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Pretty fancy-looking rig.

What's it doing on our land?

Well, maybe they lost their way.

Let's go down and find out.

Whoa. Whoa.

If you're on your way to Virginia City, you're off the main read here.

No, senor.

Senors, permit me.

I am Mateo Ybarra.

Perhaps you have heard of me.

Indeed we have.

From my nephew.

Your nephew? Yes, Will Cartwright.

Guillermo? Ah, then you must be...

Well, I'm Ben Cartwright.

Oh, senor, it is a pleasure. It is a privilege.

Carla, come meet Guillermo's uncle.

Senor, my wife.

Senora Ybarra.

And Guillermo, how is he? Fine.

Aah.

It will be wonderful to see him again.

Well, I'm afraid you're in for a bit of a disappointment.

He left on a cattle drive just yesterday morning.

But I must see him, senor.

I'm going back to Mexico.

I have to be in El Paso Del None as soon as possible.

But, Mateo, if he's not here...

Carla, I must speak to him.

If he is not here, we will go where he is.

If it's necessary and urgent--

Oh, it is urgent, senor.

Adam said he'd probably make camp at Harker's Crossing tonight.

Why don't you ride over and tell Will that Senor Ybarra's here.

And you stay with Hess and Adam and give them a hand with the herd.

Right, Pa.

Hyah!

Joseph, come back here! Joseph!

Come on back!

I want you to get into town.

Get Doc Martin to come to the house right away.

And then go after Will. Right, Pa.

We camp here tonight. No fires.

I could have you shot for this, Vicente.

Could you? My orders were to follow Ybarra

and to arrest him if he crossed the border.

As long as I am in command, you will obey those orders.

With the sedative I gave him, he'll be all right,

except for a mighty sore shoulder for a while.

How soon will he be able to travel?

Right now, if he had to.

But I'd give him a few days.

Well, I'll be downstairs if you want anything.

You'll find a bed and blankets in the bunkhouse right through there.

So that's Mateo Ybarra.

You recognized him?

When I was in Texas a few years ago.

He and his gang of Comancheros

used to practically run the state of Chihuahua.

What's he doing here, Ben?

Oh, a friend of Will's.

Will rode with him for a couple years.

Will rode with that bandit?

That bandit was fighting for Juérez at the time.

Oh.

Luis.

Pacheco wants you. Come.

You made good time.

We only got as far as Wolf Hill today.

Little Joe caught up with us just as we were making camp.

How's Mateo, Ben?

You go on in.

Why didn't you write me you were coming?

You know how Mateo likes surprises.

Besides, we thought our journey was a secret.

The Realistas have probably been watching him

ever since he landed in California.

The wonder is they waited five years to try to kill him.

Because he was not a threat to them in California.

Now he is.

Guillermo...

we are returning to Mexico.

That's what I hear.

We mustn't disturb him.

I wonder if I could have a glass of sherry.

As Guillermo knows, it takes money to raise an army.

And you have the money now?

Si, waiting for us in El Paso Del None.

Enough money to arm and equip 3,000 men.

Well, that should make Juarez pretty happy.

From what we read in the papers here, he needs help against the Realistas.

Juérez always needs help.

Maybe it's because he promises too much.

You know, he's always talking about law and justice

when all the people really want is food and land.

Well, senora,

without law and justice,

what guarantee do the people have that they'll be able to keep their land?

Well, I...

I'd better be getting upstairs.

Good night.

Your uncle is a very charming man, Guillermo.

And this ranch, this hacienda, it's called the Ponderosa, is it not?

Guillermo, are you happy here?

What does Mateo want?

When you ask me like that, I think you know.

He wants me to go back to Mexico with him, doesn't he?

He wants you very badly, Guillermo.

You asked me if I was happy here.

lam.

Does that mean you're going to refuse him?

Yes.

I didn't want to come here.

I'm sure you are aware of that.

I told Mateo I thought it would be a waste of time,

that you would refuse him.

He said, "Refuse? How can he refuse?"

Guillermo, how can you refuse him?

Have you changed that much?

I think so.

I wonder.

Good night, Guillermo.

We say Ybarra dies now.

But why, Vicente? Why?

