ACT 3 SCENE 1

(EXT) Afternoon 5th day, outside Plumfield near kitchen door

(Nick walks into kitchen and Jo, Nat, Dan and others are unloading crates of groceries from the wagon.)

NAT: Nick was standing there ignoring the comments and Mr. Burke pushed him. Nick just took it. Then Mr. Burke said, "You're not so tough now, huh?" And then he hit Nick. Tore the cut wide open again. (We see Nick coming out the kitchen door but they don't.)

DAN: So what did Nick do?

NAT: He just walked away.

DAN: Really? (They now see Nick right behind them (with the cut on his face bleeding again). The pain and embarrassment are evident in his eyes. They all pick up crates and head inside as Nick stays by the wagon.)

(INT) Continuous Plumfield kitchen

NAT: They gave him a hard time at Mr. Gerson's store, too. He told Nick to wait outside while he filled your order. And he said that next time you should send somebody else. I thought that they were Nick's friends, Mrs. Jo. How can they treat him like this?

JO: People can get pretty confused at times like these Nat.

NAT: (Looks at Dan and Mrs. Jo. Beat) Yeah. I noticed.

(He walks out the door followed by Dan and then Jo. Nick, carrying crates, arrives at the door coming in at the same time. He turns to let her past, looking away to avoid eye contact. We close on Nick standing in the doorway watching Jo walk away.)

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 2

(EXT) Afternoon 5th day. Outside Plumfield, near the chicken coop

(Jo is standing by the chicken coop just watching the chickens as Nick approaches.)

NICK: Jo, I gotta talk ta ya.

JO: Can't it wait? I have alot to do. (She starts to walk away.)

NICK: It'll jus' take a minute, Jo. (She stops and looks at him. He hesitates, embarrassed.) In town today, at Gerson's store…

JO: (Abruptly.) Nat told me.

NICK: I didn't know he heard.

JO: Well, he did and he's very upset.

NICK: Sorry 'bout that. Don't like those kids gettin' mixed up in somethin' like this.

JO: You should have thought of that a week ago! (Nearly shouting.) Nick, how could you do such a thing?

NICK: Jo, I…

JO: I know you were angry but there is just no excuse for losing your temper like that! That's just like your uncle and Thomas Ryan.

NICK: (Shocked and hurt by that comparison.) I can't believe…

JO: (Interrupting.) Would you excuse me? I have work to do.

(Jo turns quickly leaving Nick standing there stunned and watching her walk away again. We hear a little voice from behind Nick.)

ROB: Nick?

NICK: (He turns around.) Yeah Rob.

ROB: Did you do something really bad?

NICK: (Kneels down on one knee to look at Rob.) No Rob, I didn't.

ROB: Then why is everyone so angry with you?

NICK: 'Cuz they don't believe me.

ROB: That happens to me sometimes. But in the end Mother always believes me.

NICK: (Smiling.) That's good Rob. It's nice to have someone believe in you.

(Rob gives Nick a quick hug and runs off. Nick, still on one knee, drops his head and looks at the ground, overwhelmed.)

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 3

(INT) Morning 6th day, inside school room

FRANZ: (Handing reports back) Good job, Nat.

EMIL: Of course.

FRANZ: Very impressive Bess.

DAN: What else is new?

FRANZ: Tommy, read my comments on there, please. I can tell you worked very hard on that.

TOMMY: Sure did Franz.

NAN: Good job, Tommy

(Franz pauses then. The kids with their reports are looking at them and the other kids are looking at Franz and starting to shift uncomfortably in their chairs. We can see Franz starting to get angry.)

FRANZ: Dan.

DAN: Uh, yes Franz?

FRANZ: What book did you read? (Kids laugh. Franz gives an angry look and they all quiet down)

DAN: "Oliver Twist" just like everybody else.

FRANZ: (Angry) Emil? Nan? What book did you read? (They both look down and say nothing.) Dan, if you had bothered to read more than the first chapter you would have known that it was about a lot more than a hungry boy in an orphanage. (Dan just looks at him) Emil, looks like you only read the middle of the book.

EMIL: I didn't just read the middle Franz.

FRANZ: This was not just about a street gang. If you had read more you would have known that. You can't make a proper report and come to a proper conclusion if you don't read the whole story. Nan, you seem to have read a little more but you obviously didn't read the whole thing either. You have no real idea of the depth of the characters. You say (he looks at the report) "Fagan, Sykes, Monks, and Nancy are just plain bad people." Now if you had read the story as you should have you would know that you could say that about the others but not about Nancy. You have to look at all of their actions. What do they do, what choices do they make in difficult situations? How do they react when someone needs help? For example, did you know that Nancy died protecting Oliver? (Nan sheepishly shakes her head no.) Obviously not or you wouldn't label her "just plain bad." (Franz goes to the front of the room.) Now, I expect each of you to have a finished report on my desk tomorrow morning, on the whole book!

