"# Oh, the days are gone #" "#When beauty bright #" "# My heart's chain wove #" "#When my dream of life #" "# From morn till night #" "#Was love, still love #" "# New hope may bloom #" "#And days may come #" "# Of milder, calmer beam #" "But there's nothing half so sweet in life" "As love's young dream" "# Oh, there's nothing #" "# Half so sweet in life #" "#As love's young dream ##" "Oh, that was delightful, indeed." " Delightful." " That was lovely, Elizabeth." "Thank you, Dr. Scott." "Colonel, if I were 20 years younger, I'd carry her off." "I suspect some other people have the same idea." "Father, you shouldn't say such things." " Oh, I know I shouldn't, my dear." " I've missed a lot." "Marriage is a wonderful institution." " Yes." "No family should be without it." " Oh!" "Thank you." "Oh!" "Confound you, Walker!" "Watch what you're doing!" " I'm sorry, sir." " You'd better be." "If you'd broken that, I'd have broken your head." "Yes, sir." "It's pretty, isn't it?" "Valuable too." "Yes, someday your temper's going to split you wide open." "Well, sir, when it does, I won't send for you to sew me up." "That's a good one." "But it's too late for you to change your family physician now, Colonel." "Oh, I don't know, Doctor." "This is an age of change." "Colonel, a toast before we say good night." "Yes, Colonel, a toast." "I give you our homeland- glorious in defeat... gallant in victory... and brave in her hour of grief." "Gentlemen, I give you the South... and confusion to all her enemies." "Hear!" "Hear!" "Right, right." "A very lovely evening, Colonel." "Oh, my dear boy, it's a pleasure, always." "Oh, my dear friends, don't run away like this." "The evening's young." "Hurry, Becky." "Oh, Miss Elizabeth, I hate to see you go... and I'm afraid of what the colonel will do when he finds out." "He won't find out till I'm well on my way." "Now, stop crying and don't act suspiciously." " I'll send for you as soon as I can." " Yes'm." "Put up your hands!" "Don't try to run, or I'll shoot." "Come here." " Take my bag down the back way." " Yes'm." "Now, who are you... and what are you doing prowling around my place at night?" " My name is Jack Sherman, sir." " Sherman, huh?" "Well, that name's no recommendation." "You're a Yankee too, huh?" "Well, out with it." "What are you doing here?" "Wait, Jack!" "Let me tell him." "Father, this is the man I'm going to marry." "I knew you would never give your consent, so we were going to elope." " I wanted to come to you, sir, and ask you if you'd" " Silence!" "Why did you assume I would object to an honorable marriage?" "I know how you feel about the North." " I hate all Yankees." " That's why we didn't come and tell you." "Then you knew you were doing wrong." "I love him." "How can you love a man who represents what every true Southerner should hate?" "A man who probably fought against your father... your brother and all your kinfolk." "Why, for all you know... he may be the very man who fired the shot... that killed your brother." "I was a soldier just as you were, sir... and even though I fought on the other side, the South has my respect and sympathy." "My mother was a Virginian." "But may I remind you, the war has been over for a long time." "The war will never be over for me or mine, sir." "You know, I ought to kill you." "I don't know but what I will." "Elizabeth, go to your room." " No." " Go to your room, I tell you." "I'm going with Jack." "Elizabeth!" "When that door closes... it'll never open for you again." " Assemble the men for orders of the day." " Yes, sir." "Sound assembly." "Attention!" " Troop is formed, sir." " Take your post." "General Weatherby has this day appointed to his staff... as honorary colonel, Lloyd Sherman." "Draw sabers!" "Eyes right!" "Eyes front!" "Present sabers!" "This honor has been conferred on you for distinguished services." "Completely unarmed... except for your golden curls, brown eyes and your dimples... you've captured an entire regiment- this one." "I take great pleasure in handing you your commission, Colonel Sherman." "I can't read this writing." "It isn't big enough." "Besides, I can't read anyway." "Oh, I assure you, it's all according to military regulations." "Now that I'm a colonel, can't I play with the boys anymore?" " Of course you can." " Well, you don't." "Uh" "Do colonels have to go to bed at 7:00?" "Why, no." "Sometimes colonels stay up as late as 8:00." " I wish you'd tell my mother that." " I will." "Now I'll show that I'm a real colonel." "Attention, men." "Company dismissed!" "Company dismissed!" "You heard the colonel's order." "Well, Colonel, how does it feel to be in command of a big army like this?" "Thank you." "We feel just as proud as she does." "Bob, I want to thank you for everything." "It's been a great pleasure to have you and your family with us even for so short a time." " Quite different from Philadelphia, isn't it?" " Yes, indeed." "We lived there for six years, but I never got used to the noise of the horse cars." " I understood from Jack you had sold your home there." "We sold