Original subtitles

Now, Frankie, you haven't been thinking about marrying me?

I should have known you're just leading me on.

Let's get one thing straight, Frankie.

I have not been leading you on. I haven't done one thing to...

Well, maybe just one thing, but...

Well, I never knew you felt like this.

I mean, so soft.

Starring James Garner and Jack Kelly.

Produced by Warner Bros.

From the entertainment capital of the world.

Produced for television by Warner Bros.

Whoa.

Well, well, so this is Ten Strike.

San Francisco's got nothing to worry about.

One thing to be said about traveling by stage.

By the time you get there, you don't care where.

Ha, ha. Guess I didn't help your trip either,

the way I talked your ears off all the way.

Huh?

Anyway, we're gonna be neighbors, so don't be a stranger.

I wasn't planning to stay very long, you see.

Hey, I've got a great idea.

Take my baggage to the Cattleman's Hotel while I check in there.

I was planning to stay at the other hotel.

Ain't no other hotel.

There, that settles it. Thanks, lover.

Yeah, don't mention it.

All right, bigmouth.

I'll take the lady's luggage too.

- You and who else? - Just me. Why?

The lady who just checked in, these belong to her.

No fooling? What's she got in all them hat boxes?

That's something to think about, isn't it?

- You wouldn't be with her? - No, I wouldn't.

And I say that after miles and miles of careful consideration.

Single room's $1.50, $9 for the week, in advance.

- And a bath. A hot bath. - That's free.

But if you want hot water, I gotta haul it up from the kitchen...

and that'll be another dollar, in advance.

There's 10 even. Start hauling.

I've been thinking about that bath all the way from Tucson, in advance.

That's the last of it. Kitchen's closed down for the night.

One bath will do the job.

One more thing. No splashing and no singing.

I'll just be soaping and soaking.

- Hey, who's in there? - None of your business.

- Frankie? - Oh, howdy, lover. That you?

What are you doing in there?

Well, if you must know, I'm taking a bath.

Well, don't. That's my bath you're taking.

Your bath?

Heh. My, my. You mean to tell me you're the thoughty thing...

who put the essence of roses in this water?

Shh, shh.

Yes, now get out of there.

Really, lover, I'm surprised at you, really I am.

A grown man like you making such a fuss over a little old tub of hot water.

The last tub of hot water, and I paid a dollar for it.

Really?

Here I thought the hotel had gone and done it just for me.

Frankie, are you coming out or am I coming in?

See here. If you don't start acting like a gentleman and get away from that door...

I'm gonna stop acting like a lady.

I can scream this whole place down around your ears in 10 seconds.

All right, if that's the way you want it, I'll be back.

Don't skid.

- Give me your passkey. - Huh?

I said, give me your passkey, and no arguments.

- It ain't regular. - One of your tenants has me locked out...

and is in there robbing me. Is that regular?

No. No, sir.

- I'll go for help. - I don't need any.

- Who is it? - Who do you think?

I'm a little disappointed in you. Thought you were such a nice clean-cut fellow.

You carry on like you've never had a bath in your life.

Let's get one thing very clear. It isn't a question of who needed the bath.

It goes deeper than that.

There's no way I can get my bath back, but I can get my dollar.

Well, not from me. I only have $2.50 to my name.

Correction. You have $1.50.

Oh, all right.

Here, take your old dollar.

What a surprise, you inviting me to breakfast.

No one's more surprised than I am.

If you hadn't taken my dollar last night...

I might be able to buy my own breakfast.

I didn't take your dollar. I took my dollar.

I forgive you anyway, since you're trying to make up.

I'm not trying to make up. I'm trying to eat my breakfast.

You couldn't because you had a guilty conscience.

I didn't have a...

Frankie, let's get one thing straight.

I've haven't had my coffee yet.

And I just don't wanna talk before I've had my coffee.

And I won't want to talk after I've had my coffee.

What did you invite me to breakfast for?

Toast, start eating. Keep you busy till the waiter comes.

Look, I may be hungry, see, but I'm not begging for any scraps off your table.

I'd rather starve.

After all, a girl has to have her pride.

Don't talk with your mouth full.

Excuse us, ma'am.

- What for? - Just like a word with the gentleman here.

- Your name is Maverick, ain't it? - Yes.

- Bret Maverick? - Yes.

- Came in a stagecoach last night? - That's right.

