Original subtitles

Say, all summer, I asked you to send me some rain.

You didn't send me any, so all summer, I had to haul water to these fields.

My sugar harvest time is next week, so whatever you do, please, don't send me

any rain now.

What was that you used to say?

If you ask for a miracle hard enough, you get one?

Please, don't give me that miracle now. It would be a disaster.

You and your miracles.

And I thought if there's anybody up there, he'd listen to you.

So show him I don't listen to me.

Charlie.

Boy, you got to watch out what you're doing.

Did you know you could kill a person?

What am I supposed to do, sir?

I chased every other black man out of here for 40 miles.

What other white man could I get to sharecrop my farm with me?

His pa was the only one I could get. Nobody else would want him. And then

since you and Arthur... That's right, I won't bring Arthur up. I always do.

All right, all right, all right.

I'll simmer down.

That'll be $2.

Some things never change.

If you don't like my prices, you're welcome to go to Garnett.

Thank you.

You get $25.

I take 25 for boiling down the molasses, and that includes a tin bucket.

Well, they paid 30 over there at Hartville.

That's only three more miles.

Matter of fact.

Why not let them make the money?

All right.

26.

Hey.

Anybody else hears about this, the deal's off.

boy 80 you raised 80 acres all by yourself in this here drought yep let's

see

it'll

make molasses what about your share crop no yet well i do that fool ain't gonna

make nothing off them 20 acres 10 cent you just told them 26 10.

I saw them just as good as them.

Better.

Take it on over to that new Negrum mill at Garnett, huh?

Only 40 miles, 80 acres, near 100 wagon loads, times 40 miles, all by yourself.

You'll die.

I'll be in next week.

Suit yourself.

Excuse me a moment.

Walter, Walter, how are you? Fine. Have you ever seen it so hot?

Well, you should be out here with me, Sam. Oh, you know I'd let you in,

Walter, but my customers would pitch a fit if you... Well, you been to the

mill? Yep. What's that old thief Sawyer gonna pay you?

Ten cents a gallon. Oh, lordy, lordy, lordy, lordy.

That's enough to pay my loan, even at six percent.

Now, Walter, you know I have to charge you a premium.

It's my stockholders.

But that August soy is no better than a common fee. There's not a man in high

lonesome who doesn't know it.

Make sure he pays you in cash.

How's Thursday week?

Good.

Walter, this will make the 15th year in a row you've paid your seed money loan

off in full in the first week after harvest, and I think that's some kind of

a record. Yes, I do.

You're a good businessman, Walter.

An honest man.

And that's one reason why I'm proud to be your friend.

Even if I have to charge you double the interest rate, I charge white folks.

But what can one man do?

See you Thursday week. You're going over to see the sheriff, aren't you? Wait,

I'll walk over with you.

I've been going to see the sheriff every Thursday for seven years.

First time you go in with me. I had a foreclose on Rance Mooney's place at the

auction this morning.

I told him he ought to go to California.

They got some mighty pretty ads saying there's all kinds of work out there.

You be careful, Walter.

When they ran all the other coloreds out of this county seven years ago, I

thought they were satisfied.

These are desperate times, and you're the only colored man left.

You're just like a lightning rod for some of them.

You think I don't know that?

It's gone, Sam.

Sheriff, you already had the auction?

It wasn't but one bidder.

He's inside doing the paperwork and waiting for you.

I'm awful sorry, Rance.

Well, now, looky who's here.

Just when we think we got every ducky run out of the county... Yeah, that pops

Walter. Yep. The rest of his kind were smart enough to get out while they

could. Yeah, Walter's just too stubborn for his own good. Now wait, boys. Let's

see why Walter's here.

As if I couldn't guess.

Have you heard anything about my son, Sheriff?

God almighty, Walter.

Every week you ask, and every week the answer's the same.

That boy of yours has been gone for seven years.

Young Arthur ain't never coming back. Take it from me.

Why don't you just pack up and move on while you still can?

No.

Now, I don't want a big scene here, Walter, with the ladies present and all.

You know we made a decision not to have no darkies in Emerson County, but we

can't seem to get that through to you.

And now you've gone and kept your farm while some of these folks here, well,

they're losing theirs.

Why, just looking at you is a torment to these here people.

Well, let them have a good, long look.

After what they did to my family, they'll be tormented. My wife is dead.

I waited alone for seven long, lonely years for my only child to come back.

I don't know what happened to them, but there's some people in this town who do,

and they don't tell me.