everything- lock, stock and barrel." "Took Greeley's advice to go West, and here we are to find our fortune." "Depending on your help for that." "Oh, there's plenty there for the finding, if we're lucky." "Attention, men!" "Present arms!" "I do wish I didn't have to go back home to Lloydsboro." "Now, dear, we've settled all that." "This country's no place for women and children... and whereJack's going it's even rougher." "The colonel is right, ma'am." "Jack told me you have a lovely home waiting for you." "That sounds too grand." "It's just a cottage my mother left me." "No one's lived in it for years." " A safe journey to you and an uneventful one." " Thank you." "Now, you gotta watch very close." "Well, having a fine time for yourself, aren't you?" "What's the matter?" "Has the cat got your tongue?" " You hurt." "Put me down!" " Oh, I wouldn't hurt you, little lady." "Give me a kiss, hmm?" " You'll write often, won't you, dear?" " Of course." " The coach is here, Mr. Sherman." " Thank you." " Remember what I told you, little Colonel." " All right." "Kiss me good-bye." "Good-bye, darling." "Home safe." " Do be careful." " I will." "Now, honey, you be a brave soldier and look out for Mother, won't you?" "Yes, Papa Jack." "I will." " Good-bye, my baby." " Good-bye." "Good morning, Colonel, sir." " Fair and bright today." " Mm-hmm." "I hear down at the village prices is picking up... and it's a big year for cotton." " Oh, stop chattering, Walker!" " Yes, sir." " I don't want to hear all this gossip." " No, sir." "I was gonna tell you about the cottage, sir... but I reckon you wouldn't be interested." " Cottage?" " Yes, sir." "Someone is moving in to it." " Walker!" " Yes, sir?" "Confound you!" "Why don't you let me know what's going on around here?" " Who's moving in to the cottage?" " I don't know, sir." "I hear tell they moved in this morning." "Well, well, well, well." "It's been empty a long time now." "Ever since" "Well, maybe I'd better call on our new neighbors... and see what kind of folks they are." "Yes, sir." "Having neighbors won't make it so lonely around here." " Who says it's lonely around here?" " Not me." "No, sir." "Anyway, I like to be lonely." "Why, F" "Mother, who was that?" " Your grandfather." " Why didn't he come in?" "He didn't want to." "Did he make you cry?" "Never mind, dear." "You're a bad man to make my mama cry!" " Mom Beck." " What, child?" "Why doesn't my grandfather want to come in and see my mother?" "Well, he mighty mad at she, and, I guess, she mad at he." "Why?" "Your grandfather get mad when your mother married your daddy." " But he's her papa, isn't he?" " Sure enough." " Shouldn't papas love their little girls?" " Yes, they should." "Seems mighty funny to me." "Well, it's 'cause all the Lloyds are stubborn." "The old colonel is, your mother is, and you is." "I'm not stubborn!" "Don't you call me that!" "No use you stomping your foot at me." "That don't change it." "That just proves it." "Now, lookee here, honey, does you want to fight with me, or does you want to help me?" "I want to help you." "That's fine." "Mom Beck, I'm expecting Aunt Sally Tyler for lunch." "Will you have enough?" "I don't know if I can stretch one small chicken... but as long as the water's running, we'll have soup enough." " Well, do the best you can." " Yes'm." "Honey, don't eat that now." "You'll spoil your lunch." "Is Aunt Sally Tyler my aunt too?" " She's your great aunt, dear." " My great aunt?" "Oh, I know." "The big, fat one." "You must be very polite to her, dear." "She's coming all the way from Louisville to see us." "All right, Mother." "I will." "Mom Beck?" "Will you tell me a pink story?" "If you ain't the beatenest child I ever see." "When you wanna hear a blue story, everything in it has got to be blue." "And when you wants to hear a green story, everything in it has got to be green." "Now, I could tell you a black story about my first husband." "You better run out and play with May Lily." "All right." "And don't let me see you take none of them cookies." "It's a good thing I didn't see you take 'em." "It's a good thing I didn't see you take 'em." "And I only had one shot left." "I aimed my gun" " Bang!" "I killed those three Indians." "Why, Miss Lloyd, did you really do that?" "Of course not." "That's just a story." "And you don't have to call me Miss Lloyd." "You can call me Colonel." " Are you a colonel too?" " Yes, I am." "A real colonel." " You can't be no colonel." " Why not?" "Because you ain't got no whiskers." "I don't need to have whiskers." "I've got a temper." "That's all you need to be a colonel." "I guess that's right, 'cause all the colonels I ever see had tempers." "I hope you're not a colonel like him in there." "If you was, I'd be "afeared" to play with you." "Miss Lloyd, them's the colonel's flowers!" "Well, we're not afraid of the colonel." "Who ain't afraid?" "Maybe you ain't, but I is." "Now, listen, May Lily, and you too, Henry Clay." "I'm the colonel, and you're my men... and in the army, you have to obey orders." " Uh-huh." " Forward march!" "I don't think