ACT 2 SCENE 1

(INT) Morning 3rd day Plumfield dining room

(Kids are setting the table as they talk.)

TOMMY: "Oliver Twist" sure is a long book.

NAT: Yeah. But it's getting really interesting.

DAN: Interesting? Watching worms is more interesting.

NAT: You just have to keep reading Dan. You're going to love it.

NAN: Hey Dan. Wanta go fishing this afternoon?

DAN: Yeah sure.

EMIL: Count me in, too.

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 2

(INT) Morning 3rd day inside school room

(Children are at their desks, leaning in towards Dan to hear what he is saying. Starts out as simple story telling but picks up momentum as they "choose sides".)

TOMMY: So what else did Ben tell you that day, Dan?

DAN: He said their uncle used to beat him, and when he hit Ben, too he packed their things and they left.

NAT: (Trying to get Dan to stop talking about what Ben said that day three months ago.) Dan!

NAN: (Ignoring Nat) His uncle really beat him?

DAN: (Relishing the attention) Yeah.

NAT: Dan, you have no right to tell them this.

DAN: (Glances at Nat and then turns back) Yeah, he beat him real bad.

BESS: How awful.

DAN: Yeah, so when he came back the other night he said that Ben didn't say one word to him the whole time he was there. Then when he heard about Reverend Ryan coming and hurting Mrs. Jo, well Nick was really mad when he left. Never seen him like that before (Beat) except last Christmas…

NAN: Guess when he gets real mad he likes to hit somebody.

DAN: Sure seems like it.

NAT: That was different.

DAN: And did you see his hands?

TOMMY: What did he say? An accident in the barn? Yeah, right. (All the kids laugh, except for Nat.)

(Franz enters the room)

BESS: Well, anyway, Nick's sure in a lot of trouble.

EMIL: Yeah. My uncle says he's sure Nick did it.

NAT: He didn't do it!

FRANZ: Good morning everybody.

KIDS: Good morning Franz.

FRANZ: Just a reminder that the book reports are due in two days. Hope you've all finished reading by now. If you'll copy these problems down we will begin with arithmetic.

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 3

(INT) Evening 3rd day, Plumfield parlor

(Jo is sitting at her desk when Nat comes in.)

NAT: Mrs. Jo?

JO: Hi, Nat.

NAT: How is Nick?

JO: I don't know Nat. I didn't see him.

NAT: (Surprised.) But you were in town today.

JO: Yes, I was Nat, but I was very busy. Maybe I can get to see him tomorrow.

NAT: I want to go see him.

JO: No Nat. That's not a good idea.

(Dan walks into the room.)

NAT: Why not? We can't just leave him there alone.

JO: People are very angry and upset about what happened, Nat. Everyone is talking about Nick. I don't want you getting into the middle of that. If there is anything you want to know I can tell you, but I don't want you running into any problems town.

(Nat looks at Jo, upset. He turns and leaves without a word.)

DAN: What are they saying about Nick, Mrs. Jo?

JO: They are talking about all of the things written about him in the newspaper during the lawsuit. Everybody knows about his record for assaults, now. And of course they remember how he hit Captain Hoffman and how he went after Mr. McBride. And they all know the trouble Ben got into. (She shakes her head.) They say that's the sort of thing you can expect from an illiterate and itinerant Merchant Marine.

DAN: Huh?

JO: They mean a man who can't read, has no education and no home

DAN: Oh. (Beat.) What do they say happened that night?

JO: They say Nick went into town very angry, asking everybody where Reverend Ryan was, like he was hunting him down. When he found him Nick told him that if he was a real man he wouldn't have waited until he was gone and then try and force his way into a house full of women and children.

DAN: What did Reverend Ryan say then?

JO: Apparently he blamed Nick and me for Sarah leaving him and said that he would do whatever it took to find her and get her back. (Sounding nervous.) He said he knew that we know where she is and that if Nick didn't tell her he would find it out from me.

DAN: Don't worry Mrs. Jo. Nick's back now. He would never let him… (He stops, realizing what he is saying. They look at each other. Beat.) Where did Nick find him?

JO: In the tavern.

DAN: Bet that made Nick even more angry, finding him drinking.

JO: Why do you say that?

DAN: When Ben was here he told Nat and me that their uncle used to get drunk and beat Nick. (Jo gasps.)

JO: He hit him? He was just a boy!

DAN: That's what Ben said. Nick never told you?

JO: No. He didn't.

DAN: No wonder Nick was so angry that night, remembering all that and finding out how Reverend Ryan hurt you.

JO: (Sorting all the pieces out in her mind.) And how Ben wouldn't speak to him when he went to see him. Nick was already exhausted and very upset when he got back that night. No wonder he… (She stops and they look at each other. Neither one wanting to say it.)

DAN: Captain Hoffman says they'll hang him.

JO: Yes, Dan. They will.

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 4

(EXT) Afternoon 4th day outside Plumfield

(Nick and Laurie are standing next to Laurie's carriage. Nick's face is cut and bruised from the rock. He looks disheveled, not having changed or shaved for a few days.)

NICK: Can't thank ya enough for gettin' me outta there, Laurie.

LAURIE: Well, you can thank Edward, not me. And it is just temporary, in Jo's custody. You're lucky the judge is a friend of her father's.

NICK: What's gonna happen next?

LAURIE: We wait for Edward to come and in the meantime, I guess we hope that there is a witness that can clear your name before the trial. I hope someone can.

NICK: I'm tellin' the truth Laurie!

LAURIE: I should go see Jo. Are you coming?

NICK: (He hesitates.) Not now. I wanta get cleaned up and then I should be gettin' to work. I'll see her later.

(Nick walks away towards the barn as Laurie walks into the house.)

