Original subtitles

Children, eyes front, please.

Your writing assignment for this week is a report on one of the following men.

All of them are scientists.

Well, they're physicists or astronomers.

Thanks, Brian.

Laid many of our scientific principles.

anything from understanding how we look at the stars

to

understanding why things

fall.

Some kind of medical book?

Not quite.

The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin.

It was just published with all the talk back east.

What's it about?

Well, it presents the theory that man evolved from a lower life form.

Lower life form?

Yes, an animal.

Similar to an ape, but... We were once apes?

I'm fine. I just... I must have blacked out.

That wasn't truth of yours, was it?

I'm fine.

You're burning up.

It's probably abscessed.

Afraid you won't be able to ignore that any longer.

Are you going to pull it, Ma?

No. Jake has better equipment for that kind of work.

Did you see the pliers he's got?

It's all right. We'll use chloroform. He won't feel a thing.

Cal, Alice, Tommy, will you take the Reverend to the clinic?

Colleen, I want you to go with him. Get him some willow bark tea.

Now, wait a minute. I can't just leave. What about the children?

I'll look after them. Yes, but if I'm going to be gone for a while, we'll

them.

Dorothy's been so busy lately.

That's all right. I'll teach them.

What about your practice?

I'll manage.

Besides, it'll only be for a few days, and by then you should be as good as

Thank God.

You eat your lunch already?

Didn't bring one.

Oh, no.

She gave me blueberries.

You don't like them?

Not really.

You want them?

Sure.

Don't worry.

They're always kind of mean to new kids.

They'll get used to you.

Your pa forgot your lunch yesterday, too, didn't he?

He's not my pa.

He's not?

He's called a guardian. Means he protects me.

Where are your parents?

They died.

My ma died, too.

But I thought Dr. Mike was your ma.

She adopted me.

Oh, hello there.

You meant Mary Ann Daggett.

It was nice to see new faces in town.

I found blueberries that packed for you. I know they're your favorite.

Um, yeah.

Thanks.

Ma, don't.

Just straightened out your hair. It's a mess.

Not here.

I'm sorry.

Tooth seems to have come in at an angle.

And it's a lot of decay.

The sooner it comes out, the better.

Finally got a chance to try out them new pliers.

Why would a tooth come in at an angle like that?

Not enough room in the mouth.

That's the problem with wisdom teeth. They're pretty much useless.

That doesn't make any sense.

How's that?

Why would God give man wisdom teeth if he doesn't need them?

Well, perhaps it was the time when man didn't eat them.

So Jake put the tooth in the jar and he was showing it to everyone. It was huge.

How's the Reverend doing?

Well, he's going to be sore for a few days, but he should be fine after that.

Ma's filling in for him at the school until he gets back.

He's going to be great.

At least for some people.

You're a doctor, not a teacher.

I know, Brian.

Your mouth's pretty smart.

Wish I had a teacher like her growing up.

I just don't want you fixing my hair, all right?

Or calling on me and treating me special and making a big deal in front of

everybody.

I'm sorry for that, Brian.

And I promise you that from now on, you'll receive no special treatment.

That's right.

Let somebody else be the teacher's pet.

She's always late.

Maybe she's taking a bath.

I'm sure the Reverend doesn't allow talk like that, and neither do I.

So let's begin, shall we?

Cal, did you have something to do with this?

Sorry, Dr. Mike.

I didn't mean no harm.

Would you be kind enough to take him outside and release him?

You should be out in the field, helping the farmers.

Helping the farmers?

How?

Well, does anyone know what a gopher snake eats?

They eat rats.

Very good, and rats eat crops, so the gopher snakes are very valuable to the

farmers.

It's an amazing animal, moving swiftly without legs, using their tongues to

smell, and going days without eating.

Millions of years of evolution have made it a very efficient creature.

What's evolution?

It's a biological process in which every living organism is transformed.

In other words, it's about change.

Over time, all living things, fish, snakes...

people make changes in order to better cope with the world.

Eleven years ago, an Englishman named Charles Darwin wrote a book titled The

Origin of the Species, in which he discussed the evolution of plants and

animals.

And now, he's written another book that details the evolution of man, from an

early ape -like creature to what we are today.

We used to be apes? Well, not like any existing apes, but from ancestors that

would be...

