 written to Lightning Jim, begging this fearless United States Marshal to come to his aid. Lightning Jim and Whitey are now talking with the sheriff. Seems funny he ain't been able to find hide in a hair, they're mal-hooders doing all the time they've been operating, Sheriff. Funny why it's baffling. I've hunted this country open during no ranch or a canyon I ain't searched. And the result is still nothing. They drive a cattle they steal across the river, that's sure. Well, maybe they stay over there until the next rain. No, they don't. At least we's not all of them. As you see, Marshal, I'm pretty darn sure that Red Jerome is mixed up in this. You see, who is this fella, Red Jerome? Oh, he's got a little ranch down by the river, got some horses and a few head of cattle. Don't make much pretence at really ranching. What makes you suspect him, Sheriff? Well, one night me and a posse track the bandits to his spread. Yep, right to his spread, Marshal. But when we got there we couldn't find a trace of him. But how could they hide on a small spread like you say Red Jerome's got? It's me, but they did hide and we watched the river all night. And they didn't cross over, Marshal. A rustic red donbretto, when he got to the ranch, Sheriff, he was home all right. And Hulda, his cooks wore so blue in the face that he hadn't left there all night. Thought his horse had been rode and rode hard. Hmm, so this Hulda must be an onus too, if Red really is part of the gang. Yeah, she's in on it all right, but I can't get nothing on any of them. And last night the dang fries and varmints wiped out old man Putnam and both his boys and burned the house down right over them. Couldn't you pick up a trace of him? No, nothing. That is except this. Well, I see. See, that's the handle of a cart. And that's the loader's one too. Yeah, things like that ain't exactly common round here. Nor if anybody uses one, Sheriff. Hmm, I don't exactly recognize it if that's what you mean, but... Red Jerome is mighty cruel to animals. Back to Red again, huh? Tell me something about this Hulda person, Sheriff. Well, it ain't hard to describe, Hulda. She weighs about 300 pounds on the hook. What? Got a face like a bronco with the ease and a disposition that's a combination of red pepper and gun powder. Here's some gal, Hulda. Well, that's your job, Whitey. Ever? Yes, sir. You're going up to Red's place. Get on a good side of Hulda and see what you can find out. You know what I mean? I got to work on a 300-pound vile cat. Sure do. Well, I won't do that. Yeah, but she's Swedish too, Whitey. You ought to get along swell, yes, sir. Yeah, she's a man-eaten tiger all right there. A man-eaten tiger. And I'm supposed to walk up to see a nice kitty kitty, a pretty kitty. A kitty wants some milk. Well, I quit. Well, you can't quit, Whitey. Them's orders. Or they might build something that'll help us. You know, if I don't you go up there, Whitey. You're a better-looking fellow than me. And you're sort more romantic. Don't tell Hulda's your disquieting. He and the chef will work on this, then. Well, we, the chef, think I'll take this quirt handle, if you don't mind. Oh, don't mind at all. Don't see what good's going to do, though. Well, I might be lucky and stumble onto something. You're from what they're here. I'll be needing the lock when I meet up with Hulda. You sure do do sing for pretty, ma'am. I was just thinking, I never heard of a voice like yours before. Huh? If you like my singing, maybe you'd better come on in. There ain't nobody else here. I was just getting lonesome. Well, I was looking for it, but there's probably nothing I could do around here. Maybe I think I'd better be going. You come on in. We'll talk about work later on. Hurry up now! Yes, ma'am. You know, you ain't such a bad-lookin' fella. They got real pretty blue eyes. What's your name? Are you married? Well, you can just call me Whitey, ma'am. I ain't married. You see, I ain't married in kind. That's what they all say, till the right woman comes along. Well, maybe I'd better see the boy, so I'll get in a job, Hulda. Have you know my name, Hulda? I didn't tell you. Well, I stopped under Rodepis. I was asking for work in the summer, and there he told me to come up here. He said there was a real pretty girl named Hulda working here. You think I'm pretty Whitey? Maybe we get along together just like a couple of those love books. Well, see now, I'd better be getting along. I get to see about that job, you know. I give you a job, Whitey. You work for me. Eh, what do you mean? I got too much work for one poor, weak woman. You help me. Shop would make fire, creep, cook. And that way, we get there all creamed. Eh, but it's good. It's good night, Hulda. Don't you worry about him, Whitey. I can handle your own all right here. Take this broom. Eh, is it a broom? Well, what do you want me to do, Hulda? Sweet. And when you get to sleep, then you can help me with the dishes. You know, I bet we make a good looking couple. Get busy now. Eh, Hulda. Eh, get busy. Just about mid everybody in town now. Eh, don't forget, Sheriff. I don't want nobody to know I'm a marshal. I'm Jim Jenny. Yes, I'm thinking about buying some land around here. Yeah. