Original subtitles

[ theme music playing ]

A year ago, you'd have trouble lifting that.

Guess I'm growin' up fast.

Don't be too fast about it.

Sure you don't want to go into town?

I'm going over to Shiloh. Unless you need me.

Well, go ahead.

But don't you be a nuisance over there.

I'll be back by sundown.

All right, Mom.

You having trouble?

Nothing serious. Horse picked up a stone, is all.

Come on, boy.

[ barking ]

Anybody home?

[ moos ]

You ain't givin' him enough time

to get his head in the bucket.

Well, it tickles. Besides,

who's weaning this calf, me or you?

Well, you ain't doin' such a good job of it.

Come on, stick your head in this doggone bucket.

[ whistling ]

Whoa! Whoa!

Hi, Cricket!Hi!

I came over to help.

Well, good. We can always use

another top hand around here.

You rode him yet?

No, he's too young to ride.

Put all that weight on him, you might break him down.

I don't weigh very much.

Maybe I could ride him.

Cricket, if I put you on a green colt,

your ma would nail my hide to that barn door over there.

Not if she didn't know about it.

She'd know about it, all right...

when we carried you into the house. Stay with me, now.

[ whistling ]

Come on. Whoa! Whoa.

He'll make a real fine horse.

You're breakin' him to rope?

No, he won't make a roper.

Just look at him, Cricket.

Tall in the hindquarters,

deep in the chest, and look at those ankles.

Somewhere along the line, this boy's picked up some thoroughbred.

He'll make a runnin' horse.

Run all day and half the night, won't you, boy?

Yes, sir.

Let's turn him out over there in the other corral.

Come on, come on.

[ dog barking ]

What in thunder's that?

He's my new dog. Name's Partial.

Where'd you get him?

Livery stables. The man who gave him to me

says he's a real valuable dog.

Ha ha! You don't say?

Yes, sir. He's the champion biter

west of the Mississippi.

If he feels like it.

Lucky for me, he's in a good mood, huh?

Good dog!

[ barking ]

Hi, Ma.

Hello, Mary Ann.Hi.

Oh, Cricket, put that horse away.

In a minute, Ma.

Now.

All right, Ma.

We're going into town at the end of the week for supplies,

if you need anything.

Could you come in a minute, please?

Sure.

Every room like this when I got home.

Why?

It wasn't robbery.

I had money in this box and they didn't take it.

That's what frightens me.

Who would do a senseless thing like this?

I want to send a telegram.

I figured that's why you come in here.

Nice night.

Due for a little rain, though.

"Judith Holly, Spring Hotel, Kansas City.

"Mighty warm in Medicine Bow.

Signed, Corbett."

That'll be a dollar and four bits.

Only it ain't that warm.

That's what you think.

Here's the list. Have them start gettin' the stuff ready.

Where are you goin' now?

Down to the depot, see if our freight's come in.

Howdy.Hello.

How's the 12:15 doing today?

Due any minute now.

A man could just about set his watch by this railroad, couldn't he?

MAN: Medicine Bow next.

Oh!

Thank you.Not at all.

I'll get this, ma'am.Thank you.

There you are.

Freight for Shiloh Ranch?

No freight for Shiloh in this car.

According to the invoice, it was supposed to be here two days ago.

I just work for the railroad. I don't run it.

Excuse me. Could you tell me

where I could hire a rig that would take me to the hotel?

Kind of silly to spend money just to go two blocks.

I'll be glad to take you over.

That is, if you don't mind riding in a wagon.

No, that's fine. Thank you.

Was someone supposed to meet you?

I thought so.

Well, they'll know where to find you.

It's the only hotel in town.

Good.

MAN: All aboard! All aboard!

[ train whistle blows ]

First trip to Medicine Bow?

Yes, uh-huh.

Planning on stay awhile or just passing through?

Oh, well, that'll depend on several things.

You'll find us a nice, friendly little town.

Matter of fact, those two ladies there are so friendly

that by suppertime there won't be a person in Medicine Bow

doesn't know about this little drive.

Some freight.

Thank you.

This'll be just fine. Thank you very much.

Well, I hope you enjoy your stay in town.

Perhaps I'll see you again before you go.

Perhaps.

Hello, I'm Judith Holly.

Mr. Corbett made a reservation for me.

Oh, yes, Miss Holly.

If you'll just sign the register, please.

Hi.Hello, Danny.

Hear you got yourself a new girl.

Have those two nice, little old ladies been in here already?

