Love's Abiding Joy (2006) - full transcript

- Mattie, honey, your shirt.

- Jeff!

Get the boys,
and see if they're ready.

- Woo woo!
- Where's my rosy cheeks?

- There's your good girl.

There you go.

Mommy's in a hurry.
I need you to put your shirt on.

- Matthew.

- Thank you.

- Jeff!
- Sorry.

- Cookie had to
milk the cow again.



- Lost track of time.

- Come here, baby.
Oh, good girl.

Mornin', Jeff.

Mornin'.

Well, it's not rare beef steaks,

but you should eat
your breakfast anyway, Jeff.

- Mornin'!
- Mornin', Scottie.

- Well...

- For what we are
about to receive...

Lord, we are grateful, amen.

- Amen.
- Amen!

- Well, you might as well
slow down.

It's not like they can start
without you.

- It sets a bad example
to the students



if the teacher's late.

Cookie, would you, please?

- Oh, yeah, come on here,
you little sweet baby.

Now, baby.
- I'm in a hurry as well.

We've got to move those cows
to that creek on the south side.

Coming.

- All right now, Mattie,
you listen to cookie, all right?

- Yes, ma.
- Mind him.

Take a nap when he tells you to.
Stay out of trouble.

Mwah!
Bye-bye.

- ...and picking flowers,
just having a good old time.

See your daddy...

- Missie.

- Oh, what's the matter?
Did I forget something?

- No...

I... just wanted to let you know
to have a nice day.

- "Have a nice day."
Well, thank you.

Same to you.

What is it you really wanted
to say, Mr. Lahaye?

- I hate that we need the money
from your teaching job.

But between the drought
and the cattle plague,

the herd's much smaller
than it should be.

- Well, only the good lord knows
how big our herd should be.

Let's let our faith
rest in him.

- You're right.

- I know I am.

Now, I'd better get going,

or Tedsford junction's gonna
start looking for a new teacher.

I love you.

- Have a nice day.
- You, too.

- Bring 'em up at the back end!

- There they go.

- Come on! Move 'em along!

- Scottie, Jeff!

- Yeah?
- Yeah?

- Drive the herd to the creek.

I'll meet you there
in a little bit.

- All right!

- All right.

- Whoa.

- Afternoon, Mr. Lahaye.

- Hey, Doros. Abel.

What brings you out my way?

- Always cut to the chase,
don't you?

- It usually suits me best,
Sam.

- That's why we came to see
this man, Abel.

Always directly to the point

and honest to a fault.

- Well, I don't think you rode
all the way out here

just to pay me a compliment.

- It's official business,
Willie.

We need a sheriff
in Tedsford junction.

- Well, if you're here for my
official position on the matter,

I'd have to say
I agree with you.

- I'm here to offer you the job.

- Well, I'm no lawman, Doros.

- Hear me out, Willie.

This job doesn't come
without its share of bonuses.

You get a good, steady paycheck.

- Why me?
- Because people like you.

And you can be persuasive
keeping the peace,

get the job done.

- I appreciate it,
but... not interested.

See, I got my hands full
looking after my herd

until we take them to market.

- Well, I will be hiring
a sheriff, Willie.

And I'd like for that job
to go to a man with integrity,

like yourself.

You know, that way you could
help your family and the town.

Just think about it, Willie.

- I have a surprise for you
today, boys and girls.

Someone has donated
brand-new readers

for our whole class.

Yes, Annie?

- Are they for our very own
to keep?

- Everyone will get
their very own copy to borrow

for the rest of the year.

Would you like to help me
pass them out?

Here you go.
Right over there.

Now, I'd like for you
to open up your readers

and write your name
on the inside cover.

Use pencil, and use
your best penmanship.

- Mrs. Lahaye?
- Yes?

- My reader's already got
a name in it.

It says "Samuel H. Doros."

- That's because
it was mayor Doros

who donated these readers.

Without his generosity,

we wouldn't have
these new books.

All right, class,

I would like to start
with our penmanship.

Now, let's begin.

Turn to page 3.

- Mornin', ladies.

- Whoa!

- Hey, Mandy!

- How much longer?

- Should be any minute now.

- Look who's up from her nap.
- Oh...

- Miss Kathy never wants to
miss the fun, isn't that right?