I'm gonna like being in the army." "Aw!" "They're so beautiful." "My mother'll love these." "Here, Henry Clay." "You carry them." " Follow me, men." " Follow me, men." "Come on, May Lily." "Let's make mud pies." "Get a lot of nice, round pebbles, and they can be raisins." "We'll put dust over the top, and that can be sugar." "We'll just make the finest mud pies you ever saw." "Who's been picking these flowers?" "Colonel, your army is retreating' right now!" "Come on, Henry!" "Hey, what's going on around here?" "Don't you dare poke me with that old stick!" "What's that?" "You'd better learn some respect for your elders." "I won't respect anyone who pokes me." "For a little girl, you've got a bad temper." "That's your fault." "What's that?" "Who are you?" "They call me "the little colonel. "" "What, under the sun, do they call you that for?" "Because I'm so much like you." "Like me?" "How are you like me?" "Because I've got such a temper... and I stamp my foot when I get mad." "I get all red in the face, and I holler back at people too." "Look at you." "You're a pretty sight." "What are you running around the country for, like poor, white trash?" "I don't know who your mother is... but whoever she is, she oughta teach you better." "Don't you dare say anything about my mother!" "Whose child is that?" "How can I tell you, sir, when you don't want nobody to even say her name?" "I'm Lloyd Sherman." "That's who I am." "Lloyd Sherman?" " Lloyd" " Come, honey." "Your mama's mighty worried about you." "Well, I'm sorry." "I didn't know." " Oh, that's all right." "Good-bye, Grandfather." " Good-bye." "What are you all standing around gaping for?" "Go on!" "Move!" "Get out of here!" "Get out of here!" ""We are pushing on further, and I have every reason to believe... something very good will come of it. "" "Then he writes some personal things." "Can that be Lloyd that Becky is carrying?" "Hello, Mother." " How do you do, Aunt Sally Tyler?" " How do you do?" " Where have you been?" " I've been to see my grandfather." "I threw mud on him." " You threw mud on him?" " Yes." "Because he poked me with a stick." "Then I got mad, and he got mad, and we hollered at each other." "Oh, baby, how could you disgrace Mother going there looking like a dirty beggar?" "I didn't beg him for anything." "You've been a naughty girl, and you're going to be punished." "Take her in the house, Becky." "Give her a bath and put her to bed." "Yes'm." "I'm terribly upset." "I wouldn't, for worlds, have him think I encouraged her in going there." "Yes, I know, but just the same... there are some things to be considered besides your pride, Elizabeth." "There's the child herself." "You ought to think of her interests." "I don't care." "I don't want anything from him." "I know, dear, but just the same, I say you ought to think of Lloyd." "If I were you, I'd let her go over there as often as she pleases." "Who knows?" "It might end in your all making up some day." "Never." "Not after the terrible things he said aboutJack." "# Swing low #" "# Sweet chariot #" "# Coming for to carry me home ##" "My, my." "You look just like an angel out of heaven." "To look at you now, no one would ever believe... that you can be a regular little demon." "Now, look here, honey, if you don't take your nap like a good little girl..." "Mom Beck won't bring you along with her to the baptizing." " Will there be singing?" " Sure will." "And wailing too." " Then I'll take my nap." " That's a good little girl." "# Mmm, carry me #" "# Home ##" " Howdy, Mr. Sherman." " How are you?" "I saw your friends, Swazey and Hull, out on the trail very early this morning." "Yes, they're out looking over some of their properties." " Well, luck to you." " Thanks." "Give me the gold." "Ah, it seems a shame to waste 20 dollars' worth of gold dust." "It ain't wasting' it." "You'll see." "Stand back now." "Now, that's what I call a rich piece of ore." " It'd take you to think of a trick like this." " It's a sure thing." "It never fails." "Do you hear that?" "That's opportunity knocking, but it don't knock but once." "You'll have to make up your mind quick." "Swazey and I want to push on to California." "We just got word of a big strike out there." "We own the land this ore comes from." "The ore speaks for itself." "It's rich." "Now, if you make a fast deal, the land's yours." "I know it's a fine opportunity... but the price you ask is just about all I've got in the world." " It's worth a lot more." " We want you to have it because you're our friend." "You can't lose." "You could sell out tomorrow for more than we're asking." "Let's forget about the whole deal and part friends." "We'll get another buyer, and then we're off to California." " Wait a minute." "I've decided." "I'll take it." " Now you're talkin'." "You get your money, and we'll give you a deed all free and clear." " Fine." " You can't go wrong." " Good morning, Miss Lloyd." " Good morning." " Good morning, Sis Porter." " Good morning to you, Brother Walker." "Well, well." "This is certainly what I call a coincidence." "Yes, I