When O.B. finishes, he lays the hammer down and says;

  O.B.

  Jesus Christ, that door’s a whore!

  Chris turns around and takes in the room and the people inside the room.

  CHRIS

  Oh, I get it, haberdashery, that was a joke.

  He sees John Ruth attached to Domergue at the bar.

  And on the other side of the room he sees the pot belly stove and the blue coffy pot on it.

  The very cold Chris and O.B. head for the coffy pot.

  CHRIS

  (to John Ruth)

  How’s the coffy?

  Moving over to the pot belly stove, and where he goes so goes Domergue, John Ruth says;

  JOHN RUTH

  Now, pretty good, if I do say so myself.

  O.B. finds the cups.

  Chris pours the coffy.

  John Ruth and Domergue join them.

  As does Oswaldo Mobray.

  Chris and O.B. drink the coffy.

  They both really like it.

  O.B.

  Damn that’s good.

  JOHN RUTH

  Thank you.

  Talking to Chris and O.B., John Ruth jerks his thumb in Oswaldo’s direction;

  JOHN RUTH

  Guess who he is?

  Chris takes a drink of coffy and guesses;

  CHRIS

  Buffalo Bill?

  The little English fop laughs at that;

  OSWALDO

  Ha ha ha—hardly. I’m Oswaldo Mobray, I’m The—

  John Ruth interrupts him.

  JOHN RUTH

  —He’s the hangman of Red Rock.

  Both Chris and O.B.’s eyes raise.

  CHRIS

  Oh, you are?

  Oswaldo smiles at him.

  OSWALDO

  Yes I am.

  Chris offers his hand to shake, they do.

  CHRIS

  Well good to meet you Mr.Mobray, I’m Chris Mannix the new sheriff in Red Rock.

  Both Joe Gage and The Old General look up to see who’s talking.

  John Ruth, chained to Domergue, says;

  JOHN RUTH

  (loudly)

  Horseshit!

  Mr.Mannix and Mr.Mobray finish shaking hands, they both look to rude Ruth.

  CHRIS

  Pay no attention to him.

  John Ruth continues with his boorish behavior;

  JOHN RUTH

  (loudly)

  HORSE-SHIT!

  Chris continues with the introductions, despite John Ruth;

  CHRIS

  (to Oswaldo)

  Fella’ next to me is a hellva’ driver named O.B.

  Oswaldo and O.B. shake hands.

  JOHN RUTH

  That’s the only thing you said that’s the truth.

  Chris ignores him.

  CHRIS

  (to Oswaldo)

  You comin’ into Red Rock to hang Lance Lawson?

  OSWALDO

  Precisely.

  CHRIS

  Do you have your execution orders on you?

  OSWALDO

  In my bag.

  CHRIS

  May I see them?

  OSWALDO

  Of course.

  Even John Ruth would have to admit, if Chris is lying.… he sure is a convincing liar.

  Oswaldo goes over to the BAG he left near the cozy chair by the fireplace, next to The Old General. He opens it searching for the papers.

  John Ruth asks Chris;

  JOHN RUTH

  Who’s Lance Lawson?

  CHRIS

  He’s a fella’ been sittin’ in the Red Rock jail about a month now. He’s the fella’—who shot the fella’—who was sheriff ’fore me.

  Chris moves over by the fire, and takes the papers that Oswaldo hands to him.

  He reads them.

  Everybody in the room watches him read the papers.

  As he reads, Oswaldo asks him;

  OSWALDO

  What did she mean when she said, the bounty hunter’s nigger friend in the stable?

  CHRIS

  (still reading)

  He’s got a nigger bounty hunter friend in the stable.

  OSWALDO

  All that just to guard her?

  Finishing with the papers;

  CHRIS

  I don’t think that was the original idea, but that’s the idea now.

  He hands Oswaldo back his papers.

  OSWALDO

  So the new sheriff of Red Rock, and an African bounty hunter? Five of you? Well well well, looks like Minnie’s Haberdashery is about to get cozy over the next few days.

  CHRIS

  Yes it does.

  As Oswaldo puts away his papers, he asks Chris;

  OSWALDO

  Are you the chap with the Lincoln letter?

  CHRIS

  The Lincoln what?

  OSWALDO

  The letter from Abraham Lincoln?

  CHRIS

  President Abraham Lincoln?

  OSWALDO

  Yes, weren’t you pen pals?

  CHRIS

  With the President?

  OSWALDO

  I’m sorry, I heard somebody in your party had a letter from Abraham Lincoln, I assumed it was you.

  CHRIS

  Well I ain’t got no letter from Lincoln, and I can assure you, we weren’t pen pals.

  John Ruth INTERRUPTS and EXPLAINS;

  JOHN RUTH

  Not him! The black fella’ in the stable.

  OSWALDO

  The nigger in the stable has a letter from Abraham Lincoln?

  JOHN RUTH

  Yeah.

