02x10 - Pearls of Talimeco

[bunniefuu]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a bold, adventurin' man ♪

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ Battled for right with a powerful hand ♪

♪ His blade was tempered and so was he ♪

♪ Indestructible steel was he

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty ♪

♪ Adventurin' man

- Dang my hide, dealer wins again.

[humming music]

[laughing]

- Can't you knock, dang blame it.

- Well, that's a fine welcome

I must say after a year and a half or more.

- Scuse the jib you like to scared me out of my skin.

Always glad to see an investor.

- Uh uh, nah.

No, that, that was in my [mumbles] youth.

See, see what you doing here?

Is this uh training for uh,

being a steamboat gambler?

- No, I'm working out a little favoring system.

- Still chasing rainbows hey Sam?

- No, but this is mathematics, Jim, arithmetic.

This can't lose.

Money in your socks, son, now look here.

- Tell me, what happened to that perpetual motion

machine of yours.

- Oh, I gave her up.

Gave them all up.

Surefire rain-making system, Live-to-be-100 grass diet,

the soul to his treasure.

Millions in them too.

- Yeah I heard you say so.

What happened Sam?

- Well I just couldn't wait on them.

That little old gal went nervous on me,

she got the notion that Charlie Ike was going

to foreclose the mortgage.

- You don't mean to tell me you mortgaged this place

to that sap-sucking, penny-snitcher, Charlie Ike?

- He's the only one in town.

- [Rachel] Is that you Jim Bowie?

- Well if it isn't Sam McCullough's boy, Rachel.

- Well britches don't make a man some folks say.

- Hi Rachel.

- How you doing Jim?

- Fine.

- How long you been back?

- Couple of days.

I aim to surprise Mama and Reason,

Got here and found her going.

- Well, your aunt Addie sick.

Reason took 'em all over to nurse her.

- Yeah, Minnie told me.

- She tell you what else been goin' on round here?

- Yeah, she tells me Reason's found himself a second home.

- No, not Reason, Pa.

Pa's turned a new leaf, haven't you Pa?

- You're dang right.

- When it got to the point we might lose this place,

Pa just sold the lot.

And for a year now he ain't done nothing

but work in that corn crop.

You worked like a dog, haven't you Pa?

- A hound never lived could stay with me and R.

- We got a stand o' corn that'll make your eyes bug out.

And when we walk up to that deadburn Charlie Ike

and pay him every cent we owe him,

he'll have a fit.

- Well I'm all in favor of that.

Hey, that reminds me, I came here to borrow some flour.

How you fixin'?

- We got plenty.

Come on, follow me.

[soft humming music]

- How!

- How, can I see you?

- Come for trade, me.

- You have huh?

Well what kind of trade?

- Mussel stone.

- Pearls, huh?

You got big stones?

- Plenty big, plenty old.

- Where do you catch 'em?

- Injun bone yard, name Talemeco.

- No good for trade.

Too old.

Black outside, black inside too.

Tobacco present.

- Make 'em, whiskey present?

- No whiskey.

Hey, Cow Chief!

Savvy man in store, Charlie Ike Snavely?

- Too much.

Injun give him one finger him take all arm.

- White man too.

How would you like to get a little bit even?

Then hear this, Cow Chief.

You take a mussel stone.

Show 'em Charlie Ike.

"No good," Charlie Ike say.

Then you say, "Plenty good.

Plenty fine when Cow Chief catch 'em."

- Plenty fine?

- Sure, tell 'em big grass fire come burn in camp.

Make all stones black.

But tell 'em,

plenty white stones where Cow Chief catchin' these.

"Where's that?", Charlie Ike say.

"h*!", you say.

Give me money.

I make a map.

Savvy?

[laughing]

Right there is where I made my mistake,

as I found out the next morning.

- Where's Pa?

- How should I know?

- Oh stop.

Of all of the known creatures that ever crawled

out from under a rock you're the worst I ever saw.

- Hey what's the matter, what's worrying you?

- You are, now where's Talemeco?

- Talemeco?

- Yes, Talemeco.

The place Pa's been talking about all these years.

Right here.

- What is this?

