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Joe, it'll take about a half hour

to fill the rest of this order.

Yeah, that's all right, Bob, take your time.

I'll be back in a little while. Right.

It's pretty tough to get three in a row.

Ah, that's really remarkable shooting, though.

Well, you two fellas must be

about the best gunhands in town, huh?

Yeah, we're pretty good.

There's one better.

Standing right over there.

Now, who's that?

His name's Joe Cartwright.

Hey, Little Joe?

Hi, Pete.

Somebody over there I want you to meet.

Yeah, who is he?

Says he's from St. Louis.

His name's Fitts.

How you doing, Win? Hi, Joe.

This is, uh, Little Joe Cartwright, Mr. Fitts.

Well, it's a pleasure, Mr. Cartwright.

My pleasure, nice to see you.

He'll show you how it's really done.

He's the best in the territory.

Well, it'd be a privilege

to see you in action, Mr. Cartwright.

That-that is if, uh, you don't mind

going along with an Easterner's whim.

You see, I...

I've always been fascinated by the West.

Especially the way you fellas handle your guns.

Yeah, go ahead, Joe.

There's still three bottles left.

Ah, that's what I call a real shooter.

Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me buy you a drink.

All of you.

After a demonstration like that,

I feel I owe you something.

All right, you got a deal, but I'm buying.

All right, whatever you say.

Oh, good morning. Good morning.

Boy, this town sure gets lively on payday, don't it?

Sure does. Well, payday's a good day for everybody.

Yeah, seems like it gets better come night.

Listen, I'd better get to the bank before it closes.

Uh, don't forget to pick up

those spools of new rope we ordered.

Right, right. Hey, Pa.

I'll meet you over at the Silver Dollar.

Little Joe promised to buy us a beer before we went home.

And I don't want to let an opportunity

like that get clean away. Neither do I.

See you in about 20 minutes. All right.

Yes, sir, you boys sure know how to handle a gun.

It was so fast, I couldn't even see it.

Thanks, Sam.

Oh, Dan.

Excuse me.

Whiskey all around. Hey, none for me, thanks.

Well, I'm not much of a whiskey drinker.

Slows you down, huh?

Yeah, to a crawl.

I can understand how it'd be dangerous for a man like you.

You need razor-sharp reflexes.

You find that amusing, sir?

You're a dude, aren't you, mister?

I'm from St. Louis, yes, sir.

Well, you're from St. Louis,

I guess that does make you a dude all right.

These young men have been taking me in hand.

They've been showing me how a six-gun is handled.

Mister, you don't go to a kindergarten class

to learn about a six-gun.

Look, we're just having a nice friendly beer

here in a public bar.

So, why don't you go about your business, huh?

Hey, you're a real tough kid, aren't you?

Yeah, I get by.

Go on.

Uh, show him how many notches you've got on your gun.

Well...

that's the way it's done, isn't it?

One notch for every man that you've killed?

Come on, how many notches do you have?

Go ahead, kid, show him how many notches you've got, huh?

Hey.

Why don't you watch it, mister?

Oh, oh, you're a real tough kid.

Aren't you?

You've got a lesson to learn.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen, please!

Please, this-this bar is too crowded for any gunplay.

Now, take your quarrel outside.

All right.

I'll meet you at the warehouse at the other end of town.

Where you bottle babies were playing.

I'll be there tomorrow morning at 6:30.

I'll be there.

Hey, good boy, Joe. You can take him easy.

Sure, Joe, he's just another old saddle tramp.

Well, you've got yourself

a real gunfight challenge, Mr. Cartwright.

Ah, but I suppose that doesn't bother

a tough young rooster like you, huh?

Just between the two of us,

how many notches do you have on your gun?

Look, will you lay off that stuff now?

Uh-huh, you don't want to brag, huh?

Uh, you fellas tell me.

How many men has the kid got to his credit?

Oh, how many is it now, Joe-- ten or 11?

"Ten or 11"?

Hey, that's really something.

It's Win's idea of a joke.

"A joke"?

Oh.

Well, from the way you fellas were talking before,

I thought...

Oh, I see.

All that, uh,

was just talk, huh?

What do you mean "talk"?

You've seen Little Joe shoot.

Oh, yeah, at bottles, yes.

But it's quite a different thing

when your target can shoot back, huh?