And you're leaving on the stagecoach tonight.

- That's wrong. - Beg pardon, but that wasn't a question.

- Well, what was it? - The friendliest kind of advice.

You're advising me to leave on the stage tonight?

And our very best wishes go with you.

I didn't think anyone in this town knew me well enough to ask me to leave.

It's just our way of making your stay a pleasant one.

- And a short one. - The shorter, the pleasanter.

Well, I appreciate your hospitality, but what have I done to deserve it?

It's a friendly town. We'd like you to leave with that impression.

Well, I couldn't be more flattered, really.

But I still want to know why.

"Ours not to reason why. Ours but to do..."

Never mind, I've heard the poem.

Well, guess that's about all. Enjoy your breakfast.

And have a wonderful trip.

Ma'am.

You make friends fast, lover. - Don't I?

- What's it all about? - You know as much as I do.

Well, all I got to say is it's a pretty funny coincidence.

Coincidence?

Somebody's going to a lot of trouble getting you out of town.

Somebody's going to a lot of trouble getting me into town.

How's that?

Remember I told you about that

red-cent saloon I used to work in, in Tucson?

I didn't tell you how I got this nutty note.

- What nutty note?

I think I have it here someplace.

Yeah, see what you make of that.

"My dear Ms. French, buy a ticket to Ten Strike...

and register at the Cattleman's Hotel.

It will be to your everlasting advantage to do this immediately.

Signed, a benefactor."

And you did it on the strength of this?

Oh, no, on the strength of the $100 that came with it.

You mean, you got $100 in this note and came to Ten Strike last night...

and you only have a dollar and a half left?

I bought some hats. BART: Oh.

- I always buy hats when I'm confused. - I believe it.

- I've seen some of them. - I didn't say I had good sense.

What about that note? Think there might be a connection...

between those two well-wishers of yours and that nutty benefactor of mine?

- Who do you know in this town, Frankie? - Nobody.

- Somebody knows me, though. You too. - Could you have relatives here?

Lover, I'm all alone, on my own.

Pa went off looking for some gold when I was in pigtails.

Died someplace in some mining camp. Lost my ma last year.

No brothers, no sisters.

And if that benefactor of mine doesn't show up soon, I don't know...

You wouldn't be him by any chance, would you?

Me?

No, I don't think you would be.

- Quitting so early, Mr. Maverick? - Yeah, I've learned my lesson.

- That mean that you're not coming back? - I'll be back, all right.

That's what I was learning my lesson for.

Well, hello. I'm Mae Miller.

- This is my place. - It's a nice place.

- I'm Bret Maverick. - No luck tonight?

Why, ma'am, luck's got nothing to do with poker.

I was right, you are a professional.

Just a serious student. It beats working.

The way you play, that isn't work?

It's a delicate point. I try not to think about it.

No need to leave now.

Anyway, there's no place else to go, not in this town.

- Well, I'll be back after dinner. - I'll send out for a steak.

Anything you want in Ten Strike you can get right here.

Well, that's very neighborly of you. I appreciate it.

But, well, I just can't.

I've got sort of a little stray cat over in the hotel...

and by now the poor critter has probably starved to death.

- Hi. - Is that him?

Is that the young man you were telling me about?

Yeah, that's him. What do you think of him?

- Well, he seems quite tall. - Yeah, good-looking too.

Of course, the main thing about him, though, is he's got character.

Like taking away that dollar from me, that took character.

Of a type, I suppose.

It wasn't the dollar at all, it was the principle.

Of course, you'd know all about the principal, being a banker and all.

Guess what he was asking me through the window...

- before you looked up and caught him. - What?

Ha, ha. If you were my benefactor.

- Ha, ha. - Imagine.

I think he was kind of jealous. What do you wanna bet?

Of an old man like me? Ha, ha.

I'd like to believe that, but I'm afraid I can't.

Why, don't you feel that way at all?

Lots of girls take a real interest in a more mature type of man...

especially if he's got money, but not me.

Of course, present company excepted and all...

I don't care if a man's got money, long as he's got character.

- Like this Maverick boy? - That's right.

You think a lot of him, don't you?

I just about made up my mind to marry him, is all.

- And how does he feel about you? - Pretty friendly. Heh.

After all, those men did tell him to get out of town.

So why else would he be hanging around?

You have a wonderful gift for simplification, my dear.

Why, thank you, Mr. Scott.

