Horizons West

Woh there.

Excuse me a minute, Major.

You know, I've been thinking

about home the past couple hours.

These here hills and all this mud

is beginning to get me.

Didn't seem to notice it so much

when we was a fighting

but this just riding along

through it day after day gets awful.

Hello there little fellow.

I'd sure be glad to get back

home to Texas again.

Tell us about Texas, Tiny.

He must think we're from that place

they call "the rest of the world".

You mean to tell me there's

someplace else besides Texas?

Yep.

I was sort of hoping we were

just living in a bad dream.

Don't you think it's about time

you two woke up?

Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga...

Dirt, muck, blood.

Four years for nothing.

We fought for something we believed.

There's been no disgrace.

- So we pick off where we left off?

- Lf we make up our minds to it.

I wish I were like you, Neil.

You can make the best of anything.

- So can you.

- No.

No. At least I'm smart enough

to know myself.

See little brother,

I just don't like to lose.

I don't know about you fellows,

but I got me a lot of plans.

I figure the future of Texas

lies in its people.

I'm going back to assist

the ever expanding population

- of my beloved state.

- Think your wife still loves you?

You know she does.

I got two kids to prove it

and they'll be more little Texans.

You're a fine shepherd!

That poor little lamb

might have drowned.

Yes, sir.

When Tiny McGilligan

gets back to Texas they'll be

calling me "populating papa".

Well Dan,

we're finally getting close to home.

Got a lot of years to make up.

You said it just right Neil,

a lot of years to make up.

Believe me,

I'm gonna make them.

Are you sure this is Austin?

Maybe we've been away

more than four years.

Why don't you two look around

for a couple of minutes?

I got something to tend to.

I'll take those Miss.

I'd say Miss on first and second

sight you don't need a new hat.

You must be a stranger here.

That's right.

First return in four years.

- Major there have been changes.

- I can see that.

I hope you think they're

for the better.

I'm not in a position to know...

Yet.

Maybe you'll find out soon.

I wonder what you'd look like with

a shave and some up to date clothes.

Goodbye.

Dan, you can look but

even that's wasting your time.

She's taken.

Sam Hunter!

You're the first proof I've had

that I'm back in Austin.

You're not only back but

I'll buy you a welcome home drink.

Let's go.

Now she's known Alexis,

the darling of Texas.

She is just a five foot girl

but she gives 6 footers a whirl.

That's what they say about Alexis,

the darling of Texas.

Looks like you got the wealth

of the world right here in Austin.

A lot of it here alright.

We really do have it though.

Most new money, northern capitol.

I guessed as much.

If a fellow has money,

there are ways of making more.

I hope some of it

has rubbed off on you.

No, still chief country clerk.

Good job.

But I reckon I just lack

the old savvy, that's all.

That girl in the carriage,

who is she?

I told you, she's taken.

- What do you mean taken?

- Married.

- To whom?

- Cord Hardin, from Illinois.

Money, plenty of it.

Ranches, cattle...

How do you stack up against that?

I don't.

I'm one of the vanquished.

Back home and broke kind.

A fellow gets back and looks

at all this wealth

he begins thinking.

- About making money?

- Making big money, fast money.

You got any ideas?

No, but if I could

get a start somewhere...

I better find Neil before he thinks

I'm swallowed up by the new world.

Good luck.

Sal!

Sally Eaton!

Neil!

Welcome home.

Tiny!

When did you get back?

Just passing through

on the way to the circle H.

Dan with you?

- Is he around here?

- Somewhere around here.

- Where?

- I don't keep him on a rope.

You've grown up and you're

even prettier if that's possible.

Well thanks.

- What are you doing here in Austin?

- Father died last year so I...

Mother wrote us about it.

Don't tell me your running

the freight company?

Look just because this is

a man's world is no reason a woman...

A woman?

- She's still wet behind the ears!

- Say that again!

Easy gal.

She's still the Texas terror.

Dan!

Dan, welcome home.

- Don't you remember me?

- Of course I do. Sal Eaton!

You sure grown up!

No wonder I didn't recognize you.

You're forgiven.

We better get started.

The sun's moving.

Good to see you Sally girl.

Come by the ranch sometime Sal

and visit the folks.

- Yeah do that Pigtail.

- As soon as I can.

- Ma!

- Mr. Hammond!

Daddy's coming home!

Hi bud.

Dan!

- How you been?

- How are you!

Dad!

Children this is your father,

General McGilligan.

He win the whole war.

Juan, what a big soldier you are.

And little Celeste, what a beauty.

How proud I am of you.

Ma, you're wonderful.

Ira, I don't know how to thank you

for taking care of my family.

They've done a lot

to take care of us.

It isn't every ranch that's lucky

enough to have a foreman like you.

- We missed you.

- Thanks Martha.

Major, I'll take care of the horses.

You folks go on in the house.

Right.

What are we having for dinner?

- Cornbread?

- We've had it in the over for weeks.

And here are the two of you

as youngsters.

Neil was a little beauty, wasn't he?

Yeah, the two Hammond kids,

"Beauty and the Beast".

It seems like yesterday.

Here's a picture of you we took

right after you came to live with us.

It's nice to have been picked.

I hear he just happened.

Boys, boys...

Pretty wonderful having

you boys home again.

That's something special

I've been saving.

There've been time over the years

when I didn't think...

That's alright Dad.

There've been time over the years

when we didn't think so either.

- Here son.

- Ira!

Thanks, Dad.

Here's to us!

- What is this stuff?

- Whiskey.

Won't be long before

the Circle H is yours.

Maybe mother and I will take

a trip back to Kentucky.

But now tomorrow.

We'll start life as if there'd been no war.

Yeah. That's alright.

What's the matter, boy?

I don't know. It seems

kind of quiet around here.

Well Texas is a big country.

Sound gets lost in it.

Maybe I've been so used to sound

and excitement that

the idea of ranching kind

of slipped away from me.

It'll slip right back again.

Tomorrow you'll get into it.

You never really lose

the love of ranching.

Well we better get some sleep.

Tomorrow's a big day.

Good night, Dan.

Good night, Mother.

You really like this, don't you?

Sure.

I believe you do.

For Dad's sake,

try to make a go of it.

It'll break his heart if you give up.

Let's just do one more.

It's getting late.

Near supper time.

There's excitement

in this ranching Dan.

A man and his dreams,

the cattle and the future. Yes sir.

We used to talk about this,

what we'd do when we got back.

Well, we're doing it.

The old life again.

Yeah. The old life again.

Dad.

Who are those men down there?

Just about everything

under the sun I guess.

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