfully, while Gatewood looks on. PEACOCK Er, Peacock. DOC (off) Ladies and gentlemen, since... Cut back to Doc Boone on the floor. DOC ...it's most unlikely that we'll ever have the pleasure of meeting again socially, I'd like to propose a toast. He looks up, then takes the cork out of his bottle and looks at each of them in turn. DOC Major, Gatewood, Ringo... Your health. HATFIELD (off) Thank you, sir. Doc Boone takes a swig at the bottle, but as he does so there is a strange whistling sound and a thudding noise; Doc Boone chokes on the bottle, looking up with his eyes wide in amazement. He looks round and camera pans swiftly left, now showing Peacock and Gatewood. Peacock has an arrow stuck in his shoulder. The little man is sitting bolt upright, a look of disbelief on his face. He utters no sound as his right hand gropes to the arrow and holds it by the shaft, while blood pours down his hand. His face is frozen in agony for a moment, then, with a slight gurgle, he falls forward, watched in horror by Gatewood. Camera tilts down with him as he falls across Doc Boone. Doc Boone, now in close-up, leans forward, hurriedly trying to remove the arrow. He pulls it out and looks down aghast at Peacock. Buck and Curly are driving along, unaware. A shot rings out and Curly looks round anxiously. A medium long shot looks up a slope to where several Apaches are galloping down towards camera, silhouetted against the sky. Curly immediately raises his gun and fires twice; the shots explode with a shattering report. Buck, in horror, urges his horses onwards to renewed effort. Now the Apaches are seen galloping over the horizon. The first one gallops out of shot, but the two that are coming over the hill fall, hit by Curly's bullets; camera pans slightly right as they roll, slipping down among boulders. Yet more Apaches appear behind them. Buck is yelling at the top of his wheezy voice, urging the horses on, and Curly is yelling at Buck. Then Curly turns down to the door of the stagecoach behind him. The ravine is now seen from below and in long shot. The Apaches appear at the rim as the stagecoach hurtles through the bottom of the ravine, coming towards camera and going off to the right. Three Apaches now zigzag down the side of the ravine on their horses and pursue the stagecoach. The wide flat plain stretches away to the far distant mountains on the horizon. The stagecoach speeds away from camera as Apaches swarm down the canyon slope, riding wildly in pursuit. The noise of yelling and the constant gunfire is deafening. The team of horses is now seen from the roof of the stagecoach, with Buck and Curly in back view in the foreground. Curly is frantically chucking stones at the horses to urge them on. Track beside the stagecoach to show Buck yelling wildly at the horses, as Curly continues to chuck stones at them. Now track rapidly backwards in front of the pursuing Apaches, who gallop across the plain, leaving the canyon far behind. Buck continues to urge his horses on wildly. Curly removes his gun-belt. He yells for Hatfield, and camera pans slightly right as the latter emerges from the window of the stage and takes the belt from him. While the exchange takes place, Dallas peers anxiously out of the window for a moment. Then, as Buck goes on screaming at his horses, Curly turns back and settles himself on the box, taking aim backwards over the roof of the stagecoach. The Apaches, some with bows and arrows, some with old rifles, and a few with lances and buffalo-hide bucklers on their arms, are riding furiously, gaining ground on both sides of the stagecoach. They are still behind, but their intention is plain... to come alongside on both sides and rake the passengers with their fire. The stagecoach is now going full speed, Buck yelling the horses on, Curly shooting over the back of the stage. The Apaches thunder up in pursuit. One of them falls from his horse as the others charge on. Track in front of the stagecoach, as the door at the side opens and Ringo crawls out precariously onto the exposed roof. He makes it, crawls forward, and reaches into the boot, getting his rifle. An arm appears from the stagecoach window firing at the pursuing Apaches. The stagecoach continues to hurtle forward, everyone except Buck firing back at the Apaches. Loud 'chase' music adds to the noise of gunfire and war whoops. Now pan left with the pursuing Apaches. Cut back to Ringo sitting upright on the back of the stagecoach, seen in profile, aiming down at the pursuing Apaches. He fires. Seen from below, an Apache bites the dust; his gun flies in the air. At the side of the stagecoach, Dallas looks anxiously out of the window as two arrows thud into the woodwork just beside her. One of the men inside hauls her away from the window. Track again below and beside the pursuing Apaches. Inside the coach, Doc Boone is bandaging Peacock's shoulder while Gatewood stands in back view in a mad panic. He pushes at Doc Boone, trying to get past him to the door. DOC Gatewood, will you shut up! I've got a patient here! GATEWOOD Stop this stage! Let me out of here! DOC Gatewood! Gatewood! GATEWOOD Let me out of here, I tell you, stop this stage! As Gatewood continues to struggle, Doc Boone finally puts down his dressings and turns towards the hysterical man. Doc Boone is seen from below, as he suddenly punches Gatewood hard on the chin. DOC You shut up! Camera pans slightly right as Gatewood sinks down out of shot. Doc Boone turns back to his patient again. Through the window, the plain seems to fly by. The stagecoach and the pursuing Apaches are seen in