The true relation of the travels of his excellency

Hernando de Soto, the Governor-General of the Floridas--

- Oh never mind that, it's about De Soto the explorer

by a secretary.

Right here, look here.

- When my captain Hernando de Soto exclaimed at the sight

of so many pearls, so many pearls,

the chieftenness said, "Go to Talemeco,

"another village of mine and you'll find so many

in the graves that your horses cannot carry them."

Fate, however, prevented us from going there--

- Alright where is it, this Talemeco?

- I don't know.

- You don't know?

You didn't sick that Indian on Pa did you?

You didn't buy our corn crop for $400 did you?

- No I didn't.

- Stop lying you sweet-mouthed hypocrite.

Here's the note he left me.

"Dear daughter, I have sold the corn as she stands for $400

"and am going after the pearls of Talemeco.

"I have bought a map from the Indian.

"When I get back we'll pay off Charlie Ike

"and you can have a fine wedding and honeymoon

in Philadelphia, Pa."

- Sam went after the pearls?

- Pearls, yes, if you can call these things pearls.

And I'm going after him, just as soon as I can find out

where it is.

- Oh Rachel, Rachel.

- And when I get him back, I'm going to court

and I'm gonna sue you.

That corn's worth $2000 and you know it.

- Well I haven't seen your father since I came to borrow

the flour yesterday.

- He came over last night right after supper.

After he talked to that Indian he saddled up

and he rode over here.

He said he wanted to see it.

He must've brought that note back after I went to sleep.

He didn't come over here?

You didn't buy our corn?

You didn't send that Indian?

- I sent him to Charlie Ike Snavely, not to Sam.

- Charlie Ike Snavely?

- He must've bought your crop.

Must've been him.

- But we won't have enough to pay the mortgage.

Pa only left me $200.

That mortgage is $1500.

Charlie Ike'll get our place.

And he'll be your neighbor.

That'll be enough for ya.

After all I've done to straighten Pa out, and now this?

Now why'd you wanna go do a thing like that, why?

- I dunno, revenge, I guess you'd call it.

See I was mad at him for a mean trick he played

on Mama and me.

And I thought he just might be fool enough to pay

Cow Chief for the secret of his pearls,

and then wind up with nothing himself.

- Are there real pearls, honest to goodness pearls?

- Well, they're mussel pearls.

But they've been buried so long they're worthless now.

[Rachel sighing]

Wait a minute, don't go away.

- The pearls of Talemeco, huh.

[soft humming music]

Gee, that's your mother's jewelry.

- I know it.

- What do you think you're doing?

- Hold your horses, hold your horses.

Well now, look at this.

- Jim Bowie your mommy'll have a fit.

- With a little help from you and we'll give

Charlie Ike Snavely a little fit.

- Well now, just how?

- You go and get yourself dressed.

I'll tell you on the way to the store.

- Alright.

- It's Sam McCullough's girl with Jim Bowie.

- Him too?

When you get out back,

if she gets too rambunctious you run in and

say somebody's gotta see me.

If Bowie makes trouble you know what to do.

- Good morning!

- Well now, I sure didn't expect,

it ain't your regular store day.

- Well Mr. Bowie's taken me into town and I just

dropped in to say thank you.

- Huh?

- Well, 'cause if you hadn't bought our corn crop

then Pa might've missed his chance.

- Well, what chance?

- Well to find that place he's been hunting

for all these years.

Talemeco.

You know the place where

the Indians buried all those pearls with their dead?

Right here, look.

Course when he showed me those black things

he got from that Indian that made the map for him

I'se just fit to be tied.

Then he showed me they were only scorched on the outside.

Pears are made in layers, like onions you know.

When you skin that black outside layer off of them

they were just beautiful.

- Why, I'd admire to see that.

- Why, right here.

Well?

Pa gave me these few to sell so I'd have some house money.

That's why I'm going to town.

- How much they bring?

- Well, not as much as the ocean kind.

These are from mussels.

They're pinker.

- Well, how much?

- Oh, 20, $30 a piece.

Least, that's what Mr. Bowie said.

We might even get $100 for the big one.

- There's no hurry now.

Where is your pa?

