Original subtitles

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What are you doing here?

What are you always hanging around here for, huh?

Come back here.

What are you getting so excited about?

That dad-blamed Indian... what's his name?

Why don't you run him off the Ponderosa?

Why? What did he do to you?

Nothing. He's just so...

Wherever I am, all of a sudden he just appears.

I mean, out of nowhere. He's breathing down the back of my neck.

He points those eyes at me like a double-barreled shotgun.

It gives me the willies.

Ha!

I wonder what the express wagon's heading to the house for?

I don't know. Let's get on our horses and find out.

Hey, Cartwright! Whoa. Cartwright!

- What is it, Dan? - I got a package for you,

it come from San Francisco today.

Boy, will I be glad to get rid of it.

- Where are we? - All right, end of the line. Come on.

- Here you go. - Let me go. Let me go!

- Hey, hold on. - I was supposed to give you this.

Hold on, now. Wait a minute, Dan, what is this?

Ha! Ha!

Hey! Whoa!

- Hey! - Hey, hey!

- He's a girl. - I ain't neither a girl. I'm a boy!

Well, if you'll just control that boy or girl or whatever,

we'll try to find out what this is all about.

"Dear Mr. Cartwright, the sweet child before you

is my daughter, and related to you.

Although we've never met, we are related, even though distantly.

My father was William Cartwright.

This is my daughter, Samantha."

It ain't neither Samantha, it's Sam.

"I haven't got time to explain right now,

but I just can't keep her with me any longer.

I'll get in touch with you as soon as I can.

Please, for the love of God, take her in.

- Take care of her." - I can take care of my own self.

"And whatever you may think, I love her, she's all I have to love.

Martha Cartwright Dorcas."

I ain't gonna stay here, and you better let me go.

Hoss, you better take her inside. We'll get to the bottom of this.

- Joseph. - Huh?

- You and Candy get back to work. - Right, Pa.

All right, all right. And then what?

Then she just put me on the stage and said it was for my own good.

But like I told you, she wanted to get rid of me.

- She hates me. - Oh, now, look, Samantha...

I told you and told you, it ain't Samantha, it's Sam.

Ow!

All right, Sam, now sit down here.

All right, just stay put. Why do you want to be a boy?

Because before I was born, my father wanted me to be a boy.

So that's what I am, a boy.

- Where's your father now? - I don't know.

He went away last month and never came back.

Mommy always scolded him for not having very much money, so he just went away.

Then Mommy sent me away.

Well, when your father went away, what did your mother do?

She got a job in a nice place,

and the men in the saloon were good to me.

When your mother was working, who was taking care of you?

Oh, she hired an old lady to take care of me,

but I ran away every chance I got.

And I'll run away from here too, just see if I don't.

Look, look, Samantha... Sam, Sam...

If your mommy hates you so, why do you want to go back?

To be there when Daddy comes home.

Mommy says he never will come home, but I know he will.

And I want to be there when he does.

Mr. Cartwright, supper is almost ready.

You better go wash your dirty little face, little boy.

- You can't make me. - No wash, no eat.

- We no feed dirty little boy here. - I ain't hungry.

You still got a dirty little face. Come, Hop Sing wash, you wipe.

I can wash my own face.

- Hello, Sam. - Sam.

Better get some of this to eat before it's all gone.

I ain't hungry.

Well, why don't you sit down at the table anyway?

I ain't tired.

I ain't gonna sit nor eat as long as you keep me here.

Well, suit yourself.

I think I will sit, but not at the table.

Mm, this sure is good.

Yeah, boy, these are the best dumplings I believe I ever tasted.

Delicious.

I'll starve myself skinny.

Hey, Pa, there any more peas?

- There's some on Sam's plate there. - Oh.

Hey, wait. That was given to me.

Yeah, but you said you didn't want to eat it.

Just for that I will.

Well, what are we going to do?

Well, we gotta have a woman take care of her, that's for sure.

And where are we gonna find a woman to take care of her?

Yeah. Hey, no chance of your getting married tomorrow is there, Pa?

