consarn you, blossom -- lookit that -- jus' lookit what you done -- i'm tellin' you, blossom that -- -- makes you the most aggravatin' female as ever i had a despise fer -- i've got a good notion to pizen you -- an' what's more -- heh-heh -- fooled you, didn't i? -- fooled myself, too. where's them wimmen? why ain't they here? -- this is the stage depot, ain't it -- ? ain't it? on'y up the street -- an' they cain't walk it -- what's the matter -- don't easterners have laigs like other folks? whar's them wimmen? -- they waitin' for you to carry 'em out? i ain't tellin' that crazy female nothin' -- last time i seen her she threatened to rip the hide off'n me and bat me dizzy with it. mebbe you're young enough to hoist her up your own self. wait till i get you on the road, you old buzzard, you'll be surprised all right. i wonder why a young feller who don't have to wants to come into this god danged country? say -- did you mean what you said back there about wimmen? then you're smarter than most. shouldn't be surprised. shouldn't be a leetle bit surprised. all the same. take a slug. whiskey and wimmen -- ever think how much alike they are? both fool you, but you never figger out how to do without 'em. take another. well. here's to her. the next one that fools you. mighty rough stretch along here. nope. i've had a few snorts but that don't make no difference. leas'ways, never has. don't ever git wore out, and useless, like me. harolday, for one. oh, i ain't belly- aching. reckon he's entitled to his opinion. but him and me never did see eye to eye. it's constitootional, i reckon. like that step-daughter of his is crazy -- he's too sane. believes in law and order. depends on who's a-dishin' it out. never was good at takin' orders meself. as for the law -- well, you'll soon find out what that means 'round these parts. nothin'. restin' hosses. git out and stretch yore laigs if you want. you in such an all-fired hurry, lady? well -- we'll hurry some. we stop here. if you wanta eat and stretch yore laigs. you got some, ain't you? why, zeke, you two-legged old coot! whar you been all these months? good -- what's at the bottom of it? what, again!! yep -- this is my last trip. old harolday won't take back what he said. "you're fired." i'm drinkin' mine. set 'em up. see that one? she ain't got no laigs. where's stan? we got to have another drink. eh? somebody's loco. stan might have given house-room to bit o' dead beef, but he'd never be fool enough to leave the hide lyin' around. how 'bout it, zeke? oh -- it's you. git away from me -- you two-timin' horse thief. hey, stan -- don't let 'em hang nothin' on you, you ain't done. they're just a couple of fourflushers -- the pair of 'em, everybody knows that. mebbe i am drunk -- mebbe that's why i'm tellin' the truth -- i'm drunk an' i'll say what i think -- i'll say what i know. git your hands off me -- no laigs. after that singin'? -- thirsty. oh -- a mite hungover -- but i'll feel better once i git downstairs. what's goin' on here? boy, oh boy, was that a near thing! she'd just as soon have hit you as missed. you don't know how lucky you were, son. oh boy -- has somebody come to town! george clews is in town. he's seen what you done to bob and he's a- lookin' for you. uh-huh! hi you, george clews -- rocklin says if you don't come out, he'll come in here after you, an' tear you apart. eh? -- now pap -- i'm givin' you first call on me services. they's lots of other folks lookin' fer a good man, too -- you know. so if you want me, you better hurry and speak up because -- 'scuse me, pap -- be right back to find out when i start. whar you off to? what! -- have you gone plumb loco? there ain't enough money in this town to make it worth your while to work for that gal. when she gits goin' she can be meaner'n a skillet full o' snakes. she ain't goin' to forget the way you made a fool of her today -- in front of the whole town. be right with you. it's pizen that's what it is -- jus' plain --- what you want to hang around this town for anyways? -- hiya there. yeah. haulin' freight for ole pap fossler. got a letter here for that crazy galoot, rocklin. from the little caldwell girl. seems mighty took up about sumpin'. made me promise to deliver it personal. lordy -- he ain't quit already. durn funny -- that storm quittin' just about the time i get here. reckon i'm gettin' to be more of a fool the older i get. when are we gonna get around to readin' it? mmmm -- dineroo. who wouldn't be -- livin' with that ole screech owl. huh -- smart girl -- looks kinda like she's formed an attachment. for the locality, i mean. indian trouble -- good lord, they ain't been any indian trouble around here in -- might's well -- come this far. well -- what do you make of it? indian trouble -- baaa -- wimmen -- who can ever figure 'em? got to admit though, i feel a mite sorry for the young'un -- nice little tyke. she's shore a pretty thing. well, now -- i could mebbe help you out some, there -- fact, i could tell you somethin' 'bout ole red that might be interestin'. caldwell? -- the best -- cantankerous cuss -- but a real cowman, believe me -- he was a big feller, like yourself -- fact, you coulda passed fer a blood relation, come to think of it. that's what you'd say. garvey managed all red's business. besides which they was regular drinkin' pals -- played poker together most nights -- tho' they do say red got the worst of it. oh, yeah -- reckon a pretty poor one, tho' -- still you'd say him and garvey was friends. rock -- i'm gonna tell you somethin' i ain't never told anybody. the last time i seen red was the day he died -- -- 'twas in town -- he jus' come out of the stage office. tried to book passage to garden city but couldn't on account i had a full load. -- well, sir, he took me aside and give me a printed sheet of paper and says, "read it." i looked it over and fer as i could see it was a paper from one of them chicago sportin' firms, tellin' how to manipulate trick playin' cards. reckon so. -- seems red found some cards and this paper in a coat one of his friends loaned him one night. well, now that's just what i asked -- but all he said, was that it belonged to a good friend. then he said he wasn't waitin' fer the next coach, but was ridin' over to see the district judge about it alone. yes, sir -- 'bout a mile or so from stan's place. a bullet in the back an' his pockets empty. who was there to tell? -- sheriff jackson? -- him an' garvey's thick as thieves. hates his guts -- sure riles him to see young clint hangin' onto the judge's coattails. all the same, i jus' decided to keep my mouth shut and my eyes open. no -- general opinion is that it was rustlers. looks to me if you get the man who owned the marked cards, you get the killer. lordy -- you ain't thinkin' somebody might try bumpin' them? shore -- you told me how jackson and clews tried to frame stan. and layin' that gun across my skull -- an' offerin' to drive the coach themselves. will be if i ever get dry. good lord -- my team. come on -- mebbe we winged him. -- he got away -- but guess what, i -- fer a man who's got a despise fer wimmin, you sure do get all snaggled up with 'em. say -- looks like you two been disagreein' 'bout somethin' -- he ain't daid, is he? you musta found out somethin'. -- find out who owns that tobaccy pouch yet? clint -- is he in on it? here he is, rock. caught him jist in time near the santee. headed fer out, i'd say. well, now -- that's right thoughtful -- holler if you need me. i believe you. his gun was layin' over there on the floor when i come in and -- i mighta knowed you'd do somethin' like this. what are we doin'? we're just about there. yeah -- why don't you? -- -- and you knew the truth all the time, too -- didn't you? -- no wonder you stuck around -- this is the only way i could handle her. come on -- let's git goin' -- back at the house -- stubborn as an ole mule. you're puttin' a rope around your neck -- but what'll we do with the ole lady? i'd like to pizen her. not you. well, you'll have to do the writin' -- 'cause i don't know how to write. what that ole pelican needs is a good spankin'. yeah -- i believe i am. i know i am. hey, rock -- rock -- get out your pencil and paper -- doggone it -- here garvey is back in this world -- an' they're out of it.