02x01 - Queen of Diamonds

[bunniefuu]

I'll play these.

Dealer takes two.

$15.

Fifteen and I'll tap you.

All right, your call.

Kings full.

Looks like my king high flush
ran second, doesn't it?

I'm afraid so.

Wait a minute, Jess.
You said you had
a king high flush?

That's right.He had three kings,
that's impossible.

I threw away
the king of diamonds.

You're mistaken, mister.

No, I'm not.
I know what I had.

No, you're lying.Don't touch those--

Now wait a minute, Jess,
you know I wouldn't hire
a crooked dealer.

No, Mr. Stoner,
not one you knew about.

Listen, mister,
if you're accusing me of--

I'm not accusing
you of anything,

unless there's five kings
in that deck.

Check him over, Sam.


and five of 'em
are kings.

I figured that
when he went for his g*n.

Get a doctor to patch him up
and get him out of town.

And stay out.

All right,
quit complaining.

You'll get fed as soon
as I get rid of the wash.

Hey, Slim, open up!

Hey, wait a minute,
look at your boots.

How can I?

Well, you got more mud
on 'em than you got leather.

You're not coming in here.Oh, cut it out, Slim.

You're getting
worse than Jonesy.

Come on, open up.

Wash off the boots--

Here, you take it.

Look, I got no time
for games,

but if you want to play one,
I'll be glad to oblige you.

You're getting just like
an old lady, you know that?

Now I don't generally
hit old ladies but...
Go on, get out of here!

What's the matter,
didn't you feed 'em?No, I didn't feed 'em.

Who do you think's been
bringing in the wash,

and milking the cows
and splitting the kindling?

Did poor little Jess Harper
do them chores

all by his little self?

Oh, you're just setting up
and begging for it, ain't you?

Now see what you did.

Next thing you know,
they'll be laying
scrambled eggs.

Oh, I'll feed 'em.Oh, no, you don't.

You get the outside
chores next week.

All right,
and you get the cooking

and the house cleaning.Right.

That is, if we live through
another week of your cooking.

Now wait a minute,
it's not that bad.

Hey, maybe Andy won't be
able to make it

in that school in St. Louis.
Maybe they'll send him
back home.

No chance of that.

Not with Jonesy
riding herd on him.

I'm afraid we're stuck with
the chores till next summer,

unless we can find somebody
else to do them for us.

Like who?
Nobody in their
right mind would

want to take care of that.

[ wagon approaching ]

Mose is
showing off today.

Must be a lady
on board.

Are we in
Laramie already?

Not yet, miss.
This is the Sherman station.

I thought you were gonna
feed the chickens.

Hi, Slim.
Coffee's this way, ma'am.

Thank you.Howdy, Mose.

How's the wife
and kids?

You know I ain't got
no wife and kids.

I'm Slim Sherman,
ma'am.

Welcome
to the Sherman ranch.

We got some
hot coffee inside.

Thank you.
I'd love some.

Fine.

Unhitch the team,
Mose.

Sit over here, miss.
I'll get the coffee.

Thank you.

Haven't I seen you
someplace before?

I don't think so.

Hey, somebody
going to give me a hand

with these horses or not?

In a minute, Mose.

You enjoying
your trip, miss?

Yes, thank you.

I'm Jess Harper.

What's your name?

June Brown.

Are we far from Laramie?

About 12 miles,
Miss Brown.

Are you planning
on staying there?

I don't know yet.

Carson City,
wasn't that it?

Carson City?

Yeah, where I saw you.

No.

Well, you've been there,
haven't you?

I've been
a lot of places.

Let's change the team,
Slim.

Pardon us.

What's eating you
anyway?

Brown.

Couldn't she have
picked a better name?

A lot of people
are named Brown.

If her name is Brown,
mine is Lula Belle.

All right, Lula Belle,
what is her name?

I don't know.

But it's not the name
she was using in Carson City.

What else
you got against her?

She's trouble, Slim.

What are you
talking about?

She brought her husband
a lot of trouble
in Carson City.

She got him k*lled.

What do you mean
she got him k*lled?

Well, she probably
didn't mean to.

