01x05 - The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner

[bunniefuu]

I mean to have
your money, Jubal.

I followed you too far not to.

- Then you'll have to k*ll me first.
- Then I'll k*ll ya.

Gramps.! Gramps.!

You get, Bolin,
or I'll finish what I started.

Get!

Your arm's cut.
You oughta have it took care of.

Tomorrow'll be time enough.

By noon tomorrow,
we'll be in Big Valley.

- And Oak Meadows.
- Yes, sirree.

Oak Meadows, on the edge
of the Barkley land...

just waitin' for us,
like I told ya it would be.

Mr. Chairman, in anticipation of
the importance of this meeting...

and what we hope
to accomplish this day...

I've had my assistants prepare a complete
and documented presentation...

for your examination and evaluation.

Now this first document
contains the total amount...

of the valley's production
for the last two years.

- Rather an impressive undertaking.
- Thank you.

Now these...
are the latest census figures...

which break down
to show the total amount...

of the valley's contribution to the state's
consumption of food, timber, leather goods-

Mr. Chairman, may I ask that you direct
Mr. Barkley to get to his point?

He's trying to do just that,
but you keep interrupting.

You're out of order, young man.

Mr. Chairman, unfortunately
my brother is unfamiliar-

Go on with the issue, Mr. Barkley.

Now these... are the projected figures
of the valley's potential production...

if a dam were to be constructed
in the area that we have suggested.

A dam, gentlemen, could mean
the influx of new businesses...

that would affect
the entire economy of this west coast.

Gentlemen, the potential
that lies there in that valley is limitless.

It would seem young Mr. Barkley has inherited
some of his father's political ambitions.

I was not aware that the state's general
well-being was a political issue.

Or could it be that it's the finance
committeeman's instructions to make it one?

It is political to this point,
Mr. Chairman.

My party made a promise
to the people at the last election-

a promise to watch very closely
state expenditures.

We intend to keep that promise.

The majority party's desire to honor
a campaign commitment...

and, at the same time,
the dam can be constructed...

would the chairman consider
keeping this hearing open for a time longer?

- Well?
- Twenty-six seconds. You're almost as good.

- What do you mean, almost?
- Nick would have beaten you by a good three seconds.

- You think so, huh?
- Yes, I do.

- You sure?
- Yeah, I'm sure.

I ain't sure.

Whoa. Whoa.

Morning.

- Howdy.
- I can see I'm on Barkley Ranch.

You both have Tom Barkley's mark.

Where's the old river sn*per at?

My father's dead.

- Tom's dead?
- Six years ago.

Who are you?

Who'd you say you were?

- Your ma, she ain't dead too?
- She's at the house.

My God. Tom's dead.

I'm Chad. He's Jubal Tanner, my gramps,
and we come a long way.

Yeah? Where from?

Camino, Calaveras and a few other dozen
gold camps thrown in between.

Gramps got cut. His arm needs lookin' to.

All this fuss over a little scratch?

- Jubal?
- Victoria.

Oh, Jubal.
How wonderful to see you.

Oh.

The years have been good to you,
as it was meant to be.

We thought about you so much.

- I'm sorry about Tom.
- He would love to have seen you.

And this is?

- My son Richard's boy.
- Richard? Is he with you?

No. He and Chad's ma died of the fever
when Chad was a baby.

Chad. I think Chad could do
with some hot food. Am I right?

- Gramps?
- You're with the closest thing to a family you got, boy.

- If you're hungry, say so.
- I'm hungry.

Well, you get a bath first. Come on.

You'll find some clothes for him
in the trunk in the spare room.

- Mr. Tanner's arm needs to be bandaged, Ma.
- Oh. What happened?

- Ah, nothin'. I got in a little scrape.
- Let me fix it.

- Thirty years.
- Huh. Where has it all gone to?

Ah, some of it into this ranch, this house,
those two fine young uns of yourn.

There are two more.
What about you?

Chad's all. I never married again.

Besides Margaret, there was only
one other worth marrying.

My best friend had done that.

