When my father passed,
I wanted nothing more than my mother's happiness.
For what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother?
If I did not save her?
You're not eating?
No.
Have you figured it out yet, fatso?
-What?
How many years since we took over the ranch
from the Old Gent and Old Lady?
Why?
Oh hell, think about it.
You ever try the house bath, Phil?
No, I have not.
Early up tomorrow, brother. Big old drive.
There's a dead cow. Keep our cattle away.
-What happened? -Anthrax. Don't touch.
Well, guess this is it.
What's "it," Phil?
What's "it"? All right, fatso, I'll tell you what "it" is.
Twenty-five years since our first run together.
Nineteen hundred and nothing.
That's a long time.
Well, not too damn long.
Know what we should do?
What's that?
Go camping again in the mountains and shoot ourselves some fresh elk liver.
Cook it right there on the coals like Bronco Henry taught us.
You got a sore gut?
No.
You act like it pains you to hitch two words together.
There'll be 12 for tonight.
Do you what they'd prefer to eat?
They like the fried chicken dinner.
Yes?
I'm going to need your room.
All right.
What are you doing?
Nothing.
Is that an album?
Not really.
-May I? -Sure.
-Do you like the mansion? -Too much to clean.
You wouldn't have to clean it. There would be cleaners.
Oh, she's beautiful.
I like her flowers.
Oh! That's clever, Peter.
They're so lovely.
Thanks.
For the tables?
Sure.
-I need three chickens. Can you do them? -All right.
You're gonna have to move your stuff to the shed.
I'll make a bed for you on the floor.
Jake.
-He there? -Nope.
Well, we can't wait forever. The cattle are in the yards, so drink up.
-You gonna say something? -Nope.
Not without my brother.
Where were you?
I couldn't make the boys hold back forever.
That's fine.
Uh…
Checked the power, and it's held up. Not coming till morning.
Oh, no, thanks. Phil, they're ready for us next door at the Red Mill.
Dinnertime, boys.
Let's get a move on.
Twenty-five years ago, where were you, Georgie Boy?
Hmm?
-With you. -I'll tell you.
A chubby know-nothing too dumb to get through college.
People helped you, fatso.
One person in particular taught you and me ranching
so we damn well succeeded.
-Bronco Henry. -Hmm.
So…
So, to us brothers, Romulus and Remus, and the wolf who raised us.
-Bronco Henry. -Bronco.
-Il Lupo. -Bronco.
-Bronco Henry. -Bronco Henry.
-Boss is leavin'. -Dinner, boys.
Much obliged.
Rose? Rose, play piano for us please.
I can't!
-Play! Play! Play! -Come on!
-Is everything all right? -Yes, ma'am. Fine.
I can play the piano.
Well, well…
ain't them purdy.
"I've never seen a woman behind the wheel of a car."
I said, "Have you never seen a lady drive a car before?"
He thought the dog was driving.
No. No.
-No!
Oh, yeah.
Well…
I wonder what little lady made these.
Actually, I did, sir.
My mother was a florist.
So I made them to look like the ones in our garden.
Oh, well, do pardon me.
They're just as real as possible.
Mmm.
All right. Now, gentlemen, look. See, that's what you do with the cloth.
-It's really just for wine drips. -Ooh, you got that, boys?
Only for the drips.
Now get us some food.
-Did Bronco ever eat here? -No, he did not.
So where did you eat?
Uh, back then we had herring at the saloon and a whole lot of alcohol.
Oh.
I remember this one time, Bronco made this wager that he could jump any horse
over the tables and chairs of the saloon piled up in the street.
Well, we chose him a nag all right.
It didn't bother him.
He took off his saddle,
walked the horse up to the tables and chairs,
talking to him all the while,
stroking his big, ugly head while the horse sniffed.
And then he swung on and rode him back and…
What?
Flew over.
-He jumped it?
But to get a nag to jump… ain't heard of.
Put it down to amour.
What do you say, George?