What are you talkin' about?

Didn't expect you to be back so soon.

Oh, he's been passin' the word, huh?

All I said was that you went down to the station to pick up some freight,

and the next time I saw you, you were right there--

All right, all right. Monongahela.

How about buyin' me a drink?

Sure. Danny, give him a sarsaparilla.

Comin' up.

Well, I do a growed man's work.

I think I ought to get a growed man's drink.

When you've growed enough to put me down on the floor,

that'll be time enough for whiskey.

Well, I'd like to try that right now.

Try what?

Puttin' you down.

Young man's privilege.

Danny, hold the sarsaparilla.

Pass the sarsaparilla.

[ knock on door ]

Where have you been?

I expected to see you at the station.

Couldn't make it.

Had a meeting with your lawyer.

My lawyer?

Yeah, the best the town has to offer.

Dignified, windy, and honest.

You sound very sure of yourself.

This time, it's the real goods.

You'll see for yourself.

When?

Tomorrow morning.

You better be right.

Nervous?Why should I be?

12 years is a long time.

Don't worry about me, Corbett.

I won't fall apart.

I didn't think you would,

not for that kind of money.

Corbett.

Next time you come into my room,

why don't you take off your hat, hmm?

Good morning.Hello.

May I join you?Of course.

Thanks.

You're up bright and early this morning.

Mm. Early... but not so bright.

Morning. How's the ham this morning?

Off the left side of the hog-- the way you like it.

Good. Ham and three eggs over easy.

What did you just order?

Ham and three eggs over easy.

No, I mean about the left side.

It's very important.

You ever watch a hog scratch himself?

Not recently.

Next time you see a hog, you watch him scratch.

Unless that's a very unique hog,

he'll scratch with his right hind leg.

So, there you are.Where?

It stands to reason

that all that scratching with the right leg

is gonna build up the muscle in it.

Which is why ham from the right side of the hog is tougher

than the ham from the left side of the hog.

It's simple when you think about it.

Safest thing to do if you're not sure is to order bacon.

Now, you take bacon--

It's been a very interesting lecture.

We must continue it sometime.

I've got the rig outside.

Who was your friend?

Just someone I met.

I think he works at a hog ranch.

Whoa.

I'll wait here. There's the house.

Bye, Mom! Bye, Partial!

Partial, you stay home!

He'll be comin' by here soon.

You get a good look at him.

Ma, call the dog, will you?

Come on, boy. Come on, come on.

Cricket, you come home right after school.

All right, Mom.

The woman's name is Martin. Mary Ann Martin.

Respectable type. Sells bakery and home canning in town.

Makes a delivery once a week.

You seem to know an awful lot about her.

That's my business.

Here he comes.

Hey, sonny. Which way to Twin Forks?

It's up the road that way, sir.

Thank you very much.

How does it feel to look at a kid

you haven't seen since he was a baby

and know he's your own son?

What do you expect me to say--

that I'm overcome with motherly emotion?

It might help.

I don't have to impress you.

I wasn't thinking about myself.

I was thinking how it's gonna sound in court.

Look, let's get something straight.

You're a very competent detective.

You found me, you found him.

But don't sit there judging me,

because you are no better than I am.

Quite a student of character, aren't you?

I learned how the hard way.

Now that we understand each other,

why don't we get back to town and get this over with?

And what will you do if Mrs. Martin swears,

under oath in a court of law,

that the boy is her own child?

She'd be lying.

Dear woman, my years at law have discovered

that litigants frequently lie.

The question is, can you prove that they're lying?

We can prove that Mrs. Martin is not the boy's mother.

Documentary proof, Mr. Corbett?

As unassailable as the Gospel, sir.

Where did you acquire this documentary evidence?

Heh. I'd prefer not to disclose my methods, Mr. Cass.

Hmm.

Perhaps that's just as well.

Very well. I'll start proceedings immediately, Miss Holly.

All right, Cricket, give me that wrench.

Here it is.

There.

New share ought to do the trick for a while.

He fixed it up real good, Ma.

Good. I feel awful guilty

about you spending so much time here.

That's what neighbors are for.

And if you're worried about how to thank me,

I got a whiff a little while ago

of something that smelled an awful lot like fresh apple pie.

And I just took it out of the oven.

Well, now, Cricket, isn't that a coincidence?

I don't know what a coincidence means.

It means my liking apple pie

and your mother having one fresh out of the oven.

She started makin' it as soon as I told her

you were comin' over to fix the plow.

