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Good to have you back with us, boys.

Bunks four and five, same as usual.

Name's Monk Slavin.

You ever work roundup this part of the country before?

Lassiter's, last year.

Oh---...

Well, Lassiter's hiring on men.

Why didn't you go back there?

Well, I had a little trouble.

'Tweren't nothing.

Something about cutting up a man, wasn't it?

Just an Indian.

You better look someplace else. We'll pass.

All right, that'll be bunk 14.

Howdy, Mr. Cartwright.

Hello, Goliath. How are you?

Goliath. Fine.

Didn't know that horse of yours was still alive.

You, uh, want to get on him and find out?

No, sir. I'll take your word for it.

Good to have you back, Goliath.

Goliath, you'll be in bunk 15.

Hey, where's your teeth?

Oh, uh... they're right here.

How come you don't have 'em in?

Well, it gets lonesome on the trail, you know.

I got to have somebody to talk to.

That Goliath.

That toothless old cuss'll never change, will he?

Hey, Dave, good to see you.

You'll be in bunk 18. You'll be riding point.

Next.

Oh.

Howdy.

Had a rough night?

Oh, no, uh...

I've been treatin' this cold.

Hmm.

Well, I, uh...

sorry, I don't think we can use you this trip.

Mr. Cartwright, wait a minute.

Uh, my name is Wharton.

Russ Wharton.

I'm Mary Farnum's husband.

Mary and me...

been travellin' back from Oregon.

I need-I need this job.

Where's Mary?

Comin' along behind.

Drivin' the buckboard.

How about it,

Mr. Cartwright?

I-I really need the job.

You'll find a cabin for married couples back of the bunkhouse.

Thanks.

Wharton.

I'll be in to see you once you're settled in.

Tell Mary.

Well, we're beholden to you.

Poor little gal.

Don't look like she did too well for herself, does it?

Well, he's a booze fighter.

You're not gonna get any work out of him.

Come in.

Oh, Ben.

Oh. Oh, Ben, it's been so long.

Yeah, it sure has been.

Too long.

You know, when... when your husband told me

that you'd come back to the Ponderosa,

I... I just couldn't believe it.

It sure is good to have you here.

Yeah, it sure is.

I don't know...

I don't know what to say.

Well, you, uh...

Just don't say anything.

Mary, I, uh...

I'd have come up north, you know, when...

when your pa died, but...

we didn't hear for an awful long time.

Nine years ago now, isn't it?

Right after I married Russ.

I think that that's all that kept Pa alive,

was waiting to see me safe.

Quite a young woman.

Married lady.

Mary, uh...

...what happened with the ranch?

Everything was going fine, for a while.

Russ had things going real good.

But... I...

Everything started to go wrong.

Russ is a good, hard worker, Uncle Ben,

but even he couldn't cope with it.

You can understand that.

Of course.

But, uh...

you could have written.

I know.

As Pa always said,

"Share your joys but...

keep your troubles to yourself."

Oh.

Ben, thank you for taking us in.

Now, Mary, you... you don't thank a rancher

for taking on extra hands at roundup time.

You know better than that.

Would you have hired him

if you hadn't felt sorry for me?

Oh, M-Mr. Cartwright. Oh.

Say, you know, I-I was just looking for you.

Uh...

Mary, darling, why-why don't you go and make

Mr. Cartwright some coffee. Oh, no, no, no.

It's all right. I was just... I was just, uh, just leaving.

Thank you. Uh, what did you want to see me about?

Well, uh, you understand that ordinarily

I-I would never ask this, but...

Russ.

Oh, no, it's all right, Mary.

Well, you see, um...

we had to push so hard in order to get here

that we...

we ran out of supplies.

And so I was wondering if,

uh, perhaps you couldn't, uh,

advance us a few dollars.

There's actually no need for that.

You can get all the supplies you want from our storeroom.

Any one of the hands'll tell you where it is.

I'll, uh, get along now. You...

You know where I am if you need me.

Mr. Cartwright.

Look, uh...

I got to have a few dollars.