Amour?
What… I don't know what you're talking about.
Do you mind quietening? We're eating.
Shut that down, or I will!
Are you all right, Peter?
Where are you going?
Go on over. I'll settle up.
Settle in the morning.
I'll be along.
Shall I settle up now, Mrs. Gordon, or…
Please, you can…
send the bill, and I'll post a check.
Come over here. I love you.
George?
Brother.
Where have you been?
What you said about her boy tonight, Phil…
made her cry.
She had her ear to the door?
She was crying, Phil.
What the hell?
I said her boy needed to snap out of it and get human.
Pointed it out, that's all.
She should damn well know.
Hold it.
He's got it!
He was better before.
He's getting there.
Is that how Bronco Henry learned it?
I never saw him out on a lunge, that's a fact.
What is it you see up there, Phil?
Are animals up there?
Has anyone else seen what you've seen, Phil?
George?
Nah, not him.
Come on, Phil. What is it?
There is something there, right?
Not if you can't see it, there ain't.
Gotta be an animal.
Hello, Mr. Burbank.
Hello, Mrs. Gordon.
How can I help you?
I really just came to see you.
Oh.
I'm quite busy.
"This most wholesome sauce is excellent
with meats, fish, and cheese."
They have wine with them.
I wish they wouldn't do that.
I don't like drinking.
I'd say they have more in them than wine. Sounds like booze.
They're early.
I should have never put the pianola in there.
-Here's the water.
I see… I see the Herndon doctor and the undertaker, Mr. Weltz.
Oh, goodness. I wish Peter were here.
He should be serving the salad, and I need to fry the chicken.
Sometimes if you get food on the table…
Um, Mr. Burbank,
I'm gonna run and get Peter.
Afternoon!
-Uh, looks like I'm the new waiter.
Doctor.
Mr. Burbank.
Mr. Weltz.
Run into any snow down below?
None to speak of.
Well, I guess I'll roll me a smoke since I'm woke up.
How far did you get?
Beech. That's where I aimed for.
Beech?
Whatcha doin' down there, Georgie Boy?
Little tomcatting?
I was speaking to Mrs. Gordon.
Oh, yes.
She cried on your shoulder.
So she did.
Give her half a chance,
and she'll be after some dollar for Miss Nancy's college fee.
Remember how the Old Lady brought those girls out to the ranch
as soon as we could get hard-ons?
Oh my God.
Remember the tomato soup queen?
Wasn't it her that wrote you,
"I always will remember the western moon"?
Well, guess you coulda taken her out
without first putting a sack over her head.
Unlike some others.
Well, night, Phil.
It's a piece of ass you're after, fatso,
I'm damn sure you can get it without a license.
Hold it.
What do you do with these?
Goddamn.
Do you cut 'em up or something?
George has…
He's gone again?
…got himself… tangled
with a suicide… widow…
…and her half-cooked son.
A little desk for your big desk.
Phil.
Yep, got you, old-timer.
-Did you write to the Old Lady?
Yeah, I dropped 'em both a line.
Did you say something about Rose?
Yeah, Rose…
Well, you know as well as I do what the Old Lady would feel
if she thought you were getting mixed up with her.
She'd likely have a hemorrhage.
The Old Lady would feel as one Mrs. Burbank would feel
for another Mrs. Burbank.
Come again?
We were married Sunday.
She got rid of her property in Beech.
Quit it.
Stand steady, you little bitch, huh?
-Come on.
Look at me, you little bitch! Huh? Yeah?
Quit it! You fat-faced bitch!
Whore!
My school boarders eat dinner at 6:00 p.m. sharp.
No dish-washing duty if he has homework.
Oh. No shoes inside.
Maybe you'd like to come to the ranch sometimes?
Won't that be nice?
May I keep some of these rose petals?
Hey, ho.
Take the rest for later.
I've been thinking we should have some sort of dinner party
to introduce you to my parents.
And perhaps we could invite the governor and his wife too.
