Far and Away Page #7

Oh, Lord, l'm cursed.

Mother, the clothes will never come

clean if you don't get your hands wet.

There's no order

in this godforsaken place.

Here. Take the soap

and you plunge and scrub.

- ''Plunge and scrub''?

- Like so.

Nora!

l've been shot.

Shot?

Well, shot at, anyway...

by the cavalry.

We crossed the starting line

and we broke the law.

Daniel Christie, l will not have you

riding tomorrow...

in that vulgarity of a race.

The wild west suits me, Nora.

There's no telling what l might do.

Shannon, l found it!

Twenty miles straight west of here.

lt's paradise itself.

You will love it.

The earth is dry and dusty here...

but where we'll live

there's a winding stream...

and the grass on the gentle hills

around it grows high and rich and green.

lt's the plot of land

you've dreamed of.

Excuse me, Stephen.

- Are you cross with me?

- Of course l am.

We were doing this together,

l thought.

l couldn't take you with me today.

lt was too dangerous.

l don't mind a little danger

now and then.

Stop this childishness.

Are we not here, your parents and l,

because you wanted this?

Tomorrow we'll ride as one,

together, side by side.

We'll claim our land,

and then we'll marry...

and finally settle down.

You do want to settle down,

don't you, Shannon?

Yes.

Yes, l want to settle down.

There now. That's better.

l hate to see you angry.

lt isn't your nature to be so.

Hello, Shannon.

l wondered if l'd see you here.

l suspected that l might.

That's right. l saw you living

back in Boston all this while.

You look well. Well.

l'm here with my family.

We came by train.

l came by train myself.

You'll be running in the race

tomorrow, l presume.

l always said l'd get my land.

l even bought a horse.

A fine horse.

Well-

Time takes care of everything,

doesn't it?

Everything's worked out...

as it should have.

Don't you agree?

Yeah.

Good luck tomorrow, Joseph.

Aye.

Best of luck to you, Shannon.

Shannon Christie!

You never gave up.

You knew what you wanted

back in lreland.

And look at ya.

Here ya are.

You're a corker, Shannon.

What a corker you are.

Beautiful country, isn't it, boy?

l found the perfect piece of land

for Shannon and me.

Almost a picture

of what she described.

The land of her dreams.

Congratulations.

Just what the hell

are you doing here?

You bring her to me bleeding,

and now you think you can talk to her?

Stay away from her.

Do you hear me?

There'll be a lot of confusion

in the race tomorrow, lad.

Someone could get shot.

Her beautiful eyes

Were a terrible curse

Three days in his grave

She ran off with his purse

They've got their land all picked out,

the pair of them.

The land of her dreams.

All those months...

l was trying to forget about her.

l was laying down the very track

that brought her here.

To hell with everyone.

l'm gonna get my land.

That's my thought for the night.

Tomorrow l ride for me.

Me alone.

And my horse.

Sweet Mary and Jesus...

and all the saints preserve us.

That there was the oldest horse

l ever saw in my life.

lt's almost noon.

We're gonna miss the photograph.

All right. Ready?

l sold him that horse.

Don't let him bluff you, cowboy!

We're breaking the law, Nora.

l don't like you taking charge

of the business side of our life.

Oh, you do too.

Now, listen up.

This stake goes into the ground

over there.

That's your job.

l'll tell you when.

l, meanwhile,

will run the horse around in circles.

He's got to look

all sweaty and tired.

- Even dead would be good. Got it?

- Yes.

But we don't really need

all of this.

lt's scary out here, Daniel.

Ah, we'll do fine.

Pretend we're starting out in life...

instead of ending up.

Anyone buy a good pair of spurs?

Sorry.

The race is that way, lad.

Forget the horse, lad...

and find yourself a donkey.

Take him by the bit.

Where the hell is he going?

Shoot him!

Fire!

Get up!

That way!

l have no wish to fight you.

God protect us!

Daniel, here they come!

Stand by, partner,

and pretend you're out of breath.

Pretend? My heart's

up here in my nose.

Oh, my God, Nora.

Oh, this is thrilling.

Nora! Now, Nora! Now!

There it is!

Come on!

Come on, Shannon!

Hurry!

Come on. Come on.

Get up!

Grab the reins!

Are you all right, Shannon?

Go, Joseph. Go.

Ride!

Go get your land.

You're not in lreland anymore...

you arrogant bastard.

Damn it, Shannon. Do you want

your land or don't you?

This land is mine!

Mine by destiny!

Go ahead, Joseph.

Claim it.

- Shannon. Claim it.

- Stephen!

Look out, Joseph!

Oh, my God!

- Joseph!

- Don't touch him!

- Get away!

- Listen to me!

Get away, Stephen!

Leave!

Joseph, look at me.

Look at me.

No, don't move.

Stay still.

Don't do this.

- You've made your choice.

- Joseph, look at me.

Look at me. Look at me.

- Joseph, look at me.

- l feel myself dying.

No, you stay looking at my eyes.

Look at my eyes, Joseph.

- Shannon.

- No, you're not dying.

Look, you've got your land.

But all the land in the world

means nothing to me without you.

l tried to prove myself to you...

but l know nothing of books,

alphabets...

or sun or moon or-

All l know...

is Joseph loves Shannon.

That's all that matters to me.

No, stay with me. Stay.

Joseph, look at me.

Joseph, please.

Please, don't leave me.

Please, don't leave me alone.

Please.

No, please, God in heaven,

please.

Don't leave me.

This is our dream together.

l don't want this

without you.

l loved you.

l loved you

from the first time l saw you.

l often wondered about that.

You died. You died.

But you could be sure

l won't be dying twice.

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