Original subtitles

The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC.

- Another excellent animal. - Thank you.

Hardly any point in making a close examination,

but the regulations demand it.

Well, we'll take him. Top dollar. How many is that?

Forty-eight.

- Any Paiute activity down your way? - No.

No sign of any on the trail either. I understand you had a problem, though.

Yeah. That's why we're so glad to get these re-mounts.

We've ridden our horses to skin and bones.

- You raise fine horses, Mr. Cartwright. - Thank you.

There's a war party operating out of the hills

up to the north, headed by Wahe.

Wahe? He was killed in a scouting raid.

Well, that's what we thought.

Then he came down with a band of reservation jumpers,

looting, killing, stealing.

They're harder to catch than a mirage.

We did find his camp day before yesterday.

We might have had him, but we moved too soon.

Nothing except a bunch of women, children, old men.

You going after him?

Yes, but not until I've delivered the prisoners to the reservation.

By that time, the trail will be too cold.

By the way, one of the prisoners is a white woman.

- Where's she from? - I wish I could tell you.

Her reluctance to talk is understandable, though.

She's Wahe's squaw, and she's got his child, a half-breed papoose.

Are you taking her to the reservation?

I offered her transportation to any city and town in the state.

She insists on going to the reservation.

- Do you want me to talk to her? - I was hoping you'd say that.

Maybe you can get her to tell you more than just her name.

- What's her name? - Calls herself Mamyope.

English translation, "she who resists."

This way, please.

Mamyope, this is Mr. Ben Cartwright.

Don't be afraid of me.

Please, look at him when he speaks to you.

I'd hoped you might know each other.

- May I speak with her? - I have an inspection to make.

I'll be back soon.

Mamyope, do you know me?

Have you ever seen me before?

I would like to help you.

I hope you believe that.

I believe you.

I hope so.

Let's go inside, we can sit down there.

Sh...

A beautiful boy.

I live for him.

- Um... have you been treated well? - Yes.

You... you don't have to go to the reservation.

I want to.

How long did you...

- How long were you with Wahe? - A long time.

- Do you love him? - I'm his squaw.

- Do you love him? - I lived in his teepee.

I bore his son.

My son.

My son is all that matters. Does that answer your question?

Well, you know, we're...

We're pulling out in the morning.

I'd sure like to have you come along with us.

I want to go to the reservation with the other squaws.

I figured we could take you to Virginia City

and help you find your family.

You must have someone somewhere.

- There's no one. - You're sure?

- Have you ever been on a reservation? - No.

It's... it's not for you, believe me.

If you love your son, then you must think of him.

I think only of him.

I've never been to a reservation, but I've lived in Nevada towns before.

I know the people.

I know what they would do to the son of a white mother and a Paiute father.

I can spare him that torment, and I will.

Now, why do you think the reservation will be different?

What do you expect to find for him there?

Equality.

If you don't mind, I'd like to go back to the other squaws.

Of course.

I'll help you.

I'd like one more favor.

We're having an early supper.

Consider it a kindness if you would join us.

On one condition: no more questions.

No questions.

We ain't used to serving fancy here. Best we could do.

Oh, it looks very good. Very good, thank you.

Yeah... you want seconds, yell.

Here's the money for those re-mounts. The major seemed to be pleased.

Oh. Yeah.

Well, Joseph put that chair over there for later.

And fellas, let's not have any conversation when she gets here

about Wahe or what she's doing here or where she's going.

Just want to make her feel like she's among friends.

What's happened to her, it makes no difference at all.

Sure.

Come in. Come in, please.

Uh, let's meet everybody. That's my son, Hoss.

- Howdy, ma'am. - And my other son, Joseph.

This is Candy.

- Gentlemen, this is Mamyope. - Glad to meet you, ma'am.

Uh, sit down. Make yourself comfortable.

Well, I hope you've brought your appetite with you.

- Mm. Looks mighty good. - Yeah.

You know, after two weeks on the trail,

there's something about just a clean tablecloth making food look good.

