"Come on." "Looks like we've been tracking each other, Scar." "Fight!" "No, no more fighting." "I came to tell you your people are dead, Scar." "Now we fight." "Maybe you die, maybe I die." "Maybe we both die." "Scar, I could shoot you right now." "Fight." "Well, if someone else hadn't shot you, I guess I would've." "You lost a lot of blood." "Given time, you'd have bled to death." "Here." "Go ahead and drink it." "If you're thinking about taking my hair, I got your weapons right here." "No." "No more fighting." "It is done." "I'll be damned." "So where do we stand, Secretary Stanton?" "We can impeach the President." "We just need the votes." "If we don't get them?" "The war will have been fought for no reason." "The Confederacy will rise again." "Reconstruction program-- -lt isn't working." "Don't get me wrong... your bureau's doing a fine job, but the President is a stumbling block!" "George, what a surprise." "Good to see you out and about." "Thank you." "Stanley, this is Mrs. Madeline Main." "A pleasure to finally meet you." "Thank you, sir." "If you two gentlemen will excuse me." "What's all the commotion?" "President Johnson vetoed the Republicans' Civil Rights Bill." "He's denying freed men equal access to the law... and then bleating about states' rights." "He's turning back the clock, for God's sake." "Could I speak to you in private?" "ln my office." "Very impressive, Stanley." "You wear your success well." "What brings you here, George?" "I was just wondering." "What are your plans as far as politics are concerned?" "We are organizing our support." "We have a perfect platform." "In fact... it seems the election in our district is mine for the taking." "I see." "Campaigns can get pretty expensive, I understand." "Of course, Isabel and I will be funding a lot of it." "Would you like to make a contribution, George?" "There's something that puzzles me, Stanley." "You have wealth, and now prominence and position... yet your appetite for venality and corruption never seem to be satisfied." "Damn you, George." "Whatever I have, you've never thought I deserved it." "I may have made mistakes in the past... but you have to give me credit for who I am now." "I am making an important contribution here!" "Let me tell you why I'm here." "There's a company mining phosphates down on Mont Royal, the Main plantation." "It's the kind of unjust operation that gives reconstruction a bad name." "This is one of their labor contracts." "It's more than that." "This is a bondage contract." "Reprehensible!" "There is also a company store dealing in scrip coupons... juggling outrageous prices against the Negroes." "That is intolerable." "We did not free those people only to force them back into servitude." "Unfortunately, the Bureau has no jurisdiction over such stores." "The Bureau may be helpless, but you, my brother, are not." "What do you mean?" "The mining company is a partnership... between Madeline's brother-in-law, Cooper Main... and one Isabel Truscott, your wife." "Isabel, in my study." "Now!" "I understand you own a controlling interest in the Mont Royal mine. ls it true?" "Why, yes, George." "What of it?" "I put it in my maiden name, Stanley." "There's no connection to you." "My God, you're unbelievable." "Your partnership underwrites a company store... that deals in illegal labor contracts... while your husband is head of the Freedmen's Bureau." "What kind of ruination is that?" "I know nothing about the management of the mine... or the store, George." "You'll be selling your shares to George." "What?" "Don't be ridiculous." "Nobody knows except him." "I'm sure George won't do anything to ruin the precious Hazard family name." "Shut up, Isabel!" "How dare you jeopardize my position?" "George will pay you $1 for your 1." "Your dear brother is cheating you out of a fortune." "Sign it!" "Stanley, please." "Don't you see?" "This is the opportunity" "Sign it." "Take this with my apology." "l've misjudged you, Stanley." "Thank you." "You idiot!" "Now look at what you've done!" "You're such a fool for your brother's good opinion." "I made you!" "And now you're throwing it all away." "God, you make me feel dirty." "I've hated myself for years for listening to you, for doing what you said." "You've done your best to ruin me." "But no more, Isabel." "Never again." "I want you out of this house tonight." "Stanley, certainly you don't mean that." "Think of all the things we've shared, all the things you'd miss" "Tonight, Isabel!" "Take whatever you want." "I never want to see your