EMIL: Can we have the other reports back?

FRANZ: No. You will start from the beginning again and do it properly this time. Now, let's move on. (Kids exchange glances.)

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 4

(EXT) Afternoon 6th day near the bridge

(Nick and Nat are in the wagon returning from working on the fence and are riding near the river.)

NICK: (Smiling at the memory.) …Ben would carry that toy ship everywhere. I'd just carved it out of an old log but he'd play with it for hours at a time. Don't know how many times I went into the river ta fetch it after he set it afloat again.

NAT: You loved Ben a lot, huh?

NICK: Still do.

NAT: (Hesitant.) Can I ask you a question, Nick?

NICK: Yeah, sure Nat.

NAT: (Hesitant) What did you do after you and Ben left your uncle? Did you live on the streets? I mean, when my father died I was so lucky to have Dan and the other guys around to help me… (Nick nods his head in understanding.) I wouldn't have made it on my own. Then Mrs. Jo and Mr. Laurence brought us here. I just don't know how you managed by yourself like you did. And with a kid to take care of.

NICK: (Thinks back to those hard times for a moment.) I dunno Nat. Just took one day at a time I s'pose. Always tryin' ta find somethin' ta eat or a place ta sleep. Had a job loadin' boxcars for a while, 'til Ben got me fired.

NAT: That's a tough job for a kid.

NICK: S'pose so, but we needed the money. Never begged or stole nothin' though, no matter how hungry I got. (He stops and looks at Nat, thankful to have someone who understands and cares.) It was awful scary. (Nat nods his head in understanding. Nick spots a puppy caught in the cold fast current.) Whoa! (Pulling in the horse.) Look at that poor li'l pup. (He gets down from the wagon.)

NAT: (As Nick is taking off his coat.) You can't go in there. Nick! It's too cold. (Nick heads into the river. Water is chest high.) Nick!

(Nick gets to the puppy and, snuggling her close, carries her to the wagon. He's soaked and shivering, but he wraps the puppy in his coat and hands her to Nat.)

NICK: (Shivering.) We'll warm her up and feed her and she should be alright. (Climbing into the wagon.) Let's git goin'.

(They take off in the wagon with Nat holding the puppy wrapped in Nick's coat.)

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 5

(INT) Evening 6th day, Plumfield Parlor

MEG: I received a telegram from Edward. He won't be able to get here until two days before the trial.

JO: Well, I am sure he will do the best he can to get here in time.

MEG: You don't seem too concerned.

JO: Why should I be? There will be a trial and that will be the end of it.

MEG: And you are fine with that? No matter what the outcome?

JO: (She looks at Meg, ignoring the question.) I thought I knew him Meg. I really did. But when Ben came I was so shocked. I still can't believe that he never told me about him. Why wouldn't he tell me something like that? Why won't he tell me about Theresa? I just don't know. And the life they've lived, drinking, gambling, fighting… He's been in jail; he's been shot. It's like something I would write in my books.

MEG: It can't be that bad.

JO: Meg, it's worse! (Meg is shocked. Jo turns suddenly angry.) How could he do it Meg? How could he do this to us? Everything was going so well and then… (She stops.) He was so angry that night Meg, angry at himself, angry at Ben, angry at the world and then he saw I was hurt and he found out about Reverend Ryan's visit and he just stormed out of here in a rage. They'll hang him, Meg. I don't want… (She stops herself.)

MEG: So you think he did it?

JO: (Her face was set in anger, but now it softens.) I don't know what I think anymore.

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 6

(INT) Evening 6th day, Plumfield kitchen

(Asia is cooking. The small puppy is resting on Nick's coat by the fireplace. Jo enters.)

JO: Smells good, Asia. (Puppy whimpers)

ASIA: Oh hi Mrs. Jo.

JO: Where did the puppy come from? (Goes over and picks her up.)

ASIA: A few minutes ago there was a knock at the door. There was Nick shivering, soaked to the bone and carrying that puppy.

JO: He knocked?

ASIA: Uh huh. Said he pulled the poor thing from the river. Asked me to feed her and keep her warm by the fire. Said he'd go looking for her Ma tomorrow. (Shakes her head) Hasn't eaten all week himself and he asks me to feed a puppy.

(Nat enters with a bucket of milk.)

NAT: Nick asked me to bring this to you.

(Jo takes a bowl, dips it into the bucket and places it next to the puppy.)

JO: (Touches the "bed" where the puppy was resting.) Is this Nick's coat?

ASIA: Yes. Had her wrapped in it.

