The Man from Snowy River Page #3

I have no brother.

We have a early start in the morning

Good Night!

``And Laban said unto him,

```I pray thee, if I have found

favour in thine eyes, tarry,

```for I have learned by experience

```that the Lord hath blessed me

for thy sake.'

``And he said...''

Here - last time I saw a saddle like that,

it was at the circus, you know?

Had a monkey riding on it!

Where's your rope, Curly? Give up?

```..and how thy cattle was with me.'''

KANE:
Lads.

I want everyone saddled and packed

by sunrise.

We'll eat at the Perry homestead.

The only time

the boss eats his own beef.

And he don't know it.

Yeah!

Anything special we've got to take?

There's been a change of plans.

You won't be going on this muster, Jim.

W...?

They've probably seen

that half-pie mule of yours!

He's a mountain horse.

He knows that country better than I.

I don't make the orders.

But when I give them, that's the end of it.

Anyone not ready to go by dawn

gets their tail ends kicked!

```..spotted cattle,

and all the brown cattle among...'''

You too short man.

Amen.

``And there were spot...''

Mr Kane?

Why? Why me?

I think I know.

You'll get your chance, Jim.

Don't forget to feed the chooks bandicoot.

Pshht!

Really, Jessica.

You're attacking that piece with all

the sensitivity of a road-mender.

Now, let's begin again, shall we?

And this time, `con amore'.

And spare me

the affectations of martyrdom.

Come.

Ah, hello, Jim.

Ma'am.

Uh...Mrs Bailey said I should

bring this up. To save her legs.

Your timing is Jessica's salvation.

Hello.

Whoops.

Will you join us for tea?

No. I can't, Mrs Hume.

Oh, nonsense.

Male company will be a pleasant relief

in this hothouse of female emotions.

Er, Jessica, pour the tea.

I'll get another cup.

Do you mind?

Well, no. Why should I?

Well...we're both feeling

sorry for ourselves today.

Neither is where we want to be.

Yeah.

I think they're trying to make

a butler out of me.

Well, they're trying

to make a lady out of me.

They won't have no luck.

Thank you very much!

Hang on. That's not what I...

They won't make a gentleman

out of you either.

Do you play?

Yes. Just a bit.

Before my mum died,

she was starting to teach me.

Do you miss her?

Yeah.

Yeah, I miss her.

I never knew my mother.

I'm sorry.

I bet she was pretty.

Like you.

Mmm, thank you, kind sir.

Thanks for the tea...

..Jessica.

I've got a few jobs to finish

before dinnertime.

There's a man.

Yeah.

He's a pretty thing.

There's not a mean bone in his body.

Curly will find one.

He does all the breaking around here.

Curly?!

You've got to be firm

with a young horse.

But not cruel. You work

with a horse, not against him.

Really?

That's what my father taught me.

This is not just a mountain brumby.

It's no different.

Are you saying

you could break this horse?

Yes.

Well...

What about your father?

He'll be away for more than a week.

If the job's done before he gets back,

what can he say?

Whoa, boy! Hey.

Whoa, boy! Whoa.

Bess!

Jim? Don't you dare!

JIM!

How's the head?

Mrs Bailey toId me this is your favourite.

What happened to the colt?

We yarded him.

Is he alright?

Oh, he's still a bit flighty,

but not hurt - luckily.

There'll be hell to pay

when your father finds out.

Well, he won't find out.

We've all agreed not to tell him.

'We'? Who's `we'?

Mrs Bailey, Aunt Rosemary and I.

I'm not hiding behind the skirts

of a bunch of women!

Oh, I'm so sorry!

I must remember that

next time you try to kill yourself.

That's nonsense, Jessica.

Well, somebody's got to save you

from your own thoughtlessness!

Don't you Harrisons get tierd of

running other peoples lives.

You ungrateful...!

Because I'm getting tired of it.

Well don't worry,

thats the last time I'll stand up

for the likes of you.

Jessica!

You are a foolish boy, Jim.

How many missing?

KANE:
20, at the last count.

Take your horse for you,

Mr Harrison?

Hey, where's the mountain boy?

Uh, still in his bunk.

Craig?

You waiting for breakfast in bed?

What happened?

I came off the...

..off a horse.

You think you could get back on?

Pick up 20 strays we left up on top?

Yes, sir.

Before those mountain men

get their grubby hands on them.

JIM:
It's good to be back.

At least nothing changes up here.

I saw Bess again with the brumbies.

Nearly got her back.

I toId you not to throw effort

after foolishness. Forget it.

How are things going on down there?

Not good.

I'm working for a fellow called Harrison.

He reminds me of someone.

You never told me you had a brother.

You never asked.

Well, I'm asking now.

You just concern yourself with Jim Craig.

Have you seen Jessica?

Yeah.

What's she like?

She's a Harrison.

I'm getting out after this muster.

Henry Craigs' son quitting?

Are you saying I shouId stick it out?

You can learn more from Harrison

than you know.

I'll be searching for his strays for weeks.

Not if you know where to look.

At the first hint of snow,

every beast on this plato heds for the bluff.

Warm pocket, good forage.

Gather them up with a butterfly net.

How do you know?

Well, I don't always eat wallaby, son!

Huh?

Grubby hands.

Harrison was right.

I'd say prime 2-year-old Hereford.

Mm-hm.

Fattened on mountain pasture.

Mmm!

Might be a good cattleman yet!

You walk this horse to stable.

Whoa.

What happened to the colt?

The wild horses came down,

ran through the place. They set him off.

I'm asking Jessica.

A bruise in the foreleg.

Black soil from the bottom paddock

still on the hoofs.

And a girth mark

around the horse's belly. Huh?

You're an intelligent girl, Jessica.

What does that add up to, huh?

Your old friend is still alive.

The stallion.

He was leading the brumbies.

Who rode the colt?

We were breaking him in...

'We'?

Jim's very good with horses.

That mountain boy.

Now, wait. It wasn't his fault.

He was riding it

when the brumbies came down.

He went to save the stock horses.

What stupidity!

To save stock horses

worth a few shillings

and risk a colt worth 1,000?!

You can't blame him for that.

It happened too suddenly.

Well, `suddenly', he's finished here!

He gets off this place

the moment he gets back.

There's a train tomorrow.

Take Jessica with you.

You will board

at the Presbyterian Ladies' College.

No! I won't go!

You're as deceitful as your mother.

You wouldn't dare break the spirit

of that wretched colt

the way you just crushed

your own daughter.

My daughter?

You really believe that?

Oh, when will you give up

this obsession?!

You tell me. Matilda's your sister.

You see other people so clearly,

but look at yourself

What if the night you fired those shots,

your aim had been better?

What then?

Now all we need's

a butterfly net.

Get uphill.

Get up.

Get uphill.

Oh!

NO!

I don't understand.

She's never done

anything like this before.

They've been drinking

since they got back with the cattle.

Weather turning bad.

We've got to find her quick.

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