long shot from above, all charging towards camera, which tracks in slightly as the stagecoach goes off to the left. The Apaches chase after it, spread out in a row and firing constantly at their target. From ground level, we see the team of horses and the stagecoach charge right over the camera lens, followed by some Apaches. The stagecoach is now seen from the side. Ringo is lying full length on the roof, firing out over the back. Curly is firing past him from the box. Doc Boone, also holding a pistol, is visible at the window. Buck yells wildly at the horses, driving for all he is worth. As a bullet whistles past him, Doc Boone ducks back slightly. Track with several of the pursuing Apaches, seen from below. Ringo is lying on his side, aiming out over the back of the coach. He fires. Track rapidly left with an Apache who falls to the ground as he is hit by Ringo's shot. His horse charges off left and several other Apaches pass over his body. Doc Boone leans out of the window of the stagecoach, takes careful aim with his pistol, and then fires. Ringo is leaning back reloading his gun from the ammunition box, while Buck continues to yell wildly at the horses. Doc Boone takes aim again. Lucy, seen in close-up with a scarf round her head, looks grimly out of the window. Doc Boone's hand with the gun is visible on the left. Lucy winces slightly as the gun fires. From above the stagecoach, we see Ringo on the roof in the centre of shot. The Apaches are clearly gaining ground as the men are now aiming more or less sideways out from the stagecoach. Ringo and Curly fire, then Doc Boone does the same. Two more Apaches bite the dust, while another gallops past. Track rapidly out in front of the coach. More gunshots. Track sideways with the pursuing Apaches. Track with one Apache who is reloading a rifle as he gallops along. Clouds of dust and more Apaches behind. Track sideways again with several mounted Apaches. The stagecoach and horses are now seen in medium long shot, galloping furiously across the plain to the right. Two Apaches approach at the gallop from the left, followed by another intercepting from the side. On the driving-box, Buck yells at Curly, who turns to the other side to aim at the intercepting Apaches. He fires. BUCK (yelling wildly at the horses) Come on, get on, ho, go on, go! Now the Apaches are shown galloping away from camera. One of them falls from his horse in the foreground and is dragged along by the reins. On the driving-box, Buck continues to yell wildly at the horses while Curly starts chucking stones at them again. BUCK Get on there, hoa, hoa, go! From Buck's point of view on the box, the horse team is seen galloping wildly along. Track out in front of the coach, as an Apache on a piebald horse draws level with the team, throws away his lance and leaps from his own horse onto the leading pair. Cut back to Buck and Curly, who is now turned towards the back of the coach again. Buck, seeing the Apache land on the horses off-screen, yells to Ringo. BUCK (shouting) Ringo! Ringo leans forward behind him and aims across his shoulder. Track sideways with the team of horses, the Apache crouched on the shaft between the leading two. Ringo fires across Buck's shoulder. Cut back to the horses, to show the Apache brave hit and falling down onto the shaft between the first pair. Ringo aims lower and fires again. Now the Apache falls to the ground between the horses, who gallop on over him followed by the stagecoach. They go out of frame to the left. Camera holds on the Apache, who scrambles painfully up to a kneeling position as more Apaches gallop past. Close-up of Hatfield leaning from the window of the coach. He aims his pistol, then fires and smiles. Track left as one of an Apache group bites the dust. Camera holds on the body as the others charge off. Hatfield looks round, teeth bared, then aims again. Track slightly left as more Apaches gallop past and away from camera. Two gunshots; two more Apaches bite the dust. Hatfield now withdraws inside the carriage for a moment. Track left with a bunch of Apaches who are catching up with the stagecoach, the back wheels of which show on the left. Low angle close-up of Ringo on the roof of the stage. He aims and fires twice. Cut back to the Apaches close to the stagecoach. Two more bite the dust. Doc Boone is now seen close from below, leaning out of the window of the stagecoach and aiming his pistol. He withdraws inside again as two bullets hit the door before he can fire. Now a low angle long shot shows the stagecoach hurtling towards camera. The Apaches have now almost drawn level with it on all sides. Doc Boone leans out, aims and fires. Again we see the back of the stagecoach on the left, the pursuing Apaches behind, as one of them bites the dust in the foreground. Track slightly left as the horse rolls over, then gets up again and gallops off. A group of Apaches is galloping after the stage, camera tracking left and slightly above them. Then pan slightly right as the top of the stage comes into view with first Ringo, then Curly, taking aim and firing. Track rapidly left with two of the pursuing Apaches. The horse of one of them is shot from beneath him and he is flung forward over its neck. The stagecoach is now seen in three-quarter front view. Track rapidly out in front of it, panning slightly at the same time to keep it in frame. The pursuing Apaches are now all level with the coach. Track rapidly left with two Apaches. One of them has a rifle raised. He aims and fires. Cut to Buck and Curly on the box. There is the crack of a gun and Buck almost