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Hand me that old bag and toss it up here.

Toss it up? You gotta be kidding.

Oh, boy. Come on, brother.

You got no muscles?

Well, good morning, boys.

Good morning, Colonel. Morning.

Your father come into town with you?

Yes, sir. He's over at the bank.

Good. I'll look in him.

Just a minute, I've got some books that Barbara asked for.

I wonder if you'd see she gets them.

Well, certainly, Adam.

But why don't you take them to her over at the school?

I'm sure she'd be glad to see you.

By the way, Colonel, how is that niece of yours getting along?

I'm proud of that girl.

I think she's going to make this town a fine school teacher.

Youngins ain't giving her too much trouble?

Well, this is rough, frontier country and she knows it.

But she also knows it's a teacher's job to start shaping

the kind of country this is going to be.

Sounds like there's quite a gal behind that pretty face.

Oh, there is.

Colonel, you know you've done a lot of fine things for Virginia City,

but bringing your niece out here to teach the school

may turn out to be the most important of all.

I'd like to think so.

Well, it was pleasant running into you boys.

And now I'll be on my way, see if I can catch up with your father.

Take it easy, Colonel. Colonel.

Ah, Adam, I'll buy you a drink.

It might put some muscle on them bones.

Besides that, I'm thirsty. So am I.

But I've got to walk over to the school and get those books to Barbara.

Well, that's too bad, Adam.

You've got to walk all the way down to the school

and then all the way back again. Oh, I don't mind.

I'll bet you don't.

Somebody untie me. Now stop this.

Stop it. Stop it.

Somebody untie me!

All right, everybody inside. Let's go.

I gather that most of you have decided

that school is just a place for fun and games.

Well, I would like to tell you something.

Going to school can determine the rest of your life.

It's a privilege that you will be getting benefits from

for more years than you have been alive so far.

And now if it's all right with Miss Scott,

maybe you would like to go home and think it over.

You're excused.

Thank you.

Barbara.

Sit down.

Now we knew this wasn't going to be an easy job.

You know what Virginia City is like.

Right.

Now, you took this job because you thought it was important.

You had an obligation--

I believe that was the word you used, obligation.

You wanted to point this frontier toward...

Toward culture.

Now, you probably don't think so right now

because of what just happened out there.

But is the job any less an obligation than it was two days ago?

No, it isn't.

But do you still think I can do the job?

Yes. If you think you can.

I'll try.

I'll tell you one thing for sure.

I'll do all I canto help.

As a member of the school board and as a friend.

As a member of the school board and as a friend, what's your advice?

Well, I'm glad you asked that, young lady.

I think you should get some fresh air.

I think that you and your uncle should come out Sunday to the Ponderosa

and we'll get some horses and go riding.

I don't know how to ride. I've never been on a horse.

I'll teach you.

Can I try it by myself?

Sure, go ahead.

You've got a good pupil there.

It must be kind of strange teaching the teacher, huh, Adam?

Nothing strange about it.

To be a good teacher you first have to be a good pupil, and she's good.

She's a good what? Teacher?

Sure she's a good teacher, but I meant pupil.

What's the teacher teaching the teacher?

Will you cut that out?

Watching her ride in circles and listening to you talk in circles

is making me dizzy.

Well, how goes the job of teaching the teacher?

Oh, great, here we go again.

You're doing very well, Barbara.

Why not? The teacher has a good teacher.

Ugh.

Adam, do I have to ride around here? Can we go out for awhile?

I think it's enough for the first time out.

Maybe after lunch we can take that ride.

Just tie him up over there.

All right. Come on.

Hoss, you better get the doctor.

You're going to have to take it easy for a while, young lady.

How easy? Well, for one thing,

you're going to have to stay at home for at least two weeks.

And then it will be another two weeks before that bone

really has a chance to knit itself together again.

I'll see that she follows orders, Doctor.

And, uh, thank you very much for all your kindness.

Not at all.

Now, um, Adam, if you'll stop teaching people

how to fall off horses,

maybe I can get Hoss to drive me home,

and finish my dinner.