face again." "Well, what can I say?" "It's nice." "Why, Mrs. Fenway, it's much more than simply nice." "The previous owners imported the furnishings from all over the world." "Yes, I'm sure." "However, the furnishings are not to my nor my husband's taste... though I'm sure that the previous owners were affluent and influential people?" "Very." "Would you happen to know who their closest acquaintances were?" "Mrs. Fenway, the cream of Chicago society." "What did you tell me that your name was again?" "Eric." "That's a lovely name, one of my favorites." "Eric, perhaps you could furnish me with a list of those names?" "I don't know as that would be ethical." "It's a pity." "My husband and I are poorly acquainted here in Chicago." "We just love to entertain, and a list like that would greatly aid us." "Why, it could benefit you, as well." "Me?" "Yes, of course, you." "After all, you'd be coming to all our soirees." "And what better way to get new clientele than through social events?" "In such a case, I think that my husband and I might consider... a total purchase." "Well, I think the list could be arranged." "Yes, I think it could be." "You bought Isabel's shares in the mine?" "Yes, I did." "l can't believe it." "So that makes us partners." "There's a good future in this for everyone." "If you want to work with us, we're happy to have you." "With that woman?" "That's enough, Cooper!" "George, please." "We were hoping, for the sake of the family... to continue this partnership." "What family?" "If you'd rather not, I'll buy you out on the spot." "All right, I'll go along with you." "But don't forget, I own the land." "You make one mistake, I'll throw you out." "Do I make myself clear?" "Very." "Pleasure doing business with you." "Something's gone bad in him." "It used to be just his anger toward me, but now...." "Feeling powerless can turn a man, I know that." "Let's hope he stays sensible." "Where's the place they're making the saw-blade?" "Tackett's Smithy." "Are you Tackett?" "Why haven't you delivered that saw-blade Mrs. Main ordered some months ago?" "Nobody ever come around for it with the right amount of money." "Mr. Tackett, the blade was never ready." "How much is it?" "$0." "There's your $0, minus 10 for the delay." "I want that saw blade delivered to Mont Royal by tonight, understand?" "Good." "Mrs. Main thanks you." "George?" "Over here." "I've brought you some lunch." "Every mine needs an office." "If you find me a mattress, I'll bunk down here, as well." "You're staying?" "Of course." "But not in your kitchen with two chairs and a raggedy pillow for a bed." "Hello, Mr. Winant." "Mrs." "Main." "Scott Winant is the new mine manager." "This is Mr. George Hazard." "So you're the mine manager, Mr. Winant?" "Yes, sir." "Where you from?" "Charleston, sir... but I rent a room behind Gettys LaMotte's store." "First thing I want you to do is tear up those illegal labor contracts." "How does that sit with you, Mr. Winant?" "You're the boss." "And tell me, what do you think a fair wage for a miner is?" "I think $1 a month." "All right, then." "We'll go $1." "But let's make it $1 and up, according to skill." "Those are high wages for niggers." "These are fine men. I never want to hear them called anything but men." "If you have an objection to that, you can go back to Charleston." "Yes, sir." "I mean, no, sir. I have no objections." "If they want to buy land, establish a fair price and see that they get it." "And offer farm tools to them at our cost." "Agreed?" "Agreed." "All right, then." "Now let's go see your landlord, shall we?" "Afternoon, gentlemen." "Which one of you is Gettys?" "I'm George Hazard." "I'm running the Mont Royal mine now." "Yeah, Cooper Main said as much." "Maybe he also told you no more scrip." "But I'm here to redeem what you have at the price agreed." "Then have a look." "Let me see if I can find it here." "Mr. Winant, you still going to be wanting to rent that room?" "That is my intention." "No scrip, my profits go down, rent goes up." "Sorry." "Then the bed linens get washed once a week." "What's the total there, Gettys?" "$3." "lf you have a pen, I have a bank draft." "Gettys, may I suggest you lower your prices?" "If you don't, we'll be forced to offer supplies to our workers at cost." "Mr. High and Mighty." "This says $33." "Shall we count the scrip together?" "l feel like I've been cheated." "You do?" "Chalk it up to my being Mr. High and Mighty." "Pardon me, sir." "Got a present for me?" "For both of us." "It's such a fine spring day, I