Original subtitles

- Stop it! - No, you!

- Becky?

Luke?

Best hurry up and get down here for breakfast!

You'll be late for school!

Frank, you ok?

- Almost worked my arm off

trimming a dead limb with a dull saw.

Good coffee and I'll be all right.

- Why don't you come in

and have some breakfast with the children?

Get off your feet a moment.

- Work isn't gonna get done on its own.

Listen, make sure you get the children fed

and out here soon.

I need to have them working with me from now on.

- Frank, they've missed so much school

already this year.

- I can't talk about this

every time I need their help, Eliza.

- They're just children, frank.

- Well, they're my grandkids.

Those children have to grow up sooner or later.

Best they do it while they're helping out their family.

- Mom, are you going to walk us to school today?

- I wish you wouldn't.

All the boys call me "baby" when you do.

- Well, your grandpa and I have been talking, and...

We're going to need your help around here for a while.

- But, mom! - No buts, Becky.

And... it won't be permanent.

- It's ok, mom.

There are only a few kids at school, anyways.

- "Anyway."

Why don't you go change into your chore clothes?

It won't be forever, Becky, I promise.

- Most of the girls are still going to school.

The boys are the only ones not going.

- Well, those other families are blessed with lots of boys,

so the girls can stay in school.

We can't do without you.

- I should go change into my chore clothes too.

- Becky...

At night, maybe we can work on sewing

that new Sunday dress we've been talking about.

- Thanks, mama.

- Hey, mister.

You lost?

- Well, you have to know where you're going

to be lost, sheriff.

Me, I'm just looking for work.

- Then you'd better keep on a-movin',

because there's not a job to be had in this county.

- Must be some work as a picker on one of these farms.

- If folks around here could afford to hire a picker,

this country would be overrun with people like you.

- I understand, sheriff.

Guess I'll just be on my way.

- Hey, wait a minute.

You serve in the army?

Private in Paris, general Pershing, July 1917.

First division. Served until the armistice.

- I had a young brother served with the marine corps.

He fought and died at the Marne.

- Sorry to hear that.

- My name is, uh, John Dawkins.

- Gabe Harper.

- Nice to meet you.

- Likewise.

- You had anything to eat lately?

- Well, nothin' regular, but...

I find something here and there.

I'll give you a ride into town.

Maybe we can rustle something up.

It's awful hard to travel on an empty stomach.

- I appreciate that.

- Come on. I'll take you to see Mr. Walker.

Maybe he's got something for you.

- Sure is nice of you, sir.

- So...

How long this time before the children go back to school?

- Not until after the harvest.

Even then, I don't see how we can spare them.

We're struggling to make ends meet as it is.

- Well...

Don't you fret about those children.

I'll run through their lessons with 'em at night

and keep 'em right on track.

- I don't know how you can stay so happy and optimistic.

- This is a wonderful opportunity for me.

I can't hide in the garden with the chickens

or my room forever,

no matter how my brother feels about me.

Thank you. - You're welcome.

How did it come to this?

- And things are gonna get tougher before they get better.

But you got to remember that your faith isn't something

that hard times or frank or the depression

or all the struggles that lay ahead

can take away from.

You just let old aunt Batty

and your faith in the good lord...

Help get you through this.

- Sore arms, huh?

Maybe that'll learn ya some.

You sharpen the tools the way I showed you?

It won't be half as hard to trim these here branches.

- Yes, sir. - Becky.

We know what to do.

We'll move through the rows and call the crop that's most mature

and come back around for the rest.

Ah! - Grandpa?

What's wrong?

Grandpa?

- I'm going to get ma.

Ma!

Ma! Ma!

Ma! Ma!

Ma!

Ma, come quick. It's grandpa!

- Frank.

Frank.

- Go home, children. Go home.

- Uh... stay with frank.

I'm gonna get the wagon and take him to the doctor in town.

- See you tomorrow!

- "You need to be angels for each other,

"to give each other strength and consolation.

"Because only when we fully realize

"that the cup of life is not only a cup of sorrow...

"But also a cup of joy,

do we drink of it."

- Mom!

Aunt Batty!

- Never saw the storeroom in such good order.

You get to everything on the list?

- Yes, sir.

Please, I'm Tom.

Calling me "sir" makes me feel 20 years older than I really am.

Gabe.

- Sorry I don't have the money to keep you on, Gabe.

- This here's payment enough.

I haven't had a meal this good in some time.

- My wife will be happy to hear it.

- Get some of that dirt off of there, clement.

- Yes, sir, Mr. Cunningham!

- What's wrong, sheriff? - Well...

Frank Wyatt's dead.

Had a heart attack. - You don't say.

Thought if there'd be anyone to outlast all of us,

it'd be frank.