I'd be happy to do, Doc. Ha-ha-ha.

Goodbye, all.

Barbara, I think you ought to rest a bit before you go back home.

Thank you. Uh...

Could I get you some hot tea or something?

Oh, no, thank you. Don't bother. Anything at all?

There's something worrying me.

What's that, my dear?

Well, obviously it's gonna be difficult for me to teach school for awhile.

Oh, you're not going to teach school for awhile.

The doctor left definite orders.

Well, then we'll have to find a substitute.

I don't know anybody in these pans who can do the job.

I do.

Who? Adam Cartwright.

Ha, ha. Don't be silly.

Adam, I'm serious.

You can't be, Barbara. I'm not qualified.

You're the only one who understands what I've been trying to do.

And nobody else feels it's as important as you do.

You used that word, Adam, "important."

And you used another word too.

"Help."

You said you'd be willing to help me as a friend.

You used that word too, Adam.

How are you feeling?

Fine.

It's gonna be a little rough

teaching school the next few weeks. Oh, uh...

I think your brother's just become our new school teacher.

Yeah, I guess I did.

Why, I think Adam will do a fine job.

And now that that's settled, uh,

we ought to be thinking about getting on home.

Yeah. Joe, will you bring the surrey around to the front of the house?

Joe. Oh.

Teacher, may I leave the room?

I wish you would. Ha, ha.

Hello, Adam. Hello.

How is the teacher?

Well, I guess I'll survive.

This, uh, teaching is a little bit harder than I figured.

How are you feeling? Oh, I'm so bored.

If I have to stay around this house one more day, I think I'll scream.

Now, what about the school?

Well, that's, uh, what I came to talk to you about.

Oh, how unflattering.

I thought it was my irresistible beauty that drew you here.

For a girl with a bad shoulder, you're feeling pretty good today.

Oh, it's so good to see you,

after mooning around here all by myself.

Well, what about the school?

Well, you remember how we talked about, uh, teaching something

besides the three R's?

Mm-hm.

Well, I've got an idea about teaching some history.

We have a history course.

I know, but, uh, our own history, history of the territory.

Sounds like an interesting idea.

I have an idea the children will like the frontier.

After all, they're a pan of it.

In a way, it's a history of America.

Adam, I think that's a splendid idea.

But it would take some research, wouldn't it?

Ha, ha, oh, it sure will.

I'll be lucky to stay one day ahead of the class.

But I've got an idea that, uh, might make the research a little bit easier.

What?

Well, a great deal has happened here in a shed length of time.

A lot of it happened in the last 50 years,

so there are men still alive who made it happen.

Men like the Colonel, my father,

Phillip Diedesheimer and Sam Chaffee.

You can talk to them about it. Get it firsthand.

I'm going to write Sam Chaffee in California,

have a few talks with my father,

and quite a few sessions with your uncle.

He'll be so flattered. I'm glad you approve.

And you might warn your uncle that I'll be picking his brain

and making a nuisance of myself. Heh, he won't mind at all.

Afternoon, Colonel. It's good of you to stop by.

How goes the school teaching, Adam?

Well, it's coming along.

How's Barbara?

She's getting restless, poor child.

She tells me that, uh, you want to talk to me.

Yes, I do. Why don't you come in?

Did Barbara tell you what I wanted of you?

Yes, something about picking my brain for a course in territorial history

that you want to give. Yes, I, uh...

I thought that I could make the history live for them, the kids,

through men like you, who made it.

Well, Adam, I, uh-- I think you exaggerate my impedance.

After all, I was only one of many.

But you're one of the few still left. You and Sam Chaffee.

Sam Chaffee.

It's been 20 years since I've seen Sam.

You know, Adam, he's a smarter man than I am,

you ought to talk to him.

Well, I've already sent him a letter. But, uh, you I can talk to, so.

I'll tell you what you do, why don't you son of reminisce,

just sort of ramble and start right from the beginning.

I'll take notes.