- Oh he went back to Talemeco to get some more of these.

Just enough to pay off his debts and to raise a little ready

cash this time.

Then he's gonna get a regular company

together and go back and dig them all up.

- Well now.

Me and your pa's done business before

and likely will gain.

When he gets back will you send him in to see me?

- Oh, I expect he'll be pretty busy.

- Or else just send him word and I'll come out.

- Alright, I'll tell him.

- Now don't forget.

- I won't.

- How'd it go?

- I thought he'd snatch them out of my hand.

He wants to see Pa the minute he gets back.

- Good, that won't be long.

- Jim, that means you're fixin' to take out

on Pa's trail, doesn't it?

- Well sure.

- Well why?

- Why?

Because he's headed for grief.

- Well, let him find it.

I know it sounds heartless,

but it wasn't very thoughtful the way he took off,

now was it?

- No, no it wasn't.

- If you head him off now he'll always have it

in the back of his head he's been done out of a fortune.

Let him run this rainbow down.

Let him worry.

Let him sweat, let him think he's lost the home place.

Maybe that's what he needs to cure him.

- Alright, I'll try the prescription, doctor.

- Thanks, let's enjoy our day in town.

- Whoa. - How.

- How.

- Cow Chief make two map.

Catch him plenty money.

Half belong big man.

- You were partners!

- Nonsense, nonsense.

All money belong Cow Chief.

Two maps?

- Sure, one her old man.

[Rachel shouting]

Other one,

two man in store.

- Go on, go on.

Who are they?

- Cow Chief go store buy whiskey.

Charlie Ike's some other place.

I are not the man cut wood all day in store.

- Snavely's nephew and that whitlin' fella.

- They ask where Talemeco?

I tell him, give me money I make map.

They bust iron box, give me plenty money.

- Then what?

- Then, go for k*ll old man, keep more mussels stone.

- k*ll old man? Pa?

- How do you know?

- Hear 'em talk.

- Listen, listen.

He's the only one who can help us find your father.

Now, you go in the house.

Go on, go on.

- Cow Chief, friend?

- Friend.

- Good, now hear this.

That old man, he friend of mine.

I don't like to see him get k*lled.

Now Cow Chief, keep all money.

Take me to Talemeco, yes?

Good, how far?

- Horse?

- Sure.

- No stop?

- No stop.

- Tonight, half tomorrow.

- Good, you saddle two horse.

I go get grub.

[soft humming music]

- [Sam] Don't look like much.

♪ If you go chasing after rainbows ♪

♪ In search of treasure to behold ♪

♪ They say that always at the end of the rainbow ♪

♪ There is a pot of gold

- A great big nothing.

♪ But when you're chasin' after rainbows ♪

♪ The prize is never what it seems ♪

♪ For if you ever find the end of the rainbow ♪

♪ There you will find all your lost ♪

♪ And broken dreams

[ominous music]

[g*n shot echoing]

- Where's the pearls?

- Back there.

- There ain't none back there, I looked.

[Sam groaning]

- That's enough, Or.

Where'd you hide them?

Where they at?

- They just ain't out here.

[groaning]

- Wake up!

- Let me wake him.

[men groaning]

- Sam?

Sam are you alright?

- Yeah, yeah.

[men groaning]

[soft humming music]

- We left Orville and Newt to get out on foot.

Pretty sure they wouldn't turn up around Opelousas to face

the charge of robbing Snavely's strongbox.

Cow Chief, rich again, headed off to rejoin his people.

We turned toward home,

to tend to some unfinished business.

Simmer down.

Girl's nervous as a tomcat at a fish fry.

- Well what in the name of peace do you suppose

is keepin' him?

- He's closing a deal with Charlie Ike for one thing.

For another, he's driving with one hand.

[footsteps approaching]

There he is now.

- Get this thing off of me.

My god soddin' arm's asleep.

- Well Sam, did it work, did it work?

- Well sure, sure.

Told 'em I broke my arm.

That's why I come back from Talemeco to

get me a partner.

- I know but did you make the deal?

- Yes, sir, Charlie Ike's my partner now.

[excited cheering]

I give him the map and there's the mortgage.