Let's go eat it before it gets cold.

I like it when you come over.

Oh?

I get a second helping of pie.

Cricket, that's not a nice way to put it.

One thing about kids-- you get the truth.

I didn't mean that was the only reason.

No, just the most important one.

I think that's fair enough.

Would you like some more pie?

I couldn't ride back to Shiloh if I did.

I guess I'll have some more.

I wasn't talking to you.

Thanks, Mary Ann. That was awful good.

Can I go with him, Ma?

Have you finished your homework?

Oh, Ma. What good will that stuff do me?

Cricket--

Next time, huh?

Oh, all right.

Real handful, isn't he?

He certainly is. But it's worth every minute of it.

You've done a good job with him. He's a nice boy.

[ horse approaching ]

Howdy, Earl.Hi, Earl.

Can I see you a minute?

Sure, come on in.

Talk to you later.

I think you'd better wait.

Hi, Mr. Lorne.Hello, Cricket.

Say, I wonder if you'd do me a favor.

All right.

Go out and walk my horse around

to cool him off, give him some water.

Sure.

I rode him a little hard comin' out here.

Mrs. Martin, it's my job to serve this.

What is it?

It's a restraining order to keep you from leaving the county.

Why would I want to leave the county?

Somebody's filed suit against you...

for custody of Cricket.

A Miss Judith Holly.

She claims she's his real mother.

But that's ridiculous.

I'm Cricket's mother.

I don't know anything about that.

But I think you'd better get you a lawyer, Mrs. Martin.

This Holly woman has Andy Cass representing her,

and he's a pretty good man.

This is the most--

the most outrageous thing I've ever heard of.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm sure everything will turn out all right.

Earl.

I just don't understand.

Who--Who is this woman?

Why does she want my son?

I don't know.

But I think you'd better go into town and find out.

Come on in, Sam.

Heh! How'd you know it was me, Andy?

I heard Mrs. Martin had retained you,

so I figured I'd be hearing from you.

Sit down.Thank you.

Had your morning's drink yet?

Never in the presence of my enemy.

[ chuckles ]

Andy, what in thunder are you tryin' to do to Mary Ann Martin?

Did you read the complaint?

I read it. Now, you know that's a lot of nonsense.

Is it?

Mary Ann's the boy's mother.

Is she?

Andy, what would you say if I produced in court

a doctor's certificate stating that Mary Ann gave birth

to a male child in 1872--

said birth taking place in Union City, Tennessee?

I'd say it was a very interesting document,

suitable for framing, but not pertinent to this case.

Are you denying that she had a child?

No.

Then what in blazes are you trying to say?

What's all this supposed to mean?

Sam, you know just as well as I do,

the court will recognize this kind of evidence in probate matters.

Entries in family Bibles have been used many times

to determine the rights of heirs and to establish identities.

In the first place, that isn't a family Bible.

It's a true copy of entries from such a Bible.

And in the second place, that doesn't prove anything

about Cricket's parentage.

Good start.

Andy, where did you get that, uh...Bible?

I'm not at liberty to say.

I'll bet you aren't.

But I can tell you this, Sam.

My client didn't come all the way from Kansas City

without knowing what she was doing.

Andy, now, you know that Mary Ann brought that boy up.

Now, right or wrong, this could mess up some lives.

We don't write the law, Sam--you know that.

You'd better tell her about the Bible.

She may want to settle this out of court.

Well...I'll talk to her.

Sam?

Uh...no, I don't think so, Andy.

You're not sore at me.

No, it's, uh...

just that I don't feel like having a drink.

I heard you comin'! What's the rush?

Come in the house, Cricket.

Come in the house now.

What's wrong, Ma?

CRICKET: What's wrong, Ma?

Cricket, I want you to wash yourself

and put on your Sunday clothes.

Where are we goin', Ma?

Don't ask questions! Do as you're told!

All right.

Ma, where are we going?

Just get in the wagon, Cricket.

But what about the rest of our things?

Forget about the rest of the things.

Cricket, I can't explain everything now.

I'll tell you all about it later.

Ma!

Ma! Ma, wake up!

Ma!

Ma got hurt! You gotta come with me!

She needs help!

You go into town and get the doctor.

I'll go with Cricket.

She's gonna be all right, son.

She's had a bad concussion

and she's pretty well bruised.

Is there anybody that can come in here and stay with her?

If she can be moved, I'll have her taken over to Shiloh.

Betsy can look after here there.