But there was some sh**ting
on account of her

and her husband wound up dead.

Well, that doesn't make it
her fault necessarily.

Look, Slim, some women are
just plain poison,

and she's one of them.
Take my word for it.

If that's what poison
looks like, I'm all for it.

Wonder where
she's staying in town.

h*!

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Something I can do
for you, ma'am?

Are you Mr. Stoner?

I am.

Well, I have
a newspaper item here
that's two weeks old.

It says that your dealer

was wounded in a gunfight
and left town.

That's right.

Do you know him?

Oh, have you
replaced him yet?No, I haven't.

Well, I'd like
to apply for the job.

Well...

Well, I'm sorry, ma'am,
but you don't look like

a gambler to me.

Oh, I can deal.

I work for a small salary
and 5% of the house winnings.

I don't know.

I've never had
a lady dealer before.

Well, it's about time
you did, Mr. Stoner.

You haven't heard of any of us
being shot lately, have you?

You really don't look
the part, Miss...

Miss Brown.

I will
when I'm dressed for it.

I've never had
any complaints.

Might be good business.

Well, it always has been
where I've worked.

One thing though,
I don't hold with cheating.

Not even from a woman.

Well, I don't have to cheat,
Mr. Stoner.

All right, you be here
at 9:00 tonight.

We'll give it a try.

All right.




Mr. Sherman.

So I do, Miss Brown.
So I do.

If you let me buy you a drink,
it might change my luck.

Thank you, but I never drink
when I'm working.

Ready, gentlemen?

Business seems pretty good.

Best night I've had on a weekday
in a long, long time.

Did you send for her?

No, never saw her before.

She just sashayed in here
this afternoon.

Told me
I ought to hire her.

You know something?
She was right.



Better luck next hand,
gentlemen.

I think she's gonna
like it here in Laramie.

She hasn't seen
the best part of it yet.

Bets, gentlemen?

You deal real nice.

Got nice hands.

Yeah, real nice hands, pretty.

Well, now, I bet
your hands are pretty too.

Trouble is they're so dirty,
you can't see them.

Look, why don't you just
take a little break?

I'll buy you a drink.

Well, thank you,
but I never drink
when I'm working.

Well, how about some time
when you're not working, huh?

Oh, I'd love it,
except I don't drink

when I'm not working.

You must drink sometimes,
don't you?

Shall we play?

Ease off, Slim, she can
take care of herself.

I think it'd do you a lot of
good to just sort of relax

and have a little fun,
Miss Brown.

She doesn't want
to drink with you.

Now leave her alone,
friend.

What was that
you called me?

Friend.

But I'm willing
to forget it if you are.

Thanks.

What did I tell you?

It wasn't her fault.No?

Just one of those
things.

All right, I'm going
back to the ranch.

Are you coming or you gonna
wait around here

for one of those things
to happen again?

I guess I'll need
a couple of new decks.

Morning, Jess.

It's a fine morning.

Yeah, if it don't rain.

You know, I've been
thinking something.

This place could stand
a good coat of paint.

We ought to do it
one of these days.

Yeah, one of these days,
when we got
nothing else to do.

That'll be the day.

What's eating you?

Nothing that a good hot
breakfast wouldn't cure.

Forgot to fire
the stove.

Never mind.
I did it.

Thanks.

Thanks for last night, too.

You know, Slim, we were both
pretty lucky last night.

What do you mean lucky?

Scrape like that,
could have been with g*ns

instead of fists.

Yeah,
with Jack Carnes.

No, he just had
one too many.

Maybe next time
it won't be Jack.

It'll be somebody
you don't know.

Somebody who'd use a g*n
instead of a fist.

Seen it happen time and again
over a woman like her.

A woman like her.
What makes you think

she's different
from anybody else?

Well, for one thing,
she's prettier than most.

You've got no argument
from me there.

What else?

Uh, what's the use?

A hard head like
you will only learn one way.

By getting shot
full of holes.

I'm not worried.

You'll take care of me.

There's one thing
that'll save you though.

Yeah?

Yeah, the b*ll*ts hit you
above the neck,

you got nothing
to worry about.

They'll bounce right off.

Not bad for one
night's work.