You've got some pretty country here.

How you making out with that... that horse of yours?

Him?

Well, I think it's a tie, he tried to kick me and I backed him into a thistle.

Candy's got a running feud with this roan horse of his.

He was out chasing a stray the other day and the horse went

and ran him into a tree and he got caught up in the limbs.

That never happened.

Funniest thing I ever saw was Candy hanging up in that tree upside down.

I think he ought to just get himself another horse.

You're being very kind, all of you.

You're trying very hard.

But you're as uncomfortable as I am.

Well... I'm sorry.

Can't help wondering what it was like,

how I lived, what was done to me.

You're too polite to ask. But there'll be many who won't be.

Well, ma'am, it ain't that bad.

We had a lady from Virginia City about seven or eight years ago

who got captured by the Paiute.

Stayed with them two or three years and came back.

Did she have a baby? A half-breed baby?

Mr. Cartwright... what will happen to Wahe?

Well, uh, if he surrenders...

He'll never surrender.

If he's captured, then...

he'll be brought to trial before an Army court,

and if he's found guilty he'll...

he'll have to pay the full penalty.

Death by hanging.

Yes.

If he fights, he'll be killed.

I had to know.

You'll just have to excuse me.

Alicia?

Alicia Purcell.

You knew me all the time.

Almost from the first moment.

Four years ago, White Fork Crossing,

your... your husband was a cattle buyer there before the raid.

Why didn't you say so?

Oh, let me alone!

I was waiting to hear you say that you wanted to go back home.

- I have no home. - Yes, you have.

Your husband, Wayne, he's in Virginia City.

Spent a year searching for you, thinks you're dead.

I am dead.

He's been living there for three years. If he knew that you were alive...

Stop! Stop, I don't want to listen!

He's your husband! He's your husband, was and is.

He wouldn't want me!

He thinks I'm dead, let him go on thinking that!

What about your child?

What do you want for your child?

- Everything. - Everything?

Yet you would take him to a reservation,

to face a life of misery and hopelessness.

There'll be no equality for your son there.

Not for a boy who's neither white nor Indian.

Only rejection.

I'll talk to the major.

He'll have Wayne meet us here, or...

or you'll leave with us in the morning.

We got plenty of blankets here on the buckboard, ma'am.

We can make a bed for the baby.

I'd rather hold him.

Anything you say, ma'am.

Mr. Purcell.

He was with Pa in White Fork. But I didn't see her there.

- But you know her husband? - Yeah.

He's got a good business. He works hard.

Sort of proud and proper, though.

I got nothing against him, but that's the impression I got.

- A little too proud, maybe. - That's what I was thinking.

On the other hand,

I was wondering what I'd do if it was me she was coming home to.

I asked myself the same question. But I didn't get an answer.

I sent a telegram to Wayne.

Told him we'd be home in four days.

Asked him to come to the Ponderosa.

- Mm... - Hey, he knows what he's doing.

Look... oh, that's strong. That's a good spoon.

- I want some food on my spoon. - You want some food on your spoon?

Do you want some foodie on that spoon?

Look at the string on that spoon.

Eat that thing.

- It's a good spoon, isn't it? - Good spoon.

- The other end. - You gotta eat off this end

- of the spoon. - Hi, buddy.

- Happy little guy, ain't he? - Oh, he sure is.

Didn't cry no more than two or three times on the trail.

What are you talking about? He didn't cry but once.

- I was closer to him than you were. - He was exercising his lungs.

That's why babies cry, you know, to exercise their lungs.

- How do you know that? - Speaking of exercise...

Joseph, I thought you and Candy were going to go to Boxtor.

- Yeah, we are. - Where? Right here in the living room?

Well, we just finished our lunch,

and we're just going to play with the little fella for a few minutes.

Pa, I saw Wayne Purcell at the post office.

He was just waiting to make sure when we got home.

- Said he'd be out in about an hour. - Ah, good.

- We... we better get back to work. - Yeah. See you later.

