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It had been a tough, backbreaking struggle,

but finally the riders had been found,

the stations had been built, and the mail was being moved.

All that summer the Pony Express moved West,

opening new and dangerous trails along the route

that was to unite East and West.

The most dangerous of these trails

passed through the Paiute territory

of Chief Winnemucca.

My concern for the lives of the young riders,

among them my son, Little Joe,

led me to seek a meeting with Winnemucca.

Winnemucca's answer was swift and final.

You tell your Pony men

if they come on my land

I will kill them.

With the Pony riders had come men with big dreams,

like Charles Ludlow.

His partner Curtis Wade also had big hopes,

but he lived in Ludlow's shadow.

Until...

the arrival of Tully.

Mr. Charles Ludlow, my partner.

This is Mr. Tully of the Washington Globe.

Well. It's a real honor, Mr. Ludlow.

But Wade wasn't content to live in his partner's shadow.

I was going through some of Ludlow's files.

I ran into some very interesting reading.

Ludlow's downfall was a bitter blow...

to the Express 's most ardent young rider,

his son, Jabez.

I've always wanted you to be proud of your father.

Proud?

Of What?

Of his failures?

Charles Ludlow made one last desperate effort

to save his dream.

He tried to persuade Winnemucca to sign a peace treaty.

Again, Winnemucca's answer was swift

and final.

Charles Ludlow left us all one thing--

His dream.

And that dream was his legacy--

The Pony Express--

Which is now our responsibility.

We will not turn away from it.

We will not flinch from this task.

God willing...

the Pony Express will flourish and prosper,

memorial enough for any man.

♪♪

Those were good words, Mr. Cartwright.

Thank you, Mr. Wade.

And you were right-- the best thing we can do

for Charles Ludlow is to keep the Express going.

Going through Paiute territory?

Well, that was our decision, wasn't it?

I think we ought to reconsider that decision.

Charles Ludlow tried to make a treaty and got killed.

His death was unnecessary. He should have known better

than to try to deal with Winnemucca alone.

He tried to prevent the death of others.

Or isn't that important to you?

The thing that's important to me, Cartwright,

is to keep the Pony Express going.

Now, if some people get killed in the process,

that's regrettable,

but it's not gonna stop us.

I'll make this thing work.

That's the least I can do for Ludlow.

For Ludlow?

Or for Wade?

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Morning, Mr. Cartwright, Hoss. Morning.

Hoke, Little Joe ought to be back anytime now, shouldn't he?

Right. You aren't worried, are you?

Well, that and a buckskin, friend,

is what is known as a father's prerogative.

It's a wonderful day for fathers at the Pony Express.

My name is Samuel Bernstein.

Aaron's father. How are you? Oh...

Fine, of course. You look wonderful.

My name is Car...

He called you Cartwright. Yes.

So you're Little Joe's father. That's right.

I know you all from my son Aaron's letters.

Ah. He is Herb,

and he is Hokey...

and you...

You're not a rider.

No, I-I wish I could be, Mr. Bernstein.

I'm Little Joe's big brother, Hoss.

Isn't it wonderful?

All over Philadelphia, they don't talk about anything else.

Those boys, riding all the way from Saint Joseph, Missouri,

to the Pacific Ocean.

It's a miracle.

Yeah, that's what it is, Mr. Bernstein,

it's a miracle, all right.

Luck, Hoke.

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

What'd you think of that, Mr. Bernstein?

Ain't that something? Oh, yes.

Any trouble? Yeah, big trouble.

Raid at Indian Wells. Don't ride till I talk to Wade.

Hold my horse for a minute, will you, Jeb?

Oh, Joe, how are you? Fine, Pa. Hoss.

Just a little bit tired.

Uh, Joe, this is Mr. Bernstein.

Aaron's father; came all the way from Philadelphia to see him.

It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.

I got to get inside and talk to Wade. Excuse me. Yeah.

Is something the matter?

Oh, no, no, of course not.

Joe's always in a hurry that way.

My boy...

he should be coming in now.

Ed and Rudy are dead, and the horses are gone.

We can't afford losses like that.

You mean we can't afford to lose men like Ed and Rudy.

I told you boys there was a story here.

Do you think that this will stop

the Pony Express, Mr. Wade?

No, it will not.

Get moving, Herb-- you were due out ten minutes ago.

