Summary :
Two visitors have arrived in town. One is Billy Travis, Mary's son, still troubled and having nightmares about his father's murder. He lives with his grandparents, but he has come to stay with his mother for the school holiday. The other visitor is Maude Standish, Ezra's mother. She left St. Louis because things got "a little complicated" and Ezra's letters made Four Corners sound like it had "potential". Billy must come to terms with his father's death and the devil who has threatened to kill his mother. Ezra must deal with his divided loyalties - is he loyal to his mother or to the town and his new life? And Chris must deal with his memories of his wife and especially his son while he helps Billy overcome his fears.
Memorable Scenes :
Scene One - Main Street
- Josiah, Vin and Ezra are sitting outside, enjoying a cup of coffee, when the stage arrives. When an attractive woman gets off the stage, Josiah and Vin stand up in appreciation.
Vin : Who the hell needs that much stuff?
Josiah : Now that my friends is proof there is a god.
Vin : Amen, brother.
Ezra : Mother?
Josiah : Mother! I always thought Ezra was raised by wolves.
- While Mary goes to get some lunch, Billy spots Chris whittling and is drawn to him. Chris gives Billy the horse he carved. Billy goes inside and is attacked by a man who threatens to kill Billy's mother and tells the boy, "She can't hide from the devil." Billy runs outside into the path of the oncoming stage. Chris dives and pushes Billy out of the way just in time.
- Mary discovers Billy is having the nightmares again and tries to get him to talk, but he's afraid for her and refuses. Later, Mary approaches Chris and asks him to talk to Billy, to try to get the boy to talk about when his father died. Chris is clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion and declines.
Scene #2 - The Street
- JD is showing off for a young lady - Virginia - who is not impressed. When Buck happens by, the girl brightens up and hopes out loud that she and Buck can go for a ride together. The girl's father comes out of his office and calls her inside, telling Buck to socialize with people his own age. JD asks Buck why he barged in. Buck explains that he can't help himself, it's his animal magnetism.
Buck : Once women get a whiff of it, what can I do?
JD : Take a bath?
Scene #3 - Saloon
- In the saloon that night, Maude is playing poker with Josiah, Vin and JD. She regales them with tales of Ezra's childhood and has them in fits of laughter, in spite of the fact she is cleaning them out. When Ezra arrives to escort his mother to her room, he is not surprised that she has all their money.
Josiah : Alright, gentlemen, this game is called "read 'em and weep"
Vin : I'm out.
JD : I'm already weepin'.
Josiah : This game is called "solitaire".
Scene #4 - Mary's Room
- Meanwhile, Billy is having the nightmare again and in order to protect his mother from the devil, he runs away. In the morning, Mary runs out into the street in her nightgown, screaming hysterically and looking for Billy. The Seven start looking for him and Mary wants to go with them, but Chris tells her she needs to stay in case Billy comes back. Maude questions Ezra about "running after little boys". Ezra tells her that since Mary "wields considerable influence in this town", it's good to have her in his debt. Maude tries in her own way to comfort Mary, but doesn't do a very good job.
- Chris and Vin find Billy and have to chase him. They're shot at by someone on a ridge. Billy says it's the devil who is going to kill his mother. Back at home, Mary tells Chris and Nathan about the night her husband was killed. Chris asks who would want Stephen Travis dead and Mary explains he upset a lot of people with his newspaper. There was an enquiry but it was decided Stephen was killed during a robbery. Mary figures the robbers have come back; Chris wonders if they ever left.
Scene #5 - Saloon
- Vin and Josiah are talking about the man who shot at Billy.
Josiah : Satan's up to his old tricks again, eh?
Vin : Yep, and apparently he's usin' a .44 these days.
- They decide to pretend Mary and Billy are leaving town. Outside of town, two would-be bandits stop the stage to get Billy, except Ezra, Buck, JD, Vin and Mary are actually on the stage and they take the two bandits into custody. One of the bandits is strung up by the ankles and terrorized until he tells what he knows about who hired him.
Scene #6 - The Old Travis Place
- Chris takes Billy to his old house, where his father was killed. Billy is afraid to go inside.
Chris : You know, you don't have to do this. Listen, Billy, I've met the devil more than once, and he ain't beat me yet.
- Later that night, Chris and Billy talk.
Chris : Billy, it wasn't your fault.
Billy : I was scared. Bet you've never been scared.
Chris : You'd lose that bet. 'Cause after I lost someone real special, someone a lot like you, the most scared I've ever been was havin' to go on without him. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep on livin'.
Scene #7 - Ezra's Room
- When Ezra returns to his room, Maude is waiting for him. She thinks he has turned his back on his training and has forsaken her and the hard work she did raising him.
Ezra : You didn't raise me as well as a stray cat raises a litter. You dumped me at every aunt and uncle's house you could find, unless, of course, you needed me... for a con.
Scene #8 - The Street
- Virginia tells her father she saw squatters out at the old Travis place. Just then, the stage returns with Mary, Buck, Vin and JD, along with the two bandits. Realizing that it's probably Billy out at the house, the man tells his henchman to get some others and meet at the Travis place later that night.
Scene #9 - Saloon
- Maude is talking to Frank Wheeler about how disappointing children are when Ezra comes in and talks about Maude's lack of maternal instincts. Then he says he's going to find out who hired the bandits.
Ezra : And then I'm going to hunt the bastard down and rip his throat out.
- A crowd follows Ezra out of the saloon and Maude talks about what a mob will do to someone who preys on little children. Wheeler leaves by the back door but is met in the alley by Vin, Ezra, Maude, Josiah and Mary. Wheeler tells Mary it wasn't his idea to kill her husband, he just wanted to talk to him. Stephen was investigating land claims and would have found out they were fake, so he was killed.
Scene #10 - The Travis Place
- Four men come to kill Billy and Chris. Chris is shot in the arm. He takes Billy outside, puts him on his horse and tells him to get away. While Chris is trying to reload his gun, one of the men is about to shoot him but just in time, Billy rides up and knocks the man down. Another man is closing in on a helpless Chris and is about to shoot him and Billy, but Vin arrives and shoots him. The others also arrive, along with Mary. Billy recognizes the man he knocked over as the one who killed his father.
Scene #11 - The Main Street
- Ezra is escorting his mother to the stage. Along the way, they encounter Buck; Maude sniffs around him and comments that it "smells like some kinda animal". Buck is clearly shaken. Next they walk by JD who hands Maude some money and thanks her for helping him get back at Buck. Then they meet Josiah who tells Maude he will "... die if you leave." Maude is impressed until Ezra whispers in her ear that Josiah is penniless. Ezra is trying to apologize to his mother for what he said to her in his room, and is trying to find a way to tell her that he loves her, but all he is able to say is, "Take care of yourself." Maude understands and replies, "I always do."
- Billy bursts out of the Clarion office, dragging his mother behind. Chris is taking him fishing and Billy wants to get going. Mary watches them ride off.
Trivia :
- Justin Cooper (Billy) is not returning in the new episodes because he has another series on ABC. He also plays "Lucas" on General Hospital.
