"I have dogs bigger than that." "I thought you said there were panthers here." "I ain't seen a panther in these mountains for nine years." "Then what about the carcass Snipes found up in Noland?" " Something mauled that." " That weren't no panther." "The chest weren't tore open." "They eat the heart first." "You find me an honest-to-God panther to hunt and I'll give you a $20 gold piece." "If there's a panther still around, it's likely touched by the devil." "May end up hunting you." "Well, I want one." "Vaughn." "Would you have the girl bring me my meal?" " Coming down!" " Stand clear!" "Timber!" "George!" "All right, bring her around." "Albert!" "What are you doing out here?" "Well, a letter came from the bank." "Oh, it's nothing to worry about." "Look, you're going to have to renegotiate the loan." "I'll go up to Boston next week and settle it." "Don't fret." "Get it up!" "Come on." " My uncle's a partner." "Don't forget." " That's right but still." "See, if we go up the north ridge and we carry it all the way down..." "Get it off!" "Get it off!" "Get it off!" "Get it off!" "Rumour has it that Congress is creating a national park in Carolina." "Well, the park may come." "By the time the government takes the land, there won't be a tree standing." "The trouble is, George, with this recent market crash," "I'm afraid your stocks are no longer sufficient collateral for us to roll a loan over." "I mean, all my capital is wrapped up in Carolina." "What about this land in Brazil?" "I'd rather not touch that." "You should have married Peg Lowell when you had the chance." "Then you wouldn't have to bow and scrape for your bankers." "Well, you're up on the news, aren't you?" "I am." "That's why you should talk to your sister more often." " I came to visit you this week." " Once." "In how long?" "I don't know what you're doing tearing down that mountain," "God knows where, and for what?" "Why can't you ever do anything sensible?" "I'm doing quite well, thank you." " Will there be anything else?" " No, thank you." "That woman you're slavering over is practically an aborigine, you know." "Raised on a timber camp." "A timber camp?" "Yes, I thought you'd like that." "Unfortunately, it burned down and killed her whole family." "And two days after the fire, a rescue party found Serena wandering in the ruins, calling for her dead brothers and sisters." "She was so covered in ash, they thought she was a ghost." "She is beautiful." "Wounded." "Mad for trees." "Hmm." "It's a pity you don't stand a chance with her." "What are you doing?" " I just wanted to say hello." " Well, hello." "George Pemberton." "Serena Shaw." "I think we should be married." "I can't wait to get there." "Oh!" "Welcome back!" " Splendid trip." " Good!" " I can't wait to fill you in." " Yeah." "I hope you didn't get all dolled up on my account." "Oh, no, no." " Hello." " Hello." "What..." "Well, what do you think of my wife?" "What?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "I, you know..." "Jesus, George!" "Why didn't you tell me?" "I would have, you know..." "This is Buchanan." "He's my right-hand man." " Serena Pemberton." " Oh." "Don't you know how to shake hands properly, Mr. Buchanan?" "Well, of course I do." "I'm very happy to meet you." "And, uh, well, welcome!" "So did Galloway find my panther yet?" "Well, a worker found some tracks up on Laurel Creek but Galloway thinks that was a bobcat." " Are panthers common here?" " No, no, nothing to worry about." "I mean, there's some question as to whether there are any left at all." "I was hoping to see my new home before it gets dark." "Yes, of course." " That girl..." " It doesn't matter." "Our love began the day we met." "Nothing that happened before even exists." "Keep your eyes closed." " Give me your hand." "Step down." "Watch your head." "One more." "One more." "Okay." "Okay." "Wait." "On three, you can open your eyes." "One, two, three." "That's beautiful, George." "And that's just the start." "I bought an amazing property in Brazil." " Brazil?" " Yes." "Virgin forest for hundreds of miles." "Mahogany." "Raw and beautiful." "Completely untouched." "Can't find something like that in America." "You want that, don't you?" "More than anything." "I never thought I'd find you." "I never thought I'd find anyone." "Really." "You have no idea." "Doc!" "Doc!" "Come on." "Chaney!" "Got ourselves another one." "Ah, you're too late." "There's nothing I can do." "Put him in the chair." "Rattlesnake?" "Yeah, it's