Well, if, uh-- If you think it will help.

Oh, it will. Believe me.

Well, then, I, uh---...

I first saw this territory about 30 years ago.

I was already in the Army.

I came out here with a surveying party.

Virginia City didn't exist then.

Matter of fact, there was very little evidence of civilization.

Checkmate.

Uncle, you're not paying any attention.

Who can that be?

Hello, Colonel.

Hello, Sam.

It's been a long time.

Nice place you've got here.

Oh, uh...

My niece, Barbara. Mr. Chaffee.

How do you do, Mr. Chaffee?

How do you do?

I knew that brains ran in the Scott family,

it's nice to see that beauty does too.

Thank you.

Sam, would you come into my office, please?

Of course.

Very nice to have met you, Miss.

How have you been, Colonel?

Fine.

I see you've put on a little weight.

I'm eating better than the last time you saw me.

And the California climate agrees with me.

I've got a nice place out there. Nearly as nice as this.

Sam, I told you we should never see each other again.

What did you come here for?

Well, Colonel, you've been doing well and I've been doing well.

I imagine you'd like to keep things that way. I know I would.

But it seems like we may be in for a little trouble.

What trouble?

I got a letter from a man named Adam Cartwright.

Yes, Adam, uh-- Adam told me he was writing you.

Adam is taking my niece's place as school teacher temporarily,

while she recovers from her accident.

I know. He wrote me that.

Also, that he's teaching some local history.

Yes, and it seems that we're about the only two old fogies leftover

from the early days.

He's been asking me quite a few questions about those days.

Is that why you came here, to see Adam?

Out there, I told your niece I knew you had brains.

Have you forgotten how to use them?

What do you mean by that?

Have you also forgotten some of the history we made?

Adam is going to teach historical generalities.

He's not going into personal things.

How do you know?

How do you know that these little gab tests of yours might not inspire him

to dig a little deeper than generalities?

I know.

Besides, he can find nothing, nothing. It's impossible.

Anything is possible.

And I'm not taking any chances.

I like what I've get, how I live.

I don't mean to have it taken away.

Now, you tell this Adam Cartwright

that his little excursion into territorial history is over.

I'm afraid that's going to be difficult.

Not when you consider the alternatives.

I understand you're a friend of these Canwrights.

Well, you better do something, Colonel.

OthenNise, I will.

And I'm not a friend of theirs.

All right. I'll try.

Do more than try, Colonel. Get results.

I'll be staying at the hotel until you do.

Good night, Miss Scott. I'm very pleased to have met you.

Good night, Mr. Chaffee. It was nice meeting you too.

Good night, Colonel. Good night.

Uncle?

Was that the same Mr. Chaffee that Adam was talking about?

Yes. We, uh...

We knew each other a long time ago,

when we were young.

Barbara, I'd like you to do me a favor. Of course.

Tell Adam I don't want any more interviews about the past.

I'm a busy man and it takes up too much of my time.

That's too bad.

Just when Adam was getting so enthusiastic

about the progress he was making.

He said he could even teach the course in another week.

Well, he'll just have to forget it.

Digging into old men's memories is a silly occupation, anyhow.

Did Mr. Chaffee have anything to do with your change of mind?

No. No, no.

He just happened to be in Virginia City on business.

Although he did say that he received a letter from Adam

asking a lot of feel questions.

Like me, he's too busy for that sad of thing, so.

You tell Adam, huh?

Yes, Uncle.

He asked me to speak to you about these interviews, Adam.

He told me to tell you that

he was just too busy to continue with them.

I'm sorry.

I can't understand it, he was so enthusiastic, so cooperative.

I can't either.

Except the night he changed his mind

was the night Sam Chaffee came to see him.

Is Chaffee in town?

Mm-hm.

On business, so my Uncle says. Uh-huh.

Well, no point in my talking to Chafee, either.

I got an answer to my letter.

Among other things,

he said that I was impertinent.

Maybe he did influence your uncle.

Maybe.

That's too bad.