Here, buddy. There you go.

- Something you ought to see over here. - Huh?

Like the major said they headed northeast,

they hit a ranch on Miller Creek.

Two hundred miles from here. Sure moving fast.

Yeah. They had to, troop of cavalry on their trail.

Nap time for this young man.

He's a mighty pretty little guy.

- Is Wayne coming out here? - Oh, yes, I meant to tell you.

Hoss just brought the message, he'll be here within the hour.

For the last four years I didn't think I'd ever be frightened again.

I'm frightened now.

How do I look?

I know this buckskin looks terrible, but I...

I've tried to fix my hair the way Wayne liked it.

Your hair's beautiful and you're beautiful.

I know you're lying. Thank you.

Mr. Purcell is coming down the road.

All right, young lady, I got some things to do with the boys.

I'll go out the back way, and you'll have the place to yourselves.

Now, smile and go meet your husband.

Wayne.

Alicia?

Alicia!

- Oh! - Alicia!

Alicia, it is you! It really is you.

Where did you come from? How did you get here?

- The Cartwrights brought me back. - The Cartwrights.

After the White Fork raid, I searched for you for months. I...

- I couldn't find a trace. - Come inside.

Yes.

Hey, you... you look wonderful. You do.

- There's so much to tell you. - You don't have to tell me anything.

What's happened doesn't matter, what's important is that we're together.

- And we can start all over again. - Wayne, please...

Alicia, listen to me. I have done nothing for the past four years

but work, work, work, and I've done very well.

I've got so much to give you now it'll make up for everything you've missed.

Don't you want to know what happened to me?

But I do know.

I know.

You were a prisoner, and it was terrible.

It had to be terrible.

But you escaped.

Wayne, please, wait.

- But why? - Wait here.

Why?

Alicia?

- Alicia, where are you going? - I'll be... I'll be right back.

It's all right.

This can't be.

Yes, he's my son.

Paiute.

Whose?

Or do you know?

Yes, I know.

It's Wahe's.

I was his prisoner. His squaw.

Wahe!

That murderer, that red-handed butcher!

And you dare bring this home?

What was I supposed to do? He's my son too.

He's my flesh and blood.

Should I have pretended he was never born, just walk away and leave him?

I thought you were dead. I could live with that.

But this... how in heaven's name do you expect me to feel?

I don't know, Wayne.

I truly don't know.

Filthy savage.

Didn't that matter to you?

Yes, it mattered.

But I'm a coward. I didn't want to die.

Coward? No.

There's another name for a woman like you.

I ask one kindness of you.

Go away, quickly.

And gladly.

A cousin in Omaha?

What do you expect to find in Omaha?

A home for myself and my son.

Suppose your cousin feels the same way your husband did?

Mr. Cartwright, it's none of your business.

I took your advice once, I don't need or want any more of it.

You're right, no more advice.

- Brandy? - No, thank you.

You're angry, you been hurt badly.

I told you what would happen and I was right.

Yes. And I was wrong. I should have prepared Wayne.

But since I brought you here,

I'd sure like to know what happens when you leave.

If my cousin won't have us, we'll go to the reservation.

Sure is a handsome child.

May I? Come up here, young fella.

There we are.

Well. You know, I sure do like you.

Yes, sir, I like you a lot.

Know what that means? No, how could you?

You don't know the meaning of the word.

Like, love, or hate, or any of those things are just sounds

as far as you're concerned.

You're too young to understand them.

Yes, and you're too young to...

to know that right now people hate you

because of the accident of your birth.

But you're not too young to understand that, are you?

You're willing to hide him, take him to the reservation.

- To protect him, yes. - Protect him or yourself?

Tell me, is it because that you're so worried about what people think

about you that you want to hide him?

You're even willing to hide yourself.

Why hide? There's a simple solution.

- More advice, Mr. Cartwright? - Yes.

There's a good orphanage near Sacramento run by the Catholic sisters.

They'd love to have a child like this.