- Now, I want you two
to be on your best behavior.

Just because we live
in the wild west

does not mean
that we have to act like it.

- I see him! I see him!

- Oh, he's here! He's here!

Pa!

- Whoa.

- Come here, sweetheart.

- Oh, pa! You're here!

Oh, you're finally here!

- I'm here.
I'm here, sweetheart.

Oh, you're a beautiful sight
for these eyes.

I promised your mother

that I would memorize
this very moment.

- Oh, pa, I can't tell you
how much I've missed you.

- Mama and the boys are fine.
They wish they were here.

The cost of the trip was
just too much for all of us.

- I wish
they could have come too,

but I am so glad that
you didn't wait any longer.

- Your mother and I agreed
that the timing was right

for me to make the journey.

And we know god's hand
was in it.

Suddenly...

Everything just found a place,

and I'm here,

with you, my baby.

- Oh!
- My angel.

I missed you so much.

Oh, come meet
all your grandchildren

that I've been writing to you
about all these years.

- Yeah. You are still
so beautiful.

- Hey, grandpa!
- Hey!

- Hey.

- This is Mattie.

- Stagecoach was rough.

I think I'll walk back,
to tell you the truth.

- Well, Kathy's down
for the night.

- Sounds like she gave up
without a fight.

- Oh, she's worn out
from all the excitement

of meeting her grandpa today.

- Well, it's been
pretty exciting for me, too.

Marty and I have been
very grateful

to get to know all of you
from Missie's letters.

But it's so nice
to finally be able to put

the faces with the names.

All of us being apart
has been hard.

And I know you've had
some hard times.

But god's with us.

- It's been
a tough couple of years

for all the ranchers
in the area.

Little or no rain
made the grazing scarce,

and then the cattle plague
swept through the valley.

- Thankfully,
we have my teaching job

to help make ends meet.

- We're just looking to hold out

till we can drive the herd
to market in springtime.

Pray for a big payday.
Catch you up on things.

- I'll pray for that myself.

In the meantime,
I'm just thankful to be here.

- How do you always manage
to skedaddle

before you're finished
getting dressed?

Come here.

- You stir it around...

- I might take your pa out and
show him the herd this morning.

- Not before I see
that baby granddaughter of mine.

- Rosy cheeks.
- I'll go get Kathy up.

It's a rare thing
she sleeps in this late.

- Mornin'.
- Mornin'!

- ...eat it so they can fluff up
real nice and fluffy, yeah.

- Willie!

Willie!

- What's wrong?
- She's not breathing.

- Kathy...
- Willie!

She's not breathing!
- Kathy!

Kathy! Jeff, get out!

Kathy...Kathy...

Baby, please.

- Oh, my...!

- What? What?!

- Kathy, please!

- No. No, Kathy, please.

Come here, son.

- No!

- Hold me tight.

- Grief consumes us.

Emotions betray us.

Somehow, lord...

Let us rest in your promise,

your promise that Kathy
is safe in your arms.

Safe in heaven
where there are no tears,

no pain,

no sudden death,

only joy

and peace

and love.

Lord, please be with missie
and Willie and their family.

Walk with them in their grief.

Hold them up

when they falter.

Sustain them

when they feel like giving up.

Amen.

Amen.

- Watch your step.

- God bless you both.

- Maybe you could fix dinner
for them this week.

- I'd be happy to.

- I'm all right, Willie.
Really.

I'll be ok on my own.

- You take good care
of Kathy, Sonny.

Don't let her be scared
or nothin'.

She's little, and she could be
awfully lonesome

thinking that she's missing out
on all the...

- I'm Colette Doros.

I'm so sorry
about your little sister.

I'm afraid I don't know
what to say.

- Me neither.

- I'm sorry.

- Please accept my condolences,
Mr. Davis.

It is such a tragedy.

I am sorry.

- Thank you.

- Hello, sweetheart.

Uh, Mr. Davis,
this is my daughter, Colette.

Colette,
this is Mr. Clark Davis,

Mrs. Lahaye's father
and little Kathy's grandfather.

- I'm so sorry for your loss.
- Thank you.

- It's awful.

- Thank you.

- Colette is, uh,
she's on break.