You know, I don't think one woman could take care of her.

That kid is absolutely I-N-K-O-R-R-I...

O-R...

I know what you mean, but I can't spell it.

Well, neither can he.

I know what you're doing.

You're trying to figure out a way how to keep me here.

- Sam, what we're trying to do... - I don't want to stay here.

So all you have to do is put me on a stage to San Francisco.

All right, Sammy, it's time for bed.

- What's that for? - This your nightgown.

It's the best Hop Sing can do.

I don't need a nightgown. I sleep raw.

- Raw? You no sleep raw this house. - I do.

Stay away from me!

Leave me alone!

I'll break all your dishes and your pots!

Mr. Cartwright, you the boss, you make her put this on.

Hop Sing, she went in the kitchen, the kitchen is your responsibility,

and everything in it.

I won't wear it!

I won't! I won't! I won't!

Mr. Cartwright, the fire is burnt out!

No, no, no, no!

You better send me back.

Let me go! You put me down!

Put me down! Put me down!

You be good girl and we be friends, yes?

I don't want to be friends with anybody!

- You sure she's related to us? - Yes. Yes, she... she is.

I remember William Cartwright had a daughter, Martha,

and he was my first cousin,

so that would make that little girl up there your fourth cousin.

Pa, can't you do what she wants done?

Can't you put her on a stage and send her back to San Francisco?

So she can run around the streets of San Francisco again?

Well, what are we gonna do?

You ride into Virginia City tomorrow

and wire our agent in San Francisco to find Martha Dorcas

and give her enough money to get here, and after that we'll see what develops.

That little girl's only real big problem is she's just spoiled rotten.

What she needs is a good spanking.

Hmm...

Little girl has a... has a good size problem.

I don't know what a spanking would do.

Well, you always seemed to think they solved my problems.

Now, that little gal

been uprooted...

sent out to strangers in a strange place.

Feels all alone in the world.

Unloved, unwanted.

She's fighting back the only way she knows how, I guess.

What she needs is not a spanking,

but a little human understanding and compassion.

Hey, what's that great, big, ugly, old Indian doing outside my window?

Mommy. Mommy.

I want my mommy.

It's all right, darling. It's all right.

Papa.

You did come.

You did come back.

Sh...

- Poor little girl. - Yeah.

What are you gonna do with those?

Well, before we get anywhere with her,

we gotta convince her that she is a girl.

Get rid of them. Burn them.

Hey, where is everybody?

I want my duds back.

If you don't give them back, I'm gonna get real mad.

You loco or something?

You better give me back my clothes.

Stop hiding.

Come on out!

If you don't come out, I'm gonna start breaking things

and punching holes in the floor.

Good morning, little girl.

It's good to see you again.

You sleep good? You feel better?

I didn't sleep good and I don't feel better.

- Your breakfast is ready. - I ain't hungry.

Today you're going to be nice little girl. You and I going to be friends.

Come, sit down.

I ain't gonna be nice and I ain't gonna be your friend, so there.

- Oh! - I want my clothes back.

But they all go into town,

they come back with new clothes more better for little girl.

- I ain't... - I know, you're a little boy. I know.

Little boy, sit down, eat your breakfast.

You can't make me eat.

I'm going upstairs and I'm gonna stay in my bedroom until I get my clothes back.

It's all right, you suit yourself. When you hungry, you call me.

I'll starve myself blue.

- Sam still in the bedroom? - He plenty mad.

He?

Go away!

Go away. Good morning, Sam.

Got something for you here. Some things.

I ain't interested.

Uh-huh.

You ain't interested, huh?

Are you, uh, are you interested in this?

What's that stuff for?

This stuff, young lady, is for you to wear from now on.

I ain't a young lady and I ain't gonna wear that junk.

You gimme back my own clothes.

Well, I'm afraid I just can't do that.

You see, your clothes have been burned.

You had no right to.

Well, maybe I didn't have any right to, but I guess there's not much choice

about what you're gonna wear from now on.