Why don't I have Joseph hitch up a team to the buggy,

then you can take him there tonight.

And that way there'd be no child, no problem, simple solution.

Oh, damn you, Ben Cartwright! If you think for one minute...

Oh, yes, you're willing to fight for him, are you?

Good.

Then why run?

Why not fight right here in Virginia City?

Yes. Why not?

I was out on the porch the last five or ten minutes.

- Got a little loud in here. - Yes, I guess it did.

Well, what happens now?

I wish I knew.

They say this is the best shop in town, although I'm not an expert.

You do have business at the bank?

Yes, of course, but I... I want to introduce you to Elizabeth Bowen.

- I've known her for a long time. - I'd rather you didn't.

If I'm going to stay in Virginia City, I have to face these people.

I might just as well start here and now.

Okay. I'll meet you back here.

- But the neckline is so good. - Yes, but what about this?

- I'll be with you in a minute. - I'm in no hurry.

But then there's the waistline.

Maybe... maybe this dress is more what you had in mind.

Oh, yes, this is attractive. This is very attractive.

- She is a squaw! - Oh, I'm sure you're wrong.

Well, I know an Indian child when I see one. That baby's Paiute.

You needn't wonder, ladies. My baby is Paiute, half Paiute.

- This is lovely. - Oh, yes. It's pure silk.

The very finest quality.

And just the color I've been looking for.

I want this silk made up in that dress you just showed me.

I want the material now.

- But Mrs. Smith... - And I don't want the cloth

that's been unrolled from the bolt.

Hey.

Hey, you know something? You're as pretty as a $40 filly.

Now, on account of you're so pretty, old Hank's gonna buy you a drink.

- Come on. - Let me go.

Oh, come on now, don't get mad. Trying to be nice.

I'm really a very nice fella.

Oh, come on, we can have a lot of fun together.

I don't even mind the baby.

Think you're too good for me, huh?

Ain't no woman carrying no Paiute brat too good for me.

No, stay away. No. No, stop it. No, stop!

Up you go.

Candy, I want you to take Alicia and her son back to the Ponderosa.

Mr. Cartwright, if there's trouble here...

Nothing I can't handle.

You dropped your hat.

Well, I never even seen Cartwright till after I was down.

I mean, he snuck up on me, you know, hit me from behind.

Why, he didn't even give me a fair chance.

This'll make you the biggest cattle broker in Virginia City.

- Thanks to you, Mr. Green. - No thanks asked or wanted.

You've earned it.

Carrying a Paiute kid, ain't she?

Well, she ain't no better than a Paiute. I don't care what Ben Cartwright says.

And I'll tell him so right to his face.

Do that.

Go ahead, I'm listening.

Well, uh, wearing buckskins and carrying that baby,

well, I thought she was a Paiute.

She's not a Paiute, but even if she was...

Yeah, well, she sure ain't.

She's less than a Paiute, she's less than dirt!

Miss Purcell is a guest in my house.

If you raise your voice to her or try to touch her,

I'll see to it that you're put in jail.

Yeah, well, there ain't no law against talking to the likes of her.

There's a law protects women on the street.

And I'll see to it that it's enforced.

- Decent women, yes. - But not trash.

One more thing, Hank.

Not only would you go to jail,

but it'll take some while for you to recover your health

before you're able to stand trial. That's a promise.

You were saying?

No better than she should be. We can all see that.

Can we?

Now, supposing it had been your wife that was taken prisoner,

what would you want her to do?

Kill herself?

Mr. Barry, you've got a sister.

You love her very much. Suppose she'd been taken prisoner.

How would you treat her when she came back?

- I don't know. - Mm. You don't know.

Do you know, Mr. Rogers?

You have two beautiful daughters. Suppose it happened to one of them

and she had the strength and the courage to survive.

Now, what would you do

when your friends and neighbors turned their backs on her?

That ain't ever gonna happen to my daughters.

Ain't never gonna happen to your daughters?

That's what everybody thinks.