Why didn't you keep in touch?

I did, in a way.

I heard of some of your doings,
Tom's success here.

Who'd have thought when the four of us
come through here 30-odd years ago-

Who'd have thought that
one day it would all be his?

- Tom did, remember?
- Yeah, he did that.

And he said there would always be
one particular piece of land for you-

- the piece ofland he knew you would want.
- That's right.

He put it in writin'.
Got it in these here letters.

Why didn't you just come and take it?

Uh, that's why I'm here now.

Oh, not to take it. I mean to buy it.

- Oh, Jubal. That land is yours.
- No.

Everything I got, I earned.

I wouldn't be happy
with it otherwise.

I wrote to Tom, and I asked him
to set a fair price.

At first he wouldn't, but finally
he agreed on a- on an honest sum.

There's the price. 6,000.

I added a thousand to it 'cause I knew
the land would be worth more.

- That's where my 30 years went.
- Jubal, please.

No. This land's gotta be
bought and paid for.

You paid for the land
a long time ago.

No. Now I pay for it.

That's the way I want it.

Now Oak Meadows is mine.

Oak Meadows
has always been yours.

Oak Meadows! That's whatJarrod said.

We would make Oak Meadows
available for the dam site.

Now it's as good, if not better, than any
place that's been suggested up till now.

How did he swing it?

By offering the land at 50 cents an acre-
a quarter of its value-

and by showing 'em
all they have to do...

is fill that narrow gorge
at the south end of Oak Meadows...

and we've got a dam!

Hey, Nick. When are they gonna do it?

A special committee is going over Colter's
construction plans right now...

and we should get
the good word any day.

- Well, Chad?
- I bet there isn't anybody anyplace...

- that feels better than I do right now.
- Except maybe me.

- No, no, no. There's no sense in that at all.!
- Nick, please lower your voice.

I've heard the people talk
of a dam in this valley since I was a kid.

It will just have to go
somewhere else.

It'll be Oak Meadows
or not at all for a long time-

Oak Meadows belongs toJubal Tanner,
and I doubt very much if he will sell.

- We'll see to yourJubal Tanner-
- Nicholas, I forbid you.

I don't want you or anyone else
putting pressure on Jubal to sell.

Oh, Mother, you won't get
any pressure from me.

I'll not do any of the pressing.
I promise you that.

But when the people in this valley hear
that they've lost their dam...

your friend Jubal Tanner will learn
the real meaning of the word "pressure. "

It's been a long time, old girl.

Appears as if it's been
a might lonely.

Right sorry. Never figured
it'd take me 30 years to-

It's our land now.

Richard's boy with me.
Fine young un.

His ma's kin tried to take him
when she and Richard passed. Slight chance.

We're gonna build a...
cabin up yonder ways.

Well, I'll come see ya every day.

That's a promise.

I miss you, Meg.

After 30 years, I miss you as much
as the day I put you in there.

A hollowness came over me...

that I never did fill.

- I stopped by your camp.
- I come by to see Margaret.

I'm sorry it's grown over.
Tom used to keep it up.

Jubal, this is the first time since-

Well, it's the first time I've been back
to this part of Oak Meadows.

All these years. Well,
you'll come by more often now.

I mean, we'll be dividin' the visitin'
between here and- and your place.

Oh, Jubal.

What the devil
is the matter with you anyway?

You come home with exactly the news
the whole valley is hopin' to hear...

it's thrown back in your teeth, and you stand
there as calm as a mule chewing on summer grass.

What would you like me to do?

You have worked harder
to get that dam put in than anybody else.

- That's true.
- Then get fired up!

Show me something, anything.
Just show me you're alive, will ya?

Aren't you fired up enough
for both of us?

She's like talking to a stone wall.

And what do you propose,
busting through that stone wall?

Oh, come on, now, Jarrod.
I've known you to ram your head once or twice.

And sometimes
it's better to go around.

You just try goin' around
the people in this valley...

when they hear
they've lost their dam.

Nick. Now I'm sure when
Mother and Mr. Tanner...

are presented with the facts
in an unemotional way...

the plans for the dam will go ahead.