I saw them in Herndon today, and, uh,
I… I kind of already mentioned it to them.
Uh, maybe you'd be kind enough to play something on our old piano.
But, George, I'm not very good.
-I only played for the moving pictures.
You are plenty fine enough for us.
The Old Lady can't play a note, so…
If that's what you want.
This looks like a good spot.
Pull over here, please.
A good spot for what?
You are marvelous, Rose.
Stand beside me, George.
What's happening?
Follow me.
Left foot forward.
One, two, three. And to the side.
One, two, three. And back.
One, two, three.
-To the side again. One, two… -Sorry, I… I really can't.
-I really can't dance. I… -You're dancing.
Here. This foot forward.
Don't think.
One, two, three. To the side.
One, two, three. And back.
One, two, three.
I told you I'd teach you.
Forward, two, three.
Side, two…
What is it, George?
I just…
I wanted to say how nice it is
not to be alone.
Go on up and get out of the cold.
Hello, Phil.
You remember Rose?
-Oh, hello there. -Hello.
-Something wrong with the furnace? -Search me.
-I'll go down and shake it up. -I've been hanging around for you all day.
There's a deed the Old Gent wants sent to him.
Well, I figure that can go till morning.
-You all right? -I'm perfectly fine, George.
Well, brother Phil,
we had such a nice trip--
I'm not your brother.
You're a cheap schemer.
"We had such a nice trip."
Come on in.
This is the bathroom. Just make yourself at home.
Yeah, that's fine.
All right.
Mm-hmm.
Now, you just make yourself comfortable.
Now, I'm going to bring you a surprise.
What is it?
Well, then it won't be a surprise.
When the rains come, the cellar gets flooded.
So, the rats all drown. They float to the surface.
I have to get the young lads in to scoop 'em all up with a…
Please keep talking.
Don't mind me.
I like to keep busy.
Easy.
We got it.
Head to the right.
-Turn it around that way. -Please, I'll take it.
-What is it? -Head to the front door.
George. Is that…
Is that a grand?
-You got it? -Yeah, I got it.
-Whoa, hold it. -It's a Mason & Hamlin baby grand.
Oh no, it's… it's too good for me. I'm…
I'm just very average. I… I only know tunes.
That's what I want, tunes.
The governor too.
We don't want a concert. We just wanna hear you play, Rose.
-I should like to look on the governor… -Easy.
…as he drives up and gets out of his vehicle.
-One step at a time, ready? -Two, three, four.
-You make a rope with these? -These strips? Yeah.
You boys find something needs doing.
Yes, sir.
I just came over to speak about something.
Come on, partner. Open your talker. What is it?
His Nibs will be here for dinner and the Old Gent and the Old Lady.
Well, sir, ain't we going into society.
She on the pinano again?
Setting your teeth on edge?
No. Uh…
No, I… I like to hear Rose play.
Hmm.
Well, old-timer, what is it?
What's in the noodle?
Well…
Phil. I, uh…
-I just… -Go on, spit it out.
-Well, it's about His Nibs, the governor. -All right.
And, uh…
Well, it's not so much about His Nibs
but His Nibs' wife, actually, uh…
I was thinking His Nibs probably wouldn't mind so much,
but his missus might.
What, for dear Christ's sake?
Well, it's sort of a hard thing…
…to say.
Uh…
She might mind if you come to the table without a washup.
Yeah.
Hello, Mother, Father.
Hello.
The car's around the side.
Is there anyone with you?
My wife.
The napkin is fanned, so…
Light the fire.
-Yes, ma'am. -Yes, ma'am.
We may as well try and warm this place.
Water, white wine…
Use your hand. Use your hand like so.
They're here.
You keep warm. I can bring them in.
Oh, how sweet. They have their own umbrella.
-Orange blossoms. -It's an island of civilization here.
Mmm.
I was, uh, telling Georgie about your brother.
Phi Beta Kappa at Yale, wasn't it?
