 strange notions of etiquette. It strikes me you've got rather original manners yourself. Is this your usual introduction? I'm sorry. My name is Emerson. If you say the name... Well, it's my watchdog. He was acting under my orders. We'll try to make up for our bad manners if you'll stay to dinner, will you? We have to look after your dog. I'd forgotten what decent linen felt like. And the touch of pure crescent and refinement like myself. It's about as peaceful as smoking a cigarette on a cake of dynamite. You've walked into a neat little knockdown and drag out, mister. Is that why I got the chili reception? They thought you were on my side and both thought you were on theirs. You see, the salmon syndicate owns this town of Calvick. They're chief fishing port, salmon. And the village has orders not to give shelter even to a dying man. Well, it's against every decent law of the North country. Syndicates afraid strangers will come, find gold or copper, and stampede the workers away from the fishery. And they're trying to force you out? This is a foul, mostly foul. But they wouldn't harm you, a woman. Wouldn't they, though? The man who owns the syndicate considers murder just an incident of business. Fred Marsh. Some day nice and strong. He tried to steal my fishing place. You see my canry shed out there? They ain't got no machinery in it on account of Marsh. He wrecked my... I simply can't understand it. A woman used to... Well, things like this. Chooses to live in this North country. Endure its hardships and violence. Oh, I'd rather enjoy it at times. And other women have done it. Yes, other women. But not... Excuse me for changing the subject. But may I trouble you to slip me the... For no reason, mister? No, I meant to kick him. That is, I mean... For a young fellow like you? Neither one of us can afford to be too finicky. I fancy he could arrange board and lodging. You mean in some jail? I'm afraid so myself. Like some society day. You tell? Not me, brother. Not me. I ain't saying a word. There's nothing much to talk about. It's a tough game. But stay with it. You'll get a break. Getting more to life than rolling up a pile of money. Sounds like something out of a copy book. But there's something bigger than finding a gold mine. And that's... Finding yourself. Well, I'd need a guide to find even myself. You've got some pretty good guides in this country, mister. Oh, it isn't so easy to quit. Quitting can be harder than hanging on. But I'm through. Don't say that. I don't believe it. You're just tired. Things will look brighter in the morning. Praise up, mister. I'll be just as broke in the morning. Broke? What of it? I guess you've never been broke. Cold, stony, broke. And you've got another guest coming. I've been so broke a dime would have looked as big as a soup plate. You want out, though? I guess you do need a guide. Money's easy to get. Too darn easy. What would you do to get money? Ask me what I wouldn't do. Just give me a chance. You know, I think I will at that. Of course it ain't none of my business. But we've been here ten days now. Eating regular, Richard. Am I squawking? Don't worry to count of how they go out together every morning. And they're gone all day. That was a run. It does things to the old body, doesn't it? I thought I never wanted to see a dog sled again. Come on, let's tell the boys. Bald, shake hands with your new partner. Him? My partner? Listen, Bald, you've got the best fishing sight in Alaska. Yeah. But you need money to put machinery in that canning shed of yours. $200,000. Boyd's going to get it for you. You remember Tom Hilliard? Tom? Yeah. Tom Hilliard was a gnome. He was a banker, but a good man anyway. Well, Tom's in Seattle now. That's where Boyd's going, and you're going with him. Boyd will get the money, you'll buy supplies and round up your fishing gang. You mean it? You won't be scared of rough work. You fight? Will you fight dirty? The dirtier the better. You'll have your hands full in Seattle with Bald. He's never been in the city before. So long, Fraser. You're going on a strange trail this time, Bald. You mind Emerson, savvy? Why are you doing it for me? You may be cussing me before you're through. It's not because... because you're sorry for me. Sorry? For a big healthy bowhunk like you? You've put me on my feet. You've helped me find myself. I'm just pointing