"THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE"

                                     Screen Play

                                        by 

                                   DeWitt Bodeen 

            The MAIN and CREDIT TITLES are SUPERIMPOSED on a series of
            line drawings of elves, small forest creatures, tree limbs,
            and other grotesqueries drawn in the delicate, fanciful, and
            yet frightening style of Arthur Rackham, The DISSOLVES from
            one card to another are accomplished by a gust of wind
            blowing autumnal leaves past the title as the card begins its
            dissolve.  The drawing on the last card shows an oddly shaped
            tree trunk.

                                                                FADE OUT
            FADE IN

            EXT. FOREST PATH - DAY

            CAMERA IS SHOOTING PAST the actual tree which we have seen
            depicted in the last card.  Up the path, marching two by two,
            are a dozen children of kindergarten age. At their head is
            Miss Callahan, a young, pleasant-looking teacher.  The
            children are singing rounds and she directs this operation by
            blowing a pitch pipe and extending her hand first to the left
            hand column which starts the first lines of the round.

                                CHILDREN
                          (singing)
                      "The goldenrod is yellow, The corn is
                      turning brown," 

            Miss Callahan extends her arm toward the right column. They
            take up the words the left column has just finished, while
            the left column now goes on with the second part of the
            round.

                                CHILDREN (CONT'D)
                          (singing)
                      "The trees in apple orchards 'With fruit
                      are bending down." 

            Miss Callahan smiles in satisfaction at her pupils, and
            turning around, continues along the pathway, waving time with
            her hands as the children go on and on with their musical
            round.

            EXT. BRIDGE CROSSING A SMALL STREAM - DAY

            With Miss Callahan at their head, the children march onto the
            bridge. Here Miss Callahan halts and the children stop with
            her. She turns to face them and makes a motion for them to
            gather around her. With them grouped about her, she half
            turns facing the sunny glade on the other side of the stream.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Take a good look, children. It may seen
                      just a little valley with a stream
                      running through it. But, no. It's Sleepy
                      Hollow. Just because you are lucky enough
                      to be the kindergarten class of
                      Tarrytown, you can run and play in Sleepy
                      Hollow --
                          (glancing at her watch)
                      for exactly fifteen minutes.

            Almost with the grace of a child she rises and begins to run.
            As if this were a signal for them to begin their play, the
            children run after her.

            MED. SHOT of children as they begin to run past the camera,
            laughing end shouting.  Finally, one little girl comes
            running past the camera and the CAMERA TRUCKS WITH her. This
            girl is Amy Reed. There is a haunting quality about her
            childishness; almost a feeling such as Wordsworth expressed,
            that her youth still keeps her in touch with the memory of
            another world, a memory which fades with each passing day,
            and whose fading leaves a sense of emptiness and loss.

            MED. CLOSE SHOT - Amy. Apart from the other children, she
            raises her arms and looks up to the sun and the sky. A
            butterfly, perched on a stalk of mullen, attracts her
            attention, and she tiptoes softly toward it, kneels beside
            it, and begins to speak to it. Her voice can be heard, but
            the words cannot be distinguished. Suddenly the butterfly
            spreads its wings and flies away. Amy rises with a smile and
            runs after it. 

            MED CLOSE SHOT - a stand of goldenrod in the meadow. The
            butterfly flies into the scene and lights on one of the
            blossoms. A moment later Amy comes and kneels beside it. She
            whispers, but only a word or two can be heard.

                                AMY
                      Where are you going — why do you fly? 
                      The whole wide world -- -- my friend --
                      you're my friend.

            The butterfly flutters its wings and soars into the air. Amy
            chases after it.

            MED. CLOSE SHOT of several children ruthlessly pulling up the
            goldenrod.  The butterfly goes fluttering past them.  Amy,
            her face rapt and concentrated, runs past in friendly
            pursuit.  One of the boys, a stocky, heavy-set youngster
            named Donald, looks after her and begins to run.

            The CAMERA DOLLIES WITH Amy as she pursues the butterfly.
            From behind her comes a shout.

                                DONALD'S VOICE
                      I'll get it for you, Amy.

            Donald enters scene and runs past her.

                                DONALD'S VOICE (cont'd)
                      I'll get it for you, I'll get it.

            He runs ahead of her, and before she can protest, snatches
            off his cap and with a quick sweeping movement catches the
            butterfly and presses his cap closely to him.  As Amy and tho
            CAMERA HALT together, he opens the cap with a smile, puts in
            his hand and brings out the torn, crushed body of the
            butterfly.  He offers it to Amy.

            CLOSEUP of Amy.  The shock and hurt have hit so deep in her
            childish mind that her face is almost expressionless. 

            TWO SHOT - Amy and Donald.  He still stands stupidly smiling
            at her.  Amy makes a quick movement with her hand and slaps
            him hard across the face.

            DISSOLVE

            INT. SCHOOLROOM CORRIDOR - DAY

            In the long, echoing corridor of the Tarrytown Public School,
            Amy, a small and pathetic figure stands forlornly before the
            closed door of a classroom.  From behind this door can bo
            heard the murmur of adult voices; deep in conversation.

            INT. KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLROOM - DAY

            A kindergarten schoolroom in one of the public schools of
            Tarrytown. In the room are blackboards and tacking boards on
            the walls; it is antiseptically clean and cheerfully light
            with afternoon sunlight, The little chairs and tables are
            arranged in an orderly semi-circle facing the teacher's desk.
            Grouped around this desk are Miss Callahan and Oliver and
            Alice Reed.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (smiling and with the air of
                           one who tries to bring calm)
                           to a situation)
                      Really, Mr. Reed, there isn't anything to
                      worry about. It was only a slap --

                                ALICE
                          (brightly, and trying to put
                           the whole discussion on a
                           social footing)
                      That's exactly what I told Mr. Reed, but
                      he insisted upon remaining home from
                      business to talk to you, Miss Callahan.

                                OLIVER
                      I know it may seem stupid of me--but it
                      isn't the slap I'm worried about -- it's
                      the reason.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Something to do with a butterfly-- they
                      were quarreling about it.

                                OLIVER
                      No. Amy slapped Donald because he had
                      hurt the butterfly -- and it was her
                      friend.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Well, that seems a harmless fancy --

                                OLIVER
                          (interrupting)
                      Amy has too many fancies -- too few
                      friends. It worries me. It doesn't seem
                      normal.

                                ALICE
                          (apologetically, to Miss
                           Callahan)
                      You know these fond fathers with their
                      only chicks.

            Miss Callahan disregards this. She looks seriously into
            Oliver's face

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      I can see you're worried. And she is a
                      very sensitive and delicately adjusted
                      child.

            She makes a slight pause as if hesitant to go on; then,
            abruptly, resumes talking.

                                MISS CALLAHAN (CONT'D)
                      But a good deal of the blame for that may
                      lie with you, Mr. Reed. Perhaps you're
                      over- anxious -- watch her too closely --
                      worry too much. The child's bound to feel
                      it.

            Oliver is about to answer, but Amy, who has been in the
            corridor suddenly comes into the room

                                AMY
                      It's late, Mommy -- you haven't forgotten
                      my birthday party.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Your birthday, Amy --
                          (crosses the room, talking) as
                           she goes)
                      -- and I have something for you in my
                      locker. A present.

                                AMY
                      Mommy's having a party for me. I asked
                      Robert, and Donald, and Lois -- 

            By this time Miss Callahan has taken Amy's hand and is
            leading her to the door.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (over her shoulder)
                      Amy and I will meet you at the car.

            She takes the child out of the room. Alice and Oliver follow
            at a more leisurely pace.

            INT. CORRIDOR OF THE TARRYTOWN SCHOOL - DAY

            Miss Callahan and Amy go down the corridor.  The teacher
            walks quickly and the child trots along beside her.  The two
            parents walk along sedately, Alice pausing now and again to
            examine the pictures, crude childish daubs, displayed on the
            tack-up boards.  Ore drawing catches her eye.  She stops.

                                ALICE
                      Here's a drawing by Amy. 

            Oliver goes over toward her.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      She certainly doesn't seem to have
                      inherited any artistic abilities from
                      either of us. Look at that.

            Oliver peers over her shoulder at the drawing.

                                OLIVER
                          (grinning)
                      Well, it shows imagination, anyhow.

                                ALICE
                          (turning to face him)
                      I wonder if you don't resent that in her?

                                OLIVER
                      I'm sure I don't, Alice.  It's something
                      else -- something moody -- something
                      sickly -- 
                          (pauses)
                      She could almost be Irena's child. 

            Alice studies his face for a moment.

                                ALICE
                      And that's what worries you? 

            He nods.

                                OLIVER
                      I'd hate her to grow up like that.

                                ALICE
                      She's not Irena's child -- there's
                      nothing of Irena in her. She's my child.

            Oliver, smiling, reaches over to take her hand, and pat it
            affectionately.

                                OLIVER
                      All I have to do is look at Amy's eyes,
                      blue and deep like yours.

                                ALICE
                      I'm not a jealous woman, Oliver.

                                OLIVER
                      I know that.

                                ALICE
                      That's why I can tell you, straight out,
                      you think too much about Irena -- blame
                      yourself for her death.  And its your
                      thinking and brooding about her that
                      makes you so unnaturally concerned about
                      Amy.

                                OLIVER
                      No.  It's not that.  It's because I know
                      what can happen when people begin to lie
                      to themselves -- imagine things. I love
                      Amy too much to let her lose herself in a
                      dream world where butterflies become
                      pals. I saw what happened to Irena with
                      her Cat People.

                                ALICE
                      I know, dear.  I understand. But try to
                      worry a little less about her -- be a
                      little easier in your thinking.  And
                      especially today — let's forget about it. 
                      We want a really bang-up birthday party,
                      don't we?

                                OLIVER
                          (grinning)
                      You make me sound like the father in
                      "East Lynne."

                                ALICE
                      Darling, no father could be nicer to a
                      child than you are to Amy.

            Miss Callahan comes in from the street door.  Alice and
            Oliver, interrupted, start toward her.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      You'd better hurry.  I've left Amy in the
                      car and she's getting impatient.  She
                      tells me there's something especially
                      important about a sixth birthday.

                                OLIVER
                          (smiling)
                      We'll see that she gets there in good
                      time

            Alice extends her hand to Miss Callahan.

                                ALICE
                      I'm so glad to have met you at last. 
                      You're just as nice as Amy told me you
                      were.  I hope you'll come to see us.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      I'd love to.

            They shake hands.  Alice takes Oliver's arm.  He nods to Miss
            Callahan and both of them start down the corridor, the
            teacher watching them.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. FRONT YARD - REED COTTAGE - DAY

            Edward, a small, trim, colored man, wearing a brown sweater
            and cap, is raking leaves into a pile. The pile is already
            alight and burning. He is singing as he works, an old, sad,
            Dutch-English song of the district. ("Johnny Has Gone For a
            Soldier")

                                EDWARD
                          (singing)
                      Who can blame me if I cry my fill, Johnny
                      has gone for a soldier. 

            An auto horn sounds in the street - a succession of short,
            squawky, joyous toots. Edward looks up. 

            LONG SHOT - ANOTHER ANGLE of the street in front of the Reed
            Cottage. The Reed car comes down the street and draws up to
            the curb. Amy is the first to come bouncing out. She runs to
            Edward.

                                EDWARD
                      Getting the yard all fixed up for your
                      party, Amy. You'd better hurry and get
                      yourself fixed up too.

                                AMY
                      Mommy's taking me upstairs to change my
                      dress right away.

            Alice and Oliver have gotten out of the car. Alice crosses
            the yard, takes Amy's hand and they walk into the house
            together. Oliver pauses to watch the burning leaves.

                                EDWARD
                      Everything all right down there at the
                      school, Mr. Reed?

                                OLIVER
                      Yes, everything's all right, Edward. 

                                EDWARD
                          (shaking his head)
                      When I first heard all that talk about
                      you going down to the school to see the
                      teacher I got really afeard.  I thought
                      maybe you night call off this birthday
                      party -- and me with the cake already in
                      the oven.

                                OLIVER
                      I imagine a child would have to commit
                      murder or rob the Seventh National Bank
                      of Tarrytown to be deprived of a birthday
                      party.

            He takes a final lick at the pile with the rake, picks up
            another implement that he has there and carrying this and the
            rake, he starts off around the driveway, Oliver goes in at
            the front door.

            INT. HALLWAY - REED COTTAGE - DAY

            Oliver passes through the hall and glances into the dining
            room which has been decorated with paper streamers.  The
            birthday table has been set with twelve places with a paper
            tablecloth, paper napkins, party favors and place cards.  He
            stands for a moment in the doorway, and then passes into the
            dining room. 

            INT. DINING ROOM - REED COTTAGE - DAY 

            Oliver passes through and goes on into the kitchen.

            INT. KITCHEN - REED COTTAGE - DAY

            As Oliver comes in one door, Edward comes in at the other. 
            There is a huge birthday cake on the kitchen table.  Edward
            takes off his cap and sweater and hangs them up in a broom
            closet.  At tho same time he takes out a white butler's
            jacket.  He begins to put this on and as he struggles into
            the freshly starched sleeves, Oliver extends his hand and
            helps him to get it on.

                                OLIVER
                      I thought we were going to save those
                      leaves you were burning for the compost
                      bin.

                                EDWARD
                      Got more leaf mold now than we'll ever
                      need, Mr. Reed.  I thought I'd burn 'em
                      up and get the yard clean.

            It is at this moment that Amy comes in dressed in a Kate
            Greenway style party dress. Edward quickly whips a tea towel
            from the rack and covers the birthday cake.

                                AMY
                      Is that my birthday cake? May I see?

                                OLIVER
                      You'll see it when it's all lit and ready
                      for you.

                                EDWARD
                          (with a glance at the clock)
                      You won't have long to wait. In just a
                      few minutes this house will be
                      overflowing with boys and girls. Off with
                      you now, Amy. Go out and watch from the
                      gate for all the children who'll be
                      coming.

                                OLIVER
                      Go on -- out with you.

            He gives her a little shove from behind to propel her toward
            the hall door. With s backward look at the covered cake, Amy
            goes out the door. Oliver and Edward stand watching her go.

            Oliver crosses over to the sink and runs himself a glass of
            water. He leans against the sink, drinking it while Edward
            takes up a handful of birthday candles, already mounted in
            their candy sconces, and begins to put them into the cake.
            Edward suiting the action to the word; half singing, half
            speaking, but avoiding any musical comedy feeling.

                                EDWARD
                      One for the one year:
                       Then she didn't say a word. 
                      One for the two year: 
                      That was whooping cough we heard. 
                      One for the three year: 
                      She got lost then for an hour.
                      One for the four year:
                      She turned pretty as a flower. 
                      One for the five year: 
                      Best child I ever did see. 
                      One for the six year: 
                      I don't know what that'll be. 

            Oliver laughs, sets down the glass of water, and crosses over
            to him.

                                OLIVER
                      We'll all see that it's a good year for
                      her, Edward.

            He gives him a friendly touch on the shoulder and starts out
            of the kitchen.

            INT. REED DINING ROOM - DAY

            Omitted.

            INT. REED YARD - DAY

            The Reed yard is surrounded by a white picket fence.  There
            is a lawn and in the back there is a fringe of very young
            birches and maples. Behind the tall fence at the rear there
            is a wood of sturdier and older trees. There is one large
            tree in the garden, and on a wide limb of this tree a swing
            has been fastened. Amy is swinging in this swing now, holding
            the kitten in her arms as she swings.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            A pleasant, light, airy room, tastefully furnished. Over the
            fireplace mantel is the copy of Goya's Don Manuel Osorio de
            Zuniga that had once hung in Irena's apartment. Alice, still
            wearing her hat, is getting ready some games to be played by
            the children. She is hiding jelly beans in odd places about
            the room for the children, to seek out. On the wall is a cut
            out of a donkey minus its tail, and on a table is a bunch of
            assorted paper tails. Also on the table are several games of
            tiddlywinks. Oliver comes in from the hallway.

                                OLIVER
                      Why don't you take off your hat and stay
                      awhile?

                                ALICE
                          (taking it off)
                      I forgot I had it on.

            She starts smoothing her hair, looking in a wall mirror.
            Oliver looks at his watch-

                                OLIVER
                      Where is everybody?

                                ALICE
                      It's early yet.

                                OLIVER
                      It's nearly a quarter after four. The
                      party was for four, wasn't it?

                                ALICE
                      Yes, darling,

                                OLIVER
                      Gosh, in my day kids arrived at birthday
                      parties before anybody was ready for
                      them,

                                ALICE
                      Times have changed.

            Oliver looks ruefully down at bis watch and frowns.

            LAP DISSOLVE

            EXT. REED YARD - DAY

            Amy is at the gate, looking up one side of the street and
            down the other for the first sign of her guests.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Oliver is idly playing with the game of tiddlywinks, snapping
            the small disks into a cup.  Alice turns and sees him,

                                ALICE
                      Oilie, that's for the children to play
                      with.

                                OLIVER
                      No kids yet.  Something's gone wrong. 
                      Maybe I ought to call somebody.

                                ALICE
                          (good-hunoredly)
                      All right, Ollie.  Go ahead. Call the
                      Boyds...3000W...see if their darling
                      Donald has left.