Recognizably apish.

Marianne, is everything all right?

Well,

I suppose we should move on to arithmetic.

No, tell us more about the apes. Yeah.

Well, all right then, I will.

Darwin felt that human ancestors had dagger -like teeth, similar to those

in apes.

After we walk home this way, Mr. Daggett lets me take the main trail.

Trump!

I should go back to the main trail.

No, wait!

It's real easy.

You just step from rock to rock.

Don't let go.

I won't.

I did it!

What happened to your legs?

Nothing. You hurt yourself or something?

of the tree.

A few weeks ago, I saw some tree frogs up there.

Frogs in trees?

Sure.

Well, they're special frogs.

They got suction cups on their feet for hanging on.

Why would a frog want to live in a tree?

I don't know.

Except he got tired of living in a pond.

See any?

No.

Maybe he grew wings and flew away.

Hey, I'll keep looking for those frogs.

Where were you?

Nowhere. Fucking home.

You're late. You've got a mountain of chores to tend to before sundown, so

it.

My boy, she's late.

Leave her be. I don't want to catch you around her again, or there's going to be

trouble. You hear me? Now go on. Get out of here.

Isn't that what you said, Dr. Mike? Oh, why?

You always so quick to believe every crazy notion.

Many people concur with Darwin's theory, Lauren. It's not crazy.

Man did not come from apes. Look, it's like this.

God created man.

Man is what he is and always has been.

He's permanent. The only thing that's permanent in life is change.

Can you send for the medicine immediately, Horne?

Yes.

Say, what about you, Sully?

Believe this evolution talk?

I never thought much about it.

But if you did think about it, well, then I'd believe what I thought.

Well, it's times like this those two deserve each other.

I finished my homework. I'm going

to go to bed. All right.

Good night.

How did I do today?

You didn't even notice me.

Ma? Hmm?

Today, when I was walking home with Mary Ann, I saw some marks on her legs.

Marks? What kind of marks?

Like rib bones.

Hmm. Well, I'll ask her about it tomorrow.

And then, when we got to her house, Mr. Daggett yelled at her.

She's just shy, Ma.

Everybody's mean to her, and she didn't do nothing to deserve it.

I know, sweetheart.

He shouldn't be yelling at her like that.

He's supposed to protect her, not be mean to her.

I won't let him treat her like that.

I won't either.

Where's Marianne? Maybe she's just late again.

No, she's sick.

I pass her farm every day on the way in. Her pops told me to tell you she won't

be coming into school today.

All right, thank you, Stephen.

Very well, let's begin.

Yesterday I asked you all to look around you and see if you could find examples

of how animals adapt to their environment.

Any success?

Alex, beavers have those big teeth for chewing wood.

That's right. Very good.

Anyone else?

Stephen.

What about woodpeckers? They got those big beaks for banging on trees. They

you up all night.

Actually, Stephen, the woodpecker is one of Darwin's favorite examples of

adaptation.

Anyone else?

Brian.

Tree frogs.

They got those special suction cups for hanging on to branches?

Excellent problem.

Colleen, we need to make sure that Brian gets home.

Where are you going, Ma?

Out to the Daggett's farm.

See how Marianne's doing.

There's Mr. Daggett right now.

I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn. We haven't formed yet.

What can I do for you? Well, I was about to ride out to your farm to see how

Mary Ann's doing.

I've been filling in as a teacher at school. She's fine. Just a little cough.

She'll be back at her desk tomorrow.

I would like to ask, if I may, about the marks on Mary Ann's leg.

What marks?

My son Brian says he saw a red mark on her leg. Lady, I told you the girl's

fine. She'll be back at school tomorrow, which is all you need to be concerned

about. As the town's physician, Mr. Daggett, I'm concerned about her health.

Has she been eating well?

He never gives her any lunch for school.

There's plenty to eat. Well, still, I would like to examine her. She's got

chores. Chores?

Mr. Daggett, a sick child shouldn't be doing chores. Lady, I've got a farm to

tend. The longer I stand here talking to you, the less I'm out there tending it.

So I'd appreciate you not wasting any more of my time. Well, I would think as

parent you'd have a little more compassion.

Dr. Mike.

These folks come to me and say you've been teaching the kids that evolution

nonsense. It's not nonsense, Jake.