That's a good idea. She wants to see you.

Son, you stay here with me.

Mary Ann.

I was--

I was running away.

There wasn't anything else I could do.

They're gonna take Cricket away from me.

Oh, you know better than that.

It's true.

The lawyer told me.

They got my Bible.

What Bible? Who got it?

The man--

The man that works for Judith Holly.

The day he came to my house,

he took my Bible.

I had it hid up in the closet,

and he came into my house,

and he tore everything apart,

and he stole my Bible.

And now they're gonna take Cricket away from me.

Oh, please, don't let them.

He's mine.

Don't worry.

Is Cricket outside?

I'll send him in.

Don't worry. Rest now.

I'll take care of him.

Go in now, Cricket. Don't stay too long.

I won't.

I'll send a spring wagon

and a couple of hands over from Shiloh.

I'll stay with him. Will you be coming back here?

No, I got some business with a man in town.

You gonna call it a night?

It's been a long day.

To motherhood.

Huh?

I'm celebrating motherhood.

Oh, is that a fact, now?

Mothers are wonderful.

Every boy should have a mother.

Oh, yes, it sounds like a fine idea.

It's not a new one.Oh?

No. No, you take me--

all my life I've been livin' off bull beef

and sour beans.

And now, because of a little mother,

I'm gonna cut into a juicy tenderloin...

and little green peas.

Good night.Good night.

You following me, mister?

That's right.

Look, friend, I've got a gun.

So have I.

What do you want?

You stole a book from Mary Ann Martin.

I want it back.

[ laughs ] You're out of your mind.

You want to talk to the sheriff about it?

Housebreaking is a crime out here in the West,

just like it is back east, you know.

To the hotel?

Come on in.

Make yourself at home.

It's a little stuffy in here.

What about the Bible?

You're not very bright, mister.

Neither are you...

if you're planning on using that gun.

Nobody saw us come up here. As far as I'm concerned,

you're just a prowler I found ransacking my room.

I came in, caught you in the act, and--

The only thing wrong with that story is that nobody will believe it,

including the sheriff.

You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?

I just don't think you're stupid enough

to want to get yourself hung for murder.

But you think I'm stupid enough to give you that Bible.

Either that, or I tell the sheriff how you got it.

You'd better put that thing away.

All right, cowboy. No shooting.

But no Bible, either.

You want to file a complaint, you go right ahead.

Better yet, come to the hearing.

It'll be offered into evidence.

What's your interest in this?

Strictly professional.

Miss Holly hired me to trace her son.

And you think you've found him, huh?

I know I have.

Let me ask you a question.

Where do you fit in?

I'm just a friend of Mrs. Martin's.Good.

Maybe she'll take some advice from you.

It's no use fighting. We've got it cold.

I don't believe you.

I don't care whether you believe me or not.

But if you're that curious, take a look.

It's in the drawer.

You've got a lot to learn, cowboy. Now, beat it.

Whew.

What's going on here?

You?

Don't worry about him. He'll live.

What are you doing with that?

It belongs to a friend of mine.

You work for Mrs. Martin?

I said she was a friend.

Not many men could do that to Corbett.

He's supposed to be tough.

So he told me.

Mrs. Martin is very rich in friends.

Rough, tough, devoted men

who will spring to her side in times of distress.

Must be splendid having friends like that

who will stick by you through thick and through thin,

whether you're right or wrong.

Mrs. Martin's friends think she's right.

Of course you do.

That's why you're here. Hmm.

You're here to steal back a book

that could prove you're wrong,

and you wouldn't like that at all, would you?

You wouldn't like to see evidence presented in court

that could prove that your precious little Mrs. Martin

is nothing more than a kidnapper.

You wouldn't like that at all, would you?

Oh, I know you don't believe me.

But what if I tell you that...

it's all down in black and white...

in that very book that you're holding in your hand--

all in Mrs. Martin's own handwriting?

Would you have the nerve to open it and see for yourself?

VIRGINIAN: [ voice over ] Peter Martin married Mary Ann Clay

16th June, 1869.

September 18th, 1872, Peter Clay Martin born

to Peter and Mary Ann Martin.

Go on, turn the page.

Peter Martin, husband, and Peter Clay Martin,

son of Mary Ann Martin,

died this day when fire destroyed their home--

October 24th, 1872.

Her husband and child were killed.

She never remarried.

Nor did she ever have another child.

And Cricket?

Mine.

I was 17 when I had him...

and alone.

Very much alone and afraid.