- You can't help but feel for Eliza and those kids.

- Gonna be near impossible to keep the place in order

and bring in their crop.

- Yes, it is.

How'd old Gabe do today?

- I was just telling him.

Too bad I can't afford to keep him on.

- Well, is that a fact?

- Sheriff, I'll just, uh, wash this off.

Won't be but a moment.

Take you up on that ride. - Oh, wait a minute, son.

I...i may have another job for you.

Mrs. Wyatt wants to Bury her father-in-law

as soon as possible.

It's not a very clean job, but she needs a grave dug.

Don't imagine it pays much, either.

- Aw, I'm sure it will be more than fair.

- Well, I'd better tell the wife about Eliza's loss.

She'll want to put something together for them.

It was a pleasure to meet you, Gabe.

- Likewise, Tom.

- I don't know what's going to become of her.

Her husband passed away five years ago,

and now her father-in-law's up and died.

Poor little thing, she's got them two children at home,

crop to bring in,

and nobody to help her.

Eliza.

- Sheriff.

- This is the man I was telling you about yesterday.

- Mrs. Wyatt. Gabriel Harper.

- If you'll give me just a moment,

I'll show you both to the family burial plot.

- Who's that with the sheriff?

- A man named Gabriel Harper. I've never seen him before.

- Neither have I.

Uh... I'm gonna show them out to the family plot.

Can you make sure that the children are up and dressed?

- Of course.

- The minister's gonna be here in a few hours, and I...

I have a lot to do before everybody gets here.

- Be strong, Eliza.

Every blade of grass has an angel,

bends over it, whispers,

"grow."

With some help from the good lord,

we'll get through this.

You believe me, don't you?

- I'm afraid I don't have much

in the way to pay you, Mr. Harper.

- Ah, a good meal and a roof over my head tonight's

more than I can ask for.

- Well, fair enough.

This is where we'd like frank to be buried.

Next to his son.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Well, it will take a few hours for us to dig it.

- Us?

- Yes, ma'am.

He's a hard worker,

but I don't expect he'll do it all by himself.

Ask Luke to bring me a cup of coffee, would you?

- Thank you, sheriff.

- I need the exercise anyway.

- "...by faith into this grace wherein we stand,

"and rejoice in hope of the glory of god.

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:

"Knowing that tribulation worketh Patience;

"and Patience, experience;

"and experience, hope:

"And hope maketh not ashamed;

"because the love of god is shed abroad

by the holy ghost which is given unto us."

Amen.

Amen.

- Would you like a cookie, Mr. Wakefield?

- Oh, I'm fine. Thank you.

- Thank you, Batty.

Come here to me.

- Mama?

Is grandpa in heaven with dad?

- Of course. Why would you ask that?

- It's just...

He was always yelling at all of us.

And yesterday, he was so angry with Luke,

that I'm worried he won't get into heaven.

Oh, baby.

If having a short temper was something

that would keep a man out of heaven,

likely half the saints would be on the outside looking in.

Saint Peter included.

Your grandpa loved both of you very much.

Just had his own way of showing it, that's all.

He yelled at you because he wanted you to grow up right.

Smart, strong.

Now, the good lord wouldn't keep you out of heaven

just for wanting what's best for your grandchildren.

Certainly not for loving them that much.

- But I miss him.

- Oh.

I know.

But probably not half as much as he misses you.

- Mama?

Are we going to be able to stay here?

- Of course.

It's our home.

- Thank you so much for coming.

- If there's anything we can do...

We appreciate it.

Oh, reverend, reverend, thank you.

- God willing...

Everything will work out just fine.

- Yes, god willing.

- God willing.

Good luck.

- Goodbye, Mr. Wakefield. - Goodbye.

Please, pass on my condolences.

I know that Eliza's had a rough time, but...

I'll need to speak to her soon about the farm.

And tell her I'll come visit here,

if coming down to the bank is too much.

- I'll pass on both.

- Bye.

- Oh, leave that out, dear.

Mr. Harper's still eatin'.

- Oh, I completely forgot about him.

- Oh, not to worry.

I took him a plate.

Actually, he's already on his second.

- I didn't see him in the living room.

- He wouldn't come in.

He said he wasn't fit to enter our home.

- Parents raised him well.

- Well, I think it's kind of strange

that a man so polite and well-spoken

would be out wandering across the country.

- I think we'd best mind our own business.

- Oh, I am, I...

I just think it's kind of strange, that's all.

Well, I'll go make up the spare room.

- I can't have a strange man in this house.

- Well, where's he gonna sleep?

- Well, he can stay in the barn.

If you'll give him some blankets,

I don't think he'll mind. - Ok.

I'll go get the blankets.

- I hope this is ok.