out the way. You've got to fight the trail yourself. Goodbye, Boyd. Good luck. Jack-o'-war? I'm afraid I'm being a darn fool. Yes, ma'am. Loud, ain't it? Loud? Yes, big fella. Would I stare your own? Look at me, skimmer. Huh? It's terrible. All my life, I always wanted a hat like this. Well, I'm glad I noticed this. Our next stop will be a manicure parlor. You mean one of those places where women cleans your fingernails and shines them up? Oh, gosh, I don't want it. No, I'll be a hick all your life. I'll do that. A woman fooling around my fingers? I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go back to the hotel and wash my own hands. Welcome to the boat. The loan will be put through and $200,000 placed to your credit for the end of the week. And I can go ahead and order my machinery? Charter the boat? You've been mighty generous about this, Mr. Hilliard. Nonsense. It's only that I happen to be familiar with conditions up there. By the way, how's Cherry? That is Miss Mallott. Remarkable woman, isn't she? Well, she's been a great pal to me, Mr. Hilliard. A real friend. Kind of pal one man is to another. Yes, of course. Quite so. Man to man, you might say. I'll see you in a couple of days then. Thanks again. So long. Darling. Brother, you got a pair of mitts. If you ever had your fortune told, you'd have to hire three palm readers. You see, we're both big, strong, silent men. From them open spaces. Oh. Look, lady, you didn't do this one so good. You don't want them too shiny. I want mine too shiny. Do that way again with a little shoe brush, eh? Well, this is where you hot sports hang out. This is his third manicure. It's new. I've been looking all over for you. We go to work tomorrow. Me? Work? Got the money from Tom, isn't it? And you can start buying your machinery and supplies and rounding up that fishing gang of yours. See you in the morning. Early. So long. It's kind of grand, ain't it? He's my secretary, sort of. Oh. Say, how about you and me making the sirloin steak look ridiculous after you get through shooing this horse? Simply a wrap-up for strong, silent guys. Hey, lady, you forgot this one. It's romantic, of course, but you can't really marry him, dear girl. Emerson is still a pauper. You're just being one of these fussy old-fashioned fathers. Alas, I'm afraid it's the fate of fathers to seem old-fashioned and fussy. Boy, it's not after my money. More's the pity. And we could be happy without a penny. You don't really believe that, old girl, do you? Well, no, to be entirely truthful. You're used to pennies. You're spoiled, my precious lamb, and downright selfish. It's because you want me to marry Freddie, isn't it, old boy? Well, to be entirely truthful. I won't, do you hear? I won't marry Freddie. I don't care if he is your friend. Come, come now, comfort of my declining years. Welcome, Freddie, old boy. Just been discussing you. Not too unkind, that first. I've just been saying I wouldn't marry you on a bet, Freddie. But why not? Because their father favors it, of course. You should have a little respect for your father's wishes. Well, I have. Don Little. That's all right, boss. I'll find the way. The conquering hero? Hello, Emerson, my boy. Glad to see you again. Freddie, I'd like you to meet Mr. Emerson. You've heard us speak of him. Boy, this is Mr. Marsh. Frederick Marsh. And this is the young man who went to seek his fortune in Alaska. Found that I trust. While looking for it, I had the pleasure of trying to find shelter in your town, Calvick. Oh, I'm sorry. We have to take our steps to discourage competitors. Well, this time you encouraged one. I might as well tell you right now, Mr. Marsh. I'm going to run a fishery at Calvick. That's interesting. But I doubt if you'll get financial backing for such a scheme. Then you may be surprised to find that I've already arranged for credit. Today, right in this town, and my fishery won't fail. And no crooked work will make it fail. What boy? Good. And good luck to you. If there's anything I can do to help you, any little bit of advice, why? In our interests. What a mymphom. You know, I am terribly afraid he's not going to succeed at the fishing game. You know, so am I. Terribly. Pretty good scrapper. Only weakens. Now in 15 minutes. But after that, he gets tired. I'll lick him every spring. He's fighting every year? Gotta lick him, otherwise