She's been refining her ways

at the Millington
finishing school back east.

- Very good.

- You know how it is
with daughters.

They sure can break
their fathers' hearts.

- In more ways than one.

- The words were just right.

- Good.

- It's strange...

How, in an instant,
everything can change.

- Makes a man unsure
about anything

and everything.

Tough times all over.

- Got to say, you hired me
a few years back.

I was working as a hand for you.

It's a might easier
on the nerves

than having my own spread.

Now that I'm married
and Linda's expecting,

I realize how much is at stake,

how bad I want it to work out.

- I put her to sleep
just like always.

And then I checked on her

right before I went to sleep,

but she was fine.

Then, in the morning, I...

I went to get her up, and she...

She wasn't...

She wasn't breathing.

I just want her safe...

And protected.

- Missie...

- I'll be fine.

I'll be fine.

- That was a beautiful service,
Henry.

- Thank you.

- Perhaps you should have stuck
to your previous vocation.

Judging by those glorious words
you spoke,

you know god a lot better
than you know cattle.

She new?

- Gift to my wife
from her father.

- A fine gift.

- Where's Kathy?

- Don't you remember?

We told you,
she's with the angels.

- In heaven?

- Yes, sweetheart.

- Why?

- I don't know.

- Morning.
- Morning, missie.

- Is Mattie asleep?
- Yes.

- What are you doing?

- It's a school day.

I'm getting an early start
for once.

Jeff, will you get my horse?

- Missie...

It's too soon.

- Jeff, get my horse.

- Missie, all right.

I didn't think you'd go back
to teaching quite yet.

- Look, this is not my choice.

We need to work.
We need the money.

Cookie, will you keep
a close eye on Mattie

for me today?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Will you please move
her cradle

and the rest of her things
up into the barn?

I'll see you later.

- Ho!

So...you're out here
all alone?

- Uh, I don't mind.

Helps me think things through
while I get my work done.

- Moby dick?

- I think it's the best thing
Melville's ever written.

- Yes, Ishmael
and his whaling voyage.

As far as authors go,
I prefer dickens.

I'm halfway through
great expectations.

- "So the evening mists
were rising now,

"and in all the bright expanse

"of tranquil light
they showed to me,

I saw no shadow
of another parting from her."

That's the last few lines
of the book.

Didn't mean to spoil the ending
for you.

You should keep reading, though.

You shouldn't run full-out
like that.

There's wheel ruts
and prairie dog holes.

- Oh, you shouldn't worry
about me.

I'm a very accomplished rider.

- I was worried about him.

- How's your father and mother?

- Oh, they're...

They're not my parents.

- They're not?

- No, the Lahayes adopted me
when I was 11,

right after my older brother
Sonny died.

- Oh, I'm so sorry.

- Uh... this horse...

It looks familiar.

- Mm. Isn't he beautiful?

My father just bought him
for me.

Will you be ready
for an adventure tomorrow?

- What? Oh.

Yeah, probably.

- Good.

- See you.

- Mrs. Lahaye?

Mrs. Lahaye?!

- Oh, what?

- You didn't get my picture.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

That's lovely.

- It's your little girl
going up to heaven.

- Ah!

Ah!

Why?!

No!

I'm done teaching.

I tried to do it today,
and I just...Couldn't.

- We'll be just fine.

- Well, we might, we might not.

I just know I can't go back.

- Who is it, Abel?

- It's lahaye.

- Willie.

- I came about
the sheriff position,

if the offer's
still on the table.

- Offer still stands.

Come on in.
Talk about the particulars.

- "And Samson called
unto the lord and said,

"'oh lord god, remember me,

"'I pray thee,
and strengthen me.

'I pray thee
only this once, oh god.'"

- pa!

Hey, little man.

- Pa, you're squeezing me.

- Cookie left some supper
on the stove for you.

- Mayor Doros offered me
a job today.

- What kind of job?
- They're needing a sheriff.

- We didn't discuss it.

- Well, we need the money.
Keep the ranch going.

- Well, who's going to run
the ranch?

- Scottie.

Missie, your finger's bleeding.

- I didn't feel a thing.

- William lahaye,

as sheriff of Tedsford junction,

your duties
will be wide and varied,

not limited to, but including,
keeping the peace,

executing court orders
and warrants,

seizure of debtors' property
when liens are due,

serving papers
and posting notices

when called for.