Where did you learn
so much about cards?

Oh, here and there.

I don't know how much profit
I made last night though,

after deducting
for all the damage.

Hello, Mr. Stoner.

Hello.

Your name is--

Dark. Jim Dark.

Oh, of course.
I'm glad to see you.

I'm sorry.

It's all right,
it's still a little tender
but it's healing up all right.

I haven't seen you
in quite a few years, Dark.

Let's see, uh,
Blackwell City, wasn't it?

That's right.

I didn't recognize you
without the star.

I don't have
a star anymore.

I'm not in
the law business now.

Oh?

Didn't I hear about you
being shot up,

taking
in the Reeves boys?That's right.

I just got out of the hospital
on that one.

Well, I'm glad to see
you're up and around.

Thank you.

What brings you
to Laramie?

Just heading west
and taking it easy.

Gonna be
around here long?

Few days maybe.
I thought I'd take
a ride out east of town.

It's very pretty
country out there,
as I remember.

Ma'am.

Haven't seen him in years.

Well, let's talk
about tonight.

Now first of all--

Oh, Mr. Stoner, do you mind
if we talk later on?

There's something
I have to do.

Why, sure.
Go right ahead.

Oh, uh,
where can I get a rig?

Right down the street
at the livery stable.

Thank you.

Hello, June.

Why did you follow me?

A man ought to have
some rights with his wife.

Not anymore, Jim.

I told you that
at the hospital.Look, June--

Why must we go
though this again?

I've said
all there is to say.

I'm no good for you, Jim.

Suppose you let me
decide that, huh?

Well, I should think


would have proven it to you.

Proved that you mean
more to me

than anything in the world.

It won't work.

It's my fault you got hurt,
and it can happen again.

I'm all right now.

At least I will be soon.

All right?

Unless I'm wrong, you're in
some sort of fix again.

What makes you say so?

Because you didn't want
Mr. Stoner

to know we're married.

All right, the Reeves
boys broke out.

They're looking for me.

Oh, run away, Jim.

Honey, I can't run.

Well, you can't
stand up to them.

I can take care
of myself.

Not now, Jim.

You can't even
shake hands.

How can you handle a g*n?

Well, I can relearn it.

It'll just take
a little time, that's all.

It's me again.

Can't you see, Jim,
I'm bad luck.

Best thing you can do is
get as far away from me

as you possibly can.

You haven't changed.

You still love me, don't you?

I can't love anybody.

All I can do is
bring trouble.

I lost one husband that way,
that's enough.

The Reeves boys
are after you, too.

For a gambler, I'm afraid
you're liable to come up

pretty short with a g*n.

Oh, I don't think
they're after me.

Well, I don't know
if they are or not,

but I'm gonna stick around
till I find out.

And get yourself k*lled.

Well, a man lives
as long as he's meant to.

As long as he dies
like a man, I don't see

he's got
any real kick coming.

Oh, nice words.

Very nice words.

I hope someone carves them
on your tombstone.

No, June, wait!

Slim!

Help me, Slim!

Everything's all right.
Just take it easy.

Say, isn't this kind of
a public spot for courting?

She had a bad scare.

A horse ran away
with her.

You don't say.

I'll ride back
to town with you.

Oh, thank you, Slim.

I'm afraid that horse
is a little wild for me.

Yeah, he is a pretty
ferocious-looking beast.

I'll see you
when I get back.

Your friend
didn't seem to believe

that the horse really
ran away with me.

Who, Jess?

Oh, he gets funny
ideas sometimes.

He was right.

He was?

I just made it
look that way.

Well, why?

I wanted to talk to you.

You didn't have to go
to all that trouble.

I'd like to talk to you with
or without a runaway horse.

Well, I thought
you might be angry.

Angry?

On account of last night.Oh.

Well, that wasn't your fault.
You didn't start that fight.

Well, I know but--

No real harm done,
Miss Brown.

Besides, a little exercise now
and then isn't exactly fatal.

My name is June.

It's a nice name.

I liked it the first time
I heard it.

I'm glad.

Because I've been doing
some asking about you, Slim.

Don't know
if that's good or bad.

