Original subtitles

The following program is brought to you in living color

on NBC.

What's the trouble?

Drunken Paiutes.

They jumped me last night.

Took my horse, took all my gear.

Boy, I... walked me up a fine crop of blisters.

Guess maybe I'm lucky they...

didn't lift my hair along with everything else.

Say, uh...

that coffee sure does smell good.

My name's Griff Bannon.

Lloyd Trumbull.

Thanks.

Oh, that helps.

Yeah, that really helps.

You from around here, uh, Mr. Trumbull?

Not recently.

Lived near here, 20 years ago.

Cattle and Indian country then.

No mines, no Virginia City.

Mister, after last night, it's still Indian country.

Or maybe it's just my luck.

I don't know... things start going wrong,

there's just no stopping them.

That bad?

Worse.

Say, uh, that horse, I... I've seen that brand before.

Is that Montana, maybe?

No, Colorado.

Oh, that's good country down that way.

I'll bet you hated to leave it.

Wrong again.

A month ago I was riding grub lines down there,

no job, no hope of getting one.

Well, you sure don't look hungry now.

Well, I was going to tell you.

Brisket of boot one day,

the next day, you've got it all.

Sounds like you struck gold.

In a way.

Enough so I can spare a couple of dollars

to a man who's hitting it rough.

Soon as I stow my gear, I'll give you a lift to town.

Mighty neighborly of you.

Hey, Neta!

Neta, where are you?

You were late home from school.

Miss Griggs asked me to stay after and help her.

You can ask her if you don't believe me.

Did I say I didn't believe you?

I asked you a question.

No.

- Then what's troubling you? - Nothing.

Look at me.

I told you, nothing!

Don't use that tone with me.

Not ever!

I don't want to use this switch on you again,

but you're not too big and I'll do it if you don't behave.

Now stop that.

Stop crying!

Don't think I can't see what's going on, 'cause I can.

That's the way it started with your sister,

- not telling the truth. - But Pa...

Now you listen to me. I'm talking to you!

Sneaking around, saying one thing, doing another.

That's how it started.

I didn't notice until it was too late.

But not this time.

You're not going the way she did.

And no lies.

When I ask you a question,

you are going to answer me truthfully.

You understand me?

Yes, Pa.

Then you go to your room.

I'll come and see you later.

It's just plain gone.

Well, maybe he was just plain asleep.

He could have gotten up and walked away.

No, he wasn't asleep.

I was standing right over there at the edge of the water.

It's as close as I could get without swimming in it.

It's too fast and cold to do that.

The bridge is a mile from here, and...

and by the time I got there and back...

I just thought it'd be better and smarter to get help.

How long were you over there?

- Watching him, you mean? - Mm-hmm.

Oh, I don't know. It... seemed like forever.

That fella that you saw riding out,

what did he look like?

I don't know, I only saw his back.

The one here was...

so still that... That he scared me.

And I saw a beetle walking on his face, and he didn't move.

Well, asleep, or hurt, or dead.

Well, we can't find out now but there's something...

mighty strange that went on here.

Take a look at this.

Somebody used it to cover up their tracks.

Didn't do a very good job of it.

Yeah, I just noticed that.

I think we'd better let the sheriff know about this.

"Property of Joshua Trumbull.

"July 12, 1837.

"On this day Marie, wife of Joshua,

"gave birth to a son, Lloyd Trumbull,

weight six pounds, ten ounces."

That's your father's handwriting, all right.

I'd recognize it anyplace.

I hoped you would, sir.

You don't have to "sir" me, son.

I'm almost one of your family.

Knew your mother and father well.

I handled your uncle's affairs for years.

I know that, sir...

Oh, there you go again.

Most people call me "Judge."

Been years since I've been on the bench,

but my friends seem to think the name fits.

I can see why, Judge.

I took you wing shooting once.

Oh, you couldn't have been more than five or six.

You didn't enjoy it much, though.

Shotgun kicked too hard.

Oh, you've got your mother's coloring,

but you've got your father's nose.

There's a strong resemblance.

This is my letter to you.

It was a while catching up to me.

Uh, you asked me to get in touch with you

regarding the inheritance,

but you didn't say exactly how Uncle Gerald died.

Oh?

I thought I enclosed a clipping.

Oh, it doesn't matter.

It didn't tell the truth, anyway.

He died of foolishness.

He was my friend, but he was a stubborn old...

He was stubborn.

He wouldn't see a doctor and it killed him.

You said that you wanted proof of identity.

Well, you certainly brought enough.

You couldn't have been more than...

three or four when your mother died.

I don't suppose you remember her?