Do you promise on your honor,

as your word is your bond and
the Bible is your conscience,

to uphold these duties?

- I do.

- As mayor of Tedsford junction,

I declare you duly sworn in.

Congratulations,
sheriff lahaye.

Hi!

- Hello.

- You look like someone who
could use a little adventure.

- Do I?

- Come on. Come with me.

- I...I can't. I've got a job
to finish here.

- Do it later.

- A man just doesn't up and quit

in the middle of a job.

- A man is the master
of his own day,

his own hours,
makes up his own mind.

Come on.

- Come on.

- Cookie,

you got some grub I can take out
to Scottie and Jeff?

- I'm working on it
as we speak.

- Mattie down for his nap?

- Yes, sir.

- How's she doing?

- Well, sir...

She won't eat,

and she won't come out
of that room.

It's like she just...

- It's like she just stopped.

- It's like
she just stopped.

- Why don't we try to give her
some of your soup?

It smells so good.

- Oh, yes.

- Missie?

I've been praying.

For god to give you comfort.

I brought something
for you to eat.

- I can't.

- Please, you've got to try,

even if you don't feel hungry.

- Please, pa,
just leave me alone.

- I can't do that, darlin'.

I love you too much.

- Doros!

Doros, get out here!

Doros, you coward!
Get out here!

Are you going to run and hide...

Or face me like a man, Doros?

You can't hide behind
your money now, can you, huh?

- Joe Paxson?
Is that you?

- It's me. Who's that?

- It's Willie lahaye.

I'm the new sheriff.

- Do some sheriffing,
and lock up that crook Doros.

- Why don't you put the gun down
and we'll talk about that?

- Talking don't save
a man's land.

Bullets are the ticket!

- Come on, Joe.

I've got some coffee
in my office.

We can straighten this out,

get to the bottom
of what's troubling you.

- Doros is at the bottom of it!

- Samuel
"sell me down the river" Doros!

- Listen, Joe. Joe!

You don't want to give
your plan away like this.

- He took my family.

Hey...

You gonna help me, lahaye?

- Yeah, I'm going to help you
inside,

get some coffee

and a good, long nap.

It's all right.

- You got one bad man
left in town, Willie.

- Soup's getting cold.

- Stubborn.
- Yep.

- Must be hundreds.

- My mother had them shipped
over from her home in Boston.

Father always said
she lived and breathed books.

- The complete works
of William Shakespeare.

- Oh, have you read
much Shakespeare?

- Missie had me read
Romeo and Juliet.

- It's so romantic, isn't it?

- Well, I read it
a few years ago,

and at the time,
I was more interested

in the poison in the dagger.

- Well, perhaps
if you read it now,

you would be more interested
in the romance.

- Maybe so.

- If you read it now,
you would see

that, though they're young,

they both knew their own hearts.

They knew that theirs
was true love.

You can borrow it,
if you would like.

- Really?
- I don't see why not.

I mean, I'm going
to see you again, aren't I?

- I'm afraid that some of those
are too fragile to be let out.

- Jeff and I were just
out riding,

and I wanted to show him
the library.

- It's...

It's like nothing
I've ever seen.

- Well, as you can see,
this is also my office.

I have work to attend to.

- Oh, father, there are just
a few more titles

I'd like to show Jeff.

- Well, I'm afraid it's
going to have to wait, Colette.

- But, father...
- It's fine.

Your father's a busy man.

Goodbye, sir.

- Goodbye.

- I am so sorry about that.

My father is not usually
so rude.

- Don't worry about it.

- I'll bring you the book
next time I see you, ok?

- No. You'd better not.
Might upset your father.

- I have been upsetting
my father

since I was old enough
to tell him

what dress I wanted to wear.

- You sound like a girl
who likes to be contrary.

- I'm a woman who knows
what she wants.

- And what would that be?

- I'd like to spend
more time with you.

Unless you don't want to.

I... I'm sorry if I'm coming off
like a spoiled brat.

I...
- No!

No, I like that.

- Colette!

Please, sweetheart,
come on in, have a seat.

So, are you in the habit of, uh,

spending your time
with strange young men?