pitches off the box as he is hit in the arm. He slumps forward with a moan. Curly tries to pull him up again, calling to Ringo to help. Ringo sees what has happened and crawls forward to aid Curly in pulling him up. Cut to a low shot as from the front of the stagecoach. The reins hang slackly from Buck's hand, off-screen, as the horses gallop along. The men look down helplessly towards the horses. Curly yells at Ringo. CURLY (frantically) The leader, get the leader! The reins of the leader are dragging on the ground. Ringo leaps forward between Curly and Buck, letting go of the wounded man. Track sideways with the stage. We see Ringo jump off the box onto the back of the first pair of horses. Gunshots scream through the air and the music gets louder. Camera pans ahead of the first pair of horses as Ringo jumps onto the next pair, then onto the head pair. The attacking Apaches can be seen through clouds of dust in the background. Having landed on the shaft between the leading pair, Ringo scrambles onto the back of the nearest horse. Track with Ringo on the back of the leading horse. He is seen in medium close-up and three-quarters back view. He gathers up the loose reins and starts to whip the horse on with the end of them. On the box, Buck continues to hang onto the other half of the reins with his good hand, feebly urging the horses on, while Curly reloads his gun. But it is really Ringo who is doing the driving now. BUCK Go on, go on... go on... go on. Curly gives Buck a hand dragging on the reins. Hatfield stands at the stage window following an Apache round with his pistol, off-screen. He fires, but there is a click. The pistol is empty. Looking horrified, he withdraws inside the coach. A gunshot explodes. Doc Boone is leaning out of the other window, also aiming his pistol. Track sideways with the galloping Apaches, one of them aiming a rifle with one hand. He fires. Cut back to Doc Boone following the Apaches round with his pistol. He fires. A click. His gun is also empty. He looks desperately round, then calls up to Curly, off-screen. DOC Curly! More ammunition! Curly turns round from the box and shows the empty magazine of his rifle. He shakes his head. Doc Boone now looks round in horror. He withdraws inside. An Apache with a rifle is seen through the other window of the stage, drawing closer. Track with the attacking Apaches. One of them fires his rifle. Dallas, seen in close-up huddled in the corner of the smoke- filled stagecoach, clasps the baby to her. A bullet whistles through, making a hole in the woodwork. She turns in horror to look at it. Track with the attacking Apaches. Dallas looks anxiously down at the baby, while the attacking Apaches draw ahead, seen through the windows of the stage behind her. The baby is seen close from above, its eyes closed. The gunshots continue, off. Dallas suddenly drops her head forward and buries it hopelessly in the baby's shawl. Hatfield is looking grimly down at his gun, off-screen. Hatfield's gloved hands are seen, close from above, opening the gun. There is one bullet left in the chamber. He spins it round to the firing position. Cut back to Hatfield's face. He looks up and across at first Dallas, then Lucy off-screen, his face desperate and forlorn. As he raises the gun, camera pans right and tilts down to show Lucy huddled in the corner, muttering prayers. Hatfield's gun comes into frame on the left, pointing straight at her head. A pause, then there is a gunshot off, and the gun drops and falls to the ground as Hatfield is hit, off-screen. Lucy continues to mutter her prayers, apparently without noticing. Suddenly we hear the sound of a bugle and she looks up, hope dawning in her eyes. LUCY Can you hear it? Can you hear it? It's a bugle! They're blowing the charge! Track right with the bugler and standard-bearer of the U.S. Cavalry galloping to the rescue. The bugler turns from side to side, sounding the charge, while the music turns to a triumphant cavalry theme. Now we see from above the whole detachment of cavalry charging to the rescue, camera tracking right with the horsemen. Cut to a cavalryman galloping along with the flag, others behind him, their sabres drawn. Now we see the bugler in a high angle close-up, sounding the charge at the head of his troop. In the distance, the stagecoach comes toward camera surrounded by the remaining Apaches, while the near cavalry stream towards it. The Apaches pull their horses to their haunches and begin to scatter and run, as the cavalry charge towards them. They flail their ponies with their moccasined feet as they head back the way they have come, leaving the horsemen behind in a cloud of dust. Ringo leaps from the leading horse and holds the team's head, while a small group of cavalrymen ride up to the coach. From the inside, the door of the coach is jerked open and Ringo looks in eagerly. His eyes turn to Hatfield off-screen and his face falls. Hatfield is leaning back against the side of the coach, with Doc Boone and Lucy supporting him on either side. He tries to smile, looking up at Lucy, and she leans down close to him, pity in her face. It is an effort for him to speak but he manages his last words to her. HATFIELD If you ever see Judge Ringfield... (fighting for breath) ...tell him his son... He does not finish his sentence, but closes his eyes and slumps forward on Doc Boone's shoulder. We hear the sound of the cavalryman's bugle, off. Ringo is still looking anxiously through the door. Behind him the bugler circles round on his horse, still blowing his bugle. Dissolve to medium long shot of the