So if they're tormented by the sight of me, let it burn them like a hot poker,

and they're still.

Won't know what torment is.

Chef, what about my boy?

You're a dead man, Walter.

What about my son, Chef?

I ain't heard nothing about Arthur.

Y'all go home now.

Go on.

What's the matter with you?

How long are you gonna drag this out till we finish it? Not now, Woodrow. Not

now? Not now? What the Sam Hill are you waiting for? He don't fight. He don't

cuss. He don't drink. He don't chew. He don't even holler at his old damn horse.

Now, if you're waiting for him to shoot somebody, that ain't never gonna happen.

Shut up, Woodrow. The time will come.

You'll make a mistake.

Just because you're the landlord don't give you no right to come around here

bothering decent white folks.

Judging from the condition of these crops, you're not going to make any

money this winter either, Reuben.

Yeah, well, I got a bad back. I can't haul all that water.

And these kids are too lazy to yell suey if the hogs was eating them up.

Try to get them to haul water, but they won't do it.

You've got to make provisions for your children this winter.

Maybe you ought to get yourself a job.

Who the hell do you think you are, nigger, coming around here telling a

white man how to run his business?

Just because the government gives you people land, you think that makes you a

man?

What about us white folk? We still gotta work for a living!

Get on off that buckboard to see who's a man around here.

Get up!

If I ain't gonna make some money off of my crop, ain't no uppity nigger gonna

make none off of his!

You kids get in the house.

Go on.

Now y'all stay in there until I get you back.

You try to get out of there, I swear to God I'll burn it down with you inside.

And you know I ain't fooling.

I'll fix old Walter.

It's okay, Chester. He's gone now.

Now, come on, Chester.

He always says that, and he ain't done it yet.

He'll be sorry once he sobers up.

He's just doing us the way his pa did him.

He don't know no better.

Charlie, you know I'll do it. One of these days I'll do it, and I'm afraid.

I weren't going to show you this, but okay.

He don't know about it.

We can be out of here in two shakes.

Now what is it?

He'll just catch us, and ain't no use, Charlie. He'll just catch us and dance

with his witch, and he'll burn it down with us in it.

Look at this, Tessa.

Look at this.

$20, Tessa.

I'm shooting rabbits.

I figure it's enough to go to Memphis and join the circus.

Oh, Charlie.

I love you, Charlie.

It's time you went.

Oh, no. Not again.

I know.

I'm tired of it, too.

It's all we got.

Chuck, you worry about Pa.

Go to sleep.

One of these days, I'm gonna get me one of them doll babies, Charlie.

Don't you think I will?

Good night, Tesla.

Charlie, wake up. I smell candy.

You're dreaming, Tessa. Go back to sleep. No lying, Charlie. I know what

molasses candy smells like.

It saved the whole world.

I think you've all seen enough!

Look! The pirates go to the Neon House!

Mr. Paul will be back.

No.

Hurry up, Tessa.

I am.

Hey! I told you miserable brats what would happen if you got out. You know I

never wanted you any more than my Paul wanted me.

Now I'm finally gonna be rid of you.

Looks like you had a little trouble out here, Walter.

I know what caused it, too.

Yep.

Lightning.

I see you ain't got no sharecroppers cabin no more, neither.

Reuben? Reuben?

Johnny?

Johnny!

I haven't seen hiding the hairs of Walter, and I've been all over this end

of your property.

Well, I heard, of course. Had to come see for myself.

I'm awful sorry for your trouble, Walter. I hate it like poison.

It's all right, Sam. You're just doing your job.

Well, that's nice of you to say, Walter, but it sure as the world don't make it

any easier.

If I didn't have these stockholders, then these are hard times.

I don't need to tell you that.

There's a depression on, Walter. That's what they're calling it.

There's even been some banks that failed. I can't... How long do I have?

Well, your crop's a total failure, Walter. It doesn't take a genius to see

that. And it's too late to replant, even if you had the money for the seed.

Now, I might be able to talk the stockholders into an extension if you

were... I know, I know.

That I was white.

I reckon there's always hope, Walter, but I figure it'll take a miracle.

Well, we've run a little short of those lately.

The bank has no choice but to deem itself insecure in your loan, Walter.

If I haven't received payment in 30 days, I'll have to foreclose on the

farm.

The grandfather's farm.

I'm so sorry, Walter.

You don't reckon that fool Reuben burned it down with the kids in it, do you?