prepared a picnic." "I think the mine's going to work." "I like Winant, and the men like working for him." "Jack Ouinlan could run the mine from Pennsylvania... after all you've done." "Fine." "What would I do then?" "Whatever you do best." "Throw my weight around?" "You trying to get rid of me?" "No, never." "How are the children?" "They're fine, but they're at school." "Safest place for them." "Will you ever forgive yourself, George?" "Or me?" "You?" "For what?" "If you hadn't been so concerned with my life..." "Constance might" "No, it's not that way at all." "Bent was waiting for me." "He would've waited forever." "He knew what it would do to me." "Given the opportunity, he'd destroy both of our families." "But I'll get him before he does." "I swear I'll get him." "Something woke me." "I had a nightmare about Libby Prison." "I rarely dream about the war anymore." "What do you dream about?" "l dream of you... as you are now." "Thank you." "No." "This telegram just came." ""Elkanah Bent in St. Louis..." ""has kidnapped August Main, son to Charles." ""Whereabouts of Charles Main unknown." "lnvestigation proceeds."" "I've got to go find him." "No, George." "Let the Pinkertons." "That's what they" "No, Charlie broke me out of Libby Prison." "I owe him my life. I got to go." "How is it that men never learn?" "You're not going off to find a little boy." "You're going off to find that animal and have your vengeance." "What if you don't return?" "If anything should happen to me, you'll be taken care of." "The mine, the mill" "Stop it!" "Don't you understand?" "I love you so much." "Nothing could ever keep me from coming back." "Please don't go." "I'm sorry, I must." "Ashton, you've got a lovely home." "Thank you, sir. I like to show it off as much as possible." "I must say you do dance divinely." "It's one of the most expensive houses in Chicago." "Really?" "That's what they tell me." "Who said that?" "Excuse me, may I have the pleasure?" "Why, yes, thank you." "You look very nice." "Thank you so much." "So do you." "Your rubies are wondrous." "Thank you." "Sir, may I?" "You look lovely." "Thank you so much, and so do you." "Thank you for coming to my little party." "I wouldn't have missed it." "I was looking forward to seeing you." "Champagne?" "Yes, I'd love some." "Forrest, you naughty boy." "You spoil me, Fen." "I don't think I can thank you enough." "Tonight was wonderful." "It was just like the nights we had at Mont Royal way before the war." "Everybody came and told me how they thought this cottage was so beautiful." "It's a great mausoleum." "I'm sure Harry would feel quite comfortable in it." "I know his name." "I know the names of all your indiscretions." "Unfortunately, I probably always will." "And now it will be Forrest Wilkerson... unless my eyes deceived me tonight." "Wilkerson lll." "He's very rich." "And handsome and charming" "Fen, you're the one that I love." "I wish you did. I mean, not that it really matters, it's just...." "Sometimes I wonder what I could have done differently..." "what more I could have given you." "What you haven't given me?" "That!" "Mont Royal, the most beautiful and perfect place on earth." "It should have belonged to me." "How many times do I have to tell you that is what I want!" "And I will get it." "Our agents have combed St. Louis." "Not a trace of him, nor the boy." "Where's Charlie now?" "l haven't heard a word for a while." "He gave up his position as scout at Fort Hayes after Cottonwood Creek." "No one's seen him since." "See what you can find out, will you?" "Yes, sir." "Your wife is feeling much better." "Blames herself for Gus, but...." "Willa Parker, George Hazard." "A pleasure, ma'am." "Mr. Smith from the Pinkerton Agency." "Willa and Charlie, well.... lt's a pleasure to meet you, General." "I've heard a lot about you." "Charlie and I once felt something for each other." "Gus is still very special to me." "Will you be able to find him?" "We're going to do everything we can." "Maureen and I love that boy as if he were our own, George." "Whatever it takes, Matt. I promise." "General Hazard." "It's about Charlie." "He's a good man..." "but since the war, he's been lost." "War does that to some men." "But there's a good and caring side to him." "He's just afraid of it." "I know. I tried to unlock it, and I failed." "But he loves Gus." "If you don't include him in this, it will destroy him." "I know exactly what you mean." "But he's not the same as you remember him." "Please don't give up on him." "Don't worry, that'll