But if Indian Wells is gone...

Just pace yourself, and make it to the next station.

You're the boss, Mr. Wade.

Cartwright.

I'm sorry about Ed and Rudy.

That mail has got to go through!

Yeah.

I'd rather like to see the departure, Mr. Wade.

In England they say that your Pony Express chaps

are even better riders than the Russian Cossacks.

You've heard correctly, gentlemen.

Right this way, please.

Oh, come, now, Wade, it can't be as bad as you look.

Oh, no?

Indian Wells is the third station I've lost.

We're fighting Indians on a thousand-mile line.

Sioux, Cheyenne, Crows...

and now Paiutes.

But all that makes excellent copy.

"Curtis Wade-- trailblazer, pioneer,

Indian fighter."

You're becoming a very important man, my friend.

And who knows, with a little luck,

you might become an even greater man than Charles Ludlow.

Got plenty of ammunition?

Full box.

Pace him real good-- you got a long haul.

Thanks.

That's my boy.

That's him.

Hey, Aaron! Hey, guess who's here, Aaron!

Your...

Aaron!

Aaron! Aaron!

It's me! It's Papa, Aaron.

Aaron, my boy! Papa!

Oh, you don't know how I was waiting to see you.

Papa, Papa, what are you doing here?

What am I doing here?

What am I doing here? I came to see my son, my boy.

Is that a sin?

No, Papa, no. Oh, stand back,

let me get a good look at...

Your face.

Aaron, what's wrong?

Oh, Papa, it's just a nosebleed. That's all.

Remember when I was a kid, I used to have nosebleeds?

Nosebleeds?

What is a tough Pony Express rider doing with nosebleeds?

Eh, you should hear how they talk

about Samuel Bernstein's son in Philadelphia.

Mr. Cartwright, let's buy our sons a beer.

You go right ahead, Mr. Bernstein.

We'll join you in a few minutes.

Oh, fine, Mr. Cartwright.

Come, Aaron. Come.

We'll have a beer.

You rode all the time, didn't you? Aaron?

Oh---...

What's the matter with Aaron?

I don't know. Riding too many hours

and too many miles, I guess.

He's not the only one. Herb's in pretty bad shape, too.

That Indian Wells station being gone

ain't gonna help matters much, is it?

Yeah, Wade says he's gonna send some more men

out there tomorrow. I don't know where he's gonna get 'em.

Paiutes have raided it twice.

They're sure gonna raid it again.

Like asking a man to ride into Winnemucca's tent.

One thing doesn't change--

Philadelphia, Virginia City--

Beer is beer.

Oh.

Hey, young man.

Are you sure you're old enough to be in a saloon?

Well, I guess if I'm old enough

to ride the Pony Express, I'm old enough

to have a beer in a saloon.

Come on, now tell the truth.

The only time you ever used a razor was to cut out pictures

from The Police Gazette, ain't that right?

Aaron, how long since you known this little boy?

Well, he's a pretty new man, Papa.

He replaced Emmett Carver.

Emmett. Isn't he the one who always made the jokes?

Uh-huh.

Well, what happened? Did he quit?

Well, Papa...

yes, he quit.

Quit?

I thought you told me he was killed by the Paiutes.

Aaron,

this cough, what's wrong?

It's the dust, Papa. That's what... that's what does it.

It'll go away.

It'll be all right, right, Little Joe?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think it's probably just the dust, Mr. Bornstein.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Uh, three more beers for our friends!

Company's here.

Well, looks like you're having a little celebration.

What's the occasion?

We're just having a friendly little beer.

Would you join us?

These riders carry the mail.

It's a dangerous job. They have to be sober to do it.

Well, listen, what about that beer, huh?

How 'bout a toast?

I 'Chaim! It means "to health."

Yeah, to health.

Wade.

What do you want?

I want a job.

A job?

You're gonna need a man out at that Indian Wells station,

and I'm putting in for it.

Now, Indian Wells is the roughest station we have

on the whole Western route.

I know. But I got a little brother and a lot of friends

who are riding through that Winnemucca country.

Least I can do is be out there and see to it

that they got fresh horses when they get there.

All right.

You got yourself a job.

Oh, by the way,

I ordered that station fortified.

We'll have a little surprise for Winnemucca

if he tries to hit it again.

Be out there in the morning.