know." "You never expected to see me." "Say, look here." "How is Miss Elizabeth?" "Oh, her health is all right, but I think she worries about Mr. Jack." "He better come home pretty soon." "What you mean?" "You ain't got no mo" "M" " O-N-I-E." "Not only that, we's 'most out of F-U-D-E." "Mmm-mmm." "That's too bad." "Lookee here." "Wouldn't the K-U-N-E-L... give her a little L-O-N-E?" "You know Miss Elizabeth wouldn't take nothing from him." "Why, before she'd do that, she'd go to the, uh, uh..." "P" " O-H-O-S." "P" " O-H-O-S?" "Yeah, sure." "Ain't you got no education?" "The poorhouse." " Oh, no." " Yes, indeed." " Mom Beck?" " What, honey?" " What's a poorhouse?" " That's the place where they send people who got no money." " Is it nice?" " No, honey." "It's a terrible place." "The people there wear rags, and all they gets to eat is corn dodger out of tin pans." "Then I don't want my mother to have to go there." "Why, honey child, your mother won't never have to go to no poorhouse." " We wouldn't let that happen, would we, Brother Walker?" " I should say not." "Now, don't you worry your pretty little head about things like that." " The Lord always provides." " Amen." "Hallelujah" "# Hallelujah #" "# Lord ##" "#Wade in the water #" "#Wade in the water, children #" " #Wade in the water # - #Wade, wade, wade, wade #" "# God's gonna trouble #" "#The water ##" "#Wait till the sun goes down #" "#Wait till the sun goes down #" "#And when the day is over #" "#We will all go walking into town #" "# Sing, oh, sing as you go along #" "# Sing, oh, sing as you go along #" "#The sun shines brighter #" "#The sun shines brighter #" "#When you go singing #" "#Along ##" "Mom Beck, why do they dunk the women in the river that way?" "That's to save their souls and wash their sins away." " Will it wash my sins away?" " Well, honey, you ain't got no sins." "You is a little angel." "Well, would it wash my sins away if I had any?" "Yes, honey, if you carried the right thought and believed it would." "Were you ever dunked, Mom Beck?" "A little river like that wouldn't do her no good." " Child, she needs the Mississippi." " Go on, you no-account!" "I'm goin'!" "I'm goin', Sis Porter!" "If the old colonel ever finds out where we got these sheets... he'll baptize us good." "Didn't I tell you that my men don't have to be afraid of anything?" "Now, Henry Clay, are you all ready?" " Have you got the right thoughts?" " Uh-huh." "You believe that it'll wash your sins away?" "All right then." "Come on." "One, two, three." " # Hallelujah #" " Are you saved?" "Well, we'll have to do it again." "One, two, three." " # Hallelujah #" " Are you saved?" "Uh-huh." "What, under the sun's, going on here?" " What are you doing?" " Hello, Grandfather." "We were just baptizing Henry Clay." "Baptizing Henry Clay?" "Yes, and he must be awful bad... because it took two dunks to save him." "Look at you- all wet and mussed up." "When am I going to see you look the way a little girl should look- fresh and dainty as a flower?" "Come on with me." "Where are we going?" "Up to the house to get your clothes dry." "Grandfather?" "Well, what is it?" "I'm sorry that I threw mud on you... and I'm sorry that I lost my temper." "And I'm sorry that I took the sheets off your bed." "What?" "You took my sheets?" " I had to have them." " Oh, you did, did you?" "Oh, come on." " Maria?" " Yes, sir." "Uh, here's a young lady." "Her clothes need drying." " Yes, sir?" " Well, take her." "But, Colonel, sir, what can I put on her while her clothes is a-dryin'?" "I ain't got nothin' for a little girl to wear." " Mmm." "Walker?" " Yes, sir?" "Go up in the attic, and you'll find, uh, a small trunk." "There may be some clothes in that that will fit Miss Lloyd." "A little trunk in the attic, sir?" "Yes, you numbskull." "Don't you understand English?" " Yes, sir." " Well, then go on." "Attend to it right away." "Do you know whose trunk that is... and whose clothes they is?" "Course I do." "You go on now and get them things." "We don't want no men around here." "With that face, you don't have to worry." "Hee-hee!" "Go on now!" "My, my." "You is the spitting image of your mother." "You got the same goldy hair and pinky cheeks." "Did my mother have a temper too?" "Yes, indeed, she did." "Did you ever, in all your born days, see anything like that?" "It takes me back 20 years." "It's been that long since there was any children in this house." "Now, don't you say anything." "I'm gonna surprise Grandfather." "Where is he?" "In the big room, Miss Lloyd." "Looks like this old house ain't gonna be lonesome no more." "Oh, the days are gone" "#When beauty bright #" "# My heart's chain wove #" "#When my dream of life #" "# From morn till night #" "#Was love #" "# Still love #" "New hope may bloom" "And days may come" "Of milder, calmer beam" "# But there's nothing #" "# Half so sweet in life #" "#As love's young dream #" "# Oh, there's nothing #" "# Half so sweet in life #" "#As love's young dream ##" "That was your grandmother, dear." "And that was her song you just sang." "I know." "My mother