- Free and clear again.

- There's a note on the crops.

- And we'll have cash ahead.

Oh Pa!

- Here's $20 to get Ms. Bowie's brooch fixed.

- Thank you sir.

And another 550,

whatever that's for.

- Oh that's for one sack of Weavely flour.

- And now with your kind permission madame and sir

I'll go out and unhitch old Baldy.

- Well.

- Well, it's over Jim.

And you don't know how glad I am.

- Yeah, you got that mortgage off your back now.

- No, I don't mean that too much.

I mean the good its done Pa.

He's cured Jim, I just know he his.

- Cured?

Well no he's not.

And you know something?

You're just as bad.

- Me?

I don't go chasin' rainbows.

- Why yes you do.

Try to cure your father, that's your rainbow.

Look Rachel, why don't you take him for what he is?

He's a wonderful man.

You're not gonna change him, you're not gonna cure him.

Listen, I've been reading something,

by a fellow named Wordswith.

English fella.

Now where is it?

Here it is.

"My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky.

"So it was when my life began,

"so it is when I'm a man.

"So be it when I shall grow old,

or let me die."

Now Rachel, that's your pa.

Don't ya know that?

Huh? - Yeah.

[soft humming music]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man ♪

[knife thunks]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a bold, adventurin' man ♪

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ Battled for right with a powerful hand ♪

♪ His blade was tempered and so was he ♪

♪ Indestructible steel was he

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man ♪

- [Jim Voiceover] The adventure started

in my New Orleans hotel when Jean Martel's daughter,

Miss Denise, came to call on me.

It was the first time we'd met

since she and her Papa left my home town, Opelousas.

She's an old friend and neighbor, and I was glad to see her.

- Miss Denise!

- Monsieur Bowie!

- Please sit down, won't you?

- Thank you.

How is your Mama?

- Oh, Mama's fine, just fine.

She's put on a little weight.

- That's nice.

- Yeah, well, you know how it is with Mindy's cooking.

How's your father's health?

- His health is all right.

- Good, good.

But he's not happy here, is that it?

- Oh, he, he's happy enough.

Maybe a little too happy.

It is Papa.

I am so worried about him.

We only have each other since Mama died.

- Yes, I know, you've always been devoted to him.

- I've tried to take Mama's place,

but about six weeks ago, he met a young widow here.

A Madame Ellen Hill from Cincinnati.

And since then, he has seen her every day,

and this morning--

- Yes, this morning?

- This morning at breakfast he told me

he plans to marry her.

- Oh, I see.

- She's young enough to be his daughter.

His granddaughter!

She has no breeding, no background.

She is only after his money, it is obvious.

I only know there is something mysterious

and something evil in our house,

and I have a most horrible sense of foreboding.

It is Madame Ellen Hill, I know it is!

- Well, what'd she do?

- It was not anything she did, it was her face.

I saw her face without her mask,

when she thought no one could see her.

It was full of triumph,

and completely without a soul.

Once she marries Papa and gets his money,

there is nothing she would not do, not even m*rder!

- Now, Miss Denise, you don't actually believe

that your father's life's in danger?

- Oh, but I do, the gravest danger!

That is why I've come to you, Monsieur Bowie.

At least go see him, promise me you will do that.

- All right, all right.

I'll stop by tomorrow morning.

- Oh, thank you!

- Thank you.

- Ah, Jim Bowie!

- Monsieur Jean!

- I heard you were in New Orleans!

Oh, go tell Mademoiselle Denise

Monsieur Bowie is calling on us!

Poor Denise, she has been so homesick.

To see someone from Opelousas,

oh, she will be delighted to see you!

- Ah, yes, well, as a matter of fact, I saw her yesterday.

- Oh?

She did not mention it, where was this?

- At my hotel.

She stopped by to see me.

- Uh-huh, and it is at her suggestion

that you have dropped by to see me, yeah?

- Well, I've been meanin' to anyway.

- Oh, Jim.

Why is it when a man becomes 70,

they cannot wait to bury him?

[laughing]

Ah, you know what she gave me for my birthday?

- No, what'd she give you?

- Ah, come here.