cavalrymen riding in formation across the plain. Dissolve to a street in Lordsburg, seen from above at night. It curves to the left so that one cannot see its full length. Oil-lamps light the store and Tavern fronts, creating the usual Western atmosphere with an eerie effect of shadows from stark points of light. There are several buckboards and a number of cow ponies hitched to the racks that line the street on either side. It is Saturday night and Lordsburg is full of ranchers and miners, cowboys, businessmen and diverse town characters. There is a thudding of hooves, and around the turn in the distance come a group of cavalrymen, their horses lathered and their uniforms covered with dust, as they sweep past at a trot. Then two quartermaster's waggons come round the turn at a sharp trot. As the quartermaster's waggons draw near, the uniformed driver pulls the horses to a halt in front of the Army building, which is opposite the biggest and brightest Tavern in town, the El Dorado. One of the waggons is drawn up in front of the Army building. Several Army officers and four or five ladies have been waiting on the sidewalk in front of the Army office, and they flock to the waggon. Two cavalrymen, one of them a captain, lift Lucy out; she is laid on one of the stagecoach seats. The ladies crowd round anxiously. Camera pans left as the cavalrymen carry Lucy towards the door. CAPTAIN Thank heaven you're safe, Lucy. LUCY Where's Richard? Is he all right? CAPTAIN He's all right, don't you worry. Camera holds on a high angle shot of Lucy looking up from the stretcher as the ladies crowd round sympathetically. FIRST LADY It isn't a bad wound. CAPTAIN We'll take you to him immediately. SECOND LADY Where's the baby, dear? Lucy looks up anxiously and everyone turns to look off to the right. Dallas is standing in the doorway of the carriage with the baby bundled protectively in her arms. Two cavalrymen, standing one on each side of her, help her down the steps, and camera pans left as she comes up to the group of waiting ladies. A woman dressed as a nurse hurries forward and takes the baby away from her. NURSE I'll take the baby. Then the woman goes off into the background followed by the other women, all cooing over the baby, and Lucy is revealed on the left still lying on the stretcher held by the cavalrymen. LUCY Dallas. Dallas, seen close from below, moves forward, looking down at Lucy off-screen. Lucy's head, seen close from above, lies on the stretcher on a pillow. She looks up at Dallas. LUCY If there's ever anything I can do for... She falters, lowers her eyes and looks away. Dallas looks down at Lucy sympathetically. DALLAS I know. She takes off her shawl and throws it over Lucy on the stretcher. Lucy looks up at Dallas as she gently draws the cloak over her. CAVALRYMAN (off) All right, lady. Lucy's head goes off at top of frame as the cavalrymen carry her away on the stretcher. Dallas backs away as the cavalrymen move off into the background with Lucy. She pauses for a moment looking after them, then camera pans right with her as she goes over to the waggon and takes down her belongings from inside. She starts dusting off her hat, then looks up as a commotion is heard, off. Piano music comes from the Taverns down the street. In the background, more cavalrymen ride across from left to right followed by the stagecoach itself, the tired horses walking, as some cowboys crowd round to watch. Camera pans slightly right as the stagecoach comes towards it. Two seedy-looking characters are watching, leaning on a rail. One of them mouths something. The stagecoach comes forward slowly, seen in three-quarter front view with Ringo driving on the box, Buck, his arm in a sling, at his side, and Curly on the roof behind. The two men watch in amazement. One man is thin with a drooping moustache, a cigar clamped in his teeth; the other is a short, fat little man whose eyebrows are raised in childish astonishment. FAT MAN (with a wheezy gasp) It's the Ringo Kid! Suddenly he turns and rushes away through the crowd behind him, hastily followed by the thin man. The other cowboys crowd forward to watch. Ringo is driving slowly, Curly sitting silently beside him. The stagecoach moves slowly off, followed by a long procession of curious bystanders, mainly cowboys. In the El Dorado Tavern, a piano is banging out honky-tonk music amid the racket of a frontier Tavern on Saturday night. Luke Plummer is sitting at a table playing poker, surrounded by the other players. A woman leans against his shoulder on one side. The last chip has been thrown into the pot. LUKE Aces and eights. COWPUNCHER (with a laugh as Luke reaches for the pot) Dead man's hand, Luke. The two rabbity men who were watching Ringo in the street rush up to the tables, the fat one coming round beside Luke and addressing him. FAT MAN Ringo Kid's in town. THIN MAN Yeah, drivin' the stage. Luke looks up at someone off-screen and we see his face for the first time: hard, unpleasant, dangerous. A Mexican in a broad sombrero now looks anxiously down at Luke off-screen. Luke rises slowly to his feet, camera tilting up with him as his face moves into shadow. The woman looks up anxiously at his side. LUKE Mis hermanos! (My brothers!) Cut back to the low angle close shot of the Mexican. MEXICAN Si, patron, un momento! He turns and runs off. Luke stands with his cards in his hands. He looks at them for a moment, then throws them down on the table. A close-up shows the cards lying on the table: two black aces and two black eights. Luke starts to move away. The Tavern is now seen in a reverse