Original subtitles

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- Hey, Jim. - Hi, Hoss. How you doin'?

Well?

Well, those horses are even better than you promised. They'll bring a top price.

There's a shortage of good saddle stock around here.

That's good. Nice to know we're gonna make a profit.

If it's all right with you, we'll have the auction day after tomorrow.

That'll give me time to get the handbills printed.

Oh, I'll take care of the handbills.

Yeah, Pa's got a good friend here in town that's in the printing business.

- All right, day after tomorrow, then. - All right, Jim.

See you, Jim.

Well, how soon can we get started?

Well, I thought we could get over to the hotel and get cleaned up,

and have ourselves a meal that hasn't been cooked over a campfire.

Yeah, well, look, we've got three hours of daylight left.

If we started right away, we could get to the Ponderosa by Friday,

we'd start moving that herd.

On Monday, right after the Saturday night dance.

- He read our minds. - Yeah, he's getting pretty good at it.

'Course, he's had a lot of practice.

- What about it? - Oh, sure, go ahead.

Good deal. Hey, and say hello to the Widow Manning for me, will you?

- What do you want? - I asked you a question the other day.

We just stopped by to get your answer.

I told you then and I'll tell you now, the answer is no.

The lady says she hasn't changed her mind.

You had a whole week to think about it.

I was sure you'd be seeing the light by now.

Now, she's told you she ain't changed her mind. Why don't you let her alone?

Hey...

I wouldn't. You might get hurt.

Mrs. Manning.

Ben. Ben Cartwright. What are you doing in Gunlock?

Well, I came here to mix a little business with pleasure.

First of all to say hello to an old friend,

and then to order some handbills.

The lady's busy. Why don't you take a walk and come back later?

Ruth, what's going on?

Hey!

- Thank you, Doctor. - Not at all.

I'm terribly sorry, Ben.

Oh, it's not your fault, Ruth.

Uh, you better not do that, Mr. Cartwright.

You might mess up that bandage.

Oh, it's not too bad, is it?

A nasty bruise. Small concussion.

Sure like to know who those two were.

Later on, eh, Mr. Cartwright?

Now, if any dizziness or nausea occurs,

I want you to send someone for me at once.

And I want you to spend the next 48 hours in bed, Mr. Cartwright.

- We'll see that he does. - All right. This way out, ladies.

Can't I talk to him for a moment?

Well, certainly you can.

Tomorrow morning.

There's a bell on the table if you want anything.

Oh, I'll be all right, thank you, Ruth.

Mr. Cartwright!

Oh, good morning. Good morning.

What are you doing?

Well, I was... I was looking for my hat.

- It's right over there. - Oh, thank you.

Dr. Adams said you were to stay in bed for at least...

At least 48 hours. But he was being overcautious.

Oh, is Mrs. Manning up?

- Up and gone hours ago. - Then I'll see her at the Clarion.

Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. You gotta eat.

You gotta keep your strength up.

You wouldn't want all this food to go to waste.

Mmm. Well, you... you make it almost impossible for me to refuse.

Thank you.

Mrs. Manning says you were best man when she and Willard were married.

Yes, that's right.

Ruth has been running the paper for three years now.

She works much too hard.

Hmm. I have a feeling that she'd be lost without the Clarion.

That's what she says. But I know better.

Ruth has had more than her share of trouble.

What kind of trouble?

It ain't right for a housekeeper to say, Mr. Cartwright,

but if you're the friend I think you are,

you'll see that she gets a lot of help.

Well, Mr. Dobbs. Just where are you going?

Well, I'm going to work, same as usual.

You feeling all right?

- Sure. - You don't look so good to me.

Kind of green. Sickly.

Be a good idea if you went home and went to bed.

As green as you look, you go to work now, you might not get through the day.

Maybe you're right.

He got the word, huh?

One scared little man.

He'll pack up and leave as fast as he can.

Calls for a drink. Come on.

All right, turn around.

You're under arrest. Hand over your guns.

- I don't see any star on you. - Yeah, no marshal's badge either.

This is a citizen's arrest. Now, hand over your guns. Come on.

Come on.

Mister, you're making a big mistake.

Let's move to the sheriff's office. All right, move.

- Howdy, Leek, Cotton. - How you doing, Sheriff?

Howdy. Took these off Montana Slim.

Man spends his life at crooked gambling,

you'd think he'd do a better job of marking cards, wouldn't you?

