Legend: Birth of a Legend
Jun. 12th, 2012 01:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lolmac posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
rda_dailyVera’s gunman, John Wesley Coe, pulls into town and sets up camp in the saloon, expecting Legend to come find him for a nice friendly shoot-out. Ernest would really rather not, but he can’t get out of it. He has a reputation to uphold, even if it isn’t exactly his own.
Once face to face with Coe, Ernest falls back on his own brand of genius:unmitigated BS glib talking.
In a dazzling display of verbal virtuosity, he convinces Coe to give up the whole hired-killer racket for something far more lucrative, not to mention safer and less stressful: writing dime novels!
Ernest advises Coe to write books based on his own exploits, promises to introduce Coe to his publisher, and dazzles him with visions of fat advances and royalties. The smarm is superb.
Coe and Ernest leave the saloon as partners, and Coe pauses at the door to tell Silas, “I quit.”
With Legend’s reputation shaping up nicely, Ernest drops in on the town’s next political rally – by hot-air balloon.
After all, in 19th century politics, one gasbag deserves another.
He schmoozes to such good effect that Vera decides to change tactics. She drops the charges against him – no more ‘disturbing livestock’ – and invites him to a nice cozy dinner.
Amongst the offerings on the menu: cognac, cigars, power, wealth, the governorship of Colorado . . . and, for dessert, a double helping of Ernest’s favorite dish.
But Ernest is playing Legend now. He turns it all down. Even the brandy.
Back at the lab, our heroes examine the plot for signs of resolution. But they’re interrupted by another attack by Vera’s thugs. This time, Brull, the head of the Hungarian homesteaders, is badly beaten.
Ernest gets cold feet. He makes up his mind to ditch the scheme and go home.
Next week: Bartok shoots from the metaphoric hip.
Once face to face with Coe, Ernest falls back on his own brand of genius:
In a dazzling display of verbal virtuosity, he convinces Coe to give up the whole hired-killer racket for something far more lucrative, not to mention safer and less stressful: writing dime novels!
Ernest advises Coe to write books based on his own exploits, promises to introduce Coe to his publisher, and dazzles him with visions of fat advances and royalties. The smarm is superb.
Coe and Ernest leave the saloon as partners, and Coe pauses at the door to tell Silas, “I quit.”
With Legend’s reputation shaping up nicely, Ernest drops in on the town’s next political rally – by hot-air balloon.
After all, in 19th century politics, one gasbag deserves another.
He schmoozes to such good effect that Vera decides to change tactics. She drops the charges against him – no more ‘disturbing livestock’ – and invites him to a nice cozy dinner.
Amongst the offerings on the menu: cognac, cigars, power, wealth, the governorship of Colorado . . . and, for dessert, a double helping of Ernest’s favorite dish.
But Ernest is playing Legend now. He turns it all down. Even the brandy.
Back at the lab, our heroes examine the plot for signs of resolution. But they’re interrupted by another attack by Vera’s thugs. This time, Brull, the head of the Hungarian homesteaders, is badly beaten.
Ernest gets cold feet. He makes up his mind to ditch the scheme and go home.
Next week: Bartok shoots from the metaphoric hip.
