All language subtitles for Bonanza - S01E22 - Blood on the Land.eng

(dogs barking)

Jeb! Jeb!

Jeb!

Jeb!

I got the lay of it just
the way you told me, Jeb.

It's good forage land,
as far as you can see.

With a clear pass through
to the Sierras off to the left.

Looks like our luck is running
for a change, Billy Boy.

Desert south, nothing but
rock and bramble north.

And right in front
of us it's opening up

like the Red Sea into
the land of milk and honey.

Right in front of us.

That's the Ponderosa, Jeb.

We can't cut through there.

You don't understand, Jeb,

that's Cartwright land
far as your eye can see.

You mean they
own all that?

Own?!

A man don't own nothing

unless he's willing
to die holding onto it.

I worked out this way.

I know Ben Cartwright.

Why, he'd kill
every last one of us

before he'd let a sheep
set foot on the Ponderosa.

Start bringing up that flock.

Now!

I come a long ways
with you, Jeb,

but I ain't riding against Ben
Cartwright for you or nobody.

Start bringing up
them sheep, Burton.

I'm pulling out, Jeb.

And you ain't got nothing
to say can stop me.

Don't appear there's much
I can do to stop you, either.

No hard feelings, Jeb.

But I just ain't gonna ride
against Ben Cartwright.

That's all.

All right, you two,
get them sheep moving.

Leave him, Billy.

He's past fussing.

You got to learn to kill
a man once you draw on him.

But I shared second
plates with him, Jeb.

Just a few hours ago.

Once a thing is dead,
you gotta get clear of it.

The scruffiest hole
squirrel knows that.

Sure, Jeb.

You, uh, you're lettered,
ain't you, boy?

Yes, sir.
I spell out some.

All right.

You read that to me, boy.

"And Moses went up
from the plains

and the Lord showed him
all of the land."

I been near 40 years myself
just like Moses.

But the Lord has finally
showed me my land.

And I'm gonna take it to myself

if I have to kill everything
on it and burn it to the root.

(theme song playing)

Ought to be an easier way
to make a living than this.

Yeah, there is.

You know how, don't you?
No.

Marry a rich gal.

Little Joe, you reckon how
long it's gonna take us

to clear out all this stuff
out of this drain ditch?

I figure, at the
rate we're going,

it'll, uh, take us about
five or six years.

Yeah.

Hiya, Pa.

Well...

And I ask, you ever see

such a pair of
working fools?

Adam, I wish some of that
would rub off on you.

(chuckling)

Well now, Pa, the
way I look at it,

if man expects to get
ahead in this world,

he's gotta use his brain
instead of his back.

Adam, with a place
like the Ponderosa,

a man has to be
able to use both.

Now, come on, let's
give the boys a hand.

(gunshots)

Who'd be over there?

Must be Tucker.

I put him out hunting strays.

That don't sound like strays.

Strays, all right, but
the two-legged kind.

Hyah!
Hyah!

That was just a warning.

Where do you men
think you're headed?

Why, we're aiming
to cross the Sierra.

Well, you better find
another way.

Nobody goes
through the Ponderosa.

That's Ben Cartwright's orders.

You figuring to stop
us all with that gun?

Maybe not all of you,

but I'll drop the first man
that tries to come through here.

How much is Cartwright
paying you, Mister?

What's that to you?

Is it enough for a man
to get himself killed for?

Look, we're coming through.

Now, you can shoot me
if you've a mind to,

but as soon as you
pull that trigger,

you're the same
as a dead man.

All right, bring 'em through!

And you better get out
of the way, mister,

before you get
yourself trampled.

I warned them, Ben.
I give them clear warning.

BEN:
Nobody expects
any more, Sam.

You've been told you're
on Ponderosa land.

I'd be obliged if
you turn the tails

of those sheep
and got them off.

Are you, uh, Ben Cartwright?

Drummond, Jeb Drummond
is my name.

We ain't bringing
no trouble.

We're just looking
to pass through

on the way to California.

No more than that.

Mr. Drummond, I'm sorry.

