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Hey!

Hi, how are you? Hello.

Hey, Pa, uh, your horse throw a shoe or something?

Heh. Your father let me win that one. Oh, I did not.

We just about got the fence finished.

You boys have done so much for me since our return.

Seems like I'm always saying thank you.

Ma'am, our pleasure.

Listen, we don't stop talking around here, we'll never get it done.

Did a good job, boys.

They're wonderful, Ben. I wish I could repay you.

Well, you could if you'd have dinner with us tonight.

Oh, Ben, I... It's been a long time, Katherine.

Too long.

How can I say no?

But I'll have to stop by my house and change first.

Oh. We'll take the buckboard back. We'll have the boys bring the horses.

All right. Heh.

Let's not be late for dinner, boys. Mrs. Saunders is joining us.

Pa, how many times you ever remember us being late for dinner?

Bring the other horses.

Hyah!

Hoss, you better get your blue suit out of moth balls

and make sure it still fits.

Why? Who died? Nobody.

I don't ever wear that blue suit except to funerals. And to weddings.

Weddings. Heh.

You reckon? I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

Whoo.

That water is so blue.

So serene.

It makes me think how small we really are.

Yeah. Even makes our troubles kind of small too, doesn't it?

I'm glad you came back, Katherine.

I thought maybe if I opened up the ranch, Eden would come back.

That's been over three years now, hasn't it? Since the trial.

He shouldn't have run off like that.

He was acquitted. By the jury.

But he never believed that anyone around here

thought he was really innocent.

Not even his father.

And yet Charles drove himself into in health over that trial.

I know.

But I still love my son, want him back, believe in him. Is...?

Is that so wrong, Ben?

I think it's kind of hard to judge the right or wrong of love.

Thank you, Ben.

I can't tell you what it means having you as a friend.

Well, then why didn't you come to me sooner? As a friend.

I wanted to, Ben. You'll never know how much.

After Charles died and Eden left, I...

My whole world collapsed.

And now?

I don't know, Ben.

Well, Katherine, if, uh...

If I can help in any way, I...

Oh, Ben, you have!

You have.

We'd better get going. Yeah. Hyah!

Hop Sing. Missy Katherine.

Hop Sing, how wonderful to see you.

Forgive me, Hop Sing overwhelmed with happiness.

How I've missed all of you.

House cold and silent until this very moment.

Hop Sing, I want you to prepare a very special dinner for a very special guest.

For Missy Katherine, Hop Sing prepare dinner

make banquet look like picnic lunch.

You see.

Heh. Oh, this dependable old desk. I always loved this desk.

Your house hasn't changed over the years, Ben. It's still beautiful.

So much more beautiful, so much more alive, with you here.

This house just needs a woman's touch.

Oh, Ben. This is probably the best-run household in all of Nevada.

You don't need a woman to help you. That's not true.

You've done such a fine job of raising your sons.

Oh, well, they've missed not having a mother.

Why haven't you married again, Ben?

Well, there's just no one I wanted to ask.

What about you?

Same reason, I guess.

No, that isn't completely true.

I've had Eden so completely on my mind,

I haven't been able to think of anything else.

And since I've come back, I...

Oh, Ben, why do people still say such horrible things about him?

You know, people talk.

He was acquitted of that killing. Why can't they leave him alone?

They haven't even seen him in three years.

Well, you know, people like to gossip. They--

Stories come back. Stories. Lies.

Katherine.

You can't go on forever building your whole existence around Eden.

He's living his life and you must live your life.

I'm the only one that ever understood or protected him.

Charles was always disappointed in him.

Katherine, Charles is dead.

Eden's gone.

You're here.

I'm here.

You have your sons. I'm alone.

You're alone because you want to be alone.

You're living in the past.

One of these days, my boys are going to be gone.

They're going to be off on their own, building their own life, their own future.

That doesn't mean my life is going to end.

And I hope I won't be alone.

Haven't the last few days meant anything to you?

Oh, Ben.

Ben, you don't know how much.

For the first time in so long, I've felt alive and happy.

Oh, laughing with you and the boys, I--

I've been blind, haven't I?

