lf we have a boy, l`d like to call him Samuel.
And if it`s a girl, lsabel.
l`ll still love you.
You`ll tolerate me because of how much l love you.
Nothing.
l heard from your mother.
She says Alfred has hooked up with those damn O`Banion brothers.
- He`s doing well. - Alfred will do well wherever he is.
- Except here with us. - That`s my fault.
- l didn`t say that. - Couldn`t save Samuel either, could l?
Don`t you dare say that. That was in God`s hands.
Was it?
Colonel! Lost a couple calves near Camas Canyon.
- Might be a grizzly. - My grizzly?
- You take him, Tristan. - Damn right l will.
l don`t know why Tristan did not kill that damn old bear.
The Old Ones say:
''When a man and an animal...
have spilled each other`s blood...
they become one. ``
l said four beers, Mr. Sachtleben.
And l said no lndians.
- He`s quite civilized, l assure you. - Yeah?
- Give him a beer. - Stay out of it.
- My father said four. - He heard me.
We`re about to reach an understanding.
Just give him a goddamn beer!
Stay out of it!
Damn you. You`re a damn fool.
You`re spoiling for a fight with a man who outweighs you.
As we speak, he`s searching for some kind of a weapon.
lsn`t that right?
To split your stupid skull and kill you and good riddance.
Leave it!
- Yes, sir? - l want four beers, now.
The lousy owner says he doesn`t want to serve lndians.
Get back.
Do you see this man?
Do you? His name is One Stab.
He`s a venerated Cree elder and has counted coup on hundreds of his enemies.
He`s our friend. He`s thirsty.
l think it was the bear`s voice he heard deep inside him...
growling low of dark, secret places.
Were you going to say good-bye?
How long will you be gone?
Not long. A few months.
l can make it better for you.
lf we`d had a child...
or if l were pregnant, would you still go?
Yes.
Just give me a chance.
Don`t do that.
Look at me.
Please, look at me.
l`ll wait for you.
However long it takes.
l`ll wait for you forever.
Will he come back?
l don`t know.
Stab says yes.
April 20, 1 9 1 8.
Dear Tristan:
lt has been months now, and still no word.
The only sign that you are alive...
is a tattered parcel that arrived today from New Guinea...
covered with strange writing...
and containing what appears to be a native bracelet.
Meant for me, l presume.
But perhaps not.
Do you still care to know what is happening here?
Cattle prices continue to fall...
and winter seems never ending.
Why don`t you write?
Are you afraid to tell me you`re never coming back?
Alfred continues to do well.
His business has expanded to include financial concerns in Chicago...
and Washington.
l don`t pretend to understand.
He wants us to send lsabel Two to boarding school in Chicago...
but she adamantly refuses to leave the ranch.
l think she, too, is waiting for you.
l have nowhere to send this letter...
and no reason to believe you wish to receive it.
l write it only for myself.
l will hide it away with all the things left unsaid and undone...
between us.
December 1 2, 1 9 1 9.
Dear Susannah:
l have become a hunter.
Tell Stab there are creatures here that cannot even be found in books.
l have killed them all.
All we had is dead.
As l am dead.
Marry another.
Colonel, it looks like we`ve got company.
- l have come to ask for your blessing. - My blessing?
You see, these gentlemen and--
And a great many others, l might add.
They`re urging me to run for office.
- What office? - The United States Congress.
That`s how highly we think of your son.
And what do you gentlemen hope to get out of this?
l beg your pardon?
l`ve spoken plain English, sir. What do you want for yourselves?
Father, l don`t think that these gentlemen--
Did you ask that question or do you believe these gentlemen...
would back you out of patriotic duty and your inestimable worth?
You forget yourself, Father. l am no longer a child.
Colonel, the Congress--
Congress is government, sir. l worked for the government once.
The issues that we--
lndians! lndians were the issue in those days.
There is nothing as grotesque...
as the meeting of a child with a bullet...
or an entire village slaughtered while sleeping.
That was the government`s resolution of that particular issue.
l`ve seen nothing since then to persuade me it`s gained...
in wisdom, common sense or humanity.
Gentlemen, my father, for whom l have the deepest respect...
says that the government has neither wisdom nor humanity.
l will then consider it my absolute duty as my father`s son...
to bring both wisdom and humanity to the United States Congress.
l thank you for your blessing. Gentlemen.
- Gentlemen, wait for me in the cars. - Yes. Certainly.
Are you all right? What`s wrong?
l don`t know what to say. Tristan`s always been wild.
- You love him for that. - Do l?
l suppose l do.
He does love you.
She`s to be your brother`s wife.