Wouldn't put it past him.

Well,

it's all gone, Sarah.

All of it.

If you were here, I think I could bear it.

But, uh...

You know, my grandfather scratched this farm out of 40 acres of wilderness with

nothing but a mule.

Gave 60 acres to my father. When he died, he gave 80 acres to me, to us.

I didn't in my mind leave 100 acres to Arthur, but in

a way, you're all still here with me as long as I have this place.

I can look at a tree or a rock and still remember.

You know, I can almost see Arthur sometimes, I think.

Standing out there in the yard with a son pretty size as my thumb, talking

about, Daddy, look, look at me, Daddy.

Not Crawdad or some black-eyed Susan.

We all came back with something.

And I swore as long as I was alive, you know, we had a place to come back to.

I'm going to give you some help now, honey.

You want any of that rain?

He's got to send me some help, I'll take him.

Oh, it's you, Walter.

Morning, Miss Watson.

You know, I was kind of noticing the place.

They're getting out of hand since you lost Mr.

Watson. I was wondering if you had some kind of work.

Paint?

Weed? The place looks fine. Go away, Walter.

Good morning to you, too, ma'am.

Oh, Walter.

Ma'am.

I've still got my eye on that clock of Sarah's, if you'd sell it.

Clock still ain't for sale.

Fool.

Walter.

Welcome to the house of the Lord.

I heard about that terrible fire. I'll pray with you. We'll have to go around

back. That's not exactly what I came for.

I came to see if there's some kind of work that I could do.

Roofing, digging, painting, anything.

Well, we do have a little roof damage from that twister last June.

I couldn't pay you, but the Lord will repay you in time.

Well, I was kind of looking for something a little bit more definite.

Thank you, Pastor.

Ain't got no work for the likes of you, Walter. Oh, good.

Now, get!

Well, here it is, harvest time. Ain't nobody got no work for you, huh?

I don't give you a job, you're going to lose that farm of yours, ain't you?

Lord have mercy.

What a shame.

I tried to get a job.

I would have done anything.

But well, Arthur, think when he comes back and sees that I'm not here.

I'm going to lose it.

That's it.

But it's not going to go looking like this.

It's going to go looking like it ought to look.

Beautiful.

Shining like a jewel. The way my grandfather kept it, the way my father

kept it, and the way we kept it.

It's gonna go shining like the treasure's always been to us.

Who's here?

Now come on out.

Get a bone from your dinner in your bed.

Not gonna hurt you.

Gotcha. Let me go, boy.

I'd be careful what I call a boy if I was you. Let me down, boy, right now. I

mean it. I won't do nothing. I didn't say you would. And I would give one

dollar to find out where that paw of yours is. Where is he?

Mind your own business, boy.

Step it down right now.

You leave these white folk alone.

The acorn don't fall far from the tree, do it?

Look, I know that you're living in the woods. Is your paw out there, too?

Mind your own business, boy. It is my business.

Where is he?

He ran off and left you, didn't he?

When's he coming back?

You know where he went?

And your sister, where is she?

Taking her with me.

Come again?

He's taking her with him. He's taking her and left me. He can't understand

English.

He's taking her with him. Now I know where they've gone or if they're ever

coming back. You suited now?

I'm suited.

I see. I gotta stay here, on account of Tessa.

If Tessa ever gets away from Pa, and I know she'll try, then right here's where

she'll come a-lookin' for me, and right here's where I'll be a-waitin'. Yeah,

but you can't stay here. It's too dangerous.

For you, maybe. But not for me. I'm white. Well, you may be white under all

that dirt, but you still will be in the way when they come.

And they will come.

On horseback, in the dark. And they'll ride all over somebody as small as you.

They'll trample you in the dirt, boy. You could get killed.

Maybe I'll stay on down the road a piece then. I would if I were you.

When you see Taffy, you tell her I'm here.

Okay. What if she doesn't come back?

She's gotta come back.

You Charlie Cantwell?

Yeah.

Well, I got something for you.

Hey! Don't let me go!

What's this about, Jeff? You mind your own business, Walter.

You can't live out in the woods like an animal, boy.

Let me go. You don't understand.

The county's got a good home for you. There'll be other boys like you.

Plenty to eat.

You got to let me go. Come on.

God, you are dirty. Let me go. Please, Dad. Please. Come on. Get in there.

Oh, slow down, boy.

Nobody gonna hit you.

Now, I told you this place was too dangerous.

Let Sheriff take me to the orphan asylum.

