The Outlaws Humiliated the Widow for $700 — Until the Cowboy Set His Coffee Down
The Outlaws Humiliated the Widow for $700 — Until the Cowboy Set His Coffee Down
Louder, Mrs. Hail. The room can’t hear. 11 12 $12 on a $700 debt. Your husband’s in the ground. His debt ain’t. Kick that dollar back here, cowboy. Pick it up yourself. Your hands shaking. That’s Cal Mororrow’s gun. 1,400, Mrs. Hail. 30 days or your farm is mine.
You just doubled it. Your Shaw, Mrs. Hail, your job’s still here tomorrow. Keep it. Knew the gun the second I saw those letters. You had him. Why’d you let him walk out? He let go of his gun. After that, it’s murder. How’d a farmer’s wife end up owing Bodie Crane? Drought year. The bank said no.
Crane said yes. He have your husband sign anything. A handshake. No paper. Then why pay it? Because Daniel gave his word. And because Crane burns out people who don’t. And the saloon with the whiskey. Half this town owes him. He shames me. So they keep paying Let me help with the money. Not $1 of yours.
Good. Good. My father had a rule. You pay a man like Crane once, you pay him till you die. Then what are you still walking with me for? I doubled it. I’ll stay the 30 days. You’ll sleep in the barn. Yes, ma’am. How many head? 30. Daniels. Anybody tending them? Fed and watered.
30 head is money. Who’d buy them out here? Me. When I’m not in town. They’re thin, but they’re sound. Army buys beef for the fort. They send a buyer through. Mr. Beal, he comes on the 20th. Then that’s our deadline before the deadline. Woo!
You fixed the gate. It was bothering me. It was bothering me. Did you sleep at all? Enough. yours. Keep it. Crane says he’ll take my farm in 30 days. Then pay the man, Mrs. Hail. He doubled it for nothing. I heard there was trouble in the saloon. Pay him and keep quiet about it.
That’s him. Could be. Then arrest him. That’s a Puma County warrant, not mine. He’s in your county. Not my warrant, Mr. Marorrow. He owes Crane, too. Everybody does. I figured you could take Crane in yourself. Three guns, a town that owes him, and you standing in the middle. Oh no.
That’s your husband’s saddle. It’s $40. You never touch whiskey? No, ma’am. Most men would after a day like this. Most men would. Tell me about Daniel. He wasn’t a bad man, just a scared one in a dry year. Bank turned him down. Bank turned him down.
Crane shook his hand. He meant to pay every cent. I believe it. What did he want? To be seen. Your father. The whole saloon knew his name. Cal Marorrow. Fastest gun in Texas.
Was he a good man? He was a fast one. 20 years nobody beat him. What happened? A saloon in San Antonio. He’d had four whiskies. A boy half as good was half a second quicker. So I drink coffee. Good night, Mr. Marorrow. Jake. Good night, Jake. Who’s been feeding these?
We have. They’re good. The Army pays 32 ahead. $960. 960 and 140, 1100. That’s another dollar. Not that one. 300 short. 300 short with 11 days left. Three weeks ago, I was on my
knees in that saloon. I’ll need a witness. Your name, sir? Jake Marorrow. Marorrow? Any kkin to Cal Marorrow? His son. Well, I’ll be. I bought beef off your father’s ranch for 10 years. heard it sold for $80,000 when he passed. What’s a rich man doing feeding cattle out here? $80,000. It was my father’s.
And now it’s yours. I sold Daniel’s saddle. You watched me do it. I did. I sold my sewing machine for $14. I know. You could have paid Crane in an afternoon. You told me not $1. I listened. You let me beg that man for $32 head. I let you do it your way. I don’t need a rich man’s pity.
It was never a pity. Go Mr. Marorrow. Leaving Mr. Marorrow going as far as the river. Why the river? I said 30 days.
- The rest by the first. Write it in your book. Write it in your book. That’s my trouble. What? 1,400 on the first. Same as before. That’s stealing. Tell the sheriff.
This ain’t about money now, Mrs. Hail. The whole town saw a stranger take my men’s guns. Now they’ll watch me take your farm. Heard your cowboy rode out. Then you’re all alone, Mrs. Hail. Mrs. Hail, he took it, didn’t he? all of it and still wants the farm. I laughed that day. I laughed with them. I know. I heard you. I owe him $400. Everybody on this street owes Crane something. Then everybody on this street watched. Where’s Maro? I sent him away. He’s at the river. He told me he didn’t leave.
said he promised 30 days. Go home, Mrs. Hail. I’ll bring him. Gus told me where it goes. The melody under scene your father’s rule
the swell on the hand. You pay a man like Crane once. You pay him till you die. Swag arriving. He was right. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I sent you away. Thinking about it. I should have gone anyway. Don’t leave again. Under the lanterns going down. I wasn’t planning on it. Evening. Evening, Gus.
We talked it over. We’re done paying Crane. Every one of us. Every one of us. He’ll come first at night. He thinks you’re alone. Let him keep thinking about it. What if he brings more men? He won’t. He thinks you’re alone. And if he’s wrong about you, then he’s wrong about me.
Why are you really still here, Jake? Ask me after. Time’s up. I’m not leaving. Mrs. Hail, it’s the first Time’s up. I’m not leaving. Then we’ll carry you. Heard you rode out. I rode back.
Your hand’s still shaking. Gus. The town’s done paying. Crane, I wouldn’t. Gus, town’s done paying, Crane. This yours, Mrs. Hail?
Where are you taking them? US Marshall in Prescuit. Puit can’t stop a federal man. And my farm. There was never any paper. Crane was the debt. How long will you be gone? Four days there, four back. You still owe me an answer. I know. The town’s done paying crane. That means you too.
You asked me to ask you after. I did. Why did you stay? I was riding west looking for a place to settle. Did you find one? I did. for the coffee.
