Serena

---

I have dogs bigger than that.

I thought you said

there were panthers here.

I ain't seen a panther

in these mountains for nine years.

Then what about the carcass

Snipes found up in Noland?

- Something mauled that.

- That weren't no panther.

The chest weren't tore open.

They eat the heart first.

You find me an honest-to-God panther

to hunt

and I'll give you a $20 gold piece.

If there's a panther still around,

it's likely touched by the devil.

May end up hunting you.

Well, I want one.

Vaughn. Would you have the girl

bring me my meal?

- Coming down!

- Stand clear!

Timber!

George!

All right, bring her around.

Albert! What are you doing out here?

Well, a letter came from the bank.

Oh, it's nothing to worry about.

Look, you're going to have to

renegotiate the loan.

I'll go up to Boston next week

and settle it. Don't fret.

Get it up! Come on.

- My uncle's a partner. Don't forget.

- That's right but still.

See, if we go up the north ridge

and we carry it all the way down...

Get it off!

Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!

Rumour has it that Congress is creating

a national park in Carolina.

Well, the park may come.

By the time the government takes

the land,

there won't be a tree standing.

The trouble is, George,

with this recent market crash,

I'm afraid your stocks are no longer

sufficient collateral

for us to roll a loan over.

I mean, all my capital

is wrapped up in Carolina.

What about this land in Brazil?

I'd rather not touch that.

You should have married Peg Lowell

when you had the chance.

Then you wouldn't have to bow

and scrape for your bankers.

Well, you're up on the news, aren't you?

I am. That's why you should

talk to your sister more often.

- I came to visit you this week.

- Once.

In how long?

I don't know what you're doing

tearing down that mountain,

God knows where, and for what?

Why can't you ever do anything sensible?

I'm doing quite well, thank you.

- Will there be anything else?

- No, thank you.

That woman you're slavering over

is practically an aborigine, you know.

Raised on a timber camp.

A timber camp?

Yes, I thought you'd like that.

Unfortunately, it burned down

and killed her whole family.

And two days after the fire,

a rescue party found Serena

wandering in the ruins,

calling for her dead brothers

and sisters.

She was so covered in ash,

they thought she was a ghost.

She is beautiful.

Wounded.

Mad for trees.

Hmm.

It's a pity you don't stand a chance

with her.

What are you doing?

- I just wanted to say hello.

- Well, hello.

George Pemberton.

Serena Shaw.

I think we should be married.

I can't wait to get there.

Oh! Welcome back!

- Splendid trip.

- Good!

- I can't wait to fill you in.

- Yeah.

I hope you didn't get all dolled up

on my account.

Oh, no, no.

- Hello.

- Hello.

What...

Well, what do you think of my wife?

What? Why didn't you tell me?

I, you know...

Jesus, George! Why didn't you tell me?

I would have, you know...

This is Buchanan.

He's my right-hand man.

- Serena Pemberton.

- Oh.

Don't you know how to shake hands

properly, Mr. Buchanan?

Well, of course I do.

I'm very happy to meet you.

And, uh, well, welcome!

So did Galloway find my panther yet?

Well, a worker found some tracks

up on Laurel Creek

but Galloway thinks that was a bobcat.

- Are panthers common here?

- No, no, nothing to worry about.

I mean, there's some question

as to whether there are any left at all.

I was hoping to see my new home

before it gets dark.

Yes, of course.

- That girl...

- It doesn't matter.

Our love began the day we met.

Nothing that happened before

even exists.

Keep your eyes closed.

- Give me your hand.

Step down. Watch your head.

One more. One more.

Okay. Okay. Wait.

On three, you can open your eyes.

One, two, three.

That's beautiful, George.

And that's just the start.

I bought an amazing property in Brazil.

- Brazil?

- Yes.

Virgin forest for hundreds of miles.

Mahogany.

Raw and beautiful.

Completely untouched.

Can't find something like that

in America.

You want that, don't you?

More than anything.

I never thought I'd find you.

I never thought I'd find anyone.

Really. You have no idea.

Doc! Doc!

Come on.

Chaney!

Got ourselves another one.

Ah, you're too late. There's nothing

I can do. Put him in the chair.

Rattlesnake?

Yeah,

it's gotten worse since you left.

The crews get spooked and fall behind.

We've lost six men

in the last two months.

Sh*t.

In Colorado, we had a trained eagle

to keep the snakes under control.

Right. Well, I don't think you'll find

any eagles in Carolina, Mrs. Pemberton.

Well, we should import one.

Yeah, of course.

Yeah, we should import one. Why not?

So I understand you have some experience

in the lumber business, Mrs. Pemberton?

My father had 40,000 acres in Colorado.

Had?

I do hope he didn't lose them

in this awful crash.

He died.

Her father was

a first-rate timber man, Dr. Chaney.

He had her riding the slope

before she could walk.

Well, that gives you

the advantage over us, Mrs. Pemberton.

I sure would like to know what you

think of our little operation here.

Aside from our obvious lack

of an eagle, that is.

I think you've taken nine months

to do about six months' work.

But a few changes should greatly

increase profitability.

What did you find, a wife or a partner?

Both.

I suppose Mrs. Buchanan

takes no interest in your work?

Oh, I'm a bachelor.

I can assure you, Mr. Buchanan,

I didn't come to Carolina

to do needlepoint.

Of course not.

She is a pistol.

Buchanan's a funny one, isn't he?

He seems a little bit, I don't know,

too fond of you.

What do you mean?

He'll loosen up.

Yeah.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Mrs. Pemberton's father owned

the Vulcan Lumber Company in Colorado.

And she's equal to any man here.

I expect you to follow her orders

the same way you follow mine

or Mr. Campbell or Mr. Buchanan's.

And she'll take no quarter

and she'll expect none.

You'll soon see the truth of that.

Good day.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Come on, now.

Let's get to it.

The trees ain't gonna

cut themselves, boys.

- Mrs. Pemberton.

- Campbell.

How's everything going?

Well, good as can be expected, ma'am.

Don't notch so high!

You're wasting a foot of timber.

Any lower won't fall clear, ma'am.

Yonder's in the way.

Give me your axe.

- Ma'am?

- You heard me.

- It'll clear.

- Ma'am.

What do you think?

She'll clear.

Get back to work.

Who's that man up there?

His name is Galloway, ma'am.

- He seems standoffish.

- He is.

He's the best hunting guide

in over a hundred miles.

Track a grasshopper on a cap rock.

He say he has a gift of visioning.

Whatever that is, I don't know.

Mr. Galloway.

Serena Pemberton.

You were in prison.

Why?

Manslaughter.

He had it coming.

Stand back, now.

- Timber!

- Tree down!

Our Smoky Mountains contain

the last virgin forests

in the eastern United States.

But with every passing year,

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