02x31 - The Kate Parker Story

[bunniefuu]

Well, you don't splash much.

Don't you scare them away for good.

Beavers
getting scares on up in these parts.

You folks traipsing all over the country?

Ain't no point in scaring them.

Phew. That's left.

I'm sorry, Mr.. I didn't see you.

Say you must be Willamette
Mountain man trapped in his car.

A long night. Ride. Trapped beaver.

And I use a long night.

Kind of. Lonesome working it.

Threatening to get too darn sociable.

But we ain't seen nobody in days.

And, well, it's not too long ago
when a man could travel for weeks,

not run into even an engine.

You with them wagon?

Yeah.

You aiming to settle hereabouts?

Are you just passing through?
We're just passing through.

Good. That is, if the weather stays.

All right.

The major things, it's got to rain. Hawks.

There's going to be a big wind. No. No

one. I
told them all the time is going to snow.

Thanks, Mr. Banks, but they're.

All I make Up, up.

Though.

This is going to be the wettest wind
you ever saw here.

Major.

You're wrong.
Both of you. Just like I said, you was.

I ran into a mountain feller back there,
and he said it was ready in the snow.

He lives up here.

He ought to know that case.

Charlie, you better show yourself up

in those red channels
for the rest of the winter.

I go to get these wagons ready to roll.

Yeah, I want to get out of here.

Major, There's.

Parker.

Back in New England.

We look at that
sky and get out our furs and snowshoes.

What do we do here?

Well, I must just kind of pray that
those clouds are bluff, and that's all.

Oh, would you tell
your husband we're getting ready to roll?

Oh, and ask him if he'll bring back
that monkey wrench we threw with it.

Please,

Jonas,

we're getting ready to roll in the maid.

You want his wrench back?

Half of it.

Kate.

$5,000.

Why do you like, forever?

No, it's my money,
and I'm taking it with me to California.

I'm buying a horse ranch there.

There's anything left over?
You may have it.

I want it now. Kate.

The only way you could get it now would be
if I died

or if it.

Know you echo my thoughts.

Kate.

Come on, honey.

The maid.
You won't like us holding up the parade.

It's freezing out there, isn't it?

Colder than a polar bears toad.

Haven't you got anything you can wear?

Girl doesn't
need warm clothes in a saloon.

Abby, that's over with, remember?

We're not talking about it anymore.

Well,
I think some of the women know about me.

Anyway. They're snickering behind my back.

You let them snicker.

It'll be different
when we get to San Francisco.

A new life here.

But this around here.

You and you're ruffled.

Sure. You look so out of place.

City slicker with a hick.

Joe goes from having to leave town.

All right.

Oh, my other coat

with a scarf.

You'll be warm enough there.

But, Chris, I look so silly.

Well, I don't have to be out there
with you when you're driving.

When I drive, when I walk.

Exeter Stand Sleeper awake every moment
that I'm alive, you have to be with me.

And after which to God, what?

Come on, please.

Let's go right with you, Major.

Yeah, You look fine.

Sort of a female thing on a frosty day.

About to deal somebody a cold back.

At ancient history
to shut up. Mrs. Finley.

Come on, let's go.

Say, what do you two do?

You two lovey dovey
when you're not doing what you're doing.

Getting ready to.

Do It looks like snow, doesn't it, Major?

That'll be fun. I love it when it snows.

You know, Mr.

Finley, that young bride of yours
is not very bright, is she?

No, sir. She's stupid.

That's why I married her.

Because along side of her,
I look real bright.

She loves it when it snows This.

Tell her about Donner's past, will you?

Percy Donner.

See, once upon a time, honey,
there was a fellow named Donner.

Percy Donner and that. Right, Major?

Go ahead, be funny.

Well, anyway, he's playing
craps one night for big stakes.

And then makes a pass. Yeah, right.
In a big blind standing at the table.

So she walks back and lets him
have it right between the, like, eyes.

Now, where else
could she hit him in a crap game?

So then little Phoebe, that was her name.

Yeah.

Phoebe,
come on, let's get rolling. William.

We got a long haul.

Pull that we get to. Jillian
What's Jillian?

It's a little way station up ahead
where my color's waiting for us

at the post office.