                                OLIVER
                      I think I should.
                          (going into hall)
                      3000W?

                                ALICE
                          (cheerfully)
                      That's right.

            Alice moves to the window and looks out.

            EXT. REED YARD AND SIDEWALK - DAY

            Amy has moved outside the yard and is standing on the
            sidewalk, looking up one way and down the other Far some sign
            of her guests.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            As Alice turns away from the window, Edward enters from the
            dining room.  He has a birthday present in his hand. They
            start toward the dining room, but Oliver comes in from the
            hallway.

                                OLIVER
                      Something's haywire,

                                ALICE
                      What do you mean?

                                OLIVER
                      I called not only the Boyds but the
                      Irvings.  Neither of them received
                      invitations.

                                ALICE
                      But they must have.  Amy and I made them
                      out together.  You mailed them, didn't
                      you, Edward?

                                EDWARD
                      Well, ma'am, the truth is, I gave them to
                      Amy hersolf to post.

                                OLIVER
                      And Amy mailed them? 

                                EDWARD
                      She pleaded so to do it

            Oliver looks at the two a moment, and then turns and leaves
            the room.

            EXT. REED FRONT YARD - DAY

            Oliver comes out of the house, and Amy, seeing him, runs up
            the walk to meet him,

                                OLIVER
                      Amy, you remember the party invitations
                      Edward, gave you to mail?

                                AMY
                      Yes, daddy.

                                OLIVER
                      Did you mail then?

                                AMY
                      Yes, I did.

                                OLIVER
                      Where did you mail them?

                                AMY
                      I'll show you.

            She takes his hand and starts leading him around the side of
            the house.

            EXT. REED BACKYARD - DAY

            Amy and Oliver come around the corner of the house and walk a
            few steps toward the big tree that stands at one corner. This
            is a very old tree with a hollow trunk. Halfway toward the
            tree, guessing what Amy has done, Oliver stops.

                                OLIVER
                      Amy, not that old tree!

                                AMY
                      Yes, daddy.

                                OLIVER
                      But I told you about that so long ago;
                      you couldn't have been more than three
                      when I told you that tree was a magic
                      mailbox.

                                AMY
                          (proudly)
                      I didn't forget.

                                OLIVER
                      But, Amy, that was just a story; it
                      wasn't real.  That tree's no mailbox.

            He looks at the child seriously, and going to the tree,
            reaches down within the hollow trunk to bring out a batch of
            damp, slightly mouldy invitations.  He holds them out to Amy.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      Well, there they are.
                          (kneels down beside Amy)
                      Look, darling,  Mother and daddy keep
                      telling you over and over again, but you
                      go right on dreaming, and then things
                      like this happen.

            She looks for a second at the invitations.

                                AMY
                      If the invitations didn't go, then that
                      means nobody will come, doesn't it? 
                      There won't be any party.

            Oliver tries to lighten her disappointment.

                                OLIVER
                      Yes, there is going to be a party! We'll
                      have one ourselves -- you and me and
                      mommy and Edward.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            INT. REED DINING ROOM - DAY

            CLOSE UP of a party favor held between two hands - Oliver's
            and Amy's,  The hands pull and the party favor explodes with
            a loud snap.

            The CAMERA PULLS BACK TO show a pathetic little party in
            progress.  Amy sits at the head of the table with Oliver and
            Alice on each side of her.

            Almost as if the snap of the party favor were a signal for
            his entrance, Edward comes in from the kitchen bearing aloft
            the huge birthday cake with its six shining candles and
            places it before Amy.

                                EDWARD
                      You've got to blow 'em all out in one
                      blow, Amy.

            Amy prepares to blow, gathering herself for the effort.

                                OLIVER
                      Amy, make a wish.  Wish real hard, and
                      then blow out the candles, and your wish
                      will come true.

                                AMY
                          (perplexed)
                      But wishes don't come true.

                                OLIVER
                      Certain wishes do.

                                AMY
                      But you told me in the garden-- that the
                      wish about the tree couldn't come true.

                                OLIVER
                      But this is different.  Go on blow,

            He looks at her for a second, the strange inconsistency of
            adult counsel to children completely lost to him. 

            Amy blows mightily.  The candle flame streams out and
            flickers.  As her breath is exhausted, she inhales sharply
            and the candles go out.

                                ALICE
                      You get your wish!

                                AMY
                          (looking at her father)
                      You know what I wished, Daddy? I wished I
                      could be a good girl.

                                EDWARD
                      Now it's all ruined, you shouldn't speak
                      your wish.

            Amy looks hurt.  Alice comes quickly to the rescue.

                                ALICE
                      But Edward, in this kind of a wish that
                      doesn't matter.

                                AMY
                      I can make wishes like this come true.  I'll be
                      just like Daddy wants me to be -- play with the
                      other children -- not sit around by myself —
                      tell the truth --

                                OLIVER
                          (interrupting her with a hug)
                      That's right, darling, and you'll make
                      daddy very happy if you'll just leave
                      that dream world of yours and come into
                      the same world with Daddy and Mommy the
                      nice, pleasant world of everyday things.

            Amy puts her cheek against his, happily.

                                                                FADE OUT

            FADE IN

            EXT. SUBURBAN SIDEWALK - DAY

            Amy lets herself out of the gate and starts skipping down the
            sidewalk, humming to herself. She skips along, sometimes
            hopping on one foot as if she were playing a game of
            hopscotch, sometimes swinging herself diffidently around the
            trunk of the tree and continuing on in the sunlight. Up the
            sidewalk toward her comes Jack on his tricycle. Amy sees him
            and stops. As he passes her, she calls out to him:

                                AMY
                      Hello, Jack.

            SHOT of Jack as Amy sees him. He passes her on his tricycle,
            but turns his head and makes a face at her.

            MED. CLOSEUP of Amy as she reacts to this new slight. She is
            distinctly troubled. Thoughtfully she starts walking on down
            the street. Occasionally she turns and looks after Jack,
            frowning. She reaches a corner, where she stops for a second,
            pulling herself backward and forward contemplatively as she
            holds on to the cornerpiece of a fence. She still is looking
            after Jack, puzzled. She shakes her head, giving the problem
            up, and turns down the side street. She stops almost
            immediately, her face brightening again with the anticipation
            of new joy.

            FULL SHOT as Amy sees them, of three little girls sitting on
            the sidewalk playing a game of jacks. One of them looks up,
            sees Amy, motions to the others, and they whisper very
            briefly. They all turn around, look at Amy, and then return
            to their game of jacks, devoting their entire attention to
            it.

            MED. SHOT as Amy walks down the street toward the three
            little girls, the CAMERA PANNING WITH her. She stops when she
            reaches the three children. They do not look up, but go on
            with their game as if it were the only thing taking place in
            life. Evelyn, the little girl whose turn it is, makes a grand
            final play, throwing the ball, catching up eight jacks,
            knocking with her forefinger knuckle on the pavement, and
            catching the ball.

                                EVELYN
                      What comes next?

                                LUCILE
                      Double knocks, of course.

            Evelyn starts on double knocks, but misses almost at once.

                                EVELYN
                      I just seem to stay in double knocks
                      forever.

            She passes the ball on to Lucile, observing as she does so:

                                EVELYN (CON^D)
                      Of course, it's very hard to do anything
                      with somebody breathing down your neck.

                                LUCILE
                      What was I In?

                                DOROTHY
                      You were in threes of over the fence.

                                LUCILE
                      Oh, yes.

            She starts to do threes in over the fence, but misses at
            once.  She looks in exasperation at her two companions
            Simultaneously all three little girls turn and glare at Amy. 

            REVERSE SHOT of the three little girls in the f.g.,  Amy in
            the b.g. takes a step forward.

                                AMY
                      May I play too?

                                DOROTHY
                      Why don't you go home?

                                AMY
                      I'm a good player.

                                LUCILE
                      You might just as well stop being nice to
                      us, Amy Reed. We're mad at you.

                                AMY
                      Why?

                                LUCILE
                      Because you said you were going to invite
                      us to your birthday party.

                                EVELYN
                      And you didn't!

                                AMY
                      But I did! I did invite you!

            The three little girls simply look at Amy; to them she is a
            complete liar. They put their heads together and whisper. One
            of them giggles. Dorothy looks up and points down the street
            behind Amy.

                                DOROTHY
                      Look at the giraffe!

            Amy turns her head, and the minute she turns around the three
            little girls scramble to their feet and with screams of
            laughter start running down the street. Amy turns around,
            puzzled, and then starts after the children. The three little
            girls can be heard screaming to one another:

                                GIRLS
                      Run!
                      Run faster!
                      Ditch her!

                                AMY
                      I invited you to my party. I did, I did,
                      I did.

            SHOT of the three little girls running. They turn the corner.
            Amy can bo seen running up to the corner, still shouting.

                                AMY
                      I did invite you. I did invite you. I
                      did. I did. 

            She finally gets to the corner, still running, and makes the
            same turn the other children did. 

            EXT. FARREN HOUSE & GARDENS - DAY 

            A late Victorian house, with gables and cupolas and a wide
            piazza, stands on the fringe of the forest. It is overgrown
            with ivy, morning glories, and wild honeysuckle.  The yard,
            too, which had once been a formal garden, is a tangle of wild
            growth.  The house is silent, no sign of life about it.  A
            very low, crumbling, and in some places completely broken
            iron rail sets the garden off from the dirt pathway.  There
            are ornate statues in the garden, and in front of the
            entrance is an old elaborate carriage post.  The children
            come running into the scene, screaming and laughing.

                                CHILDREN
                          (ad lib)
                      We ditched her.
                      Serves her right.

            CLOSER SHOT of the children. Suddenly they notice where they
            are and they immediately grow more quiet. Their whispers can
            be heard as they go past on tiptoe.

                                CHILDREN
                          (ad lib)
                      The old house.
                      There's a witch in it. 
                      It's haunted. 
                      Count three, count four, 
                        Run past the door. 
                      That's the best thing to say for witches. 

            LONGER SHOT of the children as they near the other end of the
            fence. Their courage suddenly leaves them, and they all make
            a frantic run for it.

            SHOT of Amy as she comes up to the old house. She is out of
            breath and quite evidently her playmates have gotten out of
            her sight. She looks with interest at the strange house and
            the overgrown garden. She stands gazing about her. A voice
            from an upper window begins to call her. The voice is sweet,
            professionally trained and full of enticement.

                                VOICE
                      Little girl. Little girl. Come into the
                      garden. It's pleasant and cool here --
                      ever so pleasant -- ever so cool out of
                      the hot sun --

            Amy is fascinated. She looks up, and still looking up, slowly
            and hesitantly begins to go into the garden. She passes under
            the pergola and peers at the frightening heraldic lion in the
            bushes. With an occasional glance in the direction of the
            voice which still can be heard calling, she goes on to the
            path and approaches the sculptured figure of "Comedy." On the
            porch steps from above her the voice calls:

                                VOICE
                      Little girl, step back away from the
                      house so that I can see you. Step back,
                      little girl.

            Amy looks puzzled, but to get a better view she takes one or
            two natural steps backward, looking up. 

            CLOSE UP of an open window. A gentle breeze is blowing the
            lace curtains. Through the opening between the curtains, a
            woman's gnarled hand appears in a velvet sleeve. This hand
            holds a handkerchief weighted at one corner, and tosses the
            handkerchief out the window.

            EXT. FARREN GARDENS -- DAY

            Amy watches as the handkerchief flutters down.  She makes a
            futile effort to catch it.  It falls near her. She picks it
            up and examines it. 

            INSERT      AMY'S HANDS as she holds up the handkerchief. 
            One corner of it has been drawn through a silver ring.  She
            removes the ring and tries it first on one finger and then
            another.  It fits her thumb. 

            MED. CLOSE SHOT of Amy.  She puts the ring on her thumb and
            stands a moment, holding the handkerchief up between her two
            hands.  Suddenly and silently from behind a bush beside her a
            thin, white arm and hand appears.  The hand grasps the
            handkerchief.

            TWO SHOT of Miss Barbara Farren, cadaverously tall and thin,
            with only her bright hair to speak of a beauty which is
            quickly fading, as she steps out into the sunlight from
            behind the bush.  As she does so, she tears the handkerchief
            from Amy's hands.  Amy, stunned and silent, relinquishes the
            handkerchief and watches while Barbara Farren paces stately
            across the garden and around the corner into the house.  From
            above her the voice can be heard calling:

                                VOICE
                      Go away, little girl.  Go away.

            Amy looks up and starts to move away.  At first she walks
            slowly with many & backward glance, but upon reaching the
            protective shadows of the pergola, she breaks into a run.

                                                            DISSOLVE OUT
                          (END PART I)

                                                             DISSOLVE IN

            INT. REED KITCHEN - DAY

            Edward, wearing a blue and white striped denim apron, has a
            fat roasting chicken on the table and is dexterously
            proceeding to stuff and truss it.  As he works, he solemnly
            addresses the fowl.

                                EDWARD
                      Oh, you were a lordly fellow handsome as
                      a king and full of pride.  Struttin' and
                      showin' off and scratchin' up the earth
                      and callin' all the hens to account for
                      this and that. 

            He pats in a bit of stuffing.

                                EDWARD (CONT'D)
                      A lordly fellow -- a lordly fellow -- and
                      now you lie on your back with your legs
                      in the air, and you don't even know what
                      the score is -- no, sir, you don't even
                      know what the score is.

            Amy comes in from the back yard.  She is hot and breathless
            as if she had been running.  Edward takes a look at her and a
            quick look at the kitchen clock.  He leaves his former
            companion lying on the table and crosses to the icebox.

                                EDWARD (CONT'D)
                      Guess you'll be wanting a glass of milk,
                      Amy.

            She nods.  He opens the icebox door and takes out a glass of
            milk which has been standing waiting, covered with a saucer. 
            As Amy takes the glass with her right hand, she holds up her
            left thumb,

                                AMY
                      Look at my ring.

                                EDWARD
                      That's a fine-looking ring.

                                AMY
                      A lady threw it to me.

                                EDWARD
                      Most surely that was a nice lady to give
                      a ring to a little girl.

                                AMY
                      It's a pretty ring.

                                EDWARD
                      I wouldn't be surprised if it were a true
                      wishing ring.

            Amy looks at it.

                                AMY
                      A ring that I can wish on like I wished
                      on the candles?

                                EDWARD
                      Maybe, if it's a real mourning ring like
                      we have in Jamaica. All you got to do is
                      turn it on your finger, close your eyes,
                      and make a wish.

                                AMY
                          (holding) the ring up to him)
                      What's a mourning ring?

                                EDWARD
                      They're given to the living in memory of
                      the dead.  If this is a real one -- I
                      can't be sure -- you can make a wish, and
                      it will come true in the twinkling of an
                      eye.

                                AMY
                      Well, if it's a real mourning ring,. I'm
                      going to think hard for something I want
                      more than anything else in the world
                      before I wish.

                                EDWARD
                      That's the clever way to do it. 

            Edward looks at her appraisingly.

                                EDWARD (cont'd)
                      You look good and hot and good and tired. 
                      Guess you've been playing real hard with
                      your friends.

                                AMY
                      I didn't play, Edward.  They wouldn't
                      play with me,

            Edward looks up in concern, and Amy hastens to bury her face
            in the glass of milk.

                                EDWARD
                      Your daddy isn't going to like that.  He
                      had his heart set on your playing with
                      the other kids.

            He shakes his head, uttering a clucking sound of disapproval. 
            Amy takes her face out of tho glass long enough to say:

                                AMY
                          (thoughtfully)
                      I'd better tell him.

            She drinks the remainder of her milk, thinks a moment, and
            evidently feels it better to get the worst over right away. 
            She starts toward the door.

            INT. OLIVER REED'S WORKSHOP - DAY

            This is a pleasant, many-windowed room with a neat array of
            shelves, nail bins, work benches, and small power tools. 
            Oliver, in an old sweater, flannel trousers, and moccasins,
            is working on a ship model.  It is a planked model of the
            "Half Moon."  Oliver very carefully fits a plank and drives
            in two brads to hold it. Amy comes in and stands watching
            until he has finished.

                                OLIVER
                      Your daddy's so pleased with you he's
                      building a model ship for your very own. 
                      Come take a look at it.                        

            He takes her by the hand to show her the model on the bench. 
            Amy looks at it, but she is not particularly happy.  Her
            father's kindness makes it all the more difficult for her to
            tell him what she has to say.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      You see, when you are a good girl and
                      play with other children instead of
                      moping and dreaming by yourself, your
                      daddy wants to do everything he can to
                      make you happy.

            This has not helped Amy any.  She stands still, staring at
            him, wondering how to begin.

                                OLIVER (cont'd)
                      How you run along and join your
                      playmates.

            Turning away from her, he turns on the electric saw. Amy
            still stands watching, him. He is about to feed a piece of
            wood to the saw, when she finally summons up courage enough
            to tug at his sleeve.

                                AMY
                      Daddy --

            Oliver looks at her and tries to hear what she is saying but
            cannot because of the noise of the machinery.  With an
            impatient gesture, he turns it off.

                                OLIVER
                      What do you want. Amy?

                                AMY
                      I wanted to talk to you,  I wanted to
                      tell you about the other children.

