Original subtitles

Mater est in tablino. No, mater est in triclinio. That's right.

Your Latin's getting very good.

Hey! Oops, sorry.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to figure out how a catapult works.

We're having a contest at school for Roman Day.

Roman Day?

We've been studying about Rome. We're going to spend a whole day doing things

like the Romans did.

We're going to make speeches in Latin and even more tokens.

And build catapults!

Whoever makes a catapult that can shoot a rock the farthest gets a laurel

wreath. Well, there's a book in the library about the Roman Empire.

It might be drawn as a catapult.

Does it have chariots?

Probably.

Are you going to ask, Sully?

Brian.

Ask me what?

There's a father -daughter chariot race.

The fathers pull the chariots and the girls drive them.

Sounds like fun.

Since my pa's not around.

I'd be glad to.

Sally's like our pa anyway.

Dr. Mike and I have been talking about that.

When we get married, I wanted to know if you'd like it if we'd go ahead and

adopt you, make it legal, so that I'd be your pa and Dr. Mike would be your ma

in everybody's eyes.

That'd be great.

Could you do that?

We'd have to look into it, but I'm sure there's a way.

I'm of age, but I think that's a good idea.

It says

here, if the child's been left and the mom and pop are still living, then we've

got to get his or her consent.

But we don't even know where he is.

San Francisco.

I can't be sure of that.

He never sent us a letter.

Well, it was more than two years ago. No telling where he might be now.

But you've got to show you made a, what do they call it, a bona fide effort to

find him.

Well, then we'll put an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle.

It says you've got to put notices in at least two places.

Then we'll advertise in Denver as well. How long have we got to wait?

Well, after you file the papers, the parents got three months to answer. If

don't, then you get the kids.

Perfect. You're just in time for a wedding.

But what if our posses know?

He doesn't care about that.

Chances are he won't even see the note.

What if he does?

Well, I'm sure he'll give his consent.

He knows we're your family now. We just want to make it legal.

It'll all work out.

Let's play the jog up again.

Good idea.

Holly, why don't you start?

All right, uh, Mississippi.

Um, England.

No, Brian, come on. England begins with an E.

Matthew, look at that.

You need to come up against me with an I.

Um, India.

Well, I'm going to say Africa.

Sure, it's a fancy carriage.

What do you think that belongs to?

Your turn, Matthew.

Nobody from around here, it looks like.

Come on, Matthew.

Let's just start swimming.

I'm thinking.

Hello,

Colleen.

Oh, my gosh.

My, aren't you a vision.

A vision I've been longing to see.

Come here, son.

Children, Dr.

Quinn, Mr. Sully, I'd like you to meet my wife, Lillian, your new stepmother.

Stepmother, I'm pleased to meet you.

Ethan's told me so much about you, but you didn't tell me how beautiful Colleen

is or that Matthew's not a child, he's a young man. Yes, you are, son.

Brian, my, you're getting big.

Big enough to have your own horse, I reckon.

I'll tell you what, I'm going to buy you one.

Teach you how to ride.

I already got a horse.

Taffy.

Mr. Cooper, I take it you saw... Yes.

Lillian and I were on our way to St. Louis on business when we saw your

from the Denver newspaper, so we thought we'd stop by and visit you.

How come you never wrote to us? Yeah, Pa.

I sent you presents last Christmas.

What presents?

I sent you a chess set. And, uh, Colleen, I sent you a silk shawl.

Never got nothing.

Well, the stagecoach must have been held up.

The stagecoach wasn't up last night.

Something must have happened.

I was wondering why he never wrote back.

Go.

I'll be seeing you.

At your will, son.

Lillian and I are going to be staying here for a couple of weeks.

What for?

To see you all, of course.

It's all right, isn't it, Paul?

What's that, son?

That Ma and Sully adopted.

I think that's something that we're going to have to talk about.

Well, we'll have lots of opportunities to visit with each other now.

Mr. Bray tells me that the Hogan place may be for rent, so we're going to be

here for a while.

I'll take you over there.

Well, it's a little rustic for Lillian.

She's used to servants and clean white linens, but I think she'll adjust.

I'll tell her it's a western adventure.

What are you doing here, Ethan?