JO: Nick must have been freezing.

ASIA: (Nods her head yes.) Never seen anybody so cold. He could barely talk. I told him to get out of those wet clothes before he got sick. (Shakes her head.) That man is harder to figure than a mystery novel.

NAT: Not so hard to figure. He's always doing things like that. I'd have been surprised if he didn't go get her.

(Reaction Jo. Nodding her head in agreement. She's figured him out!!!)

JO: When did he leave?

ASIA: He'd just left when you came in.

(Jo heads for door but Laurie and Amy come in. She looks out the door to try and see him. No luck.)

AMY: It's so cold out there. Quite a chill.

(They exchange greetings)

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 7

Same time, 6th day Boys room at Plumfield

(Dan, Emil, and Nan, sitting on beds, reading "Oliver Twist". Bess comes in.)

DAN: Franz was really mad about those book reports.

EMIL: Yeah.

NAN: Now we have to write another whole report by tomorrow. That's not fair.

BESS: Well if you had read the whole book the first time like you were supposed to then you wouldn't have to be doing this tonight. But, Nan, you better hurry before my parents pick us up.

DAN: Why have you been going into town at night anyway, Bess? Is it because of Nick?

BESS: Yes, of course. Mother says it's too dangerous here.

EMIL: Will you please be quiet Bess? I'm trying to read.

NAN: I sure wish I knew the whole story, already. (As Nat walks in the door)

NAT: You already know the whole story but you just don't see it.

DAN: What?

NAT: Don't you see? You're doing the same thing with Nick as you did with your reports. You're not looking at the whole story.

EMIL: What are you talking about, Nat?

NAT: All you see is what the people in town are saying. But that's not the whole story. (Kids look confused and so he goes on.) You have to look at everything we know about Nick and then make up your mind.

NAN: (Humoring him) OK, Nat. What do we know?

NAT: Dan, you said Nick was so sad when you shot that bird with an arrow and he cringed when he saw that lion had been whipped. Emil, Nick went to jail for protecting you from your Uncle. And look at all he's done for Mrs. Jo. He almost died when that man shot him last year, but if he had to do it again we all know he'd still go after her. Not one of us can say that Nick hasn't helped us out whenever we needed him. No matter what the cost. Who knows him better - us or Captain Hoffman and Mr. McBride? Now that's the whole story. Do you still think he could beat Reverend Ryan to death like that? Is he "just plain bad", Nan?

(Kids are quiet for a minute. Not ready to admit that they had been so wrong)

DAN: No, Nat. You're right.

(Emil, Bess and Nan and the others sheepishly agree)

NAN: Poor Nick. We've treated him so awful. I feel so bad.

EMIL: I wonder if he'll ever forgive us.

BESS: (Looking out the window) Oh no. My parents are here. We have to talk to them.

(They all rush out of the room).

END OF SCENE

ACT 3 SCENE 8

(INT) Same time 6th day, Plumfield parlor

(Amy and Laurie have just gone into the parlor from the kitchen and are talking with Jo.)

JO: I really have to ask you to reconsider. I just don't think this is necessary and it's scaring the children.

AMY: We can't be too careful.

JO: Amy, I know you are frightened and upset but I'm just sure that Nick didn't do it.

LAURIE: We've discussed this before, Jo. We're just doing what we think is best.

JO: I know but…

AMY: I know you are fond of Nick and you must feel terribly torn, but what do we really know about him, Jo?

JO: (Emphatically) We know that since he's been here he's done nothing but help all of us. He's never hurt any of us. How many times has he brought Bess into town for you? Remember how he helped you, Laurie when…

LAURIE: (Interrupting, embarrassed) Yes, Jo, I know.

JO: I know his past was difficult and hard for us to even comprehend. But, having a hard life doesn't make you a bad person. Look what he did for Penny, and he risked his life for me. That's just not the same kind of man who would do something like this!

(The kids rush into the room as she finishes. Nat goes to her and hugs her. The other kids smile approvingly at what they just heard her say.)

BESS: We don't want to go, Father. We believe Nick.

LAURIE: Well, your Aunt Jo is making a lot of sense. I don't see why you couldn't stay here tonight if that's what you prefer (beat) and if it's all right with your Mother. (They all look at Amy, the last hold out)

BESS: Please Mother. (She looks at her Mother, pleading)

NAN: Please.

AMY: (Reluctantly) (to Jo) Well, I suppose you are right, Jo. (to girls) You can stay if that's what you desire.

(Kids send up a cheer)

JO: Children, go finish your homework before dinner. I'll go tell Asia we'll have a few more people for dinner. You will join us Amy, Laurie?

LAURIE: Yes, we'd be delighted.

END OF ACT 3