Isn't that right, Mr. Cartwright?

I'm willing to lay a little bet

that Mr. Cartwright won't even show tomorrow morning.

Why don't you shut your mouth?

What's the matter with him?

All I said was that I was willing to bet money

that he wouldn't show at the fight tomorrow, that was all.

Why don't you put money where your mouth is, mister?

How's $5,000?

Can you match it?

I ain't got that kind of money.

Well, how much you got, hmm?

Order any pot.

Well...

30 bucks?

"30 bucks." Yes, sir.

Uh, what's your name, sir?

Uh, Sam Tucker's the name, friend.

Well, I wonder if you'd mind holding the bet,

Mr. Tucker, please?

Why not? Be glad to.

Now, that's $30 that Little Joe doesn't show.

Or if he does,

that the other fella takes him, hmm?

Anybody else want to get in on the action?

Huh? I got $5,000 here.

Hey, Fitts. Who wants to bet on...?

I'll take $50 on Joe Cartwright.

All right, Pete.

That's $50 on Little Joe Cartwright.

Here you are, Mr. Tucker. Anybody else?

$25 on Cartwright. Anybody else?

All right, one at a time.

One at a time...

$20-- I'll bet you $20.

Hey, Tuck?

Hi, Ben.

What's going on here?

Ain't you heard? Heard what?

Little Joe's been challenged in a gunfight in the morning.

What? That fella there is taking bets

Joe won't even show up.

I don't understand it, Pa.

I left him less than an hour ago.

How can he get in so much trouble this quick?

I'm gonna find that brother of yours and find out.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, hold it, hold it!

Hold it, this is all I've got left of the $5,000.

Mr. Tucker has all your bets written down.

And the last of this money goes for drinks on me.

So step up.

Don't worry, honey.

Business will pick up later tonight.

Oh, oh, no.

I-I wasn't worrying about that.

Something else.

That fella at the bar?

Yeah.

I knew him a long time ago.

He didn't seem very happy seeing you.

What's his name?

Dan Taggert.

I really don't know

why I should even bother about it.

I mean, after all, it's been a long time ago, and...

it's dead and forgotten.

But, uh,

I guess a girl never really forgets a man

that she...

that she knew when she was young and...

Does she, Martha?

She does if she's got good sense.

I need a black king.

Well?

Not a thing, Pa.

Pa, it just don't make sense.

It's got to be some sort of mistake.

Well, there's been a mistake, all right.

It was your brother who made it.

Well, you check and see if he's been to the general store.

I'll-I'll ask down at the blacksmith's.

Pa, there's got to be some sort of explanation.

Let him make it.

First of all, let's find him. Check in there.

Pa?

What?

He ain't over there.

Reckon he could've headed back to the ranch?

Oh, I don't know.

He's certainly got this town in an uproar.

You know what that blacksmith wanted to do?

What?

He wanted to give me odds on the gunfight.

You go up to the bank, see if he's there.

I'll check in at the warehouse.

He should've been finished loading that wagon an hour ago.

He should've been doing a lot of things this afternoon.

All he succeeded in doing is getting himself

into a peck of trouble.

I'll meet you back here. Yes, sir.

Well, I guess that's it, Joe.

All right.

Thank you. All right.

Well.

Been looking all over for you.

Do you realize you have this whole town in an uproar?

Do you know what's going on at the saloon?

Yes, sir, I know.

Well?

Oh, it's just a little misunderstanding, that's all.

Oh, "just a little misunderstanding, that's all."

A gunfight is "a little misunderstanding."

Now, what's it all about?

Ah, a fella over in a bar gave me a hard time,

and I lost my temper.

You lost your temper.

I-I'll take care of it.

And how do you propose doing that?

Well, I'll go, I'll go over to the hotel,

and I'll apologize to him.

All right.

As soon as you've done that,

you get yourself up to the Ponderosa and stay there.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir, that's clear.

I'll be home as soon as I can.

Maybe I ought to go with you just to make sure.

I can apologize to him alone, I promise.

Then I'll be home.

Hey, Joe, we've been looking all over for you.

You ought to see the action over at the Silver Dollar.

Old Sheriff Coffee'd have a fit if he were here.

Everybody in town's betting their pay on you.

Yeah, one pull of that trigger, boy,

it's gonna make us all rich!

Why don't you two grow up?