angle shot with the table in the foreground. Luke moves away from camera, pausing briefly to address his fellow players. LUKE Cash in. Then he goes over to the bar in the background, his woman sidling after him. He puts an arm on the bar and turns back towards the room. Cut on motion to Luke at the bar turning towards the room. Another cowpuncher moves past in the foreground as the Bartender, a fat man wearing a top hat, places a bottle of whiskey in front of Luke and pulls out the stopper. Looking rather apprehensive, he produces a glass and Luke pours himself a slug of whiskey. A long line of men stand in profile at the bar, the one nearest camera moving out of frame to the left. Luke puts down the bottle and raises his glass. Luke, now seen in a low angle close-up, tosses the whiskey back in one gulp and swallows. The men at the bar all look round uneasily and gradually start to move away. Luke looks meanly to and fro. At the piano at the rear, the pianist is pounding away stolidly, gazing at Luke off-screen; the woman stands behind him. Luke looks from side to side with a vicious expression on his face, but he is obviously scared and trying to hide it under the show of meanness. Dallas is still standing out in the street by the Army building. Two cavalrymen pass in front of her, carrying a stretcher with Hatfield's body on it. She watches it pass, then camera pans right with her as she moves towards a waggon, from which another stretcher is being taken carrying the wounded Peacock. The stretcher-bearers halt as Peacock addresses Dallas, holding out his hand to her, which she takes. PEACOCK Goodbye, Miss Dallas. If you ever come to Kansas City, Kansas, I want you to come out to see us. DALLAS Oh, thanks, Mister... er... PEACOCK Peacock. The stretcher is carried off. Camera tracks slightly right, then out in front of Dallas as she moves away from the Army building. She suddenly stops and peers forward as we hear the jingle of a harness off. Seen across a rail fence, the stagecoach now comes up the street to join the waggons outside the Army building. We can hear the piano from the El Dorado Tavern playing somewhere nearby. Two men in shirtsleeves hurry up to the stagecoach and numerous bystanders crowd around. ONE OF THE MEN Hello, Buck! You got through all right! BUCK All right, Bill. MAN All right, folks, you're all right. Unload. The door of the stagecoach opens and Gatewood steps out. One of the men advances towards him, brandishing a piece of paper. MAN Here y'are, Doctor, will you sign this? The door half-closes and then opens again as Doc Boone begins to emerge in the background. Ringo and Buck are seen from below on the box. Buck leans forward wearily. BUCK Well... GATEWOOD (off) Thank you. BUCK ...Lordsburg. He looks up at Ringo. MAN (off) And you, Doctor. Curly is now coming forward, holding his rifle and looking up at Ringo off-screen. MAN (off) There you are, thank you. CURLY Well, Kid? Cut back to Ringo and Buck on the box, as Ringo leans forward. RINGO Curly, how long'll they give me for breakin' out? Curly looks up at him. CURLY (quietly) Oh, 'bout another year. Ringo's expression hardens a fraction. Buck watches him anxiously. RINGO (after a pause) You know where my ranch is? CURLY (off) Yeah. RINGO Will you... see she gets there all right? Curly is a little surprised. CURLY Dallas? Ringo looks straight ahead. RINGO Yeah. This is no town for a nice girl like her. He looks down at Curly. Curly is touched. RINGO (off) Will you do it? CURLY (slowly and gravely) Sure. At the front of the stagecoach, Doc Boone is visible behind the three men. The Sheriff, wearing a large stetson hat, comes up, followed by an inquisitive bystander. SHERIFF How are you, Marshal? Get my man through all right? He brandishes several pairs of handcuffs. CURLY I don't need them. Gatewood, still rankling, taps the Sheriff's arm importantly and points up at Ringo, as they form part of a group which includes a portion of the crowd. GATEWOOD If you don't want to lose your prisoner, Sheriff, you'd better take him yourself. The Sheriff, puzzled by having the driver of the stagecoach pointed out to him, turns and looks at Gatewood. SHERIFF What's your name, mister? GATEWOOD My name is Gatewood. Ellsworth H. Gatewood. SHERIFF Gatewood. You didn't think they'd have the telegraph wires fixed, did you? The Sheriff and a Deputy who has appeared on the left instantly leap upon Gatewood, who starts to struggle violently. Close-up of Gatewood struggling wildly as the Sheriff and his Deputy try to get the handcuffs on him. They finally succeed and camera pans left slightly as Gatewood is hustled away, followed by a crowd of delighted bystanders. As they go, Dallas is revealed standing by the wheels of the stagecoach. Soft music. Camera pans right and tracks out as she comes forward, to show the stagecoach in medium shot. Doc Boone is standing by the door, with the other three in their previous positions. Dallas stops by Doc Boone and Ringo climbs down from the box. He looks first at Dallas and then at Curly on the right. Ringo and Curly are seen in profile. RINGO Can I meet you here in ten minutes? Curly doesn't answer. He just stands looking at Dallas. RINGO I gave you my word, Curly. I ain't going back on it now. Curly looks hard at Ringo, then hands him his rifle. CURLY No ammunition. Ringo takes the gun and starts to take off his hat. RINGO I lied to you, Curly. He takes some cartridges out from the inside of his hat, and shows them to Curly. RINGO I got three left. He puts his hat on again and walks off. By the stagecoach, Dallas