You see, he didn't have a father.

I mean, not a legal father.

He died before we could be married.

So, that's why I gave my baby

to a foster parent.

Someone who had lost her husband and her baby,

and could take care of mine.

I don't expect you to take my word for all of this.

All I do ask is that you keep an open mind.

Will you do that?

Good night, Miss Holly.

All right, Corbett, you can get up now.

I've been awake. I didn't want to spoil your act.

Heh.

Judith, I can't understand

why you ever left the stage.

Hmm.

Good morning, Betsy.

Well, you look like you've had a bad night.

It was a long one.

I know. I heard you ride in.

Do you suppose I could see Mary Ann?

If you don't stay too long. All right.

Tell her I'll bring her breakfast right up.

All right.

[ knock on door ]

Come in.

Well, how are you feeling today?

Well...

I feel like a woman who just...

tried to do a very foolish thing.

Where did you think you were going?

I don't know.

Just away someplace-- anyplace.

We caught you and brought you back, I'm afraid.

I know.

I just got panicky.

I went into town last night.

Did you see her?

Mm-hmm. I saw her, all right.

I also saw your family Bible.

Mary Ann, don't you think it's about time

you started telling me what's going on?

I want to help.

Then you know about my husband and baby.

Mm-hmm.

Well, after they died, I--

I moved to Memphis.

I was alone and sick.

In a sort of shocked condition.

I had a room on Union Avenue.

There was a woman who lived down the hall

who was friendly to me, she tried to help me.

She was a professional midwife,

and she told me about this girl--

and actress--who had gotten into trouble

and had a child.

My friend told me she wouldn't even look at it.

Wouldn't nurse it.

Didn't want it.

And she asked me if I would take it.

I didn't want another woman's child.

But one day, she brought the baby home...

and put him on my bed.

He was so tiny and beautiful...

and so helpless.

And for the first time in months,

I forgot my own troubles.

It's funny how we needed each other,

that baby and I.

He needed me to take care of him, and...

oh, I needed him to...

fill that awful emptiness in my life.

I--

I was afraid she might change her mind

and want the baby back.

But after a couple of years,

when she never came,

I put that thought out of my mind.

Cricket wasn't her baby anymore.

He was mine.

Being a mother is much more

than just bearing a child.

She never did come after him, huh?

No, not once.

Did you ever hear from her?

Never.

Have you ever told Cricket about her?

Oh, I told him part of it.

He knew something was wrong.

I thought I'd better prepare him...

in case...

Well, I don't know how the law reads,

but I don't see how she can come here after 12 years

and take him away from you, even if she is his mother.

But she can.

I looked it up once.

She has the right.

I'm going back into town.

Take it easy, Mary Ann.

This thing isn't over yet.

That's right pretty.

I guess.

You worried about something?

No. What's to worry about?

You just seem worried, that's all.

Randy... what's "custody"?

"Custody". Well, that's, uh--

Oh, you mean custody.

What is it?

Let me see. I want to get this right for you.

You see that horse over there?

Suppose I took that horse and turned him over to you

and says, "Cricket, I want you to take care of this horse

and clean it, feed it, see it stays healthy."

Is that custody?

That's about what it is.

Do people have custody?

Sure they do.

Other people, I mean.

Could I have custody of you?

Well, it'd probably be the other way around.

It don't seem right.

What's wrong with it?

Passin' people around like they was horses or something.

Well, it's the law.

I don't care whether it's the law or no law,

it ain't right.

Morning, Cricket.Morning.

Why don't you go on up to the house?

I think your mother would like to see you.

Yes, sir.

Cricket.Yes, sir?

Never mind. I'll see you later.

It's tough on a kid, ain't it?

Get your team to the surrey.

I'm goin' into town.

Young man, if you dropped in

for a drink of good whiskey,

or to talk about world affairs,

or cuss out the administration... sit down.

But if it's about the Martin case, I'm busy.

Sam, you're gettin' old.

You're admitting your licked before you even get into court.

Son, I'm just old enough to know when I am licked.

Mm-hmm. Well, it occurs to me

that we've all been so busy

finding out how Mary Ann Martin's been lying to us

that we've forgotten all about the other party to the case.

You ever wonder why Judith Holly

abandoned her child,

never gave a thought to him for all those years?

That's not what she says.

I know what she says, and I don't believe her.

So?

After never even thinking about the boy

for all that time,

why is she in such a sudden sweat

to gain custody of him?

She doesn't have to give a reason.

