Sleepy Hollow Page #6

EXT. BELLTOWER FIELD -- EARLY EVENING

The Belltower is covered in defensive spikes. A man climbs

down a rope ladder. Below, many ARMED MEN gather. Everyone

grim. Philipse moves to the center, on horseback.

PHILIPSE:

Gather round! Gather and quiet!

The hour has come to choose for

this night. Each man's name is

in this box and has been checked.

A box is handed up. Ichabod and Baltus arrive on foot at the

back of the mob. Ichabod looks...

At a nearby forest, men light TORCH POSTS in a line bordering

the forest edge for at least a half mile.

Philipse draws a folded paper from the box, holds it up.

PHILIPSE:

May the Lord watch over him...

(unfolds paper)

"Jonathan Masbath." Are you here?

JONATHAN (o.s.)

I am. I take my responsibility.

The crowd parts as JONATHAN MASBATH, a dirt-poor farmer with

a bow and quiver of arrows, moves forward. His son, YOUNG

MASBATH, 14, grips his arm.

YOUNG MASBATH:

No, father. Wait...

(up to Philipse)

He's already been up once. Why

does he go again?

JONATHAN:

It is a lottery, son. It just as

easily might have been one of them.

YOUNG MASBATH:

Then... I go with you.

JONATHAN:

No. You obey my wishes.

(looks to crowd)

Brom. Look after him, will you?

Brom steps up, nodding. Jonathan kisses his son's cheek,

then heads to the rope ladder. Men pat him on the back.

PHILIPSE:

Someone leave him a horse.

Young Masbath watches his father go. Brom coaxes him away.

At the back of the crowd, Ichabod watches skeptically, looks

to Young Masbath as he and Brom pass.

ICHABOD:

You worry for naught, little man.

Nothing will harm him there.

(looks up, sotto)

It is problems here on the ground

you people need begin to worry

about.

Ichabod watches Jonathan climb, very high above.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT

Ichabod makes notations in a LEDGER BOOK.

KATRINA (v.o.)

You will dream.

Katrina strolls in, sits on the bed. Ichabod is nervous.

KATRINA:

Did they tell? It is something in

the air so that dreams come to

everyone. According to the elders,

an Indian prophet held powwows here

before the land was taken, and

spells cast then still linger to

this day.

ICHABOD:

Do you often make a habit of

sitting on strange men's beds?

KATRINA:

You are horribly old-fashioned,

aren't you?

ICHABOD:

Feel free to form your own opinion.

(facing his ledger)

Though it appears you already have.

KATRINA:

Well, I intended to apologize for

the behavior of my friend Brom Van

Brunt, but it seems I've made

matters worse.

(getting up to go)

I'll leave you to your business.

ICHABOD:

Excuse me... I should apologize. I,

um... I... have no great love of...

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