Look, reading a book for yourself is one thing.

As mayor of this town, I won't be allowing you to be spreading that

the kids.

The Lord created man in his image, Dr. Mike.

You're a Christian. Surely you should know that. I'm not speaking to the

contrary.

I'm merely presenting a theory that suggests that man's creation was not

spontaneous. It's blasphemy is what it is.

Well, if you'd like me to explain it... Man did not come from monkeys, Dr. Mike.

Read your Bible. Promise me you won't teach them that anymore.

Sorry, but what kind of teacher am I if I'm not allowed to expose my students to

new scientific theories? Teacher?

Your own kids are in that class. The question is, what kind of parent are

You should take it easy, Jake.

This ain't over.

I'm taking this up with the council.

You've got some nerve telling me how to raise my child.

No swelling's gone down.

Any pain?

Only when I breathe.

Well, good news.

You'll live.

Amen to that.

Dr. Mike, Jake tells me that you've been teaching the children about evolution.

Yes, I have. Are you familiar with the theory?

Survival of the fittest. That's right.

Where the strong crowd out and kill off the weak.

Dr. Mike, I appreciate you filling in for me while I've been out, but this

theory, it flies in the face of everything I believe.

My whole life rests on the authority of the Bible.

I believe in the Bible, too. And the Bible says God created the earth in six

days.

Sick 24 -hour days.

Couldn't the book of Genesis be like a poem or a parable?

And each of those days actually represent millions of years?

God created man from dust.

But perhaps he used the process of evolution to achieve it.

Please.

Don't bring the subject up anymore in my class.

I thought Colleen was taking you home. She was.

Then I saw it. She was pet the dream.

So what?

A tree frog.

It came in there right above me on a branch.

Are you still going out to Marianne's farm?

I'm on my way there right now.

Can I go with you?

I don't think that's a very good idea.

Mr. Daggett isn't going to appreciate me coming and... Please, Ma.

I promised Marianne I'd find her tree frog and I want to give it to her.

All right.

Is everything all right?

I was just thinking about what those people said to you earlier.

They were just upset.

Sometimes people have trouble accepting new ideas.

To me, it's all pretty simple.

How's that?

Frog, he wants to climb up into the tree.

So he prays to God to help him out.

And God, he answers his prayer by letting the frog grow a suction cup

feet.

Simple.

I thought I'd drop off Mary Ann's home.

I told you, she's fine.

May I talk with her?

She's not here.

Not here?

She's in the fields, working.

Working?

She's too sick to go to school, but you have her out in the fields?

Mr. Daggett, a sick child needs rest.

Took a nap earlier.

He's feeling better.

What happened here?

That's a very good question, Mr. Daggett.

What happened here?

She's lost a lot of blood.

She be all right?

Just down.

See there?

She opened her eye.

30 rat bites on each leg. Oh, rat bites!

Darcy, please, would you bring me a basin of water and some clay cloth?

Sally, would you ask Grace for a pack of soup?

Charlie's nourishment.

Marianne. This is a solution of carbolic acid. Clean each wound with it

thoroughly.

I'd like to speak with you in the hall.

I'm not going to let him hurt you no more.

I promise.

Don't let go.

I won't.

How soon can I take her home?

Take her home?

You have a very sick child in there. How could you let this happen?

She'll be all right.

Or perhaps this time.

But you're very lucky she didn't bleed to death. Not to mention that she's

seriously malnourished and filthy.

You better start caring for her in a more decent and humane manner. Don't

me how to handle my child. Because if you don't...

The next time it won't be a matter of neglect.

It'll be murder.

I've had enough of this.

What do you think you're doing?

Taking her home.

But she needs medical attention.

Not from you, she don't. No, I won't let you take her.

Please, don't do this.

This child legally belongs to me, which means I'll tend to her however I see

fit. Now I'm taking her home, and there's nothing you or anybody can do to

me, so you step aside.

Stopped him. I'm sorry, Brian.

You shouldn't have let her go.

Gotta help her.

We will, sweetheart.

We will.

Mike, what's wrong?

Forrest, I need you to wire the U .S. Marshal in Denver for me.

Now? Sorry, but it's urgent.

I'd like him to investigate the neglect that Marianne Daggett's suffering under

Mr. Daggett's care.