All she has to do is prove her case.

Just the same...

I'd do some digging into Judith Holly's past if I were you.

You might come up with something very interesting.

Besides, Sam, what have you got to lose?

Think it over. Don't take too long.

[ knock on door ]Come in.

Hello.

I thought we finished saying

anything we had to say to each other last night.

Not quite.

Well, it'll have to wait.

I'm on my way to see my lawyer.

Thought you might like to go for a ride first.

Oh, now, really.

I don't mean just a ride in the country.

The boy's out at Shiloh Ranch.

I thought you might like to see him.

There'll be plenty of time for that...

after I'm awarded custody.

Let's see...how would that sound in court?

"I offered to take her out to see the boy,

but she just wasn't interested."

You're a clever man.

And I don't trust clever men.

But...on the other hand,

you may have a point.

Shall we go?

Just how far is this ranch?

We'll be there soon.

I don't suppose you're trying to do anything foolish,

like kidnapping me.

I'll leave that kind of thing to you.

What I'm doing is perfectly legal.

Sure. Legal kidnapping.

Has it ever occurred to you that I might love him, too?

Yeah, I've thought of it.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

What are we stopping for?

What do you see over there?

A bunch of cows. What about 'em?

That's our brood stock.

Good blooded stock.

But there's a couple of orphans over there, too.

Every now and then, a young heifer

will have a calf,

won't quite know what to do with it.

It'll be afraid of it, run away from it.

If that calf doesn't find a mother, he'll die.

Usually, he does.

Some old mother cow that's lost her own calf

and has got enough mothering in her for two.

She'll find the calf,

raise him, and keep him alive.

As far as that calf is concerned,

that old mother cow is his mother.

She's the only mother he's ever known.

You take him away from her when he's too young,

and he'll die.

End of lesson?

End of lesson.

Except for one more thing.

If that young heifer comes back and tries to mother that calf,

he'll run away from her.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Betsy, this is Miss Judith Holly. Betsy Garth.

How do you do, Betsy?

Very well, thank you.

Is Cricket inside?

Yes, but--Good.

Charming young lady.

Are you afraid to be alone with me?

Why should I be?

Hello. Remember me?

I saw you on your way to school the other day.

CRICKET: Yes, ma'am.

Cricket, why don't you go outside?

Oh, no, let him stay.

Cricket...

All right, Ma.

If you look in the surrey,

you'll find some candy.

A present from me to you.

Ma doesn't allow me to take things from strangers.

You've trained him well.

What are you looking at?

You're a very pretty woman, Miss Holly.

Thank you.

You must've spent a great deal of time and money

keeping the lines from your face.

I didn't expect to meet you

under these circumstances, Mrs. Martin.

But, now that we have met,

maybe we can settle a few things between us.

What things?

You know what things.

I want my child.

Yours?

You know he's mine.

Why don't you call him in

and ask him who his mother is?

Well, under the circumstances, I--

Under no circumstances is he your child.

He's mine, Miss Holly. He's mine.

Giving life to a child isn't enough.

It's caring for him, working for him.

It's waiting with him through his childhood miseries,

through the long nights of croup and colic.

Dying a little inside

every time his breathing seems uncertain.

It's watching him grow.

Feeding his hunger.

That's what makes a mother.

I never had a chance to do that.

But you had every chance. You knew where to find him.

Why didn't you come for him?

I was very poor. I couldn't take care of him.

Oh, yes, you were very poor.

But you had the money for...

the creams and the ointments,

all your beautiful clothes.

Look at me, Miss Holly.

I'm old, and I'm not pretty...

because I worked to raise my child.

Not yours, Miss Holly! Mine!

Mine!

We're not going to get anywhere

bickering like fishwives.

I'm sorry that we can't be civilized.

It would've been much better for the boy

if we could've solved this amicably.

Poor child.

I think this is going to be very difficult for him.

Good-bye, Mrs. Martin, until we meet again...

in court.

Out.

Get out of here!

[ sobbing ]

Good-bye, Miss Holly.

All right. Now that you've had your fun,

let's get out of here.

I hoped when you saw how things were,

you wouldn't try to change them.

I guess I misjudged you.

You sure did, mister.

Oh, sit down.

Try the steak. It's great.

I'm not very hungry.

You all right?

Fine, fine.

Just fine.

I didn't see you around today.

I went to see the kid.

You what?

I went out to see the kid.

What's wrong with that?

I thought there was something the matter with you.