teached it to me." ""Teached" isn't right, is it?" "No. "Taught" is correct." ""Taught" then." "What was my grandmother's name?" "Her name was Amanthis." "Amanthis?" "That's a beautiful name." "Mmm." "She was a beautiful woman... and she had a beautiful soul." "I wish she was here now." "Do you, dear?" "Why?" "I know if she was here... she'd go right to my mother and kiss away all of her sorry feelings." "Grandfather, do you know any blue stories?" "Blue stories?" " Yes, I do." "A few." " Tell me one." "I don't know any that I can tell you." "Then play a game with me." "What kind of a game?" "Well, it couldn't be tag or prisoner's base, could it?" "No." "No, it couldn't." "It better be a sit-down game." "I think so." "Do you know how to play jacks?" "Jacks?" "Do you play that with cards?" "No, with a ball." "Oh, well, then I don't know how to play it." "No." "Do you play cribbage?" "Cribbage?" "Is that like hopscotch?" "Oh, no, no." "Well, not exactly." "I have it." "I know a fine game for us." "Walker!" "All right, Walker." "That'll do." "Yes, sir." "I reckon you don't know much about soldiering." "Of course I do." "Look." "You don't even know how to salute." "I do too." "This is a proper salute." "Oh, no, it isn't, Grandfather." "Well, I ought to know." "I was a colonel in the army." "So was I." "Aw, stuff and nonsense." "They made me a colonel and gave me a paper with ribbon on it." " They called it my "permission. "" " Who did?" "The soldiers out West, where Papa Jack is." "Aw, I never heard such folderol- making a colonel out of a little girl." "Well, it's just another fool Yankee notion." "Anyway, this is the proper salute." "It isn't!" "For your years and weight... you're probably the stubbornest person in this county." "You weigh a lot more than I do." "Come on." "Let's get on with this game now." "Come on." "Come on." "Here." "These are yours." "Now, I'll be the Confederacy, and you're the Union." "Goody!" "I got the winning side already." "No, you haven't." "I'll show you." "Maybe you'd like to be the North, and I'll be the South." "I wish I'd never thought of this confounded game." "Here come my trusty scouts." "They see a Johnny Reb." "Bang, bang!" "Now eight of my men attack the enemy's right flank." "Up!" " You can't do that!" " Why not?" "Because my men will fall back on the right flank." "Then they'll let your men advance." "Then they'll surround them... cutting off all retreat." "And then I'll wipe 'em out." "And then I'll order my men to advance... and I'll wipe out your whole regiment." "Child, you're a true Lloyd." "You've got all the fire and courage... our family has always had... and you've got the same infernal temper that's been our curse." "It's going to cause you a lot of unhappiness... unless you learn how to control it." "Will you try?" "I will if you will." "Ah, you've got a lot more time to learn than I have." "Well, come on now." "Your clothes must be dry by now." "I'll have Maggie Boy saddled... and ride you home." " Would you like that?" " Oh, yes, Grandfather." "Well, come along." "Hello, May Lily." "Miss Lloyd, is you all right?" "Of course I am." "Couldn't we please take May Lily and Henry Clay home too?" "Impossible." "I could hold onto the rope, and we could pull them." "No." "Please, Grandfather." "Oh, very well then." "Come on, you pickaninnies." "Fall in the rear." "Here, throw me that rope." " Good afternoon, Colonel." " Good afternoon, sir." "You're going to come and see me again, aren't you?" "Even though they tell you not to?" "Yes, Grandfather." "And the next time we play, we won't quarrel." "No." "Come along now." "Get along with you." "That's it." " Why don't you come with me?" " No, no, no, no." "No." " All right." "Good-bye, Grandfather." " Good-bye." "You can gamble it's important." "Folks don't spend money for telegrams unless they got something to say." " What do you reckon it says, Mr. Nebler?" " Ain't allowed to tell." " It's against the rules." " Pretty expensive to send them, ain't it?" "Well, telegrams ain't for poor folks." "Sendin' writin' over wires." "I wonder what they'll have next." " Is Mrs. Sherman in?" " Yes, sir." "Come in." "I've got a telegram for you, Mrs. Sherman." "Sign here, ma'am." "I'm sure it's bad news." "It must be." "Oh, dear." "Here, Mom Beck." "You open it." "No, ma'am." "Not me." "I don't want nothin' to do with it." " Will you open it for me?" " Against the rules, ma'am." "He's coming home!" "He's coming home, Mom Beck!" "Papa Jack's coming home!" "It's from my husband." "He's on his way back." "Thank you very, very much." " It's all right, ma'am." "Any answer?" " No." "Oh, it's so wonderful!" "Good-bye." "Good-bye." "Sit up, Fritz." "Sit up." " When will Papa Jack be here, Mother?" " Soon, darling." "And he'll bring us beautiful gold pieces to buy beautiful presents." "And can I have a pink dress with pink ribbons and a pink bustle?" "Of course you can." "We'll just have everything we want." " Oh, I'm so happy!" " # Hallelujah #" "# O praise be #" "# Mr. Jack's a-comin' home #" "Hallelujah" "O praise be Mr. Jack's