- What can I do for you two? - Well, the man says we're under arrest.

He's holding a gun on us to prove it.

The devil he is.

I know Walt Leek, Jeff Cotton. I didn't catch your name.

Cartwright. Ben Cartwright.

Thought I was the law around here, Mr. Cartwright.

Since you're doing my work for me,

maybe you'd better tell me what this is all about.

Assault and battery, trespassing and destruction of property.

This assault, who was it on?

Me and a couple of others.

- You willing to sign a complaint? - That's why I'm here, Sheriff.

All right.

Your turn. What have you two got to say?

- Nothing, except he's wrong. - He sure is.

Well, there you are, two against one.

You take this to court, the judge'll throw it right out in the street.

Sheriff, I have witnesses.

Do what the man wants, Sheriff.

Let Judge Tabor decide who's telling the truth.

- Plaintiff. - Cartwright. Ben Cartwright.

Cartwright, Ben.

Mr. Dobbs, I hope I didn't startle you.

It's not your fault.

It's not hard. I'm wearing my nerves on the outside of my skin.

I got page two locked up.

I'll have to change that. Two of the ads have been canceled.

- Kelly's Mercantile and... - The Eagle Saloon.

- You knew about that? - I guessed.

Old Leek was waiting on the sidewalk this morning, told me to go home.

That's the reason I was late.

I went around back so they wouldn't see me come in.

After yesterday, I can hardly blame you.

Yes'm.

Ben, you're supposed to be in bed. The doctor said...

I know what the doctor said.

But right now I need both you and Henry in court in exactly ten minutes.

In court? But why?

I've signed a complaint against Cotton and Leek.

They're gonna stand trial. I need you both as witnesses.

I guess you'd better get your hat, Henry.

Well, you two don't need me. I mean, the two of you'll be enough.

We do need you. Three will be better than two.

Well, I... I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

You always did face trouble head-on.

Well, Ruth, I just can't let those two get away with it.

It isn't only those two.

I guess Henry doesn't want to testify.

- Why not? - Because he's afraid.

They're trying to take the Clarion away from me, Ben.

That's what this is all about.

Who... Who's trying?

The man who owns just about everything else in Gunlock.

You'll meet him in a few minutes.

Circuit Court, Gunlock County, now in session.

Judge Seth Tabor presiding.

Well, everybody's here.

I guess we can get this little matter cleared up.

Mr. Leek?

My partner and I are trying to buy the Clarion. No secret about that.

Mr. Cotton stepped into the back shop to take a look at the equipment.

I did shake hands with the little fella.

Maybe I squeezed too hard, but I didn't mean to hurt him.

Mr. Cartwright walked into the middle of things

and he didn't know what was going on.

I slipped and grabbed this case and it fell down,

and next thing I know, this Cartwright's trying to kill me.

Cartwright went pure loco.

He knocked Mr. Cotton down and then tried to draw on him.

Mrs. Manning.

Had both these gentlemen made you an offer for the Clarion?

- Yes, and I told them... - You answered my question. Thank you.

Mr. Cartwright, did you knock Mr. Cotton down?

Yes, I did.

And did you draw on him?

No, I did not.

Oh, I see. Well, there seems to be a difference of opinion on that point.

However, it appears to the court that there was no real harm done,

that the cause of the trouble was... was an accident and misunderstanding.

The court finds the defendants innocent of all charges.

However, as a gesture of goodwill,

Mr. Cotton and Mr. Leek are willing to pay for all damages, including...

Mr. Tabor, there was no accident.

Mr. Cotton deliberately pushed that type down onto the floor.

Dobbs was the only one close enough to see what happened.

If it happened like you said, why didn't you bring him along to testify?

Well, Mr. Cartwright?

He didn't wish to testify.

And I'll tell you why, Mr. Tabor.

Because he's afraid of those two thugs of yours.

Mrs. Manning, this is a court of law. You'll speak when asked to only.

These two couldn't even afford to buy a notebook, let alone a newspaper.

They work for you.

Mr. Cartwright!

I find you in contempt of court. That will be 20 dollars or 20 days.

You're absolutely right, Mr. Tabor.

Contempt is what I feel.

40 dollars or 40 days!

Yes, sir.

Well, fine turnout today, Ben. One of the best I've ever had.

Good.

The men who own the big ranches are here.

They need horses and can afford to pay for 'em. You should do very well.

