Waterhole #3

I'll tell you a story that's never been told

of raping and killing and government gold

The place: Arizona

the year: '84

Sit back and I'll tell you some more

A 30-year captain just earning his pay

Was moving a shipment of bullion that day

While men without honor were waiting to test

the unwritten code of the West

It's the code of the West

You must honor your neighbor

The code of the West

To your own self be true

The code of the West

You must do unto others

Do unto others

before they do it unto you

That's the code of the West

Time to close up the shop, shoemaker.

All right, come on, come on.

In your hole, rabbit.

Men.

Sgt. Foggers, we can't spare any men to help you because of the war games.

Besides, they'd just attract attention.

You keep a weather eye and you'll be relieved at first light.

- Now do your duty. - Sir...

the Army's my home and I would protect my home with my life.

I got it.

Watch yourself!

That's a lot of gold for one inside man to guard.

That's a lot of soldier, Corporal.

Well, I still say it's a lot of gold, sir.

Firm up, Corporal. We're not civilians.

Giddyup.

- Get out of there. - Quick, rabbit.

Sweet yellow, sweet yellow

Sweet tangerine gold

You make a man fever You make a man bold

Okay, boys. This is where we lose each other.

Why don't we bury that shoemaker in the shaft?

No, we can't do that. He's our alibi if things go good.

- He's an alibi? - Yeah, it's his tunnel.

Yeah, but that don't make me any less a deserter.

You ain't no deserter. You're his hostage.

You cannot dispose of my life like it was a chess piece!

You do everything right and you've got some hope.

You do anything wrong and I'll guarantee you pain.

Do you understand pain?

Yes.

- We'll divvy now, huh? - No.

The gold stays with me until I bury it.

- It does? - Yeah, it does.

Settle down. You two are gonna spoil everything.

How do we find you?

We'll meet in Dolores.

I'm gonna take this gold and I'm gonna bury it and I'm gonna make a map...

and I'm gonna get word to you later.

That's all right with me.

It'll be nice and cool in Dolores in a couple of weeks. Right, Hilb?

I may get there just a little earlier.

If you do, just don't let me see you.

So the town of Dolores

that morning in May

was in for an infamous day

Damn, we rode her rough.

Yes, sir.

You're not paying attention, Jay.

This game is called Find the Black Lady.

Where is she?

You're not watching right. Use those eyes of yours. Here we go.

Pick her out.

Turn it over.

That's the lady right there. When do the girlies get here?

By golly, you'd have won that one, soldier, if you'd been playing.

Come on, Jay. Get in here before he comes and gets me.

I got her this time, Lewt.

Well, let's make this a little interesting. Say...

for a glass of ice-cold milk?

You're on.

Hot diggity damn!

Jay, what's this?

I thought milk was only $3 a glass.

It was, until the dairy got rustled.

Deal them up.

Look for the lady.

One more time, you hear?

- Mr. Cole. - Mr. Quinlen.

- Now, did you take my wallet? - I did.

Been holding that marker of yours so long the name was getting faint on it.

Mr. Cole, you took too much.

I took too much? Well, sorry, I only counted it once.

Now, if you'd just give me the $20...

Let's just say we'll call that interest on your debt.

Let's say we don't!

That's gonna pay for your funeral, thief.

Come on, Doc. What the hell?

The next thing you know, we'll be having a shootout at sundown or something.

You said it. You heard him say it.

Doc.

Hey, Doc, man...

Be there.

You opened your mouth to the wrong man, Lewt.

He'll cut you pocket-high as soon as you start to reach.

It does look like I stepped in it a bit, doesn't it?

Find that lovely black young thing.

Damn!

Well...

I'm closing my little shop, boys.

Hey, come on. Here, have a drink, come on.

No.

It's not my day.

Come on, gambler. Let's play again, one more time.

How much you got there?

I got $20 of yours. Give me.

Come on, give me.

$60.

Jay, would you get me about that much of that good stuff you got down there?

$60.

- Well, what have I got to lose? - $60.

Are you sure you want to do this?

All right. Watch for that lovely black thing.

Watch the lady.

Cole! Lewton Cole!

Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.

Is that what you want, boys?

Don't spend it all in one place, now.

Damn it, Cole! Get out here.

Buy the boys a drink.

You're yellow, Cole.

Let's get on with it.

You don't draw with a stranger

if he's faster than you

You've sung your last ditty

you've kissed your last pretty

and played your last hand if you do

When fate is the dealer

you raise or you call

A chance-taking man plays the cards as they fall

A map worth a killing

is worth tracking down

So off to Integrity town

Right flank! Forward!

The flash powder they use made me all squinty-eyed. Do you see that picture?

Of course, they didn't do too much better by old Twostones here.

I sure don't like him.

Then don't vote for him.

Yeah.

Now that Riderra gold robbery they're talking about here...

if them U.S. Marshals would take any advice...

they'd look for that there shoemaker down in Mexico.

Why, that Ortiz government down there...

they'd make a deal for your teeth if there was gold in them.

That's about the way I think about it, too, John.

You did?

I guess we both figured it right, then.

I wish there were some bank robbers up around here for us to chase after.

You done scared them all away by bringing them back dead.

Well, that's the way they wanted them: Dead or alive.

On that last job, though, you only brought back half the loot.

Half is better than none, ain't it?

Know something, Tippin? You probably wouldn't believe this...

but I once had a gold robbery in the works.

- I mean me, I was gonna do it. - What happened?

I had to give it up when I was elected sheriff.

Started to believe my own slogans.

But I'm gonna tell you, if this job wasn't so sweet and soft, why...

I might just elect to follow the criminal profession.

You'd be real good, too, John.

Much obliged.

Hi, Sheriff. Say, I'm looking for a horse.

- I can see that. - Whose horse you looking for?

Mine was pulled up lame yesterday...

and I'm heading out for a long ride and looking for a good horse.

I ain't in the horse business, friend.

The best horse in the whole county...

is in a barn over at the other side of Lone Tree Fork.

Belongs to the Sheriff here. Ain't that right, John?

If you're talking about old Blue, he ain't for sale.

Toppy kind, eh? Good rein on him?

Best damn rein in the county. He ain't for sale, that's all.

See, if he ain't for sale, what that means is that he ain't gonna sell him to you.

Ain't that right, John?

Good size, too?

He's the tallest, the strongest, the fastest, and the ain't for sale-est.

Damn.

What the hell?

Say, that there's my "Out to Lunch" sign and I ain't out to lunch.

In the cell, boys. Come on.

He's the one that's on the poster outside, ain't that right?

Hold them up now.

Lewton Cole, a criminal.

Ain't that right, John? That's him.

- What's this mean, Cole? - So I'll know where you're at.

- Where's the keys? - Wait a minute.

If you think you're gonna lock me in my own zoo, you're badly mistaken.

A set of keys is a small thing to die over, don't you think?

- I don't remember where them keys are. - He does remember.

That's what he meant to say. They're right over there on the hat rack.

Thank you, Deputy.

Now, you're in a lot of trouble and I'm warning you...