Why at the post office?

Well,
that's usually where you get the mail.

What is this with you and post offices?

Don't you like them?

I see you two
always playing that silly game.

Yeah, She gets lots of letters from me.

Chris,

I saw that wanted poster.

I saw it in the post office
back in a Waystation

where I stopped to get some supplies.

You take a good picture.

You should see the one of me
on a white barrette.

Why haven't you turned me in, Major?

Because I'm not a law man.

Thousand dollars is a nice round sum.

And I'm not a bounty hunter either.

I've thought of it.

I'll admit that as a good citizen,
I should probably turn you in.

But in a sh**ting,
there's usually two sides to it.

And one of them can't talk.

Would you like to hear the side
that can talk?

I don't think so,
because if you were wrong and

I still did nothing about it,
I'd be an accessory after the fact.

And I'm not sticking my chin out
that far for anybody.

Come on, let's get along
and take it easy on that off.

We'll. Well.

Thanks, Major.
Don't thank me for anything.

I haven't said I wouldn't turn
in. I said I'd think about it.

Well, Chris,

I don't.

Like this.

We make him laugh.

Sentimental behind that gruff right

scene on which we care for each other.

But you're worried.

Major Adams, an honest man, may decide
it's his duty to.

Well, then tell him how it happened.

I tried. You heard me.

You wouldn't listen. Chris.

He must listen.

Our whole future depends on it.

If they take you away.

Well, I don't think I could take it.

Oh, look at my neck.

Okay, honey, I'll try again.

You wouldn't

really k*ll me for the money,
would you, Jonas?

Do you hate me that much?

I don't feel any strong emotion toward
you, Kate.

You're a nuisance.

You know, cold, hard woman.

Colder than those black clouds
hanging above us.

You married me
because you weren't getting any younger.

That's who.

You married me for my money.

Which you didn't give me. Which I'll get.

Well, Mr.

Hawkes, my husband won't be using that.

Thank. Thank you.

An empty gesture, Kate.

California. Still a long way off.

A long ways off.

What about.

No, no. No, no.

Come on, let's get out of here.

I snowed in.

I want to get snowed in in town.

I got to talk to you, Major.

Well, go ahead, son.

I'd like to be alone, if you don't mind.

I'll take a major.

I'll go inside.

I got a little small to do anyway.

Yeah.

You don't have money.

I hope you got good, strong hands, Major,

because I'm putting my life into one.

And that's up to you.

Or see, I'm a
I was a professional gambler.

That's not very hard to figure out.

A deal. A fair game.

I was a Sharpie.

I could make those cards say yes. What?

I mean, whenever I touched him
the night it happened, I had a reason to.

I needed a big stake. I was in love.

I got a mighty, pretty little gal.

And she is.

She was working in a saloon
where I was dealing back in Abilene.

Sick of her life.

She made me sick a mine.

I needed a mistake.

I needed it so bad.

I really made those boys do tricks.

Mr. and Mrs.

Finley, California farm kids.

That's what we were after.

That sound half baked, you Major.

It all sounds pretty good to me, boy.

Yeah, We were sailing like mad.

And that sock almost full.

We used to sit there and count it
every night, laughing.

Pure happiness.

Good life was just around the corner.

Fellow was a drover.

Just came off a cattle drive from around
San Antonio,

been doing the rounds and he was booze

blind and loud when he hit our joint
and he stood up to my table.

The sad story Born You made it

all. Go ahead if you want to.

Well, I took him.

He was so drunk,
I got a little careless and he wanted it.

Call me a thief.

For the first time in my life,
I was so all I did was get indignant.

He took a poke at me and I ducked him.

And we got into it, trying to calm him
down,

slapped her, call her a name.

I hit him and he drew on me.

I drew just a little faster.

Well, it sounds like a fair fight to me.

That would have been.

Except he didn't have a g*n.

What he drew out of his belt was a drovers
whip dart that counted.

It looked to me like a g*n.

Anyway, I k*lled an unarmed man
in a brawl over a dance.

Well, girl, they picked me up by hang.

I see what you mean.

Maybe I shouldn't have told you all this,
but you've been good to us.

And I figured I owed it to you.

