Incident at Guilt Ridge

Jesus goddamn Christ.

Where'd they all come from?

I didn't expect a rehash of Lawrence, Kansas

in this godforsaken hellhole.

Keep your voice down.

We need a plan to get the hell out of here.

Don't crowd me, I'm thinking.

Yeah, well that's a comfort.

Should've done more thinking before we accepted this job.

You couldn't know what we're up against out there.

Spent a lifetime being careful.

Now we're in this.

Let's hope the horses are still tied

behind the express office.

I do find it funny, though,

that we're holed up in the sheriff's office.

Ironic.

Huh?

I said ironic.

What's that?

A state of affairs or an event

that's contrary to what one normally expects.

Are you shoving your book learning in my face again?

Sure as hell never thought I'd be this age,

and caught up in a hornet's nest like this.

Playing cards bores me, stranger.

It's been three months since I seen you,

and you can't think of anything better to do

than flipping cards?

Hey.

- I see how you like it. - Mm-hm.

I told you that I'll make time for anything you want.

That's what you said last night.

Then you and your buddy lit out of here

like a bunch of sinners getting out of a church.

Well that was business, Belle.

You two gonna get busy?

Steamboat's a'coming.

Don't leave me when this long stretch is coming.

Believe me, if I had my way, I'd never leave this room.

I'd just have the house send up my meals

and my whiskey three times a day.

Oh, don't hand me that, Dev.

You would be restless after two hours.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm really lonely.

Like in my favorite poem.

You know, I spent a lifetime running

after almost everything.

You did stop for a while once.

I've been trying to live that down ever since.

Your mistake was that it wasn't with me.

Probably.

Probably?

Undoubtedly.

You know, you two fellas

should buy the tack and feed store from Mills.

He's 87, he's been trying to sell it for eight years.

I know you boys have the capital.

Well that's where you got it wrong, honey pie.

We spent the last job's take on them army rifles

for them Mexicans.

How in the hell do you talk me into these things?

Whiskey.

No, serious, damn it.

How in the hell do you talk me into these things?

Look, we got the map, mean place to set.

Come in the from the west.

It's the Mexican Army, for Christ's sake.

Yeah, the officers.

The idea is sound.

Oh, whoa.

That's a lot of rifle for this job, don't you think?

Well we might need this Sharps.

We're not hunting buffalo.

How many times did you almost get me killed?

You're keeping count?

How was we to know those goddamn Mexicans

weren't gonna pay us?

We barely got out of there with our lives.

You should've done what Dev suggested.

Taken me and Etta to New Orleans.

You could've bought me a new hat.

Well don't worry, sugar.

This new job's gonna set us in tall cotton.

Oh, that reminds me.

This came for you about an hour ago.

Oh.

Goddamn, it's from McDonald.

I gotta tell Dev.

Hey.

We just got the telegram from McDonald.

Jesus, do you always barge in on a room with a shut door?

I knocked, gave you warning,

so as Etta could get decent.

What did the message say?

He's ready for us.

We're supposed to meet him at the mining base camp tomorrow.

Well, I guess this is goodbye to you fellas again.

Hell, Dev, you just got here.

Look, why don't you go tell Ethan to get the mounts ready?

I'll be down in an hour or so.

Sure, but we best get a move on.

I hear he's not the kind of guy that takes to tardiness.

You can go say a proper farewell to Belle.

Not like usual, okay?

Sure, sure thing, Dev.

Besides, that son of a bitch can wait.

Right, and then I'll go down

and tell Ethan to get the mounts.

Right.

Now why don't you start by getting the hell out of here?

Sure, sure.

So long, Etta.

Until next time, Jonas.

I swear, you two could not exist without each other.

You may be right about that.

Say, why don't you ever take me

on one of your little outings?

What the hell would you do?

Oh, you're right.

You're always right.

Christ.

Now before you leave,

why don't you tell me how wonderful I am?

Oh I'll do more than that.

Mr. McDonald, Mr. McDonald!

Mr. McDonald!

Riders coming!

You sure about this?

It'll be easy pickings, Dev.

Just like taking candy from a baby.

So you say.

Okay, let's go.

Gentlemen, I've been expecting you.

We may discuss all issues here in confidence.

Let's get to it.

Right down to business, I can appreciate that.

Time is a precious commodity.

My name is McDonald.

I operate the mining interests in this area.

Your colleague in Santa Fe extolled the virtues

of your professionalism, and even went so far

as to speak glowingly of your discretion in such matters.

Myra, say hello to Dev and Jonas.

Hello, boys.

I hope you're enjoying our salubrious climate.

What's salubrious?

My goodness, Mac, they certainly are handsome gentlemen.

Say adios, Myra, I'll see you upstairs later.

Au revoir, boys.

I found her on a Galveston riverboat.

As I was saying.

Not everyone can appreciate the legality

of my approach to this particular problem.

Well, we kinda operate on the outside of recognized law.

Easy.

I cast no judgment out here in this territory.

Now if this were Chicago or St. Louis,

that might be a different story, but out here,

out here in this godforsaken land,

sometimes a man's gotta go to extremes

to protect what's his.

Do you gentlemen disagree?

Well I thought not.

After all, a buck's a buck, right?

Well now that we've dispensed with any moral question,

either of gentlemen familiar with the town of Guilt Ridge?

Sure.

Isn't that where they had that cholera outbreak

a year back?

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

The whole town was decimated.

Those that weren't stricken with that filth just moved out,

and the place is practically a ghost town now.

So why send us to a graveyard?

There's only one business that's maintained a presence

in that hellhole.

Either of you boys familiar

with the express and payroll office there?

Well, it's run by the Tinrock Mining Company

out of Tucumcari.

They kept it functioning, as it's the nearest waylay station

between there and the narrow gauge rails

that service the mines in that area.

They have something that belongs to me.

What?

Two years ago I was swindled out of a mining concession

by those bastards.

My stake was valued at $50,000.

I want my money back.