"Audra, you're not going into Stockton dressed like that?" " I was going riding." " Nick asked us to meet him at the station." " What could be so important?" " We're all going to be there." "Now go up and change your clothes and poke your head in Jarrod's door." "I have a feeling he went back to sleep." "Good morning." " This is supposed to be my vacation." " I'm sure meeting Nick... isn't going to ruin it completely." " Oh, good morning, Silas." " Good morning, Eugene, Mrs. Barkley." " Good morning, Silas." "Have you seen Heath?" " Yes, ma'am." "He had something to do down at the corral." "He said he'd be right back." " Thank you." " Good morning, Silas." " Good morning." " Gene." "Good morning, Mother." " How are you feeling?" " I'll tell you as soon as I'm awake." "I just wish brother Nick could pick a more convenient hour for his homecomings." "I'm not quite up to whatever good news he's bringing us this time." " Good news?" " Now you know perfectly well... he's never come back from one of these trips yet... without bringing home some earthshaking discovery." " Gene, what was it last time?" " Some kind of machine... that's supposed to sew faster than by hand." " That was it." " Well, I'll tell you... when Nick gets here, if he has any more of those wild ideas... we'll just ship him right back to San Francisco." "Hello?" "Where is everybody?" " Why that's Nick." " I thought we were supposed to meet him at the station." "Well, that's Nick for ya." " Mother.!" " Nick, we were going to meet you at the station." "I couldn't wait." "I took an earlier train." " Mother, this is Hester Converse." " How do you do?" "How nice to meet you, Mrs. Barkley." "And the gentlemen on her right" " I know." "Jarrod and Eugene." " How do you do?" "Nick.!" "And you must be Audra." " Where's Heath?" " He'll be here soon." "You're all just the way Nick described you." "That trip from San Francisco seemed like a thousand miles." "Now that I'm here, I can't really imagine what I was so nervous about." "Hester and I were gonna save this until you... well, you got a chance to meet her and really know her... and she had a chance to know you." "But I think we better tell 'em right now." "We're gonna be married." "Well!" "Well, what do ya know?" " Congratulations, Nick." " Thank you, Jarrod." " Gosh, it's really nice" " Ah." "Age before beauty, my boy." "Well, Mother, aren't you going to congratulate me?" "Yes, of course, darling." "And, now, to a most charming, gracious and completely captivating... addition to our family." "Sorry I'm late." "Why, Nick, you weren't due in till" "We werejust toasting my prospective bride" "Miss Hester Converse." "My brother Heath." "What'd you do, knock her unconscious and drag her here?" "Welcome to the Barkley family, Hester." " Thank you, Heath." " Well, what you waitin' on?" "Why don't you go ahead and kiss her?" "Might be your last chance, you know." "I'll get you some champagne." "I'm just off the range." "Nonsense." "It's Barkley dirt." "And I love it." " Tell me, has Nick mastered this step yet?" " Not yet... but I intend to work on him." " Wonderful, Jarrod." " Thank you." "Thank you." " Who's next?" " How about Heath?" "Yes, Heath!" "Come on." "It's the rage of the east." "Sorry, I'm not much for dancin', ma'am." "Please, Heath, just for me." "Come on." "Let me talk you into it." "Why don't you try Eugene?" "He's good at it." "Well, Mother, what do you think of her?" "She's lovely." "But?" " But?" " I've only known her a week." " Oh, less than that." "You were only gone five days." " Five wonderful days." "Five of the most important days I've ever spent." "I love her mother- from the first minute I met her." " Where was that?" " Oh, in a cheap saloon down by the waterfront." " She was wearing a red dress." " Oh, Nick." "No, I met her at Dave Wallace's party." "Well, no, no." "That's not exactly true either." "I saw her at the party." "She was surrounded by men, three-deep." "I couldn't even get close enough to ask her for a dance." "Dave told me she had an appointment the following morning at his office." "Well, I made an arrangement to be there too." "Finally, Dave came out." "He said something about being glad that we finally met." "And I said, "Not half as glad as I am, Dave." ""Now, if you will properly introduce me to this young lady..." "I would like to ask her to be my wife. "" "At which point, Dave laughed and we all laughed." "But Hester and I both knew that I wasn't joking." "You do