never happen." "You'll find Corporal Magee over there." "Corporal Magee?" "Nice work on that sorrel." "My name's George Hazard." "I'm a friend of Charlie Main's." "I'm told you know him well." "I need to find him." "General Hazard?" "I've heard about you." "What you want with him?" "His son's been kidnapped." "He needs to know." "Who done it?" "A man named Bent." "You heard of him?" "A little." "The Captain don't talk much except when he's been drinking." "I could take you to him if I could get some leave." "I think that can be arranged." "How far is he?" "All the way to Abilene." "Charlie, give me that bottle, son." "Come on, let's get you in the tack room so you can sleep it off." "Stop it, damn it!" "Stand up!" "You're too drunk to be fighting." "Get in there and get you some sleep." "Go on." "Anybody here?" "Damn it, I need some feed." "What the hell am I supposed to do?" "Help myself and let you folks whistle on down the wind?" "I got money here." "I'm no thief." "Charlie Main." "God must be looking down on his angel of vengeance." "Wake up!" "I got your little boy." "Wake up!" "You look like hell." "You smell like a dead snake." "I know what you need, Main." "You need a bath and shave." "I'm going to clean you up, Main." "You're going to be so sorry, Main." "It's not that I got anything against killing a sleeping Main... but this is going to be a lot more fun." "And don't you know, Charlie, I just love to have fun." "Here I go." "You look real good now." "Left your daddy a little message, Gus." "Men afoot approaching a livery... must mean you gents are looking to rent something to ride." "You come to the right place." "We're looking for Charles Main." "You come to the right place for that, too." "That is, if you can sober him up." "I ain't had much luck at that recently." "Come on, he's in the tack room." "I never saw a man who's better with horses when he's sober." "Lately, he's been a real problem." "Good Lord." "You get us some coffee." "Stick of dynamite will do better." "Charlie, wake up." "Excuse me, General." "Damn it!" "Magee?" "And George Hazard?" "There's big trouble." "Elkanah Bent, he's got your boy Gus." "You know where he is?" "Not yet." "Beg pardon, gentlemen, but I think we do." "Whoa, boy." "We're leaving a nice little trail for your daddy to follow, boy." "Of course it can't be too good, or he'll catch up to us too soon." "Don't you worry." "He'll be along." "So you be a good boy." "What you looking at?" "I want your daddy down in Indian Territory." "You know why?" "'Cause I'm going to turn that territory into an empire." "Just for me." "My own empire." "And I want to inaugurate that empire with a big splash." "Know what that splash is going to be?" "Your daddy." "Mr. Charles Main." "We don't serve the likes of him." "Sure you do." "This is my friend." "This gentleman was just about to take our order, weren't you?" "Sure." "What'll it be?" "What do you say, Magic, steak and eggs?" "Yeah, and some pancakes." "How about some biscuits?" "Give me some coffee and some biscuits." "Coffee three times around." "He's going to run us a chase, Charlie." "He may read a map, but he don't know these parts like I do." "You think he's going to keep Gus alive, George?" "Till he sees you." "He'll try and kill him right before your eyes just to make you suffer." "But we're not gonna let that happen." "Fifteen, twenty hours a day in the saddle." "You up for that?" "Better finish your breakfast." "We've got a long day ahead of us." "This isn't Pennsylvania. lt's some of the toughest country God made." "Can you keep up?" "Don't you worry about it." "It is not your problem." "For my son's sake, I sure hope so." "Gentlemen, there is a time for talking, and there is a time for doing." "I figure we done talked more than enough." "You know, he's got a point, Cooper." "You said, "When Hazard left." And he's gone." "I know what I said." "Well, there you are." "When are we going to act?" "Soon." "How soon?" "What I propose is to do enough damage to Mont Royal... so I can buy George Hazard's shares in the mill... and mine, cheaply." "So what you're saying is... this is not just another ride down to scare a few niggers." "You want to run them folks off for good." "Well, that's a war... and for a war... you better have something besides men wearing sheets and carrying torches." "Dynamite." "You got dynamite, Cooper." "You've been demolishing all them ruined docks and such." "You got dynamite for that purpose." "Them damn Yankees, they won't question a few missing