Only that she was pretty.

You know, you're going to come into a nice piece of money.

Your uncle was kind of a tight-fisted man.

I used to tell him that he was a bit of a miser.

When?

You're wondering, "When do I get the money?"

Yes, I guess I was.

Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

It's your money, and you've come a long way for it.

As executor, I carried out the terms of the will.

I sold the cattle, the ranch, chattels, at a fair price,

put the money in the bank.

$42,021.

I told you he was a miser.

Certain formalities have to be observed.

The court will want to examine these items of proof,

and then they will release the money to you...

minus my fee, of course.

Of course, but how long will it be

before I actually get the money?

Oh, ten days, two weeks.

Well, see, I used up most of my money getting here.

I've got to find something.

You're the only person in town that I know and...

Oh, the court wouldn't approve an advance.

Bad practice.

Are you a cattleman?

I... I've worked cattle.

Good! The Ponderosa.

They're hiring some extra hands for roundup.

The owner, Ben Cartwright, is an old friend of mine.

You just give him this.

Thank you.

You know, I could advance you the money myself,

but I'm a bit of a miser, too.

Besides, when a man is young and healthy,

he ought to earn his own way.

You're right, Judge.

Well, it's drink time.

So if you'll step over to the Silver Dollar

across the street with me, it'll be my pleasure.

And mine.

Thank you.

Are you all right?

Oh, it's this cold. This cough keeps hanging on.

Say, uh, them two in the wagon, the man and the little girl.

I swear I've seen them before, in... in Colorado.

Without my spectacles, I can't tell who they are.

If you know them, you'll probably see them again.

I'll make a point of it.

Well, this is where Jamie saw the body,

from over there.

That close, there's no mistaking

a rock or something for a man.

No, sir. He was laying right down there,

all sprawled out, with one arm hanging over.

He could have been unconscious or hurt.

It'd be hard to tell from across the river.

Well, then why would that other man ride out like he did

instead of trying to help him?

That's one I can't answer.

Another one is who tried to brush out these tracks and why.

I'll start a search for a body

and ask a few questions of the neighbors around,

see if anybody else saw anything out of the way.

Yeah.

If I turn up anything, I'll let you know.

Thanks, Clem.

He didn't believe a word I said.

- Clem? - Yeah.

He's going to investigate,

which means that he believed you.

Now don't worry about it. He's a good lawman.

Well, I sure know what I saw... A dead man.

Yeah.

No, Bob, that goes over in the rear end of that wagon.

Something we can do for you?

Boy, I sure hope so.

I hear you're starting your roundup.

Thought maybe you could use an extra hand.

You don't look much like a working saddle stiff to me.

Maybe, but I sure can put out a day's work for a day's pay.

Say, you wouldn't happen to be Mr. Cartwright now, would you?

Nope.

He's inside, and busy.

Well, I've got something... Yeah, here it is.

It's kind of a get-to-know-you card

from Judge Garroway to Mr. Cartwright.

Oh, you should have come up with this in the first place.

Saved us both some time. Come on.

James L. Cochran.

You're on the payroll.

Hello, Bill. Good to see you again.

This is your seventh roundup, isn't it?

No, more like ninth. I'm sure glad to be here.

Good to have you, Bill.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

Bill Kelly.

Dusty.

Oh, Judge Garroway.

Well, Mr. Garroway sent you at the right time, Mr. Trumbull.

We're hiring men for the roundup.

Well, to tell you the almighty truth,

I ain't exactly what you might call a top hand.

But, uh, you got any line riding

that needs doing, I'm your man.

Fine, you're hired.

Well, I sure do thank you, Mr. Cartwright.

Well, just do the job, that's all I ask.

Dusty, show him where to bed down.

Sure thing.

Oh, golly, I'm sorry.

That's quite all right, young fella.

When I was your age, I liked to move fast, too.

Oh.

Here's that supply list you wanted, Hoss.

Ah, thank you, Jamie.

Would you like me to check it out for you?

Yeah, if you'd like.

Okay.

Hey, who's that guy I almost bumped into?

- What do you mean almost? - Yeah.

Name... name's Trumbull. He's a new hand.

Yeah, or used to be until you almost scared him away.

Yeah, I guess I did at that, didn't I?

I wonder if he's related to old Gerald Trumbull.

Could be. I heard in town the other day

he had a nephew out here trying to lay claim to the ranch.

- Really? - Yeah.

Will you three stop gossiping like a bunch of old women,

or have you forgotten we're shoving off for roundup

first thing in the morning? Now, get your work done.

Yes, sir.

Oh, careful, careful.