gotten worse since you left." "The crews get spooked and fall behind." "We've lost six men in the last two months." "Shit." "In Colorado, we had a trained eagle to keep the snakes under control." "Right." "Well, I don't think you'll find any eagles in Carolina, Mrs. Pemberton." "Well, we should import one." "Yeah, of course." "Yeah, we should import one." "Why not?" "So I understand you have some experience in the lumber business, Mrs. Pemberton?" "My father had 40,000 acres in Colorado." "Had?" "I do hope he didn't lose them in this awful crash." "He died." "Her father was a first-rate timber man, Dr. Chaney." "He had her riding the slope before she could walk." "Well, that gives you the advantage over us, Mrs. Pemberton." "I sure would like to know what you think of our little operation here." "Aside from our obvious lack of an eagle, that is." "I think you've taken nine months to do about six months' work." "But a few changes should greatly increase profitability." "What did you find, a wife or a partner?" "Both." "I suppose Mrs. Buchanan takes no interest in your work?" "Oh, I'm a bachelor." "I can assure you, Mr. Buchanan," "I didn't come to Carolina to do needlepoint." "Of course not." "She is a pistol." "Buchanan's a funny one, isn't he?" "He seems a little bit, I don't know, too fond of you." "What do you mean?" "He'll loosen up." "Yeah." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Mrs. Pemberton's father owned the Vulcan Lumber Company in Colorado." "And she's equal to any man here." "I expect you to follow her orders the same way you follow mine or Mr. Campbell or Mr. Buchanan's." "And she'll take no quarter and she'll expect none." "You'll soon see the truth of that." "Good day." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Come on, now." "Let's get to it." "The trees ain't gonna cut themselves, boys." " Mrs. Pemberton." " Campbell." "How's everything going?" "Well, good as can be expected, ma'am." "Don't notch so high!" "You're wasting a foot of timber." "Any lower won't fall clear, ma'am." "Yonder's in the way." "Give me your axe." " Ma'am?" " You heard me." " It'll clear." " Ma'am." "What do you think?" "She'll clear." "Get back to work." "Who's that man up there?" "His name is Galloway, ma'am." " He seems standoffish." " He is." "He's the best hunting guide in over a hundred miles." "Track a grasshopper on a cap rock." "He say he has a gift of visioning." "Whatever that is, I don't know." "Mr. Galloway." "Serena Pemberton." "You were in prison." "Why?" "Manslaughter." "He had it coming." "Stand back, now." " Timber!" " Tree down!" "Our Smoky Mountains contain the last virgin forests in the eastern United States." "But with every passing year, we're losing 'em to the cut-and-run philosophy of the logging barons." "But we're fools if we think that what God has created can be sacrificed for a quick profit." "The simple question before us is this, ladies and gentlemen." "Do we want our Smoky Mountains to be made a national park?" "Or do we want them to be made a desert?" "Thank you, Mr. Kephart." "And thank you all for showing up this afternoon." "What about the jobs, Sheriff?" "These men need to work, don't they?" "And the logging camps bring in railroads and electric lines to places that never had them before." "We're bringing progress to Carolina." "Progress?" "Progress for whom, Mr. Pemberton?" "All the profits are going north." "Well, what is it that your park's providing?" "I'm sure your park will be very nice for you and your rich friends to go on a Sunday afternoon hike but for the working men, the men in this room, Sheriff, the men unlike you, Mr. Kephart, it's a matter of survival." "He's right, Sheriff." "The logging barons always cry "jobs" and "free enterprise"" "but the truth is, you barely pay enough to put food on the table." "Oh, we pay more than any job these men can get." "And that's why there's a line 50-deep every time there's an opening." "Openings." "Yes, you always have openings, don't you, Mr. Pemberton?" "Because your camps have killed more men than the War Between the States." "It's dangerous work." "And every logger will tell you he's proud of what he does." "And I don't think he wants the government to build him a pretty park, Sheriff." "I think he wants the freedom." "The freedom to work hard and to better himself." "That's what this country is supposed to be about, Sheriff!" " Yeah!" "That's right!" " Yeah!" "Yeah!" " You did wonderfully." " Just