Thank you.

Mr. Cartwright. I didn't expect you to still be around.

Well, Mr. Tabor, I've got some horses up for auction here.

Oh, I see.

The handbill says 10 a.m., Mr. North, and it is now five after.

- Time to get started. - Well, I guess it's time.

Gentlemen, ladies, it's my pleasure to offer at auction

ten of the finest horses we've seen in Gunlock in a long, long time.

All right, let's show them how that black beauty moves.

Well, there's our first offering, that handsome black gelding,

a prime example of Ponderosa-bred saddle stock.

There's a real stockman's horse, fast, nimble.

One dollar.

I haven't asked for a bid yet, Mr. Tabor,

but if I had, you have to be joking.

I'm not joking. I bid one dollar for that black gelding.

All right, I have a dollar bid.

Well, in spite of what Mr. Tabor says,

a one dollar bid for that fine animal has to be a joke.

Come on, gentlemen, let's be serious.

You know that horse'd be a bargain for 100 dollars.

All right, who'll open the bidding at 75?

Do I hear 75?

65?

60?

- 55? - I bid one dollar.

Either get a higher bidder or sell me that horse.

Mr. Tabor, you can't be serious.

You advertised these horses for sale at auction to the highest bidder.

No ifs, ands or buts.

Now, get a higher bidder or sell me that horse.

Who'll give 55?

50 dollars.

Do you wanna tell him, or do you want me to?

Mr. Cartwright, a man puts something up to be sold at auction,

he can't bid on it himself.

Gunlock County law.

- How long has this law been in effect? - Oh, a long, long time.

More than two years.

And if the lady has any idea of bidding for you,

she better have the money in her purse.

Yep, cash on the barrelhead. That's the law too.

I have a dollar bid. One dollar.

Going...

going...

Sold to Mr. Tabor for one dollar.

Bring out the rest of them. I'm in a horse-buying mood.

I knew about that auction law,

but I had no idea that Tabor'd use it the way he did.

It's not your fault.

Anyway, it's not the end of the world, so don't worry.

You bred and raised those beautiful horses,

brought them all the way up here.

Tabor stole them.

No, he... he bought them.

Oh, I admit that a dollar a head could be considered robbery,

but it's legal and binding.

Oh, Ben, why did they do this?

Easy, now. Easy.

I didn't mean to cry.

I don't want to cry.

I won't cry.

Well, it might do you good to cry.

Either that or swear, and I doubt if you have enough words for that.

Living here in Gunlock and running the Clarion,

you'd be surprised at the words I know.

Are you sure that Tabor's responsible for this?

I know he is.

He ordered it to be done

while he and Cotton and Leek and that tame sheriff of his

were at the auction where everyone could see them.

So, you know, but you can't prove, huh?

I know or suspect a lot of things about Mr. Tabor I can't prove.

Why does he want the Clarion?

Because he wants everything he can get his hands on,

every ranch, every freight wagon, every stick of lumber.

Henry, what happened? Who did it?

Nobody, ma'am. I just sort of stumbled and fell out in the street.

Look at this. Good type thrown all over the floor.

Anybody who did this ought to be tarred and feathered.

I'm right sorry, ma'am.

Look, the reason I come is I just got word that my brother's mortal sick.

I gotta leave Gunlock, ma'am.

It's all right, Henry. I understand. You want your pay.

Ma'am, if it wouldn't trouble you, it sure'd help me out.

Of course. Right away.

I... hope your brother gets well soon.

Me too, ma'am. Thank you very much. Much obliged.

It's the end of the paper.

Well, we'll get another printer.

I've had six printers in the last four months.

You know, one of the printers didn't stay long enough to even say hello.

Some of Mr. Tabor's friends met him at the stage.

Well, I've got newspaper friends in San Francisco and Virginia City.

No, Ben. Even if I wanted to go on, I couldn't.

When a person dies, there's a funeral, a eulogy, mourners.

A newspaper dies, nothing.

- Well, the Clarion isn't dead. - For me it is.

When Willard was alive, it was read and respected.

Now the advertising, the circulation's gone.

I've poured three years of trying.

I... I have nothing more to give.

Well, you're tired. It's been a hard day.

We'll talk about it again tomorrow.

No.

Mr. Tabor's won the war.

He can have the Clarion.

But for a price.

He'll have to pay well for what he wants.

Do you want Tabor to have the Clarion?