Did he look at you with his sad little eyes

and beg you to change your mind about the custody?

Oh, shut up, Corbett.

What did he do?

None of your business.

It is my business.

Listen, Judith, and you listen good.

I spent a lot of time and money on this deal--

my time and my money--

tracing you and tracing the kid.

And when I found you in that dump on the New Orleans waterfront,

you jumped at this.

There's a lot of money involved in this.

And we're partners-- fifty-fifty.

So don't go gettin' soft on me.

I'm not going soft.

Just the same, keep away from him.

Kids got a way of turning some people into jelly.

Yeah, well, I'm not some people.

Nothing makes my eyes water except an onion.

Oh, relax.

I'll relax when we're on our way back to civilization...

with the kid. I don't like this town.

What'll you have, miss?

Try the steak. It's great.

The steak.Yes, ma'am.

From the left side of the cow.

It's a very interesting theory.

Remind me to tell you about it someday.

Hi.Hi.

Mr. Bowman rode out to talk to Mrs. Martin.

They'll be holding a hearing tomorrow.

Tell me honestly-- do you really think she has much of a chance?

Honestly?

Not much.

Cricket, what are you doing with the light on?

You should be asleep.

Ma?

Yes, dear.

Am I gonna have to live with Miss Holly?

Whatever put those ideas in your mind?

If she wins tomorrow,

do I have to live with her?

Yes, Cricket, it's possible.

But I don't want to live with her.

I want to live with you.

I know.

Now, you lie down and go to sleep

like a big boy.

Come on, close your eyes.

Good night.

Shh.

[ knock on door ]

[ knocking ]

Who is it?

Cricket Martin.

Just a minute.

What on earth are you doing here?

I've come to see you.

Well, come on in.

We're going to have to teach you not to call on ladies

at this hour-- we're not at our best.

Well, what did you want to see me about?

Are you my mother?

Yes.

If you're my mother,

why haven't I seen you before?

I'm going to have to explain that to you later,

when you're a little older

and can understand a little better.

That's what grown-ups always say

when they don't know how to explain something.

Well, uh...sit down.

Would you like some candy?

I think I have some.

No, thanks.

Are you gonna take me away?

Yeah.

You're gonna go with me.

Even if I don't want to?

Little boys don't always know what's good for them.

That's another thing grown-ups always tell you.

Well, it happens to be true.

I know, it's hard for you to believe all that just now.

But you'll see.

Yes, ma'am.

I guess I'd better go home now.

Wait a minute.

You can't go out at this time of night.

Tell me the truth.

Did she send you here?

My mother?

She's not your mother.

Yes, ma'am.

But she still didn't send me here.

You mean you came all the way over here by yourself

in the middle of the night?

I couldn't sleep.

I thought maybe if I asked you,

you might change your mind

and let me stay with my--I mean--

I know what you mean.

But you're wrong.

So, you might as well just get used to calling me Mother.

Understand?

Yes, ma'am.

Everybody rise.

Be seated.

Is this the boy?

It is, Judge.

Bailiff, take him outside

and hold him in readiness.

Now, this is a hearing

on petitioner's motion

in the matter of Holly vs. Martin.

Mr. Cass, you represent the plaintiff in this matter.

Are you ready?Ready, Your Honor.

Mister Bowman?

Anytime, Judge.

Very well, Mr. Cass. You may proceed.

In brief, Your Honor, this is an action

by the woman claiming to be the natural mother

to obtain custody of a male child,

known as Cricket Martin.

And you say that you were engaged

to the child's father?

What happened?

He was killed in an accident before we could be married.

And this was in Memphis, Tennessee?Yes.

And subsequently, the child was born in Memphis, Tennessee?

Yes, in December of 1872.

Your Honor, I present as plaintiff's exhibit

the following documents--

an affidavit from the attending midwife,

stating that a male child was born to Miss Holly.

Another from the same person

stating this newborn child was taken and placed in the custody

of one Mary Ann Martin.

Mr. Bowman?

No objection, Your Honor.

Miss Holly...

was this newborn child placed with a foster mother

with your consent?

Yes.

Tell the court why you permitted this.

I wasn't able to take care of him at the time.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Bowman?

Just a few minor questions, Judge,

to clarify the issue.

Miss Holly,

when did you start your search for the child?

Well, I, uh...

I don't remember.

Well, was it ten years ago?

Nine? Eight? Seven?

Miss Holly, will you tell the court,

when did you start your search for this child?

Is this material, Your Honor?