sticks." "Maybe." "Maybe, hell." "You're going to requisition a few more sticks and say... that some fool overcharged you for demolition." "Hell, I do it in my business all the time." "That's right." "And if you can't come up with it, I'm sure General Forrest can come up with some." "I've heard an awful lot about Nathan Bedford Forrest... but I don't see him running with this, or risking his neck." "He did some fierce fighting during the war." "The war's over." "Like hell it is." "l'll get the dynamite." "See?" "Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me." "Good evening, Mrs. Main." "What are those men doing in our home, Cooper?" "That's really none of your business, is it?" "First few days are always the hardest, General." "So why don't we take care of these horses later and go get some food?" "Good idea, Magee." "You haven't slowed us down yet." "I don't reckon you're going to... especially seeing how you seem to sit in the saddle a mite easier." "Really?" "I hadn't noticed." "Seen a man with a wagon?" "Yeah, he went that way." "Thank you." "He was here." "He bought supplies three days ago." "What about Gus?" "There was a boy with him." "What you got, Charlie?" "George, these are the stones I gave Gus." "Let's go." "Come on, boy, get up." "Come here." "Get in there." "Sit yourself back in there." "The boy's marking us a trail." "With rocks?" "We might just find our friend Bent before he wants us to." "We'll camp here for the night." "You'll go blind if you keep staring at that rock." "lf l find Gus, George" "When you find him." "I tell you, I'm not going to be apart from him again." "What about Willa?" "You met Willa?" "Sure." "Duncan's house in St. Louis." "She's a fine woman, Charlie." "Yes, she is." "She is." "Charlie, you know... the last couple of months..." "Madeline and I have...." "You know...." "No, what?" "That's good, George." "That's real good." "I don't know what she sees in you, but that's good." "Appreciate the meal, ma'am." "Why do you have the boy bound up so?" "He's not quite right in the head." "He tends to wander off and get lost." "Been that way ever since his pa was killed up by the Platte River." "He's beat up some." "My nephew's a clumsy child." "He's a real danger to himself." "ls that right, boy?" "Where's your husband?" "Out after buffalo." "He'll be back any minute now." "Must be hard living up here... fending for yourselves in the middle of Indian Territory." "Yeah." "We used to get a few visits from the Cheyenne." "Frank and me is expert shots." "They don't come around no more." "That's good." "That's enough." "Give me your spoon." "Listen, maybe you can help me out." "I'm a trading man." "I got goods to sell and trade." "I'm looking for the best spot." "Glyn's Post." "Two days down the Arkansas, west of the Cimarron, follow it downstream." "Come on." "You did good, boy." "You're going to be seeing your daddy real quick." "I thought you said his pa was dead." "Get up here, boy." "Go on." "You just get along now." "Anybody come around here asking for Elkanah Bent... you send them over to Glyn's place." "Step up!" "Looky there." "Yeah, I've seen them." "They've been with us for a few days now." "Get in the back, boy." "He's a little touched in the head." "He might run away and get lost." "He's marked up some." "He fell off a horse." "You Glyn?" "I'm looking for a place to stay for a while." "How's that sit with you?" "0 cents a night for the both of you, unless you want the back room." "That's another $1 ." "You want Green Grass here, it's $2 a whack." "You mind if I take a look around inside?" "You got a nice place here, Mr. Glyn, but the price is too high." "You speak English?" "Plant him in the ground." "Indian camp, Captain?" "No more than two hours dead." "You don't think it's Bent's camp?" "More than likely it's some Indians we've been seeing." "It looks like they're not very shy, either, else this campfire would be spread." "We'll camp here." "Three days, damn it." "No sign of a man that wants to be found." "If there's no sign of Bent before we reach the river, we'll split up." "l don't think we should split up." "Behind you!" "George, Magee, put them down." "He's a friend of mine." "Man-ready-for-war." "Why are you here?" "This place not safe for anybody." "Bad people here." "We're looking for my son." "I have seen a boy." "Very small boy." "The man drives a cart." "l'll be damned." "This man you saw, this is the man that stole my son." "Where did you see him?" "Glyn's Post." "It's one...." "Two days south on the Cimarron." "I leave