Sully, I have a different life now.

Meeting Lillian has inspired me to set off on a new foot.

They're right.

By the way, that's so well -known.

What exactly did you tell the children about my departure?

They were real upset.

We read them your letter.

My letter.

You said you were sorry that you couldn't take them with you to San

But you knew they were in good hands They are you I

can see that and I'm very grateful to you for looking after them so well

It's

wonderful to have you with us again Ethan and I want to thank you for that

generous contribution Very welcome. My father always says the soundest

investment you can make is in the spiritual life of a community.

He sounds very wise.

Wise indeed.

Afternoon, Reverend.

Can we look at the carriage? Can we, Mom?

All right.

Look, look at that.

Where'd you get this, Rick?

I made it special.

Awful fancy.

Only one of its kind.

It was a wedding gift from my father.

Colleen, Brian, let's go for a ride.

I gotta get home.

Brian, let's drive to tea.

We gotta eat lunch.

Oh, do you like deviled eggs?

Yeah. No, because I have fixed a lovely bath. We could go on a picnic.

We wouldn't want to interfere with any of Dr. Quinn's plans, of course.

I don't have any special plans.

It's up to the children if they want to.

Well, of course they do.

Come on, Colleen.

Look at this.

Sessions are made of velvet.

You can't let them go off with him.

But he's their father.

Your father.

And I don't trust him. I know what you're feeling, Matthew.

Importance will get those adoption papers signed.

That's not starting trouble.

Bye, Mom.

How long will he be? More dark, I reckon.

Have a lovely time.

I just fed her an hour ago.

She won't go to sleep.

It's dry.

She's hungry, I know it.

Come here, sweetheart.

Oh, you want some milk?

Oh,

she is not hungry.

Then why is she fussing?

I don't know.

Wait, I got an idea.

This will make her smile.

Dorothy brought her over from the store. Nice of Dorothy.

Okay, here we go.

Look, look, look.

It would have been back hours ago.

We should never have let them go. Maybe they had trouble with the carriage.

Someone may be hurt.

Oh, keep going.

Listen.

Ben.

Where have you been?

Drove out to Manitou. We were having such a fine time, we decided to have

supper. We ate in the hotel dining room, Ma.

They had an ice cream bar. You could eat all you wanted.

They were violent.

We've been worried.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you. We honestly didn't think you'd mind.

Well, we wouldn't have minded if we'd known.

We were frightened.

Of what?

Surely you knew they were in safe hands.

It's late.

Yeah.

Thanks, Pop.

Thanks, Lillian. We had a wonderful time.

I always knew you... come back.

Good night, son.

Polly? If you adopt us, then you'll be my pa, right?

Yep.

Do you still want us to adopt you?

Of course I do.

What about Colleen?

She does, too.

We don't want to leave you.

Ever.

Then you won't have to.

What about my other pa?

Well, he'll still be your other pa.

Good morning, son.

Mr. Sully.

Hey, Pa.

Mr. Lillian.

What are you building? A catapult for Roman Day.

I believe that arm needs to be a little longer, Brian.

You're going to need a counterweight if you want that stone to go flying. I got

a different plan.

I'm going to use a bench spring.

Push down and lock it.

And when I let go, the arm will shoot out.

It'll shoot a lot further with the counterweight, son.

Brian wants to do it this way.

Bye.

Bye. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, would you like some tea or coffee?

Thank you, but we've had our breakfast.

We've come to talk about the adoption.

It's got with the children, and they seem to be comfortable and happy here.

My wife and I see no reason they shouldn't stay.

Send me your sign of paper.

I'll go get him.

Mr. Cooper, thank you.

You see, he's different now.

We appreciate this.

I know it can't have been an easy decision.

You'll still be my pa, right?

Sure, I will.

I'd still like you to come visit us, if Dr. Mike consents.

I insist, if you're kind enough to have them.

And you're always welcome to visit us, too.

Here.

Thanks, Ethan.

This helps everybody.

I got Tupac now.

I'm lucky.

I believe you are.

Mantle's coming along very nicely.

She cries all night and hardly ever sleeps.

Maybe she's not getting enough milk.