- More than fine.

I'm sorry for your loss.

I sure do appreciate the kindness you offer me.

- I'll come back in the morning, to get you for breakfast.

- Well, the sheriff's going to pick me up early morning.

- Not without breakfast.

I insist.

Oh, lord, what am I gonna do?

I don't have...

Nearly the faith that aunt Batty has.

I don't know how I'm gonna make it through this.

- It's gonna be all right.

- I just want to run away.

I just want to pack up the children and go.

- No, don't say that, dear.

- This place has become a prison.

- The farm is all we got.

You must keep the faith, dear.

It's always helped me get through hard times.

- You've only been back here a few years.

This place has been dying for a long time.

I never could believe you'd want to come back here,

especially with the way that frank treated you.

The children and I had no choice, but you...

- I just had to come to grips with the understanding

that if...

I wanted his love and his help,

it was going to have to be on his terms,

and not mine.

And now...

I'm where I should be.

My home and family.

- Fine family we are.

Not much of a home, either.

- You know, I like a home that has a few creaks in it.

It makes you feel like it's lived in.

By the way, same with family.

- Sorry if I woke you up.

- No.

When you live on a farm all your life,

you're up before the sun out of habit.

I couldn't help but notice

how low you were on wood in the barn.

As cold as it was last night,

can only imagine how bad it's gonna be this winter.

Thought I'd get you started on a decent supply of split wood.

- Excuse me if I'm being too forward, but...

What's such a decent man like yourself

doing living the way you are?

- How's that?

- Well, you know... Out in the world, no home,

wandering from place to place.

- I wish I had an easy answer for you, but I don't.

- So, you're not headed anywhere in particular?

Nobody out there waiting for you?

- No, ma'am.

- Well, perhaps I could convince you

to get off the road for a while and stay here.

We ain't got much, but we could give you room and board

for helping out around here.

Eliza's in a tough spot,

and I don't think she'd ask for help from anyone.

You know, sometimes it takes a crazy old woman like myself

to do the speaking for the likes of people like you and her.

- Well, I could use a place on a steady basis.

I've been on the road a long time.

- Good.

Then why don't you go to the pump and get washed up

and come on in the house for breakfast?

- Oh, no, ma'am. - Mr. Harper, if you think

you're too filthy to sit at our table,

then clean yourself up.

I won't have you eating outside anymore.

- Yes, ma'am.

- People around here call me aunt Batty.

- Batty? - You heard me.

Now, get washed up.

I'm gonna go in and talk to Eliza

and finish getting breakfast ready.

- You asked him to stay on.

How are we going to pay him?

- Room and board.

One extra mouth to feed and a room is a good deal

for a man to help us bring in the crop, if you ask me.

- I'm starting to see why frank called you Batty.

- Sometimes it just takes a freethinker like myself

to cut through things.

- No. No, I cannot have a strange man

living in this house.

- Dear...

What else are you gonna do?

You're not thinking this through.

This is so sudden, but if we don't have

someone else to help us run this place,

we're going to lose whatever else we have left.

- Come in.

- Morning.

I'm sorry. Should I leave? - No, no.

You're just in time for breakfast. Sit down.

- Thank you.

Father, we thank thee that thy kingdom

is neither meat nor drink but righteousness.

Peace and joy forever.

Amen.

- Amen. - Amen.

- Amen.

- Are you a hobo?

- Luke, watch yourself.

- No, sir.

But I guess I sure do look like one.

- 'Cause people around here don't like hobos and bums.

- All right, that's enough, both of you.

Let's let Mr. Harper eat in peace.

- What's your first name?

- Gabriel. Gabriel.

But my friends and most folks just call me Gabe.

- Like the angel.

- Well, my mother and grandma used to say so,

so maybe I am.

- My aunt says we're her angels. - Hmm.

Is that so?

Well, then, fellow angels,

what are your names?

- I'm Becky, and he's Luke.

- It's a pleasure to meet both of you. Oh!

- Ma! Luke just poked Gabe with his fork.

- He poked him?

- Yeah. For no reason at all.

- But I did have a reason.

I wanted to see if he was really an angel.

- Luke, say you're sorry right now.

- I'm sorry.

- No, no harm done.

- Look, I think Gabe has probably had enough

of you two by now, so...

Finish your breakfast and get moving.

We've got a lot to get done today.

- I know it isn't my place to say, but...

But maybe you and the children should take

at least one more day to yourselves.

I can get to work if you show me where to start.

Mr. Harper. - Please, Gabe.

- Gabe.

Do you know what you're getting into here?

We have little or no chance of making it through the harvest.

I have no money to pay you.

And I've nothing of value to offer.

- Excuse me, ma'am. I understand your concerns.