the men won't work for me. That's your rule with the fishing gang. They only take orders from the best scrapper. That's what a good fight we have. You lick me plenty. And I can do it again, you monkey-faced muttonhead. Next time I think I lick you. Hot wallet there. He's wanted more time to look into it. Oh, that's a star, like one of them conference. This was Marsh. It was not Marsh. Not Marsh alone. He couldn't stop every bank in this town. And I've been to all of them. It was Marsh who we got in the hole. That's things about Freddy. He's too big a man to stand in the way of your deal. Oh, too big for me, eh? You're not jealous of Freddy. Well, why shouldn't I be? I know your father wants you to marry him. Dear Boyd, if your heart's really set on going away, leaving me... Don't say it that way, Mildred. It's for us. If Freddy Marsh is really stopping your deal, I'm sure father knows something about it. And I'll speak to father. Or it won't be asking help. It'll only be telling him to call off his dog. Not that way. I won't ask any favors. But you won't be. I will. Just leave it to me. Come on, let's forget it. And that. Shall we? I don't think it's going to happen. I ain't to disappoint you. I'm sure you won't, Tom. Same old cherry melotte. You haven't changed a bit. You haven't changed a bit either, have you? Still got your apartment, Tom? You ought to see it. I wonder. Let's have a showdown, Tom. Let's hold up this Amazon deal. Marsh? It's tougher than that. It's Marsh, backed by Wayne Whalen. And I'm afraid you have changed after all. I've taken orders only until I had a chance to talk with you. Except you, Cherry. All right, let's talk business. Are you stuck on this fellow, Emerson? That's funny. Me fooling for a young fellow like him? He doesn't need to know I'm in town. That's how crazy I am about him. Well, I'm glad to hear that. I didn't want to see Emerson make a jump out of it. Say, that boy hasn't got a crooked hair in his head. Why, he's the cleanest, straightest? I thought so. No. You aren't stuck on him. You lied to me, Cherry. Lied like a gentleman. Let's get down to cases, Tom. Some society girl? His girl, Cherry. Whalen's daughter. That's why Whalen's blocking the deal. I suppose he thinks Emerson isn't good enough for her, huh? Not rich enough. And he's trying to keep him from getting any richer. Are you going to let him do it, Tom? It's up to you, Cherry. I guess I had a hunch all the time there was a girl somewhere. I'm afraid I didn't want to believe it. I'm sorry, Cherry. Don't be sorry for me. I'll get along. You've handed it to me right on the chin. But I had it coming. Oh, let's get out of here. Where'll it be? How about that apartment of yours? Oh, oh. Emerson gone out? Yeah, dressed up in them funny pants for riding a horseback. He's gone out? Someday, Boyd. Every day like this. Only will ride my horses, not your father's. Now don't grumble and spoil our little breakfast. Telephone for Mr. Emerson. Yes, this is Emerson. What? No. You really mean it? My board of directors decided after all to approve the loan. Well, I don't know how to thank you. Don't thank me. And I really can go ahead? Goodbye. You did it for me. And I thought you hadn't even seen your father. But I haven't, I... Kibber, lovely little liar. How else could it have happened? Happy, wasn't he? He's like a big boy. I dare say he thinks he did it himself. That's the way I want it to be. I don't understand you, Cherry. You want me to weep on your shoulders? Just because he doesn't like me, it doesn't change him, does it? He's a nice boy. You're a mighty good loser. Don't weaken, old man. That was our bargain. Emerson gets the $200,000, and you get my copper mine. My word for it, it'll make you rich. What are you going to do, Cherry? Do? I think I'll head back to Kalvick. This little scrap's just started. He may need someone who knows how to fight. Maybe fight dirty. He says, aren't you? How's it going? Oh, just great. Machinery's all in, the traps are set. It's up to the salmon now. The fish'll keep their date. Oh, I'm going to win this time, Cherry. Sure you are. For her. Oh, I've got to. For her. Well, I have to be getting down at the dock. I'll see you later. I'll be missing if I have to. Remember what happened to Boris Putman's sister, don't you? We don't want no more killings. Don't worry, we won't have