I gotta hide out or he'll get me again.

He won't look for me in here.

Well, no, imagine he won't.

If you hide in here, you'll be in here when they burn it down.

And there's nothing worse than dying in a fire.

charity offering you, boy.

I got me three or four places I can stay.

Then you better go there if you know what's good for you.

I know what's good for me.

You don't have to worry about that. I've been taking care of myself for years.

I've seen you shoot your horses when your barn burned.

You loved them horses, didn't you?

Sarah, you and your miracles. I told you not to send me any rain.

Good night, sweetheart.

Thank you.

Bring it up, boy.

Don't worry about a thing.

Everything's gonna be just fine.

Get you nice and warm.

What do you think you're doing? Let me go. You can't keep me here.

Go then.

At least you know where you are.

Which is a big improvement from two days ago.

You've been here two days?

Well, your body's been here.

Well, your mind has been.

To anybody's guess.

I think you can eat something now.

I'm a pretty good cook.

If I do say so myself.

Here you are.

What in the Sam Hill are you doing?

What do you mean, what am I doing?

I mean, what are you doing?

What are you talking about?

That.

Haven't you ever seen anybody read a book before?

Oh, sure I have.

I know all about reading.

I've been doing it for years, I have.

Oh, I'm sure you have. As a matter of fact, I imagine you know this book

pretty well, don't you?

Sure I do. It's my favorite book.

Well, now, would you like me to read to you for a minute?

Seeing that you're sick and you have to rest your eyes and all?

Suit yourself.

This is the Farmer's Almanac, 1932.

It says, uh... Ah.

The best time to plant flowers and vegetables that bear crops above the

ground is during the light of the moon. That is, after the moon is new and

before it isn't. That's okay.

Ain't much interested today.

All right.

Well, the best time for me to work in the fields is during the light of the

day.

Four more acres, Annie.

Two more acres.

You can do it.

Walter!

Walter! Well, you're going to catch your death.

What is this here?

Okay,

let's see. Her body is good.

Cotton material, soft and cuddly. She cries, Mama.

and has go-to-sleep eyes.

Dresses white organdy with sweet lace ruffle trim and pink silk ribbon, which

also adorns her little white bloomers.

What do you want me to read this?

How do I get me one of them?

What?

I said, how do I get me one?

You better go back in the house. I don't think your fever's broke yet. Tell me

how I get me one. All right.

You go into town to the post office. You tell the man to get you one. It comes

from Chicago, and you gotta give him $2.

in advance.

Seven, eight.

That's right, isn't it? Yeah, that's right, but, uh... So you go into town

and order me that doll, baby?

I can't.

You can't? Nope.

Well, why not?

If I go into town with that money, it's gonna be trouble.

Why? Well, you don't need to know everything.

What I know is I gotta have me one of them doll babies. Yeah, but I won't. You

got to. I won't go into town and order you any doll, baby. You got to. I won't.

You got to. I won't. You got to. I gotta have him from Tessa.

On page 112 of the CS catalog, there's a sunshine-happy baby doll with eyes that

open and close and white blooms. It's small.

Here's the money.

Thank you.

Looky here.

Walter Osgood's got money.

And he ain't paying his debts?

Nope.

What do you think of that, Sheriff?

Looks like we'll have to do something about that, Woodrow.

There's one more biscuit left.

Well, I guess six is your limit, huh?

I don't need no more overalls. I ain't taking another bath.

You're safe for now.

I'm partial to Treasure Island.

How about you?

I like to read this out loud.

It helps me to concentrate.

Suit yourself.

Oh.

Don't worry about Tessa, Charlie.

You'll find a way.

Ah, let's see.

Part one.

The old buccaneer, chapter one.

The old sea dog at the Admiral Benbow.

I take up...

My pen in the year of grace 1728 and go back to the time when my father kept the

Admiral Ben Bowen.

The brown old seaman with the saber cut first took up his lodging under our

roof.

I remember him as if it were yesterday.

As he came plodding to the indoor, his sea chest following behind him.

A tall, strong, heavy, nut brown man.

His tarry pig tail falling over the shoulders of his soiled blue coat.

His hands ragged and scarred with black broken nails and a saber cut across one

cheek.

A dirty, livid white.

Why'd you stop?

Oh, I'm sorry.

I remember him looking round the cove and whistling to himself.

And then breaking out in that old sea song that he sung so often afterwards,

15 men on a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho in a bottle of rum.