But the offer Batty made me was room and board

in exchange for helping you out around here.

That's more than generous enough an offer for me.

- Just put it down there.

- Oop. Lost one.

- All right. I'll get it later.

Yeah, last one.

Ok.

Ooh!

- Afternoon, folks!

- Sheriff.

- Gabe.

Can I talk to you a minute, please?

- Sheriff?

- Son, you know, I was kind of surprised

when I got that call from Batty this morning.

Now, you seem to be a decent sort of fellow,

but I want you to know exactly what you're getting into.

Now, Batty means well,

but I don't want to give these folks any false hopes.

Most of the people around here

are having trouble surviving nowadays.

So if you made them a promise to stick around here

until the harvest is in,

you've got to do exactly that.

- I told them I'd work through the harvest.

I intend to do so.

- All right.

But when you made those people a promise,

you made that same promise to me.

And I intend for you to keep it.

- Well, I won't let them down.

Or you.

- Good.

You'd best get back to work.

- Sheriff.

- I'll be back in a few days to see how y'all are doin'!

- Mama, can we do some reading tonight?

- Certainly. - Ohh!

- Now, Luke, if you don't practice your reading,

you're never going to get good at it.

- But, mom...

- No "but, mom"s, you understand?

Now, please, go on out to the barn

and get Gabe for breakfast.

- Ok.

Mama! Mama!

Ma, is he gonna die?

- No.

It's just a fever, that's all.

Uh, I want you two to go back out

to the trees we finished up on yesterday

and start picking from there, ok?

Go on.

- Run along. Work won't wait on any of us.

- Yes, ma.

- He runnin' a fever?

- He's hot as can be.

- Well, no need to worry.

My chicken soup could raise the dead.

Come on. This is no place for a sick man.

Let's get him inside.

- Inside? - Yes, inside.

Come on, Gabe. Come on.

- Oh. - Come on.

Come on.

"24 December 1930.

"Christmas Eve.

"Jack spent it in some boxcar,

"rumbling down the tracks to no place in particular.

"He traveled alone that night,

"not his first without family...

"But definitely his first...

- "...without both family and friends since the war.

"At the last stop, he could hear carolers singing

"in some nearby square,

"their voices carrying on in the wind.

"They sang silent night.

"Jack joined in for a verse.

"For a moment, it made him smile

"and remember Christmases past when life was simple and good,

"a feeling he isn't so sure

"he'll ever know in his heart again.

"Twelve years ago today...

Jack remembers it like it was just yesterday..."

- How's Gabe doin'?

- Fever's broke. - Good.

- I found a journal in his bag.

- Well?

- I think he's writing a fiction,

about a hobo named Jack.

- And?

- It's very well-written.

Very sad.

- How so?

- Well, Gabe... I mean, Jack is very alone in the world.

- Go on.

- Well, I didn't read all that much.

He started to stir, and I lost my nerve.

- Well, at least now we know that our mysterious hobo

is not only polite, well-mannered,

a veteran,

but he's a good writer as well.

Here are my famous cornbread muffins.

- Why are they so famous?

- Because I declare them so, ain't that enough?

Is Gabe up and moving yet?

- Not yet.

- Here, have a muffin.

- I don't mind if I do.

That is, if you don't mind the company.

- Well, good Mornin', Gabe. - Morning.

- We worried about you the other day.

- Oh, yeah, I'm sorry.

Last thing I knew,

I was finishing chopping wood before bed,

and everything went fuzzy.

- Well, you made it back to the barn,

and then we brought you back here.

- Thank you.

Again, again, thanks for your trouble.

I'll just collect my things, fix up the room,

head back to the barn.

- Gabe, wait.

The guest room is yours.

We can't have you living outside like an animal.

Besides, you start sleeping out there again,

you're liable to get just as sick,

maybe even worse.

Go on, eat.

I'm sure you're starving.

Go ahead.

- Thank you.

Thank you, father,

for this bounty we are about to receive.

- Amen. - Amen.

- Ooh!

- Morning, Eliza.

Gabe.

- Sheriff, you too.

- Mr. Wakefield, I'm sorry I didn't see you out

after the funeral.

- You, uh, have some time to talk?

- Uh...

Well, sure. Let's go inside.

- Looks like y'all been busy.

- Yeah.

Dawn 'til dusk.

This an official visit? - Me? No. For him, it is.

I heard he wanted to come out here and talk to Eliza,

so I offered him a ride.

I wanted an excuse to come out here

and see how everything was going.

- Please, have a seat. - All right.

I doubt if, uh...

Frank ever talked to you much about family finances.

It wasn't even his way to talk to me, unless he had to.

Since frank had no will,

his grandchildren will inherit the farm,

which means you'll have a substantial payment

on the mortgage.