They won't if Oak Meadows
is the only answer.

- How was your trip?
- The trip was quiet.

Things changed a little
when I got here.

- How 'bout some sherry?
- Thank you.

I meant what I just said.

Well, now, I'm sure there's more
than one answer if we look for it.

Either kick him out or
get him another piece of land.

You'll do neither one. Jubal Tanner
is a very old and a very dear friend.

And you have some very old
and very dear friends here too, Mother.

Now, Mother, I'm sure whatever reason
you have, it's a good one...

but you have to consider the fact
it'll be affecting hundreds of others.

Your father promised Jubal that land
long before any of you were born.

And I'd be the first
to do what Father wanted...

but wouldn't he
have wanted the dam too?

So do I, but we don't own the land.

The deed hasn't been signed yet.

Since when does a Barkley need
his signature to make his word good?

Some broken-down old nobody drifts
in here, lookin' for somethin'-

Easy now. I drifted in here
six months ago, lookin' for somethin'.

- That was different.
- Was it?

I was looking for what I believed was mine,
a place to set some roots down.

And that old man,
he's looking for the same thing.

I just can't see
how I can argue against it.

Couldn't we at least offer him
another section of land?

Your father and I helped him
bury his wife at Oak Meadows.

What other section
would you suggest?

Right here,
we'll have a big window...

and we'll set here...

and we'll look
the whole thing over.

And over there, we'll have a fireplace
big enough to burn a half a tree.

Gosh, Gramps. Sure sounds good.
When are we gonna build it?

Oh, I figure sometime this week, when we get
enough lumber up here from town.

A real house,
with more than one room.

- That's what we'll have.
- And glass in the windows?

- And wood on the floor.
- And doors that close instead of a hangin' blanket.

And ticking to sleep on
instead of a lot of flea-bitten old fur.

- Yeah.
- And plenty of water to bathe in.

Yeah. And we'll have-

Huh? You'll have to get me first!

- You have to catch me!
- Ha-ha!

What do you want?

Seems you're set up here
for quite a time.

Well, for long enough.

Well, this isn't squatter country, old-timer.
I'm afraid you're gonna have to clear out.

- Now hold on.
- I'm speaking for the owners.

This is my land,
bought and paid for.

Well, I don't know who sold it to you,
but I guarantee you've been taken.

Well, I got no idea what that means,
and I ain't sure I care.

It means this whole area's
gonna be flooded soon.

It means there's gonna be
a dam built up here.

- Gramps!
- Don't you fret, boy.

We'll see about ownership.

Mister, one of us is in
for a powerful surprise.

Jarrod. I was just
on my way over to see you...

and I noticed this campsite here.

- What's he been saying?
- Some nonsense about a dam.

- Don't worry about a thing.
- I ain't worried.

- Jarrod, what is this?
- That's my eldest son, Jarrod.

Jarrod, do you know what this...
old man just told me?

- I know all about it, Len.
- And?

He purchased Oak Meadows
from my mother yesterday.

Well, then you buy it back.

Jarrod, it's official.
The committee approved the plans.

I've got the go-ahead
to start construction.

I'd appreciate being let in on
what this talk of a dam means.

Well, I'll tell you
one thing, old-timer.

It means trouble
if this isn't straightened out.

Now, that's no threat.
It's... just a statement of fact.

You see, there are a lot of
people with a stake in this-

a lot of people who gave
their nickels and dimes and dollars...

to pay for the lobbying
done in Sacramento.

Jarrod, you're the one
who wanted all this.

You're the one who's handled
the whole thing so far.

Now, what are you gonna do?

It'll be work for I don't know
how many of'em building it...

then there'll be new farmland
and more people to work that land.

And it'll mean new trade for
the store owners in Stockton...

and new businesses
in the valley.

It all adds up
to a lot of people, Jubal...

and a lot of opportunities
I believe they have a right to.

Jarrod, I'm 68...

and the better part of my life on this Earth,
I worked for one thing.