I can't let you take those
sheep across the Ponderosa.

You mean you got
all this here

and you ain't willing for
us just to cut through?

That's what I mean.

Why, you got enough land here to
parcel out a state of your own

and you're sitting fat right
on top of it, ain't you?

Let me ask you a question,
Mr. Cartwright.

What more right have you
got to this land than me?

It's mine.

That's right enough.

Every inch of this land
is deeded in our name

if that's what's bothering
you, Mr. Drummond.

Oh, a deed, huh?

Why, a deed is only
a piece of paper.

Looks to me like all they got
is some scribbling on paper.

It's what backs up the
scribbling, Mr. Drummond,

that's what counts.

How many of them
you count, Billy?

Five, Jeb, just five.

Less than we got.

Well, there's, uh,
no cause to draw down.

I was just, uh, just resting.

Look, I'm, uh,
I'm only trying

to get passage
through to California.

And I aim to
pay for it, too.

Drummond, I don't want
any of your money.

Well, uh, it's getting
on near to dark.

You wouldn't mind if we was
to camp here for the night?

Well, all right.

But you make sure you're
gone by tomorrow morning.

That understood?

You won't find us here.

I promise you that.

Yes, sir, you can count
on it, Mr. Cartwright.

You won't find us here.

Here you are, Billy.

I saved you a chaw piece
without no gristle.

Well, that's out of
your helping, Jeb.

You best keep that
for yourself.

Oh, I had my fill
for tonight, boy.

You take it.
Thank you, Jeb.

You know, you could
still use fattening up.

If you was one of my sheep,
rib scrawny like you are,

I'd have sold you off
for hoof glue before now.

(chuckling)

You did fatten up
some though.

When I first come on you and
them wranglers was fixing

to string you up, well,
you didn't look like

no more than a fence post.

You been mighty good to me, Jeb.

I appreciate everything
you done.

I only hope I can
pay it back some time.

There'll be a time come, boy.

There's always a time.

Well, you better get yourself
some sleep before morning.

What are we doing, Jeb?

Going back?

Well, I don't know yet.

I got to think on it.

You see, the way
I figured it,

we'd have made California
just about spring market time.

That flock would've been
fat and woolly.

Would've gotten a sight
of cash for them.

But... I don't know.

Oh, uh, I got another
blanket for you, boy.

That's Burton's, isn't it?

What difference does it make?

Ain't no good to him buried.

I-I was just asking.

Good night, Billy.

Good night, Jeb.

Ooh! Dad-burnit, Little Joe,
cut it, don't pull it.

We wouldn't be having
all this trouble

if you hadn't gone
and lost that chili bowl

I always fit
on your head.
Just take it easy.

It's getting thin enough
up there like it is.

Keep your head still.

Are you still putting that
salad oil on your hair?

Hog lard.
Oh.

Don't know what
you're so worried about.

You ain't gonna look
any different when
I get done, anyway.

Yeah, but I'll feel different.

What's the matter?

He's doing a good job, ain't he?

Fine.
Yeah.

Hey, let me see that mirror.

(Adam laughing)

Pa, I got an idea.

Ah, about what, Adam?

Well, I've been thinking.

The way the country's growing,

more people coming
west, California,

we could cut a road across

the north section
of the Ponderosa.

Not a bad idea.

I'll give it some thought.

Well, I'd, uh, like
to start on it, Pa.

Well, Adam, I said
I'd give it some thought.

Oh, by the way,
tomorrow morning

I want you to ride out

and see if Drummond and those
sheep of his have cleared out.

What if he hasn't?

Then we'll make sure
he's cleared out.

But why do we have to take
the law into our own hands?

Now, we're not taking
any law into our own hands.

What do you want me to do?

Open up the Ponderosa to every
scavenger that comes along?

Drummond's kind turns the land
to dust and then just moves on.

Look, Pa, I'm not saying
let Drummond in.

But there's gonna be
people after him.

Farmers, traders, homesteaders.

What are you going to do?
Take a gun to them, too?

Now, you know
that isn't so, Adam.

But I will take a gun
to Drummond's kind.