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 5

(EXT) Afternoon 4th day outside school

(Nick, cleaned, shaved and changed now, is working as kids leave school.)

NAT: (Shouting) Nick's back! (To Nick) Is it over?

NICK: 'Fraid not, Nat. Hi guys. (They don't respond)

NAT: What happened to you? (Pointing to the cut on his face.) Are you all right?

NICK: Never mind, Nat. It's nothin'. Come on kids. There's chores to do. (Nobody moves.) Dan, Emil, I'll need your help with the fence in the far pasture.

DAN: I can't go, Nick.

NICK: (Looks at Dan.)

DAN: (Stuttering) I - I - I got this book report. It's due tomorrow. Gotta start reading.

EMIL: I gotta read, too.

(Other kids nod and agree)

NAT: (Getting annoyed with the other kids.) I'll help you, Nick.

NICK: Thanks, Nat, but shouldn't you be finishin' your book report?

NAT: I'm already finished.

EMIL: You're finished, Nat? That's just like you.

NAT: Please Nick.

NICK: Alright Nat. Be glad to have the help.

(Kids go ahead with chores, avoiding Nick as he heads to the barn, but making looks and whispers. We see Jo walking in their direction but still a distance away.)

NAT: (To Dan) What was that all about?

DAN: I'm not going anywhere with him, Nat.

EMIL: Yeah, me neither. Why did Mrs. Jo let him come back here anyway?

NAT: This is his home, Emil.

EMIL: Not for long I bet. They'll send him to prison for sure if they don't hang him.

NAT: Stop it.

EMIL: He's not like us Nat. Look at all the trouble Ben was in. Have you ever heard of anybody in trouble like that? Nick's been in jail, he's been shot more than once, he's just not like us. Who knows what else he could do? . (Emil leaves.)

NAT: He didn't do it!

DAN: That's what he says.

NAT: His word has always been good enough for you before, Dan.

DAN: Yeah, well that was before.

NAT: Before what? Before he was accused of something he didn't do?

DAN: No Nat, before he did something that I can't accept. I never liked Reverend Ryan either, and I was really angry about what he did to Mrs. Jo, but, killing him is just wrong. You know that. Besides, Nick never told us about Ben. Who knows what else he'd lie about?

NAT: (Angry) That's different and you know it. (Beat. Calms down.) Look Dan, you've always made up your own mind about things. This just isn't like you to believe what everyone's saying. Think about it Dan. You know Nick. You know he wouldn't do something like that.

DAN: I don't know Nat, there's witnesses that saw them arguing and…

NAT: (Interrupting.) But they didn't see Nick hit him, did they?

DAN: No, but he was riding out of town real fast.

NAT: That doesn't mean anything Dan.

(Dan is still not convinced. Nat shakes his head and walks over to Nick who is preparing the wagon with supplies for building the fence. Jo is passing nearby.)

Nick: Hey Jo.

(Jo looks at him and nods but she walks past, avoiding him. Nick watches her walk away.)

NAT: Are we ready Nick? (Beat) Nick?

NICK: Huh?

NAT: Are we ready to go?

NICK: Uh, yeah. (Pulling his eyes away from Jo and helping Nat into the wagon.) Ya sure ya wanta go with me, Nat?

NAT: I'm sure.

(Nick climbs in wagon and Dan watches as they ride off. Emil comes over.)

EMIL: You going to read now or do you want to go fishing?

DAN: That book is so boring. Let's go fishing.

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 6

(EXT) Afternoon 4th day far pasture

(Nick and Nat are working on the fence.)

NICK: So what's this book y'all have to read Nat?

NAT: It's called "Oliver Twist". It's by Charles Dickens.

NICK: Never heard of 'im.

NAT: He's from England. The book's about a boy who grew up in an orphanage. He makes the proprietor angry and gets sent away. He gets into all kinds of trouble on the streets. Then he meets a woman who takes a liking to him. She thinks he can make something better of himself and, in the end, she helps him find a home and a normal life.

NICK: (Thinks about that for a moment.) Sounds to me like you and Dan could relate to that.

NAT: Yeah. I sure could.

NICK: I never had nobody … (He looks at Nat and stops himself.) Fence is comin' along real nice. Ain't it?

NAT: (Beat) Nick?

NICK: Yeah Nat?

NAT: I know you didn't do it.

NICK: Thanks Nat. I appreciate that.

NAT: I don't know why they think you could've done it. (Nick just looks at him.) They're gonna find out who did it Nick. I know they will.

END OF SCENE

ACT 2 SCENE 7

(INT) Night 4th day, Plumfield kitchen

(Jo is standing by the fireplace when Nick comes in. Jo jumps, startled. Conversation is polite but they stay on opposite sides of the room.)

NICK: Sorry, Jo. Did I scare ya?

JO: I just didn't expect you. It's very late.

NICK: Got a lot to catch up on. We started the fence in the far pasture.

JO: Thank you. Nat said it's coming along nicely.

NICK: S'pose so. Pretty hungry, though. Anythin' left from supper?

JO: (She moves to the counter and begins preparing a plate of food while she speaks.) Have you sent a telegram to Ben? I really think you should.

NICK: (Angry.) I don't wanta talk about him, Jo!

(He moves quickly forward towards Jo as he speaks. She steps back & reaches to the counter, almost instinctively, where we see a large knife. Nick sees it, too and stops.)

NICK: (Looking crushed and defeated for the first time in this whole ordeal.) You too, Jo? (Beat. He turns and walks towards the door.)

JO: Nick.

(He stops. She says nothing. Beat, then…)

NICK: I'll lock the door on my way out.

(He leaves, closing the door behind him. We hold on Jo.)

END OF ACT 2