One thing, mind you.

Long time ago, I took
a frail, pretty little girl...

from a safe place,
and I brought her out here.

I promised her
a home ofher own.

When she died,
I promised her something else.

I promised her
the land she was buried in.

Yesterday, I kept that promise.

That might mean nothing to some-

all them years,
a promise to a dead person-

Fair enough. You was talkin' about rights,
the rights of all them people.

I figure each by theirselves
are only one, just like I'm only one...

and I got rights,
and I own this land...

and by gar, I'm going to keep it.

Well, I guess that's about
as simple as it can be put.

- Well, I tried.
- And?

He wouldn't budge.

And there it's gonna sit,
and you're gonna do nothing about it?

No, I'm still gonna try everything I know
to get him to change his mind.

Well, you better succeed,
because this whole valley isn't gonna lose out...

on account of...
one stubborn old man.

You know that.

Jarrod, that, uh-

That stubborn old man was once a very young,
very determined young man...

who was very much in love.

Believe me, he is not
going to change his mind.

- You could help me.
- No.

No, I couldn't.

Well, looks like
the hen party broke up early.

- Still going on, for all I know.
- Oh?

You should've heard what Flor Benson
had to say about Oak Meadows.

- Flor Benson?
- The Benson timber family.

Her company would supply
all the lumber if the dam were built.

Flor. Is she the one with the reddish hair,
little on the plump side?

- Yes.
- She been givin' you a hard time?

You should hear some of the things
she said about Mother.

Oh, hon. Just consider the source.

- I did more than that. I told her off.
- As only you can?

Heath.

Are you as confused as I am?

Whether to side with Mother and Tanner
orJarrod and Nick and the rest of the valley?

There's a lot of good argument
to both sides.

Well, then you
haven't decided either.

- I have.
- Then will you help me decide?

My feelings are based on a lot of things
that have only to do with me.

Fodder. Whatever you decide,
it's not gonna affect the trial.

- What trial?
- Trial of the whole Barkley family.

- The verdict will be in sometime later today.
- What does that mean?

It means thatJarrod is planning...

to sign over the deed toJubal Tanner
later this afternoon.

And I'm gonna go on over there and try to
talk some sense into him before it's too late.

- Do you wanna come along?
- Yeah, I'd kinda like to see how the trial comes out.

Little sister, I'm sorry
I can't help you decide...

but whichever road
you choose to travel...

don't you think you could
get there on your own?

Before I sign that deed, Jubal,
I'd like to point something out to you.

The Barkleys have kind of
led things in the valley...

ever since Father stood up
against the railroad people.

Now we find ourselves
in the position of...

standing in the way of progress.

They k*lled your daddy,
those hired g*ns of the railroad.

- That's right.
- 'Cause he stood for somethin' that he believed was right.

It didn't matter that he was standin' against
the railroads, who was bringin' in progress.

Jubal-

The railroads were tryin' to take over
ranch lands that had been worked for years.

Oak Meadows
hasn't been worked for years...

but it's been worked for
for years.

You should've been
a lawyer, Jubal.

Son, it's just that
a big old oak tree...

don't look the same to a ground squirrel
as it does to a hoot owl.

- That's a fine analogy. Which one am I?
- Nothing personal.

- The people will never stop trying to get you out.
- I don't reckon they will.

The majority usually rules.

That's too bad, because bein' the majority
don't make it right.

Jarrod, don't do it. You can't turn against
the people in this valley.

I'm not turning against anyone.

That's exactly what you're doin'
if you sign that deed!

When I sign this deed,
I'll be honoring an agreement made by Mother.

- Aw, now, don't throw it all up to Mother!
- Nick!

Now why don't you and Heath
go buy yourself a beer-

- I don't want a beer!
- Take him with you. He's been sitting in one place too long.

- No. Now, listen to me-
- Buy him a sarsaparilla!

Listen, Jarrod! I got just as much to say
about this as anybody else!

Nick! Do you think
this is easy for me?

Do you think I like
seeing all that work go for nothing?