He'll grab anything
he can get his hands on.

Tomorrow morning, you go out
there and see that he's gone.

That understood?

Yeah, all right, Pa,
anything you say.

Come on, roll out!

Come on, hustle it up.

Come on, we gotta
be making tracks.

Want me to get the flock

shifted around
and headed out, Jeb?

I'll lead out the bell
sheep if you want.

I ain't taking them out.
You ain't?

You mean we're not crossing
the Cartwright land?

Oh, we're crossing
all right.

But I been thinking maybe
we won't cross all the way.

You heard what
Ben Cartwright said.

(scoffs)
Cartwright!

I'm through being shoved
and hauled by his like.

A man takes something, it's his.

You gotta start
learning that, Billy Boy.

Yes, sir, but ain't we
taking on a peck of trouble?

Trouble?

I'm an old man now,

but I once had me
a flock of sheep

was like looking
across a big white sea.

I run 'em from the Snake River
in the north

to the Mexican border and back.

Then the cattle come.

Then the farmers
plowing up the earth. Hmm.

I been pushed so hard, Billy,

there ain't hardly a corner
I can squeeze myself into.

But I'm through
being pushed now.

All right, hurry it up, you men!

And get that chuck wagon loaded.

Them Cartwrights'll be

after us before
it gets much lighter.

Billy, you take them two
and hang back to ride guard.

And if them Cartwrights come
tailing us, you let me know.

All right, Jeb.
And, Billy...

you make sure you stop
whichever one of 'em it is.

You mean kill 'em, Jeb?

Is that what you mean?

That's right.

And leave him
out there like bait

to stink a trail
for the rest of 'em.

I can't see doing that
to 'em, Jeb.

What they ever done to us?

Why, them Cartwrights
would kill us

if they got the chance,
every one of us.

You know that, Billy boy.

Now don't you shed no tears
over them Cartwrights.

They're the same kind
as tried to string you up.

Why, they got,
and we ain't.

And those that got
ain't going to give it up

unless you shake 'em
until their britches pop.

I'm telling you, Billy,
they'd kill every one of us

if they got the chance.

Only...

they ain't gonna get the chance.

This looks like about as good
a spot as any to set up.

Set up for what, Billy?

You talking
about an ambush?

You just do like I say.

I been riding with old
Jeb for a long time now.

I know the way
he thinks.

How do you mean, Collier?

(laughs)

That old buzzard.

He's thinking about killing
himself some Cartwrights.

Now, you know
I'm right, Billy boy.

You spot yourself up there.

Collier, you head
on down a ways.

I'll tell you, Billy boy,

I don't want to get mixed up
in no range war.

Not for what we're
getting out of it.

You just do like Jeb says.

Well, can't we maybe
scare 'em a little bit?

COLLIER:
The Cartwrights?

That kind don't scare.

Maybe you feel like having
Jeb flay the skin off you

for not doing what he says.

Jeb says shoot.

Shoot to kill.

WHEELER:
Hey, Collier,
what about all this?

COLLIER:
You mean about
killing a Cartwright?

I mean about getting strung up
for Jeb Drummond.

I don't plan to get strung up
for Jeb Drummond or nobody!

Come on, let's get out of here.

All right, drop the gun.

(neighing)

(labored breathing)

You win, mister.

I... I lose again.

(sheep bleating)

(dog barking)

(bleating)

Keep 'em bunched over
to that side so they don't mill!

And get them two moving there!

(barking and bleating)

We gonna make
a new camp, Jeb?

No, not here.

It's too rocky.

I'd like to get to
that draw up ahead.

No pasture up there, Jeb.

That ain't no good
for the sheep.

No, not for the
sheep, it ain't,

but for what I got
in mind, it's fine.

Come on, get them
sheep moving!

(bleating)

COLLIER:
Jeb!
What?

One of the Cartwrights come
upon us, unexpected like.

Well, did you kill him?

No. He got Wheeler.

There was nothing I
could do about it, Jeb.

He had position on me.

He'd have finished
me off, too, if I
hadn't got clear.