No. But I haven't the strength or the money to fight him.

Oh, I know you're going to offer to lend it to me,

because you knew Willard and because we're old friends.

No, Ben. Mm-mm.

I'm very tired. All I wanna do is rest.

Well, what I was thinking...

You know, how would it be if I were to try to sell the Clarion for you?

I mean, I think I'd probably drive

a much harder bargain than you could, you know?

Would you trust me for that?

- Of course I'd trust you. - Good.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Right now I'm gonna take you home.

Get some of that resting done. Come on.

This is the cashier's check for the full amount.

That's much more than I ever thought Seth Tabor would pay.

Then you're pleased?

More than pleased. I'm wildly happy.

This calls for a celebration. Coffee and rum cake.

Cake that won the blue ribbon at the county fair.

Now, it'll do you both good.

Ruth hasn't been eating enough to keep a bird alive.

And Mr. Cartwright's been staying at the hotel,

where the food would choke a goat.

- I think we're being summoned. - I think so too.

But first of all you've gotta sign this bill of sale.

It's for the buildings and the equipment and, of course, the goodwill.

You sign it right there.

Goodwill? Huh!

There's not much of that left.

A lot more than you think.

There we are. Good.

I can start packing now.

Yes, you can.

Oh, thank you, thank you.

You're... gonna leave Gunlock?

Yes.

And I'm glad to go.

With Willard gone and the paper gone, I... I can hardly wait to leave.

Thank you for making it possible.

My pleasure.

You're an old friend, a good friend.

There's no one else like you.

Ten minutes till stage time, and your trunk's already at the depot.

I walked down there myself just to be sure the drayman didn't forget it.

- That really wasn't necessary. - Well, I like to be sure.

Now, you look up my cousin Ellie in Sacramento.

Of course, the very first thing.

Ellie knows everybody, and she'll see to it that you...

- Ben Cartwright. - Oh, good morning.

If you think for one moment...

- Ben Cartwright, you lied to me. - About what?

You told me Seth Tabor was going to buy the Clarion.

Well, actually, you... you told me that. I just didn't correct you.

Deliberate evasion. And that's the same thing as a lie.

Oh, now.

Ben, the Clarion's dead.

There are no subscribers, no advertisers.

I could at least persuade myself

to let Tabor pay for the bits and pieces of what he destroyed,

but I cannot take money from you.

Well, Ruth, you already have.

Look, the only thing that's left is the name out front.

Tabor... Tabor has this whole town terrified.

They... They're even afraid to read the Clarion.

- Well, I'm gonna try to change that. - You're going to?

How? You don't know the first thing about running a paper.

Ruth! The stage'll be leaving in a few minutes.

All right, I'll be there in a minute, in two minutes.

You know, I'll never understand it.

Any man who owns a pencil thinks he can run a paper.

Ruth, they're loading passengers. The stage'll be leaving.

All right. Let it go.

- What about your trunk? - Take it off.

I'm going to help.

Well, I... I... I couldn't ask you to do that.

You didn't. I volunteered.

Well, you may not want to when you find out what I've been doing.

Now, Ruth, here's a copy of the first page of the paper

that you were going to put out.

Here's the headline.

"Jeb Anderson builds a new barn."

Uh... "The Hermione Ladies Club is having a box social."

- Not exactly earth-shattering. - It's local news.

I spelled all the names correctly.

It's the first rule: people like reading about themselves.

Well, I've written a new headline. Henry?

Yeah, here it is, Mr. Cartwright. I set it up in type and ran off a proof.

Thank you.

I guess it wasn't your brother who was mortal sick. It was the Clarion.

Well, now that you have a man editor, you think it has a chance to live.

Well, no offense to you, ma'am, but if it don't, it's going down fighting.

What do you think, Ruth?

Ben, you can't print that. There are libel laws.

Seth Tabor will sue you for everything you own and get it.

Truth is an unassailable defense against a libel suit.

You sound exactly like Willard.

Well, I should. It was Willard who taught me that.

Yes, sir, if you've get the story, I'll set it up in type and run it off.

Story? Can I read that?

"Corruption, malfeasance and dishonesty

were demonstrated in the court of Justice of the Peace, Seth Tabor."

Well, I must say, Ben, you don't beat around the bush.

Newspaperman. Ha!

You don't even know how to spell.

Gently, now. Gently.

Good type is like a fine woman or a spirited horse.