Oh, not-not for me, but, uh...

The fact is...

tomorrow's Mary's birthday.

Don't you remember that I've never once failed

to send Mary some little remembrance on her birthday?

Which I figure is about three months away.

All right, look, what-what's a few dollars to you?

I'll... I'm gonna earn it.

Not if you're drunk, you won't.

Hey, watch that little dogie there.

Hyah! Hyah.

Get over there.

Get over there.

Get over there.

Hyah!

Hup. Ha. Whoa.

Bunch 'em up at the dry bed and turn 'em south.

Hyah! Hyah.

Well, we've had a good head count so far, Pa. Mm.

They're the best-looking calves we've ever had.

We better start branding pretty soon.

Yeah, they are pretty good-looking.

Wish we weren't so Shorthanded.

How's Russ Wharton doing?

Well, you might as well know the truth, Pa. He...

He didn't even show up at the chuck wagon at noon.

He just... just rode off somewhere, I don't know.

Hey, Goliath, come on in. Howdy, Little Joe.

How's it going? Pretty good.

Hello, Goliath. Coffee?

No, uh...

I just come to tell you...

well, I just come to tell you the bunkhouse has been robbed.

Well, what's missing?

Six dollars from Charley Drake and...

a bottle of whiskey from me.

You sure? When I'm missing a bottle of whiskey,

Mr. Cartwright, I'm sure.

Well, let's have a look.

Cartwright, Cartwright.

That's all I heard from you since the day I married you.

Huh? No, Russ!

Now, don't you think I know

why you wanted me to come here? No.

Russ, no!

Don't, Russ. You did it.

Russ, no! I'll tell you why you did it.

No. Listen to me. To show me up.

Now, that's why! Yeah! No!

Cartwright's wealth.

No.

Ooh!

Now, you're through.

Get your things and get out.

Go fetch the doctor.

Sure.

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah!

Hyah! Ha!

Hyah!

Whoa. Come on.

Oh.

Yeah. Hyah! Oh.

Hmm. Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

What's that? That's not coffee.

No more coffee.

Hot chocolate at nighttime.

Missy say make you sleep better.

Oh.

Oh, everything much better since you here, Missy Mary.

Here, let me do that. Huh?

Please.

Oh. What's the matter?

Oh, nothing. I was just a little stiff.

Doing a little roping today,

and I guess I'm not quite used to it.

Now, just lean over a little bit, all right?

All right.

Yeah, it feels good.

Oh, yeah.

You just keep that up, and I...

I may fall asleep sitting straight up.

Well, why don't you?

Hop Sing, you really outdid yourself tonight.

Uh, you no thank Hop Sing.

You thank Missy Mary.

She is a very fine cook.

Everything she touch tastes just a little bit better.

Yeah, it sure does.

Thank you, Hop Sing.

It's a fine idea have lady in this house.

Everything is much better.

Hey, you know, it takes somebody pretty special

to get into Hop Sing's kitchen. Yeah.

Sure does. The last time I was in there,

he took a meat cleaver after me.

I think he still thinks of me as a little girl.

Uh, we'll have dessert in the living room.

Why don't you go in and stretch out and relax?

Sounds good. That's fine.

All right, now where is she?

People in town--

Now, they told me about your new housekeeper.

You think I don't know what's going on here?

Look, uh, Wharton,

why don't you get yourself sobered up,

and then you can come back to me,

and I'll listen to every word you have to say?

Uh, I want... Now, listen to me. Come on. Come on.

I want my wife!

Oh, you're... No.

Mm.

Come on, you're going with me.

Oh, come on. We...

We-we don't need them! Come on!

Now, here. Let go. Ben...

Hey, get... Ben!

Ben, I got to go with him. Please.

I can't let you go with him. Listen...

Get your hands... No!

Please. Mary, you can't... you can't go to him

in this condition. Now, you go back into the kitchen.

You better take him to the sheriff's office.

Oh, I-I can stand.

Thank you. Wait a minute.

You know, I'm-I'm gonna get her back, you know.

If I have to kill you to do it.