I give you a job,
I mean to have it done right!

Now, instead of the rest of
them coming looking for him,

he'll tail back and tell
them which way we went.

Well, maybe it's
for the best.

If we can get us to
that draw ahead of them,

might be they'd get
a little surprise.

Huh, Billy boy?

(shouting):
All right, drive 'em!

Hooeeeee! Run 'em!!

(man calling to sheep)

I should have run
that bushwhacker out

for good last night.

Want me to ride into town,
tell the sheriff?

I don't need any sheriff.

With that flock of sheep,

he couldn't have gone more
than a few miles.

We can get rid of him
before dark.

Now, wait a minute, Pa.

Let the law do it this time.

What's wrong
with you, boy?

You want to sit here
and twiddle your thumbs

while Drummond's sheep
eat our land bare?

By the time the
lawyers and the sheriff

and the court in
Virginia City get through

haggling with what
should be done,

the whole north
pasture'll be torn up.

Get your guns.
We've got work to do.

What kind of work, Pa?

Get those sheep
off our land.

Now, look, Pa,
I don't want you

running after Drummond.
Now, just settle down.

You going soft, boy?

Pa, you're just
as bad as he is.

I'm what?!

You and Drummond both think

you're a law unto yourselves,
and you're not.

Without the law, a man's
no better than dirt.

Now you listen to
something from me.

I cleared that land

that Drummond's driving
his sheep through.

I worked it till my
hands cracked open

and the sweat
blinded my eyes.

And I planted that grass,

and with the Lord's
help, it grew.

And I'm not gonna
let a sheepherder

who never did an
honest day's work
in his life ruin it!

Now, are you coming
with me or not?

(barking and bleating)

(man calling to sheep)

All in, Jeb.

That's good.

Now it's the Cartwrights
who are gonna be in open ground.

Jeb, you sure you
ain't picking off

a bigger piece
than you can chew?

This is
a blind draw, Jeb.

You let 'em come in here,
it's us that's gonna be trapped.

Well, if that's
what they thought,

might turn out
just a bit different.

It don't matter
if they got us trapped,

long as we get one of them,
just one.

You let 'em walk in
here, what's gonna
keep Ben Cartwright

from killing off
the whole lot of us?

'Cause Cartwright is the kind
of guy that don't shoot

unless somebody else
fires the first shot.

Well, I don't like sitting here
like a treed squirrel.

I say, we get out there
and face 'em straight off.

All right,
go ahead.

Well, what's
the matter?

You ain't
going, are you?

'Cause you ain't
smart enough

to tackle a man
like Cartwright.

He'd chew
you right up

and spit you out
on the ground.

Any fool can go out and
get himself shot dead.

If you ain't gonna face 'em,
what are you gonna do?

(sighs)

You ever see Injuns
go after a herd of buffalo?

They dog out the strays
one by one.

And then, pretty soon,

the rest of 'em are scared
and running over each other.

Collier, I want you
to take two men

and hide yourselves up there
on that ledge over there.

Billy, I want you to get back
down the path by the draw there.

Because if we
split 'em up,

that's where some of them
are liable to run for it.

Well, sounds good,
don't it, boy?

Yeah, I... I guess so.

That ain't
what you're thinking, is it?

What are you thinking, boy?

You're asking us
to shoot those men down

like they was nothing
but a bunch of bounty pelts.

(laughs)

Well...

Well, sure I am.
What's wrong with it?

I didn't say
nothing was wrong with it.

That's good.

Because I hope
you ain't forgetting

how I first come on you--
strung up for a horse thief.

You didn't do it,

but you had a rope
around your neck anyways.

Well, this ain't no different,

and the Cartwrights ain't
no different, neither.

They'll kill you
if you give them the chance.

Maybe not with a rope,
but they'll do it.

What're you gaping at?

Nothing, Jeb.

Well, you get back
there where I told you!

Now, look, boy, I
been pulling myself

through this world
for a long time,

and when you get right
down to it, it's a fact.

You've got to fight back,
whichever way you can,

or you'll just get
beat to the ground.