To you. To me.

Oh, Ben, hold me.

I don't want to be alone anymore.

Oh, Hop Sing, that's magnificent! Thank you, Missy Katherine.

Mm.

Now, if that ain't the dag burnedest thing I ever seen.

What's a man supposed to do with that?

Eat it or stick it in the fireplace?

Well, I'm going to serve it.

I'm sure sorry Adam isn't here yet.

I thought he'd be back from town by now.

Maybe he had a little trouble with that load of timber.

Doggone, that looks good.

Chinese brandy.

Make angry man smile, happy man grin. Heh.

I'm laughing allover, Hop Sing.

Mm.

Must be Adam.

Katherine.

Adam. How good to see you.

Good to see you. I'd forgotten how lovely you looked at our table.

Sit down, sit down.

Hop Sing, get some food for Adam.

Uh, never mind, I'm not hungry. I ate before I left town.

Well, uh, at least have some wine.

What kept you so late?

Oh, just some difficulty.

We can talk about it later. Thank you.

Well, here's to my favorite lady. Thank, you, Adam.

Well, we'll all drink to that. Right.

Um...

Now that we're all together, there's something that I...

There's something that Katherine and I would like to tell you.

Katherine and I have decided... What'd I tell you, Joe?

What do you mean what did you tell me? What'd I tell you?

Well, I haven't finished telling you anything yet.

Pa, everybody in the county besides my mule and the fence posts

knew you and Katherine was gonna get married.

I'm gonna be the first one to kiss the bride.

Congratulations, Pa. Congratulations, Mr. Cartwright.

Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations to you both.

My congratulations to you both. Thank you, Adam. Thank you.

Pa, could I see you a minute? Yeah, sure.

What is it? Eden's back.

They say he killed a woman.

They got a posse out looking for him now.

He got back sometime yesterday

and he spent most of the day drinking in the Silver Dollar

and telling a let people what he was gonna do to Frank Miller

for marrying his girl.

You remember her? Linda Holms? Yes, yes.

Frank wasn't around. He's been in San Francisco all week.

Linda was home alone.

Well, Miller's brother, Carl, found her body this morning.

He's got the town all riled up and they're out looking for blood.

What's Sheriff Coffee doing?

He was out of town. I sent for him.

We're gonna have to tell Katherine.

I know. I think we should be in that posse.

Could you get our horses saddled up? And I'll send the boys out after you.

Wonder what's taking Pa so long.

Well, I imagine it's a little difficult to tell the woman you love

that her son is a murderer. Yeah, I guess so.

Adam, you don't think he really did it, do you?

If we believed everything that's been said about him,

he'd have been dead long ago.

I don't know.

Miller said he saw somebody riding off that looked like Eden.

He took a shot at him. Ah. Carl Miller.

I wouldn't trust his word as far as I could throw one of these horses.

I just wish Pa wouldn't take so long.

Hate to think what would happen if that posse found him and we weren't there.

Hoss, you wait for Pa. Joe and I are gonna ride on ahead.

Right.

It isn't true.

I know it isn't true.

I don't care what they say about him.

I know he didn't kill that girl!

Katherine, it's just impossible to be that certain.

Ben...

Ben, you don't think he-- I don't think anything.

I just don't want you to be hurt

If that posse finds him...

...what'll they do?

Uh...

Well, it's hard to say.

Adam says that there's some men in town who are pretty riled up.

Then he needs our help.

Ben, we've got to find him first! We've got to find him!

Of course.

I'll find him.

I'm going with you. No, you stay here.

It's not a woman's work, it's too dangerous.

Ben, when you find him...

...what will you do?

I'll see to it that no harm comes to him.

I can't promise any more.

Miller!

Found his gun!

Now, what do you think of that? Your wolf cub's lost his teeth.

Well, Iookit here.

If it isn't big old Ben Cartwright himself.

Oh, by the way, Ben, I found your boy's gun.

He can't be too far.

You know, I'm a little surprised to see you out here, Ben.

I son of figured you'd be busy holding the widow's hand.

But, then, I suppose she, uh, figures her young wolf pup's innocent, huh?