You do whatever your conscience
tells you to do.

Either way, I'll try not to kick

anyone until I start pulling that rope.

It's my way.

Get the wheels on my

baby.

Are you all right?

Okay.

My bag and my bag.

Somebody help me.

I got to get her. Out of here. Easy, boy.

Easy. We'll get her out of here.

Have a listen.

Can you move your legs?

No, I get my.

Stay right here.

When we get a letter. Don't move. Or not

look very good to me.

I'm afraid her back might be broken.

Heaven.

Hell, if it is her spine,
she could be paralyzed for life.

I think there is a doctor ahead and jelly,
but I'm not sure.

And we put her in your wagon.

Of course.

But can she be moved over all those miles?

And there'll be a better symbol
on the head.

Now, you might have

right on the jelly and bring the doctor
back with you, will you go, Charlie?

I wish to. To bring us a little here.

Right,

folks,

we're going to have to lay over here
for a day or so.

Let's get back to the doctor.

Mrs. Finley lies
too badly hurt to be moved.

Well,

all right, all right, all.

Right, all right. Yeah, I know.

I don't like to look at those clouds
overhead either.

I don't think
they're going to do anything,

but I can't be sure if it starts to storm
or just move on out, that's all.

Looks like you're going to have to move it
right away.

Major,

this storm proves to be a bad house.

Pass a plug up tight.

I can't take a chance on the whole wagon
train getting snowed in,

Mrs. Parker. Yes?

I'm afraid we're going to have to leave
you and the families alone.

We'll be back tomorrow with the doctor
said.

All right.

Well, as long as you're coming back.

We'll be back.

Major, I.

I understand that there are wolves
prowling around

around isolated people during a snowstorm.

You see, our g*ns broke the firing pin.

Well, you know, Mrs.

Parker,
about the only thing in the body around

here is an old, hungry coyote
or a sleepy bear.

But if it'll make you feel any better
to have a g*n with you, that works

right here. I'll give you my

thanks.

I'm going to try to get that letter back
here.

Radio and we are able to walk away.

Try to eat a little.

Mrs. Finley, I don't want any.

Maybe a full day
before the Major gets back.

You must keep up your strength.

Keep trying to do

it better.

Attend to your wife.

Kate, come on over here.

I made a bad mistake earlier.

Kate. We should have settled for Have.

Give me the key to this padlock.

What good with the money, do you hear?

Well, I'm not staying here

soon as I have.

What's in the strongbox? Leaving?

You can't move that wagon.

It would k*ll that girl.

The key.

Kate,

would you rather I took it from you?

I haven't you yet. Yes, you did. Jonas. In

the morning after our wedding.

Because I was flustered
and excited with happiness. I.

I like your breakfast. Get cold.

Except for the coffee.

I spilled a little of that on you.

So you slapped me.

And you wept.

Yes, I'd forgotten.

And then I kissed your tears away.

Oh, don't cry now, Kate.

I'm in no mood to repeat the caress.

I'm not likely to.

I haven't cried since

the key.

Kate.

No wonder it's so heavy.

You look at that gold.

I'm keeping my promise to you, Kate.

Taking the money
and going out of your life.

That will remove the threat
that my presence poses.

Does that make you happy, dear?

Where are you going?

It's bad tactics
to tell your plans to the enemy.

Give me that.

Saddle out of the wagon.

So you're taking one of the horses.

You're not going into Gilliatt, though.

The Major would see you and start
asking questions.

It's good thinking, Kate,

but then that always was my complaint
about you all through the years.

And a lot of brain and not much woman

Cold nights.

A man can't warm his.

Feet on an intellect.

I want this saddle.

You'll have to move your wife.

You know she can't be moved. Mr. Porter.

Maybe you didn't hear me.

Finally, I said, I want that saddle.

You don't seem to understand,
Mr. Parker. My wife.

This is my wagon.

And as a matter of fact,
you're trespassing.

I didn't invite your wife in here.

Major Adams did.

You can complain of my action to him
tomorrow.

I'll help you move her.

She stays
where she is, virtually even to breathe.

It might hurt her more.

Even to be a widow.

Get his g*n.

He's mad and

grab it.