I'll be there.

Jabez?

Jabez, let me in.

What's happened to you?

You want a drink?

No, thanks.

Well, I do.

Little Joe,

did you ever know a fella that...

killed his own father?

Oh.

Oh, so that's what this is all about, huh?

What, this is the way you make penance?

Penance for something you didn't even do.

Didn't do, huh?

Well, maybe I didn't put the arrows in his back,

but I did it.

Oh, I did it.

So now you sit around in this stinking room

and you booze yourself senseless

and that's how you show how sorry you are?

Well, whatever happened to the Jabez Ludlow

who-who talked about riding the wind?

The guy I used to know, who didn't know what it was to quit?

I'm no good to anyone.

I'm finished.

I can't ride a horse anymore.

I can't ride for the Pony Express, I can't ride

for anyone.

Look at my leg!

The trouble's not with your leg-- it's with your guts!

Come on! Stand up when I'm talking to you!

You sit there and whine

about how much you love your father.

Is this how you prove it?

The Pony Express,

your father's dream,

the dream he gave his life for,

that's still going on.

And, Jabez, it's gonna go on without you.

Well, look at me!

What do you expect me to be able to do?

Well, you can still think! You can still use a gun.

You can still ride well enough to go out to Indian Wells

and help my brother Hoss repair it.

There's a lot of things you can do, Jabez.

If you just had the guts.

You know, you were wrong-- you didn't kill your father.

But you're sure killing his memory.

Joe.

When do you want me to be at...

Indian Wells?

Soon as we get you a cup of coffee.

Billy, Hank, flank 'em.

Wilson, you and the rest of the fellas follow me.

We'll hit 'em head on. Come on.

No. Looks like they're all cleared out of here.

Boy, this place looks like it's been hit by a twister.

It's Herb.

♪♪

Mr. Cartwright.

Mr. Cartwright.

Mr. Cartwright.

All time you not eat.

All time you just look sad.

Listen to this house, Hop Sing.

Listen to the silence of it.

You remember when we built this house, Hop Sing?

This room was filled with so much happiness.

Mrs. Cartwright, Little Joe's mother.

Adam, Hoss.

Little Joe.

They filled this house.

That's what it was built for.

Happiness.

Love.

Family.

Hop Sing not like silence either.

Where's it all gone?

Mr. Cartwright,

I fix you some hot food.

You eat.

Somebody at door.

Um, I'm Curtis Wade.

I'd like to see Mr. Cartwright.

Come in, please.

Mr. Cartwright inside.

Mr. Cartwright.

Ben.

In spite of some of the difference of opinion we've had,

you've always been the best friend and supporter

the Pony Express ever had.

I've tried to help.

Well, I've-I've come to ask your help again.

The Pony Express is in danger of collapse,

and I'm just about at the end of my rope.

I'm almost through, finished.

My riders are exhausted and...

I haven't got enough money to pay them,

let alone hire new riders.

I need ten horses at Indian Wells tomorrow morning,

I haven't got five worth their salt.

I know it,

and the riders know it.

The only thing that's holding the Express together

is the guts of those young kids.

Sit down.

I think I can give you ten, maybe a dozen horses right away.

And a whole lot more by next week,

as soon as they're rounded up.

Well, it isn't the horses alone that, uh...

That mail subsidy still hasn't come through.

I need money, Cartwright. Money.

How much money?

$5,000, $6,000.

I've already put most of my ready cash

into the Pony Express. I...

I've got a ranch to run, a

business that's taken me years to build.

If I give you what's left of my cash reserve,

I'd be putting this whole place in jeopardy.

Well I'm not used to begging, Cartwright.

I came here hoping to keep the Pony Express together.

It may have been easy for Charles Ludlow

to lick your boots, but not for me.

All right, you got what you wanted.

I'm finished.

Wait.

I told you how hard it was for me to give you that money.

I didn't say I wouldn't give it to you.

I've got two sons working for the Pony Express.

There's $5,000 in here.

You can have that

and the horses from the remuda.

Ben, I know I'm not another Charles Ludlow, I...

I can't spin words out of the air

the way he could, but I... Ludlow's dead.

All that remains of him is what you've kept alive--

The Pony Express.

Just so long as you keep faith with that,

and with those young fellas who lost their lives,

I'll keep faith with you.

Mr. Cartwright.