- He's hardly
a strange young man, father.

I met him with you
at the Lahayes' ranch.

- You been spending time
with him ever since?

- I've seen him
a couple of times.

- Is being at home so tedious

to where you have to spend
your time with the likes of him?

- You just have to
give him a chance.

He knows books
and ranching and horses.

You'll like him
once you get to know him.

- Well, that's hardly something
that's likely to happen, baby,

because you'll be going
back to school,

and he'll be going back to doing
whatever it is that he does.

- You're home late.

- I didn't mean to wake you.

- You didn't.

Just lying here thinking.

Willie...

Have you been able to cry
ever since Kath's...

- No.

- Come on in, sheriff.
Mr. Doro's been expecting you.

- Boys.

- Sheriff lahaye.

Hope you brought
your appetite.

Pull up a seat.

- All right. Thanks.

- Anita.
- ¿si?

- Mas vino, por favor.
- Si, señor.

- I may have
some pressing issues

that will need your attention
shortly.

Seems that Henry
and Melinda Klein

have me between a, uh,

shall we say a rock
and a hard place?

- Well, Henry and Melinda
are good friends of mine.

- Well, I'm sure
they're good people.

But they've got to pay
their debts,

just like everybody else.

- Had a bad spell last year.

- See, Klein borrowed
a lot of money from me,

using his land and his livestock
as collateral.

They've missed several payments.

- How much does he owe?
- Enough.

He needs to pay me,

or you need to remove him
from the premises.

- Like Joe Paxson?

- I know about that ruckus
with him in town.

Drunken fool.

- The man lost everything.

Even had to send his wife
and daughter away,

because he couldn't
provide for them.

- You know, when I was a boy,

I could remember going for days
without anything in my stomach.

And when I did have a meal,

see, couldn't even enjoy it,

because I was too busy
worrying about

where my next meal
would come from.

All because I had a father
that was weak.

He built everything up

only to let someone come in
and take it from him.

I'm not my father, lahaye.

- You're sitting in
the biggest house for 100 miles.

- You know, the gap between me
and the chance of poverty

will never be big enough
to suit me.

And if that means tossing people
like Paxson off his land,

then so be it.

And I refuse

to let life take
a sucker punch at me.

See, we all make choices,
lahaye.

Now, take you, for instance.

You made the choice
to become sheriff,

keep food on your table
for your family.

Now, Paxson,
he chose to raise cattle

which ended up
on another man's table.

- What?

- Oh, yeah.

When you get back to the jail,

you can thank Joe Paxson
for that steak.

Lunch was on him.

Got to get back to town.

- Oh, sheriff?

Aren't you forgetting
something?

Now, those papers,

they give me the legal rights
to claim Henry Kein's property

if he should default.

If he's got the money to pay me,
well, that's fine.

If not, then you do your job,
sheriff,

and you give him notice.

Seven days,
and they vacate the premises,

leaving all their possessions,
including livestock, behind.

- You tell Doros I'll pay him
when I drive the cows to market.

- That's still a month away.

Listen, the loan contract says

you've got to pay him
something now.

You need to make
at least one payment,

maybe something you could sell.

- I sold everything
that's not tied down.

And, you know,
Melinda's expecting.

Why didn't you tell me
things were so bad for you?

- I guess I was praying
for a miracle.

- Doros will force this issue,
Henry.

He'll take your land.

- Over my cold, dead body.

- That kind of talk
won't do your family any good.

The law says
you've got seven days,

or else I have to remove you
from your property.

- Hi, pa.
- Mornin'.

- You're up and out early.

- Whoo!

I tell you, Scottie,

he sure is one tough old man.

He's keeping me busier
than a farmer with a broke plow

and a lame horse.

You all right?

- Trying to be, pa.

Most times, I just feel like

there's a dark cloud
hanging over us

I can't get out from under.

Just nagging doubts
and shaken faith.

I feel like...

Like Willie and I
are pulling apart.

- Losing a child,

that's the hardest pain
any parent can go through.

You just have to make sure

that you don't let
that dark cloud

overstay its welcome,

steal your joy,
make you bitter.

It will whisper lies
disguised as truth.

It will attempt to divide you

from those that you love.

You know that you and Willie

are both welcome back home
if you decide not to stay.