told the truth." "One, two, three, smile!" "And flash!" "I love you so much." "I have your child inside me." " Namaste." " Namaste." "Vaughn!" "Put my horse in the stable." "They need to get used to each other." "Yes, ma'am." " I'll get you some food and blankets." " Don't bother." "I won't eat or sleep until she does." " Well, I'm staying here with you." " No, you're not." "I need to do this alone." "They need to know that it was a woman who tamed the eagle." "All right." "Everybody out." "Hi." "The prey believes that if it keeps still, it won't be noticed." "But eventually it flinches." "And when it does, the eagle always sees." "This, uh, park business seems to be picking up speed." "Now that Rockefeller's thrown in with them, they're making real offers." " They'll be coming to us next?" " Yeah." "Rockefeller's $5 million behind them." "We're not interested." "Well, I was asking your husband's opinion, Mrs. Pemberton, not yours." "Easy." "Well, I don't want you to worry about it." "Well, I do." "We'll need about a million to pay off the loan and have enough money to get going in Brazil." "That's two more years here in Carolina, assuming this park business doesn't shut us down." "We're going to have to pay off a senator." "Listen." "What do you think of Serena?" "Oh, well, she's a lovely girl." "I'm sorry." "I should have said something to you earlier." "But Serena is different, you know." "She'd rather come to a godforsaken place like Carolina than sip tea with society ladies." "Can you imagine a woman like that?" "Well, I don't have to imagine her, George." "She's right here with us." "I just don't want you to think of her as my wife." "I want you to think of her as a partner." "Because she is." "A partner." " Every cent she has, she gave to us." " Right." "Well, I will indeed." "A partner." " Good morning, Sheriff." " Ladies." "So, this is for you, Senator." " You have a nice campaign, now." " I will." "Good day, Mr. Buchanan." "Does Mr Pemberton think bribes can stop the park?" "Oh, well, nothing wrong with having friends in high places." "I'm surprised Mrs. Pemberton isn't handling the bribery by now." "I hear she's taken charge of everything else at the camp." "I understand why you might think so, Sheriff." "But you don't really know." "We'd like to make you a proposition." " Sheriff McDowell." " Buchanan." " Welcome." "How are you today?" " Good." "Thank you." "Good." "Good to see you." "Mr. Kephart." " Good to see you." " Good to see you, too." " How are you?" " All right." "They seem chummy." "Has Buchanan ever done business for them before?" "Not that I know of." "This is your offer, then?" "$400,000." "That's a good deal more than you'd get on the open market, Mr. Pemberton." "Well, maybe that's true, Mr Kephart." "But we're asking for a million dollars firm, so..." "The land was appraised at 300." "Before the crash." "Well, I am very sorry to have wasted your time today, gentlemen but, um, we were all under the assumption that you were coming to us with a formidable offer." "If we have to take this land by eminent domain, you'll be lucky to get a half of what we're offering." " Is that a threat, Sheriff?" " No, no, it's a fact." "Gentlemen, gentlemen, uh, why don't we all, um, reconsider our positions and convene whenever the Pembertons and I have looked through..." "The fact is, Sheriff, you need our land to build your park." "And our price is a million dollars." "Well, think a second time." "Because one false step and those bankers you're in hock to will be picking on the bones of your fortune." "And I personally would hate to see your pretty wife humiliated in that way." "You don't ever get to talk about wife, let alone look at her." "You can leave now." "Good day." "Good day, ma'am." " How are you, Mr. Galloway?" " Well, Mr. Pemberton." "I thought you were coming with us?" "Galloway's got a line on a panther." "Oh." "I'm afraid not." "I've got business in Asheville." " On a Sunday?" " Yeah, I'm afraid so." "Bobcat." "But, um, that ain't what you want, is it, Mr. Pemberton?" "No, it's not." "Next time, we come at nightfall." "If there's a panther roundabout, you'll hear it." "You know that, uh, that park agitator, Kephart?" "He has a cabin here." "Do you know where that is?" "I reckon I do." "I'd like to take a look." "I went by Kephart's cabin." "I, uh..." "Yeah, I've been negotiating with them." " Behind my back." " Yeah." "Well, look." "Listen." "Listen, they'll go as high as 450 now." "You said