They both need gentle handling.

- I didn't know you were a horseman. - I'm not.

The man who taught me was.

What he told me, I'm passing on to you.

All right. Gently does it, then.

What's the matter?

There's a notice tacked on the post office wall.

Hmm?

All government land in Gunlock County

will be open to homesteaders 60 days from today.

Hmm. Well...

That's... That's almost two thirds of the country.

That's over a million acres.

Oh, from Washington. Addressed to the editor of the Clarion.

Would you open it, please?

A copy of the same announcement.

What does the letter say?

Washington would like it printed on the front page of every newspaper

within a thousand miles of Gunlock County.

The land commissioner in charge will be named later.

Hmm.

Pretty important job for somebody.

Whoever he is,

he'll be the most powerful man in this part of the country.

If he's not the most honest, he'll be the richest too.

That's why Tabor wants the Clarion.

So he can use it to get himself appointed land commissioner.

I'm gonna send a telegram to Washington.

I've got a friend there who might be able to help.

I'm bringing in men to homestead these claims and to do the assessment work.

And then sell 'em to you?

For a dollar each, yes.

A dollar a section for land.

That's better than buying horses for a dollar a head.

If that's your idea of a joke, Mr. Leek, I don't like it.

Now, Sheriff Knox's holdings will be here.

Mr. Cotton's will be here.

And Mr. Leek's, if Mr. Leek is still with us, will be here.

Now, between us, we'll control the water in this whole wide area.

And having the water,

we'll control another 10,000 acres of fine grazing land.

If you're appointed land commissioner.

Oh, I will be, Mr. Leek, before the week is out.

Mr. Tabor's got friends in Washington taking care of that for him.

Mm-hm.

And who's gonna take care of Cartwright?

Why does that concern you, Mr. Leek?

Because Cartwright owns the Clarion now, and he's carrying a ten-horse grudge,

and he just might use it to wreck your pretty little wagon.

Don't bet on it, Mr. Leek.

Come on, the fire's out. Let's go. Get these buckets back.

- Thanks for your help. - Glad to help out.

- You feeling better, Dobbs? - Much, thanks.

All that work gone.

Oh, Ben, what have I done to you?

It's not the end of the world, not yet.

Don't you see? We can't. There's just no way.

So after I got the wagon loaded,

I went over to the livery stable to get the team,

and when I got back, the wagon and the papers was burning like fury.

Forget it. It's all over now.

Thank you, ma'am. I needed this.

Mr. Leek tells me you had an unfortunate accident here, a fire.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Well, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tabor.

We lost a few papers, but we'll survive. Come in.

Yes, well, at the auction, I did get angry,

and for very good reason, I believe.

But I did... I did take advantage of you. I'm here to make that right.

I'll pay you whatever you say your horses are worth, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, you've already paid me, Mr. Tabor.

As you yourself pointed out, the transaction was legal and binding.

100 dollars a head.

I'm afraid the transaction is closed.

All right, Mr. Cartwright. We'll forget the horses.

But Gunlock does seem to be an unlucky town for you... until now.

Tomorrow will be much better.

I'll give you a large profit on a short-term investment.

I'll buy the Clarion at four times what you paid Mrs. Manning.

- Four times? - Mm-hm.

Why?

So you can use it to make sure that you're appointed land commissioner?

The job calls for a man who knows the problems of Gunlock County,

and I do, better than any man alive, Mr. Cartwright.

I should think you do. You created most of them.

Yeah, he sure did.

You know, you run Gunlock County like it was your own private kingdom.

Mr. Cartwright, if you or the Clarion try to stop me,

your next of kin will regret it.

I suggest you read tomorrow's edition.

I already have.

I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. I never should have let him get a look at this.

- It's all right, Henry. - It certainly is.

Henry, lock up that press. We got a paper to put out.

I thought I told you to keep an eye on the Clarion.

Cotton's watching it. Doesn't take two to watch one building.

Besides, there's something you ought to know.

I saw half a dozen men carrying around pieces of that paper.

Folks around here will want to know what was in it that got it burned.

You think that bothers me?

It should.

There was a lot about you on page two.

Tells how you got your start driving one of Asa Butter's freight wagons.

How you got to be wagon boss, then partner.

How you bought the freight line from Asa's widow...

after Asa hanged himself.

That part was news to me.

That's only part of the story.

The smallest part.