All right, get back there
where I told you to go.

All right, Jeb.

And boy, remember.

Remember what I want.

I want one
of them Cartwrights...

alive.

Yes, sir.

And put a jacket on, boy!

There's a chill coming up.

Well, what do you make
of it, Hoss?

I can't figure out why,
Pa, but it looks to me

like he took them
sheep right up into
that blind catch.

That old
scavenger.

He isn't leaving
the Ponderosa at all.

He's planning
to camp here.

What makes you say that, Pa?

Well, why else would he be
heading up into that blind draw?

Why, up there, he can
protect his flock

and have a good chance
of standing us off.

There sure ain't no sign
of 'em anywhere else, Pa.

Well, that's the
way it appears.

Except there's no pasture
for his sheep in that draw.

If he can stand
us off, that means

we can do the same to
him-- starve him out.

Yeah, why wait for that?

Why don't we just ride in,
get it over with?

Wouldn't Mr. Drummond
love that?

The four of us
bunched up together

like so many flies
on fly paper.

No. We're going to have
to spread out and stay spread.

Hoss, you and Joe--
you move up on the left side.

Adam and I'll ride
straight in.

Pa, there is another
thing we could do.

What's that?

Well, you can stand
watch on him while
I get the sheriff.

I thought we'd settled that.

Well, we could pin 'em down,
like Adam says.

And wait for some judge
to serve a paper on them?

The court in Virginia City
doesn't own the Ponderosa.

We do. And if we're not willing
to fight to hold on to it,

we might as well turn it over
to the first settler

who feels like
staking a claim.

Collier!

Take your men and move
them out into the open!

What for, Jeb?

We got good position on them
Cartwrights right here.

Just do like I say!

Take those men and move
'em out in the open!

But, Jeb, them Cartwrights'll
be sitting ducks from here!

We can wipe 'em all out!

I don't want to wipe 'em out!

Or maybe just miss
wiping them out.

I just want one of them
Cartwrights alive.

Now, you take those men

and move them out in the open
where they can be seen!

They're there all right.

We'll ride in slow.

Adam will come with me.

You boys cover us
from the rocks.

JEB:
Don't fire!

I'll tell you
when to shoot.

You hold your ground
right there.

The first one breaks to run,
I'll kill him all by myself.

I hear you, Cartwright.

My son and I
are coming in there.

You fire one shot, there
won't be a one of you

ever comes out of
that draw alive.

I ain't drawing.

Drummond, I ought to let
you and your sheep starve.

Looks like I did work myself
into a hole kind of.

Drummond, you broke
your word to me.

You're not going
to break it again.

I'm gonna give you
one last chance

to get those sheep out of here!

Maybe we can make ourselves
a little deal.

No deal, Drummond.

Clear those sheep out.

He don't give a man
much space to twist in, does he?

He means it.

Either you get out
or you get starved out.

All right, boys!

Put down
your guns.

I'll get my sheep
out of here come morning.

You get your sheep
out right now.

Sure beats me.

Here you own half the world,

and me, all I'm asking
is the right

to drive a few miserable sheep
across a corner of your land.

You'd think you could do
a man that little good.

You got a mighty
unreasonable old man, boy.

Now, Drummond,
get those sheep out now.

All right, boys,

you got your orders.

Adam, help them get those
sheep on the move.

Hey, uh,

you look like
a reasonable fellow.

Maybe we can make us
a little deal.

You heard what my father said.

All right, you men,
let's get 'em moving.

JEB:
Take cover, men!

That's good shooting, Pa.

Adam's cut off in there.

I've got to get to him.

Pa, you can't
make it down there.

Joe!

Yeah, Pa?

I'm going to try to
make it up along that ledge.

Cover me!

Pa, you can't make it.

I got Adam in there,
I'll make it.

Joe!
Yeah, Pa?

Get Drummond,
he's behind the wagon!

I can't get a shot
at him from here.

You're cut off, boy!

Throw down your gun!

You heard him, drop it.

BEN:
Adam!

Make for that path behind you!

Come on, Billy, cut him down!

Drop it, kid.