And then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick, like a hand spike, that he

carried.

And when my father appeared... Horses. Called roughly for him.

No matter what happens, no matter what you see, no matter what you hear, don't

you take yourself out of this corner. Now, do you understand?

You don't open the window, you don't open the door for anyone.

Do you understand?

Wish I could say I wasn't expecting you, Sheriff.

If there's a brave man amongst you, we can settle this right now.

Man to man.

One at a time.

No?

I didn't think so.

Take it!

Good boy, Argus.

Some ride, huh, boy?

Come on, son.

Fine job, Argus. I spot an army got there on you.

I told Argus he did it. I've seen Argus take a fly off a watermelon at 20 paces

and leave the watermelon sliced.

And then with only one good eye.

Like I told you, boys, it's practice, practice, practice, huh? Come on.

That's just a fine chicken, son.

Mrs. Crancer down at the church made it for us.

I had a rating.

Hold to fix us some stew and biscuits.

I see you didn't like that orphan asylum much.

I spent some time there myself.

My pa wasn't much count either.

But I've been watching you, Charlie.

How you look after your sister and all.

You're a fine boy, Charlie.

You make a fine man, you get the right raising.

You liked that orphan home some.

After a while, made me the man I am today.

from Walter's all right? Well, he ain't taking up with that nigga, have you?

He's a rowdy, I guess. We don't want his kind and high lonesome, nor them that

loves him.

Well, you know my people.

Aren't about to take up with no chicken-hearted darkie. No, sir.

I was just staying around to keep my eyes peeled from my sister, that's all.

I've heard old Walter called a lot of things, but chicken-hearted?

Ain't one of them.

I was just letting him feed me. Chicken-hearted.

My ma-pa, he ain't no hero.

Walter, he sold fear to you all. He wouldn't even let me stay in the

smokehouse. Afraid you'd burn it down with me in it.

Is that so?

Well, that was real good of Walter. I'll give him that.

And I told him to go into town and order that doll baby.

And he did it.

Took orders just like that. And he's still a kid.

Walter went into town with money on your account?

And I told him I wanted that doll baby from my sister.

Told him to go order it, and he did.

Sure, he, like, gave me a little back's ass.

Thought I'd handle him. Whose money was it?

Well, mine, of course.

You don't reckon no nigger would have no money, do you?

No, I reckon not.

Something wrong, sir?

No, I guess not.

I guess it's all just as well.

Get some sleep, Charlie.

i guess you handle him didn't you a walter probably leaves town for good

won't he you know the thing about walter walter could have been a

killer oh yeah i've seen it in his eyes he could have been a killer

but he chose not to be walter's dead charlie

That was your first time seeing it, wasn't it?

Boy, Howdy.

I envy you. The first time is always the best.

My first time, we got Walter. We got that wife of his and we got the boy.

We had a big old time.

We made Walter watch it all.

I knew she'd never live through it.

Sure enough, she could only take five of us and she's dead.

But that's when you know you're a man.

Yes, sir.

That's when you know you're a man.

How do you know you're a man?

What are you asking me a question like that for?

You'll find out.

Oh, Walter.

He'll never find that boy of his.

Now, we didn't want to upset none of the ladies.

You know how some of them can carry on about young'uns, even if they're

darkies.

I thought it'd kill him.

Yeah, and when he didn't, I thought he'd kill all of us. But he hadn't tried

once. You know, if he hadn't, then we could have got rid of him once and for

all. But he won't even try.

Oh, Walter's tough.

He's a tough old bird.

Well, you seen that whipping he took tonight.

I still don't think he's dead.

He ain't?

Hell no. I told Argus that.

I said, Argus, that nigger ain't dead yet.

Well, he wasn't listening.

Oh, no, born Mr.

Know-it-all.

I got a good mind to tell him what for.

Walter, can you hear me, Walter?

I got a knife, Walter.

I'm gonna cut you loose.

Walter, you gotta hear me.

Walter.

Walter, you gotta get in there. house, Walter.

You gotta stand up.

with the person when the bat stopped.

Now hold your hand until it's over, Walter.

Tuck on this, Walter.

You can't drink anything that'll make you sick.

How do you know so much about Tess? I got my power from plenty of bad drunks.

Well, I know this ain't the same thing.

I always take care of Tess when she's poorly.

Only I ain't never seen nothing like this.

There's some salve in the cabinet in the back.

That's it.

Put that on nice and gentle like that.