now to scout this place." "Travel south." "When we meet, I will take you there." "Then I owe you nothing." "I have your tickets to Charleston here... and three days and three nights along the way." "Good. lf you think our house in Chicago is something... wait till you see Mont Royal." "It's so beautiful." "It's got silk curtains, Persian carpets, and beautiful mahogany banisters." "It's such a house." "If you only knew how I've dreamt about having it belong to me." "Right." "Just mind your manners." "But of course." "Bye." "These will be the new docks." "Behind them, the warehouses." "The finest seaport addition in the entire South." "Yes." "The proximity between the docks and warehouses" "Brother, dear." "And, Mr. Keyes, lovely to see you again." "Miss Main, my pleasure." "lt's Mrs. Fenway now." "Of Fenway pianos." "I'm not fully surprised to see you, Ashton." "I'm not entirely pleased, either." "And married, as well?" "Where is Mr. Fenway?" "Busy making money in Chicago." "Will you excuse us, Keyes?" "Yes. I wouldn't want to intrude on a family reunion." "Splendid scheme, Cooper." "We'll talk later." "You interrupted my business." "Why, Cooper, is that any way to greet your sister?" "This is no social call, knowing you." "No." "First things first." "First to me is I want to purchase Mont Royal." "That would be a substantial purchase." "Yes, and we have more than substantial funds." "Thanks to Fen's genius and my industry... we are rich." "There is another complication... and that is that our dear sister-in-law Madeline is ensconced in Mont Royal." "And thanks to her industry, she's making the payments promptly." "Orry was a fool to marry that jumped-up Negress." "But that might just work for us after all." "Fen will transfer funds from our Chicago bank over to your bank in Charleston... and I'll use bribery money to get orders for her immediate eviction." "That might not be necessary." "It may not be necessary, but it will be a pleasure." "Charlie, there's something I got to tell you." "One night, back at the Point... more than 20 years ago..." "Orry and I sneaked out to Benny Haven's for some ale." "Remember that place?" "Bent followed us." "He was always trying to catch us out." "It was the middle of winter." "He sat in this blizzard for a couple of hours so he could put us on report." "We dodged him." "We ran across the river on the ice." "But Bent fell through." "We stood there, heard his cries for help... and we almost didn't go back." "But we did." "We saved his life." "You saved the wrong person but you did the right thing." "I find them." "Your son is alive." "A Cheyenne woman tends them." "The man watches everything." "ls anybody with them?" "Maybe. lnside. I do not know." "l go with you." "No, you've fought enough." "Have not you?" "Yes, but you're alone, aren't you?" "Yes." "Besides, if you die, who is going to teach the young?" "This isn't your war, either." "You think I'll miss out now... you're crazier than that son of a bitch we've been chasing across this country." "Besides, you don't want to scare the boy." "You'd better shave." "Get over here, boy." "Come here." "Go fetch the boy some food in the kitchen." "Howdy do, sir." "Howdy do yourself." "Where you from, boy?" "I'm from about Boston way, sir, and I wanted to just see the world." "Everybody keep talking about the weather." "What you want here?" "Just a place to rest these tired bones." "How long you been riding?" "Are you a buffalo hunter?" "Fixing to be." "You ain't going to find no buffalo around here." "You want to bed down in the yard, that'll be $1 a night." "You want water, that's 0 cents a bucket." "To water your horse, it's 0 cents more." "That some steep price." "You can take it or you can leave it." "What do you say, friend?" "'Spects I'll take it." "What you looking at?" "You got a problem with the boy here?" "That's none of my concern." "But that's some handsome woman." "She's for sale." "$3 a whack." "Why, thank you, but no." "See, I met this Cherokee woman three days back." "She done enough to last a man a whole year." "I'm not interested in hearing that kind of talk from you." "Give me $1 and pick yourself out a soft piece of ground." "Double or nothing for the ground?" "You think I'm some kind of fool, boy?" "No, sir." "You pick yourself a spot, or you be on your way." "Y'all getting too smart for your own good." "I don't think I like you." "I'm sorry to hear that, sir." "When I think about it..." "l think I like you quite a bit." "Get out of here." "Get on your