Because, Luis, they are very young and have all their lives yet to live

and are impatient to get on with it.

What is the difference if Ybarra dies here

or in Mexico in front of a firing squad?

The difference is that we are soldiers, not assassins.

And have you forgotten what Ybarra is?

We were sent to arrest him.

Not to execute him.

Maximo is right.

Why do we argue?

You have made up your minds.

You are three. We are two.

We are outvoted.

But this is wrong.

We have our orders.

Pacheco's in command, you cannot deny that.

All we want to do is change the orders.

Only on the condition that Ybarra does not die

until after we have left the Ponderosa.

What difference does it make?

I will not argue with you, Vicente.

Those are my terms.

Pacheco.

Guillermo.

Oh, wait, wait.

Just let me look at you.

You know, Mateo, you should be in bed.

What? I do not walk on my hands.

Just the same, don't wander too far, huh?

What, you're worried about those piste/ems

the Realistas sent to kill me? That's right.

You know the Realistas, Guillermo. Shoot and run.

Well, don't count on it.

Hey, Guillermo.

Hey, you remember that Realistas captain?

You remember Santa Rosalia?

The captain you spanked with the flat of his sword?

Huh? I remember.

With all the people shouting, like at a bullfight. Ole

Heh, heh, heh. Remember?

Olé. Ha-ha-ha.

What is it, Guillermo?

Carla.

She...

She told me you want me to go back to Mexico with you.

Guillermo, it will be like the old days, huh?

Only better. Much better.

Listen, Mateo-- In a year, maybe less,

we'll ride into Mexico City, right up to the presidential palace.

With 5,000, no, maybe 10,000 compafieros riding behind us, huh?

I'm not going with you, Mateo.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to stay here.

This is my home.

Uh-- You mean you are going to be a ranchero for the rest of your life?

Now I know you're joking. Heh, heh, heh.

I need you.

I do.

All of our compafieros are gone.

You are the only one that I have left that I can trust.

That I can listen to.

Like you listened at San Lorenzo?

I shouldn't have said that.

No, no. Do not apologize.

No, you are right.

I did not listen to you at San Lorenzo and 200 men were killed.

And the few of us that were left had to run like whipped dogs.

I did not stop running until I reached California.

Mateo, would you just forget it?

No, let us not forget.

But let us not pick and choose what to remember, eh?

Yes, there was San Lorenzo.

But there were also other places, other times.

We should not forget those. Hmm?

Like Rio Blanca.

Like Rio Blanca. Si.

A gringo saddle tramp sitting in a jail cell, drunk,

waiting to die in front of a Realistas firing squad the next morning.

You needed me that night in Rio Blanca, Guillermo.

I did not fail you.

Oh.

Well, you seem to have made a speedy recovery.

Once, I rode all day and all night with three holes like this one in me.

Remember, Guillermo?

My horse gave up before I did.

I'm going into town to get some supplies.

Anything that you might need? I'll check, Ben.

All right.

We'll talk later, Mateo.

Si.

Oh, Senora Ybarra is bringing up your breakfast.

If you still have an appetite.

Ben. Yeah?

Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

Here's some leather that needs fixing.

Well, throw it in the back. I'll leave it at the harness shop.

Anything else?

No.

Ben.

Ben, I would like to talk to you.

Did you see Guillermo? Si.

And? He will come with us.

Did he say so?

No, but I could tell in his eyes. Stop it. Stop it.

You know, it makes me sad that you do not like Guillermo.

Did you once make eyes at him when he did not approve?

You forget, I am not a well man.

Oh, you are a fool.

A fool, Carla mia?

An ignorant man, perhaps.

But a fool?

No. And I will tell you why.

Because I know what I am and what I am not.

I'm a bandido, a Comanchero.

I can hunt and I can hide.

I can raid a hacendado

and set fire to his case and his crops,

and steal his cattle and his gold.

And once, his beautiful daughter.

But I am not Guillermo.

I do not think like a general.

I cannot lead an army.

You did once.

To San Lorenzo, to be butchered.

That is why I need Guillermo.

With him, we can go to Mexico City.

And then, perhaps...

...you will not hate me when I touch you.