any. I'll ask her before your shippecition, you know. Well, you're going to get a lot of it and get me. I'll get you. What's about women? That was a neat little trick you pulled on Tom Hilliard. It's the name out of this. I wasn't thinking of her. Well, that one seems real. It's touching. I'm sorry you won't listen to me. They'll send out men with nets to stop our salmon. Can he do that legally? Sure he can, legally. But we don't catch salmon with lawyers. We'll do that, but they quit just the same. Mr. Marsh promised more bigger wages. But we made a contract in Seattle. Well, I have to give you another listen. Hey, Gully, I think this time I'll lick you. But we don't fight. Mr. Marsh, give us more money. What? You won't fight. You won't fight like I'm there. Gettin' shitty. Hey, Gully, you can't say those things. This time I'll lick you so you have a funeral. You're a poor, lopsided sausage. Can I? You know my battles for me, understand? Get slanted. Quit, huh? Then I'm giving you a chance to clear out before I run you out. You know that's exactly what I was... Tell me that. Brawling like a street tough. Attacking Fred Marsh's men. Did Marsh tell you that? And did you believe him? I believe what I choose to believe about this and about the woman with whom you are so well friendly to be polite about it. I mean Cherry, my lot. Cherry? She's refined and decent, I suppose. Perhaps that's why you never told me about her. Why? I didn't think you'd be interested. Rather lame, Boyd. But I found out about her. How you brought her back with you. How you sent her to Hilliard. You know that's not true, Mildred. Pretty shabby, wasn't it? And such a woman. A hanger on in men's camp. That's a lie. I'd rather gather that. A very dear friend. So very dear that you came to me from her arms. I won't let you say things like that about her. I'll bring her here. She'll tell you. Do you think really I'd be interested in the type? Meanwhile, of course, our engagement. Mildred. Mildred, you don't mean that. You can't. She went away. Don't lie to me. Where is she? Where'd she go? She went away last night in a boat with Clammyo. She burned from being a regular fellow? I never knew. I'll give you that money all of a sudden. Did she really do that? Don't tell me you didn't. Why, we all knew that. Even bolt. I went to Hilliard and the next day you got to know, didn't you? You're all the way down here from Nome. And you ain't told me yet what for. Don't you worry, Queenie. I'll tell you in plenty of time. I hope it's something exciting. It'll be exciting, all right. It should be after that long trip. That's like old times, ain't it? You bet, Queenie. Only you never used to smoke cigarettes. Oh, I'm going to the dog something terrible. Going to have company? One of the local girls, Cherry. I told Wanch, ain't she? Private, eh? Oh, excuse me. Queenie's one of my old friends from Nome. Quite a type, isn't she? Isn't she, though? Have a cigarette? I want to talk with you. Well, go ahead. We both speak the same language. Just a couple of dames and love with the same fellow. Then you are in love with him. I might as well go. I can't use the same methods you used to hold him. Why not? Something in your book of etiquette about that, too? When I love a man, I don't need any rules. Obviously. I shouldn't have come. I might have known your sort. You don't have to put me in my place. I know about me, just like Queenie. Only I managed to get a better break. I'm not interested in your confession. Not a confession. It's a boast. You can have Boyd Emerson for all of me. Oh, no, I can't. Boyd could never forgive me for being... well, for being Cherry Melotte. Can you blame him? No, men being what they are. And women of a certain type being what they are. You don't know my sort. But I can see through you like a window. And not such a clean window at that. I love Boyd. I'm not ashamed of it. There's nothing to be ashamed of, no matter what you think in that dirty little mind of yours. If I'd wanted to hold him that way, you'd never have seen him again. I don't want to see him again. I won't take him from you. You take him because you've been taking things all your life. I often just share everything with him. Sure you have. There's a name for the man who takes that kind of money from a woman. And you lied to him. Let him believe you fixed that loan with