a-comin'home" "Jack!" "Oh, Jack!" "Why, what's the matter?" "Please help me." "What is it, Jack?" "What's wrong?" "I've been very sick." "Fever." "I'm not over it yet." "You'd better not come near me." "Please go to Dr. Scott's and ask him to come here at once." "Yes, ma'am." "Please, Elizabeth, don't come near me." "I don't want you to catch this fever." "I won't." "And if I did, I wouldn't care." "My poor boy." "Papa Jack!" "Papa Jack!" " Wait a minute, darling." " Hello, my baby." " Mother, let me go." " Listen a minute, dear." " Papa Jack is ill, and just for now, you can't go near him." " But why?" "Because if you did, you might catch his illness, and then you'd be sick too." " That's right, dear." " Becky?" "Can't I even give him just one little kiss?" "No, darling." "You go with Becky." "Now, tell me, dear." "What happened?" "Swazey and Hull were thieves." "The land they sold me was worthless." "We're ruined." "We haven't a penny." "Jack, is all our money gone?" "All of it." "After I found out that I'd been swindled, I almost went crazy." "And then on top of it, I got this fever, and" "Hush, dear." "Don't think of it now." "You must be quiet." "Poor Elizabeth." "You made a sorry bargain when you gave up your beautiful home." "I'd do it again." " Oh, Doctor." " Yes." "I never thought I was going to get a call from this house." "What's the matter?" "Did Lloyd fall down and bump her nose?" "No, it's Jack." "Jack?" "Oh." " Mom Beck, do you know what I think?" " What, honey?" "I think that those two bad men gave the sickness to Papa Jack." "Oh, I don't think so." "Yes, they did, just to get rid of it themselves." "Honey, you is a case." "I reckon bed will be the best place for you, young man." " How much fever have I?" " Oh, nothing to worry about." "We'll have you up and around in no time." "I'll run along now... and I'll bring ya some medicine from my office." " Good-bye, Mr. Sherman." " Good-bye, Doctor." "Yes." "He's in a very weakened condition... and he's still running quite a temperature." "He needs very careful nursing and plenty of it." "Mom Beck and I will take care of him." "There's still a chance that his fever may be contagious." " That won't matter to me." " No, but if I were you, I'd send Lloyd away for awhile." "You shouldn't take any chances with her." "But where can I send her?" "There's only one place, Elizabeth... and you mustn't be stubborn about it." "He's all alone in that big house, you know... and he'd see that she was properly cared for." "She's never been away from me one night in her whole life." "I know, but this house is no place for her right now." "I'd send her if I were you." "Let me speak with him, and I'll arrange it." " Very well." " I'll be back this evening." "Mother, do I have to stay here very long?" "No, dear." "Just until Papa Jack is well." "'Cause I'm gonna be awfully lonesome." "You're going to be brave, aren't you?" "You promised you would." "Yes, but when I promised, I didn't know I was gonna feel this way." "Kiss Mother good-bye now." " Walker!" " Yes, sir?" "You know I can't stand noise." " Take that infernal dog and put him out." " Yes, sir." " Walker." " Yes, sir?" "Uh, take Miss Lloyd to her room and have Maria put her to bed." "Yes, sir." "Good night, dear." "Good night, Grandfather." "What are you wearing those old clothes for?" "Why don't they dress you up when you go visiting?" "It isn't showing proper respect to send you off... in the oldest things you have." "They're the best I've got, and I like them." "And anyway, I don't need any new ones... because pretty soon we'll be going away." "Going away?" "Where?" "To the poorhouse." "Now, now, Miss Lloyd, where you goin'?" "I'm going home to my mother." "She loves me, even if my clothes are old and ugly." "Why, the colonel loves you too, Miss Lloyd." "It's just because his rheumatism is bothering' him that he's so cranky." "My, my!" "You should hear the things he says to me." "They would just curl your hair." "Would they really curl my hair?" "Would they?" "You can see what they did to mine." "I don't wanna go up there." "Why, everybody's got to go upstairs, Miss Lloyd, if they wants to go to bed." "I don't want to." "Look here." "Will you go if I show you a brand-new way how to go up stairs?" "How could there be a new way to go up stairs?" "Now, you just watch." "# I went to the market for to get some beef #" "#And the beef's so tough #" "#And I couldn't get enough #" "# I paid five dollars for a great big hog #" "#And the hog's so fat And I couldn't get back ##" " I wanna do that too." " All right." " Are you ready?" " Yep." "Come on." "Ah!" "Say, you catch on quick." "Look out now." "Here's your last one." "What's going on around here?" "Oh!" "Whew!" "That's the fastest my feet ever moved." "I like to go up stairs that way." "You sure learn fast." "Now, tomorrow, I'll show you some more steps." " Good night, Miss Lloyd." " Good night." " Pleasant dreams." " Now, honey, we gonna go to bed." "Fritz, hup." "Hup." "Now, you be quiet for a spell until the coast is clear... then I'll take you