                                OLIVER
                      Can't you tell me later?

                                AMY
                      But I didn't play with them, Daddy.  They
                      wouldn't play with me. 

            Oliver is annoyed at having been interrupted and further
            angered by the fact that he had jumped to his own conclusion
            of the child's "goodness."  He sits down on a little stool to
            bring himself on the same level with the child.

                                OLIVER
                      What do you mean you didn't play with the
                      other children?

                                AMY
                      It was on account of the birthday party.

                                OLIVER
                      Because you didn't ask them?  I don't
                      blame them for being angry. Why didn't
                      you explain what happened?

                                AMY
                      They ran away.

                                OLIVER
                      Why didn't you run after them?

                                AMY
                      I did.  I came to an old dark house, and
                      a voice called to me -- a lovely, sweet
                      voice ---

            Oliver cocks his head apprehensively.

                                OLIVER
                      Now Amy

                                AMY
                      It's true.

                                OLIVER
                      And who did the voice belong to?

                                AMY
                      It was just a voice.

                                OLIVER
                          (completely angry)
                      Now look, this is the last time you come
                      to me with any such stories — I'm sick of
                      this sort of thing.

                                AMY
                      Daddy, it's true.

                                OLIVER
                      Let me be the judge of that.

            His voice has been rising.  As Amy starts to steal out of the
            workshop into the yard, Alice, dressed for gardening, pokes
            her head in at the open doorway.

                                ALICE
                          (trying to pour oil on the
                           troubled waters)
                      My, my, what a coil we're in! What's this
                      all about?

                                OLIVER
                      Amy's been lying again.

                                AMY
                      No, I didn't.

                                OLIVER
                          (scornfully)
                      Voices from an old dark house!

                                ALICE
                      Did you hear the child out?

                                OLIVER
                      Well, it seemed to me --

                                ALICE
                      You mean you didn't. It seems to me the
                      least you could do. You can't just jump
                      at conclusions that way. You're being
                      unfair.

                                OLIVER
                      I'm never unfair.

                                ALICE
                          (almost tearfully)
                      You're shouting at me.

                                OLIVER
                          (roaring)
                      I'm not shouting at you, but there's no
                      doubt in my mind that you spoil this
                      child!

            Amy, who has been listening intently, shrinking away with
            mingled embarrassment and hurt, suddenly begins to cry.
            Oliver is the first to kneel beside her.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      I'm sorry. Daddy and Mommy are a little
                      upset.

                                AMY
                      You're upset about me -- I made you fight
                      --I hate for you to fight.

                                ALICE
                      We're not really fighting darling -- just
                      a little argument. You run out and play --
                      go on now -- We'll make up.

            She shoos the child out of the door

            EXT. REED YARD -- DAY

            Amy, still dabbing at her eyes, comes a few feet out of the
            workshop door and turns back to look at her parents. In the
            background Alice is dabbing at her eyes with her
            handkerchief, but she is smiling. Amy starts down the path.
            Edward, trundling a wheelbarrow toward the front yard, passes
            her, notices the tears, and stops.

                                EDWARD
                      Been crying? That won't please your
                      Daddy. You'd bettor cheer yourself up.

                                AMY
                      I'm trying to.

                                EDWARD
                          (remembering)
                      Let me take another look at that ring.

            She lifts it up and he looks at it. 

                                EDWARD
                      Sure enough, that's a real mourning ring
                      and it's got wishing power. You'd, better
                      sit down and think of some good wishes to
                      make. 

            Edward, with a kindly pat on her shoulder, picks up his
            wheelbarrow and starts off. Amy looks after him, absorbed.
            Then she turns. 

            ANOTHER ANGLE. Amy ambles along the walk. In one hand she
            carries the hoop and stick. Idly she kicks up & pebble with
            the toe of her shoe. As she passes a bush, she tears off a
            leaf and chews on it. She reaches a snail pond and  drops
            down beside it with a sigh. Amy locks down into the pond. 

            INSERT      THE SURFACE OF THE POND. A large goldfish is
            lazily swimming around. 

            BACK TO SCENE. Amy smiles and leans over tho pond. She puts
            one hand in the water and ripples the surface. Then, staring
            at her hand, she stops, fascinated. 

            CLOSE UP of Amy's hand under the surface of the water. The
            silver ring glistens brightly. 

            Amy draws her hand out of the water and stares at the ring. A
            smile lightens her face. She knows now what she will wish
            for. She sits down on a large rock, closes her eyes, and
            firmly turns the ring on her finger as she makes her wish.

                                AMY
                      I wish for a friend.

            For a second she remains with her eyes closed; then, slowly,
            she opens her eyes looks about her. 

            EXT. THE WOODS -- DAY

            LONG SHOT. The trees stand still and quiet. At first, no
            breeze rustles the leaves, the yaddo lying on the lawn is
            motionless. Then a whisper of a breeze moves the branches of
            the trees, and the yaddo flutters gently, coming to life.

            EXT. REED YARD - DAY

            Amy is standing up and looking with anticipation at the,
            moving sunlight and shadow. 

            Through the picket fence, on the fringe of the woods, a
            cluster of dandelions grow. The breeze blows the dandelions,
            and they incline their tufted heads toward the yard. The
            little spears of dandelion fluff are loosened in the air and
            enter the yard, sailing on the wind. The musical motif of
            Irena's song sounds faintly, growing stronger.

            Amy looks about her as the dandelion tufts come dancing by
            her.
            She laughs happily and in the moving sunlight and shadow
            begins to roll her hoop. Irena's song, which fills the track,
            is gay and happy.

            INT. OLIVER REED'S WORKSHOP - DAY

            Oliver is at his handsaw. He is feeding a long thin strip of
            wood into the saw and Edward stands behind him holding up the
            other end of the stick. Ho has on a carpenter's apron.
            Through the window Amy can be seen playing, happily racing
            along the path. 

            The saw cuts to the end of the stick and Oliver turns it off.
            Both men look out of the window.

                                EDWARD
                      Amy looks happy — seems almost as if she
                      were playing with another child; like
                      somebody else were running with her and
                      playing.

                                OLIVER
                          (simply)
                      I like to see her happy.

                                EDWARD
                      So do I, Mr. Reed.

            Oliver reaches over for the next stick of wood to cut. The
            two men take their positions at the saw. Oliver turns it on.

            EXT. REED YARD -_ DAY

            Amy, humming, flits through the dappled shadow in the rear of
            the yard.

            DISSOLVE

            DISSOLVE IN

            INT. REED KITCHEN - NIGHT

            Amy is finishing her supper. Dressed in nightgown and
            bathrobe, she is seated, at the kitchen table and is taking
            the last bites of a cup custard. Edward is moving about the
            kitchen, preparing dinner. Oliver comes in the back door,
            moves up to Amy, and puts his hand on her shoulder. He looks
            down at the empty plates.

                                OLIVER
                      Nothing wrong with your appetite, is
                      there?

            Amy shakes her head.

                                EDWARD
                      I didn't even have to coax her tonight.

                                OLIVER
                      That's because she made a promise, and
                      she'a keeping it, aren't you, darling.
                          (to Edward)
                      You saw the way she played this
                      afternoon, Edward.

                                EDWARD
                      Indeed I did. Up and down the garden she
                      went, laughing and singing to herself.

            Alice comes in and stands, watching, smiling.

                                AMY
                      I wasn't singing to myself.

                                EDWARD
                      Oh, I suppose it was to the wind you
                      sang, or maybe to the sun, or the clouds,
                      or maybe it was to the flowers in the
                      garden.

            Oliver goes to the sink to wash his hands. Amy puts aside her
            dish and spoon, wipes her mouth with her napkin, and climbs
            down from her chair.

                                AMY
                      All through.

            Her mother takes her hand and they start out of the kitchen.

            INT. REED LOWER HALLWAY AND STAIRS - NIGHT             

            Amy walks along the hallway holding Alice's hand. She is
            humming a song.

                                ALICE
                          (turning to her)
                      What are saying, darling?

                                AMY
                      I wasn't saying anything. I was singing.

                                ALICE
                      I suppose any note, no matter how sour,
                      is a song if you hold on to it long
                      enough.

            Amy frowns, pursing her lips and shaking her head.

                                AMY
                      I thought I'd never forget that song.

            They have reached the stairs and start up.

                                ALICE
                      What song, dear?            

                                AMY
                      The song I was trying to hum. The song my
                      friend, taught me.

                                ALICE
                          (carelessly)
                      Oh, you'll remember it some time.

            They go on up the stairs and into Amy's room.

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

            Alice comes into the room with Amy and switches on the light
            while Amy pulls off her bathrobe. On the dressing table is a
            small basin of water and a wash cloth. Amy stands patiently
            while Alice dabs at her face with a soaped cloth. 

                                AMY
                      Mommy --

                                ALICE
                      Yes, darling.

                                AMY
                      Did you ever make a wish?

                                ALICE
                      Oh, lots of times.

                                AMY
                      Did your wishes ever come true?

                                ALICE
                      Sometimes.

                                AMY
                      I made a wish today, and it came true
                      just like Edward said it would.

            Alice picks up the child's hand to wash it and notices the
            ring.

                                ALICE
                      Where did you get this ring?

                                AMY
                      That's what I wished on. Edward says it's
                      a wishing ring -- and it is!

                                ALICE
                          (slipping the ring' off Amy's
                           finger)
                      But where did you get it, Amy?

                                AMY
                      At the old house with the voice.

            Alice begins to turn down the covers of Amy's bed.

                                ALICE
                      Someone gave it to you? Where was this
                      old house?

                                AMY
                      On the back street — a green house

                                ALICE
                      The Farren house

                                AMY
                      Do you know the people?

                                ALICE
                      No dear. I don't know them, but I've
                      heard about them.

                                AMY
                      Are they nice?

                                ALICE
                      I really don't know, but I do know that
                      you must return the ring. You get Edward
                      to take you up there and bring it back to
                      the old lady.

            Amy looks at her puzzled.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      Well — the mother or daughter --
                      whichever one gave it to you. You ask
                      Edward to go with you.

                                AMY
                          (getting into bed)
                      I got my wish anyway.

                                ALICE
                          (as she draws the covers up to
                           Amy's chin)
                      You mustn't tell anybody, or it won't
                      come true.

                                AMY
                          (as Alice kisses her)
                      But it's already come true.

                                ALICE
                          (raising her finger to her
                           lips)
                      Sh! Then you must keep it true.
                      Goodnight, darling.

            She turns out the lights and goes out the door.

                                                                FADE OUT

            FADE IN

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY 

            CLOSE SHOT of one of Oliver's model sailing craft; the sails
            flutter and stir as if it were sailing before a strong
            breeze. Over this shot is the sound of Edward's voice
            singing, "Blow The Man Down." 

            The CAMERA PULLS BACK TO show him working with a vacuum
            cleaner, blowing the dust from the model. Suddenly there is a
            click. The wind that filled the model sails dies abruptly,
            leaving them flat and becalmed. Edward turns to look at the
            body of the vacuum cleaner which lies on the floor. Amy is
            kneeling beside it. She has a shy smile on her face. It was
            she who had turned it off.

                                EDWARD
                      Little miss, you're stopping me in my
                      work.

                                AMY
                      But I want to talk to you. Mommy says for
                      you to come up to the old house with me.
                      I've got to take back this ring.

                                EDWARD
                      You just wait until I finish here. I've
                      got to dust these ships for your Dad.

                                AMY
                      Will you come soon?

                                EDWARD
                      Soon as I finish. 

            He snaps on the vacuum cleaner and goes back to his work. Amy
            sits down on the vacuum cleaner, astride, puts her elbow's on
            her knees, her chin in her hands and watches him patiently.
            Suddenly she flicks off the switch again. The vacuum cleaner
            stops.

                                EDWARD (cont'd)
                          (protestingly)
                      How, little miss

                                AMY
                      You're going to be busy all day long,
                      Edward.

                                EDWARD
                      I do suppose so. But if you were there
                      yesterday, guess you can get there today.

                                AMY
                          (jumping up)
                      That means I can go alone?

            She snaps on the vacuum cleaner again. Over the noise Edward
            nods in reply. She starts out of the room and can be seen
            through the hallway going out the front door.

            EXT. REED HOUSE -- DAY

            Amy comes down the stairs and starts off down the walk.

            EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY

            Amy turns out of her driveway and starts off toward the
            corner. Down the street comes Miss Callahan riding on an
            English model bicycle with books in the basket on the handle
            bars. She sees Amy and slows down.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Hello, Amy.

                                AMY
                      Are you coming to see us. Miss Callahan?

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      No, darling, I hadn't intended to.

                                AMY
                          (pointing)
                      I live right here.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Maybe I'll drop in and see your Mommy.

            She smiles at the child and then peddles off, turning in at
            the Reed driveway. Amy watches her and then turns to resume
            her own walk toward the corner.
            (END OF PART II)
            INT. HALL - REED ROUSE - DAY

            The doorbell is ringing. Alice in a gardening apron and with
            gardening gloves on her hands, comes hurriedly out.

                                ALICE
                      I'll get it. I'll get it, Edward.

            From tho living room Edward's voice can be heard.

                                EDWARD'S VOICE
                      Yes, Ma'am

            Alice opens the door and finds Miss Callahan standing there

                                ALICE
                      Oh, hello.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Hello. I just met Amy and she pointed out
                      where you live.

            Alice starts taking off her gloves and holds the door wide
            with her foot.

                                ALICE
                      Please come in.

            Miss Callahan comes in.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      Ever since yesterday I've been thinking
                      about you. 

            She starts to close the doer.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      I've been thinking you're the sort of
                      person I'd like to know better. I'm glad
                      you came. 

            She has gotten her gloves off and she takes Miss Callahan's
            elbow to start her toward the living room.

            EXT. SUBURBAN STREET CORNER - DAY

            Amy comes from the direction of her own house. She stands for
            a moment at the corner, hesitant, then looks at the ring and
            starts off toward the Farren house.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Edward has departed, taking his cleaning apparatus with him,
            and Alice is showing the room to her new-found friend, Miss
            Callahan. They move along the fireplace wall. Alice points
            out a model to Miss Callahan.

                                ALICE
                      Oliver's pet,  I'm sure it would be the
                      first thing he'd grab if we ever had a
                      fire.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      I know how it is.  My Dad collects
                      miniature canon.

            Alice reaches to the mantel and holds up a bronze canon
            model.

                                ALICE
                      If they're connected with boats, we have
                      'em.

            She sets the model down and they move toward the next wall.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (as they go)
                      They may be trouble to dust, but they're 
                      nice.  I like to see a home like this --
                      a home connected with people's work and
                      thoughts — things they love.

            As she finishes speaking the two women come abreast of the
            Goya painting of the three cats with their mad, staring eyes.

                                ALICE
                      It doesn't fit,does it? 

            Miss Callahan shakes her head.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      But it is a part of our lives too --a
                      part of our past, It's a Goya
                      reproduction. Those three cats --
                          (points)
                      are supposed to be the most beautifully
                      drawn cats in Western art.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      But you don't keep a cat, do you?

                                ALICE
                      We don't even like them,
                          (looks at the painting)
                      I've often thought of giving it away, but
                      Oliver wouldn't stand for it.  It was his
                      first wife's favorite picture.  She was
                      an artist.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      I didn't know Mr. Reed had been married
                      before.

                                ALICE
                      Yes. As a matter of fact, I was on the
                      point of telling you about it yesterday —
                      about Oliver's first marriage — and his
                      wife's death. It has so much to do with
                      Amy — although he'll never realize it.

            They have moved to the sofa. Alice sits down and Miss
            Callahan joins her. Alice pushes the box of cigarettes toward
            her. Miss Callahan shakes her head. Alice takes one and
            begins to light it.

            She gets up and Miss Callahan gets up after her.

            EXT. FARREN GARDEN - DAY

            Amy, with the serious mien of one intent upon an errand,
            comes down the street and turns in at the pergola of the
            Farren home.

            EXT. FARREN HOUSE -- DAY

            Amy crosses from the pergola to the porch. She climbs the
            steps, knocks and waits a moment. The door opens and Miss
            Farren stands there.

                                AMY
                      Can I see the lady who gave me this ring?

            She holds up the ring. Without a word, Miss Farren lets the
            child pass in and closes the door behind her. 

            INT. HALL -- FARREN HOUSE -- DAY    

            The great heavy draperies of this room are drawn.  As the
            door closes behind Amy, the twilight of this somber ante
            chamber closes around the child.  The weird ornaments, the
            rococo furniture, the angular stairway, loom darkly around
            her.  In front of her, tall and pale, stands Barbara Farren.

                                BARBARA
                      What is it?

                                AMY
                      My mother told me to give back the ring
                      to the lady who gave it to me.

            Barbara stretches out her hand. Amy shakes her head.

                                AMY (cont'd)
                      You're not the lady.

            Barbara points to a tall high-backed chair.

                                BARBARA
                      Sit there.

            Frightened, and keeping her eyes on Barbara, Amy hoists
            herself up into the chair. Without a word, Barbara turns and
            goes out. The child looks around. She glances at the sphinxes
            that guard tho stairway and the grinning statue of a Negro
            serving maid. She tries to see beyond into tho darkened
            living room. She moves trying to find a more comfortable
            position in this stiff, high chair.