Handle gently, or you'll bruise the skin.

Bruise them? Why, we'll break them.

Or didn't you know they was eggs?

Egg!

Who tell you put egg in potato sack?

Just a joke, Hop Sing.

Joke? I give you joke.

We're just about ready, Pa.

All right. Jamie!

Hi, Jamie!

Hi.

Mr. Trumbull, could I see you for just a moment, please?

Something I can do for you, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, you know, Dusty has that game leg

and I'm afraid he won't be able to do any riding,

so I've asked Jamie to show you the north boundary fences.

I'll be obliged.

I'm afraid it has to be done today, though, because, uh...

tomorrow this young fella goes back to school.

Oh, it sounds like I'm using up your day off, huh?

Oh, I don't mind.

Well, we'll see you at the end of the week.

Uh, you get to school bright and early, now.

I sure will.

Take care of things, now, Jamie.

Giddyap.

Hook 'em up, Cookie!

Mr. Cartwright sure runs one fine spread here.

Yeah.

The Ponderosa's about the best ranch there is, I guess.

Well, we still got a few miles to go

before we hit that fence you'll be riding.

Come on.

Any neighbors around here? I haven't seen any houses.

Ah, yeah, there's a couple.

One's about a quarter of a mile over there.

Uh, who might they be, just in case I run into them?

The Thatchers.

Well, you probably know them pretty well, I mean,

people being friendly like they are hereabouts.

Yeah, pretty well, I guess.

We'd better be moving faster, Mr. Trumbull.

- We've still got a ways to go. - Sure thing.

Yes, sir, good neighbors is a wonderful thing.

I remember when I was your age or thereabouts,

the Warner family was real close.

Wonderful people.

They had a little daughter, oh, about my age.

Mary, her name was.

I... took a fancy to her

and carried her books home from school and like that.

Hey, uh, Jamie...

I don't suppose there's maybe a neighbor girl

around here that you kind of cotton to?

Well... oh, there's Clem!

Hey, Clem!

Come on.

- Friend of yours, is he? - Yeah, sure is.

Clem Foster. He's the Deputy Sheriff.

- Morning, Jamie. - Hi, Clem.

Uh, Clem, this is Mr. Trumbull.

He's line riding for us this week.

Good morning, Deputy.

Mr. Trumbull. Heard you'd come to town.

Judge Garroway tells me you've come into your uncle's property.

Yeah, well, a man's luck changes.

You know, one day it's a brisket of boot,

and the next day you got it all.

I'm afraid that's the truth.

Jamie, you've had a couple of days to think about it.

I was wondering if you remembered anything

else about that man you saw ride away?

No, sir. I sure don't.

There must have been something special about him.

His size, his coloring, the clothes he was wearing?

Nope.

What about the horse he was riding?

No, it was just an ordinary horse.

A bay, I think.

Well, that's no good to us.

Half the cow ponies in the country are bays.

Golly, Clem, I sure wish I could help you,

but I... I just can't remember another thing, you know?

Oh, that's all right, Jamie.

But if you do, you be sure and get in touch with me right away.

Sure will.

Glad to have you for a neighbor, Mr. Trumbull.

- Good luck to you here. - Thank you very kindly, Deputy.

- See you, Clem. - So long.

He sure is a friendly soul...

just like everybody else hereabout.

Yeah, he is.

You know something, Jamie?

I think everything's going to turn out

just fine for me around here.

Well, that's good.

Come on.

All right, all line up.

All right, don't push. Now, we're not going to do that.

Jamie, get in line, dear. Come along.

You come home straight after school, you hear?

Neta...

where did you go to Friday after school?

I looked all over for you.

- I can't talk to you. - Why not?

My father doesn't want me to.

Wait a minute, um...

did you see anything strange on the way home?

No, nothing.

Well, you must have. You were ahead of me.

No, I was...

Miss Griggs asked me to stay after.

But, I... I looked...

That's enough, please.

Well, Neta, I wanted to ask you to go

to the school picnic with me.

You're late, Neta.

You're late, Jamie.

All right, everybody.

The capitol of New York is Albany.

The capital of Massachusetts is Springfield.

The capital of Ohio is...

Springfield?

Neta, is that correct?

No.

What is the capital?

Columbus.

That's right. Sit down, Wilma, dear.

Class, attention.

Class...

Dismissed.

Easy. Watch yourself.

Jamie!

But, Miss Griggs...

Well, the whole class is talking about it,

and they don't know whether to believe Jamie or not.

Well, if you ask me, Neta,

I just don't think there's a word of truth to it.