Yes, in classics.
That's right.
So, uh… he swears at the cattle in Greek or Latin?
Yeah.
Uh, Rose plays the piano very well.
Do you?
That's a nice surprise.
I'll just go have a look-see out the back for Phil.
Oh, good. I want to meet this brother.
Yes.
I suppose there was some sort of an injury.
Oh, Edward, Georgina.
Ah! Here are two people we can't fool.
Oh no, you cannot. We know everything. We're walking encyclopedias.
At least I am. I have nothing to do but read.
She's been reading "The Curse of Tutankhamun" in The Digest.
So, uh, you believe in the curse?
Oh, no, no, I'm not drinking George's concoction.
Yes, I do. But did you know that Tutankhamun was just a boy?
Only 18.
Phil, are you here?
I was looking for you.
Well, you found me.
Everyone's here. And we're just about to eat.
They're asking after you.
Really?
Yes, we're counting on your conversation.
I shouldn't have said what I said to you about--
You two can keep your apologies to yourself. I'm not coming.
And what will I say?
The Old Lady wants to see you too. She's come a long way.
You can tell them the truth.
That I stink and I like it.
Nothing could have happened to Phil, could it?
No, he'll be fine. Something just must've come up.
So, Rose…
are you going to play for us?
Yes, George told me you play very well.
-Oh no, I'm terribly out of practice. -Yes, we'd love that.
Come now, you've been playing a lot.
You know you have.
I don't know what to play.
Why,
play the one I like.
-What one? -Why, the… the one about the Gypsy.
I… I can't seem to remember that one.
Just play anything.
I'm so sorry.
I can't seem to play.
I… I played in a cinema pit for hours and hours.
I'm… I'm so sorry.
Well, she got you halter trained, right, George? That's the main thing.
-I'm so sorry.
No, it was a lovely, lovely evening.
Thank you.
Oh, you're Phil.
So, you weren't eaten by a cougar.
Not yet.
I am sorry to have missed your conversation.
I've heard you're brilliant.
You're gonna want to keep your distance. I'm just off the horse.
Anyhows, you don't want conversation.
You've been listening to the pinano and dancing, I guess.
You dance?
You didn't play?
You sure did practice a terrible lot.
See, you wouldn't think there was much difference
between a cinema pit and a dinner party.
Where have you been, Phil?
I could hardly eat worrying about you.
I didn't get washed up, so I didn't come.
You didn't wash?
Oh, he's a ranchman, isn't that right? That's honest dirt.
-Thank you, again. -Thank you.
I'll just run and grab you a blanket for the ride.
All right, goodbye.
I wondered if you didn't think about
leaving your medical books here for the summer.
I thought about it, but… but you understand they were Dad's.
Turn around.
Are you eating?
I made a new friend.
He calls me Doctor, and I call him Professor,
'cause that's what we wanna be.
Why don't you invite your friend to the ranch?
No, Rose.
Why not?
Thank you.
I don't want him to meet a certain person.
A bull calf, boss!
Keep that leg stretched out! You got him?
Grab his head!
I got it! I got it!
How come you don't wear gloves?
How 'bout 'cause they're not needed.
Castrate 1,500 head, then nick your thumb on the last.
Well, fatso, I think we're finished.
Who's that?
Miss Nancy.
Our waiter?
Yep, that's him.
You're gonna see him creeping all over the place now.
Big eyes goggling.
Little Lord Fauntleroy.
Rose?
Does he like his room?
Mm-hmm.
I think so.
Watch your fires. Summer's coming.
Which also means any Indians camping need to be moved off the property.
No exceptions.
-We got animals they want to eat. Got it?
Yes, sir.
We don't sell hides.
We don't sell anything here.
Keep your eyes and ears open.
Maybe find yourselves an arrowhead up by them aspens.
Rose?
I have a headache.
Have a seat.
I'm not eating tonight.
It's George's week in town, so it's just Phil.