a million." "That's what you always said." "George, you're going to have to forget about Brazil." "That's..." "You're not the same any more." "The only thing that's changed is you." "Look." "I just want out." "I'll buy you out as soon as we move to Brazil." "Oh, I'm afraid I can't wait that long." "Well, I'm not going to sell, Albert, so you can't do anything about it." "That's the agreement, till I sell." "You know what?" "I'll tell them about the bribes." " Go ahead." "You're as guilty as I am." " No." "You're going to take the fall, George." "I get a deal if I testify." "I've had that arranged." "You're going to go to prison." "That's what's going to happen." "You're a son of a bitch." "It's so obvious now." "My friend?" "He was never my friend." "He'd come here and threaten me in my home?" "What we've built?" "What I promised you, Serena?" "What I've promised you!" "How did we lose Brazil, George?" "I don't understand." "Well, I had to put the land up as collateral, otherwise the bank wouldn't roll over the loan." "Because that's what he's doing." "He's going to make us sell and we're going to lose it, Serena, everything." "Our future." "Everything that we talked about." "Why didn't you tell me about the land?" "Well, I didn't think that it would matter." "How was I supposed to know that he was doing back-door deals with Kephart?" "We promised to tell each other everything." " I didn't want to frighten you." " I'm not that kind of woman." "The only thing that frightens me is the thought that you don't trust me." "I'm sorry." "I told you what he was on the first night, George." "He's jealous of me." "He's trying to destroy what we have." "Well, we're running out of time." "He said he's already making up the paperwork." "Then we have a real problem." "I go to prison, it'll be over for us." "Then solve it." "He betrayed you, George." "He was never your friend." "Keep the horses back, Campbell." "You hear me, boys?" "Let Mr. Pemberton and Mr. Buchanan set up on the orchard." "Come on." "Get!" "Come on, now." "The bear's hunkered down in them trees, Mr. Pemberton." " Dogs will flush him out in no time." " Thanks, Mr. Galloway." "Get, get!" "Come on." "Go get him." "Come on." "Did Serena take the news well?" "Yeah, well, she's handled worse than this, hasn't she?" "Keeps her pride." "No matter what other people say." "Well, did you see that?" "What..." "Help!" "Come on!" "Help me get him!" "We need help over here!" "We got a man down!" " Chaney..." " One shot." "Rifle." "Sheriff." "We were set up on the same line and the bear had come in between us and by the time it had crossed through, he was in my crosshairs." "Anyone with you?" "No." "You see anything, Campbell?" "No, I didn't see nothing, Sheriff." "Well, looks like your shot hit dead centre of his heart." "Pretty amazing accident." "You and Buchanan got on, did you?" "He was my best friend." "Take the body downtown." "I'm going to have an autopsy done." "You got anything to add?" "It was an accident." "How do you know that?" "He ain't a good enough shot to do it on purpose." "Anything else, Sheriff?" "Not today, Mr. Pemberton." "Not today." "I had decided not to..." "But then he turned around." "I wish I could have been beside you." "He was never your friend." "He betrayed you, George." "You don't understand." "Everything you did, you did for us." "For our future." "Come in." " Uh, Mr. Buchanan's things." " Ah." "The coroner agreed it was an accident." "Wrote it in the report." "I love you so much." "Thank you, sir." "Oh!" "Come on." "Four." "So, 41." "Does my scar bother you?" "Of course not." "Whatever happened in that fire?" "I was 12." "I used to sleep downstairs because I would wake up early to take care of the horses." "And I didn't want to wake the little ones." "That's how I got out in time." "I knew they were still inside." "But I just kept running." "And I kept going until I couldn't hear them screaming any more." "I was the oldest." "They were screaming for me." "You were only a child." "After that day, I swore that I would never love anyone ever again." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "Ever." "What is it?" "Rachel Hermann has come." "She's looking for her old job back." "Well, where is she?" "Over in the chapel." "But there ain't no work in this town, not for a young lady of her kind." "Widow Jenkins is kind of looking after that boy of hers." "If she don't get a job, her and that boy will starve." "We both know it wasn't her fault that she got pregnant out of wedlock, now." "So you want your old job back?" "Yes, sir." " Well, you can start Monday." " Yes, sir." "The, uh, child." "What's the child's name?" "Jacob." "That's from the Bible." "That's a beautiful name." "Thank you." "Monday." "She knows that she has no claim on us, of course?" "Nor her child." "No, she knows that, of course." "Campbell just said that there's no work in town and I don't want to let them starve." "Does she intend to bring the child to work with her?" "No, there's an old widow that's going to take care of him." "Him." " So it's a boy." " Apparently." "Look, it doesn't make one difference to me." "It's just I don't want them to struggle, that's all." "Nor do I." "All right, boys." "Break's over!" "Give me that." "Sorry." "Get his chin up." "Smile for me, Jacob." "Big smile, now." "That's it." "Look at the birdie." "And, uh, hold it there now." "Can you get..." "Just raise him up just a little bit higher, please?" "That's good." "That's good." "Just hold him there, now." "Okay." "Jacob!" " Come on, now." " Come on, now." "Just look at me." "Look at me please, Jacob." "There you go." "Smile for me, now!" "Smile!" "And flash!" "Hold him still, miss." "Look at the birdie!" "And flash!" " You okay?" " Yes." "Come feel." "He's moving." "Right here." "Oh." "Yeah." "The first of our dozen." " You want me to take that?" " No, no, no!" "I got it, Mr. Vaughn." "Thank you." "It's perfect, George." "He'll love it." " How do you know it's a boy?" " I just do." "Well, maybe I'd like a girl." "No." "You're not getting one." " Is that right?" " Mmm-hmm." "Thank you." "Over here!" "Pick it up, now." "This one here." "Somebody give me a belt!" "Give me your belt!" "It's okay." "It's okay." "Get him on the car." "Campbell!" "Chaney!" "Load him up in the truck!" "Campbell, go with him." "Get him in the van." "Come on, get in the truck." "Turn him around." "Come on." "I got him!" "I'll live." "It's done been prophesied." "Damn fine job, whoever tied that tourniquet." "He would have bled out otherwise." "Did you do that?" "Yes." " Were you riding a horse?" " Uh-huh." "Most likely something hasn't lain right on your stomach." "It really does not feel like a stomach-ache." "Well, it certainly isn't labour." "Now, the hospital at Asheville can give you a second opinion, if the discomfort is too much for you." "Well, let's go there, then." "That's not necessary." " Mmm-hmm." "All right." " Bye." " I'll get the doctor." " No, George." "George." "I just want to try to go to sleep." "All right." "You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" "Yeah." "I'll feel better in the morning." "I love you." "I love you, too." "Campbell!" "Campbell!" "Oh, God." " She's going to need more blood." " Use mine." "It's going to be okay." "You're going to be fine." "The child is dead?" "Yes." "A boy?" "What?" "What?" "We won't be able to have another." "Take a warm bath and I'll get the rest of the things." " Get rid of it!" " What?" "What?" " Get rid of it!" "Get rid of it now!" " Okay, I'll..." "I need to see your missus." "Well, she's resting now." "I can wait." "What for?" "The day I was born, my mama had a vision that I would lose much but be saved by a woman." "Your missus is the one from that prophecy." "And I'm honour-bound to her." "Mr. Pemberton!" "What is it?" "We're about to leave." "Uh, payday." "Need you to come open the safe." "Here, you do it." " Don't forget to bring the key back." " Thank you." "Watch your head." "Okay." "You'll have to testify to what you saw." "And what you did." "I can't promise you won't do time." "Don't have to." "I fully understand the consequences of my actions." "There's a judge in Raleigh you can show these to." "One they don't own yet." "You sure you still want to go through with this?" "You want me to take 'em?" "You look stunning." "Thank you." "Everything's going to be all right." "I know." "We're going to go downstairs and we're going to eat and dance and..." "We're going to forget about everything but each other." " I won't be long." " Okay." "What level of investment do you require?" "What's this, George?" "This is my lovely wife." "This is Mr. Lowenstein." "The woman who tames eagles." "Your reputation precedes you." "Now, this is Mr. Calhoun." "These two gentlemen are..." "Serena." "I want to dance." "These gentlemen are interested in investing in Brazil." "But I love this song and I really want to dance." "I think you should sit down." " Will