It's just that I'm tryin' to be a... hoot owl
and a ground squirrel at the same time.

I guarantee you, it's not easy.

I guess that's
supposed to mean something.

- All of a sudden, I've got a thirst.
- Well, I haven't!

- What do you say, boy, a big sarsaparilla?
- Yes, sir.

If Father were alive,
I know what he'd say...

and do.

- This is no place to bring a kid.
- Why not?

Raised in a mining camp.
He knows what a saloon looks like.

I've lugged more than
a few growlers for the miners.

- Penny a bucket.
- I used to make money the same way when I was a kid.

- Yeah?
- Did you ever lick the foam off the top of a can?

Just once. Gramps smelled it on my breath.
Never tasted it since.

- You ever sneak rides on the cars down into the deep mines?
- Did in Angels Camp.

- While you two cut up old times, I'll get myself a beer.
- And a big sarsaparilla.

And a big sarsaparilla.

Two beers and a large sarsaparilla.

Mindin' the kid while the old man
gets Oak Meadows deeded over?

Pull in your fangs, Dutton.
For the first time in my life, I'm on your side.

- Rest of the Barkleys don't seem to be.
- For sure the old lady ain't.

You shut your mouth,
or I won't be either.

Barkley. Where would you be if somebody
tried persuadin' the old man?

Crowell, even you wouldn't go after
an old man and a kid.

I used to take a big old fishnet,
put the dirty clothes in...

and throw it all in the stream.

You know a Paiute Indian
taught me that?

Nick, he used to make money
washin' the miners' clothes, same as I did.

- Sounds like fun.
- It's fun talkin' about it. Wasn't much fun doin' it.

No, it sure wasn't.
That water got mighty cold, didn't it?

The worst time
was when it rained.

And the camp streets turned to mud
clean up to your knees.

And it'd slide into the tents
and get into the blankets and everything.

Boy, oh, boy. It sure made sleepin'
a bit uncomfortable.

- You lived all the time with your grandfather, boy?
- Long as I can remember.

Uh, wasn't there any other, uh,
kin that you stayed with?

Got an uncle in Denver.

But I'd never leave Gramps,
tough as things was at times.

Oak Meadows always seemed
a long ways off.

There was times I thought I'd never see it,
but Gramps said we would.

I'm sure sorry
for what it's costin' everybody...

but you can't say
it's wrong our havin' it.

You see some right to that,
don't you, Mr. Barkley?

How come he doesn't talk
like other boys his age?

- Grow up fast in a mining camp, Nick.
- Uh-huh.

- Jubal, let me get you a chair.
- Thank you, son.

You could still make a fair profit
if you sell right now, old man.

- Appreciate your offer.
- It ain't no offer. It's a warning.

That dam goin' in means work.

No sourdough lookin' for
a place for his bones to rot...

is gonna take no jobs
away from us.

Is this a private finger-jabbin' game
or can anybody play?

The lines are drawin' mighty fast.

Any you're pullin' 'em
pretty tight, Dutton.

I'll take the opposite side
of this suck-egg any time.

Right now.

Get him.

All right. Break it up!

Come on. I said break it up.
Break it up!

Come on. I saw him headin' this way.
I knew there'd be trouble.

- Missed all the fun, Sheriff.
- Mm-hmm. Clear out!

Now there are two sides
to this story.

There sure are. And I never thought I'd see
a Barkley on the side...

- which was against bringin' water into this valley.
- Now wait-

Now get! Or I'll have you all arrested
for disturbin' the peace.

You can take them two with ya.

Come on, Jubal.

Come on.

- You couldn't sleep.
- No.

When your father
was troubled over something...

he used to look for answers
this way too.

I could use some answers.

Why is it when we grow up, we hold back
instead of coming right out and asking...

like you did
when you were a little boy?

Whatever reasons you have
for backing Jubal Tanner are your own.

I have two reasons.

Len Colter's gonna press
for a suit of eminent domain.

I presumed he would.

I'm not sure
I'm gonna oppose him.

If you were sure, would you be down here now
staring into the fire?