  CHRIS

  (to John Ruth)

  The nigger in the stable has a letter from Abraham Lincoln?

  INT—MINNIE’S STABLE—DAY

  Speaking of Maj.Warren, he and Bob The Mexican have just finished feeding and watering the horses in the stable.

  MAJ.WARREN

  What’s your name?

  BOB

  Bob.

  MAJ.WARREN

  Warren.

  They shake hands.

  MAJ.WARREN

  (CON’T)

  Minnie and Sweet Dave inside?

  BOB

  Minnie and Sweet Dave went to visit her mother on the north side of the mountain.

  MAJ.WARREN

  What, you tellin’ me they ain’t here?

  BOB

  Yes. They’re visiting her mother.

  MAJ.WARREN

  Her mother? I didn’t know Minnie had a mother.

  BOB

  Everybody’s got a mother.

  MAJ.WARREN

  I suppose. And they left you in charge?

  BOB

  Si.

  MAJ.WARREN

  That sure don’t sound like Minnie.

  BOB

  Are you callin’ me a liar?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Not yet I ain’t. But it sure do sound peculiar.

  BOB

  What sounds peculiar?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Well for one, Minnie just never struck me as the sentimental type.

  And two, I can’t imagine Sweet Dave liftin’ his fat ass outta’ his chair long enough to fetch well water, unless Minnie was layin’ a fryin’ pan upside his head. No less takin’ trips to the north side.

  BOB

  That sounds a whole lot like you’re calling me a liar, mi negro amigo.

  MAJ.WARREN

  It does sound a whole lot like it. But I still ain’t done it yet. Minnie still serve food?

  BOB

  Do you consider stew food?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Yes.

  BOB

  Then we serve food.

  MAJ.WARREN

  Minnie still stink up the place with her “Old Quail” pipe tobacco?

  BOB

  Minnie doesn’t smoke a pipe. She rolls her own. “Red Apple Tobacco”.

  But mi negro amigo… I think you already know this?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Just seein’ if you do, Senor Bob.

  The stand off is over. They both open the stable door, and brave the brutal elements to get inside Minnie’s with the others.

  INT—MINNIE’S HABERDASHERY—DAY

  MEDIUM SHOT OF CHRIS

  looking at something that’s surprising him.

  CHRIS

  Well cut my legs off and call me Shorty…

  .… is that Gen.Sanford Smithers I see?

  The Old General looks up from his chair at the young Southerner.

  Chris smiles at him.

  The Old Man smiles back.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  You’ve got a good eye son.

  Chris lets out a laugh and a twirl;

  CHRIS

  I’ll be double dogged damned!

  General Sandy “Don’t Give A Damn” Smithers!

  Chris salutes the Old General.

  CHRIS

  (CON’T)

  Cap’t. Chris Mannix, Mannix Marauders.

  Gen.Smithers returns the salute.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  Erskine’s boy?

  CHRIS

  Yes sir.

  Chris points to the empty cozy chair covered in animal skins, across from The Old General.

  CHRIS

  (CON’T)

  May I sit down, sir?

  Instead of cordially inviting the young respectful man to sit down, the Old Man says curtly;

  GEN.SMITHERS

  According to the Yankees, it’s a free country. Do what you want.

  That wasn’t quite a yes, but Chris decides to ignore it. I mean his nickname is “Don’t Give A Damn”. So Chris sits down anyway.

  CHRIS

  Boy did my daddy talk about you. I heard you gave those Blue Bellies sweet hell.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  Me and my boys did our part. As did Erskine and his boys. I never knew your father, son. But, I respected his resolve.

  CHRIS

  Thank you for saying that, General. Your respect woulda’ meant the world to him. Can I getcha’ some coffy?

  GEN.SMITHERS

  That would be nice.

  Chris stands up from the chair, heads over to the pot belly stove, and pours two cups of coffy from the blue coffy pot. As he pours he talks across the room at the Old Man;

  CHRIS

  So what bring you out Wyoming way, sir?

  If ya’ don’t mind me askin’?

  The Old General never moves from his chair.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  My boy.

  CHRIS

  You gotta’ boy lives in Red Rock?

  Chris comes back carrying two cups of coffy.

  He places one on the table next to the General.

  As he sips the other, he sits down on the cozy chair covered in animal skins.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  My son, Chester Charles Smithers, died out here a few years back.

  CHRIS

  Forgive me sir.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  No forgiveness needed. Like I said, it was a few years back. It was after he served his service. He took off for the hills of Wyoming to make his fortune. Never to be heard from again. I’ve bought him a symbolic plot in the Red Rock cemetery. I’m here to instruct the stone maker of the headstone.

  CHRIS

  Is he a goner fer’ sure? No chance he could be livin’ “the cold life” out in the woods? It’s a rough life. But folks can learn it.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  If he had done what he came to do, he’d a come home.

  CHRIS

  Where’s home?

  GEN.SMITHERS

  Georgia.