you dance with me, Mr. Lowenstein?" " No, that's not a good idea." " Don't..." " Well, uh..." "Of course, I'd be delighted to, Mrs. Pemberton." "But I..." "It's fine." "Fine." "Thank you." "My husband is apparently too busy to dance with me." "Campbell's gone missing." "You might want to check the safe." "He took the ledgers." "He can destroy us, George." "Just like Buchanan." "Hmm?" "Hmm?" "в™" Your daddy is a loving working man..." "I know where Campbell is." "Good." "Locking yourself in?" "I saw some tracks by the falls." "Looks like a panther." "Let me know when you want to kill it." "Mr. Campbell?" "Get out!" "Get out!" "Vaughn?" "Mr. Pemberton's going to be very hungry when he gets home." "Have cook make up all of his favourites and bring them to the cabin when he gets back." "Yes, ma'am." "Here's your supper." "I have some business to go take care of." "I'm doing this for us, George." "For our new world." "What are you talking about?" "Brazil, of course." "We're going to be so happy there." "Give me the Sheriff." "Quick!" "Rachel stays with the widow Jenkins sometimes." "It ain't far." "Mrs. Jenkins?" "It's Sheriff McDowell." "Mrs. Jenkins?" "We gotta get you out of here." "Is she all right?" " Mrs. Sloan." " Come on in." "Come on." "What can I do for you, Sheriff?" "There was a murder up on Colt Ridge last night." "Widow named Jenkins." "Never hurt a soul." "Somebody slashed her throat." "And, uh... why are you telling me?" "I'd like to speak to your wife, if you don't mind." "My wife?" "She's not in there." "She went out with the cutting crew earlier this morning." "That's convenient." "You happen to know where she and that mongrel of hers were last night?" "I know she had nothing to do with some old woman's murder." "Well, that woman was looking after Rachel Hermann's boy." "Is the child all right?" "Ask your wife." "I don't need to." "You make no mistake." "They were coming for your boy." "Galloway slit Campbell's throat the other day." "Your boy was next." "Expect your wife can tell you why, Mr. Pemberton." "Tell me you didn't do it." "Tell me you didn't send Galloway." "It's okay, George." "It's okay." "It had to be done." "For us." "What had to be done?" "You hurt me." "You said that I was enough for you." "You are enough for me." "You're lying." "I found the picture of your baby." "Our love is more important than that child, isn't it?" "Isn't it, George?" "You just tell me where Galloway is." " Just tell me where he is." " No, come on." "No..." " It'll all be over." " No." " Just tell me." "Just..." " No." "It'll never be over as long as that child is alive." "No, please..." "No..." "You'll never be free of him." "Can't you see?" "He looks just like you." "I had to." "Just let the child go!" "George." "Stop." "George!" "If you love your bastard child as much, then just kill me." "That's the only way you'll ever stop me." "Where did you send Rachel and the boy?" "That's a matter for the law." "This is everything you need to put me away forever." "And what's that supposed to mean?" "It means that I'm turning myself in." "You just tell me where they are and when I get back, you'll have your arrest." "I don't need your help." "Do you know that Galloway never came back to the camp last night?" "I'll contact Rachel." "Tell her to move on." "He is going to find them, Sheriff." "You know that as well as I do." "And what do you propose to do about that?" "Tell me where they are." "That's my boy, Sheriff." " So you'll be fine?" " Mmm." "I'll be back soon." "Bye-bye." "Bye." "Kingsport, Tennessee." "Name of Sloan." "You got 24 hours, then I'm calling the judge." "I need the next train to Washington." "There ain't one for another two hours." " There anything sooner?" " No." "Shh, shh." "Hush." "Shh." "Hush..." "Please, no." "Mr. Galloway..." "Stop." "It's okay." " You say he'll be hunting?" " Yes, sir." " Up in Noland." " Hmm." "Let's go." "I told him if he's real quiet," "Joel'll give him some more cars for his choo-choo when we get there." "Joel Vaughn?" "Yeah." "He's going to take care of us now." "Jacob's real sweet on him." "You best say goodbye to him now." "Spread out, boys." "There, there." "All right." "All right, come on." "Son of a bitch." "Mrs. Pemberton!" "Mrs. Pemberton?" "You need to come and identify." "Mrs. Pemberton?" "Mrs. Pemberton?" "Mrs. Pemberton, you need to come out and identify your next of kin." "All right." "Let's take him away, then." "Come on, boys, let's get back in the car."