upstairs." "The little lady up there might be powerful glad to see you." "I want my mother." " Is that you, Walker?" " Yes, sir." "What in blazes are you prowling around for?" "Why, Colonel, sir, I thought maybe you might like... one of them special hot toddies before you go to sleep." "Well, that's a good idea." " Fetch it." " Yes, sir." "What's that?" "Me, sir." "I kind of got a misery in my throat." "Well, do something about that." "Yes, sir." "Oh, Fritzy, I'm so glad to see ya." "Now I can go to sleep." "Go to sleep now." "Walker!" "I don't know how that dog got in there, sir." "Honest, I don't." " Ah, he probably crawled up the chimney." " Yes, sir." "Well, never mind about that." "I want you to go to town on Saturday... and buy a lot of little girls' clothes." " What shall I buy, sir?" " Well, what do you suppose?" "Hats, shoes... stockings, dresses... and whatever goes under the dresses." " Yes, sir." " And, Walker?" "Yes, sir?" " I'm an old fool." " Yes, sir!" "And that's the end of the story." "It would be nice if life were more like books." "Then when a couple married, their troubles would be over instead of... just beginning." "The only trouble we have is your illness." "And the sooner you stop fretting, the sooner we'll be rid of that." "How do you do?" "Is Mr. Jack Sherman at home?" " Yes, he is." "Won't you come in?" " Thank you." "How do you do, Mr. Sherman?" "My name is Jeremy Higgins." " I represent the Union Pacific Railroad." " I'm honored, sir." " Thank you." "Thank you." " How can I serve you?" "Well, sir, "short and sweet" is my motto... and I'll state my business just as briefly as possible... and then all you need to tell me is yes or no." "What is it you want?" "I want a right-of-way through your Western property." " I don't understand." " It's very simple." "Our engineers were going to tunnel through a mountain... but if we have the right-of-way across your property, that won't be necessary." " Well, I" " Now, now, we know exactly what you paid for it... and we'll give you $5,000 for your right-of-way." "But frankly, sir, we will not stand for a squeeze." "No, sir." "Now, remember, all you have to do is give us the right-of-way... and you'll retain all the rest of your property." " Well, will you deal?" " I'm knocked off my pins." "Now, now, my dear sir, I am a man of very few words." " All I want from you is yes or no." " It's yes, of course!" "Good." "Good." "I'll have the necessary papers drawn up- all except the legal description of the property... which, of course, I can get from your deed." " You have your deed, of course?" " Yes, it's at my bank." "You have it here tonight, and I'll have a check for you." "That's the way the Union Pacific does business." "Good day." "Good day." "Oh, my darling!" "This is more cure than all the medicine." "I'm well again." "Oh, no, you're not." "Now, you just be quiet." "The best part of it is that now we won't have to ask your father for anything." "And he can't laugh at me for being a failure." "Now, look, Elizabeth, you must go to the bank." "I'll give you a note to Mr. Jennings, and get all the papers I left there." " The deed is with them." " Yes, dear, I will." "Oh, it's almost too good to be true!" "Miss Lloyd, there's only one word for the way you look in your new clothes... and that is "scrumptious. "" " Sure is a-quality." " Uh-huh." "Are you gonna show me some new steps today?" "Not today, Miss Lloyd." "You see, I gotta drive to town." "You, Walker!" "Better hurry on now." "Hear that?" "Now, you know I ain't got no time for dancin'." "# I say, you hear me #" "# I just ain't got time #" "#To do no dancing' today ##" "You, Walker!" "Where is you?" "You, Walker!" "Where is you?" "Now I'm really goin'." "Hello in there." "Well, bless my buttons." "If it isn't the little colonel." "Why, good day, young lady." "How does your "copperossity" seem to "sagashuate," hmm?" "What's the matter?" "Has the cat still got your tongue?" "You ought to be glad to see us." "We're old friends of yours, and we've come a long way to see your daddy." " Where is he?" " He's home, and he's sick." "Oh." "Sick, is he?" "That's too bad." "Uh, where's home?" "It's down at the end of the road." "Thanks, Colonel." "You're still a colonel, I suppose?" "Good-bye." "Those are bad men." "I heard Papa Jack say so." "Come in." " Why, Jack, old partner." " What's wrong, Jack?" " What's happened to you?" " I've been very ill." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear it." "Anything I can do?" "No, thank you." "Maybe when you find out why we're here, you'll feel better." "When we sold you that land, we did it in good faith." " Didn't we, Hull?" " That's right." "We thought there was gold, and plenty on it, then we went on to California." "On our way back, we stopped off to see how you were faring... and we found out what had happened." "Partner, we felt bad about it, didn't we?" " That's right." " Go on." "Now we'll prove we're honest." "We made this long trip to find you to give you back your money." "Oh, you did, did you?" "Yes, sir, every penny of it." "Why, I couldn't sleep again if I thought you'd lost money on account of me." "All you have to do is to hand over the deed to the property... and we'll pay you what you paid us." "You're very kind and generous." "No, we're- we're only being fair." " And now, be kind enough to leave my house." " Partner!" "You found out my land is valuable, and the railroad wants it... and I found out what kind of men you are." " Get out of here!" " Now, that's no way to talk." "We're being square with you." "We came here to make an honest business deal... but if you're going to get rough about it... we'll handle it another way." "Get out!" "That land rightfully belongs to us, and we mean to have it." "We'll give you a check that's as good as gold... and you give us that deed free and clear." " I haven't got the deed." " Where is it?" " I turned it over to the railroad company." " He's lying." "You haven't had time for that." "Where is it?" "Where is it?" "I'll tear up this house to find it!" "Howdy, Mr. Jack." "I just left Miss Elizabeth, and she told me to tell you... that she'll hurry right home with the deed for your property." "So you haven't got the deed?" "Take care of that woman out there." "Lock her up." "Company, halt." "Now, my scouts, I'll be the advance guard." "Spread out, men." "Shh!" "Put up your hands." "Now turn around." "Get in there." "Hurry up." "Come on." "Get in there." " We mean to have that deed." " We'd kill you for it if we had to." "And that isn't idle conversation either." "So if you don't mind, we'll wait." "Come on!" "Maria, where's my grandfather?" "Why, honey, he's clean up at the other end of the place at the overseer's house." " He went there this morning." " Well, where's Walker?" "You know, he drove to town." "Then you'll have to run and get help." "Papa Jack's in trouble with two bad men." "Trouble?" "Not me." "I don't mix in no white folks' doin's." "Please!" "It's for Papa Jack." "You've got to, Maria, right away!" " Trouble and trouble is all we got." " Please hurry." "I'm gonna find my grandfather." "Where's the overseer's house?" " Way at the end of the woods." " Follow me, men." "Not me." "No, ma'am." "Them woods is the lastest place I'll ever go." "All right." "If you won't go with me, I'll go alone." "I trust we won't have any unpleasantness when your good wife arrives." "We should hate to alarm her." " Good evening, Mrs. Sherman." " Good evening, Mrs. Weatherby." " How's Mr. Sherman feeling?" " Much better, thank you." "Fevers are dreadful, aren't they?" "We have an old family remedy I'd like you to try." "Stop in at my house now." "I'll give it to you." "It's only a step." "I really must be hurrying along." "Mr. Sherman's alone." " Of course." "Well, good night." " Good night." "Grandfather!" "Grandfather!" "Grandfather!" " Well, who is this?" " I want my grandfather." "Why, Lloyd, what under the sun?" "Why, child, what is it?" "What's the matter?" "Oh, Grandfather, you've got to come with me right away." " Come where?" " Home with me to my house." "There's two bad men there... and they're saying bad things to my Papa Jack." "I wouldn't set foot in that house for anybody or anything." "But you've got to." "Papa Jack is sick." "Those two men might hurt him." "Why should I help him?" "Because he's my father, and I love him." "You're a bad, mean, wicked, hateful old man... and I never wanna see you again as long as I live!" "Hey!" "Here, here!" "Wait a minute." "Sit down." "Why, good evening, Mrs. Sherman." "I'm happy to see you again, ma'am." "You're looking as beautiful as ever." "What is it, Jack?" "What do they want?" "There's no need for alarm, ma'am." "We're here on business." "We just made a deal with your husband for his land out West." "Jack, is this true?" "No." "They cheated me once, and they're trying to do it again." "I won't trouble to explain further, ma'am." " If you'll kindly give me the deed." " No." " I'd advise you to do it, ma'am." "Sit down!" " Oh!" "Come on." "Don't waste any more time." "My partner's a very impatient man." " Becky, run for help!" " Oh, no, you don't." "Wait!" "Give them the deed, Elizabeth." "Now, that's what I call being sensible." "Hand it over, ma'am." "This is what we're after." "Here's your check." " That makes it legal." " What's going on here?" "Put up your hands!" "Up with 'em!" "Now, what's going on here?" "Speak up!" "What's the matter?" "Has the cat got your tongue?" "Hmm." "Why, sir, this is just a business deal." "There's nothing for anyone to get excited about." " Who is it?" " Sheriff Wilkins." "Come in." "Howdy, Colonel." "Your cook told me there was some trouble here." "Well, there was, but there isn't any now." "Take these two men and lodge 'em for the night." " I'll see you in the morning." " Come on, you two." "Father!" "Well, as long as I've been fool enough to go this far..." "I might as well go the rest of the way." "Yes, just as pink as those flowers." "How are y'all?" "It's all right if it gets thick today." "Where can Lloyd be?" "Well, she's right around here somewhere." "Shh." "What's going on around here?"