You know what happened
to Nick and Heath in town today.

Yes, I know, but that isn't
what's bothering you.

No. No, the pettiness
I can cope with.

But I can't ignore
the reason for it.

Your friend Jubal has set himself up
against the majority.

"But where there is one,
there is a majority of one. "

"And when the rights of the majority
take away from the rights of the one...

then the many
will themselves suffer. "

Thoreau.

Isn't that the intent of the law-

the protection of the individual?

LikeJubal Tanner.

And your father.

No one could take away
from him what was his.

Not even the railroad
who k*lled him.

There are some who say
your father's principles k*lled him.

Well, he was a man who would rather die
for a principle than live without one.

Thank you, lovely lady.

I think maybe I can sleep now.

I told you I had
two reasons for backing Jubal.

And I told you whatever reasons
you had were your own.

Yes, but I want you
to know the other one now.

A long time ago, when
I first married your father...

Jubal Tanner married
my best friend, Margaret Putnam.

We came west
through the valley together.

There was a fire,
a fire all around us.

Your father was offhunting.

Jubal, Margaret and their son
were riding in the wagon.

I was riding horseback.
When I was thrown, I cried out.

Jubal stopped
and ran back to help me.

The team bolted, and...

Margaret was k*lled
when the wagon overturned.

We buried her in Oak Meadows...

and I've never forgotten
nor forgiven myself, because...

I should be the one buried there.

Because of him, I wasn't.

Because of him,
you, Nick, Eugene, Audra-

That's why,
in spite of everything...

he must keep Oak Meadows.

Mornin', ma'am. Mornin'-

- Well, this is all of it.
- Boy, howdy. Some people.

I swear, if Perkins had
popped off one more time...

one of his sly digs,
I'd have floored him.

I don't mean Perkins.
His kind, you can expect it.

- Do you know who just cut me colder than a fish?
- Who?

Lucy Collyer. I was just dancin' with her
last week at Otto Miller's barn raising.

- Lot can happen in a week.
- Like I didn't know.

Seems to me you're changin'
your mind about all this, huh?

Snubs and sly cracks are nothin'
compared to what it's gonna be before long.

Ah, to blazes with 'em.

- What are you doin' up?
- I got bird wings flapping in my stomach.

Know how you feel...

- like you gotta breathe long and deep or you'll bust.
- Yeah.

How much longer
it's gonna take, Gramps?

Well, at the rate
we're goin', about-

Now you just pack up and go back
where you come from, mister...

'cause next time, we won't pull it down,
we'll burn it down!

You kinda got the feelin' that maybe
that old man thinks we didn't mean it...

what we told him last night?

By the looks of them supplies,
and his goin' into Andy's place here...

seems to me he aims
to make us prove it.

Now ain't that
kinda foolish, old man?

- You might still to get a good price.
- You're wastin' your breath.

You may bury me on that land,
but you'll never drive me from it.

All right.
That's the way you want it.

Chad, what happened?

- Bunch of riders came last night.
- Where's your grandfather?

- In town. Be back directly.
- He's all right?

Yes, ma'am. A little mad,
but he's sure all right.

- Did you get a good look at those men?
- Yes, sir.

They were the ones
your brothers tangled with in the saloon.

- You're sure?
- I'm sure. Me and Gramps was standing just over there.

Well, I'm glad they didn't hurt you,
just frightened you.

Whoa.

I see you had callers.

Well, I'll greet them
a little more... personal next time.

That's not the answer, Jubal.

It's one they'll remember though.

- How many of them were there?
- Nine, 10.

And you're gonna try
and stand 'em off alone?

- Well, I ain't gonna crawl.
- What about Chad?

Victoria, I was hopin'
he could stay with you for a few days.

- I'm stayin' here.
- You're gonna do as I tell ya, boy.

I've been a part of it all till now.

You heard your grandfather.

Well, if there's going to be more trouble,
I guess you'll need some help.

Help? What in blazes
do you want me to do?

I can't be out there
guardin' him every night.

Dutton and the others
will be back.