Button that cloth, Walter. It'll help.

Thank you, Charlie.

Bye.

Walter, Charlie Cantwell is in there with you. You better send him out

because it ain't safe.

Walter.

Walter, what's it say?

Oh.

They're selling my farm.

What? Well, they can't do that. It's your farm. You live here.

They can do that.

How?

I owe money to the bank. I can't pay it.

They sell the farm to get the money.

Why didn't you say so?

to steal something when it needs money.

I'm not like your Pa.

That's so.

You ain't.

Ain't there some way you can get some money?

No.

Sometimes Pa takes me and Tessa and tells us to look real pitiful.

Some nice old lady will just come up and give us a dime. I don't take charity.

Fine.

You don't have to be so hot about it.

Ain't there something you can sell?

No.

Looks to me like you can get something for that old clock.

There's a widow woman down the road who keeps wanting it.

But I won't sell it.

Please, please, Charlie, let me sleep.

I'm awful tired.

You're awful stubborn, Walter.

Why, Charlie, why?

The clock was all I had left.

I'm sorry, Walter.

I just thought if I had to choose between a farm and a clock, I'd choose

the farm.

Sounds just like Sarah.

Well, is Sarah that widow? She keeps her savings all in quarters?

Yes, sir. Says she doesn't trust the paper money.

Says it burns too easy.

Well,

I knew she was odd, but not that odd.

An $18 that old clock didn't seem worth.

Well, she said she'd take good care of it.

Except for you to have nothing to worry about at all.

With $18 in a folder?

I don't know.

I'll go to the bank tomorrow and see.

Sorry, Sarah, but thank you.

You reckon she hears you?

Why don't you go out and cut us some kindling?

I'll cook us some dinner.

What are you doing here?

Oh, Charlie, is there any way to greet your old Paul that loves you?

I'm just so surprised.

You sure were. You should have seen you jump.

Now, what's my boy doing splitting firewood for a nigger?

Nothing.

He's just sick.

I know he's fixing to get us something to eat, that's all.

Hey, you hungry, Paul?

We got beans and cornbread.

We even got ham to cook with the beans.

We?

We got ham, has we?

Who the hell does he think he is?

Living off a white folk's land, putting my boy to work.

I'll kill him.

What do you want?

Nothing. You know, you ought to show some respect to a white man, boy.

Just come to get my son.

Charlie, Charlie, come back here!

Your old Paul's missed you something fierce.

Ain't every man lucky enough to have a son still alive.

I don't think that boy wants to go with you. Yeah, well, he's my boy. He'll go

with me whether he wants to or not.

Where's the little girl?

Just bet you'd like to know, huh?

Better get off my property before... Before you what?

Get the sheriff?

Maybe he'll help you catch that fella that burned down your farm.

I'm going to look for Charlie.

You better be gone by the time we get back.

I ought to lamb you right here.

But I'm staying where I am until I get what I come for.

You reckon he's gone, Walter?

Sure hope he is.

We'll see, Charlie.

We'll see.

This'll just about pay what you owe me.

A dollar a gallon.

Hey! That's my money!

Beep!

I'll

see

who's gonna kill you!

You miserable drunk!

Hey, Sheriff!

Let me go! Here now. Let me go!

Here now.

Hold yourself before I arrest you, too. Lord knows I could.

I'm all right, Sheriff. But I want him arrested.

Okay, okay. Come on, Reuben. You know the way.

Pocket knife.

Tobacco. Papers.

Matches. Oh, you can't take those. I gotta have my smokes.

Not in here, Reuben. You'll go up like a torch. You know that.

Besides, this is jail, not... Reuben, how much is this?

$300.

Make sure you don't lose it. How'd you get it? I sold something to a woman in

Memphis. What'd you steal?

Nothing. I didn't steal nothing.

Belonged to me.

You never owned a thing in your life that was worth $300.

Yes, I did.

And I still do.

You're drunker than I thought, Reuben, because you're not making any sense.

I had Tessa.

And I got Charlie.

Charlie will go for more because he'll make a farm hand.

You sold your own daughter?

I don't want to make it sound worse than it is.

It's not like I killed her or nothing.

I'm keeping you until the circuit judge comes to town.

What's Sam Hill for?

I always get out in the morning.

Well, not this time, Reuben.

Because this time you've gone too far.

Hey, come back here!

You can't do this!

I always get out in the morning!

$300.

Ruben Cantwell got it for selling his daughter to some woman in Memphis.