horse." "Yes, boss." "Papa !" "Hello, Bent." "Hazard, you come for your wife's earring?" "You bastard!" "I take no pleasure in killing, but I'll make an exception in your case." "George, don't!" "Save some for Charlie." "I got you, son." "You never did respect me, neither of you." "But I was born to lead great armies... like Hannibal, Alexander, Napoleon." "You and your inferior tribes kept me from my place in history... with your false accusations of desertion, abuse." "You slandered my good name." "But you paid for it, didn't you?" "Do it." "Military genius is a rare gift." "You're killing Bonaparte" "Each man take five sticks of dynamite home with him." "And the night of the attack, we all meet back at Gettys' store... an hour after sundown." "We hit the school or the Negro shacks?" "All of it, including the house." "And, Cooper, it's up to you... to take care of your high yella sister-in-law, Miss Madeline." "What do you mean, take care of her?" "Scrag her, boy." "I never killed anyone in my life." "Now's the time, unless you want her in your life forever." "She has a child." "My nephew." "That little boy is part Negro, just like her." "You want to claim him for yourself... and raise him and pretend that he is a decent white man?" "If he has an ounce of Negro blood in his body... he can never claim to be human." "No." "You with the Brethren or not?" "Come on, Cooper." "Now's the time for deciding." "Yeah, what's it going to be?" "You with us or against us?" "I'm with you." "And you will do what you are called on to do?" "Yes." "Let's ride." "Let's ride." "Come on, boys." "And none too soon." "Come on." "You can't do this." "You can't harm Madeline and the baby." "Are you spying on me?" "That wasn't my intention." "I just saw the horses, and I was curious." "You heard everything?" "l heard more than enough." "Don't let these animals drag you down." "Stay out of my affairs." "But you are planning murder." "Madeline will always be a thorn in my side." "But she is family." "She's a Negress." "We have none of those in my family." "I cannot allow you to do this." "You can't allow?" "You're a woman." "You don't tell me what I can and will not allow." "You, your duty is to me, woman." "You don't tell me anything." "You just support me in what I do." "Why don't you go on inside and tend to your house?" "And see there's a meal... woman." "Judith, what are you doing here?" "I had to come." "What's happened?" "This isn't easy for me." "lt's Cooper." "They mean to wipe you out." "Judith, they've tried before" "This time they mean it." "They mean to destroy everything." "They mean to kill you." "When?" "I don't know." "Soon. I have to get back before Cooper begins to wonder." "Thank you for the warning." "You take care now, Madeline." "Thank you." "Gentlemen, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to leave." "Madeline expects an attack from the Brethren." "The Klan?" "When?" "Anytime." "Could be now." "Excuse me." "I've arranged to go straight through by private car... with orders to be switched all along the line." "I'll be in Charleston by tomorrow night." "Being a General still carries some clout." "l guess it does." "Well, this was supposed to be goodbye seeing you off." "Looks like we're going our separate ways." "Seems so, Captain." "lt's not "Captain" for a long time." "You'll always be that to me." "These are for you." "Thank you, Magic." "You're welcome." "Don't miss your train, Magic." "Good luck, Magic." "General." "Excuse me." "George?" "l'm going with you." "No. lt's time Gus got to know his father." "Gus wouldn't be here without your help." "Damn it, Mont Royal's my home, too." "I'm going along." "All right." "Best hurry with your goodbyes." "The train's about to leave." "Gussie, I got to go away again, but I'll be back very soon." "You'll stay at the Duncan's with Willa." "You understand me, son?" "Yes, I do, Daddy." "Willa, I got to go. I'll be back, I promise." "When?" "Next week?" "Next month?" "Next year?" "l keep my word, Willa." "How can you ask me to wait again?" "You ask for too much, Charlie. lf you go... don't expect to find me here when you come back... if you come back." "Time to go, Charlie." "General." "Willa." "I got to go." "Boy, you're one romantic cuss, aren't you?" "I can't do this, George." "I love you. I'm not going." "I'm never going to leave you again, Willa." "You'll come back." "You always keep your word." "What are you saying?" "You have to go, for George." "For yourself." "Hurry." "I'll be back." "I'll be back for both of