I think an exploration

into the depths of her devotion to this child

is quite in order, Your Honor.

Proceed, Mr. Bowman.

Was it about a year ago? Was that when you decided

to find your abandoned child?

Objection, Your Honor-- counsel's language.

She did abandon the child, Judge.

She admits it herself.

Well, tone down your voice, Mr. Bowman.

It was about a year ago

when you took up your search for the child, wasn't it?

[ softly ] Yes.

Speak up, Miss Holly, let us all hear you.

Was it about a year ago?

Yes.

Now, let's go back a few years.

Do you remember the name of your child's father?

George Pemberton.

George Pemberton?

Hmm. Now, I believe the Pemberton family

is well known in Memphis.

Your Honor, this is irrelevant!

Are you making a point, Mr. Bowman?

I hope to do so, Judge.

I'll reserve decision on these questions.

Go ahead.

Miss Holly, just how prominent

was the Pemberton family?

Well...they were wealthy, were they not?

Yes.

As a matter of fact, your interest

in restoring your child to your yearning arms

dates back to less than one year,

when you discovered that your child's paternal grandfather

had provided very substantially for him in his will.

Your Honor!

[ bangs gavel ] Be quiet, Andy.

Sam...

can you substantiate that statement?

I have here a telegram, Judge,

that I received just before the court convened.

It's from the Pinkerton Detective Agency

in answer to an inquiry I made.

And it states they're trying to locate a Miss Judith Holly

and her son

so that the boy may claim his inheritance.

Now, as his mother,

Miss Holly will be the custodian of the boy's money--

a fact that I'm quite sure she's well aware of.

Your Honor, even if this is true--

Oh, it's true, all right. You can verify it.

It is immaterial to this suit.

On the contrary, it is quite material

to learn the motives of this woman's sudden interest in the boy.

I maintain, Judge, that this interest in the boy--

All right, Sam, you've made your point.

You may step down.

This court will recess for ten minutes.

BAILIFF: Everybody rise.

Bailiff, bring in the boy.

I'm prepared to announce my decision.

While the motive of the petitioner in this matter

may be subject to question...

it is beyond the province of this court

to truly determine what emotion lies in the hearts

of the woman and the mother.

Miss Martin does not claim to be the natural mother of the boy,

only that she's brought him up as her own son.

In considering such cases,

the court must consider primarily the welfare of the child,

and only secondarily be right of the litigants.

However, this court is also bound

by certain rules.

The law holds that the rights of the mother

are supreme in such cases,

except, whereby deficiencies of moral conduct

or mental capacity, she may act in such a way

as to harm the boy.

With neither of these exceptions having been established,

the court therefore has no choice

but to award custody to the natural--

Judge!

Yes, Miss Holly?

I'd like to say something

before you make a terrible mistake.

Well, to keep it short and sweet,

I'm not the kid's mother.

Wait a minute! Don't listen to her, Judge! She's lying!

Sit down, sir.

She's lying!

Sit down, or I'll hold you in contempt.

Go ahead, Miss Holly.

Don't be too hard on him, Judge.

I had him fooled, too.

Go on.

The kid's real mother--

the real Judith Holly-- died about three years ago.

We worked a couple of shows together,

and I got to know the long, sad story of her life.

You know how girls talk.

Well, anyway,

when Corbett here came looking for a missing heir,

I said to myself, "Why not?"

I mean, I'd have been good to the kid and all that.

I sure could've used the money.

Anyway, like I said,

he thought he had the real thing.

This court will entertain a motion to dismiss the petition.

CASS: I so request, Your Honor.

Granted. This court is adjourned.

Thanks.

It seems I'm always saying thanks to you.

It's me who should be thanking you.

For what?

Causing everyone a lot of unnecessary worry?

Turning everything upside down?

If you'll let me know where you are,

I'll drop you a line every now and then.

Let you know how he's doing.

That would be very nice.

[ train whistle blowing ]

MAN: All aboard! All aboard!

This seat taken?

Not at the moment.

That was quite an act you put on in court.

Judith?

You weren't paying attention.

I told them Judith Holly died almost--

I know what you told them.

You almost had me believing it myself.

What makes you think it wasn't the truth?

Because I'm a good detective.

You know something?

All the while, we had that money practically in our hands,

I didn't like you one bit.

Oh?That's right.

I didn't like you, either.

[ chuckles ]

Well, maybe there's a lesson in that for both of us...

if we're not too old to learn.

I don't think we are.

I don't, either.