Fanny, grab it.

Well, tip her over and don't try to sh**t.

Then I'll have to drop her.

And that won't help her either,

I guess.

Please don't.

Kick it over.

Here.

All right, Kate, come over here.

Bandages up.

Sit down,

madam.

That's the exact word, Kate.

Only not your definition.

Furiously
angry would be more to the point.

I won't need the saddle now.

I'm taking the wagon.
Get your wife out of here.

Get the blood.

Back.

All right, Hurry up.

I want to get going
while it's still daylight.

You think you can handle one
end of it, Mrs.

Porter?

I'm sure I can.

Be right back.

I'll need a tarp and some silver matches

in case the fire goes out.

Someday I'll k*ll you for this

like you did that drover.

Come here,

Jonas.

I never asked you for anything before.

I am now.

I'm begging you.

Please don't leave us like this
storm is getting worse.

We'll freeze to death
before the Major gets back.

You'll be safe for a while.

Kate taking you with me.

With you?

Until it stops bleeding.

You'll have to drive me

if I.

If I refuse.

How can you?

I've taken all choice away from you.

I want to say goodbye to the families,

Chris.

He's forcing me to go with them,
to drive them.

It's murderous.

I don't know whether
I'll be able to get back.

Hook Bill that far high.

Don't let it go out.

Whatever you do,
don't allow yourself to get sleepy.

That's very important.

So you feel just before
you freeze to death, didn't it?

Come on, kid.

Let's go.

Goodbye.

I made a bad mistake.

Wounded you, Parker.

That you did.

I should have shot to k*ll.

All right, let's go.

I Well,

if the night turns very cold,
I can always bundle.

We're all terribly fond of each other.

Did you ever love me, Kate?

That why a woman usually marries a man?

But that doesn't apply in your case.

You never were a woman.

Why are we talking about this now?

Call it your epitaph, Kate.

Sort of a funeral sermon.

I'm delivering a little bit
before the day you are going to k*ll me.

I'm going home.

A grieving widower whose wife
perished in a great storm in the Rockies

with a little patience, I.

I may be even able to shed a silent
k*ller.

It's not a bad plan, is it, Kate?

For a stupid. Man

came back

a better.

I'm all right.

That I'm worried about Chris.

All you have on is a thin little coat.

No one to take one of my blankets.

No, baby.

I'll get close to you.

Hurt bad?

No, I don't feel much of anything.

Major. I'll be here in the morning
with the doctor.

He'll fix you up injury.

I heard what the Major told Mrs.

Parker.

He said it might be a broken back.

How does he know
he's not a doctor? It's positive.

Even if it should

be, it wouldn't matter to me.

Chris.

We thought when we got to California,
we'd work together side by side.

We will, baby. We will.

I can't move my legs
or even lift my arm and

squeeze.

It stays that way.

You'll sit in a chair in a sonny.

What's your big no good husband?

Make yourself useful.

Just sit there and be beautiful with
your girl Needs to do.

William won't be that way.

You'll be as well as you ever were.

Beautiful.

I still have to do everything for me.

You'll have to comb my hair, wash my face.

Dress me if I have to. I will.

Like I will still. Be.

Which you are my own precious baby.

What do you think? Love is

something that you

feel only when everything is convenient
and easy.

For better or worse.

We both said that, remember?

I remember.

And I remember
how you used to love to dance

with me. To

take long walk.

Holding hands

and laughing
because I couldn't match my step

with you along with.

I remember those things too.

Chris, who will dance again
and will walk again, You'll see.

And if we can't.

You'll remember another thing
much more important that I love you.

Nothing can change that.

I. I'm

mourning to make it now.

Oh, no, don't, please,
please don't k*ll me.

You're. Good morning.

I know I had a boy.

Please.

What are you doing?

Your face was getting frosted.

How did I get here?

You were just laying up there
telling yourself into a nice ago.

I didn't know if that's
what you was aiming to do,

so I thought I'd
bring you in here to find out

some unique parts.

Where I am.

I bet the other side of nowhere.

I was running away from

someone who wanted to k*ll me.

Your husband

should show

it brought.

I'll be warm in a minute.

You better take your clothes off.

This is. What.