I can't tell how much she's drinking. Maybe I ain't got enough for her. Well,

she's getting all she needs, so she wouldn't be gaining weight.

Last night, I hardly got no sleep at all. I had to keep walking her back and

forth in the telegraph office. Her little eyes are closed, but the minute

stop, she'd pop awake and start bawling again.

All babies need to cry to exercise their lungs.

And all babies are different.

Some sleep very little, and others sleep all the time.

Those parents come to me and say they're worried because their babies are so

lethargic and do nothing but sleep.

How do you get one of those babies?

Horace, don't say that. She can hear you.

She don't understand.

Well, how do you know that?

I think your baby's alert and intelligent.

You're just new parents, that's all.

And new parents are often a little nervous.

Why didn't you just relax?

She's healthy and normal.

Everything's going to be fine.

you want to look at?

Oh, any parcel along the line with that railroad coming.

You're not planning on living there, are you?

No, it's an investment.

Once the railroad's built, that land is going to soar in value.

Chance to make a killing out here.

If you got the funds.

Once Lily and I have children, we're going to come into a substantial

How's that?

Lillian's an only child.

Her mother passed away when she was young.

Lillian's father has left his entire estate in trust for Lillian's children.

We're the executors.

That means you'll be handling the money?

Until the children are grown.

So if you had that kind of capital to invest, Mr. Sully, what land would you

purchase? Nothing around here.

I'd buy where there aren't any people.

Where the railroad wasn't coming through.

Well, that's a romantic notion, Mr. Sully.

But it's a poor investment.

So he signed the paper? I'm so relieved. I feel like celebrating.

Hello,

Miss Cooper.

How are you today? Very well, thank you.

Did you enjoy Manitou?

I enjoyed being with the children.

They're wonderful young people.

You've done a fine job of raising them.

Thank you.

I hope I do as well when Ethan and I have our own.

Well, I guess I'd best be getting back to the Gazette.

Bye, Miss Cooper.

Are you planning on having children soon?

Oh, yes. I've always wanted a nursery full of children.

My mother died when I was young, so I never had a real family.

And I want to give Ethan a chance to do it again. He wants it so.

Does he?

He can never forgive himself for leaving Charlotte with the little ones.

He broke down and cried when I showed him your notice in the paper.

You mean it was you who saw the notice?

Yes. I didn't even know Ethan had children.

He told me he kept it from me because he was afraid I wouldn't love him if I

knew he had a family.

But I assured him that wasn't so. And I told him we must come and see his

children. And now that we have, it's only deepened our desire to have our

It's just...

Well, I was thinking, you being a physician and a lady.

Yes.

Well, Ethan and I have been married a year and we haven't been... left.

And I was wondering if there was any way, anything, you know, that might

Have you seen a doctor?

Oh, yes.

Did he examine you?

No, he said we should simply be patient.

Well, I would need to examine you.

I've never had that done.

It won't be painful.

Why don't you come to the clinic with me?

Right now?

It would help me answer your question.

We're almost finished.

Just going to press down gently here.

Does that hurt?

No.

Lillian, about your menstrual cycle.

Oh, I've never had a monthly.

Have you told your doctor about this?

No.

My aunt always said it's because I'm delicate.

Is that why I'm not in a family way?

Let me help you up.

Lillian, the reason you haven't been able to come pregnant is because you

rare condition called uterine agenesis.

You don't have a uterus.

I beg your pardon?

The uterus is the fact that the baby grows in.

Well, you were born without one.

And that's why you don't have a menstrual cycle.

But what does this mean?

I'm afraid it means you won't be able to bear children.

Ever?

I know this is a shock, but... Isn't there something that you could do?

An operation?

What are you telling me? I'm deformed?

No, no, no. You're perfectly fine in every other way.

And you have excellent health.

I'll never have children.

May I have a word with you?

Dudley.

How's Elaine doing?

She couldn't sleep last night.

Having children meant more to her than anything.

I know it pained me to have to tell her.

I could give you something to help her sleep.

You did what you had to do.

But now I'm afraid I must do something that pains me.

What's that?

I've changed my mind about the adoption.

What? I can't allow it to go through.

Why, because of Lillian? She's very disappointed, but that's not the reason.

I'd forgotten what a joy the children are.