Here, I'll show you.

There, a rocking chair, eh?

They do not even wait for him to die,

they want to bury him out in his own back gallery.

[laughing]

They figure, if he is not dead already, he may as well be.

- [laughing] No, I can't agree with that, sir.

- Oh, I don't agree with it, either.

And I am not going to sit in a rocking chair,

waiting to die, oh, no.

Oh, I have not many more years left, that I know,

but I am going to make the best of the time that I do have.

And I have found someone who wants to help me.

- Did you tell Denise that?

- Oh, I have tried!

Jim, Denise devotes her life to me.

She has never married, she has no friends,

she has no interests, nothing but me.

And she smothers me with solicitude.

I do not want solace!

I want youth!

Have a cognac, eh?

- No, no thanks.

- No?

- I know that she means well.

- Oh, yes, no doubt she mean--

Jimmy, it grieves me to say this,

but her mother's brother was not--

It was very sad.

And these things run in families, Jim.

And I'm beginning to think that, oh yes,

I believe she is obsessed by her inheritance.

All these years, and now it comes out, eh?

Money.

My money.

And now she will not be the only heir.

Because I'm getting married, Jim.

- Yeah, she told me.

- Uh-huh, now that, that is what I mean, you see?

Going to you with our personal affairs.

- Monsieur Jean, I'm sure that she's only interested

in what's good for you.

Or, anyway, her idea of what's good for you.

- No, no, it is more than that.

It is much more.

No, I feel she, she has an idée fixe

that she will not like Ellen,

and I do not think she will stop at anything

to keep us apart.

Sometimes, I think she might even, no really,

the way she looks at Ellen, or she looks at me,

it frightens me.

- Just look!

Just in from Paris!

- Ah, it's very pretty!

- Isn't it chic? - Oh, whee, heh!

- Denise?

I bought this for you down on Royal Street.

I hope you like it.

It's a sachet, vetiver grass.

- Thank you.

So good of you to come, Monsieur Bowie.

And now, if you will excuse me, I have a headache.

- If you will excuse me for a moment, too.

This will be settled right now.

- Oh, no, Jean, it's of no matter.

- It matters to me.

- Mr. Bowie, um, you were a neighbor, weren't you,

to the Martels at, uh, Opelousas?

- Well, yes, I was.

- Mr. Bowie?

What should I do?

I don't want to break up a family, cause unhappiness.

I don't want Denise to hate me.

Why does she hate me?

I could be a good wife to Jean.

- Do you love him?

- I've asked myself the same thing a hundred times.

I don't believe I will ever love anyone again

quite the way I loved my late husband.

But I admire Jean Martel, I respect him.

I think he's the kindest, most wonderful man I've ever met.

Is this love?

I don't know.

- Miss Hill, I suppose you know that he's been speculatin'

in New Orleans real estate lately, don't ya?

- Yes, he's mentioned it.

- What would you say if I told you

that some of his speculations lately

have been very, uh, ill-advised?

And that he may even have to leave this house

and move back to Opelousas,

there living on a small plantation?

- Mr. Bowie, that's the best news I've heard

since I left Cincinnati.

Oh, I know it's selfish of me,

but at least that would prove my sincerity.

- Now, I didn't say that was the truth, you know.

I was just asking you what you'd say if I told you it was.

- Oh, I see.

You were testing me, weren't you?

Tell me, Mr. Bowie, did I pass?

- Well, now, Miss Hill, I was--

- Well, I'm not interested in your tests,

or whether I passed or not!

My conscience will be the guide to my conduct,

and not your tests!

And what gives you the right to test me in the first place?

- Well, nothin', I suppose,

except that Monsieur Martel is my friend.

Well, good day, Ma'am.

- Jim, surely you're not leaving so soon!

- Oh, I'll be back in a few days.

I don't want to lose touch with old friends.

Or with new ones, either.

Jean, I want to congratulate you.

You're a fortunate man.

- Indeed you are, Jean, to have such friends as Mr. Bowie.

- Good day, Jean.

- Au revoir, Jim, au revoir.

[door clicks shut]

- Monsieur Bowie?

One moment, please.

