When they reach the first stop there is bad news. The soldiers, including Lucy’s husband, have gone out after the Apache and if the stagecoach goes on it will have no protection because the soldiers who have been with them so far have orders to return. Who decides whether the go forward or go back? Curly tells everyone they will decide by voting (the American democratic way) and he courteously asks Mrs. Mallory for her vote. But as he turns to Mr. Peacock for his vote, Ringo immediately reminds him to ask the “other lady” first. This shocks everyone and especially Dallas because…Dallas is no “lady”! As a prostitute, Dallas would figure very low on the social ladder, but Ringo apparently has no idea that she is a prostitute. Later we learn that he is just eighteen years old (although John Wayne was thirty-one at the time). He is too young and innocent to understand what she is…perhaps.

Ringo is exactly the type of westerner we might call “the cowboy gentleman”. The word “gentleman” came into use in the English language in England with The Reform Act 1832, which enabled the middle classes to come into their own. The word gentleman came into common use to signify not a distinction of noble blood, but a distinction of position, education and manners. But Americans, especially Westerners, took this idea further. All men were required to act like gentleman (that is, show good manners) when they were around “ladies”, and this included men who were obviously working class, like cowboys. To this day, you will still find that some of the most well-mannered people you will ever meet in America are these “cowboy gentlemen”. In the 1880s such a cowboy gentleman might shoot a man who touched his hat, but he would be certain to take his hat off to a lady. Now watch Except #2.

Who is this man really? Why won’t he tell her his real name? He is a mystery.

Meanwhile, the same thing is happening with Ringo and Dallas. He thinks he remembers seeing her before, but she quickly denies this because it might lead to him figuring out what she is…and Dallas doesn’t want that, does she? Think about why before you go to excerpt #4.

Ford brilliantly brings the attention back to Ringo and Dallas by having Ringo once again demand Dallas be treated equally by asking “what about the other lady?” But Hatfield won’t let a prostitute drink from his silver cup. Dallas doesn’t care but takes a big healthy gulp of water. We can contrast her healthy drinking with Lucy’s delicate sips. In the West you are better off taking the healthy gulps rather than the delicate sips. However, Doc is taking “healthy gulps” of Mr. Peacock’s whiskey!

He becomes completely drunk.

When they reach the next stop on the stagecoach the news is again bad. This time they hear that the soldiers have fought the Apache and Lucy’s husband has been wounded. Again, Dallas tries to help Lucy and again she is rejected, but this time Lucy really does need help. She collapses and Hatfield immediately goes to her aid. But what Lucy needs is a doctor, not a bodyguard. Hatfield knows he cannot help her, he knows that she needs a doctor and he looks at Doc with disgust and says “A fine member of the medical profession! A drunken beast!” We will see if that is true in our next lesson.