- Evening, Mr. Maverick. - Well, hello, there.

We sure did miss connections tonight.

We went to the stagecoach depot to see you off.

- Couldn't imagine what happened to you. - Oh, really?

Did I say I was taking the stage out tonight?

Not in so many words, but since you are leaving, that's the easiest way.

Oh, now, really, boys, you shouldn't fuss over me like this.

I'm not planning a trip at all.

But aren't you forgetting our conversation this morning...

- when we said goodbye? - Oh, sure, I remember that.

But you didn't tell me why. - Well...

guess you gotta be told, then.

- Unh! VIC: This is why, Mr. Maverick.

Oh, that's better. You had us worried, Mr. Maverick.

Don't try to do too much at first. You're not a well man yet.

I won't forget the message this time, boys, you can depend on that.

That's the way to talk, because if something serious happened to you...

something fatal maybe, and Eddie and me hadn't done all we could to prevent it...

- I think we'd both feel responsible. - I guess you would at that.

Well, sure.

Now, as you can see, Mr. Maverick, we've come to a kind of crossroads here.

This road here leads to Prairie Flats.

This one goes to Faro City.

And this one here goes back to Ten Strike.

So you still got two choices out of three.

You didn't wanna go back to Ten Strike anyway.

Why not?

- I thought we went into that. - I still want to know why.

Mr. Maverick, don't you remember how much trouble you caused...

all three of us by asking that question before?

Now, I'm gonna remind you once more...

and I sure hope this will be the end of it.

Frankie?

Oh, you poor dear, and it's all my fault.

If only you hadn't stayed on account of me.

I didn't stay on account of you. I stayed...

Hey, how did you get here?

I saw them taking you out of town on a horse. I thought they killed you.

I think they're working up to that.

- Why? - Shh.

I keep asking that question, they keep knocking me out.

Well, you don't have to take that from anybody.

You see, I got the hotel's horse and buggy right here.

Our baggage and room rent will cover that. We don't have to go back at all.

- We? - Sure, I'm going with you.

No sense staying where you're not wanted.

Frankie, I'm the one who's not wanted. You're the one who is.

Oh, I just about got that figured out too.

You see, somebody's been making a fool out of me.

- Not that it took too much doing. - How do you figure?

The way I bet on that note and all...

guess I thought some nice fellow had sent it to me...

like a secret admirer or something.

Maybe somebody I met at that dance hall who was too shy to speak up.

Maybe he had marriage on the mind and didn't know how to break it to me.

I don't know, I guess I still get some pretty silly romantic ideas.

Well, what happened to change them?

I had time to think about them.

That big benefactor of mine hasn't turned up yet, see, and I think I know why.

There was this girl in that dance hall where I used to work.

Her name's Clara. Boy, she was pretty jealous.

She thought her boyfriend was making eyes at me.

Of course, I couldn't say he wasn't. Ha, ha.

But I'll just bet pretty old Clara thought it was worth $100 getting rid of me.

Just to keep a boyfriend?

Well, they just aren't exactly falling out of trees for old Clara.

I don't mind, though.

I sort of like traveling, and especially with you.

- You feeling up to it now? - I'll force myself.

Okay, let's see. Sign says "Faro City, 18 miles."

- How's that? - Too close.

- "Prairie Flats, 20 miles," then? - Too far.

Hold it, lover, you wouldn't be thinking about going back to Ten Strike.

- Wouldn't I? - You just can't go...

Frankie, Frankie, my Papi used to say...

there's just about three reasons why most men do anything:

greed, curiosity and anger.

And I don't think he really meant most men...

because he was looking right at me when he said it.

He was right.

I lost nearly $200 tonight finding out how they play poker in Ten Strike.

So much for the greed. And then there's curiosity.

I still wanna know why.

But for the anger, well, I'll leave that to you.

- Back to Ten Strike? - Yup.

Come on.

I don't think anybody saw us come in here, but you still can't stay in your own room.

Because if those hard cases found you in here, oh, boy.

You better stay in my room, because you're in no condition to defend yourself.

- And you are, huh? - Big talk.

But you don't scare me, lover.

Not if anger, greed and curiosity is the only thing that gets you going.

- It's possible Papi left something out. - Come on.

Okay, easy.

There. Now, you lay right down here...

because I can make do with that footstool and chair in there, okay?

Okay.