I will see Monsieur Bowie out.

Papa has just told me the wedding will be next Tuesday.

- Miss Denise, I think you're making a,

a big mistake about Miss Hill and your father.

Why shouldn't they get married?

I think you ought to do everything you can

to help make it a fine wedding.

- Do you think there will be a charivari?

- Oh, I wouldn't worry about that.

Your father's not too well-known around here.

I don't believe they'll bother him, do you?

- He will be hurt if, if he gets married

and everyone disregards it.

He speaks so fondly of the charivari in Lyons

when he married Mama.

- You mean you want him to have a charivari?

- I want Papa to be happy.

[musical humming]

- [Jim Voiceover] On Tuesday, my old friend Jean Martel

took my new friend, Miss Ellen Hill, as his wedded wife.

And I took it upon myself to whip up the rip-roarin'-est,

rootin'-tootin'-est shivaree ever seen hereabouts.

[explosions and cheering]

- Well, I guess by now they'll know we're here!

- Well, if they're gonna cheat us,

they better invite us in now before you blow the house down!

- No, no, it wouldn't be so much fun if they gave in easy!

- Look, someone's comin' out!

- Help, come quick!

There's been an accident!

Please hurry!

Please, hurry!

Hurry!

Mr. Bowie, in there!

It's Jean!

[humming music]

- He's dead.

[humming music]

- To me, it's pretty obvious.

There must've been 50 men out there

firin' toward the house one time or another.

Any one of 'em could've done it and not even know it.

- Not even know it?

- Sure, I almost put a shot in my own p*stol.

Absent-mindedly.

You get so you do that without even thinkin'.

Isn't that right, Jim?

- Yes, yeah, yes, I guess it is.

- A random, accidental shot out of the darkness

hits the victim squarely in the heart

and kills him instantly.

Isn't that hard to believe, Mr. Bowie?

- Constable, I don't know what to believe.

- Now, I know this is difficult, Madame Martel,

but just once again.

You were standing where when your husband was shot?

- There.

About there.

- And did you look out the door after he fell?

- No, sir.

- You didn't try to discover who had done this thing?

You weren't even curious?

- I didn't even know then that he'd been shot.

I just wanted to go and find help.

- Do you have any idea of your own

as to who might have shot him?

- No, sir.

- Thank you, Madame Martel.

- Mademoiselle Martel, just once more.

Where were you when your father was shot?

I have told you two times, I was in my room.

- And your room leads out onto the rear gallery, eh?

- Oui, Monsieur, with doors like these.

- Then you could've stepped out of your room

and come along the gallery?

You could have been standing out there

as your father came to the door and looked out, eh?

- Oui, Monsieur.

I could have been, but I was not.

- Your father was a man of considerable wealth, was he not?

- Oui, Monsieur.

- [Constable] You knew that he would probably

leave his new wife a large share of his estate.

- Oui, Monsieur, I knew it, and she knew it.

- But if he were m*rder*d,

and his new bride were convicted of that m*rder,

she would lose all claim to his estate, would she not?

In that case, everything would revert to the daughter.

- You are trying to accuse me

of the m*rder of my own father?

- No, Mademoiselle, I am trying to consider

all the possibilities.

- There is only one possibility!

- [Constable] If she had fired the shot,

the smell of gunpowder would have been in the room.

- There could have been an accomplice, outside!

- Yes, or you could have been outside,

without an accomplice.

And you were the one who wanted the charivari.

- Please, sir, may I say something?

- Please, Madame.

- It's true that Miss Denise was opposed

to my marriage to her father,

and I know that she's virtually accusing me of his m*rder,

but I also know that she loved her father very dearly.

It's inconceivable that she could even think of his death.

- You are wrong, Madame!

I did think of his death!

I thought it would be preferable to his marriage to you!

But I did not k*ll him.

And now, please, could we have an end to these questions!?

[humming music]

- [Jim Voiceover] The constables finally concluded

their investigation.

The next day, their report resulted in a verdict

of accidental death from a stray b*llet

fired during the charivari.

[humming music]

I took Ellen to the funeral,

and when we returned to the house,

she insisted that I stay for the reading of the will.