Yes, though you better remind him of that fact.
He`s not here to defend himself.
No, but l see you are here to defend him and what is his...
even though he`s abandoned her and you.
l won`t even speak of who else he abandoned.
Damn you, boy.
Don`t you blame my son for Samuel`s death!
Samuel chose to be a soldier, and soldiers die...
sent to their slaughter by men in government.
Parasites like you!
Damn and blast you!
Damn you. And damn you too!
Shut your mouth. Leave her out of this!
Get out of my house and get off my land.
Why? Because l want to serve my country as you did?
Or because, like you, l love a woman who doesn`t love me?
He used her and deserted her, your darling Tristan.
Alfred, don`t. Please.
l loved her!
l love her still.
He stole her from me. lf you want to know the truth...
he stole her from Samuel before the war.
God help me, l`ll kill you.
Here. Read your darling Tristan`s letter.
You deserve to be happy.
Late that night we found the Colonel on the floor...
beside a cold fire.
He could not move.
His hair turned white overnight...
and he became an old man.
And after that, Tristan sent no more letters.
As the years passed by...
we would hear that someone had seen him on a ship...
going up some river no white man had gone up before.
Stories came to us.
Strange stories.
And then, for years, there was nothing.
He was lost to us.
That was all we knew.
But every year, in the Moon of the Falling Leaves...
l would dream that the bear`s voice inside him had grown silent...
and that Tristan might again come to live in the world.
But then the winter would come.
And then another spring.
And still he stayed away.
What the hell is he doing?
She`s a mean old bitch, but she`s yours.
Welcome home.
Old man! Where`s Father?
He had a stroke some years ago.
He can`t talk now.
Hello, Father.
He wants to celebrate.
l`m happy too.
Father, this is for you.
''Colonel William Ludlow, from his son Tristan.''
l didn`t know.
These are boars` tusks, made by a Javanese warrior.
He, too, was a great man.
l have other things for Mother and Little lzzy and Susannah.
What is it?
Alfred and Miss Susannah...
were married several years ago.
Your brother`s a congressman now.
They have a big, new place in Helena.
lt`s as it should be.
Cattle prices dropped after the war ended.
The Colonel don`t seem to care.
He lost nearly everything he had.
We`ll make it back...
on horses or something else if we have to.
He`s saying that your brother voted for the Volstead Act.
Did he? You suggesting l become a bootlegger?
Good money in bootlegging, if you know what you`re doing.
Screw the government.
Screw them.
Forever turned out to be too long.
l know.
Here.
l don`t want it.
They told me that this was magic...
that whoever wore it would be protected.
Keep it.
Don`t you want to see Alfred?
lt`s probably better that l don`t.
Tell him hello...
and congratulations.
He likes you.
Welcome home.
lsabel?
l want you to have him.
l have something for you too.
l brought it back.
lt`s from lerapetra.
- That`s in-- - Crete.
- Yeah. - l know where it is.
Your father taught me European history.
A little girl. That`s me, right?
Thank you.
Okay, we`ll see you in a few days.
Don`t wait on me. l`ll be fine.
lt was then that Tristan came into the quiet heart...
of his life.
The bear inside him was sleeping.
lt is hard to tell of happiness.
Time goes by...
and we feel safe too soon.
- l heard the oddest news. - Yes?
Yes.
Tristan...
is back.
Yes, l know.
You know?
How do you know?
l saw him.
He had the audacity to come here just to see you?
He wanted to see you, but thought you`d get upset.
He might be right.
What did he--
What did he say?
He said to say hello...
and congratulations.
Silly me.
He told you the news?
What do you think?
Come on. lt`s perfectly absurd.
Marrying lsabel Two.
God, she`s practically our sister.
She can`t be more than, what, 1 9?
Twenty.
l can`t imagine what the hell Decker is thinking of...
to allow this.
Perhaps he`s thinking of his daughter`s happiness.
Happiness? With Tristan?
You, of all people, should know how impossible that is.
l`m not lsabel Two.
June 2, 1 92 1.
Dear Tristan:
l was so pleased to hear of your coming marriage.
Your father must be very happy.
lsabel Two is like a daughter to him...
as she was named after your own mother.
lt seems as though it was always meant to be, doesn`t it?
Damnation.
Samuel Decker Ludlow.
Dearest Tristan:
Alfred and l were delighted to hear of your son`s birth.
We hoped for a child of our own, but of that l despair.
l know Alfred thinks of you often.
l look forward to the day when we all might see one another again.
Your son bears a proud and noble name.
l know he will live up to it.
Please give my love to lsabel Two...
and to your father and everyone else.
Yours always, Susannah.
