Scenes 4 and 5

(again, photo and production design credit to BWA Aaron)

Scene 4

(Ten Gallon, Deputy Colby, and Little Little are riding their horses down the main street of Thrasherville at a slow pace. A blonde lady in a scarlet dress waves at them from a balcony at the Philips Hotel. Deputy Colby acknowledges with a nod, Little Little tips his hat, Ten Gallon looks at her briefly but doesn’t respond. They pass the blacksmith’s shop. The proprietor, or blacksmith, is a feller named Johnny “the Wolf” Anderson. He’s a grizzled old cuss, with a seen-it-all look in his eyes and an impressive walrus mustache, but he retains his blonde hair and some measure of youthful vigor. He nods at our heroes as they trot past. Our trio nods back.)

LITTLE LITTLE

Reckon how long it’s been since Old Man Anderson came to Thrasherville?

DEPUTY COLBY

I ain’t sure, but he’s always had that you-neek system of blacksmithin’. (whistles) Boy, it’s risky, but it damn sure gets results, I’ll tell you what!

(By and by the boys come to the train station. This, clearly, is where they’ll pick up the men they keep calling “empyreans.”)

DEPUTY COLBY

I really don’t see why we need these empyreans. Thrasherville is already overrun with ‘em. If it were up to me---

TEN GALLON

Shut your trap Deputy, and that’s an order.

LITTLE LITTLE

Can sheriffs order people around, like in the military?

DEPUTY COLBY

Little man, you sure got a lot to learn about life with Ten Gallon Dick.

Scene 5

(Back on the train with Max, Nik, Pavel, and Nik’s coyote)

PAVEL

Don’t you think you might get kicked off the train for carrying around this coyote?

NIK

They know not to mess with me or him. I’ve been around the railroads long enough to...shall we say...cultivate certain interests.

MAXIM

(clearly a bit shocked) You are involved with the railroad racket?

NIK

Well, it is not a racket. It’s more a---

(Maxim interrupts him in Russian, and Nik responds in kind. The two grow more intense and rail at each other in Russian for a moment. Pavel looks back and forth at them before interrupting)

PAVEL

Wait wait wait! What is this about?

MAXIM

This man is involved in some shadowy business practices.

(Nik sits silently, picking his teeth with a toothpick and and contemplating his fur hat, which he’s set down on a short table next to the window)

PAVEL

Now now, gentlemen. We are newcomers to a strange new town. Outsiders, all of us. We need to stick together and mustn’t impeach one another’s characters like this.

MAXIM

(arms crossed, and thoughtful for a moment) You’re right. I apologize, Mr. Nikolai.

NIK

(slight nod) Accepted.

MAXIM

So...what are the financial problems of this coyote?

NIK

It’s too complicated to explain briefly, I’m afraid.

MAXIM

I see.

NIK

I’ve been helping him out a bit, and the reason I decided to come to Thrasherville is that I’ll be receiving a pretty penny from a rancher there. That’ll make more money to help Misha here out.

(Nik pulls out some tobacco and rolling paper. He rolls a cigarette for himself, then pulls a pipe out of his coat pocket. He dabs some tobacco into the pipe, and offers it to Misha the Coyote. Misha eagerly accepts, and sits upright next to Nik puffing away.)

MAXIM

A pipe-smoking coyote from the American West named Misha. Who could imagine such things?!

PAVEL

I must admit I’ve seen stranger.

MAXIM

Like what?

PAVEL

(suddenly a bit distant) Oh, I don’t know. Remind me to tell you some of my stories sometime. Perhaps even over brandy tonight in the bar.

NIK

So what brings you to Thrasherville, Maxim?

MAXIM

Well...I more or less got an offer from the Russian sheriff over there. He wants me to join his force. Not as an actual policeman, understand, but as an analyst, a...a...

NIK

Detective?

MAXIM

Sort of, yes. Yes, a detective.

(Maxim turns and looks out the window at the rolling cacti and red rock. Nik and Misha continue to smoke. Nik offers Pavel a cigarette, which Pavel declines.)