That's why I'm concerned it's abuse and Tommy got the law involved.

I'll stand for him straight away.

A lot of absences today.

All right, children.

Today, we'll continue working on our writing assignments.

Reverend, you're back.

That's right.

As good as new.

Just like Dr. Mike said.

Are you... It's only draft.

No, I'm fine.

Really.

Well, children, it's been a pleasure teaching you all these past few days,

hope someday I can do it again.

Dr. Mike around?

Inside.

What do you think about all this evolution talk?

Do you believe any of it?

All I know is we did come from apes.

There's some men in town still need catching up.

Afternoon, Dr. Mike.

Reverend.

Any word yet from the Marshal?

Not yet, unfortunately.

Dr. Mike, I'm concerned that you, as a

Christian, would believe a theory that puts you and me and everybody else on

same plane as animals.

I see no sin in that.

I do.

Reverend, you gave the children an assignment on Copernicus and Galileo.

Two men who first set forth the notion that the Earth was not the center of the

solar system.

Well, Galileo was declared a heretic by the Church for believing that... I know

the history, Dr. Mike. But we haven't learned from that.

I mean, why must we always immediately close our minds to any new theories?

This theory has no proof.

No proof?

Well, what about your wisdom tooth?

You yourself said, why would God give man teeth he doesn't need?

Unless at one time, man's jaw was extended.

We don't always know why God does what he does. And that is why we have faith

our foundation.

Yes. Faith in knowing that he allowed us to learn from our past and evolve into

more intelligent and compassionate beings.

Dr. Mike, Marshall just wired back.

He's not coming.

What? Says the government's got no legal means to interfere in cases of child

neglect. You mean there's no law at all?

And even if he could, he's too busy tracking down horse thieves.

What do you think you're doing out here?

I ain't on your property. I don't care. I want you out of here right now.

Stay.

Anything happens to that little girl?

You're going to have to answer to me.

What

are

we going to do, Ma?

I don't know, Brian. It's very upsetting.

The thought of that child having to spend one more night in that man's

terrifies me. We've got to do something.

We can't just let her die. We've got to protect her.

Brian, I know it's difficult to understand, but legally, there's nothing

do. Government's got plenty of laws protecting animals, but none protecting

children. There aren't children animals, too.

What are you thinking of?

That's what I'll do.

What?

Matthew, Colleen, will you stay here with Rowan?

Sully, you ride into town with me.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to protect Marianne.

And Mr. Darwin is going to help me.

Here it is.

Minutes from the town council meeting last April.

Item three, what to do about Zeke Shelton who beat his horse half dead.

You remember, Lauren, it happened outside Hank's saloon.

Sort of.

Council voted unanimously in favor of removing the horse from Zeke's

There, precedent has been set in matters of cruelty to animals.

Well, now all we have to do is prove that Marianne is an animal.

I'll listen to you.

You don't believe all that evolution nonsense, do you?

No, I don't.

But this ain't about that.

This is about doing what it takes to save that child.

I'll call a council meeting for tomorrow night.

The way I see it, you got your work cut out for you.

You gotta convince the council, which is Lauren here, and Jake, and Horace, and

the Reverend, that little Marianne Daggett's an animal.

A dog or a cat. Or a frog.

That ain't gonna be easy.

No, it's not.

Any luck?

I spoke to Horace.

He's not minded about this.

I tried talking to Jake. Who is it?

All I need is a majority vote.

What about the Reverend?

I tried talking to him again this morning. I'm afraid he's firmly set on

belief.

Looks like the one vote's short.

What about you?

You haven't yet told me what your beliefs are.

What I believe?

About evolution, the origin of life.

Cheyenne believed that people are no different from animals.

What about you?

What do you believe?

I believe in not asking questions that can't be answered.

Aren't you the least bit interested in learning how it all began?

All I'm interested in is what's happening right here, right now.

That's all that matters.

I don't know why you got to go spreading the word to everybody.

The town has a right to be informed when there's a meeting, Lawrence. Now, leave

me be.

Go on. You've got a customer waiting.

Seems to me like Dr. Mike's always calling to a meeting.

Looking to stick her nose in everybody's business. Women like to meddle,

Lawrence. In their nature.

We won't even discuss what's in your nature, Hank.

Well, when it comes to meddling with kids' minds, that's where I draw the

Morning, Reverend. Horace.