What do you mean, "grow up"?

We bet our pay on you, Joe.

Hey, uh, I mean, you are gonna show up, aren't you?

No, I'm not gonna show up.

You think I'm gonna have a gunfight over nothing?

But he challenged you and you said you'd meet him!

So what?

Well, like Pete said, we all got our pay on you.

All right, fine, maybe you two will know better next time.

Hey, Joe, look, I mean, all the...

you know, all your friends, the hands at the ranch,

the people you know, they're all betting on you!

You don't, you don't show up,

and you know what they're gonna say.

What? That I'm scared?

Look, I don't have to prove anything

to the people in this town.

You still got to live here.

If you don't show up,

you know, people are gonna talk.

I mean, they're gonna say you're a coward.

You know that that's what everybody's gonna say.

Well, Little Joe.

You're still around.

I thought perhaps you would've deemed it,

uh, advisable to stay away from town for a few days.

Ah, but, uh, perhaps your friends inside are right.

You do have courage.

Just what's your game, Fitts?

"Game"?

Oh, uh, the bets.

Yeah, "the bets."

Well, I just know a sure thing when I see it.

A chance to pick up a little quick money as they say.

On my life or the other man's?

Well, look, I didn't start the fight.

You did.

Ah, this code that, uh,

you all live by out here.

It's very honorable.

Very noble.

And very stupid.

Why shouldn't someone make a good use of it?

Well, there isn't gonna be any fight.

Fine.

I win either way.

And you lose

either way.

Yes, it's quite simple.

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be on the stage to San Francisco,

and you'll either be dead

or disgraced.

Good day, Mr. Cartwright.

♪♪

Joe? Yeah, Mr. Felger.

Is what I hear right?

Uh, you're going to be in a gunfight?

Who told you about that?

It's all over town.

Everybody's talking about it.

I even put a few dollars on you myself.

Yeah, you're a great big hero now, Joe.

Look, Joe.

I got something here you could use.

Well, I've already got a holster, thanks.

Joe?

Not like this.

I make it up special for some fella last year.

He never come back to pick it up.

I think maybe he got himself killed.

I'd let you have it for a very good price.

No, thanks.

Joe?

This is special.

It can't grab or bind.

It's got a spring inside.

As soon as you

touch the gun, it pushes it right up in your hand.

It'll maybe give you an edge

of half a second, Joe.

I'm not interested.

Joe, it could make all the difference in the world

for just a few dollars!

I told you I'm not interested.

Yeah?

Mr. Tagger-t?

I wanted to talk to you.

All right, talk.

Look, the whole thing that happened in the,

the bar this afternoon, we both lost our tempers.

Why don't we just call it that and forget it, huh?

You trying to make a fool out of me, kid?

Look, mister, I'm trying to square this thing, you know?

It was just a spilled drink, nothing more.

Certainly not worth a shooting.

I made my play, boy.

In public.

I'll be at that warehouse in the morning.

Oh, come on, this doesn't make sense.

The whole thing is ridiculous.

Is it?

You may be willing to let this town call you a coward, boy.

But I'm not.

Nobody calls me a coward, mister.

You just be there.

Now, beat it.

Ah, what do you want?

To see you.

All right.

You've seen me.

Dan, may I come in?

It-It's been a long time.

Drink?

You do drink?

Or only, uh,

only professionally?

I drink when I'm asked if I want to.

Dan?

They say that you're going to fight that boy.

They're right.

Why?

Well, I like to fight.

Oh, what's happened to you?

Look, I didn't ask you any questions, did I?

We're ten years older.

And 20 years wiser.

Or are we?

Why did you come up here?

To talk for the kid?

No.

Look, just drink your drink and get out.

Forget that you ever saw me again.

Dan, look at me!

It's too late.

Now, just get out!

Sally?

Sally, wait.

Sally, I...

I'm sorry.

I-I really am sorry, Sally.

It's been so long.

I haven't forgotten a moment.

I don't,

I don't know what you ever saw in me.

Even

I saw the most handsome man

I ever knew.

And the nicest.

And I... I was...

You were beautiful.

So beautiful.

I remember the first time I ever saw you.

It was at a church social

with your ma and pa.

You were hiding behind a...

a great, big caramel fudge cake.

Remember?

That silly cake, how could I forget?

What happened to us?

