Bonanza

Hey, I know you're busy, but I'd like a beer, huh?

Yeah, make it two.

I got enough dirt in my craw to cause a landslide.

This town's pretty quiet.

It's always like this.

We serve drinks, not gab.

No harm meant.

We're just looking for a fellow by the name of Joe Bruder.

You know him?

It's two beers.

That's 20 cents.

Let's start all over again.

Randy Bruder's a friend of ours.

We're looking for his pa.

You know where we can find him?

If you want Randy's pa, you have to find him.

I ain't his keeper.

Thank you.

The bartender's an example of the people of this town.

I don't think I'm gonna like it here.

Yeah.

Hold it down.

The quaes of those around here, I got a feeling that we're being listened to and watched.

Yeah, well, I got a feeling we ought to get on our horses and get out of here.

I thought this whole idea of yours was crazy to begin with.

Go ahead.

It's my doings.

I'll see it through.

I have a chance without me.

Your odds aren't much better with me along, but I'll stick around.

Let's go outside and take another look around, Paul.

I say, we're looking for Mr. Bruder.

Hi, Mr. Bruder.

Oh, well, uh, Mr. Bruder we're looking for is a mite older than you are.

Hey, wait a minute.

He must be one of Randy's brothers, either Cass or Willie.

He was always talking about him.

Yeah, that's right.

Patty, nobody sent for you and nobody wants you around.

Why don't you just get back on your horses and get?

Now.

Or a little sooner.

Well, they're Randy's brothers, all right.

You know, he was always saying there was no way to ever sneak up on them, catch them unawares.

Yeah.

We rode a long way to see Randy's paw, and that's what we're gonna do.

You gonna be stubborn, huh?

Well, stubborn can get you shot.

So you better get.

And I mean now.

You being a mighty hasty, ain't you?

My boys ain't too mannerly.

Seems to me that the polite thing is to at least ask a man's name before you run him out of town.

I'm, uh, Bud York.

I'm Leroy.

Gabe Leroy.

Jake Marley, my bartender up the street, said you two looking for me?

You, uh, Joe Bruder?

Well, that's who you're looking for, eh?

Boys, uh, you know, it's a plum rude for you to, uh, treat a stranger like this.

And you, you didn't even ask their names.

We didn't have to, Pa.

They said they were friends of Randy's, so we figured they might be lying.

You couldn't figure your way out of an empty rain bale.

My boys, they're a little hot-headed.

They're always trying to protect me.

Hope you won't hold that against them.

No, no, no.

It ain't good for the soul to hold a grudge.

You want to plop, we can go up to my place.

It's some cooler.

Fine, whatever you like.

Take care of their horses.

This way.

The good boys, but it's my sorrow that they're not too bright.

Not like Randy.

Yeah, Randy did mention your names, but he never did say just what you had to do with the trouble he's in.

If you're his friends, I figure you wouldn't tell me.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, see, me and old Gabe here, we ran into Randy over at Pineville,

and we was sort of sitting around chewing the fat and having a drink or two.

And old Randy had him a great notion.

All right, hold it there.

All right, it's coming now.

I'm gonna tell you when to drop it.

Where do you want us, Randy?

Why don't you take it over there, back here with me, Leroy.

Okay, now!

All right, hold it.

Don't make any mistakes.

Boy, where'd that come from?

Now come out of there with your hands up.

All right, everybody out.

We got ourselves a fat one.

We struck it rich.

Now just nobody move and nobody will get hurt.

You say Randy took the money belt from a man bigger than him.

Oh, yeah, yeah, he's way bigger than him.

He's bigger than old buddy.

Yeah, oh, yeah.

That makes me proud.

I tell you, that boy, he don't know the meaning of fear.

No, he doesn't.

He kept, well, he kept telling me that he wanted to do things on his own.

You know, a man can't fault a boy for wanting to leave home.

I don't approve of killing him.

That gets you into rope trouble.

Right around the neck.

Yeah, well, Randy didn't kill that driver.

It was just a flesh wound.

Yeah, Nick.

Well, that's what Randy said.

But, uh, hearing you say that, I'd say it takes a weight off my mind.

Yeah.

Well, I got to get this place, uh, cleaned up.

Look at that dust.

One of these days, um, I might just have a customer.

My living quarters is upstairs.

What?

Any man worth his salt wants a decent place to live.

And, uh, there's no reason why he shouldn't have a few comforts, uh, if he's smart enough to get them.

Well, sit, sit, sit, sit down, sit down.

Just, uh, make yourselves at home.

One thing, uh, you didn't mention.

How much was in the money belt?

Well, uh, didn't Randy tell you about that?

Could be I just remember, is why I'm asking.

Well, it was 51,000.

Fair piece of money.

Worth drinking to?

Oh, thank you.

51,000.

You know, it seems to me that I did hear that figure once before, but one thing else you didn't mention.

If y'all got away so slick, how come Randy got himself thrown in the Virginia City jail?

Well, uh, we can just tell you what we heard, that's all.

Yeah, I see, uh...

You see, when Randy didn't show up at the meeting place, we naturally were concerned

about it, and we just started asking around.

Yeah, just riders and freighters and such as that.

We didn't want to get that close to Virginia City, you see.

It turns out the man that Randy stole the money from wasn't as dumb as he looked.

And then the next thing you know, Randy was in a Virginia City jail.

I swear that boy was born on an unlucky start.

Did you hear when he goes to trial?

Well, it'll probably be a week and a half to two weeks.

As soon as the circuit judge gets there.

Stage robber.

Nobody really heard.

They shouldn't go too hard on a gentle boy like Randy.

You're a wonderful boy.

You know that he didn't say a word about where the money was.

Oh, that makes me feel proud.

I raised him right.

Yeah.

He did say that he gave it to you.

That's what you said.

I ain't saying a word.

Yeah.

Well, you see, Mr. Bruder, old Gabe and me figure that two-thirds of that money is ours.

Oh, yeah, but Buck and I did work for it.

Yeah.

I'd hate to think that Randy's father would cheat his partners.

George Bruder never cheated nobody, do you hear?

Just don't, don't push at me.

I've got to ponder on this.

I'm a man that likes to think on things.

Just leave me alone with my thoughts.

You can hang around if you like.

We talked later.

Yeah, but not only ask us about the money, I think he's going to keep on asking questions.

Mr. Bruder's a weird old goat, isn't he?

Yeah.

Imagine him thinking his kid's just an honest, hard-working young boy.

Yeah.

Yeah.

As I recall, his partners didn't think that.

Double-crossed us.

We've been sitting here for three days.

He's off somewhere laughing his head off.

Don't just sit there.

Say something.

I'll say it.

Put your hands up.

You're the one on the stage.

Hold it.

Keep an eye on him.

Sure.

How bad is it?

Bad.

All right, buddy.

Where's the money?

Might as well tell us, because you ain't going to live to spend it.

It's that bad, huh?

That's right.

You're going fast.

Where is it?

I guess I better then.

Maybe we got to smell that money.

You know, Randy, he took it over to his pa and his brothers so they could watch it, so we could split it up.

Where?