love her, don't you?" "She's made me happy." "I can see that." " Ready?" " Yeah." " Good." " Oh, wonderful!" "Wonderful!" "Eugene, I've seen bears that dance better." "Oh, wait till we get to San Francisco, Nick Barkley... and I start teaching you how to dance." "You're going back to San Francisco?" "Oh, Hester's got about nine million things to do before the wedding, and... well, anything that needs to be done around here Heath can" "Oh, our trip to Indian Springs." "I forgot about that." "I'm sorry, Mother." "Well, it's just that with Jarrod tied up with the trial" "The trip won't be very much fun without you" "Both of you, of course." "Hester, how would you like to spend two weeks... in the most beautiful mountains that God ever created?" "With a mountain stream where the trout run" " Nick." " That big." "And the air so fresh and so clean, you could bottle it and sell it." " A camping trip?" " Camping and fishing and dancing." "Ah." "Let's not forget the dancing." "We've got a logging camp up there and those Friday night dances, Hester... you haven't lived until you've been to a Friday night dance!" "Of course, we don't do the same steps that you were demonstrating." "Well, I'd love it." "It's just that I have so much shopping to do for the wedding." "I planned on going to San Francisco and then" "Well, Nick, I just don't see how I can" " All right." "We'll go." " No, no, no." "You've got things to do." "Nick, I want to go." "Please, keep on what you're doing." "Don't let me disturb you." " Well, you're up early." " I was so excited, I couldn't sleep." "Now that I've decided to make this trip, I'm really looking forward to it." " Well, I hope you won't be disappointed." " I'm sure I won't be." "Nick said I was going to be riding a horse named "Jingo. "" "He suggested that I come down and get acquainted with him before we start." "Oh, the sorrel in the end stall." "He's beautiful- and, I hope, gentle." "Gentle as summer rain." "From some of our best bloodline." "Breeding, beauty and strength, all the virtues a woman could ask for in a horse- and in a man, for that matter." "What are the virtues you look for, Heath- in a horse, I mean." "Those you mentioned sound pretty good... except if it were my own horse, I'd add "spirit. "" "I would too." "So it seems we think alike." "Were you surprised when you heard that Nick and I were going to be married?" " I was." " And did it please you?" "Well, I've always found Nick to be a pretty good judge of people." "Well, that's an indirect way of telling me how Nick feels... and I already know that." "So, you haven't answered my question... which is how you feel about it." "Forgive me, Heath, I was just teasing you because you seem so serious all the time." "You don't have to answer me now" "At least not until you have a chance to get to know me a little better." "Anyone here interested in breakfast?" " I'm for that." " Me too." "I'm famished." " You comin', Jarrod?" " No, no, Heath." "I've already had mine, but I'll be up to say good-bye." "Hester, you got a minute?" "What is it, Jarrod?" "Well, you know, I've just realized that we've met before." " Oh?" " Yeah, it was up in San Francisco" "I don't know, six, eight months ago... on one of those big, fancy occasions." "Let's see." "Could it have been the Governor's Ball, maybe?" "No, no." "I don't think so." "Or the reception for Madam Ojeska?" "No." "No, I think it was one of those charity affairs for a hospital." " Hmm." " Well, I'm not surprised you don't remember me." "I was only one of your many admirers that danced with you that night." "Well, that's no excuse for my not remembering you, Jarrod." " I apologize." " You're forgiven." "You know, Hester, I kind of get the feeling this camping trip... isn't really your idea of fun." "Oh?" "Is that a feeling or a conclusion?" "Well, now, I don't know you well enough... to draw conclusions, do I?" "Well, draw a few anyway." "If you're wrong, I'll object." "All right." "You know, Hester, Stockton isn't exactly San Francisco." "It doesn't have the same excitement or glamour." "I'm afraid you won't get the same kind of attention you're used to." "I was wondering if you'd be able to live without all that in this valley." "Well, I'm marrying Nick, not the valley." "The adjustments to living on a ranch will take a little time, but" "I'm not talking so much about the ranch." "To be honest, I was wondering if you'll be able to give up the game of... well, suitors, if you will." "And