Well, unless you straighten yourself out, Wharton,

that's exactly what you'll have to do.

Whoa.

I brought you your horse.

How-how come you didn't press charges?

Keeping you in jail is not gonna do any good.

You got to straighten yourself out.

Yeah, and meanwhile, you can tell my wife

what a mistake she made marrying me.

Is that it?

You've done a pretty good job of telling her that yourself.

Here's your wages.

Hey, what-what's this for, to buy me off?

Well, it won't work.

She's my wife,

and when I leave here, she leaves with me.

You're sober now.

I'm telling you sober.

Number one, whatever it is you're thinking,

you get that right out of your mind.

And number two,

you try hurting her again,

and you'll really deal with me.

♪♪

Well, look who's here.

Must be slim pickings all over.

Give us a couple of beers, Cosmo.

Howdy, Mr. Lassiter.

The name's Slavin.

Monk Slavin. Remember me?

Yeah.

Buy yourself and the rest of those saddle tramps a drink.

Wow.

Thanks, Mr. Lassiter.

Hey?

Who's he?

He owns the Big I.

You're not gonna ask him for a job?

Why not? They're all short of hands.

Oh, come on, don't kid yourself.

You're marked bad just like the rest of us.

Mr. Lassiter?

Can you use a good hand?

Yes, I could.

All the good ones are working.

Look, I really want a job.

Then there's one wide open for you.

More than 20 miles of public land

past the ranch boundaries.

We all lose 50 to a 100 strays there every year.

There's a dollar a head bounty for every calf you bring out.

Two dollars a steer.

You want a job, make one.

If you mean what you say about paying that bounty,

I'm gonna try.

Suit yourself.

I'll pay.

So will the others.

So, you're gonna go rounding up strays, huh, Mr. Wharton?

It pays good money. What's wrong with it?

Oh, there's nothing wrong with it.

Nothing at all.

Except scrub and rock slopes

that'll kill your horse in a day.

And half crazy steers

that you have to climb up and drive down by foot.

And when you get mounted up, you've lost him again.

That is if you haven't broken your neck by then.

Oh.

What do you know?

Mr. Wharton's gonna go bounty hunting and strike it rich.

Lovely night.

Oh, say, I, uh... Mm.

I want to thank you for that, uh...

oh, the comforter that you're making for me.

I think it's gonna be real nice and-and very warm.

It's gonna be... Well, I'm gonna get a lot of use out of it.

Oh, that's very sweet.

I've been, uh, thinking

about making a couple for the boys, too.

Mary, you're just gonna spoil us rotten.

I like spoiling you.

Yeah, I guess that maybe that's a woman's reason for living.

I don't know. Somebody to spoil.

Ben...

being here with you

and Little-Little Joe and Hess...

well, I don't know

how to tell you what it... what it is I want to say. It...

You don't have to say anything.

Oh, no, no, please. I want to.

Th-There's a religion

where they believe that when a person dies,

he's born again.

Well, that's what's happening with me.

Being here with you,

all the love and affection one can feel around here...

a sense of security.

Well, that's-that's good.

Well, it's-it's like what I used to feel

when I was a little girl back home.

Ben, I can't go back to...

to humiliation and...

No, I just can't.

I've made up my mind.

I know what I have to do.

I want to see a lawyer.

I want to divorce Russ.

That's a...

that's a big step.

No.

Not when the love you once had for a man has...

died.

You sure it has?

I know what love is, Ben.

I know it very well.

It's what I want.

It's what any woman wants.

But, Ben, I can't find...

comfort and forgetfulness in a bottle

the way Russ is doing.

I just hope that you...

that you're doing the right thing.

I'm not a child.

I'm not going to just...

rush into anything.

Well, that's good. Then that means

you don't have to rush into a divorce.

No.

No. No, I don't suppose I-I do.

Then you'll wait?

If that's what you think is best.

I think it would be a-a wise decision.

Howdy.

Hey, Joe!

Well, what are you doing over this way?

The food's a lot better at your wagon.

It sure is, isn't it?