What brings you to town?

Oh, brought some fresh horses for the boys.

Good.

And I'm waiting for my Aaron to ride in. Ah.

That would be him.

Papa.

Papa.

Aaron. Aaron.

Aaron.

Aaron, my son.

He lived and died for our country.

Didn't he, Mr. Cartwright?

Why should I cry?

I should be proud.

That my Aaron

was such a wonderful,

wonderful boy.

♪♪

Mr. Wade, have the Paiutes given your Pony Express

any trouble before? MAN 2: What was the name of the rider,

Mr. Wade? MAN 3:How fast is it gonna take for you...

I don't understand... Gentlemen, please.

Please, Monsieur, can I not get one uninterrupted minute?

We need a good pose.

S'il vous plait.

What do you want my picture for, anyway?

You're becoming famous all along the Eastern seaboard, Mr. Wade.

There's a lot of talk about you as a possible candidate

when the national convention convenes next month.

Oh, that's nonsense.

The Washington newspapers don't think so, Curtis.

Neither does the New York press--

My publisher's betting on you to stampede the convention.

You're the hero of the moment.

The man on horseback.

Look, gentlemen,

I have a big enough job to do right here.

That's the kind of talk that makes headlines, Mr. Wade.

And presidential candidates,

eh, gentlemen?

That all for now, boys. You, too, Mr. Fontaine.

Mr. Wade and I have some private matters to discuss.

But, Monsieur, when will I ever finish?

Patience, my friend. I'll see to it that you get

plenty of opportunity.

It should be done,

the idea-- the man on horseback.

You'll get the opportunity. It should be done.

Well, Curtis, we finally got something going.

You've kept the Pony Express alive

and you're on the verge of success.

But it can all be wiped out in ten seconds.

We've got a Washington lobby fighting for that mail subsidy.

The mail subsidy that will keep the Pony Express going

and your image high on that white horse.

But lobbies cost money.

Lots of money.

I've given you every cent I have.

Well, then you'll have to get more.

That, or just watch everything collapse.

Get more where?

Winnemucca's stopping my riders,

delaying schedules, he's killing men.

My riders are just about beat.

Their horses are dying on their feet.

Since they hit Indian Wells, there've been two more stations

deserted by their crews.

Leaving the supplies and the horses for the Indians.

What do you expect of me?

You've got that money Ben Cartwright gave you.

That's the back pay for my riders.

They haven't seen a dollar in months.

Charles Ludlow weakened,

and his indecision cost him everything.

It cost him his dream.

His reputation.

His life.

Now there's the Pony Express, the subsidy,

and a national nomination at stake.

How much does that mean to you, Wade?

♪♪

Now you're getting smart.

This is how you stay on that big, white horse.

How's it going, Wilson?

Fine, Jabez.

Well, she's all loaded and ready.

Good.

Say, where's Hoss Cartwright?

Oh, went in to Virginia City to get some,

uh, supplies and ammunition. He'll be back tonight.

Mr. Wade had quite an idea

about bringing these cannons out here, didn't he?

He sure did. Those Paiutes should think twice

before they hit us again.

Paiute!

What's that they're dragging?

It's a body.

Are they in range of that cannon?

I think so.

Fire at 'em.

Yes, sir.

Get that cannon down there.

Let's go.

Come on, fellas.

Hold up, whoa.

There it is.

Set that range about 500 yards.

All right,

fire.

Good shot, Wilson.

Load it up again.

Danny, Joe, go after him, we'll cover you.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

It's hard to tell who he is,

dragged through the sand the way he was.

It's Pat.

Hey, this Indian's still alive.

Wait a minute, Jabez. We ain't just got a Paiute, here.

This one's Bear Dance, Winnemucca's son.

Jones.

Go tell Mr. Wade what we got here.

Yes, sir.

Drag him off and tie him up.

Get him, fellas.

When'd that horse of yours make his last run?

Yesterday.

What are you makin' a face for? Yours came in last night.

There he is.

Right on the money. Good luck.

Giddyup.

Joe, watch yourself. There's Paiutes all along the trail.

Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it.

Oh, you'll want to hear this.

A rider just brought it in, it's from Washington.

They've pigeonholed the mail subsidy in committee.

And our friends in Washington don't think there's a chance

in a thousand of even getting the bill out

on the floor in this session.

Why?