            EXT. REED FRONT YARD -- DAY                        

            Edward, is gardening. At least he has on his gardening
            outfit, the brown sweater and cap and he has a pair of
            pruning shears in his hand but at the moment he has stopped
            to survey Miss Callahan's bicycle. His inspection of this
            vehicle has brought him to the books and he leans against the
            bicycle reading from one of the books.

            INT. HALLWAY - REED HOME - DAY

            Alice and Miss Callahan are coming out of the dining room
            into the hall.

                                ALICE
                          (as if continuing a
                           conversation)
                      It's almost as if there were a curse on
                      us. I wouldn't care if it were on me, but
                      it seems to be directed against the
                      child. Irena haunts this house. 

            Alice starts to open the door.

            EXT. REED FRONT YARD - DAY

            Alice opens the door and she and Miss Callahan step through.
            Edward puts the book back into the basket on the bicycle

                                ALICE
                          (to Edward)
                      I thought you were with Amy.

                                EDWARD
                      No, she went runnin' off to some old
                      house she was talkin' about yesterday.

                                ALICE
                      That's the Farren house.

                                EDWARD
                      Is that where she got the ring, Mrs.
                      Reed? She shouldn't be up there.

                                ALICE
                      But I told her to go with you.

                                EDWARD
                      She said something about that, Mrs. Reed
                      — but she didn't tell me it was the
                      Farren house. I'll get my other hat and
                      coat and go over there.

                                ALICE
                      You do that, Edward.

            He starts out for the side driveway and goes around the
            corner of the house.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (wheeling her bicycle around)
                      That the old actress -- Julia Farren?

                                ALICE
                      Yes,  She's a little odd, I understand.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      But quite harmless, I'm sure.

            Miss Callahan wheels her bicycle down the drive, eases it off
            the curb and prepares to mount.  She waves.  Alice waves
            back.

            INT. FARREN HALLWAY - DAY

            Amy is sitting, a tiny figure in the big chair.  She looks
            around her.  The hallway is still silent.  She slips the ring
            on her finger, and then slides down off the chair, and starts
            toward the door.  A slight rustling sound attracts her
            attention, and she turns.

            The entrance to the drawing room, as Amy sees it.  A portiere
            like curtain separates the drawing room from the hallway. 
            Inside the drawing room in the half-light are weird shadows.

            Amy timidly steps forward to the drawing room.  She reaches
            the curtain, gently pushes it aside, and steps within the
            room. 

            INT. FARREN DRAWING ROOM -- DAY

            The drawing room, like the hallway, is deep with shadows. The
            drawing room is cluttered with useless Victorian and
            Edwardian antiques.  Amy moves slowly into the room, her
            attention going from one baroque object to another. On a
            small mahogany table there is a glassed dome enclosing a
            stuffed dove that flutters over a mossy column of artificial
            forget-me-nots.  A low, cackling laughter sounds o.s. 
            Startled, Amy looks up. 

            A corner of the room.  In the dim light, the furniture throws
            large shadows.  An amused, cackling laughter is heard. 

            Amy, frightened, listens a moment.  The laughter ceases. Amy
            takes a step toward the hallway.  Suddenly, there is a sharp,
            quick, rattling sound, and sunlight floods the scene.  Amy
            cowers, hiding her eyes from the bright light.

            Julia Farren stands at the window, one hand still resting on
            the center rod of the old-fashioned shutter, through which
            bright sunlight now pours. Mrs. Farren is a fabulous
            creature. Her face is painted, rouged, and powdered; and she
            wears a thick wig of outrageously red hair. There are jeweled
            pendants glittering in her ears, rings on her fingers,
            bracelets on her wrists. She wears a diamond necklace, and
            around her throat is a grosgrain ribbon with a huge ruby
            shining in the center. Her gown is of the period 1915, and
            was once a very elaborate Worth model. It is a tea gown of
            gold lace over velvet, but some of the panels of lace are
            torn and sagging. She leans on a black walking stick that has
            a diamond top. Her scarlet lips open in a smile as she looks
            down at Amy.

            Amy slowly lets her hands fall from her face, and stares up
            at Julia Farren, blinking her eyes in the unaccustomed light.
            Julia Farren adjusts the rod on the shutter so that the light
            is softer and no longer glaring. She smiles at Amy.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      I agree with you. God should use a rose
                      amber spot. The sun is not kind.

            Mrs. Farren moves a few steps to her chair, and sits down in
            it, as if it were a throne. With a wide flourish of one hand,
            she indicates the sofa across from her.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      Sit down, my child. 

            Amy moves to the sofa and slides up onto it. A large white
            cat leaps onto the lap of Mrs. Farren, who caresses it
            gently. Amy is unable to take her eyes from the fabulous
            woman before her. Mrs. Farren smiles a glittering smile.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      I've been watching you. You couldn't see
                      me, but I could see you. It was like
                      peeking through a slit in the curtain
                      before the play began. You would be a
                      very good audience. I can see that.

                                AMY
                      If you were the lady who gave me a ring,
                      my mother says I have to give it back to
                      you.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Return it to me? Indeed you may not. I
                      gave it to you as a present.

            
                                   AMY
                      But my mother says I mustn't accept
                      gifts from strangers.

                                   MRS. FARREN
                      Stranger? Julia Farren a stranger.
                      Why I've played every theatre from
                      Boston to San Francisco. I've been
                      to London and Paris. Those days —
                      those beautiful, shilling, golden
                      days.

                                   AMY
                      But I only came to give back the
                      ring.

                                   MRS. FARREN
                      The ring? We'll have no more
                      nonsense about the ring.

               She turns to the tea-table upon which a silver teapot, cups,
               and tea-things are laid.

                                   MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                       Let's have tea, shall we? The tea
                       will be good and strong and red now
                       — the way I like it!

               She starts to pour, but there is a light sound of footsteps
               in the hall. Mrs. Farren looks around. Her whole body seems
               to freeze. An icy, hateful gleam comes into her eyes. Amy
               looks at Mrs. Farren, then, apprehensively, glances around.

               Barbara Farren stands in the doorway, staring at her mother.
               Barbara is a woman of around thirty-five, tall blonde,
               beautiful. Her eyes, lynx-like, glint as she stares; she
               looks as if she might pounce, like a panther, into the room.
               Her lip curls with faint contempt, and turning, she quits the
               room. 

               Mrs. Farren looks at Amy.

                                   MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      She's always spying on me. She
                      creeps into the room. She lives
                      upstairs, yet she's always watching
                      me — always!

                                   AMY
                      Who is she?

                                   MRS. FARREN
                      That woman is an imposter, a liar,
                      and a cheat. How do you like
                      your tea?
                                AMY
                      Well... .sometimes I got a spoonful of
                      tea in a cup of hot milk. 


            Mrs. Farren hands the teacup to Amy. 


                                MRS. FARREN
                      There you are. Take some cake, why don't
                      you?

                                AMY
                      No, thank you.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      One little piece of cake won't hurt you.
                      Go ahead, take one. It's full of
                      fruit...citron, cherries and ginger.
                      It'll make you dream. Yes, wonderful
                      dreams.

            Obediently, Amy takes a piece of cake and munches on it. Mrs.
            Farren is stirring her tea. Suddenly, she puts her teacup
            down, and leans forward with new interest to the child.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Child, have you ever seen a play?

            Amy shakes her head.

                                AMY
                      I like stories.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Then I'll tell you a story — a lovely
                      story. Do you know the story of Rapunzel?

                                AMY
                      Mommy read it to ne.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Do you know the story of "The Headless
                      Horseman?" 

            Amy shakes her head.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      You live right here in Tarrytown and
                      don't know the legend of Sleepy Hollow?

            Amy shakes her head again.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      Well, then you must hear it. I shall tell
                      it to you.

            Amy claps her hands together gleefully. Mrs. Farren gets up,
            takes Amy by the hand and leads her to a little chair which
            she places at the entrance of the alcove off of the living
            room. 

                                MRS. FARREN
                      You sit here and we'll pretend that's a
                      stage.

            She starts toward the alcove.

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (as she walks)
                      The Headless Horseman --

                                AMY
                      Why hasn't he got a head?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      It was shot off long ago in the great
                      battles that were fought here; with the
                      British on one side and the Americans on
                      the other.

            She has reached the alcove and draws the curtains a little
            and stands in the arch-way, turning to face the child.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      At night the Headless Horseman rides... 

            There is a banging on the, outer door and she stops abruptly.
            Both she and the child look off at the door.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      I hear a knocking at the South entry,
                      Knock, knock, knock --- never at quiet
                      Wake Duncan with thy knocking --- I would
                      thy couldst.

            INT. FARREN HALLWAY - DAY

            With light, graceful steps, Barbara Farren crosses the hall
            and opens the door. Edward stands there, hat in hand.

                                EDWARD
                      Is my little miss here -- ? A little girl
                      with hair about the color of yours,
                      ma'am? 

            Without a word, Barbara steps back to let him in. He comes
            forward hesitantly. With a white hand she points toward the
            living room.

            INT. FARREN LIVING- ROOM - DAY

            Edward comes in. Mrs. Farren and Amy have gone halfway down
            the room to meet him.

                                EDWARD
                      About time for you to come home, Amy.

                                AMY
                      But Mrs. Farren just started to tell me a
                      story. Please.

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (imperiously)
                      Let the child stay.

                                EDWARD
                          (beginning to hesitate)
                      Now, I don't know Amy --

                                AMY
                          (quick to take advantage)
                      He'll let me stay, Mrs. Farren. He'll let
                      me stay.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Good.

            She starts back to her impromptu stage.

                                EDWARD
                          (protesting)
                      Now Amy, I didn't say --

            Amy is already engrossed in the idea of the performance to
            come. She takes her seat again. Edward is forced to fellow
            her and stands beside her. Before he can resume his
            protestations, Mrs. Farren begins her recital.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      On the dark nights — on the stormy nights
                      -- you can hear him. He passes like the
                      wind; The flapping and fluttering of his
                      great cloak beating like gaunt wings. The
                      thunder of his horse's hooves is loud,
                      loud and louder, beating hard, beating
                      strong on the frozen ground as he comes
                      riding, riding, riding.

                                EDWARD
                          (whispering)
                      Little miss, you can't stay here. You've
                      got to come with me.

            Edward tries to take Amy's hand, but she puts her fingers to
            her lips shushing him.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      ...At the hour of midnight, down the road
                      that goes through Sleepy Hollow, across
                      the bridge, he goes galloping, galloping,
                      always searching, always seeking

                                EDWARD
                      Come away, Amy.

            The child is too engrossed to even hear him, hanging on every
            word of the old lady's recital.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      -- If you stand on that bridge at the
                      wrong hour -- the hour when he rides by,
                      his great cloak sweeps around you, he
                      swings you to his saddle bow, and you
                      have to ride forever your eyes seeing for
                      his blind eyes, your ears listening for
                      his ears long deafened and dead, and
                      always his cold arms around you, crushing
                      you into the cavity of his bony chest.
                      Then forever you must ride and ride and
                      ride with the Headless Horseman. 

            Amy shudders. Mrs. Farren is delighted with the effect on the
            child. All her emotions spent on the narrative, she goes back
            to her chair, picks up her tea cup and sips.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      My tea has gone cold -- bitter cold.

                                EDWARD
                      Come along now.

            He takes Amy's hand and starts out of the living room. The
            old lady pays no attention to their departure. At the door
            Amy turns back.

                                AMY
                      I've had a nice time, but I have to go
                      home now. Good-bye. 

            Mrs. Farren pays no attention. 

                                AMY 
                      Good-bye.

            Edward has succeeded in getting her to the hall door and they
            go out into the hall.

            INT. FARREN HALLWAY - DAY

            Amy and Edward come out of the living room and go down the
            hallway to the front door. Edward fusses with the numerous
            bolts and chains which hold this structure closed. Suddenly,
            two slender, white hands come into the scene and, with a
            single twist, effortlessly unbolt the door. Amy and Edward
            look around.

            Barbara Farren, as Amy sees her. There is no expression on
            her face, yet her eyes glint mysteriously as she looks down
            at the child.

            Barbara Farren opens the door. Amy looks at her and smiles.

                                AMY
                      Thank you.

            She goes outside, and Barbara Farren closes the door after
            her and Edward. She turns back and starts toward the living
            room.

            OMITTED.

            INT. PERGOLA - FARREN HOUSE - DAY 

            Edward, holding Amy's hand comes halfway down the length of
            the pergola and leans over to talk at the same level as the
            child. He talks in a low voice.

                                EDWARD
                      Little miss, don't you never come here
                      alone. You gave me a fright, you did.

                                AMY
                      But she's such a nice lady.

                                EDWARD
                      But I don't want you coming here alone.
                      You get me to go with you when you want
                      to come here. You promise?

            The child nods solemnly without understanding. He wags his
            finger before her.

                                EDWARD (cont'd)
                      You be sure of your promise.

            Amy nods again.

            INT. FARREN LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Barbara Farren enters and stands in front of her mother. She
            stands silently for a moment, then in a tone of terrible and
            suppressed bitterness, she speaks.

                                BARBARA
                      A liar -- an impostor -- your own
                      daughter. You call me that and yet you
                      are sweet and kind to the little girl --
                      a stranger -- 

            The old lady doesn't even look up.

                                BARBARA (CONT'D)
                      Look at me. I'm your daughter.

            Without lifting her head, the old woman replies.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      My daughter, Barbara, died when she was
                      six. That was long ago. You're only the
                      woman who keeps care of me. I know you.

                                BARBARA
                      Look at me.

            The old woman keeps her eyes fixed on the carpet. Barbara
            reaches down and firmly takes her mother's chin in her hand,
            drawing her face up. The old woman, despite the fact that she
            is forced to face her daughter, averts her eyes.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      You're an impostor.

            Barbara drops the old woman's chin, turns and silently leaves
            the room.

            DISSOLVE

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

            Amy is in bed asleep. Moonlight fills the room. Amy lies
            perfectly still in quiet sleep, her hair tousled on the white
            pillow. At the window a branch of a tree is beating its
            leaves against the panes of class. In the distance, muffled
            and faint, issuing from no known direction, comes the beat of
            horse's hoofs. Mrs. Farren's voice can be heard. 

                                MRS. FARREN'S VOICE
                      He comes riding, riding, riding. On the
                      dark nights-- on the nights of storm... 

            The words are repeated in and, out of sequence, a mad and
            irritating cacophony of verbiage.

            In the darkness of the window, against the background of
            beating boughs, great hooves appear, striking at the air,
            bright shoes flash, the calks catching the light. The hairy
            fetlocks are dank and wet. The chest of the horse, his
            flaring nostrils, the wildly rolling eyes, the mane, wind
            tossed and merging with the agitated branches of the tree,
            come into terrifying CLOSE UP. Then, suddenly, the Headless
            Horseman in Hussar uniform, the braid, white and ghastly,
            stretched across the darkness of his uniform, comes into
            view. Crooked in bias arm is his dead head, surmounted by a
            Hussar's cap. The eyes are closed and drooping. The cheeks
            hang putrescent and flabby. Only the spiked mustaches are
            upright and give the lie to death. Around this horse and
            figure, whips the great black cloak. One fold of it swoops
            across the face of the sleeping child and she wakens, sits up
            in bed and screams.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

            GROUP SHOT of Oliver and Alice with Miss Callahan and a man
            friend. They are seated around a card table, playing bridge.
            They are laughing as they conclude the game. Alice, who is
            dummy, suddenly puts out her hand, and they are silent.

                                ALICE
                      Listen!

            Everybody listens a moment. Oliver looks at Alice.

                                OLIVER
                      What is it, Alice?

                                ALICE
                          (shrugging)
                      I thought Amy was calling. I guess not.

            Miss Callahan smiles at her and begins to shuffle the deck of
            cards.

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

            Amy is huddled in bed, badly frightened. There is only the
            pitiful, sighing sound of the branch of the tree outside,
            swaying in the wind. Amy, clutching her hands together, looks
            down and spies the ring on one finger. She turns the ring,
            whispering:

                                AMY
                      My friend... I'm frightened...
                      my friend.

            FULL SHOT of Amy's window.  The soft curtains billow out far
            into the room.  In the moonlight the leafy branches of the
            trees seem to dance, throwing shadows into the room.  The
            shadows dance across to Amy's bed, the CAMERA FOLLOWING them,

            Amy smiles and settles down under the covers.  Her eyes are
            heavy with sleep.

                                AMY
                          (softly)
                      I'm glad you came...my friend sing me
                      that song again.

            Her eyes close in sleep, and as she nestles her head back
            against the shadow, the shadow gains the vague, gray outline
            of a woman's figure holding the sleeping child against her
            breast.  Very softly a woman's voice sings the old French
            lullaby.  In her sleep Amy smiles in contentment.

            INT.  REED LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

            The four people are still playing cards.  Oliver's attention
            is not on the game; he is listening to something, like a half
            remembered fragment of song. Alice leans forward and touches
            his arm.

                                ALICE
                      Ollie.

                                OLIVER
                          (his attention aroused)
                      What?

                                ALICE
                      It's your play.

                                OLIVER
                      I'm sorry. I was somewhere else. He
                      returns to the card game.