I'll tell you, that Hop Sing...

Oh. Thank you, Wong.

Mmm. Hop Sing got his cousin over here.

He was afraid the other fella was gonna poison me.

Hey, I ran into Ed Lassiter up on the line.

Oh, yeah? Said Russ Wharton's collecting strays for bounty.

He's bringing in quite a few of 'em, too.

Hmm. Huh.

That's good news.

That means he's sober.

Maybe he's getting some sense into him.

Yeah, means he's getting some money, too.

I hope he doesn't start drinking and come gunning for you again.

You know, Joe,

now, a fella, all alone,

working hard,

gives him time to think.

Just hope you're right.

♪♪

Well...

looks like you took my advice.

You gonna buy the house a drink?

Whiskey.

♪♪

Did you find any Ponderosa strays?

I hear tell Ben Cartwright's got one of yours.

You mention my wife again and I'll kill you.

Whoa, what...

Hello there, Ben.

Well, hello, Ed.

Good to see you. I'll bet you're about as happy as I am

roundup's almost over.

Yeah, the days get pretty long, don't they?

Oh, they sure do.

Who you shipping outwith this year?

Oh, Mike Yates, same as usual.

Just signed the papers at the lawyer's.

Well, that's what I'm here to do. Yeah.

I'm running kind of late.

I better get started, I guess.

See you, Ed. Yeah.

Say, Ben. Huh?

You hear that, uh,

Russ Wharton's been, uh, rounding up some strays for me?

Yeah. Yeah, I did hear that.

I hear he's been doing a pretty good job for you, too.

He's doing a good job for everybody, Ben, not only me.

Mm-hmm. Well, I'm-I'm glad to hear that.

Ben, I, uh... I'm not much for gossip,

but, uh, talk is that there's bad blood between you two.

Well, Y...

Yeah, we-we had a few words.

Not many secrets in Virginia City.

Word is that, uh,

Wharton's wife is staying with you.

Never tried to keep that a secret.

No.

No, of course not.

I'll, uh, see you later, Ben.

I'm gonna take a walk.

Oh, Mary. Uh... Mmm.

Do you mind if I come along with you?

No, I'd love it.

There's something I'd like to discuss with you.

Won't be too long.

This is a good cookie.

They sure are.

Howard Thurber tells me that...

you were in to see him.

I was, uh, hoping that...

you'd talk to me before you went to see a lawyer.

I didn't talk to you because I...

I knew that, well, you'd only try to talk me out of it again.

Well, uh...

There might be a reason that I might.

Uh, I bumped into a friend of mine today,

Ed Lassiter, rancher.

We were talking about Russ.

Russ is doing some work for him.

Rounding up strays.

And he's doing a good job for him, too.

But no.

He's done this before.

He-He's worked for a couple of days

and then, well, it never leads to anything.

Well, I thought you should know

that Russ is...

well, seems to be trying to pull himself together,

set himself up on his two feet.

And I...

I sure hate to see you...

do anything to put you in a corner

without being able to get out.

Oh, Ben, look, I'm-I'm sorry.

I-I've made up my mind.

I just would rather not talk about it,

if you don't mind.

Look,

Ben, why don't we just enjoy a-a nice walk.

Please?

Come on.

Now, if you'd have been counting the shots,

you'd have known this gun is empty.

I don't like a gun pointed in my direction, empty or not.

What are you doing here? This isn't Ponderosa land.

I checked that.

I, uh,

heard you were rounding up strays for the bounty.

Yeah.

None of those are yours. I don't touch your cattle.

Why not?

We pay the same bounty as anybody else.

I don't like your money, Mr. Cartwright.

How's my wife?

She has a roof over her head.

Oh, and that's more than I was able to give her,

is that what you're saying?

Well...

you asked the question. You answer it.

IWIII.

In due time.

The, uh, reports are that you're doing pretty good at this.

That the best thing you got to do with your time,

getting reports on me?

I got work to do.

What about Mary?

Any word for her?

Yeah.

Yeah, tell her I'm, uh,

glad she's got a roof over her head.