Why didn't you come back?

I was coming back, Sally.

I was coming back with the Parsons.

Your father's three hired guns met us.

Parson told me to, to leave.

At least until he had a chance to talk to your pa.

Well, I rode.

I rode for two days trying to lose him.

But they followed.

When I hit a town, I...

I got drunk.

Real drunk.

That night I killed my first man.

After that, how could I come back?

With a posse on my neck?

Oh, Dan, I didn't know.

I---

I-I didn't know.

I heard about you.

And how your pa and the whole town

chased you out like you was,

like you was an animal.

Dan, that town didn't matter.

None of that mattered to me.

I-I just wanted you.

I... I looked for you.

I looked all over for you.

I... I couldn't find you.

I looked for you, too, Sally.

I looked.

And the more I couldn't find you, the more I...

well, the more I drank and the more I killed.

Oh, Dan, don't.

It's over.

Is it?

Then why are you here?

Why are you here like this?

Painted up like that?

Dressed like that?

Why am I here?

Don't you see what we've become?

Dan, I love you.

I've always loved you.

And I've waited.

I---

Sally, I wish,

I wish we could...

No...

Oh, Sally.

Hey, Joe.

Hey, buddy, did you talk to that feller?

Yeah, I talked to him.

Well, what'd he say?

I'd rather not talk about it.

What do you mean you'd rather not...?!

Come on, leave me alone, will you, Hoss?

Joe?

Joseph?

He didn't feel like talking, Pa.

He went up to bed.

0h?

Did he talk to that fella in town?

Yeah, but I...

don't think he had much success from the way he acted.

Oh, well, we'll just find out.

«Joseph?

Did you, uh, talk to that fella in town?

Yeah, I talked to him.

Well, what did he have to say?

He wouldn't accept my apology.

I have no choice now.

You "have no choice"? What does that mean?

You have no choice except to go into town

and get yourself killed tomorrow morning?

Yeah, that's right.

Well, what kind of sense does that make?

Well, it doesn't make sense. None of it makes sense.

But what do you want me to do-- just turn and walk away from it?

Yes, just turn and walk away from it.

That takes courage, too.

There's no dishonor in that.

I can't do that.

You can't... Do you realize what those so-called friends

of yours are doing in town?

They're placing money bets on your life!

Pa, that's got nothing to do with it!

Now, you listen to me, young man.

I don't want you to have anything to do with it.

Just forget the whole thing.

I'm a little old to be talked to like that.

Then act your age.

You stay here tomorrow.

He'll ride out of town and the whole thing will be forgotten.

Is that understood?

So, what happened, Pa?

"What happened?"

There's not gonna be any gunfight.

That's "what happened."

♪♪

Pa?

Everything's gonna be all right.

Don't worry.

Hoss?

If this was 30 years ago,

and I was Little Joe...

...I know what I'd be doing tomorrow.

Yeah.

I know what you'd be doing, too, Pa.

And that, that's what makes that rub so tough, ain't it?

You'd be going through with it.

Yeah, foolish as it might be, I'd be going.

I was just up there

telling him that he couldn't go.

Five years ago, I'd have locked the door on him.

Kept him in his room.

That's treating him like a child.

He's a man.

And I'm afraid for him.

I'm afraid for him, too, Pa.

He's your son.

But he's my brother.

Hey, Pa?

How would it be if,

if I went up and talked to him?

You can try.

Well... I Will.

Let's go get some sleep, huh?

I'll be up in a bit.

Yes, sir.

Good night, Pa.

Joe, may I come in?

Yeah, come on.

I was just downstairs talking to Pa.

He seemed pretty upset.

Yeah, I know.

Thought I'd come up and see if you wanted to talk.

I guess everything's been said

that there is to talk about.

Yeah.

That feller really rode you pretty hard, huh?

Yeah, he sure did.

Well, dad-burnit,

I know how you feel.

Man just naturally hates to get his pride hurt.

But, dad-burnit, Joe,

it ain't worth getting killed over.

No more lectures, huh?

I'd been through that already tonight.

Hey.

Maybe if I went into town, got my hands on that yahoo,

he wouldn't be so happy to get himself in a gunfight, huh?

Yeah, brother, that's all I need--

To have you go in town to fight my battles for me.

That'd really fix me up.

Dad-burnit, Joe, you...

you're my little brother.