As a matter of fact,

I believe Jamie made up the whole thing.

Why would he do a thing like that?

I don't know. Maybe just to get attention.

Jamie wouldn't do that.

He's a boy, isn't he?

Or do you really think he saw a dead man?

I wouldn't know.

Say, why don't we go there?

Might be kind of scary fun to see where a dead man was.

I can't, my father told me to come straight home.

You can go home that way.

It's closer even. Come on.

No!

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Are you afraid to go there?

Of course not. I just have to get home.

Well, all right, then.

But I still think it's a scrumptious idea.

See you tomorrow.

Good-bye, Wilma.

Oh!

Ah!

Neta. What's the trouble, girl?

- What's the trouble? - Oh, Papa.

Papa, Papa, Papa.

Let's go home.

Get in the buggy.

And, pull.

Neta... can't you tell me now

what happened back there?

Was is some boy who... huh?

Papa, no.

All right, all right.

You go on in the house now. Wash your face.

Lie down and rest.

I have to go someplace.

I won't be too long.

Just you... wait in the house.

- Miss Griggs, I'm finish... - Continue, Jamie.

But... but Miss Griggs, I'm already done...

Continue, Jamie.

Why, it's Mr. Thatcher.

- How nice to see you. - Miss Griggs.

Could I...

Could I talk to you for a few minutes?

- Of course. - I have a couple of questions

- I'd like to ask. - Yes, Mr. Thatcher?

Does my Neta ever have to do that?

No, not that I remember.

Neta's well-behaved. A fine student.

But you should know that, you see her report cards.

Yes. They seem all right.

All right?

It's better than that, Mr. Thatcher.

Neta's one of the best students I have.

Did you keep her after school Friday?

No, I didn't.

- Jamie... - Yes, ma'am.

Do you think you'll remember what you've just been writing?

Yes, ma'am.

Very well. That'll be all for today.

Okay, thank you, ma'am. Hi, Mr. Thatcher.

Now, Mr. Thatcher?

Friday...

she said you asked her to stay after school and help you.

- I see. - Did you?

No, I didn't.

Thank you.

Just a moment, please.

She's a good girl, Mr. Thatcher.

She's a liar!

You're going to punish her?

I am. I won't have a liar in my house!

She's been up to something!

Hiding in her room the last few days.

She starts to cry if I even look at her.

Why? That's what I'd be wondering.

Well, I'll find out. I'll get it out of her somehow.

I've been through this with her sister.

First one lie and then another and another until she...

She couldn't tell the truth if she tried.

You punished her, too?

- Not half enough. - She ran off and got married.

She... Neta tell you that?

No, Mr. Thatcher.

But there are no secrets in the schoolhouse.

Children do talk about what they hear at home.

Well, not if they're mine.

You love your daughter very much.

You must... or you wouldn't be so concerned.

But you're terribly strict with her.

I'm a widower.

It's not easy for a man to raise a girl.

But she's not going to run wild the way her sister did.

I've never had a child of my own...

but I've known a great many.

Neta's afraid of you, Mr. Thatcher.

She's in trouble and she needs help,

but she's afraid of you.

That's why she hides in her room and cries.

She has nothing to be afraid of.

Then you'll have to prove that to her,

won't you, Mr. Thatcher?

I suggest you start right now.

You don't care what you say, do you?

I care. That's why I said it.

You were right, Jamie.

Well, where'd you find him?

Back over there,

buried under some rocks and brush.

He was murdered, no doubt.

I don't know who he is. No papers, no identification.

Pockets turned inside out and clean.

There is something we do know.

What's that?

We know you saw the man who killed him.

Yeah, I guess that's right.

We've got to find that man, Jamie.

Arrest him and try him for murder.

And you've got to help me do it.

But how, Clem?

I've already told you everything I know.

Well, it's not enough.

A man with no description, riding a bay horse.

I couldn't arrest anybody on that,

let alone get a conviction.

Well, what do you need?

I need a positive identification.

Well, how can I give you a positive...

Maybe there's something you've overlooked.

Just one thing that would lead us right to the man we're after.

Think, Jamie. Think hard.

I'll try, Clem.

Do that. Otherwise, we're going to have

a killer loose here in the territory.

Neta!

Neta!

Neta!

Neta, it's me, Jamie!

Neta!

Open the door! Neta!

Go away, Jamie.

Look, I've got to talk to you.

Go away, please.

My father will be back any minute.

No, he's at the school. I just saw him there.

Now, please, Neta, it's very important, honest.

What do you want?

Miss Griggs didn't keep you after on Friday.

She did too!

She said she didn't.