Oh, my God.

Whoever paid that money has no right to get it back.

I want that boy Charlie to have it.

He's got nothing else.

You see that he gets it, Sam?

Yeah.

What you gonna do now, Walter?

Well, I haven't thought about it much.

I heard that there's jobs in California.

I might try that.

After I'm gone, though, you can stay here. It won't be dangerous for you

anymore.

Maybe you can keep an eye out for Arthur.

I gotta find Tissa.

There's no telling where Reuben took her or where he went.

He's got $18.

I know where he is.

Hey, Pa.

Pa, it's me, Charlie.

Hi, Charlie, my boy.

You come to bring your pa some moonshine while he's in jail? Give me some

tobacco, too, would you?

I come to find out where Tessa is.

You little no-count miserable brat!

What are you doing here with my boy? Go and get out of here!

Where's Tessa?

Oh, so that's it, huh?

Ain't got no love nor concern for the pa that raised you just always wanting

something.

Well, you can wonder all you want, because I ain't saying where she is.

I just wanted to make sure she was all right.

She's fine as frog's hair, and that's all you need to know about it.

Tessa is gone, boy.

And you ain't never gonna see her again.

Hey, you come back here. I got you. I got you, you little thief.

Let go.

Let go.

I thought you was dead.

I paid for the boys' purchases.

How? Yeah, how?

Forgive me, Sarah.

Here.

Give you $2 per and not a dime more. Sold.

This is for the tobacco.

Thank you.

You didn't have to do that, Walter.

I ain't raising no petty thief.

Raising?

Well, you coming or what?

How much you figure it'll take before your daddy tells us where Tessa is?

I don't know. He usually sings before he talks.

A gallon or two, maybe.

Well, we'll start with one.

Dad's at the bathroom, Pop.

Well, it's better than a grapevine, is all I can say.

You probably want me to go bring Tessa here?

I do not.

Just got shed of her.

Besides, how would you ever get to Memphis, boy?

Just a walk alone would kill you.

Nearly killed her.

What's Memphis like?

So what's Memphis like, Pa?

I hear they have houses on both sides of the street there.

Oh, yeah, yeah. They got houses all right. Big ones, too.

You know, they got people there with more money and they know what to do

with. It's a sin, it is. For some people to have so much, it's against God's way.

I know it.

So they need me.

They need me to help them.

Rich folks.

Well, I bet those rich folk won't have nothing to do with you, huh, Pa?

You bet wrong, boy.

See, there's a woman there in Memphis that's just gonna love to see me again.

And she will, too, as soon as I get out of here, because you and me are gonna

take us a little trip there ourselves.

And she wants to see you awful bad.

Well, she'd just taken one look at your sister, and she just said she just had

to have her. Said she had six people there in Memphis, just loved to have

her. So I said, here she is. Take her.

You gave Tess away?

Now, what kind of a fool do you take me for, boy?

Why would I give Tess away when I could see plain as day that woman was willing

to spend real greenback folding money?

There's things you can do. You can... Come on. Go to Memphis.

Oh, Charlie.

Charlie, come on.

How am I going to get there?

How am I going to find her if I do get there?

Charlie. You lost her.

You lost her forever.

I'll take you to Memphis, Charlie. I'll take you to Memphis.

You will?

Wait, there's arrangements I have to make. There's the foreclosure, and in

case Arthur comes back... Walter, there's no telling what'll happen to her

if we wait.

Okay, sure, Charlie.

We gotta go right now.

First, why don't we go across the street and see if that doll baby's arrived yet?

It's after five, Walter. The post office is closed.

It's Charlie Cantwell, isn't it?

Who are you?

Allow me to introduce myself.

I'm Sam Calloway. I run the bank.

And I have some money for you.

Money for me?

Yes, sir. And if you'll come back with me to my office, you can sign for it.

240, 260, 280, 300.

Now you sign for it right there on that line.

Where did this money come from? Well, now, you don't... Well, that is, I

can't... Well, it's an anonymous gift.

That's it. You're just one lucky child, that's all. Now sign.

All signed, sealed, and delivered.

Well, Charlie...

You're a rich man.

What are you going to do with all this money?

Of course, I'd be happy to keep it here for you on deposit for whenever you need

it. We pay 1% interest, compounded.

How much does Walter owe you?

Why, $200.

Here, take out of this.

Charlie, no.

Now, Walter, don't be hasty. The child knows his own mind.

And the bank is owed $200.