Depends on
who you've been asking.

Well, the reports were
very favorable.

I don't have
any friends in Laramie.

I thought
I'd start with you.

Oh, that's fine.

I always knew leading a good,
clean outdoor life

would pay off some day.

June, you-- you look like
you need a friend in a hurry.

What's your problem?

Slim, have you ever heard
of the Reeves brothers?

Well, yeah,
they're in jail.

Not anymore.
They broke out.

Are they friends of yours?

Hardly.

But I think they're on
their way here, after me.

What for?
What did you do to them?

Well, I was a dealer
in a saloon in Blackwell City.

I heard they were planning
to rob the place.

I told the marshal.

Marshal was a friend of mine.

And when they came to town,
he was ready for them.

What happened?

Something went wrong.

The marshal was
very badly wounded,

and one of
the Reeves boys was k*lled.

Oh, I see.

So I need a friend.

All right,
you've got one.

I'll take the rig back
to the livery stable, June.

If you need me,
I'll be at the hotel.

You're not going back
to the ranch?No, not right away.

I got some business
to take care of.

Besides, I wouldn't want
to miss seeing your friends.

Thank you, Slim.

I can hear pretty good
through this window.

There's no need to be
jealous of me, Jim,

you know that.

Do I?

You should by now.

Did you tell him
about the Reeves boys?

He handles himself
very well in a fight,

and I understand
he's very good with a g*n.

This is my fight,
nobody else's.

I'm not asking
for any help.

Do you want
to get k*lled?Well, what do you care?

You just told me
that we weren't married anymore.

You just told me to go away.

What difference does it make
to you what happens to me?

It was my fight, too.

They're after me,
you said so yourself.

Wouldn't be much of a man

that couldn't
take care of his wife.

I've still got my two hands,
and I've still got my pride.

That's not enough.

One hand is crippled

and your pride won't get you
anything but 6 feet of ground.

All right.

Then maybe you'd
better get started on

that tombstone
you were talking about.

Oh, Jim, please.

Run away, at least
until you're completely well.

I don't run, June,
I never have.

Oh, you're so stubborn.

Can't you see,
you've got to get away from me.

I'm no good for anybody.

How about Sherman?

You figure
you're good for him?

Slim!

Come on,
you lazy tall drink of water.

Get up and wash the dishes.

[ knock on door ]

All right, all right.

Ease off, I'm coming.

All right, I hear you.

Oh, it's you.

Well, what are you going to do,
sleep your life away?

Well, I can't
very well do that with you

pounding on the door.

You young fellas
sure got it tough nowadays.

Why, when I was your age,
my pappy would've

whooped me blue
if he caught me

pounding the pillow
after sunup.

Well, I'm likely to turn blue

standing here
in the cold like this,

waiting for you to tell me
what you want.

Now don't get your
britches in an uproar.

I'll change the team myself.

Mose.Huh?

Let me wake up
a little, huh?

I don't suppose
you got any coffee on?

Oh, we can fix that
in a hurry.

You can, huh?

Well, now, I got time
for just one cup maybe.

I'll put the pot on.

Oh, see, I near forgot.

I ran into Slim in town.

He asked me
to give you this note.

Anything important?

About our business, I mean.

No, just says he'll be
in town for a day or two

and I should
wash the dishes.

Well, so long as
that's the way it is,

we might as well
dirty up some more.

I'll see if I can
find my pants.

[ g*nshots ]

[ horse neighing ]

All right,
hold it right there.

Now hands
behind your head.

Now turn around.
Slow.

So they sent you, huh?

I don't know what you're
talking about, mister.

I guess you never heard of
the Reeves boys either, huh?

Yeah, I heard of them.

What have they
got to do with me?

I didn't figure
they'd send a hired g*n.

They must be
coming up in the world,

paying for a luxury like that.

Like I said, I don't know
what you're talking about.

I bet you don't.

All right, gunslinger,

let's see
you earn your money.

Now draw.

What happened to your hand?

Never mind my hand,
just draw.

There's two things
I never do.

It's draw to
an inside straight,

and draw on a man
who's already got me covered.

I'm sorry,
that's the way it is.