Cartwright is getting to be a nuisance.

Well, what did you expect?

You fined him for contempt, you stole his horses and you burned his papers.

So I did.

If you'd have let him get a decent price for his horses,

he would have been long gone by now and you would have owned the Clarion.

We all make mistakes, Mr. Leek.

The difference between us is that I don't worry about it.

- I'll still own the Clarion. - I don't see how.

There's a lot you don't see.

Without Cartwright here, I'd be taking a helpless widow's last possession.

Even men who know better would side with her.

Oh, Cartwright.

He owns timber, cattle, horses, the biggest ranch in Nevada.

You know, people enjoy seeing a big man cut down.

It's human nature.

When I take Cartwright apart, all of Gunlock County will stand up and cheer.

I'll be a good trick, if you can do it.

- I can, and I will. - Yeah, a bullet would stop him.

But it would also get you hung for murder.

Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

The only way I see is to burn that whole building, press, paper, type and all.

Mr. Leek, there's some hope for you yet.

Sometimes you do fall over the obvious solution.

Thank you.

Mr. Purdy, it's nice to see you again.

It has been a while. Too long.

It's a good ad. You want this printed the same as usual?

Yes...

It's too late to get your ad in tomorrow's Clarion.

Next week'll be fine.

That was Mr. Purdy. Gunlock mercantile.

He wants to run a half-page ad every week.

Oh, good.

- Now... - Yeah.

Purdy was only the first.

Next came Hob Kelly, Kelly's livery stable.

Came in and bought an ad, bought something.

He left money on the counter.

All right. Mr. Leek, I guess we're gonna do it your way.

Cotton, you stay here.

Knox and I'll give you a hand.

The three of us'll be enough.

You were so happy before. What changed you?

After what happened with the last issues,

I'm wondering if these papers will get to the post office and the stage.

They will.

We're gonna load 'em right outside that front door in broad daylight

where everybody can watch.

Don't worry.

Time to load up.

Cartwright didn't scare.

Presses are still going. They'll be there till daylight.

Well, we don't have to wait for them to leave.

Well, if we light the fire now, they'll smell the smoke and put it out.

Oh, I doubt it. This building'll go up like a haystack.

They won't be able to save it. Pick out a place and light your fire.

Do what I tell you, Mr. Leek.

Well, now, we'll take Cartwright over to the jail

and it'll be a legal killing for trying to escape.

No, Mr. Tabor...

Sheriff, you cooperate and you'll have Leek's land and your own.

You'll be a very wealthy man.

Well, if there's nothing else, Mr. Cartwright, I guess I'll head home.

Fine. You have a good night's rest, Henry.

Thank you, sir. Good night.

- Good night. - Night.

Well, these'll go to the president and the cabinet members in Washington.

- If they get them. - Oh, they will.

Have you had an answer to your telegram?

No. I'm afraid Mr. Tabor has that telegraph operator under his thumb.

I don't think that message was ever sent.

- I was afraid of that. - But these papers'll get there.

I'll take them to the post office in the morning myself,

see that they're stamped and put in the mailbag.

Mr. Tabor wants a government job.

I don't think he's going to interfere with the mails.

What was that?

I don't know.

Get back.

Drop it.

You kill your own men, huh?

Not me. You.

Bad blood between you.

He gave you a lump on the head,

so you split his skull open with a pistol butt, killed him.

Speak up, Sheriff. Tell him.

You're under arrest. Murder. Hand it over.

Won't hold up in court, you know. Any court, not even yours.

Get up. Get up!

Move.

Drop those guns.

Well, ma'am, you better drop your gun.

You're helping a murderer to escape and that's a felony, ma'am.

Drop it.

Yes, ma'am, I'll... I'll drop it all right.

Wasn't my idea, Mr. Cartwright. Wasn't my idea at all.

Oh, Ben.

Oh, thank God.

There never were any bullets in that rifle.

I'm terrified of loaded guns.

No... no goodbyes. I... I hate goodbyes.

So do I.

- But I do want... - And no thank yous.

I hate thank yous.

All right. But I'll have to bite my tongue.

Wish I could stay.

I do too.

But you have the Ponderosa, and I have the Clarion.

As a favor, can't we keep in touch this time?

Of course. I'll write you regularly.

And of course I'll be keeping in touch with you regularly

because I'll be reading the Clarion,

which I'll be reading every Wednesday when it comes in the mail.