on what do you base your doubt?" "I don't know." "Maybe nothing." "Good, because you're wrong, Jarrod." "Well, then in that case, the prosecution rests." "Thank you." "Come on." "I'll walk you back to the house." " Well, are you holdin' up all right?" " Oh, I'm fine." "Well, we'll camp somewhere pretty soon." "Oh, please, sir." "Not on my account." "From now on, lady, everything I do is on your account." "Ow!" "Hyah!" "We'll camp on the other side." "Go on ahead!" "Well, this is it." "50 miles from civilization." "What do you think of it?" "It's beautiful." "We're gonna camp on the other side of that river." "I'll help you across." "It's kind of rocky." "Well, tell it to Old Faithful, here." "Watch it!" "We're comin' through!" "Hester!" "Don't hit her!" " Hester!" " I'm all right now." "Come." "Come on." " There we go." " Thank you, Heath." "Thanks, Heath." " Good morning!" " Morning." "If you're lookin' for Nick, he's down by the stream." "Oh, darn." "I wanted to get up first, cook breakfast and show him... what a really wonderful wife I'm going to make him." "See you later." "Hi." "Whoa." "I'm sorry." "All right now." "You know I have five hungry people... back there just counting' on me." " Let them starve." " Mm-hmm." "All right." "You won your point." "Now, woman, you go away and let me" "May I try it, please?" "What?" "Fish?" "Well, you know, one of these days, I'm gonna learn to say "no" to you." "All right." "Come on." "Let me get rid of this beauty first." " All right." " Just get up?" "Yeah." "Right up there." "Go on now." "Watch your balance now." "All right, now." "Hold it in the left hand." "That's it." "Now, take the line." "Hold this in your right." "That's right." "Now, bring it back real slowly... and just lay it right out there." "Now, see?" "It's all in the wrist." "I've been told my wrists are magnificent." "All right." "Let's try it." "Here we go." "All right." "Hold the string." "No." "Watch it." "No!" "Oh!" "Come on." "Come on." "Whoa!" "Come on." "Here we go." "Come on." " What happened to him?" " Claude?" "Oh, let me see." "Oh, yes." "That's when I met Franz." "He was a Viennese pianist." " Oh, what was he like?" " Oh, let me think." "He was very short, dark, very intense... and very" "Viennese." "Yes!" "You know, it's funny." "You're not that much older than I... and, yet, it's as though I haven't lived at all." "It'd take me about 10 seconds to list the men in my life." " Oh, well, you've got time." " Oh, time, yes... but I'm beginning to wonder, is the valley the place?" "Oh, not that my social life is completely barren." "Tomorrow night we'll be up at the lumber camp." "You haven't lived until you've been to a dance at our lumber camp." "I'd rather dance than" "You were saying you'd rather dance than" "Than clean trout." "Well, outside of cleaning trout, what have you two been up to?" "I'm sure they could hear you giggling clear back in Sacramento." "We took a short, merry journey through my past, Mrs. Barkley." "I'll get breakfast started." " How do you like it up here?" " Oh, it's beautiful." "It's really beautiful." "Thirty years ago, Tom and I crossed those mountains for the very first time." "It's a different world now, but here and now... it seems like yesterday." "Some things never change, do they?" "After that first time, Tom and I decided that we'd make the same trip every year." "And the year I was carrying Nick, well... it had been a bad time for us." "Tom suffered business losses." "I had been ill." "Jarrod-Jarrod was only four years old." "He'd had pneumonia and we almost lost him." "Anyhow, one morning, Tom and I woke up... and it was as if we had read each other's mind." "And he turned to me and he said, "Victoria"" "And I said, "I know." "I know." "We're going to make that same trip again. "" "And it was right for us." "You know... on this trip I kind of feel that you've been testing me." "Do you mind?" "No." "I don't think so." "No, I don't mind." "I think, in a way, I'm glad." "Maybe I needed to test myself." "I don't imagine I'm going to pass with flying colors." " But you'll survive?" " Yes, Mrs. Barkley." "I know what I must look like to you" "A fish out of water." "But if you'll- If you'll help me" "I'm going to teach you to make the best Western breakfast in the whole world." "Audra, would you mind going in there and seein' if she" " She said she'd be just a minute." " An hour ago." " That'll be enough of that." " I'll check." "I guess I should've brought