I'll just have to dig into books and documents

instead of getting it firsthand.

I'm sorry, Adam.

Well, it's not your fault.

Well, I'd better be going, I guess.

Good night, Barbara. Good night.

Hello, boys.

Ah, good morning, Colonel. Come in.

Yes, if, uh-- If you have some time.

Recess still has 10 minutes. Good to see you.

Sit down. Thank you.

I hope that you've changed your mind.

Well, no. On the contrary.

Since Barbara tells me that you will persist in your history course,

even without my dubious contributions,

I felt I ought to have this conversation with you.

All right. What's on your mind?

Simply this.

Do you really believe that, uh...

That the parents are interested in having their children

burdened with this extra course?

I doubt if some of the parents give the matter of school courses

any thought at all.

Why, certainly they do, my boy.

They want their children to learn reading and writing

and arithmetic. And?

Well, certainly nothing as useless as a history of the territory.

I wouldn't call it useless, Colonel.

As a matter of fact, I don't think any knowledge

could really be called "useless."

That gets us into a field of academic,

philosophic inquiry that I don't think we ought to go into.

But...

About this little history course of yours.

If you'll drop it, I will consider it a personal tribute

to my mature judgment.

In all good conscience,

I'm afraid I can't do that.

All right, Adam.

Give my best to Barbara.

I'll do that, my boy.

Adam, are you going to get any sleep one of these nights?

I didn't realize how much work I was getting into when I started this course.

How's it going? Fine.

The kids seem to really be enjoying it.

They seem to be taking at home

and their parents are getting interested.

Yeah, there's a lot of talk about it.

As a matter of fact, Colonel Scott dropped by this afternoon

to talk to me about it.

Oh? Yeah, he, uh--

He doesn't seem to be entirely in favor of the whole thing.

He asked me to see if I could get you to drop it.

Funny. He asked the same thing directly, a couple of days ago.

Really? He didn't tell me that.

Did he say why he wanted the course dropped?

I gather he thinks it's a waste of time.

I don't like the idea of Colonel Scott trying to tell a teacher

what he can or cannot teach.

Well, I don't either. And I told him so.

So Colonel Scott has called a meeting of the school board.

He what? Yeah.

For tomorrow night at the schoolhouse.

I wonder why he's going so far over a history course.

Well, maybe we'll find out tomorrow night.

Gentlemen, I'm terribly sorry.

My horse threw a shoe, and-- Sorry we're late.

Oh, just a minute, Adam.

I protest Adam Cartwright's being at this meeting.

I think I should be able to tell my story

without being inhibited by your presence.

I think the board, as well as the whole town,

knows your side of it.

Colonel, Adam and I are members of this board.

Exactly.

And if things get down to a vote,

I think that his vote will be even more prejudiced than yours.

I think you're being a little presumptuous--

That's all right. I'll leave.

The Colonel's right. He should have the freedom to say what he wants.

Gentlemen.

Now, gentlemen.

No one is more interested in the history of this territory than I.

Because, as Adam himself has pointed out,

I was pan of it.

But I believe that history needs the element of time

in order to gain perspective.

OthenNise, it becomes just one man's opinion.

In this case, Adam Cartwright's,

who is not even qualified as a teacher,

but is merely substituting temporarily for my niece.

Now, I should think that a man with no background in teaching

would have his work cut out for him

just drilling the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic,

without trying to teach a new course

that requires extra work from the children,

that interferes with their chores at home.

Well, thank you, Charlie. Good to see you.

Well, am I fired?

Nope.

Although the Colonel tried every which way to have you fired.

What made him lose?

Ah, he...

...made a mistake of putting everything on a personal basis.

He said the board should indulge him

because of what he'd done for the town.

As your advocate, I must say

I made a very effective presentation of your case.

The vote was unanimous for you to be allowed to continue.

You don't seem very pleased about it.

Well, frankly, I'm not.

I'm afraid we've lost an old friend in Colonel Scott.

He's a man who has contributed a great deal to the territory.

Well, you see that's what I don't understand.