It's money out of my stockholders' pockets, so who are you to say they

can't have their money back?

Besides, foreclosure doesn't make anybody happy. And I'll never get this

much money for your farm when there's a depression on.

So let's humor the boy.

You get to keep your farm, and I get two good customers for the price of one.

There you go, son.

$100.

Would you like me to hold it for deposit?

Is this enough to take the bus to Memphis?

Memphis?

Why, Charlie, it's enough to take the bus to Memphis and stay in a hotel when

you get there.

Hear that, Walter? We're taking the bus.

Here.

Better hang on to this for me.

Someone could rob a kid. The bus to Memphis isn't till morning. What are you

gents gonna do until then?

Eat.

Eat.

feed you on them buses.

I wish you hadn't paid Sam that money, Charlie.

I don't know how I'm ever going to pay you back.

You fed me back, Walter?

You took me in when I was sick? You fed me when I was hungry? You gave me a

place to sleep?

You saved my life, Walter.

I'm not any decent man. No man ever done it for me before, not even my own pa.

You've been good to me, Walter.

I never know what it was like to have someone be good to me.

Not till you.

Well, I never sold your clock to the Willow Woman. I just hid it.

I knew it.

All those quarters.

How'd you get that money?

Rabbits. It was my hunting money.

I never would have wanted you to do that for me, Charlie. Never.

I just had to do it.

And I counted you up so sad.

I hate to tell you this, Walter.

What?

Well, you gotta know.

Your son, Arthur... Well, that man killed your boy,

Walter.

He's dead.

I knew it.

I always knew it.

I wish you had met him.

He'd be a young man by now.

Fifteen years old.

Grown.

Changed. But I'd know him. I'd always know him.

He had this fine way of standing with his little shoulders straight and

square.

Sometimes I think I see him.

Stand out there in the yard.

Look up and there he was.

It would beat so hard, I'd feel like I'd want to jump out of my chest.

I'd raise my hand to wave.

But it was only a dream.

Something that never happened.

Something that never will happen.

Do you know where he is? I'd like to bring him home.

For nothing.

Somebody take this boy inside.

Why would you lie to save Walter? Walter killed your pa.

Anything to say, Walter?

You help Charlie find his sister.

Get themselves a home.

A good one.

They've been through enough.

Me?

I'm going to join my family.

What are you doing?

Take him down, Woodrow, and untie his hands.

Now, looky here, Sheriff. We all seen him kill a white man, and he's gonna

hang for it. Woodrow, I'm the sheriff, and I'm the coroner, and what I say

goes. It is my finding that Reuben Cantwell, a prisoner of this here state,

died as a result of a fire in the jail.

Now, we all seen him killed by Walter.

You hang this man, Woodrow, and you'll be the next man hanged.

You ain't heard the last of this.

No, I reckon I haven't.

There is one brave man in high lonesome, Mr.

Osgood.

I just never understood how brave until now.

I'd be obliged if you and the boy would come with me, Mr. Osgood.

I think it'd be safer for you if you spent the night in my office.

You take this to the sheriff in Memphis.

He'll help you find your sister.

Nice. Come on, Walter.

Let's go.

I know.

Where do you see it, Walter? Charlie, come here.

go with you, Charlie.

You got the letter from the sheriff?

Then you'll find Tessa.

Charlie, you know how things are.

They're not gonna trust a white child with a big black man like me.

Walter, they don't know... Charlie, I don't want you to spend your life

missing somebody you love.

I'll come back, Walter.

You'll find a better place, boy.

Cool.

Goodbye, John.

I was supposed to take them to the orphan asylum, but...

They said they'd rather be with you if you'd have them.

You won't have no more trouble, Mr. Osgood.

Not if I can help it.

I complained everything to Tessa.

She said she always knew you was a nice man.

Thank you, Tessa.

It's what it comes down to, Walter.

Tessa, she can't do much.

That can hold water, sweep, and cook, sort of.

There ain't no better place, Walton.

This thing will have us.

Good night, Tessa.

Good night, Walter.

Oh, I have somebody else for you to say good night to.

For me, Walter.

My doll baby.

It's my doll baby.

Thank you. Oh, thank you.

You're very welcome.

Where you going?

I have somebody else to say goodnight to, too.

I know I've been a disappointment to you, Sarah, not being a religious man

and all.

And I've been wrong once or twice, no more than that, though.

But I have to admit, they come in mysterious ways.

These miracles are yours.

Good night, sweetheart.