Now, normally, we could wait until after the harvest was in,

but, because of the state of banking,

a number of institutions have had to call in

their outstanding debts early.

- How long do I have? - Less than 30 days.

- Well, that's not enough time

to bring in the bulk of the harvest.

- I...i...I'm sorry, Eliza. It's not my call anymore.

For the past few years,

in order to save so many families

and keep them afloat,

I've had to sell off parts of and whole loans

to larger banks.

- Well, there has to be a way.

- Eliza, let me be frank.

The bank in San Francisco could try to foreclose this property.

If I could find you a buyer for the whole spread

who'd give you a good price, would you sell?

- How much could I get?

- Enough to cover what you owe my bank

and the bank in San Francisco,

and maybe a little extra for you and the children

to set up a small home close to town.

- And then what would we do?

- People in this town never liked frank that much,

but they'd bend over backwards to help you and the children.

- Folks around here can barely afford

to keep their own homes and land.

Who's gonna give me a job that will allow us to stay

in anyplace we settle in?

What if I can bring in part of the harvest,

make a partial payment?

- Please, for the good of your family,

let me try and find a buyer.

- Thank you, Mr. Wakefield...

For anything you can do.

- The sheriff told me about the bank in San Francisco

wanting to call the loans early.

Is there anything I can do to help?

- Oh, you... you're already doing more than I can ask.

- I'm not doing anything that you and your family

aren't willing to do yourselves.

- Think it's about time we got you into some newer clothes.

Come on.

- "When I was a child,

I spake and..."

- Read a little more loudly, Luke.

- "...as a child." - Fits.

- "I understood as a child..."

- Don't worry, we'll make it fit.

- "For now we see

through a glass..."

It's a little more respectable.

- Well, this is a different cover to judge.

I think that's going to be all for tonight.

Why don't you all go up and get ready for bed,

and I'll be up to tuck you in shortly.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Luke. - Goodnight.

- You have a wonderful family here, Eliza.

A good life.

It'd be a shame to see it all slip away.

Now, the way I see it is, we double our efforts tomorrow,

we stand a fighting chance to bring in your harvest,

raise money, and hold off the bank.

- I don't know.

- Well, maybe I haven't had

anything worth fighting for in a while,

but, to me, this place, you...

The kids...

Are worth doing all I can for.

- Well, we could at least say we gave it a try.

- So, what do we do next?

- Well, when we have most of the harvest in,

I'll call the wholesalers that frank used to work with,

and they'll come out and assess the yield,

and make us an offer.

- Well, then,

we have a ton more work ahead of us.

- Right.

- They're going to need these lunches.

The kids have been out there with Gabe since sunup.

Ha ha!

- I was out on the Atlantic ocean,

a ship called the troop carrier.

- Were you a soldier? - Yes, I was.

My brother, we're off to the war,

fight the Germans.

And we'd never been on the ocean before.

- Hey, Gabe, catch!

Throw this one hard.

Ooh! He hit it! It went far!

- You got to get the ball, he's coming home!

You got to get him at the plate!

You're out!

- "And Susie at the scene of the acc..I...Dent..."

- Yeah, you remember that one.

- "George Herman Ruth was just 19 years old

"when he was discovered by a minor league scout.

"He was so young that the scout nicknamed him 'the babe.'

"he will surely be remembered as the greatest baseball player

"of all time.

"When people think of baseball,

they will always think of one name... 'The babe.'"

oh! That is so great!

- I am so proud of you.

- Gabe's been helping me read better.

- Gabe wants Luke to read on his breaks

instead of just sitting down.

- Oh, he does, does he?

- You know what, mom?

When I grow up, I want to be a baseball player,

just like babe.

- Well, right now you need to go

and have some lunch with aunt Batty.

- I'm reading to Gabe. Can't I stay?

- You've got a lot of work to do, Luke.

Why don't you go get some lunch?

We'll come back out and finish the work.

Maybe we'll have some time to throw the ball around.

- Ok. - Come on, Becky.

Let's go.

We'll be back soon.

- He's a good boy.

- Thank you for helping him.

Luke's had such a hard time with his reading.

- Well, I was a lot like him when I was his age.

I had terrible grades in school.

We had this cook worked for our family.

She took me under her wing.

She used to cook supper.

She'd make me sit up on the kitchen counter,

recite poetry to her.

Yeats. Tennyson.

Shelley.

Yep.

Then my dad found out about it

and had her fired.

- That's horrible. - Yeah, it was.

It was, but I think my father did what he did

more out of shame than spite.

You know, he just couldn't grasp the fact

that people could be kind for the sake of kindness.

- Sounds a lot like frank.

- Yeah, well, many men are.