you!" "Why, my, my." "Just look at you, Madeline, dear... laboring like the common Negro that you are." "How dare you show your face on my property... after murdering my husband." "I didn't do that." "Bent killed him." "All I wanted was Orry's money." "Get off my property!" "It's not your property anymore." "I just purchased the mortgage from Cooper." "And you see this paper here?" "This is an official eviction notice that I brought with me from Charleston." "So Mont Royal is now mine, and as of this moment... I'm moving in, and you are out." "Ashton, please!" "What the...." "You...." "How dare you!" "Don't ever show your face around here!" "Ashton, that's enough." "Sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs. Main." "What do you think you're doing?" "l'm altering your plans." "What are you saying?" "You don't own Mont Royal." "I never put the money in Cooper's bank." "Then do it immediately." "Please, you're my husband." "Please do it." "Not yet, I'm not. I warned you." "You didn't learn." "Now maybe you will." "My beautiful Mont Royal." "What in God's name has happened to you?" "Come along, Ashton." "Come on, dear." "Come on. lt's all right." "Let's go." "Here we go." "Let's go home." "You know, I didn't really want it that much anyway." "Madeline, why are we building this barricade here?" "Because Mr. Winant said this is going to be our line of defense." "Let's take this sack over there, Prudence." "Good." "Now let's get some of those grain sacks in front of the wheels." "Parker, right up here with those barrels." "Move the wagons back-to-back." "We need to set up a flank position." "Hurry up, now." "What now?" "Ever shoot a rifle?" "Lord, no." "Time to learn." "Let me see your weapon." "Good." "Haven't seen weapons this old since I was a boy." "But they're in good working order." "Can I have a rifle?" "No." "I know how to shoot. Isaac taught me." "And I got a debt to settle." "I know, but I need you to take Orry and hide." "I have no one else." "All right." "But I'd feel better if I were here." "Thank you." "I love you." "Niggers and leaguers, get out of the way" "We're born of the night and vanish by day" "No nations have we but the flesh of a man" "And love niggers best" "The Ku Klux Klan lt's time!" "Let's ride!" "We ought to be there in two more hours." "You better pray we're in time." "Y'all know what a volley means?" "That means you don't go shooting on your own." "You wait till the word's given, then we all fires together." "I don't rightly know about this, Micah." "We don't know nothing about fighting." "We knows about living." "That be good enough." "What if they don't come?" "They'll come." "Once they make a plan, they'll stick to it." "These are sad, slow-witted men." "All except Cooper." "He's the wild card in all this." "That makes him the most dangerous." "Then I'll aim for him first." "Please don't." "Why not?" "He's still my family." "He's no blood kin to you." "He is to my son." "Are you all right?" "What do you think?" "I think we're fighting for what we believe in." "Take a look around." "I'm so scared." "So am I." "Just aim and fire." "And then what?" "Reload and pray." "Still a piece to Mont Royal?" "Tracks are still torn up from here to Charleston." "If you Yanks hadn't destroyed the rail lines, it wouldn't be so." "You want to debate the war or ride?" "Let's ride." "Mr. Winant, take cover!" "Ready, men?" "We're ready." "Fire on my order." "Cock your weapons." "Ready?" "Steady!" "Aim !" "Fire!" "Keep coming!" "Don't give up!" "Reload and fire at will!" "Move in the wagon!" "Lock the gate!" "Let's get this wagon in place, then lock that gate!" "Dynamite!" "Fall back!" "Fall back and regroup!" "Captain, we're trapped!" "I will never surrender!" "Surrender, hell!" "l got him !" "No, I got him." "We got him." "Cooper!" "No!" "Help me!" "Cooper, follow me!" "Clear the wagons!" "Go after him, George!" "I'll stay here." "Don't shoot!" "Hold your fire!" "Go on!" "Kill them !" "Kill them both!" "Do it now!" "No!" "You!" "Damn!" "If you don't need me, I'll get back now." "To Willa, I trust?" "The three of us." "lt's going to work out." "This is your home, Charlie." "All three of you are welcome here all the time." "Thank you, Charlie." "Do you still want to rebuild?" "l don't know." "It meant so much to me once... but now what for?" "For yourself, for our children... and for us." "Us?" "I am never going to leave you again, Madeline." "But if we build for us, we build anew, agreed?" "Agreed." "Remember, we're partners, Mr. Hazard... forever." "English"