If the Colonel has contributed so much to the history of this territory,

then why doesn't he want me to teach it?

I've got every book that's ever been written about this territory.

I've got every document, map, paper, pamphlet, record of reference

I could get my hands on.

You're going to be quite an authority by the time you get through this.

We'll have one friend less but you're sure going to be an authority.

It's funny.

I started out to teach a course in territorial history.

Somehow it's gotten all out of proportion.

Hmm. Well, what--? What made it go out of proportion?

Maybe you ought to re-examine your position.

Adam, are you sure that you're just not annoyed

because the Colonel tried to stop you from doing something

that you set out to do?

No.

I think my position is quite clear.

I just want to teach a simple course in territorial history.

But it doesn't seem to be that simple.

But the answer is here.

Somewhere.

You put in a lot of late nights over these books.

You ought to get some rest.

Goodnight.

Hello, Adam.

What are you doing here so early?

I wanted to talk to you.

About the school board meeting last night?

No.

About, um...

...coming back to my job.

My arm is all better, and...

I see. 50 your uncle did speak to you about the meeting last night.

Adam.

Don't make it any more difficult than it is.

I love my uncle.

I know you do, Barbara.

So the job is yours.

I'll, uh...

I'll finish out the day.

It's Friday. You can take over Monday.

And tell your uncle I'll have my things out by tonight.

You have no idea who they were?

No.

Somebody sent them in, I'm sure.

Hired them, you mean?

I hope they get paid. They earned their money.

I think we all have a pretty good idea who paid them.

We know who it was, don't we? It's Colonel Scott, wasn't it?

Yeah. But we can't prove that.

I've known Colonel Scott for a long time.

Always reasonable and generous,

one of the most respected men in the territory.

I couldn't possibly associate him with this kind of violence.

But, Pa, facts are facts. I think we ought to confront him.

Well.

I'll get it.

Barbara, come on in.

I heard what happened in town.

It's nothing serious.

Nothing more serious than what three hired toughs can do.

Adam, I had no idea he'd go this far.

Barbara, we're not sure who's behind all this.

Oh, aren't we?

He's suddenly become a different man.

We had a terrible argument.

On account of me?

I believe in what you're doing, Adam.

When I told my uncle

that I was going to go continue with the history course

he told me to leave.

To leave? Yes.

I'm going back East, Mr. Cartwright.

I just came over to say goodbye.

What about your school teaching?

I don't know what to do.

Well, you'll go back to teaching. That's what you'll do.

And you'll honor us by staying here until you've get yourself settled.

Oh, I couldn't impose on you.

Well, don't worry about that. You'll earn your keep.

If you're going to continue teaching that history course,

as you said to your uncle,

then I'm going to need your help finishing up my notes.

I thought you had given up.

This beating changed my mind.

Besides, I'm on the edge of discovering something new.

You'll see what I mean when we get into my notes, so.

Why don't we just get started, huh? Come on.

Come in.

Well, hello, Colonel.

This is right neighborly of you.

This is not a neighborly visit, Sam. Oh?

Did you have Adam Cartwright beaten up?

Ha-ha-ha. Well, the funny thing is,

I'll bet the Canwrights figure you did it.

There isn't going to be any more violence, Sam.

I warned you once in the past about violence and you ignored me.

But you took advantage of it all the same, didn't you, Colonel?

Now you listen to me.

I am ready to use this gun any time I have to,

just as I did in the past.

Whether or not I use it on Adam Cartwright, that's up to you.

You get him to shut up and everything's going to be all right.

You can keep your precious good name, and I'll keep what I've got.

Sam, Adam Cartwright doesn't have anything on us.

And even if by chance he did stumble across something, he couldn't use it.

Why, he's too smart a young man to make an accusation without proof.

And there is no proof, Sam, you know that.

You were always the talker, Colonel.

Leaving it to me to do something.

So I am telling you, if Adam Cartwright makes one more speech,

teaches one more class, I'll take care of him my way.

