The Golden Boys Page #6

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Well, I will say...

I did wonder more than a few.

Well, I am surprised that you

ain't asked me before.

My husband's name was Jubal Snow.

He was a good husband.

No better anywheres.

He and I had a good life together.

Our trouble was we didn't calculate...

...that fair weather

wouldn't last all the time.

Well, he took down sick...

...and he had to quit going to sea.

And we had a little house in Nantucket...

...and we settled on it.

Finally, we come to where we

had to do something right away...

...and we talked the whole thing out...

...and we decided to mortgage the house.

The money we got

from the mortgage, though...

...lasted until Jubal died.

They foreclosed the mortgage

and gave me notice to move out.

So I packed my things...

...and watered my flowers for the last time.

You know, I had a beautiful garden.

Fire. Fire.

It's blazing.

It's burning. The fire...

John, don't talk so.

Where's the kerosene...

...and the matches?

Now, softly...

...softly...

The shavings.

It's dark here in the corner.

"And all their goodly castles with fire. "

John, be still.

Be still.

Be still.

He had just such a turn last night.

Did he talk like he did just now?

Just the same.

Saying the same things?

Yes.

Then you knew.

That he set the billiard room afire?

Yes.

I always rather suspicioned that he did...

...and, of course, last night

just made me sure of it.

Did you think that I knew?

Always thought that you did.

When I found him,

he had his coat on...

...and it was... it was all burnt...

...and he had

an empty kerosene bottle...

...in his pocket.

I hid them both...

...and then I turned him around

so it looked like...

...he was running towards the saloon...

...instead of from it.

I feel like I'm

a firebug myself sometimes.

Captain Zeb,

do you think I blame you...

...for trying to keep

your best friend out of trouble...

...for being, well, out of his head?

Land of mercy.

He ain't no more to be

held responsible than a baby.

You did exactly what I would've done

if I'd been in your place.

Mrs. Snow...

...you are just exactly...

...the kind of woman...

...that I wish I'd had...

...for a sister.

Yes...

- Did it again, did you, Margaret?

- Hi.

Nice work.

I was just helping Martha here...

...take some groceries home.

I was telling her how wonderful it was...

...that we've got her

to take care of us.

Well, with John Bartlett and all, it's...

Were you, now?

Captain Perez has been

such a comfort to me today.

Insisting on carrying the groceries

and helping clean the house.

Some girl will be awfully lucky

to land him one day.

Well, if he ever consents to marry.

A confirmed bachelor, he is.

Now, Melissa will marry him...

...but he won't have none of that.

That's not true.

I'd marry.

Melissa... Just isn't my type.

Perez, can I have a word with you?

Excuse me.

Now what?

Stop two-timing Jerry.

Melissa's the one for you.

That's our backup.

She's a sure thing, not Mrs. Snow.

Why not?

Well, don't take this

personal or nothing, Perez...

...but when all you got is a hand line...

...and a scrap of squid for fishing...

...you really can't be going after whales...

Hey, Sonny, is Miss Preston gone yet?

No, she ain't. She's up there.

Mr. Saunders is there, too.

Saunders? Web Saunders?

I'm telling you right now...

I ain't nobody's fool.

You're making $14 a week,

and all you're paying me is 6!

I want more, I tell you.

Sure smells good.

I hope you didn't spend all day.

Making that?

Oh, no. I didn't spend even

a second on it.

Melissy Busteed made it.

She brought the whole pot

over this morning.

Really? She wanted you

to have the first taste.

- Is that true?

- Oh, yeah.

For me.

Miss Busteed.

What?

Not only did I find that burnt coat.

...and empty kerosene bottle on the hill...

...but I found his big, fancy, white hat.

Found that hat, did you?

That's I done.

Where do you think I found it?

In the back of my shed...

...right where the fire started.

And there was a pile

of ashes there, too.

And there was kerosene on him.

What kind of fool do you think I am...

...that I wouldn't know

who started that fire?

I knew the night she burned.

And when Doc Palmers said

that Bartlett had took sick...

I went right up the hill,

and I started hunting.

And I found things.

And the things I found, I kept.

Do you, now?

Dear, dear.

And when that girl come here...

...and starts swelling around

and putting on the airs...

I sees my chance.

So I tell her, "You better pay up...

...or I'm going to have your old granddad

shoved into Barnstable jail. "

You lowlife, thieving rascal.

I'm giving you a chance

you don't deserve.

You either pay back that money

to that girl you stole it from...

...or I'm going to walk out that door...

...and when I'm come back,

I will have the sheriff with me.

Go ahead.

Bring the sheriff up here...

...and I'll march him

right down to your house...

...and I'll show him the man

that set my house on fire.

That doesn't frighten me.

It doesn't?

It doesn't. Why not?

He's gone someplace

where you can't get him.

He just died just before I left the house.

He died?

Died.

And your proof don't amount

to a hill of beans.

Well...

Well, now...

Captain Hedge...

I don't think we ought

to be fighting like this.

Neither one of us...

...really wants to see any trouble,

so maybe there's a way...

...that this thing could be worked out?

You no-good scoundrel.

You give her that money back...

...or I'll break you in two myself.

John is gone.

He's gone to a better place.

He being gone is a great loss to us...

...a great loss for this town...

...but a great blessing for heaven.

We're going to miss his courage...

...his insight...

...and the powerful example he was...

...for... For all of us.

Let us pray.

So, Jer...

...now that John's in the ground...

...we got to talk about

this marriage business.

Well, I don't see why she can't keep on

being a housekeeper...

...like she was.

Well, I do. Jerry...

...you've got to ask her to marry you.

Now, why don't you stick

to your own concerns...

...and give me a bit of time?

Jerry, you've had enough time.

I think a heap of Mrs. Snow.

She's a fine, pretty woman.

I'd be proud to have her as my wife.

But I just ain't

the spunk yet to ask her.

The spunk?

It don't take much spunk.

I need a month at least.

- A month?

- Well, three weeks.

A week.

I give you one week.

Get...

There's Melissy.

I think I'm going to go over

and say some nice words to her.

Perez, I thought you weren't

too keen on old Melissy.

I'll give you she's talkative.

She's talkative. But after she brought

the chowder the other day...

I have a whole new appreciation...

...for the woman.

Listen to that wind.

I think we're in for a northeaster.

How about a game of cards?

I should like to stay, Captain...

...but how will I get back to the station...

...if this storm grows any worse?

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