You're gonna kill me, ain't you?

Come on, kid, I said drop it!

Now, get out of the way.

I can't.

I said get out of the way!

I can't, Jeb gave me orders!

Cover me!

Drop your gun
and put up your hands.

All right, now,
come on down here.

Cartwright!

Cartwright, can
you hear me?!

You call your men off or I'll
kill your boy right now.

Joe! Hoss!

Hold your fire!

All right, now, clear out!

You're still trapped
in that hole, Drummond.

Am I?

You got yourself an empire
ain't you, Mr. Cartwright?

Is it worth
your boy's life?

Well, is it?!

What do you want, Drummond?

(laughing):
You hear that, Billy boy?

(Jeb laughing)

What I want, Mr. Cartwright,
ain't that what you said?

Well, I'll tell you flat out.

First off, I'm gonna run
my sheep across your land

and I'm gonna graze them till
they're full enough to bust.

And your son is
gonna be with me

every step of the way.

And if you try
stopping me,

I'm gonna put a bullet

right in the back
of his skull.

It's been a long ways
to here, Mr. Cartwright.

A long ways and a lot of time.

And if you got any doubt
about my meaning what I say,

well, you just make your play.

All right, Drummond.

I can't stop you.

But you listen to me
and you listen good.

If you put a scratch
on my boy,

I'll find you

and I'll kill you if I have
to follow you clear to hell!

Pa, we gotta
do something.

Maybe Adam was right.

Maybe we should've
called the sheriff in

in the first place.
I don't know.

He was right.

It's my fault.

Oh, Pa, you know,

you know we don't
blame you for nothing.

It's just the way
things turned out.

Hoss and I would've
done the same thing

if it were up to us.
That's right.

I made Adam do it my way.

I let Drummond outsmart me.

Pa, you heard Little Joe.

Any of us would've
done the same thing.

I couldn't have done it
any differently?

Couldn't just let him in
and asked him

to make himself and his sheep
at home in the best pasture?

Pa, we know you couldn't
do any such thing.

Don't blame yourself.

Should've thrown him
and his sheep

right off the property
right away.

I was soft.

Pa, we've all
learned our lesson.

From now on, we'll know better

than to try to fight
this sort of thing ourselves.

We'll go for a sheriff.

You mean, from now on the
Cartwrights don't fight

their own battles anymore?
Is that what you're saying?

From now on whenever we get
into any kind of trouble,

we have to go
begging for help?

Not begging,
it ain't begging!

Well, then what is it
if it isn't begging?

It's asking.

It's asking like other folks do

when their rights
are violated, Pa.

It's asking folks
who've sworn duty to us

to uphold the law
to come and help us.

Pa, ain't that what you
always tried to teach us?

Pa, you know
I've always wanted us

to take care
of our own troubles.

But this time,
they've got Adam.

I just don't think there's
anything else we can do.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All right, you two saddle up.

Ride into town, tell the
sheriff what's happened.

I think I can go
faster by myself.

Hoss...

...you and I, we're riding
into Drummond's camp.

I got an idea
how to keep Drummond busy

till the sheriff gets there.

I don't trust him further
than I can see him.

Yes, sir.

All set, Jeb.

You look at them sheep?

They're resting and quiet.

Bet they ain't felt as
good in their bellies

in a month of Sundays.

Grazing on all this nice,
fat Cartwright grass!

Sure is good pasture, Jeb.

You know something, Billy,

I been thinking there
ain't nothing we can find

in California as good
as we got right here.

Now, is there?

I guess not, Jeb.

Good land, lots of it.

Why, we could
raise ourselves

the biggest, fattest
flock of sheep

in the whole country
right here.

And I'm gonna take it,
Billy, all of it.

How you gonna do that?

I knew that Providence
would show me a way.

Him?

You mean young Cartwright?

Mm-hmm, before
I'm done with him,

Ben Cartwright is
gonna be begging

to give us the Ponderosa
to get his son back.

You remember
one thing, Billy,

you catch a man
where he's soft

and you can most always

squeeze anything
you want out of him.