You beginning to see? According to this original land grant,

this line ran from here to there.

But according to the Army survey made by your uncle 30 years ago,

the line runs from hereto here.

It's like a thin pie wedge.

Yes. A thin slice.

But until the mines ran out and the timber was gone,

one of the richest slices in the territory.

And my uncle?

Well, I don't know. He changed the line, but...

...Sam Chaffee filed on it.

My uncle said that he and Mr. Chaffee

were business partners years ago.

Oh, Adam, if we prove that my uncle is responsible for this,

it'll be terrible.

I don't know.

The records are so old and altered they merely point to suspicion.

I don't know if we can prove anything.

Shh.

What is it?

What's wrong? Shh.

What are you trying to do, Charlie, get yourself killed?

Charlie speak you.

Come on in.

Well?

Well, I must have visited every family in Virginia City,

even those without children.

They'll all be at the schoolhouse tonight?

Yep.

And we may also have some trouble tonight.

Maybe worse than there's been.

Well. It's a chance I have to take.

Where's Little Joe?

Other side of the schoolhouse.

Just in case Adam's three friends try something else.

Not a bad idea.

You keep your eyes open this side.

All right.

I'm sorry, Barbara. I understand.

I still love my uncle.

But I guess the truth is more important than my love for him.

Well, I'm afraid I can't judge that.

Maybe the truth will free him. I can't judge that either.

Would you take care of her? Sure.

Adam?

May I, uh--? May I speak with you for a moment, please?

All right, Colonel.

Look, Adam, try to forget all the unpleasantness

that's come up between us lately.

Try to remember the years of friendship

I've had with you and your family.

At first, I've-- I asked you to give this thing up.

Now I am pleading with you. Colonel.

Because if you go through with what you're going to do,

if you besmirch my name without proof,

you could put yourself in a grave position.

I will be forced to seek legal redress.

I'll have to take that chance.

Let me put it this way.

I'm not pleading for myself.

That may be hard for you to believe, knowing all I stand to lose.

But I'm pleading for you, Adam. I'm pleading for your life.

Sounds like a threat, Colonel.

I don't mean it as a threat. But as a warning.

Not in anger but in friendship, I beg you.

I'm sorry, I can't.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please.

You all know what I've been trying to do here as a substitute teacher.

But when I took the job I decided to teach a little history

about the territory, and the men who made that history.

And as I studied, to bring this history into focus, I was opposed.

I couldn't figure out why.

But perhaps, out of human stubbornness,

this made me persist even more.

I talked to a man who was pan of our history.

He told me of a surveying expedition in this territory by an Army party

of which he was a member.

When I finally dug into this, I found the truth.

The young surveyor moved a line on a map.

Just a few inches. But it encompassed a hundred miles.

An accomplice filed on this land.

There was one hitch in their plan.

A small band of Indians lived on the land and claimed it their own.

In the night the village was raided.

Every Indian was killed and buried.

The village was razed.

From the timber and mines of this stolen land,

with murder the price, two men laid the basis of their vast fortune.

Records only hinted at this story.

They were old, altered, destroyed,

but nevertheless, the story was true.

Now, it was not merely a question of a teacher's right to teach,

but of telling or suppressing a truth.

This truth could destroy two men

whose names loom proudly in our history.

And the man who names them

is the man who has waited 30 years to do so.

Thirty years of fear, until tonight.

One man survived the massacre. A brave--

Well, he's dead. The proof is gone.

Is it worth it? Was it worth it 30 years ago?

No.

Please, I have something to say to you.

I was that man.

That surveyor that Adam was talking about.

And that man was my partner.

I did not participate in the extinction of that Indian village,

but I kept silent when I did know about it.

I profited from the land.

Somehow I think in my head, I...

I always knew that one day I would be called into account.

That day is here.

And I will pay whatever you decide...

...it must be.

Well, maybe I was wrong.

Maybe the truth costs too much.

Sometimes it costs a great deal.

But it's always less than the cost of hiding it.

This has been a color presentation

of the NBC Television Network.