And now it appears they're the only children I'm ever going to have.

I'm taking them to San Francisco next Friday.

I don't want to live with them. I don't want to leave you and Sully. Me neither.

You won't have to.

He signed those papers. How can he take that back? I'd say he can't. What about

my friends?

School?

Matthew?

He can't take us away from our own brother, can he? He's not going to do

swear he ain't. Now, let's not get alarmed.

Your father said those things in a rash mood. He'd just received some bad news.

In a few days, when he gets a chance to think things over, he'll change his

mind.

So, let's get ready for bed now.

I'll read you King Arthur's Tales.

We won't have to go?

You won't, I promise.

I wish we had never started this adoption business.

Nathan wouldn't be here.

I can't understand why he's doing this.

Money.

What do you mean?

He needs the kids to get his wife's inheritance.

How do you know this?

He told me when we were out scouting for land.

He said his wife's father's fortune's in trust for their kids.

If they don't have any kids, no money.

You can't be so low to take them away for that.

fast runner. I bet he can't beat Sully. Then can.

Colleen, what's going on here?

We're just getting ready for Roman day.

We're going to wear togas and have a chariot race.

Oh, how lovely.

We had a Latin pageant at my school.

Toga makes you feel so stately and gracious.

I imagine you looked beautiful in a toga.

Colleen, we've come to take you shopping.

I've got to finish this.

We want to get you a few things for the trip.

I don't want to go.

All right, I guess we can do it another day.

I mean, I don't want to go live with you.

Colleen, I know this is going to take some getting used to.

How come you keep changing your mind?

First you run off and leave us, and then you come back and you just leave us

again. She just disappeared. You don't even say goodbye.

Wrote you a letter?

What's going to happen when we get to San Francisco?

Are you just going to leave us again?

Colleen, I have made some mistakes. I regret them.

I know it's late, but I'm here now.

If you'd just give me a chance.

No.

I'm all grown up now.

I did fine without you, so don't think you can come back here and pick up right

where you left off.

I don't need you anymore.

Colleen, you always need your father.

What's wrong?

Colleen, what is it?

Something happened at school? One of your friends?

Please tell us. We can help you.

What are you doing here? I want to talk to Colleen. I don't want to see him.

Step aside. Go away. Matthew, stop.

I want to talk to Colleen. I tried to pick her up from school.

You tried to force me to go with him and Lillian.

I don't want to. You said I wouldn't have to.

Mr. Cooper, I'd like a word with you.

Get in the wagon. Matthew, drive home. I'll join you later.

Go on.

Can't we discuss... There's nothing to

discuss. I believe there is.

Colleen's very upset, and so is Brian.

Don't get over that.

I wish you could consider what they're going through.

You've been gone for quite some time, and we've made a home together.

If you take them away, you're breaking up the only family they've had since

their mother died. What about the home they had before?

You've been with them for two years.

I was with them for ten.

I'm their real father. You're not their mother. But they call me their mother.

And they'll learn to do the same with Lillian just as they did you in two

years.

What do you want?

I've told you. I mean, what's your price?

I'll sell the clinic. I'll give you everything in cash.

And if that's not enough, I'll wire my mother for more. Just take the money and

leave us alone.

I don't want your money.

Lillian's father owns half the Oregon territory.

You can't give me a fraction of what he makes an interest every day. But you

won't get his money unless you have the children.

That's true, isn't it?

Do you know how odious that is?

Odious?

You just offered me money. You tried to buy him back.

But I'm doing it for their welfare.

So am I.

The children will be rich.

In what?

Rich in things but not in love. Who says I don't love them? I do.

And you're not taking them away.

You don't have a choice.

I have the law, Mr. Cooper.

This court is now in session.

I'll rise for his honor, Marvin Davidson, District Court Judge of the

Territory. There ain't gonna be no talking out of turn, no smoking, and no

swearing in the court. You can all sit down now.

In the matter of Cooper versus Quinn, I understand both parties are going to

represent themselves. Is that correct?

Your Honor, Mr.

Cooper signed a legal agreement to allow me and Byron Sully to adopt the two

children.

It's a binding contract, and he has no right to break it.

I move that this lawsuit be dismissed.