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

            Amy is sleeping peacefully. The last notes of the song sung
            by Amy's friend are finished, and the indistinct shadow leans
            over the sleeping child. Amy smiles happily.

                                                                FADE OUT

                                                                FADE IN:

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Alice, with a kerchief tied around her hair and a cloth
            duster in one hand, is cleaning out a cabinet.  From one of
            the shelves she takes a stack of photographs and sets them
            face down on the near-by table,  Oliver and Amy enter the
            scene.  Alice looks up from dusting the shelf.

                                ALICE
                      Edward will give you your breakfast, Amy.

                                AMY
                          (climbing up on a chair)
                      I had my breakfast while you were still
                      asleep.

            Oliver leans over to kiss the back of Alice's neck.

                                OLIVER
                      I haven't had my breakfast.

                                ALICE
                      Well, you know where it is. 

            Oliver shrugs his shoulders to Amy.

                                OLIVER
                      You see the way I get treated. You're the
                      only one who has any pull around here.

            Amy laughs, end Oliver goes into the kitchen.  While Alice
            continues with her cleaning, Amy, kneeling on the chair,
            leans over the table to inspect the photographs. She picks up
            the top one, turns it over, and is obviously fascinated by
            what she sees.  Alice rises and crosses behind Amy.  She
            stops and looks down at the picture which Amy is looking at
            with rapt attention. 

            INSERT     THE PICTURE held in Amy's hands. It is of Irena
            Dubrovna, Oliver's first wife. 

            BACK TO SCENE.  Alice takes the picture from Amy and looks at
            it.

                                ALICE
                      Where'd you get this, darling?

                                AMY
                      It was right there on top. Isn't she
                      pretty?

                                ALICE
                          (quietly)
                      She was very pretty.

                                AMY
                      What's her name?

                                ALICE
                      Irena.

                                AMY
                          (repeating it, delighted with
                           the sound)
                      Irena.

                                ALICE
                          (rising, with a change of mood)
                      Look! Why don't you run out and play? The
                      sun's shining.

                                AMY
                          (scrambling down from the
                           chair)
                      All right, mommy. 

            Amy runs outside. Alice quietly studies the smiling face of
            Irena. She looks up and discovers Oliver crossing the
            hallway. Alice calls to him.

                                ALICE
                      Ollie!

            He comes into the room.

                                ALICE
                      I think maybe we should get rid of this,
                      don't you?

            She hands him the photograph of Irena, which he takes. He
            looks at the picture.

                                OLIVER
                      Where did you get it?

                                ALICE
                      Amy picked it off the top of that stack.
                      Perhaps you'd better go through the whole
                      bunch. There may be others of Irena in
                      there.

            Oliver nods and sits down on the arm of the chair. He starts
            to turn the photos over.

                                ALICE
                      Some day I'm afraid we're going to have
                      to tell her about Irena.

                                OLIVER
                      I suppose so.

            Over the scene, from outside, sounds the gay, childish
            laughter of Amy. Oliver raises his head, and listens for a
            second. He then begins sorting the photos.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            As Amy walks along the garden path, she is bouncing a large
            gaily-colored ball. She is bouncing it at first in an aimless
            sort of way; then she throws it up into the air and catcher
            it. Over the scene comes the strain, of Irena's song, and
            Amy, with the ball in hand, looks up. Her eyes brighten with
            a curious interest, and her lips part in a friendly smile.
            She tosses the ball toward the camera. After a second it
            comes back to her. This time the CAMERA TRAVELS WITH the ball
            to show Amy's friend, who catches the ball and tosses it back
            to Amy. Amy's friend is a woman in gray, chiffon garments.
            This is the first-complete materialization of the friend, and
            it is evident that she has the pretty, kitten-like face of
            Irena, Oliver's first wife.

                                AMY
                      Who are you?

                                IRENA
                      You called me by my name.

                                AMY
                      Irena. But who are you?

                                IRENA
                      I'm your friend.

                                AMY
                      I've wanted a friend.

                                IRENA
                      I've wanted a friend too. I've been
                      lonely.

                                AMY
                      But where do you come from?

                                IRENA
                      You wouldn't understand. I come from
                      great darkness and deep peace

                                AMY
                      But where is that?

                                IRENA
                      I can not tell you.

                                AMY
                      Will you be friend for always?

                                IRENA
                      For as long as you'll let me.

                                AMY
                      I shall want you for always.

                                IRENA
                          (kissing Amy's brow)
                      For always, then. Only you must promise
                      never to tell anyone about me

                                AMY
                      Not even Daddy...or Mommy? 

                                IRENA
                      No. This must be a friendship that only
                      we shall have... you and I... Amy and her
                      friend.

                                AMY
                      Oh, I like the sound of that.., Amy and
                      her friend... Amy and her friend.

            Amy tosses the ball in an excess of joy and happiness. Irena
            catches the ball and running off, throws it back to her, Amy
            catches it, laughing delightedly.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Oliver is standing before the fireplace, throwing the
            photographs on the flames. One by one, he throws the few
            remaining pictures onto the fire, all save one, the last in
            the stack. He stands looking at the picture. 

            INSERT     THE PHOTOGRAPH which Oliver holds in his hands. It
            is one of Irena and him taken together; they are smiling at
            one another.

            BACK TO SCENE. Oliver looks up from the photograph to note
            that Alice is in the dining room, and has her back to him. He
            weighs the photograph a moment in his hands and looks up at
            the bookshelves near by. There is a thick photo album on one
            of the top shelves.
            Quickly he inserts the photograph between its leaves. He
            moves away from the bookshelf as Alice re-enters the room.
            She looks at him, and then at the fireplace. 

            The last part of the last picture that was thrown into the
            fireplace is curling up, a blackened wisp of burned paper.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            Amy and her friend are playing happily. Suddenly Amy stops
            playing;, holding the ball instead of returning it,

                                AMY
                      You'll always play with me?

                                IRENA
                      Whenever you want.

            DISSOLVE

            A SERIES OF DISSOLVES

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            Amy and Irena are swinging in the old swing that is attached
            to a tall limb of the tree. Amy is seated, holding onto the
            ropes, while her friend stands behind her, pumping the swing
            into high rhythm. Amy is laughing very gaily, having a
            marvelous time. Irena is singing. Amy laughs merrily, as she
            and her friend swing up toward the heavens.

            DISSOLVE

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            Amy is seated in a garden chair, doing sums.  It is an
            afternoon in late fall.  Amy is wearing a sweater. Beside her
            sits Irena, who watches the child anxiously.

                                IRENA
                      Can't you get it, darling?

                                AMY
                      I'll just never learn arithmetic.

                                IRENA
                      But you must!

                                AMY
                      The numbers simply don't mean anything

                                IRENA
                      Oh yes they do.  Look.  One is like a
                      tall princess.

                                AMY
                      A princess?

                                IRENA
                      Of course. And Two is the prince who
                      kneels before her on one knee.

                                AMY
                      Yes, yes! I see Prince,

                                IRENA
                      That's right!

                                AMY
                          (excited)
                      This is more fun than just pretend.

                                IRENA
                      Of course,

            With renewed enthusiasm, Amy applies herself to her lessons.

            INT. REED LIVING- ROOM - NIGHT

            There is a fire in the fireplace, Oliver is seated on a stool
            before the fire, a highball in his hands, and his hands
            between his knees. He is gazing into the flames. Alice, on
            tho sofa, is reading a book. She lowers it and looks at
            Oliver. As she watches him, he suddenly grins. She smiles in
            sympathetic reaction.

                                ALICE
                      What's funny?

                                OLIVER
                          (without)
                      That darn kid. I never in my life
                      expected her to get an A in arithmetic.
                      Math's is a practical science --- if she
                      understands figures, she's well out of
                      her own world of make-believe.

                                                           DISSOLVE OUT:

            DISSOLVE IN      

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            Amy and Irena are raking the dried leaves into a burning
            pile.  Irena picks up a handful of leaves and scatters them
            onto the flames.  Her voice takes on an eerie note,

                                IRENA
                      There's an oak leaf.  Add a maple.

                                AMY
                      That one's an elm.

                                IRENA
                          (a strange) light shining) in
                           her eyes)
                      Throw sea weeds into the flames, and the
                      fire turns blue!

                                AMY
                          (perplexed)
                      But we don't have any sea weed.

                                IRENA
                      Pretend, darling.  It's All Soul's Eve.
                          (taking the child's hand,
                           chanting)
                      Round about the fire we go...
                          (dropping the child's hand,she
                           dances around the fire)
                      Over the flames we leapt

            On the other side of the bonfire, she calls to Amy.

                                IRENA (CONT'D)
                      Come on, Amy.  Jump over the fire.

            Amy hesitates, but then shakes her head and walks around the
            bonfire to join Irena on the other side-

                                AMY
                      No, I don't think that's very much fun. 
                      Let's play house instead.  You be the
                      friend who comes to see me.  I'll show
                      you my children.

                                IRENA
                      Your children?

                                AMY
                      My dolls. We can pretend.

            Irena smiles at Amy, pats her gently as they take a few steps
            toward the dolls.

                                IRENA
                      All right, Amy.
                          (reeling beside the
                           child,buttoning Amy's sweater)
                      Button your sweater, darling. It's
                      turning cold.

                                AMY
                      Yes, winter's coming.  I don't like the
                      winter,

                                IRENA
                      Oh, but the winter's fun. There's the
                      wind and the snow. You'll like the warm
                      fire upon the hearth, and the long, long
                      nights.

            Amy has hardly listened to Irena; she is busily laying out
            her dolls in a row.

                                AMY
                      All my children are taking their naps. 
                      We must be very quiet. This is
                      Lottie...she's very good... this is Mary
                      Ann...she's good sometimes...this is
                      Virginia... she's hardly ever good.

            Irena has seated herself on a rock near the pool, and watches
            the child with a wistful smile upon her face. There is an
            autumnal sadness in their pose and from the tree above them
            two dead leaves drift silently down.

                                                            DISSOLVE TO:

            EXT. REED GARDEN -- NIGHT

            The snow is falling in the same place where the leaves had
            fallen. CAMERA LOOKS THROUGH the falling snow INTO the big
            window of the Reed's living room. A Christmas wreath of
            eastern holly is hung in the window. A decorated Christmas
            tree is set up in a prominent corner of the living room, and
            Edward can be seen lighting the lamps in the room. A pleasant
            fire burns upon the hearth. Alice and Oliver can be seen
            putting the last decorative touches to the tree.

                                                            DISSOLVE TO:

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

            GROUP SHOT of Alice, Oliver, Edward and Amy. As Alice and
            Oliver fasten the final garland of popcorn to the branches of
            the tree Amy comes into the room, her arms laden with
            packages.                    

                                AMY
                      These are all from me.

                                OLIVER
                          (inspecting the top package)
                      This one says, "To Mother from Amy."

                                ALICE
                      Oh, thank you, darling.

                                AMY
                      You can't open it yet. You have to put
                      all of them under the tree until morning.

                                OLIVER
                      I guess if you can wait, so can we.

            He starts to put the packages one by one under the tree,
            reading aloud the name of each person for whom the package is
            intended.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      "To Daddy from Amy." Here's one for Miss
                      Callahan. This one says, "To Edward from
                      Amy.".

                                EDWARD
                      Good heavens! What could you be giving
                      me. Little Miss?

                                AMY
                      Just you wait!

                                OLIVER
                      And this one's for Mrs. Farren.

                                AMY
                      She gave me a ring, so I'm giving her a
                      ring. I paid twenty-five cents for it,
                      too.

                                OLIVER
                          (inspecting the last package)     
                      This one hasn't got a name on it. Who's
                      this one for, Amy?

            CLOSE-UP of Amy as she looks around at the others and then
            looks away. 

            GROUP SHOT. Oliver holds the package out to her.

                                OLIVER
                      Who's it for, Amy? Do we have to guess?
                      Come on, tell us
                      who it's for.

            CLOSEUP of Amy, as she lifts her head.  It is on her lips to
            say that it is a secret, but at that moment the sound of
            caroling is heard from outside.  Amy turns her head.

            GROUP SHOT.  Everybody listens for a moment as the carol
            continues.

                                CAROLERS' VOICES
                          (singing)
                      "It came upon the midnight clear, That
                      glorious song of old, Froci angels
                      bending near the earth, To touch their
                      harps of gold."

            The four, meanwhile, go running to the window to look out. 
            Outside in the falling snow stand about eight carolers of
            various ages and sizes. They are heavily over-coated and well
            wrapped up in scarves.  Alice turns to Oliver and then to
            Edward.

                                ALICE
                      Ask them in, Ollie.  Edward, fix
                      something warm for them to drink.

            Oliver and Edward go to do as they are bid, and Alice turns
            away from the window.  Only Amy stands looking out.

            EXT. REED HOUSE - NIGHT

            The eight carolers stand in the snow, continuing their carol
            in close harmony.

                                CAROLERS
                          (singing)
                      "Peace on the earth, good will to men
                      From heav'ns all gracious King, The world
                      in solemn stillness lay to hear the
                      angels sing."

            FULL SHOT of Oliver as he opens the front door and comes
            outside.

                                OLIVER
                      Merry Christmas! Come on in.

            WIDE SHOT as the carolers cheer and start toward the house
            with its open door.

            INT. REED HALLWAY - NIGHT       

            The carolers enter the hallway, stamping the snow from their
            boots.  They take off their hats and scarves and coats. 
            Among the carolers is Lois Huggins and Miss Callahan.  Among
            the carolers, too, is Miss Plumett, a pleasant-looking club
            lady who looks as if she might have stepped right out of the
            Hopkinson drawings. Whenever Miss Plumett talks, which is
            often, her clarion-like tones rise about everyone else's.

                                OLIVER
                      There's a big fire in the living room. 
                      Edward's fixing something hot for you all
                      to drink.

                                MISS PLUMETT
                      How bounteous!  But then I have always
                      remarked that you were a very bounteous
                      young man, Mr. Reed.

                                OLIVER
                      The sentiment is mutual, Miss Plummet.

            She laughs giddily.  Oliver smiles wanly and indicates the
            living room.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      Right in here.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

            As the carolers enter the living room, Alice comes forward to
            greet them.

                                ALICE
                      Merry Christmas,  The carols were
                      beautiful.

                                AD LIBS
                      Merry Christmas... Thank you, Mrs.
                      Reed...what a marvelous fire... And what
                      a beautiful tree...

                                MISS PLUMETT
                      My dear Mrs. Reed, of all the houses we
                      have visited tonight, yours.. I do
                      swear.. has the truest dyed-in-tradition
                      Christmas spirit.

                                ALICE
                      Why, thank you.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (to Oliver)
                      The old girl ought to make a record of
                      that.  She says it at every house we go
                      to.

            OMITTED.

            TWO SHOT of Amy and Lois Huggins.  Amy is still standing in
            the bay window alcove, silently watching the scene with the
            adults,  Lois comes up to her

                                LOIS
                      What'd you get for Christmas?

                                AMY
                      I don't know yet.

                                LOIS
                          (making it sound very
                           antediluvian)
                      My goodness, don't you open your presents
                      until Christmas morning?

                                AMY
                      No.

                                LOIS
                      We open ours on Christmas Eve. That's
                      considered proper.

                                AMY
                      Well, I guess we're not a very proper
                      family.

            Lois looks at Amy as if she were last year's hat.

                                LOIS
                      Hm.

            She strolls away.  Amy shrugs her shoulders and looks out at
            the assemblage again.

            ANOTHER GROUP SHOT. Alice is talking to two of the carolers.

                                ALICE
                      Couldn't we have another carol? I'll play
                      it for you,, or at least try to, on the
                      piano.

            Miss Plumett overhears and takes charge immediately.

                                MISS PLUMETT
                      Of course you may have another carol.
                      What shall it be, good friends?

            They all gather around the piano, as Alice declares;

                                ALICE
                      Oh, I know one.  "Shepherds Shake   off
                      your drowsy sleep." 

            There is a murmur of assent.

                                MISS PLUMETT
                          (counseling)
                      Now remember, all.  We start con vivace,

            MED. CLOSEUP of Amy, who now stands in the hallway.  She is
            bored by the adult celebration. Suddenly all the sound for
            her is wiped out of her consciousness, and she hears only a
            very sweet voice singing o.s. an old seventeenth century
            French carol.  She turns and looks out the window. 

            LONG SHOT as Amy sees her through the back window. Irena
            standing in the garden beneath the big tree in the snow.  She
            is singing.

                                IRENA
                          (singing)
                      "D'ou vient cetts troupe d'anges, Et tous
                      les cieux plelns d'eclairs! Eh! fi'ou
                      viennent ces louanges, Qui resennent de
                      dans 1'air!"

            MED. SHOT of Amy as she, with a secret purpose shining in her
            eyes, starts back through the hall.  She goes into the living
            room, picks up the present that has no name on it, and goes
            out into the hall.  Meanwhile, everyone has gathered around
            the piano, and no one pays any attention to Amy's action, all
            their attention being riveted on the singing of the carol.

                                MISS PLUMETT
                      Ready, friends?  Remember now, con
                      vivace, and at the very end, poco
                      ritardo, if you please.