Nor yourself for wanting me to.

Four of Mateo's men were killed

breaking me out of that jail at Rio Blanca.

I know, I know.

Four men to save the life of one worthless None Americana

who hit a Realista officer who happened to spill my drink.

I know, you told me that.

Yeah, but what I didn't tell you was this.

One of those four men was Mateo's brother.

His brother?

His name was Esteban.

He was a couple of years younger than Mateo.

But he was all the family that Mateo had left.

Look, Will-- Ben, let me finish.

About a year later, we rode back to Rio Blanca.

Mateo went to visit Esteban's grave.

I went with him.

And that's where...

That's where he gave me this.

Esteban's? Yes.

And that was when...

you took his brother's place.

Yes.

And for the first time in years, Ben, I did not feel alone.

I meant something to someone,

belonged somewhere, with Mateo and his men.

And now I've started wondering...

maybe I still do.

No, Will, you don't.

You belong here.

You see, we're the only family you have left.

Thanks, Ben. I thought so too.

For a while it seemed right.

But then when Little Joe rode into that camp

and told me about Mateo, I don't know, something happened.

I looked at him and Adam and Hess.

I was a stranger to them.

Like someone who came to a party by mistake.

And I look around here, Ben, and I don't see myself.

I see you and the boys.

It's yours. You built it and you belong.

Will, Will.

You've been here such a shed time.

You know, it takes getting used to, a new place like this.

And particularly when you start comparing your feelings

toward Mateo and toward us.

Well, you lived with Mateo, you fought with him.

You risked your lives one for the other.

Of course you feel very close to him.

But still, we are your family.

I know it's just a word,

but it's a word which deserves a chance for some meaning.

Time to gain some meaning.

You think about that when you talk to Mateo.

I'll be back around suppertime.

Guillermo.

Mateo's asleep.

I wanna talk to him.

He's drunk. Let him sleep, please.

Well, I wanted to ask him a few questions.

Maybe you can answer them.

About the money waiting in El Paso Del None.

Where did it come from?

From friends. Why?

You mean the peons, the vaqueros, the campesinos?

A peso here and a centavo there?

Why do you think it took five years?

Well, what about Juérez?

What about him?

Well, doesn't he know Mateo's coming back?

Why should he? Well, he's still president of Mexico.

Juérez is president of nothing.

The Realistas have him trapped at Veracruz.

Well, isn't that why Mateo's going back?

To help him break out of that trap?

He'll help him if he can.

Who'll decide that?

Mateo?

Or you?

I have always tried to help Mateo with his decisions.

Like his decision to attack San Lorenzo?

And we had to swim the Rio Grande. Yeah.

It was spring and the river was a mile wide from the flood.

When we got on the other side, heh,

Guillermo, he poured the water from his boots

and he looked up at me and he said, "Hey, Mateo, what we need is a navy."

Well, maybe we have one this time?

I still have a few things to do.

I'd better get started before it gets too late.

Excuse me.

Will.

The way Mateo's talking, he still thinks you're going with him.

When I left you, I had the feeling

you were gonna tell-- I was, Ben.

What happened?

It was something Luis Hidalgo said to me about Carla.

About how she spreads her greed around like a sickness.

Then I had a talk with Carla. That's when I made up my mind.

I haven't told Mateo yet, but I'm going back with him, Ben.

I just don't understand you. Why?

Carla's hiding something.

I don't know what it is.

But I know this much.

Mateo may think he's going back to help Juérez,

but Carla has other plans for him.

What kind of plans? What does she want?

Mexico.

That's quite an ambition.

What about Mateo?

Does he share this ambition with her?

No, Ben. Mateo really wants to help Juérez.

Tell me,

has he always been a heavy drinker?

He always liked to drink, but not like I've seen him here.

What's he afraid of?

I think he's afraid of Carla,

of what she may force him to do someday to keep her.

He hasn't forgotten San Lorenzo.

Strange man.

He talks so big, so grandly about war and the excitement of action,

the companionship of danger.

Yet in the couple of days he's been here,

he strikes me as a man who's afraid, unsure of himself.

Now you tell me he's dominated by this woman.

Which man is he, Will?

I don't know anymore.