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Jennings. Same here. But I won't be the banker much longer. The sheriff here don't stop that butcher and outlaw. Hollison, what you gonna do about catching the environment? Well, gosh, Sam, I'm doing the best I can. Well, it ain't good enough. This whole country's gonna be ruined if he ain't caught and caught soon. Well, uh, confidentially, Sam, Mr. Jennings here is really lightning Jim Whipple. Yes. He's the United States Marshal. Yeah, I told you I didn't want to be known. Oh, shucks, Marshal. At the banker, he'll keep your secret, won't you, Sam? Sure. Sure, Marshal. You can depend on me. Did you come down here to crack down our wrestling game? Well, I'm here to help the sheriff, Mr. Brigaud. Maybe between us, we can get a line on the outlaw. Well, glad to hear it. Glad to hear it. You know, I got an idea. What's that, Sam? Marshal. You drop around to the bank tonight. I'll let you in and we'll go over some papers I got there. I know a banker ain't supposed to divulge no information about his business. He got some suspicions, Brigaud. Well, I ain't no detective. But maybe so you can put two and two together. You come around tonight, Marshal. I'll be there. Long about nine o'clock. That'd be all right. Yeah, fine. See you then. And good luck in your detective, Marshal. They're in there peeling potatoes. What's he doing around here? That's white. He's helping me. I hired him today, Red. You hired him? We're right over there. We don't want any snoopers around here. He ain't no snooper. You listen to me, Red, your own. I get pretty lonesome around here, workin', workin', workin'. Not having no fun, never going any places, seein' anybody, cookin', cleanin', washin', cookin', seein', washin'. Oh, no, no, no. I gotta watch my step, that's all. Well, you watch your step. Me, I'm watchin' mine, too. For girls gotta think of our future. And I'm gettin' to the place where I think I better get married. What are you talkin' about, Halder? I think maybe I'm Mary White. Well, maybe he won't like the notion. He won't have nothin' to say about it if I decide to marry him, I marry him, and that's it. Well, anyhow, watch your step. I've gotta get in town. The boss sent for me. I'll talk to the Whitey in the morning. But remember, we take no chances. Went home early. He was up most of the night and... He never told me behind the door at all. There's one good chap on the head. Well, I'll take his gun, Marshall. Lightning Jim Whipple walks into a trap and doesn't walk out, eh? What do I do with him now, Brigaud? What do you think? Get him out of town and dispose of him. Kill him. We can keep on foolin' the sheriff, but we can't take no chances with this snoopin' government man. But the sheriff knew he was coming here tonight. How you gonna handle that? Don't try to do my thinkin' for me, Red. I ain't gonna handle this sheriff all right. Yeah, but what are you gonna tell him? I'll tell him the Marshall came here. Sure. He looked over some papers and wouldn't tell me nothin' more. Then he left. And how do I know where he went? Very easy, huh? Well, just be sure you handle it right. You're gettin' too big for your boots, Red, your own. I ain't givin' the orders round here. You keep your mouth shut. But I am takin' all the chances, Brigaud. Don't forget that. They ain't no use quarlin'. Hurry up now. Get this law batch tied up. Get him out of town. And don't forget to take his horse, too. Do I shoot the horse, too? No. He's a good-lookin' piece of horse flesh. Just turn him loose. Somebody'll find him. And maybe so I'll buy him. Now, wouldn't that be somethin'? Me a' ridin' on the Marshall's horse after I've disposed of the Marshall. That'd be a good joke on the Marshall, eh? Don't it make you feel all lovey-dovey? Yeah. See, I guess I'm sort of tire-hulled. I think I better turn in, though. Go on. Put your arm around me, Whitey. Don't be bashful. Yeah, all right, Hulled. You know, Whitey. There ain't no use in our waitin' around. I think we get married tomorrow. What'd you say, Hulled? You don't need to take your arm away. Put it back, Whitey. All right. There. We go into the yosters of peace and get it over with. We get married tomorrow afternoon. Yeah, but Hulled, that's sort of a sudden entity. Wait. You just met me this morning, you know? When I make up my mind, I make it up fast. We'd make a nice couple, I think. And when you're my husband, I'll start making you over the way I want you. Make me over? Well, what you going to do, Hulled? When I get through with you, Whitey, you won't know yourself. My death moon sure's 30 inches. Oh, I think I got the stomach ache. I don't feel so good, then. And I think I'm gonna feel hurt. You see that Jasper sittin' out there with Hulled? Any crow bait that'd put his arm around Hulled and try to snuggle up to that mountain is a braver man than me, Red. It ain't funny. We've got to get rid of him in fast. What do you mean, Red? I have got a United States Marshal back in the cave. Marshal? How'd you get him? Where'd he come from? A boss come up to him. I brought him out tonight, hard-tired. The boss told me to get rid of him. But this Jasper was Hulled, eh? You think he's a law-bedge, too? I think it's funny, he come here this morning the same time the marker showed up in town. Let's go get him now, then. No, no, we don't want any fight with Hulled. Not me. I'd rather tangle with a charge and bull and come up against Hulled with a war paint on. And when he gets away from the house, plug him. Hulled will never know what happened to him. And what he don't know won't hurt her. You mean it won't hurt us? Leave it to me, Red. I'll handle that critter. Lightning Jim escaped from Red. Will Slack get Whitey? And if he doesn't, how can Whitey get