                                CAROLERS
                          (singing)
                      "Shepherds, shake off your drowsy sleep,
                      Rise and leave you silly sheep; Angels
                      from heav'n around loud singing, Tidings
                      of great joy are bringing."

            INT. REED HALLWAY - NIGHT

            MED. SHOT of Amy, as she takes her coat down from the closet
            rack, slips into it, and softly goes outside. From within the
            living room the carolers are heard.

                                CAROLERS' VOICES
                      "Shepherds! the chorus come and swell!
                      Sing Noel, 0 sing Noel!"

            EXT. REED GARDEN -- NIGHT

            As Amy comes out of the house and down into the frozen
            garden, the CAMERA PANNING WITH her, the clear, sweet voice
            of Irena is heard, continuing to sing the old seventeenth
            century carol.

                                IRENA
                          (singing)
                      "Je vous chanto une merveille, Qui
                      remplit tout ce bas lieu D'une joio non
                      pareille De la part do ce grand Dieu,
                      D'une jolo non parcille,
                      De la part de ce grand Dieu."

            A few flakes of vagrant snow still fall. Amy stands before
            her friend, who, finishing the carol, smiles at the child.

                                IRENA (cont'd)
                      Merry Christmas, Amy.

                                AMY
                      Merry Christmas, Irena.
                          (holding forth the gift)
                      I brought you a present.

                                IRENA
                          (taking it)
                      Oh, thank you, Amy.

                                AMY
                      You can open it now, I guess. Lois
                      Huggins says that's proper,

            Irena smiles at her and opens the box. She takes out a
            tinseled angel holding a tinsel star.

                                IRENA
                      Oh, how beautiful!

                                AMY
                      It reminded me of you, so I bought it. It
                      cost me more than all the others. 

                                IRENA
                          (pinning it in her hair)
                      I shall wear it in my hair!

                                AMY
                          (clasping her hands)
                      Oh, that is more beautiful than I ever
                      imagined it!
                          (sorrowfully)
                      I wish I could show you to mommy and
                      daddy.  I wish you could enjoy Christmas
                      with us.

                                IRENA
                      You and I shall enjoy Christmas together. 
                      Shall I show you my Christmas gift to
                      you?

                                AMY
                      Oh, please!

            Amy's friend smiles and lifts one arm heavenward.

            EXT. SKYSCAPE - NIGHT - (PROCESS)

            From behind a bank of dark clouds the full moon emerges.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - NIGHT

            As the full moonlight fills the scene, Irena turns her hand
            toward the trees and bushes of the garden and the forest
            behind it.  Amy turns to look. 

            FULL SHOT as Amy and Irena see it. The scene is lighted up as
            if by magic.  All the icicles on the trees glitter like
            jewels.  The scene sparkles with the beauty of fairyland. 

            TWO SHOT of Amy and Irena. Amy clasps her hands in sheer
            delight.  From the house comes the voice of Alice calling.

                                ALICE'S VOICE
                      Amy!  Amy!  Where are you, Amy?

            A long shadow falls across the scene from the doorway. Irena
            looks toward the house.

            EXT. SKYSCAPE - NIGHT - (PROCESS) 

            The noon goes behind, a bank of dark clouds.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - NIGHT

            TWO SHOT of Amy and her friend as the shadow covers them.

                                ALICE'S VOICE
                      Amy!

                                IRENA
                      Better go in now.
                          (she kisses the child)
                      Run along, darling.

            She runs a few steps, but then turns to call back:

                                AMY
                      Merry Christmas.

                                IRENA
                      A merry Christmas to you, Amy.

            Amy turns and runs toward the house. 

            CLOSEUP of Irena, as she smiles tenderly after the departing
            child.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. REED GARDEN - NIGHT

            The CAMERA TRAVELS THROUGH the falling snow TO the place
            beneath the tree, where Irena had sung and waited for Amy. 
            Almost covered by the snow are the footprints which Amy made
            going to and from her friend.  In the snow lies the package
            which Amy had brought out to Irena. It is unopened.  The
            gentle snow is rapidly covering Amy's gift from sight.  The
            bittersweet melody of Amy's friend sounds over the scene. 

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - DAY

            Miss Callahan stands with Alice.  She is dressed for walking
            and there are still little patches of snow on her coat. 
            Quite evidently they have exchanged gifts for both of them
            hold boxes in glossy Christmas paper and stickers.

                                ALICE
                      It has been a Merry Christmas and a happy
                      one for us.

            Amy, who is seated at the base of the tree, looks up to
            corroborate this information.

                                AMY
                      I got lots of presents.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      And you should.  Your mommy tells me
                      you've been such a good girl, and your
                      daddy is so pleased with you.

            Amy picks up a little package, gets up and comes toward the
            two women. 

                                AMY
                      Mommy, could Edward take me to Mrs.
                      Farren's house to give her her present?

                                ALICE
                      Wouldn't it be just the same, darling, if
                      daddy dropped the present at Mrs.
                      Farren's on his way to town tomorrow
                      morning?

                                AMY
                      But it won't be Christmas tomorrow.

                                ALICE
                          (laughing in consent)
                      All right, Amy.  Go tell Edward to take
                      you.

            Amy runs off toward the kitchen.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Does she go up to the Farren's often?

                                ALICE
                      No. I only let her go with
                      Edward.  It's alright.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - THE BACK PORCH - DAY

            Amy comes out of the kitchen and she holds the door open a
            moment to call.

                                AMY
                      Hurry Edward, Hurry. 

            From inside Edward's voice can be heard.

                                EDWARD'S VOICE
                      Just have patience, little miss.

            Amy starts toward the steps, when suddenly her attention is
            arrested by something back of the garden.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - DAY

            On the other side of the fence, its delicate fetlocks deep in
            snow, outlined against the green pine trees, stands a doe.
            Its great mild eyes look at the child. 

            MED. SHOT of Amy looking at the doe. An expression of great
            delight and enthrallment is on her young face. Suddenly, from
            behind her, Irena steps and stands there watching the deer.
            Without turning her head, the child speaks.

                                AMY
                      So beautiful, Irena. So beautiful.

                                IRENA
                      You wanted to share this moment with me.

                                AMY
                      It stands so still.

                                IRENA
                      Because it knows it can move with the
                      swiftness of strong wind.

                                AMY
                      I can sea its breath in the cold.

                                IRENA
                      It's a warm breath -- warm and strong —
                      warmed by the sunlight that shone on the
                      deer's back in the hot summer; sweet with
                      leaves and mosses.

                                AMY
                      May I pet the deer?

                                IRENA
                      It is wildness and freedom. No one can
                      touch it.

                                AMY
                      I want to touch it.

            Irena smiles. The child runs forward down the steps and into
            the yard. With one great bound, the deer leaps away and is
            gone from sight. The child stops. From behind her she hears
            the heavy clumping of Edward's galoshes on the porch. Irena
            has vanished. 

                                AMY
                      There was a deer on the other side of the
                      fence.

                                EDWARD
                      It's a hard winter. All the animals are
                      bold as brass, coming down into the
                      streets for food. You'll see a lot of
                      deer this winter.

            He takes Amy's mittened hand.

                                EDWARD (CONT'D)
                      Come on now, we'd better hurry if we want
                      to get to Mrs. Farren's before dark. They
                      start out of the yard.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            INT. FARREN DRAWING ROOM - DAY

            Mrs. Farren is seated on the sofa. She wears one of her
            fabulous creations, a Lucille tea gown, with long flowing
            sleeves and web-like lace. Jewels again cover her fingers and
            arms and throat, and brilliants dangle from her ears. Amy is
            seated beside her and Edward sits stiffly on a little chair
            facing Mrs. Farren and Amy.

                                AMY
                          (holding out the gift)
                      I brought you a present. Merry Christmas.

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (pleased)
                      A Christmas present. It's been so long
                      since I've had a Christmas present.

            Edward points to a little, neatly wrapped box on the table
            beside Mrs. Farren.

                                EDWARD
                      There's a present you haven't opened yet,
                      ma'am.

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (glancing at it)
                      That's from her -- that woman.

            Amy touches her own present in Mrs. Farren's hand. Mrs.
            Farren unwraps the gift as she talks.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      Well, let's see what we have here. In my
                      time I've had many presents, Christmas
                      and otherwise. The King of Spain once
                      gave me this ring.

            She has the small package unwrapped, takes off the lid, and
            looks at the cheap, glittering ring inside. She takes it out
            and holds it up in the firelight.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      A ring! A beautiful ring! Oh, how it
                      shines.

            She slips off the ring that the King of Spain had given her,
            tosses it carelessly onto the table, and fits the new ring to
            her finger.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      What should I do with the King of Spain's
                      ring when I have this to put in its
                      place?
                          (admiring the new ring)
                      For this is a ring given to me out of
                      friendship and love... and that's more
                      than I can say for any of the others.
                          (smiling at Amy)
                      Thank you, my child.

            Amy smiles at her. Suddenly, a shrill scream of anguish, like
            a child's is heard. Amy turns around. Mrs. Farren starts up.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      What's that?

            Looking into the room, stands Barbara Farren.  One hand
            brushes aside the portiere.  She looks at the old woman.
            GROUP SHOT.  Mrs. Farren returns the glance of Barbara
            Farren.

                                EDWARD
                      It's some animal hurt in the woods that
                      made that sound.

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (listening)
                      Wait a minute. Listen.

                                AMY
                      What?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Don't you hear it?

                                EDWARD
                      What is it, ma'am?

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (hushed voice, tense with
                           madness)

            Listen. There it is again. It's the horn of Herne, the
            Huntsman. 

                                AMY
                      Who's Herne the Huntsman?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Don't you read Shakespeare? 

            Amy shakes her head. 

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (eyes shining, rising)
                      "There is an old tale goes, that Herne,
                      the hunter, Sometimes a keeper here in
                      Windsor forest, Doth all the winter time,
                      at still midnight, Walk round about an
                      oak, with great ragg'd horns; And there
                      he blasts the trees," (with a sigh) 
                      Ah, well, it's a bad generation --
                      forgetting all the beautiful words. I'll
                      tell you plainly -- there's a wild
                      huntsman who scours the forest with his
                      dogs and his men. He winds his horn and
                      the woods echo with it. Everywhere he
                      passes the animals are slaughtered and
                      lie dead beneath his trampling feet. If
                      he should catch up with anyone walking in
                      the wood, forever and forever they would
                      have to hunt with Herne, the Huntsman and
                      his wild rout. Hear his horn? 

            The question is addressed to both persons. Amy nods and
            Edward shakes his head.

                                AMY
                      And does he kill people?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      No, not people -- just deer and game, but
                      the people he catches can never be free
                      again. They too must kill and kill,
                      covering themselves with blood.

            Edward, getting alarmed by now, decides that the visit has
            lasted long enough. He looks toward the shuttered windows.

                                EDWARD
                      It's dark. We'd better be getting on. The
                      family will be waiting.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Such a brief visit, but dear child, it
                      has made my Christmas very merry.

            She takes Amy's little hands and presses them against her
            withered cheek, tenderly. From the doorway, Barbara watches,
            bitten deep with jealousy and hurt.

                                AMY
                          (as Edward takes her hand and)
                           starts to lead her from the
                           room)
                      Merry Christmas.

            She reaches the doorway and Mrs. Farren blows her a kiss.
            Barbara moves with them to the door to let then out.

            INT. FARREN HALLWAY - NIGHT

            Silently, Barbara watches Edward and Amy pass out into the
            snow-filled darkness, then she turns back into the hall. 
            Mrs. Farren, looking at the sparkling new ring on her finger
            is walking toward the stairs.

                                BARBARA
                          (bitterly)
                      You didn't even open my present and I'm
                      your daughter.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      My daughter died long ago.

            Very slowly, holding onto the banister, Mrs. Farren starts
            ascending the stairs.  Barbara stands watching her.

            EXT. ROAD - DUSK

            Early winter darkness is in the air. It is not snowing, but a
            wind is blowing, rustling the garments of Edward and Amy, who
            walk down the road. The colored man is leading Amy by one
            hand; in his other hand is a pocket flash, which he now turns
            on. The ray of the flashlight cuts through the darkness, the
            beam falling upon the snowy road. Suddenly Edward stops
            short, staring down before him. 

            The CAMERA PANS ALONG the ray to where it discloses lying
            upon the snow in a pool of blood the mangled body of the
            little deer. 

            Edward quickly tries to hide the pathetic sight of the dead
            deer from Amy's eyes by switching the flashlight off the
            object and by putting an arm around the child, shielding her
            from viewing the carcass.

                                EDWARD
                      Mustn't look, little miss. Mustn't look.

                                AMY
                      But I saw what it was. It's the little
                      deer.

            Edward has passed by the deer and is walking along more
            rapidly now with Amy.

                                EDWARD
                      Bad luck to see death in the snow.

                                AMY
                      But what happened to the little deer?

                                EDWARD
                      Probably hit by a car. Hard to see things
                      in the twilight.

                                AMY
                      Why is it just lying there? Why doesn't
                      it get up?

                                EDWARD
                      Because it can't. It's dead.

                                AMY
                      But it was alive — it was fast and
                      strong!

                                EDWARD
                      It got hit.

                                AMY
                      But where has it gone?  Where's all the
                      strength and the quickness?

            Edward cannot answer the child's question, so he makes a
            secret of it. He raises his finger to his lips. He shrugs

                                AMY
                          (pondering a moment)
                      I'll ask my friend. She'll know.

            Amy immediately dismisses the whole project from her mind and
            walks along with Edward.

                                                                FADE OUT

                                                                 FADE IN

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - EVENING

            Oliver is just finishing dismantling the Christmas tree,
            putting the ornaments away in boxes for another year. Amy,
            Alice, and Miss Callahan are sitting before the fire,
            throwing the dry branches of the Christmas tree onto the
            grate, where they blaze up, burn brilliantly for a moment,
            and than die away.

                                ALICE
                      I love the smell of pine.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      It's one of the clearest memories I have.
                      Twelfth night...burning pine... and
                      mummers' plays.

                                ALICE
                          (laughing)
                      It's been ages since I've even thought of
                      a mummers' play. When I was in college we
                      used to do them every year — St. George
                      and the Dragon, all kinds of sword
                      dances.

            She gets up and crosses to tho bookcase where the album was
            put.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      I've even got some pictures of myself all
                      got up in tattered green and waving
                      around a wooden sword. They're in here, I
                      think.

            As she comes back toward the group, a photograph falls from
            the album.

                                ALICE (CONT'D)
                      Oh, oh. What did I lose?

            Amy scrambles forward to pick up the photograph.

                                AMY
                      I've got it, mommy.

            Amy turns over the picture to look at it.  She gasps, and
            then her face brightens with a happy smile. 

            INSERT      THE PHOTOGRAPH IN AMY'S HANDS.  It is the picture
            of Oliver and Irena, which Oliver had put in the back of the
            album weeks ago. 

            BACK TO SCENE.  Amy runs happily to her father, gazing in
            wondrous delight at the photograph she holds in her hands.

                                AMY
                      Daddy!

                                OLIVER
                      Yes, Amy?

                                AMY
                      Why, daddy, you know my friend too!

            Oliver stares at her a second, then takes the photograph from
            her and looks at it. There is a pause, and he looks closely
            at Amy.

                                OLIVER
                      You couldn't know this woman. She died
                      before you were born. Why did you call
                      her your friend?

            Amy realizes by the seriousness of his tone that once more
            she has offended her father. She has no way, however, of
            knowing the reason for that offense. Alice has come over and
            is staring down at the picture which she has taken from
            Oliver. Oliver kneels down so that his eyes are on a level
            with Amy's.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      Amy, answer me. Why did you call her your
                      friend?

                                AMY
                      Because she is my friend.

            Amy is confused and overwrought, Alice, hoping to divert
            Oliver, touches him on the shoulder.

                                ALICE
                      Oliver, please. Let's not go on with
                      this. The child's trembling.

                                OLIVER
                      We've got to go on.
                          (to Amy)
                      Amy, here, all this time, you've let your
                      mother and father think you had forgotten
                      that old dream life of yours. Now we find
                      you've only kept it secret.

                                AMY
                          (insistently)
                      It isn't a secret. She plays with me. She
                      plays with me in the garden all the time.
                      Right out there in the garden, she does!

                                OLIVER
                      In the garden? Would she be there now?

                                AMY
                      She's there whenever I call her!

            Oliver looks at Amy a moment; then he rises and takes the
            child by the hand, going out of the room toward the - rear of
            the house. Alice and Miss Callahan look after the father and
            child, Alice holding in her hand the offending portrait.

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - EVENING

            Oliver and Amy come out onto the porch. Oliver has picked up
            a coat and puts it over the child's shoulders, He has hold of
            Amy by one hand. He is very tense, and Amy is perplexed by
            his attitude.

                                OLIVER
                      Amy, I want you to look all around
                      ...very carefully...and then I want you
                      to tell me if your friend is out there
                      now in the garden. 

            Amy looks at him.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      Do you understand, Amy?

            Amy nods and turns to look out into the garden. Almost
            immediately her face brightens.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - EVENING

            Under the old tree Irena stands, looking toward the child.
            O.S. is the sound of Amy's voice. 

                                AMY'S VOICE
                      Irena!

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - EVENING

            Oliver looks down at the child.