- I talked to Dutton. He denies it.
- He's lying and you know it.

Equal protection
under the law, Sheriff.

ProtectJubal Tanner
in spite of your personal feelings.

- It's your duty.
- Don't tell me my duty.

I'm telling you to order Dutton and the others
to stay out of Oak Meadows...

or deputize enough men
to see that there's no more trouble there.

- I can't.
- Can't... or won't?

Besides the Barkleys, you name me
one person who'll stand up for that old man.

- In this whole valley, you name me one-
- Fred!

They destroyed his house last night.
Maybe next time they'll k*ll him.

Is that the way
you want it handled?

Of course not. I'm against violence,
the same as you.

- Then let the people know that.
- But there's going to be violence.

Sure as I'm standing here,
there's gonna be violence...

unless that old man
settles somewhere else.

And if he doesn't,
I think they're gonna k*ll him.

No, I don't think they are.

Len, you know they are.

We played poker together too many years.
I can read you like a book.

I've got no more to say, Jarrod.

If anyone dies,
you'll have had a hand in it.

- I have no part in any of it. You can't tie me into a thing.
- They'd listen to you.

You and all the others
who've turned their back on me...

they'll all have had a hand in it.

You'll not lay it
on my doorstep, Jarrod.

Then whose blame is it...
when a handful of perennial troublemakers...

act as spokesmen
for the entire valley?

Not the entire valley.

I couldn't find one
who would stand with us.

It's been three days. Maybe they've decided
to letJubal alone after all.

- They figure to strike sooner or later.
- Sooner or later.

In the meantime, there's all kind of land
he can have instead.

- Who said anything about land?
- Isn't that what this is all about?

- No, Brother Nick. It isn't.
- Nicholas.

What if this particular
piece of land...

had a very particular meaning
to someone close to you?

That would all depend
on what that meaning was.

If land weren't the issue,
but it were a matter of personal rights...

and standing on those rights,
no matter how unpopular they may be...

is a hundred percent
within the law?

Well, I'd say, uh, one man's
personal rights standing alone...

are just as important
as one man's personal rights...

standing with a crowd.

Guess it sometimes takes a while...

but eventually the Barkleys get around
to seein' eye to eye with one another.

Why aren't you back at the house
where you belong?

- I been here every night since you have.
- You have?

Yes, sir. I been hidin'
in that tree clump yonder.

Get down behind that wheel,
where I can see you.

And lie flat.

Dutton, this is Jarrod Barkley.

We didn't figure on you
bein' in on this, Barkley.

And his brothers.!

So it won't be just
tryin' to scare off one old man.

- Take your men and go, Dutton. You're breaking the law.
- We'll go when he goes.

Nobody's gonna drive me
off this land.

Jubal.! Jubal, get back.!

Now.

- I just found out.
- Yeah.

I'm sorry, Jarrod. I'm really sorry.

You're a little late, Sheriff.

There. That looks much better.

- Just try not to keep tugging at it.
- I'll try.

And tell your uncle to write us
that you arrived safely.

- Yes, ma'am.
- How 'bout an apple, Chad?

Well, everything's in order.

Chad, here's your train ticket...

and here's a bank draft
in your name...

for all the money
your grandfather saved for that land.

Thank you, sir.

You figure the dam
will go in now?

Yeah. I think so.

You know, Chad, they held
a special council meeting in town today...

and everyone- the sheriff
and even Len Colter-

wants you to know
how sorry they feel.

- That's just words.
- No, more than just words.

They want your permission
to name it theJubal Tanner Dam.

I don't know.

Chad.

Chad, you can go on being
bitter about what happened...

but that's not the way
he would have wanted it.

I know that for a fact.

TheJubal Tanner Dam.

You tell 'em fine,
but if it has his name...

it better be the best dam in the whole world.

Boy, you don't talk or act
like any kid I ever met.

Sure doesn't. Come on,
or we'll miss your train.

Why don't you ride in the buggy
with Mother and me?

- Would you like to drive?
- Hey! My stuff!

Come on, boy!