- So, are you still in touch with your father?

- No, not for a while.

I got you!

- Luke's taken to Gabe.

- No, no, no!

- He thinks he's an angel.

- Downright handsome, as well.

- Good job, Gabe!

- ...another dress.

Ok. Come here.

I can't believe I'm doing this.

He could walk in here any minute.

- Well, then start reading.

- Ok.

Uh... ok.

"Jack had been to war and seen things

"no man should ever have to see.

"He traveled the world

"and lived a life he considered rich and full.

"But when he went to sleep at night,

"his mind always wandered back to that day

"he arrived home from war without his brother.

"He could see the pain that was etched on his parents' faces

"that they were sorry that it was he who returned,

and not his brother."

- Yeah.

- That one shouldn't be too hard to find.

Those ones... - Yeah.

The ones with these.

- All right. All right. Hey, Luke?

- The last piece we flipped. - Hey, Luke.

Would you put this up in the corner for us?

Ok.

- Still worried about those children?

- I don't know.

For the first time in a long time, I... I feel...

- Hopeful?

- No, that doesn't fit. - See if this one fits over.

- That works. - Yeah.

- Perhaps you should get to know that man a little better.

Answer some of those questions rolling around in your head.

- You want to put it in?

All right.

- Come in.

Eliza.

- Gabe, do you mind if we talk for a bit?

- Uh, no.

Please.

There's something that I... Been wanting to ask you.

- Ok. Go ahead.

- Why are you running from your home and your family?

- You read my journal.

- I know it was wrong, but...

It was so well-written, and...

I wanted to know what inspired the stories.

- That's my business.

- Gabe, it isn't hard to see that Jack is you.

Whenever I ask you about your past,

you change the subject.

It's... It's as if you're trying to...

- Hide something.

- Oh, we all have things in our past

that we aren't proud of.

I wasn't meant to be here either.

I ran away from home when I was 18.

I joined up with a traveling theater group.

We'd move from town to town every few days,

and at first, it was exciting.

And then, being on the road and the men I ran into,

I wished I'd never left home.

But I didn't want to go back there, either.

One day, we came to deer Springs, and I...

I met my husband during the intermission.

He was the only man that ever really listened to me.

All I know is,

we went out for dinner after the show, and...

I decided then that I wasn't going back on the road,

that I would...

Stay here

and do whatever it took

to make my own home, my family.

I have two children I love with all my heart,

but it is hard to keep hoping for the best

when all we've seen is things go from bad to worse.

This certainly isn't the life

I would have imagined for myself.

And you?

- I think you already know enough about my life.

- You and Gabe didn't say a word between you at breakfast.

- Told him I read his journal.

I ended up telling him just about everything.

- And he didn't do the same.

You can't expect a man to just open up

and spill his guts to you.

Got to talk to a man,

make him feel comfortable about opening up to ya.

That's a big leap for any man to show his true feelings.

And I think that whatever's troubling Gabe

is making it especially hard for him.

- Hey, Becky, grab the... - I got it.

I got this one.

Keep it up, now.

That's right. You're doing great.

All right, gentlemen. Time to stretch it out.

- They usually don't take to strangers

like they've taken to you.

- Yeah, well, we've been bunkmates for a while,

not for a short time.

- You know, animals have a special way of knowing

who to trust and who not to,

especially old boys like these two.

Ain't that right, guys?

- Well, most wouldn't expect a horse to be

much better judge of people than you or I.

- Well...

Then I'm a pretty good judge of people, Gabe.

And I think you're a... Sensitive soul

with a lot of potential.

You know, Eliza thinks so, too,

or she wouldn't have come to you the way she did before.

- Yeah, well, don't get me wrong.

I like it here very much,

and all of you have become very dear to me in a short time,

but I don't want there to be any misunderstanding

about who or what I am.

- Well, that's pretty hard to avoid

if you're not willing to open your heart to us.

Yeah, well...

I just don't see any good

in bringing others into my troubles,

for me or them.

- Nobody's asking you to lay yourself out there

for the buzzards, Gabe.

Just... just talk to her.

Make her feel that you understand and appreciate

the way she opened up to you before.

What you decide to tell her and how long it takes you to say it

is up to you.

- All right.

Thanks, Batty. I'll give it some thought.

- You do that.

- You do that.

I think I'll, uh... go in

and listen to the radio with the children.

- Excuse me.

- I want you to know I'm truly sorry for what I did.

I just want to know you better.

Know who you are inside.

- Eliza, have I...

Have I given you any reason to doubt me

and my intentions?

- No.

You've been a godsend to us all.

I don't know what I would be doing right now without you.

- I want you to know I really appreciate you coming

and talking to me before.

We interrupt this program for a special...