Well, I'm giving you
a better chance

than you are giving me.
Now draw!

Mister, I don't know who you
are or who you think I am,

or what's eating you,
but I ain't gonna draw.

Now if you're bound
and determined to k*ll me...

there, make it easy
on yourself.

Well, if you're gonna do it,
go ahead.

Let's get it over with.

I can't sh**t a man
in the back,

not even a hired g*n.

Not much difference between
sh**ting a man in the back

and asking a man to draw
when you got the drop on him.

All right, turn around.

I'm probably giving you
a break you don't deserve.

All right, draw.

Why didn't you sh**t?

Mister, if I had some
k*lling to do, there's
a lot of people

I'd take care of
before I got to you.

You wouldn't
even be on my list.

The Reeves boys
didn't send you?

I haven't been sent.

Nobody sent me.

I work here,
I live on a ranch over there.

Well, I should've known
but the way you came in here

like you were
trying to circle me...

This is private property.

Didn't know
what I might be walking into.

Yeah, well, I'd have done
the same thing myself.

You sure got yourself worked
up over something, mister.

What's this all about?
The Reeves boys after you?

That's right.

What for?

I used to be a lawman,
put the whole bunch in jail.

Well, except the one I k*lled.

Now they're looking for me.

If you don't mind me
saying so,

you're not in very good shape
to stand up to that bunch.

I mean, with your hand and...

Never mind my hand.

When the time comes,
it will do what I tell it to.

That's fine talk,

but it still seems to me
you could use a little help.

Does that mean
you're offering?

It means I'm listening.

Fine.

I'll let you know.

Hello, Slim.

Nice job you got me
started on.

Can't find it, huh?

Then maybe the poster
on the Reeves brothers

was thrown out.

No, they're here someplace.

Nothing ever gets
thrown out around here,

that's one of the problems.

Huh, Jim Barington.

Here's one
we can get rid of.

He's been dead for 2 years.

Any word from
Blackwell City yet?

No.

Incidentally, your information
was almost all correct.

The Reeves
were in a shootout

with the law
about 6 months ago.

Three of the brothers
went to jail,

one of them
went to the cemetery.

There was a marshal that
was shot up pretty bad too,

name of Jim Dark.

What about the girl?

Seems there was
one involved, all right,

friend of the marshal's,
couldn't get a name on her.

But it wasn't Miss Brown,
that much I found out.

Hey, Bill, can you get in
touch with the sheriff?

I suppose so, he's over
at Woods Landing.

We better get him
back in town right away.

What for?
Because one of the girls
claimed she was scared?

Oh, now look, Slim,
it doesn't make much sense.

Three escaped
convicts after one girl?

Well, maybe one,
maybe two,

but they're all
half-crazy K*llers.

Just the same,
there's no proof

they're coming to Laramie.

That's right,
but there's no proof
they're not coming either.

All right,
I'll ride over after lunch
and tell the sheriff.

I wouldn't blame him
if he told me to get lost.

Here we are.

Clem Reeves
and Jake Reeves.

This is the one
that was k*lled.
And there's Abel and Bart.

I don't know if
that's gonna be much good,

can't tell how
old those circulars are.

[ wagon approaching ]

Howdy, Jess.Hi, Mose.

Where's Slim?

I don't know,

probably rolling bandages
somewhere for the Red Cross.

I'll catch up
a fresh team.

Well, la-di-da.

Ain't she the one?

Oh, excuse me,
Grandma.

Hold on, Grandma,
we want to talk to you.

I get paid
for changing the horses,

not talking
to the customers.

Oh, she sure is sassy,
isn't she?

Yeah, maybe somebody ought
to teach her a lesson, huh?

You're saying
you'd like to try?

Now, now,
take it easy, Grandma,

just want to ask you
a couple of questions

in the line of business.

You get paid for that.

Like what?

Well, like you see
just about everybody

that comes through here
on the stage to Laramie.

So?

So last couple of days,

you seen a big fella
with a bum hand?

No.

You're sure now, Grandma?

You know,
we might take it amiss

if you was to
talk around the truth

instead of getting right at it.

I answered your question.

Now jawin'
with you ain't gonna

get that team changed.