- I'd rather run around raw. - Just as you please.

Oh, you can come down any time you like, raw if you wish.

Just for that I will!

Burning my clothes...

- My goodness! - Hey, Pa, who is that?

Well, I don't rightly know, Hoss.

I knew a little fella who looked like that, but this is a girl.

Yeah. And a mighty good looking little girl too, huh?

Don't you laugh at me. And I ain't neither a girl.

I'm a boy. And I hate you and I hate everybody!

Oh, no, you don't! Hold it, little lady.

Well, I guess the time has come for that paddling.

Yeah, well, like you said, Pa, a little human understanding and compassion.

Come on, young lady.

All right.

It didn't hurt... much.

And it didn't make me cry.

It took two of you great big men to beat up on one poor little girl.

Well... sometimes, you know,

a spanking gives a child a sense of security.

It shows them that you're concerned about them,

that you like them.

- I hope I didn't hit her too hard. - Oh, you didn't hit her

hard enough to raise a dust.

Runs lame. Left front foot.

He's got a stone. Hey, Will, you got a knife?

- Lunch is here. Let's eat. - Be right with you.

Well, well, well, what have we here?

She's been helping Hop Sing in the kitchen.

- Has she? - He's made me assistant chief cook

and bottle washer for the Ponderosa.

But remember, Hop Sing is still boss, Sammy.

Excuse me.

All right, fellas, you hungry?

Mr. Cartwright, I brought you some hot coffee.

Well, thank you very much, Samantha. Thank you. I appreciate that.

I told Hop Sing I was gonna behave myself while I was here.

- Well, I'm sure happy to hear that. - But it ain't because you spanked me.

I'm still going back to San Francisco and waiting for my father.

Well, we'll... we've gotta help you arrange that.

You spanked me awful hard, Mr. Cartwright.

I'll probably be walking sideways for a week.

Well, I'm real sorry, Samantha.

When other kids on our block got spanked,

they didn't mind too much afterwards.

Well, maybe that's because

they knew that their fathers who spanked them loved them.

My father never spanked me, and I know he did love me.

I'm sure he did.

Why did you spank me, Mr. Cartwright?

- Well... - Was it because?

Of course it was.

Hey, Sam.

Hey, that's a mighty pretty dress you got there.

- Do you like it? - Sure do.

Yeah, I'm sure glad you're not a little boy anymore.

Don't you like little boys?

No, we ain't got time for them little boys.

- But we like them little girls. - Really?

Yeah, and big ones too. Matter of fact, might marry one someday.

You are? When?

Oh, I don't know, when the time's right.

We... we might wait for you to grow up, Sam, huh?

I been growing awful fast since I came here.

I've noticed that.

Hop Sing says I'm his best assistant chief cook

and bottle washer he ever had.

He's gonna learn me how to make biscuits.

Yeah, I bet you make 'em real good too.

I better get in town, see if there's any information.

- Here, you better load this. - Yeah. Thank you. Oh!

- Hi. - Hi. Don't stand too close to this.

- You want me to go away? - Uh-uh.

Just don't stand too close, this is dangerous.

- I don't like you. - I don't like you either.

I like Hoss. When I grow up I'm gonna marry him.

- You are, huh? - Little Joe too.

Both of 'em, huh?

- But I ain't gonna marry you, though. - That's a deal.

Why don't you like me?

I don't know, maybe because you don't like me.

That's why I don't like you, because you don't like me.

That's kind of a Mexican standoff, ain't it?

I think that maybe I do like you, kinda.

I think I, uh... I like you too... kinda.

- Shake. - Shake.

That's the Indian that was outside my window.

Just don't you go wandering off by yourself. You understand?

- Hey, wait for me. - Sure, come on.

- Who you, missy? - I'm Martha Dorcas.

- Oh, Sammy mama. - Yeah.

Mr. Cartwright, he out in the back. I go tell him you here.

- You come in, please. - Thank you.

- Is my daughter all right? - Oh, she's just fine.

She out riding in the wagon with the boys.

Come in, please. Come in.