Hey, what's that?

Oh, I've got the spookiest feeling.

- See, just like in Tucson. - Huh. Another 100?

No stopping that Clara when she's out for revenge.

Mm. Listen to this.

"My dear Ms. French, you've done well. Stay where you are. Signed..."

- A benefactor? - All right, so I was wrong.

He's in town.

Which reminds me, the man with the whiskers?

- Oh, he's not my benefactor. - How do you know?

- I asked him. - Oh.

- Well, who is he? - His name is Mr. Scott.

He runs a bank here in town.

He's sort of sweet, but he's awfully strange.

He keeps talking about money and business and investments.

Like what to do with your dollar and a half?

Oh, don't get smart.

Like this is a great place to settle down and get married...

and build a home and raise a family.

Where did you meet him?

I smiled at him when he tipped his hat low about noon today.

- And don't get so jealous. - Me, jealous?

Yes, you, jealous.

Let's get something straight, Frankie.

I am not jealous. I'm not the jealous type.

And if I was, I wouldn't be jealous of you.

Well, I'm not even attracted to you.

Well, I mean, you're very attractive, but, well, you're just not the type that I...

There's something about you.

Well, you can't win every argument.

Mm.

Now, you just better relax, because you're still in critical condition.

Well, if you think I'm in bad shape, wait till you see the other two.

I didn't know you landed a punch.

I don't mean tonight, I mean tomorrow night.

Good night.

- Sweet dreams, Frankie. - You too, lover.

Shave and a haircut, mister?

No, thanks. I'm looking for a friend of mine.

- I thought I saw him come in here. - You mean Eddie Burke?

He's in there taking a bath.

- Well, you mind if I join him? - Tub ain't hardly big enough.

He'd wanna see me. I'm an old friend of his from out of town.

- Well, I'll tell him you're here. - No, you'd spoil the surprise.

You think this is enough to see that we're not disturbed?

- Until Thursday, if you say so. - Ten minutes ought to do it.

Hey, this water's getting chilly, Joe. How about a fresh bucket?

- Now, as I was saying, why? - Why, what?

I can't tell you.

Same old question, why?

- I did it for Vic, Vic Nolan. - I remember him fine. Why?

He didn't tell me. I was just doing a favor for a friend.

You know, I've noticed that about you.

Always going out your way to help somebody.

- If you don't believe me, ask Vic. - Oh, I will.

But I'm sure glad I asked you first, because

if he'd told me the answer right off...

we might never have had this little visit.

Now, where's Vic?

He's over at the blacksmith's shop getting some new shoes for his horse.

Ten minutes is all we'll need.

Get, get.

Get.

Let go. Let me down.

- Burke tells me you put him up to it. Why? - I can't talk upside down.

You can't talk right-side up, but you'll talk even if it's inside out.

- You do remember the question, don't you? - Don't ask it.

I did it for you, for your own good.

You'd be surprised how much good I'll get out of this.

No, wait. I did it for Mae, Mae Miller.

- Mae Miller? - Yeah.

- Of course you wouldn't think to ask her. - Ask her what?

Guess.

Couldn't see how it was any of my business.

Maybe it won't seem so crude coming from me.

Now, you know why I'm not gonna kill you?

Why?

You keep asking yourself that.

If you can't think of any reasons, maybe I can't either.

- Where's Mae Miller's office? - Upstairs.

- But you ain't allowed up. - I'll tell her you said so.

Hey, we're closing up in five minutes.

Well, hello. You've taken a long time getting back.

- But not as long as you thought. - Am I to know what that means?

Well, your boy Vic and his pal Eddie say they don't.

They ran me out of town and beat me up as a favor to you.

They're pulling your leg, Mr. Maverick.

Twisting my arm, yes. Pulling my leg, no.

Somebody sicced them on to me and they say it was you.

Why not? Folks in this town blame me for just about everything...

from wandering husbands to smallpox.

I'm a woman and I run a saloon. That makes me wrong even if I'm right.

Wanna blame someone, blame Mae Miller.

Well, in all fairness to the boys, I will say they told me reluctantly.

I'm very fond of Vic and Eddie...

but what they're up to, I haven't the slightest idea.

If they told you that I put them up to it,

it's only because they couldn't say who did.

What would they gain by sending me to you?

I gather you had the upper hand.

Maybe they figured you wouldn't do too much even if you didn't believe me.