To dry them.

Unless you admire getting pneumonia

and blowing the wide from that trap
The skins for for

He was a Hopi.

That's a kind of Indian.

I know

what he What?

You mind my wearing it?

She won't mind you did.

I left my r*fle outside.

I'll be back when you've changed.

She was a good wife.

Come in

and better said.

You down, Mrs.

Parker, Kate Parker and Boon Gold. Are

you with them? Wagons?
I seen this morning.

I was, but they had to leave us to reach a
town before the storm got worse.

You see,
we had an accident. A very bad one.

A young woman was hurt her back.

Poor Finley's.

Mr. Calder.

I must get back to them tonight
and tonight.

Miss, as you look out that window.

Anything should happen to their father.

Nothing you can do about it tonight.

Just have to wait a morning.

You better sit down,
eat some soup and much of a cook.

But it's not.

What did she die of?

Can you talk about it?

Giving birth to my son.

The baby to.

The both of them.

Will have said
you must be terribly lonely.

Not for people,

for her and the kid. Yes.

I didn't buy it for a handful of beads

or loaded skins or anything like that.

Her father was a Hopi chief.

He was a princess.

We met. We cared for each other.

I married her just like you married
this fellow you said want to k*ll you

different Would the same idea?

No, no, not quite the same idea.

Yours was a successful marriage.

It worked out.

You got kids, Mrs.. No.

Why not?

I didn't want any.

You know what
good's a woman that don't want diamonds?

Is that all?

You think we're good
for? Bearing children?

You know something better
a woman can do, Mrs..

I think I do.

And I wish you'd stop calling me Mrs.

Ed Parker to it or call me Kate.

Anything.

Mr. Sounds almost contemptuous.

Why do you want to k*ll you?

We're going to count our money, wasn't it?

When you come to
You said you could take it.

So you must have been squabbling about it.

We had been.

Your money, I reckon.

And you wouldn't let him have it.

It was mine.

It was part of the inheritance
for my father.

It was mine.

When my wife left her people to follow me,

she brought me a dowry.

Shorter.

He promised six head of cattle,
a raft of blankets you'd have over shelf

and a Winchester r*fle
that had Daddy traded for.

And you gave it all to me.

She never figured any of
it would just hurt

Millie.

The circumstances were quite different.

She was a woman.

You never figured anything
we just heard or mine.

It was odd.

With all my worldly good.

I do in doubt.

You must remember no more admission.

Why'd you marry this man?

I was almost 30 when I married.

I turned down too many others.

Then there weren't any left except him.

I don't think I really loved him
when I married him,

I was grateful to him.

And not grateful enough
to give him your money.

Please, Mr.

Calder, don't despise me too much.

Jonas was always wild, erratic.

He would have only thrown that money away
on some impractical scheme.

I'm a hardheaded New Englander.

You know, when you were out of your head
this morning, you said for him

to take it quite well.

I was afraid of what he'd do to me.

He also said you had been a bad wife.

It was a bad marriage.

I know,

I know.

I haven't been a good wife.

He needed care,

not coldness, discipline.

I haven't cried in years yet.

He said today that I never

was a woman and I wasn't

ever that the a wife should be.

Not as your wife was.

Have been hard calculating

and womanly.

I've been nothing.

Take it easy, Mrs.

Fletcher.

I reckon I've been a night hard on you.

You've been through a lot today.

You better get to bed.

Thank you.

I'll be right here by the play.

No, I have been thinking and.

And I think it.

How much of a woman or

a woman is?

It depends on how much of a man
she married.

I think that's true. Can.

Good night, PA.

Heavy.

Heavy.

We mustn't sleep.

I remember what Mrs. Parker said.

We sleep, we freeze. Oh,

sleeping. Heavy.

For the love of God.

Oh, please let me sleep.

No, Heavy.

So much better

than being in pain and helpless

to live. Never work.

I don't.

No, no.

To sleep,

baby.

Don't go far.

Wait for me.

I've been down at the lake

looking at the day and it's a fine day.

Well enough
now we can go back to the families

there near that spot
where you saw the wagon train yesterday.

Boom!

Oh, it belonged to her.

It belongs on a pretty girl.