Your Honor.

This lady asked me to sign away my own kin.

Whom you abandoned twice.

And I reluctantly agreed.

However, I believe I have the right to reconsider.

It was not reluctant.

Your motion is denied.

Mr. Cooper, you may speak first.

Thank you.

Your Honor, the question here is simple.

Who is the children's rightful father?

And that's not something you can change by writing your name on a piece of

paper.

I'm very grateful to Dr. Quinn for looking after my children at a time when

wasn't able.

But I am able now to give them a home.

A beautiful home.

When a lovely wife was willing to devote herself to looking after them full time

and providing them with the finest education that you can find any place in

country.

Now, what right does Dr. Quinn have to tell me that I cannot take my children

home?

And I intend to show the court that they belong with me.

Quiet down.

Quiet down.

Mr.

Bray, isn't it true that my son, Brian Cooper, jumped out of a tree and

almost... died while he was in the care of Dr.

Quinn and Mr. Sully. All boys do foolish things. You can't keep them from

climbing trees.

Yes, but why did he jump?

I don't know. Maybe Sully was telling him some kind of a story. I think it was

about a Cheyenne who could fly.

So Sully encouraged him.

That's not what I said.

But Sully was filling the boy's head full of this Indian mumbo jumbo. No, he

wasn't.

Didn't you say Sully told him the story?

Well, if I told you a story about a flying carpet, you wouldn't go out and

to fly one, would you?

Why didn't Sully stop Brian from jumping out of the tree?

He wasn't watching him.

Thank you, Mr. Bray.

Mr.

Jennings? Did you write in your gazette that Dr. Quinn was engaged to Reverend

Johnson? Yes, but that was a misunderstanding.

And a few months later, did you also write that she became engaged to Mr.

Yes. And was she not also engaged at the same time to a Dr. David Lewis of

Boston? She thought he was dead.

Was he dead?

No. So she was promised to two men.

Well, for a time. So Dr. Quinn was engaged to three men in one year?

Now, what does that tell us about her moral character?

You're twisting everything around.

Michaela's got the finest moral character of anybody I know. Does she?

Has Mr. Sully ever spent the night at her home?

He's making it sound like something it wasn't.

Just answer the question, please.

Has Mr.

Sully ever spent the night at her home without the benefit of marriage?

If there was a problem or an emergency, he stayed at the homestead, but not with

her. You have to know.

Thank you.

Reverend Johnson, has Dr. Quinn tried

to adopt children before?

There was a half -breed baby that we couldn't find a home for, and Dr.

Quinn offered to take in the baby, but the father returned to claim it.

Were there others that she tried to adopt?

Well, there was an orphan train that came through here, and she and I talked

about adopting the orphans.

How many?

Eight. So she's trying to adopt nine children, and now she wants my two?

Where's it going to end?

Is she going to try to adopt every stray that passes through town?

Does she have some strange need to keep adopting children?

Like the old woman who lived in a shoe?

That is not fair!

Thank you, Rivet.

She's a good mother.

She looks after us, teaches us things.

She'd do anything for us.

But is she there when you need her?

Of course.

She's there. Is she home when Brian and Colleen return from school?

No. To cook supper?

Colleen does that. She likes to.

Did she leave you alone for a week when there was an epidemic in a nearby town?

Sully looked after us.

Well, who looked after you when she and Sully went to collect water samples from

the mine?

Grace stopped in.

And when she ran for mayor, did you tell her that was too much?

No. Did you want her to run?

I was against it. But she ran anyway, neglecting the children?

That's not true.

Did she spend more time campaigning and working in the clinic than she spent

with you children?

You must answer the question.

I reckon they did, Ethan.

How did he learn all those things?

Been hanging around the saloon.

Asking questions, getting folks to talk.

Oh, he's turned this around. Now I'm the one on trial.

We've got to turn it back on him.

We've got to tell how we caught him running off with the church money.

But, Sally, we agreed to keep that quiet for the children's sake.

And we've got to tell them about the inheritance, too. Oh, you want the

to know that their father's a thief?

And only wants them for the money that he doesn't love them?

They'll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of their lives.

It's better than going off to live. With them?

They won't.

Weren't you listening in there?