- I really do.

- Mom, Gabe, come quick!

- The weather bureau has informed me

that the tri-county area can expect a high-pressure system...

- Shh...

- To move into the area tonight,

bringing temperatures at or below freezing.

All farmers should take whatever steps they can

to protect their crops or orchards.

- Well, we don't have much time.

There are smudge pots and oil in the barn.

- Get the bottom of this. - Up you go.

- Coming up around the other side.

- Ugh! It's heavy!

- Here, put it here.

- Right down in the middle.

I don't want anything going wrong.

- All right.

You think that's gonna stay? - Yep.

- I hope the oil holds out.

- "The barrel of meal shall not waste,

neither shall the cruse of oil fail."

Ist kings,chapter 17.

- Make sure you put it on tight.

Yeah, ok. Watch your feet.

Giddy up!

Well...

All we can do now is wait 'til the morning.

- Batty talks about faith like it grows on trees.

It's so hard to believe

that there's anyone looking out for us.

We've just gone from one bad turn to the next.

- You haven't lost all your faith, have you?

- I didn't say that.

- Eliza, we've done all we can.

Let's have faith in that.

Let go.

Whew.

Oh!

- Yes! Yes!

- Ahh.

This fresh air makes me feel young again.

- Last night was a miracle.

- Yeah. Let's hope we don't get another frost.

- Whoo.

I think it's about time I call the wholesalers

that usually bid on the crop,

get 'em out here to make an offer.

We're running out of time before the note's due.

- We got enough in?

- Well, we've got to do something.

It's our best shot.

- Well, Mrs. Wyatt,

it's a little early to come out there.

- I understand.

- Well, maybe I can arrange a trip in about four days.

- Four days.

- Crops got to be in the boxes, not on the trees.

- I understand, sir. We'll... we'll be ready.

- All right, I'll see you in four days, Mrs. Wyatt.

- There is no way we'll be ready.

- So?

- Well, I was only able to reach one wholesaler.

He's gonna be around here in about four days.

He'll see how big an order he can take.

- Four days.

We've got a lot more work ahead of us.

- Here comes the sheriff.

- I see the crop seems to have weathered the frost.

- Eliza, I was talking to Preston earlier today.

He put me on the phone with a gentleman

by the name of Kornhaus.

Works for the bank in San Francisco.

Said they'd be out to see you the day after tomorrow.

- Well, I can't get a wholesaler out here by then.

- What? A few extra hands couldn't hurt.

Well, all right.

Let's go to work.

- I don't want there to be any more secrets between us.

I was so desperate to make my father proud of me,

that when the war came along,

I decided to sign up.

And, uh...

That's my older brother. He wouldn't let me go alone.

So, uh... he signed up, too.

A few years later,

I was on a boat coming home,

and he was in a grave in France.

- I'm sorry.

- I know my family never forgave me

for my brother's death.

They kept quiet about it.

And that silence is...

What ate away not only at me, but all of us.

After that...

My house, my family...

All of it seemed like anything but my own.

I couldn't stand the looks on their faces.

The coldness in their hearts.

- I've seen in your heart.

You're a good soul.

You need to hold onto that, not some bad memories or...

Feelings that others have forced on you.

- I want to make new memories.

Good ones.

With you.

- Strange weather we've been having.

Right near froze to death the other night.

Then it's hot as blazes in the daytime.

Uh-oh, here comes trouble.

Gentlemen.

This is Mr. Kornhaus of the first allied trust,

San Francisco.

- How do you do, sir? - We've spoken.

- Sheriff, I wonder if you'd escort Mr. Kornhaus

and myself for a few days.

We, unfortunately, have some rather unpleasant business

to discuss with a few members of our community,

and Mr. Kornhaus feels the need

of an objective representative of the law

to come along with us.

- Most people are resigned to their fate,

but a few just refuse to cooperate.

- All right, I'll go with you.

But I want to make one thing clear.

I'm going to enforce the letter of the law.

I'm not going to be a debt collector

for your fancy San Francisco bank,

Mr. Kornhaus.

You understand that, we'll get along.

- Mrs. Wyatt, I was wondering if we could have a word.

- Come with me.

- This is Mr. Kornhaus of the first allied trust,

in San Francisco.

- Mr. Kornhaus.

- Madame.

- This is my property manager, Mr. Gabriel Harper.

- Sir. - Mr. Harper.

- Eliza, we all know

that you have a payment due on the mortgage.

Now, I told you that,

because of certain emergency funding requirements,

that Mr. Kornhaus' bank is requesting a call on your loan.

I also said that I would try and find a buyer for your property.

Someone who would make you an offer

that would pay off all of your debts

and leave you with enough to get set elsewhere.

- It's a fair offer.