and Doc Boone stand on the left, Curly on the right. Ringo walks towards Dallas, loading his gun. RINGO (to Dallas) Come on. He takes her by the arm and leads her off as Doc Boone walks towards Curly. Track low in front of Dallas and Ringo as they walk off down the street. Ringo works the catch on his gun. Slow music. Doc Boone is facing Curly, with Buck on the box of the stagecoach behind them. They all turn and watch the couple go. Stay on tracking shot of Ringo and Dallas, now seen in three- quarter front view. They pass the Tavern. Camera pans slowly round so that it is tracking alongside and just ahead of them. By Ringo's side, Dallas fumbles feverishly with her bag. The doorway of the El Dorado Tavern is seen from behind the bar. Luke Plummer stands back to camera on the left at the bar. He whips out his pistol as two horses draw up at the door and two hard-looking men rush in -- Ike and Hank Plummer. They come up to Luke, who puts away his pistol and nods towards the door, where a group of bystanders are crowding round looking in anxiously. The farthest brother, wearing a hat, looks in the direction of Luke's gaze; at the same time, he grabs the whiskey bottle and reaches nervously for a glass. It clatters over the side of the bar and onto the floor. He looks scared at Luke and pours himself a drink. Luke comes round beside him and grabs the bottle. The man drinks and looks nervously from side to side again. A line of men at the other end of the bar look on nervously. Luke and his brother are now shown leaning on the bar in profile. They whip round towards camera, reaching for their guns as a noise is heard at the door. Doc Boone wanders in, slamming the Tavern door behind him. He comes up to the end of the bar facing the three men; he puts his black bag on the counter. Then he points at the whiskey bottle. DOC Can I have that? A pause. Luke Plummer slings the whiskey bottle along the counter. Doc Boone catches the bottle, looking quizzically up at Luke off-screen. He reaches for a glass and pours himself a slug, then raises the glass, his eyes still on Luke. Cut back to Luke and his brothers, seen in profile, all looking meanly at Doc Boone off-screen. Cut back to Doc Boone. He puts down his glass and looks innocently at Luke. Cut back again to the Plummer brothers. Luke's face is contorted with anger and tension. He looks from Doc Boone to the Bartender and back again. Now the bar is seen slightly from above with Doc Boone in back view in the foreground; Luke and his brothers are lined against it on the right. The Bartender stands behind the bar, still in his top hat, one hand in his pocket. Luke stretches out his hand to the Bartender, his eyes still on Doc Boone. LUKE Give me the shotgun. The Bartender does not react. Luke turns to him and says it again, this time louder. LUKE Shotgun! The Bartender produces a shotgun from beneath the counter and hands it nervously to Luke, who grabs it compulsively, smashing several glasses on the counter as he does so. The Bartender snaps his fingers at his fat assistant who appears on the left. They both go to a large ornate mirror which hangs on a wall behind the bar. Looking anxiously at Luke off-screen, the Bartender and his assistant carefully lower the ornate mirror down below the bar counter. Doc Boone and Luke keep on eyeing each other across the bar. Camera pans briefly right as the woman, seen earlier with Luke, rushes up behind him and seizes him by the arm. WOMAN Luke, please don't. Luke thrusts her away savagely, camera panning right again as she lands in the arms of another woman and, recovering herself, rushes off upstairs. Ringo and Dallas are still walking down the street, camera tracking in front of them. Neither looks at the other. Neither says anything. Her feet seem to drag as she walks, as if she never wanted to come to their destination. As the sequence continues, they walk in and out of shadows while music from bars and whorehouses comes and goes. Drunken laughter is heard off. They are obviously approaching the sleaziest quarter of town. Pan and track slowly past a cat-house on the sidewalk; a girl sits on the steps. Bawdy laughter comes from inside, while a 'professor' can be seen pounding the piano through the cracked glass of the doorway. Cut back to Ringo and Dallas still plodding forward. Here the music changes to a violin and piano playing a waltz. Track sideways past a couple of similar establishments, Dallas walking ahead of Ringo in the foreground. Then track in behind them as they go towards the top of some steps, where Dallas halts and looks up at Ringo. Behind her is an alley of sleazy- looking houses with lighted windows. Dallas looks desperately up at Ringo, who is partly visible in back view. DALLAS (hopelessly) Well, Kid, I... (she pauses) ...I told you not to follow me. Her face is hard and bitter with despair. Dallas starts to go away down the steps into the alley, as Ringo stands watching in the foreground. She breaks into a desperate run, then halts as Ringo calls to her. RINGO Dallas! She does not turn as Ringo comes down the steps after her. Slow music. Dallas has her hand on the rail as Ringo comes up just behind her, too bewildered to say anything. Close-up of Dallas from the side looking away from him silently. Low angle close-up of Ringo looking at her, full of concern. RINGO I asked you to marry me, didn't I? Cut back to Dallas seen in profile. She finally turns towards Ringo with tears in her eyes. DALLAS (choking) I'll never forget you asked me, Kid. That's something. RINGO (holding out his wrists, his voice