Too bad we know different, ain't it?

We've had enough trouble as it is, Miller, without you stirring up any more.

I didn't stir up any trouble, but I sure aim to see it's finished.

He'll face a jury, not a lynch mob. Yeah?

Well, I figure it's all according to which one of us finds him first.

All right, boys, spread out. He must be around here somewhere.

Any other sign of the boy? No, but Miller's right.

He can't have gotten very far.

He's on foot. On foot?

Yeah, we found his horse a while back, pulled up lame.

Well, you boys keep an eye on Miller.

He'll turn this into a lynching party if he can.

Where you going, Pa? I'm going back to the Ponderosa.

Katherine was awfully upset at the news.

I don't want to leave her alone. Cartwright.

They say you used to treat Eden like one of your own sons.

So you know him pretty well.

Um...

This about the right neck size?

Just right, huh?

Like I said, keep an eye on Miller.

Shh. Don't scream.

Eden.

Oh, Eden!

Oh, my son, my son.

Oh, Mom. It's you.

My baby.

Is there anyone with you? No, it's all right now. You're safe now.

I'm never safe.

But you are.

Ben will be here soon. He's out looking for you now.

Yeah, him and half the rest of the country.

I guess I couldn't expect anything else.

They never did give me a chance around here.

Why should it be any different now?

You don't understand.

Ben's trying to help us. You can trust him.

I can't trust anybody.

Not even me, Eden?

Oh, I didn't mean you. I trust you, Mom.

And I trust Ben. With all my head.

Ben! Are you all right, Katherine?

Of course.

Ben, we found him. My son is safe.

It's been a long time, Mr. Cartwright.

You don't need that gun.

We better get inside the house.

Yes, you must be starved. I am. I haven't eaten in two days.

We'll have to get you fed. Oh, Ben.

Everything's going to be all right now, isn't it?

Yeah, everything's gonna be fine.

I'll have Hop Sing rustle up some food.

No, Ben, don't bother him. I'll fix it. I want to.

Well, it might be a good idea. I'll have him stand guard outside.

Let me look at you here in the light.

Oh. You look so tired. My poor baby.

Mom, I'm a grown man.

Of course you are. And a fine handsome one.

But a dirty one! Mom.

You don't think that I-- No, of course not.

You go along now and get cleaned up while I fix you something to eat.

Oh, yeah, and take that off.

And from there I went to Texas.

Now there's a rough country. Texas.

You can ride all day and never reach a horizon.

I mean, it's a big, wide open country

with dust and heat and snakes and tough men.

It's a man's country.

How long were you there? Oh, uh, about a year, I guess.

I worked on a big cattle ranch.

About twice the size of the Ponderosa.

I mean a really big ranch.

Must've covered a hundred miles, maybe more.

What did you do on this ranch?

Oh, I, uh, worked as a cowhand for a while.

The owner, Mr. Williams, he wanted to make me foreman,

but I had the old wanderlust.

He begged me to stay, but...

You know, I still have the prettiest mom in the whole world.

Don't you think so, Mr. Cartwright? Yes.

Do you want some more potatoes, son?

No, I'm full up to here.

But I would like some more coffee. I'll fix it for you.

Eden, what happened at Linda Miller's?

Would you believe me? I want to help you.

Why? Because of Mom? Yes, because of your mother.

And because of you, if you're innocent.

You think I'm not. I didn't say that. I don't know.

You haven't told us anything.

All I know is that you threatened Frank Miller.

Oh, people are always making a big thing out of nothing.

Sure, I was sore at Frank for marrying my girl. Who wouldn't be?

And I was sore at her too.

I went over to her house to tell her what I thought of her.

But when I got there, she was dead.

Well, why did you run away when Carl Miller saw you?

Why didn't you just stay and tell him the truth?

Because they'd blame me. You know how it is.

You get a little reputation and pretty soon,

everything that happens, they blame on you.

I've never believed anything they said. Not for a minute.

Neither has Ben.

In that case,

how about you two figuring a way for me to get out of here?

Just until all this thing is cleared up.

That's just what we plan to do, isn't it, Ben?