We fought Indians and storms.

We brought the mail through.

They know that if we don't get that subsidy,

the Pony Express will die!

There's talk of secession in the South.

Congress is engrossed with bigger matters.

What about all those stories in the magazines and newspapers?

Oh, Wade.

There is nothing more dead than yesterday's news.

Well, I will say this.

Looks like it took a civil war to beat you.

Nobody's gonna stop me.

I put too much into this.

All right.

Then you've got to do something spectacular.

Something that will knock the whole nation down to your feet.

Winnemucc.

Yeah, good old Winnemucca.

He's already made you a famous man.

He might even make you immortal.

Strange, isn't it?

How fate plays with a man's life.

Yeah, but how?

Well, now, you're an old Indian fighter, aren't you?

Whoa.

Oh, hi, Pa. Hoss.

That's eight kegs of powder and 400 rounds of ammunition, Billy.

That ought to do it. Thank you.

Missed you, boy.

Yeah. Missed you, too.

How's it going? Pretty good.

We're turning that relay station into a fort.

I don't think old Winnemucca's gonna fool with us

when he finds out what we've done.

Yeah, we got enough stuff here. Yeah.

You see Joe?

Yeah, earlier this morning,

but he had a noon ride into Sacramento.

Pa, quit worrying about Joe.

He's big enough to take care of himself.

Oh, I keep telling myself that he is.

I guess one of these days, I'm gonna believe it.

Mr. Cartwright?

Hoss. You better get that thing loaded and get out of here.

You're gonna miss all the excitement.

Huh? What excitement?

Mr. Wade just left, took all those newspaper men with him.

There's gonna be a hanging. What?

They got Winnemucca's son out at Indian Wells this morning.

They're gonna string him up.

Sure wish I could go with you.

I got a doggone run in a half hour.

♪♪

Winnemucca's raids have hampered,

but not stopped the Pony Express.

His ruthless attacks on innocent riders

have not diminished our resolve, but strengthened it.

And today, gentlemen,

those raids are gonna come to an end.

The Paiute chief must claim his son's body by sundown,

or lose face before his tribe,

so these sneak attacks'll stop.

We're forcing him out in the open.

And as you can see, we're ready for him.

If he can pull it off,

he'd be the man of the hour, wouldn't he, Tully?

You've got Mr. Wade's word for that.

A patriot's promise.

Curtis Wade is a giant on horseback.

You can use that phrase if you like, gentlemen.

Paiute!

Get that cannon around.

Get inside!

Hold. Hold it. Hold it.

Hold your fire. It's Little Joe.

Run for it, Cartwright. We'll cover you.

I gave Winnemucca my word I wouldn't try to get away.

You don't have to keep your word.

Winnemucca's willing to make a trade.

My life for his son's.

If you're willing to do that, he'll stop making his raids

on the Pony Express, and he'll talk peace.

I'm giving you a chance, Cartwright.

Break and run.

I'm hanging this Paiute.

Wade, didn't you hear what I said?

Winnemucca's willing to talk peace.

Winnemucca's trying to trick us.

Can't you see that?

He doesn't want peace.

He wants his son back alive.

Get ready to fire.

Get ready to fire.

I told you I brought you out here to see a hanging

and the end of Winnemucca.

There it comes.

Wade!

Give me those reigns.

No, you can't do it.

I said, give 'em to me!

No, you're not gonna do it!

You don't have any more guts than your old man.

Haw. Haw. Haw!

Hyah!

Haw! Haw! Haw!

Get out of here!

Oh.

I've got to kill him!

It's a trick. He doesn't want peace.

You mean it's you that doesn't want peace...

to get in the way of your ambitions.

Haw. Haw.

Haw. Haw. Haw.

Haw.

Go home, boy.

♪♪

♪♪

I say, old man, he doesn't look much

like a giant on horseback at the moment.

Does he?

Cheer up, Tully.

There's always another story.

Gentlemen, wait for me.

It's up to you now.

Gonna keep the Express going?

You bet we will.

Great ideas and...

great enterprises don't die easily.

Not when they're built on great dreams

and great courage.

The Pony Express was that kind of great dream.

And the young riders who carried the mail

and bound a continent together provided all the courage.

I think as long as men are alive,

they'll remember and tell tales of those young riders

who blazed their way into the history of our nation.

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.