                                AMY
                          (happily)
                      She's there, just like I said she'd be.

                                OLIVER
                      Where, Amy? Where do you see her?

                                AMY 
                          (pointing)
                      Don't you see her?...Right there, under
                      the tree.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - EVENING

            In alarm, Irena is making a desperate gesture of silence to
            the child.

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - EVENING

            Oliver again kneels so that his eyes are on a level with the
            child's. He grips Amy's shoulders in the intensity of his
            emotion.

                                OLIVER
                      Amy, there's nothing there. There's no
                      one at all in the garden. 

                                AMY
                      But Irena is in the garden. She's right
                      there, under the tree.

                                OLIVER
                      Listen, darling. I want you to look once
                      more. Take as long as you want. Look very
                      carefully, and then I want you to tell me
                      that no one's there.

                                AMY
                      But...

                                OLIVER
                          (silencing her)
                      I have eyes too, and I tell you no one's
                      there. If you deny that, if you insist
                      that this woman you call your friend is
                      in the garden, then I'm afraid I shall
                      have to punish you. Do you understand?

            Amy nods her head. Oliver turns her around so that she is
            facing the garden.

                                OLIVER (CONT'D)
                      All right. Amy. Tell me that you see
                      nothing.

            Amy looks toward, the garden.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - EVENING

            Irena raises a finger to her lips and shakes her head,
            warning in pantomime the child to deny her.

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - EVENING

            Amy stands staring out at her friend. Oliver looks down at
            her intently. Amy glances up at him, then again out toward
            Irena. Amy's lip is trembling. The tears gather in her eyes.
            Suddenly she covers her face with her hands and sobs in
            anguish.

                                AMY
                      But she is here.

            Oliver looks at her, then takes her by the hand, opens the
            door, and goes back into the house with the child.

            INT. REED LOWER HALLWAY -- EVENING

            Oliver comes in from the back of the house, leading the child
            by the hand. He starts upstairs with her. Alice comes to the
            living room entrance and looks after Oliver and Amy. Neither
            one sees her, and Oliver continues on upstairs with the
            child.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - EVENING

            Miss Callahan comes up behind Alice, who watches Oliver go on
            upstairs with Amy. From upstairs o.s. sounds the noise of a
            door closing. Alice takes a step forward, then, thinking
            better of it, turns to confront Miss Callahan. She tries to
            smile at the woman. Miss Callahan puts an arm around Alice
            and leads her back to the fire. Miss Callahan, in an effort
            to distract Alice's mind, picks up a branch of the Christmas
            tree.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      You know, there's another thing I just
                      remembered, When you burn a pine branch
                      torn from a Christmas tree, you're
                      supposed to make a wish.

            From o.s. upstairs sounds the murmur of angry voices,
            Oliver's and Amy's, Alice raises her eyes upward and sits,
            listening. Miss Callahan listens a second, then continues in
            an effort to be doubly gay.

                                MISS CALLAHAN (CONT'D)
                      We were such a large family that I
                      remember one Twelfth Night there was no
                      pine branch left for me to wish upon, but
                      my brother, who was nearest me, said.,
                      "Don't you worry. I'll wish for both of
                      us."

            The voice upstairs reaches a climax in its anger. Miss
            Callahan cannot continue to feign joy. Alice looks upstairs
            bitterly.

                                ALICE
                      Forgive me, but it was superstition
                      ...foolish, childish wishes...that
                      started, all this.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      What do you mean?

                                ALICE
                      I can see it all...the very day it began.
                      Amy was lonely; she was desperate for
                      friendship. I remember the night she told
                      me she had wished on her ring. That must
                      have been the day she first wished for a
                      friend.

            Miss Callahan is about to speak, but o.s. there is the sound
            of a door closing harshly. Alice and Miss Callahan look
            toward the hallway.

            INT. REED STAIRWAY - EVENING

            Oliver comes downstairs. At the foot of the stairs he pauses
            a moment, looking up toward Amy's room; then he turns and
            enters the living room.

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - EVENING

            Oliver comes in, picks up a cigarette, lights it, and blows
            out a puff of smoke. He looks at the two women.

                                OLIVER
                      She refuses to deny it. She continues to
                      believe in her lies.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      But don't you see...it's just what I was
                      about to say to Alice...Amy in her own
                      mind may not be lying.

                                OLIVER
                      But there was nothing, no one in the
                      garden.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      She needed, a companion, so out of her
                      own hunger she created one. In her mind
                      her friend was in the garden. In her mind
                      her friend never leaves her. Right this
                      very minute I'm sure she's upstairs
                      sobbing out her grief to a friend who
                      exists only in her mind.

                                                            DISSOLVE TO:

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

            SCENE OF FAREWELL BETWEEN AMY AND IRENA (ALREADY SHOT)

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - EVENING

            Oliver is looking at Miss Callahan. Alice is by his side.

                                OLIVER
                      Everything you say is no doubt very true.
                      But what worries me is that Amy keeps
                      escaping from reality. I went through
                      that once- with Irena. I saw her... Alice
                      and I both saw Irena lose her mind. Do
                      you think I can sit here calmly and watch
                      my child.

            INT. AMY'S BEDROOM - EVENING

            Amy stands at the window, looking out the window after her
            friend. She turns, sees her coat on the chair, and makes up
            her mind. Still sobbing from her grief, she puts on her coat,
            crosses to her closet, gets out her galoshes, puts them on,
            wraps a scarf around her neck, and crosses to the door. Very
            quietly she opens the door. Downstairs, o.s., the voices of
            Oliver, Alice, and Miss Callahan are heard, although what
            they say is indistinquishable. On tiptoe Amy steals out into
            the hall. Through the open door of her bedroom she is seen to
            go down the hall and start softly down the stairs, her shadow
            looming up large on the wall at the head of the stairs.

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - EVENING

            Amy softly closes the door behind her, looks around her for a
            moment. The air is cold but clear. With determination, she
            steps down into the garden.

            EXT. REED GARDEN - EVENING

            The CAMERA IS SET UP BEHIND Amy to show -the tiny traces of
            her footprints which she makes in the snow.  She goes to the
            edge of the garden, ducks down between the hedges at one
            corner, and crawls out into the woods.

            EXT. WOODS - EVENING

            Amy rises up from the hedge and stares about her.  The trees
            loom up in the night, tall and silent.  She starts walking
            through the wood toward the road.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            INT. REED LIVING ROOM - EVENING

            Miss Callahan has picked up the portrait of Irena and is
            studying it. She turns to Oliver and Alice.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      It's perfectly normal for a child
                      to dream. I can see how a sensitive
                      little girl, finding this portrait, would
                      take the image of this woman and make of
                      her an imaginary friend. That image
                      dwells only in her imagination, and that
                      image can go as quickly as it was born.

                                ALICE
                      How?

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (quietly)
                      Once the emptiness in Amy's life is
                      filled, the dream will go of itself. If a
                      up to you, both of you. Only you two can
                      bring her into a real world.. You must
                      give her the friendship and love she
                      craves.

                                OLIVER
                      But we have. She's wanted for nothing.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                      Perhaps she's wanted for understanding.

            Miss Callahan's words silence Oliver. He looks from her to
            Alice, who tries to smile encouragingly at him. Oliver looks
            upstairs. The glimmer of a smile shows on his face; he looks
            at the two women, and then hurries out of the room, going
            into the hallway and running up the stairs. Alice looks at
            Miss Callahan gratefully.

            INT. REED LOWER HALLWAY - EVENING

            As Oliver comes rushing down the stairs, Alice comes out of
            the living room with Miss Callahan behind her.

                                ALICE
                      Oliver, what is it?

            Oliver has picked up his coat and is putting it on.

                                OLIVER
                      Amy. She's gone. Better get your coat.

            He is on his way to the rear of the house. Alice picks up her
            coat and quickly follows him, putting on her coat as she
            goes. Miss Callahan, who has stood in the doorway, grabs her
            coat and starts after them, but then turns and quickly dials
            the operator on the phone.

                                MISS CALLAHAN
                          (into phone)
                      Give me the state police. And hurry!

            EXT. REED GARDEN - NIGHT

            Oliver and Alice come cut of the house. Oliver has a
            flashlight. He finds the footprints of Amy in the snow and
            follows them to the hedge. A cold wind is blowing. Oliver
            looks up at Alice.

                                OLIVER
                      She's gone into the woods.

            Unable to crawl, like Amy, through the hedge, Oliver and
            Alice run down to the gate, where they are joined by Miss
            Callahan.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. POST ROAD - NIGHT

            Amy walks down the road, the CAMERA TRUCKING IN FRONT OF her.
            It is very quiet, and there is only the rhythmical sloshing
            of Amy's shoes as she plows her way through the heavy snow.
            She looks from side to side as she walks along. 

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face as she walks along, looking from left
            to right. Suddenly she looks ahead and stops abruptly. 

            The snail bridge that crosses the frozen stream, as Amy sees
            it. The bridge is blanketed with snow and is illumined by the
            full glare of the cold moonlight.

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face as she looks at the bridge. Over the
            scene, as in her memory, is the voice of Mrs. Farren.

                                MRS. FARREN'S VOICE
                      Up and down he rides... 

            Amy starts slowly, the CAMERA PANNING WITH her, to the
            bridge. At the entrance to the bridge she stops and looks
            ahead.

            EXT. POST ROAD BRIDGE - NIGHT

            The snowy road stretches over the small length of the bridge
            and disappears into the gloom of the forest.

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face as she looks round about her. 

            Amy swallows hard and then steps forward onto the bridge.

            The CAMERA PANS WITH her as she walks along. About the time
            she has reached the halfway point in her journey across the
            bridge, she stops, stilled with terror. In the distance is a
            sound that seems very much like that of the hoofs of an
            approaching horse galloping closer through the winter night.
            Amy turns and looks behind her.

            The post road, as Amy sees it, stretching out into the
            shadows. There is nothing stirring, but the sound of the
            approaching horseman grows louder and louder. 

            Amy turns her head away and starts to run. The sound grows
            louder, closer, filling the screen. Amy stumbles and falls.
            She cowers against the side of the bridge, as the rider
            thunders down upon her. The sound tears past her, and a
            shadow brushes by her and is gone. Timidly she looks up. 

            REAR SHOT of an old automobile, as Amy sees it, driven as
            fast as possible across the snowy road. The car has no
            lights. 

            CAMERA PANS DOWN TO a CLOSEUP of a back tire of the
            automobile. It is covered with a chain, but the chain has
            become; loose and is flapping rhythmically against the road,
            making a sound like that of horse hoofs. 

            REAR SHOT of the automobile as it disappears into the forest.

            Amy rises to her feet.  She brushes the wet snow off her coat
            and continues on across the bridge. As she reaches the end of
            the bridge, a few snowflakes begin to fall upon her.  It is
            snowing again.  Amy looks up. 

            EXT. SKYSCAPE - NIGHT - (STOCK)    

            The moon is disappearing behind a bank of gray clouds.

            EXT. POST ROAD - NIGHT

            As Amy looks up, the clear glow of the moonlight vanishes,
            and there is only an ominous gray reflection of suffused
            light upon her face.  It snows harder, faster.  Amy starts
            walking again, the CAMERA PANNING WITH her. 

            Amy hesitates a moment, looking at the tulip tree.

            EXT. ANDRE'S TREE - NIGHT

            Major Andre's tree, with its gnarled branches covered with
            snow and ice, stands black and forbidding against the
            background of white snow.

            EXT. POST ROAD - NIGHT

            Amy hesitates, reluctant to pass the tree.  It is snowing
            hard now, and a shrill wind is blowing.  The gaunt tulip tree
            is even more dreadful now, with the wind waving the branches
            about against the snow.  The shadows are long and wavering. 
            Suddenly with a gust of wind the branches blow downward, like
            long thin arms, reaching to ensnare Amy. Amy, terrified,
            turns, leaves the road, and runs into the adjoining snow
            covered meadow.

            EXT. MEADOW - NIGHT

            Amy stops running and begins to walk, the CAMERA PANNING WITH
            her. Suddenly she sinks into a spot of soft snow, and it is
            only with a great effort that she pulls herself out. She
            crawls onto the hard snow and makes her way onward,
            disappearing into the snowstorm.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            INT. FARREN DRAWING ROOM -- NIGHT

            Barbara Farren, wearing a negligee, is standing at the lace
            curtained window, looking out at the storm. The wind sounds
            shrill. With a shiver, Barbara drops the curtain and comes
            back into the room. She picks up a decanter and pours herself
            a drink, which she downs quickly.

            Julia Farren is sitting by a lamp, going through an old
            prompt book. She looks up, and the faintest shadow of a smile
            shows on her face as she looks at Barbara. The wind beats
            against the house. Nervously Barbara pours herself another
            drink and is about to drink it when she discovers her mother
            watching her. Mrs. Farren smiles, and a little chuckle
            escapes from her lips.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Don't you like the wind, Regan? Or is
                      your name Goneril?

            She laughs to herself and lifts her face up to Barbara.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      "Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks!
                      rape! blow!... Now rain, wind, thunder,
                      fire, are my daughters..."
                          (smiling)
                      Oh, I could be queen to King Lear
                      tonight!

            The wind sounds shrilly again. Barbara drinks the drink she
            has poured and covers her ears with her hands

                                BARBARA
                      I hate the storm. I hate it!

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (shaking her head, sadly)
                      The storms have done everything they can
                      to me, I don't hate them. I don't even
                      hear the wind. It blows beyond me. It was
                      on such a night as this that Barbara
                      died.

                                BARBARA
                      But I am Barbara. I didn't die.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      My Barbara was killed. I killed her. Yes,
                      it was my fault. Everyone told me not to
                      drive from the theatre. There was a
                      raging wind that night, and snow and ice.
                      All was well until we got to the Sleepy
                      Hollow bridge. Barbara was singing a
                      little song and then ...I don't know how
                      it happened ..when I awakened, they told
                      me the car was overturned, and they
                      wouldn't let me see Barbara. Barbara was
                      dead.

            Barbara comes close to her mother and leans over her.

                                BARBARA
                      But I didn't die. Don't you understand?
                      It was you. Your mind was dead for nearly
                      ten years after that accident. You didn't
                      know anybody; you couldn't remember
                      anything. And then, when memory returned,
                      you called for me, and I came into your
                      bedroom to see you. I was sixteen years
                      old then, ten years older than when you
                      last remembered me. You said I wasn't
                      your daughter... I loved you... I wanted
                      you for my mother...but you denied me.
                      You said they were playing tricks on you,
                      that your daughter was a little girl. 

            She takes the old woman by the shoulders and stares at her
            intensely.

                                BARBARA (CONT'D)
                      Look at me now. Look into my eyes. Tell
                      me I'm Barbara... your daughter Barbara.

            Mrs. Farren looks at Barbara for a moment, then shakes her
            head and withdraws back into her chair, tearing the girl's
            fingers from her shoulders.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      No, no. It isn't true. Everything you say
                      is a lie. You're a poor, drunken woman.
                      You're not my Barbara.

            Barbara, frustrated, sighs heavily, and picking up the
            decanter, pours herself another drink.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. MEADOW - NIGHT

            Amy wanders blindly through the storm. 

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face, as she tries to peer ahead of her
            through tho falling snow. Her lashes are frosted with snow.
            Her breath is icy.

            Amy stumbles onward through the snowstorm. She falls and lies
            for a moment, her cheek against the cold whiteness.  Then she
            drags herself to her feet and stands wearily, swaying with
            fatigue.  She forces herself on and reaches a great boulder. 
            She rests there for a moment, leaning hard against the frozen
            rock of ice and snow.  She slips to her knees and leans back
            against the rock.  She can go no further, The snow falls
            relentlessly upon her. 

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face as her eyes close.  She leans her head
            against the rock and sleeps. The CAMERA PULLS AWAY until Amy
            is lost from sight, and there is only falling snow.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. POST ROAD - NIGHT

            The motorcycles (with sidecars) and police car, with
            headlights glaring in the falling snow, speed along with
            sirens blowing.

            EXT. POST ROAD BRIDGE - NIGHT

            The cars and motorcycles cross the bridge and come to an
            abrupt halt on the other side near the meadow and the
            beginning of the forest. 

            The captain of the troopers posts out of his car. Two
            troopers with two hounds on leashes stand waiting.

                                TROOPER
                      This is where she must have left the
                      road. The hounds have picked up her scent
                      on that frozen meadow.

                                CAPTAIN
                      Good.

            Oliver, Alice, and Miss Callahan meet the captain on the
            road.

                                CAPTAIN (cont'd)
                      We'll have to leave the cars here and cut
                      across the meadow on foot.

                                OLIVER
                      All right.  Go ahead.  We'll follow.

            They enter the frozen meadow, preceded by the troopers with
            the hounds on leashes.  Their flashlights gleam.

                                                            DISSOLVE OUT

                                                             DISSOLVE IN

            EXT. MEADOW - NIGHT

            Amy lies against the white rock.  The snow has drifted down
            over her until her body is partially covered by it.  Her head
            is fallen forward and to one side.  She seems to be sleeping
            a sleep of death.  Far in the distance o.s. is heard the
            barking of the hounds. 