You better take care of him.

I don't want nothing to
happen to him just yet.

I'll take care of him.

Yes, sir, Billy, there ain't
nothing at all in California

we ain't got more
of right here.

Say, you must be
clean hungry.

Eat some of them beans
before they're cold.

See you in the
morning, Billy.

Night, Jeb.
Night!

Brought you some beans.

I can't untie you.

Jeb wouldn't favor that.

It's all right.

You coulda killed me
yesterday

when you had the chance.

Guess I could.

If you had, you wouldn't
be here like this now.

Yeah, I guess
that's true.

Why didn't you do it, then?

Why didn't you kill me
when you had the chance?

I don't know.

Just couldn't.

That ain't
like Jeb said.

I mean about what you
and your pa'd do to us.

Oh, what'd he say
we'd do to you?

Kill us-- first crack
out of the barrel.

How long you been with Drummond?

Oh, a year,
maybe a little more.

I met him when I first
left off farming

and took to the road.

Wasn't exactly
like I met him.

Some drunk cowhands
was gonna hang me up

for stealin' a pinto,
but I never done it.

How old were you?

Nineteen.

I guess that's
how it happened.

I didn't know much
then-- like now.

I, I bought the horse
off a peddler feller,

but I never had sense enough
to get-get no papers for it.

Just dumb trustin' like.

Now he's taught you not
to trust anybody, huh?

Jeb saved my life.

That doesn't mean you have
to live the way he does.

I owe him.

But I guess you wouldn't know
what it feels like

to have a rope strung
around your neck--

not with a regular family
and livin' the way you do.

No, sir.

Ol' Jeb, he'd just come by

and scattered them
trail hands off.

And you think he did it for you.

Haven't you been around him
long enough

to know he doesn't do anything
for anybody except himself?

That don't make no difference.

Oh, I...

I guess it weren't
so much to save me

as much as ol' Jeb's just
got it in for cattlemen

and cowhands and that like.

He's bitter in his ways--

like my pa was.

What happened to him?

He got himself killed

fightin' over a few acres
of bare, rocky ground

back in Kentucky.

It wasn't like
I knew him much.

Him or anybody.

Mostly, I just sort
of shifted around

from one kin to the next.

Doesn't mean you have to stay
with him.

He's always done good by me.

Listen, he's no better

than something that crawls
after carrion.

You want to plunder your piece
of land bad enough

to have his taint rub off
on you?

You talk mighty big,
don't you, mister?

That's 'cause you got it all,
a family

and regular livin' and
all this good, rich
land to hang on to.

All I got in this world
is Jeb Drummond.

You remember that, mister.

I got nothin' in this world
but Jeb Drummond!

(dog barking)

(sheep bleating)

Jeb.

Some men on horses.

Looks like
the Cartwrights.

Pull that wagon!

(sheep bleating)

I left my gun, Drummond.

He ain't left his.

Get that gun,
Billy boy.

Adam.

Hello, Pa.

All right,

now suppose you dismount
and say your piece.

Drummond, let my son go.

Take me instead.

You?

Did I hear correct?

You hear correct.

What're you
figurin''?

You want a hostage.

Well, I'll be a hostage.

No, Pa.

Well, Drummond,
what about it?

Well, I'll tell ya,

I don't care much which of you
Cartwrights I hold as hostage.

'Cause I got me
another notion.

What's your notion,
Drummond?

I been thinkin' there ain't
nothin' in California

as you good as you got here.

So I'm gonna take it, all of it,

and claim it as my own.

How you figurin'' on doing that,
mister?

You plannin' on killin' us all?

Ask your old man.

I think he knows.

Billy boy, give me
that paper.

Yes, sir, Mr. Cartwright,

I got it all
right here.

The deed to 50,000 acres
of your land.

Now all you gotta
to do is sign it

and make it all legal.

Drummond, do you think

that my signing a ridiculous
scrap of paper like that

is gonna make
anything legal?

Well, the way I see it,
I'm willing to take the gamble--

because I ain't got nothin'
to lose anyhow,

and you got something
mighty important to gain.