I'm still a woman.

Would you beat me up? Would you shoot me?

Maybe I'd be satisfied just to know why.

And I'd like to ask you the same question.

Why would I want to run you out of town?

I don't know you and you don't know me.

Not that that wouldn't be nice.

It can't be your poker playing, not while you're losing.

And it certainly couldn't be the way you look.

So will you give me one reason why we shouldn't be friends?

Maybe Vic was lying, but I think I owe him one more chance.

I think that's only fair, if you can find him again.

If I do, I'll come back.

Come back even if you don't.

You killed him.

He was trying to kill me, ma'am.

Can you prove that, mister?

He shot twice before I did. You'll find the slugs across the street.

Maybe, but this is Eddie Burke here, and I don't know you.

Well, my name's Maverick.

Now tell me why Eddie would have any reason to start it.

Forget it, sheriff. The boy is telling the truth.

- Mr. Scott, you saw it? - I was passing by.

Burke tried to kill him.

Well, that's good enough for me, Mr. Scott.

- Any idea why? - No, but I hope you'll try to find out.

Well, I'll do everything I can, Mr. Maverick.

Some of you boys give me a hand. This ain't no place for Eddie.

Mr. Scott.

It's lucky you happened along.

Or maybe you just go around being a benefactor, is that it?

I won't pretend I don't know what you mean.

Ms. French has told me about your problem and about her mysterious benefactor.

Perhaps it's natural for you to connect the two...

but, please, not with me.

I assure you, it's a matter of complete indifference to me whether you stay or go.

What about Frankie? Or doesn't that matter either?

I'm an old man, Mr. Maverick, not an old fool.

I like her as a person. I like her spirit.

I know she hasn't had an easy life, but she's got qualities, good qualities.

She's the kind of person this town needs and wants.

That doesn't seem to be true in your case.

Funny, I was just about to come to the same conclusion.

And when I start getting shot at, I stop caring why.

Does that mean you'll be moving along?

As my Papi used to say:

"A coward dies a thousand deaths. A brave man, only one."

Thousand-to-one is a pretty good advantage.

- I have to see Mae. - Little late for a visit, Mr. Scott.

Let him in.

- Eddie Burke is dead. - Vic's just been telling me.

You want him in on what I have to say?

You can say it up here if you'd rather.

Wait, Vic.

Must be a shock for you, Mae, about Eddie.

- Yes, it's terrible. - Especially when you blame yourself.

- Blame myself? - He's dead because of you.

The man you sent him to kill is still alive.

Did Eddie say anything?

- No. - Then why do you come to me?

Because I warned you, Mae, years ago when you had Stoner killed.

- If that happened again... - Who are you to warn me?

Since when are your hands clean?

I killed a man in anger in a fight, but you had Stoner killed deliberately.

- Tonight you tried it again. - Whatever I did, I did it for you.

I paid you for silence and nothing more.

What is my silence worth if you're recognized?

I've talked to Maverick, looked right into his eyes.

- He doesn't know me. - I don't believe it.

But if you're willing to chance it...

he's still alive and Burke's dead, let's leave it at that.

Simple, isn't it? And now another man's been killed.

And it's all my fault because I didn't stop you before.

- Now I'm going to. - Are you ready to die?

There's something I haven't told you, Mae.

Several months ago, Doc Steely gave me less than a year to live.

I've been putting my life in order. That's going to include you now.

And you'd go to the sheriff and tell him who you are and what you've done?

- And what you've done. - And you think that settles it?

They'll hang you.

But I'm a woman. They never hang a woman.

You just don't understand, do you?

I'm not out for revenge, Mae. If I were, I'd kill you myself.

Vic, he's gone to the sheriff. - About Stoner?

What do we do? Start running? I'm willing to give all this up if you are.

- Isn't there an easier way? - That's up to you, Vic.

There's no use talking, Frankie. I'm just not that greedy, mad or curious.

What happens to me? You just run out and leave me?

Did you ever hear of a scared jackrabbit asking a friend along?

What about my plans to get married and settle down?

You don't need me for tho...

Now, Frankie, you haven't been thinking about marrying me?

I should have known you're just leading me on.

Let's get one thing straight, Frankie.

I have not been leading you on. I haven't done one thing to...

Well, maybe just one thing, but...

Well, I never knew you felt like this.

I mean, so soft.

Now, that doesn't prove a thing.