away from Hulled? Well, we'll find out in part two which follows immediately. Slack, two of the gang are in a secret cave on Red's ranch. The cost was a thousand dollars. So you didn't have the money from the cattle. Yeah, and he's getting a mug and he's on the land too and pretty soon he'll be foreclosed. He's going to pay me for killing this marker violent. Somebody's coming. Come out here in the daytime. Sorry to pay you as a visit in the daytime. That's fire eating the horse. Don, you kicked my brains out. I went to livery stable all right and tried to sneak him out but he went from crazy. I couldn't get near him. Well, where is the Marshall? You killed him like I said? Not yet. You little back scorpion. He's got to be killed and buried or flung in the river. The sheriff got all worked up when he found the Marshall's horse and couldn't locate the Marshall. He's got a whole posse out scaring the country for him. Where is he? He has got him tied up. Yeah, better than that. I took the ropes off of him and put a chain around his neck. Padlocked it on. He's back in the cave, came to a rock. Well, then I'll kill him myself with his own guns and dispose of his body. That could be the key to the padlock. Yeah, there it is. Then you clear out. We work it in plain sight on the ranch and come around. What are you going to do with the Marshall if you got him killed? I'll take care of that. I'll get going. Okay, boss. Well, it ain't the Marshall himself. Cheamed up like a dog. Now his guns is like a dog without his teeth. And I reckon I've got your teeth all right. It'll all get you braggled sooner or later. Not me. I'm too smart. Nobody else ever found this cave, did they? Well, I found it and figured out what a swell hiding place it would be. I planned all this. Plans have a way of falling through, Brigaud. Even the best one. Well, mine won't. I hold mortgages on all the ranches around here. The ranch is a ruin. I pour clothes, then I own all the land and it's legal. Nobody can trip me up. And now, do you know what I'm going to do? Oh, shoot me. I suppose right the first time. And with your own guns, too. I took him last night when you wasn't in the position to get. Hey, what are you? You might be a lucky omen. Get up, you mangy coyote. I have to choke you. Oh, don't kill me. I reckon the law will take care of that. Lucky to me, Red didn't tie my hands up. But it didn't take the trouble to search me. Get that key out for this padlock. I heard you asked Red for it. Come on. Nothing, Whitey. You've got to get cleaned up for the wedding. But, Hulda, I don't think you trust me. I'm going to marry, ain't I? What you're talking about? Well, there's funny business going around this place. I know that. Now, if you really trusted me, you'd tell me all about it. After we're married, it's soon enough to start telling you things. Hurry up with that mountain. I'm all ready to go. Don't I look nice, Whitey? Well, I don't think I want to marry nobody. They don't trust me. You ain't got nothing to say about this, Whitey. You're marrying me this afternoon, dead or alive. Maybe. Maybe I'll quit the game, then. Are you stuck because my brother worked for him? Your brother? You are my brother. But after I get me a husband to work for me, I think I'll quit. This ain't no place for a lady. Hey, Whitey, come on out here. I want one to see you quit. Oh, I come. Listen, Whitey. I'm going to take the bus board and go to town. I get the ring and the license. I wait for you at the justice of peace. Now, you be there by four o'clock. You hear? Hey, oh, there you. And if you ain't there by four o'clock, I come after you. You hear that, too? Dead going, Hulda. I keep him waiting, if I see like this. Now, remember, Whitey, four o'clock this afternoon at the justice of peace. And Whitey, hey, oh, you better buy a next time. If we're going to get married, it's got to be proper. And it ain't proper without a next time. Well, I can't figure none of this out. You will soon enough. Yeah, but we've walked right into the side of the hill. We can't go to place further. Lift up those vines there. Oh, where you mean these? Yeah. There's a cave. There's a cave here on the side of the hill. Go on in. Hurry up. Sure, but there's what we're going in the cave for, Slag. You wouldn't know, would you? You ain't been snooping around here trying to find this place, have you? Oh, no. You're just a little innocent baby. You want that? What you get to go in my bag for, Slag, ain't done nothing. Oh, and you ain't going into town and waited the justice of the peace. She's figuring out getting hitched this afternoon. I reckon hold her wait a long time. You're none of this out. Why, you fellas, kept it in for me anyway. Well, I heard some interesting news this morning. It seems the sheriff is out hunting your pal, the marshal. It seems that Lightning Jim was kind of disappeared. Disappeared? See what did you do this next door to Lightning? Ah! You tell me now, what did you do to Lightning? Well, I don't... Lightning did kill this morning. Ben, if you got any prayer to say, you better start saying them, cause you're going the same way. After the gangie, she and Emily. The justice of the peace can't live not in icing. Ah, mighty lucky you found out in time, ma'am. I'd hate to see you get hitched up to a dangerous criminal like this man. I think maybe you won't have to take him back to Yale, mister. I think maybe I'll take him to a park right now with you on my hand. And I won't put him...