calm) See them scars? Handcuffs... Scars wear off, Dallas. He puts his hands on her shaking shoulders RINGO I ain't gonna give you a chance to forget me. You wait here. He turns and strides off to the left. Dallas turns to watch him go, looking after him as if she can't believe what she has heard. The quiet music ends. In the El Dorado Tavern, everybody waits in a tense silence. Luke Plummer stands on the left of the bar with his brothers Ike and Hank. A card game is going on at a table on the right. The door suddenly opens and everybody dives down, their hands over their heads, as the Plummer brothers whip round, their guns out. Buck appears at the door, his arm in a sling. He gives a hoarse shout of fear as he sees the Plummer brothers turned towards him, their guns at the ready. Buck stands at the door, petrified. He waggles his fingers placatingly and speaks in a terrified falsetto. BUCK ...Er... er... Ringo said he would be passing this way in six or seven minutes. He grins again placatingly and suddenly bolts out of the door, slamming it behind him. Cut back to Luke and his brothers, who pocket their pistols. Luke swings the sawn-off shotgun into the crook of his arm and jerks his head to his brothers. LUKE (Urgently) Come on. They stride towards the left, camera panning with them, and come up against Doc Boone, who has come round from the end of the bar to block their way. His tone is amiable, but firm. DOC I'll take that shotgun, Luke. Close-up of Luke facing Doc Boone, who is in back view. LUKE You'll take it in the belly, if you don't get out of my way. Doc Boone stares grimly at Luke, off-screen. DOC [If it can stand the kind of whiskey they sell here, it can stand lead.] I'll have you indicted for murder if you step outside with that shotgun. He holds out his hand as if he were only asking for the wrist of a patient. Luke stares at Doc Boone hard for a moment, then grins. The two of them stand by the end of the bar, Luke's two brothers behind him, the fat Bartender in the background. Luke tosses the gun on the bar with a clatter. LUKE Well, I'll tend to you later. He thrusts Doc Boone brutally aside, camera panning left slightly, then strides off, followed by his brothers. Doc Boone comes forward to the bar again, grinning; he mops his brow and takes the whiskey bottle from the fat Bartender, who has come forward and thrust it towards him. He pours a slug, drinks it fast, then sets the glass down with a sigh. He gasps to the Bartender, who has been watching with bulging eyes: DOC Don't ever let me do that again. The Bartender grins sympathetically and pushes the whiskey bottle towards him again. In the street outside, Luke's woman is leaning over the third- floor balcony above the bar. WOMAN Luke! She tosses down a rifle. Camera tilts rapidly down with it to the sidewalk, where Luke catches it, his brothers standing on either side. Luke cocks the gun and they all look warily from side to side, then stride off to the left past a lamp. LUKE (calling up) Thanks. And the three brothers move forward again, scanning the empty street ahead of them. The Plummer brothers come round the side of the Tavern, looking warily around them. A cat runs across in front of them. Medium close-up of the trio. Hank draws his gun and fires at the cat. The cat scuttles away round a corner. Cut back to the three brothers, as Ike gives a high-pitched laugh. IKE Hank missed him with four feet. At a street corner, people scatter. A man rides towards camera on horseback with two other horses in tow. Outside the El Dorado Tavern, cowboys are unlooping the reins of their mustangs from the hitching posts and leading them into corrals. The street is rapidly emptying. Through the open door of a print shop, we see an old Type- setter in shirt-sleeves, a green eyeshade on his brow, bent over a type box beside an old-fashioned printing press. Track in as the Editor hurriedly enters from the street, taking off his jacket as he goes. On the window is lettered: LORDSBURG SENTINEL. The old Type-setter straightens up as the Editor bustles in, and camera holds on them as they face each other across the press. EDITOR Hey, Billy! Billy! Kill that story about the Republican Convention in Chicago. Take this down. He points out into the street. EDITOR 'The Ringo Kid was killed on Main Street in Lordsburg tonight...' He slaps his hand on the press and points his finger at the surprised Type-setter. EDITOR '...and among the additional dead were...' Leave that blank for a while. Camera pans slightly right as the Editor comes forward and looks out into the street. TYPE-SETTER (following him) I didn't hear no shooting, Ed. He puts his hands anxiously on the Editor's shoulders and looks out past him. EDITOR You will, Billy, you will. Cut to a long shot of the street, a gas-lamp in the foreground. Two women scurry across the street, while a rancher drives a buckboard hitched to two horses at a tearing pace down the street out of town. The street empties as the three Plummer brothers, now spread out, stalk warily towards camera. Low music. The brothers look behind them as they advance, then pause and look round, standing closer together. Cut to another long shot of the street, where the Plummers' shadows loom against the far walls. They walk slowly into view. Simultaneously, Ringo appears from the shadow in back view in the foreground. Everyone pauses as they see each other, then Ringo and the trio start to move slowly towards each other. Ringo is now seen in reverse angle, stalking slowly towards camera, his footsteps loud on the board sidewalk in the empty