Well, that's all right, lover.

I'd want the man I marry to be braver than you anyway.

He'd have to be.

Well, if you ever run out of towns to be run out of...

you might come back here and try again.

So long, lover.

So long, Frankie.

Think me and my money might get into this game?

- If you don't mind being separated. - Ha, ha.

Hey, didn't I see you over in Ten Strike?

Well, I was in and out of there for a spell.

I was passing through there just a couple of nights ago.

You got in a shooting scrape with some fella, killed him too.

Well, that was just kind of a general all-around misunderstanding.

Well, just the same, I had my fill of that town in one night.

First off, he kills a man out in the street.

Then some girl kills a man right in the hotel where I'm staying.

- How's that again? - Stabbed him. Stabbed him dead.

Very big man in the town too, the banker.

Imagine a man like that getting mixed up with some no-good gal...

from a dance hall in Tucson.

Did she say why she did it?

Well, she says she didn't, but, oh, they got her dead to rights.

And I seen her myself.

She's a real kind of...

Kind of a tigress that...

You know? Hey, where you going?

You got 10 minutes, Mr. Maverick.

I'm so glad to see you. I just knew you couldn't run off and leave me.

Yeah, well, I've tried.

How do you like this fix I've got myself into now?

- Some mess, huh? - How bad is it, Frankie?

They found out about Mr. Scott giving me money.

Yeah, it was him, just like you figured.

I told them all about my benefactor, so they looked in his books.

And they found out that he'd taken $100 two different times...

both times I got those notes, so they figured he was keeping me.

- So why would you wanna kill him? - There's more.

They found a letter he left, supposed to be opened after he died.

Guess what.

That poor old man left me everything he had.

The whole works, the bank and all. Of course, there's a catch.

There'd have to be.

The letter says that if I die before he does, everything goes to the citizens...

of this fair community, which have been so good to him.

I don't quite know what he means, but that sheriff keeps telling me...

that the town's gonna get all the money if I'm proven guilty.

So I know there's not too many people in this town...

breaking their elbows to prove I'm innocent.

You see, that was eight years ago when he come to Ten Strike.

I don't know beans about him before that, but he did have money.

Yeah, he had money enough to open up a bank.

Fine man. Too bad he got mixed up with a girl like that.

Man of his age and social standing. Well, you see what come of it.

What about Mae Miller? When did she come to town?

Mae? Oh, couple years later.

She came through with a traveling show.

Mm. Lots of nice legs, and hers was the best too.

Ha, ha. Whew.

But when the rest of the girls left, she stayed on, bought the saloon.

We figured she'd come into money somehow.

Do you remember the name of that traveling show?

No, not right off.

I printed their programs, though. Yeah, see, I do all the printing here.

Newspapers, posters, handbills, you know.

Six years ago. Hmm. Let's see. Six years.

Ah.

Ah. Okay, here, now.

Oh, yeah, here it is.

"The Pink Lady Sextet.

Fresh from triumphs in Leadville, Cedar City..."

Virginia City, Montana.

"Virgi..." How'd you know?

Because I used to play cards in Virginia City...

in the same saloon where those girls were dancing.

I wouldn't remember their faces, and Mae's dresses are a little longer these days.

But she was lying, Frankie. She does know who I am.

You must have made some hit with her. Six years later, she takes one look at you...

- has you beat up and tossed out of town. - But now I know why.

You see, I got in a scrap with a man in that saloon.

He said I was cheating. Of course I wasn't.

But I got six days in jail anyway for disturbing the peace.

The man in the next cell was waiting to be hanged.

He killed his partner in a fight over a gold claim.

We got to playing cards through the bars. I got to know him pretty well.

The day before he was supposed to hang...

he got a gun away from one of the guards and escaped.

But if I hadn't started remembering Virginia

City, I don't think I'd have remember him.

Not 20 pounds heavier with a beard.

A beard? Do you mean, Mr. Scott?

Well, his name wasn't Scott then. He changed it.

Have you ever changed your name?

Well, sure.

After all, I couldn't go around with a handle like Frankovich.

- Neither could Scott. - What do you mean?

His name was Frankovich too. Nick Frankovich.

He was my pa?

I don't know how to take this.

My pa.

Now, easy, Frankie. You thought he was dead eight years ago.

But I never knew for sure.

Who did kill him?

I don't know.

But Mae Miller knew who he was.