You're a Cartwright.

Of course, you're welcome here.

You're welcome to anything you might need.

I appreciate that.

Being a Cartwright makes you part of the family.

And so...

there's certain questions I'd like you to answer.

Your daughter, you put her on a stagecoach,

sent her off to some strange part of the country.

Her not knowing whether you really loved her.

Now, don't you think that was rather cruel?

I didn't have a choice.

I didn't want her hanging around where I worked.

She kept running away from the woman I had caring for her.

Yes, she... she told me about the place where you work.

She said the... the men there liked her very much.

Look, I know what you're thinking.

No, I don't think you do know what I'm thinking.

Well, then I apologize.

Look, I worked in a saloon, I waited tables and I sang, that's all I did.

Well, why didn't you come to me sooner?

I'm a Cartwright too.

Would you go to someone you didn't even know for help?

- What about your husband? - Will?

Tell me about him.

He was sick drunk when I met him.

He gambled away his money. He had no place to go.

I took him in and I cared for him and I loved him.

Maybe it was gratitude on his part, I don't know.

But anyway, he said he loved me and he married me.

And then he told me he had a wonderful surprise for me.

He told me that his father was rich,

had a big ranch across the bay from San Francisco.

We were gonna live there.

He was gonna straighten out, no more drinking, no more gambling.

And he meant it.

But by the time we got to the ranch, Calvin Dorcas had heard about me.

He thought I was... well, you know what he thought.

He met us at the front door, he didn't even ask us in.

No man in the saloon where I worked ever talked to me the way he did,

or looked at me the way he did.

Your husband, how did he react to that?

Will stood up for me that time.

He said he didn't need Calvin Dorcas or his money.

He was gonna stand up on his own two feet and be his own man.

- And he tried for a while. - He failed?

Yeah. Will fell back into his old ways,

until I got pregnant, and then he tried again.

- And failed again? - You know what?

He wanted a son.

He knew that his daddy wanted a grandson.

And then Samantha came along, and he began drinking again.

- Where is he now? - I don't know.

How you doing, Pa?

Joseph, this is Samantha's mother.

- Mrs. Dorcas, my son Joseph. - Pleasure to meet you.

There was a man in Virginia City asking about you,

a fellow named Calvin Dorcas.

Uncle Joe took me for a buggy ride way up in the mountains.

Of course I like to ride you too, Uncle Hoss.

Yeah. Come on, I'm a better horse. Come on.

Come on.

- Oh! - We had a lot of fun, Uncle Ben! We...

- Mommy! - Samantha.

I told Uncle Ben you wouldn't come back.

Oh, Mommy.

You aren't gonna take me away, are you?

I like it here. And they like me.

And they're the only friends I got.

I won't go. I won't! I won't! I won't!

And you can't make me.

I'm gonna stay here and be assistant chief cook and bottle washer.

Samantha, come over here.

We're gonna have a little talk.

Please, Mommy, don't make me go.

Whoa. Whoa!

Daddy ain't never coming back, is he?

I don't think so.

- Go to your room. - Why?

Don't ask. Just go to your room.

Thought you'd get away with it, did you?

So that's Samantha.

She don't look like a Dorcas.

- Mr. Dorcas, things have changed. - Ain't got time to talk now.

- Come on, you. - Who is this nasty old man?

I'm your grandfather, Calvin Dorcas.

And you're a Dorcas too, and you're coming with me, young lady,

whether you like it or not.

I ain't a Dorcas, I'm a Cartwright!

We'll soon fix that.

Come on. Come on! Hey, come back here, you!

I said come back here!

- Get out of my way! - Sir.

Wait a minute!

Please, just a moment. Now, who are you?

- Who are you? - I'm Ben Cartwright. I own this house.

Now, what are you doing here?

I'm Calvin Dorcas, and I've come here to get my granddaughter.

I got a court order giving her into my custody.

And don't you dare try to tell me it ain't legal.

I had it confirmed here in Virginia City by Judge Davis.

Mr. Dorcas, I want to say something to you.