Mr. Cartwright, I hear horses. Many, many horses!

Get outside and keep watch. Yes, Mr. Cartwright.

Give me a gun. You'll get your chance.

I've got a right to defend myself.

Mom-- Be quiet!

We'll never get to the stable to saddle our horses.

We'll have to go on foot. We'll go out the back way.

Look, I'm going to take him up to the lake by the mill.

As soon as you get a chance, bring us food and horses. Come on.

Hurry up!

There's fresh horses in the corral if you need them.

When you're saddled up, we'll move out.

Hey, Cartwright, where's your old man?

Hunting for Saunders, like the rest of us.

If you want him, go find him.

But what makes you so sure he's out hunting that killer?

If you ask me, it's more than likely he's covering up the kid's tracks.

Well, if you think he's hiding around here go look for him.

You Canwrights are all alike.

You Cartwrights are all in this together.

Saunders was your friend.

Your friend killed my brother's wife!

You're out to help him escape!

You're a liar. Am I?

Where's your Pa? Why ain't he here?

Where's he been while we been out busting our backs in the brush?

I'll tell you what I think. I think he's got that dirty little killer hid out somewhere.

You keep your mouth shut. Joe, no, no. Joe.

Yeah? Ask her. Go on.

Ask her where your Pa's got that boy hid out.

Everybody knows he's sweet on her. No, Joe.

Where's he hiding, Katherine? Oh, Adam.

He's with your father.

Adam, you've got to help us.

You've got to lead the posse away from the lake.

Oh, that's where they are, huh? Yes. By the old mill.

Where we had that picnic a long time ago. Do you remember?

Yes, I remember.

What's Pa gonna do? I don't know.

All I know is that they're afoot

and I've got to bring the horses as soon as I can.

But you must give them time. Can you do that, Adam?

I don't know, Katherine.

These men out there are in a mean mood.

And a day and a night on a trail that's suddenly gone cold

hasn't improved their disposition any.

The men will listen to you, won't they?

I hope so...

...for your sake.

Well, did she tell you where she hid that murdering son of hers?

All right, let's go. You still telling us what to do, Cartwright?

You gonna stand around and listen to him shoot his mouth off,

or are we gonna get this done

so we can go home and get some sleep?

Where we going, Adam? Back to the river.

Now, wait a minute. We're moving up to the lake.

I think we'll have a better chance of picking his tracks up back at the river.

We covered every inch of it.

That's where his horse went lame, that's where we found his gun.

Now, we've had men in that area all day.

He couldn't have gotten out of there without us seeing.

He's gotta be hiding out in the bushes.

He couldn't have gotten through us.

Who do you think is the boss of this posse?

I am, Mr. Miller.

Now, just what do you men think you're doing

taking the law into your own hands, running around like a lynch mob?

We been looking for that woman killer.

That's right, sheriff. What've you been doing?

I been doing my job, and I been doing it proper.

I been making up a warrant, looking up witnesses.

That's helped coming to find out what you was up to, Mr. Miller.

We're not gonna wait around for that legal stuff.

Now, that's just what you are gonna do or wait in a jail cell.

From now on, this is a legally constituted posse. You understand?

What's the difference? Just so we get that killer.

Look, sheriff, I've got a plan.

Yeah, I know, I heard it. And I heard Adam's too.

We gonna have another look along that river,

then we'll go up to the lake if needs be.

Now, if you wanna join this posse,

you just go over there and get up on your horse.

She's not coming.

Did you hear me? I said, she's not coming.

She'll come.

But suppose something happened. We haven't got a chance on foot.

That's right. We haven't.

So worrying isn't gonna help any, is it?

I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. I guess I'm just a little nervous.

I never did like running very much.

Mr. Cartwright?

Do you remember when we were little kids, Joe and me?

And you used to bring us up here hunting?

And sometimes, at night, we'd sit around and talk things over.

Yeah, I remember.

I could always talk to you, even when I couldn't talk to my Pa.

I guess he figured I was no good.

Am I as bad as he figured?

I don't believe your Pa figured you for being bad.

It was just that he found it hard to understand you.