We will do everything
in our power

to make sure you get
a fresh start.

- Thank you, pa.

- Hey, you two
have been working so hard

to make sure everything else
gets done.

- I guess that's it.

- Well, you know where he is.

- What do you mean?

- I'm saying
it might be high time

that you went to visit
your husband.

The sheriff?

Now, you go freshen up,

and I'll saddle your horse,
ok, darling?

- Can't stop, Colette.

How can I help?

- Want to hand me
that hammer and a nail?

- Well, you were right.

Colette and the lahaye boy
have been getting pretty cozy.

They're together right now.

- He's going to regret that.

- Oh...

- I hope I'm not intruding.

If this is a bad time to visit,
I can come back.

- No, no.

It's really nice to see you,
Melinda.

Please, come in.

- I'm sorry I haven't stopped by
until now.

I've been an awful friend.

- Oh, no.
No, please don't say that.

To be honest,

I don't think I could have dealt
with the company before.

How are you and Henry?

And the baby?

- Fine, except for, you know,
the ranch, but...

- The ranch?

- Willie hasn't told you?

- No, I don't really see Willie
that much nowadays.

Not since he's been working
as sheriff.

Did you know that?

- Mm. He came by the other day.

- What happened, Melinda?

Henry owes Sam Doros some money,

and he sent Willie to come by
to collect.

- I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry, Melinda.

- Last year after the drought,
um, Doros paid Henry a visit.

And he made it seem like

he wanted to help Henry
get back on track.

And like everybody,
we were hurting financially,

so we took him up on his offer.

And now we're behind
on our payments,

and, uh...

And since Willie is sheriff,

he's the one who has to
force us from our land...

- Willie won't do that.
- The sheriff...

Doesn't have a choice.

- What happens to Henry
and Melinda

if they don't pay Doros on time?

- Doros will foreclose
on their ranch,

just like he done to Joe Paxson
and probably others.

- I know this is awful for you.

I've been thinking about
going back to teaching.

- Oh...
- If I go back,

then you wouldn't have
to do this

and be in this situation.

- You can't go back
to teaching, missie.

- Yes, I can. I can reopen the...
- No. No!

Not now, please.

- Why? I don't understand.

- I can't explain.

I just need to know
you're here, safe.

- I'll stay, Willie.
I'll stay.

Have you been praying
for his help?

- I can't seem to.

- Maybe we should try
praying together.

- What exactly
would we be praying for, missie?

The only thing we both want...

We won't ever see again.

Don't let this be...

Oh god, please.

Don't let this be happening.

- Hey, Mandy!

- As you can see,
Mr. Taylorson,

everything I brought with me
is of the finest quality.

- I'm sorry, Mrs. Lahaye,

but $13 is all I can do.

- That still leaves me $2 short
of what I need.

- Well, that's entirely
up to you.

- But if it's worth $2 to you...

- Watch your back tail,
Jeremiah!

What?

I'll be right there.

Jeff?

Jeff!

Jeff?

Jeff?

Jeff...

Jeff, what are you doing?

- I need to talk to you.

- How about a moonlight stroll?

I was hoping you'd say that.

- I'm glad you could make it,
sheriff.

We both think
we're standing on our own land.

- Henry, you knew this day
was coming.

You should have packed
something,

gotten your goods together
so he couldn't have 'em.

- I'm not going anywhere.

- Come on,
is this going to take all day?

- Henry, please...

- I know you're just doing
your job, Willie.

- Seems that me and Klein
have come to an impasse.

- Abel.

- You're too full of yourself
to realize

that the user you are
is indeed being used.

To the grave you'll be dragged

by the seducer of your greed.

And when you're an old man,
you'll live off the memory

of your usury
and your escapades,

too full of pride to admit

you're nothing
but an empty shell.

I know men like you
despise and reproof.

But you were made that way.

But you rejected
what you were made for.

Here, Doros.

Here's enough to keep us
on our land.

- Gives you another 30 days.

- Oh, and by the way,

I used to be a good pastor.

But now I'm a rancher.

So why don't you
get off my land?

- 30 days.

Ladies.

- Are you all right?

- I would have had to do it,
missie.

- I know.

Will you ride home with me?

- I've got to get back
to town.

- Colette? Is that you?