Things have changed. I'm gonna try and open a little dress shop here.

Oh, you changed your line of work, huh? That's a joke.

I know you better, you're a saloon girl

consorting with every manner of drunken bum.

Now, wait a minute, that's enough of that kind of talk.

You can talk yourself blue in the face, Cartwright,

but I still ain't gonna leave my granddaughter with that woman.

- What have I ever done to you? - You took my son from me,

the only thing I had left to live for.

You dragged him down into the gutter with you.

He tried to come home, you're the one who shut the door in his face.

Because he had you with him.

With the smell of the saloon on you

and the mark of who knows how many men on you.

Mr. Dorcas, I've warned you about using that kind of talk.

Now, will you stop it? And take your hat off when you're talking to a woman.

- Now, you shut up and listen to me. - Me shut up?

Yes. Yes. Yes. You listen to me.

Now, Martha didn't drag your son into the gutter.

The gutter's where she found him.

Your son, from everything I hear about him...

- How dare you? - I dare because I know it's the truth.

He didn't have the guts to accept responsibility, so he ran away.

Now, why he didn't have the guts, I don't know.

Maybe that's the way he was born, although I doubt it.

But I'm just a little tired of hearing you tell the mother of his child

that she's responsible for everything that happened to him.

Mr. Cartwright!

Sammy gone! She run away!

- She went up to her room. - No. She go down back stair.

I see her running into the woods.

Wait. You stay here, and don't worry, we'll find her.

All right, let's spread out, huh?

Hoss, go up over the hill.

And Little Joe, you go off in that direction.

All right, Pa.

Candy, you go up there, I'll take this way.

Right.

Sam!

Samantha!

Sam!

No, no sign.

Try the flats.

Sam!

We better cover the lake. You take that side, I'll head...

Sam, are you all right?

The Indian's a nice man.

I'm sleepy.

- How is she? - She's fine. Fast asleep.

Anyone find her?

- Anyone find her? - Yes, yes, we found her.

- We found her. - Oh, thank heavens.

- Is she all right? - She's fine, she's fine.

- Oh... - Joe, get some brandy.

- Right. - Thank heavens she's safe.

She's fine. She's fine. What happened to you?

Oh, I'm all right, I just... I just fell in the river.

It was dark out.

I searched and I searched.

I... I couldn't find her anywhere.

- Take some of this. - Oh, yeah.

Let's get him upstairs. He's all wet. Get him out of these clothes.

You... you're sure she's all right, huh?

She's fine. Come on.

Here's his coat.

Help him. He needs help.

- How is he? - Sound asleep. He's a very sick man.

- Maybe he get chest sickness. - Oh?

He get very wet, very cold.

Pretty silly running around like that at his age.

Little girl is worth running around for, she his granddaughter.

The first time he's ever acted like it.

Man change, everybody change.

I suppose so.

Man try so hard for granddaughter, he's not all bad.

- How is he? - Sh!

He's asleep. He's very tired. It's only been three days.

- Can I come in? - If you're very quiet.

I'll be back in a minute.

Samantha?

I know where I am. But what day is it?

Tuesday. You've been awfully sick for three days.

You don't have to tell me, I... I know I've been sick.

Still don't feel good, huh?

I can hear the... the flutter of black wings.

- I think I'm gonna die. - No, you aren't.

Don't you argue with me. I ought to know.

Anyway, what do you care if I do die?

You called me a nasty old man, now, didn't you?

- That's what you were. - Oh, you think so, eh?

A fine granddaughter you turned out to be.

Fine grandfather you are.

Well, I wouldn't be lying here now on my deathbed

if you hadn't run off, now would I?

Well, I wouldn't have run off if you hadn't of come here to take me away.

I was only gonna do it for your own good.

What else have you got against me?

You said very mean things to my mother.

Well, I suppose I did.

Well, you're awake, are you? How you feeling?

Everybody wants to know how I feel and nobody gives a hoot.

That's right. Here.

You been doctoring me all along. Why?