Well, what's he got to gain?

You.

'Cause unless he signs
this deed,

I'm gonna kill you

and let your body rot
where it drops.

Adam, there's something
you ought to know,

I sent Little Joe to town
for the sheriff.

Thanks, Pa.

It looks like I've been wrong
all along.

No.

No, you weren't wrong.

And, Drummond,
with the sheriff coming,

how do you think you're gonna
get away with all this?

Well, like I said, I'm willin'
to take the chance.

Yes, that's what you said.

What about you?

You willing to take
a gamble, too?

Whatever Jeb says is
good enough for me.

You, too?

I'm willin'.

Look at him.

You think he cares
if you get skinned

and hooked like
some coyote meat--

as long as he can use you
to get what he's after?!

All right, you had your say,
mister.

Now do you want to sign
this deed,

or do you want to bury your son?

Don't sign it, Pa.

He won't shoot!

That's the difference
between you and me, Drummond.

I'm not a gambling man.

Give me that paper.

Pa, don't! 50,000 acres!

It isn't worth it!

Isn't it?

(writing on paper)

Well, that's a mighty fine
looking signature.

Much better than
I could've done--

but then I never owned
50,000 acres

of prime land
before neither.

And you don't own it now!

BILLY:
Don't move!

Adam.

I was gonna make it
an even deal--

the land for your son.

But it looks like I can't trust
any of you Cartwrights.

There's only one way
to deal with you.

Give me the gun, Billy.

You can't just kill 'em, Jeb.

Can't I?

You just watch.

BILLY:
They ain't done nothin'
for you to kill 'em over, Jeb.

You give me that gun!

But, Jeb...

Look, how many times I've tried
to beat it into you, Billy?

If you want somethin'
in this world, you gotta get it

whichever way
you can--

but you go right on
being woman-soft.

Maybe I should've let them
wranglers string you up

for stealin' them three pintos.

Three pintos?

Jeb, how'd you ever know they
was lookin' for three of 'em?

Well... they said, I guess.

No, they never.

They never said nothin'
after you came.

Well, that don't make
no difference, boy!

Don't it?

Well, I think it does, Jeb.

'Cause you killed 'em
straight off.

I thought it just to save me.

But that wasn't it, was it?

Well, you knew
there was three pintos,

'cause you was the one
that stole 'em

and sold 'em off
yourself.

Well, I guess I really don't owe
you nothin', do I, Jeb?

Now you know that ain't right,
Billy boy.

I mean, maybe I did lie to you
about them pintos, but...

I-I always done good by you
and I taught ya things.

Sure.

Like shooting a man in the back.

Like grabbin' and thievin'.

Well, I learned good, Jeb.

But I ain't learnin' no more.

Now look, Billy--

Billy, you're like a son to me.

The only reason I want this land

is because I'm gonna
leave it to ya.

I promise it!

No, Jeb.

You give me that gun!

How many times I tried

to beat it into
you, Billy?

Jeb.

I...

I should've let 'em hang ya!

You no good thievin',
dirty double-crosser.

Shoot him, Collier.

Kill him!

(groans)

(horse whinnying)

(Billy groans)

(grunts)

Hey, Pa, how come Hop Sing
got all this vinegar?

Sorry, Pa, they didn't
have no rutabagas.

Guess I'll be leaving.

I sure do thank you
for all your help.

For the shirt, Little Joe.

You're welcome.

Where'll you go now?

I don't know exactly.

Billy, do you ever think of
taking up homesteading?

You mean a place of my own?
Yeah.

Sure, but...
Well, uh,

we've got a lot of
open land here in
the Ponderosa.

I figure that
Adam here

could probably help
you pick out a
good piece of it.

You mean a piece
of your land?

Well, we got a lot of people
coming out this way.

I-I guess we'll have to
make some room for more.

Including the law.

Well, Mr. Cartwright, I...

I sure will try to live up
to your faith in me.

I...
Well, Billy,
you better,

because if I catch you

stepping out of line
just once, why I'll...

You'll, uh, go
get the sheriff.

(all laughing)