- Hello, father.

- Hey. Where you been?

- Just out riding.
- By yourself?

- I'm going to be surrounded by
girls at school in a few days,

so, I don't mind the solitude.

- I see.

- Well, if that's all,

I'm going to go change.

- Well, there is one more thing.

It's a matter of conscience.

I had a change of heart about
that, uh, new horse I got you.

- You mean, the one you took
from the Kleins?

- Yeah, it's been, uh...

Been on my mind
for the last couple of days.

I think the only right thing
to do is to give it back.

- Father, that's wonderful.

- Just find myself
in a bit of a bind

as exactly how to do that.

- Just give it back.

- I am a businessman, and I have
a reputation, Colette.

Can't appear soft or indecisive.

I think the best way
to handle this situation

is that if you were

to give the horse to that friend
of yours, Jeff lahaye,

and, well, have him return it
to the Kleins.

One more thing...

I'd rather nobody knew
it was my idea.

- I won't tell.

Thank you, father.
You're doing the right thing.

- I know I am.

- Missie...

Missie! Missie!

Come on out of the rain now.
You're going to pneumonia.

Come on, now.

Come on inside.
Let's go.

- Pa, no.
- Come on. Come on, now.

- Pa, no! Let me... let me go!
- Come on!

You've got to go inside.
What's this about?!

- Please, let me go.
I can feel it!

It's the rain! It's the drops!

I can feel it
for the first time!

Why her?

I just don't understand.

- No, we're not always meant to.

- You didn't even get
to know her.

She was as sweet as an angel.

- I know.

- I just don't know
what I'm doing anymore.

- You're doing it, little one.

- No, please...

- You're doing it.

- Whoa!

Oh, uh...

- Missie...
- Uh...

- I didn't know you were
coming into town today.

- I'm a little surprised
myself.

Is it all right?

- Um, yeah, it's... it's fine.

Looks good.

- It's just leftover ham.

We could...
- How's Mattie?

- Keeping cookie on his toes.

- That's good.

Lord, for the time
that we had her,

we thank you.

For all the days of our lives
that we will miss her,

may I ask that your love helps
ease the ache in our hearts.

Amen.

- Amen.

- Jeff.
- Ho.

- I'm so glad you came.

- You knew I'd come
to say goodbye.

- It's only goodbye
for a little while.

- I'm gonna miss you.

- I'll miss you, too.

Oh, I brought you something.

- Oh, but I don't...

- It's two things, actually,

but they're not gifts
in the traditional sense,

because you can't keep them.

Here.

- Oh, Colette,
I can't take this.

- Please take it.
Read Romeo and Juliet again.

For me.

- Thank you.

- Oh, here.

Here.

I want you to take my horse
and give it back to Mrs. Klein.

- But, Colette, your father.

- My father gave me this horse.

Now I want to give it back.

I should go.

- Oh, I'll give you a leg up.

Ok.

Thanks.

Come on.

Write me.

- But I don't have
your address!

- Shakespeare does!

- Huh!

- Bye, father!

See you in a few months.

- Looks like we got us
a horse thief.

Let's go get him, boys.

- Whoa.

- Get up.

- Jeff, is that right?

- You know my name.

- Abel here tells me

he caught you stealing
one of our horses red-handed.

- Like I told him,

Colette gave me the horse
to return it to the Kleins.

- This must have been
a conspiracy

that you made up
with the Kleins.

I mean, them being
as good a friends

to your family and all.

- Henry and Melinda
don't know anything about this.

- Listen to me, son,

I can't help you
unless you get honest with me.

- You know what we do
to horse thieves?

- We're going to handle this one
by the books.

I'm taking you into town.

- That sheriff ain't going
to do nothing to one of his own.

- William lahaye
is a man of the law.

And, uh, I don't have any doubt

he'll do the right thing.

Now, get this trash
out of my house.

- Whoa, steady now!

- I think we're going to have
a healthy crop this year!

- Hey, doc,
have a look at my foot!

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Did you see Chelsea?

- Get on down, Sonny.

- Get on!

- Jeff.

- Well, I've got another
prisoner for you, sheriff.

You need to lock him up until
the federal Marshall arrives.

- Get your hand off my boy.