along a full-length mirror." "It's lovely." "Well, it's about" " Oh, now, on second thought, it was worth it." " Well, we better be going, huh?" " Mm-hmm." "My, don't we all look handsome tonight." " Well, we gotta get along." " I hope it isn't far." "Oh, no." "It shouldn't take too long." "If I went to all this trouble and get there looking like the wreck of the Hesperus..." "I'll hang myself!" "Thank you, ma'am." "Now, don't tell me, "I ain't much for dancin', ma'am. "" "Not half-bad." "You'd be the rage of San Francisco... if you'd only learn to hold your partner a little more securely." "Don't worry." "I won't break." "Thanks for the dance." "Now you've both had your turns." "I was beginnin' to think I'd have to marry you... before I got a chance to dance with you." " What's the matter?" " I'm just so tired." " Could you please take me back to the camp?" " All right." " Hey." " Oh, Nick, I love you so much." "Nick, can we be married?" "I'd like to see anyone try to stop me." "I mean, right away." "Now." "Tonight." "We can leave a note for the family." "If I never saw another horse" " I thought you were enjoying this." " Well, I was." "I mean, I am." "Your family's wonderful, they really are... but I wanna be with you alone." " I wanna be married to you." " I want that too." "You know that." "The trip'll be over in a week." "Maybe less." "I can arrange it." "Just as soon as we get back, we'll be married" "The very day we get back, all right?" "Hmm?" "Hold me." "Hold me." "Hester?" "It was so warm I- I couldn't sleep." " Hester, you were crying." " No." "I'm all right now." "Hester, what is it?" "Oh, Heath!" "Heath!" "Oh, Heath." "Hester." "Nick!" "Nick, Heath, stop it!" "Nick.!" "Nick, Heath, stop it.!" "Nick, you don't understand." " Stop it.!" " Nick, you're all wrong." "It's not like you think." "Nick.!" "Nick, Heath, stop it.!" "Nick, Heath, stop it!" "Please, stop them." "Nick, listen." "Nick, get offhim." " Nick." " My back." "My back." "Hyah.!" "Come on.!" "Come on." "Get up.!" "Get up.!" "Stay up there!" "Get up.!" "Get up.!" "Nick!" " All right, Heath." " Eugene." "It's all right." "I know what it must've looked like." " We gotta get him to a doctor." " Can he travel like this?" "He's gotta be strapped down tight." "Let's get him into the tent." "You'd better change your clothes." "We can manage." "I know this looks like some kind of torture, but... we gotta keep him as still as possible." "I hope his back isn't broken." "Help me saddle the horses, Eugene." "Let's go." "You believe what you wanna believe, Mrs. Barkley." "Now, may I... sit with my fiancé... alone, please?" "I don't know what he'll be believing when he comes to, but... please give me some time with him." "What happened, Heath?" "I don't know- At least not for sure." " You were out there with her." " Let him tell it, Audra." "I was comin' back from the dance." "I heard her cryin'." "I thought maybe she wanted to talk." "All I did was ask her what was wrong... tried to comfort her." " Did you tell Nick that?" " No." "I didn't have a chance." " He came at me like" " Well, tell him now." "No." "He's got enough trouble now without..." " worrying what his future wife was cryin' about." " Mrs. Barkley.!" "Get me outta this.!" "Nick." "Oh, Nick." " Don't touch me." "Don't you ever touch me." " You're only making it worse." " Please, be quiet." " Get me out of this." " Oh." " Get me out of this!" "He's delirious." "We'd better get him to that doctor." "Hester." "Hester, get me out of this." "Whoa." "We'd better find out how deep it is." "It's too deep for the litter." "What about the place we crossed on the way up?" "It's eight or 10 miles back." "All that bouncing' around, that's no good." " I'll have to get a doctor up here." " I'll get the doctor, Heath." "You put that thing together." "You see that it works, okay?" "We'll set up camp here." "You hurry back." "Let's set up camp now." "It looks like we're gonna be here awhile." " Nick." " Where is everybody?" "They're all asleep." " How do you feel?" " Better." "Will you loosen these?" "My arms are startin' to get numb." "A little more." "That's it." "Nick, we must talk." "Will you get the legs?" "About last night" "You know, Heath just heard me crying." " He" " A little more." "He just heard me crying." "Nick, you mustn't!" " We gotta get out of here... before it's too late." " Nick." " We can't!" " We've got to." " No." " Well, you wanted to get married." "We'll get married as soon as we