If anything was to happen to you, I'd...

Yeah, don't worry, nothing's gonna happen to me.

You mean, you might not go through with it?

I just don't know yet.

I got to, got to think on it a little while.

You can see that, can't you?

Yeah, dad-burnit, I can see it.

I can understand it.

But I don't like it none.

Thanks.

For what?

For being my brother.

Don't they ever go home?

It's paynight.

What time is it?

About midnight.

Yes.

Don't.

Not yet.

Paynight is a big night, Dan.

Don't.

I don't like hearing you talk that way.

I have to live.

Like that?

Isn't there anything else you could do?

I took what I could get.

Oh, stop it!

I don't want you to go down there.

With those drunken pigs!

Sally?

Don't leave.

I don't want to be alone.

Stay with me.

Oh, Dan.

Just talk to me.

All right.

I'll stay.

Listen to 'em down there.

It's the same in every town.

A Roman circus.

Give them a killing, a hanging,

a shooting.

They all turn into animals.

♪♪

♪♪

Sally?

It's daylight.

Oh, Dan.

Is it time?

Oh, Dan!

0h!

You'd better go now.

Oh, please, Dan, don't.

I'll be leaving town in about an hour.

One way or...

Or the other.

I don't want you out there.

Do you understand?

No.

No.

0h!

You're still so beautiful.

Come on, now.

♪♪

Who's the girl?

It's none of your business.

You've been up all night again, haven't you?

Probably boozing it up with that...

Shut up!

What's gotten into you, Tagger-t?

You know, you're getting jumpier every day.

I'll tell you what's gotten into me.

I'm sick of you.

I'm sick of me.

Of the stinking things I do.

"Sick," huh?

Well, just remember what you were

when I picked you up in Denver.

At least I was clean.

"Clean"?

You were a two-bit gunfighter

turning yourself into a bottle of booze.

Someday I'm gonna put a fist right into that mouth of yours.

Or a bullet through that fat skull.

Now, just take it easy, Taggert.

You get everything you want.

You get all the money you need.

You got an easy life.

All I have to do is commit murder for it.

Do you know what it's like, killing a man?

You think it gets easier, don't you?

You're a coward, Fitts.

You've never faced a man in your life.

Talking to you is like,

it's like a rabbit trying to explain speed to a snail.

That kid came up here last night.

Trying to square it.

Came to me trying to square it.

Imagine that.

Poor kid.

He's gonna get killed.

Just to make you richer.

You'd better watch out, Taggert.

Or it might be you.

If you don't stop belting that stuff.

Yeah, you're right.

Could be me someday.

Some night.

Some ugly morning.

I'm gonna meet some punk kid who's gonna take me.

That'll be the end of it.

Every crummy little town's got a Boot Hill

for bums like you and me.

Decent people, one place.

Bums in Boot Hill.

Rocks instead of flowers.

Oh, don't worry, Harry.

I'm gonna shoot that Cartwright kid as straight

and as fast as I can.

Hey, Pa?

What?

Little Joe's gone.

Saddle the horses.

That kid.

Why did you have to pick that Cartwright kid?

One of those other two would've been just as good.

More like the usual loudmouthed clod you always get.

Because that Cartwright kid has quite a following.

It made it easier to take their money.

Yeah, maybe a lot easier

than it'll be to take him.

You don't really think he'll show, do you?

He'll show.

Pride.

Pride, that's what does it.

That's what roped me in.

The great code of the West.

Face your man or sell out your self-respect.

Yeah, that's what gets us all.

Well, don't tear it down.

It's made us a lot of money.

You as well as me.

The only difference is that I do the killing.

It's 6:10.

You'd better let me be there for five minutes

before you show.

Good luck.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Morning, Mr. Taggert.

Well, gentlemen, Little Joe Cartwright

has just three minutes before he forfeits.

Three minutes, gentlemen.

Hey, Fitts, what's he trying to do?

What? That is not the same gun rig

he was wearing yesterday, pal.

You'll have to ask him, friend.

I just take the bets.

And you're about to forfeit the whole thing.

Two and a half minutes, gentlemen.

There he is! There's Joe Cartwright!

♪♪

It's all there, Joe!

There's the list!

You're the winner,

you pay the boys off!

Give me my $400!

You think it was really worth it?

♪♪

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.