- I, Jean Martel, being of sound mind,

do hereby devise my last will and testament.

I bequeath to my only child, my daughter Denise,

the sum of one dollar.

To my surviving widow, Ellen,

I bequeath all of the balance of my estate,

including any and all things of value, real and personal,

and I specifically request that she, Ellen,

in her own good judgment, provide generously

for the support of my daughter.

These provisions of this will

being set forth in the hope that they may bind together

my widow and my daughter in love and affection

as long as they both survive.

Properly dated, witnessed, and signed Jean Martel.

- Denise, we'll make arrangements, won't we?

You'll have everything you'll ever want.

Everything your heart desires.

- I will not touch a penny of your money!

- But how will you live, dear?

It's what your father wanted.

- I shall starve first!

[humming music]

- [Jim Voiceover] It looked to me as if

that was just what she'd have to do,

starve or sell her few possessions.

About 10 days later, my suspicions proved correct.

- Now, look, Miss Denise, this is silly.

Let me lend you the money.

- Please, Monsieur Bowie.

- But Ellen has sold the house.

You're entitled to some of that money,

and you oughta get it right away!

She's leaving for Cincinnati tomorrow.

[humming music]

Well, just don't take Sam's first offer.

[humming music]

- But I said, don't sell it.

I told you I'd redeem it.

- [chuckles] I can't live on promises!

If you don't redeem it when the time is up...

- Naw, she'll k*ll me if I don't bring back that brooch.

- Look, the man that bought it

will run out of money soon, he'll bring it back,

then I'll sell it back to you!

- But we're leaving town tomorrow.

Oh, write this down.

You can send it to me when you find it.

Louis Colt, care of the Postmaster,

Cincinnati, Ohio.

- Sam, you take care of this lady,

and call her a carriage when she's finished, you understand?

And if you don't treat her right, you'll square with me.

- [Jim Voiceover] I trailed Mr. Louis Colt

the rest of the day, until he finally led me

to the Martel house.

Somehow, unhappily, I half-suspected

that was where he would lead me.

Could I have been wrong about Ellen?

No, it wasn't possible.

But where had our eavesdropper suddenly got hold

of the money to get his possessions out of pawn?

And what was he to Ellen?

I had to find out.

[humming music]

- [Ellen] Where's the brooch?

- [Louis] It was sold.

- [Ellen] Sold?

Those were real diamonds!

- [Louis] You'll get it back.

I gave him our address.

- I told you not to pawn in the first place,

you stupid idiot.

- Idiot, am I?

I'm also a m*rder*r, and you an accomplice,

and don't you forget it!

- Oh, why, Mr. Bowie, how nice.

Um, this is my brother, Louis Colt.

Louis, this is Jim Bowie, a friend of Jean's.

Louis has come to help me.

- Yeah, we've met.

[slap]

I didn't like him then, and I like him less now.

[knife thunk]

- Ah!

- Ha!

- k*ll him, Louis!

[vase breaking]

[swords clashing]

Stop playing, k*ll him!

- A little trick I learned from my fencing master

in Exchange Alley.

[crash]

Hey!

Argh!

- A little trick I learned from my mother,

handling hot irons!

[humming music]

All right, Mr. Colt.

All right, Miss Sincerity.

I've often heard the pen is mightier than the sword,

now you pick up that one!

And you'll write a confession if you want him to live!

- Ellen, yes, please!

[humming music]

- Tell me, was Ellen Hill

able to make any trouble for Miss Denise?

I mean, claiming part of the estate under the will

as the surviving widow?

- No, Monsieur.

You see, this Louis Colt was not her brother.

He was her husband.

- So she was never really married to Papa at all!

- Well, the only explanation I can offer, Miss Denise,

is, as you said right along, most men are such fools

where a beautiful woman is concerned.

- But where would the world be without beautiful women?

- You mean, you two, uh--?

- Oui, Monsieur.

- Well, dog my cats!

[laughing]

Congratulations!

- Thank you, sir.

- And would it be asking too much

for you to arrange a charivari?

- Yes, Ma-- uh, I mean, no, Ma'am!

[laughter]

[clashing and singing]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man ♪