The Guns of Will Sonnett

[repeated line]

Will Sonnett:
No brag... just fact.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I felt Your presence here today. You must have heard my prayer. And now I ask Your help once more to watch over James out there.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, You give him a mind of his own and You give him a sense of what's right. Now teach him the things he's yet to learn: when and when not to fight.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Lord, I figure it takes all kinds to make this world go round. Thanks for helpin' old Charlie. He's richer for what he found.

Will Sonnett:
Well, it's like the fella says, 'You can tell what the good Lord thinks about money. Just take a look at the kind of folks he gives it to.'

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I thought our search was over, Lord, and Jeff's young heart would ache. Now with Your help, we'll start again. Please guide the path we take.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, these things You know best. You brought that woman peace of mind. We thank You and continue our quest for the man we both have to find.

Will Sonnett:
[Opening Narration] Chainbreak is a town scared witless, just waitin' for the shootin' war to bust loose. Cattlemen and sheepmen, both stubborn, both ready to fight for the land, both waitin' for their hired gunslingers to get here. The cattlemen hired themselves a real killer - Frank Corbett. But the fellow who's comin' to back up the sheepmen is...

Ben Adams:
...'Jim Sonnett!'

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, for a time, we seemed so close. It was true that James was there. But we learned what we wanted to know the most. In his heart, deep down, James does care.

Will Sonnett:
[wounded, praying] Dear Lord, help me to keep from passin' out and help me to keep my senses. Somebody outside there wants to kill me. It's like he was waitin' for me, Lord - waitin' for me to ride in.

Will Sonnett:
[wounded, praying] Lord, I gotta ask you again. Help keep me steady. I've made enemies. Name, places, just can't straighten them out. Please help me to think straight.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, help me live with the guilt come out through shock and fright. I thank You again for givin' me Jeff and the chance to set things right.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Thank You, Lord, for the life I've lived, even with times in pain. If I had the chance to start again, I'd only ask for James.

Jeff Sonnett:
You really loved her at one time, didn't you Grampa?

Will Sonnett:
At one time. Love's like a deep sliver, boy. You can dig it out, but sometimes a bit of it stays under your skin. [pauses] And it hurts a little.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Thank You, Dear Lord, for givin' Jeff the strength and heart and mind to learn from all the hurts he gets in our search for the man we must find.

Will Sonnett:
Maybe you are Jim's wife, Jeff's mother. Maybe you ain't nothin' to this Matt Claymore and maybe the man lied. The more maybe's that lean on each other, the more chance one of them sags and they all fall down.

Will Sonnett:
[reciting words from Psalms to his grandson, Jeff] He delivereth me from mine enemies. Yea, Thou liftest me up above those that ride against me. Thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, take care of James - he thinks he's on the run. And help him keep a steady head. Be with him - he's my son.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Thanks, Dear Lord, for savin' Jeff from what could have been back there. And thanks for givin' Pat Bridges the will to start new somewhere.

Will Sonnett:
Coffee still warm?

Jeff Sonnett:
[laughs] You're sure drinkin' a lot of coffee.

Will Sonnett:
Meaning what?

Jeff Sonnett:
Well, at your age. Well, you know that doctor told you to cut down on your coffee drinkin'.

Will Sonnett:
Well, I'll tell you like I told the doc. When it kills me, I'll commence to worry about it.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, the boy was hurt back there, but one day he'll understand. The heart takes a lot of bumpin', in the makin' of a man.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, it happened once again. Our guns caused a man to die. We pray that family heals its hurt. For our sake, help them try.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory; Weep not for the dead. For with Thee is the Fountain of Life. In Thy light shall we see light.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, our thanks for showing us that James is living still. We pray You'll soon unite us, if that should be Your will.

Will Sonnett:
Well, I wish I had your faith, Grandpa.

Jeff Sonnett:
You do, Jeff. I've just had mine with me a cite more years, that's all.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, I hope You'll grant forgiveness for what Joby's done. A man with sickness in his mind will make a hero of a gun.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, let Your love light the souls of men. Make 'em see what right and what's wrong. Let all Your creatures live in peace. Let this broad land stay strong.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I thank You, Lord, for showin' Jeff that Justice can win out. Teach him respect for Your true law and forgive him for his doubt.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, we missed James once again. He seemed so near this time. Please guide us so our paths will cross in Thy own way divine.

Jeff Sonnett:
You know where my Pa might be?

Rake Hanley:
I know where he'll be. We're going to meet him in three days. Now you're welcome to ride along if you like. We'll be leaving in a half hour.

Jeff Sonnett:
Well, what do you think, Grandpa?

Will Sonnett:
Well, you can't tell whether a bird's a sparrow or a buzzard until you get close up to him.

Jeff Sonnett:
I guess that means we're going, huh?

Will Sonnett:
I reckon so.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, I'm grateful James was spared. I know Jeff is grateful, too. It could have been the way he dreamed. Maybe a dream could come true.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Good Lord, have mercy on that poor soul, for what he did was wrong. He did help Jeff to know the truth. We thank You, and ride on.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, I felt Your presence here today. You must have heard my prayer. And now, I ask Your help once more, to watch over James again.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Like the Book says, Lord, the way of the Wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble. But the path of the Just is as of the shining light; it shineth more and more under the perfect day.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Like the Book says, Lord, 'All things are delivered under Me of the Father. And no man knoweth the Son but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son.'