From unified farms, out of San Antonio, Texas.

- They're helping a lot of people in the region

who are in the same bind as you are.

- They're only trying to help everybody out.

- It isn't much.

- It's fair.

And your only offer.

- Eliza, if you don't sell the property,

Mr. Kornhaus' bank intends to foreclose in 48 hours.

- That is, unless you can make a full payment

of the money owed the bank before then.

- I have a wholesaler coming to make an offer on my harvest

the morning after next,

so I'm going to have to refuse the offer.

- Mrs. Wyatt, you should know this offer has been made

in a generous and benevolent fashion.

- I appreciate the offer, but thank you.

We'll be just fine.

Gabe.

- Where's Gabe?

- He's gone out for a bit.

- Where did he go?

- I don't know.

- When will he be coming back?

- Let's not worry about Gabe.

We've got a long day ahead of us.

Oh, good.

Help's arrived.

The walkers and the sheriff are here.

Kids, come and take them their breakfast.

We'll be out shortly.

- I knew this would happen.

How am I going to tell those kids that he's gone

and he's not coming back?

- Let's not jump to conclusions.

- Conclusions? He's not here. What am I supposed to think?

- I know he just wouldn't up and leave, Eliza.

He really cared about you and those children.

It was plain as day.

- Well, to me, he's gone.

- Don't lose your faith, hon. We'll be all right.

- Look, you're missing that one.

- It's too high. I can't reach it.

- You need help getting that one?

Ok, I'll come over there.

Ok. Put your arms up... - No!

Ok...

- I'm so sorry.

We tried.

I didn't want to let you down.

I was just hoping we could keep this place going a little longer

for the children's sake.

Now what am I gonna do?

The man from the bank comes tomorrow,

so we need to be ready.

I think we should, uh, pack everything we can

and put it in the wagon.

- I don't want to leave our home, ma.

- We'll go up and pack together.

- I don't even have a suitcase.

- Well...

You can share mine.

- Batty, would you mind calling the walkers,

telling them not to come tomorrow?

Penny for your thoughts.

- They're not even worth a penny.

- You miss Gabe, don't you?

Me too.

- Didn't even say goodbye.

- Well...

It's easier that way for some people.

Goodbyes are hard.

- I thought he cared about us.

Ma, I'm scared to leave.

- We're gonna be ok.

Just as long as we're together, huh?

Hmm.

- Try under that tree over there!

- ...get something to eat.

- Been riding the rail there for two days.

- That house over there, I remember.

- Mama! Mama!

- Luke, what is it?

- There are men outside.

Get your aunt Batty up.

Whoever's out there, show your faces!

Step out here, where I can see you.

The rest of you.

What are you doing here?

What do you want?

- Thought we could use some help

if we want to bring the crop in on time.

- Gabe!

I thought you'd left.

- I've run from enough things in my life.

If I can't make a stand here for people I care about...

I might as well wander the rest of my life.

Gabe!

Hey, guys.

All right.

How you been?

- Gabe.

- Batty. - Oh, Gabe. Ohh!

- I brought some friends along.

- You boys hungry? - Yes!

- I'll fix you the best breakfast you ever had.

Orange picking's tough work.

You need your strength.

Go to the barn. I'll bring it in there.

Come on, kids.

- How did you find all these men?

- Well, you ride the rails as long as I have,

you know where to look.

- Come on.

- Afraid so.

- Mrs. Wyatt.

We're here to officially serve you with notice

of foreclosure.

- Wait, hold on, sheriff.

Mr. Kornhaus, this is Mr. Jennings,

from Gilbert wholesalers.

- Mr. Jennings was just telling myself and Mr. Harper

that he's willing to cut a check for the entire crop,

minus rejects and runts.

- But I'd be more than happy to draft that check to you, sir.

- It will be enough to cover our debt.

- How in the world did you do it?

- I just gathered up some hard-working men

that wanted a fair shake,

like the one I got. - Whoo.

- Mr. Jennings liked the looks of what he saw in the barn

and even more of what's in the fields.

- Well, it's good when your faith in somebody pays off.

- Sheriff.

- Thank you, Mr. Jennings.

- Don't thank me, just get that crop in.

- It's been a pleasure. - Sure. Same here.

I look forward to seeing you folks next year.

Good luck to you.

- Eliza, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband,

to live together after god's ordinance?

Wilt thou love him,

comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health,

as long as you both shall live?

- I will. - Repeat after me.

"With this ring, I thee wed."

- With this ring, I thee wed.

- "With my body, I thee worship."

- With my body, I thee worship.

- "And with all my worldly goods,

I thee endow."

- And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow.

- "Amen."

- Amen.

- I now pronounce you man and wife.

You may kiss the bride.