And I'm pretty sure she was squeezing money out of him.

Well, welcome back, Mr. Maverick. Mae said you might be around to see me.

Oh, well, it doesn't matter anymore.

I'm a little sorry about our mix-up the other night.

Not at all, my faulty entirely.

- May I come in? - Please do.

Well, I see you boys finally got together.

Well, it was really you I came to see, Mae, but Mr. Nolan is certainly welcome.

- Fine, fine, have a chair, Mr. Maverick. - Thank you.

Well, shall we talk or sit here and bore each other like civilized people?

Try talking.

Well, I have a bone to pick.

You've been a naughty girl, Mae. You told a fib.

Oh, and what was that?

When you said you never saw me before. What about Virginia City?

Well, I've been there. Have you?

At the same time you and Scott were there.

- Scott? - Frankovich.

Oh, it's all right. I understand, Mae.

You were absolutely right to try to get rid of me.

You fell into a pretty good thing just by knowing who he was.

- And I would have tried to cut myself in. - Cut yourself in?

Oh, well, I've been catching up on all my old newspapers.

Seems there was a man named Stoner turned up dead here about five years ago...

- fresh from Virginia City. - Stoner?

Oh, you remember Stoner. Played very bad poker.

He knew Frankovich too.

You're putting words together that you seem to understand, but I don't.

It's a shame you couldn't wait for Scott to die a natural death.

I thought that little blond from Tucson had killed him.

Something you don't know about her.

In fact, she doesn't know it about herself yet.

But her story will make a lot more sense if it gets out that Scott was her father.

- Her father? - Her real name is Frankovich.

You say...

- she doesn't know about this yet? - And she doesn't have to.

I figure it's not too late to slice myself a piece of cake.

Now, what's it worth if she never finds out? A thousand dollars?

You'd love to have me say yes, wouldn't you?

It would prove you were guessing right.

But you wouldn't leave that girl in jail if you believed what you were saying.

But that's part of my price. You have to get her out.

- Get her out, how? - Well, give the sheriff someone else.

Give them the one who really killed Scott. It was him, wasn't it?

- That's not very polite, Mr. Maverick. MAE: Hold it, Vic.

- He's joking. He's got to be. - I'm not.

If you're worried about him talking after the sheriff gets him...

we could always have him shot resisting arrest.

Why don't you stand up, see how easy that would be?

Come on. You're wearing a gun.

Please, Vic, we're talking business here. Try not to interrupt.

- Well? - It's no good. It's all a bluff.

No, I'm afraid it isn't.

You see, the sheriff's got a letter of mine in his safe, but I can get it out.

If anything happens to me, he's gonna read it.

What if we do go along with you? - What?

Hear me out, Vic.

Supposing I did go to the sheriff and tell him it was you who did it?

And after all, it was both times.

But we'd give you a head start. A couple of days, a week.

They'd never catch you.

And if I get my thousand now, I might even go with you.

Nobody's cut you in yet, Maverick.

And nobody's selling me out. Not even you, Mae.

- I'd kill you both before I... - I wouldn't. Not in front of witnesses.

- Witnesses? - Would you do me one last favor, Vic?

Would you open the door and let the sheriff in?

Drop the gun, Vic. Don't move, Mae.

I'm sorry, Vic.

I really did tell him to wait outside the door.

It's getting so you can't depend on anyone.

You're positive there's no other passengers?

One ticket, one passenger. Climb in, let's go.

Hold it. Hey, hold it. I've got a ticket too.

Hi.

Well, what could be sweeter? We got the whole thing to ourselves.

Easy with those hat boxes, hear?

Aren't you proud of me, lover?

Got $500 advance on my new estate, didn't buy me one single new hat.

Guess I'm all through being confused.

Frankie, you can't leave Ten Strike now.

Well, you belong here. You're an heiress.

You're even a banker.

Well, I'm not quite ready to settle down yet, lover.

Besides, I know why you tried to sneak off without seeing me.

Because I have that money, you think I'm too good for you.

- I do not. - And after all you did for me.

Why, you shouldn't be so proud.

There's nothing wrong with marrying money.

Not if you're really in love.

Frankie, there's couple of things we gotta get settled.

I am not proud and I'm not in love, especially with you.

I have no intention of getting married and if I did, it wouldn't be to you.

I mean...

Anybody ever tell you, lover? You talk too much.