That's what everybody likes to think, it'll never happen to one of theirs.

Well, it's happened before and it could happen again.

It could happen to someone very near and dear to you.

So you'd better start figuring how you'd feel.

Yeah, start figuring.

It's been a good day. See you tomorrow.

I waited until your sons were gone. There's something I have to tell you.

Mr. Cartwright, I'm leaving in the morning.

I realize if my son's gonna have any chance at all,

it'll be in a big city like San Francisco or New York.

Virginia City has something that no other place can offer you:

- Your husband. - I have no husband.

Maybe. But when you had need of help...

you saw his name on that sign, you turned to him.

Didn't you?

Didn't you?

- Well, Mrs. Fletcher. - Good evening, Mr. Cartwright.

Good evening. Mrs. Smith, come in, please.

- Nice to see you. - You know Mrs. Purcell.

- Yes. - Please, come sit down.

Oh, no, we are here to...

well, to speak for the Virginia City Women's Club.

We were very distressed over what happened today.

Yes, that was very distressing. But, ladies, please sit down.

Oh, thank you, but we were afraid that something similar,

- perhaps worse, might happen again. - Yes.

To prevent that, to help you and your child,

we've taken up a collection,

and we are prepared to help you find a new home,

a new start, someplace like Carson City, Reno,

someplace where you and your child will feel more comfortable.

Thank you, ladies.

Thank you.

Your kindness is overwhelming.

The truth is, you want to get rid of us.

- That's the truth, isn't it? - Oh, no.

You hate me, you hate my child so much

that you're willing to pay to get us out of sight.

- That's not... - Well, it won't work. We're not dirt.

We won't be swept away.

The only way you can help us now is to let us alone.

Now, get out, both of you.

Get out!

Ladies.

I shouldn't have done that.

I thought you did very well.

I think I'm going to cry.

Well, my son's been asleep for hours. It's time I joined him.

Busy place tonight.

Hello. This is your night for company.

- It sure is. - I passed a couple of your guests

down the road a piece. They're now my ex-customers.

Oh, Mrs. Purcell, good evening. I... I brought the silk you liked.

You disappeared so quickly that I never had a chance to tell you

that I'd be delighted to make a dress for you.

- Ten dresses, if you wish. - Oh, thank you.

Not at all.

Oh, Ben, I heard what you said in the Silver Dollar Bar.

I must have heard ten different versions of it.

You certainly have the whole town talking.

- Is that good or bad? - Hm. Both, I guess.

Tell me, have you got a room, a spare room here we can use?

- Well, several upstairs. - Fine. Then we can get started.

- Come along. - Here, I'll take that.

We won't be needing you, Ben, this is woman's work.

That's a very handsome boy you've got.

I brought along some yard goods and some dress fabric for him too.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Oh, it's easy with a pretty customer.

Hey, now she's blushing, I think it makes her even prettier.

You'll have me crying again. Stop it.

You've been so kind, all of you.

- Could I ask one more favor? - Name it.

Tomorrow's Sunday. I'd love to go to church.

My pleasure.

Whoo! Yes, sir.

I tell you, I don't know if that bonnet makes you look more like a boy

or a girl, but your booties make you look like a boy.

Do you like your new clothes, huh? Huh?

Yes, sir, you betcha.

Well!

You know, you're a remarkable woman.

You're not only beautiful, but you're on time.

Thank you, sir.

Hoss should have the buggy ready.

Correction. He brought the surrey. Any reason?

Well, I thought maybe I'd go with you.

Oh, good. Uh, help you in?

There we are.

- You going to church too? - We thought we would.

All right.

Yes. Yes.

I'm not afraid.

- I'll go the rest of the way alone. - No, no.

I'd be mighty proud to go along with you.

Sh... sh...

Alicia.

Morning, ma'am.

Good morning, Mrs. Purcell.

Morning.

Morning. Nice to see you both.

Mrs. Purcell. Mr. Cartwright.

Morning.

Squaw!

Dirty Injun squaw!