night; he comes into a shaft of light, cocking his gun as he goes. He goes out of frame to the left. Now the Plummer brothers are seen from below, stalking forward, their guns levelled. The music gets louder. They move out of shot. Ringo is still coming slowly forward in the gloom. The music gets louder still, pounding in time with his feet. Suddenly, Ringo throws himself to the ground, firing as he goes, then feverishly starts reloading his rifle. Dallas is still standing at the foot of the steps where Ringo left her. She turns and looks up anxiously, as a volley of shots rings out, echoed by a chorus of screams from the whores in the nearby cat-houses. Silence falls. Dallas reacts with anguish. She hurries anxiously up the steps towards camera, calling Ringo's name as she goes. DALLAS Ringo... Ringo... Ringo! She halts at the top of the steps, looks anxiously off to the right, then her shoulders droop and she sinks her head despairingly down against the post at the side of the steps. There is a look of death in her face. In the interior of the El Dorado Tavern, cowboys are crowded round the door, looking out. The door is flung open and Luke Plummer stands unsteadily in the doorway. He looks from side to side, then advances towards the bar with leaden feet. As he reaches the end of the bar, he staggers and falls, grabbing at the bar as he goes. He lands on his back, dead. Camera tilts down to show his corpse from above. Dallas stands, dejected and beaten, at the top of the steps, her head resting on her hands. Track in as she raises her head when slow heavy footsteps are heard off. She rushes towards Ringo, as he appears from the right of frame in back view, and falls in his arms. Ringo holds her close to him; Dallas is crying in earnest now, her throat too full of feeling for a word to pass. The music, which has been playing softly, now reaches a climax. They stand locked in each other's arms. As they stand clasped in one another's arms, a buckboard drives into frame from the left with Curly at the reins and Doc Boone behind. Doc Boone gets out. CURLY Ready, Kid? Curly is seen in medium close-up on the front of the buckboard with the couple standing behind him, looking round at him. Ringo comes forward, followed by Dallas. RINGO Thanks, Curly. Curly gets down from the driver's seat. Ringo starts to get up, then pauses. He turns to Dallas. RINGO Curly's going to see that you get to my place across the Border. She nods, looking up at him. Ringo gets up onto the vehicle and Doc Boone comes forward in the background beside Dallas. RINGO Well. He puts out his hand. RINGO Goodbye, Dallas. Dallas leans forward and clasps his hand in both of hers. DALLAS (almost in a whisper) Goodbye. CURLY (in back view in the foreground) Maybe you would like to ride a way with the Kid. DALLAS Please. She gets up beside Ringo. Curly moves out of frame to the left. Doc Boone arranges a shawl around Dallas's shoulders, then does likewise. They sit there, waiting for Curly to climb up, too. Curly and Doc Boone both move towards the back of the vehicle and each picks up a stone from the ground. Then they seem to go insane, for suddenly they both hurl their stones at the horses' rumps, yelling. The horses gallop off with the buckboard, nearly spilling Dallas from the seat and leaving Curly and Doc Boone shouting and waving their hats in the air. DOC BOONE AND CURLY Hiya, giddap, hiya, hiya, hiya! Now the two men both take a step towards camera, shouting and waving their hats and grinning as the buckboard moves away off-screen. They chuckle contentedly and put their hats back on their heads. DOC Well, that's saved them the blessings of civilization. CURLY Yeah. He laughs, then taps Doc Boone on the shoulder. CURLY Doc... He removes his Marshal's badge from his lapel. CURLY I'll buy you a drink. He puts the badge in his pocket. DOC (waving a finger) Just one. The two men laugh. Curly puts his arm round Doc Boone and they walk off to the left. Darkness still lies over the land, but sunrise lightens the clouds on the horizon, as the buckboard moves swiftly away from camera into the distance, carrying Ringo and Dallas to their new life. Loud music and the words THE END appear and fade out before the end credits.

This was one of those years in the Territory when Apache smoke signals spiraled up from the stony mountain summits and many a ranch cabin lay as a square of blackened ashes on the ground and the departure of a stage from Tonto was the beginning of an adventure that had no certain happy ending.... The stage and its six horses wafted in front of Weilner's store on the north side of Tonto's square. Happy Stuart was on the box, the ribbons between his fingers and one foot teetering on the brake. John Strang rode shotgun guard and an escort of ten cavalrymen waited behind the coach, half asleep in their saddles. At four-thirty in the morning this high air was quite cold, though the sun had begun to flush the sky eastward. A small crowd stood in the square, presenting their final messages to the passengers now entering the coach. There was a girl going down to marry an infantry officer, a whisky drummer from St. Louis, an Englishman all length and bony corners and bearing with him an enormous sporting rifle, a gambler, a solid-shouldered cattleman on his way to New Mexico and a blond young man upon whom both Happy Stuart and the shotgun guard placed a narrow-eyed interest. This seemed all until the blond man drew back from the coach door; and then a girl known commonly throughout the Territory as Henriette came quietly from the crowd. She