Kate.

Oh, Doc,

it's just about a mile from here
where I left them, I think.

I hope they've been able to make it
through the storm.

That poor girl's back.

You think you'll be able to tell us
how bad she's.

Well, I think I can make a pretty good
stab at it, Major.

Oh, let's go.

Don't.

You left not too long ago.

Judging by his track,

how come he left?

All the money.

Was mostly gold.

He took their. You better have these.

You might

still be able to catch up with him.

No. No,
He doesn't want me to catch up with him.

I don't want to either.

What about your money?

Six head of cattle, blankets,

Winchester r*fle.

She bought you all those,
but so much more.

I love

which illness

only ever got from me
was a box of gold coins.

Can we get back to the place
where you saw the wagon train

yesterday?

We left him right here
with the Parker wagon.

I just hope
they haven't been foolish enough

to try to make it through the storm. Well,
they didn't go to Gilford.

We've seen some sign. I'm on the way out
here.

I don't know why
they would ever want to move that.

Well,

I want to.

Hear my experience.

Take your side.

I can't believe

it was Parker's when I've left those kids
to freeze to death.

This is extraordinary.

Over all in all this to happen once before
and all the way to experience

knowing what happened,
why the snow kept them warm.

Why she was only whiskey in my.

Bag right here, Doc.

On a blanket covering
almost like an insulator.

It's the principle of hibernation.

Animals use
that allows them to keep their body heat.

They're still alive.

Yeah.

Thanks to a happy combination of lucky
circumstance and a happy accident.

And you might add the intervention
of a divine providence here.

Alive

pager.

Heavy.

Heavy.

I don't wonder you live in these parts
bone.

It's just beautiful.

Threatening
to get too crowded with people.

You don't like people, do you?

They don't like me.

I don't like you.

They call me a grown man, Kate.

And they look down on me.

But you were married to a princess.

If anything, you're royalty

and you're kind understanding.

You're a great man, born

footprints.

Your husband's.

He must have crossed the lake.

There was a thaw this morning.

They all all right?

Yeah. Charlie ran across the bridge
to pick up Charlie.

Paul, about a half mile. Hung up in.
The break room.

He stepped right away.

How about a duck boat?

You'll have to be handled very carefully.

There's no injury to.

The spinal cord.

I've given the husband falling structures.

And how much? Those kids all you.

Oh, they haven't got any money. Well,
I got a little.

Thanks a lot for coming
out. Good. Looks like a nice.

Can I come in?

Of course, Major.

Well, every.

You're going to be all right.

And as for you, young fella,

I had a talk with the sheriff about,
you know, a reward.

You mean he wouldn't give it to you?

No. I mean, he wouldn't give it to you.

To me.

It seems like that fellow that you shot
had a price on his head of $1,000, too.

So the sheriff says as far as he's
concerned, it's a mexican standoff.

You mean
there was a price on that drover's head?

Well, I guess you could call him a drover.

Yes, except that he and his g*ng
were driving a bunch of cattle

that didn't belong to him, and
they were trying to sell them too quick.

The sheriff wanted to

hold you over for the circuit judge,
but Charlie used to talk him out of it.

He said that this wagon train

absolutely had to move
and could not move without you.

You know, that little fella talks an awful

lot sometimes,
but he makes sense once in a while.

He had that sheriff practically
apologizing for even thinking

about wanting to hold you.

We'll have to thank him, Major.

Oh, no, you don't.

I have trouble enough with him as it is.

All right, Chris.

Take care of that. I'll go with you.

I will, Major

Boone.

Please come with us.

Not now, Kate.

Will we ever meet again?

Let's think about each other for a while.

Separately by ourselves,
and get to miss each other.

And need each other.

We're kind of.

Proud, you and I. So let's be sure.

We write to me.

I never learn to write.

Oh, that's not important.

Boom.

There's a most beautiful bay
in San Francisco that looks right

across the Pacific,
clear to the edge of the world.

I'll be waiting there every chance I get.

Why not?

Looking out across the sea.

But it's here,

Don't you?

And maybe someday

you'll see me.

If I'm not too late.

You never be too late.

Oh. Folks,

I'll drive you.

Let's go out

with.