Mm-hmm.
I made a trap.
Oh no. It's… it's not a snake, is it?
It's a bunny.
Oh. Oh!
You're okay.
No, no, it's scared.
-Come here. -Get it, Peter.
Come here. Come here. Come here.
Bring him to me.
Aw.
Don't worry about him.
You can eat in your room.
They dug up that graveyard to make way for the new highway.
Among those buried there was a friend of mine.
A clumsy tractor driver broke open the coffin,
and they found her hair had continued to grow after her death.
The whole coffin just stuffed with her lovely golden hair.
Except for a few feet from the end,
where it was gray.
Can I take it up?
-Some say she was a beauty. -What?
Golden braids on top of her hair.
Oh! Yes, go and see. It's very sweet.
-No, please. Get out of my room. -Where's your rabbit?
I got it a carrot.
It doesn't want one.
Why?
Holy hell.
Shut the door.
Now, even if you're happy being in your room all day,
it's good for me.
-Mom, I have a lot to do. -Come on.
Peter…
I thought you liked rabbits.
Yes. I do.
But if I want to be a surgeon, I have to practice.
Well, you're not to kill them in the house, Peter.
No, I'm putting my foot down.
Oh, where'd a man be if he always did what his mother told him?
I'll score.
Whoa!
Point to Mrs. Burbank.
I know, Lola. You don't have to…
You don't have to narrate it. I'll just… remember.
-Whoo! -Yeah, that was definitely out.
Lola, can you please take over? I have a migraine.
Yeah.
-Where do you want me? -Back there.
Yes, ma'am.
-I hit that way. -I was aiming for you.
Don't listen to Bobby.
Are you all right, Mother?
I feel like my eyes are going to pop out of my head.
It's Phil, isn't it?
He's cold.
He's just a man, Peter, only another man.
You go ahead.
Yeah? You want 'em off, do you?
-You want 'em off?
Yeah, come on.
Yeah, you want 'em?
Yeah, you got 'em!
Get out of here, you little bitch!
You hear me?
Get out of here!
I know you. Good worker.
-Jesus.
You boys wanna eat, come get it now.
Whoa, whoa.
No one tell him to soak those jeans?
Howdy, ma'am.
-Little faggot.
Little Nancy.
Pete.
Hey, Pete.
Peter.
You want me, Mr. Burbank?
Well, I don't see any Mr. Burbank here.
I'm Phil.
Yes, Mr. Burbank.
I guess it's hard for a young'un like you to call an old fella like me
just plain Phil, at first.
Now come and take a look at this.
Have you done any braiding or plaiting yourself, Pete?
No, I never have, sir.
Peter, we kind of got off on the wrong foot.
-Did we, sir? -Forget the "sir" stuff.
That can happen to people.
People who get to be good friends.
Well, you know what?
What? What, Phil?
Now, you see? You did it.
You called me Phil.
I'm gonna finish this rope and give it to you and teach you how to use it.
Sort of a lonesome place out here, Pete.
Unless you get in the swing of things.
Thank you… Phil.
How long do you expect it would take to finish that rope?
I could get it finished before you go back to school.
Well…
It won't be very long then, Phil.
Get on it.
You can sit on it, Pete.
Get yourself used to it.
You got any boots?
-Yes. -You should wear 'em.
Don't let your mom make a sissy of you.
That's impressive, Phil.
Well, just by sitting there,
you're soaking up all the riding know-how you'll ever need and then some.
That saddle belonged to Bronco Henry.
Greatest rider I ever knew.
There's a cliff way out back of the ranch with initials and 1805 carved into it.
Must have been some fella from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
They were real men in those days.
Let's say just you and me go out for a couple of days.
Find those trails and follow them to the end.
Wouldn't be surprised if there were gold
or precious minerals in them there rocks.
Do many of the calves die from wolves?
There's always a few that get… tore up or hamstrung or die of anthrax.
Call it blackleg.