get down off this mountain." " Your back." "You shouldn't." " Come on." "Come on." "Nick!" "Nick." "I'm all right." "Nick." "Nick." "I'm all right." " Nick, we can't." " I'm all right." "Nick." "Nick!" "Nick.!" "He made me do it, Mrs. Barkley." "I had no choice." " You always have a choice." " He tricked me into untying him." "Did he also trick you into leaving with him?" "No, I" " He was in such pain, such need." "I didn't" " I couldn't think." "Couldn't think beyond your own selfish need to be Mrs. Nick Barkley?" "You were ready to risk his life for that." "No, Mrs. Barkley, I was afraid." "I was afraid if we waited..." "I'd change my mind." " Can you talk about it?" " I don't know." "To Nick?" "Yes." "Hester." "H-Hester." "What time is it?" "It'll be dawn in a few hours." " How long have I been asleep?" " A long time." "All seems like a bad dream." "A nightmare." "There's a doctor on the way." "He should be here very soon." "Heath." "What was all that about?" "Nick, I tried to tell you." "He just heard me crying." "Crying?" "Why?" "It's traditional." "It's a woman's right to cry before she's married." "So, you were crying" "And Heath came over to find out what was wrong." "I must be a" "Well, you name it." "Hester, I love you so." "Oh, Nick, I know." "When all this is over, I'm promise I'll" "I'll make you so happy." "Nick, do you wanna know the real reason why I was crying?" "It was for the parties, Nick, the dancing, the champagne and the fun." " You won't be living in a monastery." " No, it won't be the same." "The valley's not San Francisco or New York, but parties" "Oh, Nick, I love being beautiful." "I love beautiful clothes." " You'll get over that." " If you could just make be believe that." "Oh, please, make me believe it." "Nick, you'll help me, won't you?" "Nick, please help me." "I'll help you, but, Hester, you've gotta be sure... very sure." "You don't wanna be..." "tied down." "Be sure." "I'm sorry I took so long getting up here, Mrs. Barkley... but I was kind of tied up- triplets as a matter of fact." " Doctor, will he be all right?" " Oh, he'll be fine." "Just give him these for the pain." "I don't think he'll need them now." "He's been through the worst of it... but whoever thought up that contraption?" "I don't think it saved his life, Mrs. Barkley... but it sure saved him a long stretch on his back- a good, long stretch." "I wouldn't move him for four or five days... then he should be able to make it on his own." " Thank you, Doctor." " Doctor." "Would you mind if I rode down with you?" "It'll be a pleasure to have your company, miss." "Nick?" "Nick, I've come to say something and I hope" "Well, I hope you'll understand." "You told me last night to be sure before making up my mind." "Well, I stayed awake all night trying to be sure... trying to be honest with myself like I've never been before." "I know now that I wasn't crying because of the parties... the champagne or the pretty clothes." " Hester, I" " Please, don't try to say anything, just listen." "The truth about Heath... is that I wanted to find a way to make him want me." "I needed him to want me, as I've... always needed the attention of attractive men." "Seems I have to keep reassuring myself" "Only I'm never truly reassured." "If I had come here with Heath, then I'd have wanted your attention... and I'd have done anything to get it." "It's a weakness, a terrible flaw... but at least, now, I can admit it to myself... and hope someday I'll" "I'll be ready to devote myself to one man." "And I hope he'll be somebody like you." " Hester" " I'm going now, Nick... because I don't wanna hurt you more than I already have." "I only ask that you try to understand, and... maybe someday you'll find it in your heart to forgive me." "Good-bye, Nick." " Dinner is served." " Oh, thank you, Silas." "Hold it!" "Hold it." " Now, Nick, the doctor said" " I know what the doctor said." "That's why I said, "Hold it. "" "Whoa." "Thanks, Heath." "Oh, now, don't everyone start applauding." "I've been practicing this little stunt for the past three days... with pretty fair success." "Well, well." "Now that he can walk, I'd say there's certain catching' up... to be done around here, wouldn't you, Heath?" "Like bringing up that herd from Sonora." "We didn't tell ya nobody's been able to break your new Appaloosa." " It's your turn next." " And I'm going to school tomorrow... so that means you have to fence in the new pasture." "Silas, bring me my wheelchair!"