Hold on, Grandma.

Look, don't be
in such an all-fired hurry.

Now we're the only
passengers on this stage

and we don't mind
a little wait.

That's right, take it easy
and you'll live longer.

So you haven't seen
a big fella with a bum hand.

That's what I said.

How about a pretty lady,
a gambling lady?

Has she been through here
last couple days?

[ clearing throat ]

No.

You're lying, Grandma.

You're lying
through your teeth.

Yeah, you shouldn't
have done that.

Your driver here said
she came through here

a couple of days ago
and you saw her.

Well, maybe you're
lying about the big fella too.

And I don't like that.

She's in there.

See Dark?

No.

He'll be here.

We can wait.

Waited this long.

A little bit more of a wait
will be a pleasure.

Do you think he's coming?

He'll be coming.

He ain't foolish
enough to leave her

with all those men,
not for long.

She sure is pretty.

Yeah.

She sure is.

[ doors swinging ]

Let's not lose our bait.

Wait a minute.

We still got our bait.

And now
all we need is the fish.

He'll be swimming
along any time now.

Oh, feels so good

to get away
from those tables.

You're awfully
good at your job.

Thank you.

Two coffees, please.

But you don't like
it much, do you?

It's a living.

Who taught you how to
play cards, your husband?

Who told you I was married?

It doesn't matter.

I heard how
your husband was k*lled.

I'm sorry.

It's none of
my business anyway.

You said that,
I didn't.

I admit it,
let's start over.

The way I looked at it,

the first problem is
the Reeves brothers.

We could talk about
the rest later.

You're awfully nice, Slim,

much too nice for me
to take advantage for you.

We can discuss
that later, too.

How close to Laramie
do you think they are now?

I don't know,
I honestly don't.

But you do know
them by sight?

I know them, Slim,
and I'm scared.

What you're up against is
enough to scare anybody.

I've been doing
some checking...

And?

And I found out you were
telling me the truth,

except for one thing.

The girl's name
isn't Brown.

What is it?I don't know.

You're right,
my name isn't Brown,
it never was.

That's all right.

Now look, June,
you asked for my help

and I want to give it.

I had no right to ask you.

Why not?

One human being

always has the right
to turn to another.

Especially when the one
doing the turning

is as nice as you are.

I'm not nice, Slim,
not at all.

More than one man
has thought so, been hurt.

Now, June, wait.

Here's our bait
coming back.

Seems kind of
friendly with that fella.

Yeah.

But you said
she wouldn't hardly

talk to another man
except her husband.

It's been a long time,
maybe she's changed.

As long as she's taken to
running around with other men,

maybe we should
investigate.

After
we take care of Dark.

Yeah.

Just like Pop always
used to say,

"The good things in life
you always have to wait for."

I guess most any time now,
I can almost feel it.

Here he comes.

Don't get anxious,
let him come.

I told you this was my fight,
now get out of it.

A little late
for that now.

Hold your fire, Slim!

There's one left.

Leave him.

Somebody else wants him.

Darling,
are you all right?

Jim.

Come on, Slim, the trouble's
all over, let's go home.

You know something?
Two of those hyenas
are still alive.

Yeah, they sure
went to a lot of trouble

just to get shot up.

You think a person
would learn someday.

Come on, let's see
what we can do for him.

[ slamming dishes ]

Gently, gently.

Hey, looks like
I'll have to teach you

how to wash dishes
all over again.

How would you like me
to break this over your head?

I mean it, Jess,
now lay off of me.

[ wagon approaching ]

Come on, Grandma,
stage is in.

I'll check the horses.

I'm glad
you're here, Slim.

I want to say goodbye.

Sorry, goodbye
and thanks for everything.

It's all right.
Forget it.

I hope you understand, Slim.

Yeah, I think I do.

You're a very lucky man,
Mr. Dark.

You got
a pretty wonderful wife.

I know.

I'm kind of
partial to her myself.

Thanks again.

All set, Mose.

You don't like me,
do you?

Why should I?

You didn't kiss me.

Let's go.

Goodbye and thanks
for everything.

Same here.

All right, Grandma,
back to the dishes.