            The CAMERA MOVES IN for a CLOSEUP of Amy's face.  The hounds
            bark again far away.  Amy's eyelids flicker. Over the scene,
            as in Amy's mind, is the voice of Mrs. Farren saying
            repeatedly:

                                MRS. FARREN'S VOICE
                      Herne, the Huntsman of death... Herne,
                      the Huntsman of death... Herne, the
                      Huntsman of death... 

            Again the hounds bark, and the captain's shrill whistle
            sounds in the distance.  Amy is jolted suddenly out of her
            sleep.  She rubs her eyes and listens.  Far away, once more
            the hounds are heard barking.  Amy, frightened, struggles to
            her feet and looks off. 

            LONG SHOT of the meadow.  Through the falling snow, far away,
            are the tiny flashlights of the state troopers.  The hounds
            bay dismally. 

            Amy, with new terror in her heart, stumbles off into the wind
            and storm.

                                                                DISSOLVE

            INT. FARREN DRAWING ROOM - NIGHT

            Julia Farren still has the old prompt book in her lap.
            Barbara, with a half drink in her hand, stands looking down
            at a butterfly case in which there are a great many beautiful
            insects mounted on Victorian backing. The old lady is gently
            humming to herself the song from "Cymbeline".   Barbara
            listens for a moment. A new light comes into her eyes, and
            she comes down to her mother.

                                BARBARA
                      Yes, that's it. That's the very song! The
                      song from "Cymbeline." I was singing it,
                      just like you said, the night of the
                      accident. I can even remember the
                      words...
                          (singing)
                      "Fear no more the heat o' the sun. Nor
                      the furious winter's rages... "

            She clasps her mother to her.

                                BARBARA (CONT'D)
                      Oh, doesn't that prove something to you?
                      Doesn't it?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Anybody could know that song.

            Barbara is on her knees, leaning close to her mother.

                                BARBARA
                      Look at me. Look at me, mother darling.
                      Look into my eyes. What color eyes did
                      Barbara have?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Gray. They were a lovely, lovely gray.

                                BARBARA
                      And my eyes...my eyes are gray. Look! You
                      see!

                                MRS. FARREN
                          (peering)
                      Yes...yes, that's true.

                                BARBARA
                      And my hair...what color hair did Barbara
                      have?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      It was pale...a shadowed gold.

            Barbara gathers up the ends of her hair in her hands and
            holds them out to her mother.

                                BARBARA
                      My hair's like that. Isn't it? Isn't it?

            The old woman looks at the soft, faded hair, fingering it
            gently.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Yes, so it is...so it is...
                          (remembering)
                      Barbara.

            Barbara seizes the word like a drowning person snatching at a
            straw.

                                BARBARA
                      Mother! You called me by name!

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Yes, Barbara... Barbara...

            Barbara throws herself into her mother's arms and clings to
            the woman, sobbing with joy.

                                BARBARA
                      Oh, mother! Mother, darling, you've
                      called me. You know me. I don't mind
                      anything now...all the long years of
                      waiting...all the starved, hungry years.
                      We've found each other. I love you, I
                      love you!

            She covers the woman's cheek with fevered kisses. Suddenly a
            new terror strikes her brain, and she holds the woman from
            her.

                                BARBARA (CONT'D)
                      Promise me you won't forget tomorrow.
                      You'll remember, won't you? You won't say
                      that it was just a dream. Promise me.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Yes. Yes, Barbara, I shan't forget.

            Barbara rises happily to her feet; the girl is overjoyed. 

                                BARBARA
                      It's a dream come true.

            She grasps a piece of furniture to steady herself and brushes
            one hand against her eyes, tired. Then she turns back to her
            mother.

                                BARBARA (CONT'D)
                      There's another promise you must make me.
                      That little girl who comes here...she
                      mustn't ever come to see you again.
                      Promise me you won't see her.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      I-shan't see her. No, Barbara, no.

                                BARBARA
                          (insanely)
                      If that child comes here...if I find her
                      trying to steal your love from me...I'll
                      kill her. Yes, I'll kill her:

                                MRS. FARREN
                      I'll not see her, Barbara. I promise.

            Barbara smiles tenderly at the old woman, and leaning over,
            kisses her.

                                BARBARA
                      Good night, mother, good night.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Good night...Barbara...

            Barbara smiles and leaves the drawing room to go upstairs.
            Mrs. Farren sits in the chair, a little smile on her face.
            Over and over again she repeats the name of the girl.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      Barbara...Barbara...Barbara..

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. MEADOW - NIGHT

            Amy reaches a small knoll and struggles up to its top, the
            CAMERA PANNING WITH her. At the top she pauses and looks
            around her. 

            CLOSEUP of Amy's face as she brushes the snow away from her
            eyes. A strength born of desperation comes into her face. 

            Amy starts down the knoll. She is going too fast, stumbles,
            and rolls down over tho snow-covered hillside, She stops
            rolling at the foot of tho knoll. She picks herself up and
            plows forward through the drifts.

            EXT. FARREN HOUSE AND GARDEN - NIGHT

            Amy reaches an iron railing and is able to pull herself along
            from one railing to another. She reaches a gateway and
            pauses, then steps inside. 

            Amy walks timidly along the drive under the pergola. 

            Amy hesitates a moment beside a gargoyle-like statue in the
            garden, and then continues toward the house. 

            As Amy starts up the steps, she looks at the figures of the
            Muses, draped in snow, on either side of the steps, and then
            starts up onto the porch.

            INT. FARREN DRAWING ROOM - NIGHT

            Mrs. Farren is sitting nodding in her chair. O.S. comes the
            sound of Amy's voice calling:

                                AMY'S VOICE
                      Mrs. Farren! Mrs. Farren!

            There is a pounding on the door. Mrs. Farren is startled
            awake. She listens for a moment. The calling and the pounding
            continue. She rises, and leaning on her cane, goes out into
            the hallway. 

            INT. FARREN LOWER HALLWAY AND STAIRS - NIGHT 

            Mrs. Farren goes to the door and with great difficulty
            manages to get it open. Amy, exhausted, almost falls into her
            arms. The child clings to the old woman. They stand in the
            open doorway, while tho wind beats cruelly about them.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Little girl....poor little girl...

            She tries to shut the door, but the force of the wind is too
            much for her strength. As she pushes her weight against the
            door, the lights in the old house begin to flicker. Mrs.
            Farren looks around her in terror at the dwindling light. She
            forgets the door and stands hugging the child to her. The
            lights go out, leaving the two in shadows.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      I'll have to hide you, little girl.

                                AMY
                      Hide me? Why?

                                MRS. FARREN
                      My little girl said she'd kill you if you
                      came to see me. I can't let you die.
                      We'll have to hide you.

            The old woman and the child move down the hallway toward tho
            drawing room. The wind rushes through the open door, blowing
            the drapes out into the room. Two hurricane lamps with
            flickering candles burning in them light the scene dimly. On
            the threshold Mrs. Farren hesitates.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      No, I can't hide you here. She knows
                      every corner of this room. There's no
                      safe place here. Where? Oh, where can I
                      hide you? 

            She turns and looks up the stairs.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      Yes, we'll have to go upstairs. There's a
                      little room way up...a little forgotten
                      room wider the eaves...I can hide you
                      there.

            They start up the stairs together slowly. Mrs. Farren takes
            the steps one at a time, while the child, clings closely to
            her.

                                MRS. FARREN (CONT'D)
                      You'll have to help me. I rarely go up
                      the stairs any more. The doctor forbade
                      it. We'll have to be very quiet...ever so
                      quiet...my little girl is in her room,
                      waiting to kill you. We mustn't let her
                      find you.

            O.S. in the far distance sounds the baying of the hounds.
            Mrs. Farren stiffens and listens, a look of utter panic
            crossing her face.

            EXT. MEADOW - NIGHT

            Against a curtain of falling snow, the shadows of the
            policemen are projected, angular, figures. The hounds look
            like enormous, prehistoric animals. Tho captain's whistle is
            heard blowing, and the dogs bark loudly.

            INT. FARREN LOWER HALLWAY AND STAIRS - NIGHT

            She starts up the stairs with the child clinging to her. She
            leans heavily on her cane with one hand and holds fiercely to
            Amy with the other. She is gasping for breath.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      We must hurry. We must hide together, you
                      and I.

            She pulls herself up another step. The wind fills the hallway
            with echoes of the storm. The great tapestries and long
            somber drapes billow out, weirdly shroud-like, whipping in
            the gusts of wind. The effort is costing Mrs. Farren a great
            deal. She is breathing hard. There is a cold sweat on her
            brow. Amy clings to her, frightened.

                                AMY
                      Hurry, hurry.

                                MRS. FARREN
                      Yes, yes -

            Her lips are trembling; her face is drawn with pain. The
            child and the old woman reach the first landing and are about
            to start up tho second part of the stairs, when Mrs. Farren
            stumbles forward, drops her cane, and grasps the balustrade.
            She falls down onto the step, huddling, up close against the
            banister. Amy kneels beside her.

                                AMY
                      Hurry!

                                MRS. FARREN
                      I can't do it! I can't do it! 

            She begins to whimper and holds her pounding heart, trying to
            quiet it. O.S. the hounds are heard again, closer. Mrs.
            Farren lifts her anguished face and holds tightly to Amy. She
            hugs the child to her, pressing her cheek closely against
            Amy's. Her lips draw tightly with constricted pain.

                                MRS. FARREN (cont'd)
                      It's such a pity...such a
                      pity...Barbara...

            Her head falls forward against Amy's shoulder.

            CLOSEUP of Mrs. Farren's hand as it clutches tightly against
            Amy's arm and then slowly relaxes and falls limp.

            Mrs. Farren lies huddled lifelessly against the banister, Amy
            is looking at her. She reaches forward and touches the old
            woman.

                                AMY
                          (softly)
                      Mrs. Farren,...Mrs. Farren...

            Slowly Amy draws bade and away from the dead body of the old
            woman. From upstairs, o.s., suddenly comes a pounding on the
            door and the muffled, drunken voice of Barbara calling out:

                                BARBARA'S VOICE
                      Let me out! Let me out!

            Amy shrinks away, terrified. From upstairs comes a disparate
            sobbing and then there is quiet. Amy looks about her.

            The wind fills the hallway again like a cavern. The drapes
            and tapestries flap dismally, reaching out toward her like
            talons. Amy looks down the stairs into the hallway.

            LONG SHOT of the hallway as Amy sees it, with the drapes
            billowing, the wind moaning and sighing. The hounds sound,
            O.S., very close.

            Amy sinks down slowly onto the steps.  She is shivering with
            terror.  She buries her face in her hands and begins to cry
            hysterically, her little body shaken with great sobs. 
            Suddenly the voice of Irena is heard o.s.

                                IRENA'S VOICE
                      Amy. Amy.

            Amy stops sobbing, lowers her hands from her face, and looks
            up. 

            CLOSEUP of Irena, as Amy sees her, coming down the stairs.
            She smiles comfortingly at the child. 

            TWO SHOT of Amy and Irena. Amy rises, clutching her friend
            eagerly. The tears are running down the child's cheeks.

                                AMY
                      It's you...Irena...my friend!

                                IRENA
                          (brushing away the tears)
                      Don't cry, Amy.

                                AMY
                          (looking around at Mrs. Farren)
                      She's dead! I know what it is now when
                      people say somebody died. I know what
                      they mean! And I'm afraid. She's dead;
                      she's dead!

            The child sobs hysterically. Irena touches Amy's hair.

                                IRENA
                      You mustn't be afraid.

                                AMY
                          (sobbing)
                      But she's dead!

                                IRENA
                      Amy, listen to me. Death isn't such a
                      terrible thing.

                                AMY
                      Oh, it is, it is! Death's terrible.

                                IRENA
                      But, Amy!  Amy...I'm dead.

            CLOSEUP of Amy as she looks at her friend.

            CLOSEUP of Amy's friend as she smiles at the child. 

            TWO SHOT of Amy and her friend.

                                AMY
                          (in a whisper)
                      You?

                                IRENA
                      Yes, Amy.

                                AMY
                      But why?

                                IRENA
                          (quietly)
                      Death's like life. Death's a part of
                      life. It isn't frightening. It isn't the
                      end of everything. It isn't quiet and
                      nothingness. It's a part of all eternity. 

            Amy looks at her friend, and a slow smile forms on her face.
            Irena bends down beside her and brushes the tears away from
            the child's sailing face.

                                IRENA (cont'd)
                      You're not frightened now, are you?

            Amy shakes her head, Irena clasps her to her, kissing the
            child's hair. Suddenly there is the sound of booted footsteps
            on the porch, voices calling o.s.

                                TROOPERS' VOICES
                      In there. She must be in there.

            Amy and Irena look toward the open door. 

            The porch, as Amy sees it. Flashlights are gleaming, cutting
            through the wind and storm. The hounds are baying loudly. The
            rays of the flashlights are coming up into the house. 

            Irena draws away from Amy. As the ray of flashlight cuts
            through the shadows and holds on Amy, Irena slips back,
            vanishing into the shadows on the stairway. 

            Oliver enters the hallway, bounds up the stairs, and gathers
            Amy into his arms. The hallway is almost immediately
            illuminated, as the lights go back on. Oliver hugs Amy
            closely to him.

                                OLIVER
                      Oh, Amy! Darling, I thought we'd lost
                      you. I thought I'd never find you again!

            There are tears in his eyes, a happy sob in his voice. 

            Amy presses her face close against her father's. Oliver
            brings the child downstairs with him, where Alice and Miss
            Callahan are waiting in the hall. 

                                ALICE
                      Darling. Are you all right, darling?

            Amy nods and kisses her mother.

            Several of tha troopers have found the dead body of Mrs.
            Parren on the stairs. The captain rises, looks down at
            Oliver.

                                CAPTAIN
                      Mr. Reed.

            Oliver turns and looks upstairs. The captain indicates the
            body of Mrs. Farren on the stairway,

                                CAPTAIN (cont'd)
                      This woman's dead. 

                                AMY
                      Yes, she was afraid. She said there was
                      someone who wanted to kill me.

                                OLIVER
                      But there's no one here, darling.

                                AMY
                      She's upstairs.. .the lady who lives up
                      there.

            The captain looks at Oliver, turns to two of his men, and
            goes on upstairs. 

            INT. FARREN UPPER HALLWAY - NIGHT

            As the captain and his men are coming down the hallway there
            is a muffled sound of sobbing behind one of the doors. The
            captain stops and goes to the door. He tries the knob.

                                CAPTAIN
                      The door's locked,

                                TROOPER
                      The key's there in the lock, sir.

            The captain, puzzled, turns the key and opens the door.
            Huddled on the floor against the door is Barbara Farren,
            hysterical with rage and drink. The troopers pick her up. She
            brushes the hair from her face.

                                BARBARA
                      Who turned the key in that lock? I heard,
                      the voice of my mother and the voice of
                      that child, and when I tried to get out,
                      the door was locked. Who turned that key
                      and locked me in?

            The men look at her, puzzled.

                                CAPTAIN
                      There's been no one up here,

            She looks at then dully, and then her eyes, looking beyond
            them, sees the poor huddled figure on the stairway She pushes
            aside the men and runs down the hall toward the stairs. 

            INT. FARREN LOWER HALLWAY AND STAIRS - NIGHT

            Barbara Farren kneels beside the body of her mother. The
            troopers follow her and stand beside her.

                                BARBARA
                      _    (sobbing)
                      Even your last moment was stolen from me.

            She looks down the stairs. 

            Amy, in her father's arms, is staring up at the woman on the
            stairway.

            In a terrible fury Barbara rises, glaring at the child.

                                BARBARA
                      You did it! You stole her love! Thief.
                      Thief. You thief!

            As she starts down toward the child, the two troopers hold
            her and restrain her. She struggles in their arns, crying out
            in her rage, as they lead her back upstairs. 

            Alice has picked up an old Paisley shawl and now gives it to
            Oliver, who wraps it around the child. Oliver smiles down at
            Any.

                                OLIVER
                      We're going home, Amy.

            Amy smiles at him and nestles closer to him. Miss Callahan,
            Alice, and Oliver, with Amy in his arms, leave the house.

            The captain signals good night to Oliver. He turns to one of
            his man, who stands holding the key in his hands, looking at
            it.

                                TROOPER 
                      Who do you think locked that door?

                                CAPTAIN
                          (shrugging)
                      Whoever did saved the life of that child.
                      That woman's deranged.

            They look up the stairs where Barbara was taken

                                                                DISSOLVE

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - NIGHT

            Amy, is carried out onto the porch by her father. The child
            clings happily to Oliver's neck. He smiles down at her. Amy
            looks out into the garden. 

            EXT. REED GARDEN - NIGHT

            Under the old tree stands Irena, smiling happily at the
            child. A few flakes of snow drift down before her.

            EXT. REED BACK PORCH - NIGHT

            Amy is smiling out into the garden.

                                AMY
                      Daddy?

                                OLIVER
                      Yes, darling. 

                                AMY
                      Tell me tha real truth. You can see my
                      friend, can't you?

            Oliver doesn't even look out into the garden. He leans down
            and brushes a kiss on Amy's forehead.

                                OLIVER
                      Yes, darling, I can see her.

            Amy turns, smiles at him, and hugs him closely.

                                       THE END

 
Index