Will Sonnett:
[opening narration for each episode in this series] We search for a man named Jim Sonnett, and the legends folks tell may be true. Most call him gunman and killer. He's my son, who I hardly knew. I raised Jim's boy from the cradle, till the day he said to me, 'I have to go find my father.' And I reckon that's how it should be. So we ride, Jim's boy and me.

Will Sonnett:
[narration] The man we seek is a gunman... who left no trail behind. The man we seek is father and son and a man we both have to find. To some folk, James was a devil; to some, he was gentle and kind. But to Jeff and me, he's father and son - the man we both have to find.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Good Lord, we had to kill today. Our guns took Your name is vain. But we were forced to do it. Please keep that in mind. And help us in our search for the man we both have to find.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, I'm grateful with all of my heart that it wasn't my son up there. Just a coward usin' his name. And I thank You with this prayer.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, we've taken many risks. We've fought, we've lost and won. But we'll forget and bless the day when our search is done.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I guess You understand, Dear Lord, the advice I give back there. Truth isn't always needed. More important is to care.

Will Sonnett:
Well, you've got to speculate if you want to accumulate.

Spangler:
Wherever you go, mister, I'm comin' after you!

Will Sonnett:
Well, you want trouble, you'll get it.

Spangler:
I'll tell you what I want. You!

Will Sonnett:
Yeah! And from what I hear the people in Hades want ice water!

Will Sonnett:
[praying] With all my heart, I'm grateful, Lord, for the good things I can do. Like raisin' Jeff and helpin' friends and givin' thanks to You.

Will Sonnett:
[Points to pulpit and addresses congregation] You'll fill that one day with the right man. And he'll know the right things to say to ya. All I know is the Lord helps those who help themselves. And it sure was a passel of help went in to this church. I reckon the good Lord knows that. They do say he's bustin' with love for all of us. Course we gotta let our meanness out so His love can squirm in. And like He said, "We got to love our neighbors like ourselves." So give a good look at your neighbors around ya and think of lovin' 'em. And think of doing unto them as you'd be done by. Seems like that sure works.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I pray for that man's soul, Dear Lord. Forgive him his mistakes. He saved my life by givin' his. Make me worthy for Thy sake.

Will Sonnett:
You call this coffee? It tastes more like dishwater!

Will Sonnett:
[praying] I thank You, Lord, for helpin' Jeff and showin' him life's way. The things he sees and hears and feels will guide him all his days.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Lord, ease that woman in her grief and help her in this time. And thank You, Lord, for Your kindness in bringin' Jeff back safe and sound.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, it's fine to see a play - for folks to laugh or cry; to see themselves and learn a bit. But no one learns from a lie.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] We have to keep on riding, Lord, to find the one we seek. But we helped a man in need today. We commend him to Your keep.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Lord, we've seen a lot of sadness here as we lived this last long week. Now we start again, with Your help, to find the man we seek.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Thank You, Lord, for usin' Jeff to set that young girl free. For the help and care she gave to James, we owe her, Jeff and me.

Will Sonnett:
[wind howling loudly] This oughta blow the meanness outta me. But I'll be blamed if I let it.

Jeff Sonnett:
Well, it cuts clean through, sure doesn't it?

Will Sonnett:
If I ever see a fire again I'm gonna dive right into it.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] With all my heart, I'm grateful, Lord, for the good things I can do, like raising Jeff and helping friends and giving thanks to You.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] These things that the Lord hate: a proud look, a lyin' tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he who soweth discord among brethren.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, we saw Your justice here - Your power to set men free. Our trust in You sustains our search. Help guide us, Jeff and me.

Will Sonnett:
Men can stand a lot of injustice. What really hurts is justice.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] We have to keep on ridin', Lord, to find the one we seek. But we helped a man in need today. We commend him to Your keep.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, I thank You for the gift that I didn't deserve to win. For makin' this boy the man he is, instead of what he might have been.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, if there's gonna be another war and the dyin' of many men. Let his be swift and merciful. That's all I ask for a friend.

Will Sonnett:
You call this slop food?

Sheriff Hawks:
You ate at the same place you ate this afternoon.

Will Sonnett:
Yeah, it looks like the leavin's of the same meal, too!

Sheriff Hawks:
Well, come tomorrow you'll be on army chow. Then you can gripe to them.

Will Sonnett:
Yeah, well, the army feeds the injuns better than this and they're starvin'!

[the Sonnetts survive a shootout with five vicious gunslingers]

James 'Jim' Sonnett:
How do you feel, son?

Jeff Sonnett:
A little sick.

James 'Jim' Sonnett:
Pa?

Will Sonnett:
I wish I hadn't et.

James 'Jim' Sonnett:
Yeah, it's like that with me - always.

[last lines]

Will Sonnett:
Dear Lord, our lives are in Your hands. / You brought us together at last. / Help us now to defend the right / Let vengeance forget the past.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Like the Book says, 'In Thee, oh, Lord, shall all families of the earth be blessed.'

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Lord, we've seen a lot of sadness here as we've lived this past, long week. Now we start again, with Your help, to find the man we seek.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] He didn't mean no harm back there, Jus' lookin' for someone to be, But I'm mighty content right now, dear Lord, That there's only just one of me.

Will Sonnett:
[praying] Dear Lord, Your help and mercy found that home. We saw Your will be done. Keep watch and guide her growing years. Her life has just begun.