  CHRIS

  Well what say we have a drink to Chester Charles Smithers? A drink to your service to The South, sir. And a drink to the great state of Georgia.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  I’d like a drink from Erskine Mannix’s boy to my boy.

  CHRIS

  And that’s a drink I’d like to drink.

  Chris stands up, walks over to Joe Gage’s table, borrows the Brandy bottle, and snags two empty coffy cups. Returning to the table in front of the Old General, he pours the Brandy into the two cups. And while still standing, he picks up one of the cups and raises it high to toast the sitting General.

  CHRIS

  This is a drink to Chester Charles Smithers. This is a drink to one man’s commitment to a cause. And this is to the red in Georgia clay.

  The Southern General and Captain drink the Brandy.

  CHRIS

  General Sandy Smithers. It’s a small damn world.

  JOHN RUTH & DOMERGUE

  sitting at the bar. He hears Chris say that, and leans over to Domergue and says quietly;

  JOHN RUTH

  I don’t know about the world. But this goddamn mountain sure seems pretty fuckin’ small.

  THEN..…

  BOB KICKS IN THE FRONT DOOR—The WIND from outside WHIPS INTO THE ROOM—Bob and Maj.Warren step quickly inside, Bob SLAMS the DOOR SHUT behind him—CUTTING OFF THE WIND—Bob says to the Major;

  BOB

  You have to hold it closed, while I nail it shut.

  MAJ.WARREN

  Really? Who’s the idiot who broke the damn door?

  BOB

  Just hold it closed.

  Maj.Warren gives him one of “his looks” then turns towards the door, holding it as Bob pounds nails into two pieces of wood holding the door closed.

  As the Mexican hammers the nails into wood, Maj.Warren turns around and gets his first good look at the People Inside.

  Like O.B. and to some degree John Ruth, Maj.Warren has been here before. But he’s never been here WITHOUT Minnie and Sweet Dave. And to see the familiar place filled with unfamiliar people makes the Major uneasy.

  As Maj.Warren removes his hat, he notices Joe Gage and Oswaldo still wearing theirs.

  When he finishes, Bob puts down the hammer, as Maj.Warren turns to him;

  MAJ.WARREN

  A lotta’ hats, Senor Bob?

  BOB

  Huh?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Considering Minnie’s no hats indoors policy? If I remember it correctly, that was one of them BAR OF IRON rules.

  Kinda rule, I’d think, she’d want kept up in her absence. But you seem to have a laissez faire attitude when it comes to the hats.

  Bob turns to the sass mouth black Major;

  BOB

  I’m guilty. I have a laissez faire attitude about the hats. How about we forget about the hats today, considering there’s a blizzard going on and all, and make tomorrow “No Hat Day”?

  Bob makes his quip and F.O.’s (fucks off). Major Warren looks at the People Inside.

  John Ruth and Domergue sitting at the bar with an official looking blonde fellow in a grey business suit.

  Chris sitting in a nice chair by the fireplace, with an Old Man in a Grey Confederate Officer Uniform.

  And a lone cow poke sitting by himself at a table.

  He sees O.B. sitting at the picnic table. Maj.Warren goes over to the pot belly stove, picks up the blue coffy pot and pours himself a cup. He then sits down across from O.B. at the picnic table.

  MAJ.WARREN

  O.B..…? I gotta’ proposition for ya’.

  O.B.

  Well what do you propose?

  MAJ.WARREN

  You asked for two hundred and fifty dollars the first time, right?

  O.B.

  Yeah.

  MAJ.WARREN

  How ’bout three hundred and fifty?

  O.B.

  How ’bout it?

  MAJ.WARREN

  You help me take them three fella’s down from off the roof, stash ’em in snow, and when the snow melts, help me tie ’em back on?

  O.B.

  And same deal about the booze and the bitches in Red Rock?

  MAJ.WARREN

  Same deal.

  O.B.

  You gotta’ deal Smoke.

  They shake hands.

  As the two men prepare to go outside, Gen.Smithers sits in his chair looking at Maj.Warren with bitterness.

  Chris Mannix notices it.

  CHRIS

  You know that nigger, sir?

  GEN.SMITHERS

  I don’t know that nigger. I know he’s a nigger. That’s all I need to know.

  Chris laughs to himself.

  CHRIS

  Well that nigger just ain’t any nigger. That nigger is—

  Just as Chris Mannix was going to name Major Marquis Warren to the Old Man, Major Marquis Warren YELLS out across the room;

  MAJ.WARREN

  General Sanford Smithers?

  This gets everybody’s attention.

  MAJ.WARREN

  (CON’T)

  Battle of Baton Rouge?

  Everybody looks from Maj.Warren to the old man.

  The Old General never looks in the direction of the black Major.

  But he addresses Chris sitting across from him.

  GEN.SMITHERS

  Inform this nigger in the Cavalry uniform, I had a division of Confederates under my command in Baton Rouge.