You know, you talk like a Victrola record. You know that?
No, I didn't know.
Yeah, well, you do.
-Did Bronco Henry teach you to ride, Phil? -Yep.
He taught me to use my eyes in ways that other people can't.
Take that hill over there.
Most people look at it and just see a hill.
Where Bronco looked at it, what do you suppose he saw?
A barking dog.
-The hell, you just saw that now? -No.
When I first came here.
See, it looks like a dog with its jaw wide open.
You… you just saw that?
Yeah.
-Peter.
Peter.
Can't you come in and talk for a little?
You've gotten to be quite friendly with Phil, haven't you?
Is he nice to you?
He's making a rope for me.
Making a rope?
Peter, I wish you wouldn't make that sound with your comb.
I wasn't aware.
When I was little, I…
I felt a chill in my spine when I heard the chalk squeak on a blackboard.
Oh, Miss… Mrs. Merchant, that's who it was.
She… she drew chalk stars by our names on the blackboard.
I wonder why it was stars she gave us.
Why not diamonds? Why not hearts?
Why not spades? Why…
I wonder why it was always stars.
Because stars are supposed to be unreachable.
Yes.
But they weren't unreachable because she gave them to us.
-And, Peter? -Hmm?
We had this valentine box, and it was covered with white crepe paper.
And we would paste big, red hearts on it.
Lopsided hearts.
And you had a great many valentines.
A great many?
Because you're beautiful.
Is there a sound that makes you shiver?
I don't remember.
We're not unreachable.
Hey.
No, we're not unreachable.
Mother, you don't have to do this.
I'll see you don't have to do it.
-This his first week? -Nope, third.
Third?
Open up the gate. Let him out.
-You sure? He's not ready. -Go on. Let him out.
-Yeehaw, cowboy! Whoo!
There you go!
Grab her by the reins!
-What you doing? -Going to give him a hand.
Don't.
-Let him figure it out. -Oh, oh!
Or not.
Fall off, you get back on.
Get her over!
Any happenings while I was away?
Boys dug the ditch.
Water's flowing good.
Fixing that stack there.
Hey, Pete!
Come here.
Peter? Peter?
Where are you two off to?
We're going to the far field to fence off the stack there.
Peter?
-Rose? -Peter!
Rose, what's the matter?
Rose?
Can't Peter go with you today?
Well, he could, but him and Phil have kinda paired up.
I don't want that.
-I don't want him to be with Phil at all. -But, Rose…
He's helping him. He taught him how to ride.
Hey, Pete, my pal.
You gonna help?
You know who started riding as late as you?
-Who? -Bronco Henry.
Hadn't done any of it till he was about your age now.
Hello, Mr. Cottontail.
Hey, Peter, let's see how long it takes
before Mr. Cottontail makes a run for the open.
Now, as kids, we used to take bets…
…on how many poles we'd remove
before the animals ran out and made a run for it.
Oh, he's still in there.
Gutsy little bugger.
I guess he has to be gutsy.
Damn son of a bitch.
Come on, now. Come on.
Think it broke his leg.
Well, put him out of his misery.
Hmm.
It's all right.
That's deep.
You okay, Phil?
Yeah, what the hell?
Must be a splinter.
You got a tan. That's a cowboy tan you got.
Hmm.
Bronco Henry told me that…
a man was made by patience and the odds against him.
My father said…
obstacles.
And you had to try and remove them.
Another way to put it.
Well, you've certainly got obstacles. That's a fact, Pete, me boy.
-"Obstacles"? -Well, take your ma.
Today or any day…
how she's on the sauce.
"On the sauce"?
Drinking, Pete.
Boozing it up.
I guess you know she's been half-shot all summer.
Yeah, I know.
She never used to drink.
-Oh, didn't she now? -No.
-She never did. -But your pa, Pete?
My father?
Yeah, your father.
I guess he hit the bottle pretty hard?
The booze?
Until right at the very end.
Then he hung himself.
I found him.