Evening, gentlemen.
Been meaning to talk to you about one or two things.
By all means.
As you know perfectly well...
we handle the liquor around here.
Now, you`ve been a small-time operator.
An amateur, frankly.
Lately, your shipments have been getting a little fat...
and my patience has been getting a little thin.
So the next time you get in our way...
will be the last time.
Excuse me. l appreciate it.
Perhaps you`re wondering why you`re not dead already.
Because your brother is Congressman Ludlow.
And that`s it. That`s all.
Kenneth. Thomas.
Can`t you just say hello?
- Hello, Alfred. - Hello, Tristan.
- Who`s this young man? - This is Samuel.
She`s beautiful.
Let me see.
- Who is this lady? - l`m your Aunt Susannah.
l used to know your Uncle Samuel who died in the war.
- You look like him. - That`s what Grandpa says.
He was very brave and very good.
Grandpa says that too.
Grandpa says l can have Uncle Samuel`s gun when l`m bigger.
Would you come and see it?
l`d love to.
Sometime.
- He`s a fine boy. - He is.
- ls Father well? - As well as can be expected.
- l wish-- - Pardon the intrusion.
Excuse me. We`re ready for your speech now.
l`ll be there in a minute.
Thank you.
- We`ll meet again soon? - l`d like that.
What`s this?
Go and get Tynert.
l think you missed a bump, Stab.
Jesus!
Sir, we have information that you`re transporting goods...
in violation of the Volstead Act.
lf you mean a case of lrish whiskey for my father, l am.
Give it up.
He`ll be disappointed.
Hold him down.
Let`s get out of here.
- There`s an envelope in his pocket. - Now.
My brother told you to stay out of our way.
Put him in the car.
- l don`t want to see him. - Father--
l`m so very sorry.
Father won`t see me, even now?
He blames the government for lsabel`s--
There`s something we have to talk about.
The officer you beat almost died.
Now, everyone understands...
but you`ll have to plead guilty...
serve 30 days.
And the one who shot his gun?
He was...
reprimanded.
- The O`Banions? - Nothing.
You have to let it go.
lt was a terrible, tragic accident.
Listen to me.
You let this go now.
You got in over your head.
l`ll need a minute.
l`m so sorry.
We all loved her.
How are you?
l`m fine.
We never get to see you.
l gave a speech the other day.
- You did? - Yes.
My first public engagement.
lt was on the responsibilities of women in--
lt`s good to see you.
l`m sorry.
l still sometimes dream...
that l`m the mother of your children.
l wanted her to die.
Maybe l even wanted Samuel to die.
You had nothing to do with Samuel`s death.
And you had nothing to do with lsabel`s death.
Didn`t l?
Go home.
Go home to Alfred.
Where were you?
l just went out for a walk.
l needed a walk. What are you doing home?
Your doctor rang, said you missed your appointment.
l called home. You weren`t here. l--
l feel very tired.
l`m going to bed.
You have won her. l am bringing her home.
Alfred.
l followed all the rules:
man`s and God`s.
And you--
You followed none.
And they all loved you more.
Samuel, Father...
and even my own wife.
l`d like a moment alone with her.
When Samuel died--
When Samuel died, l cursed God.
Did l damn everybody around me as well as myself?
You are not damned.
l won`t allow that.
You`re not damned!
Samuel, this is a gentleman`s gun.
lt`s smaller, but it`s just as powerful.
That`s what you want when you grow up, isn`t it? A gun.
Samuel, come here!
Run along now. Go with Pet. Get him in the house.
He`s a fine boy.
You know we`re not here to arrest you.
You take me to the woods so my boy won`t see.
l don`t want my boy to see.
Let`s get on with it.
- Father. - Colonel Ludlow, sir.
What`s going on here?
You don`t have to be a genius to know they`ll come after you for this.
Yeah.
Yeah?
l want to ask you to watch over my children.
Watch over Samuel.
Brother, it would be an honor.
How much l wanted to take scalps...
but it was not my kill.
That night, we buried the bodies...
and dumped the car in a deep pool in the upper Missouri.
l remember when he was a boy...
l thought Tristan would never live to be an old man.
l was wrong about that.
l was wrong about many things.
lt was those who loved him most who died young.
He was a rock they broke themselves against...
however much he tried to protect them.
But he had his honor...
and a long life...
and he saw his children grow...
and raise their own families.
Tristan died in 1 963...
in the Moon of the Popping Trees.
He was last seen up in the north country...
where the hunting was still good.
His grave is unmarked...
but it does not matter.
he had always lived in the borderland anyway:
somewhere between this world and the other.
lt was a good death.