- My men, they caught him
dead to rights

on a stolen horse.

- Oh, it's true enough.

I'm an eyewitness
along with my men.

- And the last I heard,
horse thieves,

they get the noose
around these parts.

But I might be willing
to drop the charges

as long as he leaves
and never returns.

- Just slow down, Doros.

I mean, there's got to be
some kind of misunderstanding.

- No.
No, there's no misunderstanding.

I mean, the boy,
he took my horse.

That's my property.

- You both would swear to that
in front of a judge?

- On a stack of bibles.

- You're going to take
my boy away from me?

- I'd send my own daughter
to jail

if I knew she was a thief.

You can't let something
like family

interfere with the law, lahaye.

- You know, Doros...

For once, I agree with you.

- Well...

How could you?

- Colette, baby.

I put you on that stage
myself.

- Oh, I stopped the stage.
I can, you know.

When I happened to see
the horse in my corral,

I asked Jeff about it.

He told me Colette wanted
to give the horse back

to the Kleins.

See, I knew a snake like you
just might be up to something,

something that might
get my boy into trouble.

So I went after Colette
as a witness,

just in case there was
any kind of misunderstanding.

Looks like I make
a better sheriff

than even I knew.

- What are you going to do?

I mean, do you honestly think
you could get my daughter

to testify against me?

Colette?

- It's like you said, father,

you can't let something
like family

get in the way of the law.

- Colette?

What do you want, lahaye?

- These are my terms.

It's one of my favorite dresses
on you.

- Thank you.

- I think you forgot something.

Turn around.

- Now you look perfect.

- How...?

- Well, you stopped
wearing the locket

about the time Henry and Melinda

came up with the money
for Doros.

I just figured it out.

- You didn't tell Henry
or Melinda...

- No. No, that's still
your secret.

- How did you get it?
We don't have any money.

- Got my first paycheck.

Couldn't think of anything else
we needed more.

- Thank you.

Thank you for getting it back.

- There you go, cookie.

- Thank you.

- Oh, everything looks
so good.

- All these nice rolls.

- How are you?
- Good, Melinda. How are you?

- Nice party.

- Yeah, lots of happy folks.

- Yes,
you batter that chicken up

with some nice cayenne pepper...

- Oh, it smells so good.

- Oh, it makes it
nice and special.

Hey, you boys!
You get out of here!

You come around here
stealing all of my chicken.

You're worse than an old fox
in a hen house!

Come around here getting
the best part of my chicken too.

- Excuse me.

Mr. Paxson.

Can I get you anything?

- Well, I'd say
you and your husband

done plenty for me, ma'am.

I'm back at my ranch.

- Oh, I'm so happy for you.

- Yeah, telegraphed
my wife and daughter,

told them we've got a roof
back over our heads again,

and, uh, I got a message back
saying they're coming home.

- That is so wonderful.
- Yeah, it is.

Excuse me, please.

- Sure.

- I tell you what,
it's going to take me

a month of Sundays
when I get home

for me to tell your mother
about the trip.

- Oh, well,
you could make plans to stay

and make some more memories.

- Oh, there will be
future visits.

I promise you that.

In the meantime,

I seem to recall

that I taught my little girl
how to dance once upon a time.

- Whoo-hoo!

- Take care of yourself, son.

- All right.
- Come here, you.

Oh! My goodness.
You're getting big.

You mind your folks.

- Ok.
- All right.

I love you.
- I love you too, grandpa.

- Thank you for all the help.

Made a huge difference

when all of us
were in a bad way.

- I seem to recall
you doing it for me once.

- You have a safe trip.

- You too, son.
- Say hi to Marty for me.

- I will.

- Give mama a big hug for me.
- I will.

- And Arnie and Aaron.

- Oh, I will.

- Oh, I'm so thankful
that you were here with us, pa.

I don't know what
we would have done without you.

- There are no mistakes, missie.

God's timing is always perfect.

Even if we don't realize it
at the time.

Come here.

I don't want to let go.

You keep those cards and letters
coming, you hear?

Especially now that I can place
those beautiful faces

with the names.

I love you, sweetheart,

more than anything
in the world.

- I love you too, pa.

- Bye.

- Bye, sweetheart.
- Bye.

- Up, Lucy! Up, Bobby!