Well, I'll tell you,

when this roundup is over I'm gonna sleep for three days.

Yeah, well, the roundup's not over yet.

We better grab a little shut-eye right now. Right.

Good night. Good night, now.

Good night, good night.

Good night. See you in the morning.

They're wonderful boys, Ben.

Yes, they are.

I'm a very fortunate man.

You know something, Ben,

I envy you very much.

You know something, I envy you very much.

You have a whole wonderful life ahead of you.

I wish I could believe that.

Mary...

I saw Russ today.

Is he, uh,

is he all right?

I saw a man

who you once told me about.

A man with pride and dignity.

Oh, the pride

was a little wounded,

and maybe there was a dent in the dignity,

but it was all there.

Russ is working hard,

day and night.

He's doing well.

I know he's proud of that.

And he hasn't taken a drink.

And he won't.

Mary, look, I, uh...

I don't know what discussions

you've had with your lawyer, but...

...I sure hope that they haven't gone so far

that you can't change your mind.

I don't want to change my mind.

Oh, Mary.

It's too late, Ben.

Don't you... don't you realize that?

♪♪

I love...

being here with you.

I've been happier than I've-I've been in years.

Well...

Mary, I... What?

What?

Mary, I-I want you to be the happiest

young lady in the world.

And...

I want for you...

Yes?

...everything...

that I could want for my...

own daughter.

Oh.

Y-Your... daughter.

Well, I...

I guess I've...

I've really made a fool of myself, haven't I?

No, Mary, you...

you could never make a fool of yourself with me.

Thank you.

Wharton.

What do you want?

Lawyer fella gave me two dollars

to give you this.

Ain't no love letter.

It's from your wife.

See you later, Hop Sing.

Hop Sing glad roundup over.

Now you eat all meal regular time again.

Yeah, we'll all be home for supper tonight.

Good.

Russ.

Come to see Mary?

I want to see you.

I-I'm gonna be leaving here.

There's a few things

that I wanted to say before I go.

And one of them's a... comes a little hard.

Thanks.

And...

tell her that I'm sorry.

Tell her you're sorry.

Nine years of married life

and all you can say about it is that...

you're sorry.

Well, what's a man supposed to say?

Well, I don't know.

I imagine he could say quite a few things like, uh...

maybe even some of the things that he used to say.

She might like to hear them again.

I made her come here.

Mm-hmm.

I used her to make it easy for myself.

Mm-hmm.

Then I saw you.

And...

this place.

Everything that we had once.

Only it...

fell apart in my hands.

You know, I hated you.

That's right, I hated you because you could

give her everything that I couldn't.

Hmm.

Oh---...

No.

No, Russ, you did not hate me.

You...

hated yourself.

Although I... I don't know why.

You didn't start a fire.

You didn't start a flood.

You didn't do any of those things.

I-I know that...

now.

Then why don't you tell Mary that you know that now?

No, I don't want to hurt her anymore.

I want her to have everything she deserves.

Everything she deserves?

Now, Russ, do you really think

she has everything she deserves now?

How much more is there?

She is in love with you, you know.

Well, you know that, don't you?

Well, don't you? She always has been.

Oh, Ru...

You're loco.

No, Russ,

you couldn't be more wrong.

Oh, I'd hope that she...

that she loves me as a daughter

might love a father, but...

...she's looking for the love and security

that she can find in-in you.

She loves the man that you once were.

The man that you are again today, now.

Well,

I'm afraid it's a little late for that,

because...

I got the divorce papers...

today.

Well, what are you gonna do about 'em?

Um...

Here's the money that...

that I earned rounding up those strays.

Take out what I stole from you

in the bunkhouse.

And give the rest to Mary.

I'm not gonna run your errands for you.

She's in her room.

You can give her that money yourself.

I'm right here, Uncle Ben.

Hello. Hello.

You look nice.

So do you.

I was wrong.

I was, too.

I heard what, uh,

what you said to Ben.

Well, whatever you want,

you know, for yourself...

...that-that's what I want for you.

♪♪

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