Understand me? I never could do anything right for him, not once!

Sure, I made mistakes. But what kid doesn't?

The only one who cared, I mean, who really cared, was Mom.

Why didn't he ever give me a chance, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, Eden, I...

I think he gave you a chance.

I think he gave you every chance that a father can give his son...

...until your credit ran out.

You mean that shooting? It was self-defense.

I was acquitted.

It was him that taught me a man has a right to defend himself.

So, what's so different about me?

Look, how do you know it wasn't Carl Miller killed Linda?

He wanted to marry her too, even before his brother did.

Why is everybody so sure I did it?

It's gonna be up to a judge and a jury to decide who did it.

I loved her.

All my life, I loved that girl.

Do you think I could kill someone I loved?

Eden...

...do you know what love really means?

I had trouble getting through.

They have men everywhere.

Then we're trapped. No, the east road is clear.

Adam's kept the posse down by the river.

They won't be here for a while yet. Then we better start out right now.

Wait a minute.

There's no use you getting further involved, Mr. Cartwright.

I'll make it alone. And having Ma along would just slow me down.

Let me have a gun and I'll be on my way.

I'm taking you to Fen Churchill.

Wha--?

Fen Churchill. What for?

He'll be safe there, Katherine,

until we can arrange a trial in Virginia City.

Now get on your horse, boy. A trial?

What kind of a trial would I get?

They'd as soon hang me as look at me, you know that.

Give me a chance, Mr. Cartwright.

I'm giving you a chance, Eden. The only chance I can give you.

Ben, we know he's innocent. Then he'll have a chance to prove it.

I'll never see a courtroom.

They'll tear down the jail to get at me. You saw them.

They won't tear down an Army stockade.

You'll be safe there. Now get on your horse. Both of you!

With luck, we'll be able to make Fen Churchill by daybreak.

Mom. Mom, talk some sense into him.

He's as good as put a rope around my neck.

No, he's right.

Don't you see, Eden?

After the trial, when your name is clear, we'll be able to start a new life

with no more running away.

All right.

But I still think I won't have a chance at any trial.

Let's get moving.

Let's ride out of here, Carl. We're wasting our time.

No. It's not wasted yet.

I still don't see why we had to leave the posse.

Supposing they find that kid down by the river like Cartwright figured?

You mean you swallowed all that? Yeah.

Well, you're even dumber than I thought you were.

Who you calling dumb? No. You. Look there.

Get down off your horses. Move.

Throw your gun away, Ben.

You ride back down the trail and fetch the posse.

All right, kid, move away.

I said, move away! Ben, he'll kill him!

You want to try me now, Ben?

Move.

You killed her! Why don't you admit it?

It was him that done it! I know it!

Shut up, you dirty little killer. Shut up!

You loved her. You loved your brother's wife!

Shut up, I said!

Oh, Ben.

Eden, put that down.

You don't need to do that, Mom. Come on.

Mr. Cartwright double-crossed us.

I told you we couldn't trust him.

I had to have a gun. You know that.

Hmm?

I mean, when I have a gun,

people sit up and take notice, see?

When I have a gun in my hand, why, they all give me a chance.

Because they're scared.

Now, come on, hon, give it here.

You just don't look right with that thing in your hands.

Stay back.

Heh. Now, you know you wouldn't use that on me, Mom.

I'm your son, remember?

Listen, I've got a plan.

That posse would never shoot me if you were along.

They just wouldn't dare. Now...

What's the matter?

That's all any of us ever meant to you, isn't it?

Just someone you could use.

Oh, you're wrong, Mom. I love you.

You don't know the meaning of the word.

You never have and you never will.

You'll have to use that gun on me, Eden.

You think I won't.

Oh, it's true. You did kill that poor girl.

Eden!

No.

Oh, Eden! Eden! No! Eden.

Oh, my baby.

Take care of that arm, Ben.

I wish you weren't going so soon.

You've done so much, been so kind.

Ben...

I understand.

It just couldn't work out for us now.

I loved him. No matter what he did.

I know.

I'm sorry.

Goodbye, Ben.

Bye, Katherine.

Giddyup.

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