Gentlemen.

How are you feeling, Reverend?

Better. Thanks.

The problem's all this new science.

Why, it seems like every day somebody's dreaming up some strange idea, trying to

set the whole world on its ear.

I'd say it's the devil's work.

I wouldn't worry so much about it, Jake. He asked me if anybody would be an

idiot to believe man came from apes.

I don't know. I think this evolution idea's kind of interesting.

See what I mean.

I don't know why children have to be studying about science anyway.

Science is part of proper schooling, Lawrence.

In my day, it was reading, writing, and arithmetic. That's what they need to be

thinking about.

You ask me, it's up to us to protect the kids of this town.

Somebody's got to look after their souls, right, Reverend?

Yes, Jake.

I always thought school wasn't about teaching kids what to think, but how to

think.

Well nobody asked you, did they?

How long is this going to take? Oh, it shouldn't take long. Well, I hope.

Whatever it takes to shut that woman up.

I hereby call this meeting of the town council to order.

I'll start by reminding the council of the vote it took last April when it

intervened to remove a horse from Zeke Shelton's possession in order to save

life.

I'm sure you all remember.

Tonight, I'd like to lodge a similar complaint against Mr.

Thomas Daggett for excessive cruelty to an animal.

What animal?

Who told you you could bring her in here?

Shut up.

You'll get your chance to talk, Mr. Daggett.

As you all can see, Mary Ann's condition is very poor.

She's malnourished and unwashed.

And has suffered numerous animal bites on her legs from sleeping in filthy

conditions.

Yet despite this, Mr. Daggett continues to refuse her medical attention.

If Marianne is allowed to remain in Mr. Daggett's custody, I fear her life is in

grave danger.

And that is why I would like the council to vote to remove her.

Wait a minute. Hold on here.

I don't think we've got the right to interfere.

Precedent has been set.

We've intervened before. That was simple. It was a matter of taking an

away from its owner. You're talking about taking a child away from its legal

guardian. That's right.

She ain't no animal. She's a human being. I think we're just meddling where

don't belong.

I move we end the meeting right now.

This child is every better member of the animal kingdom as Zeke's horse.

According to the theory of evolution presented by Charles Darwin... Don't

with that monkey talk.

...man, like the other creatures of the earth, descended from the lower life

form. Listen to this hogwash. She's crazy. No wonder I want her treating my

child.

all his noble qualities with his godlike intellect still bears in his bodily

frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.

God created man separate to rule over the animals.

That's so right in the Bible, don't it, Reverend?

Then I'd like to read from another book, if I may.

The Bible, Ecclesiastes 319.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts.

Even one thing befalleth them.

As one dieth, so dieth the other.

Yea, they have all one breath.

So that a man hath no preeminence above a beast, for all is vanity.

All go unto one place.

All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

We are all God's creatures to be treated fairly and humanely.

Especially the children.

Hey, maybe we should put it to a vote. Hold on a second.

If we vote to take this girl away, she's going to need a home.

I'll find her a home. Until then... Until then... She can stay with us.

You ain't taking this child away from me. I took her in when nobody else

her.

I put a lot of time into her.

I gave her home and food.

She gave you free labor.

Got no right to do this. They got every right.

Shut up and let them go.

Those who think Marianne Daggett is an animal and who ought to be removed from

Thomas Daggett's care cause a cruelty.

Raise your hand.

It's unanimous then.

Fine. You can have her.

You can all.

Never slept in her old bed before.

I brought the soup. Grace made it up fresh.

Good. How's she doing?

I have to direct a nourishment.

She should be fine.

Dr. Mike, I still maintain my beliefs.

I only did what I did last night to save Marianne.

Thank you.

Ryan, look!

I found another tree frog for you.

See the suction cups on his feet?

They're hanging onto the branches, just like I told you.

Thanks, Ryan.

You're going to like living with Becky's family.

It's a good home.

Looks like he wants to go home, too.

I'm sure he'll find a tree nearby he can live in.

And if he ever gets tired of trees, maybe he'll grow wings and fly away.

You did real good at that meeting.

Thank you.

And this evolution idea started to make some sense to me. Really?

Except for one thing.

What's that?

If man evolved from another animal, it ain't an ape.

An eagle? Maybe.