Maybe the years have changed him.

Hmm.

Maybe they have.

And if they have...

...is he worth what he's asking you to do?

Was I worth what he did for me at Rio Blanco?

And if those piste/ems are watching,

they will think that Carla and I are in the carriage.

I hope so.

And with three men guarding it... Oh, ho-ho-ho. Very good.

Luis, you'll leave on the carriage at daybreak.

If those men haven't followed you or stopped you

by the time you get to Spring River, turn around and come back.

We'll be waiting for you in San Francisco.

Will.

Ben?

Are you sure you'll be able to get a ship out of San Francisco?

I wired San Francisco.

The Westerner leaves on Tuesday for San Diego.

From San Diego, we take a coach to El Paso.

It's our bodyguards.

Luis.

Now do you see why I want Guillermo with me?

He thinks of everything. He does not take chances.

He's intelligent, experienced.

You're lucky to have him as a friend.

Ff tend? More than just a friend, senor.

I may not have another chance.

Let me thank you for your hospitality.

Would you have a drink with me?

Excuse me. Senor.

You are not happy I am taking Guillermo with me.

Do you not know the reason he is going?

I think I do.

Out of a sense of loyalty to you.

Gratitude for what you did at Rio Blanco.

That is only the excuse. That is not the reason.

It is something else.

It is something inside.

Not here, not here.

Here.

It is a hunger, a thirst that will never go away.

I know.

In California, the life was good, very good.

The sun was warm, the rain was gentle,

the earth was rich.

I looked at all that I had and I asked myself:

"Why do I want to leave this place?"

I had no answer.

Only the need, the hunger to move on, to go somewhere.

It is the same with Guillermo.

Huh? He and I are very much alike, senor.

So learn to say adios.

It is something you will say often with your nephew.

Hmm.

Strange.

Your words are so eloquent.

Why don't I believe them?

I am a man of many words, senor.

Which of my words do you not believe?

That word "hunger."

That my nephew has this hunger, as you call it.

Maybe that was true at one time, but not now.

Not now that he has a home and a family.

No.

No, if he goes with you...

...he'll go as I said, to repay you for Rio Blanca.

Senor.

Which other of my words do you not believe?

I don't know.

I just hope that what my nephew is doing,

he's doing for the right man.

Say goodbye to Adam, Hess and Little Joe for me.

Have you decided which man you're doing this for?

It doesn't matter.

I've still got a debt to pay.

I was kind of hoping that you thought you'd paid it.

Not yet.

Adios, uncle.

Vaya con Dios, nephew.

Guillermo...

I need rest.

There's a shack up ahead. We can rest there.

Take him inside. I'll get the water. Si.

I'm all right.

Vicente, we do this my way.

As long as it is done.

When my horse is rested, I will ride it as far as it will take me.

Don Guillermo.

Don Guillermo.

It is I, Juan Pacheco.

Juan Pacheco?

What's he doing with the Realistas?

I want to talk to you alone.

Do you hear me? I hear you.

What do you want, Pacheco?

Please come out, Don Guillermo.

You can't go out there.

Can't you see it's a trap?

You know why Pacheco is there, don't you?

Why does he want me dead?

Tell me.

What's this all about, Pacheco?

We want Mateo.

Who's we?

Vicente Morales, Alphonso Maximo, Tomas Santos and Juan Pacheco.

Whose side are you fighting for now?

Luis told us you thought we were Realistas.

Is Luis with you too?

That's how we knew Mateo would not be traveling south.

Luis is no Realista, Guillermo, you know that. Nor am I.

It is they who are Realistas.

The ones who want to make a foreigner emperor of Mexico.

I don't believe it.

Mateo Ybarra has an agreement with the Realistas.

They will let him take Mexico City, he will proclaim himself El Caudillo.

Pacheco, you rode with Mateo.

You can't believe that.

We have proof.

A warrant for Mateo's arrest on a charge of treason

signed by Benito Juérez.

There must be some mistake, Pacheco.

I was with the president when he heard the evidence.

What evidence?

From a captured Realista officer, General Arriaga,

who went to California to negotiate the arrangements.

I can't believe it, Pacheco.

You know Mateo.