Hilliard. You mean to tell me that he didn't know you did that and how you did it? You talk to me like that. You? Why you? Now don't be scared. I won't dirty my hands on you. I'm Cherry Melotte. They know about me from San Francisco to Sitka. My reputation's got marks on it. I couldn't rub off if I wanted to. I am what I am. I don't know how they finally settle things in this world or the next. But when the day comes, I'll stand there with my chin up and take what's coming to me. And I wouldn't trade places with you, you white-libered, sweet-smelling hypocrite. They gave me a one-way deserved to be. Get out shooting off your lip. Get to your block. Not while you're still working. I'm quitting it on myself. Better turn in. You need it. Go on. What about you? About me? I can guess. It's not true, Cherry. Tell me it's not true. It's true, all right. I thought you knew. Everybody knows about Cherry Melotte. Do you think if I'd known that I'd have accepted your help? Why not? I didn't ask you any questions, did I? When you came here broke and ready to quit, you weren't so fussy then either. But it's not too late. Go back to her. She won't have me. Not since she knows about you. Marge. No, she's not. She'll forgive you. I know, Boyd. You know. What can a woman of your kind know about her? You... Let's not start calling names. I'm just a little tired myself. Oh, you don't want names, huh? That truth hurts, doesn't it? I'll name a few names. You're nothing but a... Well, you certainly named a few names, all right. And I could have loved you. Could you, Boyd? I could have loved you. You're kind of a fool I've been. Thinking you were a pal. Helping me find myself. I've found myself, all right? And I've found out about you. You killed every hope I've had. You lied to me. You cheated me. Why ought I... No, he's a fellow, ain't he? And drinking? He ain't worth crying about, honey. No guy is. No, I guess not. Knowing that doesn't help much, does it? The funny part is, of course, he's really in love with you. Did you hear what he called me? Rather have the guy I love talk to me like that and think he meant it, than talk refined and poetic. And no, he didn't. He meant it, all right. If he wasn't crazy about you, would he go to all that trouble to tell you how much he hates you? It's true, though. If you weren't so stuck on him, you wouldn't have seen him in a minute. I suggest an explanation, madam. You're going to get it, mister, and don't call me madam. And that ain't all you're going to get, daddy. I apologize to all of you. It's been a misunderstanding, and I'm afraid it's mostly my fault. But I'm going to square it. Don't weaken, kid. I'm told Miss Whelan is engaged to file a complaint. I'm told Miss Whelan is engaged to Fred Marsh. I just want to tell you that she isn't. She can't marry him because... It's a lie. It's a rotten frame up. Why, Freddie, darling, how you talk. You see, Marsh is already married to Queenie here. Why I never saw her before in my life. I tell you, it's blackmail. Better straighten this out, Marsh. Why, I thought she was dead. You mean you wished I was dead, but I ain't, and I got the married certificate and everything. Of course such things can happen, but not to my daughter. I'm sorry I had to do this this way. Be good to him, won't you? You're very certain, aren't you, that I'll have him. Just two days. Stuck on the same fellow. I'll send him out to you. Don't let him go again. Goodbye. Close it, fella. Found her once and then we're a fool. I know I've been a fool. Thank goodness. A bad woman got on the yacht and she gave Marsh the old... Waiting. Oh, boy, dear, dear, boy. Let's forget what's happened. I understand. You still believe that Cherry and I... Oh, she'll forget too. That kind forgets easily. Some other man... No, you don't understand. I don't think you ever understood. Don't talk, boy. Just take me in your arms. I'll forgive everything. She's the one I've got to ask to forgive. Put your arms around me, Boyd. The yacht's moving. Oh, we're going home. Boyd, you can't leave. I won't let you. Titan, keep your eye on that innocent outfit. I'm only dropping down the coast for this mo... You'll get over it. Sure, I'll get over it. Boyd. Boyd. It's because you're sorry for me. Sorry? For you? Oh, forgive me, Cherry. There's no past, no yesterday. Only tomorrow. And tomorrow. I love you so.