Did you see the judge's face? We've got to use everything we've got.

We can't prove anything.

It's our word against Ethan.

If we tell what really happened at the church, we'll have to tell how we wrote

that by -letter and signed Ethan's name.

How we lied to the children and everyone else.

Once that gets out, no one will believe a word we say.

We've got to take that chance.

I haven't had my turn to speak yet.

I know I can make a convincing case.

We're going to prevail.

Dr. Quinn, you may now present your case.

Mr. Cooper, did you leave your wife Charlotte alone on a farm with three

children? I left to pursue opportunity.

I was following the time -honored tradition where the father goes ahead

forges the way.

No matter how long it takes.

This is how the West was civilized.

Was it civilized, Mr. Cooper, to take your wife's money stock?

And all of her savings, leaving her and the children with nothing? I left her

the farm.

Which she lost.

Did you send any money?

No. Did you ever write to her or the children?

No. Not even once?

I came back as soon as I could.

And when was that?

Five years later.

And what was the purpose in coming back?

I'd gotten word that Charlotte had died, and I wanted to bring the children back

to San Francisco with me.

Did you?

No.

So you deserted them two times?

My business was in trouble. A ship of mine had sunk in the Pacific, Your

There was no ship, Mr. Cooper.

What are you getting at, Dr. Quinn?

Why did you run away without even saying goodbye? I told you, my business was in

trouble. That was not the reason you rode off in the dead of night.

Do you have proof of this, Dr. Quinn?

Do you have concrete proof that I did something wrong?

That I'm not fit to be the father of my own children?

Dr. Quinn?

Howard.

I got proof.

Sully's been the best car we ever had.

Sit down, miss. You're out of order. But I want to talk.

Children are not allowed to testify.

But you gotta listen to us.

We want to stay with Ma and Sully. If you don't keep quiet, I'll be forced to

have you removed.

We love them.

They're our real Ma and Pa now.

Mr. Slicker, take those children out of here.

I'm giving you an order, or I'll hold you in contempt of court.

You can't make us go off with him! Please!

Somebody listen!

Your Honor,

we all have... strong emotions and opinions on this matter.

But let's keep our sights on the most important question.

What is going to be best for the children, Colleen and Brian Cooper?

Is it best to keep them with the people they call their family?

Their older brother?

The town they feel a part of?

Their friends of all ages?

Love them and whom they love?

Or would it be better to send them off to a city they've never seen?

With a man who has demonstrated again and again that he will not be around

they need him.

Where were you, Mr. Cooper, when your wife lay dying and she asked with her

breath, who will take care of my children?

Where were you when Brian fell down a cliff and no one could find him?

No one but Sully.

Where were you when Colleen almost locked her hands to frostbite?

Sully brought her home in time.

Where were you when Matthew was trapped in a cave -in at the mine?

And Sully risked his life to free him.

And where were you for the happy times?

For the spring concert, the pie -baking contest?

Times when children longed to have a parent watch them shine.

You were not there, Mr. Cooper.

But we were.

Because we are the children's family now.

What makes a family is not merely blood.

It's the days, the hours, the weeks we spend together through thick and thin.

Before I had these children, I thought that being a doctor was the most

important thing.

They have shown me that there is one thing more important than all else.

That's your family.

When Charlotte Cooper was dying, she did not send for Ethan.

She asked me to take care of them.

And I'm asking you to honor her wishes.

To make that same choice today.

The choice that Charlotte decided would be best for her children.

The choice that allowed her to rest.

What did you do, Mom? She's done great. I've been proud.

I think you really got through to him.

Tell him what the judge would do, though.

He'll make the right decision, I'm sure of it.

Quiet!

Quiet now!

I've considered the matter carefully.

Dr. Quinn, you and Mr. Sully have done a great deal for these children, and it's

clear they hold you in affection.

Mr. Cooper, I find you've neglected your children.

And inflicted hardship on them.

Repeatedly.

Nevertheless, you are their father.

And it is not for the court to determine who makes a good father.

Or who deserves to be the father of any child.

That's up to the Almighty.

Therefore, the children are to be delivered to Mr. Cooper and remain in

custody. Quiet now, quiet. I will have quiet in this court.