So you left the schoolyard ahead of me, right?

Now, where the road runs along the creek,

you must have seen...

No, I didn't see anything!

Neta, I'm your friend. You don't have to lie to me.

All right. I did see.

Jamie, I've been so scared

I haven't been able to eat or sleep or... or think or...

I know, just... Just take it easy.

Have you told anybody?

I can't. I really can't.

Even you.

You don't know how hard it is to talk about it.

What... what did you see?

All right, you saw two men, right?

Now, one was laying over the rock.

Now the other one, did you see his face?

I'll never forget it.

Never.

All right, you've got to tell Clem what he looks like.

No, I can't tell anybody!

I'm in enough trouble with my father already.

Neta, that man you saw is a murderer.

You don't know that.

We don't even know if the body was... dead.

Yes, we do.

Clem found it.

That's why you've got to tell him

what that man looks like.

But he's probably miles away from here by now.

Clem could never catch him.

He might if he just knows what he looks like.

All he needs is a good description.

If I do...

and my father learns I lied to him... he'll...

Neta, you have to.

You can't let him get away.

He's a killer, and he's on the loose.

We've got to help Clem find him.

All right. I'll tell Clem.

Fine. Come on.

Boy, I'm sure glad you decided to talk to Clem.

It's only Mr. Trumbull. Hi, Mr. Trumbull.

Jamie, that's him.

That's the man!

Run!

- Ah! - Neta, are you all right?

Get up, get out of here! Go on!

Come on.

- Stay down. - I've got to go home.

We can't risk it.

It'll be dark in about an hour or so.

We've got to stay right here until then.

I can't, my father will...

Well, then I'll go home with you.

I'll tell him what happened. He'll understand.

No, he won't. I know him.

He won't believe us.

Well, then, we'll go to the Ponderosa.

Hop Sing and Dusty will believe us,

and Dusty can get Clem to arrest Mr. Trumbull.

Your father will have to believe you then.

Golly, Mr. Thatcher,

you mean Neta wasn't home at all when you got there?

No, she wasn't.

You sure she said she was coming straight home when you left her?

That's what she said, all right,

'cause you told her to go straight there after school.

Sure is funny, isn't it?

You didn't see anybody else on the way?

Any... any boys, maybe?

Gosh, no.

Of course, some of them are always trying to hang around us.

Which ones? What are their names?

Oh, there's, um, Melvin Broderick

and Bill Roscoe and Jamie Hunter, but...

Which one of those is Neta most interested in?

Oh, golly, I don't know.

Jamie Hunter, maybe.

That's the boy that lives with the Cartwrights, huh?

Uh-huh.

Sure is funny, isn't it, Mr. Thatcher?

Neta not being home like that.

You'd think she'd at least have told me where she was going.

All right, let's go.

Come on.

We had to stay there 'til dark

and he was on a horse at first. I had to throw a rock

- at the horse to get him off! - We've been running for...

We've been running for hours.

Look, do you know where Dusty is?

Dusty, do you know where he is? He's gotta get the sheriff!

Dusty... Dusty... Dusty go to town to see doctor.

He come back tomorrow.

But Trumbull's chasing us, Hop Sing!

Wait, wait. Who chase you?

The new hand, Trumbull.

Hop Sing no understand. Why he chase you?

He's going... he's gonna kill us!

Who going to kill you?

The new hand, Hop Sing... Trumbull!

- We've got to find Dusty! - Why he want to hurt anybody?

He's the man... Neta saw him.

He's a murderer, Hop Sing! He's a murderer!

Run!

Unh!

Do you think he's gone?

I don't know. Maybe.

Neta...

Neta!

Oh.

It's all right, it's all right.

- Nobody will hurt you now. - Oh, Papa.

Mr. Trumbull... was a very bad man.

You all right, young fella?

Yes, sir. Thank you.

It's all right now. It's all right.

Hey, that buggy looks real good.

Well, thank you.

Um, I guess I'd better be starting now.

What's your rush? You've got a whole hour yet.

It won't take you more than 20 minutes to get there.

Oh, I know. I...

You never know, something might happen.

Like what?

Uh... something, I don't know.

Whoa.

Hello, Thatcher.

Oh.

- Hi. - Hi.

I guess we're ready.

Yeah, I guess.

Well, have a nice time.

- We will, thank you. - Uh, Jamie?

Yes, sir?

Don't you want the picnic basket?

Yes... yes, sir.

Thank... thank you very much.

Have a nice picnic.

We will, sir, thank you. Bye-bye.

- Bye. - Giddyap.

It took me a while to remember...

I enjoyed picnics.