Cut him down.
He used to worry I wasn't kind enough.
That I was too strong.
You, too strong?
He got that wrong.
Poor kid.
Things will work out for you yet.
Where's Mrs. Lewis?
She's with the Indians.
What Indians?
These ones.
-You shouldn't even be here.
He won't like it.
Go now. Go.
Water!
They were standing right in front of the damn things asking,
"Do we have any hides?"
"Do we have any hides?" Are they leaving?
Yes, they've got their horse going.
I told them the hides are gonna be burned.
Why?
Why are the hides going to be burned?
Phil doesn't want anyone else to have 'em.
Waits till there's a big pile and sets fire to the lot.
He'd blow up if they even touched 'em.
What's she doin'?
Please, please.
Wait! Please!
Wait! Please, stop.
Please wait.
Please.
Come back.
Take the hides.
It would be my honor if you would take them.
Please.
My husband owns the ranch.
Come back. Take them.
They're so soft.
So deliciously soft.
So beautiful.
-You all right, ma'am? -Is she breathing?
Ma'am.
-Ma'am. -What happened?
She just collapsed, sir.
Rose?
Sorry, sir.
Thank you, Lola.
Mine.
-Almost done. -Howdy.
-Hey, boss. -All right.
I'll be damned.
Is there something wrong, Phil?
Wrong?
For Christ's sake.
Every goddamn hide is gone!
Oh, she really put her foot into it this time.
You think she did it?
-She sold them? -Bloody tootin'.
-Or maybe even gave them away. -Why? Why?
Why would she do that, Phil? She knew that we needed the hides.
Because she was drunk!
Pie-eyed! She was smashed!
I'd think you'd know from the books your pa left you
that your ma's got a… a whatchamacallit.
Alcoholic personality. It comes under the letter A!
-You're not gonna say anything to her? -Say anything?
I won't say nothin'.
But sure as one good hell, brother George is going to.
Rose is not well, Phil.
She's ill.
Not well?
It is high time that that bozo and you got next to a few…
What do you ever call them? Facts!
She stashes alcohol all around the place, even drinking in the stinking alley.
Look at your face in the mirror!
Is it that she could like? Or our money? Wake the hell up!
That's enough, Phil.
Well, what is the harm?
The hides were only going to be burned.
I needed them.
Well, I apologize.
They were mine!
I needed them!
-Phil? -Huh?
Phil, I've…
I've got rawhide to finish the rope.
You've got it?
What are you doing with rawhide?
I cut some up.
I wanted to be like you.
Please take what I've got.
Well…
That's damn kind of you, Pete.
Tell you something.
Everything's gonna be plain sailing for you from now on in.
And you know what?
I'm gonna work.
Finish up that rope tonight.
You'll watch me do it?
How old were you when you met Bronco Henry?
About the age you are now.
Was he your best friend?
Yeah… he was.
He was more than that.
Once, he saved my life.
We were way off up in the hills shooting elk, and the weather turned mean.
Bronco kept me alive by… lying body against body in a bedroll.
Fell off to sleep that way.
Naked?
-Phil left already? -No, he's not here.
He say he was settin' out early?
No.
Good mornin'.
Have you seen your brother?
He's not had breakfast?
He's not been down at all.
Can I get some of that coffee please?
I'll run you into Herndon to see the doctor.
Phil…
what happened to your hand?
Let's get your boots off.
I'm… I'm good.
I'll get the car.
Let's go, Phil.
Where's the boy?
Phil.
I'll get it to him.
I'll take this one.
Uh…
Rose would like you to join us for Christmas, if you care to.
Yes.
Thank you, George.
I'm afraid I'm mystified.
I'll know in a day or two when the results come back.
Those last convulsions…
-Yes? -Terrible, truly frightful.
You know what I'm thinking?
What?
Anthrax.
But he never handled diseased animals.
He was particular on that.
"Deliver my soul from the sword,
my darling from the power of the dog."