We can settle this right now. Senor.

It is settled.

Now, tell him.

I asked them to give you a chance to save your life, Guillermo.

They agreed because you once served Juérez well.

So did Mateo.

It is not we who have forgotten.

It is Mateo himself.

Get on your horse, Guillermo, ride out.

Take the senora with you.

Leave Mateo to us.

To be murdered. Executed.

And what are you gonna say to Juérez?

That you shot him while he was trying to escape?

There is no use arguing, Guillermo. It is decided.

It's not decided.

Not until Mateo has a chance to defend himself.

Then it's decided.

There is nothing I can do, amigo. I'm sorry.

You're sorry.

He was your friend, Pacheco.

That was another Mateo, Guillermo.

You have one hour to decide what you want to do.

You're wasting an hour.

It is your life, senor.

The only way we had to raise any money for the army.

If the Realistas were foolish enough to think they could control you,

then why not use them?

We could turn on them-- Turn on them too.

Oh,you...

You really had this figured out, didn't you?

Right down to that last double cross.

Did you know anything at all about this, Mateo?

No, he didn't.

I was the only one who talked to the Realistas.

I planned it all myself.

Well, those Juéristas out there, they don't believe this.

Mateo,

they called me out to tell me

that they were giving me a chance to get out before they kill you.

Take it, Guillermo.

I can't. Take it!

Carla is wrong.

I knew what she was doing all the time.

How could you know?

I wasn't even gonna tell you until we got to Mexico.

You think you had to tell me?

Do you think I could not guess?

I knew.

I was pretending I did not know.

I did not want to admit it, not even to myself.

Not until Carla said it herself a minute ago.

I knew.

I---

I was for sale.

If the Realistas had enough money to buy me, they could have me.

Why?

Why? Why?

Because I was rotting away in California.

But to turn your back on everything you fought for?

What did I fight for, Guillermo? Hmm?

Liberty, justice, freedom? Yes!

You fought for those things.

We fought for them.

Maybe once.

But that was long ago.

AftenNards, I fought

because it was the only thing that I knew how to do.

Why? What for? Who for? It did not make any difference.

Heh. I fought for Juérez.

And before Juérez, for Pedro Iribas.

And before Iribas, for Santa Anna.

And when the fighting was finished, and they had won,

and they did not need Mateo Ybarra any longer,

they said that I was a thief and a murderer,

and they sent out their soldiers to hunt me down. Heh, heh.

And I laughed, and I said it did not matter.

But it was a lie, Guillermo.

It was a lie.

Because all the while, I wanted to be the one who rode into Mexico City

to sit in the presidential palace

and be the hunter instead of the hunted.

Hmm.

And she knew.

And she wanted it for me.

Go with him, Carla.

Take her, Guillermo.

If they want to arrest you, Mateo, that's one thing...

but to kill you, they're going to have to work for it.

If fighting was all you ever lived for, here's our chance to die happy.

I can't let you do this for me.

I'm not doing this for you, Mateo.

Not anymore.

Mateo, no.

No, please. I don't want you to do this thing.

Listen.

Darling, we can make our lives again.

Mateo, I don't want you to go out there. Please, I don't want you to.

Mateo!

No!

Kill me. Kill me too.

You will have many opportunities to die, Vicente.

Don't be in a hurry to take this one.

So you found out which man he was, didn't you, Will?

I think I knew all along, Ben.

Strange, huh? Mateo didn't really do anything treasonous.

I don't think he could be convicted.

He found himself guilty in his own mind.

That's all that's important to him.

Well, I'd better be getting to bed.

I'll be leaving early in the morning.

Good night, Ben.

Wait a minute.

What do you mean leaving?

Well, I can't stay here now.

Why not? I mean, where would you go?

Well, I figure on making Shoshone Falls by tomorrow night.

I bet the boys could use another hand.

You know, I forgot all about that cattle drive. Ha, ha.

Ben, I was only gone a shed while,

but while I was gone, I got a strange feeling

for the Ponderosa.

Would you say it was son of a...

...hunger?

Yeah.

A good hunger? Hmm?

I'm glad you got it. See you in the morning.

Good night, Ben. Night.

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