Why didn't you let me be good and sick and maybe even die

- when you had the chance? - I didn't have much to do with

whether you lived or died.

I ain't been asleep all the time.

I heard the Chinaman saying if it hadn't been for what you done for me,

I'd have been mighty sick.

I'd have done the same for anyone.

Well, don't think you softened me up.

I ain't changed my mind about taking Samantha with me, not one little bit.

- I didn't think you had. - But I ain't going with you.

Maybe Cartwright's right about my son.

I guess nobody's to blame for the way he turned out, except...

except maybe me.

But if he was to come home,

well, I mean, you don't want him to find his daughter

running around the wild like a red Injun now, do you?

- No. No, I don't. - Good.

Then I'll keep her at my home. See that she's raised right.

Now, that's what I wanted to hear.

If you'll keep her in your home, I won't argue with you.

- You can take her with you. - But Mommy...

It'll be best for you.

Now, you two talk it over and make your plans.

- Samantha? - Oh, no, you don't.

- Mommy? - Not now, baby.

Listen, Mommy...

Don't cry.

Please don't cry.

Please don't cry.

Wait, I'll be right back.

You, you're mean.

You're the meanest man in the whole world.

Now, wait a minute!

You made my father run away. You made my mother cry.

You make everybody you know miserable.

You're a bad man.

All right. But a man can change, can't he?

- I don't believe you can. - Oh, you don't, eh?

Well, I'll show you. Go get your mother.

Go on, get her!

Come on, Mommy. Come on.

All right, what do you have to say to her?

Will, uh... will you come too?

Come and stay with us until we get this child settled?

Grandpa!

Will you come and stay with us for a year or two?

Grandpa!

Will you stay with us forever

to be my daughter and my granddaughter?

Hey!

Well, Sam, where's Mom?

She's upstairs talking to Grandpa.

Mommy and me are gonna live with him up in San Francisco.

Well, now, isn't that wonderful?

I'm gonna be assistant chief cook and bottle washer on Grandpa's ranch.

Oh, Uncle Ben...

Oh, come on now. What's the matter, baby, huh?

Yeah, Sam, what's the matter? I thought you'd be all happy about that.

I am, I'm... happy-sad.

Grandpa's ranch is a long, long ways off and I won't see you.

I won't see any of you ever again.

Hey, I come up to San Francisco all the time.

We'll stop in and see you while we're up there.

Sure, and then you'll come and visit with us, won't you?

Gee, it'll be like having two homes, won't it?

- Yeah. - That's right.

Just like having two homes, Sam.

And don't forget, Hoss, you either, Little Joe, about when I grow up.

- Oh, no. - Mm-mm. No, we won't forget.

What's... what's this about when you grow up?

Oh, it's just a little arrangement between Sam and Hoss and myself.

Candy too.

Thought you'd forgot about me.

Candy too?

- Look, she proposed, I didn't. - Oh.

We sort of worked things out.

Oh, you worked things out? Well...

I really want to thank you for everything, Cousin Ben.

Well, I'm so glad we had a chance to meet, after all these years.

- Now, you keep in touch. - I will.

I ain't never been talked to like you talked to me, Cartwright,

but I ain't a-gonna hold it against you.

Samantha, come on now...

dear.

Sam, I guess this is goodbye, sweetie. You take care.

- Bye, Sam. - Sam.

Hop Sing, don't forget about when I grow up.

- Hop Sing no forget. - What, you too?

Who teach her how to make biscuits?

- Well, Sam, this is goodbye. - Goodbye, Uncle Ben.

Oh, Sam.

You be a good girl now and take care of yourself.

Up you go, Sam.

All right.

Goodbye, Sam. Don't forget to write.

Hey!

Wait, wait, wait! Friend, friend.

We want to thank you for... for bringing back Sam.

- Yeah. - Yeah, we sure do.

Sam my friend.

Well, you have many more friends here